therefore though the Papists should sing neuer so vnto the Lord onely which yet they do not for they haue their songs also vnto the Saints c. yet it is no true singing which the Lord requireth when they sing with the tong onely Lastly we must sing them vnto the Lord alone and to him we must sing songs of praise and thankes-giuing and therefore not to the Saints nor to any other creature whatsoeuer The end of the 26. Sermon The 27. Sermon COLOSS. 3. V. 18. 19. 20. 21. 18 Wiues submit your selues vnto your husbands as it is comely in the Lord. 19 Husbands loue your wiues and be not bitter vnto them 20 Children obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. 21 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger lest they be discouraged THE Apostle hauing discoursed seuerally and perticulerly of sundry duties of Christian men generall to all men of what states and conditions sexes and ages soeuer they be he now commeth to the perticuler duties belonging to euery one in their perticuler calling Verse 18. The Metaphrase Hauing instructed you in the duties which are generall to all I come to informe you in those that are speciall according to the seuerall callings of euery one of you as those which will easily come from you if you haue well profited in the former Now according to the order God himselfe keepeth in the fifth Commandement I will begin with the duty of inferiors You wiues therefore notwithstanding you haue other duties I exhort you as to that which is hardest for you wherein you are customably shortest and being performed others will easily follow that you be subiect obedient as to others that may bee aboue you as Parents and Magistrates so especially vnto your owne husbands as that which is the most comely thing of all because you I know striue to comelinesse Which obedience and subiection is not yet so absolute and so generall but it hath this exception so farre as you are commanded things not vnlawfull by the word of God You husbands although you owe sundry duties vnto your wiues yet specially I exhort you to loue them dearely as that which you are most customably shortest in and which being throughly setled in you will easily pull all other duties after it And therefore be not bitter to them which cannot stand with loue You children from a heart subdued and truly humble obey your parents not by halues and so farre as they cōmand things to your liking but in all things not contrary to the word of God although it be to the crossing of your desires for which cause let it be alwayes before your eyes as a goade to stirre you vp to this obedience that in so doing you shall not onely please your parents but doe a thing acceptable to the Lord himselfe You parents abuse not your authority or the pliable minds of your children either by cōmanding things vnlawfull or by hard vsage of them to prouoke them to any vndutifulnesse towards you or to haue no courage or comfort to do the things required of them The summe of all which is an Exhortation which the Apostle giueth to the most straightest bonds amongst men The first of the Wife and Husband Which are the straightest bonds betweene men The second of the Parents Children But first we are to speake of the last verse of the other text Whatsoeuer yee do or say c. The Apostle Verse 17. had trauelled in setting forth vnto them many speciall duties they ought to performe as Christian men and women And because it were an infinite thing to set downe all duties perticular to Christians he wisely comprehendeth all both those duties spoken of before all other duties in this verse saying Whatsoeuer yee say or do let all be done in the name of our Sauiour Christ The like doth our Sauiour Christ who hauing spoken in the 5. and 6. and part of the 7. of Mathew of the duties to our neighbours doth comprehend all the duties which we owe to our brother in all the Law and Prophets in this Do as ye would be Math. 7. 12. done by So here the Apostle doth The like we haue 1. Cor. 10. Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do 1. Cor. 10. 31. Note do all to the glory of God Here we haue a very Notable rule that we should not speake nor do any thing but that which we may commend vnto God in prayer And therfore euery man ought to purpose with himselfe in the day to do nothing else but that which is good and right and this will be a meanes to keepe him from whoring drinking all vnhonest things when as he is to do onely that which he should desire a blessing in prayer of God in and for which after we are to returne to God in thankes-giuing againe which none is so sencelesse as that hee will do for his sinnes and wickednesse he hath committed And indeed there is no good thing whatsoeuer a man doth as to speake of Law Physicke c. which of themselues are good and therefore cannot be good vnto vs though to others they may be vnlesse we commend them vnto the Lord in prayer