A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

To which end let us consider, first, that every family is a member and part of the whole body, which ought to resemble it in nature and government, ¹and as it were a particular Church, in which, the public duties are privately to be performed, as the Apostle teacheth us, whereas he saluteth Nymphas and the Church which was in his house; and the Master of the family representeth the Minister, and the rest of the house the people in the Congregation, who are to be governed and instructed by him; whereof it is that the Apostle would not have wives and women to speak in the Church, and publicly to propound their doubts in the assembly, but to crave resolution of their husbands at home. Secondly, let us consider, that inferiors are set under our government, ²not as brute creatures, but as reasonable men, and therefore, that not their bodies and bodily employments alone are committed unto our charge for government and direction, but their souls likewise, that they may be trained up by us in all religious duties, and spiritual exercises, for which we shall give an account unto God, how we have endeavoured to make them to thrive under us in the growth of Christianity, and fitted them for the service of God, as well as how we have taught them their Trades, and in what sort they should demean themselves towards us in our service. So that if we take no further care of them then we do of our beasts, that is, only so to govern, feed, and order them, as that they may be fitted for earthly employments, and for the advancing of our worldly profit; when that their souls perish through our negligence, their blood will be upon our heads, and we shall have a fearful account to make at the day of Judgement. Thirdly, let us consider that the family