foretell many things partly by Reuelation from God and partly because he is a subtile spirk and of long experience and hee makes those men foretell things to come rather by mouing their phantasies or by dreames or by offering to their eyes the shape or to their eares the words of those things he will foretell or by characters 2. They can foretell things to come because God permits them for the greater destruction of those that curiously consult Sooth-sayers so he suffered Balaam his Asse to prophesie 3. Men that are of subtile spirits may foretell some things by looking diligently into the life manners and dispositions of men as one may foretell that a tyrant oppressing his subiects shal be killed 4. They may foretell some things which may fall out true because of the credulity of those that consult with them for if they foretel good successe to any this ofttimes falls out because of the feruent desire and vsing of all meanes to attaine the same which doth fall out not because it was fore-told but because he to whom it was fore-told vsed the meanes to haue it Q. Is it not lawfull then to consult with Astrologers and Sooth-sayers A. No because in consulting with them we derogate from Gods glory and honour them in thinking that they can fore-tell all things which is proper only to God 2. If it bee vnlawfull to conuerse with an excommunicate person much lesse should we haue commerce with Satan who is excommunicated from heauen to the place of darkenesse and is the pernicious enemy of God and man Q. Whether are the beasts or fishes perfectest A. The beasts because they haue more perfect sences beget more perfect blood in our bodies then fishes haue more commerce with men and are docible in many things fishes are not Q. Why then were they created before the beasts A. As nature begins at that which is most imperfect in generation so God in the creation did keepe this course for man the little world and patterne of all the creatures was not created till the sixth day 2. God keepeth that course in the 3. last dayes which hee did in the 3. first in the first he created heauen and in the 4. did replenish it with starres the 2. hee made the seas the 5. replenished it with liuing creatures Q. Why speaketh Moses of the creation of some particular fishes and not of trees and beasts A. Because these fishes are greater then any earthly creatures therefore we should the more extoll Gods glory in considering them Q. How doe the waters bring forth the fishes A. The waters are not the efficient cause of the fishes but the materiall yet but in part for fishes are compounded of the foure elements notwithstanding the waters are the predominant matter of the fishes not in respect of their substance for that is earth but in respect of qualitie moist and cold Secondly The temperature of the fishes are waterish Thirdly Water is the place of habitation generation and conseruation for the fishes Q. Why were the birds created the fift day with the fishes and not the sixth A. Because they were created of the water as the fishes Secondly Because of the great resemblance betweene the birds and fishes both in respect of their place water and aire for both these elemēts are perspicuous humid moueable and easie to be changed one into the other Secondly In respect of their bodies for both are light and swift the sinnes of the fishes answere to the birds wings and their scales to birds feathers they both want eares paps milke bladder Thirdly Many kindes of birds dwell in the waters as the Sea-meawes Swans c. Fourthly their mouing is alike for as the fishes swim so the birds flie Fiftly They both vse their tayle to guide their flying and swimming Q. Were the birds created of the water A. Yes but not of the thickest of the water but rather of a watery vapour betweene water and aire therefore the birds conuerse in the water and aire Q. But it seemes the birds were created of the earth the sixt day by these words of the 2. Chapters And the Lord hauing formed out of the ground euery beast of the field and euery bird of the aire brought them to Adam A. If God had created them the sixt day of the ground Moses had not spoken of them the fift day Secondly in these words alleaged the coniunction and hath no reference to the word ground as though both had bene formed of the ground but to the word formed so the meaning is that not only the beasts that were formed of the ground but the birds also which God had created were brought to Adam Q. How doth the earth bring forth liuing creatures A. Not actiuely but passiuely for the earth is not the efficient but the materiall cause of earthly creatures Q. What difference is there betweene the beast cattel and creeping thing verse 25. A. By behemah in Hebrew