large catechism-第4节

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thanks　may　be　rendered　Him　for　it；　as　this　commandment　requires。　On
this　account　also　these　means　of　receiving　good　gifts　through　creatures
are　not　to　be　rejected；　neither　should　we　in　presumption　seek　other
ways　and　means　than　God　has　commanded。　For　that　would　not　be　receiving
from　God；　hut　seeking　of　ourselves。　

Let　every　one；　then；　see　to　it　that　he　esteem　this　commandment　great
and　high　above　all　things；　and　do　not　regard　it　as　a　joke。　Ask　and
examine　your　heart　diligently；　and　you　will　find　whether　it　cleaves　to
God　alone　or　not。　If　you　have　a　heart　that　can　expect　of　Him　nothing
but　what　is　good；　especially　in　want　and　distress；　and　that；　moreover
renounces　and　forsakes　everything　that　is　not　God；　then　you　have　the
only　true　God。　If　on　the　contrary；　it　cleaves　to　anything　else；　of
which　it　expects　more　good　and　help　than　of　God；　and　does　not　take
refuge　in　Him；　but　in　adversity　flees　from　Him；　then　you　have　an　idol；
another　god。　

In　order　that　it　may　be　seen　that　God　will　not　have　this　commandment
thrown　to　the　winds；　but　will　most　strictly　enforce　it；　He　has　attached
to　it　first　a　terrible　threat；　and　then　a　beautiful；　comforting　promise
which　is　also　to　be　urged　and　impressed　upon　young　people；　that　they
may　take　it　to　heart　and　retain　it：　

＇Exposition　of　the　Appendix　to　the　First　Commandment。＇
　

For　I　am　the　Lord；　thy　God；　strong　and　jealous；　visiting　the　iniquity
of　the　fathers　upon　the　children　unto　the　third　and　fourth　generation
of　them　that　hate　Me；　and　showing　mercy　unto　thousands　of　them　that
love　Me　and　keep　My　commandments。　

Although　these　words　relate　to　all　the　commandments　（as　we　shall
hereafter　learn）；　yet　they　are　joined　to　this　chief　commandment
because　it　is　of　first　importance　that　men　have　a　right　head；　for
where　the　head　is　right；　the　whole　life　must　be　right；　and　vice　versa。
Learn；　therefore；　from　these　words　how　angry　God　is　with　those　who
trust　in　anything　but　Him；　and　again；　how　good　and　gracious　He　is　to
those　who　trust　and　believe　in　Him　alone　with　the　whole　heart；　so　that
His　anger　does　not　cease　until　the　fourth　generation；　while；　on　the
other　hand；　His　blessing　and　goodness　extend　to　many　thousands　lest　you
live　in　such　security　and　commit　yourself　to　chance；　as　men　of　brutal
heart；　who　think　that　it　makes　no　great　difference　＇how　they　live＇。　He
is　a　God　who　will　not　leave　it　unavenged　if　men　turn　from　Him；　and　will
not　cease　to　be　angry　until　the　fourth　generation；　even　until　they　are
utterly　exterminated。　Therefore　He　is　to　be　feared；　and　not　to　be
desisted。　

He　has　also　demonstrated　this　in　all　history；　as　the　Scriptures
abundantly　show　and　daily　experience　still　teaches。　For　from　the
beginning　He　has　utterly　extirpated　all　idolatry；　and；　on　account　of
it；　both　heathen　and　Jews；　even　as　at　the　present　day　He　overthrows　all
false　worship；　so　that　all　who　remain　therein　must　finally　perish。
Therefore；　although　proud；　powerful；　and　rich　worldlings
＇Sardanapaluses　and　Phalarides；　who　surpass　even　the　Persians　in
wealth＇　are　now　to　be　found；　who　boast　defiantly　of　their　Mammon；　with
utter　disregard　whether　God　is　angry　at　or　smiles　on　them；　and　dare　to
withstand　His　wrath；　yet　they　shall　not　succeed；　but　before　they　are
aware；　they　shall　be　wrecked；　with　all　in　which　they　trusted；　as　all
others　have　perished　who　have　thought　themselves　more　secure　or
powerful。　And　just　because　of　such　hardened　heads　who　imagine　because
God　connives　and　allows　them　to　rest　in　security；　that　He　either　is
entirely　ignorant　or　cares　nothing　about　such　matters；　He　must　deal　a
smashing　blow　and　punish　them；　so　that　He　cannot　forget　it　unto
children's　children；　so　that　every　one　may　take　note　and　see　that　this
is　no　joke　to　Him。　For　they　are　those　whom　He　means　when　He　says：　Who
hate　Me；　i。e。；　those　who　persist　in　their　defiance　and　pride；　whatever
is　preached　or　said　to　them；　they　will　not　listen；　when　they　are
reproved；　in　order　that　they　may　learn　to　know　themselves　and　amend
before　the　punishment　begins；　they　become　mad　and　foolish　so　as　to
fairly　merit　wrath；　as　now　we　see　daily　in　bishops　and　princes。　

But　terrible　as　are　these　threatenings；　so　much　the　more　powerful　is
the　consolation　in　the　promise；　that　those　who　cling　to　God　alone
should　be　sure　that　He　will　show　them　mercy　that　is；　show　them　pure
goodness　and　blessing　not　only　for　themselves；　but　also　to　their
children　and　children's　children；　even　to　the　thousandth　generation　and
beyond　that。　This　ought　certainly　to　move　and　impel　us　to　risk　our
hearts　in　all　confidence　with　God；　if　we　wish　all　temporal　and　eternal
good；　since　the　Supreme　Majesty　makes　such　sublime　offers　and　presents
such　cordial　inducements　and　such　rich　promises。　

