Christian Commonwealth

The first Chapter.

ANd the cause why I have first begun with this duty of Husbands, is for that I find it to be the first degree which God gave unto Man after his Creation: & therein, that when God gave unto man the rule of the whole earth, and the domination of all the creatures therein contained, yet, until he gave unto him a Wife, he had no true content in all the rest besides, for every creature had solace in their kind except Man: but so was it not with Man till God gave unto him a Wife: Then finding her a companion fit to associate him self withal, with her he settled his content. And this did God for Man in the time of his innocence, give unto him this wife, thereby leaving unto us this instruction, that we also ought to live so uprightly, so holily, and so purely in the state of wedlock, that we sin not against God, nor against one another: And here is one especial thing to be noted, that God gave unto Man but one Wife, and not two or three, or many, and yet he could have given him more as well as one, if he had known it meet so to be: But the Prophet Malachi doth tell us why he gave him but one: because saith he, he sought a godly seed.

See here my brethren, God rejecteth your seed of bastardy, begotten in your filthy fornication and abomninable adultery, he chooseth none of these, it is the seed of lawful wedlock whereof he maketh his choice to inherit his Kingdom, and reign in glory with his beloved Son.

And whence proceeded this breach of God's Commandment at first? came it not from that wicked blood of Cain, was not Lamech that murderer like his Father the first author thereof? yea he was so: for you plainly see that God at the first ordained it not so to be, and what he first ordained, he still confirmeth: for when he drowned the whole world, yet he preserved unto Noah but one woman, and that his own Wife, thereby teaching unto man that he ought to keep himself unto his own wife only, & when he gave his laws unto his own chosen people with his own hand writing, he then saith, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife, speaking in the singular number, so that by him we find no nomination of any plural.

[Object.] But it may be you will object and say, that the Saints and servants of God as Abraham, Jacob, David and others, have not observed this rule, but have had diverse wives, and therefore being the beloved and chosen of God, they could not err in these things. [Answer.] To this I answer, it pleased God to permit his servants to do many things which he commanded not, he suffered Abraham to say Sarah his wife was his sister, and Joseph to swear by the life of Pharaoh, and David to commit adultery and murder, and many other the like, and yet we know that all these things were directly against the will of God, Solomon had many wives indeed, but they drew him to Idolatry.

We read that Moses suffered the people of Israel to give their wives a bill of divorcement, and so to put them away, but our blessed Savior telleth the Jews that it was for the hardness of their hearts, and to prevent further evils that Moses permitted it so to be, and that from the beginning it was not so.

But to return to our former matter again, let us see from whence this wife came that God hath given unto man, that so of him she may accordingly be regarded, as indeed she should: we find it to be most true that of man's own self, God made him this compannion and wife, and that not from the head of man neither, least she should claim to rule where her power consists not, nor of the foot, least she should be disdained & despised of her Husband, but from the very body is she taken, nay it is not enough for thee to spare of thine own flesh for to make thee a wife of, but thou must spare a bone too, if thou wilt have a fit companion for thee.

And now (oh man) having received so rich a Jewel, rich and dear indeed being so near unto thee, and that from the only hand of the great and Almighty God, she being the work of his own hands, sure it must needs be exceeding good which he maketh, and of an exceeding value which he vouchsafeth to give, and consider it well and you shall find it so to be: we have an old proverb, that it is a sweet collop that is cut out of the own flesh, but I am sure it must needs be sweet and deer, for that is both of thine own flesh and bone: Oh man, be wise in using this thy Jewel as thou oughtest, least thou be found unworthy of her by him that gave her unto thee, and so he take her again, & then too late thou lament thy loss.

Will you have my advice herein? I see no better way then to be wise and discreet in the using of her, nor any fitter place to keep her in, then that from whence she came, near thy heart man, I mean, I know she came from thence, lay her there again, lay her there again, let her not stray from thence, nay, lock her in there with the key of good discretion, and so shalt thou be sure to find a comfortable treasure of her at thy need, a comfortable treasure indeed as thou mayest use her.

You will happily say unto me, [Object.] I speak well for a good Wife, for she deserves that place indeed: but there are many wives of such lewd and froward condition, that their Husbands are most happiest when they are farthest from them, and such a wife deserves not that place. I answer [Answer.] with the words of Solomon, A virtuous woman shall be given unto him that feareth the Lord, and therefore he that will have such a one, let him seek to be virtuous himself first, that so he may obtain such a blessing of the Lord, for sure happy is the man that hath such a one, her price is far above the pearls, his treasure is invaluable, if I should explain her virtues as much as Solomon, yet I should not at full express her worth, but leave her as he hath done, that her own works may give her her due praise.

The Second Chapter.

ANd now we see that God hath given unto man so dear and precious a Companion to live with him, let us see what duties he would have these to perform one towards the other, and first to begin with the man, because he is the head, for so we find him to be: And if in this case we seek the whole book of God through, yet we shall find the effect and end thereof to be wholly and only love, for Saint Paul teacheth that men ought to love their wives as their own bodies, and he showeth the reason of it, for saith he, no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth & cherisheth it, even as Christ doth the Church, for thus the Saints and servants of God governed their wives in times past, Abraham loved Sarah his Wife, Isaac loved Rebecka his Wife, yea, the story recordeth that they sported together.

This hath that great Prophet & servant of God Moses expressed thereby, to show unto men, that it is not enough for them to live peacably and quietly with their wives, but they must live lovingly with them also: thus did Jacob love his wife, yielding service to his uncle and master Fourteen years, to the end he might enjoy her after: Elkana loved Hanna his wife, and Sampson his wife, and Tobias and others their wives: And you see it must be no ordinary love neither, but it must be like that extraordinary great love which Christ shown unto his Church, who gave himself for it, that he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be wholly & without blame. I will say with the blessed Apostle, this is a great secret, yea such a one which man is not commanded in all points to imitate, for the man is not commanded to give his life for his wife, as Christ did for his Church, and yet he is to protect her in all perils and dangers, even as he doth his Church: he must govern her in his wisdom by the word of God, both by continual instructions from thence, and by his own loving and gentle behavior towards her and all others, yea, he must be laborious in his calling, that so he may provide all things necessary for her, for so doth Christ for his Church, he is always protecting it and providing for it, For this cause shall a man leave his Father & his Mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they twayne shall be one flesh.

Saint Peter being himself a married man, doth give many notable instructions like these, who speaking by the spirit of God, and in the knowledge he had of marriage, yet imposeth this duty unto men, ye Husbands dwell with your Wives as men of knowledge, giving honor unto the woman as unto the weaker vessel, even • they which are heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not interrupted: and the wise man giveth thee this counsel, not to depart from a discreet and good woman which is fallen unto thee for thy portion in the fear of the Lord, (for saith he) the gift of her honesty is far above gold: If thou have a wife after thine own mind, forsake her not, and commit not thyself to the hateful, use thyself to live joyfully with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life, which is but vain that God hath given thee under the Sun, all the days of thy vanity, for that is thy portion in this life of all thy labor and trauile that thou takest under the sun.

And our Savior Christ himself confirming on earth what his Father had done in paradise, vouchsafed to grace a nuptial feast with his blessed presence: & to express his love the more which he bare to the holy union then there knit betwixt the Man and his wife, he expresseth his glory in showing his first miracle which he wrought on earth at this marriage, & that of joy, by turning there water into wine, to comfort and glad their hearts withal.

And now that we have found that the most principal duty of the Husband towards his Wife is love, & that the word of God teacheth us in what nature to express it, let us look into the glass of our times and see how this duty of love is performed, but I fear that among a hundred we shall scarce find one that striveth to perform this duty of love as he ought, and too many that know not of any duty at all to be observed, or at least wise will know of none, and even of those that do know all, and yet make no conscience to perform any: for who, or where is he that loveth his wife as himself, and nourisheth and cherisheth her even as Christ doth his Church, nay, see we not rather the contrary, do we not see daily many which consume great estates which their wives do bring them, through their own vicious lives, some by idleness, some by gaming, some by drunkenness, some by whoring, but of this I shall speak hereafter, some by one thing & some by another, who can deny but if there were love in the man to his wife, he would be more careful in preserving his and her estate then thus? and yet we see daily a good woman brought to beggary by such lewd Husbands: where is any duty or love in such?

And are there not others which to show their authority, will hold their wives (instead of fellowship) in such subjection & servitude, that no servant will perform the like unto them, being even a very Nabal unto them in churlishnes of speech & crabbed conditions, that the poor wife is even at her wits end in seeking to give him content • where is wisdom in such Husbands, that should govern their wives according to knowledge? alas it appeareth that these men forgetting their duty to God, know not how to perform any duty at all towards their Wives: Others there are that will follow no vocation or labor at all, but live idly and lewdly & put the poor woman to shift for all: she must provide for her self, her Children; and her idle Husband too, or if he hap sometimes to get something abroad, yet she shall be sure to be never the better for it, he will bring none home to comfort her, nay, not so much as to put clothes to his own back, but that his poor Wife must provide them, yea and discharge the Landlord too, or else she shall want a house to put her head in: nay, having a profession to do all this sufficiently of himself, yet will he no way benefit his wife or himself, but will impose all still upon her: what shall we say of such men? and yet such there be, I protest upon mine own knowledge I know some of them. Saint Paul saith, he is worse then an Infidel that doth not provide for his family: but to cast pearls among such swine is not meet, for they will stop their ears at the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely: I will leave them to the just judgment of God, who will assuredly give them their due, what love do these men show? nay, is there any love at all in them, or any fear of God either?

It is a harts grief to any good Christian, or well minded man to see and hear the daily contentions, uproars, quarrelles, and disagreements betwixt husbands and wives in these days, and yet who can deny but the world is too full of such, what shall we say to these things? excuse it who will by laying the fault on the Wives, I say still the greatest part is in the Husband, he by his unkind and churlish speeches not fitting a husband to give unto his wife, his unthriftiness in wasting abroad, what all do labor for at home, his drunkenness, his rash furiousnes, these with the rest aforesaid and a number more not here expressed, he (I say) by these occasions is daily the cause of all these evils.

The third Chapter.

ANd there be some of this number, that will know no other way to govern their wives but by extremity: why brother, dost thou think to make thy Wife love thee by beating of her, alas silly man, how art thou deceived? love is of another nature, she will run freely of her self where she liketh, but will not be drawn or compelled by any force how great soener.

And how canst thou think to have her to show any kindness or love unto thee, when thou seekest to rule by force? wouldest thou have her to stand in awe of thee, it is thy servants duty and thy child's, not thy Wifes: I confess she is to be obedient unto thee? but her obedience must proceed through love, and a man may draw more from a woman by loving and kind using of her, then any way by force, nay, more then he will or can expect of her, for she is of that free nature where she loveth, and is beloved, I speak not of supposition, but of knowledge.

But for a man to beat her whom both by the laws of God and nature he is bound to love, nourish, and cherish as his own flesh, it doth show great want of knowledge both of God and of his laws in such a man, for were the fear of God or wisdom in them, they would rather strive to govern them in another nature, I mean by love and clementcie, & not by force: besides, what a scandal & reproach doth such men raise upon themselves amongst their neighbors, kindred and acquaintance who live thus discentiously, making themselves a by-word or common talk among them, which many times are not only affrighted with them in their own houses with the outcries of thē & their children, but are forced to spend their time & their money to make the man and his wife friends: oh foolish madness in men that cannot keep their own follies private to themselves, but they must make others acquainted with it!

I do remember that a reverend divine writing upon this matter saith, that he that cannot govern his Wife without beating her, deserves to be beaten himself, because he did choose no better but such a one whom he could not rule without beating: of all ways I assuer thee this is the worst to rule her by, for by this thou not only withdrawest her love from thee, which otherwais to thy great comfort thou migh • estionioy, & for th • great good, but also hardnest her heart against thee, & makest her careless even of thy good and her own, yea many times such hard and unkind dealing of the husband unto the wife, causeth her to fall into such inconvenience as bringeth the ruin both of her and of her husband and children, and is not this folly in men to wrong thenselves thus by their misgouernement, respecting more their own will, then their good & quiet? yea all must be •• t afside to give place unto will, so it is not enough for such a one to be Lord and ruler over his wife as it is reason he should, but he will show it, and that not in private neither, but openly, taking a glory in doing it, thereby explaining the follies of her whose weakness he should hide, and opening his own, whom wisdom would he should keep secret: besides what evil examples give such men by these things unto their families? yea, what have such men to answer for unto God which thus corrupt their families by these evil examples? amongst whom as a vine, it will extend it self into many branches: such a sin is not easily put away, he hath more need of Mary Magdalens tears, and with Peter to weep bitterly, that is corrupt with such a sin, and yet when he hath all done, he may win (as I said) more by love, then he shall get by force.

But I have not yet done with this branch of Love, for I must tell you, that that man that doth not love and live lovingly with his Wife, the spirit of God is not in such a one, and I prove it by his words, who was directed by the spirit of truth in that he spake, I mean the blessed Apostle Saint John, for he saith, that he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him: so then it must needs appear that he that dwelleth not in love, dwelleth not in God, nor God in him: yea, he proveth his words by these following, he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love: yea, he goeth so far, that he teacheth us to know whether this love be in us, or no, for saith he, if we love one another, we will love God, & keep his Commandments: also I know he speaketh there of the children of God: but as it ought so to be in them one towards another, so it ought also more especially to be in every man particularly towards his own Wife, & here is a toutchstone will tell every man truly whether he live with his wife as he ought to do, or no, namely, if he live in love with her and according to the Commandments of God: S▪ John saith, that if any man saith he loveth God and hateth his brother, he is a liar, and if a man say he loveth God, and yet loveth not his wife, I say he is a liar also.

But what shall I say? when I have all done, I must leave men to the consideration of what I have witten, and wish and entreat them to be wise & submit themselves unto the government of the word of God, that so they may live: quietly and lovingly with their wives, and not only so, but joyfully (as the wise man saith) for surely he hath obtained a good portion that hath a wife that he can live joyfully with, for if that a man do abound with wealth, so that he is able to give unto himself as much pleasure as Solomon possessed as his heart can desire, yet if he live not peaceably at home & in love with his wife, even all the rest are but a burden unto him: but the poor man (having little and yet living friendly, lovingly and joyfully with his wife) hath his heart more full of content then the rich man hath of all his wealth. Indeed as the old proverb saith, in love is no lack, for where love is united in the fear of God in the harts of man and wife, they will (like yoke fellows) draw together the right way, like the two Milch Kine which brought the Ark of God in the new cart from the land of the Philistines, yea, they will plow together, & sow together, & there is no doubt, but through the blessing of him which governeth them, they shall (so doing) receive a plentiful harvest together. Thus we have found that the principal duty of the Husband unto the Wife is love, and do also find that this duty is much neglected, contemned, & even despised of many, as appeareth by the evils daily arising betwixt man & wife here before expressed, which I confess to be to many, yet there is one main defect in husbands which I may not over-pass, because it is the greatest breach of love that may be, which I will speak of in the Chapter following.

The Fourth Chapter.

THis duty of the Husband unto the Wife being wholly included in the bonds of love, it stretcheth it self farther into many branches: for we find also by the word of God, that the Husband must dwell with his wife according to knowledge: so we see here that is not lawful for the Husband to forsake his Wife, but howseuer, whether it be in weal or woe, in riches or in poverty, yet he must abide & dwell with her still, only Adultry separateth man and wife: for this cause a man may forsake his wife and she her husband, but if the wife be not an Adulteress, thou must not forsake her, no, not for any other cause, I confess the wise man saith, give me any plague, but the plague of the tongue: and it may be thy wife hath this fault, yet this is not a sufficient cause for to forsake her, for our Savior Christ telleth us, it is not lawful for a man to put away his wife, except it be for whoredom: yea he doth utterly forbid to separate whom God hath joined together: and saith further, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery, and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth Adultry.

But the firebrands of hell, I mean the wicked and abominable Adulterers of our time, (neither respecting the word of God, nor yielding any obedience to his Commandments, or fearing the justice of his vengeance to come for their disobedience) will notwithstanding (like the swine possessed by the Devil) run violently to their destructions: But Saint Paul telleth them plainly, that neither Fornicators, Adulterers, wantons, nor such like, shall inherit the kingdom of God: whither they shall go then I tremble to think of: for these men not regarding these things, will have a wife here, & another there, one in this Country, and another in another country: or if thy cannot range abroad to do thus, but must abide at home, they will keep a whore even there, and yet the poor wife must not know of it, or if she do, she must not seem to know it or dare to speak of it, though she be never so much wronged by it: nay, this will not serve the beastly minds of some, but they will have a whore in this corner, and another in another corner, and be continually seeking of whores and whorish places, for all bread is sweet to a whoremonger, saith the wise man, he will not leave off till he perish: a man that breaketh wedlock, and thinketh thus in his heart, who seeth me, I am compassed about with darkness, the walls cover me, nobody seeth me, whom need I to fear? the most high will not remember my sins: the same man saith, he shall be punished in the streets of the city, and shall be chased like a young horse foale, and when he thinketh not upon it, he shall be taken: thus shall he be put to shame of every man, because he would not understand the fear of the Lord.

But what speak I of the wise man's words, whē God himself saith Thou shalt not commit Adultry, and that thou shalt not couit thy neighbors Wife, nor his maid, nor his Daughter, and yet his wife, his maid, nor daughter, will serve to satisfy the beastly minds of many men in this wicked age, but wives, maids, and all that they may any way allure to their wicked purposes they will thus abuse: The Lord commanded there should be no whore-keepers among his people the Israelites, but if all such should be swept out of this kingdom, I think a great part of our land would be vnpeopled, for never was this sin of whoredom & adultery at such a haight as at this day it is amongst, us amongst young men it is now counted but a trick of youth, & among others of more years which should have more grace, it is called the sweet pleasing sin of Letchery.

Oh England, England! Sodom & Gomorrah committed not more sin then thou daily dost, and these have felt the heavy hand of God long since, consuming them with fire and brimstone from heaven, and thinkest thou to escape? no, no, the bed undefiled is honorable, but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. Saint John telleth such plainly, they shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone: you will think I am too bold to be thus sharp with you, but I say the tongues of men can never speak enough of this sin, for the Lord hath set himself against such, and will be aswift witness against them: (for saith he) They assemble themselves by companies in the Harlots houses, and rise up in the morning like fed horses, for every man neigheth after his neighbors wife, and now mark what follows: shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord, shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Woe be to you Whoremongers and Adulterers, who not only draw vengeance vpō yourselves but even upon the whole nation wherein you live, against whom the Lord maketh ready the arrows of his vengeance, whose portion is in that lake of fire unquenchable, Oh consider this ye that forget God, least he tare you in pieces, and there be none to help!

