HOMILY II.] HOMILIES ON PHILEMON. 551 confidence to us." And not only that, but adding the expression " in Christ," by which he shows that it was not that he was more illustrious in the world, not that he was more powerful, but it was on account of his faith in Christ, then he also adds, " to enjoin thee," and not that only, but " that which is convenient," that is, a reasonable action. And see out of how many things he brings proof for this. Thou doest good to others, he says, and to me, and for Christ s sake, and that the thing is reasonable, and that love giveth, wherefore also he adds, Ver. 9. "Yet for love s sake, I rather beseech thee." As if he had said, I know indeed that I can effect it by commanding with much authority, from things which have already taken place. But because I am very solicitous about this matter, " I beseech thee." He shows both these things at once ; that he has confidence in him, for he commands him ; 1 and that he is exceed ingly concerned about the matter, wherefore he beseeches him. "Being such an one," he says, "as Paul the aged." Strange ! how many things are here to shame him into compliance ! Paul, from the quality of his person, from his age, because he was old, and from what was more just than all, because he was also " a prisoner of Jesus Christ." For who would not receive with open arms a combatant who had been crowned ? Who see ing him bound for Christ s sake, would not have granted him ten thousand favors ? By so many considerations having previously soothed his mind, he has not immediately introduced the name, but defers making so great a request. For you know what are the minds of masters towards slaves that have run away ; and particu larly when they have done this with robbery, even if they have good masters, how their anger is increased. This anger then having taken all these pains to soothe, and having first persuaded him readily to serve him in anything whatever, and having prepared his soul to all obedience, then he introduces his request, and says, "I beseech thee," and with the addition of praises, " formy sonwhom I have begotten in my bonds." Again the chains are mentioned to shame him into compliance, and then the name. For he has not only extinguished his anger, but has caused him to be delighted. For I would not have called him my son, he says, if he were not especially profitable. What I called Timothy, that I call him also. And repeatedly showing his affection, he urges him by the very period of his new birth, " I have begotten him in my bonds," he says, so that on this account also he was worthy to obtain much honor, because he 1 He means that his words would be felt as a command, and were really not less, but more. was begotten in his very conflicts, in his trials in the cause of Christ. "Onesimus," Ver. ii. "Which in time past was to thee unprofitable." See how great is his prudence, how he con fesses the man s faults, and thereby extinguishes his anger. I know, he says, that he was unprof itable. "But now" he will be "profitable to thee and to me." He has not said he will be useful to thee, lest he should contradict it, but he has introduced his own person, that his hopes may seem worthy of credit, "But now," he says, "profitable to thee and to me." For if he was profitable to Paul, who required so great strictness, much more would he be so to his master. Ver. 12. "Whom I have sent again to thee." By this also he has quenched his anger, by de livering him up. For masters are then most en raged, when they are entreated for the absent, so that by this very act he mollified him the more. Ver. 12. "Thou therefore receive him, that is mine own bowels." And again he has not given the bare name, but uses with it a word that might move him, which is more affectionate than son. He has said, " son," he has said, " I have begotten " him, 2 so that it was probable 3 he would love him much, because he begot him in his trials. For it is manifest that we are most inflamed with affection for those children, who have been born to us in dangers which we have escaped, as when the Scripture saith, " Woe, Barochabel ! " 4 and again when Rachel names Benjamin, " the son of my sorrow." (Gen. xxxv. 18.) " Thou therefore," he says, " receive him, that is mine own bowels." He shows the great ness of his affection. He has not said, Take him back, 5 he has not said, Be not angry,6 but " receive him " ; that is, he is worthy not only of pardon, but of honor. Why? Because he is become the son of Paul. Ver. 13. "Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel." Dost thou see after how much previous prepa ration, he has at length brought him honorably before his master, and observe with how much wisdom he has done this. See for how much he makes him answerable, and how much he honors the other. Thou hast found, he says, a way by which thou mayest through him 2 Old Lat. adds, " in my bonds," which the sense requires. 3 B. and Ven. so as to show that he loved him especially." 4 The last Paris edition has a note from Raphelius and Hemster- husius which curiously illustrates the variation of names. This oi>ai3apo\a|3r)* is in Sept. I Sam. iv. 21, ovaiSapxafitaft, Vat. Ouat- X a,3i>fl Alex., Or. Hex. oval ioxa/3i)6, E. V. " Ichabod." " aTToSffcu. 6 Trpo(rAa/3oO.