For through them, as through our parents, God gives to us food, house
and home, protection and security. Therefore since they bear such name
and title with all honor as their highest dignity, it is our duty to
honor them and to esteem them great as the dearest treasure and the
most precious jewel upon earth.

He, now, who is obedient here, is willing and ready to serve, and
cheerfully does all that pertains to honor, knows that he is pleasing
God and that he will receive joy and happiness for his reward. If he
will not do it in love, but despises and resists [authority] or rebels,
let him also know, on the other hand, that he shall have no favor nor
blessing, and where he thinks to gain a florin thereby, he will
elsewhere lose ten times as much, or become a victim to the hangman,
perish by war, pestilence, and famine, or experience no good in his
children, and be obliged to suffer injury, injustice, and violence at
the hands of his servants, neighbors, or strangers and tyrants; so that
what we seek and deserve is paid back and comes home to us.

If we would ever suffer ourselves to be persuaded that such works are
pleasing to God and have so rich a reward, we would be established in
altogether abundant possessions and have what our heart desires. But
because the word and command of God are so lightly esteemed, as though
some babbler had spoken it, let us see whether you are the man to
oppose Him. How difficult, do you think, it will be for Him to
recompense you! Therefore you would certainly live much better with the
divine favor, peace, and happiness than with His displeasure and
misfortune. Why, think you, is the world now so full of unfaithfulness,
disgrace, calamity, and murder, but because every one desires to be his
own master and free from the emperor, to care nothing for any one, and
do what pleases him? Therefore God punishes one knave by another, so