Regard the words of Solomon, keep thee from the wicked woman, & flattery of the tongue of a strange woman, desire not her beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids, for because of the whorish woman, a man is brought to a morcel of bread: And a woman will hunt for the precious life of a man: can a man take fire in his bosom & not be burnt, or can he go upon coals, & his feet not be burnt: so he that goeth into his neighbors wife, shall not be innocent, whosoever toucheth her: should a man talk with one of these licentious livers about some of his worldly affairs, he would think himself wise enough to confer with any man, & in the eyes of the world seem so, & yet Solomon proveth him ot be but a fool, for (saith he,) he that doth it, destroyeth his own soul, yea he shall find a wound & dishonor, & his reproach shall never be put away: & again in anothr place, The mouth of a strange woman is a pit, and he with whom the Lord is angry, shall fall therein: and thus I proceed somewhat the more largely in opening this breach of wedlock, to the end you may see into what dangers these men do daily run into, which live not lovingly & faithfully with their own wives, as the word of God enjoineth them to do.

The Fift Chapter.

WEe see now by our last Chapter, how far many husbands come short of the performance of that duty, which by the word of God they are enjoined to perform unto their wives, and the whole cause or chief ground we also see there to be the want of love, or rather of true love: for if there were in them that true love which the fear of God worketh in the heart of every good Christian, then it would lead them to that knowledge wherewith S. Peter teacheth husbands to be furnished with: which I must a little further touch, for it is not enough for them to abide & dwell with their wives, but they must dwell with them as men of knowledge, and men of understanding, and experienced in the word of God, yielding themselves wholly unto the guide of his word, and the obedience of his will and holy Commandments, this is the knowledge wherewith he instructeth them, and this will bring Husbands to perform that which Saint Paul teacheth, which is to love your wives▪ as Christ loved his Congregatiō: that is with a holy, hearty and a constant love, for all these must be performed by you: and except you labor to gather this knowledge from the word of God, as the Be doth for her honey among the flowers, by your continual exercise & meditatiō therein assure yourselves you shall never be able to perform your duties towards God, nor receive true comfort by your Mariages.

He telleth you also, that you must give honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and because she is the weaker vessel and more apt to frailty then thyself, thou must bear with her weakness, and not expect to find that fullness of content which happily through thy wisdom thou wouldest she should perform unto thee in many things, for, for this cause also hast thou obtained thy wisdom & thy knowledge and thy understanding, that thou mightest bear with the weakness of thy companion: we read, that when Samuel had annointed Saul to be a King over the people, so soon as he had annointed him unto that kingly office, God gave unto him another heart, fitting him thereby unto the place and calling he had appointed him: so no doubt but those men which he permitteth unto that honorable function of Marriage, he furnisheth with gifts fitting for that calling, for it is a matter of no small weight when a man taketh upon him the government of a womā, but if he rightly consider what he taketh in hand, he shall find he had need with Solomon to pray that the Lord will give unto him wisdom to rule & govern the wife with he hath taken, as he did for wisdom to govern his people, & both the Husband & the Wife when they come together to pray with Tobias and Sarah, that the power of the Devil have no domination over them, and so he shall be strengthened and enabled to bear with the weakness of his companion.

We see if we put strong waters into a single & weak glass, it breaketh the glass because it wanteth substance of nature to bear it: and therefore we will put such waters carefully into double glasses, which may conserve and keep them: so we should not ouerburthen the weak nature of the woman, by imposing upon her, that which the husband himself ought to perform, of which (I have formerly spoken) and this is one chief reason which should move the man to deal kindly with his wife, even her weakness: for we see if we handle vessels of glass and earth roughly or rashly, we crack & break them, and I would that men were as wise and careful to consider the weakensse of their wives, and to deal kindly, gently, and lovingly with them, so conseruing and preserving that love which ought to be betwixt them, and would be if it were not expulsed by their rough and unkind dealing with them.

And there is another reason or chief ground to be considered greater then any of the former, which should draw men to the performance of this their duty, for so St. Paul doth teach us also, (which is) that every man should have a special care to perform these duties imposed upon him, the rather or for this cause, because they are beires with you of the grace of life, elected by the favor of God in Christ Jesus to that fellowship of Saints wherein you yourselves hope to be numbered, & as dearly beloved of God as yourselves, bought out of the power of Satan by the precious blood of his dear Son, as well as you, and heirs also of that eternal life which you yourselves hope to enjoy: and therefore if you yourselves think to live as Saints in Heaven, you must live together as Saints here on earth. These things as a loadestone should draw you to the performance of those duties which you ought to perform if you rightly consider it.

And so our blessed Apostle having given this godly & prudent counsel unto Husbands to perform unto their Wives, giveth a reason also wherefore these things should or ought to be thus performed, which is, that your prayers be not let or hindered, as if he should say, if you live discōtently or frowardly one with another, it is impossible that you should perform that devotion in your prayers, which you ought to perform to God, or have them accepted of him as you would, & therefore if you would have God to hear you when you pray unto him, or to grant you the things which you pray for and desire of him, agree and live in love together, that so your praying together may receive comfort together, and that the God of love may bless your Loves together.

I beseech you have a care of these things, and separate not yourselves in these holy actions, for I know there be too many infected with these sins amongst us in these days, which live untowardly and frowardly God knows, & yet fear not to present themselves before his divine Majesty in this case, oh dangerous thing! hath God joined you together that you might be one, and will you divide yourselves and then appear before him, and bring him but half, when his due is to have the whole, think you he will be served thus? no, he is like the true Mother, which will not have her child divided, he will either have the whole or none, he will not have you thus to separate yourselves, and then to presume to come in his presence: but if any contention do arise betwixt the Man and his Wife, quench the fire before it do burn too far, reconcile yourselves one to another speedily, that your loves may not fade, nor your hearts stray, but join together in God, that so your prayers be not interupted, but accepted of him, as you see the word of God teacheth you: & thus briefly for the duty of Husbands.

The Sixt Chapter.

YOu see I have proved that the duties of Husbands are wholly grounded upon Love, but we shall find that the duty of the Wife reacheth yet further then so, for it is not enough for her to be kind & loving unto her Husband, but she must be obedient and dutiful, and under the subjection & government of him also, but because I will not be offensive by presuming to write anything herein of myself, I will lay my foundations on a sure ground, and go no farther then the word of God shall give me warrant herein.

We find that for the sin of disobedience in our grandmother Eve unto her maker, amongst the rest of her punishments laid upon her for it, this is one, Thy desire shall be subject to thine Husband, and he shall rule over thee: ye see here what duty is laid upon the the woman, & that by the Commandment of God himself, you have now no power left unto yourselves to order your own wills and desires as your own selves please: no, your wills must accord to the wills of your Husbands, & your desires must be subject to their wills: it is your duties to yield them obedience & the preeminence of rule: the very heathen Philosophers which knew not the word of God, yet could teach that the rule for the Wife to live by, was her Husband, if he lived obedient to the laws public: how much more then if they live according to the laws of God, are you bound to perform it: but as a block though it be decked with Gold and Jewels is not to be respected, except it represent the shape of somewhat, even so a wife, be she never so rich, if she be not obedient unto her Husband, she is nothing worth to be regarded: and whatsoever or wheresoerver we shall find anything concerning this duty of the Wife in the whole book of God, we shall find it to be built upon this foundation, which God himself hath laid.

S. Paul well understanding the mystery of his Masters mind, hath very plainly in many of his Epistles largely expressed this matter, teaching wives to submit thenselves unto their Husbands as unto the Lord: here is the love taught you, that you must perform unto them, & here is the duty too. For as you must perform all hearty love and true affectioned zeal unto the Lord, with all faithful obedience unto his holy and heavenly will: so you, under your Husbands & unto them, must perform the like, and Saint Paul showeth the reason too, why you must do this, (for saith he) The Husband is the Wives head, even as Christ is the head of the Congregation, and he is the Savior of the whole body, therefore as the whole congregation is in subjection to Christ, likewise let the wives be in subjection to their Husbands in all things.

Thus you see how Saint Paul hath labored to expesse this duty unto you, and Saint Peter he teacheth the same in effect also in these words, ye women be subject to your Husbands, that even they which believe not the word, may without the word, be won by your conversation when they behold your conversation in fear: And again, let your wives keep silence with all subiectiō, suffer not a womā to teach, nor to have authority over the man, but for to be in silence, for Adam was first formed, then Eve, also Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived, and hath brought in the transgression: Again, Let your wives keep silence in the congregation, for it shall not be permitted unto them to speak, but to be under obedience, as the Law saith, but if they will learn anything, let them ask their Husbands at home, for it becometh not a woman to speak in the Congregation, yea, a man shall be Lord and ruler in his own house, and the woman shall be subject unto her Husband.

Yea, we shall find that among the ordinances which Moses gave unto the Children of Israel, this is one, That if a woman having a Husband, voweth or pronounceth ought with her lips, either by • ath or solemn promise, whereby she bindeth her self: if her Husband heard it, and holdeth his peace concerning her the same day he heareth it, then her vow shall stand, and her bond wherewith she bound her self, shall stand in effect: but if her Husband disallow, her the same day that he heareth it, then shall he make her vow which she had made, and that which she pronounced with her lips, when she bound her self, of none effect, and the Lord shall forgive her. Thus you see how the Scriptures do all accord to that which God in the beginning had commanded: namely, That the woman should be subject to the rule and government of her Husband, to this have all good women ever accorded. The obedience of Sarah unto Abraham calling him Lord, approveth her duty: The obedience of Rachel and Lea unto their Husband Jacob affirmeth it, no less doth the reverent duty of Bathsheba unto David express it, the obedience of Ester unto Ashuerus, purchased not only her own life & renown, but the lives of the whole Nation of the Jews. And although it cannot be gain said of any, but that this Cōmandement of Almighty God ought reverently to be obeyed of all women, yet how much it is disobeyed in these days we daily see: nay, despised & disdained at, so that we may justly complain against them, and say, they be a rebellious seed.

For, as in the beginning they rebelled against their Almighty God, so do they still repugn against him, refusing to be governed according to his will, & the ordinance which he hath appointed to govern them by, for by their husbands now many of them will not be governed, they will govern both themselves and their Husbands, yea and the whole family too, or else there shall be no quiet rule there, so that now it is grown to a proverb, that where the wife beareth the sway, the house is the quieter all the day: is not this badge given you to your shame? and yet you will not see it, in these days the Devil hath so bewitched you, that many of you do not stick to say, that your Husbands have not wit enough to perform such matters: think you that he that gave them their authority, cannot give them wit enough to peforme that charge which he committeth unto them, but that you must be umpire and judge too in your own cause, to take the authority out of his hand, and as false usurpers make use of that authority to which you have no lawful right?

If you suppose such a defect to be in them, why do not you rather pray for them, that God may supply their defects and wants? but it is too common a thing amongst you now a days, to make your choice of such men as you may thus deal withal, and I would some of you did indent before marriage for these things: but such womē as would rather have foolish Husbands, whom they might rule, rather then to be ruled by sober wise men, are like to him that would rather be led of a blind man in an unknown way, then to follow one that can see & know the way well. Oh that your supposed knowledge or wisdom on which you so much depend, would open unto you the danger in which you stand by committing this error! but it cannot, so long as your wills do not with all obedience, subject themselves unto the will & commandment of him unto whom all power should yield their obedience.

The Seauenth Chapter.

I Had almost ouerslipt the repetition of an undutiful Wife of whom we read in Scripture, but I may not, for it is worthy your best consideration, I mean of Vasta Queen and wife of Ahasuerus the great King of Persia & Media, whom upon a certain feast day the King commanded to be brought before him in her great estate of pomp, even with the Crown Royal upon her head, that as his love was great unto her, so she being brought unto him in that glorious pomp which he desired, the delights of his heart might be satisfied in her comely and beautiful person, and likewise his Princes & Peers might see the same.

And we would think that this was but a small request which the King required of her, & yet many a man doth require as little as this at the hands of his wife, or less, and yet obtains it not: well, the story telleth us she did no better, but even so, for though she were a Queen, and should have been a pattern of obedience unto all women, both in her Court & Kingdom, yet she refused to come, and would not come, although commanded by her Husband, yea, & that a King.

But Ecce, Ecce, behold, behold, she refusing to come to her Husband with the Crown on her head who gave it her, and first placed it there, her royalty and regaltie was therefore taken from her by him as unworthy of such a glory, and because she refused to be obedient unto the Commandment of her Husband, whom she ought with all reverence to have obeyed, she was not only rejected of her Husband for being Queen, but utterly abandoned of him forever, and divorced from him by law: nay, this was not all, for it was not long before she saw another enjoy that majesty honor and pleasure which she but lately possessed, & by her own folly lost, & what greater hartgriefe in the world can come to a woman then this, to see her self degraded and disgraced, & another to possess that honor which was hers, before her face? and thus she which should have been a mirror unto others in her obedience, is now made for disobedience a mirror unto all women in her punishment: I could not omit this history being so fitting to this matter of the wives obedience: but shall I tell you good wives, it is well for you that this law is not executed now in these days amongst us, for I assure you if it were, we should have Ten wives diuorsed before one buried, so apt are you to peforme this bad act of disobedience.

And therefore I cannot yet pass it over, for the Apostle doth open this point of duty unto you very plain, and therefore I beseech you be not ignorant of it, but mark it well, I recited the words in the former Chapter: He would have you so subject yourselves to your Husbands, that even they which believe not the word, may without the word be won by your conversation, when they shall behold your conversation in fear.

See, you must so subject your selves unto them, that you shall even fear to give any occasion of offense unto them. I know there be many that will not like of this, that the wife should so subject her self unto her Husband, that she shall stand in fear of him, and yet it must be so, for do we not read that God commandeth that every man shall stand in fear of his Father and Mother, he doth not say that every child only shall fear, but that every man shall fear, if then it must be so, how much more should the woman perform this unto her Husband, under whose subjection he hath committed her as a portion of her punishment for her disobedience unto him.

But will you know what kind of fear this is which is here required, and how it must be performed? for it is not a slavish kind of fear which is here required where the Apostle saith, your conversation must be in fear, but here is required of you a holy conuersatiō, zealous towards God and pure and undefiled towards the world, with virtue, chastity, modesty, temperance, sobriety, faithfulness, and loving obedience, for surely she that is fully possessed with these virtues, will so love and so live that she will fear to offend her Husband, but rather yield all humility and obedience for the commandment sake, & thus by this holy carriage of yourselves, shall you win those that are without the knowledge of God or his word, to the knowledge both of him and his word, when they shall behold your godly conversation in fear.

And see farther the mercy of our good God, unto whom he hath committed you to be governed by, not unto your enemies or unto strangers, but unto a kind & loving Husband, unto whom you are as near as the very flesh unto his skin, and as dear unto him as the apple of his eye, whose tender hearted affections are always yielding unto a dutiful & loving wife. I hope now that good wives will willingly yield unto this their duty of obedience unto their Husbands, seeing by whom it is commanded, and to whom it ought to be done.

And the rather for that the mercy of God doth extend it self unto them even to the full, in that notwithstanding their transgression against him, yet he hath ordained them to eternal salvation by the merits of his beloved Son, the words are worthy your best observation, and these they are: Notwithstanding through bearing of Children she shall be saved, if they continue in the faith, and love, and holiness with modesty: see here the benefit of Marriage which bringeth so great a blessing with it: And note I beseech you, you that are women of understanding, here is saluatiō offered unto you by bearing of Children indeed, but it is with a proviso if, if you continue in the faith, and love, and holiness with modesty: you must yield all hearty obedience unto the blessed will of God, else what is the fruits of your faith? or where is it, or the hope of your saluatiō? so you see it alludes unto all these virtues I formerly spake of, and the obedience which God himself commandeth, for all these should be in women: for if you mark it, as it is worthy your marking, you shall see that all our poetical paynters, wheresoever they do paint or set forth any of the virtues, as Faith, Hope, Love, Charity, Patience, Chastity, Temperance, Humility, & the like, all these they do not set forth unto us in the shadow of men, but in the shadow of women, showing thereby, that in them these virtues dwell, or should at the leastwise. I will run no farther in this point of obedience, but will turn me to the next duty of the Wife, which is Love.

The Eight Chapter.

ANd now concerning the duty of Love which every woman ought to perform unto her Husband, I have in some manner touched it before as occasion served in the duty of obedience, for indeed they are as too twins, they go hand in hand one with another, and may not well be separated, for where there is true obedience rightly performed, there also love will be attendant, & as an agent help to perform the business, and in deed it is so natural a thing for a woman to love a man, that we would think she needed not be prompted or to be instructed in this point, but to perform it truly & faithfully as it ought to be. I think we shall scarce find one in five that doth it, no not among ten, I pray God there be one in 20: And yet I make no doubt but that a woman loveth her Husband when she marrieth with him▪ but the Apostle saith, she must continue in love.

Why then it appeareth that the love she must perform unto her Husband, must be like the ring wherewith he marrieth her, it must have no end, it must continue as long as she continues to him, yea if it be to the end of her life: and as the ring is not of any mixed or base metal, but of the most precious & pure metal which may be: so it teacheth the woman that the love she must perform vnno her Husband, must be pure, holy, and chaste, it must allow no mixture, no copartner in this fellowship, but she must remember to perform the vow she made in the presence of God, and before his Saints at the time of her Marriage, that she would keep her self only unto him so long as she should live with him: and this you see the ceremony or use of the ring teacheth, and therefore with great and good consideration hath our Church ordained the use of it, and great in the error of those men which refuse at such times to make use of it.

And now I have begune to speak of this vow which the woman maketh unto her Husband at the time of her Marriage, it giveth me an occasion to take notice of the small regard that women for the most part do take of this business, for if we note the conversation of Wives unto their Husbands in these times, it will appear (as I said) for the most part, that they never regard that vow they made, or know that they have made any at all, for sure I think there be some so brutish they know it not, but rather think they be but words of course or ceremonial rites of the Church, and not concern them at all, yea, I do know there be such, but alas their errors is exceeding great in taking so little regard of so weighty a cause.

But I beseech you in the fear of God, note what I shall say unto you concerning this matter, for you shall see it is a vow which she promiseth with her lips, yea and a great vow, and such a one as in the whole course of her life she cannot make a greater, for if a woman shall say or protest she will do such or such a thing, this is a vow, she bindeth her self to perform it, but as I said before: If her Husband hearing her shall disallow of it, and shall say she shall not do it, she is then freed from her vow because of his authority over her, and it is said, the Lord shall forgive her for vowing, so we see then it is a sin for a woman to vow or protest to do anything if she perform it not, unless it be contradicted by her Husband.

