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was begun to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to him by them who heard Christ: that is, the glad tidings of the great salvation given to Paul by Christ, were confirmed to him by the preaching of the apostles. Now, so far is this from being unsuitable to Paul's character as an apostle, that in his other acknowledged epistles, he often appealed to the testimony of the eye-witnesses in confirmation of things made known to himself by revelation. For example, Acts xiii. 30, 31. 1 Cor. xv. 5, 6, 7, 8. 2 Tim. ii. 2.—In like manner, Peter appealed to the testimony of the other apostles, 1 Epist. i. 12. Which things have been reported to you by them who have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. So also Jude appealed to the testimony of his brethren apostles in confirmation of the things which he wrote in his epistle. See ver. 17.

What hath been advanced under the foregoing heads, must, I think, convince impartial readers, that the want of Paul's name in the epistle to the Hebrews, the elegance of its style, and the passages which are said to be unsuitable to the character of an apostle, afford no presumption that it was not written by him. Wherefore, if there is positive evidence that the epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul, it ought to be received as his, notwithstanding some modern commentators, justly esteemed for their learning, have affected to doubt of it.

III. It therefore remains to propose the arguments, by which St. Paul is proved to be the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews.

1. The first is; the most ancient and by far the most universal tradition of the church, hath constantly ascribed this epistle to the apostle Paul.-But of this enough hath been said in the first article of the present section, to which the reader is referred.

2. The second argument is; if an author's method of handling his subjects, together with his manner of reasoning, are sure marks by which he may be distinguished, as all good judges of composition allow, we shall without hesitation pronounce Paul the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews. For therein we find that overflowing of sentiment briefly expressed, which distinguisheth Paul from all other writers.-Therein also are abrupt transitions from the subject in hand to something subordinate, but at the same time connected with it, which having pursued for a little while, the writer returns to his subject, and illustrates it by arguments of great force, couched, sometimes in a

short expression, and sometimes in a single word, all which are peculiar to Paul.-In this epistle likewise, contrary to the practice of other writers, but in Paul's manner, we meet with many elliptical expressions which are to be supplied, either from the foregoing, or from the following clauses. In it also, as in Paul's acknowledged epistles, we find reasonings addressed to the thoughts of the reader, and answers to objections not proposed, because being obvious, the writer knew they would naturally occur, and therefore needed to be removed. Lastly, after Paul's manner, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, hath subjoined to his reasonings many exhortations to piety and virtue : All which, to persons who are judges of writing, plainly point out the apostle Paul as the author of this epistle.

3. In the epistle to the Hebrews there are many sentiments and expressions which Paul hath used in the epistles acknowledged to be his-For example, Heb. i. 2. Heir of all things, and ver. 3. an image of his substance, are parallel to Col. i. 15. The image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.-Heb. ii. 7. Thou hast made him for a little while less than angels, Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, and hast set him over the works of thy hands are sentiments parallel to Philip. ii. 8. Being in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even the death of the cross. 9. And therefore God hath exceedingly exalted him, and hath bestowed on him a name which is above every name. 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, &c. See also Ephes. i. 20, 21, 22. What is said Heb. v. 12, about milk as food for babes, but strong meat for full grown men, we have, 1 Cor. iii. 2. Milk I gave you and not meat, for ye were not then able to receive it.— Heb. viii. 1. Who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens: And chap. xii. 2. Sat down at the right hand of the throne of God; are expressions similar to Ephes. i. 20. And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.—Heb. x. 1. The law containing a shadow of good things to come: is the same with Col. ii. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come.— Heb. x. 33. Ye were made a spectacle both by afflictions and reproaches. 1 Cor. iv. 9. We are made a spectacle to the world.— Heb. xiii. 16. But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased: is similar to Philip. iv. 18. where Paul, after thanking the Philippians for having communicated to his necessities, calls that good work, A smell of a sweet savour, a sacrifice acceptable, and weil pleasing to God.

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The writer of this epistle, chap. x. 30. quoting Deut. xxxii. 35. addeth the words, saith the Lord, which are neither in the Hebrew nor the LXX. just as Paul hath done in two of his citations from the Old Testament, Rom. xiv. 11. 2 Cor. vi. 17. -Heb. xiii. 18. The writer of this epistle saith, We are fully persuaded we have a good conscience. The same declaration Paul made before the council, Acts. xxiii. 1. and before Felix, Acts xxiv. 16. and to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. i. 12.—Heb. xii. 14. Follow peace with all men.-Rom. xii. 18. Live peaceably with all men.-Heb. xiii. 20. God is called, The God of peace. This title is given to God no where but in Paul's writings, Rom. xv. 33. xvi. 20. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Philip. iv. 9. 1 Thess. v. 23. 2 Thess. iii. 16. The Lord of peace.-Heb. xii. 1, 2, 3. 12. There is a beautiful allusion to the athletic exercises, to which there are many similar allusions in Paul's other epistles.—This remarkable coincidence of sentiments and expressions in the epistle to the Hebrews, with the sentiments and expressions in Paul's acknowledged epistles, is no small presumption that this epistle is of his writing also.

