Resurrection, and Iudgement, where al things shal be exactly discussed and Iudged. And then wil folow Eternal life to the good: and Euerlasting paine to the damned.
Al these points of Religion (and others mentioned in the former age, and no doubt taught by Noe & his sonnes) shew clerly a Visible Church, consisting of good and bad. Noe remaning the same man as before the floud; Sem and Iapheth are commended and blessed for wel doing; Cham blamed, & cursed in his posteritie: yet neither he nor anie of his sonnes or daughters fel into heresie, or other infidelitie, for anie thing that appeareth in Scripture, or other authentical testimonie. Heber also and his familie are particularly commended by Moyses, as the right folowers, and the spiritual children of Sem (who had innumerable other carnal children) as those that were innocent touching the presumptuous building of others, who for the same fault lost their old tongue, which the familie of Heber kept. As S. Chrisostom and S. Augustin do proue. Againe, diuers of this familie falling afterwards by litle and litle to other nations, the Familie of Thare, saith the same S. Augustin (li. 16. c. 12.) albeit not al, or not alwayes, yet euer some of them, and Abraham continually, with Sem, Heber, Phaleg, & manie others, not mentioned by Moyses in his briefe description (as S. Gregorie doubteth not to suppose) were iust, and kept the true faith, and vndefiled Religion.
But Nemrod Chams nephew, and sonne of Chus described for a valiant hunter, a violent giant, and tyrant, was an Archheretike, a deuiser and teacher of false doctrin, against God and true faith. By sutletie and tyrannie he induced manie of liking or of feare to folow him, and so in schisme he maintained heresie, That men were not beholding to God, but to them selues, for temporal prosperitie.
Wherof begane a new & cruel confederacie, against the Citie of God, & the second great Sect of Infidels. For Barbarisme being the first, begun by Cain and ended by the floud: The second mother of al Sectes beginning after the floud (as S. Epiphanius writeth) was Scythisme: so called of the Scythians a most cruel people. who according to Nemrods heresie (not thincking themselues beholding to God for temporal happines, but to their owne forces) tyrannized ouer the weaker, and manie wicked banning together extremly oppressed the more peacable, especially the Church and true seruants of God. And this was one special cause of building Babylon, besides their ambicious desire of perpetual fame, and their bearing the simple in hand of a defence against a new floud, to make it in dede, a strong hold for tyrants to offend others, and to defend themselues. wherfore God (who before destroyed al Infidels by the floud) confounded these builders by diuiding their tongues, and so forced them to breake, and part into manie countries.
