truliest talke and dispute in his owne Art and that hee is rather to bee beleeued therin than any other But what woorkmans woorkmanship thincke you is thys worlde Is it any others than Gods onely so that wee ought to beleeue none rather than him who in hys woorde teacheth vs the maner and order of framinge his woorke that is to saye the worlde To bee shorte who knoweth seeth and vnderstandeth more truely the causes of all things their properties effectes the maner of their beeing the times when first they began then hee who is the maker of them all and the perpetuall gouernour of them all who beeing GOD and sence hee him selfe telleth these thinges what man will at anye time bee so mad but to thinke that hee is rather to bee harkened vnto in thys respect and all other writers to bee neglected Truely wee as also all other Philosophers howsoeuer surpassing in wit abounding in leasure what soeuer diligence they employed in study yet could neuer neither wee nor they attayne vnto certaine obscure slender sparkes of naturall Philosophie And whatsoeuer we define coÌ„cerning these matters without the woorde of God it is so vncerteine doubtfull variable and contrarie to it selfe and many times so contrarie to the trueth that in the ende wee are ashamed that wee either learned so or taught so which may appeare to be true if it wer but only out of Plutarchus booke De Placitis Philosophorum Of the opinions of Philosophers whereas that excellent learned man and great Philosopher sheweth that neuer two of them agreed in the knowledge of the things that are created S. Can you confirme the trueth of your opinion by the auchoritie of Gods woord to wit that this knowledge may well and safely bee learned out of the holy scriptures M. Yeas verily S. Recite them I pray you M. The first testimonie is that which is writen euidently in the epistle to the Hebrues in these woords Through Faith wee vnderstande that the worlde was made by the woorde of God. Wherefore wee vnderstande these thinges by Faith. If by Faith then by the holy scripture for ther can bee no faith without the scripture And therfore wee must certainely conclude that the true and certeine knowledge concerninge these matters is declared vnto vs by the holy scripture The seconde aucthoritie is the 1. chapter of Genesis For Moses who at the commaundement and appointment of God wrot that historie of all other most excellent and wounderfull of the beginninge of the worlde and creation of all thinges is either a vaine fellowe or a lier if the knowledge of naturall Philosophie be not conteined in the holy Scripture For what other thing doth hee in that booke than briefly howbeit truely and orderly set downe the originall of thinges and theyr vertues natures and effectes that is to say Naturall Philosophie The thyrde is a place in the Prouerbes the viii Chapiter and the 20. verse the nexte folowinge where it is saied that all thinges were created by the wysdome of God and afterwarde as they were created so are they preserued The fourth aucthoritie is alleaged out of the 42. Chapiter and 17. verse of Ecclesiast This wisdome hath God giuen to his Sainctes saith hee that they might recoumpt all his miracles and workes and search them all yea hell it selfe c. wherevnto wee may adde that which is written in the vii chapiter of the booke of VVisedom the 22. verse and the next folowing Finally let vs heare the moste holye Martyr of God and good Father Irenaeus who in his seconde booke and 2. Chapter saithe thus To whom therefore shall wee giue more credit concerning the framing of the worlde to those that wee spake of beefore so iangling in folly and inconstancie or to the Disciples of the Lorde and the seruant and Prophet of God Moses who first reuealed the creation of the worlde The selfe same thing S. Basell and S. Ambrose and S. Chrisostome in the prefaces of their Exameron or Six dayes woorke doe with one consent and plainely confirme so that whoso shall deney that the knowledge of Naturall Philosophie may not truely and commodâ—ously bee learned out of holy scripture gainsaith the sacred woorde of GOD and openly repugneth against the learned Fathers In conclusioÌ„ hearken to â—ertullian who in the 46. chapter of hys Apologet doth truely and plainly pronounce that the sacred woorde of God which is most auncient was as it were the treasurie and stoarehouse vnto all later wisdom From thence saith hee the Philosophers haue quenched the thirst of their wits But as men that were ouer riotous in the study onely of glorie and eloquence if they found any thyng in holy scripture when they had digested it according to the purpose of their curiositie they conuerted it to their owne woorkes S. Doe they that are of the contrarie opinion bring nothing against thys M. Yeas two argumentes especially S. What bee they M. This is the first That the ende of euery art ought to bee distinguished and that Naturall Philosophie is one thing and Diuinitie another whereof thys last is conteined in holie write but the other is not so S. Is that consequent and assertion true M. No verily S. Howe so M. For that although they gather that truly that artes ought to bee distinguished and that Diuinitie which conteineth the promises of euerlastinge lyfe teaching also the waye thervnto and the causes thereof ought to bee separated from Naturall Philosophie whiche entreateth of the framinge of this visible worlde and the natures of all thinges in the same yet doe they not say truely in denyinge that the order of the creation of this world the sundrie kindes of things their natures manifold sortes are taught distinguished and orderly set downe in holy Scripture All these thinges are copiously declared there which are the peculiar subiect matter of the Art of Natural Philosophie Wherefore Naturall Philosophie is comprehended in holy scripture The same also you may learne by another example are not Diuinitie and the morall parte of Philosophie both of them as they differ in kinde discerned in the holy scriptures And yet who is so rasbe and folishe that he dare deny that the Ethike or moral Philosophie yea and that most truly and generally is deliuered vnto vs in holie scripture wherefore the distinct endes of Artes and treatises are no impediment but that the Generall Naturall Philosophie and also Diuinitie are conteined in the holy Scriptures forsomuch as Natural Philosophic is as it were a parte of Diuinitie and an handmaideÌ„ vnto the same For it is a notable meane to knowe God by which thing also S Ambrose confesseth with mee What shall I saye more The Heathen Philosophers them selues when they dispute of the worlde and the creation of the partes therof and when they intreat of the nature of thinges they saye that thei play the Diuines and enter into discourse of Diuinitie as Aristotle speaketh in his booke de mundo of
S. Tell mee why you iudge wee should thinke so M. First for asmutch as when the holie Scripture doeth diligently reckon vp the special visible works of God wherein his maiestie and omnipotencie may easilye bee perceiued hee maketh mention of this one worlde only and not of any other Whiche if there had bine many doubtlesse hee would haue made mention of them For that poinct had made verie mutch to the settyng foorth of Gods glorie and power Moreouer what is their state order condition fall constancie Sauiour and Jesus what likewise is their life euerlasting and from whence commeth the saluation of this second or third world it is no where declared neither in what sort these other worldes were made and created but al these thinges are expressed concernyng this one onely Wherefore it must needes bee either that those worldes were made by some other God or that they came of themselues both whiche opinions are plainly blasphemous Or if they bee created by the same God by whiche this was whiche wee dwell in why doeth the Scripture speake nothing of it Surely there can bee no probable reason alleaged of so enuious and daungerous silence And therefore it came to passe that the auncient fathers in fore time did verie well thinke and gather that there is but one God bicause there is but one worlde and cōtrariwise that there is but one worlde bicause there is but one god Moreouer all this framing of manye and sundrie worldes how foolish and childishe is it For why should God make many worldes since hee might cōprehend althing more commodiouslie in one and the same beeyng of so greate receite whiche hee ment to comprehende in those diuerse and sundrye worldes But as it is commonly and truely sayd God and Nature make nothyng in vaine and that is vainlye and rashlye doone by moe things which may bee doone by fewer For admit that GOD had created moe in number those worldes shoulde differ in number onely and not in kinde or likenesse What neede hee then to create one maner of thing so often To conclude whē the selfe same Scripture oftentymes addeth the Greek article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it speaketh of the world the auctoritie of S. Iohn in the 1. chap. and 10. verse witnesseth that there are not many but one onely and that a certeine one For the article whiche is ioyned vnto it doeth signifie a certeine and sure thing But if wee graunte that there bee manie worldes euen by the very same reason wee must confesse that they are in number infinite