Exposition of the Moral Law, Book 2 · Commandment 5 · Exercitation 10
EXERCITAT. X. Of the duty of ſervants to their maſters. Commandement V.
Epheſ. 6.5. Servants be obedient to your maſters according to the fleſh.
THe third combination in the familie, is betwixt the maſters and the ſervants.
The ground of ſervitude and ſervile ſubiection is ſin; the firſt ſervant was a diſobedient ſonne, Nomina domini & ſervinon naturae ſed peccati, & culpa non natura meruit hoc nomen, Gen. 9.25. Curſed be Canaan, a ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be unto his brethren: Sinne the ground of ſervitude.he curſed him thrice, as he bleſſed Sem twice, and Iaphet once.
When ſervitude began.This curſe began in the dayes of Sem, who was Melchiſedeck the king of Salem, when the Canaanites were tributaries to him, and afterwards they were ſervants to the Iſraelites.
This ſervitude was ſomewhat mitigated in ſome of their poſterity;Some of the poſterity of Ham had a mitigation of their ſervitude. the Gibionites were of the ofſpring of Canaan, Ioſh 9.25.27. yet they had the bleſſing of God upon their ſervice, and hee continued them; although Saul would have roored them out, 2. Sam. 21. So the Cherethites were Canaanites; yet the Lord mitigated their ſervice, for they became Davids guard, and ſo it was mitigated in Vrijah the Hittite, and Ebed-melech the blackmoore, and in Arauna the Iebuſite, and in the woman of Canaan; but yet the ſervitude continued ſtill upon the poſterity of the ſeven nations, 1. King. 9.21. Salomon did levie a tribute of bond-ſervice upon them unto this day. And after the captivity, Nehem. 11.3. and this curſe lyeth yet upon the poſterity, as the blackmoores are ſold for ſlaves unto this day, and the Egyptians are vagabonds.
Queſt. Whether is ſervitude contrary to the law of nature or not?
Anſ. Thomas 1.2. quaſt. 94. art. 5.A thing is ſaid to be de jure naturae two manner of wayes; Firſt, when the law of nature commandeth ſuch a thing and forbiddeth the contrary. Example, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour, the contrary, thou ſhalt not hate him. Secondly, when ſuch a thing was according to nature in the firſt inſtitution, but the contrary is not forbidden. Example, a man by nature is borne naked, nature hath not given him cloathing, but art hath found out this helpe for him; now this is not contrary to nature, becauſe there is nothing forbidden in the firſt inſtitution. The firſt is de jure poſitivo naturali, Ius naturale Poſitivum: Negativum.and wee muſt do nothing contrary to that: but that which is contra jus negativum, wherein nature hath determined nothing but hath left that free to the will of man; here wee may do againſt that law; becauſe nature hath concluded nothing to the contrary.
Againe,Servitude both according to the firſt intention of nature and againſt it. ſervitude is againſt the firſt intention of nature; but if wee will conſider the ſecond intention of nature, becauſe nature hath intervenied, it is according to the intention of nature, that ſome ſhould ſerve, and ſome goe free; for as the ſenſitive faculty ſhould obey the reaſonable and ſerve it: ſo ſhould the foole ſerve the wiſe man, Prov. 11.29. when ſuch are borne without judgement, they are fit to ſerve the wiſe, although they actually ſerve not, nor cannot be compelled to ſerve.
There were a number in the dayes of the Apoſtles who thought that Chriſtian libertie, and ſervitude could not ſtand together; when ſervants may have this liberty from their ſervitude by lawfull meanes,Chriſtian liberty and ſervitude may ſtand together. they ſhould ſeeke it, that they might come nearer to their firſt eſtate againe, when man was created a free creature; therefore thoſe ſervants who refuſed their libertie, when they might have had it, were boared in the eare with a note of infamie; but of it ſelfe it is not an unlawfull calling, 1. Cor. 7.2. Tim. 6. And Paul deſireth Philemon that hee receive home againe On…ſimus his ſervant: and theſe were ſervants after the Roman law, of whom Paul ſpeaketh, which was the hardeſt ſort of ſervitude that could be.
