QVESTIONS AND DISPVTATIONS CON­CERNING THE HOLY SCRIP­TVRE; WHEREIN ARE CON­tained, briefe, faithfull and sound exposi­tions of the most difficult and har­dest places:

APPROVED BY THE TESTIMONY OF the Scriptures themselues; fully correspondent to the analogie of faith, and the consent of the Church of God; conferred with the iudgement of the Fathers of the Church, and interpreters of the Scrip­ture, nevv and old.

Wherein also the euerlasting truth of the word of God, is freed from the errors and slaunders of Atheists, Papists, Philosophers, and all Heretikes.

The first part of the first Tome.

By NICHOLAS GIBBENS, Minister and Preacher of the word of God.

IOSHVA. 1.8.

Let not the booke of the Lavv depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is vvritten therein: for then shalt thou make thy vvay prosperous, and then shalt thou haue good successe.

IOHN. 7.17.

Jf any man vvill doe his vvill, he shall knovv of the doctrine, vvhether it be of God, or vvhether J speake of my selfe.

AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON, 1601.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, MY VERY HO­NOVRABLE GOOD LORD, TOBIAH, by the mercifulnesse of God, Bishop of Dirham, &c.

THe sacred Scriptures (as you know right Reuerend) they are the brests of the Church of God, the foode of the faithfull, the oracles of God, the bequeath and Testament of Iesus Christ. By them the Children of the Church, thorough hearing, reading, and meditation in them, receiue that sincere and holsome nourishment, whereby they growe from children to be perfect men in Christ. By them the godly receiue direction in euery enterprise; for they are as faithfull counsailours to teach vs wisdome: so that where men are blind thorough naturall cor­ruption, they are the lanterne whereby to see the light: where men for sinne despaire of mercie, they teach, with confidence to rest on God; where men are presumptuous, to feare his iu­stice; where men delight in sinne, they teach the punishment, and how to auoide the danger of the same. And as they doe thus declare the truth; so also by the light thereof they discouer [Page] error; and are profitable to improue and to correct, that the man of God may be absolute and perfect to all good workes. By them our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ, taking on him our nature, that in our nature he might appease his fathers wrath for our transgressions, and might furnish vs with the merite of his righteousnesse, whereby being restored to be the sonnes of God, we might be partakers in his kingdome; hath left his will and Testament recorded: by which the infallible truth of God thorough the blood of Christ is sealed vp, and men may know assuredly (for as much as they know, that God who hath promised is true, and cannot lye) themselues to be inhe­ritours of immortall glorie; so many as indeuour stedfastlie to keepe the conditions of the couenant. I will be their God, saith he, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore as on the one part we haue infinite cause to mag­nifie the mercie of the Lord, for this inestimable treasure of his holy word; so on the other side of intolerable griefe and lamen­tation, considering the negligence of men to imbrace this be­nefite: whereby it commeth to passe that not onely so many thousand soules of men doe daily decay and perish; but euen our enemies reproch our religion and blaspheme the Lord thorough our securitie, that hauing the word of God before vs we neglect it, and are not amended in our liues. Whereunto we cannot but confesse (for our sinnes doe testifie vnto our face) that we are not for the greatest part, of better conuersation, then are the Heathen which know not God; and that many euen among vs, which seemed and were esteemed to be reli­gious, haue also almost forgotten their former loue. The rea­son whereof is not strange vnto your Lordship, nor vnto any that is godly prudent. For the word of God hath not this pri­uiledge, that whosoeuer toucheth the outward hem thereof, shall fully be cured of his disease. But as our corporall meate returneth not to nourishment, vnlesse euery member of con­coction [Page] performe his dutie: Euen so this spirituall foode, vn­lesse it be seene with the eye, heard with the eare, confessed with the mouth, beleeued with the heart, it yeeldeth not that sappe or iuice that men may grow thereby. Neuerthelesse, as the lightning thorough his sudden brightnes, awaketh those that are heauie with sleepe, and forceth their eyes to behold the cleerenes of the same: euen so the Gospell at the suddaine ap­pearing thereof in this our land, allured all with her perfect beautie; yet many became offended at the light, delighting in darknes more then light, because their deedes were euill: and many became like the stonie ground, whose hearts are harde­ned and will not yeeld obedience: many also who mixe it with couetousnesse, vaineglorie and voluptuousnesse of life, but not with faith; heare it, and receiue it, and outwardly professe it, but yet are choaked among the thornes. Neither can it be, but many should beholde it, and few regarde it; many receiue it, and many fall away; for many, saith our Sauiour, are called by it, but few are chosen by the Lord.

Now albeit the highest cause of things remaine in the se­cret counsaile of the will of God; yet the outward meanes vn­doubtedly of this distresse are plaine and easie to be discerned, and ought of all men to be considered. One is, that darnell and tares haue growne vp together with the wheate, which being sowne before in vnhappie seedes of vnholsome doctrine, haue been permitted by the Lord himselfe to growe together, that they that are approoued might be knowne. Another is, that this vine of God is not in this world so carefullie regarded, but that briers and thornes, corrupted manners and profane impietie, doe make it, for the most part, to bring forth either sower or small grapes. The third and principall is, negligent respect of the will of God reuealed in the Scriptures: whereby it commeth to passe, that men haue not their hearts prepared to receiue it when they heare it; neither can so easilie be [Page] grounded in the faith, by the preaching of the word, because they search not by reading and conference of Scripture, whe­ther the doctrine taught them be so in deede, and carrie that equall waight in the balance of Gods sanctuarie: but while it is sowne in them as in the streete, that euill one commeth and stealeth both the practise and remembrance out of their heart.

There are many who to excuse this negligence, pretend dis­couragement through the hardnes of the Scriptures; which notwithstanding the Lord hath giuen, to be euen instruction and sharpnes of wit vnto the simple. Wherein also we doe con­fesse, that the Scriptures of God in diuers respects are hard and difficult. Namely, hard to them that despise them and will not vnderstand: hard to be vnderstoode of the naturall man, without the eye-salue of the spirit of grace. Hard in some points of doctrine that are deliuered, which so farre forth as they are deliuered are nothing difficult. And some­time hard in disposition and maiestie of words, where the doc­trine of it selfe is plaine and easie. And therefore hath the Lord most wisely included some difficultie in the Scripture, to the end he might prouoke vs, to aske assistance of his spirit, by whose only light they are truly vnderstoode. Secondly, to stirre vp our indeuour, to reade, meditate and search them out. Thirdly, to make vs esteeme them precious as they are, who naturally despise the things we easilie obtaine. Moreouer, to represse our pride and the boasting of our wisdome, he would shew vs thereby our ignorance in heauenly things. Againe, to preserue the treasures contained in them, that they might not be cast before the proud and scornefull men, as holy things to dogs or pearles to swine. And withall, because he hath or­dained some teachers, some learners in his Church; that the ministerie which is his ordinance, with loue and reuerence might be regarded. Neuerthelesse as there is none so wise on earth, who is able to sound the deepnes of knowledge and wis­dome [Page] contained in them; so is there none so simple (indued with common reason, but by the ordinarie meanes of God, may attaine to knowledge by them, sufficient to saue his soule. Neither is any thing more plaine, then the summarie doctrine of Saluation contained in them (to him that taketh delight therein, when as to Atheists and despisers of them, euery sen­tence is obscure) which can be inuented by the industrie of man, or contained in mens writings, Philosophers, or hea­then, or whosoeuer.

Some therefore contrariwise obiect vnto themselues, the facilitie and plainenesse of the Scriptures, as though they were not worthie their deepest meditations. To whom againe we answere; Tanta est Christianarum profunditas litera­rum, &c. So great is the depth of the sacred Scriptures, that if a Christian man were indued from heauen, with the yeeres of Methushalem, and the wisdome of Salomon, and would continually peruse them euen from his childhood vnto his crooked age, he might euer gaine in learning, and alwaies with abundant profit be exercised in them. The more wise the Preacher was, the more he sought forth wisdome: but sound it as a deepe profunditie which he was not able to com­prehend. They are like Iacobs ladder, the lowest steppe where­of commeth neere the ground of our vnderstanding; but the last steppe is high aboue mans capacitie, and reacheth vp to Heauen. They are a shallow foord, in which a Lambe may wade; they are an Ocean Sea, in which an Elephant may swimme.

Considering therefore with my selfe (right Reuerend) both the fond obiections of vaine and corrupted mindes, which receiue the holy Scriptures as the word of man, not as it is in­deede, the word of God; as also the subtill cauils of our aduer­saries against the holy truth of our profession: and beholding with continuall griefe the horrible neglect of the sacred word [Page] of God, with the infinite enormities that proceede thereof: I haue been prouoked in my selfe, to vndertake a labour of no small importance; and I humbly beseech the heauenly maie­stie, it may be found as profitable in time to come vnto the Church of God. Wherein first of all, to the end to prouoke as many as professe the faith, to the diligent reading of holie Scriptures; I haue laboured to vnfould in some conuenient measure, with sinceritie and faithfulnes, the true and sound interpretation of the word, especially in the most difficult and hardest places of the same. Secondly, for as much as very ma­ny places of Scripture haue been distorted, and wrongfully ap­plied to the purpose of heretikes from time to time: I haue en­deuoured to demonstrate the true and vndoubted purpose of the holie Ghost, and gathered the doctrine that thereof ari­seth, by the guide and authoritie of the Scriptures, and the re­uerend and orthodox fathers of the Church. Thirdly, where­as many obiections haue bin by Atheists displaied and bent against the historie of holie Scripture; which may happen al­so to be called into doubt, either by such as begin to grow to head in these our daies, or some other perhaps that are indeed desirous of the knowledge of the truth: I haue had in purpose to remoue such scrupulosity (which either I could find obiected or call to minde) and to cleere the truth of the word of God. Fourthly, whereas places of Scripture seeme opposite to other, I haue conferred such places and reconciled them. Fiftly, to these interpretations, I haue also gathered the iudgement of ancient writers, as I haue found them either directly exhibi­ted, or here and there dispersed in their workes, and haue placed them as parallels of full agreement with the doctrine at this day taught in the Church of God. The reader shall thereby perceiue, that the same his iudgement, which before he had conceiued, or from hence shall learne by conference of Scripture, shall be of perfect vnitie with the doctrine of the [Page] faithfull heretofore. Sixtly, I haue diuided these my labours into questions and answers, which I take to be the plainest kind of teaching vnto the simple; and for to resist the gain­saiers of the truth, I haue also, as occasion hath been offered, added the arguments and manifest reasons of the Church of God out of the plaine demonstration of the Scripture, care­fully auoiding all vaine and idle questions and subtill dispu­tations (which I professe before the Lord and before his Church) as in my worke it selfe I hope it shall appeare: ha­uing in this kinde of exercise imitated diuers ancient and learned Fathers of the Church, Theodoret, Acasius, Au­gustine, &c. and some of our countrimen here at home.

I haue directed these my labours vnto the priuate benefit of this my natiue countrie. First, for that I acknowledge my selfe more neerely tied in dutie to those of mine owne nation, and them of my kinred in the flesh: so that this Common-wealth and state, wherein I was borne and hitherto maintai­ned, as it doth worthily chalenge my life and labours, because next vnder God, it hath been author and maintainer there­of; through the most godlie, prudent, and happie gouernment of our most redoubted dread Soueraigne Ladie Queene Eli­zabeth (whom God of his infinit mercie and fauour to this our land, endow with multiplied yeeres and full felicitie) so I desire of the Lord, that for the emolumēt thereof, I may euer bestow my strength and labours, or my selfe may be bestowed to the glorie of God and edification of his Church. Secondly, for that the same our Church and Common-wealth is conti­nuallie assaulted by the aduersaries, either by open inuasion, or secret immission of lurking espies, Intelligencers, Remem­brancers, Seminaries, Priests, Iesuits, solicitors for the Church of Rome, remaining in euery corner of this land; who tho­rough the power of darknes, doe worke into the harts of men, by false suggestions and coloured hypocrisie: I take it as the [Page] dutie of the Ministers of the word, by sound and holie doctrine; of euery faithfull Magistrate vnder her gracious Maiestie, by authoritie and power; of euery good man in his place, as he tendereth the welfare of the Church of God, the blessed continuance of the Gospell, which her Maiestie hath alwaies so carefully maintained, as the chiefest good of all her subiects; and the safetie and preseruation of the publike wealth; to la­bour with watchfulnes and wisedome, to bridle the furie of such enterprisers. Moreouer, for that I know right well, that the writings of the Protestants are wholy banished from all the territories of the Papacie, by the authoritie of the Triden­tine Councell and the Pope (except to certaine licensed) vn­der paine of confiscation of goods and life: therefore I did assure my selfe, my labours in our vulgar tongue, would be communicate to moe, than in the common language of many countries. Neuerthelesse, if hereafter I shall perceiue it more for the seruice of the Church of God, and honour of my Coun­trie, to make my labours common to other Nations; I promise also (this booke of Genesis being happily finished) if God giue life and leisure, to conuert my stile. This in the meane time I would craue of your Honourable Lordship, that if I shall be found in some one or other point not so fully perhaps to satisfie my reader, as of some peraduenture will be expected (for as Hierome saith; Quilibet in suo sensu maximè abun­dat) you would fauourablie impute it, in part, to my mani­fold distresses, which through the mercifulnes of God may hereafter be relieued; hauing continued these eight and twen­tie yeeres brought vp in learning, only vpon the charges of mine owne reuenewes; and in these my labours, receiued nei­ther incouragement or helpe of societie, or conference, or like assistance, which might otherwise haue been mine aduantage in this exercise.

Now that I haue been thus bold to present my simple la­bours [Page] vnto your Honourable patronage; I am, besides more priuate causes, publikely inuited, by that honour and thank­fulnes that is due vnto your Lordship, not only from my selfe, but of this whole Realme, and the Church of God. That pa­terne of godly praelacie, described by the Apostle, practised by the godly Fathers and Bishops of the Church, is very nota­blie exemplified in your person. Your life vnproueable (I speake nothing but before the Church of God, and by the testi­monie of this Realme) your temperancie, vigilancie, sobrie­tie, modestie, hospitalitie, is knowne and commended in euerie quarter of this land: your grauitie, wisedome, learning, as it hath abounded through the blessing of the Lord, so hath it been, as a rich talent, by a faithfull seruant carefully applied, both in her Maiestie priuate palaces, and in the farthest pla­ces of her kingdome: your Zeale and diligence in holding forth the word of holesome doctrine, both by painfull preach­ing, and prudent gouernment in that precinct committed vnto you: your most pregnant loyaltie, and long continued seruice vnto her sacred Maiestie: your continuall endeuours for the publike wealth, which euery good man is bound to re­uerence, to loue, and gratifie.

Iesus Christ the great shepheard of the sheepe, in the bo­wels of his mercie tenderly regard his faithfull flocke within this land; preserue in peace this Common-wealth; continue long this happie and triumphant regiment; blesse abundant­ly our gracious Soueraigne and peerelesse Princesse, renew her yeeres, inlarge her prosperitie, treasure vp in her royall heart all graces of saluation and of gouernment: And finally so prosper all your honourable proceedings; your care and in­dustrie for the peace and welfare of his Church; your pasto­rall endeuour, for that stewardship and flocke committed vn­to you, as that it may be euer to the praise of God, your honour [Page] and commendation in the sight of men, your continued comfort in your much prolonged life; and at his appearance, through his endlesse mercie, you may receiue that infinit guerdon of your faithfull dispensation, which is that immortall Crowne of vnspeakable glorie. Diligat te Dominus quia tu dei seruos diligis.

Your Lordships most humble to be commanded, NICHOLAS GIBBENS.

TO THE GODLY READER. The counsaile of Chrysostome touching the reading of the Scripture. Hom. 3. de Lazaro, Luc. 16.

SVine librum in manus, lege historiam omnem, & quae nota sunt memoria te­nem, ea quae obscura sunt, parum (que) manifesta, frequenter percurre. Quod si non poteris assiduitate lectionis inuenire quod dicitur, accede ad sapientiorem, va­de ad doctorem, communica cum his ea quae scripta sunt, declara vehemens studiū. Et si viderit te Deus tantam animi promptitudinem adhibere, non despiciet tuam vigilantiam & solicitudinem. Verum etiamsi nullus homo te docuerit quod quaeris, ipse sine [...]bio reserabit. Memento Eunuchi reginae Aethiopum, &c.

Thus much in English.

TAke the Bible in thy hand, reade the whole historie, and remembring that thou vnderstandest, that which is darke and not manifest vnto thee runne ouer often. If thou canst not finde out the meaning of the words by diligent reading, haue accesse to one of better knowledge, goe vnto a teacher of the word: communicate with them the things that are written, declare thy earnest desire to vnderstand. And if God see thee vse so great readines of minde, he will not despise thy watching and thy care­fulnes. Yea if no man teach thee that thou askest, he himselfe without doubt will vnlocke it and disclose it vnto thee. Remember the Eunuch of the Queene of Aethiopia, a man troubled with innumerable cares, and hedged in with many businesses, who being a Barbarian, and not vnder­standing what he read, he read notwithstanding sitting in his chariot: and if he shewed such diligēce in the way, think what he did whē he was at home.

QVESTIONS AND DISPVTATIONS VPON GENESIS.

CHAP. I.

Question 1. verse 1. Wherefore is it written thus: Jn the begin­ning God created the heauen and earth?

BEcause the Lord would haue it known vnto men, but espe­ciallie vnto his Church, that the world was not eternall, as men are readie to imagine, and theAristoteles de cielo lib. 1. cap. 10. &c. Metrodorus Chius. Philosophers andSimon. Basilides, &c. vide August. de He­res. 1. & 4. heretikes haue taught; but that hauing a beginning in time,Elohim, a word of the plurall number, signifieth the three persons in the Trinitie: being ioyned with the word of the singular number Bara, sheweth that the three persons are but one God which did create. Deus vnus in trinitate, trinus in vnitate. Arnob. in Psalm. 145. And although for ho­nour sake a creature sometimes is spoken of in the plurall number, as the Iewes obiect: yet no creature in any place of Scripture euer spake of himselfe in the plurall number (as I am Elohim) this is peculiar to the Lord. God himselfe was theBara to create, signifieth to make of nothing, and thereby is distinguished from the word [...], iatzar, to forme, and [...] gnashah, to make, so that all things were made of the first matter, and that matter made of nothing, Basil. Epist. 141, Damascen. Orthodox. lib. 2. cap. 5. creator of it. The Hebrue word [...], reshith, which is englished, the [Page 2] beginning, doth not signifieTarghum Hierosol. trāslateth it [...] in his wisdome. Ori­gen in Gen. 1. & alij in verbo suo, i. in filio, non ad sensum genui­num huius loci. any substance, but theHieron. quaest. Hebr. in Gen. Ambros. Hex­am. lib. 1. cap. 6. first moment or instance of time. Which Time is the space or measure of the mouing of the hea­uens, and therefore neither before nor after, but to­gether with the heauens was created. So that it is as much to say: as, God did once create the heauen and the earth, whē as there was before, neither hea­uen, nor earth, nor matter whereof to make it: so that nothing was before time but God, who made the heauens wherein time is. By this we learne, that GodIsa. 44.6. & 48.12. 1. Tim. 6.16. Cyril. A­lexan. Thesaur. li. 12. cap. 12. Aeternitas, Dei solummodo naturae substantialiter inest. onely is without beginning and eternall: whereof Tertullian Tertul. aduers. Prax­eam. Ante omnia enim Deus erat solus, &c. saith, before all things were, God onlie was, and he vnto himselfe was in steed of the world, place, time, and all things: hee was alone, because nothing was else where but himselfe: and yet not then alone, because hee had with him, his wisdome, power, happines, and all goodnes in him­selfe. Neither did hee create the world, because he stood in neede thereof: forAugust. in Psal. 70. Serm. 2. Deus nullo in­diget bono, &c. God is in neede of no good thing, both hee himselfe is the chiefest good, and whatsoeuer is good, is of him; hee neither nee­deth vs, nor any of his meruailous works; neither the heauens, nor the heauen of heauens, nor what­soeuer is saide to be within or aboue the heauens, could make him more good, more strong, or more blessed. For what should it haue been, what so euer is not himselfe, vnlesse he himselfe had made it? Or what did he neede thee, that was before thee, and was able to make thee, when thou wast nothing? The Lord therefore, before all times, and beyond all eternities,Prou. 8.30. being delighted with that infinite glorie which is in himselfe,August. de Genes. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 2. Respondendum est quia voluit: vo­luntas enim Dei causa est coeli & terrae, & ideo maior est volun­tas Dei quam coelum & terra. of his own good will (for that he would haue creatures to be partakers of [Page 3] his blessednes, somuch as the nature of a creature can containe) did createColoss. 1.16. Angels and men, and for themIsai. 45.18. Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 5. Lactan. lib. 7. cap. 4. & 5. Qui domum ae­difi [...]at, non idcirco ae­dificat vt tantummo­do domus sit, sed vt in ea possit habitari, &c. apparet ergo animantium causa mundum esse constructum, &c. as it were a house to dwell in, hee made the heauen and the earth. If any man should be so cu­rious, as to askeIren. lib. 2. cap. 47. Dicimus quonta [...]ista responsio subiaces Deo, &c. what God did before he made the world? It is fitlieHistor. Tripartit. answered, he made hell for such fooles as will aske such vnprofitable questions.

Question 2. verse 2. What is meant by this: The earth was with­out forme and void?

THat which before was called heauen and earth,August. confess. li. 12. cap. 21. Corporale il­lud quod fecit Deus, adhuc materies erat corporearum rerum, informis, &c. had not at the first the forme or shape of heauen and earth, but only was the mat­ter whereof they are. And like as a foule bringeth forth an egge, orAristot. Histor. A­nimal. lib. 6. cap. 30. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 36. In­formis caro, paulo mu­ribus maior, sine ocu­lis, sine pilo, vngues tantum prominent, hanc lambendo paula­tim figurant. a Beare her whelpe, hauing ney­ther feete nor head, nor taile, but a matter whereof the forme ariseth: so, that which was first created, was [...]. Hesiod. Theog. ver. 116. This very matter was created the first day. an vnfashioned masse or lumpe, wherein the matter of heauen and earth and all creatures wasIt is called in the Hebrue, [...], tohu vabohu, (tohu) i. without order, (bohu) without varietie. not seuered or distinguished. By this we learne thePsalm. 135.6. Isa. 42.5.8. omnipotencie of God, who can make matter of no matter, and aAquin. Sum. par. 1.66. d. 1. forme without forme: this can­not be comprised in the wit of man,Heb. 11.3. it is to be re­ceiued and beleeued by faith.

Question 3. verse 2. How is the spirit of God said to moue vpon the waters?

IT is now called waters, which before was called heauen and earth, and earth with­out forme, thereby to explaine that which went before. For as waters haue all one continued forme, which cannot be distinguished into parts or members;August. de Genes. ad lit. imperfect. cap. 4. Terra quam Deus fe­cit, inuisibilis erat & incomposita, donec ab eodem ipso discernere­tur, & ex confusione in rerum certo ordine constitueretur. Hinc impudenter ca­lumniatur Simplicius qui coelum primo die factum, firmamentum verò (coelum appella­tum) secundo die po­situm, in narratione sacrae historiae repre­hendit: cum tamen hoc, confusum; illud, dictinctum; hoc, totum & continen omnium; illud, pars que illo con­tinetur à beato Mose declaratur. Disputat igitur non ad idem. Argum. 6. so this matter of heauen and earth was such, as no man might say thereof, this will be earth, this water, this light, &c. Vpon this substance the Spirit of God did moue: the [...], merachepeth, à [...], rachap, mouere sese. Rab. Dauid, in lib. radic. Rab. Salom. incubare. Hebrue word doth aptly signifie, to rest vpon:Hieron. lib. Tradit. Hebra [...]. in Gen. Quod nos appellare possumus, incubabat siue confouebat &c. Hierome saith, it may be well translated (incubare) to sit vpon and nourish, as a foule doth her egges with heate and life. In which sense, this is to be obserued, that this masse of wa­ters, which was vtterlie voide of creatures, and of vertue to bring forth creatures,Chrysostom. Hom. i [...] Gen. 3. Mihi videtur hoc significare, quod affuerit efficax quaedam & vitalis operatio aquis, & non fuer [...]t simpliciter aqua stans & immobilis: sed mobilis & vitalem quandam vim habent. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 5. cap 4. was now by the spi­rit of God, indued with power and vertue, that it might bring forth. But beside this, the word resting, seemeth to haue a farther meaning. The matter of the world, is called waters, not because it wasIt is iudged by the learned, that when God said: Let the waters be gathered together, &c. the earth and the waters tooke their perfect forme. August. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 12. & con. Aduersar. legis & Proph. lib. 1. cap. 13. per­fect waters, for the substance of all creatures was therein confused, but because of a certaine re­semblance thereunto: and that not only in the vni­formed [Page 5] vnformitie thereof, but also, as waters doe by nature runne, flow and spread abroad; so in this matter, there was no power in it selfe, not so much as to keepe it selfe together, but by the power of the spirit of God, whoCyprian. lib. de Spiri­tu Sancto: ipse poti­us ferebat, & complec­tentibus firmamen­tum ipse dabat congru­um motum, & limi­tem praefinitum. as it were inclosing it, and su­staining it (as if a man should hold a lumpe of sand in his hand, or a Crane in the airePlin. lib. 10. cap. 23. Grues excubias ha­bent nocturnis tempo­ribus lapillum pede su­stinentes, qui laxatus somno & decidens in­diligentiam coarguit. a stone in her foote) by resting vpon it,August. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 5. Non enim per spatia locorum, sed per potentiam inuisibilis sublimitatis suae. did giue power vnto it to be sustained. Wherefore you may in no case vnder­stand (by spirit) either breath, or winde, or spirit, other then the holy GhostHieron. Trad. Heb. in Gen. idem epist. ad Oceanum. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 1. cap. 8. Nam etiam Spiritum Sanctum legimus creatorem. Iob. 33.4. the third person in the Trinitie, who is called theIsai. 51.9.12.13. arme, theExod. 32.16. Deut. 9.10. finger, the2. Cor. 12.9. power of God: for as much as to giue it such a power, is no lesse than to create, which belongeth not to any but to God.

Question 4. verse 3. Wherefore is it written: Then God said, let there be light?

BEcause the spirit of God, hauing shewed that God created Heauen and Earth, hee would also shew the manner how he didIt is without con­trouersie, that the world was both be­gun and perfected by one and the same power of the word: but God is not said to speake, before the making of the light, because in the distinction of the creatures, his wisdome beginneth to appeare. Caluin. in Gen. 1. create them. Euen like as Kings and Princes, doe bring great things to passe, by their commandement and word onely; so God who is King of Kings, is so great in power and maiestie, as that he didPsalm. 33.9. but say the word, and they were created. But how is it said, [Page 6] that God spake? or how could his voice be heard of things that were not? To speakeRab. Moses libr. 1. Ductoris. cap. 64. doth signifie diuerslie, in holie Scripture: sometime to vtter a voice; sometime to conceiue in minde: as where he saith,Psal. 14.1. & 53.1. Hest. 6.6. the foole hath said in his heart, &c. that is, he doth conceiue or thinke so: sometime to will or purpose: as1. Sam. 18 11. Saul said, I will smite Dauid thorough to the wall: that is, hee would or purposed so to doe. The Lord therefore, did not byTertul cont. Praxe­am. Quid enim est (di­ces) sermo, nisi vox & sonus, &c. at ego nihil de Deo inane & vacu­um prodire potuisse. pronouncing words, but byDei dicere est Dei facere. August. epict. 49. quaest. 6. Nam sicut humana consue­tudo verbis, ita di­uina potentia etiam factis loquitur. doing vtter his mind: not by com­maunding any other, but byBasil. Hexam. Hom. 2. In voluntate inclina­tionem significat. decreeing of it him­selfe. Here then the Scripture, with heauenly wis­dome bringeth in the second person, who is the wisdome of God, to be the creator of the world, to­gether with the father, and the holy Spirit. Not that this word, in which God said, let there be light, was not as well of the father and of the spirit, as of the sonne: for the same word, was but the execution of the eternall word of God, in time; it was of ordina­tion, not of nature: but as, by the making of that vn­formed matter and sustaining it, the mightie power of God is known, to which end the Scripture saith; The Spirit of God did moue vpon the waters: so by the order and disposition of the creatures, the wis­dome of God is manifest, which is that essentiall and eternallPro. 8.12.14.22.27.30 word of God, which in the beginning was with God, Iohn. 1.1, 2, 3, 14. Heb 1.2. without which nothing was made that was made; which word became flesh and dwelt among vs. Here thereforeAthanas. Serm. cont. Arian. 3. vt enim lux suis radijs omnia illu­minat, & sine eius radijs nihil illustrari quiuerit: ita quoque & pater, veluti per manum, in verbo suo operatus est omnia, & sine eo nihil fecit: est enim verbum domini architectus, & rerum author, & est patris voluntas. Tertul. con. Praxeam. Caterùm v [...]ique teneo vnam substantiam in tribus cohaerentibus: tamen alium dicam oportet ex necessitate sensus, eum qui lubet & eum qui facit. is a manifest proofe of the doctrine of the Trinitie (whereof theMatth. 3.16. & 28.9. Ioh. 14. vers. 26. 2. Cor. 13.13. &c. Scripture doth so of­ten and plentifully teach) as also of the diuersitie of [Page 7] working in respect of the difference of the persons. The Father createthIames 1.17. [...]. as the fountaine of goodnes. The Sonne createthProu. 8.27. [...]. as the wisdome of the Father. The holy Ghost createth as the powerVers. 2. Iob. 26.3. [...]. of the Fa­ther and the Sonne. The worke of creation is one, as God is one; the manner of working, is diuers, ac­cording to the distinction of the persons. God said, let there be light, and there was light: that is, the Trinitie decreed it,Hilar. de Trin. lib. 4. Dicit ergo fieri Deus ex quo omnia sunt: & fecit Deus per quem omnia sunt. the second person effected it, For Psa. 33.6. Ioh. 1.3. by the word of the Lord were the heauens made. Ney­ther is this (asArriani, Eunomij: item Macedonij de Spiritu Sancto. heretikes imagine) any disparage­ment vnto the sonne of God, nor token of inferio­ritie, but of equalitie; for hee did both decree it as God, and performe it as God: neyther did hee alone create, but the Father and the holie Ghost created also, but by the Sonne. But as he that ea­teth Prou. 25.27. Inue­stigatio gloriae illorum. too much honie hurteth himselfe; so hee that sear­cheth too farre into the diuine maiestie, shall be ouerwhel­med with his glorie. From these places wee obserue: Verse 1. That the worldHeb. 11.3. Ioh. 1.3. with all the creatures therein, time, place, bodies, spirits, whatsoeuer is existent as aWhich is not God himselfe, for neither the Sonne nor holy Ghost were created (as the Arrians and Macedonians durst affirme) being per­fect God. Athan. in Symbol. Neither sick­nes, death, sinne, or darkenes, because they are priuations, and defects, but are no creatures. creature, was made of nothing, that is to say, created. Verse 2. It is the onely omnipotent power of the Lord, which didIob. 26.5.6.13. Psalm. 104.5.29. create, and doth preserue the creatures. Verse. 3 The mysterie of the Trinitie was knownGen. 4.25. & 11.7. & 15.8. Exod. 3.6. Psal. 33.6. Isa. 63.9.10 in all ages of the world, which of all men is to be receiued withRom. 12.3. wisdome and so­brietie: which doctrine isClem. Alexand. Nullus est in verbo Cimmerius. lib. Adhort. ad Gent. Luther. lib. de Seru. Arbitr. Multis multa manent abstrusa, non Scripturae obscuritate, sed illorum cacitate; sim­pliciter consitetur trinitatem, quibus verò modis, scriptura non dicit, nec opus est nosse. Iustin. Mart. li. confess. fidei: siue [...]. Vnitas in Trinitate intelligitur, & Trinitas in vnitate noscitur: id verò quomodo fiat: nec alios scrutari velim, nec ipse mihi possum satissacere. August. de Trin. lib. 1. cap. 3. Vbi quaeritur vnitas Trinitatis, pater, filius & Spiritus Sanctus, nec periculosius alicubi erratur, nec laboriosius aliquid quaeritur, nec fructuosius aliquid inuenitur. manifest as the Scrip­tures [Page 8] haue reuealed it;Isai. 40.13. 1. Cor. 2.16 as it is hid in God, it is vn­searchable, our reason cannot containe it, our2. Chron. 20.20. Isa. 7.9. August. ep. 222. Iren. libr. 2. cap. 47. Quaedam quidem ab­soluamus secundum gratiam Dei, quaedam autem commendemus Deo: vt semper qui­dem Deus doceat, homo autem semper discat, &c. faith with reuerence must beleeue it. To speake or thinkeArnob. in Psalm. 91. De Deo, etiam vera loqui pe­riculosum. the trueth of God aboue our capacitie is dange­rous, in which sense theNon loquendum de Deo sine lumine. Pythagoras. Laert. lib. 7. heathen said, thou must not speake of God without a light.

Question 5. verse 6. What is meant by the firmament, which is created in the middest of the waters?

THe word ( [...], rakiah) which is englished the firmament, Septuagin. vertunt [...], quasi res fir­ma & solida dicatur: cum Hebraicè magis extensum significet, ne cum ex aqua sit, vide­retur infirmum. Ho­mero: [...]: & [...]. doth properly signifie, a thing made strong by stretching out, and therefore is contrarie to the word [...], karah, which is to breake in stretching out. So that by this word firmament, is signified: first, that this waterie matter, which was grosse and thicke, was in part by the word of the Lord extended abroad, and by exten­sion was madeGraecis, [...] ab [...] & [...], quod sursum videmus: & [...] quasi [...] totus splendens. thinner and purer than before: se­condly, being weake before, by making it thinnerIob. 37.18. They are said to be strong as glasse spread a­broad, that is to say: cleere, & strong. Vide Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 11. Beda Hexamer. it was also made strong. But what creature is this that is called the firmament? Nothing elseAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 2. cap. 4. Ergo ex aëre qui est inter vapores humidos, vnde, &c. but the heauens and the very ayre in which we liue. For the matter what is it?2. Pet. 3.5. It was made of water, and continueth water (as it seemethTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 11. Beda Hexam. & alij. The Lord calleth it [...], shamajim, i. there is water. vnto many) albeit [Page 9] in respect of theEx communi mate­ria desumptum, pro loci natura variatur; quod terra est propin­quius, aër crassus & humectans dicitur: su­perius ignis, ratione caloris, denique supre­mum quod propriè coe­lum, aether appellatur ob puritatem & splē ­dorem: vnicum ta­men est firmamentum, & ex abysso commu­niter desumptum. diuersitie ofForma dat esse rei & rem conseruat in esse. forme in the parts thereof, it is rightly called ayre, fire, & heauen: and whether water, or aire, or any other material existēs, (as wee are notChrysost. Homil in Gen. 4. Nemo sapien [...] temerè asseuerauerit: oportet enim magna modestia, & gratitu­dine ea quae dicuntur, à nobis accipi. rashly to determine) wee ought to be more thankfull for the benefit, than curious to search into the substance. For the qualitie how strong? Able to beare vp vnmeasurable waight: in which respect he saith in thePsal. 104.3. Psalme, Hee laieth the beames of his chambers in the waters. For the quantitie how large? In widenes spreading ouer the whole earth: He Psal. 104.2 Isa. 40.22 stretcheth out the heauens like a curtaine: in deepnes, from the highest circle of the starres, vn­to the face of the earth and of the sea. In which we may behold the omnipotencie of God: we, to make a weake thing strong, doe ioyne as it were the force thereof together, and make it thicke: God taketh theThe strength of the creature is the power of the Lord, of whom they are, and in whom they doe consist. Coloss. 1.17. weakest of all creatures, the water, and by dis­playing them and spreading them abroad did make them strong. We doe build our houses vpon rocks and strong foundations, and lay our chamber beames on walles of stone: but God doth lay the beames of his chambers in the waters, and himselfe doth walke Psal. 18.10. vpon the wings of the winde. Wee are further to admire the wormanship of God herein, who by the cleerenes thereof, made it apt to conuey the light vnto vs: by the purenes thereof, made it meete for men to liue and breathe in: and for the strength, made it able to beare the clowdesIob. 36.26, 27, &c. with floods of water to moysten the earth.

Question 6. verse 7. What waters are they which are aboue the firmament?

THe firmament is two-fold, or consisteth of two parts,God called the fir­mament [...], sha­maijm, heauens, that is to say, he made it meete to bee called so of men. Vatab. in Annot. in Gen. cap. 1. as the name whereby God cal­led it, (being a word of the duall number) doth import. The lower part is from the earth,Hieron. Zanch. de oper. dei part. 2 lib. 2. cap. 1. vn­till the Sphere or circle of the Moone, which is the lowest of all the starres: the higher part, is from thence vnto the height of the circle of the starres. In Scripture sometimes the lower part onely is called by the name of firmament, as where it isVers. 20. said: Let the foule flie in the open firmament of the heauen, in which sense they are called ( [...] gnop hashamaijm,) the foule of the heauenVers. 30. & cap. 9.2 1. Kin. 16.4. & 21.24 Iob. 28.21. Psal. 8.9. &c. almost tho­roughout the Scripture. Sometime also the highest part, by the same trope of speech, is called the fir­ment, as where it is said,Vers. 17. hee set the Sunne and the Moone and the Starres, in the firmament of the heauen, when as hee placed them onely in the highest part thereof. This being obserued, the Scripture is not hard: herein is declared, how God diuided the wa­ters which before were one, into two parts: one part hee gathered together afterward, and named seas: this other part, he caused the firmament to support, that thereby he might water the drie land,August. lib. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 2. cap. 4. Ta­libus eorum disputa­tionibus cedens, lau­dabiliter conatus est quidam demonstrare aquas super coelos, vt ex ipsis visibilib. con­spicuis (que) naturis asse­reret scripturae fidem. Et prius quidē quod facillimum fuit, osten­dit & hūc aërem coe­lum appellari non so­lum sermone communi, sed etiam consuetudine scripturarum. De inde nulla alia causa primum firma­mentum appellatum voluit existimari, nisi quia interuallum eius diuidit inter quosdam vapores a­quarum & istat aquas, que corpulentius in terris fluitant. Et nubes quippe sicut experti sunt, qui inter eas in montibus ambul [...]uerint, congregatione & conglobatione minutissimarum guttarum talem speciem reddunt. quae si spissantur amplius, vt coniungantur in vnam grandem, plures guttae minimae, non eam patitur aër apudse teneri, sed eius ponderi dat locum & haec est pluuia, &c. Hanc dili­gentiam considerationem (que) laude dignissimam iudico. from [Page 11] whence raine, haile and snow doe come. So that by waters aboue the firmament are not meant, any wa­ters that are aboueSicut nonnulli asse­ruerunt. Theod. quest. in Gen. 11. Quedam sursum collocauit quae suo liquore atque fri­giditate non sinerent corrumpi firmamentū ab igne luminarium. Idem Beda Hexam. the highest part of the firma­ment, or sphere of the starres, but those that are a­boue the lower part of the firmament, or aboue in the firmament, that is, the ayre. The excellent wise­dome of God in this his worke, and the benefit it bringeth vnto man, which is soIob. 5.10. & 37.6. & 38.25. Psal. 1.47.16, &c. often commended in the word, cannot sufficiently be praised, by the tongue and pen of men or Angels.

Question 7. verse 9. How the waters vnder the firmament were ga­thered into one place?

WHen God made the firmament, the waters that were vnder the firmament, wereChrysost. Homil. in Gen. 5. Omnia com­pleta erant aquis. Ambr. Hexam. lib. 3 cap. 2. Caietan. Card. com­ment. in Gen. affir­meth ye waters were deeper than in the flood of Noah. ouer the face of the whole earth, and the earth was within and vnder the waters, as the rocks which are in the deepe seas: yea the water inclosed the earthAristotle himselfe testifieth, that the best and most aun­cient Philosophers before him, taught that the waters, at the first couering ye whole earth, were partlie drawne vp into the firmament, and partly receiued into the hollow places of the earth. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 1. Qui ob rerum humanarum scientiam magis commendantur, &c. on euery part, as the ayre incloseth the water and the earth, and the heauen incloseth the ayre, as Ezechiels Ezech. 1.16. wheeles were one within another. Now to the end there might be a place of habitation for men and beasts vpon the earth, the Lord vncoue­reth it in many places, and gathered the waters to­gether, which ouerflowed all before: which was done through the supernaturall power of the voyce of God; partly by making theseAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 1. cap. 12. idem cont. Aduers. legis & Proph. lib. 1. cap. 13. Quid mirum si (aqua) rara terram texerat spissata nudauit. waters thicker [Page 12] than they were before; and partly byBasil. Hexameron. 4. ad hoc sane dicemus, quod tunc vasa & conceptacula simul cō ­structa sunt. Non e­nim erat illud extra Gades marc, neque magnum illud & hor­rendum nauigantibus pelagus quod Britani­cam insulam & occi­dētales Hispanos am­bit. making cha­nels in the earth to receiue the waters, such as the seas and riuers are: and partly also by heaping themPsalm. 33.7. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen 26. Iterum suum continuit impetum & ad proprium concessit locum, quem solus ipse Dominus scit qui con­didit. Nazianzen orat 2. Non potest maris a­pud me mansuetudo in admirationem non venire, quod suos in­tra limites, quum so­lutum ac liberum sit sese contineat. Basil. Hexam. 4. De­bilissima re arena, id quod violentia intole­rabile est, fraenatur: alioqui quid prohibe­ret, &c. Aquin. sum. part. 1. quaest. 60. dist. 1. Calu in Gen. 1. ver. 9. Pet. Martyr. in Gen. ibid. together in the high and wide seas, whereby it commeth to passe, that they flowe to and fro, at springs and tides, and doe force out water springs out of the highest mountaines. And that the waters were thus heaped vp together,Psal 33.7. the Scriptures testi­fie: He gathereth the waters of the sea together as vpon a heape. And againe,Psal. 104.6. iaamthu-maijm, the waters will stand, that is to say,Annalage temp. Hebreu frequentiss. doe stand aboue the mountaines. But someCaietan. Commentar. in Gen. 1. Perer. in Gen. tom. 1. lib. 1. vers. 9. obiect, that the waters should stand, or be higher than the earth, it cannot be, without a per­petuall miracle. I answere, it is no miracle, but na­turall, which the Lord dothIob. 38.10. Psal. 104.9. establish by a perpe­tuall decree: for the will of God,Natura est quod Deus vult. Plato. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 3 cap. 2. Ʋox enim Dei efficiens natura est. and ordinarie execution of the same vpon the creatures, is that which of men isAristotle and Galen, and the veriest Heathen doe so expound themselues. called Nature. Secondly, it is ac­knowledged in nature, that the earth and the waters doAristot. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 2. make one perfect compasse; which how it can be, vnlesse there be an ascension of the waters in the sea, the same being at the shoreLet Caietan and others consider it in their wisedome, who applie it altogether vnto their sense. The compasse of the earth can no more be perceiued, in the greatest plaine, nor hardly so much, as mens eyes wil be witnes, Peslom. Almag. lib. 1. cap. 4. Siomnibus &c. Looke 7. chap. quest. 4.5. so farre below the Continent, they shall neuer be able truly to demon­strate. Thirdly, the vpholding of the waters in the firmament is no lesse marueilous, yet it is not mira­culous, & this with it hath equal proofe, both in rea­son, in vse, & in the scriptures. The difference is, this is not so manifest, and therefore not so much consi­dered. [Page 13] By this we haue to praise the bountifulnes of God, who prouidethIsai. 45.18. an habitation for man vpon the dry land. Secondly, his wisedom, that can make, by drawing them together, a meane in natureThe mouing of the waters by tides and windes a speciall meanes to preserue them. to purge and clense them, and fromEccles. 1.7. these heapes of waters refresheth the earth with springs and foun­taines. Thirdly, his long suffering vnto sinners, for if God should not hold these waters by hisIob. 38.10. word, and setIerem. 5.22. Gen. 7 barres and doores vnto them, they would soone breake in ouer all the earth, as in the daies of Noah, but the Lord Psal. 104.9. Isa. 54.9 hath set them a bound which they shall not passe, they shall not returne to couer the earth.

Question 8. verse 14. Why did the Lord make the light, and daies and nights, and also hearbes and trees to grow, before the Sunne and Starres were made?

THe first thing that God created in his pro­per kind was light: not because he was in darknes, for1. Tim. 6.16. he inhabited that light that no man can attaine vnto; but as our Sauiour saith,Ioh. 3.21. & praeci­puè expectas à te lu­cem sic luceat &c. He that doth the truth commeth to the light: so the Lord in the first place created light, becauseCaluin. in Gen. cap. 1 ver. 3. Angelos eodem tempore creatos qui spiritus sunt lucidissi­mi, communis fert opi­nio, de qua responden­dum: Tu Deus nosti. August. lib. 65. quaest. q. 21. Epiphan. Haeres 65. he would haue his workes appeare, and shew forth his glorie. This light hee formed of the first matter,2. Cor. 4.6. commaunding the light to shine out of darknes; and af­ter separated itAugust. de Gen. imperf. cap. 5. Eo. ipso quo lux facta est, consecuta est etiam diuisio inter lucem & tenebras. from the darknes, that is, made a [Page 14] diuision of light and darknes, so that halfe the earth (being as yet vnformed) was in the light, the other halfe in darknes and without light. And withall, he made it to runne, as it wereAs the Sunne and Stars did after their creation. The word signifieth to diuide, as Exo. 36.33. wher­by is manifest, that on one parte was darknes, on another part light, so diui­ded by place and time. a race with time, by which meanes after the space of twelue houres, in which the light had shined, darknes came in place of the light, and night succeeded the first day. Now after three daies finished, hee gatheredIust. Martyr. lib. ex­posit. fid. [...], &c. id est. Sol autem ipsi corpus effectū est, in quo lu­men contractum vbi­que prorsus locorum, tam inde ab initio dif­fusum fuerat. Nec conditus Sol est vt de­fectum suppleres; non talis est opifex. scilicet Deus. Theodor. quaest. in Gen. 14. the same light that was dispersed in the firmament, into cer­taine bodies, the Sunne, the Moone, and the Stars, which should in more royall order gouerne the day and night. Hereby the Lord would shew,Look also Ios. 10.12 1. King. 17.6. &c. that al­though hee commonly vse the meanes, which hee himselfe hath set, for the preseruation of the crea­tures, yet he is not bound or tied vnto the meanes, but of his good pleasure vseth them. He hath made the SunneIerem. 31.35. Psal. 136.8. to giue vs light, yet hee is able to giue light without the Sunne, and so he did, before hee made the Sunne: he vseth the influence and heate thereof, to bring foorth grasse, and corne, and trees out of the earth, and yet were all these createdWith ripe fruite, Gen. 2.16.17. where­vpō the Iewes ima­gine, the world had his beginning in September. in perfection before the Sunne. Wherefore we ought to learne hereby,Hester 4.14. that when wee see no meanes whereby wee may enioy the promises of God, wee distrust not his power, who is able without meanes and against meanes to worke our preseruation: and whenChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 5. Ex quo discimus, quod etiam nunc, neque cura, neque labor agricolarum fructuum nobis prouentus concedunt: sed prae his omnibus verbum Dei, quod ab initio ad terram factum est. Deinde, vt compescat eorum nugacitates, qui dicere audent quod solis cooperatione ad fructuum prouentum opus sit: sunt & alij qui haec astris aliquibus ascri­bere nituntur. Propterea docet nos Spiritus sanctus, quod ante formationem horum elemento­rum, praecepto Dei obtemperans tellus, semina adiderit, nullo alio ad cooperationem opus habent. wee haue meanes, wee should not trust2. Chron. 16.12. Iob. 31.24. in the meanes, but in the Lord.

Question 9. verse 14. How doe these lights in the firmament sepa­rate the day from the night?

THe Sun, who is thePsal. 136.8. ruler of the day, doth runne a continuall race in the firmament: for so the Scripture teacheth,Psal. 19.5. He reioyceth as a giant to runne his race. This running, is not any crooked wandring, as our eyes are witnesses, nor yet a direct or straight course, (for whither should hee runne, that alwaies speedeth moreArist. lib. de Caelo. Cleomed. lib. 2. [...] &c. i. Aue quae equo ve­locior, sagitta quae ae­ue. [...]. i. As swift as ones eye­sight vpon the sea. swiftly than a­nie creature vpon the earth?) but a compasse or circle course about the earth, for so the Scripture af­firmeth also:Psal. 19.6. He goeth out from the end of the heauen, and compasseth vnto the end of the same againe. And in another place,Eccles. 1.5. The Sunne ariseth, and the Sunne goeth downe, and compasseth about to the place where hee ariseth. How (will one say) can the Sunne haue pas­sage vnder the earth? Thou findest by daily expe­rience, it is as the Scriptures testifie: Marke also re­ligiously and they will teach thee how. God sitteth (saithIsai. 42.22. Wee in English call a roūd stone a chug or chuggle, which seemeth to be deri­ued of the Hebrue word (chug) signify­ing any thing roūd: a ball, &c. the Prophet) vpon the ( [...] chug) globe or circle of the earth: and againe,Prou. 8.27. He set his compasse vpon the deepe. By which words, is manifest, that as the Sunne is said to goe round, so is the earth round and com­passe also. So round (as theArist. de coel. lib. 2. cap. 4. Mundum esse rotundum atque adeo exactè, vt nihil eorum quae apud nos oculis cernuntur sit tam ex­actè rotundum; & ra­tionem eam subiro, quam aqua subit ad terram & elementa cetera. Philosopher affirmeth andPtol. Almag. lib. 1. cap. 4. Quod terra secundum omnes partes accepta spherica sit, &c. experience prooueth) as there is nothing in the world, more exactly compasse than it is. Nei­ther [Page 16] doe the mountaines hinder this proportion,Cleom. lib. 1. cap. 10. Vt si in pila sit puluis­culus; quanquam hic maiorem habet ratio­nem ad totam sphere magnitudinem, quam cauitates maris & montium fastigia ad totius terrae magnitu­dinem. for they are as nothing, being compared with the greatnes of the earth. But where are then the foun­dations of the earth, which God hath laid, which are so much commended1. Sam. 2.8. Psalm. 18.16. & 102.25. & 119.90. in the Scriptures? I an­swere by the Scriptures: that the Ier. 31.37. Iob. 38.6 foundations of the earth cannot be searched out: and withall, that these foundations, are not without, or vnder, but within the earth, for so theAmos 9.6. Prophet plainly speaketh: He hath laid the foundation of his globe of elements in the earth: and Iob saith,Iob. 26.7. He extendeth the North (gnal tohu) vpon emptines, and hangeth the earth vpon no­thing. In which words he affirmeth: first,Hieron. in Iob. 26. Hoc sic intelligendum est: siue quod terra ex nihilo facta sit, siue nihil infra terram sit, quo terra sustinea­tur: cum ipsa vniuer­sa sustineat, & ipsa innumerabiliter Dei virtute libretur, quia in ipso sint vniuersa, & ab illo omnia con­tinentur. that the earth hangeth, therefore it is not set vpon any thing, as vpon a foundation. Secondly, that the North, that is, that part of this globe of earth, which is farthest from vs, is stretched out vpon emptines, that isAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 13. cap. 18. Cum terra vniuersa libre­tur in nihilo. Item Ouidius. Terra pilae similis nullo ful­cimine nixa, aëre sus­penso tam graue pen­det onus. OEcolampad. in Iob. cap 26. Spatium illud aëre plenum vacuum vocat: iuxta opinionem vulgi. In­grati Physici qui perpetuò opera mundi spectantes, conditorem punquam agnoscunt. vp­on the very thin ayre, such as we our selues doe liue and breathe in. Thirdly, that though the earth doe hang as it were in the ayre, yet hath it neither corde nor thred to hang by, for it resteth vpō nothing out of it self, but vponMicah. 6.2. Amos 9.6. that mightie foundation that God hath laid within it. And what is that? I answer with the Scriptures,Psalm. 104.5. Isai. 40.21. the decree of God, that it should ne­uer moue. Therfore if thou canst not conceiue, where the foundations of the earth should be laid,Basil. Hexam 1. Si tecum statueris terrae fundamen­tum etiam illud occurret animo quod simili quopiam etiam illud opus habeat, quod ipsum sustineat. Quare percunctantibus, super qua re ingens hoc terra pondus firmatum est, nos dicere oportet, quod in manu Dei fines terrae sunt. thinke that the power of God is the foundation thereof. And know also that God hath so shewed his wise­dome [Page 17] with his power,By the depression of euery part there­of vnto the Cen­ter. that euen by nature it can no more be mooued,Notwithstanding ye Lord doth mooue and shake the same, and can bring it to nothing with his word. then if it were set on iron foundations, or rockes of Adamant. Now through the roundnes of the earth (like as a boule that is set against a candle or in the Sunne) one halfe onely at one time, can behold the brightnes of the Sunne, the other halfe being shadowed by the compasse of the whole, which also shadoweth the ayre neere a­bout it, and must needes thereby be depriued of light,Augustin. de Gen. contr. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 4. Non quia ali­quid sunt tenebra. sed ipsa lucis absentia te­nebra dicuntur. Basil. Hexamer. Ho­mil. 6. Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. 2. cap. 10. the onely want or absence whereof is that darknes that God called the night. By whichHow the light and darknes are sepa­rate. meanes the light and darknes are separate; for the brightnes of the Sunne, in that part whereon it shineth, cau­seth the day; and the earth, by the thicknes thereof, on the other part, shadoweth the ayre, and causeth night or darknes. Wherefore, as the Sunne without ceasing, is carried about the earth; so the morning, as his forerunner,Iob. 38.13. Homer. Iliad. [...]. getteth hold of the corners of the earth, and passeth before him from East to West, and compasseth again vnto the East. This do­ctrine, so farre as thou findest it taught by the Scrip­ture, esteeme not as the wisedome1. Thess. 2.13. of man, but of the Lord, and albeit thou canst notAugust. epist. 222. Vt ergo in quibusdam rebus ad doctrinam salutatem pertinenti­bus, quis ratione non­dum percipere valea­mus, sed aliquando valebimus, fides prae­cedat rationem, &c. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 5. conceiue it, yet beleeue it: and crie out with reuerence,Psal. 104.24. O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes! Neither is this trueth of God, naked of witnesses and proofes beside the Scripture. For euenAristot. de Coelo lib. 2. cap 4. & lib 4. cap. 3 Ptolom. Almag. lib. 1. cap. 4.5.6. Cleom. lib. 1. cap. 8. the Heathen, by the broken light of naturall reason, haue seene it, and by inuin­cible demonstration confirmed it, whose testimony serueth to confute those, that through prophanenes of heart shall denie the same.

Question 10. verse 14. What meaneth this, that the Sun, the Moone and the Starres, are said to be set for signes and for seasons, daies and yeeres?

THe wordes are manifest, if mens mindes were as forward vnto goodnes, as to euill. For thus they are to be read, out of the He­brue: And let them Here the point, is chiefly to bee mar­ked, which is: patsch­ [...]a, regius accentus, & vocem extēdit. Con­cerning the points or accents, the He­brues giue this rule: [...], &c. ye is, if thou wilt bee a perfect Grammarian (well able to vnderstand the Scriptures) la­bour to knowe and obserue the accent. be for signes: both for seasons, and for daies, and for yeeres: that is to say, signes of seasons, daies and yeeres: according as theHieron. in Ierem. 10. Et quae in signa sunt posita, annorum, tem­porum, mensium & dierum. Cyril. Alex. contr. Iu­lian. lib. 10. Quae sunt in temporum signa. August. de Gen. ad lit. imperf. lib. 1. cap. 13. Ne aliud acciperent figna aliud tempora. Trant. Iun. in Gen. cap. 1. Fathers, and best writers of the Church doe both reade them, and vn­derstand them. But such is the curiositie of men, that they will obserue them as signes, not onely of seasons, for which they are, but also of all humane accidents and affaires, as ofPtolom. de iudicijs lib. 1. cap. 3. Prima compositio vi­rium & actionum corporis & animi: item (que) certae affectiones, & longaeuitas & breuitas vitae. Idem lib. 3. cap 11.13. Item lib. 4. per totum. the temperament, and condition of mens bodies, of the qualities of the minde, of the length of life, of riches, friendship, sicknesse, hunger, warres, pestilence, earthquakes, tempests, and disposition of the ayre for euery mo­ment. We on the contrarie, by the authoritie of the word of God, do testifie that these heauenly bodies were ordained to be signes onely of seasons, daies and yeeres, and that such farther obseruations, are but vanitie and deceit, and greatly derogatiue vnto the prouidence of God. Wee meane by seasons not onely (as the Iewes [...] mognadhim a iagnadh: to come together at set times: as Deut. 16.1. &c. doe) the feasts and Sabboths [Page 19] of the yeere, but also the times of seede and haruest, of summer and winter, and the disposition of them, whereof they are the causes. For as the setting of the Sunne betokeneth night approching, so the ascen­ding of the Sunne within the Zodiac betokeneth longer daies, because the course of the Sunne is the cause thereof. Secondly, they are the signes of sea­sons,Plato in Tim. [...], &c. Cic. lib. de vniuerso. Fragm. Nesciunt hos siderum errores idio­sum esse quod rite di­citur tempus: multi­tudine infinita &c. through the swiftnes and slownes of their motion,Wherby times are distinguished of an­cient writers, as by yeeres: Amos 1.6. Ptolom. Alm. lib. 1. c. 8 whereby are caused the coniunctions and oppositions of them; the eclipses of the Sunne and Moone, the increasing and waning of the Moone and such like, which they doe as certainly foreshew, through the courses of nature that God hath set a­mong them, as the appearing of the morning fore­sheweth the rising of the Sun. Moreouer, through their variable positionAs in summer, the Sun comming more directlie ouer that part of the earth in which we are, more forciblie pearceth the same with his beames, and hea­teth the ayre with the rebounding of them: this being the course of nature, we may prognosticate before of Summer, it will be hot. in the heauēs, they shew the inclination of the seasons, so farre as they are ordi­narily the cause thereof, or so farre as the inferiour creatures doe varie with them in the seasons: as wee know, by the approching and declining of the Sun, that the Summer will be hot, the Winter inclined to cold, the Springtime to moysture, the Haruest to drouth, because the approching or declining of these lights is the ordinarie cause thereof: as also wee foreknow the ebbing and flowing of the sea, because it is (by the wisedome of God) ioyned with the courses of the Moone; of the inclinationWhich doe varie much according to the seasons, in drines after the seasons of the Moone, in heate after the course of the Sunne, being drier in the new Moone then in the full, as Phisitions know well, and the marrow of the bones doe testifie: hotter, inwardly in Winter than in Summer. of the bodies of men and beasts, to drines and moy­sture, to heate and cold. We denie not also but that they may be signes miraculously of euents to come, [Page 20] as the staying of the Sunne, and the going backe of the Sunne were vntoIosu. 10.13.14. Iosua 2. King. 2.11. and Hezechia, the ap­pearing of the StarreMatth. 2.2. at the birth of Christ;Ioseph. de bello I [...]d. lib. 7. cap. 12. the blazing Star of the destruction of Ierusalem; where­of there is neither mentiō nor meaning in this place. They also may be signesSo that men may coniecture of wea­ther not farre off, from the cause to the effect; which if it be oftimes vncer­taine in matter and causes before our eyes: how much more is it friuolous, in those wherein there are no true and certaine cau­ses, and those if any be, being letted by other comming be­tweene. by the interposition of o­ther causes, of the disposition of the ayre, to tem­pests, raine, winde, drouth or such like; and yet the same not happening of themselues, but of the qua­litie of the ayre betweene vs and them: for thus it is held a rule, in sailing and in husbandrie,Pallida luna pluit, vubicunda flat, alba serenat. Item, Si ni­grum obscuro comprē ­derit aëre cornu, &c. Item: Sol vbi nascen­tem maculis varia­nerit o [...]tum. Virgil. Geor. 1. A pale Moone is a signe of raine, a red Moone of winde, a cleere Moone of faire weather; and yet none is so weake of iudgment to thinke that the Moone her selfe doth alter her colour, but the same is caused of the moy­sture, or drouth, or cleerenes of the ayre, which is likely to giue effectes accordingly. In this sense our SauiourMatth. 16.3. saith vnto the Iewes: When it is euen­ing you say faire weather, for the skie is red. Hee misli­keth not their iudgement; but it was not of the face of the Starres, but of the skie. Now to see how these creatures, are forged out for signes (whether of ig­norance or wilfulnes) it is a wonder. The countrie husbandman hath a certaine signe of faire weather or foule, by the hanging (as they call it) of the Moone,As iust as Ten­terden steeple was thought to bee the losse of Goodwin Sands, because it was builded at the same time: for as they once stand so stand they euer; the Moone and the Sunne being in the same signes. Indeede the sharpnes or bluntnes of the points may betoken, but the same is either by the age of the Moone, or the qualitie of the ayre altered, as was said before. when it first appeareth after the change: which notwithstanding the learned know, to be va­riable according to the season of the yeere, through the diuers position of the Sunne and Moone in the Zodiac, and hath continued alike from the begin­ning [Page 21] of the world. In like sort men dare presume to take the placing of the Starres for certaine signes of accidentall euents to come, of the change and varietie of the weather, for euery day in the yeere, and thereupon determine before,Which though it be but coniecturall, yet it is euill. First, because it is forbid­dē by the word. Se­condly, the ground thereof is most vn­certaine, as appea­reth by the diffe­rence of their iudg­ments. Thirdly, in­numerable lets doe come, as a sudden cloud obscureth the shining of the Sun. Fourthly, the times and seasons and the euents of them, are placed in the power of God: Act. 1.7. this day will be faire, this foule, this windie, this rainie, wherein not only they confute one another in their iudgement, but forfeite their word and credit to the husband­man, that dependeth on them, for whom it were much better to commend a faire day at night. They accuse men of want of knowledge when they are reproued, saying:Ptol. de Iudic. lib. 1. c. 1. Nam alij difficul­tate cognitionis ad­ducti, scientiam esse negant. Arte hath no greater aduersarie than the ignorant. Let vs heare therefore what the consent of the Scriptures, of the Church of God, of the Fathers, and of the wisest among the Heathen, haue determined hereof. Learne not the way of the heathen (saith theIerem. 10.1. Prophet) neither be afraid of the signes of heauen, though the heathen be afraid of such. And againe, I destroy (saith God)Isai. 44.25. the tokens of the Soothsaiers, and make them that coniecture fooles. And againe, to confute the arrogancie of men:Isai. 41.23. Declare (saith he) the things to come, and so Shewing that it is proper vnto GOD onely, to foretell of things to come, and to creatures as it is reuealed from him. wee shall know that you are Gods. Is there any (saith the Church in herIerem. 14.22. supplication to God) among the vanities of the Gen­tiles that can giue raine, If they bee not to be taken as the cau­ses of raine, neither are they as the signes of raine. or can the heauens giue showers? Is it not thou O Lord? To come vnto mens writings. The Councell of Toledo decreedWhich was holden in Anno 400. thus:Si quis Astrologiae aus Mathesi existimat esse credendum, anathema sit. In assertione fidei cap. vlt. If any man shall thinke that Astrologers and Mathema­ticians (they meane Prognosticators of weather, fa­mine, plague, warres, &c. Fortune-tellers, Wizards and such like) are to be beleeued, hold him accursed. The [Page 22] Councell of Venice decreed,In Anno 460. ca­non 16. In hoc qui­cun (que) clericus detectus fuerit vel consulere vel docere, ab ecclesia habeatur extraneus. that if any man did studie Astrologie, or take in hand to foretell things to come, or he that did giue credit to any such: if he were a Minister should be depriued, and whatsoeuer he were he should bee excommunicate. This Act was afterward confirmed in the Councell ofConcil. Agathens. canon. 42. Agatha, and after that againeConcil. Aurelian. ca­non. 32. Cū his qui ijs crediderint, ab ecclesiae communione pellan­tur. in the Councell of Orleans. Tertullian saith:Tertul. in Apologet. cap. 35. Quas artes (scil. Astrologia A­ruspicina &c.) vt ab Angelis desertoribus proditas, & à Deo in­terdictas &c. Because Astrologie, and such vnlawfull Arts, &c. were inuented by euill spirits, and forbidden by the Lord, Christians may not vse them, though they might haue benefit by them. Againe,Chrysost. Hom. in Ephes. 19. Qua ra­tione hominem adeo paruum fecit, tātum (que) ab altitudine coeli di­stantem, vt nihil certi scire possit eorum qua superne appareant. Man (saith Chrysostom) is so farre distant from the heauens, as that hee can know nothing of certaintie of those things that appeare aboue, and therefore it is wisedome for a man to professe himselfe ignorant in these things. Hierome auoucheth, that Hieron. comment. in Isai. cap. 27. A­strologers (qui futurorum scientiam pollicentur) are more hurtfull to a citie than fire. Augustine affirmeth,August. de morib. eccles. lib. 1. cap. 21. Reprimat igitur se a­nima ab huiusmodi vanae cognitionis cu­piditate, si se castam Deo seruare disponit. that to delight in Astrologie is to commit whoredome against God. That August. confess. lib. 4 cap. 3. Quod eas fal­siffimas comperisset, & nollet vir grauit decipiendi [...] hominibus victum quaerere. the grounds of that Arte are false, and those that vse it, deceiue the people. The hea­then likewise declaime against it: Phauorinus a PhilosopherAul. Gell. lib. 14. cap. 1. Tollit enim quod maximum inter Deos & homines differt, si homines quoque res omnes post futuras praenosce­rent. Idem. Mutant & variant, tempestates (que) eodem in tempore alibi placidas alibi violentas mo­uent. Idem. Constare inter astrologos stellas istas, infinito prope & innumerabili numero annorum ad eundem locum cum eodem habitu regredi: vt neque vllus obseruationis tenor neque memoriae vlla effigies literarum tanto aeuo potuerint edurare. hath these wordes: If men be able to foretell things to come; then were the difference taken a­way, which is the greatest betweene God and men. The same affirmeth also, that Astrologers cannot in wise­dome diuine of things to come, because the same starres haue diuers effects (if any at all) in diuers pla­ces, as that they stirre vp tempests in England, and [Page 23] faire weather in France at the same time. Neither can this Arte be exactly gathered by experience, because the starres doe perpetually varie their posi­tions, vpon which the iudgement of Astrologie is grounded. Marcus Cato Cato lib. 4. Origin. held it vnlawfull to affirme, that euen the eclipses of the Sunne or Moone (which A­strologers count most pregnant tokens) did foreshew either dearth or plentie, either faire or foule. The wisest Philosophers, neither Socrates, nor Plato, nor Ari­stotle, did either practise it or write of it. Cicero with all his eloquenceCic. de Diuina. lib. 2 derideth and reprooueth it. And Ptolome himselfePtolom. lib. cention dicta. 1. Fieri nequit vt qui sciens est par­ticulares rerum for­mas pronunciet, sicuti nec sensus particula­rem sed generalem quandam suscipit sen­sibilis rei formam, o­portes (que) tractantē haec rerum coniectura vti. Soli autem numine afflati praedicum par­ticulari [...]. affirmeth, that no man can foretell particular things to come, vnlesse he be inspired with the spirit of God. And albeit that diuers of the testimo­nies here alleaged were principally directed against the coniectures of Natiuities, and foretelling of the state of life, riches, prosperitie, &c. yet this being vn­doubted, that that which is true in generall, is true in euery member of the same; as if the starres can giue no certaine iudgement in any accidentall or casuall things, they can giue no iudgement of the weather: If no man can foretell particular things to come, no man can prognosticate of the weather particularly to come: therefore that which is said in generall, is said against the particulars of Astrologie. How then (will one say) doth it come to passe, that men foretelling of particular things, by the sight of the starres, do rightly foretell that which commeth to passe? I answere: Some are stirred vp by God to foretell euents to come,1. Sam. 12.17. but not by the sight of the starres. as were the Prophets. Some areLactant. lib. 2. c. 15. Magorum autem ars omnis ac potentia, ho­rum (scil. daemonum) aspirationibus cōstat. instructed by euill spirits with whom they haue acquaintance, as is reporteds of Demo­critus, andTertul. lib. de anim. cap. 14. of Pythagoras. Some againe whenAugust. cont. Aca­dem. lib. 1. cap. 7. A­liquem ex hoc genere hominum proferte si potestis, qui consultus nunquam de resporsis dubitauerit, nunquam postremo faisa respon­derit. [Page 24] they know not what to say, speakeƲide Ioachim. For­tium prognost. lib. de Astrolog. c. vlt. Proxi­mo (inquit) anno caeci parum aut nihil vi­debunt, surdi male au­dient, muti non loquē ­tur. Senectus eodem anno erit immedicabi­lis propter annos qui [...]raecesserunt. Varia e­ [...]it rerū mutatio, &c. probablie orIta Deleus Apollo suis illusit consultori­bus. Herodot. in Clio. de Craeso, si arma Per­sis inferret, magnum euerteret imperium. scil. vel suum vel Per­sarum. doubtfully, of that which is vncertaine; as when they say the weather will be meane, indifferent, reaso­nable faire, seasonable, moderate, variable, warme, &c. in which they cannot greatly faile. Sometime also when such teachers obtaine such fauourable hea­rers (as it often commeth to passe among people that delight in lies) that one forespeech that happe­neth true, shall counteruaile many that happen o­therwise (such is the blindnes and simplicitie of wretched people that feare not God) as in their er­ring Authors, their obseruation of the twelue daies, of the Purification, of the day of S. Paul, of the hanging of the Moone, and many such childish vanities with­out ground or reason may be seene. And lastly som­time, for that God for the hardnes ofDeut. 13.3. 2. Thess. 2.10.11. mens hearts suffereth such prophecies to come to passe. To con­clude therefore: Although that noble Science of Astronomie, is greatlie profitable both forPsal. 19.1. A [...]ob. cont. Gent. lib. 8. Coe­lum ipsum vide quàm latè tenditur, &c. Cal­uin. in Gen. 1. ver. 16. the knowledge of the marueilous workes of God in the heauens, and for ourBasil. Hexam. 6. Ne­cessariae sunt ad hu­manam vitam lumi­narium notae & signi­ficationes. Si enim quis non vltra mo­dum signa ex ipsis cu­riosius inquirat, vtiles ipsorum obseruationes, ex longa experientia comperiet. necessarie direction in hu­mane affaires, being thereforeIob. 38.31.32.33. Amos 9.6. commended vnto vs in the scripture, which foresheweth the motions, positions, aspects and eclipses of the heauenly bo­dies, with many things necessarie for the gouern­ment of Common-wealth; which belong vnto them, as they are signes of seasons, daies and yeeres: and although we may foreknow in generall the sea­sons of the yeere, and that which dependeth on the same; yet those particular coniectures which are gathered from hence, of the chaunge of the wea­ther [Page 25] for euery day,Of which they may as wel (hauing the skill and vse of the Ephemerides, for as much as erranti­bus stellis nullae illit minus errant. Cic.) foretel twentie, for­tie, or an hundred yeers before, as one yere: how much thē were such know­ledge to bee estee­med, if it were law­full, and were a skil, and not a fraud. of famine, earthquakes, warres, death of Princes, amitie, sedition, and such like, haue neither ground in Arte, nor hold in reason, but are flatly forbidden by the worde of God. And al­though sometimes particular predictions may hap­pen true, as those ofLaert. lib. 1. in vita Thaletis. Cum velles ostendere, quàm sit facile sapienti ditari, praecognita futura vbertate conduxisse olearia pecunias (que) sibi innumeras com­parasse. Thales, Valer. Max. lib. 8. cap. 11. Qui mortem Caesari praedixit vt proximos 30. dies, quasi fatales, caueret, quorum vltimus eras idus Martij. Et cum fortè mane vter (que) conuenisset, Caesar Spurlnae: ecquid scis idus Martias iam venisse? Et is, ecquid scis, illas nondum praeterijsse? Caesar eodem die 23. vulneribus confissus est. Spurina, andSueton. in vita Domitian. Cum mortem imperatori praedixisset, interroga­tus quis ipsum maneret exitus: affirmanis sore vt breui laceraretur à canibus. Hunc interfici sine mora iussit, sed ad coarguendam temeritatem artis, sepeliri quoque accuratissimè imperauit. Quod cum fieret, euenit vr repentina tempestate derecto funere semiustum cadauer discerperent canes, &c. Ascla­tarion: yet because it is flat sacrilegeIsai 41.23. vnto the glo­rie of God, inuented byCic. Diuin. lib. 2. Gell. lib. 14. cap. 1. in fine. euill authors, forbidden by the Scriptures, Councels and Fathers of the Church, hath no ground nor certaintie in Arte, andk is vnprofitable vnto men: therefore it is not law­full, for Christians, to professe, practise, or consent vnto it, neither were the heauenly bodies ordained for such abuses.

Question 11. verse 16. Wherefore is it said, that God made two great lights? &c.

THe Sunne and the Moone are called great lights: partly of their nature & effects; be­cause they giue more light than other stars: and partly also after the custome of the Scripture, (to speake vnto the capacitie of the simple) because [Page 26] theyAmbros. Hexamer. lib. 4. cap. 1. Non tam aliorum comparatione quàm suo munere. For the Moone being foūd to be the least of all the heauenlie bodies, except Ve­nus and Mercurie, through her neere­nes vnto vs, giueth greatest light, and seemeth greatest, next the Sunne. appeare vnto men to bee the greatest. The Sunne appeareth alone in the day,Varro de lingua lat. lib. 4. Sol, quia solus apparet. not because he is alone, but because through his exceeding bright­nes, the other Starres cannot be seene. The Moone also in her brightnesAugust. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 14. Illa tamen suo fulgore superat omnia, & ideo princeps eorum rectis­simè dicitur. There­fore called of the heathē the Queene of heauen. Iere. 44.17 obscureth many Starres, and being more beautifull than any other, hath worthi­ly thevers. 18. Psal. 136.9. chiefe preheminence in ruling of the night. They are called greater or lesser by comparison, ei­ther of their light, or of their bodies. The Sunne is called in the language of the Scriptures [...] shemesh, that isHinc [...] shamash Chaldaicè to serue. a seruant, as if he were Gods onely minister of light to all the world, because he isBasil. Hexam. Hom. 6 Primò ipsa lucis na­tura producta est: nūc autem solare hoc cor­pus vt primogenite illi luci vehiculum sit, praeparatum est. as it were the chariot wherein light is carried, not onely to inligh­ten the ayre and the earth; but euen the Moone and Starres themselues: which although they were in­deede created lights,1. Cor. 15.41. so as one starre differeth from an other starre in glorie, yet is their glorie much more increased by their beholding of the Sunne. The Moone is euidence enough hereof, which shineth onely on that partBasil. Hexameron. 6 August. Epist. 119. ad lannuar. cap. 4. la­crementa & decre­menta lunaria ex conuersione globi eius coniecerunt. Ʋitru [...]. lib. 9. cap. 4. Gerosus pilam esse ex di­midia parte candentem locuit, conue [...]ti (que) candentem versus solem, propter eius proprietatem luminis ad lumen. Aristarchus Samius aliter: [...]unam proprum lumen non habere, sed esse vti speculum, & à solis impetu recipore splendorem. which is next the Sunne, as that whereon the Sunne doth cast his beames. Where­fore the Moone is alwaies full, as Augustine Aug. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 2. cap. 15. Idem de Gen. imperfect. cap. 13. saith, al­though to vs she appeare not so. For according to her distance from the Sunne, so is her light to vs ward, and the lesse it appeareth vnto vs, the morePlin. lib. 2. c. 9. In coitu lid cernitur, quoniā haustum omnem lucis: [...]uersa, illò regerat vnde acceperat. it is increased on the other part, being vpward and next the Sunne, which through the thicknes of her bodie wee cannot see. For to thinke that the bodie of the Moone, waneth and increaseth with her [Page 27] light, were as apparant follie as withCic. in Lucullo. Zenophanes andLaert. lib. 2. cap. 3. de Ana [...]r. Anaxagoras, to imagine there were houses and cities in her. And yet the eclipses of the Moone are more apparant testimonies of the same. For when she is so opposed to the Sunne, asPtol [...]n. Almag. lib. 4 cap. 1. Cum distantia qua lunae globus disiat à centro terrae non sic tanta quanta est ad Zodiacum, vt insta: puncti magnitudo ter­rae ad eam habeat (de proinde vmbram per sphaeram lune terrae faciat) cum ergo lunae sic opposita soli fuerit, vt in terrestris vmbra incidat cono, quia ex opposito solu vnà cum eo circumducitur pro­portionaliter inciden­tiae qualitatibus lumi­n [...] priuatur, terra e­nim solaribus obijci­tur radijs, hinc fit vt similiter omnibus, &c that she com­meth within the shadow of the earth, hauing lost the light she receiued from the Sunne, shePerhappes some­what inlarged by the brightnes of her circle & other stars. shew­eth her owne, vntill she haue recouered againe her borowed brightnes. Concerning the greatnes of these lights, it may seeme to simple men a miracle, or rather a fable, that is affirmed by the vniuersall consent of all the learned, that the bodie of the Sun is greater than the earth, whichCic. in Lucul. Cleom. lib. 2. Epicure andLaert. lib. 9. cap. 1. de vita Herac. He­raclitus would thinke might be contained in a bu­shell. But let it not moue thee Ambr. Hexam. lib. 4 cap. 6. Considera quā ­tum intersit spatij in­ter solem & terras. Mentitur noster espe­ctus; noli fidele asti­mare eius judicium. (saith Ambrose) that hee seemeth vnto thee not past a foote broade, thy sight decei­ueth thee, beleeue not the iudgement thereof: but consider how much space there is betweene the Sun and the earth, by which our sight is weakened (which indeede is so great, as that it surmounteth the compasse of the earth.) Hee Ibid. Basil. Hexam. 6. sheweth the same greatnes in India and in England all at once: he inlighteneth all parts of the earth alike, That is in the same Hemisphere of the earth in which he shineth. and appeareth the same, indifferently to all. Nei­ther say wee this, that thou shouldest stand still in considering the creatures, but that thou shouldest ascend toChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 6. Non vt in eo subsistas dilecte, sed inde ascendas, & in elementi opificem admirationem transferas: nam quanto maius ostenditur elementum tanto admirabilier opifex eius apparet. Lact. lib. 6. c. 1. Ideo facti & inspirati ab eo sumus, non vt coelum videremus & solem (quod Anaxag. put [...]uit. Laert. lib. 1. c. 3.) sed vt artificē solis & coeli Deū pura & integra mente coleromus. admire the maker of them. For by how much they are more glorious, in regard of their light and bignes, so much more glorious doth hee appeare, who made them so light, so great, so beau­tifull, [Page 28] and that of nothing. And if the Sunne and heauenly bodies bee so great, which yet notwith­standing are nothing in respect of the greatnes of the heauens, how great is the Lord who Jerem. 23.24. Non mole sed virtute & essentia spirituali: nā Deus non est corpus, sed spiritus. Ioh 4.24. filleth both the heauen and the earth? And how truly saith the Prophet, He measureth Isai. 40.12.17. the waters in his fist, and coun­teth heauen with his span, and all nations to him are no­thing, and lesse than vanitie? But wee will giue no raines to curiositie, to search whether the Sunne beePtolom. Almag. lib. 5 cap. 16. 170. times (although by sufficient ground of Arte the same is proued) or the least starre that appeareth in the firmament be eighteene times greater than the earth; or whether it be eighteene hundred and fiftie miles to the circle of the Moone, or as many thousand, as is reported, from thence vnto the stars, seeing it maketh little (asAmbr. Hexam. lib. 6 c. 2. Quid mihi quae­rere quae sit terrae mē ­sura circuitus, quam Geometrae centum oc­toginta millibus sta­diorum affirmant: li­benter fateor, me ne­scire quod nescio, imo quod scire nihil pro­dest. Ambrose speaketh) to matters of faith: and would haue omitted at all to speake thereof, so as the rebellious wit of man would not through ignorance accuse the Scriptures.In lib. contra fidem Christi. Et est apud Cyrill. Alex. lib. 3. Ʋbi praeponit Platonē Mo­si, imo ipsi Deo in nar­ratione creationis. Iulian andArgum. 8. Quod dixerit duo luminariae magna solem. & lu­nam. Cum Mathema­tici firmissimis ratio­nibus demonstrant no [...] nullas stellas, multis partibus maiores esse luna. Simplicius blaspheme the spirit of God in Mo­ses, because hee wrote not more curiously of these things. The simple idiots, on the other side doe goe away, for that hee wrote so much, saying: This is a hand saying, who can heare it. Notwithstanding, the wisedome of the spirit of God is most excellent herein: who onely maketh briefly mention of these things, and not a declaration, to the end that the sim­plest might haue a taste of the greatnes of the Lord, and might be prouoked thereby to search the Scrip­tures; and that those who are able, might vse thoseBasil. H [...]m. 5. Ar­tes naturae interprete [...]. interpreters of nature, andClem. Alex. Strom. 1 Ita hic eum bene & vtiliter eruditum ex­istimo, qui omnia refere ad veritatem adeo vt ex Geometria, &c. Et ipsa Philosophia coliigens quod est vtile, nullis insidijs interceptam seruet fidem. handmaids vnto wis­dome, [Page 29] which are the arts and sciences, as the meanes thatIsai. 28.26.29. Act. 7.22. God hath sanctified for the increase of godly knowledge.

Question 12. verse 26. Wherefore God said let vs make man in our Jmage, &c?

WHen as the Lord had furnished the heauen and earth, with all the creatures and orna­ments thereof, last of all hee formeth man, consisting of heauenly and earthly nature,Nazianz. orat. 42. in pasc. 2. Hoc igitur cum artifici verbo vi­sum fuisset ostendere, animal vnum ex v­tro (que), hoc est, ex inuisi­bili ac visibili natura, fabricatū, nempe ho­minem. [...]. Plato in Tima. Sanctius his animal. Ouid. Metam. 1. as it were the end and perfection of his worke. He saith not, let man be made: as hee said, let there be a firma­ment, let there be lights, let the earth bring foorth the li­uing thing, and such like: but let vs make man: Nei­ther was this in respect ofGen. 18.14. Numb. 11.23. any hardnes in the do­ing, but in respectArtop. in Gen. 1. Iam autem in ipso speculo ponit viuam suam i­maginem proprijssimè Deum referentem. of the greatnes of the worke: the Scriptures speaking after our capacitie, for as much as men of wisedome when they are to handle mat­ters of importance doe vse the deeper consultation, and greater care in the performance of them. Here­by then the spirit of God commendethBasil. Hexamer. 11. Compara inter se ho­minis generationem & lucis generationem: illic dixit fiat lux; hic accepit Dominus Deus; super om­nia est hominis generatio: dignatur propria manu corpus nostrum formare. the excel­lent workmanship of God, performed in the crea­tion of manHilar. in Psal. 119. sect. 10. Et id quod ad confirmationem coeli satis est, in hominis conditione non sufficit. Coelum manu Dei formatur, homo manibus (Isai 45. & Psal. 119.) praestat ergo officio vnius manus duarum opera­tio. which surpasseth the framing of the heauens. As also the dignitie of man,Origen in Gen. Hom. 11. Ambros. lib. de dignit. Hom. cap. 2 Ex interiore hominis nobilitate. being made a more noble creature than the heauens. And with­all [Page 30] Chrysost. in epist. ad Rom. Hom. 10. Vehe­mēter enim salut [...] no­strā deside [...]at, & hoc ab initio decla [...]auit. the exceeding care and loue the Lord doth beare to manward euen from the creation. Neither is this, that we should waxe proud of this our digni­tie, as worldly men, but that by knowing what wee were, wee mightReuel. 2.5. bewaile theEccles. 7.3. losse thereofHose. 14.2.3. tho­rough sin. Neither is it wisedome to esteeme mans excellencie, by that we now can see in man, for that wherein his glorie chiefly stood, which was the image of God in him, is so farre defaced, and the image of aPsal. 49.12. Iere. 51.17. beast, yea of theIoh. 8.44. 1. Ioh. 3.8.10. Origen. in Leuit. Ho­mil. 4. Si pro miseri­corde crudelis pro pio impius existas, abie­cta imagine Dei dia­boli in te imaginem suscepisti. diuell come in place, as that there remaineth but a very small portion of the grace of his first originall. Wherefore this con­sultationCont. Iulianos, Sym­plicias, Porphyrios, ir­risores Atheos. doth not signifieCyril. lib. 1. cont. Iu­lian. Nam considera­tione, diuina & in­corruptibilis mens o­pus non habet, sed vo­luit ostendere factum apud Deum & consi­lijs quasi praecedenti­bus honestatum. as though God had need of counsaile or of helpe, but that the Lord did most singularly shew his wisedome, his counsaile, and (as I may say) himselfe, in mans creation. But to whom said God, let vs make man? Not to theChrysost. Homil. de Trin. Tom. 3. Cum quo consilium init Deus? cum Angelis inquit. at non habent angeli imaginem Dei: loquitur autem ad coop [...]ficem f [...]lium & sanctum Spiritum. Epi­phan. contr. Saturnilian. Haeres. 23. Asserit enim hic angelos, & Deum Iudaeorum vnum ex ipsis esse dicit, & dixisse angelos, &c. An­gels, as theRabb. Solom. & alij Rabbini, Angelos Deum adiu [...]isse admittunt: imò alij, Deum, terrae, elementis, etiam animantibus fuisse allocutum, potius statuunt; quam trinitatem deitatis, & diuinitatē Iesu Christi agnoscant, tam profundè traduntur in sensum reprobum. Iewes affirme, for he vsed none of their helpe inGen. 2.7 mans creation, neitherChrysost. de Trin. did he create man after the image of Angels but ofAmbros. Hexam. 7. c. 7. Numquid Deo & angelis communis imago est? Elohim, of God himselfe. But this consultation, or rather agreement or decree, is of the Trinitie, wherein the Father,Hi­lar. de Trin. lib. 5. Homo ad communem fit secundum veritatem sermonis imaginem. as the first in order,Chrysost. Hom. de Trin. Concil. Syrmiense apud Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 25. Siquis hoc, faciamus hominem: non patrem ad fi­lium dixisse, sed ipsum Deum patrem ad seipsum locutum (scil. non agnoscens personas trinitatis) sen­tiat; anathema esto. speaketh vnto the Sonne, and to the holie Spirit: and the Sonne and holie SpiritCyril. Alexan. cont. Iul. lib. 1. Ipsam dixit sanctam trinitatem sibi ipsi locutam, nequis ad filij similitudinem, diceret factum esse hominem non autem patris. speake it and decree it with the Father, which, be­cause [Page 31] it is writtenRom. 15.4. for mans instruction, is spoken also after the mannerRom. 6.19. of men. Beware of blasphe­mie, least wee conceiue of the Trinitie as of a man. Here thereforeIustin. Mart. Dial. cum Triff. Non ad ele­menta, siue ad terram siue ad alia locutum faciamu [...] sed ad aliū qui & ( [...]) numero alius & rationali [...] sit, ne (que) An­gelos, &c. Chrysost. Hom. cont. [...]omaeos. Ad quem dicit? manifestum quod ad vnigenitum suum. Non dixit fac; vt ne seruile aliquid suspiceris pr [...]ceptum: sed faciamus, vt forma consultoriorum verborum aequaelis dete­geretur honor. Hilar. lib. de Trin. 2. is a manifest proofe of the trinitie of the persons, and the vnitie of the Godhead, for as much as man is created:Basil. Hexam. 9. Faciamus hominem (inquit) & fecit homi­nem, non fecerunt: per illa quidem Iudeum erudiens, per haec verò Paganismum excludens. In our image saith the Trinitie; that is afterward declared, in the image of God.

Question 13. verse 26. What is meant by the image of God whereun­to man was created?

COncerning the two originall words ( [...] tse­lem and [...] demuth) which are translated image and likenes, they haueAugust. lib. de Gen. imperf. cap. 16. Omnis imago similis est ei cu­ius imago est, nec tamē omne quod simile est alicui, etiam imago e­ius est. Expositio ergo fortasse est cum addi­tum sit, ad imaginem. Caluin. in Gen. 1.26. but one mea­ning, and signifie one thing, as if the Lord had said: let vs make man in our image, that hee may be (as a creature may be) like vs; and the same his likenes, may bee our image. Some of theAmbros. lib. de dign. Hom. cap. 2. & 3. A­nima intellectus, ani­ma voluntas, anima memoria. Nunc verò de similitudine; Deus est charitas, est bonus, iustus. Hieron. in Ezech. cap. 28. distinguit aliter. No­tandum (inquit) quod imago tunc facta sit tantum: similitudo in Christi baptismate compleatur. Fathers andLombard. lib. 2. dist. [...]6. d. Sed ad imaginem secundum memoriam, &c. Ad similitudinem secundum innocentiam. Bonauent. inscript. secund. distinct. 16. schoole Doctors, doe distinguish, as if, by image the Lord had meant the reasonable powers of the soule, reason, will, and memorie; and by likenes the qualities of the mind, charitie, iustice, patience, &c. but both Moses himselfe confoundeth this distin­ction [Page 32] (if you compareGen. 1.27. & 5.1. the Scriptures:) and the A­postle where hee saith,Coloss. 3.10. hee was created after the image of GOD in knowledge, and the sameEphes. 4.24. in righ­teousnes and holines. Here commeth to bee consi­dered, the matter subiect, wherein the image of God was placed, and the forme whereof it did con­sist. Audius Epiphan. Haeres. 71. August. Haeres. 50. the founder of the Anthropomor­phite heresie, supposed it was placed in the figure of the bodie: which (least thereLeo magn. de natali Apostolor. Roma cum omnibus dominaretur gentibus, omnium gē ­tium seruiebat errori­bus. Quod verè de Romano imperio sub impijs regibus scripsi [...] Leo, id multo verius in ecclesiastico statis, & quasi prophetica vox comperta est sub pontificibus ab ingresso in eam Antichristo. should be any here­sie so grosse, which they would not acknowledge for their owne) the fathers of the Church of Rome, are content to like of and to defend: in whose Churches, Chappels, and places of Deuotion, it is euery where to finde, the image of God the Father depicturedAbominable Ido­latrie of the Papists, which is not yet whollie extirpate out of England. on their walles, or in their glasseOrigen. in epist. ad Rom. Hom. 1. Commu­tauerunt gloriam in­corruptibilis Dei, &c. Non est sane praete­reundum, Apostolicū sermonē non solū eos, qui idola colunt ar­gue [...]e: sed inter An­thropomorphitas in­telligendi sunt cōputati qui in ecclesia positi, imaginē corpoream hominis, Dei esse imaginē dicunt: ig­norantes quod scriptū est in Gen. 1. &c. Deinde Anthropomorphitae, id est, qui corpore [...] imaginem homi­nis, Dei esse imaginē dicunt, conuictos se ab Apostolo & confutatos esse cognoscerent. in the figure of a man: as though they had learned ofCic. de inuent. lib. 2. Zeuxis to draw his physiognomie. And they proue it lawfull both to haue such pictures and to worship themConcil. Constantin. 7. Act. 2. in epist. Adrian. Papae ad imperatorem. Concil. Trid. sess. 25. Mandat sancta synodus omnibus episcopis docendi munus, &c. Imagines porrò Christi, deiparae virgi­nis & aliorum in templis praesertim habenda [...], ijs (que) debitum honorem impertiendum, quoniam honos qui ijs adhibetur refertur ad pro [...]otypa, ita vt per imagines quas osculamur, Christum adoramus, &c. from hence, that God made Adam in his image. And some of the chiefestAlexand. part. 2. quaest 30. art. vlt. Aquin. part 3. quaest. 25. art. 3. Si imago consideretur quaetenus est lignum, tum nullam ei reue [...]entiam adhibendā: si verò vt imago Christi, tum adoratione latriae sicut Christum ipsum adorandum. Ideo crucem alloquitur ecclesia: o crux aue spes vnica. Caietan. ibid. Bonauentura in 3. distinct. 9. Doctors of their Church are not afraid to teach, that there is the same reuerence to be giuen to the signe or image, as to the thing signified by it, that is to say, to God himselfe. But it is a wonderfull peruersnes (saith Tertullian)Tertul. aduers. Marcion. lib. 2. Satis peruersum est vt in Deo potius humana constitua [...], quàm in homin [...] diuina, & hominis imagine Deū imbitas, potius quam Dei hominē. to thinke that [Page 33] there are humane things in God, rather than diuine things in man: and to conceiue of God to haue the image of a man, rather than a man to haue the image of God. Ba­sil also and Chrysostome, doe expound the image of God in manBasil. Hex. Hom. 10. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 8. Idem ad pop. Antioch. Hom 7. to be his dominion ouer the creatures, and the preheminence that God gaue vnto him. But this seemeth to be too small a peece, to make so large a garment of. The Scripture doth more plain­ly expound it selfe. Afterward (Gen. 2. vers. 7. saith Moses) the Lord God made the man of the dust of the ground, and breathed in his face breath of life, and the man was made a liuing soule. Herein we finde, that man consisteth of a bo­die made of earth, and of a soule which was the breath of life, which earthly and heauenly natures being vnited by the1. Thess. 5.23 Hilar. in Psal. 139. Naturam sclicet hāc terrenam atque caele­stem quodam inspira­tionis foedere copula­tam. Spirit, the man became a li­uing soule. Seeing therfore God created the whole man, in the image of God, it is euident; he created in that image (so farre as their seuerall nature could containe) bothIrenae. lib. 5. Epiphan. in Ancorato. Neque enim corporis formationem intelligi­mus secundum imagi­nem, ne (que) animam, ne­que mentem, ne (que) vir­tutem. Multa enim sunt quae dicere me prohibent. Sed neque rursus dicimus, corpus non esse secundū ima­ginem, ne (que) animam. Credentium enim est consiteri scripturā: est igitur in homine id quod est secundū ima­ginem: Deus autē ip­se nouit quo modo est. Aug. de Trin. lib. 11. cap. 1. & dein. Caluin. institut. lib. 1. cap. 15. sect. 3. Nulla tamen pars fuit etiam vs (que) ad corpus, in qua non scintillae aliquae ima­ginis micarunt, &c. bodie and soule. But as waxe is more apt than clay to receiue a print, so the soule be­ing a spirit, was much more capable of the impres­sion of the image of God. Yet that which the bodie could containe, it did in very notable sort expresse. As in that noble forme, wherby it was indued with life and sence, and became to haue such excellent proportion, so marueilous, so beautifull, as no crea­ture in the world may be compared with it: and the Scriptures themseluesPsal. 149.14.15. &c Eccles. 12.1.2. &c. doe so greatly praise it. This very perfection of the bodie, which is as it were the perfection of all visible creatures, is of the imageMatth. 5.48. ex analogia. of Gods perfection, who is of al perfectionsMatth. 5.48. Coloss. 1.17. Ephes. 1.23. the most perfect. Moreouer, the sound temperature there­of, [Page 34] Addit insuper Cle­mens Alexan. paeda­gog. lib. 2. cap. 10. Et ea ratione sit homo Dei imago, quatenus homo cooperatur ad genera­tionem hominis. by which it would haue continued forAugust. de peccat. mer. & remiss. lib. 1. cap. 2. Proinde si non peccasset Adam non erat expoliandus cor­pore sed superuestien­dus immortalitate. euer without corruption, carieth the sauour of Gods e­ternitie. The strength of the bodie, wherein it was created, did euidently beare shew of the power of the Creator. But the soule being a spirit (as the Lord isIoh. 4.24. Eccles. 3.21. & 12.8. a spirit) is farre more apt to beare the image of God, and euen in the veryHilar. in Psal. 119. sect. 10. Est ergo in hac rationali & incorpo­rali anime nostrae sub­stantia, primum, quod ad imaginem Dei sit facta. substance of the soule, there is a very liuely print thereof:Chrysostom. ad pop. Antioc. Hom. 3. Etsi non eiusdem cum Deo substantiae sunt homi­nes. August. de quant. A­nimae. lib. cap. 34. &c. not as though the soule were of the substance of God, but in that it is a spirituall and immortall substance. Secondly, in reason, knowledge, wisedome and memorie, which is theColoss. 3.10. very expresse character of his wisdom. Of the which without doubt he receiued a maruei­lous great measure, especially of heauenly wisdome (as it were by reflection of spiritual light) in ye know­ledge of his Creator: for as much as euen in earth­ly things, his knowledge was so excellent, as that he perfectly discerned, at the first view and sight of them, the nature and condition ofThe word [...] ij­crah, he named: Ge­nes. 2.19. signifieth to giue a significant name, answerable to the nature of the thing. Latinè, nomen quasi nouimen. Festus. euery creature, so as God himselfeGen. 2.19. both permitted and allowed of his wisedome in giuing names vnto them. Thirdly in righteousnes, that is in iustice which concerneth the creatures, and is the summe of the second table of the Law, resembling therebyEphes. 4. [...]4. the iustice, mercie and bountifulnes of God. Fourthly in1. Pet. 1.14.15. Ephes. 4.24. holinesse, (which is theDeut. 6.5. Mat. 22.37.38. Content of the first table) as pertai­ning to the worship of God, being prest, apt, and able to performe whatsoeuer of a creature might be expected. Fiftly, the will was sanctified after1. Chron. 29.9. Psal. 27.4. Tertul. cont. Marc. lib. 2. Sed in ea substātia quam ab ipso Deo traxit, id est anime, ad formam Dei spondentis, & arbitrij sui libertate & potestate signatus est. the image of God, and had libertie of election to will and chuse good. Sixtly, he bare the image of Gods [Page 35] eternitie,August. lib. de quant. Anim. cap. 2. Quem­admodum ipse immor­talis, immortale quid­dam fecit ad similitu­dinem suam, &c. because he was made a liuing soule, to continue and liue for euer. Seuenthly, inAmbros. Hex. lib. 6. cap. 8. Non enim caro potest esse ad imaginē Dei, sed anima nostra, quae libera est, & dif­fusi [...] cogitationibus, atque consilijs, huc at­que illuc vagatur, quae considerando specta [...] omnia. Ecce nunc su­mus in Italiae, & co­gitamus quae ad Ori­entales, &c. August. de quant. A­nimae. cap. 14. & 34. that quicknes and agilitie of the soule, and that capacitie whereby we comprehend al creatures in our mind, and so readily conceiue in thought, so many mat­ters, so different, so farre distant, this is the shadow of Gods vbiquitie who is present in all places at once, asIerem. 23.24. Psal. 139.7. &c. Isai. 66.1. saith the Scripture. Lastly,Epiphan. in Anchor. Etsi dixeris non est corpus secundum ima­ginem: accepit inquit limum de terra & vocauit hominem: & hominē vocat id quod terrenum est, & ho­minem vocat id quod animale est, &c. the whole man was after the image of God,Psal. 8.5. & 49.20. August. epist. 28. Vnde intelligitu [...], animam propriam quandam habere naturā, omnibus hic mundanae molis elementis excellentiore substantia creat [...]m. both in nobili­tie, whereby hee was more excellent than all crea­tures: and alsoPsal. 8.6. Heb. 2 5 6.7. Chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 7. Principatus imaginem dixit: vt quemadmodum in coelo, non est Deo superior; sic super terram nullus sit homine superior: & hic principatus naturalis fuit, vt est leonis inter quadrupedes, non̄ electionis vt est regis in conseruos. in dominion, whereby he had the rule of all creatures: And finallyGen. 2.7. & inde Psal. 16.12. 1. Tim. 6.15. Fulgent. lib. 1. ad Monim. cap. 18. Cuius (s [...]il. boni) participatione beata esset si summo bono humili dilectione seruires. Creaturae quippe rationali, alia beatiudo nec potuit, nec potest esse nec poterit: nisi vt agnoscens à quo non solum facta, sed etiam à quo rationalis est facta, maiorem dilectionem exhibeat bono creator [...] quàm sibi. in blessednesse, inioying the glorious presence of God himselfe. Whereby it appeareth, that the image of God, where­unto Adam was created,Franc. Iuni. in Gen. cap. 1. was Hilar. in Psal. 119. sect. 10. a spirituall substance, indued with all perfections or perfect qualities, which were requisite vnto a creature, to the shewing foorth of the di­uine perfection and Maiestie of God, so farre as the nature of the creature was capable thereof. So that wee see, the same image of God consisted not in the figure of the bodie, nor as though any substance of the Dei­tie were in the soule, asAnthropomorphitae, de cor­poris lineamentis & figura. Manichaei de substantia animae. Item, Seruetus Hispanus qui itidem a­nimae substantiam, diuinae portionem haereticè asseruit. Heretikes haue taught: but of the likenes and resemblance vnto the substance, and to the attributes and properties which bee sub­stantially in God. This ought to teach vs to beware [Page 36] of corrupting our selues by sinne, or our neighbour by our trespasse or example. For as the brasenChrysost. ad pop. An­tich. Hom. 3. Neque e­nim aesstatuae eiusdem est cum rege substan­tiae, sed tamen hanc ausi laedere, &c. image of a king is not of the substance of the king, yet if any presume against it to deface it, he shall suf­fer punishment: so men, although they are not of the substance of God (as indeede they are not) yet because they are his image, through a resemblance in their nature, he that doth deface this image, whe­ther in himselfe or in his neighbour, is guiltie of1. Cor. 3.16. high treason before the Lord. It ought to mooue vs also toDeut. 10. vers. 12. Ioh. 14.14.15. loue the Lord, who did in such glorious manner garnish our nature with his image. Third­ly,Psal. 119.113.128. Iud. vers. 23. to hate our sinnes, byRom. 5.12. Hose. 14.2. meanes whereof this image is so horriblie defaced. And withallIud. vers. 20. Ioh. 3.15. Ephes. cap. 2.8.13.19. to la­bour to attaine true faith in Iesus Christ, by1. Cor. 15.22. Heb. 7.2 [...]. Irenae. lib. 3. cap. 20. Luctatus enim est & vicit: erat enim ho­mo pro patribus cer­tan [...], & per obedi­entiam inobedientiam persoluens: alligauit enim fortem & soluit infirmos, & salutem donauit Plasmati suo, destruens pec­catum. whom this image shall againe be perfectly restored. How farre this image is decaied by sinne, and how fullie recouered by Iesus Christ, we reserue to intreate of vntill hisIn our Questions and Disputations in 1. Cor. 15.49. proper place.

Question 14. verse 27. Wherefore is it added, he created them male and female?

TO the end wee might vnderstand, that not man alone was created in the image of God, but thatBasil. Hexam. 10. Et nequis incruditè ho­minis appellatione de solo viro vteretur, ap­posuit: & masculum & foeminā fecit eos. Et mulier habet quod secundum imaginem Dei facta est, velut e­tiam vir. Contra Platonem, qui virum & foeminā in duas species distinxit. Item Platonis in Sym­pos. & Rabbin. Stul­tissimum commentum, primum hominē crea­tum fuisse androgynō, marem simul & foe­minam, quasi à tergo connexum; monstrū, & informe. Hos scrip­tura aper [...]è refellit, quae articuli appositio­ne (vt inquit Basil.) masculinum genus ostendit. Deinde dicit, creauit eos non eum. Denique abhorret ab analogia tum creationis tum fidei, vt Deus creationem hominis, à monstro inciperet. the woman was as well par­taker of the same, although she were formed after­ward. Secondly,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 10. because of the blessing which fol­loweth in the next words, for where it is added, hee blessed them, the meaning is,August. de Gen. ad lit. 3. cap. 13. Necessarium autem fuit hoc in homine repetere, ne quisquam dice­ret in officio gignendi filios vllum esse peccatum, sicut est in libidine siue fornicandi, siue ipso coniugio immoderatius [...]butendi. hee gaue them power to increase and multiplieThe man indued with that part belonging vnto him so soone as he was created, which because it was imperfect, the Lord also saith: It is not good the man to be himselfe alone. Ʋt vir sit tanquam hominis dimidiū. so soone as they were created. And albeit the womanVt videtur ex cap. 2.7.15. &c. were not yet for­med, the blessing notwithstanding is most fitly re­membred in this place, wheras the creation of male and female, is testified to bee in the image of God. The Scripture here doth briefly record the historie of mans creation: and in the second chapter doth fartherPer recapitulationem, & explicationem. explaine the same; the order whereof is this: God created man in his image,1. Tim. 2.13. first Adam, afterward Heua; they were both created in the image of God: but in this order. First the man was made of theVers. 27. cap. 2.7. dust of the ground,Vers. 28. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 1 [...]. cap. 1. Ne (que) hoc genus fuisset in singulis quibus (que) moriturum, nisi duo primi quorum creatur est vnus ex nullo, alter ex ill [...], id inobedientia meruissent: scil. amittendo quod eo ordine accepissent: ergo & ipsissimo ordine acceperunt generandi potestatem. receiued the bles­sing [Page 38] for himselfe and all that were to proceede from him: placedCap. 2.15. in paradice,Vers. 16. receiued the comman­dement of the forbidden fruit,Vers. 20. gaue names vnto the creatures,Vers. 21.22. slept, and the woman was formed of his rib,Vers. 23. hee reioyceth of his wife: and now that Heua was formed, they actually receiue the blessing of multiplication,Cap. 1.28.29. and of foode, all except of the tree of knowledge of good and euill. It is therefore as if he had said: the woman which was afterward created, bare the same impression of Gods image as did the man: and when they were both created,August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 23. Idem Retractat. lib. 1. c. 13. Non morituri de non morturis nascerentur. Et per hoc si in paren­tibus & in filijs foe­cunditas felicitásque mansisset, vs (que) ad cer­tum sanctorum nume­rum, quem praedesti­naui [...] Deus, nasceren­tur homines non pa­rentibus successuri morientibus, sed cum vi­uentibus, regnaturi. God gaue them power to bring forth children in that image. But here perhaps a Manichee or some blasphemous Atheist, will argue a contradiction in the Scripture, for as much as here is said, that male and female were created in the image of God, and the A­postle in the new Testament, seemeth to denie the same, saying:1. Cor. 11.7. The man is the image and glorie of God, but the woman is the glorie of the man. The answere is, theFallacia à dicto secū ­dum quid ad dictum simpliciter. argument is false and is to be denied, yea the Scriptures in this agree with heauenly concord, so farre are they from any contrarietie. The Apostle denieth notCōciliatio. 1. the woman as she is a creature to be in the image of God, either in regard of the soule or of the bodie:1. Cor. 11.8.9. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 8. Mulier autem gloria viri est. Vir e­nim imperat, mulier autem subiecta est. I­taque quoniam iuxta rationem dominij non formae ad imaginem factus est, ideo vir do­minatur omnibus, mu­lier autē subiecta est. Ea propter dicit de viro Paulus, &c. Caluin. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 15. sect. 4. Ad or­dinem politicum rest [...]ingi hoc ex contextu patet. but by comparison of the man in that she is a woman, that is, of that sex, wherein she was made a helper to the man: and therefore being created for the man, and of the man, she is inferiour to him, and must needes be subiectGen. 3.16. 1. Tim. 2.12.14. in this corrup­ted tabernacle. Being therefore compared together in themselues, the man alone is the image of God, that is, a greater image than the woman is, because [Page 39] heeAmbros. in 1. Cor. 11 Chrysost. in 1. Cor. Ho­mil. 26. Vir quidem non debet velare, &c. Principem enim qui ad regē accedit prin­cipatus insigne habe­re oportet, ita mulier quo (que) contumelia viro est, nisi subiectionis in­signe habeat. is more honourable and beareth rule; the wo­man is the glorie of the man, because she was made for him, and in subiection to him,Ephes. 5.22.23. as he is to the Lord. But being simplie considered as creatures, there is noBasil Hexam. Hom. 10. Ne animum aduertas externo homini, in­tegumentum est hoc, anima sedes intus sub velamine, & tenero corpore. Anima sanè & anima, aequalis est, in velaminibus differentia est. difference, but in their couering, nei­ther so farre as concerneth the image of God, isGalat. 3.28. August. de Trin. lib. 12. cap. 7. Ad imaginem Dei quippe naturam ipsam humanam factam dicit, quae sex [...] vtroque completur, nec ab intelligenda imagi­ne Dei separat foeminam. there to be accounted male or female.

Question 15. verse 29. Whether God shewed his liberality, as large­ly in prouiding foode for them, as in crea­ting them?

GOd giueth vnto them, as saith the text, eue­rie hearbe bearing seede, which is vpon all the earth, and euerie tree wherein is the fruit of a tree bearing seede: And what could man desire more? Yea what more hadThe most exquisit Glutton that euer the earth nourish­ed, who vsed no cō ­mō meates, but such as were marueilous rare and costly both fish and foule, be­sides the braines of Peahens, the tungs of Phaenicopteries & such like: his dogs & lions were fed with Pheasants, Partridge and birds. Aelius Lamprid. Julius Capitolin. Spartian. in vita Sept. Seueri. Sueton. in vitae Vitell. cap. 13. telleth the like of Vitellius. Heliogabalus, or Cleopatra, in all their excesse of gluttonie, exceptAthenaeus Dipn. lib. 4. cap. 7. Plutarch. in vit. M. Antonij. Plin. lib. 9. c. 35. affirmeth that Cleopatra to amend the cost of her banket, supped vp a pearle of marueilous great price. precious pearles, or ye flesh of beasts: which while mens bodies were immortall,Rom. 5.12. Death raigned and entred by sinne. because they were voide of sinne, was no conuenient foode to nourish them. Besides that, such meates were not sancti­fied [Page 40] 1. Tim. 4.5. by the word of God. The word and ordināce of GodDeut. 8.31. Matth. 4.4. is it, that addeth vnto bread the staffe of Leuit. 26. [...]6. Isai. 3.1. bread, whereby such meates being creatures voide of life, doe feede our bodies, and make them liue: which stay or strength of bread when either it is nor added, or else is taken away by God, the creatures become vnprofitable and cannot2. King. 6.27. helpe. Now therfore the Lord doth here giue strength to hearbs and fruits of trees, to be vnto man for nourishment. In that he determineth not the same of flesh, it is manifest hee gaue no power at that time thereto. Which benefit of food, bestowed on hearbs which bare their seede, as Wheate, Barlie, Mill, Rice,Sugar is not the seed of any hearbe, but the fruit or pith of a reede or cane of Barbarie, Made­ra, &c. Su­gar, and a thousand such: with the fruit of trees, as Apples, Almondes, Dates, with as much varietie in that kinde, was doubtlesLike as the bodies of men were much more beautifull, by creation, then now they are with al the ornaments of ap­parell. a much more liberall gift and more abundant, and also more profitable for the vse of man, in the time of innocencie, then whē after the flood, the flesh of creatures was ioyned with them. For sure it is, the Lord bestowed this gift on Adam void of sinne, the other was bestowed on sinfull creatures, rather to supplie their necessi­tie, then to minister abundance. Neither may it be thought, that vnto vs remaineth the whole gift be­stowed on Adam, either in varietie, or goodnes of the fruit; for then was there a surplusage added, of the vse of beasts: which cannot stand with the ana­logie of the scriptures,Gen. 3.17.18.23. Ierem. 5.25. which testifie, that mans life is greatly impouerished through sinne, and many blessings taken away, which man through weaknes could not rightly vse. Wherfore it is to be esteemed, that much more varietie ofThe scripture saith euerie hearbe bea­ring seede, and eue­rie tree, &c. so that al of them no doubt were not only hole­some, but also plea­sant; whereas now very few, in respect of the number of kindes, are good for meate. hearbes and plants were seruiceable vnto foode, then now there are, [Page 41] and the samePet. Mart. in 1. Cor. cap 8. Muscul. in Gen. 1.29. Prudenter sentiunt, qui terram si [...] d dil [...] ­uto dicunt corrupta [...] fuisse, vt vix mediocrē [...]a [...]eamu [...] gustum pri­mae illius benedictio­ni [...]: imò statim post l [...]ps [...]m hominis, iam degeneres & viti [...]so [...] fructus pros [...]rie coepit. more delicate & pleasant, then afterGen. 3.17. the earth was cursed, especiallyLooke Gen. 7. & 9. after it was drow­ned with the flood: and thereunto, that they were, by the law of creation, alwaiesBecausse the trees bare fruit at all sea­sons, by the creatiō, in regard whereof our Sauiour cursed the figtree, for his barrēnes, although the time of figges were not as then. Mark. 11.13.14. fresh, new, ripe, and neuer decaying, whereby men might be out of danger, to loath them, or to stand in want. And in deede it may be gathered, that not onely before the fall, but euer also vntill the flood (albeit happily the Lord in his counsaile, secretly prepared the flesh of beasts for nourishment, when he smote the earth with barrennes, although hee reuealed not his plea­sure vnto men) and that libertie was giuenGen. 9.3. to eate flesh; the godly Patriarkes, Adam, Seth, Methushelah, Noah and the rest, which liued so many hundred yeeres,Tertul. lib. de cibis Iudaicis. Origen. in Num. Ho­mil. 27. Chrysost. in Gen. Ho­mil. 27. Hic est initiū edendarū carniū, &c. Hieron. aduers. Iouin. lib. 2. Adā tamen eie­ctus, non protinus acce­pit licentiam carnium vescendarū, sed tantū poma arborum, & fruges segetum & herbarum holera et traduntur in cibum: vt exul quoque para­disi, non carnibus quae in paradiso non erant, sed similitudine frugum paradisi vesceretur. did content themselues with that food that God had giuen them: although they sawGen. 6.11. Cruell. the wic­ked people and rauenous beasts and foule deuoure flesh. But beasts, which before the fall of manIsai. 11.6.7. Basil. Hexam Hom. 11. Etiam vultures ad cygnorum similitudinem viuebant, & omnia nunc crudiuora, in pratis pascebantur, &c. Etiam serae, & herbam & gramen si [...]i ipsis in a­limentum excogitarunt (scil. agnoscētes proprios cibos, alijs enim verbi causa vtebatur leo, alijs cer [...]s, alijs bos, alijs aues, Origen. in Num. Hom. 27.) non mutuo inter se insi [...]ias struxerunt. did dwell together, and none did hurt or molest ano­ther, so soone as man had rebelled against the Lord, and that themselues wereRom. 8.20. subiect vnto vanitie, be­gan to oppresse and deuoure one another, as they shooke off the yoke of obedience vnto man their gouernour. TheHieron. in Iouin. lib. 2. Postea verò vident Deus quod diligenter appositū esset ad malitiā cor h [...]mi­nis, &c. & auidissimam hominū gulam probant, dedit ijs licentiam contedendarū carniū. wicked also,Gen. 4.12. partly pinched with pouertie, partly pricked with lust, and partly prouoked (through the instinct of Satan) with ma­lice, or carelesnes to destroy Gods creatures, did not [Page 42] (perhaps) long time refraine their appetite, or bridle their affections, neither taried they for libertie of the lawfull vse of them.

Question 16. verse 31. Wherefore is it said: And God saw all that he had made, and loe it was very good?

THis is spoken before of euery day-worke: and God saw that it was good: and now in generall: And God saw all that he had made, and loe it was very good: Which is as if the Scripture had said thus:Stultè igitur ratioci­natur Simplicius ar­gum. 11. Deum tunc primum, vidisse & cognouisse. God did notProu. 8.26. &c. Ierem. 1.5. only knowThe goodnes of a creature is either in respect of himselfe; or of other (ad se vel ad aliud) of himself; his verie being is good. Eccles. 9.4. August. de lib. Arbit. lib. 2. c. 1. Homo enim in quantum homo est, aliquod bonum est. Se­condly, by creation he is indued with good qualities. In respect of [...]ther: of God, of man, of themselues. And albeit now many creatures haue many euill qualities, yet there is none but hath good vse, being rightly applied, according to their end & properties. their goodnes before he made them,Ioh. 2.22. Psal. 145.10. and shewed his glorie in making them, but alsoPsal. 145.9. loued them, allowed of them, and confirmed his wisedome in them when hee had made them: because that in themseluesChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 10. Linguam omnium contradicere conantium compescuit: dicens, & vidit omnia, &c. quoniam de vnaqua (que) creatura dicebat. particularly considered, as euerie day worke, or euery creature by it selfe,Aug. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 3. c. 24. Non enim frustra est additum valde, quia & corporis membra etiamsi singula pulchra sunt, multo sunt tamē in vniuersi corporis compage omnia pulchriora. or generally in the due proportion of the whole; nothing could be more perfect, nothing more profitable, either to declare the glorie of God, or for the benefit of man, or the beautifull ornament of the whole creature. TheTertul. in Marcion. lib. 1. Duos Ponticus Deos affert (scil. vnum bonum qui bona operatur, alterum malum qui mala, ab eo quod dixit Christus, bona arbor bonos fructus) tanquam duas symplegedas naufragij sui, quem negare non potuit, id est creato­rem, id est nostrum, & quem probare non potuit, id est suum. Marcionites &Epiphan. Heraes. 66. Manes introduxit duo principia principio carenti [...]. Erat inquit Deus & materia, lux & tenebrae, bonum & malum. Manichees as venemous spi­ders, [Page 43] doe turne this pure doctrine into poyson, thus; All that he made was good: ergo, he made not that which is euill: whereupon the foundation of a most pestilent heresie standeth of two beginnings. But the Scriptures are manifest:Vers. 31. He saw all that hee had made, Ioh. 1.3. and hee made all that was made, therefore all creatures were exceeding good.Neque abyssum di­cit factam esse à Deo, neque tenebras, neque aquam. Apud Cyril. lib. 2. in Iulian. The horrible presump­tion of Atheists a­gainst ye Scriptures, to accuse all that they vnderstād not, when as in mens writings they reue­rence that which is obscure. Iulian in like sort blasphemeth the spirit of God, because he doth not record the creation of Angels, of darknes, of the wa­ters. But how wilfully doth this man sinne against the Spirit? For how doth it appertaine to man, to know how, and whereof the Angels were created, farther than the Scriptures doe fully witnes;Ioh. 1.3. Coloss. 1.16. that they were created by God, that they are of the image of Gods2. Sam. 14.20. wisedome,Reuel. 10.1. power,Matth. 25.31. holinesse,1. Tim. 5.21. happines, thatGenes. 1.1. & 2.1. Heauen and earth, and all the crea­tures contained in them. Epiphan. Heraes. 65. Firmamentum (que) coeli & terrae, & cum his simul angeli facti fuerunt. scil. primo die. August. lib. quaest. 65. q 21. Porrò primus dies ipsae est angelica natura, quae primo coeli nomine nuncupata est. Ʋnde euidenter ostenditur primo die spiritualem factam, id est angelicam naturam, & sic hoc coelum quod oculis cernimus. Idem in Psal. 90. they were created in the begin­ning, that is, when the rest of the creatures were created in the sixe daies. And what is darknes but the defect of light, as silence is the absence of a voyce, and nakednesse the want of clothing? how could it bee createdGod did actually make all things that were made. Darknes, sinne, and punish­ment so farre as it is euill, are nothing but defects of light, goodnes, happines, consisting only by priuation, and therefore not actually created. that is nothing, but by priua­tion? The waters and the deepe (asQuest. 3. we haue said) are comprehended in the name of heauen & earth, like as the earth was contained in the name of wa­ters,August. de Gen. imperf. cap. 4. Cur igitur non dictum est quod aquam Deus fecerit (nam aquam Deus fecit, & aliter credere magnus est error.) An rursus eandem materiam, quam vel coeli vel terrae, vel terrae inuisibilis, & incompositae atque abyssi nomine nuncupauerat, eam aquam voluit appellare? cur enim non & aqua appelletur, si terra potuit, cum adhuc neque aqua distincta atque formata, neque terra esset, neque aliquid aliud. Idem de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 12. because the first created matter was a mixtion [Page 44] of waters, earth, and all creatures, vntill they were se­parated by the word. The waters therefore were begun the first day, and perfected the third day, as the scripture testifieth. But if God created al things, how could hee allow them all for good, when as so many euils are among them:Psal. 78.49. euill Angels, sinfull men, noisome beasts, rauenous foule, venemous ser­pents, mortiferous plants, and of fishes, foule, beasts and hearbes, many hurtfull, but farre moe vnprofi­table? To this is answered: that euenTertullian lib. 2. [...] Marcion. Ergo quod factus à Dei, id e [...]t angelus, id erit eiu [...] qui fecit: quod aut [...] factus à Deo non est, id est diabolus, id est delator, superest vt ip­se sese fecerit, &c. Arnob. in Psal. 13 [...]. Malus enim per crea­tionem, ne [...] ipse est diabolus. Au [...]ust. de vera re­lig. lib. cap. 13. Ille au­tem angelus magis se­ipsum quam Deum di­ligendo, subditus ei es­se noluit, & intumnit per superbiam, & à summa essentia defe­cit, & lapsus est: & o [...] hoc, minus est quā fuit, quia eo [...]od minus erat f [...]i voluit, cum magis voluit su [...] potentia scui quā Dei. those euill spirits were in their creation exceeding good, as the ScriptureVers. 31. speaketh; the cause that they are euill is,Iude vers. 6. they kept not their first estate. And that other crea­tures are euill, so farre as they are euill, is originally of them: for through their maliceHinc Satan nomen eius, id est aduersarius. 1. Sam. 19.22. Zach. 3.1. against God andTertul. lib. de Patientia. Nec diabolo doluisset si sustinuisset, nec inuidisset homini si sustinuisset; ad eo decepit, quia eum inuider [...]t. enuie vnto man, they prouoked man to sin, where­by hee became euill also, his holines and happines being defiled; and for his sinne the earth was cur­sed, the natureAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 3. cap. 16. & 18. Vt bestiae inuicem no­cent, & infructuos [...] in agris nascuntur, hoc ad cumulum poene valere credi potest: quod etsi stulto [...] latet, sublucet proficientibus, clarum perfectis est; & certe omnibus tal [...]bus inferioris creaturae motibus preb [...]nt homini salub [...] admonitiones, &c. Beda Hexam. Aquin. sum. part. 1. quaest. 72. of the creatures altered, theirBasil. Hexam. 9. euill made a scourgeIn this sense the Lord is said to create euill. Euill of punishment, not euill of fault. Isai. 45.7. Amos cap. 3.6. of God to chastise the sin of man: that hee, who would not be subiect vnto his soue­raigne Lord, should feele the hurt thereof, by the re­bellion of those that were vnder him: and by the o­bedience of a few, might weigh the losse of all the residue.

Question 17. verse 31. Wherfore the Lord chose sixe daies space to make the world in?

HE performed not the worke of creation all at once, asPhilo Iudae. lib. de Allegor. Augustin. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 4. c. 21. & 34. Deceptus ab inter­prete Sir [...]cidis c. 18. 1 Creauit omnia simul: quod dici debuit simi­liter, id est, cuiuscun (que) speciei eodem modo [...] scil. spirituoris eius. In Graeco est [...] non [...]. some suppose; the Scripture doth expreslyGen. 1. & 2.2. Exod. 20.11. reprooue that error. Nei­ther yet is the Creator constrained vnto time, vnto whomPsal. 90.4. 2. Pet. 3.8. one day is as a thousand yeeres: neither was it for want of abilitie, in him that is omnipo­tent; or forIsai. 40.28. wearines, thatPsal. 33.6. formed them all with the breath of his mouth. But for our sakes,Chrysostom. in Gen. Hom. 7. Vides quanta se attemperatione ad nostram vs (que) humili­tatem dominus demit­titur: vt scire possu­mus & facto [...]um or­dinem & factoris po­tentiam, & quo modo sermo suus effeo [...]rit opus, &c. Nisi enim nostrae salutis curam habuisset Deus, & ita direxisset prophe­tae linguam, satis erat dixisse fecit Deus coelum & terram & coelum & animantia, &c. Caluin. in Gen. 1.31. for our instruction he diuided the creation of the world in­to sixe day-workes, that hee might temper his wor­king with our vnderstanding. Things that are hea­ped or knit together, cannot be so well examined, as when euery thing is sorted by it selfe: wherefore God doth also diuide his works, that we might with due consideration, as it were, go in betweene them, view them, and discusse them, and by diligent exa­mining his power, his wisedome, his greatnes in them, we should returne the glorie vnto him. This was the chiefest worke of man before the fall, and ought to bePsal. 63.6. & [...]7.11.12. & 92.1.5. Origen in Leuit. Hom. 13. De panibus proposi­tionis. In vna propositione sex panes: habet [...]nim propinquitatem quandam cum hoc mundo senarius numerus; in s [...] enim diebus factu [...] est iste visibilis mundus, &c. Et erunt inquit panes in commemo­rationem propositi ante dominum, in die sabbatorum prop [...]netis ea. Panes isti, verbum Dei est, quod nobis commemorationem Dei faciat. continued of the faithfull, at the least for a part of our Sabboth daies exercise.

CHAP. II.

Question 1. verse 2. How the Lord is said to rest the seuenth day?

THe Scriptures may rightly be cal­ledHeb. [...], sepher diure iomim: The booke of the words of daies. Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 47 Regula veritatis, & in apertum positum de Deo testimonium. a Chronicle or Register of the workes of God, and thePsal. 103.7. 1. Sam. 3.21. Amos. 3.7. re­ueiling of his counsailes, whereby hee did decree beforeEphes. 1.11. Isai. 46.10. the world was, to make manifest his glorieIerem. 10.12. by the creation and gouernment of the creatures. For hauing now declared, so much as was necessa­rie, of the creation of the world: the holie Ghost proceedeth to shew how God did gouerne the same. In regard whereof, the multitude of the crea­tures [...] tseba: vers. 1. are called the host of God: and hee is called often1. Sam. 1.11. &c. the Lord of hosts. Hosts they were in regard of theirPsal. 147.4. Isai. 40 26. multitude, and the creation was as the ga­thering of an armie. Hosts they werePsal. 103.21.22. Augustin. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 3. cap. 14. Inest in omnibus quoddam naturae sui generis de­cus, &c. Vt maiore at­tentione stupeamus, a­gilitatem muscae vo­lantis, quam magnitu­dinē tumenti gradien­tis, & amplius miremur opera formicarum, quàm onera camelorū. in regarde of their diuers natures, as souldiers that handle di­uers weapons. Hosts they wereDeut. 4.19. in respect of or­der, and the heauen and earth may rightly be com­pared to a well ordered armie. Hosts they are, be­cause all and euery of them (sauing Satan that ene­mie, and man that traitor)Psal. 105.31. &c. 1. King. 22 19. Psal. 119.91. are readie in their kinde, [Page 47] to spend themselues for the glorie of their Soue­raigne. And hosts they are, because GodPsal. 36.6. & 145.9 doth loue and gouerne them, as a Captaine, without whose gouernment and preseruation theyPsal. 104.29. would wholy decay and perish. Now first after the crea­tion the Lord is said to rest, and yet he neither fainteth nor is wearie, as saith theIsai. 40.28. Prophet. He is said to rest,The word [...] sha­bath doth signifie to cease, properly, not to take ease. Againe it is added, he rested from all his worke that he had made. not as from labour, but from creating: which is to say, he madeChrysost. in Gen. Ho­mil. 10. Substitit & cessauit à formandis producendis (que) ex nihi­lo rebus, vt essent. no moe diuersities or kindes of crea­tures, or hee did not continue to create, the seuenth day; for hauing fully performed the worke of crea­tion inIn the Septuagint translation it is: he finished ( [...]) the sixt day. sixe daies, andAugust. cont. Adi­mant. lib. cap. 2. Vt iam vltra non faceret mundum cum omni­bus quae in eo sunt, nō tamen vt etiā à mun­di administratione re­quiesceret. finished whatsoeuer he had decreed to doe, for the perfection of the world, hee ceased to extend the said worke of creation any far­ther. Secondly, he isExo. 20.11. [...] nuak properly to rest or be refreshed, which is so spoken because the Lorde would haue vs refresh our selues, our seruants & our cattell. Deu. 5 vers. 14. said actually to rest,Hieron. lib. Tradit. in Gen. Arta [...]imus Iudaeos, qui de otio Sabbati gloriantur, quod iam tum in principio. Sabbatum dissolutum sit, dum Deus operatur in Sabbato, complens opera sua in eo, & benedicens ipsi diei. Huic subinfert Aben Ezra quod absolutio operis non est opus. Verum. Sed ipsa perfectio operis, est diei sexti; sanctio eiusdem, diei septi­mi. because hee put an end vnto the worke, and established the end thereof, by taking in hand the work of gouern­ment, and blessing the seuenth day. This notablie conuinceth the follie of the Iewes,Iustinus Martyr Dialog. cum Triffon. [...]. who are so su­perstitious in obseruing the ceremonie of rest, as that they think they ought not prepare their meate, or heate a messe of pottage on the Sabboth day, neither doe any worke, though it be for the preser­uationLuc. 6.9.11. Ioh. 5.19. of life it selfe. But God so rested in the in­stitution of the Sabboth (whose example of restingExod 2.11. we ought to imitate) as thatClem. Alexand. Stromat. lib. 6. Nam cum sit bonus, si cessa­rit vnquam benefacere, Deus quoque esse cessabit, quod nefas est dicere. he ceased not in re­sting from doing good, but in ceasing to create, hee continued to preserue: of which our Sauiour saith, [Page 48] My Ioh. 5.17. father worketh hitherto and I worke. But here a­gaine the wickednes of heretikes must be discoue­red, who hunt after contradictions in the Scripture, that thereby they might get some colour to refuse them and neglect them. God rested (saith Moses) the seuenth day. My father worketh hitherto (saith our Sa­uiour Christ.) These places (saith the Manichee) are contrarie, they cannot both be true. What iniurie doe these blasphemous spirits vnto the Scriptures, and in them to God himself, thus to take the words, and not the meaning, and to force a meaningR [...]quieuit ab operi­bus: He rested from his workes that hee had made. a­gainst the words. ForCōciliatio. 2. Moses saith not,August. epist. 28. Vti (que) à nouis creaturis creandis intelligendū est. Idem. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 4. cap. 12. Potest intelligi Deum requie­uisse à condendis ge­neribus creaturae quia vltra iam nō condidit aliqua genera noua. Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. Quieuisse ergo est or­dinasse, vt seruaretur citra vllam transgres­sionem in omne tem­pus ordo eorum quae facta sunt, & fecisse, vt vnaquaeque crea­tura cessaret à vet [...]ri confasione. God rested from doing, but from creating; not from preser­uing those he made, but from creating new besides; not that hee rested altogether, but from his workes that he had made: And our Sauiour saith not the contrarie, but euen the same; My father worketh. What? not the worke of creation (for how many worlds would there thenQuēadmodū Demo­critus somniauit infi­nitos esse. Laert. lib. 9. haue bin created) but of gouernment. Such blindnes is in heretikes, which haue more minde to cauill at, then to vnderstand the Scriptures.

Question 2. verse 2. What is meant by this: that God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it?

TO blesse in the phrase of Scripture, some­time doth signifieGen. 47.7. 1. Sam. 10.15. to salute, sometimePsalm. 145.1.2. to praise. to giue thankes: sometimeRuth. 2.4. Iob. 1.10. to aduance, to do good vnto or prosper: here then the circumstance of the place doth well expound the words: that [Page 49] God did Theodoret in Gen. quaest. 21. Otio septimi dici docuit creationē perfectam esse, dein­de nequit existimaret septimum diem inuti­l [...]m esse, subiecit: & benedixit. aduance, preferre Rabb. Agnon. dicit hanc benedictionem transire super obser­vantes & sanctifi­cantes ipsum sabba­tum. and inrich that day [...]he rest of ye daies were blessed also, but this seuenth day was blessed aboue the rest. aboue the rest. The reason is annexed: because in it he had re­sted from all his worke: that is, had ceased from crea­ting, therefore hee appointed the seuenth day to be a perpetuall memoriall of that his worke,From the creation vntill the resurrec­tion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, the last of seuen: who san­ctified the next day, or the fi [...]st of the next seuen by the perfectiō of our re­demption, and or­dained it to bee ob­serued for the rest of Christians as ap­peareth by his pre­senting himselfe a­mong his Disciples on the same daie, Ioh. 20.19.26. by the constant obseruation of the Apostles and Disciples, and the Church of God. by or­daining euery seuenth day a day of rest. Also to san­ctifie, dothMica 3.5. to prepare wa [...]re, where the same word is vsed. sometime signifie, to make readie or prepare: sometimeLeuit. 21.23. to make holie: sometime to declareEzech. 30.27. holines: sometime toIoel. 1.14. set apart or dedi­cate vnto a holie vse. God therfore blessed the seuenth day, when he ordained it a time of greater and more holie works, and by decree did crowne theIsai. 58.14. works themselues with richer fruite: hee sanctified the se­uenth day, when he did chuse itChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 10. Ab alijs illum segregauit. aboue the rest vn­to a holie vse. The Lord in hallowing doth com­maund it of his creatures to be hallowed: Men are commaunded to hallow it: that is, to doe the holie workes thereof, which are commaunded. Where­fore we must remember, that the day is hallowed of vs when holie workes are holily performed in the day: which seeing God himself hath hallowed, that is, commanded to be done; they are all found brea­kers of this ordinance, which either doe workes which are vnholie, or leaue vndone the workes that God hath sanctified, or by prophanenesHagg. 2.14. make ho­lie workes to be vnholie.

Question 3. verse 2. Whether in these words there is contained a commaundement of resting, and whe­ther the godly Patriarkes obserued the Sabboth before the law giuen by Moses?

THese words containe nothing else, but a narratiō or report of that whic [...] was done, and do not indeed directly affirme, yt it was commaunded: but they doe vndoubtedly implie as much. For seeing it is said, God sanctified, and this sanctifying isExod. 13.2. Ioel. 1.14. to exempt vnto a holie vse, to beNam vt nomen dei sanctificatur ab homi­nibus, quod per se san­ctum est, cum in se sanctificari cupiunt: Hieron. contra. Pelag. lib. 3. sic itidem sab­batum sanctificant, cū sanctum habent (Au­gust. locut. in Num. lib. 3.) ad opera san­cta & in dei cultum destinata. Et licet om­nia sanctorum opera sancta sunt in fide o­perata, ea tamen ra­tione propri [...] dicuntur sancta, quo proprio modo ad cultum dei conseruntur. performed of the creature, not of him that sancti­fied, that it might sanctifie in doing, which God had sanctified in ordaining: therefore when he san­ctified, he appointed; and in appointingThe word of God containeth all matters of saluation, b [...]th of faith and works, with the circumstances thereof, either explicitè, expressely, as in the fourth cōmandement, or els implicitè & inclusiuè inwardly or inclusiuely, as in this place the work [...] of resting the seuenth day. comman­ded the resting of the seuenth day, the seuenth day. Wherefore although some there areIustin Mart. Dialog. cum Triffo. Tertull. aduers. Iudaeos lib. D [...]etur Adam sabbatizasse, aut Abel hostiam Deo sanctam offerentem sabbati religione pla [...]uisse: aut Enoch translatum sabbati cultorem fuisse, aut Noe aut Abraham. Beda & alij. which think, that the Sabboth was not appointed to be kept, vn­till the daies of Moses; yet surely wee may answere them, as our Sauiour doth the Iewes:Ioh. 7.22. It was not of Moses, but of the Fathers. But where were they com­maunded to obserue the Sabboth, or which of the Fathers was a keeper of it? The morall dutie of this commandementRom. 2.15. was written in their hearts, as [Page 51] the restraint of murther, adulterie, theft, false witnes, the chusing and worshipping of strange Gods: so that they whom the ScriptureGen. 5.22. & 6.9. &c. Isai. 41.8. commendeth, for iust and righteous men,Iam. 2.23. Act. 13 22. as certainly obserued the tenour of this commandement, as they did abstaine from murther, or from worshipping of Images. And for the practise of it, who can doubt,Rom. 2.15. Gen. 4.24. & de sep­timo die, laudes de­cantat Hesiodus in Theogon. & a [...]ij eth­nici, perindè ac si iu­daeis & gentibus com­munis esset. seeing the very wicked did shew the effect of the law writ­ten in their hearts; and seeing that the faithfull did performe the exercises of the Sabboth; as that they calledGen. 4.26. on the name of the Lord,Gen. 4.4. & 8.20. offered sacrifices,Gen. 13.4. prepared places to worship in,Gen. 18.19. instructed and taught their families the feare of God? which du­ties, although they are not to be restrained only vn­to the Sabboth day, yet are they chiefly to be refer­red thereunto, seeing God hath sanctified that day, and set it apartAthanas. Hom. in Matth. 11.27. Non igitur Sabbatum otiū designat aut innuit, sed cognitionem con­ditoris, eò quod cessa­tum sit à forma crean­di, vt in Ezechiele scriptum est, Sabbata mea dedi illis vt esset in monimētum & re­cordationem mei: In­telligentiae igitur & non otij datum est Sabbatum. to the same intent. The vse also of this commandement, being no lesse necessarie be­fore the giuing of the law, then after, may seeme a strong reason, for the practise of it, by the Fathers. Yea moreouer, as it was vnto Adam and to the Fa­thers, a remedie against sinne, to vse those exercises of the Sabboth, after the first offence committed: so was it also to Adam in his innocencie, no lesse be­houefull to be strengthened thereby, against concu­piscence of sin, by drawing as it wereNumb. 16.19. 1. Sam. 14.36. more neere to God vpon the Sabboth day, and vsing more ex­actly those blessed meanes he knew to be ordained, by the purpose of this precept, to keepe out sinne. Neither are examples wantingGen. 2.2. & 7.4. of the maiestie of God himselfe,Gen. 8.10.12. of Noah, Exod. 16.6. of the Israelites before the law, by whom the daies were gathered into weekes: which sheweth that the obseruation of the [Page 52] Sabboth was not vnknown before the daies of Mo­ses. But chiefly sith that the law giuenIoh. [...].17.15 by Moses, wasRom. 2. written in the harts of menAugust. lib. de spi­ritu & lit. cap 27. & 28. Quia non vs (que) a­deo in anima humana imago dei terrenorum affectuum l [...]be detrita est, vt nulla in ea velut lineamenta ex­trema rem [...]serint, vn­de meritò dici possit e­tiam in ipsa impieta­te vite sue facere [...]li­qua legis vel sapere: si hoc est quod dictum est, quia gentes quae le­gem non habent, hoc est legem dei, natura­liter quae legis sunt faciunt, & quia opus legis habent in cordibus suis, id est, non om­nimodo deletum est quod ibi per imaginē dei cum crearentur impressum est: ta­men, &c. from mans crea­tion, was knowne vnto the Fathers, practised of the1. Tim. 1.9. Irene. lib. 4. cap. 30. Diligentes scilicet De­um, &c. godly, without constraint, binding theRom. 2.12. conscien­ces of all, both Iewes and Gentiles. Maruaile there­fore was it, if theyPsal. 105.15, 2. Pet. 1.21. who were inspired and gouer­ned by the spirit of God, should not obserue the SabbothIoh. 4 23. Rom. 2.29. in spirit and truth, in resting actually the seuenth day: vnlesse any will say, that they receiuedAs Exod. 11.2. a dispensation from the Lord, whereof we find no mention in the scripture. Notwithstanding, that the Fathers were no ceremoniall obseruers of it, asIustin. Mart. Dial. cum Triffon. Perpe­tuum vos seruare sabbatum [...]uit lex noua: & cum vnam in otio transegeritis diem, religione vo [...] de­functos arbitram [...]ni, non fatis intelligentes, quamob [...]em id vobis sit imperatum, &c. Tertull. lib. ad­uers. Iudaeos. Sequitur ita (que) vt quatenus circumcisionis carnalis, & legis veteris abolitio, expūcta suis temporibus demonstratur, ita sabbati quoque obseruatio temporalis fuisse demonstratur. Quatenus scil. Typus. Iu­stin Martyr and Tertullian defend against the Iewes, weEuseb. Histor. Eccles. lib. 1. cap. 5. Christianum nomen virum significare vult, qui per Christi [...]ognitionem & doctrinam, animi moderatione & iustitia continentia (que) vitae, & virtutis for­titu [...]ine, ac pietatis confessione erga vni [...]m & solum omnium Deum excellit. Hoc autem prisci [...] illis, non minus cu [...] fuit quam no [...]i [...]. Nec corporalis ita (que) circumcisionis rationem habuerant, sicut neque nos, nec sabbatorum obseruan [...]iae quemadmodum neque nos, &c. readily subscribe vnto. For what need of cere­monies to Adam (to whom first this lawe was gi­uen) in his innocencie, whoIntellexit enim Deum & dilige­bat immediate & non per aenigmata. knew the Lord bet­ter, by the wisedome of God wherein he was crea­ted, then types and shadowes could instruct him. But after he had sinned, and his wisedome was cor­rupted, it was necessarie that hee should haue a so­lemne remembrance of the worke of the creation, and the preseruation of the creatures, with a speciall meanes to recouer, at the least in part, the wisedome and holines which he had lost: which meanes con­sisteth [Page 53] in holie exercises, chiefly to be vsed theExod. 20.11. se­uenth day. Secondly, sith that by sinne he had lost the happines and rest which he enioyed, andGen. 3.15. was promised the restoring of the same by Christ, it was meete that hee should begin the practise thereof in the day of Gods assignement, to meditate of the grace of his restoring, and to performe the workes of holines with praise and thanksgiuing vnto God. Thirdly, for as much asRom. 8.22. he laboured in paine, and did eat his breadGen. 3.17. in sorow: it was requisite he shuld haue a time of refreshing, which the Lord thought meete to bee the seuenth day. Moreouer, when af­terward the sonnes of Iacob (in whose onely houseNotwithstanding ye Lord chose some, as Iob, and Iethro, which were not of the same, but those not by ordinary suc­cession. religion might seeme to be preserued) had forgot­ten the worship of God in Egypt, by long conti­nuance in bondage with idolatrous people, the Lord was as it wereIraen. lib. 4. cap. 30. Necessariò Deus prop­ter multam suam er­ga homines beneuolē ­tiam semetipsum ostē ­debat per vocem. constrained to restore his law by liuely voyce: andHier. in Ezec. c. 20. Dedi ijs praecepta non bona, &c. Potest & hoc dici, quod ante of­fensam decalogum tā ­tum acceperunt, post idololatria verò, mul­tiplices legis ceremo­nias, &c. because the people were prone vnto idolatrie, theIrene. lib. [...]. cap. 28. Facilem autem ad ido­la reuerti populum e­rudiebat per multas aduocationes, per ea quae erant secunda ad prima aduocan [...], hoc est per typica ad vera, &c. Lord restrained them with types and shadowes, calling them by second things vnto the first, by types to truth, by temporall vnto eternal, by carnal to spiritual, by earthly things vnto celestiall. Wherefore to conclude, the Lord dothVers. 3. Exod. 20.11. blesse the seuenth day, when hee ordaineth thatGreg. Mag. moral. lib. 5 cap. 22. Praecep­to enim legis ab exce­riori ope [...]e in Sabbato cessatur. Hoste [...] ergo Sabbata videntes ir­rident (Iere. T [...]ren. 1.) cum maligni spiritus ipsa vacationis otia ad cogitationes illicitas pertrahunt. workes of blessednesse and of religion should be done therein,Isai. 58.14. & 56.2.5. [...]. when he blesseth the works them­selues, and the workers of them: as he blessethDeut. 21.5. Exod. 20.12. the parents blessing of their godly children. And surely those that shall be carefull of this precept, not as a shadow, but as a meanes ordained to increase in godlines;2. Cor. 3 6. not in the deadnes of the letter, but in [Page 54] newnes of the spirit; not in hypocrisie, but in truth:Isai. 56.5.6.7. & 58.14. shall finde how the vertue of this blessing shall make them rich in spirituall gifts, which the gates of hell shall not preuaile against.

Question 4. verse 5. Wherfore it is said, there was not a man to till the ground, when as in the first chapter it is reported, that God made Adam in the image of God?

THe manner of the Scripture is, sometime byAugust. de Doct. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 36. Sextam regulam Ti­conius recapitulationē vocat, in obscuritate scripturarum satis vi­gilanter inuentam. Sic enim dicuntur quaedā quasi sequantur in or­dine temporis, vel re­rū continuatione nar­rentur, cum ad priora quae praetermissa fue­rant, latenter narra­tio reuocetur. recapitulation, to repeate afterward a mat­ter done before: and sometime byAugust. lib. locut. in Num. cap. 13. They came to the riuer of Eshcol, and cut down thēce a brāch and a cluster of grapes, and the place was called the riuer of Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes: so that where he saith they came to the riuer of Eshcol, it was not so called when they ca [...]e thither, but when they departed thence, or when Moses wrote the booke. antici­pation, to record a historie, or part thereof, before the order of the doing of the same. The end where­of is, to make the doctrine plaine, not to obscure it, although froward and ignorant people which de­light not in the Scriptures,Aristot. Metaph. lib. 2. c. 1. Quemadmodum enim vespertilionum oculi ad lumen dici se habent, ita & intellectus anima nostra ad ea quae manifestissima omnium sunt. like Night-owles are offended at the light. The ScripturePsal. 19.7.8. in it selfe is plaine. In the first chapter is set foorth the whole worke of creation, in order as it was performed: the purpose of the holie Ghost in this place is, to inuite vs once againe, diligently to marke the power of GodIerem. 10.12. declared in it, who alone without helpe or meanes performed it. As if he had said:Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 12. Consider the marueilous worke of God in creating the hea­uen [Page 55] and the earth, who himselfeIsai. 44.22. alone created them, or elseBefore it was in the earth, that is, there was none in ye earth before God created them. they had not been: and firstIn the day that GOD created the earth and the hea­uens, that is, in the season or time. to con­sider that (which is neerest our vnderstanding) of the earth: the plants of the field had neither raine to water them, nor Sunne to warme them (which now are the ordinary meanes of God to bring them forth) nor helpe of man to plant them, or to till the ground. The order of the historie is this:Gen. 1.11.12.14.27. Gen. 2.6.7.8. obserue vers. 5. the Lord is the author of the raine. Ierem. 14.22.2. The Lorde crea­ted the earthly bo­dies, all meanes both naturall and artificial being takē away, as he created the worlde of no­thing. In the third day the earth brought forth euery hearbe and euery tree, according to his kind: that is, trees of e­uery kinde, that are, or euer were vpon the earth, when as there was none of them before, nor meanes whereof they could proceede: the Sunne was crea­ted the fourth day, Man the sixt day, who being created God placed him in Paradice, when as yet it had not rained vpon the earth, that is to say, shortlie after he was created.

Question 5. verse 7. How it is to be vnderstood, where it is said: the Lord made man dust of the ground, and breathed in his face breath of life, and the man was a liuing soule?

IN al godly wisedom two points areLactant. Institut. lib. 1. cap. 1. Calu. Instit. lib. 1. c. 1. chief­ly to be regarded,Ierem. 9.24. Hose. 6.6. the knowledge of God, and theAct. 17.29.30. Reuel. 2.5. Hos. 14.2. [...], Prae foribus templi Delphici inscriptum tanquam dignum Deo, testatur Plato in Charm. Tanquam viam ad foelicitatem, ex responso Apollini [...]: refert Ma [...]ro [...]. de Som. Scip. lib. 1. Tanquam rem difficillimam arguit Thales. Laert. vit. Thal. Interroganti quid esset difficile, respondet seipsum nosse. Et illud [...], noli putare ad arrogantiam mi [...]endam solum esse dictum, verum etiam vt bona nostra norimus. Cic. ad Quint. frat. lib. 3. epist. 6. knowledge of our selues. At these two markes the Scriptures doe principally and al­most [Page 56] wholy aime. The knowledge of God is taught by the worke of creation, and by theDeus enim semper a­git & semper quies­cit, nam a ut sine mo­tu, & quiescit in ipsiu [...] actione. August. worke of re­sting and of gouernment, and (for as much as these points areA [...]gust. de spiritu & anim. cap. 54. Vide a­mus quomodo per cog­nitionem nostri, p [...]ssi­mus ascendere ad cog­nitionem ipsius dei. Calu. Institut lib. 1. 1. knit together, so that the one cannot consist without the other) more especially by the creating of man himselfe. The knowledge of man is taught in like sort by the creation, and bene­fites bestowed on him, by his fall, by his miserie, and restoring, all which the Scripture doth abun­dantly expresse. Thus therfore doth the holy Ghost make way, as it were to speake more largely of mans creation, and of his gouernment, as after followeth: There was not a man to till the ground. As if hee had said: What cause haueLaert. lib. 1. cap. 1. [...]l Vulcano qui Philoso­phiae principia apertut ad Alexandrum Ma­cedonem interfluxis­se quadragesus octies mille octingētos sexa­ginta tres annos, rebus interea stantibus Ae­gyptijs. Cic. de diuinat. lib. 2. p. 128. Nam quod a [...] ­uns Chaldaei quadrin­genta & septuaginta millia annorum in ex­periendu pueris qui­cun (que) essent nati Ba­bylonios posuisse, fal­lunt. Idem refert Diodor. Si­cul. biblioth. lib. 3. Vi­de & similia monstra: apud Platon, in Ti­maeo de antiq. Atheni­ensium. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. inter Osirim & Alexandrum, & success. regum Aegypt. Pomp. Melam. lib. 1. Plin. lib. 11. & 35. cap. 13. the heathen to brag so great­ly of mans antiquitie? the Lord created al creatures and they were in perfection,Whereby man is excluded from any part of the workmanship of them. before there was any man: and when man was made, al ordinary meanes were wanting, but the LordThe word [...] iaizar signifieth to fashion by pressing or keeping straight, as the Potter doth the clay, Isai. 41.25. Hence a Potter is called totzer: and we see vpon what ground the Pro­phet saith: We are the clay, and thou art the Potter. Isai 64.8. & 45.9. Ierem. 18.6. fashioned his bodie of the dust of the earth, and breathed in his face breath of life. The nature of man consisteth of a bo­die and a soule, both which hee receiued from the Lord, and nothing of himselfe:1. Cor. 6.20. & creatione & redemp. he must therefore glorifie God in both, because they are the Lords. The originall matter whereof the body of man was framed, is calledThe word [...] gnapar is properly dust lying vpon the earth: [...] adha [...]nah, from whence Adam hath his name, is red or moyst earth: [...] erets, the whole globe of earth: [...] tebel, the earth or land inhabited. Ral. Dauid. lib. Rad. Pagn. thesaur. co [...]. 2046. drie earth of the ground, or dust of the ground: and he saith not only he was of the dust (least any should affirme there was more excellent [Page 57] matter ioyned therewithall) but that hee made manThus are ye words: [...] vaijizer Ie­houa clohim eth ha­adam gnapar min ha­adamah: and the Lord God formed the man dust of the ground. dust of the ground, that is to say, consisting chief­lie, and wholy of the earthNam terra siue ae­quae que nobis sunt có­tiguae non sunt pura elementa, sed genera­tioni aptae. Avici. de Gen. lib. 2. cap. 8. Ca­dit ergo Simplicij ar­gumentatio. 12. Ne (que) enim cum ex terra di­cit hominem Moses, statuendit ex sola ter­ra siu [...] pura puta. as the same is mixed with other elements. The more base the matter is, the more excellent is the power and wisedome of the workmaster; the more ought man toGen. 18.21. bee humble in himselfe, and2. Cor. 10.17. to glorie in the Lord, who hath placed in so foule a matterDe hac re vid. Greg. Nissen. lib. 1. de Phi­losoph. cap 5. Ambr. Heram. lib. 6. cap. 9. Cic. de Natura Deo­rum. lib. 2. Galen. de vsu partiū per tot. &c. such vncompa­rable beautie. And seeing the Lord had power to make the earth of nothing, and the bodie of the earth, how easily can he restore the same bodie be­ing returnedGen. 3.10. to the dust, and make itCyprian. expos. in Symb. Quid tibi aut absurdum aut contra­rium videtur, &c. of an earth­ly bodie1. C [...]. 15.44. a spirituall bodie! The bodie being thus created,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 13. he added thereuntoDe traduce [...] omnium est optima sententia Hieronym. Apolog. ad­uers. Ruff. lib. 2. Deo teste dico quia vsq [...]e ad praesens certi & definiti aliquid de hac quaestione non teneo, sed Deo relinquo scire quid sit in vero, & sicut ipse reuelare dignabitur. Similiter & Augusti­ni Epist. 28. a soule; the meanes how is described: he breathed in his face: the sub­stance or forme thereof, is called breath of life: but how this dead bodie newly framed was made to liue, cannot fully be conceiued in the heart of man, in which respect the Lord doth speake as wee are able to heare: He breathed: not that God hath mouth or organes of breathing, but that we might discerne that he receiued life immediatly from God. I finde of this scripture three diuers expositions of the lear­ned, and none of them disagreeing from the faith. First is, that by breathing is vnderstood, his decree or wordAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 7. cap. 3. Sed hoc ipsum est sufflare, quod est flatum facere, hoc est animum facere. Et ita plurimi scriptores intelligunt. that he should haue breath, his diuine and present power, whereby hee made his breath and made his soule, as he made the worldPsal. 33.6 by the breath of his mouth. Secondly, it may be vnderstoode, [Page 58] thatAug. de Gen. contr. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 22 Primò ergo huius lo­cutionis regula in mul­tis diuinarum script. locis animaduertenda at (que) discenda est. Quid enim aliud significat quod dicitur Deus re­quieuisse, nisi requrem nostram, sic spiritus sanctus gemit, quia ipse nos mouet ad o­randum, &c. Pet. Mart. in Gen. c. 2 the Lord breathed in his The worde [...] ap of [...] anap (to bee angrie, or blow tho­row the nosthrils) is properlie the nos­thrils, but often vsed for the face. Sy­necdoc. nosthrils, when he gaue him power to breathe in his nosthrils: In like sort as the Lord isGen. 22.12. Deut. 13.3. said to know vs, when he maketh vs to know our selues: and the spirit Rom. 8.26. is said to grone, when he maketh vs to grone in prayer vnto God. Thirdly,Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 2. Verba autē haec fecimus, vt probaremus Iesum istum Christū esse filium & apostolū dei, out prius verbum existens cum aliquando in forma igni [...], ali­quando in imagine in [...]orporeorū apparuisset, nunc porro factus homo. Idem Dialog. cum Triff. Deum patrē ne (que) Abraham, ne (que) alius quisquam vidit vnquā: sed illum ipsum qui iuxta consilium eius, & voluntatem, & Deus est & filius ipsius & angelus, ex eo quod sententiae illius est administer, &c. Irenae. lib. 4. cap. 37 Verbum autem eius, quemadmodum volebat ipse▪ & ad vtilitatem videntiū cla­ritatem monstrabat patris, & dispositiones exponebat. Tertul aduers. Prax. Nemo (inquit) videbit faciem meam: tamen patriarchae Deum vidisse referuntur, vt Abraham & Iacob, & prophaetae, & mortus non sunt: igitur aut mori debuerant aut scriptura mentitur? consequens est, vt inuisibilem patrem intelligamus pro plenitudine maiestatis, visibilem filium agnoscamus pro modulo deriuatio­nis. Filius ita (que) est qui iudicauit, turrim superbissimam elidens, &c. Ipse enim & ad humana semper colloquia descendit, ab Adam vsque ad patriarchas, in visione, in somno, inspeculo, &c. Euseb. de de­monst. Euangel. lib. 7. Hier. [...]anch. de op. part. 3. lib. 1. c. 1. Eundem cum creaturus esset Adamum tum primum formam hanc corporis sumpsisse, suis ita (que) manibus lutum è terra accepisse in na [...]es corporis iam formati insufflasse. Et certe non video quo iure possit aut debeat haec interpretatio damnari. Cum ne (que) pugnet cum alijs scripturis, neque cum analogia fidei. that the Sonne of God, who afterward tooke our nature on him, appeared in humane forme (as what letteth that to be? seeing thatAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 16. cap. 29. Est quidem diuinae potestatis & inuisibus, incorporalis, incommutabilis (que) naturae, sine vlla sui mutatione, etiam mortalibus aspectibus apparere: non per id quod est, sed per aliquid quod sibi subditum est. Quid au­tem illi subditum non est? by his diuine power, he might take vnto his inuisible and immutable nature, the vse of some creature, and ap­peare in the view of mortall men, not by that which he was himselfe, but by the creature which is sub­iect vnto him, like as the Angels, beingPsalm. 104.4. voide of bodily shape, haue often appeared in the forme ofGen. 18.2. & 19 5. Iudg. cap. 6.17. & 13.6.11.16. Heb. 13.2. men) and made his bodie of the dust, breathed in his nosthrils,Vers. 21.22. made the woman of the rib of A­dam, Gen. 3.8. walked in the garden, andTo Abraham, to Iacob. Gen. 18. & 32 &c. Iustin Mart. Dialog. cum Triff. Tertul. aduers. Praxeam. Ipse enim. & ad humana semper colloquia des­cendit, &c. sometime appea­red [Page 59] At inquit Dionys. Areop. lib. Hierarch. 1 Omnes dei manifesta­tiones & apparitiones mediate per Ange­los esse factas. Negant vniuersalitatem istā, multi patres; docet Augustinus fieri ali­ter potuisse, nec iste Dionysius innotuit hoc scripto patribus, vt apparet ex catalog. Hieronymi, nec à re­centioribus omnino censetur genuinus. vnto the Patriarkes. But howsoeuer we vnder­stand the manner of doing, we must remember that the thing that was created thus by breathing, wasThe word [...] nishmah, is properly ( [...]) the reasonable soule. Aben Ezra cō ­ment. in Gen. cap 7. Rationalem & coele­stem animam inter­pretatur, & cum no­mine shamaijm assini­tatem habere. Rabb. Abraham in Gen 2. Nishmah collocat in cerebro, [...] nephesh in [...]epate, vt haec sit anima rationalis, illa vegetatiua: [...] [...]uac verò, spiritum, in cor­de; sicut omnes scrip­tores saniores... the soule of man (wherein wasAmbros. Hexam. lib. 6. cap. 8. Non enim caro potest esse ad imaginem dei, sed anima nostra quae li­bera est. & diffusit cogitationibus & consilijs huc & illuc vagatur. chiefly placed the image of God) with all the faculties and furniture thereof. And thus the man was made in the image of God a liuing soule, when as this spirituall sub­stance, created by God of nothing, was by the po­wer of God ioyned in personall vnion with the bo­die; so that, that earthly image indued with soule did liue, and became the chiefe of all other liuing creatures. By this place of scripture, many foule er­rors are apparantly confuted to aching the soule of man, which the diuel hath put in the hearts of men, to induce them the rather to beleeue, that the soule were mortall as the bodie, or at leastwise should not indure the punishment of sinne after death, which it hath deserued in this life. For neither is itCic. Tuscul. quaest. lib. 1. Dicae­archus nihil esse omnino animam disputauit, vim (que) eam, qua vel agamus quid, vel sentiamus in omni­bus corporibus viuis aequaliter esse fusam, nec separabilem à corpore esse, quippe quae nulla sit, nec sit quicquam nisi corpus vnum & simplex, ita figuratum, vt temperatione natura vigeat, ac sentiat. without substance proper to it selfe, when it is separated from the bodie (as some haue affirmed) for as much as when the bodie was perfectly created, this spirit as a substance was breathed in his nosthrils. Neither is it of theCic. ibid. Vnde concordes. ex cordes, vecordes dicuntur: opinio vulgi. substance of the heart of man, neitherCic. ibid. Empedocles ani­mum esse censet, cordi suffusum sanguinem. is it the blood about the heart, neitherSicut. Democritus, Leucippus, & Pythagorici statue­runt. Arist. de anim. lib. 1. cap. 2. Cic. Tuscul. 1. Zenoni Stoico animus ignis videtur. fire, norArist. de anim. 1. cap. 2. Diogenes autem sicut & alij quidam, acrem ipsam censuit esse. aire, norArist. ibid. Qui­dam magis importuni, vt Hippon, aquam esse dixerunt. water, norSolùm terram nemo dixit, nisi quis ex om­nibus clementis constare dixerit. Arist. ibid. of the foure elements, nor consi­sting [Page 60] Ʋt Zenocrates qui numerum dixit esse. Cic. in Tusc. lib. 1. of number orAristoxenes Cic. i­bid. consent of Musicke, neither yetHippocrat. [...]. lib. 1. Galenus lib. de conse­cut. morum anim. Anima est temperatio, è quatuor elemētis, cer­ta prop [...]rtione concreta. of any temperature of the foure elements, see­ing it is a substance not taken from the earth or ele­ments, or heauens, or Angels, but immediatly infu­sed or inspired by the Lord. Neither is it of the sub­stance of the Deitie,Chrysost. in 2. Cor. Hom. 7. & passim a­pud Augustinum. as the Manichees andRabb. Moses ben Maim [...]n. & plerique Hebraei, Priscillianistae apud Augustate heres Her. 70. Hi animas dicunt eiusdem natu­ra atque substantiae cuius est Deus. Orige­nes pe [...] flatum, spiri­tum sanctum intelli­git, [...]. li. 1. c. 3 others doe esteeme it, no more then the breath of man is of theAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib 7. cap. 3. Quo modo inquiunt scriptum est, & sufflauit, &c. si non anima dei pars est? imò verò ex hoc verbo satis apparet ita non esse: cum enim homo sufflat. anima vti (que) ipsa subiacentem sibi naturam corporis mo­net, & de illa non de seipsa statum facit. Nisi isti fortè tam tardi sunt, vt nesciant isto reciproco hali­tu, quem de hoc acre circumfuso ducimus, & reddimus, fieri etiam flatum cum voluntate sufflamus. Idem cap. 2. Nos autem credimus dei naturam atque substantiam, quae in trinitate creditur à multis, intelligitur à paucis, omnino esse in ommutabilem. substance of his bodie, or of his soule. Nei­ther is itAugust. de Spiritu & anim. lib. cap. 13. Dicitur nam (que) anima dum vegetat, spiritus dum contemplatur, sensus dum sentit, animus dum sapit, dum in­telligit men [...], cum liscernit ratio, dum recordatur memoria, dum vult voluntas. manifold or consisting of many parts, but as the bodie is one, and consisteth of diuers mem­bers, so the soule is one that cannot be diuided, and consisteth of diuers powers & properties. Such is the wisedom of the Lord, and his bountifulnes to man, that hauing made the world asPsal. 19 1. Rom. 1. the image of his glorie, he would end the creation with the frame of man, [...] tam ab ecclesiasti is quam à prophanis appellatur. as of a little world, in whose bodie and soule he placedEccles. 12.2.3. &c. the beautie of all creatures voide of life, the growing of plants, the sense of beasts, theTertul. lib. 2. in Mer. Fortior angelo (scil. seductore, qui seductus est) sed afflatus dei generosior spiritu mate­riali p [...]o angeli constiterunt. rea­son of Angels, and also ioynedEphes. 2.13.18.22. 2. Pet. 1.4. man which was the last, vnto himselfe thatIren. lib. 4. cap. 37. Christus in no­uissimis temporibus homo in hominibus factus est vt finem coniungeret principio, id est, hominem Deo. was the first, by Iesus Christ.

Question 6. verse 5. What place the Garden of Eden was: and where it was situated.

IT were almost innumerable, and also fruit­lesse to report, the varietie of iudgements, concerning this place of Paradice. Some hold,Hugo de Sancto Vi­ctore. Annot. in Gen. ca. 2. Ex aliorum opi­nione refert item Pe­rer. in Gen. Tom. 1. lib. 3. that this pleasant garden did extend ouer all the earth. SomeAugust. lib. de Hae­res. haer. 59. Seleucia­ni negant visibilem paradisum. that it was not at all in the earth, but in the heauen. Others thinke it to beTertul. in Apologet. cap. 45. Maceria qua­dam igneae zonae à no­titia orbis communis segregatum. a place on earth, where now remaine the godlie soules depar­ted. Others that it is situate aboue the earthLombard. lib. 2. dist. 17. E. in alio situm, vsque ad lunarem cir­culum pertingentem; vnde aquae dilutiij illuc peruenerunt. Bonauent. super sent. 2. dist. 17. Pet. Comestor. Histor. eccles. in initio. Rupert. de Trin. lib. 1. cap. 37. neere vnto the circle of the Moone, by reason whereof, it escaped drowning in the great deluge. Others againe (besideHomer. de horto Alcinoi, Odyss. lib. 7. (Et aliorum de campis Elisijs. Virg. Aenea. 6.) Quod ea hac historia paradisi didicit in Aegypto versatus, testatur Iustin. Mart. in Exhort. ad Gent. Item. Arrian. com. Indic. de Ha [...] ione Carthaginensi. Anton. Muret. variar. lect. lib. 5. cap. 1. De insulis fortunatis, & littore Britannico. manie other more fond opinions)Philo Iud. lib. de allegorijs. Origen. in EZech. Hom. 13. Et hoc nomine eum mordet Epiphan. in Ancor. ebiurgat Hieron. in Dan. 10. Vnde illorum deliramenta conticescant, qui vmbras & imagines in veri­tate quaerente [...]it sam conantur euertere veritatem, vt flumina & arbores & Paradisum patent allego­riae legibu [...] se debere subruere. doe thinke it to be nothing but an allegorie, and therefore to haue onely a spirituall vnderstanding. But the wisest and grauest interpreters, who haue well considered the purpose of the Scripture, and waied diligentlie the words of the text,Basil. Hexam Hom. 11. Hieron. in Dan. c. 10. idem in Trad. Hebr. Qui tamen non bene, de tempore plantationis. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 13. Et idcirco nomen loci inseruit beatus Moses, vt non licent nugari volentibus & dicere nullum esse in terra hortum sed in coelis, & fabulas quasdam eiusmodi somniare. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. c. 1. De Paradiso tres sententi [...]: vna eorum qui corporaliter tantū, alia eorum qui spiritualiter tantum, tertia eorum qui vtroque modo accipiunt: tertiam mihi fateor placere sententiam, &c. narratio quippe in his libris non genus figuratarum rerum est vt in Cantico Cantic sed omnino gestarum rerum ficut in Regnorum libris & huiusmodi caeteris. doe fullie [Page 62] agree, that this garden of Eden was a certaine place on earth, altogether such as is here described. And to those that think it only to be an allegorie,Epiphan in Anchor. Si itaque non est Pa­radisus sensibilis, non est fons, &c. Si non sunt folia, non est A­dam, non est Eua, non est esus, non comedit de ligno. Si non est Adam non sunt homi­nes, & fabula est de caetero ipsa veritas, & omnia allegoricè di­cuntur. Epipha­nius giueth this pithy, discreet and absolute answer. If there was (saith he) no paradice but in an allego­rie, then also were there no trees but in an allegorie; if no trees, then no eating of the fruit; if no eating, then no Adam; if no Adam, then are there no men but all are allegories, and the truth it selfe is become a fable. But to come vnto the purpose of the Holie Ghost: The Scripture herein continueth the de­claration of the bountifulnes of God towards man kind. For hauing shewed alreadie, how greatlie the Lord God had garnished mans nature with his I­mage, and had prepared as it were the world to re­ceiue him in, and also made all thePsalm. 8.6. creatures to doe him homage: when thus the noblenes of his birth, the greatnes of his honour, and the largenes of his kingdome had bin declared; now hee commeth to speake of the place as it were, or mansion house of his habitation. To what purpose are al these circum­stances? surely toChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 13. Ecce secun­dam beneficentiae spe­ciem & honorē quem in hominem collocauit. expresse the vnspeakeable bounty of the Lord to man-ward,Psalm. 49.20. & the greatnes of mans fall that was not content with such felicitie; and the maliceIohn. 8.44. of the diuel, by whoseTertul. lib. de pa­tientia. Adeo decepit quia ipsum inuiderat. enuy man was pro­uoked to rebellion: and the greatnes of the punish­mentDeut. 13.5. whereby Gods iustice might be feared: and the glorious estate of our creation, whereby wee might be moouedLuc. 7.43. Deut. 10.12. to loue God the giuer thereof, to hate sinneIerem. 5.25. Hos. 13.2. whereby we are spoyled, to continue in hope, seeing GodIsai. 45.22. Reuel. 2.7. hath promised to restore vs: and to be patient in afflictionRom. 8.18. 2. Cor. 4.17. knowing (by that we haue receiued) that the troubles of this life are no­thing [Page 63] in comparison of the glorie which shall be gi­uen vnto vs. To this end the garden is commended by three notable arguments. First by the efficient cause or author of it, who is said to be Iehouah Elohim who planted it: that is,Chrysost. Homil. in Gen. 13. Quid? dic oro: ligone opus ha­buit & agricultura, & alia cura vt Para­disi hortum excoleret? absit. Iterū enim ver­bum plantauit, sic in­telligendum, quod im­perauit hortum in ter­ra fieri. by his commaundement made it a pleasant place. Secondlie, by the nature or fruitfulnes thereof, that in it did grow of euery kind of tree which was pleasant to the sight, and good for meate: whereby is signified that although al the earth were exceeding fruitfull, yet this garden exceeded all the earth, and was made most fit without comparison for man to dwell in, both well and blessedly. Third­ly, by the situation of the same in Eden, that is in Eng­lish,Heden, the name of a countrie so cal­led for the pleasant­nes of it: for [...], hae­dan in Hebrue, is in english to delight: from hence also the Greekes call plea­sure [...], hedone. in a pleasant place. The which situation of this garden (to make it most apparent to our vnderstan­ding) is again described by three other circumstan­ces. First, that it was not the whole countrie, but a garden or part of Eden, as it were the fat of that, which was the fatnes of the earth. Againe, itSome doe take it to bee in the East part of the world: some Eastward from the land of Canaan, or the wildernesse where Moses wrote: but the purpose of ye Scripture is more neerely to shew the place therof, by the part of the countrie wherein it was, the word [...], mikedem of [...], kadam, signifieth the first of place or time, therefore the East, because it is the first place of light: of some it is translated the first of time: from the begin­ning. Rab. Dauid lib. Radic. Targhum. Hieron. Trad. in Gen. Qui cum alijs Rabbinis Cabalicis, conditum fuisse statuit ante mundum. Nisi forsitan hanc suam sententiam retractauit, vti Eugubi­nus Steucus author est. was Eastward or in the East part of Eden: and lastlie, it was wate­red by that riuer (being placed as it seemeth vpon the banke thereof) which from Eden was deuided and became into foure heads. Which streames againe are more particularly intreated of; by their diuision, by their names, and by their passages. And notChrysostom. Syllaba & apiculus vnicus reconditum habet thesaurum. Hom. in Gen. 18. Hieron. Commentar. in Ephes. 3. Nullus apex cares sensibus. a sylla­ble of this in vaine, but as the Lord doth shew his diligence in teaching, so should wee also shew our heedfuines in receiuing of the same. Scarsly is there [Page 64] a riuer in theDe Septem ostijs Ni­li & huiusmodi, non refert. world, whose streame is deuided in­to foure parts: wherefore this was a notable marke to know the situation of the garden. Againe, al these names continued, till the writing of this historie by Moses, and all these streames were known by name: to what purpose else were it to say, the name of the first riuer, or the name of the second riuer was cal­led thus, &c. And finally (that nothing might be more required) the course and passage of them is so expressed, that those which haue bin attent in the searching of the sameQuatenus scilicet attenti f [...]erint, nam vel in ipso Ptolomeo diligetia desideratur. Lege Trem l. & Iunij annot. in Gen. [...]tem Iun. in 2. cap. [...]en. haue most plainely giuen testimonie vnto the truth hereof. Great meruaile is it therfore thatTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 29. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. cap 7. & fe­rè omnes. interpreters of the scripture, which haue taken in hand to expound this place, should so obscure it, as to take these foure riuers for the foure famous riuers of the world: Ganges, Nilus, Tigris, and Euphrates, which are so many thousand miles asunder, and can neuer bee deuided out of one streame, seeing in their nearest meeting, the grea­test part of Asia is betweene them, which is theVide Ptolem. de­scrip. Asiae. fourth and greatest part of all the earth. By which occasion we are admonishedMatth. 23.9. to cal no man our fa­ther vpon earth, and to giue credit to mens writings in matters of saluation, no farther then agreeth with the proportion of faith, and the truth of holy scrip­ture. Moreouer sith that by this occasion, the com­fortable truth of the word of God in this descripti­on hath bin notoriouslie slaundered of the wicked: It ought to bridle vs that handle the sacred word of God, that none presume to determine of that they do not vnderstand; for it is much better as Augustine saith,August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. cap. 5. Me­lius est dubitare de oc­culus quam litigare de in [...]ertis Subsannas enim Simplicius eorū erroribus, & stultè triumphat de verbo Dei. arg. 18. to professe our doubtfulnesse in secret mat­ters, then to be contentious in things to vs vncer­taine. [Page 65] But by this Scripture it appeareth manifest, that this garden wherein man was placed, which we callGreek, [...] them. [...] to water: signifieth a pleasant gardē or place clo­sed in (Ci [...]. de sene [...]s­censeptum agrum ac diligenter consition) wherein choise and pleasant trees and beasts are nourish­ed for pleasure and delight, such was Paradice. Zenoph. lib. Oeconem. Plut. Symp. 3. Heb. [...] gan, à radice [...] ganan: circumelio. dere Rab. Dam. l. Paradice, was aNot only an Alle­gorie. certaine place on earth,Not all the earth. not spreading ouerall, but onely a part thereof, con­taining aFor neither was it so great yt it could not rightly be orde­red by Adam, nei­ther so little but it might sithe receiue the certaine num­ber of Gods elect, if Adam had not sin­ned. Aug. retract. 1. 13 not as a prison to inclose them, but as a castle of comfort to delight them, vntill they had been receiued into heauen. cont. Simplic. arg 19. conuenient portion of the countrie2. King. 19.12. Ezech. 27.23. cal­led Eden bounding vpon the riuer Euphrates: which riuer is diuided into foure streames, and runneth, or at leastwise then did flow, in manner as the text hath here described. Wherefore Heretikes and Atheists, haue here no cause to cauill at the Scripture,Contr. Simplic. argum. 1 [...]. de fluminibus Paradisi. as though it had affirmed that Ganges & Nilus had met together: for the errors of interpreters ought not to preiudice ye sacred truth of the word of God. Nei­ther are interpreters altogether void of iust excuse, seeing he that falleth by the infirmitie of other, is ra­ther to be pitied then punished. The originall of their error I find to be in the Septuagint translators, who turnedEuseb. de praepar. E­uang. lib. 8. Epiphan. de Mensur. & pond. Omnes viginti duos libros conuertisse aiunt. Ioseph. An­tiq. lib. 1. in Prooem. legem tantum. Assertio prior confirmatur à Chrysostomo. Hom. contr. Iudaeos. Theodores. &c. the old Testament, or at least the bookes of Moses, out of the Hebrue tongue into the Greeke,Circa annum 268. ante Christum. before the cōming of our Sauiour Christ: whoIn Isai. 23.3. Ierem. 2.18. Sic autem lege­batur in c [...] licibus Graecis temporibus à Christo ad vsque nos. in steed of the riuer Sichor, which is Nilus haue translated Gihon, calling the riuerHieron. in Ierem. 2. Pro Seor nos tur­bidam interpretati sumus, quod verbum hebraicum significat, pro quo communis editio habet Geon. Epiphan. epist. ad Ioh. Hierosol. Sichor the riuer Gihon. Which whether it were a receiued o­pinion among the Hebrues, that the riuer Sichor or Nilus, was the riuer Gihon here spoken of; or whe­ther because Gihon is saide to compasse the land [Page 66] ofNili primus sons a­pud Libyae interioris montem Argyrum. A­rist. meteor. lib. 1. c. 13 Omnē Aethiopiā prae­terfluit quae dicitur Cush. non tamē amb [...]t eam. At fuit alia re­gio Cush, vnde Cushan Rishathaim, Iud. 3.8. & Mosis vxor. Exo. 2.21. Num. 12.1. Nam Nimrod filius Cush imperauit Babylone. Gen. 10. Put vero & Misraim incolebant Africam, hanc igitur terram Cush. Gihon circuibat, non illam AEthiopiae. Cush: sure it is that Iosephus a Iew and a writer of great account stumbled at the same stone,Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3. Qui Pison no­minatur, ad terrā In­diam dilatus in illud se pelagus exonerat, Graecis Ganges appel­latus: Geon autem Ae­gyptum mediam secat. and im­braced that opinion: by both which authorities moued, manie both of theHieron. & alij prae­dict. item Epiph. Fathers & latter writers haue gone astray. Vnto this may haue accesse, that the countrie of Eden Post euersam regio­nem, primo à Sanche­ribo. 2. King. 19. deinde à Persis, postea à Graecis, nec nō à Romanis. hath of long time lost his an­cient name, as doubtles most part of the riuers also, as to manie other countries of the world,Now called Selcucia. Meso­potamia, Bagdet. Babylon, Elia. Ierusalem, In old time Gallia. Fraunce, Albion, Britannia. England, and other hath be fallen, of whom antiquitie hath changed the names: so that thereby the truth could not easilie be discerned, especiallie the places to be describedIn confinio Persarum ditionis; quibus perpe­tuū erat bellum cum Romanis, vt ex Suetonio in vit. Augusti, Plutarcho in vit. Crassi, Tacito, Proco­pio, Socrate, Euagrio, certum constat. being without the limits of the Christi­an Empire. And what if it were said, that the riuers here described runne not perhaps altogether in the same channels they did in the dayes of Moses? If a­nie credit may be giuen to antiquitie; the same and the like may soone be proued against an Atheist by sufficient testimonie.Plato in Epimen. Plato andArist. Meteor. lib. 1. cap. 14. Troianis temporibus Argiuorum regio quod palustris esset pauculos homines alere potuit, sed contrà Mycenorū ager pulchrè se habebat. Nunc vero secus accidit. Nam haec sterilis facta est & admodum inaruit, illa verò loca quae tunc erant sterilia quod aquis essent obruta, nūc fertilia sunt effecta. Aristotle, andLactant. Pos­sum enumerare, quoties repentinis quassat [...] motibus vel hiauerunt terrae. vel descenderint in abrup­tum: quoties diuersae fluctibus, & vibes & insulae abierint in profundum: frugiferos campos palu­des inundauerint. Flumina & stagna siccauerint: montes etiam vel deciderint abrupti, vel planis fuerint adaequati; plurimas etiam regiones, & multorum fundamenta montium latens & internus ignis consumpsit. La­ctantius andStrabo lib. 1. Geogr. Virgil. Aenead. 3. Valer. Flac. Ne (que) enim rex Aeolus ille, &c. others do constantlie affirme (as they haue receiued of auncient monuments) that moun­taines, and riuers, and Ilands, and countries haue re­ceiued much alteration in this kind. Sicilia is said to [Page 67] haue been diuided fromMela lib. 2. Geog. cap. de insulis. Italie, Cyprus Plin. lib. 2. c. 88. In­sulas rerii natura fe­cit, auellit Siciliam I­taliae, Cyprum Syriae, &c. from Syria, Seruius in Virg. Eg­log 1. Et penitus toto diuisos orbe Britan­nos: Diuisos námque dixit Poeta, quia olim iuncta fuit orbi terra­rum Britannia. Tan­tum aeni longinqua valet mutare vetu­stas: inquit Virg. Ae­nead. 3. Haec autem, quoniam l [...]ngo tem­poris spacio fiunt, me­moriam hominum so­lent effugere, vt in­quit Aristot. Meteor. lib. 1. cap. 14. England from France, by the violence of the Sea, whereas before they were ioyned, as Peloponnesus is to ye rest of Grecia, or as the towne of Rye Where there is left scarse the high way to come in, the water flowing vp on both sides. (at an high water) seemeth to be to the rest of England. But this is lesse to bee wondred at (although we giue no cer­taintie thereof, but only take away the cauils of the aduersaries) that these riuers should runne in other streames: forasmuch as Cyrus Dan. 3.30. at the taking of Baby­lon, Herod. in Clio. Cum inutiliori exercitus parte abijt ad paludem, & quae Babyloniorum regina fecerat circa flumen, eadem & ipse fecit (ipsa autem fluuium Euphratem qui prius mediam ipsorum vrbem interfluens, rectus erat tor­tuosum reddidit, vt supra retulit) nam reuocato flumine alueum eius pristinum vado transibilem reddidit. is affirmed to haue restrained the maine chan­nell of this very riuer Euphrates, vnto an vnwonted course, & to haue diuided the riuerHuic (cum non posset nisi nauibus traijci) cum quidam è sacris equis petulanter ingres­sus transire conabatur, quod fluutus vorti [...]ibus contorquens eum submersum abi ipuit: Cyrus perquam aeg [...] è ferens cōminatus est, se sic redditu [...]um eum tenuem vt in posterum facile vel à mulieribus tran­siri posset, ne gentia quidem tingentibus: cum demum in trecentos & sexaginta riuos mulciauit di­ductum. Ex Herodot. in Clio. Senec. de ira. lib. 3. Gindes which is next vnto it in greatnesse, into 360. streames. Be­sides, the countrie of Mesopotamia by which these riuers passe, beingPlutarc. in vit. Marc. Crass. Vbi impulit cum à flumine, abstractum medijs duxit campis via lent & facili initio, inde succedente alta arena nudis [...]i, & sitientibus campis, qui termin tri nusquam oculis poterant odiosa. partly drie and sandie, andHerod. in Clio. Porro in Isl [...]rio­rum te [...]ra parum pluit: sed omnis Babylonica regio d ffecta est in fossas, &c. sel­dom watered with the shewers of heauen, & on the other part exceedingPlin. lib. 18. c. 1 [...]. Ba­bylone segetes bis secant, tertiò depascunt, alioqui folia tantum fierent. fruitfull by the nature of the soyle, is by the industrie of the inhabitants so nouri­shed with waters, by cutting out channels and dit­ches out of the maine streames, as the same is a­mended where it is barren, of the same vnfruitful­nesse; and corrected again of his ouer rich increase,Plin. ibid. Vt prepinguis & densa vbertas diluatur, &c. where it is ouer fertile. No meruaile therefore, if [Page 68] these riuers are not fully agreed vpon by writers, ha­uing lost perhaps their ancient streames together with their names, asEx maledicto & di­luuio. Paradice, and the whole earth besides hath lost her ancient fruitfulnes. It sufficeth vs that feare the Lord, that wee so credit the know­ledge and truthQuî enim haec om­nia Moses potuit scri­berenisi dictante spi­ritu D [...]i? of the spirit of God that was in Moses, as that we assure our selues, the things spoken of were so in euerie point, as they are reported for to be. Those that will not beleeue itClement. Alexand. Stromat. 7. Scriptura magis fide digna quā qucuis demonstratio, imò quae sola demon­stratio est, &c. because the Scripture hath pronounced it,Hieron. comment. in Matth. 27.42. Frau­dulenta promissio. Quid est pluc le cru­ce adhuc descendere viuentem, an de se­pulcro mortuum re­surpere? resurrexit & non credidistis, ergo si etiam de cruce descen­deret, similiti [...] non crederetis. would not in truth beleeue it, although they saw it with their eies, more then they who cried vnto our Sauiour Christ be­ing on the crosse: If he be the king of Israel let him now come downe from the crosse, and we wil beleeue him. Not­withstanding for the confirmatiō of the godly, and the repressing of bold & wicked Spirits, we thought good to adde a table of description, whereby may be perceiued how this history of the situation of Pa­radice, fullie agreeth with that which manie writers haue deliuered thereof, and the same is found to re­maine vntill this day.

[map of Mesopotamia]

Pishon, the first streame of Euphrates which the Scripture describeth, ioyneth with Tigris, and from hence forth is called Pasitigris or Pisotigris, Strab. lib. 15. Of Ptolome, lib. 6. cap. 18. [...], the Kings riuer, because it was falsely) esteemed to haue been by the kings of Ba­bylon cut out of the earth. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 26. This riuer is the West bound of the land Hauilah: for the word [...] Sabab translated com­passeth, signifieth to bound out as well as to inuiron, and is so to be taken in this place.

Hauilah was part of Assyria and part of Persia (as after Moses those countries were diuided) where Gold and Bdelium and the Onyx stone is found, Plin. lib. 6. cap. 27. Solin. cap. 68. Bdelium (as Plinie saith) is a tree, the wood whereof is blacke in colour, sweete in sauour, and bitter in taste: the same also yeeldeth sweete Gumme.

Gihon, the second head, called afterward Nahar-sares [...] Nahar [...] Seres, that is, a riuer gelt or cut off, because it is the first diuision of Euphrates, where his waters are gelt or diuided: this compasseth the plaine of Sinhar where Nimrod the sonne of Cush inhabited: is also the bound and border of Arabia, where Seba, Sabatha, Sabtecha (together with Sheba, Dedan and Mi [...]i [...]n he sonnes of Abraham) possessed. Of the land of Cush in Aethiopia, where Sheba & Dedan the sons of Raamah had their possessions, there is no appearance of such a riuer.

Hiddekel, the third head, runneth on the East part of Babylonia, which is toward the East side of Asshur, and for that in a short course it is ioyned with Tigris (and perhaps imitateth the swiftnes of his streame) is also called by his name, as appeareth Dan. 10.4. Plinie lib. 6. cap. 27. calleth it Diglito, which is for Hidelito or Hiddikel, corrupted; it taketh his name of swiftnes: and is called of the Persians Tigris, which (saith Curtius lib. 4.) i [...] in the Persian tongue an arrow: of Greekes and Latins for his swiftnes and violent streame is fitly com­pared with the Tiger. This is that other Arme of Euphrates, whereof Ptolome saith lib 6 cap. 18. [...], &c. Eu­phrates where he is diuided, his position being 79 degrees Lon. Lat. 35. in. 40. one of his streames runneth thorough Babylon, the other by Scleucia, and the riuer Basilius is carried betweene them.

Perah, the fourth head, is the maine and principall streame of Euphrates; last remembred, because more commonly knowne. This passeth thorough the citie Babylon, and ioyneth with Tigris at Apamea, from whence they runne together; and lastly, after a new diuision, doe fall into the Persian Gulph.

Ninus is that Niniue, builded by Asshur, Gen. 10.11. it obtained the Empire before that of Babylon, 2. King. 18.33. it repented at Ionahs preaching, Ion. 3.5. Matth. 12.41. was destroyed for crueltie and contempt of God, Na [...]m. 2.8. Herodot. in Clio. it contained sixescore thousand infants which knew not their right hand from their left, Ionah. 4.11. and in circuit three daies iourney, Ionah. 3.5. being 480. furlongs, and had 1500. towers vpon the walles, Diodor. Sic. lib. 3. Herodot. in Clio Strab [...] lib. 16.

Babylon, that citie of confusion, ouercome by Cyrus, Isai. 45.12. Dan. 5.30. [...]1. was afterward brough [...] to ruine by the successors of A­lexander: In solitudinem redijs, exhausta, vicinitate Scleuciae; became a desert (saith P [...]ic lib. 6 cap 26) as had been foretold by the Pro­phets, Isai. 13.2. Ierem 50.1.2. Dan. 2.30. Scleucus Nicanor hauing spoyled it, builded Scleucia in stee [...] thereof. Afterward the Persians ruinated Scleucia, builded Clesiphon, and made it the head citie of the kingdome, Strabo lib. 16. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 26. Herodian. lib. 3. Sozomen. lib. 6. cap. 1. Clesiphon loco Babylonis, sedes regia est Persarum.

Gaugamela, the meeting of the Ram and the Goate, Dan. 8.6. where Alexander vtterly ouerthrew the power of Darius, and obtained the Empire of Asia. It containeth Grad. 79 30. Lat. 37. 0.

Furthermore, it is to be obserued, Gen. 11.2. They went from the East, &c. that Noah and his companie going forth of the Arke, passed the mountaines of Armenia, and dwelt in Assyria: which (as here appeareth is on the East from Sirhar. For Ar [...]a [...] or Armenia it selfe, is not East from Sinhar, but North and declining West. The mountaines of Armenia are parts of that h [...]ge and mightie Caucasus, which beginning with Taurus and Amaenus in Cilicia runneth on into Scythia and I [...]dia, called by diuers names, but yet continued in the gene­rall termes of Caucasus and Caucasij montes. Looke Gen. 8 q. 2. Aristot lib. 1. cap. 13 Philost [...]atus lib. 2. Ptolom. Geograph. lib. 5. cap. 9. 10. Tab. 2. 3. & lib. 6. cap. 12. Tab. 7. Strabo lib. 11. Mela lib. 1. cap. de Lycia. Curtius lib. 4. Dextra Tigrim habebat, à lana m [...]ntes, quos Gordiaeos vocant. I would thinke rather they were the Niphates, but for the reuerence of Antiquitie.

Place this Mappe in pag. 68.

Question 7. verse 9. What is meant by the tree of life?

AMong all the trees of the Lords garden, which were most pleasant to the eye, and good for meat, two especiallie excelled a­boue the rest in vse and vertue, which are called the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and euill. These are said to be planted in the middest of the garden, either according to ye propertie of the Hebrue phrase of speech, as thus: I dwell 2. King. 4 13. in the mid­dest of mine own people, that is, among mine own peo­ple, to signifie that out of the garden were no such trees: or els, about the middest of the garden it selfe, either because therby, their place might argue their excellent vse; or that by their placing he to whom they were giuen,Life, and the com­mandement. might haue the vse of them al­waies to meditate thereon. They wereAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. cap. 6. Pror­sus & hoc lignum e­rat visibile & corpo­rale, sicut arbores cae­terae. cap. 4. Ne cogat in allegoriam, vt non ista ligna fuerint, sed aliud aliquid nomine ligni significent. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen, 13. Sed forte sunt, qu­ex propria sententia quelibet dicere volūt, nec flumina concedúc esse flumina, &c. que­so ne feramus tales, s [...] obturemus aures. very trees, not allegories in the name of trees; for they were planted, they were watered, they grew & bare fruit as other trees. What fruit they bare is not expressed, and therefore not necessary for vs to know. But that their fruit might be of the kind of other fruit, and haue a proper vertue giuen vnto it, I see not what doth hinder, seeing thatAct. 5.15. the shadow of Peter, nor theAct. 19.12. kerchiefs and handkerchiefs from Pauls bodie, did differ from the shadowes of other men, or from other linnen of the same kind, but onlie in theIbid. ver­tue of healing, that God for a time did giue vnto them. Now the first of these trees is [...] gnets h [...] ­chaijm: as the soule is called [...] ne­phesh chaiah: not that the tree did liue (nisi vita vege­tatina) but gaue or imparted life to o­ther. called the tree [Page 70] of life, Properly a tree pre­seruing or maintai­ning life (arbor viuifi­cans) for the hebrue tongue wanteth ad­iectiues, or (which the Grammarians call) denominata. for that the fruit thereofGen. 3.22. had naturall ver­tue in it to preserue life. Not the life of theIoh. 6.63. soule, the substance whereof is moreFor ye soule which dyeth the second death, loseth not the substāce, but the blessed qualities: Non in substantia, sed in qualitate mori­tur, as Gregorie saith. noble then death can take away, but of the bodieFor no elementa­rie substance can by nature bee perpe­tuall, as Aristot. de coelo lib. 3. cap. 6. being made of earthlie mould: and the same not a temporarie lifeBeda & Strabus Hi­stor. eccles. as our meates and drinkes preserue our liues, but euen aAugust. de Ciuitat. Dei. lib. 13. cap. 20. De ligno autem vitae propterea gustabant, ne mors ijs vndecun­que subreperet, vel se­nectute confecti, de­cursis temporum spa­tijs interirent. Tanquam caetera essent alimento, hoc Sacramento, statis scilicet temporibus de eo sumpto. Aquin. part. 1. quaest. 97. Beda. Lignum vitae dictum est, quia diuinitus accepit hanc vint, vt qui ex eius fructu comederet, corpuretus stabili samtare & perpetua soliditate firmaretur: nec vlla infirmi­tate nec aetatis imbecillitate, in deterius [...]el in occasum laberetur. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. Dei. part. 3. lib. 1. cap. 1. Reliquarum arborum fructus, docet Augustinus (vt supra) ad hoc fuisse destinatos, vt molestiam famis & sitis tollerent: sed huius fructum vt praestaret homini vim, &c. Haec fuit vis data illi arbori, & nunquam adempta: eoque naturalis quodammodo illi fuit; & ob hanc causam post pec­catum positus fuit Cherubim. perpetuall life; and to haue banished not onlie hunger and thirst, but all other enimies of our naturall life, sorrow, sicknesse, age, and death it selfe. So that although Adam August. de peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 1. cap. 2. Luther. com. in Gen. cap. 2. Docet Paulus, etiamsi Adam non peccasset, tamen viclurum fuisse corporalem vitam indigam cibi, potus, quictis, crescentem, generantem & caetera; donec per Deum, ad vitam spiritualem esset translatus, in qua vixisset sine animalitate vt ita dicam, nempe ab intra ex solo De [...], & non ab extra sicut ante, ex herbis & fru [...]tibus: ī l [...] c sic vt tamen homo habeat carnem & ossa, & non sit merè spiritus sictet angeli. had not continued for euer in that Paradice; but after long time had beene taken vp into the heauenlie Paradice, as Enoch and Eliah Gen. 5.24. 2. King. 2.11. were: yet hee neuer should haue gone the way of death, or sicknes, of age, or feeblenesse; but in most flourishing strength & full happines of life, he should haue beene translated vnto God. And al­though that seeme strange to carnall mē,2. King. 7.2. which in their reason or experience they can not proue; yet was it no more miraculous for the tree of life to haue such vertue (seeing the good pleasure of the Lord was such) then for our clothes to keepe vs warme, or our meat which is but dead to reuiue our bodies, or the vertue of hearbes to preserue our [Page 71] health, whichIsai. 3.1. Matth. 4.4. is not in themselues,Deut. 8.3. 1. Tim. 4.5. but by ver­tue of the ordinance and word of God. And if these things are indued with strength, as it were to leng­then our mortality, how much rather may we think by the authoritie of the word, that God indued this tree with vertue to preserue them in life, which were not subiect vnto death?

