â—hey keepe the way of the Lord to doe righâ—â—eousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which he hath spoken to him â—en 18. 19. To the same purpose speaketh Ioshua If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord chuse this day whom yee will serue whether the gods whom your Fathers serued that were beyond the floud or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell But I and my house will serue the Lord Iosh. 24. 15. And Cornelius is reported to haue been a deuout man and one that feared God with all his household Act. 10. 2. Thirdly common reason and equitie sheweth it to be a necessarie dutie for the happie and prosperous estate of the familie which consisteth in the mutuall loue and agreement of the Man and Wife in the dutifull obedience of children to their parents and in the faithfull seruice of seruants to their Masters wholly dependeth vpon the grace and blessing of God and this blessing is annexed to his worship for 1. Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and the life to come Psalm 127. 1. Except the Lord builde the house they labour in vaine that builde except the Lord keepe the Citie the keeper watcheth in vaine Vers. 2. It is in vaine for you to rise early and to lie downe late and eate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued Vers. 3. Beholde children are the inheritance of Iehouah and the fruite of the wombe his rewarde Psalm 128. 1. Blessed is euery one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies Vers. 2. When thou eatest the labours of thy hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall bee well with thee Vers. 3. Thy wife shall be as the fruitefull vine vpon the sides of thy house and thy children like Oliue plants round about thy table Vers. 6. Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children and peace vpon Israel 1. Sam. 1. 27. I prayed saith Hannah for this childe and the Lord hath giuen mee my desire which I asked of him The household seruice of God hath two parts the first is a conference vpon the word of God for the edification of all the members thereof to eternall life The second is Inuocation of the name of God with giuing of thankes for his benefits both these are commended in the Scriptures Deut. 6. 6. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart Vers. 7. And thou shalt whet them vpon thy children talke of theÌ„ wheÌ„ thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Vers. 20. When thy sonne shall aske thee in time to come saying what meane these testimonies and ordinances and lawes which the Lord our God hath commanded you Vers. 21. Then thou shalt say vnto thy son we were Pharaohs bondmeÌ„ in Egypt but the Lord brought vs out of Egypt with a mightie hand Vers. 24. Therefore the Lord hath commanded vs to do all these ordinaÌ„ces to fear the Lord our God Psal. 14. 1. The foole hath said in his heart There is no God v. 4. They cal not vpoÌ„ God The times of this seruice are these The morning in which the familie comming together in one place is to call vpon the name of the Lord before they begin the workes of their callings The euening also is another time to be vsed in prayer because the familie hath seene the blessing of God vpon their labours the day before and now the time or rest draweth on in which euery one is to commend his body and soule into the protection of the Lord for no man knoweth what shall befall him before he rise again neither knoweth any whether euer he shal rise againe or not it is therefore a desperate boldnesse without praying to go to rest Besides this there be other times also wherein to performe this dutie as before and after meales For meats and drinkes are blessed to the receiuers by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 4. Whatsoeuer God hath created is good neither is any thing to be refused if it be taken with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Now these times the word of God approueth Deut. 6. 6. Thou shalt talke of them when thou liest downe aud when thou risest vp Psalm 55. 18. Euening and morning and at noone I will pray and make a noise and he wil heare my voice Psa. 127. 1. It is in vaine to rise earely and to lie downe late and eate the bread of sorrow except the Lord vouchsafe a blessing who will surely giue rest to his beloued To these may sometimes be added the exercise of fasting which is as occasioÌ„ serueth to be vsed both publikely priuately especially when they of the familie be therunto called by some present or imminent calamitie Hest. 4. 16. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shusan and fast yee for mee and eate not nor drinke in three daies day nor night I also and my maids will fast likewise and so will I go in to the King which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish Zachar. 12. 