large catechism-第3节

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manner；　but　briefly　and　with　the　greatest　simplicity；　so　as　to　enter
the　mind　readily　and　be　fixed　in　the　memory。　Therefore　we　shall　now
take　up　the　above　mentioned　articles　one　by　one　and　in　the　plainest
manner　possible　say　about　them　as　much　as　is　necessary。　

　

　Part　First。　The　Ten　Commandments。　
　

The　First　Commandment。　

　
Thou　shalt　have　no　other　gods　before　Me。
　

That　is：　Thou　shalt　have　＇and　worship＇　Me　alone　as　thy　God。　What　is　the
force　of　this；　and　how　is　it　to　be　understood？　What　does　it　mean　to
have　a　god？　or；　what　is　God？　Answer：　A　god　means　that　from　which　we　are
to　expect　all　good　and　to　which　we　are　to　take　refuge　in　all　distress；
so　that　to　have　a　God　is　nothing　else　than　to　trust　and　believe　Him
from　the　＇whole＇　heart；　as　I　have　often　said　that　the　confidence　and
faith　of　the　heart　alone　make　both　God　and　an　idol。　If　your　faith　and
trust　be　right；　then　is　your　god　also　true；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　if
your　trust　be　false　and　wrong；　then　you　have　not　the　true　God；　for
these　two　belong　together　faith　and　God。　That　now；　I　say；　upon　which
you　set　your　heart　and　put　your　trust　is　properly　your　god。　

Therefore　it　is　the　intent　of　this　commandment　to　require　true　faith
and　trust　of　the　heart　which　settles　upon　the　only　true　God　and　clings
to　Him　alone。　That　is　as　much　as　to　say：　〃See　to　it　that　you　let　Me
alone　be　your　God；　and　never　seek　another；〃　i。e。：　Whatever　you　lack　of
good　things；　expect　it　of　Me；　and　look　to　Me　for　it；　and　whenever　you
suffer　misfortune　and　distress；　creep　and　cling　to　Me。　I；　yes；　I；　will
give　you　enough　and　help　you　out　of　every　need；　only　let　not　your　heart
cleave　to　or　rest　in　any　other。　

This　I　must　unfold　somewhat　more　plainly；　that　it　may　be　understood　and
perceived　by　ordinary　examples　of　the　contrary。　Many　a　one　thinks　that
he　has　God　and　everything　in　abundance　when　he　has　money　and
possessions；　he　trusts　in　them　and　boasts　of　them　with　such　firmness
and　assurance　as　to　care　for　no　one。　Lo；　such　a　man　also　has　a　god；
Mammon　by　name；　i。e。；　money　and　possessions；　on　which　he　sets　all　his
heart；　and　which　is　also　the　most　common　idol　on　earth。　He　who　has
money　and　possessions　feels　secure；　and　is　joyful　and　undismayed　as
though　he　were　sitting　in　the　midst　of　Paradise。　On　the　other　hand；　he
who　has　none　doubts　and　is　despondent；　as　though　he　knew　of　no　God。　For
very　few　are　to　be　found　who　are　of　good　cheer；　and　who　neither　mourn
nor　complain　if　they　have　not　Mammon。　This　＇care　and　desire　for　money＇
sticks　and　clings　to　our　nature；　even　to　the　grave。　

So；　too；　whoever　trusts　and　boasts　that　he　possesses　great　skill；
prudence；　power；　favor　friendship；　and　honor　has　also　a　god；　but　not
this　true　and　only　God。　This　appears　again　when　you　notice　how
presumptuous；　secure；　and　proud　people　are　because　of　such
possessions；　and　how　despondent　when　they　no　longer　exist　or　are
withdrawn。　Therefore　I　repeat　that　the　chief　explanation　of　this　point
is　that　to　have　a　god　is　to　have　something　in　which　the　heart　entirely
trusts。　

Besides；　consider　what　in　our　blindness；　we　have　hitherto　been
practicing　and　doing　under　the　Papacy。　If　any　one　had　toothache；　he
fasted　and　honored　St。　Apollonia　＇lacerated　his　flesh　by　voluntary
fasting　to　the　honor　of　St。　Apollonia＇；　if　he　was　afraid　of　fire；　he
chose　St。　Lawrence　as　his　helper　in　need；　if　he　dreaded　pestilence；　he
made　a　vow　to　St。　Sebastian　or　Rochio；　and　a　countless　number　of　such
abominations；　where　every　one　selected　his　own　saint；　worshiped　him；
and　called　for　help　to　him　in　distress。　Here　belong　those　also；　as；
e。g。；　sorcerers　and　magicians；　whose　idolatry　is　most　gross；　and　who
make　a　covenant　with　the　devil；　in　order　that　he　may　give　them　plenty
of　money　or　help　them　in　love…affairs；　preserve　their　cattle；　restore
to　them　lost　possessions；　etc。　For　all　these　place　their　heart　and
trust　elsewhere　than　in　the　true　God；　look　for　nothing　good　to　Him　nor
seek　it　from　Him。　

Thus　you　can　easily　understand　what　and　how　much　this　commandment
requires；　namely；　that　man's　entire　heart　and　all　his　confidence　be
placed　in　God　alone；　and　in　no　one　else。　For　to　have　God；　you　can
easily　perceive；　is　not　to　lay　hold　of　Him　with　our　hands　or　to　put　Him
in　a　bag　＇as　money＇；　or　to　lock　Him　in　a　chest　＇as　silver　vessels＇。　But
to　apprehend　Him　means　when　the　heart　lays　hold　of　Him　and　clings　to
Him。　But　to　cling　to　Him　with　the　heart　is　nothing　else　than　to　trust
in　Him　entirely。　For　this　reason　He　wishes　to　turn　us　away　from
everything　else　that　exists　outside　of　Him；　and　to　draw　us　to　Himself；
namely；　because　He　is　the　only　eternal　good。　As　though　He　would　say：
Whatever　you　have　heretofore　sought　of　the　saints；　or　for　whatever
＇things＇　you　have　trusted　in　Mammon　or　anything　else；　expect　it　all　of
Me；　and　regard　Me　as　the　one　who　will　help　you　and　pour　out　upon　you
richly　all　good　things。　

