distributing of euery part into it owne conuenient place Othersome there bee that doe attribute more vnto god For they holde opinion that the matter was a great mole from eternitie mary but matter onely and not that althinges were encluded and comprehended within it whiche the firste sorte doe also holde but that it was rude and vnshapen Which matter for that it was great GOD taking it in hande diuided it into smale peaces and as hee is a moste wise and cunninge woorkeman facioned it into sundrye fourmes And so endued euerye parte thereof with hys owne proper fourme which wee see them nowe rertaine Euen so out of one and the selfesame barre of yron cut into sundry pieces the Smith frameth forgeth a key an hammer a sawe fetters and many other thinges seruinge to sundrie purposes whereof they tearme God Demiurgus and not the creatour or maker Howbeit the scripture attributeth all this vnto god To wyt both that they bee thinges and also haue the same force power nature and fourme which wee see to bee in them And finally in that they are situate in such place and distinguished in sutch order as wee doe beeholde that they decke foorth this mole in such cumly sorte as in hugenesse beutie we do perceiue they do and in such maner as ther is no man able sufficiently to expresse Wherefore the Scripture saith that God doeth not onely Barah that is to say create And in the Greeke tongue Kâ—â—zin or Poem but also Gascha which is to say woorke And in Greeke also to doe some woorke or Demiurgin and also Iarsar that is to say to bring things into a cumly order which in the Greeke tongue is called â—â—smiâ— and that all things which are in this world which are seene do take their beeginning from God to bee thinges at all and to bee suche maner thinges as they are wee muste so determine moste certeinely with ourselues vnderstande so and confesse the same beeing thereto constrained by the force of truth S. Haue you any proofes to confirme this your opinion by M. Yea truely that especially out of these places of holy scripture Isay the 42. chapter and 5. verse the 43. chapter the 1. and 7. verses the 45. chapter the 12. 18. verses Likewise Iob the 26. chapter and 13. verse the 25. chapter 10. verse wher the onely and felfesame God is termed by so many and diuerse names The xix Chapter Of the ende for which God created and made this worlde S. WHat cause mooued God specially to make this worlde hee himselfe lacking nothing and dwelling in that euerlastinge felicitie vnto which there can bee no encrease of felicitie immortalitie added by meanes of al this gret woorke M. Euen his mere goodnes that is to saye his moste louing good will to communicate the same his felicitie vnto certeine thinges so farre foorth as the nature of those thinges whiche hee created was able to receiue the same Wherefore hee created Angels in heauen and men vpon the earth to the intent hee might make them after a sort companions and partakers of his felicitie beeing hymself most good moste louing moste perfect and also in himselfe and through himself most perfectly and wholy blessed S. How proue you this M. Both by auctoritie and reason And auctoritie is that whiche is cheifly taken out of the Scriptures as the the 36. Psalme the 5. verse Lord thy mercy stretcheth vnto the heauens Psalme 33. the 5. verse The earth is full of the mercy of the lord Psalme 34 the 9. verse See how good the Lord is and in the 103. Psalme the 17. verse The mercie of the Lord indureth from one age vnto another And in the 111. Psalme and 4. verse But specially in the 136. Psalme throughout and in the Psalme 145. and 9. verse The Lorde is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his woorkes And next out of the Fathers For S. Augustine in his 1. booke of Genesis vpon the letter the 8. chapter and also is his Enchiridion the 9. booke sayeth plainly that the only goodnes of God was the cause wherefore God made all these things The same is likewise affirmed by Ireneus in his third boooke the 45. and 46. chapters and also by Fulgentius in his booke de fide ad Petr. the 3. chapt And if you will also commend Heathen writers in this respect you haue Plato in Timeo a most graue auctour among them who beeing led by a naturall light and the testimonie of his owne conscience wrote in this maner whiche Cicero hath expressed is his booke de vniuersitate Let vs thaÌ„ seeke out the cause which mooued hym that made these thinges to beegin a new originall and frame of thinges Hee was good And hee that is good enuieth no man. And therefore some say thus God knew and would haue his felicitie to bee communicated to others For although that the diuine goodnes is and was in God most fully and most perfectly without al these thinges as it appeareth in the 