〈…〉 CARTERS CHRISTIAN Common VVealth OR Domesticall Dutyes deciphered ¶ Printed at London by Tho Purfoot 1627. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE Maister Wardens and the Assistants of the worthy and famous Company of Gouldsmithes of this Honourable Citie of London Worshipfull Sirs INgratitude was a sin even vnto the Heathens so odious that Periander among the Corinthians made this law that if any in a Common weale prove◠vnthankefull hauing receiued a benefit he was to bee put to death and as the reliques of Gods Image in them soe nature in the sensible creatures hath ingrafted thankefulnesse to passe by those presidents produced by Historians which may seeme incredible the Naturalists obseruation of the Merlyon not to prey on the Larke which hath giuen warmth to her cold feet is remarkeable And the spirit of God in Scripture hath plentifully inioyned it That I may proue my selfe therefore instructed in this duty not by nature onely but by grace in this glorious light of the Gospell I present vnto your view and patronage these poore indeavours the fruit of a thankefull heart expect you cannot a loftie stile or curious phrase for I take not vppon mee to instruct but onely to remember your curteous acceptation I doubt not of from the former experience of your worthinesse Surely if the poore Persians water in a potsheard was exceptable to the Emperour and an Apple from a poore Pessant was received by Artaxerzes a great Prince if Alexander tooke curteously water from a common Souldiers helmet and our Sauiour crowned the poore widdow with everlasting prayse for two Mites to the Treasury your generous dispositions will sparingly censure and curteously accept these my poore labours which howsoeuer they bee your worships and so is the Author Yours in all humblenesse to continue THOMAS CARTER To the Reader AMongst all the blessings that God hath bestowed vpon vs curteous Reader the word of God next to our Sauiour challengeth the most eminent place as being the guide and direction vnto him and the instrument to preserue vs vnblameable in a froward and crooked generation The Prophet Zacharie speaketh of Zach. 9. last ver the wine that Christ doth offer to drinke whereof virgins are gendred and begotten other kind of wines are wont to kindle evill lusts but this wine the Gospell restraineth those lusts and maketh the heart pure hence is the instruction of our Lord to search the Scripture as being able to instruct the ignorant to reforme the vertuous and so to make perfect the man of God in all good workes This excellent vertue hauing drawne mee to a diligent study of sacred Writ and considering in the last worst dayes the great neglect of family dutyes frō whence springes so many corruptions in children and seruants being dayly spectators of the heads corruptions I haue thought it my duty not to let my Talent rest but by that small portion of knowledge God hath giuen vnto me to set vp some way-marke to direct others to the waters of Shiloh which run pleasantly to coole the heate of corruption and frowardnesse and to teach vs obedience privately and publikely If it bee obiected that many eminent men haue already sufficiently performed this worke I answer that another performing his duty excuseth not me Secondly none euer so fully and amply hath put to the presse dutyes in this nature as I can hereof Thirdly they came not to my hands till I had finished this worke It seemed thē necessary not to let it suffer obortion but to bring it to a charitacle view censure of the vnderstanding reader May it please you then to accept of these vnpolished yea vnsquared documents neither it may bee methodicall in respect of order nor curious in respect of phrase onely the token of a willing heart and affording some good generall motions if thou please to afford a little diligence in the reading and care in the prctising This performed I haue the end I ayme at and thus remaine thine ever in the Lord Thomas Carter The Introduction to the worke HEe that sayd the Iob. 7. 1. whole life of man was nothing else but a time of temptations spake most fearefully and yet most truly for we are tempted in our old age in our cradle we are not free if any euill bee set before vs we are provoked vnto it If we abound with Adam in Paradice there may be death in that And if wee want with our Sauiour in the wildernes there are temptations in that So subtill is Sathan and so envious is our enemie to serue himselfe vpon all occasions In the former age of the world hee wrought and prevailed with men by bringing errors of mind and doctrine of Diuels to seduce the Church but now the cleare light of the Gospell is come in knowledge doth abound he laboreth to bring in error of life and depravitie of conversation for that notwithstanding men know their maisters wil yet they performe it not that all meanes possible both the spirituall sword of the Minister temporal sword of the Magistrate ought to be vsed for the reformation of these known euils yea euery mā to set a hand to this worke amongst which nūber I haue brought forth my poore abortiue talent to farther the same labouring by reproofes to beate downe vice and by instructions to informe the Husband to loue his wife and the wife to obey her Husband the Father to bring vp his Children in the feare of God not provoking them to wrath and the Childrens obedience to their Parents the Maister to guide the seruant and the seruant to obey his Master in all things in the Lord what if I bee no Minister nor the sonne of a Minister Shepheards and clownes haue beene Diuines sometimes and why not I and therfore not doubting the entertaynement I set forward to the worke and first for the duty of Husbands The duty of Husbands The first Chapter ANd the cause why I haue first begun with this duty of Husbands is for that I find it to bee the first degree which God gaue vnto Man after his Creation therein that when God gaue vnto man the rule of the whole earth and the domination of all Gen. 2. the creatures therein contained yet vntill hee gaue vnto him a Wife hee had no true content in all the rest besides for euery creature had solace in their kind except Man but so was it not with Man till God gaue vnto Man had no true content till God gaue vnto him a Wife him a Wife Then finding her a companion fit to associate him selfe withall with her he setled his content And this did God for Man in the time of his innocencie giue vnto him this wife thereby leauing vnto vs this instruction that we also ought to liue so vprightly so holily and so purely in the state of wedlocke that we sinne not against God nor against one another And heere is one especiall thing to be noted that God
is required of women towards their husband of feare this is which is here required and how it must be performed for it is not a slauish kind of feare which is here required where the Apostle sayth your cōuersation must be in feare but here is required of you a holy conuersatiō zealous towards God and pure and vndefiled towards the world with vertue chastity modesty temperance sobriety faithfulnesse and louing obedience for surely shee that is fully possessed with these vertues will so loue and so liue that shee will feare to offend her Husband but rather yeeld all humility and obedience for the commandement sake thus by this holy cariage of your selues shall you winne those that are without the knowledge of God or his word to the knowledg both of him and his word when they shall behold your godly conversation in feare And see farther the mercy of our good God vnto whom he hath cōmitted you to be gouerned by not vnto your enemies or vnto strangers but vnto a kind louing Husband vnto whom you are as neere as the very flesh vnto his skin and as deare vnto him as the aple of his eye whose tender harted affections are alwaies yeelding vnto a dutifull louing wife I hope now that good wiues will willingly yeeld vnto this their duty of obedience vnto their Husbands seeing by whom it is commanded and to whom it ought to be done And the rather for that the mercy of God doth extend it selfe vnto them euen to the full in that notwithstanding their transgression against him yet he hath ordayned them to eternall salvation by the merits of his 1. Tim. 2. beloued Sonne the words are worthy your best obseruation and these they are Notwithstanding through bearing of Children shee shall bee saued if they continue in the faith and loue and holinesse with modesty see here the benefit of Mariage which bringeth so great a blessing with it And note I beseech you you that are women of vnderstanding here is saluatiō offered vnto you by bearing of Children indeed but it is with a prouiso if if you continue in the faith and loue and holinesse with modesty you must yeeld all The first duty of the Wife is obedience harty obedience vnto the blessed will of God else what is the fruits of your faith or where is it or the hope of your saluatiō so you see it alludes vnto al these vertues I formerly spake of and the obedience which God himselfe commandeth for all these should bee in women for if you marke it as it is worthy your marking you shall see that al our poeticall paynters wheresoeuer they doe paynt or set forth any of the vertues as Faith Hope Eight chiefe vertues which ought to be in women Loue Charity Patience Chastity Temperance Humility the like all these they doe not set forth vnto vs in the shaddow of men but in the shaddow of women shewing thereby that in them these vertues dwell or should at the leastwise I will run no farther in this poynt of obedience but will turne mee to the next duty of the Wife which is Loue. The Eight Chapter ANd now concerning the duty of Loue The second duty of the Wife is Loue. which euery woman ought to performe vnto her Husband I haue in some manner touched it before as occasion serued in the duty of obedience for indeed they are as too twins they goe hand in hand one with another and may not well bee Obedience and Loue ought not to be separated separated for where there is true obedience rightly performed there also loue will be attendant as an agent helpe to performe the businesse and in deed it is so naturall a thing for a woman to loue a man that we would think she needed not be prompted or to bee instructed in this poynt but to performe it truly faithfully as it ought to be I thinke wee shall scarce find one in fiue that doth it no not among ten I pray God there bee one in 20 And yet I make no doubt but that a woman loueth her Husband when she marrieth with him but the Apostle saith shee must continue in loue Why then it appeareth that the loue shee must performe vnto her Husband must be like the ring wherwith he marrieth her What the Marriage ring doth signifie it must haue no end it must continue as long as shee continues to him yea if it be to the end of her life and as the ring is not of any mixt or base mettall but of the most precious pure mettal which may be so it teacheth the woman that the loue shee must performe vnno her Husband must bee pure holy and chast it must allow no mixture no copartner in this fellowship but she must remember to performe the vow shee made in the presence of God and before his Saints at the time of her Marriage that shee would keepe her selfe onely vnto him so long as shee should liue with him and this you see the ceremony or vse of the ring teacheth and therefore with great and good consideration hath our Church ordayned the vse of it and great in the error of those men which refuse at such times to make vse of it And now I haue begune to speake of this vow which the woman maketh vnto her Husband at the time of her Marriage it giueth me an occasion to take notice of the small regard that women for the most part doe take of this businesse for if wee note the conuersation of A woman ought to haue regard of the vow that shee maketh at the time of her marriage Wiues vnto their Husbands in these times it will appeare as I sayd for the most part that they neuer regard that vow they made or know that they haue made any at all for sure I thinke there bee some so brutish they know it not but rather thinke they bee but words of course or ceremonial rites of the Church and not concerne them at all yea I doe know there bee such but alasse their errors is exceeding great in taking so little regard of so waighty a cause But I beseech you in the feare Note of God note what I shal say vnto you concerning this matter for you shal see it is a vow which shee promiseth with her lips yea and a great vow and such a one as in the whole course of her life shee cannot make a greater for if a woman shall say or protest Numb 5. she will doe such or such a thing this is a vow shee bindeth her selfe to performe it but as I said before If her Husband hearing her shall disallow of it and shall say shee shall not doe it shee is then freed from her vow because of his authority ouer her and it is sayd the Lord shall forgiue her for vowing so we see then it is a sinne for a woman to vow or protest to doe any
thing if she performe it not vnlesse it bee contradicted by her Husband But here the case is otherwise and farre more greater for wheÌ„ shee commeth to be Married to a man shee is then solie of her selfe free from the command of any and hath free liberty to doe then for her selfe what shee How great a sinne it is to breake the vow made in Matrimony will and therefore her vow shee then maketh is of very great effect and it is as great a sinne to breake it great indeed in the regard of these things the place where shee made it the house of God the congregation there the Saints of God but far more greater in respect shee is demanded if she will performe these things by the Angell and Minister of God in Gods behalfe shee then there answereth she will So wee find when God had determined to giue his chosen people the Children of Israell his law whereby they might know how to performe their duty vnto him hee sent his seruant Moses vnto them to know if they would performe the law which he was to giue them and they answered they would performe it but as rhe Lord did tell them after hee had giuen them the Lawes That if they did not regard his Commandements and obey Exâ— 19. his will hee would send his punishment A proofe by example that God will punish the breach of the vow made in matrimony vpon them in abundance vntill hee had vtterly consumed them so I must say vnto euery woman that regardeth not her vow and promise which shee maketh at the time of her marriage and doth not endeauour to performe the same as shee ought to doe let her assure her selfe shee shall no lesse expect the iudgement and punishment of God then they did Looke in your Booke of common The Booke of common prayer a looking glasse for women to see their duties in Prayer in the solemnizatioÌ„ of Matrimony and there you shall see what you haue vowed to performe it is that you will liue with your Husbands according to the ordinance and Commandements of God that you will obey and serue them and this you see God hath commanded you to doe what greater vow then this can you make and it followeth more there that you vow to loue honour and keepe them in sicknesse and in health so here you see that loue is the next thing for the woman here to doe and this also shee voweth freely of her selfe to performe also the next and last shee voweth to forsake all other men and to keepe her selfe wholy onely to her Husband here is the effect and end of her loue to be chast pure and without spot this is the loue which wiues ought to performe to their Husbands I know all those which feare God will acknowledge performe as much but I appeale vnto themselues euen against their owne sect if there bee not too many in these dayes which liue so brutish so obstinate and rebellious against God and theiâ— Husbands that they seeme not to know that either they owe this loue as a duty vnto their Husbands or haue made so great a vow to performe it Looke but into one of their actes let the rest though many alone I meane their breach of wedlocke those Adultrous workes and then where is this loue how many forsake their Husbands vnto whom they haue made this vow of Loue and chastity and yet liue adulterously with other men oh how many The abhomominable whoredome of women haue their secret friends loues as they terme them at home in their Husbands absence or meeting them abroad in priuate places nay haunting common brothell houses so insatiate that euen whores in stewes are not more common and what is the cause of this but their disobedience vnto the Commandement of God which would direct theÌ„ to performe this duty of Loue holily as it ought to be if they would But shall I display their actions abroad with my pen oh no if I should I should weary my selfe with writing and you in reading it they themselues by their lewd actions dayly committed doe too much explaine themselues to the world and therefore to tell such their duty to their Husbands which will not learne to performe their duty towards GOD will bee but vaine before such swine I will not cast such pearles But to those which desire to know their duty to the end they may performe it to these I write still let their loue bee pure and steadfast and their whole conuersation so holy that as the Apostle telleth them others may bee wonne by their godly ensamples and so shall they themselues be brought vnto eternall happinesse The Ninth Chapter OVr blessed Apostle hauing giuen instructioÌ„s vnto Women how they ought to behaue themselues towards their Husbands now proceedes to giue instructions vnto them also how to tyre and array themselues whose apparrell sayth he shall 1. Pet. 3. not bee outward with brayded haire and hanging on of gold or in putting Women ought not to array themselues in gorgeous apparell but in decent aâ—tirâ— on of gorgeous array but let the inward man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which before God is much set by for after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God ttyre themselues â— were obedient vnto their Husbands euen as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord againe in another place he fayth let the women array themselues in 1. Tim. â— comely apparrell with shamefostnesse and modesty not with broyded hayre or gold or pearles or costly apparrell but as becommeth women which professe the feare of God with good workes I doe not a little admire that Many women haue read concerning these things yet make no good vse of it as they ought to doe so many women which would bee accounted wise in their knowledge haue themselues so often read these things and been so long instructed in these principals yet seeme either not that euer they themselues haue read such things or euer haue heard them of others for I am sure so it seemeth in these dayes amongst them for the most part but shal I tell you you haue learned from the greatest to the meanest and the eldest to the yongest to adore decke your selues according to the fashions of the world which shall perish and they which delight in them but to array decke your selues with modesty and shamefastnes and such comely apparrell as becommeth those that professe the feare of God in this you are all to seeke or disdaine to learne to know although God by his word commandeth it of you But if there bee any amongst you which maketh conscience of these things and so striue to liue according as they ought to Women giueÌ„ to pride mockers and scoffers of those whiaâ— do religiously reforme them selues doe are not such disdayned and
he cast thee vnder the power authority of them to obey and serue them in his stead and to that end hath giuen thee a speciall Commandement euen from his owne mouth that thou shalt Honous thy Father and thy Mother Exod 20. Leui. 19. which is not onely vnderstood in the outward ceremoniall actions as putting off the hatt or bowing the knee but thou must The duties which good children ought to performe vnto their Parents also loue them with all thy hart feare and dread them and waite on their Commandements and seeke their worship wil and profit in all things and as it were to giue euen thy life for the contenting of them counting them worthy of all honour which thou maist procure vnto them remembring that thou art their good and possession that thou owest vnto them euen thy owne selfe all that thou art able to doe yea and more then thou art able to doe Vnderstand also that whatsoeuer thou dost vnto them bee it A good note for children to regard good or euill thou dost it euen vnto God and when thou dost displease them thou displeasest God and when they are angry with thee in aÌ„y good cause God is angry with thee neither is it possible for thee to come into the fauour of God againe no though all the Angels of heauen should pray for thee vntill thou haue submitted thy selfe vnto thy Father and Mother againe and therefore thou must be very wary and circumspect to performe this thy obedience vnto thy father with the true zeale of thy hart thou must not onely bee obedient for feare of their displeasure correction or punishment neither must thou obey them for hope of reward or some benefit which thou doest expect from them this hypocritical obedience is not that which How farre the duty of children extendeth God commandeth thee to performe and to which hee hath gieuen a blessing no I tell thee God will iudge and punish thee if thou dost not performe this obedience vnto them euen with the sinceritie of their heart and in vprightnesse of conscience for he beholdeth the heart and according to the vprightnesse of it God doth iudge For he is that powerfull God that created the heauen and the earth of nothing and that of Gen. 1. the dust of the earth hath made thee onely to serue and obey him and hee it is that commandeth thee to this obedience that thou honour thy father and thy A principall note to be obserued in God thus placing this Comman dement mother and note how hee hath placed this Commandement for it is worthy thy obseruation God hauing giuen vnto man but Ten Commandements and but foure of them concerning the duty of man vnto him the other Sixe concerning the duty of man vnto man and yet as the most principall of them all hee hath put this formest of the Sixe Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother and well knew hee that placed that formest in the rancke that that was the right place for it that he that would not obey reuerence and honour his owne Parents would likewise neglect and forget his duty vnto other men and therefore as an introduction instruction to that which followeth hee doth begin with this Honour thy father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and see the great mercy of our God which to the performers of this his Commandement vnto which we are by duty double bound to performe he is pleased to giue a blessing And as hee commandeth it Luke 2. there so likewise in many other places he doth the like the Prophets and Apostles do likewise teach the same and therefore if you will be childreÌ„ of God your heauenly Father and liue vnder the obedience of his command without which you cannot but perish euerlastingly you must performe this his will and command in this that you honour obâ—y your Parents yea ye shall Leu. 19. euery man feare his Father and Mother saith God consider in what manner you ought to performe this you shall stand in awfull dread of your Parents not of the rod or of their correction onely as I said no no such servile feare but considering their deare and naturall loue towards thee how tenderly carefully louingly they haue nourished thee euen from thy birth still do seeke thy good by all meanes possible In respect of this their great loue vnto thee which thou Worthy notes for Children to regard didst neuer deserue nor neuer canst satisfie thou oughtest likewise in thy loue to them againe to be euen so iealous of thy selfe that thou shouldest feare least in any thing thou doest thou shouldest offend such louing Parents this is that feare which thou oughtest to performe vnto them and which God requireth of thee The 19. Chapter ANd seeing wee are now entred into this duty of Children which God by his diuine wisdome hath compiled in these few words Honour thy Father and thy Mother and yet in them hath included the whole summe of all duties which ought to be performed vnto them which though I haue begun to touch in the former Chapter yet for that I am to speake vnto Children it shall not be amisse if I doe somewhat inlarge this matter for as I sayd before it is not to be vnderstood to be onely in the putting off the cap or â—owing the knee and yet these things must bee done because by these outward thinges thou dost seeme to giue honour vnto them Thou must not as too many The reverence which children ought to performâ— vnto their Parents and how to honour them proud youthes do in these daies stand in the presence of thy father mother with thy heâ—d couered yea and that amongst strangers and talke vnto them as boldly saucily as it were vnto their fellowes or equales is this the honouring thy Father thy Mother nay this is to dishonour them for in their presence thou oughtest not to stand but with great reuerence if they bee in any company thy regard should bee more in performing of this duty in giuing vnto them the more honour and because thou canst not better performe thy honour vnto them then by obeying them nor greater dishonour them then by being disobedient vnto them though I haue touched it before where I sayd thou owest vnto them euen all thy whole endeauours whatsoeuer thou canst doe therefore thou must bee ready and willing at all times in all places to performe their lawfull commandements at their becke and word to run goe and to show all good obedience vnto them that may bee Thou must not bee like that Mat. 2â— disobedient sonne whom his father â—ad to goe worke in his vineyard and hee answered hee would but did not neither must thou answer as the other did who said hee would not yet afterward went For thou must
neyther delude Children may not delude their Parents by lying words thy father with lying words to say thou wilt doe his command and haue a wicked intent in thy heart not to performe it nor thou must not dare rebelliously to gaine-say his word but if thy father or mother doe commaund thee to doe any thing thou must gladly hartily willingly forthwith euen instantly with all diligence performe their iust request and thus shalt thou performe thy duty vnto God by this thy obedience vnto theÌ„ for else how canst thou say thou performest Children performe not their duty to God which performe not their obedience vnto their Parents thy duty vnto God wheÌ„ thou performest not thy duty vnto thy Parents whom hee commandeth thee to obey and honour Thou must remeÌ„ber also that thou art their good therefore of thee and by thee their good or profit should arise I meane so long as thou aâ—t vnder their authority or gouâ—rment thy whole endeuors both of body mind must be altogether bent vnto the good and profit of thy Parents Chileren ought to deaâ—e iustly in the vse of their Parents goods seeking wholy their profit I say it must be wholy thou must not keepe any part of it backe eyther to thine owne vse or to vse vnthriftily to the hurt of thy Parents for thou owest vnto theÌ„ more then thou canst doe and therefore a great heauie iudgment doth hang ouer the heads of those wicked children which doe pâ—â—loyne steale away the goods of their Parents though neuer so priuately either to giue vnto those whoÌ„ they doe affect or otherwise to consume or wast after their owne willes And euen so it is with those The hurt which many leaud children doe vnto their Parents in not dealing iustly with them whoÌ„ their parents do appoint vnto any lawfull calling labour or busines if they negligeÌ„tly leawdle or idely doe spend that time which they ought to employ only in those affaires doe they not rob their Parents of that profit which should arise vnto their parents by their industry in that time and so by their lewdnesse doe great hurt both vnto their Parents themselues yea surely and how great an offence this is wherein they thus disobey and dishonour their Parents and consequently God himselfe iudge you And as it is thus by these in wasting consuming the goods Schollers abusing their time in learning wrong their Prents in doing it of their Parents euen so it is with them which wast and consume that most precious time which they ought to spend in schooles to the attaining of their learning by play and idlenesse thereby wasting the profits of their Parents labours nay I would it were not thus with those whose learning should teach them to make better vse of their time then they doe both dishonoring God and their Parents The 20. Chapter BVt I will not stand vpon amplification of words they are plaine enough theÌ„selues the whole Booke of God is full of instructions to this end the soule that desireth knowledge will seeke it there and amongst others very much hath Salomon laboured to teach this duty of obedience vnto Children as appeareth in many places of his Bookes as in the first of Pro. My Son heare thy Fathers Pro. 1. instructions and forsake not thy Mothers teachingâ— and againe heare ye children the instruction if Pro. 4. a Father and giue eare to learne vnderstanding for I doe giue you a good doctrine therefore forsake not my law for I was my fathers sonne tender and deare in the sight of my mother when hee taught me and sayd vnto me let thy heart hold fast my words keepe my Commandement and thou shalt liue And againe Heare my Sonne keepe thy Father Pro. 6. Commandements and forsake 〈◊〉 thy Mothers instructions bind them alwaies vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke it shall leade thee when thou walkest watch this when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee 〈◊〉 for the CoÌ„mandement is a lanthoras and instruction a light and correction for instruction is the way of life And againe A foole despiseth his Pro. 13. Fathers instructions but he that regardeth correction is wise Againe A wise Sonne maketh a glad Father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his Mother Againe a wise sonne will obey the instruction of his Father but a scorner will heare no rebuke But before I passe further I must not so lightly passe ouer A parlse supposition which children haue of their Parents correcting them some of Salomons words heere spokeÌ„ for I know there be many foolish Children in these dayes which when their Parents reproue or correct them for their follies or faults committed doe eyther suppose it to bee more of spleene and anger towards them then otherwise or that they doe not beare that naturall loue towards them which they should doe but let not such idle leawd thoughts possesse either thy heart or minde but remember that he telleth thee that correction for instructions are the way of life and that he that regardeth the correction of his Father is wise well I will goe on with Salomons words for sayth hee He that destroyeth his Father or Pro. 19. chaseth away his mother is a leawd and a shamefull child Againe he Pro. 20. that curseth his father or his mother his light shall bee put out in obscure darkenesse Againe Obey thy Father Pro. 23. that begot thee and despise 〈…〉 thy mother when shee is old againe he that robbeth his Father and sayth Pro. 25. it is no transgression is the compâ—nion of a man that destroyeth Againe the eye that mocketh his Father Pro. 30. and despiseth the instructions if his Mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out and the young Eagles eate it And thus you see how Salomon hath laboured to expresse this duty of Children in their obedience vnto their Parents and all good children haue applyed theÌ„selues to performe the same euen from the beginning yea long before the law was giuen by God to that end the very law of nature thorough grace did worke this obedience in them as appeareth by that rare obedience of Isack vnto his Father yeelding himselfe euen to become a sacrifice Gen. 42. vnto the hand of his Father Iacob likewise obeying the command Gen. 27. of his Mother obtayned the blessing thereby But Iosephs dutifull obedience Gen. 47. vnto his Father and cherishing of him and his in his old age sheweth vnto all good children a perfect patterne of all dutifull obedience and the obedience of the daughter of Iephtah likewise may not be forgotten who although her father had vowed to offer vnto the Lord in sacrifice and that shee had liberty at Iudg. 11. her pleasure two whole monetâ—â— to go vnto the mountaines to bewaile Examples of the obedience and duty of good