Lo；　here　you　have　the　meaning　of　the　true　honor　and　worship　of　God；
which　pleases　God；　and　which　He　commands　under　penalty　of　eternal
wrath；　namely；　that　the　heart　know　no　other　comfort　or　confidence　than
in　Him；　and　do　not　suffer　itself　to　be　torn　from　Him；　but；　for　Him；
risk　and　disregard　everything　upon　earth。　On　the　other　hand；　you　can
easily　see　and　judge　how　the　world　practices　only　false　worship　and
idolatry。　For　no　people　has　ever　been　so　reprobate　as　not　to　institute
and　observe　some　divine　worship；　every　one　has　set　up　as　his　special
god　whatever　he　looked　to　for　blessings；　help；　and　comfort。　

Thus；　for　example；　the　heathen　who　put　their　trust　in　power　and
dominion　elevated　Jupiter　as　the　supreme　god；　the　others；　who　were　bent
upon　riches；　happiness；　or　pleasure；　and　a　life　of　ease；　Hercules；
Mercury；　Venus　or　others；　women　with　child；　Diana　or　Lucina；　and　so　on；
thus　every　one　made　that　his　god　to　which　his　heart　was　inclined；　so
that　even　in　the　mind　of　the　heathen　to　have　a　god　means　to　trust　and
believe。　But　their　error　is　this　that　their　trust　is　false　and　wrong
for　it　is　not　placed　in　the　only　God；　besides　whom　there　is　truly　no
God　in　heaven　or　upon　earth。　Therefore　the　heathen　really　make　their
self…invented　notions　and　dreams　of　God　an　idol；　and　put　their　trust　in
that　which　is　altogether　nothing。　Thus　it　is　with　all　idolatry；　for　it
consists　not　merely　in　erecting　an　image　and　worshiping　it；　but　rather
in　the　heart；　which　stands　gaping　at　something　else；　and　seeks　help　and
consolation　from　creatures　saints；　or　devils；　and　neither　cares　for
God；　nor　looks　to　Him　for　so　much　good　as　to　believe　that　He　is　willing
to　help；　neither　believes　that　whatever　good　it　experiences　comes　from
God。　

Besides；　there　is　also　a　false　worship　and　extreme　idolatry；　which　we
have　hitherto　practiced；　and　is　still　prevalent　in　the　world；　upon
which　also　all　ecclesiastical　orders　are　founded；　and　which　concerns
the　conscience　alone　that　seeks　in　its　own　works　help；　consolation；　and
salvation；　presumes　to　wrest　heaven　from　God；　and　reckons　how　many
bequests　it　has　made；　how　often　it　has　fasted；　celebrated　Mass；　etc。
Upon　such　things　it　depends；　and　of　them　boasts；　as　though　unwilling　to
receive　anything　from　God　as　a　gift；　but　desires　itself　to　earn　or
merit　it　superabundantly；　just　as　though　He　must　serve　us　and　were　our
debtor；　and　we　His　liege　lords。　What　is　this　but　reducing　God　to　an
idol；　yea；　＇a　fig　image　or＇　an　apple…god；　and　elevating　and　regarding
ourselves　as　God　？　But　this　is　slightly　too　subtle；　and　is　not　for
young　pupils。　

But　let　this　be　said　to　the　simple；　that　they　may　well　note　and
remember　the　meaning　of　this　commandment；　namely；　that　we　are　to　trust
in　God　alone；　and　look　to　Him　and　expect　from　Him　naught　but　good；　as
from　one　who　gives　us　body；　life；　food；　drink；　nourishment；　health；
protection；　peace；　and　all　necessaries　of　both　temporal　and　eternal
things。　He　also　preserves　us　from　misfortune；　and　if　any　evil　befall
us；　delivers　and　rescues　us；　so　that　it　is　God　alone　（as　has　been
sufficiently　said）　from　whom　we　receive　all　good；　and　by　whom　we　are
delivered　from　all　evil。　Hence　also；　I　think；　we　Germans　from　ancient
times　call　God　（more　elegantly　and　appropriately　than　any　other
language）　by　that　name　from　the　word　good　as　being　an　eternal　fountain
which　gushes　forth　abundantly　nothing　but　what　is　good；　and　from　which
flows　forth　all　that　is　and　is　called　good。　

For　even　though　otherwise　we　experience　much　good　from　men；　still
whatever　we　receive　by　His　command　or　arrangement　is　all　received　from
God。　For　our　parents；　and　all　rulers；　and　every　one　besides　with
respect　to　his　neighbor；　have　received　from　God　the　command　that　they
should　do　us　all　manner　of　good；　so　that　we　receive　these　blessings　not
from　them；　but；　through　them；　from　God。　For　creatures　are　only　the
hands；　channels；　and　means　whereby　God　gives　all　things；　as　He　gives　to
the　mother　breasts　and　milk　to　offer　to　her　child；　and　corn　and　all
manner　of　produce　from　the　earth　for　nourishment；　none　of　which
blessings　could　be　produced　by　any　creature　of　itself。　

Therefore　no　man　should　presume　to　take　or　give　anything　except　as　God
has　commanded；　in　order　that　it　may　be　acknowledged　as　God's　gift；　and
thanks　may　be　rendered　Him　for　it；　as　this