fider and treat them as their friends, not their flaves. The children of the family will quickly feel an affec-tionate attachment to them. And the relations and acquaintance of the houfe will have a pleafure in vifitging it, and go away admiring as well the kind and be-nevolent manners of the fervants, as the prudence and hofpitality of their fuperiors. ya: And now, Is not such a mode of obedience as this proper? What do fervants get by doing their duty grudgingly? They hurt themfelves as much as they do others. They wafte their fpirits more by the frowardness of their tempers than the labours of their hands, and if they get their wages, they mifs of that which an ingenuous mind would confider as his principal reward, the good will of his fuperiors. There is indeed a difference in peoples natural tempers, and all proper allowance should be made for that timidity, gloominefs, and referve, which is confiitutional to fome perfons. But then fervants who are thus circumftanced, fhould endeavour to mafter their tempers, by reasoning with themselves, and watching against every expression of thefe ill-qualities, fo disgusting to all obfervers. They should thruft a gloomy ideas as much as poffible from their minds, and endeavour to make their fituations as agreeable to themselves as they can. They should learn to fing as well as to pray, and fhould confider, efpecially if they are Chriftian fervants, how much they are obliged to contribute to the comfort and happiness of all around them, and what, difgrace the contrary behaviour will bring on their profeffion, Cheerfulness in matters of religion is of the last im>portance. Whoever is an acceptable fervant of God, muft must be so out of choices he must love his master, and make his honour and interest his object. It mult be his meat and drink to do his will, and he must confider his work as his reward. Serve the Lord with "gladnefs: come before his prefence with finging *.": Thus the angels ferve God. Happy fpirits! How's cheerful their countenances! How willing their obedience!"They do his commandments, hearkening "unto the voice of his word t." How "fwiftly"` did Gabriel fly, charged with a meffage of high importance, to Daniel, the man greatly beloved of God! Thus the prophets and apostles ferved God, and thus they laboured with all their might to perfuade others to ferve him. And thus bleffed exam-i ple indeed!the Lord Jefus Chrift, in the days of his flesh, ferved his Father. "Lo, I come," said he, "to do thy will." Though a thousand obstructions were thrown in his way, none of them discouraged him." He went about," ill-treated as he was, "do"ing good." He felt ardent pleafure in his work. Not a complaint was ever heard from his lips. His countenance was ferene and eafy, his addrefs affable and courteous, and his words foft and engaging. Wherever he came, his kind and obliging manner put it beyond a doubt, that he served both God and man with perfect fincerity and cordiality. What a glorious pattern this for our imitation! Who can confider it, and not catch fire at it? Set him, fervants, before your eyes, and charge it upon yourselves to do as he did. This ready obedience to the will of your masters, is likewife ftrictly enjoined in the word of God, and you. *Pfal. c. 2. Pfal. ciii. 20. Dan. ix, 21. you are allured to it by the most gracious promises of divine assistance in the course of your work, and an ample reward at the clofe of it." Whatever ye do, “do it heartily, asunto the Lord, and not unto "men" fays that apoftle to the Coloffians. And the language of the text is, Obey your mafters in "fingleness of your heart, not with eye-service, as "men pleasers, but as the fervants of Chrift, doing "the will of God from the heart with good-will "doing fervice, as to the Lord, and not to men.?! And you may depend upon it he will comfort, ftrengthen and fucceed you. Of you who confider yourselves as ferving God while ferving your masters, he fays, "My fervants shall eat, but they who chuse "that wherein I delight not, shall be hungry: those "shall drink, but these be thirsty: those shall rejoice, "but these be ashamed: those shall fing for joy of heart, but these cry for forrow of heart, and howl "for vexation of fpirit +." And how unspeakably glorious will your reward in heaven be! There you fhall ceafe from your labours, and your works shall follow you. "The reward of the inheritance ye fhall "receive, for ye have ferved the Lord Chrift ‡." "Well done, good and faithful fervant!" he will fay, "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Thus have we confidered the obedience required of fervants, and the manner in which it should be rendered. Servants, obey your masters in all things "and let your obedience be humble, faithful, diligents "and cheerful." And now, my friends, may I hope the light in which your duty has been placed, and the ar10 b30% od pros, pas ginnh slguments *Col. iii. 23. 2. Col. iii. 24. + Ifa. lxv. 13, 14. guments with which it has been enforced, approve themfelves to your underflanding and judgment, and to the ingenuous feelings of your hearts? If fo, and you are difpofed cordially to fall in with the apoftolical admonition in our text, you will be yourselves happy, you will make your mafters happy, and you will crown our endeavours to promote your mutual good with an ample reward. OS BAT CAM 20 T -ombs icɔilofioqs sit diw a list of zitt5.05 bocq.b NOV DISCOURSE VIII. t wo w wy bas „von d axollum lung adem as dtiw booy Isntur xwoy Yamore of 200 tabas 156 DUTIES OF MASTERS TO SERVANTS. ** EPH. vi. 9. And ye mafters do the fame things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your master alfo is in heaven, neither is there refpect of perfons with him. THE HE duties of fervants to their masters having been at large explained and enforced, we are now to confider those of mafters to their fervants. This is a fubject of as great importance as the former, for the obligations and interefts of both parties are mutual and indeed, after all the pains that have been taken with fervants, the fuccefs of our endeavours depends not a little upon the prudent, refolute, and goodnatured behaviour of matters towards them. In explaining the text we are to confider, First, The perfons addreffed: Secondly, The duties enjoin ed and Thirdly, The arguments with which they are enforced. : First, The perfons addreffed are mafiers. Mafters |