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SERM. cheerful obedience and submission to men; who XXII. often, as St. Peter intimates, are σkoλì, crooked, or 1 Pet. ii. 28. untoward and harsh in their dealings with their servants; to whom yet upon this consideration he enjoins us willingly to yield obeisance, no less than to the good and gentle; for that in this and all other performances of duty we do serve a most equal and kind Master, who will graciously accept our service, and abundantly requite it; a Lord, that will not suffer his servants to want any needful sustenance, any fit encouragement, any just protection or assistance; who will not only faithfully pay them their promised allowance, but will advance them to the highest preferment imaginable. No man ever had reason to complain with them in the prophet; Mal. iii. 14. It is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances? No; the Devil himself with envy and regret observing the benefits and blessings which the pious man enjoyed in reJobi. 9, 10. gard to his faithful service, could not but say; Doth Job serve God for nought? hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. No wonder, argued the detracting spirit, and little thank or praise is due to a servant, whose service is so bountifully rewarded. Indeed our Lord is not only just and faithful, so as to render unto every man ἴδιον μισθὸν κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον 1 Cor. iii. 8. Kómov, a proper reward answerable to his proper

pains; but he is exceedingly, beyond expression, liberal in bestowing on his servants retributions infinitely surpassing the desert and worth of all their labours for their small, weak, faint, imperfect, and

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transitory endeavours, (by all which he is indeed SERM. really nothing the richer, or the greater,) he returneth blessings in nature, in degree, in duration, immensely great, precious, and glorious. He fails not here to feed them with food convenient, to clothe them decently, to supply all their needs, to comfort them in all distresses, to keep them in all safety, to deliver them from all evil; he afterwards conferreth on them a kingdom, an incorruptible and unfading crown; a state of perfect joy and endless glory.

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7. It is a great comfort also for a Christian (how mean and low soever in his worldly condition) to consider the dignity and excellency of this his relation; how great and how good a Lord he serveth; that the greatest princes are his fellow subjects; (for, He is the King of kings and Lord of lords: All Rev. xix. kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall Psal, Ixxii. serve him. Yea, that the highest angels are his ". fellow servants; (as the angel in the Revelation told Rev. xxii.8. St. John.) That although his Lord be so high in power and glory above all, yet he is so gracious, as Eph. i. 20. not to neglect or despise him; but condescendeth to Luke i. 48. regard the lowest of his servants with equal care and favour as the highest; He accepteth not the Job xxxiv. persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands, said good Elihu; and they all, we might add, are the price of his blood.

8. And as it is a comfort to the meanest, so it is no shame or disparagement for the greatest of men to serve such a Lord; it is a relation in itself more worthy and honourable than the highest dignity or preferment in the world: to wear a crown, how rich soever; to command the whole earth; to possess all BARROW, VOL. v.

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SERM. the land, and all the gold under heaven, are beggarly, trivial, and sordid things in comparison thereto; a servant of Christ (the apostolical style) is a style far more glorious than all those windy titles, which the greatest monarchs assume to themselves; having such a place in God's peculiar regard and care doth exceed all privileges and advantages, all glories and dignities, which any person is capable Phil. iii. 8. of: well therefore did St. Paul, in respect to the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord, esteem all such things (all worldly privileges and benefits) as loss and as dung, as things detrimental and despicable; wisely did the holy apostles forsake all things, (all their dearest relations, all their sweetest enjoyments, all their secular occupaLuke xviii. tions,) to follow such a Lord. (Behold, saith St. Peter, we have let go all things, and have followed thee.) Most just and reasonable are those sentences, pronounced against those vainly proud, or perversely contumacious people, who are ashamed to obey him, Luke ix.26. or do reject his government; Whosoever shall be ashamed of me or of my words, him shall the Son of man be ashamed of, when he comes in the glory of himself, and of his Father, and the holy angels. Them who proudly disdain to serve him here, will he with just and sad disdain reject hereafter from his face and favour; yea with dreadful vengeance Luke xix. will he punish their perverseness; Those mine enemies, will he say, that would not have me reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before

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9. St. Paul also maketh use of this consideration, to press upon superiors their duties toward their inferiors; their duties of equity, meekness, kindness,

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mercy, pity, and all humanity; Masters, saith he, SERM. yield unto your servants that which is just and_XXII. equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in Col. iv. I. heaven and, Ye masters, saith he again, do the Eph. vi. 9. same things to them, (perform the like good offices, shew the same good-will to your servants,) forbearing menaces; knowing that your Master also is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him. Thus in Leviticus God commandeth his people not to rule over their servants with rigour, assign- Lev. xxv. ing this reason, For they are my servants, &c. And 42, 43, 55. we know how our Saviour, as he doth commend and bless those wise and honest servants, who, being appointed over his household, (that is, being placed in any superior rank or charge,) do behave themselves justly and kindly to their fellow-servants, dispens- Matt. xxiv. ing to them their food in due season; so upon those 28, &c. who injuriously or rudely do beat or abuse their fellow-servants; who are harsh, rigorous, or unmerciful in exactions of debt, or in any other dealings toward them, he denounceth severe chastisement. vant of the Lord (that is, one employed by Christ in any office or charge) must not fight, but must be gentle unto all, saith St. Paul; such indeed should be the humility and goodness of Christians one toward another, that the greatest of them should stoop to the meanest offices and expressions of good-will to their brethren; He, saith our Lord, that will be Matt. x. 44great among you, let him be your minister; and he that will be first of you, let him be your ser

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45,49.xviii.

A ser-2 Tim. ii.

10. The consideration indeed of Christ being our Lord, is in general an inducement to charity, to

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all sorts of charity. We must, saith St. Paul, walk Eph. iv. 2,

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SERM. worthy of our calling, with all lowliness of mind, XXII. and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one

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another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of spirit in the bond of peace; because we are members of the same body, whereof Christ is the head, and fellow-servants of the same Lord. It is an endearing and obliging relation; it becometh us and concerneth us, being so of one family, to be courteous and gentle, kind and helpful one to another; 2 Cor. xiii. to maintain peace, quiet, and love one with another; it is a just duty and respect to our common Master, who loveth order and peace, who hateth confusion and dissension in his house; who is himself full of charity toward every one of his, and therefore hath enjoined it as the especial duty, hath declared it to be the most distinctive character of his servants and John xiii. followers; Hereby, saith he, shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

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11. Particularly this consideration doth oblige us to exercise that piece of charity and of justice which consists in forbearing rash and harsh censure; which practice is not only very uncharitable and unjust toward our brethren, but it is also a wrongful and arrogant encroachment upon our Lord himself, unto whom only the right of decision in such cases doth appertain; unto whose infallible and impartial judgRom. xiv. ment both they and we are obnoxious; Who art thou, saith St. Paul, that judgest another's servant? (or domestic; aλóτpiov oikétyv:) to his own master he standeth or falleth: and, Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? and, We shall all be presented before the Jam. iv. 12. judgment-seat of Christ: There is, saith St. James,

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