11. And in that day shall there be a great mourning in Ierusalem and the land shall bewaile euery familie apart the family of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wiues apart c. Wherefore those families wherein this seruice of God is performed are as it were little Churches yea euen a kind of paradise vpon earth And for this purpose S. Paul writing to Philemon greeteth the Church that is in his house Philem. 1. 2. And in like manner he sendeth salutations to the Church of Corinth from Aquila and Priscilla and the Church which was in their house 1. Cor. 16. 19. On the otherside where this dutie of Gods seruice is not vsed but either for the most part or altogether neglected a man may tearme those families no better then companies of prophane and gracelesse Atheists who as they deny God in their harts so they are knowne by this note that they doe not call vpon the name of the Lord Psalm 14. 4. Yea such families are fitly compared to an heard of swine which are alwaies feeding vpon the maste with greedinesse but neuer looke vp to the hand that beateth it downe nor to the tree from whence it falleth The other dutie concerning the house it selfe is That euery member in the familie according to their abilitie employ themselues in some honest and profitable businesse to maintaine the temporall estate and life of the whole Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne 1. Cor. 7. 20. Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called Now
Of the Master NExt vnto parents and children wherby the family is increased is a second sort of couples which are helpes therunto And they are Masters and seruants The Master is a member in the familie which hath power and beareth rule ouer the seruant And his dutie stands principally in three things First To make a good choice of his seruants which is then done when he inquireth first after such as feare God and be willing to serue him Paul makes the seruice and feare of God the maine ground of true obedience in seruants Ephes. 6. 5. 6. 7. Colos. 3. 22. It was the rule of Dauids choice Psal. 101. 6. Hee that walketh in the perfect way he shall serue me Abrahams chiefe seruāt of his house was a man that feared God as appeareth in that he made conscience of his oath Gen. 24. 2. 3. and prayed also for successe in the busines whereabout he was sent Gen. 24. 12. O Lord God of my Master Abraham I beseech thee send mee good speed this day and shew mercie to my Master Abraham Cornelius of Caesarea the Captaine of the Italian band had a souldier that daily attended on him who feared God and seruants also beside him to whom hee made knowne the heauenly vision which hee saw Act. 10. 7. Secondly To enioyne them labour and not to require more of them then their strength will beare The master is to rule ouer the seruant in iustice And then is his cōmandement vniust whē it will not stād with the course of nature with the abilitie of his seruant or with the word of God Therefore he is to require labour at their hāds proportionable to their strength yeeld thē sometimes intercession rest Leuit. 25. 46. Ouer your brethen the children of Israel ye shall not rule ouer one another with crueltie 1. Pet. 3. 8. Bee pitifull bee courteous one beare with another And for the furtherance of busines it is conuenient that the master be oftentimes present with the seruāts in their works Prou. 27. 23. Be diligent to know the state of thy flock and take heed to thy heards The good matron ouerseeth the waies of her houshold Prou. 31. 27. A man of Libya being asked what it was that might make a horse fat he answered The masters eye Thirdly To recompence the diligence and paines of his seruant and that three waies First by giuing him his due of meat and drinke for the present The good matron giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinary to her maids Prou. 31. 15. Secondly by paying him his hire in the end of his seruice The labourer is worthie of his wages Luk. 10. 7. Well done good seruant and faithfull thou hast been faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy masters ioy Mat. 25. 21. Heere three caueats are to be obserued I. That the wages be proportionable to the work II. That it be paid in due time without deferring So the Master of the vine-yard when euen was come called his seruants together to giue thē their hire Mat. 20. 8. III. That the seruāt be not defrauded of any part of his due For this is a crying sin Deut. 24. 15. Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne go downe vpon it lest hee crie against thee vnto the Lord and it bee sinne vnto thee Iam. 5. 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fields which is kept backe by fraud crieth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts Thirdly if the seruant in time of his seruice be sicke the masters care must be by all means possible to procure his recouery Equitie must be the rule in these cases and masters are to do to their seruants that which is iust and equall Col. 4. 