But here the case is otherwise and far more greater, for whē she cometh to be Married to a man, she is then solie of her self, & free from the command of any, and hath free liberty to do then for her self what she will, and therefore her vow she then maketh is of very great effect, and it is as great a sin to break it, great indeed, in the regard of these things, the place where she made it, the house of God, the congregation there the Saints of God, but far more greater in respect she is demanded if she (will perform these things) by the Angel and Minister of God in God's behalf, & she then there answereth she will.

So we find when God had determined to give his chosen people the Children of Israel his law, whereby they might know how to perform their duty unto him, he sent his servant Moses unto them, to know if they would perform the law which he was to give them, and they answered they would perform it, but as rhe Lord did tell them after he had given them the Laws, That if they did not regard his Commandments and obey his will, he would send his punishment upon them in abundance, until he had utterly consumed them: so I must say unto every woman that regardeth not her vow and promise which she maketh at the time of her marriage, and doth not endeavor to perform the same as she ought to do, let her assure her self she shall no less expect the judgment and punishment of God, then they did.

Look in your Book of common Prayer in the solemnizatiō of Matrimony, and there you shall see what you have vowed to perform, it is that you will live with your Husbands according to the ordinance and Commandments of God, that you will obey and serve them, and this you see God hath commanded you to do, & what greater vow then this can you make? and it followeth more there, that you vow to love, honor, and keep them in sickness and in health, so here you see that love is the next thing for the woman here to do, and this also she voweth freely of her self to perform: also the next and last she voweth to forsake all other men, and to keep her self wholly & only to her Husband, here is the effect and end of her love, to be chaste, pure, and without spot, this is the love which wives ought to perform to their Husbands, & I know all those which fear God will acknowledge & perform as much▪ but I appeal unto themselves (even against their own sect) if there be not too many in these days, which live so brutish, so obstinate and rebellious against God and thei • Husbands, that they seem not to know that either they owe this love as a duty unto their Husbands, or have made so great a vow to perform it.

Look but into one of their acts, & let the rest (though many) alone, I mean their breach of wedlock, those Adultrous works, and then where is this love? how many forsake their Husbands unto whom they have made this vow of Love and chastity, and yet live adulterously with other men: oh how many have their secret friends & loves as they term them at home in their Husbands absence, or meeting them abroad in private places! nay, haunting common brothell houses, so insatiate, that even whores in stews are not more common: and what is the cause of this, but their disobedience unto the Commandment of God which would direct thē to perform this duty of Love holily as it ought to be, if they would.

But shall I display their actions abroad with my pen? oh no, if I should, I should weary myself with writing and you in reading it, they themselves by their lewd actions daily committed, do too much explain themselves to the world, and therefore to tell such their duty to their Husbands, which will not learn to perform their duty towards GOD, will be but vain, before such swine, I will not cast such pearls. But to those which desire to know their duty, to the end they may perform it, to these I write still, let their love be pure and steadfast, and their whole conversation so holy, that as the Apostle telleth them, others may be won by their godly ensamples, and so shall they themselves be brought unto eternal happiness.

The Ninth Chapter.

Our blessed Apostle having given instructions unto▪ Women how they ought to behave themselves towards their Husbands, now proceeds to give instructions unto them, also how to tire and array themselves, whose apparel (saith he) shall not be outward with brayded hair and hanging on of gold, or in putting on of gorgeous array, but let the inward man of the heart be uncorrupt with a meek and quiet spirit, which before God is much set by, for after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God ttyre themselves, & • were obedient unto their Husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord, again in another place (he faith) let the women array themselves in comely apparel with shamefostnesse and modesty, not with broyded hair or gold, or pearls or costly apparel, but as becometh women which profess the fear of God with good works.

I do not a little admire that so many women which would be accounted wise in their knowledge, & have themselves so often read these things, and been so long instructed in these principals, yet seem either not that ever they themselves have read such things, or ever have heard them of others, for I am sure so it seemeth in these days amongst them, for the most part, but shall I tell you, you have learned from the greatest to the meanest, and the eldest to the youngest, to adore & decke yourselves according to the fashions of the world, which shall perish and they which delight in them, but to array & decke yourselves with modesty and shamefastness, and such comely apparel as becometh those that profess the fear of God, in this you are all to seek or disdain to learn to know, although God by his word commandeth it of you.

But if there be any amongst you which maketh conscience of these things, and so strive to live according as they ought to do, are not such disdained and scorned of the rest, & brāded by you with the name of Puritan & holy sister? but where is your purity and holiness while you thus deride others in their well-doing? I answer you, if you will not endeavor to be holy and pure whiles you are here upon earth, you shall never become Saints in heaven, but rather Devils in hell, For blessed are the pur • in heart (saith our Savior Christ ) for they shall see God.

And he himself which best did know what was fit for you, did make your clothing but of beasts skins at the first, and when he sent his Son into the world, he did not send him by any Princes, or Lady of great rank, or amongst the proud ones of the world, he despised your pomp and pride, and did choose a poor humble Virgin to be mother of his Son, & when he lived amongst us, we find not that he gave us any example of pride, but of humility: his garments were without lace or welt, yea, without seam also.

But if we view them in these days as they rae arrayed, we would think that Hell were emptied of all her devises, toys, tricks and fashions, & that women had got them all: for all that God hath made under heaven, the whole earth and the sea, with all the creatures therein are not sufficient to satisfy the pride of women in these days, the entrails of the earth are daily torn & rent to seek for gold to adorn you with, the bottomeless sea & the poor fishes are daily robbed to find you pearls to deck yourselves with, & the hard rocks digged down to find you variety of precious stones, nay, have you not robbed all the creatures of God, both beasts, birds, and worms to furnish up this your pride? & yet all this will not serve to satisfy you, but still you keep your workman the Devil in work to find you more new fashions, and made him make a journey from hell to bring you beauty to paint yourselves withal, for from heaven I am sure you had it not.

Oh woe be to that soul on whose face God shall with anger look, denying to know it because it is not as he made it! no marvel though all that God hath made under heaven will not satisfy your pride, when the works of God's own hands in yourselves will not content you, but that you will alter that: In all the histories of the Scriptures. I never read but of one wicked woman that ever used this wicked art of paynting, (I mean Jezebel ) & yet the judgments of God upon her, in suffering the dogs to eat and consume her, will not draw you from using this paynting trade, but still you provoke him to anger & stir up his judgments against you daily, with your abnominable pride, wherein you excel all that ever were before you. I know you will think I am too bold with you, thus to meddle with your arraying yourselves, in such manner or fashions as you please to use them, but think what you will, and say what you will, I must and will discharge my conscience, the matter it self giveth me cause to do it, being a duty of so great importance, belonging unto womē to reform the abuses thereof: and for which not only you yourselves shall bear your own destructions, but they also which have the government of you, because they have suffered you to commit such things, I mean the Husbands of such women.

Nay, this is not all, I would it ended so: but woe, woe be unto you, whose pride shall be not only the destruction of yourselves and Husbands, but of the whole common wealth wherein you live: of you because you committed this sin, & of them because they suffered you to commit it. Is it not then high time to write and speak against this sin, and those which commit it? yes, if either or both may be regarded: I write not these things from my own brains, I menace you not, it is not I but the Lord that threateneth you & the whole land for it, look into the third of Isaiah, and see there what he saith unto your pride.

Because the Daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched-out necks, and with wandering eyes, walking and minsing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet, therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald, and the Lord shall discover their secret parts, in that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers, and the calls, and the round tyers, the sweet balls, and the bracelets, the bonnets, and the tyres of the head, & the slops, & the headbands, & the tablets, and the ear-rings, the rings and the mufflers, the costly apparel, and the veils, and the wi • ples, and the crisping pins, and the glasses, and the fine linen, the hoods, and the lawnes: And instead of sweet savors, there shall be stink, & instead of a girdle, a rent, and instead of dressing the hair▪ baldness, instead of a stomacher, • girdle with sack-clothe, and burning instead of beauty, thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy strength in the battle: Then shall her gates mourn and lament, and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. Now you painted butterflies of our time, which with the Chameleon change yourselves into all colors, what say you to these things? you see here what judgments God threateneth to bring upon his own chosen people, because of the pride of the daughters of Zion, & you far exceed them in all things, & yet think you to escape unpunished?

The prophet saith, that they were so proud that they went mincing & tinkling with their feet, but you are grown so proud that your feet may not bear you but that you must be carried in Coaches & drawn with horses, which (though it be an honor wherewith Kings and Princes are pleased to grace their well respected subjects with) yet is it unfit that Courtizans should be coached, which should rather be carted. I would it were not so, they were content with fine linen, but no linen or lawnes be it never so pure, will content you, but it must be died into colors, blue was, and now yellow is, & primrose, and straw color, & I know not what, but black will be the next assure yourselves, for as your pride hath excelled all before you, so I fear that your punishments when they come, will exceed all that were before you. I should be tedious unto the reader, should I run far into this point of the pride of women, but it is not my purpose to do it, but rather to follow the example of the Apostle which telleth them that such things ought not to be, and to wish them that they would array themselves as becometh women which profess the faith of Jesus Christ, in comely apparel, with shamefastness & modesty, that the word of God be not evil spoken of through you.

The Tenth Chapter.

THere be yet many duties more, which are very needful for women both to learn & to observe, as appeareth by the instructions which the blessed Apostle gave unto his Son Titus, whereby to instruct the Creets with, wherein he instructeth the elder women, that their behavior be such as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, but teachers of honest things, that they may instruct the younger women to be sober minded, that they love their Huabands, that they love their Children, that they be discreet, chaste, keeping at home, good and subject to their Husbands, that the word of God be not evil spoken of, but many of these things I have in some sort touched before, only here I would have women take norise of a thing or two not yet spoken of, and so I will draw to a conclusion.

The Apostle warneth them not to be false accusers, and this toucheth busy bodies of our time, which will go prattling, to carry news and bring debates and contention amongst neighbors, by lying and slaunderouse speeches, so that many times the men smart for the women's tongus and neighbors live at great varience one with another which otherwise would live in love and peace together. This ought not to be amongst womē, but to be such as Salomō speaketh of in the last of his Proverbs, who speaking there of a virtuous woman, she will (saith he) open her mouth with wisdom, and the law of grace is in her tongue, & doing thus, should they be able to perform the things here commanded, and to instruct others in the duties belonging unto them.

Again, he commandeth that women be not given to much wine, & I would that women were more careful to avoid this sin then they be, for we have too many women-drunkards amongst us, as well as men-drunkards nowadays, the more is the pity, but woe be to those that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and to them that continue until night, till the wine do enflame them: & woe be to them that are mighty to drink wine, and to thē that are strong to pour in strong drink, great is the plague of a drunken woman (saith the wise man) for she cannot cover her own shame, we have example of this in Noah and Lot, (though otherways a righteous man) yet being drunk with wine, committed Incest with his own Daughters.

And even in these days we see many that have wasted great substance by this means, and some bringing themselves to diseases, & shortening their own days by inordinate drinking, these are the fruits of excess, drinking and taking delight in wine and strong drink, therefore very great care had women need to take of themselves that they be not given to much wine, or to take delight in strong drink.

Another thing I note that the Apostle doth admonish women of, and that is, that they be homekeepers, or keepers of their own houses, hence it is that the woman is often called the house-wife, not the street wife, she must be no gadder abroad, she must not spin streat thread as too many do, which when they have forced their Husbands to lay more upon their backs, then he is able to put in his purse along time after, their own house will not hold them, but they must gad from this place to that place, and everywhere, to show their pride and their Husbands folly, thus did not that virtuous woman which I told you of before, which Solomon speaks of, it will not be amiss if I do describe her unto you, for surely she that performeth that which the blessed Apostles have here taught concerning the duty of Wives, will omit nothing of that virtuous woman he speaketh of, or come short of her perfections, and these are the words.

Who shall find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above the pearls, the heart of her Husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils, she will do him good, and not ill all the days of her life, she seeketh wool and flax, and laboreth cheerfully with her hands, she is like the Shippes of Merchants, she bringeth her food from far, and she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth the portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids, she considereth a field and getteth it, and with the fruit of her hands she planteth a Vineyard, she girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms, she feeleth that her merchandise is good, and her candle is not put out by night, she putteth her hands to the wheel, and her hands to the spindle, she stretcheth out her hands to the poor, & putteth out her hands to the needy, she feareth not the snow, for her family, for all her family are clothed with scarlet, she maketh her self carpets, fine linen and purple is her garments, her Husband is known in the gates when he sitteth with the elders of the land, she maketh sheets and selleth them, and giveth girdles unto the Merchants, strength and honor is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall rejoice, she openeth her mouth with wisdom and the law of grace is in her tongue, she ouerseeth the ways of her Houshould, and eateth not the bread of idleness, her Children rise up and call her blessed, her Husband shall praise her saying, many daughters have done virtuously, but thou surmountest them all, favor is deceitful, and beauty is vanity, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised, give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

I hope now I shall not need to amplify this duty of Wives any further, seeing I have already labored thus far in it, I will therefore conclude, leaving you to the consideratiō of these things, & you to the tuitiō of our good God, whom I do beseech to look mercifully upon us all, and by his grace and powerful spirit, to work in our harts a true and speedy reformation of our sinful lives, that so by the holy intercession of our blessed Mediator, and the merits of his blessed passion, we may enjoy that blessedness, which every good soul doth long to enjoy.

The Eleauenth Chapter.

THis duty of Parents I have divided into two main or principal points, the one the education and governing of Children in the time of their youth, and the other what Parents ought to do unto their Children when they are come to be of a more riper age.

And for the first, for the bringing up of Children in the time of their youth, it will be thought to be but to small purpose to spend my time in such a business, and that I had more need to wright of the other then of this, considering that we see daily in this our age with grief, that whē many Parents have brought up their Children a long time with great care, costs and charges, and hoping that then they shall be even past the worst, and so they to receive some comf •• by them for their long care and pains taking with them, to say plainly and truly of them▪ 〈◊〉 many of them are then even past the best, so that if counsel in this case may be had, it might seem very well given, and the pains taken in such a case well bestowed.

But for governing and bringing up of them in their Childhood or younger years, it may be objected as I said before, to be a needless thing, considering that nature it self doth teach the very brute beasts to nourish, cherish, and comfort their young, and therefore men and women whom God hath endued with so many excellent gifts, as knowledge, understanding, wisdom and the rest, far above all the rest of his creatures besides, cannot err in this point of duty.

And again, another reason may be alleged, that there hath been so much and so long teaching to this effect, that men and women in these our days for the most part of them, have been instructed in these things themselves even from their youthes, and every private man's house is furnished with Bibles & Books to this effect: so that every man may be his own Schoolmaster herein, & will it be thought then that Parents cannot instruct their Children in these things • surely no.

Indeed I do confess this in some sort to be true, and bless the Lord for this his work, ye • be he forever blessed for this his great mercy towards us, for that we live in such and so happy a time, wherein the word of God is so plentiful and openly taught us, & every man that will may enjoy the same at home with him, to the comfort of him and his: Our Fathers had not this priueledge, they might mumble on their beads, but not matter on their Bibles, on pain of cursings, but if they did, they fried for it, and therefore blessed are your eyes in that they see, and your ears in that they hear, & happy are you in whose harts these things are sown, which carefully and zealously bring forth fruit hereby, to the glory of God & the discharge of your own duties herein, of which number I doubt not but that God hath plenty amongst us, which do carefully labor in the discharge of these things, as well as he had in the days of Elijah Seven Thousand more then he knew of, that never honored Ball.

But give me leave a little I pray you, and I will but entreat you to take a view as in a glass, of the abuses both of the Parents and the Children of our time, and you shall see with grief many that do it not, and too may that know not whether they have a duty to perform herein, or no, and too many that know it, and never regard to practice it, for see we not that the Lapwing is not more forward in going before she can cast off her shell, then the Impes of our time are in speaking evil before they can well speak? I speak not of speaking well, but of speaking plain, for doth not the child call his own mother drab and queane, and his father fool and knave and such like, and yet the foolish Parents rejoice to hear them chat thus, nay, I would they did not teach them such things themselves: but hereof it cometh as a just plague for their follies, that before they can well go from their hands, they hear them curse them to their face.

Nay, look we further and see we not many that whe • they have but learned to speak and go, they straight fall to pilfering and stealing, and yet even these things are winked at, yea & defended too many leand parents, for their proffits sake as they think, as if the every were good husbandry: but look yet farther unto them which be of more years, that one would think should have some knowledge of God & of his laws, & do we not daily hear thē as we pass almost in every place, blaspheming the holy name of God with great oaths, and singing of most lewd and filthy songs, full of most odious speeches to the grief of any good heart or chaste care: doth not this show the bad and negligent guiding and governing them in the prime of their youth, yes surely, this is the very cause hereof, & therefore if writing or speaking will or may do any good in this case, here is cause both to wrigh • and speak too, & it is high time to do it. These things when I had with grief considered, I could not keep my pen from writing, for even for Zion's sake I will not hold my tongue, & for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest.

Moses the great Prophet and chosen servant of God being directed frō the mouth of God himself, how to teach and instruct his people whom he had chosen, the Children of Israel • among other principalles of their duty, this is one chief thing wherein he often instructed them, that they should teach their Childrē the laws of God, see here then thy duty, what or whomsoever thou be, if thou be a father thou art commanded to teach thy Children, and t 〈…〉 must teach thē the laws of God, for this was not spoken to the Priests or to the elders or the rulers of the people only, but unto all the people in general, both high and low, rich and poor, as well the meanest as the greatest▪ as well the unlearned as the learned, for none are here exempted, every man must teach his Children the laws of God, his Commandments, his will, his word, for so the Prophet David plainly showeth, setting down to what end thou must do this, to the intent that whē they come up, they might show their Children the same, that they might put their trust in God, and not to forget the works of God, but to keep his Commandments.

This then is the duty which thou ar • commanded to do, and th •• must not 〈◊〉 the doing 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 of it neither, thou must not tarry til they be men and women and so as thou thinkest come then to the capacity of understanding, no thou must teach it thy Children while they be children, and thy wisdom must give them help to understand it, that so it may be grounded into them in the time of their youth, for look with what the vessel is first seasoned with of that it will always bear the taste.

This duty did old Abraham well know, although he lived almost a Thousand years before the Law was given unto the people of Israel, for so God himself testifieth of him saying, That he knew that he would command his Sons to keep the ways of the Lord, note the place I pray you, for it is worth the noting, see how familiar God himself is with Abraham, he vouchsafeth to talk with him familiarly as one man doth with another, nay, as one friend doth with another, for he openeth his very secrets unto him: what greater sign of love can be? shall I (saith God) hide from Abraham the thing which I do, seeing that Abraham shall be indeed a great and a mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him, and here followeth the reason of all: For I know him saith God, that he will command his sons & his household after him, that they keep the ways of the Lord, now you see what the duty of a Father or Mother is, namely to teach their Children the Commandments of God, but he hath not done with thee yet, God goeth further with thee still, because thou shalt have no excuse in not doing it, most graciously he doth vochsafe to teach us also how we shall perform this Commandment, namely thus: Thou must teach them these things, when thou sittest in thine house, when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, & when thou risest up, thou must do this, and thou must not dare to neglect or leave this undone neither.

