in the corne how much more is it vnlawfull for thee to keepe backe the due from thy seruant that laboureth with the strength of his body for thy profit or if thou cast him off or into an Hospitall when hee is lame or sicke how canst thou seeke of him the labour of his hands when he is well againe The 24. Chapter THe good Centurion did not thus he did neither cast off his The charecter of a good master sick seruaÌ„t nor send him vnto any Hospitall till he were healed no he kept him still at home in his owne house and did not put others in trust to seeke helpe for his seruant but carefully performing the duty of a good master Mat. 8. setting aside all his affaires businesse hee goeth himselfe to seeke helpe for him How many masters being rich men in ourtime will doe the like no they thinke it will bee a disgrace vnto them abase thing for themselues to doe such a businesse especially for his seruant but if it were for his wife sonne or daughter whom hee dearely loueth then happily hee would not sticke to goe himselfe but for his seruant hee hath other enough to send about such a businesse So had this Centurion you se he went himselfe I tell you whome soeuer you are that you ought to haue as great a care for the health and welfare of your seruant for the time he is in your Cor. 7. service as if he were either your sonne or daughter nay is hee not Coll. 4. the Lords free man haue you 1. Cor. 7. not all one master in heauen and you not both bought with one price and is hee not fellow heire with you of the same kingdome of grace which you hope to bee of yes verily he is And beleeue mee brother for I tell you no leassing father mother sonne or daughter master seruant King and subiect be but names and titles in this worldly regiment in Christ Iesus wee are al one none better then another all bretheren and must all seeke All one by Christ Christ and our brothers good in Christ or else wee neuer shall haue benefit by Christ how can you then or how dare you abuse your brother though he be your seruant in keeping from him such thinges as be necessary for him or due vnto him whether it bee his foode his cloathing or his wages or any other necessaries â—r oppresse him with labour as Pharâ—ahs task masters did the Children of Israell there be too many such which are euen The law a hiâ—drance vnto many euill Maisters as tyrants vnto their seruants and more would bee were it not for the law I speake not this to abridge the priuiledge or authority which the Master hath ouer his Seruant as occasion serueth I know that the master hath ful authority not onely to imploy his Seruant to labour but also to correct his Seruant as accasioÌ„ shal be ministred for the wise man telleth vs that Eccle. 33. meete correction and worke belongeth How euill seruants must be punished vnto the Seruant I know he goeth farther sayth The yoake and the whip bringeth downe the hard necke so taine thy euill Seruant with whips and correction but yet I pray you note that he giues this rule not to be excessiue towards any and without discretion faith he doe thou nothing But sayth he If thou haue a faithfull How highly a good servant ought to bee resprcted seruant let him bee vnto thee as thine owne soule for in blood hast thou gotten him whereas thy seruant worketh truly intreate him not euill if thou haue a seruant intreate him as a brother for thou hast neede of him as of thy selfe And S. Paule wheÌ„ hee had declared vnto seruants their duty hee admonished masters in like manner saying and you masters doe you the same thinges Ephe. 6. vnto them putting away threatenings and know also that euen your mrster also is in heauen neither is there any respect of persons with him And againe you masters doe vâ—â—â— Collo 4. your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that you also haue â— Masters ought to doe nothing but that which is iust vnto their seruants master in heouen and thus you see that both Saint Paule here the wise man in his Booke doe both agree in this that the Master ought to shew lenitie and gentlenesse vnto his seruant and so by louing kind vsage with frieÌ„dly speech as to a brother winne him to the performance of his duty for surely very willingly doth the seruant labour when the masters countenance is â—hearefull towards him but where the The Masters countenance ought to bee chearefull vnto his seruants Master doth not onely shew a chearefull countenance but also vseth friendly words among his seruants and giueth them their due besides it cannot be but with great ioy and comfort these seruants do passe ouer their labors how hard so euer they seeme to be vnto others and the master finds great comfort in them also The 25. Chapter THus you see what Iustice Saint Paule would haue Masters to vse vnto their seruaÌ„ts namely to do vnto them as you would haue them to doe vnto you and as it he should say would you haue your seruants to deale iustly and truly with you then doe you deale so with them would haue them to be kind and louing vnto you then bee so vnto them also nay you see he would not haue you threaten them and the wise man in his booke giueth the same counsell for saith he if thou intreate thy seruant euill and he run away wilt thou seeke him for indeed many times the Master threatning to giue his Seruant The seruant through threatning running away is oft times the vndoing both of himselfe and Master seuere correction for some fault committed and yet paraduenture not meaning so to doe yet the simple seruant hee knowing or fearing the rigorus correction of his Maister forsaketh his seruice and runneth away sometime to the vndoing of both if in this nature hee goe away from you how can you seeke after him when you your selues are the onely cause thereof keepe secret therefore your mind and if you see iust cause to vse correction doe it priuately in his due time but say not in his hearing or that he may heare thereof what you intend for to doe and so you shall performe the counsaile of the wise man which saith without discretion doe thou nothing But this iust and equall dealing of the Master stretcheth it selfe yet farther as against these euill minded men which seeke to abridge their seruants of their due liberty I meane when they haue obtayned thereunto by their continuance and faithfull seruice the wise man sayth Let thy soule loue a good seruant and defraud Eccle. 7. him not of liberty neither leaue him a poore man but there are some so farre off from performing this that
neyther delude Children may not delude their Parents by lying words thy father with lying words to say thou wilt doe his command and haue a wicked intent in thy heart not to performe it nor thou must not dare rebelliously to gaine-say his word but if thy father or mother doe commaund thee to doe any thing thou must gladly hartily willingly forthwith euen instantly with all diligence performe their iust request and thus shalt thou performe thy duty vnto God by this thy obedience vnto theÌ„ for else how canst thou say thou performest Children performe not their duty to God which performe not their obedience vnto their Parents thy duty vnto God wheÌ„ thou performest not thy duty vnto thy Parents whom hee commandeth thee to obey and honour Thou must remeÌ„ber also that thou art their good therefore of thee and by thee their good or profit should arise I meane so long as thou aâ—t vnder their authority or gouâ—rment thy whole endeuors both of body mind must be altogether bent vnto the good and profit of thy Parents Chileren ought to deaâ—e iustly in the vse of their Parents goods seeking wholy their profit I say it must be wholy thou must not keepe any part of it backe