any vnhonest pastime For if it be so that a father will not suffer his childe to come into a place where he may be in danger to take hurt of his body either by infection of the plague or otherwise how much more is he bound to with-hold and keepe his childe from comming there where he should hurt and poyson his soule The fourth and last point is that parents do with all care and diligence keepe their children from all lazie idlenesse a vice no doubt out of which do spring many inconuehiences and is condemned by the holy Ghost in many places of Scripture whereby God declareth that he created no man in vaine or to no purpose neither is there any man vnto whom he hath not allotted as it were a certaine standing and roome and a lawfull calling to walke in Whereupon it followeth that the order which God hath appointed is troubled by such as liue idlely yea Gods ordinance is broken which is a great sinne and wickednesse So then by the word of God none ought to liue idlely and to neglect his charge and dutie but ought to giue himselfe to some profitable calling to get his liuing by and to do good to others Although fathers prouide for their children great store of money and huge heapes of treasure yet in three 〈◊〉 foure houres all may be wasted and come to nought For much euill commeth through idlenesse it is an euill teacher he that doth nothing is ill occupied The mind of man is euer stirring and doing somewhat if it be not doing well it is doing ill As water though it be neuer so cleare and faire fresh and comfortable yet if it stand still in a pit or hole or be kept long in a vessell whence it hath no issue it will putrifie and corrupt rot and smell and he vnwholsome Euen so fareth it with children yea and with all the sonnes of Adam if they haue nothing to do no way to bestow their wits they will rot proue vnwholesome and deuise mischiefe all the day long For as labour and exercise of body of one man industrie and diligence of mind in another man are sure forts and strong bulwarkes of countreys euen so idlenesse and negligence are the cause of all euill for an idle mans braine becometh quickly the shop of the diuell And as in all things naturall there is one thing or other which is the spoile of it as the Canker to the rose the Worme to the apple and the Caterpillar to the leafe so the common spoile to all youth is the contrary to paines labour which is idlenesse Therefore is idlenesse worthily called the mother of all euils and step dame of all vertues The Prophet Ezechiel in his sixteenth Chapter verse forty nine teacheth that idlenesse was one of the principall sins of Sodome which pulled downe fire and brimstone from heauen vpon their heads This idlenesse is the diuels confederate for euen as the traiterous seruant while his maister is a sleepe and all thing at rest setteth open the doore for the thiefe to enter in vpon him and spoile him at his pleasure euen so idlenesse while we are not aware lying soft vpon the pillowes of securitie openeth the doore for the diuell to enter into vs with full swing to the destruction both of body and soule Saint Mathew saith Chapter thirteene verse twenty fiue that while men slept the enemie came and sowed 〈◊〉 among the wheate So the fittest time that the diuell can find to worke vppon vs is when we are idle for that is the sleepe of the soule In the eleuenth Chapter of the second of Samuel we reade that while Dauid tarried idle at home in the beginning of the yeare when kings vsed to go forth to battell he was soone ouertaken with two fowle sinnes of adultery and manflaughter Oh that men saw to how many vices and euils they shut the doore when they ceasse to be idle and giue themselues to honest labours and 〈◊〉 lawfull calling So long as Sampson Iudg. 19. warred with the Philistines he could neuer be taken or ouercome but after that he gaue himselfe to idlenesse and pleasure he not onely committed fornication with the strumpet Dalilah but also was taken of his enemies and had his eyes miserably put out If those two which were such excellent men endued of God with singular gifts the one of prophesie and the other of strength and such as no labour or trouble could ouercome were notwithstanding ouerthrowne fell into grieuous sinnes by yeelding for a short time to ease then what crimes what mischiefes and inconueniences are to be feared of them who all their life long giue themselues to idlenesse and loytering But such hath alwayes bene the peruerse incredulitie of mens hearts that they will not beleeue that other men haue perished vntil they themselues perish also If we be vtterly voyde of vnderstanding let vs go to the bruite creatures which want those helps of reason and gouernment that man hath and learne of them Go to the Pismire ô sluggard saith Salamon Prou. 6. 6. behold her wayes and be wise For she hauing no guide nor ruler prepareth her meate in sommer and gathereth her foode in the haruest What is it that filleth the prisons and bringeth so many to the gallowes causeth so many parents to lament and bewaile the vntimely death of their children but idlenesse When the poore condemned wretches haue receiued their iudgements and come to the place of execution and stand on the ladder what counsell giue they to young men and to children but to beware of idlenesse What is the cause of such and so many diseases in the body Aske the Physitians and they will tell you idlenesse Whereof rise rebellions in kingdomes against Princes Whereof rise mutinies and mutterings in Cities against Magistrates You can giue no greater cause thereof then idlenesse Christ our Redeemer saith Of euery idle word that is vaine and vnprofitable trifles which the most part of people spend their liues in that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement If we shall make an account for idle words what shall we do for idle hands for idle feete for idle body for idle soule What account for all idlenesse especially for wicked deeds shall we make at the day of iudgment Seeing then that idlenesse is so noysome and hurtfull let all Christian parents therefore labour and endeuour to auoyd it both in themselues and their children as a plague or contagious disease Therefore it is most requisite and necessary that parents do bring vp their children either in learning or in some occupation and handycraft whereby they may get their liuing another day and so liue the better But some vnaduisedly and foolishly do reason saying what need is it for noble and rich mens children to haue learning they shall haue enough We answer the greater the ship is and the more
alone nor in publike societie of men onely but euen within the secret of our owne walles and towards such as be abiding vnder the same roofe And if we desire to walke with God as Enoch did we must set vp this light for our selues to liue by at home For then we do no iniquitic when we walke in his way Where no wisedome is vsed in gouerning families there all goeth to wracke and there many enormities are to be found as wofull breaches betweene man and wife gracelesnesse and vnthrifrinesse of children lewdnesse of seruants and foule escapes And where carnall pollicie ruleth and not the wisedome which is from aboue there all that is done tendeth to the ease pleasure and profite of this life wherein it is fitter for bruite beasts then for men to seeke their felicitie Now that there is a good kind of gouerning of a familie which they who follow wisely may be said to gouerne well appeareth out of the first Epistle to Timothie 3. verse 4. 5. One that guideth his house well c. And after He that knoweth not to gouerne his owne house c. Whereby it is euident that there is a way of ordering the family aright and there is no misgouerning of it To set downe this good gouernment exactly is a hard matter Here onely we will note some things which do appertaine vnto that gouernment which we speake of And to do it more orderly that it may be the better vnderstood we must consider that as may also be gathered out of that place of Timothie there are two sorts in euery perfect familie 1. The Gouernours 2. Those that must be ruled And these two sorts haue speciall duties belonging to them the one towards the other in the carefull performance whereof from the one to the other consisteth the good gouernment of a familie The gouernours of a family be such as haue authoritie in the familie by Gods ordinance as the father and mother maister and mistrisse To whom as God hath giuen authoritie ouer their children and seruants so he would haue them to vse it to the wise gouernment of them not onely for their owne priuate profit credit or pleasure but also for the good of those whom they are to gouerne for by a wise gouernment much good cometh to the parties gouerned If maisters then or parents do not gouerne but let seruants and children do as they list they do not onely disobey God and disaduantage themselues but also hurt those whom they should rule for when as any haue such libertie to do as they list it maketh them grow out of order to the prouoking of Gods displeasure and curse against themselues wheras if they had bene held in by the bridle of Gouernment they might be brought to walke so as the blessing of God might follow them in their courses All gouernment of a familie must be in comelinesse or decencie that is it must be such as is meete and conuenient both for the gouernour and for the persons gouerned And therefore it is impossible for a man to vnderstand how to gouerne the common wealth that doth not know to rule his owne house or order his owne person so that he that knoweth not to gouerne deserueth not to reigne Lordlinesse is vnmeete in an houshold gouernment and yet familiaritie with such as are vnder gouernment breedeth cōtempt Againe for the persons gouerned all in the familie are not to be gouerned alike There is one rule to gouerne the wife by another for children another for seruants One rule for yong ones another for old folkes The gouernment of a Familie tendeth vnto two things specially First Christian holinesse And secondly the things of this life By the first God is glorified by the second this present life is sustained in such sort as God seeth good for vs. How-soeuer where Humane pollicie is the rule of Household gouernment there men onely haue an eye to the things of this life yet they which fetch their Wisedome to rule by out of the Word shall vnderstand that their gouernment must not onely be ciuill but godly also that is they must seeke to haue holinesse found in their habitation whereby God may be glorified as well as riches gotten that they may be comforted This hath bene the course of holy men in former Ages Abraham flected often from place to place yet he built an Altar wheresoeuer he became yea and trained vp his Familie in the feare of God He did not seeke excuse in his vnsetled estate to let passe the cares of holinesse Holie Iob was not contented onely to worship God himselfe alone but sanctified his sonnes that is prepared them to worship God with him Iacob at his returne from Padan-Aram purged his Familie and set vp Gods worship there Iosuab saith Though others would forsake the Lord yet he and his Familie would cleaue vnto him and serue him The vertuous Woman openeth her mouth in wisedome and teacheth mercie vnto her seruants Many of the faithfull when they themselues beleeued in Christ laboured to bring their families to the faith also Parents are also commanded to bring vp their children in the instruction and information of the Lord. By all which places it is euident that religion must be stirring in Christian families that good gouernment looketh to bring godly behauiour into families as well as thrift and good husbandry For want of this care many parents leaue their children faire faces and foule minds proper bodies and deformed soules full coffers and emptie hearts For want of this God may dwell in Churches if he will but he hath no abode allowed him in priuate families For will God be where he may not rule but must be an vnderling and stand and looke on when profit and pleasure shall be serued and aloft Yet the Spirit of God saith That God will come and dwell with them that loue him and keepe his Commandements Where therefore holinesse is not sought for in families there God hath no friends norlouers nor walkers with him howsoeuer they will sometimes 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 principall respect to God in Christianity ruling our houses Manie thriue not but put that which they get into a bottomles bagge For God who hath none or the lowest regard in their courses and household affaires with-holdeth his blessings from them and then in vaine do men rise early and go late to bed and eate the bread of carefulnesse Others thriue but it is a wofull thrist that serueth to harden the heart and to bewitch the soule with loue and liking of this world For Gods iust iudgement is vpon many this way because they will needs serue their owne commodity chiefly at home the Lord giuing them vp to thēselues they neuer serue him
