the wife the particular here spoken of and è contra putting one another way or taking others with them when they promised the contrary but of that after Many forsaking one another in extreamity and sickenesse when they promised and that without exception of any sickenesse still to cleave to them In many as it is infidelity to God so is it perfidie to their husbands and so è contra Many masters unfaithfull to their servants not teaching not bringing them up as they promised not providing for them things necessary in health and sickenesse Many servants unfaithfull to their Master like Iudas like Sion more then Gebezâ—i that 〈◊〉 but the gaine his master refused they that which is proper to the master Many men one with another deale unfaithfully promising things they either cannot or never meane to performe or know cannot be so many a seller promiseth his ware shall prove thus and thus when he knowes the contrary Many a buyer to pay at such and such a day when he never intends it and knowes before hand he shall not be able Many promising onely to bee free from the importunity of some or trouble of others onely is a matter of complement without any conscience of it when it is once passed them they are guilty of perfidie and unfaithfulnesse and besides are drawne to many wicked and rash oathes for deceiving they are not beleeved which makes them adde to confirme their credit heady and rush oathes Vse 2 To perswade every one to avoide this and to labour to deale faithfully one with another and to be faithfull and true in promises husband to wife c. Seeing it is coÌ„mended unto us 1. from the example of the Lord himselfe whose fidelity in keeping of his promise is to be imitated of us if we would be repured his children 2. From the testimony of the holy Ghost where it is made one of the notes of Gods children Psal 15.4.3 The promise of a great blessing Pro. 28.20 And coÌ„manded to us not amongst matters of small importance but amongst the weightier points of the law Math. 23.23 Not when it is in great matters but in lesse for as all disobedience is more displeasing when the thing commanded is small because the obedience was so easie August So unfaithfulnesse in the smallest things is the most displeasing to God when fidelity was so easie therefore must we be carefull to performe in all things that we promise and therefore be carefull how we promise that it be of things in our owne power or probability like to be in our power In many things whether we will promise or no it is in our power as Acts 5.4 but when it is made we are bound to the performance of it yea though it cannot be performed without great losse and hindrance And breake the covenant of our fathers That is offend against that law which God gave unto our fathers it being usuall in Scripture to call the law by his name and covenant Psal 119. And this is the royall law according to that James 2.8 Why doe we transgresse c. And break the covenant of c. It is therefore accounted a sinne because it breakes the covenant the law which God hath given unto his people Doctrine Every thing is good or evill righteousnes or sin lawfull to be done or unlawfull not as it is profitable or hurtfull not as it may benefit men or may by Gods providence be turned to his glory and make for it but as it is agreeable or repugnant to the law and word of God Thus he reproveth these because they had gone against the law This is manifest by that 1. John 3.4 Whosoever committeth sinne transgresseth also the law for sinne is the transgression of the law And by that Rom. 7.7 Reason 1 Because the Law and Word of God is the perfect rule of all actions and so ordained of God now in an art whatsoever is according to the rule is good but what is different must needes be corrupt so in this Againe the law is Gods will now every thing is as he willeth or nilleth it good or evil for they are not such and then he willeth or nilleth them but his willing or nilling them maketh them such Reason 2 Because whatsoever is just is good what unjust is evill but whatsoever is agreeable to the law of justice is just and è contra Reason 3 Because whatsoever is agreeable to charity which is the sum of the law is good whatsoever repugnant evill Vse 1 This will confute apoint of Popery whereby they allow things to be done though contrary to the law so they be done with a good intent or with a good zeal for a good end for so it is in the glosse upon Gratians decrees Malum factum excusatur per bonam intentionem And againe Excusatur malum si sit bone zelo propter bonum And upon this ground they allow murdering of Princes massacring of people treason in subjects treachery in servants disobedience in children that they may dishonour their parents deny them and forsake them so it be bono zelo propter bonum And be lawfull to doe any thing And this must make it good contrary to the apparent word of God here and that Rom. 3.8 so contrary is the spirit of Antichrist to Christs spirit Vse 2 To convince amongst our selves men who allow and maintaine many sins because they are profitable to others not hurtfull to them and therefore they think they may be done though they be contrary to the law One or two instances Many hold an officious lye lawfull because it may stand with charity when it is profitable for their neighbour But if against the law and word of God which forbiddeth lyes how should it not be sinne and unlawfull to be done besides they must understand that charity which is the summe of the law hath reference towards God towards our neighbour towards our selves And so is this against charity