1818 Feb. 9

Not Paul

I Argument

Ch Motives to Conversion

§ Money &c received

§ Services &c received

14 Hebrews

Moved by the observation of a degree of what had the discourse been written nowadays would have been deemed inconclusiveness, inappositeness /irrelevancy/, extravagance and absurdity so much beneath any thing that would be picked /culled[?]/ out of the whole mass of the matter written by the most /whole number/ incapable writers that could be found among those of this country and this age, some persons a have found in this circumstance a reason and that a conclusive one for denying with relation to Paul the authenticity of this Epistle. But admitting the fact, whether by /in/ any such circumstance the inference could find any considerable support, may be the better judged of when that part of this enquiry is on the carpet which has for its subject the self-asserted Apostle’s style.

a […?]

In every other of the discourses /compositions/ which in their tenor present themselves as having him for their author little circumstances of a personal nature present themselves such as it could hardly have entered into the conception of a forgerer - especially a forgerer of that comparatively inexperienced age to insert. In the whole tenor of this long Epistle not one such characteristic circumstance is to be /has been/ found.

Note

The whole argument of which Melchisedec furnishes the subject /principle[?]/: and the history of the exploits[?] of faith may be set down as masterpieces among the productions of that art for which it may be left to the reader to find a name. Of the whole number of Chapters viz 13 these two arguments occupy between them occupy four.

Heb. v. vi. vii. xi.