第 10 节
作者:津夏      更新:2021-02-21 13:30      字数:9322
  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。
  The Fifth Commandment。
  Thou shalt not kill。
  We have now completed both the spiritual and the temporal government;
  that is; the divine and the paternal authority and obedience。 But here
  now we go forth from our house among our neighbors to learn how we
  should live with one another; every one himself toward his neighbor。
  Therefore God and government are not included in this commandment nor
  is the power to kill; which they have taken away。 For God has delegated
  His authority to punish evil…doers to the government instead of
  parents; who aforetime (as we read in Moses) were required to bring
  their own children to judgment and sentence them to death。 Therefore;
  what is here forbidden is forbidden to the individual in his relation
  to any one else; and not to the government。
  Now this commandment is easy enough and has been often treated;
  because we hear it annually in the Gospel of St。 Matthew; 5; 21 ff。;
  where Christ Himself explains and sums it up; namely; that we must not
  kill neither with hand; heart; mouth; signs; gestures; help; nor
  counsel。 Therefore it is here forbidden to every one to be angry;
  except those (as we said) who are in the place of God; that is; parents
  and the government。 For it is proper for God and for every one who is
  in a divine estate to be angry; to reprove and punish; namely; on
  account of those very persons who transgress this and the other
  commandments。
  But the cause and need of this commandment is that God well knows that
  the world is evil; and that this life has much unhappiness; therefore
  He has placed this and the other commandments between the good and the
  evil。 Now; as there are many assaults upon all commandments; so it
  happens also in this commandment that we must live among many people
  who do us harm; so that we have cause to be hostile to them。
  As when your neighbor sees that you have a better house and home 'a
  larger family and more fertile fields'; greater possessions and fortune
  from God than he; he is sulky; envies you; and speaks no good of you。
  Thus by the devil's incitement you will get many enemies who cannot
  bear to see you have any good; either bodily or spiritual。 When we see
  such people; our hearts; in turn; would rage and bleed and take
  vengeance。 Then there arise cursing and blows; from which follow
  finally misery and murder。 Here; now; God like a kind father steps in
  ahead of Us; interposes and wishes to have the quarrel settled; that no
  misfortune come of it; nor one destroy another。 And briefly He would
  hereby protect; set free; and keep in peace every one against the crime
  and violence of every one else; and would have this commandment placed
  as a wall; fortress; and refuge about our neighbor; that we do him no
  hurt nor harm in his body。
  Thus this commandment aims at this; that no one offend his neighbor on
  account of any evil deed; even though he have fully deserved it。 For
  where murder is forbidden; all cause also is forbidden whence murder
  may originate。 For many a one; although he does not kill; yet curses
  and utters a wish; which would stop a person from running far if it
  were to strike him in the neck 'makes imprecations; which if fulfilled
  with respect to any one; he would not live long'。 Now since this
  inheres in every one by nature and it is a common practice that no one
  is willing to suffer at the hands of another; God wishes to remove the
  root and source by which the heart is embittered against our neighbor;
  and to accustom us ever to keep in view this commandment; always to
  contemplate ourselves in it as in a mirror; to regard the will of God;
  and with hearty confidence and invocation of His name to commit to Him
  the wrong which we suffer。 Thus we shall suffer our enemies to rage and
  be angry; doing what they can; and we learn to calm our wrath; and to
  have a patient; gentle heart; especially toward those who give us cause
  to be angry; that is; our enemies。
  Therefore the entire sum of what it means not to kill is to be
  impressed most explicitly upon the simple…minded。 In the first place
  that we harm no one; first; with our hand or by deed。 Then; that we do
  not employ our tongue to instigate or counsel thereto。 Further; that we
  neither use nor assent to any kind of means or methods whereby any one
  may be injured。 And finally; that the heart be not ill disposed toward
  any one; nor from anger and hatred wish him ill; so that body and soul
  may be innocent in regard to every one; but especially those who wish
  you evil or inflict such upon you。 For to do evil to one who wishes and
  does you good is not human; but diabolical。
  Secondly; under this commandment not only he is guilty who does evil to
  his neighbor; but he also who can do him good; prevent; resist evil;
  defend and save him; so that no bodily harm or hurt happen to him and
  yet does not do it。 If; therefore; you send away one that is naked when
  you could clothe him; you have caused him to freeze to death; you see
  one suffer hunger and do not give him food; you have caused him to
  starve。 So also; if you see any one innocently sentenced to death or in
  like distress; and do not save him; although you know ways and means to
  do so; you have killed him。 And it will not avail you to make the
  pretext that you did not afford any help; counsel; or aid thereto for
  you have withheld your love from him and deprived him of the benefit
  whereby his life would have been saved。
  Therefore God also rightly calls all those murderers who do not afford
  counsel and help in distress and danger of body and life; and will pass
  a most terrible sentence upon them in the last day; as Christ Himself
  has announced when He shall say; Matt。25; 42f。: I was an hungered; and
  ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty; and ye gave Me no drink; I was a
  stranger; and ye took Me not in; naked; and ye clothed Me not; sick and
  in prison and ye visited Me not。 That is: You would have suffered Me
  and Mine to die of hunger thirst; and cold; would have suffered the
  wild beasts to tear us to pieces; or left us to rot in prison or perish
  in distress。 What else is that but to reproach them as murderers and
  bloodhounds? For although you have not actually done all this; you have
  nevertheless; so far as you were concerned; suffered him to pine and
  perish in misfortune。
  It is just as if I saw some one navigating and laboring in deep water
  'and struggl