scorned of the rest braÌ„ded by you with the name of Puritane holy sister but where is your purity and holinesse while you thus deride others in their well-doing I answer you if you will not endeauour to bee holy and pure whiles you are here vpon earth you shall neuer become Saints in heauen but rather Diuels in hell For blessed are the purâ— in heart saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. for they shall see God And hee himselfe which best did know what was fit for you did make your cloathing but of beasts skinnes at the first and when he sent his Sonne into the world hee did not send him by any Princes or Lady of great ranke or amongst the proud A note for to pull downe the pride of women ones of the world hee despised your pompe and pride and did chuse a poore humble Virgin to be mother of his Sonne when he liued amongst vs wee finde not that he gaue vs any example of pride but of humility his garments were without lace or welt yea without seame also But if we view them in these dayes as they rae arrayed wee would thinke that Hell were emptied of al her deuises toyes trickes and fashions that women had got them all for all that God hath made vnder heauen the whole earth and the sea with all the creatures therein In all the whole earth not sufficient to satsfie the pride of Women are not sufficient to satisfie the pride of women in these dayes the entrailes of the earth are dayly torne rent to seeke for gold to adorne you with the bottomelesse sea the poore fishes are dayly robbed to finde you pearles to deck your selues with the hard rockes digged down to find you variety of precious stones nay haue you not robbed all the creatures of God both beasts birds and wormes to furnish vp this your pride yet all this will not serue to satisfie you but still you keepe your No marvaile if all that God hath made wil not serue to satisfie them when his own worke will not content them in themselues workeman the Diuell in worke to find you more new fashions and made him make a iourney from hell to bring you beauty to paynt your selues withall for from heauen I am sure you had it not Oh woe bee to that soule on whose face God shall with anger looke denying to know it because it is not as hee made it no maruaile though al that God hath made vnder heauen will not satisfie your pride when the workes of Gods owne handes in your selues will not content you but that you will alter that In all the histories of the Scriptures I neuer read but of one wicked woman that euer vsed this wicked art of paynting I meane Iezabel yet the iudgments King 9. of God vpon her in suffering the dogges to eate and consume her will not draw you from vsing this paynting trade but still you prouoke him to anger stirre vp his iudgements against you dayly with your abnominable pride wherein you excell all that euer were before you I know you wil thinke I am too bold with you thus to meddle with your arraying your selues in such manner or fashioÌ„s as you please to vse them but thinke what you will and say what you will I must and will discharge my conscience the matter it selfe giueth me cause to doe it being a duty of so great importance belonging vnto womeÌ„ to reforme the abuses thereof and for which not only you your selues shal beare your owne destructions but they also which haue the gouernement of you because they haue suffered you to commit such thinges I meane the Husbands of such women Nay this is not all I would it ended so but woe woe be vnto you whose pride shall be not The pride of woman the destruction of themselues Husbands the whole common wealth where they liue onely the destruction of your selues and Husbands but of the whole common wealth wherein you liue of you because you committed this sinne of them because they suffered you to coÌ„mit it Is it not then high time to write and speake against this sinne and those which commit it yes if either or both may be regarded I write not these things from my owne braines I menace you not it is not I but the Lord that threatneth you the whole land for it looke into the third of Esay and see there what hee sayth vnto your pride Because the Daughters of Sion are haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking and minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Sion bald and the Lord shal discouer their secret parts in that day shal the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calls and the round tyers the sweete balls and the bracelets 3. Esay the bonnets and the tyres of the head the slops the headbands the tablets and the eare-rings the rings and the mufflers the costly apparrell and the vailes and the wiâ—ples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen If God punish his owne peculiar people for their pride what can you expect the hoods and the lawnes And in stead of sweete sauours there shall bee stincke instead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing the hayre baldnesse in stead of a stomacher â— girdle with sack-cloath and burning in stead of beauty thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battle Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground Now you paynted butterflies of our time which with the Camelion change your selues into all colours what say you to these things you see here what iudgements God threatneth to bring vpon his owne chosen people because of the pride of the daughters of Sion you farre exceede them in all things yet thinke you to escape vnpunished The prophet sayth that