For God threateneth his own chosen people, not only to punish them with grievous punishments, but even their land also if they disobey his Commandments, & we have many places in Scripture to approve this unto us, but let me tell thee one thing by the way, if thou be not well instructed in this duty thyself, thou canst never teach it unto thy Children, for how can a man teach another man, or his son or servant, any art, mystery or trade, wherein he himself hath no knowledge, therefore see thou be able to teach them thyself, it will not serve thy turn to set them to school and to appoint them Masters & Tutors to teach them, and yet these be good men for it, and it is thy duty so to do, but it is not sufficient.

Thou must also teach them thyself, and be a principal teacher of them, for thou must teach them at all times, & in all places, as thou seest in Deu. 6. when thou walkest, and when thou sittest, when thou risest in the morning, and in the evening before thou go to bed, thou must not take thine own ease, nor refresh thyself with sleep until thou hast performed this thy duty unto God.

The Twelueth Chapter.

BVt it may be thou wilt go about to excuse thyself in this case as many do in these days, and say would you have me perform these things, I am not bookish, I cannot read, therefore how should I teach them these things being an ignorant man? but deceive not thyself whomsoever thou be, father or mother, for I tell thee ignorance shall be no excuse unto thee, the servant that doth not the will of his Master shall be beaten for it, yea, although he knew it not, and why? because it is the duty of every servant to seek even with diligence to know the will of his Master, and to do it.

Nay, thou canst not plead ignorance though thou wouldest, for none can do it, for Moses telleth thee, that this Commandment is not hidden from thee, it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up to bring it us, and cause us to hear it that we may do it, neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, who shall go fetch it us and so cause us to do it, but it is very near unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart for to do it, and Saint Paul telleth us plainly, this is the very same which we preach unto you.

If then it be so, that we may daily hear it to our great comfort, even at our doors in every Parish Church, how then can we plead ignorance, if the servant I told you of shall be beaten which doth not the will of his Master though he know it not, how much shall he be beaten with many stripes, which doth refuse to know his will, as too many in these days do? and thus you see there can be no excuse thorough ignorance, so that every man must labor to be so furnished with knowledge, that he may be able thereby to instruct his own Children and family: and because it must be done continually, both in the morning & in the evening, both when thou sittest at home, and when thou walkest abroad, beware that thou do not as too many do, which when they have see their Children to say the Lord's Prayer, & to rehearse their belief and the Ten Commandments, do thi •• e that then they have done enough for the whole day though neither themselves, nor all the house besides do half so much.

O lamentable case! this must not be, but when thou hast taught them to pray, thou also must pray with them, calling thy whole Family together, and so make yourselves a holy congregation unto God, by humble prostrating yourselves unto him, that so as ye all have recieued of him your preservation and quiet rest the night passed, even so all of you may join together in giving him thanks for so great a blessing, and if thou wouldest that thy labors, and the labors of thy Children and Servants should prosper the day following, then do you join together in Prayer unto Almighty God for it, for so it must be, for where 2. or 3. be gathered together in his name he hath promised not only to be amongst them, but also to grant their requests, he will make thee plenteous in every work of thy hand, in the fruit of thy body, thy Children shall prosper also, and in the fruit of thy land for thy wealth, & what wouldest thou more desire, and it must not be done now & then, when thou lystest, but it must daily be done, for this is that morning and evening sacrifice, which we must daily offer unto the ears of Almighty God even our humble harts by the caulnes of our lipes.

And seeing thou art commanded to teach thy Children at all times, both sitting at home, and going abroad, see that thou neglect not to take them to the Church daily with thee to hear the word of God, and withal that they spend not their time there idly nor vnprofitablely, but by a due examinatiō of them whē they come home, or as thou walkest abroad with them, know how they have profited, that so God may be glorified in the work, yourselves better instructed, and your duties discharged.

And now that we have proved that there is a duty belonging unto Parents, and that they see their charge for the performance thereof it will not be greatly amiss if we see how this charge is by them performed, but the consideration of these things maketh me even with grief to lament, to see how negligently idly and lewdly most men do spend their time in these days, that time then which nothing is more deer and precious, nothing more slippery to hold, nor nothing more irrecoverable being past, and for which they shall give account, this time I say which they spend in idleness, Dicing, Carding, and Bowling, in drunkenes & whoring, whereby they consume both themselves & the estate both of their wives and children, for whereas God hath given them six days for themselves to labor in, and hath reserved but one to be sanctified to his own use, all these be too little for many of them to spend in these wicked exercises aforenamed, and therefore they will lengthen out the time with the night two, but not an hour to serve God in of all this time.

Oh wicked man! how darest thou thus abuse the great patience of the good God, in thus consuming thy time, and robbing thy children of their patrimony, by wasting those things whereof thou art but a steward, and for which thou must be accountable unto him.

But here me thinks one doth object against me and saith, I am too bold in my reproofs, and am in an error, for though (saith he) I do spend, yet I spend but mine own, & not my children's: But I tell thee, thou art in an error thyself in doing thus, for what I have spoken, I can & will approve to be true by the word of God it self in his due place, where I shall have more occasion to speak of this matter then here I have: but what good instructions think you can these men give unto their Children which do themselves daily run so dangerously even with greediness unto their own destructions, for if sault have lost his savor wherewith shall it be salted, and such as the tree is, such will be the fruit, if you be rude and vnciuell like the horse and Mule which have no understanding, what knowledge can your children have then, & yet it cannot be denied but that the world is too full of such.

The wise man forbiddeth fathers to play with their children least they bring them to heauidesse, but nowadays parents will not only play with their children, but run daily from play to play, thinking it to be a good excercise for them to bring them to see stage plays & interludes, thus corrupting their young years with vices, and making themselves actors in the devils Comody: Solomon forbiddeth parents to bring up their childrē delicately, & yet you possess thē with so much pride in the time of their youth, that many times it is the overthrow both of them and yourselves, yea, and yourselves would after redress it and cannot: Oh that you that be parents of children would be more circumspect herein, and wise in your own conversation, that you might be lanthornes of light and not of darkness unto them, for yourselves are the cause of all these evils which we daily see in youth, your evil example it is which daily corrupteth your children, and you yourselves will pay a deer price for it, if you amend it not.

Is not this a miserable case, that Parents should thus neglect so great a duty as this, which conserneth both the good of themselves and Children, little do these men regard, that the souls of their Children are in their charge as well as their bodies, & yet Moses doth not record of Jacob that he brought so many persons into Egypt, meaning their number, but he saith he brought so many souls thither, reckoning them by their better part, as of that which we should have most care of, but what care have those Parents of their Children's souls, which are thus careless of their own, and yet the very heathē Philosophers can tell us, that though what manner of children shall be borne unto a man, lieth not in his power, yet by right bringing them up that they may prove good, lieth in our power, therefore be you wise in looking to your own ways.

The 13. Chapter.

THe wise man would have Parents to be better instructed, to the end they may better govern their Children, and to that end he plainly setteth down by what instructions & dissipline it must be done, for he telleth you, that an evil nurtered son is the dishonor of his Father, & therefore would have you be careful in governing them in the time of their youth, not giving them any liberty, nor wincking at their follies, he saith, That he that loveth his son, causeth him often to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end: he that chastiseth his son shall have joy of him, and shall rejoice of him among his acquaintance: And he that teacheth his son greeveth the enemy, and before his friends he shall rejoice of him, though his father die, yet he is as if he weee not dead, for he hath left one behind him that is like him, in his life he saw him, and had joy in him, and was not sorry in his death, neither was he ashamed before his enemies, he left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that should show favor unto his friends: he that flattereth his soon bindeth up his wounds, and his heart is grieved at every cry: An untamed horse will be stubborn, and a wanton child will be willful, if thou bring up thy son delicately, he shall make thee afraid, and if thou play with him, he shall bring thee to heaviness, laugh not with him, least thou be sorry with him, and least thou dash thy teeth in the end, give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his folly, bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, least he wax stubborn, and so be disobedient unto thee and so bring sorrow unto thy heart: therefore chastise thy child and be diligent therein, withould not correction from thy child, for if thou smightest him with the rod, he shall not die thereof, thou smigbtest him with the rod, but thou deliuerest his soul from hell: and again, if thou have Daughters keep their body, & show not thy face cheerful towards them, marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou perform a weighty matter, but give her to a man of understanding: If thy daughter be a wanton keep her straightly, least she cause thine enemies to laugh thee to scorn, and the whole Citty to give the an evil report, and so thou be fain to hear thy shame of every man, thou shalt not hold thy daughter to whoredom that the land fall not to whoredom and waxefull of wickedness: If thy daughter be not shamefast, hold her straightly, least she abuse her self by overmuch liberty, beware of the dishonesty of her eyes, there shall be no whore among the daughters of Israel, nor whorekeepers among the sons of Israel: A misnurtered soon is the dishonor of the Father, a foolish daughter shall be little regarded, and she that cometh to dishonesty bringeth her father to heaviness, a daughter that is past shame, dishonoreth both her Father and her Mother.

Now you see what wise councounsell & golden precepts are here given to Parents for the governing of Children, so that more cannot well be said or at least need not, but only this, advising you not to be negligent in the execution of these things, as well for the discharge of your own duties, as for the good of your Children, but I have heard some Parents so unwise, which when their Children have done amiss, and they have been advised to give them correction for it, they have answered I cannot do it, for I cannot abide to fight with my children, see what a silly answer was here made! and yet many such fools there be, callest thou this fighting, thou errest, I might have said thou liest, for here are no enemies opposed one against another to endanger the life of either, but tender hearted love from a good father or mother which seeketh by gentle correction of a rod to deliver the soul of the child from hell, wilt thou then not do so, then thou art guilty of thy child's going to hell, & thou shalt follow it thither too, if thou amend not, thinkest thou it is enough for thee to chide thy Child for his fault, when he doth amiss, I say nay, God will have thee to use correction too, look upon the heavy judgment he shown upon old Eli and his Children, becaue he did not correct them for their faults, and that alone may serve to terrify and teach you too, not to neglect so great a charge.

We find that when the Lord did reveal himself unto Samuel, the first thing which he made known unto him was, the evil he would bring upon his master Eli, the words of God himself are these, behald I will do a thing in Israel, whereof whosoever shall hear, his two ears shall tingle: In that day I will raise up against Eli, all things which I have spoken concerning his house, when I begin, I will also make an end, and I have told him I will judge his house forever, for the inniquity which he knoweth, because his son ran into a slander, and he stayed them not.

And in the next chapter following, we see the execution of God's justice in the performance of his word, for the Ark of God was taken from them by their enemies the Philistines, and the sons so Eli, Hophne, & Phynias, were both slain the same day, and old Eli being Eighty years of age, when he heard these tidings, fell backward from the seat he sat upon, and so brake his neck, & his daughter in law, the wife of his son Phineas, being with child, and 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 near the time of her deliverance, she hearing these heavy news fell suddenly in travel of her child-birth and so died.

The 14. Chapter.

YOu see what heavy judgments God poured upon this man and his Children, because he did not correct them, and yet they being in the state of manhood, & he a very old man, you would have thought he had done enough when he rebuked them with sharp words, telling them, and no doubt but that it was with grief too, that all the people▪ reported evil of them, nay, wisely he telleth them more that if one man do sin against another, the judge may judge it, but none may plead for him that sinneth against the Lord, & yet because he did not more sharply and severely punish them, you see the Lord thus sharply doth punish both him and his.

Now what will you say to this example? I know what you would plade, you would fain excuse yourselves still, and say, that though when they be children you then may govern thē, yet being past that state, they are grown past your government, therefore then you cannot so well govern them, but you see here by these examples of Eli’s sons, they are not then free from your government, nor you freed from governing them, yet it may be you will say, they are grown stubborn & disobedient; & will not be governed by you.

I will tell you then how you yet shall govern them, look in the 21. of Deut. and there you shall know what to do unto such a stubborn & disobedient child whom you yourselves cannot rule, and the words are these:

If any man have a son that is stubborn and disobedient, which will not hearken unto the voyse of his Father, and the voice of his Mother, & they have chastened him, and he would not obey them, then shall his Father and his mother take him and bring him to the elders of his Citty, & unto the gate of the place where he dwelleth, & shall say unto the Elders of his city this our son is stubborn & disobedient, & he will not obey our admonitiō, he is a royoter & a drunkard, then all the men in the city shall stone him with stones to death.

Now you see what the law of God doth teach you concerning the government of such disobedient Children whom you cannot govern, and this if old Eli had done, he then had escaped that heavy judgēent which fell upon him & his: & thus should parents do unto such lewd children, that so they may escape the in did nation of God against thenselves, for he will have such wicked branches cut off, least they corrupt the whole body, therefore if they will not be governed by thee, yet let not foolish pity move thee to disobey the Commandment of almighty God by keeping them from that punishment which they deserve, but rather as thou art commanded, so discharge thyself by bringing thm • to the Maiestrate, that hae according to the law may punish them, & so thou be guiltless of their sin.

And as I have here in some measure set down the authority of a father, and how that by dissipline as well as by instuction he ought to govern, so withal I must advise Parents to take with them the counsel of S. Paul, for he would have Parents to govern their Children with wisdom, not always using their authority, but mildly and gently according to their years & capasities, his words are these.

Fathers, provoke not you children to anger, but bring them up in instructions and information of the Lord: and again, Fathers provoke not your Children unto anger, least they be discouraged.

Yet meaneth he not but that Parents may both chide and also correct their children when occasion shall serve, but not rigorously and in their anger, not caring how or with what they do strike them, or being as many are, always rating or chiding of them, this is it which withdraweth them from that natural love and obedience which they owe, and otherwise would show unto their Parents: therefore let Fathers and Mothers be very careful in this point, how and in what sort they do correct their Children.

And yet there be many which cannot be drawn to correct their Children except it be in the very instant when they have done some offense, and then their minds being thereby stirred up unto anger, presently they run upon them as we use to say, without fear or wit, not caring (as I said before) how or with what they do correct them, so that some time in this nature or rather madness, the child receiveth that from the hands of his cruel Parents, that of long time after, he is not freed of, nay of some not to their dying day.

Therefore in any case let not this counsel of Saint Paul be forgotten, but wisely, mildly, and without anger use your correction, for when children be come to some discretion, it will be wisdom to pass by many faults without seeming to take notice of them, and in any case not to use much threatenings of them, for many times the threatening of a puishment to come, although perhaps not meaning to be performed, yet so feareth and terefieth the hearts of younglings, that it often causeth thē or to do that which they ought not, otherwise would not do.

The 15. Chapter.

THis second part of the duy of Parents, will seem harsh & very displeasing unto many men of our time, which do suppose, that when they have brought up their Children to some years, and as they think to be able to make some shift in the world, & especially if they have brought them up unto some Art, Trade, or means for them to get their living by in time to come, that then their charge and care for them is past, and that they have fully discharged themselves of their duty concerning them, and may then dispose of that goods, or estate, which they have at their pleasure, either from their Children, or to whō or to which of them they please, as their affection serveth, and this is an error in many men, and yet this may not be, for neither are they so discharged, nor may lawfully so dispossess their Children or dispose of their goods.

[Object.] And one of these men begineth to cavile with me already about this matter, and telleth me that I am much disceaved, for saith he, may I not do with mine own goods what I will? which with mine own sore laboer I have gathered? I have nothing (saith he) that came to me by inheritance, nor any friend that gave me a penny to begin the world withal, and I have had sundry wives, and have had Children by each of them, and I confess I have had good dowries with some of them, & by the good endeavors of them and myself, God hath blessed me with that that I have, and shall I not now be master of mine own? may I not give mine own goods to whom I please? or give them to which of my children I do most affect, either Son or Daughter? or it may be my Son will not be ruled by me, or is an unthrift, shall he then wast and consume with his unthriftiness that which I have labored for? no, I know how to prevent him and that by law too, or if I give it wholly to my dauter, who shall bar me from doing it, or appoint me how I shall dispose mine own? I have with great care and charge brought them up to these years, & now they be able to get their own living, let them shift in the name of God, as I have done.

[Answer.] Here is a large discourse to small purpose, and yet there be two many of your oppinion, and no doubt but that you do think you have well spoken, and surely if it had been wisely spoken it had been so indeed, but know you that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, for in his word, by which we are to be ruled, he hath commanded us otherways.

For although you have brought up your Children to the years of discression, so that then you think they are able to make shift for themselves as you say, yet may you not then so leave them to themselves, for there is yet more to be done that must not be left undone, for thou must provide for thy son a Wife, & for thy Daughter an Husband, & so as the wise man saith: Thou shalt perform a weighty matter: thou must not leave the younglings to themselves for to make their own choice, but thou must do it, and that in his due time: we find that Abraham was very careful to perform this duty, althought he was so far in years that he could not travile about the business himself, for he appointed his servant the steward of his house what to do and where to provide a Wife for his Son Isaac: and thus did Isaac unto Jacob his Son, appointing him where to go & there only to make his choice: thus did Hagar although but a woman, & dwelling in the wilderness, yet she provided a Wife for her son Ishmaell.

Yea the very heathen did observe this rule, for Shechem the father of Hamor did sue unto Jacob for his daughter Dinah, to be a wife unto his son: yea, Ibz • n Judge of Israel though he had Thirty sons & as many daughters, yet he did provide for them all, both Wives for his sons, & Husbands for his daughters, and many such proofs we have in the Scrptures, by all which it appeareht that Parents have always even from the beginning, been vere careful to observe this as a principal point of their duty to their Children.

And this must be done in due time, thou must not do as too many do in these days, which will not suffer their childrē to marry but when they will, & to whom they plase, nay fathers will do more then fathers ouhgt to do, they will disinherit their Sons, and bereave their Children of their patrimonyes, if they will not marry to their liking, where wealth may serve to satisfy their covetous minds, & so instead of being kind and loving Fathers unto their Children, they become tyrants unto them, not so much regarding the younglings likings, whereby they may live the rest of their days in love together, and so bring up their children together in the fear of God as their own affections.

Whereupon by such enforced marriages if often cometh to pass, that when the young couples begin as it were to taste each of other, they so dislike one of the other, that they forsake one another, the Wife the company of her Husband, or the Husband of the Wife, and fall to that abhominable act of adultery, and thus such Parents do become both culpable and authors of their sin.

