Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	day_n	lord_n	sunday_n	1,779	5	11.0374	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19803	The wonderfull 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 Danæus: and now Englished, by T.T.; Physica Christiana. English	Daneau, Lambert, ca. 1530-1595?; Twyne, Thomas, 1543-1613.	1578 (1578)	STC 6231; ESTC S105155	101,325	186

learne the truthe more better of the Fathers and reteined the same more freshly in memorie For that Plato in Timeo was of that opinion and all the Stoikes also their owne writynges do beare witnesse yea moreouer this hath bin agreed vpon by a generall consent of the moste auncient writers that the worlde had a beginnyng whereof Linus the eldest Poete of all who liued before Orpheus writyng of the creation of the worlde beeginneth thus A tyme there was when all thynges framed were togither once as Diogenes Laertius reporteth S. There bee twoo speciall poinctes repugnant to your opinion whereof the one is alledged by the Aristotelians and the other by the Epicurians M. What bee thei S. The first is this Seeyng the worlde is rounde and of a Sphericall fourme there can neither beginnyng nor endyng bee noted therein whereby it commeth to passe that when it mooueth it mooueth circularly or rounde whiche motion also hath neither beeginnyng nor endyng but is a continuall and perpetuall motiō and is therefore eternall Now if the worldes motiō bee eternall the worlde also must needes bee eternall Thus the Peripatetikes by the figure and motion of the world doe conclude y the world it self is also eternall M. Truely this is a verie slender argumente For firste who will graunt vnto them that all the partes of the world doe mooue by that circulare and sphericall motion seeyng that as thei them selues doe write neither the fire neither the aier neither the water neither the earth dooe mooue by this motion but by a right line and a pendent to wit the fire and aire vpwarde the water and earth dounewarde Moreouer if wee deale thus liberally with them to graunte that the worlde is of a sphericall fourme and figure who is able to prooue notwithstandyng that there can bee no beeginning of motion assigned and obscrued therein Seeyng it is not mooued of it self but by an other too wit the greate God or as thei terme it by a certeine firste intelligence or Angell And whereas it is saied of a wheele of a sphere or of a circle that the beginnyng of the motion there of cannot bee assigned in this poincte of the circumference more than in another it is true onely in respecte of the thing the figure and not if you respect the hande that turneth it or the forcyng of the cause that mooueth it in respect whereof the poinct is called the beeginnyng of moouyng in the sphere or circle where hee beginneth to mooue it first that turneth the circle sphere or wheele about Wherfore although the worlde can haue no beginnyng of moouyng neither of it self neither of it owne figure notwithstandyng it hath of God who once beegan it and turned it from a certeine poincte of the circumference and a certeine place to wit from the East continually to mooue into the Weste whether it turneth now daiely beeyng by hym mooued and not of it self And although it bee vnknowne to vs nowe whiche parte of the circumference of heauen God first moued for you see how many and diuerse thynges men dooe affirme concernyng the greate yeere of the worlde whiche is that state of the worlde wherein Heauen and all thinges returne to their place where thei wer first created yet it is certein that heauen began sometyme to mooue from some one prefixed poincte and part of the circumference S. The other repugnancie is this Thei saie it is to absurde to saie that God did not create this world from eternitie and tyme euerlastyng For after so many infinite spaces of yeres paste what should moue hym at length that hee would Create the worlde Thei demaunde therefore why GOD remained so long sluggishe and idle why hee slept so long what he did then why hee ceased from dooyng somethyng so long why hee made not this noble and goodlie woorke sooner These and suche like floutes thei cast foorthe against the maiestie of God. M. You doe alleage the argument of Velleius the Epicure vnto whiche I will answere that which as S. Augustine writeth was spoken by a certein mery old man a Christian Who beeyng likewise demaunded by suche kinde of men what God did beefore hee created the worlde answered He made Hell wherein hee might tormente perpetually suche curious fellowes as doe demaunde suche questions For what wickednesse is this to go about to enter into suche secretes what impudencie to creepe so farre what blasphemie to looke that God should rendre an accoumpt to vs of his doinges and forepassed life who must bee our iudge what needed hee too haue created these thinges sooner whiche hee neither hath neede of too his existence neither thereby to liue in greater felicitie For God hath