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Chapter 14ParrLament.1.14

Every Man in His Vocation, and the Last Judgement

Every Vocation Under Christ's Rule

The faithful in every station—ministers, husbands, children, servants, wives—are called to live out their vocation according to Christ's teaching with sincerity, humility, and love.

True followers of Christ's teaching always keep careful watch over their vocation. If they are called to the ministry of God's Word, they preach and teach it sincerely, to build others up, and show themselves by the way they live to be followers of that same Word. If they are married men with children and a household, they nourish and raise them—without any bitterness or harshness—in the teaching of the Lord, in all godliness and virtue; and they leave the instruction of others, which does not belong to their charge, to the reforming work of God and his ministers, who are chiefly kings and princes, bearing the sword even for that purpose—to punish wrongdoers.✦✦1 If they are children, they honor their father and mother, knowing that this is God's commandment, and that he has attached to it a promise of long life.✦ If they are servants, they obey and serve their masters with all fear and reverence, even for the Lord's sake—not with murmuring or resentment, but with a free heart and mind.✦ If they are husbands, they love their wives as their own bodies, after the example of how Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, to make her his bride without spot or wrinkle.✦ If they are married women, they learn from St. Paul to be obedient to their husbands, to keep silent in the congregation, and to learn from their husbands at home.✦ They also wear clothing that suits holiness and decent custom, with soberness: not being accusers or slanderers; not given to much rich food and drinking of wine; but they teach what is honorable, so as to make the young women sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, good homemakers, good, and obedient to their husbands—so that the Word of God will not be spoken of badly.✦2

Self-Knowledge and the Light from Above

Self-love blinds us to our own faults, so we must pray for heavenly light to see and confess our miseries.

Truly, if people of every kind would attend to their own vocation and order it according to Christ's teaching, we wouldn't have so many eyes and ears for other people's faults as we do. For we're so busy and eager to find and spy out what other people are doing that we forget our own faults and have no time to weigh and consider them—which, according to the Word of God, we ought first to reform, and then we'll be better able to help another take the straw out of his eye.3 But sadly, we are so given to loving and flattering ourselves, and so blinded by carnal affections, that we can see and perceive no fault in ourselves. And therefore it is truly necessary for us all to pray with one heart and mind to God, that he would give us a heavenly light and knowledge of our own miseries and calamities, so that we may see them and truly acknowledge them before him.

A Heart Cleansed from Self-Love

The author defends his motive of charity, renounces worldly praise, and urges all to confess their faults without shame or self‑flattery.

If anyone is offended by this — by my lamenting the faults of people in the world — imagining that I do it out of hatred or malice toward any sort of people: truly, in thinking that, they do me a great wrong. For I thank God, by his grace: I hate no creature. Indeed, to speak honestly from my conscience, I would go further: neither life, honor, nor riches, nor anything I possess here that serves my own private advantage — however dearly I love it — would I hold on to; I would most willingly and gladly give it up to bring anyone to Christ, of whatever rank or kind they were.✦4 And yet this is nothing compared with the charity God has shown me in sending Christ to die for me. No: if I had all the charity of angels and apostles, it would be no more than a spark of fire compared to a great heap of burning coals.✦5 God knows with what intention and mindset I have lamented my own sins and faults to the world. I trust no one will think that I have done it for the praise or thanks of any creature, since I have more reason to be ashamed than to rejoice in recounting it.6 For if they knew how little I value and weigh the praise of the world, that opinion would soon be removed and taken away. For I thank God, by his grace: I know the world is a blind judge, and its praises are vain and of little weight.7 And so I don't seek the world's praises, or try to please it, except as Christ has taught me to act according to Christian charity. I wish to God we would all—when the occasion arises—confess our faults to the world, setting aside every regard for our own advantage. But alas, self-love rules so strongly among us that, as I've said before, we can't even see our own faults.

The Dread of Judgment and the Reward of the Righteous

Shame and reluctance to accept correction lead to condemnation, but the Last Judgment will bring everything to light and reward the obedient with everlasting life.

