Masters after the flesh vers 5. 2. As to Christ vers 5.  3. As seruants of Christ vers 6.  4. Doing Gods will vers 6.  II. The motiues which the Apostle vseth are partly Implied Expressed  They are implied three waies 1. By declaring the place of a Master as to Christ 2. By noting out the honour of their seruice as seruants of Christ 3. By shewing the ground of seruants subiection Gods will The motiue expressed is the Recompence which seruans shall haue for their paines largely laid forth vers 8. Therein these distinct points are noted in order 1. The assurance thereof knowing 2. The ground thereof taken from a generall rule whatsoeuer good thing any man doth 3. The particular application thereof whether bond or free 4. The kinde thereof the same shall he receiue 5. The author and giuer thereof of the Lord. §. 2. Of the lawfulnesse of a masters place and power In handling seruants duties I will proceed according to the order propounded In the first place therefore I will note out the kindes of seruants duties For finding out the kindes I will obserue the method followed in handling childrens duties Note then 1. The Fountaine of seruants duties 2. The Streames that issue from thence The Fountaine resteth partly in the opinion and partly in the affection of seruants In their Opinion they must be informed and resolued that the place of a master and a seruant is lawfull and warrantable that God ingenerall ordained degrees of superioritie and inferioritie of authority and subiection and in particular gaue to masters the authoritie which they haue and put seruants in that subiection wherein they are Till the iudgement be resolued hereof nor reuerence nor obedience will be yeelded as it ought For Reuerence hath reference to Eminencie and superioritie and Obedience to Authoritie and power Who will reuerence or obey him whom he taketh to be his equall This was the ground of the conspiracie of Corah Dathan and Abiram that they thought Moses and Aaron tooke too much vpon them and lift themselues vp aboue the congregation of the Lord. Wherefore I will here note the grounds of a masters authoritie and seruants subiection 1. God hath giuen expresse commandement vnto masters to gouerne their seruants and vnto seruants to be subiect to their masters In the fourth commandement God giueth a charge to masters ouer their seruants to see that they doe no manner of worke And the Angell biddeth Hagar humble her selfe vnder her mistresse hands And here seruants are commanded to obey their masters 2. Many directions are giuen both to masters and seruants in regard of their different places how to carry themselues one to another Read for this purpose the many lawes which Moses prescribed to both the many counsels which Solomon in his prouerbs especially giueth also to both and particularly the directions of this and other Apostles 3. Saints in all ages haue beene set in these places some in the places of masters and some in the places of seruants and according to the place wherein God hath set them they haue performed their dutie masters the duties of masters and seruants the duties of seruants 4. The many parables which Christ vseth taken from the power which masters haue and exercise ouer their seruants and the subiection which seruants yeeld to their masters shew that the authoritie of the one and subiection of the other are things without question granted and not denied 5. God hath made many promises of reward both to masters and seruants that conscionably performe the duties of their place and hath made many threatnings against the one and the other that are negligent therein All these grounds are so cleerely and plentifully noted in the Scripture that any one who is any whit acquainted therewith may know them to be so Were there no other arguments then this text which I haue in hand it were enough to confound all gainsaiers and to moue such as beleeue the rather for their faith and profession sake to serue their masters after the flesh §. 3 Of the Anabaptists arguments against the authoritie of masters and subiection of seruants Contrary to this first ground of seruants subiection is the opinion of Anabaptists who teach that all are alike and that there is no difference betwixt masters and seruants Their reasons whereby they would make shew to proue their vnreasonable opinion are these 1. Obiect Masters are either Infidels or Christians and so seruants either one or other If masters be Infidels and seruants Christians how vnmeet is it that Christians should be subiect to Infidels and if master and seruant be both Christians they are brothers but brothers are equalls and neither subiect to other Answ Rule and subiection are matters of outward policy they tend to the outward preseruation of Church Common-wealth and family in this world but faith piety and such graces are inward matters of the soule tending to a better life These being thus different one that is more excellent in the one may be inferiour in the other Yea though there be an