What hast thou to do to iudge another man's seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master Rom. 14. Secondly that all masters haue authority ouer their seruants though the master be a poor man or an ignorant man or a cruell man or a froward man or a hard man yet the seruant must bee subiect to him and bear himself as reuerently and obediently as if he were the richest or wisest or worthiest master in the world and the reason is because the subiection is due not to the masters riches or gifts or greatnes but to the authority which God hath giuen him as a master and therefore seruants must look to this point and the rather because it will be the greater triall of their subiection and singlenesse of heart when neither feare nor reward nor any outward respect doth compell or constrain them but simply the conscience of God's Commandement and the masters authority Thirdly wee may heer inquire how masters come by this authority ouer seruants by nature they haue it not and therefore must haue it by law The lawes of men cannot make one man a seruant and another a master therefore it is by the Law of God Since it is by the Law of God if wee haue recourse to the tenne Commandements wee shall finde that it is the fift Commandement which giueth masters this authority and honor the exhortations of the Apostle being but interpretations of that Law And that this point may bee cleered two things must be searched into First what sorts of men are called fathers and mothers there and secondly why they are so called in the Commandement seeing the most sorts of them in the vsuall life of man haue other titles For the first This tearm Father wee shall finde in Scripture to be giuen first to such as begat vs Heb. 12.9 Secondly to Ancestors Ioh. 6.18 Thirdly to Tutors so Students are called Children of the Prophets Fourthly to such as beget vs in respect of grace as to our Ministers 1. Cor. 4.15 Gal. 4.19 Fiftly to Magistrates Gen. 41.43 1. Kings 24.12 Ezra 1.5 Sixtly to Elders in age 1. Tim. 5.1 Seuenthly to the Inuentors or Authors of any science art or trade Gen. 4.20 Lastly it is giuen to masters so Naaman's seruants called him Father 2. Kings 5.13 And from hence masters were wont to be called Patres familias as Magistrates were called Patres patriae For the second Magistrates Tutors Ministers Masters and all Superiours are called Fathers first because the father was the first degree of superiority and the fountain and seminary of all society Secondly God of purpose preserues this title in all superiority thereby to sweeten subiection to Inferiors and to make them think the seuerall dangers burdens labours and subiections in each condition to be not onely tolerable but meet to be born because they endure them vnder parents as it were and so such superiority for that reason should not bee resisted or enuied Thirdly that thereby Superiours may bee put in minde of their dutie to auoid insolency cruelty oppression and the too much respect of themselues God charging them by this title to remember that their Inferiors are to them by God's Ordinance as their children Thus of the proposition of the duties of seruants The exposition followes and so first he sheweth the manner how they must be subiect viz. With all feare Seruants must subiect themselues to their masters in all feare which being put downe indefinitely must be vnderstood both in respect of God and in respect of their masters Seruants must shew their feare of God in their places diuers waies First by auoiding such sinnes as are contrary to the will and commandement of God in their generall life such as are swearing lying slandering hatred of the godly drunkennesse whoredome and the like Psalm 101.3 4 5. Secondly by carefulnesse to doo God seruice as well as their masters not onely by spending the Sabbath in the duties of Religion but in redeeming the time in the week-daies as may be without hindrance of their work or offense to their masters to imploy themselues in praier reading conference c. and the reason is because as seruants must doo their masters work as they are seruants so they stand bound in the common obligation to do God's seruice as they are men and no man but is subiect to the Law of God who hath giuen all his Commandements to seruants as well as to masters Thirdly by dooing their masters work out of conscience respecting the will and commandements of God and therefore seruing their masters with all faithfulnesse as if the seruice were to bee done to God himself or to Iesus Christ Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.23 Fourthly by praying for their masters and for the good successe of their labours for their masters commodity thus Abraham's seruant is commended for his practice of the feare of God and left for an example to all seruants to doo likewise Genes 24. Fiftly by dooing their masters work without eye-seruice being as carefull and as diligent when their masters are absent as when they are present as remembring that the Lord sees them though their masters doo not Col. 3.22 The feare then toward their masters they may shew diuers waies First by auoiding what might displease their Masters such as is answering again Tit. 2.10 contention with their fellowes and all vnquietnesse Phil. 2.4 sullennesse Prou. 29.19 and all vnfaithfulnes shewed either by purloining in the least things Tit. 2.10 or carelesness in disappointing the trust committed to them as also masterfulnesse pride and haughtie behauiour when they will not abide it to be told or directed or doing what they list not what they be appointed Secondly by reuerent behauiour to be shewed by lowlynesse of countenance by giuing titles of honor and respect Iohn 13.13 by standing before them when they sit Luke 17. by auoiding rude behauiour or sawcy familiarity as accounting them in heart worthy of all honor 1. Tim. 6.1 one point of which reuerence is that seruants should not presume to deliuer their opinions easily in their Masters presence vnlesse it be required or may bee gathered by argument from the lesse Iob 32.6 7. Thirdly by their secrecy in all the affayres of their Masters especially they should take heede of discouering their Masters infirmities to others abroad out of the family Fourthly by auoyding inquisitiuenesse to meddle only with their owne businesse the seruant knoweth not what his Master doth Iohn 15.15 Fiftly by doing their work with all faithfulnesse and diligence in absence as well as presence that when the Master comes he may finde them so doing Math. 24. Thus of the manner of the duty â—he persons to whom they must thus submit themselues follow And so they must be subiect with all fear not onely to the good but also to the froward To the good and gentle For the sense we must enquire who are good Masters and who gentle Good Masters are discerned by diuers signes
family is the society of diuers men dwelling together in one house for preseruation and happines Where three things are to bee explicated First what are the persons that take vpon them to constitute this society Secondly what is the difference between this society and their humane societies Thirdly what is the end of this society First the persons that constitute a family or families society are to bee considered either as the family is perfect or vnperfect 1. A perfect family consists of a triple society first the one between man and wife secondly the other betweene parents and children thirdly and the third between Master and seruants 2. The vnperfect is when any of these societies are wanting as when there are not either children or seruants or wiues or husbands in it The Apostels directions heere do forme onely an vnperfect family For hee giues not directions about parents and children Secondly the difference of this society from others is in those words dwelling together in one house For thereby is imported that this is the first society of all others and the foundation of all the rest For a City comprehends many families a Country many citties a Monarchy many nations and the world many Monarchies Thirdly the end of a fraternity is preseruation and happines and so to speak distinctly there are three things requisite to make this society happy and to preserue it so namely first commodity secondly delight and thirdly Religion Vnto commodity is requisite possession of goods and the mutuall lawfull labour of the persons in the family vnto delight is requisite quietnes and loue vnto Religion is required the constant and right seruing of God If commodity bee wanting the family cannot bee at all If delight bee wanting it cannot bee well and if religion bee wanting it cannot bee for euer Thus of a family in generall and two things may be in generall noted from the Apostles charge about the family First that God himselfe doth bind all sorts of persons as strictly to the good behauiour in their owne houses or towards one another as hee doth toward those in his house Secondly that the conscience is bound immediately from God to nourish all good duties And this is so proued by the fift Commandement and Pro. 14.13 with many other places of Scripture There may be diuers reasons assigned why God giues Commandement to binde vs to domesticall duties First from his owne right For though there be many Administrators as of a Church a Common-wealth a Family c. yet there is but one Lord God is the Head of this society as well as of any other 1. Cor. 12. Secondly because this is the first society God brought into the world and therefore hee would haue it honoured and carefully preserued to the end of the world The first society in Paradise was this and Religion was professed for many hundred yeers by this society onely euen till the people came out of Aegypt Thirdly because the persons we liue withall in the family are the neerest companions of our liues and therefore wee should liue with all due respect one of another Fourthly because the family is the Seminarie both of Church and Common-wealth Fiftly because the family is the most vsual place for vs to practise our Religion in what wee learne at Church is for the most part to be practised at home Many haue little occasion of practice abroad Sixtly because the comfort and contentment of mans life lieth much in this How are the liues of many men made vncomfortable by disordred seruants wicked children idle froward vicious wiues God gaue the woman at the first as a speciall help to man to shew that at home the chief help of his life was to be had Vse The vse should be therefore to teach Christians in their seuerall places in the family to make conscience of their dealing both to knowe it and to doo it as euer they would haue God to come to them and dwell with them Psalm 101.2 and as they desire to bee no hypocrites in Religion for such as make no conscience of dooing their duties in the family whether themselues wiues seruants or children are not sound Christians they are but hypocrites They are not compleat Christians that are not good at home aswell as abroad they walk not in a perfect way Psalm 101.2 And besides till domesticall disorders be redressed the family will neuer be established Pro. 14.3 Secondly it is to be noted that Inferiours in the family are either only or first or with most words charged about their duties as heer seruants and not masters and seruants and wiues with many words and there may be diuerse reasons assigned of it 1. To preserue order God hath subiected the Inferiours to the Superiours and the Superiour in a family is God's Image the Lord is therfore carefull to preserue his authority The Superiours receiue lawes from God but not from their Inferiours The Inferiours are to learn their dutie without prescribing lawes to their Superiors 2. Because the disorders of Inferiors are for the most part most dangerous to the troubling of the family because the businesses of the family are done by their hands the Superiour prouiding for the common good by common instruments If the Master of the family be neuer so godly-wise yet oftentimes the family may bee destroyed by wicked seruants and vicious wiues Pro. 14.1 3. Because faults in the Inferiours are most scandalous against Religion especially where the family is vnequally yoked as if the Head of the family be an vnbeleeuer and the Members beleeuers disorder in the beleeuers is most extremely scandalous 4. Because if the Head of the family be disordred the orderly behauiour of the Inferiours may bring him into order and winne him both to Religion and good order at home A conuersation with feare in wiues may win their husbands chap. 3.1 2. of this Epistle 5. Because God would heerby shew that the Inferiours must alwaies doo their duties before they look after the duties of Superiors they must be first serued 6. By this course the Apostles did labour to intice the Gentiles to Religion by letting them see how carefull they were to breed goodnes and loue in their wiues seruants and children and the Apostles did wisely in so doing because it is a greater gain to Religion to gain one master than many seruants because such a master may do more good The vse should be therefore to interest the obligation vpon the consciences of wiues seruants and children and euen the more they see that God saith vnto them the more they should be carefull of their duties and euer the more desirous they see the Lord to bee to haue them liue without offence the more abominable they shold account it to dare to offend still and if they haue not masters or husbands they should striue to bee good themselues before they complain of the faults of their Superiours and should think with themselues If