eyther to thine owne vse or to vse vnthriftily to the hurt of thy Parents for thou owest vnto theÌ„ more then thou canst doe and therefore a great heauie iudgment doth hang ouer the heads of those wicked children which doe pâ—â—loyne steale away the goods of their Parents though neuer so priuately either to giue vnto those whoÌ„ they doe affect or otherwise to consume or wast after their owne willes And euen so it is with those The hurt which many leaud children doe vnto their Parents in not dealing iustly with them whoÌ„ their parents do appoint vnto any lawfull calling labour or busines if they negligeÌ„tly leawdle or idely doe spend that time which they ought to employ only in those affaires doe they not rob their Parents of that profit which should arise vnto their parents by their industry in that time and so by their lewdnesse doe great hurt both vnto their Parents themselues yea surely and how great an offence this is wherein they thus disobey and dishonour their Parents and consequently God himselfe iudge you And as it is thus by these in wasting consuming the goods Schollers abusing their time in learning wrong their Prents in doing it of their Parents euen so it is with them which wast and consume that most precious time which they ought to spend in schooles to the attaining of their learning by play and idlenesse thereby wasting the profits of their Parents labours nay I would it were not thus with those whose learning should teach them to make better vse of their time then they doe both dishonoring God and their Parents The 20. Chapter BVt I will not stand vpon amplification of words they are plaine enough theÌ„selues the whole Booke of God is full of instructions to this end the soule that desireth knowledge will seeke it there and amongst others very much hath Salomon laboured to teach this duty of obedience vnto Children as appeareth in many places of his Bookes as in the first of Pro. My Son heare thy Fathers Pro. 1. instructions and forsake not thy Mothers teachingâ— and againe heare ye children the instruction if Pro. 4. a Father and giue eare to learne vnderstanding for I doe giue you a good doctrine therefore forsake not my law for I was my fathers sonne tender and deare in the sight of my mother when hee taught me and sayd vnto me let thy heart hold fast my words keepe my Commandement and thou shalt liue And againe Heare my Sonne keepe thy Father Pro. 6. Commandements and forsake 〈◊〉 thy Mothers instructions bind them alwaies vpon thine heart and tie them about thy necke it shall leade thee when thou walkest watch this when thou sleepest and when thou wakest it shall talke with thee 〈◊〉 for the CoÌ„mandement is a lanthoras and instruction a light and correction for instruction is the way of life And againe A foole despiseth his Pro. 13. Fathers instructions but he that regardeth correction is wise Againe A wise Sonne maketh a glad Father but a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his Mother Againe a wise sonne will obey the instruction of his Father but a scorner will heare no rebuke But before I passe further I must not so lightly passe ouer A parlse supposition which children haue of their Parents correcting them some of Salomons words heere spokeÌ„ for I know there be many foolish Children in these dayes which when their Parents reproue or correct them for their follies or faults committed doe eyther suppose it to bee more of spleene and anger towards them then otherwise or that they doe not beare that naturall loue towards them which they should doe but let not such idle leawd thoughts possesse either thy heart or minde but remember that he telleth thee that correction for instructions are the way of life and that he that regardeth the correction of his Father is wise well I will goe on with Salomons words for sayth hee He that destroyeth his Father or Pro. 19. chaseth away his mother is a leawd and a shamefull child Againe he Pro. 20. that curseth his father or his mother his light shall bee put out in obscure darkenesse Againe Obey thy Father Pro. 23. that begot thee and despise 〈…〉 thy mother when shee is old againe he that robbeth his Father and sayth Pro. 25. it is no transgression is the compâ—nion of a man that destroyeth Againe the eye that mocketh his Father Pro. 30. and despiseth the instructions if his Mother let the Rauens of the valley plucke it out and the young Eagles eate it And thus you see how Salomon hath laboured to expresse this duty of Children in their obedience vnto their Parents and all good children haue applyed theÌ„selues to performe the same euen from the beginning yea long before the law was giuen by God to that end the very law of nature thorough grace did worke this obedience in them as appeareth by that rare obedience of Isack vnto his Father yeelding himselfe euen to become a sacrifice Gen. 42. vnto the hand of his Father Iacob likewise obeying the command Gen. 27. of his Mother obtayned the blessing thereby But Iosephs dutifull obedience Gen. 47. vnto his Father and cherishing of him and his in his old age sheweth vnto all good children a perfect patterne of all dutifull obedience and the obedience of the daughter of Iephtah likewise may not be forgotten who although her father had vowed to offer vnto the Lord in sacrifice and that shee had liberty at Iudg. 11. her pleasure two whole monetâ—â— to go vnto the mountaines to bewaile Examples of the obedience and duty of good
children vnto their Parents her virginity yet at the prefixed time shee willingly came and offered her selfe vnto the hands of her father to performe his vow with her Solomon also when his mother came to speake with him so 1. King 2. soone as he saw her hee left his kingly seat and caine to meete her and reuerently bowed himselfe vnto her and caused her to bee placed on his right hand as he sate on the throne of his kingdome many such examples there bee besides these as Tâ—bâ—â— and others all teaching this duty Tob. 14. vnto children And as God hath commanded it thus to be done see how highly hee liketh of those which doe performe it the stone of the 〈…〉 bites doth plainely Ier. 35. shew where the Prophet Ieremiah from the mouth of God himselfe pronounceth these wore's vnto them T 〈…〉 Lord of hoasts the God of 〈…〉 cause you obeyed the 〈…〉 of Ionadaâ— your Father 〈…〉 How God blesseth those childreÌ„ which obey their Parents kept all his preâ—â—pts 〈…〉 〈…〉 ding vnto all that hee hath commanded you therefore thus sayth the Lord of heastâ— the God of Israel Ionadab the son of Rechaâ— shall not want a man to stand before mâ—â— for euer what neede I now â—o cite more places of Scripture to this end our Sauiour Christ himselfe Luk. 2. became a patterne vnto you in this poynt for hee became obedient vnto his earthly Parents If these things will not suffice then wil noâ—e The 21. Chapter BVt I must ye proceede a little further in this poynâ— of obedience fâ—â— there bee many which when they are come to some yeares as they thinke of discretion that then will bee no longer vnder the obedience of their Parents but to dispose of themselues at their owne pleasure nay I would to Goâ— that some of them did not thâ—â— oppose themselues against their Parents well they finde thâ— word of God doth teach them otherwise for thou must not then so dispose of thy selfe canst thou bee content to giue them leaue to nourish cherish and to maintayne thee both in sicknesse and health all the time of thy youth and wilt thou now â—e like a wilde and vnruly colt that casts off his bridle and shewes his master his foure shooes If thou didst want the vse of thy limbes or thy sight or the vse of thy speech thou