lent temper, are tempted to make reprisals in a way that is sure to issue in the disgrace if not the defeat of their superiors.

Having said this, we scarce need caution masters against proceeding to further extremities. Chastisements of a corporal nature are rarely to be inflicted, even on young persons who are not arrived to the full use of their reason. But such treatment of grown persons, or a behaviour that at all borders on it, is illiberal to the last degree. The text forbids it, at least by consequence; forbear threatening, that is, use not loud, severe, menacing language to your servants, much less any violence to their persons. And how contrary every thing of this sort is to the genius of the Christian religion, as well as to decency and good sense, I need not take pains to shew. The gospel at once inspires men with a mild and gentle, and with a noble and magnanimous spirit: and the latter is as inimical to a haughty, fierce, tyrannical behaviour towards servants as the former. The man therefore of this complexion, if he calls himself a Christian, gives a lie to his profession; but at the same time rescues it from disgrace, by telling all around him that he is only a pretender to the character he assumes.

But how are servants to be reproved when they do amiss? With gentleness and moderation, if they are of a soft and ingenuous temper, and the fault is of no great consequence: with firmness and asperity, if they are obstinate and unyielding, and the fault is considerable. Reproof should be well timed: never given when we are in a passion, and so incapable of addressing them with calmness and dignity; and always, if possible, when they are in a disposition to listen to our reproofs, and to profit by them. It should not be too frequently repeated, for, if it is, it will lose its effect. The object should be conviction and amendment, not the gratification of resentment. And a reproof well taken should instantly and totally annihilate the fault. an ear-ring of gold, says Solomon, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear a. In short, if people have but a general knowledge of human nature, and a common share of prudence, and if all their view is to make themselves and their servants happy, they need not be at any great loss how to conduct this business; especially if they fear God,

a Prov. xxv. 12.

As

and are rightly instructed in the religion of Jesus.But it is the duty of masters,

5. To commend their servants when they do right, as well as reprove them when they do amiss.

A wish to please is an amiable disposition in all ranks of men, particularly servants. And if from ingenuousness of temper, and a cordial affection for their masters, they make it their business to conform to their will, and are never so happy as when they give them pleasure, it is but right they should receive a recompence in this way. A cheerful smile and an ap→ plauding word will give them spirits, and enliven them in their work. On the contrary, if the heads of families carry themselves always with an air of gloominess and reserve towards their servants, and think it is enough, when things are done to their mind, that they do not find fault; is it to be wondered that their servants' tempers are soured, that they relax in their obedience, and that their work goes on heavily? Would we wish them then to serve us cheerfully, we should, on proper occasions, let them know that we accept such services with pleasureat their hands. On proper occasions, I say; for commendations ill-timed, and too frequently repeated (as we observed before of reproofs) will lose their effect. Indeed, some servants are so perverse, that they are in as much danger of suffering by praise as by censure: the former becomes an occasion of exciting conceit and pertness, the latter of prejudice and ill-will. To such servants, therefore, that applause should be dealt out parsimoniously, which may be bestowed on others with some degree of profusion so that prudence and good-nature are to be equally consulted in the distribution of this benefit.

But indeed it is happy when the tempers of servants and masters will allow of a mutual exchange of cheerful services and cheerful acknowledgements, without any injury to subordination on the one hand, or authority on the other. Where this is the case, we see no blackness or reserve lowering upon the countenances of either superiors or inferiors; our ears are dinned with no loud commands or clamorous replies, no sharp reproofs or confident answers. But, on the contrary, pleasure sits smiling on every brow, and peace, harmony, and joy prevail through the whole house. The master says, Do this, and the servant does

VOL. II.

it: his commands are executed with almost the same ease that they are given, and the commendation in return is, Well done good and faithful servant !—This leads us to speak,

6. And lastly, of the recompence to be made them for their: services. But this, with what follows, we must refer to the

next sermon.

PART II.

IN the preceding sermon, previous to a particular enumeration of the duties required of masters, we have shewn the great importance of their taking every proper measure to secure the Reverence and Affection of their servants. So we have proceeded to consider the duty of masters in reference to-the Civil Affairs of their servants-their Moral Conduct—and their Religious Interests. We have begun with the Civil Affairs of the family. And here we have advised—the regular arrangement of the several businesses of the house-the particularly instructing servants what is to be done, and how it is to be done the not requiring more of them than they are equal to—the reproving them when they do wrong-and the commending them when they do right. To all which we have now to add, 6. And lastly, the making them an adequate recompence for their services.--In this idea I include-Protection-Maintenance-Wages-and Character.

