large catechism-第28章

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help　nowhere　else　except　in　Him。　But　this　matter　He　has　put　last；　for
if　we　are　to　be　preserved　and　delivered　from　all　evil；　the　name　of　God
must　first　be　hallowed　in　us；　His　kingdom　must　be　with　us；　and　His　will
be　done。　After　that　He　will　finally　preserve　us　from　sin　and　shame；
and；　besides；　from　everything　that　may　hurt　or　injure　us。　

Thus　God　has　briefly　placed　before　us　all　the　distress　which　may　ever
come　upon　us；　so　that　we　might　have　no　excuse　whatever　for　not　praying。
But　all　depends　upon　this；　that　we　learn　also　to　say　Amen；　that　is；
that　we　do　not　doubt　that　our　prayer　is　surely　heard　and　＇what　we　pray＇
shall　be　done。　For　this　is　nothing　else　than　the　word　of　undoubting
faith；　which　does　not　pray　at　a　venture；　but　knows　that　God　does　not
lie　to　him；　since　He　has　promised　to　grant　it。　Therefore；　where　there
is　no　such　faith；　there　cannot　be　true　prayer　either。　

It　is；　therefore；　a　pernicious　delusion　of　those　who　pray　in　such　a
manner　that　they　dare　not　from　the　heart　say　yea　and　positively
conclude　that　God　hears　them；　but　remain　in　doubt　and　say；　How　should　I
be　so　bold　as　to　boast　that　God　hears　my　prayer？　For　I　am　but　a　poor
sinner；　etc。　

The　reason　for　this　is；　they　regard　not　the　promise　of　God；　but　their
own　work　and　worthiness；　whereby　they　despise　God　and　reproach　Him　with
lying；　and　therefore　they　receive　nothing。　As　St。　James　says　＇1；　6＇：
But　let　him　ask　in　faith；　nothing　wavering；　for　he　that　wavereth　is
like　a　wave　of　the　sea；　driven　with　the　wind　and　tossed。　For　let　not
that　man　think　that　he　shall　receive　anything　of　the　Lord。　Behold；　such
importance　God　attaches　to　the　fact　that　we　are　sure　we　do　not　pray　in
vain；　and　that　we　do　not　in　any　way　despise　our　prayer。　

Part　Fourth。　

OF　BAPTISM。　

We　have　now　finished　the　three　chief　parts　of　the　common　Christian
doctrine。　Besides　these　we　have　yet　to　speak　of　our　two　Sacraments
instituted　by　Christ；　of　which　also　every　Christian　ought　to　have　at
least　an　ordinary；　brief　instruction；　because　without　them　there　can　be
no　Christian；　although；　alas！　hitherto　no　instruction　concerning　them
has　been　given。　But；　in　the　first　place；　we　take　up　Baptism；　by　which
we　are　first　received　into　the　Christian　Church。　However；　in　order　that
it　may　be　readily　understood　we　will　treat　of　it　in　an　orderly　manner；
and　keep　only　to　that　which　it　is　necessary　for　us　to　know。　For　how　it
is　to　be　maintained　and　defended　against　heretics　and　sects　we　will
commend　to　the　learned。　

In　the　first　place；　we　must　above　all　things　know　well　the　words　upon
which　Baptism　is　founded；　and　to　which　everything　refers　that　is　to　be
said　on　the　subject；　namely；　where　the　Lord　Christ　speaks　in　the　last
chapter　of　Matthew；　v。　19：　

Go　ye　therefore　and　teach　all　nations；　baptizing　them　in　the　name　of
the　Father；　and　of　the　Son；　and　of　the　Holy　Ghost。　

Likewise　in　St。　Mark；　the　last　chapter；　v。　16：　

He　that　believeth　and　is　baptized　shall　be　saved；　but　he　that
believeth　not　shall　be　damned　。　

In　these　words　you　must　note；　in　the　first　place；　that　here　stand
God's　commandment　and　institution；　lest　we　doubt　that　Baptism　is
divine；　not　devised　nor　invented　by　men。　For　as　truly　as　I　can　say；　No
man　has　spun　the　Ten　Commandments；　the　Creed；　and　the　Lord's　Prayer　out
of　his　head；　but　they　are　revealed　and　given　by　God　Himself；　so　also　I
can　boast　that　Baptism　is　no　human　trifle；　but　instituted　by　God
Himself；　moreover；　that　it　is　most　solemnly　and　strictly　commanded　that
we　must　be　baptized　or　we　cannot　be　saved；　lest　any　one　regard　it　as　a
trifling　matter；　like　putting　on　a　new　red　coat。　For　it　is　of　the
greatest　importance　that　we　esteem　Baptism　excellent；　glorious；　and
exalted；　for　which　we　contend　and　fight　chiefly；　because　the　world　is
now　so　full　of　sects　clamoring　that　Baptism　is　an　external　thing；　and
that　external　things　are　of　no　benefit。　But　let　it　be　ever　so　much　an
external　thing　here　stand　God's　Word　and　command　which　institute；
establish；　and　confirm　Baptism。　But　what　God　institutes　and　commands
cannot　be　a　vain；　but　must　be　a　most　precious　thing；　though　in
appearance　it　were　of　less　value　than　a　straw。　If　hitherto　people　could
consider　it　a　great　thing　when　the　Pope　with　his　letters　and　bulls
dispensed　indulgences　and　confirmed　altars　and　churches；　solely　because
of　the　letters　and　seals；　we　ought　to　esteem　Baptism　much　more　highly
and　more　precious；　because　God　has　commanded　it；　and；　besides；　it　is
performed　in　His　name。　For　these　are　the　words；　Go　ye　baptize；　however；
not　in　your　name；　but　in　the　name　of　God。　