they were so proud that they went mincing tinckling with their feet but you are grown so proud that your feet may not beare you but that you must bee carried in Coaches drawne with horses which though it be an honour wherewith Kinges and Princes are pleased to grace their well respected subiects with yet is it vnfit that Courtizans should be coached which should rather be carted I would it were not so they were content with fine linnen but no linnen or lawnes bee it neuer so pure wil content you but it must be died into collours blue was and now yellow is primrose and strawe colour I know not what but blacke will bee the next assure your selues for as your pride hath excelled all before you so I feare that your punishments when they come will exceed all that were before you I should bee tedious vnto the reader should I
must teach his Children the lawes of God his Commandements his will his word for so the Prophet Dauid plainely sheweth setting Psalme 78. downe to what end thou must do this to the intent that wheÌ„ they come vp they might shew their Children the same that they might put their trust in God and not to forget the workes of God but to keepe his Commandements This then is the duty which thou arâ— commanded to doe and thâ—â— must not 〈◊〉 the doing of it neyther thou must not tary Parents ought not to deferre the teaching of their children in their youth til they bee men and women and so as thou thinkest come then to the capacity of vnderstanding no thou must teach it thy Children while they be children and thy wisedome must giue them helpe to vnderstand it that so it may be grounded into them in the time of their youth for look with what the vessell is first seasoned with of that it wil alwaies beare the tast This duty did old Abraham well know although he liued almost a Thousand yeares before the Law was giuen vnto the people of Israel for so God himselfe testifieth of him saying That hee knew that hee would command his Sonnes to keepe the waies of the Lord note the place I pray you for it is worth the noting see how familiar God himselfe is with Abraham hee vouchsafeth to talke Gen. 18. with him familiarly as one man How dearely God loueth them which teach and instruct their Children and Family his Commandements doth with another nay as one friend doth with another for he openeth his very secrets vnto him what greater signe of loue can be shall I saith God hide from Abraham the thing which I do seeing that Abraham shall bee indeed a great and a mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him and here followeth the reason of all For I know him sayth God that he will command his sonnes his houshould after him that they keepe the waies of the Lord now What the duty of Parents is you see what the duty of a Father or Mother is namely to teach their Children the Commandements of God but hee hath not done with thee yet God goeth further with thee stil because thou shalt haue no excuse in not doing it most graciously hee doth vochsafe to teach vs also how wee shall performe When they ought to teach them this Commandement namely thus Thou must teach them these thinges when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the way when thou lyest downe when thou risest vp thou must doe this and thou must not dare to neglect or leaue this vndone neither For God threateneth his Deu. 28. Leui. 26. Ier. 48. and 49 owne chosen people not onely to punish them with grieuous punishments but euen their land also if they disobey his Commandements wee haue many places in Scripture to approue this vnto vs but let me tell thee one thing by the way if thou be The man which knoweth not his duty how can he teach it his Children not well instructed in this duty thy selfe thou canst neuer teach it vnto thy Children for how can a man teach another man or his sonne or seruant any art mysterie or trade wherein he himselfe hath no knowledge therefore see thou bee able to teach them thy selfe it will not serue thy turne to set them to schoole and to appoynt them Maisters Tutors to teach them and yet these be good men for it and it is thy duty so to doe but it is not sufficient Thou must also teach them thy selfe and be a principall teacher of them for thou must teach them at al times in al places as thou seest in Deu. 6. when thou Deut. 6. walkest and when thou sittest when thou risest in the morning and in the euening before thou goe to bed thou must not take thine owne ease nor refresh thy selfe with sleepe vntill thou hast performed this thy duty vnto God The Twelueth Chapter BVt it may bee thou wilt goe about to excuse thy selfe in this case as many doe in these dayes and say would you haue mee performe these thinges I am not bookish I cannot reade therefore how should I teach them these things being an ignorant man but deceiue not thy selfe whomsoeuer thou be father or mother for I tell thee ignorance shall be no excuse vnto thee the servant that doth not the will of his Maister shall be beaten for it yea although he knew it not and why because it is the duty of euery seruant to seeke euen with diligence to know the will of his Maister and to doe it Nay thou canst not pleade ignorance though thou wouldest for none can doe it for Moses telleth Deu. 30. thee that this Commandement is not hidden from thee it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp to bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe fetch it vs and so cause vs to doe it but it is very neere vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart