shift us off here with a distinction of religious adoration one which is in the highest degree and so proper unto God another inferiour which may bee yeelded to Angels and Saints Contra. In that adoration which they yeeld unto Saints they doe the same things which they offer unto God as in consecrating of Altars Temples Holydayes unto them and they doe attribute unto them omnipresence and omniscience to know all things and to be every where present in a manner as they ascribe these things to God Ex Simler Morall Observations upon the first Commandement 1. Observ. The neglect of the honour and worship of God the cause of calamities in the world THis first precept which commandeth the worship of God teacheth what is the cause why the Lord punisheth the world with famine warre unseasonable weather scarcitie of the fruits of the earth even because his worship is neglected as the Lord saith by his Prophet Because of my house that is wast and you runne every man to his owne house therefore the heaven over you stayed it selfe from dew and the earth stayed her fruit Hag. 1.9 Cyprian to the same purpose thus elegantly writeth Quereris quòd nunc tibi minùs uberes fontes c. Thou complainest that now adayes the fountaines are not so flowing nor the aire so wholesome nor the raine so plentifull nor the earth so fruitfull c. Tu enim Deo servis per quem tibi cuncta deserviunt tu famularis illi cujus nutu tibi cuncta famulantur For doest thou serve God by whose meanes all things serve thee Doest thou wait on him by whose becke all things waite on thee Cyprian contra Demetrian Whereby we are admonished that when such calamities and judgements are in the world we should returne to our dutie and set up the worship of God and give him the praise then will hee in mercie returne unto us as hee saith by his Prophet Build this house and I will bee favourable in it Hag. 1.8 2. Observ. Not to trust in riches AGaine this precept reproveth them which put their trust or confidence in any thing beside the Lord as they doe which put confidence in man or repose their trust in riches And therefore the Apostle doubteth not to call the covetous man an Idolater Ephes. 5.5 because hee thinketh his life standeth in the abundane of riches David therefore exhorteth rich men If riches increase set not your heart upon them Psal. 62.11 3. Observ. Against those that run unto Witches and Soothsayers FUrther as in this Commandement witchcraft and all kinde of sorcerie is forbidden so also is it a wicked and abominable thing to seeke unto Witches and Soothsayers which is condemned by the Prophet Isay 8.19 When they shall say unto you enquire at them that have a spirit of divination and of the Soothsayers c. should not a people enquire after their God from the living to the dead For herein foolish people offend two wayes in forsaking God and running unto such meanes which cannot helpe them as the Prophet Ieremie saith My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters to digge them pits even broken pits that can hold no water Ierem. 2.13 So Ahaziah King of Israel sending to Baalzebub for recoverie of his hurt found therein no helpe and beside he shewed his infidelitie in not seeking unto the God of Israel 2 King 1.16 Vpon the second Commandement 1. Questions discussed QUEST I. What a graven Image is 4. THou shalt make thee no graven Image neither any similitude c. 1. Some in stead of sculptile graven read an Idoll and they make this difference betweene an Idoll and an Image or similitude An Idoll is a representation of a thing that is not neither hath any being in the world as if one should make the Image of a mans bodie with the head of a dog or a bodie with two faces such a shape Quam â—oâ—â—lus non vidit sed animus sibi fingit which the eye hath not seene but the minde imagineth they say is an Idoll a similitude or Image is of such things as are seene in the world and to this purpose they alleage that saying of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.4 We know that an Image is nothing in the world Gloss. ordin ex Origen Contra But this place of the Apostle is not rightly applied for there the Apostle speaketh in generall of all the Idols of the Heathen of what shape or fashion soever that they were aâ— nothing in the world that is vaine things which mens superstitions fancies had devised which saying of the Apostle is agreeable to that of Samuel where the Prophet exhorteth the people to serve the Lord And not to turne backe after vaine things which cannot profit you nor deliver you 1 Sam. 12.21 And further the word pesel here used signifieth any thing that is graven of pasal to grave Oleaster 2. This then is the difference betweene these two words pesel a graven Image and temunah a similitude or likenesse the first is a picture proportioned and fashioned out of stone wood or mettle and so carved and graven a similitude is an Image Picta in planiâ— superficiebus ex solis coloribus facta painted in plaine tables onely made of colours and these similitudes though they be evill yet Non tantum nocent sicut statuae doe not so much hurt as the other resemblances because these come nearer to â—he nature of things living and so may more easily deceive Tostat. quast 3. So also Lyran. 3. Some Hebrewes thinke that temunah signifieth any similitude either of things visible or invisible but Oleaster thinketh thaâ— the representation of things visible is rather understood by this word as Deut. 4.15 it is said Yee saw no 〈◊〉 in the day that the Lord spake unto you the first opinion is more probable because the invisible spirits as Angels use to be pictured as well as visible things QUEST II. What things a similitude must not be made of to worship THat are in heaven above c. 1. By this are forbidden first the worshipping of the celestiall bodies as the Sunne Moone and the Starres as is more at large shewed Deut. 4.19 for the Gentiles worshipped these whose corruption the Israelites followed as the Idolatrous Kings of Judah did dedicate houses to the Sunne 2 King 23.11 and the superstitious women did offer incense to the Moone whom they call the Queene of heaven Ierem 44.18 They were not then to make any similitude of these celestiall bodies to worship them Beside the fowles of the aire are comprehended under those things that are in heaven as it is explaned Deut. 4.17 Or the liknesse of any feathered fowle that flieth in the aire for the Gentiles also worshipped fowles and birds as the Eagle which they consecrated to Iupiter the Dove to Venus the Peacocke to Iuno the Raven to Phoebus the Bat to Minerva Tostat. quaest 4. 2. Neither were they to make
vestra quam privatim expertus sum ut liberiùs animi mei sensa palam expromerem vestrae enim humanitati sat sciâ— probatur Augustini consilium si quisquam est qui se non audet ingerere ad amicitiam faciendam cum aliquo nostro temporali honore aut dignitate revocetur offerendum est illi quadam commitate submissione animi quod petere per se ipse non audet desino jam plurib molestus esse excessi mensuram epistolae sed non excessi doloris modum ut ait Hieronym precor jam ut qua ipsi fratres conservos miseratione dignemini in terris ipsi abundè cumulatam apud misericordem patrem in coelis inveniatis Vestrae Reverentiae observantiss ANDREAS WILLETTVS THE FIRST BOOKE OF MOSES CALLED GENESIS CHAP. I. The Analysis or Logicall resolution IN this Chapter Moses treateth of the creation of the world first in generall how God created heaven and earth vers 1. then in particular in the rest of the Chapter where wee have the severall workes of God and their severall approbations that they seemed good unto the Makeâ— The severall workes are distinguished into six dayes and in every dayes worke there are foure things to bee observed the authority whereby they are made as v. 3. The Lord said Let there be light c. the obedience of the creature in being made and there was light thirdly the approbation of the Creator v. 4. God saw that the light was good fourthly the distinction of the worke vers 5. The evening and the morning were the first day and so of the rest of the dayes workes Againe the order of the particular creation is this God createth the workes and câ—eatures without sense afterward the sensitive and living creatures the first are either the superiour and celestiall as the light made the first day the firmament the second the contents of the firmament the Sunne Moone and Starres the fourth day or the inferiour creatures as the earth with the trees plants and herbs the third day The sensitive creatures are either unreasonable as the fishes and fowles made the fifth day v. 20. the beasts and cattell made the sixth day or the reasonable creatures man and woman made the sixth day In the framing and bringing forth of man there is set forth first the consultation of the Trinity v. 26. Let us make man c. then the creation wherein is to be considered the substance and forme of mans creation according to Gods owne image v. 27. the endowment of man created in his preheminence and domination over all other creatures vers 28. his increase and procreation bâ—ing forth fruit and multiply his maintenance and preservation vers 29. I have given unto you every herb c. that shall be to you for meat The Genesis or Grammaticall construction where the translations differ v. 1. God created b.g. T.H.p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made s bara created heb v. 2. was without forme b.g. T. empty H. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible s solitudo vast solitary p. tohu heb 3. moved upon the waters b.g. incubabat did sit upon T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was carried upon c. s. motabat did flutter upon H. p. rachaph 6. the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b.g. H.p.s. expansum the broad or spread heaven T. heb rachang to spread 11. bud and herb b. bud of the herb g. herbam virentem greene herb H. herbam teneram tender herb or grasse T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the herb of grasse s. bud herb p. heb seeding seed g.s. T.p. heb making seed H. apt to seed b. 12. after his kinde and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his likenesse This is added by the septuagint 18. to rule in the day g. to rule the day b. T.H.p. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule the day s.p. heb 20. let the waters bring forth b. H. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s. bring forth in abundance g. T. bring forth as wormes that is in abundance p. heb sharats 29. every tree b.g. T.p. heb gnets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lignum every kinde of wood bearing fruit s. H. 3. The Exegesis or Theologicall explication of doubtfull questions and obscure places QVEST. I. What the heaven and earth was created in the beginning vers 1. Vers. 1. IN the beginning God made heaven and earth c. 1. Moses here doth not onely generally or summarily set downe the creation of the world which afterward is described in particular which was the opinion of Chrysostome remembred by Augustine lib. 2. cont Manich. c. 3. 2. Nor yet doe we understand a certaine first matter whereof the heaven and earth were afterward made as Augustine seemeth to thinke lib. 1. Genes cont Manich. c. 7. and one Philastrius Bishop of Brixia doth affirme it to be heresie to say that this was the element of the earth afterward created but another earth as the matter whereof other things were made catalog haeres 3. Neither yet do we approve the opinion of the Schoolemen which by the heaven understand only Coelum empyreum the highest heaven above the starrie skie the seat of the Angels and blessed Spirits and by the earth a confused substance whereout other things were formed afterward of which opinion were Alcuinus Rabanus Lyranus Tostatus Catharinus with others for Moses specially intendeth to set downe the creation of things visible and David expounding Moses speaketh of these heavens here created which should perish Psal. 102.25 which are not those highest heavens subject to no change 4. Neither yet doe wee here exclude the creation of those invisible heavens with Mercerus but in this word comprehend as well the invisible as visible heavens Colos. 1.16 Iun. 5. This heaven and earth then here mentioned to bee created in the beginning are the same heaven and earth which are now comprehending the generall matter and seed whereout all other things in heaven and earth were made first created in the matter afterward perfected in forme and lastly beautified with their ornaments this then was the order of the creation First the same heaven and earth were created in a confused substance and unformed matter then the forme was added in the first and second dayes workes Lastly the ornaments produced as trees and plants and beasts in the earth starres in the skie fishes in the sea fowles in the aire Thus S. Paul expoundeth Moses that God made the heaven and earth Act. 14.15 God made the world Acts 17.24 so that this heaven and earth first made was no other than the world though not yet set in perfect order Of this opinion are Basil Ambrose Theodoret and most of the ancient Writers QVEST. II. What beginning Moses speaketh of Vers. 1. IN the beginning c. 1. This is neither to be understood as Iohn saith in the beginning was the word for there hee speaketh of a beginning without a beginning that is from everlasting but this was the
beginning of the creation or being of things 2. Neither is it to be understood causally in the beginning that is for the beginning as for Israels cause or for the law as the Hebrewes for God created all things for himselfe Prov. 16.4 It is also a forced exposition by this beginning to understand Christ although the doctrine bee most sound that all things were created by him 4. Nor yet as Abeâ— Ezra is this clause in the beginning used here syntactice in construction with the next word as though this should be the sense in the beginning of creating or when God created and so the sense should bee suspended till the second or third verse for then hee would have said barâ— in the infinite not bara in the praeâ—ertence as it is vsed Chap. 5.1 5. Wherefore Moses saith in the beginning in respect of the things created that in that beginning when God purposed to create the world hee made first heaven and earth of nothing Mercer Iunius QVEST. III. Hebrewes curious observations Vers. 1. GOd created heaven and earth c. 1. The Hebrewes have here many curious observations which I will not stand upon as 1. by the letters of the two first words bereshith bara they note the time from the beginning of the world untill the Messiah Aleph and beth signifie 3000. râ—sh shin tau 900. jod 10. that is â—910 which doth not much differ from the just time according to the computation of some from the creation to the Messiah 2. They note the duration or continuance of the world for 6000. yeeres because aleph is six times found in the first verse 3. By the 7. words of the first verse they would have signified the 7. dayes of the weeke and the 7. planets These observations are more curious than profitable 2. So is that question which is controversed among the Rabbins whether the heaven or earth were made first they thinke that heaven being first named was first made but that reason is not firme for the earth is named before the heavens Gen. 2.4 and the manner of the Scripture is to mention that last which is treated of first as in the second verse Moses beginneth againe to speake of the earth Paguin Wherefore it is most like that God made the heavens and earth together in their first matter as the cup and the cover as in an egge the yolke and the white as in a circle the center and circumference Mercer And this first creating of the heaven and earth was a part of the first dayes worke Luther For otherwise the Lord had not made all things in six dayes contrary to the Scripture Exod. 20.11 QVETS IIII. How the earth is said to be without forme and void Vers. 2. THe earth was without forme 1. The earth is here so called by way of preoccupation for it was not yet so called till the third dayes worke vers 10. Vatab. 2. The heaven was also without his forme though not altogether so confused as the earth for there being no light yet created both the heaven and earth were unformed and imperfect 3. The earth is said as yet to be tohu and bohu emptinesse and vacuity this tohu was not that materia prima which the Philosophers dreamed of and bohu to be the forme of things not yet applied to the matter as though the heavens and earth had beene made of some precedent matter whereas indeed God made the heaven and earth of nothing which long continued not in this imperfect estate the light being the same day created 4. The darknesse here spoken of was neither the element of fire as some Hebrewes imagine which if it bee is bright and transparent neither is it the same with tohu before mentioned as R. Levi neither was it any thing created and a farre greater darknesse than that which afterward was called the night wherein there is some light of the starres but it was a meere privation of light afterward created 5. The waters here mentioned which covered the deepe as a garment in the beginning Psal. 104. 6. were before comprehended vnder the name of earth as all the inferiour elements beside as the superiour parts of the world are insinuate by the heaven Mercer QVEST. V. What is meant by the Spirit moved upon the waters THe Spirit of God moved c. By the Spirit here 1. wee neither understand an Angell which is the dreame of Cajetanus for God needed not the ministery of Angels in making the world 2. Nor yet the wind as Tertullian lib. cont Hermog 3. Nor the aire as Theodoret. qu. 8. in Genes If God had no use of the Angels to make the world much lesse of inferiour creatures 4. But this was the Spirit of God whereby the creatures were fostered and formed Iob. 26.13 His Spirit hath garnished the heavens QVEST. VI. What was the light created the first day Vers. 2. GOd said let there be light c. Some doe thinke that this was a spirituall no naturall or corporall light August lib. 1. in Genes ad lit c. 3. Rupert 1. lib. de Trinitat c. 10. but that cannot be seeing this light made a visible and apparent difference betweene the day and night 2. Some thinke it was the perfect light of the Sunne which was created the first day but afterward rehearsed to bee made in the fourth Catharinus but this is contrarie to the text for the Sunne was made the fourth day 3. Others thinke that it was a bright and lightsome cloud which was carried about and gave light to the world as Beda Lyranus Magister Sentent c. 4. Others that it was a light without a subject afterward fastened to the body of the Sunne as Basil. homil in Genes 6.5 Others that it was an exceeding bright shining light such as no mortall nature could behold being whole and altogether and therefore it was afterward dispersed into divers bodies of the Sunne Moone and Starres so Nazianzene Theodoret qu. 14. in Genes 6. Some thinke it was the light of the Sunne yet imperfect afterward perfected inlarged and beautified Aquinas part 1. qu. 67. art 4. Thus we see how variable and inconstant mens opinions are when they search into curious matters and enquire after hid things but it sufficeth us to know that God made the light before the Sunne that we should not attribute that to the creature which was the worke only of the Creator what manner of light it was where placed how it moved how long it continued because in Scripture there is no certainty busily to search it were curiosity it is most like that it was a certaine light which was not extinguished when the Sunne was created but rather increased Vatab. Mercer And it is not unlike but that this light proceeded from the element of fire as thinketh Damascene lib. 2. de sid c. 7. and Iunius as an effect thereof and whereas it may be objected that this light was moveable from one hemispheare to another as causing
of the aire Hereunto agreeth the name given unto heaven which is called shamaiim of sham and maiim there is water which agreeth first unto the inferiour region of the aire where the raine is ingendred This name also is applied to the higher heavens also because the eye maketh no difference betweene them Mercer QVEST. XI How the waters were gathered together that covered the earth Vers. 9. GOd said againe let the waters vnder heaven bee gathered together into one place and let the dry land appeare and it was so Out of these words divers questions are moved not unnecessary to be knowne nor unprofitable to be handled which shall be touched in their order First it is enquired how the waters and whether they were gathered together which before covered the face of the whole earth 1. Some thinke that the earth was this second day created and by the earth mentioned v. 1. that matter is understood whereof the world was afterward made Of this opinion is the Master of sentences and Hugo lib. 1. de sacramentis but wee refuse it because the Lord saith not let there bee earth as when hee maketh other things but onely let the dry land appeare whereby it is evident that the earth was made before but now severed from the waters 2. Some thinke that the earth was equall and plaine without hils and mountaines that the waters might more speedily run together and that this inequality that now is of the ground begun after the flood but this conceit is contrary to the Scriptures Gen. 7.10 The waters prevailed fifteene cubits above the mountaines Prov. 8.25 Wisdome was begotten before the mountaines and hils therefore in the beginning there were both mountaines and hils 3. Others imagine that the waters were dried up by the fervent heat of the Sun and that the Northerne parts of the earth began to appeare first as the higher ground and the rest of the earth by little and little Eugubinus in Cosmopeia 4. Others that the earth was dried by a mighty winde as it was after the deluge see Tostatus But neither of these two opinions are probable for the dry earth appearing all at once was so prepared by a greater power than either of the Sun or wind which could not worke it at once and hardly in continuance of long time 5. Some thinke that the waters did run together and cover the other part of the earth opposite to this where wee dwell as Augustine seemeth to thinke lib. 16. de civitate dei c. 9. But the experience of skilfull Navigators as of sir Francis Drake Master Candish with others who by their famous travels haue compassed the wide Ocean hath found that part of the world to bee habitable as ours is and not to bee under the water 6. Paulus Burgens hath a strange device of this matter he thinketh that the water maketh a globe by it selfe and hath his proper center and so likewise the earth and this is the cause why the earth appeared dry because the water did forsake the land and was gathered to his owne center in addition ad postil Nicol. de Lyra. But this opinion is very false and absurd First for that the text saith that the water at the first covered the earth v. 1. and so made but one globe with the earth pressing to the same center unlesse he will say that God made a new kind of water the second day and indued it with new qualities which cannot be affirmed Secondly Isay 40.22 The Lord is said to sit upon the circle of the earth the word is chugh a spheare or circle as Iob 22.14 He walketh in the circle of heaven But experience sheweth that the earth without the sea maketh not a round globe or circle 7. Some thinke that the Sea is much higher than the land and so the waters were gathered as it were to a great heape that the dry land might appeare Thus Basil thinketh and Ambrose in his Hexemâ—ron l. 3. c. 2. but that this is not so it shall be shewed in the next question 8. Wherefore leaving these uncertaine opinions I rather incline to think that these might be the meanes and causes of the appearing of the dry land and separation of the waters First the water while it compassed the earth being of a lighter and thinner matter might be coagulate together and thickned as we see the sea water is of a grosser substance than the fresh water so be contained in a lesse compasse than before so Augustine lib. 1. de Genes ad literam 12. and Beda in his Hexemer Secondly the clouds being made this second day and the region or stretching forth of the aire called the firmament brought into fashion it is no other like but that a great part of the water was extenuate and evaporate into the aire and clouds a daily experiment whereof we have by the conversion of the mists clouds into water Thirdly the earth being much greater and deeper than the circumference of the water which compassed the earth might easily receive the water into the concavities and hollow places thereof which were appointed of God to bee receptacles for the water And that the earth is of a greater depth than the water that did at the first cover it thus it may appeare by taking the iust measure of the compasse oâ— the earth and so of the diameter that is the through measure thereof Then for the compasse circuit of the earth Aristotle affirmeth it to containe 50000 Italian miles â—ib 2. de coelo Hypparchus as Pliny witnesseth 34625. miles Eratosthenes 31500. miles Ptolome 22500. whom Basil followeth Alphragâ—nus 21500. Pharnelius 24514. But of late they which have compassed the whole Ocean doe find the circuit of the earth to bee but 19080. nineteene thousand and fourescore miles And the diameter thereof is found to be 7000. miles the semidiameter or space from the center of the earth to the circumference 3500 miles Now what the depth of the water was above the earth may be conjectured by the height of the middle region of the aire which is found by Mathematicians not to exceed 60. miles as they gather both by the twilights which extend no further and by the distance of meteors and exhalations which appeare in the aire Now the earth so far exceeding the water in depth might easily receive it into the hollow places concavities thereof which also is insinuated by the Hebrew word Kava that here signifieth to congregate or gather together from whence the latine word Cavus hollow may seeme to be derived as Pererius well noteth And this lastly is Ambrose conjecture that God did enlarge the low places of the earth and the force also of the waters might make them deeper lib. 3. Hexem c. 2. And this is agreeable to the Scripture Ps. 104.8 The waters descend to the place which thou hast founded for them the word Iasadh signifieth to lay a foundation