Seing ſervitude is a lawfull calling, Queſt. how is it that the Lord commandeth Deut. 23.15. Thou ſhalt not deliver unto his maſter the ſervant that is eſcaped from his maſter unto thee? this might ſeeme to looſe the bond, which is betwixt the maſter and the ſervant.
Anſw. Servants who fled for religion were to be protected.The law meaneth of ſuch ſervants who were Gentiles, and who for their religion came from their maſter to the Church of Iſrael, for otherwiſe a fugitive ſervant was to goe backe to his maſter againe, as Oneſimus to Philemon.
Servants were either ſervants by birth, or made ſervants;The firſt diviſion of ſervants. ſervants by birth were thoſe, who were borne of handmaids; if the father had beene a free man, and the mother a ſlave; then the children were ſlaves: Nam partus ſequitur ventrem, the child is reputed according to the condition of the mother: but it is otherwiſe in the covenant of grace. If any of the parents be holy, then the child is holy, 1. Cor. 7.14. that is, hee may be admitted to the covenant; thoſe who were borne in the houſe, were called vernae domus; hence cometh vernaculus ſermo, the homebred tongue: and oppoſite to thoſe were elienigenae, foreign Children begotten in their maſters houſe.and thoſe vernae domus were called foreign borne in the houſe; for when a man married a woman and begat children in their maſters houſe, the children were not called their children,Alluſion. but their maſters children; and David alludeth to this forme, Pſalm. 116.16. I am the ſonne of thy handmaid; that is, my mother dwelt within thy houſe, and was within the covenant, and I was borne within thy houſe, and conſequently belong to thee:Hebraus ex Hebrais quid: when both the parents were Hebrewes and free, then the child was free alſo, Philip. 5.5. Paul was Hebraus ex Hebrais, that is, both his father and his mother were Hebrewes, and he was free borne.
The ſecond ſort of ſervants were made ſervants: and they were either Iure gentium, Servus Iure gentium. Iure civile. Alluſion. Men taken in the warre according to the law of nations were made ſervants.or Iure civili; Iure gentium were thoſe who were taken in warre, and were ſervi belli, and Chriſt alludeth to this forme, Luc. 4.18. when he expreſſeth the miſerable eſtate of ſinners carried captives, he calleth them foreign cuſpide captos, run down with a ſpeare, and therefore the prince of the captives in the captivity was called foreign, the prince of the captivity, the Romans called thoſe ſervants mancipia, quia manu capti; of whomſoever a man is overcome to him hee is a ſervant. 2. Pet. 2.19.
Thoſe who were ſervants jure civili were ſuch as ſold themſelves to be ſlaves,Alluſion. and the holy Ghoſt alludeth to this ſort of ſervants, Ahab ſold himſelfe to ſinne, 1. King. 21.25. Although wee be ſold under ſinne, and taken captives, yet let us never ſell our ſelves to ſinne, Rom. 7.14.
