Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 6

Commentary on Genesis and Exodus · Commentary · Chapter 6

p. 59CHAP. 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 foreign.T.r. Chal. cor… T.B.G.r. S.H. Ch. ad. 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. Tr.34. and cannot be otherwise. 3. Because of the consent of interpreters: and Iunius in his last edition so readeth.

v. 6. God considereth foreign. 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,S. Ch. ad. Litt. de. Ch, H. ad. 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, foreign, 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 i… evill, all time▪ S. al H. de.Ch. the imagination of the thoughts of his heart onelyonly evill every day. T.B.G.P. rach. onelyonly.T.B.G.r.

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.S. cor.

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:S. alt… T.P.R, Ch. of Gophe…. T.P. which is a kinde of Cedar.

p. 60S. cor. T. r. S det. H. ad. H. co…v. 16. foreign, gathering shalt thou make the Arke. S. a window shalt thou make in the arke: caet. …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 parl…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 onelyonly 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.Diodorus Siculus. lib. 3. c. 2. Exod. 23.2.Exod 23:2 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,Exod. 23.2.Exod 23:2 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 onelyonly in that they of the righteous seed matched into Cains stocke, Calvin. 2. Or that they respected onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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,Angels fell not for the love of women. 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,Francisc. Georg. 1. tom. problem. 3….331. 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: p. 61some 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.Devils are not corporall. 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,Plutarch lib. de …. 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:Devils have no generation. for the power of generation agreeth onelyonly 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,Burgens. in …. Genes. 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.Tostatus. in Gen. 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,Devils have no true but counterfeit bodies. L…b 2. Ge…a. c. 9. Ca…d. de va…etit…erum. lib. 6. c. …3. Difference betweene the apparition of good and evill Angels. they are not true bodies, being easily discerned by the feeling: and therefore our Saviour saith, feele and see, a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as yee see mee to have. And some have reported, that they have felt such bodies assumed by spirits, as colde as yce, and of a divers substance from humane flesh, as Alexander ab Alexandro, so writeth of another to whom a spirit appeared, and Cardanus of himselfe. If any man object, that Abraham washed the Angels feet, and yet discerned them not: I will not answer with Pererius whose judgement I refuse not in the rest, that Abrahams intent upon other things regarded it not. But I note a difference betweene the operation of good and bad Angels: that these never appeared with true bodies, and therefore were called Phantasmata, visions, fansies. Marke. 6.49. But unto the other God gave the use of true bodies for a time, during that ministerie or service, as appeareth, in that they did eat and drinke, were lodged, had their feet washed, &c. 3. But howsoever spirits may assume bodies, they are not such as can be instruments of generation, by conveying of humane seed, as some have imagined: because the scripture saith, children are the inheritance of the Lord, Psal. 127.3. And Evah confesseth, when Cain was borne, that she had obtained a son of God, Gen. 4.1. and if that were true, which is fabled of Merlin, such kind of birth should be oftner seene in the world.

Wherefore by the sonnes of God in this place. 1. Neither doe wee understand Angels good or bad. 2. Neither men of tall and great stature: as such things as are excellent in their kind, are so called, as high and tall trees, are said to be the trees of God. Psal. 104.16.3. Nor yet the sonnes of Princes, and great men as the Chalde readeth, to whom Mercerus subscribeth, which are called Gods in scripture. Psal. 82.6. I said ye are Gods, &c, 4. Neither yet are they so called, because they came of Seeth, who as Suidas thinketh, was in respect of his religion and great knowledge, saluted as a God in earth. 5. But they are here named the sonnes of God, that were of the righteous seed, and worshippers of the true God, as the wicked are called the sonnes of the Devil, and he their father. Iohn. 8.44. ye are of your father the Devill: who although they were not indeed the sonnes of God in his eternall election, yet were they so in respect of their externall calling.

QVEST. VII. The meaning of these words, My spirit shall not alwaies strive, &c.

4. Vers. 3. MY spirit shall not alwaies strive, &c. 1. Not as the latine text is, My spirit shall not alwaies remaine; which some expound of Gods wrath, some of his providence, some of the holy Ghost, some of the soule and spirit of man inspired of God: and then the sense to bee, that Gods wrath shall not alwaies continue, but he will punish them at once, or he will no more protect them, or take care for them, neither his spirit shall be with them, or he will take away their life and spirit from them. For p. 62this variety of interpretation ariseth of the mistaking of the word, which signifieth to contend or judge, not to remaine.

2 Neither is Pagmines interpretation so apt, my spirit shall not alwaies bee sheathed, as a sword in a scabbard; and so hee would derive the word jadon, of neden, which signifieth a sheath. 3. The meaning then of these words, my spirit shall not alwaies judge or contend, is neither as Hierom expoundeth, non eos ad …ternos servabo cruciatus, Hierom. in tradion. Hebraic. in Gen.I will not punish them for ever, but render unto them here that which they deserve: For S. Peter sheweth, that their soules are now in the prison of hell, and so everlastingly punished, 1 Peter 3.19. Neither as Cajetane, that God would no more punish them spiritually, as hee had done, by taking his grace and spirit from them, but now he would inflict a corporall punishment upon them: for God had not yet punished them, giving them the space of 120. yeares to repent. But either wee may understand these words with Oleaster, that God would no longer strive with them, in reprooving, and admonishing them, which they regarded not, or with Iunius: God would no longer consult, or dispute the matter as it were with himselfe, what to doe with them, but if they amended not within that space set, he would certainly destroy them.

