large catechism-第1章

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The　Large　Catechism　

by　Dr。　Martin　Luther

Translated　by　F。　Bente　and　W。　H。　T。　Dau　



Preface　

A　Christian；　Profitable；　and　Necessary　Preface　and　Faithful；　Earnest
Exhortation　of　Dr。　Martin　Luther　to　All　Christians；　but　Especially　to
All　Pastors　and　Preachers；　that　They　Should　Daily　Exercise　Themselves
in　the　Catechism；　which　is　a　Short　Summary　and　Epitome　of　the　Entire
Holy　Scriptures；　and　that　they　May　Always　Teach　the　Same。

We　have　no　slight　reasons　for　treating　the　Catechism　so　constantly　＇in
Sermons＇　and　for　both　desiring　and　beseeching　others　to　teach　it；　since
we　see　to　our　sorrow　that　many　pastors　and　preachers　are　very　negligent
in　this；　and　slight　both　their　office　and　this　teaching；　some　from
great　and　high　art　＇giving　their　mind；　as　they　imagine；　to　much　higher
matters＇；　but　others　from　sheer　laziness　and　care　for　their　paunches；
assuming　no　other　relation　to　this　business　than　if　they　were　pastors
and　preachers　for　their　bellies'　sake；　and　had　nothing　to　do　but　to
＇spend　and＇　consume　their　emoluments　as　long　as　they　live；　as　they　have
been　accustomed　to　do　under　the　Papacy。　


　And　although　they　have　now　everything　that　they　are　to　preach　and
teach　placed　before　them　so　abundantly；　clearly；　and　easily；　in　so　many
＇excellent　and＇　helpful　books；　and　the　true　Sermones　per　se　loquentes；
Dormi　secure；　Paratos　et　Thesauros；　as　they　were　called　in　former
times；　yet　they　are　not　so　godly　and　honest　as　to　buy　these　books；　or
even　when　they　have　them；　to　look　at　them　or　read　them。　Alas！　they　are
altogether　shameful　gluttons　and　servants　of　their　own　bellies　who
ought　to　be　more　properly　swineherds　and　dog…tenders　than　care…takers
of　souls　and　pastors。　

And　now　that　they　are　delivered　from　the　unprofitable　and　burdensome
babbling　of　the　Seven　Canonical　Hours；　oh；　that；　instead　thereof；　they
would　only；　morning；　noon；　and　evening；　read　a　page　or　two　in　the
Catechism；　the　Prayer…book；　the　New　Testament；　or　elsewhere　in　the
Bible；　and　pray　the　Lord's　Prayer　for　themselves　and　their
parishioners；　so　that　they　might　render；　in　return；　honor　and　thanks　to
the　Gospel；　by　which　they　have　been　delivered　from　burdens　and　troubles
so　manifold；　and　might　feel　a　little　shame　because　like　pigs　and　dogs
they　retain　no　more　of　the　Gospel　than　such　a　lazy；　pernicious；
shameful；　carnal　liberty！　For；　alas！　as　it　is；　the　common　people　regard
the　Gospel　altogether　too　lightly；　and　we　accomplish　nothing
extraordinary　even　though　we　use　all　diligence。　What；　then；　will　be
achieved　if　we　shall　be　negligent　and　lazy　as　we　were　under　the　Papacy？


To　this　there　is　added　the　shameful　vice　and　secret　infection　of
security　and　satiety；　that　is；　that　many　regard　the　Catechism　as　a
poor；　mean　teaching；　which　they　can　read　through　at　one　time；　and　then
immediately　know　it；　throw　the　book　into　a　corner；　and　be　ashamed；　as
it　were；　to　read　in　it　again。　

Yea；　even　among　the　nobility　there　may　be　found　some　louts　and
scrimps；　who　declare　that　there　is　no　longer　any　need　either　of
pastors　or　preachers；　that　we　have　everything　in　books；　and　every　one
can　easily　learn　it　by　himself；　and　so　they　are　content　to　let　the
parishes　decay　and　become　desolate；　and　pastors　and　preachers　to　suffer
distress　and　hunger　a　plenty；　just　as　it　becomes　crazy　Germans　to　do。
For　we　Germans　have　such　disgraceful　people；　and　must　endure　them。　

