large catechism-第10章

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to　do　everything　which　they　know　is　expected　of　them；　not　from
compulsion　and　with　reluctance；　but　with　pleasure　and　joy　for　the　cause
just　mentioned；　namely　that　it　is　God's　command　and　is　pleasing　to　Him
above　all　other　works。　Therefore　they　ought　rather　to　pay　wages　in
addition　and　be　glad　that　they　may　obtain　masters　and　mistresses　to
have　such　joyful　consciences　and　to　know　how　they　may　do　truly　golden
works；　a　matter　which　has　hitherto　been　neglected　and　despised；　when；
instead；　everybody　ran　in　the　devil's　name；　into　convents　or　to
pilgrimages　and　indulgences；　with　loss　＇of　time　and　money＇　and　with　an
evil　conscience。　

If　this　truth；　then；　could　be　impressed　upon　the　poor　people；　a
servant…girl　would　leap　and　praise　and　thank　God；　and　with　her　tidy
work　for　which　she　receives　support　and　wages　she　would　acquire　such　a
treasure　as　all　that　are　esteemed　the　greatest　saints　have　not
obtained。　Is　it　not　an　excellent　boast　to　know　and　say　that；　if　you
perform　your　daily　domestic　task；　this　is　better　than　all　the　sanctity
and　ascetic　life　of　monks？　And　you　have　the　promise；　in　addition；　that
you　shall　prosper　in　all　good　and　fare　well。　How　can　you　lead　a　more
blessed　or　holier　life　as　far　as　your　works　are　concerned？　For　in　the
sight　of　God　faith　is　what　really　renders　a　person　holy；　and　alone
serves　Him；　but　the　works　are　for　the　service　of　man。　There　you　have
everything　good；　protection　and　defense　in　the　Lord；　a　joyful
conscience　and　a　gracious　God　besides；　who　will　reward　you　a
hundredfold；　so　that　you　are　even　a　nobleman　if　you　be　only　pious　and
obedient。　But　if　not；　you　have；　in　the　first　place；　nothing　but　the
wrath　and　displeasure　of　God；　no　peace　of　heart；　and　afterwards　all
manner　of　plagues　and　misfortunes。　

Whoever　will　not　be　influenced　by　this　and　inclined　to　godliness　we
hand　over　to　the　hangman　and　to　the　skeleton…man。　Therefore　let　every
one　who　allows　himself　to　be　advised　remember　that　God　is　not　making
sport；　and　know　that　it　is　God　who　speaks　with　you　and　demands
obedience。　If　you　obey　Him；　you　are　His　dear　child；　but　if　you　despise
to　do　it；　then　take　shame；　misery；　and　grief　for　your　reward。　

The　same　also　is　to　be　said　of　obedience　to　civil　government；　which　（as
we　have　said）　is　all　embraced　in　the　estate　of　fatherhood　and　extends
farthest　of　all　relations。　For　here　the　father　is　not　one　of　a　single
family；　but　of　as　many　people　as　he　has　tenants；　citizens；　or　subjects。
For　through　them；　as　through　our　parents；　God　gives　to　us　food；　house
and　home；　protection　and　security。　Therefore　since　they　bear　such　name
and　title　with　all　honor　as　their　highest　dignity；　it　is　our　duty　to
honor　them　and　to　esteem　them　great　as　the　dearest　treasure　and　the
most　precious　jewel　upon　earth。　

He；　now；　who　is　obedient　here；　is　willing　and　ready　to　serve；　and
cheerfully　does　all　that　pertains　to　honor；　knows　that　he　is　pleasing
God　and　that　he　will　receive　joy　and　happiness　for　his　reward。　If　he
will　not　do　it　in　love；　but　despises　and　resists　＇authority＇　or　rebels；
let　him　also　know；　on　the　other　hand；　that　he　shall　have　no　favor　nor
blessing；　and　where　he　thinks　to　gain　a　florin　thereby；　he　will
elsewhere　lose　ten　times　as　much；　or　become　a　victim　to　the　hangman；
perish　by　war；　pestilence；　and　famine；　or　experience　no　good　in　his
children；　and　be　obliged　to　suffer　injury；　injustice；　and　violence　at
the　hands　of　his　servants；　neighbors；　or　strangers　and　tyrants；　so　that
what　we　seek　and　deserve　is　paid　back　and　comes　home　to　us。　

If　we　would　ever　suffer　ourselves　to　be　persuaded　that　such　works　are
pleasing　to　God　and　have　so　rich　a　reward；　we　would　be　established　in
altogether　abundant　possessions　and　have　what　our　heart　desires。　But
because　the　word　and　command　of　God　are　so　lightly　esteemed；　as　though
some　babbler　had　spoken　it；　let　us　see　whether　you　are　the　man　to
oppose　Him。　How　difficult；　do　you　think；　it　will　be　for　Him　to
recompense　you！　Therefore　you　would　certainly　live　much　better　with　the
divine　favor；　peace；　and　happiness　than　with　His　displeasure　and
misfortune。　Why；　think　you；　is　the　world　now　so　full　of　unfaithfulness；
disgrace；　calamity；　and　murder；　but　because　every　one　desires　to　be　his
own　master　and　free　from　the　emperor；　to　care　nothing　for　any　one；　and
do　what　pleases　him？　Therefore　God　punishes　one　knave　by　another；　so
that；　when　you　defraud　and　despise　your　master；　another　comes　and　deals
in　like　manner　with　you；　yea；　in　your　household　you　must　suffer　ten
times　more　from　wife；　children；　or　servants。　

