Ver. 16.-<Jhristianity not permanently compatible with slavery aa an instit-•1,tion. I. IT FOLLOWS FROM THE 0ONBIDERATION OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERHOOD that, although it finds many slaves, yet it shall gradually raise them to a state of freedom. It trees their souls at once. 'l'hey become "the Lord's freemen" (1 Cor. vii. 22), and the body cannot o.lwa.ys remain hound when the soul is free. Thus, though it does not cut down the tree (of slavery), it severs the roots, and a state of slavery cannot therefore permanently flourish among Christians. II. THIS IS ALSO THE TEACHING OF HISTORY. It was an age of slavery in which this Epistle was written. Europe and Asia were occupied by an immense population of slaves, far outnumbering the free persons. In the province of Attica alone there were four hundred thousand slaves and only thirty-one thousand freemen. In Corinth there were four hundred and sixty thousand slaves. It was not uncommon in Rome (where the apostle was at the time of writing) for one rich man to possess as many as ten or even twenty thousand slaves. They cultivated the fields; they monopolized all the trades. It was an age of slavery. Into this state of society the gospel 0f Christ came. It did not, indeed, propose to break the bonds of all slaves, and reach the king- dom of God through social convulsion and much bloodshed. Its propagators did not preach a servile revolt. III. IT PROPOSED NOT A TEMPORaL BUT A SPIRITUAL FREEDOM TO ITS FOLLOWERS. ll recognized a.II alike a.s immortal beings. There was one Church for all, whether bond or free; and the same sacraments in which all should participate. Other forms or religion had treated the slave as a chattel; this a.lone regarded him as a man. It raised into activity the moral powers of his nature. He had been managed by the fear of punishment merely. But the gospel spoke to him of moral differences in conduct- of right and wrong; it a.woke in his soul an inspiring hope. It predicted a day oi judgment, in which the difference between a good and evil life should have the most momentous consequences to each individual. Thus it transformed the slave altogether. He began to look before and after; to raise his thoughts, his hopes, and his voice to heaven; and to understand what was the "liberty wherewith Christ had made him [though a slave] free" (Gal. v. 1), even "the glorioUB liberty of the children of God" (Rom. viii, 21). IV. To THE MASTER ALSO THE VERY BAME ENDS WERE PROPOSED. He, too, was to run the same Christian course with his slave, guided by tht• same principles, helped by the so.me hopes, and constrained by the same sanctions. A similar object soon pro- duced a similarity of ch1uo.cter; and a similarity of (Christian) character brought about 'l Ill•: J-:l'l::STLE 'l'O PlllLEMON. (1-25
symp"thy of feeling. In the rising tide o~ Christian fellowship the worst hardships of •la\"(,ry ~rnlt.ed e.~•ay, even _long before it was formally abolished. It became nn anachrnmsm, a relic of a ve.mshed and gone-by condition of thino-s. Y. AND AB IT W:'S IN THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE GOSPEL, S~ IT RAS BEEN BIN0E. T~e_re bn..-e heen p!lnods when c!rcumslances he.d brought a.bout partial revivals of the s! mt of sln,·ery._ But the workmg of ~he principles of the gospel have proved irrecon- 1
c1IRbll' Re e,·er With slavery, and has either brought it to an end or cast it out. Take for example, the civil war in America. '
Ver. 16.-'l'M brotherhood of all <Jhmtians. Onesimus, before his conversion to the faith, was the servant of Philemon; and afterwards, though he did not cease to be his servant, yet he became something more, viz. his brother in Christ Jesus. We may learn from this- I. ToAT THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE DIFFERENCE OP BAN1[8 AND CONDITIONS, NOR REGARD THEM AB UNLAWFUL. 'l'he Apostle Paul instructs mast.e1·s how to behave towards servacts, and servants towards masters (Eph. vi. 6, 9); governors how to conduct themselves towards the governed (Rom. xii. 8), and the governed towards their superiors; and thereby acknowledges each state as lawful. II. YET THESE DIFFERENCES ARE AOOIDENTAL, AND CONSISTENT WITH AN ESSENTIAL EQtJALITY OF ALL CHRIH'ITANS. The gospel considers all Christians (as they are in the sight of God) without reference to their rank and station, their wealth or poverty and classes them on moral considerations alone. "The poor man bath the Word or' God offered unto him, read unto him, and preached unto him as well as the rich; he hath the sacraments of God provided for him as well as for them that are of high place; lie may pray unto God as freely, as comfortably, as cheerfully, as the great men of the earth; and he bath a gracious promise to be heard and respected as well as they. Tho~h thou farest hardly and meanly at home, yet God bath prepared thee a feast, and biddeth thee to his table richly furnished and plentifully stored with all provision. 'Though thou do not get up and down in silks and velvets, and hast no gorgeous attire to put on, yet God hath provided thee a better garmeni-he giveth thee his own Son to put on, and clotheth thee with his righteousness" (W. Attersoll). UL The consideration that their servants and inferiors in station have an equal portion in Christ and in the means of salvation ought to be an instruction to those highly placed in this world to SHOW MILDNESS AND CONSIDERATION, PATIKN0E, AND EVEN HEl<:KNESS TO THEIB INFERIORS AND SERV il"l'S. Their advantages are great; they ought not to abuse those advantages by treating unfairly those who are oommitted to their charge (Jas. v. 3, 4). IV. THE RESPONSIBILITY OP THE RICH MAN FOR THE POOR. The higher his rank above others, the more humble and UDassumiog should be be ; for his obligationa also are great: " For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" ( Luke xii. 48). His authority, his influence, his example, must needs produce good or evil effects on others, and for these he will be held responsible in the judgment.