shaken may remain.3

28 Wherefore, we having received a kingdom not to be shaken,' let us hold fast (xag) a gift whereby we can worship God acceptably, with reverence3 and religious fear.

29 For even our God is a consuming fire.'

Hebrew idiom, denotes things of an inferior and even imperfect nature; consequently might be applied, not only to the heathen rites, but to the Mosaic form of worship, which was inferior to the Christian. 3. That the things not to be shaken may remain. This the apostle rightly infers from the expression, Yet once. For as it implies, that God would make but one alteration more in the religious wor ship of the world, it certainly follows, that the form to be substituted in the room of the things to be shaken and removed, shall be permanent. The gospel therefore will remain to the end of the world, as the only form of religion acceptable to God.

Ver. 28. Wherefore, we having received a kingdom not to be shaken.] Διο βασιλείαν ασαλευτον παραλαμβανοντες. This is an allusion to Dan. vii. 18. 'The saints of the Most High (reÝorts. THY SETIARY) shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.' In this allusion the apostle followed Christ, who often called the gospel dispensation the kingdom of 2. Let us hold fast a gift.]—So zagv is translated 2 Cor. viii. 4. and

heaven.

should be translated here, as that sense of the word agrees well with the apostle's purpose in this exhortation.

3. With reverence.-Mira dovs, literally with modesty. The word is used by heathen authors, for that reverence with which men approach their princes or superiors. Now, modesty being a fear of doing something unbecoming, it is very properly used to denote the fear with which one, who is sensible of his own unworthiness, approaches the Deity in acts of worship

Ver. 29. Even our God is a consuming fire.]-The apostle had now in his eye Deut. iv. 24. where, by telling the Israelites, The Lord thy God is a consuming fire,' Moses put them in mind of the destruction of Korah and his companions. Wherefore, by adopting Moses's words, the apostle brings the same instance of vengeance to our remembrance, that we may be deterred from apostasy, disobedience, and all irreverence in the worship of God, who, though he appears full of mercy in the gospel, is as much determined to punish the rebellious as ever.

THIS chapter begins with an exhortation to the Hebrews to exercise love to the brethren, hospitality to strangers, and compassion to the imprisoned and afflicted: chastity likewise is recommended, together with disinterestedness, and a careful imitation of their teachers, whose trial was ended, and who had shewed great fortitude in suffering for their faith, ver. 1-8.

Next, the Hebrews were desired to beware of being tossed about with those discordant doctrines which were introduced by foreign, that is, unauthorized teachers; especially those pernicious doctrines, concerning the efficacy of the Levitical sacrifices to procure the pardon of sin, which the Judaizing teachers inculcated with great earnestness. Their giving heed to these errors the apostle was anxious to prevent, because, if they trusted to the Levitical atonements for pardon, they would lose the benefit of the sacrifice of Christ. This, the apostle told them, their own law taught them figuratively, by prohibiting the priests and people to eat of those sacrifices whose blood was carried into the holy places to make atonement.-And being unwilling to quit the subject, he added, that because the carcasses of the sin-offerings were ordered to be burnt without the camp as things unclean, ver. 11.-so Jesus, who sanctified the people with his own blood, suffered as a malefactor or unclean person without the gates of Jerusalem, ver. 12.-These particulars the apostle mentioned, to shew, that all the Levitical sin-offerings were types of Christ, whose example in suffering ignominy and punishment for men he desired the Hebrews to imitate from gratitude, by willingly suffer ing reproach and persecution for his sake, ver. 13.-And this they might do the more easily, as they knew they had no continuing city here, but were seeking one in the life NEW TRANSLATION.

CHAP. XIII-1 Let brotherly love (see Heb. vi. 10.) continue.

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels, with out knowing THEM.

to come, ver. 14.-In the mean time, he exhorted them to worship God, not in the Jewish but in the Christian manner, by offering through Christ the sacrifice of praise to God continually, ver. 15.-and to be zealous in doing good works, because worship, accompanied with such works, are sacrifices far more pleasing to God than the sacrifices of beasts, ver. 16.

