large catechism-第21部分

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asketh　receiveth。　Such　promises　ought　certainly　to　encourage　and　kindle
our　hearts　to　pray　with　pleasure　and　delight；　since　He　testifies　with
His　＇own＇　word　that　our　prayer　is　heartily　pleasing　to　Him；　moreover；
that　it　shall　assuredly　be　heard　and　granted；　in　order　that　we　may　not
despise　it　or　think　lightly　of　it；　and　pray　at　a　venture。　

This　you　can　hold　up　to　Him　and　say：　Here　I　come；　dear　Father；　and
pray；　not　of　my　own　purpose　nor　upon　my　own　worthiness；　but　at　Thy
commandment　and　promise；　which　cannot　fail　or　deceive　me。　Whoever；
therefore；　does　not　believe　this　promise　must　know　again　that　he
excites　God　to　anger　as　a　person　who　most　highly　dishonors　Him　and
reproaches　Him　with　falsehood。　

Besides　this；　we　should　be　incited　and　drawn　to　prayer　because　in
addition　to　this　commandment　and　promise　God　anticipates　us；　and
Himself　arranges　the　words　and　form　of　prayer　for　us；　and　places　them
upon　our　lips　as　to　how　and　what　we　should　pray；　that　we　may　see　how
heartily　He　pities　us　in　our　distress；　and　may　never　doubt　that　such
prayer　is　pleasing　to　Him　and　shall　certainly　be　answered；　which　＇the
Lord's　Prayer＇　is　a　great　advantage　indeed　over　all　other　prayers　that
we　might　compose　ourselves。　For　in　them　the　conscience　would　ever　be　in
doubt　and　say：　I　have　prayed；　but　who　knows　how　it　pleases　Him；　or
whether　I　have　hit　upon　the　right　proportions　and　form？　Hence　there　is
no　nobler　prayer　to　be　found　upon　earth　than　the　Lord's　Prayer　which　we
daily　pray　because　it　has　this　excellent　testimony；　that　God　loves　to
hear　it；　which　we　ought　not　to　surrender　for　all　the　riches　of　the
world。　

And　it　has　been　prescribed　also　for　this　reason　that　we　should　see　and
consider　the　distress　which　ought　to　urge　and　compel　us　to　pray　without
ceasing。　For　whoever　would　pray　must　have　something　to　present；　state；
and　name　which　he　desires；　if　not；　it　cannot　be　called　a　prayer。　

Therefore　we　have　rightly　rejected　the　prayers　of　monks　and　priests；
who　howl　and　growl　day　and　night　like　fiends；　but　none　of　them　think　of
praying　for　a　hair's　breadth　of　anything。　And　if　we　would　assemble　all
the　churches；　together　with　all　ecclesiastics；　they　would　be　obliged　to
confess　that　they　have　never　from　the　heart　prayed　for　even　a　drop　of
wine。　For　none　of　them　has　ever　purposed　to　pray　from　obedience　to　God
and　faith　in　His　promise；　nor　has　any　one　regarded　any　distress；　but
（when　they　had　done　their　best）　they　thought　no　further　than　this；　to
do　a　good　work；　whereby　they　might　repay　God；　as　being　unwilling　to
take　anything　from　Him；　but　wishing　only　to　give　Him　something。　

But　where　there　is　to　be　a　true　prayer　there　must　be　earnestness。　Men
must　feel　their　distress；　and　such　distress　as　presses　them　and　compels
them　to　call　and　cry　out　then　prayer　will　be　made　spontaneously；　as　it
ought　to　be；　and　men　will　require　no　teaching　how　to　prepare　for　it　and
to　attain　to　the　proper　devotion。　But　the　distress　which　ought　to
concern　us　most；　both　as　regards　ourselves　and　every　one；　you　will　find
abundantly　set　forth　in　the　Lord's　Prayer。　Therefore　it　is　to　serve
also　to　remind　us　of　the　same；　that　we　contemplate　it　and　lay　it　to
heart；　lest　we　become　remiss　in　prayer。　For　we　all　have　enough　that　we
lack；　but　the　great　want　is　that　we　do　not　feel　nor　see　it。　Therefore
God　also　requires　that　you　lament　and　plead　such　necessities　and　wants；
not　because　He　does　not　know　them；　but　that　you　may　kindle　your　heart
to　stronger　and　greater　desires；　and　make　wide　and　open　your　cloak　to
receive　much。　

Therefore；　every　one　of　us　should　accustom　himself　from　his　youth
daily　to　pray　for　all　his　wants；　whenever　he　is　sensible　of　anything
affecting　his　interests　or　that　of　other　people　among　whom　he　may　live；
as　for　preachers；　the　government；　neighbors；　domestics；　and　always　（as
we　have　said）　to　hold　up　to　God　His　commandment　and　promise；　knowing
that　He　will　not　have　them　disregarded。　This　I　say　because　I　would　like
to　see　these　things　brought　home　again　to　the　people　that　they　might
learn　to　pray　truly；　and　not　go　about　coldly　and　indifferently；　whereby
they　become　daily　more　unfit　for　prayer；　which　is　just　what　the　devil
desires；　and　for　what　he　works　with　all　his　powers。　For　he　is　well
aware　what　damage　and　harm　it　does　him　when　prayer　is　in　proper
practice。　For　this　we　must　know；　that　all　our　shelter　and　protection
rest　in　prayer　alone。　For　we　are　far　too　feeble　to　cope　with　the　devil
and　all　his　power　and　adherents　that　set　themselves　against　us；　and
they　might　easily　crush　us　under　their　feet。　Therefore　we　must　consider
and　take　up　those　weapons　with　which　Christians　must　be　armed　in　order
to　stand　against　the　devil。　For　what　do　you　think　has　hitherto
accomplished　such　great　things；　has　checked　or　quelled　the　counsels；
purposes；　murder；　and　riot　of　our　enemies；　whereby　the　devil　thought　to
crush　us；　together　with　the　Gospel；　except　that　the　prayer　of　a　few
godly　men　intervened　like　a　wall　of　iron　on　our　side？　They　should　else
have　witnessed　a　far　different　tragedy；　namely；　how　the　devil　would
have　destroyed　all　Germany　in　its　own　blood。　But　now　they　may
confidently　deride　it　and　make　a　mock　of　it；　however；　we　shall
nevertheless　be　a　match　both　for　themselves　and　the　devil　by　prayer
alone；　if　we　only　persevere　diligently　and　not　become　slack。　For
whenever　a　godly　Christian　prays：　Dear　Father　let　Thy　will　be　done；　God
speaks　from　on　high　and　says：　Yes；　dear　child；　it　shall　be　so；　in　spite
of　the　devil　and　all　the　world。　