I let passe those absurdities whiche notwithstanding doe necessarily followe to wit that neuer almost wee should haue any Eclipses of the Sunne or Moone Yea wee should neuer haue night since one Sunne or another of one of the other worlds should either rise vnto vs when ours goeth downe or else should shine in the middes of Heauen when ours is shadowed and in the Eclipse S. But why did not God make manye worldes M. Truely not by reason of any impotencie or lacke of power since that hee is omnipotente Not that hys senses were exhausted in the framinge of so huge a mole or his strength weried for hee made althinge with his woord onely as it appeareth in the 33. Psalme Not also that it happened so for wante of matter as the Peripatetikes suppose for that all the matter that was prepared was spent in makinge of the bodie of so great a frame For hee that coulde firste make thys so great a worlde of nothing coulde if hee had lusted haue prepared matter for him selfe to make infinite other worlds of But this is onely the cause that ther were not many worlde 's made bycause God woulde not for hee made whatsoeuer hee woulde Psalme 115. and 3. verse But why hee would not it may bee the cause is not knowne to vs notwithstandinge it cannot bee an vniust cause hee himselfe sawe that thys worlde was an argument great ynough vnto vs to set foorth the cōmendation and renoume of his wonderfull mercye and iustice who knoweth all thynge and therefore hee created this one onely The xii Chapter VVhether this worlde bee finite S. BUT is this worlde finite as some doe dispute M. It is not onely one but it is also finite and hath boundes S. Howe prooue you that M. Bycause that is finite whose extreame partes may plainely and perfectly bee shewed but the Scripture hath appointed heauen and earth to bee the extreame partes and endes of this worlde whereof Heauen is the farthest and the earth the nearest as it appeareth in the 20 chap. of Exo. 11. verse and Genesis the 2. chapter and 2. verse and also in other places Wherfore truely it cannot bee doubted but that it is finite Moreouer what difference shoulde there bee noted to bee beetweene the Creator and the Creature if as hee is infinite and without measure the creature also shoulde bee infinite diffuse and without measure Finally there shoulde bee two infinites appoynted which by no meanes can bee indeede or bee defended The xiii Chapter whether this worlde bee sphericall and rounde S. I Remember althinges which you haue hetherto confirmed to wit that this world is substantiall not a shadowe that it is one not many and finally that it is a certeine finite masse comprehension and not infinite and thereunto adde also the residue M First this is wount to bee demaunded what is the forme of this worlde and specially of this body with in the compasse whereof all these thinges are conteyned for that some will haue it to bee sphericall or rounde as Aristotle othersome of the facion and likenesse of the figure Icosaidron rownde compassinge with a greate manye of Angles or Corners heere and there in the top as Plato Others plaine and flat like a skin stretched foorth abroode as S. Basill others giue it other formes and those also diuerse as the Greeke writer Cleomides reporteth in his title of the contemplation of circles S. Is there any of those opinions true M. God he knoweth Wee who in no place of his woord doe reade these matters plainely determined vnlesse parhaps some man will alleag that which is written in Iob the 22. Chapter and 14. verse and there is mention also made of the sphere of the earth in Isay the 40. chapter and 22. verse and in S. Iames the 3. chapter and 6. verse to the ende hee might prooue that thys worlde and also the outmost heauen are rounde like a circle or a wheele doe oftentimes fall are drawne into contrarie opinions Uerily that the worlde is rounde it seemeth vnto mee much the more probable by that which is written as I haue saide in Iob the the 20. chapter and 14. verse and in Eccles the 24. chapter and 8. verse both for that it is the most beutifull and widest forme of all other by whiche it was needefull that a compasse which shoulde conteyne in the bosome thereof so many thinges shoulde
hee is not called onely the image but also the liuely brightnesse of the Fathers glorye And yet farther to the intent it may bee the better vnderstoode what and how great the difference is wee must note that the world and man are a notable but yet a shadowed representation of those things which they do teach vs cōcerning god And Christ the expresse and liuely fourme in whose inward natural and substanciall brightnesse wee may most euidently behold the infinite power of God and incomprehensible loue towardes vs men Thus therefore when wee thincke vppon God and beholde him in all other thinges suche is our vanitie that immediatly wee decay and come to naught but when wee looke vppon him in Christ wee are quieted and stayed most firmely and substantially Wherefore there ought no comparison bee made betweene these which differ in kinde and manner of representation The xxxiii Chapter Two endes of the worlde not chiefe S. BUT bee ther not also other finall causes of the worlde M. Yeas there bee two but not chiefe S. What bee they M. The first is this to wit the vse of al men For this worlde was created for mans sake and man for god The seconde is for the Church or congregation For the worlde was created to the entent it should bee an house and dwelling place prepared for the Church and congregation that should bee hereafter where in it might remaine of it owne right which congregation God woulde establishe there and afterward bring to heauen S. Howe prooue you this M. First out of the 8. Psalme And secondly by that which S. Paule writeth to the Romanes the 4. Chapter and 13. verse The xxxiiii Chapter Of the meanes and engins whereby God raysed this so great a frame of the worlde and first of the woorde of God which was the meanes whereby this worlde was created S. HEtherto you haue declared the causes of this worlde nowe shewe the meanes and instrumentes wherby it was created And when mention is made of the creation of the woorlde some do demaunde what wedges what tooles and engins were occupied to the rearinge vp of so great a mole and they thinke themselues not satisfied vnlesse aunswere bee made vnto those doubtes of their minde M. Thei that seeke to know with what instruments this worlde was created do verie foolyshly forasmuch as this woorde create doth sufficiently declare that all this whole woorke is plainly miraculous and supernaturall For God vsed no tooles nor engins as carpenters vse to doe thereby to supplie the infirmitie of their strength But all his framing and buildinge and the woorkemanship of thys worlde doeth differ farre from all our meanes and pollices S. Tell mee then what it was M. In declaringe the meanes by which this world was created ther are foure things annexed which we must not pretermit and they perteine to the settinge foorth of Gods glory and omnipotencie wherof the fyrst is this that the worlde was created at the woorde and commaundement of God. S. Howe prooue you that M. Behold a most manifest place of the Scripture in the 33. Psalme 9. verse For hee spake and it was doone hee commaunded and it stoode fast and in the 148. Psalme and 5. verse Hee commaunded and they were created Moreouer Moses in the first chapter of Genesis beefore the creation of euery thing as they were made and created orderly in euery daye so doeth hee plainely shewe that the woord and cōmaundement of God went alwayes before And the Lorde sayde let it bee made c. Yea the Stoikes haue saide that the woorde of God was the efficient cause of the whole nature of thinges as Laertius writeth in his 7. booke in the life of Zeno. S. But there bee twoo impedementes that it can not bee so M. Which bee they S. The fyrst is that which is written in the 45. Chapter and 12. verse of Isay My handes haue stretched foorth the heauens Ergo God made not these things with his woord but with his handes M. Uerily this saiyng conteineth a most manifest Metaphore when hee attributeth handes vnto God and when in respect of the weakenesse of our vnderstanding God is cōpared to an handie craftes man which woorketh with his owne hāds the like wherof there are many authorities to be foūde in y scriptures And whereas this woorde of creating is vsed in the same place it plainly calleth vs backe vnto that diuine and extraordinarie woorke of God and to thinke vppon that meane onely which Moses hath recited M. The seconde impediment is that wheras in another place in like kind of thinges and semblable argument mention is made of the woorde of God notwithstanding Gods secret will is ment thereby whiche is not expressed in any woord or commaundemēt as in the 147. Psalme 15. and 18. verses where he speaketh of Ice Hee sendeth out his woorde and melteth it M. You say well Howbeit in Genesis the verye text also Moses minde teatheth vs that wee must say and thinke otherwise where it is plainly writen that God spake and cōmaunded that to bee which was made Wherfore the only bare and secrete will of God is not there to bee vnderstood and taken but that which is reuealed by the prolation and vtteringe of some woorde of his and commaundement Which opinion of mine is confirmed by an