Again, because the Hebrews, through the prejudices of their education, were in danger of not hearkening to their teachers when they inculcated the true doctrines of the gospel, he ordered them to be obedient to their spiritual guides, and to esteem them highly as persons who watched for their souls, ver. 17.-And requested them to pray for him, because he assured them that he had maintained a good conscience in all the things he had written to them, ver. 18.-Then gave them his apostolical benediction in a most elegant form, ver. 20, 21.—and besought them to take in good part the instruction contained in this letter, which he acknowledged was a short one, considering the variety and importance of the subjects he had handled in it, ver. 22.

Having thus finished his exhortations, the apostle informed the Hebrews that he had sent away Timothy on some important business, but promised, if he returned in time, to bring him with him when he visited them, ver. 23.-In the mean while, he desired them to present his salutation to all the rulers of their church; meaning, I suppose, the apostles and elders at Jerusalem: also, in his name, to salute all the brethren and saints; and sent them the salutation of the brethren in Italy, ver. 24.— Then concluded with giving them his apostolical benediction in a more short form, ver. 25.

COMMENTARY.

Ver. 2. Without knowing them.]-The Greek word Avavo, with a participle, signifies that the thing expressed by the participle was

done or suffered by one without his knowing it. The apostle had Abraham and Lot in his eye, who happening to see angels in the

3 Remember them who are in bonds, as jointly bound, AND them who suffer evil, as being yourselves also in the body.'

4 LET marriage BE' honourable among all, and the bed unpolluted. (s, 105.) For fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5 LET YOUR behaviour' BE without the love of money, being contented with the things ye have.2 For (avros, 65.) himself hath said,3 I will never leave thee, neither will I ever utterly forsake thee.4

6 So that, taking courage, we may say,' The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do to me.2

7 Remember your rulers' who have spoken to you the word of God: of whose conversa tion attentively considering the ending,2 imitate THEIR faith.

8 Jesus Christ, yesterday and to-day, IS the

form of men, supposed them to be men on a journey; and, though unacquainted with them, invited and entertained them with the greatest hospitality, without knowing them to be angels. This is mentioned, not to raise in us the expectation of entertaining angels, but to make us sensible that the unknown persons, to whom we shew kindness, may be persons of the greatest worth, and inay to us, as the angels were to Abraham and Lot, be the occasion of great

blessings.

Ver. 3. Being yourselves also in the body.]-The precepts contained in this and in the following verses, but especially the precept in this verse, on account of the simplicity, brevity, and beauty of the language, and the strength of the reasons added to support them, may be compared with the most elegant of the precepts of Epicte tus, or of any of the most famed heathen philosophers; and on the comparison they will be found by persons of taste to excel them all. Ver. 4.-1. Let marriage be honourable.]-I have supplied the substantive verb 15 here, to make this verse run, as the preceding and following verses, in the imperative mood.

2. For fornicators.-This is the Vulgate translation, Fornicatores enim.

Ver. 5-1. Let your behaviour.]—The word res, is used likewise by Plato, and other Greek writers, to denote one's manner of living.

2. Being contented with the things ye have.]-The apostle did not mean by this to preclude the Hebrews, or any person, from using lawful means for bettering their circumstances; but that, having used such means, they were to be contented, although God did not make them successful.-This advice was peculiarly suited to the Hebrew Christians in their then persecuted state, see ver. 6. It is also proper for persons in the most prosperous situations; because, by forbidding the immoderate love of money, and enjoiring contentment with the things we have, it teaches us to derive our happiness from the possession and exercise of virtuous dispositions, rather than from the enjoyment of riches. -The argument, ver. 6. by which the apostle enforces his precept, leads us to think that he means contentment with our lot, whatever it may be. In this large sense the following passage from the Spectator, No. 574. is an excellent illustration of the apostle's precept: Says he, "There never was any systein besides that of Christianity, which could effectually produce in the mind of man the virtue I have been hitherto speak ing of. In order to make us content with our present condition, many of the ancient philosophers tell us that our discontent only hurts ourselves, without being able to make any alteration in our circumstances; others, that whatever evil befalls us is derived to us by a fatal necessity, to which the gods themselves are subject; while others very gravely tell the man who is miserable, that it is necessary he should be so to keep up the harmony of the universe, and that the scheme of Providence would be troubled and perverted were he otherwise. These, and the like considerations, rather silence than satisfy a man. They may shew him that his discontent is unreasonable, but are by no means sufficient to relieve it. They rather give despair than consolation. In a word, a man might reply to one of these comforters, as Augustus did to his friend who advised him not to grieve for the death of a person whom he loved, because his grief could not fetch him again,-It is for that very rea son, said the emperor, that I grieve.-Religion bears a more tender regard to human nature. It prescribes to a very miserable man the means of bettering his condition; nay, it shews him, that the bearing of his afflictions as he ought to do, will naturally end in the removal of them. It makes him easy here, because it can make him happy hereafter.-Upon the whole, a contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in the present world; and if in the present life his happiness arises from the subduing of his de sires, it will arise in the next from the gratification of them." The same author, in the same essay, as a proper means of acquiring the virtue of contentinent, advises a man,-1. To set the good things