children vnto their Parents her virginity yet at the prefixed time shee willingly came and offered her selfe vnto the hands of her father to performe his vow with her Solomon also when his mother came to speake with him so 1. King 2. soone as he saw her hee left his kingly seat and caine to meete her and reuerently bowed himselfe vnto her and caused her to bee placed on his right hand as he sate on the throne of his kingdome many such examples there bee besides these as Tâ—bâ—â— and others all teaching this duty Tob. 14. vnto children And as God hath commanded it thus to be done see how highly hee liketh of those which doe performe it the stone of the 〈…〉 bites doth plainely Ier. 35. shew where the Prophet Ieremiah from the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth these wore's vnto them T 〈…〉 Lord of hoasts the God of 〈…〉 cause you obeyed the 〈…〉 of Ionadaâ— your Father 〈…〉 How God blesseth those childreÌ„ which obey their Parents kept all his preâ—â—pts 〈…〉 〈…〉 ding vnto all that hee hath commanded you therefore thus sayth the Lord of heastâ— the God of Israel Ionadab the son of Rechaâ— shall not want a man to stand before mâ—â— for euer what neede I now â—o cite more places of Scripture to this end our Sauiour Christ himselfe Luk. 2. became a patterne vnto you in this poynt for hee became obedient vnto his earthly Parents If these things will not suffice then wil noâ—e The 21. Chapter BVt I must ye proceede a little further in this poynâ— of obedience fâ—â— there bee many which when they are come to some yeares as they thinke of discretion that then will bee no longer vnder the obedience of their Parents but to dispose of themselues at their owne pleasure nay I would to Goâ— that some of them did not thâ—â— oppose themselues against their Parents well they finde thâ— word of God doth teach them otherwise for thou must not then so dispose of thy selfe canst thou bee content to giue them leaue to nourish cherish and to maintayne thee both in sicknesse and health all the time of thy youth and wilt thou now â—e like a wilde and vnruly colt that casts off his bridle and shewes his master his foure shooes If thou didst want the vse of thy limbes or thy sight or the vse of thy speech thou cast then bee content to bee gouerned by them euen vntill thy olde age or dying day and wilt thou enioying these and all other blessings from Almighty God euen to the full when thou comest to those yeares wherein thy wisedome Children should take regard of the experimented wise counsailes of their aged Parents should shew it selfe like a flourishing oliue tree yeelding obedience and honour vnto thy Parents thereby comforting ioying their aged yeares then theâ— I say to cast them off yea that good also which might come to thee by that wise prudeÌ„t counsaile which they by long experience haue gained might to thee sure proue an anchor hold of exceeding much good And this I speake also in reproofe Children ought to be ruled by their Parents in case of their marriage yea to the reproach of those giddy headded wantons of our time which will not giue their Parents leaue to make their choyse of marriage for them nor bee ruled by them in their choyse whereupon as a iust plague vnto them it often commeth to passe that not hauing their Parents goodwill in their choyse they not onely lose that which is an vnualuable losse I meane the blessing of their Parents which though children regard not in these dayes yet in times past it was of such reuerent regard among Gods children that their fathers blessing was vnto them as precious as their What an account good children made in times past of the blessing of their Parents granfathers inheritance whereby thorough want of the fathers loue this blessing a iust plague and punishment from God for so high an offence it is commonly seene beggery followeth I speake not this vnadvisedly as of supposition for God is witnesse with me that I speake the truth I haue seene it with mine eyes to my griefe of heart Oh sinne of disobedience euen in the highest degree of nature when a sonne or daughter shall presume in priuate to take vnto themselues the estate of mariage without the consent of Parents ought not the father to know yea and to make choyse what flesh should be ioyned vnto his owne and what fruit should be grafted into his owne stocke and to see that it should bee for the good and honor thereof yes surely and those which be good and gracious Children will giue their Parents the preheminence thereof and also bee ruled by them in these things but there be some which can bee content to bee ruled by their Parents in case of marriage for the benefit of their helpe which may arise thereby but they are not willing to stay the time which their Parents shall thinke fit for them But this did not Isacke for hee Gen. 25. would not presume to make any Good childreÌ„ haue alwaies had regard to leaue the choyse of their marriage to thire Parents choyse but stayd his Fathers pleasure although it were till he was Forty yeares of age And Iacob wheÌ„ his father did appoint him then went to the place where he did appoynt him but not before where are those that doe follow the steps of these holy and chosen children of God that I many extoll them to the world alas they are not in these dayes to be found And yet the very heathen which knew not God nor his lawes yet the very light of nature taught this duty vnto them not to make their choyse of mariage Gen. 34. without the coÌ„sent of their Parents for thus did Shechem the sonne of Hamore sue vnto his Father for his good will to marry with Dinah the daughter of Iacob the servants of God had alwaies a speciall regard hereunto Samspon also would not presume Iudg. 14. to marry without the consent of his father no although he liked the woman exceeding well And as the naturall Parents haue this authority ouer their Children so doth it likewise belong vnto those which be gardians foster fathers as wee terme them which haue the bringing vp of youth whether they be of kindred or otherwise as wee see Ruth was obedient vnto her step Rut. 1. mother and vpon these and such like causes is our law grounded which permits not a ward being vnder the gouernement of his gardian to marry without his consent The 22. Chapter ANd as I haue labored to expresse this duty of obedience vnto children and yet but briefely run it ouer in respect of that which might bee spoken herein so it is needefull in some sort to shew the limitation thereof for it is not generall but is included within her bounds I did a little
vnto men that it is not enough for them to liue peacably and quietly with their wiues but they must liue louingly with them also thus did Iacob loue his wife yeelding Gen. 28. service to his vnckle and maister Fourteen yeares to the end hee might enioy her after Elkana 1. Sam. 1. loued Hanna his wife and Sampson Iudg. 1. Tob. â— his wife and Tobias and others their wiues And you see it must be no ordinary loue neither but it must bee like that extraordinary great loue which Christ shewed vnto his Church Ephe. 5. who gaue himselfe for it that Man is to loue his wife as Christ his Church hee might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be wholy without blame I will say with the blessed Apostle this is a great secret yea such a one which man is not commaunded in all poynts to imitate for the man is not commanded to giue his life for his wife as Christ did for his Church and yet he is to In what poynts to Imitate Christ protect her in all perils and dangers euen as hee doth his Church he must gouerne her in his wisedome by the word of God both by continuall instructions from thence and by his owne louing and gentle behauiour towards her and all others yea he must be laborious in his calling that so he may prouide all thinges necessary for her for so doth Christ for his Church he is alwaies protecting it and prouiding for it For this cause shall a man leaue his Father Mat. 19. 5. his Mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they twayne shall bee one flesh Saint Peter being himselfe a married man doth giue many notable instructions like these who speaking by the spirit of God and in the knowledge hee had of marriage yet imposeth this duty vnto men ye Husbands dwell with your Wiues as men of 1. Pet. 3. knowledge giuing honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen â— they which are heyres together of the grace of life that your prayers be not interrupted and the wise man giueth thee this counsell not to depart from a discreet and Eccle. 7. good woman which is fallen vnto thee for thy portion in the feare of the Lord for sayth he the guift of her honesty is farre aboue gold If thou haue a wife after thine owne mind forsake her not and commit not thy selfe to the hatefull vse thy selfe to liue ioyfully with thy wife whom thou louest all the dayes of thy life which is but vaine that God hath giuen thee vnder the Sunne all the dayes of thy vanity for that is thy portion in this life of all thy labour and trauile that thou takest vnder the sunne And our Sauiour Christ himselfe confirming on earth what his Father had done in paradice vouchsafed to grace a nuptiall feast with his blessed presence to expresse his loue the more which hee bare to the holy vnion then there knitte betwixt the Iohn 2. Man and his wife he expresseth his glory in shewing his first miracle which he wrought on earth at this mariage that of ioy by turning there water into wine to comfort and glad their hearts withall And now that wee haue found that the most principall duty of The principal duty of the Husband towards his wife is loue the Husband towards his Wife is loue that the word of God teacheth vs in what nature to expresse it let vs looke into the glasse of our times and see how this duty of loue is performed but I feare that among a hundred wee shall scarce finde one that striueth to performe this duty of loue as he ought and too many that know not of any duty at all Few to bee found which loue their wiues as they should to be obserued or at least wise will know of none and euen of those that doe know all and yet make no conscience to performe any for who or where is hee that loueth his wife as himselfe and nourisheth and cherisheth her euen as Christ doth his Church nay see we not rather the contrary doe wee not see dayly many which consume great estates which their wiues doe bring them through their owne vicious liues some by Foure chiefe causes of the ruinating of mans estate idlenesse some by gaming some by drunkennesse some by whoring but of this I shall speake hereafter some by one thing some by another who can deny but if there were loue in the man to his wife he would be more carefull in preseruing his and her estate then thus and yet wee see dayly a good woman brought to beggery by such lewd Husbands where is any duty or loue in such And are there not others which to shew their authority Churlish husbands voyd of the knowledge of the law of God will hold their wiues in stead of fellowship in such subiection seruitude that no seruant will performe the like vnto them being euen a very Nabal vnto them in churlishnes of speech crabbed conditions that the poore wife is euen at her wits end in seeking to giue him contentâ— where is wisedome in such Husbands that should gouerne their wiues according to knowledge alas it appeareth that these men forgetting their duty to God know not how to performe any duty at all towards their Wiues Others there are that will follow no vocation or labour at all but liue idely and lewdly put the poore woman to shift for all shee must prouide for her selfe her Children and her idle Husband too or if he hap sometimes to get something abroad yet shee shall bee sure to be neuer the better for it he wil bring none home to comfort her nay not so much as to put cloathes to his owne backe but that his poore Wife must prouide them yea and discharge the Landlord too or else shee shal want a house to put her head in nay hauing a profession to doe all this sufficiently of himselfe yet will he no way benefit his wife or himselfe but wil impose all still vpon her what shall we say of such men and yet such there be I protest vpon mine owne knowledge I know some of them Saint Paul saith he is worse then an Infidell that doth No feare of God nor loue in them which doe not prouide for their families not prouide for his family but to cast pearles among such swine is not meet for they will stoppe their eares at the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely I will leaue them to the iust iudgement of God who wil assuredly giue them their due what loue doe these men show nay is there any loue at all in them or any feare of God either It is a harts griefe to any good Christian or well minded man to see and heare the dayly contentions vproares quarrelles and disagreements
giue vnto himselfe as much pleasure as Salomon possessed as his Where peace and loue doe want all other things do seeme vnpleasing heart can desire yet if hee liue not peaceably at home in loue with his wife euen all the rest are but a burthen vnto him but the poore man hauing little and yet liuing frendly louingly and ioyfully with his wife hath his heart more full of content then the rich man hath of all his wealth Indeed as the old prouerbe sayth in loue is no lacke Where man wife agree all thinges prosper well 1. Sam. 6. for where loue is vnited in the feare of God in the harts of man and wife they will like yoake fellowes draw together the right way like the two Milch Kine which brought the Arke of God in the new cart from the land of the Philistims yea they will plow together sow together there is no doubt but through the blessing of him which gouerneth them they shall so doing receiue a plentifull haruest together Thus we haue found that the principall duty of the Husband vnto the Wife is loue and doe also finde that this duty is much neglected contemned euen despised of many as appeareth by the euills dayly arising betwixt man wife here before expressed which I confesse to bee to many yet there is one mayne defect in husbands which I may not ouer-passe because it is the greatest breach of loue that may bee which I will speake of in the Chapter following The Fourth Chapter THis duty of the Husband vnto the Wife being wholy included in the bonds of loue it stretcheth it selfe farther into many branches for we finde also by the word of God that the Husband must dwell with his wife according to knowledge so we see here that is not lawfull for the Husband to forsake his Wife but howseuer whether it be in weale or woe in riches or in pouerty yet he must abide dwell with her still onely Adultry No cause whatsoeuer should separate man and wife except Adultry separateth man and wife for this cause a man may forsake his wife and shee her husband but if the wife be not an Adultresse thou must not forsake her no not for any other cause I confesse the wise man saith giue me any plague but the plague of the tongue and it may bee thy wife hath this fault yet this is not a sufficient cause for to forsake her for our Saviour Christ telleth Mat. 19. vs it is not lawfull for a man to put away his wife except it be for whoredome yea hee doth vtterly forbid to separate whom God hath ioyned together and saith further that whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication causeth her to commit Adultery and whosoeuer Whosoeuer marrieth her that is diuorced doth commit Adultry shall marry her that is diuorced committeth Adultry But the firebrands of hell I meane the wicked and abominable Adulterers of our time neither respecting the word of God nor yeelding any obedience to his Commandements or fearing the iustice of his vengeance to come for their disobedience will notwithstanding like the swine possessed by the Deuill runne violently to their destructions But Saint Paull 1. Cor. 6. telleth them plainely that neither Fornicators Adulterers wantons An item for whoremongers and Adulterers nor such like shall inherite the kingdome of God whither they shall goe then I tremble to thinke of for these men not regarding these things will haue a wife here another there one in this Country and another in another country or if thy cannot range abroad to doe thus but must abide at home they will keepe a whore euen there and yet the poore wife must not know of it or if shee doe shee must not seeme to know it or dare to speake of it though shee bee neuer so much wronged by it nay this will not serue the beastly minds of some but they will haue a whore in this corner and another in another corner and bee continually seeking of whores and whorish places for all bread is sweet to a whoremonger saith the wise man hee will not leaue off till hee perish Eccle. 23. a man that breaketh wedlocke and thinketh thus in his heart who seeth me I am compassed about with darkenesse the walls couer mee no body seeth mee whom need I to feare the most high wil not remember my sins the same man sayth he shall bee punished in the streets of the citty and shall bee chased like a young horse foale and when he thinketh not vpon it hee shall be taken thus shall he be put to shame of euery man because he would not vnderstand the feare of the Lord. But what speake I of the wise mans words whē God himselfe saith Thou shalt not commit Adultry Exodus 20. and that thou shalt not couit thy neighbours Wife nor his maide nor his Daughter and yet his wife his maid nor daughter wil serue to satisfie the beastly minds of many men in this wicked age but wiues maides and all that they may any way allure to their wicked purposes they will thus abuse The Lord commanded there Deu. 23. should bee no whore-keepers among his people the Israelites but if all such should bee swept out of this kingdome I thinke a great part of our land would be vnpeopled for neuer was this sin of whoredome adultry at such a haight as at this day it is amongst vs amongst young men it is now counted but a tricke of youth among others of more yeares which should haue more grace it is called the sweet pleasing sin of Letchery Oh England England Sodom Gomorah committed not more sinne then thou dayly dost and these haue felt the heauy hand of God long since consuming them with fire and brimstone from heauen and thinkest thou Heb. 13. to escape no no the bed vndefiled is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Saint Iohn telleth such Reu. 21. plainely they shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone you will thinke I am too bold to bee thus sharpe with you but I say the tongues of men can neuer speake enough of this sinne for the Lord hath set himselfe against such and will be aswift witnesse against them for saith he They assemble themselues Mala. 3. by companies in the Harlots houses and rise vp in the morning like fed horses for euery man neigheth Iere. 5. after his neighbours wife and now marke what followes shall I not visit for these thinges sayth the Lord shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Woe be to you Whoremongers Whoremongers Adulterers doe not onely draw vengeance on thē selues but also on the nations among whom they liue and Adulterers who not onely draw vengeance vpō your selues but even vpon the whole nation wherein you liue against whom the Lord maketh