though helpfull to thy neighbour in whose favour it is told First because it is repugnant to verity and therefore to charity for God who is Truth hath forbidden all untruth as that which is opposite to him and so cannot stand with the charity and obedience we owe to God Secondly it is to the hurt of the teller because Psal 5.6 The lying mouth destroyeth the soule So it cannot stand with love which a man oweth to himselfe Now then though a man may helpe his brother and neighbour with the losse of his goods and hinderance that way but not necessary with the hazard of his life at all times but never with the hazard of his soule as every lyer shall doe Againe things must first be considered whether lawfull or no whether agreeable to the word and then whether profitable or hurtfull that is a second affection of things and a second consideration They cannot be lawfull but they will be profitable though not in our carnal apprehension nor unlawfull
particular see then that unreverent and contemptuous servants expect you to receive from the Lord some fearefull thing and let it be a restraint in you of such irreverence in the things spoken of or the like But of this sin Masters are often the causes of it and they that bring it upon themselves First because they have beene such servants to their Masters and so have lived in it ever since without repentance even then when God recompenceth them home yet they will not remember their owne sinne but are still brawling with their servants and so it is Gods just retribution whereas if they would repent of that they should better reforme this Eccles 7.21 22. Take no heed to all words that are spoken lest thou heare thy servant curse thee for oft-times also thy owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast also cursed others It may be applyed to this though it carry somewhat more That a Master when his servant revileth him or useth him irreverently should remember even this sentence to make him penitent and moderate Secondly because they have remitted of that ancient severity in their government which we heare men that can remember times that are past speake of not having those strait eyes nor hard hands over them as they ought not so sharply correcting them as the offence and nature of a servant requireth so that they little reverence them for they feare them not because they forget that of Prov. 29.19 A servant will not be corrected by words for though he understand he will not answer Thirdly because they bring them up too liberally for diet and apparrell and so when the belly is full and the back fine the Master is not so regarded A servant is like in this thing to a Horse full fed and pampered he will cast his rider like to Bucephalus Alexanders Horse while he was bare-backt he would carry any man but if once he had his trappings and furniture none or hardly Alexander himselfe It is the complaint of many that servants are thus insolent to themselves and others many though not all are the causes of it themselves somewhat there is in the nature of a servant and other things for they bring them up so delicately as Prov. 29.21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his sonne at the length Whatsoever their fare is their apparrell is farre exceeding a servant going better than a man of his Masters place and wealth did some few yeares agoe And though they will not allow it themselves yet they can be content their friends or themselves if their fortune be allotted unto them should provide it for themselves And if when they are thus gay without they use them as Hagar did her Mistris when she was bigge with child is it not just with them A great cause of this is taking of Apprentices with great portions and so as Mulier cum dote is imperiosa so they and their friends The cause you must have such portions with them more than in former times is this because they must thus be maintained more than in former times But better it were that you had lesse and kept them more meanely better for you you should have more reverence and respect better for them for thus you bring sin upon them for the present and in future time just contempt as they have contemned you Vse 2 To perswade servants to use their Masters with all reverence and good respect that may be they must feare them and reverence them Nature it selfe hath taught it and heathen servants have performed it as in Naamans servants how much more should religious Christian servants and the more Christian or religious the more they ought to performe this duty not onely not to contemne and despise but to reverence them with all the reverent carriage and speech that may be and that not outward onely but inward for God requires more than Nature his Law is spirituall and he will have all inward and outward respect the heart as well as the tongue and the outward will not be or not continue or if so yet not accepted of God yea he that wants this it can never be expected the other of obedience c. and let him who lookes and hopes to be one day a Master and to have his servants such as he would be now such a servant as he should Ephe. 6.8 knowing that whatsoever good any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free The second duty of servants is obedience for whom men feare them they obey Doctrine Servants must give unto their Masters and governours all obedience hence it followes because they must feare and whom men feare them they obey when they command this proved Ephe. 6.5 Col. 3.26 Titus 2.9 And this obedience if it be such as Christians ought to performe it must neytheir be clipt nor