teach seruants especially two things the one is humility they should run a race fitted to their condition they should conquer pride and aspiring remembring that God hath abased them The other is they should keep themselues in their places and callings and not shake off the yoake by running away c. seeing God hath taken them bound to serue But the former is most proper to this place seeing they are but seruants they should be content with such diet apparell labour vsage as is conuenient to their condition Fourthly it may serue for great humiliation to such seruants as are wicked men These are of three sorts some of them are brought to this condition by their owne wickednes of life some of them are wicked seruants too as well as wicked men some are tolerable and sometimes profitable seruants though euill men all are in ill case For this is but the beginning of euill to them if they repent not For if they liue in their sinnes as they serue men now they shall serue diuels hereafter and so their bondage shall be inuested vpon them without end Quest. But seeing many godly men and women may bee seruants how may a godly Christian comfort himselfe in this estate of abasement Ans. Though it bee an outward misery to be a seruant yet there are many consolations to sweeten the bitternes of this abasement First because extremities of bondage are remoued from seruants with vs for the most part so as their seruice is but for a time and voluntary too to hire themselues to whom they will and Masters haue not power of their liues Secondly because their calling is acknowledged for a lawfull calling by God Thirdly because God hath bound Masters by his Word to vse them wel the Lawes of Princes prouide punishments for vnreasonable Masters Fourthly because Christ hath redeemed them from the spirituall bondage of seruing the Law and the diuell and Gods Iustice so as he is Christs free-man Fiftly because though his body bee subiect yet his soule is free and not subiect to any mortall creature Sixtly because their Masters are their brethren in Religion Seuenthly because God hath prouided by his vnchangeable Law that one day in seuen they shall rest from their labour Eightthly because before God there is neither bond nor free but all are one in Christ Gal. 3.28 Col. 31.11 Ninthly because all the benefits by Religion whether inward or outward belong to seruants as well as Masters 1. Cor. 12.13 Tenthly because the very work that seruants doe in their particular calling is accepted of God as obedience to him as well as the performing of the duties of Religion God accepts their daily labor as well as he doth praying hearing the Word receiuing the Sacraments reading the Scriptures fasting or the like Eph. 6.6 Eleuenthly because they are freed in that condition from many cares seeing they haue now nothing to doe in effect but to obey in what is appointed them which is a great ease to a minde that desires to see what he hath to doe to please God seeing now onely one thing is necessary which is to obey in what he is commanded and directed Twelfthly because he shall not onely haue wages from men but from God also Ephes. 6.8 Lastly because there shall be no seruants in heauen but in Gods Kingdom they are as free as their Masters and therefore should not thinke much of a little hardnesse or harshnesse in this life Thus of the originall of seruants Secondly we may hence note that seruants are bound by God himselfe in his Word vnto their subiection The Word of God doth belong to the calling of Seruants as well as to any other calling God hath included them within the doctrine of Scripture as well as any other men partly to shew that they haue right to the Scriptures as well as others and partly to shewe that the power of binding seruants is from God and God hath taken it vpon him by his Word to teach Seruants as well as other men and that for two reasons The one is because Seruants belong to the Kingdome of Christ and his Church as well as other Christians and therefore must be taught as well as they Secondly the other is because vsually Masters are negligent in teaching them and therefore God prouides that by his Word they shall be taught Men haue some care in teaching their children but little of their seruants and therefore God to shew that he is no respecter of persons giues order to his Ministers to see them instructed The Vse may be diuers Vses First Masters must learne from hence their duty For when they see that God takes care to teach their seruants they should not bee so proud or carelesse as to neglect their instruction Yea it shewes also that if they would haue them taught or reproued or incouraged they must doe it with God's Word and with their owne yea it also shewes the folly and wickednesse of diuers Masters that cannot abide their seruants should heare Sermons or much reade the Scriptures when they doe not only wickedly in restrayning their seruants from the meanes of their Saluation or comfort but doe foolishly also hinder them of that meanes which should especially make them good seruants Secondly Seruants may hereby bee instructed or informed and taught Informed that though neyther Master nor Minister will teach them yet they are not excused because they are bound to learne from Gods Word their duties And taught from hence they must bee to doe their duties to their Masters not for feare or reward but for Conscience sake because God hath bound them to his subiection Thirdly Ministers should learne and from hence be awakened to take notice of their charge both to Catechize in speciall and to teach seruants in generall as well as other their hearers If it be a part of the Commission of great Apostles to instruct seruants as well as other Christians then what accounts can they giue to God if it be found that they haue had no care of instructing the seruants of their parishes and charges Doct. 3. Thirdly the indefinite propounding of the word Seruants shewes that all sorts of seruants are equally bound to subiection hired seruants are as strictly bound as bond seruants The seruants of Princes are not free from the duty of seruants more then other seruants and so likewise poore mens seruants must be subiect and obedient to their Masters with as much reuerence and fear as seruants to great men Old seruants are tied to as much duty as such as come new to serue Religious seruants are bound to as much subiection and obedience as Pagans or rather their bond is the stronger because Religion should rather make them better seruants and so there is no difference of sexes men seruants are bound as well as women seruants neither doth birth office gifts or meanes priuiledge any seruant from the strictnesse of the bond of subiection Be subiect The duty then required
of seruants is subiection seruants must bee subiect It is not enough to weare their master's Cloth and to hire themselues to their masters they must make conscience of it to perform constant humble subiection to their masters And so they must bee subiect to their masters three waies First to their commandements and so they must obey them and yeeld themselues to them to be ruled and directed by them in all things Eph. 6.5 Col. 3.22 Secondly to their rebukes and corrections for if children need rebukes and corrections then doo seruants also Pro. 13.1 and 15.5 Seruants will not alwaies be corrected by words and therefore need blowes Pro. 29.19 Gen. 16.6 yea they must patiently suffer correction though it be inflicted vniustly as appears in the verses following this Text. Thirdly to their restraints Seruants must bee subiect to the appointment of their masters euen in the things wherein they restrain them as for instance in their diet It is a sinfull humour in them Not to be content with such diet as their masters appoint them though it be worse than the diet of their masters or the diet of the children of the family So likewise in their company they must auoid all company that may bee any way offensiue to their masters and so likewise in their apparell in such cases where seruants are to bee apparelled by their masters as also in respect of their going out of the house in the day-time when they haue not leaue but much more abominable it is To be out of their masters houses in the night without their leaue And as their subiection must bee performed in all these cases so the indefinite maner of propounding it shewes both that they must bee subiect in all things and in all the waies of shewing subiection for the manner of it they must be subiect in all things so as to beare with their masters for it is a sinnefull rebellion to crosse or disobey or leaue vndone any thing that is required of them to doo And besides it shewes that they must bee subiect in their very hearts and in their words and in their countenance and gesture as well as in the work to be done by them Vse The vse may concern both seruants and the parents of such seruants and the masters that rule them Seruants should hence from their hearts learn to yeeld themselues ouer to their masters with all good conscience to perform the subiection required yea such seruants as heare this doctrine may try their hearts whether they be indeed good seruants or no for a good seruant that makes conscience of his duty when hee heares the doctrine doth from his heart consent to it and will striue to fashion himself according to it Now the seruants that desire to bee such as is required may attain to it if they obserue these rules First they must carefully study the doctrine of seruants duties Seruants oftentimes fail through meer ignorance because they doo not lay before their mindes what God requires of them Secondly they must often iudge themselues for their faults wherin they haue displeased their masters or neglected their duties therefore many seruants mend not because either they will not see their faults or doo not humble themselues in secret for it Thirdly they must often meditate on the motiues that may perswade them to subiection And so there are fiue things that might bow their harts and breed in them a conscience of their duties First the Commandement of God it is GOD's will they should beare themselues thus humbly and obediently toward their masters Secondly the promise annexed to God's Commandement should moue them God will reward their work Eph 6.8 Col. 3.24 And in particular inasmuch as their seruice is required in the fift Commandement therefore if they be good seruants God will blesse them with long life Thirdly the threatning if they be not good seruants but bear themselues naughtily and stubbornly they shall not only receiue shame and punishment from men but God will plague them for the wrongs they doo to their masters euen for all the grief wherwith they haue vexed them and for all the losses they haue brought to their masters Col. 3. vlt. Fourthly the examples of such as haue born themselues full wel in Scripture should much moue them the piety of Abraham's seruant Gen. 24. and the painfulnesse and faithfulnesse of Iacob Gen. 31.38 c. and the readinesse of the Centurion's seruant Mat. 8. Yea it should much moue them that Christ Iesus himself was in the form of a seruant Phil. 2. Fiftly the care of the Religion they professe should much moue them if they bee carelesse and proud and stubborn the Name of God and the doctrine of Religion may be blasphemed 1. Tim. 6.1 And if they bee humble and carefull and faithfull they may adorn the doctrine of the Gospell as the Apostle shewes Tit. 2.9 10. Vse 2. Such parents as put their children foorth to seruice must take heed that they spoil them not by giuing care to the complaints of their masters or by allowing them any way in stubborn and disobedient courses Thirdly if masters would haue their seruants to please them by their subiection they then must learn how to rule and gouern them not onely by teaching and charging them what to doo but also by ouer-seeing them whereby many faults may bee preuented and accordingly by seasonable reprouing them and correcting of them betimes for the more wilfull offenses so studying to carry themselues gently towards them or that they lose not their authority by too much loue of their own ease and quietnes else it is iust that their seruants should prooue a continuall vexation to them Pro. 30.22 and 29.19 To your masters The parties to whom they owe subiection are their masters where three things may bee obserued First that though seruants are vnder subiection yet it is not to all men or to other men but onely to their masters which may warne men to take heed that they abuse not other mens seruants or speak basely of them for though in respect of their masters they are seruants yet in respect of them they are as free as themselues And in particular it should teach diuers to meddle lesse with other mens seruants by way of complaint to their masters It was Salomon's Rule Accuse not a seruant to his master lest he curse thee and thou bee found guilty Pro. 3.10 Hee giues two reasons of his aduice The one is that his complaining may so vex the seruants ouer whom he hath no iurisdiction that it may cause them in their impatience to vex him with their reproaches of him which an ingenuous minde should striue to auoid The other is that in such complaints most an end there is much mis-taking when men meddle with such things as belong to other mens families and then it is a foule shame to be found faulty To conclude this point wee should remember that of the Apostle
First they seeke not only painefull and skilfull but religious seruants Psal. 101.1 6 7. Secondly they not onely licence but teach their seruants to keepe God's Sabbaths and to worship him Commandement 4. Genes 18.19 Thirdly they will not command their seruants to doe any thing that is sinfull or to lie as snares or defraud others for their profit Fourthly that receiue their seruants especially such as are Religious as their brethren Fiftly that are ouerseers as well of the manners of their seruants as of their labours being as carefull that their seruants be no worse to themselues than to their Masters Sixtly that vse their seruants well not onely praysing them for well doing but alwaies rewarding their seruice with liberall wages and when they part from them not suffering them to goe from them empty without portion c. Masters shewe their gentlenesse also diuers waies as First when they vse their Authority moderately or are not haughtie or violent towards their seruants Secondly when they passe by their infirmities and take not notice of all the ill they say or doe Eccles. 