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| The Law Anterior to Moses.
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Chapter
II.—The Law Anterior to Moses.
Stand we, therefore, foot to foot, and determine we the
sum and substance of the actual question within definite lists.
For why should God, the founder of the universe,
the Governor of the whole world,1139
the Fashioner
of humanity, the Sower1140
| 1140 Comp. Jer. xxxi. 27 (in LXX. it is xxxviii. 27);
Hos. ii. 23; Zech. x. 9; Matt.
xiii. 31–43. | of universal
nations be believed to have given a law through Moses to one people,
and not be said to have assigned it to all nations? For unless He had
given it to all by no means would He have habitually permitted even
proselytes out of the nations to have access to it. But—as is
congruous with the goodness of God, and with His equity, as the
Fashioner of mankind—He gave to all nations the selfsame law,
which at definite and stated times He enjoined should be observed, when
He willed, and through whom He willed, and as He willed. For in the
beginning of the world He gave to Adam himself and Eve a law, that they
were not to eat of the fruit of the tree planted in the midst of
paradise; but that, if they did contrariwise, by death they were to
die.1141
Which law had continued enough for them, had
it been kept. For in this law given to Adam we recognise in
embryo1142
all the precepts
which afterwards sprouted forth when given through Moses; that is, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole heart and out of thy whole
soul; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;1143
| 1143 Deut. vi. 4, 5; Lev. xix. 18; comp. Matt. xxii. 34–40; Mark xii.
28–34; Luke x. 25–28; and for the rest, Ex. xx. 12–17; Deut. v. 16–21;
Rom. xiii. 9. |
Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not
steal; False witness thou shalt not utter; Honour thy father and
mother; and, That which is another’s, shalt thou not covet.
For the primordial law was given to Adam and Eve in paradise, as the
womb of all the precepts of God. In short, if they had loved the Lord
their God, they would not have contravened His precept; if they had
habitually loved their neighbour—that is, themselves1144
| 1144 Semetipsos. ? Each
other. | —they would not have believed the
persuasion of the serpent, and thus would not have committed murder
upon themselves,1145
| 1145 Semetipsos. ? Each
other. | by falling1146
| 1146 Excidendo; or,
perhaps, “by self-excision,” or “mutual
excision.” | from immortality, by contravening
God’s precept; from theft also they would have abstained, if they
had not stealthily tasted of the fruit of the tree, nor had been
anxious to skulk beneath a tree to escape the view of the Lord their
God; nor would they have been made partners with the
falsehood-asseverating devil, by believing him that they would be
“like God;” and thus they would not have offended God
either, as their Father, who had fashioned them from clay of the earth,
as out of the womb of a mother; if they had not coveted
another’s, they would not have tasted of the unlawful
fruit.
Therefore, in this general and primordial law of
God, the observance of which, in the case of the tree’s fruit, He
had sanctioned, we recognise enclosed all the precepts specially
of the posterior Law, which germinated when disclosed at their
proper times. For the subsequent superinduction of a law is the work of
the same Being who had before premised a precept; since it is His
province withal subsequently to train, who had before resolved to form,
righteous creatures. For what wonder if He extends a discipline who
institutes it? if He advances who begins? In short, before the Law of
Moses,1147
written in
stone-tables, I contend that there was a law unwritten, which was
habitually understood naturally, and by the fathers was habitually
kept. For whence was Noah “found righteous,”1148
if in his case the righteousness of a
natural law had not preceded? Whence was Abraham accounted “a
friend of God,”1149
if not on the
ground of equity and righteousness, (in the observance) of a natural
law? Whence was Melchizedek named “priest of the most high
God,”1150
| 1150 Bible:Heb.7.10 Bible:Heb.7.15 Bible:Heb.7.17">Gen. xiv. 18, Ps. cx. (cix. in. LXX.) 4;
Heb. v. 10, vii. 1–3, 10, 15, 17. | if,
before the priesthood of the
Levitical law, there were not levites who were wont to offer sacrifices
to God? For thus, after the above-mentioned patriarchs, was the
Law given to Moses, at that (well-known) time after their exode from
Egypt, after the interval and spaces of four hundred years. In
fact, it was after Abraham’s “four hundred and thirty
years”1151
that the Law was
given. Whence we understand that God’s law was anterior even to
Moses, and was not first (given) in Horeb, nor in Sinai and in the
desert, but was more ancient; (existing) first in paradise,
subsequently reformed for the patriarchs, and so again for the Jews, at
definite periods: so that we are not to give heed to Moses’ Law
as to the primitive law, but as to a subsequent, which at a definite
period God has set forth to the Gentiles too and, after repeatedly
promising so to do through the prophets, has reformed for the better;
and has premonished that it should come to pass that, just as
“the law was given through Moses”1152
at
a definite time, so it should be believed to have been temporarily
observed and kept. And let us not annul this power which God has, which
reforms the law’s precepts answerably to the circumstances of the
times, with a view to man’s salvation. In fine, let him who
contends that the Sabbath is still to be observed as a balm of
salvation, and circumcision on the eighth day because of the threat of
death, teach us that, for the time past, righteous men kept the
Sabbath, or practised circumcision, and were thus rendered
“friends of God.” For if circumcision purges a man since
God made Adam uncircumcised, why did He not circumcise him, even after
his sinning, if circumcision purges? At all events, in settling him in
paradise, He appointed one uncircumcised as colonist of paradise.
Therefore, since God originated Adam uncircumcised, and inobservant of
the Sabbath, consequently his offspring also, Abel, offering Him
sacrifices, uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, was by Him
commended; while He accepted1153
| 1153 Or, “credited
him with.” | what he was
offering in simplicity of heart, and reprobated the sacrifice of his
brother Cain, who was not rightly dividing what he was
offering.1154
Noah also,
uncircumcised—yes, and inobservant of the Sabbath—God freed
from the deluge.1155
| 1155 Gen. vi. 18; vii. 23; 2 Pet. ii.
5. | For Enoch, too,
most righteous man, uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, He
translated from this world;1156
| 1156 See Gen. v. 22, 24; Heb. xi. 5. | who did not first
taste1157
| 1157 Or, perhaps,
“has not yet tasted.” | death, in order that, being a candidate for
eternal life,1158
| 1158 Æternitatis
candidatus. Comp. ad Ux. l. i. c. vii., and note 3 there. | he might by this
time show us that we also may, without the burden of the law of Moses,
please God. Melchizedek also, “the priest of the most high
God,” uncircumcised and inobservant of the Sabbath, was chosen to
the priesthood of God.1159
Lot, withal, the
brother1160
of Abraham, proves
that it was for the merits of righteousness, without observance of the
law, that he was freed from the conflagration of the
Sodomites.1161
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