Here according to our purpose mentioned before, we wil briefly recite certaine principal points of Religion, taught and obserued in the first age. In which the foundations of the true maner of seruing God (that should be continued to the end of the world) were laid, and prospered in some, as appeareth in these seuen first chapters of Genesis. But first of al, we shal in two words repete (as it is clerly geathered in the same holie Scripture) the state of man before, and immediatly after his fall, being the subiect to whom al this pertayneth.

After therfore that God had created other things, both in heauen and earth, last of al he made Man, to his owne image and likenes, with vnderstanding and freewil, therin like to Angels, and superior to al other creatures, and so made him Lord and maister of al earthlie things. ^note Neither were these the greatest benefits which God bestowed on man: for his diuine goodnes indued also this his reasonable creature, with innocencie & original iustice, whereby al things were most rightly ordered within him, and about him. His mind, wil, and reason were obedient to God; his senses & inferior part of his soule were subiect to reason; his flesh and bodie obeyed the spirite; and al earthlie creatures obeyed him. ^note God also adorned man with excellent knowledge, both natural and supernatural. And albeit his bodie was of corruptible substance, yet the same, and al his posteritie, if they had not sinned, should haue benne conserued, and without dying, haue benne translated to euerlasting life. ^note Thus man was placed in Paradise, and Eue there made of a ribbe of his side, to be his mate and vnseparable companion, as man and wife ioyned in Mariage, with Gods ble&esset;ing, for increase and multiplication. As appeareth in the two first chapters of this booke.

But God hauing made man right, he intangled him selfe (as holie Scripture speaketh) with infinite questions. ^note For the diuel enuying mans felicitie inuegled our mother Eue with questions and lies, and then by her, first seduced and deceiued, allured also Adam to the transgre&esset;ion of Gods commandment. And so they lost original iustice, which Adam had receiued for him selfe and al mankind: and al proceeding from them by natural propagation

are borne the children of wrath, in original sinne contracted from Adam, slaues of the diuel, not only subiect to temporal death, but also are excluded for euer from heauenly bli&esset;e and glorie: except by Christs redemption particularly applied, they be restored to grace & iustice in this life. ^note

And touching Adam and Eue, whose sinne was not original but actual, directly committed by them selues, Gods mercie so reclamed them by new grace, that they despared not (as Cain, and some orhers did afterwards) but with hope of remi&esset;ion were sorie and penitent, and accordingly receiued penance, and redemption. ^note For God brought Adam from his sinne (as holie writte testifieth) and the same is collected of Eue, God shewing the like signes of his prouident mercie towards them both, of which we shal by and by note some for example.

Now let vs see the more principal points of faith and Religion professed and obserued by the Church of God before Noes floud. First they beleued in one Eternal and Omnipotent God, who made the whole world and al things therin of nothing. which is easely confessed of al that are not plaine Atheists, and may be proued against them by reason. ^note And therfore Adam and other Patriarches could not erre in this Article, nor others be ignorant therof, except they were very wicked.

The Mysterie also of the Blessed Trinitie, three Diuine Persons in one God, though farre aboue the reach of mans reason, yet was beleued more expresly by some, more implied by others, and conserued from age to age by tradition, at least amongst the chiefe heades and leaders. wherupon Moyses afterwardes insinuated the same great Mysterie, by diuers wordes and phrases, writing of God and his workes. ^note The two wordes God created if they be rightly considered importe so much. For the word Elohim, God, in the plural number, signifyeth pluralitie of Persons (for manie Gods it can not signifie, seeing there is but one God) and the verbe bara, created, in the singular number signifyeth one God in nature and substance, albeit three Persons. For whatsoeuer God doth in creatures, is the worke of the whole Trinitie: though holie Scriptures do oftentimes appropriate some worke to one Diuine Person, some to an other. which also proueth distinction of Persons in God. ^note So the wordes God created heauen and earth signifie the Father, to whom powre is attributed. In the beginning, signifie the Sonne, to whom wisdome is appropriated, and the words, The Sprite of God moued ouer the waters, signifie the Holie Ghost, by whose bountiful goodnes, the waters were made fruictful. Likewise Gods owne wordes: Let vs make man signifie the pluralitie of Persons, and Image and likenes in the singular number, signifie one God.

