13. The xiij. Chapter. Of the creation of all things; wherein is int

The xiij. Chapter. Of the creation of all things; wherein is intreated of angels, of men, of the essence of the soule, of the image of God, and of diuerse other things.

I Would thinke that vnder the name of heauen and earth, ¹ Moses shewed that the foundation or ground of all things, aswell of the heauens, as of the elements was made, and that this matter is signified by the names of things alreadie finished. For séeing it cannot be knowen otherwise, but by the forme and perfection, it is méet that that also should be named and specified. Wherefore this whole heape is signified by the name of heauen and earth; wherein also come the other thrée elements, fire, aire, & water. He shewed vs of the vttermost things, by which he will also haue vs to knowe the things that are betwéene both. But how far these things at the first were out of square and order it is shewed, when of the earth it is said; It was without form, ² & wast. Wherfore this rude heape was brought foorth, being as yet, stuffe or matter void of order, the which belonged aswell to the vpper things, as to the lower. And so perhaps, as the more noble had the vppermost place; so to the lesse noble was assigned the nethermost: for this cause, the name of creation is verie fit for the first and vnorderlie heape. ³ For those things séeme onlie to be made of nothing, and other things are said to be made and fashioned. And yet this difference is not obserued in all things; for some things are called created, which are said to be deriued from some former matter. Two things doubtles men haue béene accustomed to attribute vnto creation, both that it should be of a sudden. and that it require no matter to be before hand. ⁴

2 Thus the world was not rashlie made, neither is it coeternall with the maker or creator. Manie of the ancient philosophers assigned the workemanship of things vnto rashnes and chance; séeing diuers of them in the stead of beginnings, named discord and debate, or else such little small bodies, as smaller cannot be. Aristotle attributed eternitie vnto that, whereby he maketh God, not to be the working cause of the world; but onelie attributed vnto him the cause of the end: or if he doo, he taketh from him the power of working according to his will; and thinketh that the world followeth him, as a shadowe dooth the bodie, or as the light dooth the sunne. Which the Peripatetikes will séeme to doo for diuine honour sake, least they should be driuen to ascribe anie lacke of power or alteration in God. But these things hurt not vs at all; for we affirme not, that God is borne, or apt to suffer anie thing: but we attribute vnto him the chéefest power to doo. And although God in his eternitie, minded to make the world, it followeth not therefore, that when he did make it, there was in him anie alteration of his purpose or will. Againe, let vs beware of the error of them in old time, ⁵ which thought that there was an eternall and vncreat Chaos, or confused heape, extant before: and that God did onelie picke out those things, which were there mingled togither. But we saie, that the same heape also was made the first daie. Some there be which demand, that séeing God could haue brought foorth the world long before, why he did it so late? This is an arrogant and malepert question, wherein mans curiositie cannot be satisfied; but by beating downe the follie thereof. For if I should grant thée, that the world was made before, at anie certeine instant of time, that thou couldest imagine; yet thou mightest still complaine, that the same was but latelie made, if thou refer thy cogitation to the eternitie of God: so as we must herin deale after a godlie maner, and not with this malepert and rash curiositie.

Of Angels and their creation.

3 But verelie it séemes to be a maruell, why the creation of Angels is so kept in silence, as there is no mention thereof in all the old testament: in the old testament (I saie) bicause in the new testament it is spoken of. In the first chapter to the Colossians, there is plaine mention of their creation. ⁶ There be some, which bring two places of the old testament, namelie; Who maketh his Angels spirits. ⁷ And in an other place, ⁸ when he said; And they be made. Howbeit these places doo not firmelie persuade it. ⁹ It should be rather said, that they are comprehended vnder the name of heauen, séeing it is generallie receiued, that the heauens are turned about by them. The first reason is, bicause if their creation had béene first described, it might haue séemed, that God vsed their labour in the bringing foorth of other things. But to the intent wée should attribute vnto God the whole power of creation, therefore did Moses kéepe it in silence; least perhaps wée might suspect our selues to be their workmanship. And euen as our redemption is onelie attributed vnto Christ the sonne of God, and not to the Angels; so was it méet to be as touching our creation. The second reason; bicause of the pronesse of men vnto idolatrie: for if they haue worshipped heauen, stars, foure-footed beasts, serpents, and birds; what would they haue doone, if Moses had described that spirituall creature in his colours; and had said, that they were made to doo vs seruice, to be presidents ouer countries, and to be at hand with euerie man? What would not men haue doone? They would haue run a madding to the worshipping of them. The first mention of them was at paradise with the sword of the cherubims. ¹⁰ Also in Abrahams time, ¹¹ when there was present an excéeding strong deliuerer. For euen then are dangers permitted by God, when most strong remedies are also vsed by him. And as touching this superstitious worshipping of Angels, Paule speaketh in the second to the Colossians. ¹²

4 Rabbi Selomoh saith that the names of Angels are secret; so as they, euen themselues, ¹³ doo not knowe their owne names: yea, and he addeth, that they haue not names of their owne, ¹⁴ but that onlie surnames are appointed them of those things, vnto which they are sent to take charge of. Wherevnto the epistle to the Hebrues assenteth, when it calleth them Administring spirits. ¹⁵ Rabbi Selomoh bringeth examples out of the holie scriptures. An Angel was sent vnto Esaie, ¹⁶ and bicause he put vnto his lips a burning cole, he was called Seraphim, ¹⁷ of the Hebrue verbe Saraph, which signifieth To burne. So of Raphael we may saie, that he which cured Tobias was so called; as who shuld saie; He was the medicine of God. ¹⁸ And Gabriel, by the same reason is called The strength of God. Also the word Peli, which the Angel attributed to himselfe in the 13. of Iudges, signifieth Woonderfull: for he came, ¹⁹ to the intent he might doo a miracle. And surelie it was verie woonderfull, to bring out a flame out of a rock, which consumed the sacrifice. And it may be, that the Angel would not open his name; bicause men in those daies were prone vnto idolatrie: and perhaps, when they had heard the name of the Angel, they would soone haue béene induced to worship it, more than right religion requireth. But Cherubims be Angels, ²⁰ whose name is deriued of a figure. Aben-ezra saith, that Keruf signifieth A forme or figure, be it either of man, or of brute beasts, it maketh no matter which, séeing either of both is so called. Angels haue these names, bicause they appeare vnto men, in figure or forme of a liuing creature, as it appeareth in the tenth of Ezechiel. ²¹ Others thinke, that the name is compounded of the Hebrue letter ⟨…⟩, which is a marke of similitude; and of Raui, which in the Chaldean spéech signifieth Boies, or Yoong men, bicause Angels appéered in the fourme of men, and that of yoong men. And to that similitude those in the tabernacle were made, hauing wings put to them. Which peraduenture Dionysius, and other followed; when they saie, that they are signified by the fulnes of knowledge, séeing a man, whose figure they beare, differeth in vnderstanding and knowledge from brute beasts.

²² Wherefore Cherub is a certaine figure giuen, and betokeneth vnto vs The messengers of God, which with great celeritie doo all those things which God commandeth. He vseth them, and rideth as it were vpon the winds, ²³ which are gouerned by those Angels, bicause by those things, that which God would, is brought to passe. ²⁴ Also, the Ethnicks made Mercurie with wings, and attributed wings vnto the winds. The Angels likewise are often-times put with wings. In Exodus, the Cherubims are made with wings. Esaie saith, that Seraphim came flieng vnto him. Ezechiel & Daniel sawe Angels flieng vnto them. These things declare, that the ministerie of Angels is excéeding swift. In the 104. Psalme; ²⁵ Who maketh his Angels spirits. We must not héere imagine with the Saduces, as though the Angels were but a bare seruice of no substance, seuered from matter. They are not onlie mooued with the moouing that brute creatures haue, but they vnderstand, they speake, and they instruct vs. An Angel came vnto the virgin Marie, ²⁶ and vnto Zacharie. Their Angels (as it is in the Gospell) doo alwaies behold the face of their heauenlie father. ²⁷ Vnto the Hebrues they are called Administring spirits. ²⁸ Finallie, they gouerne kingdoms and pr⟨…⟩uinces.

²⁹ 5 It followeth, that I speake somwhat of the visions of Angels. For an Angel appeared vnto Manoah; and oftentimes in other places, as the scriptures declare, Angels haue bin séen of men. But it may be demanded, how they did appeare, whether with anie bodie, or onlie in phantasie: and if with a bodie, whether with their owne bodie, or with a strange bodie: and whether the bodie were taken for a time, or for euer? Of these things, there be diuers opinions of men. The Platonists saie, that The minds, that is, ³⁰ the Intelligencis are so framed, that certeine of them haue celestiall bodies, and some haue firie bodies, some airie, some watrie, and some earthie bodies, and some they affirme to be darke spirits, which doo continuallie dwell in darkenes and mist. Of these things Marsilius Ficinus hath gathered manie things, in his tenth booke De legibus, and in his Argument of Epinomis. The Peripatetikes affirme, ³¹ that there be certaine Intelligencies, which guide and turne about the celestiall circles, neither make they mention of anie other. ³² Also the schoole diuines haue decréed, that those minds and Intelligencies are altogither spirituall, and that they haue no bodies. And they were led thus to thinke, by reason that these Intelligencies must néeds excell the soules of men, whose perfectest facultie consisteth in vnderstanding. Wherefore (as they thinke) it is méete, that in this worke, the Intelligencies should much excéed them: and that this commeth to passe, bicause those heauenlie minds haue no néed of images or of senses, the which being so, it should be superfluous for them to haue bodies.

6 But amo~g the Fathers, ³³ some haue affirmed far otherwise. Origin in his bookes ⟨…⟩ (as Ierom hath noted in his epistle Ad Pammachium de erroribus Iohannis Hierosolymitani ) saith, that Those spirituall minds, so often as they offend, doo fall, and are thrust into bodies, but yet not immediatelie into the vilest bodies; but first into starrie bodies, then into firie and airie, afterward into watrie, and last of all into humane and earthie bodies: and if then also they behaue not themselues well, they become diuels. And further, that if they will yet then repent, they may come againe by the selfe-same degrées vnto their former state. And this he saith, we should vnderstand by that ladder, ³⁴ vpon which Iacob saw the Angels ascending and descending. But Ierom, to make the matter more plaine, ³⁵ giueth a similitude. If a tribune (saith he) do not rightlie execute his office, he is put from that degrée, and is made a principall secretarie, afterward a senator, a captaine ouer two hundreth, a ruler ouer fewer, a constable of a watch, afterward a man at armes, and after that, a souldier of the meanest degrée. And although a tribune were once a common souldier, yet of a tribune he is not made a yoong souldier, but a principall secretarie. Howbeit, these things be absurd, and woorthie to be laughed at. And certeinlie héerein Origin speaketh more like a Platonist, than a Christian. That which he first affirmeth; ³⁶ namelie, that soules are thrust into bodies, as vnto punishments, is manifestlie false; forsomuch as God hath ioined the bodie to the soule, for a helpe, not for a punishment. Neither doth he well, to put the diuell into anie hope of saluation in time to come, séeing Christ hath taught the contrarie, saieng; ³⁷ Go yee cursed into eternall fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels. Neither can we in that place vnderstand Eternall, to be onlie a long space of time. For Christ most plainlie expoundeth his meaning, when he saith; Their woorme shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched. ³⁸ Neither did he truly affirme, that the soules first sinned, before they came into bodies; ³⁹ séeing Paule writeth of Iacob and Esau, that before they were borne, and had doon neither good nor euill, it was said; Iacob haue I looued, and Esau haue I hated: the greater shall serue the lesser. Vpon iust cause therefore is this opinion of Origin reiected by all men.

⁴⁰ 7 Augustine in manie places séemeth to attribute bodies vnto Angels; and namelie in his second booke De trinitate, the seuenth chapter: & in the third booke, the first chapter. Which the schoole men perceiuing, excused him, saieng, that he spake not there after his owne iudgement, but according to the iudgment of others. Which thing I also might allow, for so much as I sée, that that father in his eight booke and 16. chapter De ciuitate Dei, (after the opinion of Apuleius Madaurensis and Porphyrius ) defineth, that Angels be in kind, sensible creatures; in soule, passiue; in mind, reasonable; in bodie, airie; in time, eternall. Doubtlesse herein he followeth the doctrine of the Platonists; but in the places before alleadged, he séemeth to speake altogither of himselfe. ⁴¹ Yea and Barnard also, vpon the song of the thrée children (as it appeareth) is of the same opinion. Wherefore the schoolemen be compelled to deuise an other shift, and they saie; that Angels, if they be compared with men, are spirits: but if with God, they haue bodies, bicause they are destitute of the single and pure nature of God. ⁴² Tertullian De carne Christi affirmeth, that Angels haue bodies: but that is the lesse maruell in him; for he attributeth a bodie euen to God himselfe. But he calleth a bodie, whatsoeuer is; for he delt with vnlearned and rude men, which thinke, that whatsoeuer is not a bodie, is nothing. But the schoolemen saie, that Angels in verie déed are spirits; but that when they come vnto men, they take vpon them airie bodies, which they thicken and make verie grosse, whereby they can both be séene, touched, and perceiued, beyond the nature of aire. There be some also, which saie, that some earthie or waterish thing is mixed with them; but in no wise will grant the same to be anie perfect mixture, least they should be compelled there to appoint a generation. There haue béene also which thought, that Angels tooke vpon them dead carcases: but this to the more part séemeth an vnwoorthie thing, to be thought of the holie Angels.

⁴³ 8 Here will some man saie, that it is an absurd thing to charge the celestiall Angels with feigning and lieng; as they to feigne themselues to be men, and yet are none indéed. Yea and this séemeth to weaken the argument of Christ, which he vsed after his resurrection, to declare that he had a verie bodie indéed; Feele (saith he) and see: ⁴⁴ for a spirit hath no flesh and bones, as ye see mee haue. For the apostles, being dismaid, thought that they had séene a spirit; and therefore to bring them out of doubt, Christ bad them to handle and féele his bodie. But the apostles might haue said; That which we féele is a phantasie, it séemeth indéed to be Christ, but perhaps it is not. For Angels also séeme to haue bodies, and to be touched & felt, whereas yet they haue no bodies indéed. Also this opinion may weaken the argument of the fathers against Marcion, as touching the flesh of Christ. For he did eate (saie they) he dranke, he was hungrie, he slept, he did sweate, and such like; and therefore had a true and humane bodie. Vnto these things might be answered, that the selfe-same things haue happened vnto Angels, whereas notwithstanding they had no bodies. I answere; that which they first saie, that it is absurd to charge the Angels with lies; they should vnderstand that euerie thing, howsoeuer it be feigned, is not straightwaie a lie. ⁴⁵ Christ appeared vnto his disciples as a stranger, and yet he lied not; euen he was séene vnto Marie in likenes of a gardener, yet he lied not: so the Angels, although they appéered to be men, when they were no men, ⁴⁶ yet were they no liers. For they came not of purpose to prooue themselues men, but onelie that they might conuerse and haue communication with men.

