Sermons on Ephesians, Sermons · Sermon 44
The .xliiii. Sermon, which is the second vppon the sixth Chapter.
5. Seruauntes, bee obedient too such as are your maysters as touching the fleshe, vvith feare and trembling, in singlenesse of your hartes, as vntoo Christ,
6. Not vvith eye seruice, as men pleazers, but as the seruantes of Christ, dooing the vvill of God from the hart,
7. Seruing the Lord with good will, and not men:
8. Assuring your selues, that eueryevery man, bee he bond or free, shall receyue of the Lord the good that he shall hauehave doone.
9. And you maysters, do the like vntounto them, forbearing threates, assuring your selues that the Lord both of them and of you is i… heauen, & that in him there is no respecting of the outward appearance of persons.
WEe hauehave seene already, that besydes the generall rule which God hath giuen too all men, heere are also seuerall warnings, how eueryevery man should behaue himselfe in his degree and calling. And we hauehave seen already what the husbandes ought too bee towardes their wyues, and how the wyues should behaue themselues towardes theyr husbandes: what gentlenesse parentes ought too vse towardes their children, and what subiection children ought too vse towardes their parentes. Now Saint Paule speaketh of Maysters and Seruantes, howbeeit, not of such seruantes as we hauehave now adayes, for at that tyme there were no seruantes that serued a yeere or two for wages, but they were hild in bondage for lyfe and death, and were in the same taking that they bee whom now adayes wee call bondslaues. But wee neede not too stand any longer as now too hauehave further knowledge of them. Yit notwithstanding wee hauehave great cause too prayse God for taking away of such bondage from among men. For no doubt but it was too excessiue an authoritie which maysters had in those dayes ouer their seruantes. They hild them as brute beastes, and they had libertie too kill them for eueryevery fault. And in deede they had prisons in theyr houses to keepe them locked in the stocks, they racked them, they rent them in peeces, and (too bee short) they vsed them horribly, yea and euen beastly. Yit notwithstanding, bycause of mans naughtinesse, it was our Lordes wyll that this state should bee styll suffered. Moreouer, wee see that euen they which are auowed too hauehave lyued in the feare of God, and to hauehave excelled in his Church, left not too keepe bondmen or slaues in their houses, howbeeit, they vsed another manner of gentlenesse towardes them, than the Infidels did, according as wee shall see heere in Saint Paules teaching.
Also there was a reason that constreyned maysters sometymes too vse the greater rigour towardes their slaues, bycause it was a common prouerb among them, that looke how many slaues they had, so many enemyes they had: and that was by reason of their holding of them in awe by extreme force and violence, as those are now adayes vppon the Sea, which are called Gallie slaues. And I hauehave alredy touched what & how excessiue o…trages were done vntounto them. There was a great number of those bondfolke, and riche men had as it were halfe armies of them, insomuch that some had fyue thousand slaues in one house, and that was the way too hauehave ones throte cut fyue thousand tymes, if there had not bin good heede taken too keepe them fettered. And this came of sin, as one mischeef tolleth on another, vntyll things bee come too vtter confuzion. But if wee consider what the ryght or authority of maysters was, wee will alwayes say, it was a thing vttterly ageinst all order of nature. For wee bee all fashyoned after the image of God, and therefore that a reasonable creature in whom God hath printed his marke, should bee put too such reproch, it was tootoo farre out of all square. But such are the fruites of the disobedience and sin of our father Adam, that all things were turned topsiteruie. Also on the other part, inasmuch as seruantes were in such subiection: it seemeth that if they could by any meanes plucke their neckes out of the collar, it ought too bee lawfull for them, and it was an honest excuce so too doo. But howsoeuer Seruantes fare, Saint Paule commaundeth them to obey their maysters, & too be subiect too them. In deede he dooth also exhort the maysters not too abuse the power that was giuen them, nor too thinke that the thing which was graunted them by the Lawe of man, was so ryghtfull and vnparciall before God, as they could not bee blamed for it. Saint Paule then counselleth maysters too asswage the excesse of their superioritie: but yit will he hauehave their seruantes too submit themselues too it, and too beare the yoke that was so hard and heauy. Now it myght seeme that he did seruantes wrong therein, and that he should rather hauehave cried out ageinst the common abuse, that such outrage myght hauehave bin layd downe. But we hauehave two principles to remember to restreyne vsus from attempting of any chaunge.
