who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church Col. 1. 23. To suffer for the Truth ought to be the Joy and Comfort of him that has undertaken to be the Minister of Truth How much then do they forget their Vocation who upon meeting with Discouragements lose all Comfort and repent of their Labor Whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus Col. 1. 28. The only design of an Apostolic Teacher is to form Jesus in every one of his Flock and to make all perfect in him Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Col. 4. 17. They who consider not well the Duties of their Charge will soon neglect them Fulfil the Duties of the Ministry of Jesus Christ What Pastor do's not tremble at this Word Your selves Brethren know our Entrance in unto you that it was not in vain But even after that we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated as ye know at Philippi we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much Contention For our Exhortation was not of Deceit nor of Vncleanness nor in Guile But as we were allowed of God to be put in Trust with the Gospel even so we speak not as pleasing Men but God which trieth our Hearts For neither at any time used we flattering Words as ye know nor a Cloak of Covetousness God is Witness Nor of Men sought we Glory neither of you nor yet of others when we might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ But we were Gentle among you even as a Nurse cherisheth her Children So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own Souls because ye were dear unto us For ye remember Brethren our Labor and Travel For laboring Night and Day because we would not be chargeable unto any of you we preached unto you the Gospel of God Ye are Witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thess 2. 1. Every Word a Lesson to Preachers What a Mercy to the World if they would study and follow this Spirit Be not thou therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou Partaker of the Afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power of God 2 Tim. 1. 8. Great Courage is necessary for standing by the Truth and the Ministers of it Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1. 13. Great Fidelity requir'd of the Pastors of God's Church The Holy Ghost promis'd to them for this end Thou therefore endure Hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ No Man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this Life 2 Tim. 2. 3. I suffer trouble as an evil Doer even unto Bonds but the Word of God is not bound Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake v. 9. To suffer with Courage all Difficulties is the Obligation of a Pastor And if he suffer as a Criminal as this is most humbling so it brings him nearer to the Resemblance of Jesus Christ They are of the World therefore speak they of the World and the World heareth them 1 Jo. 4. 5. Unhappy Teachers whose Character this is CHAP. XXXVI Of the Flock Q. WHat Directions do's the Gospel give to the Flock in Regard of those whom God has put over them A. It speaks very particularly to them but that I may end this last Chapter with such Instructions as the Gospel gives I will first set down some Injunctions of God in the Old Law which as it was a Figure of the New so it may lead us to such Duties as God expects from the Flock in this better Constitution which is the Church of Christ And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian Woman whom he had married And they said hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses Hath he not spoken also by us And the Lord heard it Wherefore then were not ye afraid to speak against my Servant Moses And the Anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed Num. 12. 1 8. God shews his displeasure against those who murmur at such as he has set over them And all the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron And the Lord said unto Moses How long will this People provoke me Surely they shall not see the Land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it Num. 14. 2 11 23. Great are the Judgments of God upon those who murmur against such as are over them Now Korah and Dathan and Abiram took men and they rose up before Moses with certain of the Children of Israel two hundred and fifty Princes of the assembly famous in the Congregation Men of renown And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation are holy every one of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord And when Moses heard it he fell upon his Face And he spake unto the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from tbe Tents of these wicked Men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their Sins And the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the Men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty Men that offered Incense Num. 16. 1 26 32 35. The Congregation being holy Exempts them not from their Obedience enjoin'd The Authority of Princes of the Congregation Men Famous and of Renown is not enough for questioning the Authority of Moses and Aaron whom God had commanded all to hear and obey Their offering Incense to God is not accepted while divided from Moses and Aaron they are under the guilt of Disobedience Thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the Judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the Sentence of Judgment And thou shalt do according to the Sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuse shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do according to all that
