large catechism-第29章

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as　they　have　noses；　eyes；　skin；　and　hair　flesh　and　bones；　they　look
like　Turks　and　heathen；　and　some　one　might　start　up　and　say：　Why　should
I　esteem　them　more　than　others？　But　because　the　commandment　is　added：
Honor　thy　father　and　thy　mother；　I　behold　a　different　man；　adorned　and
clothed　with　the　majesty　and　glory　of　God。　The　commandment　（I　say）　is
the　chain　of　gold　about　his　neck；　yea；　the　crown　upon　his　head　which
shows　to　me　how　and　why　one　must　honor　this　flesh　and　blood。　

Thus；　and　much　more　even；　you　must　honor　Baptism　and　esteem　it
glorious　on　account　of　the　Word；　since　He　Himself　has　honored　it　both
by　words　and　deeds；　moreover；　confirmed　it　with　miracles　from　heaven。
For　do　you　think　it　was　a　jest　that；　when　Christ　was　baptized；　the
heavens　were　opened　and　the　Holy　Ghost　descended　visibly；　and
everything　was　divine　glory　and　majesty？　

Therefore　I　exhort　again　that　these　two　the　water　and　the　Word；　by　no
means　be　separated　from　one　another　and　parted。　For　if　the　Word　is
separated　from　it；　the　water　is　the　same　as　that　with　which　the　servant
cooks；　and　may　indeed　be　called　a　bath…keeper's　baptism。　But　when　it　is
added；　as　God　has　ordained；　it　is　a　Sacrament；　and　is　called
Christ…baptism。　Let　this　be　the　first　part　regarding　the　essence　and
dignity　of　the　holy　Sacrament。　

In　the　second　place；　since　we　know　now　what　Baptism　is；　and　how　it　is
to　be　regarded；　we　must　also　learn　why　and　for　what　purpose　it　is
instituted；　that　is；　what　it　profits；　gives　and　works。　And　this　also　we
cannot　discern　better　than　from　the　words　of　Christ　above　quoted：　He
that　believeth　and　is　baptized　shall　be　saved。　Therefore　state　it　most
simply　thus；　that　the　power；　work；　profit；　fruit；　and　end　of　Baptism　is
this；　namely；　to　save。　For　no　one　is　baptized　in　order　that　he　may
become　a　prince；　but；　as　the　words　declare；　that　he　be　saved。　But　to　be
saved。　we　know。　is　nothing　else　than　to　be　delivered　from　sin；　death；
and　the　devil；　and　to　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　Christ；　and　to　live
with　Him　forever。　

Here　you　see　again　how　highly　and　precious　we　should　esteem　Baptism；
because　in　it　we　obtain　such　an　unspeakable　treasure；　which　also
indicates　sufficiently　that　it　cannot　be　ordinary　mere　water。　For　mere
water　could　not　do　such　a　thing；　but　the　Word　does　it；　and　（as　said
above）　the　fact　that　the　name　of　God　is　comprehended　therein。　But　where
the　name　of　God　is；　there　must　be　also　life　and　salvation；　that　it　may
indeed　be　called　a　divine；　blessed；　fruitful；　and　gracious　water；　for
by　the　Word　such　power　is　imparted　to　Baptism　that　it　is　a　laver　of
regeneration；　as　St。　Paul　also　calls　it；　Titus　3；　5。　

But　as　our　would…be　wise；　new　spirits　assert　that　faith　alone　saves；
and　that　works　and　external　things　avail　nothing；　we　answer：　It　is
true；　indeed；　that　nothing　in　us　is　of　any　avail　but　faith；　as　we　shall
hear　still　further。　But　these　blind　guides　are　unwilling　to　see　this；
namely；　that　faith　must　have　something　which　it　believes；　that　is；　of
which　it　takes　hold；　and　upon　which　it　stands　and　rests。　Thus　faith
clings　to　the　water；　and　believes　that　it　is　Baptism；　in　which　there　is
pure　salvation　and　life；　not　through　the　water　（as　we　have　sufficiently
stated）；　but　through　the　fact　that　it　is　embodied　in　the　Word　and
institution　of　God；　and　the　name　of　God　inheres　in　it。　Now；　if　I
believe　this；　what　else　is　it　than　believing　in　God　as　in　Him　who　has
given　and　planted　His　Word　into　this　ordinance；　and　proposes　to　us　this
external　thing　wherein　we　may　apprehend　such　a　treasure？　

Now；　they　are　so　mad　as　to　separate　faith　and　that　to　which　faith
clings　and　is　bound　though　it　be　something　external。　Yea；　it　shall　and
must　be　something　external；　that　it　may　be　apprehended　by　the　senses；
and　understood　and　thereby　be　brought　into　the　heart；　as　indeed　the
entire　Gospel　is　an　external；　verbal　preaching。　In　short；　what　God　does
and　works　in　us　He　proposes　to　work　through　such　external　ordinances。
Wherever；　therefore；　He　speaks；　yea；　in　whichever　direction　or　by
whatever　means　He　speaks；　thither　faith　must　look；　and　to　that　it　must
hold。　Now　here　we　have　the　words：　He　that　believeth　and　is　baptized
shall　be　saved。　To　what　else　do　they　refer　than　to　Baptism；　that　is；　to
the　water　comprehended　in　God's　ordinance？　Hence　it　follows　that
whoever　rejects　Baptism　rejects　the　Word　of　God；　faith；　and　Christ；　who
directs　us　thither　and　binds　us　to　Baptism。　

