with a brief interpretation of their fulfillment and transgression.
Made by D. Martin Luther, Augustinian.*)
Anno 1518.
The first commandment.
You shall not have other gods.
To have one GOD, that is, to have one from whom he provides, to be promoted in all good, to be helped in all evil; that wants to be, and is, the one true GOD Himself.
The other commandment.
You shall not put on the name of God your Lord uselessly.
For God's names are also these: Truth, Wisdom, 2) Kindness, Power, and Everything
2) "Wisdom" is missing from Weimar's.
*) As we can see from the beginning of the immediately preceding sermon on the seven deadly sins (Col. 1344), confession had become a cruel torture of consciences due to the infinite multiplication of types of sins. Therefore, Luther wrote for the poor afflicted souls at the beginning of the year 1518 an instruction, how one could briefly arrange the confession according to the holy ten commandments, both in Latin and German. The Latin writing has the title: Instructiv pro conkcssionc psccatvrurn adbrsvianda sscuncluin ckcoaloAUin. Author v. Zl. luitü. änno HlvVIII. and is found in the Latin Wittenberg edition (155V), Dom. I,
Good name is his name; let no one attribute it to himself.
The third commandment.
You shall sanctify the holiday.
The best celebration is that the soul waits with all activity of the same day for Him who fills the hungry and the single with goods, Luc. 1, 53. For celebration means to be single.
The fourth commandment.
You shall honor your father and mother.
The honor is not in greeting or inclination alone, but in doing and not doing everything that is their will or need.
The fifth commandment.
You shall not kill.
Not only does the one who causes death or harm kill, but also the one who does not resist them and comes before them, as Augustine says.
The sixth commandment.
You shall not commit adultery.
He calls the worst fruit of the lust of the flesh alone, to prove how evil all lust is, from which such vice comes.
1) Weimar edition: "hn"; likewise in the immediately following "short resolution of the ten commandments": "yr yn", that is: their them.
The seventh commandment.
You shall not steal.
To take foreign goods is a fruit of avarice and covetousness; therefore the tree with the fruit is forbidden here, avarice and what may follow from avarice.
The eighth commandment.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
The ninth commandment.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, daughter or maid.
The tenth commandment.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house or goods.
A brief resolution of the ten commandments.
Christ Himself says: "Whatever you want men to do to you, you do to them, that is the whole law and all the prophets," Matth. 7, 12. For no one wants to suffer ingratitude for his good deed, or to leave his name to another. No one wants to show hope against him. No one wants disobedience, wrath, unchastity of his wife, robbery of his goods, lies, deceitfulness, and the like.
col. 199; Jenaer (1579), IVnn. I, col. 1753; Erlanger, SXSA. opp., IVnn. XII, p. 219 and in the Weimar one, vol. I, p. 257. The only single Latin edition of this writing, which is given in the Weimar edition, appeared only in May 1520 with Silvanus Ottmar in Augsburg under a title modeled on that of the German edition. The German edition is, as can be seen by comparing the writing: "Kurze Form, die zehn Gebote, Glauben und Vater-Unser zu betrachten" (Walch, St. Louiser Ausg., Vol. X, 153-159), by Luther himself; in the latter writing, he only changed the first part completely, but expanded it in the indication of the transgression and fulfillment; in all other respects, it agrees with our writing from word to word. "A special edition of the German adaptation of 1518 cannot be proven, but we have an imprint within the following writing of Caspar Göttel: 'Jhesus. Ein fast fruchtbar Buchlein von Adams wercken, vnd gottes genade mit vnterricht wie recht beichten, busszen, vnd das hochwirdigst Sacrament selig tzu empfahen im Augustiner Closter tzu sandt Anne vor Eisleben dise heiligste fast gepredigt vnd gegeben. 1518.' (Printed by Melchior Lotther in Leipzig.] Here the instruction is found in German, Bl. Ciij u - Dij b, in the middle of the fifth chapter; it was thus already in print in the Lent of 1518." (Weim. Ausg.] In the Weimar edition, under the title we have given, nine individual aliases are listed, none of which appeared in Wittenberg. Several of these are without date, namely two with Jobst Gutknecht in Nuremberg, one with Adam Petri in Basel, one with S. Otinar (Ottmar) in Augsburg, one with Jörg Nadler in Augsburg; in 1519 one with Wolfgang Stöcke! in Leipzig, one in 1520 with S. Otmar in Augsburg, and there in 1522; one with Hans Froschauer in Augsburg in 1523. In the collections: in the Eisleben one, vol. I, p. 21; in the Altenburg one, vol. VIII, p. 894; in the Leipzig one, vol. IV, p. 86; in the Erlanger, vol. 36, p. 145 and in the Weimarschen, vol. I, p. 247. In the various editions there is a great difference in the arrangement of the text, which stems from the fact that in the lost original text (as well as in the Latin Wittenberg and Jena editions) several sentences were printed in the margin from top to bottom, or inverted, which were then arbitrarily inserted here and there by the editions. Also the conclusion of the bids is differently placed. The Weimar edition has indicated in its introduction a reconstruction of the original. We have subsequently given the sentences their position at the end of the relevant sections and have made them recognizable (just like the Weimar edition) by having them printed indented. These pieces must be thought of as being printed from bottom to top in the sections preceding them (the commandments themselves, their transgression and their fulfillment).