The one is, that forasmuch as it had bin Gods will too put maynkynd intoo confuzion, and that all men both great and small should be put in mynd that Adam had peruerted the order of nature. Therfore S. Paul counselleth seruantes to beare such subiection, assuring themselues that it commeth of God, and therefore that they must take it paciently. The other is, that the Gospell serueth not too chaunge the common policies of the world, and too make Lawes that belong too the temporall state. It is trew that Kings, Princes, and Magistrates ought alwayes too aske counsell at Gods mouth, and too frame themselues vntoo his word: but yit for all that, our Lord hath giuen them libertie, too make such Lawes as they shall perceyue too bee meete and conuenient for the gouernment that is committed vntoo them, howbeeit they must call vppon God too giuegive them the spirit of wisedome and discretion, and bycause they bee not of abilitie too rule of themselues, they must take aduice and counsell at Gods woord. Yit notwithstanding, the doctrine of saluation, which is called the kingdome of heauen,Math. 13. c. 24. d. 31. and the thinges that belong too the brydling of vsus in this world, that men may knowe how too behaue themselues one toowardes another, are sundrye thinges. That therefore is the cause why Saint Paule left slauerye, bondage, or seruiship as it was.
And he exhorteth Seruants to doo their dewtie, in feare and trembling, that is too say, with all lowelinesse and reuerence: yea and hee addeth further, with singlenesse of hart, which he matcheth ageinst all the fyne slyghts and shifts wheruntoo the seruants and slaues of that tyme were too much giuen, as is too bee seene in them that hauehave written of them, & hauehave set forth the maners and trade of lif which was in course and vse at those dayes. And let vsus mark first of all, that S. Paul thinks it not ynough for seruants too seeke the benefyte & profit of their maisters, and to be willing to obey them, and too be foreward in executing whatsoeuer is commaunded them: but he requyreth reuerence aboue all things, as I sayde afore. Let Seruants vnderstand, that although they should not bee inforced, nor chastized with whipping when they doo amisse, but that they had gentle and meeke masters: yit notwithstanding they ought too beare paciently the state wherin they bee, assuring themselues that God alloweth of it, and that the superioritie which their maysters hauehave ouer them, how hard and greeuous so euer it be, is neuerthelesse ordeyned and stablished of God. And that is the cause why he setteth downe the woord Singlenesse. For wee bee ouer wittie in seeking our owne aduauntage, and there is none of vsus all which is not a great doctor in matters concerning his owne profit. Why should such a one (say wee) hauehave this prerogatiue aboue mee? What reason is there that I should bee bound too him in that▪ Take mee the handicrafts men, that neuer knew word of learning, and deale with them in dayly matters, and in things that may make with them, and they bee so skilfull in debating their cace, that yee would take them too bee all men of lawe. Forasmuch then as men are so wyly in seeking their owne commoditie and profit, too the hinderance of others: Saint Paule dooth purposely set downe singlenesse of hart, which serueth too sift all affections, and too ouerthrowe all things that men can deuyze too hinder themselues from dooing of their dewties.
Now he setteth downe purposely (these woords:) As seruing the Lord: and it is the cheef foundation that wee hauehave too leane vntoo, when the cace concerneth the dooing of any dewtie towards men. For if wee sticke too creatures, wee wil say, Came wee not all out of the Ark of Noe? Why should he bee better esteemed than I? Is it meete that I should bee put vnderunder his feete? what reason is that: And all the rest of the woords which wee heare eueryevery day. For wee hauehave skill ynough too alledge exemption, and so little doo wee think our selues bound vntounto others, that wee think all others bound vntoo vsus. The mark therfore that al mē shoote at, is, that eueryevery man would be a Lord, and no man admit any subiection. And so it would needs followe, that wee should bee as wyld beasts, or rather as doggs and Catts (as men say), vntill wee knew that God lyketh well of the seruis that wee doo too creatures. If wee bee not throughly perswaded of that, wee may well make some fayre countenances, and please men: but out mynd shall neuer bee ryght and well dispozed, vntill wee bee come to the poynt that wee know, that our Lord accepteth our seruis.
