said yet nescivit uxorem that he did not respect his wife So that the wife is to be preferred before all The Hebrewes alledge for it a fourfold reason 1. Shee is nearer to him than a child to his Father For shee is actually Bone of his Bones and flesh of his flesh whereas the child is properly neither but in possibility 2. Children are but the fruit of the Loynes and the wombe she is the Rib next the Heart 3. The liker any thing is the more it is loved Man loves his Child tanquam aliquid sui his wife tanquam se And indeed Man and Wife are like those two Branches in the hand of the Prophet so closed together into one Barke Ez. 37.17 that they grow to be one tree and beare both but one fruit So therefore ought men to love their Wives saith the Apostle Eph. 5.28 as their owne bodies He that loveth his wife loveth himselfe 4. Adam say the Iewes was a husband before hee was a father and for these Reasons the Wife is more to be loved than the Child But they speake best who say this Bond is supernaturall and like a miracle For it is a hard matter to part from our parents Ruth 1.16 Rebecca yet leaves all to goe with Isaac and Zipporah though a Midianite did the like for Moses There is a threefold Glue by which Man and Wife are joyned and combined together The one is naturall the other civill but the third divine By the first man cleaveth to his wife as a living creature By the second as a man By the third as a Christian man The naturall marriage is for issue onely the civill as that of the Heathen for strength and helpe in houshold affaires but the Glue which conjoyneth Christians is Vertue and the Feare of God Men by nature like Beasts couple to haue children Civill marriages are true but not perfect Veniunt à dote sagittae T is the great Dowry proves the golden dart or if not so facias non uxor amatur Onely the Feature and not the Creature is beloved Tres rugâ—e subeant se cutis arida laxet Fiant obscuri dentes oculique minores Collige sarcinulas dicet Let him but spie one wrinckle in her brow And he all love shall straightway disavow Let her skin writhle let her eye-sight faile Her Teeth wax yellow or her cheekes looke pale Packe huswife hence this honest man shall say Trusse up thy fardle and use no delay All affection is presently unglued but the marriage of Christians is every way compleat For first It is pleasantly good in regard of issue Secondly profitably good in respect of supply But last of all and which is best of all 3. It is honestly good because it aims at a holy seed ReasoÌ„ hath no hand in it farther than it is sanctified by religion and where this Soder is no fire can dissolve it It is an Axiome among the French Que la femme faict ou des faict la maison That the woman usually is either the marrer or maker of the house A man had need therefore to bee very wary that the setling of his affections may never prove a disparagement to his judgement which cannot but happen when hee shall looke upon the Object with other Spectacles than God allowes of Charles VI. of France being desirous when hee was but sixteene yeares of age to entertaine a Consort into his royall Bed advised with his Vncle the D. of Anion who led with politike respects married him to Isabella daughter of the D. of Bavaria that he might bee the better able to make head against the Emperour Wenceslius who notwithstanding outward shewes did looke upon his estate with no friendly eye And it was a match which in the judgmeÌ„t of men promised a great deale of good both to the king and kingdome But marke how the Divine Iustice crosseth the designes of those that relie more upon their owne wisedome than upon his Will This hopefull Lady in a little time expressed such an imperious and tumultuous disposition that she became a burden unto both having exposed them to so many forraigne broyles and home-bred partialities that if her selfe had not dyed in a happy time for the Kingdome it must of necessity have expired as did the King He therefore that would love his wife must be carefull in his choice and not either Arâ—thmetick or Geometry Portion or Proportion or any other the like syde-respects to be Agents in the businesse Hee must looke more to her Manners than her meanes and wish her Faithfull rather than Faire Men marry not in love but when they marry in the Lord. Beauty is a good outside and Vertue is more to bee esteemed when it is so set out than when we see it in an ill-favoured creature like a pearle in a dunghill Rachel was preferred even for this by holy Iacob before the bleare-ey'd Leah Tertullian cals it Foelicitatem corporis The happinesse of the body Divinae plasticae accessionem A flourish set upon Gods owne worke Animae vestem urbanam A comely garment for the Soule But without Grace it cannot be counted gracefull Shee that hath only this ornament is at the best but a painted Sepulchre Sepulchrum quasi Semi-pulchrum faire without but full of rottennesse within Woman was made when Adam was a sleepe to shew that in matter of wiving we should bee consopitis sensibus content to have our senses Charmed and not be led herein by any outward Attractives Pro. 19.14 A good wife commeth from the Lord and therefore all sinister affections being lulled a sleepe he should beg her at the hands of GOD onely But say a man have erred in his choice his