in the midst of Wolves But beware of Men for they will deliver you up to the Counsels and they will Scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake And the Brother shall deliver up the Brother to Death and the Father the Child And the Children shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to Death And ye shall be hated of all Men for my names sake But he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that be be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Mat. 10. 16. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my names sake Mat. 24. 9. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God Service Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall Weep and Lament but the World shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful but your Sorrow shall be turned into Joy And ye now therefore have Sorrow but I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoice and your Joy no Man taketh from you Jo. 16. 2 20. If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you Jo. 15. 18. Every Branch that beareth Fruit he my Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit Jo. 15. 2. Master who did sin this Man or his Parents that he was born Blind Jesus answered neither hath this Man sinned nor his Parents But that the Works of God should be made manifest in him Jo. 9. 2. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. And when they had called the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go And they departed from the presence of the Counsel rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer Shame for his Name Act. 5. 40. We rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God and not only so but we Glory in Tribulations also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5. 2. Heirs God and Joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 17. For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in Pain together until now What shall we then say to these things If God be for us who can be against us Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors thro' him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 22 31 35. I think that God hath set forth us the Apostles last as it were appointed to Death For we are made a Spectacle unto the World and to Angels and to Men. We are Fools for Christ's sake but ye are wise in Christ We are weak but ye are strong Ye are honorable but we are despised Even unto this present Hour we both Hunger and Thirst and are Naked and are Buffeted and have no certain Dwelling-place and labour working with our own Hands Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it Being defamed we intreat We are made as the Filth of the World and are the off-scouring of all things unto this Day 1 Cor. 4. 9. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort who comforteth us in all our Tribulations for as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ For we would not Brethren have you ignorant of our Trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of Measure above Strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the Dead who delivered us from so great a Death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 2 Cor. 1. 3 8. And our Hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are Partakers of the Sufferings so shall ye be also of the Consolation Ib. v. 7. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed always bearing about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Body For we which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh So then Death worketh in us but Life in you For which cause we faint not but tho' our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 7 16. I am filled with Comfort I am exceeding joyful in all our Tribulation For when we were come into Macedonia our Flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were Fightings within were Fears Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus 2 Cor. 7. 4. Ye suffer if a Man bring you into Bondage if a Man devour you if a Man take of you if a Man exalt himself if a Man simite you on the Face Are they Ministers of Christ I am more In Labours more abundant in Stripes above measure in Prisons more frequent in Deaths oft Of the Jews five times received I forty Stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with Rods once was I Stoned thrice I suffered Shipwrack a Night and a Day I have been in the Deep In Journeying often in Perils of Waters in Perils of Robbers in Perils by my own Countrymen in Perils by the Heathen
the Husband hath not Power of his own Body but the Wife Defraud you not one the other except it be with consent for a Time that ye may give your selves to Fasting and Prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your Incontinency But I speak this by Permission and not of Commandment 1 Cor. 7. 3. 4thly That they may and ought to live holily There was in the Days of Herod the King of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the Course of Abia And his Wife was of the Daughters of Aaron and her Name was Elizabeth And they were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless and they had no Child because that Elizabeth was barren and they both were now well stricken in years Luk. 1. 5. This I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as tho' they had none and they that weep as tho' they wept not and they that rejoice as tho' they rejoiced not and they that buy as tho' they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it For the fashion of this World passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29. We beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more For ye know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication That every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honor not in the Lust of Concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God 1 Thess 4. 