Christian Commonwealth, Part 6
The duty of Seruants.
The 28. Chapter.
OVr bleſſed Lord and Maſter Ieſus Chriſt, which left no eſt ar… of perſons without inſtructions fitting vntounto their ſeuerall callings, hath very briefely, and yet moſt truly & playnely preſcribed vntounto Seruants the fulneſſe of their duty alſo, but in few words hee concludeth the whole buſineſſe, hee doth not giuegive thē many ſeuerall inſtructions, leaſt ſo they might forget ſome of them by the way, and therefore includes all in one ſhort ſentence, and this it is, Hee that knoweth the will of his Maiſter and doth it not, ſhall bee beaten with many ſtripes.
Now you ſee here that there isSeruants of what degree ſoeuer, and bound with a more ſeuerer bond then man can invent, to performe their duty vntounto their Maiſters no ſeruant of what degree ſoeuer he be, if he be a Seruant, but that hee is bound by a more ſure obligation then the witt of man can inuent, euen the holy commandement of that bleſſed one, whoſe command by all muſt bee obeyed, vponupon payne of damnation, euen hee it is that giueth this admonition vntounto thee, to doe the will of thy Maiſter,No o… liting nor quit …cating wil ſerue, our Sauiour himſelfe hath giuen ſeruants ſo plaine a direction of their duty, that none may or can gaine ſay it. or elſe he telleth thee plainly what penalty will enſue vponupon it, thou muſt be beaten with many ſtripes for not doing of it, nay hee doth not leaue thee thus neither with this admonition only, he goeth a little further yet, for to ſtoppe all quillets which may ariſe and put all doubts out of queſtion, for he knew that there were and would bee many that would be more curious to contend about what they ought to doe, then willing to doe that they ſhould doe, and therefore telleth thee, That the ſeruant that doth not the will of his Maiſter, yea although hee know not the will of his Maiſter, yet euen he ſhall bee beaten too.
Now ſeeing that the caſe ſtandeth thus, that this burthen lieth vponupon the ſhoulders of eueryevery particuler Seruant, in the name of God beſtirre your ſelues like men, ſtand to your tackling, rouſe vp your ſelues, ſeeke, labour, and ſtriue cōtinually to performe this worke of obedience vntounto your Maiſters, that ſo you may avoyd this danger of many ſtripes: and it ſhall not be amiſſe for this our purpoſe, if we a little peruſe the word of God, to ſee what wee finde there more concerning this matter, that ſo as in a glaſſe the ſeruants of theſe our times may ſee, and ſeeing know, whether they peforme the ſame or not.
And wee ſhall finde that Saint Paule knowing the errors of Seruants how ſlacke they are in performing their duties vnro their Maiſters, and how needefull it was that they ſhould bee inſtructed herein, hath very carefully in many of his Epiſtles largely ſet forth this duty of ſeruants, both what inward and outward obedience is to bee required of them.
That it muſt bee euen withEphe. 5. feare and trembling, for ſo hee ſayth: And ſo Saint Peeter, hee1. Pet. 2. teacheth the ſame alſo ſaying, Be yee ſubiect vntounto your Maiſters with all feare. And againe, Let as many Timo. 6.ſeruants as be vnderunder the yoke, count their Maiſters worthy of all honour, that the name of God & his doctrine be not euill ſpoken of, and they which hauehave beleeuing Maſters, deſpiſe them not, for they are bretheren, but rathey doe them ſeruice, becauſe they are faithfull and beloued, and pertakers of the benefit.
Againe, Seruants bee obedient Seruants muſt not be men pleaſers, but that they doe muſt … ſinglen… of heart Colio. ….vntounto them that are your bodily Maiſters according to the fleſh in all things, not with eye ſeruice as men pleaſers, but in ſingleneſſe of heart fearing God, and what ſoeuer you do, doe hartyly as vntounto the Lord, and not vntounto men, and bee ſure that yee ſhall receiue of the Lord the reward of inheritance, for you ſerue the Lord Chriſt.