But　for　myself　I　say　this：　I　am　also　a　doctor　and　preacher；　yea；　as
learned　and　experienced　as　all　those　may　be　who　have　such　presumption
and　security；　yet　I　do　as　a　child　who　is　being　taught　the　Catechism；
and　every　morning；　and　whenever　I　have　time；　I　read　and　say；　word　for
word；　the　Ten　Commandments；　the　Creed；　the　Lord's　Prayer；　the　Psalms；
etc。　And　I　must　still　read　and　study　daily；　and　yet　I　cannot　master　it
as　I　wish；　but　must　remain　a　child　and　pupil　of　the　Catechism；　and　am
glad　so　to　remain。　And　yet　these　delicate；　fastidious　fellows　would
with　one　reading　promptly　be　doctors　above　all　doctors；　know　everything
and　be　in　need　of　nothing。　Well；　this；　too；　is　indeed　a　sure　sign　that
they　despise　both　their　office　and　the　souls　of　the　people；　yea；　even
God　and　His　Word。　They　do　not　have　to　fall；　they　are　already　fallen　all
too　horribly；　they　would　need　to　become　children；　and　begin　to　learn
their　alphabet；　which　they　imagine　that　they　have　long　since　outgrown。　

Therefore　I　beg　such　lazy　paunches　or　presumptuous　saints　to　be
persuaded　and　believe　for　God's　sake　that　they　are　verily；　verily！　not
so　learned　or　such　great　doctors　as　they　imagine；　and　never　to　presume
that　they　have　finished　learning　this　＇the　parts　of　the　Catechism＇；　or
know　it　well　enough　in　all　points；　even　though　they　think　that　they
know　it　ever　so　well。　For　though　they　should　know　and　understand　it
perfectly　（which；　however；　is　impossible　in　this　life）；　yet　there　are
manifold　benefits　and　fruits　still　to　be　obtained；　if　it　be　daily　read
and　practiced　in　thought　and　speech；　namely；　that　the　Holy　Ghost　is
present　in　such　reading　and　repetition　and　meditation；　and　bestows　ever
new　and　more　light　and　devoutness；　so　that　it　is　daily　relished　and
appreciated　better；　as　Christ　promises；　Matt。　18；　20：　Where　two　or
three　are　gathered　together　in　My　name；　there　am　I　in　the　midst　of
them。　

Besides；　it　is　an　exceedingly　effectual　help　against　the　devil；　the
world；　and　the　flesh　and　all　evil　thoughts　to　be　occupied　with　the　Word
of　God；　and　to　speak　of　it；　and　meditate　upon　it；　so　that　the　First
Psalm　declares　those　blessed　who　meditate　upon　the　law　of　God　day　and
night。　Undoubtedly；　you　will　not　start　a　stronger　incense　or　other
fumigation　against　the　devil　than　by　being　engaged　upon　God's
commandments　and　words；　and　speaking；　singing；　or　thinking　of　them。　For
this　is　indeed　the　true　holy　water　and　holy　sign　from　which　he　flees；
and　by　which　he　may　be　driven　away。　

Now；　for　this　reason　alone　you　ought　gladly　to　read；　speak；　think　and
treat　of　these　things　if　you　had　no　other　profit　and　fruit　from　them
than　that　by　doing　so　you　can　drive　away　the　devil　and　evil　thoughts。
For　he　cannot　hear　or　endure　God's　Word；　and　God's　Word　is　not　like
some　other　silly　prattle；　as　that　about　Dietrich　of　Berne；　etc。；　but　as
St。　Paul　says；　Rom。　1；　16；　the　power　of　God。　Yea；　indeed；　the　power　of
God　which　gives　the　devil　burning　pain；　and　strengthens；　comforts；　and
helps　us　beyond　measure。　

And　what　need　is　there　of　many　words　？　If　I　were　to　recount　all　the
profit　and　fruit　which　God's　Word　produces；　whence　would　I　get　enough
paper　and　time？　The　devil　is　called　the　master　of　a　thousand　arts。　But
what　shall　we　call　God's　Word；　which　drives　away　and　brings　to　naught
this　master　of　a　thousand　arts　with　all　his　arts　and　power？　It　must
indeed　be　the　master　of　more　than　a　hundred　thousand　arts。　And　shall　we
frivolously　despise　such　power；　profit；　strength；　and　fruit　　we；
especially；　who　claim　to　be　pastors　and　preachers？　If　so；　we　should　not
only　have　nothing　given　us　to　eat；　but　be　driven　out；　being　baited　with
dogs；　and　pelted　with　dung；　because　we　not　only　need　all　this　every　day
as　we　need　our　daily　bread　but　must　also　daily　use　it　against　the　daily
and　unabated　attacks　and　lurking　of　the　devil；　the　master　of　a　thousand
arts。　