But there is yit one other cause that myght hinder vsus, or rather coole vsus in the discharge of our dewtie towards other men: and that is, mens vnthankfulnesse. For they whom wee pleasure, doo commonly … vsus no thank, but rather think that wee bee made for none other purpose but too serue them. When wee see them requyte our seruis so euill, it spyteth vsus: and it were ynough too make vsus leaue of altoogither. Now then it is needfull for vsus too come backe too that which Saint Paule telleth vsus: namly that God is aboue all degrees, and that he hauing superioritie ouer the world, will hauehave eueryevery man imploy him self with all humblenesse, and that all subiections which he hath ordeyned in the world, too remayne firme and vnuiolable. This is the effect of the thing that Saint Paule telleth vsus heere.
Now first of all wee hauehave too mark the generall article which I come now to touch: which is, that whē we hauehave superiours ouer vsus, we must not obey them as inforced,Rom. 13. a. 1. but bycause God hath ordeyned them, and there is no preheminence but of him, as Saint Paule declareth to the Romanes. It is trew that there he speaketh expressely of Princes and Magistrates: but yit for all that, it extendeth too all authoritie, as too that which parentes hauehave ouer their children, husbandes ouer wyues, and Maysters ouer their seruantes. Therefore wee must bee fully perswaded of this, that Gods intent is not that all men should bee shuffled toogither, (as it woulde come too passe, if there were no restreynt,) but that some should rule and hauehave authoritie too commaund others, and that they which are vnderunder them, should obey. Then is it an vnreuocable sentence of God, wheruntoo wee must hold our selues and bee contented. For if wee protest our selues too bee willing too obey God, and in the meane whyle will needs remoue all order that he hath set among vsus: all that wee speake wyth our mouth is but hypocrisie. Therefore wee must gyue a proofe of our humilitie too Godward, by our willyng and easye bearing of mans yoke which he hath layd vppon vsus as it were his owne handes. Let that bee for one poynt.
Now (as I sayd) this comprehendeth all subiection, as well of people towardes Princes and Magistrates, of children towardes theyr parentes, and of wyues towardes their husbandes: as also of seruantes towardes their maysters. And when wee once hauehave that, it wyll bee easie for vsus too withstand all the trubbles and incomberances that hinder vsus, and turne vsus away from our dewties. For what is the cause that wee cannot submit our selues too Gods wyll? As I sayd, all these disputings are vnauaylable and fond, when a man shall say, Why am I bound too such a one? Why shoulde he holde his foote vppon my throte? Who hath giuen him more authoritie than mee? But seeyng God hath told vsus that he will hauehave it so: it behoueth vsus too holde our peace. Therfore if wee bee fully perswaded of it, wee shall be too froward if wee shewe not by our deedes that wee bee willing too please our God, and too fulfill his good wyll. For if a mayster hauehave a great multitude of folke in his house, he shall bee of sufficient authoritie too appoynt whom he listeth too hauehave the ouersyght of it, and they must be obeyed. A Prince hath his officers, and they must commaund, and others must herken too them, and simply obey them. And what is too bee doone then, when our God who is the souerein Lord and father, & hath the ryght of preheminence and dominion ouer vsus, will hauehave vsus too obey such as he hath appoynted, without making any reply? For what can it boote too say the contrarie? Therefore (as I sayde) let vsus print this counsell of Saint Paules throughly in our hartes, That when wee doo our dewtie willingly and vnfeynedly towardes those whom God hath set in authoritie ouer vsus, wee serue God himself. And soothly, without that mynd, all the vertewes that wee can hauehave in outward shewe too the worldward, shalbee but smoke, as yee shall see a number of men that pretend maruelously well, insomuch that they whō they serue, shall bee contented tootoo well with them. But although such dealing bee allowed among men: yit is it nothing woorth before God. And why? For God will bee honored at our handes: He wyll hauehave men too inioy theyr ryght in such wyse, as nother he bee forgotten, nor they as it were defaced. Therefore if wee will but onelyonly obey men, and despyze the thing which God will hauehave too bee as an acceptable sacrifyze too himselfe: what a dealing were that? Then let vsus tend alwayes too him, and dedicate our selues too him. And forasmuch as it is hys will that wee should bee vnderlyngs, let vsus beare that yoke willyngly, and with a free and vnslauishe or vnconstreyned mynd.
