From the last conclusions: not heretics; against false prophets; the pious warned against additions
From these two last conclusions it is grasped beyond dispute, as plainly as things seen with the eyes, first that we neither are nor can seem malicious and contentious, nor heretics and apostates: because we desire not only to force on no one our private opinions, inventions, and imaginations, but also in other matters, to avoid all harmful and unnecessary quarrels, to conform ourselves — so far as conscience allows — to the dogmas or opinions of other Christians who agree with us in the foundation.
Nor do we turn from or avoid anyone except the contentious and new prophets who press men's words and say "THE LORD HAS SAID" (Jeremiah 23:21), because they declare: "This is God's Word; this is an article of faith; if you deny it you are a heretic" — and yet cannot prop up these assertions with those testimonies by which the prophets and Apostles confirmed their sermons; but they bring it about that God's commandments, which are certain, are neglected (Jeremiah 23:30, Jeremiah 23:32).
Next, as to the opinions we hint at here: since the things written so clearly and plainly in God's Word that no sound Christian who loves peace and is of ripe age can lawfully doubt their truth, we warn all the pious to whom their souls' salvation is dear to guard themselves as carefully as possible from all other fillings-out or additions. (1) Because such added controversial opinions, if not false, are at least uncertain and doubtful: whence there is danger of falling into superstition, idolatry, even spiritual and abominable pride. (2) Because even if we imagine such controversial opinions neither false nor doubtful but true and certain, this at least remains: they are not necessary — not only because not all Christians need know them, but also because not all Christians need necessarily grant and embrace them after the reasons they seem to rest on have been shown them in the Scriptures — since they are not so clearly and evidently comprehended in the Scriptures that a timid and pious conscience, using all due diligence and hermeneutical means, in view of the danger just indicated, cannot with praise or at least without wrong abstain from them. (3) Because there is at least this danger: that on this occasion many pious and innocent people who, from fear of conscience and from considering that a person must give account even of every idle word in the last judgment (Matthew 12:36), avoid those controversial opinions and cannot hold them as God's Word and articles of faith, are unjustly and proudly judged and condemned — against the Savior's word (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37) and the Apostle's (Romans 14:10, Romans 14:13; Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 8:2). See the Irenic sermons, with appendix and Apology to D. Nicolaus Hunnius, published by the distinguished D. Conrad Bergius, my colleague and dearest fellow-countryman, where he treats this matter piously and learnedly.
Latin
Ex his duabus postremis conclusionibus anamphibetōs perspicue more eorum quae oculis cernuntur deprehenditur primo, nos neque malitiosos et contentiosos, neque haereticos et apostatas esse aut videri posse, quia non solum nemini privatas opiniones, inventiones et imaginationes nostras obtrudere, verum etiam in caeteris, ad declinandum omnes noxias et non necessarias lites, cum Christianis aliis qui in fundamento nobiscum consentiunt, quantum per conscientiam licet, in ipsorum dogmatis sive placitis nos conformare cupimus. Neque aversamur aut vitamus quenquam praeter contentiosos et novos prophetas, qui verba hominum urgent et dicunt DOMINUS DIXIT (Jer. 23.21), quia ajunt: Hoc est Dei verbum, hoc est fidei articulus, quem si neges haereticus es — neque tamen has assertiones suas iis testimoniis adstruere possunt quibus prophetae et Apostoli conciones suas firmarunt; sed efficiunt ut praecepta Dei quae certa sunt negligantur (Jer. 23.30.32). Deinde, quantum ad opiniones quas hic innuimus, quoniam ea quae in Dei verbo tam clare perspicueque scripta sunt ut de illorum veritate nemo sanus et pacis amans justaeque aetatis Christianus jure dubitare possit, omnes pios quibus salus animarum suarum chara est monemus ut ab omnibus aliis parapleromasin sumentis seu additionibus sibi caveant quam studiosissime. 1. Quia hae tales additae controversae opiniones, si non falsae, saltem incertae ac dubiae sunt: unde periculum sit ne in superstitionem, idololatriam, imo spiritualem et abominabilem superbiam incidamus. 2. Quia, si fingamus has tales controversas opiniones neque falsas neque dubias sed veras ac certas esse, manet hoc saltem non necessarias esse, non solum quia non ab omnibus Christianis sciri, sed etiam quia neque omnes Christianos eas necessario concedere et amplecti oporteat, posteaquam illis rationes quibus niti videntur in scripturis ostensae fuerint — propterea quod non ita clare et evidenter in scripturis comprehensae sint ut adhibita omni debita diligentia mediisque hermeneuticis a timida ac pia conscientia, intuitu periculi jam modo indicati, cum laude aut saltem non injuria ab iis sibi temperare possit. 3. Quia periculum est saltem hac occasione multos pios et innocentes, qui metu conscientiae et consideratione ejus quod homo etiam cujusque otiosi verbi rationem reddere debeat in ultimo judicio (Matth. 12.36), controversas illas opiniones vitant et pro verbo Dei et articulis fidei habere nequeunt, injuria superbe judicari et condemnari, contra illud Servatoris (Matth. 7.1; Luc. 6.37) et Apostoli (Rom. 14.10.13; Gal. 6.2; 1 Cor. 8.2). Vide conciones Irenicas, cum appendice et Apologia ad D. Nicolaum Hunnium, editas a Cl. viro D. Conrado Bergio, collega meo et compatre charissimo, ubi hanc rem pie et erudite edisserit.
About this text
Ludwig Crocius — Book IV Chapter 9 On the forensic law. Cap.10 next De Euangelio.
English follows the locked 1636 Bremen Latin of Liber I Cap. 10, reconstructed from SLUB Dresden page images. Same-page OCR (tesseract lat + Vision) used as check. No modern English was copied. Cap. 11 (CAPUT UNDECIMUM / De S. Theologiae distributione) begins. Cap. 9 complete. Liber I still open. No Internet Archive copy was located.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Locked Latin, Liber I Cap. 10 complete (Villerian 1636) (Latin)
- Checked print SLUB per-page OCR of Liber I Cap. 10 pages (Latin)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.