Yet I do not speak against this, • as giving liberty unto youthes that they may marry at their own pleasure or liking without the consent of Parents, or abridging the authority of Parents in this case, God forbid I should so do or think, but I speak this against marriages constrained & limited, for marriage was ordained as a remedy against sin, but they which prolong the time of their children's marriage, either for pleasing their own affections in their choice, or for the desire of wealth through covetousness, or for that they will not part with any of their substance in dowry with them, such I say are many times the occasion of their children's sin, for Saint Paul saith it is better to marry, then to burn in desire.

Had Judah given his daughter in law unto his son Shelah in time according to his promise, he had not committed that horrible fact of Incest with her himself: Again, when Samson had made his choice of a wife, of that heathen generation, the uncircumcised Philistines which were not only enemies to the people of Israel, but also unto God himself, when he desired this woman of his Father, and would needs marry her, he did not disinherit him, or cast him out of his favor for it, but yet wisely rebuketh him saying, is there never a wife among the daughters of thy breatheren and amongst all my people, that thou must go to take a Wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? yet when he saw that his affection was settled on her, he was content both to go with him, & to procure the marriage for him, & it is said there, that this marriage did come of the Lord, though his Father knew it not, I could wish therefore that Parents would follow the counsel of Manoah in this place, by their wisdoms to persuade when occasion shall serve, but nor otherwise.

The 16. Chapter.

ANd now concerning how Parents ought to bestow their goods, we read that Abraham was minded to make Eliazer the steward of his house, heir of all that he had, but it was before he had any Children, and yet he was forbidden by God himself so to do, for God having determined to give him issue of his own body, would not suffer him so to do, but telleth him directly that one that should proceed out of his own bowels, he should be his heir.

And the Prophet David he telleth us likewise, that it is the special gift of God & his great blessing unto man, when he hath heirs of his own body to possess those lands or goods which he hath gathered together, and shall leave behind him: and this alone might serve to approve that a man may not dispose of his goods from his children, but the Scriptures are plentiful of these examples.

Abraham gave his goods unto his Son Isacke as you see he was appointed of God, Aaron was commanded of God to santifie his sons unto the order of priesthood, unto which the Lord had chosen him, and Eli did place his sons in the same order, nay, he did not take it from thē although he knew that they were wicked: and David did not at his death devide his Kingdom unto his sons, but left it wholly unto his son Solomon, neither did he devide it, but left it unto his son Rehoboam, and he also left it unto his son Ab • am, and he unto his son Asa, and he left it unto his son Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat left it wholly unto his son Iehorā, & yet we find he had six Sons besides Jehoram, all which he left not vnprovided for, but gave unto each of them great portions and riches, as well of gold and silver, as strong cities for their habitation of dwelling, but the kingdom he gave wholly unto Jehoram his son, because he was the first borne, the eldest of them all.

So that we see now that it came to him by his birth, and as being the eldest son of his father, and not through his fathers affection towards him, and yet we cannot say that he erred in doing this, for it is said of him, that he did that which was right and good in the sight of God, & therefore it may not be doubted but that God did direct him in this the disposing of his Kingdom and goods, as well as in other things.

Thus also you see it is a clear case that the eldest son hath a prerogative above the rest of his brethren, and therefore must needs be respected above them, and this care we find to be in Joseph, for his son Manassah when he would have had his father to have laid his right hand upon his head rather then the younger, & from these & such like places in the book of God as a ground vnfailable, have all nations almost in their laws, held this as a principal, that the eldest son should hold and enjoy, all such lands as have come unto them either by descent from their Ancestors, or have been purchased by their Parents.

But what shall we say of those men, that will not only dispossess their sons from those lands which they themselves have purchased, and that upon very small occasions▪ but also to maintain their own riotous and vicious kind of living, will dispossess them of all such lands or goods which are their children's own proper right even from their ancestors? what an heavy account have these men to make unto God for these things? but I hope I have now satifsied the worldling of whom before we spake, that he may not give his goods frō his Children, or unto which or whom he please, for God will have the generations proceeding to receive the benefits & labors of the former, as the children the fruits of the Parents labors: but if he will needs be partial to his children, I will tell him yet how he may do it, Ishmael may not be heir with Isaac, they be not fit yoke-fellows, yet Abraham may give Ishmaell a portion, but it must be but bread and a bottle of water, & he must send him away with it too, when he hath it, for they may not dwell or enjoy the heritage together, because he is not the son of his Wife but of his servant.

But Isaac because he is borne in lawful wedlock, he must be his Fathers heir, and so he may dispose of his Bastards, he may give them portions, but you see how, they must be but small ones, he may not give his Children's portions unto thē, I mean the substance which his children should possess of right, there be too many guilty of this fact in our days the more the pity.

But this worldly wise man having no lands, but such wealth or goods as by his labors he hath gathered, • hinketh he may be bold with that, to dispose of it where he please, and how, for so he saith: but I tell thee nay, for though it be but goods, yet thou must not do it, for Abraham had no land at the time of his death, more then a little piece of one field, which he bought for a burial place for his dead, but dwelt in Tents, and was a stranger himself all his days in that land which God did promise to give unto his seed, and after performed it, but being exceeding rich both in goods and cattle, yet you see he might not give these goods from his son, for whether it be goods or lands, yet no man may attribute more unto himself then this, that God hath given them unto him for his necessary use in this life, but after for the good of his ofsprings to come, wherein the great wisdom and mercy of our God appeareth in this his work, which should stir us up unto great thankfulness for so great blessings by his divine wisdom & power provided, laying up in store for us before we come into the world by the hand of our Parents.

The 17. Chapter.

ANd as I have in this former Chapter proved that a man may not dispose of his goods from his Children, and amongst them that the first borne son hath a prerogative above the rest? so now I must speak concerning the Daughter, what is to be don for her, for this worldling before named, saith he would give his goods if he pleased from his son to his Daughter, but he may not do that neither, for in all the book of God we have no such warrant or example • ndeed we do not find amongst all the men afornamed, any that maketh mention of his Daughter, & yet we know they had daughters as well as sons, whō no doubt but they did provide for, & did not leave without portions & dowries for though Jacob doth not make mention of his daughter Din • amongst his Sons when he • gave them their inheritance, yet may we not think but that as a Father he provided for her other ways, but he did not join her in equaltie with them▪ for still in all times and places, the son hath had his prerogative as I have proved; above the Daughter.

And with great wisdom it is done too, for the man did not first sin in the transgression of the Commandment of God, but the woman did first sin, & therefore was she justly punished with servitude not to be in equality of rule equal with the man, but to be in subjection unto him, and he to rule over her: indeed if she had kept her in the bounds of her obedience unto her maker, and not been the original of sin, it may be supposed, she had been equal in authority with him, cheke mate, and no diversity of superiority had been betwixt them, but now the case is altered, there is no equality in this nature, but the man hath wholly the prerogative, & therefore great were the offense of that man, which should take the benefit away frō the man, and give the same unto the woman, as from his son to his daughter, but the proof following is greater: indeed we find that Caleb the son of Iephune gave unto his daughter Achsab the whole country of Hebron, with both the sprngs above and the springs beneath, but she was the only daughter of her father, and he then had no sons living, and God had promised to give that land to him and to his seed.

And yet Moses was in doubt himself whether that a woman might inherit land or no, for we find that the daughters of Zel • phehad came unto Moses and demanded a portion of land for their inheritance among the families of their tribe, because all the males of the family of their father was deceased, but it seemed unto him so difficult a matter to answer, that he was fai • e to bring the cause before the Lord, and the Lord answered, that they demanded but right, for said he, if a man do die and leave no sons, then the inheritance should turn to the Daughters, agains • this who can or dare speak, and now I hope I have proved that no man may give the portion due unto his son, from him, to his daughter.

But I have another objection yet of this politition to answer unto, I do remember he said he had married sundry wives, & he had had children by each of thē, & it may be, it is with him as it is with a great many more, the first wife is forgotten & her children & her childrē are as little regarded, & therefore to please his last wife, he will suspense with the others children: there be too many use such tricks in these days, but if he will be a scholar in God's school, he must learn another lesson.

For we shall find, that if a man have had children by sundry wives, and that he loveth the one more then he did the oother, if his first borne son he the son of her that is not lo ••• , yet when the time cometh th • he giveth his goods to his children, he may not make the son of her whom he loveth his first borne, before the son of the hated, which is inddeed the first borne, but he shall acknowledge • the son of the hated for the first borne, & give unto him a double portion of all that he hath, for he is the first of his strength, and to him belongeth the right of the first borne, & thus we see plainly that there may be no partiality used in these causes.

But now to conclude this last part, and to make the matter yet more plainer then we have done, and to prove that the father may not give his goods frō his children, nay, that he hath no right so to do, but that of right they belong unto his Children, we have yet a very plain example for this matter in the story of the prodigal son, who coming to his father for a portiō of his goods, he doth not say unto him, I pray you father that you will be pleased to bestow upon me some small portion, either of your goods or money, which you will, & what you please or may well spare, he doth not so, nor doth he desire to lend him such or so much money neither, no he is more bold with him thē so, for he cometh bluntly and plainly unto him, neither to beg nor to borrow of him, but to ask his own, saying: father, give me the portion of goods that falleth unto me, or as some translations have it, the portion that is due unto me, or my portion.

Surely, if he had had no right nor interest in the goods of his father, he durst not have been so bold and saucy as thus to demand or challenge a portion thereof as he doth, neither doth he stand to his fathers courtesy, what he will give him, for as he doth demand but his own, so he demands no more, nor he asketh no less: well, then it appeareth it was his right.

But now for the confirmation yet further of this matter, let us see how the Father taketh the business, for if his son have exceeded the bounds of his duty, no doubt but as a father he will soon reprove and correct him for it, but here is no such matter, and therefore it doth appear plainly that he did no more the he might do, for the kind and loving father presently without delay, yielding unto his forms request, divided his goods betwixt his two sons, & so he giveth unto him his portion: how many fathers follow this parterne in these days, and will hear their son in such a case? nay, some will spare nothing at all while they live, others will spare very little, and some perhaps do somewhat, but upon conditions hard enough.

This son when he had received his full portion, and by his unthriftiness and rioting had sperit & wasted this his portion, & poverty so hardly oppressing him, that he thereby was constrained to return unto his father again, who with joy yet doth again receive him: his elder brother angry herewith, tells his father that for all his long service done unto him, yet he never gave him so much as a Kidd to make merry with his friends, and saith he, dost thou thus for such an unthrift? but his father answered, son, be content thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine, what could he more say then this? and doth not this plainly teach us, that a father may not give his goods frō his children, for if it were all his sons, where was any to give unto others, or if he had been partial in the distribution thereof by giving that to one which belonged to the other, then he had done wrong also.

But it may be he will yet object and say, this was but a parable which our Savior Christ spake concerning the sinner that had run astray, who yet by true repentance humbling himself unto his heavenly father, he receiveth him to his grace and favor again, and not a point of doctrine to be taken in this case: but thou errest in that point also, for although it be parable as indeed our blessed Savior spake many things in parables, yet he being the very truth and wisdom it self, could not commit any error in this or any other parable, but still by one truth expressed another, and therefore to say otherwise, were erroneous & blasphemy.

But yet I must answer one objection more which this worldling make, which is this: I • may be saith he, that my son is disobedi •• unto me, or is an v • thrift, and shall he leawdly and vnthriftily wast my goods, or that which I h 〈…〉 labored for • . To which I answer 〈…〉 , mista •• e me nor, for though I have shown that a father ought •• do thus for his son, yet I do not say he ought to do this for a disobedient, wicked, or unthrifty son, for such a one I have shown ought to be punished by the Magistrate and that severely, neither did the father of this prodigal give him a new portion whē he had ryoted away that which he gave him, although upon his repentance he received him into his favor again, neither do we find that any of these aforenamed, gave any double portion to any of their sons, Isaok had but one blessing to give, though he had two sons, nay, these men did give these portions unto their sons at the time of their deaths, but not before: but if a father for the advancement of his son be pleased out of his love to spare him some part of his goods while he doth live, yet if he wastefully & royotously consume it, I see not that his father should feed him with a new supply, for so he may be author of his sons unthriftiness. And thus briefly you see how a man may or should dispose of his goods by the rule of the word of God, and this may suffice to satisfy our pollitition, for this matter.

The 18. Chapter.

ANd now concerning the duty of Children whereof I am purposed to write, indeed there was never more need to write of these things then now, and never more teaching of them then in these days, but never was instructions either by word or writing less regarded of them, then now they be.

And no marvel, for if God himself have spoken and none would hear him, if he have stretched out his hands, & none would regard, so that he hath been forced to cry out unto the heavens and the earth, to bear witness of the disobedience of his Children, if it be thus with men of understanding, what will it be with Children? if it were thus with men thousands of years ago, what will it be with Children in these times? if the Apostles of Christ were mocked and said to be full of new wine, when they preached the word of God unto the people, and Christ himself despised for teaching them, and said to have a devil in him, surely if grace & fear of God were then fled frō men, what hope shall we have to find it now in Children, who have been disobedient even frō the beginning, scoffers & mockers as Ishmael of Isaac, Ham of his own father, and of the saints & Prophets of God as of Elisha?

But be wise ye children and take heed, for never such did escape the heavy judgments of God, nor never shall in time to come, as appeareth by these, Ishmael cast out of his fathers house and favor, & yet his first borne son, Ham also not only loosing the blessing of his father, but both he and his posterity became accursed? the Children which wicked Elish 42. of thē devoured by two she Bears, well, I will yet with patience rest in hope, if Jonah be commanded to preach against Nineue, he may not leave to do it, & fly to Tharsus: my master hath given me a talent to use, shall I lay it up in a napkin for him, no I dare not do so, but I say still for Zion's sake I will not be silent, but with Solomon, exhort you that be childrē to hear the instruction of a father, and to give ear to learn understanding, despise not instructions by whomsoever it be taught, whether from the mouth of a learned divine, or of a lay man, for gold of it self is pure in what base thing soever it be put, and the diamond is still precious, though it lie in the dunghill, neither is there any good thing that can proceed from the heart of man, but by the powerful working of the spirit of God: therefore let me entreat you, (who hearts God shall move with desire) to seek the knowledge of your duty, to read these few chapters following, wherein I have briefly set down what duty you owe, and must perform unto your Parents, if you mean to please God.

And although I write these things unto children, yet for that the younger sort, for want of years are not able to understand them, I will leave these ABC trewants, whose delight is rather in their play thē learning, and will address my words to those of more riper years, whose time should show their knowledge, having long since learned past the graces, and now have their rules by roate without book: what said I, that they are past grace by learning too many rules without book, yea indeed it is true, & therefore I may the bolder speak it though with grief, for we see many in these days which should have knowledge by their learning, but do show by the leawdnesse of their lives, that grace hath not yet wrought any good knowledge in them, but that they have learned too many rules without book as I said, for in God's book or any other good book I am sure they never learned such things.

There be many such scholars that have learned many lattine books over, but have quite forgotten their English Primer lessons, to believe in God, and to keep his Commandments, & therefore to the end they may become good scholars in God's school, it shall not be amiss to put them to conne over their old lessons again of their obedience unto their Parents, Honor thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee: and it is not amiss for others neither, it may do well for both, let none despise it, the wiser sort I am sure will not.

It hath pleased the Almighty and powrefull God which worketh all in all things for a secret Judgment and purpose, and for his own godly will and pleasure, to provide and appoint an hour in the which thy Father and Mother should come together, to the end that thou thorough them mightest be made, he was present with thee in the womb of thy mother, & fashioned thee, and breathed life into thee, and for the great love he bear unto thee, provided milk in thy mothers breasts against thou wast borne, moōed also thy Father and Mother and all other to love thee, to pity thee, and to nourish thee, and as he hath made thee through them, so hath he cast thee under the power & authority of them, to obey and serve them in his stead, and to that end hath given thee a special Commandment even from his own mouth, that thou shalt Honous thy Father and thy Mother, which is not only understood in the outward ceremonial actions, as putting off the hatt, or bowing the knee, but thou must also love them with all thy heart, fear and dread them, and wait on their Commandments, and seek their worship, will and profit in all things, and as it were to give even thy life for the contenting of them, counting them worthy of all honor which thou mayest procure unto them, remembering that thou art their good and possession, & that thou owest unto them even thy own self, & all that thou art able to do, yea, and more then thou art able to do.

Understand also that whatsoever thou dost unto them, be it good or evil, thou dost it even unto God, and when thou dost displease them, thou displeasest God, and when they are angry with thee in any good cause, God is angry with thee: neither is it possible for thee to come into the favor of God again, no though all the Angels of heaven should pray for thee, until thou have submitted thyself unto thy Father and Mother again, and therefore thou must be very wary and circumspect to perform this thy obedience unto thy father, with the true zeal of thy heart, thou must not only be obedient for fear of their displeasure, correction, or punishment, neither must thou obey them for hope of reward or some benefit which thou doest expect from them, this hypocritical obedience is not that which God commandeth thee to perform, and to which he hath gieuen a blessing: no, I tell thee God will judge and punish thee, if thou dost not perform this obedience unto them, even with the sincerity of their heart, and in uprightness of conscience, for he beholdeth the heart, and according to the uprightness of it, God doth judge.

For he is that powerful God that created the heaven and the earth of nothing, and that of the dust of the earth hath made thee, only to serve and obey him, and he it is that commandeth thee to this obedience, that thou honor thy father and thy mother, and note how he hath placed this Commandment▪ for it is worthy thy observation.

God having given unto man but Ten Commandments, and but four of them concerning the duty of man unto him, the other Six concerning the duty of man unto man, and yet as the most principal of them all, he hath put this formest of the Six, Thou shalt honor thy Father and thy Mother, and well knew he that placed that formest in the rank, that that was the right place for it, & that he that would not obey, reverence, and honor his own Parents, would likewise neglect and forget his duty unto other men, and therefore as an introduction & instruction to that which followeth, he doth begin with this, Honor thy father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and see the great mercy of our God which to the performers of this his Commandment, unto which we are by duty double bound to perform, he is pleased to give a blessing.

And as he commandeth it there, so likewise in many other places he doth the like, the Prophets and Apostles do likewise teach the same, and therefore if you will be childrē of God your heavenly Father, and live under the obedience of his command, without which you cannot but perish everlastingly, you must perform this his will and command in this, that you honor & ob • y your Parents, yea, ye shall every man fear his Father and Mother saith God, & consider in what manner you ought to perform this, you shall stand in awful dread of your Parents, not of the rod or of their correction only as I said, no, no, such servile fear, but considering their dear and natural love towards thee, how tenderly, carefully, & lovingly they have nourished thee, even from thy birth, & still do seek thy good by all means possible. In respect of this their great love unto thee which thou didst never deserve, nor never canst satisfy, thou oughtest likewise in thy love to them again, to be even so jealous of thyself, that thou shouldest fear, least in anything thou doest, thou shouldest offend such loving Parents, this is that fear which thou oughtest to perform unto them, and which God requireth of thee.

