Noe shal be acceptable to God who for his sake appoynted times and seasons for sowing and reaping and gaue Noe the skill to finde out wine that comforts the heart of man and also in his time God did sweepe away the sins of this age which did grieue Lamech with an vniuersall floud Q. Which of Noes three sonnes were eldest A. Iapheth is the eldest as it is plaine Gen. 20.21 C ham the youngest Gen. 9.24 but Shem is first named First because in dignity he is preferred before his brethren Gen. 9.26 so Abraham is named before his elder brother Gen. 11.26 Iacob before Esau Gen. 28.5 Ephraim before Manasses Gen. 48.20 Secondly Shem is first named because of him Abram and his posterity the Israelites descended of which Moses is purposed to speake most Q. Why did the Patriarches here named abstaine so long from begetting children as Noe till he was 500. yeeres old c A. As they liued longer then wee so they were not ready so soone to beget children as we are for now when a man is 30. he is in the prime of his yeeres but then none was sayd to come to mans estate till hee had bin a 100. yeeres and more Secondly Moses drift her is not to set downe the names of all the sons of these Fathers but of such as Abraham and the Israelites came and therefore he omits those first borne of whom Abraham came not and speakes of the youngest as Mathew in describing Christs genealogie speaketh of Isaac not of Ismael of Iacob not of Esau of Iudas and Dauid not of their elder brethren because of them came not the Lord. Questions on the sixt Chapter Q. VVHat is vnderstood by men that began to multiply A. By men wee vnderstand the sonnes of Caine who because they tooke many wiues did increase faster then Sheths posterity and as they multiplied so did their sinnes multiply for the multiplication of mankinde is a blessing but we see the more blessings God bestoweth on vs the worse we are Q. What is meant here by the sonnes of God A. Not Angels neither good nor bad neither with bodies nor without bodies for they being Spirits are not moued with carnall lust neither was it to drowne them that God sent the flood but to destroy man therefore by the sonnes of God is vnderstood men for of them only doth God speake here throughout all the Chapter Q. What sort of men were these that are called the sonnes of God A. Some thinke they were very tall and mighty men therefore they are called the sons of God as the mountaines of God the Cedars of God that is high and tall hills and Cedars others thinke they were the sonnes of Princes and Iudges which are called gods in Scripture others againe say that they are those whereof Paul speaketh Rom. 8. They that are led by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God that they were holy and iust men but they are of soundest iudgement that by them vnderstand the posterity of Sheth who although they degenerated yet Moses giueth them that honourable title to shew their ingratitude in forsaking their heauenly Father Q. Why is the posterity of Sheth called the sonnes of God A. Because God had separated them from the rest of the world as a peculiar people to himselfe they did serue him and reuerence him as their heauenly Father secondly because Sheth their father was an holy and iust man by consequent the sonne of God both by adoption and imitation therefore God doth honour his posteritie in calling them the sonnes of God for their father Sheths sake so wee see what an honour it is to haue holy parents Q. Was it vnlawfull for the sonnes of God to take to themselues wiues of the daughters of men A. Yes for those daughters of men were Caines posteritie excommunicated from the Church for they were the sons of old Adam because they were not borne agayne by the immortall seed of the Word Now it was vnlawfull for Sheths posteritie to marry Caines daughters being of a contrary Religion this kind of matrimony was forbidden afterwards Exodus 34. and Deuteronomy 7. For this cause Abraham and Isaac would not haue their sons marry with Canaanites secondly they tooke those wiues not for multiplication of mankinde but to satisfie their immoderate lust therefore this copulation was vnlawfull for they should not haue defiled their bodies as knowing they are the Temples of the holy Ghost Q. How doe we know that these were not Angels which are called here the sonnes of God A. Because Angels are Spirits not composed of any physicall matter nor inclosed into bodies as the soules of men therefore they cannot be moued with carnall lust Q. Some do thinke they haue bodies and therfore are heere vnderstood to haue taken them wiues of the daughters of men how then is it that they haue no bodies A. If they had bodies they should be eyther celestiall or elementall celestiall they are not for heauenly bodies haue but one kinde of motion which is to turne round but Angels ascend and descend and haue all other kindes of mouing Elementary they are not for whatsoeuer is composed of Elements is corruptible but the Angels are not If they say that Angels haue in them but one element then I would know which it is Againe they should graunt that the bodies of Angels are more ignoble than the bodies of men because in sublunarie bodies the more elements they are composed of the nobler and perfecter they are and if their bodies are baser then their mindes are imperfecter for there is a