large catechism-第12章

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evil　to　go　unpunished。　Now；　as　according　to　the　Fifth　Commandment　no
one　is　to　be　injured　in　body；　and　yet　Master　Hannes　＇the　executioner＇
is　excepted；　who　by　virtue　of　his　office　does　his　neighbor　no　good；　but
only　evil　and　harm；　and　nevertheless　does　not　sin　against　God's
commandment；　because　God　has　on　His　own　account　instituted　that　office；
for　He　has　reserved　punishment　for　His　own　good　pleasure；　as　He
threatens　in　the　First　Commandment；　　just　so　also；　although　no　one
has　a　right　in　his　own　person　to　judge　and　condemn　anybody；　yet　if　they
to　whose　office　it　belongs　fail　to　do　it；　they　sin　as　well　as　he　who
would　do　so　of　his　own　accord；　without　such　office。　For　here　necessity
requires　one　to　speak　of　the　evil；　to　prefer　charges；　to　investigate
and　testify；　and　it　is　not　different　from　the　case　of　a　physician　who
is　sometimes　compelled　to　examine　and　handle　the　patient　whom　he　is　to
cure　in　secret　parts。　Just　so　governments；　father　and　mother；　brothers
and　sisters；　and　other　good　friends；　are　under　obligation　to　each　other
to　reprove　evil　wherever　it　is　needful　and　profitable。　

But　the　true　way　in　this　matter　would　be　to　observe　the　order
according　to　the　Gospel；　Matt。　18；　15；　where　Christ　says：　If　thy
brother　shall　trespass　against　thee；　go　and　tell　him　his　fault　between
thee　and　him　alone。　Here　you　have　a　precious　and　excellent　teaching　for
governing　well　the　tongue；　which　is　to　be　carefully　observed　against
this　detestable　misuse。　Let　this；　then；　be　your　rule；　that　you　do　not
too　readily　spread　evil　concerning　your　neighbor　and　slander　him　to
others；　but　admonish　him　privately　that　he　may　amend　＇his　life＇。
Likewise；　also；　if　some　one　report　to　you　what　this　or　that　one　has
done；　teach　him；　too；　to　go　and　admonish　him　personally　if　he　have　seen
it　himself；　but　if　not；　that　he　hold　his　tongue。　

The　same　you　can　learn　also　from　the　daily　government　of　the
household。　For　when　the　master　of　the　house　sees　that　the　servant　does
not　do　what　he　ought；　he　admonishes　him　personally。　But　if　he　were　so
foolish　as　to　let　the　servant　sit　at　home；　and　went　on　the　streets　to
complain　of　him　to　his　neighbors；　he　would　no　doubt　be　told：　〃You　fool；
what　does　that　concern　us？　Why　do　you　not　tell　it　to　him　？〃　Behold；
that　would　be　acting　quite　brotherly；　so　that　the　evil　would　be　stayed；
and　your　neighbor　would　retain　his　honor。　As　Christ　also　says　in　the
same　place：　If　he　hear　thee；　thou　host　gained　thy　brother。　Then　you
have　done　a　great　and　excellent　work；　for　do　you　think　it　is　a　little
matter　to　gain　a　brother？　Let　all　monks　and　holy　orders　step　forth；
with　all　their　works　melted　together　into　one　mass；　and　see　if　they
can　boast　that　they　have　gained　a　brother。　

Further；　Christ　teaches：　But　if　he　will　not　hear　thee；　then　take　with
thee　one　or　two　more；　that　in　the　mouth　of　two　or　three　witnesses　every
word　may　be　established。　So　he　whom　it　concerns　is　always　to　be　treated
with　personally；　and　not　to　be　spoken　of　without　his　knowledge。　But　if
that　do　not　avail；　then　bring　it　publicly　before　the　community；　whether
before　the　civil　or　the　ecclesiastical　tribunal。　For　then　you　do　not
stand　alone；　but　you　have　those　witnesses　with　you　by　whom　you　can
convict　the　guilty　one；　relying　on　whom　the　judge　can　pronounce
sentence　and　punish。　This　is　the　right　and　regular　course　for　checking
and　reforming　a　wicked　person。　But　if　we　gossip　about　another　in　all
corners　and　stir　the　filth；　no　one　will　be　reformed；　and　afterwards
when　we　are　to　stand　up　and　bear　witness；　we　deny　having　said　so。
Therefore　it　would　serve　such　tongues　right　if　their　itch　for　slander
were　severely　punished；　as　a　warning　to　others。　If　you　were　acting　for
your　neighbor's　reformation　or　from　love　of　the　truth；　you　would　not
sneak　about　secretly　nor　shun　the　day　and　the　light。　

