large catechism-第29节

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compunctions；　you　must　never　approach。　

We　must；　therefore；　make　a　distinction　here　among　men。　For　those　who
are　wanton　and　dissolute　must　be　told　to　stay　away；　for　they　are　not
prepared　to　receive　forgiveness　of　sin　since　they　do　not　desire　it　and
do　not　wish　to　be　godly。　But　the　others；　who　are　not　such　callous　and
wicked　people；　and　desire　to　be　godly；　must　not　absent　themselves；　even
though　otherwise　they　be　feeble　and　full　of　infirmities；　as　St。　Hilary
also　has　said：　If　any　one　have　not　committed　sin　for　which　he　can
rightly　be　put　out　of　the　congregation　and　esteemed　as　no　Christian；　he
ought　not　stay　away　from　the　Sacrament；　lest　he　may　deprive　himself　of
life。　For　no　one　will　make　such　progress　that　he　will　not　retain　many
daily　infirmities　in　flesh　and　blood。　

Therefore　such　people　must　learn　that　it　is　the　highest　art　to　know
that　our　Sacrament　does　not　depend　upon　our　worthiness。　For　we　are　not
baptized　because　we　are　worthy　and　holy；　nor　do　we　go　to　confession
because　we　are　pure　and　without　sin；　but　the　contrary　because　we　are
poor　miserable　men　and　just　because　we　are　unworthy；　unless　it　be　some
one　who　desires　no　grace　and　absolution　nor　intends　to　reform。　

But　whoever　would　gladly　obtain　grace　and　consolation　should　impel
himself；　and　allow　no　one　to　frighten　him　away；　but　say：　I；　indeed；
would　like　to　be　worthy；　but　I　come；　not　upon　any　worthiness；　but　upon
Thy　Word；　because　Thou　hast　commanded　it；　as　one　who　would　gladly　be
Thy　disciple；　no　matter　what　becomes　of　my　worthiness。　But　this　is
difficult；　for　we　always　have　this　obstacle　and　hindrance　to　encounter；
that　we　look　more　upon　ourselves　than　upon　the　Word　and　lips　of　Christ。
For　nature　desires　so　to　act　that　it　can　stand　and　rest　firmly　on
itself；　otherwise　it　refuses　to　make　the　approach。　Let　this　suffice
concerning　the　first　point。　

In　the　second　place；　there　is　besides　this　command　also　a　promise；　as
we　heard　above；　which　ought　most　strongly　to　incite　and　encourage　us。
For　here　stand　the　kind　and　precious　words：　This　is　My　body；　given　for
you。　This　is　My　blood；　shed　for　you；　for　the　remission　of　sins。　These
words；　I　have　said；　are　not　preached　to　wood　and　stone；　but　to　me　and
you；　else　He　might　just　as　well　be　silent　and　not　institute　a
Sacrament。　Therefore　consider；　and　put　yourself　into　this　YOU；　that　He
may　not　speak　to　you　in　vain。　

For　here　He　offers　to　us　the　entire　treasure　which　He　has　brought　for
us　from　heaven；　and　to　which　He　invites　us　also　in　other　places　with
the　greatest　kindness；　as　when　He　says　in　St。　Matthew　11；　28：　Come　unto
Me；　all　ye　that　labor　and　are　heavy　laden；　and　I　will　give　you　rest。
Now　it　is　surely　a　sin　and　a　shame　that　He　so　cordially　and　faithfully
summons　and　exhorts　us　to　our　highest　and　greatest　good；　and　we　act　so
distantly　with　regard　to　it；　and　permit　so　long　a　time　to　pass　＇without
partaking　of　the　Sacrament＇　that　we　grow　quite　cold　and　hardened；　so
that　we　have　no　inclination　or　love　for　it。　We　must　never　regard　the
Sacrament　as　something　injurious　from　which　we　had　better　flee　but　as　a
pure　wholesome；　comforting　remedy　imparting　salvation　and　comfort；
which　will　cure　you　and　give　you　life　both　in　soul　and　body。　For　where
the　soul　has　recovered；　the　body　also　is　relieved。　Why；　then；　is　it
that　we　act　as　if　it　were　a　poison；　the　eating　of　which　would　bring
death？　

