When Paul said, Children obey your parents in the Lord, he meaneth 1that we should not obey them against the Lord: as when he saith, Obey Princes for conscience; he meaneth that we should not obey them 2against conscience. Therefore, when it cometh to this, that the earthly father commandeth one thing, & the heavenly Father commandeth another thing, then as Peter answered the Rulers, so thou mayest answer thy parents, Whether is it 3meet to obey God or you? then these are the hands which thou must cut off, then these are the eyes which thou must pull out; or else they should be as dear unto thee as thy hand or thine eye. In MATTHEW, A man must for sake his father & mother 4to dwell with his wife; but in LUKE, He must for sake father and mother, and wife to dwell with Christ; for, He that for saketh father or mother or wife for me, shall receive more (saith our Saviour:) nay, he which doth not hate father and mother & wife for me, ⟨image 7⟩5cannot be my Disciple (saith he again in the same Evangelist): showing that our love towards God should be so great, that in respect of it, our love towards men should seem to be but hatred. Thus he that obeyed his parents more than we, yet would have us search some sentence, some example in scripture of not obeying them too; because it is such a hard point to know how far they are to be obeyed which are set in authority over us. As none but God spake always right; so none but God must always be obeyed: we are not called only the sons of men, but the sons of God. Therefore, as Christ answered his mother when she would have him turn water into wine; Woman what have 6I to do with thee? So we should answer father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters, and rulers, and m• sters, •nd wife too, when they will us to do that which is not meet; Satan what have I to do with thee? for else it were to turn wine into ⟨image 8⟩water. Peter was not Satan: but when he tempted Christ like Satan, Christ answered him, as he answered Satan, Come behind me Satan; showing, that we should give no more attention to father or mother, or master or wife, when they tempt us to evil, than we should give to Satan, if he should tempt us him self.
When Paul said, Children obey your parents in the Lorde, hee meaneth 1that we should not obey them against the Lorde: as when he saith, Obey Princes for conscience; he meaneth that we should not obey them 2against conscience. Therefore, when it commeth to this, that the earthly father commaundeth one thing, & the heauenly Father commaundeth another thing, then as Peter aunswered the Rulers, so thou maist answere thy parents, Whether is it 3meete to obey God or you? then these are the hands which thou must cut off, then these are the eyes which thou must pull out; or else they should be as deare vnto thee as thy hand or thine eye. In MATHEVV, Aman must for sake his father & mother 4to dwell with his wife; but in LVKE, He must for sake father and mother, and wife to dwell with Christ; for, He that for saketh father or mother or wife for me, shall receiue more (saith our Sauiour:) nay, he which doth not hate father and mother & wife for me, ⟨image 7⟩5cannot be my Disciple (saith he again in the same Euangelist): shewing that our loue towards God should be so great, that in respect of it, our loue towardes men shoulde seeme to bee but hatred. Thus hee that obeyed his parents more than wee, yet would haue vs search some sentence, some example in scripture of not obeying them too; because it is such a hard poynt to know how far they are to be obeied which are set in authoritie ouer vs. As none but God spake alwayes right; so none but God must alwayes bee obeyed: wee are not called onely the sonnes of men, but the sonnes of God. Therefore, as Christ answered his mother when shee would haue him tourne water into wine; Woman what haue 6I to doe with thee? So we should answere father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters, and rulers, and m• sters, •nd wife too, when they will vs to doo that which is not meete; Sathan what haue I to doo with thee? for else it were to turne wine into ⟨image 8⟩water. Peter was not Sathan: but when hee tempted Christ like Sathan, Christ aunswered him, as hee aunswered Sathan, Come behind mee Sathan; shewing, that wee shoulde giue no more attention to father or mother, or master or wife, when they tempt vs to euill, than wee should giue to Sathan, if he should tempt vs him selfe.
- 1Ephes. 6. 1
- 2Rom. 13. 5
- 3Act. 4. 19.
- 4Mat. 19. 5.
- 5Luk. 14. 26
- 6John 2. 4.Iohn 2. 4.
