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duty_n master_n servant_n wife_n 3,538 5 6.4560 4 true
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A96352 A sermon preached at Dorchester in the county of Dorcet, at the generall assizes held the 7. of March, 1632. / By John White of Dorchester, rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity. White, John, 1575-1648. 1648 (1648) Wing W1782; Thomason E469_6 33,644 43

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downe for a ground of infallible truth that every man by nature is impatient of government and subjection whether by the ungodlinesse which is naturally in all which as the Apostle affirmes carrieth us so farre that wee become haters of God Rom. 1.30 ☜ and consequently of his Image in such as represent his person or by our pride which is now become another nature to all men makes us desire to be above and not below or rather by both it is not easie to say this is cleare which the Apostle tels us that naturall men are so prone unto rebellion that they grow disobedient even unto their owne parents Rom. 1.30 and 2 Tim. 3.2 and consequently much more to other Governours to whom they seeme not to have so neere relation this consideration of all mens naturall Inclination to disobedience cannot but make us jealous of the counsels and thoughts of our owne hearts ☜ fearefull of our owne passions and affections and observant of our words and behaviour every way especially in Meetings and Conferences wherein commonly we take more liberty not only in censuring our equals but our betters then will well stand with Christian Charity a seasonable Item for this present time and occasion wherein authority and the actions thereof being represented as it were upon a stage in publicke view the persons and carriage of Magistrates are diversly censured and too often according to mens private Interests and dispositions so that we shall find just cause at the breaking up of this solemne meeting when our hearts shall smight us that instead of our prayers to God for the execution of Justice charitable Censures upon such passages in Judgement as are Capable of good Constructions and not bewayling of our own sins which is it that causeth the turning of Judgement into wormwood many times we take up swelling thoughts rash censures and bitter speeches against such as we ought to thinke and speak of with reverence we shall find Just cause I say after Jobs example in the feasts of his Children every man a part by himself to offer up a sin offering unto God for his own soul In the 6. place remember the heathen Philosophers maxime of singular use in all duties between man and man much more between man and his God there is more evill in doing then in receiving wrong the latter being at the worst but an outward and temporary evill the former Inwards and perpetuall In a cause therefore of such Importance Let every man offend in the safest part rather trespassing upon his own ease profit or liberty then upon the rights and services due unto Governours rather suffer his own losse then hazard the doing of them wrong rather limite and Crosse his own will then Crosse and withstand theirs so that in the meane time we swerve not from the will of God Seventhly remember that of reciprocall duties that passe between man and man some are founded upon an Ordinance of God and others upon agreement and mutuall stipulation between men themselves the duties of the latter sort are like the Couples of a house as they stand one by another so they fall one with another as if one party refuse to stand to the bargaine the other is at liberty But the duties established by an Ordinance of God cease not by the failing of reciprocall performances as for example I must Love mine enemy though he Love not me and doe him good though he doe me hurt So it is in all duties between Parents and Children Magistrate and Subject Husband and Wife Master and Servant the reason is plaine because the obligation to that duty is more to God that Commands it then to the person to whom it is injoyned to be performed in which respect the obligation to duty which these severall relations casts upon a man by Gods Ordinance may be termed a Covenant of God in some sort as Marriage is called Pro. 2.17 upon this ground Solomon gives a Caveat that if the spirit of the Rulers rise up against a man he must not leave his place Eccles ☞ 10.4 as if he had said although the Magistrate leave his place it is no warrant for thee to leave thine or to neglect thy duty because he hath neglected his it was an Ill speech or that Roman Senator ne ego quidem illum ut Consulam quando neque ille me ut Consularem I did not respect him according to his office because he reguarded not me according to my degree Lastly remember that though the Rulers duty in Governing cease not by the peoples neglect of duty in obeying notwithstanding thereby he ceaseth to be a debtor unto them though his Ingagement unto God continue still to this purpose we must know that reciprocall dutyes which God Injoynes may become due by a double Title First by Gods Command which makes the duty a debt unto God Secondly they may grow further due by the performance of some duty by the one partie which may deserve requitall to him that performes it from him to whom it is performed and so becomes a debt in equity and Justice unto man wherefore where one deserves nothing at anothers hand because he performe not unto him that office and service which he is bound unto there that man can challenge nothing of his neighbours to whom he neglects his duty as his owne debt by desert because nothing can in equity be demanded by him that hath not deserved that which he demands thus where the people fayle in obedience to Rulers there they cannot demand any duty to them from the Rulers hand as their debt though God may demand it as a duty and service of obedience to him and punish the neglect of it if it be not performed Hence it must needs follow that the Conscionable performance of our duty even to undeserving Governours is the only sure foundation of all our prayers and Complaints unto God ☜ as our sutes and requests unto men and of all our hopes and expectations of a better condition in time to come The observation of mens frequent failing in these duties towards such as are in anthority and the Ill consequence which follows thereupon hath occasioned the Inlarging of my meditations upon this argument beyond my Intended purpose a sew words of such reciprocall duties as these high honours and dignities unto which Magistrates are advanced that are called Gods bind them unto that Injoyes them as well by the condition of the places themselves which they possesse as by the will of them that sets him there In the opening whereof I must crave leave to renew my former Intimation that I Intend this exhortation only to this present auditory and therein as many as it may concerne from the reverent Judges that sit on the throne of Judgement even to the lowest Constable In the first place therefore are Magistrates Gods then what manner of persons ought they to be in all manner of Conversation as the Apostle speakes in