60. Psalme and is also kepte vndefiled Notwithstandyng these things which are created are manifestatiue as they speake in the scholes do declare the excellencie of Gods goodnes that is to saye they shewe that the same goodnes is altogether agreeable vnto god This muche say they S. I haue heard the auctorities declare now the reasons M. Forasmuche as there proceedeth nothyng from vs men neither from the blessed and elect Angels wherby God may be more established in respect of his eternitie or more blessed in respect of his state and condicion as it is written in the 16. Psalme and 2. verse for it is not possible that any thing should bee added vnto hym who of himself is altogether perfect truely ther was no neede that draue him to make these thinges but only this one cause to wit his owne louing good will. Wherefore like as it is writen in the 3. chapter to Titus the 4. verse that the mere goodnes of GOD was the cause of mans saluation so was it also the cause of mans creation And if it were the cause of men doubtlesse it was also the cause of the creation of all other thinges The xx Chapter This world cannot bee called the Sunne of God. S. I Do wel vnderstand so much as you haue hetherto sayd of God who is the efficient cause of thys world not as a woorkeman onely or a discriber or painter or trimmer vp but rather as a creator and a bringer foorth of it out of nothyng Tell mee now this one thing more whether in respect of these causes this world may bee called the Sunne of God M. You renue an old question which S. Augustine plainly discusseth in his Enchiridion the 38. and 39. chapters Truely if we will speake properly and to vnderstandyng this world neither can nor ought bee called the Sun of god First bicause it is not made of the substance of god For they that are properly called
of his woorke whiche hee wroat against heresies But what absurdities and inconueniences doe followe that opinion marke For they muste needes confesse that those thinges these heauenly ideae and Patterns whereof by their Doctrine these earthly thinges are shadowes too bee bodies which is an absurd thing Neither can a bodily thing be an image of thinges that are meere spirituall Moreouer all this whole most beutifull woorke of GOD whiche is called the worlde shal bee a fantasie and a meere dreame and not that thing whiche we suppose it to be which is blasphemous Also to se handle and feele shal bee nothing else but to bee deceiued and to be mocked and after the maner of madde and drunken men too bee sicke and to dreame and this which wee call sumthing shal bee nothing The meates whiche wee eate shal bee imaginations the men with whom wee bee conuersant shadowes the earth whiche wee goe vpon a vanishing shadowe not a sound body and an element And finally Christe himselfe who was made like vnto vs was an imaginarie man only and not a very man in deede and therfore his passion imaginary also And by what meaues might the madnes of the Marâ—iâ—nites bee better called out of Hell againe Yea the case should stande otherwise than hath the olde Prouerbe to wit that the life of man is a stage play and the world the Theater S. What answere you to S. Paule M. That hee doeth not holde with the Valentinians Neyther doth S. Paule speake of the thinges themselues and their nature what manner it is but onely of the state and condition of them howe transitorie and vncertayne it is that wee shoulde make no accompte of it S. How doe you prooue your opinion to bee true M. Beesydes the great absurditie of these thinges which wee haue beefore declared experience it selfe confirmeth the trueth adde here vnto also whiche maketh plainly for the confirmatioÌ„ of mine opinion the saying of S. Peter in the 2. Epistle of S. Peter the 3. Chap. the 10. and 12. verse and Psalme 102. the 25. and 26. verse And to bee short all those places of holy Scripture in whiche the Lorde witnesseth that hee founded the earth created all thinges and not that hee hath cast beefore our eyes vaine representations and emptie shadowes of thinges to deceiue vs with all The xi Chapter Whether there bee one worlde onely or many S. THis I vnderstande discourse now of such thinges as next are wount to bee moued concerninge the worlde M. That is this whether there bee manye worldes or but one onely S. Haue there beene some of opinion that there bee many worldes M. Yea truely And in thys point they are of two opinions S. Declare them M. Some thinke that there bee many and those of sundrie kindes Others also that there are manye but all of them of one nature S. What meane those first which think that the worlds are of sundrie kindes M. They make two sortes of worldes whereof the one is intelligible Ideall or as a patterne which indeede subsisteth but it