proportion betweene the forme and the matter Q. Cannot Angels beget children A. No for they haue no feede fit for procreation because they feed not for seede is a part of our food Againe if they could procreate children they should be distinguished in male and female for both these must concurre in procreation Q. What is meant by these words My Spirit shall not alwayes striue with man A. By the word Spirit is not vnderstood Gods prouidence nor God himselfe taken essentially nor his wrath and indignation nor mans soule but Spirit is taken for God himselfe personally or for the holy Ghost the third person in the Trinity by which Spirit Christ preached in Noe to the disobedient spirits of the old world 1. Pet. 3. The meaning then is My holy Spirit shall not contend alwayes or a long time with sinnefull man by exhorting conuincing outwardly and inwardly by the checkes of conscience because he is but flesh that is fleshly-minded walketh after the flesh and not after the Spirit Q. What then is meant by flesh heere A. Not flesh properly so called secondly nor as it is taken for the nature of man as Iohn 1.14 Christ the Word is said to be made flesh but heere it is taken for the corruption of mans nature Here then God calleth man whom he had made to his owne Image flesh to make him ashamed that he
in bearing rule ouer the creatures which dominion Abel had not being taken away by vntimely death and from Cain this power was taken away because he was accursed and the earth commanded not to yeeld her increase Q. What doth this name Sheth signifie A. To be set or appointed in stead of Abel and as Abel was the tipe of mortality so Sheth is the tipe of our resurrection for Adam seemed to be dead Abel being killed and Caine accursed but in the birth of Sheth he seemes to reuiue agâ—ine and as he in Sheth was reuiued so we all in Christ shal be made aliue and in that Adam giueth the same name to his son that Eua did they both testifie their faith and hope they haue in the promised Seed Q. Why are the yeeres of Adam and the rest â—â—lled dayes A. To signifie that although our life bee neuer so long it shall consume as dayes for all yeeres are composed of dayes therefore euery day we should be mindfull of Mortality and thinke that euery day is the last and wee must beseech God that hee would teach vs to number our dayes Q. What is the cause that Adam and the rest here named before the Floud liued so long A. First because they liued soberly and were contented with simple diet not pampering their bellies as now with variety of dishes Secondly the constitution of their bodyes were better then ours stronger and not subiect to diseases Thirdly they had more experience and skill in the nature of hearbes and fruits which they did eate then wee haue Fourthly the earth then brought forth excellenter hearbes for the food of man then it hath done after the Floud Fifthly God would haue them liue so long that Man-kinde might the more be multiplyed Sixthly that man might the more commodiously finde out Arts and Sciences which they could not doe without long experience Seuenthly the moderate teÌ„perature of the aire was then greater Eightly they did liue so long that Adam might teach them the Creation of the World his happines in Paradise and reiection from thence c. that the knowledge of God and religion might the better bee established amongst them and propagated by them Q. VVhat kinde of yeeres were those that Moses mentioneth heere A. Not the yeeres of the Moone which we call moneths for by this computation wee should confesse that Kenan and Enoch did beget sonnes and daughters before they were seuen yeeres olde and that Abraham being 17. yeeres of age was a very olde man but Moses meaneth the yeeres of the Sun which were equall with our yeeres as wee haue prooued in the Preface vpon the second book of our Iewish History Q. VVhy did Moses subioyne vnto euery one of their liues this particle and he died A. First to shew the ineuitable punishment and consequent of sinne vpon all Man-kinde And from hence we may conclude that euery one that dieth is a sinner euen children for death is the wages of sinne I except Christ who died not because he sinned but because he came to destroy sinne and death and Satan that hath the power of death Secondly to shew the vanity of this life which is so short Thirdly to put vs in minde of our mortality that we might prepare our selues for our end all must die euen those are gone that liued so long and although that wee thinke they liued many yeeres yet we may truely say that they did not liue one whole day for none of them liued 1000. yeeres which to God is as one day Q. VVhat is the cause of the great difference betweene the Hebrew copyes and the translation of the Septuagints in the computation of the yeeres betweene Adam and the Floud A. We cannot say that those seuenty Interpreters which Ptolemy did imploy in translating the Hebrew Bible into the Greeke tongue did erre in their computation seeing they vse no figures as the Greekes and Latines doe in this computation but they vse the names of their numbers But rather we thinke that those that copied out the translation of the Septuagints out of Ptolemeus Librarie did erre in mistaking the Greeke figures for one letter or figure may easily be mistaken for another or else they were somewhat negligent