Let　this　be　said　as　an　exhortation；　that　men　may　learn；　first　of　all；
to　esteem　prayer　as　something　great　and　precious；　and　to　make　a　proper
distinction　between　babbling　and　praying　for　something。　For　we　by　no
means　reject　prayer；　but　the　bare；　useless　howling　and　murmuring　we
reject；　as　Christ　Himself　also　rejects　and　prohibits　long　palavers。　Now
we　shall　most　briefly　and　clearly　treat　of　the　Lord's　Prayer。　Here
there　is　comprehended　in　seven　successive　articles；　or　petitions；　every
need　which　never　ceases　to　relate　to　us；　and　each　so　great　that　it
ought　to　constrain　us　to　keep　praying　it　all　our　lives。
　
　The　First　Petition。
　
Hallowed　be　Thy　name。　

This　is；　indeed；　somewhat　obscure；　and　not　expressed　in　good　German；
for　in　our　mother…tongue　we　would　say：　Heavenly　Father；　help　that　by
all　means　Thy　name　may　be　holy。　But　what　is　it　to　pray　that　His　name
may　be　holy？　Is　it　not　holy　already？　Answer：　Yes；　it　is　always　holy　in
its　nature；　but　in　our　use　it　is　not　holy。　For　God's　name　was　given　us
when　we　became　Christians　and　were　baptized；　so　that　we　are　called
children　of　God　and　have　the　Sacraments　by　which　He　so　incorporates　us
in　Himself　that　everything　which　is　God's　must　serve　for　our　use。　

Here　now　the　great　need　exists　for　which　we　ought　to　be　most
concerned；　that　this　name　have　its　proper　honor；　be　esteemed　holy　and
sublime　as　the　greatest　treasure　and　sanctuary　that　we　have；　and　that
as　godly　children　we　pray　that　the　name　of　God；　which　is　already　holy
in　heaven；　may　also　be　and　remain　holy　with　us　upon　earth　and　in　all
the　world。　

But　how　does　it　become　holy　among　us？　Answer；　as　plainly　as　it　can　be
said：　When　both　our　doctrine　and　life　are　godly　and　Christian。　For
since　in　this　prayer　we　call　God　our　Father；　it　is　our　duty　always　to
deport　and　demean　ourselves　as　godly　children；　that　He　may　not　receive
shame；　but　honor　and　praise　from　us。　

Now　the　name　of　God　is　profaned　by　us　either　in　words　or　in　works。　（For
whatever　we　do　upon　the　earth　must　be　either　words　or　works；　speech　or
act。）　In　the　first　place；　then；　it　is　profaned　when　men　preach；　teach；
and　speak　in　the　name　of　God　what　is　false　and　misleading；　so　that　His
name　must　serve　to　adorn　and　to　find　a　market　for　falsehood。　That　is；
indeed；　the　greatest　profanation　and　dishonor　of　the　divine　name。
Furthermore；　also　when　men；　by　swearing；　cursing；　conjuring；　etc。；
grossly　abuse　the　holy　name　as　a　cloak　for　their　shame。　In　the　second
place　also　by　an　openly　wicked　life　and　works；　when　those　who　are
called　Christians　and　the　people　of　God　are　adulterers；　drunkards；
misers；　envious；　and　slanderers。　Here　again　must　the　name　of　God　come
to　shame　and　be　profaned　because　of　us。　For　just　as　it　is　a　shame　and
disgrace　to　a　natural　father　to　have　a　bad　perverse　child　that　opposes
him　in　words　and　deeds；　so　that　on　its　account　he　suffers　contempt　and
reproach；　so　also　it　brings　dishonor　upon　God　if　we　who　are　called　by
His　name　and　have　all　manner　of　goods　from　Him　teach；　speak；　and　live
in　any　other　manner　except　as　godly　and　heavenly　children；　so　that
people　say　of　us　that　we　must　be　not　God's；　but　the　devil's　children。　

Thus　you　see　that　in　this　petition　we　pray　just　for　that　which　God
demands　in　the　Second　Commandment；　namely；　that　His　name　be　not　taken
in　vain　to　swear；　curse；　lie；　deceive；　etc。；　but　be　usefully　employed
to　the　praise　and　honor　of　God。　For　whoever　employs　the　name　of　God　for
any　sort　of　wrong　profanes　and　desecrates　this　holy　name；　as　aforetime
a　church　was　considered　desecrated　when　a　murder　or　any　other　crime　had
been　committed　in　it；　or　when　a　pyx　or　relic　was　desecrated；　as　being
holy　in　themselves；　yet　become　unholy　in　use。　Thus　t