Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The Method.
IN this Chapter there is a rehearsall of the yeares of the Patriarkes before the floud, and of their acts: there is a threefold account of their yeares: before they begat children, and after, and the summe of both joyned together.
Their acts are either generall, in begetting sonnes and daughters, or speciall, as of Henoch, his godly conversation, he walked with God in earth, v. 22. his translation, he walked with God in heaven, v. 24. of Lamech: his consolation in his sonne Noah v. 29.
2. The grammaticall interpretation.
v. 1. This is the booke of the generation of men. S. of Adam. cat. this is the enumeration. T. heb. sepher. a book,S. ap. f. pro. an ennarration.
S. ad.v. 3. Adam lived 230. yeares. S. an. 130. cater.
S. ad. & det.v. 4. The dayes of Adam, which he lived, after he begat Seth, were 700. S. the dayes of Adam after hee begat Seth, were 800. cater.
S. ad.v. 6. Seth lived 205. yeares. S. an. 105. yeares. cater.
S. det.v. 7. Seth lived 707. yeares. S. 805. yeares. cater.
S. ad.v. 9. Enos lived 190. yeares. S. 90. yeares. cat.
S. det.v. 10. Enos lived after he begat, &c. 715. yeares. S. 815. yeares. cat.
S. ad det.v. 12 an. 170. yeares. S. 70. yeares. cat. v. 13.740. yeares. S. 840. cat.
S. ad. det.v. 15. an. 165. yeares. S. 65. yeares. cat. v. 16.730. yeares. S. 830. yeares. cat.
S. alt.v. 21. an. 165. yeares. S. 65. yeares. cat.
v. 22. and Heno…h foreign, pleased God. S. walked with God. cat. walked, continenter, steadfastly with God. Tr. heb. halech, to walke: walked in the feare of God. Ch.
S. ald.v. 24. he was not found. S. he appeared not. H. Ch. was no more seene. B. G. no… extitit, he was no more. Tr. heb. he was not.
Chal. cor.v. 24. God foreign, translated him. S. tulit, tooke him. H. B. G. non occidit, killed him not. Ch. sumpsit, received him. Tr. heb. lachach. to take away, receive.
v. 25. an. 165. yeares. S. an. 187. yeares. cat. v. 26.802. yeares. S. 782. yeares. cat.
S. ad.v. 28. an. 178. yeares. S. an. 182. yeares. cat.
v. 29. foreign, shall cause us to rest. S. shall comfort us. cat. heb. …ach, to rest, to refresh.
v. 29. foreign, from the earth. S. de terra, from off the earth. Ch. in the earth. H. as touching the earth. G. aboue the earth. B. propter terram, because of the earth. Tr.
S. det.v. 30.565. yeares. S. 595. yeare. cat. v. 31.753. yeares. S. 777. yeares. cat.
3. The Theologicall explication.
QVEST. I. Booke of generation, how to be understood.
Vers. 1. THis is the booke of the generation. 1. Moses setteth downe the genealogy of the fathers before the floud,Matthew and Luke reconciled concerning the generation of Christ. because of Christs line, which Luke deriveth from Adam: Matthew goeth not beyond Abraham: not, as some thinke, because of the rest of that line beyond Abraham might easily bee supplyed out of Moses books, which were then well knowne, but for that the most conspicuous and manifest promises of the Messiah, were made to Abraham: all the generations to Matthew, supplying …enty from Adam to Abraham, make but 72. but Luke reckoneth 77. The Reason is, because Matthew omitteth some of purpose, to make the numbers equall, which Luke supplyeth, and Matthew maketh his account by Salomon, Luke by Nathan: so that there might bee more persons in the one discent than in the other. 2. Moses beginneth now to set downe Adams generation by Seth: because Cain was rejected, and Abel died without issue. 3. It is called a booke, that is, an ennumeration, for so Sepher signifieth a booke, because things are rehearsed in it: not because, as R. Isaac, Carus, Moses beginneth his booke here, and the other 3. chapters should bee as a preface. 4. Generation is here taken actively, for the posterity of Adam increased by him: as in Matthew, the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, is taken passively, for the generations of whom Christ came. 5. And whereas it is added, in the day that God created Adam: we need neither with Lyranus, to understand day generally for time, and wee refuse the opinion of the Hebrewes,Hebrew fables. that hold that Adam in the same day of his creation began to have generations, for so they fable, that Adam and Eve had foure or five children the same day they were created: but in the day; is to be referred to the latter part of the verse, wherein mention is made, of Adams creation, according to the image of God. Mercer.