1. Marriage is honorable in all and the Bed undefiled But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 4. 5thly That there are great Duties of mutual Love and Support belonging to them and that Order is to be observ'd which God has appointed between them I would have you know that the Head of every Man is Christ and the Head of the Woman is the Man and the Head of Christ is God A Man indeed ought not to cover his Head praying for as much as he is the Image and Glory of God But the Woman is the Glory of the Man For the Man is not of the Woman but the Woman of the Man Neither was the Man created for the Woman but the Woman for the Man For this Cause ought the Woman to have Power on her Head because of the Angels Nevertheless neither is the Man without the Woman neither the Woman without the Man in the Lord. For as the Woman is of the Man even so is the Man also by the Woman but all things of God 1 Cor. 11. 3 7. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. For the Husband is the Head of the Wife even as Christ is Head of the Church And he is the Saviour of the Body Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the Wives be to their own Husbands in every thing Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved the Church and also gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies He that loveth his Wife loveth himself For no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones For this Cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother and shall be joined unto his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh This is a great Mystery But I speak concerning Christ and the Church Nevertheless Let every one of you in particular so love his Wife even as himself and the Wife see that she reverence her Husband Eph. 5. 21 28. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter against them Col. 3. 18. Ye Wives be in Subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the Conversation of the Wives while they behold your chaste Conversation coupled with Fear Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparel but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the Sight of God of great Price For after this manner in the Old Time the holy Women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in Subjection unto their own Husbands even as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Lord Whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well and are not affraid with any Amazement 1 Pet. 3. 1. Likewise ye Husbands dwell with them according to Knowledge giving Honor unto the Wife as unto the weaker Vessel and as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life that your Prayers be not hinder'd 1 Pet. 3. 7. Teach the young Women to be sober to love their Husbands to love their Children to be Discreet Chaste keepers at Home good obedient to their own Husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2. 4. Young Men likewise exhort to be Sober-minded Tit. 2. 6. That the aged Men be Sober Grave Temperate Sound in Faith in Charity in Patience Tit. 2. 2. The aged Women likewise that they be in Behavior as becometh Holiness not false Accusers not given to much Wine Teachers of good things Tit. 2. 3. I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. In like manner also that Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with Shamefacedness and Sobriety Not broider'd Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly Array but which becometh Women professing Godliness with good Works Let the Women learn in silence with all Subjection But I suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurp Authority over the Man but to be in silence For Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the Transgression Notwithstanding she shall be saved in Child-bearing if they continue in Faith and Charity and Holiness with Sobriety 1 Tim. 2. 9. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches For it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under Obedience as also saith the Law And if they will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at Home For it is a Shame for Women to speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 34. Thus speaks the Rule and so particularly that there can be no
commanded saying Honor thy Father and Mother And he that curseth Father or Mother let him die the Death But ye say whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother it is a Gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me and honor not his Father or his Mother he shall be free Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none Effect by your Tradition Mat. 15. 3. The Precept of God commanding all to Honor Father and Mother is not to be transgressed under the Cover of pretended Piety Such Glosses are a Violence to the Law of God His Mother said unto him Son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing And he said unto them how is it that ye sought me Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's Business Luk. 2. 48. God is the first Father and to be obey'd in the first place All that is created must give place to his Will whatever is not consistent with this must yield He said unto another follow me But he said Lord suffer me first to go and bury my Father Jesus said unto him Let the Dead bury their Dead but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And another also said Lord I will follow thee But let me first go bid them farewel which are at Home at my House And Jesus said unto him no Man having put his Hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God Luk. 9. 59. Domestic Duties are to give place to greater And he Jesus went down with them his Parents and came to Nazareth and was subject unto them Luk. 2. A good Example of Obedience And when he came to himself he said I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee Luk. 15. 