Exposition of Colossians, Sermons · Chapter 3 · Verse 23
VER. 23. And whatſoeuer yee doe, doe it hartily, as to the Lord, and not vntounto man.
The duty of Seruants towards their Maſters beeing very hard, and withall no leſſe needfull for ſeruants to performe, the Apoſtle dwels ſomewhat longer on it, then on the dutie of any other particular condition of life.
Heere therefore in this 23. verſe, hee ſtill goes on in his exhortation to the duty of ſeruants, and doth further lay before them this generall, reaching to all their actions and buſineſſes done in the ſeruice of their maſters, that whatſoeuer they doe therein, they ſhould doe it heartily, and then hee ſhewes them the meanes, how they may come to doe ſo, (namely) by doing it as to the Lord, and not vntounto men, as if he had ſaid: I exhort you to doe what action or buſineſſe ſoeuer you doe in the ſeruice of your maſters heartily; and would you know how you may ſo doe? Heere is the way, whatſoeuer yee performe in the ſeruice of your maſters doe it as a deede and ſeruice to the Lord, and not vntounto men.
Interpretation.(Whatſoeuer yee doe) (that is) what thing, action, worke, or buſineſſe ſoeuer yee doe in the ſeruice of your maſters, for the Apoſtle heere ſpeakes of the workes of ſeruants, as they are ſeruants, and thoſe are the workes of their Maſters, and that his meaning is ſo, the word following makes it cleere foreign worke it, ſo the word properly ſignifies (heartily) the originall word ſignifies, from the very ſoule, the meaning is, doe it from the heart with good will, ſo doth the Apoſtle expound himſelfe, Epheſ. 6.7. doing the will of God from the heart (ſaith hee) verſe 6. and then verſe 7. With good will ſeruing the Lord and not men, ſo the one doth expound the other, (as to the Lord and not vntounto men) For the vnderſtanding of theſe words, we muſt know, that eueryevery Maſter, as he is a Maſter, hath his authoritie from God. Rom. 13.1. And hee beares the image of God in his authoritie, and power ouer his ſeruants; and it is the will of God, that the Maſter ſhould be ouer his ſeruant, and commaund him; and that the ſeruant, ſhould bee vnderunder his Maſter, and bee commaunded by him, and obey him. And ſo the commaundement of the Maſter (not contrarie to the word of God) carries the ſtampe of Gods commaundement, and the ſeruant in obaying that, obayes the will of the Lord. Theſe thinges rightly vnderſtood, will help vsus to the vnderſtandinge of theſe wordes, (as to the Lord, and not vntounto men) and ſhewe that they are thus to bee conceiued; as therin principally ſeruing the Lord, and not men: or thus, as therin doinge ſeruice, not ſimply and barely to men alone, but in them to the Lord, and therin obaying his will. The Maſter as hee is a Maſter, bearing the image of God, and ſtanding in the Lordes ſtead: his commaundement being not contrarie to the worde of GOD, bearing the ſtampe of Gods commaundement.
Come wee to the matter of inſtruction, hence offered: and firſt, heere wee ſee, that ſeruantes are further taught.
That they muſt doe all their workes, in the ſeruice of their maſters, from the heart willinglie:Seruants muſt doe the workes of their Maſters, from their hearts willingly. whatſoeuer they doe in the ſeruice of their Maſters, bee it greate or ſmall, bee it pleaſinge, or diſpleaſinge to themſelues, they muſt doe it from their verie heart and ſoule.
Howſoeuer the ſeruantes ſoule be free, and the Maſter hath not power ouer it: Yet the beginninge of all good ſeruice, from ſeruantes to their Maſters, is in the heart, and ſoule: and from thence it muſt come, and this is not onelyonly cleare from this text, but alſo from that Epheſ. 6.6. Where the Apoſtle ſaith to ſeruantes: bee obedient to your Maſters, not as men-pleaſers, but as the ſeruantes of Chriſt, doinge the will of GOD from the heart.