To the argument of Christ, as touching his owne bodie, thus I answere: first, the apostles thought that it had béene a ghost, which appeared: and therefore Christ, to refell that, saith; Handle and see, for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones. By the handling it selfe it might be perceiued, that the same, which was present, was a verie true and perfect bodie, not a vaine phantasie. But thou wilt saie; It was a true bodie indéed, but yet taken for a time, and such a bodie as Angels sometime are woont to put on. But how could it be prooued, that it was the same bodie which laie before in the sepulchre? Herein the authoritie of Christ, and of the scriptures must be of force: for the scriptures teach plainelie inough, that Christ should die, and afterward rise againe the third daie: but nothing can rise againe, except that which fell before, as Tertullian doth verie learnedlie write. And this did the Schoolmen perceiue; ⁴⁷ whervpon Thomas Aquinas saith, that vnlesse something else can be added, this is no good argument. The same may be answered vnto the reasons of the fathers against Marcion. Indéed manie of the actions before alledged, may be fit for Angels, or bodies assumed: but yet not all. For, to be borne and nourished, to die and to féele, happen neither vnto Angels, nor yet vnto bodies assumed. But the scripture dooth most plainlie testifie, that Christ was borne, that he sorrowed, that he was hungrie, that he suffered death, and that he was verie true man. But of these things more at large hereafter.

⁴⁸ 9 There be manie other things in the schoole Diuines, as touching these matters: but bicause they are not so profitable, I will omit them, and will demand this; Whether Angels may take verie bodies vpon them, and those naturall, which were bodies before, and may vse them at their libertie, as the diuell did put on the serpent, ⁴⁹ and thereby deceiued Eue? An Angel also spake in Balaams asse, ⁵⁰ wherefore then cannot an Angel after the same maner possesse a humane bodie, and speake therein? Doubtles it is written in the prophet Zacharie; The Angel of the Lord, which spake in mee. Wherfore it appéereth, ⁵¹ that Angels may vse the bodies of men and beasts. ⁵² Augustine in his third booke De trinitate, the first chapter saith, that This is a verie hard question, whether Angels may adioine bodies to their owne proper bodies, and change them into diuers formes; as we vse to doo garments, or also to change them into verie nature, as we read that Christ did, ⁵³ when he turned water into wine: this he saith is not vnpossible to be doone. For thus he writeth; I confesse it passeth the strength of my capacitie, whether that Angels, reteining the spirituall qualitie of their owne bodie, may in working more secretlie by it, take to them som thing of the more grosse inferiour elements, which being framed fit to themselues, may alter and turne the same, as it were a garment, into all bodilie forms or shapes; yea, euen into the true things themselues, as true water was turned into true wine by the Lord: or else, whether they can transforme their owne proper bodies into what they will, being applied to that thing which they go about to doo. But whether of thes⟨…⟩ be true, it belongeth not to the present question. But I saie, that if there were verie bodies of Angels, then was Christs argument firme. And I will more willinglie grant vnto this, than to saie as some doo, that Angels deceiued the senses of men. For after this maner they will striue against vs, when we saie that in the Eucharist remaineth bread, which is both séene and touched; ⁵⁴ as they may answere, that indéed it séemeth bread, but yet it is none: euen as Angels séemed to be men, when as yet they were no men. Trulie I denie not, but that somtimes the senses may be deceiued; but yet I affirme, that there be two kinds of those things which are perceiued by the sense. ⁵⁵ For some things are common vnto manie senses, and others are proper vnto some one sense alone. For figure, quantitie, and number, are perceiued of manie senses: ⁵⁶ & doubtles in such things the senses may be deceiued. As Carneades was woont to dispute of bending an ore in the water, and of the bignes of the bodie of the sunne. But in things which properlie be sensible, the sense is neuer deceiued, vnlesse it be long of some impediment of the bodie, or ouermuch distance, or some such like let. Wherefore, séeing that in the Eucharist our sense dooth shew vs that bread remaineth, there is no néed to feigne that the sense is therein deceiued.

10 But to appoint a certeine compendious waie of this disputation, ⁵⁷ thrée waies come to mind, by which it may séeme that the Angels appéered. For either they were séene in phantasie, so as they were thought to haue bodies, when they had not (which waie cannot be approoued; for they did not beguile the senses, and they were not séene onlie of one person, but of manie, and at manie and sundrie times, and were in such sort séene, ⁵⁸ as Abraham washed some of their féet, and Iacob wrestled a whole night with an Angel:) or else they verelie appéered with a true bodie, which notwithstanding was not such a bodie, as it was thought to be: or else they had the verie selfe-same bodie, trulie and in verie déed, which they séemed to haue. ⁵⁹ Tertullian De carne Christi, hath written most learnedlie of this third sort; Thou hast somtimes (saith he) both read and beléeued, that the Angels of the Creator were turned into the shape of a man, ⁶⁰ and that they carried such a truth of a bodie, as both Abraham washed their féet, and Lot by their hands was plucked from the Sodomites. An Angel also wrestled with a man, and desired to be loosed from the weight of the bodie of him, by whom he was held. That therfore, which was lawfull vnto Angels, which be inferiour vnto God (namelie, that they being turned into the corpulencie of men, and yet neuertheles remained Angels) this doost thou take awaie from God, which is more mightie: as though Christ, taking true manhood vpon him, were not able to remaine God? Thus Tertullian disputeth against the Marcionites; ⁶¹ for they affirmed, that Christ did séeme to haue, but yet indéed had not, the bodie of a man. Tertullian obiecteth against them; And if ye grant this (saith he) vnto the Angels, that they haue had bodies; why doo ye not much rather yéeld the same vnto the sonne of God? And he addeth; Or did these Angels also appéere in phantasie of flesh? but thou darest not saie so. For if thou account so of the Angels of the Creator, as thou doost of Christ, Christ shall be of the same substance that Angels be of, and the Angels shall be such as Christ is. If thou haddest not of set purpose reiected the scriptures, which are contrarie to thy opinion, and corrupted others, the Gospell of Iohn would héerein haue abashed thée, which declareth, that The spirit comming downe in the bodie of a doue, ⁶² lighted vpon the Lord, which, being the spirit, was as trulie a doue, as he was the spirit: neither did the contrarie substance taken, destroie his owne proper substance.

⁶³ 11 I knowe there haue bin some schoolemen, which thought, that it was not a verie doue, which descended vpon the head of Christ, but that it was onlie an airie and thickned bodie, appéering to be a doue. But Augustine De agone Christiano writeth otherwise; ⁶⁴ namelie, that the same was a verie doue. For a thing (saith he) is more effectuall to expresse the propertie of the holie Ghost, than is a signe. Euen as Christians also are better expressed in shéepe and lambes, than in the likenes of shéepe and lambs. Againe, if Christ had a true bodie, and deceiued not; then the holie Ghost had the verie true bodie of a doue. Tertullian addeth; Thou wilt demand where the bodie of the doue became, ⁶⁵ when the spirit was taken againe into heauen, and in like manner of the Angels bodies? It was taken awaie, euen after the selfe-same manner that it came. If thou haddest séene when it was brought foorth of nothing, thou mightest also haue knowen when it was taken awaie to nothing. If the beginning of it was not visible, no more was the end; then he remitteth the reader vnto Iohn: Was he also (saith he) a phantasie after his resurrection, when he offered his hands and féet to be séene of his disciples, saieng; Behold, it is I; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue? ⁶⁶ Therefore Christ is brought in as a iugler or coniurer. And in his third booke against Marcion; Therefore his Christ, that he should not lie nor deceiue, and by that meanes perhaps might be estéemed for the Creator, was not indéed that which he séemed to be, and that which he was, he was feigned to be: flesh, and yet no flesh; man, and yet no man, and therefore Christ; God, and not God. For why did he not also beare the shape of God? Shall I beléeue him as touching this inward substance, that is ouerthrowne about the outward substance? How may he be thought to worke soundlie in secret, that is perceiued to be false openlie? And afterward; It is inough for me to affirme that, ⁶⁷ which is agréeable vnto God, namelie, the truth of that thing which he obiecteth to thrée senses, to sight, to touching, and to hearing. Againe, in his booke De carne Christi, His vertues (saith he) prooued that he had the spirit of God; and his passions, ⁶⁸ that he had the flesh of man. If vertues be not without spirit, neither shall passions be without flesh. If flesh togither with the passions be feigned, the spirit also with his vertues is false. Why dooest thou make diuision of Christ by an vntruth? He is all wholie truth.

12 Apelles the heretike, ⁶⁹ being in a manner vanquished with these reasons, agréed indéed that Christ was indued with verie flesh, but yet denied the same to be borne, but said, that it was brought foorth from heauen. And he obiecteth, that The bodies which were taken by Angels, were true bodies, but were not borne: such a bodie (saith he) Christ had. Whervnto Tertullian answereth, They (saith he) which publish the flesh of Christ to be after the example of the Angels, saieng, that it was not borne, namelie a fleshie substance, I would haue them also to compare the causes, as well why Christ, ⁷⁰ as why the Angels did come in the flesh. For there was neuer anie Angel that came downe to be crucified, to suffer death, and to rise againe. If then there was neuer anie such cause for Angels ⟨…⟩o incorporate themselues, then hast thou a cause why they take flesh, and yet were not borne. They came not to die, therefore they came not to be borne; but Christ being sent to die, it was necessarie that he should be borne; for no man is woont to die, but he which is borne. He addeth moreouer; And euen then also the Lord himselfe, among those Angels, appéered vnto Abraham, with flesh indéed, without natiuitie, by reason of the same diuersitie of cause. After this he addeth, that Angels haue their bodies rather from the earth than from heauen. For let them prooue (saith he) that those Angels receiued of the stars substance of flesh; if they prooue it not, bicause it is not written, then was not the flesh of Christ from thence, wherevnto they applie their example. And in his third booke against Marcion; My God (saith he) which hauing taken it out of the slime of the earth, formed it a new vnto this qualitie, not as yet by the séede of matrimonie, and yet flesh notwithstanding, might as well of anie matter haue framed flesh vnto Angels, which also of nothing framed the world, and that with a word, into so manie and such bodies.

Againe, in his booke De carne Christi; it is manifest, that Angels bare not flesh proper of their owne, as in the nature of spirituall substance: and if they were of anie bodie, yet was it of their owne kind; and for a time they were changeable into humane flesh, to the intent they might be séene and conuerse with men. Further, in the third booke against Marcion; Vnderstand thou (saith he) that neither it must be granted thée, that the flesh in Angels was an imagined thing, but of a true and perfect humane substance. For if it were not hard for him to giue both true senses and acts vnto that imagined flesh, much easier was it for him, that he gaue a true substance of flesh to true senses and actions: insomuch as he is the verie proper authour and worker thereof. For it is harder for God to make a lie, than to frame a bodie. Last of all, he thus concludeth; Therefore are they verie humane bodies, bicause of the truth of God, who is far from lieng and deceit: and bicause they cannot be dealt withall by men, after the maner of men, otherwise than in the substance of men. I might alledge manie other things out of Tertullian, but these may séeme to suffice for this present purpose. ⁷¹ Bréeflie, he thinketh that Angels haue bodies for a time, but yet strange, and not their owne: for their owne bodies (as he thinketh) belongeth vnto the spirituall kind. Secondlie, he saith, that those strange bodies, which they take vnto them, are either created of nothing; or else of some such matter, as séemeth best to the wisedome of God. Thirdlie he teacheth, that those bodies were true and substantiall, and humane bodies; not vaine or feined, but of verie flesh; and not of that, which onlie appéered to be flesh: in such wise, as of men, they might both be touched and handled; to the intent that both he might remooue dissimulation from God, & also confirme the truth of humane flesh in Christ. Whereby it is prooued, that mens senses beguiled the~ not as touching these things; as the Papists confirme, that men are deceiued about the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

⁷² 13 But Origin in his booke ⟨…⟩, as Ierom citeth him against Iohn bishop of Ierusalem, was of a far other mind. For whereas we saie, that the visions of Angels may be conceiued thrée maner of waies; to wit, either in phantasie, or in bodie, but not humane: or else in the verie true bodie of a man; he taketh a certeine meane, and saith; that The bodies of Angels, wherein they present themselues to the eies of men, are neither perfect bodies, nor humane bodies, nor yet phantasticall bodies, and yet bodies neuertheles: and that he applieth to them that rise againe. For we shall (saith he) haue bodies in the resurrection, but yet onlie bodies, not bones, not sinewes, not flesh. And indéed there is some difference betwéene a bodie and flesh: ⁷³ for euerie flesh is a bodie, but euerie bodie is not flesh. Such a difference Paule toucheth in the first chapter of his epistle to the Colossians, when he said; Ye are reconciled in the bodie of his flesh. ⁷⁴ And in the second chapter; ⁷⁵ By putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh. Yea, and in the Créed also we saie; that We beleeue in the resurrection of the flesh, and saie not; Of the bodie. Origin said, that he sawe two excéeding errors; the one was, of them which said, that there was no resurrection. Such were the Valentinians and Marcionites; ⁷⁶ of which sort also were Hymenaeus and Philetus, who (as Paule witnesseth) taught that the resurrection was alreadie past; and such are the Libertines at this daie reported to be. For they babble (I cannot tell what) of the matter both vngodlie, and vnlearnedlie. Another of those which think, that perfect and true bodies shall rise againe with flesh, sinewes, and bones: which thing (he saith) is not possible; for Flesh & bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God.