so that God did make a low foundation for the waters in the earth And in the same place the Prophet sheweth the manner how the waters were dispersed that wheras they covered the earth as a garment and stood vpon the mountaines at the rebuke of God they did flee and ascended by the mountaines and went downe by the vallies to the place appointed for them 104. v. 6 7 8. QVEST. XII Whether the Sea be higher than the earth SEcondly we are to enquire whether the Sea be higher than the earth which was as I shewed the opinion of Basil and Ambrose with others that thinke that the waters are kept by Gods extraordinary power and miraculous work that they returne not to cover the earth and that place is alleaged Psal. 104.6 The waters stand above the mountaines v. 9. Thou hast set them their bounds which they shall not passe c. and Ierem. 5.22 Will ye not feare my presence which haue set the sand for the bounds of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof rage yet can they not prevaile c. For answer hereunto we say that in the first place the Prophet speaketh of the first situation of the waters above the earth and hils before by Gods commandement they went to their place In the next the Prophet speaketh not of any myraculous worke against nature but of the ordinary providence of God by naturall meanes keeping backe and bounding the Sea as the Prophet giveth the like instance of the raine vers 24. They say not in their heart let us feare the Lord that giueth raine in due season early and late and reserveth the appointed weekes of harvest All these workes shew the watchfull providence of God not by miracle but by the naturall course of the creatures preserving the world Indeed the water in the red sea stood up like a wall by a miraculous worke and in Noahs deluge the sea ouerflowed the earth by an extraordinary work but now the sea is kept in by his naturall banks bounds as with swadling bands Iob 38.9 But whereas Ambrose to prove the Sea higher than the earth alleageth how Sesostrâ—s King of Aegypt and Darius afterward would have cut the earth and joyned the Aegyptian and the red Sea together they finding the red sea higher by three cubits than the land of Aegypt fearing the inundation of the whole countrey left off from their purpose Ambr. lib. 3. Hexemer c. 3. First it is true that these Kings attempted to bring Nilus into the red sea and ceased from their enterprise upon that erroneous conceit yet afterward the Ptolomies Kings of Aegypt as Strabo writeth effected that worke and made a passage out of Nilus into the red sea without any such danger of inundation Secondly though it were granted that the red sea were higher than the plaines of Aegypt it followeth not that it should be higher than all the earth So then our opinion is that the earth is higher than the sea and that this is more agreeable to the Scripture 1 Psal. 107.23 They are said to goe downe to the sea in Ships as to the lower place 2 Psal. 24.2 Hee hath founded the earth super maria above the Seas ergo not under them 3. Eccles. 1.7 All the rivers goe into the Sea but the water hath his naturall course downward Now whereas the ships sailing upon the seas seâ—me to one standing upon the shoare as floting aloft the reason thereof is because the sea being a plaiâ—◠〈◊〉 liquid element doth more easily shew the round compasse thereof rising to the fashion of a globe 〈…〉 earth being uneven full of hils and dales QVEST. XIII How the waters were gathered into one place THe third question is how the waters are said to bee gathered into one place seeing there bee 〈…〉 lakes rivers and fountaines that are farre asunder First we may answer with Basil that this 〈…〉 is not to be vnderstood of every collection and gathering of water but only of the sea which though it be diuers in name yet it is continued together one sea being perpetually joyned with another unlesse it bee the Caspian Sea which some thinke to be filled by the Northerne Ocean as Strabo Pliny Basill others that it is fed only by â—ivers and emptied againe by the secret passages of the earth as Herodotus in Clio. Aristot. lib. 2. Meteor And Ambrose hereto agreeth that like as all the earth except certaine Ilands maketh one continent as Spaine Syria Africa so the sea being joyned together maketh but one general collectioÌ„ of water Some other thinke that the waters are gathered into one place because as Salomon saith All rivers though they have divers heads run into the sea Eccles. 1.7 Or else we may say that the waters are gathered into one place that is a place separated and divided from the habitable earth so that the waters have not one place in respect of their divers divisions but because they are severed from their earth into their proper places QVEST. XIV Whether the earth be founded upon the waters THe fourth question is whether the earth be founded upon the waters which was the opinioÌ„ of Thales among the Philosophers of Chrysostome among the Christians Which opinion seemeth to be favoured by two places of Scripture Psal. 24.2 He hath founded it upon the Seas 2 Pet. 3.5 The earth was of the water by the water by the word of God For the first place Basil so understandeth it that upon the Seas flouds should signifie in the waters because the earth was first in and under the water Augustine referreth it to the Ilands and promontories that doe hang over the sea lib. 2. de Gâ—nes c. 5. Euthymius thinketh it is meant of the secret passage of the water that run within the earth But the meaning of that place is evident to bee this that the earth is founded not upon but above the waters so the Hebrew word gnal signifieth supra aboue and so we see as waâ— noted before out of Augustine that the dry land hangeth over the sea For the other place of S. Peter the earth is said to be of the water not as though it was made of the water but because it was made to appeare out from the water which before covered it the other part of the sentence is not well translated by the water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the water as 1 Pet. 3.20 Noe is said to bee saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the water but in the water And so the earth may be well said to be in the water because the whole continent being lesse in compasse than the Ocean seemeth to be as a great Iland in the sea But that the earth hath not his foundation upon the waters it is evident both by experience because we see the earth to be the heavier element and so to have his situation lowest as also
by the Scripture Iob 26.7 He hangeth the earth upon nothing then not upon the waters Psal. 104.5 He hath set the earth upon her foundation c. that it cannot be moved the earth hath no foundation but of it owne by the word of God and seeing the earth is immoveable it is not like to be founded upon the waters which are moveable QVEST. XV. Whether the dry land was caused to appeare upon the second or third day Vers. 9. GOd said againe 1. Some thinke that this was part of the second dayes worke the causing of the dry land to appeare as Aben Ezra to whom subscribeth Mercerus their reasons are these 1. because it is said Gen. 2.4 that in one day God made the heavens and the earth Ans. This is spoken of the heaven and earth which were made in the beginning on the first day Gen. 1.1 2 because the approbation of this worke omitted before in the second day is inserted here vers 10. Answ. This approbation God saw that it was good is omitted before not because Gehenna was made the second day and thâ— Angels fell then as the Hebrewes imagine nor because two is the beginning of division as Hierome for this division was good whereas the creatures were in confusion before nor yet for that the second dayes worke was not yet ended as Aben Ezra but because the worke begun upon the second day was finished upon the third For the which cause this approbation is omitted in the first verse when as yet the heavens and earth were created in their â—ude and imperfect state 2. It is therefore more probable that this appearing of the drie land was part of the third dayes worke and that the second dayes worke was finished not so much because this worke beginneth with vaiomer and God said which is used sometime in the beginning of a new worke upon the same day as vers 26. but for that vers 8. this conclusion is added the evening and the morning was the second day which is an evident distinction of the severall dayes workes To say with Aben Ezra that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here to be admitted that to be set downe last which was done first is to force and racke the story QVEST. XVI Of the divers kinds of trees and plants created out of the earth Vers. 11. THen God said let the earth bud forth c. 1. God caused the earth to bring forth these things without helpe of the Sunne or Starres which were not yet made as hee caused the light to shine in the first day without the ordinarie instrument thereof the Sunne Iun. 2. Although God speaketh to the earth yet it hath no understanding or will to obey as some Philosophers imagine but God worketh this by his power Mercer 3. Here are three kindes of plants and fruits brought out of the earth the bud the herb the tree which some distinguish into herbs shrubs and trees Vatablus maketh the bud and herb to be all one the first so called in the sprouting thereof the other in the perfection but they differ rather thus desheh is that kinde which the earth bringeth forth of it owne accord gnesheh that which beareth seed and is set and planted by the industry of man gnetz is that kinde of greater plants which are called trees Iun. 4. Whereas the earth is bid to bring forth gnetz peri the tree of fruit Rob. Sel. his note is ridiculous that God would have had the trees to bee all fruit and not only bearing fruit and because the earth did not bring forth such it was afterward accursed Likewise R. Isaak his collection is curious that would have this clause understood only of the trees of paradise as though there were no fruit-bearing trees without paradise Mercer 5. Neither had the earth onely power given to bring forth these kindes of fruits but it both brought them forth in act and had power given to continue the propagation of them Mercer Calvin And therefore it is added fruitfull trees bearing fruit that is which even then came forth with fruit for the present use of man Iun. 6. Neither yet as Basil thinketh all trees were made fruitfull in the beginning which afterward became barren when the earth was cursed But either Moses speaketh of the fruitfull trees as more principall or even those trees which beare not fruit yet because they are profitable for medicine or other uses may also be numbred among the fruitfull trees or rather they may bee comprehended among those trees that beare their seed though no fruit of such kinde are ashes willowes and such like QVEST. XVII Whether the world were created in the spring or autumne Vers. 12. ANd the earth brought forth the bud of herb Some would prove by this that the world was made in the Autumne because the trees were created with ripe fruit Concerning this matter there are three opinions 1. Mercator thinketh that the world was made in Iulie and his chiefe reason is taken from Noahs floud where the beginning of the yeere he would have to bee in Julie because in the eleventh moneth which he supposeth to bee in May when the olive beginneth to put forth the dove brought greene olive leaves Contra. 1. There is no mention made of greene leaves Gen. 8.11 the word is gnaloh which Hierome translateth elsewhere frondes olivae branches of olive Nehem. 8.16 such as they made bowers of and the Septuagint cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dry stalke it might be then some branch of the olive tree rather than the leaves 2. Admit that the branch or stalke had leaves this is no argument of the spring in May for the olive loseth not her leaves as other trees Plin. lib. 16. c. 20. and therefore as Chrysostome thinketh the olive might remaine greene under the water for it is unlike that the olive in seven dayes should have new leaves for seven dayes before the dove was sent forth and could finde nothing 2 Other doe thinke that the world was made in the Autumne in the moneth Tisri 1. because that moneth was the beginning of the yeere as Iosephus thinketh before Moses by a new institution appointed Nisan which answereth to part of March and April to be the first moneth and therefore it is called the end of the yeere Exod. 34.22 from whence they began the account of the Jubile 2. And beside they use this as another reason because in the autumne the fruit of trees and plants as grapes apples are ripe and not before Contra. 1. It might bee that the Israelites accounted the beginning of their yeere according to the manner of the Egyptians among whom they lived who began their yeere in the moneth Ptho which answereth to September as the Athenians did in the moneth Hecatombaion which is in June but it cannot bee shewed that this reckoning was observed from the beginning It is indeed called the end of the yeere because all the fruit of
the yeere past was then gathered and seed time began anew and so it is with us the autumne is counted the beginning of the yeere for matters of husbandry and yet wee in the computation of yeeres begin in the spring at the Annuntiation It is true also that the yeere of Jubile then tooke beginning but it is notwithstanding called not the first but the seuenth moneth Levit. 25.10 the reason is why it began then because all workes of husbandry and labours of servants which then used to begin did cease in the Jubile 2. Concerning the other objection of ripe fruit we shall not need to answer as some doe that the fruit did hang still upon the trees till the autumne or that some trees in Paradise bare fruit in the spring some in the autumne or that they might beare fruit twice in the yeere as Plinie reporteth of India and Solinâ—â—s of the Island Teprobane but I rather thinke this first bearing of fruit being supernaturall that the trees againe bare fruit the same yeere according to their naturall course And this may seeme to bee gathered by S. Iohns allusion to the tree of life that bare fruit every moneth Revel 22.2 that in the beginning trees did beare fruit in the yeere more than once 3. I thinke it therefore more probable that the world was created in the spring for these reasons 1. Ambrose useth this reason upon these words germinet terra let the earth bud forth the bud of the herb Dedit formam fructus c. God gave and prescribed a forme for the fruits to grow ut initio cujusque anni that in the beginning of every yeere herbs should sprout forth This we see to be done only in the spring 2. He useth also another reason Vt ostenderet Scriptura veris tempora in constitutione mundi ait mensis hic vobis initium mensium to shew that it was spring when the world was made the Scripture saith this shall be unto you the beginning of moneths Moses then brought in no new institution but it is more like he revived the old use of beginning the yeere from March which was discontinued in Egypt by another custome of that country 3. Further whereas God blessed the creatures and bid them increase and multiply which blessing presently tooke effect who knoweth not that for most kinds of creatures especially the fish and fowle the fittest time to engender and increase is in the spring And whereas God gave them the greene herb for meat it is not like that presently the greene herb with frost and cold began to wither and decay Adam also was thrust out of Paradise to till the ground but the spring time is apter for tilling than the autumne or winter season 4 Beda beside his owne opinion maketh mention of a synode holden in Palestina by Theophilus Bishop of Cesarea wherein it was agreed that the world was made in the spring and that Christ was crucified the same day that Adam was created at which time he also transgressed that the first Adam herein might be a type of the second 5. This also may be proved by comparing the time of Noahs floud with the time of the creation for seeing there are accounted full yeeres 1656. from the creation to the deluge they must fall out both about the same season But that the floud came in the spring not in the autumne may appeare by divers reasons which I reserve for that place Chap. 8. quest 10. And of this opinion that the world was made in March Pererius nameth many though he dissent from them as Eusebius Cyrillus Hierosolym Athanasius Nazianzen Damascen Ambrose Beda with others About this question there is a great controversie betweene two famous Rabbins R. Iosua who holdeth the world to be made in the spring and R. Eleazer in the autumne but the other opinion is more probable as I have shewed QVEST. XVIII When the Sunne and Moone were created Vers. 14. GOd said let there be lights in the firmament c. 1. These lights then were neither made the first day and but placed now in the firmament as the Hebrewes thinke 2. Neither was the Sunne made the first day the Moone the next the Stars the third as Eugubinus but they were all made upon the fourth day 3. Neither yet doe we thinke that the celestiall bodies were made in order as Basil conceiveth but rather that they were created all at once Mercer 4. And whereas the light created the first day is called Or but the Starres are called meoroth as of the light hence it may appeare that these lightsome bodies were made the receptacles of that light then created which was now increased and united to these lights Mercer rather than to thinke that the element of fire was that first light as Iunius 5. But wee explode those Jewish fantasies that the Sunne and Moone were created of equall light in the beginning but when the Moone envied the light of the Sunne God brought it into subjection and ordered that from thenceforth the Moone should receive light of the Sunne and of the light starre-beames which the Moone was deprived of they say God made the rest of the lesser Starres ex Mercer QVEST. XIX Of the greatnesse of the Sunne and Moone Vers. 16. GOd made two great lights That these two great lights are the Sunne and Moone there is no question and that the Sunne is the greatest of all the celestiall bodies it is also questionlesse Anaxagoras did hold the Sunne much greater than Peloponesus a countrey in Grecia Anaximander to be as big as the earth Plutar. lib. 2. de placitis Philosophor c. 21. but since the Mathematicians have found that the Sunne exceedeth the earth in bignesse 166. times and none of the other Starres which they call of the first magnitude whereof there are 15. to exceed the earth above 18. times The Moone though some among the heathen have judged it bigger than the earth as the Stoikes and equall to the Sunne as Parmenides and some among the Christians have thought it in bignesse next to the Sunne because it is here trained to bee a great light as Basil upon this place and Augustine yet since by more diligent search it is found to be lesse than the earth 39. times and to be the least of all the Starres except Mercurie Moses therefore here speaketh according to the opinion and capacity of the vulgar sort to whose sight the Moone seemeth greatest next to the Sunne because it is nearest of all the Starres to the earth and for that it is greatest in operation and hath the government of the night The reason of the greatnesse of these lights is their farre distance from the earth Empedocles saith the Moone is twice so farre from the Sunne as it is from the earth but the Mathematicians say it is 18. times so farre from the Sunne Eraâ—osthenes affirmeth the Sunne to be 804000000. furlongs distant from the earth
the text saith I haue given you every tree c. For 1. it is evident out of the Scripture that divers kinds of trees were created in Paradise for beauty and ornament which bare no fruit for food as the Cedar and Firre tree Ezek. 31.8 The Cedâ—rs in the garden of God could not hide him no Firre tree was like his branches 2. This generall permission to eat of every tree concludeth not a necessity of fruit-bearing in every tree but a liberty to eat of all which were fit for food excepting only the tree of knowledge of good and evill Gen. 2.17 QVEST. XXXV Whether the flesh of beasts were eaten before the floud LIkewise we refuse the opinion of Beda that neither man nor beast did eat of any flesh but onely of the fruits of the earth before the floud neither doe wee allow the iudgement of Thomas Aquinas who thinketh that the beasts which are now devourers of flesh should have used that kind of food in the state of mans innocency 1. part quaest 96. artic 1. The latter opinion wee reiect because if man had not transgressed there should have beene no death in the world Rom. 5.12 Sinne entred into the world by one man and death by sinne if there should have beene no death in the world because no sin I see not how death should have entred upon other creatures especially this violent death by slaughter as the Apostle also saith Rom. 8.22 That every creature groaneth with us and travelleth in paine together to this present so that this bondage of paine and corruption which maketh man and beast groane together was laid upon them together Neither doe I see how Basils opinion can stand hom 11. in Gen. that man in his innocency though hee should not have used the beasts for food yet might haue slaine them to take knowledge of their inward parts and to helpe his experience that wayes or it should have beene lawfull unto him to kill them in hunting for his delight as Pererius thinketh lib. 4. in Gen. p. 663. for this slaughter and killing of beasts upon what occasion soever whether for food for knowledge or pleasure belongeth unto the bondage of corruption which by sin was brought into the world The other opinion seemeth probable especially because of these two places of Scripture first for that the beasts and fowles lived in the Arke not of flesh but of other food than usuall as Noah is bidden to take of all meat that was eaten Gen. 6.21 for there being only one couple of uncleane beasts and seven couple of cleane preserved in the arke out of these there could not be food of flesh sufficient for the rest and after the cattell went out of the Arke there was no other food for them all flesh being destroyed but onely by the fruits of the earth Secondly the first permission to eat flesh that we reade of was after the floud Gen. 9.3 Everything that moveth and liveth shall be meat for you as the greene herb But these objections may be easily answered To the first we answer 1. that the beasts which did devoure flesh did also feed of herbs and so Noah might provide for them according to their eating 2. Though they did use altogether to live of flesh yet I thinke that for that present time and some while after all beasts might returne to the first food appointed in the creation this being a second creation and renewing of the world so that upon this extraordinary occasion and urgent necessity it cannot be gathered what was the ordinary food of beasts before no more than it can bee inferred that because beasts of contrary natures as the lion and calfe beare and cowe woolfe and lambe leopard and kid did lye together Isay 11.6 that there was no enmity betweene them before To the second place our answer is that there that liberty is onely renewed as is the blessing to increase and multiply vers 1. and the prohibition of shedding mans bloud vers 5. at the hands of a mans brother will I require the life of man for before the floud the bloud of Abel was required at the hands of his brother Caine. Notwithstanding therefore these objections I thinke it more probable that both man and beast after the transgression before the floud did use indifferently both the fruits of the earth and the flesh of beasts for food the grounds of this opinion are these 1. That one beast did not raven upon another in the state of mans innocency two principall reasons may be given one because as yet no death was entred into the world the other for that man bearing perfect rule and dominion over the creatures did keepe them in order but after mans fall both these causes were taken away for not onely death entred upon man but the other creatures were brought into the same bondage and were killed for sacrifice as Abel offered of the fat of the sheep Gen. 4 3. if it were lawfull then to slay beasts why not to eat of their flesh And againe man having lost his soveraignty over the creatures they then began one to rage upon another as not standing now in the like awe and feare of man as before this cause is touched by the Prophet Habbac 1.14 Thou makest man as the fishes of the Sea and as the creeping things that have no rule over them that is which doe one consume and devoure another because they have no governour this rule the beasts fishes and fowles had shaken off immediately upon mans fall and not only after the floud 2. Seeing in the old world two great sinnes abounded carnall lust and concupiscence Gen. 6.2 and tyranny and oppression vers 4. there were gyants or tyrants in the earth and tyranny and oppression brought forth bloudshed for which cause the prohibition of shedding of mans bloud is so straightly forbidden after the floud that God will require it at the hands of every beast and of a mans brother Gen. 9.5 How is it like that they would abstaine from killing of beasts that spared not to spill the bloud of men or from eating of flesh which is more apt to provoke unto lust than the simple fruits of the earth 3. If the flesh of beasts was not eaten before the floud what then became of the increase of cattell how was not the earth over-run with them This reason was given why the Lord would not at once but by little and little destroy the Canaanites before the Israelites lest the beasts of the field should increase upon them Deut. 7.22 because they both helped to destroy the cruell beasts and did eat the uncleane as swine and such other both which by their multitudes otherwise might have beene an annoyance to the Israelites But greater feare was there of overspreading the earth with increase of beasts before the floud if no such provision had beene made to diminish their number 4. But that place most of all confirmeth our opinion
Gen. 7.2 where mention is made of cleane and uncleane beasts which difference was observed before the floud and continued by tradition not in regard onâ—y of sacrifice but also for their eating as it may appeare in the reviving of this law afterward Levit. 11.47 That there may be difference betweene the uncleane and cleane and betweene the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten that then is said by the definition of the law to bee a cleane beast that might be eaten that uncleane that might not be eaten So I conclude this question with the sentence of Ambrose Quicoâ—vivium adornat c. he that prepareth a feast doth kill his oxen and fat cattell before and then biddeth his guests so the Lord ante homini caeterorum animalium praeparavit epulas before prepared the meats of other beasts and then as his friend invitavit ad convivium bid him to the banket Epist. 37. His opinion is that the cattell were provided of God to bee meat for man Mercerus is of another judgement that the eating of flesh was generally forborne before the floud which is also the opinion of the Hebrewes 1. both because it was necessary for the preservation of the kinds of cattell 2. as also herbs being then of greater vertue and strength before the floud and after might suffice for mans sustenance Mercer in v. 29.1 ch Gen. But these reasons conclude not 1. Like as after the floud when liberty was granted to eat flesh as the greene herb yet they did forbeare for a time till the breed of Cattell was increased upon the like reason before the floud immediately after the creation they might abstaine for a time from the eating of flesh but not altogether 2. The great vertue and strength of herbs concludeth that the eating of flesh was not so generall or necessary then as afterward but the whole abstinence from all kind of eating of flesh it concludeth not I rather preferre Musculus opinion who upon the sacrificing of beasts and wearing of their skins inferreth that beasts were killed before the floud and consequently their flesh eaten in 1. Gen. v. 29. 4. The didactica that is places of doctrine observed out of this first chapter 1. Doct. Of the Trinity proved 1. AGainst the Jewes that deny the Trinity and the Sabellians which affirme but one person in the Deity we have evident proofe in this chapter vers 1. where the word God or in the hebrew elohim gods is joyned to a verbe of the singular number bara created noting the singularity of the Godhead and plurality of the persons But exception is taken against this argument by Cajetanus for the which he is reproved of Catharinus another Popish writer lib. 4. animad ver and by Bellarmine lib. 2. de Christ. c. 6. for that it is the use of the Hebrewes to joyne words of the plurall with a verbe of the singular number upon which reason this collection is misliked also by Calvin and Mercerus but it may be replied that it is not the use of the Hebrewes to put in the plurall number that which hath no plurality in nature as to say Gods if there were but one person in the godhead But yet this argument for the Trinity is more evident vers 26. Let us make man after our image c. where God neither speaketh to himselfe saying let us make not I will make neither yet to the earth as though that wrought together with God nor to the Angels for God only created man vers 27. nor yet doth God speake in the plurall number according to the fashion of great men for that use of speeâ—h was not yet knowne but in this forme of speech is set forth the consultation of the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost 2. Doct. That the heavens and earth had a beginning 2. OUt of the first verse wee conclude that the world had a beginning and that it was created by God contrary to the opinion of Xenophanes who held the world to bee without beginning or end and of the Epicures who did impiously hold that the world was made by chance by the concurrence of bodies together and of Aristotle among the heathen and Eugubinus in Cosmopeia among Christians who affirme Coelum empyraeum the highest and supreme heaven to have beene eternall Likewise wee condemne the folly of the lying Aegyptians and Chaldees who extend the age of the world many thousand yeares before it was made The Aegyptians boasted that they had a continuall succession of Kings 70. thousand yeares Augustine maketh mention of a letter that Alexander writ to his mother Olympias wherein he reporteth that hee heard of an Aegyptian Priest that the Kingdome of the Assyrians exceeded 5000. yeares of the Persians 8000. yeares Pompeius Mela writeth that they have chronicles of 13000. yeares Diogenes Laertius from Vulcan to Alexander accounteth 48860. yeares August lib. 12. de civitate dei cap. 10. The Aegyptians also reckon 100. thousand yeares since they first learned Astrology de civitat dei 18. c. 40. All these are lying fables seeing by just computation of yeares it is found that the world hath not yet continued since the first beginning thereof 6000. yeares 3. Doct. The word from the beginning 3. Vers. 3. THen God said hence Servetus would confirme his wicked error that the word was not from the beginning because the heavens and earth are here said to bee made before God spake But wee have an evident testimony that the word was in the beginning with God and that nothing was made without it Ioh. 1 2 3. and seeing the light was made by this word the word must needs be before the light the cause goeth before the effect so that the heavens and earth were in the beginning made by the word of God but in this place first onely it is added And God said because now more manifestly the wisdome and power of God appeareth in the distinction and perfection of the creatures which before were confused together Calvin Mercer Further another heresie of Servetus is confuted who thinketh that this was a new quality in God to speake which spake not before for this speaking in God was no quality in God as in man but it signifieth only his will and decree though Ab. Ezra doe without cause finde fault with R. Saadian for so expounding this word of God was nothing but Gods decree and commandement whereby the heavens also and earth were first made Psal. 148.5 so that then God thus spake also Calvin Mercer 4. Doct. Of the different beginning of the soules of man and beasts 4. Vers. 24 LEt the earth bring forth every living thing animam viventem the living soule from hence it was gathered that not only the bodies of bruit beasts but their life also and as it were soule were derived out of the earth whereby a manifest difference appeareth betweene the originall of mans soule which was breathed of God
