Section 6

6 A godly man is a servant of God, and not a servant of men. This character has two distinct branches, I shall speak of both in order.

1. A godly man is a servant of God, Ezra 5:11. We are the servants of the God of Heaven. Colossians 4:12. Epaphras a servant of Christ.

Question. In what sense is a godly man a servant of God?

Answer. In seven respects.

1. A servant leaves all other, and confines himself to one Master: so a godly man leaves the service of sin, and betakes himself to the service of God, Romans 6:22. Sin is a tyrannizing thing; a sinner is a slave, when he sins with most freedom: The wages which sin gives, may deter us from its service, Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death. Here is damnable pay! A godly man enlists himself in Gods Family, and is one of his menial servants, Psalms 116:16. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. David uses an ingemination; as if he had said, Lord, I have taken earnest, none else can lay claim to me; my ear is bored to thy service.

2. A servant is not sui juris, at his own dispose, but at the dispose of his Master: A servant must not do what he pleases, but be at the will of his Lord. Thus a godly man is Gods servant, he is wholly at Gods dispose, he has no will of his own. Thy will be done on earth. Some will say to the godly, why cannot you do as others? Why will not you drink, and swear, and profane the Sabbath as others do? The godly are Gods servants, they must not do what they will, but be under the rules of the Family; they must do nothing but what they can show their Masters hand for.

3. A servant is bound, there are Covenants and Indentures sealed between him and his Master. Thus there are Indentures drawn in Baptism; and in Conversion, the Indentures are renewed and sealed; we do there bind ourselves to God to be his sworn servants, Psalms 119:106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments. A godly man has tied himself to the Lord by Vow, and he makes conscience of his vow; he had rather die by Persecution, than live by Perjury.

4. A servant does not only wear his Masters Livery, but do his work: Thus a godly man works for God; Saint Paul did spend, and was spent for Christ, 2 Corinthians 12:15. He outworked all the other Apostles, 1 Corinthians 15:10. A godly man is active for God to his last breath, Psalms 119:112. Only, The dead rest from their labours.

5. A servant follows his Master; thus a godly man is a servant of God, while others wonder after the beast, he follows after the Lamb. He will tread in the steps of Christ: If a Master leap over hedge and ditch, the servant will follow him: A godly man will follow Christ through afflictions, Luke 9:23. If any man will come after me, let him take up his Cross daily, and follow me. Peter would follow Christ upon the water: A godly man will follow Christ though it be death every step; he will keep his goodness, when others are bad; as all the water in the salt Sea cannot make the Fish salt, but still they retain their freshness; so all the wickedness in the world cannot make a godly man wicked, but still he retains his piety; he will follow Christ in the worst times.

6. A servant is satisfied with his Masters allowance; he does not say, I will have such provisions made ready, if he has short commons he does not find fault; he knows he is a servant, and is at his Masters carving: In this sense a godly man is Gods servant; he is willing to be at Gods allowance; if he has but some leavings he does not grumble. Paul knew he was a servant, therefore whether more or less fell to his share, he was indifferent, Philippians 4. When Christians murmur at their condition, they forget that they are servants, and must be at the allowance of their Heavenly Master: You that have the least bit from God, will die in his debt.

7. A servant will stand up for the honor of his Master; he cannot hear his Master reproached, but will vindicate his credit. Thus every godly man will stand up for the honor of his Master Christ, Psalms 119:139. My zeal has consumed me. A servant of God appears for his truths: They who can hear Gods Name reproached, and his ways spoken against, yet be silent, God will be ashamed of such servants, and discard them before men and Angels.

Use. Let us declare ourselves godly, by being servants of the most high God.

Consider 1. God is the best Master, he is punctual in all his promises, 1 Kings 8:23. There is no God like thee in Heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest Covenant with thy servants. Verse 56. There has not failed one word of all his good promise. God is of a most sweet gracious disposition; he has this property, he is slow to anger, and ready to forgive: In our wants he does relieve us, in our weakness he does pity us; he reveals his secrets to his servants, Psalms 25:14. He waits on his servants: Was there ever such a Master? Luke 12:37. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he comes shall find watching; truly I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. When we are sick he makes our bed, Psalms 41:3. Thou wilt make all their bed in their sickness. He holds our head when we are fainting: Other Masters may forget their servants, and cast them off when they are old, but God will not, Isaiah 44:21. You are my servant, O Israel, you shall not be forgotten of me. It is a slander to say, God is an hard Master.