is vnderstood the great beasts as Iob 40.15 By chaiah the wild beasts in whom there is seen most liuelinesse by remesh creeping things such as haue no feete at all as serpents and they that haue short and little feete as Ants. Q. Why did not God blesse the earthly creatures as he did the fishes A. Moses did omit this for breuities sake Secondly the blessing of the fishes doth belong also to the beasts Thirdly man is blessed and in him the beasts as when hee was cursed the earth was also Gen. 3. And when he was punished the beasts were punished also Genesis 7. Q. Why was man particularly blessed A. Not only for multiplication but also because of the elect And thirdly because mans copulation is oftentimes sinfull and inordinated Q. Did God create in the beginning imperfect creatures as Bees Waspes and such like A. He did not create them actually as hee did the perfect creatures but he created them in their causes as hee gaue that faculty to the flesh of an horse to beget Waspes beeing dead Q. Were Mules now created or not A. They were not First Because they were found out by Anah Genes 36. Secondly They are barren but God created all creatures with his blessing to be fruitfull c. Genes 1. Thirdly this kinde of procreation is against nature but God created euery thing according to his kinde Genes 1. Fourthly This is against his owne law Leuit 19. Q. Who was man and the cattell created in the some day A. First Because they both dwell in the earth Secondly The earthly creatures are more familiar with man then others Thirdly they are more profitable to man then other creatures Fourthly They are most like to man of all other creatures Q. How doth Gods goodnesse and wisedom appeare in the creatures A. Many wayes First In the variety of so many thousand diuers kindes of creatures Secondly In the comely order that is seene amongst them Thirdly in that all things that serue for the perfection of the world is
Psal 93. and 104. this is vnderstood in respect of the whole earth yet it is moued in respect of parts by earthquakes Iob 9. Q. Of what figure is the earth A. Round Esay the 40. This figure is most perfect capable ancient Q. Is the earth vnder the water or not A. Vnder because heauiest yet Exo. 20. Ps 24. and 136. it seemes the water is vnder the earth but it is to be vnderstood that a great part of the earth was made higher then the waters for mans habitation Q. Why cannot the whole earth moue A. Because hee is in his natural place which if it should moue it should ascend and this is against the nature of the earth Q. What is vnderstood by the spirit that moued vpon the waters A. A wind which often in Scripture is called a spirit or the holy Ghost or the power and mighty operation of God which also is often called by the name of Spirit in this sence the Spirit of God is sayd to carry Elias to heauen and to haue caught away Philip Acts 8. Q. Why is God brought in speaking in the creation A. To shew his absolute power whose word is his worke 2. The second person in Trinity the word essential of the Father by whom the world was created Q. Why was the light first created A. To beautifie al the rest of the creatures 2. The world was created in 6. daies which could not bee distinguished without the light and darkenes Q. Was this light spirituall such as God is sayd to inhabit as Christ is called the light of the world and the Apostles light the regenerate light A. No but corporall and sensible first the darkenes that went before was sensible ergo light 2. By this light the 3. dayes were distinguished before the creation of the sun but they were sensible 3. This Narration of Moses is historicall not allegoricall Q. Then what light was this A. Not the light of the elemental fire nor of a light cloud nor of water but of the sun which was the first day diffused through the whole hemisphere the 4. was collected into the globe of the sun we see The 1. day this light had but one common property to illuminate the 4. it had particular vertues to bring out particular effects 3. This light the 4. day began to bee cause of generation and corruption the measure of time the cause of increase and decrease in the moone Q. How did this light before the 4. day distinguish the day from night A. In moouing from east to west and from west to east by the motion of the 1. spheare Q. In what place of heauen was this light created A. In the east for this light returning to this same point of the east from which it went made a naturall day Q. VVhen was heauen and earth created A. Before the first day in respect of their substance and matter but in the sixe dayes in respect of their forme and perfection Q. What is meant by the firmament that separateth the waters from the waters A. The aire