themselues in the Persian sea Q. Then Phison is not Ganges of India nor Gehon Nilus of Egypt A. No for Ganges springeth out of Cancasus of India Nilus out of the mountaine of inferior Mauritania but Phison and Geho◠out of Armenia Nilus exonerateth her selfe in the Mediterranean sea but Phison and Gehon into the Persian Gulfe Q. What country is this Hauilah A. Not a country in India but bordering vpon Palestine and Assyria as may be gathered out of Gene. Chap. 25.18 Q. What is Bdellium A. It is a blacke tree the bignesse of an Oliue tree from the which there runneth a kind of sweete gum Plinius lib. 12. Chapt. 9. Q. How is that vnderstood that God did put Adam into the garden A. Either by the inward perswasion of God hee was led thither as Christ was led to the wildernesse Math. 4. or he was caught by the Spirit as Henoch Habbacuc and Philip or else by an Angell in the shape of man he was led to Paradise Q. Why did not God create Adam in Paradise A. To let him know that Paradise did not belong to him by nature but by grace Secondly to teach him to bee the more circumspect in obeying God considering hee might be as well put out of it as hee was brought in if he brake Gods Law Thirdly that hee should haue no cause to accuse God of cruelty in putting him out of that place which by nature was due to him therefore hee returnes to the place from whence he came Q. Then why was Euah created in Paradise A. Because Adam out of whose side shee was taken was now in Paradise Secondly she is not now properly created but formed and framed out of Adams rib for when Adam was formed she was created potentia in him in respect the body of Adam was the matter of her body Q. Should man haue wrought in Paradise A. Yes but not for need and with trouble as now but with pleasure to keepe himselfe from idlenes Secondly thereby to stirre him vp the more to contemplate heauenly things And thirdly to try the diuers natures of grounds and of those things that grow on the ground Q. Doth these words You shall eate of euery tree of the garden containe a precept or a permission A. Not a precept but a permission for if God did command Adam to eate of euery tree he should haue bene tied to it Secondly man hath no need to be commanded to eate when he is hungry for hee can do that by nature Thirdly he knew that all the trees were created to that vse therefore he needs no commandement to eate Q. Was this commandement of not eating the tree of Knowledge of good and euill inioyned to Eua also Q. Yes for so shee confessed to the Serpent Secondly If she had not beene commanded to abstaine from it shee should not haue sinned in eating of it Q. How could this precept belong to Eua seeing she was not yet created A. It was first giuen to Adam and then by Adam it was deliuered to Eua. Q. Why did God forbid Adam to eate of this tree A. First To let him know that he was but a creature and seruant and therfore had a Lord whom he must serue and obey Secondly To let him see that hee had free will and power both to chuse and refuse any thing he pleased Thirdly To exercise him in obedience Q. But seeing God knew that Adam would violate this precept bring himselfe his posterity to perpetuall misery why would God inioyne it to him A. To make him inexcusable for he made him vpright and gaue him grace to obey if he would dedit Adamo posse si vellet non et velle et posse Secondly Although God knew that man would sinne yet hee did permit him because he was to conuert that sinne of Adam to his greater good in sending his Sonne into the world Thirdly hee suffered him to fall that his mercy and iustice might appeare the more Q. How is it vnderstood that whatsoeuer day Adam should eate of the Forbidden tree he should die A. He did not dye actually as soone as he had eaten the forbidden fruite but now he was subiect to death and the necessity of dying is layd vpon him Secondly hee may be sayd to dye actually that day because then the infirmities of body soule which are the fore-rūners causes of death actual did seaze vpon him so mortuus est morte inchoata sed non completa Q. Why did not God expressely threaten Adam with death eternall A. Because God in the old Testament speaketh but sparingly of death eternall and vnder shaddowes Secondly death corporal is better knowne to man not onely by faith and reason but also by experience then death eternal which onely is knowne by faith Thirdly hee would speake of such a death as did not onely belong vnto him but to all his posterity although they did repent and this is the death of the body whereof all are partakers Q. Why did God threaten Adam with death A. Because death is the greatest and most fearefull misery that can happen to man Secondly The name of death comprehends all the miseries and afflictions that doe befall man in this life because they are preparations to death Nam vt via ad generationem est generatio sic via ad interitum est mors Q. Then what death is meant here A. Both of body and soule temporall and eternall Q. How can death corporall bee a punishment for sinne seeing it proceeds of naturall causes as of contrary qualities A. It is not the punishment of sinne as it proceedes of naturall causes but in respect that God ordayned Adam to liue immortally if he had not sinned now hauing