De magistratibus

De magistratibus

It is especially necessary to consider the teachings about magistrates, and first, we will follow the common division for the sake of instruction. Some authorities consider certain magistrates to be civil, while others see them as ecclesiastical. A civil magistrate is one who bears the sword and maintains civil peace. This is what Paul proves in Romans. XIII, ss. The parts of the sword are civil laws, civil ordinances of judicial proceedings, and the penalties for crimes; and the right to wield the sword is a matter of foolishness if someone is shipwrecked, whether a wise person will extort it from them, if it is a matter of public interest, or if both shipwrecked individuals will seize it or one will yield to the other. “Let him yield, but to the one whose interest it is more, whether for his own sake or for the sake of the republic, to live,” as the law states about not killing, not seeking vengeance, etc. Thus, the magistrate administers the sword with piety. Moreover, if legal experts respond according to the law or defend the oppressed, they are especially guilty who litigate. Regarding the authority of the sword, I feel this: First, if rulers command anything against God, we should not obey them. We must obey God rather than people. You have countless examples of this kind, and among them is that most beautiful one from the Book of Amos. Then, if they command something that serves the public good, you must obey according to what is written in Romans. You should obey not just out of fear of punishment, but also out of a sense of conscience. For love compels us to bear all civil burdens. Finally, if they command anything tyrannically, the magistrate must also be endured because of love, where without public action and without sedition, nothing can be changed, according to that saying in Matthew. But if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.^✦ But if you can escape without causing scandal and without public disturbance, then do so; for if you find yourself in prison without deserving any evil, and you can break free without public commotion, nothing prevents you from fleeing. According to that first principle. If you can be free, use your freedom. For only the spirit arranges itself in its own freedom. It would be as if a stateless person were to do something, if everyone obeyed the Gospel. It would be a lawless state if everyone obeyed the Gospel. J. I see why you wouldn't choose even this. A leader in theology must be aware that he will be held accountable for the blood of those souls who perish through his negligence. I, therefore, must be careful to ensure that I do not ignore the blood of the souls that perish at my hands. Jonas S. We believe that the first ministers are bishops, not powers or magistrates. Furthermore, bishops do not have the authority to create laws, except for those who are mandated to preach the word of God alone, not the words of men, as we mentioned above and as stated in Jeremiah. XXIII. It is clear enough. First, if they are to teach Scripture, they must listen as Christ did, according to that passage in Luke. Whoever listens to you listens to me. For it pertains to Scripture, not to human traditions, as is clear when Matthew says. Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will not receive a false prophet. Therefore, if they teach anything contrary to Scripture, they should not be listened to. You must obey God rather than men. You've made the command of God void because of your tradition. Against divine law, a decree has been made by the Pope at this time in the bull by which Luther is condemned; he should not be listened to at all. Third, if they decide anything beyond Scripture, in order to bind consciences, they should not be listened to. Nothing binds the conscience except divine law. Paul spoke about these things in his letter. IY, ss. where the teachings of demons call it a law regarding celibacy and forbidden foods. Although these things may not seem to contradict Scripture, since they are not inherently evil—after all, a bad state of celibacy is not evil; abstaining from meat is not evil—yet these things are wicked if you think you are sinning when you do something different. Those are impious who think that someone sins if they don't read the canonical hours or if they eat meat on Friday or Saturday, and so on. For a bishop cannot bind the Christian conscience. The heart. It has been given to us not for destruction, but for building up. Fourth, if you don't burden the bishop's conscience with the law, but rather with the external burden of the interpreter, as spiritual people and those who understand often do, then no human law can bind the conscience. In this way, you'll judge the law of the bishop as you would the tyranny of civil authorities. Whatever the bishops command beyond Scripture is tyranny. For they do not have the right to command. You will bear those burdens out of love, according to what is written in Matthew. If someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. Furthermore, the Melanthonian loci. Digitized by Google Lobi commuttes. If you can do something without causing scandal, you're forbidden to do it; but if you can break out of prison without public disturbance, nothing forbids you, since you are held captive by a tyrant. If you can do it without causing a scandal, then it is not forbidden; just as if you can break out of prison without causing public unrest, it is not forbidden, since you are held captive by a tyrant. And Christ spoke about the traditions of the Pharisees, according to Matthew. And twelve. He did not make exceptions for civil laws. We are more lenient in interpreting the laws of the Pharisees, especially regarding the individual burdens that weigh more heavily on some than on the common good, and these can easily ensnare the conscience. However, the