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Exercitatio II. Of the Penman of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Knowledge of the Penman of any part of Scripture not necessary. Some of them utterly concealed. The Word of God gives Authority unto them that deliver it, not the contra∣ry. Prophets in things wherein they are not actually inspired, subject to mistake. St. Paul the Writer of this Epistle. The haesitation of Origen. Heads of Evidence. Ʋncertain∣ty of them who assign any other Author. St. Luke not the Writer of it, Nor Barna∣bas. The Epistle under his name Counterfeit. His Writing of this Epistle by sundry Reasons disproved. Not Apollos. Nor Clemens. Nor Tertullian. Objections against St. Pauls being the Penman. Dissimilitude of Style. Admitted by the Antients. Answer of Origen, rejected. Of Clemens, Hierom, &c. rejected likewise. St. Paul in what sense 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. His Eloquence and Skill. Causes of the difference in Style, between this and other Epistles. Coincidence of Expressions in it and them. The Epistle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Answer of Hierom; Rejected. Of Theodoret. Of Chrysostome. Prejudice of the Jews against St. Paul. Not the Cause of the Forbe••rance of his Name. The true Rea∣son thereof. The Hebrews Church State not Changed. Faith Evangelical educed from Old Testament Principles and Testimonies. Th••se pressed on the Hebrews, not meer Apo∣stolical Authority. Haesitation of the Latin Church about this Epistle; answered. Other Exceptions from the Epistle it self; removed. Arguments to prove St. Paul to be the Writer of it. Testimony of St. Peter, 2 Epist. 3. v. 15, 16. Considerations upon that Testimony. The second Epistle of St. Peter Written to the same Persons with the First. The First Written unto the Hebrews in their Dispersion. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 what. S. Paul wrote an Epistle unto the same Persons to whom St. Peter wrote. That, this Epistle. Not that to the Galathians. Not one lost. The Long-suffering of God, how declared to be salva∣tion in this Epistle. The Wisdom ascribed unto St. Paul in the Writing of this Epistle wherein it appears. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of it. Weight of this Testimony. The suitableness of this Epistle unto those of the same Author. Who competent Judges hereof. What re∣quired thereunto. Testimony of the first Churches; or Catholick Tradition. Evidences from this Epistle its self. The general Argument and Scope. Method. Way of Arguing. All the same with St. Pauls other Epistles. Skill in Judaical Learning, Traditions and Customs. Proper to St. Paul. His Bonds and Sufferings. His Companion Timo∣thy. His Sign and Token subscribed.
SECOND DISSERTATION.
[§ 1] THE Divine Authority of the Epistle being vindicated, it is of no great Mo∣ment to enquire scrupulously after its Penman. Writings that proceed from Divine Inspiration, receive no addition of Authority from the Reputation or Esteem of them by whom they were written. And this the Holy Ghost hath sufficiently manifested, by shutting up the Names of many of them from the know∣ledge of the Church in all Ages. The Close of the Pentateuch hath an uncertain Pen∣man, unless we shall suppose with some of the Jews that it was written by Moses after his Death. Divers of the Psalms have their Penmen concealed, as also have the whole Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Ruth, Esther, Job; and the Chronicles are but guessed at. Had any prejudice unto their Authority ensued, this had not been. For those whose Authors are known, they were not esteemed to be given by Prophesie, because they were Prophets; but they were known to be Prophets by the Word which they delivered. For if the Word Delivered or Written by any of the Prophets, was to be esteemed Sacred, or Divine, because delivered or Written by such Persons as were known to be Prophets, then it must be because they were some other way known so to be, and Divinely Inspired, as by Working of Miracles, or that they were in their