in the corne how much more is it vnlawfull for thee to keepe backe the due from thy seruant that laboureth with the strength of his body for thy profit or if thou cast him off or into an Hospitall when hee is lame or sicke how canst thou seeke of him the labour of his hands when he is well againe The 24. Chapter THe good Centurion did not thus he did neither cast off his The charecter of a good master sick seruaÌ„t nor send him vnto any Hospitall till he were healed no he kept him still at home in his owne house and did not put others in trust to seeke helpe for his seruant but carefully performing the duty of a good master Mat. 8. setting aside all his affaires businesse hee goeth himselfe to seeke helpe for him How many masters being rich men in ourtime will doe the like no they thinke it will bee a disgrace vnto them abase thing for themselues to doe such a businesse especially for his seruant but if it were for his wife sonne or daughter whom hee dearely loueth then happily hee would not sticke to goe himselfe but for his seruant hee hath other enough to send about such a businesse So had this Centurion you se he went himselfe I tell you whome soeuer you are that you ought to haue as great a care for the health and welfare of your seruant for the time he is in your Cor. 7. service as if he were either your sonne or daughter nay is hee not Coll. 4. the Lords free man haue you 1. Cor. 7. not all one master in heauen and you not both bought with one price and is hee not fellow heire with you of the same kingdome of grace which you hope to bee of yes verily he is And beleeue mee brother for I tell you no leassing father mother sonne or daughter master seruant King and subiect be but names and titles in this worldly regiment in Christ Iesus wee are al one none better then another all bretheren and must all seeke All one by Christ Christ and our brothers good in Christ or else wee neuer shall haue benefit by Christ how can you then or how dare you abuse your brother though he be your seruant in keeping from him such thinges as be necessary for him or due vnto him whether it bee his foode his cloathing or his wages or any other necessaries â—r oppresse him with labour as Pharâ—ahs task masters did the Children of Israell there be too many such which are euen The law a hiâ—drance vnto many euill Maisters as tyrants vnto their seruants and more would bee were it not for the law I speake not this to abridge the priuiledge or authority which the Master hath ouer his Seruant as occasion serueth I know that the master hath ful authority not onely to imploy his Seruant to labour but also to correct his Seruant as accasioÌ„ shal be ministred for the wise man telleth vs that Eccle. 33. meete correction and worke belongeth How euill seruants must be punished vnto the Seruant I know he goeth farther sayth The yoake and the whip bringeth downe the hard necke so taine thy euill Seruant with whips and correction but yet I pray you note that he giues this rule not to be excessiue towards any and without discretion faith he doe thou nothing But sayth he If thou haue a faithfull How highly a good servant ought to bee resprcted seruant let him bee vnto thee as thine owne soule for in blood hast thou gotten him whereas thy seruant worketh truly intreate him not euill if thou haue a seruant intreate him as a brother for thou hast neede of him as of thy selfe And S. Paule wheÌ„ hee had declared vnto seruants their duty hee admonished masters in like manner saying and you masters doe you the same thinges Ephe. 6. vnto them putting away threatenings and know also that euen your mrster also is in heauen neither is there any respect of persons with him And againe you masters doe vâ—â—â— Collo 4. your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that you also haue â— Masters ought to doe nothing but that which is iust vnto their seruants master in heouen and thus you see that both Saint Paule here the wise man in his Booke doe both agree in this that the Master ought to shew lenitie and gentlenesse vnto his seruant and so by louing kind vsage with frieÌ„dly speech as to a brother winne him to the performance of his duty for surely very willingly doth the seruant labour when the masters countenance is â—hearefull towards him but where the The Masters countenance ought to bee chearefull vnto his seruants Master doth not onely shew a chearefull countenance but also vseth friendly words among his seruants and giueth them their due besides it cannot be but with great ioy and comfort these seruants do passe ouer their labors how hard so euer they seeme to be vnto others and the master finds great comfort in them also The 25. Chapter THus you see what Iustice Saint Paule would haue Masters to vse vnto their seruaÌ„ts namely to do vnto them as you would haue them to doe vnto you and as it he should say would you haue your seruants to deale iustly and truly with you then doe you deale so with them would haue them to be kind and louing vnto you then bee so vnto them also nay you see he would not haue you threaten them and the wise man in his booke giueth the same counsell for saith he if thou intreate thy seruant euill and he run away wilt thou seeke him for indeed many times the Master threatning to giue his Seruant The seruant through threatning running away is oft times the vndoing both of himselfe and Master seuere correction for some fault committed and yet paraduenture not meaning so to doe yet the simple seruant hee knowing or fearing the rigorus correction of his Maister forsaketh his seruice and runneth away sometime to the vndoing of both if in this nature hee goe away from you how can you seeke after him when you your selues are the onely cause thereof keepe secret therefore your mind and if you see iust cause to vse correction doe it priuately in his due time but say not in his hearing or that he may heare thereof what you intend for to doe and so you shall performe the counsaile of the wise man which saith without discretion doe thou nothing But this iust and equall dealing of the Master stretcheth it selfe yet farther as against these euill minded men which seeke to abridge their seruants of their due liberty I meane when they haue obtayned thereunto by their continuance and faithfull seruice the wise man sayth Let thy soule loue a good seruant and defraud Eccle. 7. him not of liberty neither leaue him a poore man but there are some so farre off from performing this that