But Origin should haue weighed what Paule said afterward: for he addeth; Neither shall corruption possesse incorruption. ⁷⁷ Wherefore, his meaning is, that a corruptible bodie cannot possesse the kingdome of GOD. But Origin, to kéepe himselfe within that meane, which he appointed, confessed that bodies indéed shall rise againe, yet not grosse and bonie, but spirituall: according as Paule said; ⁷⁸ It shall rise a spirituall bodie. But Origin in these words marked not, that Paule calleth it A spirituall bodie; not bicause it shall be wholie conuerted into a spirit, but bicause it shall haue spirituall qualities: namelie, incorruption, and most cléere brightnes. But bicause he perceiued, that the bodie of Christ, which he after his resurrection offered to his disciples to be handled and fealt, was against his doctrine, therefore he saith; Let not the bodie of Christ deceiue you, for it had manie singular properties, which are not granted vnto other bodies. Further, he would haue a true bodie after his resurrection, to the intent he might prooue by this dispensation, that he was trulie risen from the dead: not to signifie that other bodies should be semblable vnto it at the resurrection. But he shewed the nature of a spirituall bodie at Emaus, ⁷⁹ when he vanished from the sight of his disciples; and at another time, when he went in to his disciples, ⁸⁰ the doores being fast shut.

14 Against these things Ierom repugneth; ⁸¹ If Christ (saith he) after his resurrection, did verelie eate with his disciples, he had also a verie true bodie: if he did not eate, how did he by a false thing prooue the truth of his bodie? ⁸² In that he vanished from the sight of his disciples, this was not through the nature of his bodie, but by his owne power: ⁸³ for so in Nazareth, when the people would haue assailed him with stones, he withdrew himselfe out of their sight. And shall we not thinke, that the sonne of GOD was able to doo that, which a magician could doo? ⁸⁴ For Apollonius Tyanaeus, when he was brought into the councell before Domitian, he foorthwith vanished awaie. That this was in Christ, not in respect of the nature of his bodie, but of his diuine power, it is shewed by that which went before in the historie. For while he was in the waie with his disciples, their eies were held, ⁸⁵ so as they could not knowe him. And whereas Origin affirmeth, that the bodie of Christ was spirituall, ⁸⁶ bicause it came in where the doores were shut: Ierom answereth, that the creature gaue place to the creator, ⁸⁷ &c. Wherefore the bodie of Christ persed not through the middest of the planks and boords, so as two bodies had béene togither in one and the selfe-same place; but herein was the miracle, in that the verie timber of the doores gaue waie vnto the bodie of Christ.

⁸⁸ Further, whereas some doo obiect, that the bodie of Christ came foorth of the sepulchre being close shut; ⁸⁹ that also is not of necessitie to be beléeued: but it may be thought that the stone was rolled away before he came out. And least any should thinke that I deuise this of my self, let him read the 83. epistle of Leo vnto the bishops of Palestine; The flesh (saith he) of Christ which came out of the sepulchre, the stone being rolled awaie, &c. Now to returne to the purpose. ⁹⁰ Bicause I said that the bodies of Angels, which they take vnto them, maie be thought either to haue béene phantasticall or spirituall, or else substantiall and verie humane bodies; and that the two first opinions are reiected: it now resteth, that the bodies of Angels, wherein they shew themselues to be men, are verie true and humane bodies: and this onelie I affirme to be true, séeing Angels were in such sort séene, as they wrestled with men, and offered their féet to be washed. ⁹¹ And I iudge it not lawfull to say, that mens senses were there deceiued, séeing the things were outwardlie doone. I denie not indéed, but that somtimes there happened to the prophets visions imaginatiue, when they said that they sawe God or the cherubims, or such other like things. For in asmuch as that happened often in their mind or power imaginatiue, it might be doone by forms, images, and visions.

⁹² 15 Now remaineth two things to be examined; one whether the Angels, hauing in this wise put on humane bodies, may be called men. I thinke not: for if we vnderstand humane flesh, which is formed and borne a soule reasonable, surelie it cannot be said that Angels in this sort haue humane flesh. What then (will some saie) were the senses beguiled when men sawe them? No verelie: for the senses doo onlie iudge of outward things, and of such things as be apparant: but what dooth inwardlie force or mooue those things, which they sée, they iudge not; this is the part of reason to séeke and search out. It must also be added, that Angels did not alwaies kéepe those bodies with them; bicause they were not ioined vnto them in one and the selfe-same substance, so as the Angel and the bodie should become one person. The holie Ghost also, although it was a verie dooue wherein he descended, ⁹³ yet was not he togither of one substance with it; wherefore the dooue was not the holie Ghost, nor yet the holie Ghost the dooue: ⁹⁴ otherwise Angels, as we taught before, may enter secretlie into a bodie which was made before, and which before had his béeing: as it is read of the Angel which spake in the asse of Balaam, and of the diuell which spake vnto Eue by the serpent. But of this kind we dispute not now; but onlie saie, that Angels abiding after this maner in sensible creatures, are not ioined to them in one & the selfe-same substance. Wherefore the asse could not be called an Angel, nor the Angel, an asse: no more than the serpent was in verie déed the diuell, or the diuell a serpent. But the Sonne of God, for somuch as he tooke vpon him the nature of man, ⁹⁵ was man, and man was God, by reason of one and the selfe-same substance, wherin were two natures. Before which time, when he appeared vnto Abraham, and vnto the fathers, although he had true flesh; yet bicause the same was not ioined in one substance with him, neither might he be called flesh, neither was the flesh God. But afterward, when he tooke vpon him both flesh and soule, so as there was onlie one substance or person, then might it be trulie said that man was God, and God was man. By which meanes it came to passe, that he should verilie be borne, that he should suffer death, and redéeme mankind: ⁹⁶ wherefore he trulie called himselfe The sonne of man. And in Iohn he saith; Yee seeke to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. And in the scriptures it is said; Made of the seed of Dauid. And Peter in the Acts; Yee haue killed (saith he) a man ordeined vnto you of God. And Esaie; Behold a virgin shall conceiue, and shall bring foorth a sonne.

These words haue great force: for vnlesse Christ had béene verie man, a virgin could not haue conceiued him, neither haue brought him foorth, nor yet haue called him hir sonne. This dooth Tertullian consideratelie note; ⁹⁷ If he had béene a stranger (saith he) a virgin could not either haue conceiued him, or borne him. Also the Angel saluted Marie on this maner; Feare not (saith he) for thou shalt conceiue a sonne, ⁹⁸ &c. And Elizabeth said; How hapneth this to me, that the mother of my Lord commeth vnto me? If shée had had Christ onlie as a ghost, she might not be called his mother. ⁹⁹ Also the said woman said; Blessed be the fruit of thy wombe. But how could it haue béene called the fruit of hir wombe, if he had brought a bodie with him fro~ heauen? And in Esaie it is written; ¹⁰⁰ A rod shall come foorth of the stocke of lesse, & a blossome shal flourish out of hir roote. Iesse was the stock, Marie was the roote, and Christ was the blossome which tooke his bodie of hir. Matthew also thus beginneth his gospell; ¹⁰¹ The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ, the sonne of Dauid, the sonne of Abraham. If Christ brought a bodie from heauen, how was he the sonne of Abraham, or of Dauid? Moreouer, the promise made to Abraham concerning Christ is on this wise; ¹⁰² In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed. Paule intreating of these words in the epistle to the Galathians; He said not (saith he) in seeds, ¹⁰³ as though in manie; but in thy seed, which is Christ. And in the epistle to the Romans, ¹⁰⁴ we read; Of whom Christ came according to the flesh. All these saiengs prooue most euidentlie, that Christ was verie man; and that in him was one substance of God and man. ¹⁰⁵ These things cannot be said of the Angels, nor yet of the sonne of God, before he was borne of the virgin: although when he appéered, he had verie flesh, as we said before, but not ioined to him in one and the selfe-same substance. Neither yet could it be said of the holie Ghost, that he was a verie dooue indéed; although the same, wherein he once appéered, was a verie dooue. ¹⁰⁶ And according to this sense wrote Tertullian those things that we cited before, which being not rightlie vnderstood, might bréed either error or offense vnto those that shall read them.

¹⁰⁷ 16 Now remaineth the other question; to wit, Whether Angels clothed with bodies taken, did eate and drinke indéed? Of the Schoolmen some thinke that they did eate indéed, and some denie it. Scotus thinketh, that to eate, is nothing else but to chawe meate, ¹⁰⁸ and to conueie it downe into the bellie: but this did the Angels; wherefore he gathereth that they did verelie eate. Others thinke, that to eate, is not onelie to chawe the meate, or to conueie it downe into the bellie; but further, to conuert it into the substance of his owne bodie, by concoction, through the quickening power: which thing, séeing the Angels did not, they did not trulie eate. ¹⁰⁹ The booke of Tobias is not in the canon of the Hebrues; but yet we might applie the same to our purpose, sauing that there is a disagréement in the copies. For in that booke which Munster set foorth in Hebrue, in the twelfe chapter, the Angel Raphael said; ¹¹⁰ I seemed to you to eate and to drinke, but I did not eate, nor yet drinke. The common translation hath; I seemed to you to eate and to drinke, but I vse inuisible meate and drinke. Neither text denieth, but that the Angel did eate after some maner. But whatsoeuer may be gathered of these words, me thinketh that the interpretation of Augustine in his 13. book De trinitate, the 22. chapter is to be receiued, where he wrote on this wise; The Angels did trulie eate, yet not for néed, but to procure conuersation and familiaritie with men. Wherefore when as in another text it is said, that Raphael did not eate, it must not so be vnderstood, as though he did not eate at all, but that he did not eate after the maner of men. But this is speciallie to be noted there, ¹¹¹ that when the Angel answereth, that he dooth féed vpon inuisible meate and drinke; that spirituall food was nothing else, but a perfect and manifest knowledge of the true God, and an execution of his diuine will. As Christ also said, ¹¹² that His meate was to doo the will of his father. The verie which also is our meate, although not after the same maner: for they sée God manifestlie, but we by a glasse and in a darke spéech. ¹¹³

17 We may call Angels (both according to the Gréeke and Hebrue name) messengers or legats, ¹¹⁴ verelie not as though they should teach God as concerning the affaires of men, or any other busines: naie rather, to the intent that they themselues may be instructed, what they ought to minister, and shew tidings of. ¹¹⁵ If so be thou read in the scriptures, that they offer vp our praiers, this is not doone of them to instruct or teach God: in like maner, as wée, when we praie feruentlie, doo not therfore laie before God, our calamities, as though he were ignorant of them: séeing the Lord testifieth of that matter; ¹¹⁶ that He knoweth wherof we haue need, euen before we aske. But by discouering and laieng them open, we our selues be the more earnestlie bent to craue the helpe of God. And what discommoditie should arise, if wée affirme this selfe-same thing to come to passe in Angels? These things did Augustine write in his 15. booke De trinitate, the 13. chapter. And in Enchiridio ad Laurentium, the 58. chapter, he saith the same thing, when he intreateth of the names of Angels, which are recited in the first chapter of the epistle to the Colossians; ¹¹⁷ Let them saie what they can what be thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers; so they be able to prooue that they saie.

And against the Priscillianists, and Originists, the 11. chapter; Archangels (saith he) perhaps are powers, and we denie not, but that there is some difference betwéene these; ¹¹⁸ but to be ignorant of such a thing, will bring no great danger vnto vs. For there certeinlie are we in danger, where we despise the commandements of God, or neglect the obedience of him. But if thou wilt aske me, why the scriptures make mention of these things, if the knowing, or not knowing of them be of so smal importance? He addeth a fit answere; namelie, that If these things haue béene reuealed to some excellent men, they may then knowe that there is nothing prooued for a certeintie, which is not found written in the scriptures. To which answere, I adde also this other; Bicause we may be the more humble, and not to puffe vp our selues, as though we were able to sound vnto the deapth of all that we reade in the canonicall scriptures.

¹¹⁹ 18 The Iewes haue noted in the historie of Iacob, that the scripture saith not that he went, and met with the Angels: ¹²⁰ but contrariwise, that the Angels met with him, and that they saie was done for honor sake. And thereof they argue further, that Iacob, and euerie godlie man is more woorthie than Angels, ¹²¹ forsomuch as the person that is met, is more honorable than hée that goeth foorth to méete. Also, he is better which is borne of anie man, than he which beareth him. But the scripture saith, that the Angels doo beare [the godlie] in their hands, least they should hurt their feet against the stones. Who so euer is appointed to haue the custodie of another, séemeth to be inferiour to him which is kept. By which reasons they make Angels inferiour vnto holie men, who are called The freends of God. But all men doo easilie sée how these reasons of theirs doo prooue. For the father and the mother doo beare in their armes their yoong children, doo they therfore beare more woorthie than themselues? It is said, that Christ doth beare all things by the word of his power; ¹²² but who is so far beside himselfe, or deceiued, as to iudge that things created, be more excellent than the Sonne of God? The shepheard when he findeth his shéepe, beareth it vpon his shoulders; doth he beare a better than himselfe? A father, a maister, and a fréend, go foorth vpon the waie to méete with their sonne, scholer, or fréend, returning from perill out of a strange countrie; doo they this therefore as vnto their better? Men be euerie-where set ouer flocks of shéepe to kéepe them, yet are they much better than the shéepe. In verie déed the Angels doo all these things, not that they are bound to vs, but to the intent they may be thankefull vnto God. Wherefore the arguments of the Rabbins are vaine and friuolous.

19 But vnto this selfe-same purpose, there be reasons gathered out of the new Testament. For the Apostle saith in the first chapter to the Ephesians; Christ being raised vp by his father from death, ¹²³ is lifted vp on high, far aboue all principalitie, and power, and dominion, and aboue euerie name that is named, not onlie in this world, but also in the world to come. Further, in the second chapter he testifieth, ¹²⁴ that God hath taken vs vp togither with him, and hath alreadie made vs to sit on the right hand with him: whereby it commeth, ¹²⁵ that wée are accounted greater than the Angels. For if we sit hard by Christ, and he no doubt hath ascended aboue all creatures, the highest degrée giueth also place vnto vs. Howbeit, this is yet a blunt argument, for it may be, that we shall sit with Christ in glorie, taking the saieng generallie. It is sufficient that we be partakers of that glorie. And it followeth not necessarilie thereof, that we shall be superiours vnto the Angels; vnlesse that thou wilt vnderstand, that the state of men shall then be so absolute & perfect, as they shall haue no more néed of the helpe of Angels. When they shall haue God and Christ present, and saluation atteined, to what purpose shall there be néed of the ministerie of holie spirits? whereof vnderstand this reason; If so be that when Christ came, and powred out his spirit plentifullie among the faithfull, that same instruction of Angels was not vsed, or néedfull vnto diuine things, as commonlie it had bin in the old Testament: euen so in the euerlasting kingdome, where we shall haue Christ reuealed, and the father euidentlie knowne vnto vs, certeinlie we shall enioie the fellowship of Angels, but not vse the ministerie of them. But as touching the substance and nature of Angels, and of men, we cannot certeinelie knowe in what degrée we and they shall be placed in the heauenlie habitation: but yet, if we respect nature, we doubt not but that they are more excellent than we be. But who can boldlie either affirme or denie, whether the grace and spirit of God shall more abound in some certeine men than in them?