vs and all our familie in the night from outward dangers and giueth vs freedome from feares and terrors and from Sathans rage and also giueth vs rest comfortable sleepe for the refreshing of our fraile bodies is it not meete we should begge it at his hand by prayer before we prepare our selues to rest and praise him for it when we rise from it Againe seeing that euery day we are subiect to innumerable dangers which we know not of and both wisedome and strength to follow good and honest callings and also the blessing vpon our labours to make vs prosper by them are from God alone should we not begin the day with feare vnto God for his gracious protection and for his mercifull blessing of vs And seeing meates and drinks are sanctified vnto vs on Gods part by the word and ours by prayer doubtlesse though God hath by his word sanctified them they are vnholy vnto vs when we do not for our part sanctifie them by faithfull prayer and thanksgiuing And this was Dauids practise Psal. 55. 1. Euening and morning and at noone tide will I pray and make a noise and he will heare my voice If any say it is sufficient for the gouernour to charge euery one in his familie to do it priuately by himselfe so might the Prince say it is enough to do as Darius did to charge euery one in all his dominions to worship no God but Daniels God Yet godly Princes thought it their dutie to set vp the worship ofGod in their dominions and to take order that God might be worshipped publickely and ioyntly of all in their land So did Iob for his houshold not onely bid his children pray to God by thēselues but he appointed set times of praying together and sacrificing and commanded his children to come prepared thereunto Againe if the maister lay the matter vpon the consciences of such as be of his family then if they be negligent God shall haue no honour and worship in that family But we reade of Abraham that wheresoeuer he became he built an altar to God where God should be worshipped ioyntly in his familie If God should measure out his goodnesse to thee as thou measurest honour and glory to him in what a case wert thou He doth giue a charge to his Angels to keepe thee he commandeth the earth to allow thee meate for thy sustenāce and his Commandement is an effectuall word that maketh them to do the thing that he chargeth them withall Wilt thou now onely bid thy seruant or sonne to serue and honour God and not see that he do it and helpe him in it Then thou doest not measure out vnto God as thou wouldest haue him measure to thee This duty then belongeth to a Christian head of a familie to worship God with all his family and to take order that when he shal be absent vpon necessarie occasions it may be done reuerently and onely by some one in his family that by reason of wit and age may be meete for it The neglect of this dutie letteth into families many grieuous enormities and outward miseries while God in his iustice refuseth to blesse such as by their carelesnesse in seruing of him do shew that they take not him to be the author of all wel-fare to soule or body but thinke to do well enough without him or else thinke to haue their turnes serued without requesting The third dutie which the chiefe gouernour must performe to all in his familie is priuate instruction and dealing with them in matters of religion for the building of them vp in true faith and for the inuring and bringing of them to a conscience towards God that they may not onely know and professe religion but also feele and shew the power of religion in their liues This dutie hath these specials belonging to it First a familiar and plaine opening vnto them the principles of religion after the manner of a Catechisme This duty the holy Ghost layeth vpon parents Ephes. 6. 1. Traine them vp in doctrine and holy precepts drawne out-of the word The like was commanded to parents in the old law Let these words which I command thee this day be in thine heart and whet them vpon thy children and speake of them when thou sittest in thy house when thou walkest in the way when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp c. So that it is not enough to bring thy children to be catechized at the Church but thou must labour with them at home after a more plaine and easier manner of instruction that so they may the better profit by the publike teaching Looke Prouerbs 22. 6. Thou euen by breeding thy children hast helped them into corruption and 〈◊〉 damnable estate how oughtest thou then by all holy care and paines taken with them in teaching them the knowledge of God in Christ to helpe them out of it that they may not be firebrands of hell And for seruants seeing they spend their strength wearie out their bodies and bestow their dayes and yeares in seeking thy profit and ease oughtest not thou then to seeke the saluation of their soules Salomon saith The iust man hath regard to his beast much more shouldest thou haue regard to thy seruant who is made according to the image of God with thee and is redeemed with as deare a price as thou art And thy care for him should not stretch to his body alone but especially to his soule that seeing his calling will not suffer him to vse so many and so often meanes for the good of it as were requisite he might herein be helped by thee The second speciall is an acquainting them with the Scriptures by reading them daily in thy house in their hearing and directing them to marke and make vse of those things which are plaine and easie according to their capacitie So Timothie was trained vp by his parents in the Scriptures so that he knew them from a child that is was made acquainted with them by reading them and being instructed in them according to his capacitie This shal make them the fitter to heare and profit by the publike ministerie whereas the neglect of this duty makes them vnable to heare and vnderstand the Preacher when he citeth examples or quoteth texts out of sundry places of Scripture The helpe that their family might reape by it should make them carefull in this reading of the Scripture The third is a diligent care and regard that they profit by the publike ministery of the word and Sacraments euery one according to their capacitie And this duty requireth that they should not onely looke that they do diligently frequent the preaching of the word and carefully come to the Sacraments in due time but also that they shew them how and put them in mind of preparing themselues to the word and Sacraments as lob did his sonnes They must prepare them to heare the word by willing them
is foule and hard fauoured but yet is honest and vertuous then to haue her which is faire and vnhonest and also irreligious Happie and twice happy is that man and that woman that are coupled in marriage with a godly and vertuous mate and bedfellow they are doubtlesse greatly blessed of God For house and riches are the inheritance of the fathers but a prudent wife cometh of the Lord. They therefore are not well in their wits but greatly deceiue themselues that make choycc of wiues or husbands hauing regard onely to their stature comelinesse of personage or to their beautie and esteeme not more the riches of the mind Health also must be considered in their choyce lest otherwise great inconueniences come therby and lest the whole house be poy soned and infected But we speake here of contagious sicknesses and not of such common infirmities and vsuall diseases that both men and women are subiect vnto As of madnesse frenzie french pockes or such like which euery wise man and woman doth vtterly detest Neuerthelesse where any married parties are now together and be visited with any such diseases they must one comfort and suffer with the other as they are now one bodie c. To haue temporall preferments is to be borne of noble parents or to come of a worshipfull stocke to haue lands liuings riches great offices gaines or occupyings and such like But the chiefest nobilitie and most worthy of commendation is indeed to be noble in vertues in good works manners and conditions But to be borne of gentilitie and to vse and behaue himselfe vngently is euen as much as to shame himselfe and his kindred Such therefore as purpose to marry ought carefully to foresee and looke to this matter lest being too greedie of honour worship or wealth and intending to haue the gold they catch the hot coales burne themselues without recouerie for a man may buy gold too deare as we vsually say For temporall goods sake the matter miscarieth and is in danger There is sometimes great wealth but with little honestie and with lesse good conscience it is gathered together And with the same riches will not continue alwaies prosperitie peace and quietnesse Many so trust to their wealth as that they will not frame themselues to any lawfull calling neither will they learne any Therefore also can they do nothing to profit their country and the common-wealth but liue ioly and daintily and with pride riot excesse and dishonesty do quickely wast that which hath bene long in gathering together Now when there is alwayes taking from the heape and nothing laid thereto it wasteth away in processe of time how great soeuer it hath bene then followeth pouerty yea an intollerable and vnpatient pouerty for they that now lauish and spend prodigally altogether haue had no necessity hitherto but flowed in all wealth therefore after such a Sunne-shine there commeth euer an extreame heate and thenceforth begin they to warme themselues at the bare pans and to spare when all is spent Such then as in their choise look to the multitude of goods and regard not how they were gotten and whence they came haue customably such smoky hats set vpon their heads that all the water in the riuer cannot wash away the corruption thereof For goods without God honesty and good conscience are deadly poyson and the bodily 〈◊〉 himselfe Yea goods and riches in the hand of an vndiscreete and ignorant man are as a sharpe knife in the hand of a child that doth no good therwith but wound and hurt himselfe Wherefore euery man and euery woman in their election ought to haue more respect to vertue godlinesse discretion knowledge then to riches Moreouer an hand that is occupied and winneth and getteth his liuing godly Christianly and honestly doth farre excell any riches that are 〈◊〉 For although the world esteeme them happy which liue in wealth ease and idlenesse yet the holy Ghost approueth and alloweth them best that liue of the meane profit of their labours Psal. 128. 1. 2. And this also is a very necessary point to be obserued that the man chuse such a woman and the woman such a man as that there be equality betwixt them both in bloud and estate For by how much the greater and streighter the coniunction is of the husband and the wife so much the more ought euery one to prouide to be indifferently matched And truely this equality of marriage is in two speciall things to be considered to wit estate and age For as two horses or two oxen of vnequall 〈◊〉 cannot be coupled vnder one selfe same yoake so a noble-woman matching with a man of base estate or contrarily a gentleman with a begger cannot be consorted and well matched vnder the bands of wedlocke But yet when it happeneth that a man marrieth a woman of so high a birth he ought not forgetting that he is her husband more to honour and esteeme of her then of his equall or of one of meaner parentage and not onely to account her his-companion in loue and in his life but in diuers actions of publicke apparence to hold her his superiour which honour is not yet accompanied with reuerence as is that which for manners sake we are wont to do to others And she ought to consider that no distinction or difference of birth and nobility can be so great but that the league which both Gods ordinance and nature hath ordained betwixt men and women farre exceedeth it for by nature woman was made mans subiect But if a man shall take to wife an inferior or mean-woman he also ought to weigh that matrimony maketh equall many differences and further that he hath not taken her for a slaue or seruant but for a fellow and companion of his life And seeing that election and choise is nothing else but to take a thing meete and conuenient to the end it is prepared for therefore euery one that must chuse ought to regard the end to know what thing is conuenient for it So that it is needfull that he be wise and discret or else he cannot dispose it nor perceiue what thing is conuenient for it Therefore if a man would aduisedly consider that he is to liue with his wife continually and she with him he would then be very circumspect in the choise of her which choise maketh either very much for his felicitie and comfort or else for his great miserie and discomfort For by how much the more a thing is vnited and knit vnto man so much the more it may either helpe him if it be good or hinder him if it be euill Those dammages and hurts which are inwardly in the body are worse then those which are without the body and those of the soule then those of the body and likewise men do iudge of those things which are called good But peraduenture it may seeme vnto some that these 〈◊〉 are not vniuersally true For vnto some the