heaven and earth c. 4. It is also evident that the Sabbath was kept by godly tradition before the morall law was given as Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. 5. Thus the fathers ground the institution of the Sabbath upon Gods example in this place as Hierome trad in 2. Gen. Augustine Psal. 80. and Origen thus answereth Celsus lib. 6. objecting if God were weary that he needed to rest God rested saith he ut nos ab operibus quiescentes c. that we resting from our works should celebrate that day QVEST. V. Of the generations of the heaven and earth how to be understood Vers. 4. THese are the generations c. 1. This word generations is not here to be taken actively as some of the Hebrewes for those things which the heaven and earth brought forth of themselves but passively for the beginning and originall of the heavens and earth 2. The Masorites note that this word toldoth which signifieth generations is twice only found fully written with vau in the beginning in this place after the world was finished and in the generation of Phares in the end of Ruth and they yeeld this reason thereof because this generation in the perfection of the world was complete and that other whereof Messiah should come but all other generations are imperfect and therefore they are defective in letters but these observations are curious ex Mercer QVEST. VI. Of the name of God Iehovah Vers. 4. IN the day that the Lord God 1. This is the first place of Scripture where the Lord is called by his name Iehovah 2. The reason whereof the Hebrewes make to be this that as Elohim is a name of power and justice given unto God in the creation so now Iehovah a name of mercy is attributed unto God the whole worke being finished because therein his mercy appeared or rather now after God had made his worke full and complete he is also set forth in his full and complete titles Iun. 3. The Hebrewes very superstitiously forbeare the reading or naming of this word Iehovah and use in stead thereof Adonaei which word we confesse is soberly to bee used and that it conveniently cannot bee pronounced because it borroweth all the prickes from Adonai and wee condemne also the heathens profanation of this name who derive from them the oblique cases of Iupiter Iovis Iovi 4. This name Iehovah some would have to expresse the Trinity because it consisteth of three kinds of letters some by He double understand the two natures of Christ but this is too curious It is derived of haiah which signifieth Gods being and essence and therefore hee is called Iehovah as by whom man and all things else have their being ex Mercer QVEST. VII The world made in six dayes and not all at once Vers. 4. IN the day that the Lord made the earth and the heavens From this place Augustine would gather that all the worâ—d was made in one day and that Moses doth divide the creation into six dayes worke that it might be the better understood of the simpler sort l. 4. de genes ad lit c. 21. the same was the opinion of Philo Iudaeus Procopius and Cajetanus a Popish writer But this opinion cannot stand 1. It is contrary to the Scripture Exod 21.11 For in six dayes God made heaven and earth And Moses writing the story of the creation must be taken plainly as he writeth For if the world was made at once how can it be true that it was made in six dayes 2 Augustine other-where holdeth the contrary that the world was not made in one day but in order and he giveth this reason because if the creatures had beene made together non haberent sensum infirmitatis c. they should not have the like sense of their infirmity as now they have one seeing another made before them quaest 106. ex vet testam Ambrose giveth the like reason ne increata crederentur the creatures were not made at once lest they might be thought not to have beene made lib. 1. Hexem c. 6. 3. Whereas Moses here saith in the day we will not answer with Gregory that it is so said because the matter or substance of the creatures was created at once in the beginning Gen. 1. 2. though they received their forme and perfection afterward lib. 32. moral c. 10. this also is Iunius opinion in his last edition for as yet the day was not created nor the light when the heaven and earth were made in the beginning and Moses here directly speaketh of the plants and herbs that were not made before the third day I allow rather Tremellius judgement in the first edition who translateth for in the day beâ—om in the time a part being taken for the whole as afterward vers 17. in â—he day thou eatest thereof that is in the time whensoever thou shalt eat thereof thou shalt dye the death so also Mercerus QVEST. VIII Of the mist that went up from the earth Vers. 6. BVt amyst went up because the Latine text readeth a fountaine Augustine being unskilfull of the originall much busieth himselfe about this matter sometime thinking that one fountaine is here taken for many whereby the earth is overflowne other while that some great river as Nylus might water the earth lib. 5. de genes ad lit c. 9. Others taking that to be impossible doe only understand Paradise to have beene watered with this fountaine as Albinus contrary to the text which saith it watered all the earth yea to make this matter more doubtfull the interlineary glosse saith that there fell no raine before the floud but that all the earth was watered with the fountaines and springs of the earth Wherefore to cleare these doubts we are to resort to the originall word gnedh which signifieth a vapour or a myst and let it here be noted that Perâ—tius a Jesuit writing upon Genesis in this place forsaketh the vulgar latine text and cleaveth to the Originall It being then agreed that wee are to read not a fountaine as Hieromes translation hath and the Septuagint but a myst or vapour yet there remaineth another doubt for some read affirmatively but a vapour ascended as all the interpreters but Tremellius who understandeth it negatively joyning it thus with the former verse there was not a man to till the ground or any vapour had ascended c. and so he would have the negative ain not used before to be supplied here This I take to be the best reading both for that it is most agreeable to the text which sheweth that God created the plants without any naturall helpe either of raine or mysts or artificiall of mans labour that neither raine had yet descended nor vapours ascended As also because the manner of Scripture phrase will beare it as Exod. 20.4 Thou shalt not make to thee any graven image or any similitude c. where throughout the whole
worship him as also this line is continued to shew the accomplishment of Gods promise that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head and so S. Luke doth fetch the petigree of Christ after the flesh from these fathers before the floud 2. Vers. 22. In that Henoch first walked with God in earth before he walked with him in heaven it sheweth that we must first seeke Gods glory in earth before we can bee admitted unto that everlasting glory so Saint Peter reasoneth that because we looke for new heavens and a new earth we should bee diligent to be found of him without spot c. 1 Pet. 3.13 3. Vers. 29. In that Lamech said of his sonne Noah this same shall comfort us c. it appeareth that the faithfull then looked for a comforter that should deliver them from the curse and give them true rest of which comforter and deliverer Noah was a figure who both by faith was made heire of righteousnesse himselfe Heb. 11.7 and by the arke which was a type of Baptisme 1 Pet. 3.21 did preach and testifie to the world the true deliverance by the Messiah CHAP. VI. The Method THis Chapter hath two parts 1. Gods determination to destroy the world 2. The preparation or making of the Arke In the first part there is set downe 1. the occasion which provoked God to purpose mans destruction which was the sinne of that age described in particular the sinne of carnall pleasure vers 1. of oppression and tyranny v. 4. in generall vers 5. 2. In Gods determination there is first his repentance that hee had made man vers 6. then the limitation of one hundred and twenty yeares to see if they would amend vers 3. 3. Gods full resolution to destroy all flesh vers 7. In the second part there is first set downe the ground of this favour of God towards Noah which was Gods mercy and grace towards him Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord vers 8. and Noahs justice and righteousnesse vers 9. which was by faith Heb. 11.7 then followeth in the next place the commandement of God concerning the making of the Arke and Noahs obedience thereunto vers 21. In the prescription or commandement for the Arke there is described 1. the forme and fashion thereof both of what matter it should be made vers 14. of what length breadth height vers 15. in what order for the cabbines vers 14. window doore vers 16. 2. The use thereof for the preservation of man vers 18. of beasts vers 19. of foules vers 20. and their sustentation in laying up their food vers 21. The grammaticall sense v. 2. They tooke them women T. they tooke them wives caet v. 3. sonnes of princes Ch. sonnes of God cat Elohim hebr of Gods or God v. 4. my spirit shall not remaine or continue in these men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S.H. this evill generation shall not remaine forever Ch. my spirit shall not strive alwayes with man or because of man Tr. B.G. heb don to judge contend because their workes are evill c. a terme shall be given them of 120. yeeres if perhaps they will be converted Ch. my spirit shall not alwayes be as sheathed P. neden a sheath v. 4. There were Giants S.H.B.G.P. Ch. there were defectores backsliders Tr. Heb. Nephilim à naphal to fall because Giants cause men to fall through feare the first reading is the best 1. because they are called mighty or strong men heb gabar which the Septuagint also translate Giants 2. So it is taken Num. 13. 34. and cannot be otherwise 3. Because of the consent of interpreters and Iunius in his last edition so readeth v. 6. God considereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. it repented God in his word Ch. it repented God caet v. 7. and the Lord said this clause the latine have not the rest have v. 6. and he thought S. he spake in his word that hee would breake the strength of them according to his good pleasure Ch. and hee was grieved in his heart cat praecavens taking heed for afterward hee was touched with griefe of heart H. v. 7. every one thinketh in his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligently unto evill all the dayes of his life S. all the thought of his heart is intent to evill all time H. the sense of his cogitation iâ— evill all time Ch. the imagination of the thoughts of his heart onely evill every day T.B.G.P. rach onely v. 9. Noah pleased God S. walked in the feare of God Ch. walked with God T.B.G. v. 11. filled with iniquity S.H. Rapine Ch. violence T. cruelty B. G. chamas to oppresse v. 2. the time of all flesh is come before me S. The end of all flesh caet v. 14. of square wood S. levigatis plained wood H. Pine tree B. G. of Cedar wood Ch. of Gopheâ— T.P. which is a kinde of Cedar v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathering shalt thou make the Arke S. a window shalt thou make in the arke caet â—sahar a window heb a cleare light T. v. 16. the doore shalt thou make in the side S. thou shalt make the doore of the arke in the side below H. the doore of the Arke in the side caeter thou shalt make parlâ—rs tristega and three lofts therein H. thou shalt make the lower second and third roomes caet The explanation of doubts or theologicall explication QVEST. I. Of the greatnesse of the sinne of the old world 1. THe sinne of the world was very great seeing God could endure the wicked inhabitants no longer but swept them away with the floud which may appeare by these severall considerations 1. their wickednesse was universally spread vers 12. all flesh had corrupted his way 2. Their sinne exceeded in greatnesse it was come unto the very height vers 5. God saw that the wickednesse of man was great 3. Not onely the wicked race but the righteous seed the sonnes of God fell to folly vers 2. 4. They were exercised a long time in doing evill a thousand yeares and more that they were growne to such an habite that they could doe nothing but thinke evill in their heart 5. Unto this may be added their gracelesse obstinacie that having an 120. yeares given them by the preaching of Noe to call them to repentance yet despised Gods long suffering QVEST. II. When the world beganne to be so wicked 2. THis overflowing of iniquity beganne when men beganne to be multiplied upon the earth vers 1. not so soone as the world began to be peopled which might bee within two or three hundred yeares after the creation for then they began to build Cities Ninus King of Assyria who reigned there some 230. yeares after the floud is reported to have had in his armie 70. hundred thousand footmen and 200. thousand horse men in the like time after the creation might the world be exceedingly replenished 2.
But it seemeth that this great defection was about the seventh age for then Lamech of Cains race tooke unto him two wives then the Lord tooke away righteous Henoch that he should bee no longer grieved with the wickednesse of the world Then the world being replenished with great multitudes which are ring-leaders for the most part unto evill as it is written thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill began to give themselves to all kinde of wickednesse adultery oppression cruelty multiplicity of wives unlawfull lust even against nature and to fill the earth with uncleannesse 3. And although in this seventh age iniquity was come to the full height yet it began long before even in the dayes of Enos when as the righteous abhorring the great wickednesse of Cains posterity separated themselves and a part beganne to call upon the name of God Iun. 4. The Hebrewes note that at the beginning women were not so multiplied as afterward by whom they tooke occasion to sinne and therefore it is added there were daughters borne unto them c. vers 1. but this clause sheweth not a more speciall multiplying of that kinde but that when the world began to be stored both with men and women then they gave themselves to wantonnesse QVEST. III. The particular sin of the old world here noted Vers. 2. THey saw the daughters of men that they were faire c. 1. Their fault was not onely in that they of the righteous seed matched into Cains stocke Calvin 2. Or that they respected onely beauty having no regard to their piety and vertue Marlorat 3. But they by violence tooke unto them not to their wives but women for so with Mercerus and Iunius I rather interpret the word nashim from all men whatsoever as Iunius readeth both virgines and wives they cared not whom 4. Some Hebrewes here understand also the filthy sinne of buggery that they tooke all they liked even from among the bruit beasts but Moses speaketh onely of the daughters of men QVEST. IV. Who were these sonnes of God Vers. THen the sonnes of God 1. These sonnes of God were not the Angels which some have supposed to have fallen for their intemperancie with women and to have begotten of them spirits as Ioseph Philo Iustine Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian conjectured who so expoundeth that place of S. Paul that women should be covered because of the Angels lest they should bee tempted with their beauty This opinion is easily confuted 1. Because the world was punished and God was angry not for the sinne of Angels but of men vers 3. My spirit shall not alway strive with man 2. Chrysostome urgeth that place Matth. 22. in the resurrection they neither marry nor are married but are the Angels Ergo Angels are not subject to carnall affections as men are 3. If Angels fell first for the love of women then they sinned not for 1000. yeares after the creation whereas the Scripture sheweth that the Devill was a murtherer and a liar from the beginning Ioh. 8.44 QVEST. V. Devils not corporall nor mortall IT is also absurd and improbable that these were devils which did company with women and of them came Gyants as thinketh Franciscus Georgius who affirmeth devils to have bodies and a generative faculty and to company with women Of the like opinion is Psellus that the devils have bodies and they are nourished by sucking and attraction as spunges and that they are males and females at their pleasures some are of a fiery some ayrie some a watery some of a terrene nature But these are fables and fictions fit rather to be laughed at than worthy to be confuted 1. The Devils are of a spirituall not corporall nature it appeareth by that story Luk. 8. where we reade that in one man there was a legion that is six thousand Devils how could so many spirits if they were corporall be included in one body 2. If they were of a fierie watery or earthly so of an elementall nature they should bee subject to corruption mutability and mortality and so some have imagined also as Plutarch writeth of the death of the great Pan a famous Devill among the Pagans and Cardane reporteth that he heard his Father say who was above thirty years familiar with the Devils that he learned of them that they doe die decay revive againe but this fancie is contrary to the Scripture which testifieth that the Devill hath beene a murtherer from the beginning of the world Ioh. 8 44 Ergo he hath continued from the beginning of the world and how should the soule of man be immortall if these spirits which are of a more subtill nature were mortall 3. Though it were granted that Devills have a kinde of airie bodies yet could they not ingender for the power of generation agreeth onely to perfect bodies which have their materiall and distinct parts and receive nourishment 4. And they being as they say male and female should ingender among themselves in their owne kinde 5. Or if they did company with women they could not beget men but multiply their owne kinde or at the least a mixt kinde as the mule is engendred of an horse and an asse and so some likewise have conceited that the Faunes and Satyres were the off-spring of such generation As Hierom in the life of Antonie reporteth that such an one appeared unto him in the wildernesse with goats feet long crooked nailes and hornes upon his head and spake unto Antonie but either this may be held to be a fable foisted under Hieromes name or if there were any such thing it might be some monster of the wildernesse which the Devill used as his trunke to speake out of QVEST. VI. Spirits doe not generate BUt much more absurd is the opinion of Paulus Burgensis that thinketh these which companied with the daughters of men were spirits called Incubi which doe assume bodies of the aire for a time representing the shape sometime of men sometime of women in the act of generation and then they are called Succubi and thus saith he were the Giants engendred and Tostatus approoving this conceit of Incubi and Succubi seemeth to give credit to that report of Merlin that he was begotten by a spirit In these assertions and uncertaine conjectures of men some what is true some part false 1. True it is that the Devill may appeare in the shape of man or woman and dissemble and counterfeit the act proper to both not that the spirits have any delight in such carnall acts having no true but assumed and counterfeit bodies but they doe it more strongly to delude men and women and entice them to that abominable sinne of the flesh which they know hath corrupted the hearts of many excellent men as of David Salomon 2. Though spirits can take upon them the shape of bodies yet they are but so to the eye they are not true bodies being easily
but trusting to Gods long suffering hoped that it should not be so for it is evident Genes 6. that beside this speciall point of incredulity the old world was in many other sinnes outragious the earth was filled with cruelty vers 11. and in that they gave no credit to Noah Gods Prophet therein they were incredulous against God as our Saviour saith of his Apostles he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 4. Their opinion also is to be refused which thinke that though the wicked of the old world were condemned to hell yet they might be redeemed from thence by the descension of Christ who is said by S. Peter to have preached to the spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient at which time also some have fabled that Plato at the preaching of Christ in hell beleeved and that divers others have been delivered from hell as the soule of Falconilla by the prayer of S. Tacla and of Trajanus the Emperour at the intercession of Gregory But these imaginations are contrary to the Scriptures for out of hell is no redemption as Abraham said to the rich man They which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us Luk. 16.26 And hell is thus described Where their worme dieth not and the fire never goeth out Mark 9.46 the worme of the conscience in everlasting fire shall torment the wicked that oration which goeth under the name of Damascene is confessed by Bellarmine to be none of his and that place of S. Peter hath no such meaning as even now shall appeare 5. Neither is their conceit any thing worth who thinke that some of them which perished in the floud did repent them before they died and so went not to hell but to purgatory from whence they were delivered by Christs descending thither according to that saying of Peter but was quickned in the spirit by the which he went and preached to the spirits in prison which were in time passed disobedient c. But this place in Augustines opinion cannot be understood of the descending of Christs soule into hell 1. Augustine objecteth that Christ cannot be said to be quickned or made alive in his spirit that is his soule because it was not subject to death And therefore by the spirit he truly understandeth the divine power of Christ whereby hee preached in Noah 2. If there be preaching in hell then it will follow that there is a Church there and repentance and conversion of soules 3. The Apostle speaketh onely of such as were disobedient but they were not delivered by Christ. 4. It cannot be shewed in all the Scripture where the receptacle of the soules of the faithfull and beleevers is called a prison 6. Wherefore our opinion is that all those which were disobedient and incredulous in the dayes of Noah were first destroyed in their bodies in the floud and after in their soules perished everlastingly but from this number both infants must be excepted such as were of the sonnes of God who are not capable of faith and obedience and therefore were neither unfaithfull nor disobedient and such also as were ignorant of the preaching of Noah and framing of the Arke Of these God might have mercy The rest continuing still in unbeleefe everlastingly perished For it is not like that they which by the space of an hundred and twenty yeares would not repent but remained obstinate would relent in the instant of the floud Herein therefore we refuse not the judgement and reason of Rupertus Primo ulâ—imo judicio soli reprobi condemnantur soli electi servantur isto medio nec soli elects conservantur nec soli reprobi suffocantur In the first judgement when the Angels fell and the last onely the reprobates shall be censâ—red the elect saved but in this judgement comming betweene neither the Elect onely were prâ—served in the Arke for there was Cham accursed of his father nor the reprobate onely suffocated in the waters And hereunto agreeth S. Peters comparison that resembleth baptisme to the Arke 1 Pet. 3.21 but all dying without baptisme are not damned neither is it to be supposed they were all reprobates which died without the Arke QVEST. XVI Of what manner the Arke was made Vers. 14. MAke an Arke of Pine trees 1. Some thinke that no certaine kinde of wood is expressed but generally the matter whereof the whole Arke should be made which was not one kinde of wood but divers Perer. 2. But some take it for squared wood as the 70. 3. Some for wood pitched pro lignis bituminatis Hierom. tradit in Genes 4. Some for the Pine or Pitch tree because from the word gopher here used seemeth to be derived gaphrith taken for brimstone Gen. 19. sic Oleaster for gaphrith brimstone is digged out of the earth pitch which commeth from the tree hath another name it is called copher 5. Some thinke the Arke was made of the Firre tree which is the highest and straitest of all other or the Cypresse tree because of the continuance 6. But it is most like to be the Cedar as the Thargum readeth which is commended in Scripture for the height and therefore is called the Cedars of God Psal. 104.16 and beside it is most durable Plinie maketh mention of Cedar beames in the Temple of Apollo at Utica which continued from the first foundation untill his time almost 1200. yeares 7. Neither need it be doubted where Noah should have timber of sufficient length to serve for the breadth of the Arke for Plinie reporteth of a beame of the Larix tree in Tiberius reigne seene at Rome an 120. foot long and of a Cyprus tree 120. foot long He maketh mention also of the Indian trees to be so high that unneath an arrow cannot be shot over them Ex Perer. QVEST. XVII Of the measure of the Arke Vers. 15. THis length of the Arke shall be 300. cubits The Arke was six times so long as broad and ten times so long as high after the proportion of mans body as Augustine well writeth for the length of mans body from the crowne to the foot is six times the breadth from one side to another and ten times the thicknesse from the backe to the chest But many have doubted that the Arke being described to be no larger was not sufficient to containe all the beasts with their severall food and Apelles the disciple of wicked Marcion tooke occasion hereby to cavill at the whole story But this doubt may easily be removed 1. Yet we are neither forced with Origen to make of one cubit six which he calleth a Geometricall cubit for neither is there any such cubit in use which in length containeth six ordinary cubits neither doth the Scripture in other places reckon according to such cubits for whereas the Altar is prescribed to be made five cubits long three cubits high Exod. 27.
