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PHILEMON i. 17-19.
"If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he
hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine
account; I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: that
I say not to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self
besides."
NO procedure is so apt to gain a hearing, as not to ask for
everything at once. For see after how many praises, after how much
preparation he hath introduced this great matter. After having said
that he is "my son," that he is a partaker of the Gospel, that he
is "my bowels," that thou receivest him back "as a brother," and
"hold him as a brother," then he has added "as myself." And Paul
was not ashamed to do this. For he who was not ashamed to be called
the servant of the faithful, but confesses that he was such, much more
would he not refuse this. But what he says is to this effect. If
thou art of the same mind with me, if thou runnest upon the same
terms, if thou considerest me a friend, receive him as myself.
"If he hath wronged thee at all." See where and when he has
introduced the mention of the injury; last, after having said so many
things in his behalf. For since the loss of money is particularly apt
to annoy men, that he might not accuse him of this, (for it was most
likely that it was spent,) then he brings in this, and says, "If
he hath wronged thee." He does not say, If he has stolen anything;
but what? "If he hath wronged thee." At the same time he both
confessed the offense, and not as if it were the offense of a servant,
but of a friend against a friend, making use of the expression of
"wrong" rather than of theft.
"Put that to mine account," he says, that is, reckon the debt to
me, "I will repay it." Then also with that spiritual pleasantry,
"I Paul write it with mine own hand." At once movingly and
pleasantly; if when Paul did not refuse to execute a bond for him, he
should refuse to receive him! This would both shame Philemon into
compliance, and bring Onesimus out of trouble. "I write it," he
says, "with mine own hand." Nothing is more affectionate than these
"bowels," nothing more earnest, nothing more zealous. See what
great concern he bestows in behalf of one man. "Albeit I do not say
to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides." Then
that it might not appear insulting to him, whom he requests, if he had
not the confidence to ask and obtain in behalf of a theft, he in some
measure relieves this, saying, "That I say not unto thee how thou
owest to me even thine own self besides." Not only thine own things,
but thyself also. And this proceeded from love, and was according to
the rule of friendship, and was a proof of his great confidence. See
how he everywhere provides for both, that he may ask with great
security, and that this may not seem a sign of too little confidence in
him.
Ver. 20. "Yea, brother."
What is, "Yea, brother"? Receive him, he says. For this we
must understand though unexpressed. For dismissing all pleasantry, he
again pursues his former considerations, that is, serious ones. And
yet even these are serious. For the things that proceed from Saints
are of themselves serious, even when they are pleasantry.
"Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord, refresh my
heart in Christ."
That is, thou grantest the favor to the Lord, not to me. "My
heart," that is, toward thyself.
Ver. 21. "Having confidence in thy obedience, I write unto
thee."
What stone would not these things have softened? What wild beast
would not these things have rendered mild, and prepared to receive him
heartily? After having borne witness to him by so many great
testimonies of his goodness, he is not ashamed again to excuse
himself. He says, Not barely requesting it, nor as commanding it,
nor arbitrarily, but "having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto
thee." What he had said at the beginning, "having confidence,"
that he also says here in the sealing up of his letter.
"Knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say."
At the same time in saying this he excited him. For he would have
been ashamed, though for nothing else, if having such credit with him
as this, that he would do more than he said,--he should not do so
much.
Ver. 22. "But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust
that through your prayers I shall be given unto you."
This also was the part of one who was exceedingly confident--or
rather this too was in behalf of Onesimus, that not being
indifferent, but knowing that he upon his return would know the things
relating to him, they might lay aside all remembrance of the wrong,
and might the rather grant the favor. For great was the influence and
the honor of Paul residing among them, of Paul in his age, of Paul
after imprisonment. Again, it is a proof of their love that he says
that they pray; and to attribute to them so much as that they pray for
"him." For although I be now in danger, yet nevertheless you will
see me if ye pray for it.
Ver. 23. "Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus,
saluteth thee."
He was sent by the Colossians, so that from this it appears that
Philemon was also at Colossae. And he calls him his
"fellow-prisoner," showing that he also was in much tribulation, so
that if not on his own account, yet on account of the other, it was
right that he should be heard. For he that is in tribulation, and
overlooks himself, and is concerned for others, deserves to be heard.
