Pilgrimage, Book 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Creation of the World.
THey which would without danger behold the Eclipse of the Sunne, vse not to fixe their eyes directly vponupon that bright eie of the World, (although by this case darkned) but in water behold the same with more ease and lesse perill. How much fitter is it likewise for our tender eyes in beholding the light of that Light, aIam.I.17.the Father of lights b1.Io.1.5. Qui scrutatur Maiestatem opprimetur à gloria.in whom is no darknesse, to diuert our eyes from that brightnesse of glory, and behold him (as wee can) in his workes? The first of which in execution was the creation of the World, plainly described by MOSES in the booke of Genesis, both for the Author, matter, maner, and other circumstances; Reason it selfe thus farre subscribing, as appeareth in her schollers, (the most of the Heathens and Philosophers in all ages) That this World was made by a greater than the World. In prouing this, or illustrating the other, a large field of discourse might be ministred: neither do I know any thing wherein a man may more improue the reuenues of his learning, or make greater shew with a little, Ne si forte suas repetitum venerit olim, Grex auium plumas, &c.decking and pruning himselfe, like AeSOPS Iay, or HORACE his chough, with borrowed feathers, than in this matter of the Creation, written of (after their maner) by so many, Iewes, Ethnikes, Heretikes, and Orthodoxe Christians. For my part it shall be sufficient to write a little, setting downe so much of the substance of this subiect, as may make more plaine way, and easier introduction, into our ensuing Historie: leauing such as are more studious of this knowledge to those which hauehave purposely handled this argument, with commentaries vponupon MOSES text: of which, besides many modern writers (some of which hauehave almost oppressed the Presse with their huge volumes) there are diuers of the Primitiue, middle, and decayed times of the Church.
cGen.1.3.In the beginning (saith MOSES) God created the Heauen and the Earth. Wherein (to omit the endlesse and diuers interpretations of others, obtruding allegoricall, anagogical, mystical senses on the letter) is expressed the Author of this worke to be God, Elohim; which word, as is said, is of the plurall number, insinuating the Holy Trinity, the Father as the fountaine of all goodnesse, the Sonne as the wisedome of the Father, the Holy Ghost as the power of the Father and the Sonne concurring in this worke. The action is creating, or making of nothing, to which is required a power supernaturall and infinite. The time was the dforeign Basil. hum.1. in principio temporis, id est simul cum tempore. Th. Aqu.1.q.46. art.3.beginning of time, when as before there had neither beene time, nor any other creature. The worke is called Heauen and Earth; which eMerula & Percrius interpret tiouem banc Chrysoftomo tribuunt.some interpret all this bodily world, here propounded in the summe, and after distinguished in parcels, according to the sixe dayes seuerall workes. Some vnderstand thereby the fCalui….in Gen.First matter; which other gTheodoret. Beda. Alcuinus, Iyra, & plerique scholastici.apply only to the word Earth expounding Heauen to be that which is called Empyreum, including also the spirituall and super-celestiall inhabitants. Againe, other, whome I willingly follow, hZanch.de oper. Det, pars 1. l.1.c.2. Polarus, Bucanus, &c. Paul. Merula. Cos…ogr. part.1.l.r. Pe…er. in Gen. interprets by Heauen the heauenly bodies thē made: and after perfected with light and motion; by Earth the element of Earth. Iunius by Heauen vnderstand, the outmost circumference and by Earth those things vnderunder it, or the matter of them.extend the word Heauen to a larger signification, therein comprehending those three Heauens, which the Scriptures mention: (one whereof is this lower, where the birds of the Heauen doe flie, reaching from the Earth to the Sphere of the Moone: the second, those visible Orbes of the Planets and fixed Starres, with the first Moueable: the third called the Heauen of Heauens, the third Heauen and Paradise of God) together with all the hoast of them. By Earth they vnderstand this Globe, consisting of Sea and Land, with all the creatures therein. The first verse they hold to be a generall proposition of the Creation of all Creatures, icol.1.16.visible and inuisible, perfected in kGen.2.I. Exod.20.11.Iob. 38.7.sixe dayes, as many places of Scripture testifie: which, as concerning the visible, Moses handleth after particularly, largely, and plainely, contenting himselfe with briefe mention of those inuisible creatures, both lGen. 32.1.good and mGen.3.1.bad, as occasion is offered in the following parts of his Historie. In the present, nPet. Martyr. in Gen.he omitteth the particular description of their Creation, least some (as