De divinis legibus
De divinis legibus
The divine laws are those that have been established by God through the canonical Scriptures. There are three kinds of orders: some are moral, some are judicial, and some are ceremonial. There are moral laws prescribed in the Decalogue, which all laws regarding behavior in the entire Scripture should refer to. How often is the same law repeated in the Scriptures? However, it should be noted here that we shouldn't interpret the Decalogue solely in terms of external actions, dividing it into counsel and precepts in a scholastic manner; therefore, I will briefly go over the formulas of the laws. The first three commandments are: You shall have no other gods; you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; remember to keep the Sabbath day holy — there is no doubt that Christ explained this law: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This seems to be the distinction of those three laws, although they all pertain to the true worship of God: the first, 'You shall have no other gods,' refers specifically to our affections, so that we don't love anything or fear anything besides God, nor trust in our own resources, strength, wisdom, justice, or any creature at all, but only in the goodness of God. The feelings that are so far beyond our control—like trust, fear, or love for God—can’t be understood unless they come from the most spiritual part of us. This law includes many things found in the prophetic writings about fearing God, trusting in God, and similar themes. Remarkably, the words of this law commend to us both trust and fear. For it says: I am the Lord your God, a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, etc. By endlessly threatening and declaring, He makes clear that the power of His wrath must be feared. Again, he adds: to show mercy to thousands of those who love him — does he not here, while commending his goodness, require that we love him and trust in his goodness? However, greater things are required than those that can be achieved through human words. The scholars taught that to love God is the same as wanting God to exist, to hear Him, and not to envy Him the kingdom, along with many other things that are obscured by words. They can only understand what it means to love God to the extent that they are enlightened by the Spirit. You can't truly know what it means to love God unless you experience it firsthand, guided by the Spirit. You have the work of the first commandment: to trust in God, to love, and to fear God. This worship is what Christ meant when He said, 'True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.'✦ Such an inner disposition will naturally lead to an outward expression of worship that is likely to be genuine. According to the commandment, be careful not to use the name of God lightly, and so that we may testify to that very faith, as well as the fear and love of God, through the use of the divine name. And just as the previous command is affirmative, requiring faith and love, so this command is also affirmative and requires that we celebrate the name and glory of God, invoke the name of God, flee to the name of God as to a stronghold, and swear by the name of God. Let us sing according to David, and let us acknowledge his name, as Solomon says in Proverbs. Let us praise the name of the Lord, the strongest tower; let us celebrate His goodness toward us, giving thanks for everything that comes from us, as the Apostle says, for the praise of the Lord. You see, it flows from the earlier command. The third commandment instructs us to keep the Sabbath holy, to rest from our own works, which means to endure and tolerate the work of God, the mortification of ourselves. First, it requires faith; second, the praise of God's name; third, the tolerance of God's works in us. This command is primarily violated by those who preach moral actions and the power of free will. . For it requires the mortification of free will. And the people of the New Testament. Digitized by Google De ditÜBis legibus. The one who is stern will have a perpetual Sabbath; this is the one whose flesh is constantly mortified and whose spirit is made alive. Those who are ignorant of both the Sabbath and Christianity are the advocates of free will and the mockers of the cross of Christ, justifying themselves by their own actions and efforts. The example of those who gathered sticks on the Sabbath is followed by others, as noted in Numbers 15. So you see, there are three commandments: to trust in God, to praise God, and to endure His work in us, which can be understood in this way: love God with all your heart, etc. For the one who loves like this undoubtedly trusts, fears, praises, and tolerates with the most ardent spirit. I did not establish the law to be explained; for how could it be done in a summary way? But I wanted to point this out so you would know that those who don’t believe something greater is required of us are mistaken. If someone desires a broader explanation of the commandments, they should seek it either from Luther's German book on good works. Here, the sophists are mistaken in two ways: first, they believe that the supreme love of God is not required or demanded in this life; thus, they judge about other affections as well. Porro, hanc sententiam satis clare refutat hic textus: diligas Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, tota anima tua, tota mente tua. For if God demands your whole heart, He doesn’t allow you to give part of it to a creature. If only there were someone like Elijah who could teach how sadly those who think they owe part of their heart to creatures and part to God are mistaken. It cannot be fulfilled while we