Chap. Second. — Verse. 18.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the contrary.

Your word (says the Psalmist) is a light to my feet, and a [reconstructed: lantern] to my paths, not only a light to please his eyes, by the excellent truths and comforts that are in it, but also a light to direct his feet in the precepts and rules of life that it gives, to inform and delight his mind to order his course. That philosopher was deservedly commended, that drew knowledge most this way, and therefore was said to have brought philosophy from the clouds to dwell among men, calling it from empty speculations to a practical [reconstructed: stream]. Thus we are taught in spiritual knowledge by the word of God. The Son, the eternal word, when he came to dwell with men, and so brought life, and wisdom, and all blessings from the heavens down to them, he taught them both by his doctrine, and perfect example how to walk, and his Apostles do conformably aim at this in their holy writings, joining with the mysteries of faith, those rules of life, that show men the straight way to happiness.

And as it is spoken of the largeness of Solomon's wisdom, that he spoke of all trees, from the cedar in Lebanon, to the hyssop that grows out of the wall: so in this, we may see the perfection of the Holy Scriptures, that they give those directions that are needful to all ranks and sorts of men. They speak not only of the duties of kings, how they ought to behave themselves on their thrones, and the duty of their subjects to them in that dignity, and how ministers, and others ought to carry in the house of God; but they come in to private houses, and give economic rules for them, teaching parents, and children, and masters, indeed and servants how to acquit themselves one to another. Thus here: servants, be subject to your masters.

As this is a just plea for all the people of God, that they have right to the use of this book, being so useful for all sorts, and that they ought not to be barred it, so it is a just plea against a great part of those that bar themselves the use of it, through slothfulness and earthly-mindedness, seeing it is so adapted, that there be many things, indeed, all the main things in it profitable for all. Fitted to the use of the lowest estate, and lowest capacities of men, indeed, it takes (as we see) particular notice of their condition, stoops down to take the meanest servant by the hand, to lead them the way to Heaven; and not only that part of it which is the general way of Christians, but even those steps of it, that lie within the walk of their particular calling, as here, teaching not only the duties of a Christian but of a Christian servant.

Observation 1. The Scriptures are a deep that few can wade far into, and none can wade through (as those in Ezekiel 47). But yet all may come to the brook and refresh themselves with drinking of the streams of its living water, and go in a little way according to their strength and stature. Now this (I say) may be spoken to our shame, and I wish it might shame you to amendment, that so many of you, either use not the Scriptures at all, or in using, do not use them, turn over the leaves, and it may be run through the lines, and consider not what they advise you. Masters, learn your part, and servants too, hearken what they say to you, for they pass not you by, they vouchsafe to speak to you too: but you vouchsafe not to hear them, and observe their voice. How can you think that the reading of this book concerns you not? When you may hear it address such particular directions to you. Wisdom goes not only to the gates of palaces, but to the common gates of the cities, and to the public highways, and calls to the simplest that she may make them wise. Besides that you dishonor God, you prejudge yourselves; for does not that neglect of God and his words justly procure the disorder and disobedience of your servants towards you, as a fit punishment from his righteous hand; although they are unrighteous, and are procuring further judgment to themselves in so doing. And not only thus, is your neglect of the Word a cause of your trouble by the justice of God, but in regard of the nature of the Word, that if you would respect it, and make use of it in your houses, it would teach your servants to respect and obey you as here, you see it speaks for you, and therefore you wrong both it, and yourselves when you silence it in your families.

Observation 2. The Apostle having spoken of subjection to public authority, adds this of subjection to private domestic authority. It is a thing much of concern, the right ordering of families, for all other societies civil, and religious, are made up of these. Villages, and cities, and churches, and commonwealths, and kingdoms are but a collection of families, and therefore such as these are, for the most part, such must the whole societies predominantly be. One particular house is but a very small part of a kingdom, yet the wickedness and lewdness of that house, be it but of the meanest in it, of servants one or more, though it seem but a small thing, yet goes in to make up that heap of sin that provokes the wrath of God, and draws on public calamity.

