OF THE CATECHISM.
Of the Virtues and Vices concerning the Ten Commandments.
The Decalogus, that is, the Ten Commandments of God, are a looking-glass, and a brief sum of all virtues and doctrines, both how we ought to behave towards God and also towards our neighbour, that is, towards all mankind.
There never was at any time written a more excellent, complete, nor compendious book of virtues.
The duty of the First and Second Commandment is to fear God, to love and to trust in him; the contrary is sin and vice, an ungodly life, contemning of God, hatred, despair, etc.
The duty of the Third Commandment is to acknowledge and to preach the doctrine of God’s Word; the contrary is blaspheming of God, to be silent and not to confess the truth when need requireth.
The duty of the Fourth Commandment is the external service of God, as the preaching of God’s Word, hearing, reading, and meditating on the same, to the end we may make proof of our faith; the contrary is the despising of God’s Word and the outward service of God, as the Holy Sacraments.
The duty of the Fifth Commandment is obedience towards parents, tutors, and magistrates in those things which are not against God; the contrary is disobedience and rebellion.
The duty of the Sixth Commandment is meekness, not to be desirous of revenge, not to bear malice; against this is tyranny, rage, hatred, envy, etc.
The duty of the Seventh Commandment is continency and chastity; against the same is lasciviousness, immodest behaviour, adultery, etc.
The duty of the Eighth Commandment is to do good, to give and lend willingly, to be liberal; the contrary is covetousness, stealing, usury, fraud, and to wrong in trading and dealing.
The duty of the Ninth Commandment is to love the truth, not to backbite and slander, to speak well of all men; the contrary is lying, backbiting, and to speak evil of another.
The duty of the Tenth Commandment is righteousness, to let every one possess his own; the contrary is to be miserable and unjust.
The duty of this Commandment is to be without all covetous desires in the heart, to be content with that which one hath; against that are the lustings of the heart. St. Paul saith the end of the Commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.