ready the arrowes of his vengeance whose portion is in that lake of fire vnquenchable Oh consider this yee that forget God least hee tare you in Psalme 50. peeces and there be none to helpe Regard the words of Salomon keepe thee from the wicked woman flattery of the tongue of a strange woman desire not her beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her eye lids for because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morcel of bread And a woman will hunt for Pro. 6. the precious life of a man can a man take fire in his bosom not be burnt or can he goe vpon coales his feete not be burnt so he that goeth into his neighbours wife shall not be innocent whosoeuer toucheth her should a man talke with one of these licentious liuers about some of his worldly affaires he would thinke himselfe wise enough to conferre with any man in the eyes of the world seeme so yet Salomon proueth him ot be but a foole for saith hee hee that doth it destroyeth his owne soule yea he shall find a wound dishonour his reproach shal neuer be put away againe in anothr place The mouth of a strange Pro. 22. woman is a pit and hee with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein and thus I proceed somewhat the more largely in opening this breach of wedlocke to the end you may see into what dangers these men doe dayly run into which liue not louingly faithfully with their owne wiues as the word of God enioyneth them to doe The Fift Chapter WEe see now by our last Chapter how farre many husbands come short of the performance of that duty which by the word of God they are inioyned to performe vnto their wiues and the whole cause or chiefe ground we also see there to be the want of loue or rather of true loue for if there were in them that true loue which the feare of God worketh in the heart of euery good Christian then it would leade them to that knowledge wherewith S. Peter 1. Pet. 3. teacheth husbands to be furnished with which I must a little further touch for it is not enough for them to abide dwel with their wiues but they must dwell with them as men of knowledge and men of vnderstanding and experienced in the word of God yeelding themselues wholy vnto the guide of his word and the obedience of his will and holy Commandements this is the knowledge wherewith he instructeth them and this will bring Husbands to performe that which Saint Paul teacheth which is to loue your wiues Ephe. 5. as Christ loued his Congregatiō that is with a holy harty and a constant Husbands ought to liue with their wiues as men of knowledge experienced in the word of God loue for all these must bee performed by you and except you labour to gather this knowledge from the word of God as the Bee doth for her hony among the flowers by your continual exercise meditatiō therin assure your selues you shal neuer be able to performe your duties towards God nor receiue true comfort by your Mariages Hee telleth you also that you must giue honour vnto the wife as vnto the weaker vessell and because shee is the weaker vessel and more apt to frailty then thy selfe thou must beare with her weakenes and not expect to find that fulnesse of content which happily through thy wisedome thou wouldest shee should performe vnto thee in many things for for this cause also hast thou obtayned thy wisedome thy knowledge and thy vnderstanding that thou mightest beare with the weakenes of thy companion we reade that when Samuell had annoynted Saul to bee 1. Sam. 10. a King ouer the people so soone as hee had annoynted him vnto that kingly office God gaue vnto him another hart fitting him thereby vnto the place and calling he had appoynted him so no doubt but those men which he permitteth vnto that honorable function of Marriage he furnisheth with gifts fitting for that calling for it is a matter of no small waight when a man taketh vpon him the gouernement of a womā but if he rightly consider what he taketh in hand hee shall find he had need with Salomon to pray that the Lord will giue vnto him wisedome to rule gouerne the wife whith he hath taken as hee did for wisedome to gouerne his people both the Husband the Wife when they come together to pray with Tobias and Sarah that the power of Tob. 8. the Deuill haue no domination ouer them and so he shall be strengthned and enabled to beare with the weakenesse of his companion Wee see if wee put strong waters into a single weake glasse it breaketh the glasse because it wanteth substance of nature to beare it and therefore we will put such waters carefully into double glasses which may conserue and keepe them so wee should not ouerburthen the weake nature of the woman by imposing vpon her that which the husband himselfe ought to performe of which I haue formerly spoken and this is one Simile chiefe reason which should mooue the man to deale kindly with his wife euen her weaknes for wee see if we handle vessels A reason shewing why a man should deale kindly with his wife of glasse and earth roughly or rashly we crack breake them and I would that men were as wise and carefull to consider the weakensse of their wiues and to deale kindly gently and louingly with them so conseruing and preseruing that loue which ought to bee betwixt them and would be if it were not expulsed by their rough and vnkind dealing with them And there is another reason or chiefe ground to be considered greater then any of the former which should draw men to the performance of this their duty for so St. Paul doth teach vs also which is that euery man should Another more effectuall reason for the same cause haue a speciall care to performe these duties imposed vpon him the rather or for this cause because they are beires with you of the grace of life elected by the fauor of God in Christ Iesus to that fellowship of Saints wherein you your selues hope to bee nūbred as dearely beloued of God as your selues bought out of the power of Satan by the precious blood of his deare Sonne as well as you and heyres also of that eternall life which you your selues hope to enioy and therefore if you your selues thinke to liue as Saints in Heauen you must liue together as Saints here on earth These thinges as a loadestone should draw you to the performance of those dutyes which you ought to performe if you rightly consider it And so our blessed Apostle hauing giuen this godly prudent counsaile vnto Husbands to performe vnto their Wiues giueth a reason also wherefore these thinges should or ought to be thus performed which
is that your prayers be not let or hindred as if hee should say if you liue discoÌ„tently or frowardly one with When man wife agree not as they ought they cannot pray as they should another it is vnpossible that you should performe that deuotion in your praiers which you ought to performe to God or haue them accepted of him as you would therfore if you would haue God to heare you when you pray vnto him or to grant you the things which you pray for and desire of him agree and liue in loue together that so your praying together may receiue comfort together and that the God of loue may blesse your Loues together I beseech you haue a care of these thinges and separate not yourselues in these holy actions for I know there be too many infected with these sins amongst vs in these dayes which liue vntowardly and frowardly God knowes yet feare not to present themselues before his diuine Maiesty in this case oh dangerous thing hath God ioyned you together that you might be one and will you diuide your selues and then appeare before him and bring him but halfe when his due is to haue the whole thinke you hee will bee serued thus no hee is like the true Mother which wil not haue 1. King 3. her child diuided he will either haue the whole or none he will not haue you thus to separate your selues and then to presume to come in his presence but if any contention do arise betwixt the Man and his Wife quench the fire before it doe burne too farre reconcile yourselues one to another speedily that your loues may not fade nor your hearts stray but ioyne together in God that so your prayers be not interupted but accepted of him as you see the word of God teacheth you thus briefely for the duty of Husbands The duty of Wiues The Sixt Chapter YOu see I haue proued that the duties of Husbands are wholy grounded vpon Loue but we shall find that the duty of the Wife reacheth yet further then so for it is not enough for her to It is not enough for a woman to loue her Husband but shee must be ruled and gouerned by him also be kind louing vnto her Husband but shee must be obedient and dutifull and vnder the subiection gouernement of him also but because I will not bee offensiue by presuming to write any thing herein of my selfe I will lay my foundations on a sure ground and goe no farther then the word of God shall giue mee warrant heerein Wee find that for the sinne of disobedieÌ„ce in our grandmother Eue vnto her maker amongst the rest of her punishments laid vpon her for it this is one Thy desire shall be subiect to thine Husband Gen. 3. and he shall rule ouer thee yee see here what duty is layd vpon the the woman that by the Commandement of God himselfe you haue now no power left vnto your selues to order your owne wils and desires as your owne selues please no your wils must accord to the wils of your Husbands your desires must be subiect to their wils it is your duties to yeeld them obedience the preheminence of rule the very heathen Phylosophers which knew not the word of God yet could teach that the rule for the Wife to liue by was her Husband if he liued obedient to the lawes publique how much more then if they liue according to the lawes of God are you bound to performe it but Simile as a blocke though it bee decked with Gold and Iewels is not to be respected except it represent the shape of somewhat euen so a wife bee shee neuer so rich if shee bee not obedient vnto her Husband shee is nothing worth to be regarded and whatsoeuer or whersoeuer we shall find any thing concerning this duty of the Wife in the whole booke of God we shall find it to bee built vpon this foundation which God himselfe hath layde S. Paul well vnderstanding the mysterie of his Maisters mind hath very plainely in many of his Epistles largely expressed this Ephe. 5. matter teaching wiues to submit theÌ„selues vnto their Husbands as vnto the Lord here is the loue taught you that you must performe vnto them here is the duty too For as you must performe all harty loue and true affectioned zeale vnto the Lord with all faithfull obedience vnto his holy and heauenly will so you vnder your Husbands vnto them must performe the like and Saint Paul sheweth the reason too why you must doe this for saith hee The Husband is the Wiues head euen as Christ is Ephe. 5. the head of the Congregation and hee is the Sauiour of the whole body therefore as the whole congregation is in subiection to Christ likewise let the wiues bee in subiection to their Husbands in all things Thus you see how Saint Paul hath laboured to expesse this duty vnto you and Saint Peter he teacheth the same in effect also in these words ye women be subiect 1. Pet. 3. to your Husbands that euen they which beleeue not the word may without the word be wonne by your conuersation when they behold your conuersation in feare And againe 1. Cor. 14. let your wiues keepe silence with all subiectioÌ„ suffer not a womaÌ„ to teach nor to haue authority ouer the man but for to bee in silence for Adam Gen. 3. was first formed then Eve also Adam was not deceiued but the woman was deceiued and hath brought in the transgression Againe Let your wiues keepe silence in the congregation for it shall not bee permitted vnto them to speake but to bee vnder obedience as the Law saith but if they will learne any thing let them aske their Husbands at home for it becommeth not a woman to speake in the Congregation yea a man shall bee Lord and ruler in his owne house and the woman shall bee subiect vnto her Husband Yea we shall find that among the ordinances which Moses gaue vnto the Children of Israel this is one That if a woman hauing a Num. 30. Husband voweth or pronounceth ought with her lips either by â—ath or Women oughr not to make vowes without the consent of their Husbands solemne promise whereby shee bindeth her selfe if her Husband heard it and holdeth his peace concerning her the same day he heareth it then her vow shall stand and her bond wherewith shee bound her selfe shall stand in effect but if her Husband disallow her the same day that hee heareth it then shall hee make her vowe which shee had made and that which shee pronounced with her lips when shee bound her selfe of none effect and the Lord shall forgiue her Thus you see how the Scriptures do all accord to that which God in the beginning had commanded namely That the woman Gen. 18. should be subiect to the rule and gouernement of her Husband to this