house The duty of the husband is to get money and prouision and of the wiues not vainely to spend it The dutie of the husband is to deale with many men and of the wife to talke with few The duty of the husband is to be intermedling and of the wife to be solitarie and withdrawne The duty of the man is to be skilfull in talke and of the wife to boast of silence The duty of the husband is to be a giuer and of the wife to be a sauer The duty of the man is to apparell himselfe as he may and of the woman as it becommeth her The dutie of the husband is to be Lord of all and of the wife to giue account of all The dutie of the husband is to dispatch all things without dore and of the wife to ouersee and giue order for all things within the house Now where the husband and wife performeth these duties in their house we may call it a Colledge of quietnesse The house wherein these are neglected we may terme it a hell It is to be noted and noted againe that as the prouision of houshold dependeth onely on the husband euen so the honour of all dependeth onely of the woman in such sort that there is no honour within the house longer then a mans wife is honourable And therefore the Apostle calleth the woman The glorie of the man But heere it must be noted and remembred that we do not intitle honourable to such as be onely beautifull comely of face of gentilitie of comely personage and a good huswife but onely to her that is vertuous honest of life temperate and aduised in her speech 3. The last point is that the husband loue cherish and nourish his wife euen as his owne body and as Christ loued his Church and gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it And this point is plainely proued by the Apostle Paul as is sufficiently declared in the second point There are few husbands or wiues that know in truth how they should loue one the other If a man loue his wife onely for these respects because she is rich beautifull noble or because she contenteth and pleaseth him after the sensuall appetite of the flesh and for such like causes that is no true loue before God for such loue may be among harlots and whoores yea among bruite beasts But a Christian husband must loue his wife chiefly because she is his sister in the 〈◊〉 of the sound and Christian religion 〈◊〉 so an inheritour with him of the kingdome of heauen And he must also loue her for her vertues as for her shamefastnesse modestie chastitie diligence patience faithfulnesse temperance secrecie obedience and such like Christian qualities and graces of God yea although she be but hard fauoured of poore parentage But as we would that the man when he loueth should remember his superioritie so we would that when he ruleth he neither forget to loue nor to temper his loue with grauitie And when he doth think himselfe to be the head and the soule and the woman as it were the flesh and the body he ought in like manner to remember that she is his fellow and companion of his goods and labours and that their children be common betweene them bone of the bones and flesh of the flesh of man And thus there shall be in wedlocke a certaine sweet and pleasant conuersation without the which it is no marriage but a prison a hatred and a perpetuall torment of the mind So that the husband must let his wife perceiue and know that for the good opinion that he hath of her he doth loue her simply and faithfully and not for any vtilitie or pleasure For who so doth not perceiue that he is beloued for his owne sake will not lightly do the same to another for the thing that is loued loueth againe If mony or nobilitie could perceiue and vnderstand that they were beloued they would if they had any feeling at all of loue requite it with loue but when the soule is loued in as much as it may loue it giueth loue for loue and loueth againe The breaker of horses that doth vse to ride and pace them doth handle the rough and sturdie colt with all craft rigour and fiercenesse that may be but with the colt that is more tractable he taketh not so great paines A sharpe and shrewd wife must be pleased and mitigated with loue and ruled with authority and the more gently thou doest vse and shew thy selfe vnto her that is meeke and honest the more benigne and meeke thou shalt find her But she that is noble and of a stout minde and stomacke the lesse thou doest looke to be honoured the more she will obey and honour thee But yet the wise husband shall neuer set himselfe so farre in loue that he forget that he is a man the ruler and gouernour of the house and ofhis wife and that he is set as it were in a station to watch and diligently to take heed what is done in his house and to see who goeth out and in And although the husband by Gods ordinance be the head ouer his wife yet he may not abuse or despise her but most louingly defend and keepe her from all iniuries and all euils as his owne body For like as the head 〈◊〉 and heareth for the whole body ruleth and guideth the body and giueth it strength of life or as Christ doth defend teach and preserue his Church and is the Sauiour comfort eye heart wisedome and guide thereof euen so must the husband be head vnto his wife in like manner to shew her like kindnesse and after the same fashion to guide her and rule her with discretion for her good and preseruation and not with force and wilfulnesse to intreat her but to be her defender instructer teacher and comfort So that when the husband hath obtained that his wife doth truely and heartily loue him there shall then need neither precepts nor lawes for loue shall teach her moe things and more effectually then all the precepts of all the Phylosophers He ought therefore to endeauour and more force himselfe that his wife may loue him then that she may feare him When his wife shall offend or displease him he may nor hate her or quarrell with her but patiently and mildly admonish her For no man euer hated saith the Apostle his owne body but cherisheth it and maketh much of it So then he that loueth his wife loueth himselfe for thereby he enioyeth peace and comfort and helpe to himselfe in all his affaires therefore in the same verse Paul counselleth husbands to loue their wiues as their bodies And after in the 33. verse as though it were too little to loue them as their bodies he saith Let euery one loue his wife as himselfe that is as his body and soule too For if God commanded men to loue their neighbours as themselues much
when the winde is downe and the weather calme he letteth it hang easily so when husbands will as it were perforce wrest away their wiues infirmities many of them will obstinately resist yet contrariwise by sweete wordes and louing exhortations they might be wonne voluntarily to forsake them Thirdly the husband must seeke diligently to remoue the occasion and stone whereat his wife stumbleth and taketh occasion of griefe So when Sarah was moued against Abraham because of Agar and obiected vnto him albeit wrongfully that he was the eause that she contemned her bearing with his wife 〈◊〉 remoued the cause of the contentation in suffering her to turne Agar out of doores He must also take heed that he himselfe be not tainted with the same vice which he reproueth in his wife lest she stop his mouth with a reproach of the same fault but rather by giuing her example by the contrarie vertue let her be induced and led to follow him In reprouing the wife the husband must alwayes vse such discretion that she be not brought into contempt and therefore it should neuer be done in the presence of moe then themselues For as it is meere follie for an husband to praise and commend his wife in company so is it as dangerous to checke and reproue her before witnesse For indeed thereof it commeth that women not being able to beare that disgrace will reply and so ptouoke strife and dissention in open presence which will redound to great reproach and offence And therefore as the husband must not flatter his wife so he must not reproue her before strangers A wise husband and one that seeketh to liue in quiet with his wife must obserue these three rules Often to admonish seldome to reproue and neuer to smite her Let the husband also remember that the infirmities of his wife must be either taken away or borne witball So that he that can take them quite away maketh his wife farre more commodious and fit for his purpose and he that can beare with them maketh himselfe better and more vertuous The husband is also to vnderstand that as God created the woman not the head and so equall in authoritie with her husband so also he created her not of Adams foote that she should be troden downe and despised but he tooke her out of the rib that she might walke ioyntly with him vnder the conduct and gouernment of her head And in that respect the husband is not to command his wife in such manner as the maister his seruant but as the soule doth the body as being conioyned in like affection and good wil. For as the soule in gouerning the body tendeth to the benefit and commoditie of the same so ought the dominion and commandement of the husband ouer his wife to tend to reioyce and content her To conclude as God hath testified his singular goodnesse vnto man in creating him an helper to assist him so let him consider in how many sorts she is to him an helper to passe ouer this life in blessednesse And let this daily seeking of such a benefit receiued at the hands of God induce and stirre him vp to render thanks and to dispose himselfe to vse it well to his owne comfort and saluation and not to abuse it to the destruction both of himselfe and his wife But if he chance as many do vpon troubles and afflictions in marriage let him remember that the same doth proceed not properly from marriage but from the corruption of the parties married and for his part let him studie to amend his infirmities and faults by amendment of life and withall pray to God to grant the like grace vnto his wife to the end that the more they recouer the Image of God the more feeling they may haue of the felicitie of marriage which Adam and Eue had enioyed had they continued as they were created in the Image of God And the particular duties of the wife to the husband are principally these First that she be a helper vnto him Secondly that she be obedient vnto him c. These speciall duties are partly touched before and partly afterwards As loue matrimoniall is greatly allowed of God and much commended of all good men as an ordinate holy and godly loue so contrariwise hatred dissention strife debate vnquietnesse and frowardnesse in marriage highly displeaseth God and much grieueth all good and godly men And therefore the diuell the enemie of all vnitie concord and agreement laboureth by all meanes he can specially at the first comming of the married folkes to dwell together to sow dissention and discord and to cause them not to agree but to dislike one of the other against whom they must diligently watch by seruent and earnest prayer to God that the diuel preuaile not against them by such too early disagreement For as