large catechism-第22章

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dissolution　He　will　accomplish　it　altogether　in　an　instant；　and　will
forever　preserve　us　therein　by　the　last　two　parts。　

But　the　term　Auferstehung　des　Fleisches　（resurrection　of　the　flesh）
here　employed　is　not　according　to　good　German　idiom。　For　when　we
Germans　hear　the　word　Fleisch　（flesh）；　we　think　no　farther　than　of　the
shambles。　But　in　good　German　idiom　we　would　say　Auferstehung　des
Leibes；　or　Leichnams　（resurrection　of　the　body）。　However；　it　is　not　a
matter　of　much　moment；　if　we　only　understand　the　words　aright。　

This；　now；　is　the　article　which　must　ever　be　and　remain　in　operation。
For　creation　we　have　received；　redemption；　too；　is　finished。　But　the
Holy　Ghost　carries　on　His　work　without　ceasing　to　the　last　day。　And　for
that　purpose　He　has　appointed　a　congregation　upon　earth　by　which　He
speaks　and　does　everything。　For　He　has　not　yet　brought　together　all　His
Christian　Church　nor　dispensed　forgiveness。　Therefore　we　believe　in　Him
who　through　the　Word　daily　brings　us　into　the　fellowship　of　this
Christian　Church；　and　through　the　same　Word　and　the　forgiveness　of　sins
bestows；　increases；　and　strengthens　faith　in　order　that　when　He　has
accomplished　it　all；　and　we　abide　therein；　and　die　to　the　world　and　to
all　evil；　He　may　finally　make　us　perfectly　and　forever　holy；　which　now
we　expect　in　faith　through　the　Word。　

Behold；　here　you　have　the　entire　divine　essence；　will；　and　work
depicted　most　exquisitely　in　quite　short　and　yet　rich　words　wherein
consists　all　our　wisdom；　which　surpasses　and　exceeds　the　wisdom；　mind；
and　reason　of　all　men。　For　although　the　whole　world　with　all　diligence
has　endeavored　to　ascertain　what　God　is；　what　He　has　in　mind　and　does；
yet　has　she　never　been　able　to　attain　to　＇the　knowledge　and
understanding　of＇　any　of　these　things。　But　here　we　have　everything　in
richest　measure；　for　here　in　all　three　articles　He　has　Himself　revealed
and　opened　the　deepest　abyss　of　his　paternal　heart　and　of　His　pure
unutterable　love。　For　He　has　created　us　for　this　very　object；　that　He
might　redeem　and　sanctify　us；　and　in　addition　to　giving　and　imparting
to　us　everything　in　heaven　and　upon　earth；　He　has　given　to　us　even　His
Son　and　the　Holy　Ghost；　by　whom　to　bring　us　to　Himself。　For　（as
explained　above）　we　could　never　attain　to　the　knowledge　of　the　grace
and　favor　of　the　Father　except　through　the　Lord　Christ；　who　is　a　mirror
of　the　paternal　heart；　outside　of　whom　we　see　nothing　but　an　angry　and
terrible　Judge。　But　of　Christ　we　could　know　nothing　either；　unless　it
had　been　revealed　by　the　Holy　Ghost。　

These　articles　of　the　Creed；　therefore；　divide　and　separate　us
Christians　from　all　other　people　upon　earth。　For　all　outside　of
Christianity；　whether　heathen；　Turks；　Jews；　or　false　Christians　and
hypocrites；　although　they　believe　in；　and　worship；　only　one　true　God；
yet　know　not　what　His　mind　towards　them　is；　and　cannot　expect　any　love
or　blessing　from　Him；　therefore　they　abide　in　eternal　wrath　and
damnation。　For　they　have　not　the　Lord　Christ；　and；　besides；　are　not
illumined　and　favored　by　any　gifts　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　

From　this　you　perceive　that　the　Creed　is　a　doctrine　quite　different
from　the　Ten　Commandments；　for　the　latter　teaches　indeed　what　we　ought
to　do；　but　the　former　tells　what　God　does　for　us　and　gives　to　us。
Moreover；　apart　from　this；　the　Ten　Commandments　are　written　in　the
hearts　of　all　men；　the　Creed；　however；　no　human　wisdom　can　comprehend；
but　it　must　be　taught　by　the　Holy　Ghost　alone。　The　latter　doctrine　＇of
the　Law＇；　therefore　makes　no　Christian；　for　the　wrath　and　displeasure
of　God　abide　upon　us　still；　because　we　cannot　keep　what　God　demands　of
us；　but　this　＇namely；　the　doctrine　of　faith＇　brings　pure　grace；　and
makes　us　godly　and　acceptable　to　God。　For　by　this　knowledge　we　obtain
love　and　delight　in　all　the　commandments　of　God；　because　here　we　see
that　God　gives　Himself　entire　to　us；　with　all　that　He　has　and　is　able
to　do；　to　aid　and　direct　us　in　keeping　the　Ten　Commandments　　the
Father；　all　creatures；　the　Son；　His　entire　work；　and　the　Holy　Ghost；
all　His　gifts。　

