Appendix to the First Commandment

Although these words are related to all the commandments, as we shall learn later, yet they are joined to this chief commandment because it is of first importance that a man's head be right. Where the head is right the whole life must be right. Learn also from these words how angry God is with those who trust in aught but himself, and how good and gracious he is to those who, with their whole hearts, trust and believe in him alone. Learn that his anger ceases not until the fourth generation, while his blessings or lovingkindnesses extend to many thousands. Learn all this that you may not live in false security and take your chances as do brutish hearts which imagine that it makes no difference how they live. He is the God who takes vengeance upon all who turn from him, and his anger continues to the fourth generation, until they are utterly exterminated. Hence he insists upon being feared and not despised.

God has witnessed to this by all history, as the Scriptures amply show and as daily experience abundantly teaches. In the beginning he completely rooted out all idolatry, and he did it for the sake of both the heathen and the Jews; just so in our day he overthrows all false worship, and finally all who persist in it must perish. There are still found proud, powerful and rich bloats, who defiantly boast of their mammon, unconcerned whether they provoke God to anger or to mirth. They boast as if confident they could easily stand God's wrath; yet they shall not succeed. Before they are aware, they will be wrecked, with everything in which they trusted; as all others have perished who thought they were even more secure and powerful.

And just for the sake of such hardened characters, who imagine—since God forbears to disturb them—that he knows or cares nothing about their wickedness, God must strike and punish with such severity that he cannot pass over with oblivion their children's children. His purpose is that everyone shall be impressed by his punishment and see that he is in earnest. He means this class of people when he says, "them that hate me," namely, those who persist in their defiance and pride. They refuse to hear what is preached or spoken to them. When they are rebuked, to bring them to their senses and to cause their reformation before punishment is sent, they become mad and foolish, and justly deserve the wrath they receive. Daily we observe that our bishops and princes serve as object lessons.

But terrible as are these words of threat, more powerful is the consolation in the promise assuring mercy to those who cleave to God alone—pure goodness and blessing, not only for themselves, but also for their children to a thousand generations. If we wish to possess all good things in time and eternity, the fact that the Supreme Majesty so kindly offers, so affectionately persuades and so abundantly promises, ought to move and impel us to fix our hearts upon God with perfect confidence.

Let every one, then, take heed that this commandment be not regarded as if spoken by man. It means either eternal blessing, happiness and salvation, or eternal wrath, misery and woe. What more do you desire than God's gracious promise that every blessing will be yours, and that he will protect and help you in all need? But, alas, the trouble is, the people of the world believe none of these words nor do they esteem them as the words of God. For they see that those who trust in God and not in mammon suffer grief and want and are opposed and attacked of Satan; they have neither money, favor nor honor, and hardly an existence. On the other hand, the servants of mammon have power, favor, honor and every comfort in the eyes of the world. We must, therefore, lay hold of these words, even in the face of this apparent contradiction, and remember that they neither lie nor deceive, but that their truth must yet be made manifest.

Reflect for yourself, or make inquiry, and tell me, what have they finally accomplished who have devoted all their care and diligence to scratching together great wealth and possessions? You will find their worry and labor were lost, or, if they amassed great treasures, the treasures decayed and were scattered. You will also find that they themselves never received any happiness from their possessions and the treasures never reached the third generation. Examples enough you have in all history and in the experiences of aged people. See to it that you ponder and heed them. Saul was a great king, chosen by God, and a pious man; but when he became established on his throne he allowed his heart to fall from God, placing his trust in his crown and power, and he had to perish with all he had; not one of his children remained, 1 Sam 10, 1; 15, 17-26; 16, 14. On the other hand, David was a poor, despised man, banished and persecuted, his life nowhere secure, and yet he was to be preferred to Saul and become king, 1 Sam 16, 13. These words had to stand and prove true, since God cannot lie nor deceive, 1 Sam 15, 29. Only let not Satan and the world deceive you by their show, which endures for a time, but in the end is nothing.

Therefore, let us learn well the first commandment and see how God allows no vain presumption, no trust in any other object, and how he makes no greater requirement of us than the heart's confidence in him for everything good. Let us also learn to begin at once and in the right way, making no further use of all the blessings God gives us than a shoemaker makes of his needle, awl and thread—for work, presently to lay them aside; or as a traveler avails himself of an inn, food and bed—only for temporal needs. Let each abide in his station in life according to God's order, making of none of his blessings a lord or idol. This is sufficient on the first commandment. We had to explain it at length, since it is the most important. For, as I said before, if the heart is rightly disposed toward God and this commandment is kept, obedience to the remainder will follow of itself.