glory. But this is not all ; by redemption you are Christ's : ' Ye are bought with a price/ 1 Cor. vi. 20, as the redeemed are bound to serve him that ransomed them. If a man had bought another out of cap- tivity, or he had sold himself, all his strength or service belonged to the buyer. Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery, and with the greatest price ; no thraldom so bad as bondage to sin and Satan, no prison so black as hell ; and certainly Christ's blood is better than a little money. So that to live as if we were at our own disposal is to defraud Christ of his purchase. Thus we are Christ's by creation and redemption ; but now, if we would be his servants, we must be his by voluntary contract and spiritual resignation : ' Yield up your- selves/ &c., Kom. vi. 13. Christ loveth to have his right and title established by our own consent. We take Christ for lord and master, and give up ourselves to him, that we may be no longer at our own disposal, and therefore it is not only robbery, but treachery and breach of covenant to seek ourselves in anything. This resignation must be made out of a sense of Christ's love to us in his death and sufferings : 2 Cor. V. 15, Christ died, 'that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him that died for them.' We enter upon other services out of hopes, but we enter upon Christ's service out of thankfulness. Again, this resignation must be universal, without reservation of any part. You must have no other master but God : Mat. vi. 24, ' Ye cannot serve two masters, ye cannot serve God and mammon.' Usually men divide themselves between God and the world ; they would give their consciences to Christ, and their hearts to mammon. The devil pleadeth for a part, for by that means he knoweth that the whole will fall to his share ; therefore all, the whole man, in vow, purpose, and resolution, must be given up to God. (2.) Having given up yourselves to God's service, you must walk as his ser- vants ; that is, not as you list, but as the master pleaseth. The angels are God's ministers, ' doing his pleasure,' Ps. ciii. 21. A servant hath no will of his own, but hath given up his liberty to the directions and commands of another ; therefore, if you be God's servants, you must earnestly desire the knowledge of his will, and readily comply with it; you must not do things as they please self and flesh, but as they please God. David beggeth for knowledge as God's servant : Ps. cxix. 125, ' I am thy servant, grant me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.' A faithful servant would not willingly offend his master, and therefore would fain know what is his will. They plead with God, and search themselves, Kom. xii. 2, and all to know his pleasure ; and not only to know it, but to do it, otherwise they are worthy of many stripes by Christ's own sentence. The master's will should be motive enough, 1 Thes. iv. 3, v. 13 ; 1 Peter ii. 15. If God will have it so, if Jesus Christ will have it so, it is enough to a faithful servant. The very signification of God's will carrieth with it reason enough to enforce the practice of it. Yea, you must equally comply with every will of God, not only with the easy and pleasant ways of obedience, but such as cross lusts and interests. When two men go together, a man cannot tell whom the servant followeth till they part. When God and our lusts or our mterests command contrary things, then you are put to the trial whether you are Gods servants.
VeR. 1.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 13
Ohs. 3. Again, observe from the proper acception of the phrase, as it is applied to those that stand before the Lord in some special office and ministration ; as to the apostles, and by consequence to the min- isters of the gospel. The note is, that ministers are servants of Jesus Christ ; Paul a servant, and Jude a servant. We are to deal between God and the soul, factors for heaven. There is many a good inference may be collected from this notion. I shall refer all to two heads, the ministers' duty and the people's. (1 .) It hinteth duty to ministers ; it teacheth us diligence in our Lord's work, for we are servants, and must give an account, Heb. xiii. 17, what good we have done in our places, how we have employed our parts, improved our interests, for his glory : Mat. XXV. 19, 'After a long time the lord of those servants cometli and reckoneth with them.' We are entrusted with the talent of .^ifts, with the talent of office and authority in the church ; now God will see ■what we have done for his glory, whether we have beaten our fellow- servants, or helped them in the way of salvation ; whether our pound hath been hidden in a napkin, or laid out for the gain of souls. Again, it hinteth faithfulness. We are not to trade for ourselves, and to drive on our own designs of credit and advantage ; we are servants, employed for the master's uses : Gal. i. 10, ' Do I yet please men ? If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.' A man that sets up for himself is to trade for himself; but all that a servant doth should be for his master's honour and profit. (2.) It hinteth duty to the people. Kegard ministers as servants of Christ, that you may give their per- sons all due honour. Consider, God hath retained them as for a nearer service to himself : 1 Cor. iv. 1, ' Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of the gospel.' The world counteth the calling probrosum artificium, a sordid artifice and way of living, whereby men set their tongues and parts to sale, and think that of all callings this can best be spared, therefore it is high time to assert the dignity of the office. Men should not think so basely of those who are Christ's servants, not only to do his business, but to wait upon his person, his special attendants ; nay, ambassadors, that impersonate and represent their Master, 2 Cor. v. 20. Again, bear our doctrine with meekness and patience; we are but servants. If the message which we bring be displeasing, remember it is the will of our master ; it is not in our power to comply with your lusts and humours, if the scripture doth not. As God said to Jeremiah, Jer. XV. 19, ' Let them return unto thee, but return not thou to them.' So you should comply with the word ; we cannot comply with you. The false prophets returned to the people, complied with their humours. We must deliver our message, pardon to whom pardon, terror to whom terror is due : servants must be faithful. Thus must you look upon them as servants, yet but as servants, that you may not fondly idolise their persons : ' What is Paul and Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believe ? ' 1 Cor. iii. .5. It is the old way of flesh and blood to sacri- fice to the next hand. And that you may know to whom to go for the fruit of the ordinance, when we have done our work, ' there is one that Cometh after us who is mightier than we,' Mat. iii. 11, who 'giveth the increase ' to what we have ' planted and watered,' 1 Cor. iii. 6.