Iewes and Heretikes hauehave done) should take occasion to attribute the Creation to Angels, as assistants: or should, by the excellencie of that Nature, depainted in due colours, be carried to worshipping of Angels: a superstition which men hauehave embraced, towards the visible creatures, farre inferior both to Angels and themselues. Moses proceedeth therefore to the description of that first matter, and the creatures thereof framed and formed. For touching those inuisible creatures, both the Angels and their heauenly habitation, howsoeuer they are circumscribed, and hauehave their proper and most perfect substance, yet according to the interpretation of Diuines, oZanch. de operib pars 1. l.1.c.4.their nature differeth from that of other creatures, celestiall or terrestriall, as not being made of that first matter, whereof these consist. Let vsus therefore labor rather to be like the Angels in grace, that we may be like vntounto thē in glorie, than prie too curiously into their Nature (to our vnderstandings in manner supernaturall) and endeuor more, in heeding the way which leadeth to that Heauen of the Blessed, than busie our wits too busily in descrying or describing it. OnelyOnly thus much we may obserue thereof, that it is beyond all reach of our obseruation: in regard of substance not subiect to corruption, alteration, passion, motion: in quantitie, pIoh.14.2.many dwelling places, most spacious and ample: in qualitie, a Paradise, faire, shining, delightsome, wherein no euill can be present or imminent; no good thing absent: a meere transcendent, which eye hath not seene, nor care heard, nor the heart of man can conceiue. Where the qApoc.21.3.Tabernacle of God shall be with men, and he will dwell with them, and shall be r1.Cor.15.28.all in all vntounto them; where the pure in heart shall see him, and euen our bodily eyes shall behold that most glorious of creatures, the Sunne of righteousnesse, and Sonne of God, Christ Iesus. Embracing these things with Hope, let vsus returne to Moses his description of the sensible World; who sheweth, that that Heauen and Earth, which now we see, were in the beginning or first degree of their being, an Earth without forme, and void, a darkened depth and waters: a matter of no matter, and a forme without forme; a rude and indigested Chaos, or confusion of matters, rather to be sHeb.11.3.beleeued than comprehended of vsus. This is the second naturall beginning. For, after the expressing of the matter, followeth that which Philosophers call a second naturall Principle, tArist. Phys.l.1. Iun. praef. in Gen.Priuation, the want of that forme, of which this matter was capable, which is accidentally a naturall principle, required in regard of generation, not of constitution, here described by that part next vsus, Earth, which was without forme, as is said, and void. This was the internall constitution: the externall was, darknesse vponupon the face of the Deepe. Which Deepe compriseth both the earth before mentioned, and the visible Heauens also, called a Depth, as to our capacitie infinite, and plyant to the Almightie hand of the Creator: called also Waters, uGibbins on Genes.not because it was perfect waters, which was yet confused, but because of a certaine resemblance, not onelyonly in the vniformitie thereof, but also of that want of stabilitie, whereby it could not abide together, but as the Spirit of God moued vponupon these Waters, to sustaine them; and xHier.l.trad. Hebr. Trem. & Iun. Basil.bom.2.cx Ephrem. Syro.as the Henne sitteth on her egges to cherish and quicken, as Hierome interpreteth the word, so to maintaine, and by his mightie power to bring the same into this naturall order. Here therefore is the third beginning or Principle in Nature, That forme, which the Spirit of God, the third person in Trinitie (not ayre or wind, as yMerc. de Fab. Mundi, & ante cum, Tertull.ad Hermog. Theodoret.qu.8. in Gen. Caictan. de Angelis interpretatur.some conceiue, being things which yet were not themselues formed) by that action framed it vntounto, and after more particularly effected.
This interpretation of the Spirit mouing vponupon the Waters, agreeth with that opinion which some attribute to the Stoikes, That all things are procreated and gouerned by one Spirit: and Virgil most elegantly and diuinely singeth, and seemeth to paraphrase on Moses words:
zVirg. Aeneid. l.6. on which words Seruius commenteth, Deus est quidam diuinus spiritus, qui per 4. infusus clementa, gignit vniuersa:Principio Caelum, ac Terras, camposque liquentes
Lucentemque globum Lunae, Titaniaque astra,
Spiritus intus alit: totamque infusa per artus
Mens agitat molem & magno se corpore miscet:
That is,
Heauen first, and Earth, and Watrie plaines,
Bright Moone, of Starres those twinckling traines,
The Spirit inly cherisheth,
Loues, moues, great bodie nourisheth;
Through all infus'd this All containes.
