Apostle propounds a Retribution whereof hee would not have them doubt but with a setled assurance expect it from the Lord. Servants saith hee obey your Masters in all things knowing that yee shall receive from c. And shall the base secular workes of poore and miserable servāts then be thus rewarded why this must animate and encourage us not to grow weary of well doing but to goe on in all holy religious courses For surely the great works of piety in Gods service shal bee more highly rewarded Againe shall the workes of servants bee rewarded Here is matter then of comfort for them and matter of reproofe for those who being the children of God are many times yet so overborne by unbeliefe that they distrust the acceptation of their prayers and good indeavours For God will have them know that they shall receive from him a Reward of Inheritance than which nothing is surer a mans owne And thus much of the third point The certainty of receiving that which Christ hath promised I come now to the fourth and last and that is the Reason whereupon this certainty is grounded For yee serve the Lord Christ Wages and Workes are Relatives And therefore Equity requireth that from him a Reward should bee expected to whom our labour is exhibited But how may some say Can it bee deemed a credible and likely thing that they which undergoe base offices for men here upon earth should bee said herein to serve Christ who is now all glorious and hath his residence in the highest heavens where he hath the ful ministerie of Angels and needeth not at all the obsequiousnesse of Man The answer is at hand and hath already beene declared viz. that whatsoever services are done to men at the command of Christ and for the glory of Christ are held as done to Christ himselfe For as S. Hierome rightly upon this place saith Servit DEO qui propter Deum servit homini Hee may bee truely said to serve God that serveth man for Gods sake Yea Christ verifies it himselfe when hee saith Mat. 25.40 et v. ult In as much as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it to mee And againe In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not unto me This is there spoken only of works of charity as men either doe them or deny them one to the other but it may bee extended to all such Workes of Obedience as are prescribed and enjoyned us by GOD. For when wee doe them unto men wee doe them unto him that commanded them to bee done and when wee deny them unto them hee counts them as denyed unto himselfe and not without just cause For hee who being commanded by God to obey Men shall refuse to submit himselfe to humane authority would if he were able exempt himselfe withall from that which is divine When the Israelites therfore wold no lōger endure the rule of Samuel but would have a King to raigne over them 1 Sam. 7.7 They have not saith God cast thee away but they have cast mee away that I should not raigne over them Now from hence we may learne 1. That there is no servitude or Bondage which is not honourable if men demesne themselves therein honestly and faithfully For they which are such are servants unto Christ and to retaine to him is the very noone-point of all dignity 2. That there is no rule or principality that can vindicate a wicked man from shame and from disgrace For such are servants to the Devill which is the very depth of misery and dishonour And thus much concerning the first inducement by which the Apostle would stirre up servants to Obedience The promise of Reward I come now to the second A threatning of Punishment But hee that doth wrong shal receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons Out of this wee will observe 1. A Commination denounced against all that shall prove defective in their duty 2. An Anticipation of a secret Objection which might seeme to weaken infringe the certainety of this punishment in these words Neither is there respect of persons As touching the first Some take it as denounced against tyrannous and unjust Masters to the comfort of the servant that is so oppressed For it is no other than if hee should have said Though Masters be wicked and cruell doe not yee yet suspend your Obedience but performe that which is your dutie and leave the revenge to God For at his hands they shall receive what ever wrong they doe Now wicked and imperious Masters may many wayes prove injurious to their servants 1. By defrauding them of necessary food and raiment 2. By denying them their due wages 3. By urging them to labours that are above he strength of their Body 4. By wounding their very soules with virulent reproaches 5. By bruising and breaking even their Bones with undeserved strokes All which calamities in a manner hapned to the people of God during their servitude in Aegypt That servants therefore may not through impatience rise up against their Lords or through discouragement neglect the offices which are imposed upon them the Apostle tells them that whosoever he bee that shall thus oppresse thē He shall receive the wrōg that he hath done .i. He shal perceive and feele the vengeance of the highest proportioning his punishment according to his injustice A proofe of this wee have upon the Aegyptians whom God afflicted with farre greater plagues than they were able to afflict his Israelites As likewise upon Saul 2 Sam. 21.9 who was punished in his posteritie for the Gibeonites whom hee had slaine thinking to gratifie thereby the people because they were not of the seed of Abraham Other Interpreters referre it unto servants themselves as if the Apostle should have said If the hope of a Celestiall reward cannot draw you to your duty let the feare yet of a grievous punishment drive you therunto Bee not injurious to your Masters either out of stubbornnesse or sloth For GOD the righteous Iudge will with severity exact the forfeiture of your improbitie and of this we have an example in Gehezi 2 King 5.26 But with Saint Hierome I thinke that both interpretations are to be conjoyned 1. Because the Apostle speakes generally to all 2. Because this Commination is inserted betwixt the duties of servants and Masters that so it might seeme equally to appertaine to both So that this I take to bee the meaning of the Apostle He that doth wrong whether it be the Master in misusing of his servant or the servant in defrauding and despising of his Master either shall receive from God the wrong that hee hath done We must learne from hence then 1. That every sinne shall meete with punishment from God though peradventure it may scape the severity of men and what will it availe us to have avoyded their hands
