large catechism-第24节

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and　he　will　find　that　he　is　no　better　than　others；　and　that　in　the
presence　of　God　all　must　lower　their　plumes；　and　be　glad　that　they　can
attain　forgiveness。　And　let　no　one　think　that　as　long　as　we　live　here
he　can　reach　such　a　position　that　he　will　not　need　such　forgiveness。　In
short；　if　God　does　not　forgive　without　ceasing；　we　are　lost。　

It　is　therefore　the　intent　of　this　petition　that　God　would　not　regard
our　sins　and　hold　up　to　us　what　we　daily　deserve；　but　would　deal
graciously　with　us；　and　forgive；　as　He　has　promised；　and　thus　grant　us
a　joyful　and　confident　conscience　to　stand　before　Him　in　prayer。　For
where　the　heart　is　not　in　right　relation　towards　God；　nor　can　take　such
confidence；　it　will　nevermore　venture　to　pray。　But　such　a　confident　and
joyful　heart　can　spring　from　nothing　else　than　the　＇certain＇　knowledge
of　the　forgiveness　of　sin。　

But　there　is　here　attached　a　necessary；　yet　consolatory　addition：　As　we
forgive。　He　has　promised　that　we　shall　be　sure　that　everything　is
forgiven　and　pardoned；　yet　in　the　manner　that　we　also　forgive　our
neighbor。　For　just　as　we　daily　sin　much　against　God　and　yet　He　forgives
everything　through　grace；　so　we；　too；　must　ever　forgive　our　neighbor
who　does　us　injury；　violence；　and　wrong；　shows　malice　toward　us；　etc。
If；　therefore　you　do　not　forgive；　then　do　not　think　that　God　forgives
you；　but　if　you　forgive；　you　have　this　consolation　and　assurance；　that
you　are　forgiven　in　heaven；　not　on　account　of　your　forgiving；　　for
God　forgives　freely　and　without　condition；　out　of　pure　grace；　because
He　has　so　promised；　as　the　Gospel　teaches；　　but　in　order　that　He　may
set　this　up　for　our　confirmation　and　assurance　for　a　sign　alongside　of
the　promise　which　accords　with　this　prayer；　Luke　6；　37：　Forgive；　and　ye
shall　be　forgiven。　Therefore　Christ　also　repeats　it　soon　after　the
Lord's　Prayer；　and　says；　Matt。　6；14：　For　if　ye　forgive　men　their
trespasses；　your　heavenly　Father　will　also　forgive　you；　etc。　

This　sign　is　therefore　attached　to　this　petition；　that；　when　we　pray；
we　remember　the　promise　and　reflect　thus：　Dear　Father；　for　this　reason
I　come　and　pray　Thee　to　forgive　me；　not　that　I　can　make　satisfaction；
or　can　merit　anything　by　my　works；　but　because　Thou　hast　promised　and
attached　the　seal　thereto　that　I　should　be　as　sure　as　though　I　had
absolution　pronounced　by　Thyself。　For　as　much　as　Baptism　and　the　Lord's
Supper　appointed　as　external　signs；　effect；　so　much　also　this　sign　can
effect　to　confirm　our　consciences　and　cause　them　to　rejoice。　And　it　is
especially　given　for　this　purpose；　that　we　might　use　and　practice　it
every　hour；　as　a　thing　that　we　have　with　us　at　all　times。　

　The　Sixth　Petition。　

And　lead　us　not　into　temptation。　

We　have　now　heard　enough　what　toil　and　labor　is　required　to　retain　all
that　for　which　we　pray；　and　to　persevere　therein；　which；　however；　is
not　achieved　without　infirmities　and　stumbling。　Besides；　although　we
have　received　forgiveness　and　a　good　conscience　and　are　entirely
acquitted；　yet　is　our　life　of　such　a　nature　that　one　stands　to…day　and
to…morrow　falls。　Therefore；　even　though　we　be　godly　now　and　stand
before　God　with　a　good　conscience；　we　must　pray　again　that　He　would　not
suffer　us　to　relapse　and　yield　to　trials　and　temptations。　

Temptation；　however；　or　（as　our　Saxons　in　olden　times　used　to　call　it）
Bekoerunge；　is　of　three　kinds；　namely；　of　the　flesh；　of　the　world　and
of　the　devil。　For　in　the　flesh　we　dwell　and　carry　the　old　Adam　about
our　neck；　who　exerts　himself　and　incites　us　daily　to　inchastity；
laziness；　gluttony　and　drunkenness；　avarice　and　deception；　to　defraud
our　neighbor　and　to　overcharge　him；　and；　in　short；　to　all　manner　of
evil　lusts　which　cleave　to　us　by　nature；　and　to　which　we　are　incited　by
the　society；　example　and　what　we　hear　and　see　of　other　people；　which
often　wound　and　inflame　even　an　innocent　heart。　

Next　comes　the　world；　which　offends　us　in　word　and　deed；　and　impels　us
to　anger　and　impatience。　In　short；　there　is　nothing　but　hatred　and
envy；　enmity；　violence　and　wrong；　unfaithfulness；　vengeance；　cursing；
raillery　slander；　pride　and　haughtiness；　with　superfluous　finery；
honor；　fame；　and　power；　where　no　one　is　willing　to　be　the　least；　but
every　one　desires　to　sit　at　the　head　and　to　be　seen　before　all。　

