The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of the ſecond Table of the Law, and of the fift Commandement.
WE hauehave done with the firſt Table: Come weIuſtice followeth which is of the the duties among our ſelues. now to the ſecond: The ſumme whereof we deliuered before; To louelove our Neighbour as our ſelues: by the Name of Neighbour, vnderſtanding eueryevery other man, as our Sauiour teacheth, Luke 10. 30. To the Commandements of the ſecond Table, 2. Rules do generally belong:
Firſt, That they ſtretch (eueryevery one) as well to our ſelues as to another, ſo in being commanded to honour our Parents, we are alſo willed to hauehave a care of our own credit and eſtimation. In being forbidden to couet other mens goods, we are commanded to bee content with our owne.
Secondly, They hMat. 5. 43. 44 Ye hauehave heard that it hath bin ſaid, Thou ſhalt louelove thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemie. But I ſay vntounto you, LoueLove your enemies. Bleſſe thoſe which curſe you. Doe good to thoſe which hate you, and pray for thoſe which moleſt and perſecute you.extend aſwell to our enemies, and them that hate vsus, as to our friends & them that louelove vsus.
Theſe Commandements are thus deuided: They commandAnd is Honor, or the general duties of louelove. Honor is a performance of duties in reſpect of a degree. honour, or the generall duties of louelove: By honour, we meane the performance of all duties, which the reſpect of any degree may require at our hands, commanded in the fift Commandement, which vp-holding the common order and comelineſſe of life, & principally Magiſtracie & Gouernmēt; without which, the whole world would come to nothing, giueth the precedence to this Commandement before all the reſt of the ſecond Table.
To come to the fift Commandement: It contaynethFirſt, among vnequals, from Inferiours to their Superiours, and contrariwiſe, firſt, the duties of Inferiours to their Superiours, and contrariwiſe.
Secondly, The duties of equals one vntounto another.
Thirdly, The due reſpect that we are to hauehave vntounto our ſelues.
The dutie that Inferiours owe to all Superiours, whetherAs to all Superiors in yeres, knowledge, or howſoeuer elſe. in yeeres, knowledge, or howſoeuer elſe, is Reuerence, both in acknowledging the good things wherein they are preferred, and making our vſe of them, and in all outward notes and markes of honour towardsReuerence in acknowledging the good things wherein they are preferred, and making our vſe of them. them; the principall whereof are theſe that follow,
Firſt, Riſing vp before them: Thou hLeuit. 19. 32. The notes of which Reuerence, are riſing vp before them.ſhalt riſe vp before the hoarie haires, and giuegive honour to the face of the aged.
Secondly, Giuing them the place and honour of ſpeaking firſt: I am iIob 32. 6, 7.the youngest in yeeres, and yee are aged: Therefore I was afraid, and feared to ſhew my opinion among you; I ſaid, Men of yeeres ſhall ſpeake, and the aged ſhall declare wiſdome.
Thirdly, To meete them comming towards vsus. So Gen. 18. 2. ABRAHAM lifting vp his eyes, and looking, lo, Giuing them the place and honour of ſpeaking firſt, &c.three men ſtood by him, and when he ſaw them, hee ranne to meet them from the Tent doore. 1. King. 2. 19. When Bathſheba came to ſpeake with King Salomon, the King roſe to meete her.
Fourthly, To bow vntounto them, as both Abraham and Salomon did in the places aboue mentioned: ABRAHAM ranne to meete them, & bowed himſelfe to the ground. The King roſe to meete his Mother, and bowed himſelfe vntounto her. Of this kind is the bowing of the knee, Mark. 10. 17. When Ieſus was gone out of the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him.
Fifthly, To ſtand by them whileſt they ſit downe. And of this alſo Abraham is there ſet for an Example, kGen. 18. 8.He tooke Butter and Milke, and the Calfe that he had prepared, and ſet before them, and ſtood himſelfe by them vnderunder the Tree, and they did eate: lExod. 18, 13.Exod. 18. 13. When Moſes ſate to iudge the people, the people ſtood about him from morning vntounto euen.