2. Gods service is the best service: There are six privileges in Gods service.

1. Freedom. Though the Saints are bound to Gods service, yet they serve him freely: Gods Spirit, which is called a free spirit, makes them free and cheerful in obedience: The Spirit carries them upon the wings of delight; it makes duty a privilege; it does not force, but draw; it enlarges the heart in love, and fills it with joy; Gods service is perfect freedom.

2. Honor. David the King professes himself one of Gods Pensioners, Psalms 143:12. I am thy servant. Saint Paul, when he would blaze his Coat of Arms, and set forth his best Heraldry, he does not call himself Paul, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, or Paul of the Tribe of Benjamin, but Paul a servant of Christ, Romans 1:1. Theodosius thought it a greater dignity to be Gods servant, than to be an Emperor. Christ himself, who is equal with his Father, yet is not ashamed of the Title Servant, Isaiah 53:11. Every servant of God is a Son, every subject a Prince: It is more honor to serve God, than to have Kings serve us: The Angels in Heaven are servitors to the Saints on earth.

3. Safety. God takes care of his servants; he gives them a protection, Isaiah 41:9, 10. You are my servant, fear not, I am with you. God hides his servants, Psalms 27:5. In the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me; that is, he shall keep me safe, as in the most holy place of the Sanctuary, where none but the Priests might enter. Christs Wings are both for healing, and for hiding; for curing, and securing us: The Devil and his Instruments would soon devour the servants of God, if he did not set an invisible guard about them, and cover them with the golden feathers of his Protection, Acts 18:10. I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you. Gods watchful eye is ever upon his people, and the Enemies shall not do the mischief they intend, they shall not be destroyers, but Physicians.

4. Gain. Atheists say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances? Malachi 3:14. Besides the vails which God gives in this life (sweet peace of Conscience) he reserves his best Wine till last; he gives a glorious Kingdom to his servants, Hebrews 12:28. The servants of God may for a while be kept under, and abused, but they shall have preferment at last, John 12:26. Where I am, there shall my servants be.

5. Assistance. Other Masters cut out work for their servants, but do not help them in their work; but our Master in heaven does not only give us work, but strength, Psalms 138:3. Thou strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. God bids us serve him, and he will enable us to serve him, Ezekiel 36:27. I will cause you to walk in my Statutes. The Lord does not only fit work for us, but fit us for our work; with his Command he gives power.

6. Supplies. A Master will not let his servants want; Gods servants shall be provided for, Psalms 37:3. Verily you shall be fed. Does God give us a Christ, and will he deny us a crust? Genesis 48:15. The God who has fed me all my days: If God does not give us what we crave, he will give us what we need: the wicked are fed, who are dogs, Philippians 3:2. If a man feeds his dog, sure he will feed his servant: Oh then who would not be in love with Gods service.

3. We are engaged to serve God; we are pretio empti, bought with a price, 1 Corinthians 6:20. It is a Metaphor taken from such as do ransom Captives out of prison, by paying a sum of money for them, they are to be at the service of them that ransomed them: So when the Devil had taken us prisoners, Christ ransomed us with a price, not of money, but blood; therefore we are to be only at his service: If any can lay a better claim to us than Christ, we may serve them; but Christ having the best right to us, we are to cleave to him, and enroll ourselves for ever in his service.

2. I pass to the second Branch of this Character: A godly man is not the servant of men, 1 Corinthians 7:23. Be not the servants of men.

Question. But is there no service we owe to men?

Answer. There is a three-fold serving of men.

1. There is a Civil service we owe to men; as the inferior to the superior. The servant is a Living Tool, as Aristotle says, Ephesians 6:5. Servants obey your Masters.

2. There is a Religious service we owe to men, when we are serviceable to their souls, 2 Corinthians 4:5. Your servants for Jesus sake.

