a treatise on good works-第12章

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soul；　or　as　if　we　would　help　ourselves　in　spiritual　need；

although　it　really　is　greater　than　the　bodily　need。　Such　plan　and

counsel　is　of　the　devil。　



Not　so；　my　good　man！　If　you　wish　to　be　cured　of　sin；　you　must　not

withdraw　from　God；　but　run　to　Him；　and　pray　with　much　more

confidence　than　if　a　bodily　need　had　overtaken　you。　God　is　not

hostile　to　sinners；　but　only　to　unbelievers；　that　is；　to　such　as

do　not　recognize　and　lament　their　sin；　nor　seek　help　against　it

from　God；　but　in　their　own　presumption　wish　first　to　purify

themselves；　are　unwilling　to　be　in　need　of　His　grace；　and　will

not　suffer　Him　to　be　a　God　Who　gives　to　everyone　and　takes

nothing　in　return。　



XI。　All　this　has　been　said　of　prayer　for　personal　needs；　and　of

prayer　in　general。　But　the　prayer　which　really　belongs　to　this

Commandment　and　is　called　a　work　of　the　Holy　Day；　is　far　better

and　greater；　and　is　to　be　made　for　all　Christendom；　for　all　the

need　of　all　men；　of　foe　and　friend；　especially　for　those　who

belong　to　the　parish　or　bishopric。　



Thus　St。　Paul　commanded　his　disciple　Timothy：　exhort　thee；　that

thou　see　to　it；　that　prayers　and　intercessions　be　made　for　all

men；　for　kings；　and　for　all　that　are　in　authority；　that　we　may

lead　a　quiet　and　peaceable　life　in　all　godliness　and　honesty。　For

this　is　good　and　acceptable　in　the　sight　of　God　our　Saviour。〃　For

this　reason　Jeremiah；　chapter　xxix；　commanded　the　people　of

Israel　to　pray　for　the　city　and　land　of　Babylon；　because　in　the

peace　thereof　they　should　have　peace。　And　Baruch　i：　〃Pray　for　the

life　of　the　king　of　Babylon　and　for　the　life　of　his　son；　that　we

may　live　in　peace　under　their　rule。〃　



This　common　prayer　is　precious　and　the　most　powerful；　and　it　is

for　its　sake　that　we　come　together。　For　this　reason　also　the

Church　is　called　a　House　of　Prayer；　because　in　it　we　are　as　a

congregation　with　one　accord　to　consider　our　need　and　the　needs

of　all　men；　present　them　before　God；　and　call　upon　Him　for　mercy。

But　this　must　be　done　with　heart…felt　emotion　and　sincerity；　so

that　we　feel　in　our　hearts　the　need　of　all　men；　and　that　we　pray

with　true　sympathy　for　them；　in　true　faith　and　confidence。　Where

such　prayers　are　not　made　in　the　mass；　it　were　better　to　omit　the

mass。　For　what　sense　is　there　in　our　coming　together　into　a　House

of　Prayer；　which　coming　together　shows　that　we　should　make　common

prayer　and　petition　for　the　entire　congregation；　if　we　scatter

these　prayers；　and　so　distribute　them　that　everyone　prays　only

for　himself；　and　no　one　has　regard　for　the　other；　nor　concerns

himself　for　another's　need？　How　can　that　prayer　be　of　help；　good；

acceptable　and　a　common　prayer；　or　a　work　of　the　Holy　Day　and　of

the　assembled　congregation；　which　they　make　who　make　their　own

petty　prayers；　one　for　this；　the　other　for　that；　and　have　nothing

but　self…seeking；　selfish　prayers；　which　God　hates？　



XII。　A　suggestion　of　this　common　prayer　has　been　retained　from

ancient　practice；　when　at　the　end　of　the　sermon　the　Confession

of　Sins　is　said　and　prayer　is　made　on　the　pulpit　for　all

Christendom。　But　this　should　not　be　the　end　of　the　matter；　as　is

now　the　custom　and　fashion；　it　should　be　an　exhortation　to　pray

throughout　the　entire　mass　for　such　need　as　the　preacher　makes

us　feel；　and　in　order　that　we　may　pray　worthily；　he　first　exhorts

us　because　of　our　sin；　and　thereby　makes　us　humble。　This　should

be　done　as　briefly　as　possible；　that　then　the　entire　congregation

may　confess　their　own　sin　and　pray　for　every　one　with　earnestness

and　faith。　



Oh；　if　God　granted　that　any　congregation　at　all　heard　mass　and