Folly must not free him from this duty Every Adam must love his Eve 1. In regard of her efficiâ—nt cause which was the Lord himselfe who made her with a great deale of solemnity for the honour and dignity of man and were it not for her society what would hee bee but a companion for the Hedgehogge and the Owle The glory and the grace which dâ—rived upon him from her is most elegantly expressed by divine Du Bartas in the sixt day of the week where hee saith that without her l'homme ça bas n'est homme qu' à demi Ce n'est qu'un Loup-garou du soleil enemi Qu'un animal sauvage ombrageux solitaire Bigarre frenetique a qui rien ne pent plaire Que le seul desplaisir nè pour soy seulement Privè de coeur d'esprit d'amour de sentiment I will not prejudice our worthy Silvester so much as to translate them my selfe but will give you his 2. Hee must love her in respect of the Matter whereof shee is composed Shee was made of a Bone which is a most inward part of the Body and shewes that the love betwixt man and wife must not be superficiall but entire and inward When the Hebrewes would say I my selfe they expresse it by a
from it The Motives are of divers kindes The first is taken from the Institution of GOD himselfe which is not any way to bee controlled And surely religious Obedience will never stand to discusse the Commandements of God but doe them Hee said to Eve and it must bee as an ordinance to all her daughters for ever Gen. 3.16 Thy desire shall bee subiect to thy husband and he shall ruleover thee So that to deny this subjection is to resist the Counsell of the Highest The second from the naturall imperfection of the woman not onely in her corporall parts but in those likewise which are intellectuall Shee is weakeâ— and lesse able to govern and defend herself than man Now according to S. Anselme Haec in dominationibus servitutibus clara iustitia est In locum ut qui excellunt ratione excellant et dominatione Law and equity require that they which excell in reason should exceed in rule 2 Ep. 3.7 But St. Peter cals women the weaker vessels and the Philosopher saith that the vertue and ability wherewith they stand endowed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pol. 1. â— 8 such as speakes them to be subjects and not soveraignes A third is taken from her transgression It was she that violated the Commandement and afterwards allured her husband to partake with her in the fault t is but justice therfore that from thenceforth the wife should obey the husband considering the husband did miscarry by obeying the wife and this is a reason which the Apostle alleadgeth I permit not saith he a woman to teach but to keepe silence with all subiection For Adam was not deceived but the woman was deceived and was in the transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 A fourth is deduced from the inconveniencie which may follow upon the resistance of Gods ordinance by the deniall of this subjection For as in nature upon the interruption of her due ordinary course thunders inundations earthquakes and other such like fearefull and disastrous accidents doe happen So in a family upon the stoppage of this duty there aryseth nothing but brawles and contentions which like impetuous thunder shake the very rafters and threaten the whole house with finall dissolution Feare and jealousie like an earthquake split their bosomes and disunite their hearts and their affections To conclude the many miseries which proceed from hence occasion many teares by which as by a generall deluge the sweet content which might be taken in one anothers love is utterly washt away But this may suffice I will therefore passe from the motives which should allure them and come to speake of the lets and Impediments which may keepe them from the performance of this duty The first is a proud conceit of her owne nobility beauty riches wisedome and the like in regard whereof she vilifies her husband and thinkes him every way unworthy to have any rule or authority over her Of such the heathen Satyrist malo Juvenal Sat. 6. Malo Venusinam quam te Cornelia mater Graccorum si cum magnis virtutibus affers Grande supercilium et numeras in dote triumphos I had rather have a low borne country Lasse Than thee that brought'st the valiant Gracchi forth If thou Cornelia with thy noble worth Bring'st a bigge looke and dost thy Triumphs tell That so thy dowry may the more excell T is better to match into a poore stocke than into a proud Assuerus will avouch that the lowly Esther is to be preferred before the lofty Vashti Marcus Aurelius was taught by wofull experience that he who marrieth onely for wealth according to that of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes not her into his protection but sels himselfe into her subjection Vidua est locuples quae nupsit avaro She who being rich a needy husband takes Is still a widdow and her owne bargaines makes Alexander the great chose rather to marry the wise Barsyne without a dowry than the daughter of Darius with part of his Kingdome Licurgus made a law that no portion should be given or taken in the waâ— of matrimony ut viri virtutem Conjugis noâ— opes quaererent that men might marry for worth rather than wealth and women study the more to furnish themselves with all good vertues and abilities But no