And for the same cause Saint Paule sayeth expresly, Let not your seruice bee eye seruice, as though yee sought too pleaze men. And in very deede, they that play their pageantes so fayre (as they say) seeke eyther recompence, or else too bee well interteyned and fed with the fattest, or else too hauehave greater wages, and afterward too hauehave some extraordinarye gift or reward when occasion serueth. That is the thing that men hunt for, when they hauehave not an eye vntoo God. But Saint Paule telleth vsus, that although they whom we serue be so froward, as wee cannot tell how too content them, and wee hauehave not any hope that euer wee shall get the valew of a button at their hands: yit wee must neuerthelesse performe our dewties towards God. And heere wee hauehave too gather, that in all things which God commaundeth vsus, wee must not onelyonly imploy our eyes, our feete, our handes, and our armes (as they say:) but wee must begin with the inwar… affection. Therefore when as Saint Paule sayeth, not vvith eye seruice: he sheweth vsus, that if wee desyre that our Lord should allowe our serui…s as good and lawfull▪ our hart must go foremost, and guyde all our members, so as there bee no counterfetting: accordingly as it is sayd, that he regardeth faythfulnesse, that is too say, that wee should deale soundly,Psal. 101. b. 6. playnly, and substancially. Thus are all gay showes quyte dasht. For (as I sayd) there is grea…e pre…ence of vertew in many men, but God accounteth it eueryevery whit as nothing, and in deede it is but hipo…risie. Therfore if wee will begin too serue God well, let vsus learne too leaue dubblenesse: and that wee may buyld substan…ially, let vsus alwayes lay that foundation, accordingly also as wee see how he had leuer too bee loued than feared. Trew it is that wee owe him reuerence, and that wee ought too tre…ble at his maiestie▪ but yit when he sheweth vsus the cheef thing which he …quyreth, and which pleaseth him best, he sayeth, What is it, O Israel, that thou shalt fynd in my Lawe,Deut. 10. c. 12. but that thou lo…e mee, and sticke too mee? Seeing that our Lord requyreth this willing affection, and that wee should resort too him with a free and franke hart: thinke wee that he accepteth aught at our handes, when wee come too him grudgingly & repyningly, & yit pretend too maruelous earnes…nes towardes men? Howsoeuer the world go, wee will alwayes hauehave this backe nooke in vsus, that wee would bee exempted from the obeying of God. Therfore we must take pleasure in his seruice, and it must be our ioy and delyght, so as our bondage must be more sweete and lee… some too vsus than all liberty, yea and than all the Realmes and Kingdomes of the world.
