Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 1 · Section 3
§. 3. Of eueryevery ones ſubmitting himſelfe to another.
Againe, as this verſe hath reference to that which followeth, it declareth the generall ſumme of all, which is mutually to ſubmit our ſelues one to another in the feare of God. The parts hereof are two:
1. An Exhortation.
2. A Direction.
In the exhortation is noted, both the dutie it ſelfe in this word ſubmit, and alſo the parties to whom it is to be performed, one to another.
Both branches of the exhortation, viz. the dutie, and the parties ioyned together, afford this doctrine, that
It is a generall mutuall dutie appertaining to all Chriſtians, 2. Doct.to ſubmit themſelues one to another: For this precept is as generall as any of the former, belonging to all ſorts and degrees whatſoeuer: and ſo much doth this word one another foreign.imply: in which extent the Apoſtle in another place exhorteth to ſerue one another: and againe, eueryevery man to ſeeke Gal. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 24.anothers wealth.
Concerning inferiours, it is without queſtion cleare, that Queſt.they ought to ſubmit themſelues to their ſuperiours: yea, concerning equals no great queſtion can be made, but they in giuing honour muſt goe one before another, and ſo ſubmit Rom. 12. 10. How ſuperiours ought to ſubiect themſelues.themſelues: but concerning ſuperiours, iuſt queſtion may be made, whether it be a dutie required of them to ſubmit themſelues to their inferiours.
To reſolue this doubt, we muſt firſt diſtinguiſh betwixt Anſw.ſubiection of reuerence, and ſubiection of ſeruice.
Subiection of reuerence is that whereby one teſtifieth an eminencie and ſuperioritie in them whom he reuerenceth, and that in ſpeech, by giuing them titles of honour; or in geſture, by ſome kinde of obeyſance; or in action, by a ready obeying of their commandement. This is proper to inferiours.
Subiection of ſeruice is that whereby one in his place is Difference betwixt ſubiection of Reuerence and Seruice.ready to doe what good he can to another. This is common to all Chriſtians: a dutie which euen ſuperiours owe to inferiours, according to the fore-named extent of this word one another: in which reſpect euen the higheſt gouernour on earth is called a miniſter, for the good of ſuch as foreign. Rom. 13. 4.are vnderunder him.
Secondly, we muſt put difference betwixt the worke it Difference betwixt the worke and manner of doing it.ſelfe, and the manner of doing it. That worke which in it ſelfe is a worke of ſuperioritie and authoritie, in the manner of doing it may be a worke of ſubmiſſion, viz. if it be done in humilitie and meekneſſe of minde. The Magiſtrate by ruling with meekneſſe and humilitie, ſubmitteth himſelfe to his ſubiect. In this reſpect the Apoſtle exhorteth that nothing (no not the higheſt and greateſt workes that Phil. 2. 3.can be) be done in vaine-glory, but in meekneſſe.
Thirdly, we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt the ſeuerall places wherein men are: for euen they who are ſuperiours to ſome, EueryEvery one vnderunder ſome authoritie. Matth. 8. 9.are inferiours to others: as he that ſaid, I hauehave vnderunder me, and am vnderunder authoritie. The maſter that hath ſeruants vnderunder him, may be vnderunder the authoritie of a Magiſtrate. Yea, God hath ſo diſpoſed eueryevery ones ſeuerall place, as there is not any one, but in ſome reſpect is vnderunder another. The wife, though a mother of children, is vnderunder her husband. The husband, though head of a family, is vnderunder publike Magiſtrates. Publike Magiſtrates one vnderunder another, and all vnderunder the King. The King himſelfe vnderunder God and his word deliuered by his Ambaſſadours, whereunto the higheſt are to ſubmit themſelues. And Miniſters of the word, as ſubiects, are vnderunder their Kings and Gouernours. He that ſaith, Let eueryevery ſoule be ſubiect to the higher powers, Rom. 13. 1.excepteth not Miniſters of the word: and he that ſaith, obey them that hauehave the ouerſight of you, and ſubmit your ſelues, Heb. 13. 17. Difference betwixt Magiſtrates and Miniſters authoritie.excepteth not kings: only the difference is in this, that the authoritie of the king is in himſelfe, and in his owne name he may command obedience to be performed to himſelfe: but the authoritie of a Miniſter is in Chriſt, and in Chriſts name only may he require obedience to be performed to Chriſt.
