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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	day_n	name_n	sabbath_n	5,519	5	10.5951	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18965	A godlie forme of householde gouernment for the ordering of priuate families, according to the direction of Gods word. Whereunto is adioyned in a more particular manner, the seuerall duties of the husband towards his wife: and the wifes dutie towards her husband. The parents dutie towards their children: and the childrens towards their parents. The masters dutie towards his seruants: and also the seruants dutie towards their masters. Gathered by R.C.	Cleaver, Robert, 1561 or 2-ca. 1625, attributed name.; Deacon, John, 17th cent, attributed name.; Carr, Roger, d. 1612, attributed name.; Cawdry, Robert, attributed name.	1598 (1598)	STC 5383; ESTC S108061	199,347	392

saieth that God will come and dwell with them that loue him and keepe his commaundements Where therefore Holinesse is not sought for in families 1. Ion. 3.24 4 12 13. there God hath no friends nor louers nor walkers with him howsoeuer they will sometime come visit him in the Church Besides the ill successe that such walkers haue who make their houses temples to Mammon and riches should teach vs to haue a principal respect to God in Christianitie Math 6 24. ruling our houses Many thriue not but put that which they get in a bottomlesse bagge For God who hath none or the lowest regard in their courses and household affaires Hag. 1 6. withholdeth his blessings from them and then in vaine do men rise earlie and go late to bedde and eate the bread of carefulnesse Others thriue Psal 127.2 but it is a wofull thrift that serueth to harden the heart and to bewitch the soule with loue liking of this world Yet this is Gods iust iudgement vppon many because they wil needes serue their owne commoditie cheefelie at home the Lorde giuing them vp to themselues they neuer serue him but coldly and for custome sake at the Church and God accepteth no more of their worship they do there then they do loue and like of his gouernment in their houses The gouernours of families The sorts of gouernours Householders or housekeepers are persons authorized ouer their house holds and charges if as it is in marriage there be more then one vpon whom the charge of gouernmēt lyeth though vnequally are first the Cheefe gouernour which is the Husband secondly a fellow helper which is the Wife These both do owe duties to their familie and dutie one to another The duties they owe to their familie both concerning godlinesse and the things of this life The dutie of the husband touching holinesse which he must performe to them 1 To see that tehy haue the word ordinarily the want whereof is the greatest plague that can be belong either to the husband especially or to the wife especially The duties that belong to the husbande touching holinesse are such as eyther he must 1. Performe to them of his familie 2. Or require of them The duties which he must performe to them are first touching the publike ministerie of the word to prouide that they may liue vnder an ordinarie ministerie of the word or else to take order that alwaies vpon the Sabboth at other times when it may be they resort to such places where they may haue the word ministred vnto them Amos 8.11 Math. 9.36.37 Esa 32 1 2 3 4 Rom. 10 14. Iam. 1 86 19 21. for else how shall thay bee brought into the sheepfolde of God from which naturally they go astray but by hearing the voyce of the chiefe shepheard speaking vnto them by those whom he sendeth how shal they beleeue and so bee begotten againe by the seede of the word 1 Pet. 2 2 Haba 21. vers Ephe. 4 11 12. except they heare such as God sendeth for the begetting of men vnto him how shall they bee reconciled vnto God but by hearing his messengers Iam. 1 21. into whose mouthes hee hath put the word of reconciliation how shall they growe in fayth and increase in grace but by receiuing with meekenesse the ingrafted word which is able to saue their soules Seeing then the word preached is the meanes to beget men to a new life and to nourish them in it a great dutie lieth vpon the gouernours of families to prouide by some meanes that they may haue it For where the word is not preached there the Lords Sabboth cannot be hallowed as it ought Now the Lorde would not onely haue Masters of families to keep holy the sabboth themselues in al the parts of his worship publike and priuate All superiours ought to bee carefull that their inferiors do keep holie that day as well as themselues but also that euerie one should in his seuerall place and roome carefully take order that so many as bee committed to his charge should sanctifie the Lordes day as well as himselfe which though it be true in all other commandements namely that whatsoeuer we are bound to do our selues wee must be meanes to further other in doing the same because the loue of God and of our neighbour spreadeth it selfe ouer all the commandements and therefore though it be not expressed it is necessarily vnderstood yet in the fourth commandement it is so much the more required because besides the analogie and proportion betweene it and the other commandements which doth inforce it the very words themselues doo bind vs thereunto For when it is said Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy maide though it speaketh by name onely of resting vpon the Sabboth yet because the end of that is that the day might be sanctified looke how many reasons there be to bind the inferiours to rest and the superiours to prouide that they do so indeede so many are there to compell them to sanctifie the day in