1. Now the seruant haplie falles sicke by and in his seruice and his health yeelds not only profit to his master but incouragement also to himselfe The good Centurion in case of his seruants sicknesse tooke the best course to haue him restored Matth. 8. 6. CHAP. 16. Of the Seruant THe Seruant is a person in the family subiect vnto his master The dutie of a seruāt is faithfully and diligētly to demeane himselfe in the affaires of his master and to doe seruice vnto him as vnto Christ though he be froward and hard-harted Titus 2. 9. Let seruants be subiect to their masters and please them in all things not answering againe Ephes. 6. 5. Seruants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with feare trembling in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. Col. 3. 22. Thus Iacob serued Laban Gen. 31. 38. This twentie yeares haue I bin with thee thine ewes and thy goates haue not cast their yong and the rammes of the flocke haue I not eaten c. Contrariwise the seruant must take heed that he doe not his masters businesse negligently or for fashion sake or with eye-seruice as a man-pleaser that in case of rebuke or controlement he answere not againe lastly that hee be trustie withhold his hands from picking and his heart from deceiuing his master Seruants are of two sorts either free or bond-seruants A free-seruant is he whom his master hireth for wages to do him seruice To him belongs the iust paiment of his hire and in case of offence them master hath authoritie to censure and correct him prouided that in the execution thereof respect bee had vnto his age and the correction be vsed with moderation as if hee were his sonne A bond-seruant is a seruant bought for money and is commonly called a slaue Touching this sort a question is moued whether a Christian may with safe conscience haue and vse a man as his slaue Answ. The power right of hauing bond-men in those countries where it is established by positiue lawes may stand with good cōscience if it be vsed with moderation That authoritie in this behalfe is moderate wherein these seuen caueats be obserued I. That the master haue not ouer his seruant the power of life and death for this takes away the lawful power of the Magistrate to whom only the Lord hath committed the sword of iustice II. That there be not libertie granted him to vse his seruant at his owne will and pleasure in all things for this was not granted by the law of God to his owne people Exod. 21. 26. If a man smite his seruant or his maid in the eye and hath perished it he shall let him go free for his eye Also if he smite out his seruants or his maids tooth he shall let him go out free for his tooth III. That the power be not enlarged to the commanding of things against piety or iustice for in these cases a man must rather obey God then man Act. 4. 19. IV. That masters do not take libertie to make separation of those their seruants that be married
free to all men euen to such as haue the gift of continencie and for those who haue not the power to abstaine it is expressely enioyned by God as necessarie Which discouereth that error of absolute inhibition thereof to some sorts of men without the least exception of abilitie to forbeare And in this case though the Church of Rome prescribeth an helpe by prayer and indeuour where the gift is wanting yet herein she addeth two more absurdities to the former imposing a necessitie of containing by her lawes where God hath giuen libertie by his word and causing to flee from that onely Remedie which himselfe hath sanctified to another whereunto hee neither giueth charge by his will nor incouragement by promise II. That Marriages consummate without the free and aduised consent of Parents either explicite in tearmes or implicite by conniuence are in the court of conscience meere nullities A doctrine cleered in this Booke both by Scriptures and by consent of Antiquitie Wherein is challenged the Iesuites proposition That the sole consent of the parties is sufficient ad Matrimonium firmum ac ratum efficiendum As also that decree of the Councell of Trent which professeth a detestation of clandestine contracts and yet with the same breath pronounceth the curse of Anathema vpon them who affirme that Parents may ratifie or make voide Mariages contracted by their children without their allowance III. That Matrimonie lawfullie begun and consummate is made voide onely by way of diuorce in the case of Adulterie So saith our Sauiour Whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication c. And this liberty granted by Christ both to dissolue and to marrie againe cannot be restrained or cut off by any humane ordinance A point directlie impugned by two other Rules of that Councell One that the Church of Rome erreth not when she teacheth as they professe Iuxta Euangelicam