7.22 Thirdly when their seruants offend they chide them with good words and not reuile them But also to the froward Froward Masters are such as are bitter to their seruants hard to please that are apt to finde fault that vse their seruants hardly in words or deedes but chiefely such as are cholerick and passionate and peeuish in their carriage towards their seruants So that foure Doctrines may bee noted from these words and from the coherence Doct. 1. First that God takes notice of the faults of Superiours as well as hee requires duties of Inferiours he sees frowardnes in masters as well as disobedience in seruants and the reason is both because God is no respecter of persons and also because hee giues his Law to all men And therefore Superiours must make conscience of their duties for though in all things they are not to giue accounts to their Inferiours yet they must giue accounts of all they doo to God Col. 3.24 Doct. 2. That God sees and dislikes such faults as the lawes of man take not notice of If a Master should kill his hired seruant mens lawes would take hould of him but if he be neuer so froward with him he may escape mens lawes But though the lawes of men punish not frowardnes yet God will So wee see in the exposition of Christ giuen vnto diuers commandements Mat. 5. man failed in killing adultery purity c. not once thinking of anger lust filthy speaking reuiling c. yet God forbids euen these things also which serues to reproue the folly of such as iustify themselues for very iust men because they offend not the lawes of men but neuer consider that God can finde a world of faults in them that mens lawes cannot because God sees the heart and by his Lawes requires obedience of the inward man and condemnes all sweruing from the right temper of heart and carriage And therefore wee should all looke to our waies to approue our selues not onely to men but to God and so to confesse the imperfections of mens lawes as to admire the perfection of Gods Word Doct. 3. That frowardnes is a vice to bee auoided of all sorts of men It is not onely vncomely in seruants but in Masters too and so consequently in all sorts of men and it is to bee auoided for many reasons First if wee consider the nature of the vice either in it selfe or by comparison It is of it selfe a kind of madnes A froward person during the fit is in some degree a mad person Besides they are very foolish and absurd The month of the righteous saith SalomoÌ„ bringeth foorth wisdom but the froward tongue shall bee cut out In which words note the opposition The righteous mouth brings foorth wisdome but the froward mouth brings foorth foolish things and therefore shall bee cut out Pro. 10.31 Could froward and peeuish persons remember and consider what passeth from them in these fits they would be woÌ„derfully ashamed of themselues Againe consider how contrary frowardnes is to Gods nature He saith of His words that there is no frowardnes in them Prou. 8.8 to note that frowardnes is a thing altogether contrary to God so as the froward persons in their froward fits are not like God but rather like the diuell Secondly if wee consider the causes of this peeuishnes and frowardnes either in man or woman wee shall find that this ill humour is bred of vile causes sometimes it comes of drunkennes as is noted Prouerbs 23.33 alwaies it proceedes from ignorance and want of wit and discretion Prou. 2.11 12. and vsually it ariseth of idlenes and want of constant imployment and of pride arrogance and stomake Pro. 8.13 It sometimes ariseth from iealousy and suspicion sometimes it is raised by idle and vile hypocrisy while they striue more for reputation to be thought good then indeed to be such either as they would seem to be or should bee Thirdly if wee consider the effects of frowardnes For those are vile whether we respect the froward persons themselues or others or God First for themselues It is a vice most vnprofitable For it is like a disease full of anguish and vnquietnes it eates vp their owne hearts troubles their minds and robs them of al contentment besides it breeds a grieuous indisposition in them to all good duties both to God and men and brings vpon them many mischiefes It dares annoy their friends For they that are wise will make no frendship with the froward and in such as are tied to them that they must needs conuerse with them it much alienateth their inward loue and respect of them And therefore Salomon saith well Hee that hath a froward heart findes no good and hee that hath a peruerse tongue falleth into mischiefe Pro. 17.20 And againe Thornes and snares are in the mouthes of the froward Pro. 22.5 Secondly to others their peeuishnes is a great vexation and burthen Hence came the prouerb The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable that is a godly patient discreet man is exceeding pleasing to others in his words and carriage but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardnes that is a sinfull peeuish foolish person is in his word and carriage exceeding troublesome and vnpleasing for so the Antithesis imports Besides it breeds discord a froward mouth soweth discord Yea it many times driues such as conuerse with such persons into perplexities and amazednes that they know not what to doe to free themselues from their peruersenes according to that of Salomon The way of a man is peruerse and strange but as for the pure his work is right Prou. 21.8 And therefore Dauid when hee was to order his family is specially carefull that no froward person dwell with him For where frowardnes is there is confusion and euery euil work Iâ—rem 3.16 Thirdly if wee respect God It is a
fearefull thing which Salomon saith Those which are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but such as are vpright in the way are his delight Pro. 11.20 Fourthly if wee consider the condition of the parties that are ouer-growne with this disease of peeuishnes and frowardnes It is a terrible censure that God himselfe giues of such for the most part that they are wicked persons Prou. 6.12 He that walketh with a froward mouth is called a naughty person and a wicked man and though in charity wee may hope of men that they are not altogether destitute of true grace yet as the Apostle said of enuie and strife so may wee say of frowardnes that such as are guilty of it vsually are but as carnall at the best but babes in Christ 1. Cor. 3.1 2 3. To coÌ„clude Better is the poore that walketh in his vprightnes then hee that is peruerse in his lips though hee bee rich Pro. 28.6 Vse The vse should bee for admonition and instruction to such Masters husbands wiues or others that finde themselues guilty of this hatefull vice to labour by all meanes to get themselues cured of it remembring the counsell of the holy Ghost Put away from thee a froward mouth and peruerse lips put farr from thee Pro. 4.14 and to this end they must obserue these rules First they must become fooles that they may bee wise they must begin the cure at the deniall of themselues and their vaine conceits For if they trust to their owne discretion and naturall gifts they will neuer mend For naturall gifts can neuer make that which is crooked streight Eccles. 1.15 Secondly they must striue to breed in their hearts the sound feare of God and his displeasure for their frowardnes For the feare of God will take downe their pride and cause them to abhor all peeuish and froward waies Prou. 8.13 Thirdly they must constantly iudge themselues for their offences heerein and that both by daily confessing their frowardnes to God in secret and also by acknowledging their faults heerein vnto such as are guided by them Fourthly they must especially fly to Iesus Christ whose office is to make crooked things streight Esay 40.5 and 42.16 Luke 3.5 The last thing to bee noted out of this verse is that no faults in the Superiours can free the inferiours from their subiection for matter or manner as heere seruants must bee subiect yea with all feare to froward Masters so afterwards wiues must bee subiect to their husbands and with all feare too though they bee vnbeleeuers or carnall men Thus of the exposition the confirmation followes Verses 19. and 20. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffering wrongfully For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults you shall take it patiently but if when yee doe well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God THe Apostle applies the reasons to that part of the exposition which might be most doubted and â—o giues three reasons why seruants should be subiect euen to euill Masters The first is taken from the acceptation of such subiection with God verses 19. and 20. The second is taken from their calling verse 21. The third from the example of Christ afterwards The argument from acceptation is laid downe verse 19. and auouched and made good verse 20. In the ninteenth verse then it is the drift of the Apostle to shew that though Masters should bee so froward as to beate their seruants causelesly yet they should bee subiect and indure it for conscience sake vnto God because this is a Christian mans case and a great praise when out of conscience to God hee doth his duty and suffers wrongfully The reason is so intended for the particular case of seruants so abused as it holdes in all cases of iniury for conscience sake In this verse then the Apostle intreates of suffering and wee may note foure things about suffering First what is to bee suffered griefe Secondly how it is to be suffered viz. wrongfully and with enduring Thirdly the cause of suffering it conscience toward God Fourthly the effect which is praise acceptation Doct. 1. In this world all sorts of men are liable to suffer griefe For though the Apostle in the scope intends to speak of seruants suffering griefe yet the Argument with the vses concerne all sorts of men In this world then wee must looke for griefe and how can it bee otherwise since first there are such mines in our own nature made by sinne and so many abominations round about vs to God's dishonour Secondly the creatures which we are to vse in this world are empty and vaine and so occasion much vexation in the vsers that are disappointed by them All is vanity and vexation of spirit saith the wise man Thirdly wee are liable to so many crosses and losses euery day hath his griefe and his crosse which must bee taken vp Mat. 6. vlt. Luke 9.14 Fourthly how can wee be long without griefe that liue in a world so full of sin and diuels and diuelish men Fiftly our own bodies often grieue vs being liable to so many paines and diseases What should I say Our own houses are full of causes of griefe if the disorders of masters husbands wiues seruants children be considered of and therefore wee should bee weary of the world and long for heauen wee shall neuer bee long together without griefe till wee come thither Doct. 2 Wee must not onely endure griefe but many times suffer it wrongfully Besides all the griefe befals men otherwise the world is full of wrong and iniury and the waies of doing wrong are so many as cannot easily be reckond Who can recount what wrongs are done daily by deceit violence oppression lying false witnes slanderings and other base indignities Which should teach vs not to think it strange if wrongs befall vs and withal it imports that woe shall be to all them that doe wrong That God that discouers them that doe wrong will repay them according to all the wrong they haue done Doct. 3. It may be heere noted too That vsually they suffer most wrong that are most careful to do their duties which ariseth partly from that fearefull Aâ—axie in mens natures that are falne into such distemperature of disposition and partly from that naturall malice vngodly men beare to them that are good partly such as are indeed godly will not vse such meanes of reuenge as others will doe and partly because the Lawes of men doe not reach to a sufficient way of correcting and reforming such indignities and especially it proceeds from the pride and vnthankfulnes and discontentments which raigne in the harts of froward corrupt minded persons And from hence we may gather the necessity of God's generall Iudgement because in this world it is ill many times with good men and there is no remedy seeing their wrongs are not righted heere
the work of redemption the peruersnesse of men notwithstanding The vnbelief of men cannot make the faith or fidelity of God of none effect Rom. 3. Secondly that God doth not choose as men do The mean things of this world as the world accounts mean and the vile things of this world may be dear in God's sight For as it was in the calling of Christ so is it in the calling of Christians such as the world disallows may be dear to God 1. Cor. 1.27 28. Thirdly hence we may note the free grace of God in the sending and giuing his Sonne He is fain to chuse for vs wee did not choose Christ first Iohn 15.16 Fourthly that to choose Christ is with Marie to chuse the better part it is to imitate God and chuse like GOD to forsake the world and the wils and lusts and iudgements of the wicked men of this world and to cleaue onely to Christ as our all-sufficient portion and happinesse Fiftly that all the enemies of Christ shall bee subdued either by conuersion when they come into worship Christ or by confusion when they are broken by the power of Christ. Euen Kings shall submit themselues and worship him that is thus abhorred and despised of men c. Esay 49. verse 7. Sixtly that it is a singular happinesse to bee chosen of God it was the honor of Christ heer c. And therefore Blessed is the man whom God chooseth Happy is the Christian whom God electeth Psalm 65.4 Luke 10.20 Secondly it should teach vs diuers duties First to obserue and admire and acknowledge the Lord Iesus the Chosen of GOD we should with special regard confesse vnto the glory of God heerin which the word Behold importeth Esay 42.1 We should be Gods witnesses against the world and all the seruants of any strange god that this Iesus of Nazareth is that Sonne of God and Sauiour of the world Esay 43.10 It is one main end of the praises of Christ in this place To raise vp our dull and dead affections to the highest estimation and admiration of Christ and his glory with the Father c. Secondly wee should learn of God how to make our choice On the one side is offred vnto vs the pleasures and profits of the world and the inticements of sinne and Satan and the other in the Gospell of Christ is set forth and offred to vs as the means of our happinesse Now it is our part to take to Christ and renounce the world and forgo the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season wee should vtterly refuse the voice of sinne neuer to be the guests of such folly but rather to listen to the voice of wisdome Prouerbs 7. and 8. Thirdly Is Christ chosen of God that one of a thousand Then it learns the Church to bee in loue with him yea to bee sick of loue as is imported Canticles 5.8 9 10. An ordinary affection should not serue the turn our hearts should bee singularly inflamed with desire after such a match found out and chosen of God for vs. Fourthly we should not rest heer but when God hath declared his choice as hee did by a witnes from heauen euen his owne voice Math. 17.5 wee should then hear Christ and as the Prophet saith wait for his law Esay 42.4 Fiftly yea we should so kisse the Son whom God hath declared as King by doing our spirituall homage vnto him as that we resolued both high and lowe the greatest estate as well as the meanest to serue him with all fear and reioyce before him with trembling wee must expresse our thankfulnesse by all possible obedience of heart and life Psalm 2.11 Sixtly we should follow his Colours and take his part and contend for the truth against all the world and in particular against Antichrist that man of sin Reuel 17.14 Seuenthly wee should imitate the praises and vertues of this chosen One especially in two things to weet humility and constancy as the Prophet Esay sheweth 42.2 3 4. Lastly and specially this Chosen or rather this knowledge of this Chosen of God should teach vs to relie vpon Christ without wauering with all trust and confidence for our reconciliation with God for the obtaining of knowledge comfort deliuerance preseruation yea and saluation too for this is he whom God hath giuen for a couenant to all people and his soule delights in him And therefore also we may runne boldly to the Throne of grace and put vp our