cast then bee content to bee gouerned by them euen vntill thy olde age or dying day and wilt thou enioying these and all other blessings from Almighty God euen to the full when thou comest to those yeares wherein thy wisedome Children should take regard of the experimented wise counsailes of their aged Parents should shew it selfe like a flourishing oliue tree yeelding obedience and honour vnto thy Parents thereby comforting ioying their aged yeares then theâ— I say to cast them off yea that good also which might come to thee by that wise prudeÌ„t counsaile which they by long experience haue gained might to thee sure proue an anchor hold of exceeding much good And this I speake also in reproofe Children ought to be ruled by their Parents in case of their marriage yea to the reproach of those giddy headded wantons of our time which will not giue their Parents leaue to make their choyse of marriage for them nor bee ruled by them in their choyse whereupon as a iust plague vnto them it often commeth to passe that not hauing their Parents goodwill in their choyse they not onely lose that which is an vnualuable losse I meane the blessing of their Parents which though children regard not in these dayes yet in times past it was of such reuerent regard among Gods children that their fathers blessing was vnto them as precious as their What an account good children made in times past of the blessing of their Parents granfathers inheritance whereby thorough want of the fathers loue this blessing a iust plague and punishment from God for so high an offence it is commonly seene beggery followeth I speake not this vnadvisedly as of supposition for God is witnesse with me that I speake the truth I haue seene it with mine eyes to my griefe of heart Oh sinne of disobedience euen in the highest degree of nature when a sonne or daughter shall presume in priuate to take vnto themselues the estate of mariage without the consent of Parents ought not the father to know yea and to make choyse what flesh should be ioyned vnto his owne and what fruit should be grafted into his owne stocke and to see that it should bee for the good and honor thereof yes surely and those which be good and gracious Children will giue their Parents the preheminence thereof and also bee ruled by them in these things but there be some which can bee content to bee ruled by their Parents in case of marriage for the benefit of their helpe which may arise thereby but they are not willing to stay the time which their Parents shall thinke fit for them But this did not Isacke for hee Gen. 25. would not presume to make any Good childreÌ„ haue alwaies had regard to leaue the choyse of their marriage to thire Parents choyse but stayd his Fathers pleasure although it were till he was Forty yeares of age And Iacob wheÌ„ his father did appoint him then went to the place where he did appoynt him but not before where are those that doe follow the steps of these holy and chosen children of God that I many extoll them to the world alas they are not in these dayes to be found And yet the very heathen which knew not God nor his lawes yet the very light of nature taught this duty vnto them not to make their choyse of mariage Gen. 34. without the coÌ„sent of their Parents for thus did Shechem the sonne of Hamore sue vnto his Father for his good will to marry with Dinah the daughter of Iacob the servants of God had alwaies a speciall regard hereunto Samspon also would not presume Iudg. 14. to marry without the consent of his father no although he liked the woman exceeding well And as the naturall Parents haue this authority ouer their Children so doth it likewise belong vnto those which be gardians foster fathers as wee terme them which haue the bringing vp of youth whether they be of kindred or otherwise as wee see Ruth was obedient vnto her step Rut. 1. mother and vpon these and such like causes is our law grounded which permits not a ward being vnder the gouernement of his gardian to marry without his consent The 22. Chapter ANd as I haue labored to expresse this duty of obedience vnto children and yet but briefely run it ouer in respect of that which might bee spoken herein so it is needefull in some sort to shew the limitation thereof for it is not generall but is included within her bounds I did a little
touch it before when I said it consisted in all good and lawfull thinges and indeed it goeth no farther for if thy father or mother do command thee to do vnlawfull In what cases Children may refuse the command of their Parents thinges as to commit Idolatry to worship God contrary to his word thou must not obey them in these thinges or if thy father or mother doe command thee to commit treason against the King Prince or Magistrate whom he hath set ouer thee to gouerne thee or felloniously to murther any or to steale perloyne or defraud any man of his right thou must not obey them in any such thinges for as God hath cōmanded thee to obey them in goodnesse so hath he forbidden thee to yeeld obedience vnto them in euill the Children ought to shun the wickednes of their Parents Children that follow the wickednesse of their Parents God himselfe will puninsh them wee haue proofe therof in diuers places of the scripture but the Prophet Ezekiell expresseth it to the full I pray you reade the chapters for the doctrine therein is worthy of your greatest regard you shall there finde that the Lord sayth Behold all soules are mine both of Eze. 18. the Father of the Sonne the same soule that sinneth it shall dye but if the sonne seeing the wickednesse of his Father feareth and doth not commit such thinges surely he shall line sayth the Lord so that thus you see plainely that the Children may refuse to bee obedient vnto any wicked commande eyther of their Father or mother And the Apostle Peeter teacheth vs by Act. 4. his example rather to obey God then man and Daniell doth the Dan. 6. same And as God hath commanded thee to performe this obedience vnto thy Parents and hath appoynted thee in what manner nature to do the same and granted his blessing vnto the performers thereof euen so to Children which are stubborne and disobedient vnto their Parents God himselfe will punish the stubborne rebellious children which will take no regard of this his will to walke in the obedience thereof such disobedient ones doth he not leaue vnpunished nor neuer did but ether by the seueritie of their Parents or if that gentle and naturall punishment will not serue then giueth hee them vp into the hands of temperall Maiestrates so publikely to punish them as I expressed before in the duty of Parents but if both these in the execution of iustice vpon so high an offence be slacke in punishing them then he himselfe doth take the cause in hand yea he himselfe doth seuerely punish it as we see by his iustice shewed vpon the wicked sonnes of Elye whom hee slew both in 1. Sam. 4. one day by vntimely and sudden death and of that rebellious son of Dauid Absolon whō the Lord 2. Sam. 18. himselfe caused to be hanged on a tree by his owne hayre vntill his enemies came vpon him and slew him many such examples there bee to this end but these may suffice Children ought not to forsake their Parents either in pouerty or age but to relieue and comfort them euen till death And take heed that thou grow not weary of this thy duty but that with all loue thou doe continue this thy obedience vnto them euen to their dying day and that thou dispise them not either in age or pouerty for hee that dispiseth Father or Mother God will punish but vse them with all honour as Salomon did his Mother and cherish and norish them in age as Ioseph did