(3.) His way of argument in this and his other epistles is the same. Now this, as we shall see, is sublime and mystical, accommodated rather to the spiritual reason of believers than the artificial rules of philosophers. That he should more abound with testimonies and quotations out of the scriptures of the Old Testament in this than other epistles, as he doth, the matter whereof he treats and the per- sons to whom he wrote did necessarily require.
SECT. 27.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 91
(4.) Many things in this Epistle evidently manifest that he who wrote it was not only “mighty in the Scriptures,” but also exceedingly well versed and skilful in the customs, practices, opinions, traditions, expositions and applications of Scripture, then received in the Judai- cal church, as we shall fully manifest in our progress. Now, who in those days, among the disciples of Christ, could this be but Paul? for as he was brought up under one of the best and most famous of their masters in those days, and “ profited in the knowledge” of their then present religion “above his equals,” so for want of this kind of learning, the Jews esteemed the chief of the other apostles, Peter and John, to be zdiots and unlearned. (5.) Sundry particulars towards and in the close of the Epistle openly proclaim Paul to have been the writer of it; as,—[1.] The men- tion that he makes of his “ bonds,’ and the “compassion” that the Hebrews showed towards him in his sufferings and whilst he was a prisoner, chap. x. 34. Now, as the “bonds” of Paul were afterwards famous at Rome, Phil. i. 13, so there was not any thing of greater notoriety, in reference to the church of God in those days, than those that he suffered in Judea, which he minds them of in this expres- sion. With what earnest endeavours, what rage and tumult, the rulers and body of the people sought his destruction, how publicly and with what solemnity his cause was sundry times heard and de- bated, with the time of his imprisonment that ensued, are all de- clared in the Acts at large. Now, no man can imagine but that, whilst this great champion of their profession was so publicly plead- ing their cause, and exposed to so much danger and hazard there- by, all the believers of those parts were exceedingly solicitous about his condition (as they had been about Peter’s in the like case), and gave him all the assistance and encouragement that they were able. This “ compassion” of theirs, and his own “ bonds,” as an evidence of his faith and their mutual love in the gospel, he now minds them of. Of no other person but Paul have we any ground to conjecture that this might be spoken. And yet the suffering and compassion here mentioned seem not to have been “things done inacorner.” So that this one circumstance is able, of itself, to enervate all the excep- tions that are made use of against his being esteemed the author of this Epistle. [2.] The mention of Paul’s dear and constant compa- nion Timothy is of the same importance, chap. xii. 23. That Timothy was at Rome with Paul in his bonds is expressly asserted, Phil. 1. 13, 14, ii. 19-24. That he himself was also cast into prison with Paul is here intimated, his release being expressed. Now, surely it is _searcely credible that any other should, in Italy, where Paul then
was, and newly released out of prison, write unto the churches of the _ Hebrews, and therein make mention of his own bonds and the bonds of Timothy, a man unknown unto them but by the means of Paul, and
92 SUBSIDIARY NOTE.
not once intimate any thing about Ais condition. The exceptions of some, as that Paul used to call Timothy his “son,” whereas the writer of this Epistle calls him “ brother” (when, indeed, he never terms him “son” when he speaks of him, but only when he wrote unto him), or that there might be another Timothy (when he speaks ex- pressly of him who was so generally known to the churches of God as one of the chiefest evangelists), deserve not to be insisted on. And surely it is altogether incredible that this Timothy, the “son” of Paul, as to his begetting of him in the faith and continued paternal affection; his known, constant associate in doing and suffering for the gospel; his minister in attending of hini, and constantly employed by him in the service of Christ and the churches; known unto them by his means; honowred by him with two epistles written unto him, and the association of his name with his own in the inscription of sundry others,—should now be so absent from him as to be adjoined unto another in his travail and ministry. [3.] The constant sign and token of Paul’s epistles, which himself had publicly signified to be so, 2 Thess. ii. 17, is subjoined unto this, “ Grace be with you all.” That originally this was written with Paul’s own hand there is no ground to question; and it appears to be so, because it was written, and he affirms that it was his custom to subjoin that salutation with his own hand. Now, this writing of it with his own hand was an evidence unto them unto whom the original of the Epistle first came ; unto those who had only.transcribed copzes of it, it. could not be so. The salutation itself was their token, being peculiar to Paul, and among the rest annexed to this Epistle. And all these circum- stances will yet receive some further enforcement from the consider- ation of the time wherein this Epistle was written, whereof in the next place we shall treat.