Thou shalt honor thy father and thy
mother.
To this estate of fatherhood and motherhood God
has given the special distinction above all estates that are beneath it that He
not simply commands us to love our parents, but to honor them. For with respect
to brothers, sisters, and our neighbors in general He commands nothing higher
than that we love them, so that He separates and distinguishes father and
mother above all other persons upon earth, and places them at His side. For it
is a far higher thing to honor than to love one, inasmuch as it comprehends not
only love, but also modesty, humility, and deference as to a majesty there
hidden, and requires not only that they be addressed kindly and with reverence,
but, most of all that both in heart and with the body we so act as to show that
we esteem them very highly, and that, next to God, we regard them as the very
highest. For one whom we are to honor from the heart we must truly regard as
high and great.
We must, therefore impress it upon the young that
they should regard their parents as in God's stead, and remember that however
lowly, poor, frail, and queer they may be, nevertheless they are father and
mother given them by God. They are not to be deprived of their honor because of
their conduct or their failings. Therefore we are not to regard their persons,
how they may be, but the will of God who has thus created and ordained. In
other respects we are, indeed, all alike in the eyes of God; but among us there
must necessarily be such inequality and ordered difference, and therefore God
commands it to be observed, that you obey me as your father, and that I have
the supremacy.
Learn, therefore, first, what is the honor
towards parents required by this commandment to wit, that they be held in
distinction and esteem above all things, as the most precious treasure on
earth. Furthermore, that also in our words we observe modesty toward them, do
not accost them roughly, haughtily, and defiantly, but yield to them and be
silent even though they go too far. Thirdly, that we show them such honor also
by works, that is, with our body and possessions, that we serve them, help
them, and provide for them when they are old, sick, infirm, or poor, and all
that not only gladly, but with humility and reverence, as doing it before God.
For he who knows how to regard them in his heart will not allow them to suffer
want or hunger, but will place them above him and at his side, and will share
with them whatever he has and possesses.
Secondly, notice how great, good, and holy a work
is here assigned children, which is alas! utterly neglected and disregarded,
and no one perceives that God has commanded it or that it is a holy, divine
Word and doctrine. For if it had been regarded as such, every one could have
inferred that they must be holy men who live according to these words. Thus
there would have been no need of inventing monasticism nor spiritual orders,
but every child would have abided by this commandment, and could have directed
his conscience to God and said: "If I am to do good and holy works, I know of
none better than to render all honor and obedience to my parents, because God
has Himself commanded it. For what God commands must be much and far nobler
than everything that we may devise ourselves, and since there is no higher or
better teacher to be found than God, there can be no better doctrine, indeed,
than He gives forth. Now, He teaches fully what we should do if we wish to
perform truly good works, and by commanding them, He shows that they please
Him. If, then, it is God who commands this, and who knows not how to appoint
anything better, I will never improve upon it."
Behold, in this manner we would have had a godly
child properly taught, reared in true blessedness, and kept at home in
obedience to his parents and in their service, so that men should have had
blessing and joy from the spectacle. However, God's commandment was not
permitted to be thus [with such care and diligence] commended, but had to be
neglected and trampled under foot, so that a child could not lay it to heart,
and meanwhile gaped [like a panting wolf] at the devices which we set up,
without once [consulting or] giving reverence to God.
Let us, therefore, learn at last, for God's sake,
that, placing all other things out of sight, our youths look first to this
commandment, if they wish to serve God with truly good works, that they do what
is pleasing to their fathers and mothers, or to those to whom they may be
subject in their stead. For every child that knows and does this has, in the
first place, this great consolation in his heart that he can joyfully say and
boast (in spite of and against all who are occupied with works of their own
choice): "Behold, this work is well pleasing to my God in heaven that I know
for certain." Let them all come together with their many great, distressing,
and difficult works and make their boast, we will see whether they can show one
that is greater and nobler than obedience to father and mother, to whom God has
appointed and commanded obedience next to His own majesty; so that if God's
Word and will are in force and being accomplished nothing shall be esteemed
higher than the will and word of parents; yet so that it, too, is subordinated
to obedience toward God and is not opposed to the preceding commandments.
