to be respected 8. Their practise who vpon state or for great witnesses or such by-respects put off the baptising of their children longer then is meet some two or three weekes some two or three moneths some longer whereby they shew too light esteeme of this Sacrament in that they preferre meere complementall circumstances before a matter of so great moment God oft sheweth his iust indignation against such in taking away their â—hildren vnbaptised before the time set downe by them for baptisme be come 9. Their practise who care not what heathenish idolatrous â—idiculous names they giue to their children What respect â—oe they shew either to God in whose name their childe is â—aptised or to the holy Sacrament it selfe or to the congregaâ—ion of Saints before whom the name is giuen or to the childe â—â— selfe who all his life is to carrie that name §. 23. Of parents prouiding things needfull for the life and health of their children Hitherto of the duties of parents respecting their childrens Infancie Such as respect their childhood follow The childhood of a childe is â—eckoned from the time that it â—eginneth to be of any discretion and vnderstanding till it be â—t to be placed forth euen so Many distinguish the whole course of a mans life into foure parts 1. Childhood 2. Youth 3. Man-age 4. Old-age long as ordinarily it liueth vnder the parents gouernment The duties which parents for this time must performe to their children may be drawne to these two heads 1. Care to bring them vp 2. Care to place them forth For their well training vp respect must be had both to their temporall and also to their spirituall good Two things are required of parents in regard of the temporall good of their children 1. To nourish them well 2. To nurture them well Children must be well Fed. Taught  Child-hood from his birth to 14. yeeres Youth from 14 to 25. man-Man-age from 25. to 50. Old age from thence to his death But for better distinguishing the duties which parents are to performe I follow not so accurate a diuision but rather distinguish the degrees of age according to the times wherein new duties are to be performed and therefore I make a distinction betwixt infancie and childhood Feed them in discipline saith the Apostle Vnder nourishment are comprised all needfull things for health and life which parents ought to prouide for their children as 1. Food which Christ taketh for a ruled case Whence he draweth his argument to shew that God will prouide for his children What father saith he if his sonne aske him bread would giue him a stone c. Mat. 7. 9 10 11. 2. Apparell for it is expresly noted that Israel made his son a coat Gen. 37. 3. 3. Recreation which in young children especially is needfull for their health In that Zachary chap. 8. vers 5. told the Iewes and that in way of blessing that boyes and girles should be playing in the streets he implieth that it is a lawfull and meet thing which parents should permit vnto their children But yet the time and measure and kinde of recreation must be well ordered 4. Meanes for recouery of health when they are sicke for this end was it that Ieroboam sent his wife to the Prophet in behalfe of his sonne who was sicke that the Ruler came to Christ for his sonne also who was at point of death and that many others came to him for their sonnes and daughters being ill Whatsoeuer other things are needfull parents to their power must prouide for their children else the Apostle counteth them worse then Infidels Both equitie and necessitie require thus much of parents Equitie in that children owe all their paines and seruice to their parents while they are vnder them and are wholly at their command and in that regard haue no meanes to prouide needfull things but by their parents helpe Parents therefore in all right must herein be helpfull to them Necessitie in that if the life and health of children be not well prouided for no dutie no seruice can be expected at their hands §. 24. Of parents too much niggardlinesse and carelesnesse toward their children There are two extremes contrary to the forenamed prouident care of parents for their childrens good In the defect Couetousnesse In the excesse Lauishnesse Some parents so farre faile in the defect as they almost starue their children through want of necessaries not affording them sufficient wholesome food nor meet and comely appaâ—ell but suffer them to goe tagged and ragged like beggars â—rats if they be sicke God may recouer them if he please but the parents will vse no meanes when they are well they afford them no time of refreshing themselues by any recreation but â—uer-strictly hold them in There is not only want of charity â—ut plaine vnnaturalnesse in such parents euen more then in â—â—e most cruell beasts For the wilde beasts doe with much tenâ—ernesse prouide for their young ones §. 