ANNOTATIONS.
CHAP. VIII.
Noes sacrifice manie wayes commandable.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, Li de Noe & Arca. 22.1. Volunatarie.
Speedie.Wel knowing (saith S. Ambrose) That to be true thankes-giuing, which is presented, not commanded: therefore he made no delay. For the vertue of a grateful mind excludeth doubtful deliberation, and he that expecteth til the debt of thankes be exacted, is an vngrateful person. Solemne.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. Heb. 13, 10Pure.He offered of the cleane and best things because pure and deuout Sacrifice is due to God. Bountiful.Moreouer, it was large and bountiful, for he offered of al the kinds of cleane beastes and foules. Holocaust.Finally, he offered them in Holocaustes, where al was burned and consumed in the honour of God. Sacrifice is pleasant to God: not for the external things but for the sincere mind.How grateful al this was to God, Moyses signifieth saying: Leuit. 1.
Psal. 50.
Isay 1.
Amos 5.
Mal. 1.
Iustus Mar. li. 3. q. 4. S. Hiero. Q. Heb.Our Lord smelled a sweet sauour. not that either anie sweet corporal sauour could of it-selfe delight God, who is the most spiritual substance, or that the burning of flesh, bones, and bowels of beasts could yeald sweet 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 grieuous thing (saith Plato writing of sacrifices) if God had respect rather to the guifts and sacrifices of men, then to their mind. lib. perites proseuches.
CHAP. IX.
God reneweth the blessing of multiplication, 3. alloweth the eating of flesh, but not of bloud. 8. promiseth neuer againe to destroy the world by water 22. Cham saw, and reported his fathers nakednes, which Sem and Iapheth couered. 24. For which he his cursed, and they are blessed.
AND God blessed Noe and his sonnes. And he said to them: [1] Increase & multiplie, and replenish the earth. 2And your terrour and dread be it vpon al the beasts of the earth, and vpon al the foules of the ayre, with al that moue vpon the earth: al the fishes of the sea are deliuered to your hand. 3And ″ al that moueth and liueth shal be yours for meat: euen as the grene hearbs haue I deliuered al to you. 4Sauing that ″ flesh with bloud you shal not eate. Leui. 17.5For I wil require the bloud of your soules at the
- ↑ Of this commandment, or rather blessing see the Annotations chap. 1. v. 28.