And this particularly when it declines into disorder proves a public evil, when servants grow generally corrupt and disobedient, and unfaithful; though they be the lowest part; yet the whole body of a commonwealth cannot but feel very much the evil of it, as a man does when his legs and feet grow diseased, and begin to fail him.

We have here: 1. Their duty. 2. The due extent of it. 3. The right principle of it.

Be subject] 1. Keep your order and station under your masters, and that with fear, and inward reverence of mind and respect to them, that is the very life of all obedience. Then their obedience has in it diligent doing, and patient suffering. Both these are in that word, be subject, do faithfully to your utmost that which is entrusted to you, and obey all their just commands, for action indeed goes no further, but suffer patiently even their unjust rigors and severities. And this being the harder part of the two, and yet a part that the servants of those times bore, many of them being more hardly and slavishly used than any with us, especially those that were Christian servants under unchristian masters; therefore the Apostle insists most on this, and this is the extent of the obedience here required, that it be to all kind of masters, not to the good only, but the evil, not only to obey, but to suffer, and suffer patiently, and not only deserved, but even wrongful and unjust punishment.

Now because this particular concerns servants, let them reflect upon their own carriage, and examine it by this rule, and truly the greatest part of them will be found very nonconforming to it, being either closely fraudulent, and deceitful; or grossly stubborn, and disobedient, abusing the lenity and mildness of their masters, or murmuring at their just severity, so far are they from the patient endurance of the least undue word of reproof, much less of sharper punishment, either truly, or in their opinion undeserved. And truly if any that profess religion dispense themselves in this, they mistake the matter very much; for it ties them more, whether children or servants to be most submissive and obedient even to the worst kind of parents and masters, always in the Lord, not obeying any unjust command, though they may and ought to suffer patiently (as it is here) their unjust reproofs or punishments.

But on the other side, this does not justify, nor at all excuse the unmerciful austerities, and unbridled passion of masters, it is still a perverseness and crookedness in them, as the word is here, and must have its own name, and shall have its proper reward from the Sovereign master and Lord of all the world.

2. There is here also the due extent of this duty. Namely, to the froward. It is a more deformed thing to have a distorted crooked mind, or a froward spirit, than any crookedness of the body. How can he that has servants under him expect their obedience, when he cannot command his own passion, but is a slave to it? And unless much conscience of duty possess servants (more than is readily to be found with them) it cannot but work a master into much disaffection and disesteem with them, when he is of a turbulent spirit, a troubler of his own house, embittering his affairs, and commands, with rigidness and passions, and taking things readily by that side that may offend, and trouble him, thinking his servant slights his call, when he may as well think he heard him not, and upon every light occasion, real or imagined, flying out into reproachful speeches, or proud threats, contrary to the Apostle Saint Paul's rule; which he sets over against the duty of servants, (Ephesians 6) Forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, and that there is no respect of persons with him: think therefore, when you shall appear before the judgment seat of God that your carriage shall be examined, and judged as theirs, and think that we regard those differences much of masters and servants, but they are nothing with God, they vanish.

Consider who made you to differ, might he not have made your stations just contrary with a turn of his hand, and made you the servant, and your servant the master: but we willingly forget those things that should compose our minds to humility, and meekness, and blow them up with such fancies as please, and feed our natural vanity, and make us some body in our own account.

However that Christian servant that falls into the hands of a froward master, will not be beaten out of his station, and duty of obedience by all the hard and wrongful usage he meets withal; but will take that as an opportunity of exercising the more obedience, and patience, and will be the more cheerfully patient, because of his innocency, as the Apostle here exhorts.

