large catechism-第20节

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illumined　and　favored　by　any　gifts　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　

From　this　you　perceive　that　the　Creed　is　a　doctrine　quite　different
from　the　Ten　Commandments；　for　the　latter　teaches　indeed　what　we　ought
to　do；　but　the　former　tells　what　God　does　for　us　and　gives　to　us。
Moreover；　apart　from　this；　the　Ten　Commandments　are　written　in　the
hearts　of　all　men；　the　Creed；　however；　no　human　wisdom　can　comprehend；
but　it　must　be　taught　by　the　Holy　Ghost　alone。　The　latter　doctrine　＇of
the　Law＇；　therefore　makes　no　Christian；　for　the　wrath　and　displeasure
of　God　abide　upon　us　still；　because　we　cannot　keep　what　God　demands　of
us；　but　this　＇namely；　the　doctrine　of　faith＇　brings　pure　grace；　and
makes　us　godly　and　acceptable　to　God。　For　by　this　knowledge　we　obtain
love　and　delight　in　all　the　commandments　of　God；　because　here　we　see
that　God　gives　Himself　entire　to　us；　with　all　that　He　has　and　is　able
to　do；　to　aid　and　direct　us　in　keeping　the　Ten　Commandments　　the
Father；　all　creatures；　the　Son；　His　entire　work；　and　the　Holy　Ghost；
all　His　gifts。　

Let　this　suffice　concerning　the　Creed　to　lay　a　foundation　for　the
simple；　that　they　may　not　be　burdened；　so　that；　if　they　understand　the
substance　of　it；　they　themselves　may　afterwards　strive　to　acquire　more；
and　to　refer　to　these　parts　whatever　they　learn　in　the　Scriptures；　and
may　ever　grow　and　increase　in　richer　understanding。　For　as　long　as　we
live　here；　we　shall　daily　have　enough　to　do　to　preach　and　to　learn
this。
　
Part　Third。　OF　PRAYER。　

　The　Lord's　Prayer。　

We　have　now　heard　what　we　must　do　and　believe；　in　which　things　the　best
and　happiest　life　consists。　Now　follows　the　third　part；　how　we　ought　to
pray。　For　since　we　are　so　situated　that　no　man　can　perfectly　keep　the
Ten　Commandments；　even　though　he　have　begun　to　believe；　and　since　the
devil　with　all　his　power　together　with　the　world　and　our　own　flesh；
resists　our　endeavors；　nothing　is　so　necessary　as　that　we　should
continually　resort　to　the　ear　of　God；　call　upon　Him；　and　pray　to　Him；
that　He　would　give；　preserve；　and　increase　in　us　faith　and　the
fulfillment　of　the　Ten　Commandments；　and　that　He　would　remove
everything　that　is　in　our　way　and　opposes　us　therein。　But　that　we　might
know　what　and　how　to　pray；　our　Lord　Christ　has　Himself　taught　us　both
the　mode　and　the　words；　as　we　shall　see。　

But　before　we　explain　the　Lord's　Prayer　part　by　part；　it　is　most
necessary　first　to　exhort　and　incite　people　to　prayer；　as　Christ　and
the　apostles　also　have　done。　And　the　first　matter　is　to　know　that　it　is
our　duty　to　pray　because　of　God's　commandment。　For　thus　we　heard　in　the
Second　Commandment：　Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　lord；　thy　God；
in　vain；　that　we　are　there　required　to　praise　that　holy　name；　and　call
upon　it　in　every　need；　or　to　pray。　For　to　call　upon　the　name　of　God　is
nothing　else　than　to　pray。　Prayer　is　therefore　as　strictly　and
earnestly　commanded　as　all　other　commandments：　to　have　no　other　God；
not　to　kill；　not　to　steal；　etc。　Let　no　one　think　that　it　is　all　the
same　whether　he　pray　or　not；　as　vulgar　people　do；　who　grope　in　such
delusion　and　ask　Why　should　I　pray？　Who　knows　whether　God　heeds　or　will
hear　my　prayer？　If　I　do　not　pray；　some　one　else　will。　And　thus　they
fall　into　the　habit　of　never　praying；　and　frame　a　pretext；　as　though　we
taught　that　there　is　no　duty　or　need　of　prayer；　because　we　reject　false
and　hypocritical　prayers。　

But　this　is　true　indeed　that　such　prayers　as　have　been　offered
hitherto　when　men　were　babbling　and　bawling　in　the　churches　were　no
prayers。　For　such　external　matters；　when　they　are　properly　observed；
may　be　a　good　exercise　for　young　children；　scholars；　and　simple
persons；　and　may　be　called　singing　or　reading；　but　not　really　praying。
But　praying；　as　the　Second　Commandment　teaches；　is　to　call　upon　God　in
every　need。　This　He　requires　of　us；　and　has　not　left　it　to　our　choice。
But　it　is　our　duty　and　obligation　to　pray　if　we　would　be　Christians；　as
much　as　it　is　our　duty　and　obligation　to　obey　our　parents　and　the
government；　for　by　calling　upon　it　and　praying　the　name　of　God　is
honored　and　profitably　employed。　This　you　must　note　above　all　things；
that　thereby　you　may　silence　and　repel　such　thoughts　as　would　keep　and
deter　us　from　prayer。　For　just　as　it　would　be　idle　for　a　son　to　say　to
his　father；　〃Of　what　advantage　is　my　obedience？　I　will　go　and　do　what
I　can；　it　is　all　the　same〃；　but　there　stands　the　commandment；　Thou
shalt　and　must　do　it；　so　also　here　it　is　not　left　to　my　will　to　do　it
or　leave　it　undone；　but　prayer　shall　and　must　be　offered　at　the　risk　of
God's　wrath　and　displeasure。　