Sixthly, To giuegive them the chiefeſt ſeates, as m1. King. 2. 19Salomon did to his Mother, when himſelfe ſetting downe on the Throne, cauſed a ſeate to be ſet for her, and ſhee ſet at his right hand. So the nGen. 43. 33.children of Iacob eating Meate in Ioſephs houſe, ſate before him; the eldest according to his age, and the youngeſt according to his youth: Inſomuch as the Egyptians maruailed among themſelues.
Seuenthly, To vſe Titles of Reuerence, when hee talketh with them, As o1. Pet. 3. 6.SARAH obeyed ABRAHAM, & called him Lord, whoſe Daughters yee are, whilest you doe well. Ye pIohn 13. 13.call me Maſter and Lord, and yee ſay well; for I am ſo.
Eightly, To keepe ſilence in Courts and places of Iudgement, till we hauehave leaue to ſpeake: which modeſty is noted in PAVL, Acts 24. 10. who after that the Gouernour had beckened vntounto him that he ſhould ſpeake (and not before) anſwerd, &c.
The contrarie of this reuerence, is,
Firſt, Contempt, and Vnreuerent behauiour in deriding or ſpeaking euill, and reuiling them: When qGen. 9. 22.HAM the father of Canaan ſaw the nakednes of his father, he told his two brethren without. The rPro. 30. 17.eye that mocketh his father, and despiſeth the inſtruction of his mother, let the Rauens of the Ʋalley picke out, and the young Eagles eate it. Hee ſGen. 21. 17.that curſeth his father or mother, ſhall dye the Death.
Secondly, Extolling our ſelues aboue our betters, as Abimelech did, who being a Concubines ſonne, would needes raigne before the lawfull ſonnes of his father, I udges 9.
To thoſe in any Authoritie whatſoeuer, whether theTo them in authoritie. Subiection in a readie ſubmiſſion to their gouernment, and Obedience, voluntarily to doe what they command. ſame be publike or priuate, doth belong
Firſt, Subiection, in a readie ſubmiſſion to their gouernment;
Secondly, Obedience, in a voluntary doing of that commanded: For theſe two are to bee performed to all in authoritie: and that not onelyonly to the good and courteous, but alſo to the froward, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, 1. Pet. 2. 18.
Firſt, It muſt be from Seruants to Maſters. tEph. 6. 5, 6, 7.Seruants, bee obedient vntounto them that are your Maſters according to the fleſh.
Secondly, Fom Children to their Parents. uEpheſ. 6. 1.Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for that is right.
Thirdly, From Wiues to their Husbands. xEpheſ. 5. 22, 23. 4. 14.Wiues, ſubmit your ſelues vntounto your Huſbands as vntounto the Lord: for the Huſband is the Wiues head, euen as Chriſt is head of the Church, and the ſame is the Sauiour of his bodie. Therefore as the Church is in ſubiection vntounto Christ, euen ſo let the Wife be to her Huſband in eueryevery thing.
Fourthly, From the People to the Miniſters. yHeb. 13. 17.Obey them that hauehave the ouerſight of you, and ſubmit your ſelues: for they watch for your ſoule, as thoſe that muſt giuegive an account, that they may doe it with ioy, and not with griefe: for that is vprofitable for you.
Fifthly, From Subiects to Magiſtrates, both the ſupreme Magiſtrate & ſubordinate ones. Submit z1. Pet. 2. 13, 14.your ſelues vntounto all manner erdinance of man for the Lords ſake, whether it bee vntounto the King, as vntounto the Superiour, or vntounto Gouernours, as vntounto them that are ſent of him. Let aRom. 13. 1.eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect vntounto the higher powers: for there is no power but of God, and the powers that be, are ordayned of God.
Contrary to this ſubiection are Firſt, Contempt, as that of bGen. 16. 4.Hagar, Sarahs Hand-maid, who when ſhee ſaw her ſelfe to conceiue, her Miſtris was ſet light by in her eyes.
Secondly, Shaking off the yoke of ſubiection to Princes, as the Papiſts doe.
