drawne as a beare to the stake let him make account that the preacher will bait him trouble his conscience for comfort hee can looke for none Therfore if we would haue a blessing by the sabboth let vs keepe it cherfullie knowing that God loues a cherfull giuer Secondlie one must labour to doe all the duties of the sabboth those that must bee done before the sermon and those that must be done after let no ordinance scape vndone vse meditation on Gods word and works heareing reading praying singing psalmes conference workes of mercie of euerie thing something so farre as we haue abilitie and opportunitie But if we will performe them scambling lie doe this and leaue that vndone either make no preparation before or no application after either no publique or no priuate then it may bee he shall finde some blessings but the fewer of these hee performeth the fewer blessings he shall haue he that doth the work of God by halfes shall and it is just he should find the comfort and benefit of them by halfes Thirdlie as one must doe all the duties and that with delight cherfullie so he must keepe the whole day he must doe all the duties and also spend all the time in these duties hee must continue from the beginning to the ending As in Psal 92. 2. To declare Gods louing kindnesse in the morning and his truth at night So that the sabboth must bee spent both morning night and all the daie in holie duties One must forbeare worldlie businesse yea worldlie thoughts the whole foure and twentie houres for if one giue his thoughts libertie to run after matters of the world in the night he breakes the sabboth in one part sleepe one may lawfullie but his sleepe must bee sweetned with holie exercises and so sanctified vnto him as in it hee must also keepe an holie rest And heere manie faile that out of the Church wil be talking with their neighbours musing with themselues about earthlie businesses affaires thinke they haue made a good hand if they spend the most part of the daie till after the euening exercises in workes of religion and then they make no question to take their recreation or to goe about their businesses if occation bee But hee that commands to keepe it in the church bids vs keepe it in the house as to heare him and speake to him in publique so to speake to him out of our harts in priuate not to giue our selues leaue to thinke the least thought of any worldlie businesse Now then wee if seeme to make conscience of the sabboth and yet doe want that blessing which we doe looke for let vs looke to our selues we shall see that wee are halting in some one of these either wee keepe the sabboth lumpishlie and heauilie that it seemes as a tedious burden vnto vs or else wee doe some one or two duties leaue the rest vndone or else if we doe all the duties to be done we want heere that we obserue not the whole day but keep some part of it from god to our selues accordinglie as any man comes short in any of these duties so hee commeth short of the fruit of the sabboth But if one labour with joy to doe all the duties of the sabboth the whole day hee shall finde in his owne soule that it is in truth a day of blessing and brings more joy and comfort yea and a greater blessing with it then all the weeke besides And so much for this fourth commandement of the sabboth and the reasons of it The summe of the fifth Commaundement is to shew what duties we owe one to another in respect of their and our place The persons in this commandement are eyther with authoritie eyther priuate eyther further from equalitie as parents and children masters and seruants nearer equalitie as husband and wife publike in Church Commonwealth without authoritie in age gifts Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy father and thy mother c. HEtherto the duties of pietie to God out of the first Table haue bin handled Now follow the commandements of the second table concerning the duties of righteousnes to our neighbours This is the first commandement of the second table vpō which al the rest do depend as in the first table the keeping of all the commaundements following did depend on the keeping of the first commandement of the table so heere if this first commandement be well obserued both of gouernours and inferiours there could be no disorder against any other of the commandements following For all disorders in the other commandements of the second Table doe flow from hence that eyther superiours are negligent in performing their dutie of gouerning or else inferiours are proud and stubborne and refuse to obey their superiours The words contayne a commaundement and the reason of it The commaundement in those words Honour thy father and mother The reason in the words following That thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Because the benefit of obedience is not so great to the superiours which are obeyed as to him that doth for conscience sake obey them they shall not be gainers so much as himselfe for he shall gaine to himselfe a long and happie life Honour To honour is to reuerence in heart and performe all outward duties Father That is all superiours in what place soeuer set aboue thee Thy father This is the first reason whereby God would moue inferiours to obey because he is thy father In that God makes this his reason why the childe should obey his father because he is his father We gather this doctrine That the chiefe motiue to obedience must be Gods ordinance If God haue made him the instrument of thy life and maintenance and haue set him ouer thee thou must for this cause performe all dutie of honour vnto him So in the Prouerbs Honour thy father that begat thee and thy mother that bare thee as if he had said honour thy parents and bee duetifull vnto them not because they be rich or in great place or for any other respect but this because they bee thy parents bee they father and mother how euer rich or poore thou must be duetifull vnto them So the Apostle speaketh to wiues Wiues obey your owne husbands Vsing this as a reason if they be your husbands If God hath set them ouer you as your head and gouernour you must submitte your selues to them for this cause and in obedience to Gods commaundement howsoeuer they be otherwise froward and foolish if they be yours then you must performe your duetie vnto them So for seruants the poynt is not whether hee bee a poore man or rich a simple man and ignorant or wise and discreete but is he a master hath God made him a gouernour then for the time that one is a seruant he stands in the place of Christ in his family and is to be obeyed as if hee
faithfull seruice they come as spies into the house and to spie out infirmities in the family and if they can but spie a fault and weakenesse in their gouernours then out it must to the disgracing and defaming of the Maister and to bring an euill report vpon him this proues that there is not that due account and estimation for it proceeds from a disloyall irreuerend heart when one cares not to speake ill of his gouernours But as reuerence must breed a good and lowly gesture and good words to the master so it must also bring forth good speaches of the maister and a concealement so much as may be of his wants And hauing these fruites it is proued to be true and vpright and not counterfeit and not dissembling The second dutie of seruants is to obey the Maister and Dame for as they be but one flesh so make but one gouernement So the holy Ghost saith seruants obey your maisters in all thinges That is to be vnderstood that are lawfull for if the master command to lie or sweare or breake the Sabboth that is not to be done but in such case it is better to obey God then man But in all indifferent and lawfull thinges the seruant is to submit himselfe and to obey This obedience consists both in doing things commanded cheerefully and willingly and faithfully as also in suffering rebuke and correction that shall bee laid vpon him not only to yeeld to the commandement but also to their chasticemēt and as to do the worke set vnto them so if the gouernour should administer correction vnto them to indure it with patiēce meekenes for the time of their seruice and continuance and not to make a brawling and contention 1. Peter 2. 18. Peter commands to feare the maister But what say you if he be froward and churlish yet reuerence him still I but hee corrects me vniustly though he doe beare it quietly submit thy selfe and by how much the lesse one hath deferued it the more reward shal he haue from God if with good and quiet heart he can be content to endure it till God release him of it for if one deseure sharpe correction and be content to haue it that is no thankes to him when the theese hath stolne and robd and is condemned to die then for him to be content that the rope be put about his necke and he cast of the ladder that is no thankes for he is worthy of it and hath deserued it and he shall haue it whether he will or no and euery man will put to his hand to helpe him to it but if one haue done all good seruice with a good conscience and discharge hsi dutie faithfully and yet not being kindly dealth with all but for kindnesse to receiue wrong and for a reward stripes then to subdue ones one pride to tame and maister his flesh and in patience to recommend his cause to God this is acceptable to God this shewes a great measure of grace and here the lesse reward the maister giues God will giue more and Christ will recompence his Maisters vnkindnesse with kindnesse from himselfe But contrarie to this is the dealing of such that may be bidden to doe manie thinges but will doe what they list and then if they be rebuked murmur if corrected straight seeke to reueng This is a beastly and rude thinge not to submitte himselfe to Gods yoake And those parents which haue children abroad and heare such thinges of them let them looke to it be time for certainely those that be stubborne abroad let them get a little more strength and they will rebell at home and he that will take the staffe by the end when his Maister or Dame come to correct him if the parents allow this they shall haue their heart full of woe and greife if euer themselues come to giue correction and this is their excuse commonly I deserue it not But if narture should not be giuen till most seruants confesse they deserue it it should neuer be giuen for as euery one is more damnably vilde more cursedly wicked and all together rooted in sinne so he is more proud and frowarde and will least yeeld himselfe to be faultie But deserue it or not euerie one hath deserued more at Gods hand by some other sin and that God should set him in such a place and God doth deserue that we should suffer a little for his sake that set his sonne to suffer so much for our sakes The third dutie of seruants is faithfulnesse as is commanded Tit. 2. 10. That they shew all good faithfulnesse How is that not pickers or stealers that is not faithfulnesse The seruant then must be faithfull in his Masters good and as thristie and diligent in doing the workes of his maisters familie as if it were the worke of his owne owne family and for himselfe Let him looke that no ill gotten goods cleaue to his hands for this is a foule treacherie when the maister giues him wages and meat and drinke and thinges due and fit to become a theese and rob him this is against the law of nature and of nations to deceiue him and bcome a soe to him that trusts one and puts cōfidence in him Therefore this serues to reproue such as will be prigging and filching and conuerting their masters goods to them selues If either they looke for sounde peace and comfort to their conscience they must make restitution of all such things This is one thing then to restraine one let him remember that how much soeuer he steales so much he must restore and the fifth part thereto or if he keepe it he keepes Gods curse with it and a woe to his owne conscience Therefore they sinne highly that care not what losse they bring to their maister if it be secret And also in an other kinde of vnfaithfulnesse is in riotous seruants that can rid of no worke but meat and drinke to carowse and drinke healths and drinke one an other vnder the table let them alone they be men of proofe for such matters but if it be to doe any thing of good seruice to the familie that the master should be the better for it yet cā doe nothing These be vnfaithfull for an idle person is a companion with the waister and such be theeues for they liue out of a calling they obey no law nor haue any warrant from God to vse any of his creatures A fourth dutie in seruants is to serue God in their calling For admitte one doe all the former that he reuerence his master in his heart and neuer giue him an ill word or shew a froward gesture neuer disobey him nor be vnfaithfull nor idle but so carefull that he would not rob his maister of the least matter in his greatest necessitie yet all this will afford no comfort vnlesse one haue done it for conscience and hath serued God in it This is the mayne dutie and pillar of the rest that one
