Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

First, The Jews expressly contend that their Oral Law, their Mass of Traditions was § 16 from God himself. Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai, and ⟨p. 64⟩partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received. Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word, (which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original) and the usefulness of it is much more. For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition, that is Practice, Custom, or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced, expressed, and declared, at such or such seasons, by such Masters or Schools amongst them, yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out, but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss, wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation; as all of them agree who have written any thing about the nature, propagation, and continuance of their Oral Law.

First, The Jews expresly contend that their Orall Law, their Mass of Traditions was § 16 from God himself. Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai, and ⟨p. 64⟩partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received. Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word, (which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original) and the usefulness of it is much more. For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition, that is Practice, Custom, or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced, expressed, and declared, at such or such seasons, by such Masters or Schools amongst them, yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out, but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss, wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation; as all of them agree who have written any thing about the nature, propagation, and continuance of their Orall Law.

And this is the persuasion of the Romanists about their Cabal of Traditions. They plead them to be all of a Divine Original; partly from Christ, and partly from his Apostles. What ever they have added unto the written Word, yea, though it be never so contrary thereunto, still they pretend that it is part of the Oral Law which they have received from them by living Tradition; Let one Convention of their Doctors determine that Images are to be adored, another that Transubstantiation is to be believed, a third add a New Creed with an equal number of Articles unto the old, let one Doctor advance the Opinion of Purgatory, another of Justification by Works; all is one, these things are not then first invented, but only declared out of that unsearchable Treasure of Traditions, which they have in their Custody. Had they not inlaid this Persuasion in the minds of men, they know that their whole Fabric would of its own accord have long since sunk into Confusion. But they highly contend at this day, that they need no other Argument to prove any thing to be of an Heavenly Extract and Divine Original, but that themselves think so, and practise accordingly.