QVEST. VIII. What these Giants were.

5. Vers. 4. THese were Giants, &c. Some thinke that these were called Giants, not for their greatnesse of stature, but their cruell and beastly conditions: so thinke, Philo, Ioseph. Damas. Cyril, with others: so also Iunius. 2. But beside their fierce and cruell nature, it is most probable, that they were of huge and great stature, Mercer. for such there were also after the floud: as the sonnes of Anak, in comparison of whom the Israelites seemed as grashoppers, Num. 13.34. such were the Emmims and Za…zummims, Deut. 2.10, 17. and Og the King of Basan, whose bed was of iron, being nine cubits in length, and foure in breadth,Ambros. de No… & ar. c. 4. …. 15. de …. De…. ca. 23. Theodor. 84. qu. in Genes. Deut. 3.11. and of this judgement are Ambrose, Augustine, Theodoret. 3. And these Giants huge in stature, men of great strength, as is shewed after in this verse, did most abound before the floud, and such also was the off-spring of this unlawfull copulation betweene the sonnes of God and daughters of men. 4. And they were men of renowne, that is, famous over all the world, because they did tyrannize over their neighbours, and brought them in subjection: of whom Berosius writeth, that they had a City called Enos, about the mountaine Libanus, which ruled over all the world: they did eat mans flesh, and had unlawfull company with their mothers, daughters, with mules, and bruit beasts. 5. Some, as Rasi, doe referre this generation of Giants to the times of Enos, further affirming, that the Lord sent the Ocean Sea, which destroyed the generation of these Giants, and the third part of the world: but the Giants which succeeded them, were as wicked as they. But of this inundation of the Ocean, no mention is made in Scripture: neither is it like that the generation of Giants began so soone in the world: neither with Aben Ezra, doe we understand this, of the generation of Giants after the floud: of whom came Og and the rest: as though any of the Giants had escaped the floud, to beget Giants afterward: and that Noe and his sonnes were Giants it is not to be thought. Mercer. Neither were these Giants onelyonly in Noahs time: but when this violent rage of lust beganne to reigne in the world, then this off-spring of Giants came in,The Giants, whether of Seth or Cains …ace. Whence the Giants now called Nephilim. which continued till the time of Noah. 6. Neither were these Giants onelyonly of Seths race, as some thinke, nor yet onelyonly of Cain, as R. Sel. but in both families there were Giants, after they thus coupled together with out the feare of God, Mercer, Calvin. 7. So that the Nephilim here spoken of, so named of Naphal, which signifieth to fall, were not so called, either because they were fallen in stature from the hugenesse of the first Giants, as Ramban: neither as R. Sel. because they were the cause of ruine of falling to themselves, or others: nor yet onelyonly because they were Apostataes and sell from God, Iun. but they were so called in respect of their great stature, the sight whereof caused men to fall to the ground for feare, Ab. Ezra. Mercer. 8. Neither was their talnesse or greatnesse of stature simply evill, but because they abused their strength to lust and violence, and so became both monstrous in their body and soule, and begat a monstrous generation like to themselves, Mercer.

QVEST. IX. The space of an hundred and twenty yeares how to be reckoned.

6. HIs dayes shall be 120. yeares, &c. 1. Which is not referred to the age of man, as Tostatus and Rupertus thinke, because Moses the writer hereof lived no longer: for although it be true, that mans life was shortned after the floud, and thrice halfed from 900. and odde, to 400. and odde, as in Arphaxad that lived 425. yeares,Ma… life how o…en shortned. and then halfed againe from 400. and odde, to 200. and odde, as in Serug, that lived 230. and then almost halfed to 100. and odde, as in Abraham that lived an 175. yeares: yet wee see that many of these exceeded an 120. We rather with Hierome Chrysostome, and others, take this time set to be that space of yeares which God gave unto the old world for their repentance: which were not shortned by twenty yeares,…om. trad. …. as Hierome thinketh, because of their wickednesse, for the floud came an 100. yeares after, when Noah was 600. yeares old, Gen. 7.6. Neither need we say with Augustine, that Noah was said to be 500. yeare old, when he was but 480. because he had lived the most part of it: for Sem was but an 100. yeare old two yeare after the floud, Gen. 11.10. but now he should be an 120. if Noah were then but 480. when he beganne to have his sonnes. Therefore this doubt is more easily reconciled, to say that this time was set before Noah was 500. yeares of age, but by way of anticipation, mention is made of Noahs sonnes before, because of the continuing of the story: as we see the like, Gen. 2. where the creation of the woman is recorded after the seventh day, being done the first. Mer. Per.

p. 63QVEST. X. Of the originall of Giants.