two boords if at the first they be not well coupled and ioyned together are neuer fastened right afterwards but if the first coupling and ioyning together be good then can there afterward no violence driue the boordes asunder yea the whole boord doth sooner breake then the glewing of them together euen so the husband and wife must be very carefull and diligent that their first cohabitation and dwelling together be louing delectable and friendly and not separated through any spitefull contention or discord so shall the whole estate of their marriage be more comfortable and prosper the better so long as they shall liue And though there happen to arise any sparke of discord betwixt them yet let them beware that at the last there be not too much displeasure disdaine and inconuenience kindled thereby For if at the first dwelling together there shall fall out such vnto wardnesse and vncomely discord then will it now and then be breaking out Euen as it fareth with great wounds and broken legges or armes which seldome are so throughly healed but sometimes they haue paine at the change of the weather so likewise if married folkes behaue themselues thus vntowardly and vnhonestly the one towards the other at the first and if larres and discord be once begun betweene them the old canker of hatred will breede againe though it be scaled afterward Let the one therefore learne betime to be acquainted with the nature and condition of the other and to apply themselues according to the same in as much as they must needs dwell together one to enioy another and the one to liue and die with the other and so stedfastly and vnfainedly to loue one the other that neither of them haue any thing so deare which they cannot be content to giue and bestow one vpon the other yea euen their owne life if need require And therefore husbands and wiues must euen at the beginning of their marriage giue their diligence that all iniuries offences may be auoided for tender and lost loue is soone dissolued and broken So that this new loue and coniunction of the mind must be nourished
Thirdly that they be vnto their children examples of all godlinesse and vertue Fourthly that they keep them from idlenesse the mother of all mischiefes and bring them vp either in learning or in some good art or occupation whereby they may get their liuing with honestie and truth when they shall come to age and yeares of discretion 1. Touching the first point Parents are to be admonished that they beare in minde that the cause why the Lord hath blessed them with children is First that they should be carefull to see that their children be so vertuously brought vp that they may become Citizens of the Church of God so that whensoeuer they themselues shall die in the Lord they may leaue their children true worshippers of God in their place But alasse there be few that haue any great care of this dutie It is to be remembred that it is the fathers dutie with all conuenient speed to present the child to baptisme and there to giue the name vnto his child as may appeare by the example Luke 1. 3. Gen. 21. 3. And it were a thing to be wished that all parents when and at such time as God blesseth them with children would giue them such names as are named and commended vnto vs in the holy Scriptures to the end that when they come to yeares of discretion they by hearing those names may be excited and moued to follow the vertuous life and Christian conuersation of those men and women whose names they beare which the holy Ghost hath commended them for and contrariwise to 〈◊〉 and auoide those faults and vices which are discommended in them And yet we haue to remember that those children which are named and called by and after any of the names of the 〈◊〉 Prophets Apostles or by the name of any other Saint man or woman are not any thing the better because they haue such godly and Christian names vnlesse that they do imitate and follow them in faith vertue and godly behauiour so on the other side they that be not called by such Christian names as are mentioned in the sacred Scripture are not in respect of their names any thing the worse hauing an assured faith in the merits of Christ his death passion and bloud shedding and leading their liues agreeable to the same For as neither the reuenues nor the glorious titles and names of ancestors 〈◊〉 descend of noble parentage maketh men noble and renowned indeed vnlesse they themselues be godly honest and wise so neither the godly names no nor yet the faith and vertue of the fathers auaileth the wicked and vngodly children any thing at all vnlesse they repent and become faithfull and godly as they were Let vs here consider that so often as in the race of our life we do heare or do speake of our name it doth put vs in remembrance first of Gods mercie shewed vnto vs in our baptisine secondly of our promise to God againe And as in times amongst our ancestors Infants had their names giuen them when they were circumcised as appeateth in Luke no doubt to this end that the circumcised should be admonished by the calling by their names at what time and place they had their names giuen them and would thinke that they are written in the number of the children of God and ioyned in league with him and made partakers of his couenant so likewise after the same manner must we that haue had our names giuen vs in baptisme remember and beare in minde that we are by grace adopted to be the sonnes of God and receiued into his fauour and therefore that we are Gods owne and as it were his goods and riches who beare his name as proper vnto him 2. Secondly they may assure themselues that all their labour is lost which they bestow vpon their children vnlesse they bring them vp in the feare of God and oftentimes call vpon Gods helpe by earnest prayer that he in mercy would vouthsafe to preserue them from the manifold snares subtilties and temptations of Sathan which their tender age is subiect vnto We may heare many parents complaine of the disobedience of their children but they do not marke and consider that they are iustly punished by God for that they thinke by their own industrie and wit to make them good and vertuous without Gods blessing which they seldome or neuer call for in good earnest 3. Thirdly let them consider how noble a thing a child is whom God himself hath shaped and formed in his mothers wombe nourished brought forth into the light and indued with body and soule to the end he should as it were in a table represent God hîs first patterne 4. Fourthly let them know that these things are to be dealt with all in order Vnto the body they owe nourishment bringing vp apparell and sometimes correction that they may keepe children in awe Vnto the soule they owe catechising instruction and doctrine and that of two sorts namely of godlinesse and of ciuilitie By the one they shall keepe a good conscience before God by the other they shall obtaine a good report among men For these are the two principall points which parēts ought to be most carefull to plant in this life in their children both which the Apostle comprehendeth in one verse where he saith Ephes. 1. 4. Ye fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. And therefore all parents are diligently to instruct and teach their children the first principles of Christ his Religion so soone as by age they are able to perceiue and vnderstand the same that they may as it were suck in godlinesse together with their mothers milke and straight-wayes after their cradle may be nourished with the tender foode of vertue towards that blessed life To haue godly children no doubt is the greatest treasure that may be For in the children do the parents liue in a manner after their death And if they be well instructed catechised and vertuously brought vp God is honoured by them the Common-wealth is aduanced yea their parents and all other fare the better for them They are their parents comfort next vnto God their ioy staffe and vpholding of their age and therefore parents ought to begin betimes to plant vertue in their childrens breasts for late sowing bringeth a late or neuer apt haruest Young branches will bow as a man will haue them but old trees will sooner breake then bow And therefore as arrowes are an excellent weapon of defence to a strong and a mightie man that can shoot them with courage euen so children godly brought vp are a speciall protection and defence to their parents And as the strong mans quiuer the better it is furnished with chosen shaftes the better defence he hath so likewise the more godly children their parents haue the greater is their ioy and happinesie Yea and further as arrowes are at the commandement
euen in their life time to see them go to hell for want of instruction Some charge their children to be dull witted and hard to be bowed or brought to any goodnesse or vertue Albeit naturall inclination be a great helpe to profiting yet exercise and custome to do well is a mightie meanes to bend and sharpe them that way yea euen such that by experience we find this old Prouerbe true Vse ouer cometh nature as the wheelewright doth by strength bow his timber and letting it lie long in that bent it bideth crooked Barren ground well tilled soyled and sowen with good seed groweth fruitfull and yeeldeth good increase iron weareth with handling the water by continuall dropping weareth the stone wilde beasts may be tamed and wilde colts by custome are brought to the saddle and are content to be led by the bridle euen so the dullest capacities may by instruction and custome be fashioned to vertue As contrariwise the wiz most inclined by nature to vertue may by bad instruction and the conuersation of the wicked be peruerted and grow vicious Parents therefore are herein to respect two points first to begin to frame and bend their children in their tender youth to vertue remēbring that a seale entreth deepest into softest waxe They must be carefull that they do not speake or tell any foolish tales baudie rimes or vngodly speeches before their children lest they infect their tender wits with follie and astonishment Experience sheweth that children will sooner learne any language by conuersation then elder folkes Also that the yonger the twig is the sooner it is bent or made straight Secondly it is the parents dutie to restraine their children from haunting and conuersing with such as be vicious peruerse and wicked And vndoubtedly we see that they do soone learne villanous and vnseemely speeches and malicious lewd actions with their corruptions and as the old Prouerbe saith halting with the lame they shall learne to halt A child that naturally speaketh wel by conuersing with such as corrupt their speech shall degenerate and speake as badly Tye a yong twig that is crooked with a straight one that is stronger then it and in growing it will become straight and so continue when it is vndone And contrariwise a straight one tyed to that which is crooked and stronger then it selfe will grow and continue crooked Moreouer parents when they meane to put forth their children to any trade or occupation or to learning then they ought carefully to see and enquire whether such as they thinke to place them withall be religious and vertuous and endued with the feare of God In the admittance of a seruant the feare of some temporall or carnall inconuenience causeth men to enquire of his or her truth honestie or other qualities Therefore if parents shall commit their child to the ordering and instruction of a maister before they make enquirie of his honestie and Christian conuersation they plainely shew that they haue lesse care of the corrupting or infecting of their child with vice then of some small inconuenience that might happen by an vnhonest and vnthriftie seruant When men buy an earthen pot they sound vpon it to see whether it be broken lest they should be deceiued in a small peece of monie yet do they not sound whether the maister to whom they commit their child be vicious or vertuous albeit by putting and placing him with one that is vicious and irreligious they put him in danger of losse both of body and soule Some do respect their friendship with some maisters rather then their vertue and so do commit to them their children lest they should be angrie for putting them to another These men do resemble and be like him who being dangerously sicke vseth the aduise of an ignorant Physition that is his kinsman or familiar