which he possesses in opposition to those which he doth not possess. For thus he will be sensible, that the things which he enjoys are many more in number, and of much greater value, than those which he wants; and for the want of which he is unhappy. 2. Under affliction, to reflect how much more unhappy he might be than he really is. The former consideration belongs to those who are in easy circumstances: this regards those who are under the pressure of some misfortune. To such it will be an alleviation of their sufferings to compare them with those of others. He adds, that Bishop Fell, who wrote the life of Dr. Hammond, saith, that good man, who laboured under a complication of distempers, used, when he had the gout upon him, to thank God that it was not the stone; and when he had the stone, that he had not both these distempers upon him at the same time.

3. Himself hath said.]-Auros y g. This UTOS sign is of much greater authority than the Uros of the Pythagoreans. And by quoting it on this occasion the apostle teaches us, that every faithful servant of God, in those difficulties to which he is exposed, may apply to himself God's promise to Joshua while he endeavours to do his duty.

4. Utterly forsake thee.]-The multitude of the negative particles, and their position in the original, render this passage exceedingly emphatical and beautiful.-This promise David repeated to Solomon, 1 Chron. xxviii. 20. See also Isa. xli. 10. 17.

Ver. 6.-1. Taking courage we may say.)-God's promises to Joshua and to David, and their expressions of trust in God, being applied by the apostle to the Hebrews, it teaches us, that God's promises to individuals, and their exercises of faith and trust built thereon, are recorded in scripture for the encouragement of the people of God in every age.

2. I will not fear what man can do to me.]-As a remedy against the immoderate fear of evil from inen, besides the promise here suggested by the apostle, which every good man may apply to himself, namely, that the Lord is his helper, the Spectator, No. 615. advises the timorous to consider, "First, that what he fears may not come to pass. No human scheme can be so accurately projected but some little circumstance intervening may spoil it. He who directs the heart of man at his pleasure, and understands the thoughts long before, may by ten thousand accidents, or an immediate change m the inclinations of men, disconcert the most subtle project, and turn it to the benefit of his own servants.-In the next place, we should consider, though the evil we imagine should come to pass, it may be much more supportable than it appeared to be. As there is no prosperous state of life without its calamities, so there is no adversity without its benefit. The evils of this life appear like rocks and precipices, rugged and barren at a distance, but at our nearer approach we find little fruitful spots and refreshing springs, mixed with the harshness and deformities of nature.-In the last place, we may comfort ourselves with this consideration, that as the thing feared may not reach us, so we may not reach what we fear. Our lives may not extend to that dreadful point which we have in view. He who knows all our failings, and will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our strength, is often pleased, in his tender severity, to separate the soul from its body and miseries together."

Ver. 7.-1. Remember your rulers.]-Who they were, see Preface, sect. 2. art. 1. paragraph 3.-Though the word vos properly signifies a ruler or commander, we should recollect, that the authority of Christian bishops and pastors, of whom the apostle is speaking, is not of the same kind with that of civil rulers, 1 Pet. v. 3. being founded, not on force, but in the fidelity with which they discharge the duties of their function, and in the esteem and affection of their flock.