QVEST. II. How Adam begat a Sonne in his owne likenesse.
Vers. 3. ADam begat a sonne in his owne likenesse, &c. 1. which is neither to be understood of the shape and image of his body, for so Cain was in outward shape like to Adam. 2. neither is it to be taken for the image of vertue and piety in his soule, for Adam had lost that image: neither is vertue ingendred by nature: and Abel had the image of his fathers vertue before Seth. 3. neither is it so said, because the image of mankind was continued and preserved in Seth: whereas both Abel died without issue, and Cains posterity was extinguished in the floud; for this notwithstanding, seeing the world was increased by Cain, he might be said also to be after Adams image. 4. But hereby is signified that originall corruption, which is descended unto Adams posterity by naturall propagation, which is expressed in the birth of Seth, not of Abel, because hee had no of-spring, nor of Cain, because it might appeare, that even the righteous seed by nature are subject to this originall depravation: and yet Seth was otherwise after the image of Adam, than Cain, because his seed was sanctified of God, who purposed in Seth and his seed to make good the promise made to Adam, as touching the seed of the woman, that should breake the serpents head. Iun. 5. And whereas Adam was an hundred thirty yeere old before he begat Seth, wee abhor the lewd fables of the Hebrewes,Hebrew fables. that thinke in this meane space, that Adam companied with female spirits or devils, and begat male spirits, and Eva with male spirits, and brought forth masculine or male devils: neither doe I thinke with Mercer, that in the meane time Adam begat other sonnes and daughters: but God by this meanes (Adam staying so long without children) did try his faith in looking for the promised seed, and his patience in seeing the wicked stocke of Cain so mightily to increase. Iun.
QVEST. III. Wherefore it is added, and he died.
Vers. 5. ALL the dayes that Adam lived, &c. 1. Neither were these yeares otherwise accounted than by 12. moneths, as it may appeare in the story of Noahs floud, where mention is made of the 7. monethmonth, and 27. day of the monethmonth. 2. Neither did these righteous fathers onelyonly live thus long by miracle, as thinketh R. Moses, but it was usuall in those dayes. 3. And the conclusion of every ones life is, & mortuus est, he died: not as some think, because it should appeare, that they dyed not in the floud, but by their owne naturall death: and therefore they say, this clause is not added after the floud in the genealogy of the fathers: but it is thus said, to shew what the condition of all mankind was after Adams fall. 4. It is said only of Adam, all the dayes that he lived: Whereby the Hebrewes inferre that Adam lived a godly life, and repented: his repentance we doubt not of, but not soundly hence gathered. Mercer.
QVEST. IIII. Whether Adam the longest liver.
NOw whereas Adam lived but 930. yeares, Mathuselah, 969. yeares, v. 27. yet may Adam be well supposed to have beene the longest liver, because he was created in a perfect state of body apt to generation, which was not then under sixty yeares: for none of the Patriarkes began to have children under that age: Mahalalel begat at 65. yeares of age. v. 15. and none under: then adde unto Adams yeares, 60. more, in what age and state of body he was created, and he will bee found to have beene the longest liver of the Patriarkes: and to exceed Mathuselahs age, 21. yeares.
QVEST. V. The yeares of the Patriarkes full and complete yeares, consisting of twelve moneths.
