present day, interpose his authority to prevent the marriage of his slave. Whereever toleration exists, though unaccompanied with any positive encouragement, it is the duty of the servant to avail himself of it, and to remember that marriage is honourable in all, in the lowest as well as in the highest of God's rational creatures upon earth; but that fornication should not even be named, with any approval, much less be practised among

them.

And as for those, whatever be their complexion or condition, who have hitherto disregarded the religious obligation of marriage, and, with the connivance of an evil world, have lived in an unhallowed intercourse with their partners, avoiding every tie, whether civil or religious, which may give permanency to the connexion, let the words of the apostle sound fearfully in their ears, whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Assuredly

6 Heb. xiii. 4.

7. Heb. xiii. 4.

G

God will judge those, who left to their own free will, and without any of the restraints arising from servitude to an earthly master, persevere in a conduct opposed to his known commands.

Far be it from me to alarm any one needlessly with the judgments of the Almighty, or to interpret the language of Scripture in a sense more terrifying than the words literally express; but I read in the book of inspiration, and you also, my brethren, may read, that whoremongers shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.$ :

• Rev. xxi. 8.

123

LECTURE V.

GIVING UNTO SERVANTS THAT WHICH IS JUST AND EQUAL.

(Preached at the Cathedral, Barbados, April 15, 1832.)

COL. iv. 1.

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that also have a master in heaven.

ye

THE precepts of the religion of our divine Master are distinguished from the instruction conveyed by heathen moralists, not so much by the specific nature of the duties enjoined, as by the authority on which they rest, and the motives revealed to enforce the observance of them. heathen' might argue well on the reasonableness and propriety of giving to our servants that which is just and equal;

1

Seneca, Epist. 47. Cic. Off. 1. i. c. 13.

The

and he might subjoin the additional, and more cogent reason, arising from the best interests of the master being involved in the merciful treatment of the slave, and from the great body of civilized society being joint sufferers with the sufferings of even its weakest members. The Christian teacher will adduce the same, or similar arguments in support of the prescribed rule of conduct for the master, but he will make them all subordinate to the command of God. From his sovereign will there can be no appeal to inferior and merely worldly motives.

It is thus the apostle Paul, when calling on Christian masters to be just to their servants, urges not merely the secu lar evils resulting from the neglect of this duty, for he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done, 2 but he bids them remember that they also have a master in heaven. As they judge, so shall they be judged; as

Col. iii. 25.

3 Matt. vii. 1.

3

I have lately directed your tenisa D certain practices nocaly and reigom wrong, which have been allover up vail in this and in the Best

in the West Luces

tures for my gude, mi mindeze

and expediency, I have enter burzi h urge the discontinuance of

which is opposed as the

God. Whether the fence le scar breaking, or inpure and iratten soncubinage, or whiciding he was of he from the people, and canining then spiritual darkness and the sa death, I have attempted to mov tat such practices are a direct ozon v God's commands, and that they must be accompanied with his dagieasure

Resting still on the authority of the Scriptures, I propose in the present estars

* Lake vi 32