Epijle.tRt114 `EBREVVSe But thisI (hall not partjculatly infift upon : partly becaufe it bath already been done . by others at large ; andpartly beeaule they will :ail of them be obfervcd inour Expo- Gtion itsfelf; nor doth it fuit our prefent delignto enterintoaDebate aboutpprticu- larWords and Expreflions. Nor do I alfign anymoreforce unto this Obfervation,t but only that it is tufficicnt toxnauifefl the wealsnefs of the Exceptions urged by 'forne to pr-617é it noneof his, from the ufë of fomefew words not elfewhere ufèd byhim, or not in that ,fenfè which here they are applyed unto. For their Initan es are norm num- ber comparablewith theother; and to, evidence the Vanity of that part of ,tÌä ir-Ob- ,jedfion which concerns the peèuliar ofe of tome Words in .this Epif i, rt i eraoúgh to obferve that one ward 071.6saves being three times ufed m this opeEp file, it hath in each place a peculiar and divers fignification. ( 2. ) There: ,rs alfò ;t co ncidenceof Matter , or Do&rines delivered inthis used other Epiftles ofPas L .Neither Mall I much prefs this Confideration. For neither was he io any. Epifle reftramed'un= fo What hehad elfewhere delivered, nor boundtoavoid the mentioning of it .if..oceafion 'did require ; nor were otherPenmen ofthe Holy Ghoft limited not to treat'.of what he had'taught, no more than the Evangolii is were-fromwriting the me Bory. $utyet neither is this Obtèrvation deftitute ofall efficacytó contribute ftxengthuntoourAffection, confidering that there were Come Do&rives which Paul did, 'in a peculiar manner infig `upon ; a veinwhereof, a diligentObferver may find running through this, sand all his other Epifiles. But, ( 3. ) Thát.which under this Head I would prefs, is thecoiaaGde. ration ofthe Spirit, Genius, "rag- and manner ofWriting, proceeding from them, peen. liar to this Apofilo in all his Epifles. Many things are required to enable any one to judgearight ofthis intimation. He mutt as Bernard fpeaks, drinkofPates Spirit, oxbe madepartaker of the fameSpirit withhim, in his meafure,.Who would underftand.brq Writings. Without thisSpirit, and his lavingLight, they are all obfeure, intricate, Ap- ich, unfavoury; when unto them in whom it isatthey are fheet, gracious, in fame meafureopen, plainand powerful. Agreat and coliffant exercifé unto an acquaintance with his frame of Spirit in Writing, is alfo necelfary hereunto. wilefs a man have eon- traded as it were a familiarity, by a confiant converfation with him, no Critical skill ici words or Phrafes will render him a competent Judge in this, matter. This enabled Cefar todetermine aright concerning anyWritings ofCicero. Andhethatis fo acquain- ted with this Apoflle, will beable to difcern lais Spirit, as Aisißinfayeshis Mother Monica did divine Revelations, nefcio quo f pore, byan inexpreffableSpiritual favour. Experience alfo of the power and efficacy of his Writings, is hereunto required.. He whofe heart 3s calf into the Mould of the Doctrine by him delivered , will receive quick imprellions fromhis Spirit exerting its Elf inanyof hisWritings. He'tliat is thus prepared, will find that Heaveniinefl and perfpicuity in unfolding thedeepcft Evangelical Mytteriee, that peculiarexaltation ofJefus Chritf inhis Perfon, Office and Work, that Spiritual perfua- fivenefl, that tranfcendentmarmer of Arguing andReafoning, that wife infinúation and pathetical prefling ofwell grounded Exhortations, that Love, Tendernefs, and Affefion to theSoulsofmen, that Zeal for God, andAuthority inTeaching, which enliven and adorn all lais other Epiftics, to fhine inthis in an eminent manner, from thebeginning to theEnd of it. And this Confederationwhatever May bethe apprehenfionsofothers concerning it, is that whichgives me fatisfadion,above all that are pleadedin this Caufe in afcribing thisEpitfle toPaul. The Tellimony of thefirItChuréhes, of whofe Teflimony any record is yet remaining, with a fucceffive Suffrage ofthe moti Knowing Perfons of following Ages, may alfobe pleaded inthis Caufe. Setting afidethat limitation of this Teflimony, which with the groundsandoccafions of it as to fome in the LatinChurch, we have alreadygranted'ánd declared, and this Witnefs will beacknowledged to be Catholickasto all other Churches in the World. A Learned Man of late bath reckoned up and reported the Words of above thirty of the Greek,Fathers, and fifty of the Latin reporting this PrimitiveTradi- tion. I Gall not troublethe Readerwitha Catalogue oftheir Names, nor the Repetition of their Words, and that becaufe thewhole of what in general weaffect as to the Eaftern Church is acknowledged. Amongflthem wasthis EEiflle firif made publick, as they had far more advantages of difcovering the Truth in this Matter of Fad, than any in the RomanChurch, or that elfewhere followed them inafter Ages could have. Neither had theyany thing, but the Convdionand EvidenceofTruth its Pelf to induce them to em- brace thisPerfwafion. And he that (hall confider theCondition of the firfiChurches un- der Perfecution, and what difficulties theymet Withal in Communicating thofe Apollo- lieal Writings which were delivered unto anyOfthem, with that fpecial Obflrudion unto 37 4. 26.
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