Gen. 31. haue all good women euer accorded The obedience of Sarah vnto Abraham calling him 1. King 1. Lord approueth her duty The obedience of Rachell and Lea vnto Ester 8. their Husband Iacob affirmeth it no lesse doth the reuerent duty of Bathsheba vnto Dauid expresse it the obedience of Ester vnto Ashuerus purchased not onely her owne life renowne but the liues of the whole Nation of the Iewes And although it cannot be gaine said of any but that this Cōmandement of Almighty God ought reuerently to be obeyed of all women yet how much it is disobeyed in these dayes wee dayly see nay despised disdayned at so that we may iustly complaine against them and say they bee a rebellious seede For as in the beginning they rebelled against their Almighty God so doe they still repugne against him refusing to bee gouerned according to his will the ordinance which he hath appoynted to gouerne them by for by their husbands now many of them will not bee gouerned they will gouerne both themselues Many women very vnquiet if they may not haue the rule of the whole family which by them ought not so to be and their Husbands yea and the whole family too or else there shall bee no quiet rule there so that now it is growne to a prouerbe that where the wife beareth the sway the house is the quieter all the day is not this badge giuen you to your shame and yet you will not see it in these dayes the Diuell hath so bewitched you that many of you do not stick to say that your Husbands haue not wit enough to performe such matters think you that he that gaue them their authority cannot giue them wit enough to peforme that charge which hee committeth vnto them but that you must bee vmpire and iudge too in your owne cause to take the authority out of his hand and as false vsurpers make vse of that authority to which you haue no lawfull right If you suppose such a defect If any defect be in the Husband how it should bee redressed to be in them why doe not you rather pray for them that God may supply their defects and wants but it is too common a thing amongst you now a dayes to make your choyse of such men as you may thus deale withall and I would some of you did indent before marriage for these things but such womē as would rather haue foolish Husbands whome they might rule rather then to bee ruled by sober wise men are like to him that would rather bee led of a blind man in an vnknown way then to follow one that can see know the way well Oh that your supposed knowledge or wisedome on which you so much depend would open vnto you the danger in which you stand by committing this error but it cannot so long as your wils do not with all obedience subiect themselues vnto the will commandement of him vnto whom all power should yeeld their obedience The Seauenth Chapter I Had almost ouerslipt the repetition of an vndutifull Wife of whom we reade in Scripture but I may not for it is worthy your best consideration I meane of Vasta Queene and wife of Ahashuerosh Ester 1. the great King of Persia Media whom vpon a certaine feast day the King commanded to bee brought before him in her great estate of pompe euen with the Crowne Royall vpon her head that as his loue was great vnto her so shee beeing brought vnto him in that glorious pompe which hee desired the delights of his heart might be satisfied in her comely and beautifull person and likewise his Princes Peeres might see the same And wee would thinke that this was but a small request which the King required of her yet many a man doth require as little as this at the hands of his wife or lesse and yet obtaines it not well the storie telleth vs shee did no better but euen so for though shee were a Queene and should haue been a patterne of obedience vnto all women both in her Court Kingdome yet shee refused to come and would not come although commanded by her Husband yea that a King But Ecce Ecce behold behold she refusing to come to her Husband with the Crowne on her head who gaue it her and first placed it there her royalty and regaltie was therefore taken from her by him as vnworthy of such a glory and because she refused to bee obedient vnto the Commandement of her Husband whom shee ought with all reuerence to haue obeyed shee was not onely reiected of her Husband for being Queene but A Queene punished for disobedience vnto her Husband vtterly abandoned of him for euer and diuorced from him by law nay this was not all for it was not long before shee saw another enioy that maiesty honour and pleasure which she but lately possessed by her owne folly lost what greater hart-griefe in the world can come to a woman then this to see her selfe degraded and disgraced another to possesse that honour which was hers before her face and thus shee which should haue beene a mirror vnto others in her obedience is now made for disobedience a mirror vnto all women in her punishment I could not omit this historie being so fitting to this matter of the wiues obedience but shall I tell you good wiues it is well for you that this law is not executed now in these dayes amongst vs for I assure you if it were we should haue Ten wiues diuorsed before one buried so apt are you to peforme this bad act of disobedience And therefore I cannot yet passe it ouer for the Apostle doth open this poynt of duty vnto you very plaine and therfore I beseech you bee not ignorant of it but marke it well I recited the words in the former Chapter Hee would haue you so subiect your selues to your Husbands that euen they which beleeue not the word may without the word be won by your conuersation when they shall behold your conuersation in feare See you must so subiect your The Wife ought to be fearefull of giuing any cause of offence vnto her Husband selues vnto them that you shall euen feare to giue any occasion of offence vnto them I know there bee many that will not like of this that the wife should so subiect her selfe vnto her Husband that shee shal stand in feare of him and yet it must be so for do we not reade that God commandeth that euery man shall stand in feare of his Father and Mother he doth not say that euery child onely shall feare but that euery man shal feare if then it must bee so how much more should the woman performe this vnto her Husband vnder whose subiection he hath committed her as a portion of her punishment for her disobedience vnto him But will you know what kind What kinde of feare it is which
scorned of the rest braÌ„ded by you with the name of Puritane holy sister but where is your purity and holinesse while you thus deride others in their well-doing I answer you if you will not endeauour to bee holy and pure whiles you are here vpon earth you shall neuer become Saints in heauen but rather Diuels in hell For blessed are the purâ— in heart saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. for they shall see God And hee himselfe which best did know what was fit for you did make your cloathing but of beasts skinnes at the first and when he sent his Sonne into the world hee did not send him by any Princes or Lady of great ranke or amongst the proud A note for to pull downe the pride of women ones of the world hee despised your pompe and pride and did chuse a poore humble Virgin to be mother of his Sonne when he liued amongst vs wee finde not that he gaue vs any example of pride but of humility his garments were without lace or welt yea without seame also But if we view them in these dayes as they rae arrayed wee would thinke that Hell were emptied of al her deuises toyes trickes and fashions that women had got them all for all that God hath made vnder heauen the whole earth and the sea with all the creatures therein In all the whole earth not sufficient to satsfie the pride of Women are not sufficient to satisfie the pride of women in these dayes the entrailes of the earth are dayly torne rent to seeke for gold to adorne you with the bottomelesse sea the poore fishes are dayly robbed to finde you pearles to deck your selues with the hard rockes digged down to find you variety of precious stones nay haue you not robbed all the creatures of God both beasts birds and wormes to furnish vp this your pride yet all this will not serue to satisfie you but still you keepe your No marvaile if all that God hath made wil not serue to satisfie them when his own worke will not content them in themselues workeman the Diuell in worke to find you more new fashions and made him make a iourney from hell to bring you beauty to paynt your selues withall for from heauen I am sure you had it not Oh woe bee to that soule on whose face God shall with anger looke denying to know it because it is not as hee made it no maruaile though al that God hath made vnder heauen will not satisfie your pride when the workes of Gods owne handes in your selues will not content you but that you will alter that In all the histories of the Scriptures I neuer read but of one wicked woman that euer vsed this wicked art of paynting I meane Iezabel yet the iudgments King 9. of God vpon her in suffering the dogges to eate and consume her will not draw you from vsing this paynting trade but still you prouoke him to anger stirre vp his iudgements against you dayly with your abnominable pride wherein you excell all that euer were before you I know you wil thinke I am too bold with you thus to meddle with your arraying your selues in such manner or fashioÌ„s as you please to vse them but thinke what you will and say what you will I must and will discharge my conscience the matter it selfe giueth me cause to doe it being a duty of so great importance belonging vnto womeÌ„ to reforme the abuses thereof and for which not only you your selues shal beare your owne destructions but they also which haue the gouernement of you because they haue suffered you to commit such thinges I meane the Husbands of such women Nay this is not all I would it ended so but woe woe be vnto you whose pride shall be not The pride of woman the destruction of themselues Husbands the whole common wealth where they liue onely the destruction of your selues and Husbands but of the whole common wealth wherein you liue of you because you committed this sinne of them because they suffered you to coÌ„mit it Is it not then high time to write and speake against this sinne and those which commit it yes if either or both may be regarded I write not these things from my owne braines I menace you not it is not I but the Lord that threatneth you the whole land for it looke into the third of Esay and see there what hee sayth vnto your pride Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking and minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion bald and the Lord shal discouer their secret parts in that day shal the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calls and the round tyers the sweete balls and the bracelets 3. Esay the bonnets and the tyres of the head the slops the headbands the tablets and the eare-rings the rings and the mufflers the costly apparrell and the vailes and the wiâ—ples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen If God punish his owne peculiar people for their pride what can you expect the hoods and the lawnes And in stead of sweete sauours there shall bee stincke instead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing the hayre baldnesse in stead of a stomacher â— girdle with sack-cloath and burning in stead of beauty thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battle Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground Now you paynted butterflies of our time which with the Camelion change your selues into all colours what say you to these things you see here what iudgements God threatneth to bring vpon his owne chosen people because of the pride of the daughters of Sion you farre exceede them in all things yet thinke you to escape vnpunished The prophet sayth that they were so proud that they went mincing tinckling with their feet but you are grown so proud that your feet may not beare you but that you must bee carried in Coaches drawne with horses which though it be an honour wherewith Kinges and Princes are pleased to grace their well respected subiects with yet is it vnfit that Courtizans should be coached which should rather be carted I would it were not so they were content with fine linnen but no linnen or lawnes bee it neuer so pure wil content you but it must be died into collours blue was and now yellow is primrose and strawe colour I know not what but blacke will bee the next assure your selues for as your pride hath excelled all before you so I feare that your punishments when they come will exceed all that were before you I should bee tedious vnto the reader should I
run farre into this poynt of the pride of women but it is not my purpose to doe it but rather to follow the example of the Apostle which telleth them that such thinges ought not to be and to wish them that they would array themselues as becommeth women which professe the faith of Iesus Christ in comely apparrell with shamefastnesse modesty that the word of God bee not euill spoken of through you The Tenth Chapter THere bee yet many duties more which are very needfull for women both to learne to obserue as appeareth by the instructions which the blessed Apostle gaue vnto his Sonne Titus whereby to instruct the Timo. 2. Creets with wherein he instructeth the elder women that their behauiour bee such as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of honest things that they may instruct the yonger women to be sober minded that The good properties which ought to be in women they loue their Huabands that they loue their Children that they be discreet chast keeping at home good and subiect to their Husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of but many of these things I haue in some sort touched before only here I would haue women take norise of a thing or two not yet spoken of and so I will draw to a conclusion The Apostle warneth them not to be false accusers and this toucheth busie bodies of our time which will goe pratling to carrie newes and bring debates The Husbands smart sometimes for the wiues tongues and contention amongst neighbours by lying and slaunderouse speeches so that many times the men smart for the womens tongus and neighbours liue at great varience one with another which otherwise would liue in loue and peace together This ought not to be amongst womeÌ„ but to be such as SalomoÌ„ speaketh of in the last of his Prouerbs who speaking there of a vertuous woman shee will saith he open her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue doing thus should they bee able to performe the things here commanded and to instruct others in the duties belonging vnto them Againe hee commandeth that women be not giuen to much wine I would that women were more carefull to auoyd this sinne then Women ought not to delight in much drinking of wine or strong drinke they be for wee haue too many women-drunkards amongst vs as well as men-drunkards now adayes the more is the pitty but woe bee to those that rise vp early to follow drunkenesse and to them that continue vntill night till the wine do enflame them woe be to them that Ecclu â—6 are mighty to drinke wine and to theÌ„ that are strong to powre in strong drinke great is the plague of a drunken woman saith the wise man for shee cannot couer her owne shame we haue example of this in Noah and Lot though otherwaies a righteous man yet being drunke with wine coÌ„mitted Incest with his owne Daughters And euen in these dayes wee see many that haue wasted great Ill diseases beggery the fruits of drunkennesse substance by this meanes and some bringing themselues to diseases shortning their owne dayes by inordinate drinking these are the fruits of excesse drinking and taking delight in wine and strong drinke therefore very great care had women need to take of themselues that they be not giuen to much wine or to take delight in strong drinke Another thing I note that the Apostle doth admonish women of and that is that they bee home-keepers or keepers of their owne houses hence it is that the woman is often called the howse-wife not the street wife shee must be no gadder abroad shee must not spinne streat thread as too many doe which when they haue forced their Husbands to lay more vpon their backes then he is able to put in his purse along time after their owne house will not hold them but they must gad from this place to that place and Women ought not to bee gaddars abroad but keepers of their owne houses euery where to show their pride and their Husbands follie thus did not that vertuous woman which I told you of before which Salomon speakes of it will not bee amisse if I doe discribe her vnto you for surely she that performeth that which the blessed Apostles haue here taught concerning the duty of Wiues will omit nothing of that vertuous woman hee speaketh of or come short of her perfections and these are the words Who shal finde a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the pearles the heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no need of spoyles shee will doe him good and not ill all the dayes of her life shee seeketh wooll and flaxe and laboureth chearefully with her hands shee is like the Shippes of Marchants shee bringeth her foode from farr and she The discription of a good Wife riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinary to her maides shee considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruit of her hands shee planteth a Vineyard shee girdeth her loynes with strength and strengtheneth her armes shee feeleth that her marchandise is good and her candle is not put Pro. 31. out by night shee putteth her hands to the wheele and her hands to the spindle shee stretcheth out her hands to the poore putteth out her hands to the needy she feareth not the snow for her family for all her family are cloathed with scarlet she maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and purple is her garments her Husband is known in the gates when hee sitteth with the elders of the land she maketh sheetes and selleth them and giueth girdles vnto the Marchants strength and honour is her cloathing and in the latter day shee shall reioyse shee openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue shee ouerseeth the waies of her Houshould and eateth not the bread of idlenesse her Children rise vp and call her blessed her Husband shall prayse her saying many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall bee praysed giue her the fruit of her hands and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates I hope now I shall not need to amplifie this duty of Wiues any further seeing I haue already laboured thus farre in it I will therefore conclude leauing you to the consideratioÌ„ of these things you to the tuitioÌ„ of our good God whome I do beseech to looke mercifully vpon vs all and by his grace and powerfull spirit to worke in our harts a true and speedy reformation of our sinfull liues that so by the holy intercession of our blessed Mediator and the merits of his blessed passion wee may enioy that blessednesse which euery good soule doth long to enioy