Men do indeed look sometimes upon this, as a just plea for impatience, that they suffer unjustly, which yet is very ill logic: for (as he said) would any man that frets because he suffers unjustly, wish to deserve it, that he might be patient. Now to hear them, they seem to speak so, when they exclaim, that the thing which vexes them most, is, that they have not deserved any such thing as is inflicted on them: truly desert of punishment may make a man more silent upon it, but innocency right considered makes him more patient, guiltiness stops a man's mouth indeed in suffering: but sure it does not quiet his mind, on the contrary, it is that which mainly disturbs and grieves him, it is the sting of suffering, as sin is said to be of death; and therefore when that is not, the pain of the sufferings cannot but be much abated by it. Indeed the Apostle here declares, that to suffer undeservedly, and withal patiently, is glorious to a man, and acceptable to God. It is commendable indeed to be truly patient even in deserved sufferings, but the deserving them tarnishes the luster of that patience, and makes it look more constrained-like, which is the Apostle's meaning, preferring it much before spotless suffering, and that is indeed the true glory of it, that it pleases God, so that it is rendered in the close of verse 20 for the other word of glory in the beginning of it — it is a pleasing thing in God's eyes, and therefore he will thank a man for it, as the word is, though we owe all our patience under all kind of afflictions as a duty to him, and though that grace is his own gift; yet he has obliged himself by his Royal Word, not only to accept of it, but to praise it, and reward it in his children; though they lose their thanks at the world's hands, and be rather scoffed and taunted in all their doings, and sufferings, it is no matter, they can expect no other there, but their reward is on high, in the sure and faithful hand of their Lord.

How often do men work earnestly, and do and suffer much for the uncertain wages of glory, and thanks, among men, and how many of them fall short of their reckoning, either dying before they come through to that state where they think to find it, or find it not where they looked for it, and so do but live to feel the pain of their disappointment. Or if they do attain their end, such glory and thanks as men have to give them, what amounts it to? Is it any other but a handful of nothing, the breath of their mouths, and themselves much like it, a vapor dying out in the air, and the most real thanks they give, their most solid rewards, are but such as a man cannot take home with him. If they go so far with him, yet at furthest he must leave them at the door, when he is to enter his everlasting home. All the riches and palaces, and monuments of honor that he had, and that are erected to him after death, as if he had then some interest in them, reach him not at all, enjoy them who will, he does not, he has no portion of all that is done under the sun, his own end is to him the end of the world.

But he that would have abiding glory, and thanks, must turn his eye another way for them. All men desire glory, but they know neither what it is, nor how it is to be sought. He is upon the only right bargain of this kind, whose praise (according to Saint Paul's word) is not of men but of God. If men commend him not, he accounts it no loss, nor no gain if they do, for he minds a country where that coin goes not, and to where he cannot carry it; and therefore he gathers it not. That which he seeks in all, is, that he may be approved, and accepted of God, whose thanks is no less to the least of those he accepts, than a crown of unfading glory. Not a poor servant that fears his name and is obedient, and patient for his sake, but shall be so rewarded.

There be some kind of graces, and good actions that men (such as regard any grace) take special notice of, and commend highly, such as are of a magnificent and remarkable nature, such as martyrdom, or doing, or suffering for religion in some public way. There be again other obscure graces, that if men despise not, yet they esteem not much, as meekness, and gentleness, and patience under private crosses known to few or none, and yet these are of great account with God, and therefore should be so with us. They are of more universal use: whereas the other are but for high times, as we say, for rare occasions; these are every one's work, but few are called to the acting of the other. And the least of them shall not lose their reward, in whose person soever, as Saint Paul tells us, speaking of this same subject (Ephesians 6:8): Knowing that whatever good thing any man does, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bound or free.

This is the bounty of that great master we serve: for what are we, and all we can do, that there should be a name of a reward to it, yet he keeps all in reckoning. Not a poor lame prayer, not a tear, nor a sigh poured forth before him shall go to loss. Not any cross from his own hand immediately, or coming through men's hands, that is taken (what way soever it come) as out of his hand and carried patiently, indeed and welcomed, and embraced for his sake, but he observes our so entertaining of it. Not an injury that the meanest servant bears in a Christian manner, but goes all upon account with him, and he sets them so, as that they bear much value through his esteem, and way of reckoning them, though in themselves they are all less than nothing, as a worthless counter stands for hundreds or thousands according to the place you set it in. Happy they that have to deal with such a Lord, and be they servant or master, are vowed servants to him — when he comes his reward shall be with him.

The third thing is the principle of this obedience and patience, for conscience towards God.

It imports 1. The knowledge of God, and of his will in some due measure. 2. A conscientious respect to him and his will so known, taking it for their only rule in doing and suffering.