The 19. Chapter.

ANd seeing we are now entered into this duty of Children, which God by his divine wisdom hath compiled in these few words Honor thy Father and thy Mother, and yet in them hath included the whole sum of all duties which ought to be performed unto them, which though I have begun to touch in the former Chapter, yet for that I am to speak unto Children, it shall not be amiss if I do somewhat enlarge this matter, for as I said before, it is not to be understood to be only in the putting off the cap, or • owing the knee, and yet these things must be done because by these outward things thou dost seem to give honor unto them.

Thou must not (as too many proud youthes do in these days) stand in the presence of thy father & mother with thy he • d covered, yea, and that amongst strangers, and talk unto them as boldly & saucily, as it were unto their fellows or equales: is this the honoring thy Father & thy Mother? nay, this is to dishonor them, for in their presence thou oughtest not to stand but with great reverence, & if they be in any company, thy regard should be more in performing of this duty, in giving unto them the more honor, and because thou canst not better perform thy honor unto them then by obeying them, nor greater dishonor them, then by being disobedient unto them, though I have touched it before, where I said thou owest unto them even all thy whole endeavors, whatsoever thou canst do, & therefore thou must be ready and willing at all times & in all places to perform their lawful commandments, at their beck and word to run, go, and to show all good obedience unto them that may be.

Thou must not be like that disobedient son, whom his father • ad to go work in his vineyard, and he answered he would, but did not: neither must thou answer as the other did, who said he would not, yet afterward went.

For thou must neither delude thy father with lying words to say thou wilt do his command, and have a wicked intent in thy heart not to perform it, nor thou must not dare rebelliously to gain-say his word, but if thy father or mother do command thee to do anything, thou must gladly, heartily, willingly, forthwith even instantly with all diligence perform their just request: and thus shalt thou perform thy duty unto God, by this thy obedience unto thē, for else how canst thou say thou performest thy duty unto God, whē thou performest not thy duty unto thy Parents, whom he commandeth thee to obey and honor?

Thou must remember also, that thou art their good, & therefore of thee, and by thee their good or profit should arise, I mean so long as thou a • t under their authority or gou • rment, thy whole endeavors both of body & mind, must be altogether bent unto the good and profit of thy Parents. I say it must be wholly, thou must not keep any part of it back, either to thine own use, or to use vnthriftily to the hurt of thy Parents, for thou owest unto thē more then thou canst do, and therefore a great & heavy judgment doth hang over the heads of those wicked children which do p •• loyne & steal away the goods of their Parents though never so privately▪ either to give unto those whō they do affect, or otherwise to consume or wast after their own willes.

And even so it is with those whō their parents do appoint unto any lawful calling labor or business, if they negligētly, leawdle, or idly do spend that time, which they ought to employ only in those affairs: do they not rob their Parents of that profit which should arise unto their parents by their industry in that time, and so by their lewdness do great hurt both unto their Parents & themselves, yea surely, and how great an offense this is wherein they thus disobey and dishonor their Parents, and consequently God himself judge you.

And as it is thus by these in wasting & consuming the goods of their Parents, even so it is with them which wast and consume that most precious time which they ought to spend in schools, to the attaining of their learning, by play and idleness, thereby wasting the profits of their Parents labors, nay, I would it were not thus with those, whose learning should teach them to make better use of their time then they do, both dishonoring God and their Parents.

The 20. Chapter.

BVt I will not stand upon amplification of words, they are plain enough thenselves, & the whole Book of God is full of instructions to this end, & the soul that desireth knowledge will seek it there, and amongst others very much hath Solomon labored to teach this duty of obedience unto Children, as appeareth in many places of his Books, as in the first of Pro. My Son hear thy Fathers instructions, and forsake not thy Mothers teaching • and again, hear ye children the instruction if a Father, and give ear to learn understanding, for I do give you a good doctrine, therefore forsake not my law, for I was my fathers son, tender and dear in the sight of my mother, when he taught me and said unto me, let thy heart hold fast my words & keep my Commandment and thou shalt live: And again, Hear my Son, keep thy Father Commandments, and forsake 〈◊〉 thy Mothers instructions, bind them always upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck, it shall lead thee when thou walkest, watch this when thou sleepest, and when thou wakest, it shall talk with thee, 〈◊〉 for the Cōmandement is a lanthoras, and instruction a light, and correction for instruction is the way of life: And again, A fool despiseth his Fathers instructions, but he that regardeth correction is wise: Again, A wise Son maketh a glad Father, but a foolish son is a heaviness to his Mother: Again, a wise son will obey the instruction of his Father, but a scorner will hear no rebuke.

But before I pass further, I must not so lightly pass over some of Solomon's words here spokē, for I know there be many foolish Children in these days, which when their Parents reprove or correct them for their follies or faults committed, do either suppose it to be more of spleen and anger towards them then otherwise, or that they do not bear that natural love towards them which they should do, but let not such idle & leawd thoughts possess either thy heart or mind, but remember that he telleth thee that correction for instructions are the way of life, and that he that regardeth the correction of his Father, is wise: well, I will go on with Solomon's words (for saith he:)

He that destroyeth his Father or chaseth away his mother, is a leawd and a shameful child: Again, he that curseth his father or his mother, his light shall be put out in obscure darkness: Again, Obey thy Father that begot thee, and despise 〈…〉 thy mother when she is old: again, he that robbeth his Father and saith it is no transgression, is the comp • nion of a man that destroyeth: Again, the eye that mocketh his Father and despiseth the instructions if his Mother, let the Ravens of the valley pluck it out, and the young Eagles eat it.

And thus you see how Solomon hath labored to express this duty of Children in their obedience unto their Parents, and all good children have applied thenselves to perform the same, even from the beginning, yea, & long before the law was given by God to that end, the very law of nature thorough grace did work this obedience in them, as appeareth by that rare obedience of Isaac unto his Father, yielding himself even to become a sacrifice unto the hand of his Father: Jacob likewise obeying the command of his Mother, obtained the blessing thereby.

But Joseph's: dutiful obedience unto his Father, and cherishing of him and his in his old age, showeth unto all good children, a perfect pattern of all dutiful obedience: and the obedience of the daughter of Iephtah, likewise may not be forgotten, who although her father had vowed to offer unto the Lord in sacrifice, and that she had liberty at her pleasure, two whole monet •• to go unto the mountains to bewail her virginity, yet at the prefixed time, she willingly came and offered her self unto the hands of her father, to perform his vow with her.

Solomon also when his mother came to speak with him, so soon as he saw her; he left his kingly seat and caine to meet her, and reverently bowed himself unto her, and caused her to be placed on his right hand as he sat on the throne of his kingdom: many such examples there be besides these, as T • b •• and others, all teaching this duty unto children.

And as God hath commanded it thus to be done, see how highly he liketh of those which do perform it, the stone of the 〈…〉 bites doth plainly show where the Prophet Jeremiah from the mouth of God himself pronounceth these wore's unto them, T 〈…〉 Lord of hosts the God of 〈…〉 cause you obeyed the 〈…〉 of Ionada • your Father 〈…〉 kept all his pre •• pts, 〈…〉 〈…〉 ding unto all that he hath commanded you, therefore thus saith the Lord of heast • , the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Recha • shall not want a man to stand before m •• forever: what need I now • o cite more places of Scripture to this end, our Savior Christ himself became a pattern unto you in this point, for he became obedient unto his earthly Parents: If these things will not suffice, then will no • e.

The 21. Chapter.

BVt I must ye proceed a little further in this poyn • of obedience, f •• there be many which when they are come to some years as they think of discretion, that then will be no longer under the obedience of their Parents, but to dispose of themselves at their own pleasure, nay, I would to Go • that some of them, did not th •• oppose themselves against their Parents: well; they find th • word of God doth teach them otherwise, for thou must not then so dispose of thyself: canst thou be content to give them leave to nourish cherish, and to maintain thee both in sickness and health all the time of thy youth, and wilt thou now • e like a wild and unruly colt, that casts off his bridle and shows his master his four shoes.

If thou didst want the use of thy limbs, or thy sight, or the use of thy speech, thou cast then be content to be governed by them, even until thy old age or dying day, and wilt thou enjoying these and all other blessings from Almighty God, even to the full, when thou comest to those years wherein thy wisdom should show it self like a flourishing olive tree, yielding obedience and honor unto thy Parents, thereby comforting & joying their aged years: then, the • I say to cast them off, yea & that good also which might come to thee by that wise & prudent counsel which they by long experience have gained, & might to thee, sure prove an anchor hold of exceeding much good.

And this I speak also in reproof, yea, to the reproach of those giddy headded wantons of our time, which will not give their Parents leave to make their choice of marriage for them, nor be ruled by them in their choice: whereupon as a just plague unto them, it often cometh to pass, that not having their Parents goodwill in their choice, they not only lose that which is an invaluable loss, I mean the blessing of their Parents, which though children regard not in these days, yet in times past it was of such reverent regard among God's children, that their fathers blessing was unto them as precious as their granfathers inheritance, whereby thorough want of the fathers love, & this blessing, a just plague and punishment from God, for so high an offense, it is commonly seen beggary followeth, I speak not this unadvisedly as of supposition; for God is witness with me that I speak the truth, I have seen it with mine eyes to my grief of heart.

Oh sin of disobedience, even in the highest degree of nature, when a son or daughter shall presume in private, to take unto themselves the estate of marriage without the consent of Parents, ought not the father to know? yea, and to make choice what flesh should be joined unto his own, and what fruit should be grafted into his own stock, and to see that it should be for the good and honor thereof, yes surely, and those which be good and gracious Children, will give their Parents the preeminence thereof, and also be ruled by them in these things, but there be some which can be content to be ruled by their Parents in case of marriage, for the benefit of their help which may arise thereby, but they are not willing to stay the time which their Parents shall think fit for them.

But this did not Isacke, for he would not presume to make any choice, but stayed his Fathers pleasure, although it were till he was Forty years of age: And Jacob, whē his father did appoint him, then went to the place where he did appoint him, but not before: where are those that do follow the steps of these holy and chosen children of God, that I many extol them to the world, alas they are not in these days to be found.

And yet the very heathen which knew not God nor his laws, yet the very light of nature taught this duty unto them, not to make their choice of marriage without the consent of their Parents, for thus did Shechem the son of Hamore, sue unto his Father for his good will to marry with Dinah the daughter of Jacob, & the servants of God had always a special regard hereunto, Samspon also would not presume to marry without the consent of his father, no, although he liked the woman exceeding well.

And as the natural Parents have this authority over their Children, so doth it likewise belong unto those which be gardians & foster fathers as we term them, which have the bringing up of youth, whether they be of kindred or otherwise, as we see Ruth was obedient unto her step mother, and upon these and such like causes is our law grounded, which permits not a ward, being under the government of his gardian to marry without his consent.

The 22. Chapter.

ANd as I have labored to express this duty of obedience unto children, and yet but briefly run it over in respect of that which, might be spoken herein, so it is needful in some sort to show the limitation thereof, for it is not general, but is included within her bounds, I did a little touch it before when I said it consisted in all good and lawful things, and indeed it goeth no farther, for if thy father or mother do command thee to do unlawful things, as to commit Idolatry, to worship God contrary to his word, thou must not obey them in these things, or if thy father or mother do command thee to commit treason against the King, Prince or Magistrate whom he hath set over thee to govern thee, or felloniously to murder any, or to steal, perloyne, or defraud any man of his right, thou must not obey them in any such things, for as God hath commanded thee to obey them in goodness, so hath he forbidden thee to yield obedience unto them in evil, the Children that follow the wickedness of their Parents, God himself will puninsh them, we have proof thereof in diverse places of the scripture, but the Prophet Ezekiel expresseth it to the full, I pray you read the chapters, for the doctrine therein is worthy of your greatest regard, you shall there find that the Lord saith:

Behold all souls are mine, both of the Father & of the Son, the same soul that sinneth it shall die, but if the son seeing the wickedness of his Father, feareth, and doth not commit such things, surely he shall line saith the Lord: so that thus you see plainly that the Children may refuse to be obedient unto any wicked command, either of their Father or mother: And the Apostle Peeter teacheth us by his example rather to obey God then man, and Daniel doth the same: And as God hath commanded thee to perform this obedience unto thy Parents, and hath appointed thee in what manner & nature to do the same, and granted his blessing unto the performers thereof, even so to the stubborn & rebellious children, which will take no regard of this his will to walk in the obedience thereof, such disobedient ones doth he not leave unpunished, nor never did, but ether by the severity of their Parents, or if that gentle and natural punishment will not serve, then giveth he them up into the hands of temperall Maiestrates, so publicly to punish them, as I expressed before in the duty of Parents, but if both these in the execution of justice upon so high an offense, be slack in punishing them, then he himself doth take the cause in hand, yea, & he himself doth severely punish it, as we see by his justice shown upon the wicked sons of Eli, whom he slew both in one day by untimely and sudden death: and of that rebellious son of David, Absalom whō the Lord himself caused to be hanged on a tree by his own hair, until his enemies came upon him and slew him, many such examples there be to this end, but these may suffice.

And take heed that thou grow not weary of this thy duty, but that with all love thou do continue this thy obedience unto them, even to their dying day, and that thou despise them not either in age or poverty, for he that despiseth Father or Mother God will punish, but use them with all honor as Solomon did his Mother, and cherish and norish them in age as Joseph did: remember that Ruth would not forsake her Mother in law, and what she gained by her labor, she brought home to relieve her aged mother with.

And now with Joshua I have set before you the ways of the the Lord, and I beseech him to give us grace to walk in the obedience thereof, I had thought likewise to have set before you, some of the abuses of these our times, wherein the wicked ones so much forgetting their duty to God and their Parents, that not regarding their own shame in the world, no, nor the fear of God's judgments to come, do daily disturb, trouble, nay misvse & abuse their own Parents, but least I should in expressing such things give way to that which I ought rather to suppress, I will rather bury these things in mine own breast with grief in silecce: The Devil hath two many actors on the stage of this world that play these parts daily too public, the God of heaven and earth keep your harts and consciences free from such things, & keep you in the obedience of his holy Commandments.

The 23. Chapter.

GReat is the folly of young people in this our time, which by all means they may possible seek to free theselues from the estate of servitude when they are therein, to the end they may be Masters and gouenors themselves of others, before they have either years or wisdom sufficient to manage so great a business, or discharg so weighty a matter as they then take upon them in the estate of governing, neither able to make choice of their servants with wisdom as they ought, nor how to use them with a good conscience as they should.

But David giveth us good instruction for this business, for he willeth us to choose him to be our servant, that is religious and upright towards God, that so our affairs may prosper as Potipher's did thorough the service of good Joseph and Laban by the service of Jacob, for he that is not a faithful servant unto God, will never be a faithful servant unto his Master, & as there doth come a blessing by the godly, so the wicked servant bringeth a curse where he is, for as one scabbed sheep marreth a whole flock, so often times one leawd servant spoils a whole family, but who followeth the rule of the Prophet David in the choice of his family, he saith that he that hath a proud look and a haughty stomach shall not dwell with him.

But there be two many in these days of the contrary disposition, for they will keep none but such as can fight, swear, and swager it out, well, David would not do so though he were a King, no, he that leadeth a godly life shall be his servant, there shall no deceitful person dwell in his house, & he that telleth lies shall not tarry in his house, nor sight, but I would there were not now two many which do suffer their Servants to lie, swear, yea and forswear too, in the sale of their wares, and yet these be counted good shopmen, and fine chapmen, indeed so they be for the Diuills wares, it is no marvel if your Children spend that vnthrifitily which is so ungodly gotten.

But as you see it is a choice point of the Master to be careful what servant he taketh into his family, so the Master must be careful likewise to bring up his servants religiously, in the time of their service, & that must be, in seeing that his servants come to the public exercises, of hearing the word of God in due time, & that they there remain all the whole time of prayer and teaching, and that they be in as convenient place as they may, that so they may have the oversight of them, for it is not enough that the Master bring his servants unto the Church, and then let them give them the slip at the Church door, or go o • ▪ as soon as they come in, and s • 〈…〉 to Taverns, or Ale-houses▪ or as bad places, or else get into some corner of the Church▪ where either they may sit and talk all the time, or else sleep it out.

This the good Master may prevent, by giving them counsel, that if they will serve him, they must be careful to serve God above all things, and be religious in God's house, if they will have any countenance of him in his house: but many men are more careful in planting of Orchards or Gardens, or choosing of sheep for breed, or following their worldly profits, then they are in planting a godly family in their houses, whereby God may be glorified & his Church profited.

Or if they have servants under them to do their work and labor for them, that so they may live at the more ease, pleasure, & idleness themselves, then all is well as they think, or turn it otherwise if you please, and make the best of it by the way of good husbandry, as a mean for them to thrive by, and yet you shall find the end thereof to be only this, to satisfy their never satisfied coueteousnesse.

Men do regard their beasts as much as this, their ox, their asse, their horse, and such like, yea & will be very careful for the keeping of them, to the end their profit may arise by them: the wise traveler will be so careful for his horse (which but only for his pleasure he is to ride on) that he will spare time even from his own meat and rest, to see that his beast shall both be made clean, lie clean, and have his fill of prouender, to the end he may be the better able to bear him on his journey: the husband man likewise in the care of his cattle is very laborious for his profit, protecting them from weather, water, and such like dangers, and is continually amongst them, shifting them frō ground to ground, & frō pastuer to pasture, to the end they may the better feed & profit, & that if any disease do befall them, he may the sooner remove it from amongst them, & in these things men are wise & careful enough as is fitting: but my dear brethren, there be many amongst us which bear the name of Christians, and have the government of servants, which to their shame I speak it, do make less account of their servants, thē these men do of their beasts, for they will look to their beasts themselves carefully enough, so do no • many a one to their servants, but God forbid it should be so withal, yea, I know there be many that are very careful to perform this their duty, as well in providing and giving them all things needful for them, as in setting them to their work and labor, and I doubt not but that the fruit thereof they find in their several callings.

But I speak of those who can be content, & do carefully enough set their servants unto their labors, as it is fit indeed they should, but do give them small comfort and cherishing in their labors, loading them with labors like Pharaoh's task masters, but not half filling their bellies with victualles as the traveler I spake of doth his horse, so that many times the poor servant having labored all day, and had but a small dinner, yet at night cometh to so short commons, that when he hath saved the maid a labor in making clean the dishes which were set before him, he hath yet a fresh stomach to a good supper if he might come at it, is not this a hard case? yet I would it were not true.

