large catechism-第24章

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they　become　daily　more　unfit　for　prayer；　which　is　just　what　the　devil
desires；　and　for　what　he　works　with　all　his　powers。　For　he　is　well
aware　what　damage　and　harm　it　does　him　when　prayer　is　in　proper
practice。　For　this　we　must　know；　that　all　our　shelter　and　protection
rest　in　prayer　alone。　For　we　are　far　too　feeble　to　cope　with　the　devil
and　all　his　power　and　adherents　that　set　themselves　against　us；　and
they　might　easily　crush　us　under　their　feet。　Therefore　we　must　consider
and　take　up　those　weapons　with　which　Christians　must　be　armed　in　order
to　stand　against　the　devil。　For　what　do　you　think　has　hitherto
accomplished　such　great　things；　has　checked　or　quelled　the　counsels；
purposes；　murder；　and　riot　of　our　enemies；　whereby　the　devil　thought　to
crush　us；　together　with　the　Gospel；　except　that　the　prayer　of　a　few
godly　men　intervened　like　a　wall　of　iron　on　our　side？　They　should　else
have　witnessed　a　far　different　tragedy；　namely；　how　the　devil　would
have　destroyed　all　Germany　in　its　own　blood。　But　now　they　may
confidently　deride　it　and　make　a　mock　of　it；　however；　we　shall
nevertheless　be　a　match　both　for　themselves　and　the　devil　by　prayer
alone；　if　we　only　persevere　diligently　and　not　become　slack。　For
whenever　a　godly　Christian　prays：　Dear　Father　let　Thy　will　be　done；　God
speaks　from　on　high　and　says：　Yes；　dear　child；　it　shall　be　so；　in　spite
of　the　devil　and　all　the　world。　

Let　this　be　said　as　an　exhortation；　that　men　may　learn；　first　of　all；
to　esteem　prayer　as　something　great　and　precious；　and　to　make　a　proper
distinction　between　babbling　and　praying　for　something。　For　we　by　no
means　reject　prayer；　but　the　bare；　useless　howling　and　murmuring　we
reject；　as　Christ　Himself　also　rejects　and　prohibits　long　palavers。　Now
we　shall　most　briefly　and　clearly　treat　of　the　Lord's　Prayer。　Here
there　is　comprehended　in　seven　successive　articles；　or　petitions；　every
need　which　never　ceases　to　relate　to　us；　and　each　so　great　that　it
ought　to　constrain　us　to　keep　praying　it　all　our　lives。
　
　The　First　Petition。
　
Hallowed　be　Thy　name。　

This　is；　indeed；　somewhat　obscure；　and　not　expressed　in　good　German；
for　in　our　mother…tongue　we　would　say：　Heavenly　Father；　help　that　by
all　means　Thy　name　may　be　holy。　But　what　is　it　to　pray　that　His　name
may　be　holy？　Is　it　not　holy　already？　Answer：　Yes；　it　is　always　holy　in
its　nature；　but　in　our　use　it　is　not　holy。　For　God's　name　was　given　us
when　we　became　Christians　and　were　baptized；　so　that　we　are　called
children　of　God　and　have　the　Sacraments　by　which　He　so　incorporates　us
in　Himself　that　everything　which　is　God's　must　serve　for　our　use。　

Here　now　the　great　need　exists　for　which　we　ought　to　be　most
concerned；　that　this　name　have　its　proper　honor；　be　esteemed　holy　and
sublime　as　the　greatest　treasure　and　sanctuary　that　we　have；　and　that
as　godly　children　we　pray　that　the　name　of　God；　which　is　already　holy
in　heaven；　may　also　be　and　remain　holy　with　us　upon　earth　and　in　all
the　world。　

But　how　does　it　become　holy　among　us？　Answer；　as　plainly　as　it　can　be
said：　When　both　our　doctrine　and　life　are　godly　and　Christian。　For
since　in　this　prayer　we　call　God　our　Father；　it　is　our　duty　always　to
deport　and　demean　ourselves　as　godly　children；　that　He　may　not　receive
shame；　but　honor　and　praise　from　us。　

Now　the　name　of　God　is　profaned　by　us　either　in　words　or　in　works。　（For
whatever　we　do　upon　the　earth　must　be　either　words　or　works；　speech　or
act。）　In　the　first　place；　then；　it　is　profaned　when　men　preach；　teach；
and　speak　in　the　name　of　God　what　is　false　and　misleading；　so　that　His
name　must　serve　to　adorn　and　to　find　a　market　for　falsehood。　That　is；
indeed；　the　greatest　profanation　and　dishonor　of　the　divine　name。
Furthermore；　also　when　men；　by　swearing；　cursing；　conjuring；　etc。；
grossly　abuse　the　holy　name　as　a　cloak　for　their　shame。　In　the　second
place　also　by　an　openly　wicked　life　and　works；　when　those　who　are
called　Christians　and　the　people　of　God　are　adulterers；　drunkards；
misers；　envious；　and　slanderers。　Here　again　must　the　name　of　God　come
to　shame　and　be　profaned　because　of　us。　For　just　as　it　is　a　shame　and
disgrace　to　a　natural　father　to　have　a　bad　perverse　child　that　opposes
him　in　words　and　deeds；　so　that　on　its　account　he　suffers　contempt　and
reproach；　so　also　it　brings　dishonor　upon　God　if　we　who　are　called　by
His　name　and　have　all　manner　of　goods　from　Him　teach；　speak；　and　live
in　any　other　manner　except　as　godly　and　heavenly　children；　so　that
people　say　of　us　that　we　must　be　not　God's；　but　the　devil's　children。　