7. NOw as touching the originall of Giants, 1. first the opinion of Paulus Burgensis is to be refused, who thinketh they were Devills, called in Hebrew Nephilim, cadentes of falling, because they fell from heaven: for these Giants were destroyed by the floud, so were not the Devils: and the Giants were called Nephilim, both in respect of their terrible stature, which made men fall to the ground, and for their Apostasie in falling away from vertue and piety. 2. As absurd is the opinion of Franciscus Georgius, that these Giants were begotten of spirits companying with women,Giants not pro…reated of devils. and that otherwise they are not engendred: and that these are the seed of the Serpent, betweene whom and the seed of the woman the Lord put enmitie: for this cause (saith he) since the comming of Christ, who hath broken the Serpents head, we read of no such commixion of the spirits with women, nor of this generation of Giants. Thus Franciscus Georg. 6. tom. problem. 33. c. 33.1. But these fansies may be easily controlled. 1. For Giants to be procreated of men, is no more against nature, than for Pygmees and Dwarfes, that are as much admirable for their smalnesse, as the other are for their talnesse: such an one was one Canopas in Augustines time, that was but two foot and a hand breadth high.Plin. l…b. 7 c 15. 2. That spirits have used the carnall company of men and women since Christ, Augustine sheweth, lib. 15. de Civit. Dei. c. 23. and experience confirmeth the same, though thereof there can be no generation. 3. And likewise it is evident, that there have beene men and women of Giants stature since Christ: Augustine maketh mention of a woman of admirable talnesse,Giant … Christ. her parents being but of ordinary stature, lib. 15. de Civit. Dei. c. 23. and Pliny of a man in Augustus time, of nine foot and a halfe in height. 4. Neither are these Giants that seed of the Serpent:P…in lib …. for they are also begotten of women: neither were all Giants, men of great stature, wicked persons: for it is not unlike but that Adam, Giants all not wicked.Noah, and other Patriarks before the floud, much exceeded the ordinary stature of men now: and the Ecclesiasticall stories make mention of one Christophorus, a man of twelve cubits in height, that was put to death under Decius the Emperour, for the Christian faith. And further, all the naturall seed of women are not at enmity with the Serpent, but many of them he useth as his agents and instruments.Nice … c…p. 2… Georg … ex Ru…ger suidens. This place then is much abused to that purpose, wherefore it is alleaged. These Giants then, were no other but the naturall off-spring of men and women in those dayes before the floud: not that all were such, but these were such, which were so borne by this unlawfull conjunction betweene the seed of the righteous and the wickd race: for as the root was, so was the branch; the marriage unholy, and the issue ungratious.

QVEST. XI. How God is said to repent.

8. Vers. 6. IT repented the Lord. The ancient writers have diversly collected of these words, but all to good purpose. 1. Chrysostome saith, it is Verbum nostrae parvitati accommodatum: Chrys. hom. 22. in Gen.a word applied to our weaknesse, to expresse the greatnesse of their sinnes, Quae misericordem Deum indignari fecerunt, which compelled the mercifull God to be angry. 2. Theodoret, It repenteth me, &c. that is, I have purposed to destroy man, as the Lord saith, it repenteth me, that I have made Saul King, that is, I have decreed to depose him: and so as Augustine well saith; Non est perturbati…, sed judicium, quo irrogaetur poena, it is no perturbation in God this repentance, but an imposition of punishment. 3. Rupertus: August. l…b ae c…v…t. c. 2… R… per. lib 4. … ment. in Ge…. cap. 15. Aug. ibid. Iustin. resp 14 …6 qu. Or ….in that it repented the Lord: pietatis est, it sheweth his piety, how loth the Lord is to punish: but in that the Lord purposeth to destroy them, severi judicii est, it sheweth his just severity. 4. But Augustine more to the purpose saith, Paenitudo Dei est mutandorum immutabilis ratio: Repentance in God, is his unchangeable disposition of changeable things. God is not changed, but the things altered. 5. Iustinus Martyr hath most plainly opened this point: God is immutable. Sed cum ii quos curat, mutantur, mutat ipse res prout …is expedit quos curat: but when they whom God careth for are changed, then God changeth the course of things, as he seeth expedient for them. For God immutabiliter ignoscit, unchangeably forgiveth those repent as the Ninivites, and immutabiliter non ignoscit, unchangably forgiveth them not, which amend not, as Saul. So here the Lord holdeth on his unchangeable course of judgement in punishing sinne, yet seemeth to repent in undoing his worke, in destroying man, whom he had made, Perer.

QVEST. XII. Why the creatures are punished with man.

9. Vers. 7. I Will destroy from man to beast, &c. Not onelyonly man shall be destroyed,Chrys. hom. 22. in Ger. but the other creatures with him; and yet man onelyonly had sinned. The reason is, 1. as Chrysostome sheweth, because all things were made for mans use: hic igitur cum e medio tollitur, quis illorum usus erit: and therefore when man is taken away, there should be no use of them. 2. Like as when the head is cut off, all the members die, so together with man the creatures, over the which he had power, are punished: not onelyonly he, but his. Hereby the severity of Gods punishment appeareth, as also the greatnesse of mans sin, that brought destruction upon many, as Davids sin in numbring the people, did upon the whole land. 3. Because beastly men had abused the creatures to their filthy pleasure and riotous excesse, it standeth with Gods justice to punish the instrument with the principall. 4. The fishes are not also here threatned to be destroyed, because they lived in that element wherewith God purposed to overflow the earth: neither had man so much abused them, as the other kinds: and beside it pleased God to spare them among other creatures: at other times the Lord threatneth also to take away the fish of the Sea, Hosh. 4.3. Mercer.

QVEST. XIII. How Noah is said to be perfect.