And he puts him to shame from another consideration, if his countryman
is a fellow-prisoner with Paul and suffers affliction with him, and
he himself does not grant him a favor in behalf of his own servant.
And he has added, "my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus," instead
of on account of Christ.
Ver. 24. "Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my
fellow-workers."
Why then does he put Luke last? And yet he elsewhere says, "Only
Luke is with me" (2 Tim. iv. 11), and "Demas," he says,
was one of those who "forsook him, having loved the present world."
(2 Tim. iv. 10.) All these things, although they are
mentioned elsewhere, yet nevertheless ought not to be passed over here
without enquiry, nor ought we merely to hear them as things of course.
But how comes he to say that he who forsook him salutes them? For
"Erastus," he says, "abode at Corinth." (2 Tim. iv.
20.) He adds Epaphras, both as known to them, and being of their
country. And Mark, as being himself also an admirable man. Why
then does he number Demas with these? Perhaps it was after this that
he became more remiss, when he saw the dangers multiplied.
But Luke being last became first. And from these indeed he salutes
him, urging him the more to obedience, and calls them his
fellow-laborers, and in this way shames him into granting the
request.
Ver. 25. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your
spirit. Amen."
MORAL. He hath closed his Epistle with a prayer. And indeed
prayer is a great good, salutary, and preservative of our souls. But
it is great when we do things worthy of it, and do not render ourselves
unworthy. And thou too, therefore, when thou goest to the priest,
and he shall say to thee, "The Lord will have mercy on thee, my
son," do not confide in the word only, but add also works. Do acts
worthy of mercy, God will bless thee, my son, if indeed thou doest
things worthy of blessing. He will bless thee, if thou showest mercy
to thy neighbor. For the things which we wish to obtain from God, of
those we ought first to impart to our neighbors. But if we deprive our
neighbors of them, how can we wish to obtain them? "Blessed," He
says, "are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt.
v. 7.) For if men show mercy to such, much more will God, but to
the unmerciful by no means. "For he shall have judgment without mercy
to him that hath showed no mercy." (Jas. ii. 13.)
An excellent thing is mercy! Why then hast thou not done it to
another? Dost thou wish to be pardoned, when thou offendest? why
then dost thou not thyself pardon him who has offended thee? But thou
comest to God, asking of Him the kingdom of heaven, and thou thyself
dost not give money when it is begged of thee. For this cause we do
not obtain mercy, because we do not show mercy. But why? you say.
Is not this also a part of mercy, to show mercy to the unmerciful?
Nay! For he that treated with the greatest kindness the hard-hearted
cruel man, that had done numberless ills to his neighbor, how should
he be merciful? What then, say you? Hath not the Layer saved us,
who had committed infinite evils? It hath delivered us from them, not
that we should commit them again, but that we may not commit them.
For "how shall we," it is said, "that are dead to sin, live any
longer therein"? (Rom. vi. 2.)
"What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law? God
forbid." (v. 15.) For this cause God hath delivered thee from
those sins that thou mightest no more run back to that dishonor. Since
even physicians relieve their feverish patients from their heat, not
that they may abuse their health to their injury and disorder, (since
it would be better to be sick, if one was about to use his health only
that he might confine himself again to his bed,) but having learnt the
evils that arise from sickness, they may no longer fall into the same,
that they may the more securely preserve their health, that they may do
everything that conduces to its preservation.
How then? you say: what is the lovingkindness of God, if He is not
about to save the bad? For oftentimes I hear many talking in this
way, that He is the Friend of man, and will by all means save all.
That we may not therefore vainly deceive ourselves, (for I remember
that I made a promise of this kind to you,) come let us to-day move
this argument. I lately discoursed with you about Hell, and I
deferred my argument upon the lovingkindness of God. It is proper
therefore to-day to resume it. That there will, then, be a hell,
we have, as I think, sufficiently proved, bringing forward the
deluge, and former evils, and arguing that it is not possible that He
who performed these things should leave the men of the present age
unpunished. For if thus He chastised those who sinned before the
Law, He will not let those go unpunished who after grace have
committed greater wickedness. It has been questioned therefore how is
He good? how merciful to man, if at least He punishes? and we have
deferred the argument, that we might not overwhelm your ears with a
multitude of words.