friend for feare he should take offence if he should call another albeit without comparison more learned and skilfull If thou shouldest liaue any weightie matter in law wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an ignorant and negligent atturney because he is thy friend then to him that were both diligent and learned Making a voyage through some dangerous sea wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a young Pilot vnskilfull or drunke because he is thy friend What a foole art thou that wilt not take the like care of the profit honour safetie and saluation of thy childe Others commit their children either to him that will take them at the easiest rate or by whom they may grow into greatest aduancement in the world but neuer respect the hazard of their child so they may either spare or get worldly goods Let them also be carefull to restraine their children from vice and to inure and accustome them to vertue and indeed the fathers that instruct or cause their children to be instructed do far excell such as onely do beget them for of these they 〈◊〉 life onely of the other good and vertuous life Yet parents ought not so much to relie and rest vpon the diligence of their childrens maisters as neuer to care to vnderstand how they profit and go forward in learning and vertue for the regard of such diligence would make the maisters more carefully to discharge their duties And thereof came the Prouerbe The maisters eye fatteth the horse and this The maisters eye is the fruitfulnesse of the garden Vpon these sinnes ensue many punishments both ghostly and bodily as well in the parents as in the children yea and in all the posteritie The holy Scripture giueth great commendation to sundry men and women for their godly education and vertuous bringing vp of their children as to Abraham for he commanded his sonnes and his houshold to keepe the way of the Lord. So Dauid counselled his sonne 〈◊〉 to serue God with a perfect heart and a willing mind It is said also of Cornelius that he feared God and all his houshold Likewise of Eunice the mother of Timothie that she nourished vp her sonne in the words of faith and good doctrine For where a vertuous and godly childhood goeth before there a godly and vertuous age followeth after Contrariwise when the parents are not carefull to teach their children to know God and to know themselues when they do not breed them vp in vertue nor reproue them when they do amisse they then become corrupt in their vnderstanding and abhominable in their doing ignorant and voide of all knowledge and grace and of reuerence or feeling of nature If parents be desirous to haue their children vertuous and honest indeed as in conscience they ought then they must be diligent and carefull to practise godlinesse honesty themselues For we see by experience according to the common Prouerbe As the old cocke croweth the yong learneth such a father such a sonne such a mother such a daughter For like as when the head is well and sound and also the stomacke pure from hurtfull humours
Elie was corrected himselfe for not correcting his sonnes which is a notable example necessary for all parents to imprint in their hearts that they may see their children well taught and corrected lest they procure the wrath of God to fall vpon thē as it did vpon this Elie who honored his children aboue the Lord and therefore the Lord cut him and them off For the comfort he had of his sonnes was this the Arke the witnesse of the Lords presence was lost thirty thousand of the people slaine his two sonnes Hophni and Phineas killed himselfe when newes thereof came vnto him for sorrow fell backward and brake his necke vpon this his daughter in law fell in trauell and in trauell dyed the remnant of his house were glad to craue and beg for a small peece of siluer and a morsell of bread Also the two and forty children that mocked Elisha the Lords Prophet saying Come vp thou Bald-head were rent in peeces with beares Thus we see that children vntaught and vnchastized bring shame and confusion to their parents Let them therefore alwayes remember this that they prouide and bestow diligent labour that their children be foorthwith instructed in vertue and godlinesse whilest their wits are yet voide from cares and vices and whilest their age is tender and tractable and their minds flexible and readie to euery thing for then they will keepe fast good lessons and vertuous precepts if they be taught them For this is certaine that we remember nothing so well when we be old as those things we learne in young yeares It shall be conuenient and profitable therefore to handle the waxe straight way while it is moist to season those earthen vessels with very good liquor whilest they are new to die and litte the wooll while it is faire and white and not defiled with any spots The Emmets or Pismires are not taught to gather into their holes or hillockes in Sommer whereby they should liue in winter Bees learne not to make their cells to gather iuyce and to make honey but all these things be done by instinction of nature So euery liuing thing the lesse meete it is to learning so much the more it hath of natiue prudence but man neither can eate nor go nor speake except he be taught Then if fertile fields for want of tillage waxe barren if trees being neglected either bring forth no fruite or else the same vnsauourie without diligence or grafting and pruning if dogs be vnmeet to hunt the horse and oxen vnapt to the plough except mans diligence be put thereto how vile then and vnprofitable creatures would children become except diligently and in due time they should be fashioned by good bringing vp What a shame is this for any man to take great care to haue his dog well taught his horse well broken his land well husbanded his house goodly trimmed and richly furnished and yet to haue his child shamefully rude in manners and altogether voyd of all garnishing and instruction of vertue and godlinesse What a great folly and madnesse is this for a father to take great care and thought how to get money and possessions and to haue no regard of his child for whom the same is gotten This is no lesse shame to heare then if a man taking thought for the shooe would set nought by the foote or with great care and studie would prouide that there should be no fault in the childes garments not regarding the health of his body This is as the common saying is to be penny wise and pound foolish to saue a sticke and burne a house to saue a ioynt and lose the body But oh vaine man hast thou more care and desire to leaue thy sonne faire buildings and full of lands then for to instruct him in the way of godlinesse and so leaue him a vertuous consceince Hast thou rather a desire to hoord vp treasure for him with rust and moth to be consumed then to teach him the knowledge of God which will not canker but last for aye Most parents a pitifull thing to remember be louing to the bodies of their children but their soules they care not for they desire their welfare in this world but they passe not what they shall suffer in the world to come Yea fathers prouide lands rents reuenues great annuities fees and offices for their children here but alas few prouide or be carefull to haue them brought vp in vertue and the feare of God For the losse of their liues and bodies they will sore bewaile and much Iament but the health and saluation of their soules they make no reckoning of If they see them poore and sicke they sorrow and sigh but though they see them sinne and greatly displease God they are nothing grieued It behooueth that parents do carefully obserue vnto what vices their children are most inclined and so by good meanes admonish and draw them from their sinne As parents be carefull to prouide temporall things for their childrens bodies which are transitory so much more carefull ought they to be to prouide spiritual things for their soules And as they be diligent to keepe the bodies of their children from fire and water when they be young so much more they ought to take care that their soules be not poysoned with vices and false and erronious doctrine when they come to yeares of discretion and this is the most acceptable seruice that they can do to God Children are called the fruite of their parents Therefore as a good tree is knowne by bringing foorth good fruite so parents should shew their goodnesse in the good education of their children which are their fruit To teach a child in the trade of his way as Salomon commandeth Prou. 22. 6. is not onely to instruct him vnto godlinesse but also vnto all other humane duties wherefore this dutie then belongeth vnto parents and they are bound to do it For who should teach and informe the childe but they which haue the gouernment and commanding of him But it is well knowne that parents onely haue the gouernment and commanding of their children or such as they shall procure for their better education and therefore this charge and dutie lieth vpon them and they must looke vnto it Againe this is apparent euen by the generall law of nature which hath taught the very bruite beasts to bring vp their young And further this dutie is yet enforced from the opportunitie of the thing commanded For euen as a plant will sooner take nourishment and thriue better in the soyle where it first grew or sprong vp then in any other ground because it liketh his owne soyle best so children will sooner take instruction and good nourture from their parents whom they best like and from whom they had their first being then from any other and therefore you parents are in fault if your children be not well taught For whatsoeuer good commeth from the parent to the
prouision according to their degrees for the reliefe and maintenance of their children and familie And therefore such fathers and mothers as consume and wast away their money and substance vnthriftily by dycing carding gaming or by any other indirect and vnlawfull meanes whereby their children and familie should be maintained do very vnnaturally sin and breake Gods Commandements The Wiseman sheweth parents when is the best time to sow the seed of vertue in their children that it may bring forth the fruite of life and make them alwayes readie to die saying Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now saith he thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth As if he should say Be mindfull and thinke on God in thy youth and do not prolong or deferre it vntill age And so all their life shall runne in a line the middle like the beginning and the end like the middle as the Sunne setteth against the place where it arose One of the principallest duties that belong to parents towards their children is that they be very wary and carefull that their sonnes and daughters do not match in marriage with such as are vngodly wicked and voyde of true religion Which if they do they endanger the faith of their children and so commit a grieuous sinne For proofe whereof let vs consider first what marriage is and how nigh a coniunction the Lord hath made it He made the woman of the mans nature flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So that we may not imagine that that God which required so neare a coniunction in the outward and inferiour part will suffer the minde and spirit of the husband and wife betweene faith and superstition to be rent asunder Therefore when God said They shall be two in one flesh we may not thinke but that he spake it of the whole and perfect creature made of bodie and soule that they should be of two one or that God did by so holy a Law set free the holiest part requiring onely such agreement in the flesh and bodie and leaue the soule and spirit in dissention For as God gaue vnto both one name as touching their earthly nature signifying their vnitie and called them Adam Genesis 5. 2. so he gaue vnto them a likenesse in name as they were ioyned in marriage to signifie their agreement in minde and spirit and called the one man and the other woman Genesis 2. 22. 23. Yea he gaue vnto marriage this especiall priuiledge For this cause shall a man leaue his father and his mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh but it could neuer be that any vniting onely of flesh and bloud should haue found a dispensation from the Law that bindeth minde and conscience Honour thy father and thy mother Exod. 20. 