large catechism-第6章

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vain；　He　gives　us　to　understand　at　the　same　time　that　it　is　to　be　used
properly。　For　it　has　been　revealed　and　given　to　us　for　the　very　purpose
that　it　may　be　of　constant　use　and　profit。　Hence　it　is　a　natural
inference；　since　using　the　holy　name　for　falsehood　or　wickedness　is
here　forbidden；　that　we　are；　on　the　other　hand；　commanded　to　employ　it
for　truth　and　for　all　good；　as　when　one　swears　truly　where　there　is
need　and　it　is　demanded。　So　also　when　there　is　right　teaching；　and　when
the　name　is　invoked　in　trouble　or　praised　and　thanked　in　prosperity
etc。；　all　of　which　is　comprehended　summarily　and　commanded　in　the
passage　Ps。　50；　15：　Call　upon　Me　in　the　days　of　trouble；　I　will　deliver
thee；　and　thou　shalt　glorify　Me。　For　all　this　is　bringing　't　into　the
service　of　truth；　and　using　it　in　a　blessed　way；　and　thus　His　name　is
hallowed；　as　we　pray　in　the　Lord's　Prayer。　

Thus　you　have　the　sum　of　the　entire　commandment　explained。　And　with
this　understanding　the　question　with　which　many　teachers　have　troubled
themselves　has　been　easily　solved；　to　wit；　why　swearing　is　prohibited
in　the　Gospel；　and　yet　Christ；　St。　Paul；　and　other　saints　often　swore。
The　explanation　is　briefly　this：　We　are　not　to　swear　in　support　of
evil；　that　is；　of　falsehood；　and　where　there　is　no　need　or　use；　but　for
the　support　of　good　and　the　advantage　of　our　neighbor　we　should　swear。
For　it　is　a　truly　good　work；　by　which　God　is　praised；　truth　and　right
are　established；　falsehood　is　refuted；　peace　is　made　among　men；
obedience　is　rendered；　and　quarrels　are　settled。　For　in　this　way　God
Himself　interposes　and　separates　between　right　and　wrong；　good　and
evil。　If　one　part　swears　falsely；　he　has　his　sentence　that　he　shall　not
escape　punishment；　ad　though　it　be　deferred　a　long　time；　he　shall　not
succeed；　that　all　that　he　may　gain　thereby　will　slip　out　of　his　hands；
and　he　will　never　enjoy　it；　as　I　have　seen　in　the　case　of　many　who
perjured　themselves　in　their　marriage…vows；　that　they　have　never　had　a
happy　hour　or　a　healthful　day；　and　thus　perished　miserably　in　body；
soul；　and　possessions。　

Therefore　I　advise　and　exhort　as　before　that　by　means　of　warning　and
threatening；　restraint　and　punishment；　the　children　be　trained　betimes
to　shun　falsehood；　and　especially　to　avoid　the　use　of　God's　name　in　its
support。　For　where　they　are　allowed　to　do　as　they　please；　no　good　will
result；　as　is　even　now　evident　that　the　world　is　worse　than　it　has　ever
been　and　that　there　is　no　government；　no　obedience；　no　fidelity；　no
faith；　but　only　daring；　unbridled　men；　whom　no　teaching　or　reproof
helps；　all　of　which　is　God's　wrath　and　punishment　for　such　wanton
contempt　of　this　commandment。　

On　the　other　hand；　they　should　be　constantly　urged　and　incited　to
honor　God's　name；　and　to　have　it　always　upon　their　lips　in　everything
that　may　happen　to　them　or　come　to　their　notice：　For　that　is　the　true
honor　of　His　Name；　to　look　to　it　and　implore　it　for　all　consolation；　so
that　（as　we　have　heard　above）　first　the　heart　by　faith　gives　God　the
honor　due　Him；　and　afterwards　the　lips　by　confession。　

This　is　also　a　blessed　and　useful　habit　and　very　effectual　against　the
devil；　who　is　ever　about　us；　and　lies　in　wait　to　bring　us　into　sin　and
shame；　calamity　and　trouble；　but　who　is　very　loath　to　hear　God's　name；
and　cannot　remain　long　where　it　is　uttered　and　called　upon　from　the
heart。　And；　indeed；　many　a　terrible　and　shocking　calamity　would　befall
us　if；　by　our　calling　upon　His　name；　God　did　not　preserve　us。　I　have
myself　tried　it；　and　learned　by　experience　that　often　sudden　great
calamity　was　immediately　averted　and　removed　during　such　invocation。　To
vex　the　devil；　I　say；　we　should　always　have　this　holy　name　in　our
mouth；　so　that　he　may　not　be　able　to　injure　us　as　he　wishes。　