17. Children sensible of their undue Ways ought to have recourse to their Parents with Confidence and Humility according to the Example of the Prodigal Son When therefore Jesus saw his Mother and the Disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his Mother Woman behold thy Son Then saith he to the Disciple behold thy Mother And from that Hour that Disciple took her unto his own Home Jo. 19. 26. Children ought to be mindful of their Parents especially at the Hour of Death with a Recommendation to their best Friends Children obey your Parents in the Lord For this is right Honor thy Father and Mother which is the first Commandment with Promise that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the Earth Eph. 6. 1. A general Duty of Children to obey and honor their Parents in all that is not Sin With a Blessing annext to it Children obey your Parents in all things For this is well-pleasing unto the Lord Col. 3. 20. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons For what Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not We have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence Shall we not much rather be in Subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live For they verily for a few Days chastened us after their own Pleasure but he for our profit that we might be Partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12. 7 9. Children even when Chastized by Parents after their own Pleasure ought not to lose the Reverence due to them but submit with respect If any Widow have Children or Nephews let them learn first to shew Piety at Home and to requite their Parents For that is good and acceptable before God 1 Tim. 5. 4. An express Duty of Children to be Respectful and Dutiful at Home and by such Arguments of Gratitude to make some acknowledgment of the great Obligation to their Parents This cannot be expected from little Ones who are not capable of these Sentiments and therefore this must be spoke to Children when now grown up and at an Age of giving this Comfort to their Parents Here it cannot be unseasonable to make some Additions out of the Old Testament Honor thy Father and thy Mother That thy Days may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. He that smiteth his Father or his Mother shall be surely put to Death Exod. 21. 15. Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Levit. 19. 3. Every one that curseth his Father or his Mother shall be surely put to Death He hath cursed his Father or his Mother his Blood shall be upon him Levit. 20. 9. Honor thy Father and thy Mother as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that thy Days may be prolonged and that it may go well with thee in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Deut. 5. 16. And the Levites shall speak and say unto all the Men of Israel with a loud Voice cursed be he that setteth Light by his Father or his Mother And all the People shall say Amen Deut. 27. 14 16. Notwithstanding they the Sons of Eli hearkened not unto the Voice of their Father because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 25. Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah And the King rose up to meet her and bowed himself unto her and sat down on his Throne and caused a Seat to be set for the King's Mother and she sat on his right Hand 1 Kin. 2. 19. Esther had not yet shewed her Kindred nor her People as Modecai had charged her For Esther did the Commandment of Mordecai like as when she was brought up with him Esth 2. 20. A wise Son maketh a glad Father but a foolish Son is the Heaviness of his Mother Prov. 10. 1. A Fool despiseth his Father's Instruction But he that regardeth Reproof is Prudent Prov. 15. 5. A foolish Son is a Grief to his Father and Bitterness to her that bare him Prov. 17. 25. He that wasteth his Father and chaseth away his Mother is a Son that causeth Shame and bringeth Reproach Cease my Son to hear the Instruction that causeth to err from the Words of Knowledge Prov. 19. 26. Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old Prov. 23. 22. Whoso robbeth his Father or his Mother and saith it is no Transgression the same is the Companion of a Destroyer Prov. 28. 24. The Eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagle shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Jeremiah said unto the House of the Rechabites thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel because ye have obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab your Father and kept all his Precepts and done according unto all that he hath commanded you Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Jonadab the Son of Rechab shall not want a Man to stand before
the Apostle's account than renouncing Christianity and turning Heathen and yet how common is this among those who esteem themselves Christians The Book of Proverbs describing the vertuous and industrious Woman in her Family I here and some part of it Who can find a vertuous Woman For her Price is far above Rubies The Heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil she will do him good and not evil all the Days of her Life She seeketh Wooll and Flax and worketh willingly with her Hands She is like the Merchant's Ship she bringeth her Food from afar she riseth also while it is yet Night and giveth Meat to her Houshold and a Portion to her Maidens She layeth her Hands to the Spindle and her Hands hold the Distaff She stretcheth out her Hand to the Poor yea she reacheth forth her Hands to the Needy She maketh fine Linnen and selleth it and delivereth Girdles unto the Merchant Strength and Honor are her cloathing and she shall rejoice in time to come She openeth her Mouth with Wisdom and in her Tongue is the Law of Kindness She looketh well to the Ways of her Houshold and eateth not the Bread of Idleness Her Children arise up and call her Blessed her Husband also and he praiseth her Favor is deceitful and Beauty is vain But a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31. 