The Wonderful Workmanship of the World, Discourse · Chapter 25 – Chapter 27
The xxv. Chapcer. Why the ſpirite of God was vponupon this mole, and matter.
S.
YOu hauehave diſcourſed of the firſte matter of this world, and of the woūderful confuſion therof, or as I may call it, troubling togither: declare now why Moſes ſpeaketh of the ſpirite of God.
M.
For many cauſes, ſpecially for three. Firſte, that the creation of the world might bee vnderſtoode, not only to bee the woorke of the Father, and of the Sunne, but alſo of the holy ghoſt, who is likewiſe in perſon diſtinct from them twaine. Howbeit, if wee conſider more narrowly of the woord, The ſpirit of GOD, noteth vntounto vsus in that place not the third perſon in Trinitie, whiche is infinite, and comprehended in no place, but onelyonly a certein effect, and power, and preſence which reuealed and manifeſted it ſelfe there. But it is cōmon in the ſcripture, that the giftes and tokens of the holy Ghoſte, are taken for the holy Ghoſte himſelfe, and when they are recited, hee likewiſe is vnderſtoode to bee there by his owne ſpecial meanes, as appeareth in the 3. chap. of S. Matthewe, becauſe wee cannot know hym any other way than through thoſe his effectes, and giftes. Whererefore, the Spirite of God, had alſo his owne proper function and office, openly and diſtinctly in the creation of this world. Secondly. that wee might know by what power and ſpirite that firſt mole, whiche was ſo greate, was at the beeginning ſuſteined and helde vp. Truely not of it ſelf, neither by the waters that were round about it, neither by the darkneſſe that was vppon it, whiche rather couered that firſte matter whiche was now a growing, as it were in a wombe, and made it an vntimely fruite: but by the almightie ſpirite of God, whiche ſuſteineth and quickneth all thinges by his diuine power, by whom that huge and vnprofitable mole of earth and water, ſubſiſted, flouriſhed, was quickned, was ſuſteined, was reteined, and as I may ſaye, made aliue: to the ende wee ſhould aſcribe all theſe thinges, and their vertues, onelyonly to the glorie of God.
S.
How prooue you that?
M.
For that all thynges at this preſent, doe ſubſiſte and are ſuſteined by the ſpirite of God: although now thei hauehave gotten their peculiare force and nature, and yet were not deſtitute thereof at that tyme, as it is written in the 146. Pſalme, and 5. verſe: and the 139. and 7. verſe: Likewiſe in the 1. to Timothe, the 6. Chapter, and 13. verſe: and Actes the 1. chapter, the 28. verſe.
S.
What is the third reaſon?
M.
To the ende it might bee the better declared by what meanes, moouing, and proceeding all thinges were by God drawne foorth, and framed out of that firſte matter and mole. Euen as wee ſee at this day, that the firſte See…es of thinges, after that once they bee ſowne, by Gods power are not onelyonly ſuſteined, but alſo nouriſhed, quickned, and made warme, and ſo doe burgein, and ſendfoorth that bodie which naturally they conteined with in thē: ſo was it in y• firſt matter of all thinges, ſo that the ſame Spirite by his power did ſuſteine and nouriſhe the firſt ſeedes of thinges, and now alſo continually mooueth the ſame: howbeit, that ſame action was then more manifeſtly declared, in that there was not as yet any ordinarie vertue of engendring or bringing foorth, engraffed into things by the word of God: for that was giuen afterwarde. And therefore the ſpirite of GOD manifeſted himſelf mightily in thoſe thinges, and nouriſhed that mole. Whiche thing Moſes alſo teacheth plainly, in that kind of phraſe which hee vſeth.
S.
Expounde your ſaying more euidently.
M.
Moſes woordes do not onelyonly ſignifie this, which I ſay, but plainely declare it.
S.
What woordes bee they?
M.
Theſe that folowe, and the ſpirite of God mooued itſelfe vppon the top of the waters.
S.
What is the meaning of thoſe woordes?
M.