Question 8. verse 9. Wherefore the other tree was called the tree of knowledge, of good and euill?

IT isChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Neque enim esus ex eo ligno oculos eorum aperuit vntruelie supposed by theTargh. Hierosol. De qua quicunque edit, discernit inter bonum & malum. Onkelos paraphrast. Caldaic. Cognoscet in­ter bonum & malum. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 2. Rab. Salom. Hebrue Doctors, that the tree had vertue in it to giue sharpenesse of wit to him that did eate thereof: which conceit gaue cause to Iulian Lib. 3. Apud Cyril. contr. Iulian. Deum autem interdicere cog­nitionem boni & ma­li, hominibus á se for­matis, quomodo non summam prae se fert absurditatem? Inquit Iulianus. to ca­uill at the Scripture, as though God had pleasure to haue detained men in ignorance. Other speake more neere the purpose, but yet not fullie;August. de Gen. ad lit. lib 8. cap. 6. Lombard. li. 1. dist. 17. Quia post probibitionem erat in illa transgressio futura, qua homo expe­riendo disceret, quid esset inter obedientiae bonum & inobedientiae malum. that it was so called of the euent, because through eating of the fruit thereof, the knowledge of euill was pro­cured: for it may seeme it was so calledVers. 17. Damascen. lib. 2. cap. 11. [...], &c. ad experientiam quandam probationemque & exercitium obe­dientiae & inobedientia hominis. to giue A­dam thereby a warning of feeling euill. But more directlie indeed was it called the tree of knowledge of good and euill;Chrysost. Hom in Gen. 14. Ab vno tantum ligno abstinere iussit, vt scire possit, quid sit sub domino (esse) cui obedire debeat, & parere si quid ille imperarit. Zanch. part. 3. lib. 1. cap. 1. de oper. Dei. Quia visibilis regula fuit, qua cognosceretur bonum & malum, non per se sed propter mandatum Dei adiunctum. Ratio: quia hac fuit prima lex Dei vnde omnes reliquae pendent; oportuit igitur hanc esse vim totius legis, qua docetur quid bonum quidue malum. because it was made a rule for [Page 72] man to know, what was good, and what was euill, so soone as it was inioyned man by precept not to eate thereof. The treeGen. 3.6. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. c. 6. Dici non po­test [...]u [...]nta mihi pla­ceat illa sententia, no fuisse illam arborem cibo noxiam; ne (que) e­rum qui fecerat omn a valde bona, in pa [...]a­diso instituerat ali­quid mali: sed ma­lum fuisse homini transgressionem prae­cepti. bare holesome & pleasant fruit as well as other. What made it euill to eate thereof? nothing els but disobedience vnto theAmbros. lib. de Paradis. cap. 7. Ni fallor, mortis causa mobe­dientia fuit, & ideo homo ipse sibi mortis est causa, non hebent Deum suae mortis au­therem. Neque enim si me ti [...]us praescripse­rit egrotanti à quibus vi [...]icatur cauendum, atque ille ab interdi­ctis non putaueris ab­stinendum: causa e­ius mortis est medi­cus, sed vtique ipse si­bi reus mortis est pro pri [...]e. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 12 Esca nō mala & noxia, nisi quia prohibita. Sed obedientiae commendata est in praecepto quae virtus in creatura rationali mater quodammodo est omnium custos (que) virtutum. commaun­dement. For because it was said: thou shalt not eate thereof; for that cause only it was euill to eate there­of. But wherefore did the Lord forbid the eating of the fruit? BecauseBasil. Hom. Quod Deus non est author mali. Chrysost Hom. in Gen. 13. V [...] scire possit quod gratia & liberalitate illa frueretur, esset (que) Do­minus aliquis & naturae suae & omnium visibilium. it was necessarie, that man, who was adorned with such an height of dignitie, should yet owe homage vnto his creator as to his Soueraigne Lord: which dutieAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8 cap. 13. Dominus quidem quid insserit, viderit faciendū est à seruiente quod iussit. consisteth in sub­iection both in will & deed, his will to be comman­ded by the will of God, and his worke to be ruled by his will, that both in will, in worke, in word and thought, he might declare his inferioritie by obedi­ence. Man therefore by this commandement, thou shalt not eate of it: August. de verb. Dom Serm. 34. Bona est arbor, nolo tangas. Quare [...] Quia Dominus sunt, tu seruus. Haec tota causa est. Si parua est, dedignaris esse seruus? Quid autem tibi expedit nisi esse sub Domino? was taught to measure good and euill, not by his owne will, but by the will and word of God, and to seeke for the rule of good and euill, at the law and at the testimonie: Deut. 12.8. Isai. 8.1 [...]. as saith the Prophet. And this was requisite, becauseIsai. 46.10. August. in Psal. 41.161. Inuentes fontem iustitiae, vbi est fons vitae. the will of God is the fountaine of iustice and of goodnes: therefore it cannot be but good and righteous which he wil­leth, and therefore righteous because hee willeth it: but the will of man although itGen. 1.27. Ephes. 4.24. Fulgent. ad Mon. lib. de praedest. cap. 18. were created righ­teous, [Page 73] can be no farther righteous, then it is subiect vnto the righteousnes of God. But some complaine of the planting of this tree, or the giuing of this pre­cept vnto man,Basil. Hom. Quod Deus non sit author mali. At cur inquit in creatione non habe­mus, vt ne volentibus nobis peccare detur? Quia etiam tu, famu­los non cum vinctos habes beneuelos putas, sed cum voluntariè ea quae efficij sunt, exple­re videris. Ita (que) etiam Deo non gratum est quod coactum est, sed quod ex virtute recte gertiur. Vide etiam causat in Iren. lib. 4. cap. 78. 79. as though therby an occasion were giuen of offending. And doe not they murmure causeles against the Lord, either because hee made not man like himselfe immutable; or els because he taught him so graciouslie a point so necessarie, that hisIustin. Mart. Epist. ad Diognet. Per cog­nitionem vitam osten­dentem. Neque enim vita sine cognitione, neque cognitio tuta si­ne vita vera. felicitie depended vpon obedience? And so gracious was the Lord, that when he might haue tried his obedinceAs he did Abra­ham Gen 22. by matters of greater moment: or as well might haue commaunded him toChrysostom. Hom in Gen. 14. Neque enim dimidiatam dedit illi rerum fruitionem, ne­que à pluribus absti­nere iussit. abstaine from all the trees saue one (which had beene for him sufficient) or else from halfe of them; hee forbiddeth him but one,Bernard. Hom 2. de circumcis. Dom. [...]enissimum planè mandatum, & larga omnino mensura. then which he could not haue lesse restrained him, and taught him know­ledge. Wherefore this precept was not giuen, nei­ther the tree of knowledge placed there as a snare to make him fal, as the wicked do blasphemously mur­mure against the Lord; but theAugust. in Psal 70. & de verb. Dom. Serm. 34. Quomodo eri [...] sub Domino, si non fuerit sub praecepto? non potuit Deus perfectius demonstrare quantum sit bonum obedientiae, nisi cum pro­hibuerit ab eare quae non erat mal [...]. iustice of God re­quired, that the creature should be subiect to his creator, & therefore the Lord in mercie bound him to obedience, and most fatherlie gaue himTertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Benignissimè enim demonstrauit exitum transgressionis: ne ignorantia periculi negligentiam iuuaret obsequij. war­ning, to the end he should not fall,Iustin. Mart. Epist. ad Diognet. August. de ciuit Dei lib. 14. cap. 12. Quandoquidem sit creatura rationalis facta est, vt ei sub litam esse sit vtile: pernitiosum antem suam, non eius à quo creata est facere voluntatem. Et hinc maximè commendatur quale bonum sit Deus, cum nulli ab eo recedemi bene est. Idem de Gen. ad lit. 11. c. [...]. declaring that the life of man dependeth vpon obedience to God. Neither did he this,Iren. lib 4. c. [...]8. Initio igitur nō quasi indigens Deus hominem plasmauit Adam, sed vt haberet in quem collocaret sua benefici [...]. Nec nostro ministerio ind [...]gens, iussit vt eum sequeremur. as though he needed mans o­bedience; [Page 74] but that being good and mercifull, hee mightIren. ibid. Propter hoc exquirit ab homi­nibus seruitutem, vt quoniam est bonus & misericors, benefaciat ijs qui perseuerant in seruitute eius. continue and increase his goodnesse vnto man, obeying his commaundement. It was there­fore greatTum propter debi­tum seruitutis creatu­rae ad creatorem; tum quia (Cyril. lib. 3. in Iulian.) non dubium est, quin leges con­stringant quod mora­tur, & quod propensum ad defectionem, vin lictis remorentur, dirigant ad bonum, & à deterioribus recedere cogant co [...]qui [...]inesti rationem alioqui non haberent. Vnde nemo qui mente praeditus est, re­darguerit vel leges, vel legislature [...] quòd illas tul [...]int: non enim ipsi aut [...]ores sunt vt deprehensi pa­tiantur. equitie and righteousnes in God to for­bid the fruit. It wasTertul. adue [...]s. Marcion. lib. 2. Benignissimè enim demonstrauit. &c. his gracious mercie to warne man of the punishment. It was shamefull negli­gence in Adam Matth. 11.30. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 14. Ma na huius praecepti facilitas est. Sed dilecte, graue malum est desidiae, facit (que) vt facilia omnia videantur difficilia. Et infrà. Dedit nomina animantibus Non temere hoc fa­ctum, sed (praeter alia) ne putaretur ex ignorantia peccasse, & vt scire possis, quod lapsus ille ex desi­diae fuerit. not to keepe a commandement so easie, and to beare so light a burden. For seeing hee had libertieBernard. tract. de grad. humil. Si enim caetera bona sunt, quae sapiunt bonum, quid opus est edere de ligno quod sapiat etiam malum? to take of all the trees that sauored of life, what need had he to tast of that onely tree that sauored of death?

Question 9. verse 17. Whether God in iustice could inflict so great a punishment, as hee pronounced for the eating of the fruit? in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death.

THe rebellious nature of man is alway readyGen. 4.13. Ezech. 11.3. Iren. lib. 5. Qui super­grediuntur leges & postea poenis dant, queruntur de legisla­toribus, sed non de semetipsis. Sic autem & diabolico spiritu pleni, innumera [...] accusationes inferunt sa­ctori suo, cum & spiritum vitae nobis donauerit, & legem omnibus aptam pisuerit; & nolunt iustum esse iudicium Dei. to repine against Gods iustice, accusing the same of too much seueritie: but in the meane seasonEzech. 16.22. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 12. it will not see the hainousnes of sin, [Page 75] which is the cause thereof. And indeed if God doe punish more then is the greatnes of the fault com­mitted, then doth he not according to his word;Psal. 62.12. Ezech. 7.8. Reuel. 2.23. & 22.12 Giue euerie man according to his worke. Againe, shall not Gen. 18.25. the iudge of all the world doe right? Yea,Deut. 32.4. Psal. 9.16. the Lord is known by executing iudgement, as saith the Pro­phet. Wherefore although the punishment it selfe that was denounced, doe sufficientlie declare the greatnes of the sinne, because God doth alway pu­nish righteously: yet if we examine duely the force of the commaundement, wee shall find the offence to beEzech. 20.44. & 16.59. Psal. 130.3. For although in respect of Adam, it were an absolute threatning of death: yet in re­spect of Gods secret counsaile, it was cō ­ditional. viz. vnlesse the Son of God do take vpō him mans redemption: so that, in that his bodi­lie life was spared, though in miserie, or that hee was not in body and in soule cast presentlie into the flames of hell, his punishment is lesse then his de­sert. greater then the punishment. In which commandement (as in euerie law of man) three things areBernard. lib. de prae­cept. & discip. Primam ergo necessitater cui (que) facit in promittendo voluntas. Secundam praecipientis authori­tas. Tertiam praecepti dignitas. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. part. 3. lib. 1. cap. 1. In interdicto tria consi­derandae sunt. Res interdicta, authoritas interdicentis, & fines interdictionis. chieflie to be considered: first, the thing for­bidden: secondly, the authoritie of him that giueth the charge: and thirdlie, the end wherefore it was prohibited. The thing forbidden was the eating of the fruite, whichAs Iulius the third, Pope, affirmed he had as great reason to be angrie for a Peacocke, as God had to be angrie for an Apple, seeing an Apple was not so great a matter as a Peacocke. Paul. Verg. Balae. in vita Rom. Pontif. the wicked esteeme of no grea­ter moment, then an apple or a nut is worth, which Adam and his wife deuoured. But the law isRom. 7.14. spiritu­all, andHieron. comment. in Rom. 7.14. Et spiritualia mandat, &c. commandeth things that are spirituall. It had therfore doubtles a farther purpose and intent, which Adam by the image of Gods wisedome that was in him, did also rightlie vnderstand: which wasRom. 12.3. Ambros in Rom. 12. Apertè ostendit, hoc debere nos sapere, quod iustitiae terminos non egrediatur; vt non nobis solis vtile sit, sed vt nulli obsit, vt contenti simus sorte quam mensu [...] est Deus: nequis arroganter de se sentiat. that hee must be wise according to sobrietie, not presuming of his owne wisedome to define good and euill, but by the will and word of God, where­unto [Page 76] he ought simplie to submit himselfe. And see­ing the Lord had taught himA prohibitione & poena. by the commaunde­ment, that it was euill to eate of this fruit,2. King. 22.2. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 12. Obedi­entia commendatur in praecepto, &c. hee must not looke vnto the fruit, or to the tree, or to his wife, or to the Serpent, or to his owne iudgement and ca­pacitie, to thinke it good for meate, which the Lord had pronounced to be euill. So that brieflie, the force of this commandement was, to forbid him to be wise aboue the condition ofAugust. de ciuit Dei lib. 12. c. 9. Nec tantit hominum, sed primi­tus praecipue (que) angelo­rum bonum est, quod dictū est, mihi adhae rere Deo bomon est. Psal. 73.27.28. a creature, orQuoniam non bene se habet facta natura, fi à faciente recesserit. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. [...]. to disioyne his wisedome from the wisedome of the Lord,August. in Psal. 70. & Sermon. de verbis Dom. 34. Si peruerse voluerit imitari Deū, vt quo modo Deus nō habet à quo formetur, non habet à quo rega­tur, sic ipse velit sua potestate vti, vt sicut Deus nullo formante, nullo regente viuat; quid restat fratres, nisi vt recedens ab e­ius calore torpescat, recedens à veritate vanescat, recedens ab eo qui summè & in­comparabiliter est, in deterius mutatus deficiat? Hoc diabolus fecit, imitari Deum voluit sed perueriè, non esse sub illius potestate, sed habere contra illum potestatem. wherein he could not but worke his owne confusion. This was a matter of great importance for a poore creature, which euen now was dust, and was takenPsal. 113.7. 1. Sam. 2. from the dunghill to such nobilitie, to be so surprised with vnthankefulnes and pride, as to striue to be equall with him that made him, and to esteeme better of his owne wisedome, then of the wisedome and word of God. The second thing to be considered in the force of this cōmandement is,Ber­nard. Supra. Praecipientis authoritas. &c. the authoritie of him that gaue it for a law. This is as it were the very pith and strength of lawes, and maketh the breaches of them to be great or small: for according to the authoritie of him that maketh it, theIbid. Iam verò de illo qui praecipit, & idem de eo quod praecipitur, huiusmodi aduertenda erit secundum rationem distinctio, vt cuius inter praeceptores reue­rentior nobis imminebit authoritas, eius grauior formidetur offensio, de maioris cuius (que) mandati trans­gressio damnabilior aestimetur. breach thereof deserueth punishment. If then the lawes ofHebr. 10.28. Dan. 5.18.19. Deut. 17.12. Princes and ofDeut. 21.18.21. Parents laid vpon their children, being despised, deserue death in the iudgement of the Lord: who yet haue not sole authoritie ouer their inferiours, toIob. 31.15. Matth. 10.28. Ioh. 19.11. Ephes. 6.9. slea and to giue [Page 77] life; how much more is his authoritie to be estee­med, whose powerIames 4.12. is absolute to saue and to de­stroy, who made vs of nothingProu. 16.4. for himselfe, inAct. 17.28. whom we liue, and moue, and are: to whom Prin­ces are notIob. 34.19. comparable in respect of glorie. Wher­fore the fault is infinite,Infinitè peccat qui infinitam laeseris ma­iestatem. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 11. Quidā iniustum putant, vs pro peccatis quantū li­bet magnis, paruo sci­licet tempore perpe­tratis, poena quisque dānetur aeterna. Qua­si vllius id vnquam iustitia attendat, vt tanta mora temporis quis (que) puniatur, quan­ta vnde punietur ad­misit. An in vinculis? an in exilio? an in ip­sa morte? Idem. cap. 12. Homo quanto magis frueba­tur Deo, tanto maiore impietate dereliquis Deum, & factus est malo dignus aeterno, qui hoc in se peremit bonum, quod esse posset aeternum. because God is infinite which doth forbid the fault, and deserueth infinite and eternall torment, because his authoritie is infi­nite, who by the sinne is disobeyed, and his iustice eternall which requireth punishment. In this au­thoritie bothDeut. 33.3. Moses andIsai. 1.2. &c. the Prophets,Mat. 5.20.22. &c. our Sa­uiour Christ and1. Cor. 11.23. his Apostles, haue grounded their lawes and doctrines: insinuating thereby the greatnes of the message they did bring, and the ne­cessitie of obedience to be giuen thereunto. Yea for this cause the law-makers among theMinos Cretensibus. Plat. lib. de leg. 3. Pae­tricius. lib. 1. de repub. in praefat. Finxit se Iouem in concilio habere cuius nulu singula quaeque decreta ad Cretenses deferret. Postea in antrum Iouis descendit, noua instituta detulit, quae Iouis mandata esse asseruit. Lycurgus leges suas authoritate Apollinis Delphici confirmauit. Cic. de diuin. libr. 1. Plutarc. vita Lycurg. Zeleucus à Minerua. Clem. Alexan. Stroot 1. Numa ab Aegeria. Plutarc. in vit. Numae. Augustin. de ciuit. Dei lib. 7. cap. 35. heathen, when they would bind their lawes to be had in re­uerence, were wont to perswade their subiects to whom they gaue them, that their lawes were deui­sed and approued by the Gods. Thirdlie, the end of this commaundement which was to teach him o­bedience and humilitie, whereon his life and hap­pines consisted: as namely, that hee was not such a Prince on earth,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 13. vt esset dominus aliquis naturae suae. but that he had a soueraigne lord: so that therein he might know the Lord, and know himselfe, which is the sum of knowledge: God, as the chiefe Lord, his creator and louing father, the liberall giuer of all his welfare: himselfe, to be his seruant, a creature, and one that had receiued all [Page 78] from him. Herein thereforeDeut. 6.3.4.5. consisted both the in­ward and outward worship of God. Inward, as o­bedience, honour, loue, confidence, and religious feare, wherwith man should honor GodDeut. 10.12. Psal. 116. in thank­fulnes: outward, in actuall and outward abstinence from sinne, and reuerence vnto the voice of God. Wherefore it is manifest by the eating of this fruit, thatTertul. lib. aduers. Iudaeos. In hac enim lege Adae data, omnia praecepta condita re­cognoscimus, quae post­ea pullulauerunt data per Mosen, &c. the whole worship of God was violated: to the which, if we shal ioyne the easines of the precept to be kept, & the power that was in Adam to haue obserued it,August. de ciuitat. Dei. lib. 21. c. 12. Sed poena aeterna, dura & iniusta sensibus vide­tur humanis, quia in hac infirmitate mori­bunlorum sensuum, deest ille sensus altis­simae purissimaeque sa­pientiae, quo sentiri possit quantum nefas in illa prima praeuaricatione commissum est. there is none so voide of sense, but may soone conceiue, that not without cause but of iust desert, the punishment of death was inflicted thereon.

Question 10. verse 17. What death the Lord threatned, when hee said: in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death?

THe death which the Lord denounced,August. lib. sexa­ginta quinque quaest. q. 32. Cum ergo requi­ritur. &c. Virum ani­mae, an corporis, an totius hominis, an illa quae secunda dicitur: respondendum est, om­nes. Deserta anima Adae à Deo, iure dicitur mortua prima morte, ex qua tres postea secutae sunt mortes. was the death of soule and bodie, which isIohn 11.13.14. Reuel. 20.14. cal­led the first and second death; neyther could it be of the soule alonePhilo Iudaeus de Allegor. legis lib. 2. Gregor. lib. 6. Epistol. ep. 31. ad Eulog. Si enim Adae qui primus peccauit anima in peccato mortua non est: quomodo de ligno vetito ei di­ctum est, in quacunque, &c. Constat itaque quia in carne non est mortuus. as some suppose,2. Corinth. 5.10. be­cause the bodie was also guiltie of the crime; and sinne it selfe is so contagious, that it doth1. Cor. 15.33. Ecclus. 13.1. corrupt [Page 79] as pitch, whatsoeuer toucheth it, andProu. 6.27. Isai. 9.18. consume like fire whatsoeuer it taketh hold of. By meanes where­of, when Adam had declined in his wisedome, from the wisdome of the Lord,Gen. 3.6. by knowing in his own wisedome the goodnes of the fruit,Like as 2. Sam. 15.3 Rom. 1.22. the same his wisedome was turned into foolishnes: his wil when he lusted for the fruite, being separate from the will of God, became rebelliousRom. 8.7. and enimie to God: his happines when hee would augment itAmbros. lib. 1. de Pa­radiso. cap. 14. Non solum sicut dij esse ho­mines desierunt, sed e­tiam qui quasi dij e­rant, quibus dictum est; ego dixi dij estis, sui gratiam perdide­runt. Fulgent. lib. de prae­desimas. ad Mon. c 17 Qui concupiuit plus extra se, minus factus est in se. aboue the measure God had giuen him, became vnto him miserie and infelicitie; his body which was made to set forth the glorie of God,Matth. 5.28. so soone as the eye had seene the fruit with liking, his hand had taken it, his mouth eaten it, his stomacke receiued it, was euen asIsai. 30.14. Ierem. 22.28. a broken vessell which is profitable for nothing, and therefore to be returned to the mould from whence it was. The Lord foreshewed it to Adam in these wordes: thou shalt die the death, or after the Hebrue phrase, in dying thou shalt die, that is, thou shalt surelie die, or thou canst not but die, plainely expressing the danger of the same. How then com­meth it to passe, that both Adam and Heua, so soone as they had tasted of the fruit, gaue not vp the ghost immediatlie? Doubtles thorough the singular mer­cie of the Lord, tempered with his iustice. They were presently partakers of both, that the iustice of God might be fulfilled: but yet not fullie, that the Lord therein might declare his mercy. Concerning the soule: they who had separated thēselues, that is, their wisdome & their wil, were separate from God, from the loue and fauour of God,Basil. Hom. quod De­us non est author ma­li: Quantum enim discedebat à vita, tan­tum appropinquabaet ad mortem: vita enim est Deus, priuatio au­tem vitae mors; quare sibi ipsi mortem, per secessum à Deo Adam parauit. August. lib. de Spir. & anim. cap. 36. Vi­uit anima naturali vita, etiamsi spiritu­ali vita non viuat. Sed talis vita mors est potius quàm vita: quoniam mors pecca­torum pessima. Bernard. ad Milites Templar. cap. 11. Vita siquidem Deus animae, sicut ipsa corporis. which is the priuation of goodnesse and felicitie, and the verie [Page 80] death and torment of the soule thoroughChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 20. Quis enim dic obsecro, talem ad confessionem adegit? (Intelligit Cain.) Nullus alius quam conscientia ille incor­ruptus index. Nam si nul ac in peccatum declinauerat, statim insurrexit conscien­tia, inclamansque & ostendens peccatorum magnitudinē, & om­nibus seipsam poenis obnoxiam fecit. consci­ence of guiltines, and feare of punishment: this is the prison of the1. Pet. 3.19. soules departed, and the chaines of Sathan, wherewithIude. vers. 6. hee is tied and reserued to the iudgement of the great day: of which they are both partakers also, whereby they are compelled to flie from God, and Adam Gen. 3.10. confessed hee was afraid. And for the bodilie death, it is gathered by some that the time thereof was setIustin. Mart. Dial. cum Trif. Mille annos in mysterio designari intelligimus. Vt enim Adae dictum est, quo die, &c. S [...]imus enim mille annos non com­pleuisse. Nouimus quoque dictum illud, quod dies domini sit sicut mille anni huc pertinere. Irenae. cont. Haeres. li. 5 in respect of God, to whom one dayPsalm. 90.4. 2. Pet. 3.8. is as a thousand yeres: see­ing no man euer liued a day in that account. But ra­ther in deed it was fulfilled,Heb. 2 15. Symma­chus translateth the Hebrue word ( [...] moth tamuth) thou shalt be mortall. Hieron. Trad. Hebrae. in Gen. but it signifieth that, and more also, as Exod. 19 12. & 21.12. Leuit. 20.2.9. & [...]. in that he was in bon­dage vnto death, for as much as death it selfeTheodo­ret. in Gen. quaest. 38. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 13. cap. 23. Non ideo deb [...]t absurdum videri quia non eo prorsus die, à corpore sunt soluti: eo quippe die mutata in de terius virtata (que) natura, at­que à l gno vitae separati ne iustissima, mortis in ijs etiam corporalis necessitas facta est, cum qua nos necessitate natisum [...]s. be­gan to wound their bodies in the day they sinned, by hunger, cold, nakednes, subiection to mortalitie, losse of natiue beautie and such like, that the verie life continued in so manie miseries, may seeme to beAug. de peccator. merit. & remissi. lib. 1. cap. 16. Quamuis ergo annos mul­tos [...]o [...]tea vixerins, illo tamen d [...]e mori coeperunt, quo mortis legem, qua in senitem veterascerent acce­perunt. Non enim stat vel [...]m [...] puncto, sed sine intermissione labitur, quicquid continua immuta­tione sensim curr [...]t ad fin [...]m non perficientem sed consumentem, Gregor in euangel. Hom. 37. Tempo­ralis vita aeternae vitae comparata mors est potius dicenda quam vita. not life but a prolonged death. Thus deepe did Adam drinke of the wine of the wrath of God. That he died not the extremity of death, behold how grace aboundeth in the Lord; Adam now by sinne was madeRom. 6.16. the seruant vnto sinne, the wages whereof is death and condemnation, the horrible paines and endlesse woes whereof no creature can endure. Wherfore when Adam must die, the iustice [Page 81] of God requiring it, the Lord in his endles mercieIrenae. lib. 3. cap. 20. Quia enim non erat impossibile, eum homi­nem, qui semel victur [...]at & elisus, per [...]alentiā replasma­re, & obtinere bra­uium victoriae: Iteū autem in possibile e­rat, vt salutem perci­peret, qui sub peccato ceciderat: vtra (que) ope­ratus est filius, verbū Dei existens, &c. Si autem, homo non vi­cisset inimicum homi­nu, non iustè victus esset inimicus. Rursus autem, nisi Deus do­nasset salutem, nō fir­miter haberemus eā; & nisi homo coniun­ctus fuisset Deo nostro, non potuisset particeps fieri incorruptibilitatis. translated this death vnto his Sonne our Sauiour, whoIoh. 10.18. Galat. 1.4. willingly for the loue hee bare to man tooke on him to indure the punishment, and makingIsai. 53.10. his soule an offering for sinne, the iustice of God by him was fullie satisfied, the soule of Adam Irenae. lib. 3. cap. 34. Cum autem saluatur homo, oportet saluari eum, qui prior forma­tus est homo, quoniam nimis irrationabile est, illum quidem qui vehementer ab inimico laesus erat, & prior captiuitate passus est, dicere non eripi ab eo qui vicerit inimicum, ereptos verò filios eius, quo [...] in eadem captiuitate generani. Idem cap. 39. Sic & hi (scil. Tatiani) qui contradicunt saluti Adae nihil proficiunt, nisi quod semetipsos haereticos faciunt & aduocatos serpentis. August. epist. 99. Et de illo quidem primo homine, patre generis humani, quod eum ibidem soluerit (1. Pet. 3.) ecclesia ferà tota consentit. Idem. Tertul. in fine lib. de poenitent. Gregor. epist. lib. 6. Epist. 31. ad Eulolaum & Anast. reserued from death. And for the bodilie death, he wiselie made it a salue to heale his sore, reseruing him a while, as it were to bewaile his sinne, and to wrastle with his enimie of whom he had bin foiled, and af­ter made it a passage into glorie. So true it is that is spoken by the Prophet:Ezech. 18.32. I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord, andIam. 2.13. Psal. 103. againe: mercie reioyceth against iudgement. Who is like vnto the Lord: so good to those that waite for him? as a father hee hath compassion of vs, for he remembreth whereof we are made.

Question 11. verse 18. Wherefore it is said: it is not good that man should be himselfe alone?

THe goodnes of the Lord hauing laded man with so much felicitie, doth yet espie as it were a spot which might obscure the per­fection of his happinesse: and that was, that man [Page 82] wasThe word [...] le­bado, one without a second of the same kinde. Ierem. 49.31. Lament. 1.1. Zachar. 12.12. himselfe alone. But how could hee be alone? who had the presence and dominion of soGen. 1.28. ma­nie creatures? yea how could he be alone, that had theIoh. 16.32. comfortable presence of God himselfe? wher­fore hee was alreadiePsal. 16.11. exceedinglie blessed, so that to haue a help could alone augment his blessednes. The meaning therefore is, as if God had said: there lacketh yet something to make vp the full felicitie of man, and that is a help which may be with him. God said, it is not good: not as men doeTertul. contr. Prax. Non vox, & sonus, & aër offensus, intelli­gibilis auditu. speake by voice, but in his counsaile, that is,August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 9. cap. 2. Vtrum temporaliter, &c. Luth in Gen. com. c. 2. euen the holie Trinitie did find it, know it, and define it in his wise­dome, to be not good. That which is called good, is so accepted,Arist. rhetoricor. ad Theodect. lib. 1. cap. 6. Vt virtutes, vera vo­luptas, diuitiae, &c. Cic. offic. lib. 1. because it is eytherAugust. cont. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 27. Ange­li habent contempla­tionem & actionem suam; & aeterno impe­rio liberaliter quia suauiter seruiunt: nos verò iustè viuimus, si ex fide viuimus quae per dilectionem opera­tur, habentes spem ip­sius iustitia perfici­endae vs (que) ad quandā ineffabiliter suauissi­mam saturitatem. pleasant, or1. Tim. 4.8. profitable, orAmbros. offic. lib. 2. cap. 3. Nihil autem bonum scriptura, nisi quod honestum asserit. Et vtile sanè & iucundum sine hone­sto mala sunt. honest: and whatsoeuer hath these three properties vnited, the same is said to be simp­lie good: and if it haue but some part of these, then is it good in part, and not simplie or absolutely so. He created Adam good, and yet he said it is not good; both these mayAs partly good, partly not good: at this time good, at other times euill. truely stand together. But the time must be considered, & also theFor seeing the Lord did not create all men at one instant, as he did the Angels, but in the loynes of Adam disposed them: therefore whatsoeuer belonged vnto mans nature by crea­tion, was placed in the person of Adam, from him to be communicated to his children. person of Adam, to the end we may discerne how and wherefore it is not good. In respect of the time either past or pre­sent, it was not good, that is, in part not good, or not so fullie good, but the same by adding of a helpe might be increased, that is to say, mans state might be bettered by ioyning of an help: for although in regard of that which was iust and honest,The Chaldee Paraphrast expoundeth good; apt, conuenient, right, agreeable to the rest. it was [Page 83] good; euen man was good, as he was first created, as fullie good as afterward hee was; hauing pleasure and profit also ioyned in abundant measure: yet in respectChrysost. in Gen. 14. Vt non solum honestè sed commodè viuat. But from this place, the Iewes aboun­dantly cōmend the state of marriage, saying, he is not a whole man that is without a wife, that he is without good, without ioy, with­out blessing, with­out dwelling, with­out lawe, without peace: being now growne superstiti­ously in loue with marriage, as some­time they were of Images. of that pleasant good, & profitable, which man was to receiue by the societie of his wife, the maiestie of God affirmeth it was not good; which perfection of goodnes all liuing creatures (man ex­cepted) had receiued, both of societie in their kind, and power to increase their kind: but in respect of the time to come, it was simplie not good, that is to say, notIerem. 29.6. honest, as it is a branch of iustice,Prou. 18.22. not profitable, notr delightfull for man to be himselfe alone. Not honest, becauseDeut. 32.4. Matth. 18.14. it was not iust, that there should be wanting so many reasonable crea­tures of the nature of Adam, asEphes. 1.4. the Lord had de­creed should be vnto his glorie. Not profitable, for as much as no creature couldVers. 20. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 9. c. 3. Nihil aliud probabi­liter occurrit, quàm propter filios procre­andos, sicut adiutoriū semini est terra; & non video quid prohibere potuerit, vt essent ijs etiam in Paradiso honorabiles nuptiae. be an help meet for Adam, neither could Adam increase and multi­plie without an help. Neither could it haue bin so delightfull vnto Adam, to haue bin partaker of his happines, if he had not receiued as it wereAristot. Ethicor. lib. 9. cap. 9. [...]. Idem magnor. moral. lib. 2. [...]. Vt igitur seipsum esse, est vnicui (que) expetibile, sic & amici esse, vel id quo frui amico pos­sit, & similiter. Esse autem ideo est expetibile quia sibi bonum esse, ipsum esse, sentit; & talis sensus per seipsum incundus est. Eccles. 9.4. another selfe, with whom to haue taken solace and reioyced. Whereby in the second place it followeth, that by the name of man or Adam is meant,The name Adam, is often in Scripture, in the Hebrue tongue, vsed for Man, as a common name to all: as Psal. 49.2. Ezech. 2.1. &c. not only that singuler person, who was alreadie formed, butCaluin. in Gen. 2. Non tamen ad solam eius personam restringo, sed potius existimo communem esse humana vo­cationis regulam. Melancth. in Symbol. the whole posteritie of Adam, which was to be parta­ker of his nature: which exposition the Scriptures [Page 84] euidentlyRom. 5.12.14.15. 1. Corinth. 15.21.22. where Adams nature is made ye sub­ordinate author of all mankinde, and their state of mise­rie deriued frō his. teach, theIren. lib. 3. cap. 34. Hic est autem Adam, si oportet veram dice­re, primiformis ille ho­mo, de quo scriptura aijt dixisse Dominum [...] faciamus hominem (i­tem, non est bonum vt homo sit solus ipse) nos autem omnes ex ipso, propterea quo (que) ipsius haereditauimus appellationem. Tertul. lib. de exhor­tat. ad castitat. Adam princeps generis & delicti. Ambros. off [...]ior. lib. 1. cap. 28. Non est bo­num. &c. Ad adiumē ­tion ergo mulier data est vi [...]o. August. Non vnum h [...]minen intelligit se [...] hominum genus. Chrysost. in 1. Cor 15. Hom. 41. Leo Serm. de Natiu. Dom. 4. Vniuersa posteritas in illo audiuit. Anastasius Episc. N [...] an. qu. est. in Script. 65. Fathers follow, and1. In whatsoeuer an helpe was necessarie vnto Adam, in the same it had been necessarie vnto all his posteritie, if they had continued in the state of their creation: ergo. it is spok [...]n of mankinde, not of A­dam one singuler person. 2. In whatsoeuer an helpe was [...]ofitable vnto Adam, in the same i [...] was necessarie to his posteritie ( [...]aue to them who are by God himselfe exempted) after the fal. Ergo. 3. In many things this helpe is necessarie vnto Adams children, wherin the same was not needful in the state of c eation, as to be a remedy against lust, a comfort in aduersity, &c. Ergo. mani­fest reason doth confirme. And surelie, if it were not good for Adam in the state of happines, much more is it notAugust. de Gen. [...]. lib. 9. cap. 7. [...]ombod. lib. 4. distinct. 26. B. Quod san [...] est ad officiū, aegrotis est ad remedium. Luther in C [...]n. cap. 2. Ho [...]ie mulier non solum ad multiplicationem, sed ad vitae socielitē, defensionē (que) & [...] iam; i [...]o quod miserabile est, ad remediū peccati. good for Adams children in miserie, to be alone without a help. But the Scripture in o­ther places seemeth to affirme the contrarie. It were good (saith the Apostle)1. Cor. 7.1.8. not to touch a woman. And a­gaine, it were good for the vnmarried and the widdowes to abide. Likewise our Sauiour commendeth those Matth. 19.11.12. that haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen. They of the Church of Rome doe lay such hold on these places of the Scripture, to maintaine the nurse of whoredom, that is, their lawes and de­crees of single life, that they doe sharpen them, and retch them out, and rent them euen in sunder, and yet (as wee shall see) nothing to their purpose. AndConciliatio. 3. first it is to be obserued, that herein theyPeter. Tom. 1. lib. 4. in Gen. Quid ergo? Doctrinam noui testamenti scriptur [...]e veteris testamenti con [...]ariam esse dicemus? minime verò, sed duo tempora duos (que) hominis status distinguere oportet. Bellarm. Tom 1. [...]ontr. 5. lib. 2 cap. 9. Deus loquitur de bono speciei, Vaulus de bono indiui dui. Luth [...]r. verò similiter distinguit in bonū personale & cōmune. c. 2. in Gen. agree with vs against the Manichees, that there is no con­trarietie of speech, betweene this that Moses spea­keth (it is not good) and that which the Apostle saith; it were good for a man not to touch a woman, because it is not spoken of the Apostle, of the same and accor­ding [Page 85] to the same, which the Lord here by Moses Fallacia est non cau­sae pro causa. Item compositionis. speaketh of. But these men reconcile these places thus.Bellarm. Tom. 1. con­trou. 5. lib. 2. c. 9. Deus loquitur pro eo tem­pore quo mundus erat vacuus, Paulus pro eo quo mundus erat ple­nus. Perer. Tom. 1. lib. 4. in Gen. Citat Cyprianū, & malè torquet ip­sius verba, in tractatu de Habit. virginum. Prima sententia cres­cere (inquit) & gene­rare praecepit. Secunda continentiam suasit, &c. Loquitur Cypriā. non de votis caeliba­tus, sed virgines à fa­stu & luxu dehorta­tur. Praecedunt enim: nec monilium aut ve­sti [...]m quaerat orna­menta sed morum. Ca­stitatem verò suadet ab vtili: Deinde. Nec hoc iubet Dominus sed hortatur; nec iugum necessitatis imponit, quando maneat vo­luntatis arbitrium li­berum. It was not good for man to be alone: name­lie in the beginning, when God pronounced it, and that the world was vnpeopled, and the earth vnha­bited; but now ye men are multiplied, and the earth replenished, it were good, & good in respect of life to come, for a man not to touch a womā. The gross­nes of which assertion is many waies notorious, but especially in this, they attend not what they say. Ma­riage (say they) was good, namely, for the increasing of the world. Take marriage now away, and where is the lawfull succession of the age to come? It is therefore doubtles, as necessarie now as at the first. But perhaps they doe not generallie reproue it, saue in the godlie (beside the number of whom, the world might be well increased) or in the cleargie, and such as haue taken vpon them holie vowes. Let them shew such difference to be made by scripture. Let them shew by the word of God such vowes are lawfull. Wee for our part acknowledge with the Apostle,Heb. 1 [...].4. that marriage is honourable among all, and1. Cor. 7.9. whosoeuer hath not the gift of continencie ought to marrie, and that it is more necessary for the increasing of the Church of God, and the number of the faithfull, that the godlie should imbrace this benefit, who of conscience would haue care to bring vp theirEphes. 6.4. children in the nurture of the Lord, and thatChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 21. Nam si nup­tiae, Vel puerorum edu­catio, praepedimentum forent in virtutum itinere, nequaquam in hanc nostram vitam nuptias introduxisset vniuersorum Dominus. if marriage and the bringing vp of chil­dren were a hindrance in the way of vertue, the Lord of all things would not haue coupled it with [Page 86] this our life. Wherefore those that doe but obserue the words of the text, shall see these places easilie to reconcile themselues in a farre other meaning, then these allow, ifStatuit enim Rom. Ecclesia vt nemo con­tra eum sensum, quem tenuis & tenet sancta mater Ecclesia (scili­ces Romana) cuius est iudicare de vero sensu & interpretatione sanctarum scriptura­rum. Concil. Trident. sess. 4. Huic verò stre­nuè refragatur Caie­tanus Card. inter suos athleta primarius. Cō ­mentar. in Gen. 1. Si quando occurrerit (in­quit) aliquis sensus textui cōsonus, quam­uis à torrente doctorū alienus, lector aequum se prabeat cēsorē, &c. they wil suffer the holie ghost to be his owne interpreter. The Lord (we see) absolute­lie pronounceth here, it is not good for man (that is, as the FathersSupra dictum est. Item, Augustin. lib. de Gen. ad lit. 9. cap. 9. hic verò cum implen­da esset hominibus ter­ra, &c. propter quid aliud secundum ip­sum, quaesitus est foe­mineus sexu, adiutor, nisi vt serentem genus humanū, natura mu­ [...]iebris tanquam terrae foecūditas adiuuaret? expound it, and the aduersaries of marriage themselues dare not denie it) mankind to be without a help. But our Sauiour and the A­postle in plaine words restraine their speeches, to certaine persons, and to certaine causes. Our Saui­our saith not for all men, but for them to whom it is gi­uen. The Apostle saith, it were good, but for fornication; and wherfore good?1. Cor. 7.28. because such shal haue trouble in the flesh. So that he affirmethVers. 32. that because of care & trouble in the flesh, it is profitable as hee saith,Vers. 26. for the present necessitie, to those1. Cor. 7.6.7.8. that can abstaine, to abide vnmarried,Vers. 34. that their onlie care may be to be holie in bodie and in spirit. Thus there is no shew of contradiction. The Lord saith, it is not good for man to be alone: not good in respect ofPro. 5.19. Eccles. 9.9. August. lib. de bono coniug. cap. 3. Cur sit bonum meritò quaeritur, quod mihi non videtur propter solam filiorum procreationem, sed propter ipsam etiam naturalem in diuerso sexu societatem. Fulgent. Epist. 1. cap. 3. In illis namque bonis quae fecit Deus, inuenitur casta copula­tio vxoris & viri, inquibus Dei operibus libido non potest inueniri: & non dep [...]tatur fidelibus con­iugibus ad peccatum, carnis indul [...] commixtio. sanctified loue and godlie delectation in the societie of mar­riage: not good in respect of profit,Psalm. 137.3. & 138.3 6. either in­crease of children, orProu. 31.10. &c. 1. Tim. 5.14. houshold gouernment: not good in respect ofIer. 29.6. Rom. 9.5. iustice,August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 9. cap. 7. Deni (que) vtrius (que) sexus in­firmitas propendens in ruinam turpitudinis rectè accipitur honestate nuptiaerum. honestie, orChrysost. in Isai. 6. Hom. 3. Sed adulter ob inoptam sensus, exitium animae suae conciliat: sed dixerit aliquis, compellitur natural [...] concupiscentia. At non permitt [...]t elabi vxor, quae illi sorte obtigit, sed inflat eripiens illi ve­niam; ob id enim matrimoniū & eius legitimus vsu [...] permittitur, ne quid horū excusare p [...]ssit maritus. conti­nencie, [Page 87] since the fall of man: not good for Adam nor the greatestEst enim indefinita vniuersalis. part of his posteritie. Our Sauiour saith, it is good for men: he saith not for all men, nor for most men, but for those to whom it is giuen; such as are chast from their mothers wombe, such as are made chaste by men, such as doe (Matth. 19.11.12. that is to say, which can) make themselues chasteThe kingdome of heauen, is eyther the kingdome of grace, or the king­dome of glorie: of grace, as Matth. 3.2. consisteth of spiri­tuall graces. Rom. 14.17. It is the same therfore which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Cor. 7.5.32.34. for the king­dome of heauen, that is, for the seruice of the Lord in this kingdome of grace, from which the troubles and crosses of marriage doe often hinder: namelie, such as are by priuiledgeHieron. Zanch. de oper. dei part. 3. lib. 1 cap. 1. exempted from that which doth make it not good to be alone, as the procreation of children, burning affection and such infirmities. The Apostle saith it were good, not simplie good,1. Cor. 7.26. A prae­senti vtilitat [...] rem commendat, inquis Chrysostom. in Math. Hom. 15. but for the present time, that is,Cyprian de discip. & habit. virgin. vos ab hae sententia (Gen. 3.16.) liberae estis, vos mulierū tristitias & gemitus non timetis: nullus vobis de partu circa filios metus est, nec maritus est do­minus, sed dominus vester & caput Chri­stus est, ad instar & vicem masculi. be­cause of the corrupted time, which bringeth so ma­nie domages vnto marriage, the time of persecuti­on, and such other times of trouble:1. Corinth. 7.35. Ambrosius in 1. Corinth. 7. vers. 26. good in re­spect of vtilitie, if they can abstaine, because the crosses that happen in marriage vnto men, by reason of their wifeIerem. 16.1.2. &c. and familie, doe double their griefe: but not good in respect of honestieClement. Alexand. Strom. 3. Perijt apud ipsos charitas &c. disputat. contr. philosophos & Marcionitas qui abstinere nuptiis voluerunt, eò quòd generatio maximorū malorū causa esset. euen in times of affliction, saue to them to whom it is giuen to abstaine. But it is a world to see, how these pla­ces are abused, by the aduersaries of this holie insti­tution. It were good, saith the Apostle, not to touch a wo­man: ergoAlbert Pigh. lib. 14. de vot. monast. Pet. A Soto in confess. cathol. Bellarm. Tom. 1. contro. 5. lib. 2. cap. 6. Baptismus non solum poenam, sed etiam culpam tollit; professio autem monastica, non tollit culpam, sed solam poenam. idem cap. 9. nos autem praeter has duas calibatus vtilitates agnoscimus tertiam, nimirum ad placandum Deo, & praemia [...]axima promerenda. say they, single life is meritorious to saluation. It were good for a man not to touch a woman, [Page 88] Hieron. cont. Iouin. lib. 1. si bonū est mu­lierem non tangere, malum ergo est tan­gere; nihil enim bono contrariū est nisi ma­lum. therfore it is euil to touch a woman. It were good but for fornication; therforeHieron. ibid. An­selm. in 1. Cor. 7. vn­de pateat quia malum est tangere, nihil enim bono contrarium nisi malum. Si autem ma­lum est & ignoscitur, ideo conceditur, ne malo quid deterius fi­at. say they, that which is euill is permitted, least that which is worse should be per­formed: All men Math. 19.11. can not receiue this doctrine, saith our Sauiour: they teachConcil. Trident. Ses. 24. Can. 9. Si quis dixerit, clericos in sa­cris ordinibus consti­tutos, &c. posse ma­trimonium contrahe­re, anathema sit; cum Deus id rectè petenti­bus non de neget, nec patiatur nos supra id, quod possumus tentari. Bellarm. Tom. 1. cont. 5. lib. 2. cap. 9. nam essi non omnes habeant hoc donum, tamen omnes possunt habere, si à Deo illud petant. all mē may receiue it that wil, so that they wil aske it. The Apostle teacheth,1. Cor. 7.37. that the woman her husband being dead, is at libertie to marrie a­gain with whom she will in the Lord: theyTertul. lib. de poenitent. item de Monogamia. quae haeresis, si secundas nuptias vt i [...]licitas, iuxta adulterium iudicamus? quid est enim adulterium quàm matrimonium illicitum? Synod. Constantinop. 6. can. 3. affirme, that second mariage is no better then adultery. The Apo­stle testifieth,Heb. 13.4. that mariage is honourable vnto all; and that1. Tim. 4.1.2. it is a doctrine of diuels to forbid it: they teachEpistola Decret. Siricij Papa ad Himer. cap. 7. Tom concil. 1. in vita Siric. (Sed est fictitia Epistola.) Qui illiciti priuilegij excusatione nituntur, vt sibi asserant veterihoc (scil. matrimonium) lege con­cessum, nouerint se ab omni Ecclesiastico honore, quo indignè vsi sunt, Apostolicae sedis authorita­te deiectos, nec vnquam posse veneranda attrectare mysteria. that it is dishonorable among Gods ministers, &Decret. Innocent. 1. Epist. 3. ad Ex­uper. cap. 1. qui in Diaconij ministerio, aut in officio presbyterij positi. quos incontinentes esse aut fuisse, generati filij prodiderunt: omni ecclesiastico honore priuentur, nec admittantur accedere ad ministerium, quod s [...]la continentia oportet impleri. separate them whom God had ioyned, and burne the bodies of those, & accurse their soules,Synod. Trident. Sess. 24. can. 9. supra in s. that do by word or deed maintaine the lawfulnes of mariage in al men, according to the Scriptures. Certaine it is, that the opinion of Tertullian, concerning the vnlawfulnes of second mariage,August. de Haeres. H. 86. non ergo ideo (quod animam effigiatum corpus, dixit Tertullianus, & ip­sum deum corpus esse dicit, nempe spirituale quoddam & aethereum) sed quia [...]ansiens ad Cataphri­ges, quos [...]ntè destruxerat, coepit etiam secundas nuptias, contra Apostolicam doctrinam, tanquam stupra damnare. was counted of the Church an heresie: and Ierome himselfe confesseth,Hieron. in catalog. illustrium scriptorum. Specialiter aduersus ecclesiam texuit vo­lumina, de pulicitia, de monogamia, &c. he wrote the same against the church. Ierome alsoƲt tribus suis pro libris contra Iouin. Apologeticis con­stat. & Testimonio Erasm. in annot. quid verò pontificij: standum est (inquiunt) potius à parte Hie­ronymi, quàm ab omnibus aduersarijs. was great­lie [Page 89] blamed of the godlie of his time, for too much preferring the state of single life. But it is fatall vn­to2. Thes. 2 3.9. the Church of Rome, that no heresie since the comming of our Sauiour, should get perfecti­on, til it hath beene authorized by the same. Among which this diuelish1. Tim. 4.1.3. con­fess. Anglica. Secti­on. 18. doctrine, of forbidding mar­riage, although it wereNicolaitae. Epiph. Haeres. 25. Tatiani si­ue Eucratitae, Epi­phan. Haeres. 46. Au­gust. de Haeres. 2 [...]. Marcionite contra quo [...] pro nuptijs ipse Tertullianus acerri­mè dimicauit, lib. con­tra Marcion. lib 4. & alibi. Cataphryges à Montano de secundia nuptijs. August. Hae­res. 26. maintained by manie he­retikes, and fauoured too muchTertullian. Origen. Hieron. &c. by some of the Fa­thers of the Church; yet found it no fast footing in any part, till the mysterie of iniquitie, not with sub­stantiall authoritie of the word,Twelue hundred godlie Ministers were murdered in England, at the cō ­ming of Augustine the Monk, who first forbad Priests mar­riage here. Beda Hi­stor. lib. 2. cap. 2. Gal­fred. Monumeth. li. 8. cap. 4. Similia recor­dantur in annal. Ger­manie & Galliae. but with seuere torments of sword & fire, had established the same in the kingdome of darkenes. Neuerthelesse, this truth of God neuer wanted sufficient witnes in the Church: either of the Scriptures, of Councels, or Fathers, or visible demonstration of the hand of God, or of the enimies themselues, till the time that2. Thess. 2.8. Immis­sis Luthero & alijs fi [...]elibus operarijs in messem suam. the Lord began to abolish Antichrist. The Apostle as one foreseeing Non tantum Tati [...] ­nā, sed & Romanā, que sub titulo c [...]nnubij Sacerdotum. [...] mentum matrimonij omne labefectauit. Sic enim. Arguunt. qui sunt in carne Deo pl [...]ere non possunt, ergo vxor [...]tus sa [...]erdos Deo placere non potest. Epist. Siri­cij. cap. 7. & Epist. Innocent. 3. ad E [...]p [...]. cap. 1. Quod si hoc sit verum, ne laicus maritus potest. Nam inquit Apost. nemo p [...]est. Fallacia est [...] carnis, Amphil [...]logie: nam esse in carne, non est cum vxore viue [...]e, sed scortari, aut aliquod regn [...] retinere peccatum. this heresie in the Church, doth flatly cal it, a doctrine of diuels, &1. Cor. 7 9. streightly chargeth all those to marrie, that haue not receiued the gift of continencie. If councels or fathers be opposed vn­to this, wee answere:Iustin. Mart. Dialog. cum Trisson. [...]. Paule is a Father of the Fa­thers, and though either Doctor or Father,Galat. 1.8.9. or an Angell from heauen, should teach contrarie to this doctrine, we would hold him no better then accur­sed. Neither ought we to regard what some one or other in the Church hath done before vs, but [Page 90] whatCyprian Epist. 63. Non querendum est. quid aliquis ante no [...] fecerit, sed quid ille, qui ante omnes est facien [...]um iusserit, Chri­stus. Ignatius Mart. Epist. ad Philadelph. [...], &c. Illis qui anti quitatem obijciunt, e­go dico, quod mihi an­tiquitas est Iesus Chri­stus, quem nolle audire manifestus est interi­tus. Christ hath taught and commanded, which was before them all. And yet how seuerelie hath the Primitiue Church and the most ancient fathers censured the deprauers of this doctrine. In the Ca­nonA maine authori­tie against a Papist. of the ApostlesCanon. 6. Episcopus aut presbyter vxorem propriam, ne quaquam sub obtentu religionis abijciat, si verò reiece­rit, excommunicetur; sed si perseuerauerit deijciatur. it is decreed: If any Bishop, Minister or Deacon, should put away his wife vnder colour of Religion, he should be excommunicate, and if he persi­sted in it he should be deposed. In the CouncellSocrat. Eccles. Histor. lib. 1. cap. 2. Sozomen. lib. 1. cap. 22. ge­nerall ofCanon. 8. De his qui se nominant Catharo [...] (scil. Nouatianos. qui cum presbytero coniu­gato noluerunt com­municare) haec pra omnibus eos scriptis conuenit profiteri, quod Catholicae & Apostolicae Ecclesiae dogmata suscipiant & sequantur, id est, & bigamis se communicare, & his qui in persecutione prolapsi sunt. Neece, it was concluded, that it was law­full for all callings and degrees of men to marrie, and that as often as the parties were seuered by death. The Coun­sell of Gangra determined,Concil. Gangrens. can. 1. 10. & 4. Si quis discernit inter presbyterum coniugalum, &c. that if any man put dif­ference betweene a married Minister (and one vnmar­ried) as though for marriage sake hee might not minister, he should be held accursed. The Councell likewise of Trulla,Concil General. Constantinop. in Trulla. can. 1 [...]. Quoniam Romane Ecclesiae pro canone traditum esse cognouimus, vt Diaconi & presbyteri, qui digni qui ordinationem suscipiant, existimandi sunt, profiteantur se non amplius suis vxoribus coniungendos: nos antiquum canonem Apostolicae perfe­ctionis ordinis (que) seruantes, hominum qui sunt in sacris, coniugia firma & stabilia esse volumus, nequa­quam eorum cum vxoribus coniunctionem dissoluentes, vel eos mutua tempore conuenienti consue­tudine priuantes. Quamobrem si quis dignus, &c. nequaquam prohibeatur, si cum legitima vxore cohabitet: sed neque ab eo postuletur abstenturum, ne benedictas nuptias iniuria afficere coga­mur. Si quis verò talem conatur à coniunctione cum legitima vxore priuare, deponatur; & si quis presbyter, &c. that it was as lawfull for the Ministers as well as others to vse the companie of their wiues (although say they it were prohibited at Rome) which they proue by the word of God, & authoritie of the Church, and that if any should goe about to depriue a married Minister, for marriage sake, hee should be deposed; and if any Minister or Deacon did diuorse by anie such pretence, hee should be excommunicate and depriued. If anie man confesse God and Christ (saith Ig­natius) [Page 91] Ignatius Epist. ad Philadelph. Si quis De­um & Christū cōfite­tur, labē verò & coin­quinationē vocet ( [...]) legiti­mam commi [...]tione & liberorum procreatio­nem, aut cibos quosdā abominabiles: talu habet ( [...]) inhabi­tatorem Draconem il­lum Apostatam. and shall call the procreation of children, or the societie of man and wife, a defiling or pollution: the same hath that Apostaticall Dragon dwelling in him. We count them happy (saithClem. Alexandrinus Strom. 3. Nos quidem castitatē, & eos qui­bus hoc à Deo datum est, beatos dicimus: Monogamians autem, & quae consistit in v­no solo matrimonio honestatem admira­mur, dicentes tamen, oportere aliorum mi­sereri, &c. De secūdi [...] autem nuptijs, si vra­ris, inquit Apostolus, iungere matrimonio. Cyprian. De Symbol. sect. 28. Conciliū va­nitatis est, quod No­uatus solicitauit, lap­sis poenitentiam dene­gando, & secundas nuptias, cum forte ini­ri eas necessitas exe­geris condemnando. Clement Alex.) to whom God giueth continencie, praising the same as a blessed gift, and admire that chastitie which is satisfied with the first marriage: professing notwithstanding, that wee ought to haue compassion on others, & one to beare an others bur­den, least he which thinketh he doth stand vpright, do fall himselfe. Of second marriages, saith the Apostle, if thou burne, marry. Chrysost. saith:Chrysost. in epist. ad Tit. Hom. 2. Obstruere prorsus intendit hereticorumora, qui nuptias vituperant ostendens eam rem culpa carere, imo ita esse pretiosum, vt cum ipsa possit quispiam ad sanctum Episcopatus solium subuebi. Wherfore doth the scrip­ture nominate a Bishop to be the husband of one wife, but to stop the mouthes of heretikes, which condemne mariage, shewing that mariage is without fault; yea, so precious that a man may therewith be placed in the seat of a Bishop. Idem in Hebraeo [...] Hom. Vtere cum moderatione nuptijs, & primus eris in regno. Again, vse mariage moderately, and thou Matth. 20.16. shalt be the first in the kingdome of heauen. And againe,Chrysost. in Isai. 6. Hom. 4. Ne abomineris nuptias, sed oderis scortationem, nam ego meo periculo spondeo tibi salutem etiamsi vxorem habueris. abhorre not marriage, but hate whoredome, at my perill I will war­rant thee saluatiō although thou haue a wife. It were vn­necessarie to alleadge more authorities of Hilarius, of Augustine, of Fulgentius, and others both Greeke and Latine. The horribleRom. 1.21.26.2 [...]. wrath of God, vpon the professors of this doctrine, hath made it to those that haue any spark of grace, detestable. Pope Grego­rie when he saw theSixe thousand carkasses of infants found in one lake, which being vnlawfully borne in houses of Monkish religion, were priuily made away, Huldricus, Episcop. Augustan. epist. ad Nicol. 1. Papam. hurt that came by infringing of his ordinance,1. Cor. 7. Idem in epist. Huldrici. added vnto the Apostles say­ing, it is better to marrie then to burne. It is (saith hee) better to permit marriage, then to giue occasion of murder. [Page 92] And withall requireth thoseGregor. in Pastor. part. 3. admon. 28. Ad­monendi sunt ita (que), vt si temptationum pro­cellas, cum difficultate salutis tolerant, con­iugij portum petant. that are tossed with the waues of temptation, to haue accesse vnto the hauen of wedlocke. Would to God (Bernard. de conuers. ad Cler. Serm. 29. Vti­nam qui continere non valent, perfectionē te­merarie profiteri, aut coelibatui dare nomi­na vererentur. Sumptuosa siquidem turris est, & verbum gran­de quod non omnes ca­pere possunt. Esset sine dubio melius nubere quam v [...]i, & saluari in humili gradu fide­lis populi, quàm in Cleri sublimitate, & deterius viuere, & districtius, iudicari. Multi enim, non qui­dem omnes, sed tamen multi, certum est, nec latere queūt pra mul­titudine, nec prae im­pudentia quaerūt, &c. Idem. Supra. In Domo Dei videamus horrē ­dū. siquidem post for­nicationes, post adul­teria, post incestus, nec ipsa quidem apud aliquo [...] ignominiae passiones & turpitudinis opera desunt. saith Bernard) that those which cannot containe, would stand in awe to professe single life; for it were doubtles much better to marrie then to burne: but there are many (saith hee) and so manie that they cannot be hid for multitude, and for impudencie doe not seeke it, which doe vse their libertie as an occasion to the flesh, abstaining from the remedie of mariage, and flowing from thence in all manner of filthines, fornicati­ons, adulteries, incests, Sodomitrie, and that Bernard. ibid. Vtinam non fierent, quae vs (que) adeo non conueniunt, vt nec. Apostolum haec scribere, nec nos dicere oporteret, vt nec dicentibus crederetur, quod humanum aliquando occupauerit animum tam abominanda cupido. Legat qui vult, Paulū Vergerium. Bernardin. Ochinū. Bal eum de vitis Pontificum, &c. which fil­thie Sodome neuer knew. But one will say, such filthi­nes by all meanes is to be auoided; but they are to be chosen to that office of the Ministrie, which can containe: the Lord himselfeEzec. 14.4. will answere them, that because they reproue such asVnius vxoris viros, &c. 1. Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.6. he hath allow­ed, hee will sendIsai. 24.2. & 28.11.12.13. them such as they deserue: that all might be damned2. Thess. 2.10.11.12. that will not obey the truth. Therefore wee conclude with the Apostles words, marriage is honourable Heb. 13.4. among all: and hee that can­not containe, let him 1. Cor. 7.9. [...]. take a wife. And with the Pro­phet: did Malac. 2.16. not God make one? yet had he aboundance of Spirit: and wherefore one? because he sought a godly seed: therefore keepe your selues in your Spirit, and let none tres­passe against the wife of his youth: whereof shall be spoken in his place.

Question 12. verse 18. Wherefore the woman is said to be a helpe before him?

THe woman is here described by her forme or nature, and by the end where­fore she was created: her nature is [...] cheneged, à [...] nagad. nunciare, indi­care: one, as it were, in whō Adam might see himselfe. Com­monly it is transla­ted similis ei, like him. Kimchi. iugiter coram ipso. to be like vnto the man in soule and in bodie, to differ in sex. The end of her creationIn the Hebrue she is called [...] ezer, a helpe: in the Chal­dee [...] samech, a shore or stay. was to be a help to man. To be an helper: first forProu. 5.18.19. Ec­cles. 9.9. vers. 18. It is not good, that is, not so good: or, it were better with man if hee had an helpe: ergo, she was an increaser or help vnto his happines. the socie­tie of life, to increase his ioy, she was made to be al­waies his delight. Secondlie,Gen. 1.28. Ambros. de Paradis. c. 10. Ad­iutorium ad generationem constitutionis humanae intelligimus. to obtaine the bles­sing; Increase and multiplie, she was made to be an help for procreation. Thirdlie, to help him1. Tim. 5.10.14. Prou. 31.28. in bringing vp of children and gouerning the fami­lie. Fourthlie, was added after sinne was entred, that she should beProu. 31.12. 1. Sam. 19.11. a help in sicknes and infirmitie. Fift­lie, a help against incontinencie1. Cor. 7.5.9. August. lib. de Gen. ad lit. 9. cap. 7. Quod sanis possit esse officium, sit aegrotis remedium. and a remedie a­gainst sin: that men hauing the benefit of marriage bedChrysost. Hom. 3. in Isai. 6. Ob id enim matrimonium, & huius legitimus vs [...]s permittitur, &c. might thereby restraineMatth. 5.28. their thoughts, theirIob. 31.1. eyes, their1. Cor. 7.2. Prouerb. 5.2. 1. Cor. 6.18 bodies from following strange flesh. Herby we conclude, first that the woman is of theEphe. 5.28.33. Galath. 3.28. Contra Platonem qui marem & foeminam in duas species distinxit. same nature with mā, of like reasonable soule. 2. That1. Cor. 11.9. she was made for man, and ioyned vn­to [Page 94] him for hisProu. 18.22. The Greekes called a woman in their cō ­mō speech [...]: that is in Eng­lish, a beautiful euil, or a faire naught. Cyrill. lib. 3. in Iulian. Sa [...]is peruerse ad in­stitutum Dei. Contra etiam Seuerianos & Andronicos qui mu­lierem Satanae opus dicebant. Epiph. Hae­res. 4.5. Item contra Homer. Odys. [...]. 1. Non est grauius malum mu­liere aut rabiosius. Nisi distinguas cum Hesiod. Erg [...]. i. Bona nihil melius, mala ni­hil peius. Item cont. Thaletem, qui mulierem necessarium malum appellauit. Lacrt. lib. 1. Deni (que) contra Iulian. Qui malo fuisse Adamo mulierem carpit: quae in nullo (inquit) adiuuit sed decepit. good. Thirdlie, that in mariageIam. 1.17. Prou. 19.14. Tertul. lib. de anim. cap. 13. Natura veneranda est non erubescenda; concubitum li­bido, non conditio foedauit; excessus, non status est impudicus. Fulgent. epist. 1. cap. 3. In illis n [...]m (que) bonis quae fecit Deus, inuenitur casta copulatio vxoris & viri. no thing is hurtfull, except sinne when mariageRom. 13.13. Arnob. in Psal. 139. Et vsus coniugij, in coniugibus bonus est, in adulteris malus est. is a­bused, or els1. Cor 7.28. Rom. 8.28. the punishment of sinne, which vnto the godlie is made a salue and not a sore. Fourth­lie, that mariageHeb. 13.4. is a holy ordinance of God,Vers. 18. 1. Cor. 7 9 38. pro­fitable & necessarie for all men, except thoseZanch. de creat. Hom. lib. 1 cap. 1. Sicut enim cum aliquem donat conti­nentiae dono, videtur illum à communi lege propagandi, speciali priuilegio eximere & liberare. who as it were by priuiledge are exempted by the Lord. Fiftlie, that before the fall of manEphes. 5.25.26. Exhinc plurimum boni, nihil autem mali. marriage was more excellent then single life. Wherefore we doe commend single life,Matth. 19.13. as Christ and his1. Cor. [...].38. Chrysost. in Isai. 6. Hom. 3. Neque ideo quoniam melior est virginitas, malum est coniugium. August. lib. de bono coniugij cap. 8. Neque ergo duo mala sunt connubium & fornicatio, quorum alterum est p [...]us, sed duo bona sunt connubium & continentia, quorum alterum est melius. Apo­stles haue commended it, as a gift more excellent since our corruption, in those that can receiue it,Me­lancthon. Tom. 1. in Apologet. so that it be applied vnto the end thereof, that is,Matth 19.12. Erasm. in 1. Tim. 3. Pontificios aijt pro beneficio non pro regno castrare sese. for the kingdome of heauen, for1. Cor. 7. [...]4. meditation and studie how to please the Lord,1. Cor. 7.26.3 [...]. forasmuch as it is more free and void of cares, and other calami­ties then marriage is. But we adde withall, accor­dingEt plus credendum est vel simplici laico, scripturam afferenti, quàm papae aut toti simul concilio, inquit Abb. Panormitan. to the Scriptures, that there is no more me­ritsRom. 3.24. & 14.17. in virginitie, then in marriage. That chastitieTit. 2.5. 1. Pet. 3.2. Perperam igitur, castum & maritum opponum pontificij: Synod. Trident. Sess. 24. &c. is as well in marriage as in single life: and much [Page 95] moreCyprian. lib. 1. Epist. holie is a chaste minde in marriage, then an vnchaste person professing chastitie. That a godlie Bishop1. Tim. 3.2. Confess. Anglica. Sect. 18. doth the office of the Ministerie, nothing the worse for that hee is married,August. de Bono con­iugal. cap. 5. Ad hoc enim nuptae sunt, vt illa concupiscentia re­dacta ad legitimum vinculum, &c. but rather the better, and with more abilitie of doing good: as So­zomenus Sozom lib. 1. cap. 11. Qui tametsi vxorem habebat & liberos, non tamen propterea res diuinas negligen­tius obijt. reporteth of Spiridion, &Nazianz. Orat. 28. de funere patris. Huic mulier Dei beneficio concessa, non modo ad­iutrix, minus enim id laudis & admiratio­nis haberet, sed dux & antesignana fuit. Nazianzene of his owne father who was a Bishop: and likewiseMantuan. Factor. lib. 1. Mantuan of Hilarius a reuerend Doctor of the Church.

Non nocuit tibi progenies, non obstitit vxor
Ligitimo coniuncta toro.
Sola erat in pretio quae nunc incognita virtus
Sordet, & attrito viuit cum plebe cucullo.

Which soundeth thus much in English.

Neither wife nor children did hurt thy holines,
Which thou hadst gotten in marriage lawfulnes:
Because thou didst delight in vertues noble grace,
Which now forlorne of vowed chastitie,
With married folke hath chosen place.

Question 13. verse 22. Wherefore it is said: God tooke one of the ribs of Adam and made it a woman?

THe Spirit of God proceedeth to declare the manner how the woman was created: wher­in chiefly is to be considered the time when, the Author and meanes, and the matter whereof she did consist. She was (asHieron. in 1. Tim. cap. 2. Quia in factu­ra posteriores sunt, & priores in culpa. one, not vnaptly spea­keth) [Page 96] the last in creation, but first in transgression: for the Scriptures euidentlie shew, that Adam wasVers. 8.15.16.20.21 which was done in the sixt day. Gen. 1.29.31. first placed in Paradice, had receiued the com­maundement, had named the creatures, before hee found a help meet for him. Which was no doubt, that the woman therebyIun. Parall. lib. 2. cap. 58. Qui posteri­or ex [...]ltero, & causa eius creatus est, non debet in alterum au­thoritate vti: huius­modi est foemina. in 1. Tim. 2.13. might acknowledge her condition,Prou. 13.12. and man might be more thankefull for the benefit. The Author was the Lord. The acci­dentall meanes, that Adam slept. Which sleepe was not aHieron. Trad. Hebr. in Gen. Et misit do­minus deus extasin super Adam; pro ex­tasi, id est, mentis ex­cussu, in hebraeo habe­tur Tardema ( [...]) quod Aquila [...], Symmachus [...], id est gra [...]em & pro­fundum s [...]porem in­terpretati sunt. naturall or ordinarie sleepe: for the naturall sleepe is not said to fall on men, as it were from hea­uen; butFernel. lib. de funct. & humor. cap. 11. I­dem de partium mor­b [...]. cap. 2. from the stomacke ascendeth to the head. The cause wherefore he slept, was that heChrysost. H [...]m. in Gen. 15. Vt ne sentien [...]o d [...]lorem, mulieri ex se formate, postea d [...]loris memor insensus [...]eret. Epipha 1. Heres. 48. [...] quod f [...]erit psum ad tempus non sentire dolorem. At non erat mentis extasi [...], sed s [...]m participatio, quo i [...] [...]untur [...]nes sensus ad quietem con [...]cisi. might not perceiue or feele the taking of a member from his bodie. And forasmuch as such diuine sleepe wasGen. 28.1.2 Num 12.6. a meane whereby God reuealed himselfe vnto the Patriarkes, itBernard. in sep [...]gess. Serm. 2. [...]lle s poratus videtur, praeexcessu contemplationis R [...] [...] enim in l [...]cat q [...] [...] tanquam eb [...]ius de cella vinaria veniens, & [...] illud vt [...]gnum sa­crame [...], &c. may be thought that God in sleep did teach him whence she came, what she was, and to what purpose she was created. Doubtles the Lord was able, to haueAugust. lib. 2. de Gen. contr. Manich. cap. 2. Non vtique si [...]e causa ita facta est. n [...]si vt ali [...] secretum intrumaret. Nun enim aut li [...]s d [...]fuit, vnde [...]nina f [...]rm tretur; aut si vell [...] [...] homini vigilanti, co [...]tam sine dol [...]e detrahe [...] non p [...]ssit. saued Adam from paine and sorrow, waking, as when hee was a sleepe, and to haue taught him his will by liuelie word: but thus it seemed good vnto his wisedome, to teach not onlie him, but alsoGen 15.12. Abraham, Matth. 2.13 and Ioseph, andA [...] 2 [...]. 3. Paule, and other,Ch [...]ysost. Hom. in Gen. 15. Vn [...] cost [...] (inquit) accepit, & quomodo ex ha [...] [...] [...]animal fo [...]euit? di [...] o [...] scero quomo [...]o oblatio [...] est? quomodo Adam, cum au [...] [...] [...]non sensis? Sed nihil horum [...] poteris, v [...] [...] qui ipse e [...]t con [...]tor. the farther cause whereof hee onelie [Page 97] knoweth which hath created all. Concerning the substance whereof she was created, there appeareth a wonderfull excellencie of the wisedome of God. First in that the woman being a baser sex, was crea­ted of more noble matter,Zanchi. de creat. Homin. lib. 1. cap. 1. sect. 18. to the end that shee should not be despised. Secondlie, he made her of the substance of the man,Ephes. 5.28. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 21. Sed vt eo modo cōmendaretur ei vehementius socie­tatis vnitas vincu­lumque concordiae, si non tantum inter se naturae similitudine, verum etiam cognati­onis affectu homines nect [...]rentur. whereby man in lo­uing his wife, he doth but loue himselfe, the wife in honouring her husband, as her head, receiueth that she giueth, because they are not two, but one flesh. Thirdlie, in making ofAct 17.16. one beginning all man­kind, and the woman of the man and for him, is de­clared, yt theAmbros. de Paradis. cap. 10. Vt sciremus vnam in viro & mu­liere corporis esse na­turam, vnum fontem generis humani, &c. perfectiō of the man is in the woman, and the originall of the woman is in her husband. Fourthly, hee tooke a member from the middest of Adam, not a part of his head or of his feet, wherebyHebraei in Bereshith Rabba & al. perhaps is signified, that the man should notLuther. in Gen. cap. 26. Quales videas, qui domi leones, fo­ris lepores sunt. op­presse his wife in bearing rule, nor the woman2. Sam. 6.20. Ephes. 5.22. dis­daine and controull her husband in her subiection, but being taken from his side and neere his heart, shee should of all creaturesChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 34. Porro ne illa vicissim quod esset praesidio data, turge­ret & vinculum rum­peret, ex costa facit, partem corporis esse volens, sed vt neque vir hinc sibi placeret, non esse solius iam deinde finit, quod erat solius antea. be most deare vnto him, and they both agree with heauenly concord. Fiftlie, of all the parts of man hee tooke one onelie rib: wherebyMalac. 2.14 Eccles. 9. the woman is taught to honour her husband, as her greatest part, and man might know the greatest part of the woman was the Lordes, to the end he doe not presume of absolute authoritie; but giue1. Pet. 3.7. honour to the woman in Gods behalfe, as to the weaker vessell. For this cause (saith Adam, or the Lord by Adam) shall a man leaue father and mo­ther: that is, because the Lord did make the woman suppose, [Page 98] of theBy the ribbe, in­terpreters vnder­stand, the bone and the flesh, sinewes, veines, and skinne that couered it, so that Adam rightlie said, she is flesh of my flesh. flesh and bone of Adam, and did by marri­age couple them, to be1. Sam. 18.1. Act. 4.32. as it were one soule in two bodies knit together;Iun. Paral. libr. 1. paral. 33. Tanquam si dixisset Author, quia ex Dei institutione & facto, mulier conuenit in manum viri, &c. hoc Dei factum, vim legis apud homines ae­quū est obtinere, &c. by vertue of this ordinance, shall the societie of man and wife be such for euer, as if they had beene taken one out of another, yea the married shall forgoePsalm. 45.10. Ideo (inquit Chaldaeus Paraphrastes) homo relinquet lectum pa­tris & matris, &c. their fathers house to dwell together: and the fault of breaking wedlocke shall be more hainous, thenPet. Mart. in Gen. 2. Relinquet homo pa­trem & matrem: non quod illos non alat, aut veneretur, sed iam aggl [...]tinabitur vxori, & qui prius dicitur pars patris, iam inde auulsus, [...]es vna caro cum vxore. Caluin. in Gen. 2 the violating of other societies whatsoeuer. The HebruesAben. Ezra. Com. in Prou. 2.17. doe obserue, that in [...] Ish, which is the common name of man, and [...] Ishah, the name by which Adam first called his wife, are conteined the letters [...] Iah, which is thePsal. 68.4. name of God; which taken away, there remaineth in both the names, but [...] esh va esh, that is, but fire and fire: and surelie where the feare of God is not in married folke, nor the force of this ordi­nance taketh place (which oftentimesVt de Alcestide referunt, Eu [...]ip. in Alcest. Aristoph. in vespis. Quae pro marito constanter op [...]etijt mor­tem. De Porcia vxore M. Bruti quae vt virum à facinore deterreret sibi ipsi primò altissi [...]um inflixit vulnus, postea de viri interitu facta certior, & diligentiore cura cust [...]dita, quàm vt manus sibi ipsi inferret, ex foco arreptos carbones hausit, & occluso ore & compresso, extincta est. Valer. Max. lib. 4. cap. 6. Plutarc. in vita Bruti. De Miniarum vxoribus, quae vt vinctos maritos liberarent, carcerem intrantes quasi postremò allocuturae perituros, commutata veste, velatis capitibus eos abire passae sunt, vinculis eorum in sese translatis. Valer. Max. lib. 4. cap. 6. Rubrius item Celer annos 43. menses 8. vixisse cum vxore sine vlla querela memoratur. I [...]u. decad. 5. it doth a­mong the verie infidels) there are intolerable cros­ses and contentions, there the tongueIames. 3.6. Hinc est Gemini O­ratoris dicterium apud Hieron. contra Iouin. lib. 1. Qui, inquit, non litigat caelebi est. being fire, doth set on fire sometime the other members, and it is set on fire of hell.

Question 14. verse 22. Wherefore it is said: Hee brought her to the man?

IN these words is brieflie comprehended, how the Lord hauing made both Adam and the woman, dothAugust. Steueus Eu­gub. in Gen. 2. Haec est prima constitutio ma­trimonij, vbi dominus viro foeminam addu­cit, copulat, & bene­dicit. couple them toge­ther as man and wife, which is the substance and pith of marriage. Wherein are many points of do­ctrine to be obserued. First,Matth. 19.46. 2. Sam. 12.8. that the Lord him­selfe is the author of marriage, and therefore marri­age isContra Saturniliae­nos & Marcionitas, qui matrimonium à diabolo esse dicebant. Epiphan. Haeres. 23. Tertul. of him. Secondlie, thatGen. 24.7.63. Prou. 18.22. Matth. 7.11. those that desire marriage, are to seeke it of the Lord, and to attaine it1. Cor. 7.39. lawfullie, that they may say with Adam, the wo­manGen. 3.12. which thou gauest me. Thirdlie, it isRuth. 4.10. 1. Sam. 18.17.23. The contrarie is punished, Gen. 6 2 &c. whereof it is well considered in our english li­turgie, tit. of Marriage. so­lemnelie to be vsed and with reuerence, forasmuch as it is a holie worke, wherein the Lord doth2 Sam. 12.8. ioyne them together who are married. Fourthlie, consentExod. 34.16. & 22.17. Gen. 26.34.35. Albeit not essentiallie in some cases, as shall be shewed in the 24. Chapter. of Parents is necessarie vnto marriage, which the Lord declareth, when he bringeth Heua vnto Adam. Fiftlie, that none may be compelled,Gen. 24.5 [...]. Iudg. 14.2.3. Caluin in Gen. 24. Vocemus puellam, &c. Quod prius sine exceptione, filiam suam obtulerunt in­telligi debet quantum in ipsis erat. Nunc verò docet Moses, eos non tyrannidem exercuisse in filiam, vt cogerent nubere cui nollet, sed liberum ei consensum detulisse. Sacra quidem in hoc negotio parenti­bus authoritas esse debet, sed tenenda est media ratio, vt sponte ac mutuo consensu inter se contra­hant partes. Muscul. in Gen. 2. Peccant igitur plurimum parentes, qui filiorum suorum coniugia non sinunt esse libera, sed perinde illos sibi obstrictos tenent, ac si elocati non essent; atque ita vnitatem & coniunctionem connubialem impediunt, vel siqua coepit dirimunt. no not by their Parents, vnto marriage, for God himselfe doth [Page 100] not take so much authoritie; but ioyneth them to­gether with full consent of both: for Heua declarethZanch. de creat. Hom. lib. 1. cap. 1. her good will by comming, Adam by reioycing. Sixtlie, when parties are lawfullie ioyned by con­sent, theyMatth. 19 6. may not by man be put asunder (Mat. 5.32. & 19.9. August. Serm. Dom. in Mont. lib. 1. Dominus ergo ad illud confir­mandum, vt non faci­le vxor dimittatur, solam causam forni­cationis excepit. Chrysostom. H [...]m. in Matt. 32. in opere imperf. Sicut autem crudelis est & iniquus, qui castam dimittit, sic fatuus est & iniustus, qui retinet meretricem. Nam patronus turpitudinis est qui crimen celat vxoris. Idem Hom. 17. in Matth. 5. Hieron. in Matth. 19. Sola fornicatio est, qua vxoris vincat affectum: imo cum illa vnam carnem in aliam diuiferit, & se fornicatione se­parauerit à marito, non debet teneri, ne virum quo (que) sub maledicto faciat, dicente scriptura (Prou. 18.) qui adulteram tenet stultus & impius est. Hilar. in Mat. 5. Nullam aliam causam desinendi à con­iugio praescribens, quam quae virum, prostitutae vxoris societate pollueret. Oecumen. in 1. Cor. 7. Vxorem non dimittat, &c. Nisi quidpiam accesserit in causa stupri, nam haec Christi lex est. ex­cept it be for fo [...]nication) but they are so knit together by the Lord, that they are not two, but one flesh: and therefore a man must forsake father and mother, and all societies of men rather then forsake his wife.

Question 15. verse 25. How it could be that the man and his wife were not ashamed of their nakednes?

NOt for want of wisedome as theIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 2. Mulier gustato arboris fructu, cibo (que) hoc delectata, etiā A­damo vsum eius per­suasit: iam (que) se nudos esse sentiebant, arbori enim acuminis & co­gitandi vis inerat. Rab. Salom in Com. Hebrues seeme to teach, neither for impudencie, asThe Adamites were a Sect of filthy heretikes, which would imitate the nakednes of Adam, and so assembled together to the exercises of reli­gion, both men and women; they called the place of this their meeting Paradice. Epi­phan. Haeres. 52. August. Haeres. 31. did the Adamites; but because there was in their nakednes nothingAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 17. Non quod ijs sua nuditas esset incognita, sed turpis nuditas nondum erat. to be ashamed of, their bodies being more comelie,Matth. 6.29. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Scia­mus vitam illorum, tristitiae doloris (que) expertem, & angelicum quendam statum, &c. mira gloria amicti, & maiori, quàm vllus vestitus possit ornare. then that apparrell could adorne them. For if the beautie of a lillie of the [Page 101] field, doe surpasseMatth: 6.28.29. as saith our Sauiour, the gorgious­nes of Salomon, how farre did the comelie shape of mans proportion exceed the same? Whereby wee may euidentlie perceiue the difference betweene the state of man being free from sinne, and the state of our now polluted nature. Such was the conditi­on of mans bodie before the fall. Nothing in it was vncomelie, nothing filthie, nothing to be dispraised or despised: the body was of excellent forme,As now the face and hands are, in those that are beau­tiful. Cic. de nat. Deor. lib. 2. Lactant. de opific. Dei cap. 7. & 10. De cor­poris prastantia prout nunc est copiose disse­ruit. beau­tifull throughout, pleasant to behold, needing no clothing, either to defend cold, or to couer shame. They were created naked, & naked they liued, and they were not ashamed: that is, neither of them was ashamed of his owne nakednes, nor offended with the nakednes of ye other: vntil man was not ashamed to commit sinne. Then sinne caused him, not onelie to be ashamed of the fact,August. de peccar. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 22. Animam ra­tionalem naturall ve­recundia nunc pudet, quod in carne in cuius seruitutem ius pote­statis accepit, nescio qua infirmitate effice­re non potest, vt se no­lente non moueantur membra, & se mouen­te moueantur. Idem de peccato Ori­gin. lib. 2. c. 34. Prius neque Deo neque ho­mini, illa simplex nu­ditas displicebat, quā ­do nihil erat puden­dum, quia nihil prae­cesserat puniendum. Idem de ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 17. Confusi in­obedientia carnis suae, tanquam teste poenae inobedientiae suae, &c. Ex hoc omne [...] Gentes, quoniam ab illa stirpe procreatae sunt, vsque adeo tenent insitum pudenda ve­lare, vt quidam barbari, illas corporis partes nec in balneis nudas habeant. but also of the bodie wherein he did the fact. The shadow hereof may be seene in children, who so long as they are young, albeitPsal. 51.7. Isai. 48.8. they are in the conception defiled with o­riginall corruption; yet euerie one commendeth the feature of their naked bodies, and there appea­reth a certaine beautie in them. But so soone as wee come of riper age, none of vs beholdeth our owne naked bodies, without a priuate shame. And as man was naked, and had no cause of shame, before his sinne;August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 17. Non enim erit ibi libido, quae confusionis est causa: nam pri­usquam peccassent nudi erant, nec confundebantur vir & foemina; corporibus ergo illis vitia detra­hentur, natura seruabitur: erunt autem membra (sexus vtriusque) non accommodata vsui vete­ri, sed decori nouo, quo non alliciatur aspicientis concupiscentia quae nulla erit, sed Dei laudetur sa­pientia atque clementia, qui & quod non erat fecit, & liberauit à corruptione quod fecit. so shall he continue naked when sinne is at [Page 102] an end: we shall Rom. 14.10. 2. Cor. 5.10. all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, not clothed, sauing 2. Cor. 5.2. Galat. 3.27. with his righteousnesse. But those that haue not on thisMatth. 22.11. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 70. Hoc genus (scil. Iudae) quod non obediuit vocem Domini, neque recepit disciplinam, defecit fi­des exore ipsorū, &c. Hoc est enim indumē ­tum nuptiarū, de quo Apostolus, nolumus expoliari, &c. Iubet mitti in tenebras ex­teriores, eum qui non habet indumētū nup­tiarum, hoc est contēp­torem. wedding garment, shall be so ashamed of their nakednes,Luc. 23.30. Reuel. 6.16. that they shall flee vnto the rockes, to fall vpon them, & to the moun­taines to couer them. It is therefore seauenfold foolish­nes to be proud of our apparrell, seeing wee can­not looke within it but with shame, and seeing it doth often shew our filthines of pride, disdaine, and vnchaste behauiour, for the which wee are ashamed of our bodies. Let vs therefore be ashamed of sin; so shall our bodies recouer in Christ their former glorie.

CHAP. III.

Question 1. verse 1. How the Serpent could speake vnto the wo­man?

MOses as the2. Pet. 1.21. penman of the spirit of God, hath deliuered both the glorious worke of God in the cre­ation of the world, and also the happie estate of the creatures, and especiallie of mankind, being cre­ated. Now he proceedeth to shew, by what meanes man lost this happines: and by what occasion the world and all the creatures therein, areRom. 8.20. subiect vn­to vanitie. The next and immediateVers. 17. cause, was mans disobedience in transgressing Gods comman­dement. The authorHere no mention is made of oth [...]r then the Serpent, because Moses hath in purpose to deli­uer briefly the truth of historie, but doth not expound it ful­lie: for indeede the Serpent spake, al­though not by his owne power, but by the power & guide of Satan: In like sort, because Satan was the chiefe wor­ker, the Scripture in other places doth wholy ascribe it vn­to him: as Ioh. 8.44. 1. Ioh. 3.8. or chiefe cause was Sathan, that malicious enimie of God & man: who soughtHinc dicitur [...] Satan, odio habere: osor. Iob. 1.6.11. Matth. 16.23. Lactant. lib. 2. cap. 13. Tum criminator inuidens operibus Dei, omnes fallacias & calliditates suas ad decipiendum hominem in­tendit, vt ei ad [...]neret immortalitatem. to ouerthrow the glorie of God in man, and in the world; and could not indure for enuie,Tertul. lib. de patientia. Igitur nat [...]les impatientiae in ipso diabolo deprehendo, iam tum cum Dominum Deum vniuersa opera quae fecisset, imagini suae, id est, homini subiecisset, impatienter tulit, &c. that man, who was but dust, should enioy so great felicitie, from which he himselfeIude 6. had fallen. And know­ing both byBeing created an Angell of light, and therefore wise. 2. Sam. 14.20. nature and2. Pet. 2.4. experience that God [Page 104] was iust, he knew also, that if hee could seduce the woman and her husband vnto sin, hee should bring destruction to them both, and so subuert the glorie of the creatures, which as he thought would be no small dishonour vnto the creator. And because heeIam. 1.14. Because euerie one that is tempted inwardlie, is drawne away by his owne concupis­cence. Not therfore by his cogitations, but by outward ob­iect. In like sort he tempted Christ. Da­mascen. lib. 3. Ortho­dox. cap. 20. could not prouoke either of them by any inward temptation (as now hee doth the wicked, by theIoh. 12.6. & 13.2. help of their corruption) norIoh. 13.27. Act. 5.3 Didimus de Sp. Sancto lib. 3. Non per sub­stantiā, sed per opera­tionem, sicut de Iuda: Obseruans Diabolus quibusdā motibus & operationum signis, ad qua potissimum Iuda cor esset vitia procli­nius, deprehendis eum patere insidijs auaritiae, & reperta cupiditatis ianua, misit in mentem eius quo modo desideratam pecuniam acciperet. August. lib. de Spir. & anim. cap. 27. enter into their minds or into their bodies, because of the holinesse and glorie that was in them, he presumeth to take a beast of the earth (the LordMatth. 8.32. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 12. Num per aliud posse [...], nisi per quod permittebatur accedere? Hieron. in vit. Malchi. Monachi. Diabolus nunquam aperta fronte se prodit. permitting the same his malice) one, that for hisMatth. 10.16. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. In­uento animali hoc, serpentem dico, qui catera sua calliditate vincebat, eo quasi instrumento quodam vsus, &c. naturall subtiltie, was fittest for his purpose:August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 29. Sic ergo locutus est serpens homini, sicut asina in qua sedebas Balaam locuta est homini, nisi quod opus illud fuit opus diabolicum, hoc angelicum. Epiphan. Haeres. 37. Non autem erat author solus serpens, qui apparebat, sed serpens qui in serpente lo­cutus est, hoc est, diabolus. and by disposing of his tongue, doth speake by him vnto the woman. Ther­fore, where that Atheist Iulian Iulian in Cyril. lib. 3. Quo idiomate, &c. scornefully deman­deth, in what language the Serpent spake vnto the woman; it is easilie answered, that Satan is skilfull in euerie language, and therefore able to speake that language which the womā vnderstood, that which was ofVntill the confusion of tongues and the building of Babel. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 30. Postremò Heber mansit (scil. à turris extructions) idem seruans idioma quod & antea habebat. Hieron. in Sophoniam cap. 3. v. 17. Hinc nosse possumus, linguam Hebraeam omnium linguarum esse matricem. long time the onlie language of the world, the Hebrue tongue. Wherefore it isThe word [...] (hine forte gnarus & nosco apud Latinos) gnarum subtiltie, is commonly taken in the euill part, wher­by may be vnderstood, either that the serpent exceeded all other, in that common sense which is in beasts, or else (as Augustine doth de Gen. lib. 11. cap. 29) that subtiltie of the diuell was called the Serpents subtiltie. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 1. seemeth to say that Serpents at the first were indued with speech Serpenti vocem ademit Deus, iratus ob malitiam, &c. foolish also to [Page 105] suppose, because here is spoken of the Serpents speech and subtiltie, that beasts at any time were in­dued with speech or reason; for by subtiltie, hee meanethPsal. 58.4. Matth. 10.16. no other of the Serpent, then that naturall policieEpiphan. Haeres. 37. Duplicem prudentiam serpētis narrāt. Quod caput suum in omni periculo, diligentissimè custodit, & quod sita pressus deponit vene­num, vt tutius bibat. Plin. lib. 8. c. 27. alia. wee finde to be in him: nei­ther was his speech anie power of his owne, but of theAugust. Dialog. ad Oros. quest. 43. Per il­lum nempe verba fa­ciebat diabolus, & ta­men hoc etiam ille ne­sciebat. Diuell, who because hee is a Spi­rit, was able toLactant. lib. 2. c. 15. Qui quoniā sunt spi­ritus tenues, & incō ­prehensibiles, insinuā [...] se corporibus. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 2. Quid er­go mirum si suo in­stinctu diabolus, iam implens serpētem, ei (que) spiritum suum miscēs, eo more quo vates de­moniorum. enter into him, and as hee was strong, was able to guide1. King. 22.22. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 28. Ser­pens verborum sonos non intelligebat: sicut & ipsi homines, cum daemon in ijs loquitur. his tongue, and as hee was subtil, did so season his speech with arguments, that thereby hee was able to weaken the womans feare and loue, while shee gaue more heed vnto his speech, then to the precept God had giuen her. But some one will thinke it meruaile, that the woman was not afraide of the Serpent, but dared so boldlie abide his speech? although Serpents at this day are hideous to looke vpon, yet in theirBasil. Hom. de Paradise. Non horrendus er [...]t tunc serpens, sed mitis & mansuetus. Damascen, de Orthodox. lib. 2. cap. 10. creation they were not so. We feare them for their euill, and wee feare their euill, because of the enmitie be­tweene the nature ofGen. 3.15. man and them: but in the beginning they were no enimies,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Sicut nunc domestica animalia, ita & fera & immansueta tunc sub [...]ita erant. but seruants vn­to Heua: and eitherCyril. lib. 3. in Iulian. Et cum tunc non esset aliud animal rationa­le, mulier impendiò simplex, existimabat fortasse & alijs animantibus datum esse humana voce loqui posse. Sed huic assertioni [...]chementer obstat, prudentia Adami, & imaginis Dei in vtris (que) conformitas. want of experience in the na­ture of the creatures (being her selfeMany writers thinke they sinned the day they were created: that they continued a very little time, is holden of all. but latelie before created) might induce her, to doubt of this accident in the Serpent, or knowledge might cause her to admire the same, whereby she might be re­tained in suspence, and so insnared, as Sathan al­waies1. Pet. 5.8. [Page 106] waiteth his oportunitie. For but that hee tooke occasion by the subtill nature of the Serpent (as Moses noteth) to deceiue, he was able as well to haue made anSicus & simulachra & statua [...]. Valerius Max. lib. 1. cap. 8. Mi­lites F. Camilli simu­lachrum Iunonis, quod à Vijs praecipua reli­gione cultum erat in vrbem trāslaturi, Dea ab vno eorum per io­cum interrogata, an Romam migrare vel­let: Velle se respondit. Item Fo [...]tunae Simu­lachrū, Coriolano rece­dente ab vrbe: ritè me (inquit) matronae vi­distis, rite (que) dedicastis. Similiter & Bouem locutum, articulata voce, reserunt Au­gust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 3 cap. 31. Valer. Mar. lib. 1. c. 8. Plin. lib. 2. Iul. Obsequens de pro­dig. cap. 34 38. 53. Item: Causum flumen salutasse Pythagorā: Salue Pythagora. Cy­ril. lib. 3. cont. Iulian. Et Achillis equū prae­nunciasse ei mortem. Homer. Il. τ. Item vlmum allocutā Appollonium, a [...]ticu­lata & muliebri vo­ce. Philostrat. lib. 6. cap. 5. Et quer [...]um & c [...]umbas in oracu [...]o Dodon [...]o. Pausan. in Achaicis. Plutar. in vita Pyrrhi, Homer. Od [...]st. ξ. Arnob. contra Gent. lib. 8. In puri spiritu [...], substatuis & imaginibus consecratis delitescunt, & afflatu suo authorita [...]ē quasi praesentis numinis consequūtur. asse to speake, as he did the Serpent. The woman therefore, hauing no cause to feare o­ther harme then sinne, when she heard the Serpent speake, which (itEx cap 2.20. seemeth) shee knew belonged not vnto his nature, more greedilie gaue eare vnto it, and throughChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 14. Non ignorantia peccasse e [...] sola desidia. her negligence andAugust. confess. lib. 10. cap. 35. Curi [...]sita [...] autē tentandi ca [...]sa, non ad subeundā molestiam, sed expe [...]iendi noscendi (que) libidinē. Bernard. Tra [...]t. de duo lec. grad. Humili [...]. Nisi mens minus se curiosè seruaret, tua curiositas tempus vacuum non haberet. Te autē intentā ad aliud, la [...]enter interim in cor tuū serpens illabitur, blandè alloquitur Blan­ditijs rationē, mendacijs timorē compescit Etsi igitur culpa non est, [...]ulpae tamen occasio est, & indicium [...]ō [...]sse, & causa est cōmitiēdae. curiositie, gaue aduantage to the enimie, andRom. 15.4. 1. Cor. 10.11. was beguiled. An example most worthie to be obserued in this lastage of the world, when as Sathan shall worke,Mat. 24.13. Luc. 21.8. as Christ2. Thess. 2.9. 2. Tim. 3.2. 2. Pet. 3.3. and his Apostles haue foretold, not in the bodie of a Serpent, but in all deceiueablenesse, with lying wonders, in false Prophets, and false Christs, with such strong delusions, that they shallMat. 24.24. deceiue if it were possible the verie Elect: who when they be in wildernes and desart places, shall deceiueMat. 24.26. as manie as goe forth vnto them. For if Heua were seduced by a Serpent, how much more shall thy weaker wisedome, be seduced by greater power, in a nobler instrument. If thou wilt be so cu­rious, as once to goe and see, and therebyMat. 4.7. 1. Cor. 10.12. tempt the Lord: know that the Spirit of God hath giuen thee warning, and our Sauiour hath expresselie gi­uen charge to all:Matth. 24.26. goe not forth vnto them.

Question 2. verse 1. Whether this temptation were foreknowne of God, and the euent thereof, and why the Lord did permit the same.

CErtainelie the Lord foreknew both the ma­lice of the diuell, that hee was desirous to tempt, & his purpose that he would tempt, andAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 3. Nam licèt in illo esset prop­te [...] peruersam & in­uidam voluntatē de­cipiendi cupiditas, non nisi vel per illud ani­mal potuit, per quod posse per nissus est. Nocendi enim volun­tas, potest esse à suo quo (que) animo praua; nō est autem potestas nisi à Deo. suffered him to tempt the woman, although he knew the whole euent thereof. For all things are manifest in his sight, Heb. 4.13. as saith the Apostle: neither can a Sparrow fall on the ground Matth. 10.29. without our heauenlie father, that is, without the will and knowledge of the heauenlie father. Also a day with the Lord, is as Psal. 90.4. 2. Pet. 3.8. a thousand yeares. So that the Lord, which knew the fall of man the day hee fell, knew also the same for infinite time before. This truth of God hath manie aduersaries among Atheists, and contemners of the Gospell: who vse it as a weapon to fight against the Lord, andEpiphan. Heres. 5 [...]. Talpam appellant a­nimal quoddam intra terram latitans, &c. Desolatorium autem est animal, infernè e­radicans omnem hominum agriculturam, &c. Sic sanè ego nunc aggredior dicere, de proposita secta, qua quantum ad cor attinet, caecutit ac fatua est: verùm solitudinem sibi ipsi efficii, & multas radices viro­rum in ipsam collapsorū denastas ac corrumpit. as moules and battes, doe worke into the hearts of simple men in secret, and doe much harme in the haruest of the Lord. For say they: if God foreknew it, thē was it of necessity, forAristot. Eth. lib. 6. c. 3. Scientia est eorum, quae sese aliter atque scimus habere non possunt. Verum est. Attamen duplex latet in arg. fallatia. 1. à dicto sim­pliciter, ad dictum secundum quid. Nam non est absolutè necessaria, sed quatenus res cognoscitur ta­lis. 2. Non causa pro causa. Necessaria cognitione Dei peccauit, ergo cognitio Dei est causa peccati. Nam Deus etiam alias causas cognouis, quibus non peccares Adam nisi vellet. know­ledge is of necessarie and certaine things: and if it were of necessitie that Adam sinned, then was not [Page 108] he in blame, forasmuch as he could not resist neces­sitie. Thus wicked men doe call the way of the LordEzec. 18.29. vnequall: and dare presume to iudge the iudge of al the world, before the day of iudgement: notwithstanding that, of the same their iudgement,Mat. 7.1. & 12.36. Rom. 2.2. they must themselues be iudged. But how sitlie doth the word of GodPsal. 76.1.2.5. spoile these mighty concei­tedHomer. Odyss. [...]. Virgil Georg. lib. 1. Ter sunt cona [...]i impo­nere Pelio Ossam. Titans of their armour wherein they trust, and also take Prou. 26.5.7 away the Crutches of the lame? The Lord (as saithDeus. 32.4. Psal. 145 17. the Prophet) is righteous in all his waies, and holie in all his workes: Gen. 18.25. Rom. 3.5.6. But now if the Lorde were blame-worthie, as the cause of Adams fall, then is hee not righteous in all his waies, &c. neither can there be vn­righteousnes with God. Againe,Iames 1.14. when man is temp­ted, he is not August. Epist. 146. Tentatio alia est de­ceptionis, alia tentatio probationis: secundum illam intelligitur qui tentat, non nisi diabo­lus; secundum hanc verò tentat Deus. tempted of the Lord, but sinneth of his own concupiscence. If this be so indeed, then surelie there was no cause in God, either in his will, or in his knowledge or decree that man should fall, neither is there any fault thereof in iustice, to be imputed vnto him. In whom then is the fault, but in man that sinned, and in Satan that prouoked him to sin? True it is, the Lord foreknew it, and therefore it was certaine or necessarie that man should sin, in regard of the knowledge of the Lord; for so is it of a Spar­row that falleth to the earth, and nothing is by chanceNazianz de Theo­log. Hom. 2. Deus non casus, omnia quaecun (que) sunt, creauit, ordi­nauit, & conseruat. Chrysost. Hom. 16. in Roman. Nihil enim simpliciter aut fortuito facit Deus, etiamsi sapientia ipsius arcanum ignores. Lactant. lib. 3. cap. 29. Stultitia, & error, & cacitas, & ig­noratio rerum & causarum, naturae ac fortunae nomina induxit. August. in Psal. 148. Nam qui fe­cit angelum in coelo, ipse fecit in terra vermiculum, &c. Etiam vilissimas & abiectissimas mundi par­ticula [...] diuina prouidentia regi, d [...]cet Christus. Matth. 6.25.26. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 5. cap. 21. or at aduenture in respect thereof. But this knowledge is in no sortFulgent. Ad Mon. de Praed. lib. 1 cap. 23. Proinde fidelibus congruit credere & fateri, Deum bo­num & iustum, praescisse quidem peccaturos homines, quia nihil eum latere potuit futurorum (ne­que enim vel futura essent, si in eius praescientia non fuissent) non tamen praedestinasse quem­libes hominem ad peccatum. Idem. cap. 13. Posset autem peccatum aliquod, ex praedestination [...] Dei esse, si posset aliqui [...] hominum iustè peccare. Nullus autem hominum iustè peccat, quamnis eum iustè Deus peccare permittat, Iustè enim daseritur à Deo qui deserit Deum. the cause of euill things, [Page 109] so farre as they are wicked or vnrighteous. True it is also, that whatsoeuer the Lord doth foreknow will come to passe,August. de Trinit. lib. 6. cap. 10. Non e­nim haec qua creata sunt, ideo sciuntur à Deo, quia facta sunt: ac non potias ideo fa­cta sunt vel mutabi­lia, quia immutabili­ter à Deo sciuntur. Idem lib. 15. cap. 13. Non quia sunt ideo nouit, sed ideo sunt quia nouit: non enim nesciuit quae fueras creaturus: quia ergo sciuit creauit, nō quia creauit sciuit. Nec a­liter ea sciuit creata quàm creanda, &c. the same he doth decree shall come to passe, and therefore they come to passe, because he knoweth them, and therefore hee foreknoweth them, because he doth decree them. But he decree­eth of diuers thingsDicitur decretū vel efficax vel permissiuū. in diuers sorts. Things that are good he decreeth effectuallie to come to passe: and thatDecretū efficax, vel immediatè vel me­diatè, hoc est, vel per primaria vel secun­daria principia opera­tur. either by the first or second causes. In the first cause, was his effectuall decree of the creation of the world, of Angels, of men, by force whereof, they were created. Of the second causes, are the dis­position of naturall things, and the righteousnes of holie things. As forasmuch as by his decree he hath set an order in the creatures (which order or course of things is called nature) therefore naturall things doe come to passe by the course of nature, as the fire burneth, and the Sunne continueth in his course, except where the Lord hath decreed, by the first cause (which is himselfe) to let the second: as thus, he2. King. 20.9.11. brought backe the Sunne by ten degrees, andDan, 3.27. stayed the violence of the firie ouen, and other miracles which haue beene done, by theMatth. 8. &c. Sonne, or in theMat. 7.22. Act. 3. name of the Sonne of God. Also the righteousnes of holie things: as he made them righ­teous by the first cause, so he decreed them to conti­nue righteous by the second cause, that is to say, by dependingAugust. de ciu. Dei lib. 12. cap. 6. Proin­de ea verissima causa heatitudinis angelorū honorū reperitur, quia ei adhaerent qui sum­mè est. Scilicet & ho­minum. vpon, and cleauing vnto the fountaine of holines, which is himself. Things that areExod. 9.16.2. Sam. 24.1. 1. King. 12.24. August. Enchirid. cap. 95. Et non fit aliquid nisi omnipotens fieri ve­lit, vel sinendo vt fiat, vel ipse faciendo. Nec dubitandum est, Deum facere benè, etiam sinendo fier [...] quaecun (que) fiunt malò. Non enim haec, nisi iusto iudicio Dei sinit, & profectò bonum est omne quod iustum est. euill he willeth or decreeth also: not to doe, or cause [Page 110] to them to be don, neither to allow thē, or wil them to be done, but to permit or suffer thē to be: (which notwithstanding, so farre as they are actions, he may be said to doe them: so farre as they are pu­nishments, to will them: but so farre as they are euill of guiltines, they proceed from the defect of the creature, and God onelie willeth to permit them) and thereforeOrigen in epist. ad Rom. cap. 8. lib. 7. Non propterea aliquid (sci­licet malum) erit, quia id scit Deus f [...]turum, sed quia f [...]turum est, ideo scitur à Deo an­tequam fiat. August. in Euang. Iohn. tract. 53. Deus futurorum praescius per prophetā praedixit infidelitatem Iudaeo­rum, sed non fecit: ne­que praescisset mala eorum, nisi ea habe­rent. Non autem ideo quenquam ad peccan­dum cogit, quia futu­ra hominum peccata praenouit, illorum e­nim praesciuit peccata, non sua. Damascen. Orthodox. lib. 2. cap. 30. they are certaine vnto him, because he doth decree to suffer them: & therfore they be­long not vnto him, because hee doth neither doe them, nor allow them. This foreknowledge there­fore of the Lord, of the fall of the Angels, or the sin of Adam, was no more the cause of the fall of them, then the foreknowledge of a wise Phisition, is the cause of the daunger of his patient: for as the dis­ease is the cause of the sickemans death, so the free­dome of election, or will in Adam Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 14. Sed scire pos­sit, quod lapsus ille ex desidia fuerit. ioyned with his negligence, was the cause of the sinne of Adam, and the freedome of election in the Angels, when theyAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 12. c. 6. Cum causa miseriae malorum an­gelorum queritur, ea merito occurrit, quod ab illo qui summè est auerfi, ad scipsos conuersi sunt, qui non summè sunt. chose a separation from the state wherein they were, was the cause of the ruine of them. But the Lord had giuen themTertul. contr. Mar­cion lib. 2. Probat ab imagine Dei, & à lege data homini. Non enim inquit poneretur lex ei, qui non haberet obsequium debitum legi, in sua potestate: nec rursus comminatio mortis transgressioni ascri­beretur, si non & contemptus legis in arbitrij libertate homini deputaretur. grace, wherein they might stand, & gifts aboundant, whereby as it were to maintaine their standing. And hee gaue it them with freenes of will, thatAugust. Enchirid. cap. 30. Liberaliter enim seruit, qui sut Domini voluntatem liberaliter facit. they might stand of their owne accordColoss. 1.17. in him. But why (will one say) did he giue them free will, seeing hee knew before, that they would fall away, and not rather immutabilitie of will, that they could not fall? The same might [Page 111] aske, why he made thē not Iehoua, to whomMalac. 3.6. Iames 1.17. only it belongeth to be immutable. For the goodnes of the Lord is in himselfe, wherby he cannot but be good for euer, because his goodnes is in himselfe: but the goodnes of the creature is in the Lord, because hee consistethColoss. 1.17. Iren. lib. 4. c. 75. Per­fectus enim est infe­ctus, hic autē est Deus. Oportuerat autem ho­minem, & factum au­geri, & auctum cor­roborari, & corrobo­ratum multiplicari, & multiplicatum cō ­ualescere, conualescē ­tem verò glorificari, & glorificatum vide­re suum Dominum. Respondet obiect. c. 72 Sed oportibat inquit eum neque angelos ta­les fecisse vt possent transgredi, neque ho­mines, &c. in the Lord, & therefore can be good no longer, thē he doth continue with the Lord. Again, itTertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Vt ita demum bonus consisteret ho­mo, si secundum insti­tutionem quidem, sed ex voluntate iam bo­nus inueniretur, quasi de proprietate natura. Basil. Hom. quod Deuo non author mali. Ita (que) nec Deo gratum est quod coactum est, sed quod ex virtute rectè geritur; virtus autem ex voluntate fit non ex necessitate. was for the good of the creature, to haue libertie of electiō in it self, to the end that for chusing good, it might receiue a2. Tim. 4.8. Theodoret quaest. in Gen. 36. crowne, and might be known to loue the Lord freely, for his goodnes sake. But the Lord foreknew, yt thorough freedome they would fal? True: but he gaue them gifts according to their seuerall kinds, so much as creatures could containe, that they might not fall, which gifts were sufficiēt to haue let them frō the fall: with freedome of choice, that they might choose also not to fal. But he might haue preserued man from fal, & likewise the angels, and therfore (some wil think) he ought to haue pre­serued them from falling. In deed hee was ableAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 10. Sed posset inquit etiam ipsorum voluntatem in bonum cōuertere, quoniam omnipo­tens est? potuit planè. Cur ergo non fecitè quia noluit, qua [...]e autem no [...]uit penes ipsum est. to haue let the fall of mā, but he might iustly also suffer them to fall, which would of their owne accord abuse his endles mercy. Neither was he bound with dutie, or with iustice to let the fall: forMat. 20.15 Rom. 4.4.5. hee oweth dutie vnto none, which giueth vnto euerie creature that they haue: neither was itTertul. lib. 2. in Marcion. Necessarium homini liberim arbitrium: ne totius mundi possidens homo, non in prim sui possessione regnares, aliorum Domin [...]s sui famulus. Quare si Deus à li­bertute semel comcessa homini secederes, id est contineres in ipso, quo minus homo male libertate sua frui aggressus, in periculum laheretur: siue colubrum à congressu foeminae arceret: nonne exclamaret Marcion: ô Dominum futilem, instabilem, infidelem, rescindentem quae instituit? Cur permiscrit li­berum arbitrium, si intercedit? &c. meet that he should [Page 112] haueFulgent. de praedest. cap. 13. Iustè deseritur it deo, qui deserit Deū. Et quia homo deserens Deum, peccate deserens pe [...]atorem Deus iusti­tiam seruat. Quid au­tem magis iustū, quàm vt ille, qui desiderio peccandi iam peccat, pro eo quod desiderans peccare, ipse sibi noxi­us efficitur, semetip­sum peccato suo laede­re permittat? hindred it; forasmuch as he was ableRom. 9.22.23. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 4. Etiam sic ostenderet animae superbae ad eruditionē futurorum sanctorū, quàm rectè ipse vte­retur animarum vo­luntatibus etiam ma­lis, cum illae peruersè vterentur naturis bo­nis. of the fall, to raise more goodnesse by the power of his goodnesse, then Sathan or man could procure euill, through their maliciousnes or negligence. Where­fore those men commit infamous blasphemie, which teach, either that the Lord did not foreknow the fall of man: or if hee knew it, that hee did not iustlie suffer it: or seeing he suffered it, that hee was in any sort the cause thereof. The Lord therefore certainelie foreknew the fall of man, and most iust­lie did decree to suffer it for manie causes; some hid­denAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 4. Si ergo quaeritur. &c. Alii­tudinem quidem con­silij eius p [...]netrare nō possum, & longè su­pra vires meas hoc es­se confiteor: sed tamen quantum vel donat sapere, &c. in the secret of his wisedome, some manifest and plaine for men to see. As namelie, to shew him­selfe to be of power,August. ibid. & de ciuit, Dei, lib. 22. cap. 1. Potentius & melius esse iudicans, etiam de malis benefacere, quàm mala esse non sinere. to turne that which was e­uill into goodnes. Secondlie, that all those thatPsal. 73.27. Ionas 2.8. August. de Gen. 11. cap. 5. Hinc maximè commendatur, quale bonum sit Deus, cum nulli ab eo recedenti bene est. de­part from God, doe fall into destruction. Thirdlie, that thePsal. 18.32.33. Act. 17.28. strength of a creature is in the Lord, so that none is1. Sam. 2.9. Psal. 33.16. strong in his owne might. Fourthly, that hee might takePsal. 9.16. Chrysost. in oper. imperf. Hom. 5. Dixit enim apud se: tria hec retia haebeo extensa, super omnem mundum, vt quisquis euase­rit de retibus gule, incurrat in retia vanae gloriae, & qui euaserit de retibus vane gloriae, incidat in re­tia auaritiae. De his tribus retibus, nullus hominum ad perfectum euasit. Iren. lib. 5. Quoniam autem initio homini suasit transgredi praeceptum conditoris, & ideo eum habuit in sua potestate, potestas au­tem eius est transgressio & apostasia, & his colligauit hominem: per hominem, ipsum iterum oporte­bat victum eum contrariò colligari ijsdem vinculis quibus alligauit hominem, vt homo solutus reuer­tatur, &c. his enimies in the snares that they had set, and Sathan who maliciouslie desired to obscure his glorie, might in his owne craftinesse be confounded. Hee tempted Adam being full to eating, being in the glorie of the image of God, to be as God, and get the victorie: the same temp­tedMatth. 4.3. Iesus, the Sonne of Marie, being hungrie [Page 113] vnto1. Cor. 2.8. Quem nemo principum se­culi huius cognouit. Chrysostom. Hom. in Matth. 13. Diabolus cum audisset venien­tem de coelo vocem, deinsuper Ioannem te­stimonium illi tam in­signe perhibentem, ac demum esuriētem vi­dit, magno teneri coe­pit ambiguo; nam ne­que hominem illū esse nudum credere pote­rat, propter ea quae diuina vox de coelo protulerat, nec rursus istud recipere quod fi­lius esset Dei, quem e­surlentem videbat. eating, & wasIren. lib. 5. Quoniā in principio per escā, non esurientem homi­nem seduxit trans­gredi praeceptum Dei, in fine esurientem non potuit dissuadere eam qua à Deo esset sustinere escam. Elatio ita (que) sensus qua fuit in serpente, dissoluta est per eam, qua fuit in homine humilitas. repulsed: and again, vnto the glorie of the world, the same who wasIsai. 53.3. Ioh. 1.11. despised of the world, and yet in no wise could obtaine his purpose. Moreouer, he that triumphed for leading Adam into sinne, who beingGen. 1.27. Eccles. 7.31. voide of sinne, had power in will and wisedome to haue auoided euill, was himselfe in the triumphHose. 13.14. Ephes. 4.7. taken captiue, his1. Ioh. 3.8. wiles dispersed, his works dissolued, and theyPsal. 68.12. of the familie, who werePsal. 51. All the faithfull. borne in sin, andEphes. 2.3. Rom. 3.23. subiect by nature vnto wrath, were ableReuel. 7.14. & 12.11. by the might of him that ouercame, to resist his power and subtiltie, and toIos. 10.24. set their feet in the necke of his furie, and malitiousnes. Thus the Lord getteth him honourExod. 14.17. of all his enimies, who wilfullie seeke to subuert or to obscure his glorie. This is the end of all them thatPsal. 68.2. & 79.9.10. striue against the Lord, they must glorifie God in their own confusion. As for me, it is Psal. 73.28. good for me to draw neere vnto God: for those that Psal. 37.4. delight themselues in him, the Lord will giue them their hearts de­sire.

Question 3. verse 17. How it could be that the woman hauing such excellent gifts by creation, could so easilie be seduced?

PArtlie through the policie and craftines of so wilie an enimie: and partlie by laying her selfe open vnto his assaults. His crafti­nes [Page 114] appeareth, in thatAmbros. lib. de Pa­radis. c. 12. Ita (que) ma­chinatus est, vt nō pri­mò Adam adoriretur, sed Adam per mulie­rē circumscribere co­naretur. Et addit, A­damum à Deo, mulie­rem ab Adamo didi­cisse mandatum. he incountreth with her, in the absence of her husband: in that hee doth it by a creatureAugust. quaest. vet. Test. q. 31. Admiscē [...] enim se serpenti, egit per illum quasi per or­ganum, vt nec mulier occulti diaboli intelli­geret dolū, sciens pru­dent [...]m esse serpen­ [...]em. subiected to her, that thereby she might suspect none euill: in that hee doth not at the first presume to teach, butCyprian. de zelo & liu [...]re lib. Diabolus in pace subdolus, in per­secutione violentus. Eundem igitur odisse maximè oportet blan­dientē: tunc (que) maxi­mè auersari, eum ma­t [...]ra promittit. Chry­sost. Hom. in Mat. 13. as one desirous of her wel­fare, asketh as it were of her estate. And lastlie, ha­uing conceiued hope of victorie, by the proporti­on of her answere; trieth her with theBecause that by her answere she af­ter a sort shewed some vnstedfastnes of mind; which vn­stedfastnes was apt to be kindled with hope, and especially with hope of supremacie or deitie, whereof the Hea­then man had experience: Si violandum est ius, regnandi gratia violandum est. Cic. offic. lib. 3. Eurip. strongest and aptest temptation, that could be shaped vnto the same. On the other part, the woman (although shee shew her holinesse, by defence of the truth of God) yet withall shee sheweth weakenesse: first, such as might be without sinne, and yet the oc­casion of sinne. Secondlie, such as being partlie e­uill, were by theAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 30. Ideo interrogat serpens, vt pranaricatio esset inexcu­sabilis, vt non ex obliuione, sed cum memoria retinetur praeceptum, & tanquam in illo Deus assistens praesens (que) contemnitur. enimie forced vnto farther euill. For first, being content to admit his conference, whether ofCyrill. in Iulian. lib. 3. Mulier existimabat fortasse, & alijs animantibus da­tum esse humana voce loqui. simplicitie orTanquam ex re noua, cuius causa non satis perspecta. admiration, both whichMat. 24.36. 1. Tim. 3.16. 1. Pet. 1.12. may be in a creature voide of sinne, yet thereby she was intangled by his speech. Second­lie, in notChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Debuerat mulier ex ipso aggressu eminentem coniectare malitiam, quod vltrò non vera diceret, id (que) quasi curam illorum gerens. taking heed vnto the purpose of him that spake (although shee knew no cause to mistrust a mischiefe) in which her wisedome would haue found deceit. Thirdlie, in declaring vnto Sathan, the summe of the Commaundement, wherein as it wereChrysost. ibid. Ve­rum quia non scipsam attendebat, non solum non est illum auersata, sed omne mandatum illi detexit, & margaritas p [...]rcis obiecit, impletur (que) quod à Christo dictum est, Matth. 7. she cast a pearle before a swine, and gaue occa­sion to Sathan to blaspheme. Fourthlie, in adding [Page 115] to theAmbros. lib. de Pa­radiso. cap. 12. In mā ­dato quidem nullum est vitium, sed in re­latione mandati: ete­nim quantum pra­sens lectio docet, disci­mus nihil vel cautio­nis gratia iungere nos debere praecepto. Si quid enim vel addas, vel detraha [...], praeua­ricatio videtur esse praecepti. Commaundement (which doubtlesse she did, with purpose to inlarge the fault, not to shew dislike of the hardnes of the precept) ye shall not touch it. Whereby we see how dangerous a thing it is, for any intent,Deu. 12.32. Prou. 30.6. Reuel. 22.18. to adde vnto the word of God. God said, yee shall not eate of it: the woman added, neyther shall yee touch it: whereby Sathan tooke encourage­ment to answere, yee shall eate and be as Gods. Fiftlie,Deut. 29.19. & 4.2 in extenuating the daunger; which was to take a­way from the word of God (albeit shee meant to shew the graciousnes of God in giuing warning.) For God had said: yee shall die the death, the woman expresseth not the certaintie of punishment, but saith, least yee die: whereupon the SerpentBernard. Sermon. de quadrup. debito. Deus affirmat, mulier dubi­tat, serpen [...] negat. Etsi aliquando vox He­braea [...]o pen, est prae­cauentis non dubitan­tis, vt Malac. 4.6. found occasion to denie: yee shall not die at all. By whose wofull example we are warnedEphes. 4.27. to giue no occa­sion to the aduersarie. Secondlie, to resistIames 4.7. in the beginning of temptation: and most earnestlie toDeut. 4.2. 1. Tim. 5.14. Basil. in moral. Sum. 70. cap. 36. Quod ergo omnes in omni n [...]gotio seruare eportet sin­ceritatem [...]erborum Domini. labour to keepe pure the worship & word of God, and not to mingle it with mans writings, traditions, or inuentions.

Question 4. verse 6. Wherefore it is said: the woman saw the tree that it was good for meat?

BEcause wee might vnderstand, that this a­ctual transgression of eating the fruit, wasTertul. lib. in Mar­cion. 2. Deliquit homo per liberum arbitriū, à Deo quidem ratio­naliter attributum, ab homine verò qua voluit agitatum. Li­bertas enim arbitrij, non ei culpam suam respuit à quo data est, sed à quo non vt de­buit administrata est. a wilfull trespasse, neither done ofChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 14. Non per ig­norātiam peccasse sed ex desidia. Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Non per infir­mitatem, si [...]uti nec per ignorantiam. ne quid authori (scil. ho­minis) imputaretur. ig­norance, norBernard. Serm. de duplici Baptism. Ser­pens ô Eua decepit te: decepit profecto, non impulit aut coegit, &c. quis verò illum admisis nisi propria voluntas? constraint. Secondlie, that it consisted of manie branches: for sinne is so fruit­fullIam. 2.10. August. epist. 29. Qui offendit in vno reus est omnium, faciendo contra eam in qua pendens omnia: scil. charitatem. and so sociable, that it will neuer goe alone, nor be alone. Whereof the first that appeareth wasChrysost. lib. 1. de prouident. Deus illi omnia largitus est, cum tamen ab eo nulla ante rectè facta manauissent. Quid autem ille? post tanta, tam (que) singularia beneficia, fideliorem pa­rente ac conditore suo inimicum arbitratus est, spreto (que) mandato conditori [...] fallaciam illius pratulit. Basil. Hom. quod Deus non author mali. vnthankefulnesse to God. The Lord requireth a­boue all things a thankefull mindeDeut. 10.12. Psal. 50.15. for his bene­fits receiued, and1. Sam. 15.22. obedience to his word, which is the exercise thereof. For which respect vnto A­dam he enioyned obedience, in abstaining from the fruit, which if he had zelously performed, he had re­proued his wife, for her transgression, and not obey­ed her voice; as she likewise hadAuthor op. imperfect. in Matth. inter op. Chrysost. Hom. 5. Discamus quidem iniurias illatas ab impijs, siue in dicto, siue in facto magnanimiter sustinere; Dei autem iniurias, nec vs (que) ad auditum sufferre. chastised the Ser­pent, at the first sound of his rebellious words, set­ting before their eyes,Psal. 116.12.13. Gen. 39.8. the fulnes of Gods mercie and liberalitie bestowed alreadie on them. This vn­thankfulnes [Page 117] in them2. Chron. 33.25. brought forthDeut. 8.14. 2. Chron. 36.16. Act. 12. August. Dialog. ad Orosi. quaest. 4. Sed ill [...] inobediens mandato Dei, atque elatus su­perbia, suasioni ser­pentis obediens, Dei praecepta contempsit. pride, in that they did not giue the glorie vnto God, but thought their excellencies were worthie of all the gifts they had, and more also, if they could attaine vnto them. Pride was theAugust. de ciu. Dei lib. 14. cap. 13. Quid autem est superbia, nisi peruerse celsitu­dinis appetitus? mother of ambition, whereby they sought to be aduanced aboue their calling and estate. All these were sinnes against the first commandement. From these did springRom. 1.21.23. neg­lect of Gods true worship;Prosper. lib. ad ex­cepta, Gen. Nisi fidem primam amisisset, cae­teris bonis omnibus non careret. Bernard. Sermon. de quadrup. debit. Quod Deus pro certo posuc­rat, ista sub dubio sup­ponit. Et non credens, posse inde se mori, arbitror quod putauerat Deum alicuius significationis causa dixisse, si man­ducaueritis morte me­riemini. August. Gen. lib. 11. cap. 30. infidelitie, in mistru­sting of his goodnes, in doubting of his threatning; contempt of the word of God;Tertul. aduers. Ia­daeos. In hac lege Adae data, omnia praecepta condita recognoscimus. violating there­by the whole worship of God inioyned them. From hence againe arose the abusing of the crea­tures,The name of God is put, and taken sometime for God himselfe, and the titles of his name, as Exod. 34.5.6. 1. King. 5.5. Malac. 1.14. for his properties, Psal. 25.11.7. & 54.1. his workes, Psal. 66.4. & 86 9. & 9.16. his Gospell, Act. 9.15. Psal. 22.22. August. Serm. de temp. 95. Nomen autem Dei veritas. wherein the name of God, his glorie, his power, his iustice, and his mercie was abused: which is the breach of the third Commaundement. To these were added Gluttonie,Am­bros. Serm. 37. Arbitror ita (que) causam hanc esse ieiunij (scilicet Christi) vt quia primus Adam, per in­temperantiam gulae gloriam immortalitatis amisisset, eandem secundus Adam Christus, per absti­nentiam repararet. when the woman lusted after it for the pleasantnesse thereof.Bernard. Serm. de annun. 1. Et misericordiam cum sic exarsit, perdidit Eua in concupiscentia sua, vt nec sibi, nec viro, nec filijs parceret nascituris; simul omnes terribili maledicto. & necessitati mortis addicens. Crudelis mater. &c. Mur­ther in not waying the daunger of her own life, nor the life of her posteritie.Exod. 13.12. Leuit. 5.15. compared with Gen. 2.16.17. Theft or Sacriledge, in taking that which was peculiar to God. False witnes, inPsal. 15.3. giuing credit vnto lies. All these are gathered by the manifest words of Scripture: shee heard the Serpent, she said vnto the Serpent, she saw the tree, she took the fruit, she eate thereof: and lastlie,Ephes. 5.22.23. Matth. 18.7. Rom. 14.13. shee brake the dutie of the fift Commaundement, or rather [Page 118] doubled her transgression, shee gaue vnto her hus­band with her, and hee did eate. Herein wee may ob­serue: First, that the outwardAmbros. de Paradi­so cap. 13. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 30. Quo­modo verbis serpentis crederet mulier, à bo­nae atque vtili re di­uinitus se fuisse pro­hibitos, nisi iam ines­set menti amor ille propriae potestatis, & quaedam de se superba praesumptio, &c. taking of the apple was not the entrance into sinne; but theMatth. 5.28. Chrysost. lib. de Pro­uident. 1. Luther. in Gen. 3. Hoc egit Satan, vt per suū dicere, abduceret He­uam ab eo quod Deus dixerat, ac sublato verbo, optimam corri­pit voluntatem, &c. corripit & intellectū, vt dubitaret de vo­luntate Dei: Ex his sequitur postea, rebel­lis manus; deinde os & dentes rebelles, in summa omnia mala sequūtur infidelitatem. inward concupiscence of the heart, byGregor. Moral. lib. 21. cap. 2. Ʋt munda mens in cogitatione seruetur, à lasciuia voluptatis suae deprimendi sunt occuli, quaesi quidam raptores ad culpam. Ne (que) enim Eua lignum vetitum contigisset, nisi hoc prius incantè conspiceres. Bernard. de Grad. Hum. 1. Quid spectare iibet, quod manducare non licet? ocu­los inquit tendo non manum, &c. Etsi haec culpa non est, culpae tamen indicium est. which she saw the fruite. Secondlie,August. En­chirid. cap. 45. Quamuis & in illo peccato vno, quod per vnum hominem intrauit in mundum, &c. possunt. intelligi plura peccata, si vnum ipsum in sua quasi membra diuidantur singula. that manie trespas­ses doe runne together in one actuall sinne, ac­cording to the wickedProu. 24.9. & 1.18.19. disposition of the minde, and theRom. 14.14.15. circumstances of the fact committed. Thirdlie, that our sinnesProu. 14.9. Ioh. 16.8. 1. King. 16.31. Pezel. lib. de laps. pri­mor. Hom. In omni delicto inest contemptus & violatio infiniti boni, digna infinita pana. are much more hai­nous, then they seeme vnto vs, and to be estee­med byIere. 12.14. Reuel 2.23. the punishment that God doth threa­ten and lay vpon them. It is true in deede, that this one actuall sinne of Adam, if wee consider theAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 15. Quia ergo contemptus est Deus iubens, qui ho­minem creauerat, qui ad suam imaginem, &c. greatnes of the disobedience, the powerAugust. ibid. In Paradiso enim, etiamsi non omnia poterat ante peccatum, quicquid tum non poterat non volebat, & ideo poterat omnia quae volebat. Nunc verò homo vanitati similis factus. hee had to haue resisted, and theRom. 1.18.28.31. For as his know­ledge was greater, so his sinne was greater in oppressing that knowledge. light of knowledge which hee extinguished, was the greatest sinne that euer was committed. But againe, if wee consi­der the greatnes of hisOmnis generis fraudis Satanica, in praestantissimo instrumento. temptation, the malice of the wicked, and their continuance in sinne, wee shall finde that theMatth. 27.24.25.41. & 28.12.13. Acts. 4.16. hatred of the Iewes, and [Page 119] ofRuffin. Histor. lib. 1. cap. 32.33. Socrat. lib. 3. c. 9. &c. Sozomen. lib. 6. c. 1. 2. Qui Christum, fabri filium; Christianos, Galilaeos scommate dictitabat. Qui cum lethaliter saucius es­set, sanguinem è vul­nere expressum in aē ­rem proiecit, & ve­lut Christum intui­tus, eum sua necia insimulauit; vicisti inquit Galliae, vi­cisti. Iulian against our Sauiour Christ, the blas­phemous wordes and workes ofIoh. 13.27.30. Matth. 26.14. & 27.45. Act. 1.18. Quod Pererius pri­mo tomo in Gen. libr. 6. falsissimè de Luthero pronunciauit, id ipsum in Romanum pontificem verissimè retorqueo, lis sit sub iudice verbo Dei. Iudas, of the Bishops of Rome, of Arrius and other Heretikes which haue resisted the knowne truth, the hardnes of heart of obstinate sinners,2. Thess. 2.3.4.8. &c. Chrysost. Homil. in 1. Cor. 9. Verum grauius hoc est, quod non in Paradiso, sed inter innumeras praesentis vita cal [...] ­mitates in peccata incidis, quemadmodum siquis vinctus perstat in malitia, nec ipsa miseria fiat continentior. Tibi autem Paradiso maiora promittuntur, quae neque adhuc dedit, ne certami­num tempore te emollirent, nec tamen tacuit, ne in laboribus deficeres. Et ille quidem vno pec­cato omnino mortem attraxit, nos autem quotidie innumera scelera committimus. Quod si ille vno duntexat peccato tantum mali & mortem induxit: quidnam perpeti nos oportet, &c. Gra­uis sanc oratio, & quae auditoris animum percellat; hoc enim ex meipso intelligo: contremisco enim & timore dissoluor: sed necessaria, ne in Gehennam incidamus. which neither for punishments, nor promises of mercie will re­pent, to bee yet more grieuous before the Lord. Now our sinnes (as saith theZachar. 5.8. Malac. 3.16. Reuel. 20.12. Scripture) are recor­ded in a booke; doubtles not after the measure that we account them, but as they are in deed: and albe­it we know not thePsalm. 19.12. number or the greatnesse of them, yetIud. vers. 14. Reuel. 22.12. a day of reckoning shall shortlie come, as it did to Adam, in which the iustice of God shall be declared according to the measure and multi­tude of sinnes, vpon those that finde not pardon by Iesus Christ.

Question 5. verse 6. Whether Adam did eat of his own accord, or were prouoked, & whether his trans­gression were not as great as that of Heua: whereof the Scripture saith no more but, she gaue vnto her husband with her, and he did eate?

IT is manifest hereby that the Scripture ap­plieth it selfe in a sortTheodoret. quaest. 1. in Gen. Scriptura sa­cra docendi rationem metiri consueuit ex discipulis: ac perfectis perfecta proponere, ru­dioribus autem ele­menta. Cum ergo con­spicuam creaturam, Deum constituerent Aegyptij, quibuscum Israel diutissimè con­uersatus impietatem hanc imbiberat: ne­cessariò quae de crea­tura scire expediat il­lis proponit. vnto the rudenesse of the Iewes, to whom it was first directed: deliuering onelie the truth of the Historie, in man­ner as was meetest for their capacitie: and although pretermitting nothing that was necessarie, yet lea­ueth the DoctrineLuther. in Gen. c. 3. Respondeo illa sic in­uoluta esse, vt omnia reseruarentur Christo & eius spiritui. &c. Hic spiritus Christi quia in prophetis fuit, intellexerunt prophe­tae sanctitalia scripturae mysteria. to be afterward expounded by the Prophets, and to be reuealed by the Sonne of righteousnes. For this cause hee neither reporteth the creationTheodoret. in Gen. quaest. 2. Quia si tam facile sibi Deos sinxerunt è iumentorum simula [...]ris, quid nō perpetraturi fuissent, inuisibilis naturae notitiam assecuti? or being of Angels (at least in the name of Angels)Gen. 16.7. vntill the Historie of Abraham: neither nameth Sathan the authour of this temp­tation, with the Serpent; neither reciteth how or by what meanes, Adam so noble a creature was wrapped in transgression. Neither yet is it pos­sible, that Adam so wise, and so farre indued with righteousnes, would commit such wickednes with­out horrible prouokement. For if Heua so far with­stood the subtill aduersarie, as that shee at the first [Page 121] refutedThe summe of the Serpents speech, is: Seeing the tree is in the Garden, it is likelie it is good for meate, wherefore God hath not for­bidden it, or not iustly forbidden it: the woman answe­reth, he hath for­bidden it, and iustly forbidden one, that gaue libertie of all the rest. his falshood, and would not suffer her selfe to be intangledHee seemeth to prouoke her to im­patiencie, for that which was forbiddē: but she denieth as it were the cause. We eate of the fruit of the trees of the garden. with his prouocation: and if Sa­than spent as it were the flower of his strength and wit on Heua, Vers. 1. Asking her to intrap her: as Mat. 22.17. August. de Gen. ad lit. 11. c. 30 The subtiltie was in this: the fruite was good by creation & by vse, but not for foode. offering her, as hee seemed, help and counsaile,As 1. King. 20. [...]3. she saith lest ye dye: he addeth: You are not sure to dye: nay rather you shall be as Gods. He saith not, you shall not surely dye, but you are not sure to dye; so weakening her faith by degrees. intangling her in her owne wordes,In his nature and in his purpose. couertlie keeping off himselfe from being spied, and notGod doth know, &c. accusing of falsehood and of enuie. Your eyes shall &c. you shall haue more perfect wisedome: as Gods, &c. wise, &c. like vnto God: that which hee hath not or would not finish in you in the creation of his image, shall thus be finished. daring flatlie to speake against the truth, vntill he had seasoned his words with promise and perswasion of so great promotion: what, shall we thinke that Adam eate for companie hee knew not what, or knowing it to be the same it was, would suffer himselfe without some notorious motiue, to be spoiled of his glorie and felicitie? It is not law­full to define hereof, that which the word of God doth not containe: neither to be wise in that, wher­in the spirit of God will haue vs ignorant: as what motiue did allure him, what wordes were vsed by Heua, what forme of seduction; saue that the word of God expresseth or includeth. As namelie that he was not seduced1. Tim. 2.14. 2. Cor. 11.3. by the Serpent, but that the wo­man was the instrument of his decay: but whether by intreatie, or by arguments,Vers. 17. sure it is, he obeyed her voice. Again, in that is said, she gaue vnto him: is included two principall engines of his ouerthrow; the first is the assault of faith, in that Heua, so farre as hee perceiued, remained safe after shee had eaten of the fruit, and died not as the Lord had threatned: the second was a grieuous onset vnto his obedi­ence; as whether hee should obey the Lord, who [Page 122] had denied before or his wife which now required, (perhaps with1. King. 21.25. arguments of perswasion) whom hee knew to be giuen of the Lord, as the fellow of his life, wise, holie, and perfect as himselfe. Not­withstanding his sinne, whether it werePet. Mart. in. 2. Sam. 12. Affirmat Adamū grautus peccasse. greater, orLombard. contr è as­serit mulierem. lib. 2. distinct. 12. not so great as was the womans, without doubt his fault was exceeding grieuous: the qualitie ofAmos 3.2. Luc. 12 48. his person,Tertul. lib. aduers. Iudaeos. August. Enchir. c. 45 Nam & superb [...]a est illic, & sacrilegium, & hom [...]cidiū, & for­nicatio spiritualis, & furtum, & auaritia, & siquid aliud. the confluence of sinne, the measure of his punishment doe argue it. For his person, he was first formed, made theAct. 17.26. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 1. Ad vni tatem concordem pa­cis vinculo colligandū, ex homine vno Deum voluisse omnes homi­ne [...] insti [...]uere. vniuersall father of the world, constituted1. Cor. 11.3. the womans head and gouer­nour. He was alluredVers. 17. H [...]eron. in Iou. lib. 1. Adā seduce­re serpens non potuit. by his wife, not by his supe­riour;Be [...]nard Sermon. de duplic. Baptism. Mu­lier tibi ó Adam de ligno dedit, sed offerendo vti (que) non violentiam inferendo. perswaded, not compelled to eate the fruit. Wherefore when hee reproued notDeut. 13.6.7 &c. Ioh. 2.10. Chry­sost. in Isai. Hom. 4. Quid igitur si non fuerit commoda? fac illam commodam. mala est: corrige eam. Idem in Ephes. Hom. 15. At non flagello neque timore duntaxat, sed blanditijs & beneficentia. Turpe quippe est v [...]ro, verberare mulierē. Si temulenta fuerit, abscinde temulentia causa [...], &c. his wife inti­cing him, he sinned diuersIn prim. se­cund. & quintum mandat. waies, and shewed vn­thankefulnes. In that he was moued by herAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 30. An fortè nec suaderi iam opus erat viro, quando illam eo cibo mortuam non esse cernebat. Fortasse tamen verbo suasorio, quod scrip­tura tatem intelligi reliquit. voice or reasons, or by the experience of her life prolon­ged, in infidelitie: when heeChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16 Sed fortè audiuisti a muliere, & spe etiam ipse inflatus [...]ibi statim particeps factu [...]es. wished or hoped for farther glorie by the fruite, in pride and ambition: when he consented to receiue it,Isai. 1.19.20.23. Bernard. de aduent. Dom. Sermon. 1. Reuera principes nostri Adam & V [...]a, principia propaginis nostrae, inobedientes & socij furum. in rebellion. And as the purpose of the tempter was, to deface in themLu­ther in Gen. 3. the whole image of God, and to solicite them to all manner of offences; so did they both transgresse, without respect, the law of God; leauing in them­selues the sparkes of no good thing,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 5. Diuinae misericordiae est, qua hominum generi concessit, vt vnicui (que) nostrum insitum sit indeprauabile indicium conscientiae. saue onelie a [Page 123] wounded conscience. The punishment which was imposed on them, was either personall or naturall. That which was personal, was it which was inflicted on themselues; which appeareth on Adam, not to be so grieuous, as on the woman. Naturall was it which was layd vpon Adam and the posteritie of Adam, partakers of his nature: which was, the de­priuation ofCyprian. lib. de bone patientiae. Sic perfe­ctos dixit (M [...]t 5.4 [...].) fieri Dei filios, sipatiē ­tia Dei patrit maneat in nobis, si similitudo diuina quam peccata Adā perdiderat, ma­nifestetur & luceat in actionibus nostri [...]. the image of God, ofEphes. 2.3. the fauour of God, originallRom. 5.12. corruption, andEphes. 2.2. Heb. 2.15. subiection vnto Sathan. And most iustlie did the Lord depriue, not onlie Adam, Fulgent. ad Monim. lib. 1. cap. 17. Per con­cupiscentiam malam qua concupiuit plus extra se, minus factus est in se: quam concu­piscentiam licet ex­plore nequiuerit ope­re, tamen retinuit vo­luntate. Caluin. in Gen. 3. v. 6. Quia totam humani generis naturam in vno homine ornauerat, ita in eodem ipsum nudauit. but Adams nature, that is, all mankind of those graces, which Adam in his nature had so shamefullie abused. Wherefore as the womansChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Esto igitur te ipsam in tantum praecipitium depuleris, & honore maximo priuaueris: qùare & vi­rum tanta ruinae socium facis, & euius te adiutricem esse oportebat, illius facta es insidiatrix. fault exceeded in prouoking him to sinne, so A­dams offence was multiplied inAu­gust. de ciuit. lib. 14. cap. 15. Et sicut obedientia secundi hominis eò praedicabilior, quia factus est obe­diens vs (que) ad mortem ita inobedientia primi hominis eò detestabilior quia factus est inobediens vs (que) ad mortem. defiling those gra­ces which he had receiued: In like sort the Lord in iustice more sharpely scourgeth the woman in herVid. quest. 11. sex and person, and the man in his childrenTo whom they are chiefly to be accounted as Rom. 5.12.13. &c. and succession. But the Apostle seemeth to excuse the man, and to extenuate his fault, when as hee saith:1. Tim. 2.14. the man was not deceiued, but the woman was deceiued, and was in transgression? The purpose of the Apostle is otherwise. HeeIbid. vers. 12. commaundeth the woman not to teach, he giueth this reason: becauseAmbros. in 1. Tim. 2. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Sed fortè audiuisti à mu [...]iere, &c. Hieron. in Iouin. lib. 1. Diabolus Adam seducere non poterat sed Euam, qua post offensam statim vn [...] subiecta est. the wo­man was vsed as the instrument of Sathan, to de­ceiue her husband by teaching: therefore hee saith, [Page 124] the man was not deceiued; that is, notEpiphan. Hares. 49. Et Adam non est de­ceptus sed Eua prima decepta in transgres­sione fuit. Caluin. in 1. Tim. 2. Beza. An. maior. ibid. Iun. Parallel. lib. 2. paral. 49. first deceiued: notHieron. in Iouin. lib. 1. Diabolus Adam se­ducere non potest sed Euam. Chrysostom. in 1. Tim. Hom. 9. Par auiē pro­fecto nō est, ab ea qua sibi generis societate iungeretur decipi, & à bestia quae seruituti homin. fuisset addicta. deceiued by the Serpent, but by the woman: notAmbros. de Paradis. cap. 12. Viro enim mu­lier, non mulieri vir author erroris est. Vn­de & Paulus, Adā in­quit non est deceptus. so deceiued, as that by teaching and perswa­ding, he caused his wife to be deceiued; but contra­riewise the woman him:Chrysostom. Hom. in 1. Tim. 9. Mulier do­cuit & cuncta per­uertit. idcirco vltrò non doceat. therefore more meet and safe, that the man should teach, and the woman learne in silence. And truelie seeing the man trans­gressed as did the woman, if he were not at al decei­ued, his sinne was not thereby diminished, but ra­ther encreased: for it draweth neere vnto the sinne of the euill Angels,August. quast. de vtro (que) testam. mix. q. 1. Nemo fidelium dubitet diabolum apostasia sua authorem non habere: ipse enim totius erroris est princeps. which sinned without pro­uokement, and to the sinMat. 12.32. Marc. 3.29. against the spirit, which shall not be forgiuen. But forasmuch as the Church of GodAugust. epist. 99. De illo primo homine patre generis humani quod eum ibidem soluerie, ecclesia ferè tota con­sentit. Tertul. lib. de poenitent. in calce. Chrysost. Hom. de interdict. Arboris. gaudens sancti omnes, quia redempti triumphant, quod & hostis perieris diabolus, & quod Adam qui perierat, diuina sit indulgentia restitutus. Gregor. epist. 31. ad Eulog. doth hold, and that forIren. lib. 3. c. 34. Cum autē saluatur homo, oportet saluari cum, qui prior formatus est homo, quoniā nimis irrationabile est, illum qui vehementer ab ini­mico lasus erat & prior captiuitatē passus est, dicere non eripi ab eo qui vicerit inimicum, ereptos verò filios eius, quo [...] in eadem captiuitate generauit. necessary cause, that Adam was saued by the death of Christ; it fol­loweth he sinnedTertul. lib. 2. in Marcion. Aut quis dubitabit ipsum illud Ada delictum haeresin appellare, &c. rudis admodum haereticus. Hilar. in Mat. can. 3. Diabolus enim Adam pellexerat, & in mortem fallendo traduxerat. of errour, not of malice:Leo Magn. Serm. de natiu. 4. Temerè & infeliciter credidit. rash­lie, & not aduisedlie: and that the Apostle meaneth: not deceiuedChrysost. in 1. Tim. Hom. 9. Ad comparationem igitur mulieris dicit illum non fuisse diceptum: illa quippe ab irrationali animante, decepta est; hic autem à libèra muliere. by comparing with his wife, but deceiuedAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 42. Ergo alio modo etiā ipse deceptus est, sed dolo illo serpentino quo mulier sedu­cta est; nullo modo illum arbitror petuisse seduci, in illo modo quo illa potuit. Hanc aui [...] proprie seductio­nem appellauit apostolus. in himselfe, and prouoked byBasil. quaest. contract. q. 46. Chrysost. August. Anselm. in 1. Tim. 2. & alij. his wife. So that the Apostles meaning is, neither to excuse the man of sinne, neither to accuse him [Page 125] of wilfull sinnnig; but onlie to shew by whose de­fault, he sinned: whereof more shall be spoken in his place.

Question 6. verse 7. What meaneth this which is said: the eyes of them both were opened?

HErein the Scripture vseth a metaphor, or speech translated from a member of the bodie, vnto a power or propertie of the soule. That which giueth light vnto the body is the eye: that which giueth light vnto the soule is vn­derstanding: of thisChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Non de sensi­bilibus occulis dicens, sed de sensu mentis, quia Deus eos sentira fecit, &c. Ambros. lib. de Paradiso ca. 13. Nam quomodo clau­sos occulos corporis ha­buit Adam, qui omnia animāliai [...] vidit, vt his & nomen impone­ret? Cui contradicunt tamen Rabbinorum nonnulli, & Ophitarū colluuies, Epiphan. Har. 37. Qui caecum hominem fuisse autu­mant sabrifactum: ita vt plane dicas, nihil tam absurdum, quod non dicatur ab aliquo Philosophorum. i. Haereticorum. Cic. Diuin. lib. 2. Et nullum tam impudens mendacium quod idem teste careat. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 22. eye of vnderstanding, the Scripture speaketh. God gaue vnto the tree, the nameGen. 2.9.17. Chrysost. Hom. 16. Non quod Homini scientiam dederit, sic vocatum est lignum, sed quia postea ex illo intrauit peccati cognitio. of the tree of knowledge of good and euil, and they by eating of the fruite, were indued with the knowledge of good and euill: yet was not their eyesight at allQuemadmodum Iosephus Philosophatur. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 2. Iamque se nudos esse sentiebant, & de tegumento sibi displicebant. Arbori enim acuminis & cogitandi vis merat. amended, but rather weakened by eating of the fruit. The soule of Adam and his wife must be considered, as they were of God by creati­on; or as they were altered by transgression. You know they were created in the imageGen. 1.27. & 2.7. of God. God is lightIoh. 8.12. 1. Ioh. 1.5. it selfe, &Psalm. 139.12 Ierm. 23.24. seeth al things: therefore man that was made after his similitude, was full and aboundant of light and wisdome, so long as he con­tinued in that light of God: but so soone as he had [Page 126] eaten of the fruit, heGen. 2.17. Comederunt & mor­tus sunt. died, according to the Pro­phesie God had told him, in the day thou eatest there­of, thou shalt die the death: his bodie died,Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. [...]8. Sententiam mortalitatis appella­uit mortem. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 32. Cor­pus corum amisso sta­tu mirabili, per quem nec morbo tentari, nec mutari aetate potuis­set, &c. duxit morbi­dam & mortiferam qualitatem. hauing lost that immortall and happie state it had, and was made partaker of mortalitie and miserie. The soule also died,Gregor. Epist. lib. 6. epist. 31. Nos Ad [...] a­nimā in peccato mor­tuam dicimus, non à substantia viuendi, sed à qualitate vi­uendi. Non est eius a­nima ita mortua vt non esset, sed ita mor­tua vt beata non esset. not in the substance (as neither did the bodie) but in qualitie thereof. The holines thereof, and also the blessednes, which is as it were the breth of life vnto the soule, departed, and left the soule of them, as it were a dead corps. Now by the eye, and vnderstanding of the soule, mustContra Ophitarum deliramentum. Epi­phan. Haeres. 37. At­tribuunt huic serpen­ti omnem cognitio­nem, dicentes quod hic fuit principium cog­nitionis hominis. also be vnder­stood, not as the soule liued in holines as it was crea­ted, for no holie knowledge could be added by the fruit; but the vnderstanding of the soule, as it was dead in sinne: the eye of the soule being dead, was opened, that is to say: the soule hauing vnderstan­ding, not holie but euill vnderstanding, by the ea­ting of the forbidden fruit, the same peruerse and e­uill vnderstanding, was opened or enlarged. This eye of euill vnderstanding is opened, by two saluesReuel. 3.18. 1. Ioh. 2 27. or ointments, as the Scripture speaketh; one is the eye salue of the spirit of grace, whereby a sinfull hart, & a blind vnderstanding in heauenly things, is taught heauēly & holy knowledge. Thus the eie or heartAct. 16.14. of Lydia was opened, and the vnderstanding of theLuk 24 45. Disciples: and this oyntment dothPsalm. 119.18. 1. Ioh. 2.27. teach the faithfull all holie knowledge of saluation, vnto life eternall. The other salue is as a biting corrosiue vnto the vnderstanding, and is calledIsa. 66.24. Rom. 2.15.16. Origen Hom 9. in Di­uersis. in Matth. 25. Vermis à pleris (que) conscientia accipitur peccatorum, qua torqueat in supplicijs constitutos. the worme of conscience; and is bred in the soule, that is dead in sinne. For as the moisture and warmth of the aire or earth doth breed in a carcasse lothsome sauours, [Page 127] and corruption: so the guiltines of sin engendreth1. Cor. 15.56. Hieron. in Isai. com­ment. cap. 14. Putredo, & tinea, & operi­mentum vermitim, vt poenae intelliguntur ae­ternae, quas propria gignit conscientia, vel suppliciorum materia, quae ex proprijs pecca­tis nascitur. Sicut e­nim quamdiu cadaue­ris materia est, &c. sting of conscience in an euill heart, which when it is opened, breedeth dangerous terrors and accu­sations in the same. Thus the eyes of them both were o­pened: the eyes of their vnderstanding corrupted by sinne; they were openedNazianzen. orat. 40. in Sanct. Baptism. Vnum illud lumen fu­giamus quod ex saeuo & acerbo igne nasci­tur. Iam verò igni [...] purgantis meminit scriptura, quē in ter­ras missurus venit Christus; est alter ig­nis non purgans, sed scelerum vindex & vltor. not as yet by grace, but by the feeling and feare of sinne. And herein espe­ciallie appeareth the subtiltie of Sathan, that as they admitted of his conferēce, receiued his arguments, were moued by them to rebell against the Lord, whereby they fell by little and little, from the sunne and bodie of light, which is the Lord, & were made thereby alsoMatth. 6.23. 1. Ioh. 2.9. darkenes in themselues; so he drew by little and littleThat Eua percei­ued not her owne fall, vntill shee had perswaded her hus­band, and hee had fallen with her: the like you shall reade, 1. Chron. 21.1. &c. 2. Sam. 24.10. 2. Chron. 13.14.15. Chrysost. Homil. in Gen. 16. Vidisti quomodo per verba, quasi per escam virtu suum immittit, &c. Quo sic fraudes suae praecedunt, vt supplantata muliere, propositum suum impleat; Illam diabo­lus cap. iuam duxit, & supplantauit eius rationem: nam quare ante diabolicum consilium, lig­ni pulcritudinem non vidit? Sed timebat mandatum Dei, & subsecuturum supplicium. a vaile vpon their hearts, whereby they perceiued not the fulnesse of light declining in them, nor the foulenes of darkenes approching, till they had performed his desire. But now hauing murthered their soules,August. Tractat. in Iohn 2. Si enim malo non consentires, stares, illuminatus maneres: modò autem quia iam cecidisti, & factus es sancius corde, vnde videri illa lux non potest, venit ad te talis qualem possis videre the reliques of life that quiuered in them, which was the conscience, hee setteth on fire, by letting thē behold their fact, that it neuerAs Gen. 4.14. Matth. 27.3.5. afterward might be exstinguished. This conscience was as it were a sparkeTertul. in Marcion. lib. 1. Animae e­nim à primordio conscientia Dei dos est. Caluin. Institut. lib. 4. cap. 10. sect. 3. of that internall light, that man had receiued by creation: which light, man so much as in him was, hauing wholie lost, the Lord did mercifullieChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Eandem obrem, misericors Deus principio cum formaret hominem, conscientiam illi indidit, accusatricem perpetuam, quae decipi, & imposturam ferret nunquam. preserue in him, to [Page 128] the end it might be as a spurre to moue man to im­brace that mercie, which the Lord in infinite com­passion was purposed to shew vpon him. Which spark of light, forasmuch as Sathā can by no meanes take away, he eitherHieron. in Naum. 3. Semper enim diaboli studium est, vigilan­tes animas consopire. August. de verbis Dom. 59. Nemo igi­tur sit solicitus, quod aliquid ei non dimit­tatur; Sed iterū nemo peruerse sit securus, ista enim duo occidunt animas, aut desperatio aut vana spes. hideth it, in the childrē of dis­obedience, raking it vp in the ashes of their sinnes; or else inflameth it to desperation, except the Lord doe giue the sinnerFulgent. lib. de prae­dest. cap. 7. Ille enim donat gratis indigno gratiam, qua iustifi­catus impius, illumi­net [...]r munere bonae voluntatis, & facul­tate bone operationis; vt praeueniente mise­ricordia bonum velle incipiat, & subsequē ­te misericordia, bo­num quod vult, face­re valeat. grace, to feele his mercie. By this, may be perceiued, how they saw that they were naked. They saw themselues in misery, whichBernard. Serm. 1. de anunc. Perdidit homo iustitiam, cum Eua serpentis, Adam mu­lieris voci obediuit, potius quā diu [...]nae: perdidit & misericordiam, priuaturest & Adam veritate, &c. Pacem quo (que) protinus amiserunt, quia non est pax impijs dicit Dominus. they could not see before, because they were who­lie void thereof: but their glorie was1. Sam. 4.12. departed, so that the same they could not see. As Hagars eies were opened toGen. 21.19. see the waters, and theLuc 24.31. eyes of Cleophas to know our Sauiour Christ, when as they conside­red duelie,Aug. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 31. Apertos vti (que) ad aliquid intuendum & cogitandum, quod antea nunquam aduerterant. that which before they did not marke: so the eyes of them both were opened, when as by the conscience of their fault, they markedChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Tales enim sunt machinationes ini­mici, vt postquam per deceptionem in sublime subduxerit, tandem in profundum per praecep [...] deijciat. to what purpose they were perswaded to eate the fruite: namelie, that they might incurre the wrath of God, and be spoiled of all their good of bodie and mind. They saw in themselues, in stead of that glorie, holi­nes, felicitie, wisedome, and peace of conscience, wherein before they stood; guiltines of sinne, hor­ror of punishment,August. de Gen. ad lit. 11. cap. 32. Idem de Nupt. & concupisc. lib. 1. cap. 5. Lutherus in Gen. 3. Quae autem potest esse ma [...]or corruptio, quam quod ituditas quae antea gloria fuit, nunc vertatur in summam turpitudinem? filthines and mortalitie of bo­die, torment ofTheodoret. quest. in Gen. 33. Ʋocauit igitur diuina scriptura sic sensum illum peccati: mox enim post admissum peccatum stimulatur conscientia. conscience, and death of soule. [Page 129] But as their eyes were opened to see euill in them­selues, so were they sealed vp frō seeing good. And as Cyril. in Iulian. lib. 3. Non sunt conditi cum ignoratione beni & mali, quippe ratio­nales erant: vbi au­tem corruptio intra­uit, non habuerant simplicem scientiam mali, sed per experi­entiam ipsam, in in­firmitate laborarunt. before they knew good by possession, and euill by opposition, as that which was contrarie thereun­to; so now know they euill by possession, and good, by that good which they had lost. Now Adam found himselfe Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Atque in tant [...]m poenitudinem venictis, vt & serus vester dolor futurus, & malignus hostis ri­surus, vobisque insul­taturus sit, vtpote ia­centibus, & eadem quae ipse possis. to be trecherouslie beguiled, Ambros. lib. de Pa­rad. cap. 14. Et hie quidem aperuit ocu­los, vt culpam suam videret. Magis enim postquam peccauimus nescio quo modo nostra delicta cognoscimus: & tunc peccatum in­telligimus, quod ante­quam peccaremus non putauimus esse peccatum. to haue vngraciouslie offended a most gracious God, to be spoiled of his goods of bodie and minde, to be worthie Gen. 2.27. Ambros. ibid. Deus autem omnium vides culpas, & omnia delicta cognos [...]it. Et homo post commissum aperuit oculos, vt culpam suam videret, &c. Hinc [...] & conscientia dicitur, qua & peccatum & iudicium cum ipso Deo ag­noscimus. Conscius enim cum alio scius est. Nou. Marcei. de propr. Serm. cap. 5. Caluin. Iustitus. lib. 3. cap. 19. Sect. 1 [...]. & lib. 4. cap. 10. Sect 3. of eternall punishment. Call againe his sinfull deedNam semelemissum volat irreuocabile verbum. Horat. lib. 1. epist. 18. Bernard, lib. 5. de consider. ad [...]ugen. Transierunt à manu non à mente. Quod factum est, infectum esse non potest. Proinde cisi facere in tempore fuit, sed fecisse in sempiternum manet. Non transibit cum tempore, quod tempora transit. In aeternum ergo necesse est crucies, quod perperam te egisse in aeternum memineris. hee could not: to haue accesse to God, he durst not: he knew him to be iust, hee had no promise of pardon, he knew not how God could pardon it and continue iust, nay rather hee thought he would not pardon it, because he was iust: to look Isa. 5.30. Gen. 32.10. Luc. 15.21. vnto the earth, he saw he was vnworthie to treade thereon; vnto the creatures, they could not, Iob. 5.23. nei­ther would they comfort him. Whither thē should Adam flie, but to hide himselfe, which well hee knew Vers. 8. Psal. 139.7. could not hide from God? The same con­dition shall be vnto the wicked at the iudgement. Their Zachar. 5.3. Reuel. 20.12. deedes shall be written: their Isas. 66.24. Rom. 2.15. Bernard. de consider. ad Eugen, lib. 5. Hic est vermis qui non moritur, memoria praeteritorum: semel iniectus vel potius innatus per peccatum, haesit firmiter nequaquam deinceps auellendus. Author quaestionum inter oper. Athanas q. 62. Dici­tur verò etiam conscientia aduersarius: Matth. 5.25. Luc. 12. Nam occulie in corde nostro redarguit, coercet à malo, Et si simus inobe lientes, tandem nos ad Dei tribunal sistit, vbi & panas dabimus tum inormium peccatorum, tum etiam leuium & minimorum. consciences [Page 130] shall accuse them: their sins irreuocable: their pu­nishment vnpardonable: Prou. 1.16. themselues inexcusa­ble: whether should they flie, but Reuel. 6.16. to the moun­taines and rockes to couer them? Although there­fore now, they sleepe with a stonie Ezec. 11.19. 1. Sam. 25.37.38. heart like Na­bal, hauing their eyes closed vp from the due regard of sinne, 1. Cor. 4.5. Matth. 10.26. yet when their eyes shall be opened, they Prou. 18.14. Chrysost. in Isai. 6. Hom. 3. Hoc enim tribunal non pe­cunijs corrūpitur, non adulationibus acqui­escis, eò quòd diuinum est, & à Deo nostris impositum mentibus. shall finde no greater torment then a guiltie con­science.

Question 7. verse 7. Wherefore it is said: they sowed figtree leaues together and made themselues breeches?

BY this it appeareth that the curse due to sinne Gen. 2.17. before denounced, seazed vpon them with full power August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 13. cap. 23. Eo ipso die moriis in ijs corpo­ralis necessitas facta est, cum qua nos ne­cessitate nati sumus: propter quod Aposto­lus no aijs, corpus qui de moriturū est prop­ter peccatum, sed aijt corpus quidem mor­tuum est. Rom. 8.10. Gregor. Epist. [...]. 6. [...]ui. 3. Adam si in anima mortuus non est qua die peccauit, quod dici nesas est, falsara ententiam de illo protulis Deus: qui dixit, qua die comederet, moreretur. at the verie instant of the sinne committed: so that when afterward the Lord did call them to account, hee Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Vedaret ei locum sponte confitendi delictum, & hoc nomine releuandi. Ideóqus nec maledixit ipsum Adam & Euam, vt restitutionis candidatos, vt confessione releuato [...]. did it of fauour, not so much to punish them Chry­sostom. lib. 1. de prouide [...]. Deus verò non minus quam antea bene illi facere perstitit. Ostendēs per hoc, quod nos etsi millies peccemus, ipse tamen saluti nostra prospicere non desistis, vt siquidem con­uersi fuerimus saluemur. as to giue them a comfort of their release. For what can more plainelie describe the verie hell it selfe, then this state of man in which he now stood: in Rom. 5.13. 2. Tim. 4.16. Matth. 25.42. Gregor. dialog. lib. 4. cap. 43. Vnus quidem est Geheane ignis, sed non vno modo omnes crucias peccatores. Vniuscuiúsque etenim quantum exigit c [...]lpa tanta illi [...] sentuur & poena. guiltines of sinne, Rom. 3.11.12. &c. Iob. 10. [...]2. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 16. Nudati propter peccatum supernae gratiae amictu, & sensibilis suae spoliationis sensum acceperunt. nakednes of [Page 131] goodnes, Matth. 25.41. 2. Thess. 1.9. Idem in Mat. Hom. 28 Intolerabilures est ge­henna, tamen nihil e­ius quispiam est tale dicturus, quale est à beatae illius glorie ho­nore propelli, exosum esse Christo, & audire de illo, non noui vos. losse of Gods fauour, Rom. 2.15 16. Ignes aeternos quos in­telligere soles Orige­nes, conscientiam pec­catorum, & poenitu­dinem interna cordi [...] vrentem. Hieronim. contra Ruffin. Apolog. lib. 2. accusing of con­science,Psalm. 25.3. & 31.1. August. in Psal. 68. Confusio est quae mor­des conscientiam. shame and confusion, with Iob. 10.21.22. Ierem. cap. 48.43. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Mox vt in­trauis peccatum, tu­multuatio simul eos inuasit & erubescen­tia, &c. & magno mē ­tis angore constite­runt. feare and a­stonishment of heart: whereunto onlie was absent the feeling of firie torments Reuel. 20.14. in soule and bodie, which the Lord deferred, not of any merite, but for his mercie sake. At this time the state of all mankind Because in them there was no means how man in iustice might be deliuered. was most wretched and vncurable, in the sight and iudgement of men and Angels. Deut. 32.37.39. Now doth the Lord in his secret wisedome, and infinite com­passion prouide a remedie, 1. Tim. 3.16. 1. Pet. 1.12. beyond the capacitie of all his creatures: which was, that the Lord Iesus Christ, for his Iohn. 3.16. vnspeakeable loue to man, should Isai. 52.3. 1 Pet. 1.18. Reuel. 5.9. vndertake the paying of our ransome, through sa­tisfying by his obedience 1. Pet. 2.22. 1. Iohn. 3.5. Rom. 5.19. the perfection of iustice which God of man required, and by induring in his person (for Isai. 53.5.6. those that had offended) the rigour of the Galat. 3.13. curse, and Luc. 22.44. punishment: whereby hee might be able euen in iustice, to saue all those Heb. 7.25. that come vnto him, that is, Ioh. 6.35. that doe beleeue in him, and to Ioh. 1.12. giue them power to be the sonnes of God. But consider how the miserie of man did shew it selfe, by the confusion that was in them for their sin, and the helpe that was in them to hide the same. Their conscience Conscientia quidem est ante peccatū fraenum, & flagrum post: flagellat autem à Deo non ad deum, sine praeneni­ente gratia. bred in them confusion for their fact, and did torment them, but had Hos. 13.9. Ephes. 2.8. no power to help them: it droue them to couer, but could not cure their sinne: it moued them to hide the shame, but the cause of shame, and the meanes of hiding it, by seeking fauour and mercie at the Lord, it could not moue them to desire to take away. A­gaine, [Page 132] their bodies were defiled, they could nei­ther clense them with water, nor sufficientlie co­uer them withThe Hebrue word [...] gnale of gnalah to ascend or grow vp, doth signifie not only a leafe, but also the bough yt grow­eth of a tree: as you may see Nehem. 8.15 where this word is three times vsed for small or young boughes: also here it is put in the sin­gular nūber, where­of a lease was not sufficient: wherfore as the Scripture of­ten vseth enallage numeri, so doth it Sy­necdoche speciei, and in that sense may it bee interpreted leaues, which were leaues and twigges and all. branches of the figge tree. They knew these would not serue them, and yet they could not for shame but vse them. They sewed, or (as the [...] ijthperu à [...] à thapar, to sow or make fit to ones bodie, or such like, as Iob. 16. vers. 15. Hebrue word doth aptlie signifie) made fit vnto themselues, The word [...] chagoroth of [...] cagar, to compasse about, doth properly signi­fie girdles, and for the most part is so taken in the Scripture, as Prou. 31.24. 1. Sam. 18.4. 2. Sam. 18.11. 1. King. 2.5. Ezech. 23.15. that which the words of the text doth signifie, is that they plaited the small boughes of the figtree about their waste, thereby to couer their priui­ties: which is as yet the order in some barbarous countries, where through heate they vse no other apparel, as saith Isodor. lib. 19. cap. 22. girdles of their loynes, thereby to hide their priuities. But why did they not rather couer their eyes, their eares, their handes, their mouth, which were all the chiefest instruments of this trās­gression;August. de Gen. ad lit. 11. cap. 31. Item de pec­cator. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. c. 22. Item de nuptijs & concup. lib 1. cap. 5. & alij, rationem reddunt, quia in sua membra oculos iniecerunt, per concupiscentiam. Alij quod per haec membra peccatum forent transfusuri per generationem. Arego (abs (que) aliorum praeiudicio dictum velim) maximam causam deputo misericordiam Dei, qua membris indignissimis lices maximè necessarijs aliquam pri­stine dignitatis scintillam permisit, quanquam peccati ratione, maximè tegerentur. Hisce verò qua nobis maximè videntur inhonesta, Deus copiosiore honore tegumenti decorauit. Hine verò impij omnia membra turpissima: boni viri honorifica sunt. except it were to testifie, that not onelie these now couered, but euerie part of them was shamefullie defiled, and that the rest were to be vn­couered, rather of necessitie, then any worthinesse. And surelie their wisedome was notSapientiam primam retinuerunt licèt non sanctam, quemadmodum ne (que) mortui sunt in substantia viuendi sed in qualitate viuendi, vt inquit Gregor. so farre peri­shed, but they knew better meanes of couering, then figge leaues: butVers. 21. & Gen. 9.2. Nam quod homo per peccatum similitudinem Dei amiserit, Cyprian. lib. de bono patientia: Haec autem similitudo erat in similitudine dominij, Chrysostom. Hom. 9. in Gen. necesse est vt authoritatem in creaturas amiserit Adam, nec ijs potuit vlterius sine noua gratia legitimè frui. their authoritie was gone, so that they might not, neither durst vsurpe them. They vnderstood that the trees of the garden could [Page 133] not hide them, & yet thorough astonishment they hid themselues. But why came they not to confesse their sinne to God? How can a man come to God, Ioh. 6.44. Ambros. de vocat. Gent. lib. 1. cap. 3. Ne­mo fidas sui [...] viribus, qua cum erant inte­grae, non steterunt. Bernard. Serm. 1. de Annunc. Si flare non potuit humana natu­ra adhuc integra, quanto minus poterit per seipsam resurgere iam corrupta. ex­cept the heauenlie father draw him? How could they haue hope in God for pardon, knowing his iustice, and their owne offence, and hauing no promise,Rom. 4.3. & 10.8. whereon to ground their faith? or how could they albeit the promise had beene giuen, haue of them­selues receiued itIoh. 6.65. Philip. 2.13. Concil. Arausican. 2. cap. 9. Diuini est mu­neris, cum & rectè cogitamus, & pedes nostros à falsitate & iniustitia tenemus. Quoties enim bona agimus, Deus in nobis atque nobiscum, vt operemur operatur. Idem cap. 15. Ab eo quod formauis Deus, mutatur Adam, sed in peius per iniquitatem suam; ab eo quod operata est iniquitas, mutatur fidelis, sed in melius per gra­tiam Dei. Item August. epist. 28. Item de grat. Christi lib. 1. cap. 19. & alibi. Fulgens. lib. 1. cap. 7.8.9. &c. Dei esse vt bonū facere velimus, & vt bonum facere valeamus. without the power of the spirit of grace, reuiuing them being deadIoh. 8.44. in sinne? Wherefore as Adam was before in the similitude of God, so is he nowOrigen. Hom. in Leuit. 4. Si pro misericordia crudelis, &c. abiecta imagine Dei, diaboli in te imaginem suscepisti, & bonum depositum tibi diuinitus commendatum abnegasti. of the likenes of the diuell,Gen. 8.21. Isai. 1.5.6. a­bounding in sinne, boyling with a tormenting con­science, and nothing outwardlie before his eyes but death. These areIude vers. 6. the chaines of darkenes, in which the euill Angels are imprisoned, and1. Pet. 3.19. the wicked soules departed. In these Adam being wrapped, loo­kedTheodores. quaest. in Gen. 38. Siquidem post sententiam diuinam, per singulos vt ita dicam, dies mortem expectabat. as stedfastly for execution, as an offender con­demned looketh for the sword.

Question 8. verse 8. How it is said: they heard the voice of the Lord God walking: and of the answere of A­dam being examined, vntill the four­teenth verse?

WHen man through sinnePsal. 119. vers. 176. had lost himselfe, the Lord like aMatth. 18.12. carefull Pastour, goethAliqui contendunt, hoc Dei iudicium im­mediatè post commis­sum initum esse. Caluinus postera in aurora. Plures ad ve­speram eius diei. Non est, vt opinor, horum diuersa animi senten­tia, nam vnusquis (que) summa cum conueni­entia actum pro tem­pore statuit. De catero inane est mouere lites. speedilie after him to seek him, and like aChrysost. de Prou. lib. 1. Ita ferè & me­dicu [...], si vulnus negli­gat ac deserat, puru­lentum amplius red­dit: sin verò id con­tractum, iugiter depu­rare persistat, vlterius progredisaniem ac morbi virus vetat. good Phisition bringeth with him medicine to heale hisPsal. 147.3. sicknes. They heard the voice of the Lord God walking, saith the text: which someRabb. Ionah & Rabb. Solom. in Comment. & alij. interpret: they walking heard the voice of the Lord God: somePagnin. in translat. priore. Tremel. Vocem Iehouae Dei itantem reddit. other: they heard the walking voice of God, that is, according to the Hebrue phrase,Exod. 19.19. waxing more and more loude & terrible. But of theIustin. Martyr. dialog. cum Triffon. Hieron. in Tradit. Hebra. Item in Psal. 81. Au­diuit vocem Dei ambulantis, quia ipse cum Deo non stetit. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 34. & de Trin. lib. 2. cap. 10. Quomodo enim possit ad literam intelligi, talis Dei am [...]ulatio & collocutio, nisi in speci [...] humana non video. Neque enim dici potest, vocem solam factam, vbi deambulasse dictus est Deus (si modo ita interpretandus est locus, quod aliqui negant) aut eum qui deambulabat, in loco non fuisse visibilem. most interpreters, and as I take it, most consonant vnto the scope of Scripture, it is taken for the voice of the Lord God walking, that is to say,The word [...] kol, doth often signifie a sound or noise, strepitus: as 2: King. 6.32. Ezech. 1.24. where this word is fiue times vsed in one verse for sound. the sound of his feet; meaning thereby no doubt, that the Lord did manifest a token of his presence. That the Lord did walke in the garden, who is1. King. 8.17. not contained in any place, but himselfe containethAct. 17.28. Coloss. 1.17. time and place, and [Page 135] allBernard. de conside­rat. ad Eugen. lib. 5. In quo omnia, non quasi in loco, sed quasi in virtute, &c. Suo au­tem sublimi & incō ­prehensibili modo, si­cut omnia in ipso, sic ipse in omnibus est. Deus non est in loco inclusus, sed ipse con­tinet locum: per om­nia est & in omnibus. things; is spoken eitherChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Voluit illos haec tali modo sentire, vt in magno mentia angore constitueren­tur, id quod factum est. according to the present sense of Adam; or rather,Iustin. Mart. Dia­log. cum Triff. Quod autem Iesus fuerit, qui Mosi & Abraha & alijs sanctu patri­archis apparuit, &c. Tertul. aduer. Prax­eam. Ipse enim & ad humana semper col­loquia descendit, ab Adam vsque ad Patriarchas. August. epist. 3. Nouit Deus venire, non recedendo vbi erat; nouit abire, non deserendo quò venerat: miratur hoc mens humana; & quia non capit, fortasse non credit. that the Sonne of God, who afterward was clothed with our flesh, appeared vnto them, as before heGen. 1.29. & 2.15.22. did, not by the substanceIoh. 1.18. 1. Tim. 6.16. of the deitie which is inuisible, but byAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 33. Nunc tamen quod a [...]dierunt, &c. Non nisi per creaturam visibiliter factum est, ne substantia inui­sibilis eorum sensibus, locali & temporali motu apparuisse credatur. Idem. de Trin. lib. 2. cap. 10. Et ille videtur loqui ad primum hominem, qui dixit fiat lux: (scil. Trinitas quo modo per verbum fecisse commemoratur) & potest esse transitio occulta à persona ad personam. Idem. de ciuitat. Dei. lib. 16. c. 29. Et idem apparuit non per id quod est, sed per creaturam, quae sibi subdita est. Idem. in epist. 102. In specie qua voluit, sicut & quibus voluit. the mini­sterie of some creature, as it pleased him. Neither can it rightlie be gathered by the words of Scrip­ture, that this his comming was in moreAs that he came with tempest or whirlewind, as some doe vnderstand, by the word ( [...], ruack,) winde or coole of the day. terrible maner, then was accustomed, whereby Adam had a­ny farther cause of feare, but that which arose of his owne default. But such is mans corrupted nature, that whether the Lord doe come inMatth. 17.5. mercie or in iudgment, his presenceMatth. 17.6. Heb. 12.21. can not be indured, no not euen of righteous and holy men. But here the Lord doth come to iudgement, notwithstanding he ma­keth man therein partaker of his endles mercie. The forme of this iudgement is described: partlie, that the righteousnes of GodIerem. 2.5. Eorum scil. qui Deum ex hoc iudicio Ada nimis petulanter seueritatis arguunt. Iuliani scil. & nostri temporis nonnulli: de quibus verè di­citur: Humiliter irrepunt, blandè capiunt, molliter ligant, latenter occidunt. Leo. Serm. 5. de I [...]iunio. 10. mens. might be maintained against the slanders of the wicked: partlie alsoChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Et quasi mansuetus iudex & misericors, in tribunali terrore & horrore pleno, sedet & examinat diligenter. Per hoc nos docens, ne quam fratrum nostrorum con­demnemus, nisi causa antè diligenter cognita. that it might be as a patterne vnto men, who are authori­zedDeut. 16.18. & 17.15.20. Psalm. 82.1.6. of God to iudge their brethren. And againe, [Page 136] as anCompare Matth. 25.32.33.34.41. Reu. 20.12. example of the latter iudgement, where transgression shall no more be pardoned, but there shall be iudgement Iam. 2.13. merciles, in that euerie wicked one without the meanes of a mediatour, shall re­ceiue the fruite of his owne workes. First of all the Lord by comming, giueth token of the searching out of guilty persons, as a iudge. Secondlie,Vers. 9. he cal­leth them to the barre of iudgement. Thirdlie, hee examineth the cause; and lastlie giueth sentence vp­on the same. In the discussing whereof doth no­tablie appeare, theContra Pelagianos & Papistas, in doctri­na liberi arbitrij, Con­cil. Trident. Sess. 6. cap. 5. & Can. 4. Bellarm. Tom. 3. part. 3. lib. 3. cap. 5. vntowardnes of the nature of all mankind to come to God; that neither it can comeConcil. 2. Auransi­can. cap. 25. Prorsus donum est Dei, dili­gere Deum. Ambros. de vocatio. Gent. lib. 1. cap. 6. Et vt breuissimè pateat qualis sit humana na­tura sine gratia, dicat Apostolus Iudas quid agat vel ignorantia imperitorum vel doc­trina sapientum. Hi autem (inquit) quae­cun (que) quidem ignorant, bl [...]sphemant: quaecunque autem naturaliter vt muta animalia norunt, in his corrumpuntur. August. lib. de natura & gratia. cap. 32. Praeuenit misericordia vt sanemur, quia & subsequitur vt etiam sanati vegetemur. ibid. cap. 33. Caneat homo, nedum quod Dei est deputat suum, amittat quod Dei est & redeat ad suum. of it owne accord, neither being prouoked, vnlesse it beIoh. 6.44. Hos. 4.16. ouerruled by the power of grace. Se­condlie, that it is by grace onelyRom. 11.6. Ep [...]es. 2.8.9. Concil. Arausican. 2. can. 12. Tales nos amat Deus, quales futuri s [...]mus ipsius dono, non quales su­mus nostro merito. August. epist. 105. Quia vniuersa ista massa meritò damnata est, contumeli­am debitam reddit iustitia, honorem donat indebitum gratia, non meriti praerogatiua, non fati necessi­tate, non temeritate fortunae, sed altitudine diuitiarum sapientiae & scientiae Dei. that wee are deli­uered, whichPhilip 1.6. Fulgent. lib. de Praedest. cap. 8. Primum inchoans in homine voluntatem bonam, deinde eandem vo­luntatem adiuuans inchoatam. doth both begin and finish our sal­uation, as here appeareth. The Lord findeth manVers. 8. Luc. 23.30. possest with terrours of death; he commeth there­fore, toLooke question 16. appease his conscience, and to plague his enimie. Man can in no wise indure his comming, but flieth from God, and seeketh most brutishlie to shunne his presence,Ierem. 23.21. Bernard. in Psalm. qui habitat. Serm. 6. Deus est in omni loco, omnia vniuersaliter continens, om­niaque disponens, sed longè tamen aliter atque aliter. Apud homines est praestant & dissimulans, apud eloctos operans & seruam, apud superos pascens & cubans, apud inferos arguens & damnans. who is present euery where, and to hide himselfe from him, from whom [Page 137] thePsalm. 139.12. darkenes cannot hide. But the Lord preuen­tingChrysostom. Hom. in Gen 17. Verùm dili­gentur. tendite, vi­debitu q [...]antum in­te sit inter misericor­diam Dei, & homi­ [...] [...] se austeri­tatem. [...] est, & [...], & inter [...]o­gat, & r [...]sponsum ac­cipit, & quasi am [...] amno loquitur, & ex­p [...]tul [...]t cum eo, &c. [...] homines [...]ace­re nunq [...]m serrent interse, lu [...]s candem naturam sertuisint. him in mercie, doth cause him to appeare, who otherwise, as he had made himselfe thorough sinneR m. 6.16. Ephes. 2.2. the slaue of Sathan, had iustlie so continu­ed, forasmuch as of his owne accordRom. 6.16. Ioh. 6.44. he yeelded him obedience, and would not, or could not will to be released. And yet this second mercie was not e­nough for Adam, hee abuseth it as he did the for­mer. And seeing hee cannot hide himselfe being drawen perforce out of his couert, he is so far voide of grace, that he seeketh what hee can to hide his sinnes, keeping themProu. 28.13. thereby (somuch as in him was) from being pardoned. And so desirous is hee, thatIoh. 3.19. they should not come to light, that he addeth thereinDeut. 29.19. as the Scripture saith, drunkennes to thirst, and couereth them with blasphemies and lies, and by charging the Lord himselfe to be the authour of them. The Lord first calleth him: where art thou? that is, in what stateTertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Quaerit Deus, nec incertus admissi, nec ignorans loci. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Significat, quasi [...]ta diceret ad il­lum: qui factum est? in alio statu reliqui te, in alio nunc inue­mo. Vnde tibi hoc ac­cidit? Qui [...] te in ta [...] ­tam induxit alierati­onem? art thou? how is it that thou fleest my presence? Here had Adam iust occasion to haue answered, Lord I haue sinned, Lord I craue thy mercie. But saith Adam: I heard thy voice, &c. that is, thou art euerie way so terrible vnto me, that euen thy voice will not suffer mee to be free from feare, no not in this garden which thou hast giuen me, to be my dwelling place. And as thou art glori­ous vnto me and fearefull; so I am naked, and there­fore ashamed to appeare: wherefore this is the cause of my not appearance; my nakednes wherein thou hast created mee, and thy Maiestie which is greater then such a creature can indure. What falshood and lies, and diuellish hypocrisie doth rest herein, the [Page 138] Lord himselfe vncouereth, whereas hee answered: Who told thee that thou wast naked? &c. That is to say, thou wast naked before, and hadst no shame of na­kednes, also my glorie was the same it is: how com­meth it now that thou art ashamed of thy naked­nes? this can be of no other cause, then of thy selfe: hast thou eaten of the tree? &c. Of shame and guilti­nes of conscience the onely cause is sinne. Where­fore tell me plainelie: hast thou eaten of the tree where­of I commaunded thee thou shouldest not eate? Here a­gaine was Adam compelled to shew, if any relique of grace remained in him, to haue plainelie confes­sed his fault and craued mercy: but herein appeared no more shew of grace or goodnes remayning in him, then shall be of theLuc. 13.26. Matth. 25.11.44. reprobate at the latter iudgement: he confesseth the fact, but not the fault. This woman which thou gauest to be with me, &c. This woman is in the fault that gaue it mee to eate, yea thou thy selfe diddest giue this woman to be with me, by whom I was prouoked to offend; wherefore in that I eate the fruite, marke in iustice, who is in fault thereof. A notable confession, and worthie pardon. SuchConcil. Arausican. 2. can, 2. Si quis soli A­dae praeuaricationem suam, non & eius pro­pagini asserit nocuis­se, aut certe mortem tantum corporis quae poena peccati est, non autem & peccatum, quod mors est animae, per vnum hominem in omne genus homi­num transisse testa­tur: iniustitiam Deo dabit, contradicen A­postolo; per vnum ho­minem, &c. Rom. 5. is the nature of all men, vnlesse they be guided by the spirit of grace, which is not of themselues; for euen the woman immediatly doth shew the same corruption. Here may you see the verie image of Sathans wickednesse and subtiltie. HatredPsalm. 81.15. Huiusmodi est Sata­nae denominatio. against God, as though he were the cause of mans offences;Vers. 1.4.5. blasphemies in accusing him of blame; hatredIoh. 8.44. against man; in so much that A­dam spared not now his owne flesh: hypocrisie and lies, whereof this confession was fully fraught. God [Page 139] gaue vnto him the womanGen. 2.18. Et eo no­mine ingrati sunt er­ga Deum Sophista tam Ethnici quàm pontificij, qui nupiijs quibusdam interdi­cunt. for a stay (as Adam knew right well) and not a stumbling blocke: and she gaue him of the tree; sheeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Nusquam necessitas, nusquam violentia, sed volun­tas & electio; dedit solum, non coegit aut vim fecit. could not compell him; but perswade him to receiue it;Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Nam licèt mulier cibum dederit, sufficiebat tamen mandatum meum, & timor supplicij ad fugam escae incutiendam. Num ignorabas? Num nesciebas? Ideo curam vestri gerens praedixi, ne in haec incideretis. Ʋt mulier tibi ad transgressionem manda­ti ministrauit, tu propterea insons non eris. Caput enim es mulieris, & propter te producta est. Tis autem ordinem peruerticti; oportebat reliquum corpus capiti obsequi; sed diuerso modo res e­uenis, corporique reliquo caputobsecutum est, & quae sursum erant, in infimum locum deuenerunt. his part it was to rule her as the head, and not to follow her as the heeles. Thus wee see that there remaineth in manIerem. 4.22. wisdome to do euill, but to goodnes there is none vnderstanding. Secondlie, that the wicked are per­uersePsalm. 58.3. euen from the wombe. Thirdlie, that Hypo­crites are grieued and ashamed1. Sam. 15.24. 1. King. 20.43. & 21.27. of the punishment, not of the fault of sinne. Fourthlie, that man being dead in sinne, hisPsalm. 5.9. To send forth stinkes of blasphemies and slaunders. Matth. 15.19.10. throat is as an open sepulchre,Bernard. Sermone de Dupl. Baptism. Ser­pens ô Eua decepit te, decepit profecto non impulit aut coëgit. Mulier tibi ô Adam de ligno dedit; sed of­ferendo vtique, non violentiam inferendo: neque enim potestate illius, sed tua factū est voluntate, vt eius voci plus obe­dire [...] quàm diuinae. all his membersRom. 6.13. are weapons of vnrighteousnes, and can no otherwise be conuertedIoh. 5.21.25. Reuel. 20.5.6. then as dead men are raised from the graue, not by the power of anie creature, butIoh. 6.63. & 15.5. of the Lord.

Question 9. verse 14.15. How the punishment of the Serpent is to be vnderstood, and what this meaneth: he shall breake thy head, and thou shalt bruse his heele?

