# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_September 1864_S263
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Lic. Ströbel's Presentation of the Lutheran Doctrine of the Civil Magistrate as against the Calvinist. 263

8. Civil society, given how the morals of men now stand, cannot do
without usury. For the use of borrowed money is necessary both otherwise
and chiefly for the maintenance of commercial business. Now, however, no
one is willing to lend for nothing. Therefore, etc. Answer: By this
proof the whole of Scripture could be overturned. For the world does not
wish to walk in the way of God's commandments. Must one therefore say
that what Scripture plainly condemns is no sin? For the rest, there are
various kinds of lawful contracts in the use of borrowed money, by which
the necessary commercial business in civil society can be maintained, so
that it is not necessary to justify usury for that reason.

9. Often a great benefit is conferred on those to whom money is given
at usury; for many become rich in this way. Therefore it is a work of
love. Answer: That is not to be called a benefit or a work of love which
is against God's commandments. Gerson rightly says: "On account of the
use which may accidentally arise from it, that is not to be called good
which is evil in itself and in its own kind, such as lying, fornication,"
etc. Cf. Luke 4:6: All this will I give you.

10. Money at usury is not forced upon anyone against his will, but is
requested and accepted with thanks by the debtors. Answer: Need compels
the poor, since they are not supported according to the precepts of
love, to take at usury, though they would rather have the gratuitous
service. And even if they should ever so earnestly accept money at
usury, the usury condemned in Scripture is not thereby justified. For
adultery and fornication and lying too are often committed in this way.
Further, Saul asked to be killed by his armor-bearer, 1 Sam. 31:4, but
David does not thereby acquit the murderer, 2 Sam. 1:15.

Lic. Ströbel's Presentation of the Lutheran Doctrine of the
Civil Magistrate as against the Calvinist.

In a review of the following work: "History of French Calvinism down
to the National Assembly in the year 1789. By G. von Polenz. Vol. 3.
Gotha (Perthes), 1860," which review is found in the third quarterly
issue of Guericke's journal of this year, Lic. Ströbel sets forth the
Lutheran doctrine of the civil magistrate in 13 theses, which, though
largely taken from the reviewed work itself, are meant in particular to
show that Mr. von Polenz maintains altogether erroneously that the
strict Lutherans, namely the Flacians in Magdeburg, were in agreement
with the French Calvinists on the point of the subjects' right of
resistance against their magistrate. The presentation is highly
instructive; we therefore communicate it herewith in what follows.