counterfeit not in some things onely nor in shew to the eye for the first Col. 3.21 in all things that is in all lawfull things whether they be liking and tasting unto him or otherwise though never so disliking for he must pleasure his master Titus 2. q. for the 2 Ephe. 6.5 6. Col. 3 22. singlenesse of heart is required and eye service forbidden Reas 1 Because they are bound either by Indenture or condition c. then they must obey Reas 2 Because they are maintained by them and learne and get that under them they may live by hereafter Reas 3 Because if in onely things they like they obey themselves not masters as in obedience of children Reas 4 Because in this obedience they serve God and Christ Ephe. 6.5 6 7. who lookes in the heart and singlenesse of it And though outward and eye service may be for thy master and may bleare his eyes yet not the Lord who as he cannot endure hypocrisie or imperfect serving immediately so not in that which is mediate to man Vse 1 To let servants see their sinnes past or present not obeying and doing the things their masters command but onely such things as they please and when they please and when they doe they clip their service and performe it by halves and doe it in hypocrisie and to the eye and so go no further then nature who teacheth a man onely to save himselfe as neere as he can from any harme that may ensue when his master is displeased or to seek to get somewhat if he have hope of ought by seeking of his favor and so seeming willing to doe any service unto him but they must know that as Barnard si in hoc obedimus non autem in illo fractus est nummus This obedience is like clipt coyne and will not passe for good payment before God though thy master let it passe and be content to put it up yet God will call thee one day to an account for it and though thou canst keepe it close from the one yet thou canst
see their sin and looke for a recompence from the Lord for saith St. Peter they have lost their thankes it is not thankes worthy if they had suffered for evill what when they will not undoubtedly let them looke from God which rewardeth every man they shall have their recompence from him if they repent not it may be in this life with the like if not in the life to come with wicked and lewd servants But of this sinne if we may enquire the causes of it we shall find in many to come from the Parents and friends either in their education bringing them up cockeringly never using them to reproofes to the rod and to the yoke but as my young Masters and such as never should come to serve so that when they must to it by no meanes they can apply themselves unto it but in it endure and suffer nothing not so much as sharpe words but no blowes deserved or not But this is not all their fault for it is seconded with as bad when they are in service and find some hardnesse and as they onely thinke sharpnesse they remembring the fondnesse of their affection complaine to them who doe not as they should correct them soundly and send them home againe but goe to their Masters and expostulate the matter for them extenuate the fact aggravate the Masters hard dealing upbraid him with what he gave him with his friend or child and so animate them that they will be in nothing sufferers after or never without grudging and repining Another cause is in the master either because he was such and is such because he hath not repented and so it is Gods retribution ut ante or because he hath beene too remisse to let faults many and little escape without reproofe and correction that when he would for greater he cannot subdue them or passed by some greater faults in some other of his servants for some sinister respect as because he would not be accounted cruell and severe which in the justice of God and the cankred nature of another servant is payed him home because he never feared to be accounted cruell of God and such an one as hates his servant for that will hold in servants Prov. 13.24 He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes and so being ashamed in a licentious and corrupt age to be accounted hard and strait he hath shame laid upon him by a rebellious servant as we may apply Prov. 29.15 The rod and reproofe giveth wisedome but a Child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame A third cause is in the Magistrate to whom the master complains as he may and must in a desperate cause who by the servants friends or meanes he makes to him will either reprove and checke the master which he ought not to doe though there be some small cause nor if great cause yet not before the friends or face of the servant and little or not at all reprove or not severely correct that servant by which not onely he is made more bold against his master but even other servants are animated against theirs and the masters utterly discouraged to seeke any helpe from them To admonish all servants to subject and submit themselves unto their masters to be reproved or corrected by them as well unjusty as justly not answering crosly or rejecting their stripes If they suffer justly it is not thank-worthy for a Christian when a naturall man will doe the same for nature teacheth that it is no hard dealing when they suffer evill that have done evill before Then as Christ except your righteousnesse exceed c. so except your subjection exceed that which a naturall man will performe you shall have no thanke from God no reward How then must you exceed it if not onely this but even when you are wrongfully afflicted reproved and chastised in truth or in your apprehension of things if for conscience