and starry heauens with all the spheres betweene which do separate the watry clouds from these waters below but properly the lower regiō of the aire doth separate these waters which are generated in the single region from the waters below which low region is called by the name of the whole firmament Q. What are these waters aboue the firmament A. Not Angels as Origen not waters properly so called aboue the stars as Basil would haue for their natural place is below and there is no vse of them aboue the starres neither the heauen called the Cristalline which hath neither the substance similitude or qualities of water but by these waters wee vnderstand the watery clouds aboue this lower region in the aire These waters in other places are sayd to be aboue the heauēs that is aboue the aire which in Scripture is called heauen Q. How made God the drie land to appeare A. By causing the earth which before was plaine to swell with mountaines 2. By the waters which before were spred ouer the whole earth to betake themselues to one place Q. Then were there mountaines before the flood A. Yes for the flood rose 15. cubits higher then the mountaines the mountaines are called eternall Psa 76. Wisedome is ancienter then the mountaines Pro. 8. They make the earth the comelier more fruiteful more commodious for man and beast they hold out the seas from ouer-flowing the earth out of them springs and riuers proceed they defend the valleies from the raging of the windes that without them the earth could not be before the flood Q. Is the earth or seas highest A. The earth for all riuers run into the seas naturally because they flow downewards 2. Men are said to go down into the seas in ships Psal 107. Again if the seas were higher ships should sayle swifter to the land then from it 4. The farther we were in the sea we should see the land the better Ob. But Psa 104. and 33. it seemes that the waters are higher then the earth A. In Ps 104. Dauid speaks of the springs that are generated in the mountaines or of the watery clouds that couer the hills in Psa 33. Dauid speakes of the miraculous standing of the red sea Q. Were briers thornes and poysonable hearbes created before mans fall A. Yes because these are parts of this world without which it is not perfect and although poysonable hearbs are not fit for meate they are good for physicke Q. In what time of the yeere was the world created A. In the Autumne because the Iewes before they departed from Egypt began their yeere in Autumne and also before the stood for the flood began in the second month that is about the month of Nouember 2. The Iewes Exod. 23. are commanded to keepe the feasts of Tabernacles in the end of the yeere that is in Autumne when fruits are ripe and also this same feast in the beginning of the yeere Chap. 34. nature also shews that Autumne is the end of the yeere by the maturity of the fruite and falling of the leaues from the trees It is also the beginning of the yeere as the yong seeds budding out of the earth do testifie Lastly in the creation the fruits of the trees were ripe and ready to be eaten Q. Were the starres created the fourth day A. Yes in respect of their light motions and operations but they were made the 1. day in respect of their substance for they are the thicker part of the spheres Q. Why were the stars created after the planets A. Because God will shew his power which in producing of plants doth not depend on the starres 2. To keepe the people from idolatrie whom he knew would be bent to worship the starres when they consider their beauty motion and operation in producing hearbs now they are inexcusable because this vertue they haue in producing hearbs is from God who in the beginning
themselues in the Persian sea Q. Then Phison is not Ganges of India nor Gehon Nilus of Egypt A. No for Ganges springeth out of Cancasus of India Nilus out of the mountaine of inferior Mauritania but Phison and Geho◠out of Armenia Nilus exonerateth her selfe in the Mediterranean sea but Phison and Gehon into the Persian Gulfe Q. What country is this Hauilah A. Not a country in India but bordering vpon Palestine and Assyria as may be gathered out of Gene. Chap. 25.18 Q. What is Bdellium A. It is a blacke tree the bignesse of an Oliue tree from the which there runneth a kind of sweete gum Plinius lib. 12. Chapt. 