Neuerthelesse, as concerning the place of S. Paule in the second chapter to the Ephesians, ¹²⁶ it sufficeth, that his words be true; namelie, that we, as we be, and are conteined in our head, may be said to sit at the right hand of the father, aboue all creatures. But afterwards, if one would infer thereby [that we shall doo the same] as touching our owne proper nature or person, that cannot be prooued by anie firme argument. And Paule vseth things past for things to come, to wit, that we are alreadie taken vp, and sit in heauenlie places (and that not without reason) that he might make the same more certeine, euen as those things be which are past alreadie. Or else, if we haue respect to the will and decrée of God, these things be alreadie done. But in the epistle to Timothie, the selfe-same things are assigned vnto the time to come, when the Apostle saith; If we be dead together with Christ, ¹²⁷ we shall liue together with him: If we suffer with him, we shall also reigne with him. Yet neuerthelesse, we must not accuse him of a lie, in that he vseth those times that be past, in stead of the times to come. For whatsoeuer is come to passe in our head, we confesse it to be done in vs; in so much verelie, as we are growne vp together with him. Wherefore let none saie; If Christ be risen from death, if he be carried vp into heauen, if he sit at the right hand of God, what belongeth this vnto mée? Yes doubtles, verie much, for whatsoeuer hath hapned vnto him, thou maiest of good right estéeme that it hath happened to thy selfe. Those shall not greatlie trouble vs, which by thrones, principalities, powers and dominions, will haue to be vnderstood such princes, monarchs, & magistrates. For Paule, when he maketh mention of these, speaketh manifestlie of Angels, & of spirits that be aboue: whom in the second to the Ephesians, ¹²⁸ he calleth rulers or guiders of the world: and to the Colossians he saith; Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers, & hath led them as it were in open triumph. In which place who séeth not, that these words doo signifie vnto vs the spirits which be aduersaries vnto God?

¹²⁹ 20 But whereas it is said in the first to the Corinthians, the 15. chapter; When he hath put downe all principalitie, ¹³⁰ and rule, and power: these things, aswell Chrysostome, as diuers other interpretors, refer vnto the diuell, & other wicked spirits, being souldiers of his band; which I mislike not. Albeit, if anie will vnderstand them as concerning magistrates and principalities of this world, I will not be against it. For kings and princes haue the sword, to the intent that sinne may be kept in subiection; and that innocent subiects may be defended from violence and iniuries: which things shall take no place, when things shall be set at peace and quietnes by Christ. We might also vnder these names comprehend the good Angels, which be assigned as ministers and helpers vnto vs, while we be here in this miserable life; as we read in the epistle to the Hebrues, and as Daniel testifieth, ¹³¹ they be set ouer kingdoms, and they be the gardians of men: séeing Christ said, as touching the yoong children; Their Angels doo alwaie behold the face of the Father. But when the kingdome of Christ shall be fullie appeased, then these ministeries shall be superfluous; and therfore it is said, that they shall be taken awaie. Yea, and the labours of the sunne, moone, stars, and celestiall bodies shall not be néedfull: for therefore are they mooued, and kéepe their circuite in the world, that they may driue awaie darkenes and cold; and bicause that fruits also may be brought foorth for the defense of our infirmitie: which béeing perfectlie healed, these helps and supportations shall be at rest. Wherefore we read in the Reuelation of Iohn, that an Angel sware by him that liueth for euer, ¹³² that hereafter there should be no time anie more: which cannot be taken awaie, vnles the motions of the heauens be at rest. And therefore it is said, that all these things shall be abolished: if not as touching their substance, ¹³³ yet as touching their gifts and offices, which they exercise towards men. The same thing also may be said of ecclesiasticall dignities and functions, which now indéed further vnto edification: but when all things shall be perfect & absolute in the elect, they shall cease and haue an end.

Manie things hath Dionysius concerning the signification of the words Principalitie, power, and dominion; but yet such as are spoken onlie of him: for among the rest of the fathers, there is verie little extant as touching these things; and that for good cause: for the holie scriptures teach not these things, bicause they further not to our saluation. Wherefore they, ¹³⁴ which be of the greatest iudgment in ascribing of bookes to the true authours of them, doo not thinke that Dionysius, which wrote of these things, is that Areopagita the scholer of Paule, but some later Dionysius. Neither is it likelie to be true, that that worke was in estimation long ago, séeing that ( Gregorie except, ¹³⁵ who was a Latin man) none of the ancient fathers cited those writings. I haue heard sometimes diuers saie, that these surnames of Angels were commonlie translated by a metaphor taken of the powers of this world; and therfore they would that Paule, when he happened to make mention of Angels, remembred these names: as if he should saie; Whether they be principalities or dominions. And they alleadge the place vnto the Ephesians, where it is said; ¹³⁶ that Christ is set aboue euerie name that is named, whether it be in this life, or in the life to come. But I doo not much allow this iudgement, bicause not onlie the Rabbins, ¹³⁷ but also the holie scripture hath the name of Archangel, or Seraphim, and of Cherubim; which things declare, that among the celestiall spirits there be certeine orders and diuers offices.

21 Perhaps therefore the scripture, by the name of principalitie vnderstands the higher spirits, vnto whom is committed nothing but the charge of prouinces, empires, & kingdoms. This ment Daniel, when he wrote of the prince of the Grecians, and of the Persians, ¹³⁸ & brought in Michaël the prince of Gods people. Power, called in Gréeke ⟨…⟩, is taken of Paule for that power, which is giuen of God to worke miracles, ¹³⁹ whereby the wicked may be restrained: wherevnto answereth on the other side, ⟨…⟩, which signifieth The gift of healing. For euen as by that power wicked men were chastined, so by this the vexed were made whole. By this power Peter slew Ananias & Zaphira, Paule made blind Elimas the sorcerer, and deliuered diuers, which had sinned, into the hands of sathan. ¹⁴⁰ And those Angels in the eight chapter to the Romans, are called by this name, which be sent by God to punish the wicked. Such were they that destroied Sodom and Gomorrha; and such was that Angel, ¹⁴¹ which went betwéene the host of the Aegyptians, and the people of God, ¹⁴² and which drowned Pharao with all his in the sea; and whom Dauid sawe vpon the threshold of Areuna, destroieng the people of God; ¹⁴³ and which consumed the host of Senacherib with fire. Albeit God dooth somtime the selfe same things by euill Angels. For so Dauid writeth in the psalme; ¹⁴⁴ that God sent plages among the Aegyptians, by the hands of euill Angels. Paule [in that place to the Romans] nameth the orders of the Angels by their ministeries and offices. And it is a thing woorthie to be noted, that in the holie scriptures there be verie few things mentioned of Angels: for subtilie and earnestlie to search after them, declareth rather our curiositie, than furthereth our saluation. But those things which serue to edifieng, are most diligentlie set foorth in the scriptures: which thing I would to God that the Schoolmen had obserued, for then they had not left behind them so manie intricate and vnprofitable things, which at this daie are to no purpose, and with great offense disputed of. It is profitable for vs to vnderstand, that there be certeine Angels appointed about our affaires; for by that meanes we perceiue the goodnes of God towards vs. And on the other side also it is profitable to knowe, that there be some euill spirits, by whom we be continuallie assalted; both, that we may beware of them, and that we may implore the helpe of God against them. And these things indéed, bicause they be profitable to be knowne, the holie scripture hath not kept them in silence.

Of the estate of man; Jn Gen. 2, verse 7.

¹⁴⁵ 22 When thou hearest that God did shape man, ¹⁴⁶ thinke not onlie vpon these outward parts or lineaments, but consider the inward parts; namelie, the vppermost skin, the veines and sinewes, the powers and passages, the bones, marowe, and these instruments of our life, which lie hidden within. But I consider thrée principall things in the creation of man. First, consultation; Let vs make man. Secondlie; God formed him of the dust. Thirdlie; that He breathed in his face the breath of life. Thou shalt not read that it was so doone in other liuing creatures. And yet thou maist find the verbe of making or forming in other places attributed vnto the heauens, ¹⁴⁷ and to other things; namelie, in the 95. psalme; ¹⁴⁸ His hands haue formed the drie land. In the 45. of Esaie; It is I that formed the light. ¹⁴⁹ In the seuenth of Amos; He formed grashoppers. But it is not the last or least dignitie of mans bodie, that the same is of an vpright stature. Whereof Ouid; VVhere stooping vnto earth, each beast doth downeward bend: A face vpright to man he gaue, to heauen for to tend. And he formed him out of the earth. Wherefore the name of Adam, was of earth; as if thou shouldest saie, sproong of the earth. Albeit some saie, that it was of Adom, that is Red; bicause that earth was red. First therefore is formed the instrument, that is to wit, the bodie: next was added the moouer, that is the soule, which should vse the same. He breathed in his face or nostrils. For Appaijm first signifieth the nostrils; then, by the figure Synecdoche, by a part, the whole is taken for the countenance and face. Here it may signifie both: first, the nostrils; bicause those, by drawing of breath, doo chéeflie shew life: secondlie, if thou vnderstand it for the face, therin appéere excellent tokens of the soule and of the life. Some would the metaphor to be taken from the forming of glasses. ¹⁵⁰ For by blowing thorough certeine instruments they shape cups, boules, and diuers sorts of vessels. Howbeit, consider thou that here there is a metaphor, séeing God neither hath mouth, nor yet dooth breath: euen as he also hath no hands, by which he might frame mens bodies. But in these things it behooueth that thou vnderstand the mightie power of God, his commandement, and most present strength. As touching the words Neschama, and Nephesch, they both of them somtime signifie a blast of wind, or a breath: and otherwhile they be taken for substance, and for the soule, bicause the life is chéeflie reteined and shewed by drawing of breath. Yea, & the Latine word Anima, that is the soule, ¹⁵¹ is so called of wind and blast. In Gréek it is ⟨…⟩. It is also called of the Grecians ⟨…⟩, of refrigeration or cooling. So as all these proper spéeches may séeme to haue conspired togither about the naming of the soule; that it should be so called of breathing out.

Héerevpon, by reason of a double signification of the foresaid word, bicause it signifieth both the soule and a blast, there ariseth a double exposition. The first saith; ¹⁵² By the commandement of God was the nostrils or face of mans bodie breathed into, and so he receiued life and soule: not that that blast was the soule, but a certeine signe that the same should be planted in man by an outward beginning, and that the works of nature should not be expected, as the rest of the liues are had of other liuing creatures. And so we reade in the Gospell, that Christ breathed vpon the Apostles, and said; ¹⁵³ Receiue yee the holie Ghost. And yet was not that blast the nature of the holie Ghost, but a signe thereof, that he would from without come into their soules, and that by the worke of Christ. Againe, in taking of that word for a blast, we might saie, that God breathed; that is, he made man himselfe to breath; that is, after the bodie was made, he gaue him the power of breathing: so as he being aliue, and indued with a soule, might be séene and beheld. The second interpretation is, that that blast is taken for the soule, which is giuen vnto vs by God. And they saie, that Nischmath. doth chéefelie signifie that which is diuine and reasonable; that doth God giue vnto vs. And where it is added; Man was made a liuing soule: Nephesch signifieth a sensible life, whereof other liuing creatures be partakers. Which thing plainelie declareth vnto vs, that a soule reasonable is giuen vnto vs from aboue by God, ¹⁵⁴ and hath with it all power that other inferiour creatures haue.

Hence is excluded a double error. For we must not thinke, that the soule is of the substance of God, ¹⁵⁵ for that is vnuariable, and immutable: but the soule may become miserable, and it appeareth to be most inconstant. Furthermore, it is no blast of the nature and substance of the dieng man: neither must it on the other side be accounted of the same qualitie and nature, that the liues be of other liuing creatures, bicause it is most certeine, that in them is no vnderstanding, séeing in the 32. psalme, it is said of the horsse and of the mule, that in them there is no vnderstanding. And other beasts might thinke themselues wrongfullie subdued vnto men, if they had bin indued with the same kind of soule. But this opinion néedeth not to be confuted by manie reasons, séeing the best philosophers were displeased therewith:

¶ Looke the propositions out of the second chapter of Genesis, in the end of this booke.

¹⁵⁶ 23 But héere they doubt, whether all the soules of men were created by God at the beginning, or else be made by him, and planted in bodies, according as the course of nature séemeth to require. There be some haue thought, that they were all created at the beginning; among whome also there were manie of the Iewes. And among vs Origin hath bin reckoned of that opinion. And it séemes that they were vpon this cause mooued héerevnto; for that a reasonable soule being incorruptible, is not procreated of anie matter. And therefore they saie, that the same being by God made of nothing, it might not be trulie said of him, that he rested the seauenth daie from all his worke as touching creation. But this opinion hath no likelihood of truth. For séeing the soule is the liuelie part and fourme of the bodie, it séemeth that the bringing foorth of them should be both ioined togither. Moreouer, I would demand whether they be idle, or doo something, all the while that they haue their being before the bodie? If thou saie that they be idle, it séemeth absurd, that things should be so long time destitute of their working. But if so be they doo something, that must of necessitie be either good or euill. But the scripture in the ninth to the Romanes, ¹⁵⁷ pronounceth plainelie of Iacob and Esau, that before they had done either good or euill.