25. Of parents too much lauishnesse and indulgency vpon their children Others surpasse as much in the excesse feeding them too â—â—intily attiring them too garishly tending them too cockeringly and letting them spend too much time in sport and play Many and great are the mischiefes that follow thereupon as 1. They who are in their childhood daintily fed and too much pampered besides that for the most part they are most sickly they will in time grow so squeamish and choice of meats as their parents shall not know what to prouide for them or when to giue it them The full soule loatheth an hony combe yea if a stranger commeth to the table where such a childe sitteth he may soone obserue that he hath beene too daintily fed If at first children be fed with ordinary moderate diet they will afterwards both be in better health and liking and also more contentedly and thankfully accept whatsoeuer shall be prouided for them But excesse breedeth diseases both in body and minde 2. Vanity in apparell doth also much corrupt young children for there is in them euen from the cradle a naturall disposition to outward brauery now for parents to pranke them vp what is it but to blow vp the fire of that vanity and make it arise into such a flame as in time may much scorch the parents themselues and vtterly consume the children and yet how vsuall a fault is this how monstrously doe many parents offend therein what foolish fashion is vsed of the greatest swaggerers and lightest strumpets which they will not bring their children vnto and that when their children are not able to discerne betwixt stuffes or colours what can this proclaime but parents pride and folly Proud maids are many times the instruments of pranking vp children especially when they are little ones more then is meet but yet the blame lieth on parents for suffering it 3. Tending children too cockishly maketh them too long children and too tender and oft
meere explication of the same point but also a declaration of a further dutie which is this As parents by discipline keepe their children vnder so by information they must direct them in the right way Salomon doth both deliuer the point and also adde a good reason to inforce it for saith he Traine vp a childe in the way that he should goe there is the dutie and when he is old he will not depart from it there is the reason Keeping a childe vnder by good discipline may make him dutifull while the father is ouer him but well informing his vnderstanding and iudgement is a meanes to vphold him in the right way so long as he liueth §. 122. Of parents teaching their children the feare of God The last word of the Lord intimateth the best dutie that a parent can doe for his childe Admonition of the Lord declareth such principles as a parent hath receiued from the Lord and learned out of Gods word such as may teach a childe to feare the Lord such as tend to true pietie and religion whence further I obserue that Parents must especially teach their children their dutie to God Come children saith the Psalmist hearken vnto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Of this particular more largely hereafter §. 123. Of the subiection which beleeuing seruants owe. Because there is yet another order in the family besides those which haue been noted before namely the order of Masters seruants the Apostle prescribeth also vnto them their dutie As he began with wiues and children in the two former orders so here he beginneth with seruants who are the inferiours for the same reasons before rendred The Apostle is somewhat copious in laying forth the duties of seruants and in vrging them to performe their dutie and that for two especiall reasons One in respect of those whose masters were infidels another in respect of those whose masters were Saints 1. Many seruants there were in those daies wherein the Gospell was first preached to the Gentiles that by the preaching thereof were conuerted whose masters embraced not the Gospell whereupon those seruants began to conceit that they being Christians ought not to be subiect to their masters that were infidels 2. Other seruants there were whose Masters beleeued the Gospell as well as they now because the Gospell taught that there is neither bond nor free but all are one in Christ Iesus they thought that they ought not to be subiect to their master who was their brother in Christ These two preposterous and presumptuous conceits doth the Apostle intimate and expresly meet with in another place And because they had taken too deepe rooting in the mindes of many seruants the Apostle here in this place laboureth the more earnestly to root them out and that by a thorow pressing vpon their conscience that subiection wherein they are bound to their masters as masters whatsoeuer their disposition were Hereof more afterwards Here by the way note three points 1. The Gospell doth not free inferiours from that subiection to men whereunto by the morall law they are bound 2. Men are ready to turne the grace of God into libertie 3. As errors begin to sprout vp in the Church Ministers must be carefull to root them out §. 124. Of the meaning of the fift verse EPHES. 6. 5. Seruants be obedient to them that are your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your heart as vnto Christ THis title Seruants is a generall title which may be applied to all such as by any outward ciuill bond or right owe their seruice to another of what sex soeuer the persons themselues be or of what kinde soeuer their seruitude is whether more seruile or liberall Seruile as being borne seruants or sold for seruants or taken in warre or ransomed For of old they were called seruants who being taken in warre were saued from death Liberall as being by voluntary contract made seruants whether at will as some seruing-men iournie men and labourers or for a certaine terme of yeeres as prentises clearkes and such like Wherefore whatsoeuer the birth parentage estate or former condition of any haue beene being Seruants they must be subiect and doe the dutie of seruants the Apostles indefinite title seruants admitteth no exception of any The other title Masters hath as large an extent comprising vnder it both sexes Masters and Mistresses and of these all sorts great and meane rich and poore strong and weake faithfull and infidels true professors and profane superstitious idolatrous hereticall persons or the like so as No condition or disposition of the master exempteth a seruant from performing dutie to him Among other degrees and differences most especially let it be noted that both sexes mistresses as well as masters are here meant that so the duties which are enioyned to be performed to masters may answerably be performed to mistresses so farre as they are common to both and that both by maid-seruants and also by men-seruants that are vnder mistresses In families mistresses are as ordinary as masters and therefore I thought good to giue an especiall item of this Vnder this word obey are comprised all those duties which seruants owe to their masters it is the same word that was before vsed in the first verse and it hath as large an extent here being applied to seruants as it had there being applied to children It sheweth that The rule of seruants as seruants is the will of their Master This clause according to the flesh is by some referred to the action of obedience as if it were added by the Apostle to shew what kinde of obedience seruants owe to their masters namely a ciuill corporall obedience in temporall things opposed to that spirituall obedience which is due to God alone Ans Though distinction may be made betwixt that seruice which is due to God and that which is due to man yet this application of this phrase in this place may giue occasion to seruants to thinke that if they performe outward seruice to their masters all is well they owe no inward feare or honour which is an error that the Apostle doth here mainly oppose against But because this clause according to the flesh is immediatly ioyned to Masters I referre it to the persons to whom obedience is to be giuen and so take it as a description of them as if he had said to fleshly or bodily Masters The Apostle thus describeth masters for these reasons 1. For distinction to shew he meanes such masters as are of the same mould that seruants are so distinguishing them from God who is a spirit thus doth the Apostle distinguish betwixt fathers of our flesh and father of spirits 2. For preuention left seruants might say our masters are flesh and bloud as we are why then should we be subiect to them To meet with
 his wife we will consider the Extent thereof Continuance   It ought to extend both to her selfe and to others In regard of her selfe to her Soule Body  For her Soule meanes of spirituall edification must be provided and those both priuate and publike Priuate meanes are holy and religious exercises in the house as reading the word praier catechising and such like which being the spirituall food of the soule are to be euery day as our bodily food prouided and vsed An husband as a master of a family must provide these for the good of his whole house but as an husband in speciall for the good of his wife for to his wife as well as to the whole house he is a King a Priest and a Prophet By himselfe therefore for his wiues good ought he to performe these things or to prouide that they may be done by some other Câ—raelius himselfe performed those exercises Micah hired a Leuite though his Idolatry were euill yet his care to haue a Leuite in his house was commendable The Shunemites husband prouided a chamber for the Prophet and that especially for his wiues sake for it was at her request Publike meanes are the holy ordinances of God publikly performed by Gods Minister The care of an husband for his wife in this respect is so to order his habitation and prouide other needfull things as his wife may be made partaker thereof It is expresly noted of Elkanah that he so prouided for his wiues that they went with him euery yeere to the house of God the like is intimated of Ioseph the husband of the virgin Mary In those daies there was a publike place and house of