The first creatures which receiued their naturall forme, were the Elements: the first, lightest, and highest whereof is Fire, whose effect is the light, whereof it is said, that God said, Let there be Light. For howsoeuer some vnderstand this of the *Vatab.in Ge.Sunne, which they will hauehave then to be created, aBasil.bom.6.some of a qualitie diffused through that confused matter, bZanch.de op.D. part.2.l.1. & B. Pererius recensel multos sautores buius sent.some of a Cloud formed of the waters, which as a charriot of light with his circular motion caused day and night: to omit the more friuolous interpretations of such as apply it allegorically or mystically to men or Angels, in respect of the regeneration of the one, or first generation of the other; I rather follow the opinion of Iunius, *Iun.in Gen. c.1. sic Damascenus de Fide, l.2.c.7. Greg. Nyssen. bomtl. super Hexemeron.who applyeth this to the fierie element, whose act and qualitie is to enlighten; although perfectly to affirme what this Light was must be by our enlightning from him, who commaunded this Light to shine out of the darkenesse. This Light God made by his Word, not vttered in sound of syllables, nor that, which in the cIoh.1.1. Verbum Dei significat imperium, decretum & voluntatem eius efficacem. Pererius in Gen.beginning was with God, and was God (and therefore could not be this Word, which now had a beginning) but by his powerfull effecting, calling things that are not as though they were, and by his calling or willing causing them to be; thereby signifying his will as plainely, and effecting it as easily, as a word is vntounto a man. This Word was common to the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, each and all, by doing, vttering this will or decree, the manner of doing neuerthelesse being diuers, according to the distinction of persons. Here yet is a testimonie of the Trinitie: for as by sustaining that matter the power of God appeared, and therefore it is attributed to the Spirit; so by the order and disposition of the creatures his wisdome is manifest, which is the essentiall Word of the Father, d10.1.3.without which was made nothing that was made, which after became flesh, and dwelt among vsus. eGibbins on Gen.The Trinitie decreed, the second Person effected, Let there be Light, and there was Light: for by the word of the Lord were the Heauens made. That vncreated Light commaunded this elementarie Light to be, that so the thinner and higher Element, seuered from the Aire, might by his enlightning operation, effect; and the Aire, according to the nature thereof, receiue this lightsome shining: which to the Fire was an essentiall propertie, to the Aire an accidentall qualitie, approued of God, as good both in it selfe, and to the future creatures. This Light did God separate from the darknesse (which indeed is nothing in nature, but the absence of Light) so disposing thereof, that Light and Darknesse should in their Hemisphere succeed each other. Whether it were so moued by the motion of the ninth Sphere, or first moueable, the highest of the moueable Heauens, and outmost circumference, created in the beginning, as fIun.in Gen. praelec.some interprete the first words of Moses, or by any other meanes, then appointed by God, it is hard to determine. For we may not reason à facto ad fieri, from the order of their constitution, in which they now are, to the principles of their institution, whiles yet they were in making, as gSimpl.arg.22. confutat. à Iunio.Simplicius, and other (Philosophers may I call them, or Atheists?) hauehave absurdly done, in this and other parts of the Creation. This was the first dayes worke.
In the second, God said let there be a Firmament in the middest of the waters, &c. The word Rakiah, translated Firmament, signifieth hTrem. & Iun.expansum, or a thing stretched out; or as some iGibbins on Gen.say, a thing made strong by stretching out, designing that vast and wide space and ayrie Region, by the extension thereof, made thinner, purer, and stronger, able to beare those waterie Clouds, which it separateth from these inferior waters, in their proper and elementarie Seat. In which sense He is said to stretch out the Heauens like a Curtaine, and to lay the beames of his chambers in the waters. Psal.104.2.
After the Aethereall Aether hath two parts, higher and lower; and so the Aire.Region (reaching in the hither part thereof from the middle Region of the Aire to the Moone, and from thence in the higher part to the highest Heauen) and the Aire (distinguished also into two parts, the middle, and the lower part, as the Philosophers tearme them, when they consider not the whole, as here we doe, but that part, wherein the Meteors are caused) after these two Elements, thus in the two first dayes ordered and disposed: in the third day followeth the perfecting of the two lowest Elements, the Water and Earth, which yet were confused, vntill that mightie Word of God did thus both diuorce and marrie them, compounding of them both this one Globe, now called Drie Land, and Seas. The waters which yet oppressed, and by their effusion and confusion did tyrannize, rather than orderly subdue, and gouerne this inferior myrie masse, were partly receiued into competent chanels, and there also gathered on swelling heapes, where, though they menace a returne of the old Chaos, both by their noyse and waues, yet hath kIob.38.10.11.God stablished his commaundement vponupon it, and set barres and dores, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, and here shall it stay thy proud waues. Otherwise, lPsal.104. 6,7.the Deepes, which then couered it as a garment, would now stand aboue the Mountaines. At his rebuke they flie, who with fetters of sand (to shew his power in weakenesse, with a miracle in nature) chayneth vp this enraged Tyrant, that the creatures might hauehave a meet place of habitation. Thus did not onelyonly the drie Land appeare, but by the same hand was enriched with Hearbes and Trees, enabled in their mortall condition, to remaine immortall in their kind. And here beginneth Moses to declare the creation of compound bodies; hitherto busied in the Elements.
