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CHAP. XIV.

THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON.

THE

No. I.

HE fingular correfpondency between this epistle and that to the Coloffians has been remarked already. An affertion in the epiftle to the Coloffians, viz. that "One"fimus was one of them," is verified by the epistle to Philemon; and is verified, not by any mention of Coloffe, any the most distant intimation concerning the place of Philemon's abode, but fingly by stating Onefimus to be Philemon's fervant, and by joining in the falutation Philemon with Archippus; for this Archippus, when we go back to the epiftle to the Coloffians, appears to have been an inhabitant of that city, and, as it should seem, to have held an office of authority in that church. The cafe ftands thus. Take the epistle to the Coloffians alone, and no circumftance is difcoverable which makes out the affertion, that Onefimus was

"one of them." Take the epistle to Philemon alone, and nothing at all appears concerning the place to which Philemon or his fervant Onefimus belonged. For any thing that is faid in the epiftle, Philemon might have been a Theffalonian, a Philippian, or an Ephefian, as well as a Coloffian. Put the two epiftles together and the matter is clear. The reader perceives a junction of circumftances, which ascertains the conclufion at once. Now, all that is neceffary to be added in this place is, that this correfpondency evinces the genuineness of one epistle, as well as of the other. It is like comparing the two parts of a cloven tally. Coincidence proves the authenticity of both.

No. II.

And this coincidence is perfect; not only in the main article of fhowing, by implication, Onefimus to be a Coloffian, but in many dependant circumstances.

1. "I beseech thee for 66 my fon Onefimus, "whom I have fent again" (ver. 10-12). It appears from the epiftle to the Coloffians,

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that, in truth, Onefimus was fent at that time to Coloffe: "All my state shall Ty"chicus declare, whom I have fent unto "you for the fame purpose, with Onefimus, a faithful and beloved brother." Colof. chap. iv ver. 7-9.

2. "I beseech thee for my fon Onefimus, " whom I have begotten in my bonds" (ver. 10). It appears from the preceding quotation, that Onesimus was with St. Paul when he wrote the epiftle to the Coloffians; and that he wrote that epistle in imprisonment is evident from his declaration in the fourth chapter and third verfe; "Praying alfo for us, that God would open unto us a door "of utterance, to speak the mystery of "Chrift, for which I am alfo in bonds."

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St. Paul bids Philemon prepare for 3. him a lodging: "For I truft," fays he, “that, "through your prayers, I fhall be given "unto-you." This agrees with the expectation of speedy deliverance, which he expreffed in another epiftle written during the fame imprisonment: "Him" (Timothy) "I hope to fend presently, so foon as "I fhall fee how it will go with me; but I

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truft in the Lord that I alfo myself shall comé "Shortly." Phil. chap. ii ver. 23, 24.

4. As the letter to Philemon, and that to the Coloffians, were written at the fame. time, and sent by the fame meffenger, the one to a particular inhabitant, the other to the church of Coloffe, it may be expected that the fame, or nearly the fame, perfons would be about St. Paul, and join with him, as was the practice, in the falutations of the epiftle. Accordingly we find the names of Ariftarcus, Marcus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas, in both epiftles. Timothy, who is joined with St. Paul in the fuperfcription of the epiftle to the Coloffians, is joined with him in this. Tychicus did not falute Philemon, because he accompanied the epiftle to Coloffe, and would undoubtedly there fee him. Yet the reader of the epiftle to Philemon will remark one confiderable diverfity in the catalogue of faluting friends, and which fhows that the catalogue was not copied from that to the Coloffians. In the epistle to the Coloffians, Ariftarcus is called by St. Paul his fellow-prifoner, Colof. chap. iv. ver. 10.; in the epiftle to Philemon, ArifBb 2

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tarchus is mentioned without any addition, and the title of fellow-prifoner is given to Epaphras*.

And let it also be observed, that notwithstanding the clofe and circumftantial agreement between the two epiftles, this is not the cafe of an opening left in a genuine writing, which an impoftor is induced to fill up; nor of a reference to fome writing not extant, which sets a fophift at work to fupply the loss, in like manner as, because St. Paul was fuppofed, Colof. chap. iv. ver. 16, to allude to an epistle written by him to the Laodiceans, fome perfon has from thence taken the hint of uttering a forgery under that title. The prefent, I fay, is not that cafe; for Philemon's name is not mentioned in the epiftle to the Coloffians; Onefimus' fervile condition is no where hinted at, any

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* Dr. Benfon obferves, and perhaps truly, that the appellation of fellow-prisoner, as applied by St. Paul to Epaphras, did not imply that they were imprisoned together at the time; any more than your calling a perfon your fellow-traveller, imports that you are then upon your travels. If he had, upon any former occasion, travelled with you, you might afterwards speak of him under that title. It is juft fo with the term fellow-prifoner.

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