sinned death followes as the stipend of sinne Q. Why was it not good that man should bee alone A. Because man without the woman could not procreate children and so man-kinde could not bee multiplyed Secondly Christ could not haue come in the flesh Thirdly The Elect and Church of God could not haue increased if Adam had beene alone Q. How were the creatures brought to Adam A. Either by the helpe of Angels or by that naturall instinct which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which euery creature perceiueth what is good and bad for them Q. Why did God bring the creatures to Adam A. First To let him see how much hee did excel them and how much the more he should be thankefull Secondly Because hee was the Lord of the beasts God would haue him to see his seruāts Thirdly that he might name them Fourthly That posterity might know what excellent knowledge Adam had in giuing names to the creatures according to their kindes Q. Why were not the fishes brought to Adam A. Because they doe not so much resemble man as the beasts secondly because they could not be such a help to man as the beasts thirdly because they could not liue out of the water Q. Had
Why was the Diuell so earnest to teâ—â—â— Eua A. Because he hated God and would not haue man to glorifie but to anger him Secondly Because of his pride and enuy for hee could not abide that man should bee in such happinesse himselfe being in misery Q. Why did Adam eate of this fruit A. Partly through the instigation of his wife partly through curiosity desiring to try what kinde of sinne this should be which God did prohibit so Nâ—â—â—â— in vetitâ—â—â— semper cupiâ—â—â—sque negaâ—a Q. Was Adam deceiued also as the â—oâ—â—â— was A. No Adam was not seduced but the woman 1. Tim. 2. For Eua did not deceiue Adam because sâ—â—e thought all was true that Satan spoke but Satan deceiued Eua because he made her beleeue that which he knew himselfe was false Secondly Eua confessed that she was deceiued but Adam doth not say that he was deceiued but The woman gaue to me and I did â—aâ—e Q. Was the sinne of Adam and Eua the greatest sin that euer was committed A. If wee doe consider one sin with another then wee say that Adams sinne was not the greatest for the sin against the holy Ghost is greater but if we respect the circumstances of Adams sinne to wit the place Paradise where no occasion of sinne was the time when he sinned immediately after his creation at the first encounter yeelding to his enemy the excellency of the person that sinned Adam being created to Gods owne Image if wee regard also that infinite hurt and misery that hath faine vpon mankinde by that sinne of Adam we must confesse that it is the greatest sinne that euer man committed Q. Whether was the sinne of Adam or Eua greatest A. If we consider both their persons then Adam did sinne more grieuously because hee was wiser and stronger than Eua and he was the head of the woman for this cause saith the Apostle that by one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5. yet in two respects Eua's sin was greater than Adams first in that she did beleeue the Serpent more than God which Adam would not haue done secondly in that she did entice Adam to the same sinne Q. How were their eyes opened after the eating of this fruit A. They were not blinde before nor had they now more libertie of will than they had or greater knowledge but now they know euill by experience which before they knew by science and their eyes are sayd to be opened because they perceiue their nakednesse is ignominious and their affections inordinate which before were decent and holy Q. Why did they couer their members after the eating of the forbidden fruit A. Because they were ashamed of their nakednesse secondly by this they thought to hide their sinne but in vaine for none can hide sinne but God therefore blessed is he whose sinne is coâ—ered Psal 32. Q. Why did they couer their priuy members A. Because their inordinate lust beganne most to appeare heere secondly these are the instruments of generation which then became sinfull therefore all people are ashamed to see those parts because sinne comes by generation Hence circumcision the signe of regeneraon was on this part of the body Genesis 17. Q. Why did they take the leaues of the Figge tree A. Because the leaues of the Figge tree are broadest or else because their guilty consciences accusing them and being in feare they tooke of the leaues of this tree which was neerest Q. What is meant heere by the noyse of God A. This sometimes signifieth thunder Exodus 9. sometimes any sound Ezec. 12. sometimes Gods distinct voyce like thunder Iohn 12. here it signifieth some fearefull noyse and sound by which God would signifie that now he was comming to encounter with Adam Q. What signifieth the winde of the day A. This is a description of the euening for at the going downe of the Sunne in those places that are neere the Mediterranean Sea commonly the wind doth blow from the Sea and as God came to iudge Adam in the euening so will he come to iudge all mankinde in the euening of the world with the sound of the Trumpet Q. How did God speake to Adam heere A. God speaketh in Scripture sometime internally by his Spirit sometimes externally either by Angels or by