9. Q. How is that vnderstood that God did put Adam into the garden A. Either by the inward perswasion of God hee was led thither as Christ was led to the wildernesse Math. 4. or he was caught by the Spirit as Henoch Habbacuc and Philip or else by an Angell in the shape of man he was led to Paradise Q. Why did not God create Adam in Paradise A. To let him know that Paradise did not belong to him by nature but by grace Secondly to teach him to bee the more circumspect in obeying God considering hee might be as well put out of it as hee was brought in if he brake Gods Law Thirdly that hee should haue no cause to accuse God of cruelty in putting him out of that place which by nature was due to him therefore hee returnes to the place from whence he came Q. Then why was Euah created in Paradise A. Because Adam out of whose side shee was taken was now in Paradise Secondly she is not now properly created but formed and framed out of Adams rib for when Adam was formed she was created potentia in him in respect the body of Adam was the matter of her body Q. Should man haue wrought in Paradise A. Yes but not for need and with trouble as now but with pleasure to keepe himselfe from idlenes Secondly thereby to stirre him vp the more to contemplate heauenly things And thirdly to try the diuers natures of grounds and of those things that grow on the ground Q. Doth these words You shall eate of euery tree of the garden containe a precept or a permission A. Not a precept but a permission for if God did command Adam to eate of euery tree he should haue bene tied to it Secondly man hath no need to be commanded to eate when he is hungry for hee can do that by nature Thirdly he knew that all the trees were created to that vse therefore he needs no commandement to eate Q. Was this commandement of not eating the tree of Knowledge of good and euill inioyned to Eua also Q. Yes for so shee confessed to the Serpent Secondly If she had not beene commanded to abstaine from it shee should not haue sinned in eating of it Q. How could this precept belong to Eua seeing she was not yet created A. It was first giuen to Adam and then by Adam it was deliuered to Eua. Q. Why did God forbid Adam to eate of this tree A. First To let him know that he was but a creature and seruant and therfore had a Lord whom he must serue and obey Secondly To let him see that hee had free will and power both to chuse and refuse any thing he pleased Thirdly To exercise him in obedience Q. But seeing God knew that Adam would violate this precept bring himselfe his posterity to perpetuall misery why would God inioyne it to him A. To make him inexcusable for he made him vpright and gaue him grace to obey if he would dedit Adamo posse si vellet non et velle et posse Secondly Although God knew that man would sinne yet hee did permit him because he was to conuert that sinne of Adam to his greater good in sending his Sonne into the world Thirdly hee suffered him to fall that his mercy and iustice might appeare the more Q. How is it vnderstood that whatsoeuer day Adam should eate of the Forbidden tree he should die A. He did not dye actually as soone as he had eaten the forbidden fruite but now he was subiect to death and the necessity of dying is layd vpon him Secondly hee may be sayd to dye actually that day because then the infirmities of body soule which are the fore-rūners causes of death actual did seaze vpon him so mortuus est morte inchoata sed non completa Q. Why did not God expressely threaten Adam with death eternall A. Because God in the old Testament speaketh but sparingly of death eternall and vnder shaddowes Secondly death corporal is better knowne to man not onely by faith and reason but also by experience then death eternal which onely is knowne by faith Thirdly hee would speake of such a death as did not onely belong vnto him but to all his posterity although they did repent and this is the death of the body whereof all are partakers Q. Why did God threaten Adam with death A. Because death is the greatest and most fearefull misery that can happen to man Secondly The name of death comprehends all the miseries and afflictions that doe befall man in this life because they are preparations to death Nam vt via ad generationem est generatio sic via ad interitum est mors Q. Then what death is meant here A. Both of body and soule temporall and eternall Q. How can death corporall bee a punishment for sinne seeing it proceeds of naturall causes as of contrary qualities A. It is not the punishment of sinne as it proceedes of naturall causes but in respect that God ordayned Adam to liue immortally if he had not sinned now hauing sinned death followes as the stipend of sinne Q. Why was it not good that man should bee alone A. Because man without the woman could not procreate children and so man-kinde could not bee multiplyed Secondly Christ could not haue come in the flesh Thirdly The Elect and Church of God could not haue increased if Adam had beene alone Q. How were the creatures brought to Adam A. Either by the helpe of Angels or by that naturall instinct which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the which euery creature perceiueth what is good and bad for them Q. Why did God bring the creatures to Adam A. First To let him see how much hee did excel them and how much the more he should be thankefull Secondly Because hee was the Lord of the beasts God would haue him to see his seruāts Thirdly that he might name them Fourthly That posterity might know what excellent knowledge Adam had in giuing names to the creatures according to their kindes Q. Why were not the fishes brought to Adam A. Because they doe not so much resemble man as the beasts secondly because they could not be such a help to man as the beasts thirdly because they could not liue out of the water Q. Had