NOw that the Lord by due examination hath found out the offenders, and the fault, and the originall thereof, hee pro­ceedeth to pronounce the sentence of desert. And because the Serpent is found to be the first in sin­ning, the Lord iustlie also maketh him the first in punishment. In whom must be considered, that as beforeQuest. 1. we shewed the serpent was the instrument, and Sathan the authour and chiefe worker in the temptation: so the Lord doth declare his ven­geance on either of them, according to desert; in­somuch that the Serpent, who did not of his owne accord offend, but was compelled to be an instru­ment by Sathan; the Lord doth in great displeasure for the loue of man condemne,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Nā sicut cle­mentissi [...] pater, [...]u­nien [...] eum [...]ui filium suu [...] [...]oc [...]i [...]e it, & gla [...]i [...] & easem [...]ui­bus si [...] su [...] oc [...]su [...] de [...]truit, & in [...]ulta frusta fran [...]it: eo [...] modo & D [...]us epit. Quippe serpent quasi gladius quidam di [...] ­bolicae seruiuis malitiae as one that in an­ger, breaketh the sword, wherewith his son or friend was wounded. Wherefore as these two were ioy­ned together in the trespasse, and yet did seuerallie offend; so it must be vnderstood that the Lord in punishing them together, doth notwithstanding giue either of them according to their nature, seue­rall punishment. That which belongeth to the bru­tish creature, is according to the words and letter to be vnderstood; that which belongeth vnto Sathan, [Page 141] being a spirit, is figuratiuelie & spirituallie to be per­ceiued. Wherein I finde diuersitie among interpre­tors, according to the1. Cor. 12.4. 2. Pet. 3 15. Hieron. epist. ad Au­gust. 30. inter ep. Au­gust. Quisque in suo sensu abundat, iuxta Apostolum Rom. 14. alius quidem sic, alius autem sic. diuers measures of their knowledge; some taking this to be pronounced of the Serpent onelie, and that which belongeth vnto Sathan, to be vnderstood: some, that this belongeth vnto Sathan onely, vnder the figure of the Serpent: some againe, that it is to be vnderstood of both, in diuers senses and meanings of the same words: and some also, that they are both punished, but in diuers words; as that the former part belongeth to the Ser­pent, the latter part belongeth vnto Sathan. And surelie for mine own part I rest in this; that the same may be wholie vnderstood of the Serpent, accor­ding to the letter of the text; and wholie also of the diuell, in the spiritual meaning of the Lord: but yet, that the former part belongeth more properlie to the Serpent, the latter part thereof to Sathan. The Lord did not aske the Serpent, as hee did the wo­man: why hast thou done thus? because if wee consi­der it of the Serpent, as of the brutish creature, hee was destitute of reasonCaluin. in Gen. 3. Quia nec in bestia sensus erat peccati, & diabolo nullam spem veniae residuā factu­rus erat. and without the sense of sin, neither to speake of sinning properlie,August. de Adulter. coniug. lib. 1. cap. 16. Peccare autem propriè non est nisi eius, qui vtitur rationali voluntatis arbitrio, quod in onmibus mor­talibus animantibus, non nisi homini est di­uinitus attributum. could he sinne, although he were the instrument thereof. If wee consider it of Sathan (whom the iustice of God dothAmbros. lib. de suga Seculi, cap. 7. Etenim quia malum Deus non fecit, sed nequitia dia­boli inseruit, vindi­ctam Deus distulit, vt ab ipsis quos decepe­rat diabolus vinceret tur, &c. nam Christi gratia quae te resoluit, illum adstrinxit: ma­net enim maledictio directa in serpentem propter tuam decep­tionem. chieflie leuell at in punishing) he being the authour, was without excuse; neither could hee in iustice in any wise be pardoned, either of his first or latter offence. For therefore is the sinne ofQui primarius suit apostata. Sa­than, & of the AngelsIob. 4.18. 2. Pet. 2.4. Iude. v. 6. that fell together with him,Cyprian. exposit. Syml. sect. 39. Artic. Credo sanct. Ec­cles. &c. Conciliū vanitatis est, quenquā (sicut Origen.) diabolū debita absoluere damnatione poenarū, desperate, and withont recouerie of pardon: be­cause [Page 142] that being created in theAugust. Tract. in Ioh. Euang. 110. Cum verò nouerimus bono­rum omnium creatorē reparādis angelis ma­lis nihil gratiae contu­lisse, cur non potius in­telligimus, quòd tanto damnabilior eorū iu­dicata sit culpa, quan­to erat natura subli­mior? tanto enim mi­nus quàm not peccare debuerūt, quanto me­liores nobis fuerunt. Idem siue author de mirabil. Sac. Scrip. lib. 1. cap. 2. Angelus in summo honoris sui ordine cōstitutus, im­mutationem ad excel­lentiorem statum non habuit, nisi per con­templationē sui crea­toris confirmatus, in eo statu permaneret vbi conditus fuit: & idcirco prolapsus, ite­rum reuocari minimè potuit, quòd de subli­missimo sui ordinis statu proruit. Homo autem in terra posi­tus, meliorem & spi­ritualem vitam ali­quādo recepturu [...], &c. clementia igitur con­ditoris est non ad primum ordinem sed ad summam beatitudinem reuocatus. highest perfection that a creature can containe: there was, nor could be any more excellent estate of any creature, whereun­to they might in mercy be restored, then that which they had alreadie despised and reiected. Secondlie, they sinnedHeb. 6.4.5.6. & 10.26 against the spirit they had receiued, andHeb. 10 27. August. de mirab. lib. 1. cap. 2. Ad cumulum diabolici peccati illud accedit, quod statim postquam peccauit, foneam desperationis incurrit. thereby fell into perpetuall desperation, of the pardon of their fault. Thirdly, they sinned with­out prouokement,August. quaest mixt. 1. Nemo fidelium dubitet diabolum apostasie suae authorem non habere. Vide & de lib. Arbis 3. cap. 28. and therefore the iustice of God would not permit, that they should haue help to rise againe. The Serpent therefore, as he was the instrument, the Lord doth staine the nature of his first creation, with horrible &Vers. 14. perpetuall disgrace. Thou art cursed (saith he) aboue all cattel: that is to say, althogh al cattel through Adams faultVers 17. Rom. 8.2 [...].22. are partakers with him in his punishmēt, yet thou which hast de­serued by thy own default, shalt (as reason is) indure a greater misery then any other. He sheweth where­in: in his going, in his meate, in hatred vntoThe woman and her seed. man. The going of Serpents may seemeChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Sicut diabo­lus qui per te operatus est, è coelo deo sum impu [...]sus est, &c. ita similiter impero, vt & in tu aliam for­mationis figuram habeas, & super terram repas. Basil. Hom. de Paradis. Serpent tunc non horribiliter in terram prorepens, ac veluti inundans; sed alius super pedes gradiens. Adam gaue him his name in Hebrue not of his creeping, but of his subtiltie, [...] nachash. to haue bin be­fore more comelie, either by the vprightnes of their bodies, or other meanes; or els it may be taken that theGen. 2.25. & 3.7. comelines which he had before, was turned (as Adams nakednesse) into shame; so that same which before was nature, is now made miserie and chaun­ged into punishment. The hearbes of the field were [Page 143] wontGen. 1.30. to be his meate, now is he condemned to eat the dust, that is to say, to penurie and extreameChrysostom Hom. in Gen. 17. Et semper in hoc maneas statu: & solus ex animantibus terra pascaris. ne­cessitie. For although the SerpentsAristot. Histor. anim. lib. 8. cap. 4. & com­munis experientia. doe feede oft­times on other creatures, as frogges, fishes, birdes, flies, blood andPlin. lib. 8. c. 14. Boae serpētes in Italia tātae magnitudinis, vt Di­uo Claudio principe, occisa in Vaticano, so­lidus in al [...]io spectatus sit Infans: Aluntur bubuli lactis succo, vnde nomen traxere. De serpentibus im­manissim. quaere histo­riam: vnius, Ptole­maeo Philadelpho dono missi. Diodor. Sic. lib. 3 Item contra quem A­tilius Regulus bella­uit in Africa, ad Ba­gradā. Tit. Liui. De­cad 2. in epit. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 14. Lucius Florus lib. 2. cap. 2. milke of beasts; yet the Lord hath made their nature soCirca Thessaliam à ciconijs nisi deuorarē ­tur, inhabitabilem redderent eam regi­onem, prae multitudi­ne: Tradit Aristot. lib. de mirab. Ascul­tat. Ne intra ter­rem recipi vnquam serpentem à quo ho­mo fuerit morsu [...], tra­dit. Dioscor. lib. 6. Plin. lib. 8. odious to all creatures, that they dare scarslie of any be espied, whereby thorough penurie and famine they are compelled to eate the dust, and therefore as besieged with so manie enimies, they take delight to hide themselues within the ground. And although they were be­fore created, as seruants vnto man; yet are they now against mans estate so fierce and cruell, that if at anie timeCertū ex cōmuni experientia. they finde him sleeping, or in case that they are sure to preuaile against him, they spare not the hurt of their owne bodies to doe him violence. And but for the feare they stand in, of the nature of man,Gen. 9.2. which God for the loue of man, hath put within them; they would surelie maintaine more o­pen warre. Wherefore they are not without cause in hatred vnto man, both in respect of theAug. quaest. in Exod. 8. Ad iustitiam pertinet vt animal hominibus noxium perimatur. permissi­on of the Lord, as also in regard of the hurt that is in them, especiallie to women, who as they are more weake, are also more iustlie fearefull of them. If any shall demaund how all this may be vnderstood of Sathan. Consider that albeit he was beforeAmbros. de Paradis. cap. 15. Non tam propter corporis figuram, quàm quod propter terrenas cogitationes, de illa coelesti beatitudine sit lapsus. accur­sed, by his fall; yet as he doth increase his sinne, so he doth increase his curse. He is cursed also aboueAugust. de Gen. cont. Manich. 2.17. Quia pecora non amiserunt beatitudinem aliquam coe­lestem quam nunquam habuerunt, sed in natura sua quam acceperunt degunt vitam. e­uery creature most worthily, because he is the foun­taine [Page 144] of the curse vpon the creatures. His going is vp­on his belly; that is, as it were creeping on the earth; which2. Pet. 2.4. signifieth that he is plunged in the lowest degree of miserie, and perdition. And also dust shall be his meat all the dayes of his life: that is,Cyprian. in Symbol. Concilium vanitatis est, diabolum debita absoluere damnatione poenarum. he shall ne­uer be deliuered by any grace, from that fearefull malice, mischiefe, rebellion, and wickednes, where­in he taketh nowAugust. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 2. cap. 17. Poena eius est vt in potestate habeat eos, qui Dei praecept [...]t con­temnunt, & in de ma­ior ei poena est, quia de hac tam inse [...]t [...]. potestate l [...]tatur. Idem de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 36. de du­plici sensu verborum. Hoc ergo verè est di­ctum se [...]penti: Iam caetera verba Dei sunt, quae libero lect [...]ris in tellectui relinquūtur, vtrū prop [...]iè an figu­ratè accipi debeāt, &c delight. Also the Lord putteth enmity &c. (wherin he beginneth to restore the wo­man & her seed) betweene the woman and her seed, and Sathan and his seed; that is to say, betweene the godly children of the womā restored, & him,Act. 13.10. 1. Ioh. 3.8 10. his Angels and seruants here on earth, who doe continuallie make deadliePsal. 15.4. & 139. vers. 21.22. Amos. 5.10. Act. 13.10. Apoc. 12.17. strife; so that the true seed of the wo­manEphes. 6.13. 1. Pet. 5.9. are commanded, withal their might, to fight against him. The effect wherof which foloweth, be­longeth properly to sathan: he shal ( [...] Ieshuphcarosh) breake or crush thy head: that is,1. Ioh. 3.8. dissolue thy malice,Isai. 27.1. Rom. 16.20. subdue thy power, and finallieMatth. 25.41. Reuel. 20.10. destroy thee with the second death: and thou shalt bruse his heele: that is, thou shalt not exceed or goe beyond his heele in offending of his bodie: so yt thou shalt receiue much more hurt by thy malitiousnes, then thou shalt cause to Adam; for he by hisIren. lib. 3. cap. 34. & 39. primum hominem fuisse saluatum cont. Tatianum probat. posteritie shall be restored, but the same his seed shall vtterlie confound thy pride and furie. Thus all the enimies of God doe worke their owne confusion, and theProu. 16.4. glorie of God against their willes. And so wise and good is the Lord our GodPsal. 76 10. [...]ul­gent. lib. 1. cap. 27. Bene quippe malis interitus à Deo redditur, quam [...]is sit malu interitus ijs, qui nunc iustè des [...]runtur, & [...]ostmodu iustè torquebuntur, &c. nam & hoc tempore▪ quo discedentes malos desc­rit Deus; non operat [...] in ijs quod e [...] di [...] licet, sed operatur per eos quod ei placet. Postmodum ijs reddi­turu [...] ▪ quod ab eius iustitia merentur. Recipient enim, non pro eo quod Deus bene vsus est eorum operi­bus malis: sed pro eo quod ipsi malè abusi sunt Dei operibus bonis. that hee can vse e­uerie [Page 145] crooked instrument, and make euerie worke thereof to serue vnto his glorie, and theRom. 8.28. saluation of his Church.

Question 10. verse 15. What seed of the woman it is, that breaketh the Serpents head?

THe word [...] Zerahh translated seed,Nomen est collectiuū Linacer Grāmat. lib. 1 Quod singulari nume­ro multitudinem sig­nificat. doth sometimeGen. 49.6. Iob. 5.25. in the singular number, sig­nifie a multitude or manie children, and sometimeGen. 4.25. Leuit. 22.13. it is taken but for one singu­ler person, a mans sonne or childe, the fruite of his bodie. In the former sense it is said: I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and her seed: that is, betweene euerie one of thy seed, and euerie one (indefinitlyQuidam enim in­uenti sunt, quibus ser­pentes terrestres ter­rori non sunt, quem­admodū Tiberius Cae­sar serpentem manu sua cibauit, & in oble­ctamētis habuit. Sue­ton. lib. 3. cap. 72. taken) of the womans seed. In the latter exposition it is said: he, or it, or that same seed, that is, one singuler person of that seed, shall breake thy head. What one is he? euenIsai. 11.1.2. Matth. 1.21. Iesus the Sonne of theMatth. 16.16. liuing God, who tooke vnto his God-headHeb. 2.14.16. Athanas. in Symbol. Non conuersione diui­nitatis in carnem, sed assumptione humani­tatis in Deum. the womans seed, and was borne of Marie the virgin,Iren. lib 3. cap 20. Si homo non vicisses inimicum hominis, non iustè victus esset ini­micus: Rursus nisi Deus donasset salutem, non firmiter haberemus eam, & nisi homo coniunctus fuisset Deo nostro, non potuisses particeps fieri incorruptibilitatis. that in the person of man, hee might ouercome the enimie of man, & recouer againe by righteousnes, that which man had lost by sinne. Whose heele was brusedLeo de pass. Dom. Serm. 1. Prorsus vira (que) natura vnus Christus, nec verbum ibi ab homine disiunctum, nec [...]mo est dissociatus à verbo. Non est fastidiata humilitas, quia nec imminuta maiestas: nihil nocuit naturae inuiolabili, quod passibili o­portebat inferri. when his bodie was crucified: whose heele is bru­sed,Act. 9.4. when his members by Sathan are afflicted. So [Page 146] that it may not onlie be translated, asRabb. Abrahā. Pag­ninus, & Tremel. hoc conteret. some doe, it; that is, that same seed; but much better, he: namelie, that one person; asIren. lib. 5. cap. 3. ip­se tu [...]m. Cyprian. ad Quirin lib. 2. ipse tutum. Leo. Magn. de Natiu. Dom. Serm. 2. Denun­ciam serpenti futurū semen mulieris, quod no [...]ij capitis elationem sua vertute contere­ret, Christum scilicet in carne venturum Deum hominem (que) sig­nans, qui natus e [...] virgine, violatorem humanae propaginis incorrupta natiuitate damnaret. manie other, & euenHieron. lib. Tradit. in Gen. Ipse seruabit caput tuum. Melius est in Hebaero, ipse con­teret caput tuum. Hierom himselfe, and the Septuagint translation, and our English hath it. But some of theChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Sed mala fide translatus, tam contra verba manifesta & sensum authoris, vti testis est, & obserua­uit ante nos Philip. Montanus. Ambros. de Fuga Seculi. cap. 7. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 36. Idem de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 2. cap. 18. Fathers, misgui­ded by the translations of Aquila, of Symmachus, and Theodotion, which chieflie in their time were in vse, doe read it, she shall breake: so also dothTarg. Hieros. interpretatur tamen de Messiah. the Iewish Targhum which those translatours followed, as IewishEpi­phan. lib. de mensuris & pond. Aquila expulsus ob Astrologiae studiū ab ecclesiae, proselytus fit, & circū ­ciditur Iu [...]aeus; deinde tradidit se ad discēdū Hebraeorū linguā, quam eū summè didicisset, interpretatus est scripturas, quo aliqua ex receptis libris peruerteret, & testimonia de Christo in scripturis prolata, aliter ederet. Hunc secutus est Symmachus Samarita, qui nunquā recepit fidē: hunc autem Theodotion Pōticus ex Sectatoribus Marcionis, qui & ipse ad Iudaismū declinās, interpretationē edidit. Ha [...] collegit omnes Origenes, & istis praeter vulgares codices patres vsi sunt, vt apparet ex Hieron. & alijs. heretikes: yet none of these expound it of any otherNon dum de Maria vel somniantes. woman then of Heua, sauing thatAug. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 2. c. 18. Dicit animalē partē hominu, quasi mulieris imaginē ostendere. Item. Semen diaboli suggestio est; semē mulieris fructus boni operis. in a mysticall sense, they take it for the affections of the minde. But the church of Rome will needes read it, she shall breake, & vnderstand it of the virgin Ma­rie, giuing vnto her theQuā mediatricē Dei & hominū agnoscūt. Vide infra. glorie of breaking the Ser­pents head: and those that refell their follie by the truth of the Hebrue text, which is the verieVide Whitaker. cōtr. de Script. quast. 2. c. 2. lan­guage and words, which Moses wrote himselfe, theyCarthusian. in 3. Gen. (siue sit Coloniensium marginalis nota) Vulgata editio, imò & ecclesia Catho­lica, hactenut legit hoc in loco, Ipsa, non ipse aut ipsum, quemadmodum curiosi & nostri temporis Hebra. isatores legunt. call in disgrace hebraisatores: as likewise those which acknowledge a figure in the wordes of Christ,Matth. 26.26. this is my bodie; Anton. Constantius, aliàs Stephan. Gardiner. lib. de Eucharist. they call at their pleasure figuratores: & those which maintaine the authoritie of Scripture, to be aboue the church of Rome, they [Page 147] tearme by a new nameAlbert. Pighius. Scripturarios, and I would to God, they did practise no greater mischiefes. Al­though (God be praised) the wisest of thē, begin to mislikeBonauent. in 3. sent. dist. 15. q. 2. Canen­dum est (inquit) ne dum excellentia Ma­riae matris ampliatur, filij gloria minuatur. Alensi [...]. quaest 92. Caietan. in Comment. in Gen. 3. their own Idolatrie in this point, & to giue testimonie to the truth. For euē Andradius Andrad. desens. Tri­dent. fid. lib. 4. Quod quāuis Deiparae vir­gini mu [...]ti p [...]è & reli­giosè accommoddi, ta­men cum & in vetu­stissimis quibusdā La­tinis exemplaribus re­peritur, Ipse, & cum Hebraeis id volumini­bus conspires, ita esse legendum non dubito. saith, he doubteth not, but it should be read he, not she shall breake: and Montanus translateth it: not she, but it, that is the seed. Notwithstanding, it is a wonder to behold, how fast they sticke in their own pollution. They count itColonlensis nota: cu­riosi & nostri tempo­ris Hebraisatores, &c. a curious matter to contend as it were for a letter in the Scripture. Surelie the diffe­rence in the letter is not great; but the difference that commeth of the letterExtreme idolatrie to place the Virgin in any step of the of­fice of mediation. is great, and theGregor. Epist. lib. 6. ep. 30. Alia sunt fri­uola valde innoxia, atque alia vehemen­ter nociua. hurt is very great that ariseth thereof: and God hath said, you shall Deut. 12 32. Prou 30.6. put nothing to my words, and therefore man may not presume to adde a letter. Againe, they de­fend it byIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. c. 3. In quo nihil expresse reperitur; Ambrosij, Au­gustini, Bedae, Bernardi, Rabbani & alior. antiquitie, and by Saint Hierome, who theyReliqua omnia praeter Psalmos, & quosdam. Apocryphos libros, ex versione Hieronymi ex Hebraeo habemus in editione vulgata, testatur Bellarm. tom. 1. cont. 1. lib. 2. cap. 9. say, did so translate it. The whole antiquitie that can be found, ariseth but fromAccording to which Theodotion and his fellowes would haue corrupted the sa­cred Scriptures by their false translation, and haue darkened the doctrine of the Messiah. Iewish errours: and those Fathers which followed the same,For they vnderstood it of the woman Heua, so farre forth as she was to beare that seed: but it is one thing to be the mother of the Mediatour, and another to be the Mediatrix, or to haue ought to doe in the office of the mediation. In that sense, not onely Marie, but Maries mother, and al the progenitors of Christ may equally be said to tread ye Serpents head: yea al the faithfull, as they are mēbers of his bodie, do tread vpon his head. Rom. 16.20. swar­ued not, as these doe, in the point of faith, but onely did obscure it. And as for Hierome, who can beleeue, (seeingHieron. tradit. Hebrae. sheweth most plainly how it was commonly read in his time, and how it should be read (he) as aforesaid. his owne voice doth testifie of him also o­therwise) that so great aQuē vulgo ecclesiae doctorē, sicut ipse ecclesias magistrū Origenē salutauit. Doctor could erre of ig­norance, [Page 148] or commit such a fault, as a boy of the first weekes teaching in Grammar, is able to amend. For albeit it be confessed byAlfonsus de Castro. lib. 1. cap. 4. Non enim credo aliquem esse a­deo impudentem Papae assertorem, vt ei tri­buere hoc velit, vt nec errare, aut in in­terpretione sacrarū literarum hallucinari possit: nam cum con­stet plures eorum adeo illiteratos esse, vt grā maticam penitus ig­norent, qui fit vt sa­cras literas inte pre­tari possent? witnes approued of them selues, that it is of certaintie, that manie Popes of Rome, haue bin so vnlettered, as that they haue bin vtterlie ignorant of Grammar: yet Hierome wee know, beingHieron. Epist. ad August. Tres Simul, &c. Ego in paruo tu­guriolo cum monachis, id est cum compecca­toribus meis, de mag­nis statuere nō audeo. Idem ad August. epist. Crebras ad me, &c. non conuenit, vt ab a­dolescētia vs (que) ad hāc aetatem in Monaste­riolo cum sanctu fratribus labore desadans, aliquid contra Episcopum communionis meae scribere au­deam. but a pooreQuem diu post obitum in numerum Cardinalium asciuerunt, Titulo Sancti Laurentij: eun­dem tamen simplicem presbyterum fuisse testatur Bellarminus. Tom. 1. contr. 3. lib. 1. c. 27. minister of the Gospel, wasAugust. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 43. Quamuis non defuerit temporibus nostris Presbyter Hieronymus, homo do­ctissimus, & omnium trium linguarum peritus. Et Hieron. de sese testatur Epist. ad Rusticum, & ad Lucinium. excellently skilfull in the Hebrue, Greeke, and Latine tongues, and in other knowledgeIdem Hieron. aduers. Ruff. apolog. 3. greatlie learned. Neither was his conscience so defiled, that in the foundation of mans saluation, hee would haue corrupted the truth of God. But be it that Hierome had so translated it. Hierome might erreAugust. de Baptism. contr. Donatist. lib. 2. cap. 5. In nullo autem aliter sapere, quàm se res habet, angelica perfectio est. Humanum est errare, Senec. lib. 4. declam. 3. be­cause he was a man. Yea, but thatSacrosanctum, Oecumenicum, generale concilium Trident. Habet in Titulo. Sed Mindi vrbis instar, euius portae magnificae, ciuitas modica. Parturint montes. vniuersal Oecu­menicall Tridentine CouncellMelchior Canus. lib. 5. c. 4. Concilium generale confirmatum authoritate Romani pontificis, certam fidem facit Catholicorum dog­matum: Et quodcun (que) dogma posuerit, nobis illud pro Catholica veritate habendum est. Idem lib. 12. cap. 6. Item Ep. 3. Synodalis. Synodi Basiliensis. could not erre, in which theEx Episcop. 255. in lectione Pauli. 3. praesidentibus Cardinalibus & Legatis. De Monte, Aretin; sanctae Crucis; & sanctae Mariae in Cosmedin Reginaldo Polo Anglo. in Catal. sess. 4. whole bodie of the Church of Rome exaltedConcil. Trident. sess. 4. Statuit ac declarat Sacrosancta Synodus, vt haec ipsa vetus & vulgata editio, quae longo tot seculorum vsu in ecclesia ipsa probata est, in publicis lectio­nibus, disputationibus, praedicationibus, & expositionibus, pro authentica habeatur, & vt eam nemo reijcere quouis praetextu audeat vel praesumat. this translation (without exception of a­ny corruption) aboue the originall text it selfe: bin­ding all men vnder paine of the curse, in their pub­like readings, disputations, sermons, and expositi­ons, to vse it onlie as authenticall; and that no man [Page 149] presume or dare reiect it, vnder any colour or pre­tence. Wherby it is manifest, that they do not onlie not acknowledge this for an errour and reforme it, but they allow it, confirme it, bind men vnto it,Author operis de vi­ro perfecto, inter ope­ra Hieronymi: sed no­thus est liber, vti mo­nuit Erasmus. Aqui­nas. Andrad. & vul­gus Papistarum. ex­pound it of the virgin Mary, and giue her the ho­nour of the same. Wherefore also theyAnselmus in fine o­peris. Precatio cuius est titulus: inuoca­tio matris virginis Mariae, simul & filij eius. Sancta, & inter sanctos singulariter sancta, &c. The whole booke of Psalmes turned into blasphemous prayers to the Vir­gin, by Bonauentura: Blessed is the man yt loueth thy name, O Virgin Marie, &c. pray vnto her, they call her theSpiritualis elucida­tio Papistarum in Gen. 2.9. tree of life, the breaker ofAntiphona de Domina nostra, secund. vsum eccles. Hildenshem. Haec est mulier virtutis, quae contriuit caput serpentis, &c. Sancta, sancta, sancta Maria. the Serpents head, theAnton. Episc. Florent. par 3. tit. 3. Summae. Ideo Maria coeli vocatur porta, quia quicquid vnquam gratiae de coelis ex­iuit in mundum, hoc per Mariam exiuit: & quicquid intrauit, intrauit per eam. gate of heauen, theIn Indulgent. Six­ti. Aue sanctissima mater Dei, Regina coeli, porta Paradisi, Domina mundi, &c. Queene of heauen, the throneAnton. Florent. in 4. Hebr. accedamus ad Thronum Gratiae. Maria est thronus Christi, in qua acquieuit. of grace, theAnselm. orat. de quin (que) doloribus Mariae. Mediatrix Dei & hominum, & fons misericordiae, &c. te rogo dul­cissima mater, &c. mediatrix betweene God and man, theIbid. fons misericordiae. foun­taine of mercie, theIbid. orat. 2. Ad quin (que) literas nominis Mariae. Auxi­liatrix Dei & hominum, & pacis aeternae condimentum Maria, &c. Bernadinus in Mariali: María fuit adiutrix nostrae redemptionis, & est auxiliatrix nostrae iustificationis. helper of God and man (for it is not good, sayAnton. Florentin. in as­sump. Maria. Fingit Mariam talia respond [...]sse Seraphim volenti eam apud se detinere, de Christo se­dente ad dexteram Dei. Non est bonum hominem esse solum, & data sum (inquit) ei in adiutorium, in redemtionem per compassionem, in glorificationem per intercessionem. they, that man, that is, Christ should be in the worke of mediation himselfe a­lone) theAnselm. in orat. 3. de li­teris Mariae. Reparatrix debilium, &c. repairer of the weake, theIdem in orat. 4. Illuminatrix caecorum, te flagito, &c. giuer of sight to the blind, theIdem orat. 5. Aduocatrix omnium peccatorum, finis (que) nostra miseriae Maria, te deprecor. aduocate of al sinners: teach­ing thatGabr. Biel. super canon. Quemadmodum Assuerus Esterae dimidium regni est pollicitus; sic coelestis pater cum habeat iustitiam & misericordiam, iustitia sibiretneta, misericordiam exercendam virgini ma­tri concessit. to her, the father hath deliuered vp the throne of mercie, reseruing the throne of iustice to himselfe. Thus doe they worship Rom. 1.15. the creature, forsa­king the creatour who is blessed for euer. Thus is the darkenes ofReuel. 9.2. & 16 10. ignorance and Idolatrie powred vp­on [Page 150] the seat of the beast: and that which the Fathers among them maintained ofSicut perspicuum est ex magna eorum & praepostera deuotione. ignorance, the same doe their childrenBellarm. tom. 1. con­trou. 7. lib. 2. cap. 2. Implexis distinctioni­bus & subterfugijs: quasi Maria pro me­diatore, Imagines Christi, Mariae, san­ctorum, possens coli pro ipsis, per accidens, per aliud, impropriè, sine manifesta idola­trial. Sed ita colunt Iehouam cum idolis suis; etiam filij eorum & nepotes eorum, vt fecerunt maio­res eorum sic faciunt vs (que) in diem hunc. 2. King. 17.41. defend by subtiltie, and are worse then their fathers, becauseAct. 4.16. Rom. 1.18. more obstinate against the truth. But what shall we say? LordPsal. 28.9. ad­uance thy kingdome and saue thine elect. And of them: confounded be all they that worship Psal. 97.7. carued ima­ges, and confounded be they that worship the virgin Marie or anie creature in the place of Christ. Call themIoh. 10.16. home O Lord, or let them quicklie perish. My glorie, saith God,Isai. 42.8. I will not giue to any other.

Question 11. verse 16. What is the meaning of that the Lord saith: I will increase thy sorrowes?

FOrasmuch as the woman followed the Ser­pent in offending,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Attende hîc oro ordinem cōtextus, refertum Dei erga ho­mines beneuolentia, nam interrogāt à vi­ro incepit, deinde ad mulierem transijt. Et post quam ipsa dixit, quis sibi author fue­rit, vt ventum est ad serpentem, non iam il­lum dignatur vt ex eo responsum audiat, sed poenam intentat. she is now compelled to be next vnto him in punishment. Her excuse could not defend her from being faultie, no moreMatth. 25.44. Luc. 13.26. shall theirs which at the latter iudgement, shall excuse themselues: yet the Lord so setteth out his endles goodnes toward them, by tempering his iustice withHab. 2.3. Lament. 3.22.23. his mercie,Deut. 32.43. Salutaris seueritas vincit inanem spe­ciem clementiae. Cic. epist. ad Brut. 2. and his mercie with se­ueritie: as that in punishing, he teacheth men to stand in dreadRom. 11.21.22. of his iustice, and in shewing mercyPsal. 130.7. Dan. 9.7. not to despaire for their sinnes: and because he al­so turneth the bitternes of punishment vnto the [Page 151] health of man, andHose. 5.15. maketh it a way for vs to come to him, man also should loue him forPsal. 119.167. his iustice, & feare him for hisGen. 39.9. August. in Psal. 32. concio. 1. Quando in­cipis quis amare iusti­tiam nisi quando mal­let furta non esse, etsi gehennae non essent in quas fures mitterētur? mercy, which none can skil of, but those of his own familie. The sentence of the curse is ofDan. 6.15. Isai. 45.23. Luc. 16.17. much more force then the lawes of Persia, and cannot be altered. But yet the Lord isIsai. 55.9. infinit­lie more wise then the PersianHester 8.11.12.13. king, and knoweth how to help, and hinder not the course of iustice. For albeit it were in iustice necessarie, that the sen­tence of iustice should proceed against offenders, and that man hauing offended against his God, should therefore indure a punishment answerable to his offence; which punishment was such by his desert of sinne, as hee could neuer satisfie by indu­ring any torment, but he must be held in it for euer: yet now doth the Lord ordaine a remedie, where­by his pronounced sentence being vnreuoked (for­asmuch as in iustice it might not be called backe) both man might suffer, and man by suffering might be saued from destruction. Mankind now isGalat. 3.10. Rom. 5.12. fal­len into the daunger of the curse, & therefore it can­not be but hee must die the death. Hee dieth there­fore2. Cor. 5.14. Coloss. 2.13. in soule and bodie: but isEphes. 2.1. 2. Cor. 1.9. quickned againe, by him that raiseth vp the dead. And that this mightHeb. 2.14. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 20. rightlie be performed, because it was impossible, but thatPsal. 49.14. man of himselfe should be holden in death for euer, the second person in TrinitieHeb. 2.16. Rom. 9.5. did take vnto him the womans seed, and beingHeb. 4.15. perfect man, died alsoIn his whole hu­manitie. as a man. But it beingAct. 2.14. not possi­ble, that he should be holden in death, hee raysethIohn 10.18. vp himselfe to life: who by giuing himselfe to beGalat. 3.13. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 10. c. 24. Ideo po­tuit moriendo peccata soluere, quia & mor­tuus est & nō pro suo peccato. accursed, for vs that were accursed, and to beIsai. 53.5. pu­nished for vs that had deserued punishment, and ha­uing [Page 152] fulfilled the law of1. Pet. 2.22. 1. Iohn 3.5. Leuit. 18.5. righteousnes, which who so doth shall liue therein, that mankind in him fulfil­ling it, might liue in him, who is the life it selfe: it could not be in the iustice of the Lord, but he shuld giue life to them, and deliuer them from wrath to come,Ioh. 1.12. as manie as receiue him, and beleeue in his name. This is the1. Tim. 3.16. 1. Pet. 1.12. mysterie of godlines which the An­gels desire to behold. This was that seed of the wo­manVers. 15. Reuel. 5.3.5. promised, who is able to tread downe the Serpents head. Thus doth thatIsai. 11.1. roote of Iesse, Matth. 1.21. Ie­sus the sonne of Marie, saue his people from their sinnes. Thus doth the victorious lion of the tribe ofReuel. 5.5. Iuda, conquere andEphes. 4.4. triumph vpon that1. Pet. 5.8. wol­uish lion Sathan,Hose. 13.14. hell and death. Whereby you may perceiue, that this punishment which here is laid on all mankind, proceedeth notAugust. Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 3 [...]. Cum autem Deus irascitur, non eius significatur perturbatio, qualis est in animo irascentis ho­minis: sed ex huma­nis motibus transla­to vocabulo, vindicta eius, quae non nisi iusta est, irae nomen accepit. from anie furie of anger in the Lord (like as men vse to pu­nish in the heate of their affections, and doe mea­sure the Lord by their own infirmities) but isChrysostom Hom. in Gen. 17. Congrua & clementi correptione virum & mulierem castigat, quae admoni­tio potius sit quàm pu­nitio. a de­claration how farre the Lord would haue the curse which they wholie had deserued, in part to be ex­tended on them. As if the Lord had said: you haue both broughtAmbros. de Parad. cap. 14. Quò te duxe­runt peccata tua, vt sugias Deum tuum, quem aente quaerebas? dereliquisti vitam ae­ternam, & attumula­tus ei morti, consepul­tus errori. destruction to your selues by sinne. ItEzec. 16.6. Psal. 103.4.8. pitieth me of this your miserie. For my owneDeut. 7. vers. 8. Isai. 43.25. sake I will deliuer you, andIob. 33.24. 1. Ioh. 4.10. Act. 20.28. receiue a ransome of my selfe: you shall liue againe, and be perfectly re­stored. Iehoua Ierem. 23.6. himselfe shall take vpon himIsai. 7.14. your seed and nature. OnlieMarc. 5.6. beleeue, feare not. But yet that youChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. At quia non vsa es vt oportet tanta prosperi­tate, sed affluentia bonorum eò te ingratitudinis adduxit: propterea tibi fraenum impono, vt ne am­plius lasciuias, ad tristitias & gemitus te condemnans. may the better know my iustice, and beEccles. 3.10. humbled for your sinnes; and because you haue [Page 153] so far weakned my graces in you, as that yourChrysostom. lib. 1. de prouident. ad Stagir. Si in eodē honore per­stitissem; 1. Deū ma­leuolum & iniustuur, 2. seductorem, benefi­cum at (que) amicum pu­tassent: 3. peccare im­m [...]rtaliter et abs (que) vl­lo sine perseuerassent. na­ture cannot beare a better condition, till the same a­gaine shall be renewed: therefore thou woman shalt haue sorrowes in conceptions and children, and thou Adam shalt eate thy bread in sorrow, and shalt returne to dust. In this sentence which here the Lord directeth against the woman, it is to be obserued, thatChrysost. de lapsu pri­mi hominis H 2. Mu­lier seritur sententia duplici, altera propria aliera communi: pro­pria qua filios parere in dolore praecepta est: communi, que cū vi­ro morti addicta est. onlie such punishments are decla­red, which properlie belong vnto the sex of woman kind, but those miseries which are common vnto man and woman are farther expressed in Adams pu­nishment. A threefold affliction is laid vpon the woman: increase of conceptions, sorrowes in con­ceptions, and subiection in lust and domination. She was fruitfull byGen. 1.28. creation; but now her con­ceptions are increased: so that in the verie point of blessednes, shee becommeth subiect vnto miserie. Increase of conceptions, are aPsal. 127.3. & 128.3 blessing, saue when the same is smittenDeut. 28.18. with a curse by God; as when shePro. 17.21. as Caine. conceiueth a reprobate and wicked person, or bringethHose. 9.13. Luc. 23.29. forth children to the murtherer: where­fore now that her conceptions are increased,Galat. 4.29. Matth. 26.24. the most in­terpreters do reade it: sorrowes of con­ceptions, taking the word (heronim) con­ceptions in the Ge­nitiue case, and the particle (vau) idle: but because (as Hie­rome saith) in the Scripture not one title is void of meaning, I take it that this coniunction doth ioyne sorowes and conceptions in another sense, and hath his proper force. I know also that oftimes in Scripture, the latter clause is an exposition of the former: so some doe take sorowes of conceptions, to be nothing else but sorowes in bringing forth children. For my part I vnderstand, by the first word sorowes, generallie sorrowes which belong to women; by the latter as it is said particularly, sorrowes in bringing forth: I de­sire the godly reader to iudge charitablie. be­yond the Church of God, such ouer fruitfulnes isEccles. 2.15.19. Ierem. 16.2.3. wretchednes. Againe her conceptions are inclo­sed with sorrowes, and sorrowes is she made parta­ker of, not onelie in conceptions, but both in1. Sam. 1.6.7. 2. King 4.14. bar­rennes, and in bearing of children; in child-births, in bringing forthExod. 23.26. Deut. 28.57. vntimelie, dead, deformed; in [Page 154] nursing and education and tendernesse ouer them, the paines whereof experience doth teach to wo­men, better then Chrysostomes Act. 18.24. or Apollos elo­quence. Child-bearing by vertue of creation, did bring neitherLuther. in Gen. 3. Si non peccasset Heua, non solum sine dolore peperisset, sed etiam ipsa cum viro coniun­ctio tam honesta fuit, quam honestū est ho­die, cum vxore in mē ­sa edere aut colloqui. Educatio esset facili­ma & plena volup tatis: & sicut elegans puella, sine molestia, imo cum magna vo­luptate, & superbia quadam, pulchram co­ronam ex floribus cō ­textam in capite ge­stat: sic sine omni mo­lestia in vtero gestas­set foetum. Commune Theologorum iudiciū. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 14. cap. 26. Neque enim quia experien­tiae probari non potest, ideo credendum non est, &c. Idem de grat. Christi. lib. 2. cap. 2. paine nor griefe to women; foras­much as we know, that paine is of punishment, and punishment is the reward of sin. Wherefore, that paine and sorrow which commeth vnto women in bearing of children, they must acknowledge to proceed from sinne, and themselues to be the cause and authour of the same. Thirdlie, she is punished in subiection: thy desire shall be subiect, &c. that is, thy desire to increase and multiplie, which was giuen as a blessing before the fall, shal no lesse continue with sorrowes, then before it did in pleasure. Shall be vnto thy husband: so it is read in the Hebrue text. The paines and daunger of bearing children, although theyTheir owne expe­rience is as a thou­sand witnesses. are so great, that it often causeth women to despaire of life, and sometime through strength of payne doth vanquish life it selfe, yet it cannot compell themChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Sapè cum foe­tu nato commori eas contingis, & ne (que) hoc caeteras terret, neque persuades vt rem fu­giant, &c. propter hoc dicebat: multiplicant multiplicabo tristitias tuas & gemitum tuum. to abhorre it, that indure it, nei­ther doth it terrifie the rest; for by the former blessing of creation, there is a law of nature, both in man and woman, of desire of children; by vertue whereof it is, that the woman deliuered (as saith our Sauiour)Ioh. 16.20. remembreth no more the anguish. And such now is made theBernard. Hom. 3. super missut est. Dura necessitas & graut iugum super omnes filias Euae: & si pariunt cruciantur, & si non pariunt maledicuntur. hard condition of the daughters of Heua: If they bring forth children, they are in torment; if they bring not forth, they are despised. Lastlie, it is added, and he shall rule ouer thee: that is, thou shalt be more inferiour vnto him, then [Page 155] before thou wast, and his dominion ouer thee, shall be more grieuous. Before it was commodious and delightfull for you both, but hereafter it will be more troublesome & bitter. In which estateColoss. 3.18. Calu. in Gen. 3. vers. 16. Prius quidem subiecta ma­rito fuerat, sed erat liberalis & minimè dura subiectio, nunc verò inseruitutē con­ijcitur. thou shalt be in subiection to thy husband; and seeing thouChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Et quia nesci­uisti imperare, disce bene regi. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. c. 37. Ista ser­uitus est conditionis potius quàm dilectio­nis; & eam merui [...] mulieris non natura, sed culpa. Prior illa fuit, de cuius simili A­postolus (Galat. 5.) per charitatem serui­te inuicem: sed ne­quaquam diceret, in­uicem dominamini. couldest not rule, thou shalt learne to obey. Rule thy1. Tim. 5.14. children, goods and familie, as second af­ter him, but to him be thou obedient,Ephes. 5.22. Clem. Alexandr. Paedagog. lib. 2. Neque dominā esse, neque viri ancil­lam. Idem lib. 3. c. 11. Honestum quidem est, vt viri vxoribus suis fidem habentes, ijs do­mus custodiam per­mittant, vt qua ijs ad id opitulatrices datae sunt. as to the Lord. These punishments are generallie allotted to the sex of women, but yet indefinitelie to all; so that the Lord doth often reserue from them, or from some part of them, whom hee will in mer­cie, which nothing hindreth the fulfilling of the pronounced sentence. Herein therefore wee must acknowledge the iustice, wisdome, and speci­all prouidence of God. How meete was it, that the conceptions of the womā should be increased, that God might manifest his iustice and long suffering, onRom 9.22. August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 3. cap. 21. Idem de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 23. Potest dici, quod ante peccatum, solo piae charitatis affectu, nulla cor­ruptionis concupiscentia filij nascerentur, &c. donec terra immortalibus hominibus impleretur, ac si instituto iusto & sancto populo, qualem post resurrectionem fururum credimus, nascendi etiam modus fieres. Idem Retract. lib. 1. cap. 13. Vs (que) ad certum sanctorum numerum, quem praedestinauit Deus. the vessels of his wrath? How necessarie for the preseruation of the world, to continue the de­sire of the woman to her husband, least shee should because of paine, abstaine from procreation, or as did theHerodot. in Melpom. Si [...]abo Geograph. lib. 11. Oros. lib. 1. cap. 15. August. quaest. mixt. 115. Amazones and otherEthel­frida a Queene of the Saxo-Britains in England, and Valasca a Queene of Boheme, caused many women of their countrey to kill their husbands. In like sort the daughters of Danaus. wicked women, for sorrowes of child-birth, and subiection vnto men, abhorre the vse of mariage, and as instruments of sathā, commit their husbands to death. And how equal, that the woman, who by vsurping authoritie [Page 156] ouer the man had caused him to sinne; should now be made a subiect vnto him, whomVers. 17. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. shee had vn­happilie ruled, and should lose her libertie that would not rightlie vse it. Also how [...]. Homer. Iliad. β. conuenient for our infirmitie it is, thatHest. 1.22. the man should be chiefe in his owne house, and should gouerne and rule the wife: examples of the contrarie, in1. King. 11.4. Salo­mon, 1. King. 21.23. Ahab, Mark 6.24.26. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 15. Herode, Cornel. Tacit. lib 1. Liuia the wife of Augustus rooted out the posteritie and kinred of her hus­band, to prefer her owne. Liuia grauis in Remp. mater, grauis domus Caesarum No. uerca, &c. Augustus, Agrippina the wife of Claudius imp. con­triued her husbāds death by poyson, to obtaine the Empire for her sonne. Suet. in vita Claud. c. 44. Plin. lib. 32. cap. 22. Per bl [...]nditiarum ti­lecebras p [...]ectum in amorem. and others, be­side daylie experience, doth plainely proue. By this place of Scripture, women are to know that the fountaine of their sorrowes areMalam culpae pro­gignit malum poenae. their sinnes. Se­condlie, that in daunger of childbirth,Gen. 25.21. they haue accesse by prayer vnto the Lord: forasmuch as it is of him onely to increase, or moderate their paine. Thirdlie, in ruling, not to passe the bounds of obe­dience vnto their husbands: although it be to1. Pet. 2.18. & 3 5.6 cru­ell and vnciuill husbands, for the1. Pet 2 13. Lords sake, and inEphes. 5.21. the Lord: and seeing in libertie shee ouerthrew his happines, when she should haue beene his help; now in miserie (for amends sake) the woman should indeuour byTit. 2.4 5. 1. Tim. 3.11. faithfulnes,Tit. 2.5. obedience and loue, to be vnto the man aProu. 14.1. wise,Col [...]ss. 3.15. Ami­able: such as deserue to be beloued. pleasant,Prou. 31.16. &c. carefull and comfortable help. SoProu. 5.19. mē likewise are taught, not to adde vnto thePsal. 69.26. sorrowes of them whom God hath smitten, but in wisedome as the instruments of God, to relieue and comfort them; the husband, by bearing with (so farre as he mayRom. 12.18. Gregor. in Pastoral. part 3. admon. 28. in godlinsse) the infirmities of his wife,1. Pet. 3.7. and honouring her, as the weaker vessell: gouerning and louing her, asEphes. 5.28. the soule, if it were not corrupted, would doe the bodie: but yet gouerning, seeing1. Tim. 2.12. 1 Pet. 3.1.7. God hath so [Page 157] commaunded, and hath so greatlie punished neg­lect of gouernment. And seeing this isEphes. 5.33. Hieron, Comment. in epist. ad Tit. cap. 2. Et cum ca­put mulieris sit vir, caput autē viri Chri­stus, quaecunque vxor nō subijcitur viro suo, hoc est capiti suo: eius­dem criminis rea est, cuius & vir, si non subijciatur Christo ca­piti suo. his ordi­nance, that disposeth all in wisedome: those women that will not be subiect to their husbands (obeying the voice of God)Psal. 9.17. Bernard. Serm. 10. Ibi clamabit pilosus ad pilosum, v­nus ad alium, daemon ad daenionem: percute, dilacera, interfice, velociter spolia. infer prunas, & ebul­lientibus impone lebetibus. shall for reward, be subiect to the diuels and hellish torments: the men also that will not gouerne, are iustlie depriued of obedience, and shall giue account of their negligence, to him that gaue them power. But those that by cruel­tie and iniurie, prophane this ordinance, what wil they answere, when the LordIob. 31.13.14. Coloss. 4.1. standeth vp to iudg­ment?

Question 12. verse 17. Wherefore the Lord cursed the earth, and not man, when man had sinned?

ADam who was the last in sinne, is punished the last. His sinne at the length for all his hiding places and excusesNumb. 32.23. doth finde him out. Whereby we learne that not a­nie one of the wicked generationProu. 16.5. shall in the end escape Gods iudgement. The Lord also doth lay against him, his sinne before his punishment, shew­ing therebyIerem. 5.25. Hose. 14.2. that sinne is the cause of all his misery: declaring alsoExod. 23.7. Deut. 17.6. that none should be punished ey­ther without, or aboue desert; which is forChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Quo etiam nos docet, vt quando & nos reos condem­namus, non tam crude­liter illis loquaemur, neque ferina in illos vtamur saenitia, sed longanimiter, & misericorditer agamus, vtpote nostra ipsorum membra condemnaturi, supplicium (que) misericordia temperantes. Non enim frū ­stra, tanta verborum humilitate, nostrae ruditati congrua vtitur diuina scriptura, sed verbis crassi­amulari nos debere Dei misericordiam docet. iudges [Page 158] and Magistrates, a notable example of doing iustice. The crime alleaged is, because thou haste obeyed, &c. Not for that thou hast obeyed, but because thou hast obeyed and hast eaten; and because thou hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commaunded thee, thou shouldest not eat of it; the fault therfore is, not that Adam loued his wife, and heard her voice; but that hee loued herBernard. Parui Ser­mon. 5.27. Peccauit autem nimis diligen­do vxorem; non quia eius voluntatem fe­cit, sed quia eam vo­luntati pratulis diui­nae. so much, that he obeyed her more then God; and the same had testified by a manifest breach of Gods commaundement, wherein was ioyned vnthanke­fulnes, incredulitie, pride, couetousnes, rebellion, and manie other sinnes, of which wee haue alreadie spoken. Wherfore although weePro. 19.20. & 24.6 ought to hear­ken vnto counsaile, yetPro. 1.10. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Audiant vi­ri, audiant mulieres, & illi quidem ne fe­rant mala consulētes: ha autem vt ne talia consulant. Nam si hic culpa in mulierem re­iecta nullam veniam assecutus est, qua­lem tu poteris habe­re, &c. wee must beware of wic­ked counsaile. MenEphes. 5.33. ought to loue their wiues, and be1. Pet. 2.13. subiect to superiours, or els theyRom. 13.1.2. despise the ordinance of God: but must withall take heede, that they honour not1. Sam. 2.29. anie creatureIsai. 44.6. & 42.8. with the Lord, to loue itPhilip. 3.19. Coloss. 3.5. as the Lord, or to obey itAct. 4.19. more then God. Cursed is the earth, &c. It is meruaile that the earth should be accursed which had not sinned, for ofHilar. in Psalm. 66. Terra elementum extra crimen est: caretergo maledictione quòd carebat & crimine. right it ought to be without the curse, that is without the crime. But because the earth was madePsal. 115.6. Isai. 45.18. for the vse of man, thereforeChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Et meritò. nam quia propter hominem producta est, vt illo posset frui his quae ex ea nascerentur: ideo iterum propter hominem peccantem, maledictum ei ingeri­tur: quia maledictum terra euenient, hominis securitati & felicitati obest. iustlie also is the same for mans offences, made subiect to the curse; and the earth being accursed, man thereby as it were, is cursed in his goods. The earth is accur­sedAmbros. de Paradiso cap. 15. Nec terra in se maledicta est, sed maledicta inquit in operibus tuis: & maledicta non in vni­uersum, sed vt spinas & tribulos generet, nisi fuerit humanae studio operationis exorcita. not as the Serpent (who was an actor in this [Page 159] fearefull tragedie) that the punishmentAugust. de Gen. contr. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 13. Ergo dicendū est, quòd per peccatum hominis terra male­dicta sit, vs spinas pa­reret: non vt ipsa poe­nas sentiret, quae sine sensu est, sed vt pec­cati humani crimen semper hominum ante oculos p [...]neret, quo ad­monerentur aliquan­do auerti à peccatis, & ad Dei pracepta conuerti. thereof should be vnto it selfe: but the earth being smitten, the hurt thereofCaluin. in Gen. 3. vers. 17. Adde quod propriè loquendo, non de terra ipsa, sed do solo homine tota vin­dicta exigitur. Caete­rum Dominus iram suam diluuij instar in­undare voluit in om­nes mundi partes, vt­quocun (que) aspiceres ho­mo, in eius oculos in­curreres peccati atro­citat, &c. vnde nunc in elementis omnibus cernimus nos quodū ­modo maledictos. is his, who by sinRom. 8.20. did subdue it vnto vanitie. But yet that we might see, that God so extremely hateth sinne, who hath not onelie com­maunded to abstaine from euill, but from1. Thess. 5.22. the ve­rie shew of euill, & toIud. 23. Isai. 30.22. hate euen the garment spot­ted by the flesh; hee spareth not the earth from pu­nishment, in which there was so foule a crime com­mitted. The wholeOrigen. contr. Cel­sum. lib. 7. Ad totam terram pertines, ex qua in molestijs, hoc est laboribus, edit omnis homo in Adam mortuus, proinde & omnes portiones eius. Quid igitur de terra Iudaea? qua bona, & fundens mel & lac dicitur? Vid. Responsum quast. 13. earth is accursed,2. Pet. 3.7. and there­fore subiect to deuouring fire, withRom. 8.22. Aug lib. 83. quaest. q. 67. all the crea­tures that were made for the vse of man, and that for Adams sake: that is, forHieron. lib. Tradit. Hebra. in Gen. Theodo­tio; maledicta Adama in transgressione tua. his transgression sake: that a2. Pet. 3.13. Reuel. 21.1. new heauen and earth may be prepared, wherein none iniquitie shall be committed. Wher­fore although it be not said, cursed art thou Adam, but cursed is the earth for thee, yet that which was inflicted on the earth, was Adams punishment. And much more doth it declare the greatnes of his sin, when as the earth, the aire, the water, the2. Pet. 3.7.10. heauen, all earthlie liuing creatures and things without life, (for so large is the name of earth to be vnderstood) are punished with man, that is to say, haue their na­turall blessing and goodnes of creation weakened; then if man had borne the punishment alone. But how is it that no other, but temporall and earthlie punishments are imposedVpon the creature. Secondly, paine and sorow. Thirdly, temporarie death. vpon Adam and his wife, for sinne? Shall wee iudge no other to be due to sinners, but such as they receiue in this life pre­sent? [Page 160] It is most vndoubted, thatRom. 6.23. Galat. 3.18. Reuel. 21.8. vnto sinne belon­geth eternal death of soule and bodie, which also in a sort theyBy the losse of righteousnesse and felicitie which be­fore they had. found within them; but the Lord came rather to deliuer them from the danger of the same: and being alreadieIren. lib. 3. cap. 37. Intellectus verò trās­gressionis fecit poeni­tentiam. Poenitentibus autem largitur benig­nitatem suam Deus. Quae quidem poeni­tentia licet sancta non fuit, preparatio fuit ad sanctā, quam Deus mox fuerat largitu­rus. reconciled vnto Adam by his son the womans seed, hee spareth to repeateAugust. de ciu. Dei lib. 13. cap. 23. Prop­terea nihil dixisse, de morte secunda creden­dum est, quia occuliā esse voluit, propter dispensationem testa­menti noui, &c. Perrò mors secunda nō vn (que) communis est omni­bus. the paines of hell, whereof Adam byEphes. 2.8. Heb. 7.25. faith in Christ was free. But here it may againe be asked, if God were reconciled vnto Adam, why doth hee yet pu­nish him for offending? It isEccles. 10.13. wicked madnesse which some doeScotus in Sent. 4. distinct. 16. q. 2. Gabr. Biel. Sent 3. distinct. 19. conc. 5. Bellarm. tom. 1. controu. 6. lib. 1. cap. 11. Item tom. 2. controu. 4. lib. 1. cap. 5. Et est vulgata fides Papistarum. answere, he forgaue the sin, but not the punishment; forasmuch as Christ hath paid ourHeb. 9.12 14. 1. Tim. 2 6. Hebr. 7.25. ransome, deliuering vs both fromMatth 1.21. Ephes. 1.7. Tertul. lib. de Baptism. Exempto reatu, eximitur & poena. Hieron. in Psalm. 31. Quod regitur non videtur quod non videtur, non imputatur, quod non imputatur non punietur. August. de verbis Dom. Serm. 37. Suscipiendo poenam & non suscipiendo culpam, & culpam deleuit & poenam; scilicet Christus. sinne and punishment. Wherefore this punishment is laide on Adam, not in any sort as a satisfaction vnto iu­stice, but as a Heb. 17. [...]. father doth correct his sonne, so doth the Lord chastise his children, that Deut. 8.16. he may doe them good in the latter end. Euen so, as many as are partakers of the same faith in Iesus Christ, are freed from it, so farre as it is a punishment, and haue it asCalu. Institut. lib. 3. c. 4. sect. 31. Iudicium est vel vindictae vel castigationis; iudicio vindictae Deus inimicos suos vlciscitur: iudicio castigationis, nonita saeuit vt irascatur, nec vindicat vt perdat, vel fulmines ad interitum. Vn­de non est supplicium propriè aut vindicta, sed correctio & admonitio. a warning to bring them home to God: but the wicked to whom the fault is vnremitted, they haue it as a punishment temporall, and forerunner of that which is eternall. And in this regard the Lord is oftenDeut 32. [...]9. Iob. 5.18. Mat. 19.1 [...]. Chrysost. lib. 1. de Prouident. Multis Deus malis hominem eiectū Paradiso liberauit, &c. ita ferè & medicus, si vulnus negligat parulentum amplius reddit. Idem ad Pop. Antioc. Hom. 7. compared to a Phisition, because he cureth the soules of men, [Page 161] sometime by promises of mercie,Psal. 147.3. Iob. 33.24.25. as it were with oyle; and sometime with2. Sam. 7.14. scourges and correcti­ons, likePsal. 60.3 bitter medicines according to the quali­tie of their sicknes. The soule of man being surfei­ted with pride, it was necessary that the Lord should giue a potion of humilitie, whereby man being dai­lie emptied ofEphes. 4.22. his old corruptions, might with hunger and thirst,Psal. 42.2. & 63.1. Matth. 5.6. gaspe for the death of Christ, which is the fruit of life. The death of the soule which is most daungerous,Isai. 22.13. 2. Pet. 2.13. [...]. the wicked do despise, so they may haue their pleasures in the flesh: wher­fore God cutteth short their lust by temporarie death, to the end they might be moued to hate the pleasures, which they shall enioyHeb. 11.25. Luc. 12.20. but for a season, being afterwardLuc. 16.25. Clem. A­lexandr. in Protrept. Primus homo in Pa­radiso erat; ludebat so­lutus, quoniam erat Dei puer; quando au­tem subiecit se volup­tati, &c. illectus est puer cupiditatibus; vir effectus per ino­bedientiam; & cùm patrem non audiuis­set, Deum affecit igno­minia: & homo in­uentus est alligatu [...] peccatis. Hieron. Epist. ad Fa­biolam de 42. mansiō. Israel. Voluptas atque luxuria amaritudine terminantur. Quare, sperne voluptates, no­cet empta dolore vo­luptas. Horat. epist. 2. the causes of euerlasting paine. And because theLuc. 21.34. feare of death is forgotten in a pleasant life, the LordAmos 4.6.7. &c. Ambros. lib. de bono mortis. Quid est enim quo haec vita delectat, plena arumnarum & solicitudinum, in quo innumerae calamitates, & multa mo­lestiae, & multae lachrimae. by the troubles of this life, andMat. 24.43. Hieron. ad Cyprian. Epist. Qui se recordatur quotidie mori­turū, contemnit praesentia. the vncertaine time of death, would prouoke vs to be displeased with the life we haue, and conti­nuallie to looke for death that is to come: to the end that (hee hauingNam mortē in morte prorogauit, vt vitā in vera vita viueremus: aeter­nam poenam distulit, vitam concessit morti similimā, vn [...]renouati ad vltā Christi, per Christum & in Christo, Deo fruamur in aeternum. prolonged life a time for our a­mendment) we might not through the corruption of our nature fall away, but might be vrged by ca­lamitie, not to forsake the boundes of modestie. So that Adam and his childrenAmissa sanctitate eu necessario amittitur foelicitas. being no way able to vse aright the felicity they had receiued, God chan­geth their condition to calamitie, that their dulnes might be spurred vp thereby, to labor to attaine, by Christ, ye former happines which thēselues had lost.

Question 13. verse 18. Wherein consisteth the punishment of A­dam? in sorrow shalt thou eate thereof, &c.

THree things are contained in the punish­ment: the curse of the earth: the miserie of mans life; and the end thereof by death. The Lord herein expoundeth in what meaning hee did accurse the earth: namelie that man should eat there­of in sorow: as if the Lord had said: by myGen. 1. ver. 11. Basil. Hexam. 5. Vox enim tunc & primum illud praeceptum, velut le [...] quaedam natura facta est, & permansit in ipsa terra, generandi & fructificandi vim consequentem ipsi ex­hilens. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 3 cap. 2. Non ergo Sol aut Luna foecundita­tis authores sunt, sed Deus pater per Domi­num Iesum omnibus libertatem fertilitatis impertit. only bles­sing the earth hath hitherto abounded, with al man­ner of store, to beautifie the felicitie of man: now for your sinne sake,1. Sam. 2.30. I withdraw my blessing, notEzech. 16.59. Non secundum peccata v [...] ­stra. wholie, but so as thou shalt eate thy bread in sor­row, and behold the reward of sinne in euery crea­ture, that for thyRom. 8.20. Calu. in Gen. 3. Vt quocun (que) a­spiceret homo, in eius occulos occurreret pec­cati atrocitas. sake is subiect to corruption. The blessing of the Lord it is, thatProu. 10.22. Deu. 8.18. maketh rich, and crownethGen. 1.11. Psal. 65.9.10.11. the earth with plentiousnes: so his curse doth turne a land that Psal. 107.34. Gen. 19.25. is fruitfull into saltnes, for the wickednes of them that dwell therein. The force of this curse it was, that depriued the earth of her former fruitfulnes,Gen. 1.24. August. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 13. Ante peccatum ergo non est scriptum, quod terra aliud protulerit nisi herbam pabuli, & ligna fru [...]tuosa. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 5. Videre potuisses, subitò terram quae antea info [...]nis & inculta erat decoro suo & ornatu cum coelo certare. in which, by creation it was indued to bring forth of his owne accord without the help of man, both corne and fruitfull trees, and hearbes in wonderful abundance, for the vse of man and beast. But now as wee see in steed of wheate, it bringeth forth weedes: in steed of fruit, it bringeth thornes and thistles. It is rightlie supposed there were [Page 163] thornesAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 3. cap. 18. Nec tamen facilè dicēdum est, tum coepisse ista o­riri ex terra. Fortassia enim, quoniam in ip­sis quo (que) generibus se­minum multa reperi­untur vtilitates, pote­rant habere locū suū sine vlla poena homi­nis. Damascen. lib. 2. Or­thodox. c. 10. Eduxit mundi opifice mandā ­te plantarum & her­barum genera: Hae quidem plantae, fru­ctiferae & ad esum accommodatae; ha odo­riferae & floridae; ha ad morborū (qui nunc sunt) curationem. before, and thistles, and venemous herbes, and Serpents; but they were notVt Isai. 11.9. Beda Hexam. 3. Ante pec­catum hominis, terra nihil noxium protulit, non herbam venena­tam nec arborem ste­rilem. Scilicet, Herbae quae nunc sunt, vene­natae non fuerunt, & arbores nunc steriles creabantur frugiferae; simili modo nec ignis vreret, nec aqua sufforaret, si non fuisset peccatum; nihilominus ignit esset calidus, & aqua humida, vt rectè Albertus. Aquin. Sum. part. 1. quaest. 72. Spinae & tribuli oriebantur in terra, sed non in ho­minis poenam nisi post peccatum. noisome, nor had power to hurt: they were for the full perfection of the creature,Basil Hexam. 5. Dixit Deus germinet. &c. & statim cum his quae alimenta prebent, simul prolata sunt venenata, cum frumento cicuta, &c. not as sores and blemishes therein: they were rare and scarce, as seruingAmbros. Hexam. lib. 3. cap. 9. Singula autem corum quae generantur è terris, specialem quandam rationem habent, quae pro vi­rili portione complent vniuersae plenitudinem creatura: nam cicuta sturni vescuntur, veratrum co­thurnicū alimentum est. but to shew the wisedome of God in the diuersitie of his works, and more fruitfull plants were then more plentiful. But when the curse was powred forth for sinne, thornes and thistles and such like fruits of barrennes increased euerie where, and choked them of better fruit, which of themselues were readie to decay. Yet asSicut ipsa Paradisus Gen. 2. [...]. cum tamen nullus terrarum situs suit steri­lis, nec arbor sine fructu, vel al alimentū vel ad odorem. Vt Tertul. lib. 2. in Marcion. Beda Hexam. 3. Lyra in Gen. 3. & alij. some places of the earth, before the curse were more fruitfull then the rest (as the Lords gar­den exceeded all the earth) so the LordGen. 13.10. doth con­tinue the same in mercie; not vtterlie depriuing the earth of blessednesse: the which, as experience tea­cheth, doth decay; and as mens sins increase, so doth the earths vnfruitfulnes. The second punishment is deriued from the first. In sorrow shalt thou eate there­of, &c. that is, the curse of the earth shall be thy mi­serie, to whom the aboundance thereof was giuen. ThouTertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Consilium exercendae centinentia intellige. shalt now seeke thy liuing thereout in scar­citie, thatDeut. 17.20. Dan. 4.27. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Cum tristitia viuere te faciā, vt hoc tibi fraenum sit, ne quid supra dignitatem de te sentias. thereby thou maiest be bridled from waxing proude. To these shall be added as compa­nions,Eccles. 5.10. cares in riches, dishonourProu. 14.20. in pouertie, [Page 164] diseasesIoh. 5.14. Hoc ipsum Pandorae pixidem ex­titisse credo, quam ab Epimetheo reclusam, morbos & humanas omnes miserias profu­disse fabulantur Eth­nici: Pausan. in At­ticu. Horat. Epod. 3. of bodie,Eccles. 1.14. vexation of minde,Iob. 1.21. losse in wealth,Eccles. 1.8. & 2.23. painefulnes of life, flouds, drouth, vnsea­sonable weather, thunder, stormes, and all other di­stresses, which shall be caused by those visible crea­tures which were created for thy behoofe. Till thou returne to the earth, &c. that is, thou shalt haue sor­rowes all thy life,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Ex quo tem­pore audierunt, terra es et in terram abibis, & sententiam acce­perunt mortis; ex illo tempore fuerunt per­inde, acsi quis illos di­cat mortuos fuisse. Si­cut enim in humanis iudicijs condemnati, licèt iterum in carce­rem conijciuntur, pro mortuis & defunctis habentur. &c. and last of all shalt be resolued into dust. Because thou art but dust, &c. hisTertul. lib. de Resur­rect. Origo recēsetur, non substantia reuo­catur. original is rehearsed, his substance is not recalled. Notwith­standing the Lord saith not, thou art of the dust, but thou art dust; and as before he said,Gen. 2.7. the Lord made man dust of the ground, shewing that the whole mat­ter whereof man was formed, was but dust; so now the Lord saith againe, thou art but dust: which is as if the Lord had said. Thou wast raised out of dust to such excellent perfection, as to beare in an earthlie bodie a heauenly image: now through thy default, the matter remaining, the forme is perished; the earthlieGen. 5.3. 1. Cor. 15.49. image is left, the heauenlie is lost; and that little, which remaineth by the mercie of the Lord of that same heauenlie,Rom. 6.12. & 7.23. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 15. Iucta damnatio subsecuta est, vt homo qui custo­diendo mandatū fu­tutus fuerat etiam carne spiritualis, fieret (cum peccasset) etiam mente carnalis; & qui mortuus est spiritu volen [...], corpore esset moriturui inuitus. thou hast made subiect to the earthlie image, that is to say, to flesh & blood. For this cause it is not meet that thou shouldest euer continue in this corruption, but either be renewedLeo Sermon. 5. de natiu. Dom. Adam cupidus honoris angelici, naturae suae perdidit dignitatem: Christus infirmitatis nostrae suscipiens conditionem, prop­ter quos ad inferna des [...]endit, cosdem in coelestibus collocauit. vnto the glorie thou hast lost, or els be partaker of such paines, as the defiling of so rich a treasure doth deserue. Wherein we must obserue, that the punish­ment imposed vpon Adam, Rom. 5.12. 1. Cor. 15.22. August. En­chirid. cap. 26. Hinc post peccatum exul effectus, stirpem quo (que) suam, quam peccando in se tanquam in radice vitiauerat, poena morti. & damnationis obstrinxit. belongeth vnto all [Page 165] mankind: for in as much as he had receiuedEccles. 7.31. Rom. 11.16. Caesarius Dialog. 3. Sciendum quod imago quidem Dei est, qua in tota humanitate perfectio­nem habuit: inquit enim quod fecerit De­us hominem, non A­damum, secundum i­maginem. In Hebrae [...] quidem est Adam; at­qui hoc nomen saepe ponitur pro homini­bus: si de Adamo, in­telligendum tanquam de radice & massa to­tius generis humani. the image of God, and other gifts for all posteritie, to be common vnto other which should proceed of him; it could not be, but the losse thereof was com­mō, and the want & hurt thereof should be to al. Se­condlie, we are admonished toPsalm. 34.12.13. D. Whitaker. contr. 1. quaest. 2. cap. 14. arg. 6 Historiam Adulterij Dauidis vtilem esse ecclesiae contendimus; nam primū hinc disci­mus, neminem impunè peccaturum esse, sed quenquam si peccet. poenam peccati subi­turum, vel castiga­tionis vt Dauid subijt, vel vltionis vt alij. beware of sinne, seeing all men doe vndergoe the punishment there­of, either in chastisementPsalm. 118.18. as doe the Saints; or as theDeut. 32.41. wicked, of reuenge. Thirdlie, that we grudge notPsal. 37.1.8. & 71.3. at the prosperitie of wicked men, whom some­time the LordIo [...]. 21.7.17. deferreth to punish in this life, be­cause they belong not vnto him: neither to1. Pet. 4.10. Iob. 1. Hieron Dialog. 1. con­tra Pelagian. Nec mihi Abraham & cateros quos in veteri testamento diuites legimus exemplo pro­ponas, qui diuites ingressi sunt regna coelorum, cum ipsis diuitijs ad bona vtentes opera, diuites esse de­sierunt: imo cum non sibi, sed alijs diuites fuerint; & dispensatores magis Dei, quàm diuites appel­landi sunt. con­demne the righteous, if God increase their wealth, seeing God hath set it downe as a punishment, not a commaundement, In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate bread, which in mercie he may take away from whom he will. Fourthlie, thatRom. 3.3 4.5. 2. Pet. 2.12. we do not acuse the truth of God, because all men doe not labour for liuing in pouerty. For as we are said to labour, when our hands and feet doe labour: soEph. 4.25. mankinde may be said to labour, when most part thereof doth la­bour, and none is free fromIob. 5.7. Eccl. 1.14. labour, care, sorrow, sickenes, death. Fiftlie, that wee forsake not the fel­lowship of Gods children forMat. 10.28.33. Psal. 73.13. worldlie punish­ments, for whose sakeHeb. 12.6.7. &c. chieflie, they are allotted to the world: forasmuch as they areHeb. 12.10. &c. August. de [...]eccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. c. 33. Deus ea [...] ad certamen fidei sinit manere, vt per illas erudiantur & exerceantur proficientes in ago­ne iustitiae. Cum tamen constat propter peccatum quod admiserant, illos à Deo primos homines (intentatas poenas) audisse atque meruisse. wholie taken a­way from them, from being punishments, and re­maine [Page 166] but exercises for the godlieHose. 5.15. Calu. in Gen. 3. whereby to prouoke them to repentance, and to beware of sin. Sixtlie, seeing the earth is cursed for our sinnes, let vsMatt. 6.33. Author oper. imperf. in Mat. Hom. 16. Tu ergo quae­re iustitiam, & non decrit tibi panis. seeke the righteousnes of God; wee shall not want conuenient food. He that is faithfull hath pro­mised to all his children:1. Cor. 10.13. Heb. 13.5. I will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee. Seauenthlie, we are to vnderstand that death commethRom. 5.12. August. de Peccat. mer. & re­miss. lib. 1. cap. 2. Pro­inde si non peccasset Adam, non erat ex­poliandus corpore sed supernestiendus immortalitate. Idem de ciuit. Dei, lib. 13. cap. 15. Leo de nat. Dom. Serm. 4. Quam naturae sua speciosissimam dignitatem, si per obseruantiam legis datae perseue­ranter excoleres; ipsam illam terreni corporis qualitatem ad coelestem gloriam mens incorrupta per­duceres. Contra Pelagianos, Scotum & Simplicium argum. 22. not by creation, but by sinne; and therefore as by sinne it entred, so by the righteous­nes of Christ, it shall1. Cor. 15.21. be taken away.

Question 14. verse 20. Wherefore Adam called the name of his wife Heua: as it seemeth immediatly after the punishment laid vpon him?

BEcause, as saith the Scripture, shee was the mo­ther of Onkelos paraphrast. Chald. Quod sit parēs omnium hominum. Rabb. Leui ineptè al­legorizat; fuisse ma­trem omnium viuen­tium dictam, etiam brutorum matrem ap­pellatam, ob mentis ruditatem & stupo­rem, & quòd terre­stria saperet non coelestia. all liuing: wherein there may be ga­thered a double reason. The one of thank­fulnesse to God, for the sparing of his earthlie life; wherein although himselfe was mortall, yet by po­steritie, in respect of humane kind,Alia enim iuxta totū & partes sunt aeterna, scilicet permanentia vt coe­lestia: alia iuxta tota se aeterna sunt; iuxta partes autem, generationi & corruptioni sunt obnoxia. Sicut quatuor elementa & genus hominum. Philopon. in Arist. de generat & eorr. lib. 1. he should euer be continued in life: therefore her name was Cha­ua, Hieron. Trad. Hebrae. in Gen. Chaua enim transfertur; in vitam: quare vita fuit appellata. Et est [...], chaua, à [...], caiah, Iod in vau mutata, ne cum [...], caiah, confunderetur, quod est anima. that is in English, life or liuing. The second of [Page 167] faith;Irenae. lib. 3. cap. 39. Mentiuntur ergo om­nes qui Adae saluti contradicunt, semper seipsos excludentes à vita, eò quòd non cre­dunt inuentam onem quae perierat: Si autem illa non est inuenta, adhuc possidetur in perditione omnis ho­minis generatio: men­dax ergo is qui hanc coecitatē induxit Ta­tianus. because he imbraced the promise of the wo­mans seed. For seeing wee finde no monuments in Scripture of Adam and his wife, after the promise bestowed on them, butGen. 4.1. & 25.26. as of godlie and vertuous Patriarkes, we may be bold to vnderstand this acti­on as a fruite of grace,Respondetur Caluino in hunc locum. not of corruption. His mea­ning therefore was to commend the bountie of the Lord, & for a monument of mercie shewed on him, in sparing his life, he calleth her by the name of life: and that most worthilie in respect of faith. Hither­to, she might rather haue bin called death then life, because by transgressing, she had beene the cause of death; yet now the goodnesse of the LordChrysost. in Isai. 6. Hom. 4. Sed aijs, è Pa­radiso me expulit? Verùm eadem te in coelos induxit. had made, of the meane by which sinne had entrance, the meane by which againe it isIoh. 1.29. & 1. Ioh. 2.2. expelled. And for as much as the seed was promised to breake the Ser­pents head, he beleeued he should be restored vnto life, by the same seed, which should also giue1. Tim 1.15. life to the world. Herein also the man beginneth in godlie sortChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 14. Nominis im­positio monstrat ma­nifestè dominium. to practise that authoritie which God had giuen him ouer his wife, in calling her as it wereIsa. 4.1. For in the same sense might Adam be called the father of all liuing: but the Lord, who only had ouer him authority, gaue him a most significant name of the matter of his originall: Earth. Gen. 5.2. by his own name, which is a token among men, of their preheminence: and the woman in receiuing it declareth her obedience. Which godlie example the more ancient it is, the more worthie to be fol­lowed both of man and wife, & especiallie to be ob­serued in this degenerate and declining age, in which the duties of marriage societie, are seldome and but slenderlie regarded.

Question 15. verse 21. How it is said, that the Lord God clothed the man and his wife?

TO let passe theirOrigin. in Gen. Re­ferente Methodio a­pud Epiph. Heraes. 64. Item Epist. Epiphan. ad Iohn. Hierosol. Gre­gor. Nissen. opinion, who expound it as an allegorie, and not a historie, that our first Parents were clothed by the Lord: whether we vnderstand it, that the Lord God did byEpiphan. Haeres. 64. Sic etiam tunc voluit Deus, ô incredule, pel­liceas natura tunicas, absque animalibus, abs (que) arte aliqua hu­mana, & multiformi cultis, & simul vt vo­luit fecit Adam & Euae, quemadmodum ab initio simul voluit, & mundus & omnia facta sunt. Obiectio. At sunt, qui non pos­sunt hoc in animum inducere. Resp. Qui verò salutis doctri­nam suscipere nolunt, his ne totum aenum ad comprobationem suf­fecerit. Obiect. At in sex diebus omnia om­nium genera creauit, pelliceat tunicas non creauit. Resp. Neque has tunicas pelliceas incepit nunc creare, qui pelles & bestias creauit antea. Iustin. Mart. in Quaest. orthodox 9. willing or commaunding it, make them gar­ments without art or help of creatures, as hee did create the world; or that hee did itNeque enim Deum aut Linionem aut coriarium egisse debemus existimare, ficut obijciunt. Epiphan. epist. ad Iohan. Hierosol. Caesarius dialog. 3. by his Angels, who are ministringHeb 1.14. spirits, for their sakes who are heires of saluation; or whether byChry­sost. Hom. in Gen. 18. Et verbum fecit, accipe, pro eo quod est, imperauit vt essent: iussit enim tunicis pelliceis vestiri in perpetuam memoriam, quod inobedientes fuerint Domino. Caluin. in Gen. 3. Cras­sa Minerua exponit Moses dominum hanc Adae & eius vxori industriam dedisse, vt sibi vestes ex pellibus conficerent. giuing autho­ritie & libertie to Adam, to make vse of the creatures for his clothing (as Salomon is said to build1. King. 6.2. &c. the tem­ple, when hee caused his workemen to build the same) it nothing differeth from the rule of faith or godlinesse: neither is it meete that men should moue contētions for opinions that are but fixed in their own conceit. There are of this our age, which will demaunde, more curious then wise, where these skins were had so sodainelie, which made A­dam clothing: when notwithstanding no such pre­posterous haste is signified in scripture, as they them selues conceiue without a cause: yea they will be so madde as to demaund, where Adam had a thred [Page 169] to sew his figge leaues. And this they doe in mirth andMy selfe hath bin an eye and an eare witnes. pastime among their consorts. Such I fore­warne in the name of the Lord, that they ceaseIsai. 28.22. to dallie with the Scripture, least while they play with it, as theIudg. 16.25. Philistims did with Sampson, the sentence thereof doDeut. 27.26. fal vpon their heads, the waight where­ofLuc. 20.18. doe grinde them vnto powder. Others I admo­nish to beDeut 29 29. contented with the truth reuealed, and that which is secretIrenae. lib 2. cap. 47. Quaedam quidem ab­soluamus secundum gratiam Dei, &c. i. Some things, viz. things reuealed, let vs labour perfectlie to vnderstand, ac­cording to the grace of God reuealing them: somethings, viz. things vnre­uealed, let vs bee content to com­mend to God. to commend to God. For it is not the way to increase in knowledge,August. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 8. cap. 5. Meli­us est dubitare de oc­cultis, quàm litigare de incertis. to be curi­ous in matters of vncertaintie, such questions are1. Tim. 3.4.5. Hie­ron. in 1. Tim. 6. Quae generant lites & blas­phemias in deum pug­nando sermonibus. vnprofitable, ingēder strife, & do foster Atheisme, and contempt of the word of God. And the god­lie I exhortIeh. 5.39. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. Quantam sermonis himilitatem attemperat diuina scriptura? Ergo omnia ita intelligamus, sicut par est de Deo intelligi. to search the Scriptures, where they shall be easilie answered of such doubtfulnes, wher­of they shall in christian sobrietie, desire to vnder­stand the certaintie. Hee is well able to make a gar­ment, that made the world; and toIustin. Mart. Quaest. Or­thodox. 48. make a skin (if necessity required) without a beast, that made beasts and skins of nothing. So much is it more easie with the Lord to worke, then for vs to know the manner how he worketh. So likewise of their former gar­ments, they needed no such instruments, as fooles imagine, to doe any thing the ScriptureFor the strictnes of the signification is this: they sewed or made fit a figleafe or bough, and made themselues girdles: the meaning whereof is, they com­passed their body with the small bough (for so the word [...] gnale, doth also signifie) or boughes of the figtree: and thereby couered their priuities. doth re­port; but those that wickedlie make necessitie of Scripture, of their owne opinions, no meruaile if the Lord doe leaue them to wrestle with their fol­ly, and to be intangled in the nets themselues haue made. In a word therefore the Scripture doth re­cord [Page 170] the chiefe authour, and the matter of the gar­ments: and leaueth out the meanes,Nam omnia nobis vtilia contines diuina scriptura. Chrysost. because it is impertinent.

Question 16. verse 22. What meaneth this that the Lord saith: be­hold the man is become like one of vs: and of the Cherubims that kept the way of the of life?

ADam hauing lostCyprian. lib. de Bo­na patientiae. Simili­tudo diuina, quam peccato Adam perdi­dit. the garment of righte­ousnes, and the glorie of creation, andAmbros. lib. de He­lia & Ieiunio. cap. 4. Quia voluisti esse quod non erat, desiisti esse quod erat: & dum supra te esse affectas, infra te esse coepisti: ecce amictus tuus, ecce dignum te indumen­tum. receiued in steed thereof, these skinnes to hide his filthines: behold saith the Lord,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. Ecce factus es quod expectasti; i­mo quod non expecta­sti, sed qualem te fieri dignum erat. Grauis hoc verbum exprobratio, vt transgressorem pungere valeat: vult enim hic per verba in memoriam redigere, quo modo decepti fuerimus à diabolo per ser­pentē. what a change hath Adam made, how well is hee become The voyce of the trinitie, Cyril. lib. 1. an Iulian. or of one person vnto the other, as the father vnto the sonne and holy spirit, or the holy spirit vnto the father and the sonne. Concil. Syrmiense. in Socrat. libr. 2. cap. 25. like one of vs? behold what his pride & diso­bedience hath brought vnto him? Let this beAugust. de Gen. ad lit. libr. 11. cap. 39. Verba haec sunt Dei, non tam huic insultantis, quàm caeteros ne ita superbiant deterrentis. Quid aliud intelligendum, nisi exemplum timoris incutiendi esse propositum, quod non solum fuerit factus qualis fieri voluit, sed nec illud quod factus fuerat conseruauit. an example to him and his posteritie, of daring to re­iect the word of God. Thus doth the Lord in won­derfull great mercieIrenae. lib. 3. cap. 37. Intellectus verò transgressionis fecit poenitentiam, &c. Dominus autem qui est misericori, tunicas pelliceas pro folijs ficulneis induebat eos. cloth the carcasse, and arme the mind of Adam with humilitie & hatred of his sinne, and afterward doth send him forth of Para­dice. The Lord addeth a reason of the same his ca­sting [Page 171] out: least hee should take also of the tree of life, and eate and liue for euer. What? was the Lord in doubt, least he should liue for euer, whom he himselfe had condemned vnto death? or could he not haue kept the tree, either by commaundement, or by his An­gels, as afterward he did the garden, or haue taken away the tree; but that this was left the onlie way to saue it, to expell Adam out of Paradice? yea doubt­les the Lord was able otherwise to haue restrained him: but this is the meaning of the Lord. Seeing A­dam hath eaten of the tree, whereof hee was com­maunded not to eate, it is iustice that hee should be depriued of the tree, whereof he had libertie to eat: and seeing by eating the forbidden fruite, hee hath procured death; no reason that he should eat of that fruit, which was ordeined to preserue his life. Wherfore Adam being made vnable to vse aright, theChrysost. de proui­dent. lib. 1. Quo scele­rum progressa non es­set audaica nostra, si nos affluere diuitijs & otio constituisset Deus? be­nefits and pleasures of the garden; the Lord depri­ueth him of that hee could not rule,Chrysost. ibid. Om­nia igitur hac clemen­tiae signa non minus quam priora. in no lesse mercie and goodnes, then he gaue it at the first. A­dam by sinne was subiect vnto death: hee could not therefore haue continued in life, although hee had eaten all theEpiphan. Haeres. 64. Igitur potuisset viue­re corpus in aternum, & immortale esse, nisi prohibitus fuisset gustare vitam. Caluinus & alij contrà statuunt. Certum quidem est (inquit. in Gen. cap. 3.) non potuisse hominem, etiamsi to­tam arborem vorasset, vita frui Deo inuito, &c. Quid igitur statuendum? Nempe arborem vim quidem retinuisse corpora humana conseruandi in aeternum; sicut testantur praeter Epiphanium, Augustinus, Chrysostomus, Beda, Damascen. Zanchius, & scriptores plerique nobiles; non potuisse autem fieri vt corpus morti addictum viuificaretur quouis fructu. Potuit igitur ex secundo princi­pio, silicet creatione & natura; sed non potuit ex primo principio, id est iustitia & decreto Dei quo peccatores morerentur. fruite, and the tree it selfe. But least A­dam shouldTertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Benignissimè, &c. put confidence in outward things, orIrenae. lib. 3. cap. 37. Non inuidens ei lignum vitae, quemadmodum quidam dicunt, sed miserans eius, vt non perseuera­ret semper transgressor. Epiphan. Haeres. 64. Prohibitus est autem (fructus) vt peccatum cooccisum cum corpore moreretur, corpus verò peccato perdito resurgeret. least in miserie he should prolong his life, or least [Page 172] through the losse of heauenly wisdome,Galat. 5.13. he should abuse his libertie, and thereby hurt himselfe: the Lord in his wisedome knew it better for Adam, to be depriued, andChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 18. Ita vt magis prouidentia quàm in­dignationis fuerit illa electio. therefore sent him forth; that through labour and affliction being humbled, hee might with sorrow of heart for sinne, flie vnto the authour of a better life (which is Iesus Christ) by a liuelie faith. And for this cause he addeth Cherubims or Angels, whoAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 11. cap. 4. Hoc per caelestes vtique potestates, etiam in Paradiso visibili fac­tum, esse credendum est, vt per angelicum ministerium esset il­lic ignea quaedam cu­stodia. by visible force, as it were with dint of sword, should keepe the way of the tree of life; that manChrysostom Hom. in Gen. 18. Misericor­diae etiam fuit, quod & contra Paradisum illum habitare facie­bat, vt iugem dolorem haberet, quotidie cogi­tans vnde exciderat, & inde tutior & cau­tior esset in caeteris: neque immodicae vi­uendi cupiditate con­cupisceret, neque foris existens de ligno co­medere praesumeret. Ideo praecepit Cheru­bim. &c. being voide of hope of recouering his lost estate, might quietlie submit himselfe to beare his crosse, and hunger & thirst for the life to come. Some there are, which by the name of Cherubims and the Hieron. Tradit. He­brae. in Gen. Cherubim & flammeum gladium. Alij. gladium cui erat splendor. Targh. [...], veiah shenan charebah, aclem gladij. Aben Ezra. gladium ancipitem. Septuagint. [...], quod in omni parte versaretur & agitaretur, angelis ipsis tenentibus, sicut Num. 22.23. Iosu. 5.13. 1. Chron. 21.16. & forte. vi­brantibus. blade of a sword, do vnderstand nothing els, but the heat of the sunne, in that space which is cal­led the firie zone,Aquin. Summ. Secund. Secun. quaest. 165. art. 2. which they thinke was as a wal or hedge vnto this garden. Other,Strabus Histor. eccles. Lyran. in Gen. 3. that this garden being situate in the toppe of some mightie moun­taine, was now compassed about with material fire. Some papists take it,Rupert. in Gen. 32. Sciendum est quod tam animabus quàm corporibus, ignis ille molestissi­mus est, & inaccessibilis cunctis mortalibus: Mortuis autem, id est mortuorum fidelium animabus, à tempore dominicae passionis ex [...]perabilis est, & corporibus quo (que) illorum in resurrectione erit peruius. Porro ante eandē domini nostri passionē, nulli omnino filiorū Adae peruius fuit, donec fusus de corpore eius sanguis cū aequa, ignem illum exuperauit. for the fire of purgatorie: but these all are manifestlie confuted by the text, which saith they were CherubesThe Hebrues say, the Angels were called [...], Che­rubim, of the word, [...], cherabiah, yt is, in the Chaldee tōgue, like a boy; because they did cō ­monly appeare in such shape, and were so protraited in the Tabernacle & temple. Rab. Dauid. or Cherubims or Angels. Wherefore some other of that sort of wri­ters, doe acknowledge they were Angels: but [Page 173] withallPerer. Tom. 1. lib. 6. cap. vlt. Voluit enim Deus ingressum Para­disi oc [...]ludere, tam con­tra diabolum quā con­tra homines, ne eum in locum penetrans (dia­bolus) decerperet fruc­tus arboris vitae, cuius promissione & donati­one, mortales prorogā ­dae vitae auidissimos falleret, et ad sui cultū et obsequiū abduceret. affirme, that they were to defend the gar­den, not onelie from Adam, but from Sathan also, least he by taking of the fruit of the tree of life, in of­fering it to men, should of them procure to be wor­shipped and adored. Which ridiculous conceit could neuer passe from men, which were not drow­ned in superstition, and choked with idle speculati­ons, the same hauing no countenance or colour in the text. Theodoret Theod. quaest. in Gen. 40. Nō igitur gladius ille flāmeus naturali­ter igneus erat, sed vi­su talis: ne (que) Cherubim erant animalia sed ta­lia videbantur. also a graue and godlie Father, supposeth that they were apparitions onely of An­gels, and fire and sword: but it is of theChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. Praecepit eti­am vt flammeus gla­dius ille versatilis, & virtutes illae Cherubim custodirent vtam quae illuc inducit. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in Gen. Illo eiecto, ante fores Para­disi Cherubim & flā ­meum gladiū posuerit ad custodiendum Pa­radisi vestibulum, ne­quis posset intrare. Aug. de Gen. ad lit. li. 11. c. 40. Hoc per caele­stes vtique potestates. most part vnderstood, that they were Angels indeede, and li­uing creatures, vnto whom God had added a visi­ble shape, as the ScriptureNamely of Cheru­bims as they vsuallie appeared, and a fity sword shaking. speaketh of, which were continuedVntil the death of Adam: Epiphan. Haeres. 64. Other think, euen vntill the flood, & that vntil that time paradise was known vnto men, & the way into it kept by Cherubims. Chrysost. Such like flame is vntil this time seene in the country of Babylon (where this Garden was) as Plinie reporteth, li. 2. c. 106. Which it may be, is as the brand or foot print of this lampe, & the place of Paradice; but yt there is the very Paradice, or ye Angels are there keepers, I would not say by any meanes. a certaine time, not to affray the diuell, but to keepe from man the way of the tree of life. Obserue from hence ver. 21. ApparrelVer. 21. 1. Cor. 12 24.25 is abadge or cognisance of our transgression, wherefore to be proud thereof, or to abuse it vainely, is toPhil. 3.9. glorie in our shame. Secondlie, vers. 22. Affliction and penu­rie are oftentimes more profitable vnto GodsPsa. 119.71. chil­dren, then prosperitie. Thirdlie, vers. 23. The Lord doth often vse the ministery of AngelsHeb. 1.14. Gen. 9.12. 1. Kin. 6.17. for the pre­seruation of the faithful, and the punishment2. Kin. 9.35. of the wicked. Fourthly, vers. 22.23.24. Those that haue no partPro. 3.18. Reu. 22.2. in Christ, the tree of life, receiuing his merits by a liuelie faith,Ioh. 3.36. shall haue no part in the Paradice of God, and of the ioyes of the life to come.

CHAP. IIII.

Question 1. verse 4. 5. For what cause had the Lord respect to Abel, and to his offering, and not to Caine and his offering?

IN this Chapter the Spirit of God beginneth to describe howEuseb. eccles. Histor. lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. Chro­nologiam ecclesiasti­cam ab Adamo inci­pit, eius (que) lapsu & re­stitutione per promis­sum semen. Confestim cum primus homo, cum in foelici statu esset, minus de diuino man­dato solicitus, in mor­tal [...]m hanc & fragilē vitam decidit, &c. the Lord did gouerne the world, but especially his church after the fall of man. Wherein first of all hee sheweth that theEpiphan. in Anco­rat. Item in Epist. ad Ioh. Hierosol. Ausus est dicere (scil. Orige­nes) perdidisse imagi­nem dei Adam: cum hoc in nullo penitus loco scriptura significet. image and blessing of God, first bestowed on man, was not so vtterlie perished by sinne, but in some smal measure it was preserued by the Lord: of the which blessing it is (for of the other we shall speake ofChapt. 5. quest. 1. afterward) that they were fruitfull in generation according to theGen. 1.28. voice of God. But is it not sufficient to haue said, and Heua conceiued and bare Caine? why is it added by the ho­ly Ghost: the man knew Heua his wife? Surelie it was thought meet in the wisedome of God to describe in a holie manner the whole condition of genera­tion, [Page 175] thatIerem. 29.6. Heb. 13.4. Chrysostom. in Isai. 6. Hom. 4. Si habuit fi­lium propheta, habuit & vxorem, vt intelli­gat nō malas esse nup­tias, sed malā esse scor­tationem. Fulgent. epist. 1. cap. 2. & 3. Ne (que) ex com­mixtione maris et foe­minae, sed ex immode­ratione libidinis culpā trahit coitus coniuga­lis. Quod proculdubi [...] non appellares Apo­stolus debitum (1. Cor. 7.) nisi legitimè sciret esse reddendum: nec iuberet reddendū mu­tuae consensionis offi­cium, si esset iniquae reposcentis exactio. we might know that the same is not sim­plie euill, but a meanesGen. 1.28. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 23. Quisquis au­tem dicit non fuisse coituros neque gene­raturos, nisi peccassent, quid dicit, nisi propter numerositatem sanctorum, necessarium fuisse hominis peccatum? illae quidem nuptiae diligendam prolem gignerent, pudendam libidinem non haberent; & si libido non fuisset, ad nutum voluntatis haec seruirent, sicut caetera membra. Quisquis autem ad has li­teras impudicus accedit, culpam refugiat non naturam; facta denotet suae turpitudinis, non verba no­stra necessitatis. which God himselfe had sanctified before the fall of man, for the increase of mankind, albeit it be now polluted, as al otherIoh. 14.4. & 9.3. acti­ons are, which proceed from our corruption. It is not true whichRabbi Salom. In cōment. reddit per plusquam perfectum tem­pus cognouerat, autumant enim tam ipse quam alij Rabb. Adamum vixisse ante peccatum viginti an­nos, & Euam grauidam fuisse factam in Paradiso. Quod si factum esset, certè Cain abs (que) peccato origi­nali conceptus, sine labe paterna nasceretur, quod dictu absurdum & impium est. the Rabbins teach, that Adam knew his wife by copulation before the fall: neither is it true, because hee did not,Hieron. contra Io­uin. lib. 1. Nuptiae replent terram, virginitas Paradisum. Et ideo (inquit) non vidit Deus opus su­um bonum secundi diei, nobis intelligentiam derelinquens, non esse bonum duplicem numerum, qui ab vnione diuidit, & praefigurat foedera nuptiarū. Sunt haec reuera foenum & stipula in aedificio Domus Dei, nullo nixa fundamento. that therefore it was not lawfull, or that he had offended in doing there­of. Furthermore herein is signified, how Adam and his wife proceeded in faith. First in that the wo­man hauing borne a sonne, acknowledgeth it, as a gift from God, to whomVers. 1. Cain of [...] kana, to get or possesse. in the naming of the same her sonne, she giueth thanks: neither yet doth she forget to bewaile her sin and miserieHabel of [...] hebel, vanitie: in the first, magnifying the Lord: in the second, humbling her selfe. Such is the com­mon dutie of Gods children, to acknowledge the Lord the author of goodnes, and them­selues the cause of euill. For by sinne all the creature is subiect vnto vanitie. which by the name of her second sonne shee seemeth to pro­fesse. Secondlie, in that they did nurture their chil­dren and bring them vp in true religion,Gen. 18.19. Exod. 13.14. Ephes. 6.4. as godlie Parents ought to doe. The which is plainelie pro­ued, in that Caine and Abel In the Hebrue word for word ( [...] mikets iomim) in the end of daies: i. after many daies, namely when they were come to yeeres. being come to yeares, did offer sacrifice, which was to signifie the ac­knowledgement [Page 176] Origen. Hom. 1. in Leuit. Posuit manum super caput vituli: hoc est, peccata imposuit. i. Hee put his hand vpon the head of the calfe, the mea­ning whereof is, he put his sinnes. of their sin, and thatEpiphan. Heres. 42. Cuius sacrificij, & paschatis, & doctrinae padagogus fuit lex, de­ducens per figuram & instituens in sacrifi­cium & victimam Christi, qui vno sa­crificio omnia quae an­te fuerunt compleuit & perfecit. they loo­ked for the seed of the woman promised, to be slain in the euening of the world, thereby to appease the wrath of God for mans offences. And it is more e­uident, that they were inioyned this worship, by their father, for that Cain did bring his offering, who of himselfe neither had care of religion,1. Ioh. 3.12. nor anie feeling of comfort by it, in his heart. But forasmuch as Caine did sacrifice with Abel, what reason why he was not accepted with Abel? The Scripture see­meth to insinuate a double reason of the same. The first is, that Abel offered with a chearefull heartHeb. 11.4. 1. Chron. 29.17. 2. Cor. 8.12. and willing minde in faith: to which purpose is expres­sed, that he brought (not of his sheepe, but) of the first fruits, & of the fat and best of them; but Caines oblation was of the fruite of the ground, Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. Obserua quo modo pientissima A­belis mens significa­tur, & quod non tantum de onibus obtule­rit, sed de primogeni­tu, hoc est de preti [...]sis­simis, & maximè exi­mijs. Deinde & ex illis ipsis primogenitis op­tima quae (que). De Cain nihil tale adnotatum est. Sed quid obtulit? de frugibus terrae sa­crificium, quasi dice­ret: qualiacun (que) obue­niebans, nulla ad dele­ctum adhibita opera vel diligentia. as it seemeth with­out choice or difference, and if otherwise (as the works of hypocritesIsai. 58.2.3. Mark 12.41.42. are often as faire in outward shew, as of the righteous) yet the sameIude. 11. 1. Iohn 3.12. was per­formed of a wicked minde. And as this cause was in the offerers, so the second cause was in the Lord, whose wisdome was able to make difference of the persons. Of the which it is said he accepted, not Abels offering, but Abel & his offring; so likewise he refused not alone the offering of Cain, but to Cain & his offe­ring he had no regard. So that now if any one should aske of me; why the Lord had respect to Abels offe­ring, I wold answer with the text,To Abel, and to his offering. because he respe­cted Abels person; & why did he respect Abels persō? he respected him as aIoh. 15.5. member of his son, becauseHeb 11.4. Ephes. 2.20. & 5.30. Ambros. de Cain & Abel. lib. 1. cap. 7. Sacrificium autem & celebritate & gratia. &c. he offered in faith. If it were again asked wherin his [Page 177] faith was seene? It was inwardlie seene of him1. Sam. 16.7. Psal. 7.10. that seeth the heart, and outwardlie was manifest in the manner of the sacrifice. By which place of Scripture are ouerthrowne two pestilent errours, which at this day doe cumber the Church of God: one, of them which teachConcil. Trident. sess. 6 cap. 16. can. de Iusti­fic. 7. Si quis dixerit, opera omnia quae anto iustificationem fiunt. quacun (que) ratione fae­cta sunt, verè esse pec­cata, vel odium Dei mereri, aut quanto vehementius quis ni­titur se disponere ad gratiam, tanto eum grauius peccare, ana­thema sit. Andrad. defens. Tri­dent. Synod. lib. 4. Sy­nodi explicat senten­tiam. Ab impijs (inquit) in quibus nec persona Deo est reconciliata, nec naturae renouatio per spi­ritum inchoata, imo qui iustitiae de qua Paulus disputat expertes sunt, multa opera emanare, quae omni peccati turpitudine & culpa careant: & quod in huiusmodi desideretur, non tam iustitiae, quam diuinae cognitionis desectui adscribendum est. Bellarm. tom. 3. contr. 3. part. 1. lib. 5. cap. 9. Id pri­mum probare volumus, non esse videlicet peccata omnia opera quae fiunt sine fide. that a wicked man or infidell may doe a good or righteous worke, and ac­ceptable to God; when as the person that doth the worke is wicked, and not through faith of him ac­cepted. The second, which teacheth that the works of the righteousConcil. Trident. sess. 6. cap. 16 canon de iustificat. 32. Siquis dixerit hominis iustificati bona opera ita esse dona Dei, vt non sine bona ipsius iustificati merita, aut ipsum iustificatū bonis operibus, quae ab eo per Dei gratiā & Iesu Christi meritum, cuius membrum viuū est, fiunt, non verè mereri augmentum gratiae, vitam aternam, & ipsius vita aternae, si tamen in gratia decesserit, consecutionem, atque etiam gloriae aug­mentum, anathema sit. Et addit canon. 33. Si quis dixerit, per hanc doctrinam, aliqua ex parte gloriae Dei, vel meritis Iesu Christi Domini nostri derogari, anathema sit. doe of condignitie or of their owne worthines, deserue the fauour of God, and eternall life. For surelie if theProu. 15.8. & 21.27. August. in Iulian. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3. Sed absit vt sit in aliquo vera virtus, nisi fuerit iustus. Absit etiam vt sit iustus verò, nisi viuas ex fide: iustus enim ex fide viuit. & fides ex auditu, auditus autem per ver­bum Christi. Ergo nec Fabritius, Fabius, Regulus, &c. operati sunt aliquam veram iustitiam. Nam si iusti, tennerunt etiam regnum Dei; aut Deus ipse, quod absit, erit iniustus, si ad eius regnum ve­rus non admittitur iustus: si verò tennerunt & salui fuerunt, pro his Christus verè gratis mortuus est. At qui fidē non habent Christi, profecto nec iusti sunt, nec Deo placent, cum sine fide pla­cere impossibile est. &c. In hominibus Deus operatus est in occulto iudicio, tamen iusto, vt alij fatui, alij acutè intelligentes, alij lenes, alij iracundi, alij spadones, alij libidinosi, quod diuino muneri tribuen­dum, licet ipsi hoc nes [...]iunt. Sed non erat in ijs (scilicet eorum abstinentia vel intelligentia) vera iu­stitiae quia non actibus sed finibus pensantur officia. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib 19. cap. 25. Quam­libet enim videatur animus corpori, & ratio vitijs laudabiliter imperare; si tum Deo animus & ratio ipsa non seruis, sicut sibi seruiendum ipse Deus praecepit, nullo modo corpori vitijs (que) rectè imperat. Promde virtutes quas sibi habere videntur, per quas imperat corpori & vitijs, ad quodlibet adipis­cendum vel tenendum, nisi ad Deum retulerint etiam ipsa vitia sunt potiu [...] quàm virtutes. sacrifices of the wic­ked are abominable, then are all their works no lesse then sinnes. And if Caine, the first man by birth of [Page 178] all the world, who brought his sacrifice, inVers. 3. time before Abel, and offered it vnto the Lord, and yet neither his worke, nor hee himselfe was any thing accepted,Ex diaemetro aduer­satur doctrinae Papi­starum, placere Deo missas, preces, opera, propter opus operatū. because he was not iustified by faith; it is manifest, that the workes of all the wicked, whichLapsus igitur fuit Iustini Mart. & Cle­mentis, existimare quosdam infideles esse saluos. Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 2. Quicun (que) secundū verbū, Chri­stiani sunt, quamuis [...] & nullius nu­minis cultores habiti sunt, quales inter Grae­cos fuere Socrates & Heraclitus & ijs simi­les. At quidem Socrae­tes Esculapio gallum dicauit postremis ver­bis. Plato in Phaedon. Et scriptura docet, ne­que scortatores neque idololatra regni Dei haereditatem posside­bunt. 1. Cor. 6. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. Ij [...] qui à philosophia iustificati, &c. at scriptura, nō à philo­sophia iustificari ho­mines, sed à sola fide testatur. Habac. 2.4. Rom. 1.17. & 3.28. Deni (que) huic opinioni opponit sese Augusti­nus infinitis in locis, et patrum confensus ex verbo Dei. either know not Christ, or receiue him not by faith, are not accepted of the Lord; and there­fore are no better then sinnes, becauseVers. 7. they are not of him accepted. Secondlie, if the worthines of A­bels offering did cause the same to be accepted, or the worthines of his faith, whereby it was accepted,Rom 4.2 3.4. then had Abel to reioyce in the merite of his work, or of his faith, but not with God. But seeing the Scripture teacheth,Heb. 11.4. that the worthines of Abels of­fering was through faith, and that faith it selfeIoh. 6.35.51. Ephes. 2.8.9. is not a merit, but a meanes for man to obtaine by the mercy of God, the merit of Iesus Christ; it followeth that Abel being iustified by faith in Iesus Christ, his worke was respected not for the desert thereof, but for the merit of Iesus Christ, which God had giuen him by imputation as to a member of his son, and Abel himselfe had receiued by promise & beleeued by his faith. It may farther be demanded, how it was known that the Lord accepted the offering of Abel, and not of Cain. Doubtles,Sicut & prophetis. either by voice, orQuemadmo­dum Salom [...]i. & reddit Theodotio; inflāmauit super. &c. by fire from heauen, or by successe andCalu. in Gen. 3. euent therof, or byVentilatione aut dis­sipatione fu [...]ti, vt quibusdam videtur, siue alio modo. such like meanes, which because ye Scripture no where expresseth, we must with silence reuerēce, but not determine. Obserue these doctrines:Gen. 20.40. 1. Sam. 24.4. Clem. Alexandr. paedagog. lib. 2. cap. 6. Multas vtilitates pudici sermonis docet. Fulgent. epist. 1. cap. 3. Huius potestatis inculpabilis est vsus, si iustitiae terminum transgredi libidinosus non permittatur excessus. all these [Page 179] workes of nature are honest in themselues, and are to be couered with honest names, as doth the Scripture. Secondlie, those that by filthie spea­kingEphes. 5.4. Coloss. 3.5. vncouer their shame,1. Cor. 15.33. corrupt their man­ners, and haue not learned the language ofIsai. 19.18. Ca­naan. Thirdlie, that the godlie from the begin­ning of the world,Hebr. 13.7.8. Hie­ron. Comment. in epist. ad Galat. cap. 1. Ad­monere debemus, san­ctos qui antiquitus fuerint, ex fide Christi iustificatos. August. epist. 89. Vi­de quemadmodum cō ­mendat vnum & v­num (Rom. 5.15.16.17.18.) id est Adam & Christum, illum ad condemnationem, hunc ad iustificationem, cum tanto post Adam venerit Christus in carne: vt sciamus etiam antiquos iustos quicun (que) esse potuerunt, non nisi per eandem fidem liberatos per quam liberamur & nos, fidem scilicet incarnationis Christi, quae illis praenunciabatur, sicut à nobis facta annūciatur. Idem epist. 157. & confess. lib. 10. cap. 44. were saued by the same faith in Iesus Christ which we professe. Fourthlie, that the sacrifice of menHaggi. 2.13.14.15. Isai. 1.15. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. Igitur non sacrificia san­ctificant hominem, non enim indiget sacrificio Deus, sed conscientia eius qui offert sanctificat sacrifi­cium pura existens; & praestat acceptare Deum quasi ab amico. doth not make holy the sacrifi­cer, but contrarie that the sacrificer doth pollute the sacrifice: onelyHeb. 11.6. Rom. 14.23. Heb. 9.14. Ambros. de Cain & Abel, lib. 2. cap. 2. Hinc ergo cognoscimus, quod ante omnia fides nos commendare Deo debet. Bernard. in Cant. Hom. 24. Inuisibilis animi statum nunciet fides & actio; rectum iudica si fide Catholicum, & iustum opere probaueris. faith in Christ doth sanctifie them both: So that the offerer must be acceptedProu. 15.8.9. & 28.9. Isai. 1.11.12. before his sacrifice, otherwise his offering can be no other then abominable.

Question 2. verse 4.5. Whether did the Patriarks receiue a com­maundement from God to offer Sacri­fice, before the law of Moses?

WE finde it not commaunded vnto Adam, nor vnto Abel, to offer sacrifice, neyther to any other before the commaundement of Moses law, saue onlyGen. 2.9. & 22.12. vnto Abraham; vnles that anie [Page 180] will contendFor manie both Rabbins and Chri­stian writers doe thinke, that historie to be more ancient then M [...]ses. The Iewes seriouslie af­firme that Iobs wife was Dina, ye daugh­ter of Iacob. Some haue auouched yt Moses himself wrote that historie, as Hie­rome testifieth, Com­mentar. in Iob. cap. 2. & 32. Hereof there is no certaintie. for the Historie of Iobs antiquitie. Wherefore someAuthor quaest. ad or­thod. inter op. Iustin. Mart. q. 83. Nemo corum qui irrationa­lia victimam Deo sa­crificauerunt ante le­gem, diuina id iussione fecit: quamuis pateat Deum hanc recepisse; acceptione eius, sacri­cantem sibi placitum esse indicantem. there are which teach, that in­deed before the law, the sacrifice of beasts was not commaunded, notwithstanding that the Lord ac­cepted them, shewing thereby that he accepted the sacrificer. Whereof againe one may iustlie aske, whence it came then to minde to holie men, to offer sacrifice? It is answered byAquin. Secund Secu. quest. 85. artic. 1. Of­ferre sacrificium esse de lege naturae. Perer. Tom. 1. lib. 7. in Gen. Nullo docente potuit id Abel natu­rali ratione cognitum habere, & tacito quodam naturae instinctu & impulsu ad id faciendum induci. such as defend the for­mer doctrine, that it was by the law of nature; for­asmuch as naturall reason teacheth man to know his subiection vnto God, and that he ought to shew the same by outward seruice. But this opinion is who­lie contrarie vnto the word of God: which firmely testifieth that neitherExod. 20.4. Deut. 12.32. Matth. 15.8. Etiam Socratis sententia est, vnumquem (que) Deum sic colere oportere, quo mo [...]o ipse se colendū esse praeceperit. Aug. de consensu Euangel. lib. 1. c. 18. God can like of or accept a­ny worship, which himselfe hath not commanded: neither that man byIere. 51.17. Rom. 1.21. & 8.7. 1. Cor. 1. vers. 19.21. Lactant. lib. 6. cap. 1. Homines neglect [...] iustitia, quicquid aspectu rarum, quic quid opere aut odore pretiosum est, haec grata esse dijs suis non ex aliqua diuinitatis ratione quam nes [...]iunt, sed ex suis cupiditatibus iudicant. Nec intelligunt terrenis operibus Deum non indigere. Aug [...]st. lib. 50. Hom. Hom. 43 Ideo venit Christus illuminator, quia diabolus fuit excaca­tor. Omnes caecos nasci fecit, qui prinuan hominem decepit. Hanc deni (que) scientiam Christus ipse testa­tur esse metaphysi [...]am. Matth 16.17. Ad quam autem scientiam, intellectum anima nostrae perinde se habere, at (que) vespertilionū oculi ad lumē dici sese habent, fatetur quidē Aristoteles Metaphys. lib. 2. c. 1. anie naturall policie or wise­dome can finde out anie, but that which is detested of the Lord. Wherefore it remaineth certaine, that Abel and the rest of the godlie Fathers, had com­maundement from God: for proofe whereof wee need not be beholding to vnwritten verities, the Scriptures doe yeeld vs sufficient testimonie. For whereas it witnesseth, that God had respect to Abel and his offering; it doth determine that Abel had commaundement to sacrifice, forasmuch as no­thing can be acceptable in the worship of the Lord, [Page 181] which the Lord himselfeLeuit. 10.1.2. Deut. 12.8.10.11. hath not instituted and ordained. He needed notPsal. 50.9. at all the fat of Abels sheepe, neither was delighted with the worth of A­bels offering; but it wasHeb. 11.4. Ambr. de Cain & A­bel. lib. 2. c. 2. Hinc er­go cognoscimus, quod ante omnia fides nos commendare Deo de­beat. Cum fidem ha­buerimus, elaboremus vt opera nostra per­fecta sint. faith whereby it was com­mended, and obedience, which the1. Sam. 15.22. Lord more accepteth of then sacrifice. The ground and foun­dation of faith isRom. 4.3.18. & 10.8 the promise of God: the rule of obedience is GodsDeut. 12.32. Ios. 1.7. commaundement. Where­fore seeing no worke can be accepted, vnlesse it be seasonedRom. 14.23. with faith, and theIsai. 1.12. Ierem. 7.22.23. 1. Tim. 1.5. August. contr. Faust. Manich. lib. 5. cap. 5. Quid ergo vos [...]an­quam de perfectione mandatorum Christi iactatis, quod ea quae in Euangelio praecepta sunt operamini? Quid enim illa prodessent, etiamsi verè implerē ­tur à vobis, vbi non est fides vera? Quid vos tanquam de Chri­stiana paupertate ia­ctatis, cum Christia­na charitate careatis? Ʋnde habere potestis veram charitatem, nō ex fide ficta surgen­tem, &c. fruit thereof, which is obedience; the Scripture in commending A­bels sacrifice doth as well confirme, that Abel had commaundement either by his Father, or by the Lord, which is not spoken of; as that hee had a pro­miseGen. 3.15. which is expressed. Moreouer the vse of Sa­crifice doth testifie, that they found it not by natu­rall reason, but were instructed in the same by God. Which vse was twofold in euerie right performed sacrifice; namelie, the testification of obedience, and the confirmation of faith. In the former vse, they did testifie the honour of the LordLeuit. cap. 4.1. &c. 1. Sam. 26.19. in seeking the pacification of his wrath for sinne, orLeuit. 3.1. 2. Sam. 6.14.17. els in thankefulnes for his being pacified, and for benefits they had receiued by the same. Likewise was their faith increased by sacrificing, forasmuch as hauingGen. 3.15. Reuel. 13.8. the promise of mercie, whereon to ground their faith, they vnderstood that according to the pro­miseGen. 8.21. Iob. 42.8. Psalm. 51.19. they were accepted, yet not for their owne sake, or for their sacrifice; butPsalm. 51.16. Heb. 9.8.12. for the sacrifice of promise, that was to come. Wherefore also their sacrifices did, as shadowes, rightlie lead them to the [Page 182] death of Iesus Christ, in which the sameLike as by our Sa­craments, Baptisme and the Supper: as wee shall consider (God willing) in our questions vpon Le­uiticus. his death was rightlie shadowed and depictured. And dare a­ny say, that they either had not the right knowledge of the death of Iesus Christ; or that same know­ledge, they had of themselues, and not by reuelati­on from the Lord; or that they shaped the manner of their sacrificesIn his Priesthood, Gen. 14.18. Heb. 7.24.25. In the Altar, Gen. 8. vers. 20. Heb. 13.10. In the matter of sa­crifice, which was a cleane beast, sheepe or oxe, &c. wherein the same resembled Christ, Hebr. 10.6.7.8.9. & 13.11.12. after the patterne of the death of Christ, and were not taught the manner of his death, by being commaunded such sacrifice from God? It may therefore well be gathered, that Adam hauing the promise of the womans seed, thatGen. 3.15. 1. Ioh. 3.8. it should dissolue the worke of Sathan; the Lord did afterward instruct him of the manner how, with such other doctrines ofTit. 1.1. faith and godlines, as were necessarie for the time, for mans saluation. By these and manie other vndoubted reasons, it may be pro­ued, that the godlie did not sacrifice, without the commaundement of God, albeit the instant when, or the manner how they were commanded, be not expressed in the Scripture. And that the same they were commaunded, notIustin. Mart. dialog. cum Triff. Deus ad po­pulum illum (scil. Iu­deor.) se accōmodans hostias quo (que) offerre tanquam nomini suo praecepit, ne simula­chra coleretis. onlie to with-hold them from Idolatrie, which is theRom. 1.21.22.23. fruit of all voluntarie worship, deuised by mans inuention: but also for the exerciseHieron. in Isai. 1.12. Hostiae ergo & im­molatio victimarum, nō principaliter à deo quaesita sunt, sed ne idolis offerrentur, & vt de carnalibus victimis, quasi per typum & imaginem ad spirituales hostias transiremus. of true religion forIren. lib. 4. cap. 32. Ex quibus omnibus (scil. script. locis) manifestum est, quia non sa­crificia & holocaustomata quarebat Deus, sed fidem, & obedientiam & iustitiam propter eorum sa­lutem. the confirmation of their faith, and forAugust. epist. 5. Nec illorum ergo sacrificiorum egebat Deus, nec cuiusquam eget vnquam, sed rerum diuinitus impertitarum, vel imbuendo virtutibus animo, vel aternae saluti adipiscendae, quaedam signa sunt, quorum celebratione at (que) functione, non Deo, sed nobis vtilia pietatis officia exer­centur. Atque haec quidem aequè omni tempore necessaria. The Iewes vnderstand by the word ( [...] iabe, he brought) that Caine brought his offering to his father Adam, as to the Priest. Ma­ny Christian writers thinke he brought it to a certaine place, where they were wont to ex­ercise prayer and offer sacrifice. the proofe of their obedi­ence.

Question 3. verse 10. What meaneth it which the Lord saith: thy brothers Blood crieth vnto mee from the earth?

IT is not without causeChrysost. in Epist. ad Hebrae. Hom. 22. Dici­tur ignis descendisse & assumpsisse hostias eius. Hieron. Tradit. Hebr. Ʋnde scire poterat Cain, quòd fratris e­ius munera suscepisset Deus, & sua repudias­set: nisi illa interpre­tatio vera esset quam Theodotio posuit; & inflammauit, &c. ig­nem autem ad sacrifi­cium deuorandum so­litum venire de coelo legimus. supposed, that the Lord by some present token made known, what hee liked and disliked in the sacrifice: for in one sentence it is said: Caine and his offering the Lord did not regard: therfore Cain was exceeding wroth, and his countenance fell downe: that is, he wasHieronymus inter­pretatur vultum di­misit in terram. of a sorrowfull & irefull countenance. For now is Caine mostVox [...] charah est quasi ira ardere: & deduci à [...] monet. Kimchi, quod est incē ­dere, & inter septem voculas Hebr [...]orum quae iram significant haec omnium est gra­uissima; cui additur etiam in contextu [...]. valde, quasi ad incrementum. vehementlie offended, because the Lord will not regard his offering. But who would haue thought that Caine so deuout outwardly in sacrifice, hauing humbled his lookes, for that the Lord refu­sed him; had doubled his transgression by concei­uing malice, rather then effectually sorrowed for his offence? But the Lord that beholdeth the1. King. 8.39. Psal. 7.9. & 139.2.13. hearts of men, knew well his hatred, and the cause there­of,Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Hac erit ignorantia Dei nostri, quae ideo simulabatur, ne delinquens homo quid sibi agendū sit ignores. and therefore in his mercie, doth preach vnto him a sermon of repentance. Why art thou wroth, &c. that is, how vniustlie1. Ioh. 3.12. Matth. 5.22. art thou so exceeding angry? If thou doest well, &c. If thy heart were vpright, as is the heart of Abel, Deut. 10.17. 2. Chron. 19.7. Rom. 2.11. should not thy offering be as well accepted of? But seeing thy heart is wicked,Psalm. 5.4. Isai. 58.5.6. should I accept thee for thy offering?Psal. 95.7.8. Gregor. Hom. in Euang. 12. Iam à deo non potest mereri quod petit, qui hic noluit audir [...] quod iussit, quia qui tempus congrua penitentiae perdidit, frustra ante [...]egni ianuā cum precibus venit, Wherfore [Page 184] I admonish thee deferre not to repent, and amend thy wickednes, otherwise thy sinne, that is,2. Cor. 5.21. Galat. 3.13. the pu­nishment of thy sinne, is neere thee, and will quick­lie finde thee out. Also to thee, &c. And for thy bro­ther1. Ioh. 3.12. whom thou hatest for his goodnes, because I haue receiued him;Matth 10.16. Galat. 6.10. thou shalt not be hurt nor in­domaged by him, in so muchChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. Ita (que) etiam posi peccatum hoc per­mitto, vt primogeni­turae priuilegijs gau­deas, illum (que) sub tua potestate & dominio esse iubeo. that the priuiledge of birth-right shall remaine vnto thee, for all thy naughtines, so that thou proceed therein no farther. Notwithstanding, Caine being ledAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 7. Caro cō ­cupiscit aduersus spi­ritum, &c. in cuius carnis fructisibus, & inuidiam commemo­rat, qua vti (que) Cain sti­mulabatur & accendebatur in fratris ex­itium. by the lusts of Sathan, whom heProu. 2.14.15. Iohn 8.44. delighteth to obey, regardethProu. 1.24.25. not this heauenlie counsaile: but albeit hee saw that the Lord had found his wickednes, yet is hee more circumspect to hide it from his brother, then carefull to amend it before the Lord. Hee frameth his countenance to speak friendly vnto his brother; speakingPsal. 28.3. Dissi­mulation a mischief whether more pe­stiferous or cōmon, is hard to say. most faire, when hee meant most maliti­ouslie: and poore innocent Abel, obeyingBy the instinct of nature, and also by precept. his el­der brothers voice,1. Cor. 13.5.7. Beda de templo Salom. lib. 1 Simplex erat (Abel, item Iob.) per innocē ­tiam mansuetudinis, rectus per cautelam discretionis: Simplex quia nullum laedere, imo prodesse desiderabat; rectus quia se à null [...] corrumpi permittebat. suspecting no more euill then he meant himselfe,Ambros. de Cain & Abel lib. 2. cap. 7. Impietas mater quedam est delictorum: & qui gra [...]iora peccauerit in cetera facilè prolabitur: quomodo enim potest ab humani [...] tēperare, qui diuina viola [...], & h [...]minibus bonus esse, qui Deum lesit? Be [...]nard. in Cant. Serm. 24. Non mirum igitur si Cain i [...] surrexit in fratrem, qui suam prius occiderat fidem. is pitifullie, cruellie, and trea­cherouslie oppressed and done to death. Now the Lord beginneth to enquire for Abel. But why did he not deliuer him from death, which hee knew be­fore was meant and practised? Doubtles his death was precious in the sight of God, asPsal. 116.15. is the death of all his Saints: and the Lord was as able to haue deliuered him, as hee was to saueGen. 32.6.9.25.28. & 33.4. &c. Iacob from the rage of Esau, or theDan. 3.22.25.27. three children from the firie [Page 185] furnace. But the Lord who hath createdProu. 16.4. all things for himselfe, will aboue all otherLeuit. 10.3. Psal. 48.14. be glorious in his Saints: sometimePsal. 10.3.4.12.13.14. & 22.1.2 &c. by his patience in their suf­fering; sometime byExod. 14.17.18. 2. King. 19.32.35. his power in their deliue­rance, as hee seeth it most meet,Isai. 6.10. Ephes. 1.11. in the counsaile of his will. In those which suffer, he hastneth their im­mortalitie,Cyprian. Successo. E­pist. 82. Peto vt sin­guli ex nostris, nō ma­gis mortem cogitent, quam immortalitatē: Et plena fide ac tota virtute Domino dica­ta, gaudeant magis quàm timeant in hac conf [...]ssi [...]ne, in qua sci­unt Dei & Christi mi­lites non opprimi sed coronari. which is more to be regarded then their death; hee sheweth them more mercie, foras­much as he vouchsafeth themAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 30. Quod sint futuri gradus praemiorum non est ambigendum. Atque id etiam beata ciuitas illa ma [...]num in se bo­nū videbit, quod nulli superiori vllus infe­rior inuidebit, sicut nunc non inuiden [...] Archāgelis angeli cae­teri: tanquam nolis esse vnusquis (que) quod non accepit. Tertul lib. ad Martyr. E [...]hortas. Bonum ago­nem subituri estu, in quo Agonothetes Deus viuens est: Xystarches, Spiritus sanctu [...]: corona, aeternita­tis: Brabium, angelicae substantiae politia in coelis, gloriae in secula se [...]ul [...]r [...]m. a greater Crowne. In those whom hee reserueth, hee respecteth theirCyprian. de Mortalit. Nec enim Deus sanguinem nostrum sed fidem quaerit. Nam nec Abraham, nec Isaac, nec Iacob occisi sunt. Allud est enim Martyrio animum deesse, aliud animo defuisse martyrium. faith, and not their blood; their desire, not their deed; and in steed of one, hee trieth their valour with manie temptations. So that whether they suf­fer for his sake, or are deliuered by his power;Philip. 3 10. they are therein conformable vnto the death of Christ. For this remaineth a foundation in his secret coun­saile:1. Tim. 3.12. Caluin. ibid. Constat multos fuisse pios qui nec exilium vnquam, nec carcerem nec su­gam subierint. Sed non vna est ratio, qua Satan persequitur seruos Ch [...]isti: sed tamen omnino ne­cesse est, omnes qualicun (que) modo habere sibi infertum mundum, vt eorum exerceatur fides, & probetur constantia. Hieron. ibid. P [...]om [...]e timendum nobis est ne non pie viuamu [...], qui nih [...]l patimur propter Deum. That all that will liue godlie, shall suffer persecu­tion. And here the wisdome of the Lord did chuse Abel, as his instrument of much instruction, vnto the world. First by the example of so innocent a life, finished with so lamentable death; hee sheweth1. Pet. 4.17. that iudgement must begin at the house of God: Ibid. Si autem à nobis. &c. ter­rifying thereby the wicked world of sinne. Second­lie, seeing Abels righteousnes was left inThe reward of our good works the scrip­ture euery where speaketh of, as Matth. 10 41.42 but the wages of our workes or merit of them, is no where found, nor no other acknowledged but death. Rom. 6.23. this life [Page 186] vnrewarded, it gaue assurance vnto those that by faith did acknowledge the righteousnes of God, thatLuc. 16.9. he was receiued into euerlasting habitation, andHeb. 11.35. made partaker of a better resurrection. Nei­ther was it losse to Abel, thus to be depriued of his life: seeing he didPhilip. 1.21. 2. Cor. 4.17. Chrysost. Hom. Quod nemo laeditur nisi à seipso. Mors ipsa, dic mihi, quid nocuit iu­stissimo illi Abel, & mors amara & acer­ba mors, parricidio il­lata non homicidio? nonne ob hoc in omni orbe terrarum cani­tur & celebratur A­bel? nonne ad beati­tudinem perduxit? & afflictio huius mundi coronat ei in aeternum parauit? exchange it for immortall glo­rie, andIsai. 65.5. Eccles. 7.3. receiued a name for euer in the Church of God, better then of sonnes and daughters. But wherefore doth the Lord enquire for Abel, Tertul. in Marcion lib. 2. Nec incertus ad­missi nec ignorāt loci. whose estate he knew before he asked? First, to teach (by Caines example) that all the wicked must1. Pet. 4.5. Inde vers. 15. shortlie giue account of all their euill words and deeds. Se­condlie, to giue occasionAmbros. de Cain. lib. 2. cap. 9. Ita peccā ­tes admonet ad poeni­tentiam: confessio e­nim poenarum com­pendium est. vnto Caine, either to con­fesse his fault, and to craueIerem. 31.18. repentance, and pardon for his sinne; or else to2. Cor. 2 15.16. Ter­tul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Sed vt & ille haberet potestatem, ex eadem arbitrij potestate, spō ­te negandi delicti, & hoc nomine grauendi. encrease his fault by resi­sting stubbornelie his offered grace. But how grace­les was the caitiffe, to returne the Lord such a bru­tish answere? In whom wee may see the image ofPsal. 14.1.3. Rom. [...].10.12. &c. Hieron. commentar. in Matth. 27. Qui diuersas naturas conantur introducere, & dicunt Iudam proditorem malae fuisse natu­rae, nec electionem Apostolatus potuisse seruare, respondeant quomodo natura mala egerit poenetentiā. the world, if it be notPsal. 51.10. restored orGen. 20.6. staied by the Lord. In whom we may also see, howIam. 1.14.15. lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne, and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death. His heart was wickedIsai. 48.8. Psal. 14.1. through concupiscence,Psal. 26.6. and not clensed before his sacrifice. He was therfore wicked in sacrificing, wicked in conceiuing murder, wicked in commit­ting murther, wicked in despising the Lords admo­nition, wicked in his answere, in lying and blasphe­ming. The same poison of corruptionRom. 3.23. Origen in Matth. cap. 13. ver. 47. Et hic igitur regnum coelorum simile est sagenae missae in mare, non quemadmodum quidam opinantur, qui docent verbo naturas subiectas esse diuersas, malorum scilicet & iustorum, qui sub rete venerunt: nam huic intellectui repugnant omnes scriptura. is common [Page 187] to all the sonnes of Adam, and sheweth it selfe as occasion is giuen, vnlesse it be purgedMatth. 3.11. Ioh. 3.5. August. con­tra duas epist. Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 3. Filios Dei iubet orare: Pater no­ster qui es in coelo, &c. Et tamen eos malos esse dicit, & nosse bo­na dare filijs suis. Nū ­quid inde mali, vnde filij Dei? absit. Sed in­de mali vnde adhuc filij seculi, iam tamen filij Dei facti, pignore spiritus sancti. by the spi­rit of sanctification as in Abel, and in the righte­ous; orPsal. 76.10. Hester. 5.10. repressed & restrained by the prouidence of God, for the gouernment of the world, and the sauegard of the faithfull, as it is manifestlie in manie of the reprobate. Now that the heart of Caine re­mained obstinate, and hisRom. 2.5. 1. Tim 4.2. conscience seared with continuance in sinne: the Lord doth more forcibly knockReuel. 3.20. at the doore of his affections, by terrifiyng his conscience, with theVers 10. guilt and punishment of so hainous murther. What hast thou done? that is, what a horrible murder hast thou committed? how vniustlie hast thou executed thy furie, vponPsal. 10.8.9. 1. Iohn 3.12. a poore innocent, vnprouoked? How cruellie hast thou, being blinded with malice, against the law of God, of nature, of humanitie, turned thy hand a­gainst thine owne flesh, & slaine thy brother, whom thy conscience doth testifieVers. 9. thou shouldest rather haue defended against the violence of enimies? Thinkest thou to hide it from myAmbros. de Cain. lib. 2. cap. 9. Cur nescis v­bi est frater tuus? Soli erat [...]s cum duobus pa­rentibus: inter pau­cos, frater te latere nō debuit. presence, be­cause thou diddest it in a secret place; or perhaps hast couered his blood with dust, or hid his body in the earth? I know right well thy murtherous deed: Thy brothers blood doth crie vnto mee. I say not thyEpiphan. Haeres. 9. Item Ambros. lib. 2. de Cain. cap. 9. Non accusat frater, non ac­cusat vox ipsius, non anima eius (sed vox sanguinis di [...]it, osten­dens quod est spes re­surrectionis) sed vox sanguinis accusat, quē ipse fudisti. Tuum te ergo facinus non frater accusat. brother, but his blood; not in his bodie, nor from his bodie, but from the earth: forasmuch as when thou sawest the same to receiue his blood, thou wasHomo quod homini lupus sit, hoc sacinus ab­und [...] docuit. nothing moued to pitie and compassion. There­fore now though Abel himselfe were yet remai­ning, [Page 188] Ierem. 15.1. would aske pardon of me for thy fault, yet hisChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 19. Ecce quous (que) volat vox sanguinis huius. & vs (que) in coe­lum à terra ascendit, & praetercurrens coe­lum, coelo (que) superiores virtutes, regio throno assistit, & tuum de­plorat homicidium ac nefarium hoc scelus accusat. Ea propt [...]r talem tibi poenam in­fero, vt quae in te fi­unt, omnibus post haec secuturis castigatio & admonitio sint. blood requireth vengeance; the guiltinesse of the fact it selfe of shedding blood, must needes in iustice be reuenged with grieuous punishment. Now therefore thou art cursed: Thy hainous trespasse deserueth iustlie, thatDeut. 7 10. thou shouldest be accursed. The Lord himselfe in interpreting the curse, expres­seth no more but earthlie punishments: both be­cause the wicked are not soAmbros. de Cain. lib. 2. cap. 9. Augustae mentis homo, praesen­tem mortem veretur, perpetuam negligit, & diuinu [...] iudicium non reformidat. greatlie feared with the punishments of the life to come, as carefull to a­uoide calamities, which in this present life doe fall vpon them: And also because he would not cut off from Caine the hope ofAthanas. lib. de cō ­muni essen [...]a personar. Obtrectare filio est obtrectare spiritui sancto. Quin hoc ob­sernandum est, non dixisse Christum blas­phemanti & poenitē tiam age [...]i remissio­nem dandam non esse, sed blasphemanti & in blasphemia manē ­ti [...] quādoquidem nul­lum est peccatum irre [...]ssibile apud Deum, in illis qui verè & ex amino, vt par est, poenitentiam a­gunt. pardon, if atEzech 18.27. any time hee would repent him of his wickednes. In this place of Scripture, are manifestlie proued these points of doctrine. Vers. 7. first, the LordPsalm. 7 9. 1. King. 8.39. search­eth the hearts of all the sonnes of men, and know­eth their thoughts. Secondlie, the wicked areIob. 15.20. Psalm. 7 [...].19. continuallie in daunger of the punishment of their sin. Vers. 8. thirdlie, the godlie and the wic­ked are in this lifeMatth. 13.30. mixed, as theE cl. 9 12 Ha [...]ac. 1.14. fishes of the sea, by the prouidence of God, but in the world to come they shall beMat. 25.32. separated, theLuc. 16 25. godlie rewar­ded, the wicked punished. Fourthlie, all the godlie in this life2. Tim 3.12. must suffer affliction. Verse 9. fiftlie, mans nature is an enimieRom. 8.7. to the righteousnes of God, and thereforePsal 50 17.18. hateth to bee reprooued for sinne. Sixtlie, man cannotIere. 31.1. Lament. 5 21 Concil. Arausican. 2. [...].4.13.25. Arb t [...]tum voluntatis in primo homine in­firmatum, nisi per gratiā baptismi non potest reparari. Item. Prorsus donum Dei est diligere Deum. conuert, vnlesse he be [Page 189] August. de Spir. & lit. cap. 30. Neque lex impletur nisi libero arbitrio; sed per legē cognitio peccati, per fidem impetratio gra­tiae contra peccatum, per gratiam sanatio animae abolitione pec­cati, per animae sana­tionem libertas arbi­trij, per liberum arbi­triū iustitiae dilectio, per iustitiae dilectionē legis operatio. conuerted, but sinketh fartherIsai. 1.5. by correction into mischiefe. Vers. 10. seuenthlie, the Lord is thePsal. 10.14. hel­per of the helplesse, and hee will take their cause in hand. Vers. 11.12. eightlie, the wicked by increasing sinne, increaseEzech. 9.10. their punishment. Ninthlie, tem­porall afflictions vnto the wicked, without repen­tance, are butIsai. 65.13.14.15. Ioh. 5.14. forerunners of eternall. Tenthlie, the blood of ChristHeb. 12.24. speaketh better things then that of Abel: the blood of Abel Exod. 22.27. Ambros. Serm. 65. Nulla vti (que) sangul­nis vox est, sed clamare dicitur sangui [...] qui innocens effusus est, non tam verè quam causa, & interpel­lare dominum, non tam persecutione eloquij, quàm indignatione commissi, ac reatum suum nō tam ver­borum accusare sermonibus, quàm cons [...]ientiae ipsius criminatione constringere. Anselm. commentar. in Hebr. 12. Quia sanguis Abel mortem parricidae fratris petijs, sanguis Christi vitam persecutoribus impetraeuit: Sanguis Abel expetis vindictam, sanguis Christi misericordiam. Ille vni nocuit, ista multis profuit, & idcirco melius loquit [...]r. requireth ven­geance, the blood of Christ requireth mercie, and shall vndoubtedly obtaine, as much more precious, forasmuch as it was shed to appease Gods wrath, and to make attonement for our sinnes.

Question 4. verse 14. Wherefore Caine saith: whosoeuer seeth mee shall kill me?

CAine as theAugust. de ciu. Dei, li. 15 [...]. 5. Primus ita (que) fuit terrene ciuitatis conditor, fratricida: nam suum fratrem ci­uem ciuitatis aeternae, in hac terra peregri­nantē inuidia victus occidit. standerd-bearer of the malig­nant Church, doth liuelie expresse the I­mage of all the reprobate, whose pro­pertie it isHorat lib. 2. Satyr. 2. D [...]m vitant stulti vitia, in contrariae currunt. Idem in Arte Poetic. In vitiū ducit culpo fuga, si cares arte. s [...]il. vere secund. Spiritū Sanctū. to fall from one extremitie vnto ano­ther, but can neuer finde theVetus Academia dixit virtutes omnes quandam medietatem esse moderatam. Cic. in Lucul. item Aristot, habitus in mediocritato consistens. Ethic. 2. cap. 6.9. Harum via tenuis & aspera Matth. 7.13. narrow way of ver­tue, [Page 190] which lieth in the middest. His eyesAs Gen. 3.7. being now opened to see his sinne, the sight of the fault thereof doth vtterly affright his conscience, and the punishment doth cause him to repine against the Lord. Notwithstanding the worldling is not tou­ched with anie shew of true repentance; as withPsal. 51.4. griefe for offending God,2. Cor. 7.10.11. See there the fruites of sorrow. sorrow for the fault of his offence,Prou. 8.13. Iob. 32.22. feare of the punishment of the life to come,Psal. 51.9. & 27.9. & 119.176. or desire to be reconciled vnto God: but onlieAmbros. de Cain. lib. 2. cap. 9. Praesentem mortem veretur, per­petuam negligit. sorrow for his worldlie punishment, and the losse of the pleasures of this life: neither doth heeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 19. seeke at all the mercie of the Lord, but rather by his stubbornnes resist it. My (gneuon) peruersnes, or wickednes, saith he, is greater The word [...] gne­uon, of gnauah: per­uerse agere, in Eng­lish to doe peruersly or to play ye knaue, is sometime also ta­ken for the punish­ment of the fault. Psal. 69.27. Pro. 5.22. Likewise the verbe (Nasha [...]) signifi­eth to remit or pardon, and sometime to sustaine and beare, like as to beare with, in in our English tongue, is to forgiue, not to punish: and therefore must be interpreted ac­cording to the circumstance of the place. Kimchi goeth with our English tra [...]slation. My pu­nishment is greater then I can endure. On [...]elos the Chaldee Paraphrast, the Septuagint translatiō, the common consent of the Fathers Greeke and Latin is: My offence is greater then it can be pardoned. Either of th [...]se interpretations may well stand, but the latter see­meth rather agreeing with the text, wherein he doth as it were answere the Lord desperat­lie, first of his fault, and after of his punishment. Worse is the Iewish exposition, [...]argh [...]m. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3. Is my sinne so grieuous as my suffering? (asking release) The Ro­mane translation worst of al: My sinne is greater the [...] I can deserue forgiuenes. then (nesho) to pardon, or then thy pardon, that is, then thou canst pardon. A mostHuic sese opponit Augustinus. Mentiris Cain: maior est enim Dei misericordia quàm omnium peccator [...]m mise­ria. Et Bernard. in Cant. Hom. 11. Absit, absit, maior est enim eius pietas quàm quauis iniquitas. Idem. Vox sanguinis Christi in [...]aluit multo plus, qu [...]d [...] vox sanguinis Abel, clamans in co [...]dibut remissionem peccatorum nec dubium est quin efficacior & potentior sit mors Christi ad bonum, quàm peccata nostra ad malum. wicked voice ofChrysost Hom. in Gen. 19 Tale tantom (que) est inquit peccatum quod commisi, vt non pos­sim accipere veniam. desperation. Behold thou hast cast me out, &c. Thou hast compelled meeAmbros. lib. de Cain. 2. cap. 10. Repul tenim cum à f [...]cit sua, & à parentibus abdicatum, separatae habitationis quodam relegauit exilio, eo quod aeb humana mansuetudine, transist ad saeuitiam bestiarum. to flie my natiue soile; thouDeut. 32.20. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 19. wilt not defend me, nor shew thy fauour toward mee, whereby I shall be [Page 191] made to wanderHieron. epist. ad Da­mas. Eijcior inquit à conspectu tuo, & con­scientia sceleris tre­mebundus lucē ipsam ferre non sustinēs, ab­scondar vt latitē. &c. Isidorus hoc ipsum pec­catum in Spiritū san­ctum esse vult, quod vix alius quisquam. in wildernes vnknowne, and e­uerie one that seeth me, shall iudge mee worthie of death, and therefore shall endeuour to destroy me. Behold how fearefull aChrysost. Hom. de ne­quitia depuls. Siquidē & prasentia veren­tur, & futura perti­mescunt, amicos pari­ter & inimicos, gna­ros vti & sceleris con­scios suspectos habent, adeo vt neque quies­cēdo huius sint auxie­tatis expertes, &c. hell a wounded consci­ence is! For why is Caine afraide to be killed, seeing there is none liuing to performe it, but his Father and Mother, andVers. 25. Epiphan. Haeres. 39. Seth verò tertius filius post Abel genitus. Quod autem August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 15. cap. 15. Refert: potest de caeteris opti­mè & verè dici, eos relatos quos successio­nis ordo poscebat, non necessariò primogeni­tos. perhaps some women children which the Scripture nameth not? It is Gods iust iudgement, that they that will not feare the Lord, who is onely to be feared, shouldPsalm. 53.5. Prou. 28.1. stand in feare of thē, who are iustlie no cause of feare. He that latelie feared not to kill his brother, is now made a terrourIerem. 20.4. to himselfe. Hereby also wee may consider what is the repentance of the wicked: they see perhaps the fault together with the punishment, but they admit the fault, and lament the punishment. Such was the repentance ofExod. 9 27. Pharaoh, 1. Sam 15 24 30. Saul, 2. Sam. 17.23. Ahito­phel: Such is the repentance of manieAugust. Hom. de temp. 66. Omnes enim impij amarā habent in tormentis poenitentiam: sed non proficit ijs ad remissionem. Epicures, carnall, and couetous worldlie men, when death compelleth them to leaue their pleasures andPsal. 49.10. Iere. 17.11. ri­ches vnto others. Or if with Iudas theyMat. 27.4. August. Serm. de Temp. 128. Intelligens enim quantum scelus admiserit, non suffecit ei sacrilegij carere mercede nisi careret & salute. bewaile their fault, yet2. Tim. 2.25. want they grace to seek for pardon in Iesus Christ; so that althoughIob. 33.23. Act. 28.24. they haue it offe­red by the messenger of God, they cannot, or not truelie, applie it to themselues. Which obseruation may admonish all that loue their soules, not to de­ferre repentance; but to learne amendment by the daylie preaching of the word. Obserue also, the wicked may be extreamelie sorrie for their sin, and1. King. 21.27. not repent vnto saluation. True repentance is2. Cor. 7.10 a godlie sorrow for the fault, with perswasion that the [Page 192] same is, orMark 9.24. at least wise may be pardoned, by ver­tue of the death of Christ; and the applying,Psal. 31.22. & 77.10 or at leastwise labouring with inward sighs and grones to attaine, and to applie the same. Thirdlie, the con­science of the wickedVt de Ahitophel & Iuda. is their iaylor and accuser. Fourthlie, to wander here and there for meate (ex­cept it be forHeb. 11.37. the profession of the Gospell)Iob 5.4. is a token of the wrath of God.

Question 5. verse 15. What meaneth this: doubtles whosoeuer slei­eth Caine shall be punished seauenfold? and whether the Lord denie that he should be killed? also of the marke set on him.

IT seemeth that the Lord himselfe infringed thatGen. 9.6. Exod. 21.14. Numb. 25.31. perpetual ordinance: whosoeuer shed­eth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed; neitherObiectio Iulianorū. rewarded Caine with punishment agree­ing with the condition of his trespasse: forasmuch as he set a marke on Caine, least anie finding him, should kill him. TheThe vulgar Ro­mane translation falsely foisteth in: Nequaquam ita fiet: It shall not be so. Item. Septuagint. & Theod. Lord doth not denie the course of iustice, but euen by sparing the life of Caine, Cōciliatio 4. con­firmeth it. The chiefestDeut. 13.11. & 17.13 end of ciuill punishments is, as saith the Scripture, that other may heare, & feare, and not commit such wickednes. Forasmuch thereforePerer. Pap. in Gen. 4. vers. 14. tom. 1. lib 7. Credibile est cum mors Abel circa 130. annū Adami euenerit, & per illos 130 annos humanum genus iam numerosissimè multiplicatum &c. Fig­menta ista sunt: nun cuiates essent, Abel enim mortuus sine prole, tertius verò Adami filius Seth. Nisi ipse Cain erat ad miraculum faecundus. that as yet, there wanted those, to whom example might be giuen by his death; his life is prolonged [Page 193] asAmbros. de Cain. li. 2 cap. 10. Nec tamen magna concedit (cum vitae pepercis) sed in eo ipso imprudentiam insipientis vlciscitur. a plague, not as a benefit (for it was moreChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 19. Extendam e­nim vitam tuam, ma­ior (que) & inde tibi do­lor erit, & relinquam te posteritati magi­strum, vt tui spectacu­lum illis sit admonitio & castigatio, nullus (que) exemplum tuum se­quatur. bit­ter then death it selfe) to the end that those which were yet vnborne, might behold the punishment of murther inflicted on him. The curse which the Lord pronounceth doth approue the same. The Lord in chastising Adam Gen. 3.17. saith vnto him: cursed is the earth for thee or vnto thee: but vnto Caine hee saith,Vers. 11. cursed art thou from of the earth. To Adam, Gen. 3.19. in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread: but Caine though he labour with sweat of face, should not re­ceiueVers. 12. Non fru­ctus feret solitos, licè [...] à te diligenter excul­ta sicut solita. Poena temporalis & mobilis Cain. the strength thereof. Vnto Adam wasPsal. 115.16. Au­gust. contr. Faust. 12. Non dixit maledicta terra, sed maledictus tu à terra. & nō dixit quoniam operaberi [...] eam: sed quoniam cum operaberis eam non adijciet dare fructus. the earth giuen to liue & rest thereon: but Caine is made a runnagate and wanderer on the earth. So that if the common life of man be as it werePsal. 39.6. Iam. 4.14. Gregor. Hom. in E­uang. 37. Temporalis vita aeternae vitae comparata, mors est potius dicenda quàm vita. the shadow of death: doubtles that wretched life of Caine, was no­thing better then death it selfe. And seeing death had brought an endAmbros. de Cain. li. 2. c. 10. Nam si nocentes moriuntur qui gradū à peccatis reuocare noluerunt, vel inuiti: tamen finē non naturae, sed culpa adipiscūtur, ne plura delinquant, quibus vita foenus est delictorū. vnto his faults, not to his na­ture, and his life could bring no more but sinne and miserie: Caine Bernard. declamat. in ecce relinq. Omnis qui inuenerit me occidet me. Grande scil. damnū, grandis iactura si pe­rimatur corpus, quandoquidē anima perijs. Rom. 2.4. had lost nothing by the losse of life, except that space offered for repentance. Shall be pu­nished seauēfold, &c. The word ( [...] Shibgnathaim) seauen or seauenfold, is diuerslie interpreted. Symma­chus (Shibegnathaim iucam) Hier. Ep. ad Damas. Postquā ep. &c. Item lib. Trad. Hebra. Aquila Septēpliciter interpretatus est. Symmachus septimū. Theodotio per hebdomadam. shall be the seuenth pu­nished. Theodotio and the Septuagint; shall dissolue seauen (plagues.) Aquila and the common transla­tion: shall be punished seauenfold, or seauen times as much. Not that he should receiue (saithEp. ad Damas. Nō quod ipse qui occiderit Cain septē vltionibus subijciēdus sit, sed quod septē vindictas qua in Cain tāto tēpore cucurrerāt s [...]t interfector, occidēs eū qui vita fuerat derelictus ad poenam. Hie­rome) [Page 194] seauen punishments, but should dissolue or vnloose seuen punishments on Caine, whose life was left him for seauen punishments. In deed, he is not to be punished more often, but yet more grieuous that killeth Caine, thē Caine himselfe. But how could heePerer. in Gen. 4. lib. 7 Tom. 1. Satis credibile est non significari illis verbis interfectorem Cain grauiori suppli­cio punitum iri. Nam quis dubitet grauius fuisse peccatum cadē Abel factā, quàm ne­cem ipsius Cain. &c. deserue a greater punishment, that killeth a murtherer, then he that so cruellie slew his harmeles bro­ther? Although it be lesse offence,Deut. 19.6. to slea a mur­therer (without the forme of judgement) then to slea an innocent; yet if the Lord commaund anie murtherer to be spared,1. Sam. 15.23. it is no lesse offence to kill him, then to slea an innocent. How much more, when the Lord had exempted Caine Ambros. de Cain. lib. 2. cap. 10. Hoc, scil. re­flectere voluit erran­tem & beneficio suo inuitare ad correctio­nem. from being killed, by aAugust. in Psal. 39. Accepit signū ne quis eum occideret. &c. knowne and outward token, as a seale of the same his will and pleasure, and that for the behoofe and instruction of the world; was it more offence, in doing Caine to death, to frustrate the pur­pose of the Lord, and vntie that, which hee had so well established? Wherefore the meaning of this re­straint is this: hee that killeth Caine Rab. Dauid. lib. Rad. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 19. Septulici poenae se faciet abnoxium. Et septem poenarum reus erit. shall receiue more horrible punishment, then Caine himselfe. Whereby the Lord dothHieron. epist. ad Da­mas. Non vt vis mo­rieris, & finies morte supplicia: verùm lon­go tempore custodierit ad vitam, & tam in­feliciter in hac luce versaberis, vt qui­cun (que) te occiderit be­neficiū praestet o [...]ciso. not free the reprobate from being killed, neither altogether from the feare thereof: but as if the Lord had said: Not euerie one that seeth thee shall kill thee: but thou shalt liue and be an example of committing murther to all the world; for I will set such a marke vpon thee, and such a punishment on him that sleaeth thee, that none shall dare offend herein, vnlesse hee be more wretched then thy selfe. The marke it selfe is known vnto vsNe quis ignorant occideret eum. by the end, but not by the forme thereof. For whether it wereVt ex ea vagabundus, vt Strab. eccles. Hist. a madnes in his minde, or the [Page 195] Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 19. Tam dissolu­ta, imbellia (que) membra circumferēs & vndi (que) tremiscens. Hieron. ad Damas. Consciētia sceleris tra­mebundus. Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 42. Concussio mē ­brorum. trembling of his bodie, or theLaranus in Gen. 4. shaking of his head, or aVt pleri (que) Hebraei: Quidam in frōte cor­nu, quidam inustam literam diuinarunt. Rab. Salom. Terram quassam & tremētem asserit, quo loco eéeian­que haberet se. Aben Ezra nihil aliud hoc signum vult, quàm vt crederet se non fore occasurum, in morem Hezechiae. Ramb. Canem ei datum, vt tutum monstrares iter & similes nugas. print vpon his flesh, the Scripture doth no where fullie signifie. But in what forme soeuer, this it did testifie, that Caine was condemned for a murtherer, and reserued for example by the Lord; which so plainely was expressed by the signe, that none that saw him could thereof be ignorant. Obser. 1. Actuall murther isExod. 21.18. 1. King. 2.31. seuerely to be puni­shed by the Magistrate, and is horriblieExemplo sunt Orestes. Eurip in Orest. Nero. Tacit. Anal. lib. 14. Suet. de vita Ner. cap. 34. &c. reuenged by the Lord, where men either are not able to re­uenge it, or do neglect to requite the same. Second­lie, we are alwaies to admire ye secret wisdome of theIob. 11 7. & 33.13. Rom. 11.33. prouidence of God: Innocent Abel hadSignum ponitur ne occidatur parricida, cum pro­spectum non fuerit ne inocent occideretur. no to­ken giuen him whereby to saue his life; but murthe­rous Caine was by priuiledge defended: whichChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 19. Vide obsecro, quis est qui male patitur, occidens an occisus? &c. yet was for the good of Abel, and for Caines con­fusion.

Question 6. verse. 17 What meaneth this that is said: Caine went out from the presence of the Lord: Also how it could be that Caine built a Citie, both in respect of the smal number of men in that age: and of the punishment, which God laid vpon him: a Vagabond and a Runnagate shalt thou be in the earth?

WHen Caine had receiued the wages of his sinne, the Scripture saith,Vers. 16. he went out from the presence of the Lord: but the same Scrip­ture also saith,Psal. 139.7. &c. that the Lord is present euerie where: thatColoss. 1.17. Act. 17.28. all creatures consist in him, &Ierem. 23.24. August. de Ciuit. lib. 22. cap. 19. Non au­tem aliam partem, dic­turi sumus, eum in coelo habere, & in ter­ra aliam; sed totus in coelo est, totus in ter­ra, non alternis tem­poribus, sed vtrunque simul, quod nulla na­tura corporalis potest. that he filleth hea­uen and earth. Wherefore Caine could not depart from the knowledge, the power or the prouidence of God, butCōciliatio. 5. he departed out of hisDeu. 32.20. & 16.16. protection, and from the placeChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 20. Quid est exijt à facie Deis Hoc est: nudatus est praesidio Dei, propter abominabile & perniciosum faecinus. Bernard. in Dedicat. Eccles. Serm. 6. Deus est in omni loco, sed longe aliter at (que) aliter, &c. wherein hee shewed his pre­sence. His miserie gaue name [...] nod, à radice [...], nud, to moue swiftly. Hieron. lib. Trad. Hebrae. [...], nod, interpretatur [...], fluctuans & instabilis at (que) sedis incertae. Non est igitur (inquit) terra Naid, vt vulgus nostrorum putat; sed expletur sententia Dei, quod huc at (que) illuc vagus & profugus oberrauit, Iosephus in contrarium fertur, antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3. Naida (inquit) condi­dit: id loci nomen est. Tremel. in Gen. 4. Hanc Nomadum esse putat in Arabia Petrea: quod non dissi­mile vero est. of moouing vnto the countrie wherein he dwelled, forasmuch as hee wandred in the same according to the curse. The wife of Caine wasImportunissimi quidam Haer [...]tici, Cainum hunc Enochum ex matre Heua suscepisse docuerunt, eò quòd vxoris ipsius natalibus tacuit scriptura, vt Author est Augustinus. lib. de natur. & grat. cont. Pelag. cap. 38. Atqui est nefarium & insipidissimum commentum. doubtles of the daughters of A­dam, [Page 197] of whom the Scripture faith: hee begat sonnes and daughters. Neither was the same vnlawfullEpipanh. Haeres. 39. Necesse fuit illo tem­pore filios Adami pro­prios, sororibus copu­lari: non enim erat hoc iniquum, quoniam nullum aliud genus e­rat. vn­to Cain or Seth; either in respect of nature, or ye Leuit. 18.19. law of God: Because that the Lord creating of oneAct. 17.26. blood all mankind, and making themGen. 1.27. & 2 18. male and female, for the end of increase of children, they then performed the right end of the same diffe­rence of sexe, which in thatChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 20. Nam quia initia erant, debebat­que augeri humanum genus, sorores vt acci­perent concedebatur. necessitie and scarce­nes of the world, did vse those meanes that God had made for procreation. The cause was far other­wise when the world was multiplied, because the Lord to maintaine peace & friendship among men, and cōmon vnity, hath secretly inspired in the harts of men a1. Cor. 11.14. Quod naturae indecorum, & quidem apud Graecos, Romanos, & plurimas gentes, turpe & nefa­rium semper fuit ha­bitum. Romani qui­dem. praterquā quod de gradibus coniugio­rum prohibitorum, id ipsū antiquitus sanx­erunt, quod & Moses Leuit. 18. Cum à Clo­dio Caesare libertas e [...] lege promulgata concessa fuerant, quam ipse sibi vsurpanerat; nemo reperitur qui principis exemplum sequeretur, excepto libertino quodam, & altero primipilari. Suet. de Clod. cap. 26. Apud Persa [...] ta­men, & quasdam Orientales gentes, moris est cum seroribus permisceri. Theodoret. in Leuit. quaest. 24. Nec à duarum serorum coniugio (altera videlicet in demortuae locum superinducta) syncerè abstinen [...] Hispani, vt apparet ex orat. Henrici regis 8. in Parliament. Fox. Act. & Mon. pag. 1053. detestation of such neere coniunction, and confirmed the same by hisLeuit. 1 [...].6. &c. & 20.19.20 commandement: that not hauingAug. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 16. Habita enim est rectissima ratio Charitae­tis, vt homines quibus esset vtilis atque honesta concordia, diuersarum necessitudinum vinculis necte­rentur: nec vnus in vna multas haberet, sed singulae spergerentur in singulas: ac sic ad socialem vitam diligentius colligandam plurima plu [...]imos obtinerent. Cic. de fin. lib. 5. In omni honesto de qu [...] loqui­mur, nihil est tam illustre nec quod latius pateat, quàm coniunctio inter homines hominum, & quast quaedam societas & communicatio vtilitatum, & ipsa charitas generis humani: quae nata à prim [...] satu, quo à procreatoribus nati diliguntur, & tota domus coniugio & stirpe coniungitur, sexpit sensim foras cognationibus primum, tum affinitatibus, deinde amicitijs: post vicinitatibus cum ciuibur & ijs qui publici socij at (que) amici sunt, deinde totius complexis gentis humana. manie bands of kinred in one fa­milie, the same, and therewith amitie, might be di­spersed into manie. Moreouer the Scripture spea­keth not of the marriage of Caine, but of the vse of marriage, and Caine also knew his wife; least it might be thought there was1. Cor. 7.39. 2. Cor. 6.24. [...] any so wicked of the daugh­ters of Adam, who being not alreadie married, would now willinglie be ioyned with such a dam­ned [Page 198] creature. And he built a Citie, &c. It seemeth in­credible to Infidels and Atheists, that Caine was able to build a Citie. For where had he builders,August. quaest. in Gen. 1. Quomodo Cain potuerit condere ciui­tatem, cum ciuitas cō ­stituatur mulutudine? and labourers for the worke, or how could he replenish it with multitudes of men, wherein cities and com­mon wealths doe principallie consist: forasmuch as by the Scripture, there were in all the world but onlie seuen persons, which were deuided alsoFor Cain was ba­nished and diuided from the familie of Adam. into diuers families? Againe it is demaunded,If hee wandered, how did he build? if he were a runna­gate, how was hee a King? how it can stand with the curse of God, who condemned him to wander in the earth, that now hee is said to build a Citie? Albeit that among the godlie, the truth of Scripture needeth notClem. Alexan. strom. lib. 7. Vox Dei sola fi­delibus demonstratio. be proued by de­monstration, in whose heart theIoh. 14.26. Heb. 4.2. same spirit which speaketh, worketh faith to receiue and beleeue the doctrine: yet forasmuch as there are manieLeo Pap. 1. Epist. 83. ad Palest. Ecclesia no­mine armamini, sed contra Ecclesiam di­micatis. armed with the name of Christ, that fight against his truth, and that areAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 3. Eas lin­guas aduersus Christi nomen, dementia sa­crileg [...] peruersitatis exercent, quibus lin­guis vsurpanerunt [...]daciter ipsius no­ [...]i vt viuerent. defended by the profession of true religion, whichTalparum in modum enci & subterranei nunc temporis Ashes. Epiph Haeres. 52. Et plus timendus & cauendus inimicus, cū latenter surrepit, & qui per pacis imagi nem fallens occultis accessibus serpit. Cyprian. Epist. 62. secretlie doe vndermine the same; it is conuenient by opening of the Scripture, to ma­nifest the truth and defend the same against the ad­uersaries. When men which by prayer prepare not their hearts for the vnderstanding of the word, doe conceiue a falshood, by the reading of the scripture; the errour is not to be imputed to the Scripture, but to their owne erronious heart which misconceiue it. Caine as the Scripture saith, did build a Citie. How (will some peruerse, or impudent person say) could one man build a Citie? Lend thine eare to the scrip­ture; it will teach thee. Salomon built the 1. King. 6.14. house of the Lord and finished it. How did hee build it? hee had seauentie thousand 1. King. 5.15. that bare burdens, and fourescore [Page 199] thousand masons in the mountaines. Hee ended it not in a day,1. King. 6.38. but was seauen yeares in building it. Consi­der what is to be gathered hereout. Hee buildeth, that worketh by, or with the help of other. He buil­deth a house, citie, or temple that finisheth it in ma­nie yeares. Fortie Ioh. 2.20. and six yeares was the latter tem­ple a building, & yet Zerubbabel began Zach. 4.9. and finished it. One will say, if so manie thousand were required for one onlie building in a Citie, as is spoken of in the building of the temple of Salomon; how manie millions of men were necessarie vnto Caine for the building of his Citie, and how destitute was he, ha­uing onelie the societie of his wife and his young sonne? Such vanitie is conceiued in the heart of men. But consider in one word the second obserua­tion. If Zerubbabel were rightlie said to build the temple, for that he finished it before his death, not­withstanding he could not finish it vnder the space of sixe and fortie yeares: why may not Caine as iust­lie be said to build a Citie (which perhaps he began to build and other finished) although hee scarcelie finished it in sixe or seauen hundred yeares, so that it were done before his death? For that he liued af­ter the common age of those times, which was seauenRabbi. Moses Ben. Maimon. lib. de direc. perplex. Nullos prae­ter nominatos asse­rit adeo fuisse vinua­ces, hos vero miraculo quodam Dei. sed istum iurgijs castigat. Rab. Moses Aegyptius, & ipsa antiquitas, nec non scriptorum con­sensus, qui verbo Dei non dissentiens venerandus & sacer haberi debet. hundreth yeares, the Scripture doth suffici­entlie confirme, in that the Lord did reserue himChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 19. Vt tui spectaculum alijs admonitio. for example vnto life, and set a marke on him that no man might by violence take it away. Neither is there mention of the death ofGen. 5.31. Abel was murthered, Henoch was taken away. anie which liued the course of naturall life, before the floud, with­in the space of seauen hundreth and threescore [Page 200] yeeres. Considering the premisses, how rightlie is it spoken, and how iustlie to be beleeued euen of an Infidell, that Caine built a Citie? In the originall of Cities, firstDeut. 26.5. Iudg. 10.4. Arist. Polit. libr. 1. cap. 1. Quotidiana so­cletas secundum na­turam constituta Do­mus est: Ex pluribus domibus constituitur societas prima nō quo­tidianae vtilitatis, quae pagus est. inde ciuita­tes, &c. Cic. Offic. li. 1. Ex hinc domum pri­mùm comparandam, deinde mulierem & bouem Arator [...] ̄ dixit Hesiod. priuate houses were builded and peo­pled; when one house was too little, because of the increase of children, they builded villages; from vil­lages, by time and number they ascended vnto Ci­ties. Wherefore the Scripture affirming that Caine built a Citie; doth therein testifie, that the stocke of Caine Neque enim fingen­da sunt miracula, sed scripture scopus per­scrutandus. did increase and multiplie. So that if anie distrust the doctrine, because of the want of buil­ders, he may thereof be easilie answered. For if the childrenGen. 25.2, 3, 4, 12. Praeter Ismael, & Ke­turae liberos. Item I­saaci praeter Iacob. of Abraham were so greatlie increased within the space of foure hundreth yeares, and theExod. 12.37. Numb. 11.21. sonnes of Iacob onelie, were sixe hundreth thou­sand men of warre: how necessarie and truelie is it gathered, that Caines posteritie were sufficient to re­plenishAugust. de ciuitat. Dei libr. 15. cap. 8. Quis itaque dubita­uerit, cum plures in illis temporibus, non­gentos annos etiam transierunt, per vni­us hominis aetatem tantum multiplicari potuisse genus huma­num, vt esset vnde conflituerētur non v­na sed plurimae ciui­tates. manie cities and countries also, before his death? Therefore to come vnto the second obiecti­on: how it could agree with the punishment that God had laid vpon him? Although it may seeme, (not well considered) to be contrarie vnto that which the Lord denoūced: yet doth it meruailous­lie in truth agree therewith. For why did hee build a citie? because hee was constrained by number or multitude? The stocke of Adam increased also as well by Seth; yet none of that familie is said to build a Citie, before the floud. And wherefore not? be­cause the Lord had giuen them theVt fuit omnis reglo Heden extra hortum, vbi Adam consederit. plentie of the earth; and was a stronger bulwarke of defence, then the walles and fortresses of anie Citie. But Caine who was departed from the presence of the Lord, [Page 201] was compelled to defend himselfe with Citie wals: and rather for the feare ofThat he might liue the more in saftie among his owne, which is the com­mon opinion of the learned. Chrysostom thinketh hee did it of ambition, Hom. 20. in Gen. Ioseph. Antiquit. 1. chap. 3. saith, hee did it ra­ther for the cause of Robberie and ra­pine. euill, performed this la­bour, then for anie pleasure of the same. Againe, see­ing that thorough the wrath of God, hee liued inVers. 12. Either be­cause he was con­demned to the bar­rennes of the earth, such as is the desart of Arabia, which was his dwelling place, as Tremellius supposeth: or else that the barrennes of the earth did fol­low him, as though the curse did persecute the murtherer from place to place. scarcitie by his owne labours, it may be gathered, he vsed itIoseph. antiq. 1. ca. 3. as a hold to spoile from other. Moreo­uer, in that he called it not by his owne name, but by his sonnes name, it may seeme that himselfe re­ceiued not the benefit thereof, but continuedHierom. libr. Trad. Hebr. in Gen. Vt huc & illuc vagus & pro­fugus oberrarit. op­pressed with the curse. Obserue: TheyMatth. 6.32.33. Luc. 12.20.21. Philip. 3.19. are world­lie and wicked men, which chieflie set their minde on worldlie things, children, goods, arts, plea­sures, and seeke not first the kingdome of God. Se­condlie, thePsalm. 17.14. Luc. 16.25. wicked inioy the chiefest pleasures of this world; Caine buildeth a Citie, while the godlie familie remaineth in the open field, or els couered with a tent; but godlie securitie is a better defence thenPsalm. 37.19. Prou. 11.4. Horat. carm. lib. 1. ode. 22. Integer vitae scelerisij, purus non eget Mauri iaculis nec Arcu. &c. the walles of a Citie. Thirdlie, the wickedPsal. 37.9. &c. Iob. 15.23 24.25. are wanderers in the earth, albeit they build and be Lords of Cities, because they are destituteVers. 14. of the fauour of God,Iob. 5.4. & 21.19. Psal. 37.35.36.38. 1. King. 14.10. haue alwaies the beesome of desolation to sweepe them away in their posteritie, neither can take any sound comfortIob. 15.20.21. &c. August. in Psalm. 96. Non est gaudere impijs, non in potatione, in luxuria, in theatris, in spectaculis, respectu veri gandij, non est gaudium. in that which they set their heart vpon thorough inward sorrow, which is alwaiePlaut. in Amphitr. Ita cui (que) comparatum est in aetate hominum, ita dijs placitum, vo­luptati vt moeror com [...] consequatur: quin incommodi plus malique adsit boni si obtigit quid. Pindarus. in Pythijs. Hym. [...]. id est, ad vnum bonum duo pariter incommoda distribuunt mortalibus immortales dij. Homer. Il. [...]. Duo quip­pe dolia posita sunt in louis limine donorum quae dat: malorum alterum, alterum honorum. &c. [...] &c. mixed with their mirth, and the [Page 202] vncertaintie of that which they possesse. Fourth­lie, the beginning of CitiesDuplicem causam Primae cogendae ciui­tatis dotet Cicero. 1. Vt homines qui in agris ferarum more vaga­bantur, in vnum co­gerentur ad ciuiliter viuendum. In Brut. 2. Cum premeretur initio multitudo ab ijs qui maiores opes habebant; ad vnum aliquem confu­giebant virtute praestantem. Offic. 2. Quas ambas confictas ex hoc intelligi licet. was an inuention of the wicked, and those that trust in the strength of themDeut. 28.52.2. Sam. 5.6. doe tempt the Lord. Fiftlie, true nobilitie consisteth not in the wealth of Cities, but inDeut. 22.16. &c. Act. 17.11. reli­gion, and the feare of God.

Question 7. verse 24. To what purpose Lamech saith: If Caine shall be auenged seauenfold, then shall La­mech, seauentie times seauenfold?

OVt of a cursed root, springeth vp a branch of bitternes; & of a murderer proceedeth a cruell tyrant. It seemeth good vnto the wisdome of the Lord, to describe the po­steritie of Caine, thereby to shew that the same in­creased from worse to worse: so that when we shall hereafter heare of the feareful wrath of God which was sent vpon the world, wee might know that the same was not done, before the Lord long time had beene horriblie prouoked, and that the wickednes of men was otherwise past amendmēt. The [...] Henech: imbu­tus signifieth instru­cted, stained, infe­cted, namely with his fathers manners: or initiatu [...], admitted happelie vnto the principalitie or gouernment of the citie. [...] Ira [...]. descending, properly like water which by descending oppresseth and ouerfloweth. Isai. 8. [...].8. [...] Mehuiael, à [...] delere & [...] velle cum potentia: that is, willing and able to destroy. [...] Methushael, à [...] mori & [...] postulo. i. seeking to slay. [...] La­mech à [...], to make poore or to oppresse: it signifieth also passiuely to be made poore. This is the difference betweene Lamech this wicked sonne of Methusael, and Lamech the sonne of Methushela: the one signifieth, borne to oppresse; the other, borne to be oppressed. names of them all bewray their nature vntill Lamech, who [Page 203] as if he were the ripenes of their sinne, doth make a light1. Kin. 16.31. matter of the prouocations of his fathers: of whom there is reported three memorable monu­ments. First, thatVers. 19. Mat. 2.15. Hieron. epist. ad Saluin. Primus, Lamech maledictus & sangui­narius de Cain stirp [...] descendens, vnam co­stam diuisit in duas, & plantarium diga­miae diluuij poena sub­uertit. he presumed to infringe the or­dinance of God by polygamie, or marrying manie wiues. Secondlie, is shewed the fruits of this wic­kednes, in his childrē: immoderate desire of wealth, voluptuousnes and crueltie, which is seene by the arts which they professed. Iabal was the father of such as sit in tents, and of cattell or possession, that is, the au­thour or the first that dwelt in tents, and of cattell: of such as keepe cattell. How can hee be said to be the first, or authour of keeping cattell, when as Abel long before did liue a shepheard? Surely for that he liued not in that vocatiō as Abel did, but for the infi­nite desire of riches, gaue himselfe more greedilie thereunto; so that albeit hee neither first inuented the keeping of cattell, nor made it perfect, which o­ther had begun; yet hee might be said to be the Fa­ther of such as haue cattell, because hee first deuised (as it seemeth) to keepe and feed them, otherwise then those had done before him (which grew into vse in his posteritie) by remouing from place to place to keepe them; either constrained by the bar­rennes of the earth, or prouoked by his couetous lust; to which purpose it may be thoughtQuemadmodū No­mades & Scenitae de quibus [...]lin. lib. 9. cap 28. Nomades, in­festiores (que) Chaldeorum Scenitae vagi & ipsi, sed à tabernaculis cog­nominati, quae cilicije m [...]tantur vbilibet. Idem lib. 5. c. 3.6.54. Huiusmodi in Africa versari Nomades vul­go dicti à permutandis pabulis, Mapalia sua, hoc est, domos plaustris circumferentes: i. the Nomades so called because they chāge their pasture, which carrie their houses about in carts. Af­ter this manner it may seeme was the behauiour of Iabal, who first inuented to remoue frō place to palce, & for that behoofe, the vse of Tents. hee in­uented tents, that hee might more commodiouslie remoue. So likewise, Iubal was the inuentor of (not musicke) but certaine instruments of musicke; and Tu­bal-Caine isThe word [...] [...]atesh, is sharpning or polishing: Hierome translateth it faber, a Smith. The Iewes affirme, he inuented the sword and instruments of warre. said to make sharpe euerie instrument of brasse and iron. Notwithstanding, who would [Page 204] doubt thatFor Adam being so wise by creation, & not losing his natu­rall, but godly wise­dome, could not be without the know­ledge of such things as belonged to the vse of life. But af­terwarde many o­ther thinges were daily inuented, not so much for neces­sitie as for voluptu­ousnes, couetous­nes, rapine and ty­rannie; which being vnpractised of Adā, were also out of the compasse of his in­uention. all lawfull and profitable Arts, were knowne and practised of Adam, and therefore in vse in the familieIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3. writeth, that ye posteritie of Seth, being taught by A­dam that the world should be twice de­stroyed, once by water, another time by fire: wrot diuers inuentions of their age in two pil­lars, one of brasse, the other of brick, whereof one (he said) did remaine vnto his remēbrance. But this although it were so, yet it was not needfull; when as Noah with his two good sonnes sufficed to instruct the world in goodnes: and Cham was enough and more, to leade them into mischiefe. of Seth, so far as necessitie of life required: but for weapons or warlike instruments, as also melodie of vaine delight, they are fittest to be foundIt is not incredible that the Heathen haue had the knowledge of these inuentions, either by tradition from Cham and his succession after the flood, or rather by this historie of Moses, and that this Tubal-cain is that ancient Ʋulcan (for there haue bin many famous of that name, Cic. de Nat. deor. lib. 3. Arnob. contr. Gent. lib. 4.) of whom the Heathen histories are full. Looke Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. Dionys. Halicarnass. lib. 2. Laert. lib. 1. cap. 1. Lactant. lib. 1. cap. 17. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 4. cap. 11. which name as it commeth neere to Tubal-cain, so the name of his wife is answerable to their Ladie of beautie: for Naa­mah (of [...] nagnam to be beautifull) was the wife of this Tubal-cain. So as it may appeare, that the farther the Heathen haue been from the truth of the word of God, the more foolish hath been their fables: and that truth that was among them of antiquitie, the same they haue obtained from this holy Chronicle. in the house of Caine, wherein first was practised laciuiousnes and tyrannie. Thirdlie, is de­scribed of Lamech, his fircenes, crueltie, & presump­tion. His fierce disposition is perceiued,By a most vehement repetition, which v­seth not to be but in matters of great importance: as Isai. 1.2. Ioel. 1.2. Matth. 13.9. by his so vehement demaunde of audience, vnto so foule a speech. His crueltie in that hauing as it seemeth committed murther, he makethCaluin. in Gen. 4. Lamech in vxorum sinum euomuisse crudelitatis sua virus. Item Tremel. & alij. Multi au­tem in futuro quasi minaciter dixisset legunt. boast thereof. His presumption, in that hee esteemeth himselfe, free from the daunger of being punished. In the varie­tie of iudgements of interpreters, I suppose it safest, to come vnto the very letter of the text it selfe, ( [...] chi ish &c.) Because I haue slain a man ( [...] lepitsegni) in my wound, & a young man or lad ( [...] veieled) that is to say,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 20. Factum non solum confite­batur, & cader in medio proserebat. haue committed manie murthers, and neither [Page 205] sparedTheodoret. quast. in Gen. 44. Virum occi­disse Lamech & eun­dem iuuenem dicit. id est vnicum iuuenem. Suidas in verbo La­mech. Vult cum occi­disse duos, eos (que) fratres Enochi iusti. Rabb. Salomo. Ridicu­lam excogitanis fabu­lam, quod cum caecus esset Lamech, occiderit Cainum pro fera inui­tus, ducente Tubal-caino puero & arcum dirigente, deinde poe­nitētia ductus & ira, puerum Tubalcainum verberibus ad necem vs (que) contriuisse, quod eum direxerit ad in­felix facinus. Eodem argumento audinisti credo Vulcanum è coe­lis praecipitatū apud Homerū Iliad. [...]. Vsque adeo Rabbinorum Theolo­gia concordat nonnun­quā cum insania. Ier. young nor old: in my hurt or stripe ( [...] Le­chaburathi: GreekeDioscor. lib. 1. c. 151. [...]) I being striken, as it were but lightly prouoked thereunto: ( [...] Chi) ther­fore if Caine shall be auenged, &c. If he thatChrysostom, and af­ter him Theodoret, doe vnderstand these words of Lamech, as of his repentance, and hartie confession of his fault: but therein are they deceiued, because the Greeke translation re­ferreth the vengeance vnto Caine himselfe, not to him that killeth Caine, as that he should rid Caine of seuen plagues. But this we haue shewed to be otherwise. Hierom. Epist. ad Da­mas. determineth that Lamech slew Caine, but notwithstanding denieth his repentance. sleyeth Caine shall be punished seauen fold, then he that sley­eth Lamech, shall be punished seauentie times seauen fold: If Caine had securitie from being killed, how much more may Lamech be voide of feare. So grieuously doth he harden himselfe in sinne,Caluin in Gen. 3. vers. 24. that he euen de­rideth the iudgements of the Lord. Thus the wic­kedProu 14.9. make but a mocke of sinne. ThusGen. 6.5.12. was sinne growne exceeding grieuous in the house of Caine, which when the sonnes of Seth were partakers of, by ioyning in marriage with such a familie; they were also shortlie after made partakers in their pu­nishment. Thus shall there come mockers in the latter dayes, and Atheists which shall laugh at2. Pet. 3.3. the promise of his comming. Wherefore seeing such mockers are alreadie found, it is euident that the same his comming draweth neere. Obser. 1. Gods ordinance of marriage is infringed, when either man or woman is coupled in carnall societie,Malac. 2.15. 1. Cor. 7.2. with more then one. 2. The Lord alwaieAct. 14.17. leaueth some tokens of his mercie, as ofIsai. 28.26.29. Not that the Heathen were inuentors of all profitable Artes, as Plinie lib. 7. cap. 56. falsely ascribeth to them, but that such inuentions being partly natu­rall gifts, are common to the godly and the wicked. wisedome to finde out Artes among the wicked, which the wickednesse [Page 206] ofEither in the in­uen [...]ion, by ascri­bing them to Idols; Hab. 1.16. as Pytha­goras, hauing found the vse of the Triangle in Geometrie, sacrificed an oxe vnto the Muses; Euclid. lib. 2. Laert. lib. 8. Vitruti. lib 9. cap. 2. Musis hostias immolauit: or else in the fruition abu­sing them, as Ouid. in Ibin. Muneribus (que) suis laeduntur vt Icarus in quem intulit armatas ebria tur­ba manus. men doth peruert to their owne destruction. Thirdlie, continuance in sin bringeth eitherRom. 1.28. 1. Tim. 4.2. dead­nes of securitie, or2 Sam. 17.23. Matth. 27.4.2. desperation.

CHAP. V.

Question 1. verse 3. Wherefore it is said: that Adam begat a child in his owne likenes, after his image?

TO the end that wee might vnder­stand, after what image and like­nes men are naturally borne,Dictis dat ipsa fidem res, vt inquit Lucret. lib. 2. and thereby might behold the diffe­rence betweene the glorious con­dition of our creation, and the mi­serable estate of our corruption. SomeAs it were in re­spect of the essence of nature, not the qualities: whereas in truth, the quali­ties of the image of God in man were by creation so ex­cellent, as that they doe oft times deno­minate the whole man: So Gregorie expoundeth it, He died. i. those qualities died: non in substantia viuendi, sed in qualitate viuendi. Epist. 31. lib. 6. doe inter­pret this, as if the Scripture had said: he begat a Son in the forme and likenes of a man, as other creatures doe beget their like: the which may be vnderstood either of the estate in which Adam was created, or [Page 207] of the estate which Adam now had gained by cor­ruption. But the Scripture (if you marke it) ma­keth an opposition betweene those two conditi­ons, saying: In the day that God created Adam, hee made him in the likenes of God, but Adam begat a child in his owne likenes. And saith not hee begat a Sonne in the image of God, but in the image of himselfe; that doubtles is, of the same conditionNeither this in re­spect of renuing by grace, but of cor­ruption of nature. Aug. de peccat. mer. & remiss. 2. cap. 5. of himselfe at the time of generation. Neither is the same to be vnderstoodCaesarius dial. 1. Se­cundum imaginē suā, hoc est, qualem habuit ab initio quando fa­ctus est à deo, imaginē & splendorem, & vo­cauit nomen, &c. of the condition of the bodie on­lie, but of the whole man. Seth was begotten in the likenes of Adam: in what image then was Caine andSome teach that because Caine was a reprobate, and Abel murthered, neither of them is said to be in Adams image. But this is farre frō the the sense of ye scrip­ture. Abel, and theFor beside them he begat sons and daughters, vers. 4. rest of Adams children? To preuent such an obiection the Scripture most wiselie saith: not that hee begat Seth, but he begat a sonne, and called his name Seth: Shewing thereby that the Sonnes and daughters which hee begat, whatsoeuer hee called the names of them, in as much as they were the children of Adam, were also after Adams likenesse. And as Seth was him­selfe, so was the posteritie of Seth, of whomOf whose posteri­tie was Noah, who onely with his chil­dren escaped in the flood. on­lie came the ofspring of the world. But foras­much as Adam was created in the image of God, and is no where said in Scripture to be in anie o­ther image, how can it be, but that this image of Adam was the image of God; so that Seth was al­so begotten in the image of God? In deed nei­ther Adam, nor the sonnes of Adam Epiphan. epist. ad Ioh. Hierosol. Ausus etiam illud dicere (intelligit O­rigenem) perdidisse imaginem Dei Adam, cum hoc in nullo peni [...]us loco scriptura significat. Atqui non intelligit Origenes absolutam abolitionem, sed sicut Cyprianus & alij patres, deprauationem. Extitit nimirum nimis rigidus censor Epiphanius in Origenem, impulsu Theophili Alexandrini, cuius gratia etiam cum Chrysostomo grauissimas exercuit simultates. are said to [Page 208] be in Scripture, of anie other image, forasmuch as the same image, as it wereHoc modo distinguunt authores nonnulli in­ter imaginem & simi­litudinem. Basil. Hex­am. [...]. Secundū ima­ginem habeo quod ra­tionalis sim: secundum similitudinem in hoc quod Christianus sim. Eucher. com. in Gen. 1 Aquin. part. 1. q. 93. art. 9. Similitudo at­tenditur secundū vir­tutes, & imago secun­dum proprietates na­turales intellectualis naturae. At Apostolus quidem vtras (que) ag­noscit, sed eadem ap­pellatione donauit. 1. Cor. 15.49. in the matter remaineth still, like a gorgious Citie whereof the foundation doth continue;Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen 17. Franc. Iun. in 3. Gen. Nūc vero mansit qui­dem materia in te, sed forma perijt. but in the forme is perished. To this purpose, whereEphes. 4.23.24. &c. the Scripture requireth vs to be renued after the image of our creator, it doth testifieHeb. 8.13. that the image of our creation is lost within vs: and where it sheweth how the same should be re­newed, it affirmeth also wherein the same is lost: namelie, in righteousnes and holines, & the effect and fruit thereof, which is spirituall ioy, and true felici­tie. And seeing the perfection of the image of God, whereunto the Lord created Adam (that is the forme, chiefest, or most excellent part thereof) consisted inLeuit. 19.2. Ezech. 20.11. Ephes. 4.24. Bernard. Serm. de annunciat. 1. Acceperat ergo homo misericordiam, accepe­rat & veritatem (quae eum ad agnitionem summae perduceres veritatis) Iustitiam quoque qua regeretur accepit: adhuc etiam pacem qua foueretur. the perfect holines and blessednesse of his nature: and that theGen. 3.6. Eccles. 7.31. Scripture sheweth, hee defaced the image of his holinesseGen. 3.12.13 Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 17. Nusquam necessitas, nusquam violentia, sed voluntas & arbitratio. by wil­full transgression of Gods commaundement; which holinesse was as it were theLeuit. 18.5. August. de verb. Dom. Serm. 34. Quo modo eris sub Domino si non fueri [...] sub praecepto? bond and condition of his blessednes: it followed thereof, that in dissoluing his holinesse, heePsal. 19.21. ouerthrew his happinesse, and so the image of God concer­ning the forme thereof,Concil. Arausican. 2. cap. 1. Si quis per offensam praeua­ricationis Ada, non totum (id est secundum corpus & animum) in deterius dicit hominem commuta­tum: contrariatur Apostolo. was in euery part de­faced. Wherefore Adams nature and condition, being changed from holinesse to sinfulnesse, and from felicitie to miserie,Rom. 5.12. & 6.23. because the guiltinesse of sinne remained, bringing death; and because all [Page 209] creatures in the act of generationGen. 1.22. Damasc. lib. Discept. Christ. cum Saracen. qu [...]est. 8. Sar. Quis format foetus in [...]etre mulieris? Quid, [...]m Deus causa ma­lorum? Num co [...]pe­rator est fornicatorum & adulterorū? Resp. Nequaquam inueni­mus. po [...] primā [...]e [...] ­d [...]m [...]am mundi crea­ti, s [...]ript [...]ram di [...]en­tem formare Deum a­liquid vel creare &c. formauit Deus h [...]mi­nem & precepit ip­sum generare: exhinc cognoscimus quod ge­nerantur & generat. by the ordinance of GodNazianz. [...]rat. 4. Quippe quod haec ge­niti natura sit, vt ra­tione naturae sit idem eum eo quod ips [...]m genuit. Aristot. de Gener. Animal. lib. 4. cap. 3. Qui enim suis parentibus similis non est, monstrum quodammodo in natura est. cannot but beget their like: It was no more possible for Adam after his corruption, to beget a child in anie other condition or likenes, then of sin and wretchednes; then for a Dog to beget a Lion, or for a Sparrow to bring forth an Eagle. For as A­dam, if he had not sinned, had begotten children al­soAugust. retract lib. 1. cap. 13. Non­dum enim videram fie [...]i potuisse vt non morituri, à non morituri [...] nascerentur, si peccato illo magno non mutaretur in deterius humana natura: ac per hoc, si & in parentibus & inf [...]lij [...] secund [...]tas fali­citas (que) mansisset, vs (que) a [...] certum [...]anctorum nume [...]um quem pr [...]estina [...]it Deus, nasc [...]rentur. after the image of his perfection, because the image of God was in him vnpolluted: so whatsoe­uer heFulgent. ad Monim. li. 1 c. 17. Nam primā concupiscentiam, li [...]èt e [...]petere n [...]quiuerit opere, tamen retinuit vo­luntate. Sic ipse sibi iam factu [...] est pana, [...]t su [...]plicium semper esset malo voluntas mala, tanquam cae­co ipsa caecitas sua, & concupiscentia peccandi tormentum fie [...]t peccatori. lost thereof by sinne, and whatsoeuer by reason of those wantsHieron. in Aboc. 1. c [...]m. [...]t per vnum hominem peccatores constituti sunt plu [...]imi, & in A [...]am omnes mortus sumus, & vniuersi deni (que) sancti, cum illo pariter de para [...]iso [...]ie [...]l [...]. &c. did grow vnto him, the same hee could not but impart, as an inheritanceGregor. in Psal. [...]aniten. 2. al. 32. Adam, cum se confiteri culpabilem [...]enuit, mortif [...]rae damnationis sententiam ad posteros misit. vnto his children, forasmuch as they could not be but partakers of his nature. But it may be demaun­ded, seeing a blind man may beget a child that seeth, and a lame man a child of perfect limmes: why A­dam could not also beget a child of better conditi­on then himselfe corrupted? Because such diseases areQuare morbum definiunt: esse affectum contra natu [...]am corpori alicu [...] insidens. Fernel. Pathe [...]. lib. 1. cap. 1. Et tamen qui ortu & natura cla [...]di sunt, claudos solent p [...]ocreare, licèt casu mut [...]ati non item. Argenter. in. Art. medicin. Galen. comment. 2. Similiter & podagrici; quia huiusmodi non purè pe [...]sonales sunt morbi: quanto magis, viti [...]n [...] animi & corporis tanquam in radi [...]e attractum [...]er peccatum? Rom. 5.12. personall, not generallie belonging vnto na­ture: but the image of GodRom. 3.23. & 5.12. Omnes peccauerunt, & in Adam peccauerunt, quando omnes ille vnus homo fuerat. August. de peccat. merit. lib. 1. c. 10. Et distituuntu [...] gloria Dei: gloriam igitur Dei, omnes in illo habuerunt: Sed bonum d [...]positum non seruauerunt. Origen. in [...]euit. 4. was a gift of God, be­stowed, [Page 210] not onlie vpon the person, butAthanas. Serm. 3. in Arian. Nam quan­quam Adam solus è terra est formatus, fue­re tamen in eo etiam tum rationes succes­sionis posteritatisque humani generis. August. de peccat. me­rit. lib. 2. cap. 4 Manes malum in carne no­stra, nō natura in qua diuinitùs creatus est homo, sed vitio in quo volūtate prolapsu [...] est. on the nature of Adam, whereof all mankindCaluin. in Gen. 3.6. Deus sicuti totam ge­neris humani naturā in vno homine orna­uerat, ita in eodem ip­sam nudauit: iam ve­rò ex quo in Adam corrupti sumus, non sustinemus alieni de­licti poenam, sed pro­pria culpa rei sumus. had inte­rest in him. Whereby also the losse thereof, was a losse vnto Adams nature, and not vnto his person onlie. For as, if Adam, so soone as hee had sinned, had died the naturall death, the whole nature of man had bin destroyed, and there could haue beene no children, because there had beene no Parents: euen so the nature of all mankind in Adam, being corrupted not extinguished, must needes continue corrupted in his children,Quia omnes ille v­nus homo fuerat. Au­gust. because it was in him, as in the roote corrupted. So that what was the state of Adam, after his transgression, before he was resto­red; the same is the estateAugust. de peccat. merit. lib. 2. cap. 9. Et quare iustus non gig­nit iustum? Resp. Ex hoc quisque gignit, quod adhuc vetustum trahit inter filios se­culi, non ex hoc quod promouit in natiuita­tem filios Dei: non carnaliter gignit qua iustus est. of all men by nature, before they are restored: andPsal. 51.5. August. de peccator. merit. & remiss. Aut ex persona generali ipsius hominis, hoc dicit Dauid: aut non vtique de fornicatione. euerie child concei­ued, according to the course of nature, beginneth to be a sinner, so soone as hee beginneth to be a crea­ture. It remaineth now to be considered, how far the image of God is perished in the nature of man through sinne. The Apostle seemeth to giue a per­fect measure of the same, whereas he commandethEphes. 4. vers. 24. to put on the new man, or that the man should be re­newed in righteousnes, and true holines. That which is to be renewed,Coloss. 3. vers. 10. is the image of God: that wherein it is to be renewed, is in righteousnes. Wherein hee speaketh of the image of God, as of a substance, and calleth it the man; as it is corrupted, the old man; as it is renewed, the new man: of the thing wherein it is to be renewed, as of a qualitie, which hee calleth holines, and therefore the contrarie wherein it was lost, was also a qualitie, which is vnrighteousnes. So [Page 211] that this image indeedIren. lib. 3. cap. 20. Vt quod praedixerae­mus in Adam, id est secundum imaginem & similitudinem esse Dei, hoc in Christo perciperemus. Cyprian. lib. de bono patient. Si patientia Dei patris maneat in nobu, si similitudo di­uina, quam peccàto Adā perdiderat, &c. In hoc sensu non male Origenes in Leu. Hō. 4. Abiecta imagine Dei, diaboli imaginem in te suscepisti. Quē ve­hementer afflixit Epi­phanius vt suprà dix­imus. is lost, not wholie, but in part, not in the substance, but in the quality; the sub­stance of mans nature doth remaine, but it ceaseth to be a holie substance. Notwithstanding that in re­spect of theGen. 9.6. Caluin. in Gen. 9.6. Si quis obij­ciat, imaginem Dei deletam esse: respon­deo, vtcun (que) corruptus sit homo, manere ta­men aliquid residuū, vt praestet non parua dignitate homo. substantiall parts of man, albeit hee be corrupted, hee is more excellent and more to be re­garded, then any creature vpon the earth; because that therein the image of God remaineth in him. But the qualitie or forme thereof is perished, wher­by the substance is miserablie defiled, both through the want of the good itGen. 3.7.9. Hose. 14 2. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Vbi es? Vn­de tibi hoc accidit? Quis latro vel parietum perfossor, sic simul omnes diuitiarum c [...]pias auferens, in tantam te inopiam induxit? had, and thorough ac­cesse of euill which it had not. Now the substance or matter (that I may so call it) of the image of God, within the soule, was the verie substance of the soule; the qualitie or forme thereof, was the holines that was therein, which it receiued from the di­uine nature: wherfore when Adam and mankind in Adam Tertul. Aut igitur Adam mortuus est, aut scriptura mentitur. Au­gust. de peccat. merit. lib. 1. cap. 16. Quando ergo peccauit Adam non obediens Deo, tunc eius corpus quamuis esset animale atque mortale perdidit gratiam, qua eius animae, omni ex parte obediebat: tunc ille extitit bestialis motus: tunc morbo qu [...]dam stabilitate aetatis amissa, per mutabilitatem ata­tum irent in mortem. Quamuis ergo annos multos postea vixerunt: illo tamen die mori caeperunt, quo mortis legem acceperunt. G [...]egor. lib 6. epist. 31. did die the death by forsaking God, ye sub­stance of the souleCyril. Alexand. dialog. de adorat. in Sp. Im­periti putant Spiritum sanctum in animam esse transmutatum, & in hominis tranfijsse naturam. Verum id quod conditum est, ineffabili virtute animabatur, donoque spiritus statim ornabatur, non enim aliter diuinae imaginis capa [...]es sumus nos. Bernard. Sermon. de annunc. 1. Et similitudo quidem perijt, veruntamen in imagine pertransit homo. Imago siquidem, in gehenna ipsa vri poterit, non exuri; ardere sed non deleri. remained, as the matter of this image; but the holines thereof is lost, and wicked­nes is come in place. This being in generall in the soule, is also in euerie power of the same. The wise­dome albeit it remaine as it were in substance, yet is it perished in the right forme, or propertie there­of; [Page 212] all holines of wisdome in the nature of manDeut. 32.28. Ierem. 8.9. Lactam. lib. 1. cap. 1. Magno & e [...]llenti ingenio [...]iri, cum se doctrine penitus de­d [...]lis [...]ent, qui [...]qu [...] bo [...] poter [...] [...] contemp [...] [...]m [...]bus & p [...]b [...]t [...] & p [...]ua­tis [...]ct. onibus, a [...] in­qui [...]ende ve [...]atis studium [...] Sed neque ad [...]pes sunt id quod v [...]lebant, & operam si [...]ul & in­du [...]iam perd [...] [...]er [...] quiae veritas id est, [...]r cantum [...] De [...], [...] se [...]t omni t [...]ngen [...] a [...] proprijs [...] iest s [...]n­sibus comp [...]he [...]i. is lost, all knowledge how to serue the Lord; that o­riginall deformitie hath made mans wisdome who­lie sinful; the force of which corruption is also such, that in the verie act or substance of wisedome, albeit it be euill, yet it hath decaied that euill wisdomeIerem. 4.22. in man, in that part wherein it commeth neerest vnto goodnes; & increased it in that, wherin it is ye fittest instrument of sinne. The will also remaineth in act or substance as before, and as it was free before in e­lection, so doth it still continue free: but the holines thereof is perished, wherebyIerem. 10.23. 2. Cor. 3. [...]. [...]. 3.1 [...]. Concil. [...] Si quis vt à [...] purgemur, v [...]. [...] expe [...]a [...]e [...]omen [...]: non e [...]a a vt p [...]rga [...] velmu [...], [...]er sancti sp [...]u [...] infusione & ope [...]tio ā in nos fr [...] [...] [...]er, resist: ipsi spirit [...] san [...], licenti per Salomonem, to [...] al [...]r voluntas à Dom [...]o. Prou. 16.1. August. de Spir. & l [...]. [...]. 30 Homines cum serui sunt peccati, quid se [...] de libero a [...]bi [...] Aquo c [...]im qui [...]de i [...]lus est, hui & se [...]us a li [...]ct us est. S. autem liberati sunt, quid se iactant velut de opere pro [...]rio & glorian­tis q [...]asi non acceperint. Duo igitur statuimus [...]n verbo Dei, & patrunt consensu: Homini inesse li­berum arbitrium, sed vt est corruptum desti [...]itur bono. vnde non potest honum appet [...]e, nam quia in­it [...]tum est & im [...]m, [...]m [...]ia qu [...]rit. Se [...]ndo, non este liberum ad apperendum bonum, sed scruum, nisi à D [...]m [...]no liberetur: liberata v rò voluntate, non este inutile instrumentum, neque instar lapidis in­sens [...] [...] loquitur A gust. de peccat. & [...]mist. lib. 2. cap. 5. Sed mota mones, & liberata à possessione Satan [...], li [...]è appe [...] [...] quod bonum est, in quantum gratia adit. [...]atur. it willeth alway euill, and lusteth of it selfeIoh. 8.44. to be an enimie to good. The affections also doe remaine the same in substance, but altered in qualitieEccles. 8.11. Gala [...]. [...] 19. Ephes. 4.26.31. from goodnesse vnto euill. Lastlie, the bodie albeit it remaine the same both in proportion and in substance, wherin it dothPsalm. 139.14. won­derouslie set forth the wisedome of the Lord; yet is it in the beautie and strength thereof, the aptest in­strument of the soule to sinne. Adam therefore by falling awayIerem. 2.19. from the God of holinesse, by his re­bellion; lost that holinesIames 1.17. which from him he had rece ued: whereby although hee continued a man, yet hee remained a wicked man: his wisedome re­mained wise vntoIerem. 4.22. euill, but to goodnes,Rom. 8. vers. 6. foolish­nesse. [Page 213] His willIsai. 65.12. Gen. 11.6. at libertie of choosing euill, butIere. 31.18. Ioh. 15.5. could not choose goodnes, because the goodnesse of it selfe was perished, byFulgent. ad Mon. li. 1 c. 17. [...] Domino quip­pe bono dissentiens, & ser [...]io malo cōsentiens, malae voluntatis effe­ctum plenum adipiscà non potuit: quia ipsa malitia voluntatis à Deo non fuit. choosing euill. His af­fections which were created to delight in goodnes, to hate iniquitie; forasmuch as they were chaunged from goodnes into euill; became wholie to delight in euill, but not in goodnes. And because hee had thus defiled the image of his holines, he euerie way deserued the second death. Now such as Adam was, as saith the Scripture, such a one begat heeContra Sethianos. Qui Sethum ad ima­ginem Dei contendunt genitum perfectum. Epiphan. Haeres. 39. August. Haeres. 19. Seth, whom he begat in his owne image and similitude: and suchPsal. 51.5. Rom. 5.12. are begotten al the sonnes of Adam, whe­ther they wil take notice therofRom. 7.7. Galat. 3.24. to repētance & a­mendment of life, or either are ignorant, or wil wil­fullie beAs the Iewes, Pe­lagiās, and Papists. ignorant of the same. This corruption is called in the ScriptureIam. 1.14. concupiscence andRom. 7.7. lust, and of interpretersAugustine, and af­ter him, others. originall sinne. Which is, the deprauationEzech. 16.45. Rom. 7.23. Concit. Arausicā. c. 25. Praedicare debemus & credere, quod per pec­catum primi hominis ita inclinatum & at­tenuatum fueris libe­rum arbitriū, vt nul­lus postea aut diligere Deū sicut oportuit, aut credere in Deū, aut operari propter Deū, quod bonis esse possit; nisi gratia cum & diuina misericordia praeuenerit. August. [...]ib. de pradest. cap. [...]. Vitiatae radicis ma [...]u [...]a ita propaginis traduce per gene­rationū sarmenta diffi sa est, vt nec infan [...] quidem vnius dici à culpa sit primae praeuaricationis alie­nus, nisi per indebitam saluatoris gratiam suerit liberatus. or defiling of the nature of man in Adam, continuing in the same nature by propaga­tionBern. Serm. in 4. feriam. Heb. pent. Duo nobis in haereditatem reliquis ille vetustus Adam qui fugit à facie Dei, laborem scilicet & dolorem, Laborem in actione, dolorem in passione. as it were an inheritance of birth: whereby a man so soone as hee is begottenIsai. 48.8. Rom. 3.23. is defiled, both withGen. 3.7. defect of goodnes, and accesseEccles. 7.31. of euill, and thereby is madeEphes. 2.3. Rom. 6.32. a childe of wrath; and when he performeth either thought, word or deed, the same in nature is wicked and defiled,Iob. 14.4. Psal. 51.5.7. because it proceedeth from the same wicked fountaine of vn­cleannes. Thus doth the Scripture declare our sick­nes, that we mightGalat. 3.24. flie to the phisition Iesus Christ.

