their bodies, which are God's;" and therefore it is an abominable sacrilege, that those bodies which are capable of being the "temple of the Holy Ghost," should be esteemed the mere chattels and private property of mercenary planters and merchants, merely for the sake of a little worldly gain!
But slaveholders may perhaps allege that believing masters are mentioned as "faithful and beloved," in one of the texts which I have cited, arid are also expressly accounted as "partakers of the benefit," (see 1 Tim. vi. 2,) so that, from thence, they may perhaps infer, that slave keeping is not inconsistent with their Christian profession.
But these expressions are included in that part of the apostle's charge to Timothy, which relates merely to the instruction of servants, so that there is no room to suppose, that any reference was intended to the practice of the masters by way of justification.—The meaning therefore can amount to no more than this, viz:. that as it is the duty of servants to "count their own masters"—even those that are unbelievers—"worthy of all honor,[1] that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed," so the same reason obliges them, more especially, to count their believing masters "worthy of all lawful honor," because of their Christian profession, which renders them accepted of God. For common charity obliges us, as Christians, to suppose that all men, who believe and hold the same professions as ourselves, are "faithful and beloved," as well as "partakers of the benefit" of Christ's redemption, because belief is the true means of leading and disposing men to acquire such happiness; and though many other necessary Christian qualities may seem wanting in our believing brethren, yet we must not presume to condemn them; God alone being their judge: and, for this reason also, Christian servants must not condemn and despise their believing masters, (though they know themselves equal in dignity as brethren, and that it is, consequently, their masters duty to
- ↑ Apparently meaning, "all honor" which is not inconsistent with their duty to God.
