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ONESIMUS.

CHAP. XII.

Onefimus, the fervant of Philemon-robbed his mafterfled to Rome-there converted through St. Paul's miniftry-returned to his mafter with the Apostle's recommendation-was affectionately received by the Church as a brother and perhaps admitted into the facred miniftry.

WHILE we are confidering the characters of

men, we ought to perceive and admire the glory and perfections of God in his conduct towards them. The government, which He exercises over our fallen race, exhibits an aftonishing view of his love, no lefs than of his power. Such a view is given us in every inftance of the converfion of a finner, which is always to be regarded as an event of peculiar magnitude. Therein we discover the exceeding greatnefs of that grace, which can pardon and fanctify the rebellious; and therefore cafes of this nature, as far as they are made known to us, demand our serious attention.

The perfon, who is here proposed as the subject of our meditations, claims our notice on this ground. The facred volume, indeed, does not contain a large account; but the few circumftances recorded of him, will furnish us with important inftruction. He had been placed in a mean fituation, and his conduct had been infamous; but, the doctrine of the cross having reached his heart with a mighty energy, he became an honourable and useful member both of society and of the Church of God. The holy Angels rejoiced atthe change: may we contemplate it with gratitude

and

nd delight, and prove by our future obedience, that we have obtained the fame mercy!

Onefimus was no more than a common flave, but probably did not feel the hardships, generally attendant on fuch a condition; and he was favoured with op-portunities of gaining religious knowledge and improvement. His mafter Philemon profeffed and adorned the Gofpel, and, it fhould feem, was alfo a faithful preacher: for St. Paul addreffes him as his

dearly beloved and fellow labourer," diftinguished for his "love and faith toward the Lord Jefus and toward all faints," and having a church in his houfe *. The meaneft fervant, in fuch a pious family, doubtless enjoyed peculiar advantages of a fpiritual kind. But no external means can change the heart. Onefimus retained his fituation without any apparent benefit from the prayers, inftructions, admonitions, or exámple of his excellent mafter; and on this account his guilt was more highly aggravated. To continue careless and impenitent, under the conftant obfervation of the efficacious and happy influence of real religion,, manifefts the deepeft depravity; for it implies more than grofs ignorance, an avowed contempt and rejec tion of God and his truth.

O confider, if you are the members of fuch an houthold, as that of Philemon, What improvement are you making of the valuable opportunities afforded: you? Have you not yet to learn the way of righte oufnefs, though you have long been taught? Do you not neglect your fouls, though continually warned of your danger? You are fummoned to the worship of God, both at Church and at home: but do you not ftill remain ftrangers to prayer? What account, then,, fhall you be able to give? Should you die in unbelief, your mafters and parents, whofe exhortations you have defpifed, will witnefs against you and that fitu

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ation, which might have proved an unspeakable blefling, will eventually be your heaviest curfe.

Onefimus was not merely thoughtless, but deftitute of all principles of probity. He betrayed his trust in Philemon's fervice, and then abfconded with the pilfered property. Is the heinoufnefs of dishonesty fufficiently confidered? Are you, to whom the concerns of others are committed, ftrictly attentive to your obligations? Do you hate robbery, even in the smallest degree? And are all your tranfactions fuch, as you could bear to produce to the public view? O remember, there is a God in heaven, who narrowly infpects your private dealings,and will expofe every fraudulent practice, at the day of judgment: Will not this be to your unfpeakable confufion? Determine, then, to fuffer any difficulties, rather than waste or embezzle what is depofited with you. Let "no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, becaufe the Lord is the avenger of all fuch."

From this view of Onefimus's ftate and conduct we fhould have apprehended every thing bad: and had he received the juft recompenfe of his iniquity, or been left to follow, without reftraint, the devices of his own heart, the confequence muft have been fatal. But a different fcene opens upon us; and we turn from the profligacy of the finner, to behold the rich and fovereign grace of our God in Jefus Christ.

Onefimus, having bafely deferted his mafter, probably became a wanderer and a vagabond. In that ftate, under the controlling influence of divine Providence, his fteps were directed to Rome; and there, by fome means or other, he was brought under the miniftry of St. Paul, who, though a prifoner, was permitted to preach the Gospel in his own house. What were Onefimus's motives for attending the Apostle, we know not; but the event was bleffed. The wretched rambler was fuddenly arrefted; an arrow of conviction

*

I Theff. iv. 6.

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from the Lord pierced his heart; he confeffed his guilt, and obtained mercy through that Saviour, of whom he then heard. A total renovation took place within him; in confequence of which, he "renounced the hidden things of difhonefty," and defired to ferve God in righteoufnefs and true holiness. He was more than reformed; he was made "a new creature."? This, faid Paul, is "my fon Onefimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds,"

Here, then, is a ftriking inftance, and undeniable proof, of the extenfiveness and power of that grace, which God has exhibited in the Gofpel. He can fave thofe, whofe cafes in our view appear defperate. He can pardon the most aggravated fins, and wash away ftains of the deepeft die. He can turn the most obdurate rebel into a faithful fubject. Accumulated offences, and confirmed habits of wickedness, are no obftruction to the exercise of his mercy and the efficacious influence of his Spirit, towards thofe, whom He is pleafed to vifit with his falvation. On this ground, we may be encouraged to entertain a pleafing hope for others, and to offer importunate fupplications for ourselves.

Some are difpofed to afk, Why does the Lord permit the objects of his choice to proceed fo far and continue fo long in their evil courfes? Why does he not prevent the mischief, which they bring upon themfelves and their connections? But instead of giving way to curious enquiries and prefumptuous cavillings concerning his difpenfations, we fhould rather bow before him with unfeigned humility, and confefs that we have no right to queftion his proceedings. Many of his reafons, probably, are concealed from us; but that part of his conduct, which he has fubmitted to our view, demands our admiration, love, and praise; and even when his appointments appear to us ftrange and unaccountable, we fhould reft affured, that He doeth all things well, and wait for an explanation till the last day.

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We grant that He fuffers men, for whom he has "thoughts of peace and not of evil," to gratify their own perverfe defires, and make a daring progrefs in wickednefs. Thus he takes occafion to humble them more effectually, after they have given full proof of their depravity by their atrocious conduct. He exhibits in a more confpicuous light the fovereignty of his mercy, while he convinces them by a view of their own experience, that they deserve to perifh, even as others, and that they are indebted to his Almighty grace for any falutary change produced. It is ob fervable, too, that perfons of this defcription, when they have embraced the Gofpel, generally poffefs a ftronger and livelier fenfe of the value of redemption, and their obligations to the Saviour, than thofe who have not run into the fame irregularities. They feel the more fervent love, as being more deeply impreffed with the perfuafion, that they have much forgiven *.. Are there not evident marks of the divine wisdom. and goodness in this procedure? We confefs, that the fubject involves difficulties, which we pretend not to explain; and we caution our readers to fufpect their own reafonings and conclufions, which are not exprefsly warranted by the fcriptures. While we maintain and rejoice in the full liberty of the Gospel, let us beware of abufing it to the purposes of licentioufnefs. "Where fin abounded, grace did much more abound.—What shall we fay then? Shall we continue in fin, that grace may abound? God forbid +." We reject fuch an inference with abhorrence.

It is the high prerogative of Him, "who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will," to bring good out of evil, and to glorify himself even by the difobedience of his creatures: yet this does not in any measure palliate their guilt. The wickedness of Jofeph's brethren, in confpiring against him and felling him into Egypt, was eventually the means of great

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