because they thought these numbers of yeeres not to bee necessary But wee must adhere to the Hebrew veritie or else if we follow the Septuagints in their computation wee must yeeld that Methusalem did liue after the Floud 16. yeeres which is directly against the truth of Gods Word which affirmeth that eight soules did onely escape the Floud that is Noah and his Family Q. Did Henoch die or not A. He did not die so witnesseth Paul Hebrews 11. and Moses also in this place for hee subioynes to euery one of their liues that liued before and after Henoch vntill the Floud and he died but of Henoch hee speaketh no such thing Q. Why did God translate Henoch that he should not see death A. First that he might assure the faithful of their resurrection and life eternall secondly because the world did degenerate came as it were to the height of impietie therefore he tooke him away left he had beene defiled with their wickednesse and so be made partaker of their plagues thirdly because God would shew the world how highly he esteemeth those that walke with him that is that obey loue and feare him Q. Whither was Henoch translated A. Not to the earthly Paradise for that was destroyed with the Floud but he was translated to that heauenly Paradise whereof Christ speaketh to the good Thiefe on the Crosse and whither Elias was caught now although be dyed not yet his translation was in stead of death Q. What signifieth Noe A. Rest which name his father Lamech gaue him because of the comfort hee should haue of him thinking that he was the promised Seed that should tread downe the Serpents head or rather because that he perceiued by the Spirit of prophecie that he should be the type of Christ For as Noe restored the world after the Floud so did Christ after the floud of his Fathers wrath restore the world to spirituall life secondly as Noe did build the Arke so hath Christ built the Church thirdly as Noe offered sacrifice whereby God smelled a sauour of Rest and said hee would curse the ground no more so in Christs Sacrifice which he offered on the crosse is the Father well pleased and he will not be angry with his Church for euer Q. How was Noe a comfort to Lamech concerning the sorrow and worke of his hands and touching the earth which the Lord cursed A. By Sorrow and the workes of our hands may be vnderstood sinne which is our owne worke as holinesse is the work of God by the earth which was cursed wee vnderstand the barrennesse of the ground and the hard labor of the husbandmen for the ground was cursed twice once for Adams sake and once for Caines but now Lamech comforteth himselfe that
THE FIRST BOOKE OF QVESTIONS AND ANSWERS vpon Genesis Containing those questions that are most eminent and pertinent vpon the sixe first Chapters of the same Booke Collected out of ancient and recent Writers Both briefly and subtilly propounded and expounded By Alexander Rosse of Aberdine Preacher at Saint Maries neere Southampton and one of his Maiesties Chaplaines LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for Francis Constable dwelling in Pauls Church-yard ouer-against the great North doore at the signe of the white Lyon 1620. ⧠TO THE RIGHT Honorable Francis Lord Verulam Lord high Chancellor of England c. In this Vniuerse Right Honorable THere are onely two things that are the obiects both of Contemplation and of Admiration that is the Creator and the creature amongst the creatures onely two Angels and men in man onely two parts the bodie and soule in the soule onely two faculties the mind and the will in the minde two things onely God and his Word the Word of God is two-fold internall and externall the externall word is two-fold spoken and written the written word hath two parts the old and new Testament the old containeth two Moses and the Prophets and Moses speaketh of these two we formerly mentioned which onely are the obiects of our contemplations euen the Creator and the creature the Creator wee know via negationis eminentiae causalitatis but we know the creatures if they be sensible Cognitione sensitiua if not intellectiua but properly in this life wee know not God in regard of his Essence for how shall wee know him of whom there can not be framed either Species intelligibiles or sensibiles seeing that knowledge is per species yet in part we know him in regard wee haue some knowledge of his personall and essentiall properties of his effects and operations Which knowledge is but small because our finite science cannot comprehend that infinite Essence For if a shell cannot contain the Sea which is a creature much lesse can our soules him that is our Creator The cause then why the Owle can not behold the Sunne is in the eies of the Owle not in the Sunne so that we cannot know God perfectly is not in God who is most perfect but in vs that are imperfect quidquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis non ad modum recepti Then our knowledge is so weake that wee neither know the first effector whose Essence is most excellent neither his first effect I meane the first matter whose existence is most impotent Yet a more eminent knowledge of our Maker haue wee than the Pagans who only know him by his works but we by his words they by contemplation we by inspiration they by senslesse Images we by his essentiall Image they by painted and carued stones we by