Thirdly, The reſiſting of lawfull power, whereof the Apoſtle cRom. 13. 2.ſaith, Whoſoeuer reſisteth authoritie, reſiſteth the Ordinance of God: and they that reſiſt, ſhall receiue to themſelues iudgement. Contrary to the other, is diſobedience, which is one of the ſinnes the Apoſtle reckoneth vp, Rom. 1. 30. diſobedient to Parents. But this obedience is not abſolute, without bounds or limits: It muſt beeOr (when it cannot with a good conſcience be done) in the Lord: for that which the Apoſtle writeth vntounto Children, Epheſ. 6. 1. Children, obey your Parents in the Lord, reacheth farther, and hath a place in all. Therefore Coloſſ. 3. 22. hee maketh the feare of God, the Rule of Seruants obedience: Seruants, obey your Maſters, &c. fearing God. And the like is to be ſaid of Magiſtrates, as we are taught, Acts 4. 19. Whether it be right in the ſight of God, to obey you rather then God, iudge ye.
What muſt be done then, if they command things vnlawfull, ſuch as with a good conſcience wee cannot yeeld vntounto?
Verily in ſuch caſes wee are patiently to abide the puniſhment:patiently to beare the puniſhment. In which doing, we no way violate the obedience due vntounto them. To this patient ſuffering of the puniſhment, the Apoſtle doth exhort vsus, 1. Pet. 2. 19, 20. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conſcience towards God endure griefe, ſuffering wrongfully: for what praiſe is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But if when ye doe well, ye ſuffer wrong, and take it patiently, this is acceptable to God. The contrarie whereof is,
Firſt, Anſwering againe, when wee are reprooued, which the Apoſtle condemneth, Let d1. Tit. 2. 9.Seruants be ſubiect to their Maſters, and pleaſe them in all things, not anſwering againe.
Secondly, Flying from them, as Hagar eGen. 16. 6.did. The dutie we owe to Magiſtrates and Miniſters are,
Firſt, Miniſtring of charges and other neceſſaries forTo publike authoritie of Magiſtracie & the Miniſterie. Supplying of charges and other neceſſaries for the execution of their office, the execution of their Offices: GiueGive fRom. 13. 7.vntounto all men therefore their dutie: tribute, to whom you owe tribute; cuſtome, to whom cuſtome; feare, to whom feare; honour, to whom yee owe honour. The g1. Tim. 5. 17, 18.Elders that rule well, are worthy of double honour, ſpecially they which labour in the Word and Doctrine: for the Scripture ſaith, Thou ſhalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne: and the Labourer is worthy of his wages. HaueHave h1. Cor. 9. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14.not we power to eate and drinke? Or hauehave we not power to leade about a Wife, being a Siſter, as well as the reſt of the Apoſtles, and as the Brethren of the Lord and CEPHAS? or I onelyonly and BARNABAS, hauehave not we power not to worke? Who goeth a warfare any time at his owne coſt? Who planteth a Vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a Flocke, and eateth not of the Milke of the Flocke? Say I theſe things according to man? Saith not the Law the ſame alſo? for it is written in the Law of MOSES, Thou ſhalt not muzzell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne? Doth God care for the Oxen? Eyther ſaith hee it not altogether for our ſakes? For our ſakes (no doubt) it is written, that he which eareth, ſhould eare in hope, & that he that threſheth in hope, ſhuld bee partaker of his hope. Doe ye not know, that they which miniſter about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? And they which waite at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar! So alſo hath the Lord ordayned, that they which preach the Goſpell, ſhould liue of the Goſpell.
Secondly, A defending them in their good and honeſtand a defending of them in the ſame. Actions, as the people did i1. Sam. 14. 45.Ionathan againſt the crueltie of his father Saul, telling SAVL, Shall IONATHAN dye, who hath ſo mightily deliuered Iſrael? God forbid. As IEHOVAH liueth, ſhould one haire of his head fall to the ground, ſince he hath wronght with God this day? So the people deliuered IONATHAN that hee dyed not. The like did the Princes vntounto Ieremie the Prophet, Ier. 26. 24.