againe unto the Fold hee hath a Hooke as well as a Whistle And therefore as touching the later Children may likewise bee corrected Prov. 19.15 The Rod saith the Wiseman giveth wisedome but a Childe set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed Chasten thy sonne therefore Pro. 23.13 while there is hope and let not thy soule spare for his murmuring If thou smite him with the Rod he shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the Rod and shalt deliver his Soule from Hell The Caution then must bee this Not to make Food of that which should be ministred onely as Physicke Our Rebukes must bee milde and our corrections moderate Sweet Bals are best to scowre away the Dirt and behold the proceedings of our heavenly Father towards his children may serve all earthly Fathers for a Precedent whereby to fashion their practise towards theirs Hee never is so farre incensed against his as utterly to withdraw from them his fatherly kindnesse and compassion If they forsake my Law Psal 89.31 saith hee and walke not in my judgements If they breake my Statutes and keepe not my Commandements I will visit their transgression with the Rod and their iniquity with strokes I will not yet take from them my loving kindnesse nor falsifie my truth Wee must not guide the reines with too rigorous and stiffe a hand Metus hand dinturni Magister officii saith the Orator Feare is but a bad Tutor and whatsoever lesson he teacheth it is quite forgotten when we come to libertie And thus from the Persons in whose behalfe this Prohibition was awarded we follow our Apostle to the Reason upon which it is grounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Least they should bee discouraged It is drawne from the inconvenience which usually followes this Act of provocation And this by the word in the originall is manifested to bee wondrous great For it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implies three notable Evils The first is a Heavinesse of the minde whereinto children specially if they be godly religious are cast by this unseasonable severity of their Parents and from hence arise in them sundry sicknesses and diseases by which Nature is enfeebled and many times even life it selfe is abridged For as a Moth is to the garment Pro. 25.20 or a Worme to the wood so is Sadnesse to the Heart saith Salomon Parents therefore must have a speciall care to avoide this inconvenience that they may not bee thought to have begotten Children with an intent to become themselves their Executioners The second Evill contained in this word is that stupid dejection of the Spirits by which they become fearfull and unapt for any noble and ingenuous designes For finding by experience that their best observance is neglected and all that ever they can do for the pleasing of their Parents rejected as ill done they set them downe and doe no more but waxe dull and sluggish in their undertakings Now Parents must be very wary that they drive not their children into this state For Children are as it were the Armes and Hands by which their age must bee defended the Feet and Thighes by which their Weaknesse must bee underpropped and might wee not justly count him a madd man who with some Narcoticall medicine should so stupifie those parts as never to have the use of them againe Can we then thinke otherwise of those Parents who with their hardnesse and austerity so dull and stupifie their Children in their youth that they can neither helpe themselves nor them in their maturer yeares 3. And lastly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries with it especially in those that are not of a good and generous disposition a desperate kinde of contumacy For when they see no hope of pleasing they likewise cast away all care to please yea many times they assume unto themselves a boldnesse to displease and make it their sport and pastime to provoke their Parents Now this in a Childe is the very height of all impiety Parents therfore must forbeare such sowre usage as may occasion in them this impiety The Rider in breaking of a Colt doth seldome make use of the Spurre but seekes by faire and gentle meanes to ring him to a perfect pace It is the familiar managing of the Hawke that makes her forgo her savagenes A Lion may bee stroâ—ed hee will not bee strucken Kindnesse may prevaile where crabbednesse shall be excluded It is not eyther Lightning or Thunder but onely the sweet and gentle shewes which the heavens send downe upon the earth that make her fertile and willing to produce such food and fodder as is requisite for Man and Beast The Sunne by shining gently upon the Traveller made him of his own accord lay by his Garment whereas to spite as it were the blustring Windes hee girded it to him the more Vnseasonable severitie is a retraction from duty Let not Parents therefore provoke their children least they bee discouraged The vulgar Latine reads it Vt non pusillo animo fiant that they may not bee pusillanimous white-liverd or hen-spirited as wee use to say which many happen to bee having beene too much snipped in their Infancy The Philosopher gives the Reason when hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Feare is to the Blood as cold is to the water it hinders Action and preventeth even Motion Some therefore alleage this for a reason why the Children of Israel were not presently brought into the Land of Promise because having beene bred up in the house of bondage they would not have had the courage to looke upon an Enemy Dicite pusillanimis Say unto them that are fearefull saith the Lord be strong feare not Esa 35.4 behold your God commeth with vengeance even God with a recompence will hee come and save you And thus we have done with the mutuall Duties of Children and Parents one towards the other The Ground of the first Booke of the third TOME Servants in all things obey your Masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of Heart fearing God And whatsoever yee doe doe it heartily c. TOM III. LIB I. Having past the two first Combinations concurring to the constitution of a Familie the one whereof was betwixt the Husband and the Wife the other betwixt the Parent and the childe wee come now to the third which is betwixt the Master and the Servant whose mutuall duties one towards another being throughly expounded our Oeconomicks will be full and compleate Now here as in the two former the Apostle begins with the weakest Servants And 1. he gives them a Precept 2. Directs them in their practise In the Precept we wil first consider the Persons on whom it is imposed Servants 2. The Duty which thereby is exacted Obedience 3. The extent of this Duty how farre it is to reach and that is to all things 4. And lastly the Persons to whom it is to bee tendred Generally Masters Particularly
Anabaptists therfore erre that thinke the Rule and Government of Christians over Christians repugnant to the freedome of the Gospell The Papist likewise is mistaken Gerson qu. 1. de Potest Ecclesi ca. 9. qu. 2. c. 8. while hee counts Heresie a sufficient ground to take away the Soveraignty of Kings when the Apostle here allowes not Paganisme to prejudice the authority of a private Master over his Family If they bee Servants their duty is required Servants bee Obedient The word in the Original is the same which he used unto children and as there so here it implies 1. An humble promptitude in entertaining the commands of others 2. A carefull application of our best endeavours to a quicke performance of the same Their Obedience must expresse it selfe 1. With Reverence and that internally and externally Internally they must not despise either the Person of their Masters or the place but must count them worthy of all Honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not evill spoken 1 Tim. 1.6 of Externally their speech and their behaviour must bee such as may not savour either of contempt or contumacy They must feare their Masters This is that which the Lord himselfe requireth in all his Servants If I bee a Master saith hee where is my feare Mal. 1.6 And in Ephes 6.5 Our Apostle exacteth feare and trembling from them towards their Masters The second Character of their Obedience must be Patience They must endure without resistance rebukes and Corrections bee they never so bitter and unjust For if when we do well 1 Pet. 2.20 and suffer wrong wee take it patiently this is well pleasing unto God Agar being roughly