and the whole Church beleeueth) was preserued from that death, and so vndoubtedly were Seth, and Enos being most holie. and the rest here recounted, as is most probable. Neuertheles for further confutation of the contrarie opinion of Protestants, the reader may also obserue the iudgement of S. Chrisostom, who affirmeth that Though it be not a matter of faith, whether Enoch be now in Paradise from whence Adam and Eue were expelled, or in some other pleasant place: Dicunt tamen sacræ Scripturæ quod Deus transtulit eum, & quod viuentem transtulit eum, quod mortem ipse non sit expertus. The holie Scriptures say that God translated him, and that he translated him aliue, that he felt not (or hath not experienced) death. And S. Augustin as expresly saith. Non mortuus, sed viuus translatus est. He (to wit Enoch) is translated, not dead but aliue. Yea he teacheth how his life is sustayned thus many thousand yeares vpon earth. And sheweth moreouer that both Enoch and Elias shal dye. For seing Enoch and Elias (saith he) are dead in Adam, and carying the ofspring of death in their flesh, to pay that debt, are to returne to this life (of common conuersation) and to pay this debt which so long is deferred.
Diuers reasons are also alleaged, why God would reserue these two aliue. First to shew by example, that as their mortal bodies are long conserued from corrupting or decaying, in like sorte Adam and Eue and al others not sinning, should haue bene conserued, and according to Gods promise, neuer haue died, but after some good time translated to heauen, and indued with immortalitie. Secondly to giue vs an argument of immortalitie, which is promised after the general Resurrection. For seing God doth preserue some mortal, so long from al infirmitie, we may assuredly beleue that he wil geue immortal & eternal life of bobie and soule to his Sainctes, after they haue payed the debt of death, and are risen againe. Thirdly these two (one of the law of nature, the other of the law of Moyses) are preserued aliue, to come amongst men againe towards the end of the world, to teach, testifie, and defend the true faith and doctrin of Christ, against Antichrist, when he shal most violently oppugne & persecute the Church. Of Enoch it is said in the booke of Ecclesiasticus, that he was translated, vt det gentibus poenitenntiam, that he geue repentance to the nations, by his preaching, & reducing the deceiued from Antichrist. And of Elias Malachie prophicieth, that he shal come before the great and terrible day of our Lord, and shal turne the hart of the fathers (that is the people of the Iewes) to the sonnes (the Christians) and of the sonnes (the deceiued Christians) to the fathers, the ancient true Catholiques.
CHAP. VI.
Mans sinnes cause of the deluge. 4. Giants were then vpon the earth. 8. Noe being iust was commanded to build the Arke, 18. wherin he with seuen persons more, and the seede of other liuing things were saued.
And after that men began to be multiplied vpon the earth, & had procreation of daughters: 2The sonnes of God seing the daughters of men, that they were faire, tooke to them selues wiues out of al, which they had chosen 3And God said: My spirit shal not remaine in man for euer,
