第 23 节
作者:津夏      更新:2021-02-21 13:30      字数:9322
  must be done anyway without us; may also be done in us。 For as His name
  must be hallowed and His kingdom come without our prayer; so also His
  will must be done and succeed although the devil with all his adherents
  raise a great tumult; are angry and rage against it; and undertake to
  exterminate the Gospel utterly。 But for our own sakes we must pray that
  even against their fury His will be done without hindrance also among
  us; that they may not be able to accomplish anything and we remain firm
  against all violence and persecution; and submit to such will of God。
  Such prayer; then; is to be our protection and defense now; is to
  repel and put down all that the devil; Pope; bishops; tyrants; and
  heretics can do against our Gospel。 Let them all rage and attempt their
  utmost; and deliberate and resolve how they may suppress and
  exterminate us; that their will and counsel may prevail: over and
  against this one or two Christians with this petition alone shall be
  our wall against which they shall run and dash themselves to pieces。
  This consolation and confidence we have; that the will and purpose of
  the devil and of all our enemies shall and must fail and come to
  naught; however proud; secure; and powerful they know themselves to be。
  For if their will were not broken and hindered; the kingdom of God
  could not abide on earth nor His name be hallowed。
  The Fourth Petition。
  Give us this day our daily bread。
  Here; now; we consider the poor breadbasket; the necessaries of our
  body and of the temporal life。 It is a brief and simple word; but it
  has a very wide scope。 For when you mention and pray for daily bread;
  you pray for everything that is necessary in order to have and enjoy
  daily bread and; on the other hand; against everything which interferes
  with it。 Therefore you must open wide and extend your thoughts not only
  to the oven or the flour…bin but to the distant field and the entire
  land; which bears and brings to us daily bread and every sort of
  sustenance。 For if God did not cause it to grow; and bless and preserve
  it in the field; we could never take bread from the oven or have any to
  set upon the table。
  To comprise it briefly; this petition includes everything that belongs
  to our entire life in the world; because on that account alone do we
  need daily bread。 Now for our life it is not only necessary that our
  body have food and covering and other necessaries; but also that we
  spend our days in peace and quiet among the people with whom we live
  and have intercourse in daily business and conversation and all sorts
  of doings; in short; whatever pertains both to the domestic and to the
  neighborly or civil relation and government。 For where these two things
  are hindered 'intercepted and disturbed' that they do not prosper as
  they ought; the necessaries of life also are impeded; so that
  ultimately life cannot be maintained。 And there is; indeed; the
  greatest need to pray for temporal authority and government; as that by
  which most of all God preserves to us our daily bread and all the
  comforts of this life。 For though we have received of God all good
  things in abundance we are not able to retain any of them or use them
  in security and happiness; if He did not give us a permanent and
  peaceful government。 For where there are dissension; strife; and war;
  there the daily bread is already taken away; or at least checked。
  Therefore it would be very proper to place in the coat…of…arms of
  every pious prince a loaf of bread instead of a lion; or a wreath of
  rue; or to stamp it upon the coin; to remind both them and their
  subjects that by their office we have protection and peace; and that
  without them we could not eat and retain our daily bread。 Therefore
  they are also worthy of all honor; that we give to them for their
  office what we ought and can; as to those through whom we enjoy in
  peace and quietness what we have; because otherwise we would not keep a
  farthing; and that; in addition; we also pray for them that through
  them God may bestow on us the more blessing and good。
  Let this be a very brief explanation and sketch; showing how far this
  petition extends through all conditions on earth。 Of this any one might
  indeed make a long prayer; and with many words enumerate all the things
  that are included therein; as that we pray God to give us food and
  drink; clothing; house; and home; and health of body; also that He
  cause the grain and fruits of the field to grow and mature well;
  furthermore; that He help us at home towards good housekeeping; that He