Againe, you Seruants bee obedient vntounto your maisters, and pleaſe them in all things not anſwering Seruants muſt not anſwer againe vntounto their Maſtris.thē againe, neither be ye pickers, but ſhew all good faithfulneſſe, that in all things yee may doe worſhip vntounto the doctrine of God our Sauiour.
Againe, ye ſeruants be obedient The frowardneſſe of the maiſter ſhould no way be a hindrance vntounto the performing of the ſeruants duty.to your Maiſters with all feare, not onelyonly if they bee good and curteous, but alſo if they be froward, for this is thankes worthy, if a man for conceience ſake to wards God indure griefe wrongfully: for what prayſe is it, if when yee bee buffeted for your 1. Pet. 2.faults, yee take it patiently? but if when you do wel, you ſuffer wrong & take it patiently, this is acceptable It is …godame…cy or a ſeruant to bee patient when he is buffeted iuſtly, but if it be done wrōg fully, then to beare it with patience, is of high commendations.vntounto God, for herevnto are you called.
For Chriſt alſo ſuffered for vsus leauing for vsus an exāple that we ſhould follow his ſteps; who did not ſin, neither was there guile found in his mouth, who when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe, when hee ſuffered, hee threatned not, but committed it to him which iudgeth righteouſly: Saint Paule by theſe things did teach this Doctrine vntounto Chriſtian ſeruants thus to doe vnderunder their Maiſters though infidels and vnbeleeuers, becauſe of their places: for indeed the Maiſter is Gods vicegerent in his family, therefore if Chriſtians vntounto infidels muſt performe this obedience as we ſee it is cō manded by our bleſſed Sauiour, for his words hauehave no limitatiō, but are generall, all muſt obey, & all muſt be obeyed.
How much more in theſe dayes of grace and knowledge, ſhould ſeruants, profeſſing themſelues to be Chriſtians, ſtriue to performe their duties euen to the full vntounto their Chriſtian maſters, whom God hath choſen & called in his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, to bee partakers of his heauenly treaſures as well as themſelues.
Therefore my bretheren I beſeech you in the feare of God,What inward obedience is required of ſeruants. that you …carefull in the obſeruing of this, which here from the word of God you may gather, namely to bee obedient vntounto your Maiſters euen inwardly in your heart, in feare and trembling, for if your ſpirits within you bee not truly humbled, how then can you performe that obedience outwardly which is of you required? let the Seruants count their Maiſters worthy of all honour, there muſt be a reuerent eſtimation of them euen in your hearts, before you can giuegive them this honour duly and truly as it ought, for without this harty louelove and inward affection towards them, your outward obedience will bee but falſe and hypocriticall,Seruants muſt ſeare to offend their Maiſters, and why. and all this your zelous duty muſt be mingled with feare, for ſo Saint Paule teacheth becauſe you are to performe this duty & ſeruice as vntounto God, and not vntounto men, & being thus prepared, then you ſhall bee able to performe all good outward obedience which ſhall bee required of you.
And this obedience muſt bee performed without partiality, as …ll to the poore man as to the …h, for it is no thankes vntounto you … …erforme this obedience vntounto … Maiſters they being great …, or rich men, their wealth, places and authority requirethbe performed as well to the poore, as to the rich. it, they will command it of you, and you dare doe no other but yeeld it them, but if your Maiſters bee poore and as men deſpiſed of the world, then they to bee precious in your eyes, and you in the zeale of your conſcience and duty vntounto God, to giuegive vntounto them that duty which you ought to doe, both inwardly from the heart performing allThe true token of a dutifull ſeruant. faithfulneſſe vntounto them, and giuing them the reuerence due vntounto them, being vncouered in their preſence, and ſhewing all outward reuerence of the body vntounto them. This is a token of grace, thus it ought to be, and thus it muſt bee, that the doctrine of Chriſt which you profeſſe, bee not ſlaundered by your diſobedience.
The 29. Chapter.
