The next relation between Christ and us, which we are to speak of, (subordinate to that of King and subjects,) is this of Master and servants. Though Christ saith to the apostles, John xv. 15, "Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends;" the meaning is not that he calleth them not servants at all, but not mere servants, they being more than servants, having such acquaintance with his counsels as his friends. For he presently, verse 20, bids them "Remember that the servant is not greater than his lord." And John xiii. 13, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." And Matt. xxiii. 8, "One is your Master, Christ; and all ye are brethren:" so ver. 10. And the apostles called themselves the "servants of Jesus Christ," Rom. i. 1; and 1 Cor. iv. 1; Phil. i. 1: and "of God," Tit. i. 1, &c.
[Sidenote: What it is to be Christ's servants.]
He is called our Master, and we his servants, because he is our Rector, _ex pleno dominio_, with absolute propriety; and doth not give us laws to obey, while we do our own work, but giveth us his work to do, and laws for the right doing of it: and it is a service under his eye, and in dependence on him for our daily provisions, as servants on their lord. God hath work for us to do in the world; and the performance of it he will require. God biddeth his sons "Go work to day in my vineyard," Matt. xxi. 28; and expecteth that they do it, ver. 31. His "servants" are as "husbandmen," to whom "he intrusteth his vineyard, that he may receive the fruit," ver. 33, 34, 41, 43. "Faithful servants shall be made rulers over his household," Matt. xxiv. 45, 46. Christ delivereth to his servants his talents to improve, and will require an account of the improvement at his coming, Matt. xxv. 14. Good works, in the proper, comprehensive sense, are all actions internal and external, that are morally good; but in the narrower acceptation, they are works, not only formally good, as acts of obedience in general, but also materially good, such as a servant doth for his master, that tend to his advantage, or the profit of some other, whose welfare he regardeth. Because the doctrine of good works is controverted in these times, I shall first open it briefly, and then give you the directions.
1. Nothing is more certain, than that God doth not need the service of any creature; and that he receiveth no addition to his perfection or felicity from it; and, consequently, that on terms of commutative justice, (which giveth one thing for another, as in selling and buying,) no creature is capable of meriting at his hands.
2. It is certain, that on the terms of the law of works, (which required perfect obedience as the condition of life,) no sinner can do any work so good, as in point of distributive, governing justice, shall merit at his hands.
3. It is certain, that Christ hath so fulfilled the law of works, as to merit for us.
4. The redeemed are not masterless, but have still a Lord, who hath now a double right to govern them. And this Governor giveth them a law: and this law requireth us to do good works, as much as we are able, (though not so terribly, yet) as obligingly as the law of works: and by this (of Christ) we must be judged: and thus we must be judged according to our works: and to be judged is nothing else but to be justified or condemned. Such works therefore are rewardable according to the distributive justice of the law of grace, by which we must be judged. And the ancient fathers, who (without any opposition) spoke of good works as meritorious with God, meant no more, but that they were such as the righteous Judge of the world will reward according to the law of grace, by which he judgeth us. And this doctrine being agreed on as certain truth, there is no controversy with them, but whether the word merit was properly or improperly used: and that both Scripture and our common speech alloweth the fathers' use of the word, I have showed at large in my "Confession."
5. Christ is so far from redeeming us from a necessity of good works, that he died to restore us to a capacity and ability to perform them, and hath new-made us for that end. Tit. ii. 14, "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Eph. ii. 10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
6. Good works opposed to Christ, or his satisfaction, merit, righteousness, mercy, or free grace in the matter of justification or salvation, are not good works, but proud self-confidence and sin. But good works, in their due subordination to God's mercy, and Christ's merits and grace, are necessary and rewardable.
7. Though God need none of our works, yet that which is good materially pleaseth him, as it tendeth to his glory, and to our own and others' benefit, which he delighteth in.