ANNOTATIONS UPON THE Epistle to the HEBREWES. (Book Hebrews)
CHAP. I.* 1.1
THe diversity of the stile and inscription of this Epistle, and manner of reasoning, makes some doubt of the writer thereof; and also some thing in the Epistle, shewes it was not written by Paul, as in the beginning of the second Chapter. The doctrine of salvation was confirmed to us by them that heard it after it was first spoken by the Lord himselfe, which seemes to agree with the profession of Luke in the beginning of his Gospell. An ancient Greek Co∣py (whereof Beza speakes) leaves out the name of Paul in the Title; and also divers Printed Bookes. Hierome in Catalogo Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum, after he hath recited all the Epistles of Paul, at length he commeth to this Epistle: but the Epistle (saith he) which is called unto the Hebrewes, is not thought to be his, for the difference of stile and speech, but either writen by Barnabas as Tertullian saith, or Luke as some thinke, or Clement.
But I have in my Treatise of Divinity, proved this Epistle to be canonicall, written in Greek, and probably to be Pauls also.
This Epistle is as it were the Harmony, both of the Old and New Testament; it shewes how Christ was prefigured in the one, and exhibited in the other. It is the onely key to the types of the ceremoniall Law, which hold forth the Priest-hood of Christ.
The Apostle writes to the Hebrews, not to fall away from Christianity to Judaisme, for the persecutions which the Jewes their natives brought upon them, which is the full scope of this Epistle.* 1.2
The Apostles maine scope in this Epistle to the Hebrewes, is to set forth the nature, and exalt the excellency of Christs Priest-hood.
Vers. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in times past unto the Fa∣thers by the Prophets, &c.] The excellency of the Gospell above the Law is set down in