Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Verſ. 1. Be fruitfull and multiply]
HEre God reneweth the world by the ſame word wherewith he had created it; and being reconciled to mankinde, he bleſſeth them in like manner, as before the Fall. Sin once pardoned, is as if it never had been committed. Chriſt tells his returning Shulamite, that ſhe was as amiable in every point as ſhe had been before her relapſe, Cant 7.1.Chap. 4.1. her haire, teeth, temples, all as faire, and well featured as ever.
Verſ. 2. And the feare of you, &c.] Timor, quo à beſtiis timeamini, & terror quo bestias terreatis. Piſcat. This is a peece of Gods Image yet remaining in man, that every nature of wild beaſts, birds, Jam. 3.7. Monoceros interimi poteſt, capi nan poteſt Solin.creeping things, and things in the ſea is tamed, and hath been tamed of the nature of man.
Verſ. 3. Every moving thing that liveth ſhall be meat for you] God of his goodneſs grants here to mankinde, after the flood the uſe of fleſh and wine, that the new and much-weakned world might have new and more ſtrengthning nouriſhment. For it is not to be doubted, but that by the deluge, a great decay was wrought both in the earth with its fruits, and alſo in mans nature. Divers wales and ſcarres as it were, of Gods wrath and malediction did abide and appear in the earth. Sundry maladies alſo and infirmities befell mans body, not felt before the flood. God therefore in great mercy provides, penu quoddam & pharmacopolium mundo ſeneſcenti, new food and phyſick for the languiſhing world. Every moving thing that liveth, &c. OnelyOnly, as the green herb have I given you all things. That is, as you may uſe them as freely as you uſed to do herbes, ſo you muſt uſe them ſoberly, and without curioſity; taking ſuch things as are at hand, and eating to live, not living to eat, as the rich glutton, that fared deliciouſly every day; Ingluvies, Horat.& tempeſtas, barathrumque macelli.
Verſ. 4. But fleſh with the life thereof, the blood] Blood was forbidden, Firſt, as not ſo wholſome food. Secondly, leſt by being fleſht in blood, they ſhould become bloody minded. Thirdly, blood, the organ of life, is holy to God the authour of life (who was alſo to be pacified by the blood of his Son) and therefore they ſhould not pollute or prophane it, by devouring thereof.
Verſ. 5. Your blood of your lives will I require] i. e. I will puniſh it either by the Magiſtrate, or (if he faile to do his office) by mine own immediate hand; as he did in David, Flac. Illyric.Charles the ninth of France, Richard the third of England, Felix Count of Waterburg, and others, that either were above Law, or eſcaped the laſh of it. See for this, The Thunderbolt of Gods judgements, lib. 2. cap. 4, 5, 16. Richard the third, Daniels Chro. continued by Truſſel.uſed the inſtruments of his bloody plots, as men do their candles; burn the firſt out to a ſnuffe… and then having lighted another, tread that under foot.
Verſ. 6. Who ſo ſheddeth mans blood] Some are of opinion, that before the flood, the puniſhment of murther and other capitall crimes, was onelyonly excommunication, and excluſion from the Church and their fathers family. And that now firſt, God made murther to be a matter of death. The firſt-born had power, at firſt, over their own families, to bleſs, curſe, caſt out, diſ-inherit, yea and puniſh with death, Gen. 38.24. even in caſe of adultery, Godw. Heb. Antiq.as ſome will have it thus among the people of God. But what a madneſs was that in the Egyptians to make no conſcience of murther, that they might enjoy their luſt? And what a blindneſs to make leſs account of murther then adultry? Gen. 12.13. The Preachers Travels by Jo Cartwright.I have ſeen (ſaith the Preacher in his travels) the King of Perſia many times to alight from his horſe, onelyonly to do juſtice to a poor body. He puniſheth theft and man-ſlaughter ſo ſeverely, Les ombres des defuncts ſciurs de Villemor & de Fonta…ues. pag. 46.that in an age a man ſhall not hear either of the one, or of the other. A ſeverity fit for France; where within ten years, ſix thouſand Gentlemen have been ſlain, ſaith he, as it appears by the Kings pardons.
Verſ. 9. And I, behold I eſtabliſh my Covenant with you] This Covenant God had made with them before the flood; but here he renews it for their further confirmation; for he knows our infirmities, and therefore ſeals againe. This Covenant is ſaid to be made with an oath, Iſa. 54.9. yet we finde no ſuch thing here expreſſed, becauſe Gods bare word, is as ſure as an oath. So God is ſaid to have ſworn to Abraham, that which he ſaid to him onelyonly, Exod. 32.13. with Gen. 12.7.