The ſecond diviſion of ſervants;The ſecond diviſion of ſervants. the Iewes had foure ſorts of ſervants in their houſe; firſt, thoſe who had the greateſt charge in the houſe,foreign a radice foreign diſcurrere. as Eleazar in Abrahams houſe, hee is called Ben meſhek, filius diſcurſus domus, becauſe hee ran up and downe, having all the care upon him, and hee is called Dameſhek, which is all one with Meſhek, the ſteward of the houſe, and Dameſhek was his ſurname, as Eleazar was his proper name, putting daleth before meſhek. foreign pro ה demonſtrativo, apud Syros.Daleth is the article which the Syrians uſe to put for He demonſtrativo, and ſome hold that it was hee who built Damaſcus; ſuch a ſervant was Ioſeph in Potiphers houſe, Iob. 12.18.foreign He bindeth [Azor] a girdle upon their loines, [Azor] in the chaldee tongue ſignifieth a girdle or a purſe which the Kings ſteward wore in the Eaſt, ſuch a ſervant was Nehemiah the Tirſhaſhite; this commeth from the Hebrew word Tiroſh, muſtum, foreign Muſtum.and being formed after the manner of the Chaldee names, it is Atirſhata; he was ſo called, becauſe he was the Kings cupbearer, ſuch a one was Herods ſteward. Luc. 8.3. foreign, the Syriacks call him Oeconomus, and the Arabick theſaurarius, his treaſurer; theſe ſervants were ſaid ſtare coram Domino, to ſtand before their maſter. 1. King. 10.8. Happy are thy men, happie are theſe thy ſervants which ſtand continually before thee, that is, which ſerve thee; and the Angell alluding to this forme ſaith, I am Gabriel that ſtand in the preſence of God. Luc. 1.19. that is, ready to ſerve him and to execute his will: Such ſervants were called Meſhartim. foreign Miniſtrantes a foreign Miniſtra…it.Num. 11.28. 1. Chron. 6.32. and 1. King. 1.15. Abiſhaig is ſaid, [Meſharath] miniſtrare regi, to miniſter to the King; ſuch a ſervant Chriſt ſpeaketh of, Mat. 24.45 whom the Lord ſetteth over his houſhold.
The ſecond ſort of ſervants were thoſe who had an inferiour ſort of ſervice; ſuch was Eliſha that powred water upon the hands of Elias his maſter; and thoſe ſervants were called Gnabhodim properly.
The third ſort of ſervants were thoſe who were more ſervile. 1. Sam. 8. as Cookes and Bakers, and theſe the Romans call mediaſtini, quia ad media opera deſtinati, ſervants that were buſie about ſervice, that was of the middle ſort.
The baſeſt ſort of ſervice.The fourth ſort of ſervants were thoſe who were ſet to the baſeſt ſort of ſervice, as to grind in the man-mill. Exod. 11.5. Even to the firſt borne of the maid ſervant that ſitteth behind the mill, that is, the man-mill, ſhe is ſaid to ſit behind the mill, becauſe ſhee thruſt it before her as ſhe wrought; by the handmaid here is meant the captive, who was ſet in the baſeſt ſort of ſlavery; for they made the ſlaves in the day time grinde in the priſon; and ſhut them up in the night in a pit,Alluſion. and they cloſed the doore with the milſtone, and Eſay alludeth to this ſort of ſervitude, when he ſaith; Take the milſtones and grinde meale, uncover thy lockes, make bare the legge, uncover the thigh, paſſe over the rivers. Eſay. 47.2. all theſe were ſignes of their ſervitude in the captivity. This ſort of ſervitude at the firſt amongſt the Greekes was called foreign is called pulvis, becauſe they ſerved in the duſt; ſervants ſhould bee as diligent in their calling, as wreſtlers who wreſtle in the duſt; this word is appropriate now to Church ſervice.
They had other ſorts of ſervants which were called mercenary ſervants,Mercenarie or hirelings. and this was a more eaſie kinde of ſervitude; and this ſervitude indured but three yeares. Deut. 15.18. Hee hath beene worth a double hired ſervant to thee in ſerving thee ſixe yeares, he is worthy of double wages, becauſe he hath ſerved twiſe as long as a mercenary, for a mercenary ſerved only three yeares. Eſay. 16.14. and Iob alludeth to this ſort of ſervice,Alluſion. are not his dayes like the dayes of an hireling. Iob. 7.1.
The duties of the ſervants to their maſters are ſubjection, obedience, fidelity, and diligence.The duties of ſervants to their maſters.