dealt withall by Sarai ranne away and would not abide her chastisements but the Lord by an Angell did controll this course advised her to returne home to her Mistresse and to humble her selfe under her hand A Servant may lawfully withdraw himselfe so it be done conveniently and without despising his Masters authority till the fury of his unjust anger be allayed For so David conveighed himselfe from Saul and the Aegyptian that directed David to the Amalekits made him sweare 1 Sam. 30.15 not to deliver him into the hands of his Master from whom hee was fled neither did David sinne in 〈…〉 an oath For in Deut. 23.15 it is set downe as a Law that if a servant were fled from his Masters cruelty especially if hee were a Heathen who little regarded the very lives of their servants hee should not bee presently redelivered but kindly entrâ—ated till mediation might bee made for the reinstating of him in his Masters favour but hee must not shew him selfe at any hand peremptory and rebellious And thus much of the duty the Extent of it followes In all things A Servant like a Bow in the hand of his Master must not be bended or unbended but according to his will and pleasure I am a man in authority saith the Centuâ—ion and I say unto one Goe and he goeth to another Come and hee commeth and to a third Doe this and hee doth it But there are some of that sturdy disposition that if the things enjoyned them doe any way crosse their credit prejudice their profit disturbe their ease or are contrary to their liking they will either not doe them at all or they will doe them with a left hand and as they list themselves Their usuall coÌ„plaint is that the master whom they serve is a churlish Nabal and one that forgetteth all humanitie both in exacting and rewarding the service that is done him But this is not enough to unyoke them from their Obedience For though they receive no comfort from their masters God yet to whom and for whom they doe their service will not leave them unrequited Iacob served a hard Laban 21 yeares In the day hee melted away with heate in the night he was benummed with cold yea the very sleepe departed from his Eyes that nothing might miscarry which was committed to his charge all which Laban regarded not but God in the end requited his care and travaile in a large measure And surely whatsoever a man doth that shall hee receive of the Lord whether he be bond Eph. 6.8 or free And therefore Servants bee obedient in all things In all things .i. in all outward things which are indifferent and lawfull Even Servants must look to that supreme Power whereunto their Masters are but subordinate and bee wary of doing any thing but the command of the one which they know to bee countermanded by the other The Master of our flesh is to bee obeyed so farre as he commands not that which is forbidden by the Master of our Spirit saith Saint Hierome They which please them in this kinde are utterly condemned It is said of Pharaoh That both hee and his servants sinned And indeed many are contented to prostitute their best indeavours to their Masters most adulterate designes Absalons followers were very forward in smiting of Amnon and those of Caiaphas to spit in the face of our blessed Saviour to buffet him with their hands Mat. 26 67 Let a great one make a scoffe of Religion and presently his Attendants to keepe him company will doe the like As there are Flatterers in Princes Courts so also are there in private cottages Many Apprentices and Iourneymen will never bee unfurnished of a Lie or an Oath that they may fill their masters houses as the Prophet speakes by bribery and cruelty whereas indeed they should humour them no farther than stands with the safety of a good Conscience The Servants of wicked Saul were none of the best yet they refused to execute his unjust sentence upon the Priests of the Lord though his commands had beene enough to countenance the deed Let Christian Servants therefore much more abhorre to please any Flesh so farre as to displease the Lord. The Apostle aymes not at a lawlesse and irreligious Obedience he onely forbids such a dimidiated and arbitrary subjection as Servants according to their owne fancy are willing to tender when he saith Servants bee obedient in all things This for the extent The Persons follow to whom this Duty must be tendred and that is generally Masters Particularly Masters according to the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The very Title speakes the Equity of the Precept as well as that of Servants For as the word Servant intimates an Obedience to bee exhibited to to another so the name of Master implies a due Obedience to bee exacted from another Whosoever therefore is a Master must bee obeyed whether hee bee rich or poore kind or crabbed a true beleever or a false The Apostle sets it downe indefinitely without any difference of condition Servants bee obedient to them that are your Masters And we must understand it likewise without distinction of Sexe For the Head of the Family bee it Man or woman must be obeyed 1 Tim. 5.14 No Salik Law for the cutting
into his Figure making him hold in eyther hand a City No said Alexander I prethee leave the Mountaine Atho untouched in his place and wrong it not so much as to reduce the vastnesse of it to the similitude of a Body so little as mine O that the sonnes of the mightie would learne of him not to lend an eare to those who with a commendation too ranke and over-growne should go about to set forth their merit Tobias when a Kid was presented unto him would not accept it till they had satisfied him that it was not stoln if great ones would doe the like by those Encomiums which are daily given them and admit of none but what were duly theirs and not stolne from others they should not bee so obnoxious to miscarrying as they are But Aristippus hath now no other Plee for all his base insinuations than that without theÌ„ there is no life or conversation to bee had with Dionysius or any other of his straine Their Eares he findes are in their heeles and unlesse hee lay his head in the very dust before them hee cannot bee heard Yet this shall not free him from the stroke of vengeance For if a poore silly wretch that is afraid of his Mâ—sters wrath and hath a feeling of his owne wants may not yet for the avoyding of the one nor for the reparation of the other insinuate himselfe into his masters favour by wicked and sinister meanes what shall we thinke will become of those who in imitatiâ—n of him speake onely placentia Butter and Oyle to their Superiours not caring how they dead in them all goodnesse so they may give a life to their owne greatnesse Surely the hand of the Highest is drawing upon the very wals of such mens houses the Character of their destruction and it shall quickly come downe upon them to the bruising and breaking of their hairy Scalpe Let Subjects and Servants therfore bee obedient unto those that have authority over them in all things but but not with Eye-service nor yet as men-pleasers Mâ—n-pleasers Who never doe any service but when it mâ—y bee seene desiring out of their owne particular ends by flattering and deceitfull courses to purchase their Masters praise but never striving to procure his profit Such as these I may well liken to Players who seek so to perfect their Action that it may please but the end of their pleasing is to benefit themselves They appeare not upon the Stage till their spectators bee come No more doe these put hand to their worke but when their Master is