ks to the hand of her mistress, so are our eyes directed to
Thee."--That is, servants and maidens should perform with humility
and care what the master or the mistress requires. This is the will
of God, and therefore it should cheerfully be done. Of this you may
be certain and assured, that it pleases God and is acceptable to Him,
when you do this in faith. Wherefore, since these are the best works
which you can do, you are not to run far after others. What your
master or mistress commands you, that God Himself has commanded you.
It is not a human command, although it is made by man. So that you
are not to scruple as to the master you have, be he good or bad,
kind, or irritable and froward; but think thus, let the master be as
he will, I will serve him, and do it to honor God, since He requires
it of me, and since my Master, Christ, became a servant for my sake.

This is the true doctrine which is ever to be urged, which now, alas!
is buried in silence and is lost. But no one regards it except those
who are Christians, for the Gospel preaches only to those who receive
it. Wherefore, if you will be a child of God, purpose in your heart
to render such service as Christ Himself bids you. As also St. Paul
teaches, in Eph. vi., "Ye servants, be obedient to your masters that
are upon earth, as to the Lord Christ; not with eye-service only, as
men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ; that ye obey from the heart,
for God's sake, with cheerfulness." Consider that ye serve the Lord,
and not man. So, also, he says, in Col. iii., "For ye serve the Lord
Christ." Ah! if the popes, monks and nuns were in such a state as
this, how would they thank God and rejoice! For none of them can say,
God has commanded me to celebrate mass, sing matins, pray the seven
times, and the like,--for Scripture does not contain a word on the
subject; so that if they are asked whether they are confident and
assured that their state pleases God, then they say, No! But if you
ask a little maid-servant why she scours the key or milks the cow,
she can say, I know that the thing I do pleases God, for I have God's
word and commandment. This is a great blessing, and a precious
treasure of which no one is worthy. A prince should thank God for it,
if he might do the same. It is true, he can do in his state what God
requires,--namely, punish the wicked. But when, and how rarely, does
it happen that he can discharge such a duty aright! But in this state
it is all so