All　this　has　been　said　regarding　secret　sins。　But　where　the　sin　is
quite　public　so　that　the　judge　and　everybody　know　it　you　can　without
any　sin　avoid　him　and　let　him　go；　because　he　has　brought　himself　into
disgrace；　and　you　may　also　publicly　testify　concerning　him。　For　when　a
matter　is　public　in　the　light　of　day；　there　can　be　no　slandering　or
false　judging　or　testifying；　as；　when　we　now　reprove　the　Pope　with　his
doctrine；　which　is　publicly　set　forth　in　books　and　proclaimed　in　all
the　world。　For　where　the　sin　is　public；　the　reproof　also　must　be
public；　that　every　one　may　learn　to　guard　against　it。　

Thus　we　have　now　the　sum　and　general　understanding　of　this
commandment；　to　wit；　that　no　one　do　any　injury　with　the　tongue　to　his
neighbor；　whether　friend　or　foe；　nor　speak　evil　of　him；　no　matter
whether　it　be　true　or　false；　unless　it　be　done　by　commandment　or　for
his　reformation；　but　that　every　one　employ　his　tongue　and　make　it　serve
for　the　best　of　every　one　else；　to　cover　up　his　neighbor's　sins　and
infirmities；　excuse　them；　palliate　and　garnish　them　with　his　own
reputation。　The　chief　reason　for　this　should　be　the　one　which　Christ
alleges　in　the　Gospel；　in　which　He　comprehends　all　commandments
respecting　our　neighbor；　Matt。　7；　12：　Whatsoever　ye　would　that　men
should　do　to　you；　do　ye　even　so　to　them。　

Even　nature　teaches　the　same　thing　in　our　own　bodies；　as　St。　Paul
says；　1　Cor。　12；　22：　Much　more；　those　members　of　the　body　which　seem　to
be　more　feeble　are　necessary；　and　those　members　of　the　body　which　we
think　to　be　less　honorable；　upon　these　we　bestow　more　abundant　honor；
and　our　uncomely　parts　have　more　abundant　comeliness。　No　one　covers　his
face；　eyes；　nose；　and　mouth；　for　they；　being　in　themselves　the　most
honorable　members　which　we　have；　do　not　require　it。　But　the　most　infirm
members；　of　which　we　are　ashamed；　we　cover　with　all　diligence；　hands；
eyes；　and　the　whole　body　must　help　to　cover　and　conceal　them。　Thus　also
among　ourselves　should　we　adorn　whatever　blemishes　and　infirmities　we
find　in　our　neighbor；　and　serve　and　help　him　to　promote　his　honor　to
the　best　of　our　ability；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　prevent　whatever　may
be　discreditable　to　him。　And　it　is　especially　an　excellent　and　noble
virtue　for　one　always　to　explain　advantageously　and　put　the　best
construction　upon　all　he　may　hear　of　his　neighbor　（if　it　be　not
notoriously　evil）；　or　at　any　rate　to　condone　it　over　and　against　the
poisonous　tongues　that　are　busy　wherever　they　can　pry　out　and　discover
something　to　blame　in　a　neighbor；　and　that　explain　and　pervert　it　in
the　worst　way；　as　is　done　now　especially　with　the　precious　Word　of　God
and　its　preachers。　

There　are　comprehended　therefore　in　this　commandment　quite　a　multitude
of　good　works　which　please　God　most　highly；　and　bring　abundant　good　and
blessing；　if　only　the　blind　world　and　the　false　saints　would　recognize
them。　For　there　is　nothing　on　or　in　entire　man　which　can　do　both
greater　and　more　extensive　good　or　harm　in　spiritual　and　in　temporal
matters　than　the　tongue；　though　it　is　the　least　and　feeblest　member。
　
The　Ninth　and　Tenth　Commandments　

Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　house。　Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy
neighbor's　wife；　nor　his　man…servant；　nor　his　maid…servant；　nor　his
cattle；　nor　anything　that　is　his。　

