The Wonderful Workmanship of the World, Discourse · Chapter 4 – Chapter 6
The fourth Chapter. The difference beetween Chriſtian and heathen Naturall Philoſophie.
S.
WHat differēce therfore, is ther betwen Moſes & Ariſtotle: y• is to ſay, betweene Chriſtiā and Heathen Natural Philoſophers, in thys kinde of learninge?
M.
Uery great: which notwithſtanding maye bee eſpecially perceiued in three poyntes.
S.
Which bee they?
M.
The firſte is, in the ende of this knowledge, whiche thei bothe doe reſpecte and followe.
S.
Declare theſame.
M.
The Chriſtian Naturall Philoſophers, whiche intreate of the thinges that are created, dooe referre the ſumme of their diſputatiō to this ende, that our greate and good God, who is the auctour, Father, and creatour of them all, maie bee knowne, praiſed, and extolled: and finally woorſhipped the more ardently, and more feared. But Ariſtotle and the Heathen Naturall Philoſophers, doe ſo diſpute of the nature of thinges, that thei maie wholy ſticke vntounto theſe thinges themſelues, as it were, vntounto 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, vntounto GOD the Creatour of them. Wherefore, through greate blindeneſſe of minde, thei doe place ſeconde and onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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, hauehave aſcribed the chief and principall cauſes of engendryng of all thinges, vntounto Nature, whiche is to bee founde in eueryevery thing, and too thinges created, as vntounto 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 vntounto 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 hauehave a ſpeciall reſpecte vntounto his voyce and commaundement as a moſte mightie cauſe, whereby a certaine peculiare force is giuen vntounto eueryevery 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 onelyonly a ſeconde and an inſtrumental cauſe, and not woorking of it ſelfe, as Eſay teacheth in ye 44. chapter, the 3. and 4. verſe: not principally but depending wholy vponupon 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly, 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 vntounto things after yt they were created, is the firſt cauſe of all things. So that they place ye 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, vntounto 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, vntounto ſome Smith or Carpenter: & alſo that the matter wherof hee made all things was before prepared and made readie vntounto his hand, from euerlaſting: and at the length, that the forme ioyneth it ſelfe vntounto 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 ye higheſt, as it appeareth in ye Pſal. 104. & 136. & in the Prouerbes, the 8. chapter, verſe 23. 24. and in ye next folowinge: the 4. of Eſdras, the 6. chapter, verſe 38. and the next folowinge: in the ſonge of the three children, verſe 53. and the next folowinge: yet doe they euermore acknowledge, that that is the true order and meane of the creation of all thinges, which Moſes hath diſcribed. But the Philoſophers, imagininge of the beeginninge of this worlde accordinge to their owne inuentions, can by no meanes agree amonge themſelues, whence to begin their diſputation, concerninge naturall thinges. Some of them therefore, beegin it from a certaine firſt matter, which they bringe in amongſt vsus: others from the foure Elements onelyonly: otherſome from a confuſion, and the diſtinction therof: certaine, from Heauen: and ſome from a bottomleſſe deapth alwayes boylinge foorth: to bee ſhorte, looke howe many heades ſo manie meanings, and in this point alſo eueryevery ſeuerall ſect of Philoſophers defendeth ſomethinge, wherein they diſſente not onelyonly from other, but alſo manye times frō ſundry of their owne profeſſion.
The fifth Chapter. What, and howe greate the certentie is, of the knowledge of Naturall Philoſophie.
S.
HEtherto nowe concerninge theſe matters, diſcourſe I praye you alſo of ſome other thinge.
M.
Of what?
S.
What is the certentie, & ſurenes of this knowledge.
M.
Uerily, there is not one onelyonly meane of defininge, and determininge of all the partes therof. For thoſe thinges which in this art and knowledge wee learne out of Gods woorde, are moſt ſure & moſt true, as grounded vponupon a moſt certaine foundation, whiche, whoſo will gainſay, wee muſt deale no farther with him, but giuegive him quite ouer. But whatſoeuer other things are recited touching Naturall Philoſophie, they are not ſo ſure and firme, bycauſe they bee onelyonly eſtabliſhed by mans ſence, and reaſon: which two thinges, are no vndoubted, and aſſured groundes. For mans reaſon is many times: and his ſenſes are moſt times deceiued. Wherefore, they doe thincke well, who will hauehave the foundation of that knowledge of Naturall Philoſophie which is not learned out of Gods word, chiefly to reſte vponupon theſe two grounds, to wit, mans coniecture, and hiſtoricall experience: in whiche two poyntes alſo, as S. Auguſtine writeth in the 9. chapter of his Enchiridion, Naturall Philoſophers doe ſuppoſe more, than they knowe.