12. The holy and faithfull bond of marriage betweene man and wife is commended to vs by that most holy coniunction of Christ with his Church Ephes. 5. 2. Seeing that this is a coniunction both of bodie and soule then such as are Christian parents ought to be carefull that their children may reioyce in it howsoeuer it liketh others to marrie their children yet they ought to see that their children do settle themselues that they may knit their minds in religion where they make their bodies one that so their marriage may be to them as a looking-glasse to view and behold the loue of Christ. S. Paul giueth this generall rule to all that wil marrie that they marrie onely in the Lord and to marrie only in the Lord is not to be led by flesh and bloud with fauour credite honour friendship riches or beautie but rather it is to marrie religiously in the feare of God in the fellowship of the Church of Christ where true Christians liue by one faith professe one religion and serue one God Now let vs a little call to our remembrance what fruit such vnequal mariages haue brought forth from the beginning The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and they tooke them wiues of all that they liked This aduenturous marriage in a strange religion did so infect the world that all flesh had corrupted his wayes For this cause God gaue this plaine and expresse Law vnto the people of Israel as touching all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan Thou shalt not giue thy daughters vnto his sonnes Deut. 7. 2. 3. 4. Exod. 34. 16. Surely they will turne away thy heart 1. Kings 11. 2. Ezra 9. 1. 2. c. and 10. 18. 19. Reade the places We may not here thinke that this inhibition serueth not now 〈◊〉 ys as touching Pagans Turks or Infidels but rather we must assure our seiues in the truth and know that no people in the world are more within the compasse of this law then the Papists and superstitious idolaters The holy Ghost forbiddeth vs to keepe company with Idolaters and such as are of a strange religion and how can he then permit that we should marrie with them He commandeth streightly that we should not draw in one yoke with the vnbeleeuing 2. Cor. 6. 14. which to do is as vnseemely as an Oxe and an Asse to be yoked together to plough Deut. 22. 10. And how can we possibly deuise to violate and breake this commandement more contumeliously then to yoke our selues in marriage with the vnfaithfull We are charged To offer vp our bodies a liuely a holy and a reasonable sacrifice vnto God Rom. 12. 1. But if we shall giue our bodies to Papists we then shall make them one flesh with the Papists and then we may be sure that no corrupt sacrifice can be a sweete smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord our God Here godly parents ought then aduisedly to consider that the strengthening and constant standing in religion of their children is onely of God and from God and not of themselues and therefore although they haue brought vp their children religiously and vertuously and thinke they are so well grounded and setled therein that they cannot be remoued drawne from their sound profession yet they must beware that they do not tempt God and venture their children to walke in that way which so many haue fallen in How can they assure themselues that their children shall abide constant and stand vpright if they shall consent that they may couple themselues in marriage with Papists Sampson was borne by Gods promise consecrated to the Lord from the day of his birth to the day of his death made a Iudge of Israel a deliuerer of Gods Church and a reuenger of his enemies very great and especiall tokens of the grace of God in him that it should be continued yet when he would attempt to marry one of a strange religion he lost his honour and became a laughing-stocke vnto the enemies of God Iudges the fourteenth Chapter and first verse c. and 16. 4. 17. 18. c. Salomon was a
keepe them vnder a seruile or slauish awe subiection by too much feare but rather be a child-like and reuerend feare which both the subiects owe vnto their Princes and children vnto their parents and which both the one and the other easily obtaine at the hands of such as are vnder their gouernment by their equall vpright and modetate behauiour towards them It doth therefore stand parents greatly in hand that in making choise for their children they be free from all sinister and corrupt affection and that for luker and couetousnesse they seeke not to thrust such matches vpon their children as they cannot brooke nor like well of Yea and in this most graue and weightie cause it is a thing earnestly to be wished that all Christian parents would not take this matter and businesse lightly in hand as it were but a toy or a ieast but that they begin it with prayer that in the whole action they may in such sort be directed that they do nothing against the word of God or vnbeseeming the same authoritie the which God himselfe in this cause hath imposed or laid vpon them And thus doing God no doubt will adde a blessing vnto their godly endeuour and holy care and worke obedience in the hearts of their children as he framed the heart of Isaack with entire affection to embrace Rebecca whom his father Abraham had by his steward prouided for him Gen. 27. 7. c. The third point that appertaineth to parents is to be themselues examples of all godlinesse and vertuousneste to their children So that they must remember that they themselues do not say or do any thing that is euill or offensiue in the presence of their children For it is certaine that children follow and learne nothing so much and so soone as that which they see their father and mother do or say For the vertue thriuing and prosperitie of children is for the most part wrought by the fathers and mothers good examples and instructions and contrariwise for that which is done by examples the inferiours will thinke they may lawfully do the like As good examples do edifie and vphold so ill examples do destroy and confound For humanity is taught by the law of nature If therefore parents by their example should teach the contrarie what do they else but indeuour to transforme men into beasts beginning first to performe it in their owne children They must be circumspect that their children do not fight and iniurie one another and if they sweare curse lye or speake any bawdie or ribaldous words or sing any 〈◊〉 rimes or vnchristian songs then to reprooue them sharply for it And let all parents alwayes labour that their children may rather feare them for loue and reuerence then for fearé of punishment For children that obey their parents for feare of correction commonly feare them no longer then the stripes endure Before all things it is needfull that parents should shew themselues vnto their children as a manifest patterne or example not onely by not sinning and offending God any wayes but also by liuing godly and by doing all things honestly that so their children may look into their liues and peruse themselues as in a glasse And therefore if parents do giue good examples they shall reape the fruite thereof in the life behauiour manners and prosperitie of their children For children loue and delight to do as their parents did before them All Christian fathers ought to be most carefull in nourishing and maintaining naturall loue and concord amongst the children and family and in no wise to suffer any sparke of hatred to enter into their hearts lest it kindle a fire in their breasts much lesse ought they themselues to cast in coales of discord among them by vnkind or iniurious examples of dealing For the state of a family if it be in due order is like to a frame of ioyning worke or building whereof if some one peece be out of his place it tendeth to the disordering of all the rest and one disorder following another all becommeth out of ioynt and falleth into confusion very dispraiseable So that parents therefore ought to be carefull to maintaine their children in peace concord and amitie for if discord and contention be dangerous and pernicious among all men how much more betweene brethren and sisters Likewise if it be hard quenching of stomacke and debate betweene those that are not enioyned in kindred it is farre more difficult to revnite brethren because enmitie amongst them is mightie and strong like iron-barres to keepe them asunder Neither is there any thing more slipperie or of greater efficacie to subuert a family then dissention among brethren It is an old saying by concord small things do grow but by discord great things come to nought Againe how dangerous it is for parents to shew more loue and affection to one child then to another except vpon iust and great cause the example of lacobs children doth testifie For what was the originall of their enuie and crueltie executed against their brother Ioseph Geneses 37. 3. Moses there saith that Iacob louing Ioseph better then his brethren made him a partie-coloured-coate and thereof they tooke occasion to hate him and to speake roughly vnto him Parents therefore to the end to preuent the like inconueniences are to vse equalitie among their children so neare as may be whether in their ordinary vsage or in the diuision of their goods For as all men naturally are inclined but too much to the loue of earthly goods so the vnequall sharing and diuiding of the same doth oftentimes breede great brawles and pernicious debate betweene brethren and sisters Therefore all fathers and mothers are with great diligence to take heede what they say or do in their houses and that they do not commit any leude or wicked deed whereby their children may be moued to imitate and follow the same neither that they vtter or speake any bawdy or ribaldous words or vse to sweare or lie in their presence for euill speakings or communication saith the Apostle corrupteth good manners Seruants also are to be looked vnto and sharply rebuked if they do commit or shew any leud trickes or vnhonest behauiour in the presence of children either in word deede or gesture For if they be iustly called murtherers that kill the children being new-borne and kill but the bodie how great wickednesse is it then to kill the mindes of children through euill example Deserue not such seruants seuerely to be punished by law thinke you that bewitch young children and hurt their weake bodies with poysons What then do they deserue which corrupt the chiefe parts of Infants with most vngracious venime we meane by filthy talke and leude conuersation of life Yet it is a lighter matter to kill the bodie then the mind and soule Further parents ought to be circumspect and warie that their children do not haunt or vse euill companie nor vse