in himself and that from all eternitie a most perfect most happie and most full state of nature whiche is vnto himselfe sufficient for all thinges and he hath neede of none other thing neither of Angell nor man Psalme 16. and 2. ver Neither was GOD then idle that the Epicures maye not mock neither did hee sleepe in slouthfulnes beefore he made this world But euen then as also now he was inwardly occupied in his woorkes that is to say hee was wonderfully delighted in the contemplation of hymself hee enioyed then himself and his perfect and vnspeakeable glorie hee was busied in the most large and incomprehensible light of his substance and essence as may easily bee vnderstoode out of the Prouerbes the 8. chapter and 30. verse and Iohn the 17. chapt and 4. verse and likewise out of Irenaeus the 4. booke and 28. chapter S. This I vnderstande declare nowe what time thys worlde was created M. Doe you demaund this either of the day or of y Moneth or of the Yeere S. Mary of euery one of them seuerally M. Concerning the day mee thinkes this much may bee sayd that the beginning and first daye of the creation of the worlde was that day which wee Christians doe nowe call Sundaye and which the Jewes called the first daye of the Sabbathes and not that which wee commonly call Munday S. Howe so M. Bicause it is euidente that the Lorde wrought sixe whole dayes togither before the Sabbath seuenth daye And amonge the Hebrues in olde time that was the Sabbath and seuenth daye which wee nowe call Satterdaye whiche is the next daye beefore Sundaye and next after Fridaye For Christians to the entente that they woulde not retaine the auncient ceremoneis of the Jewes but deuoutly to honour the resurrection of our Lorde Jesus Christ wherby ther began a new state of the Church in stead of the Sabbath they chose the next daye following to rest on as it appeareth in the 20. Chapter of the Actes the 1. to the Corinthians the 16. chapter and the first Chapter of the Reuclation and also it is extant in the Ecclesiasticall historie which day they called the Lords day or Sundaye But if you woulde number sixe dayes beefore the Sabbath daye you muste begin vpon Sundaye not

principles and causes of their beeyng and compoundyng And likewise that is the Generall part of naturall Philosophie which sheweth vs the generall maner and order of preseruyng and increasyng of all thynges beecause it deliuereth vnto vs all thynges in generall And these poinctes for the more part are comprehended in the first chapiter of Genesis S. Whiche is then the Particulare part M. That whiche diligently setteth doune the peculiare natures operations properties and effectes of euery kinde which are seuerally distinguished in these created and visible thynges as for example What is the Nature of a Man what of an Horse what of euery kinde of liuyng Creature with the operations also of Trees and Hearbes These thynges are partly conteined in the rules of Phisick and partly also in those treatises whiche by the Auctours thereof are intitled by the names of Histories of liuyng thynges and of Plantes and suche like certaine partes whereof and sparkes are founde shinyng heere and there dispersed in holie Scripture as it were beautifull precious stones Howbeit the whole historie general discourse of these thinges is not conteined in the Scripture since that Salomons Bookes whiche were written copiously of the Nature of all thynges are through the negligence of men perished ¶ The seconde Chapiter Whether Naturall Philosophie bee meete for a Christian S. IS there any profite in Naturall Philosophie M. Yea manifolde But that I may not run ouer them all for thei are almoste infinite I wil alledge fiue onely The first is that thereby wee knowe God not onely to bee the Creator of all thinges but also to bee euerlasting omnipotent and mercifull c. The seconde that by it wee learne the thynges that are created with their operations and natures The third for that therein wee see ourselues and perceiue what wee are of what thynges and partes wee consist and eche part of ours that is to saie what maner of thing our Soule is and what likewise is the state and condition of our bodie which all men do confesse to bee the best profitabliest moste excellēt knowledge of all other The iiii that wonderyng at in our myndes and beholdyng with our eyes these woorkes of God so greate so many so wonderfull beyng thervnto holpē by none other meanes than by this Arte wee are with greate zeale and affection stirred vp to set foorth the won̄derfull praises of God and to giue him thankes Whiche thing happened also vnto Galene yea although he were a prophane Philosopher that after hee had described the Nature of one of Gods woorkes that is to saie of Man and the partes of his bodie hee was enforced yea almoste against his will to syng an Himne to god Heerehence it commeth that suche multitude of hymnes so many Epodes and songes of praise so many Psalmes are written and celebrated