for to doe it and Saint Paule telleth vs Rom. 10. plainely this is the very same which we preach vnto you If then it bee so that wee may dayly heare it to our great comfort euen at our doores in euery Parish Church how then can wee pleade ignorance if the servant I tould you of shal be beaten which doth not the will of his Maister though hee know it not how much shal he be beaten with many stripes which doth refuse to know his will as too many in these dayes doe and thus you see there can bee no excuse thorough ignorance so that euery man must labour to bee so furnished Euery man must labour to be furnished with knowledge that hee may thereby instruct his Family with knowledge that hee may bee able thereby to instruct his owne Children and family and because it must be done continually both in the morning in the euening both when thou sittest at home and when thou walkest abroad beware that thou doe not as too many doe which when they haue see their Children to say the Lords Prayer to rehearse their beliefe and the Ten CoÌ„mandements doe thiâ—â—e that then they haue done enough for the whole day though neither themselues nor al the house besides doe halfe so much O lamentable case this must not bee but when thou hast In what manner it ought to be done taught them to pray thou also must pray with them calling thy whole Family together and so make your selues a holy congregation vnto God by humble prostrating your selues vnto him that so as ye all haue recieued of him your preseruation and quiet rest the night passed euen so all of you may ioyne together in giuing him thankes for so great a blessing
it had beene so indeed but know you that the wisedome of the Iob. 37. world is foolishnesse with God for in his word by which wee are to be ruled he hath commanded vs otherwaies For although you haue brought vp your Children to the yeares of discression so that then you thinke they are able to make shift for themselues as you say yet may you not then so leaue them to themselues for there is yet more to bee done that must not bee left vndone for thou must prouide for thy sonne a Wife for thy Daughter an Husband so as the wise man sayth Thou shalt performe a waighty matter Eccle. 7. thou must not leaue the younglings Parents ought to provide for the marriages of their children both sonnes daughters to themselues for to make their owne choyse but thou must doe it and that in his due time we find that Abraham was very carefull to performe this duty althought he was so farre Gen. 24. in yeares that hee could not travile about the businesse himselfe for he appoynted his servant the steward of his house what to doe and where to provide a Wife for his Sonne Isaacke and thus did Isaacke vnto Iacob his Sonne Gen. 28. appoynting him where to goe there only to make his choise thus did Hagar although but a woman dwelling in the wildernesse yet shee provided a Gen. 25. Wife for her sonne Ishmaell Yea the very heathen did obserue this rule for Sechem the father Gen. 34. of Hamor did sue vnto Iacob for his daughter Dina to bee a wife vnto his sonne yea Ibzâ—n Iudge of Israell though hee had Iug. 12. Thirty sons as many daughters yet he did provide for them all both Wiues for his sonnes Husbands for his daughters and many such proofes wee haue in the Scrptures by all which it appeareht that Parents haue alwaies euen from the beginning beene vere carefull to obserue this as a principall poynt of their duty to their Children And this must be done in due time thou must not doe as too many do in these daies which wil not suffer their childreÌ„ to marry but when they will to whom Parents not to force or limite their childrens mariage they plase nay fathers will doe more then fathers ouhgt to doe they will disinherite their Sons and bereaue their Children of their patrimonyes if they will not marry to their liking where wealth may serue to satisfie their coveteous mindes so in stead of being kind and loving Fathers vnto their Children they become tyrants vnto them not so much regarding the younglings likings whereby they may liue the rest of their daies in loue together and so bring vp their children together in the feare of God as their owne affections Whereupon by such enforced marriages if often commeth to passe that when the young couples beginne as it were to tast each of other they so dislike one of the other that they forsake one another the Wife the companie The danger that ensueth by constrayned marriages of her Husband or the Husband of the Wife and fall to that abhominable act of adultery and thus such Parents doe become both culpable and authors of their sinne Yet I doe not speake against this â—as giuing liberty vnto youthes that they may marry at their owne pleasure or liking without the consent of Parents or abridging the authority of Parents in this case God forbid I should so doe or thinke but I speake this against marriages constrayned limited for marriage was ordained as a remedy 1. Cor. 7. against sinne but they which prolong the time of their childrens marriage either for pleasing their own affections in their choyse or for the desire of wealth through coveteousnesse or for that they wil not part with any of their substance in dowrie with them such I say are many times the occasion of their childrens sinne for Saint Paule sayth it is better to marry then to burne in desire Had Iudah giuen his daughter in law vnto his sonne Shelah in Gen. 38. time according to his promise he had not committed that