by to looke upon them and applaud them But Saint Paul would have Christian Servants in the performance of their duties to know that they are alwayes in Gods eye and it is hee that requireth their diligence They should not therefore serve as Men-pleasers but whatsoever they doe they should doe it heartily as to the Lord not to meÌ„ And thus from the negative part of the direction wee will now passe to the Affirmative In this 3. things are propounded for the fashioning and conforming of a servants Obedience to the right modell The first is Singlenesse of heart and is prescribed as a Counter-check to that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deceitfull service of the Eye The second is the feare of God and meetes with the other defect of servants by which with a fraudulent and sinister kinde of industrie they onely seeke the applause and praise of men The third and last is a couragious and chearefull performance of whatsoever is enjoyned them for they must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heartily and with a willing minde and presently hee addes the Reason They are servants unto GOD and not to men Touching the former wee may consider it two manner of wayes 1. As it is in the Servants of God 2. As it is in the servants of men As it is in Gods Servants it excludeth 1. All Hypocrisie For he that hath a single heart had rather bee good than so accounted whereas the Hypocrite so hee may seeme faire in the Barke cares not how rotten hee bee in the Body His desire is to satisfie his owne lusts but hee would not the world should be aware of it Formall precisenesse therefore must keepe his countenance while Legions of uncleane spirits revell in his Conscience Againe the single-hearted man will serve God at all times whereas the hypocrite upon the Sunday perhaps will shew himselfe like the Dominical letter zealously red but all the weeke after Hell shall not be blacker than his deeds nor the grave colder than his devotion 2. It excludeth Mart. lib. 12 Epigr. 51. fleshly wisedome Bonus homo tyro est saith the Epigrammatist and in the Gospell our Saviour saith of his Disciples Behold I send you out like Sheepe in the middest of Wolves It is Saul that must make a Machivillian It is Achitophel whose words must bee embraced as an Oracle Iacob was a man of great understanding in matters that concerned the good of his soule but in other things so plaine and open that he lay exposed to the craft of whosoever would surprize him 3. It excludeth All spirituall Pride For a Single heart is an humble heart If God send crosses and calamities it will not answere nor justifie it selfe but will make supplication Cap. 9.16 as Iob speakes to his Iudge and ingenuously acknowledge that he doth handle him so for his corruptions Yea if when he prayes the Lord vouchsafe to answer him by the sweete whisperings of his blessed Spirit so lowly yet is he conceited of his owne worth that he will not beleeve that he hath harkened unto him 4. It is against the propertie of a single Heart to be either doubled or divided Men have a double heart that waver and are tossed with uncertainties such as are now for God and godlinesse and shortly after for sinne and for the Flesh now resolved to leave such a fault as perswaded it is a fault by and by they to it againe as being perswaded it is none Againe Men have divided hearts when in respect of the world they will serve both GOD and Mammon or when in matter of worship they will bow to Christ and Baal The people that came to inhabit Samaria 2 King 17.33 had a divided Heart for they feared the god of the Countrey because of the Lyons which hee sent amongst them and they feared also the gods of the Nations 5. A single Heart is a harmelesse heart and surely hee that harbours it in his brest is seldome prejudiciall to his Brother either in word or deed Not in word for his desire is to live without blame even in the middest of a crooked and froward generation and to shine as a light in the world Hee hath learned of Michael the Archangell not to returne a railing accusation no not to the devill but to say Iude 2.9 The Lord rebuke thee Againe not in Deeds Hee is not like
his Master than twice as much in an evill servant 2. The wicked servant doth not onely bring the curse of God upon himselfe and his endevours but upon the whole family wherin he lives So Achan endangered the whole Army Ionas the whole ship in which they were whereas on the contrary for a godly servants sake other in the house have fared the better Such a one is like the Arke of God under the Roofe of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6 1â— Hee brings with him a blessing upon his Master and the whole houshold Neither are ungodly servants unprofitable onely to the body but also to the soule infecting all that are about them with the contagion of their corrupt example whereas the other by their good and vertuous lives adorne the Gospell of Christ and cause it to appeare beautifull in the eyes even of profane and irreligious Masters gaining them often times to the love and liking thereof even as the beleeving wife doth the unbeleeving husband Masters therefore must either chuse such servants as are religiâ—us or seeke to maâ—e them such when hee hath chosen them But what shall Masters doe that their servants may bee such 1. They must cause them to pray and reade the Scriptures in their private houses 2. They must bring them to the publike hearing of them in the Church 3. They should be a light and a Lanthorne to them themselves Pessima defluxio quae provenit à capite A sicke head distempers all the other parts and a darke eye makes a darke body 4. And lastly they must restraine them from profane company and allow them libertie at convenient times to converse with such as feare God While Saul was amongst the Prophets himselfe did likewise prophecie Let it be a fragrant flower or a stinking weed which we handle our Fingers will bee sure to retaine the smell Iudas was honest while hee conversed with Christ 't was after hee had conferred with the Priests and Elders that out of a greedy desire of the wages of unrighteousnesse hee plotted the death of his innocent and harmlesse Master And thus much concerning the second thing required to the fashioning of a Servants obedience to the true modell it is the feare of God I come now to the third Whatsoever they doe they must doe it heartily And here we will 1. Consider the Duty 2. The Inducement thereunto As concerning the Duty Whatsoever they doe they must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a heart and a soule The word implies two things 1. That they should doe what their Masters enjoyne them chearefully and as it were for their life without any murmuring or repining And it is very likely that some Christian servants in the time of the Apostles obeied their masters more for the necessity of their condition than any willingnesse they had unto it S. Paul therefore seekes to cure this evill when hee commands them to doe whatsoever they doe freely from their heart and without any enforcement Now then may wee bee said to doe a thing with our heart when the heart not onely desires to doe it but withall rejoyceth and is much delighted in the doing of it On the contrary when the heart holds off and is a verse and refractary though the outward work be done it is done yet onely by the hand and not with the heart For as Prosper well Si quid invitus feceris fit de te magis quà m facis If wee doe any thing unwillingly it may