The Dutie of Children to Parents, isTouching thē in priuate authoritie. To Parents, not marrying without their conſent,
Firſt, That they marrie not without their conſent, which the light of Nature teacheth. And the k1. Cor. 6. 36, 37, 38.Apoſtle giueth this honour to Parents, to hauehave power to keepe his Virgin, and not to giuegive her forth to Marriage.
Secondly, When need requireth, to releeue them. If any l1. Tim. 5. 4. and in their neceſſities to releeue them.Widdow hauehave Children, or Nephewes, let them firſt learne to ſhew godlineſſe towards their owne houſe, and to recompenſe their Parents: for that is an honeſt thing, and acceptable before God. This was Ioſephs mGen. 45. 9, 10, 11.Pietie, who ſent word vntounto his father, Come downe to mee; tarrie not: And thou ſhalt dwell in the Land of Geſhen, and ſhalt bee neere mee, thou and thy children, and thy childrens children, and thy ſheepe and thy beaſts, and all that thou haſt. Alſo I will nouriſh thee there: for yet remayne fiue yeeres of famine; leſt thou periſh through pouertie, and thy houſhold and all that thou haſt. Contrariwiſe, our nMat. 15. 5, 6.Sauiour taxeth the Scribes and Phariſes, for the violating of this Dutie: But yee ſay, Whoſoeuer ſhall ſay to father or mother, By the gift that is offered by me, thou maiſt hauehave profit; though he honour not his father or his mother, ſhall be free. Thus hauehave yee made the Commandement of God of no authoritie by your tradition.
To Maſters is due faithfull ſeruice; whereof we hauehaveTo Maſters faithfull ſeruice. two worthy Examples; one, of oGen. 24. 33, 36.Abrahams Seruant ſent to get a Wife for his Maſters ſonne, who would not ſo much as eate, till hee had done his Meſſage: and when but ſome ſtay was made of the Maidens going with him, Hinder pVerſe 56.me not, ſaith hee, ſeeing IEHOVAH hath proſpered my iournie; ſend mee away, that I may goe to my Maſter. The other of Iacob, qGen. 31. 38, 39, 40.who ſpeaketh thus of himſelfe to LABAN, This twentie yeeres I hauehave beene with thee, thine Ewes and thy Goats hauehave not caſt their young, and the Rams of thy Flocke hauehave not I eaten: whatſoeuer was torne of Beaſts, brought I not to thee, but made it good my ſelfe; of mine hand didst thou require it, ſtolne by day, or ſtolne by night: I was in the day conſumed with heate, and with frost in the night, and my ſleepe departed from mine eyes. The contrarie whereof is deceitfulneſſe and waſting of their Maſters goods, which the rTit. 2. 10.Apoſtle ſpecially biddeth Seruants to take heed of, not to bee Pickers, but to ſhew all good faithfulneſſe, that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things.
Betweene Man and Wife are due,
Firſt, mutuall helpe: The woman, as ſ1. Pet. 3. 17.Peter ſaith, being ſubiect to her Husband, and the Husband liuing with his To Husband and Wife each from other mutuall helpe,Wife, as a man of knowledge, giuing honour to the woman, as to the weaker veſſell, both being heires together of the grace of Life.
Secondly, due beneuolence: Let t1. Cor. 7. 3. and due beneuolence.the Husband giuegive vntounto the Wife due beneuolence, and likewiſe alſo the Wife vntounto the Husband.
The Wife, ſhee oweth this to her Husband:
Firſt, that ſhee repreſent his vertues, being therefore called, u1. Cor. 10. 7. The Wife alſo to repreſent her Husbands vertues,The glorie of man, as man is the image and glorie of God.
Secondly, to ſaue that which hee bringeth in: wherevpon the x1. Tim. 3. 11. and to ſaue that which he bringeth in.Apoſtle willeth them to bee faithfull in all things.
The dutie of all Superiours to their Inferiours, is,
Firſt, Good example of graue and wiſe carriage, The yTit. 2. 3, 4. Againe from all Superiours A good example of graue and wiſe carriage.elder women, let them be in ſuch behauiour as becommeth holineſſe, not falſe accuſers, not giuen vntounto much wine, but teachers of honest things, that z1. Pet. 5. 3.they may inſtruct the younger women to be ſober-minded, that they louelove their Huſbands, that they louelove their children: Not as though yee were Lords of Gods Heritage, but that ye may be enſamples to the flocke. aIob 29. 8.The young men ſaw me, and hid themſelues, and the aged roſe and ſtood vp; his wiſe and graue carriage procuring reuerence and credit to him.