Verſ. 10. And with every living creature, &c.] Note this againſt Anabaptiſts, who exclude Infants, for that they want the uſe of reaſon. And yet that was but a fooliſh reaſon of the Canonist, that Infants are therefore to be baptiſed, Sphinx Philoſ. pag. 229.becauſe the Diſciples brought to our Saviour, not the Aſſe onelyonly, but the Foal alſo.
Verſ. 12. This is the t…ken of the Covenant, &c.] See here the antiquity of confirming mens faith, by outward ſigns, as by the two trees in Paradiſe: and here, the Word and Sacrament go together. And as God, in Noah, made a Covenant with his poſterity alſo, and confirmed it with a ſign, ſo doth he in Chriſt with the Church, and ratified it with the Sacraments; beſides, witneſſes we have three in heaven, and three in earth, &c.
Verſ. 13. I doe ſet my bow in the cloud, &c.] There it was before, but not till now as a token of the Covenant; as ſtill it is applyed for a ſign of grace from God to his Church, Rev. 4.3. and 10.1. Ezek. 1.28. It is planted in the clouds, as if man were ſhooting at God, and not God at man. This bow with both ends downward, and back to heaven, muſt needs be an emblem of mercy; for he that ſhooteth, holdeth the back of the bow from him. Of Gods bow we read, Ambroſ.but not of his arrows, ſaith Ambroſe on this text. Pſal. 7.12, 13.He hath bent his bow, and made it ready, ſaith David but if he ordain his arrows, it is not, but againſt the perſe…tours. If he ſhoot at his ſervants, it is as Jonathan ſhot at his friend David; to warn them, not to wound them. They are arrows of the Lords deliverance, 2 King. 13.17, 19. Pſal. 32.7.which therefore he multiplyes, that they may compaſs him about with ſongs of deliverance. If he bend his bow like an enemy. Lam. ….4. yet in wrath he remembreth mercy.
Verſ. 14. The bow ſhall be ſeen in the cloud] In this heaven-bow, there are many wonders: Firſt, the beautifull ſhape and various colours; In which reſpect Plato thinks the Poets feign Iris, or the Rainbow, to be the daughter of Thanmas, or admiration. The wateriſh colours therein ſignifie (ſay ſome) the former overthrow of the world by water. The fiery colours, the future judgement of the world by fire. The green, that preſent grace of freedome from both, by vertue of Gods Covenant, whereof this bow is a ſign. Next, the Rainbow hath in it two contrary ſignifications, viz. of rain, and fair-weather; of this in the evening, of that in the morning, ſaith Scaliger. Adde hereunto, that whereas naturally it is a ſign of rain (and is therefore feigned by the Poets to be the meſſenger of Jun…, and called imbrifera, or ſhowry) yet it is turned by God into a ſure ſign of dry weather, and of reſtraint of waters. Let us learn to look upon it, not onelyonly in the naturall cauſes, as it is an effect of the Sun in a thick cloud; but as a Sacramentall ſign of the Covenant of Grace; Eſa. 54.9, 10.a monument of Gods both Juſtice in drowning the world, and Mercy in conſerving it from the like calamity. The Jews have an odd conceit, That the name Jehovah is written on the Rainbow. And therefore, as oft as it appeareth unto them, they go forth of doors, Maimo…y.hide their eyes, confeſs their ſins, (that deſerved a ſecond deluge▪) and celebrate Gods goodneſs, in ſparing the wicked world, and remembring his Covenant. Set aſide their ſuperſtition, and their practice invites our imitation. Bern.Tam Dei meminiſſe opui eſt quam reſpirare.
Verſ. 15, 16. I will remember] That is, I will make you to know and remember by this viſible Monitor.
Segniùs irritant animum demiſſa per aures,
Quam quae ſunt oculis commiſſa fidelibus.
The Rainbow is a double Sacrament, anſwering both to Baptiſm and the Lords Supper; and declares by its colours (ſaith One) how Chriſt came by water and blood, 1 John 5.6.
