as to commend the severity of his Act. Esse debet penes patrem dulcis conditio libera servitus absoluta custodia timor laetus blanda ultio paupertas dives Serm 1. secura possessio saith Chrysologus The bondage of a child under his Father should bee no other than a sweete and pleasing kind of liberty the yoake which bee imposeth on him should bee soft and not any way wring his necke If an offence bee committed the correction must be such as may seeme to court an amendment rather than enforce it that being no way tainted with servility hee may rejoyce continually in that feare which is to over-awe his corruptions I have reade of a Father Vale. Max. lib. â— cap. 9. his name is not extant who having notice that his sonne did secretly practise his death would not bee perswaded that so unnaturall a thought could bee nestled in the Bosome of one Legitimate and therefore humbly besought his wife that shee would tell him truly whether shee had thrust upon him that young man or else conceived him by some other at length being throughly resolved upon her many oathes and deepe asseverations that hee was his owne hee tooke him aside into a solitary place put a sword which he had privily brought along with him into his hand and withall presented him his naked throat affirming that there needed not either poyson or the hand of any base assassinate to commit a parricide hee was now furnisht with the meanes and therefore willed him to dispatch it The sonne hereupon was so dismayed that hee flung away the weapon and with a kinde of extasie cryed out Tuverò pater vive O live my father Et si tam obseqâ—ens es ut hoc precari filio permittas me quoque exupera and if thou be so obsequious as to allow this prayer of mine fall upon me and take away my life who would have deprived thee of thine Onely this I beseech thee let not the love which I have towards thee bee the lesse esteemed because repentance gives it both a Birth Beeing It is a memorable example and sure it will become a loving and Christian Father in the chastening of his châ—ldren to make this rather the patterne of his imitation than the former It is the saying of Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Fathers can not harbour in their Brest Such furious rage as may their child molest A little punishment with them should bee sufficient for the expiation of a great offence New Wines are harsh but commonly the older they grow the more delightfull is their taste And so it is with youth I will not say with him in the Comedie Non est flagitium Adolescentulum scortari neque potare n que fores effringere c. But this He say That where such rioâ—ous Affâ—ctions happen Parents should not bee so transported with any violence of Passion as presently to cast them off and blot them out of the list of their children but patiently waite Donec deferbuerint Till their heate be spent and labour in the meane space by Prayer and Precepts and moderate severitie also to stay the headstrongnesse of their condition Gods Spirit is able even in a moment to make the spotted Leopard a Milke-white Ermin the Tawnie Ethiopian as free from Morphue as the beauteous Rachel To follow therefore any tyrannous and unnaturall course is to affront his sweet and milder operation and gives an argument that wee despaire of his goodnesse Saint Augustine reports of his mother that she gave great Almes went twice a day to the Church and there upon her Knees powred forth both Prayers and Teares not for Gold or Silver or any other worldly thing but for his true conversion to the faith and at length shee reapt the accoÌ„plishment of her desires Sowre Grapes may prove sweet Reasons and ragged Colts good horses Themistocles was so desbauched in his younger yeares that his Father did disinherit him and his mother overcome with shame and not able to stand under the burden of so great a griefe prevented the hand of Nature Val. Max. lib. 6 cap. 11 and with her owne in a most tragicall manner abridged the dayes of her wearisome life and by this means was deprived of that sweet conteÌ„t which not long after shee might have enjoyed by seeing him quite weaned from all irregularities and become a valiant Captaine and a prudent Governour The like happened to Alcibiades to Scipio the African to Valerius Flaâ—cus to Fabius Maximus and divers others whose unriper age was a blemish to the house from whence they came and to the City wherin they lived but Time made them the greatest ornaments to both It is storied of Polemon the Athenian that when he was a young man he was in all luxurious courses prodigiously exorbitant but entring on a certaine day into the Schoole of Xenocrates with no better intent than to jeere both him