and who feeds and clothes us. If in no other way then, let us render Him service at least as 466 our servants render it to us. Do not they order their whole lives to afford rest to their masters, and is it not their work and their life to take care of their concerns? Are they not all day long engaged in their masters’ work, and only a small portion of the evening in their own? But we, on the contrary, are ever engaged in our own affairs, in our Master’s hardly at all, and that too, though He needs not our services, as masters need those of their servants, but those very acts redound to our own benefit. In their case the master is benefited by the ministry of the servant, but in ours the ministry of the servant profits not the Master, but is beneficial on the other hand to the servant. As the Psalmist says, “My goods are nothing unto Thee.” (Ps. xvi. 2.) For say, what advantage is it to God, that I am just, or what injury, that I am unjust? Is not His nature incorruptible, incapable of injury, superior to all suffering? Servants having nothing of their own, all is their masters’, however rich they may be. But we have many things of our own. And it is not merely so great honor,1287 that we enjoy from the King of the universe. What master ever gave his own son for his servant? No one, but all would rather choose to give their servants for their sons. Here on the contrary, “He spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all,” for His enemies who hated Him. Servants, though very hard service is exacted of them, are not impatient; at least, not the well-disposed. But how many times do we utter discontent?1288 The master promises to his servants nothing like what God promises to us; but what? Freedom here, which is often worse than bondage; for it is often embittered by famine beyond slavery itself.1289 Yet this is their greatest boon. But with God there is nothing temporal, nothing mortal; but what? wouldest thou learn? Listen then, He says, “Henceforth I call you not servants. Ye are my friends.” (John xv. 13, 14.) Beloved, let us be ashamed, let us fear. Let us only serve our Master, as our servants serve us. Rather not even1290 the smallest portion of service do we render! Necessity makes them philosophers. They have only food and lodging; but we, possessing much and expecting more, insult our Benefactor with our luxury. If from nothing else, from them at least let us learn the rules of philosophy. The Scripture is wont to send men not even to servants, but to irrational creatures, as when it bids us imitate the bee and the ant. But I advise you but to imitate servants: only so much as they do from fear of their masters, let us do from the fear of God; for I cannot find that you do even this. They receive many insults from fear of 1287 Or, “and it is not without reason that we enjoy so great honor”: and so Old Lat. and Ben. that in the text seems more intelligible. The other might be explained by the sequel. See Rom. viii. 32. 1288 ἀποδυσπετοῦμεν. 1289 The slaves, as he had said before, were wholly provided for by their masters, and so suffer less in a scarcity than if they had been independent. 1290 The negative is added in Colb. and B. The sense requires it. 807 1 Timothy 5:21-23