equality in the one namely in spirituall things yet there may be a disparity in the other namely in ciuill and temporall matters And though Saints may be farre inferiour to infidels in outward estate yet they are not a whit the lesse glorious before God The honour proper and peculiar to Saints is inward not visible to the carnall eye of a naturall man 2. Obiect It is against nature for one to be seruant especially a bond-seruant to another Answ To grant that it is against that absolute and perfect nature wherein at first God created man and that it came in by sinne yet is it not against that order and course of nature wherein God hath now setled man God hath turned many punishments of sinne to be bounden duties as subiection of wife to husband and mans eating bread in the sweat of his brow 3. Obiect It is the prerogatiue of Christians to be all one but subiection of seruants to masters is against that prerogatiue Answ That prerogatiue is meerely spirituall for in Christ all are one as they are members of Christ which is a spirituall body not as they are members of a politique body A politipue inequality is not against a spirituall equality 4. Obiect This subiection is against the liberty that Christ hath purchased for vs and wherewith he hath made vs free Answ It is not For that liberty is from the curse and rigor of the morall law from the ceremoniall law and the rites thereof from Satan sinne death and damnation but not from those degrees which God hath established betwixt man and man for the good of mankinde 5. Obiect We are expresly forbidden to be seruants of men Answ To be a seruant in that place is not simply to be in subiection vnder another and to doe seruice vnto him but to be so obsequious to a
at least a liuely representation thereof whereby triall may be made of such as are fit for any place of authoritie or of subiection in Church or common-wealth Or rather it is as a schoole wherein the first principles and grounds of gouernment and subiection are learned whereby men are fitted to greater matters in Church or common-wealth Wherupon the Apostle declareth that a Bishop that cannot rule his own house is not fit to gouerne the Church So we may say of inferiours that cannot be subiect in a familie they will hardly be brought to yeeld such subiection as they ought in Church or common-wealth instance Absolom and Adoniah Dauids sonnes This is to be noted for satisfaction of certaine weake consciences who thinke that if they haue no publike calling they haue no calling at all and thereupon gather that all their time is spent without a calling Which consequence if it were good and sound what comfort in spending their time should most women haue who are not admitted to any publike function in Church or common-wealth or seruants children and others who are wholly imployed in priuate affaires of the familie But the forenamed doctrine sheweth the vnsoundnesse of that consequence Besides who knoweth not that the preseruation of families tendeth to the good of Church and common-wealth so as a conscionable performance of houshold duties in regard of the end and fruit thereof may be accounted a publike worke Yea if domesticall duties be well and throughly performed they will be euen enough to take vp a mans whole time If a master of a family be also an husband of a wife and a father of children he shall finde worke enough as by those particular duties which we shall afterwards shew to belong vnto masters husbands and parents may easily be proued So a wife likwise if she also be a mother and a mistris and faithfully endeuour to doe what by vertue of those callings she is bound to doe shall finde enough to doe As for children vnder the gouernment of their parents and seruants in a familie their whole calling is to be obedient to their parents and masters and to doe what they command them in the Lord. Wherefore if they who haue no publike calling be so much the more diligent in the functions of their priuate callings they shall be as well accepted of the Lord as if they had publike offices Yet many therebe who hauing no publike imployment thinke they may spend their time as they list either in idlenesse or in following their vaine pleasures and delights day after day and so cast themselues out of all calling Such are many masters of families who commit all the care of their house either to their wiues or to some seruant and mispend their whole time in idlenesse riotousnesse and voluptuousnesse Such are many mistresses who spend their time in lying a bed attiring themselues and goshipping Such are many young gentlemen liuing in their fathers houses who partly through the too-much-indulgencie and negligence of their parents and partly through their owne headstrong affections and rebellious will runne without restraint whither their corrupt lusts lead them These and such other like to these though by Gods prouidence they be placed in callings in warrantable callings and in such callings as minister vnto them matter enough of