Indeed；　we　feel　our　misfortune；　we　murmur　and　complain　of
unfaithfulness；　violence；　and　injustice；　but　will　not　see　that　we
ourselves　are　knaves　who　have　fully　deserved　this　punishment；　and　yet
are　not　thereby　reformed。　We　will　have　no　favor　and　happiness；
therefore　it　is　but　fair　that　we　have　nothing　but　misfortune　without
mercy。　There　must　still　be　somewhere　upon　earth　some　godly　people
because　God　continues　to　grant　us　so　much　good！　On　our　own　account　we
should　not　have　a　farthing　in　the　house　nor　a　straw　in　the　field。　All
this　I　have　been　obliged　to　urge　with　so　many　words；　in　hope　that　some
one　may　take　it　to　heart；　that　we　may　be　relieved　of　the　blindness　and
misery　in　which　we　are　steeped　so　deeply；　and　may　truly　understand　the
Word　and　will　of　God；　and　earnestly　accept　it。　For　thence　we　would
learn　how　we　could　have　joy；　happiness；　and　salvation　enough；　both
temporal　and　eternal。　

Thus　we　have　two　kinds　of　fathers　presented　in　this　commandment；
fathers　in　blood　and　fathers　in　office；　or　those　to　whom　belongs　the
care　of　the　family；　and　those　to　whom　belongs　the　care　of　the　country。
Besides　these　there　are　yet　spiritual　fathers；　not　like　those　in　the
Papacy；　who　have　indeed　had　themselves　called　thus；　but　have　performed
no　function　of　the　paternal　office。　For　those　only　are　called　spiritual
fathers　who　govern　and　guide　us　by　the　Word　of　God；　as　St。　Paul　boasts
his　fatherhood　1　Cor。　4；　15；　where　he　says：　In　Christ　Jesus　I　hove
begotten　you　through　the　Gospel。　Now；　since　they　are　fathers　they　are
entitled　to　their　honor；　even　above　all　others。　But　here　it　is　bestowed
least；　for　the　way　which　the　world　knows　for　honoring　them　is　to　drive
them　out　of　the　country　and　to　grudge　them　a　piece　of　bread　and；　in
short；　they　must　be　（as　says　St。　Paul　1　Cor。　4；　13）　as　the　filth　of　the
world　and　everybody's　refuse　and　footrag。　

Yet　there　is　need　that　this　also　be　urged　upon　the　populace；　that
those　who　would　be　Christians　are　under　obligation　in　the　sight　of　God
to　esteem　them　worthy　of　double　honor　who　minister　to　their　souls；　that
they　deal　well　with　them　and　provide　for　them。　For　that；　God　is　willing
to　add　to　you　sufficient　blessing　and　will　not　let　you　come　to　want。
But　in　this　matter　every　one　refuses　and　resists；　and　all　are　afraid
that　they　will　perish　from　bodily　want；　and　cannot　now　support　one
respectable　preacher；　where　formerly　they　filled　ten　fat　paunches。　In
this　we　also　deserve　that　God　deprive　us　of　His　Word　and　blessing；　and
again　allow　preachers　of　lies　to　arise　to　lead　us　to　the　devil；　and；　in
addition；　to　drain　our　sweat　and　blood。　

But　those　who　keep　in　sight　God's　will　and　commandment　have　the
promise　that　everything　which　they　bestow　upon　temporal　and　spiritual
fathers；　and　whatever　they　do　to　honor　them；　shall　be　richly
recompensed　to　them；　so　that　they　shall　have；　not　bread；　clothing；　and
money　for　a　year　or　two；　but　long　life；　support；　and　peace；　and　shall
be　eternally　rich　and　blessed。　Therefore　only　do　what　is　your　duty；　and
let　God　take　care　how　He　is　to　support　you　and　provide　for　you
sufficiently。　Since　He　has　promised　it；　and　has　never　yet　lied；　He　will
not　be　found　lying　to　you。　

This　ought　indeed　to　encourage　us；　and　give　us　hearts　that　would　melt
in　pleasure　and　love　toward　those　to　whom　we　owe　honor；　so　that　we
would　raise　our　hands　and　joyfully　thank　God　who　has　given　us　such
promises；　for　which　we　ought　to　run　to　the　ends　of　the　world　＇to　the
remotest　parts　of　India＇。　For　although　the　whole　world　should　combine；
it　could　not　add　an　hour　to　our　life　or　give　us　a　single　grain　from　the
earth。　But　God　wishes　to　give　you　all　exceeding　abunda