Apostolicam doctrinam but in truth expressely contradictory thereunto That the knot of mariage cannot be broken because of adulterie and that neither partie may vndertake to be maried againe during the life of the other after the dismission The other that the vow of Chastitie and entring into holy Orders is of force to loose the bond of Mariage And in this case separation is made and allowed de facto by the sole authoritie of the Pope notwithstanding the refusall of the setled partie to yeeld consent IV. That the iudgement and determination of causes matrimoniall as of Contracts and their impediments of degrees of kinred of diuorces c. resteth originally in the ciuill Magistrate in whose power it is to ordaine and establish lawes touching them agreeable to Gods word and to cause them to be put in execution For this purpose in doubtfull and difficult cases the ancient Church hath not absolutely rested in her owne decrees but hath made recourse to the seate of Iustice specially vnder Christian Magistrates submitting her selfe to their lawes and constitutions in that kinde Whereas the Church of Rome hath determined that these causes doe simplie and only appertaine to Ecclesiasticall Iudges and therefore hath concluded Mariage to be a Sacrament that the definition of cases coniugall becomming vpon this ground an action of a spirituall nature might be transferred from the Ciuill to their spirituall Courts The soueraigntie whereof in these affaires by their owne constitutions is greatly inlarged For though they admit that politike Princes haue some interest in them yet they must hold it with subordination to the autoritie of the Church-Magistrate and when the Rector of the Prouince maketh a law hereof hee must doe it approbante Principe Ecclesiastico by the allowance of the Pope otherwise his lawes are meere nullities And among their reasons of policie this is one of the principall that they might by this meanes raise a commoditie to the Sea of Rome by the sale of their dispensations Now these points together with the substance of this small discourse I willingly commend vnto your Lordship desiring that vnder the wings of your Honourable protection it may safelie walke abroad in the world to the view and benefit of others The true report of your ancient loue of the truth and fauourable inclination to the Ministers and dispensers thereof hath giuen mee incouragement in this action the rather for that the Argument fitteth in some sort your present estate whose house God hath adorned with oliue plants a vertuous and hopefull issue whose young yeeres being seasoned therein by the sweete sauour of their fathers vertues may yeeld in time a plentifull increase of Honour in this Common-wealth and consequentlie aduance your Name in themselues and their posteritie To this may be added mine own desire to giue some testimonie of dutie to your Lordship as holding it your due to be had in Honourable tearmes with men whose care hath been to maintaine the Honour of the Highest by your constant profession and practise of Religion And thus emboldening my selfe vpon the perswasion of your Lordships fauour and acceptance I humblie take my leaue and commend you to the grace of God who is able to build you vp further and giue you an inheritance among them which are sanctified Finching-field Septemb 26. 1609. Your Lordships to be commanded in all Christian dutie THO. PICKERING A SHORT SVRVEY OF THE RIGHT MANNER OF ERECTING and ordering a Familie according to the Scriptures CHAP. I. Of Christian Oeconomie and of the Familie CHristian Oeconomie is a doctrine of the right ordring of a Familie The onely rule of ordering the Family is the written word of God By it Dauid resolued to gouerne his House wheÌ„ he saith I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house Psal. 101. 2. And Salomon affirmeth that through wisdome an house is builded and with vnderstanding it is established Prou. 24. 3. A Familie is a naturall and simple Societie of certaine persons hauing mutuall relation one to another vnder the priuate gouernement of one These persons must be at the least three because two cannot make a societie And aboue three vnder the same head there may be a thousand in one familie as it is in the households of Princes and men of state in the world CHAP. 2. Of the Household seruice of God A Family for the good estate of it selfe is bound to the performance of two duties one to God the other to it selfe The dutie vnto God is the priuate Worship and Seruice of God which must be established and setled in euery family And the reasons hereof are these First because this duty standeth by the expresse commandement of God who by his Apostle willeth men to pray â—â—ery where lifting vp pure hands without â—â—rath or doubting 1. Tim. 2. 8. Againe it is confirmed by the cuâ—â—ome and practise of holy men in their â—mes I know saith the Lord touching Abraham that he will commaund his sonnes and his household after him that