12. all which time the raine continued as Tostatus and Cajetanus thinke but from the beginning rather including the 40. dayes which seemeth to be the opinion of Ambrose and here unto assent Musculus and Tremelius lib. de Noah arc 17. and it may thus appeare Genes 8.4 it is said that in the 7. moneth the 17. day the Arke rested upon the mountaines of Armenia which was after the end of the 150. dayes when the waters began to abate v. 3. but if the 150. dayes bee added to 40. which make in all an 190. the waters should not abate till the 27. day of the 8. moneth for from the 17. day of the second moneth when the forty dayes must take beginning to the 17. day of the 7. moneth are but five moneths that is dayes 150. counting 30. dayes to a moneth whereas putting 40. and 150. dayes together wee shall have 190. before the waters should begin to abate which is contrary to the text now whereas the Septuagint read the water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was exalted an 150. dayes and Chrysostome saith tot dies mansit sublimis illa aquarum altitudo the height of the waters continued so long unlesse they meane indifferently of the rising and increase of the water upon any part of the earth which began at the first when the raine fell within the 40. dayes it cannot bee agreeable to the text for the waters increased by three degrees first the Arke was lift up above the waters v. 17. then it floted and went upon the waters v. 18. then the waters prevailed so much that the highest hils were covered v. 20. this increasing prevailing and continuing of the water was but an 150. dayes from the first to the last Mercer 4. Places of doctrine 1. Doct. The floud not caused by any constellation 1. Vers. 4. I Will cause it to raine upon the earth This raine then was not caused onely or chiefly by ordinary and naturall causes as by the constellation of the starres which was foreseene by Noah which seemeth to have beene the opinion of Henricus Mechliniens and Petrus ab Aliaco and Gulielmus Parisiensis cited by Pererius Seneca also ascribeth inundations to a fatall necessity and when the great deluge shall be which hee beleeved was to come hee saith the starres shall concurre together in Capricorne But it is evident that this floud was caused not by naturall and ordinary meanes but by the extraordinary power of God 1. The Lord saith I will bring a floud of waters Gen. 6. â—7 The fountaines of the deep and the windowes of heaven were opened This sheweth that it was Gods speciall worke by the ministery of his Angels that the heavens rained the earth gave up water after an extraordinary manner 2. The sinnes of that age were the cause of this destruction Gen. 6.13 It was then their iniquity not any fatall necessity that procured that judgement 3. And seeing God made all things in wisdome and order hee framed the world that one part should concurre for the preservation of another not to their destruction 4. No constellation of starres can have a generall operation over the whole earth but only in that place where their influence worketh and when they are moved they ceâ—se working As Seneca rendreth this reason of the increase of some rivers in Summer Quarta ratio est syderum hac enim quibusdam mensibus magis urgent exhauriunt flumina cum longius recesserunt minus consumunt c. The fourth reason is in the starres which in some moneths doe more worke vpon rivers but when they are gone farther off they have not that force Constallations then may exercise their strength upon some speciall rivers and places but not universally upon the whole earth 2. Doct. The highest mountaines in the world covered with the waters of the floud Vers. 19. ALL the high mountaines that were under the whole heavens were covered They then are confuted which thinke that some high hils as Olympus were not overflowne whom Augustine refelleth lib. 15. de civitat c. 27. and Cajetanus who would have the mountaine of Paradise to bee excepted from this inundation 1. The words are generall all high mountaines under not the airie heaven only as Cajetan collecteth but the whole heaven were covered yea the high mountaines were surprised whether Athos in Macedonia which cast his shadow unto the Towne Myrinum in Lemnos the space of 86. miles or Atlas whose top is higher than the clouds or Olympus which Zinagoras by Mathematicall instruments found to be ten stadia or furlongs high Or the mount Tabor which riseth up 30. furlongs as Iosephus writeth or Caucasus whose top is said to be lightned with the Sunne when day-light is shut in below All these high mountaines were covered with waters 2. Augustine thus reasoneth Non attendunt omnia elementorum crassissimam terram ibi esse potuisse c. They consider not that the earth the heaviest of all elements is in the top of these high hils It need not seeme strange then that the waters might ascend thither 3. Where doth Cajetan find that Paradise was situate upon an hill nay the contrary is gathered out of Scripture for out of Eden went a river to water the garden Gen. 2.10 But rivers use not to run upon hils And Cajetan needed not to feare the drowning of Paradise because of Henoch for he was with God taken up into Heaven where the floud could not reach him 4. Of the like conceit with Cajetan is Bellarmine who thinketh that all the mountaines were not overflowen but these onely where the wicked dwelt And Iosephus reporteth out of Nicholaus Damascenus that there is a certaine hill in Armenia called Baris in quo multos profugos diluvii tempore servatos ferunt wherein they say many flying thither for succour in the time of the floud were preserved But these dreames and devices are overthrowne by the evident words of Scripture that all high mountaines under heaven were covered with the waters 5. Likewise that fabulous dreame of some Hebrewes is here refelled who imagine that beside Noah and the rest of the eight persons Og King of Basan who lived till Moses time one of those Giants before the floud might bee preserved for beside that none after the floud lived so long where should Og have beene kept in the floud seeing the mountaines were covered fifteene cubits high which exceeded the stature of any Giant For the Hebrewes doe but fable supposing those Giants to have beene an hundred cubits high Neither is that report out of Pliny much to bee credited of a Gyants body found in Crete of 46. cubits 6. Further Ab. Exra confuteth the opinion of some in his dayes that held this deluge not to have beene universall for although it may bee all the world was not inhabited before the floud but only the East parts because they wanted the invention of ships to transport them from place to place
the marriage of more than one at once condemned sic Muscul. in hunc locum 3. v. 10. After seven dayes c. v. 12. And the raine was upon the earth forty dayes c. But these shew the Lords longanimity and patience for Noah is warned seven dayes before of the floud comming that by his preparation and entrance others might be warned Oecolamp and whereas God might have destroyed the world at once with water it was increasing forty dayes that the world seeing every day some perish might at length have turned to God Chrysost. 4. v. 16. The Lord shut him in God first provideth for Noah before the wicked are destroyed so Lâ—t was brought out of Sodome before the City was consumed sic Muscul. Mercer 5. vers 24. The waters prevailed an 150. dayes Thus Noah continued in this desolate and darke place above an whole yeare but God was his light and comfort Thus God is able to sustaine his Elect though they be shut up in the most darke and deepe dungeons as a light did shine in prison where Peter lay bound at midnight Act. 12.7 according to the Psalme to the righteous ariseth a light in darknesse Psal. 112.4 CHAP. VIII 1. The Method THis Chapter hath two parts 1. Of the ceasing of the floud to v. 15. 2. of Noahs going forth and such things as accompanied the same 1. Here is set forth 1. The causes of the ceasing of the floud from v. 1. to v. 7. 2. The manner how and by what degrees the earth was dried The causes are the principall the mercy of God in remembring Noah v. 1. The secondary meanes helping the winde that God sent v. 1. the letting causes the raine and fountaines were staied v. 2. The manner of the ceasing of the floud and drying of the earth is set forth first generally after an 150. dayes v. 3. then particularly to v. 15. by foure degrees declared with their severall seasons 1. In the seventh moneth and 17. day the Arke rested c. v. 4. 2. In the tenth moneth the tops of the mountaines were seene v. 5. 3. Then the waters were abated v. 11. Noah to know it once sendeth the raven after 40. dayes v. 6. and thrice the dove once seven dayes after the raâ—en v. 8. then seven dayes after v. 10. and other seven dayes after that v. 12. 4. Then the earth was dried first in the upper part only in the first day of the 1. moneth v. 13. then it was perfectly dry in the 2. moneth and twenty seven day 2. In the second part we have 1. Gods commandement for Noahs going forth v. 15 16 17. 2. Noahs obedience v. 18 19. 3. His thankfulnesse in sacrificing to God v. 20. Gods acceptance v. 21. with his promâ—se not to destroy the earth againe v. 21. and his benediction in restoring the state of things againe v. 22. 2. The literall or grammaticall interpretation v. 3. the water abated going from the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. the waters returned from the earth going and comming Ch. H.B.G.P. they went from the face of the earth continenter recedendo continually going away T. going and returning haloch vashub v. 4. the seven and twenty day S. H. the seventeenth caet upon the mountaines of Armenia H. G. B. the mountaines Cardu Ch. upon the mountaines of Ararat P. H. upon one of the mountaines of Ararat Tr. v. 7. he sent out a raven to see if the waters were abated S. the rest have not these words and going forth hee returned not S. which went and came caet v. 10. waiting yet seven dayes S. seven other dayes caet v. 11. an olive leafe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a dry stalke S. a branch of an olive with greene leaves H. an olive leafe decerptum pulled off in her mouth T.B.G.C.P. taraph plucked pulled in the evening all read but the Sept. v. 12. in the six hundred and one yeare c. in the life of Noe this is added by the S. the cover of the Arke which he had made these words likewise added which the other have not v. 14. the seventeenth day S. the seven and twenty caet the seven and twenty day he opened the Arke added by the Sept. v. 6. thou and thy sonnes thy wife and thy sonnes wives S. thou and thy wife thy sonnes and their wives v. 17. ingredimini goe upon the earth H. P. fill the earth or ingender aboundantly or breed in the earth caet sharaâ—se to bring forth in multitude to creepe to move v. 19. according to their kinds H.B.G. their generations Ch. families T. P. mishphacah family H. this is wanting in the S. v. 21. the Lord smelled a sweet savour S. H. B. God accepted his offering Ch. a savour of rest G. P. gratum odorem an acceptable or pleasing savour T. noach rest according to Noahs name God said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bethinking himselfe S. said to him H. said in his word C. said in his heart caet because of mens workes S. mens sinnes Ch. because of man caet the cogitation of man is diligently bent to evill S. prone to evill H. is evill from his infancy câ—t raugh evill Pl. v. 22. sommer and the spring S. sommer and winter caet choreph winter 3. The explanation of doubts QVEST. I. How God is said to have remembred Noah Vers. 1. GOd remembred c. not that there is oblivion or forgetfulnesse with God but then God is said to remember when he sheweth by the effects that he hath care of man so God is said to remember mans sins when he punisheth them Mercer as the widowe said to the prophet art thou come to call my sinne to remembrance and to slay my sonne 1. King 17.20 2. God also remembreth the cattell wherein Moses is not contrarie to Paul doth God take care for oxen 1. Cor. 9. where the Apostle denieth not that Gods providence watcheth over cattell but that his care toward man is greater and that he careth for beasts for mans cause 3. So then as the cattell perished in the floud together with the wicked so they are preserved for the righteous sake 4. Some of the Hebrewes thinke that God is said to remember the beasts not the fowles because they were not made the same day with man but the reason is because Moses having made so often mention of the birds that were likewise preserved in the Arke as Gen. 6.20 Gen. 7.3.14 needed not to speake of them here 5. R. Sel. noteth that God remembred the beasts because they did not couple together in the Arke I will not answer with Mercerus that the beasts engendred in the Arke both that they might be for sacrifice and for food afterward for there were enough beside for sacrifice seeing seven of the cleane entred into the Arke and concerning food they might for a while forbeare the eating of flesh till the creatures were increased but if both cleane and uncleane beasts
note is too violent that Noah doth not here as God bid him but abstained still from the company of his wife because hee feared lest men might kill one another as Cain did Abel or because he expected another floud the simplicity of the text warranteth no such thing 3. Musculus noteth the obedience in Noahs family that they enter in and goe forth according to Noahs direction 4. Luther observeth also the singular order in the creatures that goe not forth confusedly together but according to their kindes or as the Hebrew word is families every one sorting to his like QVEST. XVI Noah buildeth an Altar not without Gods direction Vers. 20. NOah built an Altar c. 1. Though Noah had no expresse commandement now to offer sacrifice for as Ambrose saith non debuit Deus quasi avarus mercedem gratia postulare it was not fit that God as one covetous should require the reward of thankes yet hee was not without direction in this case Calvins reason is because it is evident that he in this story did nothing without a warrant from God he would not come forth of the Arke though the earth were dry till God bid him Oecolampadiâ—â— proveth it by these words that God smelled a savour of rest but every thing stinketh before God that is not according to his word Wherefore Noah knew by the example and practice of the Patriarkes that God was pleased with this kinde of worship by sacrifices as also he was directed thereunto because to this end there were seven of the cleane creatures taken into the Arke by Gods owne appointment and for the fashion of the Altar which was made either of earth or of unhewen stones whereof first mention is made in this place he had either the patterne from the practice of the elder Patriarks or by instinct from God QVEST. XVII To what end sacrifices were used ANd so offered burnt offerings three reasons are yeelded why the Lord pleased to be served with sacrifices two are alleaged by Chrysostome The morall end was that the piety and devotion of the people might be stirred up by his externall note a politicke end that as circumcision was given as a marke of difference betweene them and other people so the solemne use of sacrifices might containe them in the service of God that they should not be enticed to the Idolatry of the Gentiles by their pompous and magnificent sacrifices A third end was mysticall well touched by Calvin Semper illis ante oculos symbola proponi oportuit c. These sacrifices were as symboles and signes to preach and prefigure unto them their Mediatour and atonement maker Jesus Christ without whom nothing is acceptable to God And further although Noah gave thanks also to God for the preservation of the uncleane creatures as for the cleane yet he offereth onely of the cleane because he had so learned from the Patriarks that God was pleased with such sacrifices before whom otherwise nothing is uncleane but in respect of man and whereas he offered of all cleane both beasts and fowles it is like he tooke of more kindes than those five used in the Law that is Oxen Sheepe with Goats Doves and Turtles Further he offered burnt sacrifices rather than oblations Eucharisticall not as the Hebrewes imagine for his owne sinne but because such sacrifices were most used before the Law and were best accepted when as the whole sacrifice was consumed upon the Altar Mercer QVEST. XVIII How God smelled a savour of rest Vers. 21. GOd smelled a savour of rest 1. As men are delighted with pleasant savours so this service and sacrifice of Noah was pleasing unto God as the Chalde Paraphrast readeth 2. Not that the externall act of sacrificing in it selfe pleased God but the thankfull minde of the sacrificer Calvin 3. All our acts have a double smell one outward before man another inward before God Cain and Abels sacrifice had one outward smell but Abels had a sweet savour beside within Muscul. 4. And this savour herein differeth from all sensible savours for there may be saciety in the most pleasant odours but with this sweet savour the Lord is never filled or wearied but alwayes delighted with the prayers of the Saints Cajetane QVEST. XIX How the Lord will no more curse the earth Vers. 21. I Will not henceforth curse the ground any more for mans sake c. 1. The Lord speaketh not generally of all kinde of cursing the earth for those curses which are upon the earth for mans sinne Gen. 3.17.4.12 are not taken away but he meaneth this particular curse by waters that all flesh shall no more perish by them as is shewed cap. 9.21 for the world notwithstanding shall bee destroyed by fire 2. Where it is added as a reason for the imagination of mans heart is evill c. it is not to be taken as Rupertus collecteth that God will spare the earth and beasts because man is subject to sinne but the promise is made specially for man That seeing hee is by nature subdued to sinne hee is to bee pitied and not for every offence according to his deserts to be judged for then the Lord should continually overflow the world Calvin 3. And whereas this reason is given why the Lord would destroy the world Gen. 6.6 because the imaginations of his heart were evill it may seeme strange that the same cause is alleaged here why from henceforth the Lord would spare the world therefore this is here added to shew the originall beginning of this mercy not to proceed from man who is altogether corrupt by nature but from Gods owne gracious favour Mercer 4. Further whereas it is said God said in his heart this was not only secretly purposed by the Lord not uttered but either revealed to Noah as a Prophet or to Moses the Writer as some Hebrewes but it is cleare that the Lord thus spake to Noah who is said thus to speake in his heart as taking counsell and deliberation with himselfe Mercer 5. From his youth not only from his youthfull estate which age is more prone unto sin committing the same with rage and violence as Tostatus or when man beginneth to have use of reason and free-will as Rupertus But mans thoughts are evill even as soone as he is able to conceive or thinke any thing yea our nature is evill from the cradle Calvin Though as Ambrose well saith crescit cum aetatibus culpa as age groweth so sinne increaseth QVEST. XX. How the seasons of the yeare are promised alwayes to continue Vers. 22. SOwing time and harvest c. 1. The Lord doth not promise that for ever these seasons of the yeare shall continue for after the end of the world they shall cease But all the dayes of the earth that is so long as the earth continueth in this state Muscul. 2. Neither is this to bee understood of every particular Countrey for sometime and in some place it falleth out through
the just judgement of God that there is neither seed time nor harvest as it hapned under Elias 1 King 17. But it is referred to the generall condition of the whole earth wherein there shall be a perpetuall succession of these seasons 3. The yeare is not here divided into six parts as the Jewes imagine giving unto each part two moneths but Moses divideth the yeare according to the popular estimation into two parts cold and heat Summer and Winter and by seed time and harvest are understood the benefits that arise unto men by the season of the yeare Luther Perer. Mercer or by them the two other parts of the yeare are implyed the Spring and Autumne 4. Further it is said day and night shall not cease not because there was no distinction betwene the day and night during the time of the floud as some Hebrewes for we see that Noah accounted the dayes when he sent out the Dove which could not have searched about in the dark but there was not such apparant distinction of the day and night as before the whole frame of the world being then out of course Like as when the skie is darkned in Sea tempests as Act. 27.20 neither Sunne nor Starres appeared in many dayes the Sunne and Starres then kept their course but not to any such use of the inhabitants of the earth And this is to be understood generally for the continuance of day and night in the whole earth for in particular places the night may be altered as in Egypt and the day as when the Sunne stood still in the times of Iosua Mercer 4. Places of doctrine 1. Doct. Nothing acceptable to God without faith Vers. 21. ANd the Lord smelled a savour of rest c. Because Noah offered up his sacrifice in faith therefore it had a pleasant smell before God whereby it is evident that all service which is offered unto God being not mixed with faith doth stinke before him sic Oecolampadius 2. Doct. Originall sinne not by corrupt imitation Vers. 21. FRom his youth this place directly proveth originall sinne against the Pelagians who denied it to be a depravation of our nature but a corrupt imitation but here we see that even in the very youth and first age of man when he is not yet so apt to imitate there is evilnesse and corruption in the heart as it is in the Proverbs 20.11 a childe is knowne by his doings whether his worke bee pure or right 3. Doct. Excommunication how to be used Vers. 21. I Will no more curse the earth c neither will I from henceforth smite c. Here cursing and smiting goe together first God curseth then he smiteth after this rule none ought to be smitten by the spirituall censures of the Church but such as stand first accursed before God not as the Pope smiteth with his thunderbolts even those that are the faithfull servants of Christ but the Wise man saith that a curse causlesse shall not come Proverbs 26.2 4. Doct. The seasons of the yeare from Noahs time Vers. 22. COld and heat shall not cease c. That therefore is but a fabulous conceit of Ovid that in Saturnes time it was a continuall spring for we see that even these seasons of Winter and Summer began under Noah 5. Places of confutation 1. Confut. The Latine translation corrupt Vers. 7. WHereas the Latine text readeth that the Raven went out and returned not againe whereas the true reading is that the Raven went going forth and returning Bellarmine would excuse it thus that the Latine text in sense agreeth with the Hebrew for the Raven returned to the Arke going and comming but not into the Arke to Noah 1. But Bellarmine might know that there is difference betweene a Translator and an Interpreter the one followeth the sense the other should keepe the very words and sense withall 2. And as here the Latine varieth from the words so vers 21. it leaveth the sense for whereas the Hebrew readeth the thought of mans heart is evill c. the Latine doth mitigate the speech and saith prone to evill such liberty that corrupt translation taketh which they make authenticall to chop and change the originall text As likewise in the fourth verse for the 17. day of the moneth the Latine readeth the 27. day 2. Confut. God created nothing evill Vers. 21. THe imagination of mans heart jetser figmentum the frame or fashion of mans heart c. which must be understood not Passively for that frame of the heart which was created of God for that is good but Actively for that which the heart of man imagineth and frameth it to it selfe which is called the imagination and framing of the thoughts chap. 6. vers 5. and that is evill wherefore this place neither giveth any advantage to profane persons to conceive of God as though he were Author of evill for the heart as it is created of God is good the substance thereof is of God the evill quality thereof is of the corruption of our owne nature neither doth this place serve to uphold Illyricus conceit that originall sinne should be a substantiall thing 6. Places of exhortation and morall use 1. Morall Compassion toward the creatures Vers. 1. GOd remembred Noah and every beast c. Gods mercifull providence appeareth that watcheth not onely over men but over the inferiour creatures for mans sake according to the Psalme 36.6 Thou O Lord savest man and beast whereby man is taught to be like to his Creator in compassion to extend mercy even unto the bruit beasts as the Wise man saith a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Prov. 12.10 Xenocrates an Heathen Philosopher is commended for his pitifull heart who succoured in his bosome a poore Sparrow that came flying to him pursued of an Hawke and afterward let the bird goe away saying Se supplicem non prodidisse that he had not betrayed his poore suppliant 2. Morall obser Obedience Vers. 14. THen God spake to Noah the earth was now perfectly dry and Noah might have gone out if he would but he waiteth upon God that as he entred into the Arke by his appointment so he will not goe forth without his commandement so Ambrose noteth well siccata erat terra exire potuit Noe de Arca c. sed justus nihil sibi arrogat se totum sed divino committit imperio the earth was now dried Noah might have gone forth but the just man doth arrogate nothing to himselfe he wholly committeth himselfe to Gods commandement By this wee are taught obediently in all our wayes to depend upon God 3. Morall obser Thanksgiving for benefits received Vers. 20. HE offered burnt offerings to testifie his thankfulnesse to God for this his great deliverance so the godly are taught for all the benefits which they receive to yeeld due thanks unto God and acknowledge him onely the author and giver of them as David saith What shall I render
a fragrant smell as Aristotle and Plinâ—e write and therefore fitter in this behalfe to be a signe of grace and favour 6. Further their imagination is fond that think there shall be no Raine-bow 40. yeares before the end and destruction of the world by fire because the aire say they must be a long time before prepared by a continuall drinesse for that combustion As though God cannot at once make the world combustible as the raine and flouds were gathered together speedily for the inundation further if there should bee no raine for fortie yeares before the end of the world how should the fruits of the earth be preserved great famine and miserie must needs follow in the world whereas it seemeth at the comming of Christ there shall be pleasant times and full of mirth wherein they shall eat and drinke marry and bee given in marriage as it was in the dayes of Noah Matth. 24.7 Lastly Rupertus opinion wanteth sufficient ground who applieth this covenant signified by the Rainebow wholly unto Christ and maketh it altogether mysticall we deny not but that the Raine-bow being a signe of temporall benefit may be a type and figure of Gods everlasting mercy in Christ as Revel 4.3 the throne of God is described having a Raine-bow round about it yet it is evident that God covenanteth here with Noah for this temporall benefit and with all other creatures and living things to whom the spirituall covenant in Christ appertaineth not And whereas other mysticall significations are made of the Raine-bow as that the two colours of water and fire in the Raine-bow the one blew the other red doe betoken the baptisme of Christ by water and fire and the two judgements of the world the one already past by water the other to come by fire these applications and the like are witty rather and pretty than wise and pithy 8. Further whereas other covenants are made with condition of obedience this covenant is absolute that howsoever mens wickednesse may deserve other particular punishments the Lord will not any more destroy the world with water 9. This covenant the Prophet saith was made with an oath Isay 54.9 and yet no oath is here expressed because the word of God is as sure and stedfast as an oath as the Lord is said to have swore to Abraham concerning the multiplying of his seed Exod. 32.13 and yet no oath is mentioned where that promise is made Gen. 12. and 15.10 Ramban noteth that the Bow being turned with the ends downward and the backe to heaven therein is a signe of mercy for hee that shooteth arrowes holdeth the backe of the Bow from him 11. The Jewes when they see the Bow goe forth and confesse their sinnes and will not looke upon it with their eyes such superstition we allow not but it were meer that the sight thereof would put us in minde of Gods great mercy in sparing the world 12. This speech of the Lord concerning the heavenly Bow was neither uttered to Noah alone and by him to his children as some thinke or to Sem onely and Iapheth of his sonnes but to C ham with the rest whose sinne yet appeared not and this being a temporall blessing as wicked Cham was a partaker in it so the covenant might bee made with him seeing that therein even other creatures also are comprehended ex Mercer QVEST. XI How Gods is said to remember Vers. 15. THen will I remember my covenant 1. Not that God need to have any thing to put him in remembrance but either thereby is meant that God will never forget his covenant in that it shall appeare by the effects that God thinketh of his covenant to performe it or rather it is referred to the faith of men that they shall well perceive that God is faithfull in his promises Calvin so that God is said to remember because he maketh us to know and remember Chrysostome 2. Here it is called a covenant in a large sense for properly a covenant is not without a contract sine dato accepto a promise and a condition but such a covenant is not here made which is extended to the bruit beasts it then here signifies the absolute disposition and gracious purpose of God toward man and all flesh for their preservation Tremel QVEST. XII Whether Noah had more sonnes beside the three that are named Vers. 18. THe sonnes of Noah going forth of the Arke c. Berosus Annianus thinketh that Noah begat other sonnes after the floud to the number of thirty which were called Titanaes of their mother Titaa and that one Tuisco the father of the Germanes was the fourth sonne of Noah Muscul. But all these are fables 1. Because it it like that Moses would have made some mention of those sons at the least in generall as of the other Patriarks before the floud they begat sonnes and daughters Genes 5.2 The text saith that of these three the whole earth was overspread vers 19. But if there had beene other sonnes they also should have increased 3. It need not be marvelled that Noah lived 350. yeares after the floud and begat no children for all this was the time of his old age and Noah being 600. yeare old was not so apt for generation QVEST. XIII Why mention is made of Canaan ANd Cham was the father of Canaan 1. Mention is not made of Canaan the sonne of Cham and the rest of Noahs sonnes children omitted to note the intemperancie of Cham as Chrysostome thinketh because he begat him in the Arke for that is not like that Canaan was borne in the Arke both because mention is made onely of Noah and his wife and his sonnes and their wives that came out of the Arke eight persons in all Gen. 8. ver 16. as also seeing Canaan was the youngest of Chams sonnes Gen. 10.6 it would follow that the three elder sonnes Cush Misraim Puâ— being borne before Canaan and so before the floud should haue entred into the Arke contrary to the Scripture which remembreth but eight persons to have beene saved in the Arke 1 Pet 3.20 2. Neither as Ambrose conjectureth is Canaan mentioned to exaggerate Chams disobedience that having a sonne to whom he was father did forget his dutie to his father and therefore was justly punished with a wicked sonne 3. But this seemeth to be the reason Moses applieth the story to his times when as now the Israelites were going to possesse the land of Canaan that they might know that now was the time when the curse of Canaan and his posteritie should take place sic Muscul. QVEST. XIV Whether Noah was the first inventer of Wine Vers. 20. Noah planted a vineyard 1. Noah is said to be a man of the earth not because he was a great man or lived in the field without Cities as Ramban but because he delighted in husbandry 2. If it be asked whence Noah had these Vine-plants either as Ambrose thinketh they sprouted