Here also we are taught in that we are to pray to God and thanke God for all good things we say and do we haue them not of our selues but from the Lord. After the Apostle doth set downe a notable Exposition Verse 18. of the fifth Commandement 1. beginning at the duties of the neerest bonds and first hee setteth the duty of the inferiors to the superiors And first he sheweth forth the duties of those which owe commō duties together one to another mutually as husband and wife and then the duties of them ioyntly to those that are vnderneath them both And this is the order which the Apostle vseth who hauing set downe generall duties of Christianity before he now commeth to particular thereby insinuating that those that haue laboured to obserue the generall as of Holinesse Temperancy Long-suffering Loue c. they shall more easily performe these particular duties This is a notable doctrine and therefore we see Iethro counselleth Moses to choose such Exod. 18. 21. rulers to helpe him as hated couetousnesse This is a generall duty to hate couetousnesse noting that if they were faithfull in that they would be good Gouernours and Magistrates and Captaines And therefore we see Ioseph hauing all which his maister had Gen. 39. 5. 9. vnder his hand saue his wife is said to haue ordered all things well the reason is because hee feared God that is because he had the generall duty Againe therefore we see that seruants by the generall duty of doing their duty in the sight of God are perswaded to obedience to their maisters So that this is to teach vs to labour principally for to haue the loue and feare of God and to do our duties as
who is both able and will recompence your well doing Remembring on the other side that whatsoeuer hee bee that doth wrong whether Maister or seruant thereof hee shall receiue the punishment from the Lord who accepteth neither the person of the seruant to pitty him because of his poore base estate nor of the Maister to spare him because of his dignity and high degree The summe is the setting forth of the duty of the last pare and couple in the houshold id est of the Maisters and seruants But first wee are to speake of that which remaineth of the other Text of Children and Parents First childrē are cōmanded to giue obedience to parents Verse 20. by obedience is meant all duties which children owe to their parents which are diuers And first of a duty which belongeth to all them in the household husband wife parents children maisters seruants viz. to pray perticulerly one for another and more perticulerly then for others for parents that they are bound to it we see it in Iob that he prayed Iob. 1. for his children being at feasting least they should let any sinne ouerpasse them in their feasting wherein they might offend And by the same reason children are bound to pray for their parents And also by the commandement the subiects are commanded 1. Tim. 2 1. 2 to pray for their Princes And so Princes to pray for their people as Dauid doth in sundry psalmes wherein he maketh prayer for himselfe and his people 1. Kings 18. Salomon also doth the like in second Chronicles 6. 21. But to come to more perticuler Particular duties of children duties of children to their parents 1. Reuerence viz. a speciall reuerence which they are to cary to their parents aboue others secondly loue a perticuler loue of their parents in regard also that they are set ouer them of God These are inward things Outward duties are first a reuerent behauiour in their countenance and cariage towards them in their wordes and in their workes to be ready to obey and do those things they are commanded not contrary to God And therefore it is said in all things viz. not to Note obey their parents in that which they themselues like but in all things though hard and contrary to their owne liking if it be not against the word of God And one speciall duty of obedience is to beare with all and couer the infirmities of their parents as Sem and Iaphet did to their father Noah Gen 9 23 Further if the parents haue need they are to relieue and maintaine their parents 1. Tim. 5. 4. for if the children be able to maintaine them the Church is not to be burdened Amongst other a most notable duty is that whereby Note children are to yeeld obedience to their parents in being bestowed by their parents in their occupations and manner of life And therefore we see that Adam bestowed his sonnes one in tilling the land the other in keeping cattle But more especially in marriage they are not to suffer themselues to be bestowed without their parents consent Where we see the wretched disobedience of children that will giue themselues at their owne pleasure contrary to their parents consent And a wretched and foolish peeuishnesse-crept into Note the harts of children that they will take it in great dislike if their parents be spoken vnto before themselues cleane contrary to the