materially benefited by tbe services of Onesimus, as Philemon himself would in all probability be in future''.
He then suggests a thought, which must of necessity produce a great effect upon Philemon's mind. Philemon, being himself an eminent servant of Christ, could not but know that God has formed his purposes from all eternity ; and that, if any be converted to the faith of Christ, it is in consequence of God's electing love, who has ordained the time, the means, the manner, and every thing respecting his conversion, from all eternity. Now, says Paul, who can tell ? Perhaps all that Onesimus did, and whereby he so justly provoked thy displea- sure, was, in the counsel of God, ordained to be the means whereby he should be converted to the faith of Christ ; and, though not in his own intention, yet in the intention of an unerring God, " he therefore departed for a season, that thou mightest receive him for ever, not now a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved^?" This would in no respect ex- cuse the wickedness of Onesimus, any more than God's inten- tion to redeem the world would excuse the murderers of the Lord Jesus. Onesimus was a free agent in all that he did : but perhaps God had seen fit to leave him to the wickedness of his own heart, in order that he might thus be brought under the ministry of Paul, and have the grace of God the more abundantly magnified in his conversion, and in the whole of his future life. How effectually would such a thought as this engage a pious mind, like that of Philemon's, to co-operate with God, and to advance to the uttermost the purposes of his
"•race
Lest the recollection of the losses sustained by means of Onesimus should rankle in Philemon's mind, the Apostle fur- ther adds, that whatever Onesimus might owe him, he (Paul) would most gladly undertake to pay ; though he did not much expect that such a demand of pecuniary compensation would be made upon him, by one who owed to him what was of more value than the whole woi'ld, even his own soul^.
Finally, as though he were pleading for his own life, and all his happiness were bound up in the obtaining of this request, he entreats : " If thou count me a partner, (a partaker of the same salvation with thyself,) receive him as myself*^." " Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord ;" for they are all in commotion whilst his acceptance with thee is in suspense ; and nothing but thy compliance with my request can give them rest\
Now the point which I wish to be noticed here, is, not the line of anjximcnt merely, but the delicacy of the sentiment, and
e ver. 11 — 14. f ver. 15, 16. e ver. 18, 19. '> ver. 17.
' ver. 20. Tills is the force of the word avairuvaov.