Thus far we have heard the first part of Christian doctrine,in which we have seen all that God wishes us to do or to leave undone.Now,there properly follows the Creed,which sets forth to us everything that we must expect and receive from God,and,to state it quite briefly,teaches us to know Him fully.And this is intended to help us do that which according to the Ten Commandments we ought to do.For (as said above)they are set so high that all human ability is far too feeble and weak to [attain to or]keep them.Therefore it is as necessary to learn this part as the former in order that we may know how to attain thereto,whence and whereby to obtain such power.For if we could by our own powers keep the Ten Commandments as they are to be kept,we would need nothing further,neither the Creed nor the Lord's Prayer.But before we explain this advantage and necessity of the Creed,it is sufficient at first for the simple-minded that they learn to comprehend and understand the Creed itself.
In the first place,the Creed has hitherto been divided into twelve articles,although,if all points which are written in the Scriptures and which belong to the Creed were to be distinctly set forth,there would be far more articles,nor could they all be clearly expressed in so few words.But that it may be most easily and clearly understood as it is to be taught to children,we shall briefly sum up the entire Creed in three chief articles,according to the three persons in the Godhead,to whom everything that we believe is related,So that the First Article,of God the Father,explains Creation,the Second Article,of the Son,Redemption,and the Third,of the Holy Ghost,Sanctification.Just as though the Creed were briefly comprehended in so many words:I believe in God the Father,who has created me;Ibelieve in God the Son,who has redeemed me;I believe in the Holy Ghost,who sanctifies me.One God and one faith,but three persons,therefore also three articles or confessions.Let us briefly run over the words.
Article I.
I believe in God the Father Almighty,Maker of heaven and earth.
This portrays and sets forth most briefly what is the essence,will,activity,and work of God the Father.For since the Ten Commandments have taught that we are to have not more than one God,the question might be asked,What kind of a person is God?What does He do?How can we praise or portray and describe Him,that He may be known?Now,that is taught in this and in the following article,so that the Creed is nothing else than the answer and confession of Christians arranged with respect to the First Commandment.As if you were to ask a little child:
My dear,what sort of a God have you?What do you know of Him?he could say:This is my God:first,the Father,who has created heaven and earth;besides this only One I regard nothing else as God;for there is no one else who could create heaven and earth.
But for the learned,and those who are somewhat advanced [have acquired some Scriptural knowledge],these three articles may all be expanded and divided into as many parts as there are words.But now for young scholars let it suffice to indicate the most necessary points,namely,as we have said,that this article refers to the Creation:that we emphasize the words:Creator of heaven and earth But what is the force of this,or what do you mean by these words:I believe in God the Father Almighty,Maker,etc.?Answer:This is what I mean and believe,that I am a creature of God;that is,that He has given and constantly preserves to me my body,soul,and life,members great and small,all my senses,reason,and understanding,and so on,food and drink,clothing and support,wife and children,domestics,house and home,etc.Besides,He causes all creatures to serve for the uses and necessities of life --sun,moon and stars in the firmament,day and night,air,fire,water,earth,and whatever it bears and produces,birds and fishes,beasts,grain,and all kinds of produce,and whatever else there is of bodily and temporal goods,good government,peace,security.Thus we learn from this article that none of us has of himself,nor can preserve,his life nor anything that is here enumerated or can be enumerated,however small and unimportant a thing it might be,for all is comprehended in the word Creator.
Moreover,we also confess that God the Father has not only given us all that we have and see before our eyes,but daily preserves and defends us against all evil and misfortune,averts all sorts of danger and calamity;and that He does all this out of pure love and goodness,without our merit,as a benevolent Father,who cares for us that no evil befall us.But to speak more of this belongs in the other two parts of this article,where we say:Father Almighty Now,since:all that we possess,and,moreover,whatever,in addition,is in heaven and upon the earth,is daily given,preserved,and kept for us by God,it is readily inferred and concluded that it is our duty to love,praise,and thank Him for it without ceasing,and,in short,to serve Him with all these things as He demands and has enjoined in the Ten Commandments.
Here we could say much if we were to expatiate,how few there are that believe this article.For we all pass over it,hear it and say it,but neither see nor consider what the words teach us.For if we believed it with the heart,we would also act accordingly,and not stalk about proudly,act defiantly,and boast as though we had life,riches,power,and honor,etc.,of ourselves,so that others must fear and serve us,as is the practice of the wretched,perverse world,which is drowned in blindness,and abuses all the good things and gifts of God only for its own pride,avarice,lust,and luxury,and never once regards God,so as to thank Him or acknowledge Him as Lord and Creator.