should bee of this mind for if he do as he professeth indeede loue god aboue all ought he not to be more carefull of Gods glory then of his owne commodity more see to gods seruice then his own gaine now we know that masters suffer not their seruants to be idle on the weeke days therfore if he loue god he shuld be so much more diligent ouer them that they neglect not the word of God on his day by how much the glory of God is more deare and precious to him then his priuate commoditie For as he that is a true subiect to the prince loues him indeed wil not keepe such a man in his house that will not bee subiect to his lawes so hee that is himselfe rightly affected to God and his glory will not suffer such a prophane person vnder his roofe that will dishonour him openly and not care to obserue his sabboth Secondly if one beare any loue to his seruants or children euen for their owne sakes hee must see to them that they breake not the sabboth but that they come to such exercises where they may receiue the spirit of God and the chiefe good to their soules alwaies a good gouernour must gouerne for the good of those that bee vnder him now what greater good can hee doe to them then to vse those meanes whereby they may know God in Christ Iesus and bee brought to saluation So that if one will not shew a disloyall hart against God and vnlouing and vnfaithfull hart to his people that hee cares not for their saluation hee must see that they keepe the sabboth so farre as it belongs to him namely by being outwardly present at the workes of religion Thirdly in regard of our owne good to such as be masters must bee carefull ouer their seruants in this regard for take this for a generall rule hee that will not bee faithfull to God will neuer bee faithfull to man hee that hath no care to serue God in duties of religion will haue lesse care to serue his master in the duties of his calling as indeede they haue for if the honour of God and their owne saluation will not moue them why should they bee moued for their masters profit or businesse but hee that serues God with a good conscience will serue his master with a good conscience and though his master bee not present to rebuke him his owne conscience will checke him and when the feare of his master will not keepe from idlenesse and vntrustinesse the feare of God will keepe him and the commandement of God will restraine him else either they will doe nothing or what they doe is all for eie seruice to bee seene of men and when the masters eie is off then by idlenesse or wastfulnesse or pilfering they will hurt one more then the faithfull keeping of the sabboth can hinder them for that will not hinder them at all but bee a meanes to bring the blessing of God on their labours in the weeke day As Iacob a faithfull seruant to God was blessed in all Labans businesse and Ioseph a true worshipper of the Lord had prosperitie to follow him and accompanie him in all his trauailes Therfore if wee will shew our loue to God and to them and desire that they bee faithfull to vs and God should blesse their labours in our affaires bring them to the seruice of God and exercises of religion on the sabboth and haue a care that they breake not the holy day of the Lord. This serues for the reproofe of those men which beare this minde toward their seruants that so their owne worke be performed they care not how Gods worke is neglected let their seruants bee carefull to doe their businesse on the sixe daies let them bee as carelesse as they list of Gods on the seauenth day let them spend it euen how they will they haue free libertie from the masters This shewes men to bee louers of themselues more then louers of God and proues that they loue filthie lucre and gaine of the world more then the glorie of God for if Gods glorie were but as deere to them as their monie they would bee as impatient at his dishonour by their seruants negligence as at losses that come to themselues by their seruants negligence Oh but they say they be rude youthes and will break out from vs we cannot keepe them in Be not these deepe dissemblers is not this grosse hipocrisie can you not keepe them in Who keepes them in on the sixe dayes can you make them tarry at home then can you set them to their businesse and not suffer them to be gadding yet that is for sixe dayes space this is but for one that labour which then they doe is far more toylesome to the bodie can you make them will they nill they spend sixe whole dayes in more painefull tedious work can you not constraine them to keepe at home and doe more easie works in respect of bodily labour and that but for one whole day this is miserable shifting plaine halting these excuses will not holde before God he will shew you that you had made as much account of seruing his honour and glory and obeying his commandement as you doe of seruing your owne filthie couetous lust and obeying the diuell if his name had bene as deere to you as gayne you might with as much ease cause your seruants to spend the seauenth day in his seruice to his glory as sixe before it in your owne seruice to your profit But what is the cause that youth is so rude is it not because they haue learnt it of age Why be inferiours so prophane but because they follow the patterne and tread in the steps of their superiours how come the branches to bring such ill fruit but that the root hath no better sap for if the seruants might but see so much loue of God and care of keeping gods commandements appeare in the conuersation of their masters and dames as they see of the world and eagernesse after lucre they would at least for outward shew be better But now that they see their masters and know his disposition they frame themselues thereafter to serue him in his couetous lust rob God of his honour If the seruant should but leaue his businesse one or two houres in the weake and runne hoyting about some sports and vanities when hee comes home his master will bee vpon his backe his dame would haue a saying to him hee should be so bayted with rebukes and chiding as if it were a beare with dogs so that though hee had a good minde to bee abroad and had no great hart to stand sweating at his businesse yet miserable feare would make him tarrie at home rather then he would endure the sharp sauce that must come after and bee chidden thus againe hee will keepe within doores but let him be where hee will and doe what hee will vpon the
good meanes we can and he will prouide for the children of his seruants Therefore one should neither withhold himselfe from any works of mercy nor nigardly and pinchingly restrayne himselfe of any necessarie thing yea any comfortable delight for his childrens sake Lastly for disposing let this be the first and maine rule that those be vsed best which are best and those haue most goods giuen them that haue more grace in their hearts So Iacob had the blessing though Esau was the first borne and Ioseph had the double portion though he was the youngest but one of twelue For grace makes the younger to be the elder and sinne makes the elder the younger therefore he was indeede the right heyre for euerie one of the former ten had stayned themselues with some soule and grosse sinne which did put them out and therefore they were iustly disinherited So Solomon was not Dauids eldest sonne but hee was the sonne of his age yet he succeeded him in the kingdome because the other were proud and vndutifull and there was no hope that they would doe any good in Church or common weale This must be the first then that grace haue the first place vertue must make the heyre Secōdly the other also must haue their portiō proportionablie not one all and all the rest neuer a whit as is contrary to the cōmon practise that the eldest must goe away with the whole and the rest haue iust nothing as though he only were a lawfull child and the rest not legitimate and hence growes much hurt and much heart burning and emulation among brethren Now God saith parents must lay vp for their children not for one child only And others that if they haue no heyre male but all daughters the heritage must be put away from them and giuen to some other and why so forsooth because of the name sake that the name might continue but how know you that he shall continue to keepe vp your name or how know you that he may not liue so as that he shall be a blotte to your name and to your selfe rather then a credit why then should one for a foolish regarde of name breake both Gods law and the law of nature too For God hath appointed Numbers 27. That if there be no sonne the lande and heritage shal be deuided among the daughters And thus much for the duties both of parents and children So much for the duties of parents and children Now followeth the duties of seruants and Maisters First for the duties of seruants The first dutie is reuerence to their gouernour and that is both inward and outward The inwarde commanded in Ephes b. 5. Seruants be obedient with feare and trembling 1. Peter 2. 18. bee subiect to your Maisters with all feare 1. Tim 6. 1. let seruants count their Maisters worthy of all honour So that it is not enough for a seruant to performe all outward duties required at his hand vnlesse he begin with this first dutie to haue his master in an high account in his heart and to carrie a reuerend estimation of him in his heart he must account him worthie all honour Paule in that place speakes to christian seruants which had vnbeleeuing and infideli Maisters yet he would haue them count such worthy of all honour not that their insidelitie did deserue to be honoured but because they carried on them the authority of God standing in Christs place as his vicegerents in the familie Because of Gods ordinance thereof and his commandement laide vpon the seruant he must reuerence his maister though an insidell So that euerie christian seruant must set his firme conclusion with himselfe This is maister and gouernour that God hath appointed ouer me and that stands in Gods roome to mee therefore because of his place and the charge layde on me by God I will highly and reuerently esteeme of him Secondly this reuerence must appeare in the outwarde behauiour and cariadge of the body Else for one to pretende feare in the heart and not declare it by the outward gestures this is not sounde dealing but hipocrisie and falshood Therefore the inward account must shew it selfe in the bodie and in the actions of the bodie As first in not aunswering againe if they be at any time reproued for any thing done amisle they must not haue a gainsaying proude and vndutifull spirit but in all good speches and submissiue cariadge manifest their inward reuerence But contrarie to this is the vnteuerent behauiour of most seruants especially to poore men if the maister be poore and meane and of small account in the world the seruants take themselues for his companions and not as inferiours they thinke themselues not bounde to shew any dutie of subiection vnto him in standing bare in bowing to him and rising vp be fore him where as indeed the poore mans seruant is bounde to be as dutifull to him as if he were a Prince for Gods commandement respects not wealth and the outward things but only Gods ordinance Indeed if rich men did carrie the person of God vpon them and the poore the person of an Angell or some meaner creature then it were some thing their commssion hath all one seale and their authoritie in both is the selfe same and he that will seeme to reuerence a rich maister and not a poore is an hypocrite and shewes himselfe to be led by some carnall respect not by Gods commandement And for one to deale vndutifully with his poore master that beside the sinne is a double iniurie for this is to add affliction to affliction For if he be opprest with contempt abroad and be had in disgrace of others the seruant by his dutifull and reuerent dealing should comfort and refresh him and be a meanes to mitigate his greefe but to dispise him at home that is contemned of euerie one abroad this is to lay a greater burden vpon him that all readie sinkes vnder it Therefore if seruants reuerence their maisters they must not giue them frowarde speaches but euen outwardly shewe their inward account and the more base their maisters bee in the world the greater reward shall they haue from God and they shew the more truth and grace to be in their hearts For to reuerence a rich man that will not beare contempt but will take him downe and crush him this the veriest hipocrite may doe euen for his owne peace But here is sinceritie here is truth of heart and vprightnesse if when the master is poore and meane and of no reckoning in the world then the seruant can reckon him worthie of honour and serue him with reuerence and giue him his authoritie and full allowance in all good carriage how euer others doe debase and contemne him A second thing outward wherein inferiours and seruants must shew their reuerence to their masters is in hauing a care of their name not blazing outward their infirmities For this is a fault of many seruāts that being hired to doe
doe it not principally because his master commands but because God commands not because his Maisters eye is vpon him but because Gods pure eyes behold him either to punish him if he doe not his dutie or to reward him if he doe it faithfully This is the cheese point at which seruants must ayme Commandement Ephes 6. 5. In singlenesse of your heart as vnto Christ And there is a reason why one must cheefly seeke to please God and not man for if one doe so this will follow that one shall not doe it in eye seruice that is this when the Maister lookes on to be so nimble and readie to doe as much as two or three but no sooner the Maisters eye is turnd away but all is giuen ouer and the time spent idle and nothing is done or if it be t is naughtily and negligently But where this is not that one chiefly respects God his obedience can neuer be constant it is but by sits and starts and hangs vpon the masters eye take away that and all is done Secondly if one serue not God then he is streight discouraged at vnkindnesse here 's no rewarde for ones paines no respect had of ones labour indeede if oneserue his master only he may truely say so of times but if one serue God and do it in obedience to God he cannot at anie time say here is no consideration had of ones diligence t were impious to say so to make God a lyar vnfaithfull but there is sufficient consideration and reward if one serue God for then if his master doe not recompence him he whome he serueth will As the example of Iacob shewes He serue a coueteous maister one that made no conscience of his promise to a poore man as this is alwaies the tricke of a couetous man he cares not what promise he breake to a poore man Yet Iacob made conscience of his dutie and endured his couetousnesse for twentie yeares space and serued him to with all his might so that hee was pnicht by heat in the day by cold in the night and if sleepe departed from his eyes and if euer any thing were spoild by wilde beasts he made it good yet Laban all this while did nothing but seeke to eate him vp and to rauen all frō him that he could Then God comes and tels him that though Laban was thus churlish yet he could haue wages enough and because he serued God God will pay him though man doe not and so hee did and that throughly and fully for by Gods owne hand and prouidence most of Labans best cattle were turned to Iacob and so he grew far more welthy had a larger recōpence then euer he looked for So that if on serue two maisters he shall commonly haue double wages For God will incline the heart of his maisters to fauour him when he is faithfull and himselfe also will fully reward him with abundant blessing in his soule and bodie and conscience and name and posteritie after him For no man euer serued God in a calling but hee may as well pray for Gods blessing and as surely looke for it be the worke neuer so meane and base that he goes about as the minister when he preacheth or prayeth or administreth the sacrament or doth any worke of his calling The last dutie of seruants is to pray for their gouernours and for good successe vpon their labours in their gouernours businesse This is commanded 1. Tim. 2. Where it is commanded that not euery place of authoritie one is in the inferiour should pray to God for him if he be bad to conuert him be mercifull to him if good to strengthen him and giue him continuance and increase of these graces Likewise when seruants goe about matters of weight concerning their maister they must pray to God for direction and successe as when Abraham trusted