rightly be said to be done by us but it cannot be said to be done of us and in this our master hath no more from us than hee hath from his Asse or from his Oxe a meere extorted labour and what reward can wee expect for this Animus est qui parva extollit sordida illustrat magna in pretio habita dehonestat It is onely the condition of the minde saith the Morallist which gives the forme to ever thing and makes it either respected or disrespected both of God and man It was the heartinesse of the poore Widdow in the Gospell which made her two Mites be so applauded by our Saviour when the large offerings of the Pharisees were not a jot regarded The Souldier that brought a little water in his Helmet to his Soveraigne was more regarded of him than the greatest of those Peeres that courted him with costly presents It is in service as it is in sacrifice if the heart be wanting it can never be acceptable 2. In that hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee sheweth that servants should not onely expresse life in their actions â—ut likewise Love in their Affections and no lesse approve of the Commander than they doe of his commands And indeed these are things for the most part combined one to the other For no maÌ„ can go chearefully about a businesse unlesse hee love and respect the person that enjoyneth it And therefore in Eph. 6.7 It is expresly set downe that they should serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with good will And indeed according to S. Ambrose Nemo melius obtemperat quà m qui ex charitate obsequitur None serve like those that serve because they love And thus much concerning the Duty the Inducement followes As to the Lord and not to men that is as they who rather and more principally serve the Lord than men even in the peformance of those offices which are exhibited unto men For though the use and benefit of the worke bee to redound to man the minde of the worker yet is to look specially unto God And here wee must note that the Negative particle doth not inferre it an unlawfull thing to serve men or in serving to regard them It only shews that in the performance of all Duties wee should not look so much to our earthly Lord as to Christ our heavenly Lord. It is a knowne rule in the exposition of holy Writ In comparationibus saepe negari illud quod non est excludendum sed tantum alteri postponendum that in comparisons a thing many times is denyed which must not yet bee utterly excluded but onely postposed to another as in Marke 9.37 Whosoever receiveth me saith our Saviour Christ receiveth not mee but him that sent me .i. hee receiveth the Father that sends more than me that am sent for hee receiveth mee for his sake And so in this place Whatsoever ye doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to meâ— .i. to Christ your Lord rather than to meÌ„ because it is for his sake that ye serve them And indeed there is great reason why even in vile and externall duties they should bee said rather to obey God than men though they doe them wholly at their command and onely for their profit For first they which obey are Christs by right more than their earthly Lords They bought them to be their servants with gold and Silver but Christ bought them to be his with no lâ—sse price than with the effusion of
resolution at the first fully to ponde and examine every word of his that from them I might derive the greater weight unto mine owne In handling therefore of the two first combinations I followed his concisenesse and here where hee tooke a larger field I was forced to doe the like But why may some demand was hee so briefe in those and did so much enlarge himselfe in this I answer the reason may bee threefold 1. Because the property of Pagan servants was to cozen and defraud their Masters and in their absence like so many traitors as Cato termed them feloniously to curse and speake evill both of their persons and proceedings Witnesse that speech of one in the Comedie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thought him selfe overjoy'd whâ—n hee could get but any opportunity to raile in secret upon his Master and howsoever they to whom he theÌ„ spake were converted to Christianitie it was but newly yet and any little discontentment offered them by their Masters might have made them with the dâ—g retuâ—ne to their vomit for the prevention whereof hee seekes by strong enforcements to tie them to their dutie A second reason may bee to expresse the riches of Gods mercy who despiseth not the very slave that is despised of all but seeks to make even him a lively stone for the building up of his most glorious Hierusalem and because husbands are willing to enforme their Wives parents carefull to teach their Children whereas Masters utterly neglâ—ct their Servants God to supply the defect doth here afford them a large Volume of instructions The third reason is for the comfort of servants who by this pressing of their duty may well resolve themselves of Gods affection The lover never thinkes his minde sufficiently vented and is therefore still courting the Object of his love And so it is here with God hee doth dilate himselfe in drawing them to shew that he doth much desire them A fourth and last reason may bee the intimation of his owne humanity The Physitian when hee meets with a needy Patient tels him in briefe that Kitchin physick must bee his onely remedy And so the Lawyer when hee lights upon a Thred-bare Client to shake him off the sooner makes him beleeve his cause will not bee worth the triall S. Paul teacheth them charity venting his counsell and advise more freely more fully in the behalfe of those whose inheritance in this world was nothing but the extremitie of misery than hee had done for theÌ„ that were of better qualitie as if the saving of one of those had beene a thing more meritorious than the other And thus having apologized for my tediousnesse in this point I leave the servant and come to the Master The Ground of the second Booke of the third TOME Masters give unto your servants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also have a Master in Heaven TOM III. LIB II. THis VERSE which is made the first of the fourth Chapter I cannot liken better than to a Tree that by the violence of some earth-quake is removed out of one mans ground into an others For it should bee the period of the former and so not onely the matter of it which is oeconomicall and the fame with that in the eight Verses immediately going before but that likewise of the Verse following which is of a differing straine doth plainly shew it Chrysostome therefore Aquinas Hugo Illyricus Musculus Zanchius c. dispose of it no otherwise and we subscribing to their opinion will assume it as a part and parcell of the precedent thus then it divideth it self into two branches In the former hee shewes how Masters are to carry themselves towards their servants Yee Masters saith he do unto your servants that which is iust and equal In the latter he alleageth a Motive to induce them thereunto Knowing that yee also have a Master in heaven As touching the first In that he doth apply himselfe now to masters wee are taught that every true dispenser of Gods Word should not onely bend his endeavours to the fashioning of servants those of Inferiour ranke but should also instruct exhort and edifie Masters and Magistrates together with all those that have submitted their neckes to the yoke of Christ Againe howsoever it bee usuall with Superiours and that not without just cause