2. Of whose conversation attentively considering the ending.]— See ver. 17. note 1.-This remembrance of the dead saints, with admiration of their virtues, and with a desire to imitate them, is the only worship which is due to them from the living.

same, and for ever.1

9 Be not tossed about with various and foreign doctrines,' (see Ephes. iv. 5.); for IT IS good that the heart be established by grace, not by meats, through which they have not been profited who walk IN THEM.3

10 We have an altar, of which they have no right to eat who worship in the tabernacle :2

11 For, of those animals whose blood is brought AS a sin-offering into the holy places by the high-priest, the bodies are burnt without the camp.'

12 Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify (see Heb. x. 10.) the people (x, 119.) with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

13 Well then, let us go forth (gos, 294.) with him out of the camp, bearing his reproach.

14 For we have not here an abiding city,' but we earnestly seek one to come. (Chap. xi. 10.)

ever.

Ver. 8. Jesus Christ, yesterday and to-day, the same.]-Because Jesus Christ sometimes denotes the doctrine of Christ, (Acts v. 42. I Cor. i. 24. 2 Cor. iv. 5.), the Socinians think this is a declaration that the doctrine of the gospel, when the apostle wrote, was the same as at the beginning, and will continue to be so for ever, without any alteration; and that, if men either add to, or take from it, they are greatly culpable. According to this interpretation, the verse connects with the following ver. 9. Be not tossed about,' &c. But though their interpretation contains an excellent sentiment, others, more justly in my opinion, understand this of the nature, rather than of the doctrine of Christ, especially as zuros, the phrase here used, is that by which the immutability of the Son is expressed, Heb. i. 12. But thou art ( auros) the same. Semper sui similis, invariabilis, et minutabilis.'-According to this interpretation, the verse connects with verse 7.

Ver. 9.-1. With various and foreign doctrines.]—A¡§×××15 TOIXIAzi. Various doctrines are doctrines inconsistent with each other; discordant doctrines. But vc didaxxis, foreign doctrines, are doctrines introduced into the church by unauthorized teachers.The doctrines concerning the efficacy of the Levitical sacrifices to procure the pardon of sin, and their necessity to salvation, were discordant with the gospel doctrine of pardon through the death of Christ; and were taught by the unbelieving Jews and Judaizing Christians, who had no authority to inculcate such doctrines.

2. That the heart be established by grace, not by meats.]-Here the apostle had in his eye the Levitical burnt-offerings and peaceofferings which were made of animals fit for meat, and on which the offerers feasted in the court of the tabernacle, Lev. vii. 11-15. Dent. xii. 6. 11, 12, in token of their being pardoned and at peace with God. That this was signified by the worshippers being allowed to eat of their own peace-offerings, we learn from ver. 10, where, by eating of the sacrifice,' the apostle, who was well acquainted with the sentiments and language of the Jews, evidently means the partaking of the blessings procured by the sacrifice. See 1 Cor. x. 16. note 2. Wherefore, as the offering of the burnt and peace-offerings is termed 'a worshipping with meats,' Heb. ix. 9, 10, the 'establishing the heart by meats,' certainly means the hoping for pardon through these sacrifices; consequently its opposite, 'the establishing of the heart by grace,' must mean, as in the commentary, the hoping for pardon through the sacrifice of Christ, called grace, because the pardon obtained through that sacrifice is the free gift of God.

3. Through which they have not been profited who walk in them.] -This circumstance shews that the apostle is not speaking of ordinary meats, but of meats offered in sacrifice, concerning which the apostle affiring, that those who were in the habit of offering these meats did not obtain an eternal pardon thereby. And he had good reason to say this: For these sacrifices being offered to God as king in Israel, and not as moral governor of the world, the pardon which was sealed to the offerers, by their being permitted to feast on these sacrifices in the court of the tabernacle, as persons in peace with God their king, was not a real but a political pardon, consisting in the remission of those civil penalties which God, as the head of their commonwealth, might have inflicted on them for transgressing the laws of the state. That the Israelites did not obtain a remission of the moral guilt of any of their sins by their burnt offerings and

peace-offerings, the apostle, in the 11th verse, proves from the inefficacy of all the sacrifices for sin which were offered by the highpriest, on the day of expiation in the tabernacle, to God as the moral governor of the world.