But that which mooueth more, is the historie of the creation, which sheweth vnto vs, that the soule was made euen when the bodie was wrought out of the earth. For séeing there is no mention made thereof before, and that the production of so notable a thing should not haue bin kept in silence, it remaineth to be vnderstood, that it was made by God euen then, when we reade, that it was inspired or blowne in by him. But that reason, which concerneth the ceasing from all his labour, we may easilie answere, if we saie, that now also God doth worke, either through the continuall gouernement of things; or else bicause, whatsoeuer things he maketh, are referred to the former, and be of the same kind that those be which were made in the first sixe daies. But why the bodie was first made before the soule, this reason is shewed by the fathers: bicause, if the soule should haue bin brought in before the bodie, it might haue bin idle, being without the organe and instrument of his actions. But this order hath God obserued, ¹⁵⁸ that alwaies should be first prepared those things, wherein the more excellent things should abide; and then to bring in the things themselues, that they might worke so soone as euer they be made. First the earth was discouered from the waters, then the Sun and the Moone were made, which should exercise their power and strength vpon the earth and plants thereof. All beasts were first made, and all the springs and plants of the earth; and last of all, man, which should be set ouer all these things, that immediatelie after he was created, he might haue somewhat to doo. In like manner now, the bodie is first, and then followeth the soule, least it should be idle. By which purpose of God we are taught, that amo~g vs this also may be done, that the more anie men doo excell, the more readie matter of working is ministred vnto them, least they should liue idlie.

24 Moreouer, man (saith Aben-ezra ) being made a liuing soule, he straitwaie mooued himselfe: the first man was not created to be weake as yoong children be, which cannot guide themselues and walke; but after the manner of other liuing creatures, which walke immediatelie after they be brought foorth:) or else he shewed the tokens of the presence of the soule; moouing (I meane) and sense. ¹⁵⁹ For these two (as Aristotle affirmeth) séemed to all the ancient philosophers to be the chéefe effects of the soule. Of this blast of God vpon the dust or claie, whereof the bodie of man was compact (we perceiuing the same to be so mightie, as it quickned forthwith, & gaue strength to all members) there is gathered a good argument for the easines of our resurrection. ¹⁶⁰ For if his spirit shall blowe againe vpon the ashes of the dead, they shall most easilie put on againe their soules, as it is described in the 37. chapter of Ezechiel, where he sheweth, that by the breath of the spirit of God those bones were quickened; which last renewing of bodies, shall so far excell this, as Paule calleth this first man Of the earth, earthie; and the latter he calleth both spirituall and heauenlie.

¹⁶¹ 25 But let vs sée how it is true that is auouched [in the ninth of Genesis] that the bloud is the soule. This the Manicheis cannot abide in the old testament, and reprooue it as a lie: for they vtterlie renounce the old bookes. And that which is written in Genesis, ¹⁶² Leuiticus, and Deuteron. they taunt with these arguments. In the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter it is said; Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the kingdome of God, therefore bloud is not the soule: otherwise Paule had excluded soules out of the kingdome of heauen. Further, Christ in the gospell saith; ¹⁶³ Feare not those which kill the bodie, and haue not to doo with the soule: if so be that the bloud be the soule, then without controuersie, the tyrants haue to doo with it, they shed it, they destroie it, &c: while they kill the holie martyrs of God. These arguments are two maner of waies dissolued by Augustine against Adimantus. ¹⁶⁴ In the old testament the speaking is of the liues of brute beasts, but the arguments, which these men bring out of the new testament, conclude as touching a reasonable and humane soule: wherefore their owne argument hath reprooued them vnwares. But the more throughly to confute their first argument, note, that when Paule in that place speaketh of the resurrection to come, he by flesh and bloud meaneth, that the conditions of a mortall bodie shall be taken awaie from the saints at the resurrection. Which thing, the words alleadged there by him doo declare; It is sowne in corruption and mortalitie, but it shall rise againe in contrarie conditions.

But thou imaginest, that aswell the life of brute beasts, as the soules of men are called bloud. That must be a figuratiue spéech, to be interpreted by the figure Metonymia, as it were the signe put for the thing signified. In like maner as Augustine testifieth against Adimantus; the Lord doubted not to saie, ¹⁶⁵ This is my bodie, when he gaue the signe of his bodie. Seing therefore the bloud is a signe of the presence of the soule, therefore it may be called the soule it selfe. Againe, as by the same figure, the thing conteining is taken for the thing conteined. For who is ignorant, that the soule of man is after a sort conteined in the bloud, which being spilt and consumed, it cannot abide any longer in the bodie: yea, and it is so ioined to the same, as it followeth in a maner the affections, and perturbations thereof so long as we liue in this life. Yea, & some haue thought that it was therfore decréed, that men should refraine from eating of bloud, least they should become of beastlie maners; which they saie are easilie carried into our mind, if we should eate the bloud of wild beasts: which thing I haue alleadged, not as though I allow this to be the cause why God gaue that commandement, but to declare the coniunction euen of mans soule with the bodie.

26 But how man is the image of God, it is declared at the beginning of Genesis, ¹⁶⁶ where it is written, that God said; Let vs make man after our image and likenes, that hee may haue dominion ouer the foules of the aire, ¹⁶⁷ the fishes of the sea, and the beasts of the earth. Where it appeareth, that herein standeth the image of God, that he should be ruler ouer all creatures, euen as God is the ruler ouer all things. ¹⁶⁸ Augustine dooth oftentimes refer this to the memorie, mind and will, which being faculties of one and the selfe-same soule, doo represent (as he saith) the thrée persons in one substance. Howbeit this doctrine of Augustine, dooth rather shew the cause of the image. For man is not set aboue other creatures, to haue dominion ouer them, for anie other cause, but in respect that he is indued with reason, which plainelie sheweth it selfe by these thrée faculties. But yet this is not all that the image of God is bound vnto. For it is not inough to gouerne and rule well the creatures of God, with memorie, mind, and will; except we both vnderstand, remember, and will those things, which be pleasing vnto God. For if our mind remaine infected, as it is, with sinne; it will not lawfullie haue dominion of things, but will rather exercise tyrannie against them. ¹⁶⁹ Wherefore the image of God is the new man, which vnderstandeth the truth of God, and is desirous of the righteousnes thereof; as Paule hath taught vs, when he writeth to the Colossians; ¹⁷⁰ Put vpon you the new man, which is shaped againe in the knowledge of God, according to the image of him which created him. Where we sée, that the knowledge of God is true & effectuall, to lead vnto the image of perfection. And this is more expreslie set foorth in the epistle to the Ephesians; ¹⁷¹ Put you on the new man, which is created according to God, in righteousnes and true holines. When our mind is both indued with the knowledge of God, and adorned with righteousnes, then dooth it trulie expresse God. For righteousnes, and the knowledge of diuine things are nothing else, but a certeine flowing in of the diuine nature into our minds.

But perhaps thou wilt vrge, that after this maner a woman also is the image of God. We saie, that if thou compare hir with the rest of the creatures, she is the image of God; for she hath dominion ouer them, and hath the vse of them. But in this place thou must compare hir vnto man, and then is she not said to be the image of God, bicause she dooth not beare rule ouer the man, but rather obeieth him. Wherefore Augustine in the 13. chapter of his booke De trinitate said; If it be vnderstood of man and woman, in respect that they be indued with mind and reason, it is méet that they should be according vnto the image of God: but the woman being compared vnto man, as touching the actions and affaires of this life, she is not the image of God, bicause she was created to be a helper of man. And in the same place he hath another exposition, ¹⁷² but the same allegoricall. He saith, that we be called men, séeing we contemplate God; and that we are of good right bare headed, bicause we must there repose our selues with incessant indeuour: for vnsearchable is the end of diuine things. But we are called women (saith he) when we descend with our cogitations vnto the care of earthlie things. There it is méet to haue the head couered, bicause a measure must be vsed, and we must take héed, that we be not too much plunged in worldlie things. Howbeit we must not leane vnto allegoricall interpretations. The exposition which we alledged before is plaine.

¶ Of the image of God, looke more in the propositions out of the first & second chapters of Gen. in the end of this booke.

¹⁷³ 27 The image of anie man is the forme, wherby it representeth him. A similitude of anie man is a qualitie, wherein it resembleth him. What this image then is, let vs most absolutelie declare. ¹⁷⁴ A man not onlie hath the power & strength of vnderstanding, whereby he is not far from God; but he is also created with most excellent and heauenlie qualities. He is indued with iustice, wisdome, mercie, temperance, and charitie. But the verie full image of God, is Christ, as touching his diuine nature; ¹⁷⁵ and further, as concerning his humane nature, so much as there can be of the similitude of God in it: as appéereth in the first to the Hebrues, the first to the Colossians, ¹⁷⁶ and in the eight chapter to the Romans. Againe; This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased. We were made, to the end we should be such: for we haue vnderstanding, and are capable of diuine perfections. In them we were made, but we cannot be restored vnto them, ¹⁷⁷ vnlesse it be by the helpe and example of Christ, who is the principall and true image. How much we be the image of God, it appéereth by our felicitie, which we haue one and the same with our God; I meane, in louing and knowing. But if thou demand, by what power men rule ouer things? Doubtlesse not by bodilie strength: for as touching that, the most part of liuing creatures excéed vs. ¹⁷⁸ Wherefore this is doone by reason, counsell, and art: by which man not onelie mastereth and taketh these liuing creatures, but he also mooueth and changeth excéeding great & weightie things. This power is chéeflie restored by faith; ¹⁷⁹ Thou shalt walke vpon the adder and dragon: ¹⁸⁰ Psal. 91. Daniel was cast vnto the lions; Christ liued among wild beasts in the wildernes; Paule tooke no harme by the viper; Samson and Dauid ouercame the lions.

As touching this dominion ouer beasts, there ariseth a difficultie; ¹⁸¹ wherefore were these wild beasts made, that they should be a trouble vnto men? I answer, to the intent that wicked children might be chastened. After sinne, a scourge was méete for him; sinne armed our owne seruants against vs: for which cause the irruption and inuasion of beasts was sent, as testifieth the scripture in the fift of Ezechiel; ¹⁸² I will send hunger and wicked beasts among you. Vnto the righteous man all appéered to be méeke and quiet. And now, albeit that they haue rebelled, yet it happeneth that verie few perish thereby. And if anie man be destroied by them, there commeth profit vnto vs two maner of waies by it. First, it is an example of the seueritie of God, as in the Samaritans, which were slaine by the lions; the second booke of Kings, the 17. chapter: ¹⁸³ in the children which were killed by the beares, ¹⁸⁴ bicause they mocked Elizeus; the second booke of Kings, the second chapter: in the disobedient prophet, which the lion killed: the first of Kings, ¹⁸⁵ the 13. chapter. Furthermore, it is shewed how great the maiestie of God is, that euen the wild beasts doo reuenge the iniurie doone vnto him. Lastlie, behold here with me the goodnes of God towards vs, which hath bounded this hurtfull cattle within the precincts of the desert and solitarie places, and in a maner permitted them to wander but onelie in the night. Here also may man sée his calamitie after sinne, that he being such and so notable a creature, should perish with the sting of one little sillie scorpion, or by the biting of a mad dog. But yet neuertheles, the wild beasts haue not béene able, in respect of sinne, vtterlie to shake off the yoke of men; they feare and tremble at the sight of him, yea, and thou maist sée a child to rule, beate, and threaten the greatest beasts. In him they doo reuerence the image of God. ¹⁸⁶

28 This image is not properlie ment as touching the bodie, séeing God is not of bodilie substance; yet is it not far from the similitude of God, séeing as an instrument it expresseth manie similitudes of God, which lie hidden in the soule. But there were some among the Hebrues, which affirmed that this was also spoken as concerning the bodie, if thou shalt respect those images and similitudes, wherein God shewed himselfe to be séene vnto the Patriarks and Prophets. For he appéered as the sonne of man, ¹⁸⁷ the first chapter of Ezechiel, the seauenth chapter of Daniel, & the sixt of Esaie. Which reason of theirs, ¹⁸⁸ if it were to be allowed, we saie that this was the rather true, by reason of the incarnation of Christ; to wit, that such a bodie was giuen vnto man, as God did before hand determine, that his word should take vpon him. But (as I haue said) this is vnderstood of the inward man; namelie, of the soule, whereof the bodie is the instrument, and therefore not altogither strange from that similitude. Wherefore thou hast héere the true knowledge of man. Man is a creature of God, ¹⁸⁹ formed according to the image of his maker. By which declaration, not onelie his nature indued with reason is knowne, but also his properties, and his end; namelie felicitie, that according to this his constitution, he should liue in such actions, as may expresse the image of God.

Héerevpon depend the lawes, both of nature and of man, euen that this image may be restored and preserued, that man may kéepe frée dominion. Héereof it commeth, that of this excellent state, and condition of mans nature, procéedeth all vertues; as to be iust, valiant, and indued with charitie. From this condition of mans nature we may gather, that vertues are ingraffed in man by nature: and that the arguments, wherby Aristotle in his second book of Ethicks prooueth the contrarie, taketh place in this our corrupted nature. Thou maist also consider the goodnes of God, for that the felicitie of man (ouer and besides the excellent actions of vertue) requireth abundance of outward things, séeing those be instruments; for by riches, as by instruments, we doo manie things: and therefore God would at the beginning adorne the first man, with such great riches and empire. Also man by this place is admonished of his dutie, maner and fourme of all his actions. ¹⁹⁰ How often soeuer he is about to doo anie thing, let him saie with himself: Is this to shew my father? Is this to liue according to the image? By this also we learne, how conuenient is our deliuerance by Christ. For séeing our perfection consisteth in this, that we should reteine the image of God, which was obscured by the fault of our first parents, it was verie méet, that the same should be againe imprinted in men by Christ, that is, by his spirit, which is the verie liuelie image of God. And héereby we may learne, what dignitie the Church of God is of; what maner of citizens it hath, and requireth; namelie, such as be like vnto God: finallie, when thou hearest that God created man, thou must call to mind as touching the bodie, the whole workemanship of all the instrumentall parts, and the commodities and ornaments of the seuerall members: and as touching the soule, all the powers, qualities, and actions which are found therein.

Of Paradise.