remember 1. King 2. that Ruth would not Ruth 1. forsake her Mother in law and what shee gained by her labour she brought home to relieue her aged mother with And now with Ioshua I haue Ioshu 24 set before you the waies of the the Lord and I beseech him to giue vs grace to walke in the obedience thereof I had thought likewise to haue set before you some of the abuses of these our times wherein the wicked ones so much forgetting their duty to God and their Parents that not regarding their owne shame in the world no nor the feare of Gods iudgements to come doe dayly disturbe trouble nay misvse abuse their owne Parents but least I should in expressing such thinges giue way to that which I ought rather to suppresse I will rather bury these thinges in mine own breast with griefe in silecce The Diuell hath two many actors on the stage of this world that play these parts daily too publike the God of heauen and earth keepe your harts and consciences free from such thinges keepe you in the obedience of his holy Commadements Amen The duty of Masters The 23. Chapter GReat is the folly of yong people in this our time which by al meanes they may possible seeke to free theselues from the estate of seruitude when they are therein to the end they may be Masters A great folly in young people that seeke to bee masters before they know how to gouerne and gouenors themselues of others before they haue either yeares or wisedome sufficient to manage so great a businesse or discharg so waighty a matter as they then take vpon them in the estate of gouerning neither able to make choyse of their seruants with wisedome as they ought nor how to vse them with a good conscience as they should But Dauid giueth vs good instruction Gen. 39. for this busines for he willeth vs to chuse him to bee our seruant that is religious and vpright towards God that so our affaires may prosper as Potiphers did thorough the seruice of Gen. 30. good Ioseph and Laban by the seruice of Iacob for he that is not a faithfull seruant vnto God will neuer be a faithfull seruant vnto his Master as there doth come a blessing by the godly so the wicked seruant bringeth a curse where hee is for as one scabbed sheepe marreth a whole flocke so often times one leawd seruant spoyles a whole family but who followeth the rule of the Prophet How to chuse a good Seruant Dauid in the choyse of his family he sayth that he that hath a proud looke and a hauty stomacke shal not dwell with him But there be two many in these dayes of the contrary disposition for they will keepe none but such as can fight sweare and swager it out well Dauid would not doe so though hee were a King no he that leadeth a godly life shall bee his seruant there shall no deceitfull person dwell Psal 101. in his house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his house nor sight but I would there were Masters should not suffer their seruants to sweare though in the sale of their wares not now two many which doe suffer their Seruants to lye sweare yea and forsweare too in the sale of their wares and yet these be counted good shop-men and fine chapmen indeede
〈…〉 CARTERS CHRISTIAN Common VVealth OR Domesticall Dutyes deciphered ¶ Printed at London by Tho Purfoot 1627. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE Maister Wardens and the Assistants of the worthy and famous Company of Gouldsmithes of this Honourable Citie of London Worshipfull Sirs INgratitude was a sin even vnto the Heathens so odious that Periander among the Corinthians made this law that if any in a Common weale prove◠vnthankefull hauing receiued a benefit he was to bee put to death and as the reliques of Gods Image in them soe nature in the sensible creatures hath ingrafted thankefulnesse to passe by those presidents produced by Historians which may seeme incredible the Naturalists obseruation of the Merlyon not to prey on the Larke which hath giuen warmth to her cold feet is remarkeable And the spirit of God in Scripture hath plentifully inioyned it That I may proue my selfe therefore instructed in this duty not by nature onely but by grace in this glorious light of the Gospell I present vnto your view and patronage these poore indeavours the fruit of a thankefull heart expect you cannot a loftie stile or curious phrase for I take not vppon mee to instruct but onely to remember your curteous acceptation I doubt not of from the former experience of your worthinesse Surely if the poore Persians water in a potsheard was exceptable to the Emperour and an Apple from a poore Pessant was received by Artaxerzes a great Prince if Alexander tooke curteously water from a common Souldiers helmet and our Sauiour crowned the poore widdow with everlasting prayse for two Mites to the Treasury your generous dispositions will sparingly censure and curteously accept these my poore labours which howsoeuer they bee your worships and so is the Author Yours in all humblenesse to continue THOMAS CARTER To the Reader AMongst all the blessings that God hath bestowed vpon vs curteous Reader the word of God next to our Sauiour challengeth the most eminent place as being the guide and direction vnto him and the instrument to preserue vs vnblameable in a froward and crooked generation The Prophet Zacharie speaketh of Zach. 9. last ver the wine that Christ doth offer to drinke whereof virgins are gendred and begotten other kind of wines are wont to kindle evill lusts but this wine the Gospell restraineth those lusts and maketh the heart pure hence is the instruction of our Lord to search the Scripture as being able to instruct the ignorant to reforme the vertuous and so to make perfect the man of God in all good workes This excellent vertue hauing drawne mee to a diligent study of sacred Writ and considering in the last worst dayes the great neglect of family dutyes frō whence springes so many corruptions in children and seruants being dayly spectators of the heads corruptions I haue thought it my duty not to let my Talent rest but by that small portion of knowledge God hath giuen vnto me to set vp some way-marke to direct others to the waters of Shiloh which run pleasantly to coole the heate of corruption and frowardnesse and to teach vs obedience privately and publikely If it bee obiected that many eminent men haue already sufficiently performed this worke I answer that another performing his duty excuseth not me Secondly none euer so fully and amply hath put to the presse dutyes in this nature as I can hereof Thirdly they came not to my hands till I had finished this worke It seemed thē necessary not to let it suffer obortion but to bring it to a charitacle view censure of the vnderstanding reader May it please you then to accept of these vnpolished yea vnsquared documents neither it may bee methodicall in respect of order nor curious in respect of phrase onely the token of a willing heart and affording some good generall motions if thou please to afford a little diligence in the reading and care in the prctising This performed I haue the end I ayme at and thus remaine thine ever in the Lord Thomas Carter The Introduction to the worke HEe that sayd the Iob. 7. 