interpretation which the Scripture it self maketh noting that this was doone by vttering of some woorde or voyce For in the 33. Psalme and 6. verse after that it is declared that these things were made by the woorde of God for true exposition sake it is added by the spirite of his mouth For a voice is made by the breathing foorth of aire which is doone by the mouth S. But by this meanes feigning that God hath a tōgue roofe of the mouth and teeth with out whiche instruments no voyce can bee vttered you seeme to reuoke againe out of Hell the abominable errour of the Antropomorphites M. God forbid that I should thinke so wickedly of the infinite and omnipotent maiestie of god But like as the Lorde spake so as he might bee heard and vnderstoode when hee gaue the law in mount Sinai which no man can deney as likewise when hee spake to Moses whē he gaue answere by Vrim Thumim y Lord spake vttered a voice in the hearing of the people yet not withstāding we must not feigne y god hath a tongue a mouth a palate of the mouth teeth So in the beginning creation of the world when it is sayd that God spake his diuine shape was not chaunged intoo an humane fourme but it came to passe by a speciall prouidence and pollicie For the Lord tooke vpon him for a tyme suche meanes as were necessarie for the bringing foorth a cleare and audible voice wherof afterward hee left the vse S Doe you thinke then that the Lord spake plainly and distinctly M. Yea verely Howbeeit I am not ignorant what S. Augustine thinketh
THE WONDERFVLL VVOORKMANSHIP OF THE WORLD wherin is conteined an excellent discourse of Christian naturall Philosophie concernyng the fourme knowledge and vse of all thinges created specially gathered out of the Fountaines of holy Scripture by Lambertus Danaeus and now Englished by T. T. ⧠Imprinted at London for Andrew Maunsell in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Parret 1578. To the right honorable Syr Francis walsingham Knight one of the principall Secretaries to the Queenes Maiestie and of her most honourable priuie Counsell I Haue bin desirous Right honorable and that of long tyme vvith many other to vvhom your most godly disposition hath bin often reported not only to congratulate but also to honor the same vvith some poore testimonie of myne vnfeined good vvill And novv occasion sumdeale fauourably grauntyng vnto my request hope hath also pricked mee forevvarde to myne attempt that no studie or traueill vvherby the true knovvledge feare of God is to bee learned can come vnvvelcome or seeme dishonorable vnto your honour If noneother examples yet the vndoubted vvord of life vvorthily Englished and set foorth vnder your Right Honorable protection doth sufficiently prooue beesides your most feruent zeale in embracing true Religion and aduauncing the syncere vvorshipping of Almightie God by meanes vvhereof your fame is spread far among forreine nations Thus am I not discouraged but rather hartened semblably vvith duetie to offer this my simple trauell vnto your honour beeing the vvoorthy vvoorke of the learned Diuine M. Lambert Danaeus of Geneua concerning Christian Naturall Philosophie the vvonderfull vvoorkemanship of this vvorld A vvoorke doubtlesse of great auaill to the knovvledge of God in his creatures A vvorke of vvonderfull efficacie to set foorth the honour and glorie of God the Creator A vvoorke of merueilous force to stirre vp mens mindes to the contemplation of true knovvledge and learning vvhiche is gathered out of the holy Scriptures only A vvoork of rare effect to declare the prayse of God the vvoorkman and to establishe assured fayth and true religion To bee short a vvoorke so farre surpassing all other vvoorkes of like argument vvriten either by Christian or Heathen Philosophers as the proofes and auctorities vsed by them both bee differing the one beeyng founded vppon the assured ground of Gods vvoord and holy Scriptures the other established vpon the fickle foundation of mans reason iudgement This vvoorke therefore Right Honorable so profitable so pleasant so necessarie so full of varietie of Godly matter so substancially grounded by vvarrant of Scriptures so surely confirmed by auctoritie of Doctours and Fathers in most humble and duetifull maner I present vnto your honor Hoping that as in the Latine it hath bin generally liked of the learned so likevvise you vvill not mislike that it novv go abroad in the Englishe tōgue vnder the protection of your Right Honorable name by him vvho resteth your honours most hūble at cōmaundement Thomas Twyne To the right honourable the Lord Friderike of Nachod Lorde of Danouiz and of Beske c. his verie good Lorde and Patrone AVncient and noble is the question concernyng the originall of the worlde and firste beeginning of all things Right honorable Baron which hath not only long tyme and much troubled the wittes of the Philosophers but also of Christians in the end by reason of the diuerse iudgements of men hath rested so doubtfull that many graue writers coulde not tell what to determine therin For amōg the Christiās Origen in his bookes of the beginnings which bookes aboue the residue most men do iudge to bee his woorthy woork and they which after him wrote the Examera are so diuided in opinions that nothing may seeme certeinly to bee gathered out of their writinges But among the Philosophers men ignorant of God and his trueth there is farre more diuersitie of opinions so that concernyng this matter a man may better gheasse than vnderstand by their doctrine what hee hath to follow Now touchyng these Philosophers perhaps there is no such cause to wonder at their blindnes in so great a matter and that thei were so deepely drowned in darknes forasmuch as they were destitute of Gods woord that is to say the true light of knowledge But among Christians suche disoorde and disagreement cannot with like vprightnes bee excused for that there is but one way of the trueth wherof they might haue found most assured groundes in the woord of God if they had had regard therto What was thā the cause of so greate disagreement among the Christians concernyng this matter Forsooth it was the Heathen Philosophie with the preceptes wherof they were not onely then instructed and infected but many also of them beeing stuffed bee witched and deceiued therwith in respect that they ascribed mostvnto this art would graunt and admit nothyng whiche they supposed to bee repugnant to the principles thereof And this mischeif did not onely continue in the tyme of our forefathers and the firste age of the Churche whiche many hauing learned in the schooles of the Philosophers euen in their tender yeeres and afterward beeing conuerted to the faith of Christ could not easily lay doune and chaunge those opinions whiche they had receiued beefore and of long tyme most studiously embraced Yea now since the name of the Philosophers is extinguished it cannot bee plucked out of the minds of many that would bee called Christians so deepely forsooth the admiration and reuerence of this Heathen Philosophie is imprinted within the mindes of some men and of so great a force it is as the Prouerbe fayeth in tender youth and as it were with the Mothers milke to accustome a mans self vnto errour as it were vnto the preceptes of trueth And therefore I doe not doubt but that this my woorke concerning Christian Naturall Philosophie that is to say how to refourme the opiniōs of the Philosophers by the woord of God shal bee reprooued of many and therfore hath need of some noble and great personage that is welbecloued among all estastes to bee patrone vnto it by whose auctoritie beeing defended and fauour cōmended it may safely and acceptably come abroade into mens hands to bee read You only right honorable are hee vnto whose name therefore I dedicate the same how far soeuer I bee disioyned from you by distance of place And as for your honour there wanteth nothyng in you that may suffice to discomfite the force of all enemies if so bee that you can well like of this woork and doe accept it vnto your protection For if it might please you to oppose that same your moste singulare and true Christian godlines of minde against the old and stubburne crue of heathen men concerning this part of Philosophie in respect that you do syncerely and purely woorshippe God by direction of his vndoubted woord weighyng and examinyng euery thing accordyng to that as a most certeine rule there is no man that doubteth but that there is more credite to be giuen vnto your
