Chapter 6 — Of the Catechism

Of the Virtues and Vices concerning the Ten Commandments

The Decalogus, that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a looking-glass, and a brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we ought to behave towards God and also towards our neighbour, that is, towards all mankind.

There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor compendious book of virtues.

The duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and to trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life, contemning of God, hatred, despair, etc.

The duty of the Third Commandment is to acknowledge and to preach the doctrine of God's Word; the contrary is blaspheming of God, to be silent and not to confess the truth when need requires.

The duty of the Fourth Commandment is the external service of God, as the preaching of God's Word, hearing, reading, and meditating on the same, to the end we may make proof of our faith; the contrary is the despising of God's Word and the outward service of God, as the Holy Sacraments.

The duty of the Fifth Commandment is obedience towards parents, tutors, and magistrates in those things which are not against God; the contrary is disobedience and rebellion.

The duty of the Sixth Commandment is meekness, not to be desirous of revenge, not to bear malice; against this is tyranny, rage, hatred, envy, etc.

The duty of the Seventh Commandment is continency and chastity; against the same is lasciviousness, immodest behaviour, adultery, etc.

The duty of the Eighth Commandment is to do good, to give and lend willingly, to be liberal; the contrary is covetousness, stealing, usury, fraud, and to wrong in trading and dealing.

The duty of the Ninth Commandment is to love the truth, not to backbite and slander, to speak well of all men; the contrary is lying, backbiting, and to speak evil of another.

The duty of the Tenth Commandment is righteousness, to let every one possess his own; the contrary is to be miserable and unjust.

The duty of this Commandment is to be without all covetous desires in the heart, to be content with that which one hath; against that are the lustings of the heart. St. Paul said the end of the Commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

BRIEF SENTENCES OF THE CATECHISM, ACCORDING AS LUTHER USED TO TEACH AND INSTRUCT HIS FAMILY AT HOME.

Of the Ten Commandments of God

As the Faith is, so is also God.

God stayes not quite away, though he stayes long.

Despair makes Priests and Friars.

God cares and provides for us, but we must labour.

God will have the heart only and alone.

Idolatry is the imagination of the heart.

God gives by creatures.

God's Word places before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what a fine spark it is.

God's Word is our sanctification, and makes everything happy.

Works of obedience must highly be regarded.

All that govern are called Fathers.

Shepherds of Souls are woryour of double honour.

Magistrates belong not to the fifth Commandment.

Wrath is forbidden in every man, except in the magistrates.

All occasions of death are forbidden.

Matrimony proceedes freely in every state and calling.

Matrimony is necessary and commanded.

Matrimony forbidden and disallowed is against God's command.

Matrimony is a blessed state, and pleasing to God.

To steal is what one takes unjustly.

Unfaithfulness is also stealing.

Thieving is the most common trade in the world.

Great thieves go scot-free, as the Pope and his crew.

Falseness and covetousness prosper not.

Backbiting is meddling with God's judgment.

Censuring, and to speak evil behind one's back, belonges only to the magistrates.

We must censure and reprove no man behind his back.

We must judge charitably in everything.

There are no good works without the Ten Commandments.

To fear God, and to trust in him, is the fulfilling of all the Commandments.

The first Commandment drives on all the rest.

Of the Creed

The Creed teaches to know God, and what a God we have.

In all cases we must make use of faith.

God gives himself unto us with all creatures.

We must always drive on the article of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Ghost bringes Christ home unto us; he must reveal him.

Where the Holy Ghost preaches not, there is no Church.

The works of the Holy Ghost are wrought continually.

Of the Lord's Prayer

To pray is to call upon God in all need, which is made precious through God's command, and necessity stirres up earnest and devout prayers, which are our weapons against the devil.

The devil, the world, and our flesh is against God's Will.

The devil hinderes and destroyes the daily bread and all the gifts of God.

God cares for our bodies daily.

No man can live in the world without sin.

No man can bring his own righteousness before God.

We must forgive, as God forgives us.

