This obedience, which is due by servants to their masters, ought to be characterized by respectfulness, faithfulness, diligence, and cheerfulness. A rude, forward, assuming behavior, is exceedingly unbecoming in servants. The Divine command is, that christian servants, even in the case of their masters being heathens, "count them worthy of all honor, not answering again :" "And if they are believers, that they do not despise them, because they are brethren." Fidelity must also characterize the christian servant. With regard to the time, and the property, and the reputation of his master, he must be scrupulously faithful. He must guard these as if they were his own. There must be " no purloining, but a showing all-good fidelity." Diligence is a third character which should distinguish the obedience of the christian servant. All trifling, sauntering, and loitering should be avoided; and they should not be "eye-servants, as men-pleasers," but "diligent in business," "as the servants of God." And, finally, they should be cheerful in their obedience. Few things are more unworthy of a christian servant than that mulish surly obstinacy, which Solomon so graphically describes when he says: "He is not to be corrected by words; for though he understand, yet will he not answer." The apostle Paul enjoins christian servants," with good-will to do service, as to the Lord, and not to man." This forms the most important part of the christian servant's duty, to obey the commands of his master.

(2.) Under the general head "subjection," however, is also included submission to the appointments of his master. The economy of the household is to be directed by the master; and where these arrangements in no degree interfere with Divine appointments, and are not precluded by express stipulation, the servant must submit to them, though they may be in many respects disagreeable to him. The hours of rising and retiring to rest; the quality, and to a certain extent the quantity of sustenance, and a vast variety of other arrangements, must to a great extent depend on the will of the master; and it is an important, though sometimes not a very easy part of the christian servant's duty to submit to these without murmuring, and not permit them to fret the temper, so as to be unfit for the cheerful and principled obedience which the law of Christ requires.

The manner in which the duty of subjection should be performed, the temper in which obedience and submission are to be yielded, comes now to be considered. Servants, be subject to your masters in all fear." It has been common to consider these words as descriptive of that respectful feeling which servants should cherish towards their own masters, and to which we have already alluded. I apprehend, however, that the fear here referred to is not the fear of man in any of its forms, but the fear of God. The phrase "all fear," according to the idiom of the New Testament, signifies a high, or the highest degree of fear; as "all acceptation" is the highest degree of acceptation, "all wisdom" every kind and degree of wisdom; and it is not according to the genius of Christianity, nor indeed of revelation generally, to inculcate any high degree of fear of man. On the contrary, a leading object which they contemplate, is to elevate the mind above the fear of man, and, by leading man to fear God, to free him from all 1 Tit. ii. 9. 1 Tim. vi. 1, 2.

other fear. "Who art thou," says the prophet, "that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be as the grass (C ?" Be ye not afraid of them," says our Lord, "who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do:" " Be not afraid of their terror," says the apostle; "neither be ye troubled." The prophet says, "Sanctify the Lord in your heart, and let Him be your fear and your dread;" our Lord says, "Fear Him, who after he has killed the body, can cast both soul and body into hell-fire; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him;" and his apostle repeats the injunction of the prophet, "Sanctify the Lord in your heart." 1

"Pass

The fear of God is the temper in which Christians are to perform all their duties. They are "to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God." They are to "submit themselves to one another in the fear of God.” 2 The word “fear," without the adjunct "of the Lord," is certainly used in the New Testament to signify religious fear; fear which has God for its object. That is plainly its meaning when it is said, that Noah, moved with fear, prepared an ark;" and when it is said, the time of your sojourning here in fear." That seems its meaning, also, when the Corinthians are said to have received Titus, "with fear and trembling;" and when Christians are commanded to "work out their own salvation," or rather, as we are disposed to think, to labor for one another's salvation, "with fear and trembling: for it is God who worketh in them, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." s In the passage in Eph. vi. 5, parallel to that under consideration, the "fear and trembling" with which servants are to perform their duties, is strictly connected with, "in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart." And in Col. iii. 22, what in the passage just quoted is called "fear and trembling," is explained by the phrase "fearing God." Comparing all these passages together, I can scarcely doubt, that "with all fear," in the passage before us, is equivalent to, with a deeply pious temper; and that this, too, is its meaning at the second verse of the next chapter--where chaste conversation mingled with fear," is just, I apprehend, chaste pious behavior, purity obviously rising from piety.