men Heere then it is like that Christ spake in the forme of man for in this forme he did oftentimes appeare to the Fathers of old and in the fulnesse of time this word was made flesh and dwelt with vs. Q. Why did not God accuse Satan as hee did the man and thâ— woman A. Because Satan was already condemned for his pride but the other two were to receiue the sentence of condemnation therefore he would not condemne them till he had conuicted them Q. Whether did God course the Diuell or the Serpent A. He cursed both the Diuel mystically and the Serpent literally the diuell as the principal agent and the Serpent as his instrument but this curse is pronounced of the Serpent onely because it was the Serpent that Eua did see and speake to and the Diuell did lurke within the Serpent Q. How could the creeping on the belly and the eating of the dust be a punishment and a curse seeing this was naturall to the Serpent before mans fall A. The Serpents creeping before was pleasant now it is painefull then it was comely now it is base execrable and contemptible Q. Why did God curse the Serpent A. To augment Satans griefe the more who vsed him for his organ in this wicked tentation secondly because the Serpent being Satans instrument was the occasion of mans fall as the beast with whom any man did lie was to be stoned Leuit. 20. thirdly because by this God wil shew how much he abhorreth sinne in punishing for mans wickednes dumb and senslesse creatures therefore the earth was cursed for Adams sinne the beasts and fowles were drowned for the sinne of the first world the Cities that entice the Israelites to Idolatrie must be burnt yea the cattell and euery thing in those Cities Deut. 13. yea the dumbe creatures for mans sinne were daily offered vp in sacrifice Q. What is meant by the VVomans Seed and the Serpents seed A. By the Womans seed is meant especially Christ the Womans Seed according to the flesh and with him all the faithfull by the Serpents seed are meant both the rauenous beasts which naturally hate mankinde as also wicked men which are called Serpents in Scripture and generation of vipers Q. What is meant heere by the Head and the Heele A. By the Head of the Serpent is meant the power of the Diuell sinne and death by which he woundeth vs by the Heele is meant the humanity of Christ and his members which Satan did hurt by the death of the Crosse and woundeth yet by persecuting his members Q. How can the multiplication of the 〈◊〉 conceptions be a punishment for sinne A. The conceptions of the woman are a punishment because somtimes their
presence Ionas 1. But his presence doth signifie heere the place of his worship where he shewed his presence and that is his Church or else he went out of Gods presence that is he was depriued of Gods loue and fauour Q. Why did Caine build a Citie A. For his better security for hee was in continuall feare secondly because hee was worldly-minded placing his happinesse in the cities and forts of this world and not looking for that city whose builder and maker is God thirdly that he might the more securely tyrannize and prey vpon other mens goods and lands for he is the first King and Conquerour in the world and therefore Kings should not delight in conquering kingdomes with bloud lest they be counted the successours of Caine and Nimrod that mighty Hunter for Magna imperia sunt magna latrocinia Q. VVhen did Caine build this Citie A. Not when Henoch was borne for theâ— there was no great need to build seeing there were but few persons in the world but in his old age for Caine liued a long time and now man-kinde was greatly multiplied Q. VVhy did he call his Citie Henoch and not by his owne name Caine A. Because his owne name was odious to the world in respect of his murther therefore he would not disgrace his citie and those that dwelt therein secondly because he loued Henoch exceedingly therefore he would immortalize his name Q. How is it vnderstood that Iabel was the father of them that dwelt in tents and had cattell A. He was the inuenter of shepheardry of feeding of cattel now Abel being dead for tents heere signifie such tents as shepheards doe vse and not those that souldiers doe vse in warres Q. Who were the first Inuenters of Musicke and Smiths craft A. Not Pythagoras Linus Orpheus or Vulcan but Iubal and Tubal-Caine the posterity of Caine so wee see that in externall things Caine and his posterity were blessed as the wicked are generally in this life but the inheritance of the Saints is in heauen Q. Was it lawfull for Lamech to haue two wiues A. No for it was against the first institution of Marriage secondly against the law of Nature which doth shew that one should be content with one thirdly this pluralitie of wiues did arise of incontinency and lust and not of desire to propagate to the increase of the Church as many Saints haue done Q. What is meant by these words I would slay a man in my wound c A. Heere Lamech perceiuing that hee was hated for his cruelty braggeth to his wiues of his strength that although he were wounded yet hee were able to kill a man this hee did speake to make his wiues and others feare him the more the Hebrewes thinke that Lamech did kill Caine in the wildernes thinking him to be a wilde beast and perceiuing that it