For　this　end　it　is　also　of　service　that　we　form　the　habit　of　daily
commending　ourselves　to　God；　with　soul　and　body；　wife；　children；
servants；　and　all　that　we　have；　against　every　need　that　may　occur；
whence　also　the　blessing　and　thanksgiving　at　meals；　and　other　prayers；
morning　and　evening；　have　originated　and　remain　in　use。　Likewise　the
practices　of　children　to　cross　themselves　when　anything　monstrous　or
terrible　is　seen　or　heard；　and　to　exclaim：　〃Lord　God；　protect　us！〃
〃Help；　dear　Lord　Jesus！〃　etc。　Thus；　too；　if　any　one　meets　with
unexpected　good　fortune；　however　trivial；　that　he　say：　〃God　be　praised
and　thanked；　this　God　has　bestowed　on　me！〃　etc。；　as　formerly　the
children　were　accustomed　to　fast　and　pray　to　St。　Nicholas　and　other
saints。　This　would　be　more　pleasing　and　acceptable　to　God　than　all
monasticism　and　Carthusian　sanctity。　

Behold；　thus　we　might　train　our　youth　in　a　childlike　way　and　playfully
in　the　fear　and　honor　of　God；　so　that　the　First　and　Second　Commandments
might　be　well　observed　and　in　constant　practice。　Then　some　good　might
take　root；　spring　up　and　bear　fruit；　and　men　grow　up　whom　an　entire
land　might　relish　and　enjoy。　Moreover；　this　would　be　the　true　way　to
bring　Up　children　well　as　long　as　they　can　become　trained　with　kindness
and　delight。　For　what　must　be　enforced　with　rods　and　blows　only　will
not　develop　into　a　good　breed　and　at　best　they　will　remain　godly　under
such　treatment　no　longer　than　while　the　rod　is　upon　their　back。　

But　this　＇manner　of　training＇　so　spreads　its　roots　in　the　heart　that
they　fear　God　more　than　rods　and　clubs。　This　I　say　with　such
simplicity　for　the　sake　of　the　young；　that　it　may　penetrate　their
minds。　For　since　we　are　preaching　to　children；　we　must　also　prattle
with　them。　Thus　we　have　prevented　the　abuse　and　have　taught　the　right
use　of　the　divine　name；　which　should　consist　not　only　in　words；　but
also　in　practices　and　life；　so　that　we　may　know　that　God　is　well
pleased　with　this　and　will　as　richly　reward　it　as　He　will　terribly
punish　the　abuse。

The　Third　Commandment。

Thou　shalt　sanctify　the　holy　day。
＇Remember　the　Sabbath　day　to　keep　it　holy。＇
　

The　word　holy　day　（Feiertag）　is　rendered　from　the　Hebrew　word　Sabbath
which　properly　signifies　to　rest；　that　is；　to　abstain　from　labor。　Hence
we　are　accustomed　to　say；　Feierbend　machen　＇that　is；　to　cease　working＇；
or　heiligen　Abend　geben　＇sanctify　the　Sabbath＇。　Now；　in　the　Old
Testament；　God　separated　the　seventh　day；　and　appointed　it　for　rest；
and　commanded　that　it　should　be　regarded　as　holy　above　all　others。　As
regards　this　external　observance；　this　commandment　was　given　to　the
Jews　alone；　that　they　should　abstain　from　toilsome　work；　and　rest；　so
that　both　man　and　beast　might　recuperate；　and　not　be　weakened　by
unremitting　labor。　Although　they　afterwards　restricted　this　too
closely；　and　grossly　abused　it；　so　that　they　traduced　and　could　not
endure　in　Christ　those　works　which　they　themselves　were　accustomed　to
do　on　that　day；　as　we　read　in　the　Gospel　just　as　though　the　commandment
were　fulfilled　by　doing　no　external　＇manual＇　work　whatever；　which；
however；　was　not　the　meaning；　but；　as　we　shall　hear；　that　they　sanctify
the　holy　day　or　day　of　rest。　

This　commandment；　therefore；　according　to　its　gross　sense；　does　not
concern　us　Christians；　for　it　is　altogether　an　external　matter；　like
other　ordinances　of　the　Old　Testament；　which　were　attached　to
particular　customs；　persons；　times；　and　places；　and　now　have　been　made
free　through　Christ。　But　to　grasp　a　Christian　meaning　for　the　simple　as
to　what　God　requires　in　this　commandment；　note　that　we　keep　holy　days
not　for　the　sake　of　intelligent　and　learned　Christians　（for　they　have
no　need　of　it　＇holy　days＇）；　but　first　of　all　for　bodily　causes　and
necessities；　which　nature　teaches　and　requires；　for　the　common　people；
man…servants　and　maid…servants；　who　have　been　attending　to　their　work
and　trade　the　whole　week；　that　for　a　day　they　may　retire　in　order　to
rest　and　be　refreshed。　

Secondly；　and　most　especially；　that　on　such　day　of　rest　（since　we　can
get　no　other　opportunity）　freedom　and　time　be　taken　to　attend　divine
service；　so　that　we　come　together　to　hear　and　treat　of　God's　and　then
to　praise　God；　to　sing　and　pray。　

However；　this；　I　say；　is　not　so　restricted　to　any　time；　as　with　the
Jews；　that　it　must　be　just　on　this　or　that　day；　for　in　itself　no　one
day　is　better　than　another；　b