29 It is said, ¹⁹¹ that God planted Paradise in Heden. But this word Paradise, although it bée common as well to the Gréekes as to the Hebrues, yet in verie déed it is an Hebrue word, since Salomon vsed the same in Ecclesiastes the second chapter: and it signifieth a garden. ¹⁹² So great a care had God of man, whom he had created, as he would haue him set in a place of the greatest pleasure & delight. ¹⁹³ Heden in the second chapter of Genesis signifieth a region, so called by reason of the pleasant and delectable soile. And that the same was a region, we gather by diuers places. ¹⁹⁴ In the fourth chapter of Genesis it is said of Caine, that he liued like a runnagate in the land of Nod eastward from Heden. And in the 27. chapter of Ezechiel there is mention made of the children of Heden, ¹⁹⁵ which are ioined with Chamne & Charam. And we knowe that Charam is a region of Mesopotamia, vnto which Abraham went, when he came foorth of his countrie. So likewise we reade of the children of Heden, in the 37. chapter of Esaie: wherefore it is not onlie knowne to be a region; but by the reading of these prophets, we coniecture the coast & site wherein it is. Further, of the garden of Heden, there is oftentimes mention made in the holie scriptures; but that is by a maner of comparison, when the pleasantnes of anie place is to be expressed, as in the second of Ioel, ¹⁹⁶ in the 51. of Esaie, and in the 28. of Ezechiel. Wherefore (in mine opinion) they are verie much deceiued, which will vnderstand all things héere by allegorie: for it was a garden indéed, planted by the commandement of God.

Neither are they to be heard, which séeke for such a paradise vpon the highest mountaines, so as they would haue the same to be néere the moone, or vnder the equinoctiall line, by reason of the temperature of the aire. Which opinion is disprooued by these things, which we haue said. It was planted by God in a certeine region, which is not far from Mesopotamia. ¹⁹⁷ The historie also is declared by Moses; wherefore we must not make a méere allegorie thereof. It is said, that it was planted in the orientall part: which neuerthelesse some vnderstand; From the beginning: séeing vnder that word, both may well be signified. The Hebrue interpretours (for the most part) vnderstand it of the east situation, whom the seuentie interpretours by their exposition doo allow. Albeit they thinke (and it séemeth not absurd) that this garden was planted by the power of God the third daie, when the rest of the gréene trées, ¹⁹⁸ plants, and herbs were brought foorth; but yet placed in the second chapter, when the historie of mans creation is set foorth. Indéed that garden was appointed for the habitation of man. Howbeit this is but a small controuersie; whether the same were planted the third daie, or on the sixt, it maketh no great matter.

¶ Looke the propositions out of the fourth chapter of Gen. at the end of this booke.

¹⁹⁹ 30 Out of the region, wherein paradise was set, there issued foorth a riuer or fountaine, which went into the garden, ²⁰⁰ and watered the same: and from thence it was diuided into foure branches. Whereabout this diuision is made, whether at the departing out of paradise, or at the verie breaking foorth from Heden, it dooth but little appéere by the words: but the greater part doo iudge, that it is to be thought, that it issueth foorth from the entrance of paradise. Twoo of the names of the riuers be certeine, and twoo be doubtfull. As touching Euphrates and Tygris, which compasse about Mesopotamia, there is no doubt. As concerning Physon and Ghihon what they are, the interpretours doo varie. But by our writers Physon is taken for Ganges; but it is Nilus, whose originall is so vncerteine, as thereof hath risen a prouerbe (touching them which inquire after things that be verie doubtfull) that They seeke the head of Nilus. If there be anie things reported of the beginning thereof, they are verie vncerteine; and (as manie doo affirme) it may arise in some other place, than it séemeth to doo, and afterward breake out through holowe places and parts vnder the earth, vnto that place which séemeth now to be the fountaine and head thereof: that no doubt is Nilus. The fourth riuer Ghihon is thought of manie to be Nilus; which thing I thinke not to be true. For in the first of Kings, ²⁰¹ the first chapter, Dauid commandeth that his sonne Salomon should be conueied to Ghihon, which riuer the Chaldaean interpretour translateth Syloa, ²⁰² whereof there is mention in the Gospell, and in Esaie. And it is said, that it watereth the whole land of Aethiopia; not that Aethiopia which is in Aegypt, but perhaps the Madianites and Aethiopians, which were neighbours to the Israelites; from whence was Ziphora an Aethiop woman, the wife of Moses, who neuertheles is said to be a Madianite. Wherfore by these knowne names of the riuers it is manifest, that paradise was in a certeine region of the east part.

²⁰³ And we must not forget, that the word paradise is translated, to signifie the state of eternall felicitie: as when Christ said to the théefe; This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise. And Paule in the first to the Corinthians, the 12. chapter saith, that he was rapted vp into paradise. The metaphor is plaine, and verie comfortable; as who would saie, that is a pleasant and delectable garden, where it shall be lawfull for vs to enioie God. Whervpon the Gentiles account their féelds Elysij as gardens, [where they imagined the soules of good men to dwell.] But let vs returne to our terrestriall Heden. ²⁰⁴ What is become thereof at this daie? There be some which thinke, that it is yet extant, and that the place cannot be come vnto. Others thinke, that it is no more to be found; vnto which opinion I might easilie subscribe. For séeing that place was assigned vnto man, when he was innocent; he ceasing to be such a one, vnto what vse should the garden serue? Wherefore this place either was taken awaie, when the floud drowned the world; or else immediatelie after the curse giuen to the man, the woman, and the serpent, when as the earth also was cursed, and then all those pleasures and delights perished. Against which opinion that neuertheles may séeme to be, which is spoken of the Cherubim, that was set with a two edged sword for kéeping of the same. But it may be answered, that this was then doone for the terrifieng of Adam; or else that kind of custodie remained vntill Noahs floud. These things may we declare vnto you, out of the saieng of diuerse interpretours; when as yet there is no certeine determination made of this thing out of the holie scriptures.

²⁰⁵ ¶ That Adam vsed the Hebrue spech it is noted vpon Gen. the first, verse the eight. And of the confusion of toongs, looke the eleuenth chapter of Genesis. Also if anie be desirous to knowe the originall of diuerse nations and countries, let him read in Genesis, the tenth chapter, and Iudg. 12, verse 6.

Of the long life of the Fathers.

31 But some men might muse in their mind, ²⁰⁶ how it happened that the old Fathers before the floud, and a while after liued so long; and that this age afterward was shortened by little and little, vntill it was brought by a common course vnto fourescore yéeres? Manie were the causes of that long life in the old time. ²⁰⁷ [And it hath beene the generall opinion, as well among the philosophers as Diuines, ²⁰⁸ that those ancients liued al that while by nature, and not miraculouslie. And the first reason that mooued them thervnto, was; that our first parents Adam and Eue were created immediatelie by the hand of God, without anie meanes of man, or of anie other corruptible thing: wherefore it is presupposed, that he made them of an excellent complexion, of a perfect agreement, and proportion of humors: by which meanes the children proceeding from them, resembled their parents in sound and good complexion, vntill the third generation. Secondlie, in those daies they had no such cause to breed diseases and infirmities, as did afterward followe to their succession. Thirdlie, their temperance in eating and drinking, as well in quantitie as in qualitie, did much further them; bicause they were not acquainted with the eating of flesh, nor yet with the confection of so manie deintie dishes, as we are in these daies. Furthermore, in those daies, fruits, plants and hearbs were of more vertue than now they be, bicause they sprang from a new made ground, & as yet became not barren with the inundation of waters. Also Adam out of all doubt knew the propertie of all hearbs and plants, for the preseruation of health, more than we at this daie doo, and brought the same knowledge to his succession after him. Moreouer, the course of the heauens, and the influence of the stars & planets were then more fauourable vnto them, than they be now vnto vs, when as they haue passed so manie eclipses, aspects and coniunctions; whereof proceedeth so great alterations and changes vpon the earth.] Besides this, many children were then to be procreated, and the world to be replenished, which was doone by the meanes of long life. Arts were to be found out, wherefore long life was requisite; for they are learned by experience. And (that which was the chéefest cause) it behooued that the worshipping of the onlie true God should be reteined among men; which thing in so great a varietie of people might hardlie haue béene doone. Afterward, when so great a procreation was not néedfull, when artes were found out, and the holie scriptures (vnto which the seruice of God was fastened) were giuen vnto vs, long life would haue béene tedious. ²⁰⁹ The patriarch Iacob said; Few and euill are the daies of thy seruant, if they should be compared vnto the age of our forefathers, not to our age. So this shortening of mans age, was doone of a certeine mercie of God towards vs.

But whie did those first men absteine so long from procreation of children? For it is written, ²¹⁰ that they begat children at the age of fiue hundred yéeres, at a hundred and thirtie, and not before. Augustine in the 15. booke De ciuitate Del, the 15. chapter saith, that It may be answered two maner of waies; the first is, that in these men it was long before they came to the age of procreation, & that they inioied not the power of séed so soone as we doo. Which answer may thus be confirmed; our age is diuided into infancie, childhood, youth, and mans state. Wherein if so be the number of yéeres be proportioned to the rate of our whole age, so was it then. And therefore, if their life did so greatlie excéed ours, it behooued also that the time of their infancie & childhood should be more at length extended and inlarged. The second answer is, that in that genealogie, the descent is not reckoned from one first begotten to another. For it may be, that there were others begotten euen before them; which thing is after this maner declared. The purpose of the scripture is to conueigh the course of the narration vnto Abraham, from whom the people of Israel had their beginning: wherefore in the genealogie those children are chosen to be described, by whom they descend vnto him. But it is of no necessitie, that those had béene of the first begotten. ²¹¹ Euen as in the gospell of Matthew, where the meaning of the Euangelist, in describing of the stocke of Christ, is to descend by Dauid vnto Christ himselfe, therefore he dooth not alwaies take the first begotten; for Ismael was borne before Isaac, Esau went before Iacob: and in the order of the procreation, Iuda among the children of Iacob was not the first begotten. And by Iuda himselfe other children were begotten, before Phares & Zeram of Thamar. Neither was Dauid the eldest son of his father, but the yoongest among the rest of his brethren. But by others, the stocke would not haue descended vnto Christ. But whie speciallie it was so long before that Noah begat children, was (as saith Rabbi Selomoh ) bicause that the children, which should haue béene begotten before of him, might easilie haue béene infected with the vices of other men. And God would that they, at the time of the floud, should be yoonger, wherby they might not be infected with such horrible vices as others were.

Finallie, it is thus argued; These, if they had béene borne long before the floud, would either haue béene iust or wicked; if they had béene wicked, they must therefore haue perished with others, and by that meanes sorrowe had béene added vnto a righteous father, which thing God would not; if they had béene good, and they also had begotten others, and perhaps Noah himselfe others also: all which, if God would haue saued for Noahs sake, the arke should haue béen made much bigger. Whereby Noah had béene more wearied, in the building of it, than reason would. This séemeth to be a pleasant deuise. But (as I haue said before) it shall appeare sufficientlie to a christian man, that either these were not the first among his children, or else that children were denied him, so long as it pleased the Lord. Neither is it méet to cleaue vnto fables, so curiouslie inuented. But what shall we saie as concerning the great number of yéeres, wherein they are said to haue liued? Shall we be so hardie to affirme, that those were not so long as these yéeres of ours, but that they were of two or thrée moneths long? And Plinie séemeth to report in the 7. booke of his naturall historie, that diuers countries made their computation of yéeres otherwise than we doo; and that thereby it came to passe, that some may séeme to haue liued longer than the common course. This cannot possiblie be prooued by this argument; bicause in the description of the arke, and of the floud, ²¹² there is mention made of the second and tenth moneth: wherefore the same maner of yéeres was then that are now. ²¹³ [Yea and by the whole course of the historie ye may plainelie perceiue, that the full number of daies and moneths, which we vse in our age (or at the least wise within verie few more or lesse) were compleated at that time. For in the 17. daie of the second moneth, at what time as the fountaines of the great deepe did breake vp, Noah entered into the arke. The 17. daie of the second moneth, the arke rested vpon the tops of Armenia. In the first daie of the tenth moneth, the tops of the mountaines were seene; then followed fortie daies before Noah opened the windowe of the arke; wherevnto adde 14. daies more, which were spent in sending foorth of the dooue. Which being in all 54. daies, or two moneths, make vp the ful number of twelue moneths; the very same reckoning which we at this daie obserue. So we haue it sufficientlie prooued, that seeing as well the yeres as moneths of old time were the verie same that ours be, or little differing, the time of their life in those daies was no les, than the scriptures declare.]

¶ Looke the propositions out of the fourth chapter of Gen. at the end of this booke.

Of Giants.

²¹⁴ 32 Now, séeing that in the holie scriptures, there is mention made oftentimes of giants, ²¹⁵ it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat of them. First we must vnderstand, ²¹⁶ that they be called by diuers names in the scriptures, as Rephaim, Nephilim, Emim, and Hanakim. The Hebrue verbe Hanak, is to inuiron or compasse about, and from thence is deriued the nowne Hanak: and in the plurall number it is both the masculine and feminine gender, and signifieth a chaine; and it is transferred vnto notable & famous men: as if thou shouldest saie Knight and chainemen. But they were called Emim, by reason of a terror which they brought vpon others with their looke. They were called Zamzumim, of wickednes; for they hauing confidence in their owne power and strength, contemned both lawes, iustice, and honestie; and they alwaies wrought wickednesse. For doubtles the hebrue word Zimma, signifieth wickednes, or mischéefe. Also they were named Rephaim, bicause men méeting with them, became in a maner astonished: for that word otherwhile signifieth dead men. Finallie they be called Nephilim, as one may say oppressors, of the verbe Naphal, which is To fall or to rush vpon; bicause they did violentlie run vpon all men. Som thought that they were sometime called Gibborim; but bicause we vse to refer that word vnto power, and Gibborim are properlie called strong men; therfore I would not put it among these. Further, ²¹⁷ if thou wilt demand when giants began to be (to follow the opinion of Augustine in the 16. booke De ciuitate Dei, the 23. chapter) we may saie that they were before the floud. Wherein we beléeue him, bicause he prooueth it by the testimonie of the holie scriptures: for we haue it in the sixt of Genesis, ²¹⁸ that in those daies there were giants vpon the earth, whose stocke although it were preserued after the floud, yet he thinketh that it was not in anie great number.