Secondly, Vſing of the things wherein they are preferred,And vſing of the things wherein they are preferred to the others benefit. to the others benefit, being content to yeeld vntounto them when they are in the right, as to their brethren. So Deut. 17. 20. it is ſpecially commanded to the King, That his heart bee not lifted vp aboue his brethren. And bIob 31. 13.Iob profeſſeth his care to practiſe this Leſſon, If I did condemne the iudgement of my Seruant, and of my Maid, when they did contend with mee.
Thus did c2. King. 5. 13, 14.NAAMAN harken to the aduice of his Seruants, and returning, waſhed in Iordan and was made whole.
The Dutie of ſuch Superiours as are in authoritie,From them in authoritie. Firſt, inſtruction of their Inferiors, in the things of God, and of their ſpeciall callings. whatſoeuer the ſame be, is▪
Inſtruction of their Inferiours in the things of God, and of their ſpeciall callings, as Ioſhua did the dIoſh. 24.Iſraelites. And in this reſpect Iob eIob 29. 15.ſaith of himſelfe, that he was eyes vntounto the Blind, and feet vntounto the Lame.
Secondly, Due recōpence of good or euil actions; which Peter f1. Pet. 2. 14. Then due recompence of good or euill actions.ſheweth, to bee the cauſe why Magiſtrates are erected: for the puniſhment of euill doers, and prayſe of them that doe well. And gRo. 13. 2, 3, 4Paul ſaith, that Princes are not to be feared for good workes, but for euill. Wilt thou then be without feare of the Power? Doe well: ſo ſhalt thou hauehave prayſe of the ſame: for he is the miniſter of God for thy wealth. In hCol. 4. 1.another place, Ye Maſters, ſaith hee, doe vntounto your Seruants that which is iuſt and equall, knowing that yee alſo hauehave a Maſter in Heauen.
Thirdly, Protection from wrongs: for whither ſhouldAnd laſtly, protection from wrongs. the eyes iPſal. 123. 2.of the Seruant looke, but to the hand of the Maſter? and the eyes of the Mayden, but to the hands of her Miſtris? Hereupon, Gen. 20. 16. Abimelech telleth SARA, that ABRAHAM her Husband was the couering of her eyes, and the man that was to protect her. Ioſias alſo, Lam. 4. 20. is ſaid to be vntounto the people, the breath of their noſtrils.
The Dutie of MagiſtratesFrom publike authoritie, that is to ſay, from Magiſtrates maintenance aſwell of true Religion, as of peace and honeſtie of life. Anabaptiſts, which reiect Magiſtracie. The Papiſts, which teach that it belongeth not to the Magiſtrate to deale in matter of Religion: And alſo exempt their Clergie from the Iuriſdiction of the Ciuill Magiſtrate.is,
Firſt, Maintenance of true Religion.
Secondly, Maintenance of peace and honeſtie of life: for to him hath God committed the maintenance of both the Tables. So the k1. Tim. 2. 2.Apoſtle teacheth, that the Ciuill Magiſtrate is rayſed vp of God vntounto that high eſtate of Dignitie, that we might liue vnderunder them a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlineſſe and honeſtie. A part of this Dutie is the deciding of Controuerſies betweene man and man, and the true miniſtration of Law and Iuſtice, as Moſes did, Exod. 18. 13.
For the performance of both theſe, God hath furniſhed him with power, and to this end put the Sword into his hands, which hee may not ſuffer to ruſt in the Scabbard, but muſt draw it out to puniſh all offenders. lRom. 13. 4.If thou doe euill, feare: for hee beareth not the Sword for nought: for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill.
