1. Whether Noah was commanded to offer a sacrifice and in what way sacrificing is justified 39-41. * Have monks divine command to support their order 40. * Shall we find fault with the works of saints, for which they apparently had no command 41. * How in all works we should have respect for God's command 42. * Lyra's unfounded thoughts on the words, "Be fruitful" etc. 43. * Why Moses said so much about their leaving the ark 44. 2. Noah's sacrifice proves Moses did not originate the idea of sacrifice 45-46. 3. Why Noah's sacrifice was pleasing to God 47-48. * The meaning of "sweet savor" 47-48. 4. How it can be said God "smelled the sweet savor", and why this form of speech used 49-50. B. NOAH'S SACRIFICE. 39. The objection under consideration can be invalidated by the rejoinder that Noah did have a command to erect an altar and offer sacrifices. God approved the rite of sacrifice by ordering that more of the clean animals--suitable for sacrifice--should be taken into the ark. Nor was Noah permitted to cast aside the office of the priesthood, which had been established by the Word before the flood and had come down to him by the right of primogeniture. Adam, Seth, Enoch and others had been priests. From them Noah possessed the office of the priesthood as an inheritance. 40. Therefore Noah, as priest and prophet, was not only at liberty to offer sacrifice, but he was under obligation to do so by virtue of his calling. Since his calling was founded on God's Word, in harmony with that Word and by God's command he built an altar and offered sacrifices. Therefore let a monk prove it is his office and calling to wear a cowl, to worship the blessed Virgin, to pray the rosary and do like things, and we will commend his life. But since the call is lacking, the Word is not the authority and the office does not exist, the life and works of the monks in their entirety stand justly condemned. 41. Finally, even if all other arguments should fail, this argument, according to which man judges the cause by the effect, remains; namely, that God expresses approval of Noah's deed. Although such reasoning from effect to cause may not be unassailable, it yet is not without value in respect to such heroic and uncommon men, who meet not with rejection but approval on the part of God, although they appear to do what they have not been expressly commanded. They possess the inward conviction that they are guilty of no transgression, though the disclosure of this fact is delayed until later God expresses his approval. Such examples are numerous and it is noteworthy that God has expressed approval even of the acts of some heathen.