# The Third Letter Of Jacob The Chandler, To His Children. · Page 3 of 4 [Previous page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JACOB THE CHANDLER, TO HIS CHILDREN.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JACOB THE CHANDLER, TO HIS CHILDREN.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children/part-4/) Thus, my children, heed the instruction of your father, and forget it not. Obey your mother: for it is proper that children should obey their parents, as is written in Ecclesiasticus: The Lord will that the parents should be honored by the children 3:2. For this was the first commandment in the law, which had a promise: Honor thy father and mother that thou mayest live long on the earth. Ex. 20:12. And the greatest honor that children can show their parents, is, to obey them: To obey them in everything that is not contrary to the honor of God, but when the honor of God is concerned, parents have no power to rule over them, but are themselves in duty bound to admonish their children, to obey the Lord. For they had to teach the law to their children, when they went to sleep, and when they rose up; in which law it was written, that God must be loved above all. Deut. 6:7. Therefore children are not bound to love their parents more than God, and godfearing parents are not to require this, but are to exhort their children to the same, that they should exercise themselves in the love of God, that is: keep his commandments, and be humble before their God (Mic. 6:8), as I hope, my children, that also your mother will do. Hence obey her in love, and be not disobedient to her; for it is written in the law, that he that cursed, smote or disobeyed his father or mother, had to die, so great a sin it is before the Lord. Ex. 21:15,17. Therefore, my dear children, though you lose me, do not be froward to your mother, but obey her the more, for the whole care of you will now be committed to her. Hence, my children, never grieve her in your life; for in Ecclesiasticus it is written: He that forsaketh his father is a blasphemer; and he that angereth his mother is cursed of God. 3:16. Therefore, love her, and remember how many pains she suffered on your account, and how she bore you under her heart nine months, and how she will have to undergo much yet, to earn bread for you. Tob. 4:3,4; 2 Macc. 7:27. Hence, dear children, when you are grown up, apply yourselves diligently to labor, that you may help your mother to gain a livelihood. And be not idle; for from slothfulness springs much evil, for it makes thieves of children, and harlots of girls, and thus they finally come to a bad end. Therefore, my dear children, do not desire this, but willingly work and 769 labor with your hands that which is honorable, that you may have to give to him that needeth. Ephesians 4:28. And if your mother take another husband, obey him as your father, and honor him; for he will have to care for you, and instruct and teach you as though you were his own children. Therefore, you, as obedient children, are to receive, and not to despise, his instruction. O my dear children, I, Jacob, your father, have left you this as a testament, that you may remember me the better, and know wherein I stood and why I died, of which you need not be ashamed, since it was for the name of Christ. For it is for the Lord’s sake that I leave you; there is nothing under heaven so dear to me that for it I should be willing to leave you; but for the Lord’s sake every thing must be forsaken, father and mother, wife and children, yea, one’s own life, or we cannot be his disciples. Deut. 33:9. But he that for his sake forsakes all this, shall receive a hundredfold, and hereafter everlasting life. Matthew 19:29. Thus, my dear children, with this confidence I leave you. The Lord grant you his grace, that I may find you in life eternal. I now go before you the way which Christ Jesus and all the saints of God went before us: and I know that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. And Paul says: Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Philip. 1:29. For what we suffer; we suffer not for our own sakes, but for the Lord’s sake, because we believe in him, and by faith follow and obey him, which the world will not tolerate, for the prophet says: Truth is fallen in the street; truth languisheth in prison; equity cannot enter; he that would depart from evil, and do good, maketh himself a prey. Is. 59:14,15. As Christ says: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19. Hence James says: The friendship of this world is enmity with God; if you would be the friend of the world, you will be the enemy of God. Jas. 4:4. For my dear children, if you would be the friend of the world, you will have to follow the world in her improprieties and false worship; hence Paul writes: “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ?” Gal. 1:10. For such love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his children: therefore the world knoweth us not, neither knoweth it him. 1 John 3:1. Therefore, if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, it is no wonder that they also call them of his household so; for the servant cannot be above his lord, nor the disciple above his master. Matt. 10:25,24. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_769) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JACOB THE CHANDLER, TO HIS CHILDREN.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JACOB THE CHANDLER, TO HIS CHILDREN.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children/part-4/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children/part-3/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+The+Third+Letter+Of+Jacob+The+Chandler%2C+To+His+Children.+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AThe+Third+Letter+Of+Jacob+The+Chandler%2C+To+His+Children.+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children%2Fpart-3%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-the-third-letter-of-jacob-the-chandler-to-his-children--b00017-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)