horrible fact of Incest with her himselfe Againe when Samson had made his choyse of a wife of that heathen generation the vncircumcised Philistines which were not onely enemies to the people of Israell but also vnto God himselfe when hee desired this woman of his Father and would needs marry her hee did not disinherit him or cast him out of his favour for it but yet wisely rebuketh him saying is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy breatheren and amongst all my people that thou must goe to take a Wife of the vncircumcised Philistians yet when hee saw that his affection was setled on What Parents ought to doe in case of mariage to their children her he was content both to goe with him to procure the mariage for him it is sayd there that this marriage did come of the Lord though his Father knew it not I could wish therefore that Parents would follow the counsaile of Manoah in this â—â—g â—4 place by their wisedomes to perswade when occasion shall serue but nor otherwise The 16. Chapter ANd now concerning how Parents ought to bestow their goods wee reade that Abraham was Gen. 15. minded to make Eliazer the steward of his house heire of all that he had but it was before he had any Children and yet hee was forbidden by God himselfe so to doe for God hauing determined to giue him issue of his A plaine profe that a man may not giue his goods from his children own body would not suffer him so to doe but telleth him directly that one that should proceed out of his owne bowels hee should be his heyre And the Prophet Dauid hee telleth vs likewise that it is the speciall gift of God his great Psal 127. blessing vnto man when he hath heyres of his owne body to possesse those lands or goods which hee hath gathered together and shall leaue behind him and this alone might serue to approue that a man may not dispose of his goods from his children but the Scriptures are plentifull of these examples Abraham gaue his goods vnto Gen. 25. his Sonne Isacke as you see he was appoynted of God Aaron Exod. 28. was commanded of God to santifie his sonnes vnto the order of priesthood vnto which the Lord had chosen him and Elye did 1. Sam. 2. place his sonnes in the same order nay he did not take it from theÌ„ although hee knew that they were wicked and Dauid did not 1. King 1. at his death devide his Kingdome vnto his sonnes but left it wholy vnto his sonne Salomon 1. King 11. neither did he deuide it but left it vnto his sonne Rehoboam and he also left it vnto his son Abâ—am 1. King 14. and he vnto his sonne Asa and 2. Cro.
Gen. 31. haue all good women euer accorded The obedience of Sarah vnto Abraham calling him 1. King 1. Lord approueth her duty The obedience of Rachell and Lea vnto Ester 8. their Husband Iacob affirmeth it no lesse doth the reuerent duty of Bathsheba vnto Dauid expresse it the obedience of Ester vnto Ashuerus purchased not onely her owne life renowne but the liues of the whole Nation of the Iewes And although it cannot be gaine said of any but that this Cōmandement of Almighty God ought reuerently to be obeyed of all women yet how much it is disobeyed in these dayes wee dayly see nay despised disdayned at so that we may iustly complaine against them and say they bee a rebellious seede For as in the beginning they rebelled against their Almighty God so doe they still repugne against him refusing to bee gouerned according to his will the ordinance which he hath appoynted to gouerne them by for by their husbands now many of them will not bee gouerned they will gouerne both themselues Many women very vnquiet if they may not haue the rule of the whole family which by them ought not so to be and their Husbands yea and the whole family too or else there shall bee no quiet rule there so that now it is growne to a prouerbe that where the wife beareth the sway the house is the quieter all the day is not this badge giuen you to your shame and yet you will not see it in these dayes the Diuell hath so bewitched you that many of you do not stick to say that your Husbands haue not wit enough to performe such matters think you that he that gaue them their authority cannot giue them wit enough to peforme that charge which hee committeth vnto them but that you must bee vmpire and iudge too in your owne cause to take the authority out of his hand and as false vsurpers make vse of that authority to which you haue no lawfull right If you suppose such a defect If any defect be in the Husband how it should bee redressed to be in them why doe not you rather pray for them that God may supply their defects and wants but it is too common a thing amongst you now a dayes to make your choyse of such men as you may thus deale withall and I would some of you did indent before marriage for these things but such womē as would rather haue foolish Husbands whome they might rule rather then to bee ruled by sober wise men are like to him that would rather bee led of a blind man in an vnknown way then to follow one that can see know the way well Oh that your supposed knowledge or wisedome on which you so much depend would open vnto you the danger in which you stand by committing this error but it cannot so long as your wils do not with all obedience subiect themselues vnto the will commandement of him vnto whom all power should yeeld their obedience The Seauenth Chapter I Had almost ouerslipt the repetition of an vndutifull Wife of whom we reade in Scripture but I may not for it is worthy your best consideration I meane of Vasta Queene and