Amen The duty of Parents The Eleauenth Chapter THis duty of Parents The duty of Parents I haue deuided into two partâ— I haue deuided into two maine or principall poynts the one the education and gouerning of Children in the time of their youth and the other what Parents ought to doe vnto their Children when they are come to bee of a more riper age And for the first for the bringing vp of Children in the time of their youth it will be thought The first the bringing vp of Children in the time of their youth to bee but to small purpose to spend my time in such a busines and that I had more need to wright of the other then of this considering that we see dayly in this our age with griefe that wheÌ„ many Parents haue brought The second what they ought to doe wben they be of riper age vp their Children a long time with great care costs and charges and hoping that then they shall bee euen past the worst and so they to receiue some comfâ—â— by them for their long care and paynes taking with them to say plainely and truly of them 〈◊〉 many of them are then euen past the best so that if counsaile in this case may bee had it might seeme very well giuen and the paines taken in such a case well bestowed But for gouerning and bringing vp of them in their Childhood or yonger yeares it may be obiected as I sayd before to bee a needlesse thing considering that nature it selfe doth teach the very bruit beasts to nourish cherish and comfort their young and therefore men and women whom God hath endued with so many excellent gifts as knowledge vnderstanding wisedome and the rest farre aboue all the rest of his creatures besides cannot erre in this poynt of duty And againe another reason may be alleaged that there hath been so much and so long teaching to this effect that men and women in these our dayes for the most part of them haue been instructed in these things themselues euen from their youthes and every priuate mans house is furnished with Bibles Bookes to this effect so that euery man may bee his owne Schoolemaster herein will it be thought then that Parents cannot instruct their Children in these things â— surely no. Indeed I doe confesse this in What a great blessing wee inioy more then our forefathers did through the plenteous and publique teaching of the Gospel wherby we learne both how to gouerne our selues and others some sort to bee true and blesse the Lord for this his worke yeâ— be he for euer blessed for this his great mercy towards vs for that we liue in such and so happie a time wherin the word of God is so plentiful and openly taught vs euery man that wil may enioy the same at home with him to the comfort of him and his Our Fathers had not this priueledge they might mumble on their beades but not matter on their Bibles on payne of cursings but if they did they fryed for it and therefore blessed are your eyes in that they see and your eares in that they heare happy are you in whose harts these things are sowne which carefully and zealously bring forth fruit hereby to the glory of God the discharge of your owne duties herein of which number I doubt not but that God hath plenty amongst vs which doe carefully labour in the discharge of these things as well as hee had in the dayes of Eliah Seauen Thousand more 1. King 19. then hee knew of that neuer honoured Ball. But giue mee leaue a little I pray you and I will but entreate you to take a view as in a glasse of the abuses both of the Parents and the Children of our time and you shall see with griefe many that doe it not and too may that know not whether they haue a duty to performe herein or no and too many that know it and neuer regard to practise it for see we not that the Lapwing is not more forward in going before she can cast off her shell then the Impes of our time are in speaking euill before they can well speake I speake not of speaking well but of speaking Children forward to speak euill before they can scarce speake plaine for doth not the child call his owne mother drab and queane and his father foole and knaue and such like and yet the foolish Parents reioyce to heare them chat thus nay I would they did not teach them such things themselues but hereof it commeth as a iust plague for their follies that before they can well goe from their hands they heare them curse them to their face Nay looke wee further and see we not many that wheâ— they haue but learned to speake and goe they straight fall to pilfering and stealing and yet euen these things are wincked at yea defended too many leand parents for their proffits sake as they thinke as if the every were good husbandry but looke yet farther vnto them which bee of more yeares that one would thinke should haue some knowledge of God of his lawes do we not dayly heare theÌ„ as we passe almost in euery place blaspheming the holy name of God with great oathes and singing of most lewd and filthy songs full of most odious speeches to the The leaudnes of Children is the ill guiding of the Parents griefe of any good heart or chast care doth not this shew the bad and negligent guiding and gouerning them in the prime of their youth yes surely this is the very cause hereof therefore if writing or speaking will or may doe any good in this case here is cause both to wrighâ— and speake too it is high time to doe it These thinges when I had with griefe considered I could not keepe my penne from wrighting for euen for Sions sake I will not hold my tongue for Esay 62. Ierusalems sake I will not rest Moses the great Prophet and chosen servant of God being Parents ought to teach their children the lawes of God directed froÌ„ the mouth of God himselfe how to teach and instruct his people whom hee had chosen the Children of Israelâ— among other principalles of their duty this is one chiefe Deu. 11. thing wherin he often instructed Deu. 31. them that they should teach their ChildreÌ„ the lawes of God see here then thy duty what or whomsoeuer thou bee if thou be a father thou art commanded to teach thy Children and t 〈…〉 must teach theÌ„ the lawes of God Deut. â— for this was not spoken to the Priests or to the elders or the rulers Deu. 6. of the people onely but vnto al the people in generall both high and low rich and poore aswell the meanest as the greatest No man exempted from doing this but all must doe it aswell the vnlearned as the learned for none are here exempted euery man
must teach his Children the lawes of God his Commandements his will his word for so the Prophet Dauid plainely sheweth setting Psalme 78. downe to what end thou must do this to the intent that wheÌ„ they come vp they might shew their Children the same that they might put their trust in God and not to forget the workes of God but to keepe his Commandements This then is the duty which thou arâ— commanded to doe and thâ—â— must not 〈◊〉 the doing of it neyther thou must not tary Parents ought not to deferre the teaching of their children in their youth til they bee men and women and so as thou thinkest come then to the capacity of vnderstanding no thou must teach it thy Children while they be children and thy wisedome must giue them helpe to vnderstand it that so it may be grounded into them in the time of their youth for look with what the vessell is first seasoned with of that it wil alwaies beare the tast This duty did old Abraham well know although he liued almost a Thousand yeares before the Law was giuen vnto the people of Israel for so God himselfe testifieth of him saying That hee knew that hee would command his Sonnes to keepe the waies of the Lord note the place I pray you for it is worth the noting see how familiar God himselfe is with Abraham hee vouchsafeth to talke Gen. 18. with him familiarly as one man How dearely God loueth them which teach and instruct their Children and Family his Commandements doth with another nay as one friend doth with another for he openeth his very secrets vnto him what greater signe of loue can be shall I saith God hide from Abraham the thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall bee indeed a great and a mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him and here followeth the reason of all For I know him sayth God that he will command his sonnes his houshould after him that they keepe the waies of the Lord now What the duty of Parents is you see what the duty of a Father or Mother is namely to teach their Children the Commandements of God but hee hath not done with thee yet God goeth further with thee stil because thou shalt haue no excuse in not doing it most graciously hee doth vochsafe to teach vs also how wee shall performe When they ought to teach them this Commandement namely thus Thou must teach them these thinges when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe when thou risest vp thou must doe this and thou must not dare to neglect or leaue this vndone neither For God threateneth his Deu. 28. Leui. 26. Ier. 48. and 49 owne chosen people not onely to punish them with grieuous punishments but euen their land also if they disobey his Commandements wee haue many places in Scripture to approue this vnto vs but let me tell thee one thing by the way if thou be The man which knoweth not his duty how can he teach it his Children not well instructed in this duty thy selfe thou canst neuer teach it vnto thy Children for how can a man teach another man or his sonne or seruant any art mysterie or trade wherein he himselfe hath no knowledge therefore see thou bee able to teach them thy selfe it will not serue thy turne to set them to schoole and to appoynt them Maisters Tutors to teach them and yet these be good men for it and it is thy duty so to doe but it is not sufficient Thou must also teach them thy selfe and be a principall teacher of them for thou must teach them at al times in al places as thou seest in Deu. 6. when thou Deut. 6. walkest and when thou sittest when thou risest in the morning and in the euening before thou goe to bed thou must not take thine owne ease nor refresh thy selfe with sleepe vntill thou hast performed this thy duty vnto God The Twelueth Chapter BVt it may bee thou wilt goe about to excuse thy selfe in this case as many doe in these dayes and say would you haue mee performe these thinges I am not bookish I cannot reade therefore how should I teach them these things being an ignorant man but deceiue not thy selfe whomsoeuer thou be father or mother for I tell thee ignorance shall be no excuse vnto thee the servant that doth not the will of his Maister shall be beaten for it yea although he knew it not and why because it is the duty of euery seruant to seeke euen with diligence to know the will of his Maister and to doe it Nay thou canst not pleade ignorance though thou wouldest for none can doe it for Moses telleth Deu. 30. thee that this Commandement is not hidden from thee it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp to bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe fetch it vs and so cause vs to doe it but it is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart for to doe it and Saint Paule telleth vs Rom. 10. plainely this is the very same which we preach vnto you If then it bee so that wee may dayly heare it to our great comfort euen at our doores in euery Parish Church how then can wee pleade ignorance if the servant I tould you of shal be beaten which doth not the will of his Maister though hee know it not how much shal he be beaten with many stripes which doth refuse to know his will as too many in these dayes doe and thus you see there can bee no excuse thorough ignorance so that euery man must labour to bee so furnished Euery man must labour to be furnished with knowledge that hee may thereby instruct his Family with knowledge that hee may bee able thereby to instruct his owne Children and family and because it must be done continually both in the morning in the euening both when thou sittest at home and when thou walkest abroad beware that thou doe not as too many doe which when they haue see their Children to say the Lords Prayer to rehearse their beliefe and the Ten CoÌ„mandements doe thiâ—â—e that then they haue done enough for the whole day though neither themselues nor al the house besides doe halfe so much O lamentable case this must not bee but when thou hast In what manner it ought to be done taught them to pray thou also must pray with them calling thy whole Family together and so make your selues a holy congregation vnto God by humble prostrating your selues vnto him that so as ye all haue recieued of him your preseruation and quiet rest the night passed euen so all of you may ioyne together in giuing him thankes for so great a blessing
and if thou wouldest that thy labours and the labours of thy Children and Servants should prosper the day following then doe you ioyne together in Prayer vnto Almighty God for it for so it must be for where 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name hee hath promised not Mat. 18. onely to be amongst them but also to grant their requests hee will make thee plentious in euery worke of thy hand in the fruit of thy body thy Children shall Deut. 30. prosper also and in the fruit of thy land for thy wealth what wouldest thou more desire and it must not be done now then when thou lystest but it must dayly bee done for this is that morning and euening sacrifice which we must dayly offer vnto the eares of Almighty God euen our humble harts by the caulnes of our lipes And seeing thou art commanded Parents ought to take their children to Church with them and examine them how they spend their time there to teach thy Children at all times both sitting at home and going abroad see that thou neglect not to take them to the Church daily with thee to heare the word of God and withall that they spend not their time there idlely nor vnprofitablely but by a due examinatiō of them whē they come home or as thou walkest abroad with them know how they haue profited that so God may bee glorified in the worke your selues better instructed and your dutyes discharged And now that we haue proued that there is a duty belonging vnto Parents and that they see their charge for the performāce thereof it will not bee greatly amisse if wee see how this charge is by them performed but the consideration of these thinges maketh mee euen with griefe to Nothing more deare then time and yet see how these times abuse it lament to see how negligently idely and lewdly most men doe spend their time in these dayes that time then which nothing is more deere and precious nothing more slippery to hold nor nothing more vnrecouerable being past and for which they shall giue account this time I say which they spend in idlenesse Dicing Carding and Bowling in drunkenes whoring wherby they consume both themselues the estate both of their wiues and children for whereas God hath giuen them sixe dayes for themselues to labour in and hath reserued but one to be sāctified to his owne vse all these be too little for many of them to spend in these wicked exercises aforenamed and therefore they will lengthen out the time with the night two but not an hower to serue God in of all this time Oh wicked man how darest thou thus abuse the great patience of the good God in thus consuming thy time and robbing thy children of their patrimony by wasting those thinges whereof thou art but a steward and for which thou must be accountable vnto him But here me thinkes one doth obiect against me and sayth I am too bold in my reproofes and am in an error for though sayth he I doe spend yet I spend but mine owne not my childrens But I tell thee thou art in an error thy selfe in doing thus for what I haue spoken I can will approue to bee true by the word of God it selfe in his due place where I shall haue more occasion to speake of this matter then here What good instructions can those men giue vnto their Childrē which doe dayly runne into all wickednesse themselues I haue but what good instructions thinke you can these men giue vnto their Children which doe themselues dayly runne so dangerously euen with greedinesse vnto their owne destructions for if sault haue lost his sauour wherewith shall it bee salted Mat. 5. and such as the tree is such will be the fruit if you bee rude Mat. 7. and vnciuell like the horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding what knowledge can your children haue then yet it cannot be denied but that the world is too full of such The wise man forbiddeth fathers to play with their children Eccle. 