10. An excellent Copy I wish all would set it before them and endeavor to come as near it as their Circumstances will allow Resolution and Virtue will make many things very Practicable which Sloth and Niceness will not allow to be Possible As to Servants When Jesus was entered into Capernaum there came unto him a Centurion beseeching him and saying Lord my Servant lyeth at Home Sick of the Palsie grievously tormented And Jesus saith unto him I will come and heal him Mat. 8. 5. It is a very commendable Charity in them to be careful of their Servants especially in time of Sickness Servants be Obedient to your Masters with good Will doing Service as to the Lord and not to Men knowing that whatsoever good thing any Man doeth the same shall be receive of the Lord whether he be Bond or Free And ye Masters do the same things unto them forbearing threatning knowing that your Master also is in Heaven neither is there respect of Persons with him Eph. 6. 5 7. Masters give unto your Servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven Col. 4. 1. I beseech thee for my Son Onesimus which in time past was to thee unprofitable but now profitable to thee and to me whom I have sent again Thou therefore receive him that is mine own Bowels For perhaps he therefore departed for a Season that thou shouldest receive him for ever not now as a Servant but above a Servant a Brother beloved especially to me but how much more unto thee both in the Flesh and in the Lord. If thou count me therefore a Partner receive him as my self If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee Ought put that on mine Account I Paul have written it with mine own Hand I will repay it Phil. 10. See how S. Paul shews favor to a poor Servant and pleads for him Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabbath Jam. 5. 4. I add something from the Old Testament The Hebrew Servant which thou hast brought unto us come in unto me to mock me Gen. 39. 17. This was a false Accusation of Potipher 's Wife and ought to be a Caution against laying Faults upon Servants which are not theirs They did set over them Task-masters to afflict them with their Burthens And the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with Rigor And they made their Lives bitter with hard Bondage Exod. 1. 11 13. To insult over Servants to overcharge them with Labor to give them a perpetual Uneasiness is not a Christian but the Egyptian Method Thus saith the Lord God of Israel let my People go that they may hold a Feast unto me in the Wilderness Exod. 5. 1. To hinder Servants from the Worship of God and to think all that time lost which for this end is taken from their Work is to follow Pharaoh 's Copy The Wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all Night until the Morning Lev. 19. 13. Six Days shalt thou Labour and do all thy Work But the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any Work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thine Ox nor thine Ass nor any of thy Cattle nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates that thy Man-servant and thy Maid-servant may rest as well thou Deut. 5. 13. To keep the Sabbath is the Duty of Servants as well as Masters Thou shalt not oppress an hired Servant that is Poor and Needy whether he be of thy Brethren or of thy Strangers that are in thy Land within thy Gates At this Day thou shalt give him his Hire neither shall the Sun go down upon it for he is Poor and setteth his Heart upon it lest he cry against thee unto the Lord and it be Sin unto thee Deut. 24. 14. If I did despise the Cause of my Man-servant or of my Maid-servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the Womb make him And did not one fashion us in the Womb Job 31. 13. The just Complaints of Servants to be heard with Patience and Justice to be done them Here are Instructions for all that have the Care of Families and Servants enough to let them see what God expects from them Those who are Solicitous to please God will endeavor to make these their Rule and this is the Duty of all who profess themselves Christians But to follow the Inclinations of Nature and to govern by Passion in cases where God has manifested his Will is not the part of a Disciple of Christ CHAP. XXVIII Of Servants Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give to Christians of this State A. It speaks directly to them and in such a manner that it is their great Concern to know and remember it Who then is a faithful and wise Servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold to give them Meat in due Season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Verily I say unto you that he shall make him Ruler over all his Goods But and if that evil Servant shall say in his Heart My Lord delayeth his Coming and shall begin to smite his Fellow-servants and to eat and drink