they rather A good servant must not bee defrauded of liberty will vse all meanes though never so vnlawfull to detayne them longer then their prefixed time especially if there may come any profit by their seruice but as for rewarding them for their good seruice doing they are so farre off from that that in stead of inriching them they will impouerish them for if the poore seruant wil haue his liberty how soeuer his right it shall cost him money before hee haue it and especially if he be able but the iust God who seeth these vniust dealings of such maisters to their seruants will himselfe punish the same For he will haue a yeare of Iubile for your seruant as well as there was for you thou shalt not rule ouer him seuerely but shalt Leu. 15. feare the Lord thy God so that he that doth wrong vnto his seruants is voyd of the feare of God you see this is playne but we wil see further what the Lord will haue done then see what he A duty which Maisters should performe but who doth it commanded his chosen people the children of Israell to doe the words 〈◊〉 these If thy brother an Hebrew sell himselfe vnto thee or an Deu. 15. 〈…〉 esse and serue thee sixe yeares e 〈…〉 in the seauenth yeare thou shalt let him goe out from thee thou shalt not let him goe away empty but shalt giue him a liberall reward of thy sheepe and of thy corne and of thy wine thou shalt giue him of that wherewithall the Lord thy God hath blessed thee and remember that thou wast seruant in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy God deliuered thee therefore I coÌ„mand thee this thing this day What say you now to this you cruell and vniust Maisters of whom I haue before spoken wil you like Pharoah still harden your hâ—rts against them and will not obey then harken what the Lord by his Prophet Ieremiah sayth further vnto these men which haue detayned theâ— A heauie iudgement pronounced against such Masters which detayne their seruants contrary to right Ier. 34. seruants contrary to his command Because you haue not obeyed me in giuing freedome and liberty euery man vnto his brother and seruant behold I proc 〈…〉 â— liberty for you sayth the Lord to the sword to the pestilence and to the famine I wil make you a terror to al the kingdomes of the earth and I will giue these men which haue broked my couenant into the hands of them that seeke their life and their dead bodies shall be for meate vnto the foules of the ayre to the beasts of the earth Now you see how God himselfe doth take in hand the cause of the wronged seruant and how seuerely he doth punish it therefore you that bee maisters deale you iustly with your Seruants and as Saint Paule sayth Collo 4. Remember that your maister also is in heauen and as it must bee thus with your houshold seruant euen so it must be with the hireling which laboureth for you you must not defraud him of his Leuite 19. due nor put him off from day to day and suffer him to come with cap in hand to intreat for that The labourer must not bee put off for his wages which by his labour hee hath hardly earned but remember that the Lord commandeth that the workemans hire abide not with thee till the next morning Behold the hire of the labourers Iam. 5. which haue reaped your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud crieth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hoasts sayth Saint Iames and againe the Lord sayth thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant Deu. 24. that is needy and poore neither of thy bretheren nor of the stranger that is in the land within thy gates thou shalt giue him his hire for his day What a man ought to doe to the hired seruant or day labourer neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustayneth his life least he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it bee sinne vnto thee I neede not amplifie these thinges any farther seeing that the Lord himselfe hath so plainely described it vnto you The 26. Chapter ANd as I haue in this Chapter before shewed vnto you that the Maister ought not to abridge his Seruant of his liberty The Seruants that ruâ—â— into euill by too much liberty the Maister is not onely guilty of but in election of a double punishment if he seeke not for to reforme it wheÌ„ it is due vnto him euen so also the Master must see that his Seruants runne not into euill by giuing them too much liberty in the time of their seruice for this is an euill which also reyneth in our time and of which the master is not onely guilty but also in danger of a double punishment by it in regard that the redresse therof lyeth in his power and he not onely seeth it but also suffereth it and thereby commeth a chiefe author thereof himselfe The wise man sayth If thou set thy seruant vnto labour thou Eccle. 33. shalt find rest but if thou let him goe idle he shall seeke librety set him to labour that hee goe not idle for idlenesse Idlenesse the ground of much euils bringeth much euill And againe set him to worke for that belongeth vnto him Oh that men would be carefull to follow this counsel of the wise man he saith that labour belongeth vnto the seruant but the great men of our time will take no notise of this or if they doe they will seeke to The want of imployment of seruants the cause of their euills many times excuse it saying I am no base mecanicall person I haue sufficient to to maintayne my seruants to attend me do nothing else I do beleeue it to be so and finde that to be the reason that Cards Dice and Tables are more commoÌ„ in your houses then Bibles and other good Bookes Abraham was as rich a man as Gen. 13. any of our time the whole land could not beare the substance of him and his nephew both at one time hee was so rich hee was a Kings fellow hee kept a great multitude of seruants hee was able on the suddaine to make 300. and od men fit for warre of his owne houshold and yet wee Abraham and Iobe commended from Gods owne mouth for bringing vp of thrir servants finde not that hee kept any of theÌ„ idle but imployed them all in some good exercise or other therefore for the good and vertuous bringing vp of his family hee receiued commendations euen from God himselfe Iob was a mighty man also of wealth exceeding rich the greatest man euen of the whole â—ast country hee kept a multitude of seruants but none of them idle that wee are sure of and therefore from the mouth of God
himselfe hee hath this high exaltation that he was the Phaenix of the world in his time he had no fellow there be others likewise which will set their seruants to labour but not regard whether they do it or no but if they do bring them home the price of their dayes labour at night then they are content they looke no farther to that busines and so the lewd seruant may doe euen what hee will vnder such a Maister he may goe to playes to whores to drunkenesse or any thing as too many doe The Maister not regarding how his seruant vseth his time becommeth guilty of the euil which his seruant abuseth Is this the setting of your seruants to labour nay this is but your seruing own turnes your couetousnesse and therefore you are guilty of the euill which they doe thus commit because you preuent it not by seeing how they dispose of themselues in this time wherein you appoynt them to labour and if that your calling serue not to imploy them in some bodily labour yet you ought to bee carefull that they haue not more time to spend abroad out of your sight theÌ„ that time onely which your businesse requireth for these things also belong vnto your charge For if that Maisters were as The euill of the Master corrupteth the Seruants carefull as they ought to bee seruants could not haue that liberty to vse and to abuse as they doe but where the Maister himselfe is an euill liuer as a drunkard a haunter of brothell houses a gamester or an idle gadder from home there the seruant must needs haue liberty and no maruaile then if such a maister haue such seruants and doe wee not see dayly that too many doe wrong themselues their whole family by these abuses how vnfit are these men to gouerne others which haue no power to gouerne themselues Oh you