And Saint Paule sayeth expresly, Maysters as touching the flesh, bycause that among other …lyghtes of Satan wherewith he … too trubble the world in old tyme, and also too make the doctrine of the Gospell hated: he did put this heresie intoo a number of mens heades, that if wee bee once spirituall, wee must no more bee subiect too any worldly and transitorie policie, nother is that the state of Gods children. And wee also hauehave seene in our tyme a sort of seditious and mad headed people, which hauehave indeuered too abolish all principalities too take away taxes and impostes, and too make eueryevery man mayster of himselfe, lyke myce in the chaffe, as they say. And they grounded themselues vppon this foundation, that in asmuch as God hath adopted vsus too bee his children, and the world is now renewed, too the intent wee should bee graffed intoo the bodye of our Lord Iesus Christ: it is a thing ageinst reason, and contrary too all equytie, yea and euen ageinst the honour of God, that vnbeleeuers should reigne ouer vsus, or that they which name themselues faythfull, should … souerintie ouer their brethren and neyghboures. Lo how the d…uell laboreth too driue it intoo mens heades, that the Gospell …onfoundeth all order in the world, too the intent that men should hate it & abhorre it. Agein, too say that there is no man better than other, is a pleasant speech, and very fit too intyce a great number of folke. S. Paule therefore sayeth purposely, that although maysters … temporall authoritie, and that their superioritie dooth … the fleshe, that is too say, this present world, and this transitorye lyfe: yit must they not bee defrauded of their ryght, nother did our Lorde Iesus Christ come too make a confuzed equalitie heere, so as it should not bee knowen who is great, and who is little, but too make eueryevery man too hold himselfe quyietly in his calling,Psal. 131. …. …. without looking lo…tyly, as it is sayd in the Psalme. The way too make vsus humble and meeke, is too hauehave an eye eueryevery of vsus too his owne calling, so as the person that is aduaunced too authoritie and honour aboue others, bee not puffed vp with pryde and presumption for it, but rather abace himselfe before God, assuring himselfe that he is dubble bound vntoo him, for exalting him after that sort… and the meaner sort maynteyne themselues in their meannesse, without vsurping that which belongeth not too them. Lykewise the way for fathers too hauehave such obedience of their children as is requisite, is too treate them gently? that husbands also rule their wyues with all concord and freendlinesse: that Princes abuse not their subiectes as wretched beastes: and that … deuoure not their … too much: and therwithall, that such as are the meanest sort too the worldward, consider that God hath set them in that state, as though he had appoynted them their place there with his owne hand. Therfore let not the common sort aduaunce them selues, but bee contented with their state.
That (say I) is the cause why Saint Paule setteth downe this saying expresly, as touching the flesh. It was not too bring maysters in contempt for reygning ouer their slaues, but too preuent all obiections that men myght alledge, when they would seeke priuiledge too exempt themselues from obedience too God, and too all order that he hath set. And therewith all hee dooeth vsus too vnderstande also, that the same subiection is no preiudice too the faythfull, but that they may continew still in full libertie, as in respect of their soules. For the diuell vseth that colour also. What (sayeth he)? Seeing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath shed his blud too purchace vsus freedome, why should wee not continew in it? Yea, but Saint Paule answereth theruntoo, (as he hath doone with more large circumstance in the fifth Chapter of the first Epistle too the Corinthians:) that the bondage which wee yeeld too our superiours, is alonly as touching the flesh, and that our soules and consciences ceasse not too bee alwayes frank and free before God. And therfore it is a chyldish ob…ection, too say, that seeing our Lord Iesus Christ hath set vsus free, why should men make vsus bond? He hath not set vsus free as touching our bodyes, for it is his will that there should bee principalities and Lordshippes still in the world: which cannot bee, but that some must be subiect, and othersome hauehave preheminence and authoritie. For asmuch then as our Lord hath so distinguished the twoo gouernmentes of the bodie and of the soule, and that the one is spirituall, and too bee gouerned by his word, as in respect of our walking before him too atteyne to the kingdome of heauen: but when it commeth too the behauing of ou… selues towards men, which are of our owne bodie, then wee must learne too frame our selues too all good policie: let vsus assure our selues that yit for all that, our state is no whit woorse …efore God, than if wee were Kings and Princes, and all … …rembled before vsus. Yea and the things which wee doo hart…ly in seruing of creatures, doo turne so much the more to the exalting & magnifying of God. For needs must he bee a man of noble mynd, which can stoope so lowe as too obey willingly, (not regarding) how great, how skilfull, nor how riche so … chaunge their state: for wee see how Saint Paule hath cut of all occasion of such dealing. And therfore let vsus learne by that which is told vsus heere, that first and formest wee must hauehave God as it were fastened before our eyes, and knowe that he hath set vsus in this world too serue one another in such sort, as wee must notwithstanding liue toogither in all humilitie, and not disdeyne too doo our dewtie euen towards such as are not so sufficient as wee could wish, & as wee take our selues too bee. Bee wee once at that poynt, it is certein that wee will eueryevery of vsus submit our selues willingly according too the state that God calleth vsus too, and hold our selues in the place where he hath put vsus.