sins were but secret infirmities they might be borne with for a time but seeing they justifie open impieties and their filthinesse is manifest to all the world now a cloake cannot hide them Muscul. 6. Confut. The Pope how a servant of servants Vers. 25. A Servant of servants c. This title Pererius saith the Popes doe usurpe as a signe of great humility but we rather trust that as another Caiphas so the Pope prophesieth the ruine of his owne Kingdome that he shall become one day a servant of servants indeed as Canaan was and beâ— made a servant to those that have served him 7. Confut. The tents of Sem not of the Pope or Romanists have the preheminence Vers. 27. TO dwell in the tents of Sem c. Thus we see that Sem hath the prerogative and that the Gentiles received their light from the Jewes But the Pope would draw this privilege from the Jewes to the Romanes that whereas the Apostle saith that the Jewes beare the Gentiles as the root the branches and not they the Jewes Rom. 11.18 yet the Pope would have the faith and profession of the Romans to be the root and foundation of all beleevers 6. Places of morall observation 1. Moral Man must not rule over men as beasts Vers. 2. THe feare of you shall be upon every beast Gregory here hath a good note that the feare of man must be not upon men but beasts That man should not by cruelty or tyranny seeke to be feared of men And yet good men sometimes desire to bee feared of others but it is when the feare of God is not among them that they which feare not the divine judgements may bee by feare of men kept in some awe and then non tam hominib quam brutis annimalib dominantur they doe not rule so much over men as bruit beasts 2. Moral Sobriety in meats commanded Vers. 3. AS the greene herb Although God yeeldeth to the use of man for his food all kinde of fowles fishes beasts yet hee would have man to use them moderately and soberly not to abuse them to gluttony or excesse or not contented with such kinds as are at hand to search the deep for fish to ascend the mountaines to catch fowle to hunt up and downe the wildernesse onely to satisfie his greedy appetite But he ought to use the flesh of beasts as the greene herb that is soberly and without curiosity to take such thingâ— as are at hand 3. Moral Gods great care in preserving the life of man Vers. 5. I Will surely require your bloud Where we see the great care which the Lord hath in preserving the life of man he will require it at the hands of the beasts yea of a mans brother neither shall he goe unpunished by this it appeareth domesticum familiarem Deo hominis esse naturam that mans nature is as domesticall and familiar unto God and that therefore God will not suffer him to be unpunished that offereth wrong as it were to his domesticall and familiar By this men are taught both to take heed of bloud shed and so to fall into the judgement of God neither much to feare the sword of the wicked seeing the Lord himselfe will revenge the death of the innocent 4. Moral The bow a signe of Gods justice and mercy Vers. 13. I Have set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a signe c. 1. The bow is a notable monument of Gods justice to call to our minde the sinne of the old world for the which it was destroyed that wee feare to offend God in the â—ike it is also a signe of Gods mercy in forbearing to bring the like destruction upon the world againe and if God shew such mercy even to wicked men and bruit beasts how great are his mercies that he layeth up in store for his elect 2. We see also how farre the justice of God exceedeth his mercy the rigour of his justice was but for a time in once destroying the woâ—ld by water but his mercy is perpetuall in the continuall preservation thereof so the Prophet Isay saith for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee c. but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion upon thee This is unto me as the waters of Noe Perer. 5. Moral The miraculous propagation of mankind Vers. 19. OF them was the whole world over-spread c. here appeareth the wonderfull providence of God that by three men the whole world was replenished when as they were subject to the rage and invasion of beasts and wanted many necessary things the earth having not yet recovered her former vigour and force decayed by the floud the like matter is to be seene saith Chrysostome in the Christian faith that God per duodecem piscatores illiteratos c. that God by twelve fishermen unlearned c. hath subdued the whole world to himselfe and propagated the faith 6. Moral Noahs awaking out of drunkennesse what it signifieth Vers. 14. THen Noah awaked c. This were to bee wished saith Musculus that they which are the Patriarks and take upon them to be the pastors of the Church were herein like unto Noah to awake also from their drunkennesse their ignorance errour and superstition As also all intemperate and riotous persons are to learne by this president to awake from their sinne and not to continue in their licentious course nor make a continuall trade and occupation of drunkennesse CHAP. X. 1. The Method and parts of the Chapter THis Chapter hath three parts according to the severall generations of the three sonnes of Noah Iapheth Cham Sem by whom the world was replenished the generation of Iapheth is expressed from v. 1. to v. 6. their names v. 2 3 4. their habitation and place of dwelling v. 5. the generation of Cham rehearsed from v. 6. to 21. their severall names together with their habitation then followeth the generation of Sem their names from v. 22. to v. 30. their habitation vers 30. 2. The grammaticall sense or difference of translations 2. Thobel Mesoâ—eh S. Thubal Mesech H. Thubal Mesech c. 4. Citij Rhodij H.S. Cethim Dodanim H. Câ—ttâ—m Donanim c. 7. Regma Sabathaca S. H. Ch. Raamah Sabtecha T. B. G. A. heb Ragmah 8. A gyant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the earth S. a mighty man c. ghibbâ—r robustus strong 9. A giant hunter S. a mighty hunter H. B. G. a mighty man Ch. mighty in hunting T. P. heb 10. Arach S. H. Erech cat Eerech c. in the land of Babylon Ch. Sennaer or Sinhar cat sic heb 11. Out of that land came Assur S. H. cum caeter Out of this land he came into Assur Tr. built the streets of the City H. Rahoboth the City caeter rachab breadth 12. Dasem S. Resen caet 14 Cappadoces Ch. Captharim caeter 18. Cynaeum S.H. Ch. Cynaum caet cum s. Sini Eveum
hindred a greater good namely the peopling and replenishing of the world But the contrary is evident that they greatly sinned in this their proud enterprise 1. Their impiety toward God appeareth Augustine saith erigebant turrim contra dominum they erected a tower in despite of God as the Prophet Isay according to this paterne bringeth in the King of Babel vaunting himselfe I will ascend above the height of the clouds I will be like the most high Isay 14.14 2. Their vanity appeareth that seek to be famous in earth not by good works to be glorious in heaven Calvin vide radicem mali saith Chrysostome see the root of evill they seeke to be famous â—dificiis non eleâ—mâ—synis by buildings not by almes 3. Iosephus noteth their disobedience that knowing as it is most like from Noah that it was Gods ordinance that by them the earth should be replenished yet wilfully oppose themselves to the counsell of God 4. Philo observeth their impudency ô insignem impudentiam that whereas they should rather have covered their sinnes they proclaime their pride tyranny voluptuousnesse to all posterity It is uncertaine whether Noah were present it is most like he was not or that he consented not unto them And it appeareth by the punishment that God misliked their very act for he saith vers 6. neither can they now be stopped from whatsoever they have imagined that is they proceeded with a violent rage that nothing could stay them neither the feare of God nor the expectation of his judgements but whatsoever they had proudly devised they will as wickedly prosecute QVEST. VII How the Lord is said to descend Vers. 5. BVt the Lord came downe to see the City c. God is not said to descend to see 1. as though any thing hindred his sight in heaven for all things are naked and open to his eyes II. bâ— 4.13 2. Neither as though God went from place to place or were absent any where for the Lord filleth heaven and earth heaven is my throne earth is my footstoole c. what place is it that I should rest in Act. 7.49 But the Lord is said to descend to see c. 1. In respect of the new effect in manifesting his judgement re ipsa patefecit he shewed indeed that hee was not ignorant what hee did Augustine Calvin 2. Or for that he caused his Angels to descend and so is said to descend in his Ministers Augustine 3. Or as Cajetane quia extendit se cura providentia usque ad infima because God extendeth his care even unto the lowest things in the world as it is in the Psalme Who is like unto the Lord c. who abaseth himselfe to behold things in the heaven and earth Psal 113.5 4. God hereby also sheweth his patience non ab initio illorum repressiâ— insaniam c. he did not at the first represse their madnesse but used lenity towards them 5. Vult nos admoneri ne fratres temere condemnemus c. God would have us taught hereby not rashly to condemne our brethren Chrysost. God therefore giveth a rule to man first to examine a cause before they judge as the Lord first seeth and knoweth before he punisheth Muscul. 6. And by descending here is understood the punishment which followed as if God should have said Non amplius dissimulâ—mus eorum sâ—elira sed quam primum ea puniamus Let us no longer winke at their sinnes but presently punish them Rabbi Moses Aegyptius Basil maketh this distinction that God de coelo aspicit is said from heaven to behold the righteous but descendendo dicitvr invisere deus c. God is said to descend to visit the ungodly but this distinction alwayes holdeth not for both the Lord is said to looke downe from heaven upon the wicked Psal. 141. and the Lord is said to descend for the deliverance of his people Exod. 3.8 QVEST. VIII To whom God spake saying come let us goe downe Vers. 7. COme let us goe downe c. 1. The Lord speaketh not here to the Angels as August Gregory Philo Cajetane with others or to the persons of the Trinity and Angels together Mercer 2. But this is the consultation of the whole Trinity as v. 8. it is said Iehovah scattered them This speech is answerable to that Gen. 1. in the creation of man Come let us make man and those to whom God speaketh here hee maketh as equall in the same degree Come let us goe downe sic Raban Rupert Calvin 3. God indeed sometime useth the ministery of Angels not that he needeth their helpe but as Philo saith videt quid se quid creaturas deceat God seeth what is meet for himselfe what for the creatures for God is more honoured in such Ministers and mens infirmity thereby helped But at this time and in this case God needed not the ministery of Angels this confusion of tongues was his immediate worke as was the gift of tongues Acts 1.4 Wherefore to dispute there how God speaketh to Angels and invisible spirits is superfluous which may notwithstanding bee done two wayes either as Augustine saith veritas incommutabilis per seipsam ineffabiliter loquitur the unchangeable verity speaketh by it selfe after an ineffable manner Gregory sheweth another way Quicquid agere debent in ipsa contemplatione veritatis legunt c. They do as it were read in the contemplation of the verity what they should doe The Angels are either inspired by God to know his wil or they behold in God as the Schoolemen say as in a glasse what is to be done But the first is the way whereby God speaketh to Angels the other is but a speculatioÌ„ of man QVEST. IX Whose language was confounded Vers. 7. ANd confound their languages c. 1. Pride bringeth confusion of tongues humility as in the Apostles obtained uniting of tongues Act. 2. Greg. 2. It appeareth how hurtfull the conspiracy of the wicked is for if now in the beginning they abused the uniting of their tongues to so great madnesse how outragious is it like they would have beene afterward when their multitudes had beene more increased Chrysost. 3. Not every mans language was confounded for then all society would have beene taken away even in families but the speech of certaine kindreds and companies was changed QVEST. X. What caused them to leave off building Vers. 8. THey left off building c. 1. The confusion then of tongues made them leave off building not any great wind or tempest that tumbled downe their worke as Sybilla and Abidenus in Eusebius neither were the tongues confounded by little and little as Aben Ezra but all at once Mercer 2. The building of the City was intermitted for an hundred yeares untill Semiramis but the Tower of Babel was not heightened but only enclosed in the Temple of Belus which continued till Herodotus time an 1400. yeares Perer. QVEST. XI Of the name of Babel Vers. 9.
them that gave them their several tongues hom 11. in Numb But the text it selfe overthroweth this opinion v. 9. The Lord Iehovah did confound their languages 3. Confut. Against Celsus that saith Moses borrowed of other writers THirdly Celsus objected that Moses borrowed this story of the towre of Babel of those that write of the Gyants called Aloides how they cast downe a great towre But Origen answereth that the writers of that history were after Homer who was after Moses so that he could not take any thing from them lib. 4. cont Cels. It is more like that they corrupted the true story of Moses with the Poeticall fictions 4. Confut. Against the Pagans that fable of the beasts that they had sometimes one language 4. CErtaine Pagans not beleeving that the world was not any time of one language compare this narration of Moses to that fable of the beasts that sometime they had all one language and one understood another till such time as they sent an embassage to the Gods that they might bee alwayes in their flourishing youth and never be old and for this their proud request their speech was confounded that now one understandeth not another The like truth say they is in this narration of Moses For how is it like that they could in that instant every man forget his former speech ex Philone But this is a doltish comparison betweene reasonable men and unreasonable beasts those being no more capable of speech than they are of reason And seeing all the world tooke beginning from one man before the floud from Adam after the floud from Noah why should it seeme incredible that the world used one language And why should it seeme unpossible that God to whom all things are possible in that instant could make them forget their language seeing that some diseases as the Lethargy doe bring such forgetfulnesse as that the patient knoweth not how to call things by their names and Pliny writeth of Corvinus Messala that he forgot his owne name 5. Confut. Against Philastrius that all the world was of one language not divers before 5. PHilastrius counteth it an hereticall opinion that all the world was of one language before the tower of Babel they are said so to be saith he that although they spake divers languages yet they one understood another and so in effect it was but as one But the text is contrary that the whole earth was of one language and one speech not of one understanding but of one lip as it is in the hebrew that is they framed their words and language after the same manner And how could every man understand so many languages which are held of most to have beene not so few as seventy without a miraculous gift such as the Apostles had and whereas Moses maketh mention of divers languages in the 10. chap. v. 5.20.31 there that is spoken by way of anticipation And here Moses setteth forth the beginning and occasion of the diversity of languages by a certaine figure called hysterosis which declareth that last that was done first setting the effect before the cause 6. Confut. Against Philo that this division of tongues is to bee understood historically not in allegory 6. FOurthly Philo draweth this story of the confusion of tongues to an allegory to signifie the confusion of vices Hoc est nunc propositum sub figura confusionis linguarum dijicere constipatuâ— vitiorum cuneum This is Moses purpose under this figure of confusion of tongues to cast downe the conjoyned muster of vices for to speake properly this parting of one language into many is a separation rather than a confusion Contra. 1. After this manner the whole story of Genesis may bee allegorized so that we should have neither creation of the world nor inundation of the same in true history but in devised allegory 2. This division of tongues is called a confusion not in respect of the divers speech which was indeed divided not united or confounded but of the speakers who were confounded in their affection in being astonished at so suddaine an alteration in their memory in forgetting their accustomed speech in their understanding because they one understood not another in their worke which was confused the server bringing one thing when the builder called for another 7. Confut. Against Plato and Aristotle 7. PLato his opinion is that words have their force and meaning from nature Aristotle that they were first framed as it pleased man But here wee learne that God gave unto man speech and he infused into men at once diversity of languages 8. Confut. Against the Lutherans that make an omnipresence of Christs body 8 Vers. 5. THe Lord came downe the Lutheranes Vbiquitaries that maintaine an omnipresence and ubiquity that is an every-where presence of Christs flesh being pressed by this argument that Christs body doth move from place to place therefore it is not every where doe answer out of this place that God is said to move and descend and yet he is every where But the reason is not alike for to ascend and descend is spoken of Christs body truly and properly but of the God-head only metaphorically and figuratively 9. Confut. Against the latine service in popery 9. Vers. 9. THerefore the name was called Babel because their language was so confounded that they one understood not another so what is the Church of Rome to bee counted but another Babel and synagogue of confusion where the people understand not the Priest noâ— one another in their latine service and prayers Muscul. 10. Confut. Against Pererius the marrying of the uncle and neece unlawfull 10. Vers. 29. THe name of Abrahams wife was Sarai who is held to be the daughter of Haran Abrahams brother which marriages were not then forbidden by any law but afterwards they were where the errour of the papists and namely of Bellarmine and Pererius may be noted who affirme that it was not forbidden by Moses law for the uncle to marry his neece for Othoniel the younger brother of Caleb married Achsa Calebs daughter Iud. 1.13 Contra. 1. To marry in this degree is forbidden in Leviticus by necessary collection Levit. 18.12 Thou shalt not uncover the shame of thy fathers sister for she is thy fathers kinswoman doth not the same reason hold for the other sex thou shalt not uncover the shame of thy fathers brother for hee is thy fathers kinsman Where the degree is prohibited in the male it holdeth also in the female sex unlesse they will say because the law saith thou shalt not cover thy neighbours wife and expresseth not thy neighbours husband that therefore the one should bee lawfull and not the other 2. Othoniel was not the brother of Caleb but either his nephew as the Septuagint read Othoniel the sonne of Kenez adelphon the brother of Caleb namely Kenez for so is the construction in the greek or else as Iunius collecteth Othoniel and Caleb were brothers children Caleb
Iacob who himselfe thanketh God that whereas he went but with his staffe he returned with bands Gen. 32.10 2. Another reason is this Iacob went secretly and not accompanied Vt melius frâ—tris conatus declinaret that he might the better avoid the practices of his brother Thom. Anglic. 3. Beside it may be an example of labour patience and frugality to the servants of God ex Perer. QUEST VIII The divers expositions of Iacobs ladder Ver. 12. THen he dreamed and behold there stood a ladder upon the earth c. 1. Some by this ladder understand the genealogie of Christ Saint Luke setting forth the same by descending from Adam downward Saint Matthew by ascending from Ioseph upward 2. Augustine by God standing upon the ladder understandeth Christ hanging upon the Crosse by the Angels ascending the Preachers handling mysticall doctrines by the Angels descending Preachers applying themselves to morall doctrine Serm. 79. de tempore 3. Some by this ladder interpret the Church which is the gate of heaven without the which there is no salvation 4. Some by this ladder insinuate a Christian profession in the which are divers degrees and vertues to rise by by the Angels ascending such are understood as are given to contemplation by the Angels descending such as follow an active and practicall life 5. Philo sometime by this ladder describeth the soule of man the head he maketh the understanding the feet the affections the ascending descending is the discourse of the reason sometime he expoundeth it to be the uncertaine state of the world wherein as in a ladder some ascend and are advanced some descend and are dishonoured ex Perer. 6. But the proper and literall meaning of the ladder is to set forth Gods providence both in generall whereby he governeth all things in heaven and in earth Psal. 113.6 The degrees of the ladder are the divers meanes which God useth the Angels ascending and descending are the ministring spirits which God sendeth forth for the execution of his will even the Heathen Poet Homer by the like similitude of a golden chaine which Iupiter sent downe from heaven to earth describeth the divine providence And in particular the speciall care which the Lord had of Iacob to protect him in his journey is by this ladder exemplified The ladder is the way that Iacob was to goe the Angels ascending and descending doe conduct him backward and forward God standeth upon the top of the ladder ruling all by his providence Iun. For whereas foure things troubled Iacob his departure from his parents his leaving of his Countrey his solitary journey his poverty the Lord doth give him spirituall comforts against them all I will be thy keeper I will give thee this land he saw Angels ascending and descending to be his companions and thou shalt spread abroad to the East and West c. Perer. 7. This ladder also in a mysticall signification betokeneth Christ as he himselfe expoundeth Ioh. 1.51 and specially in these points 1. The two natures of Christ are expressed who above is God of his father beneath is man out of Iacobs loynes 2. Christs office is described who is the onely way and the ladder whereby wee ascend to heaven Calvin 3. The Angels ascending and descending are the blessed spirits which first ministred to the person of Christ Ioh. 1.51 And secondly doe minister for the good of his body namely the elect Heb. 1.14 QUEST IX How in Iacob all the world should be blessed Vers. 14. THou shalt spread abroad to the West to the East 1. This is first understood of the possession of the large Countrey of Canaan which was extended toward the foure parts of heaven and secondarily it is referred to the spirituall posterity of Iacob that should bee dispersed thorowout the world Mercer 2. Whereas it is said In thee and in thy seed he sheweth how in Iacob all Nations should be blessed because of him should come the promised seed Calvin QUEST X. What things were promised to Iacob Vers. 15. I Will never forsake thee c. 1. Because these promises made to Iacob in Christ were not onely temporall but spirituall not onely concerning this life but the next 1 Tim. 4.8 Iun. 2. Wheresoever thou goest which is not to bee taken largely but with this restraint so long as hee walked in the wayes of God the Lord promiseth to be his guide Muscul. 3. Till I have fulfilled all I have promised thee not onely these things which the Lord now spake as Mercer but which Isaack promised and pronounced unto Iacob vers 3 4. Iun. yea and all those promises made to Abraham and his seed were made likewise to Iacob Rasi QUEST XI How the Lord is said to be in one place more than another Vers. 16. THe Lord is in this place and I was not aware c. 1. God in respect of his power and locall presence is every where alike but in respect of some speciall declaration of his presence he is more in one place than another as in some apparition and vision as the Lord bid Moses put off his shooes because the ground was holy where the Lord then appeared Exod. 3. so in the Tabernacle where the Lord gave answers in the Poole of Bethesda where the Angell stirred the waters the Lord was present after a speciall manner as he is also in the assemblies and congregations of his servants and as here in this heavenly apparition to Iacob Perer. 2. The Hebrewes imagine that Iacob for the space of foureteene yeares while he was in Ebers house never almost lay downe but watched giving himselfe to meditation and therefore reproveth himselfe now for sleeping but that this is a fable I have shewed before in Gen. 25. quest 20. 3. And I was not aware So the Lord to the faithfull performeth more than they could conceive and expect Calv. And the servants of God perceive not at the first that which in processe of time is revealed unto them as it is said of Samuel that at the first he knew not the Lord neither was the word of God revealed to him 1 Sam. 3.4 that is in such familiar manner as afterward the Lord shewed himselfe in Gregor lib. 2 in 1 Sam. 4. Bernard excellently sheweth the difference of Gods presence Est in omni loco c. sed aliter atque aliter apud homines males est puniens dissimulans apud electos operans servans apud superos pascens cubans apud inferos damnans arguens c. God is every where but after a divers manner he is among the wicked punishing yet forbearing among the elect working and saving in heaven refreshing and dwelling in hell condemning and reproving Serm. 6. de Dedication Eccles. c. QUEST XIII Why Iacob called the place fearefull Vers. 17. HOw fearefull is this place 1. Three things were here wrought upon Iacob while he slept he had a vision when he awaked he had the revelation and understanding
