A Present for Servants, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The Hinderances of the Servants Calling [3.] Want of Time, real or pretended.
TO every Work there is an appcinted Time, and every Duty has the ſpecial Seaſon for it; but here lies the Servants difficulty, their Time is their Maſter's, and his Work fills it up, that they have not the leiſure for Duties and Exerciſes of Religion that others have. Others can read and pray as long as they will, but Servants are called up early about their Work, and tyred with it all day, and what time then have they for Prayer, Meditation, or Covenanting with God? Truly, by the way, to whom much is given, of them God requires the more. And they that have Eſtates, and leſs neceſſary Buſineſs in the World, muſt find more Time for the immediate Service and Worſhip of God, than the poor Servant can. But ſtill one thing is neceſſary, and they that have moſt Buſineſs in the World, have Souls to mind as well as others. Some, indeed, have Maſters that do purpoſely allow them time, and ſee that they ſpend it in Reading, and other Duties; and ſome, whoſe Hearts God has inclin'd by Grace, can find time to have their Hearts with God, when their Hands are in the World; and what ſweet and Heavenly Meditations does their Plowing, Sowing, Reaping, and other parts of their Work, afford them? Though they cannot be long at Prayer, they endeavour to be the more fervent in it; they go the more unwillingly from it, and come to it the more chearfully again. When they go into the Fields to their Work, or come back, they have as free a time, as if entered into a Cloſet, and the door ſhut about them. But it is not thus with all; ſome have rough and careleſs Maſters, that hurry them to bed, that they may riſe the ſooner about their Work, and think all time loſt when that is not in hand, and the ſlothful Heart is glad of the Excuſe, to ſilence Conſcience, which elſe would check them, for living without Prayer, and other Duties that they have heard preſs'd upon them: offer them a Catechiſm, they have no time to learn it; others go to an Opportunity for Inſtruction, but they cannot be ſpar'd to go with them. Like Faelix, they put it off to a more convenient time, which yet never comes.
To remedy this ſore Inconvenience, there are theſe Two plain Directions.
1. That they carefully avoid all thoſe things, that unneceſſarily and ſinfully take up their time, and then they will quickly ſind, That want of Time is more a pretended than real Hinderance of the Servant's Duty. To ſpeak plainly to you, How did ſuch and ſuch (whom you know, and perhaps have laugh'd at, as too preciſe) get their knowledge of the things of God? How do they get time for Prayer, and Reading, and Examination of their Hearts? Have not they as hard Places as you, and as much Work on their hands, and better done? Is it not that they redeem and improve the time, that you trifie and ſquander away? Is it not known of ſome of you, That ſome merry Meetings (as they call them) and drunken Bouts, have firſt ſtolen away your Hearts, and then ſteal away your Time? And becauſe you did not, it may be, come reeling home, you think it nothing, that you have waſted the good Creatures of God, and the Time, which he lent you for higher Ends. Oh, how will this bite like an Adder when time ſhall be gone indeed, and the Angel ſhall lift up his hand, and ſwear by him that lives for ever and ever, that time ſhall be no more, and thou mourn at laſt, when thy fleſh and thy body are conſumed, and ſay, How have I hated Inſtruction?— and have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that inſtructed me? Prov. 5.11, 12, 13. Do you think, That this Plea will hold at laſt, when all the Tribes of the Earth ſhall be gathered before their Judge, and you ſtand trembling amongſt the reſt? Shall it ſuffice to ſay, I heard indeed the Calls of Grace, but, Lord, I was a Servant, and had but little time? Will He not ſay, Out of thine own mouth I condemn thee, thou wicked Servant. Thou kneweſt that thou hadſt but a little time, why then didſt thou ſquander it away amongſt thy idle Companions? Why then didſt thou ſit up to ſuch unſeaſonable hours at thy Cards and other Sports? If thou doſt indeed want time, leave off thy Chat, thy idle Stories, that fill up the long Winter Evenings, and other vacant hours, and thou wouldſt have it. Yea, better that thou ſhouldſt work the harder, and ſleep the leſs, that thou mayſt get time for thy Soul, before Sickneſs and Death overtake thee, and thou cry in vain, Call time back again, Oh, call time back again, when it is too late, and thou art lanching into the Ocean of Eternity.