Now if Saint Paule would that the Slaues of his tyme should be so obedient too their maysters, there is lesse excuce in these dayes, for Seruants that take wages. Let vsus compare the one with the other. Those poore soules (as I tolde you before) were handled so rigorously, that their maysters myght imprizon them, put them in the stocks, racke them, dismember them, mayme them, yea and kill them. It was a greeuous cace, and yit were they bound too it for lyfe and death.Exod. 21. …. 1. There was no limitation of terme but only among the Iewes, among whom God had appoynted a terme. But the common and generall lawe of all nations was, that bond folks with their children should continew bond for euer, so as the father had no more ryght too his owne chyld, that a horse (as yee would say) or any other beast had ouer the young ones that came of their seede. And was not such a state as bad as a hundred deathes? Yis: for man dooth alwayes couet libertie, and too take his ease, and too eate his bread with quietnesse: and those wretched slaues had not a bit of bread at their owne appoyntment. As touching their persons, they were woorse than Captyues, as I sayd afore. And yit for all this, God willeth and commaundeth streytly, that they should beare this state paciently, and performe their dewties faythfully, and fall too it with a free and cheerly hart. Now what is too bee sayd of hyred seruants, which may warne themselues away, and hauehave their wages payd them when they hauehave serued out their yeere, and are vsed and treated much more gently and liberally than those poore slaues were? For they were fayne too labour eueryevery one in his trade and craft, they earned their bread, they drunk water many a tyme scarce their fill, and they were shet vp in Cabanes, where they were inforced too doo their taskes. Then if Serua…tes now adaye… can not stoope so lowe as too beare the state that God hath layd vppon their backes: it is certein that they be tootoo vnexcuzable. As much is to be sayd of subiectes towardes their Magistrates. Therfore inasmuch as we see that our Lord spareth vsus: wee bee so much the more bound too the subiection which S. Paule speakes of heere.
Furthermore wee hauehave too wey yit agein the woordes where he speaketh of franke and free harted willingnesse. For it is impossible for vsus too fynd any tast or sauour in our state or calling, of what sorte so euer it bee, except wee knowe it bee for our benefyte and welfare. For we can reape no great profit of the seruing of Creatures. Wee must therefore resort alwayes too our God, and ame at this marke, namely that seeyng he hath bin so good and gracious too vsus as too set vsus in this world, and too maynteyne vsus heere, and too shewe himselfe so good a father towardes vsus, that all that euer wee hauehave, dooth come of him: wee must shewe the reuerence which wee beare too his maiestie, and labour too please him in such wyse, as wee sticke not too bee subiect too men, nor take it in greefe or in scorne. So shall our state bee greatly sweetened, when wee know that God accepteth it in good woorth at our handes.
