due And this loue is a true and sincere affection truely setled in the heart of the Parent without any outward respects and therefore when God will expresse his loue towards any he saith he will bee his Father As hee spoke to Dauid concerning Salomon 2. Sam. 7.14 I will be his Father and hee shall be my son The Apostle to testifie his kind affection and great care hee had ouer the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2.11 Psal 103.13 saith Hee exhorteth them as a Father his children the Prophet Dauid saith As a Father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And God himselfe assuring his people of his Fatherly loue telleth them that his kindnesse to them shall be more certaine Es 49.15 then the mothers to the sonne of her wombe Q. This duty is of all men euen of such as know not God so performed to children that they who are wanting therein are condemned as most vnnaturall A. It is true yet would it bee more sincerely performed if men would from the heart acknowledge that their children are a gift of God as Iacob said to Esau Gen. 33.5 They are the children whom God of his grace hath giuen thy seruant And Ioseph to his father Gen. 48.9 They are the childrē that God hath giuen me Psal 127.3 Behold saith Dauid Children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe his reward If this were considered as it ought fathers would not set so little by so precious a gift from the Lord as children are suffering them to run on in all lewdnesse but would in a Christian and true fatherly care séeke to prepare their children to the Lords seruice in some holy calling and not to liue in idlenesse Q. What other duty owe Parents to their children all their life long A. To offer vp to God the sacrifice of prayer for them This office they must performe alwaies in their childhood in their riper age yea so long as they liue They must bee of that mind concerning their children that Samuel was of concerning the Israelites God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord 1. Sam. 12 23. cease praying for you When Iaacob was to part from his father and to goe to his Vnkle Bethuel Gen. 28.3 his father Isaac dismissed him with prayer Dauid made earnest prayer for his sonne Salomon 1. Chron. 29.19 But how great was Iobs care for his children they went banqueting from house to house one with another Iob 1.5 Iob fearing that in their feasting they might offend God soght daily to pacifie God and to intreat him for them Q. I see Parents as they are of their children to be honoured so must they haue a continuall care of their children euen from their child-hood for their maintenance for their instruction for their Christian conuersation wherein I feare Parents are as much to be blamed for neglect of their duty as children for not giuing thē their due honor But let vs now heare somewhat of the duties of Gouernours A. Gouernours and all superiours if they knowe how to behaue themselues as Parents ouer their children will soone learne what dueties they must perform as superiors to their inferiors For the very title of fathers and mothers whereby here they are noted teacheth them that they must vse the talent of authority which God hath giuen them with a tender affection to the good of them who are placed vnder them And loue if it bée such as the Apostle teacheth it should be out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 will make men to study and labour by all meanes they can to bee profitable in their place and calling to others especially to such as their duety bindeth them to respect and care for Q. I see then that fatherly loue must be in the hearts of Magistrates or els how great so euer their authority is such as are vnder them shall not feele any good or comfort by their gouernment But what duties doth God who hath set them ouer other require of them towards such as are committed to their charge A. Their first and chiefe care must be to maintaine the truth of the Gospell by all meanes they can and to take diligent héed that lawes made to that end may duely bee executed O how carefull was good King Dauid for the building of Gods house And when it was told him that not he but his sonne Salomon should build it hée made yet great preparation for that worke and earnestly incouraged hée his sonne to build Gods house and the Princes to further that building When Dauid was dead and Salomon established in the kingdom one of the first works that he did was the building of Gods house 2. Chron. 