16Goe forth of the arke, thou & thy wife, thy sonnes and the wiues of thy sonnes with thee. 17Al cattle, that are with thee of al flesh, as wel in foules, as in beastes, & al creepers, that creepe vpon the earth, bring out with thee, & goe yee vpon the earth: increase and multiplie vpon it. 18Noe therfore went forth, and his sonnes: his wife, and the wiues of his sonnes with him. 19Yea and al cattle, beastes, and creepers that crepe vpon the earth, according to their kinde, went forth out of the arke. 20And Noe built an Altar to our Lord: and taking of al cattle and foules, that were cleane, offered Holocausts vpon the Altar. 21And our Lord smelled a sweete sauour, and said: I wil no more curse the earth for men: for the sense and cogitation of mans hart are prone to euil from their youth: I wil no more therfore strike euerie liuing soule as I haue done. 22Al the dayes of the earth,[1] seedtime and haruest, cold and heate, sommer and winter, night and day shal not rest.
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. VIII.
20. Built an Altar] Noe without expresse commandment, and without delay, offereth Sacrifice to God, for the benefite receiued, in his, and his families conseruation, with the other liuing creatures, in that general deluge of the world, Wel knowing (saith S. Ambrose) That to be true thankesgeuing, which is presented, not commanded: therfore he made no delay. For the vertue of a gratful mind excludeth doutful deliberation, and he that expecteth, til the debt of thankes be exacted, is an vngratful person. For more solemnitie, he dedicated an apt and permanent place, for this peculiar diuine seruice, Building an Altar to our Lord. The Hebrew word Mizbeach (of the verbe Zabach, to kil, or make sacrifice) and the Greeke Thysiasterion, signifie an Altar to sacrifice on, not a common table for meate. He offered of the cleane and best things because pure and deuout Sacrifice is due to God. Moreouer it was large and bountiful, for he offered of al the kindes of cleane beastes and foules. Finally he offered them in Holocaustes, where al was burned and consumed in the honour of God. How gratful al this was to God, Moyses signifieth saying: Our Lord smelled a swette sauour. not that either anie sweete corporal sauour could of it selfe delight God, who is the most spiritual substance, or that the burning of flesh, bones, and bowels of beastes could yeld sweete sauour; but the deuout mind declared by such external dutie greatly pleased God. For God requireth both, but specially a sincere hart. As not only diuine Scriptures, and holie Fathers, but also moral Philosophers teach vs. It were a greuous thing (saith Plato writing of sacrifices) If God had respect rather to the giftes, and sacrifices of men, then to their mind. lib. perites proseuches.
- ↑ In the whole yeare of the floud was no sowing nor reaping, nor pleasant varietie of times, but al desolate & miserable: hence forth God promiseth more seasonable times S. Amb. li. de. Noe & Arca. c. 23.