essence and guiding principle of all human laws is faith and love, and thus necessity as well. This frees you from all traditions, wherever either the soul or the body’s life has been brought into question by tradition. About scandal, what should be said? But what do you seek, in what way is the reason for the scandal? First of all, I must remind you that faith and love are the foundation of all human actions; but among these, faith is more important. However, it is a scandal and an offense if in a neighbor either faith or love is harmed. Faith, if anything is taught differently from the sacred Scriptures, offends the faith of the neighbor. Such a scandal is the entire scholastic doctrine that obscures grace by asserting satisfactions and the works of free will. Christ speaks about this kind in Matthew. It would be better for anyone who causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, to have a millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Love is harmed if anyone helps a needy person and disrupts public peace. In this regard, Christ speaks in Matthew. In Matthew 17, concerning the temple tax, we should pay it so as not to cause offense.^✦ In matters that are required by divine law, we should not consider the scandal; we must obey divine law, doing and teaching what is required by divine law. For faith must always be preferred to love. And again, it does what is in Aet. It is necessary to obey God rather than men. And Christ said, Matthew. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. . Thus, Daniel did not obey the law regarding the golden statue. We shouldn't yield to wicked rulers who condemn the Gospel in this time. In matters of human law and customs, like celibacy and abstaining from meat, human tradition does not bind in cases of necessity. For Christ also dispenses from the divine law in cases of necessity. XI, while the disciples were wanting to gather the ears of grain. How much more is it permissible for people to violate traditions if the necessity of life demands it? How much more is it permissible to violate human traditions if the necessity of life demands it, just as it is permissible to burn a priest if called upon? According to that, II. It is given to us to build up, not to destroy, as Paul writes to the Colossians. It condemns the laws that burden the body excessively. In the presence of the Pharisees demanding that their traditions be observed as if they were necessary for salvation, no one should be forced to violate their conscience due to the scandal. Paul did this in divine law, because he didn't want to circumcise Titus. Galatians. How much more should we avoid foolish papist traditions? And Christ commands that those who were scandalized should be allowed to be, because they were blind and the leaders of the blind. For the sake of teaching freedom, it is permissible to violate human traditions, so that the unskilled may understand that they do not sin, even if they admit something contrary to human traditions. In such a case, Paul clearly rebuked Peter. II, ss. , which had been abandoned by the unskilled, foolishly observing laws and ignorant of the freedom of the Gospel. For the sick and those who have not yet heard the Gospel, we must perform the duty of charity and serve human traditions, as long as we do not admit anything against divine law. Thus Paul in the Acts. XXI, ss. Jerusalem was laid waste, for among such a great multitude, very few understood the gospel freedom. And here Paul would rather abstain from meat forever than lose his brother's soul. And Rome. Receive the weak in faith. Although in those times they acted according to divine law, now, as we deal with human traditions, we can be more flexible. It is wicked to obey wherever there are bishops who demand such observance, so that they may burden the conscience with sin. For there are teachings of demons that are required; however, if they are not required, let Paul's rule be observed: "Neither does he who eats have an abundance, nor does he who does not eat lack."^✦ VIII. You have the most important passages of theology; seek a more detailed understanding from the Scriptures. We are content to have indicated what you should observe. So I think it was good that I dealt with such significant matters more lightly than I should have, so that I wouldn’t distract anyone with unfortunate diligence from the Scriptures to my own arguments. I believe that we should avoid the writings of men on sacred matters like a plague, for the doctrine of the Spirit can only be drawn from Scripture. Who has expressed the Spirit of God more fully than He Himself? What good is it to you to gain the whole world if you lose your soul? Digitized by Google Schlusswort. He based it on the second Wittenberg edition. The following is translated: a wonderful little book, and for all states. I am not here to transfer the places of Philip; although I had been asked to do so a year ago and had accepted, I have allowed myself to be overwhelmed by business and have let whatever I intended to accomplish fall by the wayside, since I cannot satisfy our daily printing needs with my present work. As for Amsdorf, I can’t help but transfer the passages from Philippi; although it had been requested of me and accepted a year ago, I allowed myself to fall into a sponge of distractions, whatever that work was meant to be, since I couldn’t satisfy our daily and present tasks with my writings. The access to the Dominican monastery was told: "Then I fell into yico." Castelvetro translated them in Venice at the papal court. A Francis of their own peculiar indwelling life is in C. XXI i. Pestalozzi, H. Bullinger, S. Melancthon's true fall is into the flesh of the Son of God, so that it wouldn't be ignored how much more he wanted to be known through letters, which he left for us as a lasting image of himself. Look how insidiously I