Come, to-day let us discharge the debt, and show how good is God,
even in punishing. For this discourse would be suitable for us in
opposition to the heretics. Let us therefore pay earnest heed to it.
God, standing in no need of anything from us, yet created us. For
that He stood in need of us, is manifest from His having made us
after a long time. For He might have made us long ago, if He had
needed us. For if He Himself was, even without us, and we were
made in later times, He made us, not needing us.
He made the Heaven, the earth, the sea, all things that exist, for
our sake. Tell me, are not these marks of goodness? And many things
one might mention. But to cut short the matter, "He maketh the sun
to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on
the unjust." (Matt. v. 45.) Is not this a mark of goodness?
No, you say. For I said once m conversing with a Marcionite, Are
not these things a mark of goodness? and he answered, If
He did not call men to account for their sins, it were a mark of
goodness. But if He calls them to account, it is not goodness.
That man, however, is not now present. But come, let us repeat
what was then said, and more beside. For I, out of my superfluity,
show that if He did not call men to account, He would not be good;
but because He does call them to account, therefore He is good.
For, say, if He did not call us to account, would human life then
have endured? Should we not then have fallen into the state of
beasts? For if when there is this fear impending over us, and the
giving account, and judgments, we have gone beyond fishes in devouring
one another, we have thrown wolves and lions into the shade in ravaging
one another's possessions; if He did not call us to account, and we
were persuaded of this, with how great tumult and confusion would life
be filled? What would be the fabled labyrinth after this, compared
with the perplexities of the world? Would you not see numberless
indecencies and disorders? For who then would have respected his
father any more? Or who would have spared his mother? Who would have
left unattempted any pleasure, any wickedness? And that the matter is
so, I will endeavor to show you from one house only. How? You who
raise these questions and who have servants; if I could make it
manifest to these, that if they should destroy the family of their
masters, if they should insult their persons, if they should plunder
everything, if they should turn things upside down, if they should
treat them as enemies, they would not threaten them, nor correct
them, nor punish them, nor even grieve them with a word, would this
be any proof of goodness? I maintain that this is the extreme of
cruelty, not only because the wife and children are betrayed by this
unreasonable kindness, but because the slaves themselves are destroyed
before them. For they will be drunkards, wanton, dissolute, and
more irrational than any beasts. Is this, tell me, a proof of
goodness, to trample upon the noble nature of the soul, and to destroy
both themselves and others beside? Seest thou that to call men to
account is a proof of great goodness? But why do I speak of slaves,
who more readily fall into these sins? But let a man have sons, and
let him permit them to do everything they will, and let him not punish
them; will they not be worse than anything? tell me. In the case of
men then, it is a mark of goodness to punish, and of cruelty not to
punish, and is it not so in the case of God? So that because He is
good, therefore He has prepared a hell.
And do you wish that I should speak of another instance of God's
goodness? It is not only this, but that He does not suffer the good
to become bad. For if they were destined to meet with the same
things, they would all be bad. But now this also does not a little
console the good. For hear the Prophet, saying, "The righteous
shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance upon the ungodly, he shall
wash his hands in the blood of the sinner." (Ps. lviii. 10.)
Not rejoicing on account of it, God forbid! but fearing lest he
should suffer the same things, he will render his own life more pure.
This then is a mark of His great care. Yes, you say, but He ought
only to threaten, and not to punish also. But if He does punish,
and still you say it is a matter of threat, and on that account become
more sloth-fill, if it were really but a threat, would you not become
more supine? If the Ninevites had known it was a matter of threat,
they would not have repented, But because they repented, they cause
the threat to stop at words only. Dost thou wish it to be a threat
only? Thou hast the disposal of that matter. Become a better man,
and it stops only at the threat. But if, which be far from thee!
thou despiseth the threat, thou wilt come to the experience of it.
The men before the flood, if they had feared the threat, would not
have experienced the execution of it. And we, if we fear the threat,
shall not expose ourselves to experience the reality. God forbid we
should. And may the merciful God grant that we all henceforth,
having been brought to sound mind, may obtain those unspeakable
blessings. Of which may we all be thought worthy, through the grace
and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the
Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, and
honor, now and for ever and ever. Amen.
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