# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Januar 1864_S17
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Theological Axioms. 17

35. The bishop, as a prince, can impose nothing on the Church; for that would mean mixing the two authorities together, and he would then indeed be a true Allotrioepiscopus, a bishop who meddles in matters not his own; and if we let him have his way in this, we would be guilty of the same sacrilege. Here one must sooner give up one's life than permit such godlessness and injustice. (Luther.)

36. The bishop, as a prince, may impose upon and command his (Christian) subjects, as subjects, whatever he wills, so long as it is godly and right, and the subjects must obey; for in that they obey not as Church, but as citizens. (Luther.)

37. Οὐ βασιλέων ἐστὶ νομοθετῆσαι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. (Ioh. Damascen.)

It is not the business of kings to give laws to the Church.

38. Civil authority should be content and attend to its own affairs, and let people believe otherwise or thus, as they can and will, and compel no one by force; for faith is a free work, to which no one is to be compelled — indeed, it is a divine work in the spirit, let alone that outward force should be able to compel it. (Luther.)

39. Veritas imperari nequit et de veritate transigi non potest. (Balser.)

Truth cannot be commanded, and no compromise can be reached concerning the truth.

40. Tenetur subditus ex praecepto magistratus ad fidei suae redditionem, non item ad fidem ipsam. (Dannhauer.)

The subject is obligated, by the command of his authority, to give an account of his faith, but not likewise to the faith itself.

41. Haeresis, quatenus talis, est delictum spirituale, ideoque etiam spirituali gladio est ferienda. (Gerhard.)

Heresy, as such, is a spiritual crime, and therefore is also to be overcome with the spiritual sword.

42. Quis imponat mihi necessitatem vel credendi, quod nolim, vel, quod velim, non credendi? Nihil tam voluntarium, quam religio, in qua si animus aversus, jam sublata, jam nulla est. (Lactantius.)

Who can impose on me the necessity either of believing what I do not wish, or of not believing what I do wish? Nothing is so voluntary as religion, which, once the mind is turned away from it, is already abolished, already nothing.

43. Ecclesia Christi non sitit sanguinem, quia sponsus ejus est agnus. (Christoph. Agricola.)

The Church of Christ does not thirst for blood, because her Bridegroom is the Lamb.

44. Nullis bonis in ecclesia catholica hoc placet, si usque ad mortem in quenquam, licet haereticum, saeviatur. (Augustin.)

It pleases the good within the catholic Church not at all, if rage is carried, even against a heretic, to the point of putting him to death.