large catechism-第23章

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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　should　regard　this　commandment　and　turn　to　God；　that　we　may　not
by　such　disobedience　excite　His　anger　still　more。　For　by　this
commandment　He　gives　us　plainly　to　understand　that　He　will　not　cast　us
from　Him　nor　chase　us　away；　although　we　are　sinners；　but　rather　draw
us　to　Himself；　so　that　we　might　humble　ourselves　before　Him；　bewail
this　misery　and　plight　of　ours；　and　pray　for　grace　and　help。　Therefore
we　read　in　the　Scriptures　that　He　is　angry　also　with　those　who　were
smitten　for　their　sin；　because　they　did　not　return　to　Him　and　by　their
prayers　assuage　His　wrath　and　seek　His　grace。　

Now；　from　the　fact　that　it　is　so　solemnly　commanded　to　pray；　you　are　to
conclude　and　think；　that　no　one　should　by　any　means　despise　his　prayer；
but　rather　set　great　store　by　it；　and　always　seek　an　illustration　from
the　other　commandments。　A　child　should　by　no　means　despise　his
obedience　to　father　and　mother；　but　should　always　think：　This　work　is　a
work　of　obedience；　and　what　I　do　I　do　with　no　other　intention　than　that
I　may　walk　in　the　obedience　and　commandment　of　God；　on　which　I　can
settle　and　stand　firm；　and　esteem　it　a　great　thing；　not　on　account　of
my　worthiness；　but　on　account　of　the　commandment。　So　here　also；　what
and　for　what　we　pray　we　should　regard　as　demanded　by　God　and　done　in
obedience　to　Him；　and　should　reflect　thus：　On　my　account　it　would
amount　to　nothing；　but　it　shall　avail；　for　the　reason　that　God　has
commanded　it。　Therefore　everybody；　no　matter　what　he　has　to　say　in
prayer；　should　always　come　before　God　in　obedience　to　this　commandment。


We　pray；　therefore；　and　exhort　every　one　most　diligently　to　take　this
to　heart　and　by　no　means　to　despise　our　prayer。　For　hitherto　it　has
been　taught　thus　in　the　devil's　name　that　no　one　regarded　these　things；
and　men　supposed　it　to　be　sufficient　to　have　done　the　work；　whether　God
would　hear　it　or　not。　But　that　is　staking　prayer　on　a　risk；　and
murmuring　it　at　a　venture；　and　therefore　it　is　a　lost　prayer。　For　we
allow　such　thoughts　as　these　to　lead　us　astray　and　deter　us：　I　am　not
holy　or　worthy　enough；　if　I　were　as　godly　and　holy　as　St。　Peter　or　St。
Paul；　then　I　would　pray。　But　put　such　thoughts　far　away；　for　just　the
same　commandment　which　applied　to　St。　Paul　applies　also　to　me；　and　the
Second　Commandment　is　given　as　much　on　my　account　as　on　his　account；　so
that　he　can　boast　of　no　better　or　holier　commandment。　

Therefore　you　should　say：　My　prayer　is　as　precious；　holy；　and　pleasing
to　God　as　that　of　St。　Paul　or　of　the　most　holy　saints。　This　is　the
reason：　For　I　will　gladly　grant　that　he　is　holier　in　his　person；　but
not　on　account　of　the　commandment；　since　God　does　not　regard　prayer　on
account　of　the　person；　but　on　account　of　His　word　and　obedience
thereto。　For　on　the　commandment　on　which　all　the　saints　rest　their
prayer　I；　too；　rest　mine。　Moreover　I　pray　for　the　same　thing　for　which
they　all　pray　and　ever　have　prayed；　besides；　I　have　just　as　great　a
need　of　it　as　those　great　saints；　yea；　even　a　greater　one　than　they。　

Let　this　be　the　first　and　most　important　point；　that　all　our　prayers
must　be　based　and　rest　upon　obedience　to　God；　irrespective　of　our
person；　whether　we　be　sinners　or　saints；　worthy　or　unworthy。　And　we
must　know　that　God　will　not　have　it　treated　as　a　jest；　but　be　angry；
and　punish　all　who　do　not　pray；　as　surely　as　He　punishes　all　other
disobedience；　next；　that　He　will　not　suffer　our　prayers　to　be　in　vain
or　lost。　For　if　He　did　not　intend　to　answer　your　prayer；　He　would　not
bid　you　pray　and　add　such　a　severe　commandment　to　it。　

In　the　second　place；　we　should　be　the　more　urged　and　incited　to　pray
because　God　has　also　added　a　promise；　and　declared　that　it　shall　surely
be　done　to　us　as　we　pray；　as　He　says　Ps。　50；　15：　Call　upon　Me　in　the
day　of　trouble：　I　will　deliver　thee。　And　Christ　in　the　Gospel　of　St。
Matthew；　7；　7：　Ask；　and　it　shall　be　given　you。　For　every　one　that
asketh　receiveth。　Such　promises　ought　certainly　to　encourage　and　kindle
our　hearts　to　pray　with　pleasure　and　delight；　since　He　testifies　with
His　＇own＇　word　that　our　prayer　is　heartily　pleasing　to　Him；　moreover；
that　it　shall　assuredly　be　heard　and　granted；　in　order　that　we　may　not
despise　it　or　think　lightly　of　it；　and　pray　at　a　venture。　