This　is　therefore　to　be　understood　and　noted　before　everything　else；　in
order　that　thereby　we　may　silence　and　repel　the　thoughts　which　would
keep　and　deter　us　from　praying；　as　though　it　were　not　of　much
consequence　if　we　do　not　pray；　or　as　though　it　were　commanded　those　who
are　holier　and　in　better　favor　with　God　than　we；　as；　indeed；　the　human
heart　is　by　nature　so　despondent　that　it　always　flees　from　God　and
imagines　that　He　does　not　wish　or　desire　our　prayer；　because　we　are
sinners　and　have　merited　nothing　but　wrath。　Against　such　thoughts　（I
say）　we　should　regard　this　commandment　and　turn　to　God；　that　we　may　not
by　such　disobedience　excite　His　anger　still　more。　For　by　this
commandment　He　gives　us　plainly　to　understand　that　He　will　not　cast　us
from　Him　nor　chase　us　away；　although　we　are　sinners；　but　rather　draw
us　to　Himself；　so　that　we　might　humble　ourselves　before　Him；　bewail
this　misery　and　plight　of　ours；　and　pray　for　grace　and　help。　Therefore
we　read　in　the　Scriptures　that　He　is　angry　also　with　those　who　were
smitten　for　their　sin；　because　they　did　not　return　to　Him　and　by　their
prayers　assuage　His　wrath　and　seek　His　grace。　

Now；　from　the　fact　that　it　is　so　solemnly　commanded　to　pray；　you　are　to
conclude　and　think；　that　no　one　should　by　any　means　despise　his　prayer；
but　rather　set　great　store　by　it；　and　always　seek　an　illustration　from
the　other　commandments。　A　child　should　by　no　means　despise　his
obedience　to　father　and　mother；　but　should　always　think：　This　work　is　a
work　of　obedience；　and　what　I　do　I　do　with　no　other　intention　than　that
I　may　walk　in　the　obedience　and　commandment　of　God；　on　which　I　can
settle　and　stand　firm；　and　esteem　it　a　great　thing；　not　on　account　of
my　worthiness；　but　on　account　of　the　commandment。　So　here　also；　what
and　for　what　we　pray　we　should　regard　as　demanded　by　God　and　done　in
obedience　to　Him；　and　should　reflect　thus：　On　my　account　it　would
amount　to　nothing；　but　it　shall　avail；　for　the　reason　that　God　has
commanded　it。　Therefore　everybody；　no　matter　what　he　has　to　say　in
prayer；　should　always　come　before　God　in　obedience　to　this　commandment。


We　pray；　therefore；　and　exhort　every　one　most　diligently　to　take　this
to　heart　and　by　no　means　to　despise　our　prayer。　For　hitherto　it　has
been　taught　thus　in　the　devil's　name　that　no　one　regarded　these　things；
and　men　supposed　it　to　be　sufficient　to　have　done　the　work；　whether　God
would　hear　it　or　not。　But　that　is　staking　prayer　on　a　risk；　and
murmuring　it　at　a　venture；　and　therefore　it　is　a　lost　prayer。　For　we
allow　such　thoughts　as　these　to　lead　us　astray　and　deter　us：　I　am　not
holy　or　worthy　enough；　if　I　were　as　godly　and　holy　as　St。　Peter　or　St。
Paul；　then　I　would　pray。　But　put　such　thoughts　far　away；　for　just　the
same　commandment　which　applied　to　St。　Paul　applies　also　to　me；　and　the
Second　Commandment　is　given　as　much　on　my　account　as　on　his　account；　so
that　he　can　boast　of　no　better　or　holier　commandment。　

Therefore　you　should　say：　My　prayer　is　as　precious；　holy；　and　pleasing
to　God　as　that　of　St。　Paul　or　of　the　most　holy　saints。　This　is　the
reason：　For　I　will　gladly　grant　that　he　is　holier　in　his　person；　but
not　on　account　of　the　commandment；　since　God　does　not　regard　prayer　on
account　of　the　person；　but　on　account　of　His　word　and　obedience
thereto。　For　on　the　commandment　on　which　all　the　saints　rest　their
prayer　I；　too；　rest　mine。　Moreover　I　pray　for　the　same　thing　for　which
they　all　pray　and　ever　have　prayed；　besides；　I　have　just　as　great　a
need　of　it　as　those　great　saints；　yea；　even　a　greater　one　than　they。　

Let　this　be　the　first　and　most　important　point；　that　all　our　prayers
must　be　based　and　rest　upon　obedience　to　God；　irrespective　of　our
person；　whether　we　be　sinners　or　saints；　worthy　or　unworthy。　And　we
must　know　that　God　will　not　have　it　treated　as　a　jest；　but　be　angry；
and　punish　all　who　do　not　pray；　as　surely　as　He　punishes　all　other
disobedience；　next；　that　He　will　not　suffer　our　prayers　to　be　in　vain
or　lost。　For　if　He　did　not　intend　to　answer　your　prayer；　He　would　not
bid　you　pray　and　add　such　a　severe　commandment　to　it。　

In　the　second　place；　we　should　be　the　more　urged　and　incited　to　pray
because　God　has　also　added　a　promise；　and　declared　that　it　shall　surely
be　done　to　us　as　we　pray；　as　He　says　Ps。　50；　15：　Call　upon　Me　in　the
day　of　trouble：　I　will　deliver　thee。　And　Christ　in　the　Gospel　of　St。
Matthew；　7；　7：　Ask；　and　it　shall　be　given　you。　For　every　one　that
asketh　receiveth。　Such　promises　ought　certainly　to　encourage　and　kindle
our　hearts　to　pray　with　pleasure　and　delight；　since　He　testifies　w