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/41

Noe. examination was saued aliue in the vncleane world. And after a large catalogue of other iust men in confirmation of this doctrine, that some were iust in the law of nature, concludeth thus: Neither is it to be belieued (saith he) that only so manie were iust before the law was receiued as Moyses contracteth in his most briefe description.

15. Three hundred cubits.) Apelles an old heretike, scholler of Marcian, but after leauing him, and amongst other new coyned heresies, reiecting the Law and the Prophets, would by this place impugne Moyses, saying it was vnpossible that in so smal roome as was the arke by this description, the designed payres of al kinds of beasts, foule, and serpents, should be contained, with the eight persons, and al their prouision of meat for a whole yeare. Wherupon he concludeth that this narration (which he calleth a fable) hath no probabilitie nor possibilitie to be true. To whom and al such calumniatours it may be answered, that Moyses euen in an heretikes owne conceit, if malice obseared not his sense, must needs be thought wise enough, if he had been disposed to fayne fables, to frame them probable, or possible, especially when he pretended not to signifie a miracle in the smalnes of the roome to receiue so much as he reporteth. Origen to answer him, supposeth a cubit here mentioned to haue contained six ordinarie cubits: and so doubtles the arke might easily containe al thinges that are here spoken of, for so it were like to a great citie. But this opinion neither hath good warrant, that euer the Ægyptians (of whom he supposeth Moyses might haue learned it) or any other nation vsed such long cubits, neither can this measure of a cubit, be agreable to Moyses meaning, who no doubt speaketh of the like cubits here, as he doth in other places. And in Exodus he describeth an Altar to be made fiue cubits long, fiue broad, and three in height. Which would be by Origens measure (euerie cubit contayning six ordinarie cubits, that is nine foot at least) in length, & likewise in breadth 45. foot, and 27. foot in height. Againe (Deut. 3.) Moyses telleth of an iron bed of Og King of Basan, that was nine cubits long, and foure broad. Which make according to Origens measure of a cubit, fourescore and one foot in length, and in breadth 36. foot: which indeed haue no probabilitie. And therefore S. Augustin and other Doctours, supposing that Moyses in al these books, written for instruction of the same people, whom he brought forth of Ægypt, speaketh of one sort of cubits, do likewise iudge that he meaneth ordinarie and knowne cubits, which containe a foote & a halfe euerie cubit, as Vitruuius Agricola and others doe proue, or a foot and three quarters of a foot, which is the greatest cubit that seemeth to be mentioned in holy Scripture, called a mans cubit, or cubit of a mans hand. And so the Arke was at least in length 450. foot, in breadth 75. in height 45. or at most in length 525. foot, in breadth 87. and a halfe: in height 52. and a halfe. And either of these capacities was sufficient to receiue al the things here mentioned, considering the lofts & partitions that were in the whole arke. Rh