Vers. 10. NOah was a just and perfect man, &c. 1. Noah, not yet any man living can be said to be perfect in respect of Gods justice, or in the sight of God, as the Psalmist saith: If thou O Lord markest what is done amisse, who shall be able to abide it? Ps. 130.3. 2. Neither yet in regard of that perfection, p. 64which the Saints shall attaine unto in the Kingdome of God: as the Apostle sheweth: Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, Phil. 3.12. 3. Neither yet is any so perfect, as that he can be found in this life without sinne; which was the heresie of the Pelagians: for the Preacher saith: there is not one just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not, Eccles. 7.20. 4. Neither is any said to be perfect, because they can keepe the commandements, and doe more than is commanded, in observing the Evangelicall counsell; as Pererius, and other Popish Writers. 5. But Noah is said to be perfect, in comparison of others:Perer. lib. 9. de la… dib. No…. disputat. 2. and therefore it is added, in his generation, or in regard of the perfection which may be attained unto in this life, which is rather in the will and desire to be perfect, and in increasing and going still forward, than in any actuall accomplishment of the desire: and in this sense the Apostle having a little before denied himselfe to bee perfect, yet saith to the Philippians, Let as many as be perfect bee th… minded, Philippians 3.15. and so our Saviour biddeth us be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect, that is, that we should more and more labour for perfection. As Augustine saith, Ingredi sine macula non a…. surde dicitur, August. in lib. de perfect. institut. contr. Calestin.non qui jam perfectus sed qui ad ipsam perfectionem irreprehensibiliter currit: Hee is not amisse said to walke without spot, not who is already perfect, but runneth unto perfection without reproofe. Thirdly, how Noah is said to be perfect, is expounded, vers. 8. Noah found grace in the sight of God: it was the perfection then of faith, whereby Noah was excepted as just and perfect in the sight of God being by faith cloathed with the perfection and justice of Christ.

QVEST. XIIII. How the earth was corrupt.

11. THe earth was corrupt before God. 1. That is the inhabitants of the earth, where corrupt, as Chrysostome saith, Homo terra appellatur, quia totus terrenus, Man is called earth, because he was become wholly earthly. Chrysost. ho…. 24. in Gen.2. Or, they had infected the very earth with their abominations, and made it accursed, Iun. as the Psalmist saith, A fruitfull land is turned into barrennesse, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein, Psal. 107.34. 3. The earth may be said to be corrupt, that is, defiled, with those sinnes of uncleannesse, which they committed: as the Scripture testifieth, that the land is defiled with such abominations, Levit. 18.25. 4. The earth was corrupt before God, that is, they were growne to such impudency and boldnesse in their sinnes, that they would commit them, even as in the presence and sight of God, as the Prophet saith, They declare their sinnes as Sodome, they hide them not, Isay. 3.9.

QVEST. XV. Whether they which died in the floud perished everlastingly.

Vers. 13. I Will destroy them with the earth, &c. Here a great question ariseth, whether all they which were destroyed in the floud, perished everlastingly: that is, both in body and soule. 1. For answer to this question, we neither thinke that most of the old world were onelyonly temporally punished: which seemeth to have beene the opinion of Hierome, …ier. trad. in Genes.that they which perished in the floud, as likewise the Sodomites, receperunt in vita malasua, received their punishment in this life. To the which purpose he urgeth that place, Nahum. 1.9. Non consurget duplex tribulatio: Affliction shall not rise the second time: and therefore it standeth not with Gods justice, to punish twice for the same sinne, both in this world,How God i… said not to punish twice. and the world to come. To this place I answer first: that the Prophet speaking of the destruction of the Assyrians, sheweth onelyonly, that thei… overthrow should be finall, that God should not need to smite them againe. As Abishai said to David, when hee found Saul asleepe, Let mee smite him and I will not smite him againe, 1 Sam. 26.9. Thus Theohpylact, and Theodoret expound this place. Secondly, if it bee expounded, as it is alleaged, it must be understood onelyonly of penitent persons, that such being afflicted in this life, shall not need to be punished againe: as we may see in the repentant theefe: but concerning the the other theefe, detemporali ad aeternum transvectus est supplicium: he was carried from temporall to eternall punishment,Rupert. lib. 3. com. in Gen. cap. 3. …ellar. lib. 4. de Christ.Gen 3 as Rupertus saith.

2. Neither doe we approve their opinion, that thinke many of the old world, though incredulous before, yet when they saw the floud comming, in fine vitae poenetentiam egerunt, did repent them even in the end of their life: sic Lyranus, Bellarmine. For S. Peter calleth them, foreign, the world of the wicked, 2 Pet. ….5. They then that were wicked so continued to the end.

3. Neither is the opinion of Cajetanus to be received, that thinketh, non fuisse simpliciter incredulos, id est sine vera Dei side, The old world simply incredulous.that they were not simply incredulous, that is, without the true faith of God, but only beleeved not Noah in this, that the floud should come, 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.

Nicetus & Billius in crat. 2. Nazianzen. de pascat. No deliverance out of hell.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, Damascen. oration pro mortuis. Bellar. lib. 2. de p…gat. c. 8.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.

p. 655. 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,Sic Bellarmin. li…. 4. de Christi anim… c. 13. 1 Pet. 3.19.1 Pet 3:19 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,A…gust. epi…. 9…. that there is a Church there, and repentance and conversion of soules. 3. The Apostle speaketh onelyonly 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:All dying in the floud, not utterly lost. 1. Reason: all were not disobedient as Infants. Lib. 4. comment. in Gen. cap. 6. 2. Reason: all in the Arke not elected. …rgo, all out of the Arke not castawayes. 3 Reason, all dying without bap…isme not damned.Gen 6:2 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 & ul…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 onelyonly the reprobates shall be cens…red, the elect saved: but in this judgement comming betweene, neither the Elect onelyonly were pr…served in the Arke (for there was Cham accursed of his father) nor the reprobate onelyonly 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,Oleast. in Ge…. 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,Plin. lib. 1…. c. 3…. 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.Plin. ibid ca. 40▪ 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,Tree… of exceeding great height. Plin. ibid. Pl…n. lib 7 c. 2▪ 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:Aug. lib 1…. de Civitat. Dei. cap. 26. 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,Origens opinion of the Geometricall cubit refused. 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. by this account, taking one cubit (which containeth a foot and halfe) for six, it should be 27. foot high, and 45. foot long, which were no fit proportion for an Altar to sacrifice upon: and further, the Arke would now bee as much too great, and too huge for any use, being by this computation 22800. cubits in length: that is, 900. yards. which almost maketh a mile: and in height an 180. cubits, that is 90. yards.