Verſ. 17. This is the token of the Covenant.] This is often repeated, that it may be the better obſerved, and we full aſſured; Deut. 6.7. Exacues ea, i… eſt, accuratè & commodiſſimè inculcabis. Buxtorf. Lexic.as Pharaohs dream was for this cauſe doubled. God goes over the ſame thing often with us, as the knif doth the Whetſtone, which is the Scripture-alluſion. He well knows how ſlow of heart we are, and how dull of hearing; and therefore whets and beats things of high concernment upon us, that we may once apprehend and embrace them, Revel. 10.1. Revel. 10.1. exp.Chriſt is ſaid to have a Rainbow on his head, to ſhew that he is faithful and conſtant in his promiſes, and that tempeſts ſhall blow over. Let us ſee Gods love in his corrections, as by a Rainbow we ſee the beautiful image of the Suns light, in the midſt of a dark and wateriſh cloud.
Verſ. 20. And Noah began to be an husbandman] Veteres ſi quem virum, bonum colonum appellaſſent, ampliſſime laudaſſe exiſtimabant. Cic. Nunquam vilior erat annona Romae, referente Pliuio, quàm cum terram colerent iidem qui Remp. regerent; quaſi gauderet terra laureato vomere, ſcilicet, & Aratore triumphali. See 2 Chron. 26.10. [And he planted a vineyard.] Hence Beroſus, and the Poets call him Janus Oenotrius. Janus, of the Hebrew iajin vinum, and Oenotrius of foreign, whence our Engliſh word Wine.
Verſ. 21. And was drunk.] For his own ſhame, but our learning. Inſtruunt nos patres tum docentes tum labentes. Auguſtin.The beſt have their blemiſhes, and a black-part, as that cloud had, that conducted Iſrael out of Egypt; Heb. 12.1.which while the Egyptians followed, they fell into the Sea. [And was uncovered within his tent.] Operta recludit.One hours drunkenneſs bewrayes that, which more then ſix hundred yeers ſobriety had modeſtly concealed. Well might Solomon ſay, Wine is a mocker: For it mocked Noah with a witneſs; and expoſed him to the mockage of his own boſom-bird.
Verſ. 22. And Ham, the father of Canaan, ſaw] The Hebrews ſay, That Canaan firſt ſaw it, and then ſhewed it to Ham his father, who looks upon it with delight, Ʋt vultures ad malè olentia feruntur, ſaith Baſil, As carrion-kites are carried after ſtinking carcaſes. [And told his two brethren without.] Sic & impii hodiè ex Eccleſiae tragoediis comoedias componunt. How glad are the wicked, if they can but get any hint to lay hold on, whereby to blaſpheme, Jere. 20.10.and blaze abroad the Saints infirmities. Report, ſay they, and wee'l report: yea, rather then want matter againſt Gods people, they'll ſuck it out of their own fingers ends. But if ſuch a thing as this fall out, that Noah be drunk, though but once in an age, the banks of blaſphemy will ſoon be broken down, and the whole race of Religious perſons muſt rue for it; among theſe Canaanites ſome alſo will be found to excuſe them in it, as Scaliger doth Ham.
Verſ. 23. And Sem and Japhet took a garment.] Ham had no hand in this good work; Conſtant. Mag. Theodoret. lib. 1. Eccleſ. hiſt. …ap. 11.which ſhews, what a good one he was, and how far from being of that good Emperors minde, who ſaid, That if he ſhould finde a Biſhop committing adultery, he would rather cover that unclean act with his imperial cloak, then ſuffer it to come abroad to the ſcandal of the weak, and the ſcorn of the wicked.
Verſ. 24. And Noah awoke from his wine.] And returned no more to it. Once was enough: the time paſt may well ſuffice, to have walked in exceſs of wine, 1 Pet. 4.3.ſaith Peter. Wee'l buy repentance ſo dear no more. It is expreſly noted of Judah, that he knew Tamar again no more. Gen. 38.26.And we may be well aſſured, That Noah was never drunk again. Prov. 23.35.Solomons drunkard cryes, When ſhall I awake! I will ſeek it yet again. As Swine break their bellies, ſo do ſuch men their heads, Hoſ. 4.11. Malle ſe vitam quam vinum cripi. Auguſt. de temp. ſerm. 131.with filthy quaffing; yea, Whoredom and wine, and new wine, take away the heart, ſaith the Prophet: They beſot and infatuate, yea, rob a man of himſelf, and lay a beaſt in his room. Our drunkards ſay, as the Vine in Jothams parable. Non poſſum relinquere vinum meum. Take away my liquor, you take away my life. Mr. Harris his drunkards cup.How often (ſaith a grave Divine) have I ſeen vermine ſucking the drunkards blood, as faſt as he that of the grape and mault, yet would he not leave his hold, or looſe his draught! Some be buckt with drink, and then laid out to be ſun'd and ſcorn'd. [And knew what his yonger ſon had done unto him.] It is probable, That finding himſelf covered with a cloke, he asked his wife and children how he came covered? Piſcator.and that then Sem and Japhet told him all the matter; which moved him to bleſs them. It is our wiſeſt way, to do what good we can to others. And though they, for preſent, being drunk with malice, or raſh anger, know it not, yet a waking-time may come, when they may ſee the good, and bleſs us for it, as David did Abigail, 2 Sam. 25.33. When he had ſlept out his drunken paſſion, he ſaw cauſe to bleſs God, to bleſs her, and to bleſs her counſel. Maſter Gilpins plain-dealing with the Biſhop of Durham how well it ſucceeded; See his life written by Biſhop Carleton, pag. 58.
