Page:A memoir of Granville Sharp.djvu/104

100 These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil-surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. From such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be there, with content." 1 Tim. vi. 1—8. And again he insists on the same doctrine: "Exhort servants," says he, "to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." Titus ii. 9, 10. These texts are amply sufficient to prove the truth of my learned friend's assertion, so far as it relates to the duty of the slaves themselves, but this absolute submission required of Christian servants, by no means implies the legality of slaveholding on the part of their masters, which he seems to apprehend. The slave violates no precepts of the gospel by his abject condition, provided that the same is involuntary (for if he can be made free, he is expressly commanded by the apostle to use it rather.) But how the master who enforces that involuntary servitude, can be said to act consistently with the Christian profession, is a question of a very different nature, which I propose to examine with all possible care and impartiality, being no otherwise interested in it than as a Christian who esteems both masters and slaves as brethren, and consequently, while he pities the unhappy temporal condition of the latter, is extremely anxious for the eternal welfare of the former. I have already admitted, that Christianity doth not release slaves "from the obligation they were under according to the custom and law of the countries where it was propagated," agreeable to my learned friend's assertion, in