his seruant with a great matter namely to fetch a wife for his sonne he goes about with prayer to God to direct him and giue him a good proceeding and euent and where God had blessed him he giues thankes to God and prayseth him as hee would not trust his own strength but cals to God for assistance so hauing obtained assistance he lets God haue the praise and then when he was intreated to stay ten daies and might haue had all courteous and liberall intertainment yet he would not but tels them that seeth God had blessed him and his maister expected his comming they should not nowe hinder him and nothing could containe him from his Maister that looked for him This confutes those that neuer pray God to giue a blessing to their gouernours and to bestow grace vpon their masters and hence it iustly comes to passe that they want many good things from their masters which they shoud haue because they performe not all the duties of a good seruant in that they call not vpon God for their master And those are also reproued that will be desirous to be employed in their masters affaires and to haue dealing in businesses committed to them but they are so presumptuous in a carnall confidence of their owne abilitie that they runne boy strously and rudely vpon matters not entreating the helpe of the great God in things of great moment and then it is iust that God should crosse them because they take away that he neuer sanctified and if they will not aske a blessing is not it righteous that he should turne their wit into folly and though they goe about it prudently crosse and ouerturne all their policy because they trust more in policie then in his blessing The seruant therfore must craue Gods assistance that he may vse good meanes after a good manner and with good successe And an other vse heere is to be made of those which haue beene seruants but now are not this is their dutie euen to goe backe and see wherein they haue fayled in any of these things and for that aske mercie at Gods hand and craue pardon else they shall be lyable to these two euils First that God may iustly plague them now for their former sinnes and secondly that as they failed in their dutie to their masters so their seruants shall faile in dutie to them whereas if one haue repented he may looke and haue some hope that God in mercy will so order his seruants hearts as that they shal not recompence his owne euill vnto him because the blood of Christ hath washed it away But such as will pilfer deale wickedly with their masters not repent for it and make some repentance it is most iust from God that they themselues should be spoyld and robd without any amends Thus much concerning the duties of seruants the duties of the master follow For as God binds the inferiour to his duty so he requires that the superiour be carefull in his place and calling too Now the masters duties consist in two maine points Namely in chosing them with wisedome and
discretion and in vsing them with a good conscience a good wise choice and a christian and honest vse Now for choosing the maine dutie and the chiefe thing to be regarded is that they get such vnder their roofe as be the seruants of God such as haue grace and vertue in their harts cary a good conscience with them This duty is confirmed by the example of Dauid Psal 101. where his example sets down a rule how euery one should order his family He shewes that for wicked persons teltales proud persons swaggerers such as haue great looks no grace he would haue none of them for his seruants but those that were religious vpright such should be his scruants And there is good reason why one should be carefull to take none into his familie but Christias for if they be not faithfull to God as sure as God liues they will neuer be faithfull to their master For all obedience and faithfulnesse flowes from the first table begins there but if a man neglect his dutie where he hath more hands to tie him to it he will be much more slacke where he hath fewer bands Secondly a wicked person is verie contagious and will infect the children with his lawdnesse and euill behauiour and indeed many can tell by experience that the ill example and the vilde perswasions of one vngodly will doe more harme to the children then all that many good seruants can do will do them good So that this is euen to bring a leprous person among the whole and a contagious man among the sound Thirdly a wicked person doth bring Gods curse vpon the family euen as a good seruant hath Gods blessing going with him as we see in Ioseph So when an vngodly sinfull fellow hath the fingring and and dealing in a matter the curse of God pursues and followes him for so it is said The curse of God is vpon the house of the swearer and vpon the house of the theese not onely vpon his owne heart but euen vpon the house and habitation where such an one is kept and maintained and countenanced But shall I be plagued and punished for my seruants sinnes yes and iustly too for he that will relieue and retaine such an one that he knowes is an enemie to God must needs open his doores to the curse of God So that if one would not haue the curse of God to rest vpon his house nor vnfaithfulnes in his seruants nor his house poysoned with that leprosie which onely the blood of Christ can heale let him take good aduice in chosing his seruants and in planting his family And thus wisely men can deale for other matters for he that purposeth to plant him a good orchard will not runne to euerie hedge and euerie groue and all the bramble bushes he can see and thence take him plants for his orchard but if he hope for any benefit by his orchard he will make prousion for the best graffes and sciences he can get and those will he set in his orchard and so he hopes it may hereafter turne him to good profit But if one would say why I hope and I looke to haue as fruitfull and commodious an orchard as any man in the parish but what doth he in the meane while what course takes he in planting it why heere 's a bryer there is a crabtree and there a thorne these be all the plants he lookes for and hence he cuts all his sciences why then it is plaine he doth but dissemble he is not in good earnest So for those that be sheepemasters and hope for commoditie that way they will enquire and marke out of what ground the sheepe they purpose to buy come where they were bred if they were bred in a rotten ground especially if they haue a rotten bleake too he will not put them in his fold nor let them come among the rest least they should be all infected Will one deale thus for his orchard and for his sheepe and should he not consider likewise in planting his family When he takes a seruant into his fold out of what pasture comes he hath he beene brought vp in a rotten ground In a place of disorder of riot of swearing of breaking the Sabboth and such like and hath he a rotten bleake will sweare will he lye wil he speak filthily doth he looke like a swaggerer and like a ruffian and will you venture on yet then you are a foolish master and loue neyther your selfe nor your house nor children if you take such vnto them that will eyther infect them if they be not verie good or if they be will vexe and molest them Therefore here many masters are to be reproued that scorne to be admonished of the minister but God will find them out that vse more care by farre in planting their orchards and chosing sheepe to breed then they doe in planting their family and chosing out seruants Such as may bring glorie to God and profit to the Church and be for their owne commoditie also And yet this folly raignes in them too that of all men they are the most readie to complaine of ill seruants and how neuer any was so troubled as they with vntrustie seruants that they must still be chaunging As if one should say neuer any man had so bad an orchard why what is the matter you see others haue peares and apples and plums and good fruit and I come to mine and find nothing but hips and hawes and sloes I pray you what did you plant there then did not you set thornes and brambles and can you looke for better commoditie of such wares Therefore euen thanke your selfe and your owne folly that could make no better a choice at the first so for these masters will they take seruants at all aduentures and then crie out they be not faithfull let them blame themselues then that would not at the first see they were religious afore they intertained them It is then a great and common fault amongst most masters that haue no regard of grace and religion but if he be such an one as will take a little wages and please him in euerie thing and serue his lust take him what euer he be papist atheist swaggerer theese drunkard or anything care not That is the least part of their thought But no man shall haue Gods blessing in his seruice vnlesse he will chuse such as will serue God The second point of the masters dutie is in vsing and that when they dwell together in part direction in recompence matters of religion matters of calling For direction in matters of religion and Gods seruice the master must looke that they come to the publike assemblies in due time and that they tarrie it out and sit in a conuenient place where they may heare learne and not in such by-corners and obscure odde places where they spend their time in prating or scoffing or sleeping or such like This is no
good direction in the master when he lets his seruants come into the Church to proclaime their owne shame and his disgrace Therefore first he must deale with them plainly you must serue God if yee serue me and be religious in Gods house if ye will haue any countenance in my house Secondly for the works and businesse of their calling the masters direction is necessarie and he must appoint the worke and set euerie one his place and dutie which he must doe else the house may be full of seruants and full of confusion and nothing be well done or in any good order And this is commended in the vertuous woman Prouerbs 31. that she giues her seruants their portion of meat and of worke the master therefore that the house may be well ordered must let euerie one know his place and calling and his taske that the weaker may haue the weaker worke and the stronger the stronger For the master must consider his worke and businesse that is to be done and what his seruants can do so that none of them may be oppressed nor any be idle for if eyther of these things come to passe that his seruants be eyther ouerburthened or else may loyter it is for want of good direction in the gouernour the house might be inriched euerie thing might be done in good order and would fall out in their iust and due compasse when euerie one were diligent in his place and set to doe that thing to which he was most sit For want of this it comes to passe that many foolish masters when they see things fall out amisse and there is not that good order that should be are readie to chafe and fret and then they crie out what disorder And so they may wel enough indeed for there is disorder and confusion but where begins it Is it not from the disordered gouernment and gouernour because he performes not his dutie well the others can doe no good Like as if a foolish pilot at the sterne should neuer giue anie direction to those in other offices about the ship when and what they should doe he might sweat and toyle himselfe but the ship might be dasht against euerie rocke and sinke well enough and all through his folly in want of good guiding But if the master be diligent in his place to direct his seruants and to appoint them what is to be done then if he see any fault and negligence he may and must let them heare of it And if admonition will not doe nor a rebuke serue the turne then chasticement and correction must follow for the rod is for the fooles backe But alwaies in correction these rules must be obserued First that it be not in passion to ease ones selfe by the seruants paine but with compassion to helpe him out of his sinne Secondly that it be ioyned with prayer or else it is not instruction but reuenge Thirdly that for ordinarie and lesser one take not notice of them but let them slip as in Ecclesiast 7. 23. he saith Giue not thine heart to all the words that men speake least thou heare thy seruant cursing thee for oftentimes thine heart knoweth that thou also hast cursed others Salomon would not haue one haue too quicke an eare to marke and take notice of the ill speeches of his seruants and he adds a good reason be cause no man is so good but his heart can tell him that he himselfe hath spoken as bad words against his gouernours and betters so that sith he himselfe hath beene iniurious to his superiours it should make him something to passe by the iniurie of his inferiours Thus much for direction The next part of the masters dutie to the seruant that dwelleth with him is in recompence as he must be diligent in setting him to worke and looke that he discharge the taske laid vpon him according to his strength so there must be recompence made first in wages and that proportionable to the measure of their worke which they doe and paid also in the time appointed The master must not put of his seruant from day to day to make him groane and sigh to God or else for need to theeue and steale from him It is a verie dishonest thing in the master not to pay his seruants due wages and that in due season keeping day and in good tearmes and willingly and cheerfully It is a most indigne and base thing that the seruant should see such a greedie couetousnesse in him as that he payes him with grudging and so vnwillingly that he must be constrayned to beg for it as if it were an almes And thus he diminisheth his authoritie and lessons his reuerence exceedingly when they can perceiue that he doth wholy serue himselfe and is willing enough to haue as much worke done as may be but is verie loth to part with any wages A second matter of recompence is in the diet and food of his seruants While they be well and in good health he must see that they haue wholsome sufficient food and that in due season and conuenient time For it is more then barbarous crueltie for one to ride his horse hard all day and at night rayne him vp without meat to repayre and sustaine his strength and he were worse then a beast that would deale so with a beast but much more to deale thus with a man that beares the image of God and is redeemed with the blood of Christ Iesus as well as the master to weare him out and spend his bodie and not allow him that nourishment that may keepe his strength in repayre is more then barbarous and sauge crueltie Therfore while the seruant is in health the master must see that he haue all things necessarie for health and sustenance such for qualitie as it be wholsome so much for quantity as it be sussiciēt that he be no way pinched or weakned Then if the seruant be sicke he must prouide to his power all good meanes for his health and recouerie and for the good looking to hime in time of his weakenes And this is noted as a matter of commendation in the Centurion that when his seruant was sick he went to Christ and tooke the best way he could deuice for his helpe and ease For the master in the sicknesse of his seruant is to looke to the hand of God that smiteth him and therby to be humbled for it is a chasticement laid vpon him that God by his owne hand immediately should turne those into a burthen and trouble to him that he did hire for helpes and for his profit and so hoped they should haue Therefore he must submit himselfe to God and as well in obedience to God as in a pitifull hart to his distressed be diligent both to pray to God for him and to vse all lawfull and good meanes for his ease and succour Thus men will deale with verie beasts If it be an horse or oxe that when he was