prayed　in　this　way；　so　that　a　common　earnest　heart…cry　of　the

entire　people　would　rise　up　to　God；　what　immeasurable　virtue　and

help　would　result　from　such　a　prayer！　What　more　terrible　thing

could　happen　to　all　the　evil　spirits？　What　greater　work　could　be

done　on　earth；　whereby　so　many　pious　souls　would　be　preserved；

so　many　sinners　converted？　



For；　indeed；　the　Christian　Church　on　earth　has　no　greater　power

or　work　than　such　common　prayer　against　everything　that　may

oppose　it。　This　the　evil　spirit　knows　well；　and　therefore　he　does

all　that　he　can　to　prevent　such　prayer。　Gleefully　he　lets　us　go

on　building　churches；　endowing　many　monastic　houses；　making

music；　reading；　singing；　observing　many　masses；　and　multiplying

ceremonies　beyond　all　measure。　This　does　not　grieve　him；　nay；　he

helps　us　do　it；　that　we　may　consider　such　things　the　very　best；

and　think　that　thereby　we　have　done　our　whole　duty。　But　in　that

meanwhile　this　common；　effectual　and　fruitful　prayer　perishes　and

its　omission　is　unnoticed　because　of　such　display；　in　this　he　has

what　he　seeks。　For　when　prayer　languishes；　no　one　will　take

anything　from　him；　and　no　one　will　withstand　him。　But　if　he

noticed　that　we　wished　to　practise　this　prayer；　even　if　it　were

under　a　straw　roof　or　in　a　pig…sty；　he　would　indeed　not　endure

it；　but　would　fear　such　a　pig…sty　far　more　than　all　the　high；　big

and　beautiful　churches；　towers　and　bells　in　existence；　if　such

prayer　be　not　in　them。　It　is　indeed　not　a　question　of　the　places

and　buildings　in　which　we　assemble；　but　only　of　this

unconquerable　prayer；　that　we　pray　it　and　bring　it　before　God　as

a　truly　common　prayer。　



XIII。　The　power　of　this　prayer　we　see　in　the　fact　that　in　olden

times　Abraham　prayed　for　the　five　cities；　Sodom；　Gomorrah；　etc。；

Genesis　xviii；　and　accomplished　so　much；　that　if　there　had　been

ten　righteous　people　in　them；　two　in　each　city；　God　would　not

have　destroyed　them。　What　then　could　many　men　do；　if　they　united

in　calling　upon　God　earnestly　and　with　sincere　confidence？　



St。　James　also　says：　〃Dear　brethren；　pray　for　one　another；　that

ye　may　be　saved。　For　the　prayer　of　a　righteous　man　availeth　much；

a　prayer　that　perseveres　and　does　not　cease〃　（that　is；　which　does

not　cease　asking　ever　more　and　more；　although　what　it　asks　is　not

immediately　granted；　as　some　timid　men　do）。　And　as　an　example　in

this　matter　he　sets　before　us　Elijah；　the　Prophet；　〃who　was　a

man；〃　he　says；　〃as　we　are；　and　prayed；　that　it　might　not　rain；

and　it　rained　not　by　the　space　of　three　years　and　six　months。　And

he　prayed　again；　and　it　rained；　and　everything　became　fruitful。〃

There　are　many　texts　and　examples　in　the　Scriptures　which　urge

us　to　pray；　only　that　it　be　done　with　earnestness　and　faith。　As

David　says；　〃The　eyes　of　the　Lord　are　upon　the　righteous；　and　His

ears　are　open　unto　their　cry。〃　Again；　〃The　Lord　is　nigh　unto　all

them　that　call　upon　Him；　to　all　that　call　upon　Him　in　truth。〃　Why

does　he　add；　〃call　upon　Him　in　truth〃？　Because　that　is　not　prayer

nor　calling　upon　God　when　the　mouth　alone　mumbles。　



What　should　God　do；　if　you　come　along　with　your　mouth；　book　or

Paternoster；　and　think　of　nothing　except　that　you　may　finish　the

words　and　complete　the　number？　So　that　if　some　one　were　to　ask

you　what　it　all　was　about；　or　what　it　was　that　you　prayed　for；

you　yourself　would　not　know；　for　you　had　not　thought　of　laying

this　or　that　matter　before　God　or　desiring　it。　Your　only　reason

for　praying　is　that　you　are　commanded　to　pray　this　and　so　much；

and　this　you　intend　to　do　in　full。　What　wonder　that　thunder　and

lightning　frequently　set　churches　on　fire；　because　we　thus　make