Christian servants, then, in performing their duties, are to do them from a regard to the Divine authority, depending on the Divine assistance, looking forward to the Divine tribunal, desirous, above all things, of the Divine approbation; fearing lest in anything the Divine disapprobation should be incurred. This is one of the many instances in which we find Christianity converting everything into religion, teaching men to set the Lord always before them;" and in the most ordinary offices of life, "whether they eat, or drink, or whatsoever they do, to do all to the glory of God.”♦

1 Isa. li. 12. Luke xii. 4. Isa. viii. 13. Luke xii. 5. 1 Pet. iii. 14, 15.

2 2 Cor. vii. 1. Eph. v. 21.

3 Heb. xi. 7. 1 Pet. i. 17. 2 Cor. vii. 15. Phil. ii. 12. On the last of these passages -a difficult one, and generally, I think, misunderstood-Pierce's Note deserves to be consulted.

* Psal. xvi. 8. 1 Cor. x. 31.

§ 3.--The duties of a particular class of christian servants.

Let us now turn our attention for a little, to the view which the apostle gives us of the duty of a particular class of christian servants, and of the motives which he employs to urge them to its performance. The servants he refers to are those who have not good," kind, "and gentle masters," but "froward," perverse, unreasonable, rough, unkind masters. Now what is their duty? It is still to be subject, just as if they were good and gentle.

It is no part of a Christian's duty to enter into the service of a froward master, if he can make a better arrangement; nor to remain in his service any longer than engagement obliges, or other circumstances require; and it is not wrong for a christian servant to avail himself of all the means which the law of his country furnishes him with, to protect himself from injury and ill-usage from a froward master. But the apostle supposes the christian servant, or slave, in the providence of God, placed under a froward master. Even in countries where the interests of servants are much better cared for by law than in the age and country referred to by the apostle, servants who have froward masters have often a great deal of suffering to submit to from unreasonable commands, and arrangements, and unkind overbearing tempers, that no law can protect them from; and this was the case to an immeasurably greater degree among those to whom this epistle was directed.

Now, what was their duty? Was there any relaxation in the precept, "Be subject?" None in the least. The unkind irritating behavior of the master is not to be sustained as an excuse for evading or disobeying his commands, nor even for yielding a grudging obedience: the hardships of the situation are to be patiently submitted to while they continue; and there is to be no attempt to lessen or remove them by neglecting or violating relative duty. This makes us see how necessary it is for the christian servant to do his duty "with all fear," in a pious spirit, from a regard to God's authority; feeling that though the commands of his master are in themselves harsh and unreasonable, it is a wise and good commandment that requires him, in his circumstances, to be subject to his master, within the limits already described; that though the yoke of the earthly master is oppressive, the yoke of the Master in heaven is reasonable.

§ 4.-Motives to the discharge of these duties.

This duty of cheerful, patient obedience to harsh and unreasonable masters, is a very difficult one, and therefore the apostle enforces it by very powerful motives. These are two: first, patient endurance of undeserved suffering, is of high estimation in the sight of God; and, secondly, it is a part of that conformity to the image of God's Son, to which Christians are called, and to secure which was one great design of the sacrifice of God's Son. Let us look at these two motives in their order.

(1.) Patient endurance of undeserved wrong enforced by the consideration, that it is "acceptable to God."

The first is stated in these words, "For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully: for what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is1 acceptable with God.". The christian servant under a froward master is described as "suffering wrongfully.' He does his duty faithfully and cheerfully, yet he does not receive the kind treatment his conduct merits; he may not be treated illegally, so as that his master lays himself open to punishment, but he may be made to endure a great deal of severe suffering within these limits. That may take place, often does take place, even now, and in this country, where the rights of servants are better understood, and more effectually protected, than in most countries; and must have taken place to a much greater degree in ages and countries where heathenism and slavery prevailed, and where even the civil rights of hired servants. were much more limited than they are with us.

