Titus 2:9

Ver. 9. "Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, and to please them well in all things." Dost thou see what he has previously said, "that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you." He therefore is deserving of condemnation, who under pretense of continence separates wives from their husbands, and he who under any other pretext takes away servants from their masters. This is not "speech that cannot be condemned," but it gives great handle to the unbelieving, and opens the mouths of all against us. "Not answering again." Ver. 10. "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." Thus he has well said in another place, "Doing service as to the Lord, and not to men." For if thou servest thy master with good will, yet the occasion of this service proceeds from thy fear, and he who with so great fear renders Him service, shall receive the greater reward. For if he restrain not his hand, or his unruly tongue, how shall the Gentile admire the doctrine that is among us? But if they see their slave, who has been taught the philosophy of Christ, displaying more self-command than their own philosophers, and serving with all meekness and good will, he will in every way admire the power of the Gospel. For the Greeks judge not of doctrines by the doctrine itself, but they make the life and conduct the test of the doctrines. Let women therefore and servants be their instructors by their conversation. "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." When therefore it is seen that the power of religion, imposing a restraint upon a class naturally so self-willed, has rendered them singularly well behaved and gentle, their masters, however unreasonable they may be, will form a high opinion of our doctrines. For it is manifest, that having previously infixed in their souls a fear of the Resurrection, of the Judgment, and of all those things which we are taught by our philosophy to expect after death, they have been able to resist wickedness, having in their souls a settled principle to counterbalance the pleasures of sin. So that it is not by chance or without reason, that Paul shows so much consideration for this class of men: since the more wicked they are, the more admirable is the power of that preaching which reforms them. For we then most admire a physician, when he restores to a healthy and sane state one who was despaired of, whom nothing benefited, who was unable to command his unreasonable desires, and wallowed in them. And observe what he most requires of them; the qualities which contribute most to their masters' ease. "Not answering again, not purloining"; that is, to show all good will in matters intrusted to them, to be particularly faithful in their masters' concerns, and obedient to their commands.