if any one in the familie starteth aside out of his calling and inticeth another to idolatrie he is to be reuealed Deut. 13. 6. And againe their case is very fearefull that do nothing in their houses but go finely and faire daintily from day to day This is the blacke marke that the Scripture sets vpon the rich glutton Luk. 16. 19. There was a certaine rich man which was cloathed in purple aud fine linen and fared deliciously euery day CHAP. 3. Of maried folkes A Familie is distinguished into sundry combinations or couples of persons A couple is that wherby two persons standing in mutuall relation to each other are combined together as it were in one And of these two the one is alwaies higher and beareth rule the other is lower and yeeldeth subiection Couples are of two sorts principall or lesse principall The principall is the combination of maried folkes and these are so termed in respect of Mariage Mariage is the lawfull coniunction of the two maried persons that is of one man and one woman into one flesh So was the first institution of mariage Gen. 2. 21. which is expounded by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 19. 6. Therfore they are no more two but one flesh And also by Paul Ephes. 5. 31. For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife as two boords are ioyned together with glue and they which were two shall be one flesh Wherefore this is an eternal law of mariage that two and not three or foure shall be one flesh And for this cause the fathers who had many wiues and Concubines it may be that through custome they sinned of ignorance yet they are not in any wise to be excused Mariage of it selfe is a thing indifferent and the kingdome of God stands no more in it then in meats and drinks and yet it is a state in it selfe farre more excellent then the condition of single life For first it was ordained by God in Paradise aboue and before all other states of life in Adams innocencie before the fall Againe it was instituted vpon a most serious and solemne consultation among the three persons in the holy Trinitie Genes 1. 26. Let vs make man in our image according to our likenesse and let them rule ouer c. Gen. 2. 18. Iehouah Elohim said It is not good that the man should be himselfe alone I will make him an helpe meete for him Thirdly the manner of this coniunction was excellent for God ioyned our first parents Adam and Eue together immediately Fourthly God gaue a large blessing vnto the estate of mariage saying Increase and multiplie and fill the earth Lastly mariage was made appointed by God himselfe to be the fountaine and seminarie of all other sorts kinds of life in the Common-wealth and in the Church Now if mankind had continued in that vprightnes and integritie which it had by creation the state of single life had been of no price and estimation amongst men neither should it haue had any place in the world without great contempt of Gods ordinance and blessing Neuerthelesse since the fall to some men who haue the gift of continencie it is in many respects farre better then mariage yet not simplie but only by accident in regard of sundrie calamities which came into the world by sin For first it freeth a man from many and great cares of houshold affaires Againe it maketh him much more fit disposed to meditate of heauenly things without distraction of mind Besides that when dangers are either present or imminent in matters belonging to this life the single person is in this case happie because he and his are more secure and safe then others be who are in maried state 1. Cor. 7. 8. Therefore I say to the vnmaried and widowes It is good for them if they abide euen as I do vers 26. I suppose then this to be good for the present necessitie I meane that it is good for a man so to be vers 28. But if thou takest a wife thou sinnest not and if a virgin marrie she sinneth not neuerthelesse such shall haue trouble in the flesh vers 32. And I would haue you without care The end of mariage is fourefold The first is procreation of children for the propagation and continuance of the seed and posteritie of man vpon the earth Gen. 1. 28. Bringforth fruit multiplie fill the earth and subdue it Genes 9. 1. 1. Tim. 5. 14. The second is the procreation of an holy seed wherby the Church of God may be kept holy and chaste and there may alwaies be a holy company of men that may worship and serue God in the Church from age to age Malach. 2. 15. And did not he make one yet had hee abundance of spirit and wherefore one because he sought a godly seed The third is that after the fall of mankind it might be a soueraigne meanes to auoid fornication and consequently to subdue and slake the burning lusts of the flesh 1. Cor. 7. 