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The well-ordered familyIsaac Ambrose, 1762

Of the Duties of Servants to their Masters.

pp. 25–2811 passages

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

:115p. 25

SECTION VII. Of the Duties of Servants to their Masters.

:116p. 25

Duties of Servants to their Masters, are either inward, as Fear, outward, as Reverence, Obedience.

DUties of Servants to their Masters, are either inward, as Fear, outward, as Reverence, Obedience.

:117p. 25¶1

1. The inward Duty is Fear: Servants be subject to your Masters with all Fear, and account them worthy of all Honour: So proper is this Fear to a Servant, as where it is wanting, there is a plain denial of his Master's Place and Power: If I be a Master, where is my Fear? said God. Observe, I mean not an excessive slavish Fear; as when a Servant fears nothing but the revenging Power of his Master (such was the Fear of that unprofitable Servant, who could say to his Master, I knew that thou wert an hard Man, and I was afraid) but I mean an awful Fear of Provoking his Master's Wrath, so as it makes him cast every Way, how he may please his Master, and such a Fear draws him on cheerfully to perform his Duty.

1. The inward Duty is Fear: Servants be subject to your Masters with all Fear, and account them worthy of all Honour: So proper is this Fear to a Servant, as where it is wanting, there is a plain denial of his Master's Place and Power: If I be a Master, where is my Fear? said God. Observe, I mean not an excessive slavish Fear; as when a Servant fears nothing but the revenging Power of his Master (such was the Fear of that unprofitable Servant, who could say to his Master, I knew that thou wert an hard Man, and I was afraid) but I mean an awful Fear of Provoking his Master's Wrath, so as it makes him cast every Way, how he may please his Master, and such a Fear draws him on chearfully to perform his Duty.

:118p. 25

:124p. 27

I answer, To be a Servant, in that Place, is not simply to be in Subjection under another, but to be so obsequious to Man, as to prefer him before God: Hence the Apostle elsewhere in the Duties of Servants, lays down this Antithesis, Not as Men-pleasers, but as the Servants of Christ; again, doing Service as to the Lord, and not to Men: The meaning is, That we must do Duty to a Master, not as merely to a Man, but as to one in Christ's Stead. Masters, by virtue of their Office and Place, bear the Image of Christ; Christ communicates his Authority unto them, and so in performing Duty to Masters, we perform Duty to Christ, and in denying Duty to Masters, we deny Duty to Christ: Thus the Lord said to Samuel, when the People rejected his Government, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Consider this, all ye that are Servants, though Masters should neither reward your good Service, nor revenge your ill Service, yet Christ will do both: This is your Prerogative that fear God, above all other Servants; others may serve their Masters with Fear and Trembling, in Singleness of Heart, and with good Will, but only Christians and Saints do Service as to Christ; and this makes them not content themselves with doing the Thing, but to endeavour to do it after the best Manner they can, so as God and Christ may accept of it.

I answer, To be a Servant, in that Place, is not simply to be in Subjection under another, but to be so obsequious to Man, as to prefer him before God: Hence the Apostle elsewhere in the Duties of Servants, lays down this Antithesis, Not as Men-pleasers, but as the Servants of Christ; again, doing Service as to the Lord, and not to Men: The meaning is, That we must do Duty to a Master, not as meerly to a Man, but as to one in Christ's Stead. Masters, by vertue of their Office and Place, bear the Image of Christ; Christ communicates his Authority unto them, and so in performing Duty to Masters, we perform Duty to Christ, and in denying Duty to Masters, we deny Duty to Christ: Thus the Lord said to Samuel, when the People rejected his Government, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Consider this, all ye that are Servants, though Masters should neither reward your good Service, nor revenge your ill Service, yet Christ will do both: This is your Prerogative that fear God, above all other Servants; others may serve their Masters with Fear and Trembling, in Singleness of Heart, and with good Will, but only Christians and Saints do Service as to Christ; and this makes them not content themselves with doing the Thing, but to endeavour to do it after the best Manner they can, so as God and Christ may accept of it.