master*. This application to Philemon, in behalf of Onesimus, is a model in its kind; sincere, polite, tenderly affectionate to the convicted offender; strong, yet respectfully kind to his friend. In point of elegance and delicacy, in every excellence of composition, it may vie with any epistle of antiquity; and is certainly far superior, in ingenuity, feeling, warmth, and argument, to the admired letter of Pliny, in recommendation of his friend Arrianus Maturius.

There are people who sometimes forgive the piety of a man, in consideration of his influence, his reputation, his talents, or some other agreeable quality connected with it. Genius is accepted by the world as a sort of atonement for religion, and wit has been known to obtain the forgiveness of the gay, for the strict principles of the grave. Here is a striking instance of two persons, con

* Epistle to Philemon,

nected

nected by the closest ties of Christian friendship, who acted on other grounds: Philemon was not ashamed of his pious friend Paul, though a prisoner; nor was Paul ashamed of Onesimus, though a

servant.

In urging his request on his friend, the apostle does not adopt the corrupt practice of too many, who, in order to put the person addressed in good humour, preface their petition by flattering him on some point, where, perhaps, he least deserves it. Paul, notwithstanding he would have reprobated such insincerity, yet thought it fair to remind Philemon of his high principles, thus indirectly to furnish him with a standard to which he expected his friend would act up.

He then proceeds to press his suit, with all the variety of argument and persuasion of which he was so great a master. His earnestness of intreaty, for

so inconsiderable an object, conveys a lesson to ministers and to heads of families, that there is no human being so low as to be beneath their kindness; no offender so great as to be beyond their hope.

He had opened his request with a motive the most calculated to touch the heart of a Christian friend — that he always made mention of him in his prayers. This tender plea he follows up with the affectionate commendation of his Christian virtue, that the friend he was be seeching abounded in love and faith, not only "to the Lord Jesus, but to all

"saints."

After this soothing address, he urges his claims to the boon he was about to ask; in doing which, though he had been always mindful of the dignity of his Apostleship, he chose rather to sink this consideration in the more tender

pleas

pleas of affection to his friend, and the distressed state of the person for whom he petitioned. "Paul the aged, and a

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prisoner of Jesus Christ," were touching and powerful motives: but what was likely to penetrate a generous mind was, that the aged and imprisoned Paul, in sending back the penitent servant to his own master, and depriving himself of his attendance, was at once performing an act of justice and of self-denial. He would not detain him from his rightful owner, though he was so great a comfort to himself in his forlorn confinement. It was also a fine occasion of pressing on Onesimus, that the return to his duty would be the surest evidence of his conversion.

Thus anxiously for an offending slave, does he seek to touch every spring of pity in the heart of his friend. Who would imagine that the man, who thus labours the cause of so obscure an individual,

K 2

dual, had the superintendance of all the Christian churches in the world?

But, with Paul, rectitude is always the prevailing principle. His zeal for his convert never makes him lose sight of the duty of restitution. Destitute, and a prisoner himself, he offers to make good the loss which Philemon might have sustained by his servant's misconduct. He candidly reminds him, however, how much the spiritual obligations of Philemon (his convert also) exceeded in value the debt due to him from Onesimus; though he refuses to avail himself of the plea. Thy servant perhaps owes thee a paltry sum of money-thou owest me thine own self.

With his characteristic disinterestedness, he not only thus pathetically pleads for him who was to receive the good, but for him who was to do it; as if he had said-Give me ground to rejoice in this evidence