Verſ. 25. And he ſaid, Curſed be Canaan.] Becauſe an imitator, and abbettor of his fathers ſin: Neither good egg, nor good bird, as they ſay. God himſelf hath curſed ſuch caytiffs with a curſe. Prov. 30.17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and deſpiſeth to obey his mother; the ravens of the valley ſhall pick it out, and the young eagles ſhall eat it. Now they are curſed with a witneſs, Effoſſos oeidos voret atro gutture corvus. Catul. Per coacervatos poreat domus impia luctus. Oedip. apud Ovid. Daniels Chron. pag. 112.whom the Holy Ghoſt thus curſeth, in ſuch emphatical maner, with ſuch exquiſite terms. Their parents alſo through their unnaturalneſs are compell'd to curſe them, as Noah here: As Oedipus of old, and our Henry the ſecond, who ſeeing a few hours before he died, a liſt of their names, that had conſpired with the King of France, and Earl Richard (his ſon and ſucceſſor) againſt him; and finding therein his ſon John to be the firſt, falls into a grievous paſſion, both curſing his ſons, and the day wherein himſelf was born; and in that diſtemperature, departs the world, which ſo often himſelf had diſtempered. The cauſeleſs curſe indeed (though from a parents mouth) ſhall not come, Prov. 26.2. Such as was that, that befel Julius Palmer Martyr, who when he asked his mother bleſſing, Thou ſhalt, ſaid ſhe, have Chriſts curſe and mine, whereſoever thou goeſt. He pauſing a little, as one amazed at ſo heavy a greeting, at length ſaid, O mother, your own curſe you may give me, which God knoweth I never deſerved; but Gods curſe you cannot; for he hath already bleſſed me, and I ſhall be bleſſed. As for money and goods, ſaid ſhe, which thou ſueſt to me for, as bequeathed thee by thy father, I have none of thine. Thy father bequeathed nothing for hereticks: Faggots I have to burn thee; more thou getteſt not at my hands. Mother, ſaid he, wherea… you have curſed me; I again pray to God to bleſs and proſper you, all your life long. And ſo he departed, and ſhortly after, valiantly ſuffered for the truth, Act. & M…n. fol. 1755. & 1761. The wilde Iriſh inflict an heavy curſe on all their poſterity, if ever they ſhould ſow corn, build houſes, or learn the Engliſh tongue. Heyl. Geog. 508. Camdens Eliſab. p. 116, 117.at Newbury in Barkſhire, having ſometimes been Fellow of Magdalen Colledg in Oxford; and all King Edwards days an obſtinate Papiſt. Thus for the cauſeleſs curſe of parents. But where it is juſt, it lights heavy. The very complaint of a parent makes a loud cry in Gods ears, Judg. 9.56. It is ſaid, That God, by cutting off Abimelech, rendred the wickedneſs that he did to his father. And who can read with dry eyes that pitiful ſupplication of the old Emperor Andronicus, to his young nephew of the ſame name, Turk. hiſt. fol. 172? But when it proceeds to a corſe, lamentable effects have followed. Leonard ſon of the Lord Dacres (one of the Rebels in the North againſt Queen Elizabeth) whoſe father prayed God upon his death-bed, to ſend him much ſorrow for his diſobedience, drew forth a moſt poor life in the Netherlands, whither he eſcaped, living upon a very ſlender penſion from the Spaniard. That Rebellion (like the bubbles which children blow up into the ayr,) was no ſooner blown up, then blown out; and fell into the eyes of thoſe, which with the blaſts of ambition, and ſuperſtition held it up. But moſt remarkable is that, and appoſite to our preſent purpoſe, that Manlius reports of a certain mother, J…. Manlii. loc. co…. 228. Invole… in te diab…us.whom he and many others had ſeen leading about her miſerable daughter, who was poſſeſſed by the devil upon her curſing her, and bidding the devil take her. Luther and others prayed publikely for the Girl; and when Luther ſaid to the Devil, Increpet te Dem▪The Lord rebuke thee Satan, the Devil anſwered, muttering through the Maids lips, Increpet, increp…t. Another like example, the ſame Author hath, of a certain angry old man, Idem ibidem.in the Town of Friburg in Miſnia; Who bidding his ſon do ſome buſineſs for him, and he making no haſt to do it, nor ſtirring from the place he ſtood in; the father curſed him, and wiſhed he might never ſtir alive from that