Philem. 7. We have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother,
IN no epistle that was ever written was contained, I apprehend, a greater measure of address and skill than in this. The Apostle had a deep knowledge of the human heart, and an exquisite sensibility within his own bosom ; so that, whilst speaking with the utmost simplicity of mind, he touched the feelings of his friend with a delicacy that no rules of art could ever have supplied. It is thought by many, that to express approbation of a person when soliciting a favour, is to flatter, to cajole, to bribe him ; and that to praise him to his face, under any circumstances, is unworthy adulation. That the offering of praise in an extravagant way is inexpedient and disgusting, I readily acknowledge : but to applaud what is good in a man, in order to encourage him in the prosecu- tion of his way, is nothing more than what equity demands, and what a knowledge of the human heart will fully approve. Accordingly, we find that the Apostle Paul was ever ready, in all his epistles, to commend the virtues of his converts, as far as the occasion called for such acknowledgments, and truth would sanction them. To the Christians at Rome he says, " I am persuaded of you, my brethren, that
ye are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonisli one another^" To those at Corinth he writes, " I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge ; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you : so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ \" In like manner, to the Thessalonians he says, " We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ ^" It is in the same strain that he addresses " his beloved fellow-labourer," Phile- mon, in the words before us ; which will naturally lead me to shew you,
I. The proper office of love —
Love ought to be exercised towards every child of man ; yea, even to our enemies : but it is due in a more especial manner to " the saints ;" as St. Paul has said : " As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men ; especially unto them that are of the household of faith '^." Nor is this preference to be shewn upon any party-principle : it is founded upon strong, substantial grounds : it is actually due to them ;
1. Because they are more dear to God than others —
[From all eternity were they " chosen of God," and " predestinated to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace ^." In due season he calls them by his grace ^, and, " by the incorruptible seed of his words," " begets them again unto a lively hope^:" so that they are sons, and consequently " heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ\" Shall not this, then, give them a priority in our esteem ? When brought into such a state as this, shall they
a Rom. XV. 14. ^ 1 Cor. i. 4 — 7. •= 1 Thess. i. 2, 3.
'1 Gal. vi. 10. «= Eph. i. 4 — 6. f Rom. viii. 30.
H 1 Pet. i. 23. •' 1 Pet. i. 3. ' Rom. viii. 16, 17.