To　be　sure；　it　is　true　that　those　who　despise　it　and　live　in　an
unchristian　manner　receive　it　to　their　hurt　and　damnation；　for　nothing
shall　be　good　or　wholesome　to　them；　just　as　with　a　sick　person　who　from
caprice　eats　and　drinks　what　is　forbidden　him　by　the　physician。　But
those　who　are　sensible　of　their　weakness；　desire　to　be　rid　of　it　and
long　for　help；　should　regard　and　use　it　only　as　a　precious　antidote
against　the　poison　which　they　have　in　them。　For　here　in　the　Sacrament
you　are　to　receive　from　the　lips　of　Christ　forgiveness　of　sin　which
contains　and　brings　with　it　the　grace　of　God　and　the　Spirit　with　all
His　gifts；　protection；　shelter；　and　power　against　death　and　the　devil
and　all　misfortune。　

Thus　you　have；　on　the　part　of　God；　both　the　command　and　the　promise　of
the　Lord　Jesus　Christ。　Besides　this；　on　your　part；　your　own　distress
which　is　about　your　neck；　and　because　of　which　this　command；　invitation
and　promise　are　given；　ought　to　impel　you。　For　He　Himself　says：　They
that　be　whole　need　not　a　physician；　but　they　that　be　sick；　that　is；
those　who　are　weary　and　heavy…laden　with　their　sins；　with　the　fear　of
death　temptations　of　the　flesh　and　of　the　devil。　If　therefore；　you　are
heavy…laden　and　feel　your　weakness；　then　go　joyfully　to　this　Sacrament
and　obtain　refreshment；　consolation；　and　strength。　For　if　you　would
wait　until　you　are　rid　of　such　burdens；　that　you　might　come　to　the
Sacrament　pure　and　worthy；　you　must　forever　stay　away。　For　in　that　case
He　pronounces　sentence　and　says：　If　you　are　pure　and　godly；　you　have　no
need　of　Me；　and　I；　in　turn；　none　of　thee。　Therefore　those　alone　are
called　unworthy　who　neither　feel　their　infirmities　nor　wish　to　be
considered　sinners。　

But　if　you　say：　What；　then；　shall　I　do　if　I　cannot　feel　such　distress
or　experience　hunger　and　thirst　for　the　Sacrament？　Answer：　For　those
who　are　so　minded　that　they　do　not　realize　their　condition　I　know　no
better　counsel　than　that　they　put　their　hand　into　their　bosom　to
ascertain　whether　they　also　have　flesh　and　blood。　And　if　you　find　that
to　be　the　case；　then　go；　for　your　good；　to　St。　Paul's　Epistle　to　the
Galatians；　and　hear　what　sort　of　a　fruit　your　flesh　is：　Now　the　works
of　the　flesh　（he　says　＇chap。　5；　19ff。＇）　are　manifest；　which　are　these：
Adultery　fornication　uncleanness；　lasciviousness；　idolatry；　witchcraft；
hatred；　variance；　emulations；　wrath；　strife；　seditions；　heresies；
envyings；　murders；　drunkenness；　revelings；　and　such　like。　