Men also knew by faith manie things perteyning to them selues. As that eht bodie was made of the slime of the earth: the soule not produced of anie

thing formerly existing, but created immediatly of nothing and naturally immortal: that the soule of Adam was indued with grace and iustice: that he fel from that happie state, by yelding to tentation, and breaking Gods commandment of abstinence: that for the same sinne Adam and Eue were cast forth of Paradise, and al mankind subiect to death, and other calamities. ^note

For remedie against sinne, & restauration to grace, they beleeued in Christ promised to be borne of the womans seede, who by his death should conquer the wicked serpent, deliuer man from captiuitie, and restore him to spiritual life. ^note And this is the cause of the perpetual enmitie betwen the woman (especially the most blessed Virgin Mother, of whom Christ tooke flesh) and the serpent, and betwen her seede, the spiritual children of Christ, and the serpents seede, the whole companie of the wicked. Of this battle and conquest Targhum Hierosolimitanum thus speaketh. There shal be remedie and health to the children of wemen, but to thee, o serpent, there shal be no medicine, yea they shal tread thee vnder their feete, in the latter dayes, by the powre of Christ their King. ^note Likewise Gods familiar conuersation with diuers men in mans shape (Gen. 2. 3. 4. 6. and 7. was a signe of Christs incarnation And The Sacrifices immolated did prefigurate his death, in respect wherof it is said in the Apocalips, The Lambe was slaine from the beginniing of the world. But more expresly S. Paul testifieth, that Abel, Enoch, and Noe beleeued in Christ, naming them for example of the first age, and others of other times, and in the end concludeth, that manie more being approued by the same faith, receiued not the promise (to wit in their life time) God prouiding that they without others (of the new Law) should not be consummate, that is, not admitted into heauenlie ioyes & fruition of God, vntil the way of eternal glorie were opened by our Lords Pa&esset;ion and Ascension. ^note

Neither did the true seruants of God, in those first dayes, only beleeue in hart, but they also profe&esset;ed their faith, & Religion by external Rites, namely in offering of Sacrifice (the most special homage & seruice to God) which is clerly testified, cha. 4. as wel bloudie in figure of Christs Pa&esset;ion, as vnbloudie in figure of the holie Eucharist. ^note Also the accepting of the one rightly offered by Abel, & reiecting the other not donne sincerly by Cain, was declared by external signes, which Cain disdayning and enuying his brothers good worke, knowing his owne to be naught, of mere malice killed his brother.

Besides Sacrifice they had also other Rites in publique Assemblies, praying and inuocating the name of our Lord, in more solemne maner, from Enos time and so forvvard, according to that is recorded of him, in the end of the fourth chapter. for douteles Adam, Abel, and Seth did also pray and call vpon God, and therfore it was some addition or increase of solemnitie in the seruice of God, which is referred to Enos, ^note

They had moreouer other ceremonies: of the seuenth day particularly blessed and sanctified by God, kept holie by Adam and other Patriarches, as Abben Ezra witnesseth in his commentaries vpon the tenne commandements. ^note Of abstayning from meates, for it semeth the more godlie sorte did eate no flesh, before the floud, which was after permitted. ^note Obseruation of cleane and vncleane beastes for Sacrifice. ^note Of peculiar places dedicated to religious vses where people mette together to pray. ^note Likwise diuers other things in the first age were figures of Christs Sacraments: the Spirite of God geuing powre to the waters, (as Tertullian S. Hierom and others expound it) and the floud of Noe, by S. Peters testimonie, were figures of Baptisme. ^note Mariage instituted in Paradise, is the very paterne of holie Matrimonie, a Sacrament in the Church of Christ, where one man and one wife are onlie lawful, and not more at once in anie wise, Christ reforming that which in Moyses law was tolerated (for hardnes of mens hartes, and for auoyding murther, to put away one wife, and take an other) to this first institution as it was in the beginning, two in one flesh, not three nor more. ^note The repentance of Adam and Eue was a perfect and examplare figure of the Sacrament of Penance. ^note First they were ashamed, couering their nakednes, and hiding them selues, which shewed their griefe and sorow for the sinne committed. ^note Secondly they confe&esset;ed their fault, and by what meanes it happened. ^note For God examining Adam, he answered truly and simply saing: The woman which thou gauest me, to be my companion, gaue me of the tree and I did eate. Likwise Eue confe&esset;ed sincerly, saying: The serpent deceiued me, and I did eate. Thirdly God gaue them penance (besides death before threatned and other penalties annexed) that Eue should in paine and trauel bring forth her children; and Adam should eate his bread, in the sweate of his face. ^note And withal cast them forth of Paradise. But not forth of his fauoure, as appeared by his making them garments of skinnes, granting them and their posteritie, the rest of the earth to liue and labour in, especially to serue him, and do penance, with admonition to remember, that of dust man was made, and into dust he shal returne. ^note Al which were signes of loue, and that finally he would bring them, and manie more to eternal saluation.