Therefore you should be heartily glad and thank
God that He has chosen you and made you worthy to do a work so precious and
pleasing to Him. Only see that, although it be regarded as the most humble and
despised you esteem it great and precious, not on account of our worthiness,
but because it is comprehended in, and controlled by, the jewel and sanctuary,
namely, the Word and commandment of God. Oh, what a high price would all;
Carthusians, monks, and nuns pay, if in all their religious doings they could
bring into God's presence a single work done by virtue of His commandment, and
be able before His face to say with joyful heart: "Now I know that this work is
well pleasing to Thee." Where will these poor wretched persons hide when in the
sight of God and all the world they shall blush with shame before a young child
who has lived according to this commandment, and shall have to confess that
with their whole life they are not worthy to give it a drink of water? And it
serves them right for their devilish perversion in treading God's commandment
under foot that they must vainly torment themselves with works of their own
device, and, in addition, have scorn and loss for their reward.
Should not the heart, then, leap and melt for joy
when going to work and doing what is commanded, saying: Lo, this is better than
all holiness of the Carthusians, even though they kill themselves fasting and
praying upon their knees without ceasing? For here you have a sure text and a
divine testimony that He has enjoined this, but concerning the other He did not
command a word. But this is the plight and miserable blindness of the world
that no one believes these things; to such an extent the devil has deceived us
with false holiness and the glamour of our own works.
Therefore I would be very glad (I say it again)
if men would open their eyes and ears and take this to heart, lest some time we
may again be led astray from the pure Word of God to the lying vanities of the
devil. Then, too, all would be well; for parents would have more joy, love,
friendship, and concord in their houses; thus the children could captivate
their parents' hearts. On the other hand, when they are obstinate, and will not
do what they ought until a rod is laid upon their back, they anger both God and
their parents, whereby they deprive themselves of this treasure and joy of
conscience and lay up for themselves only misfortune. Therefore, as every one
complains, the course of the world now is such that both young and old are
altogether dissolute and beyond control, have no reverence nor sense of honor,
do nothing except as they are driven to it by blows, and perpetrate what wrong
and detraction they can behind each other's back; therefore God also punishes
them, that they sink into all kinds of filth and misery. As a rule, the
parents, too, are themselves stupid and ignorant; one fool trains [teaches]
another, and as they have lived, so live their children after them.
This, now, I say should be the first and most
important consideration to urge us to the observance of this commandment; on
which account, even if we had no father and mother we ought to wish that God
would set up wood and stone before Us, whom we might call father and mother.
How much more, since He has given us living parents, should we rejoice to show
them honor and obedience, because we know it is so highly pleasing to the
Divine Majesty and to all angels, and vexes all devils, and is, besides, the
highest work which we can do, after the sublime divine worship comprehended in
the previous commandments, so that giving of alms and every other good work
toward our neighbor are not equal to this. For God has assigned this estate the
highest place, yea, has set it up in His own stead, upon earth. This will and
pleasure of God ought to be a sufficient reason and incentive to us to do what
we can with good will and pleasure.
Besides this, it is our duty before the world to
be grateful for benefits and every good which we have of our parents. But here
again the devil rules in the world, so that the children forget their parents,
as we all forget God, and no one considers how God nourishes, protects, and
defends us, and bestows so much good on body and soul; especially when an evil
hour comes we are angry and grumble with impatience and all the good which we
have received throughout our life is wiped out [from our memory]. Just so we do
also with our parents, and there is no child that understands and considers
this [what the parents have endured while nourishing and fostering him], except
the Holy Ghost grant him this grace.
God knows very well this perverseness of the
world; therefore He admonishes and urges by commandments that every one
consider what his parents have done for him and he will find that he has from
them body and life, moreover, that he has been fed and reared when otherwise he
would have perished a hundred times in his own filth. Therefore it is a true
and good saying of old and wise men: Deo, parentibus et magistris non potest
satis gratiae rependi, that is, To God, to parents, and to teachers we can
never render sufficient gratitude and compensation. He that regards and
considers this will indeed without compulsion do all honor to his parents, and
bear them up on his hands as those through whom God has done him all good.
Over and above all this, another great reason
that should incite us the more [to obedience to this commandment] is that God
attaches to this commandment a temporal promise and says: That thou mayest live
long upon the land which the Lord, thy God, giveth thee.
Here you can see yourself how much God is in
earnest in respect to this commandment, inasmuch as He not only declares that
it is well pleasing to Him, and that He has joy and delight therein; but also
that it shall be for our prosperity and promote our highest good; so that we
may have a pleasant and agreeable life, furnished with every good thing.