iudgement than to all the rabble of those blind Philosophers But as touching other I will obiect your greate honour and auctoritie for a shielde beetweene them and mee for my defence whiche auctoritie of yours beeyng by you purchased in the sight of all men by meanes of infinite benefites by you beestowed vpon the Churches of Boheme and Morauia is farre and wide renouined in the mouthes of all people and knowne vnto those nations that know not your person whiche also is easily able by the excellencie thereof to put to silence the slaunderous tongues of certein light persons And whereas all men whiche know you doe graunt and confesse that I doe not falsly attribute these prayses vnto you then your moste noble Sunne and no lesse heire to your vertues than successour to your goodes Iohn George prooueth and declareth the same VVho both of hys owne naturall inclination and by the instruction and diligence of the right learned and godly man Vuenceslaus Lauanus his scholemaster beeyng the expresse patterne and image of your vertue how greate the same vertues bee in you may bee by euery man easily perceiued And truely all wee that liue heere professe that wee are mutch beeholden vnto you for this cause for that you haue giuen vs a pleadge of youre singulare loue towardes vs namely your Sunne at whose handes wee expect all good things And in that you would haue this notable testimony of the agreement of your Churches with ours in the true and auncient fayth to bee extant in the sight of all men which that it may continually so remaine and neuer bee broken of through any contention amongest men wee cease not to make our prayers to Almightie god And that same desire whiche is in you to deserue well of all nations bee they neuer so farre of is not only a singulare vertue but also most worthy of a Christiā which aboue all other is most familiar and proper vnto you And although you doe farre excell in nobilitie of birthe as descendyng from the most auncient house of the Nachosij whom I suppose to bee the onely remainders of the moste renoumed stock of the Narisci and also of the moste stout and martiall family of the Moranians who are successours to the people called Marcomanni that were sumtyme fearefull enemies to the Romanes yea when they were in their most florishyng state amōg whom you enioye very large possessions notwithstanding your greate humanitie and gentlenes which is vnto you a peculiare vertue shal farre more excellently aduaunce your name among al ages And as touchyng my booke I had rather it were knowne by the effect it selfe than by my report what and how greate the commoditie thereof is How beeit this will I say in fewe woordes that therein I haue breifly comprehended whatsoeuer I coulde reade to haue binne disputed by the auncient and holy Fathers either against the Philosophers or Heretikes and that I haue not intermingled any question which they haue not handled beefore neither haue omitted any thing whiche seemed might stande in steede towardes the vnderstanding of their writinges Wherein I will plainly confesse vnto you I haue not so mutch studied to satisfie the humour of curious persons as to aduaunce the commoditie of studious young men And therfore I hope it will come to passe that your honours moste noble Sunne the Lord Iohn with other young Princes beeyng mooued by your auctoritie will follow sutch kindes of studies whiche they shall perceiue to bee acceptable and that woorthily vnto so greate estates Fare you well VVritten the Calendes of December 1575. Your honours most assured and euer readie Lambert Danaeus Frenchman AN EXCELLENT DISCOVRSE OF CHRISTIAN NATURALL PHILOSOPHIE ¶ The first Chapiter ¶ What naturall Philosophie is and how many kindes there bee thereof S. WHat is naturall Philosophie M. It is the true knowledge or discourse concerning the Creation and distinction of all this whole worlde with the partes therof of the causes by whiche it was so wrought and likewise of the effectes whiche followe thereon apperteinyng to the praise of God the Creatour S. From whence do you gather this your definition M. Specially out of twoo places of holie scripture wherof the first is the. 30. chapt and 4. verse of the Prouerbes The other the first chapiter of Genesis in whiche those fower poinctes are briefly recited vnto whiche also that place maie bee added whiche is in the 7. Chapter and 17. and 18. verses where it is euidently declared that suche thinges bee handled in this Science S. Is this knowledge termed by this name onely or is it called by some other also M. Yea truely For out of S. Paule it maie bee called The knowledge of Gods woorkes Rom. the 1. chap. and 20. verse Out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The knowledge ofseculare thynges And finally wee maie as fitly and conueniently call it The knowledge of thinges created as naturall Philosophie was so called Of the searchyng of Nature if so bee that the vse of that name had bin familiar and receiued by the Greekes and Latines S. Why then doe you call it naturall Philosophie which is a woorde vsed by the Heathen Philosophers M. For twoo causes The firste is for that Christians ought not to bee so scrupulous or rather superstitious that thei should bee afeard to vse suche common woordes and names as the Heathē doe for somuche as with them wee do vse and enioy the self same Sū aire earth water light meates and Cities Neither doeth the Scripture it self refuse that woorde as vnseemely or monstrous as appeareth in the 2. chapiter and 3. verse to the Ephesians and the 1. Chapiter and 5. verse of the seconde Epistle of S. Peter Also the auncient and Catholike fathers in euery place doe terme this knowledge of thynges by the name of Naturall Philosophie as did Basile Chrisostome Ambrose Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence Naturall Philosophers saieth hee are thei that searche the nature of thynges Secondly that for as muche as this woorde Nature in the common vse of the Greeke tongue is for the moste parte applied to suche thynges as doe consiste not of essence onely of whiche sorte GOD is but are compounded with certein accidentes adioined suche as are all the thynges that wee beholde with our eyes and whereof this visible worlde consisteth that knowledge seemeth moste properly to bee termed naturall Philosophie whiche is busied in the handlyng of the mixt cōpoūded and materiall thinges that it maie bee distinguished from Diuinitie Wherefore Naturall Philosophie saie thei is the knowledged of Materiall and Instrumentall beginnynges S. How many sortes are there of naturall Philosophie M. Twoo the one Generall the other Particulare S. Whiche is the Generall part M. That whiche entreateth of the Generall and moste principall partes of the worlde with their originall nature and causes suche are heauen and the fower elementes for that these in respect of the other partes are as it were the first beeginnynges and
sinfull and blinde fleshe and therevpon reposeth it self not that whiche discreetly and as farre as neede requireth discourseth of the causes of thinges S. But what alledge thei out of the writynges of the fathers to driue vs from this kinde of â—â—â—die of Naturall Philosophie M. It were an infinite thyng to goe about to report their saiynges but I will onely recite a fewe S. Rehearse them I praie you M. Lactantius in his third booke and viii chapiter writeth thus What felicitie shall I atteine vnto if I knowe where Nilus riseth or whatsoeuer the naturall Philosophers do doate concernyng heauen yea moreouer there is no certein knowledge of those thinges but onely opinion whiche also is variable accordyng to the varietie of mennes wittes S. Augustine also is coÌ„mended who in his fourth Booke de Trinitate of the Trinitie in the Preface writeth thus That minde is more to be commended which knoweth it owne infirmitie rather than that whiche not perceiuyng the same searcheth after the motions of the Planets and the walles of the worlde the foundations of the earth and the top of the heauens And that I maie not touche euery thyng in his Booke de spiritu anima of the spirite and the soule the 56. chapiter hee plainly also setteth doune the same S. Can you answere these aucthorities M. Yea. S. How I praie you M. That these thynges are also spoken by the fathers in comparisoÌ„ as it appeereth out of the same place of S. Augustine whom you erewhile coÌ„mended For the Fathers reproued the disordered studies of men whiche wee see also now a daies to reste in many and that in Christians who conteÌ„nyng the doctrine of saluation and neglecting the studie of the veritie of the Gospell whiche is set for the in a simple stile conuert themselues wholy vnto these swellyng and puffed Artes of Naturall Philosophie addietyng them selues vnto them and openly preferryng the ambicious name of a naturall Philosopher before ChristiaÌ„ godlinesse and Diuinitie Wherfore the Fathers to the intent to reuoke men from this so greate an errour haue vttered muche matter againste Naturall Philosophers and their Art and their opinions and that truely as haue S. Basill S. Chrisostome in their Exameron or woork of sixe daies Howbeeit thei doe not condemne the true knowledge of those thinges whiche certain amongst them were verie skilfull in and moste perfect S. Whiche is the other argument whiche you said was taken a consequenti of the consequente and alledged against naturall Philosophie M. That truely which S. Basile reciteth to be alledged by slouthfull and idle persones therby to colour their filthie ignorance S. What is that M. That the wounderfull miracle of the creation of the worlde is debased and made vile wherein notwithstanding the greate power maiestie and wisedome of God appeareth is laid before our eyes to bee woorshipped if wee bee able to sette it doune in any arte or Methode and if it maie bee saied that so greate a misterie maie bee comprehended For what other thyng were that saie thei than to feigne our selues not onely to bee able to comprehend the woorkes of God whiche doubtlesse are supernaturall and Diuine but also to make vs iudges as it were Censores thereof And finally to make God as it were a Grammarian