In all which puniſhments, a proportion is to be obſerued; That eueryevery one be according to the nature and qualitie of the offence: Thoſe againſt the firſt Table, moſt ſeuerely and ſharply, after the example of God himſelfe, whom the Prophet mIer. 5. 7.bringeth in, ſaying, How ſhould I ſpare thee for this? Thy children hauehave ſworne by them that are no Gods.
In the ſecond Table, Murder, Inceſt, Rape, with death; Treſpaſſe, with the recompence of the hurt, &c. In all which, the Iudiciall Lawes of Moſes (albeit wee are not tyed to the preciſe and ſtrict forme of that Commonwealth) are notable precedents to goe before vsus for the equitie and ſubſtance of them. The contrarie whereof is, the not puniſhing, or light cenſuring of capitall crimes, and letting them eſcape, whom God bringeth into our hands.
Of the firſt we hauehave a Law, Numb. 35. 31, 33. Ye ſhall take no recompence for the life of the Murderer which is worthy to dye, but he ſhall be put to death: for bloud defileth the Land, and the Land cannot be clenſed of the bloud that is ſhed therein, but by the bloud of him that ſhed it. And 1. Kin. 20. 42. A Prophet telleth the King of Iſrael, as from the Lord, Becauſe thou haſt let goe out of thy hands a man whom I had appointed to dye, thy life ſhall goe for his life, and thy people for his people.
For the ſecond, ELI is reprooued, 1. Sam. 2. 23. who for foule and ſhamefull faults committed by his ſonnes; ſuch oppreſſing of the people, as made men abhorre the Seruice of the Lord: lying with the women that aſſembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, &c. reprooued them onelyonly with a few words, and that in a milde ſort: Why doe you ſuch things? for of all this people, I heare euill reports of you, Doe no more ſo, my ſonnes: for it is no good report which I heare of you, that you make the Lords people to trespaſſe.
Take here-with-all ſome cautions,
Firſt, That the Magiſtrate being Gods nRom. 13. 1.Miniſter in this behalfe, doe all things holily and reuerently as in his preſence; whereof we hauehave Ioſhua oIoſh. 7. 19. 25.for a worthie patterne, who ſaid vntounto ACHAN, My ſonne, I beſeech thee giuegive glorie to IEHOVAH the God of Iſrael, and make confeſſion vntounto him, and ſhew me now what thou hast done: hide it not from me. Afterwards, when the fact was confeſſed by him, IOSHVA ſaid, In as much as thou haſt troubled vsus, IEHOVAH ſhall trouble thee this day. And all Iſrael threw ſtones at him, and burnt them with fire, and ſtoned them with ſtones.
Secondly, He muſt propound a right end before him, that is to ſay, firſt, the parties good and reformation, not his ſhame and deſtruction: for that the pPro. 20. 30,Wiſeman teacheth vsus to bee the ſcope and marke that all corrections ought to leuell at, The blueneſſe of the wound ſerueth to purge the euill, and the ſtripes within the bowels of the belly.
Secondly, The terrifying of others to commit the like offences, which God in the execution of his Lawes hath a ſpeciall eye vntounto, That qDeut. 13. 11.all Iſrael may heare and tremble.
Laſtly, concerning Magiſtrates: Let it bee knowne, that the vſe of the Sword ſtandeth alſo in lawfull and iuſt Warre, in fighting the Lords Battailes, as ſhee ſpeaketh r1. Sam. 25. 28.vntounto DAVID: For IEHOVAH will certainly make for my Lord a ſure Houſe, if my Lord fight the Battailes of IEHOVAH, and euill bee not found in thee all thy dayes.
The Miniſters Dutie is to attend publike teaching, &From the Miniſterie publike teaching to be diligent therein. I ſEſay 62. 6.hauehave ſet Watch-men vponupon thy wals, O Ieruſalem, which all the day and all the night ſhall not ceaſe; the tRom. 12. 7. 8.teacher let him continue in his teaching; the exhorter in his exhortation, &c. The u1. Pet. 1. 2.Elders among you I exhort, &c. Feed the Flocks of God that dependeth vponupon you. Take xActs 20. 28.heed to your ſelues and to all the Flocke, wherein the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Biſhops, that you feede the Church of God which hee hath purchaſed with his owne bloud.