29.3 2. Chr. 29.5.2 2. King 18.4 Yea Hezechiah in the first month of his reigne began with reformation of things amisse about Gods house and most zealously abolished Idolatry To this end also is the zeale of Iosiah much cōmended in scriptures By all which we learn that Princes not only may but must haue a great care to set forth true Religion and God requireth this duety of them that their subiects by them should bee brought to the loue of the truth and detestation of sinne and all Idolatrie Great was the forwardnesse of Asa herein and of his people who made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their Fathers 2. Chr. 15.12 13. with all their heart and with all their soule And whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should bee slaine whether he were small or great man or woman And for the binding themselues the more straitly to kéepe this statute Lawe They sware vnto the Lord with a loud voice with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets Verse 14. This care also of Nehemiah and other Gouernours among the people Neh. 10.29 after they were fréeed from their captiuity in Babylon doth notably appeare how they boūd themselues by Oath cursing themselues if they did transgresse to reforme disorders among them and to be obedient to Gods Lawe A second care must Magistrates haue for the good and quiet gouernment of the people which that they may performe they must alwaies follow those rules which Moses from God giueth to the people of Israel Peruert not iudgement Deu. 16.19 accept no persons take no bribes for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and peruert the words of the Iust And else where Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement Leuit. 19.15 Thou shalt not fauor the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty thou shalt iudge thy neighbour iustly And to bee short in all their gouernment they must haue a tender affection and fatherly care that their people vnder them may liue a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1. Tim. 2.2 Q.
daies so little regard the Ministerie of the Word as themselues might see if they had grace to marke how often and how fearefully Gods Iudgements are threatned against them that will not hears throughout the Scriptures Q. Let vs now heare what honour seruants owe their masters A. Saint Paul teacheth it plainely Eph. 6.5.6.7 Seruants be obedient vnto your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ not with seruice to the eye as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men Which commandement of the Apostle requireth such seruice as is not now commonly done to Masters for it must bee hearty and sincere being more carefull to do the duty of a seruant then to require reward yea striuing rather to deserue well then to aske recompence The Apostle saith it must bee with feare and trembling Saint Peter likewise Seruants 1. Pet. 2.18 bee subiect to your Masters with all feare not that their meaning is that seruants should alwaies be afraid of anger or punishment but their feare should be such as the Wife-man speaketh of Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies that is that alwaies mistrusteth his owne doings that neuer thinketh that he hath serued God sincerely enough but suspecteth his owne waies not wholy to be guyded by Gods Spirit euen so seruants should feare lest they be short in performance of their duty or doing their seruice to be short they should rather feare the Lords Eye then their masters wrath And where this hearty seruice is and so seasoned with feare of Gods All-séeing-Eyes and a true view of our owne vnability to serue so perfectly as wee should there doubtlesse will be a faithfull indeuour to serue truely And such seruants for a good supply of their own wants will carefully intreat the Lord both better to inable them to doe their duty and to giue such blessing to their desire to serue truely as may be to their Masters good Q. But many times Masters are froward and too too rigorous insomuch as such seruice may seeme a very grieuous bondage are such masters to be honoured also A. Saint Peter answereth this question commanding seruants to be subiect to their Masters not onely to the good and courteous but to the froward also For this is thank-worthy 1. Pet. 2.18 if a man for conscience toward God indure griefe suffering wrongfully So that a true Christian seruant must doe his duty towards his Master remembring that so doing he serueth the Lord as Saint Paul in the place alleaged teacheth who howsoeuer their master cannot be pleased yet will take in good part and plentifully reward their faithfull seruice Therfore must seruants striue to bridle herein the corruption of their nature and to serue as S. Paul would haue vs to do al things Phil. 2.14 without murmurings and reasonings for as before I said concerning honouring of Parents so here also and in all duties that wee owe to our superiours an honourable and reuerent affection printed in our hearts towards them must bee the roote from whence true seruice must grow that it may bee willing Q. Besides these superiours that now you haue spoken of there are others also as olde folke husbands Schoolemasters which are accounted superiours to whom also honour belongeth A. Most true concerning aged folke God hath giuen this Commandement Leuit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise vp before the hoare