here therefore Origen was deceiued that thought there were fiue roomes As in this Arke there were three roomes so in Moses Tabernacle and Salomons Temple were also three The Church also figured by the Arke hath three states before the Law vnder the Law and vnder Christ Q. Why would God establish his Couenant with Noe before the Arke was built A. To confirme Noes faith the more for he had need of such a promise that went about such a hard and dangerous worke as the building of the Arke was And here wee see that God neuer imployeth his seruants in any hard worke but hee giueth them comfort strength and courage to performe it And so it is our part to rely on Gods promises with Noe and not to encline either to the right or left hand Q. What couenant was this that God made with Noe A. That he would preserue him and his Family in the Floud and this is a type of the couenant which God hath made with vs in Christ Now this couenant belongeth to Noe and his Family so all Gods couenants to the faithfull and their children also As for Noe's sake his family was saued so for the company of one holy man many shal escape in the day of Gods wrath For Pauls sake all that were in the ship were saued Here this is called Gods couenant because he bindes himselfe to saue vs so elsewhere it is called our couenant Zach. 9.11 because on our part we are bound to beleeue and obey him Q. What sortes of creatures was Moses commanded to receiue within the Arke A. All those that could not liue in the water as men beasts and fowles fishes then and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is those creatures that can liue both on the land and in the water were not receiued secondly the perfect creatures that is such as are procreated by commixture of male female for the male female are here mentioned Then mice such like as are ingeÌ„dred of corruptioÌ„ were not receiued And here Moses is commaunded to receiue two of euery sort which in the next chapter is better explained for of the vncleane two are receiued of the cleane seuen three males and females for generation and one male for the Sacrifice Heere we see that God for Noes sake saueth all those sorts of creatures extending his mercies euen to the beasts for his seruants sake Q. How did Noe gather together all these creatures did he hunt for them A. No but they came of their owne accord the Lord leading them thither and here they are brought to Noe as before to Adam yet although God brought them to the Arke notwithstanding Noe must bring them within and place them in the Arke Noe is the type of Christs Ministers who doe not leade Christs sheepe to the Church because being moued by Gods Spirit they come of their owne accords yet the Minister gathereth them together and doth vnite them by the Word and Sacraments Q. If all kindes of meate were layd vp in the Arke for the creatures then whether or not was there also flesh for those creatures that liued only on flesh A. First before the Floud neither man nor beast did eate flesh but this power of eating flesh was giuen after the Floud secondly we doe not reade of any beasts that were brought into the Arke for meate but onely for generation and sacrifice thirdly if there had been beasts in the Arke for eating and so many as might serue for a whole yeere surely there could not be roome enough for them besides their flesh would haue putrified and that had beene filthy and lothsome to man therefore they did not eate flesh at that time but either grasse fruits or seedes for these they fed vpon when flesh was wanting Besides God that caused them to come to the Arke of their own accord and to remayne so long obedient to Noe could also sustaine them so long without flesh onely vpon hearbs for those were better at that time than now and the temperature of those beasts was sounder Q. Why was God so carefull to prouide foode for those dumbe creatures A. To let vs know and admire his infinite goodnesse in not onely creating them for mans vse but also in preseruing them to the same end secondly that by this carefulnesse