sake towards God you endure griefe 1 Pet. 2.19 * Insipida insulsa omnis tum obedientia tum patientia nisi omnium quae agimus vel patimur ipse sit causa Bernard Obedience and patience are unsavoury unlesse God be the cause and it be for conscience But how farre must we suffer I answer So long as he kils not or dismembers not but if wrongfully he be corrected he may expostulate and defend himselfe in humility and meeknes his master giving him leave as Job 31.13 The fourth duty of servants is faithfulnesse for those whom men feare to them are they faithfull if they trust them with any thing Doctr. Servants must performe all faithfulnesse to their masters that is they must not themselves diminish or hinder their estate neither suffer it so much as possibly they can withstand to be hindred by other but by all meanes uphold maintaine and increase it to the utmost of their power This is manifest Titus 2.10 not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Where as faithfulnesse is expresly required so the contrary is forbidden and manifested wherein that doth consist by the contrary in maintaining and not diminishing his masters state and condition This Christ teacheth by the faithfull and evill servant Math. 24 45.48 c. As also in the parable of the worldly wise but wicked steward Luke 16.2 Thus Jacob played a good servant Gen. 37 38 39. In this he was a good servant though faulty otherwise 1 Sam. 25.14 15 17. Joab also Chron. 21.3 Reas 1 Because the commandement requires it of every man one to another in common justice Thou shall not steale not diminish another mans substance nay maintaine and increase it in the affirmative then much more a servant Reas 2 Because the masters family is as a little common wealth as that is a great family Now as all subjects are members and ought to labour for the common good and be faithfull to the Prince so every servant is a member and must bee faithfull unto the whole body Reas 3 Because they are put in trust often with part or his whol state where there is trust treachery is intolerable Reas 4 Because by this meanes they shall adorn the doctrine of Christ which they professe Titus 2.10 Vse 2 To let servants see their sinnes that they have not been faithfull but unfaithfull to their Masters unfaithfull first by hindring his profit and diminishing his state either spending his Masters goods riotously at home with his fellow servants as he Mat. 24. or abroad as the prodigall sonne upon harlots and wicked persons playing and dancing drinking and dycing and such like The former of servants accounted no sinne the latter but a small sinne and yet neither of them inferiour to robbery by the high-way and in divers circumstances greater And such a sinne without recompence to his master and repentance in the sight of God shall have his just recompence from God and shall
never be forgiven him Many for the sicknes times have in Gods Rols long Records against them yea great inditments they must plead guilty to for which some of their fellows have answered already for if he that deceives another or defrauds and oppresseth him shall not escape he lesse that deales so with his master But say he spends it not but convert it to his owne use and inrich himself by it he is more bound to make restitution or let him suspect that of Augustine shall be true * Non remittitur peccatū nisi restituitur ablatum August The sinne is not pardoned unlesse the theft be restored and as long as he keeps it he keeps Gods curse with it prosper he never so well for a while and if he leave it to his that it will be a sparke to burne up his house and substance in his sight he shall leave the curse of God with it to his wife and children when he is burning in Hell for it and other sins yet if many be free from this kind of unfaithfulnes yet how few can wash their hands from the other not upholding encreasing their masters state and condition the Apostle forbad not only stealing and pilfering but commands all good faithfulnesse that they by all meanes possible should encrease it by all their diligence skill and speech when as they have beene sloathfull and negligent when they have by their carelesnesse lost their master somewhat which might honestly have been had or not prevented some losse by their wisdome and forecast if they saw it comming yea when they have murmured to breake their sleeps or mend their pace to beare the heat in the day and the frost in the night for their Masters speciall advantage and honest gaine they have not performed this faithfulnesse in all these things looke upon your reckonings your guilty consciences and know you that if God will recompence your wrong to your master Col. 3.25 he will much more recompence you for them if you repent not Now the cause of this unfaithfulnesse to say nothing of Gods retribution and servants corrupt hearts is to be found in some because they doe not take strait accounts of their servants but do it negligently or seldome by which he is imboldened to spend or inabled to shift when his account is to be given Secondly in others because they passe over apparent unfaithfulnes in some of their servants without due correction and punishment and so other of their fellows themseves are heartned to the like when they have no feare of God nor feel nothing from their Masters after their deserts Thirdly from parents that allowed them to spend and brought them up idly before ever they bound them from many a master who would be content his eldest servant should keep good fellowship and company and spend of his owne to bring them customers by which the