The first borne and heades of families were Priests al the time of the law of nature, vntil the law being changed, God tooke Priests only of the stock of Aaron, and the rest of the Leuites to a&esset;ist them in that function, Aaron & his sonnes thou shalt appoint, saith our Lord, ouer the seruice of Priesthood, for I haue taken the Leuites of the children of Israël for euerie first borne. ^{note note} And S. Paul teacheth, that changing of Priesthood and changing of the law goe alwayes together, shewing euidently that euerie lawful communitie or commonwealth vnder God, hath external Priesthood. So that if there had benne no distinct order of external Priesthood in the law

of nature, or now were none in the law of grace (as Protestantes say there is not) there were no law at al. See more of this point in the Annotations, chap. 7. ad Hebre. Here we only obserue that Abel, Seth, Enos, and other Patriarches were Priestes, and exercised priestlie functions: yea Cain also was a Priest (though a bad one) and offered Sacrifice.

But external offices or ministerie, without a wel disposed mind, and sincere vertues producing Good workes, did neuer iustifie anie man. ^note And therfore Cains Sacrifice, offered with a peruerse mind, was not respected by God, as Abels was: wherupon he becoming worse, and more malicious, God sharply reproued his anger and enuie, conceiued without iust cause, saying: If thou doest wel, shalt thou not receiue againe: but if thou doest il, shal not thy sinne forwith be present at the dore? clerly shewing that euerie one shal receiue according to his workes.

This place also euidently sheweth Freewil, yea in a wicked man. ^note For this expostulation had neuer benne vttered, by our most reasonable Lord, and Maister, if Cain had benne depriued of freewil. For he might haue excused himselfe, and must needes haue benne holden excused, if he had benne forced to do as he did. But God charged him as inexcusable, and as one that knew, or ought to know, that he had freewil. And doth further inculcate, that he had, and should haue powre, and freewil ouer his concupiscence, to correct the same, if he would, saying: The lust therof shal be vnder thee, and thou shalt haue domion ouer it. So that no sinner, be he neuer so wicked, much lesse a iust man, lacketh freewil. yet Luther abhorreth the very word, and Caluin wisheth it out of the world.

Temporal punishment is proued to be due for sinne remitted, by that both death, and other penalties are inflicted, by Gods iustice vpon men, after iustification, and by the particular punishments laid vpon Adam and Eue, confe&esset;ing their faultes. ^note

Purgatorie is also proued by the same iustice of God. ^note For when anie dieth penitent, and yet haue not made ful satisfaction, they must suffer for that remaineth after death, and be purged, before they can enter into rest. which remnant of debt our B. Sauiour calleth The last farthing, and saith, it must be payed. The Iewes also at this day hold the doctrin of Purgatorie by tradition. And consequently they Pray for soules departed, not only to God, but also to the ancient Patriarches (which likewise sheweth Inuocation of Saincts) in these wordes: Yee fathers which sleepe in Hebron, open to him the gates of Eden. that is of Paradise, which was planted in Eden. ^note And Hebron is the place where Adam was buried, and his sepulcher religiously conserued in the time of Iosue, aboue 1500 yeares after his death. ^note The same is the place which Abraham bought, and there buried Sara: where also him selfe, and Isaac, and Iacob were buried: and to which finally

the bodies of the twelue sonnes of Iacob were translated from Sichem. As Iosephus writeth. And Sichem also was specially honored, because such persons had benne buried there, as S. Hierom witne&esset;eth, of his owne knowledge in his time.

Againe by religious care of burying the dead in this first age, Enoch was more certainly knowen to be Translated aliue, and not to be dead. ^note For the seuentie interpreters, and S. Paul say He was not found, which importeth that they sought diligently for him, and that his bodie could not be found, for God translated him.