Ver. 10.-1. We have an altar, of which they have no right to eat.] Here, by an usual metonymy, the altar is put for the sacrifice, as is plain from the apostle's adding, 'of which they have no right to eat.' The sacrifice belonging to those who believe, is the sacrifice of him. self, which Christ offered to God in heaven for the sin of the world: and the eating of that sacrifice doth not mean the corporal eating thereof, but the partaking of the pardon which Christ hath procured for sinners by that sacrifice. See ver. 9. note 2.

2. Who worship in the tabernacle.-The worship in the outward tabernacle was performed by the ordinary priests carrying into it the blood of the animals appointed for sin-offerings, and sprinkling it before the vail. The worship in the inward tabernacle was performed by the high-priest's carrying into it the blood of the animals appointed to be offered on the tenth of the seventh month, and sprinkling it seven times on the floor before the mercy-seat.-Now, that neither the high-priests who thus worshipped in the inward tabernacle, nor the persons for whom they performed that worship, had any right to eat of the Christian altar, the apostle proves in the following 11th verse.

Ver. 11.-The bodies are burnt without the camp.1-This law, concerning the bodies of the animals whose blood the high-priest carried into the holy places, we have Lev. xvi. 27. The same law is given concerning all the proper sin-offerings, Lev. vi. 30. From which it appears, that neither the priests who offered the sin-offerings, nor the people for whom they offered them, were to eat of them. Wherefore, if the eating of the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings was permitted, to shew that the offerers were at peace with God as their political ruler, (see ver. 9. note 2.), it may fairly be presumed, that the prohibition to eat any part of the bodies of the animals whose blood was brought into the holy places as an atonement, was intended to make the Israelites sensible that their sins against God, as moral governor of the world, were not pardoned through these atonements; not even by the sacrifices which were offered by the high priest on the tenth of the seventh month, which, like the rest, were to be wholly burnt. Unless this was the intention of the law, the apostle could not, from that prohibition, have argued with truth, that they who worshipped in the tabernacles with the sin-offerings had no right to eat of the Christian altar. Whereas if, by forbidding the priests and people to eat the sin-offerings, the law declared that their offences against God as moral governor of the world were not pardoned thereby, it was in effect a declaration, as the apostle af firms, that they had no right to eat of the Christian altar, that is, to share in the pardon which Christ hath procured for sinners by his death, who trusted in the Levitical sacrifices for pardon and acceptance with God.

Ver. 12. Suffered without the gate.]-The Israelites having cities to live in at the time our Lord suffered, without the gate' was the same as 'without the camp' in the wilderness. Wherefore, criminals being regarded as unclean, were always put to death without the gates of their cities. In that manner our Lord and his martyr Stephen suffered.

Ver. 14. We have not here an abiding city.]—In this it is thought

15 (Ovv, 262.) And through him let us offer up the sacrifice of praise continually to God, namely, the fruit of our lips, confessing to his name.2

16 But to do good, and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17 Obey your rulers, (see ver. 7. note 1.), and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as those who must give account. OBEY THEM, that they may do this with joy,2 and not with mourning; for that wOULD BE unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have good conscience, willing in all things to behave well.

19 And I the more earnestly beseech you to do this, that I may be restored to you the

sooner.

20 Now may the God of peace,' who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep,3 (w) through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you fit for every good work, to do his will, producing in you what is acceptuble in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom BE the glory for ever and ever.2 Amen. 22 Now I beseech you, brethren, suffer this word of exhortation, for indeed I have written to you (Six Cgxxv) briefly.

23 Know that our brother Timothy is sent away,' with whom, if he come soon, I will see you.2

by some that the apostle had the destruction of Jerusalem in his eye, which happened A. D. 70, about nine years after this epistle was written.