33 Besides this, ²¹⁹ there is a doubt as touching procreation and parents. For some thinke that they were not begotten of men, but that angels or spirits were their parents: and this they saie, is speciallie confirmed by that which is written in the booke of Genesis; ²²⁰ The sonnes of God seeing the daughters of men, that they were faire, tooke them to wiues, and of them were borne most mightie men or giants. Of this fall of angels, bicause they were conuersant with women, manie of the ancient fathers are of one mind: and among the rest Lactantius in the second booke the 15. chapter. ²²¹ For (as we read there) he thought, that God feared least that sathan, to whom he had granted dominion of the world, would vtterlie haue destroied mankind: and therefore he gaue vnto mankind angels for tutors, by whose industrie and care they might be defended. But they being as well prouoked by the craft of sathan, as allured by the beautie of faire women, co~mitted vncleannes with them; wherefore he saith, that both they were cast from their dignitie, and were made souldiers of the diuell. This indéed did Lactantius thinke; yet he said not, that through those méetings of the angels with women, were borne giants; but earthlie Daemons or spirits, which walke about the earth to our great harme. ²²² Eusebius Caesariensis, in his fift booke De praeparatione euangelica, is in a maner of the same opinion. For he saith also, that the angels which fell, begat of women (whom they lewdlie loued) those Daemons or spirits, which afterward in sundrie wise brought great troubles to the world. And to the verie same sort he referreth all those, which the poets and historiographers taught to be gods: & whose battels, contentions, lusts, sundrie and great tumults, they haue mentioned either in verse or in prose.

²²³ But Augustine De ciuitate Dei, the 15. booke, and 23. chapter, thinketh not that the opinion of these ancient fathers can be gathered out of that place of Genesis. For he saith, that such as be there called The sonnes of God, were verie men, ²²⁴ and came of the generation of Seth, the third sonne of Adam. For séeing they reteined the true and sincere religion of God, and the pure inuocation of his name, and were adorned with the fauour and grace of God; they are called by the scriptures The children of God. ²²⁵ Neuertheles, when they afterward burned in the lusting after those women, which descended of the stocke of Cain, and therefore belonged to the societie of the wicked, and had taken to themselues wiues of them, they themselues also inclined to superstitions and vngodlie worshippings; and they of the sonnes of God not onlie became men, but also flesh. And (to shew this by the waie) Aquila translating those words out of the Hebrue; ²²⁶ Not (saith he) the sonnes of God, but the sonnes of gods, in this respect (as I thinke) bicause they had godlie progenitours, which so miserablie fell from God, through the mad loue of women. ²²⁷ But Symmachus translateth it; The sonnes of the mightie. But to returne to Augustine, he constantlie affirmeth, that out of that place of Genesis, there can be nothing gathered, as touching the copulation of angels with women: but rather thinketh, that far otherwise may be gathered of the words of God there written. For when the scripture had there said, that giants were vpo~ the earth, & that the sonnes of God (as it is said) had transgressed and brought foorth giants, it is added; And God said, ²²⁸ My spirit shal not alwaies striue with man, bicause he is flesh. By this saieng Augustine will haue it manifest, that they which so offended, are called men; not onelie as they were in their owne nature, but also as they are called flesh, vnto the which they inclined with their shamefull lusts.

But they which vnderstand it otherwise, thinke that they bring a great testimonie of Enoch the seuenth from Adam, ²²⁹ of whom Iude speaketh in his canonicall epistle. For in the booke which is intituled to him, the giants are said to haue had, not men, but angels to be the authours of their generation. But vnto this answereth Augustine, ²³⁰ that the booke is altogither Apocryphus, [not canonicall;] and therefore that credit must not be giuen to the fables, which be recited therein. He saith, that it must not be doubted, but that Enoch wrote manie diuine things, séeing Iude the apostle did plainlie testifie the same; but yet that it is not necessarie to beléeue all the writings in the booke of Apocryphus, which are shewed to haue come from him; forsomuch as they lacke sufficient authoritie. Neither should it be thought, that if Iude vttered some certeine sentence out of it, that therfore by his testimonie he approoued the whole booke: vnles thou wilt saie, that Paule also allowed of all things that were written by Epimenides, Aratus, and Menander; bicause he alledged one or two verses out of them. ²³¹ Which thing Ierom in expounding of the first chapter of the epistle to Titus, testifieth to be a verie absurd and ridiculous thing. And as concerning Enoch, it would séeme a verie great maruell, if he were the seuenth from Adam, how he could write that Michael wrestled with the diuell for the bodie of Moses; séeing if these things were (as in verie déed we must beléeue they were) they of necessitie happened well-néere a thousand, fiue hundred yéeres after; vnles we shall grant that this was reuealed vnto him at that time, by a certeine excellent power of prophesie.

34 Neither must it be forgotten, that those, ²³² which thinke that giants had not men, but angels for their parents, were therefore brought thus to thinke; bicause they thought it might not possiblie be, that huge giants can be borne of men, which be of an ordinarie stature and bignes. Wherefore there were some, which procéeded so farre in the matter, as they affirmed, that the first man was a giant; and also Noah and his children. For they beléeued not, that that kind of men, either before or after the floud (if so be they might be thought to haue sproong of men) could be, vnles they had such progenitours. But Augustine prooueth that opinion to be false, ²³³ and saith; that A little before the destruction which the Gothes made, ²³⁴ there was in Rome a woman of a giants stature, whom to behold, they came by heaps out of diuerse parts of the world; which woman neuertheles had parents, that excéeded not the common and vsuall stature of men. If we shall search what the cause is, that nature hath brought foorth giants of such huge bodies; we can alledge no other, ²³⁵ but an abundance of naturall heate, and a moisture, which abundantlie and largelie ministreth matter. For the heate, not onelie extendeth a man to tallenes and heigth, but also spreadeth and inlargeth him to breadth and thicknes. Wherefore giants began to be before the floud, and they were also before the resort which the sonnes of God had with the daughters of men, and were bred after that also. Further, men did beget them, and there was a naturall cause, as I haue shewed. Also for a truth, there were of them borne after the floud. For there is mention made of them in the bookes of Numbers, Deuteronomie, Ioshua, Iudges, Samuel, and Paralipomenon, and in others of the holie bookes.

²³⁶ 35 Of the greatnes and stature of them, we may partlie coniecture, and partlie we haue the same expresselie described. The coniectures be, that Goliah had a coate of male, which weighed fiftie thousand sickles of brasse. ²³⁷ The haft of his speare was like a weauers beame, and the iron speare had weighed sixe hundred sickles of iron. We also coniecture of the excéeding great stature of Og the king of Basan, ²³⁸ by his bed, which being of iron, was of ten cubits long. Also, the Israelits being compared with Anachis, ²³⁹ séemed to be but grashoppers: these things may be a token vnto vs, of what greatnes these men were. ²⁴⁰ But the greatnes of Goliah is properlie and distinctlie set foorth in the booke of Samuel: for it is said there, that he was of sixe cubits and a hand-breadth high: and a cubit, if we followe the measure of the Gréekes, is two foote; but according to the account of the Latins, ²⁴¹ one foote and a halfe. Some alledge this to be the cause of the difference; that the measure may be sometimes extended from the elbowe to the hand, sometime closed together, and sometime open & stretched foorth. This is as much as I could gather of the stature of giants out of the holie scripture. ²⁴² But among the Ethnicks we reade of much more woonderfull things, such as men can hardlie be persuaded to giue credit vnto. For Plinie writeth in his seauenth booke, that in Candie there fell downe a hill, and that there was found a mans bodie of sixe and fortie cubits long, which some thought to be the bodie of Orion, some of Otho. Also it is written, that the bodie of Orestis, being digged vp, by the commandement of an oracle, was of 7. cubits. That which Berosus affirmeth of Adam, and of Seth his son, & of Noah & his sons, that they were all giants, séeing it is without scripture, it may be reiected. Philostratus saith in his Heroikes, that he sawe a certeine dead carcase of a giant of thirtie cubits long, another of two and twentie, and another of twelue. ²⁴³ But the common stature of men in these daies is little aboue fiue foote. And héerein the measure of a foote agréeth as well among the Gréeks as Latins, that vnto euerie foote are appointed four hand-breadths, and euerie hand-breadth conteineth the ⟨…⟩readth of foure fingers, that is, the length of the little finger. But if so be that the two outwardmost fingers, I meane the thumbe and the little finger bée stretched out, euerie foote conteineth onelie two spans or hand-breadths. Vnto this place I thought good to transfer those things, ²⁴⁴ which Augustine hath in his 15. booke De ciuitate Dei, the ninth chapter, where he reprooueth those, which affirme stoutlie, that men were neuer of such tall stature; and sheweth, that he himselfe sawe vpon the coast of Vtica, a chéeke-tooth of a man so excéeding great, as the same being diuided into the fourme and quantitie of vsuall téeth in our age, it might easilie be iudged a hundred times greater. And that there were manie such personages in old time, he declareth out of the verses of Virgil in the 12. booke of Aeneidos, where he brought in Turnus to haue lifted vp from the earth, and to haue shaken at Aeneas so great a stone, as twelue choise men could scarselie rule. ²⁴⁵ He said no more, but straight a mightie stone be there beheld, A mightie ancient stone, that then by chance within the feeld There for a bownd did lie, all strife twixt lands for to appease, Scarse could twelue chosen men that on their shoulders lift with ease. Such men (I meane) as now adaies the earth to light doo bring, This vp in hand he caught, and tumbling at his foe did fling.

Which thing he declared out of the sixt Iliad of Homer. Also Virgil in the first booke of Georgicks saith, that men would woonder in time to come, when they should happen to till vp the féelds of Aematia, to sée the greatnes of bones which should be digged out of the graues. Further, he alledgeth Plinie the second, ²⁴⁶ who in the seauenth booke affirmeth, that nature, the further forward that it goeth, the lesser bodies it dailie bringeth foorth. He calleth to mind, that Homer once in his verses bewailed the selfe-same thing, wherevnto I might adde the testimonie of Cyprian against Demetrianus. ²⁴⁷ But if I should be demanded, whether I thinke that mens bodies, which came after the floud, ²⁴⁸ were lesse than those which were brought foorth before the flood perhaps I would grant they were: but that they haue continuallie decresed, euen from the flood to this daie, that I would not easilie grant; especiallie considering the words which Aulus Gellius wrote in his third booke, where he saith; that The stature wherevnto mans bodie groweth, is of seuen foote, which séemeth also at this daie to be the measure of the taller statures. But yet we read in the Apocryphus of Esdras in the fourth booke, ²⁴⁹ at the end of the fift chapter, that now also our bodies are lesse, and dailie shall be lessened; bicause nature alwaies becommeth more barren. The selfe-same thing also (as I said a little before) Cyprian séemeth to affirme. But I alleadged the cause whie I cannot easilie grant therevnto; namelie, for that I sée little diminished at this daie of the measure which Aulus Gellius described.

36 Now it séemeth good to shew the cause, whie God would, that some men otherwhile should be borne of such huge stature. ²⁵⁰ Augustine in the 24. chapter of the booke before alleadged thinketh, this was doone, to the intent that it should be left for a testimonie vnto vs, that neither the beautifulnes of the bodie, nor the largenes of stature, nor yet the strength of the flesh should be accounted among the principall good things, séeing those are sometimes common, as well to the wicked, as to the godlie. Certeinelie, they which bend their mind vnto godlines, will iudge that spirituall good things must be preferred far aboue; partlie bicause they further vs vnto saluation, and partlie bicause they in verie déed make vs better than other men. But that giants were nothing at all furthered vnto saluation, through the greatnes of their stature, he prooueth by that which the prophet Baruch writeth in the third chapter; ²⁵¹ What is becom of those famous giants, that were so great of bodies, and so worthie men of war? Those hath not the Lord chosen, neither hath he giuen them the waie of knowledge: therefore were they destroied, bicause they had no wisedome. But if a man will peruse the historie of the Bible, he shall scarselie find, ²⁵² that they at anie time tooke a good or godlie cause in hand; naie rather he shall perceiue, that through their pride and frowardnes they were perpetuall enimies vnto God. For so was Og the king of Basan; so was Goliah and his brethren, they were most iniurious to the people, whom God had imbraced, & chosen from others to be peculiar vnto himselfe.

Also there is another matter, which may verie much confirme our faith. ²⁵³ For the holie histories alwaies make mention, that such huge giants were foulie vanquished in battels; and that especiallie by weake men, and by men verie vnexpert in warfare: namelie, by Dauid, being as yet a shéepheard; & by the people of Israel, when as yet they were yoong souldiers and ignorant in wars. Wherefore the spirit of God warneth vs to be of a constant and stedfast mind, when for godlines sake we are to fight with such monstrous men. We must not then be dismaid for lacke of strength, séeing the holie oracles in euerie place pronounce, that it is God which deliuereth such huge bodies into the hands of those, whom he will defend. Which things being so, then this vndoubtedlie is brought to passe, that we are not in anie wise to stand in feare of tyrants, (which alwaies for the most part are against God, and haue a confidence in their own great strength) when they defend a wicked cause, and assure themselues of abilitie to ouerthrowe the weake and féeble flocke of Christ, at their owne pleasure. For against them the strength of Gods word, and the power of the spirit, although we be weake and féeble of nature, shall make vs mightie and inuincible. Indéed in mans reason we being compared with them, may easilie appeare to be but woorms or grashoppers; but we being fortified and walled in by the power of God, shall not onlie ouercome them; ²⁵⁴ but (as Paule to the Romans saith) We shall conquer them. For Christ himselfe shalbe present with vs, who bindeth that strong armed man, & plucketh from him by force those most rich spoiles, which he had heaped togither.

Happilie did he wrestle with the diuell and his members; and through him shall we also fight prosperous battels, and shall obteine a far more noble victorie, than the poets feigned their gods to carrie with them against the Cyclops, Titans, and other the giants, which at a place called Phlaegra (as they fable) were quite extinguished by Iupiters thunder-claps. It is proofe inough, whie in old time the giants, ²⁵⁵ and now at this daie the mightiest princes, and wise men of the world resist God: verelie euen bicause they trust & leane ouermuch to their owne strength, wherein they hauing more affiance than is méet, there is no mischéefe, but they dare attempt, there is nothing that they thinke not lawfull for them. But God vouchsafeth not by such men to bring to perfection those things, which he hath determined to do; but is woont rather by Dauids, and such other abiects, ²⁵⁶ to perfourme the things that he hath purposed to doo; to the intent that his strength and power may far and largelie appeare.

