Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

It seems these things were left them in secret Tradition, because God was not willing that any besides themselves, should know his Mind and Will; but they have at last showed themselves more full of benignity towards mankind, than they would allow God to be, in as much as they have committed this Secret Law to Writing. And to this purpose is their Confession in [Greek or Hebrew]; The Golden Altar; [Greek or Hebrew]; It is impossible for us to stand, or abide, upon the Foundation of our holy Law, which is the written Law; unless it be by the Oral Law which is the Exposition thereof. Wherein they not only declare their Judgements concerning their Traditions, but also express the Reason of their obstinate adherence unto them; which is that without it, they cannot maintain themselves in their present Judaism. And so indeed is the case with them; innumerable Testimonies of the Scriptures rising up directly against their Infidelity, they were not able to keep their station, but by an horrible corrupting of them through their Traditions. On this account it is a common thing with them in the advise they give unto their Disciples, to prefer the Study of the Talmud, before the Study of the Scripture, and the sayings of their Wise men before the sayings of the Prophets; and plainly express an utter disregard of the Written Word, any farther than as they suppose the sense of it explained in their Oral Law. Neither are they here forsaken by their Associates. The principal design of all the Books which have been lately published by the Romanists, and they have not been a few; hath been to prove the Certainty and Sufficiency of their Traditions in matters of their Faith and Worship, above that of the Written Word.

It seems these things were left them in secret Tradition, because God was not willing that any besides themselves, should know his Mind and Will; but they have at last shewed themselves more full of benignity towards mankind, than they would allow God to be, in as much as they have committed this Secret Law to Writing. And to this purpose is their Confession in 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; The Golden Altar; 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; It is impossible for us to stand, or abide, upon the Foundation of our holy Law, which is the written Law; unless it be by the Orall Law which is the Exposition thereof. Wherein they not only declare their Judgements concerning their Traditions, but also express the Reason of their obstinate adherence unto them; which is that without it, they cannot maintain themselves in their present Judaism. And so indeed is the case with them; innumerable Testimonies of the Scriptures rising up directly against their Infidelity, they were not able to keep their station, but by an horrible corrupting of them through their Traditions. On this account it is a common thing with them in the advise they give unto their Disciples, to prefer the Study of the Talmud, before the Study of the Scripture, and the sayings of their Wise men before the sayings of the Prophets; and plainly express an utter disregard of the Written Word, any farther than as they suppose the sense of it explained in their Orall Law. Neither are they here forsaken by their Associates. The principal design of all the Books which have been lately published by the Romanists, and they have not been a few; hath been to prove the Certainty and Sufficiency of their Traditions in matters of their Faith and Worship, above that of the Written Word.