might be trapped and surrounded by thorns: but Christ lives and reigns yesterday, today, and forever. My conscience responds to me about the truth I know, and when I name the truth, it becomes even more odious. Digitized by Google hermenentisoher Kanon. He freely bound them to the Scriptures. Thus, he established the only correct standpoint in the beginning against the prevailing interpretations. Much effort was devoted to the places that were lacking, so it seems that the real outcome of theological speculation was that Melanchthon's dogmatic principles formed the center of all their theological thinking about God in Jesus Christ, which he had grasped in faith; this opened the right path for further progress. The revisions of his work corresponded more closely to the right path than the views of the reformers. This is a placeholder for the first sentence translation. This is a placeholder for the second sentence translation. Digitized by Google Anhang. They sent Hieronymus Bronner to hold. Did you celebrate the solemn day of St. Paul the Apostle according to our academy's ritual with such great fulfillment? The speech pleased the friends so much that yesterday, I and Philip competed splendidly, invited as we were. You'll see the prayer that Philip offered yesterday excused; about the Wette. We dedicated it to Melanthon. But a certain legate from Caesar intercepted the grace of office, to whom a speech was to be inscribed for the court's favor, that is, for the sake of gaining approval. Thus, we theologians gradually learn to agree; C. So the speech appeared in the teaching of Paul. For this reason. In the letter to Johann Hessum, theologian, from Philippi, it should be noted that it must stand in Wittenberg, with Melchior Lotherus the younger. Since it is thus justified by Strobels, it is indeed desirable. I speak of the feast day of the Apostle Paul. I declare a feast day for the Apostle Paul, which is more fitting to celebrate than the festivals of His praise, and indeed to dedicate it to the heavenly benefits that have been revealed through Him, the chosen instrument, throughout the entire world. For Paul, what is rarer and more admirable than the example of divine goodness? In whom nothing is withheld from the most generous abundance of good things. Indeed, the ways of speaking about such a weighty matter are shorter than they ought to be, and my own weakness makes it easier for me to reverently contemplate and adore the great beauty of Paul than to express it in words. I see that this is something much narrower than what can be expressed in human words. For whatever they may be, they share common elements with others: the grace of the homeland, pleasures, wealth, glory, contempt, cold, suns, slanders, hunger, wounds, and torments. Yet somehow, these things seem greater to me in Paul than they do in others. Indeed, the same spirit imparts various gifts to many, so that the same quality of virtue is not found in everyone. And just as some gems have different colors in gold and others in silver, so each virtue has its own unique character. It's clear that this has happened to one person alone, who devoted himself to Christ for the sake of his people with the greatest love. Now it is clear that this has happened to this one person as a unique example of the highest power of love, which chose to be devoted to Christ for the sake of his people. No one can take away the incomparable trust we have in Christ, whether by the power of humans, angels, or demons. The knowledge of hidden things, which he heard in the third heaven, contained certain mysteries that even he could not express. He regarded life with such contempt that he counted it as nothing in the face of death; yet, even though death was far more desirable than life itself, he preferred to live, knowing he would soon die in service to his ministry. The majesty of doctrine surpasses the praise of the entire assembly of the Apostles. The greatness of the soul, which presented itself for the sake of bringing grace, opposed itself to the Apostles, James and Peter. What beautiful things—since we’ve noted only a few out of countless examples—are specifically due to Paul? Who can match him in prayer, except perhaps Paul himself? In these matters, however, I believe that doctrine is primary. He enjoys the other things privately, but the doctrine is what truly sustains us. It seems fitting at this time, when many things are not allowed, to encourage you to embrace this pious endeavor. To do this, I must also consider other matters, especially this one: since each person's prayer is most truthful when it comes from their own words, we have come to know Paul more closely through his own writings. It wasn't right for any praise of my talent to be owed to my fault, so I think I've more than satisfied the requirements on solemn holidays if I invite the youth to reflect on the teachings of the wisest hero in any way I can. For I am in a position to believe that no one can come to know Christ more closely through any writings or commentaries than through those of Paul. No praise can more effectively commend Paul to humanity. For the necessity certainly draws everyone here to call upon their various studies. You loved certain arts for their own sake, but they’re not learned from just anyone; some are compared for profit, which it doesn’t matter if you ignore, and sometimes it’s even beneficial not to have learned them, but those that show the way to salvation, which demonstrate the absolute reason for happiness, should be sought after by all. Philosophy and ancient wisdom, under this name, are complex, so that from them a better understanding may be sought, and the consensus of all wise men has always regarded them as the best discipline for improving morals and studies. I will show what we owe to Paul, as many as we have been washed in the blood of Christ. The