whom these things concerne be wise and circumspect in your waies and remember that the charge of the seruants which are committed vnto you is not smal but that a great account you must giue vnto God how you haue gouerned those soules committed vnto you The 27. Chapter ANd as the Maister ought not to giue his seruant more liberty then is fit so also he may not suffer them to bee possessed with Seruants puffed vp in pride seeke liberty and abuse both themselues and it pride by arraying them or suffering them to be arrayed aboue the estate of seruants for this is one chiefe poynt which maketh them to seeke liberty and this did Salomon well vnderstand therefore telleth you plainely that he that dilicately doth bring vp his seruant from his youth at length he will be euen as his son our owne experience in these dayes confirmeth the truth of this vnto vs to the griefe of many good minds whose eyes and eares are dayly cloyd herewith and who is in the fault of this thy seruant nay you that be Maisters are you suffer maintayne them in such pride that many forgetting their duty vnto God and you doe fall into such lewdnesse as many times are both the ruine of your owne estate and of themselues too and were they not suffered thus to exceed the nature of seruants as I sayd before in pride and idlenesse there would not so many of them haunt the dauncing schooles fencing schooles tauernes and alehouses as do can you excuse your selues now are you not guilty herein oh I would you were not Indeed there be many of you that if that which they spend in pride and these abuses did come out of your owne purses I doe Maister ought to see the laying out of mony giuen to their seruants that it be put to good vseâ— thinke that it would bee otherwise will you say they haue it from their friends I say still the more vnwise then are you which do suffer it to be thus idely spent but some of you do know that it coÌ„meth in another nature from whence it should not come and this you tollerate to saue your owne stakes are you guilty herein then or no Againe there be some which can bee content to set their seruants Maisters ought not to suffer their seruants â—o gad on the Sabborh day at their owne pleasure to labour all the weeke dayes but when the Sabboth crmmeth which ought by Masters and Seruants to bee wholy sanctified vnto God with thankesgiuing for the benefit of his blessings receiued the weeke past many of them scarce see their seruants al that whole day or if they doe see them at meate time then all the rest of the day they enioy wholy to themselues without contradiction which how leawdly they spend wee see with griefe their pride is cause of this as well as liberty The time hath beene that a Seruant might haue been known by his habite but now the Maister is not knowne from the Seruant nay I haue seene the Seruant better maintayned in the time of his seruice then he hath beene able to maintayne himselfe when he hath come to labor for it with his own meanes what folly is this in Maisters thus to do in time not long past a good Marchant hath not been arrayed as now your Seruants be I could vnfould more abuses growing from this pride in Seruants and the Maisters fault in suffering then I am willing â—o disclose or is fit I should lay no colours on it to hide it they will not serue I doe know you would excuse it and say you doe it for A bad fault in Maisters when they will seeke to excuse the pride of their seruants your credit sake but in this you offend God and discredit the common wealth by making a breach in those good lawes which haue beene ordayned against such abuses I pray God to giue you grace to see these things wisedome to redresse it but it hath spread so farre that I feare it hath taken such deepe roote as will not easily bee weeded out except authority do put their vnto a strong hand The duty of Seruants The 28. Chapter OVr blessed Lord and Master Iesus Christ which left no est arâ— of persons without instructions fitting vnto their seuerall callings hath very briefely and yet most truly playnely prescribed vnto Seruants the fulnesse of their duty also but in few words hee concludeth the whole businesse hee doth not giue theÌ„ many seuerall instructions least so they might forget some of them by the way and therefore includes all in one short sentence and this it is Hee that knoweth the will of his Maister and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes Now you see here that there is Seruants of what degree soeuer and bound with a more seuerer bond then man can invent to performe their duty vnto their Maisters no seruant of what degree soeuer he be if he be a Seruant but that hee is bound by a more sure obligation then the witt of man can inuent euen the
holy commandement of that blessed one whose command by all must bee obeyed vpon payne of damnation euen hee it is that giueth this admonition vnto thee to doe the will of thy Maister No oâ— liting nor quit â—cating wil serue our Sauiour himselfe hath giuen seruants so plaine a direction of their duty that none may or can gaine say it or else he telleth thee plainly what penalty will ensue vpon it thou must be beaten with many stripes for not doing of it nay hee doth not leaue thee thus neither with this admonition only he goeth a little further yet for to stoppe all quillets which may arise and put all doubts out of question for he knew that there were and would bee many that would be more curious to contend about what they ought to doe then willing to doe that they should doe and therefore telleth thee That the seruant that doth not the will of his Maister yea although hee know not the will of his Maister yet euen he shall bee beaten too Now seeing that the case standeth thus that this burthen lieth vpon the shoulders of euery particuler Seruant in the name of God bestirre your selues like men stand to your tackling rouse vp your selues seeke labour and striue coÌ„tinually to performe this worke of obedience vnto your Maisters that so you may avoyd this danger of many stripes and it shall not be amisse for this our purpose if we a little peruse the word of God to see what wee finde there more concerning this matter that so as in a glasse the seruants of these our times may see and seeing know whether they peforme the same or not And wee shall finde that Saint Paule knowing the errors of Seruants how slacke they are in performing their duties vnro their Maisters and how needefull it was that they should bee instructed herein hath very carefully in many of his Epistles largely set forth this duty of seruants both what inward and outward obedience is to bee required of them That it must bee euen with Ephe. 5. feare and trembling for so hee sayth And so Saint Peeter hee 1. Pet. 2. teacheth the same also saying Be yee subiect vnto your Maisters with all feare And againe Let as many Timo. 6. seruants as be vnder the yoke count their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God his doctrine be not euill spoken of and they which haue beleeuing Masters despise them not for they are bretheren but rathey doe them seruice because they are faithfull and beloued and pertakers of the benefit Againe Seruants bee obedient Seruants must not be men pleasers but that they doe must 〈◊〉 singlenâ— of heart Colio â— vnto them