Ver. 15.-1. The fruit of our lips.]-Pococke, cited by Whitby, says xxes is here put for xxx, a word by which the LXX. denote a holocaust: and these being usually made of young bullocks, 'the holocaust of our lips' is equivalent to the calves of our lips,' Hos. xiv. 2. But Estius more justly thinks, that the praise of God uttered with our lips, may be called 'the fruit of our lips,' just as the good works of the virtuous woman are called, Prov. xxxi. 31. 'the fruit of her hands.'

2. Confessing to his name.]-The word your is used by the LXX. to denote the praising of God publicly; because to praise God is to confess or declare his perfections and benefits.

Ver. 17.-1. Obey your rulers, and submit yourselves.]-See Preface, sect. 2. paragr. 3.-As the apostle James, who presided in the church at Jerusalem, had been lately put to death, the writer of this epistle, once and again, exhorted the Hebrews to obey the college of presbyters who then ministered in holy things at Jerusalem, and directed the affairs of the church there; because if at any time there was occasion for the brethren to be closely united to their pastors, it was when this letter was written; the rage of the Jews being then great against the disciples of Christ. See Mill's Proleg. No. 83. Besides, as some of the common people in the church at Jerusalem entertained different sentiments from their teachers with respect to the obligation of the law of Moses, and the efficacy of the Levitical institutions, it was the more proper to enjoin them to pay respect to their teachers.

2. That they may do this with joy.1-Because the perverseness of the people will not hinder the reward of faithful ministers at the day of judgment, some think this clause is not connected with their gio ing an account of their ministry, but with their watching for the souls of their flock. Nevertheless, as the apostle in other passages of his epistles speaks of his converts as his crown and his joy at the day of judgment, 1 Thess. ii. 19. the sense given in the commentary may be admitted.

Ver. 18. Willing in all things.-The words we may signify among all men, ainong the Jews as well as among the Gentiles.

Ver. 20.-1. May the God of peace.]-This is a title of the Deity, nowhere found but in Paul's writings. See Lord of peace, 2 Thess. iii. 16. note.

2. The great Shepherd.]-The Lord Jesus hath this title given him here, because he was foretold under the character of a shepherd, Ezek. xxxiv. 23., and because he took to himself the title of the good shepherd, John x. 11., and because all who are employed in feeding

the flock are but inferior shepherds under him. See 1 Pet. ii. 25. note.

3. Of the sheep.]-Christ's sheep are all those, whether in the visible church or out of it, who from faith in God, and in Christ when he is made known to them, live sober, righteous, and godly lives. For all such are guided, protected, and fed by Christ. So Christ himself hath told us, John x. 16. Other sheep I have who are not of this fold.'

4. Blood of the everlasting covenant :]—In allusion to Matt. xxvi. 28. This is my blood of the new covenant,' my blood by which the new covenant was procured and ratified.-It is uncertain whether the words, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,' should be connected with what goes before, or what follows. If it is connected with what goes before, the meaning is either, that God brought back our Lord Jesus from the dead on account of his hav ing shed his blood to procure the everlasting covenant; or, that the Lord Jesus became the great Shepherd and Saviour of the sheep, by shedding his blood to procure and ratify the everlasting covenant. This latter sense seems to be supported by Acts xx. 28. where Christ is said to have 'purchased the church with his own blood.' But if the clause is connected with what follows, the meaning is, May God make you perfect in every good work, through the assistance of his Spirit promised in the everlasting covenant.-Now seeing these senses are all good, any of them may be adopted, as it is uncertain which of them was intended by the apostle.

Ver. 21.-1. Make you fit. So I signifies. See Heb. xi. 3. note 2. Estius explains the word thus: Perficere non quomodoconque, sed apta dispositione partium.' See Heb. x. 5.

2. Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.-Here eternal glory is ascribed to Christ, as it is likewise, 2 Pet. iii. 18. Rev. v. 12, 13. Ver. 23.-1. Timothy is sent away. -The word λλμvös may either be translated is set at liberty, or is sent away on some er rand. Matt. xiv. 15. AuσoU TOUS OXλOUS, 'Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages,' &c. Euthalius among the ancients, and Mill, who is followed by Lardner, among the moderns, understand the word in the latter signification; first, Because it ap pears from Philip. ii. 19-24. that Paul, about this time, purposed to send Timothy into Macedonia, with an order to return and bring him an account of the affairs of the brethren in that country; secondly, Because in none of Paul's epistles, written during his confine. ment in Rome, does he give the least intimation of Timothy's having been imprisoned, although he was with Paul the greatest part of the time: Philip. i. 1. Col. i. 1. Philem. ver. 1.