well was verie seruiceable and by it painefull trauell brought in much profit vnto the master if he be diseased by some sore or sicknesse he will let him haue rest and looke carefully to him that he want nothing and take the counsell of some one that is skilfull in such matters for some drench or medecine that may helpe his horse or oxe restore his health Thus men will deale with a beast but what master almost can be found that doth not plainely proue that he loues a beast more for his commoditie sake then he doth a man for Gods sake for he that will be content to be at cost and charges and some trouble also with his diseased and sicke horse his sicke seruant may lie and die and he will neuer come at him nor seeke any remedie for him but rather encrease his paines by murmuring and grudging that he eates and he drinkes and doth nothing but spend and burthen the familie And when Gods hand hath restrained him from working and not his owne negligence and ofttimes when he gets his weakenesse by faithfull and painefull seruice done to him then some are so cruelly and miserably coueteous as that they will abate so much of their wages as the time of their sicknesse comes to And when he suffers paine and griefe enough by his sicknes then he that should looke to healing of him doth not onely neglect that but also gleanes from him and robs him of his wages which is a double sinne and iniurie So much for the duetie of masters to their seruants that dwell with them Now when they part the masters duty is to looke that he send not his seruant away emptie but doe something for him according to the blessing of God vpon him by his seruants labour according to his owne abilitie and looke how much longer time the seruant hath beene with him and howe much more faithfull seruice he hath done to him by so much more must he be franke and bountifull in respecting and beleeuing him Contrarie to this is the dealing of those shisters that must haue new seruants euerie yeare for that either they be so bad themselues as none will stay with them longer then needes they must or els they intertaine such vngodly persons into there familie as it is not sit that they should tarrie long in any place And those that take in such manner seruants as deserue noe recompence because they imploy their labour about such things as the familie hath no benefit by them but are fit only to serue their Maisters lust in vanitie and foolishnesse for such it is iust that though they dwell manie yeares in a place they should haue no reward giuen them because their labour hath brought no good to the familie no bodie hath beene a gayner or bettered by it but here was a great fault on both parts for both the Master was a foole to giue harbour to such vnprofitable companions and the seruant was a foole to spende his time and paines about such base seruice as could be benefit to no bodie and here it is iust that both should be loosers But when one hath had a seruant that hath beene with him a longe time and done him faithfull seruice so imploying his labour and spending both his daies and strength as that some profitte and commoditie redownds to the familie And the maisters estate hath beene better by his carefull diligence now by continuance of time and by this profitable societie they had the seruant should grow to be vnto him as a child and he if he will seeme to be one of a good nature vpō so long experience of his faithfull and louing cariage should put on the affection of father to him For indeede nature shewes that it is a shame for one to put away his old seruant that hath worne out his bodie in his seruice without bestowing his liberalitie vpon him in some measure according to his owne abilitie and his seruants labours But it is the custome of most men now a dayes so wretchedly couetous are they growne that they deale with their seruants as one would deale with an horse when he grows old and can doe nothing any longer that may bring profit euen pull his skinne ouer his eares and cast his bodie to the dogs and thus brutish are vnnaturall men to their seruants ofttimes toyle them while they can labour consume their strength and spend them out then age will come and the bones will growe weake and the bodie waxe feeble and faint one cannot be alwaies young and strong and what then Then turne them out of dores poore and helpelesse into the wide world to shift for themselues as they can and they must either beg or steale or sterue and thus it comes to passe that manie become theeues and vagrant beggers through the masters base niggardlinesse that would not doe his dutie in bestowing some proportionable and competent releefe vpon them So much for their duties that bee further of from equalitie in the familie as parents and childe Masters and seruants Now those that are more equall are the husband and wife whose duties are either common to both or more particuler to either of them The common duties are these First they must loue one an other with a pure heart feruently This dutie both husband and wife must performe naturally one to an other Which that they may the better striue for let vs consider of some excellent cōmodities that will proceede from this loue and wich indeede will shew in their practise whether their bee this loue or not First this benefit will certainly ensue where there is loue betweene man and wife they will be chast and true hearted so farre as they loue one the other truely they are garded from all strange lusts euen in heart that they will not allowe any vnchast desire much lesse any vnchast looke or action For so in Prouerbs 5. 19. 20. Delight in thy wife and reioyce in her loue for why shouldest thou goe after strange women As if he had said sure enough if thou doe not loue thy wife thou wilt follow a whoare or at the least art in daunger to doe it but if thou loue thy wife truely thou art strengthned against a stranger And so may it be saide of the woman concerning her husband For it is not the hauing of a wife that makes a man chast and keepes him from filthinesse but the louing of his wife that will keepe him and so it is not the hauing of an husband that makes a woman honest and preserues her from adulterers but it is the louing of her husband which will doe it For many married men and women liue filthilie and impurely but if they did loue one an other they were safe from that fault This then is one benefit it is a most sure defence of ones chastitie to loue each other An other benefit that constant loue will bring is that they shall be verie patient
this disordred confusion as if the Pilot would both hold the sterne and hoyst vp the sayle and be vpon the hatches and sit vpon the neast and labour at the pumpe and od all himselfe it must needs goe ill with the ship and that is in continuall danger of sinking But those gifts that God hath giuen the wife the husband must see them employed and then she shal be a fellow-helper vnto him and bring a blessing vpon the family by her labour And so much for the duties of husband and wife which I doe not so speake as though is were in the power or nature of any man or woman to performe these duties nay by nature men be inclined to the contrarie The wife is naturally disobedient and stubborne prone to conteme and dispise her husband and he is prone to be wandring abroad and take more delight in any ones company then his owne wiues and if he be with her at any time he is so destitute of all true sauing knowledge as that he is readie alwaies to be eyther light or foolish or else sowre and churlish and to doe her hurt by his example and make her worse rather then better and both of them are destitute of all true and spirituall loue one of the other But God shewes these duties in his word to the end that we seeing our sinnes and our weaknes might bewaile our wants before God and beseech him that requires these things at our hands to worke these things in our hearts and as he hath giuen vs these good commandements to giue vs grace to make our hearts good to keepe the commandements And he that makes this vse of the law he profits by the doctrine But if any be so blinde and so vnacquainted with the wickednesse of his owne heart as that he dreame of some strength in himselfe to doe these duties it is certaine he neuer did performe any of thē in truth nor shall euer till he do lament his wants with vnfained griefe before God desire him to make him obedient as well to giue him a charge of obedience And thus much concerning the duties of priuate persons As namely of parents and children of masters and seruants of husband and wife The duties of publike persons follow Which are eyther in Church as Minister and People Commonweale as Magistrate and Subiect For the minister and people It is euident that the minister is a father It is plaine 1. Cor. 4. Where Paule though you haue many teachers yet I haue begotten you vnto Christ And Paule cals Timothie and Titus his children because as their naturall parents were instruments of God to beget them to a naturall life so he was Gods instrument to beget him to a spirituall life Now the duties of the minister and people are eyther common or speciall The common duties which mutually belong to them both are to pray one for another and to giue thanks one for another That the minister ought to pray for the people the continual example and practise of Paule almost in all his Epistles doth declare as to the Philip. Coloss Thess for whom he writes that he giues thanks to God and praies day and night for their encrease in all good graces By Paules example then ministers must learne to pray to God in secret for the flocke committed to their charge that God would pardon all their sinnes and heale their natures and make his doctrine effectuall to worke grace and saluation in their hearts And then if God haue heard his prayer and blessed his preaching to conuert the hearts of his people to saue their soules he must not let this slip but marke and obserue and returne thanks vnto God for it So 1. Sam. 12. 23. The people being affrighted with Gods fearefull signe and seeing their sinnes then they come vnto Samuel the prophet of God as commonly it is the practise of men in time of prosperitie to set light by the minister and not to regard him at all but in time of aduersitie where miserie pincheth it is often seene that men will send for him and be content to heare him and craue his direction so in affliction they come to Samuel and earnestly desired him to pray for them Then his answere is God forbid that I should sinne against God and cease praying for you shewing that it is a great sinne against God in the ministers if he be not frequent in prayer for his people So that though the minister studie diligently preach painefully and walke religiously in all good conscience yet if he doe not pray to God and beseech him earnestly to amend those faults that he sees in them and to conuert their soules vnto him and doe not also giue thanks when he perceiues any good thing wrought in them and pray for the continuance and encrease of it hee doth sinne against God and faile in a speciall dutie that he owes to his charge For all planting and watering is in vaine vnlesse God giue the encrease And how can he respect any blessing of God vnlesse he doe both often and earnestly seeke for it and render most heartie thanks for it as he findes it granted For the people that it is their dutie to pray to God and be thankfull for their minister it is plaine Heb. 13. 18. where this commaundement is giuen Pray for vs for we are assured that we haue a good conscience c. And Paule to Philemon saith That he hopes through their praiers to be giuen vnto thē and 2. Thes 3. 1. He wils them to pray for him that he may haue free passage and that he may be deliuered from vnreasonable men And to Timothie 2. 1. he wils that prayers be made for all in authoritie that as God hath set them ouer vs as gouernours so he will gouerne their hearts and order their proceedengs aright This confutes those people that a long time haue liued vnder a minstry but all that space cannot say that they haue once offered vp a true and hartie prayer to God for their pastor that he might be furnished with gifts for the faithfull discharge of so great and waightie an office neuer spoken to God in his behalfe to giue him a dore of vtterance to deliuer aright and deuide the word of truth to be with his meditations and direct his tongue that he might to their consciences and for their edifying And againe if at anie time God haue powred downe more plentifull grace vpon their minister that he hath beene better stird vp to teach them and hath spoken with more power and zeale then ordinarie more earnestly reprouing their sinnes and exhorting them to repentance yet they take it but as an ordinarie thing and let it passe without any notice as though it were not any mercie of God to prepare the ministers mouth to speake to their conscience And because they be thus slacke in desiring and negligent in thanksgiuing for so great a fauour God doth iustly depriue