and his profession he was at length so astonished at the gravitie of the Philosopher and so inwardly touched with the weightinesse of his sayings that hee did immediately lay aside all barbarous behaviour Et ex infami ganeone maximus Phâ—losophus evasit an by that one lecture of a notorious Ruffian bâ—câ—me himself the greatest Philosopher that those times afforded We read likewise of Aristotle that having in his yonger yeares played away his Patrimonie he betooke himselfe to the warres but finding that course of life not agreeable to his humour Aelian lib. 5 c. 9. he turned Apothecary frequented the Schooles and proved in the end the Prince of all Philosophers Iulius Caesar the rarest Monarch that ever the world brought forth was in his first up-spring of so effeminate a carriage and behaviour that hee minded nothing but the satisfying of his owne voluptuous and loose desires but being growne to a maturer State he so improved his worth in Martiall discipline that ere Time had runne any long race hee was seene invested with the Romane Empire It is an ancient Proverbe They goe farre which never turne even Saul at one time or other may bee found amongst the Prophets Somewhat must bee borne with in respect of their age He that names youth names ignorance small experience Infinite Longings a suddain quicknesse in entertaining them and a foolish rashnesse in injoying them Remember not O Lord the sinnes of my Youth cries David and againe Lord take mee not away in dimidio dierum in the middest of my dayes that is in my youth Adam and Eve were young when to satisfie a fond and foolish Appetite they forfeited the royallest jurisdiction that ever was Yea there is not that Vice saith S. Aug. which hath not a desire to nestle it selfe in the Brest of Youth They were young men which Ezekiel saw with their backes towards the Sanctum Sanctorum ap 8. v. 16. courting their owne wanton Affections with the sent of sweete Flowers and which in all haste planted a Vine-yard saying
they require but what thy Lord and Maker hath ordained and let his proceedings towards Christ his one and onely Sonne provoke thee to Obedience Hee commanded him to bear the Crosse and he with all alacrity embraced it hee willed him to let his face be buffeted his Flesh ploughed up with whips and his cheekes defaced with lothsome excrements Yea hee willed him to suffâ—r every word hee spake and every miracle he wrought to bee traduced and blasphemed and he declined it not but in all things became obedient to the will of his Heavenly Father Others peradventure will object that their Parents are destitute of wisdome and discretion and therefore unfit to be obeyed in any thing they shall impose but however my answer is they are not to bee despised The Rose smels not the lesse because it springs from out a Briar Neither doth an Almond abate of his sweetnesse because of the hardnesse of his shell GOD knowes what is good for thee and hath therefore caused thee to come out of the Loynes of such that the faire tender of thy obedience might make thee a worthy spectacle to God to Angels and to men A third sort to blanch this dutie from themselves will peradventure say They are not my naturall Parents but my Stepfather or Stepmother Be it so yet even these must bee obeyed The great respect of Ruth to Naomi is sufficient to remove this cavill as likewise that of Moses to Iethro The one would not be perswaded to abandon the societie of her Mother in Law but would share with her in all occurrences the other hearkned to the voyce of his Father in law did in all things as hee directed Or if these examples be too weak look againe upon that of Christ to Ioseph Hee had no greater relation to him than that hee was betrothed to the blessed Virgin his Mother and yet hee was content to bee governed by him A fourth and last ranke to pleade exemption from what is here required will say They bee not my Parents at all but only my kindred and allies as my Vncle or my Aunt c that have had the breeding and bringing of me up It is al one thou owst this duty eveÌ„ unto them Esther was advaÌ„ced to bee a Queene she forgot not yet in the height of Majesty to shew her obedience to her Vncle Mordecai To close up this point then Children obey your Parents The next to bee discussed is the extent of this obedieÌ„ce how farre it is to reach Children obey your parents in all things In all things There must bee a limitation of this for universall and absolute Obedience is due onely to God and wee may finde it in Ephes 6.1 where the Apostle plainly expresseth what here hee leaves to bee understood Children obey your Parents in the Lord that is so far forth as is permitted by the Lord. Or thus