# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Juli 1861_S194
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

194 Theological Axioms.

flees and hates eternal damnation? Those men can have experienced little of
these great terrors, seeing that they thus play with words and make
distinctions according to their tears; but in the heart, and when it comes to
experience, matters are found to be far otherwise, and no conscience finds rest
in poor syllables and words, as the good, gentle, idle sophists dream."

5. "His doloribus ac terroribus dicunt homines mereri gratiam, si tamen
diligunt Deum; at quomodo diligent Deum homines in veris terroribus,
cum sentiunt horribilem et inexplicabilem humana voce iram Dei?" (Ib.)

"They say that people merit grace with such pain, contrition and sorrow, with
such terrors — provided they have contrition out of love of God, or love God.
Dear Lord God, what sort of preaching is that for consciences which need
comfort? How, then, can we love God when we are stuck in such high, great
terrors and unspeakable conflict, when we feel so great and dreadful an
earnestness and wrath of God? — a wrath in which a man feels himself struck
more powerfully than any man on earth can tell or utter."

6. Non intellicti nulla est curatio morbi.

If the disease is to be healed, it must first be recognized.

7. Non est tam facile, te peccatorem credere, quam esse.

It is not so easy to believe that you are a sinner as it is to be one.

8. "Verus poenitens de peccatis dolet et de dolore gaudet." (Augustinus.)

The truly penitent man grieves over his sins and rejoices over his grief.

9. Tunc optime sumus dispositi, cum pessime videmur dispositi.
(Kromayer.)

Then it stands best with us, when it seems to us that it stands worst with us.

10. "Deus non infundit misericordiae oleum, nisi in vas contritum."
(Bernhard.)

God pours the oil of his mercy only into a broken vessel.

11. "Lacrimae peccatorum sunt vinum angelorum." (Bernhard.)

Sinners' tears are the angels' (joy-)wine.

12. "Initium bonorum operum est confessio operum malorum." (Augustin.)

The beginning of good works is the confessing of one's evil works.

13. Non dimittitur peccatum, nisi restituitur ablatum. (Augustin.)

Sin is not forgiven if what has been taken away is not restored.

14. Fides historica est prior contritione, sed fides salvifica est contritione
posterior. (Gerhard.)

Historical faith is earlier than contrition, but saving faith is later than
contrition.