ANd here I hauehave occaſion iuſtly giuen mee, to reproue thoſe bould & fancie youthes of our time, which forgetting their d… ty vntounto God, doe ſhew no reuerence at all vntounto their Maiſters, and eſpeciall if they bee poore, they then will bee ſo fellowly with them, that a man would rather take them to bee neighbour and neighbour, then Maiſter andTh… …reuerent behauiour of ſeruants vntounto their maiſters Seruant, nay, I would this were the worſt as bad as it is, for many of them are not onelyonly vndutifull, but euen rebellious againſt their Maiſters, nay, euen againſt God himſelf, & therefore culpable of eternall puniſhment: for if their Maiſter doe but reproue them, yea and that iuſtly too, doe they not giuegive them word for word againe, nay 10. for one, &A diſobedient ſeruant that deſpiſeth the diſcipline of his maiſter, rebelleth againſt God himſelfe. if they come to correct them, are they not ready to reſiſt them? ſo that many of them will neither bee reproued nor corrected by them.
Is not this rebellion againſt God thus to contemne his ordinance in him whom hee hath ſet ouer thee, to feede thee, cloath thee, learne thee, yea, & to rule thee? is it not our Sauiours owne words here, that he muſt be beaten with many ſtrips which doth not the will of his Maiſter? if ſo, what ſhall hee hauehave then which ſcorneth to bee inſtructed, and deſpiſeth the diſcipline of his maſter? ſurely, his puiſhment muſt needs be very great.
Well my friends, iudge whether it be better to follow your own mindes herein, or the counſaile of Saint Paule, hee telleth you plainely, it muſt bee otherwiſe, ſuch diſobedient courſesSeruants muſt be obedient vntounto their Maiſters in all things. muſt not ſo much as once bee thought of amongſt you, but you muſt bee obedient vntounto them euen in all things, and ſo ſhall you performe the commandement of our Sauiour Chriſt.
And yet there bee ſome of ſo ſtubborne and rebellious a nature, that if their Maſter do proffer them a blow, nay, ſcarce that too, yet they will ſtraight leaue his ſeruice, and as without leaue ſo without care or feare of GodsSeruants muſt not flye from their Maiſters for any vnkind vſage. lawes or mans, caſt off the yoake of their obedience, although it bee to the very vndoing both of their Maſter and themſelues, but how great an offence this is, the ſtory of Hagar doth plainelyGen. 16. ſhew, who though her Miſtris vnkind and rough dealing with her, was the cauſe why ſhee fled from her, yet the Lord ſo diſliked of it, that he commanded her not onelyonly to returne vntounto her againe, but alſo to humble herA ſpeciall poynt for ſeruants to take notiſe of. ſelfe vntounto her: hereby ſhewing, how great an offence ſhee had committed, in which, ſuch humiliation muſt be vſed for reconcilement: you wild headed youthes of our time, conſider this.
But it may bee ſome of you will be iudge of your owne cauſe and ſay, it cannot bee that ſhee was ſo hardly dealt withall as I am, for I neither can get thoſe things which of right I ought to hauehave, and yet am oppreſt with labour, and can neither get kind word or good looke of my Maiſter or Miſtris, but ſay or doe what I can, they are ſtill brawling, chiding and vncontented.
Doſt thou thinke that the fault in thy Maiſter is the cauſe why thou doſt not giuegive him content to pleaſe him? nay, nay, aſſure thy ſelfe, that it is rather the corruption of thine owne heart, that keepeth thee from performing thy duty with more obedience & diligence, that ſo thou mighteſt pleaſe him, or is it becauſe thou takeſt not that courſe which Abrahams ſeruant did, who when his Maiſter ſent him about hisGen. …. buſineſſe, hee made his humble prayers vntounto the Lord, that hee would proſper the things hee went about: this was the way heSeruants muſt pray vntounto the Lord to ſend proſperity to their labours. went about his buſineſſe.