rest have their teeth set on edge in their corruptions and Gods hand is against them to punish them by others when they had no care of the former Fourthly because they had no care to take such servants as are religious and towardly and such as know how to be faithfull nor yet to teach them any religion when they have them that they might learne to be faithfull of conscience and not for other sinister respect and so when they have no care with Abraham to teach their servants to be faithfull with God no marvell though they be unfaithfull to them in their states bodies children and in all things Vse 2 This may instruct and perswade servants to perform faithfulnesse to their masters for the time to come and to repent make them recompence for that is past if they see their sinne if in mis-spending their masters goods at home or abroad if by negligence losing him commodity or by hindring of it or for want of diligence not advancing it sorrow and mourne for that is past as it is a sin against God and man and make thy master amends by a double care and diligence in thy service else make account that thy sinne stands upon the score against thee for a judgement to come And if thy unfaithfulnes hath been so great that thou hast appropriated his goods unto thy selfe looke whether thou be in his service or out that thou make him recompence and give him his owne againe make him restitution or else all shall not be accepted of God while thou hast his goods in thy hand looke how many pence or pounds so many witnesses against thee yea so many as call for a curse upon the rest of thy substance thou either hast or may have And for other servants let if not conscience restrain them yet this that thou must make restitution or never have remission before God besides the guilt and gall of thy conscience if thou go not asleepe to hell finally let servants in all things shew all good faithfulnesse specially such as have any taste of religion that you may adorn the doctrine of Christ that you make not the wicked scoffe at your profession and the good justly tax you of hypocrisie Chrysost Hom. 16. in Tim. hath these words If not otherwise yet as servants obey and respect their masters so let us the Lord. They expose their lives for their ease it is their work and study to care for their masters the things of their masters they care for all the day but a little part for their owne would God we could this exhort upon as good ground true sure it is so it should be and thus faithfull should every one be and if you be look for Gods blessing by like servants and a reward hereafter with the good servants if you be such of conscience and for the Lord. His Master As we have seen the duty and feare so we must see the parties to whom it is due to be performed To their Master whatsoever he may be so he be their Master it skils not to him must they performe it Doctrine Servants must give this feare and performe all these duties to him that is their Master be he what he may be or let them be what they can be yet while they are servants and they Masters they must performe it say he be in birth in parts in graces in religion inferiour to them say he be cruell and churlish a very Nabal say he be prophane and irreligious an Atheist or Hereticke yet they must feare and in feare performe these duties to them this is that the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2.18 and 1 Tim. 6.1 To what servants speaketh the Apostle to such as did beleeve and were come to the knowledge of the truth of what masters such as yet were enemies to God and his truth loved not knew not had not tasted of the truth Laban was an Idolater yet did Jacob give him faithfull service and all duty yea a churlish and deceitfull unconscionable Master Potiphar was an heathen yet Joseph feared him and served
him faithfully The Prophet never forbade Naaman his service to his Master after he was become a Jew that is a servant of God He speakes to those who are free not to bind themselves to such 2 King 5.23 hereto may we apply that 1 Cor. 7.20 21 22. not to deny service but to alter the manner of service before for feare of Masters displeasure now for conscience of Gods command before their Masters onely now Christ in their Master Reas 1 Because as was noted in Children out of Chrysost it is due to their place not person as Non principi sed principatui so Non magistro sed magisterio The feare is due not to his person and so good or bad high or low gentle or churlish but to his place and authority as a master which he may be of what quality or condition soever he be and from them as servants whatsoever their persons and quality and gifts may be Reas 2 Particularly for such as are religious that they bring not dishonour upon Gods Name and Doctrine 1 Tim. 6.1 but may honour him Reas 3 For both because it shall be more respected of God the lesse it is deserved by any thing in thy master for then it is done of conscience and for God as a good worke ought to be Vse 1 This will condemne the Doctrine of the Church of Rome howsoever bragging it selfe to be Apostolicall yet holds it but few of the Apostles doctrines which it hath not either corrupted or taught something to the contrary And in this point most directly to Peter and Paul forbidding feare and faithfulnesse to be performed of servants to their masters and them who put them in trust Symacha saith Instit Cathol Tit. 46. sect 74. that all keepers of forts and all other vassals and slaves are freed from the oath of subjection to their Lord and Master he being an Heretick affirming that by it he is deprived