form of life is not to be sought from philosophers, but from the divine books; we will teach what parts of Paul's writings are relevant, unless it is bothersome to hear. In the number of divine writings, some mention laws, others examples of life and conduct, some obscure prophecies about Christ, and others the deeds of Christ. What greater benefit could there be than the one that Christ brought to the world through His own blood? Who explains this more accurately? Who explains more fully about the divine Paul? It's important to hold onto the laws of living so that you know what is appropriate and what is not, and to consider the examples of life set before you; you should also strive to embrace the virtues they embody. Remember, too, the things of Christ, which serve as a perfect model for absolute virtue; but far greater is the true glory of Christ, which is what the world needs to understand about the fullness of salvation. Honest laws prescribe a form and express examples, and above all, that archetype is Christ. Christ's generosity is given to all humanity, which is revealed to the whole world through the Gospel of Paul, declaring the virtue of laws and examples; but it is Christ's generosity that truly absolves, as Paul preaches. Just as a soldier needs to know what skills are required to engage the enemy, whether he is strong or lacking in physical strength, it’s not enough to simply hold onto laws or examples; you also need to be prepared in your heart to obey those laws. You can't just rely on laws or examples to live well; Paul teaches that what you truly need is a spirit that seeks guidance, so that you can align yourself with the laws. It only referred to the laws that Moses established, but Paul teaches about the power of Christ's benefits. The writings of the prophets and the histories add to the letters of Paul, in which the goodness of our Savior is described, showing from where we should seek absolute ease. This is indeed Pauline. The aim of wisdom is this: it prescribes certain rules for living, which are also common to other sacred writers. We particularly understand the nature and power of Christ's benefit through Paul, and we owe him our proper praise. No writers have better earned merit in human affairs than those who have dedicated the generosity of Christ to writing, so that the summary of our salvation may not be overlooked, and that mortals may not fall into forgetfulness of divine goodness and their own duty. Indeed, to know Christ is not just to hold on to the events of His life, but to embrace with a grateful heart the gift that the heavenly Father poured out over the entire world through Him, by which alone the souls of the wicked and truly Christian can be distinguished. No divine reasoning has ever commended us more effectively than the memory of this greatest benefit. Moreover, what is it like? It seems that this should be explained briefly, so that you don't ignore what we owe to Christ and to Paul, the herald of Christ. God has declared His goodness in various ways, as it is commonly said that Jupiter is full of all things; but He has expressed it most fully in Christ, through whom He astonishingly rescued humanity from the jaws of hell. For as many as are born of Adam are children of wrath and death, and by nature we miserable ones are so dragged into vices that we can be drawn away by no counsel of our own, nor by any strength of ours. A multitude of desires exercises its tyranny over us, each person driven by their own lust. In the meantime, we are engaged in a constant battle, whether it be against reason or law, and we are wretchedly fighting against ourselves. I don't yet know for sure whether it's better to say that the wounds of conscience are there, or that they exist in a bad death, as some wise people have judged that it's best not to be born at all. Therefore, he sent down to the earth. God's Son, in our flesh, was made more approachable and lovable. The more closely you are joined to God, the more you will be loved. The philosophers and the law show the end of the Christian life. It was through him that the kingdom of sin and death would be destroyed once and for all, and that both the law and desire would agree. Finally, through whom peace and life would be granted to all souls, as many as would be willing to accept Him in faith. Therefore, we owe to Christ the spirit of absolute virtue and peace, or, as I would say in Greek, the author of tranquility and indeed absolute happiness. He will assess how great the benefits are who compares them with the evils of the human race. Philosophers have placed happiness in absolute virtue and perpetual tranquility of the soul, and without a doubt, human reason agrees on this; but they did not see from where such a spirit could be obtained, and this very thing is the mystery hidden for ages, the gift of Christ. Christ is the unique harbor for human misery, whether it’s the sickness of sin, the burden of conscience, or the fear of death that troubles us; from His goodness, we find present relief. Unless someone thinks in vain that this was said by Him: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest": the Savior delights to be called such, not a judge, who descended into the flesh, took on the form of a lowly human, and was enslaved by the power of sin or the flesh, under the tyranny of the law, a kingdom of death more cruel than any, thus He serves the human race, so that He may always be present to all who have fled to His standard.