3. There is a sinful serving of men; this consists in three things.

1. When we prefer mens Injunctions before Gods Institutions; God commands one thing, man commands another; God says, sanctify the Sabbath; man says, profane it: When mens Edicts have more force upon us than Gods Precepts, this is to be the servants of men.

2. When we do voluntarily prostitute ourselves to the impure lusts of men; we let them lord it over our Consciences: when we are ductile and frameable to any thing, either Arminian or Atheist, either for the Gospel or the Quran, when we will be what others will have us; just of Issachars temper, Genesis 49:14. Issachar is a strong Ass, couching down between two burdens. This is not humility, but sordidness, and it is a serving of men.

3. When we are Advocates in a bad Cause, pleading for any impious, unjustifiable actings; when we baptize sin with the Name of Religion, and with our Oratory wash the Devils face; this is to be the servants of men; in these cases a godly person will not so unman himself, as to serve men; he says as Paul, Galatians 1:10. If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ: And as Peter, Acts 5:23. We ought to obey God rather than men.

Use. How many leagues distant are they from godliness, who do men-pleasing, who either for fear of punishment, or hope of preferment, comply with the sinful commands of men, who will put their Conscience into any yoke, and sail with any wind that blows profit: These are the servants of men; they have abjured their Baptismal Vow, and renounced the Lord that bought them.

He who is such a Proteus, who can change into any form, and bow as low as hell to please men, I would say two things to him.

1. You that have learned all your postures, who can cringe, and tack about, how will you look Christ in the face another day? When you shall say upon your death bed, Lord look upon thy servant, Christ shall disclaim you, and say, My servant? No, you did renounce my service, you were a servant of men, depart from me, I know you not. What a cooling card will this be at that day?

2. What does a man get by sinfully enslaving himself? He gets a blot in his name, a curse in his estate, an hell in his Conscience, nay, even those that he basely stoops to, will scorn and despise him. How did the High-Priests kick off Judas, Matthew 27:4. Look you to that.

That we may not be the servants of men, let us abandon fear, and advance faith: Faith is a world-conquering grace, 1 John 5:4. It overcomes the worlds music and furnace; it steels a Christian with Divine courage, and makes him stand immovable, as a Rock in the midst of the Sea.

6. A godly man is a servant of God, not a servant of men. This characteristic has two distinct aspects, and I will address each in turn.

1. A godly man is a servant of God. Ezra 5:11: We are the servants of the God of heaven. Colossians 4:12: Epaphras, a servant of Christ.

Question: In what sense is a godly man a servant of God?

Answer: In seven respects.

1. A servant leaves everyone else and commits himself to one master. In the same way, a godly man leaves the service of sin and devotes himself to the service of God, as Romans 6:22 says. Sin is a tyrannical master — the sinner is most enslaved when he feels most free. The wages sin pays should be enough to drive us from its service. Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death. What a terrible payment! A godly man enlists in God's household and becomes one of His personal servants. Psalm 116:16: O Lord, truly I am Your servant, I am Your servant. David repeats it twice — as if to say: Lord, I have signed my contract; no one else has a claim on me; my ear is bored to Your service.

2. A servant does not belong to himself — he belongs to his master. He cannot do as he pleases but must follow the will of his lord. In this way a godly man is God's servant — he belongs entirely to God and has no will of his own. Your will be done on earth. Some will ask the godly: Why can't you do what everyone else does? Why won't you drink and swear and disregard the Sabbath as others do? Because the godly are God's servants — they may not do as they please but must live by the rules of His household. They will do nothing for which they cannot point to their Master's authorization.

3. A servant is bound by covenant — there are contracts and formal agreements made between him and his master. In the same way, the covenant drawn up in baptism creates such a bond, and in conversion that covenant is renewed and sealed. There we bind ourselves to God as His sworn servants. Psalm 119:106: I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep Your righteous judgments. A godly man has bound himself to the Lord by vow, and he takes that vow seriously — he would sooner die under persecution than live by breaking his oath.

4. A servant does not only wear his master's uniform — he does his master's work. In this way, a godly man works for God. Paul spent himself and was spent for Christ, as 2 Corinthians 12:15 says. He outworked all the other apostles, as 1 Corinthians 15:10 says. A godly man works actively for God to his last breath, as Psalm 119:112 shows. Only the dead rest from their labors.

