Translating the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: (Art. III) De Dilectione et Impletione Legis (xxii)

Turpe est[1] autem adversariis, tantopere praedicare dilectionem, quum nusquam praestent eam. Quid nunc agunt? Dissipant ecclesias, scribunt leges sanguine et has proponunt Caesari, clementissimo Principi, promulgandas,[2] trucidant sacerdotes et alios bonos viros, si quis leviter significavit[3] se aliquem manifestum abusum non omnino probare. Haec non conveniunt ad ista praeconia dilectionis, quae, si sequerentur adversarii, ecclesiae tranquillae essent et respublica pacata. Nam hi tumultus consilescerent, si adversarii non nimis acerbe exigerent quasdam traditiones inutiles ad pietatem, quarum plerasque ne ipsi quidem observant, qui vehementissime defendunt eas. Sed sibi facile ignoscunt, aliis non item, ut ille apud poetam: Egomet mi ignosco, Maevius [Maenius] inquit. Id autem alienissimum est ab his encomiis dilectionis, quae hic ex Paulo recitant, nec magis intelligunt, quam parietes intelligunt vocem, quam reddunt.

Ex Petro citant et hanc sententiam, 1 Petr. 4, 8: Universe delicta operit caritas. Constat[4] et Petrum loqui de dilectione erga proximum, quia hunc locum accommodat ad praeceptum, quo iubet, ut[5] diligant se mutuo.

Neque vero ulli[6] apostolo in mentem venire potuit, quod[7] dilectio nostra vincat peccatum et mortem, quod dilectio sit propitiatio, propter quam Deus reconcilietur omisso mediatore Christo,[8] quod dilectio sit iustitia sine mediatore Christo. Haec enim dilectio, si qua esset, esset iustitia legis, non evangelii, quod promittit nobis reconciliationem et iustitiam, si credamus, quod[9] propter Christum propitiatorem Pater placatus sit, quod donentur nobis merita Christi. Ideo Petrus paulo ante iubet, ut[10] accedamus ad Christum, ut aedificemur super Christum. Et addit: Qui crediderit in eum, non confundetur, 1 Petr. 2, 4 6. Dilectio nostra non liberat nos a confusione, quum Deus iudicat et arguit nos. Sed fides in Christum liberat in his pavoribus, quia scimus[11] propter Christum nobis ignosci.

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[1] An impersonal construction

[2] The gerundive: it is modifying leges and functions as a future passive participle

[3] Introduces an indirect statement

[4] Introduces an indirect statement

[5] Introduces an indirect command

[6] Dative singular

[7] This and the following quods introduce quod substantive clauses

[8] An ablative absolute

[9] This and the following quod introduce quod substantive clauses

[10] This and the following ut introduce indirect commands

[11] Introduces an indirect statement

Vocabulary
Accommodo, are, avi, atus- to adapt, adjust to, fit; apply to	Poeta, ae, m.- poet
Confundō, ere, confudī, confusus- to upset, confuse; bring to ruin; destroyed	Promulgo, are, avi, atus- to publish, make known by public proclamation
Confusio, confusionis, f.- confusion	Sacerdos, sacerdotis, m.- priest
Consilesco, ere, consilui- to fall silent; become still; be hushed	Sanguis, sanguinis, m.- blood
Delictum, i, n.- fault, transgression; sin	Tantopere (adv.)- so much, so hard
Encomium, i, n.- praise, eulogy	Traditiō, traditiōnis, f.- tradition
Exigō, ere, exēgī, exactus- to drive out, expel; examine	Tranquillus, a, um- tranquil
Leviter (adv.)- lightly, gently softly	Trucido, are, avit, atus- to slaughter, butcher
Mutuus, a um- mutual, in return; borrowed	Tumultus, us, m.- tumult, confusion
Paries, parietis, m.- wall, house wall	Turpis, turpe- disgraceful, shameful
Pietas, pietatis, f.- piety; responsibility	Universe (adv.)- generally

It is disgraceful, however, for the adversaries to proclaim so hard that love when they nowhere supply it. What are they doing now? They are destroying churches, and they are writing laws in blood, and they propose these laws, which they would make known publicly, to the Emperor, a most merciful prince, and they slaughter priests and other good men if anyone indicates gently that he does not entirely approve of some clear abuse. These things do not agree with those praises of theirs of love, which, if the adversaries followed them, the churches would be tranquil and the state at peace. For these tumults would become silent if the adversaries did not examine them too sharply certain traditions useless to piety of which they themselves, who most vehemently defend them, do not even observe several. But they pardon themselves easily but not likely others as he says about the poet: “I pardon myself, Maenius says.” However, that is very foreign from those praises of love which here they recite from Paul and they do not understand more than walls understand the voice they echo.

From Peter they also cite this sentence, “Charity generally covers faults “ (1 Peter 4:8). It is agreed also that Peter is speaking about love towards a neighbor because this passage applies to the command by which he orders to love each other mutually.

But it cannot have come into the mind for any apostle that our love conquers sin and death, that love is a propitatior, on account of which God is reconciled although Christ is omitted as our mediator, that love is righteousness without the mediator Christ. For this love, it is to some extent, it is the righteousness of the law not of the gospel which promises to us reconciliation and righteousness if we believe that, on account of Christ our propitatior, the Father is reconciled that the merits of Christ are given to us. So Peter, a little before, orders that we approach Christ that we are built upon Christ. He also adds, “He, who believed in him, will not be brought to ruin” (1 Peter 2:4-6). Our love does not free us from ruin when God judges and accuses us. But faith in Christ frees us in these terrors because we know that on account of Christ we are pardoned.

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