By no means. Rather does it sometimes happen that the Lord withdraws (continued)
185. Let us come to the second table. It begins, "Honour thy father and thy mother."
186. What do you mean by "honour"? That children be humble and obedient toward their parents, doing them honour and reverence, helping them and being at their command, as they are bound.
187. Proceed further. God adds a promise to the commandment, "That thy days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord thy God will give thee."
188. What does that mean? That God will give long life to those who honour their father and mother as they ought.
189. Seeing this life is full of misery, why does God promise man as a favour that he will live long? However miserable it may be, life on earth is a blessing from God to the faithful, if only for this reason, that in it God testifies to His fatherly love in supporting them in it.
190. Does it follow conversely, that the man who dies prematurely is cursed of God? By no means. Rather does it sometimes happen that the Lord withdraws from this world more quickly those whom He loves most.
191. In so doing, how does He fulfill His promise? All that God promises us in earthly blessings, we must receive under this condition, viz. that it is expedient for our spiritual salvation. For it would be poor indeed if that did not precedence.
192. What of those who are rebellious against their father and mother? Not only will God punish them at the last judgment, but here also God will exercise judgment on their bodies, it may be by letting them die before their time, or ignominiously, or in some other way.