subiect vnto certein lawes of Nature and Arte. S. What answere you vnto that M. Truly euen that which in the same place S. Basile the best learned amongst the Greek writers answereth S. What saieth hee M. That thereby this miracle of God which appeareth in the Creation of the worlde is more manifestly aduaunced and by vs more religiously adored by howe muche the more it is distinctly declared wherby is set forthe the greater commoditie and force thereof And to the end that you maie vnderstand this to bee true by another example Gods decree concernyng our saluation is it not commoly tearmed in the Scriptures Gods secrete and misterie And verely it is so wherein the Maiestie and Wisedome of GOD is proposed vnto vs no lesse than in the creatioÌ„ of the worlde and yet notwithstandyng Faithe or the Gospell setteth it forthe to our view so plainly so orderly and distinctly that nothyng can bee more Notwithstandyng the worshippyng of God is nothyng thereby diminished in that wee comprehende it by Art and by a Theologicall Methode but rather by so muche the more better and ardently wee praise GOD by how much the more commodiously and distinctly wee atteine to the vnderstandyng of these things And to bee short faith it self through which God will bee worshipped is not a certein ignorance or a confused imagination concernyng God but a cleare and resâ—â—â—te vnderstanding of the minde whiche directly answereth vnto suche questions as are demaunded touching God and his infinite mercie towardes mankinde Vnknowen things are vndesired as the old Prouerbe saieth Wherefore whenas the Historie of the creatioÌ„ of the worlde is set forth by art when the vertues whiche God hath giuen vnto thinges are declared Gods Miracle is not diminished but augmeÌ„ted Neither do wee set doune these things as though wee did professe that we would alledge any other causes of these naturall thynges besides the will and wisedome of GOD onely Or that through them wee can acknowledge or conteine so much in our minde as is the power of God in creating and his goodnes in preseruing them Or els as though wee went about to shewe that our great and good God the cheife gouernour of all thinges were subiect to any of our lawes or decres but onely profitably to busie our selues in setting forth of Gods woorkes so farre as wee may bee holpen by art and as it were through a glasse which looketh into thys schoole of the nature of thinges to keepe such as are lesse heedefull in the noble contemplation of them The thirde Chapter From whence the knowledge of the Generall naturall Phylosophie is to bee had most safely S. THese thinges I vnderstande proceede to the residue M. The next is that wee discusse from wheÌ„ce this knowledge is to bee drawn taken bycause in this point wee disagree from certein who suppose that it maye more safely and certeinly bee deriued out of the bookes of prophane Philosophers thaÌ„ the holy Scriptures in that they saye that it is not all set foorth in the Scripture and if haply there bee anye parte thereof conteined therein it is confusedly handled not by any art or order S. From whence then doe you iudge maye the knowledge of naturall Philosophie most conueniently bee taken M. Uerily of that part which beefore wee tearmed generall naturall Philosophie the knowledge is chiefly to bee learned out of holy Scripture And of that which wee called Particular out of the woorkes of Phisitions or of others which haue written the histories of Plantes and of lyuinge thinges S. How proue you that M. First I suppose this is agreed vpoÌ„ by all men of souÌ„d iudgement that euery workman can best and
Aristotle and the Heathen Naturall Philosophers doe so dispute of the nature of thinges that thei maie wholy sticke vnto these thinges themselues as it were vnto certein lowe and meane degrees and an vncertein force whiche is respected after their Creation and whiche thei terme Nature thei dooe not arise higher neither doe thei ascende by meanes of these as it were by a Ladder vnto GOD the Creatour of them Wherefore through greate blindenesse of minde thei doe place seconde and onely instrumentall causes in steede of true and first causes And as touchyng the principall causes whiche are God and his Commaundementes and preceptes thei altogither let them passe Wherefore thei make the cause of the thyng of that whiche thei call the thyng it self whereby it cummeth to passe that this moste excellent knowledge among them is full of vaine ostentation of the minde of strife and of contention as for the glorie of God it neither setteth it forth neither once toucheth it so that verie many of those Natural Philosophers dooe at the length beecome indeede verie naturalles that is too saie fleshely men and Athiestes not knowyng or regardyng God. S. But the Italian Philosophers whiche haue handled matters of naturall Philosophie were called also Diuines suche as were all the Pithagorians for the moste parte who made mention of God the creatour Anaxagoras beegan his disputation concernyng the nature of thynges from a mynde that disposeth all thynges That golden Booke de Mundo of the worlde whiche whether it bee Aristotles whiche I dooe not thinke or Nicholaus the Philosophers who liued beefore Plutarche or Alexander Aphrodisiensis of later tyme or whosoeuer others it was surely hee ioyned a treatice concerning God togither with his discourse of naturall thinges M. You safe very well For this was an aunciēt custome among the firste Philosophers whiche wrote also of Naturall Philosophie in the Greeke tongue as hauyng learned the same of the Aegyptians or rather of the Syrians as Laertius saieth that is to saie the Hebrewes or of their Scholars but the Philosophers whiche afterwarde ensued how muche thei despised and laughed at this kinde and maner of handelyng matters apperteinyng to Naturall Philosophie and how farre thei haue expelled it out of the Schooles of Naturall Philosophers you are not ignorant Aristotles crue at this present beareth the greatest swaie and thei that would haue themselues moste truely too bee termed by the name of naturall Philosophers neither doe thei themselues in their disputations of Naturall Philosophie intreate of GOD the Creatour neither thinke that hee ought too bee intreated of So that now the Naturall Philosophie of the Stoike Philosophers hath gotten the vpper hande in the Schooles and the Italians is reiected whiche Stoike Philosophers haue ascribed the chief and principall causes of engendryng of all thinges vnto Nature whiche is to bee founde in euery thing and too thinges created as vnto Heauen the Sunne and the Elementes S. What other difference is there beetween Christiā naturall Philosophers and Aristotelians M. In declaryng the causes themselues whose knoweledge and handlyng dooeth muche beelong vnto Naturall Philosophie S. By what meanes M. Firste the Christian Philosophers doe both alledge suche causes as are true and also far other than thei do For who will doubt but that thei alledge suche as bee true since thei receiue them and learne them out of the fountaine of Truthe that is to saie the woorde of God And that thei make farre other causes the disputations and discourses of them bothe doe sufficiently declare For wee professe teache and acknowledge that God himselfe is the first and efficient cause of al thinges moreouer wee haue a speciall respecte vnto his voyce and commaundement as a moste mightie cause whereby a certaine peculiare force is giuen vnto euery thinge which is the cheifest and moste principall cause of all other that wee can possibly thinke of or imagine in our minde Thirdely wee make for one cause that force and vertue whiche GOD hath alotted and ingraffed in all things howbeit the same to bee onely a seconde and an instrumental cause and not woorking of it selfe as Esay teacheth in the 44. chapter the 3. and 4. verse not principally but depending wholy vpon another to wit y power cōmaundemēt of GOD without which God woorketh the same effectes when him pleaseth which hee is wont to do by meanes thereof So when a Hen sitteth vppon egges out of which afterwarde chicken are hatched what is she other than Gods bare instrument forasmuch as shee frameth neither the harte nor heade nor feete of hir chick within the shell wherein it is conteined but onely keepeth it and warmeth it So when a woman is with childe doeth shee fashion hir babe with hir owne handes whiche afterwarde shee bringeth foorth into the world No surely but is onely as it were the receiuer nourisher and keeper of the seede which the man casteth foorth into hir For God and the power and sownd of these woordes Increase yee and multiplye and fill the earth which as yet are in perpetuall force doe frame the infant within the woman facion it and bringe it foorth The Philosophers doe not acknowledge this cause For they holde opinion that this force and vertue which was giuen vnto things after that they were created is the first cause of all things So that they place the effected cause in steed of the efficient and the instrumentall for the agent which is a verie foule errour in a Naturall Philosopher Againe in that they do not submit the capacitie of mans wit which in deede is very simple vnto the vnsearcheable wisdome of GOD but rather make God subiect to them and to their capacitie they deuise and dreame of the causes of all thinges and their originall accordinge to the imagination of their owne braine likeninge GOD hymselfe the incomprehensible woorkeman vnto some Smith or Carpenter also that the matter wherof hee made all things was before prepared and made readie vnto his hand from euerlasting and at the length that the forme ioyneth it selfe vnto this matter for according to their iudgement this matter is rude and without forme and so they conclude that this matter and forme is the first principle of naturall things which comparison of most vnlike thinges togither S. Augustine woorthily laugheth at and reiceteth which as it thinketh nothinge honourably of God so doeth it also repugne playnely against the trueth of the matter and the ereation of this worlde S. Whiche is the third difference beetweene the Heathē and Christian Naturall Philosophers M. That consisteth in the meane maner and order of teachinge or handlinge the Art. S. I praie you declare it M. The Christian and godly men such as were the Prophetes of God although they diuersly recite these visible thinges according to the argument of the matter which they handle proceeding somtime from the highest to the lowest at another time from the lowest to the highest as it appeareth in the Psal