COncerning the long life of the aged Patriarkes. 1. Neither is the conceit of the Aegyptians to bee received, that a man cannot live above an 100. yeares; for they say, that a mans heart increaseth till he come to 50. every yeare two drachmaes in weight, and then decreaseth every yeare as much, till he come to an hundred, and then for want of heart hee can live no longer. For this fancy of theirs is confuted by experience: for Pliny maketh mention, that in Vespatian the Emperors time; there were found in Italy,Plin. lib. 7. c. 29. Divers men of great yeares. two men of an 105. yeares: foure of an 130. three of an 140. and two of an 150. yeares. And in these dayes some are found farre to exceed an hundred yeares: as I have seene my selfe an old man of 124 yeares of age, at Eversden in the County of Bedford, who died about ann. 1600. or, 601. he could remember Bosworth field at the comming in of Henry the 7. being then as he affirmed some 15. yeares old. 2. Neither is it to be thought, that the yeares of the Patriarkes were accounted, as the Arcadians reckoned their yeares by quarters, or the Aegyptians by moneths, as some have thought, for then Henoch begetting children at 65. yeares, should by this reckoning not exceed six yeares and a halfe, when hee had a child. And this Aegyptian yeare consisting of the age of the moone, will not allow above two dayes and a halfe to a monethmonth, whereas mention is made of the 17. and 27. day of the monethmonth, Gen. 7.11. and 8.14. It is evident then that the yeares of the Patriarkes were numbred by complete and full yeares, consisting of twelve moneths, and not after the Aegyptian account. And hereunto Pliny giveth testimony, who remembreth in the same place before recited, that Alexander, Cornelius, Xenophon doe write that some lived 500. some 600. some 800. yeares, Iosephus also alleageth Manethan, Berosus, Mochus Estia…s the Aegyptian, Chalde,Ioseph. l. 3. antiq. c. 3. Phenician Chronologers, who testifie, that those old fathers lived toward a thousand yeares.
QVEST. VI. The causes of the long life of men before the floud.
THe causes of the long life of the Patriarkes may be thought to be these foure. 1. The naturall cause, the sound constitution of their bodies, not yet decayed, and the wholesome aire, not yet corrupted with terrene exhalations, as after the floud. 2. The morall cause, for the invention and finding out of arts and sciences, which as Iosephus writeth, they caused to bee graven in two great pillars, one of bricke,Ioseph. l. 1. antiq. another of stone, that if the world were destroyed with water, the second pillar might remaine: if with fire the first, (for so had they learned of Adam, that the world should be twice destroyed) and he saith further, that the pillar of stone was to be seene in Syria in his time. 3. The civill or politke cause of the long life of the Patriarkes, was for procreation and peopling of the world. 4. The Theologicall, that God by giving them such long life, might make triall of their obedience, to see if they would use this benefit of long life to the glory of God, which they did not, and therefore he shortned the age of man. Yet the Lord, while they enjoyed this long tearme, would not suffer any of them to attaine unto a thousand yeares: not for that as the Hebrewes suppose, God granted of Adams thousand seventy yeares to David, not for that reason, which seemeth to be too curious, whereof Ireneus maketh mention, to make good that saying to Adam, in what day soever thou eatest thereof, thou shalt dye the death: because a thousand yeares with God is as yesterday.Iren. lib. … ad. vers. h…res. Psal. 90.3. And so Adam died in the first day, before he came to a thousand: But God hereby would put the fathers in minde of mortality, that although they lived many hundred yeares, yet none of them filled up a thousand, lest they might have too much flattered themselves in long life: and seeing a thousand is a number of perfection, God would have none of them attaine to 1000. that we might know that nothing is perfect here. Mercer.
QVEST. V. Of the false computation of the 70. Interpreters, and whence it is thought to proceed.