See here my friends, the duty of a ſeruant what hee ought to doe, and how he aſſuredly may pleaſe his Maſter or Miſtris, hee muſt begin his labours in the Lord, by ſanctifying them vntounto him by prayers, hee muſt continue them in the Lord, as doing them vntounto the Lord, and not vntounto men, and ſo he ſhall be ſure both to pleaſe the Lord and his Maiſter, be he what hee will, butSeruants notwithſtanding the vnkind or vniuſt dealings of Maiſters vntounto thē, yet ought with patience to beare it, performi…g ſtill all fa…hfulneſſe vntounto them, and of God ſhall receiue their reward ſo doing. if thy Maſter be kind and louing, and ſupply vntounto thee all good & neceſſary thinges needefull for thee, it is no thankes vntounto thee to bee obedient and dutifull vntounto ſuch a Maiſter, for he hath deſerued it of thee: but if hee bee as thou ſayeſt vnkind vntounto thee, either in keeping backe ſuch things as of right thou oughteſt to hauehave, or otherwiſe froward or churliſh vntounto thee, or if hee correct thee vniuſtly, in theſe caſes if thou with patience doſt beare it, and notwithſtanding doſt performe thy duty vntounto him, with all good faithfulneſſe, then bee thou ſure that the Lord will recompence this his vnkindneſſe with kindneſſe againe vntounto thee from him ſelfe, for ſo both the Apoſtles doe confeſſe, (as I hauehave ſhewed before) but will you hauehave further proofe yet for this poynt, will you ſee how God hath dealt with others in former times? reade then the Hiſtorie of Iacob, and it will ſatisfie you herein, and ſhew you a worthy example.
The 30. Chapter.
WHo could hauehave ſerued a worſe Maiſter then Iacob did of his owne Vncle Laban, ſeekingGen. 31. ſo many waies to defraud him of his due as he did, not once nor twice, but tenne times or manyWhat a carefull ſeruant Iacob was though hee had a bad maſter, and how the Lord rewarded him. times? ſo that as he confeſſeth, if the God of his fathers had not beheld his labours, hee had euen ſent him away empty, notwithſtanding his paynefull labours ſpent 20. yeares together in his ſeruice, by day being conſumed with heate, and in the night with froſts, ſo carefull ouer his buſineſſe, that hee would not ſuffer his eyes to take their reſt in the night ſeaſon, yet all this time of his mēy wrongs he bare with patience, and neuer neglected any part of his duty the more for it: and how God rewarded this his painefull ſeruice, the ſtory plainly ſheweth, to the great comfort of all good ſeruants, what wonderfull bleſſings hee beſtowed vponupon him, both deliuering him from his vnkind Maiſter & cruell Brother, and giuing vntounto him bleſſings aboundantly.
Yea, I hauehave another preſident yet to ſhew you which I may not let paſſe, worthy your beſt conſideration, I meane the wrongThe ch… life of Ioſeph ſhould be an enſample to ſeruants. which Ioſeph ſuffered, both inwardly in mind, and outwardly in body: inwardly in mind by the laſciuiouſneſſe of his vnchaſt Miſtreſſe, dayly tempting him to that abominable act of Adultery, which his chaſt ſoule hated, and ſhut vp in a dungeon or priſon almoſt three yeares together: who could hauehave ſuffered more thē he did, what an vnkind part was this of a cruell Maiſter vniuſtly caſting ſo good a ſeruant into priſon ſo long time, & that vponupon ſo ſmall, nay ſo vniuſt a cauſe: neither regarding theGen. 39. good and faithfull ſeruice of his ſeruant, of whom hee had had good experience by his long cō tinuance with him, nor with wiſedome entring into the equity of his cauſe, but raſhly, nay fooliſhly, at the falſe accuſation of his laſcivious wife, caſteth off, yea into priſon ſo vertuous & ſo good a ſeruant, whome he knew of his owne knowledge that hee feared God, and that all that heeIoſeph bearing patiently the wrong done vntounto him is rewarded with glorie and honour. had, proſpered the better vnderunder him.
