Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 1 · Section 126
§. 126. Of the meaning of the ſeuenth verſe.
EPHES. 6. 7. With good will doing ſervice as to the Lord and not to men.
IN this verſe the Apoſtle doth yet againe inculcate the forenamed point concerning ſeruants manner of obeying their maſters, and their care therein to approue themſelues to their higheſt maſter: whence obſerue that
Matters needfull and weightie are againe and againe to be preſſed. 16. Obſeru.This is a needfull point, becauſe ſeruants exceedingly faile therein: and a weightie point it is, becauſe all the comfort and benefit of ſeruice conſiſteth in Gods approbation. But the former point is not here meerely and barely repeated, but ſo ſet downe as other good directions are afforded to ſeruants What it is to ſerue with good will.for their manner of obedience.
1. To ſerue with good will, is ſomewhat more then with ſingleneſſe of heart. For it further implieth
1. A readineſſe and cheerefulneſſe in doing a thing; a doing it with a good minde, as the notation of the Greeke word foreign.ſheweth.
2. A deſire and endeuour that their maſters may reape profit and benefit by their ſeruice: whereby they ſhew that they beare a good will, and good minde to their maſters.
In ſetting downe ſeruants duties, the Apoſtle vſeth another word then before in the fift verſe, namely this (doing ſeruice) foreign.wherby he ſheweth that a ſeruants place and dutie is of a more abiect and inferiour kinde then the place and dutie of a childe or a wife: the former word (aforeign. obey) was common to all: this word (bforeign. doing ſeruice) is proper to ſeruants: and the very title of a cforeign.ſeruant, is deriued from thence. Hence note that
Though wiues and children be inferiours as well as ſeruants, yet 17. Obſeru.may not ſeruants looke for ſuch priuiledges as they hauehave. Another manner of ſubiection muſt be performed by ſeruants.
The clauſe annexed (as to the Lord) is in effect the ſame foreign.with that in the 5. verſe (as to Chriſt) for by the Lord he here meaneth The Lord Chriſt. But it is added to meet with a ſecret Obiection. For if ſeruants ſhould ſay, You require us to ſerue Obiect.our maſters with good will, but what if they be hard-hearted and regard not our good will, but peruert our good minde? The Apoſtle Anſw.giueth them this anſwer, Looke not ſo much to men and their reward, as to God and his reward: ſerue men in and for the Lord, euen as if you ſerued God: ſo ſhall not your ſeruice be in vaine. The inference of the eighth verſe vponupon this, ſheweth that this is it which the Apoſtle here intendeth. Learne therefore that
An eie is to be caſt vponupon God euen in thoſe duties which we performe 18. Obſeru.to men: and that both for approbation and reward from God.
The negatiue clauſe which followeth in theſe words (and not to men) is not ſimplie to be taken (for then would it thwart the maine ſcope of the Apoſtle in this place) but comparatiuely in relation to God, and that in two reſpects.
1. That ſeruice be not done only to men.
2. That ſeruice be not done to men in and for themſelues. Seruice muſt be done to God as well as men: yea In that ſeruice 19. Obſeru.which we doe to men, we muſt ſerue God. Men muſt be ſerued for the Lords ſake, becauſe the Lord hath commanded it, becauſe they beare the Lords image, and ſtand in his ſtead: in the Lord, and vnderunder the Lord.
From this large declaration of the manner of doing ſeruice Difference betwixt ſeruants of men, and of Chriſt.to maſters note the difference betwixt ſuch ſeruants as are ſeruants of men, and ſuch as are ſeruants of Chriſt.
1. They doe all to the eie. Theſe all from the heart.
2. They ſeeke to pleaſe men. Theſe doe the will of God.
3. They doe their ſeruice diſcontentedly. Theſe cheerefully.
4. They doe all vponupon ſelfe-louelove. Theſe with good will.