The v. that wee vnderstandyng these thinges maie easily and plainly expounde and freely enter into many places of holie Scripture whiche vnto suche as bee ignorante of these matters are not onely obscure but also cannot possibly bee attained vnto or by any meanes vnderstoode Wherefore S. Augustine writeth that Naturall Philosophie is verie profitable and necessarie for a christen diuine What shall I speake of the singulare pleasure whiche this knowledge bringeth vnto the minde of the great cōmodities whiche it ministreth vnto the life of man S. How doe you prooue these thinges to bee true M. Specially out of these places of holie scripture The whole 104 Psalme The 136. and 145. Psalme 10. verse The 147. and 148. Psalmes Iob the 12. chapiter and verse 8. 9. 10. and the 36. Chapiter and 24. 25. 26. verses The 14. Chapiter of the Actes and 17. verse The first Chapiter to the Romanes and 20. verse Unto these moreouer maie bee added the 7. Chapiter of the booke of Wisedome and 9. verse with the nexte followyng and likewise the 13. Chapiter and 1. verse and the nexte followyng Likewise the holie Fathers S. Basill S. Chrisostome S. Ambrose in their Exameron or woorke of sixe daies doc teache the same thyng And moreouer the holie and absolutely learned father S. Augustine in his booke of christian doctrine and in the viii booke of Gene. vpon the letter the viii chapiter S. But there be certain obiections made declaryng that the knowledge of Naturall Philosophie is not onely vnprofitable but also vnwoorthie for a christian yea that it is hurtfull and dangerous for hym M. Yea truely And although many men haue gathered sundrie yet all of thē maie bee referred specially vnto twoo kindes of argumentes whiche are alledged againste the knowledge of these thynges whereof the firste is framed ab auctoritate from auctoritie The second a ratione turpi from reason and vnseemelinesse or from a moste hurtfull consequent S. Declare them M. First thei gather sundrie sentences partly out of the Scriptures and partly out of the Ecclesiasticall Fathers out of whiche afterwarde thei frame their reasons and make their conclusions S. Whiche bee thei M. Out of holie scripture this is specially alledged which is written in the Booke of Ecclesiastes or of the Preacher the 1. Chapiter and 15. verse in these woordes I set my harte to seeke and to finde out with wisedome whatsoeuer thyng is doone vnder heauen This euill exercise hath GOD giuen to the Sonnes of men to occupie them selues therein Unto whiche thei ioyne that saiyng of S. Paule the 1. to the Corinthians the 1. Chapiter and 20. verse God hath made foolishe the wisedome of this worlde with other suche places like vnto these whiche maie easely bee answered S. How I praie you M. Forsoothe that that in the Booke of the Preacher is not spoken absolutely but onely in comparison of the true woorshippyng of god Neither doeth Salomon cōdemne or disprooue the true knowledge of the nature of thinges whiche GOD gaue vnto hym as a greate benefite of all other moste surpassyng for then should hee haue bin of all men the moste vnthankfullest man to God and in respecte whereof hee was then greatly esteemed of by the Queene of Saba and other Princes neere vnto hym Howbeeit this knowledge of Naturall Philosophie if it bee compared with true Godlinesse if with faithe if with the true feare of GOD if with inwarde regeneration of the mynde if with the knowledge of euerlastyng life and saluation surely in comparison of these thynges it is but a light busiyng of the minde vnfruitfull rather weariyng vs then relieuyng or comfortyng our consciences For it bryngeth not the true felicitie as faithe to Godwardes doeth although a manne consume his whole life in it and as it were tyre his minde aboute it And as touchyng the place of S. Paule I see not how it oppugneth the knowledge of Naturall Philosophie seeyng S. Paule condemneth the wisedome of the worlde not the wisedome concernyng the worlde and thynges created But that is called the wisedome of the world whiche is wholy ruled by the counsell and iudgement of the

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 ●●●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 cōmended 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 comparisō as it appeereth out of the same place of S. Augustine whom you erewhile cōmended 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 contēnyng 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 Christiā 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 creatiō 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 res●●●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 creatiō 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 augmēted 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 whēce 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 thā 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 vpō by all men of soūd iudgement that euery workman can best and