housholders when they go about to hire any seruants would be no lesse carefull and inquisitiue of their honestie godly conuersation and how they haue profited in the knowledge of God his religion then they be to enquire and know what they can do and what skill and cunning they haue in that Art or Science which they prosesse or else what qualities they haue and so doing no doubt they being carefull to hire religious and godly seruants to do their worke and businesses that which such seruants shall take in hand the Lord will much better prosper giue good successe vnto then otherwise if they shall hire and entertaine irreligious and prophaue seruants as may plainly appeare by the examples of Iacob and Ioseph two religious and faithfull seruants whose maisters and their substance were blessed increased and multiplied for their sakes As house-holders ought to haue care ouer the bodies of their seruants so much more ouer their soules One compareth the maister of the house to the Seraphin which came and kindled the Prophets zeale so he should go from wife to seruants and from seruants to children kindle them in zeale of God longing to teach and vtter knowledge as a nurse to empty her breasts It is lamentable to thinke how carelesse all maisters for the most part are on this behalfe not onely such as are prophane and ignorant themselues but also some that would be counted great professors and would seeme to haue great knowledge yea and with griefe may it be spoken some Preachers also who hauing had seruants dwelling with them 3. or 4. yeares or more as they were ignorant in the grounds and principles of Christian religion whē they came first into their seruice so they went from them as ignorant therein as they came and all for want of catechising being a principall duty which not onely Ministers but also all Christian maisters in conscience are bound to performe to their families But of this matter I haue sufficiently intreated in my last Edition of the vse and necessitie of catechising and therefore I will of purpose here omit to speake of it Another saith that a maister in his familie hath all the offices of Christ for he must rule and teach and pray rule like a king and teach like a Prophet and pray like a Priest To shew how a godly man should behaue himselfe in his houshold when the holy Ghost speaketh of the conuersion of any house-keeper commonly he saith That the man beleeued and all his houshold As Peter being conuerted must conuert his brethren so the maister being a protestant and a good Christian must endeuour by all good meanes that his seruants may be such For therefore God said that he would not hide his counsell from Abraham because he would teach his familie And surely all duty of seruants which is not done of conscience is but eye seruice and faileth at most need as Ziba betraied his maister when he should haue defended him Therefore before Onesimus was conuerted Paul said he was an vnprofitable seruant but when he was conuerted he called him more then a seruant because such a seruant is better then many seruants Though Laban was wicked himselfe yet he reioyced that Iacob his seruant was godly because God blessed him the better for him Ioshuah saith I and my houshold will serue the Lord Shewing that maisters should receiue none into their houses but whom they can gouerne as Ioshua did and if any such haue crept into their doores they must put him forth againe for Dauid saith I will not suffer a lyer to stay within my house He saith not a swearer nor a theefe but a lyer as if he should say I will rid him out of doores before he be a swearer and a theefe for a lyer will grow to a swearer and a theefe as a dicer groweth to a begger in a night Therefore it is noted of Cornelius that he himselfe feared God with all his houshold These examples be written for house-holders as others are for Magistrates and Ministers and souldiers that no calling might seeke further then the Scriptures for instruction Wherefore as you are maisters now and they your seruants instruct them and teach them as if you would shew what maisters your seruants should be hereafter Next vnto seruants labours and instruction must be considered their corrections As Paul saith Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath so we may say Maisters and mistresses prouoke not your seruants to wrath that is vse such reproofes and such corrections that you do not prouoke them but moue them that you do not exasperate them but win them for reuiling and reprochfull words and immoderate fiercenesse doth much more hurt then good And therefore the Law of God did charge the Magistrate that he should not cause aboue forty stripes to be inflicted vpon any offender lest he should seeme despised in his eyes much lesse then may a maister exceed that number to his seruant For while a child or scholler or seruant doth thinke that he is reproued for loue or beaten with reason it makes him thinke of his fault and is ashamed but when he seeth that he is rebuked with curses and beaten with staues as though he were hated like a dogge his heart is hardned against the man that correcteth him and the fault for the which he is corrected and after he becommeth desperate like an horse which turneth vpon the striker and therefore let maisters know that God euen then chides them whensoeuer they fight or chide in such rage For though there be a fault yet something must be dissembled and winked at and some things must be forgiuen and some punished with a looke for he which takes the forfeit of euery offence shall neuer be in any rest but vexe himselfe more them his seruant But aboue all we thinke that the charitie and tender affection of maisters and loue of seruants to their fellowes in their sicknesse is especially to be vsed and shewed at which time the sicke are to be seuerally lodged from the whole and to be cherished and nourished with more choise and daintie meate For the performance and care of this dutie the Centurion is commended in the Gospell which dutie very vnchristianly is neglected of many maisters The maister of the house should not disdaine or shew himselfe so scornfull or vnkind as not to visite his sicke seruants For if bruite beasts reioyce to see their maisters cherish and feede them as we may daily see in dogges c. how much more may we beleeue that men and reasonable creatures are much delighted and comforted therewith Whereupon it comes to passe that good and faithful seruants liking and affecting their maisters vnderstand them at a becke and obey them at a winke of the eye or bent of the brow not as a water-spaniel but as the hand is stirred to obey the mind so prompt and readie is
the dutifull seruant to obey his louing and kind maister For as the hand is said to be the instrument of instruments being it indeed that serues to feed apparell and keepe cleane the rest of the limmes and parts of the bodie which are also called instruments so is the seruant said to be an instrument of instruments because he keepeth all the instruments of houshold occupied not onely to liue but to liue well wherein he differeth from all other instruments For where they are things without soule he is diuinely enriched with a soule and herein he differeth from the hand for that the hand is fastened and vnited to the bodie but he is separate and disioyned from his maister and he is also different from Artificers for Artificers are instruments of those things which properly they call workmanship but the seruant is an instrument of the action which also is distinguished from workmanship So that the seruant if you will rightly vnderstand him is aliuely and seuerall instrument of action It is very meete and conuenient that the mistrisse or dame do not make her selfe too familiar with her seruants or houshold-folkes lest they should be too bold to talke to ieast or vnreuerently and vnmannerlie to behaue themselues towards her and so modestly and wisely to beare her self among her seruants that they may feare reuerence and so stand in awe of her as the mistresse and mother of the house And as it is not comely or beseeming that the wife should take vpon her to rule and correct the men-seruants so likewise it is not comely or meete that the husband should meddle with the punishing or chastising of the maide-seruants so that it is most meete and acceptable to the offender that the maister should correct the men and the mistris her maides for a mans nature scorneth and disdaineth to be beaten of a woman and a maids nature is corrupted with the stripes of a man Therefore we reade that Abraham would not meddle with his maid but committed her to his wife and said Do with her as it pleaseth thee As if he should say It belongeth not to me but to thee Andthese are the duties which maisters must performe in their life time All which must be shut vp with setting order for all things at their death with especiall exhortations and prayers for religion for vprightnesse in their callings for peace and order after them according to the example of Hezekiah Dauid of Iacob and of Ioseph Esay 38. 1. and Gen. 47. 29. 30. and 40. 29. So that it is the dutie of Christian maisters to haue a care not onely that their families be well and Christianly gouerned while they liue but also that after their death loue peace quietnesse and good order may be continued in their posteritie The Seruants dutie towards their Maisters THis dutie confisteth in three points 1. First that seruants and apprentises do frō their hearts cheerefully and willingly performe the labours and workes that their maisters mistresses or dames shall command them 2. Secondly that they be faithfull in things committed to them by their maisters mistresses or dames that so they may keepe their goods 3. Thirdly that they be carefull to obserue vprightnesse of manners that the wife sonnes and daughters or other fellow seruants be not corrupted by their bad counsels or lewd behauiour These points are plainely proued by these places of Scripture quoted in the margine whereby seruants are straightly charged reuerently and faithfully to obey their bodily maisters mistresses and dames in all things which may be done without offence to God And this obedience and seruice must be done with feare and trembling in singlenesse of heart as vnto Christ they being 〈◊〉 with a reuerence to Godward as though they serued God himselfe and that as well in the absence of their maisters mistresses or dames as in their presence not constrainedly as it were forced or compelled thereto but heartily and with good will as they that serue the Lord and not men not onely in respect of the earthly reward but because they know and are assured that of the Lord they shall receiue the reward of inheritance in as much as they serue the Lord Christ. So that hereby all godly seruants may in few words learne what dutie they owe to their maisters mistresses and dames namely to loue them and to be affectioned towards them as a dutifull child is to his 〈◊〉 to be reuerent and lowly to them in their words and gestures to suffer and forbeare them to obey with readie and willing mindes all their lawfull and reasonable commandements to feare them and to be loth to displease them to be faithfull and trustie to them and theirs in deedes and promises to be diligent and seruiceable to speake cheerefully to answer discreetly not ouer boldly to dallie with their maisters wife daughters or maidens to be loyall and dutifull to their maisters mistresses and dames as Iacob was towards Laban and Ioseph towards Potiphar And they must carefully endeuour to do and procure to the vttermost of their abilitie that which may be to their maisters mistresses and dames honestie credit and profit and that as well when they are absent and out of sight as when they be present and looke on This is a qualitie and propertie belonging to euery good seruant both men and maides to wit that whatsoeuer goods or necessaries of their maisters mistresses or dames they shall haue charge of as committed to their trust and keeping they carefully see such things so well and orderly placed and laid vp that if there shall be at any time any iust occasion to vse any necessary in their custodie yea if it be in the night season and that without a light they then not onely can say in such a place it lyeth but also if they be required they can presently fetch the same Seruants must take heede that they do not 〈◊〉 and willingly anger or displease their maisters mistresses or dames which if they do then they ought incontinent and forthwith to reconcile themselues vnto them and to aske them forgiuenesse They must also forbeare them and suffer their angrie and hastie words and in no wise answer againe spitefully or scornefully neither yet vpon any such occasion run away For the Angell taught and willed Hagar the seruant of Sarah when she fled from her mistresse that she should returne and humble her selfe vnder the hands of her mistresse So did Saint Paul make agreement betwixt Onesimus a vagabond and theeuish seruant and sent him againe to his maister Philemon from whom he was fled away and it is probable that he admonished Onesimus to submit himselfe to his maister Seruants apprentices therfore according to the rule of Gods word must patiently beare and forbeare their maisters mistresses and dames do whatsoeuer lawfull thing they shall command them not being against a good conscience And therefore they must remember how