Question 2. verse 4. To what purpose doth the Scripture so ac­curatelie describe the succession, age, death of the Patriarkes?

FOr the confirmation of the godlie in many points of necessarie doctrine. First, that the world was euer gouerned by the proui­dencePsal. 9.16.17.18. Zephan. 3.5.6.7. &c. of God, which most manifestlie appeareth in the reward of righteous Henoch, and the punish­ment of cruell Caine. Secondlie, that the Lord hadIsai. 60.2. & 59.21. euermore a speciall care of his Church, and the continuance of true religion; for in as much as these wereVers. 22.29. & 6.9 righteous men, and Prophets, and1. Pet. 3.19.20. & 2. Pet. 2.5. Iude 14. August. contr. Faust. lib. 4. cap. 2. Intellige­bant enim reuelante sibi Spiritu Dei, quid illi tempori congrue­ret, & quibus modis Deus per illas omnes res gestas et dictas (pis­ta ceremonias & pro­missa, loquitur enim de populo sub lege, sed quanto illis, patre [...]ma gis de quibus loqui­mur?) futura, figurā ­da & pronuncianda decerneres, magis (que) de­siderium corum de no­rio testamento erat, sed praesens functio corporalis, ad significanda noua ventura pollicitationibus veteribus praebebatur. Ita illorum hominum non tantum lingua, sed & vita prophetica fuit. Prea­chers of righteousnes as the Scripture witnesseth, and it cannot be esteemed but thatQuid enim, num stipites & sta­tuas fuisse credamus, hunc & alios de quorum rebus gestis scriptura non meminit? & sanctos fuisse, & non sancté vi [...]sse; aut sanctos & prophetas, & non docuisse? Adam continuing vntil the sixe and fiftieth yeare of the life of Lamech, the father of Noah, he did continuallie instruct and preach vnto his posteritie, of the estate of the crea­tion; of his own disobedience, and the punishment thereof; of the promise made of the life to come, & such other doctrines conuenient for the time: So that these fathers continued together as noble wit­nesses of the truth of God; diuers of themEnoch, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Iared, &c. liued all of them, after the birth of Noah: Lamech died but fiue yeeres before the drowning of the world: Methushelab died the very yeere wherein the flood came: as appeareth by the computation of yeeres in the text: and Hierom. lib. Trad. Hebrae in Gen. vntill the building of the Arke, and some vntill the com­ming [Page 215] of the floud. Thirdlie, that the transgression of Adam Rom. 5.12. August. lib. de Pradest. cap. 3. Qui peccatum origi­nale negat, negat nos esse mortales. Bernard. Serm. in Iob. 5.19. Et si Adam pro morsu pomi vetiti mortuus est cum poste­ris, & fugiebat à facie Dei: quo nos post tan­ta flagitia fugiemus in die iudicij? & quid post tanta facinora praesumimus? brought death into the world, in which respect it is reported of them all: they died. Fourth­lie, although the Lord long time deferre hisPsal. 103.8.9. 2. Pet. 3.9. anger, as hee did the bodilie death from Adam nine hun­dreth and thirty yeares; or that the comming of our Sauiour vnto iudgement, hath bin now as it were deferred these sixteene hundred yeares: yet howso­euer the wickedMatth. 25.5. slumber because he tarrieth long, and wil notMatth. 24.42. waite to receiue him at his comming: as it happened vnto Adam and all his children, that the word of God was in euerieLuc. 16.17. tittle thereof fulfil­led; so shall it be vnto vs, in mercy to the iust, in ven­geance to the wicked, and the LordReuel. 22.20. Cyprian lib. de Resur. Resurrectio quidem communis est, & anie tribunal Christi, ne­cesse est in corpore iu­sto [...]stare & iniustos, Dei hoc dictante iusti­tia, vt pietas & im­pietas, debitis stipen­dijs donarentur, & quifinem habere con­tempserunt in malis, infinita clauderentur vltione in poenis; & qui gloriati sunt in cruce, cum crucifixo regnantes, beatae fierent perēnitatis par­ticipes. Non sunt participes huius gaudij. quos damnat ambitio: non potest surtiuos habens loculos paschalibus solennijs interesse: nihil proditor & vēditor magistri, fermentator profanus commune ha­bet cum azymis: omnis immundus in anima, ad esum huius agni prohibetur accedere: nulla ad hanc laetitiam perfidia recipitur; omnis malignitas excluditur. Hieron. epist. ad Heligdor. Potentissimi quondam reges, nudo latere palpitabunt. Adducetur cum suis slultus Plato discipulis, tunc Aristo­telis argumenta non proderunt, quando veniet ille filius paupercula quaestuariae iudicaturus fines ter­rae. Idem Comment. in Matth. 25. Quoties diem illum considero, toto corpore contremisco, siue enim comedo, siue bibo, siue aliquid aliud facio, semper videtur illa tuba terribilis sonare in auribus meis: surgite mortui & venite ad iudicium. assuredly will come, and blessed are those whom at his comming he shall finde prepared. Fiftlie, that they enioyedGen. 3.15. Heb. 11.4.5. the same promises, and looked for the resurrecti­onIob. 29.25. of their bodies; for confirmationIren. lib. 5. Quo­niam quidem Enoch placent Deo, in quo placuit corpore translatus est, translationem iustorum prae­monstrans. Tertul lib. de Resurrect. whereof, the Lord tooke vp Henoch from among themAfter fiftie yeeres. next after the death of Adam, the rest of the fathers be­ing yet aliue. Sixtlie, in the manner of description of their age and death, such plainnes of speech is v­sed, in the number of yeares, that a child may count them on his fingers: to the end we might neither [Page 216] wanderFor by this com­putation wee are sure, there were frō the creation to the stood, no more but 1656. yeeres. in the vncertaine times and ages of the world, neither beClem. Alexandr. in protr [...]pt ad Gent. Au­dite qui estis longè, au­dite qui propè: nullis caelaetum est verb [...]m, lux est communis. &c. terrified with the hardnes of the Scripture. But is it possible that men could liue nine hundred yeares? It cannot be but possible, because it was in them the powerAct. 17.28. Matth. 19.26. of the Lord, to whom all things are possible. And so light and easie a thing was this vnto his power, that hee made man at the first a liuing soule, which isGen. 2.7. & 3.22. Aug [...]st. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 13. cap. 20. Resur­get quidem spirituale corpus, & non tale quale suit in primis hominibus ante pec­catum, qui licèt mori­turi non essent nisi peccassent, alimentis tum vt homines vte­bantur, &c. quoniam corporalicès senio non veterascerent, vt ne­cessitate perduceren­tur ad mortem, qui status ijs de ligno vi­tae praestabatur. &c. to liue many thousand yeares, and not to haue died at all, but to remaine for euer: and that man dieth, there is no other causeRom. 5.12. August. [...]n [...]hirid. cap 93. Nec prima mors, qua suum corpus anima relinquere cogitur, nec secunda, qua poenale corpus animam relinquere non permittitur, homini t [...]idisset si nemo peccasset. Bern. Serm. de translat. Mart. Mors peccati poena, peccatum causa mortis. but sin, whereby he is found a murtherer of him­selfe. Wherefore he hath not in him the wisedome of a man,For the very Heathen confesse thus much of the power of God: Plato. Cic. de nat. Deor. Deus regit ipse naturam. that doubteth, whether it could be; much lesse of aAthanas. de Trin. dialog. 1. Item lib. de interpret. Psalm. Omnis quidem liuina s riptura magistra est virtutis & verae fide [...]. christian man, that doth not con­sent vnto the truth thereof, because the word of God doth testifie and witnes it. Now because it is abhorredAs Irenaeus witnesseth of Policarpus, cited by Eusebius Histor. lib. 5. cap. 18. that when he heard any blasphemie, he would stop his eares and say: Good God vnto what times hast thou reserued me, that I should heare such things! and would forsake the place wherein he happened to heare such wickednesse. of christian mindes, and eares, to denie the Scriptures: some as it were of purpose to darken the truth of God, doe expound these yeares, to be yeares and courses of the moone, not of the sunne: or els that the liues of those that are recorded, were maintained supernaturallie by miracle. But such are eitherPlin. lib. 7. cap. 49. Solin. poly­hist. ca [...]. 3. Et V [...]ro, vt teria [...] Lactans. lib. 2. cap. 13. Sic facta hommis vita est temporalis, sed ta­men l [...]nga, que in mille annos propagaretur. Quod diuinis literis pr [...]ditum, cum Varro non ignoraret, argumentari ni [...]us est, [...] putarentur antiqui milie annos victitasse: Aut enim apud. Aegyptios pro annis menses habert: quod perspicuè falsum est. Nemo enim tunc millessimū annū tran [...]gressus est. Nunc verò qui ad centessimum perueniūt quod sit saepissimè, mille certè & ducentis mensil us viuunt. heathen, which knew not the power of [Page 217] God, or worse then heathenFor a fouler fault it is to sin of wilfulnes, then to faile of ig­norance. denying the power of God; or elsBecause they will not giue due credit vnto the worde of God. extremelie ignorant, and vnex­pert in the Scriptures. As wee doe call the space of twelue months, or thirteene courses of the moone, (in which the sunne returneth to the same point of heauen exactlie, from which it did proceed) by the name of a yeare in our English tongue: so doe they by the name Shanah, [...] of the word [...] shanah, to alter or change; one may call it a renuing or iteration: for it hath the name, of ye Sunt returning after a yeere [...] end, to the same point of hea­uen where it began. There are, as Augu­stine saith de ciu. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 12. which would go in a mean way, and only tithe or decimate, not duodecimate these yeers; setting down ninetie yeers, where the Scripture saith nine hundred. But what absurdity would follow? Seth begat Enosh being an hundreth and fiue yeeres old: that is, as they will haue it, but onely ten and sixe moneths. Mahalaleel but sixe yeere old and a halfe, by that computation, begat Iered. The Greekes (as it seemeth) marking this incon­uenience, they adde in the Septuagint translation, to euery one, an hundreth yeers: Adam (say they) being two hundred and thirtie yeere old, begat Seth: which number diuided by ten, is three and twentie: Iered [...]60. yeere olde begat Henoch, that is, at 26. But of one absur­ditie follow a thousand. First none of these, by that reckoning, liued 100. yeeres. Secondly, Methushelah in this calculation, is reckoned to liue 14. yeers after the flood. But where was he? he was not in the Arke. Thirdly, Abraham is said to haue died an old man and full of daies, an hundred and seuentie fiue yeere old; which by their account is but seuenteene. But many of the very Heathen, haue acknowledged this truth of Scripture, as Menetho, Berosus, Histiaeus, Hieronymus Aegyptius, Hesiodus, Hecataeus, Nicholaus Damascenus and other: cited by Iosephus Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. vnderstand the same space of time, in the Hebrue language of the Scripture. The circuite of the moone, which commonlie wee tearme a month, is called of them Chodesh, [...] of [...] chadesh, to renue, because in that space the Moone is renued. Gen. 29.14. Numb. 11.2. Vide Lyran. comment. in Exod. 2. neither are these names peruerted, or the one of them taken to signifie the other, in anie place of the word of God: whereby it is euident that a yeare of the life of these Patriarkes was no lesse space of time, then weThat is, 165. daies and one fourth part, or sixe houres. account it (forasmuch as the Scripture num­breth not the months, but yeares of the Patriarkes liues, & saith they liued so many yeares, not months of time) nor their age of life more short then so ma­nie hundreth yeares. Neither neede it seeme so straunge, or be thoughtSicut Rabb. Moses Ben Maimon & Rabb. Paulus Burgens. in Gen. Qui flatuunt miraculo fuisse Dei, nec alijs omnino communicatum. Quem filium Maimonis, Rab. Moses Ben Nahmah, pro talibus ausis, satis acerbè flagellauit. miraculous, for men of [Page 218] those times to liue nine hundred yeares. For as it is ofPsal. 90.10. Exod. 20.12. Prou. 3.2. nature, whereto the Lord doth adde his bles­sing, that maketh men long liued now (as wee ac­count it) and either some naturallDeut. 28.59.61. Fernel. lib. de tempe­ram. cap. 3. Quod me­diocre temperatū diu­tissime, &c. Quanto disiunctius, tanto ci­tius dissoluuntur. In this respect Phisi­ans say: Plures peri­re gula quam gladio: Moe dye by surfeite then by the sword. imperfection, or outward violence, which the Lord (who num­breth the dayes ofIob. 7.1. men, and in whose handDan 5.23. their life and breath remaineth) disposeth of, by which men die, before they come to perfect age: so was it ofAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap 9 by like reason the stature of men decaieth. nature, thorough the goodnes of God to them, that then prolonged life; and is of the wisedome of the Lord for the disposition of his counsailes, for our sinnes, and the weakenes of our bodies, that we cannot now liue so long as they. And if any shall demaund, whether anie sufficient cause in reason may be yeelded of the same: Although the truth of God be to be receiuedSaluian. de Prouid. lib. 3. Humana omnia dicta argumentis & tectibus egent: Dei autem sermo, ipse sibi rectis est: quiae necesse est, quicquid incor­rupta veritas loqui­tur, incorruptum sit testimonium verita­tis. for it owne authoritie; yet besides, there may be giuen reasons manifold. First, the will and pleasure of the LordAugust. de Gen. con­tra Manich. lib 1. c. 2 Dicenti, quare Deus fecerit coelum & ter­ram, respondendum est: quia voluit. Voluntas enim Dei causa est coeli & terrae, & ideo maior est vo­luntas Dei quam coelum & terra: qui autem dicit, quare voluit facere, maius aliquid quaerit, quam est voluntas Dei: nihil autem malus inueniri potest. Compescat ergo se humana temeritas, & id quod non est non querat, ne id quod est non inueniat. as the cause of causes. Secondlie, the excellent and sound tem­perature of the bodies of men, as comming latelie from the shop of Gods handie workemanship, nei­ther wastedIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. c. 4. Dei recens cum opisiciū. &c. Qu [...]cun (que) enim morbo pater cum generat tenetur, eum semine tran [...]fert in prolem; ita vt parentibus liberi succedans non minus morberum quam possessionum haeredes. Fernel. lib. de morbor. caus. cap. 11. Bene igitur agi potuit cum rebus humanis, si sani tantum parentes gi [...]neren [...]. Fuchius. with successiō of sicknesses, nor weak­ned with diseases, was more strong to continue in longer life, and better able to resist things contrarie to health. Thirdlie, because they wereIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. of tempe­rate and sober diet, not giuen so muchHieron. contr. Iouin. lib. 2. Nemo vno aut duebus cibis ijs (que) vilibus, vsque ad inflatio­nem ventris oneratur. to fleshlie [Page 219] appetite, nor mixing their meat with such varieties, but contentAuthor quast. ortho­dox. in oper. Iustin. Martyr. quaest. 119. Perspicuum est neque Abelē ita pauisse gre­gem vt non ederes lac gregis eius, neque Cai­num ita coluisse terrā, vt non ederet fruges eius. Chrysost. Hom. 27. in Gen. 9. with simple food, which the aboun­dance of the earth brought forth vnto thē. Fourth­lie, because the fruits of the earth were much more nourishable and healthfullSee farther in the second and third question of the 9. chapter. before the floud, then afterward they were, either thorough the waters of the sea, bringing barrennes and saltnes to the earth, and to the fruits thereof; or for that the Lord had giuen vnto man more libertie of food, the fruite of the field was not so necessarie. Neuerthelesse who­soeuer shall be mooued with probabilities or rea­sons, or authorities of men, rather then with the cer­taine authoritie of the Scriptures, cannot thereby beIsai. 7.9. Rom. 10.17. Heb. 11.3. established in faith, because hee refuseth to be taught of God.

Question 3. verse 22. What meaneth this: Henoch walked with God?

THis godlie Patriarch is by three arguments commended in the Scripture. First,Vers. 22. that he walked with God. Secondlie, thatIud. vers. 14. he was a Prophet. Thirdlie,Vers. 24. Heb. 11.5. that God tooke him away that he should not see death. To walke with God, is the same, as to walkeGen. 17.1. Hilar. in Psalm. 118. Sin. Omnes viae meae in conspectu tuo, &c. Agens Propheta sub iudice & scrutatore cordium Deo, in custodia mandatorum testimoniorumque Dei permanet: non vias seculi, non vias vitiorum & impietatis incedit. Nam quodcunque vita sue iter egerit, adeo tam probabile tam (que) innocens agit, vt conspectu Dei diguum sit, &c. before God, or to walke in theLuc. 1.6. law and commaundements of God; which is to say: in hisPsalm. 119.59. & 139.17.18. Isai. 8.13. walking, and his waies, in hisAct. 24.16. conscience, [Page 220] words, and deedes; to haue the Lord and his com­mandement with him, orPsal. 139.4. Heb 11.27. Hieron. cont. Pelagi­an. dial. 2. Vt nun­quam securus sis, sed omni obseruantia cu­stodiaes cor tuum: vt consi [...]tres, &c. before his eyes. The verie wicked cannot but walke with God, in respect of hisIsai. 66.1. Ierem. 23.24. presence, who filleth heauen and earth, and searcheth outPsal. [...].9. & 139.3. their words, their actions, and the secret corners of their hearts; yet because his iudge­ments Psal. 10.5. are farre aboue out of their sight, and they as foolish as theIob. 39.20. Plin. lib. 10. cap. 1. mira e­orum stoliditas, cum colla f [...]utice o [...]culta rint latere se exist [...] mantium; cum ipsi al­titudinem equitis in­sidētis equo prae mag­nitudine eacedunt. Ostriche or the woodcocke, doe thinke themselues are hid, because they see not him; they are not said to walke with God, but ratherGen. 4 16. to depart out of his presence. But it may seeme, that to walke with God is to be voide of sinne, forasmuch as he was taken vp, and the Scripture witnesseth, that no vnrighteous personPsal. 5.4. shall inherite the king­dome of God? It doth not signifie to be voide in act, from sinne; for the Scriptures plainely teach, as well byGen. 12 12. 2. Sam. 1 4. Ioh. 2.3.4. Matth. 26.72. example as byEccles. 7.22. Rom. 3.19. testimonie, that no man is voide of the act of sinne: yea rather the contrarie is plaine by Noah, who isG [...]n. 6.9. [...], ijth­halec, vt est in con­iugatione hithpael, si nificat, quod sese compo [...]t ad ambu­lan ium cum [...]eo. Vel vt scriptura lo u [...]tur: apposuit cor: he set his heart to se [...]ke God. also said to walke with God, notwithstanding he isGen. 9 21. spotted with that in­famous sinne of drunkennes. Wherefore to walke with God, doth not signifie to be voide of sinne, butPsalm 119.106. Act 11.23. Ambros. comment. in Luc. cap. 9. Dominus non obsequiorum spe­ciem, sed puritatem quaerit affectus. August. lib. confess. 8. cap. 8. Nam non solum ire, v [...]rumetiam peruenire ill [...]c, nihil aliud erat quam velle ire; sed velle fortiter & integrè, non semisauciam hac atque hac iactare voluntatem, parte assurgente cum alia parte cadente, luctante. with a purpose of hart to auoide sinne. In which respect, albeit the rest of the Fathers, whose genea­logie is reckonedHebr. 11.13. being godly men, did also walke with God: yet of Enoch, it is expressed andVers. 22. & 24. repea­ted; either because theNehem. 7.2. spirit of regeneration was more excellent in him, or that his labours might be commended, forasmuch as so noble a2. Tim. 2.5.6. reward [Page 221] is testified. Enoch walked with God after he begat Me­thusala. Before he begat Methusala, saithPrecopius Gaze. in Gen. 5. Improbum & flagitiosum, ante natum Methusalem: Et istud andet con­ [...]e [...]tare, ne viro coniu­gato tantum praeconi­um cum scripturis a­scriberet. one of the Church of Rome, being an infamous and wic­ked person, he afterward repented. Why should so fond a gesse be vttered, if it were not to boulster vp the praise of single life beyond the boundes of Scripture? perhaps then afterward, he forsooke the fellowship of his wife (as theyNicephor. Histor. Eccles. lib. 1. Et prorsus stupendum est discernere quam ineptè Philosophantur huiusmodi virginita­tu assert [...]res: Methu­salem (inquit Scrip­tura) vixit centum octoginta soptem an­nos, & genuit Lamech. Methusalem qui tam­diu in virginitate permansit, videtur fuisse vir magnae de­uotioni, inquit Car­thusian in Gen. 5. Huic satisfacere po­test August. de ciuit. Dei. li [...]. 15. c. 20. Qui ex hoc mouetur, in­quit, meminerit, duo­bus modis istam solu­tam esse quaestionē: aut de s [...]ra pubertate, pro­portione tā longa vi­tae; aut de filijs qui cō ­memorantur in gene­rationibus, quod non fuerint primogeniti. affirme that Peter did) & liued a virgin: No, no (saithHom. in Gen. [...]1. Aud [...]ant mariti & vxores, & d [...]scant iusti virtutem: nec putent nuptias in cato­sa esse, quo minus quis Deo placiat: nam idcirco diuina scriptura semel atque iterum id signi­ficauit, dicens, genuit Methusala & tunc pla [...]uit, & idem ingeminat & repetit dicens, & placuit-postquam gennit, nequis arbit [...]etur obstaculum virtutis esse coniugium, &c. Chrysostome) let married men & wiues attend. Neither let them thinke that marriage is anie cause, why they should the lesse please God: for therefore doth the diuine Scripture repeate it once, and againe, least anie man should thinke wedlocke a let to vertue. A little after. For if marriage (beloued) and the bringing vp of children, were a hindrance in the way of vertue, the Lord of all things would not haue coup­led it with this our life, to hurt vs in temporall and neces­sarie things belonging vnto life. But because, it is not on­lie no stoppe from seruing God, if wee will soberlie vse the same, but bringeth great consolation, whilest it doth re­presse the raging lust of nature, neither doth suffer vs to be tossed with temptations as in the sea, but doth cause that our ship may come safe into the harbour, therfore the Lord of all things hath giuen this consolation to mankind. Obser. They onlie please thePsalm. 5.4.5.6. Isai. 58.5.6. Micah. 6.6.7.8. Lord, which walke with God: that is, which are not1. Chron. 12.33. Act. 8.21. Iam. 1.8. & 4.3. Reuel. 3.2.15. double harted, but doePsalm. 139. vers. 23. lay their harts open before the Lord: whichAct. 24.14. Heb. 11.5. beleeue his promises, & indeuour to keepe [Page 222] theirAct. 24.16. 2. Cor. 1.12. consciences pure toward God, and toward men. Secondlie, the godlie in this life doePsalm. 8.4.7. Ephes. 4.15. alwaies increase in godlinesse, in knowledge, faith, experi­ence, obedience, &c. For byAugust. de verb. Apostol. Serm. 15. Quid est ambulare? Breuiter dico, profi [...]e­re; ne forte non intel­ligatis, & pigrius am­buletis. walking is signified a going forward. Thirdlie, God giueth his graces without respect ofDeut. 7.7.8. Rom. 9.11. persons or callings: NeitherRom. 4. vers. 10 Galat. 5.6. Iustin. Mart. Dialog. cum Triff. Vos quidem (Iudei) carnem circumcisi, circumcisione nostra indigetis, nos vero hanc habentes nihil vestra illa habemus opus. Si namque necessaria esset, sicut existi­matis, non praeputiatum Deus fin [...]isset Adam, neque complacitum illi fuisset praeputium Enochi, qui non inuentus est, &c. circumcision auaileth, neither vncircumcision, neither1. Corinth. 7.17.20.24. Chrysostom. Homil in Hebre. 7. in Moral. Nam & beatitudines qua à Christo dicuntur, non monachi [...] tantum dictae sunt: alioquin totus mundus periret, & accusabimus crudelitatem Dei. Si vero beatitudines solis monachis dictae sunt: secularem autem hominem, impossibile est eas implere; cum ipse nuptias i [...]ssit, ipse ergo omnes perdidit. Si autem aliqui impediti sunt ex nuptijs, sclant quo [...]iam non nuptiae illis impedimen­tum fuerunt, sed voluntat, qua male vtitur nuptijs. Nam neque vinum facit ebritiatem, sed mala voluntat & excessus moderationis. Vtere cum moderatione nuptijs, & primus crisiu regno. Anselm. in Rom. 5. Opus hoc castum in coniuge non habet culpam, sed origo peccati trahit secum debitam poe­nam. marriage nor single life: butAct. 10.35. euery one that feareth God and worketh righteousnes, is ac­cepted of him. The second prerogatiue of Enoch shall be remembred in hisIn annot. Epist. Iud. place.

Question 4. verse 24. What meaneth this: He was no more seene, for God tooke him away?

THe HebruesAben Ezra in Com­ment. 5. Gen. & alij. Dauid Kimchi affir­meth the same of Eliah. doe thus interpret it: ( [...] veenenu) & non ipse, and he (was) not: that is say they, he continued not in life, he died: for so the same words doe signifie in other places ofGen. 42 36. Ierem. 31.15. the Scripture. But the holy Ghost is worthie to be [Page 223] his owne interpreter: who saith;Heb. 11.5. And they that saw death, in the phrase of Scrip­ture, dyed: accor­ding as Luc. 2.26. Matth. 16.28. by faith Henoch was taken away, that he should not see death: therefore he was taken away and died not. And no meruaile is itRom. 11.28. that these Hebrue Doctours should crosse the authoritie of the Scriptures of the new Testament: forasmuch as theyMatth. 28.13. Act. 4.16.17. Hierom. comment. in Isai. 18. lib. 5. Iudaei in princi­pio fidei Christiana ad totas gentes episto­las miserunt, ne susci­perent passionē Chri­sti, & miserunt vsque ad Aethiopiā & oc­cidētalem plagam, to­tumque orbem huius blasphemiae dissensio­ne compleuerunt. are such deadlie enimies vnto the crosse of Christ. But it seemeth straunge that a­nie Christian writerOleaster in Gen. 5. could doubt, that hee was ta­ken away, and saw not death, seeing the same is so manifestlie expressed. Some perhaps will curiously demaund what became of Henoch, seeing the Scrip­ture saith he was no more seene? Wee ought with faith to receiue the doctrine expressed in the Scrip­ture,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 21. Discat non cōuenire humanis mē ­tibus, curiosius ea qua à Deo fiunt explorare, sed credere his quae di­cuntur. not with curiositie to search for that which is not reuealed in the same. This matter notwithstan­ding may lawfullie be demaunded1. Cor. 15.35. and contrary, not. 1 Tim. 1.4. & 2. Tim. 2.23. Tit. 3.9. so far as it ma­keth for increase of faith, and ought to be answered, so farre as the Scriptures do teach the same; so as, we are found thereinIohn 5.39. to search the Scriptures, not mens idle inuentions out of Scripture. The spirit of God doth testifie of the departure of Henoch, two points to bee considered. First, that hee was not, that he appeared not, or was seene no more of men. Of which it were impudencie, asCalu. in Gen. 5.24. Impudenter ergo con­tentiosus erit, qui non fatebitur aliquid ex­traordinarium hic no­tari. one verie well noteth, not to acknowledge some ex­traordinarie matter: for of all the rest, in all the gene­rations it is plainlie deliuered, they died: onelie of Henoch, hee was no more seene. Perhaps-that is spoken, to shew that men knew not what was be­come of him, like as histories reportTit. Liuius Decad. 1. lib. 1. Subitò co [...]rta tempestas cum magno fragere tonitrubus (que), tam denso regem operuit nimbo, vt conspectum eius cōcioni abstulerit, nec deinde in terris Romulus fuit. Idem Iulius Obsequcus pro­dig. lib. 1. cap. 1. L. Florus lib. 1. Alij tamen à senat [...] secretò interfectum testantur: vt Plutarc. in vita Romul [...]. of Romulus, [Page 224] ofLaert. lib. 8. cap. 2. Mane autem facto, e somno excitatis caete­ris, solus Empedocles repe [...]tus non est. Facta autem diligenti in­quisitione, è seruis qui rogabantur vnus ad­stum, q [...] affirmauit, se noste media ingentem aud [...]sse vocem Empe­doclem vocantem; tum verò vbi surrexisset, coelestem vidisse lucē & splendorem teda­rum, nihil aliud. Inte­rim Empedocles, quia fidem facere voluit, quod Deus effectus es­set, in AEtnae crate­res se contecit: agnitus verò, vna ex crepidis aereis vi flamma & ardore reiecta. Empedocles, ofPendarus C. Cassij li­bertus, rogatus à suo Domino cerurces prae­cidit; hunc verò post cam cadem nemo mor­talium consperit. Plut. in vit. M. Bruti. Pindarus, that no man liuing knew the manner of their death. To take such wicked conceit from the heart of men, the Scrip­ture addeth: that the Lord receiued him. Where­of wee vndoubtedlie doe gather, that hee was receiuedEpiphan. Haeres. 64. Non est translatus & reliquit corpus aut corporis partem. Si enim reliquit corpus vidit etiam mortem. into heauen, and there remaineth both soule and bodie. First, because hee died not, as the ScripturesHebr. 11.5. doe fullie testifie: wherefore there being no separation of soule and bodie, it is euident, whither the soule was taken, the bodie was also taken: but the souleEccles. 12.7. doth returne to God that gaue it, &Luc. 16.23. remaineth in ye resting place of the faith­full, vntill theReu. 6.11. number of the righteous be fulfil­led. Secondlie, like as Stephen at his martyrdome called on the Lord:Act. 7.59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit, so it is affirmed in this place, that the Lord receiued (for so [...] lakach accipere. Gen. 3.22. Exod. 12.4. 2. King. 12.8. Hest. 2.7.16. Prou. 1.3. the word doth most commonlie signifie, and is most often taken for in Scripture) him, that is not the spirit of Henoch onelie, but Henoch himselfe in spirit and bodie. Thirdlie, whither Eliah that ex­cellent Prophet was translated, thither also was He­noch this noble Patriarke receiued, before the floud. But Eliah 2. King. 2.11. was carried vp into heauen, and there remaineth with the same bodie, inIren. lib. 5. Quoniā quidē Enoch placens Deo, in quo pla­cuit corpore transla [...]us est, translationem iustorum praemonstrans. Et Elias sicut erat in plasmatis sub­stantia assumptus est, assumptionem prophetam: & nihil impedit cos corpus in translatione & assum­ptione eorum. August. de peccato origin. lib. 2. cap. 23. Vel cum quaeritur vbi sit nunc vel Elias vel Enoch, an ibi (scilicet in paradiso terrestri, ad quam sententiam aliquautum inclinat August. de Gen. ad lit. li. 9. c. [...].) an alicubi alibi, quos tamen non dubitamus in quibus natisunt corporibus vi­uere. Epiphan. Haeres. 64. Enoch cum corpore translatus non vidit mortem, in corpore enim viuente & spiritualiter ablatus, & non animaliter propter translationem: & quidem in corpore existens spi­ritualiter (id est spirituali corpore, 1. Cor. 15.44.) Sed & de Elia similiter, quod assumptus est in curru igneo, & est adhuc in carne: carne autem spirituali & non opus habente vt per coruos nutriatur. &c. which he was [Page 225] taken vp; therefore Henoch was thither translated also. Neither was hee translated into that earthlie Paradice, whence Adam was expelled, which ma­nieIrenaeꝰ quidē ita sen­tire videtur, authori­tate presbyterorū A­siae ductus vs ipse in­nuit lib. 5. sed & ipse cundem statuit para­disum esse, in quē rap­tus fuerat Paulus, vn­de quid senserit Ire­naeus nō est obscurum. Scholastici doctores lō ­ge contentiosius. An­selm. com. in Hebra. cap. 11. Translatus est Enoch in paradisum, vnde Adam eiectus fuerat. Lombard. 2. Sentent. distinct. 17. Sixtus Senēs. biblioth. annot. 16. Dicere He­noch & Eliam non es­se translatos in illum paradisum terrestrem, inibique versari est contra diuinam scrip­turam, & à recta sidei regula exorbitare. Sed hic mediocriter à suis vapulat. of the Church of Rome doe so stiflie hold; for how should he (poore man) haue escaped drow­ning, whenGen. 7.20.22. Au­gust. de ciuit. Dei, lib 15. cap. 27. & lib. 20. cap. 18. Nam & illo tempore perijsse dixit, qui tunc erat. mundum: nec solum orbem terrae, verumetiam coelos quos vtique istos aēreos intelligimus, quorum lo­cum ac spatium, tunc aqua crescendo superauerat. Paradice, and all places of the earth were couered with water, fifteene cubits aboue the highestGen. 7.20. mountaine; except he had bin holpen by some of theirFor some, as Lombard. lib. 2. di­stinct. 17. affirme this Paradise is placed in the aire aboue the Moone: other say that the wa­ter was kept out of Paradise by miracle, standing vpon an heape, like the waters of the red Sea. Scotus in Sentent. lib. 2. [...]istinct. 17. q. 2. deuised miracles? But some one per­aduenture will replie against this doctrine, by the words of our Sauiour Christ:Ioh. 3.13. no man ascendeth vp to heauen, but he that descended from heauen, &c. These wordsCONCILIATIO. 6. in no respect are to be applied hereunto. Our Sauiour in that place teacheth the doctrine of regeneration, which to make more plaine hee ad­deth: no man ascendeth, &c. that is (as S.August. in lib. de peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 1. cap. 31. Sic inquit siet generatio spiritualis. &c. Augu­stine doth interpret it) so is the regeneration spiritu­all, as that men become heauenlie men of earthlie; which they cannot attaine, vnlesse they become the members of my bodie, that hee may ascend which hath descended, because none shall ascend, but hee which hath descended; taking his whole Church to be himselfe, whom the mysteryMark. 10.8. Ephes. 5.32. August. ibid. Non aliud deputans corpus suum, id est Ecclesiam suam, quàm seipsum; quiad Christo & ecclesia verius intelligitur: erunt duo in carne vna, de quae re ipse dixit: itaque iam non duo, sed vna caro, ascendere omnino non poterunt. Omnes igitur qui renascuntur per gratiam Dei as­cendunt in coelum, caeterorum nemo prorsus. Idem de verb. Apost. Serm. 14. chieflie concer­neth, two, saith he, shall be one flesh. Besides, it may be answered, he meaneth not by heauen, the place of [Page 226] the faithfull soules departed, but1. Tim. 6.16. Bucer in Euang. Ioan. cap. 3. vers. 13. Coelum signi­ficat lucem in accessam quam Deus inhabitat. that glorious light which no mā can attaine vnto, orMatth. 11.27. Ioh. 1.18. Caluin. in Ioh. 3.13. Ascensus ergo in coe­lum, puram mysterio­rū Dei notitiā, & spi­ritualis intelligentiae lucem significat: sed appositissima est inter­pretatio Augustini. that know­ledge of the mysteries of God, which are not reuea­led but by Christ. But where the Apostle saith: in Adam 1. Cor. 15.22. Rom. 5.12. Heb. 11.5. all die, how can it stand that Henoch was taken away, and saw not death? TheCōciliatio. 7. Apostle spea­keth not so generallie, as though none might be ex­cepted, for the same Apostle saith againe, wee 1. Cor. 15.51.52. shall not all die; they that remaine at the comming of the Lord1. Thess. 4.17. they shall not die, but shall all be chaunged in steed of death. The same also plainely saith: Henoch Heb. 11.5. was taken away, that hee should not see death: and the same is to be affirmed2. King. 2.11. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 9. cap. 1. Sicut alij Rab­bini Languescit in hoc dicto. Oecolampad. in Malac. cap. 4. Quiescit autē ipsius corpus, cum reliquis sanctorum corporibus. Quid? num in terra? absit; sed requiescit potius in corpore cum reliquis sanctis. Nam si sicut alij requiescit, vel corpus eius in terra computruit; omnino mortuus est, de quo scriptura dicit non vidit mortem. of Eliah. But in A­dam all die, that is,August. Epist. 28. Hoc est, omnes qui moriuntur non nisi in Adam moriuntur. Chrysost. in 1. Cor. 15. Hom. 42. Mortales crint, etiam qui non morientur. all are mortall and subiect vnto death: so were both Henoch and Eliah, like as all o­ther the sonnes of Adam, and theirAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 20. cap. 22. In eodem raptu de mortaelibus c [...]rporibus exituros, & ad eadem mox immortalia redituros. translation was in steed of death, and a changing of mortalitie with immortalitie.An an­cient Iewish error, as appeareth Matth. 17.10. which, seeing Christ himselfe confuted, it is marueile it sufficeth not Christiās to haue him the expositor of Malachi. For if Elias be come, then is he not to come; then these two witnesses Reuel. 11.3. are not Enoch and Elias, but some other. Wherefore they that expect Henoch and Eliah to come personallieTriffo Iudaeus apud [...]ustin. in Dial. Tertul. lib. de Anima. cap. 28. Morsecrum non est re­perta, dilata scilicet. Ambros. in 1. Cor. 4. Quia erunt spectaculum & Henoch & Eliah, vs (que) adeo vt corpora eorum in plateis proije [...]ntur. August de Gen. ad lit. lib. 9. cap. 7. Non negat, cum ex aliorum opinione recitauerit. Gregor. in moral. lib. 14. cap. 12. Quod de Antichristi damnatione, & morte Enoch & Eliae. Dicendum igitur cum Vincentio Lyrinens. lib. cont. Haeres. cap. 39. Antiquae sancto­rum patrum consensio, non in omnibus diuinae legis quaestiunculis, sed solum in sides regula, magno no­bis studio, & inuestiganda est & sequenda, cum rect [...] senserint. Philip. 3.17. 1. Cor. 11.3. Sed non est papista fere, aut scholasticus professor, qui hoc ipsum nō docuerit. Anselm. in epist. ad Heb. 11. Albin. in Gen. 5. Aquin. in epist. ad Hebrae. cap 11. Qui scil. fingunt Antichristū Enochi occisorem futurum, ex tribu Dan nasciturum (quam sententiam euertie Hieron) mus, lib. Trad. Hebrae. in Gen. Erat Dan coluber, &c. Et Bellarm. tom. 1. contr. 3. lib. 3. lib. 3. cap. 12.) vel Iudaeum, vt ipse Bellarminus. to reproue [Page 227] the world of sin, & to be slaine of Antichrist, as theyReuel. 11.3. would proue by Scripture, rather then some other faithfull seruants & ministers of the Gospel, whom the Lord eitherWhether Husse & Hierome of Prage, as Fox is of opinion, med. in Apocah p. 11.3 or else, Wickliff, Scot. Bruno, Occam, Husse, Hierom, Luther. Zuin­glius, &c. as other thinke, which are scarsely two, in re­gard of the multi­tude of enemies. hath orOr whether these two are yet to come: doubtles Enoch and Eliah they cannot bee, vnlesse Eliah come ye third time, or Enoch come a­lone. But our Saui­our expoūding Ma­lachi, hath taught sufficiently the ex­positiō of this place. will raise vp according to the Scripture, may happē to find the ashes & sinders of the world,There are, who in stead of Eliah, doe ioyne Moses and E­noch, but that error carrieth a greater inconuenience. He­bru. 9.21. before they be partakers of their ex­pectation. What was theVt August. de statu Enoch. de pecca [...] me­rit. lib. 1. cap. 3. & alij. glorious estate of the Saints of God, before theVtrum eundem lo­cum tenuerint, quem nunc sancti: vt videtur. Heb. 13.8. Apoc. 13.8. death of Christ, as it is another question; so it must be handled in his place. Now the cause why the Lord translated Henoch, as the ScripturesVers. 24. Causa repetita. seeme to signifie, and theChrysost. in Hebra. Hom. 22. Primùm permittit fieri mortem, terrere volens perfilium patrem. Dein­de verò, vt ipsis initijs statim anima humana spem acciperet, & quia solueretur mors, & damnaretur diabolica tyrannis. Fathers doe interpret it; was to giue hope vnto the faithfull of the resurrection of their bodies. For they beingTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 45. ad consolandos virtutis athletas: cum enim A­bel, primus iustitiae fructus, immaturus ad huc radicitus abscissus esset, nulla (que) resurrectionis spes, &c. much afflicted with the feare of death, by the threatning of the curse, and the examples of Abel, and of Adam, the Lord doth by a new example animate his children, that they should not stand in dread thereof, seeing that both soule and body shall2. Cor. 5.10. be partaker of immortalitie, thorough the pro­mise of the womans seed. And therefore Henoch next after Adam (of them whose genealogie is rec­koned) who had himselfeGen. 3.15. receiued and heard the promise was taken away; and it is not incredible (ac­cording to the opinion of some of ye Iewish writers) not altogether secretlie,Sicut tradidit Rabb. Akiba in Alphabeto cabalico. Item Ionathan in Targhū. Vtrun (que) citat Rabb. Racanati. Ne (que) tamē dixerim, prorsus codē quo Elias modo. but in the sight & view of mē; albeit the scripture applyingTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 1. & 2. Nā eadem silentij ratio, tum de creatione angelorum, & de Mosis sepulchro. it self to the weak­nes of the hearers, doe not at this time expresse the [Page 228] same. Obser. 1. The righteous shall beProu. 11.31. recompen­sed in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinners. Secondlie, we shal againeIob. 19.26.27. be couered with the same flesh, and behold God with no other, but with the same eyes, seeing that Henoch, & Eliah, and our Sauiour, in the bodie they were borne and li­ued,2. King. 2.11. Act. 1.19. were receiued into heauen. Thirdlie, God when he withdraweth temporall benefits promised vnto his children, asProu. 3.2. long life,Deut. 28.1. Psal. 37.9.11.18. riches and pro­speritie, heIsai. 54.8.9. & 57.1 breaketh no promise, but inlargeth his liberalitie: wherefore the godlie haue no cause1. Thess. 4.13. to sorrow for them that sleepe, although they be taken in the middest of their strength and age, as Henoch was, forasmuch as they are receiued into euerlasting habitation of the Saints.

CHAP. VI.

Question 1. verse 2. Who are they that are called in this place the sonnes of God? and what was the cause of the ruine of the world in the dayes of Noah?

THe scope and purpose of this Scripture is to shew, by what occasionVers. 2.4.5.11.12. &c. the ofspring of man­kind became to be so wicked, as that they euen compelled the mostPsal. 103.8.1 [...] Ionah. 4.11. merciful & gracious Lord to destroy the worke of his own hands, by bringing in vpon them the waters of the floud. Wherein are couched three points of do­ctrine. First, that vndoubtedlie the1. Cor. 10.11. These things happened to them for examples, and are written to admonish vs, &c. world was de­stroyed, and that most iustlie in the dayes of Noah. Secondlie, that the cause of the floudVers. 2.5.6. &c. Ierem. 4.7. Hose. 14.2. was the o­uerflowing of sin, among all conditions and estates of men. Thirdlie, that the originall of this ripenes and growth of sinneƲers. 2.4.11. was, for that the sons of God ioyned in marriage with the daughters of men, of whom were begotten a wicked seede, so that the earth was filled with crueltie. But what they [Page 230] are who here are called the sonnes of God, manie long agoe haue stood in doubt, and some vnto this day are not well resolued. This name doth proper­lie belongHeb. 1.2.3.5. onelie to Iesus Christ, who wasPsal. 2.7. Heb. 1.3.5. be­gotten of the substance of his father beforeProu. 8.23.24. Symbol. Nicaen. Vni­genitum, hoc est, ex substantia patris. &c. the world. But it is farther attributed by more large re­lationEphes. 4.6. Malac. 2.10. Iob. 28.7. per cata­chresin. to the creatures in generall, as theyColoss. 1.17. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 79. Et impij secundum natu­ram, filij sunt propter hoc quod ab eo facti sunt: secundum au­tem opera non sunt filij. haue their being from God, and againe more speciallie, vnto the chiefest creatures, as toIob. 1.6. & 2.1. Luc. 20.36. the Angels, be­cause they are created vnto, and doe retaine the i­mage of theEzech. 1.10. 2. Sam. 14.10. wise,Reuel. 18.21. mightie,Act. 10.22. holie,Luc. 20.36. and eter­nall God: and also toHose. 1.10. Exod. 4 22. 1. Ioh. 3.2. godlie men, whom hee hath created of the earth, indued, and renued vnto his i­mage,Deut. 8 4. nurtured as a father doth his sonne, andIoh. 1.18. 1. Pet. 1.3. begottē againe vnto a liuely hope by Iesus Christ. Againe of such men as are called the Sons of God, some are so in deed being borne againe Ioh. 3.5. & 1.12.13 of the spirit after the will of God: some are so but onelie in name, either for that they beare, but not effectuallie re­ceiue the outwardIsai. 29.13. markes of the sonnes of God, or els are borneRom. 9.7.8. of the true sonnes of God accor­ding to the flesh. Of all which, there can be none so grosse, as to conceiue this thing, of vnsensible or vnreasonable creatures. It is moreouer against the Analogie of faith, and the authoritie of the word of God, to vnderstand itMatth. 22.30. Luc. 24.39. Ephes. 5.23. 1. Cor. 6.16. of Angels good or euil, that they liued with the daughters of men in marriage. It is also1. Ioh. 3.6.8.9. 1. Cor. 13.5.7. against the word of God, and the rule of charitie, to interpret of such men who were ef­fectuallie called by the spirit of grace. Where­fore it remaineth onlie, byDeut 32.6. Isai. 1.2. testimony of Scripture, and the authoritie and iudgement of the most [Page 231] andChrysost. Hō. in Gen. 22. Vt viderūt filij dei qui à Seth et Enos pro­geniti, filias hominū, illas quae ab alijs nata sunt, filios autem Cain vocat filios hominum. Ambr. lib. de Noa & Arca. cap. 4. Sicut viri probabilis vitae, filij dei vocantur; ita quorum carnalia sunt opera, fi­lios dici hominū, &c. Aug. li. q. in Gen. q. 4. & de ciu. lib. 15. c. 22. Athan. lib. quast. in Script. q. 98. Theodo­ret. quaest. in Gen. 47. Cyril. Alexandr. con­tra Iulian. lib. 9. Caesarius Dialog. lib. 1. Cassian. collat. 8. c. 21. Onkelos Chaldaeus Paraphrastes. Reddit filios potentum. Ita & Syn. machus: Hieron. in Trad. Hebraic. chiefest fathers & interpreters, that these who are called the sons of God, were no other but the posteritie of the godly Patriarkes, of the line ofNimis confidenter diuinat Suidas in Lex. in vocabulo Seth, quod Seth fuerat Deus appellatus ob sciē ­tiam rerū coelestiū. Seth, who being brought vp in true religion, declined frō the steps of their religious ancestors, and by ioyning in affinitie with the wicked, by taking thē wiues of the familie of Caine, became to be partakers of their sins, and therfore shortly after of their punishment. Certain it is, thatPhilo Iudaeus lib. de Gigant. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. c. 4. Alij Rabbini recētiores, ferunt Aza & Azael dilapsos. Ab istis scil. mutuati, & confirmati. Athenagor. lib. de legatione siue apolog. pro Christian. Iustin. Martyr. Apolog. 1. Tertul. contr. Marcion. lib. 5. & lib. de Virginib. velandis. Cyprian. lib. de disciplin. Virgin. Euseb. de praeparat. Euangel. lib. 5. cap. 4. diuers ancient writers, & the vul­gar sort ofHugo de Sanct. vict. in Annot. in Gen. Strabus Eccles. Hist. in Gen. 31. Burgensis in 6. Gen. in Addit. 1. Quo­rum tamē saniores ab Augustino edocti, aliter sentiūt. vt Aquin. in Gen. 6. & Summa part. 1. quaest. 51. & Lyra in Gen. 6. the Church of Rome doe affirme, that these sons of God were Angels, vnto whom as saithLactant. lib. 2. cap. 15. Misit (Deus) angelos ad tutelam cultiumque generis hu­mani, &c. Itaque illos cum hominibus commorantes, dominator ille terrae fallacissimu [...], consuceudine ip­sa, paulatim ad vitia pellexit, & mulierum congressibus inquinauit. Lactantius, God had cōmitted the gouernment & defence of man, against the power & deceits of Sa­than. But what proofe of scripture may be found to fauour this assertiō? what sufficiēt reason to cōfirme this exposition? It hath oftē bin reported thatPosse quidem, ratione suae sub­stamiae non abhorret à sapientia Platonicorum. Apulcius lib. de Deo Socrat. Sunt quidam diuinae me­diae potestates, inter summum aethera, & insimas terras, in isto intersitae acris spatio, &c. & ficut nubes aliquid grauitatis & leuitatis habent. Porphyr. de Sacrific. lib. 2. Quibus ratione, corporeum quiddā est passioni obnoxium atque dissoli bile. Psellus de Daemon. c. 1. Natura Daemonū non est abs (que) corpore. Hac autem deliramenta sunt inania. Facere autem, testatur Aquin. in Tract. qq. 1. part. tit. de miras. q. 8. & 5. & 55. Cardan. lib. de Rebus contra naturam. Iacob. Ruffus de Hominum generat. lib. 5. c. 6. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 23. Creberrima fama est, multi (que) se expertos affirmant, vel ab ijs qui ex­perti essent, de quorum fide dubitandum non est, audisse confirn ant, Syluanos & Faunos, quos vulgo incubos vocant, improbos saepe extitisse mulieribut, & earum appetisse & peregisse concubitum, vt hoc negare impudentiae videatur. non hic audeo aliquid temerè definire. Aliqui tamen acerrimè conten­dunt fieri non posse in rerum natura. Sed quid agunt? Disputant scibcet physicè de rebus metaphy­ficis; hoc est ineptè, & non ad idem. Sufficiat in praesenti, talc aliquid non fuisse, cui scriptura diuina multis rationibus contradicis. euill [Page 232] spirits haue had to doe with women,Ioh. Bodin. de Dae­mon. lib. 2. cap. 7. Mart. de Arles tract. de superstit. Etiam de honesta soemina quae viro nupserat, talia refert. witches, andIacob. Ruffus de con­ceptu Hom. lib. 5. c. 6. Famulam Ciuit Con­stantiae quādam à Dae­mone cōpressam scri­bit: enixamque non hominem neque dae­monem, sed flaccos & quisquilia, damonis arte nimirum subor­natas. other notorious wicked persons; which whether it be, butHieron. in Catalogo. Beda in Luc. cap. 12. Iamblic. lib. de myste­rijs Aegypt. Quae fas­cinati imaginamur, praeter imaginamenta nullam habent actio­nis & essentia veri­tatem. a false imagination onelie of a minde gi­uen vp to Sathan, or whether it be done in deed, as it may seemeQui igitur ex im­possibili naturae hunc tanquam errorē euer­tunt, scripturis vim faciunt, quae de esu angelorum meminerunt, quod vtique verum, licet non ex naturalibus; nam quae impossibiliae sunt ho­minibus, Deo sunt & quibus ipse vult faecilima as possible, for a spirit so to doe, as toGen. 18.8. & 19.3. eate meate, whereof the Scripture saith, hee set be­fore them and they did eate; it is not for vs to handle in this argument. But that spirits should take them wiues, and beget children in such wedlocke, as the [...] nashim, propriè vxoret, mulieres viris iunctae, ab [...] Enosh, id est. fragilis homo, Aleph in foeminino plurali tantum deficiente. Et nimie audacter scribit. Seuer. Sulpitius de Sacr. Histor. li. 1. c. 1 Angeli quidam naturae suae originis (que) degeneres, relictis superioribus quorum incolae erant, matrimonijs se mortalibus miscuerunt. word importeth, or that the Elect Angels should sinne by lust, afterAugust. de ciuitat. Dei. libr. 15. cap. 23. Dei tamen Angelos sanctos nullo modo illo tempore sic labi potuisse crediderum: nec de his dixisse Apostolum Petrum: Si Deut Angelis peccantibus non pepercit, &c. Idem de ciuit. lib. 13. cap. 13. they were confirmed by the Lord, it is vtterlie against the truth of God, and to be expelled from the hearts of Christians. But one would thinke it likely, that they were spirits, because by them were begotten Giants? These Giants were no other butVers. 11. Gen. 10.9. [...], nephilim: properly migh­tie tyrants oppressors. men, whom the Scripture calleth, because they wereGen. 14.1. 1. Chron. 20.8. Sonnes of Haraphah: i. bloudie or migh­tie, [...], raphah, to cure, so called by the contrarie, as a mountaine of mouing. great and fearefull Rephaim, andEmim, terrible: à rad. [...], Aiam, to terrifie. Emim; because of their prideAnakim, à [...]. gnanak, a chaine, i. gorgious, going in chaines of Golde. Numb. 13.34. Prou. 1.19. Hanakim; be­cause of their strengthGibborim à [...], gabar, to make strong. Gen. 6 4. & 10 9. Gibborim; because of their tyrannieNephilim à [...], naphal: to kill, to strike to the ground. Nephilim; because of theirZamzummim, à [...], Zamam: to thinke euill: to inuent mischiefe, Deut. 19.19. naughtines Zamzummim: forasmuch as they excelled in these properties other men. Neither doth the Scripture say, that all these Giants came of the sonnes of God, [Page 233] and the daughters of men,Vers. 4. but contrarie: that there were Giants in those dayes, to wit, of the sons of Caine; and that after the sons of God came vnto, &c. they were augmented in number, and the whole earth was filled with crueltie. Of whom then were those first Giants, which were not of the sonnes of God? Likewise Og Deut. 3.11. was of the remnant of the Giants; doubtles not of the remnant of these, who were wholie destroyed with the floud, but of those who were begotten of the sonnes of Cham. So Go­liah, Ishibenob, and the rest were of the same conditi­on, of whom the Scripture doth1. Sam. 17.4. 2 Sam. 21.15.16. expresse their pa­rentage. And others the likeLike as is recor­ded of Maximinus the Romane Empe­rour: whole height was eight foote and an halfe, the length of his shooe, an or­dinarie mans pace, his wiues bracelets serued him for rings; his strength was answerable to his statute. Iulius Ca­pitolin. Herod. de 7. Imperat. lib. 7. Like­wise, Nicephor. Ec­cles. Histor. libr. 12. testifieth, that in the raigne of Theo­dosius the Emperor, was one in Syria, of statute fiue cu­bites and an hand breadth. Like to this doe Flau. Vopisc. & Procop. de Bell. Gott. libr. 2. Plutarch. in vit. Sertorij, of the tombe of Antaeus, which for the same thereof Sertorius cau­sed to be opened, and finding the carcasse answerable to report, caused it to preserued with honour. I saw my selfe, saith Augustine (de ciuit. li. 15. cap. 9.) and not alone neither, vpon the shore of Vtica, the tooth of a man so great, that if it had been deuided to the measure of our teeth, as it seemed, it would haue made an hundreth. I would thinke it (saith he) to haue been the tooth of some Giant. both since, and euen inIt appeareth by our own Chronicles that in anno 1581. was brought to London a dutchman, who was in height seuen foot, and seuen inches, this man I my selfe saw at Tunbridge in Kent the same yeare. our time, concerning whom it were want of discretion either to denie authoritie, or to thinke that they were of such abominable parents. And that wee may know the stone whereat the fathers stumbled: the occasion wasIt appeareth by Tertullian. lib. de Idololatria. August. de ciuitat. lib. 15. cap. 23. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 6. moued perhaps somewhat by the authoritie of the Iewes. a booke of Apocrypha or secret Scripture, falslie intituled by the name of Henoch his Prophesie, vnto which they gaue reue­rence, as to the holie Scripture, because the Apostle Iude Iud. vers. 14. affirmeth he did Prophesie, notwithstanding hee nameth neither booke nor writing of Henoch, neither is it of necessitie that we should thinke (al­though we denieAugust. de ciuitat. lib. 15. cap. 23. Notwith­standing, that that prophesie which hath gone vnder Enoches name, was written by Enoch, we vtterly deny, because it is apparandie countersaite. it not) that he wrote his Prophe­sie: [Page 234] for the same spirit of Prophesie that was in Iude, being1. Pet. 3.19. 1. Cor. 12.11. the same that was before in Henoch, could not but know the certaine summe and contents thereof. Neither is it a new inuention of the Iewes, and Heretikes, to entitle their owne workesHieron. Epist. ad Laetam. Caueat omnia apocrypha; et si quan­do ea, non ad dogma­tum veritatem sed ad signorum reuerentiam legere voluerit, sciat [...]on eorum esse, quo­cum titulis praeno­tantur, multáque hi [...] admixta vitiosa, & grandis est prudentiae aurum in lui [...] qua­rere. August. Tracta. in Ioh. 98. Idem contra Faustum. lib. 22. c. 79. Innocentius. 1. Epist. Decret. 3. Leo Magn. epistol. Decret. 91. cap. 14. Curandum ergo, vt falsati codices, & à syncera veritate dis­cordes, in nullo vsu lectionis habeantur, &c. to an­other more famous or religious authour; such is the power of Sathan in his instruments, to make them labour without hope of praise, and such is his sub­tiltie and malice,Hieron. commentar. in Isai. cap. 64. De qui­bus verè dici potest, quod sedeat diabolus in infidijs, cum diuiti­bus in Apocryphis, vt interficiat innocentem. Insidiatur enim in Apocryphis quasi Leo in spelunca sua. Leo Magn. epist. 91. cap. 15. Apocryphae autem scripturae quae sub nominibus apostolorum, mul­tarum habent seminarium falsitatum, non solum interdicenda, sed etiam penitus auferendae sunt at (que) ignibus conc [...]emandae. vnder colour of names of holie men, to seduce Gods people. But as the authoritie of this counterfeit authour is nothing worth, so on the other side the truth of the Lord in holie Scrip­ture, is thePsalm. 19.7. Isai. 8.19.20. Clem. Alexan. Strom. 7. onelie help; and fullie is it sufficient to ouerthrow this errour. By the daughters of men, is meant asTertul. lib. de virgin. v [...]land. Cum filias hominum dicit, manifestè virgines pertendit. al confesse, wicked women, or the daugh­ters of the wicked. Therefore also by the sonnes of God, such as were of the house and familie of God, and godlie Parents. Moreouer, they tooke them wiues, and continued in the state of wedlocke. Last­lie, they wereVers. 3. & 13. flesh with whom the Lord was an­grie, & whom he destroyed in his anger; what were they els therefore but perfectNot medioxumi or mungrels, halfe men halfe diuels, as is reported that Castor was, and Her­cules and Radamanthus. Festus Pomp. in verb. mediusfidius. Item Seruim in Virgil. Aenead. lib. 8. Lactant. libr. 2. cap 15. Quia neque angeli neque homines fuerunt, sed mediam naturam tenue­runt. A Scripturis absonum. Item. Eugubin. Steucus de Perenni Philosop. libr. 6. cap. 32. men? Wherefore these sonnes of God were flesh indeed, andPhilip. 3.19. Origen. in Psalm. 38. Si terrena sapias & terrena loquaris, & thesaurus tuus & cor tuum in terra sit, terreni (& carnis) imaginem portas. flesh­lie minded, such as chose rather to forsake the worship of God, then the fulfilling of their foolish [Page 235] lust, fixed on the fading beautieDe huiusmodi ho­minum procreatione quasi de scripturia hausisset, ceciuit Or­pheus. libr. 8. Sacri Sermonis. [...]. i. Nomine coe­licolas illos dixere gi­gantes, orti quod ter­ra fuerint & sangui­ne coeli: binc Graecis [...], à terra geniti: i. ab impijs mulieribus, & filijs Dei, scilices homini­bus recte à parentibus institutis. of wicked wo­men. Here hath the Church of God a goodlie war­ning. That all those to whom religion is of care, do take heedDeut. 7.3. 2. King. 8.18. of ioyning in societie of marriage, with Infidels, Atheists, or Idolaters. The example is ma­nifest: the sonnes of God, that is, such men of the po­steritie of Seth, as had beeneChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 22. Et viderunt filij Dei, qui à Seth & Enos progeniti. trained vp in true re­ligion, saw the daughters of men, ofCyril. Alexan. in Iulian. lib. 9. Certè & in Noae tomporibus filij Dei, hoc est qui ex sanguine Enos, fili­as hominum, id est, cas qua ex sanguine Cain, &c. Caine and La­mech & other of the wicked, Idolaters, tyrannous, Atheists; that they were faire (as the daughter of the PhilistimIudg. 14.3.7. was in the eyes of Sampson) they They did not by violence rauish whomesoeuer, as the Iewes affirme, but they took them­selues wiues (so the word signifieth) of whom soeuer they thought beautifull: the word bea­reth shew of no violence, but rather wantonnesse. chose them wiues, of all that liked them, that is; had not re­gard how religion might be hindred, but how their affections might be satisfied: by which meanes the knowledge of God decayed, religion was extin­guished, sinne increased, and the fearefull wrath of God was brought vpon their heads. Now although this example be knowne vnto vs, and their destru­ction1. Cor. 10.11. written to admonish vs; although the word of GodExod. 34.6. Deut. 7.3. doe carefullie forbid this sin, and seuere­lie threatenMalac. 2.11. those that practise it: yet how often is it seene in this our age, that godlie Christian Pro­testants (in shew and countenance) doe ioyne in marriage for beautie, wealth or honour sake, with Atheists, with Libertines, with Papists, and doe take the daughter of a straunge God? Yea, that which is the greatest shame, such Parents wil oftentimes pro­uoke their children to match rather withCicero. Offic. lib. [...]. Themistocles cum consuleretur, vtrum hono viro pauperi, an minus probato diuitifiliam collocaret: Ego verò, inquit, malo virtum qui pecunia egeat, quàm pecuni­am quae viro. riches, then with godlines. Some doe pretend herein, that [Page 236] they may conuert a sinner. But the Lord saith, the wicked by marriageDeut. 7.4. will peruert the righteous, Surelie 1. King. 11.2. they will turne away thy heart. The proofe whereof we haue beside this example, in theIudg. 3.6. nati­on of Israel, inIudg. 16.4. Sampson, in1. King. 11.4. Salomon, and1. King. 21.25. 2. Chron. 21.6. other. The contrarie through the mercie of God may1. Cor. 7.16. sometime happen, but wee ought not to temptRom. 3.8. Matth. 4.6.7. Ne igitur cum imp [...]t contrahas, ductam ve­rò iam ne deseras. the Lord: neither is it wisedome for men to make such daungerous experience. But what hurt com­meth by this, vnto the Church of God? As water and earth make mire and durt, which is fit for no­thing, but to be troden vnder foote: so the com­bining of two2. King. 17.33. Hieron. epist. ad Al­gasiam. In parabola (Luc. 10.) Samarita­nus ponitur pro signo atque miraculo, quod malus benefecerit. Item. Lu [...]. 17.16. religions, or the mixture of religi­on, doe ingender according to their condition, irre­ligion. None are more hatefull vnto the Lord, then those1. King. 18.21. Reuel. 3.16. that hault betweene two religions. None are moreCantic. 5.7. Exemplo Saul, Iu­dae, &c. fierce against the Saints; none are more pestilent vnto the Church of God. Neuer was a more cursed Atheist, then was Iulian, whoSocrat. Scholast. Hist. eccles. lib. 3. cap. 1. At clam quidem disciplinas Philosophorū ex­coluit, palam autem sacra Christianorum perlegit eloquia, at­que adeo in eccl [...]sia Nicomedensi lector designatur sit: abra­saque cu [...]e, vitam mo­nasticam simulauit. Theodoret. libr. 3. cap. 2. Idem in conuentibus ecclesiasticis recitabat populo sacros libros, & aedem martyrum coepit extruere. out­wardlie sometime was zealous for religion; but byIn s [...]hola Libanij Ethnici sophistae. Socrat. Histor. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 1. societie of wicked companie fell away. Neuer was a more cruell tyrant of the Turkes, then Mahomet, thePhilip. Lonicer. Hist. Turcis c [...]b. 1. in vit. Mahometis 2. sonne of a Christian Ladie, who by his mo­ther being taught religion, and by others, his coun­trie superstition; kept betweene both, and obserued neither, worshipping no other God, but theIohn Fox. Acts & Montum. Tractat. of the tyrannie of the Turkes. god­desse of good fortune. And what els isWhich is the superstition of the Turkes. Maho­metisme it selfe, but aThat is plaine by the Turkish Alcaron: by their eight precepts. Lonicer. li. 2. c. [...]. By their profession of faith: there is but one God, and Mahomet is his only Prophet; Non est Deut nisi vnus, Mahomet autem Propheta eius: by their praier [...], fastings, almes, sacrifice, &c. Ba [...]th. Georg. epit. de morib. Turcar. mixture of Gentilisme, and [Page 237] of heresies concerning the person of our Sauiour Christ? Or what els isThe degenera­ted religion of the Church of Rome. 1. Iohn. 2.19. Papistrie, but a very Chaos or leauen of all heresiesWhitaker in prae­fat. 1. Controuers. de Scripturis. chieflie concerning the offi­ces of Christ, as men by little and little fell away from the true vnderstanding of the word, &1. Tim. 1.4. gaue heed to fables? Euen so, of true religion ioyned with Papistry or other heresies, can be begotten no other but Apostasie from true religion, Atheisme, and that which2. Tim. 3.1. &c. 2. Pet. 3.3. the Scriptures haue foretold. Those therfore that will ioyne2. Cor. 6.14. Tertul. ad vxor. lib. 2. Quis enim dubites obliterari quotidie fi­dem commercio infide­li. Bonos corrumpunt mores confabulationes prauae, quanto magis conuictus & indiui­duus vsus Domino non potest pro disci­plina satisfacere, ha­bens in latere diaboli seruum, &c. Habes causam, qua non du­bites, nullum huius­modi matrimonium prospere decurri: à malo conciliatur, à domino damnatur. Papistrie in marriage with the right & sound profession of the truth; or in do­ctrineDe huiusmodi conciliatoribus scribit Hieronym. Epistol. ad August. tres simul, &c. Dum volunt & Iudaei esse & Christiani. nec Iudaei sunt nec Christiani. make a meane, betwene faith and workes in the point of iustifiyng: they doe no lesse then ouerturne religion, bring in Atheisme, obscureReuel 9.2. Gods truth, and hasten theMatth. 24.44. 1. Thes. 5.3. Reuel. 14.16. comming of Iesus Christ. This was theVers. 2.5.6. ruine of the old world. The fathers were outward worshippers of God, their mothers were superstitious & wicked women, their children of no religion, but louers2. Tim. 3.2. of themselues,Vers. 11.13. August. de ciuit. lib. 15.23. cruell,Psalm. 10.4. high minded, and1. Pet. 3.20. hardned in their sins: and as it was in theMatth. 24.37. dayes of Noah, so shall it be in the comming of the sonne of man.

Question 2. verse 3. What meaneth this which the Lord saith: My Spirit shall not alwaies striue with man, because he is but flesh: and his dayes shall be an hundreth and twentie yeeres?

IT is of the Greekes translated: my spirit shall not alwaies remaine in man: and soOrigen in Psal. [...]8. Hom. 2. Idem in Isai. Hom. 3. Chrysostom. in Gen. Hom. 22. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 6 cap. 6. Bernard. Sermon. 1. in festum S. Michael. the Fa­thers for the most part do expound it. The Hebrue [...] iadhon à radice [...] dun: from hence, Dan, iudgement. Gen. 15.14. & 30.3. Ioh. 19.29. Iere. 5.28 word doth often signifie to iudge. So that Ierome Hierom. Tradit. He­braic. Hoc est: Quia fragilis est in homine conditio, non eos ad a­ternos seruabo crucia­tus. sed hîc illis resti­tuam quod merentur. Ergo non seueritatem vt in nostris libris le­gitur, sed clementiam Dei sonat. &c. vnderstandeth this sentence to be a speech of mercie, not of iudgement, thus: my spirit shall not iudge these mē for euer: that is, I will not iudge them to eternall punishments, but will here afflict them, that their soules may1. Cor. 5.5. be saued in the day of the Lord. But the word doth also2. Sam. 19.9. Prou. 6.14. & 27.15. Ierem. 15.10. signifie to striue or to contend; which is much more agreeing with the circumstance and purpose of the text; & there­fore vndoubtedly, the word is so to beSic autem Rabb. Iehudah & Ioseph Kimchi inter Hebraeos. Chaldaeus Paraphr. Non stabilietur seu consistes hac praua generatio, non durabit in longum tempus, scilicet vltra 120. annot. Caluin. in Gen. 6.3. Dominum quasi defessum obstinata mundi pertinacia. interpreted. But how can the spirit of God be said to striue with man? The Scriptures speakeTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 52. Scriptura diuina loquitur, prout hominibus expedit, & pro captu auditorum varias habet loquendi formas. after our vnderstan­ding, comparing the waies of God which are vn­searchable, to the condition of man, with which by experience and vse we are acquainted. In this sense he is said to striue, as he is saidIerem. 7.25. & 25.4. & 35.15. to rise earlie, and send his Prophets: which is, when he doth diligent­lie send his Prophets, often, or manieEzech. 13.5. to represse or reprooue mens wickednes. Or againe, when by his [Page 239] iudgements he doth forewarneIere. 7.12. Amos. 6.2 Ioh. 5.14. vt Hieron. in Ier. 3. Aliorū tormēta aliorum sunt remedia. other of the same or greater punishments; or when byRom. 2.4. 1. Pet. 3.20. patient ex­pectation he doth awaite for our repentance. The words therefore are thus to be resolued: my Spirit shall not alwaies: that is, I will not alwaies by my spi­rit, byIsai. 61.1. 2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Cor. 3.17. admonition, reprehension, threatning, and expectatiō; striue with man: labour in vaine to bring them to repentance; because they are but flesh; wholie sinfull andRom. 8.1.4.5. Orig. in Psalm. 38. Hom. 2. Chrysost. in Gē. Hō. 22. Quasi sola carne cir­cūdati, anima carerēt; sic vitā suā absumunt. set on mischiefe, and there is no hope of amendment in them. Here may we learne: First, the exceeding mercie of GodEzech. 33.11. 2. Cor. 5.20. in offering his mer­cie to the wicked, and striuing byDeut. 5.29. Ierm. 25.4. Hose. 6.4. Amos. 4.6.7. all meanes with them to bring them to repentance. Secondlie, the long suffering of GodRom. 2.4. For the boūtifulnes of God ought to leade vs vnto thankfulnes: in regard wherof, Poli­carpus being threat­ned, that vnlesse he would blaspheme the name of Christ he should be tormē ­ted to death: I haue serued him now (said hee) these 86. yeeres, neither e­uer did he hurt me in any thing: how should I then speake euill of so gracious a Lord that hath euer been my preseruation? Euseb. ought to lead vs to repen­tance. Thirdlie, vengeance succeedethPro. 1.24.25. Zaechar. 1.6. & 7.13. Math. 21.43. Exemplis infinitis. refused mercie, as the night ouertaketh the day. Fourthlie, the wicked are alwaieIsaei. 1.5. & 26.10. Iere. 44.27. past recouerie, before wrath be sent vpon them, which often, when it hath long time bin deferred,Mat. 23.38.44. Reuel. 3.3. commeth swiftlie, dreadfullie, and sodainelie. But to what purpose saith the Lord: his dayes shall be an hundreth and twentie yeares? I will yet, saith he, forbeare themHieron. Trad. Hebrae. in Gen. Hoc est, habebunt 120. annos ad agendā punitentiam. an hundreth and twentie yeares. Behold the long suffering of God! Men were corrupted in sinne by Adam: men be­ganRabbini ferè omnes, vocem ( [...] huchal, à rad. [...] chalal) reddunt prophanare. Sic & D. Kimchi libr. rad. Onkelos paraphrast. Chalda. Prophanati sunt homines ne inuocarent. Tremel. Coeptum est prophanari, alij incipere (nam vox ipsa in cal, signif. vulnerare, inquinare in hipil, scil. altera specie coniugationum Hebraeorum & rarius polluere siue inquinare) eo sensu, vt coeperunt inuocare siue attribuere nomē Iehouae idolis suis: sed obseruandū est vocē charah cum beth sequēte nū ­quam poni nisi in bonā partē. Deinde, esset dictū, prophanatū est nomē domini inuocando, non autē pro­phanatum (quod verè, captū est) ad inuocandū in nomen, vt in textu ad verbū est. Aben. Ezra. in Com­ment. Item Mercer. in politia Iudaie. Coeperunt homines de nomine domini vocari, scil. vocabantur filij Dei. Quocun (que) accipias modo, illud restat, prophanatum esse à plurimis, ritè inuocatum à paucioribus. to prophane religion in the dayes of Henoch, [Page 240] so that few they were which rightlie called on the name of the Lord. Cruell Giants, and fierce Ty­rants were of the brood of Caine, as Lamech, and o­ther like vnto him. Lastlie, the familie of Seth, a­mong whom true religion was maintained, ioyned in affinitie with the daughters of the wicked, wher­by the same religion was quite extinguished, & not a man remayning to vphold the truth, butNoah solus in gene­ratione sua, nam in superioribus Methu­sala & Lamech, in se­quenti Sem & la­pheth, etiamsi omnes simul vixerint. one, the rest being so drowned in securitie, and crueltie, that they would not be admonished; and yet the Lord would waite for their repentance an hundred and twentie yeares. One will aske perhaps, how the Lord is said to speake this: My Spirit shall not al­waies, &c. The Lord may be said to speake this (like as the Scripture sometime1. Sam 18.11. & 27.1. Hest. 6.6. calleth a mans inward thought, a speech, when as a thought is as effectuall as a speech) in respect of himselfe, because hee de­creed it inBasil. Hexam. 3. Aut magis pium est dicere quod sancta volūtas, & primus impetus in­tellectualis motus, hoc ipsum sermo Dei est. himselfe. Hee may be said to speake it, in respect of the world, because heSe [...]l. per reuelationē, vt Isai. 1.1. Hag. 1.1. made his coun­saile and purpose knowne vnto the world. For here­by it is perceiued,Vers. 13.14. 1. Pet. 3.20. August. contr. Faust. Manicha. Quod Noe quingentorū erat an­norum cum ei locutus est Dominus, &c. vn­de intelligitur per cen­tum annos arca fa­bricata. Idem de ciu. Dei, lib. 15. c. 24. Sed intelligendum est, hoc Deum dixisse cum cir­ca finem quingento­rum annorum esset Noc: id est, quadrin­gentes octoginta an­nos agent. quae re & area codem anno in­cepta est, dur. n [...]itque in fabrica centum & viginti annos. that an hundreth and twentie yeeres before the comming of the floud, GodEzech. 3.17. 2. Pet. 2.5. taught these Preachers of righteousnes, and they deliuered it vnto the people, that the world should be destroyed by the floud. And to this purpose it is added in the text: And God said vnto Noah, An end of all flesh is come before me: for the earth is filled with crueltie through them: and behold I wil destroy them with the earth. Make thee an Arke of pine trees, &c. and Noah did according to all that God commaunded him. Wherein the Scripture manifestlie teacheth, that Noah receiued this reuelation from God, and began to make preparation for the Arke, (Lamech and Me­thusala [Page 241] being then in life) six score yeeres before the floud began. Wherefore they are deceiuedPhilo Iudaeus lib. de Gigant. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Primum vitam corum breutori spacio circumscripsit, & a­brogata lōgaeuitate in­tracentum & vigintà annos coercuit, deinde continentem terram in pelagi formam &c. Lactant. lib. 2. cap. 14. Ne rursus longitudo vitae causa esset exco­gitanderum malorum, paulatim per singulat progenies diminuit hominis aetatem, atque in centum & viginti annis metā collocauit. Longe aliter Hieron. Trad. in Gen. Non i­gitur humana vita, vt multi errant, in centum viginti annos, contracta est, sed ge­nerationi illi 120. an­ni ad poenitentiā dati sunt. who interpret this space of an hundreth and twentie yeeres, to be appointed for the age of mans life after the sloud of waters; which hath beene ouerpassed, not onlieGen. 11.10.11.13.17 & 35.28. & 47.9. of the fathers, but also of men of latter yeeres almostIob. 42.16. 2. Chron. 24.15. Ex­terni: Epimenides an­nos vixit 157. author Phasgo. Zenophanes, Laert. li [...]. 1. in vita E­pimen. Arganton Tartessiorū rex in Hispan. 150. inquit Plin. lib. 7. Silius de Bell. Punic. lib. 3. dicit 300. Ter denos decies amensus belliger annos. Nestor 300. vt non pauci attestantur. Galenus 140. vt fama constantest. Cal. Rodigin. lect. antiq. lib. 16. Ioannes dictus de Temporibus sub Carolo mag­no 300. Mant. &c. in euerie age. For indeed the Lord doth herein limite and bound out the time of old and young, in the age before the floud: professing vnto them by his Prophets, thatIonah. 3.4. vnlesse they did repent, they should at the end of one hundreth and twen­tie yeares be vtterlie destroyed. But herein remai­neth no lesse a difficultie then before. The Lord promiseth to spare the world an hundreth and twentie yeares; and it seemeth by the Scripture, he forbare them but onlie an hundreth yeares. For in the former Chapter, Noah is said to be fiue hundred yeares old, when he begat children; and in the Chapter following, it is said that in the six hundreth yeere of the life of Noah Confer Gen 5.32. & 7.11. the floud of waters were vpon the earth. Some writers vpon this collectionRabb. in Cabala. Tseror Bahi. & alij. Hieron. in Trad. Hebrae. viginti annorum spatijs amputatis induxit dilunium. sic Hugo in an­not. in Gen. Sic Strab. in Eccles. Histor. viginti annos anticipauit vindictam, & plurimi Papista. haue affirmed, that because the wicked world would not repent, God shortned and cut off this time appointed, the space of twentie yeares. Which opinion beside that it is vntrue, is fullie against the purpose and consent of Scriptures; which1. Pet. 3.20. aboundantlie expresse the riches of Gods long suffering, in the dayes of Noah. [Page 242] But in deed this chapter doth not onelie continue the former historie, in the time where it left,In respect of time, the sixt chapter fol­loweth vpon the fourth: the fift con­taineth a digression of the life & death of the Fathers. at the birth of the children of Noah, as it is in the end of the former chapter: but also by recapitulation, and exposition (as is the manner of the Scripture) doth confirme and explane that which went before; and therefore it beginneth: And it was when men began to multiplie, &c. Men began not to multiplie after the birth of the sonnes of Noah, for then the earth was filled with crueltie: but the Scripture meaneth that long before this time, so soone as men began to multiplie, sinne also began to multiplie; forasmuch as not onlie the wicked seed increased, but of the houshold of the godlie, some from time to time de­clined, and made shipwracke of their faith and god­lines; and the seeds of this mischiefe were sowen, long before the birth of the sonnes of Noah, in so much that the earth was by the curse prepared to the floudGen. 5.29. 2. Pet. 3.5.6. Tremel. in Gen. 5 Cō ­solabiturde opere labo­riosissi no cuius neces­sitatem subiuimus tū proper communem il­lam omnium hominū deprauationē, tū prop­ter singulare seculi nostri scelus. Nō quod primus fuerit Noe A­gricola vt Hebrat vo­lunt, sed quod esset spes vnica restaurationis à malo illo seculo, à poena communi, & de Christo in carne nas­cituro. before the birth of Noah himselfe. Wherefore this is to be vnderstood of the course of time. Sinne began to wax exceeding grieuous, a­bout the time of theVers. 1.2. &c. birth of Noah: for the sonnes of God tooke the daughters of men in marriage: by their posteritie, crueltie and sinne increased. For this cause the Lord threatneth to bring the sloud, and Noah is commaunded to prepare the Arke, six­score yeares before the drowning of the world; that is to say, Noah being of age foure hundreth & foure­score yeares, and when hee was Gen. 5.32. fiue hundreth yeares old, he begat Sem, Ham, and Iapheth, Sem quidem centum agens annos sexcen­tessimo secundo anno vitae Noae vt apparet Gen. 7.11. & 11.10. Non fuit primogeni­tus filiorum Noae, nisi forte indefinite sumas, hoc est circa hunc an­num; quod ex textu refutatur. Vide c. 11. that is to say, the eldest of them. And as the Lord was patient in long suffering, so was he mercifull in giuing warning to [Page 243] the world of their calamitie. The godlie Patriarkes foresawIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3. Adamum vni­uersalem rerum inte­retū praececinisse scri­bit Theodulus Coele­syr. Com. in Rō. 5. Idex naturali lege dicta­tum & reuelatū. For­tè autem ex reuelatio­nibus non paucis, cum prophetae fuerint. destruction (albeit they knew not in what kind it was to come) long before this speciall reue­lation giuen to Noah, for both Henoch and Lamech didIud. 14. Gen. 5.29. prophesie of the destruction of the world; and Lemech for perpetuall monument, calleth his sonne by the name of Noah, that is to say, rest, Noah [...] à [...] nu­ach quiescere, to rest; because in him the wrath of GOD in the flood staied and went no farther: or because hee was to refresh and comfort his fathers concer­ning the destructiō of mankinde. or refreshing, frō griefe or sorrow, to the end saithChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 21. Praedicit per appellationem pueri mala que totum hu­manum genus depre­hensura essent, vt vel timore castigati ab­arcerentur à vitijs, & amplecterentur virtutem. Chry­sostome, that all that saw this child, & would enquire his name, might learne thereby the generall de­struction that was to come. But no warning will suffice the wicked, whichIerem. 8.7.9. despise the word of God, and those which teach it by the1. Cor. 2.4. 2. Cor. 4.3. demonstra­tion of the spirit. They knew right wel the superflu­itie of sin, & were partakers of the fulnes of iniqui­ty; they heard the preaching of the Patriarkes, they found the Arke prepared, they perceiued the com­ming of beasts and cattell to the same for refuge frō the waters; they saw the heauens powre downe raine, and the flouds increase: yet wouldGen. 7.21.23. & 8.16. not one person be admonished, not so much as theAugust. quaest. in Gen. q. 5. Non erat magnum fabros alios adhibere: quamuis operis sui mercede accepta, non curauerint, vtrum cam Noe sapienter an verò inaui­ter fabricaret. Et ideo, non in eam intrauerunt quia non crediderunt quod ille crediderat. buil­ders and carpenters which happelie wrought vpon the Arke, till the waters had stopped their passage, from comming to receiue it for their sauegard. The reason was, theyHeb. 4.2. receiued not the word by faith, theyGen. 19.14. Ezech. 33.32. counted Noah his preaching, to be but do­tage; his building, cost in vaine. And those that will not beleeue the preaching of the word, they [Page 244] will notIohn 12 35.36. Io­seph of the warres of the Iewes, lib. 7. cap. 12. reciteth diuers signes, which hap­pened before the destruction of Ieru­salem, foretolde by Christ, Luk. 21. First, that a blazing Star in fashiō of a sword, hung ouer the citie. Secondly, that at the feast of vnlea­uened bread, a light shone round about the Altar, about midnight, as cleere as day. Thirdly, that a Cow led to be sa­crificed, calued a Lambe. Fourthlie, that the Brasen gate of the Tēple, which twentie men could scarsely open, was seene to open at midnight of it owne accord. Fiftly, that the first of May there were seene in the aire Chariots and standing battels skirmishing in the clowdes, and compassing the Citie. Sixtly, in the Temple was heard the sound of a wonderfull terrible base voice, which said: Let vs goe hence. Seuenthly, a certaine countrie fellow, one Iesus the sonne of Anani, seuen yeeres before the Citie was destroyed, began to crie out: A voice from the East, a voice from the West, a voice from the foure windes, a voice against Ierusalem and the Temple, a voice against this people: and though they whipped and scourged him to the bone, yet he ceased not to crie, Woe, woe to Ierusalem. And yet that people that would not obey Christ and his Apostles preaching, were destroyed for all these signes, as though they had had no warning. be admonished by signes: those that will notLuc. 16.31. Chrysost. in cap. 1. ad Galat Comment. Haec autem Christus ipse in lucit in parabola loquentem Abraham, declarans se velle plus fides habendum esse scripturis, quàm si mortui reuiuiscant. beleeue the Prophets, will not receiue an An­gell, or one that is risen from the dead. But now when they saw the floud increased, the heauens re­solued into raine, cattell and wild beasts striuing for life within the streames, their houses like fish pooles receiuing the waters, their children readie to perish, and themselues separate from help and comfort; what could they doe, butProu. 12.28. Heb. 12.17. August. Serm. de Temp. 36. Age panitentiam d [...]m sanu [...]es, si sic agis dico tibi quod securus es, quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti. Si vis agere poenitentiam quando iam peccare non potes, peccata te dimiserunt, non tu [...]ll [...]. repent too late, & wish woe vnto themselues, that would not in time be warned. Obser. Sleepie securitie & contemptMat. 24. vers. 30. of the word, is a certaine token of destruction, and the sameMat. 24.40.41. 1. Thess. 5.3. shall goe before the end. Secondlie, those that mixeHeb. 4.2. not the word with faith,Luc. 16.31. Ignati. epist. ad Philadelph. Ie­sus mihi pro archiuis est, quim nolle audire manifesta pernicies est. will receiue no grace to beleeue the tokens that are promised to foreshew the comming of the Lord to iudgement: but as it was in the dayes of Noah, so shall it be in the end of the world.

Question 3. verse 6. How it is said: The Lord repented that hee made man?

THe ScripturesNumb. 23.19. 1. Sam. 15.29. Malac. 3.6. often testifie, that with the Lord there is no repentance nor Iam. 1.17. shadow of change: and surely as there is no shadow of turning with the Lord, so is there in deedBernard. Sermon. de quadrup. debit. Viae Domini, viae rectae, viae pulchrae, viae plenae, viae planae; recta sine errore, quia ducunt ad vitam; pulchrae sine sorde, quia docent mū ­ditiem: plenae multi­tudine, quia totus iam mūdus est intra Chri­sti sagenam: planae si­ne difficultate, quia donant suauitateos. no shadow of contrarietie in Scripture, albe­it to vs, as to them that are bleare eyed,Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 1. Lippientibus, e­tiam singularis lucer­na numerosa est. one candle seemeth manie. Wherfore we must diligentlie con­sider, how the Lord can rightly here be said to repent and to be sorrie, when as in other Scriptures it is said, hee cannot repent. The Scriptures which are theIerem. 15.19. Matth. 4.4. mouth of God,Cōciliatio. 8. are compelled through our in­firmitie and ignorance, to speake many things of God, which in deed are proper vnto men, which o­therwise of manAugust. octuag. triū. quaest. lib. q. 52. Diui­na scripturae à terreno & humano sensu ad diuinum & coelest [...] nos erigentes, vs (que) ad ea verba descenderunt, quibus inter se stultissimorum etiam vtitur consuetudo. could not be vnderstood, there­by to make mē rise by little & little from the know­ledge of themselues, to the knowledge of the Lord. For this cause it calleth the power & might of God, theExod. 6.6. Psalm. 44.3. & 118.15.16. arme and the right hand of God, not that hee hath a hand or arme, but because our strength and power is executed by our hand and arme, which the Lord doth otherwise performe then we can vn­derstand. In thisAnastasius Nicaen. lib. quaest. in Script. q. 21. Nonnulli autem ob summam pultitiā, cum scripturam audiant dicentem, aperi oculos tuos & vide, &c. Malè audientes nec intelligentes, existimant Deum humana forma praeditum, nec intellexerunt, vt qui essent nunium ins [...]iente [...], quod cum hominibus per homines loquens Deus, auditorum imbecillitati sermonem accommodet: & quoniam videmus per oculo [...], videndi facultatem oculos nominas, & audiendi fa­cultatem aures, & iussum, or. Sed oportebat cum non solum audire haec verba, sed etiam ea qu [...] docent Deum non posse circumscribi: quò en [...]m inquit ib [...] à facie tua. sense, his prouidence is called [Page 246] hisPsal. 34.15. Pro. 15.3. Isa. 37.17. eye, because we with our eyes do watch & see. The appearing of his presence is called his foote, becausePsal. 18.9 Isai 66.1. we by our feet doe come in presence. That which he will preserue vnhurt, is calledDeut. 32.10. Psal. 17.8. Zacar. 2.8. the apple of his eye, because the same of vs is most carefullie preserued. His essentiall substance is calledAmos 6.8. The Lorde hath sworne ( [...], benephesho) by his life or soule: that is, by himselfe. his soule, because the soule of man is theOf wicked men, ye bodie is the mā, for their belly is their God; but of godly mē, the mind: Men [...] cuius (que) is est quis (que). mā himselfe. His anger or displeasure isPsalm. 18.8. Ierem. 49.37. called his nostrels, be­cause men are known to be angrie, by the moouing of their nostrels. And the same his anger (which in men is anArist. Ethic. lib. 2. cap. 5. [...]. Sunt huius­modi in animo propter que neque laudamur nec vituperamur. Zeno sic definit affec­tus. [...]: auersio à recta ratione, & contra na­turam animae cōmotio. Cic. Tuscul. quaest. li. 3 Morbos & aegritudi­nes animi vocat. in Academicis, perturba­tiones. de inuent. 1. impetus, commotiones, affectus: talia non reperiantur apud deum. affection, when as there areTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 50. Ira & poenitentia humanae passiones sunt, à quibus natura diu [...]na prorsus est libera. neither af­fections, nor passions in the Lord) as likewise hisMalac. 1 21. Ioh. 3.16. loue,Psal. 11.5. Rom. 9.13. hatred,Exod. [...]0.5. Deut. 32.21. iealousie,Iudg. 10.16. sorrow and such like, are said to be in the heart ofVers. 6. Psal. 11.5. Iudg. 10.16. Like as men which do earnestly sorrow, do earnestly seeke remedy for their griefe: so by this so great alteration of his work, God appeared vnto men, as it were to be sorrie in his very heart. God, because as men doe represent their affections by their deedes, and their harts remaine vnsearchable, sauePsal. 94.10.11. of the ma­ker of the hart; so theEccles. 7.25.26. Isai. 40.13 Rom. 11.23. thoughts and waies of God are past mans finding out, farther they are expla­ned by his word and workes; wherein they are re­sembled to our affections, that wee might measure that in our selues, which in the Lord cannot be measured. Thus also he is said to repent, when other­wise the Scripture saith, hee is without a shadow of change. To repent doth signifie [...] na­cham. vers. 6. properly in repenting to alter his whole purpose. Iudg. 21.15. Augustin. Amari­tudinem animi vocat; Metius est modica amaritudo in faucibus, quam aeternum tormentum in visce­ribus. de Decem Chordis. to sorrow for somePsal. 51.3.4. either for gultines or punishment. action which we finde to be amisse, withFrom hence Ari­stotle calleth repentance ( [...]) the changing of ones care or counsaile: and also ( [...]) the changing of ones wisedome. an after­thought, [Page 247] or purpose of minde, to change it into bet­ter. This belongethFor euill spirits will not repent: the blessed spirits neede it not, because tho­rough the goodnes of God they cannot fall. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 22. cap. 30. properly to men, and pecu­liar it is to God alone, that heAmbros. Epist. 82. Nunquam autem poe­nitere, solius est Dei. cannot will, where­of he can repent. For this sorrow of minde, which is repentance, ariseth of some euill committed, or goodnes pretermitted: but the diuine natureDeut. 32.4. Psalm. 145.17. be­ing pure from these, so pure, thatIob. 4.18. & 25.5. the heauens, or Angels are not cleane before his eyes, hisIsai. 46.10. August. contra Manich. lib. 1. cap. 3. Idem epist. 54. Deu [...] ergo singulari­ter est bonus, & hoc amitiere non potest. Nullius autem boni participatione bonus est, quoniam bonum quo bonus est, ipse sibi est: homo autem cum bonus est, ab illo bonus est, quod à se ipso esse non potest. will al­so being the highest rule of righteousnes, he cannot faile either in omitting, or committing, whereof he should repent. Why then saith the Scripture, hee did repent? Because as men, when they repent, doe alter their workes together with their thoughts, and by their works it is known their thoughts are chan­ged; so when the Lord doth change his workes, hee seemeth vnto vs to change his minde, which the scripture witnesseth he cannot alter, in any thought. Wherefore we ought not to conceiue any other of the Lords repentance,Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Quis ergo erit mos poenitentia diui­nae, nihil enim aliud intelligitur quam sim­plex conuersio senten­tiae prioris. Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 50. Poenitentia Dei nihil aliud est quàm mutatio dispensationis eius. Aug. lib. Octuag. Trium. quaest q. 52. Quo­niam mutare captum aliquod & in aliud transferre non facile solemus nisi poenitendo; quanquam diuina prouidentia serena mente intuentibus appareat cuncta certissimo ordine administrare: ac­commodatissimè tamen ad humilem humanam intelligentiam, ea quae incipiunt esse neque perseuerant, quantum perseueratura sperata sunt, quasi per panitentiam Dei dicuntur ablata. Caluin. Instit. 1. cap. 17. sect. 13. Ita nec aliud debemus accipere sub poenitentiae vocabulo, quam factorum mutationem: quia solent homines sactae sua mutand [...] testari sibi displicere. then the mutation of his workes, which change or alteration of workes, is called repentance, because mē by changing of their workes, doe testifie and shew repentance. And the same in the heauenlie wisdome of the Scriptures, is called not a change of workes in God, but repen­tance it selfe, which properlie is a changing of the minde; because the Lord in euery such repentance, doth alter euen his reuealed mind and purpose; that is to say, that which hee hath reuealed of his minde [Page 248] and purpose; notwithstanding thatAugust. de Ciuit. lib. 22. cap. 1. Cum Deus mutare dicitur vo­luntatem, vt quibus lenis erat, verbi grae­tia, reddatur iratus, ille potius quam ipse mutatur. his minde, or will it selfe is not therein chāged, but they of whom he reuealed the same his purpose. For the vnder­standing of this doctrine wee must remember, that the maiestie of God, hisNam ad ipsam sub­stantiam Dei pertines voluntas eius. Aug. Confess. lib. 11. c. 11. holines, his will, is incom­prehensible of any creature, his wisedome and his counsaileRom. 11.33. is vnsearchable; in which hee hath pur­posed and orderedHieron. commentar. in Ierem. 12. Quic­quid in mundo vel bonorum accidit vel malorum, non absque prouidentia. euerie thing, as they are to come to passe, from the creation of the world, and the redemption of the same, to theMatth. 10.29.30. falling of a haire from the head of man, and to the lighting of a Sparrow vpon the ground. This his disposition and his counsaile, hee hath made knowne to men, notAthanas. dialog. de Trin. lib. 1. [...]. It is not possible to know God fully as he is, vnlesse a man were indued fullie with the same infi­nite knowledge that God is. But none can be of the same knowledge, but he that is of the same nature, &c. so fullie as in himselfe it is; but as men are able to containe the same. For a little dish is more vnto the sea, then the capacitie of anie man or Angell is,Basil. in Psalm. 115. Qui enim mentem suam non humiliat, sed de essentia Dei comprehensione cogitat, &c. Non reputans quod facilius est parua homina totum mare demetiri, quam humana mente maiestatem Dei, frustra inflatus non po­test dicere, credidi qua pro [...]ter locutus sum. Finit [...] ad infinitum nulla comparatio. vnto that infinitenes that is in God. In which re­spect he saith to Moses: thou Exod. 33.20. canst not see my face, for no man shall see my face and liue: because our eyes, and hearts, and soules would burst in sunder, at the containing of the glorie of his greatnes. So far then as hee hath reuealed vnto vs his will and counsaile, the same is calledIt is called (voluntas signi) his signified or reuealed will. Augustin. De Ciuitat. Dei libr. 22. cap. 1. Multa volunt fieri sancti Dei ab illo inspirati sancta voluntate, nec fiunt, sicut erant; ac per hoc quando secundum Deum volunt & erant sancti, vt quisque sit saluus, possumus il­lo modo locutionis dicere, vult Deus & non facit. Secundum illam verò voluntatem suam quae cum eius prescientia sempiterna est, profecto in coelo & in terra omnia quaecunque vo­luit, non solum praeteritae vel praesentia, sedetiam futura iam facis. Peter. Mart, in 1. Sam. 15. Caluin. institut. lib. 1. cap. 17. Sect. 1.2. of the learned, his reuealed will; so farre as he hath not reuealed it, namelie that infi­nite wisedome, in the order and cause of things, [Page 249] which we cannot comprehend, is said to be hisVoluntas benepla­citi (the will of his pleasure) Lombard. lib. 1. Distinct. 45. F. se­cret will; not that there are two seuerall willes in God, butAugust. de ciuitat, lib. 22. cap. 1. Multa quidem fiunt à malia contra voluntatē dei: sed tantae est ille sapi­entiae tantaque vir­tutis, vt in eos exitus siue sines quos bonor & iustos ipse praesci­uit, tendant omnia qua voluntati eius videntur aduersa. Damascen. Orthodox. fid. lib. 3. cap. 14. [...]. i. The father, the sonne, and the holy spirite, which haue all one sub­stance, haue all one will, and one opera­tion or power of working. Also the will of the father is simple and vncom­pounded. one, which one is partlie knowneNamely so farre as it is reuealed. Chrysost. de incompre­hens. Dei nat. Hom. 1. Iam vias eius inue­stigabiles audis. & ip­sum esse comprehensi­bilem putas? and partlie vnknowne vnto vs. Wherefore in regard of his mind or will reuealed, which wee know or can containe, God can repent; but in respect of his secret counsell, and his will it selfe, hee cannot chaunge. And because his minde and will reuealedDeut. 29.29. Isai. 8.19.20. consisteth in his worde and workes, the repen­tance of the same his minde and will, is but the changing of his1. Sam. 2.30.32. word or works. The example wil make this doctrine plaine. I will (saith God) destroy Vers. 13. man from off the earth, for I repent that I haue made them. Herein is set downe the qualitie or forme of Gods repentance: The Lord when he created man, declared that his pleasure was, that man should liue vpon the earth: now he saith, I repent, when hee ta­keth them away, changing that which hee had de­clared of his will, by their creation, and by farther reuealing the purpose of his will, doth change his worke; and seemeth also to change his counsaile. He made men in deedMica. 6.8. Luc. 1.74.75. Irenae. lib. 4. cap. 28. Hominem creauit vt haberet in quem collocaret beneficia, &c. to liue in righteousnes and holines, and not to be destroyed by theChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 22. Non enim propter hoc produxi (inquit) vt tanta ruina Lapsus. fibi ipsi perditionis fieret au­thor. waters of a floud; and as this was his reuealed wil, so he willed moreouer, if they sinned wholie in such execrable sort, & would not repent, to destroy thē wholie for their sinne, thereby to makeRom. 9.22. E [...] quidem temporalis: poenarum finis bonorum excordium est: Hieron. in Mica. cap. 7. Aeterne; poena patientis ira creditus decernentis. Hilar. in Psalm. 2. his power and iustice knowne; which being not reuealed, was then to be accounted his secret will. Now then when God re­penteth, [Page 250] and men are destroyed for sinne: men are chaunged by their owne default from good to euil, but the Lord is not changed: he altereth his worke, but not hisEucherius in Gen. 6. Poenitudo Dei est mu­tandarum rerum im­mutabilu ratio. wisedome: hee changeth his reuealed pleasure,Idie Homer. Iliad. [...] [...]: prudentum semper mutabilis animus. Cicer Epist. Fam. lib. 1. Epist. 9. Nunquam e­nim praestantibus in republica gubernanda viris, laudata est in vna sententia perpe­tua per mansio. idem. Neque idem semper dicere, sed idem sem­per spectare debemus. as wise men according to occasion doe change their mind; but his wisedome and will is in­finite, in which he foreseeth from euerlasting,Psalm. 139.2. Ephes. 1.4. Etiam peccata ordi­nat non facit. Fulgent. lib. 1. all occasions, and therefore willeth to alter and change his will and workes, in the sight of men and Angels; and therefore doth alter his reuealed will and coun­saile, that his vnreuealed will and the purpose of the same, might from euerlasting remaine immutable. Thus he repented concerning1. Sam. 15.11. Saule; he made his pleasure knowne, that he should be King; of whom the Israelites could conceiue no farther, but that to him should haue remained the succession of the same for euer: but the Lord did will moreouer that Saule for his vnthankefulnes and rebellion1. Sam. 15.23.28. should lose his kingdome, and to performe the same his will, he saith, I repent that I haue made Saule king: that is, I haueTheodores. quaest. in Gen. 50. Poemitet me (i [...]quit) pro eo quod est, statui illum depo­nere & alterum crea­re: sic & in hoc loco: poenitet me fecisse ho­minem, hoc est, decre­ni perdere hominum genus. determined to depose him, and to pre­ferre another. In like sort, when hee threatned the NiniuitesIonah. 3.4. destruction, so farre as the Prophet couldSaue onely by ex­perience of Gods wonted mercie. Ionah. 4.2. conceiue, or he had alreadie manifested his counsaile, he purposed to ouerthrow the Citie; but the Lord had in deed determined to preserue the Citie, and therfore threatned themHieron. in Ionah. cap. 3. Comminatur vt agant poenitentiam. Looke the like example of Gods repentance, Gen. 22.2.11. &c. Amos 7.36.6. to make them forsake their sinne, for which cause he had reuealed their destruction, that so hee might preserue them, and hisAuthor. quaest Orthodox. in oper. Iustin. Mars. q. 36 Proinde cum ignoscit & non ignoscit immutabilitatem retinet. His qui delicta sua corrigunt, ita vt non mutetur ignoscit: ijs qui in vitijs suis perseuerant, ita vt non mutetur non ignoscit. counsaile of preseruing them might not [Page 251] be altered. God therefore is trulie in Scripture af­firmed to repent, because hee changeth his worke, whichIerem. 7.3. is a part of true repentance, and because his will and purpose,August. de ciuit. Dei libr. 22. cap. 2. Ʋult Deus & non facit, &c. so farre as is reuealed or may be vnderstood of creatures, is, or may be altered; which in men is the summe of true2. Cor. 7.11. repentance: but whereas in himselfe, as in aIsa. 40.13. Epiphan. Haeres. 70. Nihil discors est in diuina scriptura, ne­que opposita dictio ad­uersus dictionem re­peritur: Atenim si­cut si quis pertennissi­mum foramen, coelum conspicaretur & di­ceret, video coelum: & sane non mentire­tur talis, videt enim coelum reuera. Dicit autem ad ipsum ali­quis non vidisti coe­lum, & sanè neque hic mentitur. Qui enim dicit se vidisse non mentitur, & qui dixit ad ipsum quod non viderit, idem verè di­cit. Neque enim vi­derat extensionem ne­que latitudinem. Itae est reuera de volunta­te Dei, & per consequens de poenitentia eius. bottomlesse depth of wisedome and counsaile, hee doth decree the reuo­king of his reuealed will or workes (which reuoca­tion is said to be repentance) hee is immutable, whereof the Scripture saith: in him there is no shadow of change. Obser. 1. We must looke vnto the law and to the testimonyDeut. 29.29. Isai. 8.19.20. Micah. 6.8. to know the wil of God. Second­lie, our sinnes are so execrable before the Lord, that they areZacar. 12 10. Amos 2 13. said to wound him, toVers. 6. make him sorrie,Deut. 32.21. Exod. 20.5. iealous,Deut. 3 [...].21. 2. King. 17.11.17 18. Ierem 44.3. angrie: wherefore so farre as man is in­feriour vnto God, so farre the1. Sam. 2.25. Matth. 18.24.28. fault of sinne ex­ceedeth, which is done against the Lord, the hurts and domages that are done to vs, which make vs sorrie, iealous, or offended. Thirdlie, sin was grow­enVers. 11.12.13. Gen. 15.16. Reuel. 14.15. to height, before the floud of waters; but their sinnes were notEzec. 16.48.49. 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4.5. greater then, or moe, then now are ours: whereforeMatth. 24.42. Watch therefore, for ye know not the houre. of certaintie the day of the Lord is neere. Fourthlie, they that by notorious sinnes prouoke the Lord, as by crueltie, couetous­nes, whoredome, hypocrisie, blaspemie, contempt of the word of God, &c.Ierem. 44.22. Amos 2.13. Isai. 1.24. Reuel. 14.15. are the cause of the ha­stening of the comming of Christ to iudgement.

Question 4. verse 9. How Noah is said to be a righteous man, see­ing the Scripture saith, there is none righ­teous, no not one?

THis noble Patriarch is commended by the Lord, with three degrees of praise; that hee was righteous, perfect, and walked with God. Whereas the Scripture affirmeth he was righteous, it meaneth no otherLuc. 1.6. but that hee walked in the cō ­mandements of God, in faith and obedience; thatIob. 1.8. & 2.3. he feared God, and eschewed euill. That hee was [...] tamam, perfice­re, complere, immacu­latum esse. Targ. & vulg. Noc iustus per­fectus. tamim, vpright, perfect, that is,Luc. 1.6. Philip. 3.6. 1. Tim. 3.2. vnreproueable, as not auoiding some vices, and following others, butChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 23. Hic etiam est perfectus. nihil inter­misit, in nullo claudi­cauit, non in hoc bene­faciebat, in illo verò peccabat: sed in omni virtute perfectus e­rat, qua tunc pollere illum congruebat. imbraced all vertue, wherein it was meete for that time he should be excellent. Thirdlie it is said, he walked with God, that is to say, he performed1. King. 8.61. & 3.6 1. Chron. 29.17. these duties with a perfect heart, not as an hypocrite de­ceitfullie, to the end to be1. Kin. 15.3. Prou. 11.21. Matth. 23.5. seene of men; butPsal. 139.23.24. 2. Cor. 1.12. ap­prouing himselfe before the Lord. Noah therefore was righteousPsal. 34.13.14. Isai. 1.17.18. 1. Thess. 5.22. auoiding sinne and doing equity;Phil [...]p. 3.6 Iam. 1.27. he liued vnblameable and vnspotted of the world; neither did he outwardlie beare shew of greater ho­lines, thenPsal 18.22.23. Eph. 3.17. inwardlie was rooted and grounded in his heart. But if Noah were righteous, and thatGen. 7.1. in the sight of God, how is it that the Scripture saith,1. King. 8.46. Iob. 25.6. Psal. 143.2. 1. Ioh. 1.8. that none is righteous? Herein is containedCONCILIATIO. 9. no cō ­tradictiō, but the more difficult it seemeth to be vn­to [Page 253] vs, the more diligentlie ought wee to search the Scriptures. There are two kindes of righteousnes, expressed by name in the word of God. The first is the righteousnes of ourEccles. 7.31. Ephes. 4.24. creation, wherin we were created in the image of Gods holinesse and righte­ousnesse: and this is called in the ScripturesRom 10.3. Tit. 3.5. our own righteousnesse. The second is that righteous­nes which is giuen vsAct 13.39. Rom. 5.11. by Iesus Christ, in our rege­neration, & this is calledIsai. 56.1. Rom. 1.16.17. & 3.25. &c. August. lib. de Spir. & lit. cap. 9. Iustitia, inquit, Dei manifesta est: non dixit iustitia homi­nis, &c. The iustice of God (saith the A­postle) is manifest; he saith not the iu­stice of man, or the iustice of mans pro­per will, but the iu­stice of God; not that whereby God is iust, sed qua induit hominem cum iustifi­cat impium, but that wherewith hee clo­theth man when he iustifieth the vnrighteous. Vide Luther. in praefat. in Tom. 1. oper. Atque haec passiua & gratia gratis data. Rom. 3.24. altera iustitia nostra, actiua, inhaerens. the righteousnes of God, as that which commeth from him, not of our selues. Of the first kind of righteousnes, the Scripture wit­nesseth that none is righteous. For whereas man had by creation, bothGen. 1.26.27. Ephes. 4.24. Coloss. 3.10. Tertul, in Marcion. lib. 2. Liberum & sui arbitrij & suae potestatis inuenio hominem à Deo institutum, &c. Nam non poneretur lex ei qui non haberet obsequium debitum legi in sua potestate. &c. will and power perfectlie to haue performed obedience vnto all the commaun­dements of God; and the Lord doth at our hands require the same perfection, and thatLuc. 12 48. Origen in Leuit. 6. Hom. 4. Videamus nunc quid est depositum, quod fidelium vnusquis (que) suscepit. Ego puto quod & ipsam aninam nostram & corpus depositum acce­pimus à Deo. Et vis videre maius aliud depositum quod acceposti à Deo? Ipsi animae tuae Deus imaginem suam & similitudinem commendauit: istud ergo depositum, tam integrè tibi restituendum est, quàm à te constat esse susceptum. most iustlie, forasmuch as he gaue it vs to keepe: the same pow­erPsal. 53.3. in all menRom. 5.12.19. thorough Adams disobedience, in whomAugust. de peccat. merit. lib. 3. cap. 7. Si­quidem in Adam omnes tunc peccauerunt, quando eius natura illa insita in qua eos gignere pote­rat, adhuc omnes ille unus fuerunt. the nature of all men was contained, is so farreIerem. 10.23. Galat. 5 17. Fulgent. ad Mon. lib. 1. cap. 9. Ʋnde cognoscimus Dei esse vt & bonum facere velimus, & vt bonum facere [...]aleamus August. de Grat. & libero arbit. cap. 17. Deus est qui praeparat voluntatem & cooperando perficit quod operando incepit. weakened and defiled, and theIoh. 8.44. Philip. 2.13. August. de corrept. & Grat. c. 12. Tantum quippe à spiritu sancto accenditur voluntas eorum, vt ideo possint quia sic volunt, ideo sic velint quia Deus operatur vt velint. Nā cum fuisset voluntas serna peccati, liberata est per illum qui dixit, si vos filius librauerit, &c. will corrup­ted; that no man which euer liued,That is beside Christ alone. begotten of [Page 254] the sonnes of Adam, can doe, no not so much as will to doe (by his own power or will, without the ver­tue of theThat is by Christs righteousnesse ap­plied by faith. second righteousnes) obedienceIoh. 15.5. 2. Cor. 3.5. Philip. 2.13. Concil. Araufican. c. 25 Prorsus est donum Dei diligere Deum, &c. praedicare debemus & eredere, quod per peccatum primi hominis ita inclinatum & attenuatum fuerit liberum arbitriū, vt nullus postea aut diligere Deum sicut oportuit, aut credere in Deum, aut operari propter Deum, quod bonum est possit, nisi gratia eum & diuina misericordia p [...]euenerit. i. Mans freewill is so weakned by the fal of the first man, that it can neither loue God, nor beleeue in God, or doe any good thing, vnlesse it be preuented by grace and diuine mercie. of righteousnes answerable to the least commaunde­ment. And therefore the Scripture repeateth often mans imperfection, to confuteAugust. de verb. Apost. Serm. 2. Sunt enim homines ingrati gratiae, multum tribuentes inopi sanciae (que) naturae. i. Men are vngratefull vnto grace, and attribute too much to their beggerly and wounded nature. the natural pride of men, wherein bothRom. 10.3. & 11.7.25. Iewes, andArist. Ethicor. lib. 3. cap. 5. [...]. i. Both vertue and vice is in owne power. The Pythagori [...]ns resembled this choice to the letter (Y) as if all men being borne alike, when they come to discretion had in themselues two waies (in forme of Y [...] to chuse good or euill. Lactan. lib. 6. cap. 3. Virgil. Litera Pythagora discrimine se­cta bi [...]orni, &c. Christians that hold this, differ nothing but in name from the veriest Hea­then. Cic. quaest. Academ. Zeno omnes virtutes in natura & ratione ponebat. Philosphers, andHieron. Dialog. in Pelagian. 1. Bene operari, & meum est (inquit Pelagianus) & Dei, vt ego operer & ille adiuuet. Aug. Epist. 95. Literas misimus contra inimicos gratiae Chr [...]sti, qui confidunt in virtute sua, & in crea­tore nostro, quemadmodum dicunt: tu nos fecisti homines, iustos autem nos ipsi fecimus. Pelagians, &Aquin. part. 1. q. 83. art. 1. & prim. secund. q. 85. art. 2. Concil. Senonens. lecret. 15. Concil. Trident. sess. 6. can. 4 Si quis diverit liberum hominis arbitrium, à Deo motum & excitation, nihil cooperari assen­tiendo Deo excitanti atque vocanti, quo ad obtinendam iustificationis gratiam se disponat ac prepa­ret. &c. If any man say, that mans freewill, moued and stirred vp by God, doth not worke to­gether with him, by assenting vnto God mouing it and stirring it vp, whereby it might dis­pose and prepare it selfe to obtaine the grace of iustification, &c. hold him accursed. An­drat. defens. Trident. Synod. lib. 4. expoundeth the meaning of the Synod in these words, mo­ued and stirred vp, thus: Non quasi mens & voluntas, &c. Not as though (saith he) the minde and will of man before conuersion, had no power to begin, and to effect spirituall actions; but because those naturall powers, although not extinguished, yet are they wrapped in the cords of sinne, so that man by his owne power cannot rid himselfe cleere: like as one that is tied is not able to goe, vnlesse he be loosed, albeit he haue naturall power of going, &c. What is thi [...] but as the Pelagians said, I work, & God helps me forward? Bellarm. tom. 3. cont. 3. part. 1 cap. 1 [...]. Liberū arbitriū cooperatur cu [...] gratia ad co [...]ersione peccatorū. i. Freewill worketh together with grace vnto the conuersion of a sinner. Papists beleeue and teach, that men are able, by vertue of thisConcil. Trident. sess. 6. can. 7. Si quis dixerit operae omnia quae ante iustificationē fiunt, verè peccata vel odiū Dei mere [...]i, &c. anathema sit. i. If any mā say yt al mens works, before iustification, are sins, & deserue Gods wrath, let him be accursed. And [...]et the A [...]ostle saith, Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23. & those which are not [...]stified, are ye children of wrath, Eph 2. Then which, what can be more opposite, I cānot see. former righteousnesse, to [Page 255] keepe the law, and to doe good works, which may stand righteous before Gods iudgement. But the Scripture doth most fullie and plainly confute their lies, whereas it teacheth, that not onlie not any man is righteous, but not any worke of manNamely, which is not of faith, Rom. 14.23. which is not wrought in the second righteousnesse. This se­cond kind of righteousnes, isIere. 23.6. & 33.16 1. Cor. 1.30. The per­fect righteousnesse fulfilled by Iesus Christ, giuē of God to bee our righte­ousnesse. Iehoua our righteous­nes, Iesus thatIoh. 1.29. Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world, who by vnitingIoh. 1.14. Philip. 2.6.7. Ignat. Mart. Epist. ad Ephes. Vnus est medi­cus noster, carnalis & spiritualis, factus & non factus: in homi­ne Deus, in morte vi­ta aeterna, ex Maria & ex Deo, primùm Passibilis, & tunc im­passibilis dominus no­ster Iesus Christus. Iren. libr. 3. cap. 20. Ostendimus quia non tunc coepit filius Dei existens semper apud patrem, sed quando incarnatus & homo factus, longam hominum expositionem in scipso recapi­tulauit, in compendie nobis salutem praestans, &c. Vigil. cont. Eutych. lib. 1. Ita verbum intra vir­genei vterisecreta carnis sibi intiae conseuisse, id est incarnatum fuisse, vt tamen verbi natura non mu­taretur in carnem. Item carnis naturamita per suscipientis cōmixtionem in verbi transijsse personam, vt non tamen fuerit in verbo consumpta: manet enim vtra (que) id est, verbi carnis (que) natura, & ex his du­abus hodie (que) manentibus, vnus est Christus vna (que) persona. the nature of man with the nature of God in one person, in him­selfe, which wasAthanas. in Symbol. Non conuersione diuinitatis in carnem, sed assumptione humanitatis in Deum; vnus omnino nō confusione substantiae, sed vnitae personae. i. Not by conuerting the godhead into flesh, &c. by taking the māhood into God: fulfilling also in thatChrysost. Hom. in Ioh. 1. Non enim verbi substantia in carnem transijs: hoc enim impietatis est vltimae; sed manens quod est, serui for­mam assumpsit. Ast. 20.28. 2. Cor. 5.19. Namely, in the humane nature vnited to the godhead, Galat. 4.4.5. Damasus Pap. Rom. lib. Synod. ad Paulin. Tom. 1. Concil. in vit. Damasi. Theodoret Histor. lib. 5. cap. 10. Si quis dixerit in crucis passione sustinuisse dolorem fibum dei, deitate, & non carne & a­nima rationali, quam assumpserit in forma serui, vt sacra aijt scriptura: Anathema esto. vnited nature, that perfect righteousnes which iustice of man required; and in­during that punishment which vnrighteousnes cō ­mitted did deserue;Isai. 10.22. Rom. 9.28. Iohn. 1.12. Iren. lib 3. cap. 20. Recapitulauit in scipso, in compendio nobis salutem prae­stans, vt quod perdideramus in Adam, in Christo Iesu reciperemus. gathered together as many as receiued himLuc. 7.30. &. 13.34. or would be gathered, and made them in himselfe the sonnes of God; whereby it commeth to passe, that they whichAct. 13.39. & 4.12. Rom. 10.13. cannot in thē ­selues be righteous, are made the righteousnes of God 2. Cor. 3.21. in him. Wherefore in that naturall righteousnes, no man is righteous before the Lord: but in this [Page 256] righteousnes giuen of God, both Noah, and manie other are righteous. Moreouer, for as much as this second righteousnesse is of the Lord, not of our selues, and wee notwithstanding remaine in our selues who are corrupted; it cannot be thatRom. 7.24.25. Matth. 26.41. August. de peccator. mer. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 7. Non enim ex quae hora quis (que) bap­tizatur, omnit vetus eius infirmitas absu­mitur; sed renouatio incipit à remissione omnium peccatorum. Hieronym. Dialog. contra. Pelag. libr. 1. Qui pa [...]lo ante dixerat, non quia iam accepi, aut iam perfectus sum, &c. Philip. 3.12. et simpliciter fatebatur se non esse perfectum: nanc quid sibi propriè denegabat, mittit in tarbam, iungitque se cum caeteris, & ait, quotquot sumus perfecti vers. 15. Ex quo perspi­cuum est, duas in scripturis sanctis esse perfectiones, duasque iustitias & duos timores. Primam perfectionem & incomparabilem virtutem perfectamque iustitiam. Dei virtutibus coaptandam. Se­cundam autem quae competit nostrae fragilitati, iuxta illud; non iustificabitur, &c. Psalm. 143.2. ad eam iustitiam quae non comparatione, sed Dei scientia dicitur esse perfecta. anie in this present life, although he be made righteous by this second righteousnes, should be free and vtterlie voide of his own vnrighteousnes. Whereof it com­meth to passe, that it may beIob. 1.1. & 9.20. Hieron. in Pelag. dialog. 1. Iob quoque & Zacharias & Elizabet iusti dicti sunt, secundum eam iustitiam, quae possit in iniustitiam aliquando mutari: & non secii lum illam quae nunquam mutari potest, de qua dicitur: ego Deus & non mutor. trulie, but in diuers respects, affirmed of euerie godlie man: hee is righ­teous; and of the same, he is not righteous: And of euerie godlie action, the best that a righteous manEccles. 7.22. that doth good and sinneth not. 1. Ioh. 3.9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not: Ergo, the workes of faithfull men being imperfect in themselues, are made perfect in Christ, that is to say, not imputed for sins, but haue bin punished in Christ. Isai. 46.6. Ioh. 15.1.2. &c. Rom. 7.22.23. which doctrine albeit it be blasphemed by Papists: Perer. Tom. in Gen. 2. cap. 6. Disp. 5. yet it is euident by Scripture, and confirmed by the Fathers, which in that sense affirme al mans righteousnes to be imperfect. August. Epist 29. Virtus est charitas, quia id quod diligēdum est diligitur, haec in alijs inaior, in alijs mi­nor, in alijs nulla est: plenissima verò quae iam non possit augeri, quam diu hic homo viuit est in ne­mine: quamdiu autem augeri potest, profecto illud quod minus est quam debet, ex vitio est: ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra. Hieron. contr. Pelag. lib. 2. Orabit ad te omnis sanctus, &c. Psal. 32. Si sanctus est quomodo orabit pro iniquitate? si iniquitatem habet, qua ratione sanctus appellatur? Iuxta illum videlicet modum, qui & in alio loco scribitur: septies cadit iustus & resurgit. Gregor. Moral. lib. 9. c. 1. Sanctus vir (Iob) quia omne virtutis nostrae meritū esse vitium conspicit, si ab interno arbitrio districtè iudicetur, rectè subiungit: si voluerit contendere cum eo. &c. Iob. 9.2. can worke, the same is righteous, and the same is not righteous before the Lord. The person is true­lie called righteous, because he is madeIohn. 15.5. Eph. 3.30 1. Ioh. 2.1. Gregor. Mor. lib. 8. cap. 23. Quantalibet iustitia polleant, nequaquam sibi ad inno­centiam velelecti sufficiunt, si in iudicio destricto iudicantur. a member [Page 257] of Iesus Christ the righteous, and is as truelie spiri­tuallie in him, andMatth. 17.5. Rom. 5.17.18. Galat. 3.16. To thy seede, not seedes: that is, to Christ & his Ch [...]h, one bo­die. B [...]za annot. ma­ior. in Galat. August. de peccat me­rit. & remiss. l [...]b. 1. cap. 28. Sicut omnes non m [...]rt [...]ntu [...] nisi in Adam, in quo omnes peccauerunt: ita ex his omnes omnino per­tinentes ad regenera­tionem, non vinisican­tur nisi in Christo, in quo omnes iustifican­tur. was in him in all his obedience and sufferings, as he was inRom 5.12. Heb 7.10. the flesh, in Adam, when Adam sinned. Neuerthelesse forasmuch as he remaineth in the sinfull flesh of Adam, heeIoh. 3.6. Rom. 7 14. can­not but be partaker of the sinfulnesse of flesh, in which respect the Scripture saith: If 1. Ioh. 1.8. he say he hath no sinne, he is a lyar, andAugust de peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 3. cap. 13. Veritas in eo non est non ob aliud nisi quia falsum pu­tat. sinneth in the same. So also the workes that the righteous doe performe, soVers. 5. Gen 8 21. far as they proceed from the nature of their flesh, areIob. 9. [...]1 & 14.4. foiled as in a pit of corruption, andIsai. [...]4 6. are as filthie clouts: but1 Cor. 6 11. they are washed, and sanctified, & clen­sed, thorough the merite of Iesus Christ, & are cast into the infinitnes of his desert,Micah. 7.19 as a stone into the bottome of the sea; so yt their vnrighteousnes, euē in the iudgmentIsai 44.22. of the Lord, is taken away. So taken away, not as thoghExod 34.7. 2. Chron. 19.7. their vnrighteousnes were not in themselues vnrighteousnes, or their imperfectiō no imperfectiō, or their transgression of the law no sin: but because that same vnrighteousnes, & imper­fectiō, & transgressionRom. 5.17. Bernard. Vox sanguinis Christi, &c. Nec dubium est, quin effi [...]acior & potentior sit vox Christi ad bonum quàm nostra peccata in malū. is counteruailed and ouer­prised, by the merit of Iesus Christ, with whō Iohn. 15.5. & 17.21. the faithfull are by faith made one, & therfore their sins notRom. 4.3.4. 2. Corinth. 5.19. imputed vnto thē. Insomuch, that albeit they sin through the corruptiō of the flesh, in which they are; yet they are2. Corinth. 5.21. Philip. 3 9. perfectlie righteous in the iudge­ment of the Lord, thorough the merite of Iesus Christ in whom they are. Yet their sinne is not ac­counted righteousnes, but sinne; more then an vn­godlie Infidell is counted iust: but as God doth iu­stifie the sinner, neither in, nor for his sinne,Iob. 33.24. Isai. 53.45.10. Rom. 3.24.25. but [Page 258] for the satisfaction and desert of Christ, which iRom. 3.24. Ephes 2.9. Tit. 3.5. giuen without desert vnto the sinner, and of him receiuedIoh. 1.12. & 6.35. by his faith; so the worke albeit imper­fect, is counted perfect, neither as though it were perfect in it selfe, nor in that it is imperfect, but in thatPhilip. 4.18.19. Coloss. 2.10. When both our imperfe­ctions are taken a­way, and also the righteousnesse and merite of Christ is made ours by faith. Micah. 7.19. 1. Cor. 1.30. the imperfection thereof is aboundantlie re­paired and filled vp, by the perfection of the worke of Satisfaction of Iesus Christ. Therefore also no worke of manLuc. 17.10. Rom. 6.23. Ephes. 2.9. August. epist. 105. Quae igitur sua merita tactaturus est liberatus, cui si dig­na suis meritis redde­rentur, non esset nisi damnatus? Gregor. lib. 9. Moral. cap. 1. doth merite any thing at the hand of God, but death; because in man it is defiled, by the naturall defiling of the flesh: notwithstanding being purged, by the blood of Christ, who hath for vs fullie deseruedHeb. 9.12.14. eternall happines, the same work which of it selfe deserueth nothing, shall for his sake be crownedMatth. 25.35. 2. Tim. 4.8. August. in Psalm 70. Nihiles per te: Deum inuoca: tua peccata sunt, merita Dei sunt: supplicium tibi debetur, & cum praemium venerit, sua do­na coronabit non merita tua. Idem epist. 105. Nullane igitur sunt merita iustorum? sunt plane, quia iusti sunt (hoc est, quia in Christo sunt iusti, cuius meritum est ipsorum) sed vt iusti fierent, me­rita non fuerunt. Contrarium statuit Tridentina Synodus: Si quis dixerit hominis iustificati bona o­pera ita esse dona Dei, vt non fiat etiam bona ipsius iustificati meritae, &c. Anathema sit. Christo igi­tur retractāda sententia, Luc. 17.10. quin imo vlteritòs ausi sunt imponere Pelio Ossam: Siquis (aiunt) iustification, bonis operibus que ab eo per Dei gratiam & Iesu Christi meritum, cuius membrum vi­uum est. fiunt, non verè mereri augmentum gratiae, vitam aeternam, & gloriae augmentum: Anathe­ma sit. Ibid. can. 32. Pet. a Soto. & Andrad. Defens. Trident. Syn. lib. 4. In expositione, addunt ex debito promereri. Caietan. in prim. se [...]und. quaest. 114. art. 3. Docet opera bona iustorum esse meritoria vitae aeternae, ex condigno, ratione operis, etiamsi nulla extares diuina conuentio. Bellarm. Tom. 3 contr. 3. part. 2. lib. 5. cap. 17. Dicit ex condigno, ratione pacti & operis simul. with euerlasting reward, and in this lifeProu. 11.31. doth obtaine a recompence, being performedColoss. 1.9.10. And whatsoeuer is not of the commandement is not of faith; whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne, Rom. 14.23. in faith, with true obedience. Noah therefore is truelie righteous, albeit it be also true, that none is righteous. He is called righteous, not that hee was free from eitherPsal. 51.5. It is not spoken of one man, but of mankind. August. de peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 14. Item Isai. 48.8. naturall corruption, which his ancestorsGen. 5.3. Seth and Adam were partakers of, orPro. 20.9. Eccles. 7.22. actuall transgression, which are theIam. 1.15. fruits of the [Page 259] same corruption, from which noneIam. 3.2. 1. Ioh. 1.8. August. de peccat. me­rit. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 14. De ijs qui di­uinartem scripturarū testimonijs, in bona voluntate atque acti­bus iustitiae praedicati sunt at (que) laudati, om­nes magni, omnes iu­sti, omnes veraciter laudabiles sūt, sed sine peccato aliquo nō sunt. of the faithfull in this life can be exempted: but righteous in his ge­neration saith the Scripture, thereby not onlie shew­ing the praise of Noah, Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 23. Bene agere inter virtutis horles, maius virtutis pondus testatur. that in the middest of so mischieuous a nation, hee preserued his soule from their vncleannes: but also limiting his righteousnes as notAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 26. Non vti (que) sicut perficiendi sunt ciues ciuitatis Dei in ilia immortali­tate, qua aequal untur angei [...]s Dei, sed sicut esse possunt in hac pe­regrinatione perfecti. simplie to be free from sinne, but as he could be perfect in this pilgrimage. Notwithstanding hee was righteousGen. 7.1. in the sight of God: not inPsalm. 143.2. & 130 3. him­selfe, in the seueritie of iustice; but yet byMat. 3.17. & 17.5. imputa­tion & giuing vnto him the righteousnes of Christ, (which he receiued by faith) euen in the seueritie of iustice. In somuch that hee was ( [...] tsedek ta­mim) perfect righteous, before the Lord, both in re­spect that his will, by the grace of God, was sancti­fied1. King. 11.4. 1. Chron. 29.9.17. Act. 11.23. with a purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord; which willCyprian lib de Exhort. ad Martyriū c. 12. Nec soles anima luc [...]sot & intersectos diuinae pollicitationis manent premia, sed etiā si ipsa passio fidelibus desit, sine damno tēporis merces iudice Deo redditur; in perse ut [...]oue militia, in pace conscientiae coronat [...]r. Ambros. Comment. in Luc. cap. 9. Deus non obsequ [...]orum [...]peciem sed puritatem querit affectus. the Lord accepteth for perfor­mance, through Iesus Christ: And also in regard that hisGalat. 3.27. Philip. 3.9. Reuel. 6.11. person was wholie clothed with the righ­teousnes of Christ, whereby hee being vnperfect, was made perfect by hisIoh. 1.16. Rom. 4.3. [...] 5.8. In this point Papists, as it were opposing themselues against the Scripture, race the foundation of iustification that is, of faith and saluation, denying in most manifest words, that mans iustification consisteth in the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ. Bellarm. [...]om. 3. [...] 1 [...]. partic. 2. lib. 2. cap. 7. Iustificationem non consistere in imputatione iustitiae Christi. Notwithstanding that the Scriptures doe so plentifully testifie it, Gen. 15.6. Psalm. 32.2. Ie [...]. 23.6. Lu [...]. 18.13. Act. 13.39. Ioh. 15.3.4. 1. Ioh. 2. [...]. [...]: the Apostle doe so plainly expound it, Rom. 1.2, 4, 5, 6. &c. 1. Cor. 1.30. Ephes. 1.4. and the same is the only gate of mans true happines, and of eternall life by Christ. But wee referre this to Gen. 15. vers. 6. perfection, and all his im­perfectionsMicah. 7 19. were buried, as in the bottome of the Sea. A heauenlie comfort, for weake distressed con­sciēces, [Page 260] For in Noah, thou maiest see thy selfe called righteous, by the Lord, (if so be thou wilt receiue by faith the righteousnes of Christ) although thou be clothed with sinfull flesh. And although thou hast many imperfections, suchGen. 9.21. as there were in Noah; yet by the ful satisfaction of Christ, in whom thou doest beleeue, they are fullieIerem. 31.34. Act 10.43. pardoned, and taken away. And albeit thy conscience doe accuse thee of want in euerie worke, so that thou darest not offer itIob 9.32. & 10.15. as righteous before the Lord, much lesse demandLuc 17.10. As the Papists presumptu­ously doe, by merite of condignitie. A­quin. Prim. Secund. quaest. 114. artic 2. The same doth the Councell of Trent confirme, albeit in coloured wordes: Sess. 6. can. 32. Item Aquin. prim. Secund. q. 114. artic. 8. & 9. of him the wages & merite of the same; yet remēber thou with Noah, that thyColoss. 3. [...]. righteous­nes is hid with Christ in God, and he is thy perfecti­on, of whom the Lord hath said,Matth. 17.5. in him I am well pleased: Matth. 9.13. Ioh. 9.39.41. Heare, receiue, and mixe with faith. Heb. 4.3. heare him. Obser. 1. Although by nature1. King. 8 46. Rom. 3.23. & 5.12. we all are sinners, yet euerie one thatIoh. 3.16 36. All true beleeuers, and only beleeuers. beleeueth isIsai. 55.1. Rom. 3 24. freelie, andAct. 4.12. Heb. 7.25.26. Psal. 32.2. 2. Cor. 5.19. fullie iustified, by the imputation of the righteousnes of Christ through faith. Second­lie, a single heart, which truely doth trust in God,Psal. 15.2. & 24.4. is an vndoubted token of a godlie man. Thirdlie, the Lord in punishing and shewing mercieGen. 18.25. Ezech. 34.17.30. Matth. 25.32. will make a perfect difference betweene the righteous, and the wicked.

CHAP. VII.

Question 1. verse 2. What meaneth this that the Lord putteth difference betweene the beastes, cal­ling some cleane, and some vncleane, seeing that they were all created good, and therefore cleane? And how was the same distinction obserued of Noah?

GOD in the Creation made all the creaturesGen. 1.31. Arnob. in Psalm. 139. Malus enim per crea­turam nec ipse est di­abolus. exceeding good, and nothing euill or vncleane among them, nei­ther is there any beastAct. 10.15. Rom. 14.14. 1. Cor. 10.25. Fulgent. de Praedest. cap. 18. Sic Deus ratio­nali creaturae magis voluit inesse bonum, vt etiam infimae crea­turae nullum inesset substantialiter malum. which in his nature or substance is vncleane. Neuerthelesse as hee made them all forGen. 9.2 3. Psalm. 8.6. & 115.16. Ambros. de Noa & Arca cap. 10 Rationis expertia non propter se, sed propter hominem generata sunt animalia. the speciall vse of man; so also, and thatLeuit. 11.44.45. Iren. libr. 5. Praedixit autem figuraliter omnia haec lex de animalibus delineans hominem. Qui in patrem & filium per filem firmiter faciunt, haec est enim firmitat eorum quae dupli­ci sunt vngula: & eloquia Dei meditantur die & nocte, vti operibus bonis adornentur: hac est enim ruminantium virtus. onelie for his vse, hee doth distinguish them. Hee taught [Page 262] the Israelites this doctrine, and shewedLeuit. 11.1. Deut. 14.4. &c. them the difference betweene the cleane beastes, and vncleane: but it wasIustin. Martyr. Dial. cum Triffon. Vt etiam inter edendum & bi­bendum ob oculos vo­bis versaretur Deus. for their instruction and furtherance in faith, not for the nature of the beasts, or anie euill propertie inherent in them, which the Lorde himselfe doth signifie when as hee saith; not these are vncleane, but these shall bee vncleane vnto you. The swine was called vn­cleaneLeuit. 11.7. because hee cheweth not the end, which is notAugust. contr. Fau­stum. lib. 6. cap. 7. Im­mundum quippe illud animal in lege positū est, quod non ruminet: nō autem hoc eius vi­tium sed natura est. Sunt autem homines, qui per hoc animal significantur immun­di, proprio vitio non natura, quicunque li­benter audiunt verba sapientiae, postea de his omnino non cogi­tant. a fault, but nature in the beast: but be­cause men doe imitatePsal. 32.9. 2. Pet. 2.22. or rather exceede their beastlie qualities, heeTertul. lib. de Cibis Iudaic. Proficere autē poterant, intellecto plus in hominibus vi­tia sugienda, quae lex damnasset etiam in pecoribus. Nam quando irrationale animal ob aliquid [...]eijcitur, magis illud ipsum in eo qui rationalis est homine damnatur. sheweth the beastes, as examples vnto men, and condemneth them for warning sake, which otherwise in their nature are1. Tim. 4.4. Tertul. lib. de Cibis Iudaic. Credendū est, quic­quid est à Deo institu [...]um, mundum esse; & ipsa instit [...]tionis author [...]tate purgation, neque culpan­dum, ne in authorem culpae reuocetur. cleane and good. Furthermore the Lorde would make this differenceIust. n. Martyr. Dial [...]. [...]um Triffon. Vt vobis ob oculos ver­saretur Deus, promptis admodum & proclutibus ad deficiendum à notione eius: prout Moses quo (que) in­quit: edit Iacob & saturatus est, & impineuatu [...], & recal [...]itrauit dilectus. Deut. 32. for the practise of obedience, as heeGen. 2.17. forbad Adam the tree of knowledge. AlsoTertul in Marcion. lib. 2. Vt si lex aliquid d [...]cibi [...] [...]trahit, & immunda pronunciat animalia, quae aliquando benedicta sunt, consilium exerc [...]nd [...] [...]onti [...]entiae intelli e, & fraer [...]os impositos illi [...]ule ac­nosce, quae cum panem ederet [...]n [...]elor [...]m, cucume [...] & p [...]po [...]e, Ae [...]tiorum deside [...]at. to put a bridle to the vnrulie ap­petite of men, he required thereby temperance, and frugalitie in meates. Againe, by sparingnes of food toTertul. ibid. Proinde vt pecuniae ardor res [...] ingueretur ex parte [...]ua de victus necessitate causatur, pr [...]ti [...]so­rum ciborum ambitio detracta est. Hieron. contr loum lib. 2. T [...]lle epularum [...] bidinis luxu [...]i [...]m, nemo quaeret diuitias. quench the thirst and desire of monie,1. Tim. 6.10. the roote of euill; and perhaps no lesse toTertul. contr. Mar [...]ion lib. 2. Vt facilius homo ad [...]e [...]u­nandum Deo formaretur, paucis & non gloriosi [...] assu [...] sectu [...], & nihil de lantioribus esu i [...]rus. Basil. Hom. de iciunio. Chrysostom. Hom. 1. in Gen. Paul [...]ti n inducebantur, neque delicijs va are permittebantur. lead [Page 263] them as it were to the vse of fasting, wherein they were commaunded to humble their soules. But chiefly to stirre vp theirIren. libr. 4. cap. 28. Praestruens eos perse­uerare & seruire Deo. per ea quae erant se­cunda ad prima ad­uocans. Calu. in Leuit. 20 25. Atque haec ratio dili­genter notanda est, discrimen inter Cibos illis proponi vt puri­tati studeant. zeale, to maintaine the pu­ritie of true religion, hee perpetuallieGen 15.9. Leuit. 1.2. ex analogia. forbad cer­taine creatures to be offered, & that no moe should be had in vse of religion, then God allowed for that purpose. And lastlie, to confirme theirDeut. 8.3.4.5. Psal. 145.13. & 123.2. daylie ex­pectation of his fatherlie protection, who when hee in a sort withdraweth the aboundance of the earth, because it pleaseth him; yet hee sendeth store ofPsalm. 78.25. The foode of Angels in stead of the food of Aegypt. better things in place, & addeth his promise there­unto: I Leuit 26.5. Heb. 13.5. will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee. Wee read indeed, that this was seriouslie commaunded to the Israelites, and euery creatureLeuit. 11.3. &c. diligently described, to the end they might perfectlie know the diffe­rence: but no such commandement is remembred to be laid vpon the fathers, before the dayes of Mo­ses; neither is it likelie thatGen. 9.3. Iustin. Mart. Dialog. cum Triff. anie such was giuen. Wherefore it may be doubted, through this diffe­rence which the Lord maketh here to Noah, whe­ther some creatures were not by nature in them­selues vncleane, seeing the same distinction of clean­nes is not made in respect of food (of which none were as yet permitted to be eaten) but onelie for the vse of sacrifice. Which obiection isGen. 1.31. Act. 10.15. Rom. 14.14. 1. Tim. 4.4. fullie answe­red by the word of God: wherin is plainely taught, that all the creatures in themselues are good, and none to be esteemed polluted or vncleane: neither is the reason in any sort auaileable to proue it other­wise; for neither did that limitation of beasts for sa­crifice, make the nature of the rest vncleane, which were not permitted to be offered: neither doth the [Page 264] Lord at this time make this differenceContra. Lyraenum in Gen. & Perer. in Gen. T [...]m. 2. lib. 11. Disp. 2. Non igitur quantum ad cibum sed tantum­modo quantum ad ritum & vsum sacrifi­ciorum. onlie in re­spect of sacrifice, although the eating of flesh were not yet allowed; but alsoChrysost. Hom. 24. in Gen. Considera quomodo in nonnullis locis, ab aliquibus abstinent aliqui vt im­mundis, & non proba­ti [...]ali [...] [...]illi [...] ipsis ves­cuntur, consuctudine se ad hoc ind [...]cente: sic & tunc quoque e­rat. in respect of eating flesh, which shortlie after hee did purpose to permit, in which men by naturall instinct, & the very guide of sense & reasō, doAs we make diffe­rence betweene beefe & horse flesh, betweene Conies and Cats, betweene Hares and Foxes without a schoole­m ister. discerne of beasts, which are good for meat, & doe count ye rest as it were vncleane. But one will say, it was hard for Noah to know the diffe­rence of the flesh of beasts, which neuer tasted anie: & for vs as hard to know, which he accounted good for meat, seeing in respect of the situatiō of coūtries, & theFor the constituti­on of mens bodies, followeth greatlie the qualitie of the ayre in which they liue: in which respect Galen was wont to say that he prescribed diet no more to Germanes and Britaines, than to Lions & Beares, viz. because of the difference of their countrie, frō theirs to whom he prescribed. qualities of mens bodies in regard therof; of cretures few or none there are vpō the earth, which may beThe inestimable goodnesse and wisedome of Gods prouidence is manifest in this. thought vnholsome for the vse of foode. For it is not of light or vaine authoritie, but affir­med vnto vs by manie witnesses, that theHieron. contra Iouinian. Arabes & Saraceni, & omnis eremi barbaria, camelorum lacte & carnibus viuit, quia huiusmodi animal pro temperie & sterilitate regionum facile apud eos & gignitur & nutritur. Ara­bians feede on Camels flesh: theWhich euen by the law of Moses were counted cleane, Leuit. 11.21.22. and were Iohn Baptists common foode, Matth. 3. and yet of vs they are esteemed vncleane, loathsome and vnholesome. Hie­ron. contra Iouin. lib. 2. Orientales locustis vesci moris est. Strabo de situ orb. lib. 16. Vinunt ex locusti [...], quas verni Libes & Zephiri vehementius flautes, in ea loca compellunt. Item Plutarch. in Sympos. Aristoph. in Acarnens. Plin. & alij. people of the East, and of Libya, on Grashoppers: theHieron. contra Iouin. lib. 2. Asri etiam lacertis viri­dibus vesci soleant. Syrians and Africans, haue Lizards or Neuts for daintie fare: those ofHieron. ibid. In Ponto & Phrygia vermes albos & obesos, qui nigello capito sunt, & nascuntur in lignorum carie pro magnis redditibus pater familias exigit. Pontus and Phrygia count wormes that breed in rottennes of trees as delicate: theHieron. ibid. Sar­matae, Quadi, Vandali, & innumerabiles aliae gentes equorum & vulpium carnibus delectantur. Sar­matians and Vandals feede on horses and wolues: [Page 265] the Nomades Salust. in Bello In­gur [...]h. Getuli & Li­bes, queis cibus erat caro ferina atque hu­mi pabulum vti pe­coribus. Strabo de Situ Orb. lib. 16. Beyond the citie Sabe, is the ci­tie Daraba where they hunt Elephāts, and those do dwell which doe eate Ele­phants: their man­ner of hunting is in this sort. When an heard commeth in the woods, they e­spie them from the top of some tree, then commeth one priuily behinde thē (for none so great a multitude dareth to set vpon them) and suddēly cutteth the sinewes of the hind­most. Other shoote at thē with arrowes dipped in the blood of a Serpent Other also doe marke out that tree where against the Elephant doth vse to rest; and cutting it halfe in sunder on the contrarie side, when the beast commeth to leane against it againe, he falleth ouer with the tree and all: then, for that he cannot rise againe, because the legges of Elephants are of one bone without ioynts, and cannot be bended, they come downe which haue watched him, and doe hew him to peeces. of Africk, on lions and beares: thePlin. lib. 6. cap. 10. Hieron. lib. 2. cont. Io­uin. Syri cro [...]odilis terrenis vesci soleant. Strabo de situ orb. lib. 17. Egyptians on crocodiles: thePlin. lib. 6. cap. 39. Quos O­phiophagos vocat: alios Galenus [...]. Indians on serpents. Seeing therefore as yetTertul. lib de cibis Iudaici [...]. Postea vsus carnium accessit, diuina gratia humanis necessitatibus competentia ciborum genera oportunit temporibus porrigente. &c. no libertie was giuen of eating the flesh of any creature, which when it was permitted, was giuen without restraint, whereby all creatures were lawfull to be eaten, and few can be named, which were notAs appeareth by testimonie, and also by experience. receiued vnto food; of which, this or that kindChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 24. Considera quomodo, &c. Hierom. contra Iouin. lib. 2. Compelle Phrygen & Ponticum vt locu­stam comedat, nefas putabit. Coge Syrum & Arabem vt vermes ponticos glutiat: ita eos despiciet, vt muscas & millepedas & lacertos. which to one was cleane, to another nation was coūted as vncleane; how can it be discerned, which in this place are counted cleane, and receiued by seuens into the Arke? To this is answered: that by the name of cleane beasts,Theodoret. qurst. in Gen. 50. Nam cum hominibus esses permissu­rus manducare carnes, & homines pij sacrificature essent illis, maiorem numerum mundorum animaliū custodiri iussit. Beda has esse species asserit quae Iudaeis postea mundae habebantur. are meant the same which afterward were permit­ted to the Iewes to eate: which is manifest, both be­causeGen. 15.9 & 22.13. those kindes were euer counted cleane for sacrifice; and also if any other had bin meant, then wereLeuit. 11.1. afterward expressed by name in Scripture, the holie Ghost would doubtlesse haue described them, either by their names or properties, for the better vnderstanding of the Church. And Noah did well perceiue the meaning of this distinction, bothChrys. in Gen. 27 Quia Deus qui praeceperat, idē & scire ea manifesta fecit. because he which gaue this differēce, taught [Page 266] him the meaning of the same; and also by naturall iudgement,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 24. Qua de cau­sa (dic oro) asinum immundum censemus quamu [...] le [...]umini­bus tantum pascatur, alia autem qua [...]upe­dia cibo conuenientia putamus, etiamsi im­mundo paescantur ali­mento. knowing what beasts were more con­uenient for food then other. Neither needed hee to haue respect to all places of the world, but onely to those beasts, which were mostSic & Glossa vulg. Immunda vocat quae homini non adeo fue­runt necessaria, & ho­rum numerum restri­ctiorem fuisse dicit. necessarie, most profitable, and mostSuch as the cere­moniall law adiud­ged cleane. Ergo, God gaue vnto the Israelites the best & most profitable, the rest which were prohibited were not so necessarie, yea not necessarie for that people and that time. generallie to be vsed of the world, hauing principall regard vnto the place wherein he liued, which isFor there Adam both liued, and died: as Origen would teach by tradition, in Matth. tract. 35. Venit ad me traditio, &c. & Hieron. epist. ad Mar­cell. Mensurā charitas, &c. Item ad Eustochium virgin. Epitaph. Paulae. & August. Serm. de temp. 71. buried either in Caluarie or in Hebron. It may be true, but it is not necessarie to be belee­ued. thought to be the land after giuen for possession vnto Abraham, or at least wise, not farre distant from the same. So that this difference here made of beasts, is in respect ofTheodoret. quest. in Gen. 50. Nam cum hominibus esset permissurus, &c. con­ueniencie of food, not onlie for religious sacrifice; and their vncleannes which the Scripture speaketh of, to be esteemedCaluin. in Le­uit. 11.1. Tenendum est, sanctos ante legem dictante naturae sensu, sponte refugisse quosdam cibos: sicut hodie nemo lupos aut leones venabitur ad carnes eorum edendas. vnsauorines, or hardnes of their flesh, not any defect in the goodnesse of their kind. Wherefore those that forSicut Marcionitae, Gnostici, & Manichaei. Epiphan. Haeres. 42. Docet enim hic animatis non vesci, pronuncians esse iudicij eos qui car­nem edunt, velut qui animam edunt. August. de morib. Manichaeorum lib. 2. cap. 17. Homicidium vos dicitis occidere animalia. religions sake, count beasts vncleane; or vnder any colour of authoritie of holy Scripture, commaund abstinence frō meats, for conscience sake, and not for ciuill vsesThis difference is to be vnderstood betweene the Princes lawes and the Popish canons concerning fasting and abstinence from meates. The ciuill Magistrate forbiddeth flesh, not for conscience of daies and times, but for the increase of the creatures and benefit of the publike wealth: he that heareth him not, resisteth the ordinance of God: the other forbiddeth them as vncleane, or for conscience sake (when as yet they are not by Gods law forbidden, but so farre foorth as they are forbidden by the Magistrate, whom men ought in conscience to obey) albeit they confesse they are not forbidden by the law of God, but by the Church. Bellarm. Tom. 3. contr. 3. part. 3. lib. 2. cap. 4. Non alia de causa nisi quia placuit Ecclesia prohibere. Idem cap. 7. Sententia communis totius Ecclesiae Catholicae; quae legibus ieiuniorum obligari homines in conscientia docet. onelie; [Page 267] asHerodot. in Clio. Ba­bylomorum tres sunt familie, quae nullo alio nisi piscibus victitāt. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. the Babylonians and Iewish hypocrites were wont to doe from flesh, theEuseb. de praeparat. Euang. lib. 6. Indians from fish, theLaert. lib. 8. in vitae Pythagorae. Cic. de di­uin. lib. 1. Py­thagorians from beanes and pease, theEx decret. Gregor. 1. Pape. & Gratian. distinct. 5. de consecrat. Diebus Sabbatorum. Item. Monacho carnem gustare non licet. Mantuan. Fastor. lib. 2. Polidor Virgil. de inuent. lib. 6. cap. 6. Cum ieiu­namur primùm à carne; & à quocun (que) ciborum genere quod sapiat carnem, sicut sunt lac, cascus, ona, authore diuo Gregorio, abstinendum est. Idem faciunt & Turci, Alcoran. cap. 2. papists in their holieConcil. Moguntin. cap. 34. De quatuor temporibus obseruandis. Ember daies. Respons. Nicholas. 1. Papae ad consult. Bulgar. cap. 4. Tom. Concil. 3. Quadragesimali videlicer tempore, item 4. temporibus, sexta seria omnis hebdomadae, & in cunctis vigilijs insignium festiuitatum, à carnium vsu cessandum: qui verò dicbus quadragessimae esum carnium praesumpserit attentare, non solum reus erit resurrectionis Dominicae, ve­rum etiam alienus ab eiusdem diei sancta communione. Concil. Toletan. 8. cap. 9. times from butter, cheese, egges, milke and flesh: they doeSueton lib. 4. cap. 26. Non nunquam horreis praeclusis, populo samem indixit. with Caligula, proclaime a fa­mine without a scarcitie, by shutting vp mens barnes and store, and by their traditions1. Tim. 4.1.3. Ignat. ad Philadelph. Si quis Deum & Christum confiteatur, & cibos aliquos immundos putet, talis apostatam illum draco­nem in se habitantem souet. Concil. Gangrens. can. 2. Si quis carnem manducantem ex fide, cum re­ligione, praeter sanguinem, & idolo immolatum & suffocatum, crediderit condemnandum, tanquam spem non habentem, qui eas manducat; anathema sit. Prosper. de vita contemplat. lib 2. cap. 17. Primasius in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 14. De ieiunio non est lex posita. Theodoret. Epitom. diuin. dogmat. cap. vlt. De abstinentia à vino aut ab esu carnium, &c. eiusdem abstinentiam non similiter ac hareti­ci amplectimur: nam neque Ecclesia, eorum prohibet participationem: Et ideo alij permissis à lege bo­nis securi fruimur. alij verò ab ijs abstinent; nullus autem qui sapit & recte sentit, condemnat eum qui comedit. Et hoc ex Apostoli legibus probat oportere. trans­gresse Gods ordinance.

Question 2. verse 2. Wherefore the Lord commaunded Noah, to receiue the beasts into the Arke, & why there were preserued more of the cleane beasts then of the vncleane: also how ma­nie of euerie sort did enter?

THe cause is manifest, and expressed in the text:Vers. 3. to keepe seede aliue vpon the earth. Such was the fiercenesse of the wrath of God, against the sinnes of that wicked world, as that the Lord, when hee was constrained to take venge­ance of their vngodlines, could notChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 17. Et merito, nā quia propter hominem producta (terra) est, ideo & propter homi­nem maledicta. &c. Ambros. de Noa & Arca. cap. 10. ratio­nes reddit. 1. Sicut in bello cum imperator ab hoste occiditur, cō ­moritur eius exerci­tus, sic iustè cum peri­ret homo, &c. 2. Sicut cum caput inter mem­bra moritur, omnia commori necesse est. 3. Quia non propter se, sed propter homi­nem: ergo cum dele­retur homo, conuenient erat, vt pari dele­rentur occasu. in iustice but punish the vnreasonable creatures for their sakes,Lactan. lib 2. cap 11. Alia nimirum ad ci­ [...]o [...], alia ad vestimen­ta, &c. Cicer. Tus [...]ul. quaest. li [...]r. 1. which were created for their vse, as though they had beene partakers of their offences. But foras­much as the Lord was determined not vtterlie to destroy the race of manMatth. 24.22. for his Elect sake, and the comming of our Sauiour in the flesh: it was also necessarie, that a seed of the creatures should be re­serued, that the vse of them might remaine to man. And although the Lord were able, as at the first, with the breath of his mouth to haue againe created them, yet being created alreadieGen. 1.31. exceeding good, in their seuerall kind, it was more conuenientNum [...]. 14.16. for the honour of their creatour, that in their first crea­tion they should not wholie perish. And sith that the preseruing of the creatures was onelie to keepe seed aliue, it is vnnecessarie to demaund, whether of euerie kind of creature, there were some preser­ued [Page 269] in the Arke, seeing that it is manifest that some creatures needed not such preseruation for genera­tion sake. For of Fishes (which wereVers. 22. not destroy­ed, eyther because they wereAuthor. de Mirab. Sacra Scrip. in oper. August. libr. 1. cap. 4. Aquatilia enim male­dicti vindictae non suc [...]umbunt, quia in maledictionis partici­patione non sunt: & non participant, quia non sunt terrae parti­cipes, quae maledicta fuit. Terra autem non aqua maledicta, quia Adam haius nō illiu [...] fructum vetitum co­medit: Ista ratio an satis valida sit, lector viderit; & num aquā & coelos sub terrae nomine maledixerit, quaerat à Scripturis, 2. Pet. 3.7. ab expe­rientia, & à nostris, cap. 3. quast. 13. farther separat from the sinnes of men, as it were deuided from them by the element of waters, or for some other cause in the good pleasure of the Lord) it was vtterlie need­lesse to preserue any in the Arke, as also of such crea­tures which liue as well [...], ancipites bestiae, idem. de mirab. libr 1. cap. 4. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 27. Non fuerat necesse conser­uare in Arca, quae pos­sent in aquis viuere, non solum mersa sicut pisces, verum etiam supernatantia vt multa alites. in the water as on the land, as Otters, sea wolues, water soules, and water ser­pents, and if there be any other of the same conditi­on: so likewise of those that doe not breed by gene­ration, asWhich are not bred in their owne kind, as we shall (God willing) shew more at large in the 36. chapter, notwithstanding which, report is that Mules doe sometime breed, as Sueton. in vit. Galbae. cap. 4. but it is counted a matter of great admiration. Theophrastus affirmeth, they doe ordinarilie bring forth in Syria: Of flies, &c. Aristotle writeth, Histor. animal. libr. 6. cap. 19. and our owne experience sheweth sufficiently. mules, flies, and certaine kindsPlutarch auoucheth, that sometime they are bred of the [...]arrow of men. Baptista Deo in vit. Mar [...]ini. [...]. Pap. reporteth, that a great serpent was found in a sepulchre of stone so close, as that by no meanes he might seeme to take aire. of ser­pents, which being wholie perished might be resto­red in other creaturesAs Mules are ingen­dred of an Horse and a shee Asse: which is commonly knowne. which were preserued. But of those creatures which proceed by generation, and haue their whole abode vpon the drie land, it is thought of some not possible, that they should be gathered together in the Arke, that they could be together preserued in the same, or that the Arke was sufficient to containe so manie creatures. For answere whereunto, we are first to obserue out of the text, that the Lord doth not lay that labour vp­on Noah, to take all these beastes and foules, and to keepe them in the Arke, butGen 6.19. & 7.3. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 23 Non ea Noe capta intromittebat, sed venientia & intrantia admittebat. Ad hoc enim vales quod dictum est, intrabunt ad te: non scriicet industria hominis, sed Dei nutu. onelie to giue them [Page 270] entrance at their comming, which came vnto him of their owne accord. So that it was the mightie power of God, which at the first created them, that gathered them together vnto Noah; and the faith of Noah was an instrument of much more value, then all the nets and toyles, that might be thought suffi­cient. AndCaluin. in Gen. 7. the same instinct of the will of God was it, that made the beasts returne vnto theIsai. 11.6. Basil. Hexam. Hom. 11. Etiam vultures cyg­norum more viue­bant, &c. Beda & Alij. leni­tie of their first creation, so that the fiercest of them, meekelie, not onlie submitted themselues to Noah, and receiued theGen. 6.21. food at his hands which he gaue vnto them, but also suffered the most weake in o­ther kinde, to remaine beside them without hurt or feare. And no meruaile if wee looke into the origi­nall of them, which were not createdProu. 16.4. Basil. Hexam. 11. Nobis enim & bestijs, & volatili­bus coeli, & omnibus feris, terrae fructus da­ti sunt; atque hec om­nia animantia legi naturae subiecta fruc­tibus nutriebantur. to deuour one another, but to glorifie the Lord, as now most notablie in the Arke they doe, and to do seruice vn­to men, wherein it is onelie the sinnes of man that hath caused themBasil. Hexam. 11. Postquam autem ho­mo dietam transgres­sus est, permisit domi­nus vt carnibus ves­cerentur. Hac permis­sione, etiam reliqua a­nimalia libertatem e­dendi acceperunt; ex illo tempore de caetero cruda vorat Leo, ex illo vultures expec­tant morticinia. Damascen. Ortho­dox. libr. 2. cap. 10. Omnia ante trans­gressionē homini sub­dita, & ad manum parentia erant. so greatlie to degenerate. But was not the Arke of sufficient measure to containe them? Who can looke with indifferent iudgement in to the description of the same, and so affirme? A­pelles that infamous heretike, groslie blasphemedOrigen. in Gen. Hom. 2. Apelles dum assig­nare cupit scripta Mo­si nihil in se diuinae sapientiae, nihil (que) operis sancti spiritus continere; exagitat huiusmodi dicta, & di­cit, nullo modo fieri potuisse, vt tam breue spatium tot animalium genera eorumque cibos qui per totum annum sufficerent, capere potuisset. this place of Scripture, nouncing both his faith, and the truth of this historie; and to set a colour vp­on his blasphemie, would needs vnderstand the text of a double number, as though fourteene of the cleane beasts, and foure of euerie other kinde had bin said to be receiued: which alsoIustin. Mart. in quaest. Orthodox q. 43. Verius locutus est, qui quatuor & quatuordecim, &c. Origen. Hom. 2. in Gen. Contra Apellem disputans, in numero non contradicit. Lira. in Gen. 7. Oleaster in Gen. in eodem consentiunt. some other [Page 271] writers haue bin deceiued in. And to answere this obiection, someOrigen. Hom. 2. in Gen. Atebant sapten­tes viri & hebraica­rum traditionū gna­ri, quod Moses, qui vs de eo Scriptura testa­tur, omni sapientia Aegyptiorum fuerat eruditus, secundum artem Geometricam, quam praecipuè Ae­gyptij callent cubito­rum numerum hoc lo­co posuisse: apud Geo­metras enim secundū eam rationem quae a­pud eos virtus voca­tur, ex solido vel qua­drato vel in sex cubi­tos vnus deputatur. August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 27. Orige­nes non ineleganter astruxit. &c. Idem in Gen. quest. 4. interpreters would vnderstand, these cubits to be Geometricall, containing sixe cu­bits of common measure: other,Hugo de St. Victore. libr. de Arca Noae. Quasi cubitum sacrum, ant quod viridicitur. Deut. 3.11. that they did con­taine the double, or one & an halfe of common cu­bits. But the Scripture doth not warrant such expo­sition, butFor what a monster had Og bin and Goliah, and the rest, if the Scripture had spoken of any such double or sixe fold measure, and not of common Cubites? Notwithstanding, we must remember, that the standing measure of a cubite, did something differ, like as our Eng­lish measures doe in diuers places. Herodot. in Clio. calleth one the Regius cubitus, the Kings cubit, which said he, was three inches longer then the common cubite. Likewise in Euterpe, he maketh mention of the cubite of Aegypt and of Sa [...]os, Vitruu. lib. 3. cap. 1. saith the cubit consisteth of sixe hand breadths or foure and twentie inches, wherein hee scarcely agreeth with our measure or with himselfe. rather withstand it; neither is there anie cause why we should suppose them to be of greater measure then common cubits are esteemed,Nam (que) tribus granis digitus formabitur vnus, ter simul in palmo digitus, quater in pede palmus, tres (que) pede [...] passum faciunt, cubitus semipassum. In our common English measures, three barly cornes make an inch, three inches an hand breadth, foure hand breadthes a foote, three foote a pace, one and an halfe a cubite, and two cubits a pace. A cubit properly taken, is the measure betweene the vttermost point of the elbow & the top of the middle finger. Isodor. li. 11. Cubitus articulus brachij in quo homines cubare solent. In the san­ctuarie, it was of the largest, and a standing measure. that is to say, of halfe a yeard, or a foot and a halfe, which is eighteene inches of our measure: sauing that it is not vnconsonant to truth, that the bodies of menAugust. de ciuit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 9. Ita quippe non credunt, etiam magnitudines corporum longe ampliores tunc fuisse quā nunc sunt. Cyprian. lib. ad Demetrian. Qua in parte illud primo loco scire debes, senuisse iam mundum, nec illis viribus stare quibus prius steterat, nec vigore & robore eo valere quo antea praualebat. Non hieme nutriendit seminibus tantaimbrium copia est, non frugibus aestate torrendis solis tanta flagrantia est. &c. in those times were greater then now they are, and therefore the common measure of a cubite, was also greater. But concerning the number of euerie sort to be receiued, the text is manifest: of euerie cleane beast thou shalt take vnto thee ( [...]. shibegnah, shibegnah) seauen, seauen, that is (as we in English vse to speake) seauen of one sort, and seauen of another; [Page 272] or of euerie kind or sort seuen, ( [...], ish ve isheto) a male & a female; & of vncleane beasts ( [...] hi she­naijin) one paire or couple, one male, & one female: wher­fore vndoubtedlie by the expresse words of Scrip­ture, and the consent of the chiefe interpreters, there were but two of euerie kinde, except of the cleane beasts, wherof were seuen. Furthermore the measure expressed of the Arke, cōuinceth that it was aboun­dantlie sufficient to containe all the creatures that were to be receiued, and their foode (if need had beene) for manie yeares. The length thereof three hun­dreth cubits (which was fiue times the length1. King 6.2. of the temple of Salomon) and the bredth thereof fiftie cubits, which being ioyned together doe make of square measure by the common rules of Arte, fifteene thousand cubits. Besides this, it contained in the height thereof, three floores or roomes, in regard whereof it was three times as capable of the crea­tures, containing thrise the measure of the lowest roome, that is, if account be rightlie made in the whole, fiue and fortie thousand cubits, and euerie seuerall roome contained tenExcept onely the thicknesse of the floore between the seuerall roomes. cubits, or fifteene foot in height. HowAs Appelles on the one side would not beleeue this history, because in his iudg­ment the Arke was too little, & not ca­pable of so many creatures: so cōtra­riwise Celsus would not receiue it, be­cause hee esteemed the measure of the Arke to be so great, as that it could not by mans industry be builded. We haue at this day (I feare) A­pellites, we haue al­so Celsians, whom if reuerence of scrip­ture wil not mooue, it is in vaine to mooue with argu­ments. Yet Origen doth answere thus: Cont. Cels. lib. 4. Quid enim absurdi est, cum centum annis fabrica­ta dicatur: an non mi­randum opisicis inge­nium, &c. An non merandum, introducta omnium generum seminar [...]a per Dei prouidentiam? Item A [...]gust. d ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 27. Quod disputant tantae. &c. Whereas some dispute that an Arke of so great measure could not be reared vp, they doe but foolishly cauill, sith that they know that huge Cities haue bin builded, neither haue regard to the hundreth yeeres where­in it was in building. sensles then was that Appelles, to say the Arke was not great enough for foure Ele­phants? & how blasphemous is thatThe true Berosus was a most ancient Heathen writer of great autho­ritie; as appeareth by Iosephus. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. &c. Euseb. de demonstrat Euang. & in Chron. Hieron in Dan. c 5. Berosus qui Chaldaeam scripsit historiam, & Iosephus qui Berosunt secutus est: [...] this writings being long agoe lost, one Annius of Ʋiterbium, forged a pamphlet vnder the name of Berosus; wherein he writeth that Noe being one of the Giants of those daies, fore­saw the flood by skill in Astronomie, and prepared the Arke. But the same is impious and blasphemous, sacrilegiously contradicting the sacred Scripture. forged fable [Page 273] of Berosus, which affirmeth that this so great a worke was deuised, and framed, and finished, by the onlie wisedome of Noah, &For indeede hee could haue no more foreknowledge of the flood by ye stars, then Atheists shall haue of the second comming of our Sauiour. direction of the stars; whereas in deed it was past the wisedome of a mor­tall man, to finde out such a worke; neither was e­uer such a building seene vpon the waters; it was past the reason of man to know the necessity of such a worke, past the prouidence of man so well to prouide for so manie creatures, and past the power of man to guide it in the water, safe fromAugust. de ciu. Dei. lib [...]5. cap. 27. Area fabricatur, quam n [...]l­lu [...] in mare mittat to­natus hominum, sed leuet vnda [...] vene­rit naturali ord ne pō ­de [...]; magis (que) diui­na proui dentia, quam humana prudētia na­tantem gubernet, ne incurrat vbicunque naufragium. ship­wracke. And cōcerning the number of the creatures therin to be preserued: It is found among thePlin. lib. 10. Histor. nat. Gesnerus de Ani­malibus. Of which, the foules & cree­ping things would require no great roome: of ye beasts, no aboue fortie kinds, doe so greatly exceed the residue. lear­ned, that there are not knowne to be of beastes and creeping things, aboue the number of one hundred and fiftie kinds, & of likelyhood they are not many nor great that are not known. How easily mght they be ranged in such a space, though they were double in nūber, as in deed they were, & though the foules were preserued and placed by them, and of euerie cleane beast & foule, there were seauen in the Arke, and as muchOrigen in Gen. Ho­mil. 2. supposeth that there were beasts also brought into the Arke, for to be deuoured of the rauenous beasts as their food: but Au­gustine thinketh otherwise, that rauenous beasts for that time, fed on hearbes, or hey, as at the beginning: Quid e [...]go (inquit) mirum si vir ille sapiens & iustus, etiam diuinitus admonitus quid cuique congrueret sine carnibus, aptam cuique gèneri alemoniam praeparauit & recendidit? Quid est autem quod vesci non cogere [...] Pa [...] aut quid non suaue & salubre facero posset Deus? What could not hunger compell them? what could not God make sweete? of euerie kind of food, as was suffici­ent for them all? Some one will aske, seeing these creatures were kept to preserue seed aliue, wherfore that seuenth beast was kept, seeing hee remained without a fellow? Perhaps to fill vp the number of seuen, which isAmbros. de Noa & Area, cap. 12. Et ideo virgo dicitur quia nihil ex se general. called the virgin number,Clemens Alexand. Strom. 6. Aliorum re­ferens potius quam suam sententiam. Origen. in Gen. Hom. 2. & in Exod Hom. 9. Euseb. de praeparat. Euang. lib. 13. cap. 7. Ambros. lib. de Noa & Arca, cap. 12. Quia mundus & sacer septimus nume­rus. August. de Gen. cont. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 13. Beda in Hexam. & alij. a mysti­cal [Page 274] number, a holy number, a number of perfection, and so much regarded by writers both ecclesiastical, &Philo Iudaeus lib. de opific. Mundi. Solon apud Clement. Alexand. Strom. 6. In­fans septenos posiquā compleueris annos. Hermippus Beritus lib. de Septenar. apud eundem. Varro lib. 1. Hebdo­madis apud Gellium, lib. 3. cap. 10. Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 19. Valētinianos aijs suae haereseos infectus, quod in numeris essent su­perstitiosi. Quod au­tem velins in nume­ros transferre vniuer­sum, hoc à Pythagori­cis acceperuns. Primū enim hi initium om­nium numeros substi­ [...]uerunt, & initium ipsorum, parem & im­parem. &c. prophane. Concerning which obseruatiō Chry­sostome giueth this godly answer. Manie (saithChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 24. Multi enim varias de ijs fabulas narrant, & hinc occa­sione sumpta obserua­tiones numerorum o­stendunt. As non ob­seruatio, sed intempe­stiua hominum curio­sitas talia fingere mo­litur, vnde & multae haereses orta. &c. he) do tell diuers fables of the number of seuen, & taking occasion frō hence, do set forth obseruations of number. But it is not obseruation but the vntimelie curiositie of men, that inde­uoreth to faine such things, frō whence many heresies haue sprung. For we finde often (in the Scriptures) Luc. 10.1. Mat. 21.1. Marc. 14.13. the number of two obserued, the number of Matth. 10.2. twelue, and The foure Gospels, the foure beasts, Reuel. 4. foure: wherof it is in waste, to put your charitie in memorie, who are suf­ficientlie instructed to stop your eares against such curious sayings. Wherefore not for the number sake, but for the worship of the Lord this number was fulfilled. For as the number of sixe was fulfilled for the bene­fit of Noah & his familie, for his necessarie clothingVnde iumentum, à inuando dictum est, siue arando siue onera portando Isidor. lib. 12. c. 1. vel à iungendo Nonius Mar­cel. de propriet. Serm. cap. 1. or help in his labours, or for his foode when it was permittedGen. 9.3. Iustin. Mart. dialog. cum Triffon. him to eat of the flesh of them that were conuenient for food: so the seauenth beast was kept forChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 24. Ne hoc faciēdo mutilaret paria. sacrifice, which Noah did diligentlieGen 8.2. per­forme, after hee escaped the daunger of the waters. Obser. 1. The word and promises of GodDeut 6.7.8. Psal. 94.18.19. & 119.97. Act. 13.42. are of­ten to be read, heard, and continuallie to be medita­ted of vs in this life, least wee should faint in the ma­nifold temptations of the world; for which cause the Lord doth soGen. 6.18. & 7.1.4. often repeate to Noah the pro­mise of his preseruation, and that his labour should not be in vaine. Secondlie, it is theLeuit. 26.6.22. Deut. 32.24. Aristot. Histor. Animal. lib. 6. c. 31. Rarum est leonis genus, nec multis nascitur locis, sed totius Europaea parte solum, quae inter Acheloum amnem & Nessum est. Leones terrae Syriae quinquies in vita pariunt, deinde steriles degunt. speciall proui­dence [Page 275] of God, that the number of the cleane and profitable beasts, doth farre exceed those that be de­uouring & hurtfull. Thirdlie, the Lord doth change and rule the heartProu. 21.1. & 16.17 of man andIob. 5.23. beast, and maketh (for his children sake)Isai. 11.7.8.9. Dan. 6.20.22. the hearts of wolues, as lambes; and for the wickednes of menExod. 8.6.24. the weake­nes of flies to be reuengers of his couenant. Fourth­lie, great and magnificent buildings2. Sam. 5.9. 1. King. 7.2. are not disal­lowed of the Lord,Such as are her Maiesties Nauie Royall, for the de­fence of the Com­monwealth; Chur­ches well garnished or goodly built for the setting forth of Religion; Princelie houses for the ho­nour of Nobilitie: but such as exceede their measure, or are built for lasci­uiousnes, ambition, or vaine-glorie, are condemned and threatned in the Scripture, and often manifestly punished, Isai. 5.8.9. Iere. 22.13.14. &c. so they tend vnto the glorie of the Lord, and profit of his Church. Fiftlie, the god­lie doe increase in knowledge by the oftenMat. 13.36.37. &c. Ioh. 16.28.30. 2. Tim 2 25.21. & 4.2 hea­ring of the word, forasmuch as the Lord by him­selfe and by his ministers, by often teaching, doth amplifie and explane the doctrine: as here the Lord instructeth Noah, Gen. 6.19. August. quast. in Gen 8 Hoc resertur non ad numerum murdorum vel immundorum animalium, sed ad msculum & foeminam, quod in omnibus siue mundis siue immundis duo sunt, masculus & foemina. first of the qualitie not of the number, two of euerie sort, afterward the certaine number of them, of cleane beasts by seauens, of o­ther by couples.

Question 3. verse 11. To what purpose it is said: In the second month, the seuenteenth day of the month the fountaines of the great deepe were broken vp?

HErein may wee behold the diligence of the Scriptures, in describing the month, & the day of the month in which the floud be­gan. This argueth theIsai. 44.7. In this one point, the holy historie excelleth al the histories of the heathen, and what­soeuer other; in that it was indited by the holy Ghost, who be­ing present in all places as an eye­witnes, can neither deceiue, or be de­ceiued. certaine knowledge of the authour of this historie, not onlie of the matter, but also of euerie circumstance thereof. Secondlie, it doth admonish vs that we beProu. 22.2. Matth. 21.42.43. diligent to learne, as the Scripture is diligent to teach. Thirdlie, it decla­reth, thatBasil. Hexam. 10. O­tiosum verbū in scrip­turis ponere, grandis est blasphemia. Hieron. in Ephes. c 3. Singuli sermones, syl­labae, apices, punct [...], in diuinis scripturis ple­na sunt sensibus. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 18. & 21 Sylla­ba & apiculios vnicus recōditum habet the­saurum. not a word nor tittle in the Scripture, but is profitable and necessarie for our instruction. The month and the day is here described; notwithstan­ding, there is growne no small dissension among in­terpreters, which is the month that is here descri­bed, and called the second month. There are whichCaietan. Comment. in Gen. cap. 7. Perer. in Gen. Tom. 2. lib. 12. Disp. 2. suppose it to be the second month, not of the cō ­mon yeare, but of the life of Noah. But I would de­maund what end they could assigne, why the life of Noah should so exactly be declared. It sufficeth vnto the Church of God, to know that he was then old, as hauing liued sixe hundred yeares, but how many more months or dayes hee liued, was nothing ne­cessarie. The second month then, was the second of the common yeare, which yeare no doubt in the [Page 277] sacred historieAs the Israelites began the yeere from their deliue­rance out of Aegypt 1. King. 6.1. and the Christians from the birth of Iesus Christ: the Romans from the building of Rome. doth take his beginning from the creation of the world. But at what season this yeere began, is not a little doubtfull, by reason of the dif­ference thereof, both among the heathen, and in the Church of God: the Egyptians and theyIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Mense secun­do, qui Dius à Mace­donibus vocatur, ab Hebraeis Marsonane, sic enim Aegpptij di­stinxerunt annum. Lactant. lib. 1. cap. 6. Aegyptij Mercurium appellāt Thoth, à quo apud eos primus an­ni sui mensis, id est, september, nomen ac­cepit. Hieron. in Ezech. 1. Apud Orientales enim populos post collectio­nem frugum, & tor­cularia, cum decimae deferrebantur in tem­plū, October erat pri­mus mensis, & Ianuarius quartus. of A­sia, began the yeare in haruest, which month we call September: the [...], Abab saith Rab. Dauid, properly is the stalke with the eare of corne, of which the moneth Abib is so called of the Hebrues, because in yt moneth, the corne in that region did come in eare: like as the Romans call Aprill, which partly in name and time answereth to Abib, ab aperiendo terram. Varro de l [...]ngua Lat. lib. 5. of opening the earth: because then the earth (or the hand of the Lord in the earth, Psal. 104.28.) is ope­ned. Of the Atheniās, the same moneth April is called [...], because thē the earth beginneth to waxe warme. Israelites and Arabians, at the spring or March: TheDionys. Halicarnas. lib. 1. Ilium est captum, astate iam ver­gente, decem & septem diebus ante solītitium aestiuum, octauo die mensis Thargelionis deficientis, quemadmodum Athenienses tempora computant. Sed post solstitium supererant viginti dies qui an­num illum complebant. Athenians and Grecians, in the height of sommer which is Iune: the Ro­mansMacrob. lib. 1. Satur. 3. Plut. in vit. Numae. Primus ab Iano dictus est Ianuarius, qui Ianus vitam seram atque immitem dicitur immutasse, vnde bifrontem fingunt eum, quod aliam ex alia faciem rationemque accomodauit vitae. in the deepe of winter, closing vp the old yeere, and beginning the new, with the month ofOuid. Factor. Isiodor. libr. 5. Origi­num. cap. 23. Quia limes & ianua sit anni. Ianuarie. Although euerie one of these would seeme to draw their account, from the originall of the world, yet the truth remaineth onelie with the Church of God. Wherefore to let the heathen passe, and to come vnto the Hebrues who were di­rected by the word of God, the difference as yet re­maineth vntaken away. For itExod. 12.2. Leuit. 25.9. appeareth by the Scriptures, that as the affaires of men consist in Ec­clesiasticall and ciuill things, so they had a twofold beginning of the yeare, the one in respect of Sa­cred vses, whichExod. 12.3. account began in the month of [Page 278] Exod. 12.2. Abib, the other in respect of temporall affaires, which began at the end of the sixt month by the first account. Concerning which Iosephus a learned IewIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Moses autem Nisan qui est Xan­thicus, mensem pri­mum in suis fastis or­dinauit, quod per hunc Hebraeos ex Aegypto eduxisset [...]eundem eti­am omnium quae ad rem diuinam pertine­rent exordium fecit; a­lio qui quod ad nundi­nationes rerum vena­lium reliquam (que) dis­pensationem anni at­tinet, nihil de pristino ritu innouauit. affirmeth: that Moses ordained the month Nisan or Abib to be the first month, because that in this month he brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and made it the beginning of the yeere in all diuine and sacred matters: but otherwise in respect of mer­chandise and matters of sale, and the whole disposi­tion of the yeare beside, hee altered nothing of the former (Aegyptian) custome. Wherein Iosephus (as in manie other things) doth violent iniurie vnto the Scripture, and not onlie to the Scriptures, but e­uen to Moses and the Lord himselfe. For this ordi­nance wasIohn. 7.22. not of Moses, but the Lord commaun­ded it to Moses, and Moses Numb. 12.7. being faithfull in the house of God, declaredExod. 12.21. & 13.3.4. this ordinance vnto the people as from the Lord. And although it was appointed to be vnto themExod. 23.15. a remembrance of their deliuerance out of Aegypt, yet was it ordained, they beingExod. 12.1. as yet in bondage, before the passeouer was eatē. And the Lord doth most significantlie expresse his ordi­nance:Exod. 12.2. this month shall be vnto you the beginning of months: it shall be to you the first month of the yeere; there­inIren. libr. 4. cap. [...]0. Cum autem haec iusti­tia & dilectio quae e­rat erga Deum cessis­set in obliuionem & extincta esset in AE­gypto. &c. calling them from the customes and errours of the Aegyptians, vnto the right knowledge of times, which their fathers and ancestors vnderstood be­fore. Notwithstanding in respect of theWhen as euerie man was by the law of God to returne to the possession of his inheritance which he had morgaged, or sould, except to the nee­rest kinsman of his tribe: Leuit. 25.13.16.23. yeere of Iubile, & the rest of the land which the Lord com­maunded, it was necessarie, that the terme of the [Page 279] yeere should end with the end of haruest, least o­therwise they should be hindred from reaping the land which they had sowen. And for this cause we, although we begin the yeere at an other season; yet for the most part in matters of tenements & lands, and leases, and reuenues, we account the yeere en­deth, at the end of the fruites thereof. This second month therefore was not the second month of the yeere of Iubile,Lyra. in Gen. cap. 7. Oleaster. in Gen. c. 7. Perer. in Gen. Tom. 1. lib. 1. as manie doe determine, for then had it beene called theLeuit. 25.9. eight month, and not the second; & if it had differed from the second month of the sacred reckoning, doubtlesse the holie Ghost would haue obserued the same; but seeing the con­trarie is manifest, it remaineth, that that which to the Israelites, by the institution of the Lord, was the second month, was also to Noah the second month: and by consequent, the first month was it, in whichExod. 13.4. Deut. 16.1. their deliuerance was wrought; in which also the LordGen. 15.14. Exod. 12.41. Galat. 3.17. August. quaest. in Ex­od. 47. Ex illa ergo promissione qua voca­tus est Abraham & credidit Deo, post qua­dringentos & trigin­ta annos, factam le­gem dicit Apostolus (& exijsse ex Aegyp­to dicit Moses) non ex tempore quo Iacob intrauit in Aegyptians. fore-promised their deliuerance vnto Abra­ham; in whichExod. 12.2. Marc. 14.12. &c. he performed the deliuerance of the world by Iesus Christ; and the month in whichAmbros. Hex. lib. 1. cap. 4. In hoc principio mensium, quo pascha iussu Dei celebrabant Iudai, coelum & terram fecit Deut. Gitudent. Episc. Brixian. tract. 1. de Pascha obseruat. Nam veris tempore Deus condidit mundum. Martio enim mense dixit per Mosen Deus: mensis hic vobis initium mensium, primus est in mensibus anni, quem mensem verax vti (que) Deus primum non diceret nisi primus esset: ficut septit [...]um diem non diceret Sabbatum, nisi Dominicus primus esset. Athanas. libr. quaest. ad Antioch. q. 17. Eodem dicit quo Christus in virginis vtero conceptus, in mundi principio Deus crea­uit Adam. Cyril. Hierosol. Cateches. 14. Damascen. Orthodox. lib. 2. cap. 7. Per solem quatuor tem­porum versiones immututiones (que) constituuntur, & prima quidem verna est, in ipsa enim Deus fecit vniuersa. Leo. 1. de pass. Dom. Serm. 5. & 9. Beda lib. de rat. temp. cap. 40. Rabb. Eliezer, &c. And whereas other Rabbins in Bereshith Rabba hold that the world was created in the har­uest time, either by the transposition of the letters in the word Bereshith, or because that the hearbs and trees were created with ripe fruit: the reason followeth not more, then that it was in haruest when Aarons Rod budded: neither was it more labour to the Lord to create fruites then trees: lastly, ripe fruit was to continue at all seasons by creatiō. But let euery man enioy his owne opinion (in things indifferent) without contention. the world was first created; in which man also by [Page 280] transgression stood first in need of a deliuerer, and receiued the first promise of the same. Whereby it is apparant, that the second month here spoken of, was in the season of the yeere next after it, which the children of Israel were commanded to account the first, and is called of the Scripture1. King. 6.1.37. Er­rauit igitur Gauricus in annot. in Ptolom. Alinag. lib. 13. Q [...]i Hebrae [...]s ni [...]il de mē ­sium nominibus, ante captiuitatem Babylo­nis habuisse scribit. Zif: as the first month was called of the HebruesExod. 12.2. & 13.14. Deut. 16. Abib, of the ChaldeesNehem. 2.1. Hester 3.7. Eliah in Tishbite. Tremel. in Nehem. cap. 2. Nisan. The first month beganAnd the same is rather to be vnder­stood after the an­cient Romane computation, then that which we now haue, who began the first of March, or the Ides of March, that day which to vs is counted the twelfth of March: on which day the Sunne entreth into the first degree of Aries. Which degree in the ancient time, the Sunne entred into, the seuenth of the Calends of Aprill, that is, about the fiue or sixe and twentieth of March: as Ouid truly testifieth, Fastor. lib. 3. And so is Vitrunius to be vnderstood, lib. 9. cap. 5. Sol enim cum Arietis signum mit, & partem octauam peruagatur, perficit aequinoctium ver­num: i. When the Sunne commeth into Aries, and passeth by the eight part or degree there­of, it maketh the equinoctiall of the Spring, that is, the Sunne doth now passe the eight de­gree of Aries, at that season wherein it was wont but to enter into Aries & make the Spring: for alwaies the Spring equinoctiall was at the entring of the Sunne in Aries. To this agreeth Euseb. in Fragm. Omnim. historiae. Theodo [...]et. quaest. in Exod. 72. Beda lib. de rat. temp. cap. 4. decla­reth that the world was created, the Israelites deliuered, and that Christ suffered the fiue and twentieth of the moneth of March. in the tenth or twelfth of that which we cal March (sauing that theHieron. Comment. in Agge. cap. 2. Secundum Lunae cur­sum, menses variantur apud Hebraeos, vt saepe primus mensis partem Martij possidet, interdum incipit in Aprili. Hebrue months are moueable, according to the courses of the moone) the second at the tenth or twelfth of Aprill, the seauenteenth thereof about the last ofThe certaine day cannot truly be determined, vnlesse the yeeres be reckoned, and the variable cha [...]ge of the Moone calculated from the flood. April or the first of May, by our account. When as the Lord had openedPsal. 145.16. his hand ouer all the earth, the same euery where aboundingFor in the East and South countries the fruites are ripe sooner then ours, of which we will speake in another place. with riches, or withAs in England, and such other countries of the North; of which it is said: When May is gone, of al the yeere the pleasantest time is past. pleasures: when they were in the middest of their chiefe delights, and proclaimed peace and saftie to themselues, and doubted least of anie danger: when their hearts1. Sam. 25.36.37. 1. Thess. 5.3. were merrie with­in [Page 281] them, and they least suspected any change; the wrath of God commeth on themProu. 1.27. Ierem. 18.7. 1. Thess. 5.3. Reuel. 16.15. sodainelie, and fearefull vengeance, which destroyedLuc. 17 27.29. them all. A most admirable example of the iustice of the Lord,Rom. 15.4. 1. Co [...]. 10.11. Luk 17.30. continually to be laide before the eyes of this slee­pie generation! How great was this destruction, which was vniuersall ouer all the earth? How mise­rable, in that theyHeb. 12.17. Be not rash, for the residue, but comit the iudg­ment to the Lord. foūd no space vnto repentance, at the least for the preseruatiō of their bodies? How sodaine vnto them, that in sixscore yeere would not beGen. 6.9. 1. Pet. 3.20. Lut [...]er in Gen. 7. Pro­babili [...]s videtur, cir­ca vernum tempus coe­pisse diluuium, cum scilicet spe noni anni omnium animi pleni essent. warned? It taketh them, when of all other times they would least haue beleeued. But on ye other side, what a grieuous crosse was this to Noah, toCicer. orat. post re­dit. ad Quiris. Ipsa autem patria dici vix potest, quid charitatis, quod volaptatis ha­beat. leaue his sweet countrie, and natiue soile, and to be im­prisoned in the Arke, as in a stall of beasts? How greatlie was hee moued with reuerence vntoHeb. 11.7. the voice of the words of God, that hee would close vp himselfe in such a pinfold, while as yet both heauen and earth did promise as it were securitie without the Arke? Or how might it be thought heIere. 13.17. Luc. 19 vers. 41. compared. Here some of the Rabbins, from the text, dispute against the text; that Noe did not pray for the common safetie of the worlde. Their reasons are, first, be­cause his age is so often repeated, which (say they) is to note his want of wisedome. Secondly, for that the Lord deferred it of his owne accord seuen daies. But they are manifestly confuted by the Scrip­ture: first, Gen. 6.3. in respect of Gods foreknowledge. Secondly, Gen. 7.4 God saith not, I will deferre seuen daies; but prepare thou within seuen daies, for seuen daies hence I will cause to raine, &c. Thirdly, though Noah, Daniel and Iob had then liued, &c. Iere. 15.1. Ezech. 14.14 lamen­ted the desperate case of so many millions of soules, which would not yet be warned, although they now were readie to be ouerwhelmed with the wa­ters? Wherefore surelie his faith was verie great, as theHebr. 11.7. 1. Pet. 3.20. Scripture doth commend the same, that hee would not be snaredLuc. 17.2.3. with the scandals and offen­ces of the world, but beleeued the comming of the floud, when as almost heauen and earth, and all the creatures did secure him otherwise. His obedience [Page 282] wonderfull, thatGen. 6.22. & 7.5. Matth. 8.10. he did in all things obey the will of God, and despised the reproofe of sinners, and the alluremēts of the world. His patience a mirrhor to the godlie, thatNumb. 11.15. Iob. 3.1. &c. Iere. 20. vers. 14. compared. did not murmur vnder so great aduersitie, of losse of goods and lands, of banish­ment out of the world, daunger that in humane rea­son might insue; but in all things did follow the cal­ling of the Lord, and committed himselfe vnto his protection. Obser. 1. The godlie haue neede ofHeb. 10.36. 2. Thess. 4.10.11. Reuel. 3.10.11. strong faith and patience toEphes. 6.12. Matth. 24.21.24. resist the scandals, wherewith they shal be besieged, especially toward the latter end. Secondlie, those that will not watch, andVers. 11. Prou. 1.27. Ierem. 2.31. Matth. 24.14. Ezech. 33.5. be warned by the word, shall sodainelie be ta­ken1. Thess. 5.2.3. Reuel. 16.15. a sleepe in sinne. Thirdlie, the tokens which shall goe before the day of iudgementWhich were fore­told by Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures, Mat. 24. ver. 15. Luk. 17. & 21. Rom. 11.26. 2. Thess. 2. shall not of the wicked be regarded, because the common course of things2. Pet. 3.4. shall continue alike, as from the creation.