head and honour the person of the old man especially if godlinesse be ioyned with many yéeres then age is a Crowne of glory Pro. 16 3. when it is found in the way of righteousnesse As for Wiues Saint Paul teacheth them obedience Ephe. 5.22 Wiues sub your selues vnto your husbands as vnto the Lord. And that more willingly they might performe this duty he yeeldeth this reason for the Husband is the Wiues head verse 23. Now it were a monstrous thing for the body not to be vnder the head Againe Wiues submit your selues to your Husbands as it is comely in the Lord teaching that it is a foule and vncomely thing if the wife bee not in subiection to the husband And for the comfort of all inferiours wée must note that they must be subiect vnto the Lord and for the Lords sake as is to bee séene in the subiection of children subiects and seruants that their mind beeing still fastened vpon their heauenly rather then vpon their earthly Master or Husband they may with lesse griefe beare the yoke of obedience Yea Schollers if they knew what good they get by their Schoolemasters who traine them vp in knowledge and lay in them the very ground-worke of Learning whereby they are made fit to serue most profitably in the Church or Common-wealth willingly also would confesse that they should defraud them of their due if they doe not honour and reuerence them Q. We haue now heard of the honour that inferiors owe to their superiors whether by nature as Parents or by publike place in the Common-wealth as gouernors or in the Church as Pastors and Ministers or by age as Elders or by voluntary subiection and that either in priuate households as to Husbands or masters of families or to Schoolemasters as profitable to the youths of many places but do not these superiors also owe to their inferiors some duties A. Yes and first to begin with Parents as they of their children must bee honoured so must they also giue cause of honour Parents owe to their children diuers duties wherof some are to be done in the childhood of their children some when they are come to riper age and some at all times must be performed Q. What are Parents bound to do to children in their childhood A. First in their infancy they must haue care that they may haue things necessary for the sustenance of their life when they are not able to helpe themselues and this the fathers and mothers may learne of the beasts of the field and birds of the ayre who leaue not their young ones vntil they be fit to shift for themselues 1. Sam. 1.23 as Anna gaue her childe sucke vntill shee would weine him Secondly when they are come to any vnderstanding they must not prolong the time to instruct them first in the very principles and grounds of Religion For if Thou teach thy childe in the trade of his life Pro. 22.6 when hee is old he will not depart from it And therefore the Apostle admonisheth thus Fathers Ephes 6.4 bring vp your children in instruction and information of the Lord. In the booke of Deuteronomy it is a charge very often giuen vnto Parents to teach their children Gods Law Yea it is worth marking how in all their extraordinary ceremonies or actions the children were instructed what was meant thereby As if the children should inquire when they saw their fathers to eate in
lesson both for daies-men and such as are produced as witnesses before them whereby both the one and the other may be taught better to doe a Christian duty herein then many do Witnesses although they speak not in such case vpon oath yet ought in honesty nay in Christianity to discharge a good conscience and not to speak vntruly For if they doe they transgresse against this law As for them who as friends are appointed to arbitrate and order such matters if they be stiffe for a friend against that which by witnesses shall appeare to be truth and thereupon giue their order accordingly they then beare false witnes against their neighbour For all the friendship that a true Christian friend can shewe to his friend in this case is to take heede that hee bee not wrōged neither the witnesses words wrested but if hee yeelde not to the truth he is a transgressor As for thē that are broght before Iudges to giue their euidence because they are sworn to speake the truth if they doe it not their fault is much the greater Thou shalt not doe vniustly in iudgement Deu. 19.35 Their fault I say is much the greater because they make that al-knowing God Pro. 6.19 who hateth the false witnesse that speaketh lyes and threatneth to be a swift witnesse against such as forswear thēselues Mal. 3.5 because such as swear falsly by his name Leu. 19.12 pollute the name of their God who is the Lord who can and wil be reuēged of such transgressions they make him a witnesse of their lyes And as their offence is hainous against God himselfe so do they abuse the Iudgement seat the Court of Iustice drawing the same by their falshood vnto iniustice Pro. 19.28 A wicked witnesse mocketh at iudgement and