wife of Ahashuerosh Ester 1. the great King of Persia Media whom vpon a certaine feast day the King commanded to bee brought before him in her great estate of pompe euen with the Crowne Royall vpon her head that as his loue was great vnto her so shee beeing brought vnto him in that glorious pompe which hee desired the delights of his heart might be satisfied in her comely and beautifull person and likewise his Princes Peeres might see the same And wee would thinke that this was but a small request which the King required of her yet many a man doth require as little as this at the hands of his wife or lesse and yet obtaines it not well the storie telleth vs shee did no better but euen so for though shee were a Queene and should haue been a patterne of obedience vnto all women both in her Court Kingdome yet shee refused to come and would not come although commanded by her Husband yea that a King But Ecce Ecce behold behold she refusing to come to her Husband with the Crowne on her head who gaue it her and first placed it there her royalty and regaltie was therefore taken from her by him as vnworthy of such a glory and because she refused to bee obedient vnto the Commandement of her Husband whom shee ought with all reuerence to haue obeyed shee was not onely reiected of her Husband for being Queene but A Queene punished for disobedience vnto her Husband vtterly abandoned of him for euer and diuorced from him by law nay this was not all for it was not long before shee saw another enioy that maiesty honour and pleasure which she but lately possessed by her owne folly lost what greater hart-griefe in the world can come to a woman then this to see her selfe degraded and disgraced another to possesse that honour which was hers before her face and thus shee which should haue beene a mirror vnto others in her obedience is now made for disobedience a mirror vnto all women in her punishment I could not omit this historie being so fitting to this matter of the wiues obedience but shall I tell you good wiues it is well for you that this law is not executed now in these dayes amongst vs for I assure you if it were we should haue Ten wiues diuorsed before one buried so apt are you to peforme this bad act of disobedience And therefore I cannot yet passe it ouer for the Apostle doth open this poynt of duty vnto you very plaine and therfore I beseech you bee not ignorant of it but marke it well I recited the words in the former Chapter Hee would haue you so subiect your selues to your Husbands that euen they which beleeue not the word may without the word be won by your conuersation when they shall behold your conuersation in feare See you must so subiect your The Wife ought to be fearefull of giuing any cause of offence vnto her Husband selues vnto them that you shall euen feare to giue any occasion of offence vnto them I know there bee many that will not like of this that the wife should so subiect her selfe vnto her Husband that shee shal stand in feare of him and yet it must be so for do we not reade that God commandeth that euery man shall stand in feare of his Father and Mother he doth not say that euery child onely shall feare but that euery man shal feare if then it must bee so how much more should the woman performe this vnto her Husband vnder whose subiection he hath committed her as a portion of her punishment for her disobedience vnto him But will you know what kind What kinde of feare it is which
thing if she performe it not vnlesse it bee contradicted by her Husband But here the case is otherwise and farre more greater for wheÌ„ shee commeth to be Married to a man shee is then solie of her selfe free from the command of any and hath free liberty to doe then for her selfe what shee How great a sinne it is to breake the vow made in Matrimony will and therefore her vow shee then maketh is of very great effect and it is as great a sinne to breake it great indeed in the regard of these things the place where shee made it the house of God the congregation there the Saints of God but far more greater in respect shee is demanded if she will performe these things by the Angell and Minister of God in Gods behalfe shee then there answereth she will So wee find when God had determined to giue his chosen people the Children of Israell his law whereby they might know how to performe their duty vnto him hee sent his seruant Moses vnto them to know if they would performe the law which he was to giue them and they answered they would performe it but as rhe Lord did tell them after hee had giuen them the Lawes That if they did not regard his Commandements and obey Exâ— 19. his will hee would send his punishment A proofe by example that God will punish the breach of the vow made in matrimony vpon them in abundance vntill hee had vtterly consumed them so I must say vnto euery woman that regardeth not her vow and promise which shee maketh at the time of her marriage and doth not endeauour to performe the same as shee ought to doe let her assure her selfe shee shall no lesse expect the iudgement and punishment of God then they did Looke in your Booke of common The Booke of common prayer a looking glasse for women to see their duties in Prayer in the solemnizatioÌ„ of Matrimony and there you shall see what you haue vowed to performe it is that you will liue with your Husbands according to the ordinance and Commandements of God that you will obey and serue them and this you see God hath commanded you to doe what greater vow then this can