religious opinions between two individuals, Euodias and Syntyche *, of as much importance as the contentions and schisms in the church of the Corinthians, yet he thought it of sufficient importance to be healed; and anxiously desired to reconcile them to "make them of one mind in the Lord." He knew that disunion is not only unfavourable to the piety of the persons at variance, but that, while it gratifies the enemies, it injures the cause of religion.

But if he gives their due importance to inferior though necessary duties, he draws a still nicer line in regard to matters in themselves indifferent. The eaters of herbs and the eaters of flesh are alike, in his estimation, as to the act; but when the indulgence in the latter becomes a temptation to an undecided believer, then, even this trifling concession was no longer a matter of indifference. It became then a just ground for the exercise of self-denial, which perhaps he was not sorry to have the opportunity of enforcing.

He knew that there were persons who profess to have made a great proficiency in piety, who are not defective in point of cheap attainment, but are defective in the more difficult attainments which involve self-denial; persons who, though very spiritual in their conversation, are somewhat selfish in their habits; who talk

much of faith, and yet decline the smallest sacrifice of ease; who profess to do all for Christ, but do little for his poor members.

He wished to see a high profession always accompanied with a corresponding practice. The Israelites, who were so forward to exclaim, "All that the Lord hath commanded us we will do," went and made them a golden calf.

This

In the mind of our Apostle, all is consistent. He that said, "Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus," said also, Let all things be done decently and in order. Right things must be done in a right manner. simple precept indicates the soberness of Saint Paul's mind. An enthusiast has seldom much dislike to disorderly conduct; on the contrary, he has generally a sovereign contempt for small points, indeed for every thing which does not exclusively tend to advance the one object, whatever that may be, which is nearest his heart.

Saint Paul sometimes appends small objects to great ones, thus increasing their importance by their position. Immediately after giving his exquisite portrait of charity *, he goes at once to recommend and enforce, by powerful illustrations, certain proprieties of behaviour in the public congregations. Knowing the readiness of the world to catch at the slightest irregularity

1 Cor. xiii. and xiv.

in religious professors, he puts them on their guard "not to let their good be evil spoken of;" but wishes that they might acquit themselves unexceptionably as to manner, in things which were already right as to the matter.

From the high duties of Episcopal dignity, he stoops to the concerns of individuals of the most degraded condition. From the most important points of moral action in women, he descends to the very minutiae of their apparel. This indicates how well aware he was, that every appearance of impropriety in personal adornment is an implication of a wrong state of mind. If this seemingly inferior concern was not judged to be beneath the notice of an inspired Apostle, surely it ought not to be unworthy the regard of my fair country-women.

One might have suspected, in the case of Saint Paul, that the heavy load of cares, and sorrows, and persecutions; with the addition of ecclesiastical affairs, the most extensive and the most complicated, might have excused him from attending minutely to an object so inconsiderable, as the concerns of a poor runaway slave, "the son of his bonds."

Yet this once guilty, but now penitent servant, he condescends to make the exclusive subject of a letter to his late master.* This application to Philemon, in behalf of Onesimus,

* Epistle to Philemon.

is a model in its kind; sincere, polite, tenderly affectionate to the convicted offender; strong, yet respectfully kind to his friend. In point of elegance and delicacy, in every excellence of composition, it may vie with any epistle of antiquity; and is certainly far superior, in ingenuity, feeling, warmth, and argument, to the admired letter of Pliny, in recommendation of his friend Arrianus Maturius.

There are people who sometimes forgive the piety of a man, in consideration of his influence, his reputation, his talents, or some other agreeable quality connected with it. Genius is accepted by the world as a sort of atonement for religion, and wit has been known to obtain the forgiveness of the gay, for the strict principles of the grave. Here is a striking instance of two persons, connected by the closest ties of Christian friendship, who acted on other grounds: Philemon was not ashamed of his pious friend Paul, though a prisoner; nor was Paul ashamed of Onesimus, though a servant.

In urging his request on his friend, the Apostle does not adopt the corrupt practice of too many, who, in order to put the person addressed in good humour, preface their petition by flattering him on some point, where, perhaps, he least deserves it. Saint Paul, notwithstanding he would have reprobated such insincerity, yet thought it fair to remind Philemon of his high principles, thus indirectly to furnish him

with a standard to which he expected his friend would act up.

He then proceeds to press his suit, with all the variety of argument and persuasion of which he was so great a master. His earnestness of

entreaty, for so inconsiderable an object, conveys a lesson to ministers and to heads of families, that there is no human being so low as to be beneath their kindness; no offender so great as to be beyond their hope.

He had opened his request with a motive the most calculated to touch the heart of a Christian friend-that he always made mention of him in his prayers. This tender plea he follows up with the affectionate commendation of his Christian virtue, that the friend he was beseeching abounded in love and faith, not only “to the Lord Jesus, but to all saints."

After this soothing address, he urges his claims to the boon he was about to ask; in doing which, though he had been always mindful of the dignity of his apostleship, he chose rather to sink this consideration in the more tender pleas of affection to his friend, and the distressed state of the person for whom he petitioned. "Paul the aged, and a prisoner of Jesus Christ," were touching and powerful motives; but what was likely to penetrate a generous mind was, that the aged and imprisoned Paul, in sending back the penitent servant to his own master, and depriving himself of his