1) To suffer after-talk; but to invent love and friendship, thanksgiving and help, truth and faithfulness from his neighbor. All these things are commanded by the Ten Commandments.
So the commandments teach.
Transgression of the Ten Commandments.
The transgression of the first commandment.
Who in his repulsiveness seeks sorcery, black art, devil's confederate. Who uses letters, signs, herbs, words, blessings and the like. He who practices divination, treasure conjuring, crystal seeing, cloak driving, milk stealing. He who directs his work and life according to chosen days, celestial signs, and the diviners' discretion. He who blesses and invokes himself, his cattle, house, children, and all kinds of property against wolves, iron, fire, water, damage, with fictitious prayers. Who ascribes his misfortune and repulsiveness to the devil or evil people, and does not receive with love and praise all evil and good from. God alone, and brings it home to Him again with thanksgiving and willing serenity. He who tempts God and puts himself in unnecessary danger of body or soul. He who is hopeful in his piety, understanding or other spiritual gifts. He who honors God and the saints, forgetting the distress of his soul, only for the sake of temporal benefit.
The transgression of the other commandment.
He who easily swears without need or out of habit. He who swears a false oath or breaks his vow. He who vows or swears to wrongdoing. He who swears in God's name. He who speaks foolish fables about God, and recklessly perverts the words of Scripture. Who does not call on God's name in his repulsiveness, and does not give prayer in love and sorrow, in happiness and unhappiness. He who seeks fame and glory and name from his piety
1) Weimarsche: "wars". This reading seems possible to us after the "rsksllionsm" in Latin, but not probable, because the Wittenberg and the Jena have in the corresponding place of the "short form to consider the ten commandments, faith and Our Father": "triegen".
2) Weim. Ausg-: "sein sich" instead of: sein Vieh.
wisdom 2c. Whoever calls on God's name falsely, as the heretics and all hopeful saints.
The transgression of the third commandment.
Who eats, drinks, plays, dances, is idle and unchaste. Who laziness, office of God oversleep, miss. He who takes a stroll, or engages in useless chatter. He who works and acts without special need. He who does not pray, does not consider Christ's suffering, does not repent of his sin, and desires mercy, thus only celebrating outwardly with clothes, food and gifts.
The transgression of the fourth commandment.
He who is ashamed of poverty, infirmity, contempt of his parents. He who does not provide them with food and clothing for their needs; much more, he who curses them, beats them, talks after them, hates them, and is disobedient to them. Who does not think highly of them from the heart for the sake of God's commandment. Who does not keep the commandments of the Christian church with fasting, feasting 2c. He who dishonors priests' status, insults them. He who does not honor his lords and authorities, being faithful and obedient, be they good or evil. Herein are all heretics, apostates, apostates, exiles, hardened 2c.
The transgression of the fifth commandment.
Whoever is angry with his neighbor. Whoever says Racha to him, these are all kinds of signs of anger and hatred. Whoever says to him fatue, you fool, these are all kinds of shameful words, cursing, blasphemy, backbiting, judging, judging, taunting 2c. He who reproves his neighbor's sin or infirmity, and does not cover and excuse. He who does not forgive his enemies, does not pray for them, is not kind, does not do good. And herein are all the sins of wrath and anger, as deaths, war, robbery, burning, quarreling, strife, mourning his neighbor's happiness, rejoicing in his misfortune. He who does not practice the works of mercy.
The transgression of the sixth commandment.
Whoever weakens virgins, commits adultery, 3) incites bloodshed, and works such unchastity. Who unnatural way or persons (the
3) In the Weimarsche, "ehebricht" is twice. Erlanger: Adultery.
are silent sins). Who with shameful words, songs, histories, pictures, the evil desire äuget 1) or shows. He who tempts and defiles himself with sight, grasping, willing thoughts. Who does not avoid the cause, as eating, drinking, temperance, laziness, sleeping, and female or male companionship. Whoever incites others to unchastity with other jewelry, ornaments 2c. He who does not help to preserve another's chastity with counsel and action.
The transgression of the seventh commandment.
In addition to thievery and robbery, usury is also a great sin. He who uses weights and measures falsely, or spends evil goods for good. Whoever takes unjust inheritance and interest. He who withholds earned wages and denies guilt. He who does not lend to his nearest needy, or lends without any allowance. All who are stingy, and hasten to become rich, and how else foreign goods are kept or brought to themselves.
The transgression of the eighth commandment.
Who keeps silent and suppresses the truth in court. Whoever lies and witnesses harmfully. All harmful flatterers and ear-blowers, two-faced people who cause dissension and discord. He who misinterprets and reviles his neighbor's good life, works and words. He who gives way to the same evil tongues helps and does not resist.
The transgression of the ninth and tenth commandments.