cordis quam facie corporis fairer in the light of his soule than in the face of his bodie Augustine 4. In whom appeare foure principall vertues his temperance in not being inticed no not by his Mistresse his justice in not yeelding to doe this wrong and dishonour to his Master his fortitude in not suffering himselfe by many attempts and assaults to be overcome his prudence in choosing rather at once to reject her and leave his garment than to keepe her in suspence Rupertus QUEST V. How it came to passe that Ioseph was imprisoned not put to death Vers. 20. AFter this manner did thy sâ—rvant unto me and Iosephs Master tooke him and put him in prison 1. That is an obscure colection of Rasi that Potiphars wife being in bed with her husband shewed how Ioseph would have done unto her it is not like that shee stayed so long to make her complaint but as Iosephus thinketh she sitting weeping and mourning told her tale as soone as her Lord came in 2. In that Potiphar casteth Ioseph into prison and killeh him not I neither thinke with Perer that it proceeded of his Masters love toward him nor with Musculus that hee was committed to custodie there to be kept till he received the sentence of death But I rather with Chrysostome ascribe it to Gods providence who so wrought in Pharaohs heart that hee had no such purpose to put Ioseph to death as also Iosephs innocencie might appeare for the which cause the chiefe keeper under Potiphar shewed him favour 3. It seemeth that Ioseph was put into a dungeon chap. 40.15 The word Sohar signifieth a round vaulted house such was this where the Kings prisoners lay bound and whither Ioseph was sent not of favour as some thinke but for more sure keeping and there hee lay bound with fetters as it is in the Psal. 105.18 They hold his feet in the stockes and hee was laid mirons 4. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. The prosperitie of the righteous must bee ascribed to Gods providence Vers. 2. THe Lord was with Ioseph and he prospered Iosephs prosperitie is ascribed to Gods providence the world useth to impute such things to chance and fortune but wee must looke toward God the author of our prosperous state and moderator of our afflictions Calvin That wee may say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee and I have desired none in the earth with thee Psal. 73.25 2. Doct. Why adulterie is called a great sinne and against God Vers. 9. HOw can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Adulterie is called a great sinne as Abimeleck saith to Abraham What have I offended thee that thou hast brought upon mee and my kingdome this great sinne Gene. 20.9 It is a great sinne because there is dishonor done to the husband whose bed is defiled the childeren are wronged who are illegitimate being gotten in adulterie the woman also breaketh her faith and vow made to her husband and this sinne is specially said to be against God who is the author of holy wedlocke whose institution is by this meanes violated and broken as David therefore saith Psal. 51.4 Against thee against thee onely have I sinned Muscul. 3. Doct. Feare of evill report must not make us leave our dutie Vers. 12. HE left his garment and fled Ioseph did choose rather to keepe his innocencie though it were with infamie and false report for as according to S. Pauls rule wee must not doe evill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 So wee must not leave off to doe good though evill doe insue upon it Wee ought to use all meanes to have good report but rather than wee should hazard our faith and innocencie wee must arme our selves with Ioseph to passe by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report 2 Cor. 6.8 5. Places of confutation 1. Confut. Against Merits Vers. 21. THe Lord was with Ioseph and shewed him mercie c. Although Ioseph feared God and was a vertuous man yet this favour which he found is ascribed to Gods mercie not to any merit or worthinesse in him for although the Lord rewardeth his innocencie and integritie by this means yet was it in mercie Calvin So Iacob before acknowledged all to be of Gods mercie Gen. 32.10 I am not worthie of the least of all thy mercies and Gene. 33.10 God hath had mercie on me and therefore I have all things 2. Confut. Against the descension of Christ into Limbus patrum Vers. 22. ANd the keeper committed all the prisoners to Iosephs hand c. Pererius here maketh Ioseph a type and figure of Christ that as the prisoners were committed to his charge whom he was a great comfort unto and prophesied unto some of their deliverance so Christ descending to hell delivered from thence those which were there bound in prison Contra. Beside that such devised allegories are but simple grounds of matters of faith such as the Papists make the descension of Christ to Limbus patrum to be this comparison betweene Ioseph and Christ hath small agreement in this point 1. Ioseph was put into the dungeon as a prisoner himselfe I hope they will not say that Christ was as a prisoner in hell 2. Ioseph delivered none but foreshewed the deliverance of some but Christ must be a deliverer 3. Some of these prisoners were not delivered but condemned but Christ they say harrowed that hell to the which hee descended and delivered all 6. Places of Morall observation 1. Observ. Families and kingdomes blessed for the righteous sake Vers. 5. THe blessing of the Lord was upon all that hee had in the house and in the field Thus wee see that God blessed Potiphars house for Iosephs sake as Laban prospered because of Iacob thus houses families cities and kingdomes are blessed because of the people of God the world therefore hath reason to make much of them as Potiphar did of Ioseph not to hate and deâ—ide them as the fashion of this untoward age is 2. Observ. Beautie a deceitfull gift Vers. 6. IOseph was a faire person Ioseph by occasion of his beautie and favour was in great danger to have beene supplanted and inticed to evill which teacheth us that although favour and beautie bee a precious gift from God and as the Poet could say gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus vertue hath a better grace that shineth from a beautifull face Yet there are better gifts to bee desired which bring no such inconvenience as the Apostle saith desire you the best gifts 1 Cor 12.31 Muscul Calvin 3. Observ. The three engines and weapons of harlots Vers. 7. HIs Masters wife cast her eyes upon Ioseph Wanton women have three principall weapons that they fight with prima adultera oculorum telâ— sunt an harlots first engines are her eies as here Iosephs Mistresse first casteth her eies upon him secunda verborum The second are her inticing words as here shee impudently saith come lie with mee
charge Chrysost. Mercer Vatab. Iun. QUEST XII How Iacobs heart is said to faile or faint and for what cause Vers. 29. IAcobs heart failed c. 1. Iacob was astonished at the report of his sonnes that Ioseph yet lived hee had not heard it then before as the Hebrewes fable how Serah Asers daughter had told Iacob that Ioseph was alive and therefore she was translated alive into Paradise ex Munster 2. The meaning is not that Iacob withdrew his heart and attention from them and greatly regarded them not as R. Sel. or as the Latine translator he was as raised out of an heavy sleepe that is Attonitus stupidus ad intelligendum heavie and hard to understand as a man newly awaked as Rupertus expoundeth 3. Nor yet as Ramban and R. Abraham whom Oleaster followeth is the meaning that his heart left beating and panting and so they would have the word phag to signifie to cease 4. But Iacob for the time did faint and swound not for any sudden joy conceived as Perer. for as yet he beleeved them not nor of an affection mixt together of joy and feare as Calvin Mercer for then the one would have qualified the other that Iacob should not have fainted but the very naming of Ioseph did renue and revive his former griefe and so perplexed him Iun. QUEST XIII How Iacobs spirit is said to revive Vers. 27. THe spirit of Iacob revived and he said it is enough c. 1. The Chalde paraphrast readeth The holy spirit rested upon Iacob as though the spirit of prophecie had departed from Iacob all the time of his griefe and heavinesse whereupon the Hebrewes further note that the spirit of God commeth upon those that are chearfull for which cause they say most of the Prophets were young men who are more given to chearfulnesse than they which are old but this is spoken of Iacobs spirit not of the spirit of God who now came to himselfe againe more giving credit to the sight of his eyes when they shewed him the charriots than to their words Muscul. Mercer 2. He saith it is enough not either in respect of Iosephs great honour or the rich gifts which were sent but because he heard he was alive Iosephs life was more worth unto him than all the rest Iun. 4. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. The righteous are not void of affections Vers. 2. HE wept and cryed In that Ioseph sheweth himselfe to be a man of affection which draweth from him plenty of teares we doe learne that the righteous are not as stones and blocks that cannot be moved as the Stoicks defined their wise men but they also are subject to the affections of love joy sorrow compassion Calvin Our Saviour in the day of his flesh did weepe loved Iohn more than the rest sometime he was angry but in all these he sinned not as it is hard for us to keepe â— measure 2. Doct. God turneth evill to good Vers. 8. YOu sent me not hither but God c. who hath made me a father c. As God turned the malice of Iosephs brethren to the great good of his Church the advancement of Ioseph preservation of the whole land of Egypt so is the Lord able still out of evill to draw goodnesse as he commanded light to shine out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.6 Luther as Sampson found honey in the mouth of the dead and stinking Lion as the Apostle saith All things shall worke together for the best to those that love God Rom. 8.28 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. The selling of Ioseph into Egypt not done onely by Gods provision Vers. 8. YOu sent me not hither but God Not that God was the authour of that wicked conspiracie against Ioseph which was inspired by the suggestion of Satan not by the instinct of Gods spirit neither did God onely permit or suffer the same to be done as Bellarmine would have it lib. 2. de amission grat cap. 11. For if God withdraw his power nothing can be done in the world and therefore the Psalme saith Whatsoever pleased the Lord did he in heaven and in earth Psal. 135.6 Wherefore the Lord as he did foresee what Iosephs brethren should doe in this action and disposed and directed the same after it was done to an happy end so also he decreed that this thing should be done by no other meanes and although in the particular the evilnesse of the action proceeded not from the malicious minde stirred by Satan yet the generall overruling power and disposing providence of God so concurred as that Ioseph should by this meanes and no other be sold into Egypt So that Iosephs brethren were instruments herein of Gods decree and purpose yet not thereby are they excusable because they did that of a wicked minde which God in his wise providence converted to good as Iudas sinne was no whit the lesse in betraying Christ though as Peter saith he were delivered up by the determinate counsell of God Act. 2.23 Calvin Muscul. 2. Confut. Against the vulgar Latine translation Vers. 20. REgard not your stuffe The Latine translator maketh a contrary sense Leave nothing of your stuffe see before qu. 8. whereas the meaning is that they should not care to leave their stuffe behinde them thus that translation which the Romanists so much extoll and magnifie is found to bee faulty and erronious in many places 6. Places of Morall vse 1. Mor. Not to suffer men to be swallowed up of griefe Vers. 3. THen Ioseph said I am Ioseph He seeing his brethren almost oppressed with griefe doth speake comfortably unto them lest they might have beene overcome with too much heavinesse which teacheth governours not to cast downe altogether with griefe those which are sufficiently humbled Calvin as S. Paul shewed himselfe toward the incestuous party lest he be swallowed up of overmuch heavinesse 2 Cor. 2.7 2. Mor. To preserve from spirituall famine the greatest deliverance Vers. 7. TO save you alive by a great deliverance If it bee a great deliverance to preserve men from the famine of corporall food as Ioseph did much more ought wee to be thankfull to God for such governours as provide food for the soules of their people and deliver them from spirituall famine Muscul. for much more grievous is the famine of hearing the word than of bread or water Amos 8.11 3. Mor. Gods providence in turning all things to the best should move us to forgive Vers. 8. YOu sent me not hither but God Ioseph looking into Gods providence who turned his brethrens evill meaning toward him to good in that consideration is more easily brought to forgive them for when we see how God disposeth to our good of those wrongs that are done to us in the world wee should in that respect be more ready to forget them Thus S. Peter speaketh comfortably to the people that gave consent to the killing of Christ ye have killed the Lord of life c. but those things that God
the naturall burning of certaine mountaines as of Aetna in Cicilia Vesuvius in Campania It is found by experience that certaine things putrifie not as the flesh of a Peacoke as Augustine saith and coales upon the which for the same cause Chersiphron founded the temple of Diana lime boyleth with water and is quenched with oile the adamant is so hard that it cannot bee broken upon a smithes anvill the Agrigentine salt melteth in the fire and sparkleth in the water there is said to bee a fountaine among the Garamants that boileth in the night and freezeth in the day the stone Asbestus burneth continually being once set on fire and is never extinct the wood of a certaine figge tree in Egypt sinketh in the water in the Isle Tilo the trees cast no leaves in the Temple of Venus there was a lampe that no tempest could put out and Lodovicus Vives there reporteth that a certaine lampe was found in a grave that had burned above 1050. yeeres At Alexandria in the Temple of Serapis a certaine image of iron did hang in the top by reason of a certaine loadstone which was inclosed in the roofe These and other such like strange things in nature Augustine remembreth Some wee have knowledge of but many secrets of nature are hid from us but knowne unto the spirits who by this meanes doe worke wonders only producing extraordinarie effects of nature 4. Augustine further in another place sheweth the reason thereof in this manner Sunt occulta quaedam semina arborum plantarum c. in elementis c. There are certaine hid seeds of trees plants in the elements for as there are visible seeds so there are hid seeds which give unto the other their vertue like as then the husbandman doth not create corne but bringeth it out by his labour so the evill Angels doe not create things but only doe draw forth those seeds which are unknowne to us but well knowne to them As Iacob did not create that variety of colour in the sheep but by applying of particoloured rods brought it forth sicut ergo matres gravidae sunt foetibus itâ— mundus gravidus est causis seminibus nascentium Then as mothers that are great with child so the world is full of such seeds and causes of the beginning of things which causes they better knowing then we doe worke wonders yea wee see that men by the pounding of certaine herbes and by such like meanes can cause wormes and other like small creatures to come forth To this purpose Augustine QUEST XVI What workes in naturall things are forbidden unto spirits to doe IT followeth now to shew as wee have seene what things are possible to bee done by spirits so what things are out of their reach and beyond their power 1. Touching the immediate action of spirits which is by locall motion the Devill cannot destroy the world or any principall part thereof nor subvert the order and course of nature he cannot change the course of the heavens or put the starres out of their place neither although he may work some alteration in some part of the earth the whole he cannot remove these and such great workes he cannot doe Perer. ex Aquinat the reason is this because this were to crosse the Creator who by his providence as by his power hee created the world and all that is therein so he preserveth the same in that order which he hath appointed as the Psalmist saith The earth is the Lords and all that therein is hee hath founded it upon the sea and established it upon the flouds Psalm 24.1 2. Secondly concerning the other mediate action of spirits by the instrument and mediation of the creatures these things are denied unto spirits 1. They cannot create any thing of nothing for that argueth an infinite power and is peculiar unto God 2. The Devill being himselfe spirituall and without a bodily substance cannot immediatly change or transforme any materiall or corporall substance without some other naturall cause comming betweene 3. Neither can these spirits change any naturall thing into an other naturall thing immediatly without that subordination of nature and preparation and disposition of the matter which is observed in the generation of things therefore hee cannot bring forth a beast without seed nor a perfect beast all at once because naturally both the generation of such things is by seed and they receive their increase and growth not all at once but by degrees and in time therefore when by the operation of Satan lions and beares and such like creatures have beene made to appeare either they were but phantasies and no such things indeed or were transported from some other place and by this reason he cannot restore dead bodies to life because the body being void of naturall heat and spirits is not fit to entertaine the soule 4. Neither can Satan hinder the operation of naturall things if nothing be wanting which is necessâ—ry for their working And generally whatsoever alteration may be made by naturall causes as wormes and frogs and such like may come of pâ—â—refaction these things may be atchieved and compassed by spirits but such changes and transmutations as cannot be done by naturall meanes as to turne a man into a beast are not within the limits of Devils power But when such things seeme to be done they are in shew rather than truth which may be done two wayes either by so binding and blinding the inward phantasie and sense as that may seeme to be which is not or by fashioning some such shape and forme outwardly and objecting it to the sense Perer. Ex Aquinat QUEST XVII Whether Satan can raise the spirits and soules of the dead AMong other things which exceed the power of spirits it is affirmed before that they cannot raise the soules of men departed as Necromancers doe take upon them to talke with the dead 1. Let us see the vaine opinion of the heathen of this devilish Necromancy Porphyrius writeth that the soules of wicked men are turned into Devils and doe appeare in divers shapes and the soules of them that want buriall doe wander about their bodies and sometimes are compelled to resume their bodies Likewise Hosthanes did professe and promise to raise what dead soever and to bring them to talke with the living as Plinie writeth lib. 30. cap. 2. who in the same place reporteth a farre more strange or rather fabulous thing that Appion the Grammarian should tell of a certaine herb called Cynocephalia and of the Egyptians Osirites which hath power to raise the dead and that thereby he called Homers ghost to inquire of him touching his countrie and parents There were among the Gentiles certaine places famous for Necromancie where they received oracles from the dead as they were made to beleeve such was the Cymmerian oracle at the lake Avernam in Campania such was Ericthone the Thessalian that raised up the dead to declare to Sextus Pompeius the successe
Augustine would hereby understand the Poets of the Gentiles which as by the crooking of frogs so by their vaine babling have brought in many impious and deceitful fables 2. Grâ—gorie Nyssenus maketh these frogs a type and figure of the Epicures and licentious life which entereth into Pharaohs house that is most aboundeth in the houses of Princes and great men 3. Ferus doth take it in the better part that hereby the conversion of a sinner is set forth God sendeth frogs upon the land when he sheweth a man his owne filthinesse 4. But that other application of Ferus is more apt who by the crooking of frogs understandeth Hereticks that doe open their mouth against the truth as Revel 16.13 the uncleane spirits that came out of the mouth of the Dragon and false Prophet are resembled unto frogs such crauling frogs are the popish Monkes and Friers that are sent forth from the mouth and spirit of Antichrist to crooke against the truth Borrh. 5. Beside the historicall application of this plague is this that these frogs are spued out of Nilus the glorie of Egypt where their greatest delight was from thence commeth their confusion Simler And as in Nilus they drowned the children so from thence their punishment taketh beginning and as they abhorred the sight of the infants so they are constrained to indure the ugly sight of deformed frogs and vermin QUEST IX Why Pharaoh appointeth Moses to morrow Verse 10. THen hee said to morrow 1. Some understand it of the time when Pharaoh would let the people go but it appeareth by Moses offer in the former verse leaving to Pharaoh the time when he should pray for him that Pharaoh accordingly named the next day to that end 2. Which time he setteth not Moses as giving him some space for his prayer Simler For Pharaoh had no such devotion to consider what time was meetest for his prayer 3. But the very cause was this hee might thinke that Moses offered himselfe at this time which he saw by some constellation or aspect of the starres to bee fit for his working and therefore putteth him to another day or Pharaoh might thinke this to be some naturall worke and not sent of God and therefore would stay a while and see whether the frogs might goe away of themselves without Moses prayer Pellican Perer. QUEST X. Why the Lord did not remove the frogs quite Vers. 14. ANd they gathered them together by heapes 1. The Egyptians had beene able of themselves to have destroyed these frogs but that God armed them against them and their number was so infinite that they could not resist them like as the history of the Bishop of Ments is famous that was destroyed of rats and mice following him into the midst of the river of Rhene where yet the Rats tower so called is to bee seene Simler And our English Chronicles also doe make mention of a young man pursued by â—oades who could by no meanes bee defended from them but being hanged in the top of a tree in a trunke they crauled up thither and devoured him 2. God could either have cast these frogges into the river againe or caused them to vanish but it pleased him they should remaine in heapes as a spectacle to the Egyptians both to shew that it was a true miracle and that the stinke thereof in 〈◊〉 noses might put them in mind of their sinne that made them stink before God Ferus QUEST XI The difference of the third plague of lice from the former Vers. 17. ALl the dust of the earth was lice 1. In this plague there goeth no commination or denouncing before for because Pharaoh had mocked with God and his Ministers and had hardned his heart he was worthy of no admonition Simler 2. This plague is brought out of the earth as the two first out of the water for the Egyptians were worthy to be punished in both because they had shewed their cruelty in both in destroying the infants in the water and in oppressing the Israelites by working in clay and therefore out of the clay and dust are they punished Simler 3. In the other plagues in the first the Lord sheweth his power in changing the nature of the creatures in the second in commanding them in the third in using them as instruments of his revenge the first plague was horrible to the sight in seeing the bloudy waters the second was both horrible to the sight and troublesome the third was both these and brought griefe and vexation beside Ferus QUEST XII Whether the third plague was of lice NOw what manner of plague this was whether of lice or some other shall briefely bee examined 1. The Hebrew word is cinnim which the Latine translateth sciniphes and the Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived with some small change from the Hebrew Origen whom Augustine followeth taketh them for certaine small flies with wings that can scarse bee seene as they flie yet with their stings doe pricke very sharpely 2. Alberâ—us Magnus saith that they have the taile of wormes the head and wings of flies and are ingendred in fenny places and doe specially follow and light upon men Lib. 26. de animalib this description agreeth to those flies which we call gnats 3. Suidas taketh it to be a worme that eateth wood 4. Pererius thinketh it was a new kinde of vermine not knowne before 5. But I thinke rather with Iosephus that they were lice so also Iun. Vatab. Pagnin Montan. translate so R. Salomon understandeth the word cinnim and they were such lice as did cleave and swarme upon the body that would not be killed with any oyntment or other medicine as Iosephus but they did gnaw upon their flesh much like to the lowsie disease that Sylla and the two Herods died of Simler And Philo saith they did not only sting the flesh but entred in at the eares and nostrils and pained the eyes and though most of them were of this kinde of vermine of lice which came of the slime and dust resembling the same in colour also Oleaster yet it is like that other vermine as gnats and other biting flies and vermine were mingled among them Borrh. QUEST XIII Why the Lord plagued the Egyptians with lice ANd whereas God might have turned by his great power the dust of the earth into Lions and Beares which should have destroyed the people yet it pleased him for these causes to punish them with this contemptible vermine 1. Because the Lord would not consume them all at once but give them space to come to repentance Philo. 2. And that by this meanes the haughty pride of the Egyptians might bee abated seeing that God was able to punish them by such contemptible and base creatures as proud Tyrants are most daunted when they are quailed by weake and impotent meanes as Abimelech thought it a dishonour unto him to be killed by a woman Ferus 3. This plague also served to keepe them in awe for if God
