Titus 2

Titus 2:9

Paul urges on Titus a care to instruct servants in the duties of their station ; and represents their great obligations to discharge them, from a general view of the design of the gospel, and the love of our Redeemer in it. Tit. ii. 9, to the end.

TITUS II. 9.

iii. WHILST thou art, according to the direction I have given thee above, instructing the superior ranks of mankind, I would not have thee neglect the lowest ; but [exhort] their slaves and other servants, who are honoured

TITUS II. 9.

EXHORT servants to be obe-

The gospe teaches men to be sober, righteous, and pious;

with a call into the Christian church, to be subject to their own masters, with reverence and obedience; pleasing [them] in all things, so far as they lawfully may, and not answering again, in a pert and insolent manner, if they are reproved by them, even though it should be unjustly, or with an excess of severity. Not privately defrauding them of any thing that is committed to their trust, but shewing all good fidelity upon every occasion; that so, instead of bringing any reproach upon religion, they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, and recommend it to the esteem of their masters and others, when they shall observe its influence on all its professors, to make them careful in the discharge of every social and relative duty.

For the saving grace of God, in the gospel dispensation, hath appeared unto all men, to men of all nations, and of all ranks and orders of life, for this great purpose, that it may train them up for eternal salvation, by a holy temper, and a useful, exemplary behaviour. This it effects under Divine influence, by instructing us all, wherever it comes, that, denying the solicitations of ungodliness and worldly lusts, to which men of this world so naturally abandon themselves, we should live soberly in the government of our appetites and passions; righteously in our conduct towards our fellow creatures; and piously in our behaviour towards God, and converse with him, while we are by his providence continued in this present vain, and transitory world; through which we trust he is leading us to a blissful immortality. And this is the great object which he requires us still to keep in view; and that we should all, in our different situations, be waiting, with ardent expectation and desires, for the blessed hope which he hath set before us, and for the full consummation of it, in the glorious appearance of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus

• Privately defrauding.] The word employed by their masters to vend commodities; and other fraudulent practices among persons of their rank, were so common, that the same word in the Latin language, [For] is used for a servant, an a thief.

And Christ gave himse to redeem us rom in

Christ;ᵇ who shall be manifested with divine pomp and majesty in the last day, to redeem all his servants from the power of the grave and to conduct them in their complete persons, to the full and everlasting enjoyment of his heavenly kingdom.

Such are our sublime hopes from this glorious Lord, to whom we have all vowed subjection, whether we be bond or free; even to him who gave himself up to ignominy, torment, and death, for us, that he might thereby redeem us, not only from final vengeance and destruction, but from the power of all iniquity; and might purify to himself a peculiar people, who should thankfully own themselves his property, and express their gratitude for such inestimable favours, by being not only careful to avoid the practice of evil, but zealous of good works, active in all the duties of life, and in every office of righteousness and goodness to each other. The highest of mankind are not above owning the obligation, and it is his will that the lowest should remember it. These things therefore speak boldly, and earnestly exhort all thine hearers to attend to them. And, if they fail of regarding them in a proper manner, rebuke them with all authority, as one that knows he has a Divine commission to support him: and, upon the whole, let no man despise thee; but endeavour to give these exhortations with that solemnity and dignity, and to enforce them by that wisdom and sanctity of behaviour, which may set thee above all danger of contempt.

IMPROVEMENT.

HARDLY does the word of God afford a more instructive and comprehensive summary of the gospel, than that which is here before us. It gives us a view of the nature of the dispensation, as a doctrine of grace; and, at the same time, a doctrin

ᵇ The great God and our Saviour.] The position between Him and the Father, with the people, is the most important, in support of this interpretation, observes, (Flem. Christol. Vol. I. p. 203,) that we never read in scripture of the Father’s appearance.

Reflections on the apostle’s summary of the gospel.

according to godliness. It hath appeared to all men, and it bringeth them to salvation, by inculcating the most salutary lessons that man can receive. It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, how pressing soever their solicitations may be. It instructs us in all the branches of our duty, to God, to ourselves, and to our fellow Christians. It guides us to uniform and complete goodness; not extolling any one part, to the neglect or injury of the rest, but tending to produce this beautiful birth, entire in all its members, and then to nourish it to its full maturity. As we are slow of heart to attend to such instructions, it enforces them with motives the most generous and the most animating. It represents to us, as it were in prophetic vision, that blessed hope, even the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; when he shall come with everlasting blessings in his hands, to reward all his faithful people; and with the terrors of Divine vengeance, to be poured forth upon all that have rejected the authority of his gospel. And, that the most powerful considerations of gratitude, may join with those of the highest interest, it directs our eyes to this Divine triumphant Saviour, as having once given himself to torture and death for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us to himself, a peculiar people, devoted to God, and zealous of good works. And surely, if this view cannot prevail upon us to consecrate ourselves to God, and to engage with vigour in his service, we must be utterly insensible, and worthy of the severest punishment.

Let these lessons, therefore, every where be taught with all authority. Let them be addressed at once to the meanest and the greatest of mankind; that they may join in a pious care, to adorn the doctrine of such a Saviour, and to secure their share in such a salvation.