  give and preserve to us a godly wife; children; and servants; that He
  cause our work; trade; or whatever we are engaged in to prosper and
  succeed; favor us with faithful neighbors and good friends; etc。
  Likewise; that He give to emperors; kings; and all estates; and
  especially to the rulers of our country and to all counselors;
  magistrates; and officers; wisdom; strength; and success that they may
  govern well and vanquish the Turks and all enemies; to subjects and the
  common people; obedience; peace; and harmony in their life with one
  another; and on the other hand; that He would preserve us from all
  sorts of calamity to body and livelihood; as lightning; hail; fire;
  flood; poison; pestilence; cattle…plague; war and bloodshed; famine;
  destructive beasts; wicked men; etc。 All this it is well to impress
  upon the simple; namely; that these things come from God; and must be
  prayed for by us。
  But this petition is especially directed also against our chief enemy;
  the devil。 For all his thought and desire is to deprive us of all that
  we have from God; or to hinder it; and he is not satisfied to obstruct
  and destroy spiritual government in leading souls astray by his lies
  and bringing them under his power; but he also prevents and hinders the
  stability of all government and honorable; peaceable relations on
  earth。
  There he causes so much contention; murder; sedition; and war also
  lightning and hail to destroy grain and cattle; to poison the air; etc。
  In short; he is sorry that any one has a morsel of bread from God and
  eats it in peace; and if it were in his power; and our prayer (next to
  God) did not prevent him; we would not keep a straw in the field; a
  farthing in the house; yea; not even our life for an hour; especially
  those who have the Word of God and would like to be Christians。
  Behold; thus God wishes to indicate to us how He cares for us in all
  our need; and faithfully provides also for our temporal support。 and
  although He abundantly grants and preserves these things even to the
  wicked and knaves; yet He wishes that we pray for them; in order that
  we may recognize that we receive them from His hand; and may feel His
  paternal goodness toward us therein。 For when He withdraws His hand;
  nothing can prosper nor be maintained in the end; as; indeed; we daily
  see and experience。 How much trouble there is now in the world only on
  account of bad coin; yea; on account of daily oppression and raising of
  prices in common trade; bargaining and labor on the part of those who
  wantonly oppress the poor and deprive them of their daily bread! This
  we must suffer indeed; but let them take care that they do not lose the
  common intercession; and beware lest this petition in the Lord's Prayer
  be against them。
  The Fifth Petition。
  And forgive us our trespasses; as we forgive those who trespass
  against us。
  This part now relates to our poor miserable life; which; although we
  have and believe the Word of God; and do and submit to His will; and
  are supported by His gifts and blessings is nevertheless not without
  sin。 For we still stumble daily and transgress because we live in the
  world among men who do us much harm and give us cause for impatience;
  anger; revenge; etc。 Besides; we have Satan at our back; who sets upon
  us on every side; and fights (as we have heard) against all the
  foregoing petitions; so that it is not possible always to stand firm in
  such a persistent conflict。
  Therefore there is here again great need to call upon God and to pray:
  Dear Father; forgive us our trespasses。 Not as though He did not
  forgive sin without and even before our prayer (for He has given us the
  Gospel; in which is pure forgiveness before we prayed or ever thought
  about it)。 But this is to the intent that we may recognize and accept
  such forgiveness。 For since the flesh in which we daily live is of such
  a nature that it neither trusts nor believes God; and is ever active in
  evil lusts and devices; so that we sin daily in word and deed; by
  commission and omission by which the conscience is thrown into unrest;
  so that it is afraid of the wrath and displeasure of God; and thus
  loses the comfort and confidence derived from the Gospel; therefore it
  is ceaselessly necessary that we run hither and obtain consolation to
  comfort the conscience again。
  But this should serve God's purpose of breaking our pride and keeping
  us humble。 For in case any one should boast of his godliness and
  despise others; God has reserved this prerogative to Himself; that the
  person is to consider himself and place this prayer before his eyes;
  and he will find that he is no better than others; and that