The contrarie whereof are,
Firſt, Idoll ſhepheards, that cannot teach at all, ſuch as the Prophet complayneth of, Their yEſay 56. 10.watch-men are all blinde, they hauehave no knowledge, they are dumbe dogges, they cannot barke.
Secondly, Negligent Preachers, which, as Eſay there ſaith, lye and ſleepe, and delight in ſleeping. Wherefore God telleth zEzech. 3. 17, 18.EZECHIEL, Sonne of man, I hauehave appointed thee a Watch-man to the Houſe of Iſrael, and thou ſhalt heare the Word out of my mouth, that thou maiſt giuegive warning vntounto them from me: when I ſay vntounto the wicked man, Thou ſhalt certainly dye, and thou doe not giuegive him warning, nor ſpeake to warne the wicked man of his euill way, to keepe him aliue, that wicked man ſhall dye by his owne iniquitie, but his bloud will I require at thine hand.
The Dutie of thoſe that hauehave any charge or gouernment,From priuate authoritie. Prouiſion of Food and Rayment. is,
Firſt, Prouiſion of food and rayment, whereof the a1. Tim. 5. 8.Apoſtle ſaith, If any prouide not for his owne, and ſpecially for thoſe of his owne houſe, he is worſe then an Infidell. For this, doth SALOMON commend the vertuous woman, Prou. 31. 15. Riſing whileſt it is yet night, ſhe giueth meate to her houſhold, and the ordinarie to her Maides. And bVerſe 21.againe, She feareth not the Snow for her Family: For all her Family is clothed with double clothes. And Pro. 27. 27. he ſaith not onelyonly, Let the milke of the Goates be ſufficient for thy food: but further alſo, for the food of thy Family, and for the ſuſtenance of thy Maides.
Secondly, Familiarly to teach their Inferiours, as the cEpheſ. 6. 4. Familiarly to teach their Inferiours,Apoſtle exhorteth fathers to bring vp their children in inſtruction, and information of the Lord: for which, Abraham dGen. 18. 19.is highly commended of God, I know, ſaith hee, that he will command his Sonnes and his Family after him, to keepe the way of IEHOVAH in doing righteouſneſſe and iudgement.
Thirdly, To goe before them in Prayer: ſo did eGen. 25. 20. and in Prayer to goe before them.Iſack pray vntounto IEHOVAH, ouer-againſt his Wife, that is, in her preſence, and together with her, and for her, becauſe ſhe was barren.
The Dutie of Parents more particularly is,From both the Parents. To apply their children to that they are fit for.
Firſt, To apply their children to that they are fit for: fPro. 22. 6.Inſtruct a childe after the manner of his way, euen when he is verie old, he will not depart from it. ADAM, gGen. 4. 2.in the firſt beginning of the World, practiſed this Leſſon: for hauing two ſonnes, CAIN and HABEL, HABEL was a Shepheard, and CAIN an Husbandman.
Secondly, To prouide for them: For h2. Cor. 12. 14.Children ought and to prouide for them. From the Father to name the Childe.not to ſtore vp for Parents, but Parents for their Children.
Speciall to the Father is, to name the Childe: which authoritie, Zacharie, Father of Iohn Baptiſt, tooke vponupon him, when the Mother of the friends iLuk. 1. 62, 63.ſtriuing about the name, hee decided the Controuerſie, and called him Iohn.
Of the Mother another Dutie is more ſpecially to beeFrom the Mother to nurſe it. obſerued, that ſhe nurſe the Childe. Holy women hauehave alwayes reckoned this to belong vntounto them. kGen. 21. 7.Sarah a great Princeſſe, maketh no doubt, but that hauing a Childe, ſhe was to giuegive it ſucke: Who would hauehave ſaid to ABRAHAM, SARAH ſhall certainly giuegive ſucke? for I hauehave borne a Sonne.
In like ſort l1. Sam. 1. 23.Anna is recorded to hauehave giuen ſuck to Samuel, as was the common courſe then of religious and godly Matrones: whereupon the m1. Tim. 5. 10.Apoſtle requireth this in the firſt place, as one of the moſt ſpecial good workes, which hee would hauehave that woman to bee well reported for, that ſhould be aſſociate into the number of Widdowes, that ſhe hauehave nurſed her Children.From Maſters, due reſpect of their Seruants trauailes.