These　two　commandments　are　given　quite　exclusively　to　the　Jews；
nevertheless；　in　part　they　also　concern　us。　For　they　do　not　interpret
them　as　referring　to　unchastity　or　theft；　because　these　are
sufficiently　forbidden　above。　They　also　thought　that　they　had　kept　all
those　when　they　had　done　or　not　done　the　external　act。　Therefore　God
has　added　these　two　commandments　in　order　that　it　be　esteemed　as　sin
and　forbidden　to　desire　or　in　any　way　to　aim　at　getting　our　neighbor's
wife　or　possessions；　and　especially　because　under　the　Jewish　government
man…servants　and　maid…servants　were　not　free　as　now　to　serve　for　wages
as　long　as　they　pleased；　but　were　their　master's　property　with　their
body　and　all　they　had；　as　cattle　and　other　possessions。　Moreover；
every　man　had　power　over　his　wife　to　put　her　away　publicly　by　giving
her　a　bill　of　divorce；　and　to　take　another。　Therefore　they　were　in
constant　danger　among　each　other　that　if　one　took　a　fancy　to　another's
wife；　he　might　allege　any　reason　both　to　dismiss　his　own　wife　and　to
estrange　the　other's　wife　from　him；　that　he　might　obtain　her　under
pretext　of　right。　That　was　not　considered　a　sin　nor　disgrace　with　them；
as　little　as　now　with　hired　help；　when　a　proprietor　dismisses　his
man…servant　or　maid…servant；　or　takes　another's　servants　from　him　in
any　way。　

Therefore　（I　say）　they　thus　interpreted　these　commandments；　and　that
rightly　（although　their　scope　reaches　somewhat　farther　and　higher）；
that　no　one　think　or　purpose　to　obtain　what　belongs　to　another；　such　as
his　wife；　servants；　house　and　estate；　land　meadows；　cattle；　even　with　a
show　of　right　or　by　a　subterfuge；　yet　with　injury　to　his　neighbor。　For
above；　in　the　Seventh　Commandment；　the　vice　is　forbidden　where　one
wrests　to　himself　the　possessions　of　others；　or　withholds　them　from　his
neighbor；　which　he　cannot　do　by　right。　But　here　it　is　also　forbidden　to
alienate　anything　from　your　neighbor；　even　though　you　could　do　so　with
honor　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　so　that　no　one　could　accuse　or　blame
you　as　though　you　had　obtained　it　wrongfully。　

For　we　are　so　inclined　by　nature　that　no　one　desires　to　see　another
have　as　much　as　himself；　and　each　one　acquires　as　much　as　he　can；　the
other　may　fare　as　best　he　can。　And　yet　we　pretend　to　be　godly；　know　how
to　adorn　ourselves　most　finely　and　conceal　our　rascality；　resort　to　and
invent　adroit　devices　and　deceitful　artifices　（such　as　now　are　daily
most　ingeniously　contrived）　as　though　they　were　derived　from　the　law
codes；　yea；　we　even　dare　impertinently　to　refer　to　it；　and　boast　of　it；
and　will　not　have　it　called　rascality；　but　shrewdness　and　caution。　In
this　lawyers　and　jurists　assist；　who　twist　and　stretch　the　law　to　suit
it　to　their　cause；　stress　words　and　use　them　for　a　subterfuge；
irrespective　of　equity　or　their　neighbor's　necessity。　And；　in　short；
whoever　is　the　most　expert　and　cunning　in　these　affairs　finds　most　help
in　law；　as　they　themselves　say：　Vigilantibus　iura　subveniunt　＇that　is；
The　laws　favor　the　watchful＇。　

This　last　commandment　therefore　is　given　not　for　rogues　in　the　eyes　of
the　world；　but　just　for　the　most　pious；　who　wish　to　be　praised　and　be
called　honest　and　upright　people；　since　they　have　not　offended　against
the　former　commandments；　as　especially　the　Jews　claimed　to　be；　and　even
now　many　great　noblemen；　gentlemen；　and　princes。　For　the　other　common
masses　belong　yet　farther　down；　under　the　Seventh　Commandment；　as　those
who　are　not　much　concerned　whether　they　acquire　their　possessions　with
honor　and　right。　

Now；　this　occurs　most　frequently　in　cases　that　are　brought　into　court；
where　it　is　the　purpose　to　get　something　from　our　neighbor　and　to　force
him　out　of　his　own。　As　（to　give　examples）；　when　people　quarrel　and
wrangle　about　a　large　inheritance；　real　estate；　etc。；　they　avail
themselves　of；　and　resort　to；　whatever　has　the　appearance　of　right；　so
dressing　and　adorning　everything　that　the　law　must　favor　their　side；
and　they　keep　the　property　with　such　title　that　no　one　can　make
complaint　or　lay　claim　thereto。　In　like　manner；　if　any　one　desire　to
have　a　castle；　city；　duchy；　or