is resideÌ„t aboue this world the other is earthly and figuratiue which God hath created according to the representation and image of that spirituall and ideall worlde which subsisteth also and it is this worlde which wee mortall men doe inhabite S. Doe some saye thus M. Plainely they affirme it And those not onely prophane â–ª Philosophers as Plato Philo Iudeus and Plu tarch in his booke of the Moones face but also graue men and some among the Christian writers not to bee contemned S. Is their opinion true M. No veryly For the Scripture in no place maketh mention of this ideall worlde as they call it and they that are of that opinion they speake to childishly I will not say reprochfully of GOD as if hee were an ignorant and an vnskilfull younge woorkman that could doe nothing vnlesse hee hadan example or patterne laid before him and that hee could deuise on nothing nor thinke vpon any thing in his mind nor vnderstand any thing without a fourme layd before his eyes All which how well they agree with the omnipotencie of God and his incomprehensible wisedome let them see for I cannot see Finally where and in what place at the length this spirituall world is and how it subsisteth whether it bee in Gods minde as one substaunce in another â–ª Surely it can not so bee For GOD is a most simple nature whiche receiueth and conteineth none other thing then it self but if indeede it were so whether were it as an accident and a certaine fourmyng or a phantasie fiction of Gods mind Truely it cannot bee so neither For there salleth no such accident vpon God who in that hee seeth the thinges that are present hee gathereth not in his minde the fourmes and representations of thinges that are obiect vnto hym when hee thinketh and meditateth hee discourseth not from one thing to another when hee woorketh and maketh somewhat hee doeth not consider of it and examine it according too some patterne which hee hath conceiued in his mind â–ª to the ende hee would not erre S. Howbeit the Lord coÌ„maunded Moses that hee should doo all thing accordong to the example and patterne which was shewed hym in the Mount as in Exod. the 25. chap. and 40. verse and in the Epistle to the Hebrues the 8. chapter and 5. verse M. First if I list I may make exceptioÌ„ that in that place are handled heaueÌ„ly things only not things appertaining to natural Philosophy Then again there is difference betweene God the most wise creatour and Moses a creature a man subiect vnto the same blindnesse infirmitie that other men were Wherefore to theintent hee might well execute that which hee was commaunded to doe surely hee had neede of suche an example or patterne This patterne also which the Lord shewed hym in the Mount did not indeede subsist nor was a substanciall thing as I am of opinion but it was sutch a representation and image sutch as were the images of many thinges to come whiche were afterwarde by God reuealed to the Prophetes and beefore that vnto Abraham and the Patriarkes S. They that defend that there bee many worlds of one kinde what doe they say M. This for sooth that like as wee inhabite this world so others inhabite other worldes in whiche is also an other earth like vnto ours and other heauens and another Sunne and a Moone and all other things in them as in ours Wherefore some of them suppose that there are an infinite number of worldes some moe some fewer Among whom are rekoned the followers of the Philosophers Epicurus and Democritus S. Are there in deede many worldes M. Fie vpon this infinite or multitude of worlds Ther is one and no moe although S. Ierome out of a certeine Epistle of Clements disputeth of the same in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians the 2. chapter and 2. verse
bee framed also for that the principall and as it were the partes of the whole in respecte of this worlde as are heauen water earth are by our senses themselues perceiued to bee sphericall and rounde vnto whiche it is credible that the compasse of the whole worlde is semblable Howe bee it I can affirme nothinge certeinly therof since although wee admit that this part whiche is neerest vnto vs the lowermost of the circūference of the high heauen which wee beehold and which enuironeth althing be bending holow round notwithstandinge it maye bee imagined that the farthermoste and highermoste parte of the same circūference is of some other forme and I knowe ther bee some that haue saide that the vttermoste and farthermost part of heauen is shaped like a bell S. But in the Prophecic of Isay it is said that heauen is stretched foorthe and sprede abroade like a webbe or a curteine Isay the 40. chapter and 22. verse wherevnto also accordeth that which is written in the 104. Psalme and 2. verse wherfore it is like to