that are your bodily Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and what soeuer you do doe hartyly as vnto the Lord and not vnto men and bee sure that yee shall receiue of the Lord the reward of inheritance for you serue the Lord Christ Againe you Seruants bee obedient vnto your maisters and please them in all things not answering Seruants must not answer againe vnto their Mastris theÌ„ againe neither be ye pickers but shew all good faithfulnesse that in all things yee may doe worship vnto the doctrine of God our Sauiour Againe ye seruants be obedient The frowardnesse of the maister should no way be a hindrance vnto the performing of the seruants duty to your Maisters with all feare not onely if they bee good and curteous but also if they be froward for this is thankes worthy if a man for conceience sake to wards God indure griefe wrongfully for what prayse is it if when yee bee buffeted for your 1. Pet. 2. faults yee take it patiently but if when you do wel you suffer wrong take it patiently this is acceptable It is 〈…〉 godameâ—cy or a seruant to bee patient when he is buffeted iustly but if it be done wroÌ„g fully then to beare it with patience is of high commendations vnto God for herevnto are you called For Christ also suffered for vs leauing for vs an exaÌ„ple that we should follow his steps who did not sin neither was there guile found in his mouth who when hee was reuiled reuiled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but committed it to him which iudgeth righteously Saint Paule by these things did teach this Doctrine vnto Christian seruants thus to doe vnder their Maisters though infidels and vnbeleeuers because of their places for indeed the Maister is Gods vicegerent in his family therefore if Christians vnto infidels must performe this obedience as we see it is coÌ„manded by our blessed Sauiour for his words haue no limitatioÌ„ but are generall all must obey all must be obeyed How much more in these dayes of grace and knowledge should seruants professing themselues to be Christians striue to performe their duties euen to the full vnto their Christian masters whom God hath chosen called in his sonne Iesus Christ to bee partakers of his heauenly treasures as well as themselues Therefore my bretheren I beseech you in the feare of God What inward obedience is required of seruants that you 〈…〉 carefull in the obseruing of this which here from the word of God you may gather namely to bee obedient vnto your Maisters euen inwardly in your heart in feare and trembling for if your spirits within you bee not truly humbled how then can you performe that obedience outwardly which is of you required let the Seruants count their Maisters worthy of all honour there must be a reuerent estimation of them euen in your hearts before you can giue them this honour duly and truly as it ought for without this harty loue and inward affection towards them your outward obedience will bee but false and hypocriticall Seruants must seare to offend their Maisters and why and all this your zelous duty must be mingled with feare for so Saint Paule teacheth because you are to performe this duty seruice as vnto God and not vnto men being thus prepared then you shall bee able to performe all good outward obedience which shall bee required of you And this obedience must bee performed without partiality as 〈…〉 ll to the poore man as to the 〈…〉 h for it is no thankes vnto you 〈◊〉 â—erforme this obedience vnto 〈◊〉 Maisters they being great 〈◊〉 or rich men their wealth places and authority requireth be performed as well to the poore as to the rich it they will command it of you and you dare doe no other but yeeld it them but if your Maisters bee poore and as men despised of the world then they to bee precious in your eyes and you in the zeale of your conscience and duty vnto God to giue vnto them that duty which you ought to doe both inwardly from the heart performing all The true token of a
dutifull seruant faithfulnesse vnto them and giuing them the reuerence due vnto them being vncouered in their presence and shewing all outward reuerence of the body vnto them This is a token of grace thus it ought to be and thus it must bee that the doctrine of Christ which you professe bee not slaundered by your disobedience The 29. Chapter ANd here I haue occasion iustly giuen mee to reproue those bould fancie youthes of our time which forgetting their dâ—ty vnto God doe shew no reuerence at all vnto their Maisters and especiall if they bee poore they then will bee so fellowly with them that a man would rather take them to bee neighbour and neighbour then Maister and Th◠〈…〉 reuerent behauiour of seruants vnto their maisters Seruant nay I would this were the worst as bad as it is for many of them are not onely vndutifull but euen rebellious against their Maisters nay euen against God himself therefore culpable of eternall punishment for if their Maister doe but reproue them yea and that iustly too doe they not giue them word for word againe nay 10. for one A disobedient seruant that despiseth the discipline of his maister rebelleth against God himselfe if they come to correct them are they not ready to resist them so that many of them will neither bee reproued nor corrected by them Is not this rebellion against God thus to contemne his ordinance in him whom hee hath set ouer thee to feede thee cloath thee learne thee yea to rule thee is it not our Sauiours owne words here that he must be beaten with many strips which doth not the will of his Maister if so what shall hee haue then which scorneth to bee instructed and despiseth the discipline of his master surely his puishment must needs be very great Well my friends iudge whether it be better to follow your own mindes herein or the counsaile of Saint Paule hee telleth you plainely it must bee otherwise such disobedient courses Seruants must be obedient vnto their Maisters in all things must not so much as once bee thought of amongst you but you must bee obedient vnto them euen in all things and so shall you performe the commandement of our Sauiour Christ And yet there bee some of so stubborne and rebellious a nature that if their Master do proffer them a blow nay scarce that too yet they will straight leaue his seruice and as without leaue so without care or feare of Gods Seruants must not flye from their Maisters for any vnkind vsage lawes or mans cast off the yoake of their obedience although it bee to the very vndoing both of their Master and themselues but how great an offence this is the story of Hagar doth plainely Gen. 16. shew who though her Mistris vnkind and rough dealing with her was the cause why shee fled from her yet the Lord so disliked of it that he commanded her not onely to returne vnto her againe but also to humble her A speciall poynt for seruants to take notise of selfe vnto her hereby shewing how great an offence shee had committed in which such humiliation must be vsed for reconcilement you wild headed youthes of our time consider this But it may bee some of you will be iudge of your owne cause and say it cannot bee that shee was so hardly dealt withall as I am for I neither can get those things which of right I ought to haue and yet am opprest with labour and can neither get kind word or good looke of my