large catechism-第21章

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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　for　us　by　His　suffering；　death；　resurrection；　etc。
But　if　the　work　remained　concealed　so　that　no　one　knew　of　it；　then　it
would　be　in　vain　and　lost。　That　this　treasure；　therefore；　might　not　lie
buried；　but　be　appropriated　and　enjoyed；　God　has　caused　the　Word　to　go
forth　and　be　proclaimed；　in　which　He　gives　the　Holy　Ghost　to　bring　this
treasure　home　and　appropriate　it　to　us。　Therefore　sanctifying　is
nothing　else　than　bringing　us　to　Christ　to　receive　this　good；　to　which
we　could　not　attain　of　ourselves。　

Learn；　then；　to　understand　this　article　most　clearly。　If　you　are
asked：　What　do　you　mean　by　the　words：　I　believe　in　the　Holy　Ghost？　you
can　answer：　I　believe　that　the　Holy　Ghost　makes　me　holy；　as　His　name
implies。　But　whereby　does　He　accomplish　this；　or　what　are　His　method
and　means　to　this　end？　Answer：　By　the　Christian　Church；　the　forgiveness
of　sins；　the　resurrection　of　the　body；　and　the　life　everlasting。　For；
in　the　first　place；　He　has　a　peculiar　congregation　in　the　world；　which
is　the　mother　that　begets　and　bears　every　Christian　through　the　Word　of
God；　which　He　reveals　and　preaches；　＇and　through　which＇　He　illumines
and　enkindles　hearts；　that　they　understand；　accept　it；　cling　to　it；　and
persevere　in　it。　

For　where　He　does　not　cause　it　to　be　preached　and　made　alive　in　the
heart；　so　that　it　is　understood；　it　is　lost；　as　was　the　case　under　the
Papacy；　where　faith　was　entirely　put　under　the　bench；　and　no　one
recognized　Christ　as　his　Lord　or　the　Holy　Ghost　as　his　Sanctifier；　that
is；　no　one　believed　that　Christ　is　our　Lord　in　the　sense　that　He　has
acquired　this　treasure　for　us；　without　our　works　and　merit；　and　made　us
acceptable　to　the　Father。　What；　then；　was　lacking？　This；　that　the　Holy
Ghost　was　not　there　to　reveal　it　and　cause　it　to　be　preached；　but　men
and　evil　spirits　were　there；　who　taught　us　to　obtain　grace　and　be　saved
by　our　works。　Therefore　it　is　not　a　Christian　Church　either；　for　where
Christ　is　not　preached；　there　is　no　Holy　Ghost　who　creates；　calls；　and
gathers　the　Christian　Church；　without　which　no　one　can　come　to　Christ
the　Lord。　Let　this　suffice　concerning　the　sum　of　this　article。　But
because　the　parts　which　are　here　enumerated　are　not　quite　clear　to　the
simple；　we　shall　run　over　them　also。　

The　Creed　denominates　the　holy　Christian　Church；　communionem
sanctorum；　a　communion　of　saints；　for　both　expressions；　taken
together；　are　identical。　But　formerly　the　one　＇the　second＇　expression
was　not　there；　and　it　has　been　poorly　and　unintelligibly　translated
into　German　eine　Gemeinschaft　der　Heiligen；　a　communion　of　saints。　If
it　is　to　be　rendered　plainly；　it　must　be　expressed　quite　differently　in
the　German　idiom；　for　the　word　ecclesia　properly　means　in　German　eine
Versammlung；　an　assembly。　But　we　are　accustomed　to　the　word　church；　by
which　the　simple　do　not　understand　an　assembled　multitude；　but　the
consecrated　house　or　building；　although　the　house　ought　not　to　be
called　a　church；　except　only　for　the　reason　that　the　multitude
assembles　there。　For　we　who　assemble　there　make　and　choose　for
ourselves　a　particular　place；　and　give　a　name　to　the　house　according　to
the　assembly。　

Thus　the　word　Kirche　（church）　means　really　nothing　else　than　a　common
assembly　and　is　not　German　by　idiom；　but　Greek　（as　is　also　the　word
ecclesia）；　for　in　their　own　language　they　call　it　kyria；　as　in　Latin　it
is　called　curia。　Therefore　in　genuine　German；　in　our　mother…tongue；　it
ought　to　be　called　a　Christian　congregation　or　assembly　（eine
christliche　Gemeinde　oder　Sammlung）；　or；　best　of　all　and　most　clearly；
holy　Christendom　（eine　heilige　Christenheit）。　