one out of holy Scripture as the strongest of them al. To wit that by this meanes the goodnes and wisedome of God who giueth vnto euery thing and ingraffeth within them their proper and distincte vertues is not only obscured but vtterly extinguished and plucked out of mennes mindes whiles wee attribute these vertues the administration and gouernment of those thinges not vnto GOD hymselfe but vnto a certaine other nature and soule contrarie to that whiche wee are taught too beeleeue and confesse Psalme 147. and 15. and 16. verses To the Ephesians the 3. chapter verse 20. and Iob the viii chapter the 5. verse S. If then there bee not one certeine soule of this whole vniuersalitie as you teache truely the opinion of the Stoikes Platonikes and of certeine other Philosophers and likewise of the Priscillianist Heretikes is ouerthrowen who say that this worlde is a liuyng creature and indued with will and reason M. You gather wel For their opinion is altogether foolish and vnreasonable For since that is only a liuyng creature and so to bee called whose partes and members are not conteined only in one continuall compas of the bodie but also gouerned by one spirite verely this worlde is not a liuyng creature For the mēbers thereof are disioyned and separate As for the auctoritie of the Stoikes and other Philosophers which you named erewhile it should mooue vs verie little had not S. Augustine sometyme written that hee doubted whether this worlde were a liuyng creature or not whiche thyng as hee would not deny so durst hee not affirme whose doubt notwithstandyng we ought not to followe or allowe of The xv Chapter That this world was made in tyme and is not eternall S. BUt I aske you this question whether this world beegan sometime to bee or whether it were alwayes and bee eternall M. Many argumentes doe prooue that the world once beegan to bee among whiche all Philo in his booke De Mundo of the worlde hath gathered fiue speciall ones We wil declare ours and those whiche bee most Christian S. Whiche be they M. These foure First the voyce and auctoritie of the diuine Scripture whiche speaketh in this maner In the beeginnyng God made heauen and earth Genesis the 1. chapter and 1. verse The second reason is certeine For if the world were coeternall with GOD it selfe also were God for eternitie is not only proper to diuine nature but also the most it selfe substance therof and the principall part and definition Exodus the 2. chapt and 14. verse Reuelat. the 1. chap. and 8. verse The thirde that forasmuch as this world shall haue an ende and euery thing hath meanes whereby it doth consist it followeth necessarily that it had a beeginnyng of beeyng For although that bee truely sayde not whatsoeuer had a beeginnyng shall haue an ende forasmuche as there bee many thinges made which through the singulare benefite of God are not subiect to death and corruption as Angels and the soules of men whiche are immortall notwithstandyng it is moste certeinly affirmed that whatsoeuer shall haue an ende the same also had beeginnyng of beeing Which Rule is so generall that it admitteth no exception Finally the fourth is this that not onely the causes of the creation of the worlde are set downe and also the certeine tyme noted but also for the preseruation of the perpetuall memory therof there are certeine spaces of tyme prescribed as the order of weekes doe plainly teache and also the space of fiftie yeares which is called by the Hebrues the yere of Iubile whiche God hymself commaunded to bee obserue whereby wee might easely knowe and vnderstande how many ages are past since the first beeginning of the world S. Concerning that auctority whiche you alleage out of the Scripture and the 1. chapter of Genesis some doe otherwise interprete it They graunte that all these things indeede were made in the beeginnyng but not in tyme For the meaning and signification of a beeginnyng or of this woord principium is manifolde and in that place they saye it must not bee vnderstoode of the beeginning of tyme. M. The signification of a beeginnyng or of this woord principium is threefold For it respecteth either the time either the thing the causes or else the order The beginnynge of time in those things which are brought forth in a certein time is that moment of an houre either wherein they are conceiued or are brought foorth into the world Those thinges haue onely the beeginnyng of tyme which are doone in tyme That which is called the beginning of a thing and is taken for the cause in those thinges which are of one age and time is that relation and affection whereby one thyng is the cause of the beeing of another So if wee make a conference beetweene the day and the night wee saye that the Sun is the beeginning of the daye and light although both of them do appeere vnto vs at one moment Sutch a beeginning a diuerse or certeine time doth not establish Finally a beeginnyng in respect of order is called that which ministreth the beeginnyng of numbryng in sutch thinges as are disposed in one order as for example The father is the beginning among the three persons in trinitie which are one god y magistrate is one amōg many of like auctoritie with whō in telling we do begin like as we do with our cheif Magistrate or Judge in this our Citie of Geneua S. In this respect then they woulde haue God to bee the beginninge of this worlde as beeinge the cause and woorkeman therof as hee that is first numbred is called the beginninge M. Marke howe absurde this is Firste what shall bee the sence and meaning of this saying In the beeginnyng God made heauen and earth if so be they wil thus expound it God in the beeginnyng that is to saye God in God created heauen and earth Moreouer why saide hee did create which woorde doth not onely determine a beginning of beeing but also the force of woorking and a determinate beeginning of time is therein manifestly comprehended and included Beesides will wee nill wee by this reason we shal fall into that damnable heresie of the Hermogenians who make the woorke to bee eternall with the woorkeman and so wee muste needes make moe Gods than one Of which errour me thinketh I shoulde speake sumwhat more at large were it not that Tertullian longe science had vtterly ouerthrowne it in a whole woorke yea the Scripture it selfe doth manifestly expounde this sayinge of Moses of the beeginning of time Prouerbes the 8. Chap. and verses 25. 27. and 28. Hee vseth also the same woords and the same comparison whē hee speaketh of the beginninge of the worlde wherein there muste needes bee vnderstood a beginning and moment of tyme and of beeing Neither can that which S. Paule repeateth so often speakinge of the beginning of the world bee vnderstoode of the laying of the foundations thereof to the Ephesi the 1. Chapter and