1. This declares to us the freeness of the grace of God in regard of men's outward quality, that he does often bestow the riches of his grace upon persons of mean condition. It is supposed here, that this conscience of God, the saving knowledge and fear of his name, is to be found in servants. Therefore the Apostle takes them within the address of his letter among those that are elect, according to the foreknowledge of God (1 Peter 1:2), and sharers of those dignities he mentions in verse 9 of this chapter: a chosen generation. The honor of a spiritual royalty, under the meanness of a servant, and this grace possibly conferred upon the servant, and denied to the master, as here supposed. It may fall out that a perverse crooked-minded master may have a servant uprightly minded, being endowed with a tender respective conscience towards God, and thus the Lord does to counteract the pride of man, and set off the luster of his own free grace. He has all to choose on, and yet chooses there, where men would least imagine (Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:27).

2. Grace finds a way to act itself in every estate where it is, and regulates the soul to the particular duties of that estate — if it find a man high or low, a master or a servant, it requires not a change of his station, but works a change on his heart, and teaches him how to live in it. The same Spirit that makes a Christian master pious, and gentle, and prudent in commanding, makes a Christian servant faithful and obsequious, and diligent in obeying. A skillful engraver makes you a statue indifferently of wood, or stone, or marble, as they are put into his hand, and grace forms a man to a Christian way of walking in any estate. There is a way for him in the meanest condition to glorify God, and to adorn the profession of religion — no estate so low as to be shut out from that. A right informed, and right affected conscience towards God shows a man that way, and causes him to walk in it. As the astrologers say, that the same stars that made Cyrus to be chosen king among the armies of men when he came to be a man, made him to be chosen king among the shepherds' children when he was a child: thus grace will have its proper operation in every estate.

In this men readily deceive themselves: they can do anything well in imagination, better than the real task that is in their hands. They presume that they could do God good service in some place of command, that serve him not as becomes in that which is by far the easier — the place of obeying, wherein he has set them. They think if they had the ability and opportunities that some men have, they would do much more for religion, and for God than they do, and yet do nothing but spoil a far lower part than that, which is their own, and is given them to study and act aright in. But our folly and self-ignorance abuses us — it is not our part to choose what we should be, but to be what we are to his glory, that gives us to be such. Be your condition never so mean, yet your conscience towards God, if it be within you, will find itself work in that. If it be little that is entrusted to you in regard of your outward condition, or any other way, be faithful in that little, as our Savior speaks, and your reward shall not be little — he shall make you ruler over much.

3. As a corrupt mind debases the best and most excellent callings and actions, so the lowest are raised above themselves, and ennobled by a spiritual mind. A magistrate or minister, though their calling and employments be high, may have low intentions, and draw down their high calling to these low intentions — they may seek themselves and self-ends, and neglect God. And a sincere Christian may elevate his low calling by this conscience of God observing his will, and intending his glory in it. An eagle may fly high, and yet have its eye down upon some carrion on the earth, and a man may be standing on the earth, and that on some low part of it, and yet have his eye upon heaven and be contemplating it. That which one man cannot at all see in another, is the very thing most considerable in their actions, namely, the principle from where they flow, and the end to which they tend. This is the form and life of actions, that by which they are earthly or heavenly. Whatever be the matter of them, the spiritual mind has that alchemy indeed of turning base metals into gold, earthly employments into heavenly. The handiwork of an artisan or servant that regards God, and eyes him even in that work, is much holier than the prayer of a hypocrite. And a servant's enduring the private wrongs and harshness of a froward master, bearing it patiently for the conscience of God, is more acceptable to God than the sufferings of some such as may endure much for a public good cause without a good and upright heart.

This habit and posture of the heart towards God, the Apostle Saint Paul [reconstructed: presses] much in this very subject (Ephesians 6), as being very needful to allay the hard labor and harsh usage of many of them. This is the way to make them easy, to undergo them for God — no pill so bitter but respect and love to God will sweeten it. And this is a very great refreshment and comfort to a Christian in the mean estate of a servant, or other laboring men, that they may offer up their hardship and bodily labor as a sacrifice to God, and say, 'Lord, this is the station wherein you have set me in the world, and I desire to serve you in it — what I do is for you, and what I suffer I desire to bear patiently and cheerfully for your sake, in submission and obedience to your will.'

