20. Fourthly, _Be patient_. In your patience _possessing your souls_, ♦steadily follow the preceding directions, and _be_ thus _subject, not only to the good and gentle_ masters, but also to the froward: to those who are neither good nor gentle, who have neither religion nor good-nature, that it may appear you do your _service unto the_ Lord, _and not unto men_. But it may be proper in the mean time to observe, that the state of _English_ servants, is widely different from the state of those to whom St. _Paul_ and St. _Peter_ wrote. Many of those, perhaps the greater part were slaves, who by the miserable constitution of their country, were the absolute property of their master, as much as were his sheep and oxen. Therefore it was not in their power to leave or change their master, but they were constrained to stay with them till death. Consequently, those directions were peculiarly necessary for those who were in such a situation: _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 is acceptable with_ God, 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20. But to those who are born under an happier constitution, undoubtedly the first advice should be, _If thou mayst be free_, from a froward, ill-natured man, then use it rather. Do not bind yourself at all, if you can honestly avoid it (as you generally may) to any, who you have reason to believe is an unjust or an unmerciful man. And if you are bound to such an one already, yet if you should _suffer wrongfully_ from him, _if you do well_, and suffer notwithstanding, it is by no means your duty to endure it. Rather it is your duty to appeal to the magistrate, who _is the minister of_ God _to thee for good_, and to desire of him such a remedy, as the laws of your country allow. In this manner _commit yourself_ and your cause _to him that judgeth righteously_. But even in this case, till you are free from the unrighteous man, remember the example Christ has left: _Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not_. How much more should you _tread in_ these _his steps_, with regard to things of smaller moment, with regard to those inconsiderable instances either of injustice or unkindness, which are to be expected almost in every family, and for which even our laws provide no remedy? Here undoubtedly you are called to suffer: and see that you do so with all meekness and gentleness. Not only _when_ you _are reviled, revile not again_, but _answer not again_, Tit. ii. 10. Open not your mouth, unless silence might have the appearance of sullenness or disrespect: and then do it in as few words, as the matter will bear, and with all the softness you are master of.
♦ ‘steddily’ replaced with ‘steadily’
21. Before he closes the subject, St. _Paul_ does not fail to remind you, what great encouragement you have, to persevere in all these duties of your station, whatever difficulties you meet with therein. For hereby you _may adorn the gospel of_ God _our Saviour in all things_. So strong an expression is scarce to be found in all the writings of the apostle; when he speaks to persons of the highest rank, as he here uses to men of low degree. You therefore are peculiarly called of God, to be an honour to your profession, your general profession of Christians; to shew what manner of men they are who _serve the_ Lord Christ: see then that you in particular _walk circumspectly_, accurately, exactly: that either your unbelieving masters _may be won_ by your conversation, or at least believers confirmed and comforted.
22. Still further encouragement you have in _knowing that of the_ Lord _ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance_: that inheritance reserved for you in heaven, which is of infinitely greater value, than any which your master now enjoys, or any which you can receive on earth. You know that the day is coming when your common Master will descend in the clouds of heaven: and you are assured, in that day, _Whatsoever good thing a man_ hath _done_, while he was _serving_ God _in his generation, the same shall he receive from the_ Lord, _whether he be bond or free: The same_――That is, a reward proportionable thereto, in an additional degree of glory. Therefore, let nothing be wanting now. _Work your work betimes, and in his time he will give you your reward._ Now be honest, be true, be faithful, be patient. Now _obey your masters with fear_, yea, _with fear and trembling_. Do them service with _singleness of heart, with good-will, with your_ whole _soul_. Do this for the honour of the gospel, for the glory of God your Saviour, for the present good of your own soul, and for the increase of your eternal inheritance.
An Extract from Mr. LAW’s TREATISE On CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.