This　you　can　hold　up　to　Him　and　say：　Here　I　come；　dear　Father；　and
pray；　not　of　my　own　purpose　nor　upon　my　own　worthiness；　but　at　Thy
commandment　and　promise；　which　cannot　fail　or　deceive　me。　Whoever；
therefore；　does　not　believe　this　promise　must　know　again　that　he
excites　God　to　anger　as　a　person　who　most　highly　dishonors　Him　and
reproaches　Him　with　falsehood。　

Besides　this；　we　should　be　incited　and　drawn　to　prayer　because　in
addition　to　this　commandment　and　promise　God　anticipates　us；　and
Himself　arranges　the　words　and　form　of　prayer　for　us；　and　places　them
upon　our　lips　as　to　how　and　what　we　should　pray；　that　we　may　see　how
heartily　He　pities　us　in　our　distress；　and　may　never　doubt　that　such
prayer　is　pleasing　to　Him　and　shall　certainly　be　answered；　which　＇the
Lord's　Prayer＇　is　a　great　advantage　indeed　over　all　other　prayers　that
we　might　compose　ourselves。　For　in　them　the　conscience　would　ever　be　in
doubt　and　say：　I　have　prayed；　but　who　knows　how　it　pleases　Him；　or
whether　I　have　hit　upon　the　right　proportions　and　form？　Hence　there　is
no　nobler　prayer　to　be　found　upon　earth　than　the　Lord's　Prayer　which　we
daily　pray　because　it　has　this　excellent　testimony；　that　God　loves　to
hear　it；　which　we　ought　not　to　surrender　for　all　the　riches　of　the
world。　

And　it　has　been　prescribed　also　for　this　reason　that　we　should　see　and
consider　the　distress　which　ought　to　urge　and　compel　us　to　pray　without
ceasing。　For　whoever　would　pray　must　have　something　to　present；　state；
and　name　which　he　desires；　if　not；　it　cannot　be　called　a　prayer。　

Therefore　we　have　rightly　rejected　the　prayers　of　monks　and　priests；
who　howl　and　growl　day　and　night　like　fiends；　but　none　of　them　think　of
praying　for　a　hair's　breadth　of　anything。　And　if　we　would　assemble　all
the　churches；　together　with　all　ecclesiastics；　they　would　be　obliged　to
confess　that　they　have　never　from　the　heart　prayed　for　even　a　drop　of
wine。　For　none　of　them　has　ever　purposed　to　pray　from　obedience　to　God
and　faith　in　His　promise；　nor　has　any　one　regarded　any　distress；　but
（when　they　had　done　their　best）　they　thought　no　further　than　this；　to
do　a　good　work；　whereby　they　might　repay　God；　as　being　unwilling　to
take　anything　from　Him；　but　wishing　only　to　give　Him　something。　

But　where　there　is　to　be　a　true　prayer　there　must　be　earnestness。　Men
must　feel　their　distress；　and　such　distress　as　presses　them　and　compels
them　to　call　and　cry　out　then　prayer　will　be　made　spontaneously；　as　it
ought　to　be；　and　men　will　require　no　teaching　how　to　prepare　for　it　and
to　attain　to　the　proper　devotion。　But　the　distress　which　ought　to
concern　us　most；　both　as　regards　ourselves　and　every　one；　you　will　find
abundantly　set　forth　in　the　Lord's　Prayer。　Therefore　it　is　to　serve
also　to　remind　us　of　the　same；　that　we　contemplate　it　and　lay　it　to
heart；　lest　we　become　remiss　in　prayer。　For　we　all　have　enough　that　we
lack；　but　the　great　want　is　that　we　do　not　feel　nor　see　it。　Therefore
God　also　requires　that　you　lament　and　plead　such　necessities　and　wants；
not　because　He　does　not　know　them；　but　that　you　may　kindle　your　heart
to　stronger　and　greater　desires；　and　make　wide　and　open　your　cloak　to
receive　much。　

Therefore；　every　one　of　us　should　accustom　himself　from　his　youth
daily　to　pray　for　all　his　wants；　whenever　he　is　sensible　of　anything
affecting　his　interests　or　that　of　other　people　among　whom　he　may　live；
as　for　preachers；　the　government；　neighbors；　domestics；　and　always　（as
we　have　said）　to　hold　up　to　God　His　commandment　and　promise；　knowing
that　He　will　not　have　them　disregarded。　This　I　say　because　I　would　like
to　see　these　things　brought　home　again　to　the　people　that　they　might
learn　to　pray　truly；　and　not　go　about　coldly　and　indifferently；　whereby
they　become　daily　more　unfit　for　prayer；　whi