Page:The Holy Bible faithfvlly translated into English ovt of the authentical Latin, diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greek, & other Editions in diuers languages.pdf/39

Noe. (li. 9. aduer. Iulian) S. Chrisostom (homil 22. in Gen) S. Ambrose (de Noe & arca. c. 4.) S. Augustin (li. 15. c. 23. de ciuit) S. Hierome (Tradit. Hebraic.) and other most principal Doctours teach it to be vntrue, yea vnpossible, that these giants should haue been begotten by anie other creatures then by men. For that Angels & diuels are mere spirits without al natural bodies. And if they had ayrie bodies (as they haue not) yet they could not haue such generation. For the power or force to engender belongeth to the vegatatiue soule, whose proper operations are to turne nutriment into the substance of the subiect wherin it is, and to engender new issue or offspring from the same, as Aristotle sheweth (li. 2. de anima, textu. 24.) And in what bodies soeuer there is vegetatiue soule, it must needs be, that the same was engendred, and must some times decay and die, and so diuels should be mortal. Moreouer, if they could haue generation together with mankind, then such issue should be a distinct species both from man and diuel, as a mule differeth both from horse and asse. Againe, if spirits had abused women in assumpted bodies, and shape of men, yet they did not take them to wiues, as the Scripture saith they did who begat these giants. Finally, the holie Scripture here expresly calleth the giants men: These be the mightie ones, famous men; the modestie of Scripture terming them famous, whom our common phrase would cal infamous, being more monstrous in wickednes of mind, then in hugenes of bodie. For they were most insolent, lasciuious, couetous, cruel, and in al kind of vices most impious.

5. Al the cogitation bent to euil.) Luther (in his 21. article condemned by Leo the tenth) would proue by these words, and the like following, Al flesh had corrupted his way vpon earth, that al workes of men are sinnes. For (saith he) seeing the harts of al men are bent alwaies to euil, and al humane actions proceed from the hart, it must needs be that the hart as the fountaine being corrupt, the streames also issuing from the same must be corrupted. Againe, al flesh hauing corrupted his way vpon earth, there is not any iust man (saith he) nor any man without sinne: and with Protestants al sinnes are mortal. But Heretikes arguments are like to that the Poets feyne of Sisyphus labouring to carie a great stone to the top of an high hil, which when he hath brought almost to the hight, it stil falleth from him, & tumbleth againe to the bottome. Euen so their arguments that make greatest shew of prouing their opinions, are nothing but vaine traueling, when they come to be tried by the true sense of holy Scripture. In this place Moyses describeth the enormitie of sinne that reigned in the world before the floud, for which God sent that destruction. For it was haynous indeed, and that especially in foure respects. First, the malice and wickednes was general, which is signified by those wordes, al flesh hath corrupted his way vpon earth. Secondly it was great malice, signified by the words much, and, al the cogitations of their hart is bent to euil. For they committed al maner of wickednes, in hautines of pride, in al lasciuiousnes of the flesh, in al crueltie of robbing, sacking, and murthering, in al impietie against God & man. Thirdly, it was of long continuance, and dayly iterated. For Cain once fallen into damnable sinne neuer repented, and al his progenie was exceeding wicked, and after that Adam and Seth were dead, and Enoch translated, manie of the faithful fel to the wicked sort, and became worse and worse omni tempore, alwaies, or euerie day. Fourthly they were obstinate and obdurate, not repenting when Noe built the arke, and preached iustice (as S. Peter testifieth) & therfore God saued him and his familie, bringing in the deluge vpon the world of the impious. Al which maketh nothing at al for Luther. For although the malice of man and corruption of flesh was then verie genaral, great, of long continuance, and obstinate, yet was it not so vniuersal, but that God himselfe excepted Noe, saying to him I haue found thee iust in my sight in this generation, whereby it is cleere that these general termes, al cogitation and al flesh, haue exceptions. As likewise other as general propositions in this same chapter, concerning the punishment threatned, comprehend not absolutely al and euerie one, but almost al, very few excepted. I wil cleane take away, or destroy ''man whom I haue created, from the face of the earth. The end of al flesh is'' Rh