EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. 195 



CHAPTER XIY. 



THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. 



I. The singular correspondency between this epistle anii 

 that to the Colossians has been remarked already. An as- 

 Bciti Dn in the epistle to the Colossians, namely, that " Oncs- 

 imus was one of them," is verified, not by any mention of 

 Colosse, any the most distant intimation concerning the 

 place of Philemon's abode, but singly by stating Onesimus 

 to be Philemon's servant, and by joining in the salutation 

 Philemon with Archippus ; for this Archippas, when we go 

 back to the epistle to the Colossians, 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 case stands 

 thus. Take the epistle to the Colossians alone, and no cir- 

 cumstance is discoverable which makes out the assertion, 

 that Onesimus was " one of them." Take the epistle to 

 Philemon alone, and nothing at all appears concerning the 

 place to which Philemon or his servant Onesimus belonged. 

 For any thing that is said in the epistle, Philemon might 

 as well have been a Thessalonian, a Philippian, or an Ephe- 

 sian, as a Colossian. Put the two epistles together, and the 

 matter is clear. The reader perceives ^junction of circum- 

 tjtances, which ascertains the conclusion at once. Now all 

 that is necessary to be added in this place is, that this cor- 

 respondency 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. 



II. And this coincidence is perfect ; not only in the main 

 article, of showing, by implication, Onesimus to be a Colos- 

 gian, but in many dependent circumstances. 



1. " I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, .... whom I 

 have sent again " Verses 10-12. It appears from the epis- 

 tle to the Colossians, that in truth Onesimus was sent at 

 that time to Colosse : " All my state shall Tychicus declare 