Maister or Mistris but say or doe what I can they are still brawling chiding and vncontented Dost thou thinke that the fault in thy Maister is the cause why thou dost not giue him content to please him nay nay assure thy selfe that it is rather the corruption of thine owne heart that keepeth thee from performing thy duty with more obedience diligence that so thou mightest please him or is it because thou takest not that course which Abrahams seruant did who when his Maister sent him about his Gen. â— businesse hee made his humble prayers vnto the Lord that hee would prosper the things hee went about this was the way he Seruants must pray vnto the Lord to send prosperity to their labours went about his businesse See here my friends the duty of a seruant what hee ought to doe and how he assuredly may please his Master or Mistris hee must begin his labours in the Lord by sanctifying them vnto him by prayers hee must continue them in the Lord as doing them vnto the Lord and not vnto men and so he shall be sure both to please the Lord and his Maister be he what hee will but Seruants notwithstanding the vnkind or vniust dealings of Maisters vnto theÌ„ yet ought with patience to beare it performiâ—g still all faâ—â—hfulnesse vnto them and of God shall receiue their reward so doing if thy Master be kind and louing and supply vnto thee all good necessary thinges needefull for thee it is no thankes vnto thee to bee obedient and dutifull vnto such a Maister for he hath deserued it of thee but if hee bee as thou sayest vnkind vnto thee either in keeping backe such things as of right thou oughtest to haue or otherwise froward or churlish vnto thee or if hee correct thee vniustly in these cases if thou with patience dost beare it and notwithstanding dost performe thy duty vnto him with all good faithfulnesse then bee thou sure that the Lord will recompence this his vnkindnesse with kindnesse againe vnto thee from him selfe for so both the Apostles doe confesse as I haue shewed before but will you haue further proofe yet for this poynt will you see how God hath dealt with others in former times reade then the Historie of Iacob and it will satisfie you herein and shew you a worthy example The 30. Chapter WHo could haue serued a worse Maister then Iacob did of his owne Vncle Laban seeking Gen. 31. so many waies to defraud him of his due as he did not once nor twice but tenne times or many What a carefull seruant Iacob was though hee had a bad master and how the Lord rewarded him times so that as he confesseth if the God of his fathers had not beheld his labours hee had euen sent him away empty notwithstanding his paynefull labours spent 20. yeares together in his seruice by day being consumed with heate and in the night with frosts so carefull ouer his businesse that hee would not suffer his eyes to take their rest in the night season yet all this time of his meÌ„y wrongs he bare with patience and neuer neglected any part of his duty the more for it and how God rewarded this his painefull seruice the story plainly sheweth to the great comfort of all good seruants what wonderfull blessings hee bestowed vpon him both deliuering him from his vnkind Maister cruell Brother and giuing
vnto him blessings aboundantly Yea I haue another president yet to shew you which I may not let passe worthy your best consideration I meane the wrong The ch 〈…〉 life of Ioseph should be an ensample to seruants which Ioseph suffered both inwardly in mind and outwardly in body inwardly in mind by the lasciuiousnesse of his vnchast Mistresse dayly tempting him to that abominable act of Adultery which his chast soule hated and shut vp in a dungeon or prison almost three yeares together who could haue suffered more theÌ„ he did what an vnkind part was this of a cruell Maister vniustly casting so good a seruant into prison so long time that vpon so small nay so vniust a cause neither regarding the Gen. 39. good and faithfull seruice of his seruant of whom hee had had good experience by his long coÌ„tinuance with him nor with wisedome entring into the equity of his cause but rashly nay foolishly at the false accusation of his lascivious wife casteth off yea into prison so vertuous so good a seruant whome he knew of his owne knowledge that hee feared God and that all that hee Ioseph bearing patiently the wrong done vnto him is rewarded with glorie and honour had prospered the better vnder him Yet did he not exclaime of this his vniust Maister nor once seeke to haue his iust cause heard with equity but with great patience beareth he with al these his great wrongs and how greatly God did reward him we see it to bee with the glory of the whole kingdome of Egypt O see you that be seruants see these worthy spectacles and regard theÌ„ let not the vnkindly or vniust dealing of your Maisters be any meanes to withdraw your affections froÌ„ performing your labours both faithfully and willingly in their seruice but remember that the worke is the Lords not your Maisters for you serue the Lord Christ and of him shall receiue the reward as you see is here prooued But how little are these things Seruants ought rather to suffer wrong then to offer any bee regarded of seruants in these dayes with griefe we see not to be in bearning wrong with patience at the hands of their masters but in offering and doing wrong vnto them not seeing in themselues into their owne faults but prying with Argus eyes into the faults of their Maister or Mistris and if they find but a small hoale in his coate they will make a great rent of it before they haue done and that fault which he in his owne house hath committed Seruants ought to keepe their Maisters imperfections priuate to themselues and not make them commoÌ„ by his lewd seruant is made coÌ„mon to all his acquaintance and companions thinking themselues well if they may see any imperfections in them that they may deride scoffe at them behind their backes nay slaunder their Maisters in their reputations whereby they doe liue amongst men And thus whereas hee doth thinke that hee maintayneth a good and faithfull seruant that doth vphold and maintayne his credit hee nourisheth a serpent that seeketh subtilly and secretly to slay him and therefore worse is such a seruant to his Maister then a theefe that openly commeth vpon a man to robbe or to spoyle him for from such a one he happily may escape and so be free but neuer from such a seruant the poyson of Aspes is vnder his tongue the wound is deadly And as the seruant may not wrong his Maister by disclosing any priuate fault in him to his disgrace so likewise he must bee no blab of his tongue in the disclosing of any busines or secrert of his Maisters among his family or being a tale carrier whereby any strife may arise either in the family or amongst neighbours he must take heede of that and especially that by telling of lyes he sow not sedition in the family for this a wicked Seruants may not by any meanes cause contention to arise eyther amongst friends or in a family and a dangerous thing when strife and contention is raised in a family by vniust meanes neither must he bee an abuser of his fellow seruants by quarrilling or fighting with them or beating mususing them in the absence of his Maister But it may be you will obiect against me in this