of his civill power he hath over his servants the ground of the unfaithfulnesse of Sr. William Stanly in yeelding up Daventer an act approved and commended by Cardinall Allen how unlike are these spirits to the spirit of Saint Peter and Saint Paul who will have faithfulnesse to the good and bad to the Infidell aswell as the beleever shall not that be verified of them Math. 5.19 But they will say Heresie is a greater sinne then infidelity first I answer not as they make Heresie ut ante secondly be that true of August Sanata vulnere infidelitatis sed gravius percussa vulnere Idololatriae yet all Heresie is not Idolatrie neither can this if it be destroy the knot and bond of this duty which is not faith nor the foundation of divine religion but a politique title having force and strength from the law of nature which is not to be dissolved by Heresie not contrary to it And the Apostles reason will be here aswell as in Infidelity it will make the name of God and his doctrine ill spoken of But the truth is this is but a shift of theirs for they teach no faith to be kept with such and so no faithfulnesse with such as are heathen or Infidels If we may gather the lesse from the greater Vladislaus he was I take it the King of Hungary and Poland in a battaile against the Turkes Amurath the second of that name had the better hand so that the Turke offered to yeeld to any conditions whereupon Vladislaus and the Turke swore to Articles of Agreement but presently a Legate came frome the Pope and urged Vladislaus to set upon the Turke againe Eugenius 4. neere vanquished already telling him that the Pope had power to dispence with his Oath which he attempted though sore against his will Then the Turke cryed out O Crucifixe crucifixe vide gentem tuam perfidam Oh thou crucified thou crucified take notice of thy treacherous people And so bestirred himself that he overthrew Vladislaus which hath ever since turned to the greatest detriment of all Christendome out of this by proportion we may see it is but a colour of their distinction of Heresie and Infidelity Vse 2 To reprove all such servants as thinke they owe no feare nor duty or lesse feare and duty to their Masters because of some defects in them or some excellency in themselves if he be base borne and they of worshipfull Parents if he be irreligious and they have somewhat or more taste of piety if he be poore so when they came to him or impoverished after c. But they must know that none of these will dispense with omission of any duty Is he their Master If they give him not all respect they sinne against his place and dominion and so against God that hath given it him If God had allowed only rich men or religious men or good and courteous Men to be his Vicegerents in the family then it were somewhat but he hath given this to the rich and the poor alike he hath lightned both their eyes the good and the bad hath the seale of the Commission alike therefore they who doe not alike reverence their masters one as other are guilty of sinne before God and shall have no reward from God because he doth it not in conscience to Gods Commandement but for sinister respect for which they may receive their reward from men but a heavy one from God Vse 3 To perswade servants to feare and doe all duty to their Masters whatsoever they are one or other he that is well borne must forget his father and his fathers house and looke not upon his master whence he came but what he is he that is religious remember he must adorne his profession and looke not upon his master what he is of himselfe corrupt and prophane but what God hath made him his owne Vicegerent and his master and thinke what unworthinesse soever be in thy master yet that thou art most unworthy to doe him any disgrace or to deny him any duty Remember that what is due to him it is not to his person but place indeed not to him but God and to him in Gods stead and the more unworthy he is of any duty the more readily thou perform'st it the more reward thou shalt have from God yea for the present it is a speciall proofe of true grace in the heart For as it is Rom. 5.7 8. so every one will obey a great and a good master but that is true obedience when the master is neither great nor good or great and not good or good and not great for so have good servants and holy men done in times past unto their masters If I be a father where is my honour Here is the application of the former ground and rule to himselfe and them not speaking in generall but applying it particularly teaching in his example what is the best and most profitable kind of preaching when application is joyned with doctrine Vide Heb. 12.1 If I be a
God that is Purgatory which they dispose in respect of persons the rich and great ones able to give much shall not long be in it they who can give lesse the longer they who are able to give nothing perpetually If he had any charity in him of which they bragge much he would free all and freely seeing they teach it is the Popes peculium but if he had but equity and justice in him he would free one as well as another and not accept persons and be thus partiall But not to trifle with them The partiallity is oftentimes too palpable in the reformed Churches and the Ministers of them when in dividing the word they looke not as the Cherubimes to the Arke they to the word to speake as it would teach them which is not partiall but to those who sit before them and apply it so making it as some write of Manna that it tasted after every mans pallat and stomacke so this But they are guilty of this sinne and though as fooles and