For　to　be　baptized　in　the　name　of　God　is　to　be　baptized　not　by　men；　but
by　God　Himself。　Therefore　although　it　is　performed　by　human　hands；　it
is　nevertheless　truly　God's　own　work。　From　this　fact　every　one　may
himself　readily　infer　that　it　is　a　far　higher　work　than　any　work
performed　by　a　man　or　a　saint。　For　what　work　greater　than　the　work　of
God　can　we　do？　

But　here　the　devil　is　busy　to　delude　us　with　false　appearances；　and
lead　us　away　from　the　work　of　God　to　our　own　works。　For　there　is　a　much
more　splendid　appearance　when　a　Carthusian　does　many　great　and
difficult　works　and　we　all　think　much　more　of　that　which　we　do　and
merit　ourselves。　But　the　Scriptures　teach　thus：　Even　though　we　collect
in　one　mass　the　works　of　all　the　monks；　however　splendidly　they　may
shine；　they　would　not　be　as　noble　and　good　as　if　God　should　pick　up　a
straw。　Why？　Because　the　person　is　nobler　and　better。　Here；　then；　we
must　not　estimate　the　person　according　to　the　works；　but　the　works
according　to　the　person；　from　whom　they　must　derive　their　nobility。　But
insane　reason　will　not　regard　this；　and　because　Baptism　does　not　shine
like　the　works　which　we　do；　it　is　to　be　esteemed　as　nothing。　

From　this　now　learn　a　proper　understanding　of　the　subject；　and　how　to
answer　the　question　what　Baptism　is；　namely　thus；　that　it　is　not　mere
ordinary　water；　but　water　comprehended　in　God's　Word　and　command；　and
sanctified　thereby；　so　that　it　is　nothing　else　than　a　divine　water；　not
that　the　water　in　itself　is　nobler　than　other　water；　but　that　God's
Word　and　command　are　added。　

Therefore　it　is　pure　wickedness　and　blasphemy　of　the　devil　that　now　our
new　spirits；　to　mock　at　Baptism；　omit　from　it　God's　Word　and
institution；　and　look　upon　it　in　no　other　way　than　as　water　which　is
taken　from　the　well；　and　then　blather　and　say：　How　is　a　handful　of
water　to　help　the　soul？　Aye；　my　friend；　who　does　not　know　that　water　is
water　if　tearing　things　asunder　is　what　we　are　after？　But　how　dare　you
thus　interfere　with　God's　order；　and　tear　away　the　most　precious
treasure　with　which　God　has　connected　and　enclosed　it；　and　which　He
will　not　have　separated？　For　the　kernel　in　the　water　is　God's　Word　or
command　and　the　name　of　God　which　is　a　treasure　greater　and　nobler　than
heaven　and　earth。　

Comprehend　the　difference；　then；　that　Baptism　is　quite　another　thing
than　all　other　water；　not　on　account　of　the　natural　quality；　but
because　something　more　noble　is　here　added；　for　God　Himself　stakes　His
honor　His　power　and　might　on　it。　Therefore　it　is　not　only　natural
water；　but　a　divine；　heavenly；　holy；　and　blessed　water；　and　in　whatever
other　terms　we　can　praise　it；　　all　on　account　of　the　Word；　which　is　a
heavenly；　holy　Word；　that　no　one　can　sufficiently　extol；　for　it　has；
and　is　able　to　do；　all　that　God　is　and　can　do　＇since　it　has　all　the
virtue　and　power　of　God　comprised　in　it＇。　Hence　also　it　derives　its
essence　as　a　Sacrament；　as　St。　Augustine　also　taught：　Aocedat　verbum　ad
elementum　et　fit　sacramentum。　That　is；　when　the　Word　is　joined　to　the
element　or　natural　substance；　it　becomes　a　Sacrament；　that　is；　a　holy
and　divine　matter　and　sign。　

Therefore　we　always　teach　that　the　Sacraments　and　all　external　things
which　God　ordains　and　institutes　should　not　be　regarded　according　to
the　coarse；　external　mask；　as　we　regard　the　shell　of　a　nut；　but　as　the
Word　of　God　is　included　therein。　For　thus　we　also　speak　of　the　parental
estate　and　of　civil　government。　If　we　propose　to　regard　them　in　as　far
as　they　have　noses；　eyes；　skin；　and　hair　flesh　and　bones；　they　look
like　Turks　and　heathen；　and　some　one　might　start　up　and　sa