a plaine whiche fourme is quite contrarie to a circle For a circle turneth about alwayes in his owne rowmeth M ▪ Uerily both the places which you haue alleaged declareth not the forme but the vttermost top or ende of world which therfore is said by God so to be stretched abroad and to couer the earth both that men may the more commodiously dwell vnder it as it were vnder a most beutifull and wide rough whereof it commeth that wee French men call all such couerings heauen and in our countrey language vn ciell and also to the intente that this is a veile beeinge sprede beefore mens eies they maye bee restrayned from the ouercurious and deepe entring into and searchinge after the secretes and misteries of God. S. But since the same holy Scripture hath plainly distinguished the higher place frō the lower in this worlde as in Isay the 55. chapter the 9. and 10. verses it cannot then seeme to bee sphericall or round For in a circle no part can bee called high or lowe forasmuch as all lines which are drawne from the center to the circumference are equall and the circumference it selfe which way soeuer it stande is alwaye vpwarde and in the higher place M. Of this wee will speake afterwarde and that more at large But nowe to set downe so much as shall bee sufficient to take all doubt out of your minde vnderstande thus much That by the rules of the mathematicians there bee indeede and are noted these positions of the higher and lower place and that they are indeede distinguished one from an other For the middle of the circle which they call the center is the lower place and downewarde and the circumference which is the vpper line which beeinge hollowe and meetyng togither conteineth the whole rounde space within the circle is the higher place and vpwarde so that in that these positions and kindes of places and differences are found in the world you may conclude that which you would to wit that the whole receite of this worlde is not sphericall and rounde The xiiii Chapter Whether the worlde haue one onely soule S. NOW forasmuch as this world is but one onely and since it is finite is it gouerned by some one speciallsoule onely whiche is dispersed throughout euerie parte thereof as it were in the members as wee see the soule to bee in a mans bodie M. That this whole world hath a soule and that one onely certain Philosophers of noble fame haue long since bene of opinion ▪ as Aristotle certayne other whose opinion hath hee folowed who wrote in this maner Firste heauen and earth and of the seas that flitring feeldes and fines These glorious starres this glistringe globe of Moone so bright that shines One liuely soule there is that feedes them all with breath of loue One minde throughe all these members mixt this mightie masse doth moue But this is not so much a solemne sentēce or saying as it is a great errour as S. Augustine teacheth in his booke against Felicia Aria ▪ the 12. Chapter S. Why so M. Bicause those bodies which are conteined within the gouenrment of one spirite and one soule are all one not diuided as is the bodie of euery one of vs not separate one from an other as a flocke and not one touching or neere ioyning to an other as are the fingers of a mans hande houses that stande one close to an other As for the parts of this bodie which wee call the worlde they are not onely distinguished one frō an other but separated also diuided frō thēselues by distāce of space For euery sheepe euery horse euery tree euery particulare mā is a part of this world yet are they so deuided by place mole of body and by circumscription of distance that it cannot bee saide that all and euerye one of these haue one soule onely For what would come to passe if it were imagined that in deed there were one onely soule and spirite in all these thinges For sooth this absurditie That the soule which is a certein simple nature and altogither spirituall were to be diuided as bodily things are and not by imagination onely Neither can this inconueniēce bee auoyded seeinge that those thinges in which that onely and singulare soule is conteined are in truth separate and diuided by place and determined euerye one of them by circumscription of their owne bodye Moreouer it shoulde folowe that all the partes of the world had life as the Sunne the moone the starres the heauē it selfe yea all the celestial bodies which notwithstanding S. Augustine moste plainely denieth in hys booke against Priscillia the 8. 