Now when the Lord had made both Plants, Trees, and Light, without the influence, yea before the being of Sunne, Moone, or Starre, he now framed those fierie Balls, and glorious Lights, whereby the Heauens are beautified, the Aire enlightned, the Seas ruled, and the Earth made fruitfull. Thus he did the fourth day, after those other things created, least some foolish Naturalist should bind his mightie hand in Natures bands, seeing these Lights now become the chiefe officers in Natures Court. That shining, before dispersed, was vnited in these bodies, whether by refraction of those former beames by these solide Globes, or by gathering that fierie substance into them, or by both, or by other meanes, I leaue to others coniectures. These be appointed to distinguish day and night, to dispose the diuers seasons of the yeare, to exercise also a naturall influence into inferiour compounded bodies, although not in such vnlimited power as the mEsai.41.22. & 44.25. Ier.10.2.Star-gazers imagine; which yet if they had, could neuer be knowne of vsus in such a multiplicitie of causes, and suddennesse of change, in that vnspeakeable swiftnesse of the Heauens, as appeared by nAug. de ciuit. Dei. lib.5. cap.3.Nigidius Figulus his wheele, which he turned with the swiftest violence, and making a blot or marke therin, as it turned made another spot in or neere the same place, as it seemed in that swiftnesse of motion to the beholders, but at the standing still of the wheele, appeared much distant. Of these lights the greatest, not in quantitie, but in operation and seeming, are the Sunne and Moone, the greatest lights after oMacrob. Omnes ferè deos ad solem resert. Satur. lib.1. cap.17.1. foreign, regina coeli, &c. Alij octies, alij 170.solem faciunt terra maiorem, &c.abused to the greatest darknesse: the greatest of which seemeth to our eyes little, and yet by rules of Arte is found farre greater then the earth; that we may learne not to trust our sense too much in heauenly things.
In the fifth day God created the Fishes and Fowles, blessing them with power of propagation.
The like he performed the sixth day, in forming the Beasts both wilde and tame, and creeping things: thus furnishing the aire, water, and earth, with their proper Inhabitants.
pOuid. Metamor. lib. 1.Sanctius his animal mentis que capacius altae,
Deerat adhuc, & quod dominari in caetera posset.
Natus bomo est.
After hee had thus prouided his cheere, hee sought him out a guest, and hauing built and furnished his house, his next care was for a fit inhabitant. Of this, Moses addeth, Furthermore God said, Let vsus make man. But this will aske a longer discourse. In the meane time wee hauehave this testimony of Moses of the Creation of the World, whose sense if I hauehave missed or misted in these many words, I craue pardon. And although this testimonie might suffice a Christian, Faith is the euidence of things not seene. Vbi vides non est fides.which must liue by faith, and not by sight: yet to preuent cauillers, we hauehave other witnesses both of reason and authoritie, That this World had a beginning, and that the builder and maker thereof, was God. For, doth not Nature both within and without vsus, in the admirable frame of this lesse or that greater World, in the Notions of the one, and the Motions of the other, in the wise & mightie order and ordering of both, lead men vntounto a higher and more excellent Nature, Natura naturans.which, of his goodnes, we call GOD? When we behold the whole World, or any part of it, in the elements such agreement, in such disagreement: in the heauenly motions such constancie, in such varietie: in these compound bodies, being, liuing, sense, reason; as diuers degrees, diuersly communicated to so many formes and rankes of Creatures: Wee can no more ascribe these things to chance, than a Printers barrell of letters could by chance fall into the right composition of the Bible which he printeth, or of Homers Iliads; to vse pCic. de Nat. Deor.Tullies similitude: neither can any ascribe the Creation to the Creature, with better reason, then if by some shipwracke, being cast on a desolate Iland, and finding houses, but seeing no people therein, he could esteeme the Birds or Beasts (all the Ilanders he seeth) to be the framers of these buildings. But thou mayest thinke it eternall; Thou mayest as well thinke it to be God, Infinite, Vnchangeable, in the whole and