a treatise on good works-第11部分

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The　first　works　of　this　Commandment　are　plain　and　outward；　which

we　commonly　call　worship；　such　as　going　to　mass；　praying；　and

hearing　a　sermon　on　holy　days。　So　understood　there　are　very　few

works　in　this　Commandment；　and　these；　if　they　are　not　done　in

assurance　of　and　with　faith　in　God's　favor；　are　nothing；　as　was

said　above。　Hence　it　would　also　be　a　good　thing　if　there　were

fewer　saint's　days；　since　in　our　times　the　works　done　on　them　are

for　the　greater　part　worse　than　those　of　the　work　days；　what　with

loafing；　gluttony；　and　drunkenness；　gambling　and　other　evil

deeds；　and　then；　the　mass　and　the　sermon　are　listened　to　without

edification；　the　prayer　is　spoken　without　faith。　It　almost

happens　that　men　think　it　is　sufficient　that　we　look　on　at　the

mass　with　our　eyes；　hear　the　preaching　with　our　ears；　and　say　the

prayers　with　our　mouths。　It　is　all　so　formal　and　superficial！　We

do　not　think　that　we　might　receive　something　out　of　the　mass　into

our　hearts；　learn　and　remember　something　out　of　the　preaching；

seek；　desire　and　expect　something　in　our　prayer。　Although　in　this

matter　the　bishops　and　priests；　or　they　to　whom　the　work　of

preaching　is　entrusted；　are　most　at　fault；　because　they　do　not

preach　the　Gospel；　and　do　not　teach　the　people　how　they　ought　to

look　on　at　mass；　hear　preaching　and　pray。　Therefore；　we　will

briefly　explain　these　three　works。　



II。　In　the　mass　it　is　necessary　that　we　attend　with　our　a　hearts

also；　and　we　do　attend；　when　we　exercise　faith　in　our　hearts。

Here　we　must　repeat　the　words　of　Christ；　when　He　institutes　the

mass　and　says；　〃Take　and　eat；　this　is　My　Body；　which　is　given　for

you〃；　in　like　manner　over　the　cup；　〃Take　and　drink　ye　all　of　it：

this　is　a　new；　everlasting　Testament　in　My　Blood；　which　is　shed

for　you　and　for　many　for　the　remission　of　sins。　This　shall　ye　do；

as　oft　as　ye　do　it；　in　remembrance　of　Me。〃　In　these　words　Christ

has　made　for　Himself　a　memorial　or　anniversary；　to　be　daily

observed　in　all　Christendom；　and　has　added　to　it　a　glorious；

rich；　great　testament；　in　which　no　interest；　money　or　temporal

possessions　are　bequeathed　and　distributed；　but　the　forgiveness

of　all　sins；　grace　and　mercy　unto　eternal　life；　that　all　who　come

to　this　memorial　shall　have　the　same　testament；　and　then　He　died；

whereby　this　testament　has　become　permanent　and　irrevocable。　In

proof　and　evidence　of　which；　instead　of　letter　and　seal；　He　has

left　with　us　His　own　Body　and　Blood　under　the　bread　and　wine。



Here　there　is　need　that　a　man　practise　the　first　works　of　this

Commandment　right　well；　that　he　doubt　not　that　what　Christ　has

said　is　true；　and　consider　the　testament　sure；　so　that　he　make

not　Christ　a　liar。　For　if　you　are　present　at　mass　and　do　not

consider　nor　believe　that　here　Christ　through　His　testament　has

bequeathed　and　given　you　forgiveness　of　all　your　sins；　what　else

is　it；　than　as　if　you　said：　〃I　do　not　know　or　do　not　believe　that

it　is　true　that　forgiveness　of　my　sins　is　here　bequeathed　and

given　me〃？　Oh；　how　many　masses　there　are　in　the　world　at　present！

but　how　few　who　hear　them　with　such　faith　and　benefit！　Most

grievously　is　God　provoked　to　anger　thereby。　For　this　reason　also

no　one　shall　or　can　reap　any　benefit　from　the　mass　except　he　be

