large catechism-第4章

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self…invented　notions　and　dreams　of　God　an　idol；　and　put　their　trust　in
that　which　is　altogether　nothing。　Thus　it　is　with　all　idolatry；　for　it
consists　not　merely　in　erecting　an　image　and　worshiping　it；　but　rather
in　the　heart；　which　stands　gaping　at　something　else；　and　seeks　help　and
consolation　from　creatures　saints；　or　devils；　and　neither　cares　for
God；　nor　looks　to　Him　for　so　much　good　as　to　believe　that　He　is　willing
to　help；　neither　believes　that　whatever　good　it　experiences　comes　from
God。　

Besides；　there　is　also　a　false　worship　and　extreme　idolatry；　which　we
have　hitherto　practiced；　and　is　still　prevalent　in　the　world；　upon
which　also　all　ecclesiastical　orders　are　founded；　and　which　concerns
the　conscience　alone　that　seeks　in　its　own　works　help；　consolation；　and
salvation；　presumes　to　wrest　heaven　from　God；　and　reckons　how　many
bequests　it　has　made；　how　often　it　has　fasted；　celebrated　Mass；　etc。
Upon　such　things　it　depends；　and　of　them　boasts；　as　though　unwilling　to
receive　anything　from　God　as　a　gift；　but　desires　itself　to　earn　or
merit　it　superabundantly；　just　as　though　He　must　serve　us　and　were　our
debtor；　and　we　His　liege　lords。　What　is　this　but　reducing　God　to　an
idol；　yea；　＇a　fig　image　or＇　an　apple…god；　and　elevating　and　regarding
ourselves　as　God　？　But　this　is　slightly　too　subtle；　and　is　not　for
young　pupils。　

But　let　this　be　said　to　the　simple；　that　they　may　well　note　and
remember　the　meaning　of　this　commandment；　namely；　that　we　are　to　trust
in　God　alone；　and　look　to　Him　and　expect　from　Him　naught　but　good；　as
from　one　who　gives　us　body；　life；　food；　drink；　nourishment；　health；
protection；　peace；　and　all　necessaries　of　both　temporal　and　eternal
things。　He　also　preserves　us　from　misfortune；　and　if　any　evil　befall
us；　delivers　and　rescues　us；　so　that　it　is　God　alone　（as　has　been
sufficiently　said）　from　whom　we　receive　all　good；　and　by　whom　we　are
delivered　from　all　evil。　Hence　also；　I　think；　we　Germans　from　ancient
times　call　God　（more　elegantly　and　appropriately　than　any　other
language）　by　that　name　from　the　word　good　as　being　an　eternal　fountain
which　gushes　forth　abundantly　nothing　but　what　is　good；　and　from　which
flows　forth　all　that　is　and　is　called　good。　

For　even　though　otherwise　we　experience　much　good　from　men；　still
whatever　we　receive　by　His　command　or　arrangement　is　all　received　from
God。　For　our　parents；　and　all　rulers；　and　every　one　besides　with
respect　to　his　neighbor；　have　received　from　God　the　command　that　they
should　do　us　all　manner　of　good；　so　that　we　receive　these　blessings　not
from　them；　but；　through　them；　from　God。　For　creatures　are　only　the
hands；　channels；　and　means　whereby　God　gives　all　things；　as　He　gives　to
the　mother　breasts　and　milk　to　offer　to　her　child；　and　corn　and　all
manner　of　produce　from　the　earth　for　nourishment；　none　of　which
blessings　could　be　produced　by　any　creature　of　itself。　

Therefore　no　man　should　presume　to　take　or　give　anything　except　as　God
has　commanded；　in　order　that　it　may　be　acknowledged　as　God's　gift；　and
thanks　may　be　rendered　Him　for　it；　as　this　commandment　requires。　On
this　account　also　these　means　of　receiving　good　gifts　through　creatures
are　not　to　be　rejected；　neither　should　we　in　presumption　seek　other
ways　and　means　than　God　has　commanded。　For　that　would　not　be　receiving
from　God；　hut　seeking　of　ourselves。　

Let　every　one；　then；　see　to　it　that　he　esteem　this　commandment　great
and　high　above　all　things；　and　do　not　regard　it　as　a　joke。　Ask　and
examine　your　heart　diligently；　and　you　will　find　whether　it　cleaves　to
God　alone　or　not。　If　you　have　a　heart　that　can　expect　of　Him　nothing
but　what　is　good；　especially　in　want　and　distress；　and　that；　moreover
renounces　and　forsakes　everything　that　is　not　God；　then　you　have　the
only　true　God。　If　on　the　contrary；　it　cleaves　to　anything　else；　of
which　it　expects　more　good　and　help　than　of　God；　and　does　not　take
refuge　in　Him；　but　in　adversity　flees　from　Him；　then　you　have　an　idol；
another　god。　

