t more pilgrimages,
elevations of saints,[39] indulgence-fairs. God have pity on
such blindness.

[Sidenote: Neglect of Children a Cause for Condemnation]

VI. On the other hand, parents cannot earn eternal punishment in
any way more easily than by neglecting their own children in
their own home, and not teaching them the things which have been
spoken of above. Of what help is it, that they kill themselves
with fasting, praying, making pilgrimages, and do all manner of
good works? God will, after all, not ask them about these things
at their death and in the day of judgment, but will require of
them the children whom He entrusted to them. This is shown by
that word of Christ, Luke xxiii, "Ye daughters of Jerusalem, weep
not for me, but for yourselves and for your children. The days
are coming, in which they shall say; Blessed are the wombs that
never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." [Luke 23:28 f.]
Why shall they lament, except because all their condemnation
comes from their own children? If they had not had children,
perhaps they might have been saved. Truly, these words ought to
open the eyes of parents, that they may have regard to the souls
of their children, so that the poor children be not deceived by
their false, fleshly love, as if they had rightly honored their
parents when they are not angry with them, or are obedient in
worldly matters, by which their self-will is strengthened;
although the Commandment places the parents in honor for the very
purpose that the self-will of the children may be broken, and
that the children may become humble and meek.

Just as it has been said of the other Commandments, that they are
to be fulfilled in the chief work,[40] so here too let no one
suppose that the training and teaching of his children is
sufficient of itself, except it be done in confidence of divine
favor, so that a man doubt not that he is well-pleasing to God in
his works, and that he let such works be nothing else than an
exhortation and exercise of his faith, that he trust God and look
to Him for blessings and a gracious will; without which faith no
work lives, or is good and acceptable; for many heathen have
trained their children beautifully, but it is all lost, because
of their unbelief.

[Sidenote: Obedience to the Church]

VII. The second work of this Commandment is to honor and obey the
spiritual mother, the holy Christian Church, the spiritual power,
so that we conform to what she com