Christian Economy, Treatise · Chapter 15
CHAP. 15.
Of the Master.
NExt vntounto parents and children, wherby the family is increased, is a second sort of couples, which are helpes therunto. And they are Masters and seruants.
The Master is a member in the familie, which hath power and beareth rule ouer the seruant. And his dutie stands principally in three things.
First, To make a good choice of his seruants; which is then done, when he inquireth first after such as feare God, and be willing to serue him. Paul makes the seruice and feare of God the maine ground of true obedience in seruants, Ephes. 6. 5. 6. 7. Colos. 3. 22. It was the rule of Dauids choice, Psal. 101. 6. Hee that walketh in the perfect way, he shall serue me. Abrahams chiefe seruāt of his house, was a man that feared God, as appeareth, in that he made conscience of his oath, Gen. 24. 2. 3. and prayed also for successe in the busines whereabout he was sent. Gen. 24. 12. O Lord God of my Master Abraham, I beseech thee send mee good speed this day, and shew merciemercy to my Master Abraham. Cornelius of Caesarea, the Captaine of the Italian band, had a souldier that daily attended on him, who feared God, and seruants also beside him, to whom hee made knowne the heauenly vision which hee saw, Act. 10. 7.
Secondly, To enioyne them labour, and not to require more of them, then their strength will beare. The master is to rule ouer the seruant in iustice. And then is his cōmandement vniust, whē it will not stād with the course of nature, with the abilitie of his seruant, or with the word of God. Therefore he is to require labour at their hāds proportionable to their strength, & yeeld thē sometimes intercession & rest. Leuit. 25. 46. Ouer your brethen the children of Israel, ye shall not rule ouer one another with crueltie. 1. Pet. 3. 8. Bee pitifull, bee courteous, one beare with another. And for the furtherance of busines, it is conuenient that the master be oftentimes present with the seruāts in their works. Prou. 27. 23. Be diligent to know the state of thy flock, and take heed to thy heards. The good matron ouerseeth the waies of her houshold, Prou. 31. 27.Arist. Oeconom. 7. A man of Libya being asked, what it was that might make a horse fat; he answered, The masters eye.
Thirdly, To recompence the diligence and paines of his seruant, and that three waies.
First, by giuing him his due of meat and drinke for the present. The good matron giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinary to her maids, Prou. 31. 15.
Secondly, by paying him his hire in the end of his seruice: The labourer is worthie of his wages. Luk. 10. 7. Well done, good seruant and faithfull; thou hast been faithfull in little, I will make thee ruler ouer much; enter into thy masters ioy. Mat. 25. 21.
Heere three caueats are to be obserued. I. That the wages be proportionable to the work. II. That it be paid in due time, without deferring. So the Master of the vine-yard, when euen was come, called his seruants together, to giuegive thē their hire, Mat. 20. 8. III. That the seruāt be not defrauded of any part of his due. For this is a crying sin; Deut. 24. 15. Thou shalt giuegive him his hire for his day, neither shall the Sunne go downe vponupon it—lest hee crie against thee vntounto the Lord, and it bee sinne vntounto thee. Iam. 5. 4. Behold, the hire of the labourers which hauehave reaped your fields, which is kept backe by fraud, crieth, and the cries of them which hauehave reaped, are entred into the eares of the Lord of hosts.
Thirdly, if the seruant in time of his seruice be sicke, the masters care must be by all means possible to procure his recouery. Equitie must be the rule in these cases; and masters are to do to their seruants that which is iust and equall. Col. 4. 1. Now the seruant haplie falles sicke by and in his seruice, and his health yeelds not only profit to his master, but incouragement also to himselfe. The good Centurion in case of his seruants sicknesse, tooke the best course to hauehave him restored, Matth. 8. 6.