their own persons in so many as belong vnto them Therfore when first of all it is generallie saide in this fourth commaundement Deut. 5.12.14.15 Remember the Sabboth day that thou keepe it holy and afterwardes The seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lorde the God that is which must be dedicated vnto his seruice and in the end you must therefore rest that you might serue him in it as he requireth and then nameth the seuerall parties that should rest his meaning is to declare the right end of their resting and so speaking by name to the gouernours saying Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and the maide the stranger that is within thy gates to shew vnto them that it is not sufficient for them to looke that they vnder their gouernment should rest vnlesse they sanctifie the day of rest also which they must be so much careful of by how much the sanctification of the day is greater then the ceasing to worke vpon it as the end whereunto this is but referred and therfore if it bee a sinne in them at any time not to haue a sufficient regard vnto them that they do not worke then it must needes be a greater sin if that through their negligence they deo not sanctifie and keepe holy this day of rest So that heere the Lorde God requireth that in all places there should be such good lawes and others publikely in the common-wealth They ought not to leaue it to their discretion as a thing indifferent but to compell them thereunto and priuately in mens houses established and diligently executed as whereby not onely the rulers but also all in subiection should be compelled to sanctifie the Lords day and that they should be sure they doo it indeede And as hee must not leaue it indifferent to them to choose whether they will worke or

rest and so think it sufficient that they do not lay any worke vpon them so it is not inough that they hinder them not from seruing God vpon that day vnlesse they procure al the meanes vnto them whereby God might be worshipped of them and see that they worship God in them as well as themselues Therfore the Maisters of families must prouide as much as lyeth in them that the word be publikely preached where they dwel not for themselues alone but for their children and seruants sake that they might keepe holy the day together with them and they must not onely come themselues to the place of common prayer and diuine seruice but bring these also with them and so spende the rest of the day in all priuate godly exercises themselues and cause others to do so also And here least this might seeme too heauie vnto vs and that it might not bee grieuous to take so great a charge vpon vs we must remēber that as we haue great helpe by our inferiours in many things so the Lord would haue vs to helpe them in the chiefe and principall and as he hath made thē our seruants so we should make them his seruants when they haue serued vs six dayes we might cause them to serue him vpon the seuenth as the Lorde hath preferred vs aboue them with their seruice so hee would humble vs with this charge and care ouer them or rather exalt vs in that hee would haue vs to bee as it were the ouerseers of his worke and not onely serue him our selues but also see his seruice done by others committed to our charge which if wee doe not wherein shall the Christian gouernours of housholds differ from the infidels and heathen and what greater thing shall wee doe for our seruantes then they Nay what shall wee doe more for them then for the bruit beastes and cattell that worke vnder vs to whom we giue rest and ease from labor vpon the Sabboth if we cause them not to sanctifie the day of rest in which they shall differ from all other not onely beastes but men Deut. 11 20. So haue the seruants of God done in times past in their seuerall families And this is the meaning of that Law which Moses gaue to the Israelites Commaunding them to write the word of God vpon the posts of their houses and vpon their gates Whereby all vnder gouernment were taught what should bee required of them so long as they liued in those houses namely to serue God and all gouernours were taught what especially to looke after in all them that went in and out of their gates and liued vnder the roofe of their houses euen to serue the Lord in all partes of his worship for which ende hee hath giuen them such authoritie ouer them According to which commaundement the worthie Captaine of Gods people Iehoshuah made this protestation before all the Elders of Israell a little before his death exhorting them to doe the like Iosh 24.15 I and mine house will serue the Lord promising not onely for himselfe but for all his which though it was too hard to do yet because he knew how many meanes the Lord had giuen him to bring it to passe which also God would blesse as all godly exhortations admonitions and chastisements whereby if they did not profite he had authoritie to thrust them out of his house and to rid himselfe of them all which hee was purposed to put in practise therefore he was bold thus to speake of himselfe thereby shewing what all men should propound to themselues and may attaine vnto The like whereof Dauid speaketh of him selfe in that worthie Psalm 101. which is left as a patterne for all Christian gouernours to rule by wherein hee sheweth how hee would rule not onely himselfe but his household nay the whole Kingdome by hauing an eye to thē that were good to reward them and to them that were bad to punish them that so not onely himselfe but all his might serue the Lord. After the same manner in the time of the Captiuitie when the noble Queene Hester willed all the dispersed Iewes to keepe holy three dayes