Therefore　let　everyone　seriously　take　this　to　heart；　lest　it　be
regarded　as　though　a　man　had　spoken　it。　For　to　you　it　is　a　question
either　of　eternal　blessing；　happiness；　and　salvation；　or　of　eternal
wrath；　misery；　and　woe。　What　more　would　you　have　or　desire　than　that　He
so　kindly　promises　to　be　yours　with　every　blessing；　and　to　protect　and
help　you　in　all　need？　

But；　alas！　here　is　the　failure；　that　the　world　believes　nothing　of
this；　nor　regards　it　as　God's　Word；　because　it　sees　that　those　who
trust　in　God　and　not　in　Mammon　suffer　care　and　want；　and　the　devil
opposes　and　resists　them；　that　they　have　neither　money；　favor；　nor
honor；　and；　besides；　can　scarcely　support　life；　while；　on　the　other
hand；　those　who　serve　Mammon　have　power；　favor；　honor；　possessions；　and
every　comfort　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。　For　this　reason；　these　words
must　be　grasped　as　being　directed　against　such　appearances；　and　we　must
consider　that　they　do　not　lie　or　deceive；　but　must　come　true。　

Reflect　for　yourself　or　make　inquiry　and　tell　me：　Those　who　have
employed　all　their　care　and　diligence　to　accumulate　great　possessions
and　wealth；　what　have　they　finally　attained？　You　will　find　that　they
have　wasted　their　toil　and　labor；　or　even　though　they　have　amassed
great　treasures；　they　have　been　dispersed　and　scattered；　so　that　the
themselves　have　never　found　happiness　in　their　wealth；　and　afterwards
never　reached　the　third　generation。　Instances　of　this　you　will　find　a
plenty　in　all　histories；　also　in　the　memory　of　aged　and　experienced
people。　Only　observe　and　ponder　them。　

Saul　was　a　great　king；　chosen　of　God　and　a　godly　man；　but　when　he　was
established　on　his　throne；　and　let　his　heart　decline　from　God；　and　put
his　trust　in　his　crown　and　power；　he　had　to　perish　with　all　that　he
had；　so　that　none　even　of　his　children　remained。　David；　on　the　other
hand；　was　a　poor；　despised　man；　hunted　down　and　chased；　so　that　he
nowhere　felt　secure　of　his　life；　yet　he　had　to　remain　in　spite　of　Saul；
and　become　king。　For　these　words　had　to　abide　and　come　true；　since　God
cannot　lie　or　deceive。　Only　let　not　the　devil　and　the　world　deceive　you
with　their　show；　which　indeed　remains　for　a　time；　but　finally　is
nothing。　

Let　us；　then；　learn　well　the　First　Commandment；　that　we　may　see　how　God
will　tolerate　no　presumption　nor　any　trust　in　any　other　object；　and　how
He　requires　nothing　higher　of　us　than　confidence　from　the　heart　for
everything　good；　so　that　we　may　proceed　right　and　straightforward　and
use　all　the　blessings　which　God　gives　no　farther　than　as　a　shoemaker
uses　his　needle；　awl；　and　thread　for　work；　and　then　lays　them　aside；　or
as　a　traveler　uses　an　inn；　and　food；　and　his　bed　only　for　temporal
necessity；　each　one　in　his　station；　according　to　God's　order；　and
without　allowing　any　of　these　things　to　be　our　food　or　idol。　Let　this
suffice　with　respect　to　the　First　Commandment；　which　we　have　had　to
explain　at　length；　since　it　is　of　chief　importance；　because；　as　before
said；　where　the　heart　is　rightly　disposed　toward　God　and　this
commandment　is　observed；　all　the　others　follow。　

　

The　Second　Commandment。

Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　Lord；　thy　God；　in　vain。
　

As　the　First　Commandment　has　instructed　the　heart　and　taught　＇the
basis　of＇　faith；　so　this　commandment　leads　us　forth　and　directs　the
mouth　and　tongue　to　God。　For　the　first　objects　that　spring　from　the
heart　and　manifest　themselves　are　words。　Now；　as　I　have　taught　above
how　to　answer　the　question；　what　it　is　to　have　a　god；　so　you　must　learn
to　comprehend　simply　the　meaning　of　this　and　all　the　commandments；　and
to　apply　it　to　yourself。　If；　then；　it　be　asked：　How　do　you　understand
the　Second　Commandment；　or　what　is　meant　by　taking　in　vain；　or　misusing
God's　name？　answer　briefly　thus：　It　is　misusing　God's　name　when　we　call
upon　the　Lord　God　no　matter　in　what　way；　for　purposes　of　falsehood　or
wrong　of　any　kind。　Therefore　this　commandment　enjoins　this　much；　that
God's　name　must　not　be　appealed　to　falsely；　or　taken　upon　the　lips
while　the　heart　knows　well　enough；　or　should　know；　differently；　as
among　those　who　take　oaths　in　court；　where　one　side　lies　against　the
other。　For　God's　name　cannot　be　misused　worse　than　for　the　support　of
falsehood　and　deceit。　Let4this　remain　the　exact　German　and　simplest
meaning　of　this　commandment。　

From　this　every　one　can　readily　infer　when　and　in　how　many　ways　God's
name　is　misused；　although　it　is　impossible　to　enumerate　all　its
misuses。