When the christian servant acted in character, though suffering wrongfully, he "endured grief;" that is, not merely felt the uneasiness his master's treatment of him naturally produced, but bore it meekly and patiently. The word "endure," is employed in the same sense as when it is said, "Moses endured, as seeing him who is invisible.' We count them happy that endure. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation," that is, trial. There is neither merit nor demerit in merely suffering. It is the manner in which we suffer that deserves praise or blame.

Now, says the apostle, a christian servant conscientiously doing his duty to a froward master, bears patiently the unkind and injurious treatment he receives from him, "for conscience towards God." Some have supposed, that these words mean, that the bad treatment of the froward master was persecution because the servant was a Christian. That this might be, often was, the case, we cannot doubt; but that is not the idea conveyed by the words. The statement is, not that he suffers wrongfully for conscience towards God; but for conscience towards God he "endures," patiently suffers grief. He submits patiently to suffering, from an enlightened regard to the character and will of God. He believes that he is in his present circumstances by the providence of God; he knows God requires him to bear the evils he is subject to with fortitude and patience; he believes that God will support him under them, in due time deliver him from them, and make them work for his good; and therefore he "endures" them. "Such a servant's obedience is not pinned to the goodness and equity of his master, but, when that fails, will subsist on its own inward ground. This is the thing that makes sure and constant walking. It makes a man step even in the ways of God." 3

Now, says the apostle, a christian servant acting in this way is

1 Xápis napà Osộ. Imitatur Petrus phrasin, quam ipse, recens discipulus, ex Domino audierat. Luke vi. 32, 55.-Bengel.

2 Heb. xi. 27. James v. 2; i. 12:

8

Leighton.

an object of the complacent approbation of God. "This is thankworthy," this is "acceptable with God;" there is glory in this. It is the same word that is rendered "thank-worthy" and "acceptable," and no good end is gained by varying the rendering. God regards with complacency the christian servant who, from a regard to his will, from a trust in his character, quietly and patiently bears unprovoked wrong, and does not allow his master's unworthy behavior to influence his discharge of his duty to him. And to every Christian the assurance that God looks with complacency on a particular course of conduct, is one of the most powerful motives which can be suggested for following it. Men may count you mean-spirited in submitting to such usage. God, who is infinitely wise, and whose approbation is of more importance than that of the whole universe of created beings, approves your conduct, counts your meekness true glory, and regards you with affectionate complacency. His eye rests benignantly on you. That far more than counterbalances the sour looks, and the harsh language, and the unkind treatment, of the froward master.

That such conduct, the patient endurance of undeserved suffering, is a proper object of complacent regard, the apostle shows, by contrasting it with the patient endurance of deserved suffering: "For what glory is it, if, when ye are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer (for it,' is a supplement, and should not have been inserted; for there is no reason to think the servants suffered for doing well, but only notwithstanding their doing well), ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

In these words the apostle meets the very natural thought: It is very hard to suffer when we deserve a reward; we could receive merited chastisement without complaint; we should feel that in that case complaint was unreasonable; but to endure undeserved, unprovoked grief; to meet with insult and outrage, instead of the kind. treatment our dutiful conduct entitles us to, this is hard indeed. The apostle does not deny this; but he says, you are placed in circumstances in which you have an opportunity of drawing down upon yourselves a larger measure of the approbation of God, than had you been placed in what you might have thought better circumstances. Neither God nor man could have regarded, with approbation, your conduct in meriting chastisement. If, after meriting chastisement, you had submitted to it patiently, both God and man would have approved of your conduct as what was fitting in the circumstances; but they would not have considered it as deserving of praise; the opposite kind of conduct, murmuring under chastisement incurred by fault, would have appeared most unreasonable and blamable. But God, and all good men who think along with God, will regard you with a high degree of affectionate complacency, if, under strong temptations to murmur, you "possess your souls in patience," and instead of, in any degree, "rendering evil for evil," endeavor to "overcome evil with good.'

The reason why such conduct is peculiarly acceptable to God is, that all undeserved suffering, endured patiently from religious motives,

1 Luke xxi. 19. Rom. x. 17, 21.