together in fasting and prayer that so they might intreat the Lord for that finall destruction and vtter rasing of them out which Haman the cursed Amalekite and sworne enemie of Gods people had determined to bring vpon them speedily that it wee say might be preuented in time shee said That she and her maids would do the like Hest 4.16 Whereby no doubt she insinuated vnto them that in euery Houshold her meaning was that it should bee thorowly kept on all sides not only the Rulers and some few but all others euen vnto the Maid-seruants Now this is that to wit that the Sabboth and the day of Fast are both of one nature and it is that which the word doth sufficiently beare witnesse vnto therefore if this hath beene the practise of the Church vpon that day to fast not onely of the chiefe alone but with their families then must we needes be perswaded that vpon the Lordes day we ought our selues and our housholds to serue the Lord to say with Iosua I and mine house will serue the Lord and with Ester J and my seruants will doe the like And how could that haue beene verified of the religious Captaine Cornelius Act. 10.2 which is written of him that he was a deuout man and one that feared God with all his houshold Vnlesse he had not onely frequented the common assemblies vpon the Sabboth dayes but had also acquainted his seruants therewith Therefore as the Lorde himselfe speaketh of Abraham who is the father of all beleeuers I know that he will commaund his sonnes Gen. 18.19 and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe rightcousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him So it must be practised of all them that will be the children of this faithfull Abraham and enioy the same promises that he and his posteritie did euen that they cause their children and their seruantes to keepe holy the Sabboth wherein consisteth the true worship of the Lord that so they might walke in that way which hath the promises of this life and the life to come So then by all this it may most euidently appeare both by the words of the Commaundement and by the practise of the best men in the olde and newe Testament that this dutie is laid vpon all householders diligently to ouersee the wayes of their families that they serue God as in all other dueties so especially in sanctifying the Sabboth as they will answere to the contrary at their perill to him that hath put them in authoritie and as they will giue an account for their soules which otherwise might perish through their default But in our time it is for the most part wholy neglected Which though it be so

much before as conueniently may be rising so much the more earely in the morning and by the interchangeable helpe of other seruantes especially when they will for these causes be contented with so much the lesse though not in quantitie for the reliefe of others yet lesse exquisite and curious dressing which especially taketh vp the time and so we are sure and they that will trie it in the feare of God a care to serue him in a loue to the soules of their brethren shall find it to be true by experience that many might keepe holy the Sabboth which doe not now at all others might keep it more thē they do Which if yet it be thought vnpossible because we gonot about to practise it let vs but obserue the which we shal see done in the house when the seruant is very desirous to go to a Faire and the master is as willing to let him goe you would wonder to see how things shal be dispatched vp suddenly and in good order they shall be absent many houres and yet not greatly missed if any thing bee otherwise then is vsuall it is borne with because it is a day of making prouisiō for themselues and that day is not euery day So thē if the masters were perswaded of the Lords day as they ought to be euen that it is the time of making prouision for the soule and were as carefull for the soules of their seruants as they are for their bodies and did esteeme it more for their worship and credite that their seruantes were religious then that they were costly and well set out in apparell they would bee better contented to spare thē during the time of that Market where they may buy without money all the graces of Gods spirit and the riches of the Kingdome of heauen whereby they should not onley saue their owne soules but bee made more fitte to doe dueties to their masters of conscience The gouernours of families should take order that their whole household might come to Church togither Therefore to end this point it is the dutie of all household gouernours to cause the whole familie to be in a readines to attend vpon them to and fro the Church and that it be not left at euery mans discretion to come when he will but that they should goe togither And indeed this hath beene the orderly comming of Gods people in times past to the place of his worship that they haue not come scattered and alone but many togither and by companies whereof the Prophet speaketh When J remembred these thinges Psal 42.4 I powred out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude ledde them into the house of God with the voice of singing and praise as a multitude that keepeth a feast In which place the man of God complaining that he was banished from the holy assemblies saith that his griefe was increased by remembring his former estate when he vsed to goe with a great company to the Temple euen as to a feast whereby hee declareth what was the manner of their going euen as men goe to a market or to a feast not onely with ioy but also by companies and so many of one house as goe will goe togither so they did not onely goe to the house of God cheerefully but many of them