Yet did he not exclaime of this his vniuſt Maiſter, nor once ſeeke to hauehave his iuſt cauſe heard with equity, but with great patience beareth he with al theſe his great wrongs, and how greatly God did reward him, we ſee it to bee with the glory of the whole kingdome of Egypt.
O ſee you that be ſeruants, ſee theſe worthy ſpectacles and regard thē, let not the vnkindly or vniuſt dealing of your Maiſters, be any meanes to withdraw your affections frō performing your labours both faithfully and willingly in their ſeruice, but remember that the worke is the Lords, & not your Maiſters, for you ſerue the Lord Chriſt, and of him ſhall receiue the reward, as you ſee is here prooued.
But how little are theſe thingsSeruants ought rather to ſuffer wrong, then to offer any. bee regarded of ſeruants in theſe dayes with griefe we ſee, not to be in bearning wrong with patience at the hands of their maſters but in offering and doing wrong vntounto them, not ſeeing in themſelues into their owne faults, but prying with Argus eyes into the faults of their Maiſter or Miſtris, and if they find but a ſmall hoale in his coate, they will make a great rent of it before they hauehave done, and that fault which he in his owne houſe hath committedSeruants ought to keepe their Maiſters imperfections priuate to themſelues, and not make them commō. by his lewd ſeruant, is made cō mon to all his acquaintance and companions, thinking themſelues well if they may ſee any imperfections in them, that they may deride & ſcoffe at them behind their backes, nay, ſlaunder their Maiſters in their reputations whereby they doe liue amongſt men.
And thus whereas hee doth thinke that hee maintayneth a good and faithfull ſeruant, that doth vphold and maintayne his credit, hee nouriſheth a ſerpent that ſeeketh ſubtilly and ſecretly to ſlay him: and therefore worſe is ſuch a ſeruant to his Maiſter, then a theefe that openly commeth vponupon a man to robbe or to ſpoyle him, for from ſuch a one he happily may eſcape, and ſo be free, but neuer from ſuch a ſeruant, the poyſon of Aſpes is vnderunder his tongue, the wound is deadly.
And as the ſeruant may not wrong his Maiſter by diſcloſing any priuate fault in him to his diſgrace, ſo likewiſe he muſt bee no blab of his tongue, in the diſcloſing of any buſines or ſecrert of his Maiſters among his family, or being a tale carrier whereby any ſtrife may ariſe either in the family or amongſt neighbours, he muſt take heede of that, and eſpecially that by telling of lyes he ſow not ſedition in the family, for this a wickedSeruants may not by any meanes cauſe contention to ariſe eyther amongſt friends, or in a family. and a dangerous thing, when ſtrife and contention is raiſed in a family by vniuſt meanes, neither muſt he bee an abuſer of his fellow ſeruants by quarrilling or fighting with them, or beating & muſuſing them in the abſence of his Maiſter.
But it may be you will obiect againſt me in this poynt and ſay, my Maſter is pleaſed to giuegive mee ſome authority ouer my fellowes in his abſence, ſo that I am to ſee his buſines performed by them in due time, and if they ſhall neglect the doing thereof, I ſhal be blamed for it more then they, and therefore I muſt bee rough ſometimes with ſome of them, or elſe I ſhall not get thē to performe their buſines as they ſhould.
Why brother, I tell thee this is no ſufficient argument for thee to take vponupon thee the authority of a Lord or Maiſter to beate & correct thy fellows, but if thy Maiſter put thee in any authority more then the reſt for the performing of his buſineſſe, as thou ſayſt, yet ſee that thou bee not puffed vp in pride to take vponupon thee more then is firt, but bySeruants ought not to correct their fellowes, but to leaue that preheminēce vntounto their Maiſters. louing and kind words, and good inſtructions from the word of God, and good examples from thy ſelfe, ſeeke to win them to the performāce of their duty, ſo ſhall thou get louelove, and not hatred of thy fellowes, and credit and good report both of thy Maiſter and all others but if there bee any ſo lewd a ſeruant, that hee will not by theſe good meanes bee won by thee to performe thy Maiſters buſineſſe appoynted for him to doe, then let thy Maiſter vnderſtand thereof that he may giuegive correction vntounto ſuch a ſeruant, and hauehave the priuiledge of a Maſter in correcting his owne ſeruant: but let not thy hand be vponupon him, but remember that he is thy fellow ſeruant, leaſt thereby thou be hated and deſpiſed of thine own fellowes, and get thee an euill report amongſt men, & alwaies remember the leſſon which Saint Paule teacheth, That you ſo behaue your ſelues in all thinges, that the doctrine of Ieſus Chriſt, be not ſlandered by your conuerſation.
