N00618:62
A good master well served. A brief discourse on the necessary properties & practices…
A good master well served. A brief discourse on the necessary properties & practices of a good servant in every-kind of servitude: and of the methods that should be taken by the heads of a family, to obtain such a servant. / By Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines from Joel]
printed by B. Green, 1696
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.
It is brought, as a Great Motive to make a Good Servant, in Tit. 2. 10. That they may Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, in all Things: and in 1 Tim. 6. 1, 2. That the Name of God, and His Doctrine he not Blasphemed. Let me tell you, Servants, The Glory of God your Saviour, is very much concerned, in your Conforming to the Laws, which are given for Servants, in the Doctrine of that Lord. If Servants behave themselves holily and usefully, according to the Laws of this Doctrine, What will Ensue upon it? Why Servants do usually carry La•horns before us; Truly, You Servants will by a wise Carriage, have your Light so shining before men, that others will Glorify your Master in Heaven, upon your Account. But, if you that are Servants, professing a subjection unto the Lord Jesus Christ, shall allow ⟨p. 32⟩your selves In any […] the Glory of God your Saviour will thereby suffer exceedingly. And of this, I have a very particular Warning to give unto you, that frequent the Private Meetings of Young People, to Pray, and Sing, and Repeat Sermons, and Confer with one another. While such Private Meetings are not Perverted and Abused, they will prove Real Blessings, unto the Neighbourhood; and your Masters will be glad of your going sometimes to such Nurseries of Piety. But if you give your Masters (or Mistresses) any just cause for this Reflection, That since you have gone to Private Meetings, you grow more slothful, and more saucy, and that their Business is more neglected, and that they have less Command over you; and that you keep Unseasonable Hours, and that when you are together, you Talk and Hatch mischievous Things, You are but so many Impious Hypocrites. Woe to you, Servants, Hypocrites, if you make your Private Meetings the Incentives or Occasions of any Wickedness. 'Tis pity that Satan should get so much […] to Reproach and Confound the desirable Opportunities of Soul Good, which you may have at well regulated Private Meetings, as has been given, by some Servants, that have been Ungodlier Servants after their being there than they were before. I see, I mind, the Wiles of your Adversary the Devil! and therefore, I do vehemently Admonish ⟨p. 33⟩you, That you do not Endure any One Person, in your Private Meetings, whose Master shall justly set the brand of Undutiful Servant upon him.