togither euen as to the market and feast of their soules By which practise of theirs as the doing of many are condemned so it appeareth that the men of our time are led by another spirit then they were and are otherwise perswaded of the worship and place they goe vnto for all the people nay the seuerall households come not togither but scattered and one dropping after another in a confused manner First comes the man then a quarter of an houre after his wife and after her wee cannot tel how long especially the maid seruants who must needes bee as long after her as the men-seruantes are after him Whereby it commeth to passe that either halfe the seruice of God is done before all be met or else if the Minister tarrie till there be a sufficient congregation the first commers may bee wearie and sometimes colde with tarrying before the other shall bee warme in their seates Now if it be demanded of the masters why they alone make such haste leaue all the rest behind them they answere truly because the time is come wherein vsually publike prayer beginneth can they bee perswaded that it is time for themselues to come as it is indeed and yet no time for the rest to come with him Hath he no longer time to tarrie and haue they time to tarrie so long after him as though there were one Law for him and another for them or rather that the same Law of the Sabboth which moueth him of conscience to do that which he doeth did not as forcibly bind them all as himselfe nay did not binde him to looke to them that they should keepe holy the day as well as himselfe which if he graunt to be true and yet is not able to bring it to passe where the Lord hath giuen him so great authoritie for his owne sake partly through the frowardnesse of his wife and partly through the obstinacie of the rest in the familie his case is to be pitied and he is rather to be gouerned then to gouerne and he might doe well to set vp one of them in his steed 1. Cor. 6.4 seeing he doth suffer himselfe wilfully so to be abused and is contented to be ouerruled by them in the chiefest thing Therefore that hee might bring this matter happily to passe as hee must goe before them by his owne example and be readie be times euen first of all so hee must earnestly call vpon them for this duetie and exhort them vnto it and the slower that they are and the more they draw backe the more forward must he be and by his practise and words draw them forwards also for this is that readinesse which Dauid obserued in the people of his time I reioyced when they said vnto me Psal 122.1 wee will goe into the house of the Lord or let vs go into the house of the Lord for they are wordes of exhorting and encouraging one another thereunto Euen as the Prophet Esay also foretelleth that this shall be the zeale of Gods people in the time of the Gospel that they shal go togither to serue God and therfore cal vpon one another for the same purpose saying It shall be in the last dayes Esay 2.2 3. that the Mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the top of the Mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob And truely this want of zeale in vs to Gods worship and loue to the

seuerely inioyned to all men and vnder so great a paine layd vpon thē yet it is so generally neglected of the greatest part that wee may rather complaine of it iustly with griefe then haue any hope of the speedie reformation of it for besides that a great many haue no care to sanctifie the day themselues and therfore cannot with any conscience require it of their seruants and children but either set them to worke or to play and to doe any thing vpon that day sauing that which they should and doe encourage them thereunto by their owne ill example and words There be others also who though they seeme to haue some care to keepe holy the day themselues and haue in deede yet either through ignorance or negligence doe not once look to their household whether they come to Church or no and sit there attentiuely and cōtinue there with profit to the ending nor how they spend the rest of the day but being demanded where their seruants were how chance they came not to Church c. they answere securely and as they thinke sufficiently as though it were a thing meerely impertinent vnto them that they cannot tell they do not hinder them from the Church they may come if they will they are of age to looke to themselues and they are past boyes now and I cannot tell what c. But they must consider besides that which hath bin alreadie spoken concerning this matter that they doe too foolishly and grosly imagine to stop as it were the mouth of the Lord with that simple answere in his busines which they will not receiue at their seruants hands in their owne For in the sixe daies when their seruants are in their owne busines they will not let them come and goe at their owne pleasure and content themselues with a bare imagination that they bee at their workes but will bee sure of it and therefore set them to it look vpon them in the doing of it and call them to an account for it which if it bee well done in themselues because they know otherwise they will be negligent how must it not needs then bee a great vnkindnes and vnthankfulnes in them vnto God that vpon this day which is but one among seuen his seruice should be so slenderly looked vnto that there is no such diligence vsed towards their seruants that they might performe it And how must it not needs bee a great iniurie to their seruants who are naturally and for the most part more negligent and careles in Gods seruice by reason of their corruption then they can bee in the seruice of men to be depriued of that benefite of their gouernours