1. whole life of man was nothing else but a time of temptations spake most fearefully and yet most truly for we are tempted in our old age in our cradle we are not free if any euill bee set before vs we are provoked vnto it If we abound with Adam in Paradice there may be death in that And if wee want with our Sauiour in the wildernes there are temptations in that So subtill is Sathan and so envious is our enemie to serue himselfe vpon all occasions In the former age of the world hee wrought and prevailed with men by bringing errors of mind and doctrine of Diuels to seduce the Church but now the cleare light of the Gospell is come in knowledge doth abound he laboreth to bring in error of life and depravitie of conversation for that notwithstanding men know their maisters wil yet they performe it not that all meanes possible both the spirituall sword of the Minister temporal sword of the Magistrate ought to be vsed for the reformation of these known euils yea euery mā to set a hand to this worke amongst which nūber I haue brought forth my poore abortiue talent to farther the same labouring by reproofes to beate downe vice and by instructions to informe the Husband to loue his wife and the wife to obey her Husband the Father to bring vp his Children in the feare of God not provoking them to wrath and the Childrens obedience to their Parents the Maister to guide the seruant and the seruant to obey his Master in all things in the Lord what if I bee no Minister nor the sonne of a Minister Shepheards and clownes haue beene Diuines sometimes and why not I and therfore not doubting the entertaynement I set forward to the worke and first for the duty of Husbands The duty of Husbands The first Chapter ANd the cause why I haue first begun with this duty of Husbands is for that I find it to bee the first degree which God gaue vnto Man after his Creation therein that when God gaue vnto man the rule of the whole earth and the domination of all Gen. 2. the creatures therein contained yet vntill hee gaue vnto him a Wife hee had no true content in all the rest besides for euery creature had solace in their kind except Man but so was it not with Man till God gaue vnto Man had no true content till God gaue vnto him a Wife him a Wife Then finding her a companion fit to associate him selfe withall with her he setled his content And this did God for Man in the time of his innocencie giue vnto him this wife thereby leauing vnto vs this instruction that we also ought to liue so vprightly so holily and so purely in the state of wedlocke that we sinne not against God nor against one another And heere is one especiall thing to be noted that God
giue vnto himselfe as much pleasure as Salomon possessed as his Where peace and loue doe want all other things do seeme vnpleasing heart can desire yet if hee liue not peaceably at home in loue with his wife euen all the rest are but a burthen vnto him but the poore man hauing little and yet liuing frendly louingly and ioyfully with his wife hath his heart more full of content then the rich man hath of all his wealth Indeed as the old prouerbe sayth in loue is no lacke Where man wife agree all thinges prosper well 1. Sam. 6. for where loue is vnited in the feare of God in the harts of man and wife they will like yoake fellowes draw together the right way like the two Milch Kine which brought the Arke of God in the new cart from the land of the Philistims yea they will plow together sow together there is no doubt but through the blessing of him which gouerneth them they shall so doing receiue a plentifull haruest together Thus we haue found that the principall duty of the Husband vnto the Wife is loue and doe also finde that this duty is much neglected contemned euen despised of many as appeareth by the euills dayly arising betwixt man wife here before expressed which I confesse to bee to many yet there is one mayne defect in husbands which I may not ouer-passe because it is the greatest breach of loue that may bee which I will speake of in the Chapter following The Fourth Chapter THis duty of the Husband vnto the Wife being wholy included in the bonds of loue it stretcheth it selfe farther into many branches for we finde also by the word of God that the Husband must dwell with his wife according to knowledge so we see here that is not lawfull for the Husband to forsake his Wife but howseuer whether it be in weale or woe in riches or in pouerty yet he must abide dwell with her still onely Adultry No cause whatsoeuer should separate man and wife except Adultry separateth man and wife for this cause a man may forsake his wife and shee her husband but if the wife be not an Adultresse thou must not forsake her no not for any other cause I confesse the wise man saith giue me any plague but the plague of the tongue and it may bee thy wife hath this fault yet this is not a sufficient cause for to forsake her for our Saviour Christ telleth Mat. 19. vs it is not lawfull for a man to put away his wife except it be for whoredome yea hee doth vtterly forbid to separate whom God hath ioyned together and saith further that whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication causeth her to commit Adultery and whosoeuer Whosoeuer marrieth her that is diuorced doth commit Adultry shall marry her that is diuorced committeth Adultry But the firebrands of hell I meane the wicked and abominable Adulterers of our time neither respecting the word of God nor yeelding any obedience to his Commandements or fearing the iustice of his vengeance to come for their disobedience will notwithstanding like the swine possessed by the Deuill runne violently to their destructions But Saint Paull 1. Cor. 6. telleth them plainely that neither Fornicators Adulterers wantons An item for whoremongers and Adulterers nor such like shall inherite the kingdome of God whither they shall goe then I tremble to thinke of for these men not regarding these things will haue a wife here another there one in this Country and another in another country or if thy cannot range abroad to doe thus but must abide at home they will keepe a whore euen there and yet the poore wife must not know of it or if shee doe shee must not seeme to know it or dare to speake of it though shee bee neuer so much wronged by it nay this will not serue the beastly minds of some but they will haue a whore in this corner and another in another corner and bee continually seeking of whores and whorish places for all bread is sweet to a whoremonger saith the wise man hee will not leaue off till hee perish Eccle. 23. a man that breaketh wedlocke and thinketh thus in his heart who seeth me I am compassed about with darkenesse the walls couer mee no body seeth mee whom need I to feare the most high wil not remember my sins the same man sayth he shall bee punished in the streets of the citty and shall bee chased like a young horse foale and when he thinketh not vpon it hee shall be taken thus shall he be put to shame of euery man because he would not vnderstand the feare of the Lord. But what speake I of the wise mans words whē God himselfe saith Thou shalt not commit Adultry Exodus 20. and that thou shalt not couit thy neighbours Wife nor his maide nor his Daughter and yet his wife his maid nor daughter wil serue to satisfie the beastly minds of many men in this wicked age but wiues maides and all that they may any way allure to their wicked purposes they will thus abuse The Lord commanded there Deu. 23. should bee no whore-keepers among his people the Israelites but if all such should bee swept out of this kingdome I thinke a great part of our land would be vnpeopled for neuer was this sin of whoredome adultry at such a haight as at this day it is amongst vs amongst young men it is now counted but a tricke of youth among others of more yeares which should haue more grace it is called the sweet pleasing sin of Letchery Oh England England Sodom Gomorah committed not more sinne then thou dayly dost and these haue felt the heauy hand of God long since consuming them with fire and brimstone from heauen and thinkest thou Heb. 13. to escape no no the bed vndefiled is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Saint Iohn telleth such Reu. 21. plainely they shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire brimstone you will thinke I am too bold to bee thus sharpe with you but I say the tongues of men can neuer speake enough of this sinne for the Lord hath set himselfe against such and will be aswift witnesse against them for saith he They assemble themselues Mala. 3. by companies in the Harlots houses and rise vp in the morning like fed horses for euery man neigheth Iere. 5. after his neighbours wife and now marke what followes shall I not visit for these thinges sayth the Lord shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Woe be to you Whoremongers Whoremongers Adulterers doe not onely draw vengeance on thē selues but also on the nations among whom they liue and Adulterers who not onely draw vengeance vpō your selues but even vpon the whole nation wherein you liue against whom the Lord maketh
