John Calvin on Parental Authority

However unworthy of honor a father may be, that he still retains, inasmuch as he is a father, his right over his children, provided it does not in anywise derogate from the judgment of God....

In condemning, therefore, the vices of a father, a truly pious son will subscribe to God's Law; and still, whatsoever he may be, will acknowledge that he is to be honored, as being the father given him by God....

Paul, therefore, does not simply exhort children to obey their parents, but adds the restriction, "in the Lord;" whereby he indicates that, if a father enjoins anything unrighteous, obedience is freely to be denied him. Immoderate strictness, moroseness, and even cruelty must be born, so long as a mortal man, by wickedly demanding what is not lawful, does not endeavor to rob God of His right. In a word, the Law so subjects children to their parents, as that God's right may remain uninfringed.

Commentary on Exodus [20:12]

Masculinity is the glad assumption of sacrificial responsibility.

-- Doug Wilson

Westminster Larger Catechism 161:

Q. How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not by any power in themselves, or any virtue derived from the piety or intention of him by whom they are administered; but only by the working of the Holy Ghost, and the blessing of Christ by whom they are instituted.

All the duties of piety towards parents are here comprised, to which children are laid under obligation by natural reason itself; and these may be reduced to three heads, i e., 1) that they should regard them with reverence; 2) that they should obediently comply with their commands, and allow themselves to be governed by them; and 3) that they should endeavor to repay what they owe to them, and thus heartily devote to them themselves and their services.

-- John Calvin, Commentary on Exodus [20:12]

John Calvin on Covenantal Election:

This the sacred history sometimes repeats that the secret grace of God may be more admirably displayed in that change. I admit that it was by their own fault Ishmael, Esau, and others, fell from their adoption; for the condition annexed was, that they should faithfully keep the covenant of God, whereas they perfidiously violated it. The singular kindness of God consisted in this, that he had been pleased to prefer them to other nations; as it is said in the psalm, "He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them," (Ps. 147:20). But I had good reason for saying that two steps are here to be observed; for in the election of the whole nation, God had already shown that in the exercise of his mere liberality he was under no law but was free, so that he was by no means to be restricted to an equal division of grace, its very inequality proving it to be gratuitous.

-- Institutes II.XXI,vi

Modern Evangelicalism seems to operate on the assumption that any and all judgment is reserved solely until the Great Day. This is implicit deism. When Divine wrath is poured upon this nation for our manifold wickednesses - from sodomy to infanticide, from idolatry and narcissism to blasphemy and sacrilege - countless Evangelicals, who should know better, are going to be wringing their hands in shock and disbelief as if the unthinkable has happened.

The purport of the [fourth] commandment is, that being dead to our own affections and works, we meditate on the kingdom of God, and in order to such meditation, have recourse to the means which he has appointed.

-- John Calvin, Institutes II.VIII.xxviii

So long as God takes the care upon him to save us, let us boldly trust that we stand in safety, yea albeit that the wicked conspire against us, and lie in wait and watch for us: yet shall we be as in an invincible fortress, so we can call upon the name of our God, and be thoroughly assured in ourselves that he avows us to be his people, whereof we have good warrant, so we break not our faith which on our part we have plighted unto him. But we just must feel the protection of God otherwise than the wicked do; that is to say, in hearing his word, we must embrace the grace which is presented unto us, and rest wholly upon it. After that manner must we be ascertained that the name of God is called upon over us.

-- John Calvin, Sermon 155 on Deuteronomy