petitions by Christ. For wee are heer assured that God will deny him nothing as these places euidently shew Psalm 42.6 7 8 16. Psalm 49.6 8 9 10 11 12. Mat. 12.17 to 22. But then wee must look to it that wee obserue the seasons and opportunity of grace Esay 49.8 2. Cor. 6.2 Let vs therefore imbrace while God is to be found and offers vs Christ for we may seek when God will not bee found as Esau sought the blessing when it was too late Heb. 12.15 And further this may serue for singular terror to all vnbeleeuers that will not haue Christ to rule ouer them He is elected already of God and therefore will mightily pursue all the enemies of God and the Church and all those that disobey him whom God hath chosen hee will pursue them both with the terrors of his Word his mouth being made like a sharp sword and with the plagues of his hand beeing made like a polished shaft Esay 49.2 He will appear to wicked men in the day of wrath as a mighty man and as a man of warre though to his owne he be as a Lamb to them hee will bee as a Giant they shall not be able to resist and though he lift not vp his voice in the streets of his people yet hee will set vpon them with roaring and singular terrour euen with all the signes of furious displeasure and though for a time hee may seem to put vp the contempt of men that disallow him yet at the length he will not refrain and will destroy at once c. Esay 42.13 14 15. Besides this doctrine of Christs chosen or of Gods choice should notably check that vnbelief and fearfulnesse that is too often found euen in Sion in the dear seruants of God When God hath published his election of Christ for the seruice of our redemption why doth some say The Lord hath forsaken and his Lord hath forgotten him Can God forget his people or will he euer deny his Chosen Shall not Christ bee regarded in our behalf who is the person whom his soule loueth Esay 49.8 c. 13 14 15 16. Precious Christ is precious many waies First in respect of his nature he is the choicest substance in heauen and earth neuer such a man all the creatures in heauen and in earth are inferiour to him Secondly in respect of his gifts hee is qualified with all the treasures of wisdome and grace aboue all his fellows Col. 2.3 Psal. 45. Thirdly in respect of
godly by giuing vs a roome in their hearts causing them to loue vs and honour vs euen for Christ onely whom they discouer in vs by our loue to Christ and faith in his name and imitation of his vertues Secondly and hee graceth vs also amongst the wicked by protecting and acknowledging vs in times of greatest distresse and by washing out the blemishes which our own indiscretiōs at any time brought vpon vs by cleering our innocencies from their vniust aspersions The vse may be first for confutation of their folly and madnes that account it a course of abasement to follow Christ and leaue the vanities of the world Godly courses are honourable courses No man euer lost honor by cleauing to Christ and liuing so as might become the faith and loue of Christ. Secondly and withall wee may hence be informed that all the honour that is without Christ is but obscure basenesse no man can bee truely honourable without the faith of Iesus Christ in his heart Thirdly we should hence be resolued to make more account of the Godly because Christ is to them al honour they are the only excellent ones in the world Fourthly wee should labour also to bee an honour vnto Christ and to the faith and profession of his name and seruice wee must remember that he is our surety to God for vs and hath vndertaken for our good behauiour and therefore for that reason wee should be carefull of our duties and besides wee see that the disorders of great mens seruants leaue an imputation on their master and so it is with vs and Christ. If wee liue righteously and soberly and religiously wee honour Christ our Master but otherwise if wee bee scandalous wee dishonour Christ and therefore had need to looke to our waies And lastly we shold account Christ sufficient honour to vs and not regard the scornes and reproaches of the world but rather with Moses esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt Thus of the consolation to the godly The terror to the vnbeleeuers is exprest first partly by charging vpon them their offence secondly and partly by describing their punishment Their offence is disobedience To them that are disobedient All vnbeleeuers stand indited of disobedience and that in three respects For first they are guilty of Adams disobedience For by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Rom. 5.19 Secondly they are guilty of disobedience against the morall Law which they haue broken by innumerable offences and in respect thereof are liable to all the curses of God Deut. 28. Thirdly they are guilty of disobedience against the Gospell For there is an obedience of faith Rom. 1.5 and the Lord complaines that they obeyed not the Gospell Rom. 10.16 and for this disobedience God will render vengeance in flaming fire at the Day of iudgement 2. Thes. 1.8 Now men disobey the Gospel not onely when they are bewitched to receiue false opinions in religion Gal. 3.1 But also and chiefly when they beleeue not in Iesus Christ but liue in their sins without repentance Vses The vse should bee for humiliation vnto impenitent sinners they should take notice of their inditement make haste to humble themselues before the Lord lest Sentence come out against them and there be no remedy and the rather because God will aggrauate against them their disobedience Now there are many waies by which a sinner may take notice of the aggrauations of his disobedience as First by the number of his offences if he consider that he hath made his sinnes like the haires of his head To bee guilty of treason but in one particular should occasion feare but he that is guilty of many treasons hath great reason to bee extremely confounded in himself and this is thy case Secondly thy disobedience is the more grieuous because thou hast receiued abundance of blessings from God who hath by them wooed thee to repentance and this will heap much vpon thee Rom. 2.4 Esay 1.3 Thirdly thou must consider all the meanes thou hast had of amendment God hath planted thee in his garden the Church he hath commanded his vine-dressers to bestow the paines and apply the meanes of growth to thee If now thou be not fruitfull this will be pleaded against thee which art still a barren figtree Luke 13.6 Fourthly it increaseth thy disobedience that thou hast beene guilty of diuers hainous and fowle euils as if thou haue beene a drunkard a filthy person a blasphemer of the name of God a man of blood or the like Fiftly the continuance in sinne thou hast long abused the patience of God and this heapes coals of further indignation against thee Rom. 2. 4 5. and the rather because thy heart hath beene to sinne euer for there is in the heart of vnregenerate men a desire to sin for euer and it is a griefe to them to thinke that at any time they should not be able to liue in sinne still Sixtly thou hast offended against thine owne vowes and couenants and the promises thou hast made to God both in baptisme and the communion and in other passages of thy life Seuenthly it increaseth thy offence that thou hast dealt wickedly in the land of vprightnesse Esay 26.11 There thou hast offended where thou hast had the example of the godly to shew thee a better course It is ill to sinne any where though in Babel but it is worse to transgresse in Sion or Ierusalem euen in the glorious Churches of Iesus Christ. Eightly thy incorrigiblenes addes to the heap of sinne though the Lord hath afflicted thee yet thou hast not learned obedience by the things thou hast suffered but thou hast made thy heart like an adamant so as thou wouldst not returne Ierem. 5.2 3. Ninthly it is yet more that thou hast beene so farre from reforming thine owne life that thou hast scorned and reproched the good conuersation of the godly thou hast spoken euill of the good way of God Thus and many other wayes may the sinner charge his owne heart and thereby prepare himselfe to returne to the Lord while there is yet hope For if thou wouldest returne with all thy heart and take vnto thee words and confesse thy sinnes and pray for forgiuenesse and mourne before the Lord and turne away from thy owne wickednesse the Lord would shew mercy and the obedience of Christ would heale thy disobedience and God would loue thee freely and the bloud of Christ would cleanse thee from all thy sinnes Hosh. 14. Isaiah 55.7 1. Ioh. 1.7 and while it is yet to day the Lord sendeth to thee and beseecheth thee to be reconciled 2. Cor. 5.19 21. Consider that God hath been with thee all this while hauing sent many others to hell for their sinnes and there is hope of forgiueness the Lord hath receiued great offenders to mercie as the Israelites that often fell away from him Iudges 10. and Mary Magdalene and Peter and Dauid and
of good workes wonderfull eager and desirous to inrich our selues that way Tit. 3.1 2.14 yea we should hereby shew that we are indeede wise Christians and well skilled in the vse of our Religion Iam. 3.13 and not men onely but women also should be forward in good works 1. Tim. 2.10 It is their best apparel w hc should be a speciall motiue to them that are so carefull of their attyre indeed good works are to be desired and laboured for as the best apparell of any Christian yea they are his armour too Rom. 13.13 Yea they are a principall way for his inriching and preferment 1. Tim. 2.20 so as it is a great curse vpon a Christian to haue no minde to do good workes to be reprobate to euery good worke Tit. 1. vlt. Thirdly since there are so many things necessary to the constitution of a good worke Christians should in stead of prying into the liues of others euery one trie his owne workes and turne often to the light that it may be indeede manifest that his works are wrought in God Gal. 6.4 for one day euery mans works shall be tried in the fire when times of tryall by great afflictions either vpon mens Consciences or otherwise come that man's works that neuer seeme glorious and praise-worthy will bee reiected and cast away euen by our selues as vile and vnprofitable Besides at the best in our prosperity if the most of our workes be tryed by the fire of these rules of God's Word it is much to be doubted that our workes will burne though vpon our repentance for the euill that cleaues to our best workes our selues may bee saued in the day of the Lord. Let Christians therefore be careful that they lose not the things which they haue wrought Now a Christian may lose his workes diuers wayes First if he be but a Christian in shew hee may nay hee shall lose all hee doth The Pharises lost all their workes because they were done in hypocrisie Secondly the Christian that hath some kindes of heauenly gifts and temporary grace by falling away in the time of temptation loseth all that hee had wrought before God requires patient continuance in well-doing Rom. 2.8 Thirdly the true Christian may lose what hee wrought if he doe his works without respect of these Rules If it be not manifest that his workes are wrought in God they are lost to him so many of his works as are so wrought Besides he loseth the comfort of all that hee hath wrought and the sense of it if he fall into grosse sinne after calling for so long time as he continueth in sinne without Repentance Thus of good works Which they shall behold It is manifest from hence that good works may and ought to be so done as that men may see them It is not true that all good works must be hid from the view and beholding of other men this may seeme strange because the Pharises were blamed for doing their works to be seene of men but yet it may be easily and plentifully proued I will first proue it and then explane it for proofe our Sauiour Christ requires that the light of mens good works should shine that men may see their good works Mat. 5.16 Christians in respect of their practice should be as shining lights in the midst of a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.15 16. They must maintaine good workes Tit. 3.8 They must shew their Faith by their Workes and so they are iustified before men by the workes which they behold Iam. 2. They are the expresse words of S. Iames also in the third chapter verse 13. Let him shew by good conuersation his works And the Apostle Paul saith If there be any praise think on those things that may get praise Phil. 4.8 Yea some Christians are charged to be paterns of good works Tit. 2.7 Now for explication of this point I would consider first what works may bee shewed and then secondly what works may not be shewed For the first I will onely now instance in the Apostle's catalogue in the second of Titus Ould men may safely shew sobriety grauity temperance soundnes of their faith loue and patience Ould women may safely carry themselues in a holy behauiour and bee teachers of good things especially to the younger women Young women must shew their sobriety loue and obedience to their husbands discretion chastity care of their children and houshold affairs Young men may shew that they bee sober-minded Ministers offend not by teaching vncorrupt doctrine with grauity and sincerity nor when in conference they speak soundly and things that cannot be iustly taxed Seruants offend not by shewing obedience to their masters and all good faithfulnes and desire to please them well in all things For the second the shew is condemned in diuers sorts of works as 1. Secret duties of what kinde soeuer must not bee done to the beholding of others thus to pray or fast that others may see or hear is not lawfull Mat. 6. 2. Such works as are done deceitfully are iustly taxed for the shew of them as when Ananias and Saphirah will make a shew of bounty which was not performed as they pretended Acts 5. 3. All works that are done with affectation when the praise of men is simply and only sought are Pharisaicall and ill done 4. All the works that are done about the vse of the means of godlinesse if practice bee not ioyned with them are reiected of God and the shew of them is condemned Thus to make a shewe of hearing Sermons reading the Scriptures frequent and long praiers strict obseruing of the rest of the Sabbath and the like when there is not a sound care of a holy life are not good works nor is the shew of them commended Esay 1. Mic. 6. 5. To shew care of lesser duties and liue in the carelesse and manifest neglect of greater and more necessary duties is likewise Pharisaicall and condemned Mat. 23. Thus of the beholding of good works They may glorifie God To glorifie GOD is in the etymology of the word to make God glorious Now the glory of God is the excellency of God aboue all things as is by way of exposition added Esay 35.2 The question then is How can God bee made glorious or excellent seeing his excellency is as infinite as his nature is and to that which is infinite nothing can be added For the resoluing of this question wee must vnderstand that if Gods nature be cōsidered in it self it is so excellent as nothing can bee conceiued or done that should bring glorie to it But when the Scripture speakes of glorifying of God it meanes it of such an excellency as to our capacity by reflexion and resemblance some way expresseth the similitude of Gods excellency which wee call his glorie And so God is glorifyed by himselfe or by vs. God hath made diuers impressions of his owne excellency and set it out by way of