to complaine of the faults of their inferiours themselves yet are seldome free from taint and from corruption The Apostle therfore would have neither Masters nor servants to upbraid each other with their imperfectioÌ„s but every one to ameÌ„d his own 2. Concerning the persons in whose behalfe this duty is here prescribed servants They may observe to their endlesse comfort the great sollicitude and care which God hath of their well-fare Hee respecteth both their soules and bodies For touching their soules No Monâ—rch hath a greater interest in the Kingdome of heaven than they if in Singlenesse of Heart they discharge those duties which hee in his diviner wisedome thought good to impose upon them As faire a recompence attends the one as the other and therefore the Apostle delivereth it with a kinde of Emphasis Servants bee obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe as if he were enamoured of the one hee seemes to Court their affections with the profer of his choisest Treasure and so to draw them to his Will whereas the other if yee reade and marke the Scriptures are usually driven thereunto by his most grievouâ— plagues and deadliest punishments Esay must tell the King that Tophet is prepared for him of old and it is deepe and large that the burning of it is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a River of brimstone doth kindle it Eliiah must threaten Ahab that the Dogges shall eate him of his Stock that dyeth in the City and him that dyeth in the fields shall the Foules of the aire devoure He cals to the one in storme and tempest but in a soft still voice to the other Boanerges the Sonnes of Thunder are sent to shake the Cedar but Barionah the sonne of Consolation must hearten up the Shrub The state and condition of a servant in the Apostles time was enough to bruise the very heart God therefore seekes not to breake it but to binde it up Servants saith he be obedient to your masters knowing that yee also shall receive Againe to comfort servaÌ„ts in their distresse a little farther as hee shewes himself there tender over their soules so doth he here over their Bodies And because it is an easie thing for any man to abuse the power and authority which he hath over another and that there is not a more pernicious Creature than a tyrannicall and cruell master he limits even their proceedings with his precepts charging them to use those that are under their government with Iustice and Equity Yee masters doe that which is To come then to the duty it selfe it consisteth of two particulars
1. Masters must doe to their servants that which is just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in this is included whatsoever may be due to servaÌ„ts by any legall Tie or according to the positive Lawes it excludes whatsoever may redound with hurt and prejudice unto them It hath reference then both to their soules and Bodies Masters must doe that which is just to their Servants in regard of their Soules 1. By using all possible meanes to helpe them unto Grace as by training them up in the feare of God by prayer instruction and other both publike and private wayes 2. Having by Gods blessing and his owne industry brought them to some perfection in this kinde to prevent a future relapse they must be very wary to chuse such for their associates in the family as bee just For if it be an injury to bring a Servant into the house that hath either the Plague or some other Contagious Ulcer running upon his body and shall appoint him to worke amongst the rest whereby to endanger also them It must bee an injury beyond compare to bring in a lewd servant that hath the Plague-soare of sinne upon his soule For the infection of such a one is farre more dangerous than the other Now for their Bodies Aristotle propounds three things so necessary for servants that they may bee accounted due 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worke â—od and Correction To these wee will adde a fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and and that is the hyre which is due to our servants who are not slaves like those of former times Now it pertaines to the justice of the Master to see as occasion shall bee offered that all these things bee exhibited unto them in a due measure and it is madnesse in him to doe otherwise For in imposing his taskes if hee tie them as the Aegyptians did the Israelites to more than they are able to undergoe they will soone grow faint and feeble if to lesse sluggish and idle 2. In giving them Food if he detract and withhold that which is needfull and convenient he pines them Againe if he feed them delicately he makes them insolent 3. In using correction if he be too outragious wil punish them beyond the quality of the fault he may kill their bodies Againe if he be too remisse and will suffer them whatsoever they commit to passe uncensured hee destroyes their very soules 4. In the allowance of their wages hee that is too pinching may dishearten them from doing well and againe hee that is too prodigall may the more inable them to doe ill So that in every one of these there is a meane required that Masters may doe unto their servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is iust 1. Then that he may not erre in the first let him know that every man is not a Ioseph to manage himselfe alone the businesse of a whole Family Even Moses when the burden is too great must have a Iethro helpe him to support it Let him therefore put a hand unto the Plough himselfe and as Salomon speakes Pro. 27.23 let him bee diligent to know the state of his owne flocke 2. As touching the second He that pampereth his Horse shall finde him restife when hee would use him so he that travails him and will not feed him shall bee forced for the ending of his journey to make a Hackney of his owne leggs Let him provide therefore a portion and give them their Ordinary in due season 3. To avoid the third Let him winke at slight faults and for such as are grosse and palpable let him punish them as Plato did by Deputie or if he will needs doe it of himselfe let him stay till the violence of his passion be allayed that he may doe it with instruction and moderation and in such a manner as may bee profitable to them and his whole Family 4. And lastly that hee may not prove unjust in the fourth hee must allow them such a competency of wages for their worke that they may not onely bee able to furnish themselves with things necessary for the present but have also some remnant in store for the future It was Iacobs diligence which looked for this and it was Labans duty to afford it Chi ben serve assai dimanda saith the Italian Adage And thus much for the first particular Masters doe that which is iust The second followes And equall to your servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall which signifies Equalitie or Equabilitie But wee are not so to understand it as if masters were bound to exhibite to their servants the like honour and observance that is exacted from them For as Plato wel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equall things cease to bee equall when wee apply them to those that are unequall This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore doth not denote unto us the workes and offices of servants and Masters which are indeed so differing that they are plainely opposite but it is referred to the minde and manner of working which in a kinde of an analogicall proportion should bee the like in both As for example the proper office