was Caine he killed also the yong man that deceiued him Q. What meaneth these words If Caine shall be auenged seuen-fold then Lamech c A. Either he speaketh this to affray others from killing him although he was a murtherer so making a derision of Gods iudgement hee had laid vpon Caine as if hee woulâ— say If he that killeth Caine shall be punished seuen-fold then he that killeth me shall be punished seuenty seuen-fold that is a great deale more or else by these words he seemeth to repent for his murther as if hee would say Was Caine punished so hardly for his murther then I am woorthy of a seuenty seuen-fold worse punishment Q. Was Sheth the third sonne of Adam or had 〈◊〉 â—â—y more besides those three mentioned in Genesis A. It is credible that in the space of an hundred and thirty yeeres for in the hundred and thirtieth yeere Sheth was borne Adam had many more children than those three because that Adam and Eue were created perfect and apt for procreation So also it was necessary that the world should be multiplied according to GODS Decree Increase and multiply But these three Moses onely nameth because of all the rest they were most eminent Abel the ripe of Christ and the Church which are Abels that is mourners in this life Caine the tipe of the diuell and his Church and the father of the wicked Sheth the origin and roote of the Church the Father of Christ yeâ— the origin of all mankind after the flood for Abel was killed and Caines posterity drowned Q. Why doth Eua say that God hath put another seed to me in stead of Abel speaking of Sheth and not of any other of her sonnes A. Because Sheth was likest Abel of all Eâ—â—'s children both in religion toward God vprightnes of life towards men and in loue and reuerence towards his Parents Q. What did Enoch signifie A. Sorrowfull or miserable hee also was a tipe of the Church which is pressed although not oppressed with sorrow and misery in this life Q. VVhy doth Moses say that in his dayes men began to call on the name of the Lord A. To signifie that now men began to worship God more publikely then they did before to exhort the people to repentance to preach openly but wee must not thinke that God was not worshipped at all till now for Adam did worship God and taught his sonnes Abel and Caine to sacrifice and Sheth also was an holy man and tipe of Christ and of the Church Questions on the fift Chapter Q. VVHy doth Moses rehearse the ten generations of Adam A. First to shew the genealogie of Christ the promised seed Secondly because hee is to speake of Enochs translation therefore hee would shew his generation Thirdly to shew that amongst these multitudes God had his Church although it was then small for God hath neuer wanted some since the creation who doe worship him and call vpon his name Q. Why doth Moses say here that God did both create and make man and what is meant by Adam here A. He doth distinguish creation from making for to be made is to be formed of some pre-existant matter but to be created is to bee produced of nothing then both these words he vsed to signifie the diuers poducing of the soule and body The soule is created because it is produced of nothing the body is made because of some thing and by Adam he meaneth both the man and the woman giuing them one name to signifie that they are both of one flesh Q. How is it vnderstood that Adam begat a sonne after his image A. First by his image we vnderstand his nature and substance Secondly his reason and power he had ouer all other creatures Thirdly the corruption of his nature so that now Adam being sinfull and mortall begetteth sinfull and mortall children then Sheth was begotten after the image of Adam a man indued with reason and dominion ouer the creatures subiect to sin and death as Adam Q. Why is it not sayd that Adam did begâ—â— Caine and Abel after his image A. Because a part of this image doth consist
in bearing rule ouer the creatures which dominion Abel had not being taken away by vntimely death and from Cain this power was taken away because he was accursed and the earth commanded not to yeeld her increase Q. What doth this name Sheth signifie A. To be set or appointed in stead of Abel and as Abel was the tipe of mortality so Sheth is the tipe of our resurrection for Adam seemed to be dead Abel being killed and Caine accursed but in the birth of Sheth he seemes to reuiue agâ—ine and as he in Sheth was reuiued so we all in Christ shal be made aliue and in that Adam giueth the same name to his son that Eua did they both testifie their faith and hope they haue in the promised Seed Q. Why are the yeeres of Adam and the rest â—â—lled dayes A. To signifie that although our life bee neuer so long it shall consume as dayes for all yeeres are composed of dayes therefore euery day we should be mindfull of Mortality and thinke that euery day is the last and wee must beseech God that hee would teach vs to number our dayes Q. What is the cause that Adam and the rest here named before the Floud liued so long A. First because they liued soberly and were contented with simple diet not pampering their bellies as now with variety of dishes Secondly the constitution of their bodyes were better then ours stronger and not subiect to diseases Thirdly they had more experience