divers readings QUEST XIV What are the strong before whom the Lord is preferred Vers. 11. WHo is like unto the Lord among the mightie 1. This being uttered with an interrogation is more emphaticall than if it had been barely affirmed Calvin 2. The most reade Among the Gods But the word eâ—lim is also taken for the Mightie as Psalm 29.1 Give unto the Lord yee sonnes of the mightie give unto the Lord glorie and it hath a more generall signification preferring God before the Angels both good and evill which of the latter sort assisted the Magicians against Moses and before the Idols of the Egyptians upon whom the Lord also executed judgement chap. 12.12 and before the mightie of the earth for Pharaoh and his Princes were confounded 3. This exposition is warranted by the like place Psal. 89.6 Who is equall to the Lord in the heavens and who is like the Lord among the sonnes of the strong Psal. 89.6 QUEST XV. How the Lord is said to be fearefull in praises Vers. 11. WHo is like thee so glorious 1. In three things God is preferred before all other in holinesse for the very Angels are imperfect in his fight in feare and reverence none is so to be reverenced as the Lord whose glory the Angels cannot endure to behold and in the power of his workes Siml 2. He is said to be fearefull in praises which some do interpret that whereas the Devils are feared because they worke mischiefe God is feared because his workes are mercifull and praise-worthy as it is in the Psal. 130.3 Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared Some expound it that God is not to be praised without feare and trembling but the fittest sense is Quod Deus non potest rite laudâ—ri 〈◊〉 rapiuntur omnes in stuporem That God cannot duly be praised but all men fall into astonishment no man can praise him as he is worthy Calv. To this purpose the Prophet David Psal. 89.7 God is very terrible in the assemblies of his Saints Even the Saints the holy Angels do tremble and wonder when they consider Gods praises 3. Lastly God is said to doe wonders many things amongst men are counted wonders which wise men doe not admire and many things are miraculous even unto wise men which are not so to the Angels but God doth wonders which are an astonishment even to the Angels Simler QUEST XVI Wherein the Egyptians are compared unto lead Vers. 10. THey sanke as lead in the mighty waters c. 1. Impurissimo metallo comparantur They are compared to the most impure mettall not to silver and gold but to lead which is called ghophereth derived of ghophir which signifieth dust or earth because lead is of the most terrene and earthly nature of all the metals Borrh. 2. Likewise they are compared to lead Quia peccatum sua mole ad inferna trahit Because sinne by the waight thereof draweth into hell And therefore by the Prophet wickednesse is compared to a talent of lead Zachar. 5.7 Ferus 3. Neither in respect of the waight of their sinne onely but of the heavinesse of their judgement doth 〈◊〉 similitude agree unto them Onere perfidiae gravitate judicii divini in altum depressi They are borne downe into the deepe with the burden of their sinne and the heavinesse of Gods judgement Borrh. 4. And beside Nullus fuit evitandi locus There was no way for them to escape as lead swimmeth not neither floteth in the waters but sinketh downe to the bottome Osiander 5. Beside whereas Omnia qua in opere metallorum conflatoriâ— usurpantur hic nominantur All things which are used in melting of mettals are here named as fire spirit or wind lead Borrh. Herein also they are likened unto lead because that mettall is soonest of all metals melted wasted and consumed in the fire and so the wicked are swept away with Gods judgements whereas the righteous are thereby tried and purified as silver and gold So the Prophet Ieremy saith The bellowes are burnt the lead is consumed in the fire Ier. 6.29 6. Likewise this similitude sheweth that this their sinking downe like lead betokeneth their everlasting punishment Malitia graves importabiles Deo hominibus abjiciuntur in abyssum inferni cum Satanâ— Angelis illius discruciandi They being weighed downe with malice and importable to God and men are cast downe into the bottome of hell for ever to â—e tormented with Satan and his Angels Pellican QUEST XVII How the earth is said to have swallowed them Vers. 12. THe earth swallowed them 1. Neither is the water here understood by the earth as the earth is sometime taken for this inferiour part of the world as when God is said to have made the heaven and the earth as August quaest 54. in Exod. for this were somewhat coact 2. Neither yet did the earth open and devour them as the water swallowed them as Vatab. For if they had beene swallowed up of the earth as Core Dathan and Abiram were the Scripture would not have concealed so great a miracle 3. Neither are they said to be devoured of the earth Quia in limo haeserunt Because they did sticke in the mudde as Simler For they were cast up upon the land 4. Neither is the meaning Subitò perierunt aâ— sâ— eos terra deglutivisset That they perished suddenly as though the earth had swallowed them Osiander For this is not a similitude but a narration of the fact 5. Therefore by the earth here is understood Alvens â—â—ariâ— The chanell of the sea hemmed in and compassed of the mountaines as Ionas described the bottome of the sea I went downe to the bottome of the mountaines the earth with her barres was about mee for ever Ionah 2.6 Iun. 6. Ferus by the earth understandeth hell Vbi nullus ordo sed sempiternus horror inhabitat Where there is no order but everlasting horrour and confusion But the other sense better agreeth to the historie 7. Wherein appeareth the correspondency of the judgement of their state Amatores terrenâ—rum devâ—rabuntur à terra The lovers of earthly things are devoured of the earth Pellican QUEST XVIII How the Lord will lead and carry his people Vers. 13. THou wilt carry them in thy strength unto thine holy habitation 1. The word in the originall is in the preterperfect tense Thou hast carried not that Moses only wisheth that the Lord would carry them to the land of promise but he speaketh confidently that the Lord which had redeemed them would not now leave them till he had accomplished his good worke toward them and it is the manner of Prophets to speake of things to come as already done and past because of the certainty of Gods promises Siml 2. Here Moses useth two effectuall words the one is â—achah which signifieth to leade as a shepheard leadeth which sheweth the provident care of God as a faithfull and carefull shepheard leading his people like sheep Siml The other
for that heathenish conceit of the Philosopher that vertue is not properly said to be in women it is contrary to that position of the Apostle that in Christ there is neither male nor female Galath 3.28 the spirit of God can plant grace and vertue in the hearts of women as well as of men nay often the Lord chuseth the weake things of this world to confound the mighty things 1. Cor. 1.27 And the examples of so many vertuous and good women in the Scriptures of Sara Rebecca Anna the Shunamite and the rest in the old of Marie Anna Martha Lydia Dorcas and many other in the new Testament doe evidently confute that prophane paradox of the Philosopher 4. And to deliver the regiment of women from the Cardinals vile and impure slaunder this country and nation of ours as is hath found the government of a woman the worst in the late Marian persecutions when more good men and women Saints of God were put to death than in any three Kings reigne beside so have we seene it in the next change the best of all other Princes reignes that went before famous Queene Elizabeths government as for flourishing peace honourable fame and name enriching of the Land subduing of forraine enemies enacting of good lawes may be compared with the reigne of any former Kings So for the advancing of true religion increasing of learning propagating the Gospell none of her predecessors came neere her That as the refining of coine being reduced from base money to pure silver and gold was her honour in the Civill State so the purging of religion according to the purity of the word of God in the Church shall bee her everlasting fame in the world and is her eternall reward with God 4. Confut. That Christ shall have no Iudges under him at the latter day but shall be the only Iudge himselfe Vers. 22. LEt them judge all small causes Origen upon these words hath this private conceit Hanc sâ—guram Iudicum non solum in hoc seculo sed etiam in futuro servandam c. 〈◊〉 this forme of Iudges shall be observed not only in this world but in the next And then he alleageth that text Matth. 18.28 That when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of Majesty yee which have followed me in the regeneration shall sit upon twelve seats and judge the twelve tribes of Israel Whereupon he inferreth that Christ at the day of judgement shall appoint other Judges beside himselfe Qui judicent populum de mineribus causiâ— c. Which shall judge the people in smaller causes referring the greater to him The Rhemisnis and Romanistes whose manner is to scrape all the refuse of the Fathers affirme likewise That the faithfull shall judge and give sentence with Christ at the latter day wresting the same text in Matthew to the same purpose Contra. 1. The Apostles and Saints are said indeed to judge the world but not in that sense as Christ is said to be the Judge of the world but as he saith his Word shall judge them at the latter day Ioh. 12.48 that is be a witnesse against them so the Word preached by the Saints in their life and their conversation following the same shall be a witnesse against the world and so their condemnation like as in the processe of judgement here in earth the evidence that is brought in and the witnesses produced are said to condemne the guilty partie and to judge them though the Judge only give sentence Thus Ambrose fitly expoundeth this phrase Iudicabunt Sancti hunc mundum quia exemplo fidei illorum perfidia mundi damnabitur The Saints shall judge the world because by example of their faith their perfidiousnesse shall be condemned 2. For otherwise if Christ should observe the same forme which Moses did to appoint coadjutors because he alone sufficed not this were to derogate from his all sufficient power who needeth not as man any assistants or fellow helpers Vers. 22. Every great matter let them bring to thee Upon this president the Romanistes would ground the papall reservation of cases from whom no appeale say they is to be made as there was not from Moses Tostat. quaest 11. in 18. cap. Exod. Contra. 1. There is great difference betweene the reservation of matters to Moses and of certaine cases to the Pope for Moses was set over but one nation which at this time encamped together within the compasse of not many miles and so they might with ease bring the weighty causes to him But the Pope challengeth to be the supreme Judge over all the world and so without infinite trouble the greater causes cannot be brought unto him 2. Moses judgement was sought for because hee could not erre having often conference with God to direct him as the Pope hath not and this Testatus confesseth Romanus pontifex c. The Roman Bishop though he have great power sometime is not a man very vertuous and though he be because he hath not God present to answer unto all his demands facilius errare potest he may more easily erre therefore that is but a foppish and fawning conclusion of the Canonists that the Pope hath Omnia jura in scrinio pectoris All lawes in his breast 3. Whereas Iethro intended in this device the peoples ease not to goe farre for their causes and Moses ability to performe his office neither of these inconveniences is helped in making appeales to Rome for neither is the Pope able to amend all such causes and the people would be infinitely molested to be hurried to Rome 4. And if it were not for the advantage of the Court and Consistory of Rome they would desire to bee eased rather of than cumbred with such appeales But Moses herein only sought the profit of Gods people not his owne Simler 6. Morall Observations 1. Obs. To take heed of idle and vaine talke Vers. 8. THen Moses told his father in law c. Moses did conferre with Iethro about the wondrous workes of God which the Lord had wrought for them Vnde arguuntur hi qui vanis colloquiis delectantur They then are reproved which are delighted with vaine talke Ferus Which may serve as a good motive in our dayes to cut off idle if not very prophane conference when wee meet remembring ever that of idle words we must give an account B. Babington 2. Observ. Workes must be joyned with faith Vers. 12. THen Iethro tooke burnt offerings c. Having beene thankfull in words now he addeth deeds for S. Iames calleth that a dead faith where workes want if we joyne both these together as Iethro did we shall fully give assurance both to others and to our selves of our true faith B. Babington 3. Obs. That we should doe all our workes as in Gods sight Vers. 12. THey came to eat bread with Moses father in law before God Hereupon Origen well noteth Sancti manducant bibunt in conspectu Dei c. The
the preposition in is taken in the Latine And the circumstance of the place sheweth it to be so for the Angell of Iehovah which spake to Zacharie was the man that stood among the myrrhe trees called the Angell of Iehovah that stood among the myrrhe trees v 10.11 If he were among the myrrhe trees then was he not in Zacharie to speak within him and if Angels could speake to the heart it must needs follow that they know the heart which is contrary to the Scriptures for God onely knoweth the hearts of all men 1 King 8.39 And whereas the Lord himselfe speaketh to the heart herein the ministry of Angels should be superfluous Further also if the other reading be admitted that the Angell spake in the Prophet it was no created Angell but the great Angell of Iehovah the Mediatour of the covenant Christ Jesus who maketh intercession for his people as here in this place this Angell saith unto the Lord O Lord of hostes how long wilt thou be unmercifull to Ierusalem c. vers 12. and then it followeth in the next verse The Lord answered the Angell that talked with me with good and comfortable words Beside that it was the great Angell of Iehovah the Mediatour the commander of other Angels it appeareth vers 12. The other Angels which were sent abroad into the world returne their message unto him They answered the Angell of Iehovah and said c. We have gone thorow the world c. This Angell of Iehovah could talke within and to the heart of the Prophet as in the dayes of his flesh he could descrie the very inward thoughts and reasoning in the mind Mark 2.8 3. But that God himselfe Iehovah Christ the Mediatour both of the old and new Testament was the giver of the Law and that it was he himselfe that talked with Moses by these reasons it is made plaine 1. Because he is called Iehovah vers 2. Iehovah came downe upon mount Sinai which is proprium essentiale nomen Dei nunquam ad creaturas transfertur c. which is the proper and essentiall name of God and is never transferred to any creature Calvin in 3. ad Galat. Tostatus thinketh otherwise that an Angell sometime in the old Testament appearing in the person of God is not onely called God but Dominus Lord also quaest 6. in Exod. But herein he is deceived the Angels indeed are called Elohim God which title is sometime given unto men and excellent persons here as Judges are called Elohim Gods Exod. 22.28 And as Dominus Lord is the interpretation of Adonai so also it is given unto Angels and unto men as Abrahams servant calleth him Adonai his Lord or master Gen. 24. But as Iehovah is translated Dominus the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as both the Latine and Septuagint interpret so it is not competible to any but unto God The Lord saith it shall be his name for ever Exod. 3.15 Neither can it be shewed thorowout the whole bodie of Scripture that the name Iehovah was ever given unto any but unto God onely 2. Moses himselfe saith that Iehovah spake unto you out of the middest of the fire Deut. 4.11 It was the voyce then of God himselfe Deut. 4.12 Simler 3. Another reason may be taken from the office of Christ who was the Mediatour both of the old and new Testament as the Law is said to bee ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour Galath 3.19 which though Beza contend to be understood of Moses yet the exposition of Chrysostome and Calvine upon that place is to bee preferred which interpret it of Christ both because of the words following A Mediatour is not of one that is but both of Jewes and Gentiles But Moses was not the Mediatour of the Gentiles as also the title of Mediatour betweene God and man in the new Testament is given onely unto Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 So Chrysostome Mediatorem hic appellat Christum declarans quod ipse ante legem fuerit legem tulerit He calleth Christ the Mediator declaring that he was before the law and that he gave the law And Origen thus expoundeth the same place In fine seculorum homo factus est Iesus Christus sed ante hunc manifestum â—n carâ—e adventum mediatour quidem erat hominum sed nondum erat homo In the end of the world Iesus Christ became man but before his manifestation in the flesh he was the mediatour of men though yet he was not man Wherefore that is a sound assertion of master Calvine Nullam abusque mundi initio Dei fuisse communicationem cum hominibus c. That there was not from the beginning of the world any entercourse betweene God man but by the intercession of the eternall wisdome of God the Son of God That as he is now the Mediatour of intercession reconciliation so he was alwayes of instruction and doctrine And so that saying of Ambrose may conclude this point Quis tantus esset dux qui prodesset omnibus nisi ille qui supra omnes est quis me supra mundum constituereâ— nisi qui major est mundo Who is so great a Captaine to profit and do good to all but he which is above all who should set me above the world but he that is greater than the world Lib. 4. in Luc. Seeing then the morall law was given to profit all people and not the Jewes onely and to remaine as a rule of righteousnes as long as God hath his Church upon earth Moses could not be that mediatour of the law which was but the Captaine of that one people but he which is the Prince and Captaine of the whole Church of God forever 4. But that place will be objected Heb. 2.2 If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast c. In which words the Apostle seemeth to affirme that the law was uttered and delivered by the Angels This place is diversly expounded 1. Some by Angels understand the Priests Prophets and other Ministers of the old Testament as Chrysostome toucheth this exposition upon the like place Galath 3.19 that the law was ordained by Angels But this interpretation cannot stand for the Apostle sheweth afterward what Angels he speaketh of He hath not put in subjection unto the Angels the world to come vers 5. 2. Some by Angell understand Christ Simler But the Apostle speaketh of Angels in the plurall And the Apostle compareth together the word spoken by Angels and the word preached by the Lord himselfe which comparison will not hold if the Lord Christ should be understood to be the Angell by whom the law was spoken 3. Some thinke that the thunder and lightning and voyce of the trumpet were caused by the ministerie of Angels but the voyce which delivered the law was from God himselfe Simler But the Apostle saith more that the word was spoken by the Angels 4. Some applie this text to the whole ministration of the old Testament
multitude of sacrifices which were to be offered therein as is prescribed Numb 28.29 4. And in regard of their continuance for two of them the Pasch and feast of Tabernacles continued each of them seven dayes the Pasch held from the 15. day of the first moneth unto the 21. day and the feast of Tabernacles likewise began the 15. day of the seventh moneth and ended the 21. day Pentecost onely hath one day allowed which was the 50. day after the Passeover Levit. 23.16 Tostat. 5. These feasts also were observed in remembrance of three great benefits the Passeover of their deliverance out of Egypt the Pentecost of delivering the Law and the feast of Tabernacles of their preservation in the wildernesse Lyranus QUEST XXXI Of the feast of the Passeover Vers. 15. THou shalt eat unleavened bread 1. This was the feast of the Passeover or of unleavened bread which were not two feasts concurring together as Cyril seemeth to thinke Alia est solemnitas Paschae ilia azymâ—rum licet conjuncta vidiatur c. There was one solemnity of the Pasch another of unleavened bread though they seeme to be joyned together 2. Mention is not here made of the Paschal lambe but only of unleavened bread not as Cajetane thinketh Quia non singulis annis omnes tenerentur ad immotandum agnum Paschalem c. Because all were not bound every yeere to offer a paschall lambe but to eat unleavened bread seven dayes they were bound c. For the contrary appeareth Exod. 12.24 they were bound to keepe the Passeover as an ordinance for ever but the feast hath the denomination of the greater part because they did eat the Passeover but one day but unleavened bread they did eat seven dayes together 3. In this feast they offered a sheafe of the first ripe corne which as Iosephus writeth was done in this manner Siccantes spicarâ—â— manipulum commandentes c. They dried an handfull of eares and so rubbed or bruised them and then offered them lib. 3. Antiquit. QUEST XXXII Why Pentecost is called the feast of the first fruits Vers. 16. THe feast of the harvest of the first fruits of thy labours This is called the feast of first fruits and yet in the feast of the Passeover the first sheafe was offered 1. Quod primi paâ—es nunc offerebantur Deo sicut in fine Paschae primae spiâ—ae c. Because the first bread or loaves of the new fruit was then offered as in the end of the pasch the first eares Cajetan which were not then so ripe to make bread of 2. Or because now they presented the first fruits of all their labours that is of all that they had sowen but before they brought the first fruits of some one kinde of graine onely which was first ripe Tostat. 3. Or then they offered only the first ripe eares as if a man went into the field and espied 〈◊〉 aliquas appropinquantes ad maturitatem aâ—â—e alias some eares hastening to be ripe before the rest them he gathered and offered unto the Lord but now in the feast of Pentecost they brought the first fruits of all Lyran. 4. This feast was celebrated propter benefictum legis data for the benefit of the giving of the Law Lyran. Which was given the 50. day after their going out of Egypt Tostat. And in remembrance ingressionis in terrum promissam of their entrance into the Land of promise when they did first eat of the fruit of the land Theodoret. And it was a signe of the giving of the holy Ghost which descended on the 50. day after the resurrection Lyran. QUEST XXXIII How the feast of Tabernacles is said to be in the end of the yeere Vers. 16. THe feast of gathering in the end of the yeere 1. Oleaster and Tostatus are of opinion that the common account of the yeere began in the seventh moneth when it was thought that the world was created but that upon occasion of the deliverance of the Israelites in the first moneth of the spring that was consecrated to be the first as touching the keeping of their feasts but the former order remained still for the account of civill matters But it is before shewed that the institution of Abib to be the first moneth was rather then revived than of new ordained and that is the more probable opinion that the world was created in the spring and that in remembrance thereof that was counted the first moneth 2. Cajetane saith It is called the end of the yeere in regard of the fruits of the earth which were then all gathered as both grapes and olives not in respect of the season of the yeere for September was the first moneth of the next yeere and so it should rather have beene said in the beginning of the yeere than in the end But seeing the same moneth was both the end of one yeere and the beginning of another it may be said to be in the end of the yeere though in the first moneth of the civill yeere quòd medicùm distat inesse videtur it might be said to be in it though it were distant a little Tostat. So also Lyran. Immediately after the end of the yeere 3. And wee are here to understand the gathering of all the fruits not only come which was before inned and in the barne seeing it was ripe foure moneths before in the feast of Pentecost but all other fruits as wine and olives which were then gathered as Deut. 16.13 Tostat. QUEST XXXIV Which were the three feasts wherein they were to appeare before the Lord. Vers. 17. THree times in the yeere c. 1. The Israelites had divers festivall times in the yeere as beside the continuall and daily sacrifice they had seven other feast dayes every weeke upon the Sabbath every moneth upon the first day thereof the feast of the Pasch and Pentecost and in the seventh moneth they had three more the feast of blowing of Trumpets upon the first day the feast of Reconciliation upon the tenth and of the Tabernacles upon the 15. which continued untill the 21. Thomas Now they are not bound to come together in all these feasts but only at three of them 2. Though it be not expressed here which three feasts they were to goe up in yet it is evident in other places the feast of the Passeover was one Deut. 16.2 they were to offer it in the place which the Lord should chuse and the continuall practice sheweth the same as is evident Luk. 2.41 the parents of our blessed Saviour went up every yeere to the Passeover So in the feast of Pentecost they were all to rejoyce before the Lord they their sonnes and daughters servants and maids Deut. 16.11 3. Onely the question is concerning the third time of their appearing before the Lord which some thinke was at the feast of the blowing of Trumpets in the 1. day of the seventh moneth and so they continued there during the two
Exod. 21.13 Tostatus who also includeth the punishment of death inflicted by the Magistrate that when the transgression is apparent and found out by witnesses then the Magistrate putteth to death as the man was stoned that gathered stickes Numb 15. But if the profaner of the Sabbath escape the punishment of man the judgement of God shall overtake him Tostat. qu. 12. 6. But beside these kinds of death which shall bee inflicted here in that it is said He shall die the death the other phrase In being cut off from among his people sheweth that beside there remaineth for them everlasting punishment in the next world as the Lord threatneth to the prophane fire unquenchable Ezech. 20.47 QUEST XVI Why the seventh day is called Sabbath Sabbaton Vers. 15. IN the seventh day is the Sabbath of holy rest unto Iehovah 1. Whereas the words in the originall are sabbath sabbaton some Hebrewes by the first understand the determined time of the Sabbath from evening to evening but because they know not certainly where the rest of the Sabbath should begin and where it should end they have added an houre more at the beginning and an houre at the end of the Sabbath and this they say is called sabbaton which is a diminutive word which is formed by putting to on as of ish a man is derived ishon a little man But it is a weake conceit to imagine that their additions which are brought in only by their tradition should be grounded upon Scripture 2. Oleaster therefore as the Hebrewes make both these words sabbath and sabbaton proper names for the seventh day of rest so hee translateth them thus requies requiri it shall be a rest of rest making them both appellative and common names because there was a greater rest required on the Sabbath than upon any other day whereupon in the Gospell Ioh. 19.31 the Sabbath is called a great or high day it was greater than the Passeover But Oleaster is deceived in this collection 1. For that Sabbath is called an high day because the Passeover did fall out upon that Sabbath 2. And though it be true that the Sabbath was a greater day of rest than the Passeover wherein they were allowed to do such works as were about that which they should eat Exod. 12.16 which were not lawfull upon the Sabbath Exod. 16.23 yet the rest of the Sabbath was not greater than of all other festivals for the tenth day of the seventh 〈…〉 where the same word is used 3. Therefore it is better interpreted It is the Sabbath of rest to make the first a proper name and peculiar to the seventh day and the other common So reade Vatad Iun. Pagâ—in agreeing with the Lat. Chald. Septuag who thus interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sabbath a rest holy unto the Lord. 4. Now in that there is so often mention made of rest there is more intended than the outward rest of the bodie only as though it were sufficient to spend all the day in lying downe playing sleeping 〈…〉 die â—acra opera perficienda sunt but upon that holy and sacred day sacred exercises also should be performed Lippoman QUEST XVII How the observation of the Sabbath is perpetuall Vers. 16. THat they may observe the Sabbath 〈…〉 their generations for an everlasting covenant 1. The Jewes hereupon doe take occasion to raile upon Christ tanquam 〈◊〉 as a law breaker for abolishing the Sabbath and so they presse these words literally as though the Lord ordained that the Sabbath injoyned them should be perpetuall But beside that the word gholam or 〈◊〉 doth not alwaies signifie that which is indeed perpetuall and eternall but sometime onely a long time Calvine or 〈…〉 a time not limited or determined the words which are annexed Throughout your generations shew that the perpetuitie of this Sabbath is restrained to their posteritie and that as long as their policie and Common-wealth continued Osiander 2. Some doe understand it to bee eternall in this sense quia erat â—terna rei signum because it was signe of a thing eternall August qu. 139. that is of our everlasting rest in Christ aternum manet ipso effectu it remaineth eternall in effect Calvine that is in ceasing from the works of sin 3. Some thinke that it is called perpetuall with relation unto the time of ceremonies quamdiu vellet Deus observari statum 〈◊〉 imperfectum Iudaicum c. as long as God would have that imperfect state of the Jewes to be observed Tostat. 4. But as I refuse not these two last interpretations so I thinke that there is more signified that God would have perpetually observed a day of rest set apart for his service though not that precise day prescribed to the Jewes as long as the world endureth so that it is not only spiritualiter sed moraliter aternum spiritually but morally eternall Pelarg. and not onely appointed for a politike order to avoid confusion that the people should have some certaine day to meet together in to heare the Word and receive the Sacraments Gallas For if the keeping of the Lords day were only grounded upon policie then any other day might as well be set apart as this which is now observed But I say further with Pelargus Nobis servâ—vissime demandatam religionis exercenda curam That the care of the practice of religion upon the Lords day is straitly commanded us atque ad cam noâ— perpetuo â—lligari and that we are for ever tied unto it by the institution and practice of the Apostles Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 who as Gallasius well concludeth did substitute the Lords day in remembrance of Christs resurrection in stead of the old Sabbath Spiritu Dei quo ipsi regebantur by the Spirit of God whereby they were guided And here Thomas giveth a good note why the Sabbath onely is here mentioned the other festivals of the Jewes being omitted wherein there was a commemoration of some particular benefits as in the pasch of their deliverance out of Egypt on the Sabbath pracipuum beneficium creationis the principall benefit of the creation was remembred which is generall to all people and not peculiar only to the Jewes beside therein was prefigured Quies mentis in Deâ— in prasenti per gratiam in futuro per gloriam The rest of the mind in God in the present by grace and in time to come by glorie Thomas Therefore seeing the seventh day of rest is a commemoration of the creation of the world and includeth a memoriall of Christs resurrection upon that day and is a symbole of our everlasting rest in heaven it ought to be perpetually observed QUEST XVIII Whether the world were made successively in time or in an instant Vers. 17. FOr in six daies the Lord made heaven and earth 1. Oleaster well concludeth from hence that God made the world and the things therein not all at once but successively one day after another which he proveth by these reasons 1.