live in the flesh; yet that doesn’t mean it isn’t required, for the Sabbath and absolute freedom are essential to Christianity, and it follows that satisfaction is not part of penance. Widmete; E. XX, fgg. Restriction. We're digitized by Google, while we don't pay what we owe. And this is what we said above: all people are truly always sinners and will always sin. And further, where grace will be discussed, we must again consider how we are justified and how we remain sinners. Then the sophists are deluded, thinking that these commands and the others can be fulfilled by our own strength. For they think that the law only commands external actions, so that we should not worship many gods or idols through external ceremonies and services. To express the law regarding our affections, the very words of the law say: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.'✦ Indeed, the flesh loves itself most of all, trusting in its own goods, its own wisdom, and its own justice. For it is written in Romans. VIII. The Apostle says: The flesh seeks what is its own and cannot submit to the law of God. Therefore, one cannot truly love God or trust in His goodness, etc. It is a great and incomprehensible thing to love God, namely to embrace His divine will with a joyful and grateful heart, even when He condemns and mortifies. So I ask you, Sophist, whether nature can desire the underworld and eternal punishment? But if you deny that it's possible, then also deny that God can be loved apart from the flesh. Christ explains the remaining commandments, which are called the second table: You shall love your neighbor as yourself, and many others in a long discourse in chapter V. Matthew. And the Apostle lists nearly countless laws of love. To the Romans. The Sophists have indeed presented laws concerning only external actions; namely, that one is considered to have satisfied the law if you do not commit murder, if you do not openly engage in fornication, and so on. Against this, Christ explains the law concerning our affections, and he does so affirmatively. Read: you shall not kill, it commands, so that we may be pure in heart toward all, upright, sincere, and generous in our dealings, so that we do not repay evil for evil, nor engage in disputes over our affairs, briefly, so that we do not resist evil. Finally, we should love even our enemies, and this is a truly remarkable thing. On counsel. Act with sincerity and purity. Thus I read: you shall not commit adultery; they think it is satisfied if we do not designate the crime by an external act. Christ teaches this clearly, so we understand that we must demand both chastity and purity of heart, and that we should not desire anything shameful. A diligent reader will observe the remaining points in the Gospel.
Read the original Latin
Divinae leges sunt, quae per Scripturas canonicas a Deo sancitae sunt.
Ordines earum tres fecerunt: sunt enim aliae morales, aliae judiciales, aliae ceremoniales.
Mora- f les sunt, quae decalogo praescriptae sunt, in quas referat studiosus omnes leges, quae de moribus in tota Scriptura proditae sunt.
Quoties enim eadem lex in Scripturis repetita est?
Est autem observandum hic, ne decalogum exponamus de solis externis operibus partiamurque in consilia et praecepta more scholastico; quare paucis percurram legum formulas.
Tria priora praecepta: non habebis Deos alienos; non adsumes nomen Dei tui in vanum; memento, ut diem sabbati sanctifices — non dubium est, quin Christus exposuerit per hanc legem: Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo et in tota anima tua et in tota mente tua.
Videtur autem hoc esse trium illarum legum discrimen, tametsi ad idem omnes pertineant, nempe ad verum cultum Dei, ut primum: non habebis Deos alienos, proprie ad adfectus referatur, ne quid amemus, ne quid formidemus praeter Deum, ne nostris opibus, virtute, prudentia, justitia aut ulla plane creatura fidamus, sed sola Dei bonitate.
Qui adfectus adeo non sunt in potestate nostra, ut neque quid fiducia neque quid metus neque quid amor Dei sit, intelligatur, nisi a spiritualissimis.
Ad hanc legem pertinent pleraque in propheticis literis de formidando Deo, de fidendo in Deum et similia.
Mirabiliter autem hujus legis verba commendant nobis tum fiduciam tum metum.
Nam quod ait: ego sum Dominus Deus tuus fortis zelotes, visitans iniquitatem patrum in filios etc.
interminando terret declaratque, metuendam esse vim irae suae.
Rursus cum addit: se facere misericordiam in millia his, qui se diligunt — annon hic, commendans bonitatem suam, exigit, ut se amemus, sua bonitate fidamus etc.
Omnino autem majora exiguntur, quam quae verbis humanis queam consequi.
Scholastici docuerunt, diligere Deum idem esse, quod velle Deum esse, quod audit, non invidere ei regnum et hoc genus multa verbis obscurio Loci commanes.
ribus, quam qnae ipsi in suis sciolis intelligere potuerint.
Neque enim sciri potest, quid sit diligere Deum, nisi spiritu docente, hoc est nisi re ipsa spiritu inflammatus experiare.
Habes primi praecepti opus: fidere Deo, diligere ac Umere Deum ).
Haec adoratio est, de qua Christus ait t Veri adoratores adorabunt Patrem in spiritu et veritate.
Hunc talem adfectum sua sponte sequetur cultus externus probabilis.
Secundum praeceptum ), cave ne nomen Dei temere usurpetur planeque ut illam ipsam fidem, item metum et amorem Dei testemur usu nominis divini.
Et sicut prius praeceptum affirmativum est, exigens fidem et amorem, ita et hoc affirmativum est exigitque, ut celebremus nomen et gloriam Dei, invocemus nomen Dei, profugiamus ad nomen Dei, velut ad quendam munitissimum portum, juremus per nomen Dei, Deut.
VI,: Psallamus secundum Davidem nomini ejus agnoscamusque illud Solomonis Prov.