2. Augustine alloweth for every one of the three lofts the same proportion for each: 300. cubits in length, 50. in breadth, 30. in height; so that the length of the whole should be 900. cubits,Aug. in lib. 15. de Civitat. Dei. cap. 27. the breadth an 150. the height 90. but this agreeth not with the text, that saith, the length of the Arke (not of the lofts or divisions) shall be 300. cubits, the breadth 50. &c.

3. Some to helpe the matter, understand the cubit of the Sanctuary, which was much greater than the common and ordinary cubit. 1. Some thinke that the measure and weight of the Sanctuary,Of the cubit of the sanctuar…. was no bigger than the ordinary, but more certaine, and so as it were the standerd to forme other vulgar measures by: sic Perer. but this shall afterward appeare to be otherwise. 2. Some would have the cubit of the Sanctuarie, to be a cubit and an hand breadth,Per. lib. 10. in Gen. 4. disput.Gen 4 Ezek. 40.5. but that rather is understood to be regius non sacer cubitus, the Kings cubit, not the Temple cubit. By this reckoning the Arke shall be in length 350. in breadth 58. p. 66in height 35. cubits, or there about. 3. Some other thinke the Temple cubit was a foot larger than the common, and somewhat more, and so the Arke should containe in length 525. common cubits, and 87. in breadth, and 52. with an halfe in height: but of this opinion there is no good ground. 4. But it is more like, that the cubit of the Sanctuary was twice so much, as the common and usuall cubit: as may appeare by these reasons: 1. Because the weight of the Sanctuary, was double to the usuall: as the sickle of the Sanctuary weighed 20. gerah,Of the weights and measu…es of the Sanctuarie. 2 Chron. 3.3.2 Chr 3:3 Exod. 30.13. Whereas the common sickle was esteemed at the one halfe. 2. Where the Temple of Solomon was but 60. cubits in length, and 20. in breadth, this had beene too small a proportion for such a goodly place, if it had beene but 30. yards long, and 10. yards broad, for two common cubits make but a yard: therefore a cubit of the Sanctuary could be no lesse than so many yards: and so by this estimate the Arke should be 600. common cubits, that is 300. yards in length, 50. yards broad, and thirty high.

4. Some doe understand the ordinary cubit, which is the measure from the elbow to the top of the middle finger, but doe thinke it to have beene much bigger than it is now, because their stature of body before the floud was much greater, Mercerus. But it should seeme, that Moses taketh the cubit for the measure of ordinary men, not of Giants, as Deut. 3.11. The bed of Og is said to be nine cubits in length, &c. after the cubit of a man: that is, not after Ogges arme, but the measure of ordinary men.

5. But we need not use any of these helps (though the third and fourth are not much to be misliked, any man that will may so account for the proportion of the Arke) for if we take the cubit here after the common estimation, the Arke will be found to be of sufficient capacity: three hundred common cubits make an 150. yards, which containe 400. and 50. foot, almost two furlong in length, which make the eight part of a mile; and multiplying the length by the breadth, 50. times 300. make 15000. cubits, which being increased by the height of 30. cubits, there will arise in the whole capacity of the Arke, thirty times 15000. cubits. Beside, if the Arke be divided into cels and cabbins, or nests, as the word chinnim signifieth, v. 14. there will be in one of the chambers or divisions, foure hundred mansions, whereof every one shall be six cubits in breadth, and as much in length, and the height eight or nine cubits: for every six cubits in length of the Arke, carrying fifty in breadth, will make 8. cabbins, and two cubits to spare. And in the length of 300. cubits, we finde fifty times six: so shall we have fifty times 8. cubits, which maketh foure hundred: which mansions will be sufficient for the divers kinds of beasts and cattell, and many will remaine over for other necessary uses, as for passage from place to place, and such like.

QVEST. XV. Of the time how long the Arke was in making.

1. THe received opinion is, that the Arke was in preparing an hundred yeares, because Noah is said to have beene five hundred yeare old, Gen. 5.32. before he was commanded to make the Arke, and the floud came, when he was six hundred yeare old, Gen. 7.6. Thus thinketh Origen, lib. 4. contr. Celsum. Augustine lib. 15. de Civitat. Dei, c. ult. Gregor. hom. 15. in Ezech. with others, Mercer.

1. But the truer opinion is, that it was an hundred and twenty yeares in making, Mercer: both for that this time is set for the repentance of the old world, Gen. 6.3. to the which they were invited by the preaching of Noah, as also because of S. Peters words, which in time past were disobedient, when once the long suffering of God aboad in the dayes of Noah, while the Arke was in preparing, 1. Pet. 3.20. This time of Gods long suffering, was 120. yeares, and all that while the Apostle saith, the Arke was in preparing.

