Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	duty_n	good_a	servant_n	6,329	5	7.1626	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96352	A sermon preached at Dorchester in the county of Dorcet, at the generall assizes held the 7. of March, 1632. / By John White of Dorchester, rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity.	White, John, 1575-1648.	1648 (1648)	Wing W1782; Thomason E469_6	33,644	43

downe for a ground of infallible truth that every man by nature is impatient of government and subjection whether by the ungodlinesse which is naturally in all which as the Apostle affirmes carrieth us so farre that wee become haters of God Rom. 1.30 ☜ and consequently of his Image in such as represent his person or by our pride which is now become another nature to all men makes us desire to be above and not below or rather by both it is not easie to say this is cleare which the Apostle tels us that naturall men are so prone unto rebellion that they grow disobedient even unto their owne parents Rom. 1.30 and 2 Tim. 3.2 and consequently much more to other Governours to whom they seeme not to have so neere relation this consideration of all mens naturall Inclination to disobedience cannot but make us jealous of the counsels and thoughts of our owne hearts ☜ fearefull of our owne passions and affections and observant of our words and behaviour every way especially in Meetings and Conferences wherein commonly we take more liberty not only in censuring our equals but our betters then will well stand with Christian Charity a seasonable Item for this present time and occasion wherein authority and the actions thereof being represented as it were upon a stage in publicke view the persons and carriage of Magistrates are diversly censured and too often according to mens private Interests and dispositions so that we shall find just cause at the breaking up of this solemne meeting when our hearts shall smight us that instead of our prayers to God for the execution of Justice charitable Censures upon such passages in Judgement as are Capable of good Constructions and not bewayling of our own sins which is it that causeth the turning of Judgement into wormwood many times we take up swelling thoughts rash censures and bitter speeches against such as we ought to thinke and speak of with reverence we shall find Just cause I say after Jobs example in the feasts of his Children every man a part by himself to offer up a sin offering unto God for his own soul In the 6. place remember the heathen Philosophers maxime of singular use in all duties between man and man much more between man and his God there is more evill in doing then in receiving wrong the latter being at the worst but an outward and temporary evill the former Inwards and perpetuall In a cause therefore of such Importance Let every man offend in the safest part rather trespassing upon his own ease profit or liberty then upon the rights and services due unto Governours rather suffer his own losse then hazard the doing of them wrong rather limite and Crosse his own will then Crosse and withstand theirs so that in the meane time we swerve not from the will of God Seventhly remember that of reciprocall duties that passe between man and man some are founded upon an Ordinance of God and others upon agreement and mutuall stipulation between men themselves the duties of the latter sort are like the Couples of a house as they stand one by another so they fall one with another as if one party refuse to stand to the bargaine the other is at liberty But the duties established by an Ordinance of God cease not by the failing of reciprocall performances as for example I must Love mine enemy though he Love not me and doe him good though he doe me hurt So it is in all duties between Parents and Children Magistrate and Subject Husband and Wife Master and Servant the reason is plaine because the obligation to that duty is more to God that Commands it then to the person to whom it is injoyned to be performed in which respect the obligation to duty which these severall relations casts upon a man by Gods Ordinance may be termed a Covenant of God in some sort as Marriage is called Pro. 2.17 upon this ground Solomon gives a Caveat that if the spirit of the Rulers rise up against a man he must not leave his place Eccles ☞ 10.4 as if he had said although the Magistrate leave his place it is no warrant for thee to leave thine or to neglect thy duty because he hath neglected his it was an Ill speech or that Roman Senator ne ego quidem illum ut Consulam quando neque ille me ut Consularem I did not respect him according to his office because he reguarded not me according to my degree Lastly remember that though the Rulers duty in Governing cease not by the peoples neglect of duty in obeying notwithstanding thereby he ceaseth to be a debtor unto them though his Ingagement unto God continue still to this purpose we must know that reciprocall dutyes which God Injoynes may become due by a double Title First by Gods Command which makes the duty a debt unto God Secondly they may grow further due by the performance of some duty by the one partie which may deserve requitall to him that performes it from him to whom it is performed and so becomes a debt in equity and Justice unto man wherefore where one deserves nothing at anothers hand because he performe not unto him that office and service which he is bound unto there that man can challenge nothing of his neighbours to whom he neglects his duty as his owne debt by desert because nothing can in equity be demanded by him that hath not deserved that which he demands thus where the people fayle in obedience to Rulers there they cannot demand any duty to them from the Rulers hand as their debt though God may demand it as a duty and service of obedience to him and punish the neglect of it if it be not performed Hence it must needs follow that the Conscionable performance of our duty even to undeserving Governours is the only sure foundation of all our prayers and Complaints unto God ☜ as our sutes and requests unto men and of all our hopes and expectations of a better condition in time to come The observation of mens frequent failing in these duties towards such as are in anthority and the Ill consequence which follows thereupon hath occasioned the Inlarging of my meditations upon this argument beyond my Intended purpose a sew words of such reciprocall duties as these high honours and dignities unto which Magistrates are advanced that are called Gods bind them unto that Injoyes them as well by the condition of the places themselves which they possesse as by the will of them that sets him there In the opening whereof I must crave leave to renew my former Intimation that I Intend this exhortation only to this present auditory and therein as many as it may concerne from the reverent Judges that sit on the throne of Judgement even to the lowest Constable In the first place therefore are Magistrates Gods then what manner of persons ought they to be in all manner of Conversation as the Apostle speakes in

