(2.) The servant's honouring of his mas- ter, (his economical father) is seen in being diligent in liis service. Apelles painted a servant with his hands full of tools, an emblem of diligence. The loitering: ser- vant is a hind of thief; though he dotli not steal from his master's goods, yet he steals that time which he should have employed in his master's service. The slothful vser- vant is called a " wicked servant," Mat. XXV. 26.
(3.) The servant is to honour his mas- ter, who is his family-father, by being faith- ful. Mat. xxiv. 45., " Who then is a faith- ful and wise servant?" Faithfulness is the chief thing in a servant. This faithfulness in a servant is seen in six things: l.s^. In tenaciousness in concealing the secrets your master hath intrusted you with ; if tliose secrets are not sins, you ought to promise privacy. What is whispered in your ear you are not to publish on the house-top ; such servants are spies. Who would keep a glass that is cracked ? Who would keep a servant that hath a crack in his brain, and cannot keep a secret? 2d/i/, Faithfulness in a servant is seen in designing the mas- ter's advantage. A faithful servant esteems his master's good as his own. Such a good servant had Abraham ; when his master sent him to transact business for him, lie was as careful about it, as if it had been his own, (len. xxiv. 12., " O Lord (iod of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham !" Doubtless Abraham's servant was as glad he had got a wife for his master's son, as if he had got a wife for himself. 3r////, Faithfulness in a servant is seen in standing up for the ho- nour of his master. AVhen he hears hinj spoken against, he must vindicate him. Am
OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
S99
the master is careful of tlic servant's body, so tlic servant sliouUl be careful of the mas- ter's name ; when the master is unjustly re- proached, the servant cannot be excused if he be possessed with a dumb devil. 47/////, Faithfulness is, when a servant ' is true to his word.' He dares not tell a lie, but will speak the truth, though it be ag^ainst him- self. A lie doubles tlu' sin : Ps. ci. 7., " He tliattelletli lies, shall not tarry in my sight." A liar is near a-kin to tlie devil, John viii. 44. And who would let any of the devil's kindred live A\nth him ? The lie that Ge- hazi told his master Elisha, entailed lepro- sy on Gehazi and his seed for ever, 2 Kings V. 27. A faithful servant, his tongue is the true index of his heart. 5//////, Faithful- ness is, when a servant is against impropri- ation. He dares not convert his ujaster's g'oods to his own use, Tit. ii. 10., " Not purloining." What a servant filcheth from bis master, is damnable gain. Theservaiit who enricheth himself by stealing from his master, stuffs his ]>illow with thorns, and his head will lie very uneasy when he comes to die. Qllily, Faithfulness is in preserv- ings the master's person, if unjustly in dan- g-er. Banister who betrayed his master the duke of Buckingham, in King Richard the Third's reign, — it is remarkable how the judgments of God befell that traitorous ser- vant: liis eldest son ran mad, — his daugh- ter, of a singular beauty, was suddenly
struck with le
prosy,-
-his younger son was
drowned, and he himself arraigned, and had been executed, had he not been saved by his clergy. That servant who is not true to his master, will never be true to God or his own soul.
(4.) The servant is to lionour his master, by serving him, as with love, (for willinj^- ncss is more than the work), so with si- lence, that is, without repining, and with- out replying : Tit. ii. 9., " Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, not answei- ing again ;" Greek, ' not giving cross an- swers.' Some servants are quick at speech, though slow at work, and instead of being sorry for a fault, they provoke by unbe- coming language : were the heart more humble, the tongue would be more silent. They are the a])ostle's words, " not answer- ing again." And to those servants who do thus honour their masters, or family-fa- thers, by submission, diligence, faithful- ness, love, and humble silence, for their en- couragement let them take that, " Servants, obey in all things your masters, according to the flesh, not with eye-service, kno\v'ing that of the Lord ye shall receive the re- ward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ," Col. iii. 24. In serving your masters, you serve Christ, and he will not let you lose y<mr labour, ye shall receive the " reward of the inheritance." From serving on earth, you shall be taken up to reign in heaven, and shall sit with Christ upon his throne, Rev. iii. 21.
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ExoD. XX. 12. Honour thrj Father and thy Mother, Sfc.