large catechism-第5节

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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。　Yet；　to　tell　it　in　a　few　words；　all　misuse　of　the　divine　name
occurs；　first；　in　worldly　business　and　in　matters　which　concern　money；
possessions；　honor；　whether　it　be　publicly　in　court；　in　the　market；　or
wherever　else　men　make　false　oaths　in　God's　name；　or　pledge　their　souls
in　any　matter。　And　this　is　especially　prevalent　in　marriage　affairs
where　two　go　and　secretly　betroth　themselves　to　one　another；　and
afterward　abjure　＇their　plighted　troth＇。　

But。　the　greatest　abuse　occurs　in　spiritual　matters；　which　pertain　to
the　conscience；　when　false　preachers　rise　up　and　offer　their　Lying
vanities　as　God's　Word。　Behold；　all　this　is　decking　one's　self　out　with
God's　name；　or　making　a　pretty　show；　or　claiming　to　be　right；　whether
it　occur　in　gross；　worldly　business　or　in　sublime；　subtle　matters　of
faith　and　doctrine。　And　among　liars　belong　also　blasphemers；　not　alone
the　very　gross；　well　known　to　every　one；　who　disgrace　God's　name
without　fear　（these　are　not　for　us；　but　for　the　hangman　to　discipline）；
but　also　those　who　publicly　traduce　the　truth　and　God's　Word　and
consign　it　to　the　devil。　Of　this　there　is　no　need　now　to　speak　further。


Here；　then；　let　us　learn　and　take　to　heart　the　great　importance　of　this
commandment；　that　with　all　diligence　we　may　guard　against　and　dread
every　misuse　of　the　holy　name；　as　the　greatest　sin　that　can　be
outwardly　committed。　For　to　lie　and　deceive　is　in　itself　a　great　sin；
but　is　greatly　aggravated　when　we　attempt　to　justify　it；　and　seek　to
confirm　it　by　invoking　the　name　of　God　and　using　it　as　a　cloak　for
shame；　so　that　from　a　single　lie　a　double　lie；　nay；　manifold　lies；
result。　

For　this　reason；　too；　God　has　added　a　solemn　threat　to　this
commandment；　to　wit：　For　the　Lord　will　not　hold　him　guiltless　that
taketh　His　name　in　van。　That　is：　It　shall　not　be　condoned　to　any　one
nor　pass　unpunished。　For　as　little　as　He　will　leave　it　unavenged　if　any
one　turn　his　heart　from　Him；　as　little　will　He　suffer　His　name　to　be
employed　for　dressing　up　a　lie。　Now　alas！　it　is　a　common　calamity　in
all　the　word　that　there　are　as　few　who　are　not　using　the　name　of　God
for　purposes　of　Lying　and　all　wickedness　as　there　are　those　who　with
their　heart　trust　alone　in　God。　For　by　nature　we　all　have　within　us
this　beautiful　virtue；　to　wit；　that　whoever　has　committed　a　wrong　would
like　to　cover　up　and　adorn　his　disgrace；　so　that　no　one　may　see　it　or
know　it；　and　no　one　is　so　bold　as　to　boast　to　all　the　world　of　the
wickedness　he　has　perpetrated；　all　wish　to　act　by　stealth　and　without
any　one　being　aware　of　what　thy　do。　Then；　if　any　one　be　arraigned；　the
name　of　God　is　dragged　into　the　affair　and　must　make　the　villainy　look
like　godliness；　and　the　shame　like　honor。　This　is　the　common　course　of
the　world；　which；　like　a　great　deluge；　has　flooded　all　lands。　Hence　we
have　also　as　our　reward　what　we　seek　and　deserve：　pestilences　wars；
famines；　conflagrations；　floods；　wayward　wives；　children；　servants；　and
all　sorts　of　defilement。　Whence　else　should　so　much　misery　come？　It　is
still　a　great　mercy　that　the　earth　bears　and　supports　us。　

Therefore；　above　all　things；　our　young　people　should　have　this
commandment　earnestly　enforced　upon　them；　and　they　should　be　trained　to
hold　this　and　the　First　Commandment　in　high　regard；　and　whenever　they
transgress；　we　must　at　once　be　after　them　with　the　rod　and　hold　the
commandment　before　them；　and　constantly　inculcate　it；　so　as　to　bring
them　up　not　only　with　punishment；　but　also　in　the　reverence　and　fear　of
God。　

Thus　you　now　understand　what。　it　is　to　take　God's　name　in　vain；　that　is
（to　recapitulate　briefly）；　either　simply　for　purposes　of　falsehood；　and
to　allege　God's　name　for　something　that　is　not　so；　or　to　curse；　swear；
conjure；　and；　in　short；　to　practice　whatever　wickedness　one　may。
Besides　this　you　must　also　know　how　to　use　the　name　＇of　God＇　aright。
For　when　saying：　Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　Lord　thy　God；　in
vain；　He　gives　us　to　understand　at　the　same　time　that　it　is　to　be　used
properly。　For　it　has　been　revealed　and　given　to　us　for　the　very　purpose
that　it　may　be　of　constant　use　and　profit。　Hence　it　is　a　natural
inference；　since　using　the　holy　name　for　falsehood　or　wickedness　is
here　forbidden；　that　we　are；　on　the　other　hand；　commanded　to　employ　it
for　truth　and　for　all　good；　as　when　one　swears　truly　where　there　is
need　and　it　is　demanded。　So　also　when　there　is　right　teaching；　and　when
the　name　is　invoked　in　trouble　or　praised　and　thanked　in　prosperity
etc。；　all　of　which　is　comprehended　summarily　and　commanded　in　the
passage　Ps。　50；　15：　Call　upon　Me　in　the　days　of　trouble；　I　will　deliver
thee；　and　thou　shalt　glorify　Me。　For　all　this　is　bringing　't　into　the
service　of　truth；　and　using　it　in　a　blessed　way；　and　thus　His　name　is
hallowed；　as　we　pray　in　the　Lord's　Prayer。　

