Philem. 10, 11. / beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds : which in time past ivas to thee unprofitable, but noiv profitable to thee and to me.
THE inspired volume certainly differs in many respects from what we might have expected. We should have supposed, that it would contain only such things as could not be known except by reve- lation. But, behold, here is a letter, written to a single individual, on a subject which might occur at any time or place ; a letter, containing no particular point of doctrine, but simply requesting a master to receive with kindness an offending, but repentant, slave. It should seem strange, I say, that such an epistle should be dictated by inspiration, and be
preserved for the edification of the Church to the end of time. But so it is : and an attentive consideration of its contents will soon convince us, that it is worthy of its Divine Author. We must never forget, that the Word of God is intended to regulate our spirit and conduct in every situation and relation of life : and, in this view, the epistle before us possesses a transcendent excellency : for, though it does not state particularly any of the doctrines of the Gospel, it does shew us in a very impressive manner,
I. The spirit which it breathes, where its influence is complete — " I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds." Let us here mark,
1 . The interest which the Apostle took in the wel- fare of Onesimus —
[Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, who was a person of eminence, perhaps a minister in the Church at Co- losse^ He had fled from his master, having, it should seem, first robbed hira ; and had come, many hundred miles off, to Rome ; where he conceived he should be perfectly out of the reach of his master's inquiries. It happened that at that time Paul was a prisoner at Rome ; yet, though a prisoner, was permitted to see, and to instruct, all who came to him. One- simus, probably from curiosity, went to see and hear this famous servant of Christ; and, through the special grace of God, was converted under his ministi'y. He soon made him- self known to Paul ; and, approving himself a sincere convert to the faith of Christ, ingratiated himself into the favour of the Apostle, who received and loved him as a son. In truth, he was now, in a spiritual sense, his son ; since, by the ministry of the Word, the Apostle, as it is expressed, had " begotten him in his bonds." The Apostle now desired to restore him to the favour and protection of that master whom he had so greatly injured: and for that end he wrote this epistle to Philemon, and sent it by the hands of Onesimus himself: for he judged, that no man can be a true penitent without making restitution to all whom he has wronged, and asking pardon of all whom in any great degree he has offended. He judged this to be necessary, as well for the peace and comfort of Onesimus, as for the honour of God and his Gospel : and therefore, notwith- standing the loss of his kind attentions would be severely felt
^ ver. 1 '2.