In　order　that　it　may　be　seen　that　God　will　not　have　this　commandment
thrown　to　the　winds；　but　will　most　strictly　enforce　it；　He　has　attached
to　it　first　a　terrible　threat；　and　then　a　beautiful；　comforting　promise
which　is　also　to　be　urged　and　impressed　upon　young　people；　that　they
may　take　it　to　heart　and　retain　it：　

＇Exposition　of　the　Appendix　to　the　First　Commandment。＇
　

For　I　am　the　Lord；　thy　God；　strong　and　jealous；　visiting　the　iniquity
of　the　fathers　upon　the　children　unto　the　third　and　fourth　generation
of　them　that　hate　Me；　and　showing　mercy　unto　thousands　of　them　that
love　Me　and　keep　My　commandments。　

Although　these　words　relate　to　all　the　commandments　（as　we　shall
hereafter　learn）；　yet　they　are　joined　to　this　chief　commandment
because　it　is　of　first　importance　that　men　have　a　right　head；　for
where　the　head　is　right；　the　whole　life　must　be　right；　and　vice　versa。
Learn；　therefore；　from　these　words　how　angry　God　is　with　those　who
trust　in　anything　but　Him；　and　again；　how　good　and　gracious　He　is　to
those　who　trust　and　believe　in　Him　alone　with　the　whole　heart；　so　that
His　anger　does　not　cease　until　the　fourth　generation；　while；　on　the
other　hand；　His　blessing　and　goodness　extend　to　many　thousands　lest　you
live　in　such　security　and　commit　yourself　to　chance；　as　men　of　brutal
heart；　who　think　that　it　makes　no　great　difference　＇how　they　live＇。　He
is　a　God　who　will　not　leave　it　unavenged　if　men　turn　from　Him；　and　will
not　cease　to　be　angry　until　the　fourth　generation；　even　until　they　are
utterly　exterminated。　Therefore　He　is　to　be　feared；　and　not　to　be
desisted。　

He　has　also　demonstrated　this　in　all　history；　as　the　Scriptures
abundantly　show　and　daily　experience　still　teaches。　For　from　the
beginning　He　has　utterly　extirpated　all　idolatry；　and；　on　account　of
it；　both　heathen　and　Jews；　even　as　at　the　present　day　He　overthrows　all
false　worship；　so　that　all　who　remain　therein　must　finally　perish。
Therefore；　although　proud；　powerful；　and　rich　worldlings
＇Sardanapaluses　and　Phalarides；　who　surpass　even　the　Persians　in
wealth＇　are　now　to　be　found；　who　boast　defiantly　of　their　Mammon；　with
utter　disregard　whether　God　is　angry　at　or　smiles　on　them；　and　dare　to
withstand　His　wrath；　yet　they　shall　not　succeed；　but　before　they　are
aware；　they　shall　be　wrecked；　with　all　in　which　they　trusted；　as　all
others　have　perished　who　have　thought　themselves　more　secure　or
powerful。　And　just　because　of　such　hardened　heads　who　imagine　because
God　connives　and　allows　them　to　rest　in　security；　that　He　either　is
entirely　ignorant　or　cares　nothing　about　such　matters；　He　must　deal　a
smashing　blow　and　punish　them；　so　that　He　cannot　forget　it　unto
children's　children；　so　that　every　one　may　take　note　and　see　that　this
is　no　joke　to　Him。　For　they　are　those　whom　He　means　when　He　says：　Who
hate　Me；　i。e。；　those　who　persist　in　their　defiance　and　pride；　whatever
is　preached　or　said　to　them；　they　will　not　listen；　when　they　are
reproved；　in　order　that　they　may　learn　to　know　themselves　and　amend
before　the　punishment　begins；　they　become　mad　and　foolish　so　as　to
fairly　merit　wrath；　as　now　we　see　daily　in　bishops　and　princes。　

But　terrible　as　are　these　threatenings；　so　much　the　more　powerful　is
the　consolation　in　the　promise；　that　those　who　cling　to　God　alone
should　be　sure　that　He　will　show　them　mercy　that　is；　show　them　pure
goodness　and　blessing　not　only　for　themselves；　but　also　to　their
children　and　children's　children；　even　to　the　thousandth　generation　and
beyond　that。　This　ought　certainly　to　move　and　impel　us　to　risk　our
hearts　in　all　confidence　with　God；　if　we　wish　all　temporal　and　eternal
good；　since　the　Supreme　Majesty　makes　such　sublime　offers　and　presents
such　cordial　inducements　and　such　rich　promises。　

Therefore　let　everyone　seriously　take　this　to　heart；　lest　it　be
regarded　as　though　a　man　had　spoken　it。　For　to　you　it　is　a　question
either　of　eternal　blessing；　happiness；　and　salvation；　or　of　eternal
wrath；　misery；　and　woe。　What　more　would　you　have　or　desire　than　that　He
so　kindly　promises　to　be　yours　with　every　blessing；　and　to　protect　and
help　you　in　all　need？　

But；　alas！　here　is　the　failure；　that　the　world　believes