poynt and say my Master is pleased to giue mee some authority ouer my fellowes in his absence so that I am to see his busines performed by them in due time and if they shall neglect the doing thereof I shal be blamed for it more then they and therefore I must bee rough sometimes with some of them or else I shall not get theÌ„ to performe their busines as they should Why brother I tell thee this is no sufficient argument for thee to take vpon thee the authority of a Lord or Maister to beate correct thy fellows but if thy Maister put thee in any authority more then the rest for the performing of his businesse as thou sayst yet see that thou bee not puffed vp in pride to take vpon thee more then is firt but by Seruants ought not to correct their fellowes but to leaue that prehemineÌ„ce vnto their Maisters louing and kind words and good instructions from the word of God and good examples from thy selfe seeke to win them to the performaÌ„ce of their duty so shall thou get loue and not hatred of thy fellowes and credit and good report both of thy Maister and all others but if there bee any so lewd a seruant that hee will not by these good meanes bee won by thee to performe thy Maisters businesse appoynted for him to doe then let thy Maister vnderstand thereof that he may giue correction vnto such a seruant and haue the priuiledge of a Master in correcting his owne seruant but let not thy hand be vpon him but remember that he is thy fellow seruant least thereby thou be hated and despised of thine own fellowes and get thee an euill report amongst men alwaies remember the lesson which Saint Paule teacheth That you so behaue your selues in all thinges that the doctrine of Iesus Christ be not slandered by your conuersation The 31. Chapter ANd here I haue iust occasion giuen me to reproue the lewd â—es of too too many wicked seruants of our time that take no regard of the slaundering of the doctrine of Christ nor of their owne conversations no nor saluation neither and yet they would bee counted Christians but they shew themselues worse then infidells deuills in the shape of men women by their workes Is not their best actions performed euen with eye seruice only no longer then Maisters looking on no longer true labour if hee bee absent are not they absent likewise are they not contentious quarrellers fighters abusers of their fellowes like vnto ruffians in their Maisters houses blasphemers of the sacred name of God vsing nay abusing his holy name in euery idle action so that when
so they be for the Diuills wares it is no maruaile if your Children spend that vnthrifitily which is so vngodly gotten But as you see it is a choyse It is not enough to chuse a good seruant but to preserue him still in goodnesse poynt of the Maister to bee carefull what seruant he taketh into his family so the Maister must be carefull likewise to bring vp his seruants religiously in the time of their seruice that must bee in seeing that his seruants come to the publique exercises of hearing the word of God in due time that they there remaine all the whole time of prayer and teaching and that they bee in as conuenient place as they may that so they may haue the ouersight of them for it is not enough that the Master bring his seruants vnto the Church and then let them giue them the slip at the Church dore or goe o◠as soone as they come in and s◠〈…〉 to Tauernes or Ale-houses or as bad places or else get into some corner of the Church where either they may sit and talke all the time or else sleepe it out This the good Maister may What good counsaile of a Maister giuen in due time may doe prevent by giuing them counsaile that if they will serue him they must bee carefull to serue God aboue all things and be religious in Gods house if they will haue any countenāce of him in his house but many men are more carefull in planting of Orchards or Gardens or chusing of sheepe for breede or following their worldly profits then they are in planting a godly family in their houses whereby God may be glorified his Church profited Or if they haue seruants vnder them to doe their worke and labor for them that so they may liue at the more ease pleasure idlenesse themselues then all is well as they thinke or turne it otherwise if you please and make the best of it by the way of good husbandry as a meane for them to thriue by and yet you shall find the end thereof to bee onely this to satisfie their neuer satisfied coueteousnesse Men do regard their beastes as much as this their oxe their asse their horse and such like yea will bee very carefull for the keeping of them to the end their profit may arise by them the wise traueller wil be so carefull for his horse which but onely for his pleasure he is to ride on that hee will spare time euen from his owne meate and rest to see that his beast shall both be made cleane lye cleane and haue his fill of prouender to the end hee may bee the better able to beare him on his iourney the husband man likewise in the care of his cattle is very laborious for his profit protecting them from weather water and such like dangers and is continually amongst them shifting them frō ground to ground frō pastuer to pasture to the end they may the better feede profit that Many leawd Maisters doe make lesse account of their seruants then others doe of their beasts if any disease do befall them he may the sooner remoue it from amongst them in these things men are wise carefull enough as is fitting but my deare bretheren there bee many amongst vs which beare the name of Christians and haue the gouerment of seruants which to their shame I speak it do make lesse account of their seruants thē these men do of their beastes for they will looke to their beasts themselues carefully enough so doe no◠many a one to their seruants but God forbid it should bee so withal yea I know there be many that are very carefull to performe this their duty as well in prouiding and giuing them all things needefull for them as in setting them to their worke and labour and I doubt not but that the fruit therof they find in their seuerall callings But I speak of those who can be content do carefully enough set their seruants vnto their labors as it is fit indeed they should but doe giue them small comfort and cherishing in their labours loading them with labours like Pharoahs taske masters Exo. 5. The cruelty of bad masters but not halfe filling their bellies with victualles as the traueller I spake of doth his horse so that many times the poore seruant hauing labored all day and had but a small dinner yet at night commeth to so short commons that when hee hath saued the mayde a labour in making cleane the dishes which were set before him hee hath yet a fresh stomacke to a good supper if he might come at it is not this a hard case yet I would it were not true And I will tell you the cause of this your selues are in the The negligent care of the maister bringeth the seuruants want fault of it you are carefull enough to looke to haue your owne due as it is fit you should but not careful enough in giuing them their due for too many of you doe put that off to be performed by a false steward and so many a poore seruant is punished both in belly and backe to helpe to maintayne the pride pleasure of his Dame or Mistris You put them