And even though we sometimes see our own guilt, we either go easy on ourselves and treat it as no sin, or else we're ashamed to confess it. Yes, and we get deeply offended and hurt when others point out our faults in a charitable and godly way, making no distinction between a charitable warning and a malicious accusation. Truly, if we sought God's glory as we should in all things, we wouldn't be ashamed to confess that we've strayed from God's precepts and ordinances when it's obvious we have done so and still do so every day. I pray God that our own faults and deeds won't condemn us on the last day, when everyone will be rewarded according to what they have done.✦ Truly, if we don't correct and amend the way we live according to the teaching of the gospel, we'll receive a terrible sentence from Christ the Son of God. When he comes to judge and condemn all who break his precepts and commandments, and to reward all his obedient and loving children, we'll have no lawyer to plead our case for us; we can't have the day postponed; the just Judge won't be corrupted by favoritism, bribes, or gifts; he won't hear any excuse or delay; this saint or that martyr won't help us, however holy they may be; and our ignorance won't save us from damnation.✦89 And yet willful blindness and stubborn ignorance will receive a greater punishment—and not without just cause.✦ Then it will be known who has walked in the dark, for all things will stand plain before him.✦✦ No one's deeds will be hidden—no, neither words nor thoughts.✦ The poor and simple who keep God's commandments will be rewarded with everlasting life, as obedient children of the heavenly Father; and those who break the law of God, or add to it or take away from it, will receive eternal damnation as their just reward.✦✦✦10

A Prayer for the Blessed Sentence

The author prays to escape condemnation and hear Christ's joyful invitation to the kingdom, ending with a Trinitarian doxology and Amen.

I beg God that we may escape this fearful sentence, and be found such faithful servants and loving children that we may hear the happy, comforting, and most joyful sentence ordained for the children of God, which is: 'Come here, you who are blessed of my Father, and receive the kingdom of heaven prepared for you before the beginning of the world.'11 To the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Read the original English

The true followers of Christ’s doctrine hath always a respect and an eye to their vocation. If they be called to the ministry of God’s Word, they preach and teach it sincerely, to the edifying of others, and show themselves in their living followers of the same. If they be married men, having children and family, they nourish and bring them up ─ without all bitterness and fierceness ─ in the doctrine of the Lord, in all godliness and virtue; committing the instruction of others, which appertaineth not to their charge, to the reformation of God and his ministers, which chiefly be kings and princes, bearing the sword even for that purpose ─ to punish evildoers. If they be children, they honour their father and mother, knowing it to be God’s commandment, and that he hath thereto annexed a promise of long life. If they be servants, they obey and serve their masters with all fear and reverence, even for the Lord’s sake, neither with murmuring nor grudging, but with a free heart and mind. If they be husbands, they love their wives as their own bodies, after the example as Christ loved the congregation, and gave himself for it, to make it to him a spouse without spot or wrinkle. If they be women married, they learn of St Paul to be obedient to their husbands, and to keep silence in the congregation, and to learn of their husbands at home. Also they wear such apparel as becometh holiness and comely usage, with soberness: not being accusers, or detractors; not given to much eating of delicate meats and drinking of wine; but they teach honest things, to make the young women sober-minded, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discrete, chaste, house-wifely, good, obedient unto their husbands ─ that the Word of God be not evil spoken of.

Verily, if all sorts of people would look to their own vocation, and ordain the same according to Christ’s doctrine, we should not have so many eyes and ears to other men’s faults as we have. For we be so busy and glad to find and espy out other men’s doings that we forget and can have no time to weigh and ponder our own, which after the Word of God we ought first to reform, and then we shall the better help another with the straw out of his eyes. But alas, we be so much given to love and to flatter ourselves, and so blinded with carnal affections, that we can see and perceive no fault in ourselves. And therefore it is a thing very requisite and necessary for us to pray all with one heart and mind to God, to give us an heavenly light and knowledge of our own miseries and calamities that we may see them and acknowledge them truly before him.

