Westminster Annotations, Genesis · Argument
THE ARGUMENT.
THE five Books of Moses are sometimes contained under one Title, and so from the most observable matter delivered in them, and dispersed through them, they are called Thorah the Law; and from their number, and Iuncture, the Title given them by the Greeks is the Pentateuch, or fivefold Volume; for all five anciently made but one Book, as did the twelve smaller Prophets; and thence it is that the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, begin with words of Coherence, which carry on the subsequent matter as by way of orderly contexture, and connexion with what was said before.
Of these the first Book in particular is called by the Hebrews Bereshith, from the initiall words of it; after which manner they gave names to divers other Books: the Greekes call it Genesis, because it delivereth the Story of the Worlds Originall, the Creation of Adam and Eve, their lapse, and off-spring in their degenerated condition, the multiplying of sinne in their multiplyed posteritie, whereupon followed the universall flood that over whelmed all living creatures of the Aire and Earth, except a very few of each sort, which were reserved as a Stock… for a new Plantation in the next Age; with other memorable matters of the Patriarchs, especially of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and Ioseph, with whose death Genesis endeth; which was in the yeare of the world 23 68. as they bring in the accompt, who have made it upon diligent perusall, and comparing of particulars.
Object. All this time and about thirteen yeares more were expired before Moses was borne, how then had he the knowledge of things done and past so many Centuries preceding his birth?
Answ. He might heare much by Tradition from the sonnes or nephews of Ioseph, as they from Iacob, he from Isaac, Isaac from Abraham, Abraham from Sem, Sem from Noah, Noah from Methuselah, and he from Adam… but the way of tradition was subiect to corruption, and at long running the streame of that channell carryeth with it many dregs of erroneous additions; wherefore, though Moses might receive some Historicall reports from some eminent persons of the precedent ages, his penne was guided by the unerring Spirit of God, while he wrote this and the foure books following: whereof though Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 2. de praepar. Evang. supposed the booke of Genesis was composed while he kept the slocke of his father in law in the land of Midian, yet it is rather to be beleeved, that that as well as the rest was indicted by him not when he was a private but a publique person, inspired and instructed by God for that purpose: but whether he received revelations from God for the contents of this and the rest of the Pentateuch, when he called him into the Mount, Exod. 24. 12. Or, whether writing many things in the manner of a Diary (in all but the first) he had his informations daily communicated to him by the Spirit of God, it is not to be determined by any resolution of man: yet this is most certaine, whereon we may rest, that the Spirit of God, which to other Prophets revealed things to come, inspired him with the Revelation for things already done, which is equally infallible in the knowledge of forepassed, and future persons, matters, words, acts, or events, at what distance soever.