maker. The most delicate touches and finest strokes of the brush must be finished in before the picture is completed. The smallest fibres of the root must strike into the soil and be supplied with moisture before the stately oak rears itself from the sapling. Without self-control, and a desire to make others happy, the Christian is nothing; and these are the very duties which are enjoined upon servants. "Servants be obedient to your own masters"-here is self-control. "Please them well in all things”— here is the exercise of the desire to make others happy. These are the little and apparently insignificant duties from which great results will follow.

Obedience to masters is inculcated, in the strongest possible terms, in Holy Writ;—to all masters, however unreasonable, and in all cases, sin only excepted. This is enjoined for the Lord's sake

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, for this is thankworthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving

us an example that we should follow His steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him who judgeth righteously."* And obedience is no less desirable for your own sakes. Nothing so much trains and disciplines the character for future honor, as a course of strict and self-denying obedience. What an example of the benefit of self-denying obedience was Joseph !-so faithful and devoted as to resist a temptation of the most subtle and alluring kind. He suffered severely, but his long-tried obedience to God was rewarded by his advancement to be lord over all Egypt.

Servants are always commanded to please their masters well in all things. Servants may contribute incalculably to the happiness of masters, because their opportunities are so constant and so various. What a beautiful instance of this earnest desire for the happiness of the household in which she served, was the little maid of Israel, who was carried captive by the Syrians, and waited upon Naaman's wife! Torn from her parents and her happy home, far from her native glen, separated

* 1 Peter ii., 18-23.

from her kindred and from the house of her God, she yet thinks of her heathen master's suffering, and earnestly desires his restoration and his welfare! And how great and abundant was her reward! Christian servants, you too may be the means of leading a thoughtless master to the knowledge of Christ; and even, if influence over the parent is denied you, how much is in your power with reference to the children of a household, who are so often entrusted to your care!

IV. Let me entreat you to consider THE

TEMPTATIONS TO BE AVOIDED.

"Not answering again," not cavilling, and objecting, and hesitating at what you are told to do; not neglecting your work, not repining at it, not putting it off upon others. Giving way to this temptation may appear to you a light thing, but God notices it—it is sin against God.

"Not purloining”—i. e., setting apart any portion of your master's property for yourselves, "but shewing all good fidelity." There is a great temptation to servants to give way to this practice of purloining, especially in large households; but the habit is not only injurious to masters, but imminently dangerous to yourselves. God's eye sees

you, and you provoke Him to anger, while you tempt Satan to tempt you. Judas began by purloining, and he ended by being accessory to the murder of his Master, and by hanging himself. What a noble example, on the other hand, of "all good fidelity" was Eliezer of Damascus, Abraham's servant, to whom we have already alluded in this discourse! What earnest hearty pains to secure his master's interest and happiness in the journey to Mesopotamia, and that, remember, though the birth and existence of Isaac was the crowning deathblow to all his own prospects of self-aggrandisement. The Spirit of God has honored his fidelity by devoting a whole chapter, the twenty-fourth of Genesis, to the imperishable record of his prayerful, selfrenouncing, heartfelt faithfulness!

Let me entreat you, in conclusion, to observe

I. That to be good servants to man, you must be true servants to our Lord Jesus Christ. The only motive set before you by the apostle in our text, and the only practically sufficient motive is, that you may "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour." I have endeavoured to shew you how much you owe in this world to the Lord Jesus, but how much more for eternity! For your sakes, He took

upon Him the form of a servant-for your sakes, He washed His disciples' feet-for your sakes, He endured and died. Without Him, you perish.

II. Remember also that to be happy servants to man, you must give yourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this enlisting under His banner, and enrolling yourselves in His service alone which puts honor upon your condition. Unless you know that you are serving Christ, you may be tempted to discontent and despondency; but if you feel that you are doing His will and fulfilling His desire who did every thing for you, every service will be light and sweet, and the otherwise heavy yoke will be made easy and pleasant.

III. Lastly, look to and pray for the Holy Spirit to teach, sanctify, comfort, and bless you. Remember that God's eye is over you, and that if you seek and serve Him, though you should be unrequited by man, He who seeth in secret will reward you openly. Remember, also, that you cannot be unobserved by those around you, and that, however you may be apparently disregarded, you cannot but exercise an influence for good or for evil upon others. Your temper, your words, your actions will all be noticed by, and have their effect upon, the children of your employers, and upon your fellow-servants. Your