2. Neuerthelesse for the auoiding of fornication let euery man haue his wife and euery woman haue her husband vers 9. But if they cannot abstaine let them marrie for it is better to marrie then to burne And for this cause some Schoolemen doe erre who hold that the secret comming together of man and wife cannot be without sinne vnlesse it be done for procreation of children Lombard the master of the Sentences saith the contrarie namely that mariage before the fall was only a dutie but now since the fall it is also remedie The fourth end is that the parties married may thereby performe the duties of their callings in better and more comfortable manner Prou. 31. 11. The heart of her husband trusteth her and hee shall haue no need of spoile vers 13. She seeketh wooll and flaxe and laboureth cheerefully with her hands Mariage is free to al orders and sorts of men without exception euen to those that haue the gift of contimencie but for them which cannot abstaine it â—s by the expresse commandement of God necessarie Hebr. 13. 4. Mariage is honorable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled 1 Cor. 7. 9. But if they cannot abstaine let them marrie By which it appeareth to be a cleare case that the commandement of the Pope of Rome whereby he forbiddeth mariage of certaine persons as namely of Clergie men is meerely diabolicall for so writeth the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. 1. The spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart froÌ„ the faith and shall giue heed vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels vers 3. forbidding to marrie But against this doctrine sundrie things are alleaged Obiect 1. The Apostle commandeth the married among the Corinthes to abstaine with consent for a time that they might giue themselues to fasting and praier 1. Cor. 7. 5. I answere that Paul speakes not in that place of daily and common seruice of God in
the one from the other or of those that be parents from their children considering that God himselfe hath made these societies and ioyned such persons together and therefore man may not separate them V. That the masters do not take libertie to put ouer their seruants to vngodly and vnbelieuing masters for that is an vnkind and cruell libertie may be an apparāt occasion to make the seruant fall away from religion and renounce the true God VI. That they do not bind them to perpetuall slauery neuer make them free Exo. 21. 5. But if the seruant say thus I loue my master my wife and my children I will not go out free VII That the seruitude be not procured and retained by force for it is a more grieuous crime to spoile a man of his libertie then of his riches Now y t the same power limited with these cautions is lawfull warrantable in cōsciēce it appears by these reasons I. God hath ordained allowed it euen by warrant of his owne law The posteritie of Cham was cursed by Noah and condemned to slauerie Gen. 9. 25. And he said Cursed be Cham a seruant of seruants shal he be to his brethren So were the Gibeonites by Ioshua Ios. 9. 23. Now therefore yee are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being bond-men and hewers of wood drawers of water for the house of my God So was the theefe Exo. 22. 3. If he had not wherewith to make restitution then hee should bee sold for his theft Again those that are ouercome in war may be held captiue and it is lawful for the conquerer to kill them therefore to make them slaues and if being takē they be saued from death they owe all that they haue to them by whom they are saued II. The law of God gaue libertie to any mā that would to make sale of himselfe to another Leuit. 25. 45. Of the children of the strangers that are soiourners among you of them shal ye buy of their families that are with you which they begat in your land these shall be your possessiō Deut. 15. 12. If thy brother an Hebrew sell himself to thee or an Hebrewesse and serue thee six yeares euē in the seuenth yeare thou shalt let him go free from thee and vers 17. Thou shalt take an aule pierce his eare through against the doore and he shall be thy seruant for euer III. The mā that is ransommed frō his enemie is bound to serue as a slaue in liew of thankfulnesse IV. The examples of the godly in the Scriptures Abraham had seruants whom he bought for siluer Gen. 17. 12. Euerie manchild of eight daies old among you shal be circumcised in your generations as well he that is borne in thine house as he that is bough with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed Gen. 24. 35. The Lord hath blessed my master Abraham wōderfully for he hath giuen him sheep and beeues and siluer and gold men-seruants and maid-seruants and camels and asses V. The Apostles do not disallow of such seruāts but cōmand thē being seruants called to the professiō of Christianitie in that state not to change but to abide in their calling 1. Cor. 7. 