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Although Titus, according to some, was a bishop, yea, an archbishop, yet St. Paul exhorts him to look upon the instruction of servants as one part of his charge. Exhort servants; the souls of the poorest slaves and servants, for whom the Son of God died, must be of precious account with, and be particularly concerned for, by the highest ambassador of Christ; as all souls had an equal price, so must they have an equal care.
Observe, 1. The general duty which servants are exhorted to, and that is, obedience to their own masters, in all honest and lawful things, whether their masters were pagans or Christians: if pagans, not thinking that their Christianity freed them from their just commands; is Christian masters, not thinking that they had therefore a greater liberty to be saucy with them, or less obedient to them.
Observe, 2. The particular duties here pressed upon servants,
1. Not answering again, not crossing or contradicting what they are commanded, not saucily replying when they are reproved.
2. Not purloining, that is, not stealing the least thing, nor taking any thing that is their master's, which is not allowed by their consent, but showing all conscionable trustiness, and that great fidelity and honesty may be found with them.
Observe, 3. The argument or motive to stir up servants to this conscionable care, and conscientious discharge of their duty: that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; that is, that they may put honour upon Christ and his holy religion, by beautifying their Christian profession by a suitable and becoming conversation.
Learn hence, That it is in the power of the poorest and meanest servant to do much good or much hurt to the Christian religion; some might be ready to say, Alas! what good or hurt, what credit or discredit, can a poor servant do to religion? Much every way: He may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour by his Christian behaviour as a servant; and the name of God and his doctrine may be blasphemed by him, if he be negligent in his duty.
None are so little and so inconsiderable, ends of religion, capable of serving the great ends of religion, capable of doing good service for God on earth, and of being eternally rewarded by God in heaven.