The Dignítie oftheScripture. St word of.raod that euer was. It is the opinion offome(Iknow) that Sorb the Argali.lib.de feauenth fromAdam, wrote fomethiog ; and that they thinkemay be prooued eia, Da r q :; outof the Paying ofSaint Tnde,whoalledgeth famepartofEnochsdo&rine.But tÌud.ver.r lade faith not, Enocbs wrote, butEnoch-propbefred k : and it was pofsibleforthe r¡ anriq, a famineof Downsdoetrine tobe continued without writing. Beftdes,onelofephas (whohimfelfe was a Iew, &writ ofAnt iquities)faitb,thatAdams of,fpring had erefted two pillars,the one ofbricke, theother of ftone,inwhich they had ingra- tienmany things ; but thefè thingsare entertain. And that therewasno part ofGodsword written before Moles ,itmay thus be gathered. Firft,becaufethe Iewes,tooehom asSaint Podfaith,the Oracles ofGodwere committed,hadnot in I Rom. ;,t; there cannonany holyWrit moreancientthenMofes; fecondly , ourSauiour labouring tóproouehimfelfetobe the Mefsias _, the Text faith, Heebegamreat mLrk,x .e;b Mofes p1: if therehad beeneany Author ofgreaterantiquitie then /Wafts ., no a doubt ourSauiour would haue alleadged it,in as much asall the Scripture that wasbefore him , was togiueteftimonyofhim. And it is likely that God him- felfe by writing the tenne Commandementsextraordinarilywith his owne fin- gers,did acquaint Mofes with themannerofwritiog,and the vfeofletters,whick for ought we can linde tothecontraty,vntill that time,was vnknowne. If it be demanded then, whether till then the Church and peopleofGodwere vtterly deftirute oftheword? Ianfwer,No,forit wasalwayes a truth , that Godwould acceptofno worfhip,but that which wasaccording tohis word;voluntarie reli- gion was háteful l unto him , euen from the very firft beginning. Sith then it Is apparent, that before the wordwas written,Godwasttuely worfhipped, as by Adam, Abel,Enocb,Noab;eAbraham, &c. it mull needesbe that therewas Come word,or fouiereuealed and knownewill ofGodtodire&them.Ifyouaskehow the will of God was then made knowne,and how preferued? I anfwer, that the Lord reuealed it by holy oracles,by vifions,and apparitionsofAngels, yeaand of.Chrill himf_Ife, Who is ordinarily:meant by thenaineofAngell throughout the olileTeftament, As fandry times, and indiners aurmnrsGod ffsketo ossrFa. tbersintheold, time(faith the .,)He fpaketo Mofesmonth so misfits°. He 'n Heb.t.tá.. vfed alfotht miniftetirofman for the fpeeadingofthat truth abroade tomany eNumbaaa which byvifonor oracle was reuealed to few. Thusthefatherto thefonne,one to ánother made knowne thewill ofGod. But when the Church wasenlarged , and(hauiog beene fhur vp inTome few families)bcganneto fpreadit felfeintos greater compaffe,and withall, corruption in religionentreated , and the people of God by conuerfing with idolaters,were more fubieftto bemif-led; theLord gane order to wrire the Lawe,and inproceffe oftime, added the writingsof the Prophetsasexpofitions of the- lawe,andatthe laft,thenewTeliament , tobeea full and nianifefi difcouererofthat myfterieofChrift,which wasmoredarkely xaaa,,,re: (as it were)lapped inthe types,and figures,andprophefies oftheolde. So that ¡lm,00remín this is the anfwer then to thisqueftion; tillMofes hepatic there wasnoword Tese a written, yet the Church wasnotdiftitute, but by other meanes,wasmade ac- ögan Ffa4 Anointed. with Gods will, and was informed infuck thingsas partained to life. y Wemay make vfealfooftheclearing ofthis queftion. Firft ofall it giueth vs loft occafion to note and.oblinte thecontinuall ThePie ai care and providence of Godsuerhis Church,in that heehath neuer leftiten- fupplyed , but in all times and ages from thebeginning, hath taken acourt for the right informingit, in fuch thingsaswerebehoouefull, andnecelfarie thereunto. Before Mofer, he taught theworld byvifionsand Modes(peaking Onto the Tonnes ofmen from heauenwith hisownemouth. In the following times heordayned, and withhis owoe finger (as it were)confecrated theefe of writing, for theperpetual) pieferuation ofthat truth, which otherwife in corn. man reafon, eyther time might have worse out, or menofcorrupt mindes haue falfr&ed, to thecorruptingandpoifoaingofthe Church. So thatGodmay I3 truly
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