2. That Servants that want time all the Week, do the more dearly prize the Lord's Day, and improve the Seaſons of Grace therein. When by God's Conſent you contracted with your Maſters for your Time, this Day He reſerv'd for his own ſpecial Service. And that Maſters might know, That the Commandment about the Sabbath was for their Servants as well as themſelves, He adds this to the Law in one place— That thy Manſervant and thy Maid-ſervant may reſt as well as thou, Deut. 5.14. This is now the Labourers reſt, and ſee you loſe not a minute of ſo precious a time. Diſpatch your Buſineſs the ſooner the Night before, ſhake off your Worldly Thoughts, and go ſeaſonably to reſt, that you may not lie abed longer on the Lord's Day Morning than at other times. Oh, think not (when you ſay, you want time) to keep a Sabbath in an outward ſlothful reſt, as your Horſes, and other Beaſts do. Meddle with no worldly Buſineſs on this Holy Day, but what is of Neceſſity; and count nothing of neceſſity that hinders the Work of the Day, and may be put off till another time. If you have Maſters that know the Worth of a Sabbath, they'll take care of you eſpecially on this day, not only to keep you from all Buſineſs that is not ſuited to the Day, but to put you upon all Holy Exerciſes therein; and how ſweet is it, to ſee Maſters come to the Publick Aſſemblies furniſhed with their Train, not ſuffering a Servant that can be ſpar'd, to ſtay at home, or lagg behind! And if you have careleſs Maſters, that would have you make your viſits, or go journies on this Day, becauſe they cannot ſpare you on another, rather deny your ſelves the Liberty offer'd you, than be depriv'd of the Dearer Liberty of the Houſe of God: Above all, avoid the prophane Feaſts that yet are kept up in ſome places on the Lord's Day. Let no Buſineſs of your own hinder you (where it may be) from attending Forenoon and Afternoon on the Publick Worſhip, and that with Seriouſneſs and Reverence, as thoſe that know into whoſe Preſence you are come: and beg earneſtly for the Power of the Spirit to accompany the Word to your Souls. Do not think the Sabbath is ended when the Sermon is done. Let no wicked Companions perſwade, That you may find your own pleaſures on this Holy Day, Iſa. 58.13. Remember what an Inlet Sabbath-breaking has been into all Wickedneſs; how many wicked Servants, from cheating their Maſters, have been drawn to other Crimes, and on the Gallows confeſs'd, That neglecting and prophaning the Sabbath was the ſin that expoſed them to thoſe Temptations which brought them thither. Be you a Companion of them that fear the Lord, and if you have none ſuch to confer with about what you have heard, as you go home or when you come there, be the more by your ſelves: double all the Spiritual Duties now, that you have leſs time for on other days. Be ready to give an account of your profiting, if you are ſo happy, as to have Maſters that will examine you; and count not the Day, or the Duties therein, a Wearineſs, but call the Sabbath a Delight. Admire the Kindneſs of God to poor Servants, in appointing a Day on purpoſe for that, which elſe you could hardly have found time for. Look upon it as the Great Thankſgiving-Day, Praiſe him for all his wondrous Works; eſpecially, for your Redemption by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who, when He had finiſhed his Suffering-work, did riſe again from the Dead on the Firſt Day of the Week, and ſet his own Name on that Day; That they that are tyred with their Labours all the Week, may reſt upon it; That the meaneſt of his People may rejoice therein, in hopes of an Everlaſting Sabbath above; where theſe Earthly Relations will ceaſe, and there will be no more Diſtinction of Maſter and Servant; but all ſwallowed up in one Spiritual Relation, to Him, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named, and in one Holy Service of Praiſe and Thankſgiving, to him that ſits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Mayo, A Present for Servants (1693)