in　trouble　of　soul　and　long　for　divine　mercy；　and　desire　to　be

rid　of　his　sins；　or；　if　he　have　an　evil　intention；　he　must　be

changed　during　the　mass；　and　come　to　have　a　desire　for　this

testament。　For　this　reason　in　olden　times　no　open　sinner　was

allowed　to　be　present　at　the　mass。　



When　this　faith　is　rightly　present；　the　heart　must　be　made　joyful

by　the　testament；　and　grow　warm　and　melt　in　God's　love。　Then　will

follow　praise　and　thanksgiving　with　a　pure　heart；　from　which　the

mass　is　called　in　Greek　Eucharistia；　that　is；　〃thanksgiving；〃

because　we　praise　and　thank　God　for　this　comforting；　rich；

blessed　testament；　just　as　he　gives　thanks；　praises　and　is

joyful；　to　whom　a　good　friend　has　presented　a　thousand　and　more

gulden。　Although　Christ　often　fares　like　those　who　make　several

persons　rich　by　their　testament；　and　these　persons　never　think

of　them；　nor　praise　or　thank　them。　So　our　masses　at　present　are

merely　celebrated；　without　our　knowing　why　or　wherefore；　and

consequently　we　neither　give　thanks　nor　love　nor　praise；　remain

parched　and　hard；　and　have　enough　with　our　little　prayer。　Of　this

more　another　time。　



III。　The　sermon　ought　to　be　nothing　else　than　the　proclamation

of　this　testament。　But　who　can　hear　it　if　no　one　preaches　it？

Now；　they　who　ought　to　preach　it；　themselves　do　not　know　it。　This

is　why　the　sermons　ramble　off　into　other　unprofitable　stories；

and　thus　Christ　is　forgotten；　while　we　fare　like　the　man　in　II。

Kings　vii：　we　see　our　riches　but　do　not　enjoy　them。　Of　which　the

Preacher　also　says；　〃This　is　a　great　evil；　when　God　giveth　a　man

riches；　and　giveth　him　not　power　to　enjoy　them。〃　So　we　look　on

at　unnumbered　masses　and　do　not　know　whether　the　mass　be　a

testament；　or　what　it　be；　just　as　if　it　were　any　other　common

good　work　by　itself。　O　God；　how　exceeding　blind　we　are！　But　where

this　is　rightly　preached；　it　is　necessary　that　it　be　diligently

heard；　grasped；　retained；　often　thought　of；　and　that　the　faith

be　thus　strengthened　against　all　the　temptation　of　sin；　whether

past；　or　present；　or　to　come。　



Lo！　this　is　the　only　ceremony　or　practice　which　Christ　has

instituted；　in　which　His　Christians　shall　assemble；　exercise

themselves　and　keep　it　with　one　accord；　and　this　He　did　not　make

to　be　a　mere　work　like　other　ceremonies；　but　placed　into　it　a

rich；　exceeding　great　treasure；　to　be　offered　and　bestowed　upon

all　who　believe　on　it。　



This　preaching　should　induce　sinners　to　grieve　over　their　sins；

and　should　kindle　in　them　a　longing　for　the　treasure。　It　must；

therefore；　be　a　grievous　sin　not　to　hear　the　Gospel；　and　to

despise　such　a　treasure　and　so　rich　a　feast　to　which　we　are

bidden；　but　a　much　greater　sin　not　to　preach　the　Gospel；　and　to

let　so　many　people　who　would　gladly　hear　it　perish；　since　Christ

has　so　strictly　commanded　that　the　Gospel　and　this　testament　be

preached；　that　He　does　not　wish　even　the　mass　to　be　celebrated；

unless　the　Gospel　be　preached；　as　He　says：　〃As　oft　as　ye　do　this；

remember　me〃；　that　is；　as　St。　Paul　says；　〃Ye　shall　preach　of　His

death。〃　For　this　reason　it　is　dreadful　and　horrible　in　our　times

to　be　a　bishop；　pastor　and　preacher；　for　no　one　any　longer　knows

this　testament；　to　say　nothing　of　their　preaching　it；　although

this　is　their　highest　and　only　duty　and　obligation。　How　heavily