imployment yet make themselues to be of no calling Now what blessing can they looke for from the Lord The Lord vseth to giue his blessing to men while they are busied in their callings Iaacobs faithfull seruice to his vncle Laban moued God to blesse him Iosephs faithfulnesse to his master Potiphar was had in remembrance with God who aduanced him to be ruler in Egypt Moses was keeping his father in lawes sheepe when God appeared to him in the bush and appointed him a Prince ouer his people Dauid was sent for from the field where he was keeping his fathers sheepe when he was anointed to be king ouer Israel Elisha was plowing when he was anointed to be a Prophet The shepherds were watching their sheepe when that gladsome tidings was brought to them that the Sauiour of the world was borne Not to insist on any more particulars the promise of Gods protection is restrained to our callings for the charge which God hath giuen to the Angels concerning man is to keepe him in all his waies As for those who haue publike offices in Church or common-wealth they may not thereupon thinke themselues exempted from all family-duties These priuate duties are necessarie duties Though a man be a magistrate or a minister yet if he be an husband or a father or a master he may not neglect his wife children and seruants Indeed they who are freed from publike functions are bound to attend so much the more vpon the priuate duties of their families because they haue more leisure thereunto But none ought wholly to neglect them Iosuah who was a Captaine and Prince of his people and very much imployed in publike affaires yet neglected not his familie for he professeth that he and his house would serue the Lord. It seemeth that Eli was negligent in performing the dutie of a father and Dauid also But what followed thereupon Two of Elies sonnes proued sacrilegious and lewd Priests Two of Dauids sonnes proued very ill common-wealths-men euen plaine traitors §. 9. Of the Apostles order in laying downe the duties of husbands and wiues in the first place There being three especiall degrees or orders in a familie as we heard before the Apostle placeth husband and wife in the first ranke and first declareth their duties and that not without good reason for First The husband and wife were the first couple that euer were in the world Adam and Eue were ioyned in mariage and made man and wife before they had children or seruants So falleth it out for the most part euen to this day in erecting or bringing together a familie the first couple is ordinarily an husband and a wife Secondly most vsually the husband and his wife are the chiefest in a familie all vnder them single persons they gouernours of all the rest in the house Therefore most meet it is that they should first know their dutie and learne to practise it that so they may be an example to all the rest If they faile in their dutie one to another they giue occasion to all the rest vnder them to be carelesse and negligent in theirs Let an husband be churlish to his wife and despise her he ministreth an occasion to children and seruants to contemne her likewise and to be disobedient vnto her yea to be churlish and froward one to another especially to their vnderlings Let a wife be vntrustie and vnfaithfull to her husband let her filch and purloine from him children and seruants will soone take courage or rather boldnesse from her example priuily to steale what they can from their
giuing them due praise and a good reward both which are noted in the patterne of that great master who said well done thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull ouer a few things I will make thee ruler ouer many things Thus will those good seruants be the more encouraged to hold on and others will be moued to imitate them This incouragement doth the Apostle giue to all vnder authoritie doe that which is good and thou shalt haue praise of the same Which phrase implieth that gouernours ought to praise those that doe well 3. If such seruants be accused of any hainous crime masters must not rashly giue credit thereto but rather thorowly sift and examine the matter Herein Potiphar exceedingly failed and by that meanes lost such a seruant as he could neuer get againe If a good seruant doe by occasion slip and commit a fault his master ought in wisdome either to take no notice of it or with some milde admonition passe it ouer and not deale with him as with a lewd gracelesse seruant 4. When such seruants their couenanted time being expired depart their masters must not let them goe away empty but helpe them in their mariage as Moses his master did or in their setting vp as the great master who made his wise and faithfull seruant ruler ouer all his goods §. 