4. In the epistle to the Hebrews there are interpretations of some passages of the Jewish scriptures, which may properly be called Paul's, because they are to be found only in his writings. For example, Psal. ii. 7. My Son thou art to day I have begotten thee; is applied to Jesus, Heb. i. 5. just as Paul, in his discourse to the Jews in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, applied the same passage of scripture to him; Acts xiii. 33.-In like manner, the explication of Psal. viii. 4, and of Psal. cx. 1, given by Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 25. 27. is found, Heb. ii. 7, 8.-So also the explication of the covenant with Abraham given, Heb. vi. 14. 18. is no where found but in Paul's epistle to the Galatians, chap. iii. 8, 9. 14. 18.

5. There are, in the epistle to the Hebrews, doctrines which none of the inspired writers have mentioned, except Paul.-In particular, the doctrines of the mediation and intercession of Christ, explained Heb. iv. 15, 16. vii. 22. 25. are no where found in the books of the New Testament, except in Paul's epistles, Rom. viii. 34. Gal. iii. 19, 20.-The title of Mediator, which is given to Jesus, Heb. vii. 22. viii. 6. ix. 15. xii. 24, is no where applied to Jesus, except in Paul's epistles, 1 Tim. ii. 5.-In like manner, none of the inspired writers excèpt Paul, Heb. viii. 1.-4. have informed us that Christ offered the sacri

fice of himself in heaven. And that he did not exercise his priestly office on earth, but only in heaven.

6. In the epistle to the Hebrews, we find such enlarged views of the divine dispensations respecting religion; such an extensive knowledge of the Jewish scriptures, according to their ancient and true interpretation, which Paul, no doubt, learned from the celebrated doctors under whose tuition he studied in his younger years at Jerusalem; such a deep insight also into the most recondite meanings of these scriptures, and such admirable reasonings founded thereon for the confirmation of the gospel revelation, as, without disparagement to the other apostles, seem to have exceeded, not their natural abilities and education only, but even that degree of inspiration with which they were endowed. None of them but Paul, who was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and who profited in the Jewish religion and learning above many of his fellow-students, and who, in his riper years, was intimately acquainted with the learned men of his own nation, Acts ix. 1, 2. 14. xxvi. 4, 5. and who was called to the apostleship by Christ himself, when for that purpose he appeared to him from heayen, nay, who was caught up by Christ into the third heaven, was equal to the subjects treated of in this most admirable epistle.

Before the controversy concerning the author of the epistle to the Hebrews is dismissed, it may be proper to mention the argument by which Grotius hath endeavoured to prove that it was written by Luke, or at least was translated by him into Greek from the apostle's Hebrew autograph. His argument is this; There are in the epistle to the Hebrews, some Greek words used in a sense which they have not in Paul's other epistles, but which are found in that sense in Luke's writings. Now, allowing this to be true, Grotius's conclusion by no means follows. For every one knows, that the use of a few words in an unusual sense, doth not constitute what is called a writer's style. Besides, Hallet hath shewed, that there are also in the epistle to the Hebrews, words used in an uncommon sense, which are not found in Luke's writings, but which Paul in his other epistles hath used in that sense. Wherefore, if in the former case it is argued that Paul was not the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, it may, in the latter case, be argued with equal reason, that Luke was neither the author nor the translator of that epistle. The truth is, as Hallet observes, "There is nothing in the 66 argument either way. And if the argument had not been of

"fered by so great a man as Grotius, it would not have been "worth considering."

Upon the whole, let any one who hath impartially weighed the arguments on the one side and on the other in this important question, say, whether the facts and circumstances above set forth, do not, in a very convincing manner, shew that the tradition preserved in the church from the beginning, concerning Paul's being the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, is well founded: And whether the church hath not rightly received that epistle into the canon of scripture, as an inspired writing of the great apostle of the Gentiles?

SECTION II.

Of the Persons to whom the Epistle to the Hebrews was sent : Of the Purpose for which it was written: And of the Language in which it was originally composed.

I. Clement of Alexandria, Jerome, Euthalius, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact, and others, were of opinion that the epistle to the Hebrews was sent to the Jews living in Judea, who, in the apostle's days were called Hebrews, to distinguish them from the Jews in the Gentile countries, who were called Hellenists or Grecians, Acts vi. 1. ix. 29. xi. 20. In that opinion these ancient authors were well founded, because, as Lardner observes, this letter appears to have been written to persons dwelling in one place, Heb. xiii. 19. 23, 24. namely to the inhabitants of Judea; and to those of them especially who lived in Jerusalem. For there only the Levitical worship, which is so accurately examined in this epistle, was performed: And there the chief priests, elders and scribes resided, who were best qualified to explain and defend that worship: Best qualified also to judge of the meaning of the ancient oracles quoted in this learned letter, and to determine whether the author's reasonings therein were just, and his doctrines true. Accordingly, this epistle was not directed, like the epistle of James, To the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion; nor like Peter's first epistle, To the sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, &c. But it begins without any address at all; so that not the believing Jews only, but those of the nation who had not believed the gospel, were invited to read and consider it, whether they resided in Jerusalem or elsewhere.

In confirmation of the supposition, that the epistle to the Hebrews was written to the people of Judea, Lardner, canon, vol.

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