of his we may be induced to loue him the more thirdly to depend on him in our extremities for if he had a care of them when they could not care for themselues much more will hee be carefull of vs in our necessities fourthly he would not saue them in the Arke as he did the Israelites in the red Sea and as Ionas in the Whales belly miraculously but he would haue heere both man and beast to vse the meanes of the Arke and of the foode he gaue them for the preseruation of their life to teach vs that we should not despise the ordinary meanes that God hath appoynted for the conseruation of our life fiftly to teach all Christians that haue children wife or family to prouide for them things that may sustaine their naturall life seeing God had such care to maintaine the life of these creatures which are not so deare to God as men are Q. What is the commendation that Noe hath heere in the end A. That he did according to all that God commaunded him therefore he became heire of the Righteousnes that is by faith Hebr. 11. Then heere was his glory not in that he knew Gods commaundements but in that he did them secondly he did not a part but according to all that was commaunded him thirdly his faith and obedience was wonderfull if wee should consider the circumstances thereof as the bignesse of the Arke the long and tedious space of an hundreth yeeres cutting and bringing together so many trees the taunts and scornes hee did indure of men the feare he was in for preaching they should all be drowned the care and solliciâ—ede he had to gather together so much prouision for man beasts and fowles yea to bring into the Arke so many sorts of wilde beasts and lastly to inclose himselfe therein for a yeere as in a Sepulchre all these being considerd shall make vs acknowledge that hâ—â— Faith and Obedience was worthy of eternall commendations Q. Whereof was Noe and the Arke a tipe oâ— figure A. Of Christ and of the Church for Noe was the tipe of Christ in that Noe is rest so Christ is our rest in him we haue rest for oâ—â— soules our consciences haue rest from the gilt and punishment of sinne from the condemning and commaunding power thereof and after this life we 〈◊〉 rest from our labours euen in the bosome of Abraham Secondly as Noe preserued soone from the flood so hath Christ from the floods of Gods wrath Thirdly as Noe in the Arke of wood did saue them so Christ vpon the Crosse of wood hath saued vs. Fourthly as out of the Arke there is no safety so ouâ— of the Church there is no saluation Fiftly 〈◊〉 the Arke was made of diuers sortes of trees so is the Church of diuers sorts of men Sixtly 〈◊〉 the Ark was a loÌ„g time in building so hath the Church a long time in making Seuâ—â—hly as in the floud God drowned sinners so in baptisme whereof the flood was a tipe God drowneth our sinnes Eightly as the plankes of the Arke were ioyned together with Pitch so should the members of the Church be ioyned together with loue Ninthly as Noe not only built the Arke but entred therein so Christ not only built the Church but dwels therein Tenthly as in the Arke were all sorts of creatures so in the Church are all sorts of Christians EleueÌ„thly as in the Arke were more beasts then men so in the Church are more bad then good Twelftly as in the Arke was all kind of corporall food for the creatures so in the Church is all kind of spirituall food for Christians 13. As in the Arke was a window to giue light to the eies so in the Church is the Word to giue light to the minds 14. As there was a doore for the creatures to enter into the Arke so Christ is the doore by whom wee enter into the Church 15. As in the Arke were diuers roomes or stories so in the Church are diuers degrees orders 16. As the Arke was great and large for all sorts of beasts so is the Church for all sorts of men 17. As there was but one Arke one doore one window so there is but one Church one Christ one Scripture 18. As the Rauen went out and came not againe but the Doue could finde no rest till 〈◊〉 returned to the Arke so the wicked care 〈◊〉 for the Church but the godly who represâ—â— the nature and qualities of the Doue can hâ—â—â— no rest for their soules but in the Church 19â—â— the Arke was tossed vp and downe in the wâ—ter with the wind yet was vpheld by Goâ— so the Church is tossed vp and downe 〈◊〉 the sea of this world with the winds 〈◊〉 Satan of sinne of wicked men and of 〈◊〉 flesh yet the Lord vpholds her 20. 〈◊〉 the Arke at last rested on the mountaineâ— of Arâ—â—â—nia so shall the Church on Moâ—â—â— Sion in the Kingdome of glory when thâ— waters shall settle and the winds shall cease then those that seemed to be dead in the Arke shall come out of the graues and with ioy shall inioy that happy Immortality FJNJS