2. It will be objected, that when Noah was commanded to make the Arke, he had sonnes borne unto him: for the Lord saith unto him, Thou shalt goe into the Arke, thou and thy sonnes, &c. But Noah had no sonnes till he was 500. yeare old. Answ. There is mention made not onelyonly of Noahs sonnes, but of his sonnes wives: now wives it is like they had not before they were forty or fifty yeares of age, seeing Sem lived six hundred yeares; so that by this account, the Arke should not bee above 50. yeares in making, their father being five hundred yeares old before any of his sonnes were borne. We say then, that either these words were not spoken to Noah concerning his entrance and his sonnes, and their wives, into the Arke, t…ll it was finished, or that the Lord provideth for his sonnes that should be borne, or that Noah was some long time in preparing timber and stuffe before he began to build the Arke. Berosus conjecture is, that 42. yea…es were spent in that provision, and the residue of the 120. yeares in the building. But this is an uncertaine conjecture: like enough it is, that the providing of the matter would aske a long time.

4. And whereas Noah is said to be five hundred yeare old, cap. 5. that is there expressed for continuing of the Genealogie. And the story following in the 6. chapter is set downe by way of recapitulation: the 100. yeares there mentioned, taking beginning in the 480. yeare of Noahs age.

QVEST. XVI. Of the severall chambers and divisions in the Arke.

Hom. …. in Gen.Vers. 16. THou shalt make it with the low, second, and third roome.] 1. There were neither foure roomes or regions in the Arke as Iosephus supposeth, lib. 1. antiquitat. 2. nor yet five, as Origen thinketh: the first, for the dung of the cattell, the second for their food, the third for the cruell and savage beasts, the fourth for the tame & gentle, the fifth for man. 3. Neither were there beside the three regions in the Ark, certaine cabbins without in the side of the Arke, for the beasts called Amphibia, that live both in the waters, and upon the earth, as the Crocodile, Sea-calfe, and such like, as Hugo thinketh: for all the beasts came into the Arke,Hugo de ar…a moral…. …ap. 3. which were preserved, Gen. 79. 4. Neither beside the three partitions in the Arke, was there a bottom beside to receive the filth of the Arke, as Pererius: for conveyances might bee made otherwise in the side of the Arke for that use, and it would have beene a great annoyance to have kept the dung of the cattell one whole yeare in the Arke. 5. All these opinions are repugnant to the text, which prescribeth but three ranks, the lower second, and third: so is that Hebrew text, and Chalde Paraphrast: p. 67and the Septuagint are so likewise to bee understood: facies inferiora, bicamerata: tricamerata: thou shalt make the lower roomes, the second chambers, and third chambers: and so doth Augustine interpret them:Aug. quaest. in Gen. qu. 6. taking these words not joyntly, wherein Origen was deceived, as though there should bee two chambers below, and three above, but distinctly and severally.

QVEST. XVII. Of the severall use of the divisions in the Arke.

COncerning the distinct use of these chambers, 1. Some make the lowest for the dung, the next for the food, the third for the cattell, as Origen, and some Hebrewes. 2. Some the first for the beasts, the second roome for their food, which might bee put downe into their cabins with ease, as Pererius. 3. Some will not have the cruell and tame beasts together, but make two severall regions for them, as Origen. 4. Some doe place men and beasts together in the upper and third roome, dividing it into three parts, leaving both the ends for the beasts, the middle for men: Sic Lyranus, Tosta…us. 5. Some doe place the beasts together in the lowest, which they make also the draine of the ship, their food in the middle, and men together with the birds and foules in the uppermost. Mercer. 6. It is most like that the food and provender was in the lowest roome, and the beasts in the middle, because of the fresh and more open aire, as also for the better conveying of their dung by the sides of the Arke into the water: for this second region was ten cubits from the bottome, (allowing for every partition as many) and so much of the Arke may be supposed to be under the water: otherwise if the cattell were in the lowest roome, we must be forced contrary to the text to make a fourth place in the bottome, to bee as the sinke and draine of the Arke. But I rather subscribe unto Calvins judgement, that the order and disposition of these three partitions is to us unknowne.

QVEST. XX. Of the window in the Arke.

Vers. 18. A Window shalt thou make, &c.] 1. This was neither a precious or shining stone, as the carbuncle, as some of the Hebrewes thinke: for Noah is said to open the window, Gen. 8.5. 2. neither was it shut all the time of the floud, and gave no light, as Tostatus thinketh, for to what use should it then have beene made? 3. Neither was this window, but of a cubit in length, as Oleaster following Aben Ezra: for such a small window would not have sufficed for all the Arke: and those words that follow, in a cubit shalt thou finish it above, cannot bee referred to the window, but to the Arke: because the gender agreeth not in the Hebrew, and otherwise the description of the Arke should bee unperfect. 4. Neither was there one onelyonly window made, as Mercerus, Buteo, gesseth, and other parts to bee lightned with candles. 5. But it is most like, that divers lights were made: for so the word Is…ar signifieth, a cleare light: but where mention is made of opening the window, Gen. 8.6▪ there another word Chalon, is vsed, which was some principall window which Noah opened. Iu….

QVEST. XXI. Of the doore in the side of the Arke.

THe doore shalt thou set in the side thereof.] 1. It was not in the end or the breadth of the arke, as Pereri… conjectureth, but in the side: for the side of an hose is rather said to be in the length than the breadth: as in a mans bodie we call that his side, which is part of his length, the top of the head, and the foot, are the two extreme ends, not the sides of mans bodie. 2. Neither was the doore so situate, as it might be even with the waters for the beasts to come swimming unto, as Hugo thinketh: for …he beasts …ere all come into the arke before the waters fell. Gen. 7.6. 3.Hug. l. 1. de … ▪ moral. c. 3. Neither was the doore five cubits from the bottome, as Pererius, but it was placed lowest of all, for the more easie entrance of the beasts, which being entred, might ascend by staires and other passages to their cabbins: and the custome of building is such, to make the doore and entrance lowest: and this doore was after closed up, to keepe out the waters: as it is said, that the Lord shut him up. Gen. 7. v. 16.

