An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, That the mere prefixing of a name, though of some holy Author, is ¹not enough barely of it self, to confirm the Divine Authority of the Scripture. For although indeed most of the Books both in the Old and New Testament, have their names prefixed, yet some of them have not, as of Judges: So in the New Testament, the Epistle to the Hebrews, hath not the name of its Author: But these are few only in respect of those, whose Authors are known. All the Prophets begin their Prophecies with their Names, and the Authority they have by God, that greater faith may be given to what they deliver. If then the Author of some Books be not known, yet if these Books have all those [Greek or Hebrew], and marks, which other Books have, for their Canonical Authority, then they are to be received as the Word of God. Therefore (I say) a mere Inscription of the Name, without other signs, is not enough: for there are false Gospels, that go under the name of Thomas and Barnabas; yea, there is a third Epistle said to be of Paul to the Corinthians: and Paul's Epistles to Seneca, are mentioned by Austin and Hierom with some respect, though both Papists and Protestants reject them as Apocryphal. We must therefore besides the Name, consider those other Arguments, which prove the Divine Authority of the Scripture, and see whether they be in it, or not. It doth appear that even in Paul's time there were some deceivers, who would counterfeit Letters, as if written by Paul, and set his Name thereunto, to get the more Authority. This he informeth the Thessalonians of, 2 Thess. 2. 2. That they should not be shaken in mind by word or letter, as from him, &c. You see there were some, that preached the instant approach of Christs coming; and they alleged Paul for it, Paul said so, and ⟨p. 12⟩Paul wrote so. Hence it is that to prevent such mistakes, he doth so often mention his own hand in writing, The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, 1 Cor. 16. 21. Gal. 6. 11. Col. 4. 18.