If any man shall be offended at this, my lamenting the faults of men which be in the world, fantasizing with themselves that I do it either of hatred or of malice to any sort or kind of people; verily in so doing they shall do me great wrong, for I thank God by his grace: I hate no creature; yea, I would say more, to give witness of my conscience, that neither life, honour, riches; neither whatsoever I possess here which appertaineth unto mine own private commodity ─ be it never so dearly beloved of me: but most willingly and gladly I would leave it to win any man to Christ, of what degree or sort soever he were. And yet is this nothing in comparison to the charity that God hath shewed me in sending Christ to die for me; no, if I had all the charity of angels and apostles, it should be but like a spark of fire compared to a great heap of burning coals. God knoweth of what intent and mind I have lamented mine own sins and faults to the world. I trust nobody will judge I have done it for praise or thank of any creature, since rather I might be ashamed than rejoice in rehearsal thereof. For if they know how little I esteem and weigh the praise of the world, that opinion were soon removed and taken away: for I thank God (by his grace), I know the world to be a blind judge, and the praises thereof vain and of little moment.

And therefore I seek not the praises of the same, neither to satisfy it, none otherwise than I am taught by Christ to do according to Christian charity. I would to God we would all (when occasion doth serve) confess our faults to the world, all respects to our own commodity laid apart. But alas, self-love doth so much reign amongst us that, as I have said before, we cannot espy our own faults.

And although sometime we find our own guilt, either we be favourable to interpret it no sin, or else we be ashamed to confess ourselves thereof. Yea, and we be sore offended and grieved to hear our faults charitably and godly told us of other, putting no difference between charitable warning and malicious accusing. Truly, if we sought God’s glory, as we should do in all things, we should not be ashamed to confess ourselves to digress from God’s precepts and ordinances, when it is manifest we have done and daily do. I pray God our own faults and deeds condemn us not at the last day, when every man shall be rewarded according to his doings.

Truly, if we do not redress and amend our living according to the doctrine of the gospel we shall receive a terrible sentence of Christ the Son of God. When he shall come to judge and condemn all transgressors and breakers of his precepts and commandments, and to reward all his obedient and loving children, we shall have no man of law to make our plea for us; neither can we have the day deferred; neither will the just judge be corrupted with affection, bribes or reward; neither will he hear any excuse or delay; neither shall this saint or that martyr help us, be they never so holy; neither shall our ignorance save us from damnation. But yet wilful blindness and obstinate ignorance shall receive greater punishment, and not without just cause. Then shall it be known who hath walked in the dark, for all things shall appear manifest before him. No man’s deedes shall be hidden; no, neither words, nor thoughts. The poor and simple observers of God’s commandments shall be rewarded with everlasting life, as obedient children to the heavenly Father; and the transgressors, adders and diminishers of the law of God shall receive eternal damnation for their just reward.

I beseech God we may escape this fearful sentence, and be found such faithful servants and loving children that we may hear the happy, comfortable and most joyful sentence, ordained for the children of God, which is: ‘Come hither, ye blessed of my Father, and receive the kingdom of heaven, prepared for you before the beginning of the world’.