FUrther, whereas the Septuagint doe much differ in the account of yeares from the Hebrew text, adding to the age of the old world, which in true reckoning maketh but 1656. five hundred eighty six yeares more, so making the whole number of yeares 2242. It is diversly conjectured, how this error should arise. 1. Some impute it to the malice of the Jewes, that of purpose corrupted the greeke text, that the Gentiles should not know the secrets of the Scriptures. 2. Some to the prudency of the 70. translators, or of the writers and scribes, who knowing that the Aegyptians would count it but a fable, that the fathers lived so many Astronomicall yeares, made a way for them to take it after the count of the Aegyptian yeares, whereof ten make but one yeare, and therefore they added an hundred yeares to the fathers age before they begat children, to make them apt for generation. But where the yeares will serve without any such addition, they adde none. As Iered lived an 162. yeares, which because it maketh by the Aegyptian calculation sixteene yeares, and some what more, the Septuagint there alter nothing. This is Augustines conjecture.August. lib. 15. de civ. de…. c. 13.
But howsoever the Septuagint came to be so corrupt, it is apparantly in many points erroneous. 1. They adde unto six of the Patriarkes ages before they begat children,The divers errors of the septuagint in the translation of this 5 chap▪ of Genesis. to each of them, Adam, Seth, En…s, Cainon, Malaleel, Henoch, an 100. yeares, and detract them againe in the remainder of their life, that the whole summe may agree. 2. They take away from Methusalems age before hee had children 22. yeares▪ and adde to Lamechs age 6. yeares, as is shewed before. 3. They misse in their calculation, in Methusalems yeares: they make him to live an hundred sixty five before hee begat Lamech, and 802. after in all 969. whereas the other numbers put together want two of this summe, making but 967. 4. They detract from Lamechs age 24. yeares: his whole age according to the Hebrew is 777▪ according to the septuagint, but 753. 5. By their computation Methusalem must live 14. yeares after the floud: for they make him to live 802. yeares after Lamech was borne: and Lamech lived 188. yeares before Noah was borne, and in the six hundred yeare of Noahs age came the floud. Lamech and Noah make but 788. yeares after the computation of the Septuagint: there remaineth yet 14. yeares of Methusalems life: who according to the Hebrew computation, died the same yeare in the beginning before the floud came: for in the arke hee could not be, where only were eight persons, Noah and his wife, his three sonnes and their wives: Genes. 7.7. and S. Peter witnesseth, that in the arke eight soules only were saved. 1 Pet, 3.20. and to say that Methuselah was saved in the terrestriall Paradise with his father Henoch; is a fabulous fiction without ground. Mercerus.
QVEST. VI. The reason of the inequality of generation in the fathers.
WHereas the Patriarkes at divers ages began to beget children, Mahalaleel and Henoch at 56. yeares, Iered at a hundred sixty two yeares: Lamech at two hundreth eighty two. Noah at five hundred. 1. Neither is it to be imputed to Noahs holinesse, that so long abstained from mariage: see…ng Henoch, that for his godly life was translated, had children at 65. yeares. 2. Neither, as Pererius conjectureth, is it like that Noah had other elder sonnes, which were dead before the floud came: for whereas it is said of all the Patriarkes beside, that they begat sonnes and daughters, beside those, which are expressed, no such thing is mentioned of Noah, that beside these three he begat sonnes and daughters: and the Septuagint read: Noah begat three sonnes, &c. insinuating in so reading their opinion, that these were all their sonnes: yet it is evident. Genes. 6.9. That these were all Noahs seed: the words are, these are the generation of Noah, Noah begat three sonnes, &c. 3. I rather thinke, not that either Noah deferred his marriage till hee was 500. yeeres old, or that hee being married, abstained from the company of his wife all that time: but that God so disposed, seeing he purposed to save Noah and all his sonnes from the floud, that Noah did not so abound with posterity as his fathers before him, lest they also should have followed the wickednesse of that age, and so perish with the rest: the Lord saw that there might bee sufficient for the replenishing of the world againe: and it was more to Gods glory to increase the world afterward by so small a number.
QVEST. VII. Wherein Noah was a comfort to his parents.
