4. ein Expofitiola of the CH A P. i. Ltflitutions was theirperfwafion of theunparade1'déxcedency ôftheRevelation made to Mafer. This they retreated unto, and boafled of when they were [netted with the Dullrine and Miracles of Chrift, John 9. 28, 29. And this was the main foundation in all their contells with the Apottles, Alit 15.s. .Chap. z 1.2', z8. And this at length they have made a principal root orfundamental Article of their Faith, beingthe fourth of the thirteen Articles oftheir Creed ; namely, that Mofes Was the mollexcellent and moltfublime among the Prophets, fo far above that excellency, that degree of wif- dom and honour which men may attain unto, that he was equal to Angels. This Mai nonides the firft difpofet oftheir Faith intofundamental Articlesexpounds, atlarge, More Nebuch.p. z. cap. i9. Declaravimus, faith he, quad Propbetia Mofis dolioris no- ftri ab omnium aliorum Prophecies difrat ; dictmur nune quod proper falam earn ap- prehenfionem ad legem vacati films ; quia nempe vocations ids qua Moles nos vocavitfimi- lu toque anteceffit.ab Adamo primo ad ipfumufq; neq; etiam ;sift ipfum aloud serum Prophe- tam finnan eft; Ac fundamentumLegis no fire eft quod in sternum finem nonfit habitura vel abolenda, atpropterea, etiam exfententia noftra, alla lex nec unquam fuit, nec Brit prates unions bane LegemMofes Dolloru noftri. We have declared, that the Prophecy of Motes our Mafter, differedfrom the Prophecies ofall others; Now we fhad fhew that upon the ac- count ofthis perfwafion alone, ( namely, of the excellency of the Revelation made un- to Mofes ) we are ,called to theLaw. For from thefirff Adam to him, there was never any ft?cb cad ( from God) as that wherewith Mofes calledus, nor did ever any fach enfue af- ter him. Hence is it afundamental Principle of our Law ; that it Thad never have an end, or be abolifhed ; andtherefore alfa it is our Judgement that there was never any other ( di- vine ) Law, nor ever lballle, but only this of our Maier Mofes. This is their prefent perfwafcon s it was fo of old. TheLaw and all Legal Obfervances are to be conti- nued for ever : other way of wodhipping God there can be none : and this upon the account of the incomparable Excellency of the Revelation made to Mofes. Toconfirm themfelves in this prejudicate apprehenfion, they affign a fourfold prebe- mineney to the ProphecyofYbfes above that of other Prophets ; and thefe are infcfted on by the fame Maimonide: in his explication ofCap. to, Trallat. Sanedr. and by fundry others of them. 1. TheRift they fix on is this ; that God never flake to any Prophet immediately, bat only to Mofes ; to him hefpakewithout Angelical Mediation. For fo he affirms thathe fpake tohim, ne n9, mouth to mouth, Numb.12.13. 2. All other Prophets, they fay, received their vifions either in their flee?, ar prefently af- ter their fleep, but Mofes in the day time handing between the Cherubim,, Exod. 29.92. And, 3. That when otherProphets received their Vofions or Revelations, although it was by the mediation ofAngels, yet their nature was weal«nedby it, and the fine of their bodies, by reafon of the confternation that befell them, Dan. io. 8. but Mofes had no fuchperturbation befalling him when the Lord fpake unto him, but it was with him , as when a mot fleakr unto his friend. q. That other Prophets hadnot inflirations anddnfwers from God at their own pleafüre , but fometimes were forced to wait long, andprayfor an anfwer before they could receive it. But Mofes was wont whenhe pleafed to fay, flayandI will hear what Godwillcommand you, Numb. 9.9. So they. And to reconcile this unto what is elfewhere laid, that he couldnot fee the face of God and live, theyadd, that he law Godnot immediately but Dtfl'? 9bts7, in fle- culo or fleculari, (a wordformed from the Latin,) in a glafs : an expretlion which the Apoflle alludes unto,' Cor.i 3.12. only theyadd,O1113 rl 11n nrit:eO+ti Vaal WO =1411, other Prophetslam through nineperfletïives ; nntt Dt +1ri9D lInO ntn nWWC , but Mofes fan, through one only: Vaiikra Rabba. fec. a. whereunto they add, that his Speculumwas clear andlucid ; theirs(lotted. It muttbe granted, that Mofes being the Lawgiver and flott Revealer of all that Worthip in the obfervationwhereofthe Judaical ChurchState, and Priviledgeof that people did confift , had the preheminency above the fucceedíng Prophets, whole Minifiry chiefly tended to intirud the people in the nature, and keep them to theob- fervation of his Inflitutions. But that all thefe things by thembefitted on, were pecu- liar to him, it Bothnot appear; nor if it did fo, are the molt ofthem, of any great weight or importance. The ßrti is granted; and a fignal Priviledge it was ; God fpake unto him nos.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=