Question 4. verse 11. What are meant by the fountaines of the great deepe, and the windowes of heauen which were opened?

IT pleaseth the spitit of God, to describe vn­to vs the manner how the earth was ouer­flowed, by two notable arguments there­of: First, by the meanes or causes by which it came, which are called the fountaines of the great deepe, and the windowes of heauē. Secondlie, by the effect which these instruments of God did bring to passe; a floud [Page 283] of waters fifteene cubits aboue the highest moun­taine vnder heauen. The word (tehem) which [...] taham: Locus aquarum multarum, aquarū multitudo & profunditas. Rab. Da­uid. is Englished the deepe, is commonlie taken in the Scripture forExod. 15.5.8. Psal. 106.9. Esai. 51.10. the sea, orGen. 1.2. Psal. 42.7 Metaphora. a place of much water. The great deep therfore ( [...] tehom rabba) or [...] Rabba, to mul­tiplie or increase: Gen. 8.17. Psal. 78.15 mul­tiplied waters, is nothing els but the vniuersall ga­thering together of the water, which is calledGen. 1. vers. 10. Basil. Hexam. Hom. 2. Abyssus significat co­piosam aquā, ad cuius fundum non facile pe­netrari possit deorsum versus. August. in Psal. 41. Abyssus est profundi­tas quaedam impene­trabilis & incompre­hensibilis: & maximè solet dici de aquarum multitudine. Vbi enim altitudo ibi profundi­tas est, quae penetrari vs (que) ad fundum non potest. seas. The word ( [...] magnenoth) translated fountains, is deriued from the word ( [...] gnaijn)Deut. 19.21. Esai. 52.8 which signifieth an eye: And because fountaines as mens eyes doe drop forth teares, therefore also a spring of water in the Hebrue tongueGen. 16.7. & 24 42. & 49.22. is called (gnaijn.) The same word doth also signifieExod. 10.15 Leuit. 13.55. Numb. 11.7. the colour or outward pro­portiō of any thing: as where it is said, the grashop­pers of Aegypt, couered ( [...] eth gnen) the vpper face of the earth, namelie, the [...]. Tanquam vmbra. Appolon. Summum. Cicer. fin 3. Superior pars cuiusque rei cenfacies quae externos oculis cernitur, longitudinem cum latitudine habens sine pro­fundo. superficies, or that which the eye beholdeth of the earth. So that from the verie signification and nature of the word, I ga­ther, that as there were two chiefe immediat causes of the floud, one from the sea, the other from the heauen: so also there were two speciall causes from the sea; one by theEccles. 1.17. Psal. 10 [...].10. Hieron. in Eccles. 1. Putant quidam aquat dulces quae in mare fluunt, vel ardente desuper sole consumi, vel salsugini maris esse pabula. Ecclesiastes autem noster, & ipsarum aquarum conditor, eas dicit per occultas venas, ad capita fontium regredi, & de matrice abysso in sua semper ebullire principia. vaines and pores of the earth, which now were brokenAmbros. de Noa & arc. cap. 14. Vim diluuij conuenienter scriptura expressit, dicens coelum & terram pariter esse commota; vndique ergo influentibus aquarum molibus conclusum genus hominum purgetur. vp to send forth mightie streames; the otherGen. 1.10. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen 25. Quasi diceret, praecepit tantum Dominus & statim aquarum natura mandato conditoris obediuit, & vt confluxit totum or­bem inunduit. Ambros. de Arc. cap. 14. Vndi (que) ergo influentibus aquarum molibus, conclusum ge­nus hominum purgetur. Philo Iud. Maria tumentia, fluuij (que) aucti, torrentes simul & perennes, ci­uitates cunctas in campestribus regionibus sitas inundarant, de vita Mosis lib. 2. from the gathering together [Page 284] of the waters, which now wereSeneca de Natur. quaest. lib. 3. cap. 27. de causa diluuij Pri­ma imbres. 2. flamina aucta & redandātia. 3. cum per ista profu­sium est, cres [...]unt ma­ria supra solitum, &c. & in miram altitu­dinem erigitur mare, & tuta illa hominum receptacula supergre­ditur. Deinde, senien­tiam de solis terrae ir­ruptionibus sequitur absurdum, cum aquae enim euocabātur, quò abibant fon i [...]us oc­clusis? Resp. author de mirab. in operibus August. lib. 1. cap. 6. Quamodo retrò nisi a­pertis aditibus rem­trabant? Et Hieron. Tract. in Gen. Nota secundum Ecclesiasten, quod omnes aque at (que) tor­rētes per occultas ve­nas ad matricem a­byssum reuertantur. againe dispersed, and oueflowed their banksTehom Rabba. The Ocean Sea, not a lake. in euerie place, where­by the vpperface or proportion of the sea was alte­red, yet nothing but (magnenoth) the vpper face, and fountaines of the deepe Whatsoeuer the word [...] Magnenoth doth signifie, that same was broken vp: but it signi­fieth both the vpper face of the deepe, as well as the fountaines: as Psalm. 87.7. My sight, my watchfulnesse, or prouidence, Ra [...]b. Ionah. therefore being vsed in this place in the plurall number, I see no cause why wee should take it in this signification, and not in the other, or not rather indeede for both together. were broken vp: Some will demaund how it is possible, that the sea should o­uerflow the earth? I would aske also of them again, how such an impossibilitie doth so often come to passe, as almost in euerie age is found by lamentable experience? Who knoweth not, but the Lord is able toPsalm. 135.6. work whatsoeuer he wil? but here the question is of naturall causes, which the scripture therefore doth expresse, that wee should not vainelie runne to causes supernaturall or miraculous. In nature, it is acknowledged of all, that the place of the waters,Aristot. de coelo lib. 2. cap. 13. Vt tër l [...] est aqua, sic & aqua leuior est terra. Quare quonam modo id quod est leui­us, inferius eo quod grauius est natura iacere putatur? Idem meteoror. libr. 2. cap. 2. Cum enim aqua aqua ipsam terram complectatur, atque huic aēris globus adiaceat; aëri, vocati ignis globus, &c. is to be aboue the earth: and therefore when the Lord didGen. 1.9. withdraw them from the earth, and cou­ched them together in the sea, the same was a super­naturall worke of his almightie power. Where­fore if God by his almightie power doeIob. 38.8.10.11. restraine the waters in their place, and make that naturall vn­to them, which is against the nature of their first cre­ation; it is not therefore against their nature (al­though it beMiracuia enim, quae digna admiratione dicimus. Fest. Pomp. de significat. verbor. miraculous in the eyes of men) when soeuer he permitteth them to flow vnto their origi­nall [Page 285] seat and place. Neither isCaietan. com. in Gen. cap. 1. Nam dicere, in­quit, mare omnipoten­tia Dei teneri, ne de­stuat in terram, ineptum est (& tamen dicit scriptura vt in­frà videbitur) & pue­rilis inscitiae, ponere si­ne causa, tantum & tam perpetuum mira­culum. it to be called a per­petuall miracle as contrarie to nature, that the water should remaine thus gathered together; seeing the Lord hath made it a second nature, and workethAestus & scaturigi­ne aquarum, vt pan­lo infrà. causes in nature from the same. And that we may enlarge the exposition of this doctrine, (not to the end to proue by demonstrationScriptura enim om­ni demonstratione maior, vel potius sola demonstratio est. Clem. Alexan. libr. 7. Strom. the truth of scrip­ture, which is of his own authoritieBasil. in Psalm. 115. Fides praeeat ac ducat sermones de Deo, fides & non demonstratio. Fidei supra rationales methodos animam ad assensum trahens. Fi­des non per geometri­cas necessitates, sed per spiritus actiones acce­dens. sufficient vnto the godlie; but to represse blasphemers & contem­ners of the word, who iudge the causes and euent of all things, by the smalnes of that light of reason that is in them) we testifie; first of all,Iob. 38.8, 9, 10, 11. Ierem. 5.22. according to the authoritie of Scripture, that the waters are re­strained from ouerflowing the earth, onelie by the power and decree of God, which hath giuen them that nature, whereby they cannot ouerflow, except by speciall libertie from God. Secondlie, as a con­sequent thereof, that the waters by being gathered together, are not so depressed in the sea, but that they are ( [...] be gnen) in the vpper face of them, re­maining as at the first aboue the highest places of the earth, and doe stand aboue the mountaines, Psal. 104.6. & 33.7 as the Scripture speaketh. Those which in this case are ru­led by theirCaietan. in 1. Gen. Si quis dubitas, terram que apparet extra a­quas, esse superiorem aquis, non tam egit ratione, quam applicatione ad sensum: cernimus enim motum a [...]ue, semper fieri in decliuiorem locum, flumina autē per terram decurrunt in ma [...]e. Quod si altius ess [...]t quam terra, profecto in eam vt in lo­cum decliuiorem & humiliorem necessariò deflueret. Forte quidem non videris Caietanus ipsius Tibi­ris recursim, maris astu retrusum, & quidem cum bis semper in die flumina retroeunt, propter maris supernos impetus, miror quo animo talia exarauit Caietanus, vel quid statuisset, si ea qua Ro­ma diluuio prope perijs, vixisses tempestate. senses, doe greatlie erre, wherein those that are ruled by their reason, are not perfect. For albeit it be rightlie said,Psalm. 107.23. those that goe downe to the sea in shippes, &c. that the riuers do flow vnto the sea as to the lower place; and we do rightlie esteeme [Page 286] the waters to be lower then the earth, because they are contained within the shore; yet none of these reasons doe hinder any whit, but yt the waters of the deepe (that tehom rabba) should stand aboue the mountaines. For to thinke that the face of the wa­ters are fullie eeuen, because they appeare vnto the eye so to be; and that therefore there can be no ga­thering andPsalm. 33.7. heaping together of the waters; ma­nifest reason doth perswade the contrarie, and the principles of nature doe conuince such a one to want both due consideration of the cause of things, and good experience. For by reason of the com­passe of the earth (whereof in the first chapter hath beene spoken) the plainest place that is vpon the earth, must needes giue some thing vnto the com­passe,Because the earth is acknowledged to be a globe or com­passe, both in the Scripture and of Philosophers. Isai. 42.22. Amos 9 6. Arist. de coelo lib. 2. cap. 14. Ptolom. Almagist. lib. 1. cap. 4. or els it declineth from the common propor­tion of the same. In this respect, manie medowes and plaines, which seeme leuell and eeuen vnto the eye, are found by the certaine grounds of arte, to differ in equalitie of height. The waters & streames of riuers, albeit the difference of higher or lower ground is not, or at least wise not euerie where to be discerned; yet doe they flow vnto the lower ground, and the waters which follow are alwaies higher thē those which passe before. The sea appea­reth eeuen (& yet not without a secret checke vnto the eye) notwithstanding in the ebbing & flowing of the sea, there is no little difference in a little space. Those also which seeke help among Philosophers in the deniall of this doctrine, are nothing therein relieued by them. For it is not hereby denied, that the face of the earth, and of the waters do make oneArist. de coelo. lib. 2. cap. 4. Perer. in Gen. Tom. 1. lib. 1. in oper. 3. deie: quid quod aquam esse rotundam, & e [...] aqua et terra vnum confla­ri globū. Scilicet. Quis contradicit? perfect globe, butQuia & ipsa terra punctum est respectu coelestium orbium. Ptolom. Almag. lib. 1. cap. 6. At (que) ipsi mon­tes & conualles, ad terrae magnitudinem sunt vt si in pila sit puluisculus quispi­am, & quasi eminen­tiae circa spheria Pla­tanorum, quae nihilo prohibens ipsa esse spherim [...]. Cleo­med. lib. 1. cap. 10. as the vallies and mountaines [Page 287] of the earth doe nothing hinder the exact com­passe of the earth, because they are as motes, or no­thing in regard of the greatnes of the earth; so like­wise the height of the waters, albeit fifteene cubits or more aboue the mountaines, is nothing in re­spect of the greatnes of the earth. And withall it is absurde to thinke, that by reason of any such ascensi­on of the waters,Obiectio Pererij. Tom. 1. in Gen. lib. 1. in oper. 3. diei: Primò quod nauis velocius ferretur ad portum, deinde quod in alto prospectius cernere­tur. Non valet. a vessell or ship should more per­fectlie be seene a farre in the sea, then neere at hand; forasmuch as the declining of the compasse in the globe of waters, & of the earthPtolom. Alm. libr. 1. cap. 4. Ex spherica fi­gura terra & maris factum est, vt si om­nibus aut quibusdam altioribus locis à quo­uis & ad quemni [...] angulum nauigantes accedimus, paulatim magnitudines eorum accrescere videntur, quasi ab ipso mari e­mergant, que auteae submersa propter con­uexam aquae superfi­ciem videbantur. Clecm. libr. 1. cap. 8. Et huius rei causa, aerborem nauis scandendo, prospicere consueuerunt. Et cum vix huic obiectioni satisfaciunt, qui ex editissimis montibus longinquat naues intuentur, quam iniquè tales procliuitates omnimodo superfluas & nunquam vel fictas quidem obijciunt. preuaileth against the same, and the greatnesse of the compasse of the earth doth make the formerQuid enim est altitudo quindecim stadiorum, ad octoginta millia stadiorum? difference to be as no­thing. It were also fondnes to conceiue that in eue­rieVel de freto Anglicano vel mari mediterranco, &c. narrow sea, the same proportion were to be ob­serued, but only or at leastwise chieflie,Gen. 1.9. We esteeme that Tehem Rabba to be that great gathering to­gether of the waters in the Hyperborarie, Britaine, Atlantic, Lybic, and Eoic Oceans, which are not so many Seas, but alone, compassing the earth, so that the land inhabited, is to them as it were an Iland. Pompon. Mela. lib. 1. in the main sea or deepe, which we in our language tearme the high or ocean sea. And that the waters of the deepe doe stand aboue the mountaines, three speciall rea­sons seeme to argue; which I lay before the reader, desiring him to iudge in godlie wisedome. First, the testimonies of Scripture,Iob. 38.8.9.10. Psal. 104.6. Ierem. 5. which if they proue it not, haue not vntill this ageFor in this sense the Fathers doe interpret those places of the Scripture. Basil. Hen. 4. Vt non superinfluens aqua, &c. Ambros. Hexan. lib. 3. cap. 2. Dicant mihi quomodo tanquam in vtrem congregauit. Aquin. Sum. part. 1. quaest. 69. aertic. 1. Caluin. in Gen. 7. And such new interpreters, which are carried into another sense, doe not satisfie the Scriptures. bin sufficientlie in­terpreted. The second is from the forme or pro­portion [Page 288] of the sea, which isThe quantitie is lesse, but the bredth of the Sea is greater then of the earth, as appeareth by their tables of Geogra­phie: Ptolom. &c. much more space in the vpper face thereof, then the residue of all the earth, yet is it not exactlie eeuen in it selfe, as experi­ence doth manifest in springs and tides; which be­cause they shew a falling and a rising of the waters, and are not found in the great or maine sea, in the whichPlin. lib. 2. cap. 97. there is no falling, or at any time abating of the waters: it followeth thereof, that the waters are wholie ascending in the Ocean, which because it is more large, then the bredth of the earth, it is also more ascendingAscension in the Spheare of ye earth is the farther di­stance frō the Cen­ter or middle of the earth: now the wa­ters being gathe­red together on an heape, as the Scrip­ture saith, although their heaping toge­ther bee so small, and not sensible to the eye, yet by rea­son of their breadth it must needs acrew to more then the height of any moū ­taine. in the compasse of the same. The third reason I take from the effects that doe come, or may seeme to come from the gathering of the waters; in which they are said to be aboue the moū ­taines. One is, the fountaines and springs of water which are seene to arise out of the earth, euen in the toppeAristot. lib. 1. c. 13. Meteor. Maximi am­nes maximis de mon­tibus deferri viden­tur. Quod terrae am­bitum cognoscentibus, constare poterit. of the highest mountaines. Whence come they? not of miracle: for the Lord so gouerneth theAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 7. cap. 3. Sic itaque administrat omnia Deus, quae creauit, vt etiam ipsae proprios exercere & agere motus sinat. things which he hath created, that hee permit­teth them to exercise and doe the naturall motions which he hath placed in thē. Not of theAristot. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 2. Cum enim aqua ipsam terram comple­ctatur, &c. vaporous sweat, and distillation of the earth, as is manifest by their boiling vp, and vehement arising, euen in the toppe of mountaines, as though they were forced forth by vehemencie of following waters. It re­maineth therefore according toEccles. 1.7. Hieron. ibid. Ecclesiastes autem noster & aquarum ipsarum conditor, eas dicit per occultas venas, ad capita fontium regredi. the Scripture, andThe opinion of Thales, as appeareth by Aristot. de caelo lib. 2. cap. 13. & Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 2. Nec defuerunt qui scriberent, stumina non mo­do in mare fluere, sed ex co etiam effluere. Et Laert. lib. prim. vit. Thales. Plato. in Phaedon. in hoc (s [...]il. tartareum oceanum) vti receptaculum omnia confluunt flumina & inde rursus efflunt. Inde quatuor flumina describit poeta [...]um more lectis Mosaicit libris vt tradit. Iustin. Martyr. Apolog. 2. diuers ancient Philosophers, that they come from the sea; and that thorough the vaines & pores [Page 289] of the earth, which are foundDefodientibus prae­sertim in locis saxosis & in glarea, copiosio­siores [...]uae & salu­briore [...], in sabulosis rart [...]res, ne (que) na salu­bres. Vuruu. lib. 8. c. 1. almost in euerie place. This alsoArist. lib. 2. Meteor. cap. 2 Haec si ita cue­ [...]ant, i [...] fieret quod in prouerbio vsurpatur, sontes sursum stui­tant, quod fieri non potest. may seeme to be against the na­ture of the waters, to arise vp in the vaines of the earth: for being heauie they alwaies of themselues descend vnto a lower place. But as wee see a spring that riseth in an hill, conueied in lead [...]inl [...] of Hexam. li. 3 cap. 2. [...]aeterum quis ignorat quod rap [...]do plerunque impetu in imae descendeus in su­periora se sulo [...]gat, atque in supercilium montis attollat? ple­runque eti [...]m cauali­bus manu artificis de­riuata, quantum de­scender [...]t, tantum rur­sies ascendat; naque si impetu suo fertur, vel artificis deriuata ingenio, contrae naturam suam ducitur & eleuatur; miramini si diuini operatione praecepti, aliquid ad vsum eius natura (scilicet congregationis aquarum) accassit, quod in vsu aniè non fuerat. vnto a lower ground, will force his waters to ascend vnto the height it beareth at the fountaine; euen so the wa­ters which stand aboue the mountaines, doe force out springs of water, by necessarie and natural cause out of the highest mountaines. Another effect that seemeth to come from thence, is the flowing & eb­bing of the sea. This as some suppose, doth come to passeThere haue been many opinions of the cause of the eb [...]ng and flowing of the Sea. Of Lucan, and Soline it is left as a point indissoluble: De quo (inquit) plura pro ingenijs disserentium, quam pro veritatis fide expressa. Some say it is the breathing or blowing of the world, as Strabo lib. 1. Geograph. Albert. Magn. de propriet. clement. tract. 2. cap. 2. Apollon. Tya­naeus said, it was because the waters getting into certaine holes of the earth, was forced out againe by Spirits remaining within the earth: reported by Philostratus, lib. 5. Macrobius de Somno Scipio. lib. 2. saith, it is by the meeting of the East and West Ocean. Cicer. de nat. Deo­rum seemeth to ascribe it only to the power of God: Quid? aestus maritimi. vel Hispanienses, vel Britanici eorumque certis temporibus vel accessus vel recessus sine Deo fieri non possunt. Si cum eo se­cundum intulisset principium, omne tulisset punctum. Other for the most part ascribe it to the in­fluence of the Moone. Ptolom op. Quadripart. lib. 2. cap. 11. Picut Mirand. contr. Astrol. lib. 3. cap. 15. Silius de bel. Punic. lib. 3. affirmeth, the Moone hath the same vertue to draw water as the Loadstone hath to draw yron. Item Plin. lib. 2. cap. 8.9. Caesar. de Bell. Gal. lib 4. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. Dei part. 2. libr. 4. suppose it to be caused by the variable light of the Moone: which seuerall opinions I can commend for reuerence; allow I cannot. by the variable light of the moone. And is it not as likelie, which otherNich. Copernic. in Astronom. lib. doe imagine, that the light of the moone should be caused by the flowing of the waters? No man denieth, but that the Lord hath imparted power vnto that creature, in things ofAs in Oysters and Cockles it is manifest. moistnes. But forasmuch as wee rea­son with natural men, of natural causes, I demaund: [Page 290] what cause in nature from the moone, that so huge floudes of waters, so large and heauie should be dri­uen to or fro, when as in pooles, in fountaines and riuers, it cannot be perceiued that one drop of wa­ter is thereby increased, or mooued, or diminished? What cause also from the moone, that in places neer the Ocean, the tides are more vehement when asAs at Venice the tide is greater then at Tyrus: the rea­son whereof is in­deede, because the waters flowing into the middle sea at the creeke of Gades out of the Ocean, hath a greater rise and fall (according to the Ocean) in places neere hand, then in those which are farther off. The same reason it is, why the tide is at Bristow twēty foot, when at London it is scarse sixteene. in middle seas they are small, & inAs in the Sea Euxinum. Arist. Meteor. libr 2. some place not at all perceiued? What cause moreouer, that some where the flowing is so violent, that it stayeth and turneth the course of a ship that saileth with the winde; as is reported to be in theIn the mouth of the Red sea, the waters flowe with such violence, that they turne a shippe, which is driuen with full saile. Sebast. Verro. Phys. lib. 3. cap. 18. Ad caput rubrum Africae, &c. coasts of Africk, and also in theBetweene Montausis and Capo Florida, in the North part of the countrie Caba in America. current of Capo Florida, by those which haue seene it, and are yet aliue? Lastlie, what cause that the red sea floweth but foureAd caput rubrum Africae aestus diuersus est, nam quaternis horis affluit, octonis autem recurrit. houres, and ebbeth eight: thatCicer. de Nat. Deor. lib. 3. Quid Chalcidico Euripo in motuidentidem reciprocando, putas fieri posse constantius? Idem pro Mu­raena. Pompon. Mela. lib. 2. cap. de insulis Mediter. Euripon vocant rapidum mare quod septies die ac toties nocte fluctibus inuicem versis adeo immodicè fluens, vt ventes etiam ac plenis velis na­uigia frustretur. Idem. Strab. Geograph. lib. 9. Die quolibet ac nocte septies cursum transmutat. Plin. lib. 4 cap. 12. Senec. in Herc. Oeto. act. 3. Scen. 2. Euripus vndas flectit instabiles vagus; sep­temque cursus flectit, & totidem refert, dum lassa Titan mergo [...] oceano [...]uga. Aeschines orat. contr. Ctesi. L. Valla. Dialog. de libero arbit. Aristoteles cum non posset Euri [...]i naturam inuestigare, se in profundum illius praecipitans demersus est, prius id testatus elogio Graeco quod Latinè sic ha­bet: Aristoteles non cepit Euripum, Euripus capiet Aristotelem. Euripus sloweth and falleth seauen times within the space of a day and a night? Wherefore seeing it were miraculous that the light of the moone should worke suchTo tosse to and fro so great waters, so diuerslie, with so great force, seeing it is said to be the least of all the heauenly bodies, and aboue fortie times lesse then the earth, as saith Copernicus. maisteries in the sea; it seemeth more couenient to suppose, that the naturall cause of the flowing of the waters, is in the [Page 291] waters: that they doe in the wisedome of the Lord after the courses of the moone, flow to and fro at certaine appointed seasons, to the end that men mightAs it were a signe giuen from heauen by the Moone, least the tide should take men at vnwares, as it was likely to haue oppressed the army of Alexander, as Cur­tius writeth, de gestis Alexan. lib. 9. wiselie be warned of them: that they flow naturallie, as to a lower place, as beingNeque abhorrent ista à ratione Aristo­telica, qui mare rubrū compertum esse terra Aegypto excelsius re­fert. Meteor. lib. 1. c. 14 Idem. Basil. Hexam. 4. Neque impedit au­thoritas Strabonu lib. 1 [...]. Geograph. Nam & poterit Aegyptus littore rubri maris de­pressior esse, que cū ab aquis Nili tota prae­ter habitationes quae in quibusdam cumulis siue aggeribus tam pagi quam ciuitates maximae sitae sunt, quotannis obruitur, necessiriò est ipso Nilo, denique rubro mari inferior, ipso Strabone teste. lib 17. Nemo denique ru­brum ma [...]e pro magna illa aquarum congregatione vel somno acceperit. gathered and heaped vp together in the deepe, aboue the mountaines. And as by the rising of the sunMatth. [...].45. the Lord doth signifie his mercie; by the varietie of the mooneAugust. quaest. Euangel. 19. Luna significat mortalitatem nostr [...]m, propter hoc quod nascitur, crescit, se­noscit. the fragilitie of man: so by the flowing of the waters hee sheweth his iustice, that hee hath in his hands wherewith to punish sinners. Also that the waters doe retire, is by the naturall power of the voice of God,Basil. Herom. . Vox enim tunc & primum illud praeceptum. velut lex quaedam naturae fa­cta est & permansit (simul in mari at (que)) in terra ipsa. generandi & fructifi [...]andi (in mari congre­gandi) vim consequenter ipsi exhibent. let the waters be gathered together: by vertue wherof they do as naturally retire or slow vn­to another place, as a stone descendeth vnto the cen­ter of the earth, or a tree though it be heauie, grow­eth vpward out of the ground. Manie other reasonsEx optica ratione & consimili. might be obserued, which for tediousnes vnto the reader I omit. The purpose of the premisses is this: to admonish those, whoSicut Philosophi, Patriar­chae Hereticorum Tertul. aduers. Hermog. Maximè Athei omnibus deteriores. 2. Pet. 2.22 Quo­rum dogmata cum frigeant & volare non possint, sedem sibi ac requiem inter Aristotelis & Chry­sippi spineta reperiunt. Vt inquit Hieron. in N thum. cap. 3. vers. 17. onelie will be wise in na­turall things, and denie the authoritie of Scripture, where they finde not reason to confirme the same; that they despise not the authoritie of Scripture, which agreethAlbeit it doe exceede humane reason, and of Iulians and Atheists cannot bee sounded, nor raught vnto. Cyril. in Iulian. lib. 9. euer with the truth of reason, as the truth is one, and truelie doth record the workes of [Page 292] GodPsal. 111.7.8. which were done in truth and equitie, some­time declaring the vertue of his power; who as hee isBernard. de conside­rat. lib. 5. [...]e [...]nere est in v [...]tutibus, vnam vbi (que) equaliter praesto esse virtutē, &c. Nam Deus amat vt chari­tas, n [...] vt veritas, se let vt equitas, do­minatur vt ma [...]estas, regit vt principium, tuetur vt salus, opera­tur vt vi [...]us, reue [...]s vt lux, issistit vt pie­tas. Quae omnia fa­ciunt Angeli, facimus & [...], sed longè infe­riori modo, non vtique bono quod sumus, sed quod participamus. the authour of nature it selfe, worketh beyond and against the course of nature whatsoeuer plea­seth him: and sometime expressing by what natural causes he worketh, that we might he moued therby to reuerence his works, and acknowledge his pow­er to be1. Sam. 2.9. Coloss. 1.17. Act. 17.25. Huius gratia ab Aristo­tele primus motor di­citur: natura quidem principium rerum est, Physic. lib. 2. cap. 1. motor ille primus prin­cipium est principij, & cuius gratia caete­ra mouentur, lib. 7. cap. 1. & 2 à Cicerone anima mundi voca­tur, naturae principiū & [...], lib. 2. de natura De [...]r. the naturall power of the creature. To those that will examine the truth of Scripture, by theAs Simplicius and other Atheists. writings of Aristotle and Philosophers, I an­swere with Epiphanius, thatIn Anchorat. Sic do­cet sancta Dei scrip­tura, fic sentit ecclesia Dei; non enim astabit nobis Origenes (vel Aristoteles) in die iudicij. Aristotle shall not stand to defend their errors and presumptions at the day of iudgement. The second generall meanes wher­by the earth was ouerflowed, was that which the Scripture calleth the windowes of heauen. The word ( [...], aruboth) doth properlie signifieEccles. 12. vers. 3. Iosua 8.7. Iudg. 10.29. watch win­dowes, of the word ( [...], arabh) to lie in waite, and is also taken for any place, whereHose. 13.3. smoke or2. King. 7.19. water is let out; which is as if the Scripture had said: The heauensAn Hyperbolicall speech of Raine, like as is 1. Sam. 7.6. of weeping. Ambros. de Noa & arca cap. 14. also powred downe raine, not by mists and droppes, but euen by streames continuallie, for the space of fortie dayes & fortie nights. Wher­by it appeareth, that whereas the waters of the sea are gathered together, and the waters aboue, are contained,Iob. 26.8. Prou. 3.20. borne vp, and bound together in the firmament,Gen. 1.6.7. by the separation whereby God deui­ded the waters from the waters; at this time the Lord did release thē vnto libertie,Gen. 1.6.9. pulleth downe the partition, and lets them goe together as at the first. Obser. 1. The mightie power of the Lord, who [Page 293] hath in his treasuresIob. 38.22. Psalm. 135.7. creaturesThe earth, Numb. 16.31. Winde and waters, as Iona. 1.4.13. Fire from hea­uen, Gen. 19. ver. 24. 2. King. 10.12. Wilde beasts, 2. King. 2.24. & 17.25. Grashop­pers, flies, Exod. 8.6. great and small, readie toLeuit. 26.25. execute his wrath against the wicked. Secondlie, his goodnesseIerem. 5.22. Lamen. 3.22. that hee doth restraine them. Thirdlie, his patienceExod. 34.6. Psal. 103.8.10. that he is not prouo­ked to the contrarie for all our sins. Fourthlie, our owne conditions,Gen. 1.1.6.7.9. Basil. Hexam. 4. Per omnem aquarum historiam memor sis primae vocit: congregen­tur aquae; oportebat ipsas currere, vt proprium locum occuparent: deinde vbi essent in praestitutis locis, manere in seipsit, & non vlterius procedere. Caluin. in Gen. 7. Sed consulto Deus inter duo sepul­chra nos posuit, ne securè contemnamus eius gratiam, vnde vita nostra dependet. who are placed on the earth, as in the middest betweene two swallowing pits, the waters of the sea and of the firmament; both which ifIob. 38. ver. 11. Psalm. 104.9. Prou. 8.29. &c. they were not restrained and vpholden by the power of the Lord, would ouerwhelme the wicked euerie moment.

Question 5. verse 20. What was the iust and exact measure of the waters which the Scripture speaketh of: fifteene cubits vpward were the mountaines couered, and whether those naturall cau­ses which the scripture speaketh of, were sufficient to procure so mightie waters?

THe height of the waters is described by the highest mountaine, but the height of the highest mountaine is not any where described: because the mountaines re­maine vnto the view of men, but the waters could not of anie be considered by view, but by the spirit [Page 294] of the Lord. That mountaine of Ararat Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Quin & Ni­cholaus Damascenus libr. 96. de his rebus narras in hac verba: est super Regionem Minyarum magnus mons in Armenia no­mine Baris, in quo multos profugos duu­nij tempore seruator ferunt. & quendam arcae vectum in hu­ius vertice haesisse, & reliquias lignorum e­ius longo tempore du­rasse, qui fortassis is fuit, de quo etiam Mo­ses scribit Iudaeorum Legistator. Diceret fortassis Lubaris non Baris vt obseruauit Tremel. Sic enim est apud Epiphan. Hae­res. 1. Post diluuium cum requieuisset arca Noa in montibus Ararat, per mediam Ar­meniorum & Cardyentium terram, in monte Lubar appellato, isti [...] prima hominum habitati, sit post diluuium. appeareth to be of a notable height, vpō which the Ark rested two months & thirteene dayes, before ye rest of the mountaines were discouered. The mountaineDeut. 32.49. & 34.1. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 4. c. 8. A­barim in the top of Pisgah, for the height therof, was chosen of the Lord, whereon to shew Moses the land of promise. The mountaine whereon our Sa­uiourMatth. 17.1. Luc. 9 28. shewed his glorie to his Disciples, which was calledIud [...] 4.6. Hieron. Epist ad Eustor. epitaph. Paul [...]. Scandebat montem Tabor in quo transfiguratus est domi­nus. tabor, orHieron. aduers. Hel [...]id. Mon [...] Tabor Itaburium dicitur. Idem. in Hose. cap. 5. à septuagint. in­terpret. Sic reddi & appellari. Itaburium, isIoseph. de b [...]lo Iudaic. lib. 4. c. 2. M [...]tem Itaburium occupauerunt, cuiu [...] altitudo quidem triginta stedijs consa [...]gens, sep [...]entrionali tractu inaccessus. Quod dicit consur­git, est pro decliuitate mo [...]tis non raetione perpendicul [...]. affirmed to as­cend from the plaine and champion fieldes, by the space of thirtie furlonges. Moreouer the testimo­nie of approued writers doth confirme, that there are mountaines whose top doth reach aboue the cloudes. The mountaineAristot. Meteor. lib. 5. cap. 13. Catech [...] porte maximus est montium omnium qui estiuum ad o [...]t [...]m sunt cacumine atque latitudine: cuius [...]uga à sole radiantur vsque ad conti inium ab ortu & iterum ab occasit. Caucasus doth aduance his toppes so farre aboue the common compasse of the earth, that thereon the Sunne doth shine, vntill [...], Conti [...]rium, cre­pusculum, Ma [...]rob. Saturnal. lib. 1 cap. 2. Tempus à deiuculo ad galli cantus. Varro lib 6. de linguae Lat. Quod in eo hom [...]nes incipiunt conticescere. Nomus Marcel. Conticinium noctis primum tempur, quo omnia quiescendi gratiae conticescunt. to those which dwell at the foote of the moun­taine, the euening is ouerspread, or as wee say, the day light is shut in. The hill Olympus in Thessalie, isAugust. de Gen. contr. Manichi. lib. 1. cap. 15. & de ciuitate lib. 15. cap. 2 [...]. Quidam inquit hanc historiam non esse [...]estam, sed solas rerum significa [...]da­rum figuras esse contendunt: primum opina [...]tur tam magnum fieri non esse diluuium, vt altissimos montes, quindecim cubitis aqua c escendo transcenderet, propter Olympi verticem montis, supra quem perhibentur nubes non posse cons [...]endere, quod tam sublimis quàm Coelum sit, vt non ibi sit aer iste crassior, vbi venit nebulae, imbresque gignuntur, &c. Solin. Polyhist. cap. 18. & alij. affirmed to be so high, as neither winde nor [Page 295] cloudes, nor raine, are at anie time perceiued to be in the top thereof. Much like is written of the Alpes inHerodian. Hist. lib. 8. Hi sunt longissimè quidem montes, vice murorum Italiae cir­cundati, adeò in altum editi, vt etiam supera­re nubes videan­tur, &c. Fraunce, ofHerodot. in Melpom. Extat in hoc marimons cui nomen At­las, est autem vbique perangustus & [...]res, ita verò sublimis esse dicitur, vt ad illius verticem oculi morta­lium peruenire non possint: neque ibi vn­quam vel per astatem vel per hiemem nubes deesse consueuerunt; hinc incolae coeli co­lumnam esse dicunt. Atlas in Barbarie, ofPlutarc. lib. de fa­cie apparente in orb. Lunae, &c. reciteth the prouerbe: Athos obumbra [...] latera Lem­nia bonis; that is, A­thos shadoweth the Oxe of Lemnos, which is vsed when one obscureth anothers glorie. The occasion of which prouerbe was, that in the market place of Myrinum, a Citie of Lemnos, there was set the image of a great Oxe, which image the hill Athos did ouershadow at the setting of the sunne, being seuentie furlongs distant. Idem Apollonius. Argonaut. libr. 1. Pomp. Mela. libr. 2. Geograph, reporteth of the hill Athos, the like vnto that which Augustine and Solin. cap. 14. doe [...]ffirme of the hill Olympus. Athos a mountaine of Macedonia. Concerning which, as it is no matter of faith, to beleeue or to reiect the re­port of the measure of the mountaines: so wee ought not lightlie to respect the monuments of fa­mous writers, which haue gathered their know­ledge by labour and experience, & in gage of their estimation doe report vnto vs the wonderful works of God, performed in these his creatures. But here­of it commeth to passe, that men of prophane and corrupt minds, which rather embrace the report of men, then the certaine testimonie of the word of God; doeAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 27. Primò opinantur tam mag­num fieri non posse diluuium, vt altissimos montes quindecim cubitis aqua crescendo transcenderet. demaund how it is possible that the wa­ters were aboue the highest mountaine, seeing as they affirme, the highest mountaine is found to be aboue the cloudes. It is neither of necessitie, nor yet conuenient, that we shouldSicut L. Vall [...] in Comment. in Aug. de ciu. Dei, lib. 15. c. 27. Ex authoritate cuiusdam Franscisci Philelphi, qui se montem ascendisse affirmat, fabulosum esse dicit. Item ex hoc Perer. for defence sake, deny the authoritie of writers; but giue euerie one liber­tie to esteeme thereof, as his iudgement shall dis­cerne. But first of all we answere with S. Augustine, August. de ciuit. Dei. Ibid, An fortè negant esse hanc terram verticem montis? Cur igitur vsque ad illa coeli sparta terris exal­tari licuisse, & aquis exaltari non licuisse contendunt; cum isti mensores & pensores elementorum, a­quas terris perhibeant superiores atque leuiores. that it is not so greatlie meruaile if the waters did ascend vnto the still aire aboue the clouds, if so be [Page 296] the earth be found to be so high (as it is said to be in the top of Olympus) forasmuch as the naturall place of the water, is to be aboue the earth. Here againe they will obiect, that the meanes before expressed, were not sufficient to raise the waters to such a height: seeing those which were the highest and chiefest meanes, are called by the Scriptures the windowes of heauen; which of theVide infrae. At alij aliter interpretantur. Gulielm. Parisien. ep. lib de vniuers. par. 1. cap. De firmament ait Mosen vocasse cata­ractas coeli eas coeli partes que sunt gene­ratrices pluuiarum & [...]undationum aqua­rum, qualia sunt signa aquatilia, Cancer, Pis­ces, Ple [...]ades, Orion; inter Planetas, Mars, Venus, Luna, &c. Itē Pet. Abacus quest. in Gen. Noturam vel certè constellationem, diluuium figurantem. Id ipsum voluit ficli­tius ille Berosu [...]. chiefest in­terpreters are esteemed to be placed in the cloudes. For seeing that some mountaines are aboue the cloudes, how could the waters by them be infor­ced to be aboue the mountaines? wherunto againe we answere. First that albeit the cloudes are often carried in the firmament, not perhaps so farre di­stant from the earth, as the height of some moun­taine is: yet the firmament it selfe wherin the clouds are carried, and wherein they did at the voice of God powre raine vpon the earth, vntill the end of the fortie dayes; is greatlie aboue the height of any mountaine. So that albeit commonlie the cloudes are carried, not past theHieron. in [...]sai. lib. 13. cap. 50. aiunt Phi­losophi, non amplius decem stadijs à terra, nubes in sublime su­stolli, & solis splendo­rem abscondere. Ergo non coelum sacco ob­ [...]oluitur, sed interclu­so coeli lumine aer qui subter est nubis tene­bris obscuratur. distance of tenne furlongs from the earth or there about, as is confirmed by learned writers, & that there are mountaines found, which are fifteene furlongs, by the plumline or per­pendicular,Cleomed. lib. 1. cap. 9 Neque enim editior mons quindecim sta­dijs ad perpendiculum inuenitur, neque maris profunditas ad sum num stadia tripinta. ascending from the plaine; yet the cloudes are alsoPlin. lib. 2. cap. 23. Possidonius (inquit) non minus quadraginta stadiorum à terra altitudinem esse in qua nubila ac venti nubesque proueniant, sed haec à Plinio rarum Philosophicè explicantur. sometime found to be no lesse then fortie furlongs from the earth; and the space of the firmament, wherein they are or may be gathe­red, is muchPossulonius teacheth that there a [...] foure hundred furlongs to the higher region of the ayre: from thence to the circle of the Moone twentie thousand: which Plinie reporteth lib. 2. cap. 23. greater then the space of fortie fur­longs. [Page 297] Whereby it is euident, that this onlie meane was sufficient vnto the Lord, to haue destroyed the world with water; as also that such is the wisedome and power of God, that he hath placed in the crea­tures together, & in euery one of them particularly, sufficientLike as in the de­struction of Sodom, Gen. 19. As learned Doctor Fulke (whom of loue and reue­rēce I name) teach­eth in his Gallerie of Meteors. power to destroy al the wicked; as to dis­solue the earth with water, or with fire, or such like other meanes at his commaundement. Notwith­standing (least any should finde vnto himselfe, an entrance whereby to cauil at the Scripture) it is ma­nifest also that the fountaines of the deepe were no lesse auaileable, for the destruction of the earth, then was the meanes which wee haue spoken of, foras­much as the waters of the deepe doePsal. 104.6. stand aboue the mountaines, & therefore are sufficient to couer them, being permitted thereunto. Which point wil be soone acknowledged and vnderstood, after wee haue preuented an obiection or two which may be opposed by the aduersaries. It may seeme vnto some (not well considered) contrarie to reason, that the waters of the sea, which are of those waters be­neathGen. 1.7.9. the firmament, should be aboue the moun­taines, seeing the waters aboue the firmament are byAugust. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 2. cap. 4. Ergo ex aëre, qui est inter vapores hum dos, vn­de superius nubila cō ­globantur, & maria subterfuga, siendere ille voluit esse coelu [...] inter aquam & aquam. Hieron. in epist. ad Ephes. Comment. cap. 6. Maximè si intelligimus, quo­modo coelestia nominentur, propter volucres coeli, & quod in vsu d citur, pluuia venire de coelo. non quod pluuia de coelo veniat; Philosophi quippe aiunt non amplius, &c. Caluin. in Gen. 1.6. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. Dei, part. 2. lib. 2. cap. 2. interpreters acknowledged, to be those which are gathered in the cloudes, which often are found to be not the distance of the mountaines from the earth: whereof it would follow that the waters be­neath the firmament, were higher then those aboue the firmament. Which notwithstanding, is nothing [Page 298] contrarie to experience. For wee often perceiue thatAugust. de Gen. ad lit. 2. cap. 4. Et nubes quippe, sicut experti sunt, qui inter eas in montibus ambulaue­runt congregatione & conglobatione minu­tissimarum guttarum talem speciem reddūt. cloudes and mists, being gathered beneath in vallies, are againe dissolued into raine,Gen. 1.7. August. de Gen. ibid. cap. 41. which is of the waters aboue the firmament, before they are ta­ken vp so high, as the mountaines; for which cause they seeme to those that behold them beneath in the vallies, to be gathered in the toppes of moun­taines, and doe hide the mountaines with mists and darkenesse; in the height of which mountaines, springesAristot. Meteor. lib. 1. cap. 13. Quorcirca rapidi fluminum cur­sus ex iugis montium videntur praecipitari, atque etiam plurima amplissimaque flumi­na de montibus in cel­fissima cacuminae e­latis defluunt: vt ex Pyrene Dan [...]bius, ex Parnaso vel Parapa­miso Bactrus, Choas­pes, Araxes, Tanais & Indus. doe often rise, which are of the waters beneath the firmament. But yet againe, this doubt may be thus augmented: the mountaines are saide to be aboue the cloudes; but the waters of the sea are not said to be aboue the cloudes, either by the Scriptures, or by any approued writer: wherefore it can not be that the waters of the sea should be a­boue the mountaines. This obiection the Lord himselfeIob. 38.9. hath answered long agoe: I haue made (saith he) the cloudes as a couering of the sea, and darke­nes, as the swadling bands thereof. Wherein is affirmed that by the wisdome and appointment of the Lord, cloudes, vapours and darkenes, doe compasse the waters of the deepe, as swadling bandes and gar­ments, like as also they doe compasse the earth, and areGen. 9.14. as a couering for the same. For wherefore doth the Lord to particularly expresse the excellen­cie of his wisedome, in placing the cloudes as the garment of the sea, if there were not a special point of workemanship therein to be considered? name­lie, that albeitIob. 38.8. Psalm. 104.6. the sea is so gathered, and closed in with barres and doores; that it standeth aboue the mountaines, which are higher then the cloudes [Page 299] which couer the earth (and thereby areNam & altissimi qui dicuntur montes, vt Olympus & At­las, iuxta summitatem quidem & cacumina saepissimè nubibus cir­cundantur. Hinc O­lympus pro coelo sumi­tur & deorum domi­cilium apud Homerum (nisi quod & ipse ve­rum coelū intellexit) quòd Olympus mon [...] saepe cacumen retinet circumfusum nubibus & tāquam occlusum, saepe contra apertum videatur, vt refert Eustath. in Homer. Il. 1. Id ipsum de Atlan­te refert Herodot. in Melpom. Adeò celsus est, inquit, vt eius ca­cumen nequeat cerni, quod à nubibus nun­quam relinquatur ne­que hyeme, neque ae­state. Supra cacumen nubes non habere tradit antiquitas, & fortè ratio est, quod cum supra communem locum nubium montes extolluntur, atque ipsi aridi & angusti; non habent vnde sol vapores eliciat. At mare contra & latitudinem habet & humorem, vnde optime potest sol vapores cogere, at (que) credi­derim in aëre altius propter frigiditatem eleuari, quod ipsum mare ex magna parte sub aequatore & solis ipsius continuo cursu positum, & quo feruentius aduritur, eò altius vapores ad frigidam aeris re­gionem quicunque colluntur euehi necesse est. not per­haps couered with cloudes) yet hee hath made the cloudes as a garment for the sea, which do couer the sea alike as they couer the earth. If any will examine this doctrine by the rules of nature, hee shall finde it in all things correspondent thereunto. For this notwithstanding, the cloudes are or may be carried by meanes alike, gathered alike, & in like place, that is in the middle regionWhich is the place in which they are gathered and thickened. Aristot. Meteor. 1. c. 9. of the aire. For as the earth is nothingAristot. de Coel. lib. 2. cap. 14. Cleom. lib. 1. cap. 9. in respect of the greatnes of the spheres of heauen, and the gathering of the waters, nothing in respect of the greatnes of the globe of the earth it selfe: so this difference in the sea & in the cloudes, from the earth and the clouds which couer it, is also nothing; whether we compare it with the heauen, or the compasse of the earth,For what are fifteene furlongs, in respect of twentie thousand? or onelie consider it with the space and largenes of the firmament. This therefore may suffice to conuince an Atheist of his impietie, that will not beleeue the historie of Scrip­ture, because he cannot find how in reason it might be done. Notwithstanding neither this, nor what­soeuer may beHieron. lib. aduers. Heluid. Non Rhetorici campum desideramus eloquij, non Dialecticorum tendiculas, nec Aristotelis spineta conqui­rimus, ipsa scripturarum verba ponendae sunt. confirmed by reason, or adorned with eloquece, is sufficient to perswade himAugust. in epist. Ioh. Tract. 3. Sonus verborum no­strorum aures percutit, magister intus est. Nolite p [...]are quenquam hominem aliquid discere ab ho­mine. Admonere possumus per strepitum vocis nostrae, si non sit intus qui doceat, inanis est strepitus noster. Adeo fraires vultis nosse numquid sermonem istum omnes audistis, quam multi hinc in­docti exituri sint? quantum ad me pertinet, omnibus locutus sum: sed quibus vnctio illa intus non loquitur, quos spiritus sanctus intus non docet, indocti redeunt. of the [Page 300] truth thereof, which by the vertueIoh. 14.26. & 1. Ioh. 2.20. of the spirit of God, hath not his heartLuc 8.15. prepared to receiue by saith, the plaine narration of the Scripture. It ma­keth also much vnto the glorie of God, his power, and wisedome in the creatures, being considered and vnderstood. For first the same declareth his wisedome, that hathGen. 2.1. Quaelibet suo ordine, vt leuiora natura sint altiorae, sic vt vel ipse subscripsit Aristot. de Coelo lib 2. cap. 13. Oecolampad. in Iere. 5. In mari Erithraeo, di­cunt multo mare sub­limius l [...]tore: imò si naturam aduertimus, omnia eius rationis sunt maria, nam spe­ricae figure sunt. Caluin. in Ierem 5.22 Leuitas ipsa ostendit (maris aquas) emine­re super terram. placed the creatures in such excellent order. Secondlie, his power, whoIob. 38.10 11. Ierem. 5.22. Basil. Hexam. 4. Debilissima re arena, id quod violentia intolerabile est franatur: alio­qui quid prohiberet, &c. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 3. cap. 2. Vtrumque igitur ex praecepto dei, vt & fluat aqua & non superfluat. ma­keth the sand of the shore as barres and doores, to keepe the waters, which but for his word and ordi­nance, would ouerflow the earth. Thirdlie, his fi­delitie,Gen. 9.11. Psal. 146.6. 1. Cor. 10.13. that according to his promise he doth keep them in. Lastlie, if these creatures haue such power in them, by vertue of theirDeut. 32.24. Amos 9.3.4. which is the effectuall voyce of God, or his working power, in and by his creatures Gen. 1. Psal. 104.9 & 119.91. For the word Nature is taken diuersly: first, for God himselfe, so that by the word Nature, God is vnderstood: 2. Pet. 1.1.4. In this sense Aristotle calleth God or Nature the first mouer: Bernard. Principium, the beginning, ad Eugen. lib. 5. Zeno, Fire, and the Soule of the world. Cicero de nat. Deor. lib. 2. Secondly, it is taken for the will of God. So Plato de leg. Natura est quod Deus vult: that is, what God willeth, that is Nature. And August. de ciu. Dei, lib. 20. cap. 8. Voluntas creatoris cuius que rei natura est: that is, the will of the Creator, is the nature of euery creature. Thirdly, the effect of execution of that will, Rom. 11.24. 1. Cor. 11.4. this is the second and subordinate beginning, which Heathen Philosophers doe commonly vnderstand: of which Aristotle saith, de part. Animal. lib. 1. cap. 5. [...]. i. No worke of Nature is to be contemned, because there is nothing in Nature, which hath not in it some cause of admiration. And Galen de vsu partium lib. 20. in the end (hauing spoken of Gods wonderfull workes in the parts of mans bodie) Videmur nobis in Dei laudem honoris cantum cecinisse: that is, we seeme to haue sung herein a song of honour to the praise of God. And Zen [...]phon lib. 1. [...]: These are the works of yt wise Architect and louer of his creatures. Item Cicer. Nat. Deor. lib. 2. & in Lucull. Naturae effecta esse quaecunque sint, &c. Wherefore wee which sometime are com­pelled to vse the word Nature in Diuinitie, doe meane thereby the power and abilitie of the creatures, which God hath put within them to doe his will, in their creation such as is of the water, by their first power to ouerflow the whole earth, by the second power wherby they were gathered together, to ebbe to and fro in the Sea. And in saying the flood was brought to passe by naturall causes, we mean the power which God put in those crea­tures by their first creatiō before they were restrained: but we ioyne withal this saying of Seneca: T [...] naturae Deo nomen mutas: quanto pulchrius si dixeris, Deus, hoc aut illud fecit: i. Change that name Nature into that name God: how much better were it to say, God (rather then to say Nature) did this or that. And affirme moreouer that the nature of the creature, is the effect of the will of God, which is ingrafted into euery creature. nature and creation, as at the commaundement of God to destroy the world, what is hee able by his power to performe, [Page 301] who made the creatures themselues of nothing, gaue them the power thatRom. 13.1. Coloss. 1.17. Gregor. libr. Mor. 7. Bona ordine suo est potentia, sed nuncta regentis indiget vita. is in them, and worketh whatsoeuer hee will without the creatures as with­out his instruments, for the preseruation of his peo­ple, and the ouerthrow and destruction of the wic­ked.

CHAP. VIII.

Question 1. verse 1. By what meanes were the waters of the floud diminished, and the ground dried vp, which was ouerflowed so deepe with water?

ANd God remembred Noah, saith the text: that is to say; albeit the Lorde did so fiercelie shewe his wrath vpon the world, by powring raine frō heauen vpon them, by the space of fortie dayes and for­tie nights, & caused the deepe to returne to couer the earth, whereby the highest mountainesCaietanus in Gen. cap. 7. Excipit mon­tem Paradisi: apparat (inquit) quod Moses non loquitur de omnibus montibus excelsis simpliciter & absolutè, sed de illis tantum qui sunt sub coelo, hoc est sub regione acris in qua generantur pluuiae: attestatur quo (que) huic sensus cōmunis acceptio montis in quo est Paradisus terrestris, vbi Henoch erat tēpore diluuij adhuc ibi­dem versatus. Satis est quod hunc cōuincit falsitatis Perer. Tom. 2. lib. 12. disp. 9. vnder heauen (which at this day re­maine as a standingCleomed. libr. 1. cap. 10. Nam quod Plinius altitudinem montis Casiij per directum esse quatuor mille passuum lib. 5. c. 22. magis coniectura nititur, quam veritate; & quod Plutar. refert in vita Pauli Emilij: Nec montis altitudinem nec maris profunditatem decem siadia excedere, manifestè impingit. Vrinantibus enim mars viginti stadia multis in locis abyssum non sufficiunt penetrare. Quare sequenda magis sententia doctiss. Cleomedis qui nec montem quindecim stadia, non mare 30. stadia supergressum esse prodidit. measure of the height of the [Page 303] waters of the floud) were couered fifteene cubits vpward: yet God remembred Noah: that is, made knowne vnto Noah that God remembred him. For seeing noTertul. contra. Mar­cion. lib. 2. Stultissimi qui de humanis diui­na praeiudicant, vt quoniam in homine corruptoria conditio­nis habentur huius­modi passiones, idcirco & in Deo eiusdem status existimentur: discerne substantiat, & suos ijs distribut sensus tam diuersos quam substantiae exi­gunt, licet vocabulis communicare vide­antur. August. comment. in Psalm. 10. Nemo ita positum putet quasi obliuio cadat in De­um. Idem. in Psal. 87. Nam neque obliuio cadit in Deum, quiae nullo modo mutatur; neque recordatio, quia non obliuiscitur. forgetfulnes can be in God; heeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 20. Quid est re­cordatus est? Misertus est vult dicere, iusti in arca degentis. Augustin. in Psalm. 87. Tunc Deus dicitur meminisse quando facit. then is said in Scripture to remember, when hee decla­reth by his deed or word the effect of his remem­brance. Before he remembred the preseruation of Noah, whereGen. 7.16. it is said the Lord Origen. Hom. in Gen. 2. Quod diuinae virtu­tis opus fuit ne ingrederetur aqua per aditum quem humana non munierat manus. shut them in: now he remembreth his deliuerance, when hee maketh a winde to passe vpon the earth. He remembred Noah and euerie beast: that is to say, so shewed the LordAmbros. de Noa lib. cap. 16. Cum dixerit quod Noae [...]emor fuerit, in authore & praeside domus necessitates eius reliquat comprehendit. Simul exprimi videtur quidam reliquarum consensus necessitudinum Etcium cum om­nes inuicem sibi [...]hari sunt, vna est domus, &c. his mercie and remembrance, as that neither Noah, nor his familie, nor the smallest or weakest creature in the Arke, butPsalm. 145.15. hee prouided in due season for the same. Whereby we learne; that although God doe oftenPsalm. [...]4.23. & [...]3.19. Lament. cap. 5. vers. 20. August. in Psal. 119. Conc. 15. Tunc dicitur obliuis [...]i quando tardare videtur adiuto­rium vel promissum. seeme to haue forgottē his afflicted church, yetEsai 49.15. 1. King. 9.3. the same and euerie memberIohn. 10.28.29. Matth. 18.14. of the same, is perpetuallie regarded in his watchfull prouidence. And if God remember the meanest creatures, willMatth. 6.30. Psal 34.22. he not be much more mindfull of those which at­tend with confidence vpon his promises? This re­membrance of the Lord is farther amplified by the cause or instrument: he made a winde to passe vpon the earth, & the waters ceased. There are which vnderstād by the word (ruach) spirit or winde, theAmbros. de Noa & Arc. lib. cap. 16. Non puto hoc ita dictum, vt spiritus nomine ven­tum acciptamus. Neque enim ventus poterat siccare diluuium. Alioquin cum mare ventis exagitetur quotidie, exinaniretur profecto. spirit of [Page 304] God which first did moue vponGen. 1.2. Ruach Elohim, hîc ve­rò sine additione est. the waters, euen the same who is called the holie spirit, theIoh. 14.16.17. & ita intelligit Rabbi Rasi [...] ruach nichumin. i. spiritum consolationis. com­forter, theEsai. 6.5. Act. 28.25 Lord of glorie: Neuertheles although the holie Ghost, which isEsai. 51.9. the verie power of God, did shew his might in diminishing the waters, yet he vsed a creature as his meanes, which is expressely named a spirit or winde, of which creatureAthanas. lib. de Spir. Sanct. Quod non sit creatura: ad Serapion. quin & ventus spiri­tus dicitur, ad istum modum in Genesi: & excitauit Dominus spiritum in terra, &c. Item, Author de Mi­rab. sacr. script. in op. August. lib. 1. cap. 7. Caluin. in Gen. 8. Peter Martyr in Gen. cap. 8. the scrip­ture doth here intreat. It is also demaunded, how the winde is said to passe vpon the earth, when the earth was couered so deepe with water? which ofCaietan. in Gen. 8. Hunc spiritū seu ven­tum per totam pro­funditatem aquarum penetrasse ac perme­asse. some is answered, that this winde did pierce with­in the waters vnto the earth: but in deed the winde did passe vpon the earth, whenLuther. in Gen. c. 8. Facilis responsio est, dicit Moses adductum fuisse ventum super terram, super aquae superficiem, [...]antisper donec aqua exsiccatae terram iterum osten­derent hominibus. it passed vpon the waters, which were vpon the earth. Furthermore, wee may behold the almightie power of God, in bringing forthPsalm. 145.7. & 147.18. this wind out of his treasure house, which could not in the ordinarie disposition of the creatures, which is called the course of nature, be drawenAristot. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 4. Ventu [...] naturalis est fumus seu halitus ex calore & siccitate consurgens, quem sol calefaciendo terram ex terra euebis. Non igitur hic natu­ralis ventus, cum tota terra sit aquis obruta. out of the earth: as also in making it to passeThe place where the windes doe naturally blow, is onely betweene the earth and the middle region of the ayre. Aristot. Meteor. lib. 2. cap. 4. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. part. 2. lib. 3. cap. 4. so farre aboue the naturall place thereof: and thirdlie by it, in diminishing so speedilie, such migh­tie waters. To which purpose the Scripture saith: not, that a winde did passe vpon the earth, but a wind was made to passe, [...] à [...] gnauar: in hiphil, fecit transire. and God made that winde to passe vp­on the earth. Least any should thinke, that the dimi­nishing of the floud, was done by the vertue of the second causes, as was theIllud tantum quasi loci mutatione & naturali, hoc de mandato ad secundum locum reductio, ex miraculosa venti operatione, vt verbi in prima congregatione. bringing of the floud, but by the supernaturall and miraculous power of [Page 305] God, which at the first created them of nothing, and gathered them together, and establishedPsal. 104.9. Iob. 38. their naturall abode for euer. The meanes therefore wherby the waters were abated, were theVers. 2. restraint or closing vp the springs or flowings of the deepe, and the raine from heauen,Aben Ezra in Gen. 8 Dicit pluisse post 40. dies alternis vicibus ad finem 150. dies, sed nescio quo [...]ititur fundamento. that they might not giue nourishment as it were vnto the floud: and se­condlie the winde; which when the waters did re­ceiue no farther augmentation, did diminish them. But was the wind sufficient to drie vp so great a sea of waters in so short a space? yea doubtlesse, seeing the Lord did giue power vnto it, partly by resoluing these waters intoRabb. in Sedar olam. Aquin. in Gen. cap. 8. Quaedā redibant sur­sum rarefactae in va­porem aëreum. airie vapours as they were be­fore, but much more auaileable for the drying of the earth, by causing these waters to goe and to re­turne to the place which is by God ordained for them,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 26. Tantum cre­damus quod iussit, & exaltata est abyssus, & praecepit, & iterū suum continuit impe­tum, & ad proprium concessit locum, quem solus ipse Dominur scit qui condidit. It is to be obserued that the 72. Interpreters, and Chrysost. in Gen. Homil. 26. August. quaest. in Gen. 12. and other, doe reade it exaltata est abyssus, the deepe was lifted vp, when as in the Hebrue it is [...], the waters were diminished: whereby it seemeth they vnderstand, that as they were dimi­nished from the earth, so they were treasured and heaped together in the Sea. that is the sea. Wherein wee see that the Lord, who by his power was able to haue dissolued this floud, without the meanes of creatures, as first he did, when he commaunded the drie land to ap­peare; is able alsoIsai. 40.29. Psal. 78.45.46. to commaund his creatures; and to giue power vnto them to worke his pleasure. Thus as it were at his becke, orIsai. 7.18. the wagging of his finger; the raine ceaseth, the fountaines are stopped, thePsal. 107.25. & 147.15.18. winde ariseth, the waters ebbeFor naturally it could neither goe nor returne, for as much as they flowed ouer all: but when as they began to be gathered ei­ther by the voyce of God, as Gen. 1.9. or by the winde, they begin to go & to returne; where­by it seemeth apparant, that the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is caused by the gathering to­gether of the waters. Ambros. Hexam. libr. 3. cap. 2. Hinc coepit labi aqua, quod iusserit Deus audiunt (vex enim Dei efficiens natura est) & in vnam confluere congregationem, &c. Cursum eius ante nō legi, motū eius ante non didici (non enim ex vsu hoc habet caeterorū elementorū, sed speciale ac propriū) nec oculus meus vidit, nec auris audiuit. stabat aqua diuersis locis, ad vocem Dei mota est. Non quod non habuis in se potestatē fluendi, sed quod non vndi (que) erat quo flueret. Item Caietan. in Gen. c. 8. and flow, and [Page 306] are gathered together bothGen. 1.7.9. aboue & beneath the firmament. Obser. 1. The Lord to shewPsalm. 106.8.9. Isai. 7.18. his pow­er and glorie in the creatures, doth vse them at his pleasure to effect his will. Secondlie, hee is able to make strong creaturesExod. 14.31. 1. King. 19.11. Ierem. 37.10. Ioel. 1.4. of more force, and weake creatures strong, for the accomplishment of his hea­uenlie purpose. Thirdlie, the winds doe not blow, neither the waters ebbe or flow, butPsalm 107.25. & 147.15.18. Ionah. 1. Matth. 10.29. at the com­maundement of the Lord. Fourthlie, the power and disposition of the creature, is notSicut Ethnici solent & Athes. alwaies to be sought for, in the course of nature, but to beIsai. 9.13. Prou. 21.31. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 21. cap. 8. Omnia portenta contra natu­ram dicimus esse, sed non sunt. Quomodo enim est contra naturam quod Dei fit voluntate; cum voluntas tanti vtique conditoris condita rei cu­iusque natura sit? Portentum ergo fit non contra naturam, sed contra quae est nota natura. Sic regit Deus ipse naturam Cicer. de Nat, Deorum lib. 2. consi­dered as from the Lord; forasmuch as the Lord dothIsai. 30.26. Ios. 14.11. adde to,Psalm. 107.34. Gen. 5.17.18. diminish, and alter the course, condition & nature of them, so oft as pleaseth him.

Question 2. verse 4. If the floud began the seauenteenth day of the second month, and the raine continued for­tie dayes, and the waters preuailed an hun­dreth & fiftie dayes as the Scripture see­meth to report: how could it be that the Arke rested vpon the mountaine of Ararat the seauenth day of the seauenth month, which by this account is foure dayes be­fore the falling of the water?

IT is verie conuenient, that this point of do­ctrine should be diligentlie considered, for manie causes, especiallieRom. 15.4. Hieron. comment. in Ephes. cap. 3. Scriptu­ra sacrae nullus apex caret sensibus. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 13. Nam sicut aromata, quanto ma­gis digitis atteruntur, tanto maiorem sua natura fragrantiam reddunt: ita & in scripturis vsu venit, quanto quis illis est familiarior, tantò magis videre potest latentem in ipsis thesaurum, plures (que) percipere ineffabilium diuitiarum fructus. seeing the spirit of God hath so diligentlie described the same vnto vs. Wherein first is to be obserued a manifest andGregor. Epist. lib. 6. Epist. 30. Alia sunt friuola & innoxia, alia sunt friuola & valde nociua. Et in scripturis ne minima differentia emitti debet. hurtfull discord betweene the truth of the He­brue text, and the common Latine translation,Concil. Trident. Sess 4. in Decret. de Canonicis scripturis. 8. die Aprilis. Ita vt nefas sit, &c. So that it is an execrable thing with them, to say, that that translation is false or faultie. Perer. Tom. 2. lib. 13. Disp. 5. which is authenticall (that is to say of greatest au­thoritie) among the Papists; & thereupon aSic enim decreuit Hieron. epist. ad Damas. omissis riuulis ad ipsum fontem recurramus, ipsa Hebraea verba po­nenda sunt. Item. August. de ciuit. lib. 15. cap. 13. Quandoquidem ad fidem rerum gestarum, vtrun­que esse non potest verum; ei linguae potius credatur, vnde est in aliam per interpretes facta transla­tio. Plane contrarium decernit Concil. Trident. Sess. 4. Vt illa [...] a vetus & vulgata editio in publicis lectionibus, disputationibus, praedicantionibus, & expositionibus, pro authentica habeatur, & vt eam nemo reijcere quouis pratextu audeat vel presumat. mor­tall [Page 308] dissention betweene the iudgement of the auncient fathers, and the established authoritie of that translation in the Tridentine Councell. For where the first resting of the Arke is affirmed in the Hebrue text to be, the seauenteenth day of the seuenth month, the same translatiō (obeyingAct. 4.19. rather the voice of man then God) hath followedThe Greeke trans­lation, and not the Hebrue fountaine. tran­slations and not the text, and saith the Arke rested the seauen & twentith day of the seauenth month: which isFor if it were the 27. day that the Ark rested, it was not the seuenteenth: if the seuenteenth, then it began not to rest ye twentie se­uenth. Notwithstā ­ding Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. and Ambros. de Noa & Arca. c 17. and also Augustin. cont. Faustum. lib. 12. cap. 19. doe followe the Greeke trans­lation, the cause whereof wee shall shew in the next question. false in regard of the historie of time, and can neuer with the truth be recōciled. But to conti­nue in the truth of Scripture: the Ark began to rest, the seauenteenth day of the seauenth month. This seauenth monthChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 25. Tos diebus mansit sublimis, &c. Caietan. Com. in Gen. cap. 7. Caluin in Gen. cap. 8. intellexisse vi­dentur. by some interpreters is vnderstood, to be the seauenth month, not of the yeere, but from the beginning of the floud; which notwithstanding by other is disallowed, because the Scripture nameth before,Gen. 7.11. the second month of the six hundreth yeere, and afterwardCap. 8.5.13. in the tenth month of the same yeere, as all interpreters doe vnderstand it; and againe, the first month of the six hundreth and one yeere: by which it is gathered also by them of the contrarie iudgement, that this seauenth month, was the seauenth of the yeere, not of the floud. Such difference of iudge­ments in matters of obscuritie, which the wisdome of man can not throughlie finde out, is nothing at all hurtfull,Augustin. Enchir. cap. 59. Cum ista quae­runtur, & ea sicut po­test quisque coniectat, non inutiliter exercentur ingenia, si adhibeatur disceptatio moderata, & absit error opinantium se scire quod nesciunt. but greatlie commodious vnto the godly that labour to vnderstand the truth: for here­by it commeth to passe, that two sufficient answeres are deliuered; whereof although but one of them is answerable vnto the truth vnknowne, yet neither [Page 309] of them is different from the ground of faith, and that iudgement which is not sufficed with the one, may be fullie satisfied with the other. Manie con­trariwise therefore,Rabbi Moses Ben. Nahmah. in Leg. Mo­sis. Tremel. Annotat. in Gen. cap. 8. Decimo septimo die mensis septimi, hoc est, inquit centesimo quinqua­gesimo primo die à diluuio coepto. Item Lyra. in Gen. c. 8. &c. doe vnderstand this seauenth month to be the seauenth month of the yeere in which the floud came. Vnto whom is obiected, no smaller inconuenience then the former. For the Scripture saith, the raine Gen. 7.11.12.24. began the seauenteenth day of the second month, and continued fortie dayes: and a­gaine, the waters preuailed vpon the earth one hundreth and fiftie dayes: which being ioyned together (for manieRabbini in Beresh. Rabb. Chrysost. Hom. in Gē. 25. Exaltata est abyssus. 150. diebus. tos diebus mansit sub­limis illa aquarum altitudo. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 4. Centesima au­tem & quinquagesi­ma die post quam plu­ere desijt, tandem coe­perunt aquae sidere. Caluin. in Gen. Com. cap. 8. vers. 3. do so, and not without good reason vnder­stand the Scripture) amount to the number of one hundreth, fourescore and ten dayes. So that from the seauenteenth day of the second month, it might seeme that the floud continued in perfection, vntill theFor betweene the seuenteenth day of the second moneth, and the nine and twentith day of the eight moneth, there are 190. dayes, that is 40. and 150. daies. nine and twentieth day of the eight month of the yeere: and to say that the Arke rested on anie mountaine before the waters were diminished, were to faine a miracle, and to falsifie the Scripture. Vnto this is answered, that theOleaster. in Gen. cap. 8. Muscul. ibidem. in Gen. 7.24. Annota­runt quidam centum istos & quinquagin­ta dies, referendos esse non ad principium diluuij sed ad finem quadraginta dierum, quibus pluuia con­tinua coelitus demissa est. Sed falsi sunt. fortie dayes in which the floud increased, are part of the nūber of that hundred & fiftie dayes in which the Scripture saith, the waters preuailed vpon the earth. This being graunted (although it may with sufficient reason be denied) the doubt remaineth as yet vntaken away. For the space of a monthMunster in Calendario, secundum Lunae cursum. &c. among the Hebrues, and in the account of Scripture, is but of twentie nine dayes, and halfe a day, two months make threescore dayes saue one, foure moneths one hundreth and eighteene dayes, whereunto nine & twentie dayes [Page 310] being added (which is the iust space of fiue months, betweene the seauenteenth day of the second month, and the seauenteenth day of the seauenth month) the summe compriseth one hundreth forty and seauen dayes, the first whereof is the beginning of the floud; the last of them, the Arke rested on the mountaines, which was three dayes, orFor this remaineth vncertaine (and is nothing materiall) for if the first mo­neth were of thirtie dayes, then was it but two daies and an halfe; if nine and twentie daies, then was it three daies before the falling of the waters. two at the least, before the waters began to fall. For the waters preuailed one hundreth and fiftie dayes, in which the highest mountaine vnder heauen was couered fifteene cubits. How then could it be, that the Arke did rest vpon the mountaines before the floud be­gan to be diminished, the seauenteenth day of the seauenth month? For hard it were to say, thatYet it is not against the authority of ve­ry learned writers, to say, these moun­taines were as high as any in the world: for first Ioseph. An­tiquit. libr. 1. cap. 4. Epiphan. Haeres lib 1. cap. 1. Onkelos Para­phrastes Chaldaeus, do call these moun­taines Cardiaeos and Kardu, and of them, that whereon the Arke rested, Baris, or Lubaris: these mountaines are in Ptolom. Geograph. in descript. Asiae tabul. 6. Straho de s [...] orbis. lib. 11. called Gordiaeos, which by the description are found to bee certaine toppes of the moun­taine Caucasus, which of all the mountaines of the North-east parts of the worlde, is the greatest, both for height and breadth; as Aristotle affirmeth: Meteor. lib 1. cap. 13. And least any should say there were higher mountaines in the South, the same Aristot. lib. 2. Meteor. cap. 1. affirmeth by demonstration, that the North parts of the earth are higher than the South, but the reader in such points as these, must beware of curiositie and stifnes in opi­nion, remembring Hierom [...] saying: whatsoeuer in Diuinitie cannot be proued by the Scrip­ture, is as easilie denied as it is affirmed. Quicquid de scripturis authoritatem non habet, eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur. Hieron. Comment. in Matth cap. 23. these mountaines of Ararat were the highest in the world, or that the Arke being in all in height but thirtie cubits, shouldRabb. Salomon gathe­reth that the Arke diue water eleuen Cubites: Hugo de sanct. Victore hath but nine: Lyra saith thirteene: and whether more or lesse, it is not greatly pertinent. draw so deepe of water, as to rest vpon them. It seemeth that to giue answere hereunto, the Septuagint and Latine translation, in steed of the seauenteenth day, haue put the seuen and twentieth day; wherein might be contained three dayes for the fulfilling of the number of an hundreth and fiftie, and seuen dayes for the abating [Page 311] of the waters before the Ark rested vpon the moun­taines. But this is to deface, not to defend the Scrip­ture. For ifAugust. Epist. 8. Mi­hi quidem videtur ex­itiosissimè credi, ati­quod in libris sanctu esse mendacium, id est, eos homines per quos nobis illa scriptura mi­nistrata est atque con­scripta, aliquid (errasse Epistol. 19.) in suis libris (aut) suisse mentitos. Admisso e­nim semel in tantum authoritatis fasi [...]i­um, vel officios [...] ali­quo mendacio, nulla eorum librorum par­ticula remanebis, quae non vtcunque videbi­tur, vel ad mores diffi­cilis, vel ad fidem in­credibilis, eadem per­niciosissima regula, ad mentientis authoris consilium officiumque referatur. any errour may any where be found in the diuine Scripture, which is the ruleIsai. [...].19.2 [...]. Ioh. 5.39. Ephes. 2.20. Aug. lib. 2. cont. Crescon Gram cap. Canon Ecclesiasticus constitutus est, ad quem prophetarum & Apostolorum libri pertinent, quos omnino iudicare nō audeamus, & secundum quos de cateris literis vel fidelium vel infidelium liberè iudicemus. Idem de Gen. ad lit. libr. 5. cap. 7. Ma­ior est huius scripturae authoritas, quam omnis humani ingenij perspicuitas. Idem de vnitate Eccles. cap. 10. Imò nec Cathol [...]cis Episcopis consentiendum est, vbi contra canonicas Dei scripturas aliquid sentiant. Idem de consensu Euang. 1. cap. 35. Nam quicquid Mediator Christus de suis factis aut dictis nos legere voluit, hoc scribendum Prophetis & Apostolis, tanquam su [...] manibus imperauit, itaque cum illi scripserint quae ille ostendit aut dixit, nequaquam dicendum est quod ipse non scripserit, quandoquidem membra eius id operat [...] sunt, quod dictante capite cognouerunt. Proinde ne quis aliter arcipiet quod narrantibus discipulis Christi in Euangelio legerit (vel quod in veseri canone con­tinetur) quam si ipsam manum Domini, quam in proprio corpore gestabat scribentem conspexerit. of faith; how shall it from thence forth continue the rule of truth, seeing it selfe admitteth errour, which nee­deth to be defended by the wit of men? God for­bid that any should thinke so wickedly of the Scrip­ture; that howsoeuer there may be some want in translations, through the weakenes of men, or want ofAs in some things it is not agreed vpon among the Rabbins themselues, as of Zijm and Iim, Isai. 31.21. whether they are apparitions, or Spirits, or beasts; and such like, which we shall consider in their proper place; which things are of that sort, whose names are worne out and vnknowne vnto the Hebrues. knowledge in the original language, there were also imperfections in the Hebrue fountaine, which are the writings of holie men, as they were inspired by the holie Ghost; seeing theProu. 30 6. Iob. 13.7.8.9.10. Lord himselfe pro­nounceth against him that shall seeme in such sort to defend his truth, euen he wil condemne him for a liar. Wherefore seeing the Scripture hath affirmed the Ark rested vpon the mountaines of Armenia the sea­uenteenth day of the seauenth month, the same of vsIgnatius Epist. ad Philadelph. Christus mihi pro archiuis est, quem nolle audire manifesta est pernicies. must be maintained and beleeued, albeit the wit of man, the peruersnes of the aduersaries of the [Page 312] truth, the subtiltieWhich thing hee setteth on worke by a threefold ende­uour against ye holy Scripture; the open deniall of Atheists, the deprauations of heretikes, the reie­cting of Canonicall bookes, or thrusting in of Apocryphal (as of Enochs prophesie) into the Canon: of which Hierom saith, Comment. in Isai. 54. the Diuell lieth in wait in Apocryphal bookes, that he may slay the simple. of the diuell himselfe doe bend themselues against it; and we remaine vnableAugust. Epist. 2. Tanta est enim Chri­stianarum profundi­tas literarum, vt in ijs quotidie preficerem, si eas sola [...] ab incunte pueritia, vsque ad de­crepitam senectutem, maximo otio, summo studio, meliore ingenio conarer addiscere. Nō quo ad ea que necessa­ria sunt sal [...]ti, tāta in ijs perneniatur diffi­cultate sed cum quis (que) ibi fidem tenue: it sine qua piè recte (que) non viuitur, tam multa tamque multi­plicibus mysteriorū vmbraculis opaca, intelligenda proficientibus restant, tanta (que) non solum in verbis, quibus ista dicta sunt, verùm etiā in rebus qua intelligenda sunt, lates altitudo sapientiae, vt annosis­simis, acutissimis, flagrantissimis, cupiditate dicendi hoc cōtingat, vt cū consummauerit homo tunc inci­pit. to defend the same. Neuerthelesse herein remaineth no such difficultie, but onelie this; seeing the truth hereof might by two meanes be fulfilled, the lear­ned stand in doubt, which of these meanes was it, by which the Lord performed it, which whether so euer wee take,Hilar. lib. 2 de Trin. De intelligentia haeresit (& error) non de scriptura est, sensus & non sermo fit crimen. the truth remaineth as it is. First therefore a full sufficient answere is found among the writings of the Iewes. The waters (say they)Liber incerti authoris, cui titulus [...] gnekidhothlischac: ligationis Isaac. Vide Mercer. praelect. in Gen. cap. 8. preuailed vpon the earth one hundreth and fiftie dayes, albeit they began to be diminished, before the full end of an hundreth and fiftie dayes: for no­thing letteth but they might well be saidIjgeberu inualuerunt, significat vt vulgata fers editio, obtinue­runt terram. to pre­uaile, to be strong and deepe vpon the earth, albeit they were in part diminished. That God remembred Noah (as saith the text) mayPer recapitulationem. Augustin. quaest. in Gen. 25. Recapitulatio ista si aduerta­tur in scripturis, multas quaestiones soluit, quae indissolubiles possunt videri. Quid sit recapitulatio vide quest. 4. in cap. 2. & August. de Doctr. Christiana lib. 3. cap 36. well be vnderstood before the end of an hundreth and fiftie dayes, or otherwise, then,Caluin. in Gen. 8. Recordatio ista de qua loquitur Moses, non modo ad externam rei apparentiam (vt loquitur) sed ad sancti quoque vi­ri affectum referri debet. when Noah perceiued it. For where it is said the water ceased, the fountaines were stop­ped, and the raine from heauen, isGen. 7.11.12. Quicquid in contrarium contendunt Aben Ezra & Hier. Oleaster in Gen. doubtles to be vn­derstood at the end of fortie dayes, and so continu­ed. Neither is this against that place, which saith, [Page 313] thatVers. 3. the waters were abated, after an hundreth and fifty dayes; for the Scripture doth often speake to fit ourChrysost. Hom. in Gen. [...]2. Pro nostra in­firmitate omnia nar­rat diuina scriptura. vnderstanding, so that albeit they did before de­crease, yet Noah neither by marke nor meanes could vnderstand the same. But now that the Arke was setled on the mountaines, and the winde began to force away the water, Iust Noah might well consi­derAugust. Arcā ma­gis diuina prouiden­tia quā humana pru­dentia gubernauit, ne incurreret vbicun (que) naufragium. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 27. Haud aliter enim non cecinisset cum Ouidio. Trist. 1. Eleg. 2. M [...] [...]ise [...]um, quanti mon­tes voluuntur aqua­rum! &c. his greatest daunger past, and certainelie con­ceiue that God remēbred him. Such answere I sup­pose to be sufficient, to withstand the slanderous ca­uils of the wicked; whereunto may be ioyned the second exposition of the words of Scripture. For what inconuenience, if it be vnderstood, of the sea­uenth month, not of the yeere, asGen. 7.11. & 8 5. is meant in o­ther places; but from the beginning of the floud? This (willPe [...]er. in Gen. cap 8 one say) were to darken the course of historie. Surelie, nothing lesse; for seeing the Scripture (as theNon occurrit. Hebrues vse to say) doth pre­suppose an vnderstanding reader, & seeing it plaine­lie signifieth, that the floud indured longerFor surely it had been miraculous if the Arke had rested before the falling of the water. Where­fore it is necessarie that thus the scrip­ture should be ope­ned, and ye mouthes of gainsaiers should be stopped. then the seauenteenth day of the seauenth month of the yeere, which was but iust fiue months from theNamely months of the Moone, or after account of Scrip­ture, which cōtaine 147. daies, and an halfe. be­ginning of the same: It leaueth onelie to be vnder­stood, that this was the seauenth month and seauen­teenth day (which is six months & sixteene dayes) after the first increase of waters. For mine owne part (reuerencing the iudgement of learned men, which vnderstand it otherwise) I consent vnto those that gather thus much by the text. First, that the floud increased fortie dayes,Gen. 7.11.12. Sic intelligūt Ioseph. An­tiq. 1. cap. 40 Chrysost [...]m. in Gen. Hom. 25. Caluin. in Gen. 7. according to the Scriptures, at the end whereof it continued fifteene cubits aboue the mountaines, one hundreth & fiftie dayes, that is, vntill the nine and twentith day of the [Page 314] eight month of the yeere, which was the thirteenth day of the seauenth month of the floud. At that time the waters began to fall, and Noah perceiued it, by the winde that passed vpon the earth. Foure dayes after, which was the seauenteenth day of the seauenth month, the Arke restedPtolom. Geograph. de script. Asiae tab. 3. Strabo de situ orbis, lib. 11. on the moun­taines of Armenia, which day was the fourth day of the ninth month of the yeere; and the first day of the tenth month, which was the seauen & twen­tieth day after, were the tops of the inferiour moun­taines seene. Whereby it is perceiued, that (as in theAs in the ebbing of the Sea, or any o­ther flood: for the greater their fall is, the more vehement is their course. ordinarie course of nature) the waters were moreLyra. in Gen. Statuis aequalitatem. Pererus Tom. 2. lib. 13 disputat. 7. nobiscum facit, sed ratio impotēs est: cum non per totū globum diminuta, sed a terra facit retracta sunt. speedilie diminished, in the height of the floud; then afterward, when they were in part decreased. It remaineth to the godlie reader, to discerne which of these answeres is more agreeing with the text, and pray (if hee be not satisfied) that God would farther reueale this secret vnto him.

Question 3. verse 7.8. What is to be vnderstood of the Rauen and the Doue, which Noah sent forth out of the Arke: and whether the Rauen returned as saith the text, seeing the common tran­slations both Greeke and Latine, doe say hee returned not, vntill the waters were dri­ed vp from the earth?

THe scope of this Scripture is to shew, that Noah being inclosed in the arke, so lōg time exercisedChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 26. Ego verò ad­miror quomodo pra tristitia non fuerit ab­sorptus, cum mentem illius subiret humani generis interitus, sua solitudo, & difficilis il­la vita: cum post qua­draginta dies & qua­draginta noctes, qui­bus impetu magno plu­niae ingruebāt, videret diebus centum quinquaginta in eadem parte manere aquas: & quod multo grauius, oculis cū non posset inclusus assequi quanta essent mala, scil. maiorem sustinebat dolorem, grauiora (que) quotidie suspicaba­tur: at causa bonorum omnium fuit, sua in Deum fides, per quam & restitit, & omnia fortiter tulit: cum (que) spe pasceretur, nihil triste sentiebat. in temptation, seekethPet. Mart. in Gen. 8. Obseruandū est, istū quamuis prophe­tam spiritu Dei praeditū, tamen naturali industria esse vsum in scrutando orbis statu. help by the vse of creatures, for the sustentation of his faith: for so much the Scripture doth implie: that he might see if the waters were dried vp vpon the earth. Vnto this purpose, he choosethVers. 3. Rabbini quidam in Cabala causam reddunt quod in Camum, canem & coruum animaduersum fuit, quia in ar­ca coijssent. Alij eorum statuunt imp [...]dentius, vt me referre piget. Poenam attende peccati & Iudaeo­rum excaecationem! The true cause why the Rauen was sent forth, was because he was a foule that fed on dead carkasses, and partly domesticall; so that for the one he might goe seeke the pray, and for the other cause returne, and Noah by his going and returning might know the falling of the water. a Rauen, as the fittest creature in the Arke, and sendeth himAbsque socia. Rab. in Cab. Marlor. in Gen. 8. forth alone. After which he sent a Doue, Vers. 9. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 26. Auem mitem & familiarē, quae miram trae se fert sapientiā, & non nisi femimbus pasci solet. which returned vnto him into the Arke, because (as saith the text) she found no rest for the sole of her foote. But how is it said shee found [Page 316] no resting place, seeing the toppes of the moun­taines were vncouered? Both because the Doue was not sentThe meaning ther­fore is, she could finde no footing in those places where­unto she was sent. to search the mountaines, which might be seene out of the Arke, but the plaine wher­in Noah also might rest his foote: and also becauseCh ysostom Hom. in Gen. 26. Neque con­ueniētem inuenire ci­bum valent. Pet. Mart. in Gen c. 8. the mountaines being so latelie ouerflowed with waters, could yeeld her neither conuenient foode nor footing. What became of the Rauen may seeme more doubtfull: for concerning his returne, the translationsGraeca illa non vera quae fuit 72. interp. sed de qua Hieron. in prae­fat. libr. 16. in Isai. vulgata quae [...] di­citur et in toto orbe di­uersa est. Latina faliò dicta Hieronymi, sicut merito statuunt inter Papistas, Sanctes Pagninus praefat. bib­liae suae interpretati­onis, ad Clem. Pap. 7. Paulus Episcop. Foro­sempron. libr. de pass. Domini die. lib. 2. c. 1. & multa esse à senten­tia Hieronymi aliena cōcedit Bellarm tom. 1 contr. 1. lib. 2. cap. 9. partim ex errore & negligentia librario­rum, partim quòd quae Hieronymus muranda fenserit, Ecclesia Ro­mana retinenda iudi­ca [...]it, & alijs de cau­sis quas ipse ibidē de­monstrat. Greeke and Latine, are contrarie vnto the Hebrue text. The Hebrue hath: [...] vaietze jarzo vashobb: & exijs egrediendo & redeundo. He went forth going and returning: the translations say, he went forth and did not returne, vntill the waters were dried vp vpon the earth. And after the translation, doeVulgat qui egrediebatur & non reuertebatur, donec siccarentur, &c. Ita Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. & in Matth Comment. Hom. 5. Ambros. de Noa & arc. cap. 1 [...]. August. quaest. in Gen. 13.14. & Dialog. ad Oros. quaest. 59. contra Faust. lib. 12 cap. 20. many of the Fathers read it, andIta vt nefas habeatur si quis legat aliter. Perer. Tom 2. lib. 13. disp. 5. the church of Rome with one consent. So that here wee haue a manifest contrarietie of speech, betweene the He­brue copies, which now are extant or to be found throughout the world; and the translations Greeke and Latine, the reading of the Fathers (for the most part) the testimonie of Hierome, who saith it is so in the Hebrue text, and the authoritie and decrees of the Church of Rome. On the one side, it may seeme an iniurie done vnto the Fathers, to chalenge that translation which they allowed in handling of this historie. On the other side, it may moue a god­lie conscience, to doubt some corruption in the He­brue text, especiallie if it be obiected, that Hierome did so translate it, and affirme itHieron. Trad. in Gen. libr Pro ostio, fenestra scripta est in Hebraeo: & de coruo aliter dicitur, emisit coruum & egressus est exiens & non reuertens. to be otherwise in [Page 317] the Hebrue text, then now we finde it. For by these authorities itSic enim statu [...] nōnulli Pontificiorum. Melchior Canus de lo­cis Theolog. lib. 2. c. 13 Hebraeorum Doctores, nostri videlicet ini­mici, multo studio con­tenderunt textum He­braicū corrūpere. &c. Graeci quo (que) eadē con­tentione multis locis, vt scripturā ad suum sensum traherent, no­uum testamentū vio­larunt. Non igitur ad Hebraica & Graeca exēplaria, vt quae de­prauata sint, est recur­rendum: & probatex Euseb. Histor. Eccles. libr. 4. cap. 18. Iustin. Martyr. Dialog. cum Triffon. Iustin. autem non ex Hebraeo sed ex translatione Septuag. quae fortasse ideo apud homines perijt quòd corrupta esset. Id ipsum cum Cano statuit Iacob. Episcop. Christopolitan. praefat in Psalm. Qui quoniam tam impudenter mentiun­tur, vt à Christiano homine ferri non possit, eos zelo bono sed non secundum scientiam praditos fuisse di­cit Bellarm. Tom. 1. contr. 1. lib. 2. cap. 9. may seeme apparant, that the He­brue text hath bin corrupted by the Iewes: which if it be; where is the truth of Scripture to be found, butVide quàm apertam fenestram fecerunt Pontificij omni Atheism [...] & Haeresi, nam si non sit Hebraica summa veritas, atque ipsa Latina editio multis in locis à suis meritò reprobatur, quae est omnino veritas Euangelica? statim admisso vel vno errore in tan­tum authoritatis fastigium, nulla illorum librorum particula remanebit, quae non vtcunque videbitur, vel ad mores difficilis vel ad fidem incredibilis (vt inquit Aug. epist 8.) quin vt falsum & erroneum respuetur. either perished, or onelie remaining in that translation, which the PapistsConcil. Trident. Sess. 4. Perer. super hunc locum: alij, inquit, incumbant, istas dua [...] le­ctiones inter se conciliare: dummodo illud ratum & fi [...]um sit. si Hebraea lectio contradicat omnino Latinae, nec vtraque simul cohaerere queat; standum esse potius Latinae quam Hebraea: quippe cum illa Trident Concilij authoritate tantopere commendata & communita sit. so greatlie magni­fie? For answere whereunto, we affirme and testifie by the authoritie of theIsai. 40.8. Matth. 5.18. Luc. 16.17. Rom. 9.4. Scriptures themselues, (which is theOrigen. in Isai. lib. 8. Citante Hieronymo. voice of God) of theHieron. Comment. in Isai cap. 6. August. lib. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15 cap. 13. Fathers, and ofBellarm. Tom. 1. contr. 1. libr. 2. cap 9. Restat tertia sen­tentia quam ego verissimam puto, scripturas Hebraicas non esse in vniuersum deprauatas, opera & [...]abtia Iudae [...]rum, nec tamen esse omninò integras, sed habere suos quosdam errores: at hoc, quosdam errores, esse Bellarmini errorem alij confirmabunt Papistae. Vbi enim errant Hebraae scriptura? certè quibuscunque cum authentica translatione consent [...]nt non errare fatebitur ipse Bellarminus: vbi dessentiunt, defenduntur cōtra Bellarminum, vel à Pagnino, vel Montano, vel Hieronymo, vel à veri­tate, vt suo loco docebitur. the aduersaries themselues; that the Scriptures in the Hebrue tongue are pure, and vnspotted of all corruption. Secondlie, wee conuince by manifest reason, that through the speciall prouidence of God, they neither were, nor could be in any sort corrupted, but remaine the same thatFab [...]la igitur est Iudaica & impia que habetur Ezra lib. 4. cap. 14. de scripturis ab Ezra renouatis & conscriptis; scripturae etiam contradicet Nehem. 1.2. & ab ipsis ex­ploditur Papistis. Bellarm. ibid. cap. 8. Moses, the Prophets and Apostles wrote, inspired2. Pet. 1.21. by the ho­lie [Page 318] Ghost. For if they were at all corrupted, theArgum. est Hieron. in Comment. in I ai. cap. 6. Quod nunquā Dominus & Aposto­li cum caetera crimina arguunt in scribis & Pharisaeis, de hoc cri­mine quod erat maxi­mum reticuissent. Sin autem dixerint, post aduentum Domini & praedicationem Apo­stolorum, libros He­braeos fuisse falsatos, cachinnum tenere non potero, vt Saluator & Euangelistae & Apo­stoli ita testimonia protulerint, vt Iudaei postea falsaturi erant. same had beene done before the comming of our Sauiour Christ, or since his time; but surelie not be­fore, for then he would haue giuen the faithful war­ning of the same, when he commaunded themIoh. 5.39. to search the Scriptures: neither since, as appeareth by all the testimonies,Praesertim ab Euan­gelistis, ad confirman­dum Christum verum fuisse Messiam. which both our Sauiour and his Apostles haue alleaged: therefore the Scrip­tures remaine in their first integritie. Secondlie, in regard that the Iewes haue euer bin dispersed, as it were throughout the world,August. de cin. Dei, lib. 15. c. 13. Sed ab­sit vt prudens quispi­am vel Iudaeos cuiusli­bet peruersitatis at (que) malitiae tantum potu­isse credat in codicibus tam multis & tam longè late (que) dispersis. it was not possible that they would, or could consent vniuersallie in all their copies to corrupt the Scripture, but the same must haue beene knowne vnto the world. Thirdlie, the Iewes haue euer shewed suchEuseb. De Praeparat. Euangel lib. 8. cap. 2. Scribit Philo, &c. id est, Philo the Iewe writeth, that vntill his time, which was the space of more than two thousand yeeres, not one word of the law of God was altered, & that euery Iew would rather dye an hundreth times, than that he would suffer any letter thereof to be diminished. Moreouer, J. Isaac te­stifieth, that the Iewes haue beene so careful of the scriptures, yt they haue counted how often euery letter of the alphabet is found in all the Scripture, that thereby they might easilie find if any letter of the Scripture were at any time altered, or taken away. zeale and diligence, for the preseruing of the Scriptures vncorrupted in the Hebrue tongue; as that the same without extreame and vniuersal negligence cannot decay for euer. And for defence of this priuat place of Scripture, let preuaileCic. Orat. pro. Roscio. Amer. Cassianū illud, cui bono fue­rit: what aduantage should the Iewes haue gotten, by withdrawing this letter (Lo) from the text? A­gaine, the same, going forth and returning, isDeinsuper in nonnullis Latinis & Graecis. read in all copies of the Hebrue. Lastlie, the Rabbines, or Iewish interpreters doe with one consent expound it so: which argue that the same is to be reuerenced and receiued, as hauing the authoritie of the word; and that the Scripture neither here, nor in any other [Page 319] place, is changed from the verie first writings of the Prophets and Apostles. Wherefore these translati­ons must of necessitie, strike saile vnto the authori­tie and truth of the Hebrue text: and the Church of Rome reforme their rashnes, in giuing to their common translation supremeIn Cabala; Bereshith Rabba, &c. Concil. Trident. Sess. 4. Vt haec ipsa vetus & vulgata editio, quae longo tot saeculorum vs [...], in Ecclesia ipsa probata est, in publicis lectionibus, disputati­onibus, praedicationi­bus, & expisitionibus pro authentica habe­atur, & vt eam nemo r [...]ijcere, quouis praetextu audeat vel praesumat. [...], propriè qui arma: id est, potestatem & au­thoritatem habet in se: omnium rectissimè Deo attribuitur & Scripturis [...] esse: nam vt Deus est Iehoua quòd essentiam in se habet & omnia in illum Exod. 3.14. Colos. 1.17. sic scripturae etiam fonsita est authenticus, vt qui ex Sp. Dei immediate authoritatem habet, & reliquae versiones in illum; huiusmodi non est translatio Romana, nisi quatenus eam canonizauit Romanus Pontifex; & quatenus authoritas sit ei ex non authentica authenticam facere: nam si tantum declarat hanc au­thenticam esse; tum quando ita córperit, per quem, & cuius gratia, quaerendum est. authoritie; or els not onlie forfeitSancta & vniuersalis Ecclesia (quem titulum sibi vsurpant in decretis Romanis & decretalibus epistolis emen­titis, secus ac fecerit Aaron. Heb. 5.4.) Nam est Ecclesia coetus hominum, sub regimine vnius Christi in terris Vicarij Romani Pontificis, vt docet Bellarm. tom. 1. Contr. 4. lib. 3. cap. 2. Quomodo hoc pro­batur? scil. ex decret. epist. Clement. 1. Papae ad Iacobum, Apostolum, quem docet in hunc modum. No­tum tibi facio Domine, quia Simon Petrus, qui verae merito, fundamentum esse Ecclesiae definitus est. &. Conciliorum, tom. 1. their glorious titles of Catholike, holie Church, but euen beQui Scripturam authenticam facit, quae authentica non est, & ve­ram authenticam non agnoscit pro authentica, errat in fundamento Religionis Christianae. Qui au­tem in fundamento aliquo errat, haereticus est: Haereticus autem post primam & alteram admoni­tionem reiectaneus & in se damnatus: vide ergo an non hoc ad mysterium iniquitatis quasi cumulus accedat. secluded from being a member of the same. For what if the fathers in such a point as this, did follow ye Greek translatiō, where­in (as being for the most partAmbrosius Prouinciae Praefectus, communi omnium suffragio, deinde ipsius Imp. Valentinlani consensu ad praesidendum Ecclesiae ascitus est, cum nondum sacris intiatus erat. Socrates eccles. hist. lib. 4. cap. 25. Theodoret. eccles. hist. lib. 4. cap. 6. Sanctissimus tamen Episcopus, & qui ad Ecclesia vtilitatem multa vtilissimè scripserit. Chrysostomus in Hebraicis libris non est versatus: ignorabat enim hebraicam linguam. D. Whitak. contr. 1. quaest. 6. cap. 9. August. de sese apertè fatetur. Neque enim in Hebraica lingua quami [...]oro, potuit interpres. &c. Epist. 131. Omnes praestantissimi Patres & ce­leberrimi. not greatlie skilfull of the Hebrue tongue) they were chieflie exercised: must it for their sake, be counted of sole authoritie? The fathers themselues in matters of waighty diffe­rence, doeAugust. epist. 80. Hebrai condices expressius habent, &c. Idem de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. c. 13. Quandoquidem ad fidem rerum gestarum, vtrum (que) esse non potest verum, ei linguae potius credatur, vnde est in aliam per interpretes facta translatio. Hieron longae saepissimè, nec non & Origenes: appeale frō translations, to the originall [Page 320] fountaine. Hierome a verie learned father, and excel­lent in the knowledge of the Hebrue language, doth verieHieron. lib. de Trae­dit. Hebraic. Idem Comment. in Isai. lib. 1. in fine. Noluerunt (in­quit) Septuaginta tā perspicuam de Christo prophetiam in Graecum vertere. Et alia vbique eius ferè ge­neris. often and grieuouslie reprehend the same Greeke translation (which other of the Fa­thers read) as disagreeing greatlie from the Hebrue fountaine. The Church of RomeNeque vnquam pro authētica agnouerūt, etiamsi à patribus maxima ex parte le­cta fuerit. denieth the authority of that Greeke translatiō, but yet notwith­standing placeth another as impure in the stead of that which it doth in some things reprehend: and also of that Hebrue fountaine, which the singularQuod vel ipse fate­tur Bellarminus, con­trou. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. ex authoritate Iustini Martyris in protrept. August. de ciuit. Dei, libr. 8. cap. 46. & ex Psalm. 58. Ne occidas eos, &c. prouidence of God hath hitherto preserued pure; presuming (which neuer came into the thought of anie godlie father) to make their owne translationConstat. ex Trident. Synod. Sess. 4. Etiamsi mendax ipse Bellarmi­nus idipsum mendacij nomine obtrudit Cal­uino, controu. 1. lib. 2. cap. 10. Vt euincit te­stimoniū Cani & An­dradij qui interpretes Concilij celebres & Bellarmino antiquiores extitere. Canus de locis Theolog. lib. 2. cap. 13. ex concilij authoritate concludit omnem quaestionem fidei definiri oportere, per Latinam & ve­terem editionem: cuius videlicet si aliquod testimonium alteram quaestionis partem confirmauerit, ea sit Catholicis amplectenda, sin contra reprobauerit, [...]eijciendae. Deinde in disputatione, non esse ad He­braica & Graeca exemplaria prouocandum. Postremò in his quae ad fidem & mores pertinent, non esse Latina exemplaris per Hebraica & Graeca corrigenda. Item Adrad defens. Prident lib. 4. Non est fe­rendum vt cuius liceat illius editionis, qua ecclesia vtitur, authoritatem aspernari, atque ad Hebrae [...] Graecaque libere prouocare. a iudge of all, and to be iudged of none, no not of the Hebrue and Greeke originall. Wherefore sith this is euident, that the Hebrue remaineth vncor­rupted, let vs consider, what was the cause why the translation addeth (not) vnto the text, and altereth the sense? Because it followed coniecture,Addit particulam aduersatinam. and not the text: for seeing it is not saidVers. 7. that Noah receiued in the Rauen, as hee did the Doue, it is gathered of manie,Ab ipso Hieron. epist. ad O eanum. Idem aduers. Luciferian. dialog. sicut à recentioribus qui Hebraeam lectionem equuntur, non intra arcam fuisse rursum recentum, sed supra arca tectum resedisse, cirum circa (que) volitasse, sic enim textus ipse sonas, exiens & reuertens donec, &c. that hee returned not. Moreouer, the He­brue word which the Scripture vseth, doth some­time signifie aGen. 3.23. Ierem. 38.6. sending forth without returne, and is so obserued of the Hebrues: notwithstanding it [Page 321] cannot in this text be so interpreted, because there is added her returne. But most meruaile it is, that Hierome Hieron. lib. Tradit. Hebraic. doth affirme that it is in the Hebrue text, hee returned not. For it cannot be, but either the Hebrue text since Hieroms time hath bin corrupted, or els Hierome himselfe doth wilfullie belie the text. Here is the truth, the Romaines haueDeut. 8.11. Non ma­gica fraude, sed tamen diabolica. asked coun­saile of the dead. Hierome being aliue, was wont to say: it is otherwise in the Hebrue: he went forth go­ing and returning; but being dead he saith, he went forth and returned not. Hierome himselfe and not the text hath beene corrupted. Hierome spake it not anQuid enim hoc est aliud. Carthusian. in Gē. 8. impress. Colonia anno 1534. sic habet. Lyra dicit quod in He­braeo habetur exiens & reuertens: idem aijs (inquit) Hieronymus in quaestionibus He­braicis. Aquinas verò in Gen. 1573. Louaniae im­pressus, cum censorina authoritate, dicit se­cundum Hieron. & septuaginta dicitur, e­gressus non redijt. De­inde quam incausè & stulte hoc diceret Hie­ronymus; sic enim le­git ex vulgata editio­ne: emisit cornum & egressus non redijs ad cum. Deinde corrigit ex Hebraeo, de coruo aliter dicitur: emisit coruum & egressus est exiens & non reuertens. Quam putidè hoc? cum nihil sit aliter, vel in verbis vel in sensu. Aufer quod in vulgata authentica habetur non: longe est aliter sicut voluit & scripsit Hieronymus ex testimonio tum Car­thusiani, tum aliorum. hundreth yeere agoe, butRatio quia etsi beatus Hieronymus interdum senserit quaedā mutanda in sua versione, & ea notauerit in suis Commentarijs: tamen ecclesia (Romana) postea magis iudicauit ve­ram primam versionem, & eam retinere maluit in vulgata editione. Bellarm. controu. 1. lib. 2. cap. 9. Deinde etiam iudica [...]unt censores illi Romani non esse conueniens, vt vulgatam editionem tam aper­te damnaret Hieronymus, quin ipse potius ex editione esset corrigendus, tum hic, tum in alijs si aude­rent. De qua re, rite Bellarminus fecerunt bono zelo sed abs (que) scientia ibid. c. 2. now he is forced so to say (or els to hold his peace) in fauour of the new authenticall translation, and the Tridentine Coun­cell. Thus deale theseNā in qualibet vrbe sua ditionis censores & correctores habent, qui authores excudendos à zizanijs impurae doctrina in typographiae expurgarent: vt ex Diplom. regis Hispan. in Indic. Romaine censurers, with writers new and old. TheyVide indicem librorum prohibi­torū per totum. stop the writings of those that fauour not the Church of Rome, whom they dare presume to intitle heretickes: but the Fa­thers of whō they would seeme to hold, the Coun­cels & the Scriptures, they make vassels to that Sea. For vnder the name ofConcil Trident. Sess. 4. Vt innotescat quaeā pro authentica habenda sit &c. Cum prius apud bonos nunquam in dubium vocatum fuerit. Certe Hieronimus & Augustinus abunde testantur. allowing of the Scriptures, because theyCodicibus tam longae late (que) dispersis vltra fines Romanae ditionis. cannot purge the Hebrue copies for [Page 322] their purpose, as they do the Fathers,Concil. Trident. sess. 4 Statuit & declarat, vt haec vetus & vul­gata editio pro authē ­tica habeatur: id est, omnem fidei questionē per hanc definiri opor­tere, nec eam per ex­amplaria Hebraica in vllo corrigendam, nec in disputationibus ad Hebraica prouocan lū ­sicut Canus lib. 2. c. 13. Andrad. libr. 4. qui concilio interfuit & eius sensū explicauit. they take frō them authoritie, and giue it to translations, which they have more aptlie for manie causesIpsa conteret caput, Gen. 3.15. Merificè consentit cum sancta Maria conterens caput Serpentis, ora pro nobis. Item stylo Pa­pistico, Laus Deo virgini (que) matri Mariae. Cum in Hebraeo sit. Gloriam meam alteri non dabo, Isai, 42.8. seruing their necessities. But the Councels and the Fathers, vnder pretence of purging and correcting them, by truer copies (which copiesCodex Vaticanus cum quo confertur editio conciliorū. Codex Cambr. ex quo corrigitur Cyprianus, &c. are their owne, for the most part coūterfeitNeque hoc nouum inuentum Romanorum, vt apparet ex Concil. 3. Africano cap. 105. Sozimus Papa canonem Nicaeni Concilij de appellatione ad Romanam sedem, qui nusquam habebatur, in fraude ca­pitur: quia illud quod prident &c. non potuimus reperire: ex actis concilij dignam lectu historiam intel­liges. Habet & Iuel, in Hard. art. 4. and suborned) they adde, they take away, they frame & fashion for the behoofe of the Church of Rome, beyond the bounds of shame or modestie. And not onlie Hierome hath felt ye taste hereof, but also the Councels ofConcil. African. 3. canon. 26. Vt prime sedis Episcopus non ap­pelletur princeps sacerdotum, aut summus sacerdos, aut aliquid huiusmodi, sed tantum primae sedis Epis­copus; vniuersalis autem Episcopus nec etiam Romanus appelletur. Vltimam clausulam quò directè facit contra primatum Romanum, in editione Pet. Crab, Surij & & Venetica delerunt & expunxerunt. Item in epist. Concil. African. ad Coelestin. clericos vestros quibus (que) petentibus nolite mittere, &c. hic pro petentibus vt est in editione Parisiensi, iam legunt potentibus: & cum delere penitus non au­dent, gestiunt vitiosa lectione corrumpere. Africk, Concil. Mileuit. can. 22. Ad transmarina autem qui puta­uerit appellandum, à nullo intra Africam in communione suscipiatur: huic canoni addit Gratian. caus. 2. cap. 6. nisi fortè Romanam sedem appellauerint: is autem qui appelauerit ad eum, à quo ap­pellauit, remitti non debet. Bandem (que) cum glossa probant censores Romani in editione Venetica. 1585. Mileuita, andRecitatur Concil. huius canon ab Aquin. lib. contra Graecor. errores. Si quis Episcopus accusetur, po­terit appellare beatissimum Episcopum vrbis Romae, quia habemus Pertrum petram refugij & ipse so­lus, &c. Deinde legitur in [...]uit in Concil. Chalcedonensi, concilium conclamasse. Leoni sanctissimo, Apo­stolico, oecumenico Patriarchae longa sint tempora. Sed hanc lectionens quod mendacium inane esset, sequi Romanti ppsteriores non ausi sunt. Chalcedon: of the FathersOrigen in cap. 6. Iohannis sustulerunt. Iuell. Origen, Cyprian. de vnit. Eccles. sic auxerint in edit. Pamelij: Hoc vtique erant caeters Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari con­sortio praediti & honoris & potestatis: sed exordium ab vnitate proficiscitur (primatus Petro da­tur) vt vna Christi Ecclesia (& cathedra vna) monstretur. Hîc ex codice Hosij & Cambron. addide­runt: Primatus Petro datur, quod aduersatur Cypriano: pari consortio praediti honoris & potestatis. Tum & Cathedra vna, & alias similes clausulus: vt, super illum vnum aedificat ecclesiam suam: qui cathedram Petri super quam fundata est Ecclesia deserit, &c. Quae Hosij vel cuiusdam alius Papista glossemata ita Romanis complacuere, vt ex margine in textum transtulerint, adeo vt Cyprianus pro primatu ecclesiae Romana pugnat qui solebat eundem euertere: hoc erant vtique & caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus. Item lib. 1. epist. 27. Item e­pist. 55. Nisi si paucit desperatis & perditis, minor videatur esse autoritas Episcoporum in Africa constituto­rum, scilicet quam Romani pontificit. Cyprian, [Page 323] Fran. Iun. in indice expurgat. praefat. ad lectorem. Rem, inquit, meis visam oculis ad exemplum adfer [...]m. Franciscanos duos pro authoritate, aliquos paginas Ambrosis, ali­as ex parte, alias v­niuerse dispunxisse, & alias in locum priorum substituisse, praeter omnem antiquorum exemplarium fidem: pluribus narrat verbis. Talia scilicet incassum cona [...] sunt, cum fuerint alia apud alios exemplaria. Ambrose, In impressione 1494. cum Commentarijs Thomae Val [...]is & Nicholai Treuith ita legitur: cuius rei sacrament. &c. Lib. de ciuit. Dei, 10. cap. 20. Cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum esse voluit ecclesiae sacrificium: cum ipsius corporis ipse sit caput, & ipsius capitis ipsa sit corpus: tam ipsa per ipsum quam ipse per ipsam suetus offeri. In Augustino incorruptè legitur: quae cum ipsius capitus corpus sit, seipsam per ipsum discit offere. Cui etiam plurimas offixerunt sermones & tractatus aliquos, qui ne pilum habent Au­gustini, sicut testis est Erasmus. Similia & Hieronymo affixerunt Tom. 4. & Athanasio, praesertim ad Marcū Papam epist. in qua de rebus gestis post obitū Marci ad decem annos, scribit, & Arrianos Ni­cani Synodi decreta incendisse: vt apparet ex Socrat. histor. 2. cap. 10. epist. Athanas ad Orthodox. Augustine, Aquin. lib. contra. error. Graecor. citat Cyril. Alex. ex Thesauro sic loquentem: quemadmodum Christus à patre recepit potestatem super omneos potestatem, sic & Petro & eius successoribus plenissime com­misit. Deinde, nulli alij quam Petro Christus quod suum est plenum, sed ipsi soli dedit. Postea verò: cui (scil. Petro) omnes iure diuino caput inclinant, & primates, mundi, tanquā ipsi Domino Iesu obediunt. Nos verò tanquam membra corporis, caepiti nostro pontifici Romano [...]tharemus, solius pontificis enim est arguere, corrigere, increpare, ratum facere, disponere, soluere & ligare. Quae omnia Aquinas de suo finxit cerebro, & Papistas ipsos reserre pudes vt apparet ex Dialog. D. Reinald. cū Iob. Hart. Cyril, Bertra­mum in Tract. de sanguine & corp. Domini, miserè dilacerant censores vniuersitatis Duacensis: in Catholicis veteribus (inquiunt) plurimos feramus errores, & extenuemus, excusemus, excogitato commento persaepe negemus &c. istum librum magni non aestimemus momenti &c. corrigunt tamen. Bertram, andNam non solum Protestantium libros prohibent quicunque de religione ex professo tractant. In­dex prohib. lib reg. 2. sed & non pa [...]cos Catholicorum nisi emendantur. Cuius causa non solum Eras­mum, Lod, Vinem. & similes correxerunt, sed & Polidorum de inuentione, Velcurionis Commenta­ria in Aristotelem, Leouitij Ephemeridem, &c. quod contra Concilij Tridentini decreta facere viden­tur. Ex indice expurgat. manie other authours, as is manifest to the per­petuall infamie of the workers thereof. Where­fore it behoouethMagistratus enim est ecclesia & religionis custos & pater nutricius. Isai. 49.23. Christian Princes, to cause carefullie to bee maintained the auncient co­pies of the Fathers, that learning and religion doe not decay. The learned it becometh to detect the lewdnes of such enterprisers. And the godlie to e­steeme no trespasse small which is committedSam. [...].25. a­gainst the Lord, against—Non patitur ludum, fama, fides, oculus. true religion, or theAugust. de Doctr. Christia. lib. 1. cap. 37. Titubabit enim fides, si diuinarum scripturarum vacillet authoritas. Nihil igitur par­num in tantis ausis astimandum est. per­fection and authoritie of holie Scripture. Obser­ue out of this verse. First, the Lord doth often vpon his childrenGen. 30.20. 1. Sam. 20.3. Psal. 105.18. lay long temptations and verie grie­uous: [Page 324] wherefore the godlie must labour1. Cor. 1.5. Ephes. 6.16. Philip. 1.9. to be rich in faith, whereby to stand in the day of triall. Secondlie, we may notGen. 14.14. Exod. 10.9. Prou. 28.7. without iust cause forgoe, the creatures and goods whichMatth. 25.14. are committed vn­to vs by the Lord. Thirdlie, the godlie haue libertie in time of temptationGen. 25.22. Iudg. 6.37. to seeke godlie meanes to strengthen their weakenes. Verse 4. Fourthlie, the brutish creatures, through the goodnes of the Lord, doeIob. 5.23. 1. King. 17.6. Marc. 1.13. often administer vnwonted comfort to Gods children, in their aduersities.

Question 4. verse 13.14. For what cause the ground being drie, the first day of the first month: Noah continued in the Arke vntill the seauen and twentieth day of the second month?

TWo causes hereof may be gathered by the words of Scripture. One, where it is said, the vpper part [...], Panim, facies, à panah aspicere: id quod videre possio­mus. or face of the earth was drie. Whereby it appeareth, that albeit the waters were dried from the earth, yet the earth being so long be­fore couered & drēched with the waters, was soft & vnfit for the foot of man and beast, and did begin to be dried, & to returne to his former hardnes & [...], Charabu, à [...], Charab. Arescere ex­trinsecus, à sole: To drie on the outside by the sunne, fire, or wind. [...] ia­besha haeartes, ver. 14. the earth was dried vp. Lament. 4.8. Isai. 27.11. so­liditie, frō the first day of the first moneth, & thence forth waxed firme, and more and more increased to be habitable, till the Lord commaunded Noah out of the Arke: In the distance whereof is also sig­nified, the Fatherlie careGen. 1.11.24. Psal. 145.15. of the Lord toward all his creatures, who permitteth them not vnto the [Page 325] earth, till the same was fullie refreshed of the wa­ters, and had time to bring forth hearbes and foode for man and beast; as also his prouidence toward them in the Arke, that continued withLeuit. 26.5.6. &c. aboun­dance for all necessities. The second cause did rest in theAmbros. de Arca. cap. 21. Itaque rece­dente aqau & siccata terra, exire potuit Noe ex arca, sed iu­stus nihil sibi arrogat, sed totū se diuino cō ­mittis imperio: & maximè qui coelest [...] fuerit ingressus oracu­lo, coeleste debuit vt egrederetur expectare responsum. obedience of Noah: whose constancie was such, and faithHeb. 11.7. toward God, that albeit he saw the ground was drie, and longed no doubt for the fruition of thereof; yetChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 26. Tantum ibi afflictionem ferre co­gebatur iustus ille in tanta existens angu­stia, ne (que) auram recē ­tem captare valens, ferarum insuper bru­torumque conuictum ferens: qui & in om­nibus mentem suam solidam declarabat, & voluntatem flecti nesciam, & fidem erga Deum. Caluin. in Gen. 9. In suo foetore iacere manuit, quam liberum spiritum colligere, donec migrationem suam sen­tiat placere Deo. hee had rather die in that vnsauorie closet, then to enjoy the benefit of plea­sant aire, and the Lordship and riches of the whole earth, without permission giuen by the Lord. A no­table example in so noble a Patriarke ofPet. Martyr. Comment in Gen. 8. Qui vere se agnoscit in aliena potestate, haud se­cus facere debet. righte­ousnes,Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. Qu [...] declarata est iusti patientia. patience,Ambros. de Noe & arc. cap. 21. Verecundia enim iustitia est, quia inuerecundia iniquitas, qua vsurpat indebita nec reueretur authorem. temperance,Matth. 24.14. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. Qui & in omnibus mentem suam solidem declarabat & voluntatē flecti nesciam. perseuerance,Heb. 11.7. Iam. 2.22. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. Fidem declarabat erga Deum per quam facile & leuiter omnia sustinebat. faith. Thus it behoouethPsalm. 27.14. & 31.24. & Psal. 37.5. & 55.22. the faithfull to walke with God. This is a worthie1 Pet. 2 19. Gen. 14.23. token of an vpright heart. Neither is a happie issuePsalm. 37.25. & 55.22. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 26. Expende hic Dei, bonitatem quomodo per omnia iustum consolatur, &c. euer wanting to those that waite on God; which the Scripture also doth call to our remembrance: forVers. 15. the day, as it were, that the earth was meete and fit the Noah, the Lord doth call him forth to enioy the same.

Question 5. verse. 14.18. How long time did the waters of the floud continue vpon the earth: And whether the heathen haue had any knowledge, or made report thereof?

FOrasmuch as the scripture doth so diligent­lie describe the beginning, the increase, the fall, and the finall end of the floud of Noah, in respect of the circumstance of time; there is no doubt, no small regard and estimation to be had therof. For the Scripture deliuereth nothingAugust. Epist. 3. Modus autem ipse di­cēdi quo sancta scrip­tura contexitur, quam omnibus accessibilis, quamuit paucissimis penetrabilis, ea quae a­perta continet quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco ad cor loquitur in doctorum atque do­ctorū. Ea verò quae in mysterijs occultat, &c. with­out waightie reasons and ponderous iudgement. And surelie to those that will religiouslie consider the cause of things, as it is administred by the migh­tie power of God, it may iustlie seeme no lesse an argument of admiration, that the waters continued so long vpon the earth, then that they ouerflowed in so great a measure. When the earth was firstGen. 1.10. o­uercouered with waters, the same in one daies space was vnburthened of them. When flouds doe hap­pen from the waters of the sea,Vide Gaspar. Conta­ren. de 4. elem. Vbi multas inundationes descripsit. although they range farre, and doe great violence, yet are they commonlie returned together with the tide. The flowings which are caused by the raine of heauen, although they continueAs it commeth to passe by ye meeting together of much water in lād floods. a day or twaine, yet they are maintained by following waters. But this floud being onlie caused by the waters of the fountaines, of the deepe, and the windowes of heauen, being [Page 327] increasedGen. 7.17. Aben Ez­ra affirmeth that af­ter the fortie daies of raine, it rained e­uery second day, vn­till the end of the 150. daies. But it is vncertaine, and not to be built vpon, for the authoritie of Rabbins. fortie dayes, continued in perfection, without any new supply of waters (as being onelie preserued in the nature of their first creation by the Lord) one hundreth and fiftie dayes, and afterward decreased one hundreth and eighteeneThat is, from the 29. of the eight mo­neth, or the 17. day of the seuenth mo­neth, which is from the beginning of the flood, to the be­ginning of the next yeere, so many daies do come betweene. dayes, be­fore the earth was throughlie vnburdened of them: whereby it is euident that the flouds continued theGen. 7.1. & 8.13. space of tenne months, and thirteens dayes, and Noah remained in the Arke a yeere & tenne dayes,Gen. 7.13. & 8.16. as the Scripture doth account the same. But the reader must remember, that the months are recko­ned by the Scripture, according to the Hebrue cu­stome,Hieron. Comment. in Ezech. cap. 29. Menses apud Hebraeos secundū lunae cursum suppu­tantur. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 14. Men­sis, quem luna caepta & finita concludit. Munster. in Calender. after the courses of the moone; whereas in a yeere, by the compasse of the sunne, which is the space of a yeere by our account, there are twelue such months, and the tenth day finished, of the thir­teene moone or month. So that where the Scrip­ture accounteth from the seauenteenth day of the second month, vnto the seauen and twentieth day of the second month of the yeere that followed, the same is no more then theAben. Ezra in Com. in Gen. affirmeth that Noah continued in the Arke a yeere and ten daies, after the Sunnes course: the same, Luther in Gen. 8. seemeth to gather: but the Scripture speaketh of moneths, only and in all places, after the courses of the Moone, as Augustine witnesseth de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 14. Now twelue times 29. daies, and twelue halfe daies, that is, sixe daies, are in summe, 354. which is a yeere after the account of Scripture, and twelue iust courses of the Moone: whereunto if you adde the ten daies, from the 17. to the 27. of the second moneth, Gen. 7.11. & 8.14. they amount vnto 164. daies, which with the day in which Noah came forth of the Arke, is a full yeere after our account. Note also, that the Hebrues euery third yeere haue intercalarem mensem, a leape moneth (as wee haue a day euery fourth yeere) whereby it commeth to passe that euery three yeeres by their account, is equall to three yeeres of our account. iust space of a yeere by the course of the sunne, consisting of three hundreth & three­score dayes and fiue. The heathen historiesOrigen. contr. Celsum. lib. 5. Lactant. lib. 1. cap. 1. Institut. Omissis igitur terrenae philosophiae authoribus, nihil certi asserentibus. &c. cor­rupt through ignorance, doe in part notwithstan­ding, [Page 328] expresse the historie of the floud, as well in re­spectFor some say Deu­calions flood lasted three moneths: o­ther say nine moneths, which can be true in none but in this flood of Noah. Vide Zenophon. An­nian. lib. de aequiuocis. of the time thereof, as of other circumstan­ces of the same. Which albeit they do nothing con­firme the truth of Scripture, yet their authori­tie is a strength sufficient to conuinceisai. 1.3. Ierem. 2.11. Sic Atheus Atheum, hareticus haereticum conuincit. an Atheist. But Augustine August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 18. cap. 8. Quod diluuium, gentium nec Graeca nec Latina no­nis Historia. denieth that the mention of this floud is knowne to any heathen writer Greeke or Latine. Which if it be of truth, the Scriptures are the more to be beloued of Christian people, which doe so faithfullie and fullie deliuer the memorie of such an ancient and peerelesse monument. How­beit Saint Augustine meaneth not, that there were no parcels of this history appearing in heathen wri­ters; but that the heathen, which haue vnderstood the same by auncient report, haue corrupted the truth thereof, and couered it with names of lesse an­tiquitie. For both Iosephus, whose worksAugust. epist. 80. Nam Iosephus qui Iu­daicam scirpsit histo­riam, talia mala dicit illi populo tunc acci­disse, vt vix credibi­lia videantur. Hunc ipsum Hieronymus in catalogo ecclesiastico­rum scriptorum annu­merat. were not vnknowne to Augustine, in making report hereof af­firmeth, thatIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Huius autem diluuij & arcae, memi­nerunt omnes barba­rica historia scripto­res. all Barbarian histories whereof hee citethBerosum Chaldaeū hi­stor. Hieronymum Ae­gyptium li. Antiquit. Phoenicum, Muaseam, Nicholaeum Damascen lib. 96. manie, did heare remembrance of this floud. And likewiseEuseb. in his Chronicle, which Hierome turned into Latine. Eusebius remembereth;Idem Euseb. lib. 9. de praeparat. Euangel. Abidenus and otherAlexandrum Polyhistorem, Molonem, Eupolemum & alias. Greeke historians, which haue put the same in record: not vnder the name of the floud of Noah, but of Deucalion; nor accor­ding to the truth of historie, but as they had recei­ued it, as it were in peeces, by report. And first thatOuid. 1. Metamorph. Iam (que) mare & tellus nullum discrimen habebant, omnia pontus erat, decrant quoque littora P [...]nto. fabulous Poet, speaking of Deucalions floud, describeth by a false title, this floud of Noah. For as Iustin Martyr Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 1. Sicut ante diluuium reliquum neminem faciens, pra­ter vnum cum suis, apud nos cognominatum Noen, apud vos autem Deucalionem. speaketh, we christians cal him Noah, that [Page 329] whom the heathen called Deucalion. Plutarch in his treatisePlutarch. li. deindis stria animal. Columbā ex arca Deucalionis e­missam attulisse indi­cium recedentis dilu­uij. of the apt disposition of the creatures, affir­meth that a Doue sent out of the Arke of Deucalion, brought a token of the falling of the waters. Ano­ther heathen writer more auncient then these, and as strong an Atheist as any that shall denie this histo­rie, maketh report thereof in these wordes. The Greeks (saithLucian. lib, De dea Syria. Exauditum est à Graecis hanc hominum generationē qua nunc est, ab initio haud­quaquā fuisse, sed eā qua tunc fuit totam interijsse. Hos autem homines qui nūc sunt, secundi generis esse e­ius quod rursus à Deu­calione in tātam mul­titudinem excreuerat. he) doe tell, that this ofspring of men which now is, was not the same which was from the beginning; but the same which then was, did wholie perish. The men that now are, are of that se­cond race, which from Deucalion grew into so great a multitude. The former sort being fierce & proud, committed euill workes: they keptIbid. De illis autem hominibus huiusmodi quaedam narrari: cum efferi admodum essent, nefaria opera perpe­trarunt. Neque enim insiurandū seruarunt, neque hospites recepe­runt, neque supplicum miserti sunt, vid. & Ezech. 16.49.50. not their oth and promises, they harboured not straungers, they pitied not the poore. For which cause they endu­red great calamitie. For sodainelie the earth pow­red forth aboundance of water, great raine came from the Skie; the riuers swelled with greater then wonted streames; the sea arose vnto such a height, that it overwhelmed all with water, and all things perished. Of all that multitude, noIbid. Deucalion au­tem solus hominū reli­ctus fuit. Aduersatur iste stultissimo men­dacio Hectoris Beothij in histor. Scotiae, qui tradit mulierem quā ­dam etiam nauim cō ­scendisse & cum suis in Hiberniam delatem esse. Sed insipida est fabula, & conuincitur fallaciae te­stimonio verbi Dei & Ethnicorum. Pergis Lucianus: seruatus autem fuit hoc pacto: arcam quan­dam magnam, quam ipse habebat, impositus in eam cum liberis & vxore sua conscendit. Caterùm cùm ipse ingrederetur, venerunt eôde, & Apri, & Equi, & Leones, & Serpentes, alia (que) quacunque tel­ [...]re pascuntur bina ex vnoquoque genere cuncta. moe but Deu­calion was left aliue; who was preserued by this meanes. He put himselfe with his wife and children in a great Arke, which he had made. And when he entred, there came vnto him, swine, and horses, and lyons, and serpents, and of all other creatures which the earth nourisheth, two of euerie sort. All which hee receiued, which beasts notwithstanding hurt [Page 330] him not at all, butIlle autem recepit ad se omnia [...] atque ea ip­sum haudquaquā lae­debant, sed magna in­ter eos, Ioue sic dispen­sante, concordia erat, vnaque in arca om­nes nauiglabāt quan­diu superabat aqua. (God so ordering the matter) there was great peace and concord among them­selues: and thus they sailed together, so long as the waters were aboue the earth. Chaunge here the name of Deucalion into Noah, by Iustins authoritie, and wee haue a briefe of all this historie. This was not the voice of1. Cor. 1.20.21. Princes or great Philosophers, which were in their owne conceit too wise to be­leeue the same, and thereforeAbidenus refere Sis­sithrū, id est Noen, ac­cepisse à Saturno prae­cognitionem futuri diluuij, quaere hic Ar­meniam versus naui­gio confugiebat. In [...]e­cero concordat cum Plutarch. de Columba. extat apud Euseb. de praeparat. Euangel. libr. 9. Quod tem­pla Deorum condidit, & ciuitates. Apol­lonius libr. 3. A­themide eductus, repa­rauit humanum genus, &c. deuised lyes of their owne in place thereof; but is told as the speech of the vulgar people: wherby doth appeare, how God left notAct. 14.17. & 17.27. Rom. 1.19. himselfe without witnes among the hea­then, thereby to haue stirred them vp to haue sear­ched out the truth, which onely remained in the Church of God. Secondlie, wee may vnderstand, that those wiseIustin. Mart. cohort. ad G [...]tes. Plato. ne que­modo Socrati accidis­se vide [...]t, ipse quoque Anitum quempiā ex­citaret accusatorem, [...], cicuti metu, fucatam de dijs instituit orationem. Lactant, lib. 2. cap. 3. de Cicerone: Vana esse intelligis (deorum cultus scilicet) & tamen eadem facit, quae faciunt ipsi, quos ipse stultissimos con­fiteris, &c. and graue Philosophers among the heathen, did more grieuouslie offend, in that by their owne wisedome, they obscured the wisdome and workes of God; which neither in their wan­drings,Plato Athenis profectus est Mecaram, à Megaru Cyrenem attigit; hinc in Jtaliam, inde in Aegyptum, Laert. lib. 3. Similiter & Pythagoras, Epim [...]nides & alij. Athenas, Cretam, Italiam, Ae­gyptum, Indiam profecti; Iudaeam interiacentem propter res afflictas Iudeorum contempsere. Vide Hie­ron. epist. 1. Tom. 3. and searching after wisedome, were wise enough to seeke it among the people of the Lord, where only true knowledge & wisdome was preser­ued: nor yet1. Cor. 1.27. & 3.18. foolish enough to receiue the true report of things which might be taught them of i­diots among themselues; but spent theirEccles. 1.3. They built stubble and straw withou a foundation. 1. Cor. 3.15. dayes in vanitie, and becameTertul. aduers. Hermogen. Haereticorum Patriarchae Philosophi. Hieron. lib. 1. aduers. Pelap [...]an. philosophi patriarchae hereticorum, ecclesie puritatem peruersa maculauere doctrina. August. in Psal. 8. Sapientiae philosophi se amatores profitentur, id est Christi, qui virtus & sapientia Dei est, vnde etiam philosophi no­minantur; & prop­terea illam videntur defendere, cum inimi­ci sint eius: quoniam superstitiones noxias vt colantur & vene­rentur huius mundi clementa, suaderè non cessant. the authours of heresies, and [Page 331] teachers of lyes unto the people. Notwithstanding thatRom. 2.14. thorough the naturall wisedome that was in them, they shewed diuers testimoniesArattis in Pheinom. [...]: i. Euerie one of vs doe stand in need of God: for we are his genera­tion, Act. 17. The first of all things is God, saith Thales, for he alone is with­out beginning, La­ert. lib. 1. Chilo be­ing asked what God did: He humbleth the proud (saith he) and extolleth the humble: Repr [...]ch not thy friend, saith he, no not thy enemie, &c. Exercise godlines, be th [...]i [...]tie, loue puritie, endeuour the trueth Iouis omnia plena, All is full of God, or God is in euery place. And in­finite other such sayings in Philosophers and Poets. of the won­derfull workes and prouidence of the Lord, for a farther witnesRom. 2.1.21. Because they rather commended vertue then followed it. Hieron in Ierem 34.1. Et verae sapientiae, id est, Christo, fuerunt inimici. August. in Psalm. 8. against themselues. Thirdlie, wee must obserue, that albeit this onelie floud of Noah was vniuersalll ouer all the earth, yet there haue bin since, many flouds of waters, whereby diuers coun­tries haue beene drowned with their inhabitants: which also is the cause that the heathen more fresh­lie remember the name Deucalion. The first floud that is remembred after this vniuersall deluge,Berosus lib. 1. Diod. Si [...]. biblioth. 1. Pomp. Mela. lib. 1. cap. 10. est Ioppe (inquit) ante diluuium vt ferunt condita. Non ante vniuersale dibatium, nam id nec agnouerit Mela, nec loquitur de Ogygio aut Deucalionaeo, qua Graeciae terminos teste Augustino non excesserint. Intelligit ergo diluuium Niliacum quo Aegyptus & omnia Syriae maritima submersa seruntur. is called the floud of Nilus, wherby Aegypt was drow­ned in the dayes of Prometheus king of Aegypt, and of Atlas king of Mauritania, which floud continu­ed one moneth. The second is named Atticum and Ogygium: whereby the greatest part of Grecia was ouerwhelmedBerosus lib. Antiq. Chaldae. lib. 1. cap. 7. Helameus [...]esblu [...]. Philocorus. lib. de Sacrificijs. Euseb. de praeparat. Euangel: lib. [...]0. cap. vlt. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 18. cap. 8. Quingent [...]s circiter annos à diluuio contingit Noetico: vt colligitur ex Eusebio, Orosio. & Augustino. in the raigne of Ogyges King of Thebes. The third, Thessalicū, whichPausan. in At­ticis. Arrian. lib. de rebus Bithynicis. Aristot. Meteor. lib. 1. cap. 13. Iustin. histor. lib. 2. Euseb. de preparat. Euang. lib. 10. cap. vlt. August de ciuit Dei, lib. 15. cap. 10. de tempore litigant authores. Clem. Alexand. Strom. 1. Statuit inter Deuecalionis diluuium & Ogygium centum interfuisse tantum & triginta annos. Euseb. in Chron. Centum & septuaginta annos. Orosius lib. 1. Decenta & triginta. [...]olin. cap. 18. Sexcenta. destroyed the inhabitants of Thessalie, in the time of Deucalion king of Thessalie, and of Amphitrio, or Amphiction [Page 332] king of Athens. This rage of waterIn eo conueniunt quod non fuerit tam latè patens quàm fuit Ogygium. Videtur igi­tur quod de duratione dicitur, plane ad N [...] ­ëticum esse referen­dum, à quo & plurimae historia partes de­sumpta sunt. is said to haue indured three moneths. The fourth Pharonicum, by which theHerodot. in Euterpe. Regnante Proteo Ae­gyptio, ad quem rapta Helena diducta est, vel decessore eius Pherone, sub quo, flumen supra octodecim cubitos rura transcen­debat. Annian. lib. de aequiuocis. Horat. Ode 3. Iam satis terris, &c. Isle Phares was ouerwhelmed. Be­side these also, flouds more fresh in memorie inAnno. Dom. 1230. Phrygia,Anno Dom. 1446. Italie,Anno Dom. 1530. De istis tradit Gaspar. Contaren. lib. de 4. element. Flaunders, andIn Epidauro. vt refert Hieron. in vita Hilarion. in Anglia. vt Polidor. Virgil. de prodigijs, lib. 3. circa anno 1012. other places of the world, doe testifie thePsalm. 107.34. iustice and power of the Lord, in destroying the earth for the sinnes of men: as also his mercie, in defending vs from theLament. 3.22. Basil. Hexam. 4. violence of that furious element.

Question 6. verse 21. Wherefore seeing Noah would doe no­thing either in the making, entring, or leauing of the Arke, without expresse commaundement, he now offereth sacri­fice, without expresse commandement: whereof the Lord smelled a sauour of rest?

BEcause it was not meetAmbros. de Noa & Arc. cap. 22. Do­minus vtique non debuit quasi auarus mercedem gratiae po­stulare, & iustus eam intellexit verā actio­nem gratiarum esse, qua non iuberetur sed deferretur. saith Ambrose, that so great a worke of thankfulnesse should seeme to be performed of exaction or con­straint, but rather of a willing minde. And surelie it appeareth by the text, thatVers. 20. He built an altar, and offered of euery cleane beast, so soone as he was arriued on the earth. Noah did it readilie, and willinglie, not at all being vrged thereunto: but [Page 333] withall the Scripture doth instruct vs, that1. Sam. 15.22. Deut. 12.32. Rom. 14.23. obedi­ence and faith is as fire andLeuit. 2.13. Marc. 9.49. salt, wherewith the sa­crifice is seasoned, which the Lord will accept at the hands of men. So that neither for the workeIob. 35.5.7. Luc. 17.10. per­formed, or theEsai. 66.1. greatnes of the same; but for the faith and obedienceDeut. 26.17.18. 1. Chron. 29.17. Matth. 10.41. wherein it was performed, it was graciouslie receiued,Rom. 3.24.25. & 11.6. Heb. 9.14. being sanctified by the merite of Iesus Christ. Noah therefore did not Sacrifice without commaundement, albeit he were not at this time commanded sacrifice. For the Lord hauingGen. 3.13. & 43.4 Leuit. 1.2. &c. Hebr. 9.13.14. be­ing compared. made it a perpetuall law vnto his Church, from the fall of man, vntill theHeb. 10.14.15.18. perfect sacrifice of Christ; it needed not to be repeated by commaun­dement, as the making of the Arke (being a pri­uate action, belonging to none, but Noah himselfe) seeing it was before commaunded, and taught from God. Wherefore, suchIsai. 58.2. Matth. 23. hypocrites haue hereby no defence, whichSuch as are ye Po­pish Pilgrimages, Fastes, Vowes, &c. of which Papists teach: Omne quod fit ex voto, etiamsi alio­qui non sit à Deo praeceptum, verè & propriè esse cultus Dei: that is, Whatsoeuer is done, to ful­fill a vowe, albeit it be not commanded by God, yet it is truly and properly the worship of God. Bellar. Tom. 1. contr. 5. lib. 2. c. 16. when as the Scripture 1. Sam. 15.22. Rom. 14.23. doth pro­claime the contrarie. And S. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 12 Obedientia commendata est in praecepto, &c. Obedience is the scope of the Commandement, which vertue in a reasona­ble creature is as it were the mother and keeper of all vertue. For as much, as the creature is made after that condition, that to be subiect to the creator, is the profite of the creature; and his great hurt, to do his owne will, and not the will of him that did create him. And Ignatius epist. ad Philadelp. Christum non audire manifestus est interitus. Not to heare Christ is manifest destruction. And Bernard. Serm. in Cant. 29. Quicquid sine voluntate & consensu Patris, filij, & Sp. fit, vanae gloria deputabitur non mercedi: that is, whatsoeuer is not done, according to the will of the holy Trinitie, shall be accounted to vaine glorie, not to reward. The heathen Aristotle doth confesse in effect as much, ad Alexan. cap. 3. [...]. i. God is not delighted with the costs and pains bestowed in Sacrifices, but with the religious obediēce of the Sacrificers. They will say perhaps: God willeth it, albeit he command it not. Isaiah denieth that, cap. 1. vers. 12.13. and Moses, Deut. 12.32. also Tertul. libr. de Castitate. Deus vti (que) quae vetat non vult, à quibus & offen­ditur; sicut & qua vult, praecipit & accipit, & aternitatis mercede dispungit. i. Doubtlesse that which God forbiddeth he willeth not, for which also he is offended: as also that which he willeth, he commandeth and receiueth, and requiteth with eternall reward. worship the Lord without the [Page 334] warrant of his commaundement, for the comman­dement of worshipRom. 2.15. The Law was written in mans heart; there­fore also this speci­all Law of worship, which cōsisted part­ly in sacrifices, from the fall of man, vn­til Christs Sacrifice. being giuen alreadie, and put in practise by the fathers, and taught vnto Noah byThe word of God being not yet writtē, the godly taught one another, and were taught by reuelation from God, Gen. 18.19. & 49.2. tradition and reuelation from the Lord; was of the same force and nature vnto him, as to vsQuia vice verbi illis scripti fuerant: Such reuelations were to them in stead of the word written, wher­of Chrysostome shew­eth the reason. Chrysostem. Hom. in Matth. 1. Oportuerat quidem nihil nos in­digere auxilio litera­rum, sed tam mundam exhibere vitam, vt li­brorum vice gratia spiritus sancti suppeteret nostris animabus; & sicut atrame [...]to illi, ita corda [...] ­stra inscripta essent à spiritu. Nam quod primum illud sit praestantius, & ex verbis suis Deus & ex operibus ostendit. Nam & Noae & Abrahae eiusque posteris, & Iob & Mosi, non per literas sed per semetipsum locutus est, quia scilicet puram eorum mentē repererat. Quia vero hanc à nobis excussimus gratiam, &c. is the written word of God: wherein although not e­uerie priuate action be commaunded, yet euery pri­uate action must haue his warrant,Deut 4.2.8.9 & 12.32. Non singula generum, sed genera singulorum: id est omnia capita doctri [...]ae. D Whitaker. controu 1. quaest. 6. cap. 9. from the com­maundement of God contained in the word. And the Scripture doth not obscurely signifie, that Noah did nothing in this sacrifice without the warrant of the word. For surelie hee thatGen. 6.22. & 7.5. & 8.15. in the least thing, would not passe the bounds of Gods commaunde­ment, would much lesse in theDeut. 10.8.12.13. Basil. Hexam. 11. Glorifica creatorem; neque enim alterius rei c [...]sa factus es. i. Glorifie thy Creator; thou wast created for no other cause. principall point of his obedience; alter, diminish, or goe beyond the same. Secondlie, it could not be vnknowne to Noah, that the Lord had prouided for this Sacrifice, andTertul. lib. de cast [...]tat. Deus quod vult pracipit. Chrysost. Hom. 24. in Gen. therefore had commaunded it, forasmuch as the seauenth beast was sent into the Arke, neither for procreation, or for the necessitie of Noah, but for the Lord. Thirdlie, where the Scripture saith, the Lord smelled a sauour of rest therein, seeing the Lord1. Sam. 15.22.23. Isai. 64.6. August. lib. de mori [...]. Manichaeor. lib. 2. c. 13 Finis quo referi [...]tur ea quae fa [...]imus, in qua (que) re, spectandus est. De Cat [...]lina memoria proditum est quòd frigus, sitim, famem ferre poterat, haec erant illi spurco sacrilegoque etiam cum Apostolis nostris com­munia. Et vnde ergo discernitur parricida iste ab Apostolis nostris, nisi fine illo quem diue [...]fissimum se­quebatur. Idem contr. Iulian lib. 4. cap. 3. Absit igitur vt in aliquo sit vera virtus, nisi fuerit iustus. Absit vt sit iustus verè nisi viuat ex fide: quomodo sint verè iusti, quibus vilis est humilitas veri iusti? ab­horreth al deuotion, which is not ruled by the obe­dience [Page 335] of his word; it is manifest that Noah was commanded sacrifice, and did nothing without the warrant of the same. And that the Lord is said to smell a sauour of rest, is a phrase of speech most apt for our capacitie, to vnderstand the graciousnes and goodnes of the Lord. As a nurse or tender mother, doth teach her infant, at the first, vnperfect and bro­ken speech; that thereby it may learne to speake, and afterward attaine to eloquence: so the Scripture doth descend toBasil. in Psalm. 37. Conc. 10. Talia per me­taphorā trāslata scrip­tura sermo vsurpare solet. Velut etiam ocu­los dei, & aures, & maru [...], & digitos, & ped [...]s, & reliquas par­tes, quas tanquam & homines cōmode dispo­nit ad auditorū qua­litatem condescendens sese (que) accommodans. our infirmitie, that it might teach vs as wee areAugust. lib. quaest. Ostoginta trium quaest. 52. Ad ea verba doscendit quibus inter se stultissimorū etiā veitur consuetudo. able to conceiue of God, and wee might grow from childrenEphes 4.14. 1. Pet. 2.2. in godlie knowledge, to be ripe & perfect men in Christ. The Lord hath noTertul. lib. de Trin. Loquitur non quomodo Deus est. sed quomodo populus capere poterat, non igitur mediocris est Deus, sed populi mediocris est sensus. nostrels, and yet is said to smell, he hath no feet and yet is saidPsal. 18.10. Gen. 11.5. Iudg. 5.4. Arnob. contr. Gent. lib 4. Suo forsitan genere non nostro. to goe; no eyes, no eares, and yetPsal. 139.16. Malac. 3.16. hen. lib. 2. c. 47. Deus cum sit totus mens, totus ratio, totus spiritus operās, &c. Et Ethnici, Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7. Deus quisquis is est (inquit) totus est sensus, totus visus, totus auditus, totus animae, totus animi, totus sui, &c. he seeth, and heareth all things. Hee hath no bo­die, and therefore no members of a bodie, because he isIoh. 4.24. Luc. 24.39. Tertul. lib. de Trin. Deus secundum id quod est, nec humano sermone dici, nec humanis auribus percipi, nec humanis sensibus colligi potest. a spirit,Ioh. 1. vers. 18. 1. Tim. 1.17. inuisible,Iob. 11.7 Isai 40.28. 1. Tim. 6.16. vnsearchable,Exod. 3.14. Bernard. de consia. lib. 5. Deus non partibus constat vt corpus, non [...]ffectibus distat vt anima▪ &c. Gregor. in Ezech. Hom. 8. Deus om­nia implet, complectitur omnia, superexcedit omnia, sustinet omnia: nec alia ex parte sustinet, at­que alia superexcedit; neque alia ex parte impl [...]t, atque alia circumplectitur; sed circumplectendo im­plet, implendo circumplectitur, sustmendo superexcedit, superexcedendo sustinet. Idem moral. in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. Ipse man [...]t intra omnia, ipse extra omnia, ipse supra omnia, ipse infra omnia; superior est per potentiam, inferior per sucto [...]tationem, exterior per magnitudinem, interior per sublimitatem. Vnus idem (que) totus vbique praesidendo sustinens, sustinendo praesidens, circundando penetrans, pe­netrando circundans. Est itaque & inferior & superior sine loco, est amplior sine latitudine, est subti­lior sine exte [...]atione; quo igitur ab eo exitur, qui dum per molem corporis nusquam est, per incircum­scriptam substantiam nusquam deest? most pure [Page 336] in substance, andPsal 139.6. & 147.5 Tertul. in Marcion. lib. 2. Discerne igitur substantias, & suos ijs distribue sensus, tam diuersos quam substā ­tia exigunt, licet vo­cabulis communicare videantur. Nam & dextram & oculos dei legimus, nec ideo tamē humanis comparabū ­tur, quia de appella­tione sociantur. infinite. But because we cannot seeDamascen. Orthodox. lib. 1. cap. 14. Scire nos decet cum nos ipsi si­mus crasso carnis in­dumento circundati, nos minime posse diui­nas & subtiles & im­materiales dei opera­tiones aut intelligere aut eloqui, nisi imagi­nibus, & formis, & significatiuis nostro more vtamur signis. him as hee is, nor comprehend the glorie and perfection of his nature, hee sheweth himselfe vnto vs, as we are able to vnderstand; shewing therein his nature and his worke,Idem. Quaecun (que) igi­tur de Deo corporali­ter dicuntur, symbolicè sunt dicta: habent autem altiorem intelligentiam. Simplex enim diuinitas, & figuram nullam habent. after, and aboue our vnder­standing. To this intent when hee would let vs see his mercie in accepting mans obedience, thorough faith in Christ: he saith, he smelt a sauour of rest, in the sacrifice of Noah. For because men are delighted withAristot. Problem. section. 12. Idem de anima. lib. 2. cap. 9. Odoris homo nihil percipit abs (que) dolore aut voluptate, quia huius sensus instrumentum non est exactum neque perfectum. pleasant sauours, therefore to expresse,Rabbi. Abraham, commentar. in Gen. Absit, absit vt Deus odoretur, sed est sensus quod suscepit holocaustum. how greatlie God was pleased with this sacrifice, he saith he smelt a pleasant sauour, orOecu­lampad. in Gen. Quicscere faciens iram ipsius. Idem Ambros. de Noe cap. 24. sauour of rest. Wher­fore in that the Scripture saith: the Lord smelt a sauour of rest, it meaneth thereby, thatOnkelos Paraphr. Chaldaeus. Recepit cum fauore. Targ. Hieros. Suscepit cum beneplacito. hee receiued with fauour,Psalm. 51.16. Isai. 1.11. & 66.3. he accepted or tooke delight in the sacri­fice of Noah. But if the Lord delighted in this sa­crifice: how saithCONCILIATIO. 10. the Scripture, hee Isai. 66.3. Hieron. in Comment. ibid. audiant Iudaei, quod Deus non quaerit sacrificia, sed offerentium animos. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 2. Fides sine operibus mor­tua, & opera sine fide mortua sunt. delighteth not in sacrifice? It is not the workeIsai. 58.6. Clem. Alexandr. Strom. 7. Sacrificium D [...]o gratum & acceptum, cor à superbia & fastu alienum, cum recta scientia, &c. of sacrifice, but theIustin. Martyr. Dialog. cum Triff. Vt Dei recordemini, & Deus ante oculos versaretur. manner of the worke that pleaseth him. The Lord commaundeth sacrificeIob. 35.7. Iraen. libr. 4. cap. 28. Non quasi indigens Deus, hominem plasmauit, &c. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 5. Sed ne ipsa iustitia hominis Deum egere credendum est. for the exercise of our obedience; he needeth not ourIrena. lib. 4. cap. 28. Obedientiam requirit vt benefaciat ijs qui perseuerant in seruitute eius. sacrifice, nor yet obedience; but we haue neede of obedience, [Page 337] and exercises, wherby to manifest the same. Wher­fore when men doe sacrifice to God, or any other worke or worship, as it were to pleasure him,Sordidus est sensus natura hominis com­munis, Iudaeis & Pa­pisti [...] praedominans. Lactant. libr. 6. cap. 2. Mactant opimas & pingues hostias Deo quasi esurient [...], &c. as though hee stood in neede thereof, rather then to manifest their faith, and true obedience; they doe therein dishonour God, and proclaime him poore and wanting, who hathDeut. 10.14. Psalm. 50.10. Isai. 66.1. in possession heauen and earth. No meruaile therefore if the workes and sacrifice of those, who for the merite, wealth and worthines of workes,Concil. Trident. Sess. 6. Can. 32. Bellarm. Tom. 3. Controuer. 2. lib. 5. cap. 1. doe claime a re­compence thereof, and doe offer it, asIsai. 58.3. Ad pro­merendum vitam ae­ternam, in qua pro meritorum diuersita­te vitae aeternae mansi­ones assignat Deus. Bel. Tom. 3. Cont. Gen. 3. cont. p. 2. li. 5. cap. 3. vsurers to receiue againe thereby, rather then to testifie their heartie obedience vnto the precept of the Lord; areEsai. 66.3. Luc. 18.14. detested as the workes of hypocrites, and their presumptionIsai. 1.15. Bernard. Sermo. in Cant. 13. Quoniam dolose a­gunt in conspectu e­ius, inuenitur iniqui­tas eorum ad odium. menaced; when as those, which to shew their loue,1. Chron. 29.9.17. doe freelie yeeld obedience in faith, and performe religious workes, are accep­ted of God; and their workesChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Si quādo vi­des iacentem in fo­ro, &c. Ambros. in Luc. 9. Deus non obsequiorū speciem, &c. which to men oft times appeare vnsauorie, are smelling sweet in the nostrils of the Lord. When the Lord therefore in Scripture reiected sacrifice,Heb. 9.8.11. before the offering of that all-sufficient sacrifice the sonne of God, it was either where the outward worke, wasIsai. 1.11.15. Ierem. 7.23. not combi­ned with the inward vertue of true obediene; or where he shewethIsai. 66.1. Hieron ibid. Potest & hic esse sensus: post filium meum qui venit man­suetus & pauper, &c. such sacrifice in time should be abolished: or where he commendeth theAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib 10. cap. 5. Nihil aliud quam sacrifi [...]ium sacrifici [...] praelatum oportet intelligi. inward obedience to be more excellent then the outward worke. But those that did in faith and true obedi­ence sacrifice to God, and those that now doAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 17. cap. 20. Id enim sacrificium suc [...]essit omni­bus illis sacrificijs veteris testamenti, quae immolabantur in vmbra futuri: quia pro illis omnibus sa­crificijs & oblationibus, corpus eius offertur & participantibus ministratur. right­lie [Page 338] receiue the Sacraments, which the Lord hath or­deined, in the steed of sacrifice, rendring vnto GodHosea. 14 2. Heb. 13.15. the calues of their lippes, and theirRom. 12 1.2. mem­bers as instruments of righteousnes;Heb. 13.7.8. haue euer beene, andGen. 4.7. Act. 10.35. shall be accepted of the Lord, tho­roughRom. 5.2. 1. Tim. 2.5. August. in Psal. 142. the merit and mediation of Christ our Sa­uiour. Obserue out of this godlie example. First, as wee may doeDeut. 12.32. Rom. 14.23. Bernard. Sermon. in Cant. 29. Sapientia est Deus, & vult se ama­ri non solum dulciter, sed etiam sapienter. Quia scripturae suffi­ciunt ad omnem veri­tatis instructionem, 2. Tim. 3.16. August. Epist. 112. Quicquid diuinarum scripturarum perspi­cua firmatur autho­ritate, sine vlla dubi­tatione credēdū est. A­lijs vero testibus, &c. Athanas. lib. contra Gent. Ergo qui sacra non vtitur scriptura sed ascendit aliunde, id est, non concessa via, fur est. Chrysost. Hom. in Ioh. 58. cap. 10. nothing without the warrant of the word; so may wee not like children, omit occasions2. King. 12.2. 2. Chron. 24.14.17. of doing good, because wee want new reuelatiōs, or one to instruct vs in the word of God, butIosu. 1.8. Deut. 6.7.8.9. Ioh. 5.39. must be diligent to search the scriptures, wher­in is2. Tim. 3.16. August. de doctr. Christ. lib. 2. cap 9. In ijs quae apertè in scriptura posit: sunt inueniuntur illa omnia, que continent fidem mores (que) viuendi, spem scilicet & charitatem. Vin­cent. [...]yrinens. lib. contra Haeres. cap. 2. Cum sit perfectus scripturarum canon, sibi (que) ad omnia satis, su­per (que) sufficiat, quid opus est, vt ei ecclesiasticae intelligentiae [...]ungatur authoritas? In qua obseruandū est, quod perinde sunt ea, quae ex scripturis colliguntur (perspicua authoritate & necessaria, vt loquitur Augustinus) atque ea quae scribuntur. contained a direction for all our actions: by which wee shall plainelie see with Noah, when wee are called vnto sacrifice. Secondlie, wee ought to place the worship of GodHaggi. 1.24. Psal. 132.4.5. Mat. 6.33. in the forefront of our affaires, and to preferre the things of God before our owne. Thirdlie, the building of this altarExod. 20.24 25 tea­cheth, that God delighteth not1. Sam. 16.7. Isai. 66.1.2. Ambros. in Luc. lib. 9. Non obsequiorum speciem sed puritatem quaerit affectus. La [...]tant. lib. 6. cap. 8. Nihil aliud ab homine desiderat quam solam innocentiam. Ergo non Hierosolymis fuisse, sed Hieros [...]lymis bene vixisse laudandum est. Hieron. epist. ad Paulin. in the outward pompe or shew of worship, but requirethExod. 20. [...]4.25. 1. Cor. 14.40. decen­cie according to the rule of godlines. Fourthlie, in the difference of beasts for sacrifice. Although men liue together in common as in the Arke, and euery oneProu. 16.2.25. in his own way is a worshipper of God, yet the Lord is rightlie serued of none butPsal. 26.1.12. & 66.18. Isai. 66.2. Ioh. 4.23. those, [Page 339] who are cleane in heart, which worship the Lord in spirit and truth. We ought therefore with Noah in matters of Sacrifice, to separate the preciousIerem. 15.19. from the vile; and those who by enormious sinnes doe shew vncleannes, ought to be restrainedMat. 18.17. 1. Cor. 5.5 Notwithstanding, the Lord hath de­clared, Iohn. 13.10. that of those which receiue the Sacra­ment, in one con­gregation, the vn­cleannes of some receiuers doth not defile those which religiously commu­nicate with them. Likewise also Au­gust. cont. Lit. Petili­ani. libr. 2. cap. 22. from the supper of the Lord. Fiftlie, albeit the worship of God be perpetuall vnto the Church, yetEzech. 20.24.25. Heb. 10 9.26. Chrysostom. Hom. in Matth. 1. Postquam omnis &c. the ce­remonies of worship, are not perpetuall. The Pa­triarke doth offer [...], micoi humicol: and thus the Rabbins do in­terpret it, and reason perswadeth, seeing of euery cleane beast there were seuen preserued: yet some would perswade that Noe offered no moe then were after allowed by Moses law, al­beit the words of Scripture do so plainly shew the contrarie. of euerie cleane beast, and also foule: but the Iewes might sacrifice, butLeuit. 1.2.3.10. oxen, sheepe, or goates, neither of the foules, but douesLeuit. 1.14. Except Sparrowes which were offered for leapers. or pigeons, notwithstanding there were manieLeuit. 11.3. Deut. 14 4. o­ther beasts accounted cleane, and of foules, moe kindes that were for vse then were forbidden: euen so also whenGalath 4.4. the fulnes of time was come, in steedMatth. 26.26. of the Passeouer and of Sacrifice, the Lord him­selfe ordained the Sacrament or ceremonie of ea­ting the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ.

Question 7. verse 21. What meaneth this? The Lord said in his heart, I will henceforth curse the earth no more for mans sake, for the imaginations, &c.

HErein doth manifestlie appeare, how large­lie the Lord rewardeth the works of faith­full men, which are grounded in obedi­ence vnto the word of God. First, hee receiueth them,2. Cor. 2.15. Philip. 4 18. Hieron. in Philip. c. 4. Odor suauitatis non in re oblata, sed in mentis deuotione consistit, si­cut sacrificium Noae Deus describitur odo­ratus, cum ipse dicat nec carnibus se nec a­nimalium sanguine delectari. and they are of a pleasant sauour vnto him: Secondlie, hee crowneth them with rewardMatth. 10.41.42. & 25.34. and blessing, as in this example hee doth to Noah; I will henceforth curse the ground no more for man. But least any man should thinkeAs the Apostle doth both obiect & answere, Rom. 4.12. &c. this blessing came of debt, and not of fauour, that it wasConcil. Trident. sess. 6 can. 32. Si quis dixerit, &c. If any man say, that the good workes of a man iustified, be so the gifts of God, that they be not also the good merits of him that is iustified, &c. let him be accursed. Examine this definitiue doctrine by the Scripture. Tit. 3 4.5. Luc. 17.10. Isai. 64.6. and by the consent of the Fathers of the church. the wages or merite of mans righteousnes, rather then reward which proceeded of the onelie mercie of the Lord; the Lord addeth this reason vnto the same: because mans heart is only euil: and not because of the sacrifice of Noah. The pleasant sauor therfore1. Sam. 15.22. Galat. 5.6. 1. Tim 1.5. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 4. Deus iustitia viri delectatus. Cyprian. ad Quirinum. lib. 3. Fidem in totum prodesse, & tantum nos posse quantum credimus, & tantum ac­ceptos Deo probat. Gen. 15.6. Isai. 7.9. that the Lord delighted in, was the obedience and faith of Noah, not theSicut docet Perer. Tom. 2. in Gen. lib. 13. alijque Papistae. simple worke of sacrifice: the desert or merite [Page 341] whereby it was accepted,Origen. in Leuit. H m. 4 c. 6. Quicun (que) tetigerit carne sacrifi­cij sanctus erit. Igitur sacrificiū pro quo haec omnia sacrificia in typo & figura praeces­serant, vnum & per­fectum immolatus est Christus. Huius sacri­ficij carnem, si quis te­tigerit (id est amplec­titur fide, Iohn. 6.35.) cōtinuo sanctificatur, si immundus est mun­datur, si in plaga est sanatur. Aug. in Ma­nuel cap. 22. Tota spes mea est in morte domi­ni mei, mors eius me­ritum meū, refugium meùm, salus, vita & resurrectio mea: meri­tum meum miseratio Domini. Et Aquin. Comment. in Gen. c. 8. Odoratus apertè in­nuit se ista promitte­re non propter meri­tum Noae, sed propter meritum Christi, in fide & sacrificio Noae sacramentaliter contentum. was the death and sacri­fice of Christ as yetHeb. 13.8. Reuel. 13.8. to come; which who soQuemadmodum Pa­pista dogmate suo posse hominem operibus demereri vitam aeternam, vt supra ex Concil. Trident. & Bellarmino. Vide Isai. 42.8. Heb. 10.10. rob­beth by the merite of mans works, shallSicut & Pelagiani, August. epist. 95. Qui olim docuerunt posse hominem implere iustitiam per liberum arbitrium, cùm adiutorio diuinae gratiae, quod Deus hoc dederit homini, ipsa possibilitate natura. Quibus meritò (inquit) responletur: ergo euacuatum est scandalum crucis, ergo Christus gratis mortuus est. Istis verò Papistae haud multo melius determinant: id est, posse hominem nulla tentatione vrgente, fine fide & auxilio speciali, opus bonum perficere omni peccato vacuum. Albert. z. Sent. dist. 28. Aquin. in Prim. Secund. q. 109 art. 23. Bonauent. in 2. Sent. dist. 28. Bellarm. Tom. 3 part. 1 contr. 1. lib. 5. cap. 4. Deinde. liberum arbitrium cooperatur cum gratia ad conuersionem pe [...]catorum. Bellarmin. Tom. 3. controu. 3. part. 1. lib. 6. cap. 10. want the fruit thereof vnto saluation: For the Lord himselfe doth teach what is the merite of the heart of man, andMatth. 15.19. of the workes that proceed thereof: the ima­gination of mans heart is euill, euen frō his youth. To fol­low the interpretation of the text. The Lord said in his heart. In the vulgar Latine translation it is: the Lord said vnto him. The cause of which difference seemeth to be, the doubtful acceptatiō of the phrase originall; for in the Hebrue text it is, ( [...] el-libo) vnto [...] Iomer el-libo. his hart, which (his) may either be vnderstood of the hart of Noah, or of the Lord. To speake vnto ones hart, in ye property of the Hebrue speech, is toGen. 24.3. & 10.21. speake fauorably vnto, or friendlie to intreate: So that by speaking vnto the hart of Noah, is signified, he spake louingly & fauourably to Noah: soIoseph. lib. Antiq. [...]. cap. 4. Rabb. Isaac Ca­rus reddit gnal [...]libo. diuers Iewish Doctors do expoūd it. But to speake vnto his heart, doth also signifie one1 Sam. 27 1. Gen 17.17. Vana igitur distinctio Rabbinorum semper de im­pijs dici bi-libbo, quia suo sensu & corde reguntur [...] de bonis el-libbo quod contrafit. which speaketh in his own hart, yt is, which dothChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 40. Dixit Abraham in corde suo, id est animo cogitauit. August. in Psal. 14. Dixit insipiens non est Deus. Dixit in corde, quia hoc nemo audet dicere, etiamsi ansus fuerit cogitare. conceiue or purpose in his hart: Which whē the scripture speaketh of god, it [Page 342] meaneth not onlie his purpose, but thePro reuelatione vo­luntatis. manifesta­tion of the same. So that it is as if it had beene said: the Lord now openeth the purpose of his heart to Noah, that hee would no more curse the ground for mans sake. Wherein is gathered two points of do­ctrine: first, that the LordTertul. in Marcion. lib. 3. hauing decreed from e­uerlasting the preseruation of the earth, from the floud of Noah, vntill the full consummation of the world; made knowneAquin. in Gen. 8. Odoratus, apertè in­nuit se ista promit­tere. the same his pleasure vnto Noah immediatlie after his sacrifice. Secondly, that the promise was more large to Noah, then the histo­rie of the chapter following doth containe. For therein is expressed a promise of no farther deliue­ranceGen. 9.11. but from waters, for which cause the raine­bow was giuen for a seale vnto the couenant, which the Lord doth chieflie handle, as being the chiefest daunger and feare of Noah; but withall, as appeased with Noah thoroughHeb. 10.10. the pacification of Iesus Christ, he addeth promise & securitie from all vni­uersall punishments, & ye succession of course, in the nature of things for euer. I will from henceforth (saith God) curse the ground no more for mans sake. In the Hebrue it is: I will not adde to curse the ground: the same being doubled in the text, asHeb. 6.17. Gen. 22.16.17. it were for more certaine confirmation, and declared to be de­creed and pronounced by the Lord,Rabb. Salom. in Com­mentar. is taken to be the forme of the othIsai. 54.9. which the Lord had sworn concerning the waters of Noah, that they returne not. Neither will I adde to smite all things liuing. An amplification and exposition of the promise: wher­in is taught, that the cursing of the earth, is the smiting of the earth, and the creatures that are there­in. Againe saith the Lord, I will no more curse the [Page 343] earth, that is, all things liuing therein, as I haue done, that is, as I haue now destroyed them together by the floude. Wherein wee may per­ceiue, that there is no breach of promise, when the Lord for the wickednesse of men, doth smite some speciall part thereof, withGen. 19.24. fire, orGen. 14 3. Hieron. tradit. in Gen. Vallis autem Salina­rum, sicut in hoc eodē libro scribitur, in qua fuerunt antè putei bi­tuminis, post Dei irā & sulphuris pluuiam in mare mortuū versa est, quod à Graecis [...], id est, stag­num bituminis appel­latio. water, orPsal. 107.34. barrennes, orEzech. 36.13.14. maketh it to deuour the inhabi­tants thereof. It seemeth wonderfull, which the Lord here promiseth, that he will destroy the earth no more for mans cause, in respect of the reason which is giuen; because (he saith) mans heart is onelie euill from his youth: forGen. 6 5.6.7. this was the very reason for which before he saith, I will destroy man frō the earth, from man to beast, to the creeping thing, and to the soule of heauen, for I repent that I haue made them: and ther­fore the Lord repented, because the imaginations of mans heart was onelie euill, and the earth was filled with crueltie. Wherefore wee are herein to marke a wor­thie point of doctrine, explaned and amplified in o­ther places of theEsai. 28.22.23 24. Scripture: namelie, that the Lord in gouerning the world, and euerieMatth. 10.29. Act. 17.28. Coloss. 1.17. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 14. cap. 26. Omni­potenti Deo summo, ac summè bono creatori omnium naturarum, voluntatum autē bo­narum adiutori ac re­muneratori, malarum autem relictori & dā ­natori, vtramque or­dinatori non defuit vti (que) consilium, &c. Fulgent. lib. 1. ad Mo­nim. cap. 26. Deus ita­que licet auctor non sit malarum cogi [...]ationum, ordinator tamen est malarum voluntatum: & de malo opere cuiuslibet mali non desi [...]it ipse bonum operari. creature and worke thereof, followeth not theIsai. 55.8.9. waies and rules of men, in administring mercie and iustice vn­to his creatures; but worketh all things,Ephes. 1.5.11. after the counsaile of his will: which is theIsai. 46.9.10. Iob 34.18. August. i [...] Psalm. 35. Voluntas Dei est aliquando, vt sanus sis, aliquando vt agrotes: si quando sanus es d [...]l [...]is est voluntas Dei, & quando aegrotas amara est, non recto corde es: quia non vis voluntatem tuam dirigere ad voluntatem Dei, sed Dei vis curuare ad tuam. Illa resta est, sed tu es curuus. Ʋoluntas tua corrigenda est ad illam, non illa curuanda est ad te. & rectum habebis cor. true and per­fect rule of mercie and of iustice. So that albeit the wicked cannot discerne the righteous wayes of God, and thereforePsal. 14 1. & 53.1. doe say in their heart, there is [Page 344] no God, or that hee hathEzech 8.12. Ouid. Non vacat exig [...] re [...] ut a [...]esse [...]ui. [...] est d [...] Deo, pe [...]udis non hominis, imo diaboli incarnati. forsaken the earth, be­cause vnto euerie one he giueth not,Eccles. 8.11. according to their workes presentlie before their eyes: yet the Lord being infinitelie more wise, then mans con­ceit, findeth cause to spare, when they see cause to punish; and likewise to punish,Like as Titus the Emperour, looking vp toward heauen, complained that his life was taken from him vndeser­uing it: for he knew not (he said) of any sinne that euer hee committed, but on­ly one. Sueton. in vi­ta Tit. cap. 10. when they thinke in iustice he ought to pardon; and both in sparing & punishing, to obserue the rules of perfect iustice. As in this example is manifest to be seene. The rea­son is grounded in the mercie and iustice of the Lord. In respect of his mercie, thus standeth the condition of the world. The heart of man is euill, euen from his youth: If therefore the Lord should deale with men after the deserts of men, and after the wickednesse of their heart, there should conti­nuall flouds be raised to destroy the race of man, not onlie euerie yeere, but euerie moment. Albeit therefore (saith the Lord) the heart of man is onlie euill, and they will continuallie prouoke my iustice, by their sinnes, yet I will in mercie and compassion spare the punishment, that myRom. 2.4. mercie and long suffering may lead them to repentance, and that theIsai. 48.9. Matth. 24.22. Church may be gathered, and the number of the faithfull may be fulfilled. Likewise in the iustice of the Lord, the reason is excellent. The cause for which the Lord was moued to destroy the world in the dayes of Noah, wasGen. 6.5.13. the wickednes of their hearts and works, as the Scripture saith. The cause why hee did destroy them, was for1. Cor. 10.11. 2. Pet. 2.5.6. Hieron. in Ierem. cap 3 Aliorum tormenta a­liorum sunt remedia. Cum (que) punitur homi­cida, recipit quidem ipse quod fecit, sed alij deterrentur à scelere. example sake to those that afterward should liue vngodlie: for which cause also the Lord ouerthrewGen. 19. Sodome with fire, Ierusalem withIerem. 38.9. & 39.6 Whose first and se­cōd ouerthrow was so much the more grieuous, by how much before they abounded in bles­sings, Amos 3.2. For as they had recei­ued aboue other nations, Psalm. 147.20. so for contempt and abuse of those benefits they receiued more punishments then other nations, Lament. 1.12. Ezec 5.9.10. &c. sword and famine, that [Page 345] they might be as monuments in the Scriptures,Iere. 26.6. Ezec. 5.15 Tria hac vindicta Dei celeberrima exempla & toto terrarum orbi notissima. & examples of the wrath of God against the wicked. Those that will not by these examples be admoni­shed, it is not meet (although in the sight of the god­lie, heZephan. 3.5. bringeth his iudgments euerie day to light) that they should haue farther warning, saue in their owne calamitie. For this cause the Lord denieth, albeit the heart of man be onlie euill euen from his youth, that he will destroy the world any more, for example sake: as likewise our Sauiour for the former cause denounceth, that after the destruction of Ie­rusalem should no such example be foundLuc. 21.20.23.24. Which miseries foretold by our Sa­uiour Christ, were abundātly fulfilled: as witnesseth Iose­phus de bello Iudaic. lib. 7. cap. 16. In time of the siege of Ieru­salem there died in the citie by famine, sword and pestilēce 1100000. There were taken captiues 97. thousand. A noble woman in the fa­mine eate her owne sonne, lib. 6. cap. 11. & 7. cap. 8. Likewise Euseb. in his Eccle­siastical history, lib. 3 cap. 5.6. Lastly, when as the Citie was so wasted and made euen with ye groūd, that there was no­thing left standing but certain towers, by which it might appeare to posteri­tie how great and well fortified the citie had bin (Ioseph. of the warres o [...] the Iewes, lib. 7. c. 18.) yet were the Iewes forbidden to come within the ruines of the citie, and as many Iewes as entred were put to death, Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 2. of the wrath of God; butMat. 24.29. Mark. 13.24. Luc. 21.25. that the next and immediate so apparant manifestation of his iustice, should be in the consummation of the world. Hereby it hath come to passe, that the world hauing now continu­ed the space of fifteene hundreth and threescore yeeresThe fortieth yeere after they had crucified Christ, Ioseph. lib. 3. cap. 7. from the last example, and hauing forgot­ten the seueritie of God, byRom. 2.4. the continuance of his patience, as not regarding the remembrance thereof, by theMatth. 24. &c. 2. Pet. 3.4. testimonie of the Scripture; now is frosenZephan. 1.12. in the dregges of sinne, and the haruest of mens wickednesseReuel. 14.15. is ripe to iudgement. Obserue also: First, the secrets and will of God1. Sam. 3.21. Isai. 8.20. 2. Tim. 3.16. are reuea­led in his word, and the same is to be vnto vs, asGalat. 3.24. Psal. 119.24. August. de doctr. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 80. Nam quicquid homo extra didicerit, si noxium est hic damnatur, si vtile est hic inuenitur: & cum ibi quisque inuenerit omnia, qua vtiliter alibi didicit, multo abundatius ibi inueniet ea, quae nusquam alibi inuenire poterit. Hilar. lib. de Trin. 3. Bene igitur habet, si ijs qua scripta sunt (scilicet in verbo Dei) contenti simus. a Schoolemaister and a Counsellour. Secondlie, [Page 346] mens sinsMica. 3.12. Rom. 8 [...]0. Onkelos Paraph. Chal­dai [...]. Propter hominē: reddit propter pecca­tum hominum. are the cause of the cursing of the earth, and all calamities. Thirdlie, albeit the heart of man be euill from his youth, yet the same isHeb. 9.14. Act. 15.9. purged in the godlie, and purified by faith, to bring forth1 King. 18.3. & 22.2 works acceptable to God, notIob. 33.24. Esai. 64.6. Bernard. in festū omn. sanct. Serm. 1. Quid ergo de peccatis erit, quando ne ipsa quidē per se poterit respon­dere iustitia? for the worthines of the workes, but for the worthinesMatth. 3.17. Rom. 3.25. of the death of Christ. Fourthlie, I will not curse neither will I smite, &c. The curse isDeut. 28.16.17.18. 1. King. 16.34. euer accompanied with punishment, and thePsal. 119.27. Ierem. 5.7. punishment of the creature, is the fruit or effect of the curse of God. Fiftlie, the Lord promiseth the continuance of the world; itPsal. 119.90.91. standeth fast: so, all the promises of God2. Cor. 1.20. Oecolampad. in Gen. 8. Magis afficimur, cum audimus aliquid esse illi fixum apud se. are yea and Amen in Christ. Sixtlie, the certaine succession of times and seasons, haue for theirAct. 1.7. Isai. 38.8. foundation, the will of God.

Question 8. verse 21. What meaneth this which is said: the ima­ginations of mans heart is euil, euen from his youth?

TO stoppe theAugust. de bono per­seuerantiae, lib 2. c. 2. Tria sunt quae maxi­mè aduersus Pelagia­nos Catholica defen­dit ecclesia. Primum, gratiā Dei non secun­dum merita nostra dae­ri. Secundum, in quā ­tacunque iustitia, si­ne quib [...]slibet cunque peccatis, in hoc corrup­tibili corpore neminē viuere. Tert [...]um, ob­noxium nasci hominē peccato primi hominis, & vinculo damnatio­nis obstrictum, nisi reatus qui generatione contrabitur regenera­tione soluatur. Qùae tria in hac clausulae habent fundamentum suum, & aduersi [...] Papistas hodie defen­duntur, qui idem ferè cum Pelagianis sentiunt; sed melle litum gladium. mouthes of heretikes, and to confound theHieron. epist. ad C [...]esiphon. De Philosophorum & maximè Pythagorae & Zenonis fonte manarunt, qui passiones asserunt extirpari posse de mentibus, & nullam fibram radicem (que) vitiorum in homine omninò residere meditatione & as­sidua exercitatione virtutis. Aduersum quos & Peripatetici & Academici noui fortissimè disputant. Similiter & Papistae, ne (que) tamen quisquam Peripateticus, siue Academicus, siue Papista, doctrinam de miseria naturae humanae, vel defendit, vel ritè intelligit, vt postea demonstrabitur. naturall pride of man; the Lord which isPsal. 33.15. the former of the heart, and theIerem. 17.10. searcher of the heart; doth plainlie testifie the naturall condition of the heart of man: ( [...], ietzer leb haadā ragn minnegnurahu,) The ima­ginatiō of the hart of man is euil frō his youth. The word (ietzer) translated the imagination of the heart, dothAralic. [...], iatzar formare, to forme or make. Isai. 4 [...].10. Amos. 7.1. Vt fit vel forma scilicet acquisita cordis, vel id quod formatur à corde. properlie signifie, the forme or frame of the heart; which is not only the cogitations which are framed in the heart, but moreouer theAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 22. Ab illa erroris & peruersi amoris radice, hac hominum sunt, cum qua omnis filius Adam nascitur. habite, qualitie and disposition of the soule, from whence the cogitati­ons doe proceed, is onlie euill. Thus is the soule of man, which first was created in the image and simi­litude of God, corrupted by sinne, and defiled with iniquitie; by reasonIob. 14.4. Psalm. 51. whereof, it cannot but bring forth sinfull thoughts, vnrighteous words & deeds, and those not in part but wholie euill; as a bitter [Page 348] fountaine cannot but send forth his bitter waters. Wherein we see the deformed condition of our na­turall corruption; testified not in types and parables, but by plaine and manifest wordes of doctrine; not by the mouth of man, but frō the verie heart of the Lord himselfe. But yet because this doctrine of the Lord, is not authenticall at Rome, where contrari­wise they teach that this corruptiō, which the Lord calleth euill in the heart of man, is a guiltinesse or subiection vnto punishmētScot. in Sentent. lib. 4 distinct. 14 art. 1. In­iustitia enim actualis (scilicet Adaemi) vt inde deriuetur iniu­stitiae originalis, ma­nere non potest cessan­te actu; dicitur ergo quod manet in anima qua peccauit reatus culpa, quae est quaedam obligatio ad poenam debitam illi culpa. Illa autem obligatio, est quadam relatio realis non fundata super a­ctum culpae, sed super ipsam essentiam ani­ma, &c. Quid igitur hoc cordis malum de quo Dominus hoc lo­co? scilicet non iniustitia originalis, sed reatus, siue obligatio ad poenam debitam prima culpae. Idem Durand. sent. 2. dist. 30. q. 2. 3. Quare & hoc naturale vitium, nulla poena degnum esse defendit Gulielm. epist. Parisiens. lib. de peccat. & vitijs, cap. 7. Albertus Pigh. controu. de pecc. origin. Negat infantes vllo vitio insito, & suo, laborare, sed duntaxat alieni criminis culpam sustinere. De hac re Concil. Trident. Sess. 5. Peccatum originale statuit ab Adamo propagatione transfusum: sed quale sit, cum inter Catholicos in questione versetur, opinandi nobis libertatem reliquit, Andrad. defens. lib. 4. Certè suorum hareses tacendo approbauit. indeed, but not a fault; or ifBellarm. Tom. 3. controu. 2 lib. 3. cap. 5. Est tamen pec­catum minimum inquit, quia minus voluntarium. Sic & reliqui statuunt, quouis venali minus: quod est plane nullum. At nos peccauimus in Adam inquit Apostolus, Rom. 5.12. qui certé voluntariè pec­cauit. a guiltines and fault (as some of that Church, conuicted with the manifest light of the sacred Scriptures, are forced to acknowledge and conde­scend vnto) yet the same in Baptisme, is perfectlie, and fullie taken away, not onlie in the guiltines, but alsoBellarm. Tom. 3. controu. 2. lib. 3. cap. 3. Originale peccatum perfectè sollitur baptism [...]. in the fault thereof: therefore also they haue giuen to that translation supreme authoritie, with­out exception of fault or errour, which thus inter­preteth the words of God: the cogitation of mans heart is (not euil but) prone to euill, not frō his concep­tiō or infancie, but from Vulgata Romana authentica editio: sensus enim & cogitatio humani cordis in malùm prona sini ab ad [...]loscentia sua. his middle age. Now if they are accursed from the Lord, which addeDeut. 12 32. Prou. 30.6. Reuel. 22.18. vnto the word of God; what account shall be made of that translation, which hath added wordes, and dimini­shed [Page 394] thePronus dicitur ad malum, sicut facilis ad virtutem; non qui ma­lus est, sed qui ad ma­lum inclinatus, vt ni­hil est tam pronum ad simultates, quàm ae­mulatio, in foeminis praesertim, Plin. in Pa­negyr. Dispositus. meaning of the Lord, contrarie to the expresse tenor of his wordes; and in steed of being euill, hath said, is prone or apt to euill? And where the Lord saith, from the Nagner, à [...] Nag­nar excuteré, Ne­hem. 5.13. Quasi ex­cussus. Gracis [...]: Plato [...] qui recens vel ab v­tero, vel cōceptu, à pa­rētibus deriuatur. In­terpretatur etiam ru­dis quoniam pueri ta­les sunt. Ioh. 11.12. At hic alius requiritur sensus, & reliqua scriptura confirmatur, 1. Sam. 1.24. licet Rab. Dau. Perspi [...]acem in­telligit. Isai. 48.8. wombe, & from the veriePsal. 51.5. Gen. 6.5. Col [...]iamim: Omni die. con­ception, the translatiō wil afoord it, but from the time of youth, when men begin toIsidor. Originum lib. 11. cap. 2. Ad [...]lescen­tia, quae ad gignen­dum adulta, quae por­rigitur à decimoquart [...] anno ad vicessimum octanum. Adolescere est crescere, dum (que) adolescendi summum tetigere cacumen. Lueret. lib. 11. discerne betweene good and euill? Wherefore vnto the Church of Rome, let that translation be of supreame and sole authoritie, as being made to decline vnto the do­ctrines of men: but vnto the Church of God, let the diuine Scriptures, deriuedIerem. 19.19. 2. Tim. 3.16. 2. Pet. 1.21. August. de con­sensu Euang. lib. 1. cap. 35. Quicquid enim ille de suis factis & dictis nos legere voluit, hoc scribendum illis (scilicet Prophetis & Apostolis) tamquam suis manibus imperauit. from the mouth of God, in their proper & naturall fountaine, gouerne the doctrines and harts of men, which neither bow toHinc canon dicitur & ca­nonica scriptura, regula, amussis. Psal. 19.8. & 119.4.9. the right hand or to the left, but perfectlie and plaineliePsal. 19.7. & 119.130. Bernard. in verb. sap. Iustum deduxit Dom. per via [...] rectas. Via Domini via recta, viae pulchrae, via planae, &c. deliuer the minde and counsaile of the Lord, as being theMatth. 10.20. 2. Pet. 1.21. immediate doctrine of the ho­lie Ghost: & let those beHeb. 13.7.17. regarded in the Church, which are able to draw these waters, out of their na­tiue fountaines, by the gift of knowledge1. Cor. 12.8.10.11. which the spirit of God hath shed abroad in the hearts of men. Out of these words of Scripture doe natu­rallie arise these points of doctrine. First, the corrup­tion ofRom. 7.7. concupiscence which is commonlie called originall sin, Contra Flac. Il­lyricum. lib. de pecc. Orig. qui peccatum Originale esse de natura & essentia hominis, esse ipsum cor. ipsumque rationem c [...] omnibus viribus praedicanit. is not the substance of the soule, butBasil. libr. constitut. exercitatoria. cap. 4. Peccatum verò est quidem nunquam, neque in propria substantia deprehenditur, verùm in facien­tibus ipsum, &c. August. libr. folil [...] q. cap. 4. Malum nihil aliud est quàm priuatio boni. Sicut caci­tas nihil aliud est quàm priuatio lucis. a [Page 350] qualitie of corruption inherent in the same. For so the Scripture speaketh of the heart of manSic Isai. 1.5. as of the substance; of euill, as the qualitie thereof: like as the colour is a qualitie, but not the substāce of the thing wee see; or as an euill sauour is in a rotten carcasse. Secondlie, that through this corruption of euill, theMatth. 15.18.20. Tit. 1 15. very substance of the soule of man is e­uillIob. 14.4. Ierem. 17.9. in it selfe before the Lord. And thorough the same euil wherein it is corrupted, by defect or want of the goodnes of creation, and by accesse of sinne, through Adams first rebellion (forasmuch as the souleAnima definitur esse primus actus Aristos. de anim libr. [...]. cap. 1. Cicer. de fin libr. 5. In omni animali appetit animus aliquid agere semper. is alwaies mouing) itMatth. 15.18. bringeth forth thoughts, wordes, and deedes, whichIob. 14.4. Iam 3.11. cannot be but euill, & thereupon procureth the wages of such euill, which is bothRom. 5.12. temporall and eternall death. Thirdlie, the nature of man is thus defiled, not from the creation, but from the conception of man, or from his youth; by reason that Adam in his transgression sinnedContra Pighium de pecc. origin. Infantes nullo vitio suo sed duntaxat alieni cri­minis culpam sustine­re. Et Cartharin. Com­san. Comment in Rom 5. Eo ipso (in­quit) quod sumus filij praeuaricatoris, qui promisit se retentu­rum pro se & filijs su­is, &c. nec retinuit, nos peccatores & digni odio constituti. Et Bellarm. Tom. 3. Contro. 2. lib. 3. c. 5. Originale peccatum minimum esse quia minus voluntarium. Nos scilicet in voluntate Adami non peccauimus! not alone, and to his own onlie hurtWhich we referre to Ezech. 18. and domage; butRom. 5 12.14 Concil. Milcuit. Can 2. Non aliter intelligendum quod ait Apostolus; per vnum hominem peccatum intrauit in mundum & per peccatum mors, & ita in omnes homines pertransijt, in quo omnes pecca­uerunt, nisi quemadmodum Ecclesia catholica vbique diffusa semper intellexit. Augustin de peccat. mer. & remiss. libr. 1. cap. 10. Hoc vnum in quo omnes peccauerunt, quando omnes ille vnus homo fue­rant. we also in him against our selues, so that we receiue not this corruptionWhich was the error of the Pelagians, whom Augustine so zealouslie and religiously confuteth, Epist. 89 quast. 3. &c. by imitation, but by descentAmbros. lib. de Apolog. Dauid. lib. 1. cap. 11. Antequam nasci­mur maculamur contagio, & ante vsuram lucis originis ipsius accipimus iniuriam, in iniquitate concipimur, &c. Vitium contraxit conditio, infecit culpa naturam. Merito ergo Dauid flebiliter in se deplorauit ipsa inquinamenta naturae, quod prius inciperet in homine macula, quam vita. or propagation, &Rom. 3.23. & 11.32. areBecause all of vs were that one man as Augustine saith, de peccat. merit. lib. 1. cap. 10. whereby it commeth to passe, that that one man sinning, we all lost in him to be of the image of God, or, the image of God was defiled in vs all, Rom. 5.12. Origen in Leuit. Hom. 4. Cyprian. lib. de patiens. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 20. vnto our [Page 351] selues in Adam the authors of our miserie. Fourth­lie, the imaginations of the heart, theIetzer, figmentum, formatum: hoc est no­ua ipsius animae trans­formatio sine potius deformatio per pecca­tum. Non tamen prop­ter seipsam quae lau­dabilis est, quia opus Dei est, sed propter damnabile vitium quo vitiata est, natu­ra humana damna­tur. August. de Nupt. & Concupiscent. libr. 1. cap. 23. Anselm. libr. de con­cept. virginis, cap. 2. Totū quod erant. &c. frame and constitution of the heart,Ierem. 17.9. Matth. 12.34.35. the heart it selfe is euill: not onlie at the middle age or youth of men, but from the birth andIsai. 48.8. Psal. 51.5. Ambros. Apolog. Da­uid. cap. 11. very conception of them, and thenceforth remaineth sinfull in all the sonnesRom. 3.23. & 5.12. August. Non vnum aliquem designat hominem sed hominum ge­nus. Idem de praedestinat. & grat. cap. 3. Vitiata enim radicis macula ita propaginis traduce per ge­nerationum sarmenta diffusa est, vt nec infans quidem vnius diei à culpa sit prima praeuaricationis a­lienus, nisi per indebitam saluatoris gratiam fuerit liberatus. of Adam, both beforeContra Bellarm. Qui baptismo per­fecte tolli peccatum originale, nec deinceps propriè peccatum dici, contendit. Probatur, Rom. 7.17.24. Galat. cap. 5.17. Iam. 1.14. August de nupt. & concupiscent. lib. 1. cap. 26. In ijs qui regenerantur in Christo, cum remissionem accipiunt omnium prorsus peccatorum, vtique necesse est vt reatus etiam hu­ius, licet adhuc manentis concupiscentiae remittatur, vt in peccatum sicut dixi non imputetur. and after Baptisme; but the corruption thereof is daylie weaknedRom. 6.3.4. in the faith­full, and the guiltines is taken away by the1. Cor. 1.30. Galat. 3.27. pure­nes and holines of Christ, to as manie as areIoh. 17.21. 1. Cor. 6.17. vni­ted vnto him by faith: who as they sinnedRom. 5.12. Concil. Mileuit. Can. 1.2. when Adam sinned, becauseRom. 5.16.17. Heb. 7.10. they were in the loynes of Adam, and their substance sinned in him; so they haue inRom. 4.24.25. 1. Cor. 1.30. August. de peccator. merit. & remiss. lib. 1. cap. 10. Legimus iustificari in Christo, qui credunt in eum, propter occultam communi­cationem & inspirationem gratiae spiritus, qua quisquis haret Domino vnus spiritus est. Christ fulfilled the righteousnesse of God; hisPhilip. 3.9 merite, is their merite; and theyEphes. 5.32. 1. Cor. 6.17. are one in him, being of1. Cor. 12.12.13. his Spirit, of hisHeb. 2 14. Iren. lib. 3. c. 20. Christum à patre vni­ [...] suo plasmati passibilem hominem factum esse. substance, ofEphes. 5.30. his bone and of his flesh.

