A good master well served. A brief discourse on the necessary properties & practices…

We find therefore that the Scriptures of God often and largely insist on the Duties of men, […] those Relative Capacities, wherein they stand obliged unto one another. But among the rest, •he Duties of Masters and Servants are pressed, with a vary frequent, fervent and pungent Inculcation; and this most especially in the Inspired Epistles of the New Testament. In the Days of Primitive Christianity, there were Christianized Masters, who had much ado to lay aside, the fierce, harsh, brutish and bloody Usage of their Servants, whereto in their Paganism they had been accustomed; and there were Christianized Servants who on the other side had much ado to maintain a due Respect unto their Masters, after they were by Regeneration advanced unto the privileges of the Gospel, and made the Sons and Heirs of God. For this Cause, the Apostles, do very emphatically Demonstrate it, that Christianity will Teach persons to be better Masters, and better Servants, than ever they were before.

We find therefore that the Scriptures of God often and largely insist on the Duties of men, 〈…〉 those Relative Capacities, wherein they stand obliged unto one another. But among the rest, •he Duties of Masters and Servants are pressed, with a vary frequent, fervent and pungent Inculcation; and this most especially in the Inspi•ed Epistles of the New Testament. In the Days of Primitive Christianity, there were Christianized Masters, who had much adoe to lay aside, the fierce, harsh, bruitish and bloody Usage of their Servants, whereto in their Paganism they had been accustomed; and there were Christianized Servants who on the other side had much ado to maintain a due Respect unto their Masters, after they were by Regeneration advanced unto the priviledges of the Gospel, and made the Sons and Heirs of God. For this Cause, the Apostles, do very emphatically Demonstrate it, that Christianity will Teach persons to be better Masters, and better Servants, than ever they were before.

Casting a careful Eye upon our Assembly, I behold here many Hundreds of persons, which have been Stated in both of these two Orders, by the God of Order. 'Twill therefore be but a part of our Stewardly Faithfulness, our Pastoral Watchfulness, to Address both of these Orders, with such Admonitions as may be agreeable unto their Circumstances.