QVEST. XXII. Of the forme and fashion of the Arke.

IN a cubit shalt thou finish it above.] Concerning the forme and fashion of the Arke, it was 1. neither like unto a ship, gathered in at the bottome, and so waxing wider: for it had not beene of such capacity to receive such a multitude of creatures: and it is called Teebah; foreign, an Arke, a chest: whereas a ship, is called annijah, in Greeke foreign. Gen. 49.13. Chrysostome giveth another reason: non dicere potes, quod fuerit ad modum navis, ut arte quadam illius iter dirigi potuerit: you cannot say that it was like a ship, Chrysost. …. 11▪ in Genes.as though it should have beene guided by art. 2. Neither was it square onelyonly in the bottom and gathered in a narrower both in length and breadth till it came to a cubit breadth in the top, as Origen. who might be deceived in the translation of the Septuagint, who read, v. 16. thou shalt make it gathering in, collegen… eam: which words are not in the Hebrew. 3. Neither was it gathered in long-wayes from the bottom, till both sides touched within a cubit, as Cajetanus: 4 Nor yet did it keep square 15. cubits, and then was gathered in 15. cubits more, as Hugo: for in all there formes the capacity and roumth of the Arke within should be much lessened: neither should the Arke hold out in every part to be 300. cubits long, 50. broad, and 30. high, according to the description. 5. Neither doth Lyranus fitly expound these words, in …ummitate latera non distabant, nisi per cubitum: that the sides were gathered in together in the top, being distant but a cubit: his meaning is, that in the top or ridge there should bee left a certaine plaine or square of a cubit in breadth, which were to no use at all: and againe, if hee would have the sides gathered into this cubit, before they had risen the full height of 30. cubits, the Arke should not be so spacious, p. 68if after, the Arke should farre exceed in height the measure prescribed of 30. cubits. 5. Some thinke that the Arke was gathered in the top every way like a pyramis, taper-wise: so that the very top was a cubit in length, and the sixt part of a cubit in breadth, as Buteo, Mercerus. But this is not like: for then the Arke should not hold his proportion to be 50. cubits high throughout, if it should so farre be carried small and narrow toward the top. 6. Iunius referreth this prescription of a cubit, to the eaves of the Arke, which he would have hang over an each side a cubit, for better defence from the weather. But it is more like, that the more principall part, namely, the cover and roofe of the Arke should be prescribed what fashion to be made of, (which otherwise shoud bee here omitted) than the lesse principall: likewise the word, which signifieth to consummate or finish, better agreeth to the top, where the worke is finished. Like it is, that the eavings hanged over: but Moses described not every circumstance, and somewhat ought to bee left to Noahs discretion: neither can this place be fitly so applyed. 6. Wherefore for the body of the Arke, Augustine well conjectureth,Aug. lib. 15. de civ. Dei. c. 27. rectis limeis longe la…eque porrectam, that it was builded upright both in length and breadth: and then the cover was so made sloping, that the ridge all the length of the Arke was but a cubit higher than the sides or eaves of the Arke, which falling or declining to the roofe by the distance of a cubit, was sufficient to shed the water: for the whole breadth containing but 50. cubits, the ridge being just in the midst was equally distant 25. cubits from each side: so that the roofe on each side did rise for 25. cubits in breadth, one in height, which might fully suffice for the fall of the raine.

4. Places of doctrine.

1. Doct. Even a carnall minde is flesh.

1. Vers. 3. BEcause they are flesh.] here we learne, that not only the body but even the soule of carnall men is called flesh: quia se totos carnalibus operibus, dant: because they give themselves wholy to carnall workes as Chrysostome saith:Chrysost. ho 22. in Genes. Greg. ho. 6. in …. lib. reg. and Gregory, caro quippe homo efficitur quando sensui carnis ratio subjugatur: man is become flesh, when reason is subdued to the carnall sense: for two wayes this word (flesh) is taken in scripture, as he well distinguisheth, secundum naturam, secundum culpam, according to nature, and according to the corruption of nature.

2. Doct. No free will to good by nature.

2 Vers. 5. ALL the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart, are onelyonly evill continually.] From this place we conclude. 1. That originall concupiscence is properly sinne (which is denied by Bellarmine) because the imagination of mans heart is only ev…ll. 3. That man hath no free will by nature to any good, seeing his thoughts are only evill. 3. That there is no good worke so perfect, but that it is blemished with mans naturall corruption: because it is said, their thoughts are continually evill, &c. all these conclusions are denied by the papists, and therefore they have devised two answers to this place: 1. That Moses useth here an hyperbolicall speech,Concupiscēce is sinne. because mens thoughts were for the most part evill, not altogether and onelyonly evill. 3. Hee speaketh only of the wicked, not of the righteous, for Noah is here excepted, who is said to be a just and upright man.No good work perfect. Bellar lib. 5 de grat▪ & liber. arbit. c. 3. Perer. lib. 8. in Gen. disput. 5. v. 9 This answer Bellarmine and Pererius: Contra: 1. This generall speech admitteth no exception: for by nature mens thoughts are only evill: for our Saviour saith, that which is borne of the flesh, is flesh. Iohn 3.6. and in this chapter. v. 3. they are said to be flesh: all their thoughts then by nature, were carnall and fleshly. 2. Yea even Noah and other righteous men by nature, are altogether corrupt: as S. Paul saith, we were the children of wrath by nature as well as others. Ephes. 2.3. Noah his righteousnesse was by grace, not by nature.

