large catechism-第28部分

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Church；　the　forgiveness　of　sin；　etc。；　are　by　the　Word　embodied　in　this
Sacrament　and　presented　to　us。　Why；　then；　should　we　allow　this　treasure
to　be　torn　from　the　Sacrament　when　they　must　confess　that　these　are　the
very　words　which　we　hear　everywhere　in　the　Gospel；　and　they　cannot　say
that　these　words　in　the　Sacrament　are　of　no　use；　as　little　as　they　dare
say　that　the　entire　Gospel　or　Word　of　God；　apart　from　the　Sacrament；　is
of　no　use？　

Thus　we　have　the　entire　Sacrament；　both　as　to　what　it　is　in　itself　and
as　to　what　it　brings　and　profits。　Now　we　must　also　see　who　is　the
person　that　receives　this　power　and　benefit。　That　is　answered　briefly；
as　we　said　above　of　Baptism　and　often　elsewhere：　Whoever　believes　it
has　what　the　words　declare　and　bring。　For　they　are　not　spoken　or
proclaimed　to　stone　and　wood；　but　to　those　who　hear　them；　to　whom　He
says：　Take　and　eat；　etc。　And　because　He　offers　and　promises　forgiveness
of　sin；　it　cannot　be　received　otherwise　than　by　faith。　This　faith　He
Himself　demands　in　the　Word　when　He　says：　Given　and　shed　for　you。　As　if
He　said：　For　this　reason　I　give　it；　and　bid　you　eat　and　drink；　that　you
may　claim　it　as　yours　and　enjoy　it。　Whoever　now　accepts　these　words；
and　believes　that　what　they　declare　is　true；　has　it。　But　whoever　does
not　believe　it　has　nothing；　as　he　allows　it　to　be　offered　to　him　in
vain；　and　refuses　to　enjoy　such　a　saving　good。　The　treasure；　indeed；　is
opened　and　placed　at　every　one's　door；　yea　upon　his　table；　but　it　is
necessary　that　you　also　claim　it；　and　confidently　view　it　as　the　words
suggest　to　you。　

This；　now；　is　the　entire　Christian　preparation　for　receiving　this
Sacrament　worthily。　For　since　this　treasure　is　entirely　presented　in
the　words；　it　cannot　be　apprehended　and　appropriated　in　any　other　way
than　with　the　heart。　For　such　a　gift　and　eternal　treasure　cannot　be
seized　with　the　fist。　Fasting　and　prayer；　etc。；　may　indeed　be　an
external　preparation　and　discipline　for　children；　that　the　body　may
keep　and　bear　itself　modestly　and　reverently　towards　the　body　and　blood
of　Christ；　yet　what　is　given　in　and　with　it　the　body　cannot　seize　and
appropriate。　But　this　is　done　by　the　faith　of　the　heart；　which　discerns
this　treasure　and　desires　it。　This　may　suffice　for　what　is　necessary
as　a　general　instruction　respecting　this　Sacrament；　for　what　is
further　to　be　said　of　it　belongs　to　another　time。　

Conclusion　

In　conclusion；　since　we　have　now　the　true　understanding　and　doctrine　of
the　Sacrament；　there　is　indeed　need　of　some　admonition　and　exhortation；
that　men　may　not　let　so　great　a　treasure　which　is　daily　administered
and　distributed　among　Christians　pass　by　unheeded；　that　is；　that　those
who　would　be　Christians　make　ready　to　receive　this　venerable　Sacrament
often。　For　we　see　that　men　seem　weary　and　lazy　with　respect　to　it；　and
there　is　a　great　multitude　of　such　as　hear　the　Gospel；　and；　because　the
nonsense　of　the　Pope　has　been　abolished；　and　we　are　freed　from　his　laws
and　coercion；　go　one；　two；　three　years；　or　even　longer　without　the
Sacrament；　as　though　they　were　such　strong　Christians　that　they　have　no
need　of　it；　and　some　allow　themselves　to　be　prevented　and　deterred　by
the　pretense　that　we　have　taught　that　no　one　should　approach　it　except
those　who　feel　hunger　and　thirst；　which　urge　them　to　it。　Some　pretend
that　it　is　a　matter　of　liberty　and　not　necessary；　and　that　it　is
sufficient　to　believe　without　it；　and　thus　for　the　most　part　they　go　so
far　that　they　become　quite　brutish；　and　finally　despise　both　the
Sacrament　and　the　Word　of　God。　

Now；　it　is　true；　as　we　have　said；　that　no　one　should　by　any　means　be
coerced　or　compelled；　lest　we　institute　a　new　murdering　of　souls。
Nevertheless；　it　must　be　known　that　such　people　as　deprive　themselves
of；　and　withdraw　from；　the　Sacrament　so　long　a　time　are　not　to　be
considered　Christians。　For　Christ　has　not　instituted　it　to　be　treated
as　a　show；　but　has　commanded　His　Christians　to　eat　and　drink　it；　and
thereby　remember　Him。　

And；　indeed；　those　who　are　true　Christians　and　esteem　the　Sacrament
precious　and　holy　will　urge　and　impel　themselves　unto　it。　Yet　that　the
simple…minded　and　the　weak　who　also　would　like　to　be　Christians　be　the
more　incited　to　consider　the　cause　and　need　which　ought　to　impel　them；
we　will　treat　somewhat　of　this　point。　For　as　in　other　matters
pertaining　to　faith；　love；　and　patience；　it　is　not　enough　to　teach　and
instruct　only；　but　there　is　need　also　of　daily　exhortation；　so　here
also　there　is　need　of　continuing　to　preach　that　men　may　not　become
weary　and　disgusted；　since　we　know　and　feel　how　the　devil　always
opposes　this　and　every　Christian　exercise；　and　drives　and　deters
therefrom　as　much　as　he　can。　