place. God ſaid Amen to it: and although he lived ſeven yeers after, yet there he ſtood, leaning upon a desk while he ſlept, eating little, and ſpeaking not much. When he was asked how he did? he would anſwer, That he was chaſtiſed juſtly by God, in whoſe hand it was, what ſhould at length become of him here. But of his eternal ſalvation by the merits of Chriſt alone, he nothing doubted; being chaſtiſed of the Lord, that he might not be condemned with the world. The prints of his feet are to be ſeen in the pavement, where he ſtood to this day, ſaith the Hiſtorian. After ſeven yeers ſuffering, he departed in the true Faith of Chriſt, with good hopes of a better eſtate in Heaven, September the eleventh, Anno 1552. [A ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be to his brethren:] In which title, the Pope of Rome (not without the providence of God) will needs be his ſucceſſor. A ſervant of Gods ſervants, he will by all means be called. And yet he ſtamps upon his coyn, That Nation and Countrey that will not ſerve thee, ſhall be rooted out. What pride equal to the Popes, making Kings kiſs his Pantofles, (upon which he hath Chriſts Croſs ſhining with Pearls and precious ſtones, Ʋt plenis faucibus crucem Chriſti derideat?) Sands his Relation of Weſt. relig. ſect. 12.What humility greater then his, ſhriving himſelf daily to an ordinary Prieſt? One while he will be filled, Servus ſervorum Dei; another while, Dominus regnorum mundi▪ which is one of the Devils titles; yea, Dominus Deus noſter Papa, Johan. 23. i… Extravag.taking upon him a power to excommunicate the very Angels alſo; yea, lifting up himſelf above Chriſt, who is called Pontifex Magnus, Hebrews 4.14. but the Pope calls himſelf Pontifex maximus. Gregory the Great was the firſt that ſtiled himſelf, A ſervant of ſervants; in oppoſition forſooth, to that proud Prelate of Conſtantinople, who affected to be called Ʋniverſal Biſhop. But after the death of Mauricius, Ph…cae adular… ſuppariſeri, &c. Ut ſuam po…ſtatem per favorem parricidae extenderet. Revii hiſt pontif. p. 45.when Phocas the Traytor came to be Emperor, this Gregory clawed him ſhamefully, and all to attain that dignity and dominion, that he ſo much condemned in another. The Pope of Conſtantinople could not bear a ſuperior, nor the Pope of Rome an equal. The one ſought to ſubdue to himſelf the Eaſt, the other Eaſt and Weſt too; and thence grew all the heat betwixt them. See the like ambition under the colour of zeal for their Religion in Selymus the Turk and Hiſmael the Perſian, Turk. hiſtor. foli… 515.
Verſ. 26. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Shem.] Shem ſeems to have been the chief actor and perſwader of that reverent behavior; and therefore, as he is firſt named, Verſ. 23. before his elder brother Japhet; ſo here he hath the firſt and chief bleſſing. It is good to be firſt in a good matter, yea, prompt and preſent to every good work, foreign, Tit. 3.1.as Paul hath it. [And Canaan ſhall be h…s ſervant.] This curſe was not fulfilled of many hundred yeers after; till the ſins of the Amorites were grown full, and then it was accompliſhed. Gods forbearance is no acquittance. He can alſo turn a curſe into a bleſſing, as he did this to Araunah the Jebuſite, 2 Sam. 5.7.of the worſt and moſt ſtubborn of the Canaanites: For they held the Tower of Jebus from the poſterity of Sem, after all the reſt had yielded: Yet he became a godly Proſelyte, and gave as a King his free-hold to King David, to build an Altar on, 2 Sam. 24.18. And this deed of his was long after remembred. Zach. 9.7. The like may be ſaid of the Gibeonites, who are called Nethinims in Ezra and Nehemiah. They were made ſervants to the Shemites, drawers of water to the Temple, as a kinde of puniſhment. God made this Croſs a Mercy. Their employment ſo near the houſe of God, gave them fit occaſion to be partakers of the things of God. And the Lord, we ſee, did wonderfully honor them; the nearer they were to the Church, the nearer to God. It is good getting into his houſe, though to be but a door-keeper with David, or a tankard-bearer, with theſe Gibeonites. Stand but in Gods way as he paſſeth, and thou ſhalt be preferred.