such lawes are now in being That this impediment therefore may be removed let them call to minde that the superiority which man hath over the woman is founded upon Gods ordinance Psal 2. and is not to bee weakened or infringed by any such accessory causes Againe let them know that there is no greater argument of folly than to wax proud eyther of outward trappings or of inward truths We judge the emptinesse of a vessell by the lowdnesse of the sound Brasse tinckleth more then Gold And a Bladder is soone blowne up but when it is most swolne there is nothing in it but a little ayre Last of all let them understand that such conceits proceede from the devill who as he stirred up Eve by the infusion of this venome to eate of the forbidden fruite so would he stirre up the daughters of Eve by an instillation of the same poyson to shake from off their neckes that yoke of subjection which is impos'd upon them even by God himselfe The second is a defect of love For where this is in a wife she will be quickly tutour'd to obedience Affection like a painted glasse makes every thing seeme of the same colour which is seene through it No blemish but will appeare a beauty being look'd upon with these spectacles But where this is wanting the woman neither knowes nor cares to please her husband maritum Convomit as the Poet speakes The sight of him makes her sicke and as it followes Morte viri cupit haec animam servare catellae Were it put to her choyse she had rather hee should die than that her puppy should miscarry Now this hapneth when eyther the parents will enforce their daughters out of temporall respects to marry where they doe not like not asking as Bethuel did Rebeccah Gen. 24 57 their consent unto the businesse O â—hen themselves maâ—e their choyce not in the Lord nor for the love of vertue but onely to satisfie eyther their ambition or their covetousnesse or their curiosity by matching eyther for honour riches or comelinesse Marriage is a building the morter of it must not bee untempered but such it is when vertue and the feare of God is not regarded eyther in the contraction or consummation of the same For if it be beauty a showre of sicknes shall wash it away if honour the breath of envie like a burning winde shall blast it if riches poverty shall quite dissolue it Let who so marrieth therefore marry in the Lord. Let it be Virtus and not Venter Deus and not Dos faith and not favour God and not goods that brings them both together The end of lustful conjunction was the deluge and where
Masters according to the Flesh This is the deduction of the Precept The direction for their Practise is set downe two manner of wayes Negatively Affirmatively Negatively hee shewes the Faults and Imperfections which are incident to Servants and would have every Christian to avoid them For hee would not have theÌ„ either Eye-servers or Men-pleasers Affirmatively he seeks to fashion them to the contrary For hee would have their Obedience grounded upon an upright heart and guided by the feare of the Lord Servants bee obedient in in all things to them that are your Masters according to the flesh not with Eye-service as Men-pleasers c. And thus having shewed the severall parts which must bee the ground-worke of our ensuing discourse I returne to the Precept Servants obey This Precept was so much the more seasonable because servants in the Apostles time being converted to Christianitie did thinke themselves hereby exempted from the yoake of servitude for it seemed unreasonable that hee whom Christ with his precious blood had redeemed froÌ„ the power of the Devill should continue a slave to him who being not converted to the Faith was still a slave himselfe unto the Devill But this opinion was altogether erroneous and no doubt suggested into the mindes of men by that great enemy of man that so the Gospell of Christ Iesus might bee scandalized amongst the heathen as having no other ayme than utterly to subvert all discipline The Apostle therfore to silence such specious Plees prescribes a contrary command in which every word is of sufficient weight to evince both the Equity and Necessitie of what is here enjoyned For hee spake here to Christians and yet hee did not call them Brethren though indeed they were Brethren but he stiled them Servants The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and implies not such attendants as wee usually now have For though wee hire them for wages their condition yet is free ingenuous but such as the ancients usually had who were either taken in warre and so were called of the Latins Mancipia because Manu capti Servi because in bello servati Or they were bought with a Price and were therfore wholly in the power of their Lords to be disposed of as they pleased And such a kinde of Bondage may still stand with Equity being used with Mercy moderation For 1. The Iewes being captivated Baruc. 