gaue thee authoritie to controle thy master but hee vvould controle himselfe and vvould not goe out of his dores to complaine of his seruants injurie but hee vvould complaine to God of him selfe that had broken his Law and done injurie to his Majestie The like may vvee see in that holy man Dauid vvho though hee vvas a King annointed at Gods appointment and one of excellent guifts a valiant vvarriour and had foure hundred men vvel appointed vvayting on him yet vvhen Abigail a vvoman and meane in comparison of him came alone and brought vvith her the sword of the spirit the law of GOD that it vvas not lawfull for him to commit murder and to reuenge his owne cause What though Nabal had done injurie she denies not but hee vvas as his name signified a foole and the foole had done foolishlie that vvas not the question though but this she vvould know of Dauid vvhether hee might lawfully kill one in his owne priuate reuenge contrarie to the law of of GOD. Now vvhen Dauid sees that she comes so vvell appointed and brings such strong reasons and that hee could not rush on Nabals bloud but hee should rush vpon the sword of GOD and God vvould plague him he vvould none but leaues of and thanks her for her good counsel So that vvhen she brought the law of GOD for her vvarrant this vvas so good a vvarrant as that Dauid durst not but yelde to it though he vvas a King and a Prophet and a man of most excellent guifts euery vvay and she but a vvoman and farre his inferiour in graces Contrary to this vvas the spirit of vvicked Amaziah that vvhen hee most absurdly had hauing chased the Edomits taken their gods and vvorshipped them and set them vp as meanes to help him in the seruice of GOD and God sent the Prophet to him to tell him that he had dealt foolishly to vvorship those gods that could not saue their owne people out of his hands vvhy he now could not beare this but begins to mock vvho saith hee I pray you made you of the Kings counsell are you become a counsellour now to tell the King vvhat he hath to doe goe to hold your peace least you be smitten for your paynes The Prophet sees him to despise the rebuke of God and then he vvould not bestow so much cost as to giue him any more admonition on him but vvell saith hee I vvill hold my peace as you bid mee but know that thou shalt surely perish because thou hast done this thing and not hearkened to my counsell though it vvas foolish and naught in him to doe that thing yet if hee could haue hearkened to the Prophet of GOD bringing the law of GOD hee had beene on the mending hand and all vvould haue beene vvell but vvhen hee vvould doe sinfully and then refuse to bee admonished then in truth he must needes bee destroyed And so hee vvas shortly after most fearefully and strangely by the hand GOD and neither his kingdome nor his vvealth nor any thing could keepe off the iudgement of GOD and destruction from him So then vvill vvee shew that vvee doe in truth beeleeue that these bee the vvords of GOD vvee must vvhen any man shall presse any of these lawes vnto vs straight vvaies yeeld and stoup vnto them and vvee doe then confesse that GOD spake all these vvords but if one begin to shift and cloake and colour and distinguish then hee declares euidently that his hart is not perswaded that God is the author of these lawes The second vse that wee must make of this that God spake all these words is that therefore wee must not be afraide nor ashamed to stande for them and defend them as also to practise them in our liues though the Atheists and the prophane swine of the world mock and scoffe at vs neuer so much for the same For what neede we be ashamed to maintaine those wordes which God himselfe was not ashamed in his owne person to speake If we doe remember what Christ saith hee that is ashamed of mee before men in this world I will bee ashamed of him before my father in the world to come If God had but sent his Angels vnto vs with any commaundement the gloriousnesse of such messengers should haue might to make vs bolde to defend and stand for the message but sith God did not send an hoast of Angels but came himselfe in his Magestie accompanied with all his holy Angels attending and waiting one him should wee not now giue much more reuerence to those things which hee spake and take much more courage to stande for the maintenance of his commandements This serues therefore exceedingly to condemne their dastardlynesse that are afraide to keepe the sabboth or to doe any such duty because they should be counted puritanes But is it not better that men should hate vs without cause then that God should haue a quarrell against vs vpon a iust cause is not it much better that they should scoffe at vs for good then that God should plague vs for euill What a shame is it for vs therefore that when we he are wicked heretiques speaking against the law of God and prophane Atheists breaking his law and blaspheming his name wee should plucke in our hornes and become mute as though it were a matter of some great discredit for vs to speake for that which God himselfe in his owne person hath spoken vnto vs. Thirdly this serues to proue this law to bee spirituall for such an one as God is which made the law such an one is that law which hee made it reacheth therefore to the inward hart of euery man and lies close vpon his conscience And indeede in this it doth especially differ from the lawes of men For they doe tye the tongue and the hand and the foote to the good vpbearance and take notice if any oft this bee faulty against them but they meddle not with the hart and make no question of the inward motions of the soule because man can bring in no proofe of the breach of such a law nor can haue no witnesse of such faults But God searcheth the hart and tryeth the reynes entreth into the secrets of the soule and therefore he commands to loue him with all our hart and with all our soule not contented vvith such a loue onely as is declared by the outward behauiour of the bodie And so for our neighbour he commands euery one to loue his neighbour as him selfe now we know that men do loue them selues with a deepe and inward loue not outwardly onely in salutation and courtesie and good speaches but euery man loues him selfe in trueth with a good meaning and in good earnest not dissemblingly So must all the obedience performed to God proceed from vvithin and come from the hart else it should be no vvhit acceptable to him that that growes without if it come not from the root of vprightnesse and sinceritie
works be suteable to their words and they shew forth the vertues of Christ as well as take vpon them the name of Christ vnlesse they be careful to frame their life according to the line of Gods word so to order all their carriage that their conuersation may be answerable to their profession and the fruit that shews it selfe in their lyfe agreeable to the seede that is dayly sowed in their harts they are as grose profaners of the name of God and as lyable to the cursse and vengeance of God as he that sweares many a vaine and idle oath Secondly this serues to instruct all men that would be called christians and be accounted the sonnes of God to liue so as that we bring some glory to God by our life And this Paul bids the bond seruants 1. Tim. 6. 1. Count their masters worthy all honour that the name of God and his doctrine may not be ill spoken off Speaking to such as were seruants to vnbeleeuing masters he bids them giue them honour and reuerence not for any religion or goodnesse that could be seene in them for they were infidells but for conscience sake to Gods ordināce whose place these masters did supply that because if they did not those all the fault should be layd vpon the name of God But how doth he proue that Gods name should be euill spoken of because his doctrine should be ill spoken so that where euer the gospel is slaundered there God himselfe and his name is dishonoured So in the second of Titus Paul also speaking to seruants wills them to shew all good faithfulnesse not to pick nor steale nor to answere againe and that for this reason that they may adorne the doctrine of Christ Iesus He would haue those which are in the basest estate and in the lowest condition of all men euen seruants and bondseruants in their place to adorne religion by their good behauiour in that place No place is so meane and of so small account but you may doe God good seruice in it if he beautifie his profession by an vnspotted and pure conuersation for nothing can glorifie God more in all this world then when those that will belong and appertaine vnto him shew what houshold they be of by their works and he that wil be esteemed the sonne of God must doe more good work then one that is onely the sonne of Adam this will stop the mouth of wicked men and mussell them vp that they shall not haue a word to bark out against christians and christianitie yea this will beget a good liking in their harts of that word and that religion which works so good effects in the lyfe of them that hold it As in the family let the children be good and temperate and modest and behaue themselues gently and humbly to all then they doe not onely get good account and estimation to themselues in the harts and mouthes of men but they are an honour to the house of which they come and to the parents which begat them a crowne to all their friends and brethren that those which be enemies cannot for shame giue out an ill word of such a man whose children be so well brought vp and behaue themselues so orderly So is it in the church in gods household vpon the earth would one bring credit to God his father would he cause the church to be praised and all his brethren and fellow members to rejoyce to be well reported of then let him shew forth the vertues of Christ let him liue worthie his vocation and calling let him cause his light so shine forth in the darknesse of the world let them not keepe their vertues in their owne bosome alone but let the brightnesse and the warmeth of them lighten vpon all those that liue with him and if he so doe he shal be honoured himselfe euen in the consciences of wicked but especially he shall win great reuerence and reputation to the name of God to christians and christian religion and though some enemies be reprobates and therefore irreuocable yet he shal make them dumbe and stop their foule mouth that their furious barking shall either not be heard or if it be shall not be heard And wheras others that are yet in their present estate enemies but in election gods children may seeme for a time perhaps to be hardened not to submit themselues yet afterwards this good example will work and the seede will appeare in the fruit for saith Peter They shall glorifie God in the day of their visitation As if he had said Happely for a time it will seeme vaine to shew any good example to those that be not good men for they wil it may be be so far from profiting glorifying god as that they will rayle and blaspheme Be it so that for the present you see no better successe yet know that if these men be gods when he hath softned their harts and opened their eies and conuerted their soules vnto him and resited them with his good spirit then they shall magnifie God and praise him then they shall say blessed be God that euer I liued in such a christian family that euer I was vnder so good a minister I thank God that euer I was acquainted and did conuerse with such a man or woman by whose gratious behauiour I was brought the better to like of religion Now the old seed that seemed to lye dead vnder the clods reuiueth and sprouts vp now the fruits of all good precepts and good admonitions begin to appeare Therefore we must striue to be such good children for better it were neuer to professe religion then thus to professe it and liue like a worldling If there grow brambles in Gods vineyard the axe of Gods vengeance meets with them straight they of all other shal be most fearefully and horribly destroyed if one will be a brier then let him keepe himselfe in the wild wast and not presse into Gods garden for if he doe most vndoubtedly he shall be cut downe cast into the fire Thus much for the first dishonouring and taking gods name in vaine by lyfe The second followes by speach and that first without an oath and that by speaking vnreuerently of Gods word titles attributes or workes without due regard and estimation of the thing one speakes First of the word in speaking of it idly curiouslie vainely to pick out needelesse questions and to shew ones wit in learning in discoursing and amplyfieng matters or in objecting against the truth whether one thinke not so yet it is an abuse of the word I say by this vaine putting vp objections in ostentation of their nimble wit and ripe head that they can put downe the ministers as many proud foolish vaine fantasticall mad-headed youths will brag that they can holde argument with the best preachers and set them downe put them to a non plus euen out of the scripture This vaine and
part the breach of his commandements and casting his feare behind our backs in trifling things or in matters that seeme to carrie more sway with them But heere seemes to come in an objection may one doe no businesse may not one looke to their cattle serue their sheepe or their horses and order them on the sabboth yes a christian man on the sabboth day must serue his beast but alwaies prouided that hee doe it not as businesse of his owne but as a worke of mercie to the beast not seeking or respecting his owne commoditie as the creatures necessitie and doing it thus for conscience sake to help the poore creature it is a work of the sabboth and in it place pleaseth God for God himselfe commands to bee mercifull euen to the beasts therefore one must see that hee doe it with a mercifull hart in compassion to the creature so that the end must differ from the end in the working daies Secondly his affection and meditation must be diuers from that hee may haue at other times for this worke must raise him vp to some godly and spirituall meditations for his edification as for example when one goes on the sabboth to serue and order the dumbe creature hee may make this vse of it why I can in obedience to God and compassion to the creature care for it and bring it things necessatie though it cannot call vpon mee yet the verie neede of it cries loud that I cannot but help though I bough it for monie what care then must I perswade my selfe God that is a sea of mercie of which I haue but one drop will haue to mee whom hee hath bought with the bloud of his Sonne and which cease not to call vpon him and make continuall supplication for things needefull vnto him so strengthen ones faith or else such a meditation I see the poore dumbe beast that hath done mee painefull seruice all the weeke when I come to serue it is contented to bee serued at my pleasure if I giue it more it is content if lesse it doth not fret against me if it bee better prouision it takes it in good part if courser it doth not murmer and take on why then should not I bee content to liue at Gods finding and take in good part that which hee giues mee bee it more or lesse sith it is my portion from God especially sith I haue often rebelled against God as the poore beast neuer did against mee and it hath done mee more faithfull seruice then euer I did God These and the like meditations ones heart must bee seasoned withall one the sabboth day more then necesitie is imposed vpon him other times If then our end bee mercie and our affections bee holy in doing these things to the cattle they be sabboth dayes works because mercie is a work pleasing to God on that day But