all patience instruct men and call vpon them and perswade them to saue their soules Doct. 7. Wee may yet further from hence obserue that before calling the very Elect of GOD may bee as bad as any other as heer till God visited those elect Gentiles they were railers as well as others so were the former sinnes mentioned 1. Cor. 6.9 found in the very Elect as the eleuenth verse sheweth This appears by the example of Manasses Marie Magdalene Paul and the thief on the Crosse see further Tit. 3.3 And the reasons may bee easily assigned for first the very Elect before calling haue the same corruption of nature that other men haue and so all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God so as there is not one of them doth good no not one Secondly they haue the same occasions to sinne from the Deuill and the world Thirdly and were their natures somewhat better then other mens yet they would haue beene leauened as they were a part of the lump of infected mankinde This may both inform vs teach vs in diuers things It may inform vs in three things viz. about our election and our iustification and about the Gospell as the means of our vocatiō For election this point proues it must bee free seeing there was no goodness in the very elect more then in the reprobate in the estate of nature And for Iustification the Apostle Paul vseth the consideration of this doctrine in the third Chapter to the Romans to prooue it cannot be by workes And for the Gospell wee may here see the mighty power of it it may well bee called the Arme of the Lord and his power to saluation that can thus mightily and suddenly change men And it should teach vs also diuers things as it concernes either our selues or other men or God 1. For our selues it should teach vs to walke both more humbly all our daies seeing wee haue beene vile as well as others and also more watchfully seeing wee carry about vs a nature that hath beene so rebellious against God and besides wee should resist the beginnings of sinne in vs as hauing knowne by experience whither sinne will lead vs if wee giue way to it and dally with it 2 For others not yet called it should teach vs both compassion of their miserie it hauing beene our owne case and a care to shewe all meekness to all men in wayting for their conuersion and patience in bearing their wrongs 3 For God how can wee euer sufficiently loue him that hath shewed such loue to vs euen when wee were his enemies Yea wicked men that are smitten with terrors for the hainousnesse of their sinnes should hence confirme themselues against despaire seeing they may hence learne that as great offendors as they haue beene conuerted and saued 2. Tim. 1.15 There is one thing that from hence men must take heede that they doe not learne that is that they abuse not these examples to confirme themselues in sinne for there is matter to daunt them and fright them from this presumption For first not all that haue liued licentiously but some few onely haue beene saued the rest perished in their owne wickednesse Secondly of those that were saued none were saued without amendment of life and regeneration and therfore so long as thou liuest in thy sinne so long their example fits thee not Doct. 8. The last Doctrine that may from hence be made is in particular concerning the sinne of speaking euill of the godly and the point is That Gods gracious visitation doth cure that disease exactly Hee will neuer raile any more that is truly gathered vnto God in his day of visitation It is possible Christians may speake euill one of another in particular and it is lamentable when they doe so but that is vpon supposall of particular faults in those of whom they speake euill But that a man should speake euill of godly men in generall because they are godly with desire he might finde them euill doers is a vice not found in such as are truly called And therefore let such as are guilty of that sinne of speaking euill of good Christians because they follow goodnesse know That their day of visitation is not yet come Verse 13. Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as superior FRom the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the 9 Verse of the third Chapter is contained matter of exhortation and the exhortation is either generall or speciall The generall exhortation concernes all Christians and hath beene set downe from the 13 Verse of the first Chapter to the end of the 11 Verse of this second Chapter Now those words and those that follow to the 9 Verse of the next Chapter containe speciall exhortations which concerne some Christians onely namely subiects seruants wiues and husbands Of the duty of subiects he entreats from Verse 13 to Verse 18 Of the duty of seruants from Verse 18 to the end of this Chapter of the duty of wiues in the seuen first Verses of the third Chapter and of the duty of husbands in the eightth Verse of that Chapter So that the Apostle hauing taught all Christians before how to behaue themselues in their generall calling hee now vndertakes to teach some sorts of Christians in particular how to order themselues in their particular callings and so hee teacheth them in some things that concern the Politickes and in some things that concerne the Oeconomickes Vnto order in a Common wealth belongs the duty of Subiects and vnto houshold gouernment belongs the duty of Seruants Wiues and Husbands From the coherence and the generall consideration of the whole exhortation diuers things may be noted before I breake open the particulars of the Text. 1 The Word of God must be the warrant of all the actions of our life it not onely giues order about the businesses of Religion but it prescribes matter of obedience in all our conuersation it tells vs what to doe in our houses and in the Common wealth as well as what to doe at Church which shewes vs the perfection of the Scripture Theologie is the Mistresse of all Sciences it perfects the sound knowledge of the Ethicks Politickes or Oeconomickes and it should teach therefore in our callings whether generall or particular to seeke warrant from the Word which warrant we may finde either expressed particularly or else implied in generall directions and withall we should take heed that wee make not more sinnes in any estate of life then are made in Scripture and so not affright or disquiet our selues with vaine fears that way 2 The Apostle would haue Christians in a speciall manner careful that they offend not the lawes of the Princes of this world this appeares in that hee enioynes them the duties of Subiects first and in that they doe teach them the duty of submission both in this and other Scriptures with great force and
the duty of Superiours for in that new and tender world great care was to bee had that vnder pretense of Religion ciuill obedience either in the family or Common-wealth were not neglected And it is a truth to be known at all times that God would not haue inferiours too skilfull in the duty of Superiours that they might first learne to shew duty before they called for duty from their Superiours That may bee one reason why the duty of Masters is not heer handled and in other places of the Epistles but briefly for many times the description of the duty of Superiours is vsed but as a glasse by the Inferiours to pry into the faults of those that rule them and so growe carelesse and wilfully stubborne vnder pretence of the faults of their superiours But some one might say that by this meanes if the Magistrates did turne Christians they were left without rules of direction and so they should not know what to doe Answ. That inconuenience was long before preuented because the duety of Magistrates is fully taught in the old Testament which vnto a godly minde is of as great authority as the new Thus of the coherence and generall consideration of all the words The duty of Subiects followes to bee particularly considered of Submit Concerning Subiects here are fiue things to be considered of First the proposition of Doctrine in these words Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake Secondly the exposition of it in one case and that is the Persons to whom they were to bee subiect to all sorts of Gouernors to Kings or any other Gouernours Thirdly the confirmation by reason Ver. 14 15. Fourthly the answer of an Obiection Vers. 16. Fiftly the conclusion Vers. 17. In the Proposition consider 1. The dutie to bee done Submit 2. The persons must doe it your selues 3. The things to which they must be subiect Ordinances where is a double extent viz to euery ordinance and though they be ordinances of men 4. The manner or motiue For the Lords sake Submit The duty is to submit vnto Magistrates Rom. 13.1 2. For Explication two things are to bee considered Why wee must submit and How we must submit For the first wee must submit 1. Because God is the Author of magistracy Gen. 9.6 Deut. 16.18 Prou. 8.15 Dan. 2.21 Ioh. 19.11 Rom. 13.1 4 6. Obiect The Diuell is said to bee the Prince of this world and hee claimeth all the kingdomes of the earth Ioh. 12.31 Mat. 4.8 9. Sol. Hee is the Prince of this world by malicious vsurpation not by any right 2. Hee is so in relation to wicked men hee is their king but not of others 3. Hee speakes like himselfe that is like the father of lyes when hee claimes all the kingdomes of the earth for no part of the world is his because The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Obiect But God was angry with the Israelites for their asking of a King and therefore it seemes it was not his ordinance that there should bee Kings Sol. Hee was not angry with them for desiring Gouernours for they had Gouernours before sent of God and the very king they had afterward God gaue them him Hos. 13.8 but hee was angry for the cause of their request Their faith and hope was in a manner spent and they conceiued more hope in a King then in God that had beene such a King to them so many yeares 2. Men must be subiect because God hath taken mens consciences bound to subiection Rom. 13. 3. Because kings are heads of the people and therfore as members it is agreeable that they should submit and bee ruled and guided 4. In respect of the benefit men receiue by Magistrates both in outward things and in matters of religion For outward things men enioy publike peace and quietnesse and protection by the helpe of the power of the Magistrate And for matters of Religion earthly Common-wealths are as it were Innes to lodge the Church in and Princes power affords protection so as Christians may more safely follow their calling and if they bee godly Kings they are the very nurses of Religion And thus of the reasons For the second this Submission hath in it sixe things the first is obedience to their lawes and commandements Tit. 3.1 The second is honour Rom. 13.7 for they are principalities and powers as the Angels shine in heauen so doe Princes on earth yea they are called Gods and so in two respects first as they are Gods Deputies and Viceroies God executes a part of his Kingdome by Kings Secondly as they beare the image of God and his authority and soueraignety Now we must performe this honour by reuerence and by feare of them and by iudging the best of them and their actions without conceiuing suspicious of them nor receiuing euill reports against them nor daring to speake euill of those dignities and Rulers of the people and by all thankefulnesse for the good wee receiue by them acknowledging to the full all their praises The third is Loyaltie by which we resolue and endeauour to the vttermost of our powers to maintaine and preserue the persons rights prerogatiues crowns and dignities of Princes If wee must lay downe our liues one for another then much more for our King and Countrey The fourth is Piety wee must pray for them with all manner of prayer wee must make supplications for Gods blessing vpon them and deprecations for the remouing euils from them and if they should sinne and God bee wroth with them wee should stand vp in the gap and make intercession for them and wee should giue thankes for all the mercies the Lord shewes vnto them 2. Tim. 2.1 The fift is Maintenance tribute must bee paide Rom. 13.7 Christ himselfe submitted herein The last is Subiection to their punishments Rom. 13.4 yea to their iniuries as Dauid Christ and the Apostles did submit themselues to the iniurious dealing of Saul Pilate and the Tyrants when perhaps they could haue made resistance Vse 1. The vse may be first for terrour to the seditious great hath beene the vengeance of God vpon Traytors the earth swallowed vp Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion Absolon was hanged vp by the haire betweene heauen and earth as vnworthy both of heauen and earth The words of our Sauiour Christ are in an high degree true in this case He that taketh vp the sword shall perish by the sword And S. Paul saith They shall bee damned that resist the power Secondly it should much humble the better sort of men for diuers faults that are too common such as are the receiuing of euill reports and speaking euill with two frequent intemperancy grudging at the paiment of tribute and taxations euill surmises of the actions of Princes and the aptness to fauour thēselues in the liberty of doubting concerning obedience to them in things indifferent Thirdly all good Christians should bee perswaded to make conscience of this