The Dutie of Maſters is, to hauehave a due reſpect of their Seruants trauailes, whereof there is a ſpeciall Law: nDeut. 15. 12, 13, 14.When thou ſendeſt out free from thee in the ſeuenth yeere thy brother an Hebrew, that hath ſerued thee ſix yeeres, thou ſhalt not let him goe away emptie, but ſhalt giuegive him a liberall From Huſbands cheriſhing of their Wiues with all entyre affection.reward of thy Sheepe, and of thy Corne, and of thy Wine, &c.
The Dutie of Husbands is, that they cheriſh their Wiues with all entyre affection. Ye oEph. 5. 25. 29.Husbands, louelove your Wiues, euē as Chriſt hath loued the Church: for no man at any time hath hated his own fleſh, but nouriſheth it & cheriſheth it.
The Dutie of Equals one vntounto another, is,Secondly, it is of equals one vntounto another, in louing, honouring, and
Firſt, To louelove and to honor each other: Be pRom. 12. 10.affectioned to louelove one another with brotherly louelove. In giuing honour, go one before another, ſubmitting qEpheſ. 5. 21.your ſelues one vntounto another in the feare of GOD. Wherefore, wee are to teſtifie that our louelove and reſpect to others, by all holy tokens and outward ſignes of ſalutation, or otherwiſe; Greet r1. Pet. 5. 14.ye one another with the Kiſſe of louelove: Salute ſRom. 16. 16.one another with an holy Kiſſe. The Churches of Christ ſalute you. Thus it is ſaid of tExod. 18. 7.Moſes, that he went out to meete his father in Law, and did obeyſance and kiſſed him, and each asked other of his wel-fare. And of uRuth 2. 4.Boaz, that he comming from Bethlehem to his Reapers, ſaid vntounto them, IEHOVAH be with you. And they ſaid vntounto him, IEHOVAH bleſſe thee. The contrarie whereof is, preferring our ſelues before them. Let xPhilip. 2. 3.nothing bee done through contention or vaine glorie, but in meekneſſe of minde, let eueryevery man eſteeme other better then himſelfe.
Secondly, To doe good to all, but chiefly to ſuch asdoing of good to all, but chiefly to ſuch as by the bond of nature, or profeſſion of the ſame faith, are more neerly linked to vsus. by the bond of Nature, or profeſſion of the ſame faith, are more neerely linked to vsus. If y1. Tim. 5. 8.any prouide not for his owne, especially thoſe of his owne houſe, he is worſe then an Infidell. zGal. 6. 10.Let vsus worke that that is good to all, but eſpecially to thoſe of the Houſhold of Faith.
Laſtly, the due reſpect wee are to hauehave vntounto our ſelues, is,
Firſt, To maintaine our honeſt credit; as the Apoſtle doth exhort, aPhil. 4. 8.Whatſoeuer things are of good report, if And laſtly towards our ſelues. The mayntayning of our honeſt credit,there be any vertue, or if there be any prayſe, thinke on theſe things. The contrary whereof is, the obſcuring of Gods Graces in vsus, by our diſſolute and careleſſe life. So did the fooliſh Virgins, that bMat. 25. 2. 16.tooke not Oyle with them in their Lamps, and he cMat. 25. 16. 18▪that hauing receiued one Talent, went and digged in the ground and hid his Maſters money.
Secondly, A ſober eſteeming of the Graces wee hauehaveand ſober eſteeming of the graces wee hauehave receiued. receiued, neither arrogating that wee hauehave not, or boaſting of that we hauehave. The contrarie whereof is, an ouer-cōceit of our ſelues. dRom. 12▪ 3.Paul to the Romans in one ſentence hath them both: For I ſay, through the grace that is giuen vntounto me, to eueryevery one that is among you, that no man preſume to vnderſtand aboue that which is meete to vnderſtand, but that hee vnderſtand according to ſobrietie, as God hath dealt to eueryevery one the meaſure of faith.