large catechism-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

or　mother；　or　from　love　of　them　do　or　omit　anything。　But　see　to　that
which　God　would　have　you　do；　and　what　He　will　quite　surely　demand　of
you；　if　you　omit　that；　you　have　an　angry　Judge；　but　in　the　contrary
case　a　gracious　Father。　

Again；　that　you　do　your　neighbor　no　harm；　injury；　or　violence；　nor　in
any　wise　encroach　upon　him　as　touching　his　body；　wife；　property；　honor；
or　rights；　as　all　these　things　are　commanded　in　their　order；　even
though　you　have　opportunity　and　cause　to　do　so　and　no　man　would　reprove
you；　but　that　you　do　good　to　all　men；　help　them；　and　promote　their
interest；　howsoever　and　wherever　you　can；　purely　from　love　of　God　and
in　order　to　please　Him；　in　the　confidence　that　He　will　abundantly
reward　you　for　everything。　Thus　you　see　how　the　First　Commandment　is
the　chief　source　and　fountainhead　which　flows　into　all　the　rest；　and
again；　all　return　to　that　and　depend　upon　it；　so　that　beginning　and　end
are　fastened　and　bound　to　each　other。　

This　（I　say）　it　is　profitable　and　necessary　always　to　teach　to　the
young　people；　to　admonish　them　and　to　remind　them　of　it；　that　they　may
be　brought　up　not　only　with　blows　and　compulsion；　like　cattle；　but　in
the　fear　and　reverence　of　God。　For　where　this　is　considered　and　laid　to
heart　that　these　things　are　not　human　trifles；　but　the　commandments　of
the　Divine　Majesty；　who　insists　upon　them　with　such　earnestness；　is
angry　with；　and　punishes　those　who　despise　them；　and；　on　the　other
hand；　abundantly　rewards　those　who　keep　them；　there　will　be　a
spontaneous　impulse　and　a　desire　gladly　to　do　the　will　of　God。
Therefore　it　is　not　in　vain　that　it　is　commanded　in　the　Old　Testament
to　write　the　Ten　Commandments　on　all　walls　and　corners；　yes；　even　on
the　garments；　not　for　the　sake　of　merely　having　them　written　in　these
places　and　making　a　show　of　them；　as　did　the　Jews；　but　that　we　might
have　our　eyes　constantly　fixed　upon　them；　and　have　them　always　in　our
memory；　and　that　we　might　practice　them　in　all　our　actions　and　ways；
and　every　one　make　them　his　daily　exercise　in　all　cases；　in　every
business　and　transaction；　as　though　they　were　written　in　every　place
wherever　he　would　look；　yea；　wherever　he　walks　or　stands。　Thus　there
would　be　occasion　enough；　both　at　home　in　our　own　house　and　abroad　with
our　neighbors；　to　practice　the　Ten　Commandments；　that　no　one　need　run
far　for　them。　

From　this　it　again　appears　how　highly　these　Ten　Commandments　are　to　be
exalted　and　extolled　above　all　estates；　commandments；　and　works　which
are　taught　and　practiced　aside　from　them。　For　here　we　can　boast　and
say：　Let　all　the　wise　and　saints　step　forth　and　produce；　if　they　can；　a
＇single＇　work　like　these　commandments；　upon　which　God　insists　with　such
earnestness；　and　which　He　enjoins　with　His　greatest　wrath　and
punishment；　and；　besides；　adds　such　glorious　promises　that　He　will　pour
out　upon　us　all　good　things　and　blessings。　Therefore　they　should　be
taught　above　all　others；　and　be　esteemed　precious　and　dear；　as　the
highest　treasure　given　by　God。
　
Part　Second。　OF　THE　CREED。
　
Thus　far　we　have　heard　the　first　part　of　Christian　doctrine；　in　which
we　have　seen　all　that　God　wishes　us　to　do　or　to　leave　undone。　Now；
there　properly　follows　the　Creed；　which　sets　forth　to　us　everything
that　we　must　expect　and　receive　from　God；　and；　to　state　it　quite
briefly；　teaches　us　to　know　Him　fully。　And　this　is　intended　to　help　us
do　that　which　according　to　the　Ten　Commandments　we　ought　to　do。　For　（as
said　above）　they　are　set　so　high　that　all　human　ability　is　far　too
feeble　and　weak　to　＇attain　to　or＇　keep　them。　Therefore　it　is　as
necessary　to　learn　this　part　as　the　former　in　order　that　we　may　know
how　to　attain　thereto；　whence　and　whereby　to　obtain　such　power。　For　if
we　could　by　our　own　powers　keep　the　Ten　Commandments　as　they　are　to　be
kept；　we　would　need　nothing　further；　neither　the　Creed　nor　the　Lord's
Prayer。　But　before　we　explain　this　advantage　and　necessity　of　the
Creed；　it　is　sufficient　at　first　for　the　simple…minded　that　they　learn
to　comprehend　and　understand　the　Creed　itself。　