For Conscience] In this there is 1. A reverent compliance with God's disposal, both in allotting to them that condition of life, and particularly choosing their master for them, though possibly not the mildest and pleasantest, yet the fittest for their good, there is much in the firm believing of this, and hearty submitting to it: For we would naturally rather carve for ourselves, and shape our own estate to our mind, which is a most foolish, yes, an impious presumption, as if we were wiser than he that has done it, and as if there were not as much, and it may be more possibility of true contentment in a mean than in a far higher condition, the master's mind is often more toiled than the servant's body. And if our condition be appointed us, at least we would have a voice in some qualifications and circumstances of it, as in this, if a man must serve, he would wish willingly, that God would allot him a meek gentle master, and so we in other things, if we must be sick, we would be well accommodated, and not want helps, but to have sickness, and want means, and friends for our help, this we cannot think of without horror. But this submission to God is never right till all be given up into his hand that concerns us, to do with it and every article and circumstance of it as seems good, in his eyes. 2. In this conscience is a religious and observant respect to the rule God has set men to walk by in that condition, so that their obedience depends not upon any external inducement, and so falls when that fails: But flows from an inward impression of the law of God upon the heart, thus a servant's obedience, and patience will not be pinned to the goodness and equity of his master, but when that fails, will subsist upon its own inward ground, and generally in all estates. This is the thing that makes sure, and constant walking, makes a man step even in the ways of God. When a man's obedience springs from that unfailing, unchanging reason, the command of God, it is a natural motion, and therefore keeps on, and rather grows, than abates; but they that are moved by things outward, must often fail; because these things are not constant in their moving; as a people that are much acted by the spirit of their rulers, as the Jews when they had good kings. 3. In this is a tender care of the glory of God, and the adornment of religion, which the Apostle premised before these particular duties, as a thing to be specially regarded in them; the honor of our Lord's name is that we should set up, as the mark, and to aim all our actions at, either we think not on it, or our hearts slip out, and start from their aim, like bows of deceit as the word is. 4. There is the comfortable persuasion of God's approbation and acceptance, as is expressed in the following verse (of which somewhat before) and the hope of that reward he has promised, as it is (Colossians 3:24). No less than the inheritance, so then such servants as these, are sons and heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ, thus he that is a servant, may be in a far more excellent estate than his master: The servant may hope for, and aim at a kingdom, while the master is embracing a dunghill, and he that is thus, thinks highly of God's free grace. And the looking ever to that inheritance, makes them go cheerfully through all pains and troubles here as light and momentary, and not worth the naming in comparison of that glory that shall be revealed. In the mean time the best and most easy condition of the sons of God cannot satisfy them, nor stay their sighs and groans, waiting, and longing for that day of their full redemption.

Now this is the great rule, not only for servants. But for all the servants of God in whatever estate, to set the Lord always before them, and to study (with Saint Paul) to have a conscience void of offense towards God and man, to eye and apply constantly to their actions, and their inward thoughts the command of God, to walk by that rule abroad, and at home, in their houses, and in the several ways of their calling: As an exact workman is ever, and anon laying to his rule to his work, and squaring it, and for the conscience they have towards God, to do and suffer his will cheerfully, in every thing, being content, that he choose their condition, and their trials for them. Only desirous to be assured, that he has chosen them for his own, and given them right to the glorious liberty of the sons of God, still endeavoring to walk in that way that leads to it, overlooking this moment, and all things in it, accounting it a very indifferent matter what is their outward estate here in this moment, providing they may be happy in eternity; high or low here, bond or free, it imports little; seeing all these differences will be so quickly at an end, and then shall not be so much as any tract or footstep of them left with particular men. It is so in their graves, you may distinguish the greater from the less by their tombs, but by their dust you cannot, and with the whole world it shall be so in the end. All monuments, and palaces, with cottages made fire, as our Apostle tells us, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and all the works therein shall be burnt up.