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
run farre into this poynt of the pride of women but it is not my purpose to doe it but rather to follow the example of the Apostle which telleth them that such thinges ought not to be and to wish them that they would array themselues as becommeth women which professe the faith of Iesus Christ in comely apparrell with shamefastnesse modesty that the word of God bee not euill spoken of through you The Tenth Chapter THere bee yet many duties more which are very needfull for women both to learne to obserue as appeareth by the instructions which the blessed Apostle gaue vnto his Sonne Titus whereby to instruct the Timo. 2. Creets with wherein he instructeth the elder women that their behauiour bee such as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not giuen to much wine but teachers of honest things that they may instruct the yonger women to be sober minded that The good properties which ought to be in women they loue their Huabands that they loue their Children that they be discreet chast keeping at home good and subiect to their Husbands that the word of God be not euill spoken of but many of these things I haue in some sort touched before only here I would haue women take norise of a thing or two not yet spoken of and so I will draw to a conclusion The Apostle warneth them not to be false accusers and this toucheth busie bodies of our time which will goe pratling to carrie newes and bring debates The Husbands smart sometimes for the wiues tongues and contention amongst neighbours by lying and slaunderouse speeches so that many times the men smart for the womens tongus and neighbours liue at great varience one with another which otherwise would liue in loue and peace together This ought not to be amongst womeÌ„ but to be such as SalomoÌ„ speaketh of in the last of his Prouerbs who speaking there of a vertuous woman shee will saith he open her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue doing thus should they bee able to performe the things here commanded and to instruct others in the duties belonging vnto them Againe hee commandeth that women be not giuen to much wine I would that women were more carefull to auoyd this sinne then Women ought not to delight in much drinking of wine or strong drinke they be for wee haue too many women-drunkards amongst vs as well as men-drunkards now adayes the more is the pitty but woe bee to those that rise vp early to follow drunkenesse and to them that continue vntill night till the wine do enflame them woe be to them that Ecclu â—6 are mighty to drinke wine and to theÌ„ that are strong to powre in strong drinke great is the plague of a drunken woman saith the wise man for shee cannot couer her owne shame we haue example of this in Noah and Lot though otherwaies a righteous man yet being drunke with wine coÌ„mitted Incest with his owne Daughters And euen in these dayes wee see many that haue wasted great Ill diseases beggery the fruits of drunkennesse substance by this meanes and some bringing themselues to diseases shortning their owne dayes by inordinate drinking these are the fruits of excesse drinking and taking delight in wine and strong drinke therefore very great care had women need to take of themselues that they be not giuen to much wine or to take delight in strong drinke Another thing I note that the Apostle doth admonish women of and that is that they bee home-keepers or keepers of their owne houses hence it is that the woman is often called the howse-wife not the street wife shee must be no gadder abroad shee must not spinne streat thread as too many doe which when they haue forced their Husbands to lay more vpon their backes then he is able to put in his purse along time after their owne house will not hold them but they must gad from this place to that place and Women ought not to bee gaddars abroad but keepers of their owne houses euery where to show their pride and their Husbands follie thus did not that vertuous woman which I told you of before which Salomon speakes of it will not bee amisse if I doe discribe her vnto you for surely she that performeth that which the blessed Apostles haue here taught concerning the duty of Wiues will omit nothing of that vertuous woman hee speaketh of or come short of her perfections and these are the words Who shal finde a vertuous woman for her price is far aboue the pearles the heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no need of spoyles shee will doe him good and not ill all the dayes of her life shee seeketh wooll and flaxe and laboureth chearefully with her hands shee is like the Shippes of Marchants shee bringeth her foode from farr and she The discription of a good Wife riseth while it is yet night and giueth the portion to her houshold and the ordinary to her maides shee considereth a field and getteth it and with the fruit of her hands shee planteth a Vineyard shee girdeth her loynes with strength and strengtheneth her armes shee feeleth that her marchandise is good and her candle is not put Pro. 31. out by night shee putteth her hands to the wheele and her hands to the spindle shee stretcheth out her hands to the poore putteth out her hands to the needy she feareth not the snow for her family for all her family are cloathed with scarlet she maketh her selfe carpets fine linnen and purple is her garments her Husband is known in the gates when hee sitteth with the elders of the land she maketh sheetes and selleth them and giueth girdles vnto the Marchants strength and honour is her cloathing and in the latter day shee shall reioyse shee openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue shee ouerseeth the waies of her Houshould and eateth not the bread of idlenesse her Children rise vp and call her blessed her Husband shall prayse her saying many daughters haue done vertuously but thou surmountest them all fauour is deceitfull and beauty is vanity but a woman that feareth the Lord shee shall bee praysed giue her the fruit of her hands and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates I hope now I shall not need to amplifie this duty of Wiues any further seeing I haue already laboured thus farre in it I will therefore conclude leauing you to the consideratioÌ„ of these things you to the tuitioÌ„ of our good God whome I do beseech to looke mercifully vpon vs all and by his grace and powerfull spirit to worke in our harts a true and speedy reformation of our sinfull liues that so by the holy intercession of our blessed Mediator and the merits of his blessed passion wee may enioy that blessednesse which euery good soule doth long to enioy
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.
