Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

No impeachment then of the Authority of this Epistle, can be taken from this defect and inadvertency of the Roman Church, it being convinced to be so by the concurrent suffrage and Testimony of all other Churches in the world, from the days of the Apostle, as we shall afterwards more fully declare. Neither are the occasions of this hesitation of the Western Church obscure; The Epistle was written it may be in Rome, at least it was in some part of Italy, Chap. 13.24. There no doubt it was seen, and it may be Copied out before its sending, by some who used to accompany the Apostle, as Clemens, who as we have showed not long after mentioned divers things contained in it. The Original was without question speedily sent into Judea, unto the Hebrews to whom it was written and directed, as were all others of the Epistles of the same Apostle unto those Churches that were immediately intended and concerned in them. That Copies of it were by them also communicated unto their Brethren in the East, equally concerned in it with themselves, cannot be doubted, unless we will suppose them grossly negligent in their duty towards God and man, which we have no reason to do. But the Churches of the Hebrews living at that time, and for some while after, if not in a separation, yet in a distinction by reason of some peculiar observances from the Churches of the Gentiles, especially those of the West, they were not it may be very forward in communicating this Epistle unto them, being written, as they supposed, about an especial concernment of their own. By this means this Epistle seems to have been kept much within the Compass of the Churches of the Jews, until after the destruction of the Temple; when by their dispersion, and coalescency with other Churches in the East, it came to be generally received amongst them; and non solum ab Ecclesiis orientis, sed ab omnibus retro Ecclesiis & Graeci sermonis Scriptoribus, as Hierom speaks. But the Latin Church having lost that advantage of receiving it upon its first writing,¹ it may be also upon the consideration of the removal of its peculiar Argument, upon the final destruction of the whole Judaical Church, and Worship, was somewhat slow in their inquiry after it.

No impeachment then of the Authority of this Epistle, can be taken from this defect and inadvertency of the Roman Church, it being convinced to be so by the concurrent suffrage and Testimony of all other Churches in the world, from the dayes of the Apostle, as we shall afterwards more fully declare. Neither are the occasions of this haesitation of the Western Church obscure; The Epistle was written it may be in Rome, at least it was in some part of Italy, Chap. 13.24. There no doubt it was seen, and it may be Copied out before its sending, by some who used to accompany the Apostle, as Clemens, who as we have shewed not long after mentioned divers things contained in it. The Originall was without question speedily sent into Judea, unto the Hebrews to whom it was written and directed, as were all others of the Epistles of the same Apostle unto those Churches that were immediately intended and concerned in them. That Copies of it were by them also communicated unto their Brethren in the East, equally concerned in it with themselves, cannot be doubted, unless we will suppose them grosly negligent in their duty towards God and man, which we have no reason to do. But the Churches of the Hebrews living at that time, and for some while after, if not in a seperation, yet in a distinction by reason of some peculiar observances from the Churches of the Gentiles, especially those of the West, they were not it may be very forward in communicating this Epistle unto them, being written, as they supposed, about an especial concernment of their own. By this means this Epistle seems to have been kept much within the Compass of the Churches of the Jews, untill after the destruction of the Temple; when by their dispersion, and coalescency with other Churches in the East, it came to be generally received amongst them; and non solum ab Ecclesiis orientis, sed ab omnibus retro Ecclesiis & Graeci sermonis Scriptoribus, as Hierom speaks. But the Latin Church having lost that advantage of receiving it upon its first writing,