done and there is no Respect of Persons Col. 3. 25. Thou knowest the Commandments do not commit adultery do not kill do not steal do not bear false witness defraud not honor thy Father and Mother Mar. 10. 19. Nay you do wrong and defraud and that your brethren Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Thieves shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 8. God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient Being filled with all Vnrighteousness Fornication Covetousness Maliciousness full of Envy Debate Deceit Malignity Despiteful Proud Boasters Covenant-breakers Rom. 1. 28 29. Wherefore putting away Lying speak every Man Truth with his Neighbor for we are members one of another Neither give place to the Devil let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with the hands the thing which is good Eph. 4. 25 27. Behold the hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth And the Cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord Jam. 5. 4. Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the encrease 1 Cor. 3. 7. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. No Man can serve two Masters Ye cannot serve God and Mamon v. 24. VVhat shall it profit a Man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his soul Mar. 8. 36. Take heed and beware of Covetousness For a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Luk. 12. 15. They that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition For the Love of Money is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 9. This I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth that they that buy be as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30. With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Mat. 7. 2. I here add something out of the Old Testament Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment in Mete-yard in VVeight or in Measure Just Ballances just VVeights a just Ephah and a just Hin shall ye have I am the Lord your God Therefore shall ye observe all my Statutes and all my Judgments and do them I am the Lord Levit. 19. 35. Thou shalt not have in thy Bag divers VVeights a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thine House divers Measures a great and a small But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight a perfect and just measure shalt thou have That thy Days may be lengthened in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For all that do such things and all that do unrighteously are an Abomination unto the Lord thy God Deut. 25. 13. A false Ballance is Abomination to the Lord But a just VVeight is his Delight Prov. 11. 1. He that withholdeth Corn the People shall Curse him But Blessing shall be upon the Head of him that selleth it v. 26. Divers weights and divers measures both of them are alike Abomination to the Lord Prov. 20. 10. Hear this O ye that swallow up the Needy even to make the Poor of the Land to fail saying when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth VVheat making the Ephah small and the Sheckel great and falsifying the Ballances by Deceit That we may buy the Poor for Silver and the Needy for a pair of Shoes yea and sell the Refuse of the VVheat The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works Shall not the Land tremble for this and every one mourn that dwelleth therein Amos 8. 4. The Lord's Voice crieth unto the City and the Men of VVisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it Are there yet the Treasures of Wickedness in the House of the Wicked and the scant measure that is abominable Shall I count them pure with the wicked Ballances and with the Bag of deceitful VVeights For the rich Men thereof are full of Violence and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken Lies and their Tongue is deceitful in their Mouth Therefore also will I make thee Sick in smiting thee in making thee desolate because of thy Sins Mic. 6. 9. Thus speaks the Rule and in such plain and positive Terms has God here manifested his Will that there can be no doubt in such as desire to follow it He expresly forbids all kind of Fraud or Over-reaching or doing any Wrong to our Neighbor in buying or selling He expresly forbids all kinds of false Weights and Measures He expresly forbids all such Monopoly as raises the price of Necessaries and oppresses the Poor He expresly forbids all kinds of Lying and Covetousness Those who in earnest hope for Salvation of God must be Solicitous to do his Will and since he himself has declar'd that those who do otherwise in these Particulars do what is an Abomination to him they cannot doubt of their being in an ill Way even in the displeasure of God Now examin the general Practice of Christians in all manner of Dealing with one another and thence guess whether God has Forbid all Fraud and Over-reaching amongst them And if he has whether they believe him or have any regard to his Precepts CHAP. XXX Of Magistrates and Officers of Justice Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give to Persons in this Station A. There are several Particulars proper for their Instruction Now the chief Priests and Elders and all the Counsel sought false witness against Jesus to put him to Death Mat. 26. 59. Then the High-priest rent his Cloaths saying He hath spoken Blasphemy what farther need have we of witnesses Behold now ye have heard his Blasphemy What think ye v. 65. Innocence is not to be oppress'd by Calumny or false Witnesses neither is Caiphas to be imitated who being Judge made himself a Party The chief Priests and Elders perswaded the Multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus Mat. 27. 20. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made he took Water and washed his Hands before the Multitude saying I am Innocent of the Blood of this just Person See ye to it Then released he Barabbas unto them And when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified v. 24 26. No Party to be made against the Innocent Passion and Violence carry away the Multitude to Injustice The Innocent is not to be condemn'd in