example of the Scripture and euen contrary to the practise of heathen and naturall men As we see Ismael would not marry but by his mothers consent and contrariwise what a hart-breaking was it to Isaac and Rebecca that Esaw married Gen. 18. contrary to their consent So that this is a speciall duty of children both sonnes and daughters not to marry or choose their husbands or wiues without their parents consent So that their parents do match them so as may be equall and fit for them in regard Note of age estate c. Whereas if parents force their children contrarie to reason for gaine c. they deale wretchedly in that And as parents are not to force their children so children are not to disobey their parents when in age and condition they find out fit matches for them in any sort And a reason that parents are to be obeyed of Note their children in those things that are good is because they are obedient also in the same vnto the Lord. And we know it is an easy matter if with one whiting a man may paint two wals it is more easy for him to paint one But our obedience therefore must be in the Lord viz. onely in those things onely wherein they command according to God And therefore Ioh. 2. our Sauiour CRHIST when his mother bid him change water into wine refused he denied her because the time was not come But we may not speake as he spake for we must if they command vs contrary to the word of God with all reuerence deny to do it and not in any controlling or snappish fashion In that he saith parents he meaneth both father and mother for children because the father hath more authority and because peraduenture the inheritance lyeth vpon his disposition will obey their father but they care not for their mother Howbeit obedience is commanded to both And Ex. 10 12. howsoeuer it commeth oftentimes that the children are disobedient by the too much tendernesse of the parents yet the children are not to trust to that for if they leese their parents loue through their wicked behauiour they can not assure themselues of Gods Note A foolish sonne saith Salomon doth ouerthrow his fathers estate and driues away his mother viz. both ouerthroweth and driueth away both and maketh parents that they cannot abide the sight of them As the hatred of brethren is strong because their A simile loue which was great is broken So if parents loue which is farre greater be broken the hatred will be the more The duties of parents are diuers 1. To see the Parents duties disposition of the children and according to their fitnesse to dispose them in this or that calling specially Eph. 6. 4. to bring them vp in the feare and information of the Lord. Secondly to lay vp for their children 2. Cor. 12. 14. And further not to prouoke them by vndiscreet Verse 21. correction in not correcting them according to their sexes and ages as when they correct their sonnes and daughters and all alike which may prouoke them or giue occasion at the least for children ought to beare it patiently though they be iniuried yet they may discourage their children by indiscret and too hard correction And on the other side parents are to take heed that they kill not their children by too much pampering them which is oft times the cause of the death of their soule body as Dauid did his sonnes who when he was loath to displease them Absolon
sought his kingdome and his life and defiled his Concubines Then he commeth to the next couple of seruants and masters And seruants are commanded to be Verse 22. obedient to their masters in the flesh So called first because they are onely for this life and can reach no further mitigating the sharpnesse of seruice in those times wherein seruants were bond-slaues so that all that was the seruants was the masters For otherwise 1. Cor. 7. 22. The Apostle sheweth that seruants be Gods free-men as well as the masters if they be Gods children Secondly masters of the flesh because they cannot command their soules but onely their body The dutyfullnesse of seruants consisteth in 2. things first that it be done with faithfulnesse not with ey seruice but as in the presence of God Secondly that it be done willingly and freely and frankely For the 1. Cor. 9. 7. Lord 2. Cor. 9. loueth a chearfull giuer And therefore the Apostle saith they must doe it Verse 23. as vnto God Examples we haue of Abrahams seruant whose faithfulnesse we see who being sent to fetch a wife for his masters sonne when he came to the Gen. 24. 