a treatise on good works-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



touching　infirmity　of　faith　（that　is；　of　the　First　and　highest

Commandment）；　there　is　no　one　on　earth　who　does　not　have　his　good

share　of　it。　For　even　the　holy　Apostles　in　the　Gospel；　and

especially　St。　Peter；　were　weak　in　faith；　so　that　they　also

prayed　Christ　and　said：　〃Lord；　increase　our　faith　〃；　and　He　very

frequently　rebukes　them　because　they　have　so　little　faith。　



Therefore　you　shall　not　despair；　nor　give　up；　even　if　you　find

that　you　do　not　believe　as　firmly　as　you　ought　and　wish；　in　your

prayer　or　in　other　works。　Nay；　you　shall　thank　God　with　all　your

heart　that　He　thus　reveals　to　you　your　weakness；　through　which

He　daily　teaches　and　admonishes　you　how　much　you　need　to　exercise

yourself　and　daily　strengthen　yourself　in　faith。　For　how　many　do

you　see　who　habitually　pray；　sing；　read；　work　and　seem　to　be

great　saints；　and　yet　never　get　so　far　as　to　know　where　they

stand　in　respect　of　the　chief　work；　faith；　and　so　in　their

blindness　they　lead　astray　themselves　and　others；　think　they　are

very　well　off；　and　so　unknowingly　build　on　the　sand　of　their

works　without　any　faith；　not　on　God's　mercy　and　promise　through

a　firm；　pure　faith。　



Therefore；　however　long　we　live；　we　shall　always　have　our　hands

full　to　remain；　with　all　our　works　and　sufferings；　pupils　of　the

First　Commandment　and　of　faith；　and　not　to　cease　to　learn。　No　one

knows　what　a　great　thing　it　is　to　trust　God　alone；　except　he　who

attempts　it　with　his　works。　



VII。　Again：　if　no　other　work　were　commanded；　would　not　prayer

alone　suffice　to　exercise　the　whole　life　of　man　in　faith？　For

this　work　the　spiritual　estate　has　been　specially　established；

as　indeed　in　olden　times　some　Fathers　prayed　day　and　night。　Nay；

there　is　no　Christian　who　does　not　have　time　to　pray　without

ceasing。　But　I　mean　the　spiritual　praying；　that　is：　no　one　is　so

heavily　burdened　with　his　labor；　but　that　if　he　will　he　can；

while　working；　speak　with　God　in　his　heart；　lay　before　Him　his

need　and　that　of　other　men；　ask　for　help；　make　petition；　and　in

all　this　exercise　and　strengthen　his　faith。　



This　is　what　the　Lord　means；　Luke　xviii；　when　He　says；　〃Men　ought

always　to　pray；　and　never　cease；〃　although　in　Matthew　vi。　He

forbids　the　use　of　much　speaking　and　long　prayers；　because　of

which　He　rebukes　the　hypocrites；　not　because　the　lengthy　prayer

of　the　lips　is　evil；　but　because　it　is　not　that　true　prayer　which

can　be　made　at　all　times；　and　without　the　inner　prayer　of　faith

is　nothing。　For　we　must　also　practise　the　outward　prayer　in　its

proper　time；　especially　in　the　mass；　as　this　Commandment

requires；　and　wherever　it　is　helpful　to　the　inner　prayer　and

faith；　whether　in　the　house　or　in　the　field；　in　this　work　or　in

that；　of　which　we　have　no　time　now　to　speak　more。　For　this

belongs　to　the　Lord's　Prayer；　in　which　all　petitions　and　spoken

prayer　are　summed　up　in　brief　words。



VIII。　Where　now　are　they　who　desire　to　know　and　to　do　good　works？

Let　them　undertake　prayer　alone；　and　rightly　exercise　themselves

in　faith；　and　they　will　find　that　it　is　true；　as　the　holy　Fathers

have　said；　that　there　is　no　work　like　prayer。　Mumbling　with　the

mouth　is　easy；　or　at　least　considered　easy；　but　with　earnestness

of　heart　to　follow　the　words　in　deep　devotion；　that　is；　with

desire　and　faith；　so　that　one　earnestly　desires　what　the　words

say；　and　not　to　doubt　that　it　will　be　heard：　that　is　a　great　deed

in　God's　eyes。　



Here　the　evil　spirit　hinders　men　with　all　his　powers。　Oh；　how

often　will　he　here　prevent　the　desire　to　pray；　not　allow　us　to

find　time　and　place；　nay；　often　also　raise　doubts；　whether　a　man

is　worthy　to　ask　anything　of　such　a　Majesty　as　God　is；　and　so

confuse　us　that　a　man　himself　does　not　know　whether　it　is　really

true　that　he　prays　or　not；　whether　it　is　possible　that　his　prayer

is　acceptable；　and　other　such　strange　thoughts。　For　the　evil

spirit　knows　well　how　powerful　one　man's　truly　believing　prayer