Therefore also St. Paul greatly emphasizes the same and rejoices in it when he
says, Eph. 6, 2. 3: This is the first commandment with promise: That it may be
well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. For although the rest
also have their promises contained in them, yet in none is it so plainly and
explicitly stated.
Here, then, you have the fruit and the reward,
that whoever observes this commandment shall have happy days, fortune, and
prosperity; and on the other hand, the punishment, that whoever is disobedient
shall the sooner perish, and never enjoy life. For to have long life in the
sense of the Scriptures is not only to become old, but to have everything which
belongs to long life, such as health, wife, and children, livelihood, peace,
good government, etc., without which this life can neither be enjoyed in
cheerfulness nor long endure. If, therefore, you will not obey father and
mother and submit to their discipline, then obey the hangman; if you will not
obey him, then submit to the skeleton-man, i.e., death [death the all-subduer,
the teacher of wicked children]. For on this God insists peremptorily: Either
if you obey Him rendering love and service, He will reward you abundantly with
all good, or if you offend Him, He will send upon you both death and the
hangman.
Whence come so many knaves that must daily be
hanged, beheaded, broken upon the wheel, but from disobedience [to parents],
because they will not submit to discipline in kindness, so that, by the
punishment of God, they bring it about that we behold their misfortune and
grief? For it seldom happens that such perverse people die a natural or timely
death.
But the godly and obedient have this blessing,
that they live long in pleasant quietness and see their children's children (as
said above) to the third and fourth generation.
Thus experience also teaches, that where there
are honorable, old families who fare well and have many children, they owe
their origin to the fact, to be sure, that some of them were brought up well
and were regardful of their parents. On the other hand, it is written of the
wicked, Ps. 109,13: Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation
following let their name be blotted out. Therefore heed well how great a thing
in God's sight obedience is since He so highly esteems it, is so highly pleased
with it, and rewards it so richly, and besides enforces punishment so
rigorously on those who act contrariwise.
All this I say that it may be well impressed upon
the young. For no one believes how necessary this commandment is, although it
has not been esteemed and taught hitherto under the papacy. These are simple
and easy words, and everybody thinks he knew them a fore; therefore men pass
them lightly by, are gaping after other matters, and do not see and believe
that God is so greatly offended if they be disregarded, nor that one does a
work so well pleasing and precious if he follows them.
In this commandment belongs a further statement
regarding all kinds of obedience to persons in authority who have to command
and to govern. For all authority flows and is propagated from the authority of
parents. For where a father is unable alone to educate his [rebellious and
irritable] child, he employs a schoolmaster to instruct him; if he be too weak,
he enlists the aid of his friends and neighbors; if he departs this life, he
delegates and confers his authority and government upon others who are
appointed for the purpose. Likewise, he must have domestics, man-servants and
maid-servants, under himself for the management of the household, so that all
whom we call masters are in the place of parents and must derive their power
and authority to govern from them. Hence also they are all called fathers in
the Scriptures, as those who in their government perform the functions of a
father, and should have a paternal heart toward their subordinates. As also
from antiquity the Romans and other nations called the masters and mistresses
of the household patres- et matresfamiliae that is, housefathers and
housemothers. So also they called their national rulers and overlords patres
patriae, that is fathers of the entire country, for a great shame to us who
would be Christians that we do not likewise call them so, or, at least do not
esteem and honor them as such.
Now, what a child owes to father and mother, the
same owe all who are embraced in the household. Therefore man-servants and
maid-servants should be careful not only to be obedient to their masters and
mistresses but also to honor them as their own fathers and mothers, and to do
everything which they know is expected of them, not from compulsion and with
reluctance, but with pleasure and joy for the cause just mentioned, namely that
it is God's command and is pleasing to Him above all other works. Therefore
they ought rather to pay wages in addition and be glad that they may obtain
masters and mistresses to have such joyful consciences and to know how they may
do truly golden works; a matter which has hitherto been neglected and despised,
when, instead, everybody ran in the devil's name, into convents or to
pilgrimages and indulgences, with loss [of time and money] and with an evil
conscience.
