Fifth Commandment. 159 Firft·, Their Government ought to be prudent and difcrect, fuch as may main· 1. rain their Authority, and yet not be fowr'd into Tyranny: And therefore it fuould be ;1 Mafter's Care to demean himfelf gravely and awmlly before his Servants; his verY Countenance and Comportment fhould be enough to beget Reverence in them. But when the Mail: er is vain and light, the Servants will grow, firft familiar, and then contemvruous. Government confifts ia two things, Command and Corrc8:ion ~ But that which doth moft of all tend to make both etreaual, is good Example. Firfl, therefore, a Mafler ought wifely to Comm.:tnrl and enjoin his Servants 1 • what they fhould do. And herein is required a deal of Skill and Prudfnce. For though ServatltS oug)1t not to inquire into the ReaiOn<- of all that their Maiters bid them do, yet c.loubtlefs, it is a very difficult matter for them to b~·i.ng themfelves to d<J that which is apparently vain and ridiculous; and by impofing fuch things upon them, the Maitcr will much hazard the lofs, or diminution of his Authority; and therefore in laying his Commands upon them, he ought to have regard both to the Manner and Matter of them. As to the manner; He ought not to command with Rigour, with ill Language and Reviling, as is the Cuftom of too many, who when they enjoin their Set vants any thing, preface their Commands with a Reproach, which tends to nothing but to difcourage them, to make them hate the lmployment, and him that fettcth them about it ; and by this means we make our Servants to become our Enemies. The A- hf4e,o/,. pofrle therefore bath given this Caution, Ephtf. 6. 9· Yt JJ1.ifb·'J, do tht fame rhing.J S;turn.l. to your ServarttJ, forbearing Threatning. Nor yet fhould rhcy proftitute their Autho- I, c. llo rity by any fubmif:.lntrcaties; for it is an Evil which the Earth it felf cannot bear, when a Servant reigneth and bears fwayover his Mafter, as the wife Man obferves, PrO'V. 30. 22. But there fhould be fuch an equal Mixture of Mildnefs with Gravity, and Love with Authority, that the Servant fhould not only be compelled, but inclined by it unto Obedience. Indeed, there is required much Evcnnefs of Temper in him that would make a good Maiter; not to be hurried with violent and caufelcfs Paffions, nor to be fwayed by irrational Humours; for nothing cloth more detract from Authority than HumOurfomnefs; bccanfe Servants not having any ftanding mc:afnre of what will pleafe fuch a Mafter, will qt laft grow carelefs of ir, and defpife the Commands of him who is as much a Servant as they are Servants; yea, a very Slave to his Paffions and Humours, than which there canr.ot be a b::~ferand a \•iler. SlaYery: And therefore thofewhoarc Servants to fickle and cal?ricious Mafters) though they may feeril very obfequious to them, yet cannot but iecretly dcfpifc them: For 'Power may indeed make their Commands to be obeyed; but it is Reafon only, and Gravity, that can make them venerable and reverend. ' Stcondly, As a M after ought to refped the Manner how he Commands, folikewife 2 , the Matter what he Commands. And in this take thefe three Rules: Ift. He ought ro Command nothing but what is lawful to be perform'd; for both they and their Servants have a fupream Lord and Mafter in the bigheft Heavens, whom they both oug,ht to fear and obey. His Service is no farther due to thee, than as it is wnfiftent with the Service of God? and when thou commandeft any thine contrary thereunto1 thou art not a Mafter, b.ut a. Tempter. It is true, he is Bound in Confciencc to obferve thee, yet it is only in thofc things wherein the Law of God hath left his Confcience free; and therefore when the great and univcrfal Lord hath laid a Prohibition upon him, his Obedience is fuperfeded, and thy Commands do only bind thy felf to Guilt, not him to Obfervance: He is bound to work for thee, but not to lye, or to fteal, or to cheat for thee: And if thou art fo wicked as to in join him any fuch things, it is no uncivil Anfwcr to fay to thee, .as the Apofiles did, AEfs 5· 29. Wtoughtratber to obey God than Men• .2dty, A Mafter's Commands muft be not only lawful, butpoffible: To Command thmgs impoffible, is the heighth of Folly. And therefore, when .Abraham commaude~ his Servant to procure a Wife for his Son; he prudently anfwcrs, What if Ihe wlll not come? Upon which Suppolltion his M after acquits him from the Oath of God that was betwixt them ; G'm. 2.4-· 8. ~( the Woman will not be willing to follow tht.t, thrn Jhalt thou bt clear of this Oath. To Command things impofHble to be:: effected, will but detraCt: from the Mafter's Authority, and lcffen his Eftcem, and caufe the Servant to think his own Difcretion to be a better Guide for his Adi~ ons,
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