Thus　you　have　the　sum　of　the　entire　commandment　explained。　And　with
this　understanding　the　question　with　which　many　teachers　have　troubled
themselves　has　been　easily　solved；　to　wit；　why　swearing　is　prohibited
in　the　Gospel；　and　yet　Christ；　St。　Paul；　and　other　saints　often　swore。
The　explanation　is　briefly　this：　We　are　not　to　swear　in　support　of
evil；　that　is；　of　falsehood；　and　where　there　is　no　need　or　use；　but　for
the　support　of　good　and　the　advantage　of　our　neighbor　we　should　swear。
For　it　is　a　truly　good　work；　by　which　God　is　praised；　truth　and　right
are　established；　falsehood　is　refuted；　peace　is　made　among　men；
obedience　is　rendered；　and　quarrels　are　settled。　For　in　this　way　God
Himself　interposes　and　separates　between　right　and　wrong；　good　and
evil。　If　one　part　swears　falsely；　he　has　his　sentence　that　he　shall　not
escape　punishment；　ad　though　it　be　deferred　a　long　time；　he　shall　not
succeed；　that　all　that　he　may　gain　thereby　will　slip　out　of　his　hands；
and　he　will　never　enjoy　it；　as　I　have　seen　in　the　case　of　many　who
perjured　themselves　in　their　marriage…vows；　that　they　have　never　had　a
happy　hour　or　a　healthful　day；　and　thus　perished　miserably　in　body；
soul；　and　possessions。　

Therefore　I　advise　and　exhort　as　before　that　by　means　of　warning　and
threatening；　restraint　and　punishment；　the　children　be　trained　betimes
to　shun　falsehood；　and　especially　to　avoid　the　use　of　God's　name　in　its
support。　For　where　they　are　allowed　to　do　as　they　please；　no　good　will
result；　as　is　even　now　evident　that　the　world　is　worse　than　it　has　ever
been　and　that　there　is　no　government；　no　obedience；　no　fidelity；　no
faith；　but　only　daring；　unbridled　men；　whom　no　teaching　or　reproof
helps；　all　of　which　is　God's　wrath　and　punishment　for　such　wanton
contempt　of　this　commandment。　

On　the　other　hand；　they　should　be　constantly　urged　and　incited　to
honor　God's　name；　and　to　have　it　always　upon　their　lips　in　everything
that　may　happen　to　them　or　come　to　their　notice：　For　that　is　the　true
honor　of　His　Name；　to　look　to　it　and　implore　it　for　all　consolation；　so
that　（as　we　have　heard　above）　first　the　heart　by　faith　gives　God　the
honor　due　Him；　and　afterwards　the　lips　by　confession。　

This　is　also　a　blessed　and　useful　habit　and　very　effectual　against　the
devil；　who　is　ever　about　us；　and　lies　in　wait　to　bring　us　into　sin　and
shame；　calamity　and　trouble；　but　who　is　very　loath　to　hear　God's　name；
and　cannot　remain　long　where　it　is　uttered　and　called　upon　from　the
heart。　And；　indeed；　many　a　terrible　and　shocking　calamity　would　befall
us　if；　by　our　calling　upon　His　name；　God　did　not　preserve　us。　I　have
myself　tried　it；　and　learned　by　experience　that　often　sudden　great
calamity　was　immediately　averted　and　removed　during　such　invocation。　To
vex　the　devil；　I　say；　we　should　always　have　this　holy　name　in　our
mouth；　so　that　he　may　not　be　able　to　injure　us　as　he　wishes。　

For　this　end　it　is　also　of　service　that　we　form　the　habit　of　daily
commending　ourselves　to　God；　with　soul　and　body；　wife；　children；
servants；　and　all　that　we　have；　against　every　need　that　may　occur；
whence　also　the　blessing　and　thanksgiving　at　meals；　and　other　prayers；
morning　and　evening；　have　originated　and　remain　in　use。　Likewise　the
practices　of　children　to　cross　themselves　when　anything　monstrous　or
terrible　is　seen　or　heard；　and　to　exclaim：　〃Lord　God；　protect　us！〃
〃Help；　dear　Lord　Jesus！〃　etc。　Thus；　too；　if　any　one　meets　with
unexpected　good　fortune；　however　trivial；　that　he　say：　〃God　be　praised
and　thanked；　this　God　has　bestowed　on　me！〃　etc。；　as　formerly　the
children　were　accustomed　to　fast　and　pray　to　St。　Nicholas　and　other
saints。　This　would　be　more　pleasing　and　acceptable　to　God　than　all
monasticism　and　Carthusian　sanctity。　

Behold；　thus　we　might　train　our　youth　in　a　childlike　way　and　playfully
in　the　fear　and　honor　of　God；　so　that　the　First　and　Second　Commandments
might　be　well　observed　and　in　constant　practice。　Then　some　good　might
take　root；　spring　up　and　bear　fruit；　and　men　grow　up　whom　an　entire
land　might　relish　and　enjoy。　Moreover；　this　would　be　the　true　way　to
bring　Up　children　well　as　long　as　they　can　become　trained　with　kindness
and　delight。　For　what　must　be　enforced　with　rods　and　blows　only　will
no