Let　this　suffice　concerning　the　Creed　to　lay　a　foundation　for　the
simple；　that　they　may　not　be　burdened；　so　that；　if　they　understand　the
substance　of　it；　they　themselves　may　afterwards　strive　to　acquire　more；
and　to　refer　to　these　parts　whatever　they　learn　in　the　Scriptures；　and
may　ever　grow　and　increase　in　richer　understanding。　For　as　long　as　we
live　here；　we　shall　daily　have　enough　to　do　to　preach　and　to　learn
this。
　
Part　Third。　OF　PRAYER。　

　The　Lord's　Prayer。　

We　have　now　heard　what　we　must　do　and　believe；　in　which　things　the　best
and　happiest　life　consists。　Now　follows　the　third　part；　how　we　ought　to
pray。　For　since　we　are　so　situated　that　no　man　can　perfectly　keep　the
Ten　Commandments；　even　though　he　have　begun　to　believe；　and　since　the
devil　with　all　his　power　together　with　the　world　and　our　own　flesh；
resists　our　endeavors；　nothing　is　so　necessary　as　that　we　should
continually　resort　to　the　ear　of　God；　call　upon　Him；　and　pray　to　Him；
that　He　would　give；　preserve；　and　increase　in　us　faith　and　the
fulfillment　of　the　Ten　Commandments；　and　that　He　would　remove
everything　that　is　in　our　way　and　opposes　us　therein。　But　that　we　might
know　what　and　how　to　pray；　our　Lord　Christ　has　Himself　taught　us　both
the　mode　and　the　words；　as　we　shall　see。　

But　before　we　explain　the　Lord's　Prayer　part　by　part；　it　is　most
necessary　first　to　exhort　and　incite　people　to　prayer；　as　Christ　and
the　apostles　also　have　done。　And　the　first　matter　is　to　know　that　it　is
our　duty　to　pray　because　of　God's　commandment。　For　thus　we　heard　in　the
Second　Commandment：　Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　lord；　thy　God；
in　vain；　that　we　are　there　required　to　praise　that　holy　name；　and　call
upon　it　in　every　need；　or　to　pray。　For　to　call　upon　the　name　of　God　is
nothing　else　than　to　pray。　Prayer　is　therefore　as　strictly　and
earnestly　commanded　as　all　other　commandments：　to　have　no　other　God；
not　to　kill；　not　to　steal；　etc。　Let　no　one　think　that　it　is　all　the
same　whether　he　pray　or　not；　as　vulgar　people　do；　who　grope　in　such
delusion　and　ask　Why　should　I　pray？　Who　knows　whether　God　heeds　or　will
hear　my　prayer？　If　I　do　not　pray；　some　one　else　will。　And　thus　they
fall　into　the　habit　of　never　praying；　and　frame　a　pretext；　as　though　we
taught　that　there　is　no　duty　or　need　of　prayer；　because　we　reject　false
and　hypocritical　prayers。　

But　this　is　true　indeed　that　such　prayers　as　have　been　offered
hitherto　when　men　were　babbling　and　bawling　in　the　churches　were　no
prayers。　For　such　external　matters；　when　they　are　properly　observed；
may　be　a　good　exercise　for　young　children；　scholars；　and　simple
persons；　and　may　be　called　singing　or　reading；　but　not　really　praying。
But　praying；　as　the　Second　Commandment　teaches；　is　to　call　upon　God　in
every　need。　This　He　requires　of　us；　and　has　not　left　it　to　our　choice。
But　it　is　our　duty　and　obligation　to　pray　if　we　would　be　Christians；　as
much　as　it　is　our　duty　and　obligation　to　obey　our　parents　and　the
government；　for　by　calling　upon　it　and　praying　the　name　of　God　is
honored　and　profitably　employed。　This　you　must　note　above　all　things；
that　thereby　you　may　silence　and　repel　such　thoughts　as　would　keep　and
deter　us　from　prayer。　For　just　as　it　would　be　idle　for　a　son　to　say　to
his　father；　〃Of　what　advantage　is　my　obedience？　I　will　go　and　do　what
I　can；　it　is　all　the　same〃；　but　there　stands　the　commandment；　Thou
shalt　and　must　do　it；　so　also　here　it　is　not　left　to　my　will　to　do　it
or　leave　it　undone；　but　prayer　shall　and　must　be　offered　at　the　risk　of
God's　wrath　and　displeasure。　

This　is　therefore　to　be　understood　and　noted　before　everything　else；　in
order　that　thereby　we　may　silence　and　repel　the　thoughts　which　would
keep　and　deter　us　from　praying；　as　though　it　were　not　of　much
consequence　if　we　do　not　pray；　or　as　though　it　were　commanded　those　who
are　holier　and　in　better　favor　with　God　than　we；　as；　indeed；　the　human
heart　is　by　nature　so　despondent　that　it　always　flees　from　God　and
imagines　that　He　does　not　wish　or　desire　our　prayer；　because　we　are
sinners　and　have　merited　nothing　but　wrath。　Against　such　thoughts　（I
say）　we　sho