30. least they bring them to heauidesse but now adaies parents wil not onely play with their children but run dayly from play to play thinking it to be a good excercise for them to bring them to see stage playes interludes thus corrupting their young yeares with vices and making themselues actors in the diuells Comody Solomon forbiddeth parents to bring vp their childrē delicately yet you possesse thē Parets ought not to possesse their children with pride with so much pride in the time of their youth that many times it is the overthrow both of them and your selues yea and your selues would after redresse it and cannot Oh that you that be parents of children would be more circumspect herein and wise in your owne conversation that you might be lanthornes of light and not of darkenesse vnto them for your selues are the cause of Parents the cause of the euills that are in children all these euills which wee dayly see in youth your euill example it is which dayly corrupteth your children and you your selues will pay a deere price for it if you amend it not Is not this a miserable case that Parents should thus neglect so great a duty as this which conserneth both the good of themselues and Children little doe these men regard that the soules of their Children are in their charge aswell as their bodies yet Moses doth not record of Iacob Gen. 46. that he brought so many persons Both Parents and governors of Families are charged with the soules aswell as the bodies of those of whom they haue the governement into Egypt meaning their number but he sayth he brought so many soules thither reckoning them by their better part as of that which wee should haue most care of but what care haue those Parents of their Childrens soules which are thus carelesse of their owne and yet the very heathē Philosophers can tell vs that though what manner of children shall bee borne vnto a man lieth not in his power yet by right bringing them vp that they may proue good lyeth in our power therefore be you wise in looking to your owne waies The 13. Chapter THe wise man would haue Parents to bee better instructed to the end they may better governe their Children and to that end hee plainely setteth downe by what instructions dissipline it must be done for he telleth you that an euill nurtered sonne is the dishonor Eccle. 22. of his Father therefore would haue you bee carefull in gouerning them in the time of their youth not giuing them any liberty nor wincking at their follies he sayth That he that loueth his sonne causeth him often to feele the rod that he may haue ioy of him in the end hee that chastiseth his sonne shall haue ioy of him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance Eccle. 30. And hee
that teacheth his sonne greeveth the enemie and before his friends hee shall reioyce of him though his father die yet hee is as if he weee not dead for he hath left one behind him that is like him in his life hee saw him and had ioy in him and was not sorry in his death neither was hee ashamed before his enemies he left behind him an avenger against his enemies and one that should shew fauour vnto his friends hee that flattereth his soone bindeth vp his wounds and his heart is grieued at euery cry An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will bee wilfull if thou bring vp thy sonne delicately hee shall make thee affraid and if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse laugh not with him least thou bee sorrie with him and least thou dash thy teeth in the end giue him no liberty Keepe thy child vnder in the time of his youth and so thou shalt haue ioy of him in the end in his youth and wincke not at his folly bow downe his necke while hee is yong and beate him on the sides while he is a child least he waxe stubborne and so bee disobedient vnto thee and so bring sorrow vnto thy heart therefore chastise thy child and be diligent therein withould not correction from thy child for if thou Prou. 23. smightest him with the rod hee shall not die thereof thou smigbtest him with the rod but thou deliuerest his soule from hell and againe if thou Eccle. 7. haue Daughters keepe their body shew not thy face chearefull towards them marry thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a waighty matter Eccle. 42. but giue her to a man of vnderstanding How a man ought to bestowe his daughter If thy daughter be a wanton keepe her straightly least shee cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorne and the whole Citty to giue the an euill report and so thou bee faine to heare thy shame of euery Deut. 23. man thou shalt not hold thy daughter to whoredome that the land fall not to whoredome and waxefull of wickednesse If thy daughter bee not shamefast hould her straightly least shee abuse her selfe by ouermuch liberty Deut. 23. beware of the dishonesty of her eyes there shall bee no whore among the daughters of Israell nor whorekeepers among the sonnes of Israell A misnurtered soone is the dishonor of the Father a foolish daughter shall be little regarded and she that commeth to dishonesty bringeth her father to heauinesse a daughter that is past shame dishonoreth both her Father and her Mother Now you see what wise councounsell golden precepts are here giuen to Parents for the gouerning of Children so that more cannot well bee said or at least need not but onely this aduising you not to bee negligent in the execution of these thinges aswell for the discharge of your owne duties as for the good of your Children but I haue heard some Parents so vnwise which when their Children haue done amisse and they haue beene aduised to giue them correction for it they haue answered I cannot doe it for I cannot abide to fight with my children see what a silly answer was here made and yet many such He that loueth his chi◠maketh him often to feele the rod and so preserueth him from greater dangers Pro. 23. fooles there be callest thou this fighting thou errest I might haue said thou lyest for here are no enemies opposed one against another to endanger the life of either but tender harted loue from a good father or mother which seeketh by gentle correction of a rod to deliver the soule of the child from hell wilt thou then not doe so then thou art guilty of thy childs going to hell thou shalt follow it thither too if thou amend not thinkest thou it is enough for thee to chide thy Childe for his fault That is not enough for Parents to chide their children but they must vse correction also when hee doth amisse I say nay God will haue thee to vse correction too looke vpon the heauie iudgement hee shewed vpon old Elye and his Children becaue he did not correct them for their faults and that alone may serue to terrifie and teach you too not to neglect so great a charge We finde that when the Lord did reveale himselfe vnto Samuell the first thing which he made knowne vnto him was the euill hee would bring vpon his master Elye the words of God himselfe are these behald I will doe a thing in Israell whereof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle 1. Sam. 2. In that day I will raise vp against Elye all thinges which I haue spoken concerning his house when I beginne I will also make an end and I haue told him I will iudge his house for euer for the inniquity which hee knoweth because his sonne ran into a slaunder and he stayd them not And in the next chapter following An example or Parents not to deferre the correction of their children we see the execution of Gods iustice in the performance of his word for the Arke of God was taken from them by their enemies the Philistines and the sons so Elye Hophne Phynias were both slaine the same day and old Elye being Eighty yeares of age when hee heard 1. Sam. 3. these tydings fell backward Gods iustice shewed vpon old Elye for not correcting his sonnes from the seate he sate vpon and so brake his necke his daughter in law the wife of his sonne Phineas being with child and neere the time of her deliuerance shee hearing these heavie newes fell suddenly in trauell of her child-birth and so dyed The 14. Chapter YOu see what heauie iudgements God powred vpon this man and his Children because hee did not correct them and yet they being in the state of manhood hee a very old man you would haue thought hee had done enough when hee rebuked them with sharpe words telling them and no doubt but that it was with griefe too that all the people reported euill of them nay wisely he telleth them more that if one man doe sinne against another the iudge may iudge it but none may pleade for him that sinneth against the Lord yet because hee did not more sharpely and seuerely punish them you see the Lord thus sharpely doth punish both him and his Now what will you say to this example I know what you would plade you would faine excuse your selues still and say that though when they bee children you then may gouerne thē yet being past that state they are Children when they be growne to mans estate are not then past governing of their Parents growne past your gouerment therefore then you cannot so well governe them but you see here by these examples of Elyes sonnes they are not then free from your gouerment nor you freed from gouerning them yet it may bee you
it had beene so indeed but know you that the wisedome of the Iob. 37. world is foolishnesse with God for in his word by which wee are to be ruled he hath commanded vs otherwaies For although you haue brought vp your Children to the yeares of discression so that then you thinke they are able to make shift for themselues as you say yet may you not then so leaue them to themselues for there is yet more to bee done that must not bee left vndone for thou must prouide for thy sonne a Wife for thy Daughter an Husband so as the wise man sayth Thou shalt performe a waighty matter Eccle. 7. thou must not leaue the younglings Parents ought to provide for the marriages of their children both sonnes daughters to themselues for to make their owne choyse but thou must doe it and that in his due time we find that Abraham was very carefull to performe this duty althought he was so farre Gen. 24. in yeares that hee could not travile about the businesse himselfe for he appoynted his servant the steward of his house what to doe and where to provide a Wife for his Sonne Isaacke and thus did Isaacke vnto Iacob his Sonne Gen. 28. appoynting him where to goe there only to make his choise thus did Hagar although but a woman dwelling in the wildernesse yet shee provided a Gen. 25. Wife for her sonne Ishmaell Yea the very heathen did obserue this rule for Sechem the father Gen. 34. of Hamor did sue vnto Iacob for his daughter Dina to bee a wife vnto his sonne yea Ibzâ—n Iudge of Israell though hee had Iug. 12. Thirty sons as many daughters yet he did provide for them all both Wiues for his sonnes Husbands for his daughters and many such proofes wee haue in the Scrptures by all which it appeareht that Parents haue alwaies euen from the beginning beene vere carefull to obserue this as a principall poynt of their duty to their Children And this must be done in due time thou must not doe as too many do in these daies which wil not suffer their childreÌ„ to marry but when they will to whom Parents not to force or limite their childrens mariage they plase nay fathers will doe more then fathers ouhgt to doe they will disinherite their Sons and bereaue their Children of their patrimonyes if they will not marry to their liking where wealth may serue to satisfie their coveteous mindes so in stead of being kind and loving Fathers vnto their Children they become tyrants vnto them not so much regarding the younglings likings whereby they may liue the rest of their daies in loue together and so bring vp their children together in the feare of God as their owne affections Whereupon by such enforced marriages if often commeth to passe that when the young couples beginne as it were to tast each of other they so dislike one of the other that they forsake one another the Wife the companie The danger that ensueth by constrayned marriages of her Husband or the Husband of the Wife and fall to that abhominable act of adultery and thus such Parents doe become both culpable and authors of their sinne Yet I doe not speake against this â—as giuing liberty vnto youthes that they may marry at their owne pleasure or liking without the consent of Parents or abridging the authority of Parents in this case God forbid I should so doe or thinke but I speake this against marriages constrayned limited for marriage was ordained as a remedy 1. Cor. 7. against sinne but they which prolong the time of their childrens marriage either for pleasing their own affections in their choyse or for the desire of wealth through coveteousnesse or for that they wil not part with any of their substance in dowrie with them such I say are many times the occasion of their childrens sinne for Saint Paule sayth it is better to marry then to burne in desire Had Iudah giuen his daughter in law vnto his sonne Shelah in Gen. 38. time according to his promise he had not committed that horrible fact of Incest with her himselfe Againe when Samson had made his choyse of a wife of that heathen generation the vncircumcised Philistines which were not onely enemies to the people of Israell but also vnto God himselfe when hee desired this woman of his Father and would needs marry her hee did not disinherit him or cast him out of his favour for it but yet wisely rebuketh him saying is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy breatheren and amongst all my people that thou must goe to take a Wife of the vncircumcised Philistians yet when hee saw that his affection was setled on What Parents ought to doe in case of mariage to their children her he was content both to goe with him to procure the mariage for him it is sayd there that this marriage did come of the Lord though his Father knew it not I could wish therefore that Parents would follow the counsaile of Manoah in this â—â—g â—4 place by their wisedomes to perswade when occasion shall serue but nor otherwise The 16. Chapter ANd now concerning how Parents ought to bestow their goods wee reade that Abraham was Gen. 15. minded to make Eliazer the steward of his house heire of all that he had but it was before he had any Children and yet hee was forbidden by God himselfe so to doe for God hauing determined to giue him issue of his A plaine profe that a man may not giue his goods from his children own body would not suffer him so to doe but telleth him directly that one that should proceed out of his owne bowels hee should be his heyre And the Prophet Dauid hee telleth vs likewise that it is the speciall gift of God his great Psal 127. blessing vnto man when he hath heyres of his owne body to possesse those lands or goods which hee hath gathered together and shall leaue behind him and this alone might serue to approue that a man may not dispose of his goods from his children but the Scriptures are plentifull of these examples Abraham gaue his goods vnto Gen. 25. his Sonne Isacke as you see he was appoynted of God Aaron Exod. 28. was commanded of God to santifie his sonnes vnto the order of priesthood vnto which the Lord had chosen him and Elye did 1. Sam. 2. place his sonnes in the same order nay he did not take it from theÌ„ although hee knew that they were wicked and Dauid did not 1. King 1. at his death devide his Kingdome vnto his sonnes but left it wholy vnto his sonne Salomon 1. King 11. neither did he deuide it but left it vnto his sonne Rehoboam and he also left it vnto his son Abâ—am 1. King 14. and he vnto his sonne Asa and 2. Cro.