^✦ They knew from certain secret oracles this benefit of Christ to the patriarchs, as many as were saved, for they could not have been saved except by the generous help of Christ. The same is sung by the prophets, a hymn of peace and a paean of the new Sabbath. The same one taught that baptist, of whom no one greater is said to have been born of a woman, who points out the Savior with his finger and calls Him the Lamb, in whom the evils of the human race are gathered. The same Apostles preached, especially our Paul, who without a doubt was destined to be the herald of Christian grace to all nations, just as that Baptist was once to the Jewish people. Judea lacked the authority to grant forgiveness and absolution for sins until Christ came, and I leave it to you to consider how harsh this reality must have been for troubled minds. The author of forgiveness and thus the offering, which is God. John clearly shows us this when he says, "Behold, the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world."^✦ The Lamb of Christ takes away sins through the Spirit. Judea had the law until now, but John, the first to show the love of the law and the desire for virtue, testified that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit when he baptized with water. He baptizes with water, who prescribes the law, and who illustrates virtue with words. But it is the Holy Spirit who baptizes, who fills our souls with His Spirit, and who frees us from all the burdens of virtue. For laws, no matter how just they may seem, cannot truly affect our hearts, so that we might not desire to do evil or hold virtue in contempt. It is clear that wicked nations have lacked the grace of God, but they might deny having desired absolute virtue, though they are philosophers who I wish would look more deeply into the matter. In his laws, Plato places happiness within virtue, denying that happiness can exist without it, and he admits that this very sweetness is foreign to virtue; absolute virtue cannot exist unless it is also the greatest joy. The same calls it a tyrannical law, which goes against the nature and spirit of humanity. Shall we call it absolute virtue, which does not agree with the pleasure of nature? Or is it that the example of virtues proposed by poets and philosophers is such that one cannot find any remnant of vices in it? Therefore, the benefit of Christ is solely the grace of the sins committed and the author of the spirit of absolute virtue and peace, whom the prophets indicated in obscure oracles, whom Paul once preached to the Gentiles and the Jews, and whom it has been given to know in our times through the writings of Paul alone. I've laid out briefly what Christ's benefit is, which Paul proclaims. For there is both peace of conscience and absolute virtue, which was unknown to both Jews and Gentiles before the incarnation of Christ. The sacred writers have often remembered this benefit, but they did so more obscurely than they could have understood it, unless Paul had illuminated the entire argument through so many letters and discussions. I can't capture the reader with any words at all that rely on the figures of rhetoric, the flowers of language, or the ornaments of speech. Alcibiades attributed a rare kind of energy to the speeches of Socrates, as did Lysias, the old comedy of Pericles, and the poet Homer to Ulysses; unless my conjecture is mistaken. Such a thing signifies Moly. But those whom our Paul conquers on foot, whom the nations also admired and called Mercury! I know well enough what it has accomplished since I entrusted my mind to it. I wish that everyone would prefer to experience the truth itself rather than just have faith in my words. I made a significant loss of spirit in the writings of philosophers, which, I hope, the teachings of Paul will one day repair. In my judgment, the entire way is misguided for those who believe that the teachings of philosophers can aid the Christian life. The Christian doctrine is the only effective means to inspire and awaken souls, as the Apostles acknowledged when they called the teaching of Christ the philosophy of eternal life, for He alone is the way, the truth, and the life, in contrast to the opinions of men, which lead to death, lies, darkness, and error. So, what madness is this? What blindness is this? Since the concise path to the salvation of Christian life is indicated by letters, how can we seek the form and examples of authority from philosophers, who do not know the essence of virtue? Philosophy prescribes the laws of living, but the heavenly Father is much more holy, especially since philosophy does not yet fully understand the nature of man; how can it guard against vices through laws? Philosophy teaches that virtue is compared through practice and habit, but we still don't see how much use it is when it conflicts with the natural inclinations. For just as a monkey is always a monkey, even if dressed in purple, so you will overcome no affliction of the soul without counsel or skill. The ancient philosophers debated fiercely whether talent or training, practice, and exercise have more importance in developing virtue. No one has yet been found who hasn’t affirmed that nature without discipline is of little value, and discipline without nature is hardly effective at all. Therefore, we need another kind of teacher for our souls, namely a heavenly spirit who will occupy, inspire, ignite, inflame, and transform the innermost hearts of people. For the virtue that is produced by human efforts is merely a superficial mask, and if you look closely, you'll find nothing but the most vile affections underneath. Such a mind is like a pestilence, wounded on all sides by the most corrupt affections. This kind of mindset in a person is deeply wounded by all sorts of harmful affections. The Platonists believed that there is a certain inner work necessary for human minds, as they say, which the Cathars refer to as purification, and they denied that any solid virtue could be compared to it. Where will we seek this purity? Listen a little, you who write that Christ has fallen into this flesh, so that if anyone rejects himself in Him, he may receive the living spirit and the author of virtue. What is he doing then? Where it discusses the