12. place fell vpon his knees and prayed and commended his businesse to God Which teacheth that seruants Note must not onely be faithfull but carefull by commending their businesse vnto God and therefore they are to pray both for strength and wisedome in their masters businesse Againe we see in him a singuler diligence in that comming to the place set vp the camels and saw them serued before he would rest though he was a weary would not eate before he had his answer And chapter 31. in Iacobs faithfulnesse to Laban his vncle In Iacob we see his diligence and paynes both in the heat of the day and in frost of the night And as the greater and waightier the businesse of his master is by so much the more he is to commend his businesse vnto the Lord and ought to be more carefull A reason the Apostle rendreth that whereas if the seruant haue an vnkind or a poore master that cannot or will not repay nor recompence his paines he is thereby made carelesse yet the Lord telleth Verse 24. him that if he be faithfull he is the Lords seruant and he will reward him with an inheritance accounting him as a child He that doth iniury This is brought as a reason both to the maister and seruant that if the master be iniurious vnto the seruant the Lord will God is no respector of persons not spare him because of his wealth and high estate because he is aboue his seruant as earthly iudges will oftentimes be partiall Nether will he spare the iniurious seruant because of pity to his pouerty and inferiority The end of the 28. Sermon The 29. Sermon COLOSS. 4. V. 1. 1 Ye masters doe vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a master in heauen You Maisters looke that you yeeld vnto your seruants both wages and meate and drinke as that which is right and with moderate rest and recreation some further recompence according to the good seruice they haue done as that which is equall considering that as your seruants are to render an account vnto you so you must giue an account vnto your Maister which is in heauen THE duty of masters is 1. To doe iustly viz. that they giue that which they agree vpon Duties of Masters to their seruants according to the law in regard of their wages Secondly that they deale equally towards them viz. with consideration besides And therefore it is requisit that the master account the seruant in some sort as a child and in that regard to carry an equall hand to him as to his child and to loue him And therefore we see that Naamans 2. King 5. 13. seruant called his master Father And Iosua being a magistrate called Achan Iosh 7. 19. though a theefe sonne such affection is required of masters and seruants one to another the master should rule and command as a father and the seruant is to be dutifull as to a father By that which is equall therefore is ment all Note things meet besides their meat drinke and apparell which is of their bargaine but especially for their instruction that they be taught and instructed in the will of God and therefore ought they to haue liberty both to goe to the publike seruice of God especially on the Lords day and also that they haue beside some time for honest recreations And therefore better it is to be many mens Note Horses or Oxen then their seruants for to their oxen they will giue meat for their worke But peraduenture to seruants they will deny that and especially will haue little regard that they serue God for they will hardly spare them so long from their drudgery Furthermore according to their seruants faithfulnesse and as they haue profited their master by their seruice so ought they to reward them Deut. 15. 14. For it may be that the masters life may be saued by his seruant and therefore accordingly he is to haue regard vnto him And therefore in that place of Deut. Howbeit a stranger might be kept as a seruant all his life yet the Iewes are commanded that if one of their bretheren 1. one of the twelue tribes if he were a seruant hee should goe out free at Deut. 15. 12. 14. the end of seuen yeares at which time his Maister is commanded to giue him of his wine and of his oyle and corne and of what God did blesse him with for that hee hath bene a meanes whereby that hath bene increased Euen so Maisters are taught that Note according as God hath blessed and enriched them by the labour and meanes of their seruant so they are to recompence them ouer and aboue their wages It followeth VERSE 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing 3 Praying also for vs that God may open vnto vs the dore of vtterance to speake the mystery of CHRIST wherefore I am also in bonds 4 That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake 5 Walke wisely toward them that are without redeeme the time 6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and powdered with salt that yee may know how to answere euery man VVEE haue heard of generall duties to all men and particular to some sorts Now he commeth to a third kind of duties which is of another sort as it were compounded of both being partly generall belonging to all others partly particular which did after a more particular sort belong vnto them viz prayer and thankesgiuing c. As if the Apostle should thus speake And now to returne againe to the generall duties Verse 2. The Metaphrase and yet such as for the most part belong rather vnto you then vnto other persons and Churches not so