7. Vers. 29. THis same shall comfort us concerning the workes and sorrow of our hands. 1. Not because the course of sinne should be stopped, and the grievous workes of sinners stayed by the destructions in the floud, as Chrysostome. 2. Or because Noah found out the use of the plow, whereby the earth was tilled with more ease, as R. Solomon. 3. or for that the use of flesh was graunted to Noah after the floud, as some thinke. 4. Nor yet onelyonly for that, the seminary of the world was preserved in Noahs arke, which otherwise should have perished. 5. Nor yet onelyonly because God renewed his covenant with Noah, promising that the world should never be destroyed with waters againe. 6. But the chiefe scope of this prophesie hath relation to Christ, in whom we finde true rest to our soules, and who hath delivered us from the curse, Galath. 3.10. who was prefigured in Noah, and his baptisme, wherein is exhibited the remission of sinnes, shadowed forth in Noahs arke as the Apostle sheweth. 1 Peter 3.22.
4. Places of doctrine.
1. Doct. Originall sinne by propagation, not imitation.
1. vers. 3. IN that Adam begat a sonne in the likenesse of his owne image, which before is interpreted of originall corruption, the heresie of the Pelagians is confuted, who denied any such originall sinne or depravation of nature to be in infants, by propagation from their parents: but that it commeth onelyonly by a corrupt imitation: this was the heresie of the old Pelagians, who affirmed, Peccatum prima transgressionis in alios homines non propagations, sed imitatione transisset: Lombard. lib. …. dist. 30. c.that the sinne of the first transgression passeth unto other men not by propagation, but imitation: which heresie seemeth to have beene revived by Catherinus a Popish writer who denieth,Catherin. …p…s. de pe…at. orig…. c… 6. Rom 3.12. that the sinne of Adam is propagated or transfused to his posterity: But the Scripture evidently overthroweth this assertion. David confesseth hee was conceived in sinne, Psal. 51.5. the Apostle saith, That death went …ver all, in as much as all have sinned: children then if they had not sinne, should not die: and here Seth is begotten in his fathers image.
2. Doct. Originall sinne not a substance.
2. THeir opinion is confuted, that hold originall sinne to be a substance: for like as the image of God, wherein Adam was created was not the substance of the soule, but the quality, as the Apostle expoundeth, which consist in holinesse and righteousnesse, Ephes. 4.24. so the image of Adams corrupt nature, consisteth in the contrary qualities of impurity and injustice.
3. Doct. The state of originall sinne in soule.
3. THe opinion of Papists is refuted, who affirme, that this originall corruption hath the seat and place in the flesh, not in the soule: for this image of corruption was in Adams soule:Bellar. de …. pecat. …ib▪ 5 c. 7. and therefore the Apostle saith, he renewed in the spirit of our mindes, Ephes. 4 24. and put off the old man, &c. and put on the new, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, Coloss. 3.10. there the corrupt image of Adam succeeded, where Gods image is decayed, which was in the soule, for there the place of knowledge is.
5. Places of confutation.
1. Confut. Henoch was no licentious liver at any time.
IN that vers. 21. after the generation Henoch is said to walke with God, and not before, Procopius Gazeus thinketh, that Henoch was before a wicked liver, but after repented: But the contrary is …vident, in that it pleased God with such extraordinarie favour to take Henoch out of the world, that he saw no death: that he was as a shining starre for vertue and holinesse in that age.
2. Confut. Henoch died not.
WHereas vers. 23. it is said all the dayes of Henoch were 365. Alb…n Ezra with other Hebrewes, thinke that Henoch died: for if he were still alive, these should not be all his dayes, Cont. 1. The Scripture maketh mention onelyonly of the yeares of his life upon earth: his yeares with God are not to bee accounted among men: as the Apostle saith of Christ: who in the dayes of his flesh, Heb. 5.7. he is now in his flesh in heaven: but these are counted the dayes of his flesh, when he walked in his flesh among men. 2. The Apostle evidently witnesseth, that Henoch was taken away, that he should not see death, Heb. 11.5. he therefore died not.