that worke about nothing more then he things of this life Luke 16.13 Thirdly all vnprofitable Christians that liue and doe no good will doe no work but spend their daies in spirituall idlenes and vnfruitfulnes making no conscience of the meanes or opportunities of wel-doing Math. 25.26 28. Fourthly all backward and dull Christians to whom it seemes euill to serue the Lord that account all religious duties to be tedious irksome and neuer from their hearts consent to obey but doe what they doe vpon compulsion from the lawes of men or feare of shame c. They are Gods seruants no otherwise then the diuell is For the diuell is forced to doe God some worke sometimes but it is alwaies against his will that God hath any glory by it Fiftly all ignorant Christians that are so farre from doing good workes that they vnderstand not Gods will nor are carefull to redeeme the time that they might get knowledge Sixtly all hypocrites that haue the forme of godlines but deny the power thereof promise to doe much worke but do it not These especially so many of them as know their Masters will and doe it not shall one day feele the weight of Gods hand Seuenthly all quarelsome contentious Christians that make diuision and cause offences contrary to the doctrine of Gods Word These the Apostle saith serue not the Lord Iesus but their own belly and by smooth pretences deceiue the simple Rom. 16.18 Vse 4. Lastly since Gods people are Gods seruants they are to bee much reproued that take liberty to iudge and censure other men for infirmities or things doubtfull or indifferent for what haue they to doe to iudge anothers seruant They are Gods seruants and must make their reckoning to him and therefore stand or fall to their owne Master Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. Secondly we may hence learne that it is an excellent freedome to be Gods seruant They are all freemen that serue God as the coherence shewes No freemen can enioy better priuiledges then Gods seruants doe and neuer were there any seruants that enioyed such prerogatiues as Gods seruants doe and this may appeare many waies for First all sorts of men are Gods seruants All his subiects are his seruants Psal. 135.14 yea all his sonnes are seruants yea Christ himselfe Esay 42. all his elect are seruants yea his friends are his seruants so Abraham that had the honour to bee the friend of God accounted it no desparagement to bee Gods seruant the Kings of the earth accounted it to bee the best part of their title to bee Gods seruants Psal. 36.1 All which proues that it is a most free and honourable estate to be seruant vnto God else those eminent persons would neuer haue sought them out such a seruice and this is the more euident because God accepteth not of persons but the poorest Christian may bee as well intertained of God as any of those States Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 Secondly Gods seruice may become any freeman in the world if we consider what kinde of intertainment God giues his seruants For First all his worke is faire work It is no disgrace for any man to doe it and hee requires no more of the meanest seruant hee hath then hee doth of the greatest Prince on earth after he hath retained him to be his seruant Secondly if it fall out that they endure any hardship or be put to beare any inconuenience it is no more then what the Master himselfe doth or hath endured Math. 10.25 Thirdly and that the difficulty of this worke may not dismay thee he powres out his owne spirit vpon his seruants Ioel. 2.29 and guides them so that in effect hee doth all their worke for them Esaiah 26. Psal. 90. Fourthly when they endeuour themselues to doe his worke in sincerity he accepts their seruice maruelous graciously hee is so well pleased with them that his countenance doth shine vpon them Psal. 31.16 yea he boasts of their seruice Iob 1.8 and 2.3 Fiftly if through ignorance or infirmity they misse it sometimes and so marre his work if they but come to him and confesse it hee is ready and easie to forgiue and plentious in mercy Psalm 86.4 5. Esay 44.20 21. Mal. 3.17 Sixtly no men are kept and entertained more comfortably than they are hee doth not onely finde them food but giues them gladnes of heart where a thousand of other men that haue meanes enough haue so many sorrows among that they bear their names as a very curse Esay 65.13 14. Seuenthly if by wilfull ignorance or carelesnes they offend him yet hee will correct in measure Ier. 30.10 11. and will quickly repent himself of his Iudgement concerning them Psalm 135.14 Hee neuer puts away any seruants Esay 41.8 9. If they should at any time runne away and be lost he will neuer cease seeking them till hee finde them and bring them home again Psalm 119. vlt. Eightthly he giues great wages none like him all his seruants haue a great reward Psalm 19.11 And in the end he bestowes vpon them great inheritances besides what free-holds he bestowes vpon them in this life Psalm 126.22 1. Pet. 1.3 Ninthly hee takes pleasure in the prosperity of his seruants Psalm 35.27 It is a ioy to him when they doo well and thriue Tenthly besides what they get for themselues they get great sutes for others also they beg many a pardon and obtain any of them yea great sutes Iob 40.5 Iohn 15.15 16. Eleuenthly when any thing ailes them his mercifull kindnes is a wonderfull comfort to them Psalm 119.70 And if they should fall into danger in respect of the debts of other men God becomes surety for them and sees all discharged Psalm 119. verse 122. Twelfthly no men haue such protections Their aduersaries are sure to come to confusion the men that striue with them shall certainly perish Esay 41.11 12 c. The hand of the Lord shall bee knowne towards his seruants and his indignation towards his and their enemies Esay 66.14 Thirteenthly they shall not lose what they haue wrought but God will establish their work hee will neuer forget them and their works shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance Esay 44.20 Psalm 90.16 17. Lastly God doth not onely thus extraordinarily prouide for his seruants but hee takes order and prouides also for the seed of his seruants which few or none of worldly masters doo Psalm 69.37 Vses The vse should be threefold First it should teach Christians to liue with contentation and in all things to giue thanks and to say alwaies with Dauid O Lord thou hast dealt well with thy seruant according to thy Word Psalm 119.65 Secondly it should make them take great delight to doo his work they should loue to bee seruants to such a Master Esay 56.6 Thirdly they should euery where speak of Gods praises that entertaines them so gratiously they should open their mouthes all the day long with the praises of such a
Master Psalm 134.1 and 135.1 Verse 17. Honour all men loue the brother-hood feare God honour the King THese words are the conclusion of his exhortation to Subiects Wherein the Apostle doth not onely repeat the substance of a Subiect's duty to his Soueraigne but withall doth summarily commend vnto them the description of an absolute Subiect or Citizen in all his relations and tells them in a few words what would make a Christian liuing in humane societies eminent for exactnes of his behauiour for he in these words forms him in his carriage to all men to good men to God and to the King And so his Charge enioins First courtesie to all men Secondly charity to godly men Thirdly piety to God Fourthly loyalty to the King Honour all men The first thing that the Apostle would haue a Christian that liues in humane societies look to is a right behauiour of himself toward all men that is toward the multitude in generall not because that is his greatest care or the greatest part of his care and duty but because the greatest offense many times arises from the neglect of his outward carriage towards all sorts of men because Christians are vsually faulty in not watching ouer their waies heerin By all men he means the generall body of societies where wee liue euen all sorts of men good and bad whether religious or prophane friends or enemies acquaintance or strangers nor ought they to be scrupulous of giuing honour to wicked men for though many men or women in the places where we liue may ought to be contemned for the wickednes of their liues yet there are none so vile but there are some grounds of honour in them either in respect of some remainder of God's Image in them some gifts worthy praise or some place of eminence or authority or some outward blessings in which they excell others as riches birth strength valour or the like Now Christians haue diuers waies by which they may expresse this generall honour to all sorts of men First in their salutation It is a very comely thing in Christians to salute willingly and in words and in gesture to shew ciuill respect euen to wicked men Abrahams behauiour towards the Hittites may shame the most Christians Gen. 23.7 12 c. Yea the very Hittites themselues may teach them good manners in this kind Secondly in their communication and so it is an excellent rule giuen by Salomon that a man should consider to speak what is acceptable and auoid what may irritate Pro. 10.32 13. and 15.23 Thirdly in their conuersation and so they should shew a worthy respect of such among whom they liue if they looke to these rules 1. To auoid those persons or things may bring trouble or wrongs or offence to the multitude And this they shall doe if they striue to liue without offence themselues 1. Cor. 10.30 and do shame the company in respect of talebearers Pro. 15.3 and 20.19 Leuit. 19.16 and such as cause diuisions and offences amongst men Romans 16.17 and that they doe not vilify any rashly either by reproaching them for outward defects and so they must not curse the deafe Leuit. 19.14 or by peremptory iudging of the finall estate of the soules of men especially about doubtfull or indifferent actions of men 1. Cor. 5.10 Iam. 3.17 2. To shew all meekenes and gentlenes to all men striuing to bee soft and amiable in all their occasions of conuersing Titus 3.1 2. Iam. 3 17. studying to be quiet and to meddle with their owne busines 1. Thes. 4.12 following peace towards all men Heb. 12.14 Rom. 12.19 Onely in this generall respectiue behauiour towards all sorts of men Christians must looke to two rules First the one is that they neuer iustify the wicked nor condemne the righteous Prou. 17.15 Secondly the other is that by needless society they make not themselues companions with open euill doers Psal. 1.1 Loue the Brother-hood The second thing requisite to the framing of a compleat citizen or subiect is the soundnes of his affection or carriage towards such as be religious in the Common-weale where hee liues The brother-hood is the society or company of so many as are true Christians in the place of a mans aboade or acquaintance that which is required is that howsoeuer we should shew a generall respect of all sorts of men to carry our selues fairely towards them yet we should in a speciall manner set our loue vpon such as bee religious persons and should shew vpon all occasions that we do honor affect them as hartily and as tenderly as if they were our very brethren in the flesh or rather more stricter in that they are allied vnto vs in a far greater and better bond then that naturall consanguinity This is that which is also earnestly required and vrged in other Scriptures as Rom. 10.12 Heb. 13.1 1. Pet. 1.22 Iohn 13.34 Ephes. 2.5 Now this loue to the godly of our acquaintance wee should shew diuers waies First by making choise of them as the onely companions of our liues Phil. 1.5 All our delight should bee in them Psal. 16.3 And so we should receiue them and intreat them as Christ receiued vs to Glory that is freely and with all hartines of affection thinking nothing too deare for them Rom. 15.7 1. Pet. 4.9 This is the noblest kind of hospitality no fellowship like the brotherly society of true Christians so it bee without dissimulation and constant Rom. 12.10 1. Pet. 4.5 Secondly by imploying our gifts the best that wee can for their good 1. Pet. 4.10 Now our gifts are either spirituall or outward gifts First spirituall gifts are knowledge vtterance praier or the like Now these are giuen to profit withall not our selues onely but others 1. Cor. 12. Thus Christians should helpe others with what they haue learned when they meet together Prouerbs 15.7 1. Cor. 14.26 Colos. 3.16 And thus they must helpe one another by praier whether they bee absent or present 2. Cor. 1.11 Secondly outward gifts are riches friends authority and the like and these should bee imployed especially for the good of the brethren Psal. 16.3 Gal. 6.10 Phil. 2.4 And all this wee should doe with all faithfulnes 3. Iohn 3.5 and with all compassion putting-vnder our shoulders to beare their burthens Gal. 6.2 Now their burthens are either inward temptations or outward afflictions in both these wee should help to beare their burthens If they be burthened with infirmities or temptations we should beare their burthens by laying their griefs to our hearts and by striuing to comfort them and if their secrets bee for wrongs to vs wee should let them see how easily wee can forgiue them If it bee outward afflictions that burthen them wee beare their burthens when wee sorrow with them that sorrow and are ready to the vttermost of our power to aduise them or relieue and help them Thirdly wee should shew our speciall loue to them by striuing together
serue God or to bee so religious Mal. 3.14 15. Ios. 24.14 Fiftly they that make no conscience of secret sinnes or hypocrisy in God's worship these feare not God because they set not the Lord alwaies before them nor feare to omit or do such things as the world cannot take notice of Sixtly they that meddle with the seditious or changers how forward soeuer they seeme in religion yet such as are set to bee so inclinable to bee led by changers haue not the true feare of God in them Prou. 24.21 Seuenthly they that liue in any knowne sinne and make no conscience to depart from iniquity Prou. 3.7 and 14.2 Such are they that are mentioned in the Catalogue Mal. 3.5 sorcerers adulterers c. especially the men that bless themselues in their hearts when they are guilty of hatefull sinnes Psal. 26.1 2 4. On the other side such as truely feare God may bee knowne by these signes First they make conscience to obey God in their liues and keepe his ordinances Deut. 6.2 They shew that they feare him by seruing of him Secondly they doe beleeue God and his seruants speaking to them in his name This was a signe the Israelites feared God because they beleeued God and his seruant Moses Exod. 14.31 Thirdly they that truely feare God do depart froÌ„ euil dare not liue or allow themselues in any knowne sinne whether it bee sinne in opinion or in life In opinion they that feare God will giue him glory though it be to change for the opinions not onely they but all the world haue held Reuel 14.7 And so in practice he that truly feares God â—ates all sin in some measure It is a â—oule signe one doth not feare God when hee will not forsake his errours or faults though he be conuinced of them Fourthly they that make a conscience of it to obey God in all soundnes of practice in their conveâ—sation and so not onely in worshipping him with reuerence Psal. 5.8 but in striuing to doe all the good duties God requires Psal. 5.8 and that this signe may be applied effectually wee may try ourselues by our obedience to God whether our feare of him bee right or no. First if we obey in secret and dare not leaue vndone such things as no man can charge vs withall and doe withall striue against and resist the very hypocrisie of the heart and stand in feare of God's offence for the euils are found in our very thoughts this will proue vs to