you make and it followeth more there that you vow to loue honour and keepe them in sicknesse and in health so here you see that loue is the next thing for the woman here to doe and this also shee voweth freely of her selfe to performe also the next and last shee voweth to forsake all other men and to keepe her selfe wholy onely to her Husband here is the effect and end of her loue to be chast pure and without spot this is the loue which wiues ought to performe to their Husbands I know all those which feare God will acknowledge performe as much but I appeale vnto themselues euen against their owne sect if there bee not too many in these dayes which liue so brutish so obstinate and rebellious against God and theiâ— Husbands that they seeme not to know that either they owe this loue as a duty vnto their Husbands or haue made so great a vow to performe it Looke but into one of their actes let the rest though many alone I meane their breach of wedlocke those Adultrous workes and then where is this loue how many forsake their Husbands vnto whom they haue made this vow of Loue and chastity and yet liue adulterously with other men oh how many The abhomominable whoredome of women haue their secret friends loues as they terme them at home in their Husbands absence or meeting them abroad in priuate places nay haunting common brothell houses so insatiate that euen whores in stewes are not more common and what is the cause of this but their disobedience vnto the Commandement of God which would direct theÌ„ to performe this duty of Loue holily as it ought to be if they would But shall I display their actions abroad with my pen oh no if I should I should weary my selfe with writing and you in reading it they themselues by their lewd actions dayly committed doe too much explaine themselues to the world and therefore to tell such their duty to their Husbands which will not learne to performe their duty towards GOD will bee but vaine before such swine I will not cast such pearles But to those which desire to know their duty to the end they may performe it to these I write still let their loue bee pure and steadfast and their whole conuersation so holy that as the Apostle telleth them others may bee wonne by their godly ensamples and so shall they themselues be brought vnto eternall happinesse The Ninth Chapter OVr blessed Apostle hauing giuen instructioÌ„s vnto Women how they ought to behaue themselues towards their Husbands now proceedes to giue instructions vnto them also how to tyre and array themselues whose apparrell sayth he shall 1. Pet. 3. not bee outward with brayded haire and hanging on of gold or in putting Women ought not to array themselues in gorgeous apparell but in decent aâ—tirâ— on of gorgeous array but let the inward man of the heart be vncorrupt with a meeke and quiet spirit which before God is much set by for after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God ttyre themselues â— were obedient vnto their Husbands euen as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord againe in another place he fayth let the women array themselues in 1. Tim. â— comely apparrell with shamefostnesse and modesty not with broyded hayre or gold or pearles or costly apparrell but as becommeth women which professe the feare of God with good workes I doe not a little admire that Many women haue read concerning these things yet make no good vse of it as they ought to doe so many women which would bee accounted wise in their knowledge haue themselues so often read these things and been so long instructed in these principals yet seeme either not that euer they themselues haue read such things or euer haue heard them of others for I am sure so it seemeth in these dayes amongst them for the most part but shal I tell you you haue learned from the greatest to the meanest and the eldest to the yongest to adore decke your selues according to the fashions of the world which shall perish and they which delight in them but to array decke your selues with modesty and shamefastnes and such comely apparrell as becommeth those that professe the feare of God in this you are all to seeke or disdaine to learne to know although God by his word commandeth it of you But if there bee any amongst you which maketh conscience of these things and so striue to liue according as they ought to Women giueÌ„ to pride mockers and scoffers of those whiaâ— do religiously reforme them selues doe are not such disdayned and
dutifull seruant faithfulnesse vnto them and giuing them the reuerence due vnto them being vncouered in their presence and shewing all outward reuerence of the body vnto them This is a token of grace thus it ought to be and thus it must bee that the doctrine of Christ which you professe bee not slaundered by your disobedience The 29. Chapter ANd here I haue occasion iustly giuen mee to reproue those bould fancie youthes of our time which forgetting their dâ—ty vnto God doe shew no reuerence at all vnto their Maisters and especiall if they bee poore they then will bee so fellowly with them that a man would rather take them to bee neighbour and neighbour then Maister and Th◠〈…〉 reuerent behauiour of seruants vnto their maisters Seruant nay I would this were the worst as bad as it is for many of them are not onely vndutifull but euen rebellious against their Maisters nay euen against God himself therefore culpable of eternall punishment for if their Maister doe but reproue them yea and that iustly too doe they not giue them word for