ishonesty, and all that these may include. For we can in no better
way learn how to distinguish between greater and lesser sins than by
noting the order of the Commandments of God, although there are
distinctions also within the works of each Commandment. For who does
not know that to curse is a greater sin than to be angry, to strike
than to curse, to strike father and mother more than to strike any one
else? Thus these seven Commandments teach us how we are to exercise
ourselves in good works toward men, and first of all toward our
superiors.

The first work is that we honor our own father and mother. And this
honor consists not only in respectful demeanor, but in this: that we
obey them, look up to, esteem and heed their words and example, accept
what they say, keep silent and endure their treatment of us, so long as
it is not contrary to the first three Commandments; in addition, when
they need it, that we provide them with food, clothing and shelter. For
not for nothing has He said: "Thou shalt honor them"; He does not say:
"Thou shalt love them," although this also must be done. But honor is
higher than mere love and includes a certain fear, which unites with
love, and causes a man to fear offending them more than he fears the
punishment. Just as there is fear in the honor we pay a sanctuary, and
yet we do not flee from it as from a punishment, but draw near to it
all the more. Such a fear mingled with love is the true honor; the
other fear without any love is that which we have toward things which
we despise or flee from, as we fear the hangman or punishment. There is
no honor in that, for it is a fear without all love, nay, fear that has
with it hatred and enmity. Of this we have a proverb of St. Jerome:
What we fear, that we also hate. With such a fear God does not wish to
be feared or honored, nor to have us honor our parents; but with the
first, which is mingled with love and confidence.

II. This work appears easy, but few regard it aright. For where the
parents are truly pious and love their children not according to the
flesh, but (as they ought) instruct and direct them by words and works
to serve God according to the first three Commandments, there the
child's own will is constantly broken, and it must do, leave undone,
and suffer what its nature would most gladly do otherwise; and thereby
it finds occasion to despise its parents, to murmur against them, or to
do worse things. There love and fear depa