CHAP. IX.

Question 1. verse 2. What meaneth this which the Lord saith: the feare of you, and the dread of you shal be vpon euery beast of the field, &c?

WE often finde in Scripture, that after prayer, or sacrifice per­formed with feruencie, zeale, & faith; the Lord did appeare by dreame or vision, answered the petition asked, adding of his infinite liberalitie, a bles­sing more then was required; and farther manifesting himselfe vnto them, that were thus godlie exercised. Thus did he toGen. 15.12. & 22.13.15. A­braham, toGen. 32.9.24. Iac [...]b, to1. Chron. 16.4. &c. & 17.4. &c. Dau [...]d, to1. King. 9.3. 2. King. 19.19.20. & 20.3.6. Salomon, and o­ther. The same is it, which here the Scripture sig­nifieth of this sacrifice of Noah: First, how the Lord receiued it as a sauour of rest: Secondlie, how hee answereth vnto theVers. 1. Psal. 37.4. Iosephus affirmeth moreouer, Antiq. 1. cap. 4. yt Noah praied in sacrificing that the world might no more be destroyed with water. The cause and reason is sufficient, but the authoritie wanteth weight. heart of Noah, & blesseth him and his posteritie with an euerlasting blessing for the same. Wherein wee learne that theJam. 5.16.17. Psalm. 18.6. prayer of [Page 353] the faithfull auaileth much with God, and that if we aske,Matth. 7.7.8. & 21 22. Ioh. 14.13.15. August. in Psal. 65. Ergo non deficiamus in oratione. Ille quod concessurus est, es­si differt non aufert. Securi de pollicitatio­ne ipsius non deficia­mus orando, & hoc ex beneficio ipsius est: cū videris non à te amo­tam deprecationem tuā, securus est [...], &c. wee shall also assuredlie receiue: also that the Lord isPsal. 145.18. alwaies neere to those that call vpon him, albeit h [...]e doe not now reueale himselfe but in his word, and by giuing successe vnto vs (so farreIam. 4.3. 1. Ioh. 5.14. as is expedient for vs) according to our prayers. This blessing is first described, by the largenesse thereof: And God blessed N [...]ah and his sonnes. God blesseth Noah, and in him his faithfull children, for whose1. Cor. 3.22. Oecu­men. in 1. Cor. 3. Ipse quo (que) mundus & vi­ta, propter vos sunt, & condita sunt. sake the world is againe restored; and Cain and his wicked race is made partaker of world­lie benefits, which areIob. 5.3. &c. & 8.13.14. &c. Isai. 22.16 Psal. 37.9. Notwith­standing that the wicked are parta­kers of outward fe­licitie, least they should complaine, that meanes were taken from them, and abilitie of do­ing well. Wherfore the prosperitie of this life is not a suf­ficient token of the fauour of God, and mans obedience; because many passe through this lifes miserie to life euerlasting; and many from the height of this lifes felicitie, goe into eternall torment. For this cause, that sometime good men want, and wicked men abound, this prouidence of God is blasphemed of the wicked, and called blind Fortune: but Fortune her selfe is not blind (saith Cicero, lib. de amicit. vnderstanding by fortune this administration of the world) but men are blind whom she embraceth. properlie belonging to Gods Elect. Secondlie, the content or matter of this blessing is declared, which is expounded by the Lord, vntill the eight verse; and after amplified, vn­till the eighteenth verse of this Chapter. In the for­mer part, the Lord layeth downe the meanes which in his prouidence he hath ordained, for the increase and preseruation of the world, which are ordinan­ces and constitutions of the Lord, of men to be put in vse and exercise. Whereof the first is a law of na­ture, consisting ofVers. 1. multiplication, ofVers. 2. prehemi­nence of man ouer all the creatures of the earth, and ofVers. 7. mans receiuing and enioying the profit and benefit, that commeth by the creatures. The se­cond law was ceremoniall: but flesh with the life thereof, &c. The third iudiciall; wherein the Lord appointeth man, to be reuenger of the blood of [Page 354] man: and concludeth withVers. 7. commandement to al, to indeuour to multiplie their kind, and not in anie wise to be the cause of diminishing thereof. Which is as if the Lord had said: bring forth fruit and mul­tiplie;Rabb. Moses ben Nahmah. Aben Ezra. Comment. in Gen. neither be afraid of the beasts of the earth, orFor they feared least they might be drowned afterward by an other flood, as the Iewes affirme: Ioseph. Antiq. 1. c. 4. and Chrysost. and o­ther. the raine of heauen; I my selfe will represse their violence, and giue vnto your vseVers. 2.3.16. Leuit. 26.3. Deut. 28.12. the com­moditie of them. On [...]ie haue you regard,Vers. 5.6.7. Exod. 20.13. Galat. 5.15. that you doe not oppresse and deuour one another. To this end, I commaund you to abstaine from blood, thatChrysostom Hom. in Gen. 27. Hoc autē fa­cit ideo vt primis illis temporibus cōprimat illorum impetum, & propensionē ad homi­cidia. Author. quaest. Orthodox. inter opera Iustini. q [...]. 145. Ʋt ea quoque re, Deus nos à ferarum immanitate & similitudine secer­neret qua in laniatu carnium sanguinem quoque eorum lambūt quorum carnes vorāt. the blood of men may be precious in your sight; and those that will not by that instruction be admonished to abstaine from murther; that their liuesVers. 6. Exod. 21.14 be taken from the earth. Wherein first of all, we see the cause, why the Lord renueth this law of dominion to Noah, whichGen. 1.28. before was giuen to Adam, in full possession: which was, to disswade thatWhat time there were many moe sauage and rauenous beasts, then men to ioyne together against them. little familie from feare of euill, and to en­courage them against supposed daungers, which they had conceiued of themselues; either because (as it is affirmed)Rabb. Solom. in Com. and other Rabbins. they had seene the violence of beasts, before the floud, which had beeneFor so the Iewes doe gather by these words, that the Lord, before the flood, sent wilde beasts to destroy much people, like as 2. King. 17.25. sent by the Lord against the wicked; or for that now they were more acquainted with their might, by their long abode with them in the Arke. But chieflie for that the nature of man (thoroughPsal. 53.5. Prou. 28.1. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 9. Quemadmodum inter seruos fieri solet, vt probatiores & honestiore [...] conseruis terrori sunt, qui autem deliquerunt, soci [...]s & seruo [...]ti­meant, sic & de homine factum est: nam salua illius in Deum fiducia, terribilis erat & bestijs; vbi autem deliquit, timere capit & conseru [...]rum extremos. the guiltinesse of sinne) cannot but stand in dread and daunger of the creatures: their feare also taking strength [Page 355] August. in Epist. Iohn. Tract. 8. Quia per peccatū homo de­seruit eum sub quo es­se debuit, subditus est ijs supra quae esse de­buit. from the smalnesseBut eight persons. of their number to make resi­stance: and (that which was the chiefest point) that in their safetie, consisted the sauegard of the world. Wherefore also it is perceiued, that this Soueraign­tie graunted vnto Noah, was in many respects diffe­rent from that which before was confirmed vnto Adam. For that wasGen. 1.26.28. fullie giuen to Adam, void of sinne; this was butNamely in regard of feare and dread, but no fulnes of po­wer ouer them, saue touching the vse of them. in part restored vnto Noah and his children in corruption. That was lost ofChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 9. Vbi per inobe­dientiam libertatem & dignitatem nostrā amisimus; etiā prin­cipatus noster muti­latus est. Adam, by his sinne; this isIam. 3.7. retained of the wicked. That was aGen. 2.19. Basil. Hom. de Para­diso. Illic etiam ani­mantium varia spe­ctacula: omnia enim sunt mansueta, omnia enim sunt inter se mo­ribus concordia. louing subiection of the crea­tures void of dread: this aFeare and dread. dreadfull slauerie, by compulsion. In this they fearePet. Mart. in Gen. 9 Nec vlla ferè est be­stia, quae hominis prae­sentiam non horreat, timent enim nostras artes, dolos & vires, [...] capiantur: & qua rapiunt & dilacerant homines, non fine norsto timore vinunt, i [...]o statim vt de­serta loca habitari capta fuerint, mox fuga sibi cōsulunt. the power, the snares, and sleights of man, and thereforePsal. 104.22. flee, or else submit themselues; in that, they did most wil­linglieChrysost. Hom. in Gen 16 Sicut nunc domestica animalia, ita & sera & immansueta tunc suhdita erant. submit themselues of reuerence. They are now preserued by mans endeuour, and yet byRom. 8.20.22. Iam. 3.7. force and power are made to yeeld: then were they vtterlie without the help of man created, not­withstanding which, they rendered vnto man a greater dutie. This onelie haue they indifferentlie: that as before they seruedBasil. Hexam. 10. Statim vt conditus es, etiam princeps conditus es. for the beautifiyng of mans felicitie, now they are forLactant. lib. 2. cap. 11. Alia ad cibos, alia ad vestimenta, quae verò magnarum sunt virium, in excolenda terra inua­rent. the supplie of mans necessitie; so that in both estates they are gi­uen of God for the vse ofTertullian. lib. de Patient. De bestijs obedientiam exprimimus, intelligentes vsibus nostris e [...] à Domino prouisat tradit as (que). man. But it may bee demaunded how it is fulfilled, which the Lord here promiseth that the feare of man should be on euerie creature of the earth, and of the sea? wee see [Page 356] the contrarie: yea the Scriptures themselues, doe seeme to affirme the contrarie, as namelieProu. 30.30. that the Lion turneth not for feare of anie: and manie otherIob. 39.13.30. & 40.1. &c. beasts, are said to resist the power of man, and are byIob. 41.25. August. in Ioh. Tra­ [...]tat. 1. Propter super­biam nostram doman­dam, creata sunt ista qua molesta nobis es­sent. the terrour of their fiercenes, ordained to abate their pride. NothingConcilia­tio. 11. more consonant then these places of the Scripture, being rightlie vnderstood: For wheresoeuer the Scriptures testifie of the strength and fiercenes of these brutish creatures, therein doe they also amplifie the praise of God, who notwithstanding their rage and crueltie, hath subdued them vnto the power of men, and hath made them for his promise sake, to stand in awe of creatures weaker then themselues. And who so loo­keth into the nature of the beasts, shall easilie by ex­perience perceiue plentifull arguments, both of their power and vntamable nature in themselues, & of this bridle, wherewith the Lord for our sakes, doth curbe their crueltie, and by his secret power maketh them to giue reuerence and feare to men. The Lyon, which isIob. 39.1. Pro. 30.30 He is called the ty­rāt or king of beasts. of greatest & rarest fortitude, althoughNazianz. Orat. de Hominis vilitate. The Lion at ye sight of weapōs doth pre­sentlie set vp his bristles, and maketh assault vpō the hun­ters. Plin. libr. 8. cap. 16. Their valiantnes is chiefly seene in dā ­gers; being pursued with neuer so great a multitude of hūts­men and hounds, as it were in scorne of them, hee will sit downe in a plaine field, where he may bee seene. The Lionesse when she fighteth for her young ones, fixeth her eyes on the ground, least she should be afraid of the Huntsmans speare. he dare stand and defend himselfe in o­pen field, against a multitude of pursuers; yet heeAmbros. de Cain & Abel. lib. 2. cap. 1. Toruos leones cernimus naturalem feritatem imperata mutare mansuetudine, suam rabiem de­ponere, nostros mores sumere, & cum sint ipsi terribiles, discunt t [...]mere: caditur canis vt pauesc [...] leo, & qui sua iniuria exasperatur, coercetur aliena, alterius (que) exemplo frangitur. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 16. Of all wilde beasts the Lion onely vseth clemencie: hee vseth to spare those that doe fall downe before him. When hee doth rage, he is rather fierce against men, then women. He hurteth not children vnlesse he be pressed with great hunger. doth not lightlie doe violence to men, but being prouoked: and although hee regard not the force of hunters, where he hath libertie to defend himselfe, yet being in woods and couerts, hee ceaseth not [Page 357] fleeingPlinie in the same chapter. When he is chased into thickets or woods, he fleeth with all his might, as it were auoyding the place that coue­reth dishonour. for feare of snares, and theAmbros. Epist. 38. Videmus leones quo (que) ipsos, si vox hominis resultauerit praedam dimittere. i. We see the very Lions (al­though their owne voyce by nature be so terrible, as that many beasts which might easily escape their power by swiftnes, when they heare his roring, are so astonished, that they stand still, and haue not power to flee away: Ambros. Hexam. lib. 6. cap. 3. Basil. Hexam. 9. Aristot. Histor. A­nimal. lib. 9. cap. 44.) doe at the sound of the voyce of man forsake their pray. voice of a child is sufficient to make him forsake his pray. The Ele­phant, which is the greatestIob. 40.14. Cicer. de nat. Deorum. lib. 1. Elephanto belluarum nulla prudentior, at figura quae vastior? No beast more vast, none more discreete. beast on earth, for all hisIob. 40.12.13.19. Aristot. hist. animal. li. 9. c. 46. Plin. lib. 8. c. 4. Vestigio hominis animaduerso, &c. Elephants when they perceiue mans footsteps, before they see the man himselfe, doe tremble for feare of snares. fiercenes, doth tremble at the sent of the foote of man. The Tiger alsoAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 19. cap. 12. Quae tigris non filijs suis &c. Virgil. Aenead. lib. 4. Hyrcaniae (que) admorunt vbera tigres. more fierce then the E­lephant (although much lesse in quantitie) percei­uing mans footsteppes, although shee see him not,Plin. lib. 8. cap. 4. Tigris etiam Elephanto tr [...]culentior hominis viso vestigio, transferre protinus dicitur catulos metu. transporteth her young ones, for feare, into ano­ther caue. And no lesse the creatures of the waters, (to let passe the little ones, which none of vs are ig­norant, how hastilie they voide the sight of man) that Princelie fishBasil. Hexam. 10. Delphin quamuis sit omnium natatilium regalissimus, & omnis aquatica creatura, vno apparente homine consternatur. the Dolphin of the sea, the ve­rie shadow of man doth terrifie. And that great Le­uiathan, not so easilie dauntedIob. 40.22.23. at the sight of man, is more easilieWhich for greedines of baite, are plunged in the sands and taken at the ebbing of the water: whereas the Dolphin allured with no deceit, auoideth his daunger, being of all liuing creatures the swiftest, whether fish or foule. Omnium animalium tam terrestrium quam aquatilium velocissimus. Aristot. Histor. ani­mal. lib. 9. cap. 48. Plin. lib. 9. cap. 8. by the pollicie of man subdued. Herein therefore wee may perceiue two notable ar­guments of the prouidence of God, in the gouern­ment of his creatures according to his word. What maketh them to feare the power of man, seeing themselues doe much moreIob. 29.1.13.22. & 40.10.21. &c. An argument of the strength of the Lion is that their bones are solide, hauing no place for marrow, or at least­wise, the smallest of all other creatures; and are also so hard, that they strike fire, being swit­ten together, like the flint. Aristot. Histor. Animal. lib. 3. cap. 7. The Elephant is able to carrie on his backe a tower of wood, with eight or ten fighting men, and to fight withall. Aristot. Histor. Animal. lib. 6. c. 18. Elian. Histor. Animal. lib. 3. cap. 10. Plin. lib 8. cap. 9. Lin. Decad. 3. lib. 8. Gesner. Tom. de Ani­mal. terrestri [...]. Not­withstanding, of the Indians they are v­sed to the plough. Plin. lib. 8. c. 6. Am­bros. Hexam. libr. 6. cap. 9. Vsus Elephan t [...]rum in bello, &c. In medijs campis (homi­nes de Elephanto) tan­quam de muro dimi­cant, & velut in arce quadam & speculo coll [...]cati, spectant ma­gis bella quam sube­unt: & bestiae velut quidam mobiles mon­tes versantur in prae­lijs, & nuda, iaculorū ferr [...] prae tergoris du­riti [...] sunt impenetra­biles. excell in strength? [Page 358] What maketh them dread the pollicie of man, whereof they neuerPlin. lib. 8. cap. 4. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 9. had experience, but this law of feare which God hath indued them withall, whereby,V [...]bentas enim Dei efficiens naturae est. as commaunded from superiour pow­er, they all of them reuerence the face of man? Se­condlie, that they are not throughlie subdued vnto man, that Lions are not as meeke as Buls, & Wolues as Sheepe; is no lesse an argument of the heauenlie wisdome of the Lord in gouerning the world, then is the former. For as Adam being created an inha­bitant of Paradice, inioyed the same, by reason of his rebellion,As it is thought by many, not one whole day. Iren. lib. 5 Looke cap. 3. q. 1. an­not. but a little space; and the IsraelitesIt appeareth by Gen. 15.18. compa­red with Iudg. 3.3. were not parakers of the fulnes of the promise, in respect of theFrom the riuer Eu­phrates to the riuer of Aegypt. largenes of the land, becauseIudg. 21.27. & 2.2. tho­rough their owne default and negligence, they did not wholie expell the old inhabitants; and yet thereIosu. 21.45. nothing failed in the goodnesse of the pro­mise, in that which they enioyed, but it wholie and fullie came to passe: so also these creatures, albeit thorough the sinnes of men, they are fearefull vn­to men; notwithstanding they themseluesSuch as regard not mens strength, as Lions, Aristot. Hi­stor. Animal lib. 9. cap. 44. doe feare his policie and sleights. From hence it seemeth to be, that Lions are afraid of the turning of a cartwheele, of fire, and the crowing of a Cocke. Basil. Hexam. 10. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 16. And no lesse is mans spettle venemous to venemous beasts. A­ristot. Histor. Animal. lib 8. cap. 29. Briefly all beasts doe stand in awe of the force and vigour of the reason of man, as we our selues doe of the Lord: Vigorem animi humani, etiamsi non vi­dent, tamen reformidant, sicut nos Deum. Ambros. epist. 38. doe no lesse feare man, then they are feared. Like as the Crocodile, which most furiously pursueth one that seeketh to escape by flight,Plin. lib. 8. cap. 25. Terribilis haec con­tra fugaces bell [...]a est, fugax contra insequentes. and deuoureth whom­soeuer hee taketh in the chase: yet if one turne his face against him in the pursute, he dareth not resist, but fleeth incontinent. Wherefore these creatures, [Page 359] that they often assaile mankind, and rebell against him, whom they were created to obey;Basil. Hom. de Para­dis [...]. Qu [...]tiescunqu [...] video florem, peccati mei recordor, ob quod terra ad spinas & tri­bulos ferendos damna­ta est. Chrysoctom. in Gen. Hom. 16. August. in epist. Iohn. Tractat. 8. Damascen. de Ortho­dox. fide. lib. 2. cap. 10. Theophil. Antioch. lib. 2. contra religio­nis Christi Calumnia­tores: Nec tamen fe­ra à rerum primor di [...] noxia & exitiales creatae sunt; sed ho­minis delictum con­ditionem creaturarū deterior [...]m reddidit; & peccante homine, etiam reliqua quae in hominis ministerium creata sunt prauari­carentur. the onely cause is sinne, whereby man rebelled against his So­ueraigne; andAugust. Tract. 1. in Iohn. Euang. Quare autem patimur multa mala à creatura quam fecit Deus, nisi quia offendimus Deum? de poena tua, peccatū tuum accusa, non iudicem. Quia enim per peccatum homo deseruit eum sub quo esse debuit, subditus est ijs supra quae esse debuit. Subdere igi­tur ei qui supra te est, & infra te erunt illa quibus praepositus es. Ideo enim cū Daniel agnou [...]sset supra se Deum, agnouerunt eum infra se leones. Idem in Epist. Ioh. Tract. 8. therefore is smitten with the rod that he hath made. That they still remaine in sub­iection of feare, is through theNumb. 23.19. 2. Cor. 1.20. promise and speciall prouidence of God, who therebyPsal. 104.22. hath tied them in caues, as in chaines and fetters, that their furie should not bring forth so great anoyance. That they are not wholie subiect, but doe oftenEspeciallie being sent of God, as 1. King. 20.36. 2. King. 2.24. & 17.25. As al­so among the heathen Euridice & Demetrius Phalareus were killed with the sting of a serpent. Euripides was torne of dogs. Gell. lib. 15. c. 20. So was Heracl [...]tus. Laert. lib. 9. Mil [...] Crot [...]niates torne of Wolues; Pausan. in Arcadicis: and Menpricius a King of England, &c. in their rage and hunger deuour men; isCaesarius. Ad­m [...]n. 6. Percutitur hac animaduersione peccator, vt moriendo obliuiscatur sui, qui vinē [...] oblitus est Dei. for the punish­ment of man, who hath by sinRom. 8.29. subdued the crea­ture vnto vanitie; and to represseAugust. Tract. in Euangel. Iohn. Populum Pharaonis superbum potuit Deus domar [...] de vrsis, de leonibus, de serpentibus: muscas & ranas illis immisit, vt rebus vilissimis superbia doma­retur. their pride and securitie: that seeing they will not feare the Lord, they should feare the creatures, of whom they thē ­selues are feared; and learne by the daunger2. King. 2.24. Dan. 6.24. compared with Isai. 38.12.13. Psalm. 50.22. of fal­ling into the power of them, howHeb. 10.31. fearefull it is to fall into the hands of God. That righteous men doe1. King. 13.24. Ignatius, Euseb. Eccles. Histor. lib. 3. cap. 32. Hieron. in Catalog. Who whē he heard the roring of the Lions, spake thus: I am the wheate of Christ, I must bee ground with the teeth of these beasts, and be made pure manchet for my maker. Come fire, come crosse, come beasts, come breaking of bones, with diuisiō of my members, or beating to peeces of all my whole bodie; let come what will come, euen all the torments of the diuell, so that I may enioy my loue Christ, Tantum, vt Christo meo fruar. Cornel. Tacit. libr. 15. Christians were put to death (by Nero) to make pastime: they were couered with wilde beasts skinnes, that they might be torne in peeces with dogs. sometime tast this miserie, it witnesseth that [Page 360] allIerem. 15.19. 1. Pet. 4.17. men are attainted with sinne, and none is free. That some of the godlieIudg. 14.6. 1. Sam. 17.36.37. Heb. 11.33. haue vanquished their might and crueltie, approueth that theLuc. 17.6. Marc. 16.18 For them that be­leeue, death may kill, but it cannot hurt. strength of faith is more of force to make resistance, then theFor the Romaine Captaine Regulus, could nor ouer­come the Serpent at the riuer Braga­da, with engins and slings of war, with­out the great cala­mitie of all his ar­mie, Liui. Decad. 2. libr. 8. in Epi [...]. Plin. libr. 8. cap. 14. But Dauid being but a shepheards boy, kil­led (through faith) a Lion and a Beare, and himselfe vn­hurt. 1. Sam. 18.35. Heb. 11.33.34. engins and weapons of mightie men, and that the Lord is able to abate their strength and courage, or giue his weake seruants powerIudg. 14.6. aboundantlie to o­uercome them; whereby when we see the creature, weeIsai. 9.13. Matth. 10.28. Psal. 3.6. should not so much regard his brutish vio­lence, as haue respect to the prouidence of God, who hath created themPsal. 119.91. to execute his will, the bounds whereofIob. 40.14. &c. Matth. 10.29. Gaudent. Brixian. in Exod. Tract. 8. in ordine 10. Ipsiu [...] nutu, omnium, rerum natura cursum suum vel iussa peragit vel prohibita subtrahit. August. in Psal. 9. Cusus causa & ipse diabolus plerumque vult nocere & non potest, quia potestas ista est sub potestate; nam si tantum posset nocere diabolus quantum vult, aliquis iustorum non remaneret. the breadth of a naile or haire, they cannot passe. Obser. 1. Increase of children inMalac. 2.15. Heb. 13.4. lawfull marriage, isPsalm. 137.3. Deut. 28.4 11. the blessing of the Lord. Secondlie, it is the onlie goodnes and stedfastnesse of the promise of the Lord,2. Cor. 1.20. For this cause it is, that tame beasts are more fruitfull and plenti­full in breede; the Lionesse scarcelie bringeth forth aboue one Lion, her wombe being rent with the clawes of her whelpe: the Vipers come forth by gnawing their way out of their mothers bowels. Basil. Hexam. 9. Plin. lib. 9. that noysome beasts doe not vtterlie destroy the seed of man,1. King. 17 25.26. In like sort the Citie Amy­clae in Italie was destroyed by serpents, Seru. in Virg. Aeneid. lib. 10. Also Plin. lib 8. cap. 29. maketh report of a towne in Spayne, vndennined by Conies: of a towne in Thessaly by Moules: of a Citie in France wasted by Frogges, and the townesmen driuen away: of a Citie in Africke by Grashoppers; the men of the iland Gyarus were compelled to lea [...]e their countrie, because of Mise. Beyond the Cynamolgae in Aethiope lieth a large coun­trie, whose inhabitants were destroyed by Scorpions, and the flies Solfugae. Likewise Theophrastus testifieth, that the Trerienses were driuen out by the wormes Scolopendrae. which they do attempt, whensoeuer permission is left vnto them. Thirdlie, it is against the ordinance of God, and instinct of nature, for men toIob. 31.13.15. Hieron. in Lament. 4. Cum tremor super animalia esse praecipitur, profecto esse super homines prohibetur. Gregor. Moral. libr. 21. cap. 11. Contra naturam superbire est, velle, ab homi­nibus timeri. seeke to be fea­red [Page 361] of men, rather then to be beloued; notwithstan­ding, the Magistrate must with feareRom. 13.3.4. Gre­gor. Moral. libr. 21. cap. 11. Plerunque à subditis etiam sancti viri timeri appetunt, sed quando ab ijsdem sub litis Deum minime timeri deprehendunt; vt humana saltem formidine pec­care metuant, qui diuina iudicia non reformidant. compell the wicked, which wil not of loue performe their duty.

Question 2. verse 4. In what sense is it said: euery thing that liueth and mooueth shall be meat for you?

BY the tenor of this Commission giuen to Noah, concerning the libertie of eating flesh, as also by that restraint which was made vnto Adam, both before and after his trans­gression; it seemeth manifest vnto the iudgement ofConsent of Di­uines is reuerently to be regarded. the most and chiefe interpretors, that permission of eating flesh was not graunted vnto men, neither was in vse among the godlie before the floud. Not­withstanding, it being no essentiall point of faith, forasmuch as theRom. 14.17. kingdome of God consisteth not in meats and drinkes, and that the Scriptures doe not expreslie affirme the same; it may be permitted vnto the iudgement of the Reader without offence, so as wee hold the analogie or substance of the same; namely, that if before it were not giuen, the fruits of the earth did aboundantlie supplie the benefit ther­of: if giuen before, seeing the same is not expressed, it is not materiall vnto the edification of the godlie to be knowne. But besides the iudgement and te­stimonieThe Rabbins a­gree in it with one accord, also Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 27. Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 55. Hieron. contra Iouin. lib. 2. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 9. Hoc primum &c. Item Lyran. in Gen. cap. 9. Aquin. prim. secund. q. 102. dist. 2. Et nemo veterum re­tractauit. Caluinus tamen du­bitauit, Gen. 6. Caietanus in Gen. 4. negauit. Dominicus à Soto re­probauit. lib. Iustit. 5. quaest. 1. art. 4. of learned writers, there may reasons and inducements be perceiued, that the same was [Page 362] first, at this time graunted vnto men. For whereas vntill this time theGen. 1.29. & 3.18. hearbes of the field continued holsome and nourishable food, and were after the curse appointed vnto man, as in the creation they had beene: now thorough the waters of the floud, which were of the salt waters of the deepe, theRab. Tseror Hamor. & alij non pauci. earth became lesse fertile then before, & the hearbs of the field moreBy experiment of Heraclitus, Laert. lib. 9. who by eating rawe hearbes and rootes, fell into a Dropsie incurable. vnapt for sustenance. Secondly, because beasts had binFrancisc. Iun. Anal. in Gen. cap. 9. Quae [...]i­tur num vsque ad il­lud tempus homo car­nibus animātium pa­ [...]us nō fuerit: respon. primum non legi: se­cundò, institutione ci­barij humani aliter videri: tert [...]ò, ex hac ipsa institutione sic v­no consensu à Iudaeis confirmari: postremò, quia animantes reli­qua humano generi secundum Deum ac­ceptam ferebant vi­tam; aequum fuisse, vt Deo authore, etiā hunc fructum homo ex ani­mantibus perciperet propter vitam ab ip­so acceptam at (que) conseruatam. preserued, by the meanes of man; the Lord rewardeth this obedience of Noah, with permission of their flesh: for it seemed of equitie, (God being the author) that man should reape this benefit of the beasts, in respect of their life and nature preserued by him. Thirdlie, in re­gard of Idolatrie, whichTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 55. after the floud aboun­ded thorough the world: for what more beastly fol­lie, thenThe citizens of Memphis wor­shipped a Calfe: the Mendesij a Goate: the Leotophanti a Lion: the Lycopolitani a Wolfe: the Cynopolitani a Dogge: they of Hierapolis a Dragon: the Aspe and the Crocodile were worshipped of all Egyptians. Elias in Comment. in Nazianz. orat. 2. to worship beasts, wherof they had liber­tie to eate; orThe Egyptians gloried that they worshipped liuing creatures, not stockes and stones. In like sort the Persians, who honoured the Sunne and Fire for God, insulted ouer the Grecians, that made Temples for their gods, and brake down both their Idols & their Temples, Herodot. in Clio. The Chaldeans that worshipped the Fire, caried their god about, to trie masteries with all other gods of gold, siluer, brasse, wood and stone, and their god alwaies obtained the conquest. At last commeth the Priest of Canopus, with an earthen pot made in fashion of a man, with a great bellie and small legs, wherein were many holes finely stopped with waxe; this filled with water he set to skirmish with the Chaldees god, wherein the waxe being heated, the water runneth out, and so was an earthen pitcher adored for god of gods. Ruffin. Histor. lib. 2. cap. 26. any other creature being more vn­sensible then they? Fourthlie, becauseRom. 14.17. the king­dome of God consisteth not in meat and drinke, the Lord would permitNeque dehinc cogit ad carnes edendas neque vetat: cum prius ipse pr [...] ­hibuerat tamen. as indifferent vnto his children, that now it might be receiued without offence, [Page 363] whichBasil. Hexam. 11. Post diluuium cum Domi­nus insatiabiles homi­nes vidisset, in omni­bus fruitionem per­misit. before the wicked had vsurped without authoritie. From henceforth (saith the Lord) euerie thing that liueth and moueth shall be meat for you; and as before I gaue you the hearbe of the field, so now with like libertie, I permit you the flesh of beastes. These wordes, vnto the IewesIustin. Mart. dialog. cum Triff. Quia verò quaedam non edimus ex oleribus, propterea tum quoque Noae ipsi discrimen, delectum (que) carnis praeceptum est, sicut vos dicitis. Sed hoc minimè credendū. seeme to implie a restraint: as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you al things. For as of hearbesAmbros. de Noe & area. lib. 3. c. 25. Non omnia holera ad escae vsum habilia sunt, ita & iam non omne vi­num reptile. all are not good for meate; so euerie creeping thing is not good for meate. Wherfore it is thought of them, that the Lord mea­neth thus: as I haue giuen you authoritie of the hearbes of the field, so I now commit vnto you the beasts of the earth: but as the hearbes are not all for theQuedam ad cibariae, quaedam ad medica­menta. Lactant. vse of meate, so that which is good of the beasts,Of likelihood such as are allowed for cleane, Deut. 14.4. &c. shall be your food. But this is a Iewish shift, to bind on the christians, religiō in choise of meats, as though the sameThe obiection of the Iewes in Iustin. cum Triffon. had bin, and were perpetual­lie to be obserued: for surelie euerie hearbe was notGen. 1.29. & 3.18. giuen vnto man for meat, but euerie hearbe bea­ring seede, and euerie tree bearing fruit; and they wereBasil. Hexam. 5. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 3. cap. 9. Nullas autem arbores videmus, &c. vniuersallie good for meat. Wherefore in­deed, in these words: as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things: the Lord seemeth not to restraine mans libertie but to secure it: that hee might make them secure of libertie, Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Edendi fa­cultatem concedit, & valde securos reddit; quasi olera herbarum dedi vobis omnia. saith Chrysostome, it is heere said, as the hearbe of the field: wherein all things verie largelie are permitted: wherein is euident, the wise­dome and bountie of the Lord. His wisdome, that hath so tempered and disposed the nature of beasts, with the qualitie of the aire, and condition of mens bodies throughout the world, that there isVide Hieron. contra Iouin. lib. 2. Ran. Textor. part 2. cap. 3 Cibi diuersorum populorum: vt supra quaest. 1. cap. 9. scarce­lie any creature of the earth, which though in some [Page 364] countries, it be thought vnholsome and vncleane, yet vnto others is in chiefest vse, and agreeth most aptlie vnto nourishment. Againe, his liberalitie whichPsalm. 8.6. 1. Cor. 10.23. Act. 15.29. Basil. Hexam. 11. In omnibus fruitionem permisit, vt omnibus vescerentur animali­bus, velus oleribus & herbis. giueth them all indifferentlie for food: so that what creature soeuer, and wheresoeuer, is or may be eaten; the same may also1. Tim. 4.4.5. lawfully be eaten, if it be eaten with giuing thanks. And where the Lord hath giuen to this our land, the choise and principall creatures for common foode, when as if he withdrew them from vs which we haue in vse, the residueSuch as are of vs reiected and out of vse for food, as hor­ses, dogs, &c. which in our fulnes are contemned, (as2. King. 6.25. & 18.27. Also Valerius Maxi­mus, lib. 7. cap. 6. re­cordeth, that the Cassilinates besie­ged by Haniball, for wāt of victuals were compelled to eate the leather of their bridles and of their Targets, soaked in warme water. Iosephus of the warres of the Iewes, lib. 7. cap 7.8. testifieth, that the famine in that citie was such in the ouerthrow thereof, that they forbare not to eate any manner of filthie or venemous creature; the leather of their shooes and Targets; that men sustained hunger, by eating hay and straw, and that a wealthy Lady of that citie, killed her owne childe, and rosted and ate the fruit of her owne bodie for distresse of foode. Like grieuous distresse of hunger is reported to haue bin at the towne of S. Vincent in Spaine, besieged the last yeere by the Turke. Our sinnes haue deserued the like or greater punishment. Lord for thy Christs sake deliuer vs. experience of famine teacheth) would pre­serue our liues: those doubtles which in receiuing their daylie bread, acknowledge not with thanke­fulnesWhereof wee may say, He that sits downe to drinke or to eate, forgetting to giue God thankes for his meate, and so riseth vp letting thankes ouerpasse, sitteth downe like an oxe, and riseth like an asse. this soueraigne bountie, doe horriblie of­fend the heauenlie Maiestie. Those also that cauill at this Scripture,Be­cause those beasts which in some countries are counted holesome and nourishable foode, to other nations are counted vnholesome and vncleane. Hieron. contr. Iouin. 2. Saraceni Camelo­rum [...]acte & carnibus vinunt. &c. because in all places, all sorts of creatures are not holsome food, bewray their igno­rance: those that refuseAs the Iewes vntill this day doe, for the ceremonies of the Law: and the Pythagorians were wont to doe of their superstition: Porphyr. lib. 4. de ab­stin. animal. Plutarch. de esu carn. orat. 2. and the Papists in their set fasting daies, for the autho­ritie of the Church of Rome. Whereas the authoritie of the Scriptures and the Church of God should moue them otherwise, Act. 10.15. Coloss. 2.16. 1. Tim. 4.3. Tertul. lib. de cib. Iudaic. Primo credendum est, quicquid est à Deo institutum mundum esse, & ipsa institutionis authoritate purgatum; nec culpandum, ne in authorem culpa reuocetur. the creatures for consci­ence [Page 365] sake, their superstition: those that acknow­ledge not the whole benefitIam. 1.7. Psal. 145.15.16. Luther in Gen. 9. from God, ingrati­tude: those that thinke they haue not libertie to eate, or not toRom. 14.2.14.21. 1. Cor. 8.7. eate, simplicitie. As the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things: that is, before, I gaue you the whole vseGen. 1.29. & 3.1 [...]. Tertul. lib. de cib. Iu­daic. Diuina gratiae humanis necessitati­bus competentia cibo­rum genera opportu­nis temporibus porri­gente. of the hearbs of the field, which was sufficient: now I haue added the flesh of beasts, thatTertul. ibid. Postea accessit vsus carnium, diuina gratia, &c. the former decayed, may be thus supplied; and that in the fulnes of them both,Deut. 8.10. Coloss. 3.17. you may a­bound in giuing thanks.

Question 3. verse 4.5. Wherfore the Scripture saith: the life of the beast is his blood: & the life of man is in his blood, and what difference there is to be obserued in the same?

FOrasmuch as thorough the permission of the Lord,Luther in Gen. 9.4. Quia enim tam non peccatum erat occide­re bonem aut ouem ad cibum, quam non pec­catum est decerpere florem aut herbā nas­centem in agro. it was made no more sin to slea a beast for meat, then to crop an hearb or floure of the field;Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 27. Ideo vt com­prin. at illorum impe­tum & propensionem ad homicidium, &c. least men shuld abuse this libertie, and passe this precinct, from the slaugh­ter of beasts to humane murther: the Lord in great wisedome doth preuent this mischiefe, and represse their pronenes by a double law. The first isAugust. contr. Faust. lib. 32. cap. 13. De ef­fundendo sanguine in figura praeceptum est ipsi Noae. cere­moniall, that they should abstaine from the blood of beasts: the second iudiciall, that the blood of men should be by man reuenged. Because (saith God) I will require your blood, &c. that is, if you shall [Page 366] through inhumanitiePro. 12.10. Basil. lib. quaest. Diffuse explicat. quaest. 41. vse crueltie toward your beasts, and the same byConsuetudo peccan­di tollit sensum pecca­ti. Augustin. Enchir. cap. 82. custome breake forth on men, I will require the blood of man, on him that sheadeth mans blood: therefore that theLuther. in Gen. 9.4. Ideo vt ad mansuetu­dinē assuefaceret ho­mines, iubet etiam à pecuino sanguine ab­stinere. blood of men may be precious in your eyes, I commaund you to abstaine from the blood of beasts. Herein also is closelie couched a twofold reason of this ce­remoniall precept, drawne from the end or finall cause thereof. One, in that the blood of the beast is called his life. For seeing the life of euerieDeut. 16.22. Coloss. 1.17. crea­ture belongeth vnto God, the Lord requireth them to abstaine from blood, because it is the life, that therby they might shewChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Prius bene­facit, & multitudine beneficiorum naturam nostram ad se allicit, & postea imperat fa­cilia & leuia, &c. their abstinence in things forbidden, and acknowledgeChrysost. ibid. Quia igitur sacrificia perse­cturi erant ex brutis, quasi doceret illos di­cen [...]: quia sanguis mihi segregatus est, vobis caro. God the authour of life to euerie creature. The second, in that hee ioy­neth: for surelie I will require your life, at the hand of eue­rie beast, &c. Wherein is implyed, that the life of e­ueriePsalm. 145.9. creature is regarded of the Lord, but the life of man is precious aboue the rest; therefore man should not beProu. 12.10. Luc 6.36. tyrannouslie affected, or carelesse toward the creatures, least as the1. King. 16.31. August. Serm. 4. de aduent. Dom. Nolite fratres cōtemnere pec­cata in quibus forte cōsuetudinem iam fe­cistis: omne enim pec­catum cōsuetudine vi­lescit, & fit homini quasi nullum fit; obduruit iam, dolorem perdidit & valde putr [...] est, nec est pro sano habendum, sed pro mortuo computandum. Idem contra Fortunat. lib. Disput. 2. Bernard. lib. de confi­der. ad Eugen. 1. Per consuetudinem in incuriam venitur: primùm importabile videtur aliquid; pro­cessi [...] temporis, si assuesca [...], iudicabis non adeo graue; paulo post & leuesenties; paulo post etiam delec­tabit. custome of sinne doth take away the sense of sinning; soIam. 3.5. the shew of crueltie on beasts, should kindle their crueltie to­ward men. It is inquired how the life of the beast is said to be his blood, for life is taken for a power spirituall in euerie creature,Aristot. lib. 2. de anim. cap. 1. Anima est primus actus, perfectioque corporis naturalis, potentia vitam habentis, & talis plane vt partes ipsius sint instrumenta. whereby it moueth: but the blood is perceiued to be a corporall matter, so soone as it is deriued from the bodie wherein it [Page 367] was, and remaineth the same in substance, when the life is perished. Hereunto we answere; that by these words the wisedome of Moses may be perceiued to excell the wit of all Philosophers; which proueth that it was not his, but the wisdome of the Lord in him. For which of them can tell,Eccles. 3.21. whether the spirite of man descend vpward, and the spirit of the beast de­scend downeward to the earth? Or who hath euer taught thePlato in Timae [...]. A­nimam humanam im­mortalem esse vult, sed eandem particulam deitatis, sicut & te­statur Galē de decret. Hippocrat. & Plat. li. 9. cap. 9. Et corporis principium, & geome­trica constare ratione, Laert. libr. 3. Potuit verò Aristoteles eò vsque progredi, vt a­nimam agnosceret esse causam mouentem, & quod sit actus & for­ma corporis; sed quae­nam sit propria illius forma essentia, & quo pacto differat ab alijs formis, nequit docere, nisi ex diuersis operibus & à posteriori, Argenter. in artē Medicin. Galen. lib. 2. Stoici & alij omnes turpius à vero aberrauerunt. Post omnes laudatur ipse Galenus, qui eius rei ignorantiam profitetur. libr. 7. de vsu partium. cap. 8. & in lib. 6. Hippoc. de morb. vulg. com. 5. true difference betweene the life of man and beast, which hath not himselfe beene taught and instructed by the Scriptures? Wherfore thus much we haue to learne from Moses, 2. Pet. 1.21. Chrysost. Hom. 2. in Gen. Obsecro igitur ita ascultemus quasi haec non iam à Mose, sed per linguam Mosis, ab ipso omnium Deo audiamus. August. de consensu Euangel. 1. cap. 35. Chri­stus qui Prophetas ante descensionem suam pramisit; & Apostolos post ascensionem suam misit: & quicquid de suis factis aut dictis nos legere voluit, haec scribenda illis tanquam suis manibus impe­rauit: ergo. &c. that is, from the spirit of God that was in Moses, confirmed by the1. Ioh. 5.7. testimonie of the holy Trinitie, which is stronger proofeGalen. de different. [...]uls. libr. 2 cap. 4. In Mosi & Christi schola le­ges audias, nulla constitutas demonstratione, idque vbi minime deceret. Sed nos voce Domini proba­mus quod quaeritur, quae est magis fide digna, quam quaenis demonstrationes, vel p [...]tius quae sola de­monstratio est, Clem. Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. Alia quidem omnia, id est humana dicta, argumentis & testibus egent: Dei autem sermo ipse sibi testis est, quia necesse est, quicquid incorrupta veritas loqui­tur, incorruptum sit testimonium veritatis, Saluian. epist. Massiliens. de prouid. lib. 3. then a thousand demonstrations, that the blood of the beast is the life thereof. And although the wits of men are rather inclined to de­scribe the life of the creatures by the qualitie, then by the substance, calling it anArist. libr. 2. de anim. cap. 1. [...], quam vocem reddit Cicero. Tusc. quaest. 1. Continuata motio & perennis. Item. Fernel. lib. de animae facultate cap. 1. Est anima principium & causa functionū viuentis corpo­ris. Vita verò propria illius functio est. cap. 2. Vita tamen reuera actio nulla est (vt recte monet Argent. in art. med. Galen lib 2.) tametsi ex actionibus deprehenduntur res viuere. Minus multò est anima actus, nam substantia reuera est. Sed melius sapuit Fernelius secundis cogitationibus, lib. de facult. anim. cap. 16. Est (inquit) vita animantium facultatum actionumque omnium conseruatio. act or action, be­cause [Page 368] they are ignorant in truth of the substance of the same; yet the Lord doth not spare to call it by the substance, as only knowing aright whereof it doth consist. And what though we see the blood and not the life? and that which wee call blood, may be separated from the life? the defect is in ourNam Hebraicè san­guis in animali [...] netsach, appellatur à natsach, roborare, quod sit fortitudo & vita animalibus, san­guis effusus, [...], dam, ab [...], adam à ru­bore nominatur, licet nonnunquam ha vo­ces inter se iustis de causis confanduntur. Sic inter [...] & [...], Graecis d [...]scrimen est. Aristot. Histor. Animal lib. 3. cap. 5. Vnde Homerus [...], Dijs suis concessit. Il. [...]. Latini humorem eum extra venas cru­orem, non sanguinem appellari volunt. Ci­cero. de Fin. lib. 2. Isidor. lib. 11. cap. 1. speech and vnderstanding, but the truth of God is not thereby shaken. For wee cannot possiblie be­hold the blood in the creature containing life, nei­ther is the same which wee can behold, the same which is the creatures life. For as quēched coles, are coles which haue no fire; and chalke is the whitenes of a wall, the substance wherof remaineth, notwith­standing lamb-blacke may be spread thereon: so the blood which by slaughter or emission is de­riued from a beast, loseth his proper forme or qua­litie of life, so soone as it commeth forth. And as quenched coles, continue coles, but are vnproperlie called fire: so that red humour which we behold, is vnfitlie called blood, saue in that meaning, wherein we cal a hand or foot cut from the bodie, not as it is, but as it was, a member of the same. Blood there­fore is the life of beastes, the forme or propertie whereof isSanguis igitur con­sistit ex materia & forma. Materia cruor est, forma vita siue spiritus vitalis in bru­tis animantibus. life, which is the effect of the voice of God,Gen. 1.21.24. [...], caiah. Nephesh. Anima vitae, & ne­phesh dicitur de bru­torum animabu [...]. let the waters, & let the earth bring forth the soule of life: the matter is the same which our eye behol­deth, which being separated from the bodie, is se­uered also from the forme of life. But the life of man, is not his blood, but Obserua. contr. Ma­nich [...]os. in his blood, as saith the Scripture. Wherein is perceiued the perfect diffe­rence betweene the life of man and beast. The life of the beast hath no other forme,Sic vt sanguis vera sit illorum anima non autem cruor. but that which is vnited with the blood, as the life of trees is the sap [Page 369] of trees, whichGen. 1.12. Psalm. 104.16. Basil. Hexam. Hom. 5. Vox enim tunc & primum illud praecep­tum velut lex quaedā naturae facta est, &c. the Lord by his voice hath made their life: but man consisteth ofGen. 2.7. breath of life, which is not made one with the blood of man, but hath his seate or roomeSanguis igitur est sedes animae & quasi vehiculum ipsius. A­rist. de Gen. anim. li. 3. therein; and therefore al­though the blood be putrified, yet thatStulti igitur Empe­docles & Critias, qui sanguinē hominis esse animam voluerunt, nec minus Cleanthes, Chrysippus, Zeno, qui animam ex sanguine nutritum affirmarunt. Gal. de decret. Hippo­crat. & Plat. libr. 2. cap. 8. breath re­maineth perfect, although it be remoued from the blood. Hereby Philosophers are taught, truelie to discerneVt sit pecudum ani­ma qualitatina, homi­num verò substanti­ua. Aquin. betweene the life of creatures. Hereby also Atheists are condemned, whichQuemadmodū mul­ti cum partem corpo­ris aut terrenum quid­dam statuunt. vid. Cic. Tusc. 1. & Dicae­archus, qui nihil esse animam diceba [...]. denie the im­mortalitie of the soule of man, or that are offended that the scripture teacheth, that the blood of beasts is the life of them. And withal, are the Manichees con­founded, whichEpiphan. Haeres. 66. Augustin. Haeres. 46. Damascen, de Haeres. 1. vnder this pretence, blaspheme this Scripture, as if Moses had called the life of men their blood, as hee calleth the life of beastes their blood: whereon they deceitfullie inferre the Apo­stles saying, that1. Cor. 15.20. flesh and blood shall not inherite the kingdome of God; trecherouslie concluding thereup­on, that either this Scripture was not indited by the authour of the new testament, that is the holy ghost; or els that men are wholie excluded from the king­dome. Vnto whomCōciliatio. 12 S. Augustine that learned Fa­ther, answereth thus: You August. contra ad­uersar. Legis & Prophet. lib. 2. cap. 6. Sed Moses, inquit, omnem spem futurae resucrectionis in homi­nibus extinxit. shame not to teach (saith he) that Moses hath extinguished the hope of the resur­rection, for that (as you say) he pronounceth the soule of man to be but mortall, when he saith the same was blood: for the Apostle testifieth, that flesh and blood shall not in­herite the kingdome of God. Thus you, Aug. lib. cont. Adimantum cap. 12. Nusquam enim hoc inuenient in illa scriptura, quam lacerare miseri quanquam diu conantur, nullo modo permittuntur intelligere. Item, Clausa sibi esse regna coelorum arbitrantur, si pecorum animis clausa esse consentiant, &c. Neque enim dubi­tauit Dominus dicere, hoc est corpus meum, cùm signum daret corporis sui. saith he, pre­sume to rent the Scripture, & therfore are not permitted [Page 370] to vnderstand the Scripture. But you shall neuer find in all the Scripture, where the life of man is called his blood; but the life of beasts is said to be their blood. And will you thinke your selues excluded, because beasts are exclu­ded from the kingdome? But suppose yee, that the life of man were called his blood: It is not rare in Scripture, to call the signe by the name of the matter signified: for the Lord himselfe doubted not to say, this is my bodie, when he Mat. 26.26. gaue (vnto them) the signe of his bodie. And euen so it is 1. Cor. 10.6. August. contr. aduer­sar. legis. lib. 2. cap. 6. said: the rocke was Christ, because by it, he was sig­nified. Neuerthelesse, the Apostle by the name of flesh and blood, vnderstandeth either the corruptiō of flesh and blood, or men giuen to the delights1. Cor. 6.9. Ephes. 5.5. Iren. lib. 5. Origen. Dialog. in Marcion. 3. cap. 3. Epiphan. Haeres. 66. Reuera non potest scortatio regnum coe­lorum possidere, neque adulterium, neque pe­tulantia, neque simu­lachrorum cultus, hoc est caro & sanguis. of flesh and blood, which shall not inheriteEphes. 5.5. Galat. 5 21. the king­dome of God. Obser. 1. verse 4. We must abstaine fromIob. 31.1. Matth. 5.29. occasions of euill, least byEphes. 4.7. giuing libertie to the tempter we be seduced. Secondlie, those thatIerem. 13.23. 1. Tim. 4.1 Act. 4.16.17. Exod. 17.23. & 8.19. continue in sin, are hardened in the same. Third­lie, the ceremonie of abstinence from bloodIoh. 4.21.23. Coloss. 2.14.17. Decreueru [...] tamen. Apostoli à sanguine abstinendum: in qua elegisse mihi videntur, rem facilem, & nequaquam obseruantibus [...]e­rosam, in qua cum Israelitis etiam gentes, propter angularem illum lapidem, duos parietes in se conden­tem, aliquid communiter obseruarent. August. contra Faust lib. 32. cap. 13. Quod tamen institutum, diu obseruatum fuisse constat ex Tertul. Apolog. cap. 9. de suis temporibus: & Betan. Presb. Raban. in Penitentiario & alijs. is ta­ken away by Christ, butMich. 6.8. Ierem. 7.5.6. Isai. 58.6. humanitie and mercie thereby signified, is perpetuallie to be obserued.

Question 4. verse. 6. What meaneth this which the Lord saith: whosoeuer sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed?

BEcause the Lord would haue mankind on e­uerie side defensed from crueltie and shed­ding blood, hee in heauenlie wisedome or­deineth a double law concerning it: the first being of abstinence from blood, that hee might therebyCaluin. in Gen. 9.4. Voluit autem Domi­nus, haec prohibitione in abstinentia pecui­ni sanguinis, homines ad mansuetudinē as­suefacere; ne si in vic­tu fero & effraeni ni­mium audaces essent, non parcerent etiam tandem humano san­guini. prouoke them to the detestation of offending a­gainst humane blood, and might adde vnto them a reuerend regard of the life of man: the second, of iudiciall reuenge; that if any shall neglect the for­mer statute, and offend against the meaning of the same, hee should endure the punishment that was due to his desert: by man shall his blood be shed. And because the nature of man isHieron. in Micae. 7. Propemodum natu­rale est, vt nurus so­crum, & socrus oderit nurum. Basil. Serm. 5. exercit. Si Deus charitas est, omnino necesse est, vt odium sit diabolus: quaemadmodum igitur qui charitatem habet, demn habet; sic qui odium habet, nutrit in scipso diabolum. so fiercelie carried vnto hatred,Iohn. 8.44. humana crudelitas vincit belluinam. vid. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 3. cap. 28. Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 2. P [...]lidor. Virgil. inuent. lib. 5. cap. 8. De truc [...]lentia Aegyptiorum, Scytharum, Sarmatum, Nomadum, Graecorum, Massi [...]iensium, Scotorum, ante propagatum Euangelium. crueltie,Luc. 9.54. Hieron. epist. ad Algas. quast. 5. and reuenge of priuate in­iuries; it was most needfull that the same their mis­chiefe, should be repressed with extremitie of paine; then which there is notSolon. Rempub. contineri dicebat, praemio & poena. Cic. ad M. Brut. epist. 15. Id ipsum Democritus docuisse fertur. Patric. de repub. li. 1. T. 6. a greater bond for the maintenance of lawes and societies of men. In this place, are three points chieflie to be considered; the persons to be punished: the persons by whom: [Page 372] and the reasons why so great a paine is ordained for transgressors. Concerning the first point, the Lord giueth sentence: whether Exod. 21.28. it be beast or man, that shea­deth the blood of man, he shall not liue. We may there­by vnderstand, that the Lord doth wonderouslie detest the fact of murther, which hath ordained that of beasts, albeitAugust. de Adul­terin. Coniug. ad Pol­lent. libr. 1. cap. 16. Peccare enim, propriè non est nisi eius, qui vtitur rationali vo­luntatis arbitrio, quod in omnibus mortali­bus animantibus, non nisi homini est diuini­tus attributum. they are vncapable of sin, yetCaluin. in Gen. 9. Non animantium re­spectis, sed quiae pre­tiosam habet vitam hominum, Pet. Mart. in Gē. 9. Ad sceleris detestationem, vt magis à caedibus homines deterreantur. for the detestation of sin, and the terrour of mur­therers; he should be slaine, that sleaeth mā. But the wordes seeme difficult, how the Lord will require the blood of man at the hand of beasts. There are whichOrigen in Psal. 36.14. Hom. 3. Cum verò contraria potestas fe­ra & nequam perur­get hominem, &c. Ru­pertus & alij. vnderstand by beasts, infernal spirits, which prouoke men vnto murther. Other,Rabbini autem aliter: Si sera immissa in aliquem fit ab alio, requiram per manum bestiae, poenas de homicida sumens. Hunc in modum locum detorquent, quia à Tito & suis successoribus Caesaribus multi luda [...]rum hestijs damnabantur. Sueton, in vitae Titi. Ioseph [...]s de bello Iudaic. lib. 7. cap. 28. by requiring of blood, doe vnderstand the resurrection of the dead: as if the Lord had said, albeit the bodies of men; are sometime torne and deuoured of beastes, yet I will restore their bodies againe and raise them vp. Although both these are true, yet are they from the purpose: for the Lord himselfe doth interpret this law in other sense: I will require it at euery beast, that is,Exod. 21.28. Which law was no lesse necessarie vnto Noah in that scarcitie of men, then vn­to Moses: nor any whit lesse needfull vnto vs in respect both of naturall order, and repres­sing of the bloodie mindes of murtherers, by example of punishment. that beast shall be slaine. But doth God in­flict vpon euery special beast, that hath slaine a man, particular punishment? SomeRambam. in Gen. 10.5. Si [...]estia hominem occiderit efficiam vt altera bestia illam occidat. Plin. lib. 8. affirmeth, that the earth neuer receiueth within her intrals, that Serpent that hath stung a man. Bees, Waspes, &c. breed themselues more hurt, then they can giue to man by stinging. Idem lib. 11. The best remedie against the stinging of a Scorpion is, to rubbe him to peeces, and applie him to the place Dioscor. lib. 6. c. 45. are so bold to af­firme ye same. Some otherwise thinke, that theFor that men to men, are more cruell then the beasts. Lord hath omitted it for the sins of men. But both these [Page 373] are ignorant of the purpose of the Lord: which is toExo. 21.28.29. &c. arme mankind with authoritie against hurtfull beasts, as afterward hee armeth the Magistrate with authoritie against a murtherer. Wherefore it is not needfull for vs to search, whether euery beast which hath bin the death of man, be by the vertue of this iudgement destroyed by the Lord; but rather to re­member, that hee hath ordained man to be his exe­cutioner vpon the beast: who therefore ought to sleaWhich law doubt­lesse is in force for euer, proportional­ly to bee obserued: the reason is the same: least man-slaughter being vn­reuenged vpon the beast, should imbol­den men in com­mitting murther. Our common law also adiudgeth him dead, and permit­teth him vnto the chiefe Lord of the fee. By what right he may bee preser­ued wee shall consi­der further in his place. euerie beast, that hath destroyed the life of man. And of those creatures whose natures are bent to crueltie and hurt, as Lions, Beares, Tigers, Serpents and venomous beastes, hee requireth of them the life of man (as wellAugust. quaest. in Exod. 31. Ad iustitiam pertinet, vt animal hominibus no [...]ium perimatur, & quod de tau [...]o positum est, à parte totum intelligendum est, quicquid de pecoribus vsui humano subditum, infestum est hominibus. De feris igitur multo maximè. which haue offen­ded, as which would offend) by making theExod. 4.3. Amos 5.19. Elia [...]. Var. Histor. lib. 13. cap. 34. Dionysius hauing commanded a Lion to be killed, called him backe againe three times, and three times changed his minde; at the last bad kill him: Alas lion (said he, ouercome with feare) thou maist liue no longer: [...], &c. nature of man abhorre them and seeke to roote them out. It may also be demaunded, how this is verified, which here the Lord pronounceth, that hee will re­quire the blood of man, of euerie one, that vniustlie shed­deth it. For so often doeSylla the Romane died in peace, (a most bloodie tyrant) but was eaten vp of life: Plutarch in the life of Sylla. So Dionysius the first, Ochus the Persian, Amasis the Egyptian, hauing raigned fortie yeeres in great prosperi­tie. Alexander, by whom the world was vexed with most cruell warres, died (saith Plutarch) of an ordinarie feuer: although other say, of poyson. tyrants and murtherers escape vnpunished, that the wicked thereby imbol­den themseluesIob. 21.14.15. Psal. 73.6. in mischiefe, asPsal. 10.4. [...]. Ezech. 8.12. though the Lord had forsaken the earth. Moreouer, some one com­mitteth so many murthers, that his blood is not suf­cient [Page 374] Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Quid ergo fi innumeras quis pae­trauerit caedes, & tantum sanguinis ef­fundat? quo modo dig­nam dabit poenam sanguinis effusi? Alexander slew of the Thebans 90000 Eliau. Var. Histor. libr. 14. cap. 7. In his first battell against Darius 150000. Quint. Curt. libr. 3. beside those which were slaine in his ten yeeres warres, vndertaken not for iustice or necessitie, but of ambition and worldly glorie. In the warres of Julius Caesar were consu­med 1192000. as Plinie auoucheth lib. 2. beside his ci­uill warres 100000. Dioclesian flewe 70000. Christians within one moneth. Oros. in Chron. to giue for euerie one a drop. Wee must herein againe considerSe [...]sum legislatoris, interpreti requi­rendum. August. Epist. 19. the purpose and intent of the maker of the law: which was indeed to represse the rage of murtherers, from the societies of men,Exod. 21.12. by giuing authoritie to man to take away such monsters from the earth: yet notMatth. 10.28. They are not able to kill the soule. supreame autho­ritie of punishment, but reserueth the same vnto himselfe. For murther deserueth a greater punish­ment, then to haue his blood shed, that sheddeth blood; because hee sinneth, not onelie againstGen. 42.21. his brother, orNo person can vniustly be done to death, without the hurt of the Common-wealth: therefore the Romane Scipio was wont to say, he had rather saue one citizen, then kill a thousand enemies, Cicero Offic. 2. the societie of men (whichDeut. 13.5. so by pu­nishment of like for like is satisfied) but alsoNumb. 16.11. Act. 9.5. against the Lord, whose image he hath destroyed, & there­fore of himGen. 18.25 Marc. 9.43.44. deserueth endlesse torment. Where­fore those alsoNumb. 35.31. 1. King. 20.42. who of men are pretermitted, or can not of men be punished,Being in supreame authoritie. for the height of power and dignitie, which before they haue recei­ued; the Lord himselfeEccl. 12.14 Rom. 14.11.12. &c. hath bound ouer to the day of his appearance. But it were ridiculous to thinke, that then the blood should be shed for mur­ther. Doubtlesse the Lord by the name of blood, because it is theWhich here is defined by the word of God, to be the blood, vers. 5. Of Aristotle it is placed in the heart, lib. de part. Animal. lib. 2 cap. 7. & 10. & lib. 3. cap 3. Of Ga­len. in the braine, de placit. Philosoph. lib. 5▪ Columbus seemeth to plant it in ye liuer, Anatom. lib. 6 They all haue seuerall reasons: the liuer is the fountaine and author of blood: the heart, of the vitall spirits: the braine, of motion: so that the liuer is indeede the chiefe particular in­strument of growth or vegetation: the heart of feeling (for although the sinewes by which we feele, are from the braine; yet the spirits by which they haue their feeling, are from the heart) the head of vnderstanding and of reason: but the seate for the substance of the soule is in the blood, as he hath testified that made them both. seate of life, vnderstandeth [Page 375] thatHieron. in Zoph [...]. cap. 1. Quo modo Do­minus est effusurus sanguinem in talio­nem, &c. [...], the life or vital facultie, wherby men are sustained, and doe liue; as hee that destroyeth the life, should lose the life, and so shall they lose their blood or life; or that which after the iudgement should be That is, they shall be separated from God, 2. Cor. 1.9. who is the life of the soule. And it is in­finitely more grie­uous and miserable to haue the soule separated from God, then to haue the soule remoued from the bodie. Bernard. in Psalm. Qui habitat. Ser­mon. 10. their life; being compelled to be partakers of the second death. And as their sins shall then exceed in greatnes, so shall their punishment be fullie answe­ring thereunto; and theirChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Non hoc con­fidera homo, sed tal [...] nō multo post accipie [...] corpus incorruptibile, quod poterit continuam & aeternam poenam ferre. bodies incorruptible, and able to endure the paine: so that they which haue committed manie murthers, shall thenLeuit. 19.8. 2. Cor. 5.10. Gregor. Dialog. libr. 4. [...]nes Gehennae ignis credendus est, sed non vno modo omnes cruci­at peccatores; vnusquis (que) enim quantum e [...]igit culpa, tantam illic sentiet poenam. in­dure as manie deadlie torments. Let them there­fore who are guiltie of this wickednes, though they feare not man, yet dreadHebr. 10.31. & 12.29. the iudgements of the Lord; and returne to him, whoIsai. 53.5.12. for their sakes was counted among the murtherers: and euen those1. Pet. 3.17. Ezech. 18.21. Isai. 5 [...].7. Cyprian. lib. de caena Dom. Nec serum est quod verum: nec irremissibile quod voluntarium. Et quaecun (que) necessitas cogat ad poenitu­dinem, nec quantitas criminis, nec breuitas temporis, nec horae extremitas, nec vitae inormitas (si vera contritio, si pura fuerit voluptatum mutatio) excludit à venia. that suffer as euill doers, if they shall vnfainedlie repent,Act. 22.6. Micah. 7.19. Luc. 23.42 Athanas. Exposit. fid. Christus ex mortuis vitam ingressum (que) in paradisum confecit, Ex qua Adam cre­ctus fuit, in quam rursus Adam intra [...]it per latronem. their crosse is made to them a path waie into Paradice. The second point, is of theRomana E [...]itio ita legit: Quicunque effu­derit humanum sanguinē in terram. fundetur sanguis illius: at in Hebraeo est [...] baadam in adam, i. per hominem. On [...]elos interpretatur, per, vel nō abs (que) testimonio & sententia iudicis. In multis vul­gatis exemplaribus est, quicunque effuderit humanum sanguinem, fundetur sanguis illius. Sed quo im­pulsu, instrumentum vindicta à Deo expressum, surpressum voluerunt, non aliud occurrit, nisi quod ex ficta Donatione Constantini, & ipsius ad Nicaenos Episcopos oratione (Ruffin. lib. 10. c. 1) Quam isti ad Romanam Curiam transtulerunt, conceditur in hunc modum: vos inquit nobis à Deo dati estis dij, & conueni [...]ns non est vt homo indicet Deos, sed ille solus de quo scriptum est: Deus stetit in Synagoga deorum, &c. Ex hoc scilicet praetextu ab ecclesiastica Romana hierarchia excluditur magistratus. Concil. apud Palat. Vernis, sub Pipino rege Francorum & Stephan. 3. Papa. can. 18. Concil. Wermac. can. 61. Concil. Roman. sub Nicholaeo 2. can. 10. capitula per Adrian. ex Synod. collecta cap. 25. Decret. Gregor. 9. tit. de iudic. Clericus de omni crimine debet coram ecclesiastico iudice conueniri, nec vale [...] consuetudo contraria. Ergo nec imperatorem adeunt. Concil. Mogontin. cap. [...]4. person [Page 276] by whom this punishment of shedding blood is to be ministred. That person is a man appointed there­unto by God. NotIudg. 3.9. 1. Sam. 12.11. Deut. 16.18. euerie man; but a man of the Lords appointment, to take reuenge of blood. As if the Lord had said: I haue ordained man, and doe giue vnto himExod. 7.1. Rom. 13.1. authoritie from my selfe, to take reuenge for blood. The man therefore of chiefePsal. 72.1.2. Exod. 18.19. Nazianz. in Apolog. Reuera mihi videtur esse ars artium, & disciplina disciplina­rum, hominem rege­re; qui certe est in­ter omnes animantes, maximè & moribus varius, & voluntate diuersus. authority in the societies of men, is to execute this office from the Lord. The King or PrinceProu. 8.15. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 5. c. 1. Prorsus diuina pro­uidentia regna con­stituuntur humana. Quae si propterea quisquam sato tribu­it, quia ipsam Dei voluntatem vel potestatem fati nomine appellat, sententìam teneat, linguam corrigat. which ruleth in the common wealth: theGen. 14.15. father in his fa­milie, where no superior authoritie is found. From this commandement, ariseth the stayPsalm. 72.4. and state of societies and common wealths, and also the autho­ritie andRom. 13.5. [...], ex necessitate sub­ijci. Nam regum est, adeo (que) omnium imperantium, eorum quibus praesint, commodis vtilitati (que) sor­uire. Cic. ad Q. fr. epist. lib. 1. Epis. 1. necessitie of Magistrates. The Magistrate is therefore a person ordeined by God, in the Exod. 18.19. 2. Chron. 19.6. Psalm. 82.1.6. roome and place of God, to punish the wicked according Psalm. 82.4. Crudeles autem sunt, qui puniendi causam habent, modum non habent. Senec. de Clement. ad Neron. libr. 1. to their crime, which shall offer in any violence vnto the life of mā, and to Rom. 13.4. 1. Tim. 2.2. maintaine the good, that they may liue in peace. For seeing the wicked would not be restrained from shedding innocent blood, neither feared by threatning of reuenge in the life to come, the Lord in his wisedome found it necessarie, to arme man with power to reuenge the same their crueltie with present death. TheRom. 13.1. Prou. 8.15. August. de ciuit. Dei. libr. 4. cap. 34. Deus solus est qui regna dat terrena & bonis & malis: & ideo bonis & malis, ne eius cultores adhuc in prouestu animi paruuli, haec ab eo munera, quasi magnum aliquid concupiscant, Anastas. quaest. in Script. 15. Cum Deus dicat in lege, dabo vobis principes secundum corda vo­stra. Hieron. 3. euidens est quod ex principibus & regibus, alij à Deo praeficiuntur tanquam dig­ni eo honore; alij autem rursus cum sint indigni, Dei permissione aut voluntate praeficiuntur po­pulo digno eorum indignitate. author therefore of the Magi­stracie [Page 377] He therefore that obeyeth not the Magistrate, albeit a wicked Magistrate, for Gods cause, but not against God, as Dan. 3.28. doth resist the ordinance of God. What more honest excuse can be thē Dauid might haue found, being a King annointed, to haue killed Saul? What greater ty­rant then Nero? to whom the Apostle counselleth obedi­ence, Rom. 13. What more wicked go­uernour then Pho­cas, of whom it was saide, hee was the meetest ruler for such a people, be­cause a worse then hee could not bee found? to whom notwithstanding, Gregorie perswadeth homage, and the Church acknowledgeth their Emperour. is God, which hath giuen the power there­of to man. The forme thereofRomans 13.4. Numbers 31.2. is, in the place of God to take reuenge. The matter, to requiteIosu. 7.25. Matth. 10.28. Cyril. Alexan. epist. ad Theodos. Imperator. pro [...]m. contra Iulian. Quod ver [...] sa­cerdotes concilietis, & eos qui debacchantur in illos abominemini, inque maximorum hostium nume­ro censeatis, sic enim diuinus Propheta Dauid, (Psal. 139.21.) vestris celsitudinibus dignissimū dixerim. out­ward or vnciuill faults, with bodilie or ciuill pu­nishments. The end,Rom. 13.4. that men may liue in peace, and exercise1. Tim. 2.2. Quibus sicut & nauigantibus, finis est salus & conseruatio societatis, A­ristot. Polit. lib. 3. cap. 3. both godlines and honestie. By rea­son of this authoritie from God, although it be murther, for a man vnauthorised1. King. 2.5. to kill, and his blood is to be shed that sheddeth it: yet that man, whom the LordDeut. 13.8. August. in Iosu. quaest. 16. Non dimisit in ea quicquid spirans: propter hoc nullo modo putandae est ista crudelitas, quia Deus hoc iusserat. Qui au­tem existimat hic Deum ipsum fuisse crudelem, tam peruerse de operibus Dei, quam de peccatis homi­num iudicant, nescientes quo quisque dignus fit, & magnum putantes malum, cum casura deijcian­tur, mortalesque moriantur. hath permitted to reuenge, is bound by commaundement, to shed the blood of him that vniustlie sheddeth blood; and is so free from sinne thereby, thatRom. 13.4. he executeth the ven­geance of the Lord, & sinneth no lesse then1. Sam. 22.23. De Clodio Caesare dicebatur: non facien­do nocens, sed patiendo fuit. Auson de vita Caesar, tetrastie. mur­ther, which suffereth a murtherer to liue. It is ther­fore the Magistrate, that hath fromRom. 13.1. God the pow­er of reuenge, and those whom the Magistrate per­mitteth1. Pet. 2.13.14. thereunto: and to them hath the Lord permitted this authoritie; who fromDeut. 31.25. Whether of wisedome or of power: according to the word of God, and the common lawes of Nations. him, are in­dued with gifts of dignitie: and whom the Lord hath placed in his stead to execute his iudgements,As by succession, election, or lawfull victorie, 2. Sam. 7.12. & 2.4. & 8.1.2. by manifest token of his pleasure, the same2. Sam. 16.18. must we esteeme as the Magistrate of God, andRom. 13.5.7. 1. Pet. 2.13.17. reue­rence [Page 378] for conscience sake with honor, loue, and due obedience. Now because the Magistrate is putExod. 18.19. 2. Chron. 19.6. in the place of God, & cannotPsalm. 135.6. & 139.8.9. be like God in euerie place (forasmuch as he oftimes is ruler vnder God,Hester. 1.1. of great and large dominions) hee is also permit­ted to haue lieuetenants vnder him, as hee is vnder God, in warres and peace. In peace, Iudges &Exod. 18.20. 1. Pet. 2.14. in­feriour Officers, who in the place of Kings & Prin­ces, yea ofDeut. 17.8.9. Rom. 13.1.7. the Lord himselfe, are duelie with re­uerence to be obeyed. In warres likewise, are Cap­taines & souldiersExod. 17.9. the Princes deputies, who may therefore lawfullieDeut. 7.16. 1. Sam. 15.3. And that Christians did serue in warres vn­der Heathen Em­perours, is manifest by Iustin Martyr A­polog. 2. For they by prayer obtained raine, and saued the Armie of Antoninus Verus Emperour frō perishing by thirst. By Tertullian. lib. de Corona Militi [...]: Inter tot (inquit) fratres commili [...]es solus Christianus: But Christians ought not to take it vpon them without lawfull vocation: Luk. 3.14. whereof the Heathen giue Christians example. Maulius Torquatus put to death his owne sonne, for that he attempted to fight (although in the field he had slaine his enemie) contrarie to his precept and authoritie. Liui Decad. 1. lib. 4 Aul. Gel. lib. 9. cap. 13. And Cato admonished his sonne to abstaine from fight, for that it was vnlawfull for him, after hee was discharged by his Captaine: Cic. Offic. lib. 1. Voluntaries therefore are not to be commended, by the iudgement of Ambros. & Augustin. Possid. in vita August. vnlesse for the speciall defence of their religion, Prince and countrie, as Iudg. 5.9. 1. Sam. 26.6. shed blood in battell, in a law­full cause, because the Magistrate doth arme them, andNumb. 31.2.3. Nazianzen. orat. 18. ad Praesidem. Cum Christo geris imperium, cum Christo rempub. administras, à Christo gladium consecutus es. God himselfe the Magistrate, to take reuenge of blood. In like case, the Magistrate in extremitie of daunger, doth2. Sam. 14.8.10. Cic. pro Milo [...]. Est haec non scripta, sed nata lex: quam non didicimus, accepimus, legimus: verum ex natura ipsa arripuimus, hae [...]simus, expressi [...]s: ad quam non docti, sed facti; non instituti, sed imbuti sumus: vt, si vitae nostra in aliquas insidias, si in vi [...], si in tela aut latronum aut inimicorum incidisset: [...]is honesta ratio esset expedienda salutis. arme a priuate subiect, against vnlawfull violence, to defend himselfe. For as it is permitted to weare lawfull weapons for peaceable defence;Luc. 22.36.38. Cic. orat. pro Milon [...]. Quid comitatus nostri, quid gladij volunt? quos habere certè non liceret, si vti illis nullo pacto liceret. Sed obstat mandatum Christi, Mat. 5.3 9. ne resistite malo. Respondat Chrysost. Hom. in Mat. 18. Quid igitur si non oportet nos resistere malo? oportet quidem, sed non hoc tamen modo, verum eo quo ipse praecepit, vt scilicet ad pa­ [...]iendas nos iniurias praebeamus. &c. Aug. q. in nouū Testam. q. 68. Si quis ergo Christianus ad tem­pus vindicet, non acerbè, ne (que) cum sanguine, non peccat; melius tamen fecerit, si dimiserit iudici Deo. Item contra Faust. lib. 19. c. 25. Est quodam iusta vindicta, iuste­que debetur ei, qui suerit passus iniuri­am: vnde vtique cum ignoscimus, de nostro quodamodo iure lar­gimur. Caluin. in Matth. 5. Duplex est resistendi modus: Al­ter quo innoxiè arce­mus iniurias; alter quo retaliamus: quā ­quam autem Christus suis non permittit, vt vim vi repellant; non tamen prohibet qui [...] deflectant ab iniusta violentia. so is it likewise lawful, to strike with wea­pon, [Page 379] to wound, to kill, for the same defence, in case where otherwise the murther of the innocent would be performed, before the innocent person should haue the benefit of iust reuengement. Wherein notwithstanding must be obserued, that so much as is possible,Namely, that thou defend thy inno­cencie with that desire, to bring (if it may be) thy cause before the Iudge: which if it cannot bee but with ex­treame danger, the Common-wealth rather chuseth to lose a murtherer, then a peaceable Citizen. we reserue the life vnto the Magistrate, and doe shew in our defence noAnd hee that with that minde repelleth iniurie, is not therein voide of brother­ly charitie: as 1. Cor. 5.5. where the Apostle sheweth, a man may in some cases punish his ad­uersarie in loue. August. lib. cont. Adimant. cap. 17. pri­uate desire of reuenge. The third point which is to be considered, is the reason of the greatnesse of the paine, which also doth aggrauate the greatnes of the sinne. He is thy brother, saith God, of theAct. 17.26. same o­riginall and parentage, ofEccles. 2.15.16. Psal. 49.6.7. the same priuiledge of nature, ofNaturall, not ciuill, Ambros. lib. de Naboth. cap. 13. Quid superbis diues? quid dicis pauperi: noli me tangere? Nonne sic vtero conceptus, & natus es ex vtero, quemadmodum & pauper natus est? &c. the same honour and dignitie; ioyned vnto thee, inMan is by nature apt vnto societie: Arist. Polit. lib. cap. 1. but this societie is of two sorts: first, either ecclesiasticall or ciuill. Ecclesiasticall, of God, or of this world: of good men, or of the wicked: August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 1. societie, inAct. 17.26. affinitie, andCicer. lib. de Amicit. Plutarch. lib. de dignoscedo assentatore ab amico. [...]: A friend more necessarie then fire and water. amitie: thou thereforeIn so much, as wee may truly say: Man for mans cause was created: Cic. de fin. lib. 2. and all for the glorie of God, Prou. 16.4. oughtest to haue loued him, sustai­ned & defended him frō iniurie. Thus is the nature of all mankind, conioyned in one band by God: but this is not the fulnes of the greatnes of thy fault, he is moreouer created in the image of God. So that in murder, or shedding the blood of mā vniustly; thou dost violence to thine owne blood, whom thou defilest, to thy brother whom thou sleyest, to the so­cietie of men whom thou robbest of a brother; to the Lord himselfe, whose image in thy brother thou dost despise and violate. For this, it is meete [Page 380] thou shouldest endure,Qua tamen non iu­sta compensatio est, quo hoc tibi merito compensatur, quod tu immerenti inflixisti: Chrysostom. Hom. in Matth. 18. the like as thou hast caused thy brother to suffer wrongfullie; that those which loue themselues and not their brother, may be re­strainedDeut. 13.11. Ephes. 5.29. from farther violence, by the paine, which for their brothers blood they must abide. It is made a question, whether this law for murther, were now first giuen, or renued onlie. It is not materiall in re­gard of theIt sufficeth vs, that the Lord being au­thor thereof, the same law is conti­nued vnto vs. present vse thereof, neither can it ful­lie be determined. Onlie it may be gathered, that before the floud, the Lord reserued all reuenge of murther to himselfe, at leastwise did not vnto Adam prescribe the same. For soGen. 4.11. hee himselfe doth exe­cute the punishment on Caine; and Lamech, being but a priuate man,Gen. 4.23.24. triumpheth in his murthers, with much securitie, which could not wel haue bin, if Adam had receiued this authoritie. Also when he saith,Gen. 6.11. the earth was filled with crueltie, he seemeth to affirme, it abounded in euerie place without dis­cipline corrected. Wherefore that the world might know,2. Pet. 2.5.9. Exod. 14.17.18. that God, hee is Lord of temporall punish­ments, as well as of those that be eternall; he perfor­meth the office of the Magistrate alone, brought inLuc. 17.27. the floud vpon them, and destroyed them all, Ob­ser. 1. The Lord doth most seuerelie require, that is, reuenge the blood of men at the hand of mur­therers, asExod. 21.14. Numb. 25.16. &c. & 33.34. 1. King. 2.31.32. 2. King. 19.37. Matth. 26.52. the Scriptures testifie, andAlexander dyed of tormenting poison, Curtius lib. 10 Valer. Max. lib. 1. cap. 7. his bodie was left without care of buriall for thirtie daies, no man vouchsa­fing to enterre the same. Elian. Ʋar. Histor. lib. 12. cap. 64. Iulius Caesar was torne with three and twentie wounds: Plutarc. in the life of C. Caesar. Nero that raised the first persecution against the Christians, when he found (as he said) neither friend nor enemie that would dis­patch him, cut his owne throte, and was made a horrible spectacle to all beholders: Defecit (que) extantibus rigentibus (que) oculis ad horrorē formidinem (que) visentium. Sueton. in vitae Neronis. Ergo. Ad generum Cereris fine caede & sanguine pauci descendunt saeui, vel siccae morte tyranni. infinite ex­amples. Secondlie, the creatures that are hurtfull to the life of man, areExod. 21.2 [...]. worthie of themselues to be [Page 381] destroyed. Thirdlie, the Magistrate is the ordinance ofRom. 13.4. God, for the punishment of euill doers, and the praise of them that doe well, & thereforeIudg. 17.6. & 19.1. Isai. 32.1.2. most necessarie vnto the societies of men. Fourthly, Ma­gistrates ought to punishExod. 21.14. Numb. 35.31. murtherers, with death: notwithstanding such murtherers were themselues created in the image of God, becauseDeut. 19.19.20.21. Muscul. in Gen. 9. they haue presumed to violate that image in their brethren. Fiftlie, the iudgement of blood appertaineth to the2. Chron. 19.6. Psal. 28.1.2. Lord, as to the highest iudge, and the punishment thereof to be acknowledgedIosu. 7.25. from him, not from the Magistrate; who also will reward the sin of mur­ther,Reuel. 21.8. with greater punishments, then can be infli­cted by the Magistrate. Sixtlie, those that seeke to defendIudg. 20.13. the life of murtherers, for fauour, fellow­ship or kinred; or the Magistrate that dothDeferred it may be, neglected it may not be, for regard of the excellencie of the person; as to Ioab, for the slaugh­ter of Abner and Amasa. 1. King. 2.5.31.32. neg­lect to punish it; doe make themselues1. King. 2.31. partakers with the murtherers, & of the punishment of them; and alsoDeut. 21.8.9. the land wherein they liue. Seauenthlie, the consideration of the dignitie of man ought to restraine vs fromLuc. 10.16. Iam. 3.9. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 27. Co­gita quod ad imagi­nem dei formatus est, & quiesces à mala voluntate. crueltie toward man. Eightlie, man wasGen. 1.26. created in the image of God, and con­tinueth (althoughGen. 3.7.8. & 5.3 corrupted thorough the fall) in the same his image, inPsal. 8.6. excellencie aboue the crea­tures of the earth, inMatth. 10.28. immortalitie of soule, in2. Sam. 14.17. Ambros. Hexam. lib. 6. cap. 8. Cyril. in Iulian. lib. 9. Damascen. lib. de imag. Dei: [...]. &c. reason, memorie, prouidence, conscience, all whichRom. 8.5.6.7. Galath. 5.17. Tit. 5.15. The Apostle calleth our corruption, an earthly image, 1. Cor. 15.49. notwithstāding are horribly defiled, & stai­ned with sin. Ninthly, it isExod. 23.7. Deut. 27.25. Prou. 17.15. a most grieuous sin, for the Magistrate or anie other, to put such innocents to death, which areEph. 4.24. Coloss. 3.10. renued to this image through [Page 382] faith, especiallie if it beMatth. 5.10.11.12. 2. Thess. 1.6.7.8. Let the Papists consider whose blood they spill: they say they kill none but here­tikes (and that they denie to, for they say they deliuer them vnto the Magistrate: but a more reasonable excuse we finde, Ioh. 18.31.) let therefore the word of God, who hath giuen authoritie of death, trie who are heretikes; whether those that inflict, or those that suffer death. for the true profession of the faith of Iesus Christ. Tenthlie, when wee see the wicked murtherers depart, whose blood is not required; it ought to moue vs to remember another life,Gen. 18.25. Psalm. 73.17. &c. Eccles. 3.16.17. Basil. in Psal. 10. Quoniam exquires sanguinem, &c. Indicat hoc loco, nullum homicidium impunè abiturum, sed omnino in id requisitum iri. for the restoring of their bodies, that in the same,2. Cor. 5.10 Luc. 16.24. they may receiue according to their works.

Question 5. verse 13.16. What meaneth this: behold I haue set my bow in the cloud, &c. Therefore the bow shall be in the cloud that I may see it?

FOr the full and perfectChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Quia verifi­mile erat is [...] adhuc in angore esse, & mentē illius formidine teneri, & si quādo ingrueret vel paruus aliquis im­ber, futurum tristē & attonitū; ideo vt ipse fidere possit omnisque posteritas, id circo mise­ricors Deus in magnā securitatem inductu­rul promisit ei. &c. securitie of Noah and his posteritie, the Lord vouchsafeth to binde himselfe by couenant, that the earth shall not be drowned anie more with waters. In this historie of the couenant, is containedFrom vers. 8 to 16. a promise; and theVers. 17. Conclusio, qua quasi digito com­monstrat. Tremel. in annot. in Gen. confirmation of the same. In the promise is to be considered: first the persons betweene whom this couenant is made: God himselfeVers. 9.10. on the one part which freelie promiseth, and euerie earthlie creature, which freelie receiueth the benefit thereof. Secondlie, theVers. 11. substance or matter of the couenant: that from thenceforth all flesh should not be rooted out by waters. Thirdlie, the signeVers. 12.13. or seale ther­of. [Page 383] Lastlie,Vers. 14.15.16. the end or vse thereof: then will I re­member my couenant. Wee finde herein a long per­swasion vnto Noah, to be free from feare of ano­ther floud: the reason is,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Verisimile erat, &c. nam praete­ritorum experientia ad formidinem incu­tiendam multum ha­bet momenti. the exceeding feare of Noah, in respect of the calamitie which Noah had seene, and the daungerAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 27. Magis diuina prouidentia quàm humana pru­dentia [...]atantem gu­bernauit, ne incurrat vbicunque na [...]fragi­um. hee was partaker of: as also in regarde of the meanes,Ierem. 5.22. which onelie are barred out by the mightie power of God. And albeit the promises of God areNumb. 23. vers. 19. Tit. 1.2. 2. Cor. 1.20. To promise, with God, is as much as to sweate by his ho­linesse and trueth. 2. Sam. 7.12. Psal. 89.35. & 132.11. and such promise, is cal­led his oth, Isai. 54.9 The Rabbins teach, his oth is contained in this: I will not adde to curse, neither will I adde to smite: I will not adde, being doubled, is the oth of God. Rab. Salom. infallible in themselues, and cannot but be verified: yet in respect of mansChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Deus non ad suam naturam spe­ctans, sed nostram in­firmitatem, non conténtus est promissione sua. infirmitie, his slownesse to beleeue, and his aptnes to despaire; the Lord is contented to promise, & to bind himselfe by co­uenant, and oth,Heb. 6.17.18. to the end wee might beleeue, and receiue the comfort of his promises. Euen so in this place, the Lord doth giue a perpetuall token of his couenant, that his promise should be kept perpetuallie: This is the token of the couenant, I haue set my bow in the clouds, &c. The bow of God doth signifie in Scripture,Psalm. 7.12. & 21.12. Hilar. in Psal. 57. In arcis seueritatem iudicij Dei significari ostendimus, peccatorum hunc semper poenis hi [...] qui puniētur intentum. the seueritie of iudgement and wrath of God: but the Lord here speaketh of another bow, which he hath placed in the cloudes. This bow in the cloudes, ofAmbros. de No [...] & arca. cap. 27. Est ergo virtus inuisibilis Dei, qua & specie istius arcus extendendi & remittendi, moderatur pro diuina voluntate, misericordia, potesta [...] qua neque omnia confundi nimia solutione, neque dirumpi nimia irruptione patiatur. some is also taken to be no other, but the inuisible power of God, wher­by the moisture of the aire is drawne together, and resolued into raine, like a bow that is drawne, and againe let goe with an arrow shotte forth of it: so that the Lord here should signifie, that this bow should not be shot with an arrow of destruction, [Page 384] asGen. [...].17. late before, but theVers. 14. Ezec. 1.28. Reuel. 4.3. Scripture expresseth a bow that may be seene: which the learned for the most part, bothRabbini in Cab. Tres iridis colores referunt ad tres Patriarcha [...], sicut & Christiani, quatuor colores, ad quatuor elementa. Iewes andOmnes quod scio, Ambrosio dempto. Christians, doe vn­derstand to be that notable and visible bow, that ap­peareth in the cloudes, then which,For which respect, of Chrysostome it is called a miracle, Hom. in Gen. 28. of the Heathen, Than­mantis filia: i. the daughter of admi­ration. Hesiodus. in Theogon. Calimachus in Lanacr. Deli. & Plato in Crat. among al the imperfect creatures, there is none more excellent. Which bow bothAmbros. lib. de No [...] & arc. cap. 27. Casarius frater Nazi­anzen. Dialog. 2. August. Hom. 3. in A­pocalyp. Tom. 9. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. Dei, part. 2. lib. 3. cap. 3. Diuines and heathen Philo­sophersAristos. lib. 3. Meteor. cap. 4. Ammian. Marcellin. lib. 20. Plut. de placi. Philosoph. 3. Zeno & Possidonius. Laertius. 7. cap. 1. agree, to be nothing els, but the beames or brightnesse of the sunne, when it shineth against a thicke and waterie cloud, by which those beames are vnto our sight returned (as the heat reboundeth from the earth in Sommer) so thatIf a man doe with a staffe raise the water against the Sunne, he shall perceiue in the drops dispersed, as it were a white Rainbow, by which he may more easilie perceiue the cause of the Rainebow in the clowd. where the brightnes that reboundeth from the cloud, and the brightnes from the sunne doe meet togetherNam omninò consistit iris optica ratione: siue per conū, vt vult Euclid. optic. Hypothesi. 2. (c [...]nus autem est pyramis rotunda. Apollon. Perg [...]us. Conor. 1. Vitellio opticor. lib. 4.) siue vt alij volunt per triangulum, alij autem aliter. Vide Theophrast. de vertig. sine [...]. in our eye sight, they make this beautifull shew which we bebold, and call the rainebow. Which neuer ap­peareth square or long, but round or compasse, be­cause it taketh his proportion from the sunne. Nei­ther euer containeth itArist. Meteor. li. 3. c. 5. Zanch. de oper. Dei, li. 3. part. 2. c. 3. more then halfe a circle, because the residue of reflection is shadowed by the earth. The cause of the diuers colours in the same, is said to be theA clowd is a fume or exhalation gathered together in the middle region of the ayre, which is borne vp (as is thought) by the heate or warmenes which is in it: consisting for the most part of airie mat­ter, hauing therewith of the earth, water, and fire, some parcels mixed. Basil. in Psal. 134. Mi­rabile quod in leui aēre aequa continetur: multo mirabilius, &c. Great marueile it is that water should be borne vp in the very thin ayre, &c. varietie of matter, whereof the cloud consisteth, wherein it is. For it partlie consi­sting [Page 385] of drie and fumie matter,Aristotle teacheth that they are only apparāces, not true colours in the Rain­bow. Meteor. libr. 3. c. 4. Other affirme they are colours in deed, and not alone in appearance. Me­thodor. lib de Iride. Heliodor. Larissae. lib. de optic. doth thereby giue that purple colour like firie smoke, or as dry clouds are red, at the setting and rising of the sunne. The waterish moisture of the cloude casteth forth that greenish colour, like vnto the waters of the sea. And forasmuch as the cloud hath alwaie airie matter ioyned withall, the same doth yeeld that whitish streame, or straw colour that appeareth. Sometime is added a perfect red, which is caused by the ele­mentarie heate that is within the cloud. Sometime appeare twoFor a double Rain­bow is a signe of great shewers: Arat. in Pheinom. [...], vel gemina cir­cuncingit magnū coe­lum iru. Virgil. Ge­org. 1. Et bibit ingent arcus, &c. rainebowes for the aboundance of matter, the one within the other, their colours pla­ced contrarie, for that the one is the image (by re­flection) of the other. Wherein wee haue cause to extoll the wonderfull wisedome of the Lord. For if God doe shew such glorie in gliffes & shadowes, how glorious is his wisedome and his power,Ambros. Hex. lib. 6. cap. 1. in things of substance? And if his power and wisdome so plainelie areRom. 1.20. Lactant. Institut. lib. 1 cap. 3. Qua in re quo­niam & sensu defici­mus & verbis: quia neque tantae intelligē ­tiae lucem pectus hu­manum, neque expla­nationē tantarum re­rum cap [...] lingua mor­talis, id ipsum intelli­gere nos oportet & profiteri. perceiued, and are so excellent in the creatures; how far doth he himselfe surmount our words and thoughts, in infinite maiesty, and in­comparable glorie? Concerning this rainebow, there ariseth another doubt. For seeing it is said to proceed of causes naturall: it may be supposed the same had bin seene before the promise; and seeing the Lord in six dayes finished the creation, and set the perfectGen. 2.1. order of all the creatures; it followeth that the rainebow had then his place, eitherFor it rained not in the first sixe daies of creation. Gen. 2.5 in be­ing or in power. Which if it were of old: how is it now said, this is the token of the couenant: I haue set my bow in the cloudes? There are indeed which perswade themselues,Author. de mirab. sacr. script. inter oper. August. lib. 2. cap. 10. that there was neuer raine­bow seene before this promise made; yea, some [Page 386] doeLyza in Gen. 9.1. Alcui [...] in Gen. [...]. 9. Strabus Eccles. Histor. fondlie thinke, that it neuer rained on the earth, before the floud. But these being priuate iudgements, without authoritie of Scripture, are to be commended to the credite of the authors. And that the rainebow hath alwaies bin, since the sunne and waterie cloudes haue bin, euenArgum. ab eff [...]iēta. from the first creation, may much rather be esteemed; neither is there any let or hindrance to be found. The Lord saith not, I now create the rainebow, but I haue set the rainebow in the clouds; this is the signe; that is, the rain­bow which is in the clouds, shall henceforth be the signe. So that although the rainebow were before (as theSome of the He­brues say, that the Rainbow was before, but was not in a cloud before: but this is against both Philosophie & rea­son, and not at all approoued by the Scripture. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 4. Arcus coelectis signum vobis erit, &c Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Sole radios suas contra nubes mis­tente: i. The Sunne casting his beames against a clowd. Ambros. de Noah & Arca. lib. cap. 27. Hi [...]ro. in Ezech. Com­ment. cap. 1. August. in Apocalyp. Tract. 2. Who all in setting downe the cause of the Rain­bow to be from the beginning, doe in effect affirme that it was from the beginning. Caluin. in Gen. 9. Ne­que enim Mosis verba sonant fabricatum suisse arcum, qui prius non fuerat; verùm notam esse illi in sculptam qua diuinae gratia signum hominibus daret. Ita arcum coelestem qui naturaliter prius fue­ras hic consecrari dicimus in signum & pignus. most Diuines consent) yet was it not be­fore a token of the couenant, but now was made a signe, which before it was not. If any man think it ought to be a new creture, which was newly made a signe; let him also excogitate a reason why it so should be. The vertue of SacramentsAugust. contr. Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 22. In sacramentis non quid sint, sed quid osten [...]ius attendatur: i. In the Sacraments we must cōsider, not so much what matter they are of: but what they signifie. depend not of the creatures wherof they are, but of theAmbros. de Sacram. lib. 4. cap. 4. Lord, as of the authour, by whom they are. Water was before it was ordained vnto the vse of Baptisme: and bread and wine were before the Supper of the Lord; but were no Sacraments before theAmbros. ibid. Panis istae panis est ante verba sacramentorum, vbi accesserit consecratio, de panefit caro Christi. August. in Euangel Ioh. tract. 80. Accedit verbum ad elementum & fit sacramentum, etiam ipsum tanquam visible verbum. institu­tion of Christ was ioyned with them: which being added,August. ibid. Detra [...] verbum, & quid est aqua nisi aqua? and the creature in forme thereof admini­stred, is made a Sacrament. So likewise those that beleeue this promise of the waters, and receiue the [Page 387] rainebow as the seale thereof; to them is the raine­bow a seale of the couenant, & a confirmatiō of the promise. But before it was promised, it could not be beleeued, or receiued as a seale, whereof there was no couenant: and since it is promised, it isNamely to whom the couenant is vn­knowne: to Philo­sophers, Heathen, or beasts. Calo. in Gen. 9. Qua­re si anellitur facra­mentum à verbo, desi­nis esse quod vocatur. no Sacrament to those of whom the promise is vn­knowne, or vnreceiued. The Lord doth make this couenant with all theVers. 9.10. creatures, but the signeVers. 13. be­longeth properlie to those of faith: wherefore though all the creatures are deliuered by the coue­nant, yet onlie the beleeuers reape spirituall benefit. Now as it belongeth vnto Sacraments, toNisi enim facramē ­ta similitudinē quan­dam earum rerū qua­rum sacramenta sunt, haberent, omninò sa­cramenta non essent. August. epist. 23. haue resemblance to the matter signified: so was there not a more apt creature, to be seene in heauen or earth, to manifest in sightAugust. contr. Fa [...]st. [...]br. 19. cap. 16. Sa­cramenta corporacta quasi visibilia verba. Idem tract. in Ioh. 10. this mercie promised. The Lord was nowGen. 8.21. & 9.11. appeased with Noah, & pro­mised to shoote no such arrowes of displeasure as before. Euen soIris Graecis dicitur [...] à pace, quasi fignum pacis vēl [...], quod o­stendit pactam. Latini à Gracis, vel ab [...]ere vocant, quia descen­dit per [...]ērem ad vs (que) terram. Isidor. lib. 13. cap. 10. this bow is placed in the clouds, as one that holdeth a bow in peace, the string is to­ward vs, the ends are downeward to the earth. A­gaine, the earth that then perished, ouerflowed with water, is2. Pet. 3.7. now kept in store, and reserued vnto fire: wherefore the Lord, as it were to put vs in re­membrance,Gregor. Mag. in E­zech. Hom. 8. Vnde & in aeren eodem, color a­quae & ignis, vt v [...]rius (que) indicij testis sit. hath ioyned with the colour of wa­ter, the colour of fire. Moreouer, as wee doe not al­waies feare a sloud when wee see a cloud; so theNeque enim in aēre denso apparet, nec apparuit vn­quam, sicut fabulantur non philosophantur Rabbini, sed in densa nube & concreta. rainebow appeareth not in vaine, but either be­fore a tempest that is to come, to admonish our faith of the promise of the Lord: or after it is pas­sed, to prouoke vs vnto thankefulnes for our deliue­rance. In which respect the Lord also saith: the bow [Page 388] shall be in the cloud, that I may see it, and remember the euerlasting couenant. For he seeth the rainebow, as all his creatures are before his eyes; but heeAugust. contr. ad­uersar. Legis, lib. 1. cap. 20. Dico Deum admoneri se voluiss [...], quāuis non sit oblitus, sicut Christus doceri se voluit vbi Lazarus positus fuerit, quamuis non esset ignarus: & sicut alibi dicit, gaudete quia nomina ve­stra sunt scriptae in coelis, quae nisi piè ac­cipiantur, donec fides impetret vt intelligā ­tur, nonnè vt fabulo­sa videantur? hath a speciall eye vnto our faith, how wee beholding it, beleeue his word. NeitherChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Non quia ip­se habeat opus recor­datione. needeth hee to be put in remembrance by the rainebow, least hee should destroy the world with waters: but that wee by see­ing it,Chrysost. ibid. Sed vt nos ad illud respicien­tes nihil durum suspi­cemur. Hieron. in Ezech. c. 1. Quando apparebit in nube, sciamus nos se­cundum antiquitatis exemplum nequaquā perituros esse diluuio. might remember that God remembreth vs, and vpon the assurance of his promise, might feare none euill. But whether is this rainebow a signe of nature, or a signe of grace; a token that the earth can­not from thence forth be ouerflowed, or that it shall be kept by the mercie of the Lord. Surely althoughAquin. quodlibet. 3. artic. 30. Idem in Gē. Comment. cap. 9. Caietan. in Gen. Com­ment cap. 9. some doe take it as a naturall signe to shew that there is no such aboundance of waters gathered, as whereby the world is in daunger of a floud: yet much more doth it pretend the infinite power of God, which restraineth the waters that they cannot flow. For alwaies it is perceiued, the darker the clouds are, and the more disposed to raine, and the more the creatures doe threaten a floud; the clearer is this signe of heauen, if no naturall cause beside, doe let the same. And much rather it agreeth with the power of God, to whom itDeut. 32.36. 2. King. 3.13.14. Isai. 63.5. appertaineth to saue when none can help, and in the greatestExod. 14.15. &c. dan­gers, to shew the greatest tokens of deliuerance. Doctrines. 1. verse 1.8. This couenant confirmed vnto Noah, Sic enim legendū est: [...], vaeni hineni; & ego ecce ego, id est, hoc insuper addo ad benedictionem: oratio continuata. immediatelie after his sacrifice; tea­cheth that the Lord will giue vnto the godlie theirPsal. 37.4.13.14. & 55.22. hearts desire, and graunt them2. Sam. 7.19. 1. King. 3.13.14. more then they doe aske. Secondlie, verse 9. The Lord bestoweth [Page 389] his blessings on his creatures,Deut. 9.6. Isai. 48.9.11. for his owne sake, not forRom. 9.11.16. A­gainst ye new sprung opinion of iustifica­tion. This was an absolute couenant, not conditionall. In the couenant of grace there is a cō ­dition required, as Iere. 31.33. and the same not for the Lord, Iob. 35.7. but for our owne be­hoofe, 2. Pet. 1.8. &c. Iren. lib. 4. c. 28. Nec nostro ministerio in­digens Deus; sed quo­niam bonus & miseri­cors, vt beneficiat ijs, qui perseuerāt in ser­uitute eius. foreknowledge of anie recompence: for here is no stipulation of reward. Thirdlie, verse 10. The couenant of preseruation is ex­tended to the beasts:Psal. 36.6. & 145.9 for God is louing vnto all his creatures. Fourthlie, if vnreasonable creatures are vouchsafed to be partakers of the couenant of preseruation; howGen. 17.7. Exod. 20. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed, to a thousand generations, to thē that loue me. Against the Anabaptists. much more may the children of the faithfull, be partakers of the couenant of grace by Baptisme, althoughGen. 17.7. August. Epist. 23. Ita­que paruulum, etsi non fides illa, quae in credentium voluntate consistit, iam tamen ipsius fidei sacramen­tum fidelem facit. Nam secundum quen [...]m modum, sacramentum corporis Christi, corpus Christi est, sacramentum sanguinis Christi, sangnis Christi est; ita sacramentum fidei fidei est. they haue not by reason of their infancie, attained the gift of liuelie faith. Fiftlie, verse 11. God hath most constantlie performedIsai. 54.9. his promise, in the preseruation of the creatures, which was not confirmed in the blood of Christ: he will therefore most vndoubtedlieIsai. 62.8. Heb. 6.17.18. per­forme the couenant of grace, sealed by his death, to those that obserue the condition thereof. Sixtlie, verse 13. That the world neither hath bin, nor shall againe be drowned with waters,2. Pet. 3.5.6.7. Ierem. 5.22. Basil. Hexam. Hom. 4. Vt ne superinfluens aqua, &c. Luther. in Gen. 9. Iris significat nullum diluuium venturum esse, tamen hoc non ex aliquae naturali causa, sed tantum ex verbo Dei. Caluin. in Gen. 9. Idem in Ierem. 5. Hieron. Zanch. de oper. Dei. part. 2. lib. 3. cap. 3. Non autem ex causis naturalibus, vt nunquam futurum sit diluuium. Contra [...]pinant [...] non posse terram totam aquis obrus nisi miraculo, & qui ponunt Iridem signum naturale se­renitatis. Valer. Flacc. Argonaut. lib. 1. Emicuit reserata dies, coelian (que) resoluis arcus. standeth not of causes naturall, but of the good pleasure and pro­mise of the Lord. Seuenthlie, the promises of God, and the seales therof2. Cor. 1 20. Rom. 8.7. 1. Cor. 2.14. are sure, although they seeme neuer so greatlie contrarie to the reason of man. Eightlie, vers. 14.15. When wee behold the raine­bow [Page 390] in the cloud, weVers. 14.15. Luc. 22.19. Hinc dicitur sa­cramentum, visibile verbū. August. tract. in Euang. Ioh. 80. The Iewes are accustomed when they see the Rainbow, to goe forth and confesse their sinnes, that they are worthie of a flood, and are preserued only by Gods mer­cie: take away superstition, the rest belongeth vnto Christians. ought to remember the co­uenant of God, and to confirme our selues therein by faith.

Question 6. verse 2. Wherefore the Scripture maketh report that Noah was drunke with wine?

LIke as before the Scripture testified, thatVers. 1. God blessed Noah and his sonnes; so now doth it proceed to teach, in what manner thisFor this cause the Genealogies are recited. blessing was bestowed vpon them. In the re­gister or record whereof wee may consider an ex­cellent doctrine: namelie, that such of them and their posteritie, as were wicked and worldlie men, were partakers of worldlie and temporall benefits but haue had withallAs it came to passe to Cham and Canaan, vers. 25. the wages of their sinne: and that the godlie, although not so greatlie flourishing inFor Sem was not so fruitfull in chil­dren: besides in Ioc­tan who (as the He­brues say) made shipwrack of his fa­thers religion. Heb. 10.36. worldly things, yet in the end, haue fullie enioy­ed the promises. This is the scope of the two next following Chapters. In this place is laid downe a preparation thereunto. Herein also two points are chieflie handled. First thatVers. 6. onelie of these three sonnes of Noah, the nations haue increased ouer all the earth: against the presumption of someBerosu [...] auoucheth that Noah had thir­tie sonnes after the flood, whom he calleth Titans. But it is not the true Berosus, but a for­ged fable of Annius of Viterbium. hea­then [Page 391] andMethodius Patarē ­sis, lib. Reuelat. cap. 6. citeth a fourth son of Noah, and calleth him Ionithus, by whose counsel (saith he) they builded the tower of Babel. Caictan. Cardinal. in Gen. 9. The sonnes of Noah which went out of the Ark were Sem, Ham and Ia­pheth: it appeareth therefore (saith he) that Noah had o­ther sonnes after the flood, which went not out of the Arke: a wide and false coniecture. Hector Boethius in his historie of Scotland affirmeth, that a kinswoman of Noah in the time of the flood imbarked her selfe and arriued in Ireland, from whom that Nation is deri­ued. But it is an im­pudent falsehood, and contrary to the Scripture, Gen. 7.23. christian writers, which haue crossed the plaine authority of the word of God, in this respect. The second is, an oracle of God, wherein is fore­described the condition of the ofspring of these three sonnes of Noah, in time, long afterward. In this also is to be considered: the occasion of the o­racle; which is, that Noah was drunke with wine: and also the matter of the oracle, the Prophesie of Noah vnto his children. Wherein wee may also indiffe­rentlie behold the sinceritie of the word of God, in obseruingCicer. de orat. lib. 2. Prima est historiae lex, ne quid falsi dicere audeat; deinde ne quid ve [...]i non audeat: ne qua suspicio gratiae sit in scribendo, ne qua simultatis. the common lawes of historie, which neitherChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 29. Neque propter inuidiam iu­sto [...]m virtutes pratexit, neque propter gratiam peccata adumbrat. for fauour of the godlie, concealeth their faults; neither for enuie pretermitteth their vertues: and that which is common with no other histories; theNumb. 11.11.21. & 20.10. Psal. 51.1. Iona. 1.3.5. & 4.3.7. Ierem. 20.14. Matth. 9.9. 1. Tim. 1.13. writers themselues are forced to declare their owne infirmities, which is2. Pet. 1 21. [...], acti à spiritu sancto. an euident argument that the Scriptures are of God. Noah also (saith the text) began to be an husband man. In the Hebrue text it is read thus [...] vaiachel Noah ish headhamah: and Noah began (to be) a man of the earth. Ambros. de Noa, cap. 29. vnderstandeth it otherwise, but worse, that he be­gan to plant vines, before to sow seede, but this is not the meaning of the Scripture. word for word: And Noah began (to be) a man of the earth: that is to say, a husband­man. The which coniunctionAs if it had been said: whereas before the stood men liued in husbandrie, Noah continued the same also after the flood: wherefore it is very well translated; And Noah began againe, &c. (And) importeth that as before, so after the floud hee was a husband­man, and now began againe to be an husbandman. Whereby as it is euident, that bothGen. 3.17.18. Ambros. de Noah. c. 29. Ergo sicut Adam primigenes magister, terram videtur ope­ratus, ita & iam egressus ex arca Noe, seminationis & agriculturae author est factus. Adam, andGen. 4.12. Caine, and Noah and other, did till the earth, and [Page 392] liued in husbandrie before the floud; so it seemeth no lesse by this, andEccles. 5.8. Luc. 17. vers. 27. Mat. 24.38. Whereby that ap­peareth a forgerie of Berosus, that saith Noah inuented the making of VVine. Notwithstanding I suppose this historie was not vnknowne vnto the Heathen: and that he was Noe who of thē was cal­led Bacchus, or Boa­cus: of the Greeks Oenotrius [...], of wine: of others, Ianus, à [...] Iain, which in Hebrue & Syriac signifieth wine, whō they pictured with two faces, because he saw the first world before the flood, and this after, and ioyned them as it were together. Tertul. lib. Apolog. cap. 11. A [...]nob. cont. Gent. lib. 6. Of him ignorant Antiquitie among the Heathen hath sabuled many things; as that Nicander lib. 1 linguar. telleth that the mother of Bacchus was inclosed in an Arke by Ca [...]mus. Other, that he inuented sacrifice. Ouid. fastor. 3. Ante tuos ortus arae sine honore fuerunt Liber. Other, that he inuented and taught men husbandrie, and planting of vineyards. Euripides in Bacchis. [...], &c. Semele satus potum racemi reperit mortalibus. Plin. lib. 7. cap. 56. saith also, he was the first that taught to buy and sell. Other which are fond fables are derided by August. de ciuit. Dei, libr. 7. cap. 7.8. Lactantius libr. 2 cap. 2. Diodor. Siculus. libr. 4. cap. 5. other Scriptures, that the vse of the vine andRabb. Moses Ben. Nahmah, vpon this place, and Dauid Kimchi lib. Rad. say, that the vine was knowne before, but men planted no Vineyards, neither vsed Grapes for drink, but for meate: Rabb. Leui saith, he tooke the seede and slippes of euery tree with him into the Arke. In the Cabala it is, that he tooke them out of Paradice. But it is the custome of the Iewes, in diui­ning to ouer reach. wine it selfe, were not vn­knowne vnto the world; which augmenteth great­lieChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 25. Ostendit quod ipse vini bibendi primus in­uentor fuerit: sed perignorantiam & nescien bibendi mensuram, in ebrietatem inciderit. Alij con­trà statuunt & verisimilius. the fault of Noah, and he dranke of the wine, and was drunke. Which report of Noah, althoughIulian. apud. Cyril. lib. 7. Nonne & Salomon nostris seruiuit dijs, à muliere, vt dicunt, deceptus? Igitur siquidem à muliere deceptus est, eum sapientem ne dicatis. Li­bertines, and Atheists doe deride; yet is it of most precious vse vnto the Church of God. For first see­ing the righteousnesse of Noah, is so greatlieGen. 6.9. & 7.1. Ezec. 14.14. prai­sed, and his wonderfull deliueranceGen. 7.18.23. & 8.1.3. declared in the Scripture; his sinne is also published, to the end it might be knowne,Psal. 130.3.4. Isai. 53.6. Hieron. in Isai. cap. 3 [...]. August. epist. 105. Quaerimus obdurationis meritum & inuenimus; quaerimus autem meritum misericordiae nec inuenimut, quia nullum est: ne gratia euacuetur, si non gratis donatur sed meritis redditur. Bernard. in festo omnium sanctor. Serm. 1. Quid potest esse omnis nostra iustitia coram Deo? Nonne iux [...] prophetam, vt pannus menstruatae reputabitur? Quid ergo de peccatis e­rit, quando ne ipsa quidem per se poteris respondere iustitia? he was saued not of merite, but of mercie. And if so great a PrinceRom. 3.19. & 4.2. of righte­ousnes, hath not to glorie in his works; what can we wretches claimeRom. 3.23. & 6.23. August. Epist. 105. Quae igitur sua merita iactaturus est liberatus, cui si digna suis meri­tis redderentur, non esset nisi damnatus. of due desert, saue punishment. [Page 393] Secondlie, albeit heGen. 6.9. Heb. 11.7 Hieron. libr. tradit. Hebraic. in Gē. Iustus non iuxta iustitiam consummatam, sed iuxta generationis suae cum iustum fuisse, iu­stitiam. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 15. cap. 26. Iustus non vtique sicut per­ficiendi sunt ciues ci­uitatis Dei in illa immortalitate qua ae­quabūtur angelis dei, sed sicut esse possunt in hac peregrinatione perfecti. were righteous, and walked with God: yet was heGen. 5.3. 1. Cor. 15.49. of Adams image, and had his imperfections; which the Scripture therefore re­cordeth,Iren. libr. 4. cap. 45. Scriptura veteres in­crepauit, de his quae si­ne consilio spiritus e­gerunt, vt non glorie­tur vniuersa caro in conspectu domini. Ambros. Apolog. Da­uid. lib. c. 2. Nā si in­offensum à vitijs in­ter tot lubrica hu [...] seculi curriculum per­egissent, dedissent nobis occasionem infirmioribus aestimandi cuiusdam superioris eos naturae ac diuinae fuisse, vt delictum recipere, & culpae consortium habere non possent. least wee should haue thought him per­fect. So doth it in like mannerGen. 12.12. of Abraham, Gen. 42.16. Ioseph, Numb. 11.22. Psalm. 106.33. Moses, 2. Sam. 11.4. Dauid, Iob. 3.1.3. Iob, Ierem. 20.14. Ieremie, Ioh. 2.3.4. Marie the virgin­mother of Christ,Matth. 26.74. Peter and the rest: to the end that we might know, thatIob. 4.18.19. Rom. 7.23. none is voide of sinne, and therefore that we ought not to despaire for our infirmities, butClem. Alexandr. Paedagog. lib 2. cap. 2. Quocirca No [...] quo (que) indecora vinolentia scripta est, vt ebrietatem quā maximè vitemus, manifestam scriptis (que) man­datam lapsus imaginem habentes. August. in Psalm. 50. Multi enim volunt cadere cum Dauid, & nolunt surgere cum Dauid. Non ergo ca [...]endi exemplum propositum est, sed si cecideris resurgendi. Audiant qui non ceciderunt, ne cadant; audiant qui ceciderunt, vt surgant. learne to rise againe with speed by their example. But how saith the Scripture then: hee 1. Iohn. 3.9. sinneth not that is borne of God? I answere byCONCILIATIO. 13. the Scripture. Sinne after two sorts doth excrcise his force on men. Some whereRom. 6.12. Iohn. 8.44. it raigneth in thē, as in those that take delight in sinne. In others, itRom. 7.15.16 18. lurketh, but doth not rule their hearts: who with a purpose of heartRom. 6.13. 1. Ioh. 2.1 [...].16. doe cleaue vnto the Lord. So he that is borne of God sinneth not, that is,Rom. 7.15.18. Galath. 5.17. delight­eth not in sinne: but although he seeke continuallyRom. 7.24. 1. Cor. 9.27. Philip. 3.13. to subdue concupiscence, yet often hee is1. King. 8.4 [...]. Eccles. 7.22. taken in infirmitie. So that if any say in this life, he is Iob. 9.20. 1. Ioh. 1.8. August. de peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 10. Si me iustum dixero contra iudicium eiu [...], vbi perfecta illa iustitia regula me conuincit iniustum, profecto impie loquetur os meum, quia contrae veritatem Dei loquitur. free from sinne, he is a lyar, and therein sheweth the thing which he denieth. Here therefore vngodlie drun­kards [Page 394] haue no patronage. Noah August. ibid. Noe ficut legimus, fuit a­tiquando ebrius, quā ­uis absit vt fuerit e­briosus. was no drunkard albeit he were drunke with wine. Although once ouercome, yet he did not practise it. Yea the Lord soVers. 21 22. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 29. lacet ridicu­lus, &c. scourged him for itProuer. 3.11. Reuel. 3.19. being a sonne, that hee plainelie shewed, that those that vse it daylieHeb. 8.9. are but bastards, and shall not, without most speedie re­pentance, receiuePsalm. 95.7.8. inheritance in the kingdome.

Question 7. verse 29. What meaneth this, that when Cham sinned, Canaan is punished and accursed?

CHam although theVers. 24. youngest son of Noah, is alwaies placed betweene his brethren: forGregor. Hom. in E­uang. H. 38. Ex Noae tribus filijs, electi duo vnus reprobus fuit, boni enim soli nunquā sunt nisi in coelo, mali soli in inferno: hec autem vita vtrosque participat. so the godlie in this life are mingled with the wicked. He is so oftenVerse. 18.22. called the father of Canaan, becauseChrysostom. Hom. 28 Ne putetis obsecro hoc absque causa fuis­se aediectum. Nihil e­nim in diuina scrip­tura continetur, quod non aliqua ratione di­ctum sit, quod non & latentē in se habeat vtilitatem. Ambros. de Noe & Arca. cap. 28. Significat igitur ex illo Canaan Cananaeos fuisse, qui post multas generationes à populo iusto oppressi cesserunt in e [...] possessionem. he was also authour of the curse on Canaan, whoseGen. 15.16. Deut. 7.1.2. &c. race were wholie ordained, of the holie seed, to be extinguished. The greatnesse of his fact caused Cham to suffer a grieuous pu­nishment. Hee saw (saith the Scripture) his fathers nakednes, Gen. 9 22. and told his brethren without. This onelie word (letting coniecturesThe Rabbins in Cabala affirme, that Cham cut off his fathers priuitie. So doth Rab Leui in Comment. in Gen. Berosus Annian. that he inchan­ted them. I he [...]e are absurd and fabulous lyes. and fables passe) doth sufficientlie display the fault. First in that hee saw, and did not couer; secondlie, in that he saw, & told without. The law of nature andCicer. Offic. lib. 1. Quiequid sine detr [...]mento possit commodari, i [...]i tribuatur cuique vel ignoto. humanitie pre­scribeth, [Page 395] that what help or benefit, wee may yeeld without our hinderance, the same can no lesse then be affoorded vnto the farthest aliant: but vnto Pa­rents, friends, and countrie, weCic. Offic. lib. 1. Charisunt par [...]tes, chari li­beri, propinqui, fami­liares: sed omnes om­nium charitates pa­tria vna complexa est pro qua quis bonus du­bitet mortem oppetere si ei sit profuturus? A­mong Heathen ex­amples, that of Ci­mon the son of Mil­tiades, is worthy me­morie, who to deli­uer his father of im­prisonment, was cō ­tent to be impriso­ned in his steed, V [...] ­ler. Max. lib. 5. cap. 4. and that his father might be buried, he paied all his credi­tors after his death, his debts arising to fiftie Talents: Hero­dot. in Erato. Not­withstanding that Miltiades, a worthie Captaine & mem­ber of his countrie, had been vniustlie accused of briberie, and causeles condemned to such penaltie, as imprisonment and paiment of fiftie Talents: Plutarch. in vita Cimon. ought to spend our liues for help. The law of God requireth farther,Rom. 15.1. 1. Pet. 4.8. that we should hide the imperfections of our bre­thren, and beEphes. 4.32. Coloss. 3.12. grieued for their infirmities; and for the godlie (much more our godlie Parents) weeIoh. 3.16. Rom. 5.7 ought if need require,Alcesti [...] the wife of Admetus, offered to dye for her husband: and with more holie loue Priscilla and Aquila, for Paul, laid downe their owne necke, Rom 16.4. exchange our liues. How barbarous then was this negligence of Cham, to see hisHieron. epist. ad O­cean. Noe ad vntus hora ebrietatem, nudauit famora sua, quae per se [...]centos a [...]o [...] contexerat. fathers distresse and shame, and not to couer him? Besides, he added vnto this: that hee told his brethren without. Thinke you hee asked their hel­ping hand, as not being able to relieue his father? no surelie: for when they with reuerence did couer their fathersVers. 13. nakednes, he gaue them not assistance with the least of his fingers. It is euident therefore hee did his father villanie, either byChrysost Hem. in Gen. 29. Fortassis etiam & derisit & subsann [...]nit patrem. derision, or more opprobrious iniurie, both in his fathers sight, and in the hearing of his brethren, for so the histo­rie doth import: Noah Ve [...]s. 2 [...]. knew what his younger sonne had done vnto him. How knew he? being certifiedChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 29. Vorte fratres significa [...]erunt, non accusatien [...] quidem gratia, sed re [...] vt facta erat docentes, vt conneniens ille suo vulneri remedium acciperet. thereof by Sem and Iapheth? Nay rather of him­selfe he knew or didFor the drunkard is said to remember, both what he hath done or suffered in his drunkennes, when his sit is past; which one that hath been mad doth not: yet is drunkennes voluntaria i [...]sania, a wilfull madnes, as Cato saith: being for this cause detestable, because it is a wilfull abuse of Gods benefits, of health and nature it selfe. remember, as the nature of [Page 396] the word doth [...] Iadagh is pro­perly belonging to the minde and vn­derstanding, some­time also to ye sense or feeling. Gen. 39.8. & 4.1. signifie. And said cursed be Cana­an. A question may here be moued, whether these words, cursed be Canaan, were the verie words of Noah, or the interpretation of Moses, by the same spirit of God, recording the historie. Some thinkeFrancs. Iun Analys. in Gen. c. 9. Hac vox maledictus Canaā, aut Noachi dictum est aut Mosis interpretamen­tum. Si Mosis (quod ego quidem facile pro­bauerim) &c. that as Canaan is so often namedAmbros. de Noa & Arca. cap. 28. Muscul. in Gen. Com­m [...]nt. cap. 9. of Moses for the incouragement of Israel, against the Cananites; so he beareth in the historie the curse by name, which was cast by Noah vpon his father. Neuerthelesse it seemeth rather by that which followeth, that Cana­an was by name accursed of Noah. Againe, it is e­steemed ofCal [...]. in Gen. cap. 9. Videri posset Noah etsi iustam excandes­centiae causam habeat, parum tamen modeste & grauiter se gerere. Iun. in Analys. in Ge­nes. 9. Plerisque visum est, hanc sententiam aut ab ebrio Noacho, aut ab exacerbato pronunciatam fuisse. some, that Noah inflamed with wine, or anger, pronounced this malediction. But it is vn­sound (I might truelie say, vngodlie) so to thinke. The scripture, for this cause hath testified, and Noah awoke from his wine, that is: was cleerelie freed from the strength thereof. Againe, this curse containeth aIustin. Mart. Dial. cum Triffo. Praedixit Noah quod qui à Se­mo prouenturi erant, occupaturi fuerint possessiones & domici­lia Canaan. prophesie long agoe fulfilled, wherof the Scrip­ture testifieth,2. Pet. 1.20. that no Prophesie in Scripture is of anie priuate motion. Wherefore the holie Ghost, who is theVers. 21. 1. Pet. 1. author of Prophesie, is likewise the authour of this curse. Wherefore also the same is thus to be in­terpreted: cursed isTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. 62. Maledictus est vel eris Canaan. Canaan, or cursed shall he be: Or if it be read as a wish or imprecation, wee are to consider the affectionPsal. 79.6.12. & 109.6 Reuel. 6.10. of the godlie, when they desire vengeance on the wicked; theyAugust. in Psal. 78. Quapropter cum & homo iustus & homo malus de inimicis suis ve [...]nt à Do­mino vindicari, vnde discernerentur, nisi quia iustus magis cupit inimicum suum corri [...]i [...]am pu [...]iri [...] & cum vidit à Domino vindicari, non cius delectatur poena, quia non eum odit, sed diuina iustitia quia deum diligit. delight not in their punishment, because they hate not the per­sons of the wicked, but their sinne; but in the iustice of God which punisheth, because they loue the [Page 397] Lord. So that when the iust man Psal. 58.10. seeth the vengeance and reioyceth, it is not of malice, but of beneuolence, either hoping that theAugust in Psal 78. Denique si in hoc secu­lo in cum vindicatur, vel pro illo etiam le­tatu [...] si corrig [...]r, vel certe pro alijs vt ti­meant cum imitari: ipse quoque sit melior non supplicio illius o­dia sua pascendo, sed errata emendando. Si autem in futuro secu­lo, vltimo Dei iudicio vindicatur, hoc ci pla­cet quod Deo, ne bene sit malis, ne piorum praemijs etiam impi [...] perfruantur; quod v­tique iniustum est, & à regula veritatis quā iustus diligit alien [...]. wicked may by punish­ment be amended, or louing Gods iustice aboue mens persons, not being displeased with the pu­nishment of the wicked, because it proceedeth from the Lord, nor desiring that the wicked may be acquited from penaltie, because they deserue in iustice to be punished. If any demaund, why ra­ther this curse is laid on Canaan; manie causes there­of may be affoorded. Diuers learned writersChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 28. Canaan fuisse genitum tempore inū ­dationis. Sic & Rab­bini aliqui. testi­fie, that this accident was after the birth of Canaan, of whomTheodoret. quaest. in Gen. Aliorum senten. tiam refere: tum ipse, Cuius rei inquit mag­num & illud argumē ­tum est quod Noe ma­ledictionem suam, & quasi admissi sceleris supplicium in Canaan potissimum contulit. Videtur igitur primus nuditatem aui vidisse, & patri indicesse vt est sententia Rabbinorum. some affirme, hee was the beginner of this mischiefe; and some, thatAben Ezra in Comment. in Gen 9. Scribit ipsum risisse referente Camo. he was partaker with Cham his father, which if it were euident (asOrigen. in Num. Hom. 20. Canaan puer antequam nasceretur maledicitur. Ambros. de Noc. cap. 30. Vti (que) Canaan natus non erat. the same by other is doubted and denied) then were the cause more manifest, why the curse was impo­sed vpon him. But contrariwise if as yet hee were vnborne, the commendation of the Prophesie is so much more excellent, foretelling so iustlie hisCanaan propriè ser­nus est à [...] Canagh humiliate: Significat & mercatorem. Hose. 12 7. Prou. 31.21. Quasi dicas homo Canaan, nam [...]ra Canaan mercati [...]e rerum nobiliu [...]m maxime seruiebat. EZeck. 27.17. & 17.4. Vi­detur igitur hoc nomen non sponte susceptum, sed inustum potius spiritu (que) prophetico declaratum ab ipso Noe, & à posteris sic vocatunt. name, person and condition; and whether or not it be maintained, it is not materiall vnto doctrine, seeing that the Lord directed the mouth of Noah, from whosePsal. 139.6. Ierem. 1. [...]. knowledge, power, and prouidence, Canaan vnborne could not be secret. Moreouer when Canaan is cursed, Cham is not freed, but him­selfe is accursed inDeut. 28.15.18. his posteritie andAugust. in Psal. 103. Filios vocat scriptura opera nostra: inde [...] apud Grae [...]os. Ari [...]ci. Polit. lib. 1. cap. 8. goods. [Page 398] And therefore it is directed speciallie to Canaan: first in regard of the sonnes of Sem and Abraham the Israelites, of whom the Lord hadAmbros. de Noe & arca. cap. 28. Caluin. in Gen. cap. 9. Iudais videtur habita fuisse gratiae Dei ra­tio. speciall re­gard, both in directing the mouth of Noah, and the penne of Moses recording the historie. Secondlie, for the instruction ofEst enim certissimū signum prophetiae ip­sius complementum. Deut. 18.22. all succeeding ages, concer­ning the admirable prouidence of God. The Lord doth long before point out as it were with fin­ger, where this plague should burne in the house of Cham: whose children bothGen. 12.15. & 41. &c. Herodot. in Euterp. Reges in Aegypto fuisse ante Ninum Assyriū: ex Trog. Iustin. lib. 2. Aegyptians, andCush obtained the greatest part of A­frica and Arabia: looke chap. 10. Ae­thiopians, andCanaan florished almost a thousand yeers after ye curse. Numb 13.28. the Cananites themselues, most no­tablie flourished long after the threatning of this curse, and euen after the recordingQui haec scripserit in eremo. of the same by Moses: notwithstanding in the end,Gen. 15.16. Iosu. 11.19.20. Isai. 28.23. &c. in the fulnes of the time therof, this prophesie was fufilled vpon Canaan, according to the stricktnes of the curse. Thirdlie, to daclare the hainousnes of the offence of Cham, the punishmentAmbros. lib. de Noe & arca. c. 32. Vel cer­te diutius poena pro­ducitur cum etiam ad filium vsque perten­dit & successoris af­flictio in tēpora mul­ta profertur. was not onelie laid on him, but also on manie generations after him. Fourthlie, that the punishment of Cham, being laid also vpon his children, mightAmbros. ibid. Et fortasse ideo quod pius afficitur iniurij [...] filij sui maxime quarum reut & author existat. the more astonish his wicked heart: considering it often happenethTertul. contr. Marcion. lib 2. Quis enim non magis filiorum salutem quam suam cures? Chrysost. Hom. 29. Scitis enim, quomodo saepenumero patres orant, vt siliorum poenat ipsi ferrent. that men are more carefull of their children, then of themselues. Fiftlie, forasmuch as the Lord before had blessed Noah & his sonnes, therefore Noah doth so adiudge the punishment, as that the offender re­ceiueth his iust reward, and yetIustin. Mart. Dialog. cum Triff. Filium namque vna cum reliquis duobus benedictione à Deo auctum, spiritus propheticas execraturus non erat. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 29. Volebat enim cor­ri [...]ere filium propter peccatum & simul noiebat praeiudicare benedictions quae illi pridem facta fuerat. the blessing graun­ted, remaineth vnuiolate. Noah therefore doubt­lesse, [Page 399] doth neither rashlie or cruellie correct his chil­dren, butMatth. 7.3. first repenting of his own offence, which gaueRom. 14 13. the stumbling blocke to other, chastiseth his sonne as one thatSicut Moses, Exod. 32 27.32. feeleth the smart himselfe: and yet spareth not his owne bowels, when God com­maundeth him to strike. But how standeth this with iustice, that Canaan is punished, when Cham offen­ded, seeing the Lord affirmeth, the children Ezech. 18.20. shall not beare their fathers sinnes? TheConcilia­tio. 14. children that are notHieron. in lere. com­ment. cap. 2.5. Offen­sam ducit à patribus, non quo peccata pati [...] fisijs imputentur, sed quo & fil [...] habentes patrū similitudinem, & suo, & parentum scelere puniantur. August. contra Adi­mant. cap. 7. Ex eo quod addit, qui me o­derunt (Exod. 20.5.) intelligitur eos puniri peccatis parētum, qui in eadem peruersitate parenium, perseuerare voluerunt. partakers of their fathers sinnes, shall in no sort be partakers of their punishment. For the Lord is so greatlie inclined to mercie, that hee alwaies par­doneth the fathers themselues,Ezech. 18.21.27. whensoeuer anie doth repent; and himselfe also dothPsal. 51.8. Lament. 5.21. Ezech. 11.19. August. epist. 105. Si­cut ergo nemo recte sapit, &c. nisi accepe­rit spiritum sapientie & inteliectus, &c. quod est ergo meritum hominis ante gratiam, quo merito perciptat gratiam, cum omne [...]onum meritum nostrum, non in nobis faciat nisi gratia: & cum De [...]s co [...]nat merita nostra, nihil a [...]d coronat quam minnera sua. giue them grace, whereby they doe repent. But so horrible a thing is sinne, that it doth attaint theIsai. 43.27. Rom. 5.12. August. de Nupt. & Concupisc. lib 1. cap. 19. Quod dimissum est in parente trahi [...] in prolem; mi [...]is qui [...]e m [...]i [...] fit, sed tamen sit. propagation vnto manie generations, and staineth it with the fa­thers trespasses: yea so farre, as that none is freeIob. 14.4 Prou 20 9. or can be freed there from, but by thePsalm 51.12. Ioh. 8.22. free spirit of the Lord. Canaan therefore, continuing in his fa­thers sinnes, andGen. 13.13. Deut 18 2. his posteritie; were punished with their fathersHos [...]. 2.4 Gal 3.10. curse most iustlie. But why Ca­naan more then the rest of the sonnes of Cham? The potter hath power of the clay Ierem. 18 6. Rom. 9.21. to doe therewith as pleaseth him. Gods counsailes are infinite, let himAug [...]st epist. 105. Scrutetur qui potesi iudiciorum eius tam [...]tum p [...]si [...]ndri, ver [...]tamen caueat praecip [...]ium. Calum. in Gen. 9. Quis (que) nostrum suae infirm [...]tis sibi cons [...]tu [...] tri [...]uere pe [...]us Deo laudem i [...] stitiae discat, quam vt se insana anda [...]a in profunda a [...]fl [...]n praecipitet. Cum enim totum sen [...]en Cham Deus maledicti [...]ni haberet obnoxi [...]m, Cananita [...] sibi nominatim sumpsit, quos prae alijs malediceret. that is [Page 400] able search the depth of them, but let him beware of drowning in them. Obser. 1. The godlie which sinne of infirmitie, for the most part receiue2. Sam. 2 14. Psal. 89.31. Exemplis patet. more grieuous punishments in this life, then doe the wic­ked. Secondlie, Gods children ought to couerProu. 17.9. & 20.3 Rom. 15.1.2. Gal. 6.2 Quae scilicet tegenda sunt, nam quaedam nō sunt. Deut. 13.8. the imperfections of their brethren with loue. Third­lie, children which despise their parents areDeut. 27.16. Prou. 30.17. cursed of the Lord. Fourthlie, the blessing of ParentsExod. 20.12. Gen. 49.1. prolongeth life vnto their children. Fiftlie, the Messias Iesus Christ, is come ofGen 11.10. Matth. 1.1. Luc. 3. the posteritie of Sem, and liathIoh. 10.16. Ephes. 2.13.14. gathered together the sonnes of Sem and Iapheth, according as theVers. 27. Ezech. 37.22.24. Scriptures haue foretold. Sixtlie, those that fall with Noah into the sinne of drunkennes, &Luc. 13.3. Heb. 10.26. rise not againe with Noah by repentance; shall in this life beProu. 21.17. & 23.29.30. 1. Cor. 6.10. Chrysost. Hom. 29 in Gen. Ebrius in peio [...]i sta­tu, quam est mortuus; mala enim facere potest, bona non potest; tacet (que) ibi ridiculus omnibus, & vxori, & pueris & famulis. Idem in Act. Hom. 27. Bestia magis quam homo, ridiculus est inimicis, misera­bilis apud amicos, omnium detestatione dignus. Idem ad pop. Antioc Hom. 71. Cane & Asino, imo omni animanti longe deterior. Idem ad pop. Antioc. Hom. 57. Vbi regnat ebrietas, ibi & Diabolus. Basil. Hom. de ebrio. Ebrius spontaneo seruit daemoni. August. ad Sacr. Virgin. [...]brietas est flagitiorum om­nium mater, culparum (que) materia, radix criminum, origo vitiorum, turbatio capitis, submersio sensus, tempestas linguae, proc [...]lla corporis, naufragium castitatis, amissio temporis, insania voluntaria, igno­miniosus languor, turpitudo morum, de decus vitae, honestatis infamia, animae corruptela. partakers of shame and miserie, and in the world to come, of1. Cor. 6. vers. 10. Gal. 5.21. e­ternall fire

CHAP. X.

Question 1. verse. 1.2. &c. To what purpose are these generations so largelie described?

NOT without manie, & those verie necessarie causes, doth the spirit of God so fullie, and amplie describe the re­storing of the world, by Noah and his posteritie. First that we might acknowledge theAuthor. ad Heren. lib. 1. Historia est res g [...]sta, sed ab aetatis no­strae memoria remota. Est ergo testis tempo­rum, lux veritatis, vi­ta memoriae, magistra vitae, nuncia vetustatis. Cic. orat. lib. 2. August. libr. de vera relig. cap. 25. Quoniam autem diuina prouidentia, non solum singulis hominibus quasi priuatim, sed vniuerso generi humano tanquā publicè consulit; quid cum singulis agitur, Deus scit qui agit, & ipsi cum quibus agitur sciunt: quid autem ae­gatur cum genere humano, per historiam (sacram) commendari voluit & per prophetiam. historie of the Bible, to be the historie of histories, containing a perfect, faithfull, and necessarie record of all the monu­ments of antiquitie; whereinFor a­mong the Heathen there is no historie of antiquitie, which reacheth beyond the warres of Troy (which was about the time of Elie and Samuel) and the games of Olympus, as Eusebius testifieth by the witnes of Iul. Africanus, Euseb. de praepar. Euang. lib 10. In this respect Varro called the time from the beginning of the world vntill the flood [...], secret or vnknowne: from the flood to the Troian warres [...] fabulous: from thence vntill his time [...], made knowne by historie. Censorin. lib. de die Natal. all the histories of men doe faile: and therefore ought to be read, peru­sed, [Page 402] andPsalm. 119.97.98. Now the very Hea­then esteemed their histories so much, that Scipio would neuer lay the histo­rie of Cyrus bringing vp, forth of his hāds. Cicer. Tusc. lib 2. A­lexander was wont to hide Homers hi­storie of the warres of Troy, vnder his pillow whereon he slept. Alcibiades comming into a Grammar schoole, asked the Maister to see a peece of Homer, who answering hee had none of Homer, Al­cibiades strake him a buffet on the face, saying hee was an asse, and made his schollers like him­selfe. How much more should Chri­stians bee studious and zealous in and for the worde of God. loued aboue them all. A perfect record it is, because it fullie deliuereth as wellIoh. 20.31. in historie, as in all otherVincent. Lyrinens. cap. 2. Cùm sit perfec­tus scripturarum canon, sibique ad omnia satis superque sufficiat, &c. matters of saluation, whatsoeuer vnto the Church of God is expedient to be knowne. Faithfull, as being2. Pet. 1.21. Iren. libr. 3. cap. 1. August. de consensu euangel. cap. vlt. endited by the holy Ghost, the searcher1. Cor. 4.5. Tit. 1.2. of all secrets, and authour of all truth. Necessarie, because it containethBasil. Hexam. 10. Otiosum verbum in scripturis ponere grandis est blasphemia. Tertul. de Praescripe. Haeret. Apostolos domini habemus authores; qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbierlo, quod inducerent, elegerunt, sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam, fideliter nationibus assigna [...]erunt. no emptie or idle circumstances, but necessarie doctrines (euen in those places, which oft times of men are thought impertinent) directlie appertaining to mans saluati­on, and the edification of the Church. The second cause is, that whereas these nations are for the most part remembred againe in Scripture, with diuers accidents which in the prouidence of God befell them, in the dayes of Moses, & of the Prophets; it could not be without the light of this narration, that the wisedome and prouidence of God in dis­posing of them,Francise. Iun. in analys. in Gen. 10. Tum vt fines ad ecclesiam decre [...]o Dei pertinentes, tum vero ad alios, prout ad historiam Ecclesiae intelligendam visum est per [...]inere, hoc capite circumscriberet: Nam abque hoc capite essent multa, quae spiritus Dei per Mosen aliosque Prophetas consignauit scripto, neque illo tempore fuissent ab Ec­clesiae percepta, neque hoc nostro perciperentur. could be so manifestlie vnder­stood. Thirdlie, to explane the Prophesie pronoun­ced before of Noah, concerning the estate of his three sonnes, and in them of the condition of the world. Which Prophesie consisteth of three parts, according to the number of the sonnes of Noah, whom it concerneth. The first is of the punish­ment of Cham in Canaan his sonne, to which pur­pose is here described the ofspring of Canaan, and [Page 403] the place of their habitation, whereby there can no­thing be made more manifest in the sequele of this historie, then that those were the people, whom the Lord gaue vp vnto the sword of Israell, and which indured bondage, of all other seruitudes most mi­serable. In the second place, it containeth the bles­sing vpon Sem, wherein if wee diligentlie obserue the words of Scripture, wee shall finde the expositi­on of them, in this which followeth. Blessed (saith Noah) be the Lord God of Sem: why saith hee not ra­ther, blessed be Sem of the Lord God, but that the Lord God of the Prophets directed his mouth? For what is this, blessed be the Lord God, then as if he had said:Psalm. 145.2. praised be the Lord God; or I haue, and the world with mee shall haue infinite cause to praise the Lord for Sem? And why the Lord God of Sem? Not onlie in respect of the righteousnes of Sem, in which respectHebr. 11.16. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 29. Hoc forte quis dixerit non est benedicere Sem [...] Imò valde benedixit il­lum. Quando enim dominus benedicitur, & aguntur illi gratiae ab hominibus, tunc v­berior ab illo solet istis benedictio dari, prop­ter quos ipse benedi­citur. Si [...]ut autem quando benedicitur propter nos, multum id nobis conciliat fa­noris: ita & contrà quando propter nos a­lij illum blasphemant maior hinc nostra fit condemnatio. Oecolampad. in Gen. 9. Eratvtique etiam Deus Noah & Deut Iapheth & omnium praeterea mortalium; verùm significat esse cum singulari quadam gratia Deū filij sui Sem, propter futurum benedictionis semen Christum, ex [...]o secundum carnem nasciturum. God was not ashamed of Sem to be called his God (for so he was also the God of Noah, and of Iapheth) but particularlie the God of Sem, for that among the sonnes of Noah, the promisedGen. 3.15. Luc. 3.36. seed should come of the roote of Sem, for whom all nations should haue cause to blesse the Lord: and that sonne of Sem should beMatth. 22.43. his Lord God, in whom all nationsPsal. 72.17. should be blessed. Thus is the womans seed, first promised to Adam, againe par­ticularlie promised to come of the stocke of Sem; and thus doe the Scriptures in the following histo­rie, declare him yet more particularlie the sonne ofGen. 12.3. Abraham, and yet more speciallie2. Sam. 7.16. Matth. 22.4. of the house [Page 404] of Dauid, that all the world might knowWherefore, the blindenesse of the Iewes and Turkes is horrible and la­mentable: who al­beit all the prophe­sies foretold of the Messiah, doe fully agree in Christ, and onely in man; yet they will not ac­knowledge him for their Sauiour vntill this day. The former part of this assertion is proued by all the Euangelists, the content of whose historie is this: that which the Prophets haue foretold of the Messiah, as that he should be borne of a Virgine, that hee should flie into Aegypt, that hee should bee slaine, his garments deuided, not a bone of him bro­ken, &c. the same was fulfilled in Christ the sonne of Marie: Ergo, that Christ is the pro­mised Messiah. The later part is manifest by the Iewish stubbornenesse, and the Turkish su­perstition: whose custome is to haue this inscription in their Chappels in the Arabicke tongue: [...]a illah ilella. Mehumet iresul, that is to say, there is but one God, and Mahumet is his prophet. Barthol. Georgieu. lib. 1. cap. 1. de morib. Turcar. in their triumphs and reioycings they vse these words: Illalla illallà, Machomet Russolalla, that is, God is and euer shall be, & Mahomet his seruant. Leon. Chiens. Mitylen. Archiep. lib. de excidio Constantinop. Such stuffe is their Al­coran filled with: which booke if a Turke permit vnto a Christian to reade, he is punished with death. that Ie­sus that sonne of Marie, is the Messias of the Lord,Gen. 3.15. Reuel. 13 8. promised from the beginning, andIsai. 63.5. Matth. 1.21. Act. 4.12. onely he that can saue his people from their sinnes. To this in­tent, the genealogie of Sem is reckoned and repea­ted, and Sem is called the Vers. 21. father of all the sonnes of Heber, of whom proceeded the Hebrue Abraham, to whō the promise was after renued by the Lord. The third part of the Prophesie concerneth Iapheth, then which nothing could be more agreeable to the successe, which God hath giuen to Iapheth, and his children. ( [...] Iaphet Elohim Lele­pheth) God Eadem vox & Chaldeis & Sy [...]is dilatare est. Et in Hiphil Hebraeis omninò id significat: in Cal saepius aliter, quando (que) tamen ita redditur. enlarge Iapheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Sem: wherein is contained a double blessing. The first is temporall, the other spiritual, conioyned by the Hebrue coniunction ( [...]) and. The word which is interpreted to perswade, doth also signifie toRadix [...] patha: blande alloqui; Graec. [...], sapissime accipi­tur in malam partem: est etiam dilatare, authoritate Hieron. & Rabbinorum. enlarge, in which sense the most part of antiqui­tieOnkelos. Chaldaic. Paraph. in Gen 9. Hieron. lib. Tradit. in Gen. dilatet. Iustin. Martyr. Dialog cum Tr [...]ffon. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 29. D [...]ndo dilatare omnes gentes significauit. Athanaes. Orat. 1. contr. Arrian. Ex Deo, &c. Ambros. libr. [...]e Noa & Arca. cap. 32. Augustin. de Ciuit. Dei. libr. 16 cap. 2. Nam & Iapheth latitudo interpretatur. id est, For Iapheth is by interpretation breadth or widenes. Translat. Septuagint. vulgaris, Pagninus & Montanus. doth vnderstand this place; & it seemeth most [Page 405] agreeableChrysostom. homil. in Gen 29. No aberrabit quis si dixerit bene­dictiones iusti prophe­tias esse. Nam si pae­ter Noae non simplici­ter ne (que) frustra voca­bulum indidit Noae, sed vaticinatus est per nomen futurum Dilu­nium: multo magis iustus ille non simpli­citer ne (que) frustra be­nedictiones protulit. Opinor autem quod benedicendo hos duos duorli populorum vo­cationē significare vo­luerit; per Sem qui­dem Iudaeos: per Ia­pheth autem Gentium vocationem. to the purpose of Noah, in the naming of his son, and with his purpose afterward in bles­sing him, and with the purpose of this Scripture, in describing his posteritie. The rest of the blessing is spirituall: and let him dwell in the tents of Sem: that is, let him also be partakerHieron. libr. trad. Hebr. Quod autem dicit & habites in ta­bernaculis Sem, de no­bis prophetatur, qui in eruditione & sci­entia scripturarum e­iecto Israele versa­mur. of the blessing of Sem, and ioyned & adopted vnto the Church of God, whose lot it isAugust. in Psal. 30. Ecclesia huius tempo­ris tabernaculum ideo dicitur quia adhuc in hac terra peregrina­tur. Figuratur autem in Sarah, pulcherri­ma foemina in tabernaculis habitante. Idem contr. Faust. Man. lib. 22. cap. 28. Hilar. de Trin. lib. 7. Hoc habes proprium Ecclesia, dum persequitur floret, dum opprimitur crescit, dum contemnitur pro­ficit, dum laeditur vincit, dum arguitur intelligit, tunc stat cum supera [...]i videtur. to dwell in tents. Concerning which, it is euident also by this Scripture, that both God did well intreat, or enlarge Iapheth, and that his chil­dren euen vntill this day, continue in the tents of Sem. In which description it is first to be obserued, which the holie Ghost doth so expressie teach; that as the whole world consistethGen. 9 29. of the progenie of these three sonnes of Noah; soVers. 1. contra ac Chrysostomus videtur admittere. none of them had children till they were at libertie from the Arke, and the daunger of the waters, in which but onely eight soules were saued, as saith the1. Pet. 3 20. Scripture. Wherein is perceiued the singular goodnesse of the Lord: for seeing that onlie from these three rootes, the earth was shortlie ouerspred; and that none of this in­crease was found, either before, nor in the time, but after the flood of waters; it sheweth euidentlie the force & strength of the blessing of the Lord, where­with he had indued them: bring forth fruit and mul­tiplie, and replenish the earth. Neither yet is thereCaluin. in Gen. 10. Jam nasutis hominibus quib [...]s ab, urdum non est, nullum agnoscere mundi conditorem, tam subita mun­di propagatio incredibilis videtur, atque ideo quasi fabulosum rident. Fatemur quidem si sensu nostro, &c. At ego interim respondeo, quid incredihile si in praescripto spacio à scripturis, longaeui ho­mines in tantum numerum excreuerint? imo nihil insolitum significatur. occasion, why ignorant and foolish men should [Page 406] cauill at this historie, in respect of the multitude of nations that here are spoken of, as though they had bin at an instant brought forth into the world. For the scope of the Scripture is to shew, who were the heads and originall of the nations, which in pro­cesse of time were deriued from such parentage. And to this intent it saith: of these were the Iles of the Gentiles deuided in their lands, euery man For these things are spoken of by Anticipacion, as shall appeare in the next Chapter. after his language, when as yet the whole earth was of one language, and one speech: and againe; afterward were the families of the Cananites ouerspred: that is in conuenient time, which was long time after. So that the chiefe fathers of the nations here spoken of, wereSic enim statuere videntur, qui linguas 72. diuersas factas in confusione scribunt. Arnob. in Psal. 104. Hieron. tradit. He­braic. Epiphan. [...]b. 1. Haeres. cap. 1. August. de ciuit. dei. lib. 16. cap. 3. Rabbini & alij. all, or for theFor seeing that Peleg was borne in the time of the di­uision of tongues, it cannot bee that Ioctan who was his younger brother, should at that time haue childrē, whose languages were di­uided; wherefore it must needs be, that either Pelegs name was giuen by Pro­phecie, which well might bee, or that Ioctan was the el­der: which is vn­likely: or that Ioctans children were not of that number which were at that time diuided which is likest of all. most part borne before the diuision of languages, which afterward is re­membred. Concerning whom, it were a vanitie to supposeThe Scrip­ture only teacheth such thinges, as do make for the edification of the Church. that the Scripture would indeuour to feed the curious mindes of men, to shew of what particular ancetor euerie nation of the earth descen­ded, whereof there is no vse in matters concerning faith or godlines: but onlie in generall, to shew the linage of our Sauiour, the stocke of Cham that was destroyed, the issue of Iapheth, how at last they en­ioyed the blessing promised; and such other points as serued to the necessarie instruction of the church. It appeareth in the account of genealogies, that God enlargedVers. 2.6. & 22. Iapheth aboue his brethren, for hee enioyed seauen sonnes, Cham but foure; Sem flue: and, that his succession is not prosecuted, as is the re­sidue, is notAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 2. Nec eos defuisse crediderius, sed si omnes commemora­rentur nimis longum fieres, & hac esset magis historita diligentia quam prophetica prouidentia. for that hee was inferiour to his bre­thren [Page 407] in multitude; but because of the situation of the countrieBy the diuine prouidence, Deut. 32.8. Some affirme that Noah cast lots for his sonnes: which is not a­gainst faith, albeit it be not necessary to be beleeued. allotted for his inheritance, his habi­tation was farther distant from the familie of Isra­el, and therfore not so necessarie to them, to be de­scribed; or by their speciall nations, of the Church of God, to be discerned. It seemeth moreouer, that the boundes of his habitation were more large then of his brethren, and that the mightiest nations of the world haue risen of this roote of Iapheth. The eldest sonne of Iapheth was Gomer, whose ha­bitation was in the north from Canaan, & from the common enimies of Israel, asEzech. 38.6. appeareth by the Scriptures: wherefore,Vers. 5. where here it is said, that of the sonnes of Iapheth, the Isles of the Gentiles were in­habited: it seemeth rightlieFor in the North part of the world from Iudea are found no Ilands, vn­till the Hyperboraic Ocean, nor any sea but the lake Meo­tis. Wherefore it is necessarily conclu­ded, that Iapheth inhabited the north part, as Armenia, Scythia, &c. and the Isles of the Gen­tiles, which is Eu­ropa. Iosep. ant. l. 1. c. 7 Hieron. trad. Hebraic. Iapheth filio Noa na­ti sunt septem filij qui possederunt terram in Asia ab Amano & Tauro Syriae Coeles & Ciciliae montibus ad fluuium Tanaim: in Európa verò vs (que) ad Gadira, &c. concluded by inter­preters, that s from those famous mountaines Tau­rus and Amanus west & north, vnto this our coun­trie of England and Ireland, and that of Spaine, which are esteemed to be thePtolom lib. 1 Tab. Europae. 1. farthest west part of the world, that is to say, a great part of Asia, with all Europa, which is counted of it selfe a third part of the world, came into the possession of the sons of Iapheth. Cham enioyed theAegyptum & Africam, & partem Arabiae. south part; & Sem theVers. 30. Scil. reli­quam Asia partem. east, of whose line Israel wasAd mare mediteraneum sitae. on the west the vttermost border. Of the familie of Iapheth, these mightie nations are said to come. Of Gomer (not theFor the land of Gomer is in the North part from Iudea, Gallia or France in the West; and it were folly to place Galatia instead of either Gomer or Gallia, for those Galatians or Gallogrecians were of the Galles and Bri­tans, which vnder the conduct of Brennus, brother to Belinus King of England, sacked Rome, and afterward spoyled the Temple of Delphos, & lastly planted themselues in that country Galatia: who because they were called Celts or Galles (which name was then cōmon to the inhabitants of England and France) and spake the Greeke tongue, were called Gallo-Graeci, French Greekes. Ptolom. lib. 3. cap. 32. Iustin. libr. 34. alij. quod Galli & Graeci à rege Bithyniae auxi­liares socij solicita­bantur & in eius ditiones resederunt. Galles or Galatians, of which there is no coun­tenance [Page 408] of truth, but rather theComari scilicet & Massagetae. Pomp. Me­la. Geograph. libr. 1. à filijs Gomer Ascene, Pontici & Bithynici populi quibus eadem denominatio est, & Ascanius fluuius, Strab. libr. 12. Vsque ad Ascanij Lacus, à Riphath, Riphij sine Arimphai, Plin. lib. 6. cap. 7. à Togarmah, Armeni, quorum re­ges Tigranes, oppida Tigranocertae. Strab. lib. 16. people of Arme­nia, & the borders of the same. Of Magog, Ioseph. Ant. lib. 1. c. 7. Hieron. lib. Trad. Hebraic. Vt maxime fidem facis, quod simili ratione nationes Gog & Magog de­scribuntur, Ezech. cap. 38.5. & 59.2. &c. the Scy­thians; of Madai, These are called Madai in Hebrue, as Dan. 6. &c. the Medes; of Iauan, theSo doth the Scripture call the Greekes, Dan. 8.2. Gre­cians: of Tubal, the inhabitants ofIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Tobelus To­balais sedem dedit qui nunc sunt Iberi. Hieron. trad. in Gen. Tubal Iberi, qui & Hispani à quibus Celtiberi, licèt quidam Italos suspicentur. Celtiberi verò à Celtis, id est Gallis, ad Iberum flumen ha­bitantibus: Lucan. lib. 3. Fraunce, Eng­land, Italie and Spaine; of Meshech, theMeshech. Cappadoces qui olim Meschinos vocatos & eorum vrbem Ma­zacam: testis est Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Hieron. Tradit. Hebraic. men of Cappadocia; of Tiras, theyQuorum non satis (vt in­quis Hieron. ibid.) immutatum est vocabulum. of Thracia & Phrygia. But as it were in vaine to be curious in bounding out their habitations: so were it follie to suppose those nations which now remaine, to be purelie the ofspring of such parentage. For such hath bin the wickednes of men, theirThey were soone turned out of the way: Exod. 32. for within one hundreth yeere after the flood, they forgat the great example of Gods iustice; and his exceeding mercie in their owne deliuerance; prouoking him a new in building Babel. vnthankefulnes to God, and their crueltie within themselues; and such the wrath of God for their offences; as that they haue bin by wars and seditions dashed one against ano­ther, and in their habitations mingledAs Troians, with the Latians of Aborigenes in Italie: Gothes with Italians and Spaniards: Saxons and Normans with Britans: French men with Galles, &c. and confu­sed. Notwithstanding it cannot be perceiued, by a­nie testimonie of antiquitie, but that in generall, the sonnes of Iapheth haueNot vniuersally expelled of any region by the Sonnes of Sem or Cham. kept their habitation; and to Sem and Chams posteritie haueIt is to be obser­ued out of all histories, that the greatest empires haue been either from the North toward the South, as of the Babylonians and Persians, as it were to subdue Chams posteritie; or to­ward the East and South, as of the Macedonians and Romans; or lastly toward the West and South, as now is of the Turkes and Tartares, which seeme to be of Togarmah, and of Iapheths familie, though they haue changed their religion with the Saracens, the counter­feit Sonnes of Sem, and Sarah. rather offered, [Page 409] then suffered violence. By which as it is manifest, that as God inlarged Iapheth according to the Pro­phesie, so he also hath dwelt these manie1600. yeeres. hundred yeeres, in the tents of Sem. For so soone as the God of Sem was made knowne vnto the world: euen from Ierusalem, and round aboutRom. 15.19. Hieron. trad. Hebr. in Gen. de Iapheth popu­lus gentium nascitur; quia igitur lata est multitudo credētium, à latitudine quae [...] Iapheth dicitur, lati­tudo nomen accepit. vnto Illyricum, and to theAs England, Ire­land & Sneueland: For the longitude of the earth, that is, of Cities and Coun­tries, according to Mathematicians, is their distance from the Meridian, which is taken from the Ilands called Insulae Fortunatae. farthest habitation of men westward, (all which are the territories of the sons of Iapheth) hath abounded of long time the Gospell of Iesus Christ. So that euen Italie2. Thess. 2.9. Reuel. 2.13. & 18.2. where Sathan now hath set his throne; and SpaineAmbros. comment. in Rom. cap. 15. Venturum promittit tempore quo ad Hispaniam erat iturus, quia illic Christus non erat praedicatus, vt occuparet mentes illorum. Confer cum Euseb. Eccles. Histor. lib. 2. cap. 6. (the last of all the sons of Iapheth receiuing the gospell) hath binMartyrum & professorum ferax, inter quos Osius Cordubae illustris prasul. Socrat. libr. 1. cap. 4. Sozom. lib. 3. cap. 10. re­nowned for the professiō of Iesus Christ, albeit now they do furiouslie oppresse and persecute the same. Obser. 1. The Lord hathPsalm. 115.16. giuen the habitatiō of the earth vnto the sonnes of men. Secondlie, the Pro­phesies of the Scripture are theIsai. 55.11. Habac. 2.3. Luc. 1.28. vndoubted truth of God, and shall be fulfilled in their seasons.

Question 2. verse 9. What meaneth this; that Nimrod is said to be a mightie hunter before the Lord?

THe genealogie of Cham is prosecuted by the Scripture, vnto the third generation: not somuch for that his seed was full of na­tions, as because such nations being bordering [Page 410] neighbours vnto the inheritance of Israel,As Philistims, Ae­gyptians, Arabians, &c. Isai. 14.28. & 19. & 20. Ierem. 46. & 47. are of­ten set out in Scripture, as vassals of Gods wrath: whereby, as then they might perceiue, that such pu­nishmentsIsai, 19.12. & 20 6. Ezec. 30.17. & 31.10 Amos 1.6.9. were inflicted on them for their wic­kednes, to giue exampleIerem. 7.12. & 46. [...]7. & Ezech. 26.8. Hieron. in Iere. 3. Tor­menta aliorum, aliorū sunt remedia. to the Church of God: so hauing recourse vnto this record, they might al­so finde the parentage whereof they were descen­ded. Cush gaue name toIerem. 13.23. Nun­quid vertes Cushith pellem suam? Aethiopia, which there­fore doubtlesse is to be esteemed his inheritance. Misraim toTerra Aegyptus Mizraim dicitur pas­sim in scripturis. Aegypt, which is also calledPsalm. 105.23. the land of Cham. Put toIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Hieron, libr. trad. He­braic. in Gen. Cush vs (que) hodie ab Hebraeis Aethiopia nūcupatur, Mizraim Aegyptus; Phut, Libya, à q [...]o Mauritaniae fluuius vs (que) in praesens Phus dicitur, omnis (que) circa cum regio, Phuthensis. Plin lib. 5. cap. 5. Libya. Canaan to the place of his possession. The sonnes of Cush: Seba, ofHieron. lib. trad. Hebraic. in Gen. Saba à quo Sabai, de quibus Virgilius, Solisque est Thuria virga Sabais. Neque enim extra hanc Arabia felicis tractum thus alicubi reperitur. Saba in Arabia. Hanila, whose countrie isDescriptio eius ha­betur, Gen. 2.11. & 25.18. 1. Sam. 15.7. quibus intelligitur esse porrectam à Perside & Susiane Austrum versus iuxta amhitum Euphratis: vid. Plin. libr. 6. cap. 27. Solin. cap. 68. Hinc palam est, terram Cush duplicem esse, quod filij Cush partim Aethiopiam, partim Arabiam, & Babyloniam, cum Nimrod filio Cush incoluerunt; vnde non immerito vxor Mosis Midianites vocatur Cushith, N [...], 12.1. Licet Midianita fuerit non Aethiopissa. Namque Abrahae filius Midian sortem accepit in finibus Arabia felicis, quae ipsa à posteris Cush possessa fuerat. oft remem­bred in the Scripture: Sabtah of whomIoseph. Antiq. lib 1. cap. 7. Sabathes à quo Sabatheni, qui Gracis dicuntur Astabarri, vel potius Ascabari, & Cascaboraei, à Nili appellatione quē incolunt, vt trad. Tremel. in Annot. the Saba­theni. Raamah, and Sabtecha Hieron. trad. in Gen. Regma vero & Sabbatheca paulatin antiqua vocabula perdidere, & quae nunc pro veteribus habeant ignoratur. haue lost their auncient names, if euer they were knowne to be a people. The sonnes of Raamah: Sheba, whoObseruandum est Seba filium Cush, Hebraicè scribi cum [...] Samech, vt obseruauit Hieronymus, Seba filium Regina scribi cum Shin, [...] Sheba: & praeterca notandum, Sheba cum Shin esse vel hunc filium Regina, vel alium fi­lium Iokshan filij Abraham, hic [...]utem filius Regina in Australi Aethiopia tractu sedem tenuis, vn­de venit regina Austri. Filius Iokshan in Oriente à Canaan, cuius posteri Iobi [...]rmenta depradan­tur, Iob. 1.15. cuius meminit Strab. lib. 17. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 29. Ioseph Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. quare im­ [...]ito Pererius inuehitur in Iosephum vera praedicantem de situ terrae Shebae, nam fuit illa Regina Austri non Orientis. Ergo ex Sheba filio Regina, non filio Iokshan, qui dimissus fuerit orientem ver­sus Gen. 25.6. possessed a noble countrie in Aethiopia, where after raigned [Page 411] that famous Princesse; who came toMatth. 12.42. proue the wisedome of Salomon, whom ourLuc. 11.21. Sauiour calleth the Queene of the south, which came from the vttermost parts of the earth: and Dedan, after whom wasEzech. 27.7. Semper tonenda est distinctio inter Sheba & De­dan filios Regma, & Sheba & Dedan filios Iokshan. Quorum v­triusque mentio est i­bid. vers. 15. & 20. videntur vtrobi (que) esse confines Sheba & De­dan, tam huius, quam illius: & Regma non­nunquam pro Sheba sumi, nonnunquā pro Dedan è suis filijs. na­med his nation and posteritie. The sonnes of Mis­raim except Lubim & Casluhim (being not els where remembred in holie Scripture, saue inChron. 1.11. the repeti­tion of this genealogie) are vnknowne saith Iose­phus, &Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. their names through wars haue perished in forgetfulnes: for whom also I thinke it vaine, to seeke farther then the kinreds of Egyptians. The Cananites are most largely described by name and situation; to the end the Israelites might fullie know the bounds of their countrie, which the Lord had promised: as namelie in their west border, from Si­don in the north, vntill Azza in the south; and in their east side from Sodome and Gomorra Admah Zeboiim, euen vnto Lasha, that is from the south to the north againe; thus pointing outVid. Tremel. in An­not. the foure cor­ners of the countrie. And Cush begot Nimrod saith the Scripture: why then is not Nimrod named a­mong the sonnes of Cush? because beingOb eius eminentiam, inquit August. de ciu. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 3. more fa­mous then the rest, the Scripture reserueth him vn­to his place. Of Nimrod is recorded: first his linage of the stocke of Cush, and Cham. Secondlie his con­dition, that he began to be mightie, and a mighty hunter before the Lord. Thirdlie, his kingdome and domi­nion is bounded out. Fourthlie, his succession is sig­nified, thatEpiphan. Haeres. 1. & Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 29. doe thinke that this Assur was the sonne of Nim­rod: but the Scrip­ture is against it, and reason, & con­sent of authoritie: the Scripture na­meth Ashur the son of Sem, but of Ashur sonne of Nimrod remembreth not. Ashur, not of hisIoseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 17. Semae vero quinque fuerunt filij quorum Assurus vrbem Ninum condidit, & subditos de se Assyrios nominauit. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 3. Ashur autem vnde Assyrij, non fuit ex filijs Cham medij filij Noae, sed ex filijs Sem. children, but of the posteritie of Sem, auoided his tyrannie, and brid­led [Page 412] his fury, by buildingAugust. ibid. Vnde apparet ex progenie Sem exortos fuisse, qui postea regnum Gigā ­tis illius Nimrod ob­tinerent, vnde proce­d [...]rent, atque alias cō ­dirent ciuitates, qua­rum prima est à Nin [...] appellata Niniue. Niniue, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen, the last and the least whereofTremelio visu [...]s est et alijs, de Niniue prae­dicari, quòd ciuitas esset magna: sed quis huius sententiae vsus cum omnibus esset Ni­niue notissi na tanquā culmen & caput or­bis? Deinde ipsa phra­sis & ratio contextus aliter sonat, nec hu­iusmodi transpositio­nem ferè patitur; mul­to est tutius intellige­re Resen ips [...]m esse magnam etiamsi in­cognitam. was a great and noble Citie. Vnto which Ashur of Nini­ue, and his posteritie (beingPtolom. Geograph. descript. Asiae. Strab. de situ orbi [...]. lib. 16. neere in situation vn­to Babel) it seemeth by records ofNumb. 24.22.24. 2. King. 15. & 16.7. & 17.3. & 18.13. Scripture, andIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Herodot. in Clio. Diodor. Sicul l [...]b. 3. cap. 6. Iustin. lib. 1. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 17. From Ninus about the time of Abraham, vntill Esarhaddon sonne of Senacherib, about a thou­sand and foure hundred yeeres. other testimonies, the Lord for many ages permit­ted the chiefest Empire of the world. Of Nimrod it is said, he began to be mightie: that is to say, hee was the firstHieron. lib. tradit. in Gen. Nimrod fil us Cush arri [...]uit insuetā primus in populo tyrannidens. August. lib. quaest. in Gen. q. 18. Quaeritur cur diceret s [...]riptura: caepit esse gigas super terram, cum gigantes antea natos commemorat, an fortè post di [...]uu [...] nonitas generis humani reparandi de nouo commemoratur, in quae nouitate, hic caepit esse gigas super terram? Seuerus lib sacr. histor. Cami filius Cush nomine, Nimrod Gigantem genuit. Philastr. lib. de Haeres. Nim­rod primus Gigas appellatur à scriptura: i. Nimrod is called the first Giant in the Scripture: obserue that the old translation which Augustine followed, in steed of fortem coram Domino, mightie before the Lord, translated Gigantem, a Giant before the Lord. that exercised his might and crueltie in man­ner of tyrannie, after the floud of Noah. For this his crueltie, he is called a hunter and a mightie hunter be­fore the Lord. There are two sorts of hunting which the Scripture speaketh of. The one of beasts, as E­sau Gen. 27.5. hunted. The other is of men, which is a spiri­tuall kind of hunting. This also is in diuers sortes. Some there are that hunt the soules of men, of whō theEzech. 13.18.22. Prophet speaketh: you hunt the soules of my peo­ple, because with your lyes, you haue made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I haue not made sad; and strengthe­ned the wicked, that he should not returne from his wicked way, by promising him life. Some also hunt the bodies of men: and after Ierem. 16.16. (saith the Lord) I will send hun­ters, and they shall hunt them from euerie mountaine. Some, their liues; in which sense the ScriptureProu. 6.26. saith; a whorish woman will hunt for the precious life [Page 413] of a man. Some alsoProu. 1.17.18.19. their liues and goods. By this it may be perceiued, what kinde of hunting this Nimrod exercised; namelie hunting of men, their liues, liberties and goods: to which purpose, hee e­rected Babel as a net, to be the beginning of his ty­rannie. The which his subtiltie and crueltie, the an­ceintNon deprauatè ad sensum vulgata legis editio: ab hoc exiuit in prouerbium: quasi &c. people in a prouerbe tearmed hunting. But he is said to be a hunter and a mightie hunter before the Lord. Some vnderstand therbyVatab. Annot. in Gē. Coram Domino. Id est, omnium qui sunt sub coelo maximus. Idem Mecer. in Gen. his excessiue great­nes, as one would say a meruailous exceeding great hunter; in which sense, a verie great mountainePsalm. 36.6. Sicut montes Dei. is called in the Scripture, a mountaine of God; a great treePsal. 104.16. Item Ion. 3.3. Nini [...]e ciui­tas magna Dei: eodem sensu os maximū ho­minis, os sacrum dici­tur ab Anatomicis. is called a tree of God. Some vnderstand also, as though it had bin meant, that hee was not a wor­ker of secret iniuries, butAugust. de ciu. Dei, libr. 16. cap. 4. Sicut Nimrod Gigas vena­tor contra Dominum, quod non intellegentes nōnulli, ambiguo Grae­co textu decepti sunt, vt non interpretaren­tur non contra Domi­nū, sed ante Dominū; [...] enim & ante & contra significat. Tremel. in annot. Pes­simè igitur Aben Ez­ra in bonam partem accipit, quod feras ca­peret & coram Do­mino offerebat. euen of open villanie, in the sight of God and men, as the earth is saidGen. 6.11. to be corrupt b [...]fore God, and the men of Sodome Gen. 13.13. exceeding sinners against the Lord. Other thinke, thatIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 5. Hanc superbiam dei [...]; contemptum excitauit in ijs Nab [...]odes, vir audax & manu promptus, subinde iactani non Deo, sed propriè virtuti praesentem faelicitatem eos debere. Similia & Rabbi Rasi, Vatab. Eximere se conatus ex numero omnium. his in­solencie and pride of heart was such, as though he would haue exempt himselfe from the common condition of mortall men, to be like the almightie. He was mightie in the earth, and a mightie hunter be­fore the Lord: that isChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 2 [...]. Quidā dicunt hic coram Deo, id est aduersarius Deo: ego autem non puto scripturam hoc insinuare, sed quod robustu [...] fuerit, & virilis, & quod dicit coram Domino: hoc est a Domino constitutus, eo quod acceperat ab illo aliquam diuinam existimationem. saith Chrysostome, he was indued with excellent parts by God; he was mighty in strength, mightie in wisedome, mightie in fame and estima­tion; but these his priuiledges he abused (& became a mightie hunter) seeking to be made a king, when as yet1. Sam. 12, 12. the Lord was king, and to bring the free peo­ple [Page 414] in subiection, when beforeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 29. Sed hic iterū proauum suum imita­ [...]us, & abusus naturae priuilegijs, alium ser­uitutis modum adinuenit, & princeps at (que) rex fieri attentauit. Rex enim nondum e­rat cum nōdum essent subditi. there were neither king nor subiects. This is it which the Scripture chieflie meaneth, and condemneth in Nimrod and all his followers: namelie ambition, pride, and tyrannie. To be mightie, or noble, or wise, or rich, or honourable, is no where discommended by the holie Ghost, for they are indeed theGen. 24.35. 1. King. 3.13. blessings and gifts of God. But when men will lift vp themselues aboue their gifts, or because they haue no more, wil rob and spoile from other; such men are hunters be­fore the Lord. Nimrod was valiant, and wise, and noble: he oughtPsal. 82.1.2.3. therewith to haue defended, not oppressed his weaker brethren. He had no right of gouernment. Noah his great grandfather, the Mo­narch of the world was yetFor Noah liued af­ter the birth of Pe­leg (so called because of the diuision of tongues) two hun­dred and nine and fortie yeeres, as ap­peareth by ye Scripture. in life. Sem and Iapheth were much more honourable and more worthie; but none of them presumed of regall gouernment, but gouerned their owne, as a father in his familie. But this wicked rebellNā Hebraicè Nim­rod rebellem sonat à marad. [...] rebellare. waxing proud of the gifts hee had, albeit not satisfied with the greatnesse of them, spared not to depriue the people of their an­cient libertie, and his superiors of their authoritie, to the end (vndeseruing it, saue in his owne opinion) he might be made a king. But such was the proui­dence of God (who vseth the wicked and crooked instrumentsAugust. de ciu. D i, lib. 22. cap. 1. Poten­tius & melius iudi­cant, etiam de malis benefacere, quam ma­la esse non sinere. vnto his owne glorie, and his peoples good) to brand this wickednes of Nimrod with per­petuall infamie,Caluin. in Gen. 10. Constat hoc Mosis elo­gio inuri tyranno aeternam probri notam: hinc statuere licet, quantum Deo placeat moderata administra­tio inter homines. making it a prouerbe in the mouthes of men, and cuttingFor the Scripture maketh no mention of any children of Nimrod. Historians teach that Ninus was the builder of Nini [...]e. Strab. lib. 16. D [...]odor. Sicul. lib. 3. Plin. lib. 6. that he ouercame all the countries ab [...]t him. Diodor. lib. 3 cap. 6. Iustin. lib. 1. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 17. that his wife S [...]m [...]anis builded Babylon. Iustin. lib. 1. By which it is perceiued that Nimrods empire lasted but a little while. So August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 3. thinketh that Ninus was this Ashur sonne of Sem. But other writers affirme, that Ninus was sonne of Belus of the house of Chā, which Belus built Babylon: Euseb. de praepar. lib. 9. cap. 4. Q Curt. lib. 5. which Belus was this Nim­rod according to the Scripture. I suppose these authors may truly be reconciled thus: Nimrod built Babylon, and Ashur Niniue. Nimrod was called Belus, or Sa­turne of Babylon; Ninus sonne of A­shur subuerted his Empire, but follow­ing his manners, was as well counted his sonne, as of his godly father Assur, which Ninus also continued his fa­thers enterprise, & finished Niniue: his wife Semiramis after her husbāds death reedified Babylon: but of vncertain­ties, let euery one haue his iudgement. off his race from bearing rule. In whose example, wee may obserue [Page 415] 1. That those that seeke for, or doe attaine to ho­nour, rule-bearing, or office in the Church or com­mon wealth, notHeb. 5.6. being lawfullie aduanced or cal­led thereunto, either by lawfull2. Sam. 7.12. 2. Chron. 13.5.6. inheritance,1. Sam. 11.12. free election, or other meanesAccording to the lawes and customes of the Nations. which the Lord hath established, for the succession and continuance of such offices; they are before the Lord, accountedIudg. 9.1.20. 1. King. 15.27.28. & 16.1.2. 2. Chron. 23.3.14. &c. Isai. 22.15.16. hunters of mens soules, or of their bodies, liues, liberties, or goods, and shall be rewarded asProu. 1.19. Psalm. 5.4.5.6. spiri­tuall murtherers. 2. Those also that seeke for honour and authority for their own sake, their lucre or their glorie, rather then for the glorie of God, and the good of the Church and common wealth: euen they are1. Sam. 2.29.30. Ezech. 34.2.3. hunters before the Lord, the Lord hath not sent them, & yet they ran. 3. They that to place themselues in honour and dignitie, displace or hin­der other, which by right haue more title thereun­to: they alsoIudg. 9.1. 2. Sam. 15.4.5. Numb. 16.1.2. are hunters in this spirituall chase, theyHabac. 2.13. Micah. 1.7. often labour in the fire and get no gaine, for theProu. 20.21. inheritance vniustlie gotten, the end thereof shall not be blessed. 4. Those that haue receiued gifts, must1. Sam. 26.9.10. 2. Sam. 4.11. Psalm. 131.1.2. waite vpon the Lord, vntill hee call them forth to exercise them, which whenProu. 8.15. Hosea. 8.4. Isai 22.21. Rom. 3.8. euer he doth, he doeth by lawfull and holy meanes; and be humbledExod. 3.11. Iudg. 6.15. &c. with the sight of their infirmities, notIudg. 9.28.29. 1. Cor. 4.7.1. lifted vp with the measure of their gifts, nor ha­stie to climbe before the Lord doe stayPsalm. 94.18. their hand [Page 416] and foote; for it is much more warme and safe, to sit at the roote of a tree then in the toppe; and ho­nourNum. 11.11.12.13. Et honos est [...]nus, est in prouerbio. Hieron. epist. ad Marc. Non est dignum vt inde exigat honorem vnde refugis laborē. of it selfe is burdenous, much more1. King. 16.1. Chrysostom. Hom. in Psalm. 50. Conscientia peccati formidinis est mater: Conscience of sinne is the mo­ther of feare. Ther­fore the prouerb is: Nothing so fearfull as a Tyrant: where­of many examples are: Valer. Max. lib. 9 cap. 14. Dionisius for feare of being kil­led of his Barber, taught his daughters to pole his head: afterward not daring to trust them, hee burnt his haire with nutshels set on fire. Di [...]dor. lib. 20. Cicer. Offic. libr. 2. A­lexander Phareus v­sed to search his wife before he went to bed, least she carried anie knife to murther him. Sueton. in vit. Domit. cap. 14. Domitian was so fearefull that hee walked almost continually in his gallerie, which he caused to be set with the stone Phengites, that by the brightnes there­of (as in a glasse, Plin. libr. 36. cap. 22.) he might see what was done behinde him. when it is attained with an euill conscience: notwithstan­ding when the Lord doth call thee vnto office, (which thou shalt know by hisPsal. 19.11. & 119.98.99. word, and the law­full meanes he layeth before thee) Arise, and doe the worke of the Lord with cheerefulnes; be thou aZach. 4.2.6. candlesticke of light in the house of God, aIsai. 32.1.2.3. con­duit pipe to conuey Gods mercies and benefits to men, aRom. 13.4. sword in the Lords hand to auenge sinne and wickednes: punish the euill, maintaine1. Chron. 18.14. Psalm. 72.2. the good: deliuerPsalm. 82.3.4. Virgil. Aenead. 6. Regum est parcere subiectis & debellare super­bos. the oppressed from the hand of the wicked: haue notLeuit. 19.15. respect vnto the rich, nor to the poore: be vntoIsai. 49.23. the Church of God, a nursing fa­ther: cause the nurses therof2. Chron. 17.7.8. & 31.2.3. 1. Pet. 2.2. to feed with the milke of holsome doctrine. If thou shalt thus be occupied in theMatth. 21.28.29 vineyard of the Lord, not doingIohn. 6.38. thine owne will, but his that sent thee; notPhilip. 2.21. seeking thine owne things, but his that put thee in authotitie: the Lord will be with theeExod. 3.12. Iosh. 1.5. as he was with Moses, with Iosua, with Dauid, and1. King. 1.29. deliuer thy soule out of all aduersitie: hePsalm. 55.22. will beare the burden of thy magi­stracie; he will make thee aIerem. 1.18. defenced Citie, an iron pillar and walles of brasse against all thy eni­mies; [Page 417] hePsalm. 105.15. Zach. 2.8. that toucheth thee, shall touch the apple of his eye: he will preserue thine honour, &1. Sam. 2.30. peace of conscience in this life, and continue thyProu. 15.15. Psal. 5.11.12. regen­cie in the life to come, with eternall glorie and feli­citie. 5. Obserue also in Chams posteritie, they flou­rish and are mightie, and Canaan exceedeth in out­ward blessings, as in number of children, and rich inheritance: so is the Lord not hastie to bringExod. 34.6. Psal. 103.6. de­struction vpon the wicked, butRom. 2.4. 2. Pet. 3.9. prouoketh them with his goodnes to repentance. 6. There isIob. 21.7.8.9. &c. Psalm. 73.7. no discerning in the present estate of temporall things, betweene the righteous and the wicked. 7. The wicked,Iob. 21.17. &c. Psal. 73.18.19.20. although for a time they flourish with prosperitie, yet they soone decay, and are in the wrath of God consumed.

Question 3. verse 21. For what cause is Sem called, the father of all the sonnes of Heber: and what is to be e­steemed of the eldership or seniority of Sem & Iapheth, concerning whom there is difference in translations and inter­preters?

