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

Posted: November 16, 2023 | Author: lexsemperaccusat | Filed under: Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Book of Concord, Classical Education, Concordia Latin Reader, Latin Translation, Law and Gospel, Lutheranism, Melancthon | Tags: Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Book of Concord, Concordia Latin Reader, Latin, Law & Gospel, Lutheranism, Melancthon, Translation | Leave a comment

Atqui Petrus dixit[1] Act. 15, 9, fide purificari corda. Sed totus locus inspectus[2] sententiam offert consentientem[3] eum reliqua Scriptura, quod[4] si corda sint mundata, et deinde foris accedant eleemosynae, hoc est, omnia opera caritatis: ita totos esse mundos, hoc est, non intus solum, sed foris etiam. Deinde cur non tota illa concio coniungitur? Multae sunt partes obiurgationis, quarum aliae de fide, aliae de operibus praecipiunt. Nec est candidi lectoris[5] excerpere praecepta operum, omissis locis de fide.[6]

Postremo hoc monendi sunt[7] lectores, quod adversarii pessime consulunt piis conscientiis, quum docent[8] per opera mereri remissionem peccatorum, quia conscientia colligens[9] per opera remissionem non potest statuere, quod[10] opus satisfaciat Deo. Ideo semper angitur et subinde alia opera, alios cultus excogitat, donec prorsus desperat. Haec ratio exstat apud Paulum, Rom. 4, 5, ubi probat, quod[11] promissio iustitiae non contingat propter opera nostra, quia nunquam possemus statuere, quod[12] haberemus placatum Deum. Lex enim semper accusat. Ita promissio irrita esset et incerta. Ideo concludit, quod[13] promissio illa remissionis peccatorum et iustitiae fide accipiatur, non propter opera. Haec est vera et simplex et germana sententia Pauli, in qua maxima consolatio piis conscientiis proposita est et illustratur gloria Christi, qui certe ad hoc donatus est nobis, ut[14] per ipsum habeamus gratiam, iustitiam et pacem.

Hactenus recensuimus praecipuos locos, quos adversarii contra nos citant, ut[15] ostendant, quod[16] fides non iustificet et quod mereamur remissionem peccatorum et gratiam per opera nostra. Sed speramus[17] nos piis conscientiis satis ostendisse, quod[18] hi loci non adversentur nostrae sententiae, quod adversarii male detorqueant Scripturas ad suas opiniones, quod plerosque locos citent truncatos,[19] quod omissis locis clarissimis de fide[20] tantum excerpant ex Scripturis locos de operibus eosque depravent, quod ubique affingant humanas quasdam opiniones praeter id, quod verba Scripturae dicunt, quod legem ita doceant, ut[21] evangelium de Christo obruant. Tota enim doctrina adversariorum partim est a ratione humana sumpta, partim est doctrina legis, non evangelii. Duos enim modos iustificationis tradunt, quorum alter est sumptus a ratione, alter ex lege, non ex evangelio seu promissione de Christo.

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[1] Introduces an indirect statement

[2] A perfect passive participle

[3] A present active participle

[4] A quod substantive clause

[5] An impersonal construction with a genitive construction: And it does not belong to a candid reader to pick out…

[6] An ablative absolute

[7] The passive periphrastic

[8] Introduces an indirect statement

[9] A present active participle

[10] A quod substantive clause

[11] A quod substantive clause

[12] A quod substantive clause

[13] A quod substantive clause

[14] A purpose clause

[15] A purpose clause

[16] The first of two quod substantive clauses in the remainder of the sentence

[17] Introduces an indirect statement

[18] The first in a series of quod substantive clauses

[19] A perfect passive participle

[20] Omissis…fide: an ablative absolute

[21] A result clause

Vocabulary
Ango, ere, anxi, anctus- to choke; distress, vex; press tight	Irritus, a, um- ineffective, useless; invalid, void; in vain
Candidus, a, um- bright, clear; candid; kind	Obiurgatio, obiurgationis, f.- rebuke, reproof; scolding
Coniungō, ere, coniunxī, coniunctus- to join, accompany	Pessime- very badly; the worst
Germanus, a, um- real, true, genuine	Trunco, are, avi, atus- to maim, mutilate; cut off

And Peter said in Acts 15:9, “hearts purified by faith.” But the whole passage, once it has been examined, offers this teaching which joins him with the rest of Scripture: that if hearts are cleansed, then also alms will follow outwardly, that, all the works of charity: thus all the works are cleansed, that is, not inwardly only but outwardly also. Then why is that whole sermon not joined? There are many parts of the reproof, of which some offer commands concerning faith and some about works. And it does not belong to a candid reader to pick out the commandments of works once the passages about faith have been omitted.

Finally readers must be warned of this because the adversaries offer the worst advice to pious consciences when they teach that the forgiveness of sins is merited through works because the conscience, while it obtains the forgiveness of sins through works, is not able to think that its work satisfies God. Therefore, it is always vexed and constantly devises other works and forms of worship until it absolutely despairs. This form of thinking existed with Paul when he thinks that the promise of righteousness does not depend upon our works, because we are never able to think that we have a pleased God (Romans 4:5). For the law always accuses. Thusly the promise is always in vain and uncertain. Therefore, he concluded that that promise of the remission of sins and righteousness is received by faith not because of works. This is the real, simple and genuine teaching of Paul in which the greatest consolation is offered to pious consciences and the glory of Christ, who certainly has been given to us for this so that we have grace, righteousness and peace, is displayed.

Thus far we have examined those particular passages, which the adversaries cite against us to show that faith does not justify and that we merit the forgiveness of sins and grace through our works. But we hope that we have shown enough to pious consciences that these passages do not overturn our teaching, that the adversaries badly twist the Scriptures to their opinions, that they cite several passages which have been mutilated, that, once the clearest passages about faith have been omitted, they pick passages from the Scriptures about works and pervert them, that everywhere they sew on certain human opinions beyond that which the words of Scripture say, that they teach the law in such a way that they bury the gospel concerning Christ. For the whole doctrine of the adversaries is partly taken up from human reason, it partly is the doctrine of the law and not the gospel. For they teach two modes of justification of which one is taken from reason and the other from the law not from the gospel or the promise of Christ.

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