Obiect. At firſt taking of a ſeruant no more was couenanted. to Obiect. It is ſaid of the forenamed good houſwife, that her

candle is not put out by night.

Obiect. At firſt taking of a ſeruant no more was couenanted.

Anſw. There are two couenants whereunto a maſter ſtandeth bound: one with God; the other with his ſeruant. Though his couenant with his ſeruant requireth no more then ſome temporall commodities, yet Gods couenant requireth ſpirituall edification. Many maſters are ſo greedie of their ſeruants worke, as they are loth to afford any time, at morning or euening, for religious exerciſes: they thinke by their ſeruants labour to thriue, and thinke not of Gods bleſſing which maketh rich. Some goe ſo far therein, as they keepe their ſeruants from the publike worſhip of God, euen on the Lords day. Thus it commeth to paſſe, that ſeruants, who came ignorant and profane to a maſter, after long abode with him, ſo goe away as they came. Many that themſelues make ſome conſcience of fearing God, much faile herein: they regard not to teach their ſeruants the feare of God, whereby they depriue themſelues of much bleſſing, and pull Gods curſe vpon their perſons and houſes.

§. 23. Of allowing ſeruants ſufficient food.

In regard that ſeruants haue not bodies of braſſe, or ſteele, but of fleſh and bloud as all others, maſters that haue the benefit of their ſtrength and abilitie of their bodies, muſt be carefull of nouriſhing, and cheriſhing them: and that both in health, and ſickneſſe.

For preſeruing ſeruants health, reſpect muſt be had to their Food, Clothing, Labour, Reſt.

A due prouiſion of food for ſeruants is commended in Solomons good houſe-wife, who giueth meat to her houſhold. And in the direction which he giueth to houſholders, in theſe words, Let the milke of thy goats be ſufficient for thy food, and for the food of thy family.

The food which maſters prouide for their ſeruants muſt be

for qualitie, good and wholeſome; for quantitie, ſufficient to preſerue health and increaſe ſtrength; for time, giuen in due ſeaſon. It is noted that the hired ſeruants of the father of the prodigall childe had bread (by bread according to the Scripture phraſe is meant all kinde of needfull wholſome food: in which ſenſe it muſt needs be there taken, becauſe it is oppoſed to huskes, which are not very wholſome, fitter for ſwine then men) yea they had bread enough. It is further noted of that good ſteward who was, as a maſter, ruler ouer the houſhold, that he gaue the houſhold their portion of meat in due ſeaſon.

Queſt. May not ſeruants be ſtinted of their food?

Anſw. In regard of ſuperfluitie they may and ought to be ſtinted, but not in regard of ſufficiencie. It is not meet that all ſeruants ſhould haue as much as they can deuoure: for then many of them would doe but little worke: but moſt meet it is that euery one ſhould haue as much as is needfull for ſtrength, that ſo he may be the better able to doe and endure his worke: the Greeke word tranſlated in the place before quoted portion, implieth as much.

There is a double bond to tie maſters to performe this dutie: one in regard of themſelues: the other in regard of their ſeruants.

Maſters themſelues ſhall haue the profit and benefit of the health and ſtrength of their ſeruants: for their owne ſakes therefore it is requiſite to afford them ſufficient food. Men that deſire to haue their worke well done by their beaſts, or in their iourney to be well carried to the end thereof, will be carefull that their beaſts ſhall be well fed.

But beſide this, conſidering the health and ſtrength of ſeruants is ſpent in their maſters buſineſſe, iuſtice requireth that their health and ſtrength ſhould be repaired and preſerued by them.

§. 24. Of defect and exceſſe in allowing ſeruants food.

There are two extremes contrary to this dutie. One of thoſe that are too niggardly, and (as we ſpeake) miſerable in the allowance of food to their ſeruants: and that ſometimes in the quantitie, when ſeruants bellies are too much pinched: euen ſo as their bodies are weakned for want of food. The Prodigall

childe was thus ſerued: theſe are both vniuſt and iniurious maſters: vniuſt to their ſeruants: iniurious to their ſeruants, and themſelues too. Sometimes againe ſuch miſerable maſters offend in the qualitie of that food which they giue to their ſeruants, as when it is kept too long, and growne muſty, mouldy, or otherwiſe vnſauoury: or when the worſt kinde of food, for cheapneſſe ſake, is bought, euen ſuch as is ſcarce fit for mans meat: the more abundance that there is of ſuch ſtuffe, the more loathſome it is.