And the reaſon and ground of this, is that generall truth that it is no true ſeruice or obedience either to God or men, that is not willinglie performed, there is a neede full worke of the heart and ſoule in euerie ſeruice and dutie done, whether to God or men, and if the dutie done, bee either forced or done with a grudging heart, it is no Ʋſe 1 ſound part of obedience, and therefore let all ſeruants examine and take account of their owne hearts, in doing the worke, of their maſters ſeruice,Seruants are to examine their hearts in doing the works of their maſters. and looke thou doe eueryevery worke thou art ſet about by thy maſter willinglie, and from thy very heart and ſoule, and lay aſide all grudging and repining, too common a thing with many ſeruants, eſpecially if the worke be any whit laborious and weariſome, then many ſeruants goe about it with an ill will, and with a ſecret repining in their hearts, and as wee vſe to ſay, as if they had neither life nor ſoule, take thou heede of this, and know that howſoeuer thy worke ſo done may bring profit and benefit to thy maſter, and thou maieſt thinke that ſufficient, as ſome ſtick not to ſay, hauehave I not done your worke, and what would you hauehave more? yet indeed that is not enough, if ſo be thou deſire comfort in thy doing of ſeruice to thy maſter, howſoeuer I ſay, thy deed done may bring profit to thy maſter, yet beeing done vnwillingly, it will neuer being comfort to thine owne ſoule, thy worke done vnwillingly, is no more pleaſing to God then the deede of thy maſters horſe or oxe; And the application of this may be generall, if wee doe Ʋſe 2 any good worke or dutie, be it in the immediate worſhip of God vnwillingly,Good duties done vnwillingly yeeld no comfort to the doer. or after the manner of loaden heauie hearted and drowſie profeſſours, ſurelie, there is no comfort to bee found in the dooing of it, for indeede it is not the dooing, but the readie and cheerefull doing of Gods will, that pleaſeth him which wee daily praie for; hee lookes rather to the heart, and to the motion and affection of the heart in doing any thing then to the thing it ſelfe, yet ſo as the thing done bee agreeable to his will, and a good duty commanded in his word, if any ſuperſtitious thing bee done it is not pleaſing to him, though it be done from the verie heart and ſoule, and with the greateſt good intention, and with the greateſt deuotion that may bee, the Lord then regards not the heart, and motion of it, but in doing of any good duty, hee rather looks to the heart, and to the affection of the doer then to the thing done, and onelyonly that good dutie is pleaſing to him, which is done heartily, euen from the very heart and ſoule, 1. Corinth. 9.17. and therefore take heede thou be not poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of ſlumber in doing of anie good thing, that is the character and badge of a carnall and drowſie profeſſour, but labour thou to hauehave thy heart quickened by grace, that whatſoeuer good thing thou doeſt either in the immediate worſhippe of God, or to thy brethren, thou muſt doe it with alacritie and cheerefulneſſe and from the very heart roote, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks Phillippians the firſt and the eighth, for that is onlie pleaſing to God.
The next thing that comes to be conſidered is this, the Apoſtle hauing ſaid to ſeruants, whatſoeuer ye doe in the ſeruice of your maſters, doe it heartilie, hee addes further (as the meanes whereby they may come to doe ſo, this conſideration, that in doing ſeruice to their maſters, they doe it not barelie to men alone, but in them to the Lord, their maſters (as they are maſters) bearing the image of God, ſtanding in his ſteed.
Hence ſeruants are taught.
That they muſt diſcern the image of God in their maſters, Doct. 2 that they may do willing & hartySeruants muſt diſcerne Gods image in their maſters that they may ſerue them willingly and heartily. ſeruice vntounto them, they muſt conſider that their maſters are in Gods roome to them, and ſtand in Chriſt his ſtead, as his vicegerents in the familie, and they commanding anie lawfull thing, it is Chriſt that commands it.
Hence it is that the Apoſtle doth exhort ſeruants Eph. 6.5.6. to be obedient to their maſters as vntounto Chriſt, and as the ſeruants of Chriſt, but heere happily ſome may ſay, are wicked and vngodly men, Object. vnbeleeuers and ſuch as are not members of Chriſt, being maſters in Chriſt his ſtead to their ſeruants? can they that are not members of Chriſt be in the ſtead of Chriſt.