which is the chiefest and for which cause especially they are committed to their gouernmēt namely to be furthered by them in the seruice of God but vse them more like beasts then men euen that they might be seruiceable vnto them and then care not whether they serue God or the diuell We know that seruants looke to be preferred by their masters and so there is good reason when they haue serued them faithfully but what kinde of rewarde is this that when they haue bestowed some earthly benefit vpon thē by hauing no care to make them serue the Lord and sanctifie his Sabboths doe in the end not onely make them lose the euerlasting reward but preserue them to eternall destruction Especially in great households where there are many seruants Moreouer there are a companie of idle Seruing-men who being brought vp idely all the sixe daies and in them hauing nothing at all to doe and are neuer almost looked after vpon the seuenth day are as idle and as little regarded as vpon the other and as they neuer almost doe any good daies worke to their masters for they haue nothing to do so much lesse doe they spend any Sabboth in the Lords seruice but they especially are left to go and come at their will Others that haue any office of great charge and attendance as the Cookes Butlers and such like in great houses seldome or neuer come to the Church and that but by peeces either when halfe is done or els they are readie to depart before halfe be ended and so both hinder the Lord from that seruice which he shuld haue by them and them from that blessing which they should inherit this way and both cause the name of God to be ill spoken of and pull vpō themselues and them that curse which belongeth to the continuall polluting of the Sabboth And how can they looke that that seruice and that meate and drinke should doe them good which is thus prepared and bought as it were with the continuall danger of the soules of their seruants besides the dishonor of the name of God When Dauid had inconsideratly desired to drinke of the water of Bethleem three mightie men brake into the hoast of the Philistines and drew water and brought it to him but hee would not drinke thereof but powred it for an offering to the Lord and said 2. Sam. 23.15.16 Oh Lord bee it farre from me that I should doe thus is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues How much lesse then ought men to eate drinke that for which their seruants doe venture the liues of their soules And besides if wee iustly finde fault with them who doe neuer or seldome preach to the people committed to their charge and so cause their soules to starue and die eternally how can they bee blameles who seldome or neuer bring their seruants to the preaching of the word And must they not needes be culpable of the same iudgement before God seeing it is all one with the seruants whether they liue in the places where the word of God is not preached at all or if it be yet they come not vnto it Obiection But whereas men are readie to obiect that in a great familie many must needs be absent We graunt it to be true Answer in some part that is at some time vpon some occasion but so ordinarily so continually as they thēselues in their owne consciences are priuie of who make this obiection we know no necessitie that can excuse that Nay we are sure that the Lord hath laid no such calling vpon any man that should keep him in a continual breach of the Sabboth and therefore both master and seruant may suspect that he is in such a calling as is not agreeable to Gods word or that he vseth it not aright when it maketh him if not wholly yet for the most part to neglect the seruice of God vpon the Sabboth day And wee know where there is a great care to serue and please God by prayer the Lord will giue to them such wisedome that they shall be able to redeeme if not the whole yet at least a great part of the day which otherwise will be mispent namely by letting passe many needelesse things preparing so

saluation of our brethren bewraying it selfe in the neglect of this dutie to call vpon one another is the cause of this slownesse For the husband hee going first out of the doores saith to his wife make haste and come assoone as you can she comming at her leisure giues the same charge to her seruants dispatch and tarrie not long behind but here is no saying Come let vs goe let vs goe togither if it be once said it is not pursued that it might be performed In going to market and to a feast what earnest calling vpon will there be of one another and it wold seeme strange to behold the household goe deuided it were a thing that would much be marked and euery one that knew vs and whither wee were going it should bee the first question they wold aske vs how chanceth this that you come alone where is your husband your wife or your children why come you not togither So no doubt the dispersed and broken cōming togither of households to the Church is a thing greatly obserued of the Lord God of his Angells which are present at their assemblies 1. Cor. 11.10 it is that which grieueth the rest of the Church and assoone as they see one come in alone they are ready with griefe to aske where are the rest what meaneth this partie to come alone Therefore let all gouernors be perswaded that it is their boūden dutie thus to looke to their families to be sure that they sanctifie the Lords day as wel as thēselues therefore that they not only thus bring them to the publike ministerie but also looke vnto them that they spend the rest of the day in all holy exercises so much as may be examining them in that which they haue heard and causing them to confer about it thēselues to appoint some to