is God and the verie same that is called the dweller in our hartes Iohn the 1. chap. the 3. verse and the 1. to the Corinth the 6. Chapter the 19. verse both which persōs since it is taught in the scriptures in sundrie places that they wrought with the Father in the creation of the worlde howe can it bee doubted but that our opinion is right and true S. Foorth then declare whether God created all these thyngs alone M. Yea alone S. How prooue you that M. Out of the 44. Chapter and 24. verse of Isay I am the Lorde that made althinges that spread out the heauens alone and stretched out the earth by my selfe And Iob the 41. Chapter the 2. and 3. verse and to bee short this is the generall doctrine of the scriptures The same is also confirmed by reason For hee is alone which calleth those things that are not and brought them foorth into the lyght and finally hee alone is the aucthor and Father of all thinges S. But with what and howe manie armies of gaynsaiers are you nowe compassed about M. I am not ignorant of that For I shall bee uexed almost with innumerable rables of Heretikes Heathen Philosophers but Gods woord shall sufficiently defende mee and his holy trueth shall stande for me against them all S. Tell mee then what were those heretikes opinions or rather errours in that point M. I will gather them togither out of Ireneus cheifly out of the 1. and 2. booke Some of the Heretikes will haue it that this worlde was first thought vpon and conceiued in minde by one God and procreated and made by another as certaine of the Valentinians and Carpocratians do affirme Othersome by a certain other nature and farre differinge vertue than which ought to bee called a God and which gouerneth althing by whom they suppose this worlde to haue beene made as Corinthus held opinion whom at sumtime they termed Hystera a belly or a wombe at another Demiurgus a pronouncer of lawes doe distinguish him from the same whome they will haue to bee the true God call Propator Some again thinke that the world was made by angels only and not by God as the Simonians and Menandrians so many are the wandrings awry whē a man hath once departed out of the right way S. What say the Philosophers M. They holde opinion that the worlde was made by their deuils whiche they call Angels and make them to differ from the greate God in whole kinde as doe the Platonikes As for Epicurus who sayeth that thys world came by chaunce I accoumpt hym not among the number of Philosophers and as for the opinions of the other I haue no leasure now to rehearse them S. What haue you nowe to alleage against so greate a power of your aduersaries M. The woord of GOD and the reason also whiche is confirmed by the same Philosophers The woord of God that forasmuch as it is the proper and peculiare attribute or title beelongyng to GOD onely to bee a creatour the same cannot agree with Angels or any other thing My glory will I not giue to another saieth the lord c. Isay chap. 42. verse 8. and chap. 45. verse 12. Moreouer we should make so many seuerall Gods as there bee Angels creatours For who so createth the same also giueth and susteineth life and his woorke dependeth altogether of hym and of hym it hath it only beeing Wherefore the Angels also shal bee life giuers and susteiners Goddes and Iehouah that is to saye giuers of existence Whiche thing how mutch it repugneth against Scripture it may bee vnderstoode out of the 45. chap. and 18. verse of Isay Whereupon also S. Augustine in his 3. booke and 8. chapter of the Trinitie woorthily and truely denieth with vs that neither the diuels nor Magicians are able to create one S. Can you alleage any reason or opinion to be liked of that is defended by any of the Philosophers M. Yea this one to wit The nature of beeginnings loueth singularitie And therfore Aristotle reciteth and commendeth the woorthie opinion of Homer It is not good that many rule Let one our ruler bee who vsing likewise the same argument in his 12. booke of Metaphysikes affirmeth that there is one chief most excellent God among the residue who is King souereigne aboue them al. The same opinion hath S. Augustine also embraced in his first booke of marriage the 9. chapter and vndoubtedly experience it self teacheth that it is a most true saying Thus can hee also make small thinges that made the greate and the same God that made high thinges bringeth foorthe and fourmeth the lowe things also for hee is almightie as Father Ireneus saieth in his 2. booke and 44. chap. so that it is not onely not necessarie that there should bee many creatours of this world appointed but it is also against the nature of beginninges and the omnipotencie of God that there should bee more than one The. xviii Chapter That the world and all thinges that are therein were made by God of nothyng and not onely decked foorth or set in order or brought foorth out of a certeine disordred heape or matter whiche was extant beefore S. BUt after what maner or in what sense doe you saye that God is the producent and efficient cause of this world M. In respect that hee hath not onely giuen power and beutie vnto thinges but first hath brought foorth and made them out of nothinge hauing no matter preexisting or going beefore which is properly called to create S. Is there anye notablenesse or excellencie in the signification of that woorde which may bee reputed peculiare and proper to the power of God M. Yea mary For by that meanes GOD is verie farre separated from all sortes of other woorkmen and also from all other kindes of causes as are parents and seruants or else the naturall powers S. How so M. For that no woorkman bee hee neuer so mightie and skilfull is able to make anye thyng vnlesse hee haue stuffe ministred vnto him for if he haue no stuffe hee is able to make nothing Take away yron from the Smith timber from the Carpendour yearne from the Weauer what other good can they doe but stand still gaping in their shoppes For euerie Arte and occupation requireth naturally to haue some stuffe prepared for it wheruppon afterwarde it woorketh and bringeth foorth sundrie fourmes Yea not the causes themselues and powers whiche are termed naturall and are proper to euery thing are able to bring foorth any thing without conuenient matter and stuffe alotted vnto them For if a man searche throughly the greatest and whole vertues of the natures of all thinges notwithstandyng hee shall finde that to bee true which is generally spokē by the natural Philosophers Nothyng is made of nothyng Who euer reaped Wheate or Barly without sowing who euer saw trees growe without planting settinge or springing from some berrie or kernell or
elemētare part of the world are the materiall causes of those thinges whiche are heare engendred Wherefore they be in the things doe constitute and make their substance which vse and functiō the woord element when it is properly taken doth signifie S. How farre doth eche of these regions extend which bee the farthest endes and boundes of them both M. I will nowe touche them in fewe woordes and at an other tyme perhapes declare them more at large Some determine the ethereall and heauenly region from the highest heauen vnto the circle of the Moone And the elementare from that place whiche is vnder this circle sphere vnto the lowest center of the earth Howbeit othersome suppose rather that the Moone belongeth to the elementare and earthly region of the woorlde concerning which varictie of mens opiniōs reade Plutarches booke of the face whiche appeareth in the globe of the Moone Howbeit I haue alwayes thought the first opinion to bee truest S. What thincke you then of that generall diuision of thinges whereby all thinges that are in this worlde are diuided not into two partes but into foure generall kindes to wit of thinges that are in heauen vppon the earth vnder the earth and in the sea as it is to bee seene in the Reuelat. the 5. chapter and 13. verse And Sainct Paule likewise hath plainly distinguished three kindes of things to wit of heauen of the earth and of vnder the earth To the Philip. the 2. chapter and 20. verse M. Those generall diuisiōs of things wherof you spake and whatsoeuer other there bee may easily bee reuoked vnto these two generall kindes of thinges which I proposed For that which is called the earthly and elementare Region comprehendeth all thinges that are vpon the earth and in the earth in the waters yea those things also that are called things vnder the earth whiche for the most part are none other in the Scripture than the things that are in the sea as it apeareth by the interpretatiō which God himself made in the 20. chap. of Exodus and 4. verse And the ethereall region conteineth all things that are called heauenly The xxix Chapter Of the East West North and South partes of the worlde S. DIscourse now of that kinde of partes whi che you termed distinguishing and not constituting partes of the worlde M. These bee foure in number called thus in the Hebrue tongue Quedem Iamin Tsaphon Negeb or Iamita and amonge vs thus East West North and South all whiche Sainet Augustine thinketh to bee comprehended and signified by this woorde Adam applying the Hebrue woorde to the Greeke S. But what was the cause and reason of fyrst deuising these names M. It is not needefull to seeke out the causes and reasōs of the Greeke and Latine woords For they are commonly knowne And as for the Hebrue woords this I thinke is the reason of them The East is called Quedem bicause it is the firste or foremost parte of the worlde The west Iamin which signifieth the sea bycause in the West part of the worlde lieth the great sea which is called Mare Mediteraneum the midlande sea The North Tsaphon for that that part of the worlde was hid and vnknowne to the Hebrues in respect of the regions of the earth and of the people with whō they had no trafycque nor dealinge bicause of the distance of place beetweene them So that the case stoode contrarie with them and vs nowe who dayly beholde the North stare and poale And as for the South it is alwaies hidden from vs The South is called by them Negeb bycause that quarter of the worlde is drie barrein and burnt with the perpetuall heate and skorching of the Sunne or it may bee called Iamin the firste sillable beeing long that thereby it may differ from the fyrst Iamin whiche hath the fyrste syllable shorte bycause that when wee looke into the East y South is on our right hand not on our left S. Where doth the scripture make mentiō of these foure quarters of the worlde M. Almost in infinite places of whiche wee will alledge these few Genesis the 13. chap. and 14. verse and the 