6+ Orali Lap, M/ n2, Maffora, and Talmud, partly added byhim fromDivine Revelations which the afterwards received. Hence the Authority ofit with them is no lefi than that of the Written Word, ( which hathall its Authority from its Divine Original ) and the uffulnef ofit is muchmore. For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition, that is Pradhice,Cultom, or Expofition of any place of Scripturewas firft introduced, expreffed, and declared, at fach or filch feafons, by fach Maters or Schools amonglt them, yet they will not grant that they were then fire invented or found out, but only that they were then firft de- 'daredout of the Cabalijfical Abyfs, wherein they were prefcrved from their fait Reve- lation as all of them agreewho have written any thing about the nature, propaga- tion,and continuance of their OrallLaw. And this is the perfwafion of the Romaniffs about their Cabal of Traditions. They plead them to be all of a Divine Original; partly from Chrift,and partly from his Apo- files. What ever theyhave added unto the written Word, yea, though it be never fo contrary thereunto , lull they pretend that it is part of the Orali Law which they have'received from them by living Tradition ; Let one Convention of their Debtors de- termine that Images are to be adored, another that 7. ranfisbjtantiation is to be believed, a third add á Nere Creedwith an equall number ofArticles unto the old, let one Do- étoradvance the Opinion of Purgatory, another of jxftifcation byJorks; all is one, thefe things are not then firer invented, but oily declared out of that unfearchable Treafitre of Traditions, which they have in their'Cnitody. Had they not inlaid this Perfwafion in the minds of men, they know that their whole Fabrick would of its own accord have long fusee funk into Coufafion. But they highly contend ac this day, that they need no other Argument to prove any thing to be of an Heavenly Extrabi and Divine Original, but that 'themfelvesthink fo, and praecifeaccordingly. 17. Seeendly, This Oral Law being thus given, the Prehrvation of it,, feeing lriofes is dead long ago, muff be enquired after. Now the jewr aTgn a threefold Derr; tory of it. Firjt, The whole Congregation; Secondly, The Sanhedrin , and Thirdly, The High Prieft. To this End they affirm, that it was-if/roe timer repeated upon the delèeiet of tMfs from Mount Sinai, as to what of it, he had then received, and his after addi- tions had the fene promulgation. Fier, It was repeated by himfelf unto Aaron; Secondly, By them both untothe Elders : andThirdly, By theElders unto the whole Congregation ; or as Maimonides in jad Chazakab, Moles delivered it unto Ekazzr, Phineas and 7ofhuah after the Death ofAaron, by whom the Conffibry was inftrueîed therein , who taught the People as o_cafion did require. What the People knewof it is uncertain, but what they did fo, was quickly loft; The Conliffory or great Sanhe- drim 7rtN1 =Taw il'a, as they call it, the Hufeof judgement, of Seventy and one, was more faithfully in its charge. HenceRah. Mafès in the fame Book, Tractat.t='nn_D of Rebell: or Tranfgreffirs, teacheth us , Iry a=rt t:714w11'atu 71111 l'7 tt1 7.tiw' 774 t5D' LCDwC1 pr MrICI i ti11Ri1 '`I1C3) X7il lift 7ÿ1w, The great Confijtory (or Houle of Judgement ) at Jerufalem was the fóundation of the Mall Lan.; Thefi are the Pillars ofDotlrine, from whomStatutes and Judgements went firth unto all all Ifael. And he afterwards affirms, with what Truth may be eafily judged 5H1w'1 rtp14rt eitert t3y t="p 4ii r Ira re ì mum, whiled this great Confffory continued there was no difention in Ifrael. For net only the fame its differences between Hillel and Sbanemai with their Difciples, which involved all the Schools, Scribes and Lawyers, among them, arofe and were propagated whileft that Confliory continued, but alto theAtheijfical Self of the Sadduces , rofe unto that height and intereft , as to obtain the Prefident/bip in the Sanbedrim its felt. But the High Priedts are thofe whom they fix upon as the principal Confervators of this Orali Law. To this End theygive us Catalogues of them from firft to laft, that by their uninterrupted Succeilion , we we maybe fecured of the incorrupt prefervation of their Original Traditions. Only it may here be addedby the way ; that they bind not themfelves precifely in all their Religious Obfervances unto this Oral Law whereunto they aflign a Divine Original; but afcribe anAuthority unto the Sanhedrim and the High Prielt, to conftitute things of themfelves in the Worfhipof Cod betides andbeyond the word. Forwhatever they pretend of their Orali Law, when they come unto particular Intlánces they would fain educethe Conftitutionsof ìt, from force Word, or Letter or manner of Interpreta- tion of the Scripture its felt. But thofe Conftitutions of the Confiittoryand Wifimen they afcribe unto their ownAuthority. Some of thefe are recounted byMaimonides in his Prefaceuntojail Chazaka ; as the Reading of the Book or Roll of Efther with Fatting; lights on the Feaft ofDedication; The Fa!£
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