A. Gell. lib. 2 Cap. 7. All things may bee reduced to a threefold rank For 1. some are simply good and these must bee done notwithstanding any inhibition of our Parents to the contrary and that in regard of the things themselves as likewise in regard of him that doth injoyne them For hee that listneth saith our Saviour to Father or mother more than mee is not worthy of mee 2. Some things are simply evill and these must not bee done for any strong intreaties or enforcements that can be used by our Parents because God forbids them and according to that of Saint Peter Wee are to obey him rather than men Act. 5.29 3. And lastly some things are of an indiffereÌ„t strain as neither simply good nor simply evill in these children must shew their Obedience without any reluctation how unmeet soever they may seeme to their owne apprehension In adiaphoris saith Gerson superioris judicio maximè credendum quoniam ille vice Dei tibi dicit quid expedit quid decet In matters of an indifferent nature a man must ever subscribe to the judgement of his Superiour because hee doth supply the place of God and serves as one deputed from him to tell thee what is decent and convenient to bee done Patris jussa discutere non licâ—t patris monita retractare non convenit sâ—ith Petrus Ravennas Tristior esse poterit paterni mandati species res tamen ipsa salutifera est vitalis Though the commands of our Parents may seeme to us never so harsh never so unjust so they bee not clearely convicted of impiety wee are not to reject them especially if wee bee such as are still under their governmeÌ„t and protection An excellent example wee have of this in Isaac who without any resistance either in word or deed suffered himselfe to be bound and laid upon the Altar where hee was content so far to yeeld unto the wil of his Father as to be sacrificed unto the Lord. Iude 11.36 The like did Iephtah's daughter unto him and the like should be done by every one The very placing of the fift Commandement in which this duty is required may bee sufficient to move us hereunto God hath set it before our goods yea before our lives to shew that Obedience to Parents should bee dearer unto us than â—itâ—â—â— Goods or Lives Agaâ—â—e there is annexed unto it a â—â—omise of Long life a thiâ—g so beloved of all that â—here need no other allurement For Death is hated and abhorred of Nature But here it may bee demanded whether married Children or such as are called to any publike place eyther in Church or Common-weale bee still bound to obey their Parents and how farre I answere that this filiall obedience is to receive no intermission so long as life doth last For 1. as it is 1 Tim. 2.3 it is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good thing and to God acceptable but it is likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just thing Eph. 6.1 Wee cannot â—orbeare it without injury Christs direction therfore is this Give unto Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesar's to every one his due Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom Custome Feare to whom feare Rom. 3.7 Honour to whom Honour belongeth Now this is proper and peculiar unto parents as appeares by God himselfe If I bee a Father where is my honour if I bee a Master where is my feare 2. It is exacted by way of Precept Honor thy Father thy mother that thy dayes may bee long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee So that concerning the continuaÌ„ce of this duty It is to last so long as we doe live but not in the same measure nor after the same manner For such as live in their Fathers house and under their Fathers power are to be employed by their Parents both at home and abroad according as they shall thinke fit to make use of their service But as touching such as are married or called to the administration either of Church or common-weale though they
bee still tyed to reverence obey their Parents Will as likewise to succour and relieve their wants as oft as occasion shall require they are not bound yet as before to cohabitate with them nor yet to expedite their businesses as having matters of their owne to looke unto and those of greater moment and importance And this is most apparent in the first sort For it is the Ordinance of God himselfe Gen. 2.24 that a man should forsake Father and Mother to cleave to his Wife which is not to be understood simply but comparatively in respect of an individual society Again he must labor for the susteÌ„tation of his owne Family This was that which Iacob pretended for his departure Gen 30. when Laban did sollicite him still to continue the keeping of his Flocke willing him to appoint his owne wages Thou knowest said Iacob