37 I would thinke that inough hath béene spoken of this matter, but that yet there remaineth a certeine place to be expounded: to wit, how it is written in Deuteronomie, that Og the king of Basan was onlie left of the giants. ²⁵⁷ What Rabbi Selomoh fableth I am not ignorant, but his exposition is so childish and ridiculous, as I am ashamed to rehearse it. Wherefore I iudge that it was not spoken absolutelie, and without exception, that he was left; as though there had béene no giants left in the world besides himselfe; but it is shewed, that he onlie did remaine in those places; namelie on the other side of Iordan. Further, it must be knowne, that not the Israelites onelie did rid the giants out of those regions: ²⁵⁸ for the Moabites also (as we reade in the second chapt. of Deuteronomie) draue them out of their coasts. Which thing also we must thinke did happen vnto them by the fauour of God: for it is there declared, that God gaue those regions to the Moabites to dwell in.

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Footnotes

1. In Gen. 1, 1. What is signified vnder the name of heauen and earth. ↩

2. Gen. 1, 2. ↩

3. The difference betweene making and creating. ↩

4. The Philosophers error touching y e beginning of the world. ↩

5. A curious imagined error. ↩

6. Colos. 1, 16. ↩

7. Psal. 104, 4. ↩

8. Psal. 33, 9. ↩

9. The heauens are turned about by Angels. ↩

10. Gen. 3, 24. ↩

11. Gen. 18, 2. ↩

12. Col. 2, 23. ↩

13. In Iudg. 13, ver. 17. ↩

14. Angels take their names of those things which they doo. ↩

15. Heb. 7, 14. ↩

16. Esaie. 6, 6. ↩

17. Seraphim. ↩

18. Tob. 12, 15. Luke. 1, 26. ↩

19. Iudg. 13, 18. ↩

20. In Gen. 3. at the end. Cherubim. ↩

21. ⟨…⟩ ↩

22. In 2. Sam. 22, verse 11. ↩

23. Psal. 18, 10. ↩

24. ⟨…⟩ings attributed vnto Angels. Exod. 37, 9. Esaie. 6, 2. Ezech. 10, 5. Dan. 9, 21. ↩

25. Psal. 104, 4. ↩

26. Luke. 1, 26. and 11. ↩

27. Matt. 18, 10. ↩

28. Hebr. 1, 14. Dan. 10, 13. and 12, 1. ↩

29. In Iud. chap. 13. Looke before psal. 9. art. 25. ↩

30. The opinion of the Platonists. ↩

31. The Peripatetikes. ↩

32. The schoole diuines. ↩

33. The fathers Origin. ↩

34. Gen. 28, 12. ↩

35. Ierom. ↩

36. Against Origins opinio~ of thrusting soules into bodies as vnto punishments. ↩

37. Matt. 25, 41. ↩

38. Mark. 9, 44. Esaie. 66, 24. ↩

39. Rom. 9, 11. ↩

40. Augustine. ↩

41. Barnard. ↩

42. Tertullian. ↩

43. Whether it be conuenient for Angels to take vpon them the similitude of men. ↩

44. Luk. 24, 38. ↩

45. Euerie thing that is feigned is not a lie. Luk. 24, 15. ↩

46. Iohn. 15, 20. The Angels while they seeme⟨…⟩ to be men lied not. ↩

47. Tertullian. Thomas Aquinas. ↩

48. What maner of bodies the Angels take vpon them. ↩

49. Gen. 3, 1. ↩

50. Num. 22, 28 ↩

51. Zach. 1, 19. ↩

52. Augustine. ↩

53. Iohn. 2, 9. ↩

54. The Papists subtile shift as touching transubstantiation. ↩

55. A distinction of sensible things. ↩

56. Wherin the senses may be deceiued and wherein not. ↩

57. Three maner of apperings of Angels. ↩

58. Gen. 18, 4. Gen. 32, 24. ↩

59. Tertullian. ↩

60. Note that they were turned. ↩

61. The errour of the Marcionites. ↩

62. Iohn. 1, 32. Matth. 3, 16. ↩

63. Of the doue wherein the holie Ghost appeared. ↩

64. Augustine. ↩

65. What became of the doue wherin the holie Ghost appeered. ↩

66. Luke. 24, 39. ↩

67. The iudgement of the senses. ↩

68. A proofe of the godhead & manhood in Christ. ↩

69. The opinion of Apelles the heretike. ↩

70. Christ tooke flesh vpon him in one respect, Angels in another. ↩

71. The summe of Tertullians opinion. ↩

72. Origin. ↩

73. Euerie flesh is a bodie, but not euerie bodie flesh. ↩

74. Col. 1, 22. ↩

75. Col. 2, 11. ↩

76. 2. Tim. 2, 18.
    ↩
77. 1. Co. 15, 50.
    ↩
78. 1. Co. 15, 44
    ↩

79. Luk. 24, 13. ↩

80. Iohn. 20, 19. ↩

81. Ierom. ↩

82. Luk. 24, 31. ↩

83. Luke. 4, 30. ↩

84. Apollonius Tyanaeus. ↩

85. Luke. 24, 16 ↩

86. Iohn. 20, 19 ↩

87. In what sort the body of Christ entred in, the doores being shut. ↩

88. Luke. 24, 2. ↩

89. The bodie of Christ came not out of the sepulchre, the same being shut. ↩

90. The bodies wherein Angels appeared were true humane bodies. ↩

91. The visions of the prophets were sometime imaginatiue. ↩

92. Angels appering in mens bodies were not men. ↩

93. Matth. 3, 16 ↩

94. The dooue was not the holie Ghost, nor the holie Ghost the dooue. Num. 12, 18 Gene. 3, 1. ↩

95. The Sonne of God was man, and man was God. ↩

96. Matt. 8, ⟨…⟩0. Looke part. 2, place 17. art. 6. Iohn. 8, 40. Roma. 1, 3. Acts. 2, 22. Esaie. 7, 14. ↩

97. Tertullian. ↩

98. Matt. 1, 22. Luke. 1, 43. ↩

99. Elizabeth. Luke. 1, 42. ↩

100. Esaie. 11, 1, ↩

101. Matth. 1, ⟨…⟩. ↩

102. Gen. 22, 18. ↩

103. Galat. 3, 8. ↩

104. Gen. 9. 5. ↩

105. Rom. 9, 5. ↩

106. Matth. 3, 16 ↩

107. If Angels did trulie eat & drink when they appeered. ↩

108. Scotus. ↩

109. The booke of Tobias. ↩

110. Tobi. 12, 19. ↩

111. What maner of meat was that of Angels. ↩

112. Iohn. 4, 32. ↩

113. 1. Co. 13, 12.
     ↩

114. In Gen. 32. at the beginning. ↩

115. Tob. 12, 12. Whether Angels do offer our praiers vnto God. ↩

116. Matth. 6, 33 ↩

117. Colos. 1, 16. ↩

118. To be ignorant of the estate of Angels is no harme to vs. ↩

119. Gen. 32, 1. ↩

120. Whether godlie men be better than Angels. ↩

121. Psal. 91, 11. ↩

122. Hebr. 1, 3. ↩

123. Ephes. 1, 21. ↩

124. Ephes. 2, 6. ↩

125. Whether we shall be indued with greater glorie than the Angels. ↩

126. Ephes. 2, 6. ↩

127. 2. Tim. 2, 1⟨…⟩.
     ↩

128. Ephe. 2, 2. Colo. 2, 15. ↩

129. In 1. Cor. 15, verse 14. ↩

130. 1. Cor. 15, verse. 14. Chrysost.
     ↩

131. Heb. 1, 14. Dan. 10, 13. and 12. 1. Angels be gouernours of kingdoms, and gardians of men. Mat. 18, 10. The cause of the motion of the planets. ↩

132. Apoca. 1, 5. ↩

133. In what respec⟨…⟩s y e celestiall bodies shalbe abolished. ↩

134. A iudgment of bookes ascribed to Dionysius. ↩

135. Gregorie. ↩

136. Ephe. 1, 21. ↩

137. Orders of Angels. Among the celestiall spirits there be orders and offices. In Rom 8. toward the end. ↩

138. Dan. 10, 13. Dani. 12, 1. ↩

139. Power and the gift of healing are opposed one against the other. Acts. 5, 5. Acts. 13, 11. ↩

140. Angels sent to punish sinne. ↩

141. Gene. 18, 2. ↩

142. 2. Sam. 24, verse. 16.
     ↩
143. 2. Kin. 19, 35
     ↩

144. Psal. 78, 49. ↩

145. In Gen. 2, 7 ↩

146. In the creation what is to be considered. ↩

147. Of forming. ↩

148. Psal. 95, 5. Esaie. 45, 7. ↩

149. Amos. 7, 1. ↩

150. A similitude. ↩

151. Whereof the soule is called Anima. ↩

152. What is ment by the breathing of God. ↩

153. Iohn. 20. 22. ↩

154. Fro~ whence commeth a reasonable soule. ↩

155. Concerning the substance of the soule. ↩

156. Whether all soules were created at once. ↩

157. Rom. 9, 11. ↩

158. The order of gods creation. ↩

159. Of moouing and sense. ↩

160. An argument of the eas⟨…⟩nes of the resurrection. Ezec. 37, 5. ↩

161. In Gen. 9, verse 4. How the bloud is the soule. ↩

162. Leui. 17, 14. Deu. 12, 23. 1. Cor. 15, verse. 50. ↩

163. Matt. 10, 28. ↩

164. Augustine. ↩

165. Matt. 26, 26. ↩

166. In 1. Cor. 11, 7. Gene. 1, 26. ↩

167. The image of God consisteth in the rule ouer creatures. ↩

168. Augustine. ↩

169. The true image of God is the new man. ↩

170. Col. 3, 10, ↩

171. Ephes. 4, 24. ↩

172. Augustines allegoricall exposition. ↩

173. In Gen. 1. verse. 26. ↩

174. How man is y e image of God. Looke part 2, place. 1, art. 14. ↩

175. 2. Cor. 3, 18.
     ↩

176. Heb. 1, 3. Col. 1, 15. ↩

177. How much we be the image of God. ↩

178. By what meanes we beare rule ouer beasts. ↩

179. Psal. 91, 13. ↩

180. Dan. 6, 22. Mark. 1, 13. Acts. 28, 5. Iudg. 14, 6. 1. Sa. 17, 34. ↩

181. Wild beasts were made for the afflicting of man. ↩

182. Ezec. 5, 17. ↩

183. 2. Kin. 17, 25
     ↩
184. 2. Kin. 2, 24.
     ↩
185. 2. Kin. 13, 24
     ↩

186. Whether man as touching his bodie be the image of God. ↩

187. Ezec. 1, 26. ↩

188. Dan. 7, 13. ↩

189. The true notice of man. ↩

190. One place to warne man of all his dutie. ↩

191. In Genesis 2, 8. Looke part. 3. pl. 16, art. 7, and 19. ↩

192. Ecclesiastes. 2, 5. ↩

193. The region of Heden. ↩

194. Gen. 4, 16. ↩

195. Ezec. 27, 25 ↩

196. Ioel. 2, 3. Esaie. 51, 3. Ezec. 23, 13. ↩

197. The place where paradise was, ↩

198. The time of planting paradise. ↩

199. Gen. 2, 10. ↩

200. The riuers of paradise. ↩

201. 1. Kin. 1, 33.
     ↩

202. Esaie. 8, 6. Iohn. 9, 11. ↩

203. Paradise signifieth the state of eternall felicitie. Luk. 23, 43. 1. Cor. 12, 4. ↩

204. What is become of paradise at this daie. ↩

205. That Adam vsed the Hebrue toong. ↩

206. In 2. Sam. 19, verse 35. ↩

207. An addition. ↩

208. Causes of the long life of the fathers. ↩

209. Gen. 5, 32. Gen. 47, 9. ↩

210. Why it was so long before the fathers did procreate. Gen. 5. ↩

211. Matt. 1, 1. ↩

212. Gen. 7, 12. ↩

213. Gen. 8, 5. An addition. ↩

214. In Iud. 1. verse 10. ↩

215. Looke in Gen. 6, 4. ↩

216. By how manie names the giants are called in the holie scriptures. What signifieth Hanak. ↩

217. What time giants began to be. Augustine. ↩

218. Gen. 6, 4. ↩

219. Whether giants were begotten by men. ↩

220. Gen. 6, 1. ↩

221. Lactantius. ↩

222. Eusebius Caesariensis. ↩

223. Augustine. ↩

224. Men of the stocke of Seth were called the sonnes of God. ↩

225. In what sort the children of God fell from God. ↩

226. Aquila. ↩

227. Symmachus. ↩

228. Gen. 6, 3. ↩

229. Iude. 14. The booke of Enoch. ↩

230. Augustine. ↩

231. Ierom, ↩

232. The reason that mooued some to thinke that giants came not of men. ↩

233. Augustine. ↩

234. A woman giant in Rome. ↩

235. A naturall cause of the tall stature of giants. ↩

236. Of what stature giants haue bin. ↩

237. 1. Sam. 17, 5.
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238. Deut. 3, 11. ↩

239. Num. 13, 34 ↩

240. The greatnes of Goliah. 1. Sam. 17, 4 ↩

241. The cubit of y e Greeks and Latins. ↩

242. The Ethnicks testimonie concerning giants. These testimonies of Plinie and Berosus being in the latin copie put a little after, are more conuenientlie set in this place. Plinie. Berosus. Philostratus. ↩

243. The common stature of men of our time. The measure of a foote. ↩

244. Augustine. ↩

245. Virgil. ↩

246. Plinius secundus. ↩

247. Cyprian. ↩

248. Whether humane bodies haue decreased euer since Noes floud hitherward. Aulus Gellius. ↩

249. 4. Esdr. 5, 54.
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250. The cause whie God would somtime raise vp such huge giants. Forme and stature doo nothing further vnto saluation. ↩

251. Baru. 3, 16. ↩

252. Giants tooke not the defense of good causes. Deut. 3, 4. 1. Sam. 17, verse. 1. ↩

253. Giants ouercome by weake men. ↩

254. Rom. 8, 37. ↩

255. Why giants, mightie, and wise men doo resist God. ↩

256. Whie God dooth execute by weake men and not by mightie. ↩

257. Deut. 3, 11. Whether Og was the last of the giants. ↩

258. The Moabites and Israelites draue giants out of their borders. Deut. 2, 20. ↩