These two last commandments do not belong in confession, but are set as the goal and the time for us to get there, and to work towards it daily through repentance, with the help and grace of God. For the evil inclination does not die thoroughly until the flesh becomes powder and is created anew.
The five senses are included in the fifth and sixth commandments. The six works of mercy in the fifth and seventh. The seven deadly sins, truce 2c. in the first and second. Unchastity in the sixth. Wrath and hatred in the fifth. Gluttony in the sixth. Sloth in the third, and probably in all. The foreign
1) eugen - to let see. Weimarsche: eugent. Walch and the Erlanger: übt.
The sins are in all the commandments; for with hot, counseling, and help, against all the commandments may be sinned against. The calling and silent sins are against the fifth, sixth and seventh commandments 2c.
His own love, and God's and neighbor's contempt.
Take from God what is his and take from him what is hers.
Take from your neighbor what is his, and do not deprive him of what is yours.
So does nature, left to itself, through Adam's first sin.
The fulfillment of the ten commandments of GOD.
The fulfillment of the first commandment.
God's fear and love in right faith and firmly trusting, standing quite purely, loudly, calmly in all things, be they evil or good.
The fulfillment of the other commandment.
Praise, honor, dedication, and invocation of God's name, and to destroy his own name and honor altogether, that God alone may be praised, who alone is and works all things.
The fulfillment of the third commandment.
To prepare oneself to God and to seek grace. This is done by praying, listening to Mass and the Gospel, and considering Christ's suffering, and thus going spiritually to the Sacrament. For this commandment requires a spiritually poor soul, which sacrifices its own nothingness before God, 2) so that He may be God, and receive His work and name in it, according to the first two commandments.
The fulfillment of the "fourth" commandment.
Willing obedience and submission to all violence, for the sake of God's good pleasure. As the apostle St. Peter says [1. Ep. 2, 20.], without all barking, complaining and murmuring.
2) This sentence reads in the Weimarschen: "die do yres nicht sein vor got opffert". In the Wittenberg and in the Jmaer this sentence is printed in the short form: "die da jres (nicht sein) für Gott opffert". The meaning is: who sacrifices her own, namely "not being", to GOtte. At the conclusion of this passage it is thus expressed, "The love of God 2c. deprives him of her mere nothingness."
The fulfillment of the fifth commandment.
Patience, meekness, kindness, peacefulness, mercy, and above all, a sweet, kind heart, without all hatred, anger, bitterness toward any man, even toward enemies.
The fulfillment of the sixth commandment.
Chastity, discipline, shamefulness in works, words, verden 1) and thoughts. Also moderation in eating, drinking, sleeping, and everything that is conducive to chastity.
The fulfillment of the seventh commandment.
Poverty of spirit, gentleness, willingness to lend and give one's goods, living without all avarice and covetousness.
The fulfillment of the eighth commandment.
A peaceful, wholesome tongue that harms no one and pampers everyone, that atones for the disagreeable, excuses and defends the reviled; that is, truth and simplicity in words.
The ninth and tenth fulfillment.
This is perfect chastity and contempt of temporal lust and goods thoroughly accomplished in that life alone, amen.
The love of God and neighbor, and his own contempt.
Abstains from the goods and names of God, and deprives Him of their mere nothingness.
Abstain from your neighbor's goods and deprive him of yours and yourself.
So does the grace of God through Christ our Lord.
Note that it is a great error for someone to go to the Holy Sacrament relying on the unfaithful pretense that he has confessed, prayed, and is not aware of some mortal sin. For they themselves will receive judgment [1 Cor. 11, 29.]
1) Walch and the Erlangers: Desires.
not become pure nor worthy by such their works or consciences; rather, by such presumptuous purity they become impure. But he who believes and trusts that he will obtain grace and purity in the sacrament, this faith and trust makes him pure and worthy, who does not rely on the above-mentioned works, but on the pure, faithful and kind word and promise of Christ, when he says: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden with sins, and I will refresh you." In these comforting words of discretion and sure confidence one should approach, and those who approach in this way will not be put to shame. For we can never be sure from our works whether we are without mortal sin, and yet he who wants to go to the sacrament without harm must certainly be without mortal sin. Therefore the certainty stands on the word and promise and call of the faithful Savior of Christ, as it is said.
Paul also means this [1 Cor. 11:28], saying, "Let every man examine himself, and then eat of this bread." But he that examineth himself aright, forgetting another man's evil, and judging not, but feeling himself to be laboring, and burdened with many sins and infirmities, and so becoming desirous of the grace and help of Christ; this is the very noblest and nearest preparation for the Sacrament. For, as St. Augustine says, "Food seeks no more than a hungry, alive soul; neither do they feast, for those who are full and hopeful, who judge and [dim] one another, than those to whom the apostle writes these words. For if the apostle had charged us in these words that we should search ourselves until we were sure whether we were without mortal sin, he would have charged us with impossible things, and deprived us all together of the sacrament of salvation. Therefore, it is enough that you do not know a mortal sin, in a certain gross way, or a certain intention to commit mortal sin; put that behind in the grace of God, and let your faith be your purity, and you will be sure.