Chapter 4

My child, day and night "you should remember him who preaches God's word to you," and honor him as you would the Lord. For where the Lord's nature is discussed, there the Lord is. Every day you should seek the company of saints to enjoy their refreshing conversation. You must not start a schism, but reconcile those at strife. "Your judgments must be fair." You must not play favorites when reproving transgressions. You must not be of two minds about your decision. Do not be one who holds his hand out to take, but shuts it when it comes to giving. If your labor has brought you earnings, pay a ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give and do not give with a bad grace; for you will discover who He is that pays you back a reward with a good grace. Do not turn your back on the needy, but share everything with your brother and call nothing your own. For if you have what is eternal in common, how much more should you have what is transient! Do not neglect your responsibility to your son or your daughter, but from their youth you shall teach them to revere God. Do not be harsh in giving orders to your slaves and slave girls. They hope in the same God as you, and the result may be that they cease to revere the God over you both. For when he comes to call us, he will not respect our station, but will call those whom the Spirit has made ready. You slaves, for your part, must obey your masters with reverence and fear, as if they represented God. You must hate all hypocrisy and everything which fails to please the Lord. You must not forsake "the Lord's commandments," but "observe" the ones you have been given, "neither adding nor subtracting anything." At the church meeting you must confess your sins, and not approach prayer with a bad conscience. That is the way of life.