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32 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. Of abstayning from meates, for it semeth the more godlie sorte did eate no flesh, before the floud, which was after permitted. Obseruation of cleane and vncleane beastes for Sacrifice. Of peculiar places dedicated to religious vses where people mette together to pray. 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. 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. The repentance of Adam and Eue was a perfect and examplare figure of the Sacrament of Penance. First they were ashamed, couering their nakednes, and hiding them selues, which shewed their griefe and sorow for the sinne committed. Secondly they confessed their fault, and by what meanes it happened. 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 confessed 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. 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. 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 assist 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 Israel for euerie first borne. 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,