21. Art thou called being a seruant care not for it It is alledged that such seruitude is against the law of nature Ans. It is indeed against the law of intire nature as it was before the fall but against the law of corrupted nature since the fall it is not But Christ hath purchased liberty to belieuers Coloss. 5. 11. Ans. Only a spirituall libertie in this life a corporal only in the life to come For though y ◠seruant in regard of faith the inner man be equal to his master because in Christ Iesus there is neither master nor seruāt bond nor free yet in regard of the outward man ciuill order amongst men the master is aboue the seruant and the seruant is must be subiect to the master Neuerthelesse where this kind of seruitude is abolished it is not to be againe receiued or intertained amongst Christians specially considering it is a far more milde and moderate course to haue hired seruants If it be said againe that the Heathen Philosopher holdeth seruitude to be naturall wherby some are by birth bond and others free I answere That seruitude proceedeth not of nature but hath his originall from the lawes of nations and is a consequent of the fall For all men by nature are equally indifferētly free none more or lesse then others CHAP. 17. Of the Master of the familie or goodman of the house THus much touching the diuers and seuerall combinations or couples belonging to the state Oeconomicall Frō which do arise two persons of a mixt or compounded nature and condition cōmonly called the Goodman the Goodwife of y e house The good man or master of the familie is a person in whom resteth the priuate and proper gouernment of the whole houshold and he comes not vnto it by election as it falleth out in other states but by the ordinance of God setled euen in the order of nature The husbād indeed naturally beares rule ouer the wife parents ouer their childrē masters ouer their seruāts but that person who by the prouidence of God hath y e place of an husband a father a master in his house the same also by the light of nature hath the principality soueraigntie therein and he is Paterfamilias the father and chiefe head of the familie to him therefore the true right and power ouer all matters domestical of right appertaineth The duties of the master of the familie are specially fiue I. To beare the chiefe stroke and to be the principal agent directer and furtherer of the worship of God within his familie Ios. 24. 15. I and my household wil serue the Lord. And this he doth partly by praying for with his houshold and partly by instructing thē in the holy Scriptures and in the grounds of religiō that they may grow in knowledge and reape benefit by the publike Ministerie Thus God commanded the men of Israel to walke in their families Deut. 6. 7. Thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house when thou liest downe when thou risest vp Againe vers 20. When thy sonne shall aske thee what meane these testimonies and ordināces lawes which the Lord our God commanded you Then thou shalt say vnto thy son We were Pharaohs bondmen in Egypt but the Lord brought vs out of Egypt with a mightie hand This testimony God gaue of Abraham before the law was giuen Gen. 18. 19. For I know Abraham that he will command his sons and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord. And this houshold of Abraham was very large for the holy Ghost saies long before that he had three
hundred and eighteene that were borne and brought vp in his house Gen. 14. 14. It was in likelihood y e course of Salomon which he had learned of his father Dauid and giuen for a rule to al masters of families Prou. 4. 1. Heare O children the instruction of a father and giue eare to learne vnderstanding For I was my fathers sonne deare and tender in the sight of my mother when he taught me and said vnto me Let thine heart hold fast my words The company of the Disciples were the household of Christ and he himselfe did administer all parts of the seruice of God with them and among them Luk. 22. 15. To this purpose Augustine saith That the master of the familie doth after a sort and in his measure performe the dutie of a Churchman or Bishop within his house II. To bring his familie to y e Church or Congregation on the Sabbath day to looke that they do religiously there behaue themselues after the publike exercises ended the Congregation is dismissed to take account of that which they haue heard that they may profit in knowledge and obedience Act. 10. 24. The day after they entred into Caesarea Now Cornelius waited for them had called together his kinsmen special friends vers 33. Now therefore saith Cornelius to Peter are we all heere present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Iob 1. 5. And when the daies of their banqueting were gone about Iob sent and sanctified them rose vp early in the morning offred burnt offerings c. 2. King 4. 