The 31. Chapter.
ANd here I hauehave iuſt occaſion giuen me, to reproue the lewd …es of too too many wicked ſeruants of our time, that take no regard of the ſlaundering of the doctrine of Chriſt, nor of their owne converſations, no nor ſaluation neither, and yet they would bee counted Chriſtians, but they ſhew themſelues worſe then infidells, deuills in the ſhape of men & women, by their workes.
Is not their beſt actions performed euen with eye ſeruice only, no longer then Maiſters looking on, no longer true labour, if hee bee abſent, are not they abſent likewiſe, are they not contentious, quarrellers, fighters, abuſers of their fellowes & like vntounto ruffians in their Maiſters houſes, blaſphemers of the ſacred name of God, vſing, nay abuſing his holy name in eueryevery idle action, ſo that when the deuill is in theirHeauie iudgements are appoynted for wicked ſeruants. hearts, yet the holy name of God is abuſed in their profane lipps, forgetting that the Lord himſelfe hath ſayd Hee will not hold Exo. 20.him guiltleſſe that taketh his name Zacha. 5.in vaine: but as hee hath alreadyLuk. 12. ſent out his dreadfull curſe againſt the blaſphemer, ſo hee hath a iudgement to come of many ſtripes for ſuch diſobedient ſeruants.
And who is ſo blind that ſeeth not the exceeding intollerable vice of pride by which the deuill leadeth dayly ſo many of you vntounto your owne deſtructions? for hauehave it you will to maintaine this vice by hooke or by crooke, the Maſters eſtate ſhall pay for it elſe, is not this a great fault too common amongſt you, & ſpread euen into the meaneſt degree of Tradesmen, & of handicrafts, & which, who, or where are thoſeThe great abuſe of the pride of ſervants. which are not guilty of all degrees of you.
Oh that you did but ſee what miſchiefes you daily fall into by your intollerable pride! wherein you are growne to ſuch a height, that now yee diſdayne the eſtate and habit of ſeruants in your array, and to bee maintayned as you ought by the eſtate of your Maiſters: who now can know the Maiſter from the Seruant by his attyre? it hath not been thus in times paſt, neither ought now ſo to be by the lawes of the land: but what ſpeake I of the lawes of the Land, to thoſe which regard not the Lawes of God? for which way you gett that which in pride and ryot you daily conſume, your conſciences will beſt tell you, yea and accuſe you of one day, except you repent.
But ſure I am ſome rob, couſin,The pride of ſeruants, by what meanes it is maintayned. & deceiue their maiſters to procure it, for if they can take ought of his that he ſeeth not, or doth not preſently miſſe, then all is well as they thinke. Saint Paule chargeth you not to bee pickers, but for to mayntayne this your pride, what will you not pick and ſteale?
Others there be, which if they cannot get it thus, they will get it in an other faſhion, for if their maiſter wil deale iuſtly or kindly with his friend, and will make no gaine by him, and put them in truſt ſo to do, they will hauehave Geheſaies Geheſie ought to be an example vntounto all lying Seruants 1. King. 5.tricke but they will hauehave ſomewhat of him, they will lye but they wil hauehave it, nay I would they did not lie with the tongue, and ſteale with both hands to.