sonne to his daughter but the proofe following is greater indeede wee finde that Caleb the sonne of Iephune gaue vnto his daughter Ioshu 15. Achsab the whole country of Hebron with both the sprngs aboue and the springs beneath but she was the onely daughter of her father and hee then had no sons liuing and God had promised to giue that land to him and to his seede And yet Moses was in doubt himselfe whether that a woman might inherite land or no for we find that the daughters of Zelâ—phehad came vnto Moses and demanded Num. 27. a portion of land for their inheritance among the families of their tribe because all the males of the family of their father was deceased but it seemed vnto him so difficult a matter to answer that he was faiâ—e to bring the cause before the Lord and the Lord answered that they demanded but right for sayd he if a man doe die and leaue no Here the matter is by God himselfe fully decided sons then the inheritance should turne to the Daughters againsâ— this who can or dare speake and now I hope I haue proved that no man may giue the portion due vnto his son from him to his daughter But I haue another obiection yet of this politition to answer vnto I doe remember he sayd he had married sundry wiues he had had children by each of theÌ„ it may be it is with him as it is with a great many more the first wife is forgotten her children her childreÌ„ are as little regarded therfore to please his last wife hee will suspence with the others children there be too many vse such trickes in these daies but if hee will be a scholler in Gods schoole he must learne another lesson For we shal find that if a man haue had children by sundry wiues and that hee loueth the one more then hee did the oother if his first borne sonne he Deu. 21. the son of her that is not loâ—â—â— yet when the time coÌ„meth thâ— hee giueth his goods to his children A principall poynt for fathers to regard and against partiality he may not make the sonne of her whom hee loueth his first borne before the sonne of the hated which is inddeed the first borne but he shall acknowledgâ— the son of the hated for the first borne giue vnto him a double portion of all that he hath for he is the first of his strength and to him belongeth the right of the first borne thus we see plainely that there may be no partiality vsed in these causes But now to conclude this last part and to make the matter yet more plainer then wee haue done and to proue that the father may not giue his goods froÌ„ his children nay that he hath no right so to doe but that of right they belong vnto his Children we haue yet a very playne example for this matter in the storie of the prodigall son who comming to his father for a portioÌ„ of his goods he doth not say vnto him I pray you father that you will be pleased to bestow vpon A plaine proofe of the right which the child hath in the estate of the father me some small portion either of your goods or mony which you will what you please or may well spare he doth not so nor doth he desire to lend him such or so much money neither no he is more bold with him theÌ„ so for he coÌ„meth bluntly and plainely vnto him neither to begge nor to borrow of him but to aske his owne saying father giue mee the portion of goods that falleth vnto mee or as some translations haue it the portion that is due vnto me or my portion Surely if he had had no right nor interest in the goods of his father hee durst not haue beene so bold and saucy as thus to demaund or challenge a portion thereof as he doth neither doth hee stand to his fathers curtesie what hee will giue him for as he doth demand but his owne so he Luke 15. demaundes no more nor hee asketh no lesse well then it appeareth it was his right But now for the confirmation yet further of this matter let vs see how the Father taketh the businesse for if his sonne haue A confirmatioÌ„ yet further of this matter exceeded the bounds of his duty no doubt but as a father hee will soone reproue and correct him for it but here is no such matter and therefore it doth appeare plainely that he did no more the he might doe for the kind and louing father presently without delay yeelding vnto his formes request deuided his goods betwixt his two sons so hee giueth vnto him his portion how many fathers follow this parterne in these dayes and will heare their sonne in such a case nay some will spare nothing at all while they liue others will spare very little and some perhaps doe somewhat but vpon conditions hard enough This son when hee had receiued his full portion and by his vnthriftinesse and ryoting had sperit wasted this his portion poverty so hardly oppressing him that hee thereby was constrained to returne vnto his father againe who with ioy yet doth againe receiue him his elder brother angry herewith tels his father that for al his long service done vnto him yet hee neuer gaue him so much as a Kidd to make merry with his friends and saith hee dost thou thus for such an vnthrift but his father answered son be coÌ„tent thou art alwaies with mee and all that I haue is thine what could hee more say then this and doth not this plainely teach vs that a father may not giue his goods froÌ„ his children for if it were all his sonnes where was any to giue vnto others or if hee had beene partiall in the distribution therof by giuing that to one which belonged to the other then hee had done wrong also But it may bee he will yet obiect and say this was but a parable which our Sauiour Christ spake concerning the sinner that had run astray who yet by true repentance humbling himselfe vnto his heauenly father hee receiueth him to his grace and fauour againe and not a poynt of doctrine to be taken in this case Obiections answered and the whole matter confirmed with truth but thou errest in that poynt also for although it be parable as indeed our blessed Sauiour spake many things in parables yet he being the very truth and wisedome it selfe could not commit any errour in this or any other parable but still by one truth expressed another and therefore to say otherwise were erronious blasphemie But yet I must answer one obiection more which this worldling make which is this Iâ— may bee sayth he that my sonne is disobediâ—â— vnto me or is an vâ— thrift and shall hee leawdly and vnthriftily wast my goods or that which I h 〈…〉 laboured forâ— To which I answer 〈…〉