And that also is the cause why he setteth these things as one ageinst another: not too shewe any contrarietie, but rather too accord them toogither. For he sayeth, that wee must serue God on the behalfe of our maysters, with all willingnesse: and afterwarde setteth downe Gods will on the other syde. Then is it a very good melodie which answereth very well, that wee should know how it is Gods wyll, that seruantes should obey their maysters. And this will of Gods must dispatch all obiections that myght hinder vsus or stop vsus. When the diuell tempteth vsus too thinke any thing straunge that is commaunded vsus, he intyceth vsus too our destruction. Now then, let vsus take Gods wyll as our souereine welfare and perfect happinesse, assuring our selues, that howsoeuer wee bee handled at his hand, yit he loueth vsus styll, and hath an eye too that which is good for vsus. Let that serue for one poynt. And if wee hauehave such perswasion well rooted in our hartes, it is certein that this willingnesse which S. Paule speaketh of will follow with it, so as wee shall fynde no lothnesse in our selues, too grudge ageinst it, as wee see they doo which are inforced to doo things ageinst their wils: for they grunt at it, and although they dare not bee aknowen of it, yit their hartes are fell, and there is nothing but rancor in them. Therefore Saint Paule setteth downe willingnesse, that is too say, that wee should doo all thinges with a good will and freely. And so shall we make our state lee…some and pleasant. For as for them that doo nothing but by force and constreynt: they cannot eschew the necessitie of obeying, and yit in the meane whyle they bee tormenters too themselues, and woorke themselues more spyte then they could receyue by all the sorrowes that they can alledge. For when wee bee handled roughly by our maysters, superiors, and Magistrates: yit if wee bee sure that God accepteth our seruice, it asswageth all the greef that wee can conceyue, so that when wee hauehave doone our dewtie, wee take our repaste with praysing of God, wee take our rest as a releefe that he giueth vsus for our infirmities, and besydes this wee wyll euer hauehave an eye too the heauenly lyfe, and take corage at it too walke on, though wee hauehave neuer so many stoppes. Yee see then that Gods children shall alwayes make a hundred tymes better market, when they doo their dewtie in seruing God freely: than they that go too it as though nyne men hild them, (as they say) and discharge it very coldly with grudging and repyning.
Furthermore let vsus marke, that Saint Paule heere bringeth vsus three tymes backe vntoo God and too our Lord Iesus Christ: and that is too rid vsus of this imagination which wee myght conceyue, that if other men misbehaue themselues towardes vsus, the bond is broken too vsus, and therefore that wee may exempt our selues from subiection if wee can. As for example, if a seruant hauehave a mayster that is too rigorous and froward, he thinkes with himselfe, why? What doo I? And so, seruantes thinke themselues halfe quit, if their maisters performe not their dewties towardes them. But S. Paule declareth expressely, that although maysters be so cruell as they doo by no meanes spare such as are vnderunder their hand: yit is not their superioritie diminished therby. Trew it is, that in respect of themselues such maisters are vnwoorthie too hauehave authoritie, as wee shall see hereafter. But yit for all that, he that is the inferiour must holde himselfe styll vnderunder the yoke, bycause he sees that God hath so ordeyned it. That is the effect of the thing which wee hauehave too beare in mynd.
And on the other syde, Saint Paul forgetteth not seruants, that he should not procure them their right, and that which belongeth too them. For he commaundeth maysters too doo the lyke too them, not as ma…e and matelyke (as they say) but so as maisters consider, that although though the ciuill lawes lay the brydle looce in their necks, yit dooth not God graunt them leaue too doo what they list, but speaketh as well for the one as for the other: which thing wee must beare well in mynd. Now for the maysters he giueth this rule, namely that they must looke well about them how they rule, bycause they hauehave a common mayster in heauen,Deut. 10. d. 17. &. Rom. 2. b. 11. who accepteth no persons. As touching Seruants, he sayeth, my freends, though yee hauehave not such recompence in this worlde as yee would desyre: let it suffyze you that God accounteth you not as slaues. It is trewe that yee bee despyzed too the worldwarde, but you hauehave your inheritaunce in heauen, and our Lord accepteth your seruis, and yee shall hauehave your reward payd you as well as if yee were Kinges and Princes. That is the thing which wee hauehave too remember heere. In deede the tyme will not serue for the whole discourse of it: but yit wee see, that first Saint Paule ment not too currye fauor with the greate and riche sort, by maynteyning their ryght ageinst their slaues: & also that he laboreth on the other syde, too bring those too lowelinesse and meeknesse, which otherwyse myght hauehave aduaunced themselues too much. And the same order ought too bee obserued by such as hauehave charge in the Churche, & are ministers of Gods word: namely that they spare nother great nor small, but tell eueryevery man his dewtie. For sith there is no accepting of persons before God: his woord must bee handled roundly, and wee must not bee dismayed at the hyghnesse and authoritie of such as are in estimation among men. For seeing it is God that speaketh, his woord must pull downe all loftinesse, according as Saint Paule speaketh in the second too the Corinthians,2. Cor. 10. b. 5. where he sayth, that commission is giuen too all Shepherds and ministers of the Gospell, too pull downe the pryde of men, and too subdew their ouer loftinesse, when they will needs exalt themselues ageinst our Lord Iesus Christ, and step vp ageinst his doctrine, so as they wil not submit themselues too his yoke. The way then for ministers of Gods woord too discharge their office faythfully, is too exhort the meaner sort too doo their dewtie, and the poore and oppressed too beare their state paciently without replying, howsoeuer they fare, and without grudging ageinst men, bycause that in so dooing they should rebell ageinst God.