And　if　this　were　not　sufficient　to　admonish　us　to　read　the　Catechism
daily；　yet　we　should　feel　sufficiently　constrained　by　the　command　of
God　alone；　who　solemnly　enjoins　in　Deut。　6；　6　ff。　that　we　should　always
meditate　upon　His　precepts；　sitting；　walking；　standing；　Lying　down；　and
rising；　and　have　them　before　our　eyes　and　in　our　hands　as　a　constant
mark　and　sign。　Doubtless　He　did　not　so　solemnly　require　and　enjoin　this
without　a　purpose；　but　because　He　knows　our　danger　and　need；　as　well　as
the　constant　and　furious　assaults　and　temptations　of　devils；　He　wishes
to　warn；　equip；　and　preserve　us　against　them；　as　with　a　good　armor
against　their　fiery　darts　and　with　good　medicine　against　their　evil
infection　and　suggestion。　

Oh；　what　mad；　senseless　fools　are　we　that；　while　we　must　ever　live　and
dwell　among　such　mighty　enemies　as　the　devils　are；　we　nevertheless
despise　our　weapons　and　defense；　and　are　too　lazy　to　look　at　or　think
of　them！　And　what　else　are　such　supercilious；　presumptuous　saints；　who
are　unwilling　to　read　and　study　the　Catechism　daily；　doing　than
esteeming　themselves　much　more　learned　than　God　Himself　with　all　His
saints；　angels　＇patriarchs＇；　prophets；　apostles；　and　all　Christians　For
inasmuch　as　God　Himself　is　not　ashamed　to　teach　these　things　daily；　as
knowing　nothing　better　to　teach；　and　always　keeps　teaching　the　same
thing；　and　does　not　take　up　anything　new　or　different；　and　all　the
saints　know　nothing　better　or　different　to　learn；　and　cannot　finish
learning　this；　are　we　not　the　finest　of　all　fellows　to　imagine；　if　we
have　once　read　or　heard　it；　that　we　know　it　all；　and　have　no　further
need　to　read　and　learn；　but　can　finish　learning　in　one　hour　what　God
Himself　cannot　finish　teaching；　although　He　is　engaged　in　teaching　it
from　the　beginning　to　the　end　of　the　world；　and　all　prophets；　together
with　all　saints；　have　been　occupied　with　learning　it　and　have　ever
remained　pupils；　and　must　continue　to　be　such　？　

For　it　needs　must　be　that　whoever　knows　the　Ten　Commandments　perfectly
must　know　all　the　Scriptures；　so　that；　in　all　affairs　and　cases；　he　can
advise；　help；　comfort；　judge；　and　decide　both　spiritual　and　temporal
matters　and　is　qualified　to　sit　in　judgment　upon　all　doctrines；
estates；　spirits；　laws；　and　whatever　else　is　in　the　world。　And　what；
indeed；　is　the　entire　Psalter　but　thoughts　and　exercises　upon　the　First
Commandment？　Now　I　know　of　a　truth　that　such　lazy　paunches　and
presumptuous　spirits　do　not　understand　a　single　psalm；　much　less　the
entire　Holy　Scriptures；　and　yet　they　pretend　to　know　and　despise　the
Catechism；　which　is　a　compend　and　brief　summary　of　all　the　Holy
Scriptures。　

Therefore　I　again　implore　all　Christians；　especially　pastors　and
preachers；　not　to　be　doctors　too　soon；　and　imagine　that　they　know
everything　（for　imagination　and　cloth　unshrunk　＇and　false　weights＇　fall
far　short　of　the　measure）；　but　that　they　daily　exercise　themselves　well
in　these　studies　and　constantly　treat　them；　moreover；　that　they　guard
with　all　care　and　diligence　against　the　poisonous　infection　of　such
security　and　vain　imagination；　but　steadily　keep　on　reading；　teaching；
learning；　pondering；　and　meditating；　and　do　not　cease　until　they　have
made　a　test　and　are　sure　that　they　have　taught　the　devil　to　death　and
have　become　more　learned　than　God　Himself　and　all　His　saints。　

If　they　manifest　such　diligence；　then　I　will　promise　them；　and　they
shall　also　perceive；　what　fruit　they　will　obtain；　and　what　excellent
men　God　will　make　of　them；　so　that　in　due　time　they　themselves　will
acknowledge　that　the　longer　and　the　more　they　study　the　Catechism；　the
less　they　know　of　it；　and　the　more　they　find　yet　to　learn；　and　then
only；　as　hungry　and　thirsty　ones；　will　they　truly　relish　that　which　now
they　cannot　endure　because　of　great　abundance　and　satiety。　To　this　end
may　God　grant　His　grace！　Amen。
　

　SHORT　PREFACE　OF　DR。　MARTIN　LUTHER。　
　

This　sermon　is　designed　and　undertaken　that　it　might　be　an　ins