A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI. The ſins of Profeſsing-Maſters and Servants.
FIrſt you Maſters, As Maſters,ſee how guilty you are in the Relation of Maſters.
1. Not chooling godly Servants. Pſal. 101.6.Should not your eyes, like Davids, have been upon the faithfull of the Land, that they might dwell with you? How curious ſhould you have been in this particular? But alas! ye would not buy an horſe, an houſe, a Field, but ye would try them; but how careleſs have ye been whether your Servants were godly, yea or no? If they were ſtrong to labour, was not that all ye look'd after? you look'd that they ſhould be diligent in your work, your intereſt made you look to that, but have you look'd for ſuch as walked in a perſect way to ſerve you? Hence many have been taken into Profeſſours families, who were found wanton, and unclean, and thereby Religion hath ſuffered exceedingly: and others ſweet tongued, goſſiping, gluttonous, drunken Servants, and ſo Acteon was devoured by his Dogs: All the Maſters ge…ng…v… been put into a bag with holes: a juſt an… …ghteous j…dgement upon the Maſter for …is preferring ſelf before Religion: yea (which is a ſ…dder conſequent) he…ce the Children are cerrupted by evil exam… … …ey being more apt to ſmitate the …, than the Parent in … you had been curious in … you procured holy ſerva… … zeal forwardneſs and care of … Children, what families might you have … would have been pliable to your holy counſels.
Should you not have removed wicked Servants as ſoon as all your counſels would not take effect on them? David did ſo. Not removing wicked ones. Pſa. 101.7.He that work…h deceit, and telleth lies, ſhall not tarry in my ſight. You on the contrary keep them as you do horſes, if good for labour. It will never be ſaid to your glory, the Church in your houſe: but may it not be ſaid, there is a neſt of Snakes, a cage of Devills in your houſe?Being overrigorous. Gen. 31.2, 5. Mat. 5.22.
2. Are not you too rigorous towards your Servants? Do not you too much frown upon them, as Laban on Jacob? Do not you uſe words of reproach in your ſpeaking to them? Whoſoever ſhall ſay, thou Fool, ſhall be in danger of Hell ſire. Do not you ſtrike them unneceſſarily or immoderately? Have you forgotten the commands from Heaven? Thou ſhalt not rule over him with rigour, Levit. 25.43. Col. 4.1.but ſhalt fear thy God. Maſters, give unto your Servants that which is juſt and equal, knowing that ye alſo have a Master in Heaven. And ye Maſters, Eph. 6.9forbear threatning, knowing that your Maſter alſo is in Heaven, neither is there respect of perſons with him Do you herein as you would be dealt with? Would you have God to deal with you, as you deal with your Servants? Remember, you and your Servants have one and the ſame Maſter, to whom you are both accountable, you for your rule, and they for their ſubjection.
3. Nor directing them diſtinctly.Have not you neglected to give that direction to your ſeveral Servants, as is proper for them, ſo that they intrench upon each others work, and the painful work lies neglected, to your trouble, and to the raiſing of ſtrife and paſſion? How few Miſtreſſes, yea or Maſters, are like Solomons vertuous Woman, of whom it is ſaid, She looketh well to the wayes of her houſhold? Frov. 31.27.Every one ſhould know his place and work in the Family, that all things may be done decently, and in order: But in how few Families is it thus?
4. Not being diligent themſelves in their company.Do you give your Servants examples of diligence? So did that vertuous Miſtreſs: She riſeth alſo whilſt it is night, &c. She girdeth her loynes with ſtrength, and ſtrengthneth her armes: She layeth her hands to the Spindle, and her hands hold the Distaffe: She maketh her ſelf coverings of Tapeſtry: She maketh fine Linnen, &c. She eateth not the bread of idleneſs.
5. Not ſhewing ſpecial reſpect to thoſe that are godly. Philem. 16.What love do ye ſhow to your Servants that be godly? Do you receive them as beloved Brethren? As Paul would have Philemon receive his Servant, after his Converſion: Receive him not now as a Servant, but above a Servant, a Brother beloved. A Chriſtian Servant ſhould be in the place of a beloved Brother, and ſhould be preferr'd before a lewd Son. Prov. 17.2.A wiſe Servant ſhall have rule over a Son that cauſeth ſhame: and ſhall have part of the inheritance among the Brethren. How ſeldome do you ſhow them good, as well as receive good from them? When they are ſick, how little attendance and neceſſaries have they as to diet, fire, and phyſick? 1 Sam. 30.13.Are not too many like the Amalakite, who left his man on the plain fields, becauſe he fell ſick? How are many poor Servants (who contracted their diſeaſes by the unmercifull commands of ſome Profeſſours) caſt off by them when ſick as unprofitable burthens?