Laſtly, though I thinke it not meet to binde maſters vnto ſet houres for their ſeruants meales (Chriſt affordeth a greater libertie vnto maſters, in the parable of a maſters vſage of his ſeruant after he came from his worke) yet there may be a fault, as there is, in many maſters, in keeping their ſeruants too long from meat, not ſuffering them to interrupt their worke for meat ſake, but to tarry for their ſupper till ten a clocke at night, when they giue ouer worke: ſurely this cannot be good for the bodies health and ſtrength.

Another extreme doe ſuch maſters fall into, as bring vp their

ſeruants too delicatly. Solomon hath expreſly taxed ſuch, and noteth that this miſchiefe is like to follow thereupon, he ſhall haue him become his ſonne at the length: ſuch a ſeruant will forget his place, ſcorne to be as a ſeruant, but aſpire to be as his maſters childe, which is next to a maſters mate.

§. 25. Of maſters care about their ſeruants apparell.

A wiſe care for ſeruants cloathing is alſo commended in the example of Solomons good houſewife, She is not afraid of the ſnow for her houſhold, that is, for the coldeſt ſeaſon in winter, for all her houſhold are clothed with

double garments: that is, with ſuch clothing as is fit for cold weather.

Fit and decent apparell is both a meanes of preſeruing health, and alſo a matter of good report, tending to the credit of a maſter. Yet contrary is the humour of many: they care not how tagged and ragged their ſeruants apparell is: inſomuch as many ſeruants haue neither comely nor warme apparell.

The Hebrew word is oft vſed for ſcarlet. But according to the proper notation of it, it ſignifieth things doubled: which I take to be moſt pertinent to this place, and therefore I haue ſo tranſlated it. The Kings tranſlators haue noted as much in the margin.

This point concerneth thoſe maſters eſpecially that finde their ſeruants (as we ſpeake) and prouide all things for them: as in old time maſters did for moſt ſeruants, and as now they doe for prentiſes whether male or female. If ſeruants by couenant be at their owne finding for apparell, maſters are not ſo ſtrictly bound therein: yet they muſt haue a care that their ſeruants fall neither into the one extreme of too baſe, ſlouen-like, or ſluttiſh apparell, nor into the other of too gariſh, or too coſtly apparell. Maſters hauing authority ouer their ſeruants, muſt keepe them in order and good compaſſe, and haue reſpect to decencie in this as in other things. For apparell is one of thoſe outward ſignes whereby the wiſdome of maſters and miſtreſſes in well gouerning their ſeruants is manifeſted to the world. If therefore ſeruants be attired vnſeemly for their place and abilitie, all that ſee them will thinke their maſters and miſtreſſes are of ſuch a minde as the ſeruants are, or at leaſt too remiſſe and careleſſe of their gouernment.

§. 26. Of moderating ſeruants labour.

Though labour and paines be proper to a ſeruants place, yet he may be ſo put vnto it, as the health and ſtrength of his body may be impaired thereby. For the well ordering of this therefore a dutie lieth vpon maſters: and that in two things eſpecially.

1. That they well moderate the labour whereunto they put their ſeruants, ſo as they may be able for the time to vndergoe it, and to endure ſo long as their time of labour is appointed. It was a good reaſon which Saul rendred to keepe Dauid from entring combat with Goliah, becauſe (as he thought) Dauid was not able to fight againſt the Philiſtim, Dauid being a youth, and Goliah a man of warre.

And indeed if Dauids faith had not exceeded the ſtrength of his body, it had beene vnmeet to haue put Dauid to that taske.

They which are put to things aboue their abilitie, are like to faile, and ſinke vnder the burden of them.

It is contrary hereunto to put ſeruants to ſuch hard taskes

as impaire their ſtrength, endanger their lims, and venture their liues. Saul ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt ſuch: for he ſuppoſing that it was too hard a taske for Dauid to vndertake combat with Goliah, was loth to put him to it. Dauid exceedingly failed herein, when he gaue direction that Vriah ſhould be ſet in the forefront of the hotteſt battell, and yet the Generall with his ſtrength to retire from him. Many ſeruants being put to ſeruices aboue their ſtrength, either loſe their liues thereby, or (as we ſpeake) are neuer their owne men againe.