Firſt ſubjection, to ſhew their ſubjection,Servants tooke their denomination from their maſters. they tooke their denomination from their maſters, as from Herod, Herodiani; ſo from Caeſar, Caeſariani; from Germanicus, Germaniani. Servus per ſe non eſt perſona, ſed res, & poſſeſsio Domini ſui, therefore they are called foreign poſſeſſio. Gen. 24.35. My maſter is become great, and the Lord hath given him flocks, and herdes, and ſilver, & gold, & men ſervants, and maid ſervants, and Camels, and Aſſes; and the Greekes call them foreign quia non habent perſonam in jure civili, neque habent patriam, neque heredem; and they call them foreign their maſters feet. 1. Sam. 25.17.Servants called their maſters feet. Let it bee given even unto the young men that follow my Lord, in the Hebrew it is that walke at my Lords feet.
The ſecond dutie is obedience,Servants are to obey their maſters. for obediencie they ſhould have their eyes alwayes towards their maſters, to be directed by them, as it were with a word or nod; and as the maſter teacheth with his eye. Pſal. 32.18. So ſhould the eyes of the handmaid be towards her miſtreſſe. Pſal. 123.2. If they ſet their eyes towards their maſters, then their maſters eye will bee towards them for their good; ponam ſupra te oculum meum. Gen. 44.21. and Ier. 39.12.
Their obedience ſhould bee ready obedience, ſuch was the obedience of the Centurions ſervants, I ſay to one goe, and hee goeth, and to another come, and hee commeth. Mat. 8.9.The manner of ſervants obedience. Iobs ſervants were not obedient, I called my ſervant, and he anſwered me not. Iob. 19.16. So thoſe ſervants who anſwere againe to their maſters. Tit. 2.9. Servus ſit monoſyllabus Domino.
The manner of their obedience ſhould be with feare and trembling: this feare is not taken here for ſervile feare, ſuch as is in ſlaves, for it is the ſame word which is uſed.foreign. Phil. 2.12. With feare and trembling, which is not ſervile feare, 2. Cor. 7.15. They received Titus with feare and trembling: this was more then ſervile feare.
This obedience of ſervants to their maſters is limited; they are but their maſters according to the fleſh. Epheſ. 6.5. And Thomas obſerveth well out of Seneca, that Servitus in totum hominem cujuſcunque generis per omnis non deſcendit, that is, their commandements reach not to the ſoule of the baſeſt ſlave that is, and therefore ſlaves are called [foreign] bodies. Revel. 18.13. becauſe their maſters commandements reach onelyonly to their bodies, and not to their ſoules.
In what caſes the ſervants are free from their maſters ſervice.The ſervants are free of their maſters ſervice in theſe caſes: Firſt, when they are the Lords priſoners in ſickneſſe: Secondly, in the night when they goe to reſt; and thirdly, on the Sabbath when they goe to ſerve the Lord.
Servants obey your maſters according to the fleſh; this ſignifieth the ſhort continuance of this ſubjection, for all bonds according to the fleſh, ceaſe in the life to come; as the bond betwixt the man and the wife, ſo betwixt the maſter and the ſervant, for then they ſhall bee like the Angels of God.
Queſt. Seeing the ſervants are called their maſters money, Exod. 21.21. and they are reckoned inter mobilia, among the maſters moveable goods. Gen. 24.35. Whether might a ſervant in Iſrael ſue his maſter at the law for any wrong done unto him?