Anſw. Yea, euen they aſwell as other maſters, who are Godly, religious, and the members of Chriſt, for we muſt know that maſters ſtand in the ſtead of Chriſt, and bearing the image of God, not as they are good or bad, or thus or thus qualified, bur as they are maſters, and hauehave power & authoritie ouer their ſeruants, for ſo they are deſigned of the Lord to that office, and hauehave their power from him, and it is his will and ordinance, that they ſhould be aboue their ſeruants in place and authoritie, and that their ſeruants, ſhould be vnderunder and in ſubection to them, therfore euerie maſter howſoeuer qualified, yet as hee is a maſter, hee beares the image of God, and ſtands in Chriſt his ſtead to his ſeruant 1. Tim. 6.1. ſaith the Apoſtle, let as manie ſeruants as are vnderunder the yoke, count their maſters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrin be not euill ſpoken of, the Apoſtle there ſpeakes to ſeruants that had infidell and vnbeleeuing maſters, as may appeare by that he addes ver. 2 And they which hauehave beleeuing maſters &c. there implying that before he ſpoke to ſuch as had vnbeleeuing maſters, & yet he would hauehave them that had ſuch maſters, not to caſt off all regard of them, becauſe they were Infidels, but to diſcerne in them the image of God, and as they were maſters, that they ſtood in Chriſt his ſtead, & ſo to yeeld thē reuerence & obedience, & thus ought all ſeruants to do, they muſt diſcerne the image of God in their maſters, and that their maſters are in Chriſt his ſtead to them, as the ground of all due reuerence, and of all hearty obedience to their maſters, and therfore thou that art a ſeruant looke not thou ſo much on the outward habit or condition of thy maſter, nor yet on his qualitie… good or bad, (though I confeſſe good things in the maſter, as holy knowledge & the feare of God appearing in … are to be loued and reuerenced) but yet as thou art his ſeruant looke not ſo much at them as at the image of God in his authority and power ouer thee, diſcerne thou that and let thine eye bee euer vponupon that, and that no doubt will be a meanes to make thee doe whatſoeuer thou doeſt in thy Maſters ſeruice heartily and willinglie, and from thy very heart and ſoule, as to the Lord himſelfe, and not to thy maſter alone; manie ſeruants carry themſelues rudelie and vnreuerently towards their Maſters, as if they were their companions rather then their inferiours, not ſhewing any token of ſubiection, not ſtanding bare to their maſters, not bowing vntounto them, nor riſing vp before them, yea euen in the publique aſſemblie many of them ſtand cheeke by cheeke with their Maſters, with their hats on their heads, which is vnreuerent behauiour in an high degree.
Now heere is the cauſe of it, they diſcerne not the image Vſe. 1 of God in their Maſters,Reproofe of ſuch ſeruants as diſcern not Gods image in their maſters, and therupon faile in their duties towards thē. they looke onelie at the outward appearance of them, which happilie is poore and meane, indeed if rich Maſters, or Maſters of great place in the world did beare the image of God and poore Maſters the image of an Angell or ſome meaner creature, it were ſome thing, but thou maiſt know that thy Maſter be hee neuer ſo poore or meane, as hee is a Maſter beares the image of God as well as the richeſt maſter in the world.