6. Do you pay your Servants their wages? Not paying wages as they ought,Do you not pay them dodgingly? Haſt thou not forgot that the Iſralites were required, when they ſet any ſervant free, not to let him go away empty, Deut. 15.12, 13, 14.but thou ſhalt furniſh him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floore, and out of thy wine-preſs: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath bleſſed thee, thou ſhalt give unto him? Haſt not thou abated them of their dues for the time of their ſickneſs, or the time they have ſpent in the ſervice of God?
7. Not ſuffering them to ſpeak. Job. 31.13.Doe not you deny liberty to your Servants to speak unto you? Job would not ſlight his Servants cauſe. God hath ſet Maſters over Servants; but he hath not given them liberty to trample them under their feet. Servants are under their Maſters power, but not their luſts. You ſhew your ſelves Nabals by this churliſhneſs and auſterity. He is ſuch a Son of Belial, that a man cannot ſpeak to him.
8. Suffering tyranny among them. As Servants. Being apt to think, that they muſt be ſubject to none but Chriſt.Do not you ſuffer one Servant to tyrannize over another?
Secondly, You Servants that Profeſs; I have ſomewhat in charge againſt many of you.
1. Your Pride, ſawcineſs, familiarities with your Governours, make me think you would eaſily ſwallow the errour of old, that we are to be ſubject to none but Chriſt, as if your freedome by Chriſt, had exempted you from all civil ſubjection to men. By your refuſing the yoak of your Maſters commands, you reflect more upon your Maſter in the Heavens, than upon your earthly Governour: What ſaith the Apoſtle? Let as many Servants as are under the yoke, 1 Tim. 6.1.count their own Maſters worthy of all honour; that the name of God, and his Doctrine be not blaſphemed. Servants, Eph. 6.5be obedient to them that are your Maſters according to the fleſh with fear and trembling in ſingleneſs of your heart, as unto Chriſt. Servants, be ſubject to your Maſters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alſo to the foward.
But alas! how ſawcy are Servants? Carrying themſelves proudly, ſaucily, and too familiarly with their Superiours. Mal. 1.6. Blazoning their Maſters Infirmities. Obeying them only in what they pleaſe. Col. 3.22. Tit. 2.9. Mat. 8.9.May not your Maſter ſay, If I be a Maſter, where is my fear? How fearleſs are you of your Maſters, eſpecially if your Maſters be not very rich and honourable in the earth? who reſpects Gods Ordinance? Hence many Profeſſing Servants ſland covered in their Maſters preſence, ſit before them, bow not to them, nor riſe up before them.
2. Do not you when you meet together blazon the infirmities of your Maſters? Do not you carry your ſelves as Spies rather than as Servants? you do not herein as you would be dealt with.
3. Are not you diſobedient to your Maſters commands, unleſs in what pleaſeth you? You are rather the Servants of your own luſts, rather than your Maſters Servants: you do not obey in ſingleneſs of heart, yea, you are not indeed obedient. The Centurion could ſay to his Servant, goe, and he went, &c. The Heathen Servants excel ſome that pretend to great attainments of Religion. He is the Maſter, that muſt have his own way; Judge ye then in your ſelves, whether you abide in the place, wherein God hath ſet you?
4. Not anſwering, when call'd. Job. 19.16.Do not ye refuſe to anſwer when you are called by your Maſters? This was Job's plague, I called my Servant, and he gave me no anſwer. Silence is ſometimes a ſign of conſent, but here of contempt. If a Servant anſwers not, when he is called, he forgets what his calling is. The Servants in Davids dayes were of better diſpoſitions, they did pick out their Maſters mind out of every motion and turning of his eye, and hand, and ſo were tontinually in a poſture for obedience. The eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Maſters, Pſal. 123.2. 1 Tim. 6.1.and the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Miſtriſs. For want of that honour that is due from Profeſſing Servants to their Maſters, the name of God is Blaſpemed.
5. Anſwering again. Tit. 2.9.As ſome by ſilence, ſo others by their tongues diſhonour their Maſters by anſwering again. They ſhould not anſwer by way of contradiction, or reluctance, as Servants are very apt to do. Some will even brag, how they gave word for word (perhaps blow for blow) nay two words for one. Hereby their Governours, if ungodly, fall foul upon Religion. Is this the fruit of your profeſsion? prayers? running after Miniſters?