5. A servant follows his master. In this way, a godly man is God's servant — while others run after the beast, he follows the Lamb. He walks in the steps of Christ. If a master leaps over hedge and ditch, the servant follows him. A godly man will follow Christ through afflictions, as Luke 9:23 says: If anyone will come after Me, let him take up his cross daily and follow Me. Peter was willing to follow Christ even on the water. A godly man will follow Christ even when every step costs him — he holds on to his goodness even when all around him are bad. Just as all the salt water of the sea cannot make the fish salty — they retain their freshness — so all the wickedness in the world cannot make a godly man wicked. He retains his piety and follows Christ even in the worst of times.

6. A servant is satisfied with what his master provides. He does not demand particular meals — if the portions are small, he does not complain, knowing he is a servant and eats at his master's discretion. In this way a godly man is God's servant — he is willing to live on what God provides. If he receives only leftovers, he does not grumble. Paul knew he was a servant, and so whether he had more or less, he was content, as Philippians 4 shows. When Christians complain about their circumstances, they forget that they are servants and must live on what their heavenly Master provides. Even those who receive the smallest portion from God will die still in His debt.

7. A servant will defend the honor of his master — he cannot bear to hear his master insulted and will stand up for his reputation. In the same way, every godly man will stand up for the honor of his Master, Christ. Psalm 119:139: My zeal has consumed me. God's servant speaks up for His truth. Those who can hear God's name slandered and His ways spoken against yet remain silent — God will be ashamed of such servants and disown them before men and angels.

Application: Let us prove ourselves godly by being servants of the Most High God.

Consider 1: God is the best master — He keeps every promise without fail. 1 Kings 8:23: There is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, who keeps covenant with Your servants. Verse 56: There has not failed one word of all His good promise. God has the sweetest and most gracious character — He is slow to anger and ready to forgive. In our need He provides for us; in our weakness He has compassion on us. He shares His secrets with His servants, as Psalm 25:14 says. He actually waits on His servants — was there ever such a master? Luke 12:37: Blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds watching when He comes; truly I say to you, He will dress Himself and have them recline to eat, and He will come and serve them. When we are sick He makes our bed for us, as Psalm 41:3 says: You will sustain him on his sickbed. He holds our head when we are faint. Other masters may forget their servants and dismiss them when they grow old, but God will not. Isaiah 44:21: You are My servant, O Israel; you will not be forgotten by Me. It is a slander to call God a hard master.

2. God's service is the best service — there are six privileges in serving Him.

1. Freedom. Although the saints are bound to God's service, they serve Him freely. God's Spirit, called a free spirit, makes them free and joyful in obedience. The Spirit carries them on wings of delight, turning duty into privilege. It does not force but draws — it opens the heart in love and fills it with joy. God's service is perfect freedom.

2. Honor. King David was glad to call himself one of God's dependents: Psalm 143:12: I am Your servant. When Paul wanted to display his highest credential and most distinguished title, he did not call himself Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, or Paul of the tribe of Benjamin — he called himself Paul, a servant of Christ, in Romans 1:1. Theodosius considered it a greater honor to be God's servant than to be an emperor. Christ Himself, who is equal with the Father, is not ashamed of the title Servant, as Isaiah 53:11 shows. Every servant of God is a son; every subject is a prince. It is a greater honor to serve God than to have kings serve us. The angels in heaven are servants to the saints on earth.

3. Safety. God takes care of His servants and gives them His protection. Isaiah 41:9-10: You are My servant; fear not, for I am with you. God hides His servants. Psalm 27:5: In the shelter of His tabernacle He will hide me — that is, He will keep me as safe as in the most holy place of the sanctuary, where only priests could enter. Christ's wings both heal and shelter — they cure and protect us. The devil and his instruments would quickly devour God's servants if He did not place an invisible guard around them and cover them with the golden feathers of His protection. Acts 18:10: I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you. God's watchful eye is always on His people, and the enemies will not accomplish the harm they plan — they will be instruments of discipline rather than destruction.

