large catechism-第20章

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to　love；　praise；　and　thank　Him　for　it　without　ceasing；　and；　in　short；
to　serve　Him　with　all　these　things　as　He　demands　and　has　enjoined　in
the　Ten　Commandments。　

Here　we　could　say　much　if　we　were　to　expatiate；　how　few　there　are　that
believe　this　article。　For　we　all　pass　over　it；　hear　it　and　say　it；　but
neither　see　nor　consider　what　the　words　teach　us。　For　if　we　believed　it
with　the　heart；　we　would　also　act　accordingly；　and　not　stalk　about
proudly；　act　defiantly；　and　boast　as　though　we　had　life；　riches；　power；
and　honor；　etc。；　of　ourselves；　so　that　others　must　fear　and　serve　us；
as　is　the　practice　of　the　wretched；　perverse　world；　which　is　drowned　in
blindness；　and　abuses　all　the　good　things　and　gifts　of　God　only　for　its
own　pride；　avarice；　lust；　and　luxury；　and　never　once　regards　God；　so
as　to　thank　Him　or　acknowledge　Him　as　Lord　and　Creator。　

Therefore；　this　article　ought　to　humble　and　terrify　us　all；　if　we
believed　it。　For　we　sin　daily　with　eyes；　ears；　hands；　body　and　soul；
money　and　possessions；　and　with　everything　we　have；　especially　those
who　even　fight　against　the　Word　of　God。　Yet　Christians　have　this
advantage；　that　they　acknowledge　themselves　in　duty　bound　to　serve　God
for　all　these　things；　and　to　be　obedient　to　Him　＇which　the　world　knows
not　how　to　do＇。　

We　ought；　therefore；　daily　to　practice　this　article；　impress　it　upon
our　mind；　and　to　remember　it　in　all　that　meets　our　eyes；　and　in　all
good　that　falls　to　our　lot；　and　wherever　we　escape　from　calamity　or
danger；　that　it　is　God　who　gives　and　does　all　these　things；　that
therein　we　sense　and　see　His　paternal　heart　and　His　transcendent　love
toward　us。　Thereby　the　heart　would　be　warmed　and　kindled　to　be
thankful；　and　to　employ　all　such　good　things　to　the　honor　and　praise　of
God。　

Thus　we　have　most　briefly　presented　the　meaning　of　this　article；　as
much　as　is　at　first　necessary　for　the　most　simple　to　learn；　both　as　to
what　we　have　and　receive　from　God；　and　what　we　owe　in　return；　which　is
a　most　excellent　knowledge；　but　a　far　greater　treasure。　For　here　we　see
how　the　Father　has　given　Himself　to　us；　together　with　all　creatures；
and　has　most　richly　provided　for　us　in　this　life；　besides　that　He　has
overwhelmed　us　with　unspeakable；　eternal　treasures　by　His　Son　and　the
Holy　Ghost；　as　we　shall　hear。
　
Article　II。　

And　in　Jesus　Christ；　His　only　Son；　our　Lord；　who　was　conceived　by　the
Holy　Ghost；　born　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　suffered　under　Pontius　Pilate；　was
crucified；　dead；　and　buried；　He　descended　into　hell；　the　third　day　He
rose　again　from　the　dead；　He　ascended　into　heaven；　and　sitteth　on　the
right　hand　of　God　the　Father　Almighty；　from　thence　He　shall　come　to
judge　the　quick　and　the　dead。　

Here　we　learn　to　know　the　Second　Person　of　the　Godhead；　so　that　we　see
what　we　have　from　God　over　and　above　the　temporal　goods
aforementioned；　namely；　how　He　has　completely　poured　forth　Himself　and
withheld　nothing　from　us　that　He　has　not　given　us。　Now；　this　article　is
very　rich　and　broad；　but　in　order　to　expound　it　also　briefly　and　in　a
childlike　way；　we　shall　take　up　one　word　and　sum　up　in　that　the　entire
article；　namely　（as　we　have　said）；　that　we　may　here　learn　how　we　have
been　redeemed；　and　we　shall　base　this　on　these　words：　In　Jesus　Christ；
our　Lord。　

If　now　you　are　asked；　What　do　you　believe　in　the　Second　Article　of
Jesus　Christ？　answer　briefly：　I　believe　that　Jesus　Christ；　true　Son　of
God；　has　become　my　Lord。　But　what　is　it　to　become　Lord？　It　is　this；
that　He　has　redeemed　me　from　sin；　from　the　devil；　from　death；　and　all
evil。　For　before　I　had　no　Lord　nor　King；　but　was　captive　under　the
power　of　the　devil；　condemned　to　death；　enmeshed　in　sin　and　blindness。　