9. Chapters that thys opinion of S. Augustine against the Mamches is true the effect prooueth For who woulde euer affirme that the starres had lyfe or reason Finally since of the partes of the worlde some bee mortall as brute beastes and certeine immortall as men howe can it bee that this singulare and one onely soule of the whole world can admit in it selfe qualities and conditions so contrarie and repugnaunt one to an other that it shoulde bee one parte of it mortall and another immortall specially beeing it selfe singulare one and simple not double and compounded Moreouer amonge such thinges as die someperyshe verie soone as wormes and flies some continue verie long as Ceder trees the Crowe and the Heart by this reckonyng it cummeth to passe that this soule of the world which notwithstanding in these mens opinion is onely one and in number singulare and a lone may bee called partly dead and partly a liue All which how foolish false and repugnant they bee you see S. I see indeede and I agree with you in that you doe moste truely deny that there is one onely soule and that in number singulare of this whole world M. Yea farther beesides the reasons aboue recited wee will lastly alleage this
earth For like as it is said in the 1. chap. and 11. verse of Genesis Let the earth bring foorth euery greene hearbe that beareth seede and let the water bring foorth fish the 1. chap. of Genesis and 20. verse so is it not likewise written and comaunded by God let heauen bring foorth the Sunne and the Moone but onely thus Let there bee lightes in the face of the open heauen Genesis the 1. chapter and 14. verse Whereby it sufficiently appeareth that the firste Heauen was not in suche manner the matter of heauenly things as it were a certein plentiful and frutefull Father of them neither that the matter of heauenly thinges was so ordeined as the earth was appointed by GOD too bee the matter and mother of earthly thinges S. Why would the Lorde haue thinges so diuersly to bee made out of those matters and that heauenly thinges should not bee made out of heauen as well as the earthly are out of the earth M. Not onely for this cause that like as they were made by hym of diuerse matter and differing in kinde although they bee all partakers of bodie so likewise it beehooued them to declare their vse and execute their duetie in diuerse maner too the ende their difference might bee vnderstoode and perceiued but also that God might reueale vntoo vs the better his mightie power and also his manifolde wisedome in so greate varietie of bringing foorth thinges So likewise in the framing of man onely God hath vsed one meane in creating his bodie and another his soule and by those meanes continually createth and maketh them notwithstanding that hee is able to make them both by one meane The. xxvii Chapter What is the fourme of the worlde S. HEthertoo concernyng the matter of the worlde saie sumwhat now if you can touchyng the fourme thereof M. I will doe so S. What therefore is the fourme of this so greate a woorke M. There cannot bee one onely and that substantiall thereof assigned For as I haue shewed beefore it is not possible that there should bee one onely and particulare soule of all the worlde whiche beeyng dispersed throughout euerie parte of the bodie thereof should wag stirre and mooue this so hugie frame and mole whatsheuer the Aristotelians and Platonikes doe suppose Likewise S. Augustine in his 7. booke de Genesiad Literam and 12. chapter doeth iustly deney that GOD is the soule of this worlde as of some liuing creature forasmuche as hee dwelleth aboue the bodie of the worlde and aboue euery Spirite and stretcheth beeyonde the endes of the whole worlde But God hath giuen vnto euery kinde his proper nature and forme ▪ whiche are disputed of in speciall treatises which are written of euery kinde of thyng As for roundenesse whiche some attribute to the worlde as the naturall fourme thereof it ought not too bee counted or called the inward or essentiall forme of the worlde but onely the outward and accidentall S. But dooeth not the Scripture attribute vnto the world partes and differences of situation as it were to a liuyng creature and countries and regions also distinct one from another M. It doeth so indeede but notwithstanding it prooueth not that there is but one and theself same fourme spirite and soule beelongyng to this worlde and that it is a liuyng creature S. Why so M. For forasmuche as there bee three kindes of bodies and ioynynges in composition one simple and continuall as a man the seconde ioyned and touchyng one another as an whole house the third disioyned as a flocke it is truely saied that euery kinde of bodie as it were a certeine whole thyng hath euermore some partes into whiche it is deuided and also sundrie differences of place and situation whiche may bee noted in it howbeeit euery kinde of bodie is not gouerned by one soule onely or one Spirite or one fourme but that onely whiche wee termed beefore simple and continuall as euery one of vs for example The xxviii Of the