Then　comes　the　devil；　inciting　and　provoking　in　all　directions；　but
especially　agitating　matters　that　concern　the　conscience　and　spiritual
affairs；　namely；　to　induce　us　to　despise　and　disregard　both　the　Word
and　works　of　God　to　tear　us　away　from　faith；　hope；　and　love　and　bring
us　into　misbelief；　false　security；　and　obduracy；　or；　on　the　other　hand；
to　despair；　denial　of　God；　blasphemy；　and　innumerable　other　shocking
things。　These　are　indeed　snares　and　nets；　yea；　real　fiery　darts　which
are　shot　most　venomously　into　the　heart；　not　by　flesh　and　blood；　but　by
the　devil。　

Great　and　grievous；　indeed；　are　these　dangers　and　temptations　which
every　Christian　must　bear；　even　though　each　one　were　alone　by　himself；
so　that　every　hour　that　we　are　in　this　vile　life　where　we　are　attacked
on　all　sides；　chased　and　hunted　down；　we　are　moved　to　cry　out　and　to
pray　that　God　would　not　suffer　us　to　become　weary　and　faint　and　to
relapse　into　sin；　shame；　and　unbelief。　For　otherwise　it　is　impossible
to　overcome　even　the　least　temptation。　

This；　then；　is　leading　us　not　into　temptation；　to　wit；　when　He　gives　us
power　and　strength　to　resist；　the　temptation；　however；　not　being　taken
away　or　removed。　For　while　we　live　in　the　flesh　and　have　the　devil
about　us；　no　one　can　escape　temptation　and　allurements；　and　it　cannot
be　otherwise　than　that　we　must　endure　trials；　yea；　be　engulfed　in　them；
but　we　pray　for　this；　that　we　may　not　fall　and　be　drowned　in　them。　

To　feel　temptation　is　therefore　a　far　different　thing　from　consenting
or　yielding　to　it。　We　must　all　feel　it；　although　not　all　in　the　same
manner；　but　some　in　a　greater　degree　and　more　severely　than　others；　as；
the　young　suffer　especially　from　the　flesh；　afterwards；　they　that
attain　to　middle　life　and　old　age；　from　the　world；　but　others　who　are
occupied　with　spiritual　matters；　that　is；　strong　Christians；　from　the
devil。　But　such　feeling；　as　long　as　it　is　against　our　will　and　we　would
rather　be　rid　of　it；　can　harm　no　one。　For　if　we　did　not　feel　it；　it
could　not　be　called　a　temptation。　But　to　consent　thereto　is　when　we
give　it　the　reins　and　do　not　resist　or　pray　against　it。　

Therefore　we　Christians　must　be　armed　and　daily　expect　to　be
incessantly　attacked；　in　order　that　no　one　may　go　on　in　security　and
heedlessly；　as　though　the　devil　were　far　from　us；　but　at　all　times
expect　and　parry　his　blows。　For　though　I　am　now　chaste；　patient；　kind；
and　in　firm　faith；　the　devil　will　this　very　hour　send　such　an　arrow
into　my　heart　that　I　can　scarcely　stand。　For　he　is　an　enemy　that　never
desists　nor　becomes　tired；　so　that　when　one　temptation　ceases；　there
always　arise　others　and　fresh　ones。　

Accordingly；　there　is　no　help　or　comfort　except　to　run　hither　and　to
take　hold　of　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　thus　speak　to　God　from　the　heart：
Dear　Father；　Thou　hast　bidden　me　pray；　let　me　not　relapse　because　of
temptations。　Then　you　will　see　that　they　must　desist；　and　finally
acknowledge　themselves　conquered。　Else　if　you　venture　to　help　yourself
by　your　own　thoughts　and　counsel；　you　will　only　make　the　matter　worse
and　give　the　devil　more　space。　For　he　has　a　serpent's　head；　which　if　it
gain　an　opening　into　which　he　can　slip；　the　whole　body　will　follow
without　check。　But　prayer　can　prevent　him　and　drive　him　back。　

The　Seventh　and　Last　Petition。　

But　deliver　us　from　evil。　Amen。　In　the　Greek　text　this　petition　reads
thus：　Deliver　or　preserve　us　from　the　Evil　One；　or　the　Malicious　One；
and　it　looks　as　if　He　were　speaking　of　the　devil；　as　though　He　would
comprehend　everything　in　one　so　that　the　entire　substance　of　all　our
prayer　is　directed　against　our　chief　enemy。　For　it　is　he　who　hinders
among　us　everything　that　we　pray　for：　the　name　or　honor　of　God；　God's
kingdom　and　will；　our　daily　bread；　a　cheerful　good　conscience；　etc。　

Therefore　we　finally　sum　it　all　up　and　say：　Dear　Father　pray；　help　that
we　be　rid　of　all　these　calamities。　But　there　is　nevertheless　also
included　whatever　evil　may　happen　to　us　under　the　devil's　kingdom　
poverty；　shame；　death；　and；　in　short；　all　the　agonizing　misery　and
heartache　of　which　there　is　such　an　unnumbered　multitude　on　the　earth。
For　since　the　devil　is　not　only　a　liar；　but　also　a　murderer；　he
constantly　seeks　our　life；　and　wreaks　his　anger　whenever　he　can　afflict
our　bodies　with　misfortune　and　harm。　Hence　it　comes　that　he　often
breaks　men's　necks　or　drives　them　to　insanity；　drowns　some；　and　incites
many　to　commit　suicide；　and　to　many　other　terrible　calamities。
Therefore　there　is　nothing　for　us　to　do　upon　earth　but　to　pray　against
this　arch　enemy　without　ceasing。　For　unless　God　preserved　us；　we　would
not　be　safe　from　him　even　for　an　hour。　

Hence　you　see　again　how　God　wishes　us　to　pray　to　Him　also　for　all　the
things　which　affect　our　bodily　interests；　so　that　we　seek　and　expect
help　nowhere　else　except　in　Him。　But　this　matter　He　has　put　last；　for
if　we　are　to　be　preserved　and　deliv