For　when　we　had　been　created　by　God　the　Father；　and　had　received　from
Him　all　manner　of　good；　the　devil　came　and　led　us　into　disobedience；
sin；　death；　and　all　evil；　so　that　we　fell　under　His　wrath　and
displeasure　and　were　doomed　to　eternal　damnation；　as　we　had　merited　and
deserved。　There　was　no　counsel；　help；　or　comfort　until　this　only　and
eternal　Son　of　God　in　His　unfathomable　goodness　had　compassion　upon　our
misery　and　wretchedness；　and　came　from　heaven　to　help　us。　Those　tyrants
and　jailers；　then；　are　all　expelled　now；　and　in　their　place　has　come
Jesus　Christ；　Lord　of　life；　righteousness；　every　blessing；　and
salvation；　and　has　delivered　us　poor　lost　men　from　the　jaws　of　hell；
has　won　us；　made　us　free；　and　brought　us　again　into　the　favor　and　grace
of　the　Father；　and　has　taken　us　as　His　own　property　under　His　shelter
and　protection；　that　He　may　govern　us　by　His　righteousness；　wisdom；
power；　life；　and　blessedness。　

Let　this　then；　be　the　sum　of　this　article　that　the　little　word　Lord
signifies　simply　as　much　as　Redeemer；　i。e。；　He　who　has　brought　us　from
Satan　to　God；　from　death　to　life；　from　sin　to　righteousness；　and　who
preserves　us　in　the　same。　But　all　the　points　which　follow　in　order　in
this　article　serve　no　other　end　than　to　explain　and　express　this
redemption；　how　and　whereby　it　was　accomplished；　that　is；　how　much　it
cost　Him；　and　what　He　spent　and　risked　that　He　might　win　us　and　bring
us　under　His　dominion；　namely；　that　He　became　man；　conceived　and　born
without　＇any　stain　of＇　sin；　of　the　Holy　Ghost　and　of　the　Virgin　Mary；
that　He　might　overcome　sin；　moreover；　that　He　suffered；　died　and　was
buried；　that　He　might　make　satisfaction　for　me　and　pay　what　I　owe；　not
with　silver　nor　gold；　but　with　His　own　precious　blood。　And　all　this；　in
order　to　become　my　Lord；　for　He　did　none　of　these　for　Himself；　nor　had
He　any　need　of　it。　And　after　that　He　rose　again　from　the　dead；
swallowed　up　and　devoured　death；　and　finally　ascended　into　heaven　and
assumed　the　government　at　the　Father's　right　hand；　so　that　the　devil
and　all　powers　must　be　subject　to　Him　and　lie　at　His　feet；　until
finally；　at　the　last　day；　He　will　completely　part　and　separate　us　from
the　wicked　world；　the　devil；　death；　sin；　etc。　

But　to　explain　all　these　single　points　separately　belongs　not　to　brief
sermons　for　children；　but　rather　to　the　ampler　sermons　that　extend
throughout　the　entire　year；　especially　at　those　times　which　are
appointed　for　the　purpose　of　treating　at　length　of　each　article　　of
the　birth；　sufferings；　resurrection；　ascension　of　Christ；　etc。　

Ay；　the　entire　Gospel　which　we　preach　is　based　on　this；　that　we
properly　understand　this　article　as　that　upon　which　our　salvation　and
all　our　happiness　rest；　and　which　is　so　rich　and　comprehensive　that　we
never　can　learn　it　fully。
　
Article　III。　

I　believe　in　the　Holy　Ghost；　the　holy　Christian　Church；　the　communion
of　saints；　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　the　resurrection　of　the　body；　and
the　life　everlasting。　Amen。　

This　article　（as　I　have　said）　I　cannot　relate　better　than　to
Sanctification；　that　through　the　same　the　Holy　Ghost；　with　His　office；
is　declared　and　depicted；　namely；　that　He　makes　holy。　Therefore　we　must
take　our　stand　upon　the　word　Holy　Ghost；　because　it　is　so　precise　and
comprehensive　that　we　cannot　find　another。　For　there　are；　besides；　many
kinds　of　spirits　mentioned　in　the　Holy　Scriptures；　as；　the　spirit　of
man；　heavenly　spirits；　and　evil　spirits。　But　the　Spirit　of　God　alone　is
called　Holy　Ghost；　that　is；　He　who　has　sanctified　and　still　sanctifies
us。　For　as　the　Father　is　called　Creator；　the　Son　Redeemer；　so　the　Holy
Ghost；　from　His　work；　must　be　called　Sanctifier；　or　One　that　makes
holy。　But　how　is　such　sanctifying　done？　Answer：　Just　as　the　Son　obtains
dominion；　whereby　He　wins　us；　through　His　birth；　death；　resurrection；
etc。；　so　also　the　Holy　Ghost　effects　our　sanctification　by　the
following　parts；　namely；　by　the　communion　of　saints　or　the　Christian
Church；　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　the　resurrection　of　the　body；　and　the
life　everlasting；　that　is；　He　first　leads　us　into　His　holy
congregation；　and　places　us　in　the　bosom　of　the　Church；　whereby　He
preaches　to　us　and　brings　us　to　Christ。　

For　neither　you　nor　I　could　ever　know　anything　of　Christ；　or　believe　on
Him；　and　obtain　Him　for　our　Lord；　unless　it　were　offered　to　us　and
granted　to　our　hearts　by　the　Holy　Ghost　through　the　preaching　of　the
Gospel。　The　work　is　done　and　accomplished；　for　Christ　has　acquired　and
gained　the　treasure　f