BEcause the Scripture purposeth, frō hence forth to abideAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 3. Caeptum esse dicit à minimo, & gradatim generatio­num istarum in maxi­mo finitam orationem: Sed ex falsis praemissis non sequitur conclusio. in the historie of the house of Sem, as by which onlie true religion was professed in succeeding ages; ofRom. 9.5. whom are the fa­thers, and of whom came Iesus Christ concerning the flesh: therefore in the beginningAfter the same manner in disgrace of Cham, the Scrip­ture calleth him the Father of Canaan. of his histo­rie these words are placed, as a preface to commend his person, and the blessings which the Lord God of Sem bestowed vpon him. One would thinke it at the first, a speech absurd, that Sem should be cal­led the father of all the sonnes of Heber. For if Heber were of Sems posteritie, how could Sem but be the ancetor of all his progenie. But herein is aChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 3. Merito the­sauro cuipiam confer­tur diuinarum scrip­turarum lectio: nam sicut ex illo, quisquis vel paruam micam capere valeat, multas sibi parat diuitias; ita & in sacra scriptura, etiam in breui dictione variarum sententiarum vim & ineffabiles diuitias inuenire li­cet. mine of treasure hid. He was father of all the sonnes of August. libr. de ciu. Dei. 16 c. 3. Orde verborum est: & Sem [...]us est Heber etiam ipsi, id est, ipsi Sem natus est Heber, qui Sem pater est omnium filiorum. Sem ergo Patriarcham intelligi [...] [...]s, omnium qui de stirpe eius exorti sunt, quos commemoraturus est, siue sint nepotes, siue abno­po [...]es, & pronepotes, & deinceps indidem exorti. He­ber, [Page 419] that is ofSome interpret it thus, the Father of all the Sonnes be­yond (namely Eu­phrates) not taking the word Heber to be a proper name, but as it signifieth tram, vltra, tra [...]ectum, vel vlteriorem par­tem, beyond or on the further side: like as the worde Beth bara, Ioh. 3.29. signi­fieth a house (Beth gnebar) beyond Ior­dane, for as Iosephus testifieth, Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. & Hieron. Trad. in Gen. the Sonnes of Heber possessed, from Co­phes a riuer of In­dia, vnto the border of Euphrates and Assyria. Therfore it is here interpreted of all the Sonnes beyond the riuer: But the coniecture is fetched too farre, to come home in season. Heber and all his sonnes. And why of Heber? for so was he also of Elam and Ashur, and Lud and Aram, and all the nations that came of them? Surelie, because the wisedome of God, wil­ling to commend Sem, for the blessing vpon Sem, which Noah had prophesied; could find no such ar­gument of commendation in any of these, as was easie in Heber to be found; which was sincere piety, and zealous perseuerance in true religion, which the Lord regardethDeut. 26.17.18.19. Hieron. ad Celant. Sola apud Deum libertas est, non seruire peccatis: summa apud Deum nobilitas est, clarum esse virtutibus. Nazianzen. Orat. 13. Triplex est genus nobilitatis; vnum quod supernè originem duxit, cuius respectu omnes ex aequo nobiles sumus, ad Dei scilicet ima­ginem facti: alterum à sanguine prouenit, cuius ratione num quis fit nobilis equidem haud scio; prae­serti [...] cum ortus eius cum interitu coniunctus est. Tertium, ex vltio vel virtute aestimatur, cuius vel magis vel minus participes s [...]us, prout vel seruanerimus imaginem vel corruperimus. Nam [...]tum genus ex rescriptis & edictis pendens apud me tunc erit in precio, cum pulchritudinem sitam in coloribus amplexus fuere, & Simiam capero venerari, quae leo sit esse iussa. aboue all the titles of nobili­tie. Which appeareth partlie by the name of He­ber, Transeuntem vel transuenitentem significat, quasi ab eorum societate transissès. that he separated himselfe frō their assemblie, which stubbornelieGen. [...]1.4. For it signifieth one comming from beyond, departing or passing. rebelled against the Lord: and partlie by the benefit, which hee receiued of his constancie, which was that when euerie familie of the earth had changedGen. 11.7.9. his dialect of speech, onlie Heber continued with that hee had attained from his infancie. It seemeth also that Heber is here remembred, rather thē Arphaxad, both because be­ing young, and more aptPsalm. 119.9. Eccles. 11.9. Ambros. libr. de viduis. Vicina est lapsibus adolescentia, quia vaeriarum astus cupiditatum furorem calentis inflammas aetatis. to be seduced, by preser­uing his soule from sin he obtained a greater com­mendation; as also for that the Lord hauing chosen his Church, outDeut. 7.7. of a little familie, would hereby [Page 420] describe the limits and visible bounds thereof. The father of all the sonnes of Heber. The father therefore of all Ioctans multitude? yea doubtlesse: but much rather in the meaning ofAugust. de ciu. lib. 16. cap. 3. Et praela­tus est Heber etiam filijs cum sit quintus nepos: quid nisi ve­rum est quod tradi­tur, ex illo Hebraeos esse cognominatos, in quo Dei ciuitas & in sāctis peregrinata est, & in omnibus sacra­mento adumbrata. the Scripture, of the He­brue Abraham, of Moses and the Prophets, of Dauid the king, and of the Messias Iesus Christ. This is the stile of honour which the Lord thought meete to bestow on Sem, thereby to distinguish him from his brethren. Secondlie, it followeth: the brother of Iapheth the great. Why is he not called the brother of Cham and Iapheth; especiallie sith Cham in the repetition of their names is alwaies next him pla­ced, as here he is also in the recount of genealogies? Surelie, be use the Lord would not vouchsafeCaluin. in Gen. 10. Non vocatur hoc loco Sem, frater Cam, quia resectus ex fratrum ordine, & iure suo ab­dicatus fuerat. that honor vnto Cham, although he were as neere by coniunction in the flesh, to call him the brother of the fathersFor as Abraham is called the father of the faithfull, al­beit some are Gen­tiles; so Sem is cal­led the father of all the sonnes of Heber, because in thē was the visible Church remaining vntil the Messiah; namelie for his praise and commendation. Rom. 11.13. of the Church, who by his sinne had made himselfeAugust. de ciuit. lib. 16 cap. 2. Cham verò tanquam se ab vtris­que discernens, & inter vtrunque remanens, nec in primitijs Israelitarum, nec in plenitudine Genti­um; quid significat nisi haereticorum genus callidum, non spiritu sapientiae, sed spiritu versipellis astu­tiae, quo solent haeresi eorum feruere praecordia, & pacem perturbare sanctorum. an enimie: but onelie Iapheth, who was with Sem a partnerGen. 9.23. in his pietie, was also meete to be partaker of his praises. Herein is also handled as difficult a question; whether Iapheth or Sem were the elder brother: thus stand the wordes in the Hebrue text: Achi Iapheth Hagadol: the bro­ther of Iapheth the For so it is word for word, and very fitly to be translated, for [...] ha, is a prepositiue particle with the Hebrewes, and answereth to (the) in English, and [...] gadal, to be great, also to magnifie, from whence [...] gadol, great. great. For first because this greatnes is giuen to brotherhood, it isSic enim August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 3. Caluin. in Gen. 10. Lyra. & consensus interpretum. wholie vn­derstood of the age of one of them, that he was the greater or elder borne; but whether to Iapheth or to [Page 421] Sem to be referred, it cannot fullie be by theFor the Hebrues hauing neither ca­ses of variation, or degrees of cōpari­son; it cannot so plainely be percei­ued as if it had been varied of ye Greekes or Latines, but by comparing the or­der of the wordes before and after: which is common to vs also with the Hebrewes for the most part, in our English tongue. letter of the text determined. There are of theAben. Ezra. in com­ment. in Gen. Other make Chā the mid­dle sonne, and Sem the youngest, as Rab. Salomon, but neither of both opi­nions containeth sufficient probabi­litie. Hebrue writers which affirme, that Cham was the eldest son of Noah, but where the Scripture callethGen. 9.24. Cham his Hachatan, paruus filius. Desunt ijs com­parationes. little sonne, it cutteth off that iudgement from the truth. But for theDauid. Kimchi. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 3. Pagnin. in trans. &c. most part, Sem is esteemed the eldest sonne, both because he is alwaies first named among the brethren; and also for that (asRab. Salom. in Gen. 27.15. the He­brues would auow) the Priesthood was ioyned with theEt inde sequeretur hunc esse Melchise­dec, de quo Gen. 14. quod Hebraeis placet. Rasi, Lyra. &c. priuiledge of birth, vntill that Aaron was called and confirmed by the Lord. Notwithstan­ding on the contrary, there want not many reasons, why we are to hold, that Iapheth by nature was the eldest of them. For first the placing of the words in the Hebrue text, doe seeme toHe saith not Sem Hagadol, Sem the great, or Sem the great brother of Iapheth: but Achi Iapheth Hagadol, the brother of Iapheth the great. shew the mea­ning of the Scripture, that Iapheth not Sem was grea­ter or elder borne. Secondlie, theSept. [...]. Greeke transla­tion doth read it so,The Rabbins in Bereshith Rabba, and Rab. Salom. doe doubt of it, Rab. Dauid. Kimchi in 1 Paralip. perswadeth it. Lyra. in Gen. 10. Genebrard. in Chronolog. Mer­cer. in Gen. 10. Broughtons consent of Scripture doe confirme it. and manie learned writers doe so expound it. Thirdlie, it is most euident by this: Noah being fiue hundred yeere old, as saith the Scrip­ture,Gen. 5.32. begat Sem, Ham, and Iapheth, that is to say,August. lib. de ciu. 15. Generauit id est generare coepit. quaest. in Gen. 25. began to generate, and had none of them before. Cham was not then begotten, forGen. 9. [...]4. hee is called his youngest sonne. Neither yet was Sem at that time borne, accordingGen. 18.10. to the time of life, but two yeere after, as the Scripture witnesseth; being an hundreth yeeres of age not till the six hundreth and secondGen. 11.10. yeere of Noah, which was two yeere after the floud of [Page 422] waters. Whereof it remaineth that Iapheth being borne in the 500. yeere, was by birth the eldest son of Noah, and to Sem the elder brother. Now this which the Scripture speaketh, may not vnfitlie be vnderstood, of Iapheth, not onelie in respect of age, that hee was eldest, but also in respect of worldlie greatnes, in which sense Esau is so oftenGen. 27.1.15. called Hagadhol, the great or elder, to shew the greatnesse of his condition in respect of Iacob. As if the Lord had said: not inferiour to Iapheths greatnes: and as Iapheth was enlarged in earthlie things, so Sem was preferred in spiritual benefits. It may also not amisse be vnderstood of Sem: not in respect of age, butFranc. Iun. anal. in Gē. 10. Primogeniturā verò ad Schemū perti­nuisse, haec verba de­notans. Fratrē Iaphe­thi natu maximi: id est, ascitum in iuris e­iusdem communicati­onem, ade [...]que ante­positum occasione illi­us beneficij quod in Noachum contulerat, cum author illius ob­tegendi primus fuisse dicitur. of his priuiledge. For as he wasGen. 9.22. authour of co­uering his fathers nakednesse, as the Scripture see­meth to signifie; so hee obtained the chiefest bles­sing, to be father of the sonnes of Heber, that is, the Church of God; in which respect, as if hee had re­ceiued a superiour dignitie, hee might be called the greater brother. The which his priuiledgeAnd whereas his Genealogie is in the last place recke­ned, it is for the con­tinuance of the hi­storie with ye which followeth of the house of Sem. doth giue him formost place, throughout the Scripture, as to the worthiest. Their errour is great, and their negligence more large,Perer. in Gen. cap. 10. disp. 10. Noën (di [...]it) non coepisse generare 500. aetatis suae anno praecise, sed quingen­tessimo secundo: vel Sem secundo anno post dilu [...]ium non fuisse centum annorum pracise: sed fuisse centum & duorum annorum. Sed hoc est contra omnem authoritatem, contra rationem, & scripturam impingere mani­f [...]tam. who to reconcile this Scripture, would import that Noah was not exact­lie 500. yeeres old, when he receiued the gift of ge­neration: or that Sem was not exactlie an 100. yeere old, two yeers after the floud, whē he begat Arphax­ad. For the purpose of the Lord isIt is manifest by the computation which the Scripture vseth in many places, as Gen. 8. Exod. 12.41. &c. and also by the iudgement of Eusebius and Hieron. in Chronic. of Oro­sius, Eucherius, Augustine and other. exactlie to de­scribe the time, whereon the whole certaintieDan. 11.26. Gal. 4.4. of [Page 423] time dependeth. It is farther reported of the sons of Sem, that they were also the originall of nations, and were diuided into languagesVers. 31. and countries. Elam was the father of those whom theSo the Persians are called in the Hebrue, Dan. 8.2. So in the Greeke Act. 2.9. They are also otherwise cal­led Paras, but this seemeth to bee a more commō name belonging also to the Medes, Parthi­ans, Sogdians, Bac­trians, & Atr [...]mites, as that all these sprang of Paras: of which nation also, some one was the founder of the Per­sians. Artop. in Gen. 10. Scripture calleth Elmaites, whichIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Hieron. libr. trad. in Gen. are the Persians; Ashur, ofVers. 24.25. & Gen. 11.13. &c. Assyrians; Arphaxad of theGen. 11.10. sonnes of Heber; and of theCashdim. id est, Chaldaei, fine per Apheresin ab Arphacashà quasi Arphachashdim. Hieron. Trad. in Gen. Arphaexad à quo Chaldai. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. c. 7. Arphaxades eos qui nune Chaldaei sunt Arphaxadaeos nomin [...]uit: siue vt alij volun [...] à rad. Cashah, quod est operiri denominati. Chaldees; Lud of theHieron. in Gen. trad. Lud. à quo Lydij, Populus scil. m [...] ­noris Asia, quorum rex Cr [...]sus à Cyro captus est. Herodot. in Clio. Lydians; Aram of theIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Hieron. Trad. in Gen. Arameos Aram genuit: Aram was the father of the Aramites, whom the Greekes call Syrians, whose head Citie was Damascus. But remember that the Aramites were distin­guished into diuers nations: as Padan Aram, or Aram Naharaim, Aram Sobah, Aram M [...] ­achah, and Aram of Damascus. Syrians, whose chiefest citie was Damascus. Whose posteritie (saue Aram & Arphaxad, although not farther amplified) grew doubtles as theNam Arami citati filij nationum Patriarchae dicuntur. Hui. Armenia incolentium, Hus Damasci, Gother Caria, Mes, Meoniae, Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Hierom. Trad. Hebr. in Gen. rest in multitudes and nations. For if Ioctan had fourteene nations deriued from his loynes, wee haue cause to think (through the blessingGen. 9.2. Di [...]dor. Sicul. lib. 2. by the authoritie of Csesiar reporteth that Ninus which liued a little after these times, had an armie of men, of seuenteene hundreth thousand footemen, and two hundreth thousand horsemen, which if it were certaine true, no doubt the world was wonderfully, and speedily increased. For Ninus was in the time of Abraham, as Augustine proueth, de ciuit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 8. of the Lord) the other Patriarkes were not vnfruitfull. But concerning these latter nations (saithHieron. lib. trad. Hebr. Harum gene­tium posteriora nomina inuenire non [...]otui, sed vsque in praesens, quia procul à nobis sunt, vel ita vo­cantur, vt primum, vel quae immutata sunt ignorantur. Hierome) because they are distant so farre from vs, as inhabiting Vers. 29. the East parts of the world, and their former names being also changed, they remaine to vs Ne [...] alius ab Hieronymo haec­tenus explicuit. as yet vnknowne. Obser. 1. The prouidence of God is the onelieDeut. 32.8. Act. 17.26. authour and di­rector of the habitation, and bounds of nations. Se­condlie, [Page 424] true nobilitie2. Sam. 7.21. Isai. 56.3.4. Demost. Philip. 2. Vir bonus mihi nobilis ci­detur; qui verò non iustus est, licet à patre meliore, quam Iupiter sit genus ducat, igno­bilis à me habebitur. consisteth not in greatnes of inheritance, but in true religion and the feare of God. Thirdlie, our kinred is often a scourgeIsai 9 20.21. & 19.2 Mica 7.5. vnto vs for our sinnes, and1. Sam. 22.3.4. Prou. 16 7. Iob. 5.23. straungers in our repentance doe giue vs comfort: Ashur is here the next of kin, who first2. King. 17.6. brought Arphaxads sonnes in bondage. Arphaxads familie2. King. 25. Ierem. 39.5. did captiuate the sonnes of He­ber. Elam wasIsai. 21.2. & 45.1. Dan. 5.30.31. et 6.28 which containeth a propheticall narra­tion of Cyrus the Persian, subduing the M [...]dian and Chaldean Empire, as it is declared to haue been fulfilled, 2. Chron. 36.23. Herodot. in Ch [...]. Iustin. libr. 1. their deliuerance after seauentie yeeres. Aram a continuallFrom Chushan Rishathaim. Iudg. 3 8. the first enemie of the Israelites, after their entrance into Canaan, vntill Antiochus Epiphanes, the yeere before Christ 165. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 7. & de bello Iudaic. lib. 1. cap. 3. vexer of Hebers house, and of all other, most2. King. [...].12. & 1 [...].7. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 7. bitterlie oppressing them, vntill they were rescued by theMacab. libr. 1. cap. 8. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 12. cap. 17. Ne cui Romanae ditionis cum Iuden bellum gerere liceat vtque si quis Iudaeos inuadat, Romani succurrant pro viribus, &c. familie of Iapheth, being readie toNamely about sixeteene yeares before the birth of Christ. enter into the tents of Sem. Who although theyFor before Christs time, they were ene­mies in religion, albeit they were friends by league, as appeareth by Cicero pro Flacco. Cum aurum Iudaeorum nomine quotannis ex Italia, & ex omnibus vestris prouincijs Heirosolymam expor­tar [...] soleret; Flaccus sanxit edicto, ne ex As [...]a exportari liceret &c. huic autem barbara superstitioni (sacram Dei religionem intelligit) resistere, seueritatis; multitudinem Iudaeroum flagrantem non­nunquam in concionibus, pro repub. contemnere, grauitatis summa fuit. Et quod Cn. Pompeius cap­tis Hierosolymis victor ex illo fano nihil attigit: huius rei non religio Iudaeorum, sed pudor impera­tori impedimento fuit. hated their religion, yet maintai­ned theirVntill Caligula and Nero. estate, vntil the God of Sem For the doctrine of the Gospell most speedily was spred thoroughout the world, like lightening, as our Sauiour Christ foretolde, Matth. 24.23. Luc. 23.24. and the euent approued. Esub. Histor. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 3. was knowne vnto the world; from whom when the sons of Sem Ioh. 1.11. Luc. 19.14. withdrew their tents, no meruaile if they were destroyed by their former friends, forasmuch as they would needs depart from his protection.By the Romans vnder Vespasian. Ioseph. de bell. Iudaic. lib. 2. & 3.

CHAP. XI.

Question 1. verse. 1. Wherefore is it said: the whole earth was of one language and one speech: and how it a­greeth with the truth of that which went before, that the nations were diuided ac­cording to their tongues and languages?

AS there is not a place of Scrip­ture moreIulian. libr. in Chri­stianos, apud Cyril. lib. 4. Vos autem reci­pientes hanc historiā, quare per Deos ero, reprobatis Homeri fa­bulam, &c. Philo. Iudaeus. libr. de confus. linguar. Homi­nes impij historiam hanc Mosis de aedifica­tione turris cauillan­tur, nosque derident. Ecce sacri (inquiunt) quos vocatis libri fa­bulas continent, quales vos alijs referentibus irridere soletis. Hac enim historia de aedific [...]ne turris vsque ad coelum, persimilis est fabulae Gigantum. groslie or disdain­fullie abused by atheists & cō ­tēners of the truth: so is there not a more noble testimonie in Scripture, to confoūd their absurdities and blasphemies. They cauil first at the words of the history: in ye second place, the matter & doctrine seemeth to them incredible. For if the multitude of nations were deriued of the ofspring of one mans children, how could it be (say they) thatIulian. apud Cyril. lib. 4. Nam illud opi­nor eacendum apud rudes homines, quod licet vna vote & lingua omnes per vniuersum orbem ho­mines vtantur, &c. so manie languages, and diuers dialects should be spo­ken [Page 426] in the world. And by such like reasons, are they rather moued, to maintaine the doctrine of the hea­then Aristotle Aristot. de coelo, lib. 1 cap. 10.12. & libr. 2. cap. 1. Mundum nec esse factum, nec eor­rumpi posse. Item Me­thodor. Chius, & Ze­nophanes. Cyril. lib. 2. in Iulian. Sic igitur ratiocinātur: mundus e [...]t aeternus, ergo ho­minum genus aeternū: nih [...]l enim natura fe­cit frustra, & mundus reuera propter homi­nes. Quod si ab aeter­no homines fuerint, fabulae de creatione, de confusione linguarum, &c. Iul. ib. li. 2. & 4. concerning the worlds eternitie, thē to acknowledge with the word of God, that the worldGen. 1. &c. was created, and in such sort gouerned (as hath beene declared) by the almightie. Against which kinde of aduersaries, the holie Scripture set­teth downe a most strong defence: The whole earth was of one language and one speech: that is, as all nations were sometime vnited in one, so had they but one common speech. That they haue attained more languages, and one vnderstandeth not anothers speech, let al the heathen and Philosophers declare, if they can giue in nature, a reason thereof. For see­ing man (asAristot. Polit. libr. 1. cap. 2. Homo natura est animal politicum. they teach) is a creature apt by nature vnto societie, how should it come to passe in nature, that the chiefest help & alluremēt of society, which isAristot. Polit. lib. 1. cap. 2. Paret sociale animal esse hominem, magis quam omnes a­pes, & quam omne gregariū animal; quìa sermonem homo habet solus, quo vtilitatē & damnum, iustū & in­iustū ostendere potest. Cicer. Offic. libr. 1. Est autem vinculum so­cietatis ratio & ora­tio, quae docendo, discendo, commanicando, disceptando, iudicando, concilias inter se homines, contungit (que) naturali quadam societate. the voice and speech of men should be the only cause of separation of societies, betweeneVt vers. 7.8. Et omnium experientia compertum est, in illis enim lin­guis quas nō intelligimus quae sunt innumerabiles surdi profecto sumus. Cic. Tusc. Quaest. 3. men and men? Againe, seeing the speech is nothing els, but theBasil. epist. 41. ad Maxim. Imagines animarum reuera sunt sermones. Et oratio dicitur quasi oris ratio. Iso­dor. lib. 1. Originum cap. 5. image & character of the mind; what cause in nature can be giuen, why this man should so ex­presse his thoughts and purposes by his words, as that I should not, although I thinke and will the same, vnderstand his meaning and intent? But as I vnderstand not the voice of theWhich notwithstanding are said to haue in their kinde a proper dialect. Clem. Alexandr. Strom. 1. Lactant. lib. 6. cap. 4. dumbe and bru­tish beasts; so I should be a Barbarian vnto him, and he to me, and as farre in voice different, as the beasts [Page 427] are different in vnderstāding; albeit we both which speake without vnderstanding of ech others voice, are indued with like soule, like wisedome, and gift of reason▪ This onlie commeth to passe thorough the diuersitie of languages of speech, which now are in the world. But whence came these diuersi­ties of languages into the world, byFor seeing it is vt­terlie against na­ture, we must need [...] acknowledge ano­ther author. whom,Whether from e­ternitie, which is a­gainst the princi­ples of Philosophie; or whether it were done in time. when, toAristot. natura e­nim semper tendit ad optimum finem. what end and purpose; for natureNatura enim fru­stra fecit nihil. Idem Polit. 1. cap. 5. worketh nothing in vaine or waste? Seeing beasts retaine their voices without alteration, notwithstanding the varietie of sounds among them; how much more men indued with reason, should preserue their speech, if God had not sent among them, as a punishment of sinne, confusion and alteration of speech and languages? To this the Scripture an­swereth (when the wit of man, or reach of reason can yeeld no cause but silence) that the speech and voice of menAuthor. de mirah. sacr. script. inter oper. August. libr. 2. cap 9. Cum illud vs (que) tempus esset vnius linguae cū ­ctus populus, vniuer­sorū qui ad tale opus venerunt, linguas in diuersa verba diuisit. Contra errorem Phi­lastrij qui plures lin­guas fuisse à mundo condito opinatus est, Haeres. 106. was sometime one, as the soule and reason of mē is one in kind: & that it continued not so as in nature is required, it was by the miraculousCaluin. in Gen. 11. Et sane prodigij loco est lingna [...]um diuersitas. worke of God. The whole earth, that is, all crea­turesChrysostom. Hom. 30. Non de terra loquent sed de hominum genere, vt nos doceat vnum linguam omniū hominum fuisse natura. August. libr. Locus. in Gen cap. 11. Notandam omnem terram appellatam omnes homines qui tunc erant, quamuis nondum in omni terra. of the earth indued with speech, which isAristot. Polit 1. cap. 2. Sermonem vero homo habet solus omnium animantium. onlie man; or all men through out the earth, were of one language and one speech. Of one lippe, [...] shapa e [...]ath hudebarim acadim: ad verbum vnius labij, & vnorum verborum. saith the Hebrue, and one word: that is,Aben Ezra in Comment. in Gen. say the Hebrue interpreters thereof; to one common matter spo­ken of, there was but one common name in speech; [Page 428] to one notion of the minde, one simple meanes of expressing the same by voice, which both the elo­quentThe Heathē haue felt as it were the sent hereof: which doubtlesse is ye men­ning of their cor­rupted fables, wher­as they haue taught that men at the first being mute and dumbe, were vexed and destroyed of foules & beasts: but Prometheus (that is prouidēt or watch­full wisedome) be­ing careful of mens welfare, obtained speech of God. Af­terwarde Mercurie taught them elo­quence. Aristid. lib. 2 contr. Plaeton. [...], &c. Compare this with the Scripture, and cōsider how shame­fully they erred: and praise the Lord for the light of his sacred word. and ignorant did vtter and vnderstand a­like. But although perhaps not so strictly to be ta­ken, yet this is the manifest meaning of the Scrip­ture; that as yet there was but one speech or lan­guage vsed, or spoken, or knowne vnto the world. But this (one will say) is contrarie to that which was taught before, that theGen. 10.5.20.25.31. posteritie of Noah was di­uided by their tongues and languages. There is noCONCILIATIO. 15. contrarietie nor diuersitie herein: but the Lord most graciously by this latter history, wouldAu­gust. quast. in Gen. 20. Quomodo hoc potest intelligi quando superius dictum est quòd filij Noae, vel filiorum eius, distributi essent per terras secundum tribus & linguas, nisi quia per recapitulatio­nem, postea commemorat quod prius erat. Idem de doctr. Christian. lib. 3. cap. 36. Lasenter narratio­ne redeunte, vt diceretur quo modo factum fit vt ex vna omnium lingua, fuerint diuisi per multa [...]. inter­pret vnto vs and expound the former. All nations were deriued from the rooteGen. 7.25. & 8.16.18. of Noah: How be­came they to speake such diuers languages? Noah had not himselfe the vse of them, Sem, Ham, and In­pheth enioyed one voice or speech,Philastrius, lib. de Haeres. cap. 10. writeth, that before the confusion, all languages were knowne to all men: habentes enim angelicam gratiam, id est multarum lin­guarum scientiam, non agnosc [...]bant datorem tanta sapientiae, &c. i. Hauing (saith he) obtained angelike grace, that is, the knowledge of many tongues, they did not acknowledge the giuer of so great wisedome. But this is an error, for the Scripture saith they were all of one lan­guage and one speech. which they had receiued from one cōmon parent, as their mo­thers milke. Neither if they had receiued the gift of many tongues, could they easilie haue imparted them, as an inheritance vnto their children, in such sort that none should vnderstand anothers speech. Wherefore that the nations were deuided, as wee know they are deuided,Vers. 7. and their speech confoun­ded, [Page 429] which byIt may here hap­pily, not altogether causelesse be demā ­ded, what language it was yt men spake, before this confu­sion of tōgues? The Aegyptians affirmed the Phrygian tōgue was the first & na­turall, for Psamme­ticus their king cau­sing two children to be kept, without hearing of any sound of voyce, to proue whether they would speake of themselues, and what they would say; the children were first heard to pro­nounce beccos, which in the Phrygian tongue is bread: Heredot. in Euterpe. Theodoret quaest. in Gen. 59. would proue that the Syrian tongue was the first, by the signification of Adams name, for Adam (saith he) in the Syrian tongue signifieth red earth. Philo the Iew, lib. de con­f [...]. linguar. affirmeth the Chaldee tongue was first. But greater reason there is, which con­firmeth that the Hebrue was the originall and mother of all. First, both the Syriac and Chaldee tongues, of many learned men are thought to be but as diuers dialects within themselues and one language (which notwithstanding Imm. Tremel. in prafat. in Gram. Chal­daie. & Syriac. doth vtterly denie, as indeed they are to be taken as diuers tongues) both of them agreeing for the most part in signification with the Hebrue, as Adam in the Hebrue signifieth the same. Secondly, the Syriac and Chaldee are, as it were but dialects of the He­brue (differing not much more then Northren and Westerne speech from plaine English) and differ more within themselues, then from the Hebrue. Thirdly, the Nations the neerer they haue bordered vpon the Hebrues, the more they haue agreed in their speech, as the Syrians and Chaldeans, next the Arabians, and after them the Aegyptians and Persians, &c. and the languages which are farthest disagreeing, are (for the most part) farthest scattered. Fourthly, all the names which are spoken of in Scripture before the confusion of tongues, are in the Hebrue significant, which in no other language, generally they are. If any man would say that Moses translated them into Hebrue: I would aske how he knew it: or what maketh him to suspect that of Moses, which neither Moses, nor any prophet or good historie writer euer vsed to doe, and which the Scripture in the practise thereof abhorreth. Fiftly, authoritie of ancient writers doth confirme it. Origen. in Num. Hom. 11. Hieron. Comment. in Sophon. cap. 3. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 30. postremo Heber. &c. Aug. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 3. & 11. Eucher. in Gen. lib. 2. cap. 2. In sola (inquit) domo Heber, quae aniea suit, lingua commansit. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 5. &c. and new writers for the best and chiefest part. nature and natiuitie was one; the cause (saith the holie Ghost) was this: the presump­tuous sinnesVers. 4. So that first, men were Antithei: i. fighters against God: next, Polythei, worshippers of many gods, or of Idols with Iehoua: afterward Pseudothei, worshippers of Idols without Iehoua: lastly, they are like to be Athei, worshippers of no God, neither Idol [...] nor Iehoua. Sybilla witnesseth of this accident: Cum vniuersi homines, &c. What time all the world spake one language, men built a tower so high, as if they would haue climed to heauen, but the gods sent downe stormes and ouerthrew their building, and gaue euery man a proper speech. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. [...]. cap. 5. Here heathenish Atheists that will not receiue the Scriptures, may by Heathenish testimo­nie be conuinced. of men prouoked the most gracious Lord to deuide their languages. Through this oc­casion, they which not long beforeAn hundred yeeres and one, vers. 11.14. were by the mercie of the Lord deliuered in a wonderfull man­ner, from extremitie of death: and now were multiplied in the place of their deliuerance, the [Page 430] hilsVers. 2. & Gen. 8.4 Joseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 6. Primi relictis montibus planitiem habitare caperunt. Epiphan. Haeres. 1. of Ararat; departed from their place of habi­tation, and found a plaine in the land of Shinar Shina [...] [...], see­meth to be so called of the euent: of the word [...] shen: that is, a tooth, and [...] nagnar, to strike or shake out, as it were the striking out of their teeth, because their speech which is vttered by their teeth and lips, was as it were strikē out in the confusiō. The same also, of the confusion was called Babel: which countrie is said to be so fruitfull, that it bringeth foorth two hundreth fold, and where it excel­leth it selfe, three hundreth fold, vbi autem bonitate scipsam vincit ad tricena reddit: the same in power and increase, is as much as the third part of Asia besides. I cease (saith Herodotus) to speake further of the fruit­fulnes thereof, knowing well that they which neuer sawe the countrie, will thinke the report thereof incredible. Herodot. in Clio. Plinie also libr. 18. cap. 17. speaketh as largely of the fruitfulnes thereof. most fertitle and meet to maintaine so great a multitude. Then they said one vnto another, goe to, let vs build a Ci­tie & a Tower, whose toppe may reach to heauen. Hereby is discouered the exceeding great corruption that resteth in humane nature, which either of the one side remainethChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 3. Vide quo modo humanum genus non potest subsistere intra suos limites, sed amplius concupiscens, maiora supra se appetit: at­quo hoc est quod humanum genus potissimum perdidit, quia non vult natura sua mensuram ag­noscere, sed semper maiora desiderat, & qua supra suam sunt dignitatem votis concipit. discontented with the blessing which the Lord vouchsafeth, for the furnishing of our necessitie: or on the other side, abusethGregor. in Prolog. Psal. 50. Admonemur in hoc psalme prospera metuere & contra omnem saculi faelicitatem a­crius vigilare: sicut enim per fletus ad gaudia ducimur, ita per gaudium ad fletum peruenitur. Quit sanctior Dauid, &c. the fulnes of prosperitie, vnles it be preserued and gui­dedProu. 1.32. & 30. August. de verb. Dom. Serm. Magnae virtutis est cum foelicitate luctari, ne illiciat, ne corrumpat, ne ipsa subuertat foelicitas. Mag [...]e inquam virtutis cum foelicitat eductari; magnae soelicitatis est à foelicitate non vinci. by the Lord. For what compelled them to leaue theirEpiphan. Haeres. 1. Cum autem se extenderent & vltra procederent à monte Lubar ac sinibus Armeniae, hoc est à regione Ararat, conse­derunt in terra Sinar. habitation in the East, but an inordi­nate desire of plentie, and greater pleasure? And when they were in possession of the plaine of Shi­nar, and enioyed the plentie & aboundance of the same; what moued them to build a Citie, and a Tower, whose top might reach to heauen, saue that which plentie bringeth forth, and the pleasures of this life in the heart of man, which is not groundedNehen. 5.15.19. in the feare of God; that is to sayDeut. 32.15. Gregor. Moral. in Iob. lib. 11. Sicut bo­ni per contumelias meliores existunt; ita semper reprobi de benefitijs peiores fiunt. vnthankfulnes, [Page 431] andDeut. 8.14. Bernard. libr. de dili­gendo Deo. Superbia est & delictum maxi­mum, vti datis tan­quam innatis, & in acceptis beneficijs glo­riam vsurpar [...] bene­ficij. pride, &Pro. 30.2. Isai. 1.2. rebellion against the Lord? It can­not be perceiued by the Scripture, but as they all enioyed a common benefit of ease and plentie; so the sin was common among them all, of this com­mon counsaile to build a Citie. So that albeit one perhaps first opened this enterprise, eitherIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 5. Hanc superbi­am dei (que) contemptum excitauit in ijs Na­brodes nepos Cham. August. de ciuit. Dei, libr. 16. cap. 4. Ʋnde colligitur, Gigantem illum Nimrod fuis­se illius conditorem. Caluin. in Gen. 11.2. Caeterùm vt demus Nimrod praecipuum fuisse ducem extruen­de tanta molis, quo formidabile sua ty­rannidis monumen­tum stat [...]eret, &c. Nimrod or some otherMusc. in Gen. 11. Vé­risimile est hanc cogi­tationem à pa [...]cis Ca­mitis sumpsisso exordi­um, verum tandem abijsse in studium Ca­tholicum. wretched tyrant, yet was not the deuise sooner broched then allowed; which plaine­lie sheweth that although the inuention was not, yet theTheir readie agreement argueth their common corruption. sin and corruption was common to them all. They found to these indeuours a mightie ad­uersarie of distresse (asIsai. 19.3.12.13. is common to them that follow their owne deuises) for stone they could not finde, norFor this cause, as well the tower it selfe, as the walles and houses of the Citie are of bricke wrought wish slime. Quint. Curt. libr. de gest. Alexand. 5. morter sufficient for the matter of their building. Yet, such is the courage that men take in euill, that they will not yeeld vntill the vtter­mostCaesar. de be [...]t. ciuil. libr. 3. Hominibus nimia pertinacia atque arrogantia accidere solet, vti eò recurrant, & id cupidissimè appe­tant, quod paulo [...]te con [...]m [...]ferint. necessitie. And so ripe is their inuention to set forth euill attempts, as that they find out among the creatures, new meanes to furnish theirPlin. libr. 33. cap. 10. Postetis, laxitat mundi terumque am­plitudo, damno fuit Idque exemplo Romanorum omniumque fere gentium comprobatur, Po [...]dor Vir­gil. de inuent. rer. libr. [...] [...]p. 5. vnlaw­full enterprises. For now they inuent the making of brick, and the vse of slime, wherewithal they had hitherto beene vnacquainted. And where it is first said, let [...] make b [...]e, and presentlie thereon let vs build a Cities, it sheweth they were inclined to build a Citie, before they foundQuent. Curt. de gest. Alexand. libr. 5. saith, that Babylon is so farre destitute of stone or stonie earth, that to make a bridge ouer Euphrates, they could scarce find ground firme enough to lay the foundation. Plin. libr. 35. cap. 15. also, that this slime is insteed of morter vnto the wolles of Babylon. Item Curt. matter wherewith to [Page 432] build it. And that first making of brick is spoken of, declareth how mens sinnes by continuance doeHieron. in Isai. 14. Primùm in cogitatio­nibus nostris semen colubri radicatur. Se­cundò, de semine pessi­mo nascitur regulus, qui rex serpentum est. grow; and inuentions which of themselues are not vnlawfull, when they are deuised for wicked purposes, theyQuemadmodum Pe­rillus in tauro fabre­facto perijt, Plin. libr. 34. cap. 8. breed the bane of the inuentors of them. The inuention of artsGen. 4.2. Exod. 31.2.3. Cicer. Tuscul. Inuen­tio quid est? Prosecto id quo nec in deo quic­quam maius intelligi potest. a commendable ex­ercise. To build a Citie2. Sam. 5.9. 2. Chron. 8.2. an honorable achieuance. But to build a Citie and tower, whose toppe may reach to heauen; to build a Citie to get a name thereby: here was the sinne; thisAugust. libr. 2. de morib. Manichaeor. cap. 13. Finis enim quo reseruntur ea quae facimus quicquid fa­cinus, si non sol [...] in­culpabilis, sed etiam laud [...]bilis sueris; tum demum etiam facta nostra laude aliqua digna sunt: fin ille iure meritoque cul­patur, id quoque offici­um in quo versantur, nemo improbandum, vituperandumque dubitaueris. end brought dishonour to all the worke. But did they minde indeed to build a tower and castle vp to heauen? Who so deuoide of iudgement as to esteeme it possible, for all nations of the earth (if al the land of Shinar had been exco­cted into brickes, or all the earth were stone & mor­ter) to finish such a building? Where then is the of­fence, thatPhilo. Iudae. lib. de confus. linguar. Iulian. apud Cyril. lib. 4. Ciuitatem aedificare non possunt ad c [...] ­lum pertingentem, etiamsi in laeteres totam terram coquant: infinitis enim opus esse [...] lateribus aequale. Atheists stumble at in this narration? In the report of historie, or in their owne blindnes and peruersnes, that will not vnderstand? For the Scripture reporteth what they spake, by the testi­monie of him, that knew their thoughts. Nei­ther is it straunge in vse, either in theDeut. 1.28. Psal. 107.26. Scripture, or in commonO [...]ud. Tri [...]. libr. 1. Eleg 2. Me miserum quan [...]i [...]ntes voluuntur aqua­rum, iam iam tacturos sydera clara putes. Quanta diducto subsidunt in aequore valles, iam iam tac­turas tartara nigra putes. speech of men, in such sort to ampli­fie the declaration or report of any thing, which seemeth to exceed our common iudgment. Again, where such aduersaries doe deride this history,Iulian. Apud. Cyril. libr. 4. Cum veram censo [...]tis, & de Deo opinemini quod tertitus sit humanae vocis vnitate, quare per Deos H [...]eri fabulam non recipitis, &c. as though a Tower built to heauen, could any whit annoy or offend the Lord, and not rather, the pre­sumptuous [Page 433] &August. libr. 16. c. 4. de ciuitat. Dei, quid denique noceret Deo, quantacun (que) vel spi­ritualis vel corpo­ralis elatio? Tu­tam veramque in coe­lum viam molitur hu­militas, sursum leuans cor ad Dominum non contra Dominum. wicked minds of men on earth: they vainely triumph without shew of victorie. For the Scripture ascribeth not their scattering and confu­sion, to their building; but to their wicked intent in building: their purposeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 30. Vt facia­mus (inquit) nobis no­men. Vidicti radicem mali? vt inquit, per­petuam memoriam consequamur. was it, their building set a part, wherewith the Lord was so greatlie angrie. They would get a name therby, least they should be scat­tered vpon the whole earth. Here first appeareth vn­thankfulnes, and pride. The Lord had imparted vn­to themAct. 14.17. the abundance of his benefits, forProu. 16.4. his own name sake, not theirs; that he inDeut. 10.12. Psal. 50.15. them might be magnified: and1. Sam. 2.30. they in honouring him, might receiueIoh. 5.44. the true honour that commeth thereof. But they conuert this wholie to get themselues a name, and neglect to honour him at all, whose onlie honour they should haueBernard. Serm. in Cant. 35. Gratianum cessat decursus, vbi recursus non fuerit: nec modò nihil agetur ingrato, sed quod ac­cipit vertitur ei in perniciem. Fidelis au­tem in modico, cense­tur dignus munere ampliori. sought. Such is the state of those whom the Lord hath raised vp in wealth and dignitie, vnlesse they chieflie seeke to honour him, with that which from himProu. 3 9. they haue recei­ued, by being profitable vnto his Church, & com­mon wealth, wherein they liue: or if they consume his benefits vpon themselues, their pleasures, ho­nours, children, withoutEzech. 18 18. doing good among their people; they build to themseluesIsai. 22.16. a Citie of confu­sion: such gorgious buildings shall quicklie come to nought. Secondlie, they feare to be sattered, and therefore build. Why feare they to be scattered, whom the Lord by so many bands hadChrysost. in 1. Corin. Hom. 34. Principio e­tiam omnes in vnum collegit locum, nec an­tea dispersit quam essent concordiae dono abusi: verùm vndique no [...] coniun vlt. à natura, à cogitatione, ab affinitate, à lingua, à loco. ioyned? If they doubted the greatnesse of their multitude, would soone haue beeneMetuebant igitur aeternam ca [...]n tatem, nec tamen necesse est vt alierum diluuium suspicabantur, sed quodlibet aliud malum. Pra [...] autem Graeca & L [...]tina vulga­ [...]a, antequam: pro ne forte. sufficient to inhabite all [Page 434] the earth: what hurt had they receiued in being di­stributed to conuenient inheritance? But they fea­red doubtlesProu. 28.1. for the guiltines of sinne; and how fondlie would they auoide the punishment? The meanes to escape aduersitie is toDeut. 30.3 4. Iudg. 10.16. abandon sinne, and1. Sam. 12.20.21.22 Psalm. 130.4.8. August. tract. in E­pist. Iohn. 8. Haec spes est, nondum res; sed qui gaudet in spe te­nebit & rem, qui au­tem spem non habet, ad rem non poterit peruenire. hope for mercie. Albeit their wicked liues foretold a scattering, yet the Lords former mercies did promise safetie to those that would repent. But such is the nature of the wicked, who prophesie to themselues, through wound of conscience, a time of miserie: therefore they hoord vp treasureIerem. 49.4. Habac. 2.9. a­gainst the euill day; theyIsai. 28.15. make a couenant with hell and death, supposing by their owne prouision to auoide the scourge: and make no peaceIob. 22.21.22. Reuel. 18.4. with the Lord by true repentance, nor cease to be parta­kers of vngodlines: to whom the Lord pronoun­ceth,Isai. 28.18. your couenant with death shall be disanulled, when the scourge passeth thorough, it shall take you away, for that which Prou. 10.24. the wicked feareth shall come vpon him. Thirdlie, they build, least they should be scattered, that is, they endeuour to arme themselues, toBy this appeareth whence that vnsa­uorie fable of the Giants which made war with the Gods, tooke his originall among the heathē: And how the wic­ked negligence of men, had blotted out the remēbrāce of this historie in ingratefull obliuion, and couered it with lyes. God therefore be eternally praised for this true light of holy Scriptures. vide Euseb. de praepar. lib. 7. cap. 3. resist the iustice of the Lord; as though they were able to war with him. This open rebellion did iustlie cause their fall: they build a Citie for feare of being scat­tered, and the buildingAugust. de ciuitat. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 4. Merito enim malus punitur affectus, etiamsi non successit effectus. of the Citie, is the cause of scattering. Thus doth the Lord scatter theIob. 12.14. &c. 24. de­uises of the wicked; for there is neither counsaile nor strengthProu. 21.31. against the Lord.

Question 2. verse 4. How is it to be vnderstood, which is said: The Lord came downe to see the Citie, and againe: Come on let vs goe downe, & there confound their languages?

FOrasmuch as the whole people of the earth (saueMany writers af­firme, that Heber was not with them in the building of Babylon, which is to be esteemed of Noe, Sem, Iapheth, & all the godly. The Rabbins auouch in Bereshith Rabba, yt Abraham was there, and when he would not consent to help them, but reprouing his father Tharah for his Idolatrie, he was taken by Nim­rod and throwne in­to the firie limekill, but was deliuered by a miracle of God. They say also that onely twelue persons ioyned not with the rest in buil­ding: but on what ground they say it, I cannot finde. happilie one little familie) had con­spired together to rebel against the Lord: it seemeth good in the sight of God, in their cōfusion, to triumph of them victoriously. And for this cause, is this holy historie arayed and garnished with ma­nie figures of heauenlieHieron. epist. ad Ru­sticum. Cuius eloquen­tiae torcularia, non verborum pampinis, sed sensuum quasi vnarum expressionibus redundat. rhetoricke. In the first foure verses, the cause was expressed why that one common language of the world, was diuided into manie. In these fiue which follow, is shewed the ef­fect, and manner how the Lord performed it. But the Lord came downe to see the Citie, &c. It seemeth strange to some, that the Lord here is affirmed to goe downe to see the Citie. For the Scripture tea­cheth, that the LordPsal. 139.7.8. is euerie where, and thatIerem. 23.24. he filleth heauen and earth: which notwithstanding isCONCILIATIO. 16. quicklie reconciled, if we marke the cause wher­fore, and the manner how, the Lord is said to haue descended. The cause wherefore the Scripture v­seth this phrase of speech is this: The holie spirit by Moses, contenteth not himselfe, in deliuering vn­to the Church the bare record of action, in this hi­storie; [Page 436] but for the farther instruction of the faith­full [...] quae con­tinet in se [...] & [...], vers. 5. [...] & [...], vers. 6.7. [...], vers. 7. [...], vers. 7.8. Hypotyposis dicitur propofita quaedam for­ma rerum, ita expres­sa verbis, vt cerni po­tius videatur, quam audiri, Quintil. insti­tut. orator. lib. 9. cap. 2 depictureth before our eyes, the manner how it was done and finished. And because our weake­nes is such, as there are not words sufficientMarius Victor. ad­uers. Arrium. libr. 2. Etenim in diuinis & in Deo sic accipimus substantiam vt in hi­licis corpora, & in corporalibus animum. Haec enim est ibi sub­stantia esse supra sub­stantiam. Deum esse omnes fatentur, cum fit potentia substan­tiae, & ideo supra sub­stantiā, atque ex hoc, substantia: etenim po­tentiae inest esse quod potest esse. Non dubitandum est igitur dicere substātiam Dei (vel quicquid de Deo scriptura dicit) quia cum nos circa prima & summa propriè verba deficiunt, non incongruè demum apud nos quod conuenire possit intelligentiae aptamus. to giue vs full vnderstanding of the vnsearchable great­nesse of the Lord, because man is neither able to2. Cor. 12.4. vtter nor conceiue them: therefore hee de­scribeth this meruailous worke of God, as we may vnderstand; & that byLike vnto this is the speech of Christ, Ioh. 8 42. as Athanasius teacheth Orat. contra Arrian. Deu [...] de Deo: The father hath sens me, &c. wherein he calleth his vnion with the manhood, by which the indiuisible nature of God was by visible humane nature made knowne to men, his sending: for God changeth not place, after our manner, which are contained in place, &c. that light which thereby we may behold, wee might be prouoked to loue his goodnes, to admire his greatnes, to beleeue his pro­mises, which so farre excellCyprian. lib. de Idolor. Vanit. Deus nec videri potest, visu clarior est: nec comprehendi, tactu purior est: nec astimari, quia sensu maior est: & ideo sic cum dignè actimamus, dum inastimabilem dicimus. our vnderstanding. For whereas it is said, the Lord descended, wee know that the Lord did descend in deed (albeit in such manner as is proper to the Lord, not as the crea­tures doe descend) but because heTertull. lib de Trinitat. Quid si idem Moses vbique introducit Deum patrem immensum, atque sine fine, qui non loco claudi­tur, sed qui omnem locum claudat, nec cum qui in loco sit, sed potius in quem omnis locus sit, omnia continentem & cuncta complexum, vt merito nec descendat nec ascendat, quoniam ipse omnia & con­tinet & implet, & tamen introducit descendentē &c. euer filleth hea­uen and earth, and the lowest places of the world; and we cannot conceiue how hee can be saidCyprian. in prolog. Quicquid au [...]iri vel videri, vel sciri potest non conuenit maiestati. Hebe [...] est in hac consideratione omnis acies sensuum, & caligat aspectus hanc inuisibilem lucem, & inaccessibilem naturam, sed alis hinc & inde Seraphim statu & volatu circumeunt & abscondunt. to descend, which filleth alreadie the lowest places: therefore it is meete, that with humilitie wee reue­rence the testimonieIoh. 5.9. 2. Pet. 1.2. that God doth witnesse of [Page 437] himselfe, although the vnderstanding of the same cannot be comprised in mans capacitie. But some man peraduenture will aske this question; What profit of that doctrine can be made, which the mind of man cannot fullie comprehend? It is answered, that Iren. libr. 2. cap. 47. Quid mali est, si & corum quae inscriptu­ris requiruntur, vni­uersis scripturis spiri­tualibus existentibus, quaedam quidem ab­soluamus secundum gratiam Dei, quaedam autem commendemus Deo, & non solum in hoc seculo, sed & in futuro: vt semper qui­dem Deus doceat, ho­mo autem semper di­scat, quae sunt à deo. God may alwaies teach, and man might alwaies learne: that man might know the measureGen. 18.27. Iob. 4.16.17. Gregor. Mor. 9. c. 10. Qui facit magna &c. diuinae fortitudinis facta tunc verius ex­plemus, cum haec nos explere non posse cog­noscimus; tunc facun­dius loquiuntur, cum ab his obstupescendo re­ticemus. of him­selfe, and not presume to mete the Lord, who is infi­nite, and cannot be measured. Now the Scripture teaching that the Lord came downe to see, doth signifie; that this stoppe of mans rebellion, and this ouerthrow of building, & confusion of languages, was the onlie, proper, immediate & mighty power of God: for who is there, that can weaken the strength and power of the world vnited, but God alone? And because it was his immediate worke, a worke wherein hee did euidentlie shew (as Princes in their glorie shew themselues) his power & wise­dome, which none is able to counteruaile: there­fore saith the Scripture, the Lord came downe, that is, he shewed his wisedome, his power, and iustice on them by their confusion. In like sense of speech dothMat [...]h. 6.9. our Sauiour command, although our hea­uenlie Father fill the heauen and the earth, to cal on him in prayer: Our father which art in heauen, August. Epist. ad Dardan. ep. 57. Non dicimus pater noster qui es vbique, cum & hoc verum sit, sed qui es in coelis, vt templū eius potius commemo­remus in oratione, quod & nos ipsi esse debemus. be­cause hee doth more clearelie and fullie shew his glorie in the heauens; that we being his temples, as theIsai. 66.1. 1. Cor. 6.19. heauens are his throne; might be admonished, that as he is more glorious in the heauens, then can of earthlie creatures be contained; so most of all, he sheweth his glorie on them that call on him, and is chieflie glorified in his children. Now the manner how the Lord descendeth: although it cannot suffi­cientlie [Page 438] with wordes be vttered, nor vnderstood with the intelligence of man (for in descending,Athanas. orat. cont. Arrian. Deus de Deo. Nō enim Deus locum mutat nostro more, qui locis continemur, neq, ad similitudinem no­strae paruitatis prae­sentia dei tota com­prehensa latuit. hee neither forsaketh the place wherein hee was, neither approcheth to a place wherin hee was not, but containeth in himselfe allTertul. aduers. Prax. libr. Ante omnia Deus erat solus, ipse sibi & mundus & locus & omnia. Idem de Trin. Qui non loco claudi­tur, sed qui omnem lo­cum claudit. space, & place, and whatsoeuerColoss. 1.17. his hand hath made) yet is it not vn­profitable to be considered; for the Scripture hath declared it for our behoofe. The attributes and properties of God areAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 7. cap. 6. Neque a­liud dei est esse, aliud viuere, quasi posset es­se non viuens: nec a­liud illi est viuere, a­liud intelligere, quasi possit viuere non in­telligens: nec aliud in­telligere, aliud beatum esse, quasi posset intel­ligere & nō bea [...]us es­se: sed quod est illi vi­uere, intelligere, bea­tū esse, hoc est illi esse. of the verie substance of his nature, his power, his wisdome, his iustice, good­nes, prouidence: wherefore when by these hee ma­nifestlie sheweth his glory, to vs inferiour creatures, hee is rightlie said to descend vnto vs. Thus is hee said to descend to see the Citie. For although his powerNazianzen. orat. 21. Nemo quidem potentiae dei & oculis sese subducere queat: solus quippe Deus ex omnibus rebus, nec fuga vitari, nec bello sustineri potest. was neuer absent, nor his prouidenceAugust de ciuit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 1. Fulgent. lib. de praedest. ad Mon. cap. 26. Deus itaque licèt author non sit malarum cogitationum, ordi­nator tamen est malarum voluntatum. in directing that which men did wickedlie commit, vnto his owne glorie, and the profit of his Church: yet now he descended by his power, whē he shew­ed vnto men the force thereof; and by his proui­dence, when hee declared himselfe displeased with their wicked enterprise. Neither is it disagreeing from the christian faith, if anie thinke, thatIustin. Mars. dial. cam Triff. Non debetis vos putare, ipsum ingenitum D [...]m vel ascendisse vel nescendisse quopiam, nam in effabilis &c. Tertul. lib. de Trinitat. Neque ergo pater descendit, vt re [...] indicat, neque Angelis ista praecepit, vt res probat; super est igitur vt ille descenderit, de quo Apostolus (Ephes. 4.10.) dei filius Dei verbum. this is spoken, especiallie of the second person of the Tri­nitie, who, as in the fulnes of time, he tooke our per­fect nature,Galat. 4.4. Hebr. 2.15. and was cloathed with our flesh; so e­uen before that time was come, asMalach. 3.1. Hilar. [...]e Trin. lib. 4. Qui angelus dei dictus est, idem Dominus & Deus est. Est enim secundum prophetam filius Dei magni consilij Angelus: vt personarum distinctio absoluta esset, An­gelus Dei est nuncupatus. the angell of [Page 439] the couenant, hee immediatelieIren. libr. 3. c. 6. De­scendit inquit &c. ipse est qui ascendit & de­scendit, propter salutē hominum per filium: naque qui est in pa­tre, & habes in se pa­trem, his quibus est manifestatus, patre testimonium praeben­te filio, & filio annun­ciante patrem. by himselfe per­formed the counsaile of his father, appearedTertul. aeduers. Praex. Filius erat qui ab ini­tio iudicauit turrim superbissimam illidens linguasque dispergēs, orhem totum aquarū violētia puniens, pluēs super Sodomam ignem & sulphurem, Deus de Deo. Ipse enim & ad humana collequia semper descendit. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 58. Ne admireris dilecte, quod tāta hu­miliationis illius mag­nitudo, sed cogita quod et patriarchae cū apud quercum sederet (Ge­nes. 18.) in hominis [...] ­gura cum angelis hos­pes fuerit: praesignans nobis multo ante & ab initio, quòd huma­nam naturā esses sus­cepturus. vnto the Patriarkes, and in this place descended to see the Citie. It is no lesse straunge in respect of the end, that the Lord is said to descend to see. For sith that he1. King. 6.39. seeth the hearts of all men, andPsal. 139.2. beholdeth their thoughts before they thinke them, it might seeme in vaine to descend to see the Citie, which hee be­held, before they had layd a corner stone thereof. But the Lord doth herein by his owne example, teachChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 30. Descendit inquit Dominus non vt humano more intelligeremus, sed vt per hoc erudiamur, nunquam temere fraires nostros condēn [...]ndos, neque auditis solo iudicandum nisi pluri­bus argumentis prius certius reddamur. Magistrates and Princes to examine serious­lie the crimes of offenders, before they punish; who although he knew before, their rebellion and tres­passe worthie punishment; yet hee proceedeth not to execution, without full and perfect euidence of their iniquitie. The crime was manifest; for they had begun to build the Citie, which the Lord there­fore permitted to proceed, thatChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 30. Per [...]nisit illos laboribus sese affli­gere, vt rerum experientiae praeceptoris loco illis esset. it might be a wit­nes vnto their condemnation. Now saith the Lord, the people is one, and haue all one language; that is,Iudg. 20.8. they are vnited in consent, and fullie of agreement in this busines; & they haue theEzech. 3.5.6. greatest meanes to main­taineCicer. orat. 1. Qua vis alia potuit dispersos homines vnum in locum congregart, aut à sera agresti (que) vita ad huma­num cultum ciuilem (que) deducere, aut iam constitutis ciuitatibus leges, iudicia, iura, describere. their society, which is community of speech: and build they will, for they haue begun to build; by which it is euident, they thus presume, that by no ordinarie meanes they can be stopped frō their enterprise. Here then great reason is found, why the Lord should giue sentence against his aduersaries, [Page 440] for all this euen in humane reason was conuinced. But was there indeed no meanes to hinder them? were they become so mightie; or the Lord of hosts so weake, that hee could not restraine them of their follie? Assuredlie the flies, or frogges, or pismires of the earthExod. 8. [...]. & 10.14 Isai. 7.18. had bin an armie strong enough, if the Lord had sent them out to execute his wrath: how much more so maniePsal. 68 17. Heb. 12.22. thousand thousand Angels, of whom one, in one mightEsai. 37.35. slew all the armie of Saneherib? yea such is the condition of all the crea­tures, if the Lord Psal. 104.29. hide his face, they presentlie are trou­bled; if he take away their breth they die and returne vnto their dust. But the Lord in this plea of iudgment,Ch ysostom. Hom. in Gen. 30. Quoniā co­natus illorum impedi­turus erat, primum cum illis expostulat, & quasi [...]stendis pec­cati illorum magni­tudinem. Hic enim dei mos est, vt puniturus prius indicet quàm indgna sint peccata, & quasi expostulam etiam ipse satisfaciat nobis, & tunc demum corripere incipiat. speaketh according to the intent and purpose of the offenders: and withal, in indignation derideth the follieCalu. in Gen. 11. Vi­detur potius subesse ironia, quasi Deus sibi difficultatem propone­ret reprimēdae corum audaciae. of their inuentions. As if hee had said: beholdMusc. in Gen. 11. Beni haadā habet Empha­sin, sic vocat eos Do­minus per [...] vt de eorum originis humilitate admoneat. what these sonnes of men haue taken in hand: theIsai. 45.9. potsheards of the earth doe striue with him that formed them. They are all of one agree­ment, and are furnished with all things necessarie for the worke; they suppose, their conspiracie can not be broken, nor their deuises hindered: anIsai. 37.28. in­uincible armie are they and cannot be mastered. Now shall they see how easilie their pride & height of minde shall haue a fall. Come on let vs goe downe, and there confound their languages. The Lord before is said to come downe, to iudge their cause; here a­gaine he doth descend to punish: inHieron. in Mica. 1. comment. descensio Dei est maiestatis eius ad inferiora decursus. August. de ciuitat. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 5. Non loco mouetur deus qui semper vbique est totus: sed descendere dici­tur, cum aliquid facit in terra, quod praeter vsitatum naturae cursum mirabiliter factum, praesentiam quodammodo eius ostendat. both which he sheweth a notable token of his maiestie, which is chieflie manifest in heauen. He neither byAs Psalm. 78.49. An­gell [Page 441] nor spirit vexeth them, neitherGen. 7. & 19. by fire nor wa­ter destroyeth them, neitherDeut. 32.24.25. vseth the help of crea­tures, neither yet dissolueth anieMark. 7.35. power of their bodie or their mindes: but as the purpose of these sonnes of men, was ridiculous and monstrous be­fore the Lord: so the Lord againe would punish them, by that which might make them1. Sam. 2.30. a derision and a scorne for euer. For what could be a more iesting sport to all succeeding ages, then to heare of a multitude agreeing to build a Citie, of whom one could not interpret anothers speech; so that the ma­ster knew not for what to call, & the seruant vnder­stood not what to bring. And what more contume­lious, then that the whole wisedome and power of the world, should by soDeut. 32.21. 1. Cor. 1.25. foolish a meanes be ouer­throwne. We see therefore this Scripture (which AtheistsAthei & Ethniei apud Philon. de lin­guar. confus. Item Iulian. Cyril. lib. 4 Manich. apud August. qui ignorantiae Deum accusant. doe deride) is full of grauitie and maie­stie of the wisedome of the Lord. If any would de­maund, to whom the Lord did communicate these words: Come on let vs goe downe, &c. Albeit it may be vnderstood without impeachment of the faith,August. de ciuit. lib. 16. cap. 5. Quod in­telligitur Angelis dic­tum: per Angelos de­scendebat qui in An­gelis descendentibus erat. to be spoken to the Angels, by whom & in whom he did descend; and therefore to be said, let vs goe downe, not goe you downe, becauseAugust. ibid. & be­ne non dicit, venite, & descendentes con­fundite, sed venite & confundamus, osten­dem ita se operari per ministro: suos, vt sine etiam ipsi cooperato­res Dei. the Lord so worketh by his ministers, as that they are said to beMark. 16.20. 1. Tim. 4.16. his fellow workers: Yet it is much rather to be e­steemed the voice of theAugust. de ciuit. lib. 16. cap. 6. Poterit & híc eadem intelligi Trinitas tanquam pa­ter dixerit ad sitium & spiritum san [...]tum. Chrysostom. Hom. de trin. tom. 3. Dicendo venite, pares honore exhortan­do vocat, neque enim si Angelis imperasset, dicere debuit venite, sed imocrando ite. Vide autem obse­cro quomodo patris vox filium & spiritum sanctum vocat: nam si ad vnum solu [...] hoc dictum esset, debebat dicere, veni & descendamus: venite, vnius vox est ad duos aequales. Hilar. de trin. libr. 4. Qu [...]d si deum patrem solitarium sibi haec locutum fuisse affirmare voles, &c. Athanas. orat. contra Idola. Ex quibus apparet Deum cum aliquo sibi proximo sermones his [...]r de rebus con [...]c [...]tre: & quis ille fuerit nisi ipsius verbum. Concil. Sardicens. in Socrat. hist. lib. 2. cap. 15. Hic enim est ad quem dixit pater: faciamus hominem &c. qui antiquis patribus propria persona apparens legem dedit. fountaine of the Trini­tie [Page 442] the heauenlie Father, or of the vnitieCyril. contrae Iulian. lib. 1. Ipsa ad seipsam, sanctae & consubstan­tialis Trinitas, ho [...] de hisce facit sermones. of the Godhead, in the persons of the deitie. If againe it be demaunded, by what meanes this confusion of tongues was wrought? The Scripture declareth it in these words: that one could not vnderstand anothers speech: whereby is signified: first, that all of themVers. 7. lost the vnderstanding of the speech they had be­fore. Secondlie, they were indued1. Cor. 14.10. with a seuerall voice significant in steed therof. Thirdly, that there­in their vnderstanding was notPhilo. lib. de confus. Lingu [...]r. quid est cō ­fasionis simile? Mix­tura scilicet & tem­peratura. Philo like­neth this confusion to mixture of drie things, and tem­perature of moyst things, as Wine and water. And indeede it seemeth likely, that first euery one forgat the vse of their natiue tongue (which was done of the Lord miracu­lously, as the Scrip­ture signifieth, albe­it some by naturall imperfection haue forgotte the know­ledge of their pro­per names, as Mess [...] ­la Coruinus. C [...]in [...]t. lib. 1. cap. 12.) and that afterwards they inuented to themselues other words and sounds to ex­presse their minds; diuers, after their diuers wits and dispositions; and what they thus found out, they constantly kept as their seuerall language, like as also so much as they remembred of their primitie tongue. By this meanes it came to passe, that no language but hath some re­mainder of the Hebrue. Of the Greeke we haue spoken in the second chapter, quest. 6. so the Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, Aegyptian, Persian, &c. The Latine Hierome proueth in Sophon. 2. in the word Nugae, which signifieth one thing in Hebrue and in Latine. And Augustine affir­meth the Punick commeth neere the Hebrue. Among other (as worthie as any) our English hath many words which are common with the Hebrue, and seeme to be deriued from the same. To shiuer or breake to peeces, in the Hebrue is [...]: Sauar: [...] Chub, a chub or rich V­surer: [...] dad, a dugge, the mothers breast: [...] phag, a figge, &c. increased nor de­minished, but altered to the notion of the language which they spake. Whereof it followeth, that as this confusion wasIsai. 28.11.13. an horrible punishment, pow­red out vpon the world for sin: so that speaking and vnderstandingAct. 2.3.4. of all languages, shed forth vpon the Disciples of our Sauiour; was1. Cor. 12.10. such a treasure and reall gift, as from the beginning was not be­stowed on mortall creatures. Of some it is asked, how manie languages were from hence deri­ued. To whom there are diuers of the fathers which make this answere, thatArnob. in Psal. 124. [...]iunt ergo omnes simul linguae 72. Epiphan. Haeres. 1. Et diui­sit illorum linguas; vt ex vna, in 72. distribueret iuxta numerum virerum tunc repertorium. Hieron. lib. trad. Hebrae. in Gen. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 3. their number was accor­ding to the number and names which are expressed in the former chapter (which is 70.) and that the [Page 443] LordThe exposition of the Rabbins in Deu­teronom. 32.8. appointed the borders of the sonnes of A­dam, according to the number of theFor there are 70, beside Sem and Ia­pheth. children of Israel. Yet because manieThe ten sonnes of Canaan, for ought that can be proued, had but one lan­guage. there remembred en­joyed one common speech, as the sonnes of Cana­an: and that manie languagesExod. 17.14. Plinie libr. 5. cap. 30. reporteth by the authoritie of Era­tosthenes, that the nations of the Soli­mi, Lesegi, Bebrici, Colicantij, Trepse­di. &c. in Asia, were vtterlie destroyed. The Canaanites were so destroyed, that their language also perished, &c. are knowne to haue perished with the nations; and manie haueNehem. 13.24. risen since this confusion, by the mixing and confusing of diuers tongues: it is vtterlie vnnecessary to be de­cided, neither can it by the Scripture be determi­ned. Obser. 1. TheDeut. 32.15. & 8.12. Iob. 21.14. prosperitie of the wicked doth make them proude, and dothPsal. 10. Prou. 30.9. arme them with re­bellion against the Lord. Secondlie, sumptuous­nes in building, apparel, and such like, wherein men exceed their condition and estate,I [...]ai. 5.8.9. Ierem. 22.13.14. Zephan. 1.8. 1. Pet. 3.5.6. are great prouo­cations vnto the Lord, to send downe his wrath on the vsurpers of them. Thirdlie, to seeke for fame on earth, either byIudg. 9.54. Such as were of Lucretia, of Cato Vticens. of Pausanias: which though they seemed to be done for vertues cause, yet were they indeed against vertue and iustice, and not worthie commendation. August de ciuit. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 19. Valer. Max. lib. 8. cap. 15. vngodlie actions, orPsal. 49.11. Isai. 22.10. indifferent things, as riches, strength, honour, lands, buildings, and onlie saue by righteousnes, andPhilip. 4.8. good desert in the common wealth and Church of God,Isai. 10.13. & cap. 14.4. &c. is sinne, and prouoketh a curse of infamie. Fourthlie, the Lord doth deride thePsal. 2.4. counsailes of the wicked, when they fortifie themselues against the workingAct. 4.25. of his prouidence. Fiftlie, counsailes and purpo­ses of men whichIsai. 30.1. are not grounded in the word of God, do worke the woe of the inuentorsIosu. 9.14. Isai. 30.5. of them.

Question 3. verse 12. Whether Shelah were the naturall sonne of Arphaxad, as the Scripture saith, Ar­phaxad begat Shelah: or whether Shelah were the son of Cainan, & Grand child of Arphaxad, as it is in the Gospell by saint Luke?

IN the latter part of this Chapter is contai­ned a Catalogue of the genealogie from Noah, vntill Abraham; both because the certaineAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 14. Absur­dum est existimare in ista serie generatio­num, vbi diligenter commemoratur quo [...] annos quisque vixerit vnius alicuius nume­rum annorum vitae, non commendatum esse memoriae. Isle enim ordo qui dirigitur ab Adam vsque ad Noe, & inde vsque ad A­braham sine numero annorum vitae sua ne­minem contine [...]. distance & reuolution of the time, might be fullie knowne vnto the Church of God: and al­so to the endMatth. 1.1. Luc. 3.2 [...]. Rom. 9.5. that the parentage of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, might be described according to the flesh. In record whereof, this diuersitie is found, that in the gospell, where this pedegree is repeated; oneLuc. 3 36. [...]. Cainan is placed as the father of Shelah, and son of this Arphaxad, which Arphaxad himselfe is here said, to haue begotten Shelah at his age of 35. yeeres. Now if Cainan were the father of Shelah, then can it not be also agreeing with the truth, that Shelah was begotten by Aphaxad: and if Arphaxad when hee had liued but thirtie fiue yeers had Shelah borne vn­to him; it can not be, that Arphaxad had Cainan, and Cainan Shelah, and that Shelah was borne in the fiue and thirtith yeere of the same Arphaxad. And seeing both these Scriptures are Canonicall, and [Page 445] theIren. libr. 3. cap. 1. Non enim per alios dispositionē saluin no­strae cognouimus, &c. Wee haue knowne the dispensation of our saluation, not by other thē those, by whom the Gos­pell hath come vn­to vs; which Gos­pel they themselues then preached, and afterward, by the will of God, deliue­red to vs in the Scriptures, to be the foundation and pil­lar of our faith; fun­damentum &. colum­nam fidei nostrae futu­rum. vndoubted rules of faith, it seemeth to be a mat­ter of great importance, that such diuersitie is found betweene these testimonies: for yt must needes be graunted which Augustine confesseth; if one error beAugust. epist 8. Ad­misso enim semel in tantum authoritatis fastigium officioso a­liquo mendacio, nulla illorum librorum par­ticula remanebis, quae vtcunque videbitur, vel ad mores difficilis, vel ad fidem incredibilis, eadem perniciosissima regu­la ad mentientis authoris consilium officiumque referatur. admitted in the rule of faith, it cannot but di­minish the whole authoritie thereof. Wherefore seeingHebr. 6.19. faith is the anchor-hold of our saluation, and the Scriptures areRom. 10.14.17. the ground, the rule andIoh. 20.31. mat­ter of our faith, it behooueth christian men, as they tender the common saluation, & the glorie of God, to maintaine the sinceritie and truth of Scripture. As there are two causes whereby errors are contai­ned in the writings of men, the one vnfaithfulnesseAugust. epist. [...]1. Romani maximus author Tullius eloquij, nullum inquit verbum vnquam quod reuocare vellet emisis. Quae quidem laus quamuis praeclarissima videatur, tamen cre­dibilior est de nimium fatuo, quam de sapiente esse trofecta. Sed si in bonam partem accipiatur, hoc potius de hominibus dei qui spiritis sancto acti locuti sunt quam de illo quem sic Cicero laudat salu­berrima pietate credendum est: quorum scripta summa sunt authoritate dignissima, qui nullum ver­bum non quod reuocare vellent, sed quod reuocare deberēs emiserunt. of the authors, of ignorance of the truth: the other, vnheedfulnesseQuibus huiusmodi adiura­tione vsus est Irenaeus: Adiuro te qui transcribis librum istum, per Dominum Iesum Christum & per gloriosum eius aduentum, quo iudicaturus est & viuos & mortoos, vt conferas postquā transcrip­feris, & emendes illum ad exemplar vnde scripsisti diligentissimè: hanc quoque obtestationem simi­liter transferas, vt inuenisti moxempla [...]i. Hieron. in Catol. or negligence of those, who haue exemplified such writings, renuing by transcripti­on the ancient and worne copies: so are there two sorts of aduersaries which falslie impute errors vnto the Scriptures, which are both alike dangerous and deadlie enimies vnto the faith. Of the first kind areIulian. lib. 3. confuted by Cyrill, cal­leth Christian religion (which sometime he professed the learning of the Galileans; and the holie Scriptures a forgerie deuised by men: yet Porphyrius his fellow Atheist, confesseth that Moses writings were histories of truth. Contra Christianos lib. 4. Atheists, and heathen men, which renounce the [Page 446] whole bodie of the Scripture, orLibros veteris Te­stamenti respuerunt Simoniani. Iren. lib. 1. cap. 20. & Marcion. ibid. cap. 29. Mani­chai. Epiphan. Hae­res. 66. Cerdoniani. August. de Heres. c. 21 Librum Iob. Talmud. Hebraeor. ord. 4. tract. 3. Psalmos Nicholai­tae, & Gnostici Phila­stri lib. de Haeres. cap. 127 alij Salomonis li­bros infestant. Phi­last. cap. 132. Iacob. Iustinop. in praefat in Cant. Porphyrius Da­niclem, vt refer [...] Hie­ron. in Daniel. in prae­fat. heretikes, which denie the parts thereof. These most blasphemous­lie impute vnfaithfulnesse and falshood to the au­thours of holie writings, whose names they beare. Now because the Lord long agoe by his mightie hand,By horrible ex­amples; as of Iulian, Socrat. libr. 3. cap. 8. who hauing ouer­come his enemies, is in the field dead­ly wounded, and di­eth blaspheming God and Christ: of Manes, whō the hea­then Persian King caused to be flaied aliue, his skin to be stuffed with straw, and to be hung vp at the gates of the citie, for sorcerie and working false miracles, Epiphan. Haeres. 66. Arrius voided his bo­wels at the priuie, Ruffin. Histor. lib. 1. cap. 13. So [...]rat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Nestorius his tongue was ea­ten in his head of wormes, and thereof died. Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 7. hath weeded out such enimies, and they are not suffered to shew their head within theLeuit. 24.15 16. 1. Cor. 16.22 walles of the citie or Church of God: therefore Sathan, (who chieflie laboureth to2. Cor. 11.3. Ephes. 6.12. 1. Pet. 5.8. ouerthrow the faith) hath secretlie sent in another sort of more subtile aduersaries, who tread a secret path to vndermine the Scripture, by calling into doubt the integritie and puritie thereof. Such were in old timeAugust. epist. 19. Quidam Manicha [...]rum falsa esse conten­dunt, ita tamen vt eandem falsitotem non scribentibus Apostolit tribuant, sed nescio quibus codicum corruptoribus. the re­fuse of the christians, who not daring to accuse the authours themselues, accused certaine corrupters of the bookes: and such are now in the Church of Rome, who to aduance the credite of translations,Iacobus Christinop. praefat. in Psal. & Canus locis Theolog. lib. 2. c. 13. affirme that the Scriptures haue been corrupted by the Iewes: other Papists are ashamed of this, and Bellarmine saith, they were indued with good zeale, but not according to knowledge, Bel­larm. Tom. 1. libr. 2. cap. 2. But in the same place he saith; that to say the Hebrue is a most pu [...]e fountaine, is a false sentence. accuse of corruptions the originall fountaines. Wherein they commit a treble iniurie. First a­gainst the Lord,Psal. 19.7. the honour of whose word here­by they violate. Secondlie against men,Matth. 18.7. whose faith and reuerence toward the heauenlie word of God, they doe most vnworthilie disturbe and hin­der. Thirdlie against the truth, which they falselie, [Page 447] and causeles bring into suspition. For neuer shall eitherIn this point hath Bellarmine dealt vn­faithfully, and vsed many fallacies and subtilties. Papist, or Atheist, or anie power of Sathan be able fullie and sufficiently to shew, either error in the Eugubin. Steuch. in Comment [...]m Gen. 11.7 saith the 72. Inter­preters erred, and that S. Luke follow­ed their error. author, or Bellar. Tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 3. citeth (as hee would beare the world in hād) a ma­nifest corruption. Psal. 21. (for the test of his proofes are nothing to his pur­pose, and vnworthie to bee answered) where it is read [...] caari, which is in English, as a lion: whereas it is other­wise to be read [...] caru, that is, they pearced: to this it is answered, that all copies haue it not [...] caari, but some. Secondly, the Rabbins acknowledge a diuers reading. Thirdly, I finde saith Rabbi Iacob Ben Caijin lib. Masoreth litera Aleph Resh, in the truer co­pies it is written, caru, though it be read caari. Looke Ioan. Isaac contra Lindan. defens. verit. Hae­braic. [...]lun. animad. in Bellarm. Tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 2. Therefore this is a weake argument of Bel­larmine. Some copies varie in a letter, ereo the Scriptures are corrupted: yet this is the only proofe of moment or difficultie, that hitherto could be alleaged, that the Scriptures are not pure and free from all corruption. corruption of the copie generallie recei­ued, in any writing of CanonicallDe Apocryphis dicit Augustinus propter multa salsa ij [...] nulla est canonica authoritas, libr. de ciuit. Dei 15.23. quare de ijs in contrarium centendimus contra Papistas. account in ho­lie Scripture. In such waightie causesNeque valet nifi vniuersalis & certa demonstratio. suspicions must make no proofes; neither is itS [...]spicatur quidem Theod. Beza varias translationes verborum, vt annot. maior. Apoc. 16.15. &c. sed absis (inquit) vt ego quicquam hic audeam ex nuda coniectura, & cap. 18. Mihi semper maxima religio fuit vel apicem in his sacro sanctis libris mutare ex nuda coniectura. Quam religionē omnes bonos decet. Et licet alijs non deest huiusmodi suspicio, nullo ha [...]: iure damnare debet veritatem, cum nullis rationibus pro cario e [...]nci potest. meete that pri­uate iudgements should preiudice the common cause of mans saluation. Concerning therefore this Scripture whereof we speake, and to reserue the re­sidue vnto their place: In all Hebrue copies of this genealogie, and in the repitition which1. Chron. 1.18. the Scrip­ture maketh of the same, in the book of Chronicles,Hebraicè diure Haiamim, id est, verba dierum. or account of times, the scripture constantly doth testifie that Shelah was Arphaxads sonne. Notwith­standing in the Greek translation, which isNam hanc quam habemus non esse genuinam multi non sine magna causa dubitant. Whitak. controu. quaest. 2. cap. 4. suppo­sed to be made of seauentie Iewes, from out of He­brue into Greeke; there is not onlie made an aug­mentation of the time,Addunt annos 800. & plures. aboue that the Hebrue doth account; but also this addition in genealogie, thatVers. 12. in sept. Graec. Arphaxad begat Cainan, & Cainan Shelah. Now [Page 448] because the Iewes in their common speech, did vseNehem. 13.24. Nā ex Hebraica & Chal­daica nata est Syriaca the Aramites or Syrian language in the time of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles, and had little vse of the Hebrue tongue: and because the Greeke was famous and knowne among the Gentiles, ther­fore the Disciples of our Sauiour, alleaging theRom. 9.33. & 10.11 19. 2. Pet. 1.21. Scriptures of the old testament, alleage them after the translated copie, where they differ in words but not in meaning from the Hebrue. To this effect there are some which answere; that S. Luke (whose hand was guided and directedConcilia­tio. 17. by our Sauiour Iesus Christ) writing vnto the Gentiles,Pet. Martyr. Com­ment. in Gen. Caietan. Comment. in Luc. cap. 3. Genebrard. in Chro­nolog. did also choose to follow that authoritie, wherewith they were acquainted; and after a sort with modestie to tolerate aPet. Mart. ibid. Nō est illi vitio vertendū cum Gentibus scribe­ret & versio illa 72. vulgata esset, & in manibus passim habe­retur. Franc. Iun. in Analysi cap. 11. Cum enim vi­deret, non esse positum in hac repiorum salu­tem, sed errorem iam olim temere à maiori­bus inuectum, & a­pud omnes gentes ae­tate illa receptum, nō posse sine graui offen­sione tam repente con­uelli ex manibus & libris hominum: dedit Lucas charitati & pi­etati, ne dum historie veritas ageritur, labefacte [...]etur pietas infirmorū & dissueretur charitas quae primis illis temporibus nascentis ecclesiae omnibus modis fuit falcien [...]a. light error, consisting but of person, rather then to disturbe the faith, which was newlie springing by the Gospell. But to this answere, ano­ther question would be moued, whether it be law­full toAugust. epist. 9. Si enim ad scrioturas sanctas ad­missae fuerint velut offi [...]iosa mendacia, quid mijs remanebit authoritatis? auouch an errour or falshood, to a godlie end: seeing we may not Rom. 3.8. doe euill in witnes bearing, that good may come thereof. Which if it be vnlawfull; be it farre from godlie men to impute such spots of charitie to the writersAu­gust. epist. 19. Ego fateor charitati tuae. solis ijs scripturarum libris, qui iam canonici appellantur didici hunc timoreom h [...]noreu (que) deferre, vt nullum eorum authorem. scribendo aliquid errasse, fir­missimè credam. of sacred Scriptures. It is manifest therefore that the Euangelist would neuer testifie any recorde that should be contrarie to the writings of Moses & of the Prophets; neither could offend therein of will, of ignorance; forasmuch as hisMatth. 10.20. 2. Pet. 1.21. heart and hand was guided by the Lord. It re­maineth [Page 449] therefore to the aduersaries to obiect a­gainst vs this onlie scruple; that this place of the gos­pell hath bin corrupted, since the authenticke wri­ting and inditing thereof. And this is indeed no small scandall (if it be admitted) to the imbracing of the faith: for if anyEccles. 10.1. August. epist. 8. Ad­misso enim &c. error be found to be in the sacred Scriptures, whether it proceed from the au­thors, or by fault of other; it cannot but greatly hin­der the prosperous proceedings of religion, and a­lienate the minds of men from receiuing the rest of Scripture without suspition. Now therefore God be praised, who hath not suffered the occasion of such scandals in the Scriptures: but hath rather by the negligence and impietie of men, giuen warning of such offences before they come; as in this place of Scripture is well perceiued. Arphaxad begat Shelah, saith the Hebrue word, by Moses, and by the Chronicles or register of dayes. Why then saith the Greeke translation, Arphaxad Gen. 1.12. in Sep­tuag. begat Cainan, and Cainan begat Shelah, saue onelie to enlarge the time, and to adde vnto the ScriptureFranc. Iun. in Anal. in Gen. cap. 11. Quod existimauerunt non esse genti Aegyptiorū aut vlli alter [...] ceden­dum in laudatissimo antiquitatis argumē ­to, quia antiquitatis nomen dignitatem ce­bus venerand [...]m ad­ferre solet. Quaprop­ter dederunt illi ope­ram, vt certis scriptu­rae locis infarciren [...] nomina personarum & rationem temporū adaugerent, non eo consilio vt de veritate derogarent, sed eo po­tius vt de exterarum gentium gloriatione, quam adhibebant illa antiquitatis specie de­traherent. a shew of great antiquitie; following therein vnlawfullie, the vaine glorious boasting of the heathen, at whose in­treatieIoseph. Antiq. 12.2. the same translation was taken in hand. Neuerthelesse, wee haue thus much for defence of that translation; that it cannot be sufficientlie con­firmed, that the ancient copies therof were so with falshood blemished: becauseIoseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 7. Translationem 72. in omnibus fere secutus, tamen hic ex Arphaxade (inquit) prognatus est Sales. Epiphan. Haeres. 53. Qui translationem etiam secutus est; Arphaxad, inquit, annos natus cētum triginta quinque genuit Sale: in primo errauit cum translatione in numero annorum, ergo procul dubio extranslatione dixit, Arphaxad genuit Sale, nisi dixeris nequae Gra [...]am neque Hebraeam secutum esse, quod absurdum est. Hieron. trad. in Gen. diuers notable wri­ters, who followed that translation, doe otherwise read it out of the same translation, then now (for the [Page 450] most part) it is found therein: and where they dili­gentlieAs Hieron. lib. trad. Hebr. where he no­teth all disagreemēt betweene the He­brue and the Greek translation, and ob­serueth the error of the translation in the accoūt of time, speaketh nothing of this so great diuer­sitie, which sheweth that the same could no [...] then be obser­ued as a difference, or was not a gene­rall disagreement. note the faults of this translation, & disa­greement from the Hebrue; they haue in this place obserued no such difference; which is a manifest ar­gument, that the Greeke and Hebrue (at the least in manie copies) did accord. Moreouer if some co­pies of the Greeke translation, agreed in old time with the Hebrue text; like as manie at this day are foundFor at this day there are found co­pies both olde and newe which (in 1. Chron. 1.18.) haue it thus, [...], Ar­phaxad begat Salah, making no mentiō at all of Cainan. to doe: surelie without all reason is it, to suppose, that the holie writer for common peace sake, admitted such an errour, and followed corrup­ted copies before the true. And that indeed he did not, is no lesse apparant by euidence, then is the for­mer. For albeit most copies now adayes haue in­cluded the name of Cainan in the register: yet some are also found,Beza in annos. in Luc. 3.36. Ante hoc nomen legitur [...], quod non dubitaui expungere secutus au­thoritatē Mosis (Gen. 11.12.) & me [...] vetu­stissimi codicis. Augustinus tamen se­cundum vulgare ex­emplar legit Cainan; non modo in Euange­lio, sed in hac historia Mosis, & post eum Be­da & alij pleri (que): non est igitur leuis aut no­na corruptio, non ta­men propter authori­tatem sequenda est. which haue it not, but do read it al­together agreeing to these words of Moses. Whose truth and reuerend antiquitie doth teach: First that the writings of Moses and Luke were vndoubtedly in all things of full agreement. Secondlie, that ig­norance, and euill purposes haue heretofore inde­uored to pollute the holie historie. Thirdly, that the Lord hath alwaies, and will preserue his word, that it may euer be aIsai. 8.20. Psal. 119.105. Prou. 30.5. perfect guide vnto the faithful, and anIoh. 12.48. Matth. 5.18. vncorrupted iudge, for Atheists & vnbeleeuers. Wherefore seeing all copies of the Hebrue agree, concerning this report; but the copies of the gos­pell doe dissent among themselues: it followeth that the truth remaineth with the Hebrue text, and with those copies of the Gospel which accord ther­with. And albeit some copies of the Gospell may happen in this point (being no fundamentall point [Page 451] directly concerning mans saluation) to be corrup­ted, forasmuch as vniuersallie they suffer not the same corruption: therefore neither Atheists haue cause hereby to condemne the word of contra­diction; neither papists, to alleage that the fountains are corrupted; nor christians haue cause to be offen­ded, although some copies disagree. For the holie Scripture hath no such priuiledge, that none shall dare presume against it, but that none that doe pre­sume, shallIsai. 59.21. Reuel. 6.6. fullie, and finallie preuaile. But because such hainous faults haue proceeded to so great e­normities, wee are all admonished to haue care to preserue with integritie, to maintaine with puritie the sacred word, & to amend with modeste such co­pies of the same, as are found by wifulnes or negli­gence of men to be corrupted.

Question 4. verse 31. Wherefore are the children of Terah more largelie intreated of in this genealogie, then of the rest of the Fathers, and for what cause departed Terah from Ʋr of the Chaldees to goe into the land of Canaan.

THe ancient generations are recounted but onlie in the line of the Messiah, vntill Te­rah the father of Abraham; not that they wereAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 10. Intimans quemlibet filios filias (que) genuisse: vt intelli­gamus vnde po [...]erint populi accrescere, ne in paucis qui commemorantur hominibus occupati puerili­ter hesitemus, vnde tanta spacia terrarum atque regionum repleri potuerint. not partakers of the blessing of increase in [Page 452] farther measure; but because the residue of their children becameAugust. ibid. Te­nenda est igitu [...] sertes generationum ab ipso Sem, vt ipsa ostendat post dilunium ciuita­tem Dei: propter hoc diuina scriptura, cum terrenam ciuitatem in Babylone, hoc est in confusione esse mon­strasset, ad patriarchā Sem, recapitulando re­uertitur. euen strangers vnto the Church. Abrahā as theRabbinor. [...] in Beresh. pearle that is hid amongst the sand, as the FatherGen. 17.5. Galat. 3.7. of the faithfull, and theIsai. 41.8. Iam. 2.23. friend of God, his life was as a patterneGen. 12.10. & 18.6. 50. &c. & 22.10.12. vnto the godlie, of patience, of faith and pietie to God: for this cause the affaires of his life are largelie recorded in the following historie. Nahor as the Grandfather of vertuous Rebecca, whomGen. 24.7.27. [...]0. the Lord God directed in marriage vnto Isaac; and Haran as the father of righteous Lot, of Milcha Rebeccas Grandmother, and Ischa (who asRabbinorū consen­sus. Item Ioseph. An­tiq. 1. cap. 7. Aranes relicto filio Lotho & filiabus Sara & Mil­cha in regione Chaldaeorum est mortuus, neptes verò ex f [...]atre duxerūt cōiuges Mil­cham Nachores, Sa­ram Abraham. Hieron. in tradit. He­brai [...]. in Gen. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 12. Iste A­ran pater Milchae suit & pater Ischae, quae Ischa creditur ipsa esse etiā Sara vxor Abrahā. many writers affirme, was Sarah) are necessarily in respect of their posteritie remem­bred. Who Ischa was, and wherefore named in this record, can no way be perceiued, saue by the signification of her name. By which it seemeth that Sarah Abrahams wifeHieron. lib. trad. in Gen. Aran filius Thare scater Abraham & Nachor duas filias genuit, Milcham & Sarai cognomento Ischam [...]. was called also Ischa of her fathers houshold, which in signification isIscha enim Chaldaeo sermone & Syro est spectata vel conspicus, vel clanum administra­tionis tenent, vt testatur Francisc Iun. in Anal. Rab. Solom. in Comment. à radic. [...] nasach, diducit, quod est magnificare, aut principē constituere, quod idem est cum significatu Sarah, [...]. one with Sarah, but differeth in sound according to the common language of the familie. Neither maketh this against the speech of Abraham: she is my sister, or where he saith, she is the daughter of my Gen. 20.12 Father: for in the language of the Church of God many which are2. Sam. 19.12.13. Gen. 19.7. farther in descent of kinred, are called brethrē; and Lot is also called of Abraham himselfe, hisGen. 13.8. bro­ther. In which respect might Sarah well be called his fathers daughter, because shee came of Terah [Page 453] beingNotwithstanding some Interpreters affirme that Sarai was the naturall daughter of Tha­rah, not of Haran, as Clem. Alexan. Strom. 2 vpon these words, She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mo­ther, Gen. 20.12. he teacheth thereby (saith Clemens) that they which were of the same mother, might not then be taken to wife. Of new writers, Theo­dor. Beza, libr. de Re­pudijs. But the for­mer sentēce is more consonant, confir­med by Iosephus, Hie­rome, Augustine, Cal­uine, Iunius and o­ther. Wherein we must obserue that Haran was not by the same wife of Te­rah that Abrā was; for otherwise Sarai had also been the daughter of his mother, Gen. 20.12. But of this more in another place. the daughter of his sonne. That Haran di­ed before Terah his father in the land of his natiui­tie, is obserued by many writers. Some affirming thatHieron. lib. trad. Hebrate. in Gen. Tradunt Hebrai ex hac occasione huiusmodi fa­bulam: quod Abraham in ignem missus sit, quia ignem adorare nobuerit, quem Chaldaei colunt; & Dei auxilio liberatus, de Idololatriae igno profugerit: mortuus est Aran in conspectis patris sui, in igne Chaldaeorum: quod videlicet ignem noluit adorare, igne consumptus sit. hee died a witnesse of the Lord, by the hands of Idolaters at the building of Babel. Some contrariwise,Epiphan. Haeres. 1. Hinc fieri taperunt statuae ex luto & arte sigulari per industriam huius Tharrae Durauit autem hoc studium in vigessinam generationem vsque ad hunc dieus annis 3332. Suidas in voce Sherug. hoc inuentu [...] ipsi tribuis, & Tharre statuarium fuisse scribit. that being himselfe an inuentor of Idolatrie, hee was destroyed by the Lord for his iniquitie, beingFor Lamech the father of Noah died also before Methushela his father: and the same is to be supposed of many other. vntruelie called of them the firstEpiphan. Haeres. 1. Et nullus vnquam ex prioribus hominibus filius ante patrem mortuus est, donec Tharre aemutum Dei per propriam versutiam commeritus erat. that died a naturall death before his father. But whether hee died a Martyr or for his sinne, be­fore his father; or whether for neither, but thatIoh. 9.3. the worke of God might be shewed vpon him, seeing the Scripture it selfe is silent, menAugust. de Gen. contr. Manich. lib. 1. cap. 2 Com­pescat se humana temerita [...], & id quod non est non quarat: ne id quod est non inueniat. Prosp. lib. de vocat Gent. Quae Deus occulia esse voluit, non sunt serutanda; qua autem manifesta fecit, non sunt negligenda [...]e & in illis illicitè curiofi, & in his damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati. must be conten­ted to be ignorant. And Terah tooke Abram his sonne, and Sarai his daughter in law, and Lot the sonne of Ha­ran, and they departed together, &c. The cause why Terah in this sort forfooke his countrie, was theChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 31. Abraham imperauit Deus vt inde utigraret, quod vt agnouit Tharra pater eius, lices in­fidelis pater esset, attamen ob amorem in filiuus, socius illi peregrinationis esse voluit. voice and oracle of God to Abraham, which is recorded in the Chapter following: Come out of thy country, and from thy fathers house, &c. For Abram now came out, and departed with his father to goe [Page 454] into the land of Canaan: but before his departing, while he Act. 7.2. dwelt in Vr of the Chaldees, For Chalden it self and all Babylon is called by Geogra­phers, Mesopota­mia. Plin. Hist. nat. lib. 6. cap. 27. and in Meso­potamia, the Lord said vnto him, Go out of thy countrie, & from thy fathers house. Wherefore the beginning of the chapter following, repeateth and expoūdethAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 16. c. 15. Et dixit Dominus, exidae terra tua &c. non quia hoc sequitur in sermone libri, hoc etiam in re­rum gostarum tem­pore sequi existiman­dum est: sed intelli­gendum est more suo scripturam redijsse ad tempus, quod iam nar­natio illa transierat. Sicut superius de lin­guarum vnitate di­ctum est. Francisc. Iun. in. Anal. in Gen. cap. 12. Hic primus vocationis lo­cus est plane [...] & causam exponena cur Tharra cum fa­milia, Vre Chaldaeorū discesserit. the cause of their departing, which thus in regard of time must be vnderstood: The Lord had said to Abraham while he dwelt in Mesopotamia, Come out of thy countrie, &c. Then Terah tooke Abraham his sonne. And for this cause doth the wisdome of God obserue this order, in deliuering the report, because it was necessarie in the life of Terah, to describe the acts of Terah, chieflie this most memorable, which happened in all his life. But because the commaun­dement was giuen to Abraham, as was the promise of his reward: it was also most aptlie reserued vnto the historie of Abraham, thereby to declare his o­bedience and faith. Now it may be obiected, see­ing Abraham was commanded to forsake his coun­trie, and his Fathers house, that hee in departing, o­beyed not the voice of God, forasmuch as Terah his father with his houshold, went out together in his companie. Doubtles Abraham obeyed the voice of God, not onlie in ioyning companie (in the de­parture) with his father, but also inChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 31. Anim [...]tu or­tere licet, quod cum Patriarcha Deo a [...] ­ceptus esset, visus ei Deus imperauis quod vt agnonit Tharra pater eius, &c. Caluin. in Gen. 11. Nec obstat quod prim [...] Thaerrae assignat Moses; quasi eius auspicijs, & ductu potius quam dei mandato agressu [...] fuerit Abraham: nam hoc honoris desertur patrio nomini. making known vnto his father, the reuelation of the will of God. Neither had the Lord denied him his Fathers com­panie, when hee bad him forsake his Fathers house in forsaking of his countrie: but that heAmbros. lib. [...]. Abrah. cap. 2. Sa­tis fuerat di risse exi de terra tua, ibi enim erat de cognatione exire, de paterna Dom [...] sed ideo addidit singula, vt eius affectum proba [...]er, ne fortè aut imprudenter capisse vateretur, aut fraus aliqua man­datis coelestibus pararetur. should so [Page 441] forsake his countrie, as that his fathers house should bee to him no hindrance. In like sort, the godlie are commaundedEphes. 5.11. to forsake the fellowship of the wicked, & in this respectMatth. 10.37. to forsake both Parents, and wife and children and possession. Notwith­standing they are commaunded,Ephes. 6.4. &c. to honour and loue their father, and mother & wife and children: in regard of which reuerence and loue, they are bound with Abraham toIsai. 2.3. Rom. 11.14. prouoke them by all meanes, to goe with them vnto the land ofHeb. 4.9. rest: yet if they will not be perswaded to obey the cal­ling of the Lord, thenIosu. 24.15. Psal. 45.10. Origen. in Ioh. tom. 20 Est autem quaedam vniuscuius (que) nostrum terra, atque quaedam ante diuinum respon­sum non bona cogita­tio, & postremò quae­dam domus patris no­stri, ante quam perue­mat sermo dei ad nos, quae omnia nobis prop­ter sermonem dei dā ­nanda sunt & omit­tenda, si seruatorem audimus dicentem: si filij estis Abrahae o­pera facite Abrahae. Bernard. serm. de cute, carne & ossibus ani­mae. Excamus de ter­ra nostra, vt non com­prehendat nos cogita­tio spectans ad volup­tatem carnis. Ex [...]a­mus de cogitatione nostra, id est à cogi­tationibus curiositatit, quae carnali vtique est cognata voluptati: exeamus etiam de domo patris nostri vt fugiamus cogitationes superbie & vanitatis. Eramus nos aliquando sicut caeterifilij [...]ra. &c. are they to forsake them and goe alone. The meaning therefore of the Lord was to admonish Abraham, to haue more regard of Gods commaundement, then of his fathers house; not to forsake his fathers house, if his fathers house forsake not Abraham; but Abraham must in no case forsake the Lord: Let them returne to thee, but returne not thou to them, saith the Lord to theIerem. 15.19. Prophet, in a like commaundement. But here remaineth, yet a greater doubt. The ScriptureHeb. 11.8. commending the faith of Abraham, affirmeth hee went out not know­ing whither he went: but here it is said, that Terah took Abraham, to goe into the land of Canaan. The words of the Apostle are nothing contrarie to this narra­tion, but onlieCONCILIATIO. 18. teach, how the same should be vn­derstood, namely as an inestimable argumentChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 31. Quasi diceret relinque certa & omnibus confessa, & elige magis incerta, & non apparentia. Considera quomodo ab initio exercetur iustus, vt praeeligat non apparentia pro apparētibus, & futura prae ijs, que in manibus sunt. Neque vulgare & paruum erat &c. non enim dixit ei in quam regionem transferre eum voluit sed mandato indefinito pium patriarcham exercuit. Ambros. de Alrah. lib. 1. c. 2 Tentatur vt fortis, incitatur vt fidelis, prouocatur vt iustus, meriro (que) exiuit quemadmodū locutus est illi Dominus. of [Page 456] the faith of Abraham, that at the calling of the Lord he would readilie forsake his natiue countrie, and wander he knew not whither certainelie, and there­withall would haue forsaken his father & his house, if he would not haue gone with him, and haue bin partaker of his hope. But the same countrie (albeit to Abraham as yet vnknowne) to which they were directed, by the guiding of the Lord, was Canaan: so that Abraham came out, and prepared himselfe to goe, before he vnderstood he was to goe to Ca­naan; yet afterward the Lord in mercie not onelie shewed him the way, but the place whereto he had assigned him. Wherein we see, that where the Lord commaundeth, he requireth1. Sam. 15.22. Deut. 12.32. absolute obedience, andPsal. 55.22. 1. Pet. 5.7. blessed are they that cast their care on him.

CHAP. XII.

Question 1. verse 4. Forasmuch as the Scripture saith, Terah li­ued seauentie yeeres and begat Abraham, Nahor, and Haran; and againe, Terah di­ed at the age of 205. yeeres: how could it be that Abraham departed out of Haran af­ter the death of Terah, being but 75. yeeres old, as saith the Scripture?

IF Abraham were borne in the seauentith yeere of Terah, and entred not into Canaan, before his fathers death; hee could be no les of age, thē an hundreth thirtie & fiue yeers, for so much distance of time there is betweene the birth of Abraham and Terah his death. AgaineAugust. Epist. 2. ad Volusian. Tanta est christianarum pro­funditas literarum, vt in ijs quotidie profice­rem, si eat solas ab in­tunte pueritia vsque ad decrepitam senectutem, maximo otio, summo studio, meliore ingenio conarer addiscere, &c. In ijs cum consummaueris homc, tunc incipit. if Abra­ham departed into Canaan, being seauentie fiue yeeres old,Act. 7 4. his father being dead; hee could not be borne in the seauentith yeere of Terah, but in the hundreth and fiue and thirtith yeere. For an­swere [Page 458] whereunto, theVeter [...] Rabbini, ex quibus narrat Hiero­nymus. Item. Rab. So­lomon in comment. in Gen. sic resert. N [...]m­rodo Tharra coniunc­tus & charus erat, atque vna in Idolola tria communicabant, Abraham contradice bat, quare à tyranno suit coniectus in for­n [...]cem, sed Deo fa­uente ereptus est ex illo incendio. Iewes endeuouring to re­concile the Scripture, haue broched this tradition, (whereuntoHieron. trad. in Gen. Vera est igitur illa Hebraeorum traditio, &c. Et ex illo tempo­re ei dies vitae & tem­pus reputetur aetatis ex quo confessus est dominum, spernent I­dola Chaldaeorum. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 15. Soluta autem est quaestio ista & aliter, vt 75. Anni Abrahae quando e­gressus est de Charra, ex illo computetur, ex quo de igne Chaldaeo­rum liberatus est, non ex quo natus est, tan­quam tunc potius na­tu [...], &c. Hierome also giueth his consent) that Abraham at the age of sixtie yeeres being throwne by the Chaldees into the fire, because he would not (as they did) worship it for a God, and being mi­raculouslie deliuered by the Lord, his age is thenceforth counted not from his birth, but at his deliuerance from death. And in this sense it is (say they) that the Lord speaketh thus to Abra­ham, I Gen. 15.7. Kimehi lib. Radic. brought thee out of Vr Chashdim, the fire of the Chaldees: for Vr inHieron. trad. Hebraic. in Gen. Pro eo quod legimus in regione Chaldeorum, in Hebraeo habetur [...] Vr chashdim, id est in igne Chaldaeorum [...], Vr, à rad. [...] or, lucere, illuminari, succendere. Graecè [...]. the Hebrue tongue is fire. Neuerthelesse wee may certainelie perceiue by the wordsGen. 11.31. Et sic docet Rabb. Abrab. Ben. Ezra in Comment. in Gen. 1. Item Rab. Moses Ben. Nahmah. Licet non natale solum Abrahae fuisse dicit. of Scripture (forasmuch as Terah, and Lot, and Sarah departed together with Abraham from Vr, as the Scripture witnesseth) that this Vr was a towne or Citie of the Chaldees where Abraham dwelt. So that this tradition being no where groun­ded in the written word, we leaue to those who im­brace traditionsBellarm. Tom. 1. controu. 1. lib. 4 cap. 7. Rectissimè aequari traditiones scripturis docet. Et quaedam (inquit) sunt traditiones maiores quam quaedam scripturae, quaedam minores & quedam aequales, cum tamen omnes traditiones, & omnes scripturae sunt aequales quantum ad fidem & venera­tionem, quae illis debetur, cum proficiscantur ab eodem authore Deo, & veniunt ad nos per manus cius­dem ecclesiae quae est mater nostra. as the word. Wherefore taking the age of Abraham from the birth of Abraham, diuines haue indeuoured to find a more apt recon­cilement of the Scripture. Augustine a man of ex­cellent dexteritie and iudgement in interpreting the Scripture, affirmeth, that this departure of A­braham [Page 459] August. de ciu. Dei, libr. 16. cap. 15. Non ergo inde post mortem patris. id est post 205. annos quibus pater e­ius vixit egressus est, sed annus de illo loco profectionis eius, cum ipsius septuagessimu [...] quintus erat, procul dubio patris eius, qui septuagesimo vitae suae anno genuerat, centis­simus quadragesimus quintus fuisse colligi­tur. into Canaan at seauentie fiue yeeres old, was before his fathers death. And although manie obiections may be made against this opinion out of the Scripture; yet being well considered they seeme to be light, and easilie taken away. For where the Scripture placeth this departing of Abraham after the death of Terah: it is found to be a continuall practiseSic enim de exitu Terah. Gen. 11.31. & 12.1. & 14.27. Vene­rum ad fontem iudicij (Mispeth) Hieron. trad. Hebraic. in Gen. Per anticipationē di­citur quod postea sic vocatum est. Num. cap 12.24.25. Au­gust. locut. in Num. 13 Cum superius dixisset venerunt in vallem Botri, dictum est ergo per anticipationem, non quia tum hoc vo­cabatur, quando ve­nerunt, sed cum scri­beretur hic liber iam vocabatur. Et de Doct. Christian. lib. 3. c. 36. in the histories, first by anticipation to de­clare a matter done, and after by recapitulation to shew the cause and order of the doing thereof. A­gaine, where the Scripture repeateth this historie, it vseth these wordes. Then Act. 7.4. came Abraham out of the land of the Chaldees, and [...]. dwelt in Haran: and after his father was dead, God brought him from thence into this land wherin you now dwell: whereby it is manifest, that Abrahams departure was after his fathers death. This obiection is also dissolued by Augustine and o­ther writers: thatAugust. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 15. Non vt postquam mortuus est pater cius exijt de Charra. Sed inde postquam mortuus est pater eius hic eu [...] collecauit. where the Martyr Stephen saith, that God translated him after his fathers death, he mea­neth not of Abrahams first arriuall into Canaan, wherein he wandred manie yeeres, but his [...] ex qua sue rei capit esse posses­ser, nam altero sequente anno, tossessionem emit ad sepulturam, Gen. 23.17.18 prius ne vestigium pedi [...] possidebat. setled abode when hee was translated wholie after his fa­thers death. So that Abraham is thought to haue a double entrance into Canaan, one at the age of sea­uentie fiue yeeres, and another after the death of Terah. Which answere notwithstanding, well con­sidered, seemeth not to be sufficient vnto the pur­pose. For the ScriptureOrigen. in Ierem. Hom. 2. Qua propter necesse est nobis scripturat sanctas in testimo­nium vocare: sensu [...] quippe nostri & enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fidem. Basil. in Mor. reg. 26. Quicquid vel dicimus vel facimus, id testimonio diuinarum literarum confirmari debet. no where doth insinuate [Page 460] any twofold departure of Abraham into Canaan, but rather contrariwise that his departure was at once, and that the same was after his fathers death. For at this his departure being seauentie fiue yeere old, he carried with himVers 5. all his commodities and goods, and left not any thing for another time to be trans­ported. Secondlie, the famine being inVers. 10. Canaan, he returned not to Haran, which of likelihood hee would haue done his father being aliue, neither is it euer found when he returned backe to Haran, that he might the second time depart to Canaan. Third­lie, sith that Terah departed with Abraham his sonne toGen. 11.31. goe into the land of Canaan, for what cause re­mained hee by the way in Haran by the space of threescore yeeres? Shall we say [...]ben Ez [...]a Com. in Gen. & alij trad [...]nt Tharra Charr [...] in I [...]olatrià cap. tom, sed ipsum in sine die [...]um resi [...]isse. Mortuus est (inquit) Tharra in Cha an qu [...] ia n p [...] ­cuit illi ea regio, nec si­l [...]um est comitatut in Canaan. &c. that hee was infe­cted with Idolatrie in Haran, and therefore remai­ned there? Much rather we are to thinke, that this reuelation being giuen to Abraham a little before the death of Terah, they departed together to goe to Canaan: but Terah hisCaiu. in Gen. cap. 11 Ridiculum enim est, cum patria egressus Tharra rectà peteret terrant Canaan, se [...]a­ginta annos hospitem in alieno opid [...]hesisse: magis verisimile est senem annis consectū morbo & lassitudin [...] fuisse consumptum. Bernard. epist. 105. Pretiosa mors sancto­rum, pretiosa plane tan quam finis laborū, tanquam victorie cō ­summatio, tanquam vitae ia [...]u [...], & perse­fectae securitatis in­gressa [...]. time being finished, by the mercie of the Lord, enioyed a better rest, before hee came at Canaan. Fourthlie, it is said: after his Father was dead God brought him into this place, and gaue him none inheritaunce, no not the breadth of a foote. Whereby it is euident, thatBeza in Annot. in Act. cap. 7. Itaque non assentior ijs qui vt hunc nodum soluant duplicem secerunt Abraha vocationem, quarum vnam à Mose praetermissam recenseat Stephanus. Atqui si haec Stephanus non accepit à Mose, à quo tandem accepit? dein quis non videt Stephanum si quaedam à Mose discrepātia narrasset, maxi­mam calumniandi o [...]casionem fuisse aduersarijs praebiturum. he came, but after his fathers death: that hee came after his fathers death, and inioyed not the inheritance of a foote: that hee came and was translated after his fa­thers death: so that when he first came he was tran­slated, & the same his comming was his translation. [Page 461] Seeing therefore that Abrahams age of seauentie fiue yeeres when he departed into Canaan, is percei­ued to be by the authoritie of holie Scripture, ei­ther at or after the death of his father, who liued an hundred and fiue yeeres: it remaineth that Abra­ham was notCaluin. in Gen. 11. vers. 26. Nunc cur A­braham nō fuerit pri­mogenitus. &c. August. quaest. in Gen. 25. Petest & sic solui; quoniā scriptura quae dixit cū esset Tharre annorum 70. genuis Abraham & Nachor & Aran: non vtique hoc intelligi voluit quòd codem anno 70. aetatis suae omnes tres genuit, sed ex quo an­no generare coepis [...]um annum commemora­ni [...] scriptura. Fieri e­nim potuis vt poste­rior sit generatus A­braham, sed merito excellentiae quae in scripturis valde com­mendatur, prior fueris nominatus. Tremel. Annotat. in Gen. 11. borne in the seauentith yeere of Te­rah, but in the hundreth and fiue and thirtith. There may in deed be many obiections made against it, but none I hope that shall preuaile. The text saith: Terah liued seauentie yeeres and begat Abraham, Nahor and Haran: therefore will one say, wasBellarm. Tom. 2. con­trou. 5. lib. 1. cap. 28. Perer, in Gen. 11. part. 3. disp. 14. Jllo autem anno natus est Abraham: scriptu­ra enim in Genesi semper indicat tempus [...]atiuitatis eorum, quorum texit genealogiam, vt sciamus ae­tatem totius mundi alijs praetermissi [...] qui ad istam gentalogiam non pertinent, vt Gen. 5. dicitur No [...] cum quingentorū esset annorū genuisse Sem, Cham & Iapheth. Vbi notatur praecise annus quo natur est Sem. Sed hoc manifeste falsum est vt docet scriptura. Gen. 11.10. Deniqu [...] ipse Per [...]rius disp. 10. Ne­gat esse praecise annotatum. A­braham borne in the seauentith yeere of Terah. I answere; by the words of the Scripture, it is not ne­cessarie: for we plainely see that there is something to be vnderstood (vnlesse wee would imagine that they were twins of one birth, which doubtles is a­gainst the truth) namelie,August quaest. in Gen. 25. Non vtique hoc intelligi voluit quod eo­dem anno 70. omnes tres genuit, sed ex quo anno generare caepit. Caluin. in Gen. 11. Nec verò Moses quoio vitae anno filios genu [...]rit Tharre e [...]primit, sed tantum superasse aetatem illam, priusquam tres­gigneret filios de quibus agitur. that the eldest of his sonnes was then conceiued, and that hee had in all butFor the Scripture saith not of T [...]rah as of all the rest, he be­g [...]t sonnes and daughters, but he begat Abram, Nahor and Haran. Although Caluin supposeth he had more children. three. Now which of these three should be the eldest? Manie thinke Abraham, because hee is placed first. But this is no sufficient reason: for Sem is alwaie placed first among the sonnes of Noah, whomBoth Iewes and Christians, as hath been said aboue. they themselues suppose was not the eldest: and Isaac isGen. 25.9. 1. Chron. 1.28. placed before Ismael, and Iacob Malach. 1.2.3. August. quaest. in. Gen. 25. before [Page 462] Esau, whom all men know to be the younger Sons. Secondlie, it may be obiected toBellarm. Tom. 2. con­trou. 5. lib. 1. cap. 28. be in vaine to set downe the age of Nahor or Haran in this genealo­gie, where the fathers of the Church onelie are de­scribed. But indeed it belongeth not a little to the historie, both in respect of Terah, who had noSicut neque Noe an­te quingentessimū an­num. August. quaest. in Gen. 25. Caluin. in Gen. 11. Eo anno generare caepit. child vntill he was seauentie yeeres of age, when as his ancestors had children atGen. 11.14.24. thirtie, and nine and twentie yeers; & also in regard of Nahor, and of Haran, toFor Lot is said to bee an olde man at the destruction of Sodome. Gen. 19.31. when as Abraham had scarse fulfilled 100. yeares. So that Lot the sonne of Haran is to be estee­med not much yon­ger then Abraham himselfe. giue light into the age and condition of their posteritie. Thirdlie, if Abraham were not the eldest sonne, there is no certaine ground of the age ofCaluin. in Gen. 11. Hanc obiectionem po­nit & diluit. Abraham, and thereby no certaine account of the age & succession of the world, which the Scrip­ture doth so distinctlie, and purposelieAugust. de ciu. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 14. Ab­surdum est existima­re, &c. define. Whereunto is opposed this place of Scripture, that Abraham departed being but seauentie fiue yeere old. For wherefore is this time reported of, but that it might be ioynedAugust. ibid. De­functo autem Thara in Mesopotamia, iam incipiunt iudicari fa­cta ad Abraham pro­missiones Dei. with the death of Terah? and wherefore is the age of Abraham deliuered when he departed out of Haran, & not rather when he departed from Vr of the Chaldees the land of his natiuitie, but becauseEucher. libr. 2. in Gen. cap. 11. his departure from his natiue countrie and from Haran, were both in one yeere fulfilled, namelie in the yeere of the death of Terah. Fourthlie, if Abraham were not the eldest of Terahs sonnes,Bellarm. tom. 2. con­trou. 5. libr. 1. cap. 18. Perer in Genes. 11. tom. 2. Aliam supposi­tione [...] inducūt: quod illo anno habere capit tres filios: vnum illo anno genitum, & alios antea. Sic vt sit Abram minimus natu, & tamen septuagesimo natus anno, sed haec sententia non tantum à scriptura ipsa discrepat, Gen. 5.32. & 12.4. sed & à sana ratione, ab authoritate Augustini quaest. in Gen. 25. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 15. & omnium Doctorum. then was hee borne in the hun­dreth and thirtieth yeere of Terah (which also a­greeth with this account) or els no certaintie can be found of the birth of Abraham. But it seemeth not [Page 463] credible, by the course of nature, that Terah had Abrahā, borne at one hundred and thirtie yeers, see­ing Abraham esteemeth it a miracle, forGen. 17.17. him to haue a Sonne at an hundreth yeeres. Surelie the Scripture doth not obscurely signifie, that about the dayes of Abraham, the Lord did greatlie shorten the common rate of the dayes of man, in a little space. For Terah who liued two hundred yeeres and fiue, is no where signified to exceed the common age of his generation: but Abraham that liued not so long by thirtieGen. 25.7. 175. yeeres. yeeres, is said to be an Gen. 25.8. In senec­tute magna, senex & satur dierum. old man and of great yeeres, when he was gathered to his people. Neuer­thelesse there is not so much difference of timeAlthough Rabbi Salomon doe affirme that Ketura was that Hagar by whom he had Ismael, which also Hierom doub­teth of, yet the words of Scripture seeme to carrie an­other sense: and A­braham added to take another wife, Gē. 25.1. Also Augustine is of this iudgement, de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. c. 34. and many other. be­tweene the sonnes which Abraham had by Keturah his latter wife, and the death of Abraham, as be­tweene the hundreth and thirtieth yeere of Terah, and his death. Neither in deed are the words of A­braham so to be vnderstood, as if in regard of his owne age, hee had thought it miraculous to haue a sonne, seeing manie not onelie of those times, but long after Abraham bothIacob begat Benia­min, being one hun­dred & foure yeeres old: compare Gen. 35.16. & 44.20. and Boaz, Obed and Iosse, had children at no lesse then one hun­dred yeeres of their age, as is manifest by comparing, Ruth 4.18. with Matth. 1.5 and Acts 13.20. of his posteritie, and ofMassanissa, Cat [...] and other. Appian. lib. 3. who had children at foure score yeeres: which is nothing strange, for our times are witnes of the like. other nations, haue engendred and had chil­dren at little lesse then an hundreth yeeres. But it was his ageFor so the Apostle ioyneth them together, Rom. 4.19. which is to be obserued. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 40. Nihil enim à lapidibus differebant quantum ad generationem pertinet, nam & patriarcha praesenectute prope impotens trat, & Sara ad hoc quod natura sterilis erat laborabat atatis & senectutis vitio. Committunt ergo Elenchum. diuisionis, qui intelligunt Abrahae senectutem loco positam miraculi. considered with the age of Sarah, who being byGen. 11.30. & 16.1.2. nature barren, and hauing liued with A­bram from the flower of her youth, vntill after the course of nature shee was past child-bearing: this made it miraculous in deed, that Abraham should [Page 464] haue a sonne at an hundreth yeeres of age by Sara, who was nintie yeere old, & had noGen. 18.11. child. Where­fore there is no doubt, but Abraham may well be vn­derstood, to be borne in the hundreth and thirtith yeere of Terah, and be perhaps the youngest of his sonnes, albeit that forAugust. quaest. in Gen. 25. Caluin in Gen. cap. 11. vers. 26. honour sake, and regard of the historie of his life, hee be placed the formost in the text.

Question 2. verse 7. How is it to be vnderstood, that God appea­red vnto Abraham, & how the Patriarks and Prophets are said to see God which is inuisible?

WHosoeuer shall consider, or read, or heare this historie, haue cause to be astonied at the straungnesse of the counsailes of the Lord: and to note diligentlie the circumstances of the text, laying vp the doctrine for perpetuall medi­tation. The Lord first of allVers. 1. Act. 7.4. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 31. Quar [...] in domo paterna versan­tem tua benedictione non dignaris? Volebat illum doctorem fieri nunc quidem omnibus Palestinis, paulo post etiam Ae­gyptijs. Idem. Hom. 32. Et quare non potius eos qui in Chaldaea erant ad religionem sua pietate con­uertit? Verisimile est illorum salutem per aliorum prouidentiam fuisse procuratam. commaundeth Abra­ham to depart Cicero. Offic. 1. Chari sunt parentes, chari liberi, propinqui, familiares, sed omnes omnium Charitates, pa­tria vna complexa est, pro qua quis bonus dubitet mortem oppetere, si ei sit profuturus. Basil. lib. de Virgin. Abraham verò, velut qui quod desiderabat vidit, & promptè sequibatur, & erro at­que exul esse amoris ergô iucundè tolerabat: dicens, quis nos separabit à dilectione Dei? from his countrie, to Cyprian. lib. de mont. Sinai & Sion. Abraham in sua natiuitate à parentibus suis Abram vocatus est, tentatus verò à Deo fidelis inuentus est. forsake his kinred, and fathers house. A strongAmbros. libr. 1. de Abraham. c. 2. Tentatur vt for­tis, incitatur vt fidelis, prouocatur vt iustus, meritoque exiuit quemadmodum locutus est illi dominus. temptation in deed, and [Page 465] proofe of Abrahams obedience and faith: but that which followeth was much more grieuous. For the Lord had promised, I will make of thee a great nation, and I will blesse thee, &c. So that Abraham obeying the voice of God, had now to looke (although not in regard ofBernard. in Psalm. qui habitat. sermo. 15. Hoc enim totum est hominis meritum, si totam spem suam po­nit in eo, qui totū ho­minem saluum facit. the merite of his obedience, but be­cause of the promise) for the blessing of the Lord: and could not but continuallie expect it, because hee had forsaken all worldlie stay hee had, who­lie to rest himselfe thereon. But when Abraham was come to the land which God would shew him, he could behold nothing lesse then the fulfilling of the promise, if in carnall reason he should iudge the sequell; for the Cananite, aNumb. 13.29. Amos 2.9. mighty people, aGen. 34. [...]. cruel, andGen. 13.13. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 31. Canaan [...]i (inquit) tunc inha­tabant terram. Nequ [...] hoc simpliciter aut absque causa assigna­uit, sed quia cum loca illa praoccupata es­sent a Canantis, coge­batur quasi vagus & peregrinus, & quasi abiectus & v [...]lis ali­quis diuersari, vt for­te obtingebat. wicked people did then possesse the land. In this preplexitie, the Lord appeareth vnto Abrā, & promi­seth to giue the land vnto his seed. But behold, his wifeGen. 11.30. was barren, and as yetAct. 7.5. Rom. 4.18.19. hee had no child: and im­mediatlie as it were vpon the promise of inheriting the land, hee is compelled by famine to forsake the land, & to flee with exceeding care and daunger in­to Aegypt. Wherein we may behold both the wise­dome and power of God, whoNazianzen. Orat. 18. Orbit quidam, frae­tres, rerum humana­rum est, perque con­traria Deus nos cru­dit. Idem. Orat. 47. Prouidentia Dei ple­rumque ex contrarijs meliora procurat. out of contraries doth worke his promise and fidelitie: and also the causes and occasions of visions and appearances of God in former ages. The Lord from the beginning did manifest himselfe vnto the godlie Patriarkes by his word, byGen. 3.9. & 9.1. & 25.23. Exod. 2 [...] 1.19.1. Sam. 28.111.2. Matt. 17.5. Acts 9.4. liuelie voice sounding out vnto their eares his pleasure & cōmandement. And whatDeut. 12.32. & 30.14.16. he commaundeth by voice, he sheweth to be his will; what heGen. 26.5. teacheth, hee confirmeth as a truth; what he promiseth, heGē. 9.9. Nūb. [...]3.19. performeth without shadow of change; vntill this time that Abraham in shew of hu­mane [Page 466] reason (for theGen. 22.1.12. Augustin. serm. de temp. 129. Tentat de­us non quasi mentium nescius humanarum, sed vt suos fideles sa­ciat in seculo manife­stos. Idem epist. 146. Tentatio alia est de­ceptionis, alia tenta­tio probationis: secun­dum illam non intelli­gitur qui tentat nisi diabolus, secundum hanc vero tētat Deus. triall and confirmation of his faith, and for the instructionIsai. 51.12. Gregor. Moral. lib. 22. cap. 7. Plerumque e­nim ad exercenda bo­na opera aliena nos v­tiliter exempla per­suadent. Leo Papa serm. de ieiun. 1. Va­tidiora sunt exempla quàm verba, & ple­nius opere dicetur quàm voce. of the Church in time to come) might seeme to feele his breach of promise. Now because the promise was made but in a moment, and there succeeded a world of mise­ries; wherein the onely stay of Abram was the re­membrance of the promise, neither testified byDeut. 31.19.21. Pro. 22.20. writing, nor as yet by sealeGen. 9.12. & 17.9. confirmed: therefore the Lord appeareth vnto Abraham, confirming both his eye and eareChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Quia iustum à domo eius euocauerat, & imperauerat vt in alienam terram abiret, in qua agebat vagus & peregrinus: bonus igitur Dominus consolar [...] eum & eius solidare alacritatem vo­lens, visus est ei Dominus & dixit ei, &c. for the strengthning of his faith, and the greater remembrance and reuerence vnto the promise. So that visions vnto the PatriarkesIren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Apostoli Euangelium praeconiauerunt, postea verò per dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt, fundamentum & columnam fidei no­stra futurum. Chrysost. Hom. in Matth. 1. Noa & Abraha [...]i [...]sque posteris & Iob & Mosi non per literas sed per semetipsum locutus est, quia scilicet puram eorum mentem repererat. Quia verò progre­diente iam tempore alij quidem propter dogmata, alij vèrò propter vitam & mores scopulis impeg [...] ­runt, ea rursus quae constat literis admonitione fuit opus. were in steed of the written word and sacraments, to confirme1. King. 2.3. & 11.9. the promises; which seeing in the lat­ter ages of the church, the Lord hath manifested his wholeIohn. 15.15. 2. Tim. 3.16.17. will and promise, with all behoouefull do­ctrine concerningIoh. 20.31. Cyril. in Ioh. lib. 12. cap. 68. Non omnia quae Dominus fecit conscrip­ta sunt, sed quae scribentes tam ad mores quam ad dogmata sufficere putauerunt, vt recta fi [...]e & ope­ribus ac virtute rutilantes, ad regnum coelorum perueniamus. mans saluation, and hath com­mitted it to writing,Psal. 119.50.92. Hieron. in epist. ad Ephes. Comment. cap. 1. Si quic quam est quod in haec vita virum sapientem teneat & inter pressu­ras & turbines aequo animo manere persuadeat; id esse primum reor, meditationem & scientiam scripturarum. to be a perpetuall and perfect guide in all temptations, for man therein to behold and heare the Lord: it was also necessarie,August. de vnitate Eccles. Ipse Dominus Iesus cum resurrexisset à mortuis, & dis­cipulorum oculis videndum manibusque tangendum corpus suum offerres, nequid tamen fallacia se pati arbitrarentur, magis eos testimonijs legis & prophetarum & Psalmorum confirmandos esse iudicauit. that vi­sions in the Church should cease (that being giuen by the Scriptures, for which visions themselues [Page 467] were2. Pet. 1.18.19. Clem. Alexan. Strom. lib. 7. Principium e­nim doctrina habe­mus dominum, qui & per Prophetas & per Euangelium, & per beatos Apostolos mul­tifariam multis (que) mo­dis à principio ad finē deducit cognitionis. giuen) least they should restraine in any part the honor due vnto the Scriptures. And in deed the most wise and holie Lord found it most agreeable vntoHeb. 1.12. Chrysost. Hom. in Rom. 1. Non enim locuti tantā sunt Prophetae, sed qua lo­quebātur literis etiam mandarunt: nequ [...] scripserunt tantum, sed & rebus ipsis qua futura erant prafigu­rarunt: vt erat quod Abraham filium su [...] Isaac ad immolandum ducebat, quod Moses serpentem antum ex­altabat, & super A­males manus tend [...] ­bat, & agnum pas­chalem immolabat. the condition of his Church, that visions should goe before the written word, that the word it selfe might containe the visions; and the former visions recorded in the word, together with the word,Tertul. lib. de resur­rect. Carnis. Nobis cu­riositate non est opus post Iesum Christī, nos inquisi [...] post E­uangeliū. Cum [...]redi­mus nihil desideramus vltra credere: hoc enim primū credimus, nō esse quod vltra credere debe [...]us. might be a full direction vnto the children of God for euer. Moreouer, it is manifest that the visions did serue for an increase of confirmation of the promises, and were neuer vsed but in causes of greatest moment and necessitie. We read not vntill Abraham thatChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Nunc primum inuenimus in scriptura dictum, quod visut est Domi­nus & dixerit ei. God appeared vnto any of the Fa­thers since Adams fall, for none are reported to be tried with the like temptation. But Abraham to whom the Lord had promised the land, and Act. 7.5. Heb. 11.9.10. gaue him not one foote of inheritance therein: pro­mised his seed should be as the stars of heauen, whileRom. 4.18.19. (his wife being barren and aged) hee had no child; and when hee had receiued a son according to the pro­mise,Gen. 22.1.2. he commaunded him to be offered for a sa­crifice: least through these strongOrigen. Hom. in Genes. 8. Vbi non suffecerat dixiffe filium, sed adijcitur & charissimum. Esto & hoec quid adhuc ad­ditur, & quem diligis? Sed vide tentationis pondus? Pit & commemoratio nominis, vt & promis­sionum quae sub hoc nomine facta sunt, desperatio subeat. Et hac omnia quia tantabat Deus Abra­ham. assaults, the pro­mises should beGregor. Moral. lib. 1. cap. 40. Incassum bonum agitur si ante terminum vita descr [...]tur: quia & frustra velociter curris qui priusquam ad metas venerit deficit. neglected before the time to be fulfilled; the Lord wouldOccolampad. in Gen. 12. Ita accidere solet vt in continuis sanctorum persecutionibus & afflictionibus intermisceantur non­nullae consolationes, non enim permittio Deus suos amplius tantari quam ferre possunt, ita cum iam duram satis crucem imposuisset hum [...]ris Abraha, illi apparet. confirme by his appea­ring, that the promise did proceed from him, and [Page 468] should be fulfilled in their seasons. And Isaac, whoGen. 35.27. Heb. 11.9. continued likewise a stranger in the land; the Lord doth likewise comfort, with theGen. 26.2.24. like sustentation of his faith. Iacob, who of all the Patriarks was mostGen. 47 9. Chrysost lib. 2. de pro­uident. Dies mei par­ui & m [...]li, hoc est & breuiorē et laboriosio­ [...]em vius vitam vbi & omnes ferè mole­stias e [...]ponit. grieuously assaulted with cōtinual afflictions, doth find himGen. 32.24. Iustin. Ma [...]t. Dialog. cum Tr [...]ffon. Tertull. lib. 2. in Mar­cion. Item cont. Praex. Hilar. lib. de Trin 4. Non solum ad Abra­ham in viro Deut affuit, sed etiam ad Ia­cob in homine Deut venit: ne (que) solū venit, sed luctatus ostendi­tur Neque tantum­modo luctatus, sed etiam aduersus eu [...] quo luctabatur infir­ [...]us. Ambros. de fide lib. 1. cap. 5. wrestling with him face to face, toBernard. de nat. Ma­riae. serm. 1. Notam fe­cis dilectionem suam, e [...]periatur & tuam, in multis enim tentat te Dominus Deus tuut. Declinat sapius, auertis faciem non in ira, probationis istud est non reprobationis. Sustinuis te dilectus, sustine tu dile­ctum sustine & viriliter age; non illum vicere peccata tua, to quoque ipsius flagella non superent; & obtinebi [...], cum aurora fuerit benedictionem. teach him that it is the Lord himselfe that in afflictions pres­seth downe, and by his promise and inward grace, as1. Sam. 2 6. Iob. 5.18.19. by his other hand, supporteth: for who was Ia­cob els that should wrestle with the angell, corrup­tion with strength it selfe, vntill the dawning of the day? Moses as being Numb. 12.7. faithfull in the house of God, andHeb. 2.5. as a seruant to deliuer vnto all the familie the will and lawes of the maister of the house, talketh familiarlie with God, and the Lord Exod. 33.11. Numb. 12.8. speaketh with him face to face, as a man that speaketh vnto his friend. The seauentie Elders, Exod. 24.9.10. they saw the God of Israel, that their testimonieCaluin. in Exod. 24. Illic propius conspecta fuit Dei gloria à senioribus, vt deinde narr [...]erent populo quod viderant, at (que) ita res idoneis testibus probata iu­d [...]biam fidem acquireret. might be added for the confirma­tion of the people. Iosua that was to warreIos. 5.13. & 6.2. with so many nations, beholdeth the Captaine of the host of God. And Balaam is partaker Numb. 2 [...].4. &c. August. de mirab. script. lib. 1. cap. 3 [...]. Vt aduentus Christi per Prophetam Gentilem qui futurus erat gentium saluator in lege Dei scriberetur. of the visions of God, that he might witnes among the heathen the praise of Israel. Isaiah by vision is confirmedIsai. 6.1.10. in the hard­nes of heart of th people of Israel, leastMatth. 13.14. Ioh. 12.40.41. Rom. 11.7.8. their ingrati­tude should be a scandall in the Church, as though such negligence in receiuing the true Messiah, in a [Page 469] people called of God, could not haue beene. Eze­chiel when the Church was in captiuitie,Ezech. 1.4. &c. seeth wheeles and cherubims, and the similitude of the glory of the Lord, toHieron. in Nahum Comment. cap. 3. Von commitionis rotarum. Dum huc atque illuc genus raptatur huma­num, & incertis per cuncta discursibu [...], v­bi periculum, vbi sa­lus sit ignoramus. de qua rota in principio Ezechieli [...] scriptū est. confirme that both men and angels, and the change of times are guided and directed by the Lord. Daniel beholdeth the Dan. 7 9.13.14. auncient of dayes to sit in iudgement, and the sonne of man to receiue from him a kingdome vniuersall and perpetuall, to signi­fie that iudgementDan. 7.10. remaineth with the Lord, and that it is that sonne of man, who wasAugust. contr. Faust. Manicha. lib. 12. cap. 44. Quis non eundem saluatorem agnoscat apud Danielem, cum antiquo dierum offer­tur filius hominis, & excepit regnum fine fine &c. Iā verò si lo­cum illum quem [...]om­memorauit Dominus: cum videritis abho­minationem, &c. et si supputatis etiam tem­poribus hebd [...]madum ille numerus pertra­ctetur, non solū Chri­stus, sed etiam tempus reperitur quo eum o­portuit venire passu­rum. to be slaine at the time appointed, who was ordeined of God the iudge of the quicke and of the dead. And Zacharie also seeth the man Zachar. 1 [...]. vpon a bloodie horse among the myr­trees, that hee might declare vnto the Iewes theZachar. 1.13.16. wrath of God against their enimies, and their ioy­full and speedie deliuerance by him. But one will say, seeing these, as the Scripture saith, haue seene the visions of God, & he hath appeared to be seene of them; how saith the Scripture also,1. Ioh. 1.18. No man hath seene God at anie time, and thatExod. 33 20. none can see the Lord and liue? These placesConcilia­tio. 19. of holie Scripture areAugust. quaest. in non. Testamen. q. 71. Ecce non est contrarium, & visum & inuision esse Deum. dif­ferent (saith Augustine) in appearance and shew of words, but in matter and substance of doctrine, are nothing contrarie. Wherefore we are more nar­rowlie to search the meaning of the Scripture, whereunto the words themselues will giue directi­on. The Lord himselfe when hee appeared vnto Moses, Exod. 33.20. saith thus vnto him, thou canst not see my face, for no man shall see me & liue. If therfore when Moses face to face did talke with God, it was said vnto him, thou canst not see my face; doubtles there is one [Page 470] thing meant by the face of God which Moses saw, and another thing by his face which Moses could not see. And so in deed the scripture calleth the face of God which Moses did behold,Numb. 12.8. ye appearance and similitude of God: but the face of God which Moses could not see, hisExod. 33.18.20. August. tract. in Ioh. 3 Quid vidit Moses? Moses vidit nubem: vidit angelum, vidit ignem, omnis illa crea­tura typum Domini sui gerebat, non ipsius Domini prasentiam exhibebat: nam (que) a­pertè habet in lege: & loquebatur Moses cum Domino quasi amicus cum amico suo. Sequi­tur tamen: si inueni gratiam in conspectu tuo, ostende mihi seipsum manifestè, vt videam te. Et responsum accepit, non potes videre faciem mea [...]. shape or substance, and his glorie. Whereof this doctrine also followeth: that the glo­rieExod. 33.20. 1. Tim. 6.16. Hieron. in Isai. 6. Ad quod respondebimus, non solum patris diuinitatem, sed ne filij quidem aut spiritus sancti, quia vna in trinitate natura est, poss [...] oculos carnis aspicere, sed oculos mentis de quibus ipse saluator [...]ijt, beati mūdi corde. Ergo Deut naturae non ceruitur, sed videtur hominibus vt voluerit. Gregor. Moral. li. 18. c. 39. Nec in coelis videbimus sicut videt seipsum, sed sicut angeli intuentur faciem eius. Longè quippe dispariliter videt creator se, quàm videt creatura Creaturē. Nam quantū ad immensitatē Dei, quidam modus figitur contemplationis, quia eo ipso pondere circum­scribin [...]r, quo creatura sumus. or essence of the Lord cannot be beheld of any mortall creature, neither can any see him as hee is: for seeing in deed that ourColoss. 1.7. Marius Victor. cont. Arr. li. 3. Et quoniam potentia cessant vita est, & cessans intelligentia, haec autem vita & intelligentia actio est, si quis Deum viderit [...]o­riatur necesse est: quia dei vitae & intelligentia in semetipsa est non in actu, omnis autem actus fori [...] est; hoc verò est nostrum viuere quod foris est viuere: ergo est mors Deum videre, nemo inquit vn­quam Deum vidit, & vixit: simili enim simile videtur. August. epist. 111. Nos autem omnes reue­lata facie gloriam Domini speculantes in eandem imaginem transforma [...]ur à gloria in gloriam tan­quam à Domini spiritu, licet faciem dei iuxta naturae sua proprietatem nulla videat creatura, & tunc mente cernatur quando inuisibilis creditur Verba sunt Hieronymi quem citat. nature and being doth consist in him, and God doth infinitelie exceed the beingIerem. 23.24. Ephes. 4.10. Ambros. in Luc. lib. 1. cap. 1. Cuius naturae est non videri, voluntate videri, nam si non vult non videtur, si vult videtur. Et ideo Deum nemo vidit vnquam quia eam quae in Deo habitat plenitudinem diuinitatu nemo conspexit, nemo mente aut oculis comprehendit. Gregor. Moral. lib. 2. cap. 3. Creator omnium Deus vbique est, & vbique totus est; in parte non est quia vbique est; & tunc minus inuenitur quando is qui vbique totus est, in parte quaeritur. of all his creatures, both in respect of his in­comparable greatnes, and in that hee hathExod. 3.14. Hieron. epist. ad Damasum. Quoniam vetusto, &c. vna est Dei & sola natura, quae verè est: id enim quod subfistit non habet aliunde sed suum est. Ergo deut solus qui aternus est, hoc est qui exordium non habet, essen­tiae nomen verè tenet. his be­ing of, and in himselfe: therefore it is much more possible, for one droppe of raine to containe the [Page 471] whole element of water, then for ourAugust. epist. 112. De videndo Deo, si quaeris quo modo di­ctus sit inuisibilis, cum videri potest? Resp. Inuisibilem esse natu­ra, videri autem cum vult sicut vult. Si quaeris vnde eū vide­bimus? Resp. Vnde angeli vident, quibus tunc erimus aequales. Sicut enim videntur ista quae visibilia no­minantur, Deum nemo vidit vnquam, nec videre potest, quoniā lucem habitat inac­cessibilem, & est natu­ra inuisibilis, sicut in­corruptibilis (vt A­post. 1. Tim. 1.12.) & sicut nunc incorrupti­bilis, nec postea corruptibilis; ita non solum nunc, sed etiam semper inuisibilis. Damascen. Or­thodox. libr. 1. cap. 1. Post primam itaque beatissimamque naturam nullus vnquam Deum nouit, nisi cui ipse reuelauerit, non hominum modo, sed ne supramundanarum virtutum: supramunda­narum dico, vt ipsorum Cherubim & Seraphim. being to measure him, or our eye-sight to containe his great­nes, or our vnderstanding to attaine vnto it. Se­condlie, that where the Lord appeared vnto the Pa­triarks, he appeared not by his nature or substance which cannot be seene, butTertul. aduers. Prax. Visum quidem Deum se­cundum hominum capacitates, non secundum plenitudinem diuinitatis. August. quaest. in non. Te­stam. 71. Visus est Deus in imagine, vt intelligeretur Deus esse qui apparebat per rationem non per substantiam, quia in natura sua Deut videri non potest. by similitude where­by they were able to behold him, and were assured that it was the Lord himselfe that talked with them. And although he appeared byObiectio sit, nam patres plerique affirmant Christum fuisse qui apparebat Patriarchi [...]: alij contrà volunt authoritate Dionysij Arrop. Hierar. cap. 4. Non esse à deo immediate, sed opere & ministerio angelorum: & videtur difficilior quòd scrip­turae eundem nunc angelum, nunc Iehouam appellat. Sed respondit Augustin. Vtrumque fieri posse si­ [...]ul, nempe Deum vel per angelicam aliquam potestatem, hoc est in & per angelum; vel per quam li­bet creaturam apparuisse. Contra Adimant. cap. 9. the ministerie of some inferiour creature, as the holie Ghost by theMatth. 3.16. likenes of a doue, andAct. 2.3. similitude of fire, whichAugust. de Ago­n [...] Christian [...]. cap. 22. & de incarnat. verb lib. 1. cap. 3. Non enim sicut filius hominem assumpsit, vt in aeternum permaneat; sic spiritus sanctus columbam vel ignem. Sed illae facta visiones de creatura in­feriore, ad manifestandum sp [...]ritum, esse postea defliterunt. Nun quam enim illa incomprehensibilis, in­commutabilis (que) diuinitas, quae est trinitas, ab oculis carnalibus videri potest, nisi per subiectam crea­turam. ceased also to be, so soone as the vision ceased; yet God so appearedTertul. contr. Prax. Consequens erit vt inuisibilem patrem intelligamus pro plenitudine maiestatis, visibilem verò filium agnoscamus pro modulo deriuationis. Sed ipse quidem Dominus si fortè coram ad saciem loquebatur, non tamen vt est, homo faciem eius viderat, nisi sortè in speculo & in anigmate. by the creature, as that hee him­selfe was truelie by the creature seene, the manner how, a learned father wiselie answereth: as Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. Sicut ipse solus scit, & vt illi possibile erat videre: on enim hoc dicere desinam quoniant modum ignoro: audio enim solum scripturam dicentem, & visus est Dominus. the Lord only knoweth that did appeare; & was possible for humane creatures to containe. Doctrines. 1. verse 1. The Lord [Page 472] chooseth and calleth Abraham, not forRom. 4.1.2. Abrahams righteousnes, but for his owne mercie sake: and commaundeth him obedience, becauseIosh. 4.23. Isai. 48.11. & 31.2. Iren. libr. 4. c. 28. Nec nostro ministerio in­digens iussit vt eum sequeremur, sed vt no­bis ipsis attribuat sa­lutem. he would blesse him for obedience. Secondlie, those that will enter into the spirituall land of promiseHeb. 4.8.9. must for­sake theirLuc. 14.26. fathers house to follow Christ: and least they should1. Cor. 9.21 27. runne in vaine and misse the marke, theyLuc. 14.28 [...]3. must cast before to indure the crosse. Third­lie, verse 2. The blessings which the Lord bestoweth on those that feare him,Gen. 32 10. 2. Sam. 7.18. doe infinitelie surmount the measure of their obedience. Fourthlie, against falseMatth. 24.25.26. Christs we must obserue: that the true Mes­siah is the sonne ofMatth. 1.1. Abraham and Dauid, of whom all thingsMatth. 5.17. Ioh. 19.28. were fulfilled, forespoken by the Pro­phets. Fiftlie, those that curse or persecute Gods childrenIsai. 49.26. are accursed of the Lord; those that re­lieue or comfort them,Matth. 10.41. beca se they belong to Christ, shall receiue the reward of those that belong to Christ. Sixtlie, verse 5. The blessing of the LordPsal. 127.3. Prou. 3.33. is in the house of the righteous: when Abraham doth con­stantlie obey the Lord, Sarah doth as constantlie o­bey Abraham, the seruants are in subiection to their gouernours, their friends yeeld fellowship, their e­nimiesProu. 16.7. peace. Seauenthlie, verse 7. The Lord in the trials of his children, sendethGen. 32.24. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Talia sunt quae à deo dispensan­tur, rara semper & admirabilia, & quā ­do apud homines de­speratum est, tum po­tentiam & sapientiā suam declarat Deus. reliefe and com­fort, according to the greatnes of the temptation and infirmitie of the partie tempted, andPsal. 118.18. 1. Cor. 10.13. suffe­reth none to be tried aboue their strength and abili­tie to endure the burden.

Question 3. verse 13. Wherefore Abram said to Sarai his wife; Say I pray thee that thou art my sister: and whe­ther he sinned in perswading her there­vnto?

THose that negligentlie consider this histo­ry,Caluin. in Gen. 12. Atque hinc latrandi materiā proterui qui­dam canes arripiunt, sanctum patriarcham lenonem fuisse propria vxoris; sed hos resel­lere promptū est, quod scilicet altius respexe­rit Abraham cum tā ­ta in alijs animi mag­nitudine vsus fuerit. as though Abraham for his wealth or life had put in hazard the chastitie of Sa­rah, are wickedlie deceiued in their fond conceit. For first wee must remember the condition of his triall, before wee may safelie determine of his fact. That Abraham was called from his natiue countrie, and endured the hardnesse of famine in the land of Canaan; surely it could not be but a grieuous temp­tation of flesh and blood: but where the Lord pro­miseth to blesse him in the land, and to giue it as an inheritance vnto his seed; was a much greater triall vnto his faith. For how is it, that being promised a blessing, hee cannot attaine vnto necessarie food? And hauing graunted it by promise vnto his poste­ritie, while as yet he was childlesse, hee was forced either to famish in the land, or to flie into Aegypt a­mong the barbarous people. Wee knowHieron. in Amos. cap. 8. Vetus narrat historia tum Latina, & Graeca, & omnium gentiam barbararum, nihil fame durius, quae sape compellit obsessos humanis vesci carni­bus, & in suam saui­re naturam, ita vt nec parentes paruulis par­cant liberis, & ma­ritalis affectus dudum amatae vxoris mem­bra dilaceret. Exēpla in scripturis. Deut. 28 54.57.12. King. 6.29. apud E [...]huicos. Thucyd. histor. lib. 5. de fame Meliea. Liu. lib. 1. Decad. 3. de fa­me Saguntina. Valer. Max. lib. 7. cap. 6. De N [...]mantinorum & Caliguritanorum fame qui vxores suas natos (que) ad vsum nefaria dapis verterum: decent samis quanta miseria sit. Quantum periculum incubuit Abrahae, videtur ex Gen. 44.4. on the one side the wofull distresse that famine bringeth, by which he was prouoked to trie his aduentures in the land of Egypt. For sure it is that Abraham either [Page 474] would not, or ought not, to forsake the land which God had shewed him, but by extreame constraint, orNonnulli enim in­terpretes haec omnia fecisse Abraham prophetic [...] spiritu contē ­dunt, quo praeintelli­gebat eue [...] tum; & sa­ne eo non caruisso ve­risimile est: sed cum de iussu Dei scriptura ta­cet: & nobis silendi imposuit consci [...]tiam. Pet. Mart. Comment. in Gen. cap. 12. direction of the Lord. So on the other side, if we consider the daunger hee was in by going into Egypt, in respect of theVers. 12. lasciuious and proude E­gyptians, and the beautieAmbros. de Abrah. lib. 1. cap. 2. Quo doce­tur non magnopere decorem quaerendum coniugit, qui viro ne­cem plerunque gigne­re solet. Scitum est Antistenis Cynici: sicubi ornataem offendisset mulierem, ad domum illius profi­ciscebatur iubebatque virum eius equum proferre & arma: vt siquidem haec illi es­sent, delicijs vacare si­neret, his enim iniu­rias propelleret, alias cultum amoueret. Laert. lib. 6. of Sarah; not onelie of his life, but of Sarah her captiuitie, and the spoile and bondage of all his familie; and that which was the greatest in Abrahams eyes, theAugust. tract. in Euang. Ioh. Quid est fides nisi credere quod non vides: vnde & quomodo capitur trinitat rectè ó homo luterrogas, quomodo creditur non bene interrogat: imo ideo bene creditur, quia cito non capitur: nam si cito caperetur, non esset opus vt crederetur quia videretur. defect of the promise, wherein was contained his euerlasting blisse: we haue cause fullie to conclude that Abra­ham found this the onelie way to preserue himselfe, to flie to Egypt; and did therein seeke by preseruing his owne life, to preserue both the chastitie and li­bertie of Sarah, and to enioy the blessing of the seed, which was more deere vnto him then life it selfe. For albeit hee vse such termes of speech to perswadeChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. Quoniam non vulgare erat quod impe­rabat, propterea allicere, & ad misericordium flectere, & persuadere eam volebat, vt promptè in haec fabula partes suas ageret. Non dixit vin [...] tibi inferent, non vult enim cam nunc contristare, propter fa­mem fugientem. Sarah to obedience: that I may fare well for thy sake, and my life may be preserued, because hee knew to be the1. Sam. 19.12.18. Prou. 31.12.28. &c. Ambros. de Abraham, lib. 1. cap. 2. Sara non facultatibus ditior, non genere splendidior erat: ideo virunt imparem non putabat, ideo quasi pa­rem gratia diligebat, ideo non censu est retenta: non parentibus, non propinquis, sed virum proprium quocunque pergeret sequebatur, externa adijt, sororem se eius asseruit, contenta si ita esset necesse, se periclitari pudore, quam virum salute. Vt tueretur maritum mentita est germanitatem, ne insidiatoret pudoris eius tanquam amulum & vindicem vxoris necarent. greatest desire of a godlie matron, the prosperitie and welfare of her husband: yet withall he premiseth this, els they will kill me, where­of it would follow that the hope of the promise were extinguished. But here Abraham may seeme [Page 475] in three respects to sinne. First, in ouer rash1. Cor. 13.5.7. Chrysostom. Hom. in Matth. 9. Sicus diffici­le aliquem suspicatur malum qui bonni est: sic difficile aliquem suspicatur bonum qui malus est. Senec. lib. 1. de Morib. Hoc habet omnis affe­ctus, vt in quod ipse insanit in id [...]m putet caeteros insanire. suspi­tion of the Egyptians, withoutSu [...]ton. in vita Do­mis. cap. 21. Miserum dicebat principis statū cui referēti de insidia­toribus non haberetur s [...]les nisi occiso. triall of their cru­eltie, or cause of feare. Secondlie, inHieron. trad. in Gen. Foedam vocat necessi­tatem. Chrysost Hom. 32. in Gen. In adulterium vxoris consentit iu­stus, & quasi seruit a­dulterio, in mulieris contumeliam vt mor­tem essugiat. offending a­gainst the chastitie of Sarah, whom hee made here­by as it were, a lawfull pray vnto her enimies. Thirdlie, in that heeObiectio Fausti: Cur non potius crede­ret Deo suo? standeth not stedfastlie vnto the promises, that his seede should enioy the land, and all nations should in him be blessed; which see­ing it could not be in the person of Abraham, but inIustin. Mart. Dial. cum Triffon. Videre sant quo modo & Isa­aco & Iacobo eadem sint promissa: & be­nedicentior in semine tuo omnes gentes: non hoc vel Esaeuo vel Reubeni vel alij cuipiam dicit, sed illis tantum ex quibus iuxta [...]economiam & dis­positionem nasciturus erat Christus. his posteritie; it was most euident that the Lord therin had promised to deliuer Abraham frō Egypt, and out of all aduersitie; that therby he might enioy the promised seed. For answere to which obiecti­ons, the Scripture first of all doth giue sufficient te­stimonie, that Abraham suspected not in vaine, the wantonnesGen. 26.2. Exod. 1. and wickednes of Aegypt. For the Princes themseluesVers. 14. so soone as they saw the wo­man, commended her to Pharao, & Pharao vpon their report tooke her from Abraham into his house. And af­ter when him selfe had bin scourged by the Lord, least other should likewise attempt against her, he isVers. 20. forced to giue men charge concerning Abraham, & to conuey him forth, and his wife in safetie. Now as the godlie are commaunded to keepe themselues from euill, and not so much as rashlie to suspect another, or condemne of wickednesse without proofe, or causeRom. 14.4. Psal. 15.3. of iust suspicion: so are they also willed to be wise as Serpents, Matth. 10.16. The Serpent of all creatures commeth neerest vnto the reason of man, and knoweth the cause of things. When he goeth to the water, he is said to lay off his poyson, least he should infect the waters, Epiphan. Haeres. 37. He vseth to rub himselfe with fe­nell, whē he cannot shed his old skin, Plin. lib. 8. cap. 27. He defendeth his head in fight: & stop­peth his eare from charming, Psal. 58. In sicknes he is his owne phisition, Plin. lib. 8. cap. 27. to vnderstand and perceiue the [Page 476] cause of euill, so soone as it giueth the first appea­rance. Abraham therefore suspecting the Egyptians, where danger was in deed, was neither iniurious, nor too suspitious, butAug. in Psal. 18.10 Quis est imprudens? Qui non sibi prospicit in futurum; insipiens, qui non intelligit in quo malo sit. Hieron. Apolog. 3. in Ruffin. Prudentium est duorū temporū maxi­mè habere curam, ma­ne & vesperi, id est eorum quae acturi su­mus, & eorum que gesserimus. Simile est Pittaci dictum: Pru­dentium virorum esse priusquam aduersa contingant praeuidere ne veniant: fortium verò cum illa contige­rint ferre aequo ani­mo, Laert. lib. 1. Et pe­cora ipsa vitare no­runt, quae laesisse cog­noscunt: nec itinera il­la repetunt, vbi in fo­ueam corruerint. godlie wise to preuent a mischiefe. Which godly care of Abrahā gaue none offence; but the abounding of sinne in euerie place, and principallie in Aegypt,Vers. 14.15. & Gen. 20.11. gaue cause to Abraham to be offended. Which being confirmed, the second obiection is also taken away: for that he perswaded Sarah to say she was his sister, was done ofVers. 12. August. de duab. animabus contr. Manich. cap. 10. An erat difficile videre inuitum volenti esse contra­rium, ita vt contrarium sinistrum dext [...]o esse dicimus, non vt nigrum albo? Nazianzen. orat. 21. Quicquid autem violenter cogitur non secus ac planta per vim manibus inflexa atque distracta, si­mul vt missum factum est rursum ad sese redire consueuit. compulsi­on, not of will; forVers. 12. Ambros. de Abrah. lib. 1. cap. 2. Erat quidem iusto viro cura coniugalis pudicitie, sed maius erat studium maturandae deuotio­nis; ne praetulisse custodiam thorimandatis videretur coelestibus. daunger of life, not desire of wealth. But why did he not redeeme the chastitie of Sarah, which to a godlie woman is moreDeut. 22.25.28. Susannae exem­plo illustratum, & Lucretiae Romanae. Liu. Decad. 1. li. 1. Timoclae e Thebane. Q. Curt. li. 2. Sophtoniae Romanae, & matronae nobilis Alexandrinae, quam cum plurimum obsecrasset Maximinius Tyrannus, & durissimae mortis minas commiscuisset; ad mortem paratam, concupiscentia magis quam ira victus, exillo damnauit & cunctis facultatibus spoliauit, & aliarū multarū quae scortationis comminationem à praesidibus cuius (que) gentis ne audire quidem valentes, omne genus supplicicrū, tormētorū & laethaliū poenarum sustinuerunt, Euseb. histor. eccles. lib. 8. cap. 6. deere then life, with daunger of life it selfe; and not make it, as it seemeth, the pawne and price of his deliue­rance? Because doubtles Sarah might happen to be as a ransome vnto Abraham, as in deed it came to passe; but Abraham by death could not deliuer, but bring perpetual captiuitie vnto Sarah. Yet Abraham ought not to haue giuen exampleEphes. 4.25. 1. Tim. 4.12. of leasing and dissembling vnto Sarah, to the end to preserue his life; for we may not doe euill Rom. 3.8. that good may come there­of. True in deed, neither is there any note in this action, of such offence. Hee perswadeth not Sarah [Page 477] toAugust. cont. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 35. Neque enim virum eius vx­or esset interrogatus, non esse respondit: sed cum ab eo quaereretur quid ei esset illa mu­lier, indicauit sororē, non negauit vxorem: tacu [...]t aliquid veri, nō dixit aliquid fals [...]. denie her selfe to be his wife; but to say the truth, that she was his Gen. 20.12. sister. He hid that which might hurt him, for feare of euill: he said not that which was euill for any feare. Hee spake the truth, but not all the truth, for the part of a foole it is Prou. 29.11. to vtter all his minde, or to publish a secret, which may seeme to impaire the cause of godlines,Marc. 14.61. Iohn. 18.20. vnlesse it manifest­lie appeare to be for the glorie of God to vtter it. But ought not Abrahā rather to haue rested himselfe on God, and plainely to haue affirmed shee was his wife: for the Lord would no doubt haue maintai­ned his vprightnes, and was able to giue him victo­rie, if violence had bin offered? Men are vndoub­tedlie to trust on God byPsal. 37.5. faith, but not toMatth. 4.7. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 19. Itaque vxorem tacuit, non negauit; coniugis tu­endam pudicitiam committens Deo, & humanas infidias cae­uens vt homo: quoni­am si periculum quan­tum cauere poterat, non caueret; magis tentaret Deum suum quam speraret in Deo. tempt the Lord by carelesse negligence. For it pertaineth to holsome doctrine,August. cont. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 36. Perti­net autem ad sanam doctrinam, vt quando habet quod faciat ho­mo, non tentet domi­num Deum suum. Cum igitur propter pulchritudinem Sarae, & eius pudicitia & mariti vita esset in dubio nec vtrumque tu­ [...]ri posset Abraham, veruntamen vnum horum posset, id est vitam; ne Deum suum tentaret, fecit quod potuit; quod autem non potuit illi commisit. Quod si secus fecisset, duas res tuendas committeret Deo, & suam vitam & coniugis pudicitiam. that when men haue before them a waie wherein to walke, they ought not to tempt the Lord their God. Our Sauiour Christ himselfe,Matth. 2.13. was of power to haue defended his life against the tyrant Herod; yet hauing the meanes, he fled to Aegypt. He commaunded his DisciplesMatth. 10.26. & 20.31. to depend on him; but yet beingMatth. 10.23. persecuted to flie from Citie to Citie. When they haue the meanes,Psal. 91.11. 1. Cor. 7.21. to vse it as a remedie sent from God: when they haue no meanes, toExod. 14.13.14. 1. Chron. 25.9. waite on him, who without meanes is able to deliuer. Abraham hauing here the truth to confesse, and the truth to keepe in si­lence; vttered that which gaue lesse feare of hurt; concealed that which might work his greater hurt; [Page 478] obseruedAugust. cont. Faust. 22. cap. 36. the meanes of preseruing his own life, committed the care of Sarah vnto God: because he had no meanes to defend her chastitie. Wherefore this example is noDissimulare est fin­gere nescire quae sciat: sicut simulare est fin­gere scire quae nescias. Nonius Marcel. de propriet. Serm. cap. 5. At sic non suasit A­braham, sed puram ta­citurnitatem, idque in pium & optimum fi­nem. couert of dissembling which is not vsed, neither of denying the truth in secret of­fences, to those that are examined by the Magi­strate; but a direction ofAmbros Offic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Complures vidi loquendo peccatum incidisse, vix quenque tacendo: ideo tacere nosse, quam loqui difficilius est. Scio nam­que loqui plerosque, cum tacere nesciant. godlie silence, which the Lord in the Scriptures byIam. 1.19. Isai 50.4. precept, and practiseMatth. 26.63. doth commend. Neither doe wee thinke that A­bram is clearelie to be freed from frailtie in this acti­on. First in that hee hath notGen. 25.22. recourse in daunger to the oracle of God, but seemeth rather to take thisIosh. 14.4. counsaile of flesh and blood. Secondlie, in that he appeareth soChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Erat adhuc terribilis facies mortis: nondum erant aneae portae confractae, nondum erat aculeus eius habetatut: quare multus erat timor propter insaniam Aegyptiacam. astonied, with the feare of death, as that he setteth theVatab. annot. in Gen. cap. 12. Si Abraham fidei suae firmitudinem retinuisset immotam, ad haec consilia non appulisset ammum. feare before the promise. Third­lie, in aduenturingChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. Quia nondum erat soluta mortis tyrannis, propterea in adulterium vxoris consentu iu­stus, &c. Hieron. trad. Hebraic. in Gen. Potest & aliter foeda necessitat exculari, quod iuxta librum Hester, quaecunque mulierum pla [...]uisset regi apud veteres, sex mensibus vngebatur oleo myrtino, & sex mensibus in pigmentis vtrijs erat, interea Pharao sit percussus à Domino. Vatab. in Gen. 12.13. Misera sort, si maritus viu [...]t propter vxorem, cum vxor facta sit propter maritum: miseriu si vinat propter vxorem, non cum vxore: miserimum prorsus si viuat propter vxorem à se ablatam & a [...]teri coniunctam, praesertim vbi nullo eam iuris praetextu repetere licet: non autem audebat Abra­ham Sarai suam tanquam coniugem repetere, quandoquidem sororem non coniugem esse simulauerat. vpon a meanes so dangerous without speciall direction from the Lord. Where­in we may behold the mercie of the Lord, & mans infirmitie. The infirmitie of the chiefest Saints of God,Vatab. ibid. Monemur hoc exemplo quam debemus nunquam de fidei nostra constantia praesumere, sed perpetuo in timore dei versari & Domin [...]m precari. who although they receiue aboundantlie the spirit of grace, yet are they in this lifePsal. 130.3. 1. Cor. 13.8.9. Rom. 7. August de peccat. merit. & remiss lib. 2. cap. 14. Sic itaque omnes quicun (que) in hac vita diuinarū scrip­turarum testimonijs, in bona voluntate at (que) actionibus iustitia praedicati sunt, & quicun (que) talet post eos fierunt, omnes magni, omnes iusti, omnes veraciter [...]audabiles sunt, sed sine peccato aliquo nō sunt. but part­lie [Page 479] sanctified, mixing in their words and workes oft times, the grace they haue receiued, with the weak­nes of their owne corruptions. The mercie of the Lord; who delightethPsal. 147.11. 2. Sam. 15.20. in the goodnes, and passeth byPsal. 103.12. Isai. 43.25. Micah. 7. the weakenes of his children. For as the proui­dēce of God directed Abraham into Egypt, that the knowledgeChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 31. Volebat illum doctorem fieri nunc quidem omnibus Pa­lestinis, paeulo post au­tem etiam Aegyptijs. of the true God might bee spred a­broad by him: so most wiselie he gouerneth the act of Abraham, thereby to shew his hand in punishing for sinne, theChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Sed paulisper expecta & videbi [...] mirificè sapientem dei prouidētiā. Nā prop­ter hoc deut tantā prae se tulit longanimita­tem & opitulari di­stulit, vt iustum cla­riorem faceret; & per ea quae illic fiebant, nō solum Aegyptij, sed & Palestini discerent, quanta beneuolentia Domini omnium hic patriarcha protega­tur. Ergo hoc factum est vt res fieret ma­nifestior, & vltio non in priuatum aut plebeium aliquem sed in regem sauiret, vt vbique diuulga­retur hoc factum. King and Princes of the Egyptians; & his fauour in Abraham, to those that trueliePsal. 105.15. wor­ship him: that thereby the Egyptians might beExod. 12.38. Act. 9.35. prouoked to follow the example of Abraham, and to haue searched after God. And as the Lord found cause to pardon Abraham, and to turne his woe to welfare, not in the actBernard. in fes [...]. omnium Sanct. serm. 1. Quid potest esse omnis nostra iustitia coram Deo? Nonne iuxta prophetam sicut pannus men­struate reputabitur? Quid ergo de peccatis erit, quando nec ipsa quidem per se poterit respondere iu­stitia? of Abraham but in his mer­cie; so he findeth cause to punish Pharao (nothing therein forgetting his wonted clemencie) in the act of Pharao, and his iustice. And as Pharao was iustlie punished, because hee tooke the wife of Abraham, albeitAugust. de libere arbit. lib. 3. cap. 22. Non quod naturaliter nescit, & naturaliter non po­test, hoc animae deputabitur in rea [...]um: sed quod scire non studuit, & quod dignam facultati compa­randa ad recte faciendum operam non dedit. Est (que) antecedens secundum Bellarm. tom. 3. controu. 1. lib. 2 cap. 7. Quae facit inuoluntarium & excusat à peccato [...]vel concomitans, qua relinquit liberum voluntatis actum, & non excusat. Sed in omni ignorantia per lapsum Adae contracta, vulgaris regula tenenda est, ignorantia excusat non à toto sed à tanto. he knew her not to be his wife: so the house of Pharao was iustlie plagued, which either were hel­pers, or in their placeEphes. 5.11. Reuel. 17.4. 1. Tim. 8.22. August. contr. Epist. Parmeniani lib. 2. cap. 21. Non communicare est non consentire, si enim com­municat consentit, si consentit corrumpitur. not hinderers and mislikers of his trespasse. Such also vndoubtedlie were Pha­raoes [Page 480] Some will per­haps demaund how Pharao knew that he was punished for Sarahs sake? Surely by his punishment. Which the Rabbins doe affirme was a venemous botch or boyle: whereby he was hindred and stayed from fulfil­ling his lust. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 9. saith it was the plague. Philo lib. de Abraham, a torment both of his minde and bodie: in the paine whereof, whē hee consulted with the priests of Egypt, they shewed him the cause. Iosephus Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 9. thinketh he was ad­monished in a dreame. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. that he was certified by Sarah. plagues, as yt it was manifest they came for Sa­rah: wherby the Lord both preserued herWhich is most vndoubted, by the full consent of all writers both Iewes and Christians, and by the ac­cord of Scripture: God kept her from Abimelech, Gen. 20.4. so that he touched her not. To what purpose had it been to haue preserued her from Abimelech, when she had been defiled by the king of Egypt? But wherefore then saith the Scripture in that place, Abimelech had not yet come neere her, and in this place expresseth not the like of Pharao? It was necessarie in that place to stop the mouthes of Atheists, least any should say (because Isaac was not long after borne) that he was the sonne of Abimelech, and not of Abraham: albeit the greatnes and speedines of the punishment of both the Kings doe confirme as much, and therefore in this place, the preseruation of Sarah might well be vnexpressed. from be­ing defiled, &Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. Grauiori enim poena indigebat, ita vt ipse exterreretur, nam nisi dei suisset gratia, qua mentem eius emolliebat; confectaneum erat quod in maiorem furorem inductus, quasi deceptorem puniuisset, & ex­tremis affecisset supplicijs: at nihil horum fecit, timor enim supplicij inflammatam eius iram humilia­uit & restinxit. terrified Pharao, least Abraham for re­uenge or enuie should be murthered. So yt although the king were wicked, as al his seruants were vngod­lie; yet his plaguesLuther in Gen. 12. Haec subita dimissio & custodia addita [...]rguunt Pharaonem ve­hementor territum plagis inflictis quales quales suerunt. compell him to haue care of A­brahā, to conuey him forth in safety with all his substance. Whereby Abraham possesseth in peace the gifts that for Sarahs sake were giuen, but Pharao enioieth not Sarah, for whom he gaue them. Obser. 1. verse 8. The godly ought to labourPsal. 103.2. to keepe the promises & be­nefits of God in perpetual remembrance, and to vseDeut. 6.8.9. Notwithstan­ding wee are not to be put in minde by Images. Habac. 2.18. the lawfull meanes therof. Secondly, men are in all places toPsal. 119.46. Marc. 8.38. professe the true religiō, & not to2. Tim. 2.12. dissem­ble for any danger. Thirdly, verse 9. The life of the godlyGen. 47.9. Heb. 11.9.13. is a perpetual pilgrimage. Fourthly, verse 10. The troubles of the righteousPsal. 34.19. Act. 14.22. are manifold and great, but the Lord deliuereth them out of them all. Fiftlie, verse 11. Beautie isEzech. 16.14. Iam. 1.17. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 32. Nullus igitur accuses pulchritudinem, nullus vana verba haec dicat: hauc perdidit form [...]chuic pulchritudo causa suit interitus. Non pulchritudo in causa estrabsit. Opus enim dei est & ipsa. Sed peruersa voluntas causa est malorum omnium. a blessing of the Lord, [Page 481] but for our corruptions cause, notPro. 6.25. & 31.30. Ambros. de Abram lib. 1. cap. 2. Ex hoc do­cetur, non magnopere decorem quaerendum coniugis, qui viro ne­cem ple [...]unque gigne­resolet. Nō enim tam pulchritudo mulieris, quam virtus eius & grauitas delectat vi­rum. Qui suanitatem quaerit coningij, non tam superiorem censis ambiat, quam necessi­tates non terreāt ma­ritales: non monilibus ornatam sed moribus. greatlie to be desired, because it is so apt to be abused. Sixtlie, verse 12. Nothing morePsal. 17.12. & 57.4 Plutarch. in vita Ci­cer. Ira & rabies om­nem Triumutris hu­manam excussit men­tem. Imò docuerunt a­nimal esse homine nullum saeuins, si libi­dini habeat licentiam coniunctam. sauage then wicked men, partakers of power, and not restrained by the Lord. Seauenthlie, verse 13. The godlie may in daungerGen. 43.6.7. Ioh. 19.9. August. contr. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 36. conceale (but notMatth. 10.33. denie) the truth, when it is not for the glorie of God to vtter it. Eightlie, verse 14. Laciuious lookes areMatth. 5.28. Clem. Alexand. Paedagog. lib 3. cap. 11. Porro autem oculis maxime parcendum est, la­bi enim melius est pedibus quam oculis. Huic Dominus compendiosissime quam fieri potest medetur, in­quiens, si tuus scandalizat oculus, [...]cinde cum, ex imo euellens cupiditatem. Lasciui autem aspectus, & versatilibus ac tanquam conniuentibus oculis intueri, nihil aliud est quam oculis maechari, cum per eos cupiditas ineat prima pugnae praeludia. sins of adulterie, andGen. 39.7. 2. Sam. 11.2.3. pro­uokers of farther euils. Ninthlie, verse 15. Wicked Princes haueProu. 29.12. wicked seruants, oft timesIsai. 24.2. for the punishment of their sinne. Tenthlie, sinnes done of ignorance, are deadlieGen. 20.3.6.7. Luc. 12.48. sinnes, and inexcusable before the Lord. Doct. eleuenth, verse 16. Wicked men are oftenDeut. 23.5. Isai. 45.1.5. instruments of God to blesse his children. The twelfth, verse 17. The Lord2. Sam. 22.3. Psalm. 9.9. & 144.2. is alway a refuge to his children in time of neede. The thirteenth, the sin of adulterie2 Sam. 12.10.11. Ierem. 5.7.8.9. & 29.22.23. is horriblie reuen­ged by the Lord. The fourteenth, verse 18. Hypo­crits in their destresse cannot see1. Sam. 15.21. Isai. 58.2.3.4. the causes of their miserie. The fifteenth, verse 19. They cannot indure in other, the offenceGen. 25.34. & 27.41. Heb. 12.17. which they themselues haue caused. The sixteenth, the harts ofPro. 21.1. kings are in the hand of God, whoPsal. 76.3.4. &c. 2. King. 19.28. bridleth the furie of the wic­ked. The seauenteenth, verse 20. God ruleth in the middestPsal. 110.2. Act. 12.23.24. of his enimies, and procureth the safetie of his Church.

CHAP. XIII.

Question 1. verse 8. What meaneth this, that Abram saith vnto Lot, let there be no strife betweene mee and thee, for we are brethren?

WE are not to thinke that Abram enioyeth such aboundant ri­ches by the onelie bountie of thePet. Mart. in Gen. 14. king of Aegypt: for when he entred into Egypt, he Gen. 12.5. pos­sessed great substance; & when he returned; Lot thatWhich though some writers do af­firme, yet the Scrip­ture saith it not: and it seemeth by the words of Abraham, Gen. 14.23. that the Lorde, would haue himselfe acknow­ledged the only au­thor of the wealth, both of Lot and A­braham, notwith­standing that giftes happily were giuen to them by the King of Aegypt. receiued no gifts of Pharao, was also verie rich. But the prouidence of God, and his fidelitie is manifest therein, that according to his promise blesseth Abram: who for destresse of famine depar­ting into Egypt, and necessitie of food; returneth laden with wealth and substance. For the Lord in­creasing the wealth of Abram would doubtlesse haue it knowne in Egypt,Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 32. Omnibus post haec venerabilis erat iustus, tam ijs qui in Aegypto, quam ijs qui in Palesti­na: quit enim non reueritus fuisset fic à Deo custoditum & tantam beneuolentiam assecutum. that the God that A­bram serued, was able to enrich him bothLike as Exod 11.2. Aug. cont. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 71. In expoliandis Aegyptijs Moses vs (que) adeo non peccauit, vt non faciendo peccaret. Deus enim iusserat, qui vtique nouit non solum secundum facta verum etiam secundum cor hominis, quid vnisquisque & per quem perpeti debeat. Potuit etiam vt Gen. 26.12.13. with [Page 483] and without the king of Egypt. And Lot (saith the text) that went with Abram had sheepe and cattell and tents: so profitable it isBernard. Epist. 73. Nam qui socij sunt la­boris, proculdubio & mercedis participes e­runt. Chrysost. Hom. 5. in Gen. Etenim sicut ma­li sua consuetudine familiaribus multum nocent, quemadmo­dum beatus Paulus inquit; corrumpunt bones mores colloquia praua: sic & bonorum familiaritas coniun­ctis, sibi maxima com­moda affert. to enioy the companie of the children of God. But herein appeareth, that ri­chesLeo Pap. Serm. 6. In­sidia sunt in diuitia­rum amplitudine, in­sidiae in panpertatis angustijs: illae eleuant ad superbiam, h [...] in­citant ad querelam. August. de verb. A­post. Serm. 26. Aurum quod aerumna perqui­rit, quod auaritia cu­pit. quod solicitudo cu­stodit; aurum, materia laborum, periculosa res possidentium; aurum eneruatio virtutum; aurum, malus dominus; proditor, seruus. haue their inconueniences as wel as pouerty: for those who were by natureHis brothers son: for so the Hebrues do often call their kinsmen. brethren, by pro­fessionWhose societie and fellowship we are not to forsake. Hebr. 10.25. 1. Pet. 2.17. the seruants of the Lord; by affection so v­nited, thatCic. Ossic. 1. Charisunt parentes, &c. neither natiue countrie, norAugust. in Psal. 93. Odit valde patriam, qui sibi bene putat cum peregri­natur. Ouid. trist. 2. Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos ducit & immemores non finet esse sui. fathers house, norHieron. in Isai. cap. 23. Omnis vagus atque in orbe peregrinus, & incertarum sedium, semper in an­gustia ingiter & in marrore est. painefull pilgrimage, norPer varios casus per tot discrimina rerum. daunge­rous voiage, norGen. 12.10. distresse of famine, norHieron. ad Paulin. Vera illa amicitia est & Christi glutino copulata, quam non vtilitat rei familiaris, non praesentia corporum tantum, non subdola & palpans adulatio, sed dei timor & diuinarum scriptura­rum conciliant studia. feare of death, could separate; riches &Bernard. Serm 4. de Aduent. Aurum & argentum & caetera huiusmodi, quantum ad animi bonum spectat, nec bona funt nec mala: vsus tamen horum bonus, abusio mala, so­licitudo peior, quaestus turpior. increase of world­lie wealth doe put asunder. No meruaile therefore if the most wise and gracious Lord, doeAugust. de ciu. Dei. libr. 1. cap 8. Tamen si non tas Deus quibus­dam potentibus euidentissima largitate concederet, non ad eum ista pertinere diceremus. Itemque si omnibus eas petentibus dares, non nisi propter talia praemia seruiendum illi esse arbitraren [...]r: nec pios n [...] faceret talis seruitus, sed potius cupidos & auaros. not here on earth cause all his children to abound in wealth, seeing the cheefest of his seruants, which haue bin more purelieHebr. 10.22. washed from their natiue filth, &Psalm. 51.10. se­soned with the spirit of renuing grace, can scarcelie (for their own corruptions) either vse it to the glo­rie of God, and their2. Sam. 12.8.9. owne behoofe; or handle it without their hurt. We therefore that haue food and rayment, 1. Tim. 6.8. let vs therewith be content: and pray with [Page 484] the Prophet, giue Prou. 30.8.9. me not riches least I be too full, but Prou. 30.8. Matth. 6.11. feed me with foode conuenient for me: Three causes are alleaged of this separation of Abram and Lot, which all arose of their wealth and riches. That the land was not sufficient for their flockes; the strife of their seruants; & the Cananite and PeriZZite that dwelt in the land. The fruitfulnes of Canaan could not suffice their familie, that was sufficient for so manie hun­dred thousandsNumb. 11.21. of Abrams posteritie. If any aske the reason, the Scripture answereth it: it was able to receiue them being asunder, but it could not beare them to dwell together. The froward heardmen set forwardVers. 7. this defect, but the Cananite and PeriZZite fulfilled it: who hauing themselues selectedVers. 10. Chrysostom. Hom. 33. Causam quoque doce­re voluit diuina scrip­ture, quod ideo eos nō capiebat quia agenti­bus illis praeoccupata erat. the fatnes of the lād, would affoord no more to Abram, then otherwise for want of inhabitantGen 34 21. lay deso­late. Thus Abram and Lot which so long had liued in amitie, were compelled for the contention of their seruants to depart asunder. Now Abram the last that was priuie to this contention, and farthest off from giuing a cause of strife; is the first that see­keth peace, and laboureth for agreement. Wherein he hath taught a twofold lesson toIoh. 8.39. Origen. in Epist. Rom. Hom. 4. Si filij essetis Abrahe opera vtique Abraha faceretis: per quod vtique ostendit, quia qui faciunt ope­ra Abrahae isti sunt filij Abrahae: & prop­ter illos scripta sunt, quae de Abrahā scrip­ta sunt. all his children: first how peace is rightlie to be attained: that is to say, by Prou. 15.1. Matth 5.39. Coloss. 3.12.13. meekenes and humilitie, andProu. 25 21. Rom. 12.20. 1. Pet. 3.9. August. de serm. Do [...]. in mont. libr. 1. Mites sunt qui cedant im­probitatibus & non resistūt mato, sed vin cunt in bono malum. Rixētur ergo immites & diuicent pro ter­renis & temporalibus rebus: beati autem mi­tes &c. rendring good for euill. Secondlie, that in matters of contention, theMicah. 6.3. 2. Cor. 4.9.20. Ephes. 2.13.16.17. Mat. 5.44.45. least offender is fittest to begin agreement; and the worthier person ought first to frameGen. 45.15.78. Psal. 120.7. the ex­hortation vnto vnitie. Not by repeating all hisProu. 17 9. Basil. in quest. diffusis qu. 35. Cognoscitur ex eo arrogantia, quod ea que ad praeminen­tiam pertinent re [...]uirit: curatur autem si crediderit indicio eius qui dixit: Dominus superbis resistit, nec tamen curatur, nisi ab omnibus praeminentiae studijs secesserit. priuiledge; not byIsai. 58.3. Mat. 18.30. Phil. 2.3.4. requiring all his right (much­lesse [Page 485] by aduancing his estate, or demaunding the vt­termost recompence of losse) butColoss. 3.13. 1. Pet. 3.9. Cyprian. de vnīt. Ec­cles. Si filij Dei sumus pacifici esse debemus: nam pacifi [...]os esse o­portes Dei filios, corde mites, sermone simpli­ces, affectione concor­des, fideliter sibi vna­nimitatis nexibus co­haerentes. for the Lords sake who is the God of peace, byRom. 12.16. Chrysost. Hom. de ani­me humilit. Nihil est tam Deo gratum quā seipsum cum postremia numerare. Modestia e­nim est, fortiter factis & virtutibus excel­sum animo seipsum deijcere. making himselfe equall to his inferiours, and yeeldingGregor. Moral. lib. 19 Regat disciplinae rigor mansuetudinem, & mansuetudo ornet ri­gorem, & sic alterum commendetur ab alte­ro, vt nec rigor sit ri­gidus, nec mansuetudo disso [...]uta. in his owne right (so farre as in godlines he may) to redeeme a godlie peace and concord. If Abraham had liued in these our dayes, he had bin taught another forme of exhortation by manie examples: and indeed he might lawfullie haue pleaded for his priuiledge to this effect. Sir, I brought you vpChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 33. Succensuisset forsitan at (que) ita dixis­set. Quis furor ille? ausi sunt familiares [...]ui, vel mutire aduersus operas meas, &c. of a boy: you haue continued these manie yeeres vnder my pro­tection: that substance which you haue, you mayEither giuen by Abraham, or for his sake: or increased in Abrahams familie, by the blessing of God, and Abrahams industrie and liberalitie. thanke me for, you enioy it for my sake, it hath bin gotten in my house. What disorder therefore and presumption is this of yours, that you commaund not your heardmen to giue place to mine? I am yourGen. 11.27.31. vncle and your elder: you shew your selfe hereby vnreuerent and vnthankfull. If you say you could not amend this broyle; depart from mee and seeke you meeter pastures: let me with quietnes en­ioy mine owne; and hold mee for your friend, thatAmbros. lib. de Naboth. cap. 7. Modum non habet auaritia, nec capiendo expletur: sed incitatur: hoc egentior quo plura quaesiuit. I let you goe without taking for your charge of bringing vp. But Abram, who alreadie Ioh. 8.56. had seene the day of Christ, had also learned that rule of himMatth. 16.24. Hieron. epist. ad Algas. quaest. 3. Quotidie credens in Chri­stum tollit crucem suam & negat scipsunt. Qui impudicus fuit versus in castitatem, temperantia luxuriam negat: iniquus si sequatur iustitiam negat iniquitatem. Stultus si Christum consi [...]ecatur Dei virtutem, & Dei sapientiam, negat stultitiam. to denie himselfe. Hee forgetteth the inconuenience of contention in his house, and from whom it [Page 486] didThe Rabbins de­signe the cause of this contention to be, for that Lots heard-men putting in their cattell into other mēs ground, were reprooued by Abrahams seruants. An vndiscreet con­iecture, and reproo­ued by the scrip­ture, which insinua­teth this reason; be­cause the land could not beare them both. &c. proceed: as if he had himselfe been agent in the strife, I pray thee (saith he) let there be no contention be­tweene vs. He remembreth not that he was his vncle, but giueth this reason: for we are brethren. And as hi­therto hee made himselfe but equall vnto Lot, so in the rest he maketh himselfe inferiour: let vs, saith he, depart asunder Ʋers 8.9. for quietnes sake. Choose you before meVers. 9. Luther in Genes. 14. One while he ma­keth himselfe but e­quall to Lot, ano­ther while his inferiour, when he gi­ueth him the choise of habitation. where you will dwell, I will take that dwelling which you forsake. Thus Abram not onlie offereth, but performeth aAs if hee should haue said, I am rea­die to resigne vnto thee all my owne priuiledges, and to giue thee thy owne demaunds, rather then to contend. Vatab. in Genes. 13. Caluin. in Gen. 13. Po­terat quidem Abram, &c. worthie patterne of humilitie and curtesie. For Lot maketh choise of all the land, and by this benefit inioyeth a soyle for profit and plenteousnes,Vers. 10. like the garden of the Lord. This meek­nes of Abram hath euer bin despised of proud, con­tentious, and disdainefull persons, which haue notBernard. de modo viuendi. serm. 37. Superbia est cupidi­tas; in tantum est vnum malum, vt nec superbia sine cupiditate, nec sine superbia possit cupiditas in­ueniri. learned humilitie of Christ. It is thought but fol­lie for quietnes sake, to loseClem. Alexandr. Strom. 6. [...], id est nimis amor sui, est semper quibuslibet causa pecca­torum omnium. Quocirca non oportet eligendo & expetendo gloriam ab hominibus esse nimium sui amantem, sed Deum diligendo esse sanctum cum prudentia. the least portion of our right: and therefore this example in worldlie wisedome, not worthie imitation. Such in deede there haue beene, and euer are in the Church of God, which haue esteemed the rules of Christ,1. Tim. 6.5. Muscul. in Gen. 13. Ho­die reperias Christianos, qui ne pedis quidem latitudinem de terreno suo iure fraternae paci largiantur, sed potius pro modico telluris spacio, omnia iurgijs, rixis, litibus imò caedibus etiam & sanguine re­pleant. no farther worth obedience, then may stand with plea­sure or commoditie. These are Isai. 65.45. smoke in mine anger, saith the Lord, and a fire that burneth all the day. Not­withstanding, marke what successe the Lord awar­deth, who isPsal 45.7. iudge of all mens actions, and giueth [Page 487] sentence betweene Abram and Lot. Abram that had giuen choise of all the countrie vnto Lot, recei­ueth forGen. 26.4.5. August. 50. Hom. lib. Hom. 14. Da veniam Apostole, propria tua non noni nisi mala: cum ergo Deus coro­nat merita tua, nihil coronat nisi dona sua. reward of his humilitie, the inheritance of all the countrie: And Lot Vers. 10.11. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 33. Oportebat i­gitur nepotem, cum tantam experiretur aequitatem patriar­chae, parem rependere honorem, & ei potius liberam electionem concedere: at ille vt­pote iuuenis & maio­ri concupiscentia tra­ctus, &c. who returned not like kindnes as was shewed him; made more vnprofita­ble choise, then his vmpiers, or verie aduersaries would haue awarded him: that is to sayGen. 14.12. both losse of libertie and goods. Would God this example were wel considered in theseEphes. 5.16. perilous dayes of the Church of God. The Cananite and the Perizzite Hieron. in Hos. cap. 12. In istiusmodi Cae­naan manu, hoc est o­peribus, statera dolosae est, & iniqua: quicquid enim haereticus loquitur, Dei iustitiam non habet. Hodis autem haeretici omnium procacissimi & alios pene omnes suo in gyro complectentes sunt Romani, qui nobis intus & foris imminent & ingruunt. see­keth occasion against the Church on euery side. Sa­than now rageth Reuel. 12.12. because hee knoweth his time is short. He prouoketh Abram and Lot to strife, the faithful seruants of the Lord to emulation and contention. Hee setteth on heardmenQuēadmodū inter Caesarē & Pompoiū, Marcus Antonius tribunus plebis, vt Helena Troianis causa belli, causa pestis & exitij fuit. Cicero. Philip. 2. to stirre vp sedition a­mong Princes. Wherefore it behooueth those that professe the truth, diligentlie to watch against these2. Cor. 2.11. Ephes. 6.12.15. wiles of Sathan: to remoue theNazianz. Orat. 7. Quidnam est in doctrina nostra pulcherrimoun? Pax: addam & vtilissimum idem esse. Quid turpissimum & nocantissimum? Discordia. Quaram & alterum. Quid est quod illam maxime sustulit? Quid hanc introduxit? Vt quemad modum in morbis fieri consueuit, sublatis causis & fontibus merborum obstructis & exiccatis, etiam ortos inde fluxus. & effecta simul tollamus. causes of con­tention: to esteeme with Abram Clem. Alexand. Paedagog. libr. 3. cap. 11. In Dominam enim retorquatur ancillae intemperantia, &c. the discord of their seruants to be their owne. And by how much they are preferred to higher dignitie, byHieron. epist. ad Demetriad. Nobilitatis ad hoc tantum memineris, vt cum claritate generis morum sanctitate contendas, & cum nobilitate corporis animi virtute nobilier proficias. so much the more to be carefull of godlie vnitie. It is known in this our land, what woe and desolation hath bin [Page 488] endured, when Abram and Lot, the nobles of the same haueGildas Britan. lib. de excictio Britannia. Moris continui gentis erat sicut nunc est (in­quit) vt infirma esset ad retundenda hosti­um tela, & fortis esset ad ciuilla bella. Simile Thorne Wal­singham vita Edwar­di 2. Richard. 2. &c. liued in discord, for want of this religi­ous care of peace with Abraham. If there were any such in these our dayes, with whom the preaching of the Gospell hath not so farre preuailed, as for the honour of Iesus ChristPhilip. 2.5. to renounce themselues, their wealth and honour, and toIohn. 5.44. seeke the honour that commeth of God alone: so that I had accesse to speake before them; I would after the manner of Augustine, yea ofGal. 4.12. Paule, yea of2. Cor. 6.20. Iesus Christ euenAugust. Epist. 15. Prociderem ad pedes vestros, flerem quan­tum valerem, rogarem quantium, amarē, nunc vnum quemque ve­strum proseipso, nunc virumque pro alter­utro, & pro alijs & maxime infirmis, pro quibus Christus est [...]ortuus, &c. fall downe before their feete, who either are prouokers of contention, or not to their vttermost indeuours in religious godlines, redressers of the same withChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 33. Audiant haec qui se extra crimina putant esse, quando propter familiaritatē suis ministris permit­tant & conniuen [...], rae­pere, decipere, m [...]a mala machinari &c. nam qui prohibere potest eum qui iniuriam facit, neque pro­hibet, is non minorem lue [...] poenam, quam qui iniuriam secit. Abraham. I would weepe from the bot­tome of my heart, I would beseech them with my voice, for the1. Ioh. 4.11. Ioh 13.34. Lords sake, for hisC [...]loss. 1.24. Churches sake, for theSaluct. de bell, Iugurth. Nam concordia parnae res crescunt, discordia maximae dilabuntur. flourishing perpetuitie of England, and the sauegard of innumerable liues and soules there­in;Psal. 37.8. to giue place to wrath, to let goe displeasure: If anie haue taken offence at other, euenColoss. 3.13. as Christ forgaue, that so they would: I would most humblie craue of them, to be fullie desirousCassidor. in Psal. 34. Vera pax est concordiam habere cum moribus pro­bis, litigare cum vitijs. Nazianz orat. 6. Nihil enim ad concordiam vsque adeo validum est, in ijs quibus diuina res verè cordi sunt, itque consensus de Deo, nec quicquam adeo facit ad dissidium atque de eodem dissensio. of vnitie, to take away theThe principall cause of all discord is pride, Prou. 13.10. by which men neglect the word of God, either in matters of faith, or obedience. Subordinate causes are, selfe-loue, flatterie, enuie, stifnes of opinion, and such like. causes of offence, to shew humilitie with Abraham, to offer allNazian. orat. 21. Apolog. Melius enim & optabilius est, egregium bellum, impia pace & à deo distrabente: ob e [...]nque causam clemen­tem hominem a [...] ma [...] spiritus, vt belligerendi facultate instructuus. lawfull conditions of a­greement; [Page 489] which is to seeke peace and Psal. 34.14. follow after it: not to esteeme their owne priuate cause before a publike: nor their honor, before the honor of their Prince & countrie; nor yet their wealth beforePro qua quis bonu [...] dubitet mortem oppe­tere si ei sit profuturus. Exemplo Mosis, Exod. 32.32. Pauli. Rom. 9.3 the welfare of the Church of God. Not to suffer them­selues in hart to be disioyned, who by God himselfe are coupled together, byEx vno omnes, Act. 17.26. Arat. in Phei­nom. Lucret. lib. 1. Et patria sal pluris bonis faciendus est quam hospitis mensa. Aeschi­nes orat. 2. countrie, by blood, by na­tion, by1. Pet. 2.14. Chrysost. Hom. 2. in Matth. Quemadmo­dum certantibus ven­tis mare concutitur, sic regibus sibi aduer­santibus populus reg­ni vexatur. honour, by1. Cor. 8.6. Nobis ta­men vnus est Deus. Ignat. epist. ad Phi­ladelph. At vbi ani­morum discordia est, & ira & odium, ibidē inhabitans non est Deus. profession; in oneEphes. 4.5. Cyprian. libr. de orat. Domin. Pacificos & concordes atque vna­nimes esse in domo sua Deus praecipit: & quales nos fecit secunda natiuitate, tales vult renatos perseuerare: vt qui filij Dei esse caepimus, in Dei pace maneamus, & quibus spiritus vnus est, vnus sit & animus & sensus. Bap­tisme, one1. Cor. 16.17. Damascen. Orthodox. fid. lib 4. c. 14. [...] &c. Nam qua ex vno pane participamus omnes, vnum corpus Christi, & vnus sanguis & inuicem membra, essicimur, concorporati Christo existentes. bread and bodie of his sonne, inEphes. 4.12.13.16. 1. Pet. 1.4. fel­lowship of one inheritance and kingdome. Let them be separated here,2. Cor. 6.14.15. who shall be separated in the life to come. But seeing it is his to separate, who onelieMatth. 25.32. can make a true diuision betweene the sheepe and goats: let man take heed how he separa­teth his brotherOrigen. in Leuit. Hom. 8. Interdum fit vt aliquis non recto iudicio corum, qui praesunt ecclesia depellatur & soras emittatur: sed non exit ante; si non ita se gessit, vt mereatur exire, nihil laditur in eo quod non recto iudicio ab hominibus videtur expulsus: & ita fit vt interdum ille qui foras mittitur intu [...]sit, & ille foris sit qui intus retineri videtur. in his iudgement; or himselfeGregor. epist. Qui illicitè quempiam excommunicat seipsum non illum con­demnat. from the fellowship of the Church of God. I would alsoMalach. 2.7. as the messenger of the Lord of hosts, declare before them the temporall dangers, that the Lord in his iudgements hath pronounced against those, that by contention,1. King. 2.5. doe put the blood of warre vpon their girdles, in the dayes of peace: that those that thusMatth. 26.52. doe take the sword, shall perish with the sword: that the Lord inDan. 5.23. whose hand their life and breath is, doth abhorre Prou. 3.34. the proude, the bloodie and Psal. 5.6. de­ceitfull man. And as he blesseth those that1. Pet. 3.9. liue in [Page 490] peace, and are louersMat [...]. 5.9. of the same: so hee rooteth out theProu. 24.21.22. Rom. 2.8. Et Ethnicus orator: Tu Deus inquit omnes inimicos bonorum, ho­stes patria, latrones (dicerem Anglie) I­taliae, scelerum foedere inter se, ac nefaria so­cietate coniunctor, ae­ternis supplicijs viuos mortuos (que) mactabis, In Catilin. orat. 1. race of those that are contentious, and will reward them with vengeance in life and death. Do­ctrine 1. verse 1. The Lorde is aPsal. 125.2. perpetuall saue­gard vnto his children; no hand canIob. 2.5.6. Matth. 10.30.31. hurt them without permission from him. Secondlie, verse 2. Wealth and richesProu. 3.16. & 8.18. & 10.22. Basil. Hom. in dictum Luc. 12. Destruā hor­rea mea. Nōne nudus ex vtero excedisti? Non nudus rursus in terram reuerteris? Praesentia verò vnde tibi sunt? Si à casu spontanto dicit, impius es non agnoscens conditorem neque gratias habens largitori: si verò confiteris esse à deo, dic rationem nobis ob quam accepisti. Num iniustus est Deus, qui inequaliter nobis ad vitam necessaria distri­buit? Cur tu quidem diue [...] es, ille verò egenus? Profecto omnino, quod & tu bonitatis & fidelis dis­pensationis mercedem accipias, & ille ob magna patientia certamina praemia ferat. are the blessings of the Lord; the hurt that commeth in the abuse of them,Luc. 12.15. August. de ciuit. lib. 1. cap. 10. In diuitijs cupiditas reprehenditur non facultas. Chrysostom. Hom. in Mat. 25. Diuitiae non sunt peccatum, sed peccatum est eas non distribuere panperibus. is from our owne corruptions. Thirdlie, riches of godlie men are vsed asPsal. 132.3.4 Ambros. in Luc. 15. Discant diuites non in facultatibus crimen haberi, sed in ijs qui vti nesciant: nam diuitiae vt impedimenta sunt improbis, ita bonis sunt adiumenta virtutum. the instruments of God, to promote religion, and to set forth the worship of the Lord. Fourthlie, verse 4. The worship of God1. Cor. 10.31. Coloss. 3.17 ought to bee the beginning, continuance, and end of all our actions. Fiftlie, verse 5. Christian religion and the rule of godlinesNumb. 26.53.54. &c. Ephes. 4.28. Contr. Pythagoricam communitatem. Cicer. de Legib. libr. 1. Gell. noct. Attic. lib. 1. cap. 9. Platonicam, Plato de Leg. lib. 5. Foelicem ac beatam fore ciuitatem in qua non audiretur meum & non meum. Senec lib. de Morib. Quietissimam vitam agerent homines, si hac duo verba à natura rerum omnino tollerentur, meum, & iuum. Et contr. Anabaptistas. requireth, that there should bee distinctions of honours, riches, and authoritie; and that euerie man should know the bounds of his own preferment. Sixtlie, verse 6. Riches1. Tim. 6.9. Clement. Alexandr. Padagog. lib. 3. cap. 6. Diuitiae sunt serpenti fimiles, quem si quis nescit inoffensè eminus accipere, bestiam sine periculo summa canda apprehendens; ea manis circum­plicabitur & mordebit. Sed si quis magnificum se praebens, rectè & scienter ijs vtatur, cum verbi qui­dem carmine; bestiam detraxeris, ipse verò illasus manscrit. Senec. epist. 20. Magna haereditas ex ami­to inimicum facit; plus autem gaudebit tua mo [...]e quo p [...]us accipit. haue manie inconueniences since the fall of man; wherefore those that excell in riches, are [Page 491] to1. King. 3.9. striue by prayer with the Lord, that they may excell in wisedome and grace to vse them without offence. Seauenthlie, verse 7. Wicked seruants are1. King. 12.10. 2. Chron. 24.17.18. often the causes of great afflictions vnto their maisters. Eightlie, the Church of God is alwaies compassedPsal. 83.5.6.7. Matth. 10.16. with enimies, who greedilie gape for the spoile thereof. Ninthlie, verse 8. It is not e­nough for the godlie to be peaceable, vnlesse they beMat. 5.9. [...] pacem facientes. Psal. 34.14. peace-makers, and prouokers of others there­unto. Tenthlie, kindred in the flesh, or coniunction in the spirit, ought to be2. Sam. 19.12. Rom. 9.3. sufficient cause in the Church of God of peace and concord. The ele­uenth, verse 9. Wee ought toPsal. 7.4. Matth. 5.40. forgoe our owne right, to vphold and maintaine peace, so farre as mayRom. 12.18. Matth. 10.33. 1. Tim. 5.8. Ergo, that peace which cannot be obtained with­out the ouerthrow of faith of religion, or a mans house­hold estate, ye same ought not to be re­conciled. But in these cases hypo­crits will finde ma­ny excuses. stand with the glorie of God, and the profit of his Church. The twelfth, verse 10. Men which are1. Sam. 25.10.11. 2. Pet. 2.15. ouergreedie of their owne commoditie, are in the end vnprofitable to themselues:Prou. 11.24. for the Lord doth adiudge them vnto pouertie. The thirteenth, the vengeance of the Lord dothPsal. 107.34. destroy a fruitfull and pleasant land, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. The fourteenth, verse 11.12.13. Those that for worldlie profit or commoditie, doe choose their conuersation with the wicked: they are2. Pet. 2.7. com­pelled to vexe their righteous soule by their vn­cleannes, and oft timesGen. 14.12. Reuel. 18.4. to be partakers of their pu­nishments.

Question 2. verse 15. How standeth it with the truth of Gods promise: that the Israelits the seed of A­bram were so long agoe expelled the land of Canaā, seeing the Lord here pro­miseth it to Abram & to his seed for euer?

