Martin Luthers Large Catechism | Page 9

saints, or devils, and neither cares for God,
nor looks to Him for so much good as to believe that He is willing to
help, neither believes that whatever good it experiences comes from
God.
Besides, there is also a false worship and extreme idolatry, which we
have hitherto practiced, and is still prevalent in the world, upon which
also all ecclesiastical orders are founded, and which concerns the
conscience alone that seeks in its own works help, consolation, and
salvation, presumes to wrest heaven from God, and reckons how many

bequests it has made, how often it has fasted, celebrated Mass, etc.
Upon such things it depends, and of them boasts, as though unwilling
to receive anything from God as a gift, but desires itself to earn or merit
it superabundantly, just as though He must serve us and were our
debtor, and we His liege lords. What is this but reducing God to an idol,
yea, [a fig image or] an apple-god, and elevating and regarding
ourselves as God ? But this is slightly too subtle, and is not for young
pupils.
But let this be said to the simple, that they may well note and remember
the meaning of this commandment, namely, that we are to trust in God
alone, and look to Him and expect from Him naught but good, as from
one who gives us body, life, food, drink, nourishment, health,
protection, peace, and all necessaries of both temporal and eternal
things. He also preserves us from misfortune, and if any evil befall us,
delivers and rescues us, so that it is God alone (as has been sufficiently
said) from whom we receive all good, and by whom we are delivered
from all evil. Hence also, I think, we Germans from ancient times call
God (more elegantly and appropriately than any other language) by that
name from the word good as being an eternal fountain which gushes
forth abundantly nothing but what is good, and from which flows forth
all that is and is called good.
For even though otherwise we experience much good from men, still
whatever we receive by His command or arrangement is all received
from God. For our parents, and all rulers, and every one besides with
respect to his neighbor, have received from God the command that they
should do us all manner of good, so that we receive these blessings not
from them, but, through them, from God. For creatures are only the
hands, channels, and means whereby God gives all things, as He gives
to the mother breasts and milk to offer to her child, and corn and all
manner of produce from the earth for nourishment, none of which
blessings could be produced by any creature of itself.
Therefore no man should presume to take or give anything except as
God has commanded, in order that it may be acknowledged as God's
gift, and thanks may be rendered Him for it, as this commandment
requires. On this account also these means of receiving good gifts
through creatures are not to be rejected, neither should we in
presumption seek other ways and means than God has commanded. For

that would not be receiving from God, hut seeking of ourselves.
Let every one, then, see to it that he esteem this commandment great
and high above all things, and do not regard it as a joke. Ask and
examine your heart diligently, and you will find whether it cleaves to
God alone or not. If you have a heart that can expect of Him nothing
but what is good, especially in want and distress, and that, moreover
renounces and forsakes everything that is not God, then you have the
only true God. If on the contrary, it cleaves to anything else, of which it
expects more good and help than of God, and does not take refuge in
Him, but in adversity flees from Him, then you have an idol, another
god.
In order that it may be seen that God will not have this commandment
thrown to the winds, but will most strictly enforce it, He has attached to
it first a terrible threat, and then a beautiful, comforting promise which
is also to be urged and impressed upon young people, that they may
take it to heart and retain it:
[Exposition of the Appendix to the First Commandment.]
For I am the Lord, thy God, strong and jealous, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that
love Me and keep My commandments.
Although these words relate to all the commandments (as we shall
hereafter learn), yet they are joined to this chief commandment because
it is of first importance