alone and the Fatherless hath not eaten thereof If I have seen any perish for want of Cloathing or any Poor without Covering If his Loins have not blessed me and if he were not warmed with the Fleece of my Sheep If I have lift up my Hand against the Fatherless when I saw my help in the Gate Then let mine Arm fall from my Shoulder-blade and mine Arm be broken from the Bone Job 31. 16. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in the time of Trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the Earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the Will of his Enemies The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal 41. 1. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen To loose the Bonds of Wickedness to undo the heavy Burthens and to let the Oppressed go free and that ye break every Yoke Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry and that thou bring the Poor that are cast out to thy House When thou seest the Naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy self from thine own Flesh Then shall thy Light break forth as the Morning and thine Health shall spring forth speedily and thy Righteousness shall go before thee the Glory of the Lord shall be thy Reward Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and he shall say here I am If thou take away from the midst of thee the Yoke the putting forth of the Finger and speaking Vanity And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry and satisfie the afflicted Soul then shall thy Light rise in Obscurity and thy Darkness be as the Noon-day And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy Soul in drought and make fat thy Bones And thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters fail not Isa 58. 6. God having spoke so at large to those who possess the Riches of this World having made so many Promises to them of everlasting Blessings if they let the Plenty he has given them be the Relief of the Poor It must be here acknowledg'd that such as have Wealth have in this a great Opportunity put into their Hands of engaging God to them by making that good use of it as he has directed 2dly That such as instead of this good Use Hoard up their Money either for the Love of it or for the unreasonable Apprehensions of Want are more Solicitous for this World than the next and chuse to take their Chance for Hell rather then venture the Imaginary Dangers suggested by their immoderate Love of the Earth and themselves 3dly That such as turn their Plenty to the Service of Vanity Self-love and seeking human Greatness abuse the Gifts of God and give Demonstration of their Concern being more for this World than the next and that Salvation is not the thing they seek Lastly That such as prostitute their Plenty to vicious Extravagancies have in Fact renounc'd their Faith since they have no regard either to the Promises of God's Mercy or to the Threats of his Justice and hence have too much Reason to apprehend the Lot of being cast out with Unbelievers Riches in the right Use of them are a certain Blessing but abus'd are a Curse CHAP. XXXIV Of the Poor Q. DO's the Gospel take notice of these A. It do's and instructs them for their Comfort Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. Take no Thought saying what shall we eat Or what shall we drink Or wherewithal shall we be cloathed For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 31. Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their Sight and the Lame Walk the Lepers are Cleansed and the Deaf Hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached to them Mat. 11. 4. A certain Scribe came and said unto him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And Jesus saith unto him the Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head Mat. 8. 19. Peter began to say unto him lo we have left all and have followed thee And Jesus answered and said verily I say unto you there is no Man that hath left House or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospel's but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time and in the World to come eternal Life But many that are first shall be last And and the last first Mar. 10. 28. And there came a certain poor Widow and she threw in two Mites which make a Farthing And he called unto him his Disciples and saith unto them Verily I say unto you that this poor Widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the Treasury For all they did cast in of their abundance but she of her want did cast in all that she had even all her Living Mar. 12. 42. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the Broken-hearted to preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at Liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable Year of the Lord. And he began to say unto them this Day is this Scripture fulfilled in your Ears Luk. 4. 18 21. He lifted up his Eyes on his Disciples and said Blessed be ye Poor for yours is the Kingdom of God Blessed are ye that hunger now for ye shall be filled Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Luk. 6. 20. Then the Master of the House being Angry said to his Servant Go out quickly into the Streets and Lanes of the City and bring in hither the Poor and the Maimed and the Halt and the Blind And the Servant said Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and yet there is room And the Lord said unto the Servant Go out into the High-ways and Hedges and compel them to come in that my House may be filled For I say unto you that none of those Men which were bidden shall taste of my Supper Luk. 14. 21. There was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of Sores and desiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the rich Man's Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom
is the Health of my Countenance and my God Psal 43. 5. Thou makest us a Reproach to our Neighbors a Scorn and a Derision to them that are round about us Thou makest us a By-word among the Heathen a shaking of the Head among the People All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Our Heart is not turned back neither have our Steps declined from thy Ways Psal 44. 13 17. I am Poor and Sorrowful let thy Salvation O God set me upon High For the Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners Psal 69. 29 33. He shall judge thy People with Righteousness and thy Poor with Judgment He shall judge the Poor of the People he shall save the Children of the Needy and shall break in pieces the Oppressor He shall deliver the Needy when he crieth the Poor also and him that hath no Helper He shall spare the Poor and Needy and shall save the Souls of the Needy He shall redeem their Soul from Deceit and Violence and precious shall their Blood be in his Sight Psal 72. 2 12. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on High He raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust and lifteth the Needy out of the Dunghil That he may set him with Princes even with the Princes of his People Psal 113. 5 7. I know that the Lord will maintain the Cause of the Afflicted and the Right of the Poor Psal 140. 12. Better is a Little with the Fear of the Lord than great Treasure and Trouble therewith Prov. 15. 16. Better is a Little with Righteousness than great Revenues without Right Prov. 16. 8. Better is a dry Morsel and Quietness therewith than a Housefull of Sacrifices with Strife Prov. 17. 1. Better is the Poor that walketh in his Integrity than he that is perverse in his Lips and is a Fool Prov. 19. 1. Thou hast been a Strength to the Poor a Strength to the Needy in his Distress a Refuge from the Storm a Shadow from the Heat when the Blast of the terrible Ones is as a Storm against the Wall Isa 25. 4. Yea in the Way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our Soul is to thy Name and to the Remembrance of thee With my Soul have I desir'd thee in the Night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early For when thy Judgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness Lord in Trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa 26. 8. It is of the Lord's Mercies that we are not consumed because his Compassions fail not They are New every Morning great is thy Faithfulness The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the Soul that seeketh him It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. It is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him He putteth his Mouth in the Dust if so be there may be Hope For the Lord will not cast off for ever But tho' he cause Grief yet will he have Compassion according to the Multitude of his Mercies For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. Wherefore doth a living Man complain a Man for the Punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our Ways and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our Heart with our Hands unto God in the Heavens Lam. 3. 22. Thus do's the Spirit of God speak in the Case of the Poor and Distressed evidently discovering that however by this World they are esteem'd unhappy yet that God has a particular Regard to them undertakes their Protection and makes so many Promises to them that it cannot be question'd but as to the next World they have much the Advantage above those who enjoy themselves in plenty But then they must observe the Conditions which God proposes to them of accepting the Inconveniencies of their State as from the Hand of God of being content with what they have of casting their Care upon God of waiting upon the Lord with Patience of retaining a firm Confidence in his Promises of living in the Fear of God and banishing with their best Endeavors all Inclinations to Impatience Murmuring and Distrust If in this Spirit they live I think they have more solid Grounds for true Comfort than the Enjoyment of all worldly Possessions can afford and may have a great Assurance of God's Promises to be accomplish'd in them in the Blessings of a happy Eternity CHAP. XXXV Of those who have the Care of the Flock Q. WHAT Directions do's the Gospel give to Persons of this Character A. It speaks very particularly to them and is very full both in the Instructions and Charge it gives them Ye are the Salt of the Earth but if the Salt have lost his Savour wherewith shall it be Salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under Foot of Men. Ye are the Light of the World A City that is set on a Hill cannot be hid Neither do Men light a Candle and put it under a Bushel but on a Candlestick and it giveth Light to all that are in the House Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 13. They are to be Exemplar If a Man have an hundred Sheep and one of them be gone astray doth he not leave the ninety and nine and goeth into the Mountains and seeketh that which is gone astray Mat. 18. 12. They are to be solicitous in seeking the lost Sheep There was also a Strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest And he said unto them The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and they that exercise Authority upon them are called Benefactors But ye shall not be so But he that is greatest among you let him be as the Younger and he that is Chief as he that doth serve For whether is greater he that sitteth at Meat or he that serveth Is not he that sitteth at Meat But I am among you as he that serveth Luk. 22. 24. They are to be Humble in Preferment Verily verily I say unto you He that entreth not by the Door into the Sheepfold but climbeth up some other Way the same is a Thief and a Robber But he that entreth in by the Door is the Shepherd of the Sheep To him the Porter openeth and the Sheep hear his Voice And he calleth his own Sheep by Name and leadeth them out And when he putteth forth his own Sheep he goeth before them and the Sheep follow him for they know his