23. And he said wherefore wilt thou go to him to day It is neither new moone nor Sabbath For this very cause the fourth Cōmandement is giuen first of all principally to the master of the familie that he might see the Sabbath kept and be a principal doer in all parts of Gods worship therein Exod. 20. 10. In it thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-seruant nor thy maid nor thy cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates Neither is this his care tied only to the Sabbath but vpon other daies besides it he ought to cause them of his houshold as much as in him lieth to repaire to places where the word of God is preached Commendable was the practise of Marie the sister of Martha in this case who when Christ came to her house is said to sit at his feete and attend vnto his preaching Luk 10. 39. III. To prouide for his family meat drinke and clothing and that they may liue a quiet peaceable life 1. Tim. 5. 8. Pro. 27. 26. The lambs are for thy clothing and the goats for the price of thy field v. 27. And let the milke of thy goats be sufficient for thy food for the food of thy familie and for the sustenance of thy maids 1. Cor. 9. 9. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne doth God care for oxen either saith he it not altogether for our sakes Matth. 13. 52. Euery scribe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen is like vnto an housholder that brings forth out of his treasurie things both new and old IV. To keepe order and to exercise discipline in his house and that in this manner In case of offence when a capitall crime is committed which incurreth publike censure he is not to punish it himselfe but to bring the offender to the ciuill Magistrate to informe of his fault that he may haue his desert It was a course established by the Iudicial law which God gaue vnto Moses for his direction in causes criminall among the Israelites Deut. 21. 18. 19. 20. If any man hath a son that is stubborne disobedient which wil not hearken vnto the voice of his father nor the voice of his mother and they haue chastened him then shal his father and his mother take him and bring him out vnto the Elders of his citie and vnto the gate of the place where he dwelleth and shall say vnto the Elders of his citie This our son is stubborne and disobedient and he will not obey our admonition hee is a rioter and a drunkard Againe Deut. 13. 6. If thy brother the son of thy mother or thine own son or thy daughter or the wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soul entise thee secretly saying Let vs go and serue other gods which thou hast not known thou I say nor thy fathers thou shalt not consent vnto him nor heare neither shal thine eye pitie nor shew mercie nor keepe him secret Zach. 13. 3. And when any shall yet prophesie his father and his mother that begate him shall say vnto him Thou shalt not liue for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord and his father and his mother that begate him shall thrust him thorough when he prophesieth If the fault be of an inferiour nature and lesser in comparison the master of the familie ought to proceed by priuate censure vpon the delinquent partie sometimes by admonitiō otherwhiles by correction and chastisement according to the quality of the offence the condition state of the person Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sin Mat. 1◠15. If thy brother sinne against thee go and tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone If he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two Prou. 29. 17. Correct thy sonne and he will giue thee rest and will giue pleasures to thy soule When admonitions and corrections will not preuaile the partie must bee brought before the Ministers and Gouernours of the Church that they may censure him Matth. 18. 17. If he will not heare them tell it vnto the Church And the Apostle Iames giueth order that the Ministers of the Church should come to those that are sicke and pray for them Iames 5. 14. which if they doe in case of infirmitie then they are also to be sought vnto in case of errour and offence committed for redresse But when none of all these meanes will do good if the partie be a seruant his master may and ought to remoue him Psal. 101. 7. There shall no deceitfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight Ioh. 8. 35. The seruant abideth not in the house for euer V. To giue intertainment to those that are strangers not of the familie if they be Christians and Belieuers but specially to the Ministers of the Word Rom. 12. 13. Giuing your selues to hospitalitie Hebr. 13. 2. Be not forgetfull to lodge strangers for hereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares This duty the woman of Shunem her husband performed vnto the Prophet Elisha 2. King 4. 10. Let vs make him a little chāber I pray thee with walles and let vs set him a bed there and