S.
That parte therfore of Naturall Philoſophie, which is taught without warrant of Gods woorde, is it vaine and altogither vncertaine: and is it, as ſome ſuppoſe to bee contemned?
M.
No, not ſo.
S.
Why?
M.
Bicauſe GOD hath not giuen thoſe two partes of iudgement vntounto men in vaine: to wit, reaſon of the minde, and ſenſe of the body, as wee bee taught in the 12. Chapter of Iob, the 12 verſe, and 34. chapter, and 3. verſe: the iudgement of both which, althoughe it bee not moſt certaine in al things, and ſuffeciently ſubtile and expacte: yet is it not lyinge, and deceiued in althinges. So that all handlinge of matters, which is eſtabliſhed and confirmed vppon thoſe twaine, ought not to bee condemned as altogither vaine and falſe. For who will ſaye that the knowledge of ſo manye notable things and artes is worthily to bee diſpiſed, which GOD, beſydes the Scripture of his woorde, hath giuen vntounto men, yea vntounto Ethnickes? ſuche as Plato, Ariſtotle, Galene, and many other Philoſophers, both auncient, and of later tymes, hauehave founde out, and taught. Whoſo deſpiſeth theſe, deſpiſeth the gifts of GOD, Wherwith ſomtime godly men alſo hauehave bene indued and bleſſed by God, vntounto the notable teſtimonie of Gods goodneſſe towardes vsus, and miracle of mans nature ſuch as was Moſes himſelfe, and Iob, and thoſe foure whiche talked with him, Solomon the kinge, Ethan the Ezraelite, Heman, Calcol, Dorda, Ionathan vncle to Dauid, all whom the Scripture commendeth and namely maketh mention of thē, to the intent wee ſhoulde imitate them. Actes the 7. Chapter, verſe 22. Firſte of the Kinges, the 4. Chapter, verſe 30. and 31. Pſalme. 88. and 89. Firſt of the Cronacles the 27. Chap. and verſe 32.
The vi. Chapter. The endes of the knowledge of Naturall Philoſophie.
S.
I HaueHave hearde enough concerninge the certentie of this ſcience: declare nowe what endes, and meaſure wee ought to reſpecte in that knowledge.
M.
Theſe two ought to bee the endes. The firſt is, that accordinge to S. Paules aduertiſement, whatſoeuer ſhall bee diſputed of in this kinde of ſcience, all maye bee referred to the onelyonly glory, and knowledge of our great and good God. For that is the chiefeſt and trueſt ende of humaine Philoſophie, that through it, wee may attaine to the vnderſtandinge of the trueth, and the nature of GOD, like as alſo Plutarch writeth. The ſeconde is, that wee folow not, and affirme vncerteine thinges in the ſteede of certeine. For ſince to erre and bee deceiued is alwayes ſhamefull, then it is moſt ſhamefull to erre in thoſe thinges which oftentimes are of great importāce, and in which a man maye honeſtly and ſittingly enough for him, confeſſe that hee is ignorant. Wherfore, in my iudgement, S Auguſtine ſaid very well in his bookes de Geneſiad Literam, vponupon Geneſis accordinge to the letter, There bee manye things, ſaith he, of this vniuerſall creature which wee know not, either bicauſe they bee higher in heauen than our vnderſtanding is able to attaine vntounto them, or perhaps are in vnhabitable regions of the earth: or lie hidden very low in the bottom of the deapthes. And this raſſhnes in pronouncinge certainely of vncertaine things, hath miniſtred occaſion that Naturall Philoſophers hauehave beene mocked by many, frō which wee ought to abſteine as frō a moſte ſtronge poiſon of humaine ambition. Wherfore, in this Arte, eſpecially curioſitie is to be auoided, & ſobriety embraced. Let vsus acknowledge our ſelues to bee farre inferior to GOD, and that wee are not able to finde out the reaſon and cauſe of all thinges that hee hath made, as ſaith S. Irenaeus in his 2. booke, 43. and 45. Chapters.