feare God soundly in truth and vprightnesse of heart Iosh. 24.14 Col. 3.22 When we set the Lord alwaies before vs and with desire to approue our selues to him it is an excellent signe Secondly When wee heare the Word of God and are told what to auoide or doe wee are then tried whether we feare God soundly or no For if we dare not delay but make Conscience of it to practise God's will as fast as wee know it it is a good signe but otherwise it is a foule signe that many Christians that make a fayre shewe are not sound because they are not afraid to liue in the sinnes God reproues by his Word nor to leaue still vnperformed the Precepts Counsels and directions are giuen them from day to day The Religion of many that seeme to bee of the better sort is a meere formality as this very signe proues Psal. 86.11 Isaiah 50.10 Thirdly a great guesse may be had at mens feare of God by their care and Conscience they make of their obedience in their particular calling A man may haue comfort that his feare of God and profession of Religion is right if hee hate idlenesse lying couetousnesse deceit frowardnesse and vniust dealing in his calling For though to deale iustly with all men be no infallible signe of the true feare of God yet it is a probable one and where it is not there can be no true feare of God Thus Magistrates must proue that they feare God 2. Chron 19.27 Exod. 18.21 and thus euery man in his place yea if women would haue the reputation to be such as feare God they must let their workes prayse them If they be idle froward vndutifull busie-bodies and carelesse of their domesticall duties what feare of God can bee in them Fourthly it will be manifest that our obedience flowes from the true feare of God if we will obey against our profit or ease or credit or our owne carnall reasons or affections Hereby the Lord said he knew that Abraham feared him because he spared not his owne sonne c. Gen. 22.12 And thus of the feare of God The last part of the charge concernes our loyalty to the King Honour the King The Apostle intends in these words but briefely to vrge the practice of their duty vrged in the exhortation Verse 13. saue that the tearmes haue something in them of explication of that doctrine and something for confirmation For we must honour the King 1. In our hearts 2. In our words 3. In our workes First we must honor him in our hearts and shew it two waies 1. We must not curse the King no not in secret no not in our thoughts We must not entertayne impatient and vile thoughts of the King but from our hearts esteeme him for his greatnesse authority and gifts 2. When the King commands any thing that seemes to others or to vs harsh inconuenient or doubtfull we must honour the King by interpreting his Laws in the best sence If loue must not thinke euill but hope all things of all sorts of men then much more of Kings It were greatly to bee longed for that this note might enter into the brests of some men they would then bee afraid to charge so much euill of the Kings ordinances not onely when they might finde a fairer sence but oftentimes expresly against the intent and meaning of the ordinance Secondly wee must honour the King in our words three waies 1. By reuerent speeches to them and of them 2. By a thankfull acknowledgement of the good is in them and wee receiue by them 3. By praying to God with all manner of praier for them 1. Tim. 2.1 Thirdly we must honour them in our works 1. By paying their tributes and customes 2. By submitting and yeelding to their ordinances preferring the obedience to their ordinances before the censures or contrary opinions of what men soeuer and this is the maine thing intended verse the 13. of this Chapter And therefore I will omit the larger handling of this point in this place Verse 18. Seruants bee subiect to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward HItherto of the duties of subiects and so of the exhortation as it is politicall and concernes the Common-wealth Now the Apostle proceeds to giue directions oeconomicall that concerne the family or houshould gouernment Before I consider of the particular exhortations something would be said in generall concerning a family A
I were a better wife or seruant I should finde my husband or seruant better to mee Thus in the generall The first thing then the Apostle giues in charge concerns seruants from verse 18. to the end of this chapter where obserue First the proposition enioyning seruants to be subiect to their masters verse 18. Secondly the exposition shewing both how they should be subiect viz. with all feare and to what masters viz. not onely to the good but to the froward verse 18. Thirdly the confirmation of it by three reasons viz. from the consideration 1. Of the acceptation of such subiection with God verses 19.20 2. Of their calling verse 21. 3. Of the example of Christ which is vrged 1. For the vse of seruants verses 22.23 2. For the vse of all Christians by digression verses 24.25 First then of the proposition where we are to consider first the persons charged Seruants secondly the duty imposed be subiect thirdly the persons to whom they owe it to your Masters Seruants Two things are to bee inquired into about seruants First the originall of their estate and secondly the bond that ties them to this subiection There are seruants of God seruants of sinne seruants of men It is the seruants of men that are heere meant seruants of men are not all of one sort neither For first such as apply themselues to satisfy the vnreasonable humors of men are said to bee seruants of men and condemned 1. Cor. 7.23 Secondly such as make themselues beholding to other men through their pride are forst many times to become their seruants Thus the borrower is a seruant to the lender Prou. 22.7 Thirdly such as imploy their estates or bodies for the honour or preseruation of their superiors are said to be seruants thus subiects serue Princes 1. Sam. 8.17 Fourthly such as imploy their labours and spend themselues for the common good are said to bee seruants thus Ministers are the peoples seruants 2. Cor. 4.5 1. Cor. 9.19 But none of these are heere meant Those seruants are domesticall seruants such as are vnder the yoke of particular Masters in a family Those seruants in the Apostles time were of two sorts some were bond seruants such as were bought and sould in the markets ouer whom the Masters had absolute and perpetuall power some were hired seruants that did seruice by couenant and contract as seruants doe now for the most part with vs. Concerning these it may bee inquired how it comes to passe that men that by creation haue the same nature with other men should in their condition bee abased to so low and meane an estate as to serue them that are in nature alike to them This seemes to bee a grieuous inequality and therefore first to be searched into for the originall and causes of it It is out of doubt that before the Fall if man had staied in his Innocency there had beene no seruitude because all men had beene made after the Image of God both for holines and glory and so had beene on earth as the Saints shall bee in heauen The first cause then of subiection and seruitude was the confusion and sinne of our first parents brought vpon the world the earth being cursed for mans sake A necessity of toylesome labour lay vpon men and so from the aduantages or disaduantages of particular mens estates did arise the freer or harder condition of some men besides this sinne had so confounded the very dispositions of men that through the inequality of naturall temper or care of education some men are made more fit to gouern and others to be gouerned Secondly as a monument of Gods Iustice it is obserued that som whole nations of men haue bin in their very naturall inclination onely disposed to bondage being destitute of all gifts to rule or gouerne as it is noted by the Muscouites and some other nations who for the most part at this day are seruants yea slaues by nature Thirdly in other nations many men become seruants not by nature but by necessity as being taken in mercy and thus among the Latines came vp the name of seruants being serui because they were seruati preserued from slaughter in war and mancipia because they were manu capta things taken by force of armes Fourthly the horrible sinnes sometimes of the Ancestors brings beggery and so seruitude vpon their posterity as the sin of Cam made Canaan a seruant of seruants Gen. 9.25 So doth treason whoredome riotousnes and prodigality of many parents vndoe their whole posterity and leaue them in a necessity of seruing Fiftly wicked children for their disobedience to their parents are many times brought not onely to bee seruants but as was noted before of Cam to bee seruant of seruants Prou. 17.2 Sixtly many men are brought to a morsell of bread by their owne disorder and wickednes of life sometimes open sins sometimes secret sinnes bringing this curse of God vpon them For men became seruants onely to gayne by their seruice the knowledge or state of som science art or trade as many apprentices doe Seuenthly sometimes God by his hand doth abase some men onely as a triall if they fall into pouerty and so to the necessity of working for others by no sinfull courses of their owne but by the ineuitable hand of God as by pyracy shipwrack fire theeues or the like and these are so humbled either to warne others and shew the power of God or to bring them to repentance or else for triall of God's grace in them Eightthly some men are brought to this misery by the cruelty and vniust dealing of other men and so that power the Masters tooke ouer their bondmen to dispose of their very liues was not of God or nature but meerely an oppression For why shold they haue power to take away life that could not giue it And so many a man is brought to pouerty and seruitude by oppression and cruell Landlords or by the fraudulent dealings of other men that falsify their trust or coozen them in bargaining Now the seruants brought to this condition by any of these meanes must bee subiect to their Masters and this is of diuine institution For God him selfe hath bound them to it by the first commandement and so the subiection of seruants is a morall and perpetuall ordinance Vses The vse of all this may bee diuers For First it should teach all sorts of men the more to hate and flee from sinne which hath brought these miseries vpon such multitudes of men Secondly it should teach Masters to vse their seruants respectiuely For tho they be seruants yet they are men made after the Image of God and they are the best part of their possession For other things they possesse are without life and seruants are the liuing instruments of their commodities Thus wise and godly men in Scripture were wont to account it the best part of their possessions that they had men seruants or maid seruants Thirdly it should
that to suffer for any kinde of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doo not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular Calling as the case washeer yet euery such suffering is gracious before God Verse 21. For heerunto yee are called for Christ also suffred for vs leauing vs an example that ye also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from God's acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were yee called the sense is that vnto patient suffering for well-dooing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering diuerse waies First by his decree for he hath heer destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering vniustly they were ordayned to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1. Thes. 3.3 Secondly by his Word or Law wee are called to it because the Word of God doth require that wee should take vp our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the work of God's grace when hee makes vs again new men in Iesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls vs to be Saints he calls vs to suffer for sanctity and this seems to bee intended specially heer Fourthly God calls vs to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath giuen vs to beleeue so hath he giuen vs to suffer for his sake Now God by euery gift doth really call vs to the execution and vse of it when there is occasion Fiftly Seruants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be vniust euen by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering vniustly is a pattern that calls vs also to suffer and so to walk in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence diuerse things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectual Calling I haue at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all God's people or seruants become His by Calling it is the way by which God hires seruants and makes a people to himself for by nature euen the Elect are not a people but liue in darknes dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a link in the chain of saluation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labor to make their Calling sure as euer they would haue comfort that they are God's seruants or people Secondly God works great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as heer To conuert a man is but to call him To make him liue is but to bid him liue Thus God can call vp generations of men out of the heap of dead and forlorn mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voice of the Sonne of God which should teach vs to liue by faith in all estates and rest vpon Gods power by which wee are kept to saluation Thirdly God's Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as seruants So with God there is neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentile bond nor free but all are one in Christ Col. 3.11 Which should bee a maruellous comfort to Christians that are meaner than others in the world to think on it that God requireth as hard work of the richest as hee doth of them and makes as great account of a poor Christian as of the mightiest Monarch And it should teach Christians humility and not to striue so much for precedency but rather if men will excell others it should be in seruice and sufferings Fourthly all men are not called hee saith heer Yee are called as importing that it was a speciall honour done to them Many haue not the meanes of Calling and many refuse their Calling when they haue the means Which shewes the wofull estates of worlds of men or to whom the voyce of God by his Word in the Spirit comes not Fiftly the Calling of God doth propound conditions vpon which his election in time doth depend for many are called but few chosen vpon that Calling and the reason is because they yeelded not to the Conditions of their Calling God calls men to a new Couenant and requires first â—he beleef of all things promised on his part Secondly sanctify and holinesse of life thus they are said to be Saints by Calling 1. Cor. 1.1 Thirdly to suffer for well-doing if there bee occasion so heer Now vpon the conscience and consent of the heart vnto these conditions doth God make his choice or acknowledge men and therefore heerby mens hearts must bee tried or men must try their hearts and estates whether they be effectually called or no. Sixtly men are bound to take notice of and to learn and obey the will of GOD reuealed in his Word though it be hard to finde out as heer the Apostle saith They were called to suffer which is a thing that is not easie to prooue by expresse Scripture but must be found out as it lies enwrapped in consequences in diuers places of Scripture For if the lawes of men binde and oblige vs to punishment though we knowe them not because we ought to take notice of them much more must we study the Lawes of God though they be many in number and hard to finde out without much labour and many helps Seuenthly our generall Calling doth binde vs to a carefull obseruation of our particular Calling as heer their Calling in Religion to be God's seruants did bind them to look to their duty as mens seruants yea and to be subiect to their corrections though vniust And therefore those Christians are farre out of the way that neglect their particular Calling and the charge God hath deliuered them vpon sentence of religion their generall calling Eightthly the main doctrine in them or in the scope of them is that God calls his seruants all of them to suffer for the truth Hee shewes them heauen and the saluation of their soules and bestowes rich treasure vpon their hearts but withall tells them hee looks they should arme themselues with a resolution to suffer what may befall them for well-doing Our Sauiour Christ told his Disciples plainly that they must think of taking vp the Crosse daily before they come to wearing of the Crown And therefore they doo foolishly that vndertake the profession of Religion before they haue set down to cast what it will cost them Thus of the second reason The third reason is taken from the example of Christ who suffred greater wrongs than can befall seruants or any other sort of men and this doctrine of Christ's suffering he handles