4. Gain. Skeptics say: It is worthless to serve God — what profit is there in keeping His ordinances? Malachi 3:14. But beyond the benefits God gives in this life — including the sweet peace of conscience — He reserves His best wine for last, giving His servants a glorious kingdom, as Hebrews 12:28 says. God's servants may be kept down and mistreated for a time, but they will be promoted in the end. John 12:26: Where I am, there My servants will also be.

5. Assistance. Other masters assign work to their servants but do not help them do it — but our heavenly Master not only gives us work, He gives us strength to do it. Psalm 138:3: You strengthened me with strength in my soul. God commands us to serve Him, and He enables us to serve Him. Ezekiel 36:27: I will cause you to walk in My statutes. The Lord does not only fit the work to us — He fits us for the work, and along with His command He gives power.

6. Provision. A master will not let his servants go without — and God's servants will be provided for. Psalm 37:3: Truly you shall be fed. If God has given us Christ, will He withhold a crust of bread? Genesis 48:15: The God who has fed me all my life. If God does not give us what we crave, He will give us what we need. Even the wicked are fed, and they are compared to dogs in Philippians 3:2. If a man feeds his dog, he will surely feed his servant. Who then would not fall in love with God's service?

3. We are bound to serve God — we have been bought at a price, as 1 Corinthians 6:20 says. This is a metaphor drawn from the practice of ransoming captives from prison by paying money for their release — once ransomed, they owe their service to the one who freed them. In the same way, when the devil had taken us prisoner, Christ ransomed us — not with money, but with His own blood. Therefore we owe our service to Him alone. If anyone can show a better claim to us than Christ, we may serve them — but since Christ has the greatest right to us, we are to cling to Him and enroll ourselves in His service forever.

2. I move now to the second part of this characteristic: a godly man is not a servant of men. 1 Corinthians 7:23: Do not become slaves of men.

Question: But is there no service we owe to other people?

Answer: There are three kinds of service to people.

1. There is a civil service owed to others — that of those in a lower position to those above them. A servant, as Aristotle says, is a living tool. Ephesians 6:5: Servants, obey your masters.

2. There is a spiritual service owed to others — when we are useful to their souls. 2 Corinthians 4:5: Your servants for Jesus' sake.

3. There is a sinful serving of men — and this comes in three forms.

1. When we place human commands above God's commands. God says one thing; a person says another. God says: Honor the Sabbath; a person says: break it. When human orders carry more weight with us than God's own commands, we have become servants of men.

2. When we willingly surrender ourselves to the corrupt desires of others and let them rule our consciences. This happens when we are endlessly pliable — ready to adopt Arminianism or atheism, the Gospel or the Quran — simply because others want us to. We become whatever others wish us to be, exactly like Issachar's character in Genesis 49:14: Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. This is not humility but cowardice, and it is servitude to men.

3. When we become advocates for a corrupt cause — defending wicked and unjustifiable actions — or when we give sin a religious name and use our eloquence to put a respectable face on the devil's work. This is being a servant of men. In such cases, a godly person refuses to demean himself by serving men in this way. He says with Paul in Galatians 1:10: If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. And with Peter in Acts 5:29: We must obey God rather than men.

Application: How far removed from godliness are those who live to please people — who comply with sinful human demands out of fear of punishment or hope of reward, who will bend their conscience to any shape and sail whatever way profit blows! These are servants of men — they have renounced their baptismal vow and rejected the Lord who bought them.

To the person who is like Proteus — able to take any shape and bow as low as hell to please others — I would say two things.

1. You who have mastered every posture of compromise — how will you face Christ on that day? When you say on your deathbed, Lord, look on Your servant, Christ will disown you and say: My servant? No — you renounced My service; you were a servant of men. Depart from Me; I never knew you. What a devastating blow that will be on that day!

2. What does a person gain by sinfully enslaving himself to others? He gets a stained reputation, a cursed estate, and a hell in his own conscience. And even those he so shamefully stoops to please will end up despising him. How the chief priests kicked Judas away in Matthew 27:4: That is your problem.

To keep from becoming servants of men, let us abandon fear and strengthen faith. Faith is a world-conquering grace, as 1 John 5:4 says. It overcomes the world's alluring music and its threatening furnace alike. It steels a Christian with divine courage and makes him stand immovable, like a rock in the middle of the sea.