Genesis — Chapter 7

Shut him in.] God who by his only wil could in a moment haue drowned al the rest of the world, fauing whom he pleased, not needing in any thing the help of his creatures, yet would vse both natural and supernatural meanes, as the labour of Noe to build the arke, new fountaines springing, and the heauens powring downe water fourtie dayes together, afterwards the wind to dry vp the earth, and because the dore (being great for Elephants to enter in) and was to be framed without (as S. Ambrose noteth) for better induring the forcible waters, could not commodiously be closed by Noe, Our Lord (by the ministrie of Angels) shut him in on the out side, to teach vs by al this and the like disposition of things, that albeit his Diuine omnipotecie can doe what he wil al alone, yet he wil haue his creatures to concurre and cooperate as secundarie causes, sometimes naturally, sometimes supernaturally or miraculously, as it pleaseth his goodnes to impart to them power and vertue.

But only Noe.] As there is not anie thing in al the old Testament, from the creation of the world til the comming of Christ, more notable, more admirable, or of greater importance, then this historie of the general floud; so was there nothing that euer more aptly, more luely, or more exactly prefigured Christ and his Church, then did Noe & the arke, & the drowning of the rest of the world in that deluge. Which S. Augustin declareth in many places, but most especially & of purpose in his twelfth booke against Faustus the Manichee, from the 14. chapter to the 21. and in his fifteenth booke of the citie of God. In summe the Doctours teach, that Noe, signifying rest, was a figure of Christ, the very rest of mans soule. Whom whosoeuer followeth shal find rest for their soules. The arke signifieth the Church, the forme therof being six times so long as broad, and ten times so long as high, resembleth the proportion of mans bodie. The dore in the side representeth the wound in Christs side, from whence flowed the holy Sacraments, by which the faithful enter into the Church, & are sanctified. The timber wherof the arke is made, & the water baring it vp, signified the Crosse of Christ & Baptisme. Likewise the squarenes of the timber signified such men in the Church, as be constant and stand firmely in al sorts of tentations: especially godly and learned Doctours and Pastours, who by word and example vphold and confirme the faithful people in al afflictions within, and withstand & conuince al Heretikes and other Infidels that oppugne the Church without. The most strong kind of glew called bitumen, signified the permanent or euerlasting stabilitie, and vnseparable connexion of the Church, by the grace and continual assistance of the Holie Ghost. The consummation of the arke in one cubit signified the vnitie of the same Church, which is one in al times and places. Neither would God haue manie arkes, nor manie chiefe Rulers, but one only arke, and one chiefe Gouernour therof, and that al without the same should corporally dye, to signifie that al which dye without the Church doe perish, and are eternally damned. Wherupon S. Hierom sheweth that al within the Church, that communicate with the See Apostolike are as those in the arke of Noe, and al Schismatikes, Heretikes, and other Infidels are in like case with the rest of the world, that were drowned with the floud.