of　the　House　of　Prayer　a　house　of　mockery；　and　call　that　prayer

in　which　we　bring　nothing　before　God　and　desire　nothing　from　Him。　



But　we　should　do　as　they　do　who　wish　to　ask　a　favor　of　great

princes。　These　do　not　plan　merely　to　babble　a　certain　number　of

words；　for　the　prince　would　think　they　mocked　him；　or　were

insane；　but　they　put　their　request　very　plainly；　and　present

their　need　earnestly；　and　then　leave　it　to　his　mercy；　in　good

confidence　that　he　will　grant　it。　So　we　must　deal　with　God　of

definite　things；　namely；　mention　some　present　need；　commend　it

to　His　mercy　and　good…will；　and　not　doubt　that　it　is　heard；　for

He　has　promised　to　hear　such　prayer；　which　no　earthly　lord　has

done。　



XIV。　We　are　masters　in　this　form　of　prayer　when　we　suffer　bodily

need；　when　we　are　sick　we　call　here　upon　St。　Christopher；　there

upon　St。　Barbara；　we　vow　a　pilgrimage　to　St。　James；　to　this　place

and　to　that；　then　we　make　earnest　prayer；　have　a　good　confidence

and　every　good　kind　of　prayer。　But　when　we　are　in　our　churches

during　mass；　we　stand　like　images　of　saints；　know　nothing　to

speak　of　or　to　lament；　the　beads　rattle；　the　pages　rustle　and　the

mouth　babbles；　and　that　is　all　there　is　to　it。　



But　if　you　ask　what　you　shall　speak　of　and　lament　in　your　prayer；

you　can　easily　learn　from　the　Ten　Commandments　and　the　Lord's

Prayer。　Open　your　eyes　and　look　into　your　life　and　the　life　of

all　Christians；　especially　of　the　spiritual　estate；　and　you　will

find　how　faith；　hope；　love；　obedience；　chastity　and　every　virtue

languish；　and　all　manner　of　heinous　vices　reign；　what　a　lack

there　is　of　good　preachers　and　prelates；　how　only　knaves；

children；　fools　and　women　rule。　Then　you　will　see　that　there　were

need　every　hour　without　ceasing　to　pray　everywhere　with　tears　of

blood　to　God；　Who　is　so　terribly　angry　with　men。　And　it　is　true

that　it　has　never　been　more　necessary　to　pray　than　at　this　time；

and　it　will　be　more　so　from　now　on　to　the　end　of　the　world。　If

such　terrible　crimes　do　not　move　you　to　lament　and　complain；　do

not　permit　yourself　to　be　led　astray　by　your　rank；　station；　good

works　or　prayer：　there　is　no　Christian　vein　or　trait　in　you；

however　righteous　you　may　be。　But　it　has　all　been　foretold；　that

when　God's　anger　is　greatest　and　Christendom　suffers　the　greatest

need；　then　petitioners　and　supplicants　before　God　shall　not　be

found；　as　Isaiah　says　with　tears；　chapter　lxiv：　〃Thou　art　angry

with　us；　and　there　is　none　that　calleth　upon　Thy　Name；　that

stirreth　up　himself　to　take　hold　of　Thee。〃　Likewise；　Ezekiel

xxii：　〃I　sought　for　a　man　among　them；　that　should　make　up　the

hedge；　and　stand　in　the　gap　before　me　for　the　land；　that　I　should

not　destroy　it；　but　I　found　none。　Therefore　have　I　poured　out

Mine　indignation　upon　them；　I　have　consumed　them　with　the　fire

of　My　wrath。〃　With　these　words　God　indicates　how　He　wants　us　to

withstand　Him　and　turn　away　His　anger　from　one　another；　as　it　is

frequently　written　of　the　Prophet　Moses；　that　he　restrained　God；

lest　His　anger　should　overwhelm　the　people　of　Israel。　



XV。　But　what　will　they　do；　who　not　only　do　not　regard　such

misfortune　of　Christendom；　and　do　not　pray　against　it；　but　laugh

at　it；　take　pleasure　in　it；　condemn；　malign；　sing　and　talk　of

their　neighbor's　sins；　and　yet　dare；　unafraid　and　unashamed；　go

to　church；　hear　mass；　say　prayers；　and　regard　themselves　and　are

regarded　as　pious　Christians？　These　truly　are　in　need　that　we

pray　twice　for　them；　if　we　pray　once　for　those　whom　they　condemn；

talk　about　and　laugh　at。　That　there　would　be　such　is　also

prophesied　by　the　thief　on　Christ's　left　hand；　who　blasphemed　Him

in　His　suffering