554 Diretl.r· Dirtl1· 2:. Dirt0·3· t>:r.tl. 4The f>uties of Servants. CHAP. XIII. Tl>e Duties of Ser-vants to their Mafters. IF ScrvJnts would have co~fortablc lives , they ~ufl approve themfdvcs and their fervice unto God, becaufc from h1m they muil have thc1r comtorcs : which m1y be done by fol· _lowing thefe Directions. . ~. I. Di'retl. I. Reverence the providortt of God which ,aUetb yo:t to a[trvantJ life, and mur· mur n11t at )'flltr l.Jbour, lir your loJV c.mtiitioil 1 but Jtnow yo:er m£rcitJ, ttnd bt th.mkful f(Jr tbtm. Though prrh~.ps you have more labour than your Mallcrs, yet have you not lcfs care than they~· Moll flrvants may have quieter lives, if it were not for their unthankful difcomented hearts. You are not troubled with the care of providing your Landlords rent, or meat, and drink, and wages fc•r your fervants, nor with the wants and dcfires of Wives and children , nor with the faults · and naughdndS of fuch as you mull ufc or trull ; nor wi;h the loffcs and crolfes which your MJ!lers are lyable to. Be thankful to God, who for a little bodily labour, cloth free you from the burden of all thtf~ cares. §. 2· Dircfr. 2· Tak.._e J flltr co.'lditian as chofon for you b God, and ta~e ygur [tlvu aJ h~ [ervantJ, a;~d ynttr work tJJ hil, and d11 all a1 to tbc Lord, aHd n·,t only f or man; and expdl from Godyour chief rer:rurd. You will b.: ell~ but ey~·fervams and bypocrita, if the feu of God do not awe your con– f~i~·nccs: And if yon were the Ld\ f1!1van!s to your M.11\ers in the world, and did nvc all in obedj.. (nee to God, it were but a low nnprotitable f~:rv;ce: If you believe that there is an intinire diJhncc between God and m,m, you m1y conceive what a difference there is between ftrvi»g Gud and m~n: Your n>Jgrs is all your nward from m1n: but ctenul life is Gods reward: And the very f,.unework and labour whi'h one man luth but his years wages for~ another hath everlafiing life for, ( t~ough not of h'luit, yet ot the boumy of our Lord ) Rom. 6. 23. Bccaufe he doth it in love and obedicuce to that God who hath promift.d this reward. Col. 3· 22, 23, 24, 25· Servanu obey in aU thingr yout !tlajftrs acctJrding tothe jltjh : not trith eye-fervice at meu-plea{ir~, but in finglenrfi of IJ"l.Jtt, fe.Jring God: An'd l'.'h.Jtfoever tbi1rg ye diJ, dJit lut~rtily as to theLor4, and not IIJHo men: Knowing tint of ibe Lord )'t jhJii rtceivt the rervard of tbe inheritance, for yt [trve the Lord Cbrijf: Bsll he th.Jt ddtb rvro;tt,, jiJo.~U receive for tbe wrong which he bath done: and thtrt is ntJ refpell of per{onl• The like is in Ephef. 6. 5, 6, 7, 8 So much cloth God refpcC.l: the heart, that the very fame atl::on hath fuch cliff,. rmt fuccdlts and rewards, as it is done to diffaent ends, and from ditf.:rent princip~es : youx lowdl fervice may be thus faw~litied and acceptable to God. 9· 3· DireCt. 3· Be c?nfcio1fa~le and f~Jithful in pcrformiJtg aU the lt~lmtr aJtd dttty of. a fervant. Ncgldt not fuch bulinefs as )'Ou are to do: nor do it not lazily, aDd deceitfully, and by the halve~. A" it is thievery or decLir for a mm in 1he M.uket to fell :mother the whok of his commodity, and when he hath done, to keep back and d~f,aud him of a part .: St> is it no ltfs for a fervJnt that fdlcth his"titnc and labour to another; to dcfra~d him of part of dut time and fer vice which you fold him. Think nor therefore that it is no lin, to idle awJ.y an hour which is not your own, or to 11ubber over rhc work which you undertake to do. Siothfulnrfl and U1tconflionablcncji mJkc fervants deceit– ful: Such care oot how tbey do their work, if they can but make their MJ!lers btlitve that it is done Will : They are bJ'pocriteJ in their fervice , thJf take more care to {rem f.Jin[Jtl tr~tjly fervants, than ro be fo; and to bide their fJults and tlothfulmfs than to avoid them. A'> if i_t were as C.1lie to hide them al!o from God, who hath rcfolved ro punifh all the wro:1g th,y do the.r Mlilm,Co/.ps. If they cJn but loytt.r cmd take their caf,: and their M1t\..:rs k.._now_ it nu, they are never t~ou~le_d at it as a Iin aB-ainH God : Ln.inefs and ridhly rninded.neis doth io btmd them, that they dunk 1t 1S no fin to take as ffillCh eafC as they cm> fa rh<y carry it fair and fmoothly with ti.1cir ~1ll\crs, and to llubber O\'Cr {htir buti11tfs any how', fo that ir will Lut fen e the tufl~ : Whereas 1f rhcu Ma~lcrs fhould keep back :my of thlir wages, or put more work upon rhcm thtn IS meet, they woull eahly beperfwaded rhu tbUw~..re a tio. If your labour be fUch as would hmt your !Jeafth (as by wet oc cold, &c.) you may, fonJcc ir, and avoid it in your choice of places: but "if i.r ?c only rhe_ LJbour rhJt )'OU grudge at, it is a li~_,n of a AtO)\y and unfaithful pe~fon; as long as 1t .. 1snor cxceJhve co_wrong:our ht..ahh, nor hurt your fouls, hy denying yon lcifure tor your duty to <..iod. ~he Lord h1mfclf ~.;ornm:tndeth you to be_ obediwt ilt finglcnrjJ of beJ.rt, aJ te,:to Chrijt, not aJ ryr-Jetv.mtJ; a11d ?'ha.tev,'r you d.~, tfl d!J it he-artily, k.._nrm·ing tb. 1 t n!J.Jt evtr good shiJJ,S aJJy nun dotb, tbe f.Jme jJJJ.Il b.e recezve of tb~ ~ord, Ep)1. 6. 5,6, 8. Col. 3· 23· . . §· 4· Direfr. 4• Be more carrfitl about yo 11 r duty to yoHr Mdltrr, tban &bold tlmr duty or catrNgt to yow. Be rnu.ch ii10rc Clreful rrbat to tle, than what to recl'ive; and to be good fervantJ, than_ W be u[etlas good fcrvants: Not bt~t you m 1 y rnodet\ly expt:d- y~ur ~ue, and to be ufcd as {ervln:s ihould be ufed : bur yJttr D:11y IS much more to be reguded ; [or 1f your MJilCI wrong you> rha;b~
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