2. I will see you.l-From this it is evident, that the apostle, when he wrote this epistle, was set at liberty.

HAVING now finished the translation and explanation of all the apostle Paul's epistles, I presume my readers will not be displeased with me for transcribing a passage from the conclusion of Archdeacon Paley's Hora Paulina, where, after giving a short but comprehensive view of the evidences by which the authenticity of St. Paul's epistle is established beyond all possibility of doubt, he thus proceeds :-"If it be true, that we are in possession of the very letters which St. Paul wrote, let us consider what confirmation they afford to the Christian history. In my opinion, they substantiate the whole transaction. The great object of modern research is, to come at the epistolary correspondence of the times. Amidst the obscurities, the silence, or the contradictions of history, if a letter can be found, we regard it as the discovery of a land-mark; as that by which we can correct, adjust, or supply the imperfections and uncertainties of other accounts. One cause of the superior credit which is attributed to letters is this, that the facts which they disclose generally come out incidentally, and therefore without design to mislead the public by false or exaggerated accounts. This reason may be applied to St. Paul's epistles with as much justice as to any letters whatever. Nothing could be farther from the intention of the writer, than to record any part of his history. That his history was in fact made public by these letters, and has by the same means been transmitted to future ages, as a secondary and unthought-of effect. The sincerity therefore of the apostle's declarations cannot reasonably be disputed; at least, we are sure that it was not vitiated by any desire of setting himself off to the public at large. But these letters form a part of the muniments of Christianity, as much to be valued for their contents as for their originality. A more inestimable treasure, the care of antiquity could not have sent down to us. Besides the proof they afford of the general reality of St. Paul's history, of the knowledge which the author of the Acts of the Apostles had obtained of that history, and the consequent probability that he was what he professes himself to have been, a companion of the apostle; besides the support they lend to these important inferences, they meet specifically some of the principal objections upon which the adversaries of Christianity have thought proper to rely. In particular, they shew,

1

"I. That Christianity was not a story set on foot amidst the confusions which attended and immediately preceded the destruction of Jerusalem; when many extravagant reports were circulated, when men's minds were broken by terror and distress, when amidst the tumults that surrounded them inquiry was impracticable. These letters shew incontestably, that the religion had fixed and established itself before this state of things took place.

"II. Whereas it hath been insinuated, that our Gospels may have been made up of reports and stories which were current at the time, we may observe, that with respect to the Epistles that is impossible. A man cannot write the history of his own life from reports; nor, what is the same thing, be led by reports to refer to passages and transactions in which he states himself to have been immediately present and active. I do not allow that this insinuation is applied to the historical part of the New Testament with any colour of justice or probability; but I say, that to the Epistles it is not applicable at all.

"III. These letters prove, that the converts to Christianity were not drawn from the barbarous, the mean, or the ignorant set of men, which the representations of infidelity would sometimes make them. We learn from letters, the character not only of the writers, but, in some measure, of the persons to whom they are written. To suppose that these letters were addressed to a rude tribe, incapable of thought or reflection, is just as reasonable as to suppose Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding to have been written for the instruction of savages. Whatever may be thought of these letters in other respects, either of diction or argument, they are certainly removed as far as possible from the habits and comprehension of a barbarous people.

"IV. St. Paul's history, I mean so much of it as may be collected from his letters, is so implicated with that of the other apostles, and with the substance indeed of the Christian history itself, that I apprehend it will be found impossible to admit St. Paul's story (I do not speak of the miraculous part of it) to be true, and yet to reject the rest as fabulous. For instance, can any one believe that there was such a man as Paul, a preacher of Christianity in the age which we assign to him, and not believe that there were also at the same time such men as Peter, and James, and other apostles, who had been companions of Christ