Therefore；　if　you　cannot　feel　it；　at　least　believe　the　Scriptures；　they
will　not　lie　to　you　and　they　know　your　flesh　better　than　you　yourself。
Yea；　St。　Paul　further　concludes　in　Rom。　7；　18：　l　know　that　in　me；　that
is；　in　my　flesh；　dwelleth　no　good　thing。　If　St。　Paul　may　speak　thus　of
his　flesh；　we　do　not　propose　to　be　better　nor　more　holy。　But　that　we　do
not　feel　it　is　so　much　the　worse；　for　it　is　a　sign　that　there　is　a
leprous　flesh　which　feels　nothing；　and　yet　＇the　leprosy＇　rages　and
keeps　spreading。　Yet　as　we　have　said；　if　you　are　quite　dead　to　all
sensibility；　still　believe　the　Scriptures；　which　pronounce　sentence
upon　you。　And；　in　short；　the　less　you　feel　your　sins　and　infirmities；
the　more　reason　have　you　to　go　to　the　Sacrament　to　seek　help　and　a
remedy。　

In　the　second　place；　look　about　you　and　see　whether　you　are　also　in　the
world；　or　if　you　do　not　know　it；　ask　your　neighbors　about　it。　If　you
are　in　the　world；　do　not　think　that　there　will　be　lack　of　sins　and
misery。　For　only　begin　to　act　as　though　you　would　be　godly　and　adhere
to　the　Gospel；　and　see　whether　no　one　will　become　your　enemy；　and；
moreover；　do　you　harm；　wrong；　and　violence；　and　likewise　give　you　cause
for　sin　and　vice。　If　you　have　not　experienced　it；　then　let　the
Scriptures　tell　you；　which　everywhere　give　this　praise　and　testimony　to
the　world。　

Besides　this；　you　will　also　have　the　devil　about　you；　whom　you　will　not
entirely　tread　under　foot；　because　our　Lord　Christ　Himself　could　not
entirely　avoid　him。　Now；　what　is　the　devil？　Nothing　else　than　what　the
Scriptures　call　him；　a　liar　and　murderer。　A　liar；　to　lead　the　heart
astray　from　the　Word　of　God；　and　to　blind　it；　that　you　cannot　feel　your
distress　or　come　to　Christ。　A　murderer；　who　cannot　bear　to　see　you　live
one　single　hour。　If　you　could　see　how　many　knives；　darts；　and　arrows
are　every　moment　aimed　at　you；　you　would　be　glad　to　come　to　the
Sacrament　as　often　as　possible。　But　there　is　no　reason　why　we　walk　so
securely　and　heedlessly；　except　that　we　neither　think　nor　believe　that
we　are　in　the　flesh；　and　in　this　wicked　world　or　in　the　kingdom　of　the
devil。　

Therefore；　try　this　and　practice　it　well；　and　do　but　examine　yourself；
or　look　about　you　a　little；　and　only　keep　to　the　Scriptures。　If　even
then　you　still　feel　nothing；　you　have　so　much　the　more　misery　to　lament
both　to　God　and　to　your　brother。　Then　take　advice　and　have　others　pray
for　you；　and　do　not　desist　until　the　stone　be　removed　from　your　heart。
Then；　indeed；　the　distress　will　not　fail　to　become　manifest；　and　you
will　find　that　you　have　sunk　twice　as　deep　as　any　other　poor　sinner；
and　are　much　more　in　need　of　the　Sacrament　against　the　misery　which
unfortunately　you　do　not　see；　so　that；　with　the　grace　of　God；　you　may
feel　it　more　and　become　the　more　hungry　for　the　Sacrament；　especially
since　the　devil　plies　his　force　against　you；　and　lies　in　wait　for　you
without　ceasing；　to　seize　and　destroy　you；　soul　and　body；　so　that　you
are　not　safe　from　him　one　hour。　How　soon　can　he　have　brought　you
suddenly　into　misery　and　distress　when　you　least　expect　it！　

Let　this；　then；　be　said　for　exhortation；　not　only　for　those　of　us　who
are　old　and　grown；　but　also　for　the　young　people；　who　ought　to　be
brought　up　in　the　Christian　doctrine　and　understanding。　For　thereby　the
Ten　Commandments；　the　Creed；　and　the　Lord's　Prayer　might　be　the　more