To forgive our neighbour, assures us fully that God has forgiven us.

We are tempted three manner of ways—of the devil, of the world, and of our flesh.

Temptations serve against the secureness of our flesh.

Temptations are not overcome through our own strength.

The devil would hinder all that we pray for.

The devil goes about to bring us into all manner of need.

Of Baptism

Faith is annexed to Baptism.

Faith must have before it some external thing.

Faith makes the person worthy.

Baptism is not our work, but God's.

Baptism is right, although no man believes.

No man must build upon his faith.

Unbelief weakenes not God's Word.

Of the Lord's Supper

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is of God's ordaining.

The Word makes a Sacrament.

Christ in the Sacrament is spiritual food for the soul.

Remission of sins is obtained only through the Word.

Faith receives the forgiveness of sins.

The Sacrament consistes not in our worthiness.

Faith and human understanding are one against another.

Faith dependes on the Word.

As we hold of Christ, even so we have him.

Faith is a Christian's treasure.

The Gospel is the power of God.

Good Works

Good works are nameless.

A Christian's work stands for the good of the neighbour.

Faith in Christ destroyes sin.

The Holy Scriptures only give comfort, they forbid not good works.

Christ is a general good.

Christians do pray for and desire the last Day of Judgment.

The Church heares none but Christ.

Christ is of a mean estate and small repute.

In adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good spirits.

Our whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in him.

Faith makes us Christ's heritage.

We should aim at celestial honour, and not regard the contemning of men.

Christ spares us out of mere grace through the Word.

The Gospel is altogether joyful.

Grace condemnes all people's own righteousness.

Salvation is purchased and given unto us without our deserts.

Regeneration is the work only of the Holy Ghost.

Human reason cannot comprehend nor understand the goodness and benefits of God.

Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works.

Faith has regard to the Word, and not to the Preacher.

The Preacher and the Word are two Persons.

This natural life is a little piece of the life everlasting.

Own imaginations and conceits spoil all things.

The Gospel comes of God, it showes Christ, and requires Faith.

The Gospel is a light in the world, which lightenes mankind, and makes children of God.

False Preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.

Righteousness is obtained through faith, and not through works. Works make faith strong.

A Preacher is made good through temptations.

A Prince is venison in heaven.

A person must be good before his works can be good.

We must not be dejected, but believe and pray.

No State or Calling is of any value to make one good before God.

Faith endures no human traditions in the conscience.

The Saints often erred like men.

We must distinguish offices from the persons.

We hate punishment, but we love sin.

God preserves the sanctified, yea, even in the midst of errors.

No great Saint lived without errors.

A Christian's life consistes of three points—of faith, love, and the cross.

We command a Christian in nothing, he is only admonished.

We must curb ourselves in our own wills and minds.

All revenge among Christians is taken away; they must grow up and increase in the fruits of the spirit, among which love is the greatest, for she goes about with the people.

Human reason comprehendes not, nor understands that Christ is our brother.

Christ is given unto us that believe with all his benefits and works.

Christ comes unto us by preaching, so that he is in the midst of us.

Without the Cross we cannot attain to glory.

The Gospel cannot be truly preached without offence and tumult.

The Holy Ghost makes one not instantly complete, but he must grow and increase.

We lose nothing by the Gospel, therefore we should venture thereupon all we have.

To believe the Gospel, deliveres from sins.

Works belong to the neighbour, faith to God.

Those that censure and judge others, condemn themselves.

Such as is the Faith, such is also the benefit.

To doubt is sin and everlasting death.

We know Christ when he himself is a schoolmaster in our hearts, and breakes bread unto us.

God's Word kindles Faith in the heart.

Faith is to build certainly on God's mercy.

Christ requires no seeming godliness, no hypocrisy nor dissembling, but the godliness of the heart.

We are saved merely by grace and mercy, if we trust thereupon, but God must alter our hearts.

The Law is nothing but a looking-glass.

Christ carries us upon his back before his Father.

Love regardes not unthankfulness.