must　they　give　account　for　so　many　souls　who　must　perish　because

of　this　lack　in　preaching。　



IV。　We　should　pray；　not　as　the　custom　is；　counting　many　pages　or

beads；　but　fixing　our　mind　upon　some　pressing　need；　desire　it

with　all　earnestness；　and　exercise　faith　and　confidence　toward

God　in　the　matter；　in　such　wise　that　we　do　not　doubt　that　we

shall　be　heard。　So　St。　Bernard　instructs　his　brethren　and　says：

〃Dear　brethren；　you　shall　by　no　means　despise　your　prayer；　as　if

it　were　in　vain；　for　I　tell　you　of　a　truth　that；　before　you　have

uttered　the　words；　the　prayer　is　already　recorded　in　heaven；　and

you　shall　confidently　expect　from　God　one　of　two　things：　either

that　your　prayer　will　be　granted；　or　that；　if　it　will　not　be

granted；　the　granting　of　it　would　not　be　good　for　you。〃　



Prayer　is；　therefore；　a　special　exercise　of　faith；　and　faith

makes　the　prayer　so　acceptable　that　either　it　will　surely　be

granted；　or　something　better　than　we　ask　will　be　given　in　its

stead。　So　also　says　St。　James：　〃Let　him　who　asketh　of　God　not

waver　in　faith；　for　if　he　wavers；　let　not　that　man　think　that　he

shall　receive　any　thing　of　the　Lord。〃　This　is　a　clear　statement；

which　says　directly：　he　who　does　not　trust；　receives　nothing；

neither　that　which　he　asks；　nor　anything　better。　



And　to　call　forth　such　faith；　Christ　Himself　has　said；　Mark　xi：

〃Therefore　I　say　unto　you；　What　things　soever　ye　desire；　when　ye

pray；　believe　that　ye　receive　them；　and　ye　shall　surely　have

them。〃　And　Luke　xi：　〃Ask；　and　it　shall　be　given　you；　seek；　and

ye　shall　find；　knock；　and　it　shall　be　opened　unto　you；　for　every

one　that　asketh　receiveth；　and　he　that　seeketh　findeth；　and　to

him　that　knocketh　it　shall　be　opened。　Or　what　father　is　there　of

you；　who；　if　his　son　shall　ask　bread；　will　he　give　him　a　stone？

or　if　he　ask　a　fish；　will　he　give　him　a　serpent？　or　if　he　ask　an

egg；　will　he　give　him　a　scorpion？　But　if　you　know　how　to　give

good　gifts　to　your　children；　and　you　yourselves　are　not　naturally

good；　how　much　more　shall　your　Father　which　is　in　heaven　give　a

good　spirit　to　all　them　that　ask　Him！〃



V。　Who　is　so　hard　and　stone…like；　that　such　mighty　words　ought

not　to　move　him　to　pray　with　all　confidence！　joyfully　and　gladly？

But　how　many　prayers　must　be　reformed；　if　we　are　to　pray　aright

according　to　these　words！　Now；　indeed；　all　churches　and　monastic

houses　are　full　of　praying　and　singing；　but　how　does　it　happen

that　so　little　improvement　and　benefit　result　from　it；　and　things

daily　grow　worse？　The　reason　is　none　other　than　that　which　St。

James　indicates　when　he　says：　〃You　ask　much　and　receive　not；

because　ye　ask　amiss。〃　For　where　this　faith　and　confidence　is　not

in　the　prayer；　the　prayer　is　dead；　and　nothing　more　than　a

grievous　labor　and　work。　If　anything　is　given　for　it；　it　is　none

the　less　only　temporal　benefit　without　any　blessing　and　help　for

the　soul；　nay；　to　the　great　injury　and　blinding　of　souls；　so　that

they　go　their　way；　babbling　much　with　their　mouths；　regardless

of　whether　they　receive；　or　desire；　or　trust；　and　in　this

unbelief；　the　state　of　mind　most　opposed　to　the　exercise　of　faith

and　to　the　nature　of　prayer；　they　remain　hardened。



From　this　it　follows　that　one　who　prays　aright　never　doubts　that

his　prayer　is　surely　acceptable　and　heard；　although　the　very

thing　for　which　he　prays　be　not　given　him。　For　we　ar