1.11 by Nebuchadnezar were commanded by God to quiet themselves in that estate and willingly submit their necks to the Babylonian yoke Gen. 17.11 2. Abraham had such in his house Lev. 25.24 and the Iewes were permitted to have such 3. The Apostles in their Epistles impose Subjection upon Servants most of whom in those times were no other than Bond-slaves Art thou called saith S Paul being a bond-man Care not for it 1 Cor. 7.21 but let every man abide in that calling wherin he was called 4. Not onely the Philosopher calls such kinde of servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animated possession but in holy writ they have the like Title In Iob. 1.3 the Servants of that holy man are put into the Inventory as a part of his Goods and Chattell And in Exod. 21.21 The Servant is stiled his Masters money But many things are objected to the contrary For 1. Some affirme this servile condition to be against the Law of Nature 2. Others to bee a fruit of sinne A third sort will have it to bee against the Law of Christ who hath purchased such a liberty to the world that now in him all are one The fourth and last kinde of opposers say it is against the Apostles owne Rule in the 1 Cor. 7.23 Bee not any longer the servants of men To all which I answer in order And first to the first Every Subjection is not against the Law of pure Nature For even in the state of Innocency there was a politicke Subjection of the wife to her husband and of Children unto both The Image therefore of God in which wee were created takes not away all Subjection but only such a Subjection as takes away all Dominion But this can never happen to the basest Slave that is for though his Master have Dominion over him hee hath yet dominion over the Creatures and this is in him a part of Gods Image 2. It is true that Bondage is a fruite of Sinne and so is Sicknesse so is Death and so are all other temporal punishments whatsoever and yet they still remain but as in them so likewise in this the curse is taken away to Gods Chilâ—ren Christ hath purchased a liberty both for our soules and Bodies but so long as wee live in this World wee must account it a great happines to receive primitias the first fruits of it and these are our spirituall liberty from sinne and Sathan from Hell and Condemnation which is a forerunner to that perfect freedome which wee expect in the Kingdome of Heaven when wee shall not onely bee freed from the power of sinne as here but even from all molestation thereof the sting of it shall bee plucked out and the Teeth of it shall bee broken It shall not bee able then either to bite or barke at us any longer Our enfranchisement shall not onely bee from the evill of servitude as now it is by Christ but likewise from servitude it selfe 3. I grant that all are made one in Christ and all Distinction of Bond and free is taken away but how It is taken away from the Spirituall Body of Christ which is the Church but not from the outward Bodies and Societies of men here upon Earth For then there should be likewise no distinction either of Countries or Sexes There should bee neither Scythian nor Barbarian Male nor Female They are all one in regard of the inward and spirituall man as also in regard of the meanes by which men are led to everlasting happinesse but in regard of the outward Man they still abide Masters and Servants Prince and People Bond Free Noble and Ignoble Paul had converted Onesimus a Servant and a runnagate hee did not keepe him yet at Rome nor discharge him his Masters Service because he was called but sent him backe to Philemon who although in regard of the Faith hee were to esteeme him as a Brother yet his outward condition was to be a Servant still 4. And lastly concerning the Apostles owne Rule Be no longer the servants of men It must bee understood of the Conscience which is to admit no other Lord than Christ and not otherwise for hee speaks not there of any bodily service unto men nor is there indeed any one word throughout the whole Scripture which doth any way countenance a licentious libertie Religion frees no man from his Duty but rather bindes him the more unto it Search all the Records of Truth and ye shall finde that the embracing of the Faith was never held a dispensation from these Tyes The
resolution at the first fully to ponde and examine every word of his that from them I might derive the greater weight unto mine owne In handling therefore of the two first combinations I followed his concisenesse and here where hee tooke a larger field I was forced to doe the like But why may some demand was hee so briefe in those and did so much enlarge himselfe in this I answer the reason may bee threefold 1. Because the property of Pagan servants was to cozen and defraud their Masters and in their absence like so many traitors as Cato termed them feloniously to curse and speake evill both of their persons and proceedings Witnesse that speech of one in the Comedie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thought him selfe overjoy'd whâ—n hee could get but any opportunity to raile in secret upon his Master and howsoever they to whom he theÌ„ spake were converted to Christianitie it was but newly yet and any little discontentment offered them by their Masters might have made them with the dâ—g retuâ—ne to their vomit for the prevention whereof hee seekes by strong enforcements to tie them to their dutie A second reason may bee to expresse the riches of Gods mercy who despiseth not the very slave that is despised of all but seeks to make even him a lively stone for the building up of his most glorious Hierusalem and because husbands are willing to enforme their Wives parents carefull to teach their Children whereas Masters