if one feede his cattle not because their want craues this at his hand but because his desire of gaine moues him they will be in better liking and I may sell them to more profit or they will be better in hart more able to doe my work after and then his hart be carried after the gaine he may haue by these cattle and his meditations taken vp with thinking how he may sell them for most gaine he breakes the sabboth he serues not God but himselfe and though man cannot indite him for the very action yet God will finde him out and plague him for the ill affection And so much for the things that must be done on the sabboth and those that must not be done and two reasons taken one from the equitie of the commandement the other from the right and title of God to the day Now heere he comes after to a declaration of the persons seuerally comprehended vnder this commandement naming first the gouernours and then charging them with the inferiours which are either continuall as those of the family or for some time comming vnder their jurisdiction as strangers in the gate to which the publique magistrate must looke First he saith Thou BY this is ment you which are master or mistres in a family for both are comprehended because heads thy sonne and thy daughter Now the sonne and daughter pertaine equally to both the parents I might one say I will keepe it holy and rest but my children may work nay saith he thy sonne nor daughter Naming them first because parents through naturall affection are readie to wink at them to let it slip though they prophane Gods sabboth by seeking their pleasure and they think why alasse youth must haue a swing we must let them alone a little Not so saith the Lord how euer you beare with them for others yet you must looke to them carefully for that day and not let them breake the sabboth Then he names the man and mayde because commonly some lucre is gotten by their labour and some commoditie seemes to follow if they follow their worldly businesse men are slack to cause them to serue God but would be content they should serue them God saith also looke to them if any seruāt would be so wicked as to labour yet thou must not suffer him receiue not this gaine for it is the gaine of wicknesse and therefore accursed better bee without it then haue it I but I hope I may let my cattle bee imploied nay saith the Lord thy oxe nor thine Asse nor thy cattle not because the dumbe creatures can sanctifie the sabboth but because their labour cannot bee vsed but some man must attend vpon them and looke to them and therefore God would preuent all occasions of hindering mans rest wherein also God vnderstands all such other liuelesse things which cannot bee set a worke without the hand of man bee joyned to them as a mill or a boat or such like Then he adds the stranger meeting one of an other nation and country and religion wich though wee cannot compell to come to the church yet the magistrate may and must forbid him to breake and pollute the sabboth by any publique labour if hee come in such places where he hath authouritie Here then wee see that God chargeth the maister of the family with all in the family hee saith not you seruants and you children see that you breake not the sabboth but you maisters labour not you selues nor breake the sabboth nor suffer your children or seruants so to doe Hence wee may gather this instruction that it belongs to all gouernours to see that their seruants inferiours what euer keepe the sabboth And this testimony God himselfe giues of Abraham I know him that hee will command his seruants and children to keepe my commandements God knew Abrahams minde that if the case stood so that either some work of his must be neglected or some seruice of God vndone Abraham had rather that all his businesse should waite then one part of Gods seruice be omitted And great reason why a christian
sabboth day when he comes home either his master or dame allow him in it or else they bee mute and say nothing to him or if they doe begin to reprooue him it is done so coldly so careleslie with so little vehemencie that the seruant may well perceiue it comes from the teeth outward his master is not greatlie sorrie within it neuer vexeth his hart for the matter and therefore hee cares not for such chiding hee will to it the next sabboth againe Then secondly this serues for the instruction of all householders that desire to bee indeede as well as to bee accounted christians that they should haue an eie to their seruants in the keeping of the sabboth Euen as one the weeke day they will call them vp and see that they bee readie to their businesse so on the sabboth cal them vp in the morning see that they be readie for the worke of God especially sith the works of their calling bee such as they may doe without any great preparation A man may rise out of his bed and goe straight and hold the plow or driue the cart as well as if hee had an houres consideration but vnlesse one haue sometime to disburden his hart of worldly thoughts and to fit himselfe by prayer holie meditations to heare the word hee can neuer doe it well nor so as the word will bee profitable vnto him therefore they must bee stirred vp that they may haue time to make readie their harts that they come before God with a quiet an emptie minde Now in this dutie many of Gods children faile that euen themselues and their whole family take libertie to sleep out a great part of the morning and thinke it inough to rise and goe to church not regarding any time of preparation and hence it is that the exercises be so vncomfortable and vnprofitable to them And then secondlie the maister must bee careful to haue his family come with him in good due season to the house of God with the whole congregation not as many doe that are so negligent as much is past before they come The wife comes at the second lesson he drops in at the end of praier and the seruants follow when halfe is done They would not doe thus to haruest worke but he would make them get all things readie that they goe together to get in his corne and not come dropping one now and another anone why should not one therfore be as carefull for the foode of his soule and to eate of the bread of life in the house of god to come joyfullie himselfe and his wife and bring their familie with them that they may be at the beginning and tarrie out till the ending that they may haue the whole fruit and not as some doe bee gone before the sermon end or at least runne away before the praier be made for a blessing and the blessing pronounced by the minister which shewes they neuer felt the goodnesse of the blessing they are so loth to tarrie the ministers prayer because they want the spirit of prayer themselues and cannot tell the benefit of a faithfull prayer for if the sweetnesse of gods blessing had distild vpon their soules or they had neuer felt the comfors that follows a prayer made in the holy ghost they would be more desirous of these things then they be and not hast so from them as if it were a curse not a blessing and some things tending to their hurt not a supplication to God for their good And as they must call them vp in the morning so an other dutie is to examine them after and call them to account how they haue profited as if mens seruants be sent to the market they will not let them goe without takeing account how they haue done their businesse and what markets they haue made so when they come from the church they come from the market of their soules they should question with them to see what good bargaines they haue made for their soules what profit they haue had by comming to Gods ordinances and thus laying their store together to help one another This serues also for the instruction of seruants that sith God hath layde such a charge vpon their superiours to looke that they keepe his sabboth therefore they should willingly be ruled and suffer themselues to be guided by them in this point and as well obey them in the sabboth to be diligent in the works of God as in the weeke daies to obey them for matters of their owne calling They must not say as many prophane seruants will if they call them and will instruct them in religion they will none of that but you hired me say they to doe your work and take my wages and there an ende what needes all this doe about keeping the sabboth and comming to the sermon let mee looke to that my selfe Nay but if they be Gods seruants and you Gods seruants your masters hired you to doe Gods work and in the Lord to doe their work therfore this is a prophane answere and these be ill seruants But much more vilde are they that will runne abroad to wickednesse to dauncing to swilling to wantonnesse c. making that their sabboth daies work which is vnlawfull at any time to plow and to cart be things lawfull and profitable in fit time but to daunce and follow wantonnesse is naught euery day but much more vilde and abhominable vpon the sabboth day Therfore such seruants must by force be constrained not to violate Gods sabboth or if no meanes will serue a christian master must not haue his house pestered with such open rebells against God Thus much God shewes the duties of christian housholders that they must themselues and see that their seruants abstaine from all the works of their calling and doe onely works of pietie and mercie which works of mercie they must not doe vpon the Lords day in loue to their owne commoditie but in obedience to God and compassion of the creature Now the Lord goes further to shew what course must be taken with men of an other religion saying Nor the stranger that is within thy gates HEere hee shewes that if a stranger come within our iurisdiction that are christians though we cannot command him to come to the exercises of religion yet the magistrate must not suffer him to doe any seruile worke to pollute the sabboth for by the gates heere the Lord meanes authoritie and jurisdiction because in former time the place of judgement and where authoritie was exercised was in the gates Hence then in that the magistrate must looke to forreyners this generall doctrine may bee gathered that it is our dutie being christians not onely to keepe the sabboth our selues and to looke to those that are belonging to vs but so farre as we can euen to strangers or to any other And this is that which is commended in Nehemiah that when the men of Sidon that
troublesome abundāce of the wicked for they may say the Lord our God hath giuen vs these thinges Therefore if God be true and iust if he be the Lord of heauen and earth if they cast themselues and their trust vpon him hee will cast all thinges good and necessarie vpon them in the due and fitte time or if they haue some outwarde wantes they shall bee recompenced with inwarde and better comforts And thus much for the eight commandement concerning the duties of all sortes of men in respect of their place superiour or inferiour The sixt commandement followes Thou shalt not kill And this commandement respects the person of our neighbour commands to procure his wellfare good safetie of his soule and bodie It bids vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe and forbides all kinde of crueltie and wante of loue The parts of it be Forbidding things in Omission to Bodie Soule commission Commanding What the thinges of omission be that are forbidden concerning the bodie it may appeare in Math. 15. Where Christ condemnes some as goates limmes of the diuell and firebrands of hell because they gaue not meate to hungrie and drinke to the thirstie and clothed not the naked and visited not the sicke and imprisoned and such like So that the omitting of these duties of mercie is an inditement stronge enough to bring such persons to hell And Luke 16. In the parable of Lazarus and Diues Diues is condemned for want of mercie that hee had enough to bestow on pride and vanitie and pompe to set out himselfe but nothing to giue to his poore and comfortlesse brother sheweing the doome of all such wretched persons such as Iohn saith which haue this worlds goods and yet let their Godly brethren want shutting vp the bowels of compassiō frō doing good the charge of crueltie and want of mercy lyes heauie vpon such for he that turnes his eare from the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard An other thing of omission is when he neglects to pay the due wages and recompence for the worke of any poore man For if it be a miserable sinne not to doe good freely where neede requires it is much more abominable and damnable not to giue a due debt and reward of the worke So Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant thou shalt giue him his wages for his day nor shall the sunne goe downe vpon it This is condemned as an vniust and vnmercifull thing that when one hath hired a seruant or any to doe his worke when the worke is done he should either giue him no wages or else giue it him in conuenient and due time but hee must seeke for it when he should haue vse of it for his releife and God saith there if such a one be pinched with necessitie and crie vnto God God will heare and reueng his wrong And Iob to proue himselfe no hypocrite vseth an imprecation concerning this sinne in chapter 31. that if he haue eaten the fruite of his land without siluer and hath not paid the wages to him that telled it and brought in his haruest or if the furrowes of his land haue cried together against him then let his grounde bee accursed as indeede he had beene an accursed person and broken this commandement in an high degree And if he had done so the verie earth would haue cried the furrowes would haue made a complaint against For two sinnes there be in the second table that makes the land crie to God that he can haue as it were no rest till he take vengeance the one Sodomie and the other oppression and crueltie against this commandement As afore in Deutrimonie and in Iames he saith Howle you rich men and why what miserie is neere why the crie of the poore oppressed by you is come vp in the eares of the Lord When one gets his good so ill and enricheth himselfe by withhoulding other mens dues though the man should be silent and say nothing yet his necessitie his bellie and his backe would make an hideous outcrie before God til he had executed his vengeance And for sinning in this branch of this commandement Iehoiachin was blamed Ierem. 22. 13. to 20. vers Which is so much the rather to be noted because most men thinke that the differences of persons may make some excuse for their sinne but it is not so For if any might vse the laboure of an other without recompence then might the Kinge who is the soueraigne Lord of all yet he being a King is reproued by God for this it is said he built his house without equitie how is that proued he vseth his neighbour without wages and giues him not for his worke and for this cause and his filthy couetousnesse God would not vouchsafe him the commō honour of men to be couered with earth whē he was dead but he should be buried as an asse his skinne puld ouer his eares stript of all hee had and then dragd without the Citie throwne out that his carcas might be food for beasts birds and what was his crime why this he did not reward the poore but serued himselfe vpon them And this commandement is broken in omission of thinges pertaining to the bodie as in not doing workes of mercie and in not paying wages and dues to those to whom they are due The omission of the dutie to the soule is either of superiours or inferiours Of superiours as first and cheifly of the minister if he doe not preach and admonish his people plainly and fathfully he is guiltie of murdering distroying their soules As in Ezek. 32. If hee tell not the people of their sinnes they shall die in them but the bloud shall be required at his hands and if hee doe tell them though they amend not he is free as Paule saith I am innocent of the bloude of you and why because I haue tolde you all the counsell of God and kept nothing backe And for other gouernours also as the parents and masters of families for euerie man is a bishop in his owne familie For so he saith in Deut. Thou O Israell shalt teach these thinges vnto thy children thou shalt talke of them c. Those then that haue no care to teach their children and seruants to know God or to come to the word of God wherby they may be sanctified and brought to saluation such embrue their hands with the bloud of their soules and are guiltie of crueltie because through their negligence they let those that are committed to their charge to run headlong into their owne distruction Such are those against whose soule this charge shall lye harde at the day of the Lord That neuer so much as will their inferiours to come to heare Gods worde and to such exercises as may encrease their knowledge but rather permitte yea encourage them to breake the Lords sabboth and spend it in foolish and wicked exercises either at hōe or else