word againe nay 10. for one A disobedient seruant that despiseth the discipline of his maister rebelleth against God himselfe if they come to correct them are they not ready to resist them so that many of them will neither bee reproued nor corrected by them Is not this rebellion against God thus to contemne his ordinance in him whom hee hath set ouer thee to feede thee cloath thee learne thee yea to rule thee is it not our Sauiours owne words here that he must be beaten with many strips which doth not the will of his Maister if so what shall hee haue then which scorneth to bee instructed and despiseth the discipline of his master surely his puishment must needs be very great Well my friends iudge whether it be better to follow your own mindes herein or the counsaile of Saint Paule hee telleth you plainely it must bee otherwise such disobedient courses Seruants must be obedient vnto their Maisters in all things must not so much as once bee thought of amongst you but you must bee obedient vnto them euen in all things and so shall you performe the commandement of our Sauiour Christ And yet there bee some of so stubborne and rebellious a nature that if their Master do proffer them a blow nay scarce that too yet they will straight leaue his seruice and as without leaue so without care or feare of Gods Seruants must not flye from their Maisters for any vnkind vsage lawes or mans cast off the yoake of their obedience although it bee to the very vndoing both of their Master and themselues but how great an offence this is the story of Hagar doth plainely Gen. 16. shew who though her Mistris vnkind and rough dealing with her was the cause why shee fled from her yet the Lord so disliked of it that he commanded her not onely to returne vnto her againe but also to humble her A speciall poynt for seruants to take notise of selfe vnto her hereby shewing how great an offence shee had committed in which such humiliation must be vsed for reconcilement you wild headed youthes of our time consider this But it may bee some of you will be iudge of your owne cause and say it cannot bee that shee was so hardly dealt withall as I am for I neither can get those things which of right I ought to haue and yet am opprest with labour and can neither get kind word or good looke of my Maister or Mistris but say or doe what I can they are still brawling chiding and vncontented Dost thou thinke that the fault in thy Maister is the cause why thou dost not giue him content to please him nay nay assure thy selfe that it is rather the corruption of thine owne heart that keepeth thee from performing thy duty with more obedience diligence that so thou mightest please him or is it because thou takest not that course which Abrahams seruant did who when his Maister sent him about his Gen. â— businesse hee made his humble prayers vnto the Lord that hee would prosper the things hee went about this was the way he Seruants must pray vnto the Lord to send prosperity to their labours went about his businesse See here my friends the duty of a seruant what hee ought to doe and how he assuredly may please his Master or Mistris hee must begin his labours in the Lord by sanctifying them vnto him by prayers hee must continue them in the Lord as doing them vnto the Lord and not vnto men and so he shall be sure both to please the Lord and his Maister be he what hee will but Seruants notwithstanding the vnkind or vniust dealings of Maisters vnto theÌ„ yet ought with patience to beare it performiâ—g still all faâ—â—hfulnesse vnto them and of God shall receiue their reward so doing if thy Master be kind and louing and supply vnto thee all good necessary thinges needefull for thee it is no thankes vnto thee to bee obedient and dutifull vnto such a Maister for he hath deserued it of thee but if hee bee as thou sayest vnkind vnto thee either in keeping backe such things as of right thou oughtest to haue or otherwise froward or churlish vnto thee or if hee correct thee vniustly in these cases if thou with patience dost beare it and notwithstanding dost performe thy duty vnto him with all good faithfulnesse then bee thou sure that the Lord will recompence this his vnkindnesse with kindnesse againe vnto thee from him selfe for so both the Apostles doe confesse as I haue shewed before but will you haue further proofe yet for this poynt will you see how God hath dealt with others in former times reade then the Historie of Iacob and it will satisfie you herein and shew you a worthy example The 30. Chapter WHo could haue serued a worse Maister then Iacob did of his owne Vncle Laban seeking Gen. 31. so many waies to defraud him of his due as he did not once nor twice but tenne times or many What a carefull seruant Iacob was though hee had a bad master and how the Lord rewarded him times so that as he confesseth if the God of his fathers had not beheld his labours hee had euen sent him away empty notwithstanding his paynefull labours spent 20. yeares together in his seruice by day being consumed with heate and in the night with frosts so carefull ouer his businesse that hee would not suffer his eyes to take their rest in the night season yet all this time of his meÌ„y wrongs he bare with patience and neuer neglected any part of his duty the more for it and how God rewarded this his painefull seruice the story plainly sheweth to the great comfort of all good seruants what wonderfull blessings hee bestowed vpon him both deliuering him from his vnkind Maister cruell Brother and giuing