of a servant is to obey that of a Master to command Now these in no wise must be changed for they be particular kindes of duties and diversly appropriated but to doe that which we doe in singlenesse of heart and with all alacrity and chearefulnesse as servants unto Christ these are duties equally common unto both And in this look how the Master would have his servants demeane themselves towards him so must he demean himself towards his servant If he wold have them to obey him in sinceritie tâ—e feare of God his care must bee to command them in sincerity and the feare of God if hee would have theÌ„ to serve heartily with good will he must be sure to governe them with a milde fatherly affection So shall he truly render unto them this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Equalitie which is here injoyned Briefly then to epitomize the difference which is betwixt these termes That may bee said here in this place to bee iust which the law requireth or which is due to a servant by any Legall Obligation and on the other side that to be equall which charitie and Christian mildnesse doth exact which is duâ— unto them by a morall obligation Now the speciall workes of this Equalitie in a Master are these 1. To account of his Servant as one made of the same mould and partaker of the same grace with him selfe Not as many doe with a proud and lofty minde so to vilifie and contemne him as if his eye were too good to behold so base an obiect For howsoever Master and servant bee words implying a difference of condition man and man yet are names denoting the same Nature Fortune saith Plato hath distinguished the one from the other but nature is the same in both Eisdem seminibus orti eodem fruuntur coelo
they require but what thy Lord and Maker hath ordained and let his proceedings towards Christ his one and onely Sonne provoke thee to Obedience Hee commanded him to bear the Crosse and he with all alacrity embraced it hee willed him to let his face be buffeted his Flesh ploughed up with whips and his cheekes defaced with lothsome excrements Yea hee willed him to suffâ—r every word hee spake and every miracle he wrought to bee traduced and blasphemed and he declined it not but in all things became obedient to the will of his Heavenly Father Others peradventure will object that their Parents are destitute of wisdome and discretion and therefore unfit to be obeyed in any thing they shall impose but however my answer is they are not to bee despised The Rose smels not the lesse because it springs from out a Briar Neither doth an Almond abate of his sweetnesse because of the hardnesse of his shell GOD knowes what is good for thee and hath therefore caused thee to come out of the Loynes of such that the faire tender of thy obedience might make thee a worthy spectacle to God to Angels and to men A third sort to blanch this dutie from themselves will peradventure say They are not my naturall Parents but my Stepfather or Stepmother Be it so yet even these must bee obeyed The great respect of Ruth to Naomi is sufficient to remove this cavill as likewise that of Moses to Iethro The one would not be perswaded to abandon the societie of her Mother in Law but would share with her in all occurrences the other hearkned to the voyce of his Father in law did in all things as hee directed Or if these examples be too weak look againe upon that of Christ to Ioseph Hee had no greater relation to him than that hee was betrothed to the blessed Virgin his Mother and yet hee was content to bee governed by him A fourth and last ranke to pleade exemption from what is here required will say They bee not my Parents at all but only my kindred and allies as my Vncle or my Aunt c that have had the breeding and bringing of me up It is al one thou owst this duty eveÌ„ unto them Esther was advaÌ„ced to bee a Queene she forgot not yet in the height of Majesty to shew her obedience to her Vncle Mordecai To close up this point then Children obey your Parents The next to bee discussed is the extent of this obedieÌ„ce how farre it is to reach Children obey your parents in all things In all things There must bee a limitation of this for universall and absolute Obedience is due onely to God and wee may finde it in Ephes 6.1 where the Apostle plainly expresseth what here hee leaves to bee understood Children obey your Parents in the Lord that is so far forth as is permitted by the Lord. Or thus A. Gell. lib. 2 Cap. 7. All things may bee reduced to a threefold rank For 1. some are simply good and these must bee done notwithstanding any inhibition of our Parents to the contrary and that in regard of the things themselves as likewise in regard of him that doth injoyne them For hee that listneth saith our Saviour to Father or mother more than mee is not worthy of mee 2. Some things are simply evill and these must not bee done for any strong intreaties or enforcements that can be used by our Parents because God forbids them and according to that of Saint Peter Wee are to obey him rather than men Act. 5.29 3. And lastly some things are of an indiffereÌ„t strain as neither simply good nor simply evill in these children must shew their Obedience without any reluctation how unmeet soever they may seeme to their owne apprehension In adiaphoris saith Gerson superioris judicio maximè credendum quoniam ille vice Dei tibi dicit quid expedit quid decet In matters of an indifferent nature a man must ever subscribe to the judgement of his Superiour because hee doth supply the place of God and serves as one deputed from him to tell thee what is decent and convenient to bee done Patris jussa discutere non licâ—t patris monita retractare non convenit sâ—ith Petrus Ravennas Tristior esse poterit paterni mandati species res tamen ipsa salutifera est vitalis Though the commands of our Parents may seeme to us never so harsh never so unjust so they bee not clearely convicted of impiety wee are not to reject them especially if wee bee such as are still under their governmeÌ„t and protection An excellent example wee have of this in Isaac who without any resistance either in word or deed suffered himselfe to be bound and laid upon the Altar where hee was content so far to yeeld unto the wil of his Father as to be sacrificed unto the Lord. Iude 11.36 The like did Iephtah's daughter unto him and the like should be done by every one The very placing of the fift Commandement in which this duty is required may bee sufficient to move us hereunto God hath set it before our goods yea before our lives to shew that Obedience to Parents should bee dearer unto us than â—itâ—â—â— Goods or Lives Agaâ—â—e there is annexed unto it a â—â—omise of Long life a thiâ—g so beloved of all that â—here need no other allurement For Death is hated and abhorred of Nature But here it may bee demanded whether married Children or such as are called to any publike place eyther in Church or Common-weale bee still bound to obey their Parents and how farre I answere that this filiall obedience is to receive no intermission so long as life doth last For 1. as it is 1 Tim. 2.3 it is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good thing and to God acceptable but it is likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just thing Eph. 6.1 Wee cannot â—orbeare it without injury Christs direction therfore is this Give unto Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesar's to every one his due Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom Custome Feare to whom feare Rom. 3.7 Honour to whom Honour belongeth Now this is proper and peculiar unto parents as appeares by God himselfe If I bee a Father where is my honour if I bee a Master where is my feare 2. It is exacted by way of Precept Honor thy Father thy mother that thy dayes may bee long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee So that concerning the continuaÌ„ce of this duty It is to last so long as we doe live but not in the same measure nor after the same manner For such as live in their Fathers house and under their Fathers power are to be employed by their Parents both at home and abroad according as they shall thinke fit to make use of their service But as touching such as are married or called to the administration either of Church or common-weale though they