that stone which the builders did refuse which became the head of the corner which was cut out of the mountaine without hands which brake all their Images to powder vpon which are seuen eies euen that tried and precious stone that was laid in Sion by him I say in whom the God-head dwels bodily in whom are hid al the treasures of wisedome and knowledge haue we the knowledge of our Creator without whom our science is but ignorance and our meditations vexations This is that internal word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom and by whose spirit was spoken and written this externall word contained in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the which word the Creator and the creature is only to be knowne not only in all but in euery part thereof no lesse than the soule is all in all the body and all in euery part of the same so is knowledge in this word Now this externall word differeth from Christ the internal word of the Father as in vs the word which is in our mind doth differ from that which is in our mouth and books our internall speech and reason is generated in the soule and of the soule and is coetaneall with the soule so is Christ begotten in the Father and of the Father and is coeternall with the Father but the word that is in our mouth and books is accidental and the effect of our internall word so is that word which is in the Scripture and in the mouth of Christs seruants accidentall and the effect of Christ the internall word of the Father who is both ratio oratio Patris for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both Our soules cognitione directa doe vnderstand many things that are without the soule but cognitione reflexa she vnderstandeth her selfe and then idem est intelligens id quod intelligitur so God doth know all his creatures which are but his effects but in vnderstanding himselfe from all eternitie he doth beget that knowledge of himselfe and in himselfe which is himselfe euen Christ his owne wisedome and knowledge Yet there is great relation betweene Christ Gods internall Word and the Scripture his externall word for as none knoweth the Father but by the Sonne his word internall so none knoweth the Father the Son but by the Scripture his Word externall As the internall word was Principium essendi the beginning of the creatures so the externall is Principium cognoscendi the beginning of knowledge As nothing did exist before the word internall so nothing was spoken before the word externall As by the internall Word the world was created so by the externall word the world is instructed As that word was cōceiued of the holy Ghost so this word was inspired by the holy Ghost As that word was persecuted by the Iewes and crucified by the Roman Pilate so this word hath beene falsified by the Iewes and wounded by the Roman Prelate As it was held vnlawful for the people to cōuerse with that Word so it was held vnlawfull for the Lay people to conuerse with this word As the Iewes did more regard their traditions than that word so the Romans doe more regard their vnwritten lies than this Word As that Word was buried in a garden and kept sure from his Disciples so was this word buried in an vnknowne tongue and kept close from Christians as this word in despite of the Iewes was restored to life so this word in dispite of the Popes is brought forth againe to light This is that word the Author obiect subiect end and ground whereof is God for verity admirable for antiquity venerable for sanctity incomparable for vtility inestimable here is light for the blind life for the dead food for the hungry drinke for the thirsty here is the tree of life the fountaines of liuing waters Manna the food of Angels pearles and other rich Iewels here is a banquet of many dishes an Apothecaries shop with many medicines a sweet garden of many flowres an Armour-house with many weapons here is salt to season milke to strengthen wine to comfort and hony to sweeten here the cold may be warmed the weary refreshed the naked clothed
foretell many things partly by Reuelation from God and partly because he is a subtile spirk and of long experience and hee makes those men foretell things to come rather by mouing their phantasies or by dreames or by offering to their eyes the shape or to their eares the words of those things he will foretell or by characters 2. They can foretell things to come because God permits them for the greater destruction of those that curiously consult Sooth-sayers so he suffered Balaam his Asse to prophesie 3. Men that are of subtile spirits may foretell some things by looking diligently into the life manners and dispositions of men as one may foretell that a tyrant oppressing his subiects shal be killed 4. They may foretell some things which may fall out true because of the credulity of those that consult with them for if they foretel good successe to any this ofttimes falls out because of the feruent desire and vsing of all meanes to attaine the same which doth fall out not because it was fore-told but because he to whom it was fore-told vsed the meanes to haue it Q. Is it not lawfull then to consult with Astrologers and Sooth-sayers A. No because in consulting with them we derogate from Gods glory and honour them in thinking that they can fore-tell all things which is proper only to God 2. If it bee vnlawfull