45. Of vnkinde dealing with good seruants Vnworthy they are of good and kinde seruants who are of a contrary minde as many masters are For 1. Some make no difference betwixt seruants but esteeme of bad and good all alike they thinke that the best seruants doe but their duty therefore no extraordinary respect is to be borne towards them But it is a point of wisdome sometimes to account a duty as a kindnesse especially when good will of heart is ioyned with outward performance of duty 2. Others thinke it policy to take no notice of any seruants extraordinary faithfulnesse and diligence to praise and reward the same lest it puffe them vp too much But there is much more feare of seruants fainting and waxing weary of doing good if they haue no incouragement then of growing insolent by incouragement 3. Others will be more ready to checke and rebuke such for euery slip and for failing in any thing then others because others lesse regard their rebuke whereby they shew want of wisdome in well managing their authority 4. Others when their seruants are about to goe away or to marry or to set vp will seeke some occasion or other to fall out with them of purpose to send them away empty Many will carry a faire face toward profitable seruants till the time of recompence commeth and then beginne to frowne as Laban did Yea so farre are some masters from seeking the prosperity of faithfull wise diligent skilfull seruants as they will hinder them in what they can and keepe them downe fearing lest as their seruants rise they themselues should decay and fall These are both vnkinde and vngratefull masters Would masters be so dealt with by their superiours Thou oughtest so to liue with thy inferiour as thou wouldest haue thy superiour liue with thee Hitherto of masters duties The reasons to moue them to performe their duties follow §. 46. Of the subiection vnder which masters are Ephes 6. 9. Knowing that your master also is in heauen neither is there respect of persons with him There is in generall but one reason alledged by the Apostle to prouoke masters to doe their duties but it is so laid downe as it compriseth other forcible reasons vnder it The principall reason is taken from the subiection wherein masters are The other reasons are taken from the description of that authority vnder which masters are for it is such an authority as 1. In relation to it there is no difference betwixt master and seruant 2. It is farre surpassing all dignities on earth 3. It is moued with no outward respect of any thing The first reason which declareth the subiection of masters in that they haue a master ouer them putteth them in minde of that account which they are to make and reckoning which they are to giue of the well vsing of their authority and of their cariage towards such as are vnder them For they are but as stewards ouer fellow seruants euery one of them therefore shall heare this charge giue an account of thy stewardship In this respect this reason is both as a spur and as a curbe vnto masters As a spur to pricke them on forward conscionably to performe all those duties which are required of them for they haue a master that will take notice thereof and reward them for it As they approue and recompence the good seruice which their seruants doe so much more will their master approue and recompence them if they doe well Doe masters therefore looke that their seruants should performe their duty let them then performe theirs for there is the same reason of both Let this be applied to all the particular duties before mentioned It is also as a curbe to restraine masters from doing any thing to their seruants but what they can be able to iustifie vnto their owne master With this curbe did God hold in the Israelites saying Thou shalt not rule ouer thy seruant with rigor but shalt feare thy God Ioseph was held in with it when he said This doe and liue for I feare God And Nehemiah when he said The former Gouernours were chargeable to the people but so did not I because of the feare of God And Iob when he said If I did despise the cause of my seruant when God visiteth what shall I answer him Thinke of this ô masters when you are about to exact any thing of your seruants that is not lawfull or meet when you are incensed and in passion stirred vp to strike your seruants vniustly or cruelly when you detaine from them any thing that is their due when you lay more on them then they are able to beare when any way you wrong or oppresse them thinke and say with your selues can this be iustified how shall we be able to hold vp our head to our master when he calleth vs to account What stronger motiue to doe all dutie what stronger restraint from all iniustice and rigour The conceit which many haue that they are free vnder none to giue no account maketh them both negligent of their owne dutie and insolent ouer others as Pharaoh who said Who is the Lord that I should obey him and Sennacherib who said Shall your God deliuer you out of mine hands and Nebuchadnezzar who said Who is that God that shall deliuer you out of mine hands Note the issue of this insolency Pharaoh after many extraordinarie plagues laid on him and his people was drowned in the red sea with all his host Sennacherib after his host was destroied was slaine by his owne sonnes