6. Diligent only under their Maſters eye. Eph. 6.5, 6. Not deſigning to pleaſe God in their pleaſing their Maſters.How lazy are ſome profeſsing Servants? Diligent only when under their Maſters eye. Few ſerve their Maſters, as Jacob, Laben, with all their might. The command is that you ſhould obey in ſingleneſs of heart, not with eye-ſervice as men pleaſers. Mark, eye-ſervice ſtands not with uprightneſs of heart. As you would not be branded for Hypocrites, work behind your Maſters backs, as if their eyes were upon you. Conſider how ſhort you fall of this, and mourn before the Lord in ſecret for your eye-ſervice.
7. How do ſome, yea many ſervants, eye only the pleaſing their Maſters, Eph. 6.5. Tit. 2.9.but doe not their work ſo spiritually as to ſeek to pleaſe the Lord? Not with eye-ſervice, as men-pleaſers, but as the Servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. It is true Servants ſhould labour to pleaſe their Maſters, yea in all things; but they ſhould ſeek more to approve themſelves to God, than to any earthly Superiour.
8. Miſ-timing dutiesHow imprudent are ſome Profeſsing Servants as to the timing of their duties? Some, when never ſo urgent buſineſs is to be diſpatched will then go in ſecret to call upon God; whereas going to bed later, and riſing earlier, would prevent much ſtraitneſs as to time, and ſpirit in that great duty: Some will fall a talking of the things of God to their fellow-ſervants very unſeaſonably, not when they are at leaſure, but when they are moſt buſily imployed for their Maſters, to the hindring of their work.
9. Defrauding their maſters.How many cheat and defraud their Maſters? Some cheat them of their time, by idling it away, being tattlers, and buſie-bodies, or goſſiping it away: Others cheat them of their money or goods, hiring others ſecretly to do their work, and pay them with their Maſters money or goods. Is not this purloyning? and therefore forbidden?Tit. 2.10. Not provident for their gain.
10. How many are improvident for their Maſters goods and gain? They will ſee things ſpoil before their eyes: they will give what is not their own to give: they make no conſcience to eat and drink what their Maſters do not allow them: they are not contented with his allowances: they will ſteal ſmall matters, and yet whatever they take, though but little, is the breach of the 8th. Commandement, and the leſs the temptation, the greater the ſin, that they will break Gods Law for triſles; and ſerve the Devil for pieces of ſilver, and morſels of fleſh. What ſaith Mr. Dod? If ever they look for ſound peace of conſcience, they muſt make reſtitution of all ſuch things: How much ſoever they ſteal, Numb. 5.7. Zech. 5.4.ſo much they muſt reſtore, and the fifth part thereto, or if they keep it, unleſs they repent, they keep Gods curſe with it, and a woe unto their Conſciences.
11. Regard. leſs of their Souls.How many are altogether careleſs to get any good to their Souls whilſt under Religious Governours? They ask not the way to Heaven, and if examined, they are tonguetyed, will give no account of the hope that is in them.
12. Murmuring at reproofs and corrections. 1 Pet. 2.18, 19, 20.How do many murmur under reproofs and corrections? What ſaith the Apoſtle? Servants be ſubject to your Maſters, not only to the gentle, but to the froward; for this is thankworthy, if a man for Conſcience towards God endure grief, ſuffering wrongfully: for what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye ſhall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and ſuffer for it, ye take it patiently: this is acceptable with God.Unfaithful to Children.
13. How unfaithfull are many to their Masters Children? Not heeding them, and providing meat, and other neceſſaries for them in their Maſters abſence?
14. Receiving ſcornfully a Catalogue of their duties.How ſcornfully do even Profeſſing-Servants receive a Catalogue of their duties? How loth are they, yea how do ſome un… to know the mind of God, as to the extent of their obedience?
15. Their miſcarriages toward their fellow-Servants.How many wayes do you fail towards your fellow Servants? Do not you ſeek to undermine them of the reſpect their Maſters bare them? Do not you labour to ſupplant them? Do not you envy them? Are not you unfaithfull to one anothers Souls? Do not you waſt time in idle and impertinent-diſcourſes? Are not you evil examples to each other? Do not you ſuffer Sin to reſt upon each other? Are not you guilty of not eaſing and relieving them, when they are overcharged with buſineſſes? Do not you carry your ſelves proudly and magiſterially towards Apprentices? Do not you joyn in a confederacy to tell tales againſt your Governours? And do not you charge your fellow-Servants with ſecreſy therein, whereby the Name and Authority of the Maſter is loſt, and all hopes of edifying are taken away?