how I have served thee and how thy Cattle hath beene with mee It was little which thou hadst before I came and it is now encreased to a multitude and the Lord hath blessed thee since my â—omming and now when shall I provide for my owne house also Now as touching those that have betooke themselves to any Church-imployments the case is cleare There is no authority in Parents to revoke them thence to looke againe to their terrestriall affaires For if a Father can not withdraw his Sonne from the service of an earthly King much lesse is hee to doe it from the service of the KING of Kings Hee that putteth his hand to this Plough and looketh backe Luke 9. ult shall bee thought unfit for the Kingdome of heaven The same reason may serve for those which are advanced in the Common-weale For it is requisite that privâ—te things should stil giue way to publike To resolve the doubt then in a word A child can never be freed froÌ„ the duty either of honouring or relieving his Parents but from Cohabitation as likewise from the administration of their domesticall affaires he may Here the Pharisees then meet with this condemnation while devillishly they would disspence with their childrens honouring and relieving of their Parents Mat 15.6 so they would bestow it upon them The Church of Rome likewise hath her blame while in imitation of their errour she affirmes it lawfull for children even against the will and pleasure of their Parents if once they be come to ripenes of yeares which in a Sonne they hold to bee at 14. in a daughter at 12. to put themselves into a Monastery For 1. to doe a thing not commanded by God with an apparent violation of that which is commanded is rash and irreligious but for a childe to take upon him the profession of a Monasticall life is no Commandement of GODS whereas to bee serviceably obedient unto Parents is a manifest injunction of his he must not therefore abandon them in such a case without their free consent 2. It is against Reason and religion to offer that which is anothers unto God without the approbation of him that owes it Now children so long as they remaine under their Parents tuition are a part of their peculiar possessions and therefore not to bee disposed of as they list themselves Wee have it in the old Law Num 30.3 That if a woman shal vow a vow unto the Lord being in her Fathers house and in her youth and her father disallow her in the day that hee heares thereof not any of her vowes wherewith shee hath bound her Soule shall stand 3. If it bee rashnesse to doe a thing without the advise and consent of our Parents it must needs be wickednesse to doe it against their Wils and when they use their best endeavours to prevent it but it is rashnesse for any childe of 15. or 16. yeares to determine upon a course of life without his parents knowledge and specially upon such a kinde of life as causeth a necessary a vocation from those duties which are to bee performed unto Parents what must it bee then to doe thus against their Wils 4. And lastly For I omit many reasons which might easily bee alleaged for the conviction of this Errour The Gangrensian Council celebrated in Paphlagonia Anno 324. pronounceth for Anathema the childe that under a pretence of religion shall depart from his Parents and not give them that reverence which they may justly challengâ— How true then this Assertion of the Romanists is let every man bee Iudge Here then are condemned Marriages without consent of Parents GOD gave Eve unto Adam as having most right because he made her And this authority hee hath communicated to all Parents Rebeccah askt the consent of her Father before she would marry yea Ismael though ungracious was willing his mother should appoint him a wife Hamor entreated Iacob for Dinah Gn. 21.21 The Sechemites though uncircumcised would not commit a rape but sought the good will of those whose daughters they desired to marry And in 1 Cor. 7.36 Every Father saith the Apostle hath power over his Virgin Now what this power is the Law will shew us If a man had entised a maide and laine with her hee was to endowe her for his wâ—fe Exo. 22.16 but if the Father would not conseÌ„t he was to pay the money and yet not marry the party yea let us search the Bible throughout and we shall finde that God did alwayes absolutely interest the parents in providing Wives for their Sons Deut. 7.3 and Husbands for their Daughters Samson though the beauty of the Timnite had in a desperate manner fired his affections Iudg 14.2 durst not yet without the consent of his Father and Mother take herto wife because he knew the match would otherwise bee unwarrantable It was the Plee which Thamar used to her brother Amnon when with a