beseech thee for his sake to accept this our bounden duty and humbled hearts which as a Morning sacrifice with all humblenesse wee heere present vnto thee yeelding prayse thankes vnto thy sacred Maiesty for all those manifold blessings which in thy mercy thou hast dayly thus plenteously powred vpon vs thy most vnworthy servants amongst the rest we forget not that bodily health peace prosperity which thou in thy mercy dost still continue vnto us with that quiet and comfortable rest which wee haue enioyed this night past that thou hast now brought vs to the beginning of this day in safety These and all other things whatsoeuer we doe praise thy most glorious name for and now still doe most humbly beg of thee that thou wilt be pleased to receiue vs this day and all the daies of our liues vnder thy powerfull protection Oh defend and keep vs from euil guide vs with thy grace sanctifie vs with thy spirit graunt that in all things yea and aboue all things that our whole care and endeavours may be zealously to walke before thee in holy obedience vnto thy heauenly will holy commandements blesse vs we humbly beseech thee in the labors of our hands graÌ„t that we take nothing in hand vnaduisedly but what shall be agreeable vnto thy most holy will thou that knowest what is needfull for vs better then we our selues do vouchsafe wee pray thee to giue vnto vs the good things which wee haue neede of whether it bee for our soules or bodies euen for thy deere and onely Sons sake Iesus Christ blessed for euer we doe most humbly begge them in of thee that forme of prayer which he himselfe haught vs saying Our Father c. Euening Praier O Blessed God which gauest the people of Israel in charge euery day to offer vnto thee a morning euening sacrifice that there by thou mightest be glorified and praised for their dayly protection and preseruation wee most vnworthie wretches presuming through this thy mercy to prostrate our selues heere before thy divine maiesty to offer vnto thee this our bounden duty do most humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sonnes sake Iesus Christ blessed for euer that by the powerfull assistance of thy holy spirit thou wilt sanctifie our harts vnto the performance heereof for we confesse in respect of our manifold sins wee are farre vnworthy to present our selues before thy glorious maiesty much more that thou shouldest regard vs or accept any thing which we do but wee most humbly beseech thee enter not into iudgment with thy seruants for who then shall stand before thee our very righteousnesse is like vnto a filthy cloath the thoughts of our hearts are dayly and hourely corrupt before thee who can tell how often hee offendeth we haue beene alwaies rebellious Children against thee disobeying thy commandements contemning thy iudgements and abusing thy merits and it is thy great mercy that hath stayed thee that thou hast not vtterly consumed vs long since euen in the midst of our sinnes when they were vnregarded of vs or we vnrepented of them but since thou hast beene pleased to infuse now againe into vs thy grace to see our sins let this thy grace worke in vs we beseech thee a true and vnfained repentance of them pardon oh pardon all our sins O Lord we humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sonnes sake Iesus Christ we most humbly beseech thee to pardon all our offences which eieither either this day or any other day or time from our births to this houre wee haue committed whether in thought word or deed whersoeuer whensoeuer howsoeuer or against whomsoeuer committed let that innocent most precious bloud which thy blessed Sonne hath shed to wash a way the sins of thy seruants wash and purge vs from all our sinnes and seeing that from vs of our selues no good thing can proceed we humbly beseech thee to create in vs new hearts and by the powerfull working of thy holy spirit sanctifie both our hearts and soules vnto thee that we may heerafter striue to performe a more holy and zealous obedience vnto thy heauenly will and holy commandements then euer hitherto we haue done for our blessed Sauiours sake we beseech thee to graunt these and all other good thinges vnto vs which may dayly further vs in the workes of our saluation and heere as wee are by duty bound we render vnto thee humble and most heartie thankes for all those great and manifold blessings which in thy great mercy thou doest dayly thus plenteously power vpon vs most vnworthy wretches and amongst the rest wee forget not that bodily health peace and prosperity which we doe still enioy with the blessings which wee haue this day receiued These and all other thinges whatsoeuer wee doe praise thy most glorious name for and doe most humbly begge of thee to continue thy mercies and blessings still vnto vs in all the good thinges that we haue need of and amongst the rest we beseech thee to receiue vs vnder thy powerfull protection this night that so wee may rest in peace and sleepe in safety for wee know there is no safety but in thee with thee in vaine are our houses any protection vnto vs or our beds any place of rest for our weak bodies if thy blessing bee not with vs. Oh suffer not Sathan to trouble vs in our sleepes nor any danger to annoy vs but wee beseech thee let thy holy Angels watch ouer vs while we take rest that so when wee shall wake againe wee may render due prayse vnto thee vnto whome all prayse belongeth neyther doe wee beg these thinges for our selues here alone but for thy whole Church wheresoeuer dispersed More particularly we pray thee be gracious vnto this land wherin through thy goodnesse we liue and haue oâ—â— beeing and herein as wet are by duty bound wee humbly beseech thee to powre thy blessings on that great piller of thy Church our dread Soueraigne Lord Charles by thy gracious appoyntment King of great Brittaine France and Ireland wee beeseech thee enrich his royall heart with such graces and gifts as shall bee meete for that high place and calling wherein thou hast placed him blesse with him his and our noble Queene Mary his faythfull privie Counsellors the reverend Clergie all true hearted Nobilitie loyall Gentry and louing Comminalty we beseech thee let thy blessings dwell on the heads of these so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth neyther forget wee the poore afflicted meÌ„bers of this thy Church wheresoeuer dispersed or howsoeeuer distressed and euery particular member thereof howsoeuer afflicted whether outwardly in body or inwardly in mind euen as if our selues were in their case so begge wee for them patience comfort and a speedy release of their seuerall calamities that they with vs and wee with them may in the end reioyce together with thee in thy heauenly kingdome which Lord we beseech thee to hasten prepare vs for thee and come Lord Iesus come quickly euen so Amen T. C.