to the preservation of peace and furthering of publike welfare that every subject is bound not only not to oppose or neglect but to submit to such penalty as the Law Inflicts on such as observe it not as also to doe and performe what the Law requires to be done according to the true Intention of the Law and that Conscionably without any carelesse neglect or wilfull omission seeing the relation which such a Commandement hath to publike good which Gods Law Injoynes us to further to our power bindeth the very Conscience it selfe to the choice of every way ☜ and to the use of every set means tending thereunto much more of those means which are prescribed unto us by such an Ordinance of God as the Law of the Magistrates the Primary Intention whereof is to bring a man to Conformity to the order prescribed and not to subjection to the punishment in case of transgression Secondly Where the Magistrates direction proves some way inconvenient either particularly to ones selfe or generally to the publike notwithstanding if the Inconvenience be not greater then the hazard of Infringing publike peace or of Incurring the Scandall and Contempt of authority or of Incouraging the Carelesse or the froward to neglect or oppose Government there the lesse evill must be chosen according to that received maxime Salus populi suprema lex and to the Apostles rule If it be possible as much as in you lies have peace with all men Rom. 12.18 One of these considerations even the avoyding of offence moved our Saviour to pay tribute though unjustly demanded of him Ma. 17.27 Lastly ☜ Where obedience to the will of God dischargeth a man from performing the will of the ruler there it binds him to a modest and respectfull refusall which may testifie his reservation of due reguard to the power that Commands where he cannot allow the Commandement it self Secondly ☞ A quiet submission to whatsoever authority layes upon him although for his just refusall Looking to Gods equity in mans Iniquity as the nobles of J●dah did in Shishacks oppression 2 Chro. 12.6 This is to Indure griefe for Conscience sake towards God 1 Pet. 2.19 To these rules let me adde this Caution Seeing God Injoynes obedience in doing the Rulers will in all things wherein he gives us not a discharge by a Countermand of his owne ☞ Let every man advisedly Consider whether his discharge from doing be as cleere and evident as his charge is to that which is required doubt in this Case is no sufficient plea against obedience and that rule quod dubitas ne feceris that which you doubt of forbeare to doe must be limited to such things only as are in our free choice wherein our forbearance is without danger and our performance carryes with it the hazard of offending and this is that obedience which is due to authority The last dutie wherewith we stand charged to Rulers is supply of maintenance which also seems to be appendent to their honours and dignities Sure the Apostle reckons it among their dues Rom. 13.7 Hence it was that such as brought Saul no present at his first entrance into his Kingdome even before the means of his maintenance were setled by Law are as well markt out for that refusall of theirs for Sonnes of Belial as they are for despising him 1 Sa. 10.27 as denying him two duties of service and honour entayled to his Crown Whteher this supply of maintenance be Gods portion as Ministers Tiths are and therefore to be received by such as have authority as his due I will not dispute Sure the Apostle seemes to imply that we ought to pay Custome for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 And this is out of Controversie that the duty of supporting Governours by a supply of maintenance proportionable to their places and dignities is built upon a double foundation The first is Justice and equity not so much distributive as Commutative whereby we are bound to recompence the wasting of the Rulers Spirits the wearing out of their bodies and the neglect of their private affaires for publike service among other Incouragements with a publike retribution besides the profits which acrew to the body of a State by the Governours care and provident direction by which every man without feare or disturbance eats the fruits of his own labours requires the Countervayling of so large benefits by a publike acknowledgement wherein we render unto Magistrates a portion of that abundance and plenty which we Injoy by their providence as we render unto God the first of that Increase which is multiplyed by his blessing The Second foundation of this supply of maintenance unto Governours is necessity seeing neither the Majesty of the rulers place nor his ability to support the publike Can possibly stand to be upheld without such a supply from the body of the State The measure whereof Reason proportions at least to the quality Eminency and Importance of the Rulers place and to the necessity of the occasions Intervenient As for the meanes of rasing this maintenance reason againe Informes us that seeing it is retribution for a Common benefit and supply for the furthering of a Common service it must be raised out of a Common purse whether by yearely revenues as Customes or Tributes which for the antiquity and universallity may seeme to have some foundation in the Law of nature or by any other way I leave to be discussed by them whom it concernes We have passed over the cheife duties which Subjects owe unto their Governours the manner how it must be performed seemes to be pointed at in the Title given them they are Called Gods and threfore must be honoured as Gods though not with that kind of honour which must be Civill not Religious Yet in divers circumstances of the manner of performance many particulars whereof the Apostle Eph. 6.5.6.7 sets downe distinctly For requiring Servants to performe their duty to their Masters as unto the Lord he directs them to serve them First in obedience to God Secondly and therefore with feare Thirdly and yet with sincerity and singlenesse of heart and Lastly with Cheerefulnesse as they love a Chearefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 Let this direction of the Apostle be a patterne of our service and obedience to our Governours what they Command Let us performe not because we will but because they will it not because it pleaseth us but because it is good in their eyes Let all our performances to them be tempered with feare and trembling at the Majesty of their person at the authority of their Commands and the terror of their Indignation which cannot but make us carefull in observation of their directions in our owne Carriage speedy in undertaking and sedulous in execution Unto feare adde sincerity Let the heart stoope when the knee bows in their presence Let the heart and affections ●oyne when the outward man executes their directions Let us as well reverence them in the Closet as bow to