It is alſo a fault in this kinde, to put ſeruants to ſuch toiling workes as are fitter for beaſts then men: or to oppreſſe them with too much worke, as the Egyptians oppreſſed the Iſraelites. Let Gods hearing the cry of thoſe ſeruants ſo oppreſſed, and reuenging their oppreſſors for it, make all maſters take heed of the like crueltie.

§. 27. Of affording ſeruants fit meanes for their worke.

2. The other thing required of maſters for wel ordering their ſeruants worke is, that they afford their ſeruants things needfull, and behouefull for that worke whereunto they are put: which minde was commendable in Saul, who aſſaied if his armour might be fit for Dauid when he was to goe againſt Goliah. To reckon vp all the particulars were an infinite taske: euery ſeuerall trade and worke hath proper meanes of helpe appertaining to it: this generall direction may be ſufficient to moue maſters to applie it to the particular workes and ſeruices whereunto they put their ſeruants. Fit meanes are ſuch an helpe, as that which with them may eaſily be done, without them can hardly, if poſſibly at all be done.

It is contrary hereunto to deale with ſeruants as the Egyptians did with the Iſraelites, exacting worke at their hands, and not affording them meanes to doe it: whereby many times they exact impoſſibilities. Some will haue much worke done in the night time, and not afford candle light: ſo in other particulars.

§. 28. Of affording ſeaſonable reſt to ſeruants.

Intermiſſion, eaſe, and reſt from labour at ſeaſonable times, is as needfull and requiſite, as food and apparell. The reaſon which God rendreth of the fourth commandement ſheweth

that maſters ought to afford reſt to their ſeruants: it is this, that

thy ſeruant may reſt.

Without intermiſſion and reſt the body cannot endure labour: it will wax weake, faint, and vtterly vnable to continue: but, as labour decaieth ſtrength, ſo reſt repaireth it.

There are two eſpeciall times of reſt, which ſeruants may not be denied.

• 1. The reſt of the night.

• 2. The reſt of the Lords day.

The firſt is ordinary for all liuing creatures: for it was one principall-reaſon why God cauſed the light of the Sunne to be withdrawen from the face of the earth, that the inhabitants thereof might reſt from their labour. Vntill the euening man goeth forth vnto his labour and worke. Time of darkneſſe is more fit for reſt then worke. Let not this be ſo taken as if no worke were to be done, after the light of the day is taken away: (then would but little worke be done in the depth of winter, when the daies are ſhort: and then would not God haue afforded artificiall lights) but to ſhew that difference muſt be made betwixt the day and night: and that the night is afforded for that time wherein men are moſt to reſt.

The other time of reſt (being the Sabbath day) is by diuine inſtitution. It was ſanctified vnto man in the time of Adams innocency, when he ſtood as a publike head and ſtocke of all mankinde. The very name Sabbath, (which in Hebrew ſignifieth reſt) and the expreſſe prohibition of doing any worke on that day, doe ſhew that it is a day of reſt: and that one end thereof was for ſeruants to reſt therein, is euident by the reaſon thereof, that thy ſeruant may reſt. So as there is a double bond to tie maſters to afford reſt to their ſeruants on the Lords day:

• 1. The bond of piety to God.

• 2. The bond of charity to ſeruants: for in that God did thinke it meet for ſeruants to reſt one day in ſeuen, we ought to thinke that it is needfull and behouefull for them.

§. 29. Of denying ſeaſonable reſt to ſeruants.

Contrary to both the forenamed times of reſt doe many maſters offend: as firſt, they who make their ſeruants watch

too long at night, and againe, riſe too ſoone in the morning, not affording ſo much time of reſt and ſleepe as is needfull for refreſhing their bodies, and repairing their ſtrength: whereby it commeth to paſſe that (beſide the wrong done to their poore ſeruants) their worke cannot be done ſo well.

Obiect. It is ſaid of the forenamed good houſwife, that her

candle is not put out by night.

Anſw. That is a tropicall ſpeech: and ſome-what hyperbolicall. The word night is put for a part thereof. The phraſe only implieth vigilancy, ſhewing that ſhe is not, as many, in the euening betimes in bed, and in the morning late vp; but late downe and early vp. This phraſe (ſhe riſeth while it is yet night) vſed before, ſheweth that that which I haue noted, is the true ſenſe. If not putting out her candle by night, ſhould imply a ſitting vp all night long, how could it be ſaid that ſhe riſeth vp?