God whither all Gods people how farre soeuer they dwelt from it were to resort euery yeere the places where Elkanah and Ioseph dwelt were farre remote from the house of God yet they so prouided as not only themselues but their wiues also went to the publike worship of God Now there are many houses of God places for the publike worship of God but yet through the corruption of our times the ministery of the word the most principall meanes of spirituall edification is not euery where to be enioyed therefore such ought an husbands care for his wife in this respect to be as to dwell where she may haue the benefit of preaching the word or else so to prouide for her as she may weekly goe where it may be had If men of wisdome and abilitie make a purchase or build an house for their habitation they will be sure it shall be where sweet riuers and waters are and good pasture ground and where all needfull prouision may be had Gods word preached is a spring of water of life the place where it is preached a pleasant profitable pasture all needfull prouision for the soule may there be had Let this therefore be most of all inquired after and no habitation setled but where this may be had §. 48. Of neglecting their wiues edification Contrary is their practise who hauing their calling in places where the word is plentifull yet vpon outward respects of pleasure delight ease and profit remoue their families into remote places where preaching is scarce if at all and there leaue their wiues to gouerne the family not regarding their want of the word for as much as they themselues oft comming to London or other like places by reason of their calling enioy the word themselues Many Citizens Lawyers and others are guiltie of great neglect of their wiues in this respect So also are they who abandon all religious exercises out of their houses making their houses rather stewes of the deuill then Churches of God If for want of meanes either publike or priuate a wife liue and die in ignorance profanenesse infidelitie and impenitencie which cause eternall damnation assuredly her bloud shall be required at his hands for an husband is Gods watchman to his wife §. 49. Of an husbands prouiding things needfull for his wiues boay To the body also must an husbands prouident care of his wife extend and that both in health and sicknesse In health by prouiding such things as are needfull to preserue health as competent food raiment and the like necessaries Where the Prophet to aggrauate the misery of the people saith Seuen women shall take hold of one man saying We will eat our owne bread and weare our owne apparell only let vs be called by thy name intimateth that it was an husbands dutie to prouide bread and apparell that is all necessaries for his wife Which the law also implieth where it inioyneth him that taketh one wife vpon another not to diminish the food and raiment of the former In sicknesse such things are to be prouided as are needfull either to recouer her health or to comfort cherish and refresh her in her sicknesse This was before noted among common mutuall duties for by vertue of the matrimoniall bond it belongeth both to man and wife but to the man it appertaineth by vertue of that power and charge which he hath ouer his wife and therefore it was needfull here to be touched §. 50. Of an husbands prouident care for his wife about her child-bearing Most proper to this place is that prouident care which husbands ought to haue of their wiues both before and in the time of their trauell and child-bed and that in two things especially 1. In procuring for their wiues to the vttermost of their power and abilitie such things as may saue their longing in case they doe long as in all ages women in the time of breeding and bearing childe haue beene subiect thereunto For it is well knowne that it is very dangerous both for mother and childe to want her longing the death sometimes of the one sometimes of the other sometimes of both hath followed thereupon 2. In prouiding such things as are needfull for their trauell and lying in childbed This time is especially to be prouided for in many respects 1. Because it is a time of weaknesse wherein the woman cannot well prouide for her selfe 2. Because her weaknesse is ioyned with much paine the paine of a women in trauell is the greatest paine that ordinarily is endured by any for the time none know it so well as they that feele it and many husbands because they are not subiect thereto thinke but lightly of it but if we duly weigh that the holy Ghost when he would set forth the extremitie of any paines and pangs resembleth them to the paines of a woman in trauell we may well gather that of all they are the greatest which is further manifested by the screekes and outcries which not only weake and faint-hearted women vtter in the time of their trauell but also are forced from the strongest and stoutest women that be and that though before hand they resolue to the contrary Neither may we wonder thereat for their body