696 Ephefian.r,Chap,6. VER.5. workefor which theyarc hired, who arc fo felfe-conceited, that they love to follow their owne minds, like thefe forward lapwings that will rune on ahead, when the :hell isnot off their head, and before they be their trades mailers, love to goe with their owne dire lion; hence biddendoe a thing thus,theywill tell youof this way, and that, of fotne other thing, forgetting that Goddid not file their tongues to talke, but boars theircares, that they might heare and obey. And he that isa fervantmull not doe hisowne will, but his mailers whom he ferveth. For reproofe, they will give word for word, for blower they will take none,ruletheir Mailershands,if they cannot his tongue, elfetheywill fhewa paireof heeles, as Hagar did runne away from her miflrefle. For their allowance, forcefo manchet mouthed, that if their bread be a little courfer,theywill grumble at it: and foin the reft, iftheir mindes benot all out pleafed, in ftead of being dutiful', they are altogether rebellious : but wethat are the fervants of Chrift, muff lay up this fentence,obey par lira/lers in all things, we mull count it our glory tobe ruled in all things, and make their wills ours : yea to bite in the lip with patience, though they be too (trait and deale crookedlywith us. Tani cwtafiers.] Obferve then, that whofoever are inplaceofour ma- rs, theymoll have obediencefromus : he doth not fay ro the good maileror wealthy, but to thofe that arc your mailers, for it is not goodne&and greatneffe which doth chiefely bind us to obedience, forthen,weihouldbe fervants to all that are ofauthoritie and that aregood: this therefore is truth, that if he be a mailer, though evill, he mutt-beobeyed, a Pet: z. aS. and thus lacedhow obedientlydid he live toLabia, Iofeph,to Potiphar , David toSauk Ifhe be a good ma- iler, thereisa doublecord to tye thee to obedience, both as amailer andas agoodmatter, a Tim. 5.17. Let them be counted worthy doable honor. Nowwe muftknow that notonely the Matter, but the Miflreffe is heretobeunder(tood, yea any whom the mailer doth let over us, as C- `eíat.i4. the ileward,thatisfet over the matters houle in hisabfence, for heisa mailer Paramount as we fay, andiff he come not againft the expreffe willof his mailer, muff be obeyedas the mailer, for the ma. hers authoritie wherefoever, though in a fellow-fervant, mull have fubjeáion to it,as theKings authoritie inthe Confiable mutt not be refitted. Whichdoârinedothrebuke Inch who excuktheir unferviceable- ncretomaters, becaufe theyarc evill, unjui,not qualified as others; are they rytuxmaftene if theybe, thoughno better thenLabanor Sul, obey, it is the morepraifeworthy in thee, and who knowetb whether thydatifulneflemay not gainetheme howfoever woe to thee, ifthy ladeof dutie thouldput a fumbling blocke before the blind. And fuchfàtvants, who though theycan floope to their matters, yet they will not vaile, ifheleave inhis abfence a fellow-fervant, they are as goodas he, and will be no man of his though man to his matter. The
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