Catechismus, that is to say, a short instruction into Christian religion for the singular…Catechismus, that is to say, a shorte instruction into Christian religion for the synguler…

For these words, honour thy father, and mother, do contain all these things. And we be bound to yield unto them this honour, forasmuch as God hath given them unto us as masters, tutors, governors, and rulers, in his stead, and by them hath poured upon us ⟨image 64⟩many high and great benefits, whereby we be most straitly bound to honour them & not to despise them. But when we do not fear them, when we lightly regard them, when they be angry with us, then we despise them. And this is a very heinous sin before God. For in no wise we should contemn them, but ought to take very great heed that we displease them not, no not in trifling things. Also when we do not obey them willingly, then also we despise them, for he that doth not obey his father & mother, he is a presumptuous person, and thinketh himself wiser or better then they, and this is a great contempt and an heinous sin before god. Wherefore good children do not so despise your fathers and mothers, but obey them with all your heart, and ⟨p. xli⟩be subject unto them. Furthermore when we do not love our fathers and mothers, then it is not possible that we should heartily honour them, wherefore we must bear an hearty and fervent love towards them, specially, seeing that God hath thorough them poured so many benefits upon us, as we shall declare more at large hereafter. Besides this it is our bounden duty to use all kind of gentleness and liberality towards our fathers and mothers and in all things to show kindness unto them before all other parsons. For when we do any pleasure to other men, we look that they should thank us for the same. But of our fathers & mothers, we ought to look for no thanks but with our benefits we must honour them that is to say, we must order ourselves towards ⟨image 65⟩them, no otherwise then we would do toward kings, princes, and lords, to whom when we offer any present, we think not that they be bound to render unto us any great thanks for the same, but we humbly fall on our knees before them, instantly desiring them, that they will vouchsafe to take in good part so small a gift, wherein we declare our good will far to pass our ability and with all reverence we sue unto them, that of their clemency they will accept our good hearts and minds.

For these wourdes, honor thy father, and mother, do cōteine al these thinges. And we be boūde to yelde vnto thē this honor, forasmuche as God hath gyuē them vnto vs as maisters, tutors, gouernors, and rulers, in his stede, and by thē hath powred vpon vs