the mouth of the wicked swalloweth vp iniquity For such witnesses hide and kéepe out of sight the truth of the cause which is to be tried and by that meanes vndoe such as through their false oath leese their right Q. As such men by their periurie sin against the third Commandement so in thus wronging their neighbour they steale away their neighbours maintenance of his life and so offend against the sixt and eighth Commandement and therefore may iustly bee hated of God and man A. So are they For as concerning God it is reckoned vp among the things that his soule abhorreth Pro. 6.19 And in respect of the wrong that is therby offered to men God taketh order that among his people what hurt soeuer a man might haue by a false testimonie the same should be layd vpon the false witnesse whether losse of life or any limme and this without pittie God commandeth to be executed Deu. 19.21 As for men in diuers places diuers punishments haue bin appointed to such and all shew a detestation therof In Scotland Keneth a King ordered that if a man told but a lye whereby another was hurt the lyer should be disarmed of his sword banished out of mens company The City of Millan in Italy if the sum of mony were not great which by forswearing a man sustayned something imitated that punishment that God appointed among his people yet adding this that such should go about the City 3. daies with a paper about his head to shew his offence the second fault was losse of his hand the third fault was punished by burning to death The Venetians cut out their tongues that so offended Francus the first of that name French King made a lawe that such should suffer death In all which it may appeare that gouernours magistrates séeing the great hurt that false witnesses wrought in al societies sought by sharpnes of punishment to roote out that euill out of their gouernments Q. All such as raise against any man vntrue reports whereby they may bee defamed or il thought on are transgressors of this lawe A. Most certaine Therfore Speake not euill one of another brethren Iam. 4.11 He that speaketh euil of his brother or condemneth his brother speaketh euill of the law and condemneth the law saith S. Iames. The Prophet Dauid professeth he will be an enemy to such men Him that priuily slandereth his neighbour Psal 101.5 will I destroy And the son of Sirach telleth vs what reward the slanderer may expect Eccl. 5.15 He that is a back-biter shall be hated enuied and confounded Therefore The righteous man hateth lying words Pro. 13.5 but the wicked causeth slaunder shame Such men were so troublesome to Dauid that he estéemed their tongs sharpned as the Serpents Psal 140.3 and Adders poison to bee vnder their lips I néed not produce the examples out of Scriptures to shew what euill such men work among neighbors daily experiēce affordeth too many and too lamentable effects that grow therof how godly men are disgraced the innocent and spotlesse in comparison of their accusers blamed and holy conuersation is vniustly accused Q. But what think you of them who readily and too rashly giue eare to such reports A. They are guilty of transgression of this law likewise Prou 17.4 The wicked saith Salomon giueth heed to false lips a lyer harkeneth to a naughty tong But whatsoeuer thēselues are such by listning too well to such slanderers giue more incouragement to them to go forward in that wicked course and there is no doubt such an impression in their own heart of that which they heare so willingly that in the very perswasion of their heart they beare false witnesse against the guiltlesse and condemne too often the faultlesse Q. Are there no other transgressions against this lawe A. Yes diuers Our offence against it is too cōmon in this country A man bindeth to peace one of whō he standeth in feare of some bodily hurt The other for the most part for a reuenge will be content to take his Oath that hee also standeth in feare of him though his owne conscience telleth him it is not so By this meanes euen against his owne knowledge he beareth this false witnesse against the other that hee is a dangerous man though himselfe beléeueth it not yet he séeketh to perswade others therof by his Oath A gréeuous sin but too common Another wil extoll a man though euill whom he loueth far aboue his worth and whom he misliketh wil lode with all disgrace Salomon telleth vs Pro. 17.15 that hee who iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the Iust euen they both are an abomination to the Lord. Esa 5.20 And Esay crieth Woe to them which call good euill and euill good And all such are false witnesses which God heere forbiddeth Other transgressions also there are as these counterfeit foolish too much made of by many yea by some great men these common players may slaunder they thinke by authority and the more satyrical that they are the better they are liked of and the more they please themselues too So this gréeuous transgression and very