reade the scripture vnto them and all of them to sing Psalmes and generally whatsoeuer you haue seen before you ought to doe your selues to call vpon them for the same and to take such order that you be sure they do it And let them be sorie that they haue neglected this duety so long heretofore and thereby haue charged so many sinnes of their household vpon themselues and now at the last in Gods holy feare let thē begin to put this in practise least they doe further prouoke the most patient Lord to their endles destruction And though it be a thing so rare in the world as it is men altogether so vnacquainted with it as they be nay so loathsome tedious to flesh blood that they are afraid once to begin with it yet let the bare cōmandement of God preuaile more with vs to take in hand and to continue in it then all that can bee saide or thought against it should weigh with vs either to keepe vs frō it at the first or afterwards The want of this care in households is the cause of much wickednesse rebellion and disorder in their families cause vs to giue it ouer And that all men might doe it so much the rather let them be assured that the want of this especially is the cause of so many wicked and rebellious children vntrustie and disobedient seruants nay vnfaithfull vnkind wiues euery where euen for that their husbandes their fathers and their masters do not call vpon them to serue God and see them sanctifie the Sabboth It is a common and iust complaint in all places in the mouth of euery man that seruants and children will not bee ruled that they cannot tell where to finde a good seruant they know not whome to trust but they see not the greatest cause of it to be in themselues so go not about to remedie it for whiles they labour not to make their children the sonnes daughters of God by adoption and to bring their seruantes within the household of God that they might be his seruants by grace to make their wiues the chaste spouses of Iesus Christ and so al of thē to serue him the lord iustly punisheth thē that they are disobedient vnto thē For how can they doe duties vnto men if they haue not learned to doe duties vnto God and so of conscience for Gods sake to doe dueties vnto men Nay must not the Lord needs punish them with disobedience against themselues that by their owne experience they might know how grieuous the neglect of his seruice is vnto himselfe when he iustly measureth out vnto them with the same measure that they haue mette vnto him before Obiection And whereas men are readie to imagine and we know it is that which many doe obiect against this that to deale so straightly with their household were the next way to rid themselues of all good seruants and that then they might soone bee master and man them selues Answere They must againe on the contrary vnderstand that it is a great wickednesse in them once to thinke that the Lord should require that of thē which would necessarily driue thē to such inconueniences 1. Tim. 4.8 nay rather they must be assuredly perswaded That godlinesse hath the promises of this life Matt. 6.33 as well as of the life to come and if we first seeke the kingdome of God his righteousnes in our selues and others that all needfull things should be cast vnto vs. Euen as it is sai● of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know that he wil command his sonnes his household after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to doe righteousnesse and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him So that thus to doe is the very high way not to keepe vs from but to bring vs vnto the performance of all the promises if we giue credit vnto him who as he only maketh them in the beginning of meere mercie so must he only accomplish them in the ende by his constant veritie and trueth We confesse indeed if he be an ill seruant this is the readiest way to be rid of him whose roome is better then his company for he thinketh himselfe to be in a prison nay in hell all the while but in the ende hee shall perceiue that he is gone from the way to Heauen vnto hell if the Lord be not more merciful vnto him and why should wee be loth to depart from the seruice of them that haue no care to serue God or can we looke that they should do any faithfull seruice vnto vs that are so vnfaithfull in the seruice of God But as concerning the rest if any bee religious this is the best meane to retaine and keepe them if they be but indifferent this may winne them if they be falling away this may recouer them To haue such good orders in our houses is not the next way to driue away our seruants from vs. for what shall we thinke of all the godly fathers in times past that when they vowed diligently to

bind them but also that they bee carefull that they liue honestly God made euery weeke one day of rest wherein seruants shuld be as free as their masters Gen. 2.2 vertuously and christianly And further they may not grieue their seruants with ouermuch labour but alwayes remember that they are not beasts but men so that they ought quietly to gouerne them and also quietly to chide thē when they shall neglect their dutie least they bee prouoked with ouer hard words remembring that they also haue a Lord master in heauen with whom there is no respect of persons As the laborer which worketh but one day is worthie his hire euen so much more the seruant which laboreth euery day Luke 10.7 As Dauid did limit Ioab that he should not kill Absolon so God hath bound masters that they should not oppresse their seruants 2. Sam. 18.5 Iob. 31.13.14.15 For a good man saith Salomō Pro. 12.10 will be mercifull to his beast and therefore he ought to be more merciful to his seruants