to conuerse with an excommunicate person much lesse should we haue commerce with Satan who is excommunicated from heauen to the place of darkenesse and is the pernicious enemy of God and man Q. Whether are the beasts or fishes perfectest A. The beasts because they haue more perfect sences beget more perfect blood in our bodies then fishes haue more commerce with men and are docible in many things fishes are not Q. Why then were they created before the beasts A. As nature begins at that which is most imperfect in generation so God in the creation did keepe this course for man the little world and patterne of all the creatures was not created till the sixth day 2. God keepeth that course in the 3. last dayes which hee did in the 3. first in the first he created heauen and in the 4. did replenish it with starres the 2. hee made the seas the 5. replenished it with liuing creatures Q. Why speaketh Moses of the creation of some particular fishes and not of trees and beasts A. Because these fishes are greater then any earthly creatures therefore we should the more extoll Gods glory in considering them Q. How doe the waters bring forth the fishes A. The waters are not the efficient cause of the fishes but the materiall yet but in part for fishes are compounded of the foure elements notwithstanding the waters are the predominant matter of the fishes not in respect of their substance for that is earth but in respect of qualitie moist and cold Secondly The temperature of the fishes are waterish Thirdly Water is the place of habitation generation and conseruation for the fishes Q. Why were the birds created the fift day with the fishes and not the sixth A. Because they were created of the water as the fishes Secondly Because of the great resemblance betweene the birds and fishes both in respect of their place water and aire for both these elemēts are perspicuous humid moueable and easie to be changed one into the other Secondly In respect of their bodies for both are light and swift the sinnes of the fishes answere to the birds wings and their scales to birds feathers they both want eares paps milke bladder Thirdly Many kindes of birds dwell in the waters as the Sea-meawes Swans c. Fourthly their mouing is alike for as the fishes swim so the birds flie Fiftly They both vse their tayle to guide their flying and swimming Q. Were the birds created of the water A. Yes but not of the thickest of the water but rather of a watery vapour betweene water and aire therefore the birds conuerse in the water and aire Q. But it seemes the birds were created of the earth the sixt day by these words of the 2. Chapters And the Lord hauing formed out of the ground euery beast of the field and euery bird of the aire brought them to Adam A. If God had created them the sixt day of the ground Moses had not spoken of them the fift day Secondly in these words alleaged the coniunction and hath no reference to the word ground as though both had bene formed of the ground but to the word formed so the meaning is that not only the beasts that were formed of the ground but the birds also which God had created were brought to Adam Q. How doth the earth bring forth liuing creatures A. Not actiuely but passiuely for the earth is not the efficient but the materiall cause of earthly creatures Q. What difference is there betweene the beast cattel and creeping thing verse 25. A. By behemah in Hebrew is vnderstood the great beasts as Iob 40.15 By chaiah the wild beasts in whom there is seen most liuelinesse by remesh creeping things such as haue no feete at all as serpents and they that haue short and little feete as Ants. Q. Why did not God blesse the earthly creatures as he did the fishes A. Moses did omit this for breuities sake Secondly the blessing of the fishes doth belong also to the beasts Thirdly man is blessed and in him the beasts as when hee was cursed the earth was also Gen. 3. And when he was punished the beasts were punished also Genesis 7. Q. Why was man particularly blessed A. Not only for multiplication but also because of the elect And thirdly because mans copulation is oftentimes sinfull and inordinated Q. Did God create in the beginning imperfect creatures as Bees Waspes and such like A. He did not create them actually as hee did the perfect creatures but he created them in their causes as hee gaue that faculty to the flesh of an horse to beget Waspes beeing dead Q. Were Mules now created or not A. They were not First Because they were found out by Anah Genes 36. Secondly They are barren but God created all creatures with his blessing to be fruitfull c. Genes 1. Thirdly this kinde of procreation is against nature but God created euery thing according to his kinde Genes 1. Fourthly This is against his owne law Leuit 19. Q. Who was man and the cattell created in the some day A. First Because they both dwell in the earth Secondly The earthly creatures are more familiar with man then others Thirdly they are more profitable to man then other creatures Fourthly They are most like to man of all other creatures Q. How doth Gods goodnesse and wisedom appeare in the creatures A. Many wayes First In the variety of so many thousand diuers kindes of creatures Secondly In the comely order that is seene amongst them Thirdly in that all things that serue for the perfection of the world is