violent hand hee did invade her Chastilie 1 Sam. 13.13 I pray thee speake unto the King for he will not withhold me from thee So that the law of Nature the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ require from children a particular subjection of their owne wils to that of their Parents in this kinde To these we may adde the Lawes of Nations the Constitutions of Popes the determinations of Councils all like so many severall lines uniting themselves in one and the same Center 1. The Romanes obsâ—rved it very strictly allowed no marriage to bee lawfull but what was contracted and agreed upon by the Parents of either party Yee may see the practise of it in the Comedy Terent. Andr. Act. 1 Sâ—en 1. Hac famâ impulsus Chremes Vltrò ad me venit unicam gnatam suam Cum dote summa filio uxorem ut daret Placuit despondi hic nuptiis dictus est dies Act. 1. Scen. 4. Plautus likewise in his Aulularia presents us Megadorus stipulating with Euclio for his daughter in the same manner Catullus in a Nuptiall Verse of his thus speaking to a young Damzell who out
Dan a Serpent by the way or an Adder in the path biting the Horse heeles so that the Rider falleth to the ground Foenum non habet in cornu he is no horned Beast that will be goring whomsoere hee meetes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an innocent and harmelesse Dove 6. And lastly a single heart is a cleare heart a quiet heart and a constant heart 1. It is a cleare heart a heart which is at no time so overcast with mists of ignorance and Clouds of passionate Affection but that it is able to discerne the things that are excellent Phil. 2.10 2. It is a quiet heart The day of the Lords comming is to the Righteous a day of redemption when they shall lift up their heads Luk. 21.28 but to the wicked a day of darkenesse Amos 5.18 and why but because of the terrours of a guilty conscience which produce nothing but cramps and cold convulsions in the soule Sathan hath no sooner drawne a man to sinne but hee would drive him into desperation by possessing him with feare Cain after hee had slaine his brother was so miserably distracted that hee fled from his owne Father as from a deadly enemy Philosophers asking why Swine make a greater noyse when they be taken thaÌ„ any other Creatures render this reason that by an instinct of Nature they know when they bee taken nothing is desired but their lives Sinners are Swine 2 Pet. 2. ult and ever grunting their Heart is like the raging Sea which casteth up nothing but mire and dirt 3. And lastly it is a Constant Heart a heart free from infidelitie free from grudging and free from all distrustfulnes Such a one had holy Iob when neither the fury of the Devill nor the folly of his Wife nor the frenzy of his friends could any way alter the dialect of his patience but in the depth of his disasters he cryed out Iob 2.10 Shall wee receive good at the hands of God and shall wee not receive evill the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. Yea such a heart had blessed Paul when having propouÌ„ded a question he gave also the resolution â—om 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or anguish persecution or famine nakednesse perill or sword Surely no I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And thus much concerning singlenesse of Heart as it is in Gods servants we will now treate of it as it is in the servants of men And in these it may bee discovered divers wayes 1. Hee may bee said to serve in singlenesse of Heart who eyes not the condition of his Master but whether hee bee rich or poore milde or moody hee considers his Authority and thereto suites his Obedience 2. If for Conscience sake and not either for feare of punishment or hope of reward hee doe apply his best endeavours to the performance of his masters commands counting ipsum officium esse fructum officii the thing done a sufficient recompence for the doing 3. He would seeme what hee is and hee would bee what hee seemes For there are servants who like lying Hennes will make a great deale of cackling though they seldome Lay. Like a Mill that is loose hung they keepe a mighty clacking but grinde no Grist I may liken them to nastie dung-hils that are covered over with Snow an outward diligence distinguisheth their inward sloth like the Partridges of Paphlagonia they have two hearts the one pious and officious stirring them up to all dutifull obsequiousnesse so long as the Master looketh on the other impious and inofficious moving them as soone as his backe is turned to fraud and negligence but hee that obeyeth in singlenesse of Heart hath but one heart and that is ever like it selfe as painfull being alone as if he had the world