XVHI,: Turris munitissima nomen Domini, laudemus, celebremus beneficentiam erga nos Dei, agamus gratias planeque omnia a nobis fiant, ut ait apostolus, in laudem Domini.
Vides, a priore mandato secundum promanare.
Tertium praeceptum jubet, ut sabbatum sanctificetur, ut vacemus a nostris operibus, hoc est, ut patiamur ac toleremus opus Dei, mortificationem nostri.
Primum exigit fidem; secundum laudem nominis Dei; tertium tolerantiam operum Dei in nobis.
Hoc praeceptum inprimis violant, qui praedicant opera moralia et liberi arbitrii vim. . Exigit enim liberi arbitrii mortificationem.
Et populus Novi Te Richtige.
Digitized by Google De ditÜBis legibus.
sternenti* ente habeat perpetuum sabbatum, is est, cujus caro assiduo mortificatur, spirituB vivificatur.
Ignorantque tum sabbatum tum christianismum isti liberi arbitrii assertores et mimici crucis Christi, suis se operibus, suis conatibus justificantes.
Exemplum ejus sequuntur, qui in sabbato ligna collegerat ), Numeri XV,.
Vides itaque, tria praecepta, Deo fidendum esse, laudandum esse Deum et tolerandum ejus opus in nobis, comprehendi hac sententia: dilige Deum ex toto corde etc.
Nam qui sic diligit, is haud dubie fidit, timet, laudat toleratque ardentissimo spiritu.
Non institui exponere legem; id enim quomodo posset per compendium fieri?
Sed haec volui monere, quo scires, errare eos, qui non putant exigi a nobis majus aliquid viribus humanis.
Qui latiorem expositionem praeceptorum desiderat, requirat vel a Lutheri libello germanico de bonis operibus ).
Hic Sophistae bis errant; primum, quod censent, non requiri seu exigi in hac vita summum amorem Dei; sic judicant et de reliquis adfectibus.
Porro, hanc sententiam satis clare refutat hic textus: diligas Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, tota anima tua, tota mente tua.
Nam si totum cor sibi deposcit Deus, non permittit aliquando ) creaturae partem.
His utinam contingat Elias aliquis, qui doceat, quam infeliciter claudicent, qui cordis partem creaturae, partem Deo tribuendam existimant.
Impleri non potest, dum in came vivimus, hoc praeceptum; at non ideo non exigitur, sed omnes rei Sabbathum et absoluta libertas Christianismum est, consequitur, non esse poenitentiae partem satisfactionem.
widmete; E.
XX, fgg.
schränkung.
Digitized by Google sumus, dum non persolvimus quod debemus.
' Atque lioc est, quod supra diximus, omnes homines semper esse revera peccatores semperque peccare.
Et infra, ubi de gratia disputabitur, rursus excutiendum est, quatenus justificati, quatenus peccatores simus.
Deinde hallucinantur Sophistae, quod nostris viribus censent impleri posse tum haec tum reliqua praecepta.
Nam de externis tantum operibus praecipi arbitrantur, ut ne colamus ceremoniis officiisque externis plures Deos aut idola etc.
Nos ut de adfectibus exponamus legem, faciunt ipsa legis verba: diliges ) Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde.
Jam caro sese maxime amat, suis bonis, sua prudentia, sua justitia fidit.
Jd est enim, quod ad Rom.
VIII,.
ait apostolus: Caro quaerit, quae sua sunt et non potest legi Dei subjici.
Non potest igitur amare Deum, fidere* Dei bonitati etc.
Magna et incomprehensibilis res, amare Deum, nempe hilari pectore et grato complecti per omnia voluntatem divinam, etiam tum cum damnat et mortificat.
Quaeso itaque te, Sophista, utrum inferos velle et perpetuum supplicium natura possit?
Quod si neges posse, nega etiam posse a carne Deum ) amari.
Reliqua praecepta, quae secundae tabulae dicuntur, exponit Christus: diliges proximum sicut te ipsum, et pleraque longa oratione in capite V.
Matthaei.
Et caritatis leges prope innumerabiles recenset apostolus cap.
ad Romanos.
Has vero etiam leges Sophistae exposuerunt de externis tantum operibus; nempe satisfactum esse legi, si caedem non facias, si palam non scorteris etc.
Contra Christus exponit legem de adfectibus idque affirmative.
Lege: non occides, praecipit, ut simus corde erga quosvis dextro, candido, liberali, exposito ad quaevis officia, ne malo malum retaliemus, ne litigemus de rebus nostris, breviter, ne resistamus malo.
Denique ut amemus etiam inimicos idque libe prehensibilis res ein est.
m » • De consiliis.
raliter et candide.
Ita legi: non moechaberis, satisfactum putant, si non designemus flagitium externo opere.
Christus vero sic exponit, ut doceat, exigi castitatem et puritatem cordis, ita ut neque cupiamus turpia.
Reliqua in evangelio per sese diligens lector observabit.
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