Vere. 7, 8.-Tit~ himself a patU1'ft of good works. As a faithful minister of God he wu to mirror forth in his life and teaching the doctrines of the gospel. ' I. T&E lllINTSTER OUGHT TO BE A PATTERN OF GOOD WORKS. 1. Hia teaching is usele• 11nless it ~ enj<Yr~ by the_~ of a holy example. There must be a harmony be~we~n his <loctnne a?d his life. 2. Good w,_n·ks are the natural proofs of good pri~ples, and can only issue f~m the fountain ol a purified heart. The very princi pies a~ t&:,~ed bJ: t_he ~reacher:s hfe. . 3. Ifui whole life i,s to be a11 ensample. "In all thmgs. Thi~ 1mphes consistency ID toil, endurance, and teaching. II. 'fHE MINISTER HUST BE A PATTERN BOTH IN THK SUBSTANCE AND IN TBE SPinl1 oF ms TEACHING. Teaching is his special sphere. 1. It must be imparted in a riqltt spirit. "In doctrine showing uncorruptness and 11:ravity." (1) He must exhibit· an example of per:sonal s~ncerity, not like one either seeking for applause or influenced by mterested mot1ves-:-lik(' the false teachers who were in quest of filthy lucre. Sincerity has a very p~netrat1ve force among a people. (2) He must have a dignified gravity of manner, to md1cate his profound seriousness of purpose and spirit. Foolish jesting and vain talking are very inconvenient in a minister of the gospel. 2. The doctrine imparted must be sound and CO'n:uincing. "Sound speech, that cannot be condemned." (1) It must be wholesome doctrine, as contrasted with a sickly pietism; free from error, because drawn from "the sincere milk of the Word," conveyed not in the "enticina words of man's wisdom," but as the Holy Ghost teachetb. (2) It must have convincing power. "That cannot be condemned." (a) Ministers must expect their words to be sharply criticized as well as tb~ir lives. (b) The truth ought to be conveyed in such a spirit and with such a regard to the analogy of faith that it cannot be justly found fault with. (c) It must effectually silence gamsayers. "That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no bad thing to say of us." Whether the adversary be a false teacher or a pagan, the sound speech ought to reJuce him to ahame and silence. -T.O. Vers. 9, 10.-The duties of servants. The class of servants, or rather slaves, had received a wonderful elevation through the gospel • They were an oppressed class, and may have been tempted to imagine that their religious emancipation would necessarily change their relations to their old masters. Thus we account for the large body of practical counsel that is addr"ssed by the apostle to this class of believers. I. THE DUTIES OF SERV.ANTS, 1. Obedience. "Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters." This was a manifest obligation which the gospel did not annul, It may have been a bard duty, but the gospel supplied grace for the faithful discharge of it. It mattered not whether the master was a Christian or a pagan; the gospel did not destroy bis cl&ims to obedient service. But the obedience was necessarily limited by the Divine Law, for a servant could not sin at a master's command. He must in that case willingly suffer the consequences of disobedience. 2. .A cheerful, compliance with a master's will. "And to please them well in all things; not answering again." It de11otes that temper which anticipates a master's pleasure, rather than the disposition to thwart it by sullen and capricious ways. Thus they would be doing the will of God and servina the common Master of all, Jesus Christ, who gave them an example of meek- ness :nd submission. 3. Honesty and fideUty. "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity." Many slaves in ~ncient times were entrusted with the property of t~eir masters, as merchants, physicians, and artists. Thus they had many ways of sbowmg their honesty. It was in their power to defraud them by embezzlement, or to waste the property, or to allow it to be wasted without check or rebuke. Servants were to have family interests at heart, and they were thus to commend themselves to the love and confidence of their masters. 11. THE DESIGN OR MOTIVE OF THIS FAITHFUL AND READY OBEDIENOE, "That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." L 'l'he Saviour is as fully gwrified in the ,ervant as in the ma,ter, in the poor as in the rich, in the peasau t as i11 the king. Indeed, the a;lornment of the gospel seems more manifest in the obedience of the lowest class; for of the other classes specified it was only said "that God's Name might not be blasphemed." Calvin says God deigns to receive adornment even from Ill.aves. 2. The Lord lift, the ,lave ovt of his meom, conditions when he seats him on equal conditions of bleasin& and honour at the same holy table. 3. The •]J6Ctacle o/ GB, II, 1-16,] THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. 33
chee1ful and self-denying obediencti on the part of this dass would haw lffl MTesting influence upon an age of sd.f-wue and cynicism, 8Uch 88 that which influenc,id thl' world at that time.-T. O.