for his spectator 4. And lastly hee may bee said to serve in singlenesse of heart that serves with a faithfull heart Now this faithfulnesse in a servant expresseth it selfe in severall things 1. In the diligent and ready performance of what his Master shall enjoyne him Yee may see it in him whom Abraham sent to seek a wife for his sonne Isaac Having received his instructions he presently began his journey and being upon the way hee invocated the the God of his Master for the good successe and dispatch of his businesse and when hee was come to the house of Bethuel hee could not bee drawne to taste a morsell of meate till he had delivered his message but servants now a dayes I speake for the greater part are like Phoebus his Crow they may be sent in haste Ovid. lib. 2. Fast they will returne at leasure 2. In the concealment of his counsels and Secrets a thing wherein servants are usually too too much defective For indeed they may bee counted so many spies in the house whose common practise is where they may be heard to blaze abroad whatsoever may tend to their Masters or Mistresses reproach having at once cast off both the religious feare of God and also the reverend respect of his Image in the persons of their Superiors I finde yet such fidelity among some heathenish slaves as may set a blush upon the face of Christian servants M. Antony the Oratour had one Val. Max. lib. 6. cap. 8. who though hee were conscious to those incestuous practises wherof his Master was accused and knowne to have carried a Lanthorne before him at such times did yet with patience endure the greatest tortures that an incensed rage could possibly devise to put him to and by his constant secrecy delivered him from the malice of his adversaries Macrob l. 1. Saturn Cals him Vrbinus Panopio had another who when the rest of his fellowes upon his proscription had given notice to the Souldiers that they should finde him at his Countrey house came and informed him of his imminent destruction and having changed apparell with him and put on his Ring conveighed him out at a backe doore went presently into his masters chamber lay down in his Bed and there received that mortall wound which was intended unto him It is but a short story yet full of admiration that a man on such a suâ—den and in such a hurry should so calmely compose himselfe to die for another There is yet a third example equalling if not surpassing in some respects eyther of these Antius Restio perceiving his Domesticks when the Triumviri had proscribed him so farre from grieving at his misfortune that all their care was to ransack his Chests and make havock of his goods stole avay by night from amongst them yet not so covertly but that one of them whom he had often caused to bee cruelly whipped ignominiously branded and
Father hath bestowed his Grace How should any righteousnesse bee seene if Grace which justifieth the sinners and wicked men did not precede Quomodo ista debita redderentur nisi prius illa in debita darentur How should the things which are due bee rendred if first the things that are not due were not given 2. I adde how should hee impute righteousnesse to our workes if his owne indulgency should not hide that unrighteousnes which is in them How should hee thinke them worthy of Reward unlesse out of the riches of his mercy hee did abolish that in them which is worthy of punishment Yea the Scripture seekes to humble us a little farther For it doth not onely forbid us to glory in our works because they are the free gifts of God but teacheth us withall that they are stained and defiled and such as being brought to the rule of his judgement will be no way able to satisfie But how then are we to understand that saying of the Apostle in Heb. 6.10 Where he saith God is not unrighteous that he should forget our workes and the labour of our love as if in justice it were fit hee should remunerate our good endeavours I answere we must remember first of all that even this promise like all the rest could afford us no benefit at all if the free covenant of mercy whereon relies the hope of our salvation did not goe before 2. Being resolved in this wee ought to bee securely confident that God will not suffer our good performances how short so ever they come of true perfection to passe without a worthy Retribution For according to S. Augustine Fidelis Dominus qui se nobis debitorem facit non aliquid à nobis recipiendo Psal 32. â—09 sed omnia promittendo The Lord is faithfull and makes himselfe our debtor not by receiving any thing from us but by promising althings unto us Now promise is a debt 'T is requisite therfore that God should recompence our workes though not forany worthines in