in trust with these things to see them fed sweet kept wholsomely lodged thinke you that these thinges do not belong vnto you to see them done as well as vnto your wiues yes surely they do yet I say in them to do them is more fitting but to you it belongeth to see them faithfully done as they The duty of the Master bindeth him to see that the want of his seruant be by himselfe supplyed ought to bee for how canst thou looke that thy servant shal labor faithfully with the strength of his body for thee or to say the truth how can he do it when his body is enfeebled by meanes of due nourishing with hole sō food or things vsefull for him which should nourish strengthē him this is too common a thing amōgst vs it is a great reproach vnto this our English nation yet this is not all neither For there be some which can be content to maintayne their seruants reasonable well for their profits sake which may arise by their labours while they are able to do any for thē but if God doe send his visitation vpon them either A great fault in many Masters by sicknes or lamenes then if they haue not an out garden house or som backe place to put them into where they shall bee sure to haue but a slender looking to thē to an Hospital with them and so rid thēselues of them or else basely nay gracelesly turne them out of doores to shift for themselues in that heauie case what an vncharitable yea an vnchristian-like part is this yet such there be the more the pitty But if it bee not lawfull to muzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth
the deuill is in their Heauie iudgements are appoynted for wicked seruants hearts yet the holy name of God is abused in their profane lipps forgetting that the Lord himselfe hath sayd Hee will not hold Exo. 20. him guiltlesse that taketh his name Zacha. 5. in vaine but as hee hath already Luk. 12. sent out his dreadfull curse against the blasphemer so hee hath a iudgement to come of many stripes for such disobedient seruants And who is so blind that seeth not the exceeding intollerable vice of pride by which the deuill leadeth dayly so many of you vnto your owne destructions for haue it you will to maintaine this vice by hooke or by crooke the Masters estate shall pay for it else is not this a great fault too common amongst you spread euen into the meanest degree of Tradesmen of handicrafts which who or where are those The great abuse of the pride of servants which are not guilty of all degrees of you Oh that you did but see what mischiefes you daily fall into by your intollerable pride wherein you are growne to such a height that now yee disdayne the estate and habit of seruants in your array and to bee maintayned as you ought by the estate of your Maisters who now can know the Maister from the Seruant by his attyre it hath not been thus in times past neither ought now so to be by the lawes of the land but what speake I of the lawes of the Land to those which regard not the Lawes of God for which way you gett that which in pride and ryot you daily consume your consciences will best tell you yea and accuse you of one day except you repent But sure I am some rob cousin The pride of seruants by what meanes it is maintayned deceiue their maisters to procure it for if they can take ought of his that he seeth not or doth not presently misse then all is well as they thinke Saint Paule chargeth you not to bee pickers but for to mayntayne this your pride what will you not pick and steale Others there be which if they cannot get it thus they will get it in an other fashion for if their maister wil deale iustly or kindly with his friend and will make no gaine by him and put them in trust so to do they will haue Gehesaies Gehesie ought to be an example vnto all lying Seruants 1. King 5. tricke but they will haue somewhat of him they will lye but they wil haue it nay I would they did not lie with the tongue and steale with both hands to Such Gehesies doe little regard that he got Namans leprosie for his labor but tell them this they will answere their maister is no Elisha to work miracles therefore feare not oh my bretheren you little regard that the eies of the Lord are as neere vnto you when you do these things as the heart of Elisha was vnto his seruant Gehesie Is this to performe the duty of Christians nay to slaunder the doctrine of Christ and all good Christians is this the thing you doe when you should serue the Lord and not your selues nay the Diuell you serue and your selues here is no regard of seeking A note worthy to be regarded of Seruants the Lord with a single heart nor doing their seruice faithfully as vnto the Lord nor remembring that of the Lord they shal receiue the reward of their seruice be it good or bad But as he is mercifull so hee is Gods iudgements against wicked servants iust also hath pronounced this sentence against you that he will cut you off giue you your portion with the vnbeleeuers more might I speake of such euill seruants but I will rather smother such things in mine owne breast which of mine owne knowledge I know to bee true then explaine them in wrighting for I wish rather to suppresse such euils then to expresse them I haue beene somwhat sharpe in this my reproofe I do confes but mistake me not I pray you for I do not speake generally vnto all God forbid I should I hope better thinges of many of you for I doubt not but there are some Eliazers among you Gen. 5. that feare God doe faithfully serue both him your Maisters and do sanctifie all your labours xnto him by prayer that so both you and your labours may prosper some paynefull Iacobs likewise which with all your best indeauours performe your labours withoÌ„t grudging or murmuring some chast and faithfull Iosephâ—s whose Maisters sleepe secure finding themselues blessed thorough the providence of your wisedomes in the feare of God and I reioyce herein and blesse the Lord in his mercy towards you praying for the continuance of his blessings vpon you the increase of your multitude for there was one righteous Noah in the old world And one faithfull Abraham in Canaan and one righteous Lot euen in Sodome and Seauen Thousand in Israell in the dayes of Eliah that neuer had bowed a knee vnto Ball and I hope there bee some amongst Seruants that doe dayly striue euen in these our dayes to performe this their duty of obedience vnto their Maisters to the full with a single and an vpright heart as to the Lord onely And thus I haue briefely runne ouer this duty of Seruants and by the helpe of these our blessed Apostles haue shewed vnto you what duty our blessed Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ commandeth you to performe vnto your bodily Maisters And I haue seâ— before you likewise some of the abuses oâ— these our times wherein so many are carried away by their owne selfewils vnto their owne destructions I doe now beseech you bretheren in thee Lord Iesus that you become more warie and wise in your conuersations hauing more regard vnto the command of our blessed Sauiour in performing this taske imposed vppon you of your obedience vnto your Maisters in seeking to know their wills and so with all diligence to doe it that so you may not onely avoyd those dangers of many stripes but also enioy the benefit which hee hath pruided for all those that with all their best endeauours doe labour to performe this their duty which shall not by any other but euen by him selfe be performed vnto you saying well done good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in few things bee thou Mat. 2â— ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters ioy which ioy so farre excelleth all earthly things that no tongue of man can vtter them nor the heart of man conceiue them therefore happie and blessed are all those that shall enioy them euen so Amen FINIS Morning and Euening Prayer to be daily vsed in priuate Families Morning Prayer O Almighty and our most mercifull louing God Father in Iesus Christ wee thy most vnworthy seruants through thy mercy presuming to prostrate our selues here before the face of thy diuine Maiesty doe most humbly