But on the other syde also he telleth the greate ones, that they must not be as beasts that deuoure others, and eate them vp, but that they must behaue themselues vpryghtly. And in deede euen the heathen men themselues, when they listed too speake according too naturall equitie, declared that euen at that tyme it became not the maysters too abuze the authoritie which they had ouer their seruants: and these were their woords, that bondmen and slaues ought to be hild as Hyrelinges that were interteyned by the day. Sith the Paymins spake so, without hauing any other vnderstanding than their moother wit auorded them: what excuce is there now adayes for such as are trayned vp in Gods schoole, where there is a brotherhood betweene both greate and small, and where the maysters ought too become fellowlie with their seruants, bycause they hauehave all one hope of the endlesse lyfe? If they that hauehave power aboue others, will needs set their feete vppon their throts by abu…ing the ryght of their authoritie: what a thing is it? So then, so much the more ought both the one and the other sort of vsus, too think how too walk in our owne state and calling: so as the inferiour sort grudge not that our Lord suffereth them too bee abandoned too so many wrongs too this worldward, and too bee so mocked and scorned: but that although they should indure a hundred tymes as much, yit they repyne not ageinst God, bycause it were but a kicking ageinst the spurre: And the greater sort also doo the lyke, that is too say, that they consider, that the neerer God hath drawen them too himselfe in giuing them preheminence, the more will he also hauehave them too fashyon themselues too his image and lykenesse. And what shall wee fynd in God but goodnesse? according as wee see that throughout all the Scripture he is called the fountaine of all lowelinesse, gentlenesse, and mercy. And therefore let such as are in degree of honour thinke cheefely theruppon. For it is certein, that if they discharge not their dewtie, they shall pay full deerely for that they hauehave bin so honorable in the world, and yit abuzed the singular benefyte of God. And (as I sayd afore) bycause both the one and the other are hard too bee brought too conformitie: insomuch that they which are oppressed, cannot refreyne grudging, but are prouoked too breake all bondes: Let them be hild in awe by Gods woord, and by earnest exhortations. And let the great ones also bee subdewed, that they forget not God as they are woont too doo. For they ouershoote themselues so farre, as to thinke they bee no more mortall men. And it is certein, that if men bethinke themselues well of their owne state, and view themselues in the persons of the meanest, it will leade them too humilitie. So then, Gods woord must hauehave his course in this cace, too brydle as well the one as the other, that wee may lyue in such sort eueryevery man according too his calling, as God may bee quietly obeyed, and wee in herkening too his voyce, desyre nothing but too performe our dewtie towardes him, and towardes all creatures, vntyll wee bee come too the euerlastyng kingdome, where wee shall bee parttakers both of his glory, and of his maiestie, and of all the good things that are in him.
Now let vsus fall downe before the Maiestie of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sinnes, praying him to voutsafe to touch vsus with trew and lyuely repentance, that wee may bee so sorie for offending of him, as it may make vsus too hate our vyces, and too craue pardon of them at his hand, too the intent he may gouerne vsus by his holy spirit, and make vsus too liue according too his holy commaundements, and beare with our weakenesse, vntyll hee hauehave rid vsus quyte and cleane of it. And so let vsus all saye, Almyghtie God heauenly father. &c.