Page:A commentary upon the first book of Moses called Genesis (IA cuponfi00patr).pdf/15

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which it begins; and the Genealogy of the Patriarchs, down to the Death of Joseph, where it ends. It comprehends an Hitory of Two thouand three hundred and ixty Years, or thereabouts: The truth of all which it was not difficult for Moes to know, becaue it came down to his time, through but a very few Hands. For from Adam to Noah, there was one Man (Methuelah) who lived o long as to ee them both. And o it was from Noah to Abraham: Shem convered with both: As Iaac did with Abraham and Joeph: From who in thee things might eaily be conveyed to Moes, by Amram; who lived long enough with Joseph. In hort, Moes might have been conuted, if he had written any thing but the Truth, by learned Men of other Nations, who prang from the ame Root, and had the like means of being acquainted with the great things here reported by Tradition from their Fore-fathers: Who lived o long in the beginning of the World, thay they more certainly tranmitted Things to their Poterity. Beides, it is not reaonable to think, they had not the ue of Writing as we have; whereby they conveyed the knowledge of Times foregoing, to thoe that came after.

Vere 1. In the beginning.] The World is not eternal, but had a beginning, as all Philoophers acknowledged before Aritotle. So he himelf informs us, L. I. de Cælo, cap. 2. (peaking of the ancient Opinions concerning the Original of the World), they all aid it had a beginning: But ome thought it might have no End; others judged it to be corruptible.

God created.] He who is Eternal gave a Being to this great Fabrick of Heaven and Earth, out of No- thing.