holidays are observed anyhow, such observance should be devoted to
hearing God's Word, so that the special function of this day should be
the ministry of the Word for the young and the mass of poor people, yet
that the resting be not so strictly interpreted as to forbid any other
incidental work that cannot be avoided.
Accordingly, when asked, What is meant by the commandment: Thou shalt
sanctify the holy day? answer: To sanctify the holy day is the same as
to keep it holy. But what is meant by keeping it holy? Nothing else
than to be occupied in holy words, works, and life. For the day needs
no sanctification for itself; for in itself it has been created holy
[from the beginning of the creation it was sanctified by its Creator].
But God desires it to be holy to you. Therefore it becomes holy or
unholy on your account, according as you are occupied on the same with
things that are holy or unholy.
How, then, does such sanctification take place? Not in this manner,
that [with folded hands] we sit behind the stove and do no rough
[external] work, or deck ourselves with a wreath and put on our best
clothes, but (as has been said) that we occupy ourselves with God's
Word, and exercise ourselves therein.
And, indeed, we Christians ought always to keep such a holy day, and be
occupied with nothing but holy things, i.e., daily be engaged upon
God's Word, and carry it in our hearts and upon our lips. But (as has
been said) since we do not at all times have leisure, we must devote
several hours a week for the sake of the young, or at least a day for
the sake of the entire multitude, to being concerned about this alone,
and especially urge the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's
Prayer, and thus direct our whole life and being according to God's
Word. At whatever time, then, this is being observed and practiced,
there a true holy day is being kept; otherwise it shall not be called a
Christians' holy day. For, indeed, non-Christians can also cease from
work and be idle, just as the entire swarm of our ecclesiastics, who
stand daily in the churches, singing, and ringing bells but keeping no
holy day holy, because they neither preach nor practices God's Word,
but teach and live contrary to it.
For the Word of God is the sanctuary above all sanctuaries, yea, the
only one which we Christians know and have. For though we had the bones
of all the saints or all holy and consecrated garments upon a heap,
still that would help us nothing; for all that is a dead thing which
can sanctify nobody. But God's Word is the treasure which sanctifies
everything, and by which even all the saints themselves were
sanctified. At whatever hour then, God's Word is taught, preached,
heard, read or meditated upon, there the person, day, and work are
sanctified thereby, not because of the external work, but because of
the Word which makes saints of us all. Therefore I constantly say that
all our life and work must be ordered according to God's Word, if it is
to be God-pleasing or holy. Where this is done, this commandment is in
force and being fulfilled.
On the contrary, any observance or work that is practiced without
God's Word is unholy before God, no matter how brilliantly it may
shine! even though it be covered with relics, such as the fictitious
spiritual orders which know nothing of God's Word and seek holiness in
their own works. Note, therefore, that the force and power of this
commandment lies not in the resting but in the sanctifying so that to
this day belongs a special holy exercise. For other works and
occupations are not properly called holy exercises, unless the man
himself be first holy. But here a work is to be done by which man is
himself made holy, which is done (as we have heard ) alone through
God's Word. For this, then, fixed places, times, persons, and the
entire external order of worship have been created and appointed, so
that it may be publicly in operation.
Since, therefore, so much depends upon God's Word that without it no
holy day can be sanctified, we must know that God insists upon a strict
observance of this commandment, and will punish all who despise His
Word and are not willing to hear and learn it, especially at the time
appointed for the purpose.
Therefore not only those sin against this commandment who grossly
misuse and desecrate the holy day, as those who on account of their
greed or frivolity neglect to hear God's Word or lie in taverns and are
dead drunk like swine; but also that other crowd, who listen to God's
Word as to any other trifle, and only from custom come to preaching,
and go away again, and at the end of the year know as little of it as
at the beginning. For hitherto the opinion prevailed that you had
properly hallowed Sunday when you had heard a mass or the Gospel read;
but no one cared for God's Word, as also no one taught it. Now, while
we have God's Word we nevertheless do not correct the abuse; we suffer
ourselves to be preached to and admonished, but we listen without
seriousness and care.
Know, therefore, that you must be concerned not only about hearing, but
also about learning and retaining it in memory, and do not think that
it is optional with you or of no great importance, but that it is God's
commandment, who will require of you how you have heard, learned, and
honored His Word.
Likewise those fastidious spirits are to be reproved who, when they
have heard a sermon or two, find it tedious and dull, thinking that
they know all that well enough, and need no more instruction. For just
that is the sin which has been hitherto reckoned among mortal sins, and
is called _achedia_, i.e., torpor or satiety, a malignant, dangerous
plague with which the devil bewitches and deceives the hearts of many,
that he may surprise us and secretly withdraw God's Word from us.
For let me tell you this, even though you know it perfectly and be
already master in all things, still you are daily in the dominion of
the devil, who ceases neither day nor night to steal unawares upon you,
to kindle in your heart unbelief and wicked thoughts against the
foregoing and all the commandments. Therefore you must always have
God's Word in your heart, upon your lips, and in your ears. But where
the heart is idle, and the Word does not sound, he breaks in and has
done the damage before we are aware. On the other hand, such is the
efficacy of the Word, whenever it is seriously contemplated heard, and
used, that it is bound never to be without fruit, but always awakens
new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness, and produces a pure heart
and pure thoughts. For these words are not inoperative or dead, but
creative, living words. And even though no other interest or necessity
impel us, yet this ought to urge every one thereunto, because thereby
the devil is put to flight and driven away, and, besides, this
commandment is fulfilled, and [this exercise in the Word] is more
pleasing to God than any work of hypocrisy, however brilliant.
The Fourth Commandment.
Thus far we have learned the first three commandments, which relate to
God. First that with our whole heart we trust in Him, and fear and love
Him throughout all our life. Secondly, that we do not misuse His holy
name in the support of falsehood or any bad work, but employ it to the
praise of God and the profit and salvation of our neighbor and
ourselves. Thirdly, that on holidays and when at rest we diligently
treat and urge God's Word, so that all our actions and our entire life
be ordered according to it. Now follow the other seven, which relate to
our neighbor among which the first and greatest is:
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.