And　we　have；　in　the　first　place；　the　clear　text　in　the　very　words　of
Christ：　Do　this　in　remembrance　of　Me。　These　are　bidding　and　commanding
words　by　which　all　who　would　be　Christians　are　enjoined　to　partake　of
this　Sacrament。　Therefore；　whoever　would　be　a　disciple　of　Christ；　with
whom　He　here　speaks；　must　also　consider　and　observe　this；　not　from
compulsion；　as　being　forced　by　men；　but　in　obedience　to　the　Lord　Jesus
Christ；　and　to　please　Him。　However；　if　you　say：　But　the　words　are
added；　As　oft　as　ye　do　it；　there　He　compels　no　one；　but　leaves　it　to
our　free　choice；　answer：　That　is　true；　yet　it　is　not　written　that　we
should　never　do　so。　Yea；　just　because　He　speaks　the　words；　As　oft　as　ye
do　it；　it　is　nevertheless　implied　that　we　should　do　it　often；　and　it　is
added　for　the　reason　that　He　wishes　to　have　the　Sacrament　free；　not
limited　to　special　times；　like　the　Passover　of　the　Jews；　which　they
were　obliged　to　eat　only　once　a　year；　and　that　just　upon　the　fourteenth
day　of　the　first　full　moon　in　the　evening；　and　which　they　must　not　vary
a　day。　As　if　He　would　say　by　these　words：　I　institute　a　Passover　or
Supper　for　you　which　you　shall　enjoy　not　only　once　a　year；　just　upon
this　evening；　but　often；　when　and　where　you　will；　according　to　every
one's　opportunity　and　necessity；　bound　to　no　place　or　appointed　time；
although　the　Pope　afterwards　perverted　it；　and　again　made　a　Jewish
feast　of　it。　

Thus；　you　perceive；　it　is　not　left　free　in　the　sense　that　we　may
despise　it。　For　that　I　call　despising　it　if　one　allow　so　long　a　time　to
elapse　and　with　nothing　to　hinder　him　yet　never　feels　a　desire　for　it。
If　you　wish　such　liberty；　you　may　just　as　well　have　the　liberty　to　be
no　Christian；　and　neither　have　to　believe　nor　pray；　for　the　one　is　just
as　much　the　command　of　Christ　as　the　other。　But　if　you　wish　to　be　a
Christian；　you　must　from　time　to　time　render　satisfaction　and　obedience
to　this　commandment。　For　this　commandment　ought　ever　to　move　you　to
examine　yourself　and　to　think：　See；　what　sort　of　a　Christian　I　am！　If　I
were　one；　I　would　certainly　have　some　little　longing　for　that　which　my
Lord　has　commanded　＇me＇　to　do。　

And；　indeed；　since　we　act　such　strangers　to　it；　it　is　easily　seen　what
sort　of　Christians　we　were　under　the　Papacy；　namely；　that　we　went　from
mere　compulsion　and　fear　of　human　commandments；　without　inclination　and
love；　and　never　regarded　the　commandment　of　Christ。　But　we　neither
force　nor　compel　any　one；　nor　need　any　one　do　it　to　serve　or　please　us。
But　this　should　induce　and　constrain　you　by　itself；　that　He　desires　it
and　that　it　is　pleasing　to　Him。　You　must　not　suffer　men　to　coerce　you
unto　faith　or　any　good　work。　We　are　doing　no　more　than　to　say　and
exhort　you　as　to　what　you　ought　to　do；　not　for　our　sake；　but　for　your
own　sake。　He　invites　and　allures　you；　if　you　despise　it；　you　must
answer　for　it　yourself。　

Now；　this　is　to　be　the　first　point；　especially　for　those　who　are　cold
and　indifferent；　that　they　may　reflect　upon　and　rouse　themselves。　For
this　is　certainly　true；　as　I　have　found　in　my　own　experience；　and　as
every　one　will　find　in　his　own　case；　that　if　a　person　thus　withdraw
from　this　Sacrament；　he　will　daily　become　more　and　more　callous　and
cold；　and　will　at　last　disregard　it　altogether。　To　avoid　this；　we　must；
indeed；　examine　heart　and　conscience；　and　act　like　a　person　who　desires
to　be　right　with　God。　Now；　the　more　this　is　done；　the　more　will　the
heart　be　warmed　and　enkindled；　that　it　may　not　become　entirely　cold。　

But　if　you　say：　How　if　I　feel　that　I　am　not　prepared？　Answer：　That　is
also　my　scruple；　especially　from　the　old　way　under　the　Pope；　in　which　a
person　tortured　himself　to　be　so　perfectly　pure　that　God　could　not　find
the　least　blemish　in　us。　On　this　account　we　became　so　timid　that　every
one　was　instantly　thrown　into　consternation　and　said　to　himself：　Alas！
you　are　unworthy！　For　then　nature　and　reason　begin　to　reckon　our
unworthiness　in　comparison　with　the　great　and　precious　good；　and　then
it　appears　like　a　dark　lantern　in　contrast　with　the　bright　sun；　or　as
filth　in　comparison　with　precious　stones。　Because　nature　and　reason　see
this；　they　refuse　to　approach　and　tarry　until　they　are　prepared　so　long
that　one　week　trails　another；　and　one　half　year　the　other。　But　if　you
are　to　regard　how　good　and　pure　you　are；　and　labor　to　have　no
compunctions；　you　must　never　approach。　

We　must；　therefore；　make　a　distinction　here　among　men。　For　those　who
are　wanton　and　dissolute　must　be　told