If this truth, then, could be impressed upon the
poor people, a servant-girl would leap and praise and thank God; and with her
tidy work for which she receives support and wages she would acquire such a
treasure as all that are esteemed the greatest saints have not obtained. Is it
not an excellent boast to know and say that, if you perform your daily domestic
task, this is better than all the sanctity and ascetic life of monks? And you
have the promise, in addition, that you shall prosper in all good and fare
well. How can you lead a more blessed or holier life as far as your works are
concerned? For in the sight of God faith is what really renders a person holy,
and alone serves Him, but the works are for the service of man. There you have
everything good, protection and defense in the Lord, a joyful conscience and a
gracious God besides, who will reward you a hundredfold, so that you are even a
nobleman if you be only pious and obedient. But if not, you have, in the first
place, nothing but the wrath and displeasure of God, no peace of heart, and
afterwards all manner of plagues and misfortunes.
Whoever will not be influenced by this and
inclined to godliness we hand over to the hangman and to the skeleton-man.
Therefore let every one who allows himself to be advised remember that God is
not making sport, and know that it is God who speaks with you and demands
obedience. If you obey Him, you are His dear child; but if you despise to do
it, then take shame, misery, and grief for your reward.
The same also is to be said of obedience to civil
government, which (as we have said) is all embraced in the estate of fatherhood
and extends farthest of all relations. For here the father is not one of a
single family, but of as many people as he has tenants, citizens, or subjects.
For through them, as through our parents, God gives to us food, house and home,
protection and security. Therefore since they bear such name and title with all
honor as their highest dignity, it is our duty to honor them and to esteem them
great as the dearest treasure and the most precious jewel upon earth.
He, now, who is obedient here, is willing and
ready to serve, and cheerfully does all that pertains to honor, knows that he
is pleasing God and that he will receive joy and happiness for his reward. If
he will not do it in love, but despises and resists [authority] or rebels, let
him also know, on the other hand, that he shall have no favor nor blessing, and
where he thinks to gain a florin thereby, he will elsewhere lose ten times as
much, or become a victim to the hangman, perish by war, pestilence, and famine,
or experience no good in his children, and be obliged to suffer injury,
injustice, and violence at the hands of his servants, neighbors, or strangers
and tyrants; so that what we seek and deserve is paid back and comes home to
us.
If we would ever suffer ourselves to be persuaded
that such works are pleasing to God and have so rich a reward, we would be
established in altogether abundant possessions and have what our heart desires.
But because the word and command of God are so lightly esteemed, as though some
babbler had spoken it, let us see whether you are the man to oppose Him. How
difficult, do you think, it will be for Him to recompense you! Therefore you
would certainly live much better with the divine favor, peace, and happiness
than with His displeasure and misfortune. Why, think you, is the world now so
full of unfaithfulness, disgrace, calamity, and murder, but because every one
desires to be his own master and free from the emperor, to care nothing for any
one, and do what pleases him? Therefore God punishes one knave by another, so
that, when you defraud and despise your master, another comes and deals in like
manner with you, yea, in your household you must suffer ten times more from
wife, children, or servants.
Indeed, we feel our misfortune, we murmur and
complain of unfaithfulness, violence, and injustice, but will not see that we
ourselves are knaves who have fully deserved this punishment, and yet are not
thereby reformed. We will have no favor and happiness, therefore it is but fair
that we have nothing but misfortune without mercy. There must still be
somewhere upon earth some godly people because God continues to grant us so
much good! On our own account we should not have a farthing in the house nor a
straw in the field. All this I have been obliged to urge with so many words, in
hope that some one may take it to heart, that we may be relieved of the
blindness and misery in which we are steeped so deeply, and may truly
understand the Word and will of God, and earnestly accept it. For thence we
would learn how we could have joy, happiness, and salvation enough, both
temporal and eternal.
Thus we have two kinds of fathers presented in
this commandment, fathers in blood and fathers in office, or those to whom
belongs the care of the family, and those to whom belongs the care of the
country. Besides these there are yet spiritual fathers; not like those in the
Papacy, who have indeed had themselves called thus, but have performed no
function of the paternal office. For those only are called spiritual fathers
who govern and guide us by the Word of God; as St. Paul boasts his fatherhood 1
Cor. 4, 15, where he says: In Christ Jesus I hove begotten you through the
Gospel. Now, since they are fathers they are entitled to their honor, even
above all others. But here it is bestowed least; for the way which the world
knows for honoring them is to drive them out of the country and to grudge them
a piece of bread and, in short, they must be (as says St. Paul 1 Cor. 4, 13) as
the filth of the world and everybody's refuse and footrag.