AFter that Lot was departed away from A­bram, whenAmbros. de Abram. lib. 1. cap. 3. Indiuisa domus duos non su­stinet. Nonne melius est emigrare cum gra­tia quàm cohabitare cum discordia? August. in Psal. 132. Nam in discordia non benedicis dominum. Hieron. Comment. in Rom. Quisquis corpus affligit, sed concordi­am deserit, deum qui­dem laudat in tympa­no, sed non laudat in choro. contention and strife was ceased in his house; the Lord to the end to comfort Abram, for theCaluin. in Gen. 13. losse of so deare a friend, doth recompence as it were his ab­sence, with the presence of himselfe; in steed of a kinsman doth promise children, and in place of the land which Lot hadChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 34. Cessisti ob tuam mansuetudinem regione meliore & a­maniore fratris filio, tantam pacis habuisti curam, vt nihil non potius delegeris, quam esse inter vos conten­tiones: ea propter lar­gas illas à me retribu­tiones accipe. chosen, giueth Abram the whole countrie, and his seed for euer. In which graunt or gift, are three points of difficultie to be conside­red: the manner; the measure; and indurance of the graunt or patent. For the first point, the Scripture testifieth, that God gaue not Act. 7.5. vnto Abram the inheri­tance of a foote of this promised bequeth: notwith­standing the Lord saith thus; I will giue it vnto thee, and to thy seed for euer. What meanethCONCILIATIO. 20. this, I will giue, but I doeAnallage temporis, scripturis & nobis ipsis frequens & fa­miliaris nunc praeteriti pro futuro, vt Esa. 1.7. Iere. 2.15. Hab. 1.5. nunc futuri pro praeterito. Esa. 6.7. giue thee and thy seed? for if hee gaue it not; when was it giuen to Abram? If he gaue it, how saith the Scripture, he gaue him none inheritance there­in? Shall wee thinke that the Scripture implyeth a­nie contrarietie in this? Shall wee thinke that Ste­uen [Page 493] whose words they are, silled Act. 7.55. Iohn. 7.15.16. with wisedome and the holie Ghost, and knowledge of the Scriptures, standingAct. 6.12.14. in iudgement, and answering for his life, would affirme any doctrine against the testimonie of Moses, or alleage anie historie, which either was not knowne or not beleeued, of the councell that were his iudges? Wherefore this is to be vnder­stood as the meaning of the Scripture: that it is as if the Lord had said; I so giue itPet. Mart. in Gen. 13 Ita proxima sententia particula priorem in­terpretatur. Quasi dicat, ita tibi cam da­bo, vt illam in semine tuo sit habiturus. thee, as that it shall be vnto thy seed an inheritance foreuer. So that A­bram himselfe enioyed theIure scilices diuine, non solum quo cuncta iustorū sunt: sed etiam speciali iure, quod suo verbo hanc terram dominus Abraha con­cessit, designauit, con­firmauit. August. Epist. 49. Et quamuis res quaeque terrena rectè à quo­quam possideri non possit, nisi vel iure di­uino, quo cuncta iusto­rum sunt, vel iure hu­mano quod in potesta­te regum est terra: ideoque res vestras falso appellatis, quas nec iucti possidetis, & secundum leges regum terrenorum amittere iussi ectis. right, but not [...]. Possessi­onem sortitam, vel sorte datam, sicut hae­redum est. inheri­tance: for the Cananite at that time possessed the whole inheritance thereof, but for their wickednes they were disinherited by God: and becauseGen. 15.16. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 37. Quasi dicat aliquis, nondum in tanto numero peccata fecerunt, &c. their iniquitie was not fulfilled, the Lord deferred a time to performe this gift to Abrams seed: that Abram and his seed,2. Cor. 5.7. Isai. 51.2.3. Habac. 2.3. might walke by faith, and not by sight; and from this inheritance which was but temporall, might ascend with confidence,Coloss. 3.1.2. Heb. 11.10. to that which was immortall & perpetuall. Abram there­foreFor so much the words do found, [...] lecha-etenennah vlezargneca: i. I giue it to thee and to thy seede: that is, thou shalt haue the right of it, namely diuine, and so much for vse as shall be necessarie: but thy posteritie shall haue the full possession and inheritance. And this is that which the Scrip­ture calleth [...] inheritance, Act. 7. Hee gaue him none inheritance: for Abram could not chalenge one foote in humane right, saile the field of Machpelah for his buriall. hauing the right of inheritance, although not actuallie possessing it, full well perceiued euen in his pilgrimage, the fulfilling of the promise; both to himselfe whom the LordGen. 14.15. & 17.1. &c. maintained and defen­ded therein on euery side, & furnished with wealth and necessarie food: and to his seed, who by the same fidelitie of GodGen. 15 6. were promised to enioy it [Page 494] with full possession, which hee himselfe had by wandring passed ouer. The second point is: that the Lord bad him looke from the place in which he was, and promised to giue him the land which hee beheld. There are which hereuponMuscul. in Gen. 13. Fieri etiā potest &c. suppose that Abram was sent to view the land from the toppe of some mightie mountaine, that hee might see the borders of the countrie: but this the Scripture auoucheth not. Other thinkePeter. tom. 3. in Gen. cap. 15. Abram & vigilantem & suis v­tentem sensibus, &c. that miraculouslie his sight was sharpned and enlarged, for that otherwise he could not by sight haue bin partaker of the measure of the land. But what need of miracles? what need of hils or mountaines? For the Lord saithAugust. lib. quaest. in Gen. q. 28. Sed nul­la est quaestio, si ad­uertamus non hoc so­lum esse pramissum: nō enim dictum est, tan­tum terra dabo tibi quantum vides, sed ti­bi dabo terram quam vides. not to Abram, I wil giue thee so much as thou seest of the land; but I will giue thee all that land thou seest, or whereof thou seest part. And to this end isVers. 17. August. ibid. Vt per­ambulando perueni­ret ad eam quam ocu­lis vno loco flans vi­dere non posset. added: Arise, walke through the land in the length thereof, & in the breadth thereof: that it which he could not discerne at once, he might by remouing from place to place consi­der. Thirdlie it followeth, I will giue it to thee, and to thy seed for euer. How (Iulian. apud Cyril. libr. 6. Numquid dij dederunt Roma vt regnarēt, Iudaos autē vt paru [...] tempore li­beri, semper verò ser­ui ac peregrini essans? saith one) was this promise verified? Both Abram and his seed wereExod. 12.40. foure hundreth yeere after, before they possessed anie in­heritance therein; and after they had by warre ob­tained it, they continued not long, but oppressed withIulian. ibid. Cum autem habitarent in Palestina, non ne cre­brius fortunas muta­runt quam colorem vt dicunt Camel [...]on? Caterùm habitarunt in terra sua & agros coluerunt fere qua­dringentis annis: ex illo tempore primùm seruierunt Assyrijs, deinde Medis, postea Persis, & nunc postremùm etiam nobis ipsis. enimies, were lastly lead into captiuitie; wher­by they lost their land and libertie. And so far pro­ceeded this banishment of theirs, as that vpon paineIustin. Mart. Apolog. 2. Pro­mulgatum verò etiam est de excidio eius, &c. of death, they might not come within Ierusalē. In deed it cannot be denied, but the afflictions of the seed of Abram, both in greatnes of miserie, and di­uersitie [Page 495] of punishment, exceeded the miseries of o­ther nations: the reason whereof is alleaged by the Prophet: You onlie haue Amos. 3 8. I knowne of all the nations of the earth, therefore I will visit you for your iniquities: that is to say, you onlie haue knowne me, my lawes and iudgements, as noPsal. 147.19.20. Galat. 4.9. other nation hath; and yet haue not obeyed my commandements more then they: whereforeIuc. 13 47. Cyprian. epist. 8. Quas igitur plagas, qua ver­bera non meremur, quando nec confesso­res, qui exemplo caete­ris ad bonos mores es­se debuerant teneant disciplinam? you are in iustice to be beaten with greater stripes. Notwithstanding the seuerall punishments that they indured; the famine, warres, captiuitie, banishment, no not their verie sins, could euerPsal. 89.33.34. Hieron. epist. ad Tit. Comment. cap. 1. Deus sicut dicitur solus im­mortalis, ita dicitur solus verax: non quod & caeteri non immor­tales sunt, & verita­tia amatores, sed quod ille solus naturaliter sit & immortalis & verus: caeteri verò & immortalitatē & ve­ritatem ex largitione illius consequuntur. falsifie in any syllable the Lords fidelitie. For although they were a most stif-necked people,Deut. 9.5.6. as other nations were; yet the Lord for the promiseDeut. 7.8. & 9.5. that he made to Abram, gaue them the possession of the land, and there failed nothing Ios. 21.45. & 23.14.15. of all the good which the Lord had promised. Wherfore first we haue to examine the substance of the promise, and then to discerne of the accomplishment thereof. In which when we haue giuen the aduersaries of the truth, their full demaund, and more also then they could expect, or can conceiue to be contained in the promise; yet shall we see that the Lord fulfilled it to Abram and his seed in euerie iot and tittle. First of all therefore none can denie, but as he promised to giue to Abram and his seed, the land which A­bram with his eyes beheld; so hee gaue it fullie, not according to that hee saw, but according to the li­mits of his promise, the countrie and seateGen. 15.19. of ten mightie nations of the Cananites. Againe, where hee promiseth to make his seed as the dust Vers. 16. of the earth in number, hee sheweth wherein: not in the full measure of number, but because they should [Page 496] beAugust. de ciu. Dei, lib. 16. c. 21. Iste autē tropus id est modus lo­cutionis, fit cū id quod dicitur, longe est am­plius quā quod eo di­cto significatur: quis enim nō videat, quam sit comparabiliter amplior arena nume­rus quam potest esse omnium hominum ab ipso Adam vsque ad terminū seculi? Quā ­to ergo magis quam semen Abrahae, quod semen in cōparatione multitudinis aliorum in paucis est, quaemnis & ipsi pauci faciunt innumerabilē multi­tudinē suā, qua signifi­cata est secūdū hyper­bolen per ar [...]ā terra. both, innumerable; which alsoDeut. 10.22. Hose. 1.10. truely & aboun­dantlie was fulfilled. But he promised it for euer vn­to him and his seed? He fulfilled it alsoConcilia­tio. 21. in truth and righteousnes. For what is contained in ye word euer, but length of time, which properlie in the Hebrue speech doth signifieArad. [...] gnalam: Latere, abscondere: in eundem sensam & significatum cecinit Aescul. in Eumenid. [...]. i. Simul senescens cuncta tempus destruit. Item Sophocles in Aiace, [...], &c. cuncta pariter immensus ordo temporum occulta prodit, & celas ipsum cognita. a time for continuance & du­rance to mē vnknown; as sometimeExod. 15.18. Deut. 32.40. Psal. 104.31. Therfore it is said, [...] legnolim vagned, for euer and beyond, or for euer and euer, that is to all eternities, which man is not capable ful­lie to conceiue. eternitie, which cannot of man be measured: sometimeGen. 49.20. Eccles. 1.4. Psal. 49.11. the end of the world, because it is vnknown: sometime ye Gen. 17.13. Exod. 12.24. Heb. 8.5.6. & 10.18.19. comming of Messiah, because he was the reconcilement of the world: sometime ye end of life, becausePsal. 30.12. Ionas. 2.7. Bernard. Epist. 105. Nil mortalibus vel morte certius vel incer­tius hora mortis. Quare dum viuis in carne morere mundo, vt post mortem carnis Deo viuere incipias. Bona autem mors iusti propter requiem, melior propter nouitatem, optima propter securitatem: mala verò est impijs, in mundi amissione, peius in carnis separatione, pessima in vermis ignis (que) duplici contri­tione. it is vncer­taine: sometime alsoDeut. 15.17. Leuit. 39.40. the yeere of Iubile: because then the state of possessiōs & freedomes did returne. Sith therfore the scripture doth so diuersly vse this word for length of time, we are to search out by circūstan­ces the peculiar sense thereof. We may not esteeme this patent made for one generation or age of men, because it is manifestly bestowedGen. 15.13.18. on many: neither may we take it as a lease for life, because it appertai­ned to inumerable people. And how shuld it signi­fie eternitie, sith lāds and possessions, & men, &Psal. 102.26. 2. Pet. 3.11. Cyprian. lib. ad Demetrian. Illud primo in loco scire debes, &c. This thou must vnderstand, that the world now waxeth old; thing [...] stand not now in the same vigour and strength wherein sometime they stood. This we may easily by experience perceiue, besides the testimonies of the Scriptures, &c. This Aristotle albeit he dispute much of the worlds eternitie, yet is compelled to con­fesse, Meteor. lib. 1. cap. 14. and Heraclitus taught expressely that the world should be dissolued by fire. Laert. lib. 1. vita Heraclit. Cicer. in Lucul. the world [Page 497] [...]selfe are to haue an end? It remaineth therefore that the perpetuitie of their possession, was to remaine vnto the restoring; or els the consummation of the world. Those perhaps which are contentious, will striue to vnderstand it, to be graunted vnto the end of time, because it is giuen to them for euer: where as yet the couenant ofGen. 17.7. circumcision, was called an e­uerlasting couenant, notwithstanding it was to last no longer thenGen. 49.10. Shiloh came, in whom types & sha­dowesColoss. 2.17. Hieron. proam. in E­pist. ad Galat. Nul­lus quidem Apostoli sermo est, in quo non laboret docere antiqua legis onera deposita & omnia illa quae in typis & imaginibus praecesserunt, id est e­tium Sabati, circum­cisionis iniuriam, &c. gratia Euangelij sub­repente cessasse: quam non sanguis victima­rum sed fides animae credentis impleret. were to haue an end. In like sort the coue­nant of Priesthood was a couenant for Numb. 25.12. euer, which also was ordeinedHeb 9.9.11.12. by the sacrifice of Christ to be abolished. Neuerthelesse two points obserued, we easilie condescend, that this inheritance was to en­dure while the world endured, and (if you will) al­so afterward. First that this promiseIerem. 31.33. Hierō. ad Dardā. epist. Quaeris Dardane &c. Et ego fatebor haec tibi re promissa non tradi­ta: si obseruasses man­data dei, &c. si nō pro omnipotente Deo Ido­la coluisses, &c. quae quia praetulisti Deo, omnia quae tibi pro­missa fuerum perdidisti. Et mihi in Euangelio promittuntur regna coelorum: Sed si non secero quae praecepta sunt, nequaquant erit culpa in promittente; sed in me qui promissum accipere non merus. August. de praedest. sanct. lib. 1. cap. 10. Promisit tamē quod ipse facturus fuerat, non quod homines: quia [...]tsi faciunt homines bona quae pertinent ad colendum Deu [...], ipse facit vt illi faciant quae prace­pit: non illi faciunt vt ipse faciat quod promisit. was conditi­onall to Abram and his seed: for so the Lord tea­cheth Abraham himselfe: thou Gen. 17.9. also saith he, shalt keepe my couenant, thou and thy seed after thee for euer. Wherefore the Lord God promising to Abram whomGen. 18.19. he knew to be faithfull in his couenant, to giue him the land of Canaan and his seed for euer: if the seed of Abraham enioyed it not for euer, the fault was in themselues, whoIerem. 31.32. brake the conditions of the couenant. Secondlie, that the promises of God,Heb. 4.3.8.9. August. Serm de Temp. 201. Si autem hoc tantum volumus quod sonat in litera, aut paruam aut prope nullam aedificationem de diuini [...], literis capiemus. Which notwithstanding are not diuers senses or meanings, but one sense diuersly applied, sometime to the signe, some­time to the thing signified. besides the litterall meaning, containe also [Page 498] a spirituall vnderstanding: for so the holie Ghost himselfe expoundeth it. God promiseth herein by word the land of Canaan, he giueth thereinRom 4.13. to A­braham the inheritance of the world: hee meaneth by his seed, not onelie thoseRom. 9.6.7.8. Galat. 3.29. that were deriued from his bodie; but also those, that should be partakers of his faith: these haue inheritance in Canaan, as his children in the flesh: the other which are heires of thePsal. 37.9. Matth. 5.5. world, as his children in the spirit, haue the continuance of their possession ( [...] legnolim) in­during to the restoring of the world, to the dissolu­tion of the world, and time without time vnto all eternitie. Wherefore the Lord in euerie respect may easilie be perceiued, to haue fulfilled his coue­nant: whether we take it absolute; they enioyed it for euer, that isGen. 49.10. Ioh. 11.48.50. vntill the appearance of the sonne of God. If it were conditionall; albeit they brake theIerem. 31.32. Hos. 1.9. couenant, and rebelled against him; yet the Lord fulfilled his promise,Deut. 7.8. Ezech. 20.8.9. for his truth and pro­mise sake. If we vnderstand it onelie of the fleshlie sonnes of Abraham, wee can finde no breach of promise in the Lord. If we ioyne with thē his sons by faith,2. Cor. 1.20. Chrysost. Hom. de No­mine Abraham. Non enim tam certa quae in manibus, atque ea qua in spe. Non sic manifesta est praesens haec vita, vt futura illa. Hanc enim videmus nostris oculis, illam videmus oculis fi [...]ei: hanc videmus in ma­nibus nostris positam, illam videmus in ma­nibus dei custoditam. Promissiones autē dei multo certiores sunt, quam quae in nostris sunt manibus. the couenant is most sure and firme for euer. Obser. 1. vers. 14. The wicked haue no part in the promises of God,Luc. 12.34. Heb. 6.4. because they are separate from God and his Elect, like as the onelie sonnes of Abraham and not of Lot, do enioy the inheritance of Canaan. Secondlie, the fittest time to heare the promises of God, or to offer our obedience vnto him, isMatth. 5.24. Gregor. Pastor. part. 3 admon. 23. Discordes namque admonendi sunt, vt certissimè sciant, quia quantisli­bet virtutibus pol­leant, spirituales fieri nullatenus possunt, si vniri per concordiam proximis negligant. when wee haue reconciled our selues vn­to our brethren. Thirdlie, verse 15. The Lord by promise giueth Abram and his seed the land of Ca­naan, [Page 499] Deut. 9.5. Psal. 105.8.9. &c. Rom. 4.13.14. which he performeth onlie for his truth and promise sake. Fourthlie, the seed of Abram in the flesh inioyed the possession of Canaan: his seed al­soRom. 8.14.17. 2. Tim. 4.8. 1. Pet. 1.4. after the spirit enioy the kingdome of rest, an immortall inheritance and euerlasting. Fiftly, verse 16. The Lord onlie knowethNumb. 33.10. Rom. 4.16.18. Reuel. 7.9. the number of the faithfull, andRom. 11.4.5. 2. Tim. 2.19. who they are: man therefore in these things,Rom. 8.11.16. 1. Cor. 2.11.12. 2. Cor. 13.5. Rom. 14.4. must know himselfe; and concerning other, suspend his iudgement. Sixtlie, verse 17. We oughthDeut. 7.19. Ioh. 14.9. Ephes. 4.14.15. by hearing, seeing, and experience of Gods promises, to be confirmed in faith, and to beleeue his truth. Seauenthlie, verse 18. Obedience & true worship of the Lord, ought to beDeut. 10.12. the continuall conuersation of the saints.

CHAP. XIIII.

Question 1. verse 1. Wherefore doth the holie Scripture re­cord this historie of warres, with the names of the Kinges, and the originall cause of their contention?

THe principal purpose of the Scrip­ture in this narration, is to declare vnto the world, and especiallie vn­to the Church of God; that albe­it warres, and seditions, and con­tentions, are raised, and begun by the pride andAugustin. de ciuit. lib. 15. cap. 4. Terrena ciuitas habet in hoc mundo bonum suum, cuius societate laeta­tur, qualu este de tali­bus rebus laetitia po­test. Et quoniam non est tale bonum, vt nul­las angustias faciat a­matoribus suis ideo ci­uitas ista aduersus se­ipsam, plerum (que) diui­ditur, litigando, bellando, at (que) pugnando: & aut mortiferas aut certe mortales victorias requirendo. Nā ex quacun (que) sui parte, aduersus alterā sui partē bellando surrexerit, quaerit esse victrix gentiū, cum sit captiua vitiorū. wickednes of men in earth: yet the end andSalust. de bello Iugurth. Scito omne beliū sumi facile, caeterùm aegerrimè desinere: nec in eiusdē potestate initiū & finē esse. successe of battels with all the miseries thereof, as wellEsa. 45.1.2.5. Dan. 8. [...]0. &c. Alexander the great, cōming against [...]erusalem with his Armie, the Citie was in great perplexitie; it was thought meete that the high Priest (after a generall fast proclaimed and supplication to God) should goe to meete the Conquerour, and intreate for peace. The Priest comming before Alexander in his pontificall robes, according to the lawe: Alexander so soone as hee saw him, fell downe before him, and did him reuerence. Whereupon Parmen [...]o one of his Princes, demaunded why he, whom all nations adored, did with such submission salute the Priest. To whom the King answered: I doe not this reuerence vnto the Priest, but to the God whose Priest he is. For while I was yet, said he, in Macedonie, deliberating with my selfe how I might ouercome all Asia, I sawe him in this very likenes and apparell, who exhorted mee to transport mine armie without delay, for by his conduct I should enioy the Persian empire. Haecataeus Abde­rita. libr. de gest. Alexand. Ioseph. Antiq. libr. 11. cap. 8. among the heathen as within the [Page 501] ChurchExod. 17.11.12.13. 2. Chron. 2.12 15. of God, are guided & moderated by the Lord. But more particularlie to teach in the exāple ofCalu. in Gen. cap. 14 Abram, yt it is all one with the Lord,1. Sam. 14.6. 2. Chron. 14.11. to saue with many or with few; & that hePsal. 37.23.24. Iosu. 1.8. Deut. 32.17. alwaies giueth good successe to those that begin & continue their enter­prise in him. The kings are described by their names and by their countries, to the end they might more perfectlie be knowne vnto vs. 2. That by the great­nes of their dominions & power, might also be per­ceiued the greatnes of the faith of Abraham, and the greatnes of the victory ye God vouchsafed him. Sin­har obtained that name of theDicitur quasi [...] shen nagnar, excussit dentes: quia ibi sermo­nes hominum & vo­ces exciderunt. diuision of the lan­guages of the world, & the plaine of Shinar is known to be the country wherinGen. 11.2.9. they built the city of cō ­fusion; wherby we vnderstand that the king of Shin­har, was kingThe Hebrues for the most part (to whom Lyra and Va­tablus accord) af­firme that this Am­raphel was Nimrod: but it is not likely in regard of ye time, for this warre was after the building of Babel about two hundred yeers. On­kelos the Paraphrast translateth it the King of Babel. of the countrie & citie Babel. Elasar a countrie not elswhere by that name remembred in the Scripture, of some is taken for the kingdome ofThe vulgar Latine translation follow­ing (as it seemeth) Aquila: Symmachus translateth it the King of Scythia. Pontus; of othersEupolemus a most ancient Histo­riographer, maketh report of this narration in these words: The Armenians in the daies of Abraham, made warre vpon them of Phenice and Palestina and ouercame them, and tooke Lot prisoner Abrahams brothers sonne. Then Abraham armed his seruants, and making an assault vpon these Armenians, ouercame them and put them to flight: and recouered not only his brothers sonne, but withall a great bootie and spoyle of the enemies. Cited by A­lexand. Polyhist. in Euseb. de praeparat. Euangel. lib. 9. cap. 4. for Armenia; of other, and that most likelie,Ioseph Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 10. Eodem tempore cum imperium Asiae penes Assyrios esset & Sodomitarum res à quinque regibus administra­retur, hos Assyrij bello petierunt. for Assyria. Elam was of the sonnes of Sem, and father ofHieron. trad. in Gen. Est autem Elam à quo Elamita principes Persidis. the Persians. And Tidal was king of ( [...] Gogim) that is, of nations, being ruler as it seemethLyra vnderstandeth that his kingdome consisted of a mixt people or of diuers nations: Caluine, that they were vagabond people, without habitation. Vatablus taketh Go­gim to be the name of a Prouince. It may be that people which Strabo. lib. 16. calleth Cossei. of manie Prouinces. These made warre, &c. A mischiefe perpetuallie to be lamented, [Page 502] that theWarre of the La­tins is called bellum, and hath the name à belluis, that is, of beasts, as though it were called belluinū, that is, beastly: Fest. Pomp. de verbor. sig­nifie. because men in rage and fight are like the beasts: and before instruments of warre were inuē ­ted, did fight like beasts, hauing for weapons their fists, their heeles, and their teeth. Herodot. in Melpō. Lucret. lib. 1 Arma antiqua ma­nus, vngues, dentes (que) fuerunt. hearts of men are so surprised with beast­lie crueltie, as vnnaturallie (toIam. 4.1. fulfill the lusts that fight within themselues) to destroy and spill the life of man. Against these are armed fiue other kings, which ruled those fiue Cities of the plaineGen. 19.25. in Ca­naan, whereof foure were shortlie after destroyed for sinne, from heauen. The occasion also of this warre the Scripture doth deliuer, for that twelue yeers they had bin subiect to the king of Elam, and in the thir­teenth yeere rebelled against him: whereupon he with the assistanc of three other kings (whether hisArtopaeus in Gen. 14 con­federats orWhich seemeth most likely by the authoritie of Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 10. Hieron. Comment. in Hose. cap. 2. August. de ciuit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 10. Diodor. Sicul. lib. 1. Iustin. lib. 1. and o­ther historie wri­ters, who testifie, that at this time the Assyriā Empire was very great. Neither is the Scripture in any sort against this: for either it may be that the Elamites ioyned their forces with the As­syrians, as being all of the familie of Sem; or else that these Palestines were subiect to the Persian, and he also tributarie to the Assyrian Empire. subiects, orAs 2. Sam. 10.16. hired by him, the Scrip­ture nameth not) came to subdue them with force and power. Herein the first and originall cause of warres may be considered. For what made these subiects to rebell against their Prince? Or what made the king of Elam at the first to seeke to bring them in subiection? Surelie nothing els can be an­swered for both the parties, thenCaluin. in Gen. cap. 14. ambition and hautines of minde. For most plainlie in deed haue the Scriptures witnessed, and would God it were written in the harts of all that beare authoritie, thatProu 13.19. onlie thorough pride men make and raise contention. But did Abram also here through pride make warre vpon these kings? did Moses and Iosua subdue tho­rough pride the nations of Canaan; or rather tho­rough faith, obeying the commandement of God? No doubtles, neither yet the Scripture saith of eue­rie one that warreth or contendeth, he doth it tho­rough pride; but euerie one that [...] ijchen maisah, that giueth or maketh strife. causeth or ma­keth [Page 503] the contention. Neither giueth hee occasion of strife, that rescueth an innocentAugust. quaest. in libr. Ios. q. 10. Iusta bella definiri solent, quae vlciscuntur iniu­rias, si qua gens vel ciuitas quae bello pe­tenda est, vel vindi­care neglexerit, quod à suis improbè factum est, vel reddere quod per iniuriam ablatum est, &c. dein quod De­us imperat, &c. from the hands of murtherers; but the murtherers themselues,Fulgent. de remiss. peccat. libr. 2. cap. 14. Si sterilitas in ignem mittitur, rapacitas quid meretur? aut quid recipret, qui alie­nā abstu [...]erit, si semper ardebit qui de suo non dederit. which had vniustlie brought the guilties person within their power. Neither they that warre at the voice of Gods commaundement, whether toAugust. quaest. in Ios. qu. 50. Sed etiam hoc genus belli sine dubitatione iustū est, quod Deus imperat, a­pud quem non est ini­quitas, & nouis quid cuique fieri debta [...] in quo bello ductor exer­citus vel ipse populus, non ipse tam author belli quam minister iudicandus. Sicut Dauid pro regno Israelis contr. Ishboshethum, Absolonem & Sibam. 2. Sam. 2 23. & 18.1. & 20 4. pos­sesse the priuiledge that God hath giuen them, or to2. Sam 10.12. Iudg. 11.27. 1. Chron. 20. defend the libertie of the true worship and pro­fession of the faith: but they that seekeAugust. contr. Faust. lib. Nocendi cupiditas, vlcisedēi crudelitas, implicitus & implacabilis animus, feritas rebellandi, libido dominandi. & si qua sunt similia, haec sunt quae in bellis iure culpantur. vniustlie to vanquish other, or giue not place vntoIos. 11.19.20. the wrath of God, as did the Cananites. But in this narration, (and in all the histories of Heathen warres) we may well perceiue, how both these enemies did sinne in pride. The king of Elam had subdued them before, and made them subiectVers. 4. Ioseph. An­tiq. lib. 1. cap. 10. vnto him. But where had the king of Elam receiued this authoritie, to bring into subiection nations borne in libertie? this could in him proceed from nothing els thenIam. 4.1. August. in Psalm. Quoties hominibus praesse desidero toties Deo meo praeire contendo. couetous­nes, ambition and pride of minde, vnlesse hee hadSuch a calling as Senacherib fained himselfe to haue, 2. King. 18.25. or o­ther ordinarie and lawfull title of authoritie. receiued a calling from the Lord. Notwithstan­ding, the most righteous Lord had vsedFulgent. lib. de Praedest. cap. 20. De malo opere cuiuslibet mali, non definit ipse bonum operari. Cap. 27. nec operatur in ijs quod ei displicet, sed opera­tur per eos quod ei placet: qui ab eo recipient, non pro eo quod Deus vsus est bene eorum operibus ma­lis, sed pro eo quod ipsi male abusi sunt dei operibus bonis. righteous­lie this wicked instrument, to take punishment of theseGen. 13. vers. 13. Ezech. 29. vers. 20. wicked sinners the Sodomites, by first sub­iecting them to bondage, albeit the Elamite were vnacquaintedIsai. 10.5.7. with the iudgements of the Lord, [Page 504] and wroughtIsai. 10.7.10. Cyril. Alexandr. in Isai. lib. 1. orat. 6. Su­mit enim Deus suppli­cium de his qui delin­quunt, tradens iram suam veluti virgam in manus hominum non bonorum, qui ela­to animo contra eos in quos animaduertitur, ino & in cum qui eos tradidit existunt. vniustlie, that which the Lord most iustlie would haue him execute. And now that these Sodomites were brought in bondage for their sinnes (which is theBasil. lib de Sp. sanct. cap. 2. Serui sunt aut qui potentia oppressi sub seruitutis iugum ducuntur, aut propter paupertatem, velut Aegyptij Pharaoni, (Ge 47.25) aut iuxta dispensationem quan­dam sapientem & ar­canā deteriores filios parentū voce prudēti­oribus & melioribus seruire. Sic Iacob Do­minus Esau factus est, & Canaan famulus est suorum fratrum, quoniam indocilis e­rat ad virtutem. De caetero, licet hic Do­minus, ille dicatur seruus, tamen omnes iuxta aequalitatem inter nos, tum velut possessio eius, qui fecit nos, conserui sumus. Macrob. Saturn. lib. 1. originall cause of subiection to all the wicked that be subiected) although they vniustlie lost their libertie to this Elamite, yet iustlie were they depriuedMuscul. in Gen. 14. Quia indigni sunt qui liberè vi­uant, qui delicijs immersi, serui sunt omnis generis vitiorum atque facinorum. of libertie by the Lord: wher­fore also their rebellion wasAugust. de mirab. sacr. Script. lib. 1. cap. 3. In rebelli populo coelestis stamma desaeuit (Num. cap. 16.) vt qui contra iustos principes iracundiae igne intus exarserant, foris iustissi nè vindictae flāma conflagrarent. vnlawfull, because it was resistance against the power andRom. 13.1. Caluin. in Gen. 14. ordinance of God. Thus the Lord most righteouslie to punish the sinnes of men, sendeth Isai. 21.3. transgressors against trans­gressors, as his rod of vengeance: so that the wicked ofttimes,Habac. 1.13. deuoureth him that is more righteous then himselfe: and the Lord of hosts who onely giuethPsal. 18.47. & 144.10. Pro 21.31. the victorie of warre, findeth euermore a iust occasion of giuing victorie, in mercie or in iustice, to those on whom hee vouchsafeth it. It is therefore the blindnes of mans corruption, that seeth not the mightie hand of God in distributing the victories of warre; but ascribeth it toSaluian. lib. de prouid. 7. Si quando nobis prosperi aliquid praeter spem nostram & meritum. Deus tribuit, alius ascribit hoc fortunae, alius erentui, alius ordinationi ducum, alius consilio, alius magistro, alius patrocinio, nullus Deo. Et miramur si nobis coelestis manus aliqua non prastat, cui quicquid praesti­terit derogamus? fortune, toIudg. 16.24. 1. Sam. 31.9.10. Cicero pro Marcel Et certè in armis militum vir­tus, locorum opportunitas, auxilia sociorum, classet, cōmeatus multum iuuant: maximam verò partem, quasi suo iure fortuna sibi vendicat, & quicquid est prosperè gestum, id paene omne ducit suum. Idols or outward meanes, and holdeth it not possibleCareat successibus opto — Quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putet. to behold the cause, which yet the Lord hath opened in holie Scripture. For neuer vntill [Page 505] this day was victorie lost in warre, which was taken in handIt appeareth by Io­sua. c. 7.5. Iudg. 20.21 where when they did not rightly pro­secute a iust cause of warre, they lost the victorie; but af­terward reforming the administration, they won the field. The like may bee obserued out of all histories. in a lawfull cause, and lawfullie admini­stred. But because men faile for the most part in one of these, so that both the warriours become trans­gressors; the Lord in iustice, oft times giueth victo­rie vnto his enimies, that he might euen byLament. 1.5. Zach. 1.15. thē cor­rect his children, and hauing scourged them might burne hisIsai. 10.5.12. rod wherewith he smote them. Some­time it commeth to passe, that warres are taken in hand, without2. King. 14.8. Ezech. 17.13.15. Ambros. offic. libr. 1. cap. 35. Fortitudo sine iustitia iniquitatis materia est. Quo enim validior est, eo promp­tior est vt inferiorem opprimat, cum in ipste rebus bellicis, iusta bella an iniusta sint, spectandum putetur. Nunquam Dauid nisi lacessitus bellum in­tulit. a lawfull cause. Sometime, there is nothing lawfull butCicer. epist fam. lib. 7. epist. 3. de copijs Pompei aduers. Caesarem. Primum neque magnas copias ostendi neque bellicosas: deinde, extra ducem paucosque praeterea (de principibus loquor) reliqui primùm in ipso bello rapaces, deinde in oratione ita crudeles vt ipsam victoriam horrerem. Quid quaris? Nihil boni praeter causam. the cause. Sometime, neither cause nor discipline are lawfull. Wherefore that warres be rightlie administred, and victorie may be obtained, these points in the enterprise of warres must be obserued. First, thatGen. 9.6. Numb. 27.21. Deut. 31.3. Pet. Mart. Gen. 14. Non est priuati hominis suscipere bella, quia is non habet vocationem & ius congregandi & armandi multitudinem, imò si illud faciat seditiosus habebitur ciuis. Est igitur Magistratus bellum decernere & admini­strare, qui iusta non modò debet consulere, sed illa etiam exequi. wee haue receiued authoritie from God: in this respect it belongeth onelie to the chiefe and Soueraigne magistrate in common wealth, and those that receiue authoritie from him. Secondlie, that the cause of our warre be iust and lawfull: asIudg. 20.12.13. Deut. 13.15. the punishment of sinne, maintenance2. King. 19.18.15. of vertue and true religion, defenceIos. 10.6.7. of innocent persons, reuenge2. King. 13.14.15. or recouering of iniuries, preseruation of1. Sam. 11.12. 2. King. 14.25. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 14. Si magistratus est certus, se in cum locum à Domino vocatum, ita vt iure sit creatus, non vitiata electione, sine ambitu; videat praeterea al [...]os se loco velle deturbare, vt ipsi in popul [...]m ty­rannidem exerceant, aut impurum dei cultum inuehant, cumque is verè sentiat in sua functione se & publico bono & diuinae gloriae studere: non modo pro suo loco potest, sed tenetur & debet acerrime pug­nare; cum tunc non quaerat quae sua sunt, sed suorum bonum & dei honorem. the Princes honours or [Page 506] dominions giuen of God, and theNumb. 25.17. 2. Sam. 10.12. subiects peace and safetie either present or to come. Thirdlie, that the intent and purpose of those that lead the armie, be also righteous: as that they seeke onelieIosu. 7.9. 2. Sam. 8.1.2.15. Ambros. offic. libr. 1. cap. 40. Fortitudo quae per bella tuetur à bar­baris patriam, vel de­fendit infirmos, vel à latronibus socios ple­na iustitia est. the ho­nour of God, the administration of iustice and e­quitie, the peace and preseruation of the people. Fourthlie,1. Sam. 30.8. Isai. 8.20. Rom. 14.22.23. that they be assured of their authoritie, and the goodnes of the cause, asking counsaile ther­in at the word of God. Fiftlie, that they commit the successe of2. Sam. 10.12. & 15 26. victorie to the Lord; repenting ofEsra. 9.6. Iudg. 10.15.16. Iob. 1.5. their old sinnes, which might happen to prouoke the Lord: restraining new sins,Ierem. 5.7. Chrysost. Hom. ad pop. Antioch. 14. Non tā interficit ensit quam iuramenti natura: nō tam occidit gladius quam iurisiurandi plaga. Qui iurat, etsi videtur viuere, iam tamen mortuus est. swearing,Numb. 25.13.4. Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 1. The lasciuious wantonnes of Campania was greatly (saith the Romane Valerius) profitable to our citie. The same imbracing inuincible Hanibal, made him of the Romanes to be conquered: The same prouoked that most vigilant Cap­taine, that valiant armie, with sumptuous fare, abundance of wine, pleasant oyntments and vse of lecherie, to sleepe and pleasure, whereby they were ouerthrowne. Cu [...]tius lib. 5. de gest. Alexand. Alexander comming to Babylon, and lying in that citie but 34. daies, so weakened his armie by the corrupt manners thereof, as that afterward he was easie to haue bin ouer­come, if after Darius he had found an aduersarie. who­ring,Virg. de Ven. & Vino, Compedibus Venerem, vinclit cōstringe Lyaū, ne te muneribus perdat vter (que) suis. Vina sitim sedent, natis Venus alma creandit seruiat; hos fines transilijsse nocet. Hos. 4.11. 1. King. 20.16. Deut. 23.9. drunkennes, andEzech. 16.40. Chrysost. Hom. in Mat. Hom. 23. Vitiū libidinis facile exotio nascitur: nam definitio amoris hac est, anima vacantis passio. Vegetius de re milit. lib. 1. cap. 26. Nihil magis prodesse constat in pugna quam vt assiduo exercitio mi­lites in acie dispositos ordines seruent. idlenes, wherby souldiers are most defiled, and made effeminate in warre; cra­uing by continuall prayer the2. King. 19.14.15. 2. Chron. 14.10.11. Socrat. histr. libr. 5. cap. 24. Theodosius the Emperour fighting against Eugenius, his souldiers began to shrinke and were put to flight; which when the Emperour saw, he fell downe prostrate and made sup­plication to God for helpe: presently thereupon, his Captaines and souldiers as it were re­uiued with new courage, made an impression vpon the enemie, and ouercame them: The winde also blew so strongly for the part of Theodosius, as that it retorted the darts of Eugenius souldiers vpon themselues. The same is also witnessed by Ruffin. Histor. eccles. libr. 2. cap. 33. Nicephor. libr. 12. cap. 39. & Claudian. in Panegyr. ad Honorium, O Nimium dilecte Deo cui mili­tat ather. Lords assistance, and vsing all godlie meanes of pollicie and power. Sixtlie, that in warre men be alwaie inclinable vn­to [Page 507] Deut. 20.10. Iudg. 11.12.14. Sueton. vita August. cap. 21. Augustus non vlli genti sine iustis & necessarijs causis bellū intudit. Tit. Liu. Decad. 1. lib. 9. Belium est iustum quod neces­sarium est, & arma sunt pia, quibus nulla nisi in armis relinqui­tur spes. peace, vsing all lawfull meanes to auoide shed­ding of blood; & taking war in hand, as the last and vttermost remedie. Lastlie, to beLuc. 6.36. Amos. 1.3.6.13. Polyb. lib. 3. Clementia hostem vincere quam armis praestat. Senec. libr. de Clem. ad Neron. 1. Crudelitas minime humanū malū est, indignum (que) regio animo: ferina ista ra­bies est sanguine gau­dere & vulneribus, & abiecto homine in siluestre animal transire. mercifull in war and victory; but notNunb. 31.16.17. 1. Sam. 15.3. August quaest. in Ios. 7.16. Nullo modo putanda est crudelitas, quòd nullum vinum in ciuitatibus sibi traditis dimittebat Iosua, quia Deus hoc iusserat. Qui autem existimans hic Deum ipsum fecisste crude­lem, tam peruerse de operibus dei quam de peccate hominum iudicant, &c. Cicero. Brut. lib. epist. ep. 2. Salutaris seueritas vincit inanem speciem clementia: & si clementes esse volumus nunquam decrunt ciuilia bella. forgetting iust seuerity. Here­by withall wee may behold the causes that make warres vnlawfull. First, when it is administred by men,Such as were Abner, Absolon, Shiba, &c. yet the Bishop of Rome giueth autho­ritie to subiects to rebell against their Princes: Looke Carion in his Chronologie in the life of Henrie 3. the Bull of Pius 5. defended by Pighius, Felisius, Sanders, Cope, and other: and the same Bishop presumeth to depose Kings and Emperours: As namely Henrie 3. Frederic. 2. Lewes 4 Emperours: witnessed by Platina in vita Gregor. 7. Sabellicus, Na [...]lerus, Carion, &c. Conradus the fourth Emperour, by the counsell of the same, was taken and beheaded of his subiects, Carion in vita Conrad. Of Kings, Philip le Beau King of France. Munster in Cosmog. lib. 3. Lewes the twelfth King of France, Iohn King of Nauarre, Bolislaw King of Poland, Cromer. Hi­stor. Polon. lib. 4. Iohn King of England, Matt. Peris. in vita Iohn Henrie 8. and our most gracious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, Henrie King of Nauarie, Peter King of Arragon, and other haue of the same Bishop been deposed, and their subiects stirred vp to rebell against them: Such diuelish doctrine is Catholike at Rome; such are the fruites of their profession. without authoritie, and most of all to be de­tested, when tributaries, or (which worse is) natu­rall subiects doe lift vp their2. Sam. 20.21. hand against their Prince. Secondlie, when the cause is not1. King 12.24. lawfull, although the authoritie be lawfull. Thirdlie, when it is not for a right end and purpose enterprised, as when it is for theIam. 4.1. satisfiyng of humane lusts and pleasures, wherein we1. Sam. 18.17. Zach. 7.6. fight not the battels of the Lord, but of our owne. Fourthly, when in the en­terpriseIos. 9.14. men aske not counsaile at the Lord. Fift­lie, when godlie and honestDeut. 23.9.14. Vegetius de re milit. libr. 2. cap 22. In omni praelio non tam multitudo, & virtus inducta quam are & exercitium solent praestare victoriam: nam in pugna solet vsus amplius prodesse quam vires. Et si doctrina cesset armorum nil villanus distat à milite, cum antiqua sit prudens (que) sententia, omnes artes in Meditatione consistere. discipline in warre, is [Page 508] not regarded. Sixtlie, when warre is rashlie aduen­tured vpon,1. King. 22.3. Lactant. lib. 6. cap. 18 Sapientis & boni vi­ri non est velle certa­re ac se periculo com­mittere: quoniam & vincere non est in no­stra potestate, & est anceps omne certamē. without seeking first the meanes of peace. Lastlie, when crueltieAmos. 1.3.13. 2. King. 8.12. ouerruleth either in the warre or in the victorie; or1. King 20.42. Seneca. libr. de Mor. Vitia transmittit ad posteros, qui praesen­tibus culpit ignoscit. Bonis nocet qui malis parcit. when those are spa­red through foolish pitie, whom the Lord hath ap­pointed vnto death. From hence it happened in the iustice of the Lord, that because the Sodomites wereGen. 13.13. exceeding wicked; although their cause was lawfull to maintaine their libertie, and their autho­ritie lawfull, when first their libertie was sought; yet forSaluian. de Prou. lib. 7. Probauit hoc bello proximo infoelicitas nostra. Cum enim Got­thi metuerent, prae­sumpsimus nos: cum pax ab illis postulare­tur, à nobis nega­retur: illi episcopos mitterent, nos repelleremus: illi in alienis sacerdotibus Deum honorarent, nos in nostris contemneremus: prout actus vtrius (que) partis, ita & rerum terminus fuit. Illis data fuit in sum­mo timo [...]e palma, nobis in summa [...]latione confusio. their sinne sake in warre, or before in peace, the Lord most righteouslie gaue them vp vnto their e­nimies. Now that they were inthralled in subiecti­on, their authoritie being lost, with the iustnes of their cause; their rebellion which was the cause of this new dissension, could not be but most vnlaw­full: vnlesse they had receiued a newAs Iudg. 3.15. & 6.14. 2. King. 9.6. & 23.30. in which matter we ought now also to seeke our direction at the word of God. authoritie from God, or had bin freed by him,Like as the Romanes gaue freedome to the cities of Grecia: Looke Valer. Max. lib 4. cap. 8. Plutarch. in vita Flamin. by whō they were subdued vnto seruitude, or of some other, who2. King. 24.7. had taken away dominion and authoritie from him. In whose example are also to be noted: that warresIsai. 8.6.7. Ezech. 14.17. Chrysost. Hom 35. in Gen. Nam sicut torrens vehementer inundans, omnis secum rapit & perdit; ita & barbari illi inuaserunt omnes gentes & omnes prorsus perdid [...] unt. are as a mightie scourge of God to punish wicked men, and those that are partakers2. Chron. 19.2. Ambros. de Abraham lib. 1. cap. 3. Itaque Lot infirmieris consilij pretium luit non terrenarum infoecunditate sed amaenitatis inuidia deceptus, vt etiam ipse captinus abduceretur, quoniam vitio seruilis nequitia à potiore deflexerat, & partem flagitiosorum elegerat. with the wicked: to this purpose is described, the rage of this contention, and the people destroyedVers. 5.6.7. on euerie [Page 509] side. Moreouer, that neither counsaile or strength of men,Prou. 21.30. Iob. 5.13. or stratagems of warre, preuaile any whit against the disposition of the Lord. For although the Sodomites had brought their enimies into dis­aduantageVers. 3.10. of ground vnknowne, hoping if not by force, at least by subtiltie to preuaile against them; yet nothing hindreth the course of victorie, when sinne had laide them open vnto their foes. Wherefore iust authoritie, and a lawfull cause of warre, is a better token of victorie,Psal. 33.16.17. Prou. 21.31. then preparati­on of shield or speare: good discipline a surer saue­gard, thenIesu. 7.12.13. to plot the field, or to fortifie the campe: hartie repentance, and true conuersion to the Lord, a greater succour,2. Chron. 13.14.18. & 20.5.13. Ʋeget. de re milit. lib. 1. cap. 20. Honestas idoneum militem red­dit: verecundia dum prohibet fugere, facit esse victorem. then multitudes and power of men. Where these are ioyned, and the lawfull meanes of victorie2. Sam. 5.23. 2. Chron. 32.3.4.5. August. contr. Faust. lib. 22. cap. 36. Perti­net autem ad sana [...] doctrinam vt quando habeat quod faciat homo, non tente [...] Do­minum Deum suum. not cast aside; the Lord him­selfe doth leadExod. 33.14.15. Psalm. 44.3. this armie, and will vndoubtedlie subdue the enimie. Obserue moreouer 1. verse 4. Onlie by prideProu. 13.10. men make contention. Secondly, it is not lawfull for subiects to rebell1. Sam. 26.9. Dan. 3.18.28. Rom. 13.1. against their Soueraigne Prince, vnder any colour or pretence. Thirdlie, verse 5. The sins of a few doe often bring punishment vponNumb. 16.22. Iosu. 7.12. Iudg. 20.13.46. Micah. 3.11.12. Prou. 29.8. Horat. epist. 2. Hunc amor, ira quidem communiter vrit vtrunque: quicquid delirant reges plectun­tur Achiui. a multitude. Fourthlie, verse. 12. Wicked men thorough2. Chron. 28.9.10.11. couetousnes and pride, doe often turne a iust cause of warre to be vnlaw­full.

Question 2. verse 13. For what cause is Abram here called an He­brue, and how that name was left vnto the children of Israel.

AFter the ouerthrow and sacking of the Ci­ties, one that had escaped, told Abram of the taking of Lot his brothers sonne: where­of the Scripture amplifieth, that he told A­brā the Hebrue which dwelt in the plaine of Mamre the Amorite. Wherby first we vnderstand that although Abram dwelt in the middest of Canaan, & the flame of warre burned round about; yetGen. 15.1. Psal. 91.1.3.4.7. Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 68. Itane eccle­sia suae &c. the Lord was a strong defence to Abram, no enimie came neere his tabernacle. Furthermore hee is called an Hebrue, as Mamre and Aner are called Amorites, to declare their linage from which they did descend: but whereof or from whom this name was deriued, it is not so easilie to be concluded. There are which supposeArtapanus apud Eu­seb. lib. 9. de praepar. Euangel. cap. vlt. August. de consensu Euangelist. lib. 1. c. 14 Ab Abraham inquit gēs capit Hebraeorum. Sed eandem sententi­am retractauit, de ci­uit. Dei, lib. 16. cap. 3. retract. lib. 2. cap. 16. in quaest. in Gen. 9.24 Quid inquit probabi­lius sit ab Heber. tan­quam Hebraeos dictos, an Abraeos merito quaeritur. that it came from the name of Abraham himselfe, as childrē are often called by their fathers name; as though they should be called Abrues (or a letter chaunged) Ebrues, but this coniectureNeque Hebraicus scribendi modus pati­tur, in qua non est vocalis tantum differentia sed & consonantis: nam & nomen Abram incipit ab Aleph, Heber ab Aijn: dein mutatio vocalis est: tum etiam ipse Abram sic vocatus est vel ab ali­quo praedecessore, aut euentu; non quidem à seipso. is far from likelihood, and containeth not sufficient ground of truth. Manie otherJoseph. Antiq. libr. 1. cap. 7. Heberus à quo Iu­dai, quondam Hebraei appellabantur. Euseb. in Chronolog. Acasius in Catena. Graec. Explicationum in Gen. Hieron. trad. in Gen. Heber, à quo Hebraei. Beda. suppose it to be de­riued [Page 511] from the name of Heber, which the Scripture also seemeth to import in saying that Sem was Fa­ther of all the sonnes of Heber, meaning no doubt of the Hebrue nation, of whom the God of Sem should descend concerning the flesh. Notwithstan­dingTranslat. 72. reddit [...], id est, tran­sitori, a [...], transeo. Origen. in Matth. 14. Non possunt turba in vlteriorem ripā tran­sire velut Hebrai my­sticè, quae vox sonat nobis transmissoris. Chrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 35. Quia trans Euphratem domicili­um habuerat Abra­ham, propterea voca­tus est transfluuialis siue transitor. Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 60. Quare enim cum alia quam pluri­mae gentes ex Heber traxerint originem, soli tamen posteri Ia­cob appellati sunt He­braei? Paulus Burgen­sis in Gloss. Aretius in proleg [...]. in epist. ad Haebr. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 14. Hebrai non à nomine Abram, sed à cognomine dicti sunt. other both graue & learned writers esteeme this name to be deriued from the Hebrue word ( [...] Heber) which signifieth beyond, as a name imposed vpon Abram and his posteritie, for that he forsooke his countrie beyond the riuer, and cameAct. 7.4.5. Heb. 11.8.9. Gen. 19.9. Lot etiam dicitur venisse [...] Lagur ad peregrinandum. as a stran­ger or wanderer to dwell in Canaan. Now although these two sentences may seeme to differ, yet I take them to varie onelie so, as that being ioyned toge­ther, they fullie agree with the truth it selfe. The name of the nation is likelie to be taken from the chiefest ancestor of thatGen. 10.14 18. Iosep. Antiq. 1. cap. 7. Hieron. trad. in Gen. Saba à quo Sabaei; à Sabatha, Sabatheni, ab Elam Elamitae, ab Assur Assyrij. ab Heber Hebraei. familie, as is common to other nations of the world. So that Heber gaue name vnto theA suo nomine nominati, à cognomine Abrahae confir­mati. Hebrues; but whence receiued He­ber the name himselfe? The fathers inChrysost. hom. in Gen. 21. Non sicut nunc fortuito & absque causa nomina fiunt, &c. It was not in olde time as now it is, that men gaue names to their Children at aduenture, or without cause: as they vse to say, let him bee called by his Fathers or Grandfathers name: but they gaue all diligence to name their children so, as might induce them into vertue, and might teach other wisdome in time to come, &c. This indeede is perceiued by the inter­pretation of names thoroughout the Scripture. It seemeth the heathen also had regarde of this, and called men by name after their behauiour and condition: as Berah signifieth a King in malice, Birsha in impietie, Shinab one hating his father, because as it seemeth they were such. Sometime they named them by the contrarie, as Philopater the King of Aegypt, that is, a louer of his father, because he slew his father: and Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus the noble, because in his conditions hee was epimanes, furious or madde: so doe they (saith Polidor Virgil. de inuent. lib. 4. cap. 10.) the Popes of Rome: call him Clement, that is, vnmer­cifull, Vrban, that is, vnciuill: Pius, that is, wicked: Innocent, that is, harmefull: Benedict, that is, one whom the people curse: Boniface, that is, a dooer of mischiefe. This would not happilie be beleeued, if it were not a testimonie of their owne. old time gaue [Page 512] names vnto their children, alwaie significant: as may appeare by Scripture. These godlie Patriarks moreouer being Prophets,The same doth Chrysostome thinke, Hom in Gen. 35. of the parents of A­braham, and it may well be vnderstood of both, Prouidentes (inquit) quod futurū erat ipsum nēpe tran­sito Euphrate profe­cturum in Palesti­nam, &c. may seeme to haue foretold of the constancie of Heber euen at his birth (as the father of Noah Gen. 5.29. did prophesie of him) which Prophesie thorough the grace of God was well fulfilled in Heber, when he forsooke and left the wicked societie who builded Babel, which none of his equals did, butGen. 10.25. & 11.9 onlie Heber. Wherefore this name did worthilie contiune in hisFor while there was but one lan­guage, it was not called by any pri­uate name, as saith Eucherius in Gen. 11. but whē that com­mon language be­came priuate to He­bers familie, it begā to be called the He­brue tongue. language, be­ing now become the speech of the onelie house of Heber, which before was common to all the world; and to his linage, that they should be called He­brues, or the sonnes of Heber. Yet none of Ioctans sonnes were called Hebrues, neither any of the o­ther sonnesGen. 11.17. begotten by Heber; but onelie the race of Peleg: and none of them also enioyed that name (that may be perceiued by the Scripture) till Abram in this place is called the Hebrue Abram. Whereby it appeareth, that Abram also was entituled to this name, not onelie for that hee came of the stocke of Heber, but because he didAs Heber departed from that assemblie of Rebels; so Abrā passed from the fel­lowship of Idola­ters: for which cause hee retained that name, iustly hono­rable in the Church of God; albeit vn­to ye wicked a name of disgrace, a pilgrim, a stranger. imitate him in vertue and obedience to God: being therefore of the Ca­nanites called an Hebrue, that is a straunger or wan­derer among them, because he was not only a stran­ger borne, but continued with them without inhe­ritance. And in this place it seemeth he is called an Hebrue, to shew the iudgementProu. 29.27. 1. Cor. 1.21. Chrysost. Hom. 31. Quanto satius vt ipse breui quod superest tempore hîc residens vitam terminem, quam vt senex hinc & inde vager & omnium scommatis incessar, qui ne­que id aetatis quietus vinam, sed loca locis mutans nullibi consictam. of the world con­cerning Abram. Namelie, that they esteemed of him as of a stranger, and he that told him, deliuered this narration as to a stranger. For if fiue kings and [Page 513] their armies were ouerthrowne, what should one priuate straunger, striue as it were against so great a streame? Yet such was thePsal. 9.10. & 45.2. August. in Psalm. 45. Mu [...]a sunt tribula­tiones, & in omni tri­bulatione ad Deum confugiendum est: neo aliud refugium debet esse Christiano, quam saluator eius, quam Deus eius, quò cum confugeret fortis sit. prouidence of God, that Abram had knowledge of this ouerthrow, by one that hadWho this one that had escaped was, is vncertaine. Of A­brahams familie he was not; for of thē none escaped of whom none was ta­ken. Of Lots familie it is not likely: for why should it then be said, he told A­bram the Hebrue? Most likely there­fore that hee was a Canaanite, whom Gods prouidence directed to bring newes to Abraham. The Rabbins (after their wonted boldnes) affirme that this one that had escaped was Og the Giant. Their reason is, because those kings are said to haue smitten Rephaim, that is, the Giants; and Og is said to be of the remnant of the Giants, Deut. 3.11. But this cannot be likely in regard of time, for then Og had liued 440. yeeres, which was more then double the age of Abram or Isaac, or any of the Patriarkes after them. escaped, before it was too late to fol­low after them, and receiued the victory, goods and captiues, being but a straunger, which the kings that were borne in the countrie had lost. Wherefore this name which otherwise was of infamie and dis­grace, as it hath alwaies binGen. 36.14.17. & 43.32. 1. Sam. 4.9. & 29.3. Cicero pro Flacco. orat. calleth the religion of the Iewes, a barbarous superstition: Huic barbarae superstitioni resiste­re seueritatis fuit. Horat. Satyr. 9. scoffeth at circumcision: Hodie tricessima sabstata, vin tu curtis Iudais oppedere? when as both that religion and circumcision was the institution of God him­selfe. a detestation among the heathen (as afterwardAct. 28.22. Ioh. 16.10. Suet. in vita Neron. cap. 16. calleth the Christian religion a new and naughtie superstition. Such like blasphemies doth Tacitus vtter, Annal. lib. 15. a pe­stilent and pernitious superstition. And true Christians were called Atheists, and heathen and vnfortunate people of the very Atheists and heathen themselues, Arnob. contr. Gent. lib. 1. Tertul. Apolog. ca. 16. the christian name hath bin, andAs it appeareth by the Turkish insolencie against the Christians: and by their contumelies done to the name of Christ at the taking of Christian cities, especiallie that of Cōstantinople. Histor. Leonar. Chiens. Archiepisc. Sabellic. de bello Rhod. lib. 3. &c. so continueth) yet the Lord would make it famous, and raise itDeut. 26.19. 2. Sam. 7.9. vpon high, to be a badge of honour vnto his children. Obser. 1. The name and profession of Gods children is honourableExod. 38.17. Ioh. 16.27. in the sight of God, albeit it be despised and neglected of the wicked. Secondlie, the godlie must willinglieMat. 10.32. 1. Pet. 4.13.14. Heb. 11.26. beare the reproch of the crosse of Christ,Mat. 5.11.12. 1. Pet. 3.14. Bernard. in Cant. Nil sibi gloriosius putat ecclesia quā Christi portare opprobriū. and count themselues happie if they endure contempt for him.

Question 3. verse 13.14. Whether it were lawfull for Abraham to vn­dertake this dangerous war, and to con­federate himselfe with the Amorites, the people of the land?

WHether Abraham receiued a reuelation from the Lord, or otherwise, was filled with his spirit, the Scripture nameth not: notwithstanding it cannot beAs Iudg. 6.34. & 11.29. & 15.14.15. but he was extraor­dinarilie confirmed in this enterprise by God him­selfe. For what humane counsaile would exhort to pursue a mightie armie of foure kings, with three hundreth andIoseph. lib. 1. Antiq. cap. 11. Cum domestica tricenaria cohorte, & insuper decem & acto vernaculis triumque amicorū auxilijs tan­tum exercitum profli­gauit. eighteeneCaesar. de bell. Gall. lib. 2. In ijs difficulta­tibus maximo erat subsidio scientia at (que) vsus militum, quod superioribus praelijs exercitati, quid fieri oporteret, non minus commodè ipsi sibi prae­scribere quam ab alijs doceri poterunt. vnexpert souldiers, in hope toVeget. libr. 3. de re milit. cap. 31. Nemo enim bello lacessere aut facere audet iniuriam regno vel populo, quem expeditum & promptum ad resistendum vindican­dum (que) agnoscit. recouer spoile or victorie? Surelie there­fore it was the vprightnes of the cause, thatVers. 14. prouo­ked Abram to arme himselfe. But yet the goodnesse of the cause was not sufficient ground for Abram to aduenture so perilous attempt,1. Sam. 14.36.37. if he had not fullie knowneAs Iudg. 14.6. Iosu. 5.14. 2. Sam. 5.24. that the Lord himselfe did guide his ar­mie, & to Abram had giuen iust authoritie. Wher­fore it maketh no securitie to captaines or souldiers, if they rashlie take in hand such hardie enterprises, as in all humane reason doe stand aboue their pow­er; vnles they be armed with like warrant from the Lord, or prouokedIudg 14.6. 2. Sam. 23.12. Quae ipsa necessitas coniuncta cum iustitia, est à Deo authoritas confirmata. Est enim non scripta sed nata lex, &c. vt si vita nostra in aliquas insidias, si in vim, si in tela aut latronum aut inimicorum incidisset, omnis honesta ratio esset expediendae salutis, Cicero orat. pro Milont. Bernard. Epist. 236. Non est vir fortis cui non crescit animus in ipsa rerum difficultate. Virgil. Ae­nead. 2. Vltima spes victis nullam sperare salutem. with extremitie of perill or ne­cessitie: [Page 515] for it is notLactant. lib. 6. c. 18. Fortitudo si nulla ne­cessitate cogente, aut non pro causa honesta certum periculū subi­re [...], in temeritatem conuertitur. Gregor. Moral. lib. 5. cap. 14. Fortitudo de­struitur nisi per con­silium fulciatur: quia quo plus se posse con­spicit eò virtus fine moderamine rationis deterius in praeceps ruit. fortitude, but rather temeritie, that without holsome counsaile doth put in hazard the doubtfulnes of warre. Now the cause why A­bram did take in hand this warre, was not for the rescue of the Sodomites, who were in bondage iustlie, because vniustlie they had rebelled: but to rescue and deliuer his brother Lot, whom they had vnrighteouslie taken prisoner. The cause therefore of Abram was iust and lawfull, for Abram was first prouoked with manifest iniurie: Lot his brothers son was taken away, who ofChrysost. Hom. 31. Mores adolescentis nō multum à iustitia ab­erant. Nā cū propositi es essent duo fratres ip­se iustiori adhaerebat. religion & godlines had accompanied Abram vnto Canaan. Wherefore also it was meete, that Abram should now deliuer him, seeing thatBecause the first occasion of his suf­fering was his com­ming out of his countrie with Abra­ham. for righteousnes sake hee suffered iniu­rie. Therefore albeit that Abram had nought to doe to defend the people of the land, as being a straunger, and hauing no possession with them: yet in regard of the promise made to Abram that the land should be his owne; he had therein receiued a kinglieCaluin. in Gen. 14. Sed dubium non est quin sicuti spiritus virtute instructus in bellum descendit, sic coelesti mandato fue­rit munitus ne vocae­tionis sue metas tran­silires: neque hoc nouū videri debet, cum specialis eius erat vocatio. Creatus iam erat rex illius terrae, licet possessio in aliud tempus differebatur. authoritie to defend himselfe, his friendes and familie from force and inuasion of forraine power. This warre was therefore iustlie taken in hand, because it was toGen. 9.6. Psal. 72.4. & 82.4. Aristot. Rhetor. ad Alex. lib. Oportet iniuriam passos pro seipsis arma capere, siue pro cognatis & beneficis, itemque socijs iniuria affectis auxiliari. Cicer offic. lib. 1. Qui non defendit nec obsistit, si potest, iniuriae, tam est in vitio, quam si parentes aut patriam aut socios deserat. reuenge vniustice, to deli­uer them that were vnlawfullie oppressed; by him that had from GodNumb. 31.2. Rom. 13.1.4. Chrysost. in epist. ad Rom. Hom. 23. Vide quomodo ora illius obstruat, dum magistratum velut militem armatum delinquentibus terribilem praeficit. authoritie of reuenge. It was also necessarie, because Lot could no other way be free from bondage; neither was it conuenient, in [Page 516] respect of the glorie of God, thatBecause in the pri­mitiue age of the Church, the Lord vsed to allure men with externall be­nefits, and to leade them by shadowes vnto truth. Iren. lib. 4 cap. 28. Lot at this time should suffer such affliction. It was also aduisedlie, and soberlie attempted, knowing his power (al­though inferiour in multitude) to be of more force then2. King. 1.16. theirs, because he was to fight vnder the stan­derd of the Lord. And for that cause he requireth not the aide of the people of the land, hee seeketh not assistance of the wicked; but armeth them to the warres, that were borne and brought vp [...] Chanichau, in­stitutos eius vel ab eo; such as were instru­cted by him, namely in religion or hus­bandrie, not in feats of warre. in his house, whom heGen. 18.19. had taught to feare the Lord. Where­in wee learne, that although the policie of Princes is oft commended, whoƲeget. de re milit. lib. 1. ca. 6. Ex vultus, ex oculi, ex omni con­formatione membrorū eos eligans qui imple­re valeant bellatores, namque non tantum in hominibus, sed etiā in equis & canibus virtus multis decla­ratur indicijs. Curt. lib. 2. de reb. gest. Alexādri. Non iuue­nes robustos, nec pri­mo aetatis flore, sed ve­teranos pleros (que) etiam omerita militiae qui cum patre patruisque militanerant elegit. chieflie esteeme of soul­diers that are expert in the warres: yet the policie of them is much more profitable, that2. Sam. 6.2. 2. Chron. 17.9.10.11.12. traine vp their souldiers in true religion, that cause the pure preaching of the word to be spread abroad; that souldiers hauing by it, experience of the goodnesse of the Lord, & hauing learned therewith the Chri­stianRom. 13.5. obedience vnto the Magistrate, might for conscience sake and pietie to God2. Sam. 21.17. seeke to subdue their Princes enimies, and be2. Sam. 10.12. valiant and couragi­ous for the people and religion of their God: ha­uing first made peace with the Lord by true repen­tance, so that through guilt of conscience they be notIerem. 38.19. 1. King. 16.15. Ambros. in Luc. cap. 6. libr. 5. Est autem fortitudinis iram vincere, indignationemque cohibere; atque per hoc fortitudo animū iuxtà corpusque confirmat. Nec perturbari sinis timore aliquo vel dolore, quibus velut prauis interpretibus pler [...]mque percellim [...]r. Bernard. Serm. de pri [...]ord, &c. Impijs nonissima sunt, mors, iudicium & Gehenna. Quid metuis si ad ista non trepidat, non expanescit, non timore concutitur. Sed qui benè vixerit, non potest male mori, sicut vix bene moritur qui male vixit. August. de doctrin. Christian. lib. 1. intangled with the feare of death, and not pro­uoking God by publike sinne, to take1. Sam. 2.34. & 4.3.11. away their liues in battell, or to be their enimie in the field. [Page 517] Thus ioyning pietie with prudent counsaile, and counsaile with courage in the warres: they should vndoubtedlie suppresse the rage of enimies,As exāples proue: this of Abraham, af­terward of Iosua, Da­uid, Hezechiah, of Constantine, Theodo­sius, Huniades and o­ther. and obtaine as manie victories, as withstand encounters of their aduersaries. Some cauilling spirit may hap­pen to obiect, that Abram herein transgressed the rule of Christ,Matth. 5.35. resist not euill. But in deed this ex­ample of Abram doth teach andConcilia­tio. 22. direct vs vnto the meaning of the words of Christ: namelie, first that it is not lawfullAugust. cont. Faust. libr. 22. cap. 70. Ille gladio vsus, gladio ca­det qui nulla superiori ac legitima potestate vel iubente vel conce­dente in sanguinem alicuius armatur. for priuate men, in priuate in­iuries, to seeke reuenge. For Abram not as a priuate person, much lesse a subiect, but as a Magistrate law­fullie called, doth exercise the authoritie that was giuen him by the Lord. Secondlie, where men may defend themselues without repelling vio­lence with violence, they may not seekeAugustin. epist. 5. Quomodo poterant gubernare atque an­gere rempublicano, quam ex parua & in­opi magnam & opu­lentam (Romani) fe­cerunt nisi accepta in­iuriae ignoscere, quam persequi malebant. or take occasion of reuenge. Thirdlie, that when we haue receiued authoritie to punish wickednes, wee exer­cise the meanes that are permitted, notHieron. in Ruffin. Apolog. 3. Qui se­metipsum vindicat, vltionem domini non meretur. August. de verb. Dom. in mont. lib. 2. Apud veros dei cultores, etiā bella paerata sunt, quae non cupiditate aut crudelitate, sed pacis studio geruntur, mali coercentur, boni subleuantur. for requi­tall of reuenge, but to represse the growing of vn­godlines. Notwithstanding the MagistrateGen. 9.6. Deut. 19.18.19.20. by cō ­maundement of God, and the rule of equitie must and ought toAmbros. in epist. Rom. cap. 13. Manifestum est ideo rectores datos, ne malum fiat. Nam quoniam futurum iudicium Deus statuis, & nullum perire vult, hoc in saeculo rectore [...] ordinauit, vt terrore imposito omnibus velut paedagogi sint; erudientes illos qui seruent, ne in poenam incidant futuri iudicij. resist and represse the euil of his sub­iects within his gouernment; and theAmbros. Offic. libr. 1. cap. 40. Fortitudo quae per bella tuetur à barbaris patrian, vel defendit infirmos, vel à latronibus socios, plena iustitia est. La­ctant. lib. 6. cap. 11. Nam qui succ [...]rrere perituro potest, & non succurrerit occidit. Cic. ad Qu. frat. epist. libr. 1. epist 2. Est enim regum omniumque imperantium corum quibus prasins commodis vtili­tatique seruire. euill of for­raine power that would oppresse or offend his peo­ple: wherein not he, but1. Sam. 15.18. Numb. 17.10. the Lord by him, resisteth [Page 518] euill. And the priuate subiect molested with iniu­rie, may resist that euill, by flying to the MagistrateDeut. 19.16.17. 1. King. 3.10.11. Deut. 17.8. 2. King. 4.13. August. in Psal. 118. Conc. 24. Constituit autem talibus causis ecclesiastitos Aposto­lus cognitores, in foro prohibēs iurgare Chri­stianos. scil. coram infidelibus. 1. Cor 6. sed omnes causas litigan. di praecidendas docet, quantum per ver­bum ipsum Dei liceat. de Sermon. Domin in Mont. lib 1. & 2. to be defended: in which not the priuate partie, but the Magistrate; nor yet the Magistrate, but the Lord himselfe, by these appointed instruments, re­sisteth the euill, and bringeth the mischiefe of the wicked vpon the head of him that had inuented it. But our Sauiour giueth further precept to all his followers,Matth. 5.44. to loue their enimies. We are in deed to loue our enimies, but yet to hateEphes. 5.11. August. Sermon. de temp. 134. Esto similis medico: medicus non amat aegrotantem, si non edit aegritudinem vt liberet agrotum febrem persequitur. Nolite amare vitia amicorum vestrorum, si amatis amicos ve­stros. Beda in Luc. cap. 6. Verus amor veritatē amat, in veritate iu­dicat, pro veritate certat, cum veritate opera consumit. their sinne; to loue our enimies, but notPsalm. 139.21. Gregor. pastor. part. 3. cap. 23. Inimicos autem Dei perfecto odio odisse, est & quod facti sunt diligere, & quod faciunt increpare; mores prauorum premere, vitae pro­desse. to loue the enimies of God: to loue them as our selues, but to loue the LordBernard Hom. in Cant. 20. Diligendus est Dominus est Dominus toto & pleno cordis affectu: diligendus tota rationis vigilantia & circumspectione: diligendus tota virtute, vt nec mori pro eius amore perti­mescat. Deut. 6.5. Cant. 8.6. aboue our selues; becauseProu. 16.4. for himselfe, hee hath created vs. He therefore that performeth this dutie of loue vnto the Lord, loueth his mercie in sauing sinners, and loueth hisAugust. in Psal. 78. Iustus magis cupit inimicum suum corrigi quam puniri; & cum cum videt a Domino vindicari, non eius delectatur poena, quia non cum odit, sed diuina iustitia, quia Deum diligit. Sic igitur inimicus diligatur, vt non displiceat diuina iusti­tia, qua puniatur. iustice in punishing sin: so that when the Lord appointeth sinners vnto punishment, by reuealing his will, by his written word, by lawfull meanes ordained; hee loueth this iustice, and either is the meanes to execute, or con­senteth to the execution, that the Lord may be lo­ued aboue the creature. And yet though hee pu­nish, as the executioner of God, yet hee loueth the partieIosu. 7.19.25. whom he punisheth, desiring that by the course of iustice, hee might beAugust. in Psal. 78. Denique si in hoc seculo in cum vindi­catur; vel pro illo etiam laetatur si corrigitur, vel certe pro alijs vt timeant cum imitari. brought to the knowledge and mercie of the Lord. Thus Abram [Page 519] destroyed the armie of the kings, because the Lord required of him to execute his iustice. Abram there­fore loueth the Lord aboue his enimies, and there­fore smiteth them whom the Lord had deliuered into his hand. For because the Lord had taught him that onlie meane to deliuer Lot from his capti­uitie; he iustlie executeth the wrath of God, but de­sireth notAugust. cont. Faust. lib. Nocendi cupiditas, vlciscendi crudelitas, implicitus & impla­cabilis animus, seritas rebellandi, libido do­minandi, & siqua sunt similia, hac sunt quae in bellis iure cul­pantur. the destruction of his enimies. So Paule deliuered vp 1. Cor. 5.5. the Corinthian vnto Sathan, but yet de­sireth to saue his soule. So the Magistrate, that striketh with the sword of iustice, punishing the offender with deserued death, seeketh by temporall paine,Iosu. 7.19. [...]5. 2. Sam. 1.14. & 4.9.10. &c. to bring him to the sight and knowledge of his sinne; that thereby he may escape eternall torment. The minister of the word, that confutethTit. 1.9. Tertul. lib. contr. Her­mog. Doctat Her [...]o­genes scriptum esse: si non est scriptum, ti­meas Vae illud adijetē ­tibus aut detrahenti­bus destinatum. Hieron. in Agg. cap. 1 Quicquid absque au­thoritate & testimo­nijs scripturarū, quasi traditione apostolica sponte confingunt, per­cutit gladius dei. by the word, the heresies of the wicked; sheweth not ha­tred to theQuemadmodū im­pijs mos est. Cyprian ad Demetriad. Ad nos saepe studio magis contradicendi quam v [...]to discendi veniunt, & clamosis vocibus personantes malunt sua impudenter ingerere quàm nostra patienter audire. persons of men, but to the heresies that they professe: which when hee reproueth, because the LordTit. 3.11. detesteth them, and he as theIsai. 58.1. trumpet of the Lord, is to sound his voice among the people, he ought not to be thought to breake the bounds of brotherlie charitie, when by the mouth of Christ he represseth heresie. But those that slea the inno­centIust. Mart. Apolog. 2. Tantùm quippe principes opinionem veritati praeferentes valent, quantum in solitudine latrones. whom God hath commaunded to preserue; or which to maintainePapista & alij. their priuate error obscure theRom. 11.18. truth, destroy or persecute the persons of men professing that doctrine whichQualem nostram esse confirmatur. cannot be conuin­ced by the word of God: hate contrariwise not sin, but men, for not being1. Pet. 4.4. partakers with them in their sinne; and clearelie descrie themselues to be [Page 520] childrenIoh. 8.44. of that father, from whom1. Ioh. 3.8. sinne, false­hood, hypocrisie and murther haue issued forth in­to the world. Furthermore it may happen to be cal­led into doubt, whether Abram offended not in that hee ioyned in societie with Mamre, Aner, and Eshchol, which were Amorites of the posteritie of Ca­naan; because the Lord not onelie forbadExod. 23.32. & 34.15. Deut. 7.2. the Isra­elites, the making of any league with the people of the land, but in all agesPro. 14.7. & 22.24 2. Cor. 6.14. Ephes. 5 7. Chrysostom. Hom. in Matth. 19. Bonus si male connectitur, aut pares ambo reddantur aut cito ab inuicem separentur: amicitia enim pares aut que­runt aut faciunt. Idē. Et rerum natura sic est vt quoties bonus malo coniungitur, non ex bono malus melio­retur sed ex bono ma­lus contaminetur. of his Church hath prohibi­ted his children to haue societie with the wicked. To this itConcilia­tio. 23. must be answered; that the godlie are not forbidden, to make or maintaine peace withGen. 34.15. Nazianz. in Apo­log. orat. 21. Melior est talis pugna qua Deo proxi [...] facit, quam pax illa qua separat à Deo. wicked men, so that such peace containe not a conspiracie against the Lord, and the sinceritie of true religion; vnles they haue authoritie from God toDeut. 7.2. Iudg. 2.2.3. 1. King. 20.42. afflict them for their sinne, as had the Israelites. For we are commaunded to haue peace with Deut. 20.10.11. Rom. 12.18. Matth. 5.9. all men, so much as lieth in vs, and to be not onlie peaceable, but furtherers of peace. Wherefore if any Heathen or Idolator shall seeke vnto vs for peace, wee are to an­swere him Iosu. 9.7.14 15. 2. Sam. 8.10. 1. Sam. 8.14. with peace, and to shew the fruit of our religion, which is to be peaceable Ioh. 13.35. Gal. 6.10. Luc. 10.5. August. contr. epist Parmen. lib. 2. cap. 1. Quisquis ergo vel quod potest arguendo corrigit, vel quod corrigere non potest, saluo pacis vinculo excludit, vel quod saluo pacis vinculo excludere non potest aequitate improbat; hic est pacificus. and good to all. For this cause did Abram make couenant with Aner and his brethren, and with Abimelec Gen. 21.22.24. & 26.28.31 requiring peace. Thus Dauid and Salomon did ioyne in league with the king of2. Sam. 5.11. 1. King. 5.10.11. Tyrus: and so ought godlie Princes being sought vnto, if it be notIerem. 40.8.14. & 41.1. Ambros. lib. de Virgin. 1. Venena non dantur nisi melle circumlita, & vltia non docipiunt nisi sub specie & vmbra virtutū. vnder pretence of fained friendship. But in our distresse to2. Chron. 16.7. seeke for help of them, or in their aduersitie to be helpers vn­to [Page 521] 2. Chron. 19.2. them that hate the Lord, vnlesse it beIosu. 10.6.7. to de­fend our selues by succouring them, or that they be yeelded vnto our power: this is condemned in the Scripture, for it isPhilip. 3.19. Ierem. 17.5. to preferre the loue of men be­fore the Lord. Neither is it lawfull to expect their assistance,Esra. 4.2. whom we may not requite with help a­gaine: wherfore it may notSicut Hebraeorū sen­tentia est in Bereshith Rabb. in Cab. &c. vniustlie be esteemed, that these confederates of Abram were the ser­uants also of the Lord, either wonne vnto godlines byChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 33. Postea enim & Cananaea inhabi­tatores clarè iusti virtutem didicerunt. Abram, or more auncient maintainers of the truth, as wasVers. 18. Melchizedek: the further proofe wher­of, because the Scripture doth not fullie testifie, we commendIren. lib. 2. cap. 48. Quaedam autem com­mendamus Deo, &c. to God as a case vnknowne. Obser. 1. verse 14. The godlie are by Abrams example to2. Sam. 10.12. Matth. 10.37. Origen. in Cant. Hom. 2. Te vult diuinus sermo diligere patrem, filium, filiam: vult te sermo diuinus diligere Christum: nec inordi­natam habere chari­tatem, aut magis te fi­lium & filiam dilige­re, quam verbum, ma­gis te parentes amare quam Christum. ad­uenture life and goods, for the seruice of God, and welfare of his Church. 2. True fortitude consisteth onlieProu. 24.5. & 28.1 & 16.32. Lactant. lib. 6. cap. 18. Si quis lacessitus iniuriae ledentem persequi caperit, iam victus est. Si verò motum illum ratione com­presserit, hic plane imperat sibi, & hic regere se potest. Qui autem referre iniuriam nititur, cum ipsum à quo lesus est gestit imita [...]i: neque vero minus mali est referre iniuriam quàm inferre. Hieron. Com­mentur. in Ioel. cap. 1. I [...]sti & fortis viri est, nec aduersis frangi, nec prosperit subleuari: sed in vtroque esse moderatus. August. contr. Iul an. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3. Sed absit vt sit in aliquo verae virtus, nisi fue­rit iustus &c. in them that feare the Lord. 3. Verse 15. It is lawfull for ye godlie, in lawfull war, toIosu. 8.4. Iudg 20.29. Dolu [...] an virtus quis in hoste requirat. Virg. Aenead. 2. subdue their enimie with force or subtiltie, so there be no fal­shoodAugust. quaest. in Iosu. 10. Hinc admonemur, non iniustè fieri ab his qui iustum bellum gerunt: vt ni­hil homo iustus praecipuè cogitare debeat in his rebus, nisi vt iustum bellum suscipiat, cui bellare fa [...] est, Cum autem iustum bellum susceperit, vtrum aperta pugna, vtrum insidijs vincat, nihil ad iustitiam interest. Sed iustum bellum non est vbi foedus iniustè frangitur. or vniustice found therein. 4. Verse 16. The Lord giueth successe to godlie enterprises,Iosu. 1.5. 2. Sam. 8.14. 2. Chron. 25.7.8.11. &c. where sinne doth not prouoke him to punish wickednesse. 5. The wicked are oftenGen. 19.21. Exod. 12.38. partakers with the god­lie of deliuerance, as the godlie conuersing with the wicked are partakers of the scourge.

Question 4. verse 18. Who was this Melchizedek, that met Abram and blessed him? And to what purpose brought he forth bread and wine?

COncerning this Melchizedek, both of his person, and his accesse to Abram, haue di­uers opinions beene raised in the Church; contrarie to the soundnes of holsome doctrine. For first concerning his person, were those grosse and brutish heretikes whichEpiphan. Heres. 55. Melchisede [...]ianos alij scipsos vo [...]d [...]. Hi Mel­chisedec, in scripturis relatum glorificāt. & esse non solum viren­tem quandam, sed esse maiorem Christo asse­runt. August. Haeres. 34. called themselues of the name of Melchizedek: who affirmed that Melchizedek was a greater person, then was Christ himselfe, be­cause Christ was compared vnto Melchizedek. But the plaine words of Scripture confute their blind­nes, which say not thatHeb. 7.3. Christ was compared as in­feriour to Melchizedek, but that Melchizedek was com­pared vnto the sonne of God. Some other supposeAuthor. quaest. mixt. inter oper. August. qu. 109. Igitur per hac apparet Melchizedec vltra hominem esse, quia non erat vnde melior esset quam A­braham, nisi sola pre­ [...]edat illum natura. Quam ipsissimā sen­tentiam haereticam esse doces Augustinus. Haeres. 24. that he excelled the nature of men, because hee is said to beHeb. 7.4.7. greater then Abraham, and therefore e­steeme him to beEpiphaen. Haeres. 55. Aliqui autem ipsum putant natura filium Dei. in humana specie tunc Abraham apparuisse. Sed excidunt & ipsi à proposito. Iesus Christ in person,Epiphan. Haeres. 55. & 67. Hierat quidam Melchisedecianorum hunc Melchisedec putat esse spiritum sancium, eo quod assimilatus est, inquit, filio Dei. or else the holie Ghost. Other also gesseHieron. epist. ad Euagrium. Origenes multiplici sermone disputant, illu [...] tandem denolutus est, vt cum angelum diceret. Transiui ad Didymum sectatorem eius, & vidi hominem pedibus in magistri isse sententiam. that he was an Angell, because he is said to be without father or mo­ther. But these errours likewise are euident by the Scripture, which in manifest words affirmeth that [Page 523] Melchizedek Heb. 7.1.2. King of Salē, King of peace: by analogie of the historie, and vers. 4. [...], consider how great this man was. &c. was king of Salem, that is, vndoubtedlie, a certaine man which was king of a certaine Citie called Salem: which Citie, although in the name thereof it doe aptlie signifie the kingdome of the faithful, wherein dwelleth peace and righteousnes; yet may we not by reason of the allegorie take away the truth of historie. Againe, it is signified heHeb. 7.6. [...], it is mani­fest therefore that he had a kindred, which was not coū ­ted or described. had kinred in the flesh; although not reckoned among the kinred of the Iewes. Neither saith the Scripture that he had no father or mother, butHeb. 7 3. Psal. 110.4. [...] gnal-dibrathi: that is, according to my word or report of Melchizedec, that is, that report which is by me deliuered of Melchizedec: namely Gen. 14. Epiphan. Haeres. 55. Quod autem sine pa­tre & sine matre dici­tur, non eo quod non habuit patre aut ma­trem, dictum est; sed eo quod non sunt manifestissimè in scripturis nominati. that he is described without father and mother, that in shew of eternitie, he might be likened vnto the sonne of God. The Rabbins ofHieron. epist ad Euagr. Tradunt Hebrai hunc esse Sem primum filium Noa, & eo tempore quo ortus est Abraham habuisse aetatis annos 390. Rab. Rasi Thev [...]th rationem reddit, quia scil. dicitur Melec Salem, in quo reperiuntur litere Sem. Iua­nis coniectura. the Iewes and otherLyra in Gen. 14. Carthus. in Gen. Comment. Praeterea dictum est communiterque tenetur, quod Melchizedech fuit Sem filius Noae. after them, doe teach that this Melchizedek was Sem the sonne of Noah. Manie other both famous and reuerende interpre­ters of ScriptureHippolitus, Irenaeus, Eusebius Caesariensis, Emissenus, Apollinarius, & Eustachius: citantur ab Hieron. epist. ad Euagrium. Item Epiphanius Haeres. 55. Theodores. quaest in Gen. 63. Caluin. in Gen. 14. Pet. Mart. in Gen. Comment. 14. doe rather thinke, that because the parentage of Sem is declared in the Scripture, and that the distance of time was so greatThe Greekes who followed the Septuagint translation, found it not possible in respect of the time (for that translation addeth to euery Patriarke from Sem to Abraham 100. yeeres, and with Cai [...]an intruded 150.) and therefore followed the other sentence: but the occasion being taken a­way in the truth of the Hebrue text, the iudgement of the Fathers is therein reconciled. from Sem to Abraham, thatFor Sem by the computation of the Septuagint, died shortly after the birth of Peleg, when as by the truth of the originall, and as wee finde it in our English Bibles, he is found to haue liued vntill the 50. yeere of Isaac. therfore he was not Sem, but some one of ye seed of Canaā: which being affirmed, if it might sufficientlie be proued, would notablie expresse the exceeding mercie and goodnes of the [Page 524] Lord, who out of thatGen. 9.25. Act. 10.34. Sui las in nomine Melchisedech, itē Eu­stath. Antioc. dicit est ex Side filio regis Ae­gypti, & scorto impu­rissim [...] esse genitum, & hac de causa, ipsi [...]us genus non proditum esse literis. Sed nimis impudenter philoso­phati sunt. accursed familie, would choose so noble a Peere of righteousnes. Notwith­standing although the Scripture signifie that Mel­chizedek is described without father & mother, it is not thereby to be gathered, that either he was desti­tute of father and mother, or that his father &Heb. [...].3. [...], without genealogie, which is verie rare of any of the faithfull in the old Testament. pa­rentage is no where els declared: but onelie that in the history of Melchizedek, in the description of his Priesthood and his kingdome, there is no mention made of them, as here we see; that in them all, he might be likened vnto the son of God: for neither this Melchizedek or any other, of whatsoeuer family, but haue in the former historie their original de­clared. Neither is there let in respect of life, but that Melchizedek may be euen Sem himselfe: for the scrip­ture plainelie sheweth that Sem was yet remaining, and continued vntillGen. 11.11.12.32. & 12.4. he died be­fore Abram fiue and twentie yeeres, as appeareth by the account of ye yeeres of his life. neere the death of Abraham. Neuertheles seeing the scripture of purpose would beHeb. 7.3. silent in this description of Melchizedek, both of his parentage and his posteritie; it behooueth men to restraine themselues from curiositie, least while they seeke too busilie, to open that which the Lord himselfe hath closed vp, theyAugust. libr. 1. de Gen. contr. Manich eos cap. 2. Compescat se humana temeritas, & id quod non est non querat, ne id quod est non inueniat. misse also of the knowledge of that which is more manifest, and imbraceConcil Chalcedō. act. [...]. edict, Valentin. & Martiani imp. Quis­quis enim post verita­tem repertam aliquid vlterius disentit, men­dacium quarit, no ve­ritate [...]. a lie in steed of truth. Of this Melchizedek the Scripture saith: hee brought forth bread and wine, and blessed Abraham Hebr. 7.1. when hee returned from the slaughter of the kings: concerning which his action, the truth of historie is also well to be considered, and the falshood of heretikes to be confuted. And Melchizedek king of Salem (saith the text) brought forth bread and wine; and he was a Priest of the most high [Page 525] God. And he blessed him saying, &c. The word tran­slated he brought forth ( [...] Hotzi) is [...] Iatzah in Cal. exire, egredi. in his first and natiue signification, to goe forth, as manieGen. 10.11. & 24.5 Exod. 16.4. Ierem. 19.2. Ieb. 38.29. places of the Scripture doe declare. In this forme, it signi­fieth (asCeualer. Rud. Gram. tract. 2. cap. 4. Martin. Gram. He­brae. libr. 1. cap. 10. In hac forma gemina fe­re actio significatur. Grammarians teach) a double action, one of the doer, another of the thing, as thus: he made to goe forth, or he brought forth. And so this verie word in other Scriptures isExire facere, educe­re. Exod. 12. vers 51. 2. Sam. 12.30. Ierem. 51.10. vsed to the verie same effect. The thing or matter that came or was brought forth, was bread and wine: to whom hee brought it, the text doth not expresse; but by com­paring that which went before, and that which fol­loweth: The king of Sodome came forth to meete with Abram, in the vale of Shaueh, being neereThe valley of Sha­ueh, is also called the Kings dale; the Kings dale was not faire from Ierusa­lem, as it seemeth 2. Sam. 18.1 [...]. Bor­card. in descript. Terr. Sanc. part. 1. cap. 6. Num. 9. saith it is a plaine vnder the mountaine Tabor. to Sa­lem, which isHieron. epist. ad Euagr. denieth that this Solem was Hierusalem, but saith it was a certaine towne neere to Scythopolis, which is (saith he) till this day called Salem, where the palace of Melchisedec is to be seene; and also giueth this reason; for that Abram comming from the slaughter of the kings, came not by the way of Ierusalem, but by Sichem, which lay in the way from Dan. Whereunto may be answered, that Ierusalem declining somewhat toward the West, was notwithstanding not so farre distant but that Melchisedec might easily meete him in the way to Hebron, not farre from Salem. Ierusalem, and the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. Wherefore they came both to meete with Abram, and to reioyce with him for his victorie. But why brought Melchizedek bread and wine? Surelie to refresh the wearied souldiers, and to relieue the Captiues, as both theCompare vers. 18. & 2. Sam. 17.27.28.29. Scripture doth import, and interpretorsPhilo Iudaeus lib. de Abraham. Melchisedec manus ad coelum tendens fausta Abrahae precatus est, mactatis (que) victimis splendidum epulum omnibus socijs dedit. Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 1 cap. 11. Hic Melchisedec milites Abrahami hospitaliter habuit, nihil ijs ad victum deisse pasius. Clem. Alexand. Sirom. lib. 1. Qui vinu [...] & panem sanctificatum dedit nutrimentum in typum Eu­charistia. Hieron. epist. ad Euagr. Nec enim mirum si Melchisedec victori Abrahae obuiam proces­serit, & in refectionem tam ipsius quam pugnatorum eius panes vinumque protulerit & benedixerit et, cum abuepoti suo hoc iu [...]e debuerit. Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 36. Postquam autem & Melchisedec re [...] Salem panes & vinum attulit, ab illo accepit oblata. Theodoret. quaest. in Gen. 63. Idcirco panem & vinum & massam farinae dedit Abraha. both olde and [Page 526] newVatab. Annot. in Gen. 14. Nimirum vt lassum & famelicum exercitum regia libe­ralitate resic [...]res. Caluin. in Gen. Com­ment. 14. Pe [...] Mart. Comment. in Gent. cap 14. Ca. etan. Cardin. in Genes. 14. Nihil hic scribitur de sacrificio siue de oblatione, sedde prolatione siue extra­ctione panis & vini, quam Iosephus dicit factum ad reficiendū victores. doe testifie. And the Scripture nameth but bread and wine, yet it meaneth all refection that was conuenient for the time and people, according to the royaltie of a king, as by conferenceAs Exod. 18.12 to eate bread, that is, they feasted & eate of the sacrifices af­ter ye Law. Psal. 136. vers. 25. which giueth bread to all flesh, that is, conuenient food. 2 King. 6.22. bread and water is vsed for great prepara­tion. of other Scriptures is plaine & manifest; the custome where­of, & phrase of speech is, to call a feast, by the name of bread and wine. Thus the Scripture hauing spo­ken of the kinglie bountie of Melchizedek, procee­deth vnto his other dignitie: And hee was a Priest of the most high God. And hee blessed him saying, &c. Wherein we see, that Melchizedek as a king relie­uedTertul. libr. aduers. Iudaes. Melchisedech Abraha iam circum­ciso de pral [...]o reuertē ­ti panem & vinum obtulit incircumcisus. Abraham, & as a Priest of God most high he blessed him: in both which offices vnited, he was more ex­cellent then Abram, and bare the patterne of the Priesthood of the sonne of God. For therefore was heEpiphan. Haeres. 55. Beza in Annot. in Heb. 7. Nunc igitur de vtroque diceres, explicans quis sit orde ille Melchisedech, nempe aeternus & Leuitico emi­nentior cum aeterno regno coniunctus. more honourable and great then Abram, be­cause he had a kingdome, reallie conioyned with his Priesthood; and for that cause more meete to expresse the royall Priesthood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, then all the Priests and Kings of the loynes of Abraham. Now the Church of Rome hath forged out aTertul. aduers. Prax. lib. Quo peraeque aduersus vniuersas haereses iam hinc praiudicatum sit, id esse verum quodcunque primum: id esse adulterinum quod­cunque posterius. new exposition of this Scripture, whereon it hathIoan. [...]kius de sacrific. misse. lib. 1. Faber. Stapul. de missa. lib. 2. & 4. Iodoc. Clictou. de propugnac. eccles. lib. 1. Caietan. tom. 3. tract. 10. de sac [...]ific. Ioan. Driedo. de Eccles. Dog­mas. lib. 4. cap. 5. Melchior Canus de hic. Theolog. libr. 12. cap. 12. Bellarm. tom. 2. cont. 3. de Euchar. libr. 5 cap. 6. Qui omnes commune petunt principium à sacrificio Melchisedec. Et quod pro omnibus est Concil. Trident. sess. 22. cap. 1 2. Sacerdotem secundum ordinem Melchisedec, se in aeternum constitutum declarant, corpus & sanguinem suum sub speciebus panis & vini Deo patri ob­tulit. set the foundation of their sacri­fice the masse. Wherein first they begin with false translating of the words of Scripture, proceeding [Page 527] from thence to a false and peruerse vnderstanding of them: and thirdlie defend it, by manifest abusing the authoritie of the Fathers, is in the sequell it shall appeare. The wordes by them are thus translated: And Melchizedek king of Salem In some ancient copies, as is confes­sed by Andradius, Defens. Synod. Tridēt. libr. 4. and the Ro­mane Massall doth thus acknowledge: Can Missae. Supra quae propitio ac sereno vul­tu respicere dignerū, sicut dignatus es quod tibi obtulit Abel & Abrahā, & summus sacerdos tuus Melchi­sedech sanctum sacri­ficium, immaculatam hostiam. offered bread & wine, for he was a Priest of the most high God. And whereasMartin. Chemuis. exam. Trident. Conc. part. 2 tu de Missa. they are charged by vs of this corruption (because Moses speaketh not of offering, but of bringing forth, neither maketh it a reason, he brought forth, for he was a Priest; but being king of Salem he brought forth) therefore they answere two things. First, that in theirAndrad. Defens. 2. Synod. Trid. lib. 4. De offerendi autem vo­cabulo non est Chem­niti quod digladi [...] ­mur, cum & in corre­ctioribus Latinis ex­amplaribus, & sanctis patribus, qui locum hunc Eucharistiae ac­commodant, extet pro­ferens. corrected copies (being ashamed of the grossenes of the fault) it is wholie read, hee brought forth, and not hee offered. Secondlie, that although the word be, he brought forth, and not hee offered, yet itBellarmin. Tom. 2. contr. 3. de M [...]ss. lib. 1. cap. 6. Quod tamen verbum licet ex se nihil aliud significat nisi proferre seu ad­ducere, tamen pro loci exigentia saepe vsurpatur pro adductione hostiae ad immolandum. must needs be vnderstood he offered. And this they fight for, by many arguments, be­cause in this little word, is grounded a maine cor­ner stone of their religion. One reason or argument is this: The sameBellarmin. ibid. cap 6. Genebrard. saith this word is Sacrificale, belonging to sacrifice. word is sometime vnderstood of bringing forth an offering for sacrifice; forIudg. 6.18.19. This place is brought in by Bellarmine and Pererius: but to how great a purpose let the rea­der iudge. Gedeon was commāded to sacrifice that which he brought forth: which is, as if they had said: some haue sacrifi­ced that which they brought forth, therfore Melchi­zedek did sacrifice his bread and wine which he brought forth. The second reason. Melchizedek was a Priest of the most high God: thereforeMelchior Canus de loco Theolog. lib. 12. c. 12. Sacerdos erat Dei altisssini: sacrificium ergo offerebat Deo, omnis enim sacerdos constitunem vt sacrificium offerat: at non legitur aliud quam pa­nem & vinum obtulisse. he offered sacrifice to God. But he is not read of, to [Page 528] haue offered any sacrifice, except wee say this bread and wine; therfore he offered bread and wine. Thus brutish blind are they that wil not behold the truth. For to leaue that whichPhilo Iudaeus lib. de Abraham. Hauing slaine the sacrifices, he made a bounti­full feast to Abram and all his associats. Clem. Alexand. Strō. 4 auncient writers doe af­firme, that hee sacrificed beasts, as custome was of sacrifice: the Scripture sheweth, hePsal. 116.17. Hos. 14.3. Heb. 13.15. offered a sacri­fice of praise and thanks to God: blessed be the most high God, that hath deliuered thine enimies into thy hand. The third reason. Melchizedek being a figure of Christ did offer such aConcil. Trident. Sess. 22. cap. 1. Annot. Remist. in He­brae. 7. sect. 8. Bellarm. de Miss. lib. 1 cap. 6. Differentiae dua sunt inter duo illa sae­cerdotia Melchisedeci & Aaronis: prim [...] & potissimae posita est in externa specit sacrifi­cij (vbi hoc didicit in scripturis nescio) sae­crificia enim Aaronicae cruenta erant, & sub specie animantium oc­cisorum, Christi mor­tem repraesentabant. Melchisedeci sacrifi­cium incruentum fuit, & sub specie panis & veni eiusdem Christi corpus & sanguinē fi­gurauit. quare si Chri­stus sacerdos secūdum ordinē Melchisedech, & nō Aaronis, sacrifi­cium instituere debuit incruentum. sacrifice in respect of the matter, as did Christ: but Christ offered (say they) an vnbloodie sacrifice of bread and wine: ergo Mel­chizedek offered also bread and wine. Herein they notoriouslie prophane the holie Scripture; which teacheth that Melchizedek was a figure ofHeb. 7.3. Christ in deed: but sheweth wherein onlie he was likened vnto him; namelie,Heb. 7.1. that he was a King and Priest. Secondlie, that he was king of righteousnes. Third­lie, that he was king of peace. Fourthlie, in that hee isChrysost. Hom. in Gen. 35. & Chri­stus quia non habet in coelo matrem & in terra patrem abs (que) genealogia dicitur. described without father and mother. Fiftlie, in that he is described without beginning of dayes, or end of life. Sixtlie,Epiphan. Hae­res. 55. Melchisedec non amplius post se successionem habuit, sed neque sacetdotij ablationem. Heb. 7.4.5. &c. in that his Priest-hood was more excellent then that of Aaron. Wherefore seeing the Scripture compareth of purpose Mel­chizedek with Christ, and sheweth wherein they are to be compared; and notwithstanding compa­reth them not in the matter of sacrifice: it is mani­fest, they are not in the matter of sacrifice to be cō ­pared, and by consequent either the Papists argu­ment is false; or els it followeth, that there was error [Page 529] or negligence committed in the Scripture, which is blasphemieExemp. Policarpi, qui ad omnē blasphe­miam sibi solebat an­res obturare. Euseb. ec­cles. Histor. lib. 3. not to be endured of christian hearts or eares. The causes which they assigne, why the A­postle compareth not the sacrifice it selfe, are vaine and false. One cause was (say they)Bellar. de Miss. lib. 1. cap. 6. Bellarm. de Miss. lib. 1 cap. 6. Causa cur A­postolus non memine­rit sacrificij panis & vini primaria, notissi­ma est: quia videlicet id ad propositum eius non faciebat. because it made not to the Apostles purpose in that place, to handle it. And yet nothing indeed, as they them­selues acknowledge, could make more for the like­nes of the Priest-hood (which was the Apostles scope to proue)Perer. ibid. The e­leuenth likenes be­tweene Melchisedec and Christ, which is the greatest & most worthie, and for which chiefly and properly Christ is called a Priest after the order of Mel­chisedech, is placed in the singular and vnwonted kinde of sacrifice, &c. How worthily do Papists make the matter of Sacrifice the grea­test point in ye like­nes o [...] Christ vnto Melchisedech, and yet ye Apostle acknow­ledgeth it not at al, & they themselues confesse it was without the Apostles scope, whose purpose and words doe tend to this, to shew wherein Christ was like Melchisedech? then the sacrifice, if there had bin likenes in the Sacrifice. Againe (say they) the A­postle would not vnfold the mysterie of the Sacra­ment,Bellarm. de Missa. lib. 1. cap. 6. Accedit quod Apostolus dedita opera omisit oblationem panis & vini, ne cogeretur explicare mysterium Eucharistiae, quod altius erat quā vt ab illis capi tunc posset. because it was greater then could of them be vnderstood. But the Apostle confuteth this him­selfe,Heb. 6.1.2. whereas he saith: they had bin taught before, the doctrines of the beginnings of Christ, as of repentance, of faith, of the Sacraments, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternall iudgement: and therefore requireth of them, that they need not the laying againe of such foun­dations, but to be led forward vnto perfection. Neither saith the Apostle (as is by them alleaged) of this Melchizedek are manie things which cannot or may not be vttered; but which areHeb. 5.11. [...]: which the vulgar translation falsely readeth ininterpretabilis, that cannot be interpreted, which is Bellarmines obiection. hard to vtter: ney­ther saith hee, because you cannot heare or vnder­stand; but [...], Segnes. because you are dull of hearing. Besides, it is grosse and childish to reason thus: Melchizedek offeredBellarm. de Miss. lib. 1. cap. 6. In missa verum sacrificium offerri probatur, ex sacerdotio Melchisedec. an vnbloodie sacrifice, therefore Christ did also offer an vnbloodie sacrifice: and then to [Page 530] prooue that Melchizedek offered such a sacrifice,Bellarm. ibid. Colli­gitur ex vi typi & si­gurae. Fuit enim Mel­chisedec in illa cere­monia panis & vint, figura manifestissima Christi sacramentum Eucharistiae instituen­tis &c. Astutè scilicet agit, vt ex vi typi doceret Melchisedeci prolationē esse sacrifi­cium: & praeterea ra­tio (inquit) manifestè docet eam veram esse expositionem. because Christ (as they say) did offer bread and wine. Moreouer it is as false, that Christ euer sacrifi­cedHeb. 9.25.28. & 10.12.14. bread and wine, if weeFor as the fathers doe sometime take Sacrifice wee denie it not, namely figu­ratiuely; and as S. Paul calleth the be­neuolence of the Philippians a Sacri­fice, Philip. 4.18. meane a sacrifice ta­ken in his own and proper signification. And there­fore if Melchizedek sacrificed bread and wine, it had beene altogether vnlike the sacrifice of Christ. The fourth reason to perswade that Melchizedek of­fered bread and wine is made,Lyra in Gen. Postil. cap. 14. Bellarm. libr. 1. cap. 6. Nulla erat causae cur refectionem praeberet Melchisedec Abrahe, nam redijt ex praelio cum ingenti praeda, & milites Abrahae iam cibum sumpserant antequam occurreret Melchisedec. that Abram retur­ning from the spoile, had foode sufficient of him­selfe. To which they shall be answeredHugo. Sanct. Victoris in Annot. in Gen. Apud priscos (inquit) oblitio panis & vint venientibus ex bello beneuolentiae & pacis fuit Symbolum. Perer. in Gen. 14. disp. 5. Sed parum in hac ratione videtur esse roboris. Dicat enim quispiam, nescisse id Melchisedec: at licet id seruisses voluisse suam erga Abraham beneuolen­tiam declarare. from a­mong themselues, that it might be a deed of curte­sie, as well as of necessitie, to bring forth bread and wine; which Melchizedek might doe of his aboun­dance, his citie being vntouched, & the king of So­dom could not, because his dominions were spoiled. The fift reason is, theBellarm. lib. 1. de Missa. cap. 6. Perturbant totam distinctionem. Nam in Hebrae [...] codice post illa verba (dei altissimi) inuenitur Soph Pasuc qui indicat ibi terminari periodum. Quare nō potest illud, & erat sacerdos, coniungi cū sequentibus. placing of the words in the Hebrue text: for after these words: he was a Priest to the most high God, there is a distinction and end of the sentence: therefore it is to be vnderstood, that as he was a Priest hee brought forth bread and wine, which is in their interpreting, hee sacrificed bread and wine, because, or for that hee was a Priest to the most high God. In which reason is contained a double falshood. First, in that obseruing one di­stinctionAt homo acutissimus. Pausam Athuah, quae etiam disiungitur clausula à priori, videre nō potuit: nam de primo dixit, rex erat & protulit, dein adhibita breui distinctione, & erat sacerdos, inquit. they misse and ouerpasse another: for [Page 531] thus stand the words distinguished, as were before recited: And Melchizedek king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and hee was a Priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, &c. So that it isFalsus igitur Bellar­minus. no perturbation of the text, but manifest and plaine, that as he was king hee brought forth bread and wine, which is more manifestIn the Bibles Com­plutens. Greeke, is added [...], ipsi, he brought foorth to him, that is, to Abra­ham. by some Greeke translations, which expound it, he brought it forth to him; that is, to Abraham. Againe, where the Scrip­ture saith, and he was a Priest, As Bellarmine him­selfe cannot denie. making it an addition vnto his other office, and therefore stayeth therein: theyBellarm. ibid. Licet ad verbum non sit in Hebraeo, erat enim sacerdos, sed & erat sa­cerdos: tamen illa par­ticula cōiunctiua fre­quentissimè locuns ob­tinet causalis. Certum est, sed non vbi nulla causa redditur: fallae­cia nō causae pro causa. falslie translate it, for he was a Priest, making it a reason of his sacrifice. But a simple reason, being vnwarranted of the word, that because hee was a Priest, therefore he sacrificed bread and wine: the text saith more plainelie, hee was a Priest and blessed Abram Vers 10.11. Some of the Rabbins vn­aduisedly affirme, yt Melchisedech sin­ned here, because he first blessed A­braham, before hee praised God: and that therefore the Priesthood was ta­ken from his posteritie. and praised God. The sixt reason is, that the fathers affirme thatBellarm de Missa. lib. 1. cap. 6. citeth twentie Fathers and Schoole­men, and after them two Iewish Rabbins out of Pet. Galatin. lib. 10. cap. 4.5. of whom there is not one father that maketh for his purpose, or scarsely giueth any colour or shew thereof, but are altogether misinterpreted by him. Melchizedek sacrificed bread and wine. This reason is a false and vniust slaunder of the Fathers, and a meere deceit. For none of the Fathers which the church of Rome al­leageth, doe confirme it, in the sense of the church of Rome. Some of the Fathers sayClem. Alexand. Strom. 4. Sanctificatum dedit nu­trimentum, He gaue hallowed nourishment: he calleth it nourishment or meate, not bread; because Melchisedech made it a feast, Ioseph. Antiq lib. 1. c. 11. he calleth it hallowed, because that withall he offered not an vnbloodie, but bloodie sacrifice, Philo lib. de Abraham: and so Clement doubtlesse doth vnderstand it, saying, he gaue, not he offered; therefore to Abram, not to God. Tertul. aduers. Iudaeos. Melchisedec Abrahae panem & vinum obtulit: that is, gaue to Abraham bread and wine. Author. quaest. mixt. inter oper. August. quast. 109. De Melchisedec le­gimus quia obuiauit Abrahae reuertenti à caede regum, & protulit panes & vinum, & obtulit ei & benedixit ei: that is, he met Abraham, and brought forth bread and wine, an [...]ffered them to him, and blessed him. Ambros. de Sacram. lib. 4. cap. 3. Tunc Abraham recijt [...]ict [...]r, & occu­rit illi Melchisedec sacerdos, & obtulit ei panem & vinum: and offered to him. Idem in Epist ad Hebraeos. c. 7. Nec esse nouum si Melchisedec victori Abraham ob­uiam processerit, & in resectionem tam ipsius quā pugnatorū eius panem vinum (que) protulerit: And for his resection and his soul­diers brought forth bread and wine. Hieron. Epist. ad E­uagr, In resectionem ipsius quā pugnatorū eius, panes vinum (que) protulerit: For his resection and his souldiers he brought forth bread & wine. Theodoret. quest. in Gen. 63. Id [...]irco panem & vinum & massam farinae dedit Abrahae: He gaue Abraham bread and wine. he offered bread [Page 532] and wine, but adde their meaning, he offred it to A­braham not to God. Now this is not to sacrifice in the proper signification ofBut Papists teach that Melchisedech did sacrifice properly: Rhe­mist. Testam. annot. on the Hebrues, chap 7. Bellarmine &c. sacrificing. Some other call itHieron epist. ad Marcel. Qui iam tunc in typo Christi panem & vinum obtulit: that is, who euen then offered bread and wine, in a type of Christ. August. epist. 95. Prolato sacramento mensae Dominicae, nouit aeternum eius sacerdotium sigurare. In bringing forth the matter of the Sacrament, he knew how to figure his eternall priesthood. Idem 16. de ciuit. Dei, cap. 22. Leo de vniuersar. assump. suae serm. 2. Euseb. Emissen. serm. 5. de Paschate. Arnob. Comment. in Psal. 109. Ioh. Damascen. lib. 4. de Ortho­dox. f [...]l. cap. 14. Theophylact. in cap. 5. ad Hebraeos. Al of thē indeed speake of a sacrifice of Mel­chisedech, but say it was a type or figure (themselues speaking metaphorically) not meaning he did actually sacrifice: which Epiphanius euidently declareth, Heres. 55. Melchisedec Abraha ob [...]iam venit, & proposuit ipsi panes & vinum mysteriorum aenigmata proferens & exemplaria, quum Dominus noster dicat, ego sum panis viuens: & exemplar sanguinis ipsius qui ex latere ipsius compuncto fluxit ad purgationem inquinatorum, & respersionem ac salutem animarum nostrarum. And Cyprian ad Caecilium epist. 63. Vt ergo in Genesi, per Melchisedec sacerdotem benedictio circa A­braham posset rite celebrari; praecedit ante imago sacrificij Christi in pane & vino constituta: Mel­chisedech therefore did sacrifice. But how? By blessing of Abram, as Cyprian doth expound it, before which went the image of the sacrifice of Christ in the bread and wine. But how was the bread and wine an image of Christs sacrifice? Epiphanius answereth, in a type figuring the benefit of Christ himselfe, the true and liuing bread. Of what sacrifice was it a type or image? Of that one true sacrifice (saith he) made vpon the Crosse, &c. But Papists make it a shadow of that which they call the sacrifice of his Supper, to which they adioyne their sacrifice the Masse. a sacrifice (not of bread and wine) but meane ofAugust. quaest. Euangel. lib. 1 qu 34. Intelligendum templum & altare ipsum Christum: aurum & donum, laudes & sacrificia precum, quae in eo per eum offerimus: We must vnderstand, the Temple and the Altar to be Christ the gold and the gift, to be the sacrifices of praise, which in him we offer by him. In this sense we also say, that Mel [...]hisedech did sacrifice bread and wine, when as he gaue it to Abram, to the honour of God, to relieue the need of Abram, in Christ, and for his sake. mercie or thanksgiuing, and praise to God; accordingPsalm. 116.17. Hose. 14.2. Heb. 13.15. as the Scripture often speaketh. Wherefore also those that liken this bringing forth of bread and wine, withClem. Alexand. Strom. 4. Qui vinum & panem sanctificatum dedit nutrimentum in typum Eucharistiae. Euseb. Caesariens. de demonst. Euangel. lib. 5. cap. 3. Quemadmodum ille &c. August. epist. 95. Prolate sacramento mensae Dominica &c. the Supper of the Lord ordained by our Sauiour Christ; although they goe beyond the Scripture, yet they goe not against the [Page 533] Scripture, being takē according to their meaning & intent. For as Melchizedek did comfort the wearie & hūgry, with bred & wine; so Christ refresheth those whichMatth. 11.28. Ioh. 6.35. Rom. 4.11. & 10.17. are weary of their sins, & hunger for his righ­teousnes, with his comfortable promises, & with the Sacraments: and as Melchizedek did sacrifice with blessing & thanks to God, so oughtMark. 14.26. 1. Cor. 11.26. we christians in the supper of the Lord. But that Melchizedek did not sacrifice his bread & wine, if this place of Scripture were not euidence enough, there are arguments a­boūdant, to conuince this error. First the word here vsed to bring forth, dothAnd the same, be­side the authoritie of the Hebrues, Ca­ietan confesseth, Ni­hil hic scribitur de sacrificio vel de obla­tione: that is, here is nothing written of the sacrifice or oblation. And Bel­larmine de Missa lib. 1 cap. 6. saith, the word of it selfe signifieth nothing else, but to bring forth. in no place of scripture sig­nifie, to offer, or to sacrifice: therfore whē as yt speech is onlie of bringing forth, and not of sacrificing; it is only to be vnderstood of bringing forth, & not of sa­crificing. Secondly, Melchizedek brought forth bred and wine, & bestowed it on Abram, as theAndrad. 2. defens. Trid. Syn. lib. 4. At (que) ego cum illis sentiam, qui lassos Abraha mi­lites et diuturna pug­na fractos Melchise­dec cum pane vinoque refec [...]sse aiunt. Peter. in Genes. 14. disp. 5. Eandem aijs sententiam tuto teneri posse. Canus lib. 12. cap. 12. Non insicior &c. Bellarm. de Missa lib. 1. cap. 6. No [...] non negamus, &c. aduersa­ries, thēselues confesse: but this act, which isThe Scripture speaketh of no other act of Melchisedec, but his mee­ting, his bringing forth, his blessing: and where some Fathers say he sacrificed, they meane it spiritually, in phrase of Scripture, Hos. 14.3. Philip. 4.18. If any would replie, that they meant properly as Papists doe; I answere, their words are against it, where they expound them­selues: or if they had so meant, where had they their authoritie to teach that for a doctrine of faith, which not any Scripture in old or new Testament doth iustifie? the on­ly act ye scripture speeketh of, is not properly, to sacri­fice bread & wine: therfore Melchizedek did not sacri­fice his bread & wine. Thirdly, Melchizedek Chrysost. Hom. in Gen. 36. Hieron. epist. ad Euag. of his kingly bounty brought bread & wine; but it pertain­eth notAlbeit, as Aristotle teacheth, Kings were wont to offer sacri­fice, Pulit. lib. 3. cap. 10. & 7. cap. 9. and Philo saith he sacrificed beasts; and he were both a King and a Priest: yet he performing diuers functions, discharged them no doubt according to his diuers offices. to kings to sacrifice: therefore he brought forth, but did not sacrifice his bread and wine. Fourthly, if the sacrificing of bread & wine, were [Page 534] not the properEx confesso aduer­sariorū, qui hoc sacri­ficium propetā statuūt functionem sacerdotij. Canus de locis Theo­log. libr. 12. cap. 12. Melchisedec erat sa­cerdos Dei altissimi, sacrificium ergo offe­rebat Deo: at non legi­tur aliud quam panem & vinum obtulisse. Bellarm. lib. de Miss. 1 cap. 6. Cum scriptura ut in locis describat nobis sacerdotiū Mel­chisedec, debuit profecto alienbi tradere quael [...] fuit sacrificium Melchisedec. Rhemist. annot. Hebrae. 7. sect. 8 act of the Priesthood of Melchizedek; then did hee not sacrifice bread and wine, but onlie brought it forth of his kingly liberality: but the pro­per work of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, was yt Vers. 19. Hebr. 7.1. Cyprian Epist. 63. ad Cacilium. Qui ordo vtique hic est, de sacrificio illo veniens, & iude descendens, quod Melchisedec sa­cerdos Dei summi fuit, quod panem & vinum obtulit, quod Abraham benedixit. he blessed Abraham, for which he receiued also tithe of Abraham: therefore he did not sacrifice in bread and wine. Fiftlie, if Melchizedek had sacrificed bread & wine; the same his sacrifice must haue had resemblance vnto the sacrifice of Christ: but the sacrificing of Melchizedek, if he had sacrificed bread and wine, had not beene like the sacrifice of Christ: therefore he sacrificed not. The former part of this argument isBellarm. cap. 6. Colligitur ex vi typt & figurae. confessed by euerie Papist: the latter proposition is prooued thus. It was neither like the true sacrifice of Iesus Christ, which was when hee offeredThis Bellarmine himselfe denieth, De Miss. lib. 1. c. 6. Sacrificium crucis, si per se confideretur, non est secundum ordinem Aaron, nec secundum ordinem Melchisedec: That is, the sacrifice of the crosse, if it be cōsidered in it selfe, is neither after the order of Aa­ron, nor of Melchisedec. And least any should thinke the Fathers herein to be more absurd then Bellarmine; where they compare this act of Melchisedec with the sacrifice of Christ: it must be vnderstood that they meane not any sacrificing of bread and wine, as though Mel­chisedec had sacrificed, or any way consecrated his bread and wine; but a sacrifice of libera­litie and godlines in relieuing Abraham; of praise and thanksgiuing; wherein the gift of Melchisedec is like the act of Christ, in giuing his righteousnes to vs: and his thanksgiuing, like that of them who truly receiue the Sacrament, in which two the whole administration of the Sacrament doth consist. vp himselfe vpon the crosse, which is his onlieHeb. 9.25.26.28. & 10.12.14. sacrifice: neither like the false imaginarie sa­crifice, which the church of Rome ascribeth vnto Christ; which neither scripture, nor auncient coun­cel, nor father calleth a sacrifice, in theAugust. contr. Faust. lib. 20. cap. 21. Sacrificium Deo frequentissimè facimus, illo duntaxat vitu quo sibi sacrificari noui Testamenti manifestatione pracepit. Huius sacrificij caro & sanguis ante aduentum Christi per victimas similitu­dinum promittebatur: inpassione Christi, per ipsam veritatem reddebatur: post ascensum Christi per sacramentum memoria celebratur. Christus igitur cum hoc sacrificium instituerit, commemorationem sui instituit, & gratiarum actionem proprit sacrificium non instituit. proper signi­fication [Page 535] of a sacrifice. For in that sacrifice (asPaschasius Abba [...] Corb. libr. de corp. & sang. Dom. cap. 10. Hic primus hanc haeresin libello defendit. Vix­itque circa annū Do­mini 880. vt referi Trithemius lib. de Ec­cles. scriptor. Lanfrācus Arch. Can­tuar. libr. de Euchar. Corporali siquidē (in­quit) ore corporaliter manducamus & bibi­mus ipsum Domini­cum corpus. Guitmund. Aduers. de verit. Eucharist. lib. 1 Algarus de Sacram. lib. 1. cap. 5.6. Odo Cameracens. missae canon. exposit. 3. Con­cil. Trident. Sess. 13. cap. 1. Principio docet sancta synodus, & a­pertè & simpliciter profitetur; in almo san­cta Eucharistiae sacra­mento, post panis & vini consecrationem, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, verum Deum atque hominem, verè, realiter ac substantialiter sub specie illarum rerum sensibilium contineri. Idem can. 1. ibid. Et si quis negauerit, aut dixerit remanere substantiā panis & vini, &c. anathema sit. they teach that doe defend it) the bread and wine which by Christ was offered, was reallie & carnally chaun­ged, and conuerted into the verie bodie and blood of Christ: so that he offered bread and wine, and yet the verie matter of the sacrificeBellarm. Tom. 2. contr. 3. de Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 18. Ecclesiae (scil. Romanae) sententia est esse totalem conuersionē substantiae panis & vini in corpus & sanguinem Domini. was his bodie and his blood: he offered really and carnally his bo­die and his blood,Concil. Trident. sess. 22. cap. 1. Deus & Dominus noster, in caena nouissima, qua nocte tradebatur, corpus & sanguinem suum sub specie­bus panis & vini Deo patriobenlit. Idem cap. 2. Et quoniam diuino hoc sacrificio, &c. but yet an vnbloodie sacrifice. But Melchizedek offered (if at all he offered) but on­lie bread and wine; & none dare affirme, that it was transubstantiated into the bodie & blood of Christ. Therefore if Melchizedek had offered bread and wine, it had beene vnlike that offering of Christ; wherupon it also followeth by euident reason (see­ing Melchizedeks offering dependeth vpon resem­blance vnto the offering of Christ, and the offering of bread and wine by Christ, is grounded by them vpon the offeringBellarm. de Missa lib. 1. cap. 6. Melchisedeci sacrificium incruētum fuit, quare Christus debuit incruentum, &c. Melchisedechs sacrifice was an vnbloodie sacrifice, therefore Christs sacrifice must be an vn­bloodie sacrifice. of Melchizedek) that neither Mel­chizedek nor Christ did offer sacrifice of bread and wine. Sixtlie, neitherYea, they renounce it in as much as they teach all matters of faith con­cerning Melchisedec, and yet of his sacrifice nothing. testimonie of Scripture, nor expositionOf the most part we haue alreadie spoken, for the rest we are here to answere. Theodoret vpon Psalm. 109. Inuenimus Melchisedec sacerdotem & regem esse, & offerentem Deo non sacrificia ratione carentia, sed panem & vinum: That is, we finde Melchisedech to haue been both a Priest and king, offering to God not sacri­fices without reason or proportion, but bread and wine. Primasius in Comment. cap. 5. epist. ad Hebra. Quia Melchisedec panem offerens Deo: That is, Melchisedech, to God offering bread, &c. Oecu [...]nen. in Commēt. in cap. 5. ad Hebrae. Melchisedec fuit pri­mus qui hostiam sine sanguine panem & vinum obtulit: That is, Melchisedech was the first that offered sacrifice without blood, being bread and wine. To which I answere: Theodoret is plaine against it, Quest. 63. cited before, saying, hee gaue to Abram, &c. whereby it is eui­dēt his meaning is, in offering it to A­bram, he offered it to God; for as much as he did it for the honour of God vn­to his Prophet. Pri­masius is to be takē in the same sense, as his words declare. The meaning of Oe­cumenius is, to shew yt Melchisedech was the first who is in Scripture compared with Christ, his offering was without blood (for as he thinketh he offered no material sacrifice) being bread and wine giuen to Abraham, with the blessing. Secondly, it may be thought they make this giuing of bread & wine to Abraham, with blessing him, which they call a sacrifice to God, to be a type or shadow of the Supper, which is also a receiuing and giuing of bread and wine with giuing praise to God, as doth Eucheri. lib. 2 cap 18. in which (as Augustine saith) the Church doth offer vp her selfe to God. De ciuit. Dei lib 10. cap. 10. of auncient father doth confirme that [Page 536] Melchizedek did offer this bread and wine to God, in the proper signification of a sacrifice: therefore he sacrificed not in bread and wine. Seuenthly, as that doctrine cannot stand which is not grounded vponIren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Euan­gelium in scripturis tradiderunt, fundamentum & columnam fiaci nostra futurum. Chrysostom. in Psalm. 95. Si quid dicitur absque scriptura, auditorum cogitatio claudicat. the foundation of the Scripture; and asNon poterat aedisicare mendacium sine demolitione veritatis. Tertul. in Marc lib. 2. he­resies are alwaies disagreeing with the truth, and within themselues: so this error holden of the sa­crifice of Melchizedek, ouerthroweth manie other fantasies of the church of Rome. For if Melchize­dek sacrificed bread and wine, & that sacrifice were such a perfect patterne of that sacrifice of theirs the masse, which is founded thereon: first because the bread and wine in the sacrifice of Melchizedek was not reallie chaunged into the bodie and blood of Christ; therefore in that their sacrifice,Bellarm lib. 1. cap. 6. hereof teach­eth, that Melchisedechs sacrifice should agree with their sacrifice the Masse, not in substance, but in representation of accidents: but here are no agreements, so much as of accidents; for in the Masse they are accidents without substance, in the other they should be ioyned with the substance; in the one they are dead, yea none at all; in the other they florish and are vnited with their being and proper nature. Secondly, who would say, the Eucharist or Supper might differ from the Eucharist in substance: for a type to differ from the truth is allowable, but to differ from it selfe is vnreasonable. the bread and wine is not carnallie cōuerted: so that tran­substantiation is thereby ouerturned. Second­lie, Melcizedeks sacrificeAnd this is necessarie, sith both are types of Christs sacrifice, that they should thus agree in one. was not propitia­torie for sinne, because it was an vnbloodie sa­crifice, andHeb. 9.22. without blood there is no remission: [Page 537] therefore their propitiatorie sacrifice auaileable for quicke and dead, is hereby adiudged and condem­ned. Thirdlie, Melchizedek if he sacrificed bread and wine, distributed to Abram It seemeth they would denie this al­so, but for the au­thoritie of the Fa­thers. and his companie both bread & wine: wherfore the church of Rome which distributeth bred only, but not wineWhich was ad­mitted in the Coū ­cel of Trent, Sess. 22 but referred to the Pope. in their sacrifice, are conuinced byBut much more by the institution of Christ. this example to be rob­bers and murtherers. Fourthlie, neither this sacri­fice wasPapists do diuine, that hee did often offer such sacrifice: & what would they not auouch to vp­hold the Masse? but the Scripture remē ­breth it not once. euer repeated by Melchizedek: therefore (as by the truth of ChristsHeb 9.12.26. & 10 3 10 11.12. sacrifice, which was ne­uer to be repeated) they are condemned of their succession of Priests, and their daylie sacrifice. Fift­lie, if Melchizedek were to be compared vnto Christ in the matter of the sacrifice; then were Melchizedek to be likened vnto Christ aloneFor the Apostle compareth Melchi­sedech to Christ (al­though not in the matter of the sacri­fice) and sheweth how that, wherein the comparison stā ­deth, as to be a king and priest, without beginning or end of daies, &c. did onely belong to Christ; & neither could nor can be vnderstood of any other: which if it could, then might the Iewes also lawfully expect a new Messiah after the order of Melchisedech. Therefore Melchisedec in whatsoeuer he was a figure of Christ, he shadowed Christ alone, according to the purpose of the Apostle. Heb. 5.6.7.9.10. & 6.20. & 7.1. &c. in the manner of sacrificing; the matter of his sacrifice to haue beene agreeable vnto the matter of the sacrifice of Christ: but the church of Rome doth teach,Bellarm. Tom. 1. cont. 4. lib. 4. cap. 8. Respon­deo, sacerdotium Aaronicum fuisse temporale, & solum durasse vsque ad inchoationem noui Testa­menti: deinceps autem capisse sacerdotium secundum ordinem Melchisedec à Christo institutum. that not Christ alone, but euery sacrificing Priest (who nei­ther figureth Christ nor was figured by Christ) is also of the order of Melchizedek; but the matter of the sacrifice must inConcil. Triden. Sess. 13. can. 1. Si qui [...]negauerit corpus & sanguinem vna cum anima & diuinitate non contineri, sed tantummodo esse in eo vt in signo, vel figura, aut virtute, anathemasit. no wise agree in substance, for­asmuch as the one is reallie and substantiallie con­uerted into flesh, the other remained bread & wine: therefore the church of Rome herselfe ouerthrow­eth this comparison of Melchizedek and Christ in the matter of the sacrifice; and by consequent the [Page 538] order of their Priest-hood doth want foundation: their daylie sacrifice is not onelie contrarie to the Supper of the Lord, but also to this sacrifice of Mel­chizedek in bread & wine, hauing neither patterne, authoritie or proofe from Christ himselfe, or from Melchizedek. Therefore seeing that if Melchizedek did sacrifice the bread & wine, the church of Rome doth forfeit their transubstantiation, their propitia­torie sacrifice, their halfe communion, their daylie sacrifice, and the resemblance of the same vnto the sacrifice of Christ. If he did not sacrifice, then nei­ther Christ did ordaine the representation of his death to be a sacrifice; but the church of Rome which hath inuented such a sacrifice, are therein v­surpers and idolaters. And seeing neither Scripture, nor Councel, nor ancient Father doth affirme, that Melchizedek did offer a sacrifice of bread and wine, in the proper signification & manner of a sacrifice; therefore the church of Rome hath falselie taught the doctrine of the masse, of transubstantiation, of the merite of their sacrifice, and continuance there­of; hath in this place falsified the Scripture, both in translation and exposition; and it remaineth by the Scripture, by the euidence of reason and sound consent of all the godlie, that Melchizedek brought forth, but did not sacrifice bread and wine.

Question 5. verse 22. For what cause did Abram refuse to take the goods that were giuen him by the king of Sodome: also how farre forth hee abstained from the vse of them?

ALbeit it may seeme a deed of KinglieChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 35. Honesta re­gis liberalitas: sed vi­de & optimos mores iusti. Pet. Mart. Comment. in Gen. 14. magnificence to giue vnto Abram so rich a spoile: yet we are to consider with­all, the condition of Abram, that he victo­riouslie had attained it by war. For theFranc. Iun. Anal. in Gen. 14. Sic enim sta­tuebat rex Sodomi iu­re gentium nihil sibi ab Abram creptum esse, sed ex eo iure A­bramum Dominū fa­ctum esse rerum quas bello parauerat. lawes and customes of the nations doe giue vnto the conque­rour, whatsoeuer hee winneth by lawfull battell: wherby it appeareth rather, that the king of Sodome, notCaluin. in Gen. 14. Pieri etiam potest vt seruilis modestiae simu­latione capta [...]rat A­brahae fauorem, vt saltē captiues & va­cuam vrbem sibi ha­beret. Certe postea vi­debimus Sodomita's accepti beneficij fuisse immemores, dum su­perbè & contu [...]liosè sanctum Lot vexarunt. sufficientlie touched with the consideration of his own losse, and the victorie of Abram, to know thereby the authour both of seruitude and libertie: neither amending with hisClaudian. Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. Bernard. epist. 22. Quare pulchorrimus ordo est, vt onus quod portandum imponis, tu portes prior, & ex te discas qualiter oporte [...] alijs moderari. subiects their former life, by so great affliction, for feare least a worse Ioh. 5.14. thing (as shortlie after did) should befall vnto them; did seeke by pollicy to compound with Abram, for his own behoofe, rather then respecting the wealth of Abram; that if Abram would render him the Musc. in Gen. 14. Potior pars hominis anima est, quare scrip­tura hominem interdum vocare solet animam. soules or persons of his pray, hee would surcease the claime of all the substance. But Abram although he could not but es­pie the secret intended subtiltie of the king, seeking as it were vnder colour of friendship, to chalenge a [Page 540] part of the profit of his labours; and being not ig­norant of his right and title to the persons and the goods, by the common lawes and customes of the nations: yet he denieth andOnchelos Chaldaeus Paraphrast. ita reddit, Leuaus manus meas per orationem coram Domino: quasi votum fecisset, cum bellum susciperet, non iura­mentum. Sed aliter Chrysostomus & plu­rimi interpretes. bindeth with an oth, that hee will enioy of the persons or the goods, so much as a thread or the latchet of a shoe, of all that pertai­neth to the king of Sodom. The AnabaptistsCaluin. Comment. in Matth. 5. Anabapti­sta hoc praetextu val­de tumultuati sunt quasi nullam ob cau­sam iurare permittat Christus, dum omnino iurare vetat. will re­plie, that Abram offended herein by swearing, for­asmuch as our Sauiour in the Gospell hath com­maunded,Matth. 5.34. Iam. 5.12. sweare not at all. But they themselues do rent and abuse the words of our Sauiour Christ. For he sayeth notConcilia­tio. 24. Caluin. in Gen. 5. At­qui non aliunde perē ­da est expositio quam ex verborum contex­tu; continuo enim se­quitur, neque per coe­lum ne (que) per terram. Quis non videt spe­cies istas exigeticè ad­ditas fuisse, quae prius membrum distincta numeratione clarius exprimerent? vnde colligimus parti­culam (omnino) non ad substantiam sed ad formam referri. sweare not at al, and therein cea­seth his commaundement, forbidding all persons at anie time by swearing to take witnes of the name of God; but sweare not at all, saith hee, neither by hea­uen, nor by earth, nor by Ierusalem: forbidding therein toChrysost. Hom. in Matth. 17. & in oper. imperfect. Hom. 12. Eorùm autem qui iurant per elementa, execrabillor Iniquitas est. Coelum enim & terram & caetera Deus ad ministerium fibi creauit, non hominibus ad iuramentum. Ecce enim in lege praecipitur, vt per nullum iuretur nisi per Deum: qui ergo iurat per coelum aut per terram aut quicquid illud est per quod iurat, deificat illud. Propterea Idolatrā se facit omnis qui per aliquid aliud à Deo iurat, etiamsi iurare liceret. sweare by the creatures, or rashlie orAugust. lib. de Mendac. ad Cons. cap. 15. Ne scilicet iurando ad faci­litatem iurandi veniatur: de facilitate ad consuetudinem, de consuetudine ad periurium decidatur. Gregor. in 1. Reg. cap. 14. Non penitus iurare prohibuit, sed occasionem periurij, quod perfectius est eui­tare docuit. vainelie to make an oth. But to sweare by the name of God inDeut. 6.11. & 10.20. Ierem. 4.2. truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes, is of­ten in deed commaunded, but no where forbidden in the Scriptures: which was also religiouslie obser­ued of this holie Patriarke. I haue lifted vp my hand (saith he) to Iehoua the most high God possessor of heauen and earth. The lifting of the hand to God is an out­wardAugust. in Psal. 62. Ipsas manus cogitas in bonis operibus exercere, ne crubescant leuari ad Deum. token of the lifting of the heart; the lifting of [Page 541] the heartClement. Alexandr. Sirom. lib. 7. Est enius iusiurandum quidem confessio definiti [...]a, cū d [...]uina assumptione. an expresse image of lawfull taking oth: as namelie, when we sweare, wee should behaue our selues,Nazianz. in dialog. de surament. Quia fi­dei Deum interponis medium. Quare iura­mentum etiam hosti seruandum est: nec cō ­siderandum cui, sed per quem iuraueris: multo enim fidelior inuentus. est ille qui propter nomen Dei tibi credidit, & de­ceptus est, quam tu qui per occasionem di­uinae maiestatis, hosti tuo, imo iam amico molitus es insidias. Hieron. in Ezech. 17. as in the presence of the Lord, with reue­rence calling him to witnes of a truth, inClem. Alexand. Pa­dagog. libr. 3. cap. 11. Qui aliquid vendit, aut emit eorum qua à se venduntur aut e­muntur, nunquam di­cat duo pretia; absit autem iusiurandum, author omnium quae venduntur; absit. etiā in alijs iusiurandum, & ita philosoph [...]ntur negotiatores forenses & caupones. Eos qui prater haec fa­ciunt, qui sunt auari, mendaces, hypocrita, qui veritatem ca [...]ponantur, ex paterna aula expulit Do­minus. a matter of importance, andIerem. 4.2. to the glorie of his name. For this cause doth Abram declare the manner of his re­uerence, before the matter for which hee sware, I haue lifted vp my hand, &c. Moreouer, wee may not sweareGen. 21.21.22. Ios. 2.11.12. August. ad Consentium lib. cap. 18. Christus dixit, ne iurate omnino: vt nunquam voluntatis approbatione fieret, sed necessitate infirmitatis alte­rius, id est malo alterius, cui non aliter persuaderi posse quod dicitur nisi iurando fides fiat. Hieron. ad Celant. Mentiri igitur & iurare lingua tua prorsus ignoret, tantus (que) in te sit veri amor, vt quic­quid dixeris iuratum pute [...]. or take witnes of the name of God, when either our speech of it selfe is credible, or wee may sufficientlie proue it by other testimonies. And who would not haue beleeued Abram Chrysost. in oper. imperfect. Hom. 17. Si timet Deum, etiam fine iura­mento non mentitur. Si autem non timet, neque cum iuramento potest dicere veritatem. without an oth, if by word onlie hee had giuen all the pray vnto the king of Sodom? Neuerthelesse if we diligentlie ob­serue the purpose of the historie, wee shall soone es­pie diuers waightie reasons, why Abram made this oth in religious and godlie wisedome. It is com­monlie perceiued, howSenec. lib. 1. De moribus. Hoc habet omnis affectus vt in quod ipso insanit, in idem putet cateros insanire. men doe measure their neighbours by their owne affections. The king of Sodō seeking subtillie to be possessor of the persons, would surelie haue doubted some deceit, or at the least, vnconstancie in Abram, in offering him the persons & the goods, if he had not by witnes from the Lord, protested that he did freelie and fullie de­liuer all. Secondlie, for the peoples sake, because [Page 542] of false supition,Ambros. libr. de A­bram. 1. cap. 3. Minuis enim fructum trium­phi mercedis suspicio, & beneficij arrodit gratiam. Plurimum enim refers, vtrum pecunia an gloriae di­micaneris. Alter mer­conarij loco ducitur, alter dignus habetur conseruatoris gloria. least he should haue bin thought to haue bin hired to the warres, or for hope of boo­tie or spoile allured. For this cause hee protesteth, that he will not take vnto himselfe; no not that which o­therwise he might, of the king of Sodom: whereby it might be euident, that hee warred not for gaine, or couetousnes, vaine glorie or ambition; but for the sauegard of his brothers sonne, seeking onelie the glorie of the Lord, and the wealth and sauegard of his children. But whether was it lawfull for Abrā to refuse the benefit of this gift of the king of Sodom? or not to be possessor of the goods, which otherwise were lawfullie his own? For when the Lord doth vouchsafe vs riches, & we may inioy thē by gift, in­heritance, or lawfullDeut. 8.18. 1. King. 3.13. Clem. Alexand. Pada­gog. lib. 3. cap. 6. Sunt [...]onquo habenda diui­tiae, vt est rationi cō ­fentan [...]um: sunt que benignè non autem sordidè nec insolenter communicanda. Boda in Luc. 12. Non reprehenditur dines, quod terram cotuerit, vel fructus in horrea congregauerit, sed quod fiduetiam vitae in illis posuerit, nec pau­peribus erogauerit, vt ab ijs reciperetur in aeternis tabernaculis. contract; it cannot be but prodigalitieProu. 27.23.24. 1. Tim. 5.8. Ambros offic. 2. cap. 21. Non enim prodigos nos docet esse scriptura sed liberales. Liberale est hospitio suscipere, nudum vestire, redimere captinos, non habentes sumption, iauere. Prodigum est, popularis fauoris gratia exinanire proprias opes. to waste or forgoe them by negligent regard: & great vnthankfulnes, if we account them notGen. 32.10. Iob. 1.21. as the blessings of the Lord. All this vndoub­tedly was not vnknowne to righteous Abram. But yet as there is a timeEccles. 3.6. Basil. Hom. de inu [...]d. Diuitia sunt communia vita instrumenta, viaticum ad iustitiam, ministerium ad virtutem. Ʋnde ego concludo: Sunt igitur honesta ad dei cultum nostram (que) necessita­tem conferuandae. August. epist. 1 [...]0. D [...]uitia se [...]ulares si desunt, non per mala opera quaerantur in [...]ndo: si autem adsunt per bona opera seruentur in coelo. Animum virilent & Christianum nec de­bent fi [...]ccedant, extollere; nec debent frangere, si recedant. to get, and hold our commo­dities for the glorie of God and our owne behoofe; so is there a timeEccles. 3.6. 2. King. 5.16. Deut. 16.19. 2. Pet. 2.15. Gregor. in 1. Reg. cap. 7. Ardor auaritiae causa accipiendorum munerum, & acceptio mu­nerum causa est peruertendi iudicij. Idem. Moral. lib. 12. Quis autem non erub [...]sca [...] dicere, quid mi­hi dabis vt tibi iustitiam faciam? Nonne simile est ac si dicatur, quid mihi vultis da [...]e, vt verita­tem abuegem, officium perdam, & Deum vendam? to spend and to forgoe, when by our expences of riches, we may more promote the [Page 543] glorie of God, then we may preuaile by keeping of them. For this cause saith Abram, I will not take of thine, so much as a thread or the latchet of a shoe, least thou shouldest say, I haue made Abram rich. The Lord had promised to blesseGen. 12.2. Abram: wherein was contai­nedIos. 1.5. Heb. 13.5. wealth and riches. Abram now delighteth to takeSicut Deut. 7.18.19 Rom. 5.4. Peter Mart. Comment. in Gen. Deus vult vt maneat suus bonos il­lique soli debere suas diuitias. Vnde quod suprà dicitur cum o­grederetur Abram [...]n Aegypto illum abun­dasse gregibus, & ar­mentis; ego accipio illa aucta dei beneficio illi fuisse, non regio Pharaonis liberalita­te, cum deus eius diui­tiarum solut, vt hic apparet author esse voluerit. experience, and to giue an example vnto the world, of the fidelitie and goodnes of the Lord; that according to his promise hee would more directlie inlarge the wealth of Abram. Therefore he, for this cause refuseth theChrysostom. H [...]. in Gen. 35. Habeo Do [...] qui iunu [...]a mihi suppeditat bona: su­perna gratia innitor, non opus mihi diuitijs tuu: non indige [...] h [...] ­manis fatultatibus: contenius sum Dei in me beneficentia: scio illius largitatem. wealth of Sodom, to the end to make the fulfilling of the promise, to be more no­torious and manifest. And this is plaine by the ma­nifest words of Scripture. For hee doth notChrysost. ibid. Non accipiam, acceptu ijs, &c. hoc inquit permittam accipere portionem. abso­lutelie refuse the vse of the goods of the king of Sodom, as though it had beene vnlawfull for A­bram to conuert of them to his commoditie: but first concerning the necessarie food of his seruants and confederates, he excepteth by them the dimini­shing of theVers. 24. spoile. Secondlie, he gaue tithe vnto Melchizedek Chrysostom. ibid. Franc. Iun. in Anal. in Gen. 14. Vicissim Abram Deo & Melchisedecho regi gratias quas potuit ha­buit. De omnibus enim spolijs rebusque bello captis decima [...] quas sibi iure poteras vendicare, nulla re­sibi iure mancipij conseruata, consecrauit Domino deditque sacerdoti illius. Quin & scriptura tra­dit decimas fuisse solutas priusquam reliqua sunt Sodomo concessa. of all the substance that hee had ta­ken: for why, it was meete that he shouldLike as Numb. 31.49.50. 2. Chron. 20.28. Bernard. Epist. 66. Danti rependi quicquam gratius ab accipiente non potest, quam si gratum habuerit, quod gratis accepit. Nam spiritui gratia contumeliam facit, qui beneficium dantis grata mente non suscipit. thereby declare his thankefulnes to God, in offering vnto him an oblation of all the spoiles, who had bin the authour of all the victorie; that it might appeare, thatChrysostom. Hom. in Gen. 35. Ille enim coeli & terrae conditor, ille & nobis in hoc bello victoriae & triumphi author. the conquerour himselfe did acknowledge [Page 544] wholie the victorie from him. Thirdlie, he adiudg­ethVers. 24. the diuision of all the spoile to euerie one of his confederats a part; declaring thereby his autho­ritie in the whole: so that where he onelie resigneth his part vnto the king of Sodom, he declareth that he did itAmbros. de Abra­ham. libr. 1. cap. 3. Ideoque quoniam sibi mercedem ab homine non quaefinit, ali ipso Deo paulo post acce­pit. onlie for religion sake, and that his chiefest treasure wasColoss. 3.2.3. Matth. 6.20. hid with God. Thus doth the father of the faithfull teach his children,Bernard. sermon. In Cant. 56. Sermo quidē vinus & efficax, ex­empium operis est, plu­rimum faciens suasi­bilem: tunc quoque intendimus quod di­citur dum monstra­tur scibile quod sua­detur. by his owne ex­ample, to loue the Lord, hisMatth. 10.37. Origen. in libr. Iudg. Hom. 2. Vnusquisque quod prae cateris colis, quodque super omnia miratur & diligit, hoc ei Deus est. Si quid est quod in dilectionis lance praeponderat, hoc tibi est in Deum. Sed vereor ne apud quam plurimos praeponderat auri amor, & auaritiae pondus pressa satis lance de­nergat: vereor & in alijs ne libidinis & voluptatis amor; in alijs ne amor gloria secularis, & hu­mana dignitatis cupiditas super omnia praegrauet. August. Confes. lib. 4. cap. 9. Beatus qui amat te, & amicum in te, & inimicum propter te. Solus enim nullum charum amittit, cui omnes in illo chari sunt qui non amittitur. Te nemó amittis, nisi qui dimittis, & qui dimittit, quò it aut quò fugit, nisi à te placido, ad te iratum. glorie, and dignitie; a­boue their owne preferment, riches or commodity. Obser. 1. verse 17. The friends of the rich are manie, and Prou. 19.4.6. euerie one seeketh the face of him that giueth gifts. Secondlie, verse 18. Christian charitie requireth to beMatth. 5.44. Galat. 6.10. good to all, but chieflie to those that professe the faith. Thirdlie, the Lord hath his Church through­out1. King. 19.10. Rom. 11.5. the world, although they remaine vnto vs vn­knowne. Fourthlie, the office of Priest-hood,Exod. 23.1. 2. Heb. 5.4. is an institution of the Lord, which none must take vnto himselfe without the calling of the Lord: which seeing now it isHeb. 7.27. & 9.12.26. Iustin. Mart. Dialog. in Triff. Supplicationes fi­mul & gratiarum actiones quae à dignis peraguntur solat perfectas esse, & Deo charat victimas ipse quoque affirmanerim. Ha [...] verò solas facere Christiani didicerunt in ipsius etiam alimonia sua re­cordatione aridae iuxtà & liquidae: in qua & passionis quam pertulit per ipsum Deus Deum, meminit. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 34. Genus oblationū reprobatum est: oblationes enim & illic, oblationes autem & hic. Sed species immutata est tantum, &c. offerimus enim ei quae sunt eius, congruenter communicationem & vnitatem praedicantes. Quemadmodum enim qui à terra panis percipiens vo [...]ationem Dei iam non communis panis est, sed Eucharistia ex duabus rebus constans terrena & coelesti: sic & corpora no­stra percipientia Eucharistiam, iam non sunt corruptibilia spem resurrectionis habentia. ceased, in the externall and proper act of Priest-hood (which is offering vp of ceremoniall sacrifice) & Iesus Christ is become our [Page 545] onlieHeb. 7.24.26.28. August. de ciuit. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 20. Chri­stus cum in forma dei, sacrificium cum patre sumat, cum quo & v­nus Deus est; tamē in forma serui, sacrificiū maluit esse quam su­mere: per hoc & sa­cerdos est, ipse offe­rens, & ipse oblatio: cuius rei sacramentū quotidianum esse vo­luit ecclesiae sacrificiū, quae cum ipsius capitis corpus sit, scipsam per ipsum discit offerre. Quid aijs Augustine? Imo ipsum per scipsam offere Romana eccle­sia. At quo Christus denu [...] offeratur, nemo patrum somniauit sa­crificium. Ʋidetis ergo quod sacrificium dix­crin [...] patres, & quid per sacrificij nomen intellexerint. Priest; they are vsurpers & idolatersHos. 8.4. 2. Pet. 2.15. Heb 5.4. which doe take vnto themselues, that honour which is on­lie due vnto the sonne of God. Fiftlie, verse 19. The blessing rightlie giuen by the minister of God,Numb. 6.6.23.27. is the blessing of the Lord himselfe; forIerem. 15.19. Malach. 2.7. hee is the mouth & messenger of the Lord of hosts. Sixtly. vers. 20. We ought to praise GodPsal. 103.2. 1. Cor. 4.7. vpon all occasions of his benefits, and to acknowledge them only to proceed from him. Seauenthlie, we ought to be carefull2. Chron. 29.3. & 34 3. to promote religion, & the true worship of the Lord; and toExod 25.2.3. 1. Chron. 29.3. distribute our goods, for the maintenance thereof. Eightlie, verse 21. The wicked doe euer seeke to circumuent the iustPsal. 37.32. 1. Sam. 18.21. and simple men, and to be enriched by their labours. Ninthlie, verse 22. An oth for confirmation of truth, in waightie mat­ters, oughtGenes. 23.24. to be taken for the glory of God, wher­in we must only sweareDeut. 6.13. & 10.20. Exodus 22.10.11. & 31 50.53. by him, when the truth by other testimonie cannot be prooued. Tenthlie, verse 33. When possession of goods doe hinder the glorie of God, it is2. King. 5.20.26. 1. King. 13.8. Act. 4.36. not lawfull for Christians to enioy them, although they may otherwise byHaereditate vt Barnabae, Petri, &c. Matth. 10. con­tractu vt Act. 8.18.20. ci­uill equitie, claime the right and propertie of them. Doct. eleuenth, wee are with equitie to looke vnto theExod. 22.5. Ezech. 18.18. commoditie of our neighbour, and to giue the labourerDeut. 14.15. 1. Tim. 5.18. Iam. 5.4. his deserued hire.

Finis partis primae tomi primi.

Deo vni & trino, soli sit gloria per mediatorem filium in sempiternum.

A TABLE OF SVCH PLA­CES OF SCRIPTVRE AS ARE briefly interpreted or reconciled.

Genesis.
Chap. 15. vers. 1. p. 222. v. 7. p. 458. c. 17. v. 1. p. 219. v. 9. p. 497 v. 13. p. 496. v. 17. p. 463. c. 18. vers. 25. p. 75. c. 21. v. 19. p. 128. c. 22. v. 12. p. 58. c. 25. v. 8. p. 463. c. 27. vers. 1. 15. p. 422. c. 34. v. 3. p. 341. c. 35. v. 27. p. 468. c. 39. v. 9 p. 151. v. 20. p. 323. c. 42. v. 16. p. 393. c. 47. vers. 9. p. 468. c. 49. v. 10. p. 497.
Exodus.
Chap. 3. v. 14. p. 335. c. 6. v. 6. p. 245. c. 7. v. 1. pag. 376. c. 8. v. 8. p. 440. c. 9. vers. 16. p. 109. c. 12. v. 24. p. 496. c. 15. v. 18. p. 496. c. 18. v. 19. p. 376. c. 19. v. 19. p. 134 c. 20. v. 4. p. 180. v. 5. p. 245. v. 11. p. 47. v. 24. p. 338. c. 23. vers. 32. p. 520. c. 24. v. 9. p. 468. c. 33. v. 11 p. 468. v. 20. p. 248. 469.
Leuiticus.
Chap. 1. v. 2. p. 333. c. 2. v. 13. p. 333. c. 10. v. 3. p. 185. c. 11. v. 1. p. 262. v. 7. p. 262. c. 18. v. 5. p. 152 v. 6. p. 197. c. 25. v. 9. p. 277. c. 26. v. 5. p. 263.
Numbers.
Chap. 11. v. 11. p. 391. 416. v. 21. p. 391. ver. 22. p. 393. c. 12. v. 1. p. 410. c. 21. v. 10. p. 391. c. 24 v. 4. p. 468.
Deuteronomie.
Chap. 3. v. 11. p. 233. c. 5. v. 14. p. 47. c. 7. v. 4. p. 236. c. 7. vers. 8. p. 152. c. 8. v. 3. pag. 40. c. 8. v. 16. p. 160. v. 18. p. 162. c. 12. ver. 32. p. 147. c. 13. v. 3. p. 58. v. 11. p. 192 c. 14. v. 4. p. 262. c. 15. v. 17. p. 496 c. 19. v. 16. p. 518. c. 28. v. 1. p. 228 c. 31. v. 25. p. 377. c. 32. v. 8. p. 423 443. ver. 10. p. 246. v. 21. p. 246. v. 49. p. 294.
Iosua.
Chap. 5. v. 13. p. 468.
Iudges.
Chap. 3. ver. 9. p. 376. c. 4. v. 6. p. 294. c. 10. ver. 16. p. 246. c. 14. v. 3. p. 237. v. 6. p. 360. v. 7. p. 237 c. 20. v. 13. p. 381.
Ruth.
Chap. 4. ver. 18. pag. 461.
1. Samuel.
Chap. 2. v. 29. p. 158. c. 15. v. 11 p. 250. vers. 22, 23. p. 334. v. 29. p. 245. c. 17. ver. 36. p. 360. c. 18. v. 11. p. 6. c. 20. v. 3. p. 323. c. 24. v. 4. p. 178. c. 27. v. 1. p. 341.
[Page]2. Samuel.
Chap. 5. v. 11. p. 520. c. 11. v. 4. p. 393.
1. Kings.
Chap. 6. v. 2. p. 168. v. 14. p. 198 c. 8. v. 46. p. 252. c. 11. v. 2. p. 236.
2. Kings.
Chap. 2. v. 11. p. 224. c. 7. v. 19. p. 292. c. 12. vers. 2. p. 338. c. 20. v. 9, 11. p. 109.
Hester.
Chap. 8. vers. 11. p. 151.
Iob.
Chap. 1. v. 6 p. 230. c. 4. v. 18. pag. 247. c. 5. ver. 3. p. 353. ver. 4. p. 192. 202. c. 7. v. 1. p. 218. c. 9. v. 31. p. 257. c. 11. v. 7. 335. c. 14 v. 4. p. 213. 257. c. 19. v. 26. p. 228 c. 21. v. 14. p. 373. c. 25. v. 5. p. 247 v. 6. p. 252. c. 26. v. 7. p. 16. c. 29. vers. 1, 15. p. 356. c. 33. v. 24, 25. p. 161. c. 34. v. 18. p. 343. c. 38. v. 6. p. 16. v. 8. p. 285. v. 9. p. 268. v. 10. p. 13. c. 40. vers. 14. p. 360. c. 41. vers. 25. p. 359.
Psalmes.
Psal. 2. v. 4. p. 443. v. 7. p. 230. ps. 3. v. 6. p. 360. ps. 5. v. 4. p. 220. v. 9. p. 137. ps. 7. v. 9. p. 220. ps. 9. v. 16. p. 75. ps. 10. v. 4. p. 373. v. 5. p. 373. 220. psal. 11. v. 5. p. 248. ps. 14. v. 1. p. 343 ps. 18. v. 8. p. 246 v. 10. p. 335. ps. 19. vers. 5, 6. p. 15. ps. 27. v. 8. p. 246. ps. 33. v. 6. p. 7. v. 7. p. 285. ps. 34. v. 14. p. 489. ver. 15. p. 246. ps. 36. v. 6. p. 413. ps. 37. v. 1. p. 165. v. 5. p. 477. v. 8. p. 165. v. 25. p. 325. v. 35. p. 201. ps. 42. ver. 2. p. 162. ps. 44. vers. 3. p. 245. ver. 23. p. 303. ps. 51. v. 1. p. 391. v. 5. p. 213. v. 7. p. 213. v. 8. p. 399. v. 16. p. 336 ps. 53. v. 1. p. 6 ver. 5. p. 191. ps. 55. v. 22. p. 375. ps. 58. vers. 10. p. 397. ps. 62. v. 5. p. 75. ps. 72. ver. 1, 2. p. 376. ver. 4. p. 376. ps. 73. vers. 6. p. 373. v. 19. p. 303. ps. 76. vers. 5, 12. p. 108. ps. 82. v. 4. pag. 376. ps. 90. ver. 4. p. 107. v. 10. p. 218. ps. 97. ver. 7. p. 150. v. 12. p. 396. ps. 98. ver. 4. p. 105. ps. 104. v. 5. p. 16. ver. 6. p. 12. 285. 298. v. 16. p. 413. v. 22 p. 359. ps. 105. ver. 18. pag. 323. ps. 106. v. 33. p. 393. ps. 107. v. 34 p. 162. 332. ps. 109. ver. 6. p. 396 ps. 10. p. 192. ps. 110. v. 4. p. 523. ps. 119. v. 24. p. 345. v. 106. p. 220 ver. 176. p. 134. ver. 267. p. 151. ps. 139. ver. 6. p. 336. v. 7. p. 435. v. 16. p. 335. ps. 143. v. 3. p. 161. ps. 145. v. 7. p. 304. v. 18. p. 359. ps. 147. v. 15, 18. p. 306.
Prouerbs.
Chap. 5. v. 10. p. 158. v. 17, 18. p. 413. c. 3. v. 2. p. 228. v. 9. p. 433. v. 11. p. 394. vers. 33. p. 472. c. 6. v. 26. p. 412. c. 8. v. 15. p. 376. v. 27 p. 15. c. 10. v. 20. p. 162. ver. 24. p. 437. c. 11. ver. 31. p. 228. c. 13. v. 19. p. 502. c. 14. ver. 1. p. 156. ver. 7. p. 520. ver. 9. p. 205. v. 20. p. 163. c. 16. vers. 2. p. 338. ver. 4. [Page] p. 185. v. 25. p. 338. c. 17. ver. 21. p. 153. c. 19. v. 20. p. 158. c. 28. v. 13. p. 137. c. 29. v. 11. p. 477. c. 30. v. 6. p. 311. v. 8. p. 484. v. 30 p. 356.
Ecclesiastes.
Chap. 1. v. 5. p. 15. v. 7. p. 288. v. 14. p. 164. c. 3. v. 10. p. 152. v. 21 p. 367. c. 5. v. 10. p. 163. c. 10. v. 13 p. 160.
Isaiah.
Chap. 1. vers. 11. p. 336. v. 15. p. 337. c. 5. ver. 8. p. 443. c. 6. v. 1. p. 468. c. 7. v. 18. p. 305. c. 8. v. 20. p. 345. c. 9. v. 13. p. 360. c. 10. v. 5. p. 505. c. 11. v. 1. p. 152. v. 2. p. 145 c. 23. v. 3. p. 65. c. 28. v. 15. p. 434. c. 40. v. 8. p. 317. v. 12, 17. p. 28. ver. 22. p. 9. ver. 28. p. 335. v. 29. p. 305. c. 41. v. 23. p. 21. c. 42. v. 8 p. 150. ver. 22. p. 15. c. 43. ver. 25. p. 152. c. 44. v. 6. p. 158. v. 25. p. 21 c. 46. ver. 9, 10. p. 343. c. 53. v. 5. p. 151. c. 54. v. 8. p. 228. v. 9. p. 342 c. 55. ver. 8, 9. p. 343. c. 48. ver. 1. p. 509. c. 59. ver. 21. p. 451. c. 64. ver. 6. p. 257. 334. c. 66. vers. 1, 2. p. 338. v. 3. p. 336.
Ieremiah.
Chap. 4. v. 22. p. 212. c. 5. v. 22. p. 13. c. 7. ver. 25. p. 238. c. 9. v. 22. p. 285. c. 10. v. 1. p. 21. v. 23. p. 212 c. 14. ver. 22. p. 21. c. 15. ver. 19. p. 339. 455. c. 16. v. 16. pag. 412. c. 17. v. 9. p. 351. c. 18. v. 6. p. 399. c. 20. vers. 14. p. 391. c. 23. vers. 6. p. 152. 255. v. 24. p. 28. 196. 435. c. 26. v. 6. p. 345. c. 31. v. 37. p. 16.
Lamentations.
Chap. 5. v. 21. p. 395.
Ezechiel.
Chap. 1. v. 4. p. 469. c. 8. v. 12. p. 344. 373 c. 13. v. 18, 22. p. 412. c. 16. ver. 6. p. 152. c. 18. ver. 20. p. 399. ver. 29. p. 108. v. 32. p. 81. c. 20. v. 24, 25. p. 339. c. 36. v. 6. p. 407. v. 13, 14. p. 343.
Daniel.
Chap. 3. v. 27. p. 109. c. 7. v. 9. p. 469.
Hosea.
Chap. 1. v. 10. p. 230. c. 9. v. 13. p. 153. c. 13. ver. 3. p. 292. ver. 14. p. 152. c. 14. v. 2. p. 338.
Amos.
Chap. 2. v. 13. p. 251. c. 3. v. 2. p. 495. c. 6. ver. 8. p. 246. c. 9. v. 6. p. 16.
Ionah.
Chap. 1. v. 3. p. 391. c. 3. ver. 4. p. 250.
Micah.
Chap. 6. v. 8. p. 370. c. 7. ver. 5. p. 424. v. 19. p. 257.
Habacuk.
Chap. 1. v. 14. p. 188.
[Page] Zephanie.
Chap. 1. v. 12. p. 345. c. 3. v. 5. p. 345.
Haggi.
Chap. 2. v. 13. p. 179.
Zacharie.
Chap. 1. ver. 8. p. 469. c. 2. v. 8. p. 246. c. 5. v. 3. p. 119. 129. c. 12. v. 10. p. 251.
Malachie.
Chap. 1. vers. 2, 3. p. 246. c. 2. v. 10. p. 230. v. 16. p. 92. c. 3. v. 16 p. 119. 335.
Matthew.
Chap. 1. v. 21. p. 145. c. 3. v. 16 p. 471. c. 4. v. 3. p. 112. c. 5. ver. 6. p. 161. v. 9. p. 491. v. 18. p. 317. v. 32. p. 100. v. 35. p. 517. c. 6. v. 9 p. 437. v. 28. p. 101. v. 33. p. 166. c. 7. v. 6. p. 114. v. 3. p. 399. v. 13. p. 477. v. 29. p. 107. c. 10. vers. 16. p. 105. 475. v. 26. p. 477. ver. 28. p. 360. v. 29. p. 248. v. 37. p. 455. c. 12. 42. p. 411. c. 15. v. 8. p. 180. v. 18. p. 350. c. 16. v. 3. p. 20. c. 16. vers. 24. p. 485. c. 17. v. 6. p. 114. c. 18. v. 12. p. 134. c. 19. vers. 11. p. 84. 88. v. 12. p. 84. 160. v. 13. p. 94. c. 20. v. 15. p. 111. c. 23. v. 9. p. 58. c. 24. ver. 15. p. 282. v. 23. p. 106. v. 24. p. 106. v. 29. p 345. v. 40. p. 244. c. 25. ver. 5. p. 215. v. 32. p. 136. v. 44. p. 138. c. 26. v. 26. p. 146. 339. ver. 74. p. 393. ver. 52. p. 489. c. 27. v. 4. p. 191. v. 42. p. 68.
Marke.
Chap. 9. v. 49. p. 333. c. 10. v. 8 p. 225. c. 11. v. 13, 14. p. 41. c. 13 v. 24. p. 345. c. 16. v. 20. p. 441.
Luke.
Chap. 3. v. 36. p. 444. c. 14. v. 28 p. 472. c. 16. v. 17. p. 317. ver. 31 p. 244. c. 17. v. 6. 360. v. 10. p. 258 v. 30. p. 281. c. 20. v. 18. p. 169. c. 21. v. 8. p. 106. c. 23. v. 29. p. 153 v. 30. p. 102. c. 24. v. 31. p. 128. v. 45. p. 126.
Iohn.
Chap. 1. v. 2, 3. p. 6. v. 3. p. 43. v. 12. p. 152. c. 3. v. 4. p. 391. v. 5. p. 230. v. 13. p. 225. v. 16. p. 131. c. 4. v. 24. p. 335. c. 5. v. 39. p. 223 c. 6. 44. p. 133. c. 8. v. 44. p. 212. v. 56. p. 485. c. 10. ver. 28. p. 303. c. 15. v. 5. p. 176. 223. c. 16. v. 20. p. 154.
Acts.
Chap. 2. v. 3. p. 442. v. 3. p. 471 c. 4. v. 19. p. 158. c. 7. ver. 2. p. 454 v. 4. p. 459. v. 5. p. 492. v. 59. p. 224 c. 10. ver. 15. p. 263. c. 11. v. 23. p. 220. c. 13. ver. 39. p. 253. c. 14. v. 17. p. 330.
Romanes.
Chap. 1. ver. 15. p. 149. ver. 19. p. 330. c. 3. v. 23. p. 350. c. 4. v. 2, 3 p. 178. c. 5. v. 11. p. 253. v. 16, 17. [Page] p. 351. c. 6. v. 12. p. 393. c. 7. v. 7. p. 213. 349. v. 15. 18. p. 393. c. 8 v. 7. p. 188. v. 20. p. 159. 162. v. 26. p. 58. c. 9. v. 4. p. 317. v. 11. p. 389 v. 13. p. 246. v. 16. p. 389. v. 21. p. 399. v. 22. p. 155. c. 11. vers. 4. p. 499. c. 12. v. 18. p. 520. c. 13. vers. 1, 2. p. 158. v. 4. p. 376. 377. c. 14. v. 2. p. 365. v. 10. p. 102. v. 13 p. 399. c. 15. v. 4. p. 281.
1. Corinth.
Chap. 1. v. 20, 21. p. 330. c. 3. v. 18. p. 330. c. 5. v. 5. p. 519. c. 6. v. 17. p. 351. c. 7. v. 1, 2. p. 84. v. 9. p. 89. 92. v. 28. p. 86. v. 32. p. 86. v. 38. p. 94. c. 10. vers. 11. p. 281. c. 11. v. 7. p. 38. c. 12. v. 12. p. 351 ver. 22. p. 131. v. 24. p. 173. c. 15. v. 20. p. 369. v. 41. p. 26.
2. Corinth.
Chap. 1. v. 20. p. 346. 389. c. 5 v. 2, 10. p. 102. v. 21. p. 255. c. 7. v. 10. p. 190. c. 11. v. 3. pag. 121. c. 12. v. 4. p. 436.
Galathians.
Chap. 1. v. 8, 9. p. 89. c. 3. v. 13. p. 151. v. 24 p. 345. v. 27. p. 102. c. 4. v. 29. p. 153. c. 5. v. 17. p. 393
Ephesians.
Chap. 1. ver. 5, 11. p. 343. c. 2. v. 1. p. 151. v. 3. p. 213. c. 4. v. 4. p. 152. ver. 6. p. 230. v. 14. p. 335. v. 23. p. 208. v. 24. p. 32. c. 5. v. 11 p. 455. v. 26. p. 155. v. 28. p. 156. v. 32. p. 225. 351. v. 33. p. 158. c. 6. v. 13. p. 144.
Philippians.
Chap. 3. ver. 9. p. 351
Colossians.
Chap. 1. v. 17. p. 196. c. 3. v. 10 p. 32. 210. v. 18. p. 155.
1. Thessalonians.
Chap. 4. v. 13. p. 228.
2. Thessalonians.
Chap. 2. ver. 9. 409. v. 10, 11. p. 92.
1. Timothie.
Chap. 1. v. 13. p. 391. c. 2. v. 14 p. 121. c. 3. vers. 12. p. 156. 185. v. 16. p. 152. c. 4. v. 4. p. 364. v. 16 p. 441. c. 5. v. 14. p. 155. c. 6. v. 8. p. 483. v. 16. p. 13. 226.
2. Timothie.
Chap. 2. v. 19. p. 499. c. 3. v. 16 p. 345.
Titus.
Chap. 2. ver. 5. pag. 94.
Hebrues.
Cap. 1. v. 2, 3. p. 230. c. 2. v. 14 p. 351. ver. 16. p. 155. c. 4. v. 13. p. 107. c. 6. v. 4, 5. p. 142. c. 7. v. 3. p. 523. ver. 4, 7. p. 522. c. 8. ver. 9. p. 394. c. 9. v. 14. p. 346. c. 11. v. 5. p. 226. v. 7. p. 281. vers. 8. p. 455. [Page] v. 16. p. 403. v. 33. p. 360. v. 36. p. 282. c. 12. ver. 6. p. 165. ver. 7. p. 160. c. 13. v. 4. p. 92. 175. v. 5. p. 166.
Iames.
Chap. 1. ver. 8. pag. 221. v. 14. p. 108. 186. 213. v. 15. p. 186. v. 17 p. 245. c. 2. v. 13. p. 136. c. 5. v. 16. p. 352.
1. Peter.
Chap. 2. v. 2. p. 335. c. 3. v. 7. p. 156. vers. 19. p. 80. 133. v. 20. p. 405. c. 4. v. 17. p. 185. c. 5. v. 8. p. 152.
2. Peter.
Chap. 1. v. 20. p. 396. c. 2. v. 13 p. 158. c. 3. v. 3. p. 205. v. 4. p. 282 v. 8. p. 107. v. 13. p. 159.
Iude.
Vers. 6. p. 44. 80. 133.
Reuelations.
Chap. 2. v. 13. p. 409. c. 3. v. 18. p. 126. c. 5. v. 3. 5. p. 152. c. 6. v. 6 p. 451. v. 10. p. 396. v. 16. p. 102. c. 9. v. 2. p. 149. c. 11. v. 3. p. 227. c. 16. ver. 10. p. 149. c. 12. ver. 12. p. 129. c. 22. v. 2. p. 173.

A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS contained in this Booke.

A
  • ABstinence ceremoniall from meates is superstitions. pag. 365.
  • Abstinēce from blood, a ceremonie. pag. 366. 370
  • Adams sinne wherein is cōsisted: and whe­ther it were the greatest of all other. pag. 118.
  • Adams punishment was personall or na­turall. pag. 123
  • Adams punishment wherein it consisted. pag. 162
  • Adams punishment the fountaine of all temporall miseries. pag. 164
  • Adam saued by Christ. pag. 124
  • to Adde or diminish from the word of God, how dangerous. pag. 114
  • Amazons. pag. 155
  • Ambition is spirituall murder. pag. 415
  • Angels no helpers in mans creation. pag. 30
  • Angels sinne vnpardonable, wherefore. pag. 142
  • Anticipation vsed in the Scripture. pag. 54
  • Apocrypha scripture to be warily read. pag. 233
  • Aske and the measure thereof. pag. 272
  • Arts interpreters of Nature, and hand­maides to Diuinitie. pag. 28
  • Astronomie commendalie and profitable. pag. 24
  • Astrologie vnlawfull. pag. 20. 21. 22. &c.
  • Astrologicall predictions are presumptions against God, as the Heathen witnes. pag. 22
  • Ast [...]logie, in [...]ented by Diuels, sacrilege to God, with [...] ground of Arie, vnprofi­table, hurtfull. pag. 25
B
  • BEasts wherefore counted vncleane. pag. 262
  • Beasts none vncleane by nature, but either in ceremonie or vse of food. pag. 262. &c
  • Beasts how many prese [...]ed in the Arke. pag. 271. 273
  • Beasts why they are scared, and why they sc [...]e man. pag. 354
  • [...]ull Beasts ought to be killed. pag. 373
  • Blessing of the Lord is in the ho [...]se of the righteous. pag. 472
  • Bodie of man beareth the image of God, how. pag. 33
  • Bodie of man why it is to be couered. pag. 132
  • Bodies resurrection proued. pag. 57
  • Buildings superfluous prouoke God. pag. 443
C
  • CAlling must be expected of Magi­strates and Ministers. pag. 416
  • Chastitie as well in mariage as in single life. pag. 94
  • Children are within the couenant of grace, and therefore to be baptised, albeit they haue not actuall faith. pag. 389
  • Children shall not beare their fathers sins. pag. 399
  • Church of Rome corrupteth the Fathers, Councels, &c. pag. 322
  • Commandements of God must be valued in three points. pag. 75
  • Commaundement to Adam contained the whole law. pag. 78
  • Conscience wounded is hell. pag. 129. 130
  • Conscience guiltines driueth from God, but not to God, without grace. pag. 131
  • Conscience wounded, breedeth in the wicked desperation. pag. 190. &c.
  • Contentions of man and wife, and the cause thereof. pag. 98
  • Contētion in generall, & the cause. pag. 484. 502
  • to Couet imperfections. pag. 400
  • Creation how it was performed. pag. 5
  • Creator was Iesus Christ. pag. 6
  • Creation wherefore continued sixe daies. pag. 45
  • Creatures all are good by creation. pag. 42
  • Creatures why some obey man and some re­bell. pag. 44
  • Creatures why called Gods hosts. pag. 46
  • Curiositie reproued. pag. 3
  • Curiositie dangerous. pag. 8
  • [Page]Custome of sinne taketh away the sense of sinning. pag. 366
D
  • DEath commeth by sinne. pag. 70
  • Death of soule what it is. pag. 79
  • Death of bodie and the vse therof. pag. 81
  • Diuels not euill by creation, but by fall. pag. 44
  • the Diuell spake by the Serpent. pag. 105
  • Difference in mens iudgements not hurtful, vnlesse it be maintained with conten­tion. pag. 308
  • Drunkards condemned by Noah his ex­ample. pag. 394
E
  • EArth without forme. pag. 3. 4
  • Earth and Sea are one compasse. pag. 12. 15
  • Earth hangeth, and that vpon nothing. pag. 16
  • Euer, what it signifieth in Scripture. pag. 496
  • Examples of Gods iustice why they are not now so manifold as in former time. pag. 345
  • Experience of Gods mercies profitable and comfortable. pag. 499
F
  • FAlse Christs forewarned. pag. 106
  • Filthie speaking forbidden. pag. 179
  • Firmames, the substance, measure & vse. pag. 89
  • Flesh of beasts whether permitted to be eaten before the flood. pag. 41. 361
  • Flood of Noah came in Aprill, or in the be­ginning of May. pag. 280
  • Floods after Noahs flood. pag. 331
  • Food of Paradice abundant without flesh of beasts. pag. 40
  • Fruites of the earth more pleasant, plentifull and nourishable before the flood. pag. 41
  • trees bare Fruite at all seasons before the curse. ibid.
G
  • GIants their names and nature. pag. 232
  • Gluttonie taxed. pag. 39
  • God only without beginning. pag. 2
  • God needeth none of his creatures. pag. 2. 74
  • Gods omnipotencie. pag. 3
  • Gods power created and preserueth all. pag. 7
  • Gods power to worke without and against meanes. pag. 14. 465
  • Gods prouidence vniuersall. pag. 108
  • Gods foreknowledge no cause of euil pag. 109. &c
  • Gods decree effectiue and permissi [...]e. pag. 109
  • Gods gift are free. pag. 389
  • God only good of himselfe. pag. 111
  • God is without a bodie, or affections or pas­sions: And what the Scripture meaneth by ascribing such to God. pag. 245. 246
  • God cannot repent. pag. 247
  • God is incomprehensible. pag. 248
  • Gods proper attributes are his proper na­ture. pag. 438
  • Gods will the fountaine of goodnes and iu­stice. pag. 73
  • Gods wisedome and loue shewed in mans re­demption. pag. 151
  • God wherefore he suffereth the godly to be persecuted. pag. 185
  • Gods word the only rule of mās obediēce pag. 72
  • Good in part and absolutely good. pag. 82
H
  • HEathen Fables of Antiquitie. pag. 56
  • Heathen remembring the flood of Noah. pag. 328
  • Heathen Philosophers but fooles in true wis­dome. pag. 330
  • Hebrue language was common to all before the confusion. pag. 104. 429
  • Hebrue language not vsed of the Iewes in the time of Christ preaching. pag. 448
  • Hebrues whereof they are so called. pag. 511
  • Henoch died not. pag. 224
  • Henoch wherefore he was taken away. pag. 227
I
  • IDolatrie in representing God by an I­mage. pag. 32
  • Ignorance a deadly sinne. pag. 481
  • Image and likenes. pag. 31
  • Image of God in man wherein is cōsisted. pag. 33
  • Image of God a spiritual substance with per­fect qualities. pag. 35
  • Image of Adam in all men. pag. 207. 209
  • Image of God corrupted in Adam, is Adams Image. pag. 208
  • Image of God how farre it is in man corrup­ted. pag. 210
  • Infirmities of Abraham, and all the Saints of God. pag. 478
  • [Page]Inuention of Arts by Adam. pag. 204
  • Inuention of Arts commendable if not abu­sed. pag. 432
  • Iniurie how it may be resisted. pag. 518
K
  • KInred not alwaies friends. pag. 424
L
  • LAsciuious lookes are adulteries. pag. 481
  • Life of the Patriarkes prolonged by na­ture, not by miracle, and the causes there­of. pag. 116. &c.
  • Life of beasts is their blood; mans life is in his blood. pag. 368
  • Light created before the Sunne, and where­fore first. pag. 13
  • Light and darknes how they are distin­guished. pag. 14
M
  • MAgistrates authority, author, end. pag. 376
  • Magistrates dutie. pag. 416
  • Man a more noble creature then the hea­uens. pag. 29
  • Mans excellencie defaced by sinne. pag. 30
  • Mans inabilitie to come to God without help of grace. pag. 136
  • Man a little world. pag. 60
  • Mans miserie and the cause thereof. pag. 105
  • Mans nature corrupted is an enemie to God. pag. 185
  • Man cannot conuert, vnlesse he be conuer­ted. pag. 189
  • Mariage necessarie now, as in the Creatiō. pag. 85
  • Mariage of Ministers approoued by Scrip­tures, Councels, Fathers, and experience. pag. 89. &c.
  • Mariage hath nothing hurtfull, but abuse or punishment of sinne. pag. 94
  • Mariage what it is. pag. 99
  • Mariage in the kinred wherefore forbiddē. pag. 197
  • Mariage no les to vertue and godlines. pag. 221
  • Mariage with Atheists [...]r Papists vnlaw­full, and hurtfull to the Church of God. pag. 235
  • Masse standeth vpon a false foundation. pag. 526
  • Meditation of the creatures a worke of the Sabboth. pag. 45
  • Merits of man what they are. pag. 341
  • presumption of Merits a vile sinne against God. pag. 337
  • Moone by what cause varieth her light. pag. 26
  • Mountaines of marueilous height. pag. 294
  • Murder seuerely punished. pag. 195
  • Murder ought to be punished without par­cialitie. pag. 372
N
  • NAkednes of man wherefore it is loth­some. pag. 101
  • Nature what it is. pag. 12. 109. 300
  • Natures workes which are done of men, are honest in themselues. pag. 175
  • Naturall reason no sufficient guide to god­linesse. pag. 181
  • Nobilitie. pag. 202
  • Nobilitie ioyned with tyrannie is spirituall hunting. pag. 413
  • Nobilitie, the vse and end thereof. pag. 414
  • Nobilitie consisteth in religion. pag. 424
O
  • OBedience commaunded vnto man for mans benefit. pag. 72
  • true Obedience wherein it consisteth. ibid.
  • Originall sinne what it is. pag. 213. 350
  • Originall sinne remaineth in and after Bap­tisme to them that are not by faith san­ctified, and so farre as they are not san­ctified. pag. 351
P
  • PAradice, the pleasantnes and situa­tion. pag. 61. 62
  • Parents blessing their children is effectuall. pag. 400
  • no Pe [...]ce to the wicked. pag. 201
  • Peace with the wicked may be held, not sought. pag. 520
  • Penaltie of lawes the bond of societies. pag. 371
  • Popes in times past haue been Clerkes vn­lettered. pag. 148
  • Persecution of the godly, for what cause it is suffered by God. pag. 185
  • Prayer hath his speciall fruite. pag. 352. 388
  • Pride in apparell extreame madnes. pag. 16
  • Pride and ambition fight against God. pag. 430
  • [Page]Priesthood ceased in Christ. pag. 544
  • Promises of God are stedfast. pag. 340
  • Promises of God are conditionall. pag. 497
  • Punishments ciuill and their end. pag. 192
  • Why Abrams seed were afflicted with grea­ter punishments. pag. 495
R
  • RAinbow, the matter, forme, vse. pag. 384
  • Rashnes in warre disallowed, and dan­gerous. pag. 514
  • Recapitulation vsed in Scripture. pag. 54
  • Reconciliation in contentions, & the meanes to be vsed. pag. 484
  • Reconciliation must goe before prayer and sacrifice. pag. 498
  • Religion must not for any cause be dissem­bled. pag. 480
  • Religiō alwaies a devisiō vnto Atheists. pag. 513
  • Repentance of the wicked what it is. pag. 191
  • Repentance truly wherein it consisteth. pag. 191
  • Resurrection proued. pag. 57
  • Resurrection of the bodie certaine. pag. 228
  • Reuenge vnlawfull, and how farre it may be permitted. pag. 517
  • Righteousnes is actiue or passiue, that is, by workes or by faith. pag. 253
  • no man is Righteous in himselfe: yet the faithfull, in Christ are perfectly righte­ous. pag. 225
  • Riches haue inconueniences. pag. 483 490
  • why all men are not Rich. pag. 483
  • Conuenient foode the chiefest Riches of this life. pag. 484
S
  • SAbboth ought to remember the workes of Creation. pag. 45
  • Sabboth blessed and sanctified by God. pag. 49
  • Sabboth how it is sanctified. ibid.
  • Sabboth necessarie for man before and after the fall. pag. 51
  • Sabboth obserued before Moses. pag. 52
  • Sacrifices cōmanded before Moses. pag. 179. 181
  • Sacrifices commanded, or not accepted. pag. 333
  • Sacrifices their vse. pag. 181
  • Scriptures scope is to teach vs the knowledge of God and of our selues. pag. 55
  • Scriptures manner in expounding it selfe. pag. 54
  • Scriptures ought not to be altered in one letter. pag. 147
  • Scriptures authoritie. pag. 198
  • Scriptures pure from all error. pag. 311. 317
  • Scriptures most sincere histories. pag. 391
  • Scriptures a perpetuall and perfect guide to saluation. pag. 466
  • Scriptures are a Chronicle of Gods works. pag. 46
  • Scoffers at the Scripture threatned. pag. 169
  • Scoffing at sinne is dangerous. pag. 205
  • Securitie a token of destruction. pag. 244
  • Securitie is often taken asleepe. pag. 282
  • Sea and earth are one compasse. pag. 12
  • Sea-waters heaped in the deepe. pag. 12. 285
  • Sea ebbing and flowing, by what cause. pag. 19
  • Serpents not hideous by creation. pag. 105
  • Search the Scriptures. pag. 338
  • Single life wherein to be preferred before mariage, and wherein not. pag. [...]6
  • Single life is to be applied to the seruice of the Gospell. pag. 94
  • Single life is not meritorious. ibid.
  • Sinne is either lurking or raigning. pag. 393
  • Sinne in all men, and none is free. pag. 392
  • continuance in Sinne bringeth deadnes of securitie or desperation. pag. 206
  • Souldiers that are religious are most profi­table for their Prince. pag. 516
  • Sunne created after the light. pag. 14
  • Sunne compasseth the earth. pag. 15
  • Sunne is the chariot of light, and inlightneth all. pag. 26
  • Sunne and Starres are greater then the earth. pag. 27
  • Soule of man what it is. pag. 57
  • Soules death and prison. pag. 81
  • Speech is the image of the minde. pag. 426
  • Speech confounded was by miracle. pag. 427
  • Speech which was the first. pag. 429
  • Speech how it was confounded. pag. 442
T
  • TIdes of the sea, how they are caused. pag. 289
  • we may not Tempt God, but vse lawfull meanes. pag. 477
  • Time what it is. pag. 2
  • Time was the beginning of all things, and nothing before is but God. ibid.
  • [Page]Tokens and warnings of iudgements are vnregarded, where Gods word is vnre­uerenced. pag. 282
  • Traditions before the word written, were in steed of the word: but we haue a more sure testimonie. 1. Pet. 1. pag. 334
  • Trinitie distinguished in the worke of Crea­tion. pag. 6. 7.
  • The Trinitie alwaies acknowledged in the Church. pag. 7
  • The Trinitie. pag. 30. 31
  • Tyrannie and bloodshedding reuenged by God. pag. 374
V
  • VIsions wherefore giuen vnto the Patri­arkes. pag. 468
  • Visions, how God appeared who is inuisible. pag. 471
  • Vowes of chastitie vnlawfull. pag. 85
  • Vulgar Latin translation corrupt. pag. 308. &c.
W
  • WAite on God and haue good suc­cesse. pag. 325
  • VValking with God what is meaneth. pag. 222. 252.
  • VVarres successe is alwaies disposed by God. pag. 501
  • VVarre alwaies winneth where good cause and good discipline are ioyned. pag. 505
  • VVarre that it be lawfull what it requi­reth. ibid.
  • VVarre made vnlawfull by what meanes. pag. 507
  • the miseries of Warre. pag. 508
  • VVarre taken rashly in hand is disallowed and dangerous. pag. 514
  • VVaters of the deepe doe stand aboue the mountaines. pag. 12. 285
  • VVater-springs how they are caused. pag. 288
  • a Wicked man can do no good work. pag. 177. 178
  • Will of God, secret or reuealed. pag. 248
  • Will-worship a sinne. pag. 334
  • Wine, the benefit and vse. pag. 391
  • Womā is the image of God as well as mā. pag. 37
  • Woman the image of mā, in what sense. pag. 38
  • VVoman her nature and end. pag. 93
  • VVoman wherein she is to be an helper to man. ibid.
  • VVomans punishment in conceptions, sor­rowes and subiection. pag. 154. &c.
  • VVoman were to haue no paine of child-birth by creation. pag. 154
  • World created in the first moment of time. pag. 2
  • World for what cause created. ibid.
  • World and all creatures made of nothing. pag. 7
Y
  • YEeres and moneths in Scripture, equall to ours in length of time. pag. 217
  • Yeere beginneth diuersly to diuers nations. pag. 277
  • Yeere ecclesiasticall and politicall. pag. 278

A TABLE OF HERESIES AND ERRORS, BRIEFLY CON­futed in this Treatise.

A
  • ADamites beastly heretikes. 100
  • Anabaptists of cōmunitie of goods. 490
  • Anabaptists of swearing. 540
  • Anselmus his opinion of single life. 88
  • Andronici of the sex of women. 94
  • Anthropomorphites, of Images. 32
  • Anthropomorphites of the substance of the soule. 35
  • Apelles of the Arke of Noah. 270
  • Aquinas of the Cherubims of Paradice. 172
  • Aquinas of naturall knowledge. 180
  • Aristotle of ye eternitie of ye world. 1. 426
    • of mans natural righteousnes. 254
  • Arrians of the persons of the Trinitie. 7
  • Astrologers grounding prediction on the authoritie of Scripture. 18. &c.
  • Atheists, of contradictions in the Scrip­ture. 38
  • Atheists of the garden of Paradice. 65
  • Atheists of Adams apparell. 168
  • Atheists of Cains building a citie. 198
  • Atheists of the age of the Patriarks. 217
  • Atheists of the flood. 291. 295
  • Atheists of the mortalitie of the soule. 369
  • Atheists of Noah his drunkennes. 392
  • Atheists of the confusiō of tongues. 425
  • Atheists of the Scriptures. 446
  • Atheists of the successe of warre. 404
B
  • BAbylonians of abstinence. 267
  • Basilides of the worlds eternitie. 1
  • Bonauentura his opiniō of Paradice. 61
  • Berosus coūterfeit historie of the flood. 273
C
  • CAini, who worshipped Caine as a Saint. 188. 192
  • Caietan his opinion of the waters. 285
  • Clemens Alexandr. his opinion of the saluatiō of Philosophers which knew not God. 178
  • Carthusian of single life. 221
  • Cyprian his opinion of the sonnes of God. 231
D
  • DEmocritus of the substance of the soule. 59
  • Dicearchus of the substance of the soule. ibid.
  • Diogenes of ye substāce of the soule. ibid.
E
  • EMpedocles of the substance of the soule. 59
  • Eunomij of the Trinitie. 7
  • Eusebius his opinion of the sonnes of God. 231
F
  • FAustus the Manichee of Abraham. 475
G
  • GAlen of the substance of ye soule. 60
  • Greekes of the sex of women. 94
  • Gregorie his opinion of the comming of Henoch and Eliah. 226
H
  • HEathen fables of Deucalion. 328
  • Hierome his opinion of single life. 8 [...]. 175
  • Hyppocrates of the substance of the soule. 59
  • Hippon of the substāce of the soule. ibid.
  • Homer of the sex of women. 94
  • Hugo Sanct. Vict. of the sons of God. 231
I
  • Iewes of mans creation. 30
    • of Henoch and Eliah his cōming. 226
    • of Apocrypha Scripture. 234
    • of mans righteousnes 254
    • of abstinence from meates. 359. 363
  • Illyticus of originall sinne. 349
  • [Page]Indians of abstinence. 259
  • Iosephu [...], of the sonnes of God. 331
    • of the age before the flood. 241
    • of the beginning of the yeere. 278
  • Iulian, of the Scripture. 28. 43
    • of the Serpents speech. 104
    • of the building of Babel. 432
  • Iulius 3. Pope his blasphemie. 75
  • Iustin Martyr his opinion of the salua­tion of Philosophers which knew not Christ. 178
    • of the sonnes of God. 231
L
  • LActantius his error of the sonnes of God. 231
  • L [...]cucippus of the substāce of ye soule. 59
  • Lyra his opinion of Paradice. 172
M
  • MAcedonij of the Trinitie. 7
  • Manichees of the substance of the soule. 35
    • of the Scriptures. 38. 48. 84. 369
    • of two beginnings. 42
    • of the substance of the Deitie. 60
  • Marcionites of two beginnings. 42
  • Melchizedeciani of Melchizedech. 522
  • Metrodorus Chius of the worlds eter­nitie. 1
O
  • O Leaster of the taking away of He­noch. 223
  • Ophitae who worshipped ye Serpent. 125
  • Origen his opinion of Paradice. 61
    • of the release of the damned. 141
    • of Adams apparell. 164
P
  • PApists of authoritie of Magistrates. 376
    • of authoritie of Scripture. 446
    • of deposing of Princes. 507
    • of fasting. 267. 363
    • of forgiuenes of sinnes. 160
    • of Images and Idolatrie. 32. 146. 149
    • of interpretation of the Scripture. 307. 320
    • of the Masse. 523
    • of Merits. 177. 337
    • of mans righteousnes. 254. 257
    • of originall sinne. 348. 351
    • of single life. 84. 87. 95
    • of traditions. 458
    • of workes of good intent. 333
  • Pelagians of mans righteousnes. 254
  • Pererius his opinion of the Cherubims of Paradice 172
  • Philastrius of the diuisiō of tongues. 427
  • Philo of Paradice. 61.
    • of the sonnes of God. 231
    • of the age before the flood. 241
  • Plato of the creation of the woman. 93
    • of the communitie of goods. 490
    • of the nature of life. 367
  • Procopius Gazeus, of Henoch. 221
  • Pythagoras of the substance of the soule. 59
    • of abstinence. 267
    • of communitie of goods. 490
    • of mans power to vertue. 254
R
  • RAbbins of Adams nakednes. 100
    • of Adams creation. 125
    • of Adās continuance in Paradice. 175
    • of the age of the Patriarkes. 217
    • of Henoch his taking away. 223
  • Rupertus of the Cherubims of Paradice. 172
S
  • SEleuciani of Paradice. 61
  • Seruetus of the substance of the soule. 35
  • Sethiani of Seth borne without sin. 213
  • Seueriani of the sex of women. 94
  • Simon Magus of the Creation. 1
  • Simplicius of the Scriptures. 4. 28
    • of Paradice. 65
  • Strabus of the Cherubims. 172
T
  • TErtullian his opiniō of Paradice. 61
    • of single life. 88
  • Thales of the sex of women. 94
  • Turkes of the Messiah. 404
Z
  • ZEno of natural power to vertue. 254
  • Zenocrates of the soule. 60
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To the gentle Reader.

Gentle Reader, I am to admonish thee concerning the escapes incident to printing, which I hope are as few as ordinarily in any copie: yet some there are; as page 32. lin. 17. for Physiognomie reade physnomie: pag. 204. lin. 30. for wife reade sister: and lin. 31. reade was the sister and supposed to be. Other literall escapes, if any be; sith I haue neither helpe to conferre, neither space or leisure to reuise, I am compelled to commit to thy fauourable consideration and correction.

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