in all the parts. Doth not the Land by seasons, the Sea by ebbing and flowing, the Aire by succeeding changes, the Heauens by motions, all measured by Time, proclaime that they had a beginning of Time? Are not Motion and Time as neere Twinnes, as Time and Eternitie are implacable enemies? Nay, how canst thou force thy mind to conceiue an Eternitie in these things, which canst not conceiue Eternitie? which canst not but conceiue some beginning, and first terme or point, from whence the motion of this wheele began? And yet how should we know this first turning of the Worlds wheele, whose hearts within vsus moue, be we vnwitting or vnwilling, the beginning whereof thou canst not know, and yet canst not but know that it had a beginning, and together with thy bodie shall hauehave an ending? How little a while is it, that the best qSo Lucret. l.5. cur supra bellum Thebanum & funera Troie, Non alias olij quoque res cecinere Poetae?—recens que Natura est …, neq, pride exordia cepit. Deus nunquam minus solus, quàm sum solus. Totus cum Deo mundus, non pluris est, quàm Deus solus.Stories in eueryevery Nation, shew the cradle & child-hood therof? Their later receiued Letters, Arts, Ciuilitie? But what then, say they, did God before he made the World? I answere, that thou shouldest rather thinke Diuinely of Man, then Humanely of God, and bring thy selfe to be fashioned after his Image, then frame him after thine. This foolish question some answere according to the foolishnesse thereof, saying, He made Hell for such curious inquisitors. rConfess.lib.11.cap. 12 & 13.Aliud est videre, aliud ridere, saith Augustine. Libentius responderim nescio quod nescio. Quatempora fussent, quaeabs te condita non essent: Nec intempora tempore praecedis, sed celsitudine semper praesentis aelernitatis, &c. sTert. aduersPrax.Before all things were, God onelyonly was, and he vntounto himselfe was in stead of the World, Place, Time, and all things, hauing all goodnesse in himselfe: the holy Trinitie tProu.8.30.delighting and reioycing together. To communicate therefore (not to encrease, or receiue) his goodnesse, he created the World, uPlin.lib.2 c. 4.quem Graci *Pyibagnras is reported the first which called it foreign Merula.foreign, (saith Pliny) nomine ornaments appellant, nos à perfecta absoluta que elegantia Mundum. But for this matter, it is also of the wisest and most learned in all ages confessed, as their testimonies, alleaged by Iustin Martyr, Lactintius and other Ancients, and especially by xDe veritate C. R. Viu. de veritate christians fidei.Philip Morney, do plainly manifest. To him therefore, to Viues, and others which hauehave vndertaken this taske, by reason, and by humane authoritie, to conuince the gain-sayers of our faith, let such resort, as would be more fully resolued in these curious doubts. As for all such yOf the opinions of Philosophers touching the originall of the world, see Merula cos.p.1.l.1.strange and phantastical or phreneticall opinions of Heretikes, or Philosophers which hauehave otherwise related of this mysterie of the Creation, then Moses, they need not confuting, and for relating these opinions wee shall find fitter place afterwards. I will neere adde this saying of Vines to such vnnaturall Naturalists, as vponupon slight and seeming naturall reasons, call these things into question. zDe veritate fidei, lib.1. c. 10.Quam stultum est de mundi creatione ex legibus huius Naturae statuere, cùm creatio illa naturam antecosserit? Tum enim natura est condita quando & mundus, nec aliud est natura quam quod Deus iussit; alioqui minister esset Deus naturae, non dominus. Hence was Aristotles Eternitie, Plinies Deitie ascribed to the world, Democritus, Leucippus, and Epicurus, Atomi, the Stoikes Aeterna materia, Plato's Deus, exemplar & materia, as *Hex li.1.c.I.Ambrose termeth them, or as aPlotinus Enn. 1. lib. 2. vnum or bonum, Mens, Anima, the Platonikes Trinitie.others, vnum or bonum, Mens & Anima (a Trinity without perfect vnitie) the Manichees two beginnings, and an endlesse world of errors about the Worlds beginning, because they measured all by Naturall axiomes. bIn Euseb. Chron. Graec. Scalig.Orpheus, as Theophilus the Chronographer, cited by Cedrenus, alleageth him, hath his Trinitie of foreign to which he ascribeth the Worlds Creation: but the Poets dreames are infinite, which might make and marre their Poeticall Worlds at pleasure.