So　also　the　word　communio；　which　is　added；　ought　not　to　be　rendered
communion　（Gemeinschaft）；　but　congregation　（Gemeinde）。　And　it　is
nothing　else　than　an　interpretation　or　explanation　by　which　some　one
meant　to　explain　what　the　Christian　Church　is。　This　our　people；　who
understood　neither　Latin　nor　German；　have　rendered　Gemeinschaft　der
Heiligen　（communion　of　saints）；　although　no　German　language　speaks
thus；　nor　understands　it　thus。　But　to　speak　correct　German；　it　ought　to
be　eine　Gemeinde　der　Heiligen　（a　congregation　of　saints）；　that　is；　a
congregation　made　up　purely　of　saints；　or；　to　speak　yet　more　plainly；
eine　heilige　Gemeinde；　a　holy　congregation。　I　say　this　in　order　that
the　words　Gemeinschaft　der　Heiligen　（communion　of　saints）　may　be
understood；　because　the　expression　has　become　so　established　by　custom
that　it　cannot　well　be　eradicated；　and　it　is　treated　almost　as　heresy
if　one　should　attempt　to　change　a　word。　

But　this　is　the　meaning　and　substance　of　this　addition：　I　believe　that
there　is　upon　earth　a　little　holy　group　and　congregation　of　pure
saints；　under　one　head；　even　Christ；　called　together　by　the　Holy　Ghost
in　one　faith；　one　mind；　and　understanding；　with　manifold　gifts；　yet
agreeing　in　love；　without　sects　or　schisms。　I　am　also　a　part　and　member
of　the　same　a　sharer　and　joint　owner　of　all　the　goods　it　possesses；
brought　to　it　and　incorporated　into　it　by　the　Holy　Ghost　by　having
heard　and　continuing　to　hear　the　Word　of　God；　which　is　the　beginning　of
entering　it。　For　formerly；　before　we　had　attained　to　this；　we　were
altogether　of　the　devil；　knowing　nothing　of　God　and　of　Christ。　Thus；
until　the　last　day；　the　Holy　Ghost　abides　with　the　holy　congregation　or
Christendom；　by　means　of　which　He　fetches　us　to　Christ　and　which　He
employs　to　teach　and　preach　to　us　the　Word；　whereby　He　works　and
promotes　sanctification；　causing　it　＇this　community＇　daily　to　grow　and
become　strong　in　the　faith　and　its　fruits　which　He　produces。　

We　further　believe　that　in　this　Christian　Church　we　have　forgiveness　of
sin；　which　is　wrought　through　the　holy　Sacraments　and　Absolution；
moreover；　through　all　manner　of　consolatory　promises　of　the　entire
Gospel。　Therefore；　whatever　is　to　be　preached　concerning　the　Sacraments
belongs　here；　and；　in　short；　the　whole　Gospel　and　all　the　offices　of
Christianity；　which　also　must　be　preached　and　taught　without　ceasing。
For　although　the　grace　of　God　is　secured　through　Christ；　and
sanctification　is　wrought　by　the　Holy　Ghost　through　the　Word　of　God　in
the　unity　of　the　Christian　Church；　yet　on　account　of　our　flesh　which　we
bear　about　with　us　we　are　never　without　sin。　

Everything；　therefore；　in　the　Christian　Church　is　ordered　to　the　end
that　we　shall　daily　obtain　there　nothing　but　the　forgiveness　of　sin
through　the　Word　and　signs；　to　comfort　and　encourage　our　consciences　as
long　as　we　live　here。　Thus；　although　we　have　sins；　the　＇grace　of　the＇
Holy　Ghost　does　not　allow　them　to　injure　us；　because　we　are　in　the
Christian　Church；　where　there　is　nothing　but　＇continuous；
uninterrupted＇　forgiveness　of　sin；　both　in　that　God　forgives　us；　and　in
that　we　forgive；　bear　with；　and　help　each　other。　

But　outside　of　this　Christian　Church；　where　the　Gospel　is　not；　there　is
no　forgiveness；　as　also　there　can　be　no　holiness　＇sanctification＇。
Therefore　all　who　seek　and　wish　to　merit　holiness　＇sanctification＇；　not
through　the　Gospel　and　forgiveness　of　sin；　but　by　their　works；　have
expelled　and　severed　themselves　＇from　this　Church＇。　

Meanwhile；　however；　while　sanctification　has　begun　and　is　growing
daily；　we　expect　that　our　flesh　will　be　destroyed　and　buried　with　all
its　uncleanness；　and　will　come　forth　gloriously；　and　arise　to　entire
and　perfect　holiness　in　a　new　eternal　life。　For　now　we　are　only　half
pure　and　holy；　so　that　the　Holy　Ghost　has　ever　＇some　reason　why＇　to
continue　His　work　in　us　through　the　Word；　and　daily　to　dispense
forgiveness；　until　we　attain　to　that　life　where　there　will　be　no　more
forgiveness；　but　only　perfectly　pure　and　holy　people；　full　of　godliness
and　righteousness；　removed　and　free　from　sin；　death；　and　all　evil；　in　a
new；　immortal；　and　glorified　body。　

Behold；　all　this　is　to　be　the　office　and　work　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　that
He　begin　and　daily　increase　holiness　upon　earth　by　means　of　these　two
things；　the　Christian　Church　and　the　forgiveness　of　sin。　But　in　our
dissolution　He　will　accomplish　it　altogether　i