A Present for Servants, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The Duty of Servants [3.] towards their Fellow-ſervants in the Family and Neighbourhood.
THey that are of the ſame Calling or ſtate of life in the World, are wont to be counted Brethren: and eſpecially when they live near to each other, ſhould moſt entirely love as ſuch. Society is the great Comfort of Life, and Equality of Condition much adds to the ſweetneſs of it, where there be other higher Qualifications. Indeed there is hardly any word ſo much abus'd as that of Good-Fellowſhip. Men miſtake the Order of it, making it chiefly to reſpect the Body, which is to be minded in ſubordination to the Soul: and no leſs, the Matter of it. Good-Fellowſhip with them is to be amongſt their Cups, at beſt in idle Chat and Vanity. And Servants and Youth hear it told by ſome grown grey in careleſsneſs, What love and good neighbourhood there was, when they had not ſo much Preaching, nor ſuch ado about Religion. But the Chriſtian Servant has not ſo learned Chriſt. There are more noble Ends of Society, than careleſs Servants know; ſuch as,
1. Mutual Watchfulneſs, eſpecially over the Souls of each other. It is true, That here Charity muſt begin at home, in a cautious fear of danger to your own Souls, eſpecially if your Companions in the Family be none of the beſt. Take heed you be not Tempters of others, nor your ſelves tempted by them. Remember the Exhortation that ſpeaks unto you as unto Children. Prov. 1.10. My Son, if Sinners entice thee, conſent thou not. And undue Familiarity between Servants of different Sexes in a Family, has had fatal and tragical Effects. How often has Opportunity and Privacy expos'd Men and Maids that live together to the Devil's Temptations. And in houſes, where the Maſters have ſet battlements on the roof, they have leap'd over into the ditch, (for a Whore is a deep ditch, and he that is abhorred of the Lord ſhall fall therein, Prov. 22.14.) How much more are Servants in danger, where they have no warnings, but wicked Examples; how ſoon do filthy Words, and wanton Dalliances betray them? He that feareth the Lord ſhall eſcape the ſnare, but the ſinner ſhall be taken in it, Eccleſ. 7.26. And if they be of the ſame Sex, there is no ſmall danger in a converſe with thoſe that have infectious diſeaſes, and running ſores of prophaneneſs upon them. If they be only in the Neighbourhood, that are thus infected, it is more eaſie to avoid them. 2 Theſ. 3.6. Now we command you, That you withdraw your ſelves from every brother that walketh diſorderly — Who toucheth pitch and is not defiled? Can any take coals in his boſom and not be burnt? But if the Plague be in the Houſe where you are, and your Fellow-ſervants Drunkards, prophane Swearers, Scoffers at Religion, your Caſe is the more dangerous. How came you into this Hell on Earth, where theſe things are ſuffered? Ought you not to be deeply humbled, That you made no better choice? And upon what terms do you ſtay longer there? You had need have a clear Call, to dwell in a Peſt-houſe. Nevertheleſs while you ſtay in that place, Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but ſhalt in any wiſe rebuke him, and not ſuffer ſin upon him, Lev. 19.17. It ſeems without this, you can neither teſtifie your hatred of their ſins, nor free your ſelves from the imputation of hatred of their Souls. You muſt do it in faithfulneſs to your own Souls, and you know not but you may thereby gain theirs. You muſt watch the beſt Opportunity that your nearneſs to them will afford you, to tell them their fault between them and you alone; and with plainneſs lay open their ſin before them, this open rebuke is better than ſecret love. And continue your Duty, if they go on to ſin, unleſs, by ſcoffing Malignity, and Fury, they ſhew themſelves to be the dogs and ſwine that you muſt not throw your pearls before, leſt they turn again and rent you. And then you can do no more, unleſs by getting others to rebuke them, who by their Authority, may be more likely to prevail, as Joſeph brought to his Father his ſon's evil report. And if Providence has caſt your lot amongſt ſuch as are civil and towardly, your Duty will be more eaſie. They will willingly be warn'd by you, and thankfully take your cautions for their Souls good: you will not be tempted ſo much to uſe the words of the firſt Murderer, Am I my Brother's keeper? but if (not only civil, but) Godly Servants meet in the ſame Houſe or Neighbourhood, they will agree together to watch over and mutually to admoniſh one another. Two are better than one— for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but wo bo to him that is alone when He falleth, for He hath not another to help him up— and if one prevail againſt him, two ſhall withſtand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken, Eccl. 4.10. &c. By this watchfulneſs over each other they will be combin'd againſt the Devil's Temptation, and fortified againſt the flouts of thoſe that will think it ſtrange, that they run not with them in the ſame exceſs of riot. Eſpecially if they conſcientiouſly obſerve the Second Duty, which is,
2. Chriſtian Conference, the Servants diſcourſing together about the things of God. Beſides your vacant Hours in Winter Evenings, and when your Work is done, many parts of your Work afford leiſure for Diſcourſe, yea, and matter for ſpiritual improvement, if your Hearts will ſerve you. Some of you have more knowledge than others, and ſome more tender affections, and how well would theſe Gifts be employ'd, if like thoſe that feared the Lord, Malac. 3.16. You ſpake often one to another about Soul-Affairs. Good Affections in Diſcourſe do even naturally kindle the like in thoſe you are talking with: as Metal put into a Furnace is never melted ſo ſoon, as when added to ſome of the ſame Metal, melted before. As Iron ſharpens Iron, ſo does the Countenance of a Man, his Friend. How eaſily may two or three well-diſpoſed Servants carry away a whole Sermon in their Memories, when they ſhall repeat over the Heads to each other as they go along, or when they come home. This would make your hearts burn within you, and prepare you for examination of your Maſters in the Family-Worſhip. But there are none ſo ſitted for Chriſtian Conference, as they that can Communicate to each other, what God has done for their Souls. The Schoolmen ſay, Angels of an Inferiour Order cannot enlighten thoſe of a Superiour. Sure I am the meaneſt Servant, that is truly Gracious, tho' of weak Parts and Gifts, may enlighten and warm by their humble Converſe thoſe that have greater Natural Endowments.
3. The other Duty is their ready helpfulneſs of each other, in all things wherein their aſſiſtance may be uſeful. Take each others concerns as your own, not as Buſie-bodies, but as helpers of them in their Work, when your Maſter's Service may be the better carry'd on. Let there be no fallings out amongſt your ſelves, no more than grumbling at your Maſters, that other Servants have leſſer work, or better uſage than you. Be as deſirous of their good as your own, and as ready to help them in any Sickneſſes or Straits, that your Fellow-Servants may be in, as you would be to be helpt your ſelves in the like caſe. And eſpecially rejoyce if you may be any ways helpful for their Souls. Some of them cannot Read, and you may teach them, and many ways further them in knowledge, or encourage any good Inclinations. When other Servants provoke one another to wrath, you muſt provoke your Fellow-Servants to love and good works. One Servant eaſily brings another to Inſtruction, by Counſel and Example, and makes every Duty delightful by Company in it. And how ſweet is it for Servants to get into a Corner, and Pray together? What a Bleſſing will they be to one another, and to the Family and Neighbourhood where they Live?