They who serve us have no doubt a right to our Protection. When they enter our house they entrust their persons, their reputation, and in a sense all their interests to our care. Their interests, therefore, we should consider as our own. Every injury done them, especially when incurred by the faithful discharge of their duty, we should look upon as offered to ourselves. Their grievances we should redress, and to the utmost of our power defend them against all the evils to which they are liable. If I did despise, says Job, the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me: what shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him a? They who can be inattentive to the safety, repose, and happiness of their servants, are void of justice and humanity, and not a little defective in policy. Equity demands

a Job xxxi. 13, 14.

that those who defend, assist, and serve us, should enjoy the benefit of our patronage: and common sense teaches, that indifference on our parts towards them will be likely to beget indifference on theirs towards us. Masters are admonished in our text, to do the same things unto their servants, that their servants are required to do unto them. Would we have them then defend our persons, our characters, our habitations, and our property, we should with the like zeal defend theirs; and the rather, as their inferior station renders them in a manner helpless, and therefore the fitter objects of the attention and regard of those who have it in their power to help them.

Maintenance too they have an unquestionable right to. How can they do their duty, if they have not health, strength, and spirits to enable them to do it? And how are these to be acquired, if a seasonable supply of food, raiment, and rest is denied them? These we agree to give them, or to put it in their power to procure, when they enter our service: and to withhold them is equally unjust and foolish. What horrid inhumanity to grudge the necessaries of life to those who prepare for us the conveniencies of it! What wretched avarice to collect wealth from the scanty tables of our domestics! A kind of parsimony this that wants a name for it. A man of spirit would rather suffer any reproach than be upbraided with the meagre countenances of his servants: rather perish in obscurity, than see famine stalking about his house, while he possesses the means of driving the spectre thence. It is not, however, luxury we mean to recommend: that is an extreme as dangerous the other way. No considerate servants will expect to have their tables spread with delicacies: but plain and wholesome food they ought to have, and a plenty of it too, with a hearty welcome.

Wages also they should receive adequate to their services, in a proportion which general consent has established, and rather exceeding the strict demands of justice than otherwise. Masters, says the apostle, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven a. Jacob served Laban faithfully, and with all his might, as he expresses it: yet Laban dealt deceitfully with him, and changed his wages ten times. God, however, suffered not Laban to

a Col. iv. 1.

tentive to this matter.

hurt him: but on the contrary, by an extraordinary interposi tion, took away his wealth from him, and gave it to Jacob; so at once rewarding the servant's integrity, and punishing the master's infidelity a. The law of Moses was particularly at"Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he ery against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee b. A woe is denounced by the prophet Jeremiah on him that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work c.' And the apostle James exposes in the strongest terms the avarice and brutality of those wretched masters, who kept back by fraud the hire of the labourers who reaped down their fields;' telling them that the cries of the oppressed had entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth d.'

There is also one more claim which servants have upon their masters, and that is a proper attestation to their characters, when they quit their service. This is a duty which cannot be denied them, without manifest injustice. If it is a debt we owe to all our acquaintance to bear witness, when called upon, to their good behaviour; servants surely, whose livelihood, whose all depends upon their character, have a most unquestionable right to demand this recompence of us. Nor can there be the least difficulty in rendering them this office, with reference to their moral conduct, if they have acquitted themselves honestly and faithfully in our service. If the reverse is the case, no tenderness for them will justify the affirming an untruth concerning them, and the rather as others may be essentially injured by such mistaken lenity towards them. Truth indeed is to be observed in regard of every other matter respecting them, upon which information is demanded. And if a strict attention were more generally paid to it, many evils in families which originate from the ill-behaviour of servants would be prevented, and greater pains would be taken by this class of people to merit that character, which the humane and good-natured ever wish to have

a Gen. xxxi. 6, 7, 15, 16.

c Jer. xxii. 13.

b Deut. xxiv. 14, 15.

d James v. 1—4.