A25478:2018
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1676
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Positive Directions.
First, I shall give you some cautionary Directions.
First, Let Masters take heed of being servants to sin and Satan, and rebels to God. A bad man is not like to be a good Master. With what face can any man expect others should obey him (whose commands are usually unreasonable) whilst he disobeyeth God, whose commands are always good and equal? How can a drunken, prayerless, swearing wretch, look for better service than he gives to his Master?
By sin man at first forfeited that Sovereignty that he had over the creatures; and by a constant habit of sin, especially gross sins, which the light of Nature doth condemn, a man prostitutes his reason, debaseth his authority, and looseth that majesty which else he is invested with. How can a drunken Master rebuke or punish his servant for tippling? Is an intemperate Sensualist a fit person to censure gluttony? Can an unclean person condemn wantonness? Is it likely that the Servant should be faithful, who seeth his Master cheat and lye every day? If the Master be a profuse Gamester, and given to his pleasure, is it like that his Servant should be frugal and diligent? Are not lying, and swearing, and cursing, and wickedness as soon learned of a Master, as a Trade? And is it worth the while for a man to give twenty, forty, a hundred pound to teach his child to serve the Devil, and a short cut to hell, and a sure way to ruin and misery of body and soul? Is that man fit to govern another that can't rule himself? Is he that hath drowned his reason capable of instructing one, that which requires some wisdom to understand, and learn, and more to teach? Are not Sots, that can't speak sense, in a sweet frame to speak to God in Prayer, or to read a Chapter? What have such to do to take God's name into their mouths, which hate to be reformed? O that wicked Masters would consider that their wickedness doth not only hazard the damnation of a single soul, but even of all that are under their charge. Is it not enough to have your own sins to be laid to your charge? are all your oaths and lies and wickedness too little to sink you, but you must make your Servants sins yours? Is one damnation too little, but you must seek to double it? Are those flames so cool and tolerable that you are busy in adding fuel to that terrible fire to make it burn seven times hotter? What a hell must such a mans house be, in which the Name of God is scarce heard, except it be in an oath or a curse? Is there a blessing like to be in the house on which