Thus　you　see　that　in　this　petition　we　pray　just　for　that　which　God
demands　in　the　Second　Commandment；　namely；　that　His　name　be　not　taken
in　vain　to　swear；　curse；　lie；　deceive；　etc。；　but　be　usefully　employed
to　the　praise　and　honor　of　God。　For　whoever　employs　the　name　of　God　for
any　sort　of　wrong　profanes　and　desecrates　this　holy　name；　as　aforetime
a　church　was　considered　desecrated　when　a　murder　or　any　other　crime　had
been　committed　in　it；　or　when　a　pyx　or　relic　was　desecrated；　as　being
holy　in　themselves；　yet　become　unholy　in　use。　Thus　this　point　is　easy
and　clear　if　only　the　language　is　understood；　that　to　hallow　is　the
same　as　in　our　idiom　to　praise；　magnify；　and　honor　both　in　word　and
deed。　

Here；　now；　learn　how　great　need　there　is　of　such　prayer。　For　because　we
see　how　full　the　world　is　of　sects　and　false　teachers；　who　all　wear　the
holy　name　as　a　cover　and　sham　for　their　doctrines　of　devils；　we　ought
by　all　means　to　pray　without　ceasing；　and　to　cry　and　call　upon　God
against　all　such　as　preach　and　believe　falsely　and　whatever　opposes　and
persecutes　our　Gospel　and　pure　doctrine；　and　would　suppress　it；　as
bishops；　tyrants；　enthusiasts；　etc。　Likewise　also　for　ourselves　who
have　the　Word　of　God；　but　are　not　thankful　for　it；　nor　live　as　we
ought　according　to　the　same。　If　now　you　pray　for　this　with　your　heart；
you　can　be　sure　that　it　pleases　God；　for　He　will　not　hear　anything　more
dear　to　Him　than　that　His　honor　and　praise　is　exalted　above　everything
else；　and　His　Word　is　taught　in　its　purity　and　is　esteemed　precious　and
dear。
　
The　Second　Petition。
　
　Thy　kingdom　come。　

As　we　prayed　in　the　First　Petition　concerning　the　honor　and　name　of　God
that　He　would　prevent　the　world　from　adorning　its　lies　and　wickedness
with　it；　but　cause　it　to　be　esteemed　sublime　and　holy　both　in　doctrine
and　life；　so　that　He　may　be　praised　and　magnified　in　us；　so　here　we
pray　that　His　kingdom　also　may　come。　But　just　as　the　name　of　God　is　in
itself　holy；　and　we　pray　nevertheless　that　it　be　holy　among　us；　so　also
His　kingdom　comes　of　itself；　without　our　prayer；　yet　we　pray
nevertheless　that　it　may　come　to　us；　that　is；　prevail　among　us　and　with
us；　so　that　we　may　be　a　part　of　those　among　whom　His　name　is　hallowed
and　His　kingdom　prospers。　

But　what　is　the　kingdom　of　God？　Answer：　Nothing　else　than　what　we
learned　in　the　Creed；　that　God　sent　His　Son　Jesus　Christ　our　Lord；　into
the　world　to　redeem　and　deliver　us　from　the　power　of　the　devil；　and　to
bring　us　to　Himself；　and　to　govern　us　as　a　King　of　righteousness；　life
and　salvation　against　sin　death；　and　an　evil　conscience；　for　which　end
He　has　also　bestowed　His　Holy　Ghost；　who　is　to　bring　these　things　home
to　us　by　His　holy　Word；　and　to　illumine　and　strengthen　us　in　the　faith
by　His　power。　

Therefore　we　pray　here　in　the　first　place　that　this　may　become
effective　with　us；　and　that　His　name　be　so　praised　through　the　holy
Word　of　God　and　a　Christian　life　that　both　we　who　have　accepted　it　may
abide　and　daily　grow　therein；　and　that　it　may　gain　approbation　and
adherence　among　other　people　and　proceed　with　power　throughout　the
world；　that　many　may　find　entrance　into　the　Kingdom　of　Grace；　be　made
partakers　of　redemption；　being　led　thereto　by　the　Holy　Ghost；　in　order
that　thus　we　may　all　together　remain　forever　in　the　one　kingdom　now
begun。　

For　the　coming　of　God's　Kingdom　to　us　occurs　in　two　ways；　first；　here
in　time　through　the　Word　and　faith；　and　secondly；　in　eternity　forever
through　revelation。　Now　we　pray　for　both　these　things；　that　it　may　come
to　those　who　are　not　yet　in　it；　and；　by　daily　increase；　to　us　who　have
received　the　sa