Unto the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Eph.6.4 — And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
  2. ↩Rom.13.1-Rom.13.4 — Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God, and the authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Rom.13.2 — Therefore the one who resists the authority has opposed the ordinance of God, and those who have opposed will receive judgment on themselves. Rom.13.3 — For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from it. Rom.13.4 — For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's servant, an avenger for wrath against the one who practices evil.
  3. ↩Exod.20.12;Deut.5.16;Eph.6.2-Eph.6.3 — Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Deut.5.16 — Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and so that it may go well with you on the land that the LORD your God is giving you. Eph.6.2 — Honor your father and mother—this is the first commandment with a promise— Eph.6.3 — so that it may go well with you, and you may live long on the earth.
  4. ↩Eph.6.5-Eph.6.7;Col.3.22-Col.3.23;1Pet.2.18 — Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ— Eph.6.6 — not in the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul, Eph.6.7 — Serve with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to people. Col.3.22 — Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Col.3.23 — Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. 1Pet.2.18 — Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear—not only to the good and gentle, but also to the overbearing.
  5. ↩Eph.5.25-Eph.5.28 — Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her. Eph.5.26 — in order that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Eph.5.27 — so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she might be holy and blameless. Eph.5.28 — In the same way, husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his own wife loves himself.
  6. ↩Eph.5.22-Eph.5.24;Col.3.18;1Cor.14.34-1Cor.14.35;1Tim.2.11-1Tim.2.12 — Wives, to your own husbands, as to the Lord. Eph.5.23 — For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; he himself the Savior of the body. Eph.5.24 — But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Col.3.18 — Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 1Cor.14.34 — Let the women be silent in the assemblies, for they are not permitted to speak, but let them be in submission, as the law also says. 1Cor.14.35 — If they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the assembly. 1Tim.2.11 — A woman should learn in quietness and with full submission. 1Tim.2.12 — I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.
  7. ↩Titus.2.3-Titus.2.5 — Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is good. Titus.2.4 — so that they may train the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children Titus.2.5 — to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, good, and subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be reviled.
  8. ↩1Cor.9.19-1Cor.9.22 — For though I am free from all people, I made myself a slave to all, so that I might gain more of them. 1Cor.9.20 — And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those under the law as under the law — not being myself under the law — that I might win those under the law. 1Cor.9.21 — To those outside the law I became as one outside the law—though I am not outside God's law but am under Christ's law—so that I might win those outside the law. 1Cor.9.22 — To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
  9. ↩John.3.16;Rom.5.8 — For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life. Rom.5.8 — But God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
  10. ↩Matt.16.27;Rom.2.6;Rev.22.12 — For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each one according to his deeds. Rom.2.6 — who will render to each one according to that person's works Rev.22.12 — Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to their work.
  11. ↩2Tim.4.8 — From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.
  12. ↩Luke.12.47-Luke.12.48;John.9.41 — That servant who knew his master's will but did not prepare himself or act according to his will will receive many blows. Luke.12.48 — but the one who did not know, yet did what deserved a beating, will be beaten with few blows. And from everyone to whom much was given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much was entrusted, they will ask for even more. John.9.41 — Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, "We see," your sin remains.'
  13. ↩John.8.12;1John.1.6 — Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' 1John.1.6 — If we say that we have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth.
  14. ↩1Cor.4.5;Heb.4.13 — Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the purposes of the hearts; and then each one's praise will come from God. Heb.4.13 — And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
  15. ↩Matt.12.36;Rom.2.16;Heb.4.12-Heb.4.13 — But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they will give an account for it on the day of judgment. Rom.2.16 — on the day when God judges the secret things of humanity according to my gospel through Christ Jesus Heb.4.12 — For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Heb.4.13 — And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
  16. ↩Matt.25.34;Rom.8.14-Rom.8.17 — Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.' Rom.8.14 — For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Rom.8.15 — For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, in which we cry, "Abba, Father." Rom.8.16 — The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Rom.8.17 — And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
  17. ↩Deut.4.2;Rev.22.18-Rev.22.19 — You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you take away from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. Rev.22.18 — I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book; Rev.22.19 — And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.
  18. ↩Matt.25.46 — And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩"reformation of God and his ministers" rendered as God's reforming work carried out with his ministers (especially civil rulers), not as a human reform program independent of God.
  2. 2 ↩Source "discrete" modernized as "discreet" (prudent), the intended Early Modern sense, not "discrete" (separate).
  3. 3 ↩Source 'straw' is the early modern rendering of the mote/speck in the eye (cf. Matt. 7:3–5); kept as 'straw' for source fidelity rather than modernized to 'speck'.
  4. 4 ↩Early modern 'commodity' here means private advantage or benefit, not goods for sale; 'fantasizing with themselves' means privately imagining or fancying.
  5. 5 ↩Source 'charity' retained as the theological virtue of love (God's love shown, and the charity of angels and apostles), not mere almsgiving.
  6. 6 ↩'Rehearsal thereof' means recounting or going over her sins and faults, not a theatrical performance.
  7. 7 ↩'Of little moment' rendered as 'of little weight' (slight importance or consequence).
  8. 8 ↩Source 'affection' means partiality or favoritism, not tender attachment; rendered 'favoritism' for clarity.
  9. 9 ↩Source 'man of law' is an early modern term for an advocate or lawyer.
  10. 10 ↩Source 'adders and diminishers of the law' means people who add to or cut down God's law, not snakes; rendered as 'add to it or take away from it'.
  11. 11 ↩Early modern 'comfortable' is rendered 'comforting' (consoling), not the modern sense of physical ease.

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