ancient law, it shows that our souls can be neither improved nor pacified by any human effort. The law is given, which rightly instructs, but Christ imparts the Spirit, who frees us from what the law commands, and fills mortals with a certain heavenly delight, as if pouring over them a divine nectar, so that whatever is contrary to the law becomes bitter, loathsome, and detestable. If there are those who have such a spirit, Paul says that they ultimately negate the law that has been established, namely, those who have embraced virtue of their own accord in such a way that it is not necessary to compel them. There's no need to spur a horse that's already been admitted. The same thing Paul addresses when he compares the kingdom of sin and the law with the kingdom of love. For it's not in our power to drive out the affections of sin from his kingdom, which hold the seat of the heart or the impregnable fortress, exercising their tyranny over all our members. Then, when it comes to establishing the tyranny of false grace, nothing is more powerful or prior than the desires that capture and subjugate the belly, the tongue, the eyes, and ultimately the very soul itself. Some of the ancients took on the role of charioteers in human affairs, calling their passions 'horses.' But reason is overcome by desire. It's pointless for a charioteer to pull on the reins if the horses don't listen, just like Phaethon, who couldn't control the sun's horses and was thrown off course by their wildness. The power of sin is overcome only by the grace of Christ. The same Paul acts where he brings the spirit of fear together with the spirit of love. A spirit that acts out of fear is a servile spirit, which performs its duty only when compelled by fear. If fear is absent, we can hardly call it the source of virtue, nor can it even be said to free us from fault. Therefore, we must strive for the highest good of right love, which is truly a taste of divine goodness, as it is discussed in the context of the letter of death and the life-giving Spirit. For the letter is a certain representation of virtue, which the Spirit transforms into affections. This is the law that elevates the hearts of people toward the pursuit of virtue, as recognized by both philosophers and the teachings of this age's theological schools. Dreams. How much more truly does Paul teach that human souls are terrified and killed by the law, but are made alive by the Spirit of Christ? For just as the human spirit cannot bear what the law forbids, namely, to loosen the reins of burning desire, so when the law prohibits it, it must also hate the law. But it is through the Spirit of Christ that it happens, so that it may not be enjoyable, even if it is permissible to indulge in desire. So, I ask, what is the philosophy of humans? What use is it? What results have they produced? Don't be distracted by what seems so pleasing to the flesh, which is the fruit of desire, when virtue is so delightful to us, just as vice is to the flesh. This is certainly a new world, where life, glory, and pleasure fade away, and indeed, whatever exists in this realm is drawn by the inclination of the flesh. Paul indicates that we should seek such a world, such a spirit, and such souls, where the old law has been set aside, and the kingdom of sin and the law has been cut off, describing instead the kingdom of grace and peace. The sacred books teach us, in a way, about the laws. Here, indeed, since it is clear that human souls naturally recoil from laws, Christ is presented to the eyes of mortals, from whom we may obtain the spirit of virtue and the author of peace. And this is the concise way to happiness, not through philosophy, not through sacred laws, but through Christ. Philosophy is an error, as the laws of God are not matched by our minds. The Spirit of Christ reveals what is commanded by divine laws. Therefore, if your salvation is dear to you, if you care to know Christ and the benefit of Christ, take up the divine letters of Paul in your hands or receive them with praise, and delight yourselves in heavenly wisdom. Let the youth be encouraged in these matters, since this age is exposed to countless dangers and the corrupt morals of this world greatly influence how the minds of the untrained are shaped by various opinions and teachers. For, what people commonly think is that worldly literature can elevate young people to the love of virtue; I fear that we might be deceived. On the contrary, there is a certain admirable force in divine matters, by which attentive minds are drawn and inflamed, and nowhere is the hand of God more present, as they say, than in sacred discourse. And Paul is more suited for shaping morals because not only does Scripture not prescribe the laws of living, but it also presents Christ, from whom you can receive the spirit of virtues through His wounds. And so far, what a loss the theological school has suffered by neglecting Paul, I hesitate to say. Once this teaching of Aristotle has been disregarded, hardly anything remains of Christ's name; indeed, the understanding of divine goodness is almost lost, from which alone the divine nature is usually known. The gods of the nations were supposed to reflect the human kindness that each class and tribe had, as it seemed to foolish mortals. Moreover, such a pursuit of men is thought to be ungrateful by the gods, as it is both uncivil and inhumane, not to mention not divine at all. But truly, the divine generosity of Christ is such that, while He abundantly pours out all things upon us, He desires to be known rather than to be worshiped. Truly, it is an inestimable goodness! And what other nation is there anywhere that has gods so close to them as our God is to all our prayers? Anyone who takes away the goodness of Christ commits a blasphemy that cannot be more detestable. There is no worship more pleasing to Christ than to embrace His goodness with a sincere heart. In this one thing, we Christians stand out to both Gentiles and Jews, because we have Christ set before our eyes, who gives His Spirit to His own, both as a pledge and as the source of virtues. Those who profane this are the ones who teach comfort to anxious consciences from elsewhere, who instruct how to prepare strength for troubled souls from other sources; and they are truly the ones who blaspheme the Holy Spirit, a sin that will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come. The kingdom of Christ to come has been sung by the prophets with words more heroic than any others, proclaiming a future triumph of justice and peace. The kingdom, which schools are ignorant of regarding what triumphs, afflicts the troubled consciences of the wretched in ways that strip them bare, through their lofty teachings, which do not heal the affections of vices at all, but rather add sickness to sickness through frivolous and trivial disputes, so that they hold many vicious affections in place of virtues. There are two main benefits that commend Christ to the world: a peaceful conscience and a mind composed of its own affections. The benefit of Christ teaches us. Is it that which clearly proves the matter has been neglected by the schools of our age? The nations sought success in deceit from Mercury, fortune in warfare from Mars, and abundance from Juno. We must understand what we should properly ask of Christ, as the schools teach, which count him among the theatrical gods, who heals the ailments of bodies, increases familiar resources, and ultimately fulfills the foolish desires of each person, since he has taken on flesh in order to be present for the consolation and strengthening of human souls. Why am I lingering here any longer? Those who have greeted this one at the threshold will easily see how much difference there is between the schools and the sacred teaching of Paul. I’m not saying what kind of teaching is found in the schools, how impure and sordid the methods of teaching and discussing are, but I do warn that these do not align with Christian doctrine and can obscure the goodness of Christ. As for the use of the sacraments and other heavenly mysteries, it's not the place to discuss what they may reveal. It's commonly said that a drink cannot be found from muddy water. So, no one can truly satisfy their spirit in scholastic theology, when it is so polluted by the clever arguments, trivialities, techniques, and petty traditions of so many people. Moreover, I don't need to refute the frivolous opinion of those who measure Paul's teaching by the span of a single century and who still indulge in childish arguments, while those who are now grown up need a more profound theology. For in those early times, there flourished not only the true Christian riches but also the language itself, and the prophetic interpretation of the Scriptures, which was more familiar to pure minds than the heavenly spirit that reveals the hidden mysteries of Scripture. Perhaps the difficulty of Paul's speech and the impediment to reasoning deter some from engaging with him: it seems that they would rather avoid the risk of tackling the complex and contentious issues raised by his letters than confront the simpler matters at hand. To put it plainly: The Pauline texts are less understood by us, as we owe this to those exceptional teachers of ours, who, being entirely unskilled in the literature of the ancients and in sound learning, have made the divine discourse of Paul and the rhetoric bound in Scripture clear through its parts, and have compacted it into sections, first dissecting it with new punctuation, and then explaining it according to Aristotle's method; so that not even a single verse is found that does not fit with the verse. It wasn't the job of an ordinary person to play around with the four senses in nearly every syllable. It didn't shame bold men to engage in such serious matters as games, and there they competed with various opinions, where there was nothing to be done except to clarify certain very simple points according to the figures of grammarians and rhetoricians, just as Erasmus advises in his Method, or as the Greeks say, to compare one thing to another. The Scripture wasn't given in such a way that it couldn't be understood; rather, the kind spirit of God, who is light, intended for it to be understood by all the faithful. Let praise cease, if it exists, for the obscurity of philosophers; the Spirit of God claims this for itself, as it teaches and delights both the tender and the unrefined, and exercises the most ardent of minds. Saint Augustine, a man of unique and great understanding in sacred matters, does not say, he claims, that the Apostle desires an acute intellect, but rather just an attentive listener. Those who are tainted by the opinions of worldly philosophy do not accept the wisdom of Paul. Therefore, you should bring a pure mind to this, first and foremost, and then also be free from the opinions of the crowd. It's free. For unless the vessel is pure, whatever you pour into it will become sour. The philosopher Antisthenes, when a certain young man asked him what he needed to study philosophy, replied with a new slate, indicating that he should use it and keep his mind free from corrupt opinions. I think that this is the counsel to be followed in learning from Paul. For sacred scripture is pure in itself, and it flows into pure minds. You require from Paul, as I mentioned before, the benefit of Christ, which is the spirit of virtues, from which one may proceed and what it can accomplish in the souls of mortals. You won't accomplish anything if you spend your time in frequent meditation on what is inert, while you only exert yourself in the lower disciplines, here ceasing where the matter of salvation is concerned. I touched on the essence