. Epileto the HE13REVVS. 3, dyofthe People fought his deftru&ion, how publickly and with what Solemnity his Caufwas fundry times heard and debated, with the time of his imprifonment that en- fued, are alldeclared inthe Ads at large. Now no mancan imagine, but that whileft this.greit Championoftheir ProfeTon, was fo publickly pleading their Caufe, 'and expored to fo much dangerand hazzard thereby, butthat all the Believers of thole parts were exceedingly folicitousabout his condition, ( as they had been about Peters in the like cafe) and gave him all the Alíiitance and encouragement that they were able. This Coin- paffon of theirs, and his own Bonds, as an evidence of his Faith, and their MutualLove in theGofpeliie nowminds them of. Ofno otherPerfon but Paul have we anyground to conjecture that this might befpoken : and yet thefufering and compaffion here men- tioned, teem not tohave been things done in a corner ; So that this one Circumstance is able of its felf , to enervate all the Exceptions, that are made sire of againft his being efteemed the Author ofthis Epistle. a.Themention ofPauladear and confiantCompani- onTimothy is of the fame importance, Cbap.53.'z3. ThatTimothy was at .Rome withPaul in his Bonds isexprefly afferted, Phil. i. r3, r4. That hehimfelf was alto .call into Pri- fon withPaul is htre intimated, his releafe being expreffed. Now furely it is fcarcely credible, that.any other fhould in Italywhere Paul then was, and newly releafed out of Prifon, write unto theChurches of the Hebrews, and therein make mention of his own Bonds, and the Bonds sfTimothy, aman unknown unto them but by the meansofpaid, and not once intimateany thingabout his condition. The exceptions of forne, as that Paul ufed to call Timothy his Son, whereas the Writer of this Epittle calls him Brother, ( when indeed he never terms him Son, when he (peaks of him, but only when -he wrote unto him,) or that theremight be another Timothy, (when he(peaks exprefly of him, who was fo generallyknown totheChurches ofGod, asone of the chiefelt Evan - gelifis) deferve not to be infifted on. And Barely; it is altogether incredible that this Timothy; the-Son ofPaul, as tohis begettingof him in the Faith, and continued Paternal Affeelion; his knownconftánt Affidate in doing and frittering for the Gofpel, his Mintier in attending of him, and conftantly imployed by him in the Service of Chrifl and the Churches, knownunto themby his means, honouredby him with two Epittleswritten un- to him, and theaffciation ofhis Name withhis own inthe IsGription offundry others, fhoukl now be fo abfentfrom him as to be adjoyned unto another in his Travail and Miniftry. 3. TheCan'tant Sign and token ofPauls Epiftles which himfelfhad publickly fignified to be fò, (z7hef 3. t 3.) is fubjoyned unto this. Grace be withyou all. That Originally thiswaswritten withPaula own band, there is no ground to queftion, and it appears tobeCo, becaufè it was written ; -and he affirmsthat it washis Cuftome to Cub- joys that Salutationwith his own hand. Now this Writing of it with hisownband, was an evidenceuntothem, unto whom theOriginalofthe Epiftlefirft came ; unto. thofiwho had only tranfcribedCopies ofit, it couldnot be fo, the Salutation its felfwas their Token, being peculiar toPaul, and among the ref(annexed to this Epittle. And all thefe Cir- eumjiances will yet receive fome further enforcement from the Confederation of the Time wherein this Epilile was written, whereof in the next placewe (hall Treat. Exercitatio
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