kinde of helpe Therefore aboue all then a man had most neede to keepe peace and league with God when the world hath cast him of and if God doth chastice him with want it were a farre better course to repent and entreat God to helpe him and turne away his heauie hand then to adde more to his sinne and so cause God to adde more strokes and correctiōs to those that he hath alreadie laide vpon him So that whether the thing be little or greate what euer a mans estate be or who euer hee be whome he wrongs he must alwaies take heede of this priuie stealth of this prigging and close conueying an other mans goods to himself Now as this is fault to any so especially if the person to whome the wrong be done be more neerer ioyned and tied in any bonds to vs or we to them contrarie to the dealing of a number that indeede will let their neighbours goods alone for some outward respect they will not steale from them but for their parents or masters there you must giue them leaue they hope they may borrow law a little and be some thing bolder with their goods then with an others But doe they not know what the holy Ghost saith in the prouerbs he that robs his father and mother and saith it is noe sinne is a shamefull and a lewd sonne For this is so farre from lessening the fault that in truth before God it makes it farre more haynous and abominable For as he that kils his father or his master doth commit a farre greater sinne then if hee were a stranger or one further of so here to he that robs his father or his master is in an higher degree a sinner then if it were a person nothing so neere vnto him to whome he did not owe so much dutie Therefore as one must labour not to let his hands haue libertie to take in any thing that belongs to any man be he neuer so farre distante from him so especially he must restraine them from that which belongs to his father or master or some such to whom he was bounde with a more strong and neere bonde then to other men for it is a more wicked stelth that is done against a freinde then that against a straunger And thus much for stealth by taking Now an other kind of theeuerie there followes nothing inferiour to this by vnlawfull retaining and keeping in ones hand that which is none of his Whether it be with holding of things found or lent or of wages or thinges that way due vnto an other For though a man keepe himselfe vnspotted in this respect that no man can charge him to haue taken away one pennie from his neighbour either priuily or violently yet if hee going by the way side finde a thing that he knowes not whose it is then when he takes it vp and after heares who is the right owner of it and doth not restore his owne goods to him againe all his former good dealing in other things will not excuse him from being accounted a theefe and stealing from his neighbour For God hath commanded to bring backe the thing that goes astray and to make restitution of that which is lost and if he did not so before his offering could be accepted he was to restore the principall and adde the fifth parte more vnto it For indeede his conscience will accuse him and the verie law of nature will condemne him Because there is no man so ignorant but if he hath lost his purse or any thing by the way side or any other way would thinke it right and equall that hee who found it should bring it to him againe if he knew him to be the owner of it and would say he had not done the dutie of a neighbour if he should keepe it backe from him Now God commands to doe as we would be done by and therefore this that he would be so dealt with all binds him to deale so and if he doe not he sinnes against his owne conscience and that shall be sufficient to condemne him So for wages he that doth not pay his seruants or the hireling his due wages in due time without shifting and putting of from time to time he is giulty of theft and this is a grosse kind of stealing breaking this commandement Thou shalt not steale This delay is theeuerie though one doe purpose to pay thē all and that rather with the most to then to keepe any backe if he be poore and not able to forbeare this protracting from time to time is no better then plaine theft This is forbidden Leuit. 19. 13. Thou shall not rob thy neighbour saith God But one might say I doe not rob him nor I will not for he shall haue his goods safe enough by me I will take nothing from him that is his then saith he again Let not the hirelings wages rest with thee till morning as if he had said though you doe not take his mony yet if you keepe it from him I account it robbeerie for the ende of his worke should be the beginning and performing of his wages therefore after the worke is done let not the wages tarrie one day in your purse for it is none of yours it is your hirelings So Deut 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needie Thou shalt giue him his hire for the day neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth hee his life If one be poore and in distresse and he cannot beare with this delay but is put to his shifts and made to endure hunger and colde and to goe from him with an heauie heart when hee is not paid and with a Sighe not knowing what to doe for releefe this is both crueltie in that he keepes that from him that should maintaine his life and it is theft also in that it is an vniust detaining of that which is done to the hindrance of him to whome it appertaineth So that this kind of shifting and putting of the hireling with such delayes is a fault that makes the man guiltie of theft before God Thus much for the thinges forbidden in this commandement The things commanded are EitherInwarde or Outwarde The inward dutie is contentednesse with ones owne estate with that portion whatsouer that God hath allotted vnto vs. To like so well of Gods deuisiō as that we beleeue in our hearts that that measure is best and most profitable for vs that God our most mercifull father hath appointed for vs. This quietnesse with that part that fals to his share is the dutie commanded to euerie man and is is the inward keeping of this commandement This is commanded Heb. 13. 5. Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse This is the commandemēnt Why might some men say I am not couetous that you may trie soone and be content with those thinges that yee haue certainly so farre as a man is voide of couetousnesse
better him in his wealth so that he might haue where-withall to shew mercie as haue a mercifull affection This God hath appointed and these wil be the effects of a godly labour But this wearying ones selfe in slauerie to his lusts and seruing himselfe it humbles one not a whit nay it makes one more proud more surly and more associable that one neither knowes God nor himselfe it doth not prepare him to die but it makes him forget his latter ende and neuer thinke of death it makes not the heart pitifull and mercifull but it hardens the heart and infects it with crueltie and such an one as is not made by his labour able and willing to giue more but able and willing to giue nothing at all So that euery man must labour no man hath any warrant or priuiledge to be idle that is to be a Sodomite And furthermore euerie man must looke that his vocation be honest and lawfull or else hee shall doe himselfe more harme then good by his labour The second point of liberalitie is in keeping that prudently and discreetly which was honestly gotten for if labour in getting be not ioyned with wisedome in preferring and sauing that is no good thrift neither must this be a niggardly and miserable sparing but an orderly and wise disposing and husbanding of that which God hath put into our hands that he may be better able to doe good and to releeue others In this manie fayle and by fayling in it are faultie in a good dutie as necessarie as the former yea labour indeed and that with great diligence and carefulnesse till they haue gotten something but let it goe as fast eyther by drinking or gamning or else by good cheere and daintie fayre aboue their abilitie and by this immoderate vndiscreet lauishnesse they vndoe whatsoeuer they did before by following their calling and keepe themselues alwaies in want and penurie whereas if they would be as careful to keepe thriftily as they be painefull to get they might liue of their labours comfortably and ioyfully and besides might be much beneficiall to other that stood in neede and haue wherewithall to open their hand liberally in workes of mercie So Prouerb 21. 20. In the house of a wise man is a pleasant treasure and oyle but a foole deuowreth it A wise man that is a godly man doth not onely seeke and bring into his house but will also keepe in his house a pleasant treasure delightfull riches such as being gotten without any staine of vniustice hee hath delight and comfort and a blessing in the vse of them and he hath not for necessitie onely but also for delight euen oyle and things for refreshing and recreation But a foole that is a wicked and an vngodly man he deuoures all what euer it be left him by his parents giuen him by his friends or gotten by his labour all goes one way all is deuoured all is spent idlely and without any discretion for he serues such a chargeable master as will leaue him nothing at the yeares end Other masters vse to giue their seruants wages for their worke but the diuell and lust whom wicked men serue be both costly and hard masters they will take all and so long as there remaines any thing to be had they cease not calling for it but all this hard and chargeable paines shall be rewarded with nothing but want and necessitie at the last So that a good man must be as well a keeper as a gayner he must know how to bring in lawfully and how to lay out with such discretion and to dispose things in that good order that he do not bring himselfe into vnnecessary wantes and troubles but that he may haue both to comfort himselfe and also to refresh others Thus much for thriftinesse The other thing required in the right vse of ones owne goods is liberalitie without which there is no true obedience to this commaundement Now this liberalitie must spread it selfe in two braunches towards one selfe and towards others A liberall man must be liberall to himfelfe for all goodnesse begins at home and shewes it selfe first where it was first bred And so Eccles 5. 17. This is good he saith to eate and drinke and take pleasure in ones labour and this he saith is the gift of God To haue meat and drinke and apparell is a thing common to reprobates but to haue these things and the right vse of them also in ioy and comfort and thankfulnesse this is a speciall fauour and a thrift not common to many Therfore it is our duty to take a part of those things that God hath giuen vs and with a thankefull and a cheerefull heart to enioy his kindnesse and not to make our case worse then we need as the foolish Israelites did that when God in goodnesse had prouided sufficient food for them that they might haue enough and gone to bed cheerefully after a good and competent supper they were so fearefull and doubtfull least they should haue had nothing for morning that they pinched themselues of Gods allowance and would needs reserue something vntill the morning But what came of it did not God send vvormes amongst it so that it stanke and was good for nothing and so it is still this is a thing perpetuall to the end of the world that he which will be a more niggardly then God would haue him and spares more then God hath laid necessitie vpon him the curse of God vvill fall vpon the goods thus saued that it vvere as good as they had beene spent for they shall corrupt and vanish away to nothing he that spares thus shall neuer haue any good by them that is most sure And indeed if one doe not first shew mercie to himselfe how is it possible hee should shew mercie to an other he that vvill sterue and pine himselfe vvhen he needs not no man vvill trust him to feede and relieue his neighbour vvhen he needs this is most certaine he that vvill be cruell to his ovvne flesh can neuer haue any true pittie to an other Therefore first a man must haue an open hand to minister vnto his ovvne necessitie and to helpe himselfe first see that himselfe be the better for his owne goodnesse and liberalitie And yet that is not enough neither a man must not spend all his kindnesse within doores and keepe so spare a fire that can vvarme no bodie but himselfe but after he must stretch out his hand to be bountiful to others vvhose vvant requires his helpe and vvhose penurie cals for some thing of his aboundance So 1 Timoth. 6. 17. Charge those that be rich in this world that they be not high minded c. That they doe good and be rich in good works He would haue rich men not to trust in riches but in God for riches be vncertaine and what greater folly can be then for a man to put his confidence in that which must away he knowes not how soone