them yet for his own engagement Here is matter then of comfort generally for all that groane under the heavy burdens of their sinnes and earnestly desire reconcilement if they doe what in them lyeth a reward attends them and it is a Reward of Inheritance even a weight of immortall glory in comparison whereof all the sufferings of this present world are to be counted nothing And this must animate them to persevere with all alacrity and patience in the exercise of godly workes for unto these belongeth this good and gratious Retribution But servants may draw from hence a more particular solace For it is to them that the holy Ghost himselfe doth particularly apply the words and that without any limitation or exception to shew that there is no Vocation so vile so abject and so base but if men piously undergoe it a reward shall follow it Servants thereto should not 1. So much regard the outward face of their Calling but how meane so ever it bee so it bee lawfull and honest should labour to discharge it with a good Conscience For this is the counsel of the Apostle Let every man abide in the same Vocation wherein he was called For hee that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lords free-man And hath as large a Patent to bee good as in the highest degree of dignity whatsoever Nulli praeclusa est virtus omnibus patet saith the very Heathen Vertue keepes open house and without any respect of persons gives a faire accesse to all that come whether they bee Male or Female rich or poore bond or free Lazarus in his rags shall be admitted into her inmost Cabinet when Dives notwithstanding his Purple fine Linnen shall not bee received into her utmost Courts Honour beautie riches and the like are no incitements to her favour Wee our selves chuse not a horse by the sumptuousnes of his trappings nor she her followers by any accessory complements If their manners be blamelesse no other defects shall ever lessen theÌ„ in her estimation Againe hee that subjects himselfe to fleshly lusts is in a baser bondage than hee that is enthrall'd to a fleshly Lord The one being voluntary so an argument of a degenerate spirit the other onely of necessity which never brings w th it a brand of infamy Diâ—g Laer. Diogenes shewed as free a mind wheÌ„ the Pirates set him forth to bee sold in the Market as ever he had done in his better fortunes For being then demanded by a Chapman what hee could doe I can rule and governe said hee them that are free And afterwards so little prejudice and inconvenieÌ„ce did he meet within that servile state that when his friends would have redeemed him out of it hee said they were unwise For Lyons were not servants to their Keepers but their Keepers rather unto theÌ„ of whom they stood in feare and durst not for their lives provoke Other immunities there are the consideration wherof will help to sweeten the bitternes of this condition some of them are wittily comorized by Martial in an Eâ—igramme which hâ—e wrote to one who much groned under this burden The tenour of it is this Lib. 9 ep 94. Quae mala sunt domini quae servicommoda nescis Condile qui servum te gemis esse diu Dat tibi securos vilis lecticula somnos Pervigil in pluma Caïus ecce jacet Caïus à prima tremebundus luce salutat Tot dominos at tu Condile nec dominum Quod debes Caï redde inquit Phoebus illine Cinnamus hoc dicit Condile nemo tibi Tortorem metuis podagra Chiragraque secatur Caïus mallet verbera mille pati Sure Conâ—ilus while thou do'st so bemoane Thy servile state those troubles are not knowne It seemes to thee which Masters doe attend Nor doth thy shallow judgement apprehend The great advantages a servant findes Above his Lord in many severall kindes On a course Matt sleepe closeth up thy sight When hee in Downe lies waking all the night At breake of day hee trembling must salute A thousand Lords whil'st thou to him standst mute He cannot step into the vulgar streetes But with some churlish Creditor hee meetes Claiming his debts with a disgracing note When none can challenge Condile for a groate Dost thou the torture feare he would endure A thousand stripes to bee from Goute secure When wee cannot framâ— our fortune to our will let us conforme our will to ouâ— fortune and not suffer the dislike of our condition to mâ—ke us neglect the discharge of our Dutie 2. Servants may learne from hence not to fixe their eyes upon those triviall recompenses and rewards which are promised them by men for their good service but still to looke to that eternall Reward of Inheritance which God thâ— Father promiseth to his obedient Children So did Paul in the execution of his Vocation he sought not for any glory grace or gaine from the hands of men