are as great as they I meane as great offenders as they as for other reasons it is because they cannot apprehend them Thirdly because hee iudgeth for the breach of most righteous Lawes Fourthly because hee will take no gifts Iob 36.18 19. Fiftly because hee hateth heartily what hee condemnes seuerely so the day of Iudgement is called A day of wrath Rom. 2.5 wheras man may censure other men for such faults as they themselues commit or at least are not moued to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault Sixtly because hee is not deceiued with shewes and outward appearances but his Iudgement is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Seuenthly because it is generall according to mens works 2. Cor 5.10 Eightthly because in the day of his Iudgement hee will specially honour the righteous Romanes 2.7 c. Ninthly because when a man can haue no iustice from men hee shall bee sure to haue iustice from God and this is especially heere intended Tenthly because he doth not iudge rashly but as wee see after wonderfull patience and the many daies men haue had of sinning hee appoints his day of iudging Vses The vses may bee diuers for First it shewes the wofull case of wicked men that forget God and in the hardnes of their hearts run on in sinne and so heape vp wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Secondly it should teach all men that haue any care of themselues to deny all vngodlines and worldly lusts and to liue godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 13. Thirdly it should bee a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and iniuries in this world whether in their names or bodies or states or any way let them but bee patient God will doe them Iustice as these places shew 2. Thes. 1.5 Psal. 4.5 Iam. 5.6.7 8. Iude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of Gods seruants in all distresses to commit themselues and their causes to God and to his righteous prouidence iudgement This the example of Christ heere shewes vs and there is reason for it First because God requiers wee should doe so as these places shew Psal. 37.5 6. Pro. 16.3 1. Pet. 4. vlt. Secondly because it is not in man to direct his owne way Ierem. 10.23 Thirdly because God neuer disappointed the trust of them that committed themselues to him Nahum 1.7 Pro. 16.3 The vse should bee to teach vs As wee would shew our selues to beare the image of Christ and to bee true Christians to practise this duty and in all cases of wrong danger affliction or temptation but then withall when we haue committed our cause to GOD wee must remember these rules First Neuer to vse ill meanes to get out of distresse Esay 28.16 Secondly not to limit God but to let him doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Thirdly not to be impatient or troubled but quiet our selues in God and wait and trust in him and if we finde any difficulties we must then roule our way vpon the Lord as the Psalmist saith Psalme 37.5 6 7. Fourthly we must acknowledge him in all our waies and giue him glory when he doth vs iustice Prouerbs 3.6 Verse 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being deliuered from sin should liue in righteousnes by whose stripes you were healed HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now followes in the fift place the matter hee suffered viz. Hee bare our sinnes amplified by shewing how and that three waies first his owne selfe secondly in his body thirdly on the tree Hee bare our sinnes Christ may bee said to beare our sinnes in two respects chiefely First because hee did vndergoe the imputation of all our sinnes our faults were charged vpon him as our surety Hee was made sinne for vs 2 Cor. 5.21 Hee stood before God's Iustice in our roome Secondly because hee suffered the malediction due to our sinnes by the Law Hee bare our sinnes in being made a sacrifice for sinne Hee became indebted vnto the Iustice of God as our surety to beare the curses of the Law which our sinnes deserued Esay 53.5 8. Gal. 3.10 And as this is true in generall of all the wrath of God and the fearefull things due to our sinnes so if wee mark the story of Christs sufferings we may obserue how the sinnes of our first parents and our owne light heauily vpon his back God suffering our sinnes to bee charged vpon him in a speciall fiâ—nes of the iudgement to our sinnes and that wee may note both in the circumstances of our sinning and in the sorts of sinnes For the circumstances The first Adam sinnes in a garden The second Adam suffers fearefully for sinne in a garden The second Adam suffers on a tree and so beares the sin of the first Adam eating the forbidden fruit of a tree For the sorts of sin Why was Christ betrayed by Iudas denied by Peter forsaken by all his Disciples refused by the Priests people but because we had betraied denied forsaken and refused God in Paradise And many of vs are now guilty of the same or the like sinnes in the course of our liues Hee was charged to bee a seducer to satisfy for our being seduced For our euill words and sinfull excuses hee was silent because wee and our first Parents haue preferred the diuell before God therefore was a malefactor preferred before him Why was hee mocked buffeted and spit vpon but to beare the shame was due vnto vs for our filthines and vile conuersation Why drank hee gall but to pay for our sinfull pleasures Why suffered he reuiling and scoffing but to satisfy for our sinfull words Many other things might bee obserued The consideration whereof should serue for many vses so it should teach vs diuers duties as Vses First since he hath borne our sinnes in the imputation of them and the malediction due vnto them we should be most ready willing to beare his crosse as accounting it a great shame to bee vnwilling to suffer a little and for a little while for his sake that hath borne such strange things for vs wee should bee content to forsake all for his sake Secondly it should grieue vs at the heart for our sins considering the feareful imputation of our faults charged vpon him and the bitter things he suffered to make amends to Gods Iustice for our wickednes Zach. 12.10 Thirdly hath Christ borne our sinnes and can wee finde in our hearts to sinne any more shall he againe bee charged with our faults shall wee againe crucify him Rom. 6.6 Heb. 10.24 c. and as followeth in the next words of this text Fourthly Oh how should wee loue the Lord Iesus that Holy One that bare the imputation of such base crimes and endured such grieuous things for vs before wee euer knew him or cared for him euen for vs that were enemies to him Deserue they not to bee accursed
〈◊〉 The excellencies of Kings aboue others 1. Tim. 1.12 Bernard Epist. 170. Who are branded for euill doers Wherâ—in it is vnlawfull to seeke the prayse of men 2 Cor. 12.11 Ioâ— 5.36 37 Helps to get praise from men Ier. 8.18 21 Vide Eph. 4 17 18 Signes of spirituall Iolly Prou. 17.16 Signes of spirituall madnes Wherein godly mâ—n sometimes shew folly Why t is so hard to cure Ignorance and silence ignorant men Speciall gifts of Christ bestowed on the godly Quanquam humantur non tamen damnantur From what a Christian is made free Electì sunt liberi à damnaetione legis et à dominatione regis peccati To what a godly man is made free In what respects we are but as free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men may vse their liberties aâ— a cloke of maliciousnes fiue waies 2. Pet. 2.19 â—0 How Christian liberty is made a cloke of malice in things indifferent How we must serue God Rom. 12.45 Heb. 9.14 Who are reiected from the number of Gods seruants Deut. 2.847 Prerogatiues of Gods seruants By what waies wâ—e may express our honouring of men How wee shew our loue to the brotherhood In what respects godly men are brethren The Apostle doth especially vrge the inward worship of God The feare of God what it is It is twofold Fiue things in God wee are to stand in awe of Motiues to get the feare of God What kindes of men do not feare God Signes of Gods feare Pro. 31.30 Note What ae family is Three things required to make a society happy We are bound of God to the care of domesticall duties for diuers reasons Why Inferiors in a family are first and especially charged with their duties Seruants of men are of diuers sorts For what causes seruitude came in Gen. 12.16 and 32.5 Eccles. 2.7 How a godly seruant may comfor himselfe in that estate Seruants must be subiect 3 waies Helps for seruants to yeeld subiection The originall of masters The name father giuen to diuers sorts How many waies seruants shew the feare of God in their callings Signes of good masters Reasons against frowardnes Pro. 10.32 Pro. 16.28 Helpes against frowardnesse Reasons why men ought to be instructed about conscience What Conscience is Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 The proper work of Conscience These principles in the mind shâ—w a keeper they call Synteresis How Conscience is imployed in vs. Chirographia Dei Prerogatiues or properties of Conscience Kindes of Conscience Difference of euill in mens consciences Note The signes of an euil Conscience that is still Signes of an ill stirring Conscience Hurt of an euil conscieÌ„ce Foure ill effects of an ill Conscience Aggrauations of the misery of an ill Conscience What must be done to make an ill Conscience good Two things for the guiding of Conscience Signes of a good Conscience Acts 23.1 Benefits of a good Conscience How farre Conscience may be bound Vse Wherein vaine glory is seene 1. Thes. 2.6 Wherin true glory consists God calls men to suffer diuers waies Christ suffered for vs in diuers respects Ten things for vs to follow in the example of Christs sufferings In what things Christs example bindes not How far examples binde conscience A man is said to make sin many waies How Christ had no sinne Guile in words many wayes Guile in Hypocrisie many wayes What reuiling is Who are guilty of reuiling Esay 5.20 Motiues â—o patience In what cases it is not fit to complayne vnto the Magistrate In what cases men may lawfully seeke redresse from the Magistrate That God is a Iudge is terrible to wicked men and that in many respects But comfortable to godly men How God iudgeth righteously Vse Rules in committing our cause to God In what respects Christ bare our sins Christs sufferings fitted to the circumstances of sinne 1. Iohn 2.1 Rom. 3.26 Reasons why Christ suffered on a tree Men die diuers waies Natural men are said to be aliue to sin in diuers respects Great is the misery of such as liue in sin 2. Cor. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diuers things in Christs death that ought to be in our repentance Signes of true mortification The happines of such as liue spiritually Rom. 6.5 8 11. Vses A religious life is the best life for 6. reasons Signes that describe a righteous man in himself Six other signes of righteousnes as it groweth How the righteousnes of a godly man differs from that of the Scribes Pharises Why so many do not imbrace a righteous life Helps vnto a righteous life Phil. 3.3 1. Cor. 7.23 Defects of a righteous life of two sorts First in the parts of it And so either in respect of the first table Psal. 37.3 5 Pro. 26.3 Psal. 55.22 Psal. 16.8 Or else in respect of the second table 2 Defects in the manner of doing righteously and so 1 In generall 5. waies Many defects in Gods worship How the soul comes to be diseased The diseases of the soule are grieuous many waies Why many feel not the diseases of their soules Gal. 6.14 Rules for such as desire Christ to heale or help their bodily grieâ—es What is meant by going astray The misery of such as go astray appears in diuers respects Aggrauations of their misery Causes of mens going astray Esay 16.14 Iob 12.28 Signes of a lost sheepe Diuers things that giue hope of curing to such as bre out of the way Motiues to return Persons that need returning The time of returning False wayes to be auoyded in returning Aggrauations against diuers that returne not What number of lost sheepe doe vsually returne The meanes of returning The manner of returning Signes to knowe who are truly returned Hos. 6.3 Quest. Le ts of returning What attributes are giuen to Christ as a shepherd Christ is one Shepheard He is the true shepherd He is the good shepherd 1 Tim. 1.13 16 1 Cor. 9.10 11 And he is the great Shepherd and that in diuers respects The happiness of such as liue vnder this Shepheard appears in ten particular priuiledges Cant. 1.7 Zach. 11.9 10. Explanation of the tearm Bishop Christ excels all other Bishops in 10. respects Mat. 28. vlt. Such are happy that liue vnder the Charge of this Bishop Vse 2. Vse 3. Duties of such as bee vnder the charge of this Bishop