By al which we see mutual offices, and communion of good workes amongst good men aliue and dead, which is called C&obar;munion of Saincts. ^note And herein Angels lacked not their offices. For God set Cherubins to kepe the gate of Paradise, that neither man should enter, being iustly expelled for sinne, nor diuels, as S. Augustin noteth, lest they should take fruite of the tree of life, and geuing it to men, allure them to more sinne. ^note And now Saincts being exalted to Angels glorie, haue like honorable offices towards other men, as Angels haue. ^note Yea the bloud of Abel vniustly shed by Cain, and iustly to be reuenged by God, sheweth the peculiar honour, which God bestoweth vpon his Saints, for their vertues and merites in this life, & especially in their death For Precious in the sight of our Lord, is the death of his Saincts.

Hence also is proued, that seeing in this life the good are afflicted, and the bad oftentimes prosper temporally, there must nedes be an other Court of exact Iustice, and an other Reaconing day, wherin euerie one shal receiue, according as they haue donne good or euil. which was sufficiently intimated by Gods discu&esset;ing, and manifesting Abels and Cains deserts, which were hidden before, and in part rewarding them accordingly, yet reseruing the ful reward of the one, and punishment of the other to the next world. ^{note note} Of the Iudge and his sentence Enoch (alleadged by S. Iude the Apostle) proficied clerly, saying: Behold our Lord cometh in his holie thousands, to doe iudgement aganst al, and to reproue al the impious, of al the workes of their impietie, wherby they haue donne impiously, and of al the hard things which impious sinners haue spoken against him. Thus holie Enoch preached touching the wicked, which thought there was no Iudgement to come, nor Iudge to be feared.

At this Iudgement al shal appeare in bodie and soule returning to life. ^note For that Al men shal rise from death is proued, by the immortalitie of mans soule, which God did not make nor produce of corruptible matter, but immediatly Breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a liuing soule. so the soule being immortal, and hauing a natural

inclination to the bodie, mans natural perfection requireth the coniunction of bodie and soule. for neither soule nor bodie separated is a man, but both ioyned in one subsistence are a man, in so much that mankind should perish, except the bodies shal rise againe, and liue with the soules. And then shal the bodies be qualified according to the state of the soules, happie or miserable for euer.

Of Eternal life the translation of Enoch is a figure. ^note For seeing God preserueth his corruptible bodie so long, from death and infirmitie, it is a token and manifest signe, that by the same powre of God, the bodies of men shal at last day, after that al men are once dead, rise againe, and remaine with the soules for euer. ^note The good in Eternal ioy: the wicked in Eternal paine. ^note Both signified by the custodie of the gate of Paradise by Angels; who for euer kepe out those, that are stil defiled with sinne, and so they depart into fire euerlasting, and admit the innocent and iust into the kingdome of heauen, which is euerlasting ioy and perfect felicitie.

Thus we see the face and briefe summe of Religion, in the beginning of the world, til the floud: and the state of the Church, which was alwayes Visible, consisting of men good and bad, with a continual Succession of Rulers, as wel spiritual as temporal. ^note For the first borne were both Priestes and Princes in euerie familie. And amongst the same one euer chief of al. ^note From which ranke Cain was excluded, or rather excluded him selfe, by Going forth from the face of our Lord. wherupon holie Moyses reciteth this Monarchical succe&esset;ion of one chiefe, and Supreme Head, from Adam by the line of Seth, Enos, Cainan, Malaleel, Iared, Enoch, Mathusala, Lamech, and Noe. Neuertheles he setteth downe also the progenie of Cain, the first beginner of a worldlie, schismatical, and heretical conuenticle, opposite to the Citie of God. ^note He denied Gods prouidence (as Thargum Hierosolomitanum testifieth) protesting to Abel, That there was no Iustice nor Iudge, nor other world then this, no reward for vertue, nor punishment for sinne, and so desperatly he killed Abel. of these negatiue principles proceeded other like detestable opinions, and most wicked life, sauage and barbarous crueltie, and al kind of impietie. ^note And in proce&esset;e of time albeit manie remained in true faith, and vnitie of the Church, yet by conuersation with such miscreantes, especially by occasion of Mariages betwen the faithful and infidels, almost the whole world was corrupted in maners. But Noe was iust and perfect. In punishment therefore of so great and enormious sinnes, God sent the general floud, wherby al Cains progenie, and al other infidels were wholly destroyed and extinguished, and the true Church notably purged; onlie iust Noe and his familie reserued ^note By whom the same true Church was continued, and the world againe replenished with men. ^note

Noe.

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