partes of the world and first of the Ethereall and Elementare region S. WHiche then bee the principall partes of the world whereof the scripture maketh mention M. They are of sundrie kindes For some bee integral which are the partes constituting the whole world whiche wee terme substanciall othersome distinguishing it onely and limited by reason of certeine vses and commodities S. Whiche are the integrall and constituting partes of the world M. There are briefly twayne for the most part proposed by the Scripture to wit the heauen and earth as it appeareth to the Colossians the 1. chapter and 16. verse and Genesis the 1. chap. and 2. verse and Isay the 1. chap. and 1. verse and in other places almost infinite although in Genesis the 49. cha and 25. verse heauen and the deapthes bee also reckned S. What did the Scripture then conteine vnder the name of heauen M. All that region of this world whiche is called by the Philosophers Ethereall and conteineth the celestiall and vnengendred bodies which continue and are not chaunged since the first day of their creation as sayth S. Peter 2. of Peter the 3. chapter and 4. verse S. And what vnder the name of the earth M. Not onelye this bodye and element whiche wee properly call the earth but also that whole region of this world whiche by the Philosophers is termed Elementare which conteineth in it such bodies as are engendred and are continually subiect to alteration S. Doe these twoo regions differ M. Yea very much both in name and effect In name for that the first is called heauen and this latter parte of the worlde is tearmed by the name of the elementes yea and that by the scripture For S. Peter in the 2. Epistle the 3. Chapter the 10. and 14. verses distinguisheth these words Heauen and y Elementes In effect for that this endureth and continueth in the old state the other is dayly chaunged and at one time is engendred and at an other tyme perisheth The first God hath reserued to himselfe the other hee hath giuen to the vse of man Psalme 115. and 16. verse The first as wee are taught shall perishe at the latter day but with sinale noyse and a lyght flashe of flame for that it consisteth of a fine and subtill nature but the other shall burne with great heat and bee dissolued with mightie rage of fyre eeuen in such sorte as looke how it hapeneth in our earthly material fire whē it flameth the stickes crack smoke sende foorth a vapour which proceedeth from the moyst partes therof so it is saide that the elementes shall glowe with heat and melt for that they are of an hard thick and clammie nature and not pure and cleane This difference also may bee obserued betwene the two partes of the worlde that the thinges which are in the first are the efficient principall causes of those thinges that are engendred in the other But the thinges that are in the second
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
concerning this matter in the 1. booke of Genesis ad literam and 9. chapter S. But these things are referred to the Sunne when it is sayd that the Lord created all thing by his woord so that Christe is ment by the woorde for by him all thinges were made Coloss the 1. chapter and 16. verse M. I will not much contende herein so that they will graunt mee that as the Sunne is called the woorde so likewise that woorde was a signe and token of his presence power and person and also of his woorking Whiche doeth likewise distinguishe the Father from the Sunne S. Why did God speake commaund them to be made M. Hee commaunded to the intent that the thinges that were afterward made might be knowne not to haue bin made by the Water or Earth out of whiche they came or the heauens or to bee short by the vertue or power of any creature ▪ but by the commaundement of the Lord onely and the power of his woord Wherfore let vs giue prayse vnto hym for all thinges that are created And he spake not that hee could not haue fourmed all thinges by the vertue and decree of his alonely will who hadde already made Heauen and Earth without speaking of any word but when as it pleased God to reueale manifest himself outwardly by his works hee vsed those meanes wherby hee willeth and commaundeth himselfe to bee most certeinly knowne to wit his woorde voice The summe and scope of this word is Christ y euerlasting Sūne of y euerlastīg father who was afterward manifested in y flesh therfore hereof they do rightly gather y Christ the Sunne of God did woorke in the creation of the world For ther is a threefold meane booke wherby God reuealeth himself vnto vs to wit the booke of creatures y boke of scripture the boke of life That which is called y booke of scripture is far more sure true and plentifull thā the other two therfore God doth especially propose and commende