is；　and　how　it　hurts　him；　and　how　it　benefits　all　men。　Therefore

he　does　not　willingly　let　it　happen。　



When　so　tempted；　a　man　must　indeed　be　wise；　and　not　doubt　that

he　and　his　prayer　are；　indeed；　unworthy　before　such　infinite

Majesty；　in　no　wise　dare　he　trust　his　worthiness；　or　because　of

his　unworthiness　grow　faint；　but　he　must　heed　God's　command　and

cast　this　up　to　Him；　and　hold　it　before　the　devil；　and　say：

〃Because　of　my　worthiness　I　do　nothing；　because　of　my

unworthiness　I　cease　from　nothing。　I　pray　and　work　only　because

God　of　His　pure　mercy　has　promised　to　hear　and　to　be　gracious　to

all　unworthy　men；　and　not　only　promised　it；　but　He　has　also　most

sternly；　on　pain　of　His　everlasting　displeasure　and　wrath；

commanded　us　to　pray；　to　trust　and　to　receive。　If　it　has　not　been

too　much　for　that　high　Majesty　so　solemnly　and　highly　to　obligate

His　unworthy　worms　to　pray；　to　trust；　and　to　receive　from　Him；

how　shall　it　be　too　much　for　me　to　take　such　command　upon　myself

with　all　joy；　however　worthy　or　unworthy　I　may　be？〃　Thus　we　must

drive　out　the　devil's　suggestion　with　God's　command。　Thus　will

he　cease；　and　in　no　other　way　whatever。　



IX。　But　what　are　the　things　which　we　must　bring　before　Almighty

God　in　prayer　and　lamentation；　to　exercise　faith　thereby？　Answer：

First；　every　man's　own　besetting　need　and　trouble；　of　which　David

says；　Psalm　xxxii：　〃Thou　art　my　refuge　in　all　trouble　which

compasseth　me　about；　Thou　art　my　comfort；　to　preserve　me　from　all

evil　which　surrounds　me。〃　Likewise；　Psalm　cxlii：　〃I　cried　unto

the　Lord　with　my　voice；　with　my　voice　unto　the　Lord　did　I　make

my　supplication。　I　poured　out　my　complaint　before　Him；　I　showed

before　Him　my　trouble。〃　In　the　mass　a　Christian　shall　keep　in

mind　the　short…comings　or　excesses　he　feels；　and　pour　out　all

these　freely　before　God　with　weeping　and　groaning；　as　woefully

as　he　can；　as　to　his　faithful　Father；　who　is　ready　to　help　him。

And　if　you　do　not　know　or　recognise　your　need；　or　have　no

trouble；　then　you　shall　know　that　you　are　in　the　worst　possible

plight。　For　this　is　the　greatest　trouble；　that　you　find　yourself

so　hardened；　hard…hearted　and　insensible　that　no　trouble　moves

you。　



There　is　no　better　mirror　in　which　to　see　your　need　than　simply

the　Ten　Commandments；　in　which　you　will　find　what　you　lack　and

what　you　should　seek。　If；　therefore；　you　find　in　yourself　a　weak

faith；　small　hope　and　little　love　toward　God；　and　that　you　do　not

praise　and　honor　God；　but　love　your　own　honor　and　fame；　think

much　of　the　favor　of　men；　do　not　gladly　hear　mass　and　sermon；　are

indolent　in　prayer；　in　which　things　every　one　has　faults；　then

you　shall　think　more　of　these　faults　than　of　all　bodily　harm　to

goods；　honor　and　life；　and　believe　that　they　are　worse　than　death

and　all　mortal　sickness。　These　you　shall　earnestly　lay　before

God；　lament　and　ask　for　help；　and　with　all　confidence　expect

help；　and　believe　that　you　are　heard　and　shall　obtain　help　and

mercy。　



Then　go　forward　into　the　Second　Table　of　the　Commandments；　and

see　how　disobedient　you　have　been　and　still　are　toward　father　and

mother　and　all　in　authority；　how　you　sin　against　your　neighbor

with　anger；　hatred　and　evil　words；　how　you　are　tempted　to

unchastity；　covetousness　and　injustice　in　word　and　deed　against

your　neighbor；　and　you　will　doubtless　find　that　you　are　full　of

all　need　and　misery；　and　have　reason　enough　to　weep　even　drops

of　blood；　if　you　could。



X。　But　I　know　well　that　many　are　so　foolish　as　not　to　want　to　ask

for　such　things；　unless　they　first　be　conscious　that　they　are

pure；　and　believe　that　God　hears　no　one　who　is　a　sinner。　All　this

is　the　work　of　those　false　preachers；　who　teach　men　to　begin；　not

with　faith　and　trust　in　God's　favor；　but　with　their　own　works。　



Look　you；　wretched　man！　if　you　have　broken　a　leg；　or　the　peril

of　death　overtakes　you；　you　call　upon　God；　this　Saint　and　that；

and　do　not　wait　until　your　leg　is　healed；　or　the　danger　is　past：

you　are　not　so　foolish　as　to　think　that　God　hears