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Principal Articles of the Christian Religion: 78 - On the Fifth Command in the Decalogue

By Jacobus Arminius


      DISPUTATION LXXVIII ON THE FIFTH COMMAND IN THE DECALOGUE

      I. This precept is the first of the second table. It contains the precept itself, and the promise attached to it. The end of the precept is, that a certain order should exist among men, according to which some are superiors and others inferiors, and which consists in the mutual performance of the duties of commanding and obeying that are necessary for the defense of society. II. The precept prescribes an act, and adds an object to which that act must be performed. The act is contained in the word "honour;" the object in these words: "thy father and thy mother." From this, it appears, according to the nature of relations, that this law is prescribed to all those who are relatively opposed to father and mother [as are sons and daughters]. III. The word "honour" is not appropriately employed to signify eminence; for honour is the reward of excellence, and its performance is a sign of recognition; and this word comprehends, either in the wide compass of its signification, all the duties which are due from an inferior to a superior; or, as an end, it comprehends all things necessary to the rendering of such honour. IV. Three things principally are contained in this word: (1.) That reverence be shown to the persons of our parents. (2.) That obedience be performed to their commands. (3.) That gratitude be evinced, in conferring on them all things necessary to the preservation of the present life, with respect to the dignity of their persons and of their office. V. Reverence consists both in the performance of those acts which contain, [on our part] a confession of their pre- eminence and of our submission under them, and in the endurance of their faults and manners, in a connivance at them, in a modest concealment of them, and in kind excuses for them. VI. Obedience lies in the prompt and free performance of those things which they prescribe, and in the omission of those which they prohibit. This obedience must be performed not only "for wrath," or the fear of punishment, but also "for conscience' sake," and this, not so much that we may obey them, as God himself, whose vicegerents they are. VII. Gratitude, which contains the conferring of things necessary for them to the uses of life according to their dignity, ought to extend itself not only to the time when they discharge this duty, but likewise through the whole life -- though it may happen that, through old age or some other cause, they are rendered unfit to discharge the parental office. VIII. The duties of superiors are analogous to those of inferiors -- that they conduct themselves with moderation, seriousness, and decorum, in the whole of their life, public as well as private -- that they observe justice and equity in issuing their commands, and that, in requiring gratitude, they do not transgress the bounds of moderation. But these points will be more particularly discussed in the disputation on the magistracy. IX. The object is enunciated in the words "father," and "mother," in which, likewise, are comprehended all those who are placed above us in human society, whether it be political, ecclesiastical, scholastic or domestic society -- whether in the time of peace or in that of war -- whether such persons discharge the duties of an ordinary or an extraordinary office, or whether they be invested with this power either constantly, or only for a season, however short. X. But all these persons in authority are, in this commandment, fitly, and not without just cause, expressed under the name of "parents," which is an endearing and delightful appellation, and most appropriate both to signify the feeling which it is right for superiors to indulge towards inferiors, and most efficaciously to effect a persuasion in inferiors of the equity of performing their duty towards their superiors. It may be added that the first association among men is that of domestic society, and from this follow the rest by the increase of mankind. XI. Superiors lose no degree of this eminence by any sin, or by any corruption of their own; therefore, this duty of honour, reverence, obedience and gratitude must be performed to superiors, even when they are evil, and abusing their power; provided caution be used that the interest of God be always the more powerful with us, and lest, while that which is Caesar's is given to Caesar, that which belongs to God, be taken from him, or be not given. XII. To this, must necessarily be subjoined another threefold caution -- (l.) That no one commit an error in judgment, by which he persuades himself this or that belongs to God, and not to Caesar. (2.) That he discern correctly between that which he is commanded to do or to tolerate; and, if he must do it, whether or not it be an act about a thing or object which is subject to his power. (3.) That under the name of liberty, no one arrogate to himself the right of a superior, of not obeying in this thing or that, or the power of rising against his superior, either for the purpose of taking away his life, or only his rule and dominion. XIII. The promise which is added to this precept is contained in the following words: "that thy days maybe long upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee" in which are promised, (1,) to the Jewish believers who perform this precept, length of days in the land of Canaan; (2,) and also to the gentile believers who perform this command, the duration of the present life; (3,) typically, to such persons are promised the eternal or heavenly life, of which the land of Canaan was a type.

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See Also:
   1 - On Theology
   2 - How to Teach Theology
   3 - On Blessedness, The End of Theology
   4 - On Religion
   5 - Rule of Religion: The Word of God
   6 - Authority & Certainty of the Holy Scriptures
   7 - The Perfection of the Scriptures
   8 - The Perspicuity of the Scriptures
   9 - The Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures
   10 - The Efficacy of the Scriptures
   11 - On Religion in a Stricter Sense
   12 - The Christian Religion, Its Name and Relation
   13 - The Christian Religion in General
   14 - The Object of Christianity: God
   15 - The Nature of God
   16 - The Life of God
   17 - On the Understanding of God
   18 - The Will of God
   19 - Various Distinctions of the Will of God
   20 - God's Attributes: From the Viewpoint of His Will
   21 - God's Attributes: Relating to Moral Virtues
   22 - On the Power or Capability of God
   23 - The Perfection, Blessedness & Glory of God
   24 - Creation
   25 - Angels in General and in Particular
   26 - The Creation of Man After the Image of God
   27 - The Lordship or Dominion of God
   28 - The Providence of God
   29 - The First Covenant Between God & Man
   30 - Manner of Our 1st Parents in the 1st Covenant
   31 - On the Effects of the Sin of Our First Parents
   32 - On the Necessity of the Christian Religion
   33 - On the Restoration of Man
   34 - On the Person of Our Lord Jesus Christ
   35 - On the Priestly Office of Christ
   36 - On the Prophetical Office of Christ
   37 - On the Regal Office of Christ
   38 - Christ's Humiliation & Exaltation
   39 - God the Father & Christ's Will, & Command
   40 - The Predestination of Believers
   41 - The Predestination of the Means to the End
   42 - Relation of Sinful Men to Christ, & the Means of Salvation
   43 - True Repentance Towards God
   44 - On Faith in God and Christ
   45 - On the Union of Believers With Christ
   46 - The Communion of Believers With Christ Regarding His Death
   47 - The Communion of Believers With Christ Regarding His Life
   48 - Justification
   49 - The Sanctification of Man
   50 - The Church of God and of Christ
   51 - The Church of the Old Testament
   52 - The Church of the New Testament
   53 - The Head and the Marks of the Church
   54 - The Catholic Church, Her Parts and Relations
   55 - The Power of the Church in Delivering Doctrines
   56 - The Power of the Church in Enacting Laws
   57 - The Power of the Church in Administering Justice
   58 - On Councils
   59 - The Ecclesiastical Ministrations of the New Testament
   60 - On Sacraments in General
   61 - The Sacraments of the Old Testament
   62 - The Sacraments of the New Testament in General
   63 - On Baptism and Paedo-Baptism
   64 - On the Lord's Supper
   65 - On the Popish Mass
   66 - On the Five False Sacraments
   67 - On the Worship of God in General
   68 - On the Precepts of Divine Worship in General
   69 - On Obedience, Object of All Divine Precepts
   70 - Obedience to God's Commands in General
   71 - The Material Object of the Precepts of the Law
   72 - Love, Fear, Trust, and Honor Towards God
   73 - On Particular Acts of Obedience
   74 - On the First Command in the Decalogue
   75 - On the Second Command in the Decalogue
   76 - On the Third Precept of the Decalogue
   77 - On the Fourth Command in the Decalogue
   78 - On the Fifth Command in the Decalogue
   79 - On the Sixth Precept

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