for Noah was the first that used a ship yet it is without doubt that the whole earth was overflowne seeing the highest hils were so farre under the water Mercer 5. Places of confutation 1. Confut. The generall floud past and not to come FIrst out of this Chapter wherein the manner of the floud the beginning thereof and continuance is set downe the errour of Seneca is refelled who dreamed of two destructions of the world to come by fire and water he did not beleeve that the universall floud was past sed inundationem futuram that it was yet to come 2. Confut. All perished not in the floud AGaine in that inundation he imagined that all mankind and beasts should utterly be extinguished for thus he writeth Peracto exitio generis humani extinctisque pariter feris c. omne ex integro animal gloriabitur dabiturque terris homo inscius scelerum the destruction of mankind being finished and all beasts perished every creature shall be renewed and man restored to the earth without sinne But these fancies are refuted by Moses who sheweth how man and beast in the Arke were preserved 3. Confut. The fish perished not in the floud Vers. 32. EVerie thing in whose nostrells the spirit of life did breath By this that fancie of some of the Rabbines is confuted who thinke that the fish also were destroied by the waters which they suppose to have beene hot in the floud for onely those things perished which breathed upon the drie land sic Vatablus in hunc locum 4. Confut. The truth of Noahs floud proved by testimony of the heathen Vers. 20. Fifteene cubits upward From hence some would gather that the floud did ascend to the middle region of the Arke for it was higher than the mountaines whose toppes doe touch the middle region and sometime are above the clouds as they gave instance of the hill Olympus which is so high that the ashes left of the sacrifices are neither dispersed by the wind nor dissolved by the raine if then the floud was higher than that place where the raine is engendred the waters could not increase so high by the raine and thus they would impaire the credit of this storie and consequently inferre that there was no such floud Answ. 1. That report of Olympus is found to be untrue as Lodovicus Vives affirmeth by the testimony of Philadelphius who went up to the hill of purpose to try the truth of the report but found no such thing 2. No mountaine can bee so high as the middle region which is distant 50. mile from the earth whereas no hill exceedeth 4. mile in height 3. Solinus reporteth that in the top of the mountaine Atho there was a towne situate and divers inhabited there which lived halfe againe so long as other men did it seemeth then to have beene a most wholesome place for aire then was it not in the middle region which is full of clouds and foggy mists and beside they affirme that the top of the hill Atlas is alwayes covered with snow then it will follow that the snow is not there engendred 4. Though it bee granted that the floud might rise to the neather and lowest part of the middle region yet the upper part thereof was farre remote from whence raine might be ministred abundantly 5. Lastly this universall inundation of the world wanteth not testimony from the heathen as Iosephus alleageth out of Berosus Hieronymus which writ the antiquities of the Phenicians Muaseas and Nicolaus Damascenus who writeth of one that was carried in an Arke and did sticke in the mountaine Baris in Armenia Eusebius reporteth out of Abidenus how one Sissithras escaped in a ship to Armenia being foretold of a great inundation by Saturne and how by sending out of birds hee searched whether the earth were dry Pererius in his learned commentaries citeth beside Cyrillus who alleageth Alexander Polihistor for the same and Plato in Timaâ— Plutarch also maketh mention how Deucalion sent a dove out of the Arke Pompon Melae Plinius Solinus writ that Joppe was thought to be the most ancient City in the world and to have beene before the floud which must be understood of the generall floud in the time of Noah for Ogyges floud was only in Attica and Deucalions in Thessalia which came not neere Palestina where Joppe was and many Cities in the world were more ancient than those flouds that of Ogyges being 500. yeares and more after Noahs floud about the 90. yeare of Iacobs age the other of Deucalion 230. after that about the 50. yeare of Moses age as Pererius sheweth out of Eusebius and Orosius thus the heathen were not ignorant of this great judgement of water upon the world but they obscured the truth with their fables giving othâ—â— names unto Noah as of Sissitheus Ogyges Deucalion c. Vers. 21. And every man perished Like as from this generall proposition some were excepted as Noah and the rest which were with him so notwithstanding all high mountaines are said to bee covered with the waters v. 19. yet some may bee excepted they only are mentioned where the wicked inhabited sic Bellarm. de gratia primi hominis c. 14. Contra. The comparison is not alike betweene these two generall propositions for from the first Noah and his company are by speciall words exempted v. 23. Noah only remained and they that were with him in the Arke but no such thing concerning the hils is expressed in Scripture that any of them were privileged from the waters 6. v. 2. Of uncleane beasts thou shalt take of by couples From these words the Canon doth conclude most corruptly Non esse bonum duplicem numerum qui praefigurat foedera nuptiarum c. that a double number is not good whereby marriage is prefigured whereupon all the beasts that enter by two and two are uncleane impar numerus est mundus the old number is cleane Contra. 1. But the cleane and uncleane entred by couples v. 8. of the cleane and uncleane there came two and two therefore this is a false note 2. The uncleane are not such because of their number but for their kind 3. By this rule Noah and his sonnes should have beene uncleane that went into the Arke by couples namely with their wives 6. Places of Morall observations 1. Vers. 3. TO keepe seed alive upon the earth Hence Calvin noteth well that God tempereth the afflictions of his servants with comfort as here Noah the destruction of the world being at hand is put in hope that it shall bee restored againe so as the Prophet saith thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort mee as God correcteth with the rod of affliction so hee upholdeth his with the staffe of consolation 2 v. 9. There came two and two male and female By this that to one male there is but one female preserved both of man and beast wee see the right use of marriage approved and Polygamy
his returne Gen. 35.9 4. She feareth to be deprived of them both in one day not because as the Hebrewes thinke as they were borne together they died together but lest that if Esau killed Iacob she knew Gods justice would overtake the other Mercer 3. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. We must be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse Vers. 15. SHe cloathed Iacob c. Like as Iacob being apparelled with faire perfumed garments was accepted of his father so we cannot be pleasing unto God unlesse we be cloathed with the righteousnesse of Christ as the Apostle saith Not having mine owne righteousnesse but that which is through the faith of Christ Calvin in vers 27. 2. Doct. The Patriarks by temporall blessings were stirred up to seeke for spirituall Vers. 28. GOd give thee of the dew of heaven c. The Fathers rested not in these temporall blessings but thereby as by certaine degrees were to ascend higher and be brought to the meditation of heavenly things Mercer As the Apostle sheweth If they had beene mindfull of that Countrey from whence they came out they had leasure to have returned but now they desire a better that is an heavenly Heb. 11.16 3. Doct. Election not of works but of grace Vers. 30. THen came Esau from hunting If Esau and Iacobs works be compared here together we shall see that Esau doth nothing but praise-worthy he obeyeth his fathers minde taketh great paines to hunt for flesh he carefully maketh it ready but contrariwise Iacob dissembleth hee offereth Kids flesh for venison maketh himselfe Esau deceiveth his father and this difference is set forth to this end to shew that election standeth not by works but is of grace Calvin As Saint Paul saith That the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by works by him that calleth Rom. 9.11 4. Doct. The efficacie of the blessing dependeth not upon the minister but the word of God Vers. 33. I Have blessed him therefore he shall be blessed Though Isaack ignorantly had pronounced the blessing upon Iacob yet it remained effectuall and of force so they which blesse and pronounce remission of sinnes in the name of God though they be weake men and compassed with infirmities yet their sentence shall stand being agreeable to the will of God the force thereof dependeth not upon their ministery but upon the word of God Whatsoever ye binde in earth shall be bound in heaven c. Matth. 18.18 Calvin 5. Doct. The Iewes supplications why not heard Vers. 38. HE lift up his voice and wept Esau because he sought a blessing apart to himselfe and scorned to associate himselfe to Iacob to whom the promise was made could not prevaile with his teares so the Jewes notwithstanding their prayers fastings howlings lamentations powred forth unto God are not heard because they refuse the true Messiah and seeke a way by themselves to goe unto heaven Luther 6. Doct. The meanes which serve under Gods providence must not be neglected Vers. 43. ARise and flie to Haran c. Rebecca though she was fully assured that Iacob should have the blessing and inheritance yet she is carefull to use the means and not immediately to depend upon Gods providence whereby we are taught that as we are not to relie upon the meanes which the Lord setteth before us for our deliverance and for the perfitting of his good pleasure toward us yet we must not neglect them our Saviour promised to be with his Disciples to the end of the world yet hee wisheth them if they be persecuted in one City to flie to another Matth. 10.23 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. Saint Peter reproved for his dissimulation Vers. 19. I Am Esau thy first borne c. Pererius well collecteth that it is not necessary to exempt Iacob here from a veniall sinne seeing that Saint Peter who was not inferiour in grace and knowledge is noted for his dissimulation and thereof reproved by Saint Paul in 27. Gen. Numer 46. contrary to the opinion of Hierome who would excuse Peter from all fault and thinketh that all that discourse was but a set match betweene them to this opinion the Rhemists seeme to incline Galath 2. Sect. 9. but it is confuted by Augustine Epist. 19. who discusseth this point at large with Hierome saith he Qua fronte in altero reprehendit quod ipse commisit With what face could Saint Paul have reprehended that in another which he did himselfe if so this had beene a set match betweene them Epist. 11. 2. Confut. Against the authority of the booke of Tobie PErerius would excuse this dissimulation of Iacob saying I am Esau c. by that of the Angell who to Tobie inquiring of his tribe and kindred answered I am Azarias of Ananias the great Tobie 5.12 for as this speech was figurative that the Angell was not the sonne of Ananias so called but of the grace of God which is signified by that word and so Iacob meaneth that he was not Esau in person but in respect of his prerogative Contra. Thus he hath shaped a defence of one lie by another for the Angell saith he was of Ananias and of thy brethren he meaneth then that Ananias which was of kindred to Tobie And this is one reason which impaireth the credit of this Booke because the Angell is brought in lying which is not the use of the holy Angels in the Canonicall Scripture 3. Confut. Sacraments depend not upon the intention of the minister Vers. 23. WHerefore he blessed him c. The blessing which Isaack pronounceth loseth not his force by his ignorance or wrong intention who purposed to blessed Esau and not Iacob but upon the promise and word of God whereby is confuted that point of popish doctrine that the sacraments depend upon the intention of the minister as though it were in mans power to frustrate the institution of God Calvin The Apostle saith Shall their unbeleefe make the faith of God without effect Rom 3.3 neither shall the unbeleeving or not rightly intending minister frustrate the force of the Sacrament 4. Confut. Against the errour of the Chiliastes Vers. 28. GOd give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatnesse of the earth Upon this place with the like Tertullian foundeth his errour which is called of the Chiliastes that Christ should reigne with the Saints a thousand yeares here upon the earth Vtriusque indulgentia exempla sunt siquidem justum est Deo ellic exultare famulos ubi sunt ipsius nomine afflicti c. here saith Tertullian in Isaacks blessing upon Iacob both are promised the joyes of heaven and of earth and it is just with God that his servants should there rejoyce where they were for his name afflicted Lib. 3. cont Marcion Contra. Isaack here prophesieth not of the state of the Church after this life but in this world unlesse they will say that in the next life we shall have wheat and wine which are here mentioned neither doth it follow
that because they suffered in earth they should there also bee rewarded but as the Israelites were afflicted in Egypt and recompensed in Canaan so the faithfull for their travell and labour in the earth shall finde rest in heaven 5. Confut. Obedience for feare of punishment not commendable Vers. 41. THe dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly c. Esau forbeareth a while from slaying his brother not of any conscience but for feare of his fathers curse displeasure we see then that obedience which is caused for feare of punishment is but a forced obedience nor of any acceptance with God which notwithstanding is so much commended of the Papists Calvin Saint Paul saith Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 they then which doe not yeeld their service of love doe not keepe and fulfill the Law 6. Places of Morall observation 1. Observ. The meditation of death profitable Vers. 2. I Know not the day of my death The ignorance of the time of our end ought to stirre us up to watchfulnesse and to make all things strait with God and the world as here Isaack resolveth to hasten the blessing of his sonne because of the uncertainty of his end Muscul. for our Saviour exhorteth us to watch because we know not when the Master of the house will come Mark 13.35 2. Observ. Parents curse how much to be feared Vers. 12. SO shall I bring a curse upon mee and not a blessing c. Iacob is afraid to purchase his fathers curse whereunto the Scripture attributeth much we read how heavie Noahs curse was upon Cham Augustine reporteth a strange story of a woman of Caesarea in Cappadocia who after the death of her husband receiving wrong at the hand of her children which were ten in number seven sonnes and three daughters accursed them all whereupon presently they were all stricken with a shaking and trembling of all their parts and for shame they dispersed themselves into divers Countries of which number two Pallus and Paladia a brother and sister came to Hippo Lib. 27. de Civit. Dei cap. 8. 3. Observ. God must be sought and flied unto in time Vers. 34. BLesse me also my father c. Esau came too late for the blessing which was bestowed before and he comming out of time another having prevented him could not obtaine it no not with teares we must seeke the Lord therefore in time and enter in while the doore is open lest if we stay till the doore be shut upon us we remaine without so the Prophet saith Seeke the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is neare Isay 55.6 Calvin 4. Observ. Outward blessings common to the just and unjust Vers. 39. THe fatnesse of the earth shall be thy dwelling c. Esau is blessed with temporall gifts as the fatnesse of the earth as Iacob was before so that wee see that these externall blessings of the world are granted as well to the ungodly as the righteous as our Saviour saith That God sendeth raine upon the just and unjust Matth. 5.45 Perer. Which teacheth us that we should not much care for these outward things but desire the best and more principall gifts 5. Observ. Persecution for righteousnesse sake Vers. 43. FLee to Haran c. Iacob is constrained to flee and shift for himselfe because of the blessing so while the faithfull doe seeke for the Kingdome of heaven and spirituall things they must make account to finde hard entertainment in the world Calvin But Christ hath given us a comfort Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Matth. 5.10 6. Observ. Gods promises to be expected with patience FUrther whereas Iacob which hath the blessing is driven from his fathers house and is constrained to serve twenty years under an hard master and Esau in the meane time had the rule of his fathers house prospered and became a mighty man and yet for all this neither Rebeckah nor Iacob despaired of Gods promise or doubted of the blessing it teacheth us that although the wicked doe for a while flourish in the world we should not doubt but that God in his good time will performe his promise toward his Mercer 7. Observ. Injuries must first be forgotten and then forgiven Vers. 45. TIll thy brothers wrath be turned away c. and he forget c. The forgetfulnesse of wrongs bringeth forth forgivenesse but where injuries are remembred they are hardly remitted Muscul. We must therefore forget and then forgive as Ioseph did forget all the wrongs that his brethren did unto him and considered how the Lord turned it to his good Gen. 50.20 8. Observ. Wives must not exasperate or provoke their husbands Vers. 46. I Am weary of my life for the daughters of Hoth Rebeckah as a wise and discreet woman not willing to grieve her husband concealeth from him the malicious hatred of Esau toward Iacob and pretendeth another cause of sending away Iacob namely to provide him a wife from her owne kindred and not to match into so wicked a race as Esau had done Mercer By which example women should learne that as their husbands ought not to be bitter to them so they againe should not exasperate their husbands with quicke words or froward deeds as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord 1 Pet. 3.6 she did with milde and dutifull words seeke to please him CHAP. XXVIII 1. The Argument and Contents FIrst Isaacks charge to Iacob concerning his marriage and his blessing are set forth vers 1.5 2. Esau his hypocrisie who to please his father taketh a wife from Ismaels house vers 6. to 10. 3. Gods providence is declared in a vision to Iacob how the Lord promised to bee with him and to conduct him vers 10. to 16. 4. Iacobs feare devotion and vow are expressed vers 16. to the end 2. The divers readings v. 2. Into Mesopotamia of Syria H.C. Mesopotamia S.B. Padan of Syria T. Padan Aram. G.P. v. 4. Which God promised to thy grand-father H. which God gave to Abraham cater v. 5. Rebeckah his mother H. the mother of Iacob and Esau. cater v. 8. Proving that his father did not willingly looke upon the daughters of Canaan H. Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased or seemed evill in the sight of Isaack his father cater v. 9. Melech the daughter of Ismael H. Mahalath caet v. 13. The Lord leaned upon the ladder H. the glory of God stood upon it C. the Lord stood above it cater v. 13. Feare not S. the rest have not these words v. 14. For thee and for thy children shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed C. in thee and thy seed cater v. 16. In truth the glory of God dwelleth in this place C. truly the Lord is in this place cat v. 17. This is no common place but a place wherein God is pleased and over against this place is the gate of heaven C. this is no other
for God expresseth no condition in his promise 4. Nor yet need we answer that Iacob doth not vow the generall worship of God whereunto he was bound by his profession having received circumcision but a speciall service in consecrating that place to Gods service and offering of tythes or that it is lawfull for a man to tie himselfe by a new bond to performe that to God which he is otherwise bound to doe as the Prophet David saith Psal. 119.126 I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous judgements both these answers are true though not pertinent to this place ex Perer. 5. Wherefore Iacob doth not bring this forth as a condition If God will be with me this particle im is not here a conditionall but a word of time as it is taken vers 15. untill if that is when I have performed c. so is it taken here when God hath beene with me and kept me in this journey Iun Mercer and the words following are not to be read then the Lord shall be my God but when the Lord hath beene my God so they are not parcell of the vow which is complete in the 22. vers but they are part of the reason of this vow Rasi Iun. QUEST XVIII To whom Iacob voweth to pay the tenth Vers. 22. I Will give the tenth 1. Some thinke that he payed the tenth to Sem or Eber but Sem died before Iacob was borne and Eber also was dead many yeares before this in the 19. yeare of Iacob who is now supposed to have beene 77. yeare old 2. Therefore this giving of tithe was nothing else but the consecrating of the tenth part of his goods to be bestowed in building of Altars and in sacrifices for the service of God and such things as are devoted to religious uses are truly said to be given unto God sic Cajetan Mercer 3. Some Hebrewes referre this to the consecrating of Levi to the Priesthood but as Aben Ezra not men but cattell and beasts used to be tithed 4. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. The ministery of Angels Vers. 12. THe Angell of God went up and downe By this is expressed the ministery of the Angels that are continually imployed for the good of the elect they ascend to report our necessities they descend to be ministers of Gods mercies as the Apostle saith Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 2. Doct. How Gods providence is seene in permitting evill to be done in the world HEreby also is set forth Gods providence that watcheth over all things for the Lord standeth upon the top of this ladder whereby is signified the administration and government of the world Against which providence whereas it is objected that many evill things are committed in the world to the which the Lord is no way consenting Thomas Aquine answereth that although some defects are against the particular nature of things yet they are for the good of the universall and therefore as Augustine saith Deus non sineret malumesse in operib suis nisi sciret benefacere etiam de malâ— God would not suffer evill to be in his works if he did not know how to turne evill into good But it will be said God ought to draw men against their will unto good Dionysius answereth Non est providentia divinae violare naturam sed est cujusque naturae conservatrix Gods providence doth not change or violate nature but is the preserver of naâ—ure leaving to things indued with reason to follow their owne will and inclination Lib. de Divin nominib cap. 4 par 4. 3. Doct. How God forsaketh not the elect finally Vers. 15. I Will not forsake thee c. Gods promises to his servants are so stable and firme in Christ that they are sure finally not to be forsaken as the Lord said to Iosua I will never faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.4 Calvin 4. Doct. Lawfull to vow Vers. 20. IF God will be with me c. By Iacobs vowing both their errour is condemned that take away the use of all vowes from Christians and their superstition that vow not as they ought Iacob 1. directeth his vowes to God the papists vow unto Saints 2. He voweth to testifie his thankfulnesse they vow to merit 3. He voweth such things as were in his power as to pay tithe they such things as are beyond their reach as single life where the gift is not 4. Iacob voweth such things as God commanded they vow things of their owne inventing as to goe in pilgrimage to fast with bread and water to garnish Idols and such like concerning the which we may say with the Prophet who required this at your hands Isay 1. â—2 Calvin 5. Doct. Signes called by the names of the things Vers. 22. THis stone shall be the house of God This stone was not Gods house but a monument or signe of the place of Gods worship for there Iacob to fulfill this vow afterward at his returne built an Altar to God Gen. 35.7 Thus by a metonymie that which is proper to the thing is given to the signe in which sense the bread in the Eucharist is called the body of Christ Marlâ—r 5. Places of Confutation 1. Confut. How the Angels are reporters of our prayers unto God and yet no mediators Vers. 12. LOe the Angels of God ascended and descended upon it Hence Pererius would gather that the Angels descended from heaven to reveale unto us the counsels of God and to execute his will so their office is by ascending to report unto God our prayers vowes and necessities in Gen. 25. numer 23. We grant that the Angels doe report unto God the affaires of the world and the acts and gests of men and so their supplications in generall but this they doe as messengers not as mediators The Prophet Zachary sheweth a distinct office of the Angelicall spirits and Jesus Christ there called the Angell of the Lord they returne this answer to Christ Wâ—e have gone thorow the world and behold all the world sitteth still and is at rest But the Angell of the Lord Christ the Mediator of his Church steppeth forth and prayeth O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou be unmercifull to Ierusalem Zach. 1.12 So then though the Angels be witnesses of our devotion and beholders of our teares and plaints they have no office of mediation neither have we any warrant to pray unto them 2. Confut. Against the Platonists that make three kinds of providence Vers. 12. THere stood a ladder upon the earth and the top reached to heaven Gods providence then descendeth from heaven to earth contrary to the opinion of the Platonists noted by Gregor Nyssen lib. 8. de provident cap. 3. who make three kinds of providence the first of God in taking care onely for things celestiall and spirituall and the generall causes of other things in the world the second they
aâ—tributed to the second ranke of gods who provided for all things betweene the Moone and the earth the third they yeelded to the spirits who governed the actions of men But the Scripture teacheth us that all things in heaven and earth are ruled by Gods providence in so much that a sparrow cannot fall upon the ground without the will of God Matth. 10.29 as the Prophet David also saith Who is like unto the Lord our God that hath his dwelling on high who abaseth himselfe to behold things in the heaven and the earth Psal. 113.5 6. 3. Confut. Iacobs ladder doth not signifie the monasticall profession PErerius interpreteth this ladder out of a counterfeit peece of Bernard to be the discipline of Monasticall life and namely the way and rule of Benets order whereby the founder of that order S. Benedict went to heaven numer 34. Contra. 1. First then it is requisite if this ladder signifieth Monasticall discipline that he which first saw it should have beene a professed Monke but I thinke they will not say that Iacob was a Monke the most speciall part of which profession consisteth in the vow of single life 2. Christ himselfe standeth upon the top of this ladder to whom the way and ladder is directed he then that climbeth this ladder must ascend by faith in Christ but the Monks thinke to climbe up to heaven by their merits 3. Iacob was a figure of Christ upon whom the Angels of God should ascend and descend Ioh. 1.51 it is great presumption then to put Benet in Christs place that Iacob should bee a figure of him 4. This ladder sheweth the way that every true Israelite of Iacob should ascend by but every true Israelite and Christian is not a Monke 4. Confut. Philo confuted concerning the ascending and descending of soules PHilo understandeth the ayre to be this ladder Basis terra coelum caput The earth is the foot of this ladder the heaven is the head or top the Angels are the soules Quas aer habet stellis pares which the ayre is filled with equall to the starres in number some of these descend into the bodies some ascend Alia ad corpora recurrunt Some returne to the bodies againe thus Philo Platonizeth Lib. de somniis In this device of Philo three notable errours are discovered 1. The ayre is not the seat or region of soules but the spirits of the just are in heaven where Jesus Christ is and the holy Angels Heb. 12.22 23 24. 2. The soules had no being before their bodies that they should descend into them as from another place God formeth the spirit of man within him Zachar. 12.1 3. Neither doe the soules once separated from the bodies returne any more to cohabit in earthly and mortall bodies The spirit returneth to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 5. Confut. Against the Helvidians Vers. 15. I Will not forsake thee till I have performed c. The Helvidians because it is said that Ioseph knew not Mary â—â—ll she had brought forth her first-borne sonne Matth. 1.25 would gather thereupon that he knew her afterward they may as well conclude here that after God had performed to Iacob that which he promised that he did forsake him then Muscul. 6. Confut. Temples have no inherent holinesse but in regard of the use Vers. 17. THis is no other but Gods house c. This proveth not that Temples and Churches are more holy places in themselves which is the opinion of the Romanists 1. Their Temples being polluted with idolatry are prophane and unholy 2. Though before Christs comming the Lord chose his speciall place where he would have sacrifices offered and not in any place beside and so some places were privileged with a legall kinde of sanctity more than others yet now since that Christ hath every where opened heaven to the prayers of the faithfull that distinction remaineth not 3. Even Bethel retained not an inherent holinesse but in respect of the religious use for after that it was by Ieroboam defiled with Idolatry it was no more Bethel the house of God but Bethaven the house of iniquity 7. Confut. Against the anointing of Altars Vers. 18. HE powred oyle upon the top of it c. Hence Rabanus groundeth that superstitious use of anointing the Altar with oyle Altare post aspersionem aquae Chrysmate ungitur ad imitationem Patâ—iarcha Iacob The Altar after the sprinkling of water is anointed with Chrysme after the imitation of the Patriarke Iacob Lib. de institut Clericor cap. 45. Contra. 1. The ceremonies of the law which were figures and shadowes of things to come are not meet ornaments for the Gospell such were their washings anointings sacrifices and other rites they were shadowes of things to come but the body is Christ Coloss. 2.17 The body then being come what need the shadow 2. The same ointment that Christ was anointed with his members also receive but that was a spirituall unction Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me Of this anointing the Apostle speaketh You have an oyntment from him that is holy and ye have knowne all things 1 Ioh. 2.20 3. But if Iacobs anointing must be a patterne why doe they also sprinkle water which he did not Iacob also used profane and common oyle such as he carried for his journey but their oyle must be hallowed first and consecrated Iacob here maketh no Altar but setteth up a pillar for a monument why doe not they by the same example powre oyle upon their Crosses and Pillars in the high-way 8. Confut. Bethel become Bethaven and Rome Babel Vers. 19. HE called the name of that place Bethel Yet afterward when it was prophaned by idolatry it was called by the Prophets Bethaven the house of iniquity we need not therefore marvell if that Rome sometime the Church of God bee now become Babel the fountaine of corrupt doctrine the place and seat of Antichrist they cannot shew such warrant for the consecration of Rome as the Scripture speaketh for Bethel which of the house of God was made an habitation of filthy Idols and so is Rome Muscul. 6. Places of morall observation 1. Observ. We must not amend one errour by another Vers. 9. THen went Esau to Ishmael c. Esau in stead of correcting his former errour in taking him wives from the daughters of Canaan committeth another in matching into the stocke of Ismael that was also a stranger from the covenant he thought he should please his father though he did not thorowly reforme himselfe if he came a little nearer such is the reformation of hypocrites they thinke they have done well if they can dawbe over their sinnes and set some colour upon them by a pretended reformation as Herod did Who seemed to reverence Iohn and when he heard him hee did many things and heaâ—d him gladly Mark 6.30 Mercer Calvin 2. Observ. Patience and labour to be endured for vertue Vers. 11. HE tooke of the stones