And I will tell you the cause of this, yourselves are in the fault of it: you are careful enough to look to have your own due, as it is fit you should, but not careful enough in giving them their due, for too many of you do put that off to be performed by a false steward, and so many a poor servant is punished both in belly and back, to help to maintain the pride & pleasure of his Dame or Mistress.

You put them in trust with these things to see them fed, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 sweet kept, & wholsomely lodged, think you that these things do not belong unto you, to see them done as well as unto your wives? yes surely they do, & yet I say in them to do them is more fitting, but to you it belongeth to see them faithfully done as they ought to be, for how canst thou look that thy servant shall labor faithfully with the strength of his body for thee, or to say the truth, how can he do it, when his body is enfeebled by means of due nourishing, with hole sō food or things useful for him, which should nourish & strength̄ him, this is too common a thing amongst us, & it is a great reproach unto this our English nation, & yet this is not all neither.

For there be some which can be content to maintain their servants reasonable well, for their profits sake which may arise by their labors, while they are able to do any for thē, but if God do send his visitation upon them, either by sickness or lamenes, then if they have not an out garden house, or some back place to put them into, where they shall be sure to have but a slender looking to, thē to an Hospital with them, and so rid thenselves of them, or else basely, nay gracelesly turn them out of doors to shift for themselves in that heavy case▪ what an uncharitable, yea an unchristian-like part is this? & yet such there be, the more the pity.

But if it be not lawful to muzell the mouth of the Ox that treadeth in the corn, how much more is it unlawful for thee to keep back the due from thy servant that laboreth with the strength of his body for thy profit, or if thou cast him off, or into an Hospital when he is lame or sick, how canst thou seek of him the labor of his hands when he is well again?

The 24. Chapter.

THe good Centurion did not thus, he did neither cast off his sick servant nor send him unto any Hospital till he were healed, no, he kept him still at home in his own house, and did not put others in trust to seek help for his servant, but carefully performing the duty of a good master, setting aside all his affairs & business, he goeth himself to seek help for him.

How many masters being rich men in ourtime will do the like, no, they think it will be a disgrace unto them, & abase thing for themselves to do such a business, especially for his servant? but if it were for his wife, son or daughter, whom he dearly loveth, then happily he would not stick to go himself, but for his servant he hath other enough to send about such a business.

So had this Centurion, & you se he went himself, & I tell you whom soever you are, that you ought to have as great a care for the health and welfare of your servant, for the time he is in your service, as if he were either your son or daughter, nay, is he not the Lord's free man, & have you not all one master in heaven? and you not both bought with one price, and is he not fellow heir with you of the same kingdom of grace, which you hope to be of? yes verily he is.

And believe me brother, for I tell you no leassing, father, mother, son or daughter, master, servant, King and subject, be but names and titles in this worldly regiment, in Christ Jesus we are all one, none better then another, all brethren, and must all seek Christ, and our brothers good in Christ, or else we never shall have benefit by Christ, how can you then or how dare you abuse your brother though he be your servant, in keeping from him such things as be necessary for him, or due unto him, whether it be his food, his clothing, or his wages, or any other necessaries? • r oppress him with labor as Phar • ahs task masters did the Children of Israel? there be too many such which are even as tyrants unto their servants, and more would be, were it not for the law.

I speak not this to abridge the privilege or authority which the Master hath over his Servant as occasion serveth, I know that the master hath full authority, not only to employ his Servant to labor, but also to correct his Servant as accasiō shall be ministered, for the wise man telleth us, that meet correction and work belongeth unto the Servant, I know he goeth farther & saith: The yoke and the whip bringeth down the hard neck, so taine thy evil Servant with whips and correction, but yet I pray you note that he gives this rule, not to be excessive towards any, and without discretion faith he, do thou nothing.

But saith he, If thou have a faithful servant, let him be unto thee as thine own soul, for in blood hast thou gotten him, whereas thy servant worketh truly, entreat him not evil, if thou have a servant entreat him as a brother, for thou hast need of him as of thyself: And S. Paul, whē he had declared unto servants their duty, he admonished masters in like manner saying, and you masters do you the same things unto them, putting away threatenings, and know also that even your mrster also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of persons with him: And again, you masters do v ••• your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have • master in heouen, and thus you see that both Saint Paul here & the wise man in his Book, do both agree in this, that the Master ought to show lenity and gentleness unto his servant, and so by loving & kind usage, with frȳdly speech as to a brother, win him to the performance of his duty, for surely very willingly doth the servant labor when the masters countenance is • hearefull towards him, but where the Master doth not only show a cheerful countenance, but also useth friendly words among his servants, and giveth them their due besides, it cannot be but with great joy and comfort, these servants do pass over their labors how hard so ever they seem to be unto others, and the master finds great comfort in them also.

The 25. Chapter.

THus you see what Justice Saint Paul would have Masters to use unto their servants, namely to do unto them as you would have them to do unto you, and as it he should say, would you have your servants to deal justly and truly with you? then do you deal so with them: would have them to be kind and loving unto you? then be so unto them also: nay, you see he would not have you threaten them, and the wise man in his book giveth the same counsel, for saith he, if thou entreat thy servant evil, and he run away, wilt thou seek him, for indeed many times the Master threatening to give his Servant severe correction for some fault committed, and yet peradventure not meaning so to do, yet the simple servant he knowing or fearing the rigorus correction of his Master, forsaketh his service and runneth away: sometime to the undoing of both, if in this nature he go away from you, how can you seek after him when you yourselves are the only cause thereof? keep secret therefore your mind, and if you see just cause to use correction, do it privately in his due time, but say not in his hearing or that he may hear thereof what you intend for to do, and so you shall perform the counsel of the wise man which saith without discretion do thou nothing.

But this just and equal dealing of the Master stretcheth it self yet farther, as against these evil minded men, which seek to abridge their servants of their due liberty, I mean when they have obtained thereunto, by their continuance and faithful service, the wise man saith, Let thy soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty, neither leave him a poor man: but there are some so far off from performing this, that they rather will use all means though never so unlawful, to detayne them longer then their prefixed time, especially if there may come any profit by their service, but as for rewarding them for their good service doing, they are so far off from that, that instead of enriching them, they will impoverish them, for if the poor servant will have his liberty, how soever his right, it shall cost him money before he have it, and especially if he be able, but the just God who seeth these unjust dealings of such masters to their servants, will himself punish the same.

For he will have a year of Jubilee for your servant as well as there was for you, thou shalt not rule over him severely, but shalt fear the Lord thy God, so that he that doth wrong unto his servants, is void of the fear of God, you see this is plain, but we will see further what the Lord will have done▪ then see what he commanded his chosen people, the children of Israel to do, the words 〈◊〉 these, If thy brother an Hebrew sell himself unto thee, or an 〈…〉 esse, and serve thee six years, e 〈…〉 in the seventh year thou shalt let him go out from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty, but shalt give him a liberal reward of thy sheep and of thy corn, and of thy wine, thou shalt give him of that wherewithal the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, and remember that thou wast servant in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God delivered thee: therefore I command thee this thing this day.

What say you now to this you cruel and unjust Masters, of whom I have before spoken, will you like Pharaoh still harden your h • rts against them, and will not obey: then hearken what the Lord by his Prophet Jeremiah saith further unto these men which have detained the • servants contrary to his command, Because you have not obeyed me, in giving freedom and liberty every man unto his brother and servant, behold I proc 〈…〉 • liberty for you saith the Lord to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, & I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, and I will give these men which have broked my covenant, into the hands of them that seek their life, and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the air, & to the beasts of the earth.

Now you see how God himself doth take in hand the cause of the wronged servant, and how severely he doth punish it: therefore you that be masters deal you justly with your Servants, and as Saint Paul saith, Remember that your master also is in heaven, and as it must be thus with your household servant, even so it must be with the hireling which laboreth for you, you must not defraud him of his due, nor put him off from day today, and suffer him to come with cap in hand to entreat for that which by his labor he hath hardly earned, but remember that the Lord commandeth that the workemans hire abide not with thee till the next morning, Behold the hire of the laborers which have reaped your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud crieth, and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts saith Saint James, and again the Lord saith, thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is needy and poor, neither of thy brethren, nor of the stranger that is in the land within thy gates, thou shalt give him his hire: for his day, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor and therewith sustayneth his life, least he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee: I need not amplify these things any farther, seeing that the Lord himself hath so plainly described it unto you.

The 26. Chapter.

ANd as I have in this Chapter before shown unto you, that the Master ought not to abridge his Servant of his liberty whē it is due unto him, even so also, the Master must see that his Servants run not into evil, by giving them too much liberty in the time of their service, for this is an evil which also reyneth in our time, and of which the master is not only guilty, but also in danger of a double punishment by it, in regard that the redress thereof lieth in his power, and he not only seeth it, but also suffereth it, and thereby cometh a chief author thereof himself.

The wise man saith, If thou set thy servant unto labor, thou shalt find rest, but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek librety, set him to labor that he go not idle, for idleness bringeth much evil: And again, set him to work, for that belongeth unto him: Oh that men would be careful to follow this counsel of the wise man! he saith that labor belongeth unto the servant, but the great men of our time will take no notise of this, or if they do, they will seek to excuse it, saying, I am no base mecanicall person, I have sufficient to to maintain my servants to attend me, & do nothing else: I do believe it to be so, and find that to be the reason, that Cards, Dice, and Tables, are more commō in your houses, then Bibles and other good Books.

Abraham was as rich a man as any of our time, the whole land could not bear the substance of him and his nephew both at one time, he was so rich, he was a Kings fellow, he kept a great multitude of servants, he was able on the sudden to make 300. and od men fit for war of his own household, and yet we find not that he kept any of thē idle, but employed them all in some good exercise or other, & therefore for the good and virtuous bringing up of his family, he received commendations even from God himself: Job was a mighty man also of wealth exceeding rich, the greatest man even of the whole • ast country, he kept a multitude of servants, but none of them idle, that we are sure of, and therefore from the mouth of God himself he hath this high exaltation, that he was the Phoenix of the world in his time, he had no fellow, there be others likewise which will set their servants to labor, but not regard whether they do it or no, but if they do bring them home the price of their days labor at night, then they are content, they look no farther to that business, and so the lewd servant may do even what he will under such a Master, he may go to plays, to whores, to drunkenness, or anything, as too many do.

Is this the setting of your servants to labor? nay, this is but your serving own turns, & your covetousness, and therefore you are guilty of the evil which they do thus commit, because you prevent it not by seeing how they dispose of themselves in this time wherein you appoint them to labor, and if that your calling serve not to employ them in some bodily labor, yet you ought to be careful that they have not more time to spend abroad out of your sight, thē that time only which your business requireth, for these things also belong unto your charge.

For if that Masters were as careful as they ought to be, servants could not have that liberty to use and to abuse as they do, but where the Master himself is an evil liver, as a drunkard, a haunter of brothell houses, a gamester, or an idle gadder from home, there the servant must needs have liberty, and no marvel then if such a master have such servants: and do we not see daily, that too many do wrong themselves & their whole family by these abuses? how unfit are these men to govern others, which have no power to govern themselves: Oh you whom these things concern be wise and circumspect in your ways, and remember that the charge of the servants which are committed unto you is not small, but that a great account you must give unto God, how you have governed those souls committed unto you.

The 27. Chapter.

ANd as the Master ought not to give his servant more liberty then is fit, so also he may not suffer them to be possessed with pride, by arraying them or suffering them to be arrayed above the estate of servants, for this is one chief point which maketh them to seek liberty, and this did Solomon well understand, & therefore telleth you plainly, that he that dilicately doth bring up his servant from his youth, at length he will be even as his son, & our own experience in these days confirmeth the truth of this unto us, to the grief of many good minds, whose eyes and ears are daily cloyd herewith, and who is in the fault of this? thy servant, nay, you that be Masters are, you suffer & maintain them in such pride, that many forgetting their duty unto God and you, do fall into such lewdness, as many times are both the ruin of your own estate and of themselves too: and were they not suffered thus to exceed the nature of servants (as I said before,) in pride and idleness, there would not so many of them haunt the dancing schools, fencing schools, taverns, and alehouses as do: can you excuse yourselves now, are you not guilty herein? oh I would you were not.

Indeed there be many of you, that if that which they spend in pride, and these abuses did come out of your own purses, I do think that it would be otherwise, will you say they have it from their friends, I say still the more unwise then are you, which do suffer it to be thus idly spent, but some of you do know that it cometh in another nature, from whence it should not come, and this you tolerate to save your own stakes, are you guilty herein then, or no?

Again, there be some which can be content to set their servants to labor all the week days, but when the Sabbath crmmeth which ought by Masters and Servants to be wholly sanctified unto God, with thanksgiving for the benefit of his blessings received the week past, many of them scarce see their servants all that whole day, or if they do see them at meat time, then all the rest of the day they enjoy wholly to themselves without contradiction, which how leawdly they spend we see with grief, their pride is cause of this as well as liberty.

The time hath been, that a Servant might have been known by his habit, but now the Master is not known from the Servant, nay, I have seen the Servant better maintained in the time of his service, then he hath been able to maintain himself when he hath come to labor for it with his own means, what folly is this in Masters thus to do? in time not long past, a good Merchant hath not been arrayed as now your Servants be.

I could vnfould more abuses growing from this pride in Servants, and the Masters fault in suffering, then I am willing • o disclose, or is fit I should, lay no colors on it to hide it, they will not serve, I do know you would excuse it, and say you do it for your credit sake, but in this you offend God, and discredit the common wealth, by making a breach in those good laws which have been ordained against such abuses. I pray God to give you grace to see these things, & wisdom to redress it, but it hath spread so far, that I fear it hath taken such deep root, as will not easily be weeded out, except authority do put their unto a strong hand.

The 28. Chapter.

Our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ, which left no est ar • of persons without instructions fitting unto their several callings, hath very briefly, and yet most truly & plainly prescribed unto Servants the fullness of their duty also, but in few words he concludeth the whole business, he doth not give thē many several instructions, least so they might forget some of them by the way, and therefore includes all in one short sentence, and this it is, He that knoweth the will of his Master and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Now you see here that there is no servant of what degree soever he be, if he be a Servant, but that he is bound by a more sure obligation then the wit of man can invent, even the holy commandment of that blessed one, whose command by all must be obeyed, upon pain of damnation, even he it is that giveth this admonition unto thee, to do the will of thy Master, or else he telleth thee plainly what penalty will ensue upon it, thou must be beaten with many stripes for not doing of it, nay he doth not leave thee thus neither with this admonition only, he goeth a little further yet, for to stop all quillets which may arise and put all doubts out of question, for he knew that there were and would be many that would be more curious to contend about what they ought to do, then willing to do that they should do, and therefore telleth thee, That the servant that doth not the will of his Master, yea although he know not the will of his Master, yet even he shall be beaten too.

Now seeing that the case standeth thus, that this burden lieth upon the shoulders of every particular Servant, in the name of God bestir yourselves like men, stand to your tackling, rouse up yourselves, seek, labor, and strive continually to perform this work of obedience unto your Masters, that so you may avoid this danger of many stripes: and it shall not be amiss for this our purpose, if we a little peruse the word of God, to see what we find there more concerning this matter, that so as in a glass the servants of these our times may see, and seeing know, whether they peforme the same or not.

And we shall find that Saint Paul knowing the errors of Servants how slack they are in performing their duties vnro their Masters, and how needful it was that they should be instructed herein, hath very carefully in many of his Epistles largely set forth this duty of servants, both what inward and outward obedience is to be required of them.

That it must be even with fear and trembling, for so he saith: And so Saint Peeter, he teacheth the same also saying, Be ye subject unto your Masters with all fear. And again, Let as many servants as be under the yoke, count their Masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God & his doctrine be not evil spoken of, and they which have believing Masters, despise them not, for they are brethren, but rathey do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, and partakers of the benefit.

Again, Servants be obedient unto them that are your bodily Masters according to the flesh in all things, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing God, and whatsoever you do, do hartyly as unto the Lord, and not unto men, and be sure that ye shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.

Again, you Servants be obedient unto your masters, and please them in all things not answering thē again, neither be ye pickers, but show all good faithfulness, that in all things ye may do worship unto the doctrine of God our Savior.

Again, ye servants be obedient to your Masters with all fear, not only if they be good and courteous, but also if they be froward, for this is thanks worthy, if a man for conceience sake to wards God endure grief wrongfully: for what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently? but if when you do well, you suffer wrong & take it patiently, this is acceptable unto God, for hereunto are you called.

For Christ also suffered for us leaving for us an example that we should follow his steps; who did not sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed it to him which judgeth righteously: Saint Paul by these things did teach this Doctrine unto Christian servants thus to do under their Masters though infidels and unbelievers, because of their places: for indeed the Master is God's vicegerent in his family, therefore if Christians unto infidels must perform this obedience as we see it is commanded by our blessed Savior, for his words have no limitatiō, but are general, all must obey, & all must be obeyed.

How much more in these days of grace and knowledge, should servants, professing themselves to be Christians, strive to perform their duties even to the full unto their Christian masters, whom God hath chosen & called in his son Jesus Christ, to be partakers of his heavenly treasures as well as themselves.

Therefore my brethren I beseech you in the fear of God, that you 〈…〉 careful in the observing of this, which here from the word of God you may gather, namely to be obedient unto your Masters even inwardly in your heart, in fear and trembling, for if your spirits within you be not truly humbled, how then can you perform that obedience outwardly which is of you required? let the Servants count their Masters worthy of all honor, there must be a reverent estimation of them even in your hearts, before you can give them this honor duly and truly as it ought, for without this hearty love and inward affection towards them, your outward obedience will be but false and hypocritical, and all this your zealous duty must be mingled with fear, for so Saint Paul teacheth because you are to perform this duty & service as unto God, and not unto men, & being thus prepared, then you shall be able to perform all good outward obedience which shall be required of you.

And this obedience must be performed without partiality, as 〈…〉 ll to the poor man as to the 〈…〉 h, for it is no thanks unto you 〈◊〉 • erforme this obedience unto 〈◊〉 Masters they being great 〈◊〉 , or rich men, their wealth, places and authority requireth it, they will command it of you, and you dare do no other but yield it them, but if your Masters be poor and as men despised of the world, then they to be precious in your eyes, and you in the zeal of your conscience and duty unto God, to give unto them that duty which you ought to do, both inwardly from the heart performing all faithfulness unto them, and giving them the reverence due unto them, being uncovered in their presence, and showing all outward reverence of the body unto them. This is a token of grace, thus it ought to be, and thus it must be, that the doctrine of Christ which you profess, be not slandered by your disobedience.

The 29. Chapter.