mistaâ—â—e me nor for though I haue shewed that a father ought â—â—do thus for his sonne yet I doe not say he ought to doe this for a disobedient wicked or vnthriftie son for such a one I haue shewed ought to bee punished by the Magistrate and that seuerely neither did the father of this prodigall giue him a new portion wheÌ„ hee had ryoted away that which That this priuiledge belongeth not vnto lewd and wicked children he gaue him although vpon his repentance he receiued him into his fauour againe neither doe we finde that any of these aforenamed gaue any double portion Gen. 27. to any of their sonnes Isaok had but one blessing to giue though hee had two sonnes nay these men did giue these portions vnto their sons at the time of their deathes but not before but if a father for the aduancement of his sonne bee pleased out of his loue to spare him som part of his goods while hee doth liue yet if hee wastfully royotously consume it I see not that his father Parents supplying the wnats of vicious children becommeth authors of their vnthriftinesse should feede him with a new supply for so he may be authour of his sonnes vnthriftinesse And thus briefely you see how a man may or should dispose of his goods by the rule of the word of God and this may suffice to satisfie our pollitition for this matter The duty of Children The 18. Chapter ANd now concerning the duty of Children whereof I am purposed to write indeede there was neuer more neede to write of these thinges then now and neuer more teaching of them then in these dayes but neuer was instructions either by word or writing lesse regarded of them then now they be And no maruaile for if God himselfe haue spoken and none would heare him if hee haue stretched out his hands none Esai 1. would regard so that hee hath beene forced to cry out vnto the The great disobedience both of men and children in former ages heauens and the earth to beare witnesse of the disobedience of his Children if it bee thus with men of vnderstanding what will it bee with Children if it were thus with men thousands of yeares agoe what will it be with Children in these times if the Apostles of Christ were mocked Act. 2. and sayd to be full of new wine when they preached the word of God vnto the people and Luke 3. Christ himselfe despised for teaching them and sayd to haue a diuell in him surely if grace feare of God were then fled froÌ„ men what hope shall wee haue to finde it now in Children who haue beene disobedient euen froÌ„ the beginning scoffers mockers as Ismaell of Isack Ham of his owne father and of the saints Prophets of God as of Elisha But bee wise ye children and take heed for neuer such did escape the heauie iudgements of God nor neuer shall in time to come as appeareth by these Ismaell cast out of his fathers Gen. 21. house and fauour yet his first borne sonne Ham also not onely Gen. 9. loosing the blessing of his father but both hee and his posterity became accursed the Children which wicked Elish 42. of 2. King 2. theÌ„ deuour'd by two shee Beares well I will yet with patience rest in hope if Ionas be commanded Ionah 1. to preach against Nineue he may not leaue to doe it fly to Tharsus my maister hath giuen mee a talent to vse shall I lay it vp in a napkin for him noe I dare not doe so but I say still for Sions sake I will not be silent but with Salomon exhort you that be childreÌ„ Prou. 4. to heare the instruction of a father and to giue eare to learne vnderstanding despise not instructions by Good counsell ought not to be refused by whomsoeuer giuen whomsoeuer it be taught whether from the mouth of a learned diuine or of a lay man for gold of it selfe is pure in what base thing soeuer it bee put and the diamond is stil precious though God the author of all good things proceeding from man it lye in the dunghill neither is there any good thing that can proceede from the heart of man but by the powerfull working of the spirit of God therefore let mee intreate you who hearts God shall moue with desire to seeke the knowledge of your duty to reade these few chapters following wherein I haue briefely set downe what duty you owe and must performe vnto your Parents if you meane to please God And although I write these things vnto children yet for that the younger sort for want of yeares are not able to vnderstand them I will leaue these ABC trewants whose delight is rather in their play theÌ„ learning and will addresse my words to those of more riper yeares whose time should shew their knowledg hauing loÌ„g since learned past the graces and now haue their rules by roate without booke what said I that they are past grace by learning too many rules without booke yea indeed it is true therfore I may the bolder speake it though with griefe for wee see many in these dayes which should haue knowledge by their learning but doe The great abuse which schollers make of their learning shew by the leawdnesse of their liues that grace hath not yet wrought any good knowledge in them but that they haue learned too many rules without booke as I sayd for in Gods booke or any other good booke I am sure they neuer learned such things There be many such schollers Youth comming to learne lattine and yet forget their Primer lessons that haue learned many lattine bookes ouer but haue quite forgotten their English Primer lessons to beleeue in God and to keepe his Commandements therefore to the end they may become good schollers in Gods schoole it shall not be amisse to put them to conne ouer their old lessons againe of their obedience vnto their Parents Honour thy Exo. 20. Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee and it is not amisse for others neither it may doe well for both let none despise it the wiser sort I am sure will not It hath pleased the Almighty and powrefull God which worketh all in all thinges for a secret Iudgement and purpose and for his owne godly will and pleasure to prouide and appoynt an howre in the which thy Father and Mother should come together to the end that thou thorough them mightest bee made he was present with thee in the wombe of thy mother fashioned thee and breathed life into thee and for the great loue hee beare vnto thee provided milke in thy mothers breasts against thou wast borne mooÌ„ed also thy Father and Mother and all other to loue thee to pitty thee and to nourish thee and as hee hath made thee through them so hath
touch it before when I said it consisted in all good and lawfull thinges and indeed it goeth no farther for if thy father or mother do command thee to do vnlawfull In what cases Children may refuse the command of their Parents thinges as to commit Idolatry to worship God contrary to his word thou must not obey them in these thinges or if thy father or mother doe command thee to commit treason against the King Prince or Magistrate whom he hath set ouer thee to gouerne thee or felloniously to murther any or to steale perloyne or defraud any man of his right thou must not obey them in any such thinges for as God hath cōmanded thee to obey them in goodnesse so hath he forbidden thee to yeeld obedience vnto them in euill the Children ought to shun the wickednes of their Parents Children that follow the wickednesse of their Parents God himselfe will puninsh them wee haue proofe therof in diuers places of the scripture but the Prophet Ezekiell expresseth it to the full I pray you reade the chapters for the doctrine therein is worthy of your greatest regard you shall there finde that the Lord sayth Behold all soules are mine both of Eze. 18. the Father of the Sonne the same soule that sinneth it shall dye but if the sonne seeing the wickednesse of his Father feareth and doth not commit such thinges surely he shall line sayth the Lord so that thus you see plainely that the Children may refuse to bee obedient vnto any wicked commande eyther of their Father or mother And the Apostle Peeter teacheth vs by Act. 4. his example rather to obey God then man and Daniell doth the Dan. 6. same And as God hath commanded thee to performe this obedience vnto thy Parents and hath appoynted thee in what manner nature to do the same and granted his blessing vnto the performers thereof euen so to Children which are stubborne and disobedient vnto their Parents God himselfe will punish the stubborne rebellious children which will take no regard of this his will to walke in the obedience thereof such disobedient ones doth he not leaue vnpunished nor neuer did but ether by the seueritie of their Parents or if that gentle and naturall punishment will not serue then giueth hee them vp into the hands of temperall Maiestrates so publikely to punish them as I expressed before in the duty of Parents but if both these in the execution of iustice vpon so high an offence be slacke in punishing them then he himselfe doth take the cause in hand yea he himselfe doth seuerely punish it as we see by his iustice shewed vpon the wicked sonnes of Elye whom hee slew both in 1. Sam. 4. one day by vntimely and sudden death and of that rebellious son of Dauid Absolon whō the Lord 2. Sam. 18. himselfe caused to be hanged on a tree by his owne hayre vntill his enemies came vpon him and slew him many such examples there bee to this end but these may suffice Children ought not to forsake their Parents either in pouerty or age but to relieue and comfort them euen till death And take heed that thou grow not weary of this thy duty but that with all loue thou doe continue this thy obedience vnto them euen to their dying day and that thou dispise them not either in age or pouerty for hee that dispiseth Father or Mother God will punish but vse them with all honour as Salomon did his Mother and cherish and norish them in age as Ioseph did remember 1. King 2. that Ruth would not Ruth 1. forsake her Mother in law and what shee gained by her labour she brought home to relieue her aged mother with And now with Ioshua I haue Ioshu 24 set before you the waies of the the Lord and I beseech him to giue vs grace to walke in the obedience thereof I had thought likewise to haue set before you some of the abuses of these our times wherein the wicked ones so much forgetting their duty to God and their Parents that not regarding their owne shame in the world no nor the feare of Gods iudgements to come doe dayly disturbe trouble nay misvse abuse their owne Parents but least I should in expressing such thinges giue way to that which I ought rather to suppresse I will rather bury these thinges in mine own breast with griefe in silecce The Diuell hath two many actors on the stage of this world that play these parts daily too publike the God of heauen and earth keepe your harts and consciences free from such thinges keepe you in the obedience of his holy Commadements Amen The duty of Masters The 23. Chapter GReat is the folly of yong people in this our time which by al meanes they may possible seeke to free theselues from the estate of seruitude when they are therein to the end they may be Masters A great folly in young people that seeke to bee masters before they know how to gouerne and gouenors themselues of others before they haue either yeares or wisedome sufficient to manage so great a businesse or discharg so waighty a matter as they then take vpon them in the estate of gouerning neither able to make choyse of their seruants with wisedome as they ought nor how to vse them with a good conscience as they should But Dauid giueth vs good instruction Gen. 39. for this busines for he willeth vs to chuse him to bee our seruant that is religious and vpright towards God that so our affaires may prosper as Potiphers did thorough the seruice of Gen. 30. good Ioseph and Laban by the seruice of Iacob for he that is not a faithfull seruant vnto God will neuer be a faithfull seruant vnto his Master as there doth come a blessing by the godly so the wicked seruant bringeth a curse where hee is for as one scabbed sheepe marreth a whole flocke so often times one leawd seruant spoyles a whole family but who followeth the rule of the Prophet How to chuse a good Seruant Dauid in the choyse of his family he sayth that he that hath a proud looke and a hauty stomacke shal not dwell with him But there be two many in these dayes of the contrary disposition for they will keepe none but such as can fight sweare and swager it out well Dauid would not doe so though hee were a King no he that leadeth a godly life shall bee his seruant there shall no deceitfull person dwell Psal 101. in his house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his house nor sight but I would there were Masters should not suffer their seruants to sweare though in the sale of their wares not now two many which doe suffer their Seruants to lye sweare yea and forsweare too in the sale of their wares and yet these be counted good shop-men and fine chapmen indeede