Verſ. 27. God perſwade Japhet,] Formone elſe can do it. Men may ſpeak perſwaſively, but to perſwade, is proper to God alone. He ſpeaks to the heart, Hoſ. 2.14. we to the ear onelyonly. He perſwadeth and allureth not onelyonly by a moral perſwaſion, but by an irreſiſtible inward drawing, Acts 11.17. In the Hebrew there is a ſweet Agnomination, q. d. God ſhall perſwade the perſwaſible. He ſhall draw them to faith and obedience, Monendo potiùs quàm minando, docondo quàm ducendo, ſaith Saint Auſtin, by informing not inforcing. He brings in his Elect by a merciful violence. He ſent forth at firſt not ſwordmen, but fiſher-men; and prevailed by them in thoſe places, Britannorum inacceſſa Romanis lo…a, Chriſto tamen ſubdit…. Tertul.where the Romans could never come with all their forces. Eliſha could do more with a kiſs then his man could do with a ſtaff, in raiſing the dead childe. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth, Cant. 1.2. And then follows, Draw me, we will run after thee. [And he ſhall dwell in the tents of Sem.] The Churches abode here, is but in tents: She hath no continuing City on earth, Heb. 13.14. 1 Tim. 3.16.but ſeeks one to come. This, whether prophecy or prayer, was fulfilled when God manifeſted in the fleſh, was preached unto the Gentiles, and beleeved on in the world, ſome thouſands of yeers after. The Gentiles were converted by vertue of this prayer (as Paul was by Saint Stevens,) and as we enjoy the Goſpel by Latimers yet once more, and the prayers of other Martyrs.
Verſ. 28, 29. And Noah lived after the flood, &c.] This man, if ever any that was born of a woman, had a long life, Job 14.1.and full of miſery. He ſaw the tenth generation after him before his death. But oh how oft was he occaſioned to get under the Juniper-tree with Elias, and deſire to dye? Before the flood, what a deal of wickedneſs and diſorder beheld he in family, Church, and Common-wealth, and all this puniſhed by the deluge to his unſpeakable heart-break? Soon after, he was mockt by his own ſon, and deſpiſed by almoſt all the reſt of his poſterity; whoſe unheard-of hardineſs in building the Tower of Babel, he was nolens volens, forced to ſee and ſuffer; and then ſhortly after, the confuſion of tongues as their juſt puniſhment. What ſhould I ſpeak of their ſo many and ſo great cruelties, inſolencies, tyrannical uſurpations, effuſions of innocent blood, wars, ſtirs ſtrifes, ſuperſtitions, and abominable idolatries under Nimrod, Jupiter Belus, Semiramis, Vix mihi perſuadeo virum ex homi…e miſeriorem natum fu…ſſe quam Noah. Funccii Chron. fol. 17.Zoroaſter, (the Magick-Maſter,) and other Emims and Zamzummims of the Earth? Of all which, and a great deal more, this good old Patriark was, to his ſorrow, not onelyonly an ear but an eye-witneſs? All which conſidered, it muſt needs be granted, that, living ſo long, never any Martyr or other, out of Hell, ſuffered more miſery then Noah did. And the like may be ſaid of Athanaſius, of whom Maſter Hooker witneſſeth, That for the ſpace of fourty ſix yeers, from the time of his conſecration to ſucceed Alexander Archbiſhop of Alexandria, till the laſt hour of his life in this world, his enemies never ſuffered him to enjoy the comfort of a peaceable day. Was not he to be reckoned a Martyr though he dyed in his bed? Eraſm. in vitae Chryſoſt.Cur veriar Chryſoſtomum appellare Martyrem? ſaith Eraſmus. And why may not any man ſay as much of Luther, &c.