being his brethren Ephe. 6.9 And let them bountifully reward the iust and faithful labor of their seruants pay them their couenants in a fit conuenient time least being compelled by necessitie they should steale Masters ought not as Tyrants to vse their seruants as their Horses or Asses but to deale with them louingly christianly because they are all members of one bodie whereof Christ Iesus is the head There be some masters that vse their seruants and prentices more like beasts then like men their own members for which their so doing let them assure themselues they must yeeld to God their Master a straight account Oh that christian masters and mistresses would learne and so practise the example of Iobs good vpright dealing with his seruants which was far from rigor where he saith Jf I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant and of my maid when they did contend with mee that is when they thought themselues euill intreated by me What then shall J do when God standeth vp If I had oppressed others how should I haue escaped Gods iudgement and when he shall visit me what shall J answere He that hath made me in the wombe hath hee not made him which moued him to shew pitie and fauour vnto his seruants because they were Gods creatures as he was hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the wombe Hereby then may those masters dames see their wickednesses who wil not heare their seruants speake but vpon a simple surmise and brainsicknes doe euill intreat them by cruell stripes when in trueth there is no iust cause Reuiling words and vnreasonable fiercenesse doth much more hurt to seruants then good Phil. 16.17 Masters and Mistresses ought therefore to vse their seruants and prentices with mildnesse and equity as euery one shal deserue for they must remēber that they haue all one God to honour worship one Prince to serue one law to keepe and one land to inhabit and one death to feare and therefore they must speake vnto them as vnto brethren and sisters and deale with them as with christians And let them alwayes remember this namely that God will neuer deale mercifully with thē if they make not greater account that their seruants doe serue him more carefully then them●elues and sanctifie his Sabboths Exod. 20.10 Deut. ● 14 And therefore that master is not worthie to bee serued which can not afford that his seruants should serue God as well as himselfe Hee must giue vnto God that which is Gods and then hee may the better take that wihch is his owne For 1. Tim. 5.8 Hee that careth not for his familie saith Paul is worse then an Infidell because Infidels care for their familie As it is the office of a good householder to carrie the burthen of care trauell and labour so it is the dutie of his wife to bee faithfull in keeping and well ordering of his goods house and to see his her owne their childrens best apparel brusht handsomely laid vp to be patient and carefull to see her husband doe well and both their duties is effectually to giue good examples to be diligent to entertaine peace amongst their familie and to see all things neat and handsome and to keepe due order measure For as the Sunne in the firmament giueth light to all the Regions round about him Seruants doe rather imitate the workes they see their Masters doe then the words which they heare them speake Pro. 29.21 and by his bright appearing expelleth the darknes comforteth cheareth the world euen so likewise should housholders labour to banish sin and corrupt religion out of their dwellings and to be a lanterne of godly life to comfort and shine to their whole familie that so they may direct their liues after their good examples Phil. 2.15 Matth. 5.16 A Master ought so to behaue himselfe with his seruants that hee bee not too familiar with them which many times breedeth contempt but to admonish them often and therewithall not to discourage them from well doing not to be too seuere nor too partiall but to moderate all by discretion For like as the Centurion Luke 7.8 who had many seruants vnder his authoritie and they were all at his becke and Commaundement most readie to obey him in any thing that hee set them about and this good order and submission hee had brought them vnto by the reason that his said seruants were deare vnto him that is hee made a speciall reckoning of them and was as a father vnto them so likewise all masters are in conscience bound to esteeme and account well of their seruants and to vse their authoritie that they haue ouer them mildly and christianly and then if their seruants doe perceiue that they are deare vnto their masters Ephes 6.9 so may the masters in time worke them like waxe to their owne minde except they be such as haue sold themselues to worke wickednesse It is very conuenient that a master of a familie should so dispose and order his affaires and busines that he depart absent himselfe from home as little us may bee for it is an olde saying and a true That the eye of the master doth make the horse fat and the ground fertile for al things are wel and fitly done when the master is present Such house-keepers as haue much and yet spend little are called niggards and they that haue little and yet spend much are holden fooles spend-thrifts and prodigall wasters and therefore they ought to liue in such sort that they be not noted mizers for their keeping either prodigall for their spending The couetous miserable niggard passeth great toyle and trauels in gathering of his riches danger in keeping thē law in defending them and torment in departing from them But a wise man is not carefull so much for riches and how to liue long as to liue well and die well Some householders