28. chap. 14. verse Psal 107. and 3. verse Isay y 47. chap. and 5. and 6. verses Psal the 75. and 7. verse S. Why do you call these onely distinguishing partes M. Bicause wee obserue them onely for the vse and commoditie of men S. For what commoditie M. Specially for foure whereof two do appertain to the publike and common vse of all men and other twoo do concerne the priuate commodity of euery place and countrey S. Declare this more at large M. This distinction of the quarters of the worlde was necessarie for the vse of man for two causes The first to the ende that the nations and people of this world might be distinguished one frō another wherof we say some dwel East some west some north some south Moreouer to obserue the course of the Sūne whose benefit al nations do enioye who rising in the East goeth by the south vntill at length he cōmeth into the West And finally to declare the force originall of the windes all which cannot possibly bee vnderstood and obserued vnlesse these foure quarters of the worlde bee distinguished And as touching priuat vse also it was necessarie that they should bee distinct First to the entent that the limites and situation of euery kingdom people and countrie may be discribed And also that it might bee signified and set foorth where the boundes and endes are of the houses fendes and places of euery territorie and so thereby in the ende all strife and contention bee taken from among priuate men concerning the boundes of their landes S. I vnderstād what you say But what are these regiōs distinct by nature or rather are they fantasied by the opiniō of men so that euerie priuate people or man may wheresoeuer hee will make East West North and South For that region of heauen and earth which is called by the Hebrues Tsaphon that is to say hidden and by vs the North the same is oftentimes vnto vs wide playne and open to bee seen like as that region of Heauen whiche was vnknowen too the Jewes is vnto all the Northren people And contrariwise the Southren Region of Heauen and the Poale of the worlde whiche was seen of them is hidden from vs as is also the Starre called Canopus with suche other Moreouer that parte of the worlde whiche is on the right hand to vs is oftentimes on the lefte hand to others whereof came that whiche Virgill spake of the Articke Poale This top ouer our heades aloft remaineth still in fight The other black Styx seeth below and ghostes that dwell in night And that saying also of the Poet Lucane Arabians you now are come into a strangie land Much woundring not to see thee shadowes fall on your left hand with other suche like to that purport M. No
as it may easily bee gathered out of the 4. chapter of Ieremie and 24. and 25. verses Finally in respect hereof this whole world is made as it were a confused mist specially the inferiour and elementare part thereof Iob the 10. chap. and 21. and 22. verses also mortall and transitorie as it is writen in the Prouerbes the 31. chapter and 8. verse and 2. of Peter the 3. chapter and 10. verse so that it may one day perish and bee destroied S. Was not then this worlde mortall and transitorie beefore mans transgression M. I can say nothyng concerning that point bicause the Scripture herein teacheth mee not any thyng Howbeit this one thing I may affirme that this world of it self and in respect that it was a creature was subiect to alteration vnlesse GOD did susteine and preserue it But whether God would alwaies haue preserued and susteined it if man had not trangressed I will not say As for man for whose sake this worlde was created to bee as it were his dwelling house although hee should haue bin immortall as S. Augustine writeth after the booke of wisedome in his booke De Agone Christiano yet should they at length one after another haue binne translated into heauen into a better state But whether there should alwaies haue bin some men in the worlde and some should alwayes haue liued heere I doe not know The xlii Chapter From whence poysons and hurtfull thinges sprang in the world S. NOw if the worlde and all the partes thereof were created so good at the first from whence then sprang so many poysons so many hurtfull things and deadlye hearbes so many Serpentes with the sight of their eyes only pestiferous vntoo men M. By sinne and for the sinne of man these so many Plagues venimes poysons hurtful hearbes and noysom beastes sprang vp as the wordes of the Lorde doe declare in the booke of Moses Genesis the 3. chapter and 18. verse For God made nothing at the beginnyng that was vnto any thing poyson deadly hurtfull and discommodious Wherfore if thinges had continued in that nature wherein almightie God created them at the first there should now be neither poysons neither euill thinges For it is not possible that any thing sauyng that which is good should bee made or proceede from hym that is most good Yea there is nothyng at this day that is absolute and in all respectes poyson but that whiche is hurtfull as too man is profitable and holsome to another as to a Serpent S. I vnderstand you But why will God haue poysons noysom herbes and hurtfull beastes to remaine now in the earth since mans transgression M. There maye sundrie causes bee alleaged but specially two which S. August bringeth forth in his 3. booke and 17. chap. de Genesi ad Literam The first cause why these doe continue is for punishment and reuenge against man And therefore they doe all hurt Man for whose offence sake they bee made poison Moreouer they bee profitable to prooue tempt and exercise Man to the entent that hee maye acknowledge his owne infirmitie aske helpe of god But this thirde reason may bee also alledged that those hearbes whiche bee hurtfull vnto man as Hemlock woulfbane coloquintida such like are the euil iuce of the earth and as it were certeine excremētes which are needful too bee expelled to the ende that the iuce of the other frutes of the earth maye remaine good and sincere holsome and commodious vnto vs. S. If the thinges which God created first were so good for Moses sayde not onely that they were good but also that they were very good what difference then is there beetweene God himfelfe and his woorkes M. There is a threefolde and that most large wide difference between them To wit that God of himself is most excellent vnchangeable good But the creatures are not so of thēselues but of God not excellently but so far as their nature will suffer not so vnchangeably good but that they might fall away from it For that goodnesse coulde neuer haue decayed in them haue bene chaunged into vanitie if so bee thei had bene vnchaungeably good Howbeit to the ende wee shoulde not doubt y they were good Moses added this plainly God sawe that they were good The xliii Chapter Why the thinges that were created are playnly saide too bee good S. WHy did Moses adde these words expresty M. For two causes To the intent we should not lightly passe ouer these woordes of God as many doe as though they conteined in them no excellencie or notable qualitie whiche mighte mooue vs vnto admiration For in deed they haue so in them and the Lorde himselfe testifieth the same And therefore much lesse that wee ought to condemne dispraise and mocke at so excellent woorkes of God bicause of the confusion and disorder which nowe is in them through Mans transgression as did that blasphemous felowe Momus and the Mamchees and Marcianite heretikes For wee cannot so doe with out offeringe greate iniurie vnto God and in so doeing wee take the Lordes name in vaine Wherefore the Mamchees are to bee condemned and whosoeuer else doe contende that the creatures of themselues and as God first made them were euill For that is most false as it appeareth in the 1. to Timothie the 4. Chapter and 4. verse Moreouer this admonition and sayinge mooueth mee not to dispute this question whiche certaine curious felowes haue doone to wit whether God could haue created euery particulare thing or the whole worlde better or now coulde if neede were frame it in more absolute state than hee first created it For to seeke and searche this what is it other than to passe those bondes whiche the Spirite of God hath laide beefore vs and to folowe our owne wandringe mindes For God made all things that hee created very good To conclude this admonition is very profitable vnto vs in this respect that wee doe not rashely abuse the creatures of God which many tymes seeme vile vnto vs intemperately at our lust and pleasure which y holy Ghost himselfe pronounceth to bee so precious Wherefore wee ought to vse them soberly modestly and wisely S. But why was that saiyng And the Lorde sawe that it was good let passe in the woorke of some daies as of the seconde daie M. Bicause that daie conteineth onely the beginnyng of the whole woorke whiche was made afterward and not the consummation and finishyng thereof And therefore that blessyng is deferred vnto the ende of the woorke ¶ The. xliiii Chapter Whether in the first creation of all thinges God made two Contraries S. BUt forasmuch as now you are in handling the state of the world wherin it was first made tell mee I pray you whether that opinion bee true concerninge the thinges that were first created whether God made two contraries the one to striue against an other Thus they saye colde thinges and hotte highe and lowe white and blacke greate