According to the poſitive lawes of the Iewes hee might not ſue his maſter, Anſ. Whether the ſervant may plead with his maſter.but the morall law alloweth that he ſhould plead with his maſter if he had done him wrong. Iob. 31.13.14. If I did deſpiſe the cauſe of my man ſervant or my maidſervant, when they contended with me, what ſhall I doe then when God riſeth up? and when hee viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwere him? did not hee who made me in the mothers wombe, make him? There are two reaſons here why Iob will not decline to bee tried by his ſervant, becauſe they are alike in creation,The reaſons why ſervants may plead with their maſters. and ſhall bee preſented alike before Gods judgement ſeat; and therefore it is good reaſon that we be both tried in the judicatories of men,God ſubmitteth himſelfe as it were to bee tried in judgement. and it is moſt equitable that my ſervant have place to plead againſt me; God himſelfe refuſed not to bee tried with his ſervants. Eſay. 49.1. Let us come neare together to judgement. So Ier. 2.9. Gods power is an abſolute power, and it reacheth as farre as his will doth. Secondly, God cannot bee angry with his ſervants, nor puniſh them above their deſerts, and if hee would doe ſo, what Iudge hath hee above him to call him to account? for if an equall had not power over his equall, much leſſe over his ſuperiour, and his ſuperiour in the higheſt degree; and yet the Lord will ſubmit himſelfe to bee tried, pleading with baſe men, that he may be juſtified in his ſpeeches, when he is judged. Pſal. 51.4. What is baſe man then whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, that he ſhould refuſe this judicatory?
The third dutie of ſervants to their maſters,Fidelity of ſervants to their maſters. foreign accilla & foreign nutrix ab foreign f…d…m effe. is fidelity: Mat. 24.45. Who is a faithfull and a wiſe ſervant? Such a ſervant was Iacob to Laban, who by all meanes ſought his maſters profit; Amah in the originall is called a handmaid, and Omen is called a nurſe, which both come from aman, fidelem eſſe, becauſe the handmaid ſhould bee as faithfull to her miſtreſſe, as the nurſe ſhould be in keeping of the child committed to her.
The ſervant laboureth not for himſelfe but for his maſter, the talents were put out by the ſervants for their maſters gaine. Mat. 25.27. The Iewes ſay that there was a queſtion betwixt them and the Cananites which dwelt in Africk (for when Ioſhua killed the Cananites, Procopius.a number of them fled to Africk, as the inſcription at Mauritania teſtifieth:The manner how the Canaanites pleaded for their liberty. Nos ſumus Cananai qui fugimus a facie Ioſhuae praedatoris) they came before Alexander the great to claime their poſſeſſion in Canaan againe, and they ſaid, that the land of Canaan tooke the name of their father Canaan. Num. 34.1. And Gabboath a Iew asked them, what ſort of arguments they would uſe in this their pleading? they ſaid, they would uſe arguments taken out of the law: well ſaid the Iew, it is written, Gen. 9.25. Curſed is Canaan, a ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be to his brethren. Whatſoever the ſervant acquireth, it belongeth to the maſter, but yee are our ſervants, therefore whatſoever ye have, doeth juſtly belongeth unto us; ye ſee how ye are juſtly ſecluded from Canaan, and have no right to it.
Diligence is required in a ſervant.The fourth dutie of ſervants is diligence. Prov. 27.18. Hee who keepeth the figge tree eateth the fruit thereof, ſo he that waiteth upon his maſter ſhall be honoured: Stare pro ſervire.Servants were ſaid to ſtand before their maſter. Ier. 18.20. 1. King. 17.1. 2. King. 5.16. Beati ſervi qui ſtant coram te: David alludeth to this, Pſal. 134.1. Bleſſe ye the Lord all ye ſervants of the Lord which by night ſtand in the houſe of the Lord. And 135.2. Yee that ſtand in the houſe of the Lord. Such a ſervant was Eleazer, who was Ben Meſhok, filius diſcurſus, in Abrahams houſe. So Luc. 17.7. Which of you having a ſervant who having ſerved all the day, doth not gird himſelfe at night, &c.
How Appelles painted a ſervant.Appelles painted a ſervant with his hands full of tools, to ſignifie that he ſhould be diligent in his worke; with broad ſhoulders, to beare many wrongs; with Hinds feet, to runne ſpeedily at his maſters command; with a leane belly, that hee ſhould be content of a ſpare diet; with the eares of an Aſſe, and his mouth ſhut with two keyes, to ſignifie that hee ſhould be ſwift to heare, and ſlow to ſpeake.