3. Confut. Henoch not alive in his flesh.
BEcause it is said that God tooke away or translated Henoch, Pererius in hunc ….the Popish writers doe imagine that Henoch is yet alive in his flesh in Paradise together with Elias, Contra. seeing that Elias is said to bee taken up into heaven, or that he went into heaven, 2 King. 2.11. where Henoch also walked with God: we cannot beleeve that they entred heaven in their whole humanity, but that prerogative was to be reserved for Christ: seeing the Apostle saith, that he hath prepared a now and living way into the holy place for us, by his vaile, that is, his flesh, Heb. 10.20. Christs flesh therefore must make a way into heaven before any mans flesh beside can enter.
4. Confut. Henoch not in the terestriall Paradise.
BUt because they also affirme, that Henoch liveth in his flesh, not in heaven, but in the terestriall Paradise, and it is against the faith as some of them say, to thinke otherwise, the vanity of this opinion shall easily appeare. 1. Because the Scripture saith, that every thing was destroyed upon the face of the earth, and onelyonly eight persons were saved in the Arke: therefore Henoch if he had beene upon the earth,Sixt. Senens. lib. 5. …; 6.1. qu…s. 4. must have perished. 2. The waters prevailed fifteene cubits over the highest mountaine, Genes. 7.20. therefore the earthly Paradise must needs also have beene ouerflowne and destroyed. 3. If they answer that Paradise might be hemmed in with the water, which might stand as a wall round about it, as the water in the red sea did, or that, though it were covered with water, it might be preserved, as the Olive tree, whereof the Dove tooke a branch, or that God might restore Paradise againe after the floud: the first is presumptuous to imagine a miracle without warrant of Scripture, and if it had beene so, Noah needed not to have made an arke, he and his sonnes and the cattell might have beene preserved there: the second is not sufficient, for though Paradise, which is not like, had beene so preserved, yet Henoch must have beene drowned. The third is frivolous, for if the terrene Paradise had beene planted againe, seeing it was situated in a knowne place in Mesopotamia,Perer. lib. 7. in Gen. quest. 7. it could not have beene hid. In this question Pererius is an adversary to Bellarmine, Senens. and the rest, that yet dreame of a terrene Paradise.
5. Confut. Henoch shall returne into the world to die.
IT is also the constant opinion of the popish writers, that Henoch shall come againe toward the end of the world,Perer. ibid. qu. 7. and then shall die, being to be slaine by Antichrist. Pererius, cum Bellarm. Cont. But this is contrary to the Apostle, That Henoch was taken away, that he should not see death, neither was found, Heb. 11.5. Ergo, Henoch shall not see death, nor bee found in a mortall state in earth: whereas they object that place, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed unto men that they shall once die. The answer is ready, like as they which are alive at Christs comming shall not die but be changed, 1 Cor. 15. which notwithstanding shall bee in stead of death: so Henoch was changed in his taking up, though he died not a common death.