of Pauline teaching, albeit briefly, considering the weight of such a matter, but it was necessary to adhere to the time and to another sufficient teacher. Whoever was in vows should pursue this argument further. You should strive in every way to know Christ, as it’s not fitting to have anything more serious than that, so that you may understand Christ's benefit as clearly as possible. If knowing Christ isn't about exploring the ways of eternal generation or the wondrous incarnation, but rather recognizing the benefits by which He opened the path of salvation to the world, then we should understand why He descended to earth, what we can obtain from Him, and what the flesh is as the pledge of those things, which He took on, or the cross, through which He died for our cause without a doubt. This is indeed a necessary and beneficial pursuit, worthy of a Christian mind; this is the philosophy that Paul professes. . The grace of Christ is what the recent theology discusses, but Paul pursues it in great depth. Some discuss the positions of the winds, the forms of things, the movements, and the lightning; here, he speaks of those matters in which true and absolute happiness is clearly found. Moreover, there are countless philosophical ideas that come into play here. What laws can be propagated in comparing virtues, and to what extent the power can be established in human minds, by which we are drawn toward vices, so that it may command the affections of mortals? In which it cannot be said how skillfully he paints man with his colors; for this, even in one name, is the most delightful teaching of Paul to me. Many people love philosophy because it allows them to place themselves before their own eyes, and some ancient thinkers believed it bore fruit and was the culmination of philosophy itself. But how much more happily did Paul accomplish this? In it, as in a mirror, you can see whatever is hidden in the depths of a person's heart. Nowhere can you see more clearly the reasons for vices, and nowhere can you perceive more accurately the power and sources of virtue. After we have come to know this in part, it seems to us that Philosophy sheds a certain darkness on the eyes of men, and in judging human nature, which it often addresses first, it tends to freeze in its attempts to discern the boundaries of vices and virtues, to hallucinate, and to be blind. The common people think that the teachings of theologians are crude and foolish, which were handed down by Paul, and that they can be learned in passing, like things that can be grasped in brief moments; meanwhile, they immerse their whole souls in their own rhapsodies, as if Scripture were merely a summary of the nations. Those who are worthy will judge this rightly, but I must not say anything harsher in the meantime about those who cannot even understand two of Paul's verses. As for the constitution of civil matters and the cases concerning conscience, no one judges more carefully, more wisely, or more fairly. And from this, it was necessary to establish the laws of the cities and to seek out the principles for judging cases. Many passages and tropes from Scripture come together here, which he has illustrated throughout. Therefore, you should first take care of your own salvation, since it is not permissible to know Christ, in whom the fullness of salvation resides, apart from Paul's teaching. Next, there's knowledge of many things that is both pleasant and useful to understand. If you desire a concise understanding of theological matters, if your mind seeks to know the roots of vices and virtues, what fruits and what behaviors are worthy of a Christian mindset, what you owe to rulers, bishops, the people, yourself, and to human and divine laws, no one teaches more accurately or conveniently than Paul. In human writings, is the pleasure of philosophy to unravel all the schedules of all things, and does it not help to devote oneself to the brief commentaries of Paul in sacred matters? To whom so many reasons call us. If you want to comfort your soul and meditate on Christ, nowhere is this expressed more clearly: if you want to delight in prayer, it is full of allurements, pure, vigorous, elegant, bright, and smooth; if you wish to engage in practice, here you have an argument to discuss with the philosophers, in which you can challenge the theologians of our time, who attribute absolute virtue to humanity without the help of Christ, something that, it seems to me, should be a source of contempt for Paul; you also have plenty of other mysteries to discuss. In this kind of spiritual exercise, you'll find much greater benefit than in those trivial scholarly debates, where so much idle chatter and frivolous talk occur, and where many seeds of hatred also arise. It is good to engage in sacred matters, and even in the writings of Paul, it's delightful, where so many wondrous truths have been discussed. And I want these things to be commended to you as examples of the best. Among the ancients, there was hardly anyone who did not regard Paul highly. If the title is correct, Saint Peter diligently commends these letters to Christians in his epistle, which is certainly accepted, as containing the letters of Paul. The Church commonly calls him the Doctor of the Gentiles. They have commented on it, along with many others, including Origen, Jerome, Chrysostom, and Augustine. After the Christian faith had collapsed and was nearly forgotten for a while, it now flourishes again, thanks to the efforts of the best among us. May the studies of those who are with you spur you on, especially when it’s necessary to be at your best, as you see that this is affirmed by the consensus of the best among us. Meanwhile, let us give thanks to God, who has shown us Christ through the writings of Paul, and let us pray that he may graciously grant us the same spirit of knowing Christ. Arnen.