5. Places of confutation.

1. Confut. None exactly perfect in this life.

Vers. 9. WHere Noah is said to bee a just, upright, or perfect man: the Pellagians doe use this and such other places, to prove that a man might attaine to an absolute perfection in this life, to be without sin: But I have shewed before, in what sense we are said to be perfect, either in respect of the wicked, because the righteous are not defiled with such grosse sins, or for that they do still increase and goe forward to perfection, as also because by faith they are cloathed with the righteousnesse and perfection of Christ: so before, quest. 8.

2. Confut. The capacity of the Arke, sufficient to containe all that entred.

Vers. 12. THe length of the Arke shall bee three hundred cubits. Apelles. Marcio…s scholler, cavilled at this, that the Arke could not be big enough to containe so many divers kinds of beasts, being hardly able to receive foure elephants. Origen. hom. 2. in Genes. But this cavill I have answered before: quest. 14. where I shewed that the Arke was of sufficient capacity, even after the measure of the common cubit, to hold all that entred into it.

The Arke not incredible because of the bignesse.Others tooke exception at the bignesse of the Arke: tantae magnitudinis arcam non potuisse compingi, that an Arke of such greatnesse could not be made, Augustine, lib. 15. de civitat. cap. 27. and thus Celsus objected, Orig. l. 4. contra. Cels. But Augustine answereth: 1. that they need not wonder at this, seeing such huge cities have been builded, and considering it was an hundred yeares in preparing. 2. And it need not seeme strange that so many yeares were spent in this worke: seeing Pliny writeth, that the temple of Diana at Ephesus was 200. yeare in building by the helpe of all Asia.Plinius lib. 1…. cap. 14. 3. It was indeed too huge a vessell to bee governed p. 69by the skill of man: and therefore Augustine saith, Quam nullus in mare mittat conatus hominum sed levet unda cum venerit, magisqué divina providentia, quam humana pruden…ia natantem gubernet. August. lib. 15. … c…v…tat. Dei. cap 27. A great ship made by Hiero. Athenaeus. lib. 5.It was so made, that it could not by mans helpe be set aflote, but lift up by the water, to bee governed by divine providence, not humane prudence. 4. And yet Athenaeus reporteth, that Hiero King of Sicilie, caused a ship to be made of such bignesse that there went unto it as much timber, as sufficed to make 60. other ships: three hundred workmen beside labourers were employed one whole yeere in this worke: there were in it three divisions one above another, and twenty rankes of oares: it had also within it a fish-pond, wherein were great and small fish: the received report of this great galliasse, may move them not to be so incredulous concerning the Arke.

Vers. 10. Noah begat three sonnes, &c. Because Noah was five hundred yeare old, before he begat any children, and afterward abstained an hundred yeare, for so long it was to the floud, and begat no more children: hence Pererius inferreth, that the gift of continency is not impossible, against certaine heretikes,Perer. lib. 9. in Genes. v. 10. The gift of continency possible, but not common to all.Gen 5:10 as he calleth them, meaning protestants: Contra. 1. It is untrue, that we affirme this g…ft to be impossible: but we say that it is rare, neither is in every mans power to obtaine, as they teach, that any man that will, may have that gift: it followeth not, because Noah had that gift of abstinence, that all therfore are capable of it: S. Paul saith, every man hath his proper gift of god, one after this manner, another after that. 1 Cor. 7.7. it is then a proper gift to some, not common to all. 2. And though Noah was a chast and temperate man in marriage, yet it may be doubted whether he continued so long unmarried, or did forbeare so long after.

6. Places of exhortation and morall duties.

nt. 1. Vers. 2. The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were faire.] We see the fruits of such marri…ge, as is enterprised only upon a carnall appetite, and with persons of a diverse profession,Marriage for carnall appetite not blessed. 2 Cor. 6.14. God threatneth before he punisheth. Chrys. hom. 12. in Genes. Back-sliders become worst of all.2 Cor 6:14 therefore the Apostle saith, be not unequally yoaked, &c.

2. Vers. 3. My spirit shall not alwayes strive, &c.] Gods mercy appeareth, that threatneth before he punisheth, that by his threatning men might learne to amend …ut nobis correctis mi…as ad opus minime perducat: that we being amended, his menacing need take no effect, Chrysost. so the Apostle saith: despisest thou the riches of the bountifulnesse of God, &c. not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance, Rom. 2.4.

3. Vers. 4. There were Giants.] By this we see, that they which fall away, doe run …rom one extreme to another: as these which were in outward profession the sonnes and worshippers of God, falling away, became cruell and outragious tyrants: of such the Apostle saith, that it is impossible, that they which were once lightned, if they fall away, should be renued by repentance. Heb. 6.5, 6.

4. Vers. 9. Noe was a just man in his …ime.] Though all the world, even where Noe lived, were given unto wickednesse, yet the Lord preserved him. We learne therefore,The godly are preserved in the midst of the wi…ked. that although we be environed on every side, with the wicked, yet we should not doubt but that the Lord is able to preserve his: and that therefore as the Apostle saith, we should shine as lights in the world in the midst of a naughty & crooked nation. Phil. 2.15.