to anger. He rebukes, but His rebukes are A master ought also to be animated by a hearty concern for the welfare of his servants. As they are exhorted to do his work with goodwill, earnestly desiring his prosperity, so he is exhorted to reciprocate the same feeling by earnestly desiring to promote their good. It is not enough that he give them ungrudgingly due maintenance and their stipulated reward. He ought, moreover, to seek to promote their general interests both outwardly and spiritually. He ought to regard them as members of his family, and to treat them accordingly. It is his duty to set before them a good example. They have a right to expect it from him. They should see in him a pattern for their imitation. Expected as they are to be faithful servants to him in all things, they should see an illustration of the fidelity required of them in his daily conduct towards his heavenly Master. If he fail in his duty, how can he look for anything else than that they should fail in their duty to him? If he habitually violate the divine commands, how can he look for anything else than that they should be tempted to violate his commands? Is it to be wondered at that they should walk in his footsteps? And can he reasonably find fault with them if they do? If he addict himself to vice and neglect his duty, is it strange that they should addict themselves to vice and. neglect their duty? If he indulge in intemperance, is it strange that they should indulge in intemperance? If he give himself to profane swearing, is it strange that they should give themselves to profane swearing? If he neglect the worship of God, is it strange that they should neglect the worship of God? If he show himself to be malicious and quarrelsome, is it strange that they should show themselves to be malicious and quarrelsome? If his example is bad, his house is a nursery of vice; and how in that case can he expect it to be blessed? All within the sphere of his influence are strongly tempted to evil, and not a few are likely to fall under its power. The very opposite is due to them. Inasmuch as he has brought them for his benefit into so close relationship with him, and has assumed the position of head over them, he ought to minister good to them instead of evil. How different is likely to be the influence of the master who fears God and honours Him in all his ways! The Divine Presence rests upon his house. Heavenly order and peace reign in it. With what satisfaction may you send your sons or your daughters to serve in it! You are sure that they will be treated justly and kindly. You are sure that they will see no evil there,at least from him who rules in it. You are persuaded that they will see much good, and that it will be their own fault if they do not leave the place better than when they entered it. If you trained them to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, you rejoice to think that under the new roof, where they dwell apart from you, the same God is daily honoured, and the same heavenly counsels are diligently called to mind. In every true believer there is some measure of the spirit of Abraham, of whom the Lord said, "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." In the house also of every truly devout man there is some measure of the heavenly unity and peace which evidently reigned in the abode of the devout centurion Cornelius, of whom we read that "he feared God with all his house, and gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." It is surely a happy thing to belong to the household of such a man as he. He did his duty to all about him; and all masters would do well to follow in his steps. It is the duty of a master to instruct, to correct, and to encourage his servants in regard to their moral and religious conduct, and thus to promote their highest good. If he himself truly fears God, and walks in all His ordinances and commandments blameless, he is in circumstances to discharge this duty consistently and with good effect. Let not his efforts in this direction be disregarded or condemned, on the plea that he has no right to interfere with their moral and religious affairs. The wicked are but too forward to claim for themselves this false liberty. He has no authority, indeed, to exercise dominion over their consciences. But neither has any one on earth. God alone is the Lord of the conscience, and to Him alone are we bound ultimately to bow. It does not follow, however, that He has not committed to others the duty of instructing, correcting, and exhorting. Does a parent or a minister interfere unduly, when he acts thus, with the Christian liberty of those under his charge? If not, neither does a master. Christians generally are put in mind by God in His Word to exhort one another daily. And if that is required of them generally, how much more is it required of a Christian master towards the members of his household ? Did Abraham overstep the limits of his authority when he commanded his children, and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment? Would he have acted his part better if he had let all do as they pleased? Did not God, on account of his conduct in that respect, specially commend him and hold him up as an example to all future generations? Those who are placed under so salutary control, instead of having reason to complain, have much cause for thankfulness; and when they seek to be released from it, they turn their backs upon the gracious provision of God for their welfare. Let it be faithfully upheld and exercised; and while some may rebel to their loss, many will rejoice in the benefits which they have received. will be no burden to any but to the disobedient; others will feel it to be an unspeakable blessing. When God's name is feared in any house, and His law obeyed-when the grace of Christ pervades it, and hallows and sweetens the intercourse of all its members-when a heartfelt interest in one another's welfare animates them from the highest to the humblest,—that house, be it large or small, is elevated far towards the pure and perfect felicity of heaven. It |