Yet there is need that this also be urged upon
the populace, that those who would be Christians are under obligation in the
sight of God to esteem them worthy of double honor who minister to their souls,
that they deal well with them and provide for them. For that, God is willing to
add to you sufficient blessing and will not let you come to want. But in this
matter every one refuses and resists, and all are afraid that they will perish
from bodily want, and cannot now support one respectable preacher, where
formerly they filled ten fat paunches. In this we also deserve that God deprive
us of His Word and blessing, and again allow preachers of lies to arise to lead
us to the devil, and, in addition, to drain our sweat and blood.
But those who keep in sight God's will and
commandment have the promise that everything which they bestow upon temporal
and spiritual fathers, and whatever they do to honor them, shall be richly
recompensed to them, so that they shall have, not bread, clothing, and money
for a year or two, but long life, support, and peace, and shall be eternally
rich and blessed. Therefore only do what is your duty, and let God take care
how He is to support you and provide for you sufficiently. Since He has
promised it, and has never yet lied, He will not be found lying to you.
This ought indeed to encourage us, and give us
hearts that would melt in pleasure and love toward those to whom we owe honor,
so that we would raise our hands and joyfully thank God who has given us such
promises, for which we ought to run to the ends of the world [to the remotest
parts of India]. For although the whole world should combine, it could not add
an hour to our life or give us a single grain from the earth. But God wishes to
give you all exceeding abundantly according to your heart's desire. He who
despises and casts this to the winds is not worthy ever to hear a word of God.
This has now been stated more than enough for all who belong under this
commandment.
In addition, it would be well to preach to the
parents also, and such as bear their office, as to how they should deport
themselves toward those who are committed to them for their government. For
although this is not expressed in the Ten Commandments, it is nevertheless
abundantly enjoined in many places in the Scriptures. And God desires to have
it embraced in this commandment when He speaks of father and mother. For He
does not wish to have in this office and government knaves and tyrants; nor
does He assign to them this honor, that is, power and authority to govern, that
they should have themselves worshiped; but they should consider that they are
under obligations of obedience to God; and that, first of all, they should
earnestly and faithfully discharge their office, not only to support and
provide for the bodily necessities of their children, servants, subjects, etc.,
but, most of all, to train them to the honor and praise of God. Therefore do
not think that this is left to your pleasure and arbitrary will, but that it is
a strict command and injunction of God, to whom also you must give account for
it.
But here again the sad plight arises that no one
perceives or heeds this, and all live on as though God gave us children for our
pleasure or amusement, and servants that we should employ them like a cow or
ass, only for work, or as though we were only to gratify our wantonness with
our subjects, ignoring them, as though it were no concern of ours what they
learn or how they live; and no one is willing to see that this is the command
of the Supreme Majesty, who will most strictly call us to account and punish us
for it; nor that there is so great need to be so seriously concerned about the
young. For if we wish to have excellent and apt persons both for civil and
ecclesiastical government we must spare no diligence, time, or cost in teaching
and educating our children, that they may serve God and the world, and we must
not think only how we may amass money and possessions for them. For God can
indeed without us support and make them rich, as He daily does. But for this
purpose He has given us children, and issued this command that we should train
and govern them according to His will, else He would have no need of father and
mother. Let every one know therefore, that it is his duty, on peril of losing
the divine favor, to bring up his children above all things in the fear and
knowledge of God, and if they are talented, have them learn and study
something, that they may be employed for whatever need there is [to have them
instructed and trained in a liberal education, that men may be able to have
their aid in government and in whatever is necessary].
If that were done, God would also richly bless us
and give us grace to train men by whom land and people might be improved and
likewise well educated citizens, chaste and domestic wives, who afterwards
would rear godly children and servants. Here consider now what deadly injury
you are doing if you be negligent and fail on your part to bring up your child
to usefulness and piety, and how you bring upon yourself all sin and wrath,
thus earning hell by your own children, even though you be otherwise pious and
holy. And because this is disregarded, God so fearfully punishes the world that
there is no discipline, government, or peace, of which we all complain, but do
not see that it is our fault; for as we train them, we have spoiled and
disobedient children and subjects. Let this be sufficient exhortation; for to
draw this out at length belongs to another time.