In　the　first　place；　the　Creed　has　hitherto　been　divided　into　twelve
articles；　although；　if　all　points　which　are　written　in　the　Scriptures
and　which　belong　to　the　Creed　were　to　be　distinctly　set　forth；　there
would　be　far　more　articles；　nor　could　they　all　be　clearly　expressed　in
so　few　words。　But　that　it　may　be　most　easily　and　clearly　understood　as
it　is　to　be　taught　to　children；　we　shall　briefly　sum　up　the　entire
Creed　in　three　chief　articles；　according　to　the　three　persons　in　the
Godhead；　to　whom　everything　that　we　believe　is　related；　So　that　the
First　Article；　of　God　the　Father；　explains　Creation；　the　Second
Article；　of　the　Son；　Redemption；　and　the　Third；　of　the　Holy　Ghost；
Sanctification。　Just　as　though　the　Creed　were　briefly　comprehended　in
so　many　words：　I　believe　in　God　the　Father；　who　has　created　me；　I
believe　in　God　the　Son；　who　has　redeemed　me；　I　believe　in　the　Holy
Ghost；　who　sanctifies　me。　One　God　and　one　faith；　but　three　persons；
therefore　also　three　articles　or　confessions。　Let　us　briefly　run　over
the　words。
　
Article　I。
　
I　believe　in　God　the　Father　Almighty；　Maker　of　heaven　and　earth。　

This　portrays　and　sets　forth　most　briefly　what　is　the　essence；　will；
activity；　and　work　of　God　the　Father。　For　since　the　Ten　Commandments
have　taught　that　we　are　to　have　not　more　than　one　God；　the　question
might　be　asked；　What　kind　of　a　person　is　God？　What　does　He　do？　How　can
we　praise　or　portray　and　describe　Him；　that　He　may　be　known？　Now；　that
is　taught　in　this　and　in　the　following　article；　so　that　the　Creed　is
nothing　else　than　the　answer　and　confession　of　Christians　arranged　with
respect　to　the　First　Commandment。　As　if　you　were　to　ask　a　little　child：
My　dear；　what　sort　of　a　God　have　you？　What　do　you　know　of　Him？　he　could
say：　This　is　my　God：　first；　the　Father；　who　has　created　heaven　and
earth；　besides　this　only　One　I　regard　nothing　else　as　God；　for　there　is
no　one　else　who　could　create　heaven　and　earth。　

But　for　the　learned；　and　those　who　are　somewhat　advanced　＇have
acquired　some　Scriptural　knowledge＇；　these　three　articles　may　all　be
expanded　and　divided　into　as　many　parts　as　there　are　words。　But　now　for
young　scholars　let　it　suffice　to　indicate　the　most　necessary　points；
namely；　as　we　have　said；　that　this　article　refers　to　the　Creation：　that
we　emphasize　the　words：　Creator　of　heaven　and　earth　But　what　is　the
force　of　this；　or　what　do　you　mean　by　these　words：　I　believe　in　God　the
Father　Almighty；　Maker；　etc。？　Answer：　This　is　what　I　mean　and　believe；
that　I　am　a　creature　of　God；　that　is；　that　He　has　given　and　constantly
preserves　to　me　my　body；　soul；　and　life；　members　great　and　small；　all
my　senses；　reason；　and　understanding；　and　so　on；　food　and　drink；
clothing　and　support；　wife　and　children；　domestics；　house　and　home；
etc。　Besides；　He　causes　all　creatures　to　serve　for　the　uses　and
necessities　of　life　　sun；　moon　and　stars　in　the　firmament；　day　and
night；　air；　fire；　water；　earth；　and　whatever　it　bears　and　produces；
birds　and　fishes；　beasts；　grain；　and　all　kinds　of　produce；　and　whatever
else　there　is　of　bodily　and　temporal　goods；　good　government；　peace；
security。　Thus　we　learn　from　this　article　that　none　of　us　has　of
himself；　nor　can　preserve；　his　life　nor　anything　that　is　here
enumerated　or　can　be　enumerated；　however　small　and　unimportant　a　thing
it　might　be；　for　all　is　comprehended　in　the　word　Creator。　

Moreover；　we　also　confess　that　God　the　Father　has　not　only　given　us　all
that　we　have　and　see　before　our　eyes；　but　daily　preserves　and　defends
us　against　all　evil　and　misfortune；　averts　all　sorts　of　danger　and
calamity；　and　that　He　does　all　this　out　of　pure　love　and　goodness；
without　our　merit；　as　a　benevolent　Father；　who　cares　for　us　that　no
evil　befall　us。　But　to　speak　more　of　this　belongs　in　the　other　two
parts　of　this　article；　where　we　say：　Father　Almighty　
Now；　since：　all　that　we　possess；　and；　moreover；　whatever；　in　addition；
is　in　heaven　and　upon　the　earth；　is　daily　given；　preserved；　and　kept
for　us　by　God；　it　is　readily　inferred　and　concluded　that　it　is　our　duty
to　love；　praise；　and　thank　Him　for　it　without　ceasing；　and；　in　short；
to　serve　Him　with　all　these　things　as　He　demands　and　has　enjoined　in
the　Ten　Commandments。　

Here　we　could　say　much　if　we　were　to　expatiate；　how　few　there　are　that
believe　this　article。　For　we　all　pass　over　it；　hear　it　and　say　it；　but
neither　see　nor　consider　what　the　words　teach　us。　For　if　we　believed　it
with　the　heart；　we　would　also　act　accordingly；　and　not　stalk　about
proudly；　act　defiantly；　and　boast　as　though　we　had　life；　riches；　power；
and　honor；　etc。；　of　ourselves；　so　that　others　must　fear　and　serve　us；
as　is　the　practice　of　the　wretched；　perverse　world；　which　is　drowned　in
blindness；　and　abuses　all　the　good　things　and　gifts　of　God　only　for　its
own　pride；　avarice；　lust；　and　luxury；　and　never　once　regards　God；　so
as　to　thank　Him　or　acknowledge　Him　as　Lord　and　Creator。　

Therefore；　this　article　ought　to　humble　and　terrify　us　all；　if　we
believed　it。　For　we　sin　daily　with　eyes；　ears；　hands；　body　and　soul；
money　and　possessions；　and　with　everything　we　have；　especially　those
who　even　f