This is truly after the manner of Demosthenes, who was so very eminent for his method of conciliating, by a little flattery, his audience, whom he would, in the course of his speech, most severely reprove for that very thing upon which, in his introduction, he had artfully complimented them. The apostle Paul, like that great orator studied the genius of his hearers, like him he felt the pulses of the people. The Corinthians and Athenians, as it respects their factious spirit, were very similar. Consequently the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, and the speeches of Demosthenes, are full of praise and dispraise, compliments and reproofs. Without entering more fully upon this very interesting subject, I would observe, that the same wisdom is equally exhibited in the introduction to the epistle to the Hebrews. It is evident, without any regard to the prejudices of the Hebrews, that the apostle would vary his mode of address, according to the custom of the people to whom he wrote. Every country has its peculiar mode of salutation, with which every polite person would comply. This is one, perhaps the sole reason, why the apostle omits his usual salutation. Observe, likewise, the wisdom of the apostle in introducing his subject by first reminding the Hebrews of "God having at sundry times and in divers manners spoken in time past unto the fathers by the prophets." His wisdom is not shewn merely by concealing his name, which

might give offence, but he here compliments the Hebrews as he did the Corinthians, with what they most plumed themselves. He here artfully prepares their minds for the great subject of the Sonship and Godhead of Christ, and for those reproofs which afterwards he gives. This sound and just criticism, leads us to receive this epistle as the composition of the apostle.

Another similar artifice, most truly after the manner of Paul, occurs again in the beginning of the second chapter of this epistle; where, endea vouring to impress stedfastness on the Hebrews, he reminds the Jews of the solemnity and awfulness of their law, and the consequences attending the transgression of it. This flatters the Jew, renders the appeal of the danger of a greater apostacy still more forcible, and thus, by seeming to build up and confirm the prejudices of the Jews, the apostle in fact undermines them.

This artifice may be observed in the first two verses of our text, where the apostle, seeming to strengthen the dignity of the law, in fact destroys it, by the eclipsing nature of the Gospel. The prophets are introduced to usher in the glorious person of Christ; the minds of the Jews are prepared; the apostle turns their own weapons to their own destruction; he destroys prejudice by prejudice. This is consummate wisdom. I could easily adduce a variety of similar passages from the

apostle Paul's writings, shewing the same artifice as is here used by the author of this epistle, and thus draw the necessary deduction that the apostle Paul is really the author of it. The cases between the Corinthians and Hebrews are very parallel; and the same wisdom is exercised in both letters. I cannot here help observing that the different speeches of Paul which are upon record, are very strong evidences of the authenticity of the epistles which are attributed to him; for in both speeches and epistles we may trace (what I have already observed in this epistle,) the same Demosthenic artifice, of preparing the mind for reproof and exhortation. Paul, I conceive, surpasses Demosthenes in this respect, for the artifice of the latter is much too palpable, while that of the former is more refined and occult, and steals upon the mind less perceptibly. The Athenians, however, were, of all men, the most conceited, and, consequently, the most blinded; to this, therefore, we may attribute their want of discernment, and the wisdom of Demosthenes in taking advantage of it. Without further investigation into this criticism, it has been sufficiently shewn, that no argument can be adduced against Paul being the author of this epistle, from the omission of the usual salutation. The artificial mode, too, of introducing his subject so exactly corresponding with similar artifices of composition made use of by the apostle upon similar occasions,

that we conceive this to be an argument of just criticism in favour of Paul being the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

The apostle opens this epistle with more than usual dignity and splendour. He ushers in at once the great person of the Messiah to our consideration. Like St. John in the commencement of his Gospel, he breaks forth into a sublime strain upon the divinity of Christ, and the purpose of his mission. His whole soul seems filled with the spirit of revelation; and the greatness of the subject so engrosses his thoughts, that he omits his usual salutation and exordium, and enters immediately on the great topic of our redemption purchased by the eternal Son of God.

Jehovah had at sundry times and in divers manners, spoken in times past unto the fathers by the prophets. He had never left himself without witness, having from the very fall of man promised the seed, which should bruise the serpent's head, in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed. There was a gradual development of this great mystery which was hid in God. The light of revelation dawned, as soon as spiritual darkness had covered the earth. The night had scarcely set in, before the faint light of day broke in upon the darkness; man had hardly transgressed, but deliverance was immediately promised; sin had but just entered into the world, the curse had scarcely

been pronounced, when a blessing fell from the lips of God, and in wrath he remembered mercy. The fatal disobedience, and plucking the fruit of the forbidden tree, brought every curse and every blessing. It is at once the source of sorrow, and yet of joy; of despair, and yet of hope; of death, and yet of life. By this sin death was conceived and brought to birth; and from death, like medicines from deadly poisons, was life itself extracted.

As time rolled on, a further development of this mystery was made, and a deliverer more clearly promised. This great truth was first taught under sacrifices instituted by God himself, which were typical of that great sacrifice once offered for sin, and the atonement made for our transgressions. The first promise made to Adam was sufficient to raise hopes and anxious enquiry, and to suppress all fears, and check despair; but a further revelation was necessary to confirm promises which time might have led men to suppose were nugatory, and tradition rendered questionable. Lest time should weaken the evidence of this great promise made to the father of mankind, and traditionary knowledge invalidate its history, the Almighty was pleased at the call of Abraham to confirm the same with an oath, and perpetuate its confirmation with a covenant that should last throughout all ages and all generations.

The promise now became more specific, its na