In　the　third　place　since　we　have　learned　the　great　benefit　and　power　of
Baptism；　let　us　see　further　who　is　the　person　that　receives　what
Baptism　gives　and　profits。　This　is　again　most　beautifully　and　clearly
expressed　in　the　words：　He　that　believeth　and　is　baptized　shall　be
saved。　That　is；　faith　alone　makes　the　person　worthy　to　receive
profitably　the　saving；　divine　water。　For；　since　these　blessings　are
here　presented　and　promised　in　the　words　in　and　with　the　water；　they
cannot　be　received　in　any　other　way　than　by　believing　them　with　the
heart。　Without　faith　it　profits　nothing；　notwithstanding　it　is　in
itself　a　divine　superabundant　treasure。　Therefore　this　single　word　（He
that　believeth）　effects　this　much　that　it　excludes　and　repels　all
works　which　we　can　do；　in　the　opinion　that　we　obtain　and　merit
salvation　by　them。　For　it　is　determined　that　whatever　is　not　faith
avails　nothing　nor　receives　anything。　

But　if　they　say；　as　they　are　accustomed：　Still　Baptism　is　itself　a
work；　and　you　say　works　are　of　no　avail　for　salvation；　what　then；
becomes　of　faith？　Answer：　Yes；　our　works；　indeed；　avail　nothing　for
salvation；　Baptism；　however；　is　not　our　work；　but　God's　（for；　as　was
stated；　you　must　put　Christ…baptism　far　away　from　a　bath…keeper's
baptism）。　God's　works；　however；　are　saving　and　necessary　for　salvation；
and　do　not　exclude；　but　demand；　faith；　for　without　faith　they　could　not
be　apprehended。　For　by　suffering　the　water　to　be　poured　upon　you；　you
have　not　yet　received　Baptism　in　such　a　manner　that　it　benefits　you
anything；　but　it　becomes　beneficial　to　you　if　you　have　yourself
baptized　with　the　thought　that　this　is　according　to　God's　command　and
ordinance；　and　besides　in　God's　name；　in　order　that　you　may　receive　in
the　water　the　promised　salvation。　Now；　this　the　fist　cannot　do；　nor　the
body；　but　the　heart　must　believe　it。　

Thus　you　see　plainly　that　there　is　here　no　work　done　by　us；　but　a
treasure　which　He　gives　us；　and　which　faith　apprehends；　just　as　the
Lord　Jesus　Christ　upon　the　cross　is　not　a　work；　but　a　treasure
comprehended　in　the　Word；　and　offered　to　us　and　received　by　faith。
Therefore　they　do　us　violence　by　exclaiming　against　us　as　though　we
preach　against　faith；　while　we　alone　insist　upon　it　as　being　of　such
necessity　that　without　it　nothing　can　be　received　nor　enjoyed。　

Thus　we　have　these　three　parts　which　it　is　necessary　to　know
concerning　this　Sacrament　especially　that　the　ordinance　of　God　is　to　be
held　in　all　honor；　which　alone　would　be　sufficient；　though　it　be　an
entirely　external　thing　like　the　commandment；　Honor　thy　father　and　thy
mother；　which　refers　to　bodily　flesh　and　blood。　Therein　we　regard　not
the　flesh　and　blood；　but　the　commandment　of　God　in　which　they　are
comprehended；　and　on　account　of　which　the　flesh　is　called　father　and
mother；　so　also；　though　we　had　no　more　than　these　words；　Go　ye　and
baptize；　etc。；　it　would　be　necessary　for　us　to　accept　and　do　it　as　the
ordinance　of　God。　Now　there　is　here　not　only　God's　commandment　and
injunction；　but　also　the　promise；　on　account　of　which　it　is　still　far
more　glorious　than　whatever　else　God　has　commanded　and　ordained；　and
is；　in　short；　so　full　of　consolation　and　grace　that　heaven　and　earth
cannot　comprehend　it。　But　it　requires　skill　to　believe　this；　for　the
treasure　is　not　wanting；　but　this　is　wanting　that　men　apprehend　it　and
hold　it　firmly。　

Therefore　every　Christian　has　enough　in　Baptism　to　learn　and　to
practice　all　his　life；　for　he　has　always　enough　to　do　to　believe
firmly　what　it　promises　and　brings：　victory　over　death　and　the　devil；
forgiveness　of　sin；　the　grace　of　God；　the　entire　Christ；　and　the　Holy
Ghost　with　His　gifts。　In　short；　it　is　so　transcendent　that　if　timid
nature　could　realize　it；　it　might　well　doubt　whether　it　could