disposition also in himselfe for Prouerbs 17. 4. The wicked giueth heede to false lips and a lyar hearkens to the naughtie tongue Here the holy Ghost noteth a tale-receiuer with two wofull brands he cals him a wicked person and a lyar to that is glad to here false tales of other men he is a naughtie person himselfe and he himselfe hath a false and a lying heart for if he had not hee would neuer intertaine and approue and hearken vnto lies and in the Psalm 15. The holy Ghost sets down this as a differeÌ„ce betwixt an hipocrite that is hollow-hearted and a true and sounde saint of God that an vpright man will not receiue a false report of his neighbour Many bad men that haue no goodnes in them will not for their owne credit sake and to saue their honestie as we say inuent slaunders and be the first makers and brochers of lyes But if some vilde and impudent person will but come buzze in their eares some odde tale against professors they will streight imbrace it it goes for a warrant tell it as confidently as if nothing could be more sure and are as glad of it as if it were some verie gainefull and profitable thing vnto them this man now though he will carrie the name of honest man is a wicked person and if the holy Ghost speakes true a lyer So in Reuel 22. he saith that without are all those that make and loues lies There he notes two kinds of lyars that must both goe to hell There be two broods as it were two litters of these moÌ„strous lyars Some be so shamlesse and so gracelesse and so impudent and the diuell hath taken so farre possessioÌ„ in their hearts as they delight to be coyning lies and busie their heads in inuenting and beginning slaunders Others be not so rude and so grosse as that they will be the authors of a lye but if an other man will bring it to them they will not stande to entertaine it and approue it It shall haue there good wordes and liking So the Pharises and high priests would not themselues come before Pilate and forsweare themselues and beare false witnesse against our Sauiour their faces were not so hardned yet they had not so farre cast of all feare of men and regard of their owne estimatioÌ„ But if they could meet with on that had so bold a face so wicked a mind if they could get him for loue or monie by hiring and intreating or flattering they were very well content and reioyced they had found men so fit for their purpose that would father a lye in the face of the world and they be abetters of it to So Ahab and Iesabel would not so much debase themselues as to sweare falsely against Naboth but if they could get any lewd fellows that would become periurd for the matter they would not refuse the offer but tooke the aduantage against Naboth to put him to death This serues to confute such as haue open eares and will let in any lie that comes from the tale bearers mouth and giue it harbour to and if occation serue sette it forth againe and rehearse it to others vpon so bare a proofe making noe other triall of it But come to them and tell them of it why would you speake so false a thinge to difâ—ame your brother this is the answere presently why I did not bring it vp I am not the first that spoake it I hearde it t was tolde me and I had reason to beleeue it and I thought it to be true Did you heare it did you beleeue it vpon the bare hearing then you shewe what you are such an one of whom Salomon speakes A foole beleeueth euerie thing First euerie ill thing for so it must be vnderstood else of all men they are most hard of beleefe Tell him of that will doe him good that will saue his soule and helpe him against his sinne he will not beleeue it one must keepe such a stirre in perswading and bring reason vpon reason and neuer the neere you can by no meanes perswade him but bring foolish ware to a foole such as hurts his owne soule and his brothers name and dishonours God and makes himselfe a lyar this is fit for him this bargaine is made without many words he is verie easily brought to credit such matters and why because he is a wicked foole lyes are a bait for a foole and laye these in his way and hee is taken without doubting For as the spirit of God is a spirit of truth and those that haue it it leads them into all truth and they are easily brought to giue eare to the truth so the diuell is a lying spirit he is the father of lies those that he possesseth he will make theÌ„ beleeue euerie lye And therefore this excuse will not hold out I was tolde so and how can I tell but it is true it may be it is so and it may be it is not so if the ground of your beliefe be no stronger it is a foolish beleefe Verie nature will conuince such persons of want of charitie for would any man be content that an other should take euery flying report and vncertaine rumor that went about the countrie concerning him and giue credit to it and such credit as he would thinke ill and speake ill of him vpon this alone foundation would one thinke he had wrong you should haue tried out the matter before you had beene caried away with it you should haue searched whether it were so or no talked and conferd with those that could tell you the certaintie of it afore you had so farre trusted it as to rehearse it and report it your selfe Why is an other bound to deale so with you and is it not your dutie to doe so to others Must not we doe as we would be done by and haue that care of an others name and credit that we desire an other should haue of ours Therefore this is plainely iniurious and wrongfull dealing and those that haue this way falne must repent for it and aske pardon Secondly hence we learne to driue away such as be such reporters of other mens dealings such tale-tellers as the holy ghost speaked As the North winde driues away raine so doth an angrie countenance a slaundering tongue When the aire is thick the clouds looke blacke and there is a shew as if they fill the countrie with raine the North winde it riseth and purgeth the ayre makes the coast cleere and dispels the clouds and all vanisheth so must a wise man beare such grauitie in his face as that he may blow away flattring slanderers wheÌ„ they come full fraught with lies he must dispell them by his verie lookes and not suffer them to vnload their naughtie and lying stuffe in his eares Therefore if the master perceiue any of his seruants to delight in secret telling tales in whispering against others and bringing newes to
suffer death for it but to restore fourefold according to the law but he that should steale a seruant as then some wicked men would because they solde seruants in the market as cattle he was to die for it So that we see that God preferres a seruant before a beast therefore also our iudgement and estimation ought to be conformable vnto his So Iob saith that he would heare his seruāt giues a reason which serues for his point to He that made him in the wombe did he not make me so that both were made in the wombe and were equally men both had one creator the seruant and the master equally in respect of creation then also in respect of redemption there is no difference bond or free The seruant if he be an elect seruant hath as much right in the bloud of Christ shall haue as good part of the glorie of Christ in heauen as the master And therefore he is farre more excellent and to be set farre aboue all other goods Likewise they are the most profitable goods and in that regard to be more highly esteemed of for if one had neuer so many cattle and no seruants to looke to them and attend they would yeeld him no commoditie If one had in his possession neuer so much land and ground and had none to manure and husband it orderly it would bring him no fruit nor turne to no profit vnto him Therefore masters must learne to haue a greater care of them and set more by them then by the beasts and not be iniurious vnto them though they seeme neuer so base for the most contemptible seruant in the world is of more worth in his nature then the most excellent bruite beast and the most abiect handmaid more excellent in herselfe then the most precious gold or siluer or such like treasure Therefore these serue to confute the crueltie and couetousnesse of such that doe shew more loue and good vsage to the beast then vnto men made after Gods Image committed to their charge For when their cattle take paines they prouide thy shall haue their diet suitable and if the cattle be sicke and diseased they seeke all meanes to haue them cured and recouered But let their seruants labour and trauaile though they rise vp hungrie and goe to bed colde and haue no due attendance or looking to they make no matter of it And though they be sicke and weake in their house and lie hard by them they will not so much as go to them with any care or diligence but rather which is the diuellish and cruell greedinesse make a pray of them and rob and spoyle them of their wages if they can make their bargaine so This is a most vilde beastly sauagenesse and in truth God paies them for it accordingly for eyther he lets them haue vnfaithfull seruants or else le ts them be in such note as no seruants will abide vvith them but they haue all the toyle to themselues and indeed it is most iust that sith they prize beastes aboue men they and their beastes should trie it out together and sith they beare a greater affection to their goods then to the image of God and man their goods should be turned to a burthen and vexation vnto them Then this serues also for the instruction vnto seruants that sith God doth preferre them before all other goods therfore they should so behaue themselues as they may aunswere to their place for there where God giues more vvages he doth require more vvorke or else he vvill lay on more punishment and therefore it serues vtterly to condemne such as be idle and vvicked that if ye looke into them you can see them good for nothing but swaggering swilling and disguising themselues in their behauiour and apparrell filthie persons and vnchaste that doe nothing but fill the house full of sinne and pollute it vvith vnchastitie and other like disorders These it is iust they should be lesse made of then the beasts because they make themselues worse then the beasts For the oxe and the asse or the horse doe till the ground and carrie burthens and so returne some commoditie to the masters but those that will neither doe any good nor learne any good but set themselues in their cariage and crosse God and his word and his seruants are more base and more vnprofitable then the earth and not worthie so much honor vnlesse they amende as the oxe or asse Nor any thing that is his Seeing he had before touched the matters of greatest waight in their kinde and vnder them comprehended the rest now hee generally toucheth things of lesse worth any thing little or great worth much or worth little that is not the question but if it be thy neighbours thou shalt not haue any motion to hurt thy neighbour in it So that we must obserue hence that the least motion after the least thing of our neighbours is sin men will it may be yeelde that the coueting of a neighbours house wife seruant is naught for these be matters of some wait but for a little corne a little grasse an apple a point c. These they say be trifles not to be stood vpō nay there is nothing so smal but it is some thing and being comprehended vnder the word any thing must not be coueted Therefore God to meete with these obiectors as in the fourth commandement so heare hath brauncht out so many particulers and at length comprehended all other things not named in a generall terme that men might haue no shift or euasion but sith God forbiddes all coueting in trifles or weightie matters might confesse that all is sinne This confutes those that for weightie matters of some moment they will hold their hands at least but for small things that they thinke a man shall not be much the worse for they giue libertie not to their hearts only but also to their hands and then they say Oh this is nothing pray God we may neuer doe worse indeede it were well that we should neuer doe worse but it is not well that one doth so ill for if he doe no worse but doe this still this brings him vnder the curse and will certainly bring him to greater matters for if a sparke be lōg vnquencht it will bring a flāe and he that will disobey God for a little will disobey him more for a great deale and he that makes no bones of corrupting his conscience for a penny or halfe pennie he will be more audacious for a pound And though the matter be small in which one offends yet it is not a small matter nor a little thing to offend against God it is a small thing but it is some thing and God will not allow it in any thing He can spare it but god will not spare it so that thou shouldest take it with sin against his law Therefore the vse that we must make is to pray God to giue vs such a contented heart and so to like our one estate as that we may couet nothing that belongs not to vs. That we shall obtaine if we get a firme and true faith in Gods prouidencence and his promises For if one be perswaded firmely that God hath appointed him this house this wife this seruant then we shall be content for we must needes yeelde that Gods waies be better then ours that his decree is most iust in it selfe and also best for vs if we be his Also one must haue faith in Gods promises for when one sees no helpe for him in any but himselfe and is not resolued that God will prouide for him and see that he shall lacke nothing then originall sin will lay about it and seeke to prouide for it selfe and lay about with wishng and desiring Oh that this or that or the other thing c. Then I should be well But if one rest on Gods promises that hath promised he shall want no good thing that feares him and that he will be a sun and a sheilde vnto the righteous man this will breede such contentment and such resting on Gods prouision as that one shall not be troubled with these idle thoughts and wishes for that is none of ours And thus much for the negatiue part of this commandement Now the affirmatiue part is that we should haue such a charitable affection to our neighbour as that we should neuer haue any motion but to his good in himself euerie thing that belongs to him euerie thought cōcerning him that tēdeth not to his good is sin and thus much for the exposition of the law Which must serue to this end that seeing our owne vnrighteousnesse and vnsufficiency we should flie to Christ to be our righteousnesse and sufficiency and then to make this the rule of our life a lanterne to our feete that though we cannot attaine to the perfection which the law requires yet we may haue that vprightnesse with which the Gospell is content FINIS