wicked persons they enjoy honour for a time yet they shall have dishonour Prov. 3.35 It is said of the Panther that he is so greedy after the excrements of a man that if they be out of his reach and naturall power he stretcheth himselfe so much that he kills himselfe in the end so may I apply it to these Vse 2 To perswade the Ministers of God not to be partiall but upright in the law To respect as just Judges will doe the cause equity and justice and not the persons the honour or commodity that is to be had by them not to deale for that partially with the law or in it but strive to divide the word of truth aright and to goe with a right foote unto the Gospell even as God himselfe will do for they are Gods judgements A Ministers resolution should be that of Elihu Job 32.21 22. I will not now accept the person of man neither will I give titles to man for I may not give titles least my maker should take me away suddenly Remembring that as Saul was put out of the Kalender of Gods Kings for his partiallity and is accounted to have reigned but two years when he did many more so shall they be out of the number of Gods worthies if they be partiall whereas their uprightnesse and faithfullnesse will with the good Steward bring them into the joyes of their Master Vse 3 To perswade our hearers to give us leave to divide the word without partiallity and not to be swayed with their greatnesse and riches and frowns and such like but as occasion may be to deale with their sinnes as others and to give them their portion of judgement as well as mercy without the knitting of their browes the strangenesse of their looke the censure at their tables and tavernes among such as are companions with them in the like iniquity but if they will not we must take leave we had rather fall into the hands of men then God wee know that is a fearefull thing It is neither your wealth nor your favour nor honour and credit that either can keepe us from being vile and dispised If God say to men despise them nor will answer for us when we must give an account of our Stewardship VERS X. Have we not all one father hath not one God made us why doe we transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our fathers HAve we not all one father The second part of the Chapter beginneth here and continueth to the end containing the reproofe of divers particular vices in the people of Israel in generall both Priest and people in this tenth verse he reproveth their injurious and unequall dealing in the generall Have we not all one father Some understand these words with the next verse as if it were a reason spoken in the defence of their taking of Idolatrous wives by them who had done it their reason is thus That seeing that they had all one father which was Adam and all one Creator which was God there was no reason why they should not marry with them But others doe understand them as two main reasons against their marrying them urged by the Prophet from God himselfe and so the expounding of the words will rather confirme and the greater consent of the learned old and new goe that way Hierom saith that the people being returned out of captivity the Princes and Priests and people put away their wives of the Israelites kindred which by reason of their poverty and injury of the long way and weakenesse of their sexe impatiently bearing the labour were wasted and became both infirme and deformed in body whereupon they matched with strangers who were fresh in yeares beautifull and comely the daughters of rich and mighty men as we may see in the ninth of Ezra that is with the Canaanites Hethites Pheresites Jebusites Ammonites c. Therefore they thinke the Prophet here reproves them first for their marriages and after for their divorces Verse 16. There are two speciall and chiefe causes of love and good will amongst men the one is kindred affinity or consanguinity the other is one and the same society of religion First nature compells men to affect and love earnestly those who are borne in the same family descended from the same parents and stocke which bond cannot be violated or broken off without great wickednesse Secondly men reasonable and wise do thinke those specially to be affected by them who are companions with them in the same religion and worship And though this is the most worthy and sure yet the other goes before and first carries sway with men because it is by nature bred with them and continued from their infancie And these two they are here pressed withall as those which condemnes their fact dealing thus to put away the daughters of Israel the worshippers of the true God and to take unto them the daughters of the heathen worshippers of the false Gods For the first of these reasons it is here said Have we not all one Father That is are we not all men and women descended from Abraham by one Isaac from Isaac by one Iacob Why then should we thus doe dismisse those or passe them over and joyne our selves to the kindred of the heathen and strangers And for the second he saith Hath not one God made us Do we not all acknowledge one God the Creator and worship and serve him with dutie Do you dismisse those wives who acknowledge the same Creator with you and worship him and take unto you those who worship Idols for him and put their trust in them To create or the Creator is not here taken in that common sense as when we speake of Gods creation of the world for then could this be no reason against but rather for them as some would make it a reason in that sort which the Prophet laboureth to confute But this being against them must not