6. Confut. Henoch shall not returne to preach repentance to the world.
COncerning the end and causes, wherefore Henoch was translated. 1. Wee admit that God hereby would put the righteous in comfort, that notwithstanding the sentence pronounced against Adam, there was a way of righteousnesse whereby to recover Adams lost state. 2. To minister comfort to the afflicted members of Christ, that they should not doubt, but that their reward is with God, as Habel, Theodor. qu. 45. in Genes. In comment. ad Hebr. c. 11.though he had an untimely end, yet lived with God as Henoch did: thus Theodoret. 3. Wee refuse not the collection here of Thomas Aquinas: that God both by Henochs translation before the law, and Elias under the law, would nourish the hope of life in his Church, as by types representing the ascension of Christ, in whom the promise of salvation should be accomplished: These causes of Henochs translation may safely be received. 4. But we neither thinke, as it is in the booke of Wisdome (which is no Canonicall Scripture,Wisd. 4.11. and therefore we may safely dissent from it) That hee was taken away, lest wickednesse should alter his understanding, for as he walked with God before, God kept him in his feare, and preserved him from evill, so he could have guided him still, as the Apostle saith: He shall be established, God is able to make him stand, Rom. 14.4. speaking of the faithfull servants of God, as Mathuselah the sonne of Henoch, Perer. lib. 7. in Genes. q. 4. de Henoch.being the longest lived of all the Patriarkes, continued righteous to the end. 5. Neither is that surmise fit to be received, that Henoch is kept alive to preach repentance in the end of the world, and to maintaine the Gospell against Antichrist, which is the common opinion of the papall professors. For of Henochs preaching in the end of the world there is no mention in Scripture, but only of the sending of Elias, Luk. 1.17.which is not understood of Elias person, but of his spirit and zeale. And this Elias the Angell expoundeth to be Iohn Baptist, who should goe before Christ, in the spirit and power of Elias. And there is no such necessity, that Henoch should be preserved so many yeares by miracle to that end, seeing the Lord is able to raise up Prophets and Ministers, as he did Iohn Baptist, in the spirit of Elias and Henoch, to maintaine the truth against the Pope and Antichrist, which we see plentifully performed in these dayes.
7. Confut. Of the Prophesie and booke of Henoch.
WHereas S. Inde in his Epistle, vers. 14. maketh mention of the Prophesie of Henoch, the seventh from Adam, which is not found in any other part of the Canonicall Scripture, lest the adversaries might hereupon build their traditions and unwritten verities, I will briefly declare what is to be thought of this Prophesie of Henoch.
Tertul. l…b. de ….1. I neither thinke with Tertullian, that there was any such propheticall booke of Henoch, then extant, who conjectureth that though it perished in the floud, yet it might be restored againe by Noah, thereunto inspired.…. in 1. ep. …. 2. Neither yet with Hierome, that this booke of Henoch was an Apocriphall booke, yet some part of it might be true, which the Apostle might alleage. For it is not like that the Apostle would derive a testimony from an hidden and obscure booke of no authority in the Church. 3. Neither yet is it like, as Michael Medina thinketh, that there was no such booke at all under Henochs name: for the fathers, Origen, Medin. l. 6. in …ect in d…um. Iude. c. 24.Hierome, Augustine, doe in many places make evident mention, that such a booke there was, but thought it to be forged. 4. And it is as unlike, that the true book of Henoch was extant in the Apostles time, which was afterward corrupted with fables, and so rejected of the Church; for then the Church would rather have purged the true booke from such errours, and preserved the rest pure, as they did discerne the true Gospels, from the forged and adulterate.
Our opinion then is, 1. With Augustine, that the booke of Henoch, which in his time was produced by Heretikes, was altogether forged, and no part of it of Henochs writing: Non quod eorum hominum, qui Deo placuorunt reprobetur authoritas, sed quod ista non creduntur ipsorum: not that, saith he, we refuse the authoritie of such men, August. lib. …3. de c…v…. De…. c. 38. O…g in Num. … …lt.as pleased God, but for that they were thought not to be theirs. 2. We judge it not unlike with Origen, that there might be such an authenticall booke of Henochs prophesie, out of the which Iude did take his testimony, which is now lost, as some other parts of the Canonicall Scripture are: as the books of God, Nathan, Idd…, and other Prophets, mentioned in the Chronicles. 3. Or this prophesie of Henoch might be preserved by faithfull tradition in the Church of the Iewes, which is approved by the Apostle. But this is no warrant for other unwritten traditions, unlesse some had the like Apostlike spirit to judge of them, as Iudas had: and further this prophesie of Henoch, is a greeable to the Scriptures, so are not many unwritten traditions urged by the Church of Rome.
6. Places of exhortation.
1. IN that the line only of the race of the faithfull is rehearsed in this chapter, it both sheweth,God will alwayes have a Church on earth. that God will alwaies have his church in the world, and that in the most corrupt times, God will have a remnant, that shall 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:Godly life goeth before everlasting glorie. 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:The Patriark… beleeved in Christ. 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.