his owne most precious blood they redeemed oneâ—y the body that no farther than out of one servitude into another but Christ hath ransomed both soule and body into a glorious liberty that shall last for ever and therfore Christ is to bee served before them 2. Our earthly Masters are to bee obeyed no otherwise than Christ prescribes they are to him as a steward to a Noble man hee hath the command of all the inferiour Servants but if he command any thing that is contrary to the will of the Lord they are to suspend their obedience 3. Christ himselfe hath declared it to bee his will and pleasure that Servants should obey their Masters and in his wisedome and power he hath ordeyned some for soveraignty and some for subjection All which considered Christian servants may be rightly said even in the performance of any office to their Master to serve the Lord and not men And it is a great motive to doe whatsoever wee doe heartily considering that the eye of Christ can scrue it selfe into our inmost retreates and that in every Action hee more regards the heart than the hand The defects of men towards men in their observance arise from a want of feare and reverence toward God We have it from the mouth of a Heathen That he who behaves himselfe impiously and perfidiously towards him can never bee Single-hearted towards Man In all the works therefore of our vocation wee must studie rather to keepe a good Conscience than to gaine the applause of men For how laudible so ever our outward Obedience may seeme it is but hypocriticall and adulterate if referred to an ill end A Christian servant must not think it enough to please his earthly Lord unlesse withal hee please Christ who is his heavenly one To conclude this is the manner of Christian obedience that every faithfull man should so doe the workes of his Calling as if there were none in the world besides God and himselfe For then hee will not dare to doe those offices for men which he knowes are hatefull unto him but will shew himselfe so farre serviceable to the one as that he may bee truely serviceable to the other And thus much concerning the Precept imposed upon servants as likewise of the Obedience required at their hands Now follow the Inducements which must stirre them up to the tender of this Obedience these are drawne from those things which usually make the greatest impression in the mindes of men Reward and Punishment In handling of the former we will consider 1. The qualitie of the Reward proposed It is a Reward of inheritance 2. The Person from whom it is to bee expected and that is the Lord Yee shall receive from the Lord. 3. The certainty of receiving it Yee know that hee shall receive 4. And lastly the Reason of this certainty For Yee serve the Lord Christ As touching the quality of the Reward It is the Reward of Inheritance But in this may some say lyes a contradiction For a Reward is commonly that which wee give unto servants an inheritance which wee bequeath to sonnes Whereunto I answere that the Apostle speakes not of any temporall Reward which might in worth bee correspondent to their labour but of that eternall beatitude which God conferreth upon his Saints and which farre surmounteth the worth and excellency of all humane obsequiousnesse whatsoever and he cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Retribution not that men are able any way to interest themselves therein by the dignity of their workes but because in regard of some circumstances it obtaines the similitude of a recompence For first as Wages are not given but to them that worke no more is the Kingdome of heaven conferred on any that are idle They that would have it must not lie snoring in the lappe of worldly pleasure but diligently labour in the workes of their Vocation 2. As wages are not given till our worke be ended no more is life eternall till our course be finished after the Race the runner must looke for his reward 2 Tim. 4.8 and after the combate the Souldier expect his Crowne Now as this heavenly reward is for two respects in which it resembleth wages entituled by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Retribution so for two other respects in which it differeth from wages it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Inheritance For 1. Wages are given as a due to him that worketh but this heavenly reward proceedeth wholly from the grace and liberality of him that doth conferre it For when we have done all that is commanded us wee are yet unprofitable servants â—ukâ— 17 10 and what have wee done which was not our duty to doe We are all of us Filii divini beneficii The Children of divine kindnesse as S. Augustine termes us by grace saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God 2. Wages have usually a proportion with the worke for which they are paid but this heavenly reward hath no proportion with our services For what proportion can there be betwixt that which is finite and that which is infinite It is called therefore an Inheritance to exclude it wholly from being a Desart For Children come not to inherite their Fathers lands by vertue of any merit because most an end the land is purchased before the Childe is borne much lesse can we by any such title lay claime to heaven who can not pretend so much as this that wee came out of the Loynes of our Coelestiall Father For wee are his Children onely by grace not by any priviledge of Nature So speaks the Apostle Ye have received the spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 by which ye cry Abba Father Now Adoption admits no Merit For if Civilians define it rightly Adoptio est gratuita assumptio personae non habentis jus in haereditate ad participationem haereditatis Adoption is the free assumption of a person that hath no right in the inheritance to a full participation of the same The right which wee have to eternall life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hesychius speakes is not a guerdon but a gift We have it Propter promissum according to S. Gregory yet not propter commissum It is not factuâ— but pactum saith S. Aug. the Mercy of the Giver not the Merit of the Worker which deriveth it upon us The possession of this life yet is as the Apostle termes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reward or Retribution And the Lord so stileth it not to puffe us up thereby with any vaine conceit of our own sufficiency but only to cheare and hearten up with some kinde of solace the debility of our Nature And therefore when the Scripture saith that God the righteous Iudge will one day render the Crowne of righteousnesse to those that are his 1. I except with S. Augustine where should this righteous Iudge bestow his glory but where the mercy of a loving