that teacheth his sonne greeveth the enemie and before his friends hee shall reioyce of him though his father die yet hee is as if he weee not dead for he hath left one behind him that is like him in his life hee saw him and had ioy in him and was not sorry in his death neither was hee ashamed before his enemies he left behind him an avenger against his enemies and one that should shew fauour vnto his friends hee that flattereth his soone bindeth vp his wounds and his heart is grieued at euery cry An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will bee wilfull if thou bring vp thy sonne delicately hee shall make thee affraid and if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse laugh not with him least thou bee sorrie with him and least thou dash thy teeth in the end giue him no liberty Keepe thy child vnder in the time of his youth and so thou shalt haue ioy of him in the end in his youth and wincke not at his folly bow downe his necke while hee is yong and beate him on the sides while he is a child least he waxe stubborne and so bee disobedient vnto thee and so bring sorrow vnto thy heart therefore chastise thy child and be diligent therein withould not correction from thy child for if thou Prou. 23. smightest him with the rod hee shall not die thereof thou smigbtest him with the rod but thou deliuerest his soule from hell and againe if thou Eccle. 7. haue Daughters keepe their body shew not thy face chearefull towards them marry thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a waighty matter Eccle. 42. but giue her to a man of vnderstanding How a man ought to bestowe his daughter If thy daughter be a wanton keepe her straightly least shee cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorne and the whole Citty to giue the an euill report and so thou bee faine to heare thy shame of euery Deut. 23. man thou shalt not hold thy daughter to whoredome that the land fall not to whoredome and waxefull of wickednesse If thy daughter bee not shamefast hould her straightly least shee abuse her selfe by ouermuch liberty Deut. 23. beware of the dishonesty of her eyes there shall bee no whore among the daughters of Israell nor whorekeepers among the sonnes of Israell A misnurtered soone is the dishonor of the Father a foolish daughter shall be little regarded and she that commeth to dishonesty bringeth her father to heauinesse a daughter that is past shame dishonoreth both her Father and her Mother Now you see what wise councounsell golden precepts are here giuen to Parents for the gouerning of Children so that more cannot well bee said or at least need not but onely this aduising you not to bee negligent in the execution of these thinges aswell for the discharge of your owne duties as for the good of your Children but I haue heard some Parents so vnwise which when their Children haue done amisse and they haue beene aduised to giue them correction for it they haue answered I cannot doe it for I cannot abide to fight with my children see what a silly answer was here made and yet many such He that loueth his chi◠maketh him often to feele the rod and so preserueth him from greater dangers Pro. 23. fooles there be callest thou this fighting thou errest I might haue said thou lyest for here are no enemies opposed one against another to endanger the life of either but tender harted loue from a good father or mother which seeketh by gentle correction of a rod to deliver the soule of the child from hell wilt thou then not doe so then thou art guilty of thy childs going to hell thou shalt follow it thither too if thou amend not thinkest thou it is enough for thee to chide thy Childe for his fault That is not enough for Parents to chide their children but they must vse correction also when hee doth amisse I say nay God will haue thee to vse correction too looke vpon the heauie iudgement hee shewed vpon old Elye and his Children becaue he did not correct them for their faults and that alone may serue to terrifie and teach you too not to neglect so great a charge We finde that when the Lord did reveale himselfe vnto Samuell the first thing which he made knowne vnto him was the euill hee would bring vpon his master Elye the words of God himselfe are these behald I will doe a thing in Israell whereof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle 1. Sam. 2. In that day I will raise vp against Elye all thinges which I haue spoken concerning his house when I beginne I will also make an end and I haue told him I will iudge his house for euer for the inniquity which hee knoweth because his sonne ran into a slaunder and he stayd them not And in the next chapter following An example or Parents not to deferre the correction of their children we see the execution of Gods iustice in the performance of his word for the Arke of God was taken from them by their enemies the Philistines and the sons so Elye Hophne Phynias were both slaine the same day and old Elye being Eighty yeares of age when hee heard 1. Sam. 3. these tydings fell backward Gods iustice shewed vpon old Elye for not correcting his sonnes from the seate he sate vpon and so brake his necke his daughter in law the wife of his sonne Phineas being with child and neere the time of her deliuerance shee hearing these heavie newes fell suddenly in trauell of her child-birth and so dyed The 14. Chapter YOu see what heauie iudgements God powred vpon this man and his Children because hee did not correct them and yet they being in the state of manhood hee a very old man you would haue thought hee had done enough when hee rebuked them with sharpe words telling them and no doubt but that it was with griefe too that all the people reported euill of them nay wisely he telleth them more that if one man doe sinne against another the iudge may iudge it but none may pleade for him that sinneth against the Lord yet because hee did not more sharpely and seuerely punish them you see the Lord thus sharpely doth punish both him and his Now what will you say to this example I know what you would plade you would faine excuse your selues still and say that though when they bee children you then may gouerne thē yet being past that state they are Children when they be growne to mans estate are not then past governing of their Parents growne past your gouerment therefore then you cannot so well governe them but you see here by these examples of Elyes sonnes they are not then free from your gouerment nor you freed from gouerning them yet it may bee you