the same vnto vs And finally to confirme myne opinion I alledge that whiche Ireneus sayeth That God created all thyng with his word that is to saye with his voice in his seconde booke and 5. chapter and that also whiche is written by Tertullian in his 4. booke againste the Marciomtes in these woordes Is it altogether incredible how the power of the creatour should procure the remedie of one transgression with his woord who by his word hath brought foorth so great a mole of the world In whiche saiyng doubtlesse the woord is taken for the voice and in the 1. chapter and 3. verse of the Epistle too the Hebrues the Scripture vseth the woord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The. xxxv Chapter Of the light which was vsed at the creation of the world S. WHat say you is secondly to be obserued and considered of in declaring the creation M. The light For God made that as a necessarie thyng for the creatyng of his other woorkes S. Whyso M. Both that by appliyng as it were a Candle or other light that confused mole might bee seen and diuided into meete partes and members and also bicause it was necessarie that some firie qualitie should bee applied vnto that moyste matter too warme it and to make it frutefull For all thinges that are in this inferiour world are engendred by a firie heate as it were by a warme and woorking father And therefore that first light was created to bee the continuall and common Nurse and moother and fountaine of the externall and accidentall liuely heate whiche God prepared as an instrument to bring foorth all other things withall Not that God was not able to see all things that were in the greate mole who at this present beholdeth the most secret thinges and obscurest darkenesse and from whom there is nothing hid not also that he needed that kind of meane who of himself is Almightie but to the intent we might vnderstand how great wisedome it was that created these visible things and what second causes of them hee appointed first which now wee doe behold to woorke in them And finally how in the making of these visible thinges hee vsed moste conueniently other thinges of the same kinde which at this day are the naturall and instrumentall and chief and principall causes of the engendryng of all thinges For there are three thinges of them too wit moist earth and that shining bright and liuely heate which is appliable and conuenient for all thinges in that all thinges haue that naturall heate in them This is therefore the second thing whiche I suppose needfull to bee considered in the meanes and maner of creating the world ¶ The. xxxvi Chapter That God made this worlde without any payne or wearisomenesse vnto him S. WHat do you thirdly consider M. This forsooth that GOD framed this so greate and huge a Mole of the worlde without anye payne or wearysomnesse at all that the Epicures neede not to feare leaste wee ascribe any greife and paine vnto God in that men are not able to finishe the least woorke that they haue to doe without some trauayle and wearinesse of bodye And therefore it plainely appeareth hereby howe greate the omnipotencie of God is aboue the strēgth of man This which I say is cōfirmed by Isay in the 40. chapt and 28. verse and likewise by S. Augustine in hys 4. booke de Genesi ad Literam and 8. chapter In somuch that it is sayde that all thinges that were created were suddeinly brought foorthe and appeared as it were in the twinckling of an eye Psalme 33. 9. chap. and Esdras the 4. booke the 6. chapter and 48. verse for nothing coulde withstande the pleasure and cōmaundement of God. The xxxvii Chapter The worlde was created by partes and not all at once S. WHat thinke you fourthly to bee obserued M. That this whole worlde was made by partes and in six dayes as Moses teacheth in the 1. chapter of Genesis as it appeareth also in the 4. booke of Esdras the 44. Chapter and the nexte folowinge and not made altogither at one instante And to the entente it may bee the better borne in memorie what was made vppon euery daye I my selfe made these verses folowing The first day made both heauen and earth pleasant glittring light The seconde streached out the space beetweene the waters quite ▪ The thirde diuided Sea from Lande and clad the earth with greene The fourth created Sunne Moone starres that bright do sheene The fifth brought foorth all feathered soules and fishes of the lake The sixt made Cattell in the fieldes then man the Lorde did make And after worke the seauenth to rest himselfe hee did betake S. But why did not god create al things togither in one day seeing hee is almightie M. Bicause hee is almightie hee needed not time for the establishing of this worlde as Sainct Ambrose saith in his 39. Epistle neither came it to passe