and skill in the nature of hearbes and fruits which they did eate then wee haue Fourthly the earth then brought forth excellenter hearbes for the food of man then it hath done after the Floud Fifthly God would haue them liue so long that Man-kinde might the more be multiplyed Sixthly that man might the more commodiously finde out Arts and Sciences which they could not doe without long experience Seuenthly the moderate teÌ„perature of the aire was then greater Eightly they did liue so long that Adam might teach them the Creation of the World his happines in Paradise and reiection from thence c. that the knowledge of God and religion might the better bee established amongst them and propagated by them Q. VVhat kinde of yeeres were those that Moses mentioneth heere A. Not the yeeres of the Moone which we call moneths for by this computation wee should confesse that Kenan and Enoch did beget sonnes and daughters before they were seuen yeeres olde and that Abraham being 17. yeeres of age was a very olde man but Moses meaneth the yeeres of the Sun which were equall with our yeeres as wee haue prooued in the Preface vpon the second book of our Iewish History Q. VVhy did Moses subioyne vnto euery one of their liues this particle and he died A. First to shew the ineuitable punishment and consequent of sinne vpon all Man-kinde And from hence we may conclude that euery one that dieth is a sinner euen children for death is the wages of sinne I except Christ who died not because he sinned but because he came to destroy sinne and death and Satan that hath the power of death Secondly to shew the vanity of this life which is so short Thirdly to put vs in minde of our mortality that we might prepare our selues for our end all must die euen those are gone that liued so long and although that wee thinke they liued many yeeres yet we may truely say that they did not liue one whole day for none of them liued 1000. yeeres which to God is as one day Q. VVhat is the cause of the great difference betweene the Hebrew copyes and the translation of the Septuagints in the computation of the yeeres betweene Adam and the Floud A. We cannot say that those seuenty Interpreters which Ptolemy did imploy in translating the Hebrew Bible into the Greeke tongue did erre in their computation seeing they vse no figures as the Greekes and Latines doe in this computation but they vse the names of their numbers But rather we thinke that those that copied out the translation of the Septuagints out of Ptolemeus Librarie did erre in mistaking the Greeke figures for one letter or figure may easily be mistaken for another or else they were somewhat negligent because they thought these numbers of yeeres not to bee necessary But wee must adhere to the Hebrew veritie or else if we follow the Septuagints in their computation wee must yeeld that Methusalem did liue after the Floud 16. yeeres which is directly against the truth of Gods Word which affirmeth that eight soules did onely escape the Floud that is Noah and his Family Q. Did Henoch die or not A. He did not die so witnesseth Paul Hebrews 11. and Moses also in this place for hee subioynes to euery one of their liues that liued before and after Henoch vntill the Floud and he died but of Henoch hee speaketh no such thing Q. Why did God translate Henoch that he should not see death A. First that he might assure the faithful of their resurrection and life eternall secondly because the world did degenerate came as it were to the height of impietie therefore he tooke him away left he had beene defiled with their wickednesse and so be made partaker of their plagues thirdly because God would shew the world how highly he esteemeth those that walke with him that is that obey loue and feare him Q. Whither was Henoch translated A. Not to the earthly Paradise for that was destroyed with the Floud but he was translated to that heauenly Paradise whereof Christ speaketh to the good Thiefe on the Crosse and whither Elias was caught now although be dyed not yet his translation was in stead of death Q. What signifieth Noe A. Rest which name his father Lamech gaue him because of the comfort hee should haue of him thinking that he was the promised Seed that should tread downe the Serpents head or rather because that he perceiued by the Spirit of prophecie that he should be the type of Christ For as Noe restored the world after the Floud so did Christ after the floud of his Fathers wrath restore the world to spirituall life secondly as Noe did build the Arke so hath Christ built the Church thirdly as Noe offered sacrifice whereby God smelled a sauour of Rest and said hee would curse the ground no more so in Christs Sacrifice which he offered on the crosse is the Father well pleased and he will not be angry with his Church for euer Q. How was Noe a comfort to Lamech concerning the sorrow and worke of his hands and touching the earth which the Lord cursed A. By Sorrow and the workes of our hands may be vnderstood sinne which is our owne worke as holinesse is the work of God by the earth which was cursed wee vnderstand the barrennesse of the ground and the hard labor of the husbandmen for the ground was cursed twice once for Adams sake and once for Caines but now Lamech comforteth himselfe that