ANd here I have occasion justly given me, to reprove those bold & fancy youthes of our time, which forgetting their d • ty unto God, do show no reverence at all unto their Masters, and especial if they be poor, they then will be so fellowly with them, that a man would rather take them to be neighbor and neighbor, then Master and Servant, nay, I would this were the worst as bad as it is, for many of them are not only undutiful, but even rebellious against their Masters, nay, even against God himself, & therefore culpable of eternal punishment: for if their Master do but reprove them, yea and that justly too, do they not give them word for word again, nay 10. for one, & if they come to correct them, are they not ready to resist them? so that many of them will neither be reproved nor corrected by them.

Is not this rebellion against God thus to contemn his ordinance in him whom he hath set over thee, to feed thee, clothe thee, learn thee, yea, & to rule thee? is it not our Saviors own words here, that he must be beaten with many strips which doth not the will of his Master? if so, what shall he have then which scorneth to be instructed, and despiseth the discipline of his master? surely, his puishment must needs be very great.

Well my friends, judge whether it be better to follow your own minds herein, or the counsel of Saint Paul, he telleth you plainly, it must be otherwise, such disobedient courses must not so much as once be thought of amongst you, but you must be obedient unto them even in all things, and so shall you perform the commandment of our Savior Christ.

And yet there be some of so stubborn and rebellious a nature, that if their Master do proffer them a blow, nay, scarce that too, yet they will straight leave his service, and as without leave so without care or fear of God's laws or man's, cast off the yoke of their obedience, although it be to the very undoing both of their Master and themselves, but how great an offense this is, the story of Hagar doth plainly show, who though her Mistress unkind and rough dealing with her, was the cause why she fled from her, yet the Lord so disliked of it, that he commanded her not only to return unto her again, but also to humble her self unto her: hereby showing, how great an offense she had committed, in which, such humiliation must be used for reconcilement: you wild headed youthes of our time, consider this.

But it may be some of you will be judge of your own cause and say, it cannot be that she was so hardly dealt withal as I am, for I neither can get those things which of right I ought to have, and yet am oppressed with labor, and can neither get kind word or good look of my Master or Mistress, but say or do what I can, they are still brawling, chiding and vncontented.

Dost thou think that the fault in thy Master is the cause why thou dost not give him content to please him? nay, nay, assure thyself, that it is rather the corruption of thine own 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 Abraham's servant did, who when his Master sent him about his business, he made his humble prayers unto the Lord, that he would prosper the things he went about: this was the way he went about his business.

See here my friends, the duty of a servant what he ought to do, and how he assuredly may please his Master or Mistress, he must begin his labors in the Lord, by sanctifying them unto him by prayers, he must continue them in the Lord, as doing them unto the Lord, and not unto men, and so he shall be sure both to please the Lord and his Master, be he what he will, but if thy Master be kind and loving, and supply unto thee all good & necessary things needful for thee, it is no thanks unto thee to be obedient and dutiful unto such a Master, for he hath deserved it of thee: but if he be as thou sayest unkind unto thee, either in keeping back such things as of right thou oughtest to have, or otherwise froward or churlish unto thee, or if he correct thee unjustly, in these cases if thou with patience dost bear it, and notwithstanding dost perform thy duty unto him, with all good faithfulness, then be thou sure that the Lord will recompense this his unkindness with kindness again unto thee from him self, for so both the Apostles do confess, (as I have shown before) but will you have further proof yet for this point, will you see how God hath dealt with others in former times? read then the History of Jacob, and it will satisfy you herein, and show you a worthy example.

The 30. Chapter.

WHo could have served a worse Master then Jacob did of his own Uncle Laban, seeking so many ways to defraud him of his due as he did, not once nor twice, but ten times or many times? so that as he confesseth, if the God of his fathers had not beheld his labors, he had even sent him away empty, notwithstanding his painful labors spent 20. years together in his service, by day being consumed with heat, and in the night with frosts, so careful over his business, that he would not suffer his eyes to take their rest in the night season, yet all this time of his meny wrongs he bare with patience, and never neglected any part of his duty the more for it: and how God rewarded this his painful service, the story plainly showeth, to the great comfort of all good servants, what wonderful blessings he bestowed upon him, both delivering him from his unkind Master & cruel Brother, and giving unto him blessings abundantly.

Yea, I have another president yet to show you which I may not let pass, worthy your best consideration, I mean the wrong which Joseph suffered, both inwardly in mind, and outwardly in body: inwardly in mind by the lasciviousness of his unchaste Mistress, daily tempting him to that abominable act of Adultery, which his chaste soul hated, and shut up in a dungeon or prison almost three years together: who could have suffered more thē he did, what an unkind part was this of a cruel Master unjustly casting so good a servant into prison so long time, & that upon so small, nay so unjust a cause: neither regarding the good and faithful service of his servant, of whom he had had good experience by his long continuance with him, nor with wisdom entering into the equity of his cause, but rashly, nay foolishly, at the false accusation of his lascivious wife, casteth off, yea into prison so virtuous & so good a servant, whom he knew of his own knowledge that he feared God, and that all that he had, prospered the better under him.

Yet did he not exclaim of this his unjust Master, nor once seek to have his just cause heard with equity, but with great patience beareth he with all these his great wrongs, and how greatly God did reward him, we see it to be with the glory of the whole kingdom of Egypt.

O see you that be servants, see these worthy spectacles and regard thē, let not the unkindly or unjust dealing of your Masters, be any means to withdraw your affections frō performing your labors both faithfully and willingly in their service, but remember that the work is the Lord's, & not your Masters, for you serve the Lord Christ, and of him shall receive the reward, as you see is here proved.

But how little are these things be regarded of servants in these days with grief we see, not to be in bearning wrong with patience at the hands of their masters but in offering and doing wrong unto them, not seeing in themselves into their own faults, but prying with Argus eyes into the faults of their Master or Mistress, and if they find but a small hoale in his coat, they will make a great rent of it before they have done, and that fault which he in his own house hath committed by his lewd servant, is made common to all his acquaintance and companions, thinking themselves well if they may see any imperfections in them, that they may deride & scoff at them behind their backs, nay, slander their Masters in their reputations whereby they do live amongst men.

And thus whereas he doth think that he maintayneth a good and faithful servant, that doth uphold and maintain his credit, he nourisheth a serpent that seeketh subtly and secretly to slay him: and therefore worse is such a servant to his Master, then a thief that openly cometh upon a man to rob or to spoil him, for from such a one he happily may escape, and so be free, but never from such a servant, the poison of Asps is under his tongue, the wound is deadly.

And as the servant may not wrong his Master by disclosing any private fault in him to his disgrace, so likewise he must be no blab of his tongue, in the disclosing of any business or secrert of his Masters among his family, or being a tale carrier whereby any strife may arise either in the family or amongst neighbors, he must take heed of that, and especially that by telling of lies he sow not sedition in the family, for this a wicked and a dangerous thing, when strife and contention is raised in a family by unjust means, neither must he be an abuser of his fellow servants by quarrilling or fighting with them, or beating & mususing them in the absence of his Master.

But it may be you will object against me in this point and say, my Master is pleased to give me some authority over my fellows in his absence, so that I am to see his business performed by them in due time, and if they shall neglect the doing thereof, I shall be blamed for it more then they, and therefore I must be rough sometimes with some of them, or else I shall not get thē to perform their business as they should.

Why brother, I tell thee this is no sufficient argument for thee to take upon thee the authority of a Lord or Master to beat & correct thy fellows, but if thy Master put thee in any authority more then the rest for the performing of his business, as thou sayst, yet see that thou be not puffed up in pride to take upon thee more then is firt, but by loving and kind words, and good instructions from the word of God, and good examples from thyself, seek to win them to the performance of their duty, so shall thou get love, and not hatred of thy fellows, and credit and good report both of thy Master and all others but if there be any so lewd a servant, that he will not by these good means be won by thee to perform thy Masters business appointed for him to do, then let thy Master understand thereof that he may give correction unto such a servant, and have the privilege of a Master in correcting his own servant: but let not thy hand be upon him, but remember that he is thy fellow servant, least thereby thou be hated and despised of thine own fellows, and get thee an evil report amongst men, & always remember the lesson which Saint Paul teacheth, That you so behave yourselves in all things, that the doctrine of Jesus Christ, be not slandered by your conversation.

The 31. Chapter.

ANd here I have just occasion given me, to reprove the lewd • es of too too many wicked servants of our time, that take no regard of the slandering of the doctrine of Christ, nor of their own conversations, no nor salvation neither, and yet they would be counted Christians, but they show themselves worse then infidels, devils in the shape of men & women, by their works.

Is not their best actions performed even with eye service only, no longer then Masters looking on, no longer true labor, if he be absent, are not they absent likewise, are they not contentious, quarrellers, fighters, abusers of their fellows & like unto ruffians in their Masters houses, blasphemers of the sacred name of God, using, nay abusing his holy name in every idle action, so that when the devil is in their hearts, yet the holy name of God is abused in their profane lips, forgetting that the Lord himself hath said He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain: but as he hath already sent out his dreadful curse against the blasphemer, so he hath a judgment to come of many stripes for such disobedient servants.

And who is so blind that seeth not the exceeding intolerable vice of pride by which the devil leadeth daily so many of you unto your own destructions? for have it you will to maintain this vice by hook or by crook, the Masters estate shall pay for it else, is not this a great fault too common amongst you, & spread even into the meanest degree of Tradesmen, & of handicrafts, & which, who, or where are those which are not guilty of all degrees of you.

Oh that you did but see what mischiefs you daily fall into by your intolerable pride! wherein you are grown to such a height, that now ye disdain the estate and habit of servants in your array, and to be maintained as you ought by the estate of your Masters: who now can know the Master from the Servant by his attire? it hath not been thus in times past, neither ought now so to be by the laws of the land: but what speak I of the laws of the Land, to those which regard not the Laws of God? for which way you get that which in pride and riot 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, & deceive their masters to procure it, for if they can take ought of his that he seeth not, or doth not presently miss, then all is well as they think. Saint Paul chargeth you not to be pickers, but for to maintain this your pride, what will you not pick and steal?

Others there be, which if they cannot get it thus, they will get it in another fashion, for if their master will deal justly or kindly with his friend, and will make no gain by him, and put them in trust so to do, they will have Gehesaies trick but they will have somewhat of him, they will lie but they will have it, nay I would they did not lie with the tongue, and steal with both hands to.

Such Gehesies do little regard that he got Namans leprosy for his labor, but tell them this, they will answer, their master is no Elisha to work miracles, & therefore fear not, oh my brethren, you little regard that the eyes of the Lord are as near unto you when you do these things, as the heart of Elisha was unto his servant Gehesie.

Is this to perform the duty of Christians: nay, to slander the doctrine of Christ and all good Christians, is this the thing you do when you should serve the Lord and not yourselves? nay, the Devil you serve and your selves, here is no regard of seeking the Lord with a single heart, nor doing their service faithfully, as unto the Lord, nor remembering, that of the Lord they shall receive the reward of their service, be it good or bad.

But as he is merciful, so he is just also & hath pronounced this sentence against you, that he will cut you off & give you your portion with the unbelievers: more might I speak of such evil servants, but I will rather smother such things in mine own breast, which of mine own knowledge I know to be true, then explain them in writing, for I wish rather to suppress such evils, then to express them.

I have been somewhat sharp in this my reproof I do confess, but mistake me not I pray you, for I do not speak generally unto all, God forbid I should, I hope better things of many of you, for I doubt not but there are some Eliazers among you that fear God, & do faithfully serve both him & your Masters, and do sanctify all your labors xnto him by prayer, that so both you and your labors may prosper: some painful Jacob's likewise, which with all your best endeavors perform your labors withōt grudging or murmuring: some chaste and faithful Joseph • s, whose Masters sleep secure, finding themselves blessed thorough the providence of your wisdoms in the fear of God, and I rejoice herein, and bless the Lord in his mercy towards you, praying for the continuance of his blessings upon you, & the increase of your multitude, for there was one righteous Noah in the old world: And one faithful▪ Abraham in Canaan, and one righteous Lot even in Sodom, and Seven Thousand in Israel in the days of Elijah that never had bowed a knee unto Ball, and I hope there be some amongst Servants that do daily strive even in these our days, to perform this their duty of obedience unto their Masters to the full, with a single and an upright heart, as to the Lord only. And thus I have briefly run over this duty of Servants, and by the help of these our blessed Apostles, have shown unto you what duty our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commandeth you to perform unto your bodily Masters: And I have se • before you likewise some of the abuses o • these our times wherein so many are carried away by their own selfewils unto their own destructions.

I do now beseech you brethren in thee Lord Jesus, that you become more wary and wise in your conversations, having more regard unto the command of our blessed Savior, in performing this task imposed upon you of your obedience unto your Masters, in seeking to know their wills, and so with all diligence to do it, that so you may not only avoid those dangers of many stripes, but also enjoy the benefit which he hath pruided for all those that with all their best endeavors do labor to perform this their duty, which shall not by any other, but even by him self, be performed unto you, saying, well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in few things, be thou ruler over much, enter into thy Masters joy, which joy so far excelleth all earthly things, that no tongue of man can utter them, nor the heart of man conceive them, therefore happy and blessed are all those that shall enjoy them, even so, Amen.

Morning Prayer.

O Almighty and our most merciful & loving God, & Father in Jesus Christ, we thy most unworthy servants through thy mercy presuming to prostrate our selves here before the face of thy divine Majesty, do most humbly beseech thee for his sake to accept this our bounden duty and humbled hearts which as a Morning sacrifice with all humbleness we here present unto thee, yielding praise & thanks unto thy sacred Majesty for all those manifold blessings, which in thy mercy thou hast daily thus plenteously poured upon us thy most unworthy servants, & amongst the rest we forget not that bodily health, peace & prosperity which thou in thy mercy dost still continue unto us with that quiet and comfortable rest which we have enjoyed this night past, & that thou hast now brought us to the beginning of this day in safety, These and all other things whatsoever, we do praise thy most glorious name for, and now still do most humbly beg of thee, that thou wilt be pleased to receive us this day and all the days of our lives under thy powerful protection, Oh defend and keep us from evil, guide us with thy grace sanctify us with thy spirit, grant that in all things, yea and above all things, that our whole care and endeavors may be zealously to walk before thee in holy obedience unto thy heavenly will & holy commandments, bless us we humbly beseech thee in the labors of our hands, grant that we take nothing in hand unadvisedly, but what shall be agreeable unto thy most holy will; thou that knowest what is needful for us better then we our selves do, vouchsafe we pray thee to give unto us the good things which we have need of, whether it be for our souls or bodies, even for thy deer and only Sons sake Jesus Christ blessed forever: we do most humbly beg them in of thee that form of prayer which he himself haught us, saying, Our Father, &c.

Euening Prayer.

O Blessed God, which gavest the people of Israel in charge every day to offer unto thee a morning & evening sacrifice, that there by thou mightest be glorified and praised for their daily protection and preservation, we most unworthy wretches presuming through this thy mercy to prostrate our selves here before thy divine majesty, to offer unto thee this our bounden duty, do most humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sons sake Jesus Christ blessed forever, that by the powerful assistance of thy holy spirit, thou wilt sanctify our harts unto the performance hereof; for we confess, in respect of our manifold sins, we are far unworthy to present our selves before thy glorious majesty, & much more that thou shouldest regard us or accept anything which we do but we most humbly beseech thee enter not into judgment with thy servants for who then shall stand before thee, our very righteousness is like unto a filthy clothe, the thoughts of our hearts are daily and hourly corrupt before thee, who can tell how often he offendeth? we have been always rebellious Children against thee, disobeying thy commandments, contemning thy judgments, and abusing thy merits, and it is thy great mercy that hath stayed thee, that thou hast not utterly consumed us long since, even in the midst of our sins, when they were unregarded of us, or we unrepented of them: but since thou hast been pleased to infuse now again into us thy grace to see our sins let this thy grace work in us we beseech thee a true and unfeigned repentance of them, pardon, oh pardon all our sins O Lord we humbly beseech thee for thy blessed Sons sake Jesus Christ we most humbly beseech thee to pardon all our offenses, which eieither either this day, or any other day or time from our births to this hour we have committed, whether in thought, word, or deed, wheresoerver, whensoever, howsoever, or against whomsoever committed, let that innocent & most precious blood which thy blessed Son hath shed to wash a way the sins of thy servants, wash and purge us from all our sins, and seeing that from us of our selves no good thing can proceed, we humbly beseech thee to create in us new hearts, and by the powerful working of thy holy spirit sanctify both our hearts and souls unto thee, that we may hereafter strive to perform a more holy and zealous obedience unto thy heavenly will and holy commandments, then ever hitherto we have done, for our blessed Saviors sake we beseech thee to grant these and all other good things unto us which may daily further us in the works of our salvation, and here as we are by duty bound, we render unto thee humble and most hearty thanks for all those great and manifold blessings which in thy great mercy thou doest daily thus plenteously power upon us most unworthy wretches; and amongst the rest, we forget not that bodily health, peace, and prosperity which we do still enjoy, with the blessings which we have this day received. These and all other things whatsoever, we do praise thy most glorious name for, and do most humbly beg of thee to continue thy mercies and blessings still unto us in all the good things that we have need of, and amongst the rest, we beseech thee to receive us under thy powerful protection this night, that so we may rest in peace, and sleep in safety, for we know there is no safety but in thee & with thee, in vain are our houses any protection unto us, or our beds any place of rest for our weak bodies, if thy blessing be not with us. Oh suffer not Satan to trouble us in our sleeps, nor any danger to annoy us, but we beseech thee let thy holy Angels watch over us while we take rest, that so when we shall wake again we may render due praise unto thee, unto whom all praise belongeth, neither do we beg these things for our selves here alone, but for thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed. More particularly we pray thee be gracious unto this land wherein through thy goodness we live and have o •• being, and herein as wet are by duty bound, we humbly beseech thee to pour thy blessings on that great pillar of thy Church our dread Sovereign Lord Charles, by thy gracious appointment King of great Britain France and Ireland, we beeseech thee enrich his royal heart with such graces and gifts as shall be meet for that high place and calling wherein thou hast placed him, bless with him his and our noble Queen Mary, his faithful privy Counselors, the reverend Clergy, all true hearted Nobility, loyal Gentry, and loving Comminalty, we beseech thee let thy blessings dwell on the heads of these so long as the Sun and Moon endureth, neither forget we the poor afflicted menbers of this thy Church wheresoever dispersed, or howsoeeuer distressed, and every particular member thereof howsoever afflicted, whether outwardly in body, or inwardly in mind, even as if our selves were in their case, so beg we for them patience, comfort, and a speedy release of their several calamities, that they with us, and we with them, may in the end rejoice together with thee in thy heavenly kingdom: which Lord we beseech thee to hasten, prepare us for thee, and come Lord Jesus, come quickly, even so, Amen.