Againe, many ſeruants happilie doe that which they are commaunded by their Maſters, but if the thing commaunded a little croſſe their humour and diſpleaſe them,Note. they doe it vntowardlie, and with very ill will, and what is the cauſe of this? whence comes this? ſurelie from hence; they diſcerne not the image of God in their Maſter, they conſider not their Maſters commanding them any lawfull thing, it is the Lord Ieſus in them that commaundeth it, wouldeſt thou goe vntowardly, and with ill will about thy buſineſſe if the Lord Ieſus that hath redeemed thy ſoule from hell (if thou belong to him) and ſhall one day come with glory to iudge the world, were in thy maſters place and ſtead, and did command thee to doe? Oh no, thou wilt ſay, I would bee moſt readie and willing to doe anie thing, were it neuer ſo hard that he ſhould command me, why then conſider that thy maſter ſtands in the roome of Chriſt Ieſus, and thy maſter commanding any lawfull Vſe. 2 thing, it is hee that commands it in thy maſter, and if this be duly thought on, and ſettled in thy mind, no doubt it will make thee doe whatſoeuer thou doeſt in the ſeruice of thy maſter, willingly and heartily; yea, that eueryevery one of vsus may yeeld willing ſubiection and hearty obedience to our ſuperiours, wee muſt diſcerne the image of God in them, and conſider that they hauehave their authority and power ouer vsus from the Lord,That eueryevery one may yeeld willing ſubiection and hearty obedience to his ſuperiours, hee muſt diſcerne Gods image in their authority & power. and as they are our gouernours, do ſtand in the Lords ſtead to vsus. Thus did Dauid diſcerne in wicked Saul, when he called him the Lords annoynted, 1. Sam. 26.9. and this indeed is the ground of all willing and heartie ſubiection of anie inferiour to his ſuperiour, then wee ſhall willingly and heartily doe whatſoeuer lawfull thing is enioyned by our ſuperiours, when wee hauehave an eie to the image of God in them, and looke on them as ſtanding in Gods ſtead, and that the obedience and ſubiection wee yeelde to them, is yeelded not to men alone, but in them to the Lord: yea, to reach out this a little further there is neuer a one of vsus, but wee are bound to doe ſeruice one to another, in duties of louelove and merciemercy, as occaſion is offered.
Note.Now then conſider we, that in doing duties of louelove and merciemercy to our brethren, wee doe them not to men alone, but in them to the Lord Ieſus, ſo himſelfe ſaith plainely, Matth. 25.40. and that will make vsus doe them, heartily and willingly.
What is the pull-backe? what commonly makes men vnwilling to doe good duties of louelove and mercy to their brethren? ſurely they looke onelyonly at the outward habit or quality of the perſon, & their own fleſh teaching them to ſay within themſelues, what? ſhall I be ſeruiceable to ſuch a baſe fellow, to one ſo ſordide, ſo meane, and ſo ill deſeruing of mee? theſe are the thoughts and reaſonings ſuggeſted by the fleſh, and that thou maieſt bee able to quell and ouercome them, learne thou to looke thorow them, and to eſpie vnderunder the baſe and meane condition of thy brother a more excellent perſon, and that in doing a duty of louelove and merciemercy to thy brother, thou doeſt it not to him alone, but in him to the Lord Ieſus: If men did duly conſider this, that it is the Lord Ieſus to whom they doe dueties of louelove and merciemercy in their brethren, would it not put ſpirits into them, and make them doe them willinglie and cheerefullie? no doubt it would, and euer will, in all that hauehave anie true feeling of the comforts in Chriſt.
And therefore euer conſider thou to whom the duetie of louelove and merciemercy, is principallie done, euen to the Lord Ieſus in thy brother, and that will make thee doe it heartily and from thy very ſoule, as to the Lord, and not to man alone.
Note wee one thing further the Apoſtle ſaith to ſeruants: whatſoeuer yee doe in the ſeruice of your maſters, do that as to the Lord.
Hence it is cleare that the meaneſt thing a ſeruant doth Doct. 3 in the ſeruice of his Maſter is a ſeruice done vntounto the LordThe meaneſt thing a ſeruant doth in the ſeruice of his maſter is a ſeruice done vntounto the Lord. a ſeruant in doing the meaneſt ſeruice to his Maſter ſerues tht Lord as the Apoſtle ſaith plainely in the next verſe, for ye ſerue the Lord Chriſt: heere is a matter of great comfort for ſeruants imploied in mean offices vnderunder their maſters,Comfort for ſeruants that are imployed in meane offices vnderunder their maſters. art thou imploied in thy maſters kitchin, as a kitchin boy or mayd? doeſt thou ſweepe the houſe, wipe ſhooes, Ʋſe. or performe anie meane office, in the ſeruice of thy maſter? remember thou to thy comfort, that in ſo doing thou ſerueſt the Lord, and know that the Lord hath put thee in that office, and ſubmit thy ſelfe to his will, and ſerue thy maſter in it cheerefullie, and with good conſcience, and then though thy imployment and ſeruice bee baſe in the eie of the world, yet it is not baſe in the ſight of God, hee eſteemes it as good ſeruice done to himſelfe, hee regards it, and will one daie in merciemercy reward it, and thinke on this to thy comfort.