vnnecescary blazing of other mens 〈◊〉 by lying slandering 〈◊〉 taunting if any shew himselfe care lesse to 〈◊〉 the motions and enticements vnto sinne and the lust of the same and he wil vse the meanes following to redresse them The manner of correcting must like wise be looked vnto for to faile in that maketh correction hurtfull oftentimes but alwayes 〈◊〉 For this point then we must know that correction must be Ministred in Wisedome and Patience Wisedome is that by which we obserue comelinesse in euery action that is to say by which we obserue what we do how in what place at what time before whom that all things may be done in a conuenient place time and manner Wisedome will 1. Find out the right party that cōmitted the fault that he that is innocent be not vniustly burthened 2. Consider of what sort and nature the fault is 3. Weigh circumstances of ages discretion occasions that moued the party and whether it be customary or a slip by ouersight 4. Looke to the mind of the doer whether negligence frowardnesse or simplicity want of wisdom brought him to it And according to these things wisdome will teach a man to measure out correction or to be sparing in it Besides wisedome will not correct before the fault be euident or before she be able to winde the offender out of all shifting holes For when the offender is not throughly conuinced he shifteth off the shame of the fault and of the correction which is a part of the purgation to cure his disease and besides he will be bold to open his mouth against his ruler and seeke to bring him into hatred or contēpt with the rest of the inferiours for correcting vniustly Wisedome therefore will winke at a fault a while and make as though she saw it not that she may haue a fitter opportunitie to correct yea towards some of a good nature wisedome will shew that she seeth a fault but yet for loue of the partie and desire to haue him amend of his owne accord she will passe ouer the euill Moreouer wisedome will neuer reproch the offender by reuiling or taunting him with the fault but minister correction in loue and desire to haue his sore cured and his credit salued For the casting of faults in their teeth and disgracing them especially before others which is common in the world maketh them lay off shame of offending by little and little whereas if they saw thee carefull of their credite they would haue much more regard to it themselues Lastly wisedome will auoid partialitie and deale with all in the same case after the same manner Patience is also needfull that through anger or hastines a man do not fight nor chide before he hath made the fault manifest to the offender that if it may be his conscience may be touched for it Againe by patience one must heare what the offender can say in his defence and not disdaine to heare him modestly alledging for himselfe and when his defence is made by equitie to allow or disallow the same So did Iob Iob. 31. 13. And Balaam had no reason to disdaine the defence of his beast Num. 20. 30. c. This patience will also keepe a man from bitternesse which might sooner make the party angrie then draw him to amendment which thing the Apostle would haue auoided in superiours towards those that be vnder them For want of this many are but a word and a blow many first correct and then tell the fault many lay on loade or raile and reuile brawle and scold without measure Lastly this patience will keepe thee from immoderate anger a thing dangerous in a corrector For he that cometh to reforme with too much anger shall hardly keepe a measure in rebuking or chastising Now for the seuerall kinds of correction the first is rebuking which is a sharpe reproofe for a fault committed measured according to the nature of the fault Example whereof we haue in Iacob Gen. 30. 2. Ioh. 2. 10. Our Sauiour Christ to Peter Mat. 16. 23. and to Iames and Iohn Luk. 9. 55. So Eli 1. Sam. 2. 23. c. rebuked his sonnes but not according to the quality of their fault which turned to his and their ruine This reproofe may haue some threatning of chastisement ioyned with it if need be to the end to make it sinke the deeper Prou. 19. 19. Be thou verie angrie when thou pardonest a fault saying that thou for sparing him now wilt punish him the soarer if he transgresse againe But threatenings must not be vaine words without effect but alwayes if amendment follow not thou must performe what was threatned lest thou become light and vaine in the offenders eyes Chastisement is when with a sharpe rebuke punishment is also laid vpon the offender according to discretion If any man thinke fighting vnmeete for Christians or be loth to foile their hands lest they should get themselues an ill name let them know that Gods ordinance is not a matter of an ill report but onely among fooles that know not what is good and meete Now that houshold-chastisement is agreeable to Gods will is euident out of the Prouerbs where the wisedome of God doth very often commend it to vs as Chap. 13. 24. He that spareth the rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him chasteneth him betimes Where he requireth that it be not deferred till it be too late that is till the offender be hardened in ill but giuen in time before he be past recouery Secondly he saith that it is a fruit of true and pure loue to correct in due time and very loue in parents and care of their children must draw them to it Thirdly he saith that such parents know not what true loue of children meaneth but embrace fondnesse and foolish pittie in stead of it who do spare to correct when correction is deserued Fourthly that this fondnesse and foolish affection is indeed hatred and not loue The reason why it is to be counted hatred is set downe Prou. 19. 18. Chastise thy sonne while there is hope and let not thy soule spare him to his destruction Where he plainely saith that fond pittying and sparing of children is to worke the destruction of them And is it not a token of great hatred to be a meanes of anothers destruction Elsewhere he sheweth the necessitie of correction and the good which it doth Prou. 22. 25. Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of correction shall remoue it farre from him As if he should say much folly and 〈◊〉 is couched in a childs heart which if it be not purged will burst forth into foule enormities and therefore a purgation is but needfull and what may that be but the rod of correction The same is commanded Prou. 29. 17. Correct thy sonne where also he sheweth what benefit commeth thereby to the parents He shall giue thee rest yea he will giue pleasures to thy soule
that is thou shalt be free from sorrow heauinesse and many troubles which many parents haue with vngracious children and on the other side thou shalt haue much comfort and delight by him Great benefit also commeth thereby to the children as he sheweth in the 15. verse The rod and correction giue wisedome aud Chap. 23. 13. 14. Whereas the neglect of it bringeth hurt to the child and to the parents as followeth A child set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed And for seruants the Wiseman doth closely shew how they must be dealt withall where he saith Prou. 29. 21. He which bringeth vp his seruant delicately from his youth at length will be depriued of his children And a little before verse 19. he saith A seruant will not be chastised with words though he vnderstand yet he will not answer or regard These Scriptures shew that God hath put the rod of correction in the hands of the Gouernours of the family by punishment to saue them from destruction which if the bridle were let loose vnto them they would run vnto Where men and women are content to go contrary to their owne nature and to vndergo ill reports to obey the ordinance of God there God will giue a blessing that is a well ordered familie wherein all shall be of good hope These be the duties that the chiefe of the familie oweth to them of his familie within doores as touching godlinesse The wife also which is a fellow-helper hath some things belonging to her to further godlinesse in her familie As for example in her selfe to giue example to her houshold of all readie submission to all good and Christian orders to order her houshold affaires so carefully that no exercise of religion be hindred or put out of place at such time as they should be done in her husbands absence to see good orders obserued as he hath appointed to watch ouer the manners and behauiour of such as be in her house and to helpe her husband in spying out euils that are breeding that by his wisedome they may be preuented or cured Salomon saith of the vertuous woman that she ouerseeth the wayes of her houshold And a little before she openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of grace is in her tongue And Saint Paul requireth that wiues specially the elder be teachers of good things and that they instruct the yonger They may also do much good in framing the tender yeares of their children vnto good while they be vnder their hands For euen as a child cockered and made a wanton by the mother will be more vntractable when the father will seeke to bend him to good so on the other side a child wisely trained vp by the mother in the yong yeares will be the easilier brought to goodnesse by the fathers godly care We reade that Timothy was made acquainted with the Scripture from a little child by meanes of his godly mother and grandmother a good patterne for Christians And marke the proofe God recompenced their godly care exceedingly for Timothie proued a rare yong man of excellent graces to the great ioy and comfort of his parents Mothers may also powre good liquor into their childrens tender vessels the sauour whereof shall sticke in them a long while after I meane they may sow in their mindes the seede of religion and godlinesse These and such like duties if the wife performe constantly she shall bring no small helpe to her husband for the godly and religious ordering of his house And thus much of that part of Houshold gouernment which concerneth godlinesse Now we come to the other part which pertaines to the things of this life wherein is to be considered what is the duty of the husband and of the wife namely to Take order for Prouision and Health They must take order for prouision for necessaries to the maintenance of themselues and all their charge These necessaries are food and rayment Also care must be had of the health of such as be in their families both to preserue it by rest and recreation if need be and to restore it if it be hindred by good looking to such as are fallen into sicknesse That the gouernours of the familie must make honest prouision for themselues and their charge and not liue vpon the Church-almes or by begging purloyning borrowing or cousining It is most euident by that saying of Saint Paul to Timothie He that prouideth not for his owne and especially for them of his house hath denyed the Faith and is worse then an infidell And Salomon saith The iust man regardeth the life of his beast much more of his seruants and children And as the Spirit of God chargeth vs with this dutie so he setteth vs about such things whereby this may be compassed and forewarneth vs of those things whereby it might be hindered The things that he teacheth vs for the making of this prouision are first That euery one should haue some honest and good calling and should walke diligently in it that it may bring in honest gaine whereby necessaries for the family may be prepared That euery man must applie himselfe to some studie and calling is so knowne that it needeth no proofe In the sweate of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread c. Which condemneth all such as liue of the labours of other men and themselues take no paines or trauaile do no good in the world benefite not humane societie any way but deuoure the good creatures of the earth which indeed belong to them that take all the paines In this ranke do a number of Gentiles in the world march deuising gay toyes which might well be spared who are but vnprofitable burthens of the earth that fill vp number like Ciphers who glory in their shame that is in their ease pleasures and brauerie whereof if they knew whereto a man was borne they would be ashamed These be they for whose maintenance in their iollitie a number are faine to toyle very hardly fare meanely and spend their strength to the very skinne and bones and yet can get but a slender recompence through their vnmercifull exactions But enough of them to returne The good gouernour of a house must be none of these but he must haue a calling that is good honest and lawfull not onely gainfull to himselfe but also holy and profitable to the societie of mankind For thus much doth Saint Paul comprehend within the compasse of his words Ephes. 4. 28. But let him labour the thing that is good It is not enough to haue a calling though it be neuer so good but it must be followed so as it may bring in maintenance for thee and thine such as is meete for thy estate But how must it be followed First with diligence for as Salomon saith Prou. 8. 9. He that caryeth himselfe slothfully or loosely in his businesse is the brother of a great waster that is