enjoyed religious means and privileges. He robbed his master, and with the purloined property made his escape. As it is usual for such criminals to go to some large, populous place, to avoid detection, Onesimus hastened to Rome, the capital of the world.

Thither Paul had arrived a little before, in consequence of his appealing unto Cæsar: and having hired a house, preached the kingdom of God, and received all that 'came in unto him.' As he was the subject of conversation in the city, Onesimus is informed of him ;* and from curiosity, or some other motive-perhaps he had heard his name, or seen his person at his master's house-he goes to the apostle's lodgings, and attends his ministry. Probably Paul preached against thieve ry. However this may be, the word was quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, pier'cing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of 'the thoughts and intents of the heart.' Onesimus is convinced and alarmed: he feels his guilt: and now dreads, not only human, but divine justice. He cannot get rid of his distress; but walks about the city, crying to himself, what must I do to be saved?

At length he resolves to go and open his case to Paul-'He may afford me instruction and relief.'He waits upon him. Sir, I lately heard you preach, and I am one of the characters you described and 'condemned.' What is your name? • Onesimus.' -What are you? 'I was a slave.'-And who was

your master?

'Philemon of Colosse.'-Him I know: -but what, Onesimus, brought you here ?-Onesimus weeps O! I cannot deny it, I cannot conceal it-I 'robbed my master, and fled hither from justice. And ever since I heard that sermon, I can find no rest : my iniquities have taken hold upon me, that I cannot 'look up.-My sin was the most heinous and aggrava'ted--it was a good master I injured! How often did he admonish me! How earnestly did he pray for me.'

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See here what a victory grace obtains over nature. Onesienus goes and confesses himself a thief!-For he was now remote from the scene of action; no person was there to impeach him; and if he had not acknowledged the crime himself, it could never have been known. This was no pleasant task. Nothing could be more irksome to the pride of the human heart. It is as common to cover as to commit sin.Men, such is their injustice and self-love-men wish to appear better in the eyes of their fellow-creatures, than they really are; even better than they know themselves to be. But when the Holy Ghost lays a burden upon the conscience, no diversion can remove it. Divine grace produces self-abasement and a true penitent will not only confess his sin to God, but when called by circumstances, he will own it also to men, to his fellow christians, to ministers. And such a disclosure may sometimes ease the mind of a load of anguish, and teach the person to whom the communication is made how to speak a word in season, and apply the remedy of the gospel. We are therefore commanded to “con"fess our faults one to another, and to pray one for “another, that we may be healed." Be it remembered however that when such a penitent thus acknowledges his sins-he will not do it as if he were relating heroical deeds, or even actions of indifference-he will not like some, speak of his former wickedness with a kind of pleasure, arising from the apprehension that they magnify divine grace, and render his conversion the more marvellous and certain, or at least with a tone and countenance far from expressing deep humiliation, and godly sorrow-no-but he will evidence by his feelings and his manner, "a broken heart and a "contrite spirit, which God will not despise." To returu.

Persuaded of his sincerity, the apostle would have taken Onesimus into his service, had it not looked like detaining what was deemed another man's property. He therefore conscientiously resolves to send him back

to Philemon. And influenced by the same principle, Onesimus wishes to return-but fears the displeasure of his offended master: and is conscious that if he demanded reparation, it would not be in his power to make it. The apostle therefore undertakes to plead his cause, becomes his surety, and sends along with him a letter of recommendation, full of the most per suasive eloquence-and this is the principal subject I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have 'begotten in my bonds which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and tos 'me:'

From hence let us derive the following remarks.

And first, observe the humility, the tenderness, the kindness of the apostle Paul. Great as he was, he exemplifies in his own practice what he recommends in his doctrine to others mind not high things; but 'condescend to men of low estate,' He does not think it beneath him, to attend to the wants and wishes of this poor slave, and to write a whole epistle on his behalf. The more the mind is raised by intelli gence and religion, the less will it be impressed with those adventitious distinctions, which dazzle the multitude: true greatness is always condescending and sympathetic. Am I mistaken? What do I see yonder? Let us all draw near-and blush together. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments: and took a towel, and girded himself: after that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' 'feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So after he had washed their feet, and • had taken his garments, and was set down again, he ⚫ said unto them, know ye what I have done to you? 'Ye call me master, and Lord; and ye say well for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have 'washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye 'should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily I • say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord;

neither he that is sent, greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.' And who does them ?-Some imagine themselves humble, because their condescension has never been put to the trial. Others have proved how very little they resemble our Lord and Saviour, by declining those in stances in which their condescension ought to have ap peared. Alas! how many are there who hide themselves from their own flesh who would think it beneath them to perform personally au office of humanity. and charity for the poor and needy; who would never stoop to write a letter for a menial domestic: who treat their servants no better than brutes--and often not half so well.

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leave his house unato do good as you call that contemptible Did not he who made

But servants should be considered as fellow creatures, and as humble friends. It is a scandal to a christian to suffer a servant to ble to read. Are you not have opportunity? Shall we which God designs to honor? thee in the womb make them ? Has he not endued the low-born child, the beggar, the slave, with a portion of reason and immortality? Are they not the care of his providence? Are they not the purchase of the Saviour's blood? And has he not assured us that 'it is not the will of our Heavenly Father, that one of these little ones should perish ?-Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For he that is called in the Lord being a servant, is the Lord's free man : likewise also, he that is called being free, is Christ's servant. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is nei、 "ther bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

Secondly. Let us learn how impossible it is to hin. der the work of God; or frustrate the purposes of his grace. Whom I have begotten in my bonds. Noth ing comes to pass by chance. What appears to be

chance among men, is nothing less than the providence of God-permitting, appointing, arranging, overrubing all events. 'He doth according to his own will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, 'what doest thou? His council shall stand, and he will 'do all his pleasure.' And what a compilation of occurrences and circumstances sometimes enters into the execution of his design some of them apparently inconsistent with it, others subversive of it—but he grasps( and guides them by an unerring hand: he harmonizes them, and gives them a unity of tendency; they reach their end: none of them are superfluous; none of them could be spared. The very wrath of man praises him, and the remainder of it he restrains.

Can a man stop the rolling tide ? progress, of the sun?

Can he retard the The cause of God is in motion, Nor is this all-he

and will crush every obstacle. makes opposition an advantage: his enemies intend one thing, and he another; and they serve an interest they despise, and labor to repress; their schemes fulfil hist plan; he turns them from their natural currents, into secret channels prepared to receive them, and in which they flow along into the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Paul persecuted in Judea, is driven to Rome. But though he suffers as an evil doer, even unto bonds, 'the word of God is not bound.' In these bonds he did wonders. His sufferings turned out to the furtherance of the gospel. There he wrote many of his epistles. There he re-animated the timid by his example. He filled the capital with the savor of the Redeemer's knowledge. How many were called by his instrumentality, we know not: but we find that his name was known in the palace, and we read of saints even in Caesar's household: and Onesimus ! you will have reason to bless God for ever and ever, for his confinement and imprisonment there!

Do we lay too much stress upon this circumstance?,

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