The reaſon why all are bound to ſubmit themſelues one Reaſon. EueryEvery ones Office for the good of another.to another is, becauſe eueryevery one is ſet in his place by God, not ſo much for himſelfe, as for the good of others: whereupon the Apoſtle exhorteth, that none ſeeke his owne, but eueryevery man anothers wealth. Euen Gouernours are aduanced 1 Cor. 10. 24.to places of dignitie and authoritie, rather for the good of their ſubiects then for their owne honour. Their callings are in truth offices of ſeruice, yea burdens vnderunder which they muſt willingly put their ſhoulders, being called of God, and of which they are to giuegive an account concerning the good which they hauehave done to others: for the effecting whereof, it is needfull that they ſubmit themſelues.
Let eueryevery one therefore high and low, rich and poore, 1. Vſe. Exhòrtation vntounto all to doe ſeruice.ſuperiour and inferiour, Magiſtrate and ſubiect, Miniſter and people, husband and wife, parent and childe, maſter and ſeruant, neighbours and fellowes, all of all ſorts in their ſeuerall places take notice of their dutie in this point of ſubmiſſion, and make conſcience to put it in practice: Magiſtrates, by procuring the wealth and peace of their people, as Mordecai: Miniſters, by making themſelues ſeruants Eſt. 10. 3.vntounto their people, not ſeeking their owne profit, but the 1 Cor. 9. 19. & 10. 33.profit of many, that they may be ſaued, as Paul: Fathers, by well educating their children, and taking heed that they prouoke them not to wrath, as Dauid: Husbands, Prou. 4. 3, 4.by dwelling with their wiues according to knowledge; giuing honour to the wife as to the weaker veſſell, as Abraham: Gen. 16. 6.Maſters, by doing that which is iuſt and equall to their ſeruants, as the Centurion: EueryEvery one, by being of like Luke 7. 2.affection one towards another, and by ſeruing one another in louelove, according to the Apoſtles rule. Let this dutie of Rom. 12. 16. Gal. 5. 13.ſubmiſſion be firſt well learned, and then all other duties will better be performed.
Be not high minded, nor ſwell one againſt another. 2. Vſe. Dehortation from ſwelling one againſt another.Though in outward eſtate ſome may be higher than other, yet in Chriſt all are one whether bond or free: all members of one and the ſame body. Now conſider the mutuall affection (as I may ſo ſpeake) of the members of a naturall body one towards another: not any one of them will puffe it ſelfe vp, Gal. 3. 28.and riſe againſt the other: the head which is the higheſt 1 Cor. 12. 27.and of greateſt honour will ſubmit it ſelfe to the feet in performing the dutie of an head, as well as the feet to the head in performing their dutie; ſo all other parts. Neither is it hereby implied that they which are in place of dignitie and authoritie ſhould forget or relinquiſh their place, dignitie, or authoritie, and become as inferiours vnderunder authoritie, no more than the head doth: for the head in ſubmitting it ſelfe doth not goe vponupon the ground and beare the body, as the feet; but it ſubmitteth it ſelfe by directing and gouerning the other parts, and that with all the humilitie, meekneſſe, and gentleneſſe that it can. So muſt all ſuperiours: much more muſt equals and inferiours learne with humilitie, and meekneſſe, without ſcorne or diſdaine, to performe their dutie: this is that which was before by the Apoſtle Epheſ. 4. 2.expreſly mentioned, and is here againe intimated; none are exempted and priuileged from it. We know that it is vnnaturall, and vnbeſeeming the head to ſcorne the feet, and to ſwell againſt them, but more than monſtrous for one hand to ſcorn another: what ſhall we then ſay if the feet ſwel againſt the head? Surely ſuch ſcorne and diſdaine among the members, would cauſe not only great diſturbance, but alſo vtter ruine to the body. And can it be otherwiſe in a politique body? But on the contrarie, when all of all ſorts ſhall (as hath beene before ſhewed) willingly ſubmit themſelues one to another, the whole body, and eueryevery member thereof will reape good thereby: yea, by this mutuall ſubmiſſion, as we doe good, ſo we ſhall receiue good.