...himself before Philemon ! " Being such an one as Paul the aged !'' How affecting his gentle argument ! " For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever !" Observe the exquisite touch of this "perhaps," the kindness and the tenderness of the hint, as if...

...stretched forward into eternity. But while the christian master was to receive his christian servant ' for ever ;' ' not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved ;' christian sen-ants were not to 'despise' their 'believing masters,' ' because they were brethren.'...

...liberty, and which makes one do a thing against his will, as Philem. 14, it is opposed to willingly ; " That thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly." «"'«"«;>"«>•.«<"• And, "Feed the flock of God," &c., " not by constraint, but willingly,"...

...thee : nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of thee." Onesimus may serve Philemon, and yet " not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved '." While they " of the household of Caesar," not less nor more esteemed, from the comparative superiority...

...in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel; but without thy mind would I do nothing, that thy benefit should not be as it...receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant—a brother beloved, especially to me, bujt how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and...

...careful not to offend. of the gospel : but without or cven aeem to dictate to a Jmster^ thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it...were of necessity, but willingly. " For perhaps he ,. __. ,». * ji, The apostle, having converted thereforedepartedforaseason, thia runaway a]avC) relniud8...

...was determined that Philemon's compliance should flow from his own bounty: " Without thy mind " would I do nothing, that thy benefit should not be as it " were of necessity, but willingly : " trusting nevertheless to his gratitude and attachment for the performance of all that he requested,...

...Christ Jesus. St. Paul calls Onesimus a brother of Philemon, though, temporally, he was his slave. " Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, hut how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord" (v. 10) ? They were brethren in the...

...Christ Jesus. St. Paul calls Onesimus a brother of Philemon, though, temporally, he was his slave. " Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specialty- to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord" (v. IG)? They were...

...fugitive servant, sends him back to his master with a request that he might be favorably received — " Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved." But this expressive language, when viewed in connection with the whole epistle, seems to imply no more...