Such Geheſies doe little regard that he got Namans leproſie for his labor, but tell them this, they will anſwere, their maiſter is no Eliſha to work miracles, & therefore feare not, oh my bretheren, you little regard that the eies of the Lord are as neere vntounto you when you do theſe things, as the heart of Eliſha was vntounto his ſeruant Geheſie.
Is this to performe the duty of Chriſtians: nay, to ſlaunder the doctrine of Chriſt and all good Chriſtians, is this the thing you doe when you ſhould ſerue the Lord and not your ſelues? nay, the Diuell you ſerue and your ſelues, here is no regard of ſeekingA note worthy to be regarded of Seruants. the Lord with a ſingle heart, nor doing their ſeruice faithfully, as vntounto the Lord, nor remembring, that of the Lord they ſhal receiue the reward of their ſeruice, be it good or bad.
But as he is mercifull, ſo hee isGods iudgements againſt wicked ſervants. iuſt alſo & hath pronounced this ſentence againſt you, that he will cut you off & giuegive you your portion with the vnbeleeuers: more might I ſpeake of ſuch euill ſeruants, but I will rather ſmother ſuch things in mine owne breaſt, which of mine owne knowledge I know to bee true, then explaine them in wrighting, for I wiſh rather to ſuppreſſe ſuch euils, then to expreſſe them.
I hauehave beene ſomwhat ſharpe in this my reproofe I do confes, but miſtake me not I pray you, for I do not ſpeake generally vntounto all, God forbid I ſhould, I hope better thinges of many of you, for I doubt not but there are ſome Eliazers among youGen. 5. that feare God, & doe faithfully ſerue both him & your Maiſters, and do ſanctifie all your labours xnto him by prayer, that ſo both you and your labours may proſper: ſome paynefull Iacobs likewiſe, which with all your beſt indeauours performe your labours withōt grudging or murmuring: ſome chaſt and faithfull Ioſeph…s, whoſe Maiſters ſleepe ſecure, finding themſelues bleſſed thorough the providence of your wiſedomes in the feare of God, and I reioyce herein, and bleſſe the Lord in his mercy towards you, praying for the continuance of his bleſſings vponupon you, & the increaſe of your multitude, for there was one righteous Noah in the old world: And one faithfull▪ Abraham in Canaan, and one righteous Lot euen in Sodome, and Seauen Thouſand in Iſraell in the dayes of Eliah that neuer had bowed a knee vntounto Ball, and I hope there bee ſome amongſt Seruants that doe dayly ſtriue euen in theſe our dayes, to performe this their duty of obedience vntounto their Maiſters to the full, with a ſingle and an vpright heart, as to the Lord onelyonly. And thus I hauehave briefely runne ouer this duty of Seruants, and by the helpe of theſe our bleſſed Apoſtles, hauehave ſhewed vntounto you what duty our bleſſed Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Christ commandeth you to performe vntounto your bodily Maiſters: And I hauehave ſe… before you likewiſe ſome of the abuſes o… theſe our times wherein ſo many are carried away by their owne ſelfewils vntounto their owne deſtructions.
I doe now beſeech you bretheren in thee Lord Ieſus, that you become more warie and wiſe in your conuerſations, hauing more regard vntounto the command of our bleſſed Sauiour, in performing this taske impoſed vppon you of your obedience vntounto your Maiſters, in ſeeking to know their wills, and ſo with all diligence to doe it, that ſo you may not onelyonly avoyd thoſe dangers of many ſtripes, but alſo enioy the benefit which hee hath pruided for all thoſe that with all their beſt endeauours doe labour to performe this their duty, which ſhall not by any other, but euen by him ſelfe, be performed vntounto you, ſaying, well done good and faithfull ſeruant, thou haſt beene faithfull in few things, bee thou Mat. 2….ruler ouer much, enter into thy Maſters ioy, which ioy ſo farre excelleth all earthly things, that no tongue of man can vtter them, nor the heart of man conceiue them, therefore happie and bleſſed are all thoſe that ſhall enioy them, euen ſo, Amen.
FINIS.