utterly neglâ—ct their Servants God to supply the defect doth here afford them a large Volume of instructions The third reason is for the comfort of servants who by this pressing of their duty may well resolve themselves of Gods affection The lover never thinkes his minde sufficiently vented and is therefore still courting the Object of his love And so it is here with God hee doth dilate himselfe in drawing them to shew that he doth much desire them A fourth and last reason may bee the intimation of his owne humanity The Physitian when hee meets with a needy Patient tels him in briefe that Kitchin physick must bee his onely remedy And so the Lawyer when hee lights upon a Thred-bare Client to shake him off the sooner makes him beleeve his cause will not bee worth the triall S. Paul teacheth them charity venting his counsell and advise more freely more fully in the behalfe of those whose inheritance in this world was nothing but the extremitie of misery than hee had done for theÌ„ that were of better qualitie as if the saving of one of those had beene a thing more meritorious than the other And thus having apologized for my tediousnesse in this point I leave the servant and come to the Master The Ground of the second Booke of the third TOME Masters give unto your servants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also have a Master in Heaven TOM III. LIB II. THis VERSE which is made the first of the fourth Chapter I cannot liken better than to a Tree that by the violence of some earth-quake is removed out of one mans ground into an others For it should bee the period of the former and so not onely the matter of it which is oeconomicall and the fame with that in the eight Verses immediately going before but that likewise of the Verse following which is of a differing straine doth plainly shew it Chrysostome therefore Aquinas Hugo Illyricus Musculus Zanchius c. dispose of it no otherwise and we subscribing to their opinion will assume it as a part and parcell of the precedent thus then it divideth it self into two branches In the former hee shewes how Masters are to carry themselves towards their servants Yee Masters saith he do unto your servants that which is iust and equal In the latter he alleageth a Motive to induce them thereunto Knowing that yee also have a Master in heaven As touching the first In that he doth apply himselfe now to masters wee are taught that every true dispenser of Gods Word should not onely bend his endeavours to the fashioning of servants those of Inferiour ranke but should also instruct exhort and edifie Masters and Magistrates together with all those that have submitted their neckes to the yoke of Christ Againe howsoever it bee usuall with Superiours and that not without just cause to complaine of the faults of their inferiours themselves yet are seldome free from taint and from corruption The Apostle therfore would have neither Masters nor servants to upbraid each other with their imperfectioÌ„s but every one to ameÌ„d his own 2. Concerning the persons in whose behalfe this duty is here prescribed servants They may observe to their endlesse comfort the great sollicitude and care which God hath of their well-fare Hee respecteth both their soules and bodies For touching their soules No Monâ—rch hath a greater interest in the Kingdome of heaven than they if in Singlenesse of Heart they discharge those duties which hee in his diviner wisedome thought good to impose upon them As faire a recompence attends the one as the other and therefore the Apostle delivereth it with a kinde of Emphasis Servants bee obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe as if he were enamoured of the one hee seemes to Court their affections with the profer of his choisest Treasure and so to draw them to his Will whereas the other if yee reade and marke the Scriptures are usually driven thereunto by his most grievouâ— plagues and deadliest punishments Esay must tell the King that Tophet is prepared for him of old and it is deepe and large that the burning of it is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a River of brimstone doth kindle it Eliiah must threaten Ahab that the Dogges shall eate him of his Stock that dyeth in the City and him that dyeth in the fields shall the Foules of the aire devoure He cals to the one in storme and tempest but in a soft still voice to the other Boanerges the Sonnes of Thunder are sent to shake the Cedar but Barionah the sonne of Consolation must hearten up the Shrub The state and condition of a servant in the Apostles time was enough to bruise the very heart God therefore seekes not to breake it but to binde it up Servants saith he be obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe to comfort servaÌ„ts in their distresse a little farther as hee shewes himself there tender over their soules so doth he here over their Bodies And because it is an easie thing for any man to abuse the power and authority which he hath over another and that there is not a more pernicious Creature than a tyrannicall and cruell master he limits even their proceedings with his precepts charging them to use those that are under their government with Iustice and Equity Yee masters doe that which is To come then to the duty it selfe it consisteth of two particulars