To wit, that the Spirite of God had giuen a lyuely force vntounto that greate mole, not onelyonly by whiche it ſhould exiſt, ſuſteine, and as it were beare vp it ſelfe: but alſo that it ingraffed, engendred, & raiſed vp in it a …ert…u…e vertue, where by it ſhould afterwarde waxe hot, as it were, to conceiue, and to bringe foorth. For the Hebrue woorde Merachephet ſignifieth, both thoſe thinges, not onelyonly, I ſaye, to ſuſteine and mooue, but alſo to nouriſh, as birdes do nouriſh their yoūg ous: & alſo to giuegive force to wax warme, & to moue it ſelf: Deuteron the 32. chapter, and 11. verſe: which Sainet Paule ſeemeth to tranſlate, to cheriſh, to y• Epheſians y• 5. chapter, and 29. verſe. Likewyſe, as the ſame Spirite of GOD is ſayde in the 139. and 7. verſe, to woorke, and to bee ſent foorth, to the intent that at thys preſent alſo things may bee ingēdered, & brought foorth. Who, if hee ſhoulde ceaſe or bee taken away, nothing would grow, although the ſeedes of thē were ſowne, and men labored and toyled all that they coulde, but woulde lye choaked within the bowels of the earth, & wombes of their mothers.
S.
But why is the action and woorking of that ſpirite, diſcribed, as it were, by a certaine wagging and moouing of himſelfe, and breathing foorth of a winde?
M.
Bicauſe the ſignification of the preſence and action of the Holy Ghoſt, is expreſſed by thys moouing, & breathing: like as in an other place, the Doue was the ſignification of the preſence of the ſame holy ſpirite, Mathew the 3. chapter and 16. verſe. In an other place alſo the firie tongues, were ſeales and ſignes of his operation and giftes▪ Actes the 1. Chapter. And in an other place alſo blowinge and breathinge out of the mouth: Ihon the 20. Chapter, and 22. verſe: Although the ſame Spirite of God, which is GOD alſo, is not a winde indeede, howbeeit his woorking is ſignified and noted by this miſterie of moouing, & breathing: for hee is a quickninge Spirite: and lyfe is ſpecially knowne by wagginge and moouinge, and diſcerned from death, which is an euerlaſting and ſenſeleſſe quietnes of all thinges. So that it is ſufficiently declared by that kinde of the miſterie, to what end the ſpirit of God was preſent, and alſo what hee did, to wit, hee gaue force vntounto thinges.
S.
But why did that ſpirite remaine vppon the vppermoſt face of the waters, for aſmuch as Moſes ſayde not, that the water was created beefore: and hee mighte alſo hauehave lyen in the middes of this mole, and ſo hauehave warmed and ſuſteyned the whole maſſe within as it were leauen, or a fire?
M.
That ye water was created by God at one time with the firſt earth, Moſes declareth ſufficiently, when he addeth by and by, and darkeneſſe was vponupon the face of the deapths, that is to ſaye, vponupon the mole of waters. And theſe woordes doe declare, that both thoſe elements made but the mole of one bodye, whiche truely at the firſte was diſordred, & conſiſted of them twaine togither & herein ther can conſiſt no doubt. But why that force and ſpirite of GOD, did ſpecially appeare in the top of the waters, that is to ſay, of the whole mole, and not in the bottom or middes, the reaſon is this: not that it did not pearce alſo vntounto the very deapthes, but ſuſteined onelyonly the vppermoſt face of the mole (for the Spirite of God reached at that time euen vntounto Hell. Pſalme 139. the 5. verſe. & filled alſo with his power, and went throughout eueryevery parte of this mole, were it neuer ſo ſecret & hiddē) but foraſmuch as it pleaſed God that all theſe thinges ſhoulde ſo bee extant and doone, to the ende his power ſhoulde bee manifeſt, open and eaſie to bee knowne, not hid and couered▪ it was behouefull that his miſterie and tokens ſhould appeare and ſhowe themſelues in the vppermoſte parte and openly, not in the bottome of the whole mole, or in the middeſt thereof, that is to ſaye, in ſecrete and out of fight. Moreouer, it was neceſſarie that the ſame ſpirite ſhoulde compaſſe and nouriſh the whole mole, and not one parte onelyonly: whiche came to paſſe by the houering and moouing of the ſame Spirite about the whole mole.
S.
Why doth hee call them earth, water, and heauen, whiche were not yet diſtinct by that name, or ſeparated by their proper natures? for they were ſo called the daies followyng, after that theſe thinges were diuided one from another.
M.
As for heauen, God had made it at that time, and it was called heauen, but the Etymon and cauſe of the name is vnderſtoode by the latter woorkes, whiche was the ſtretching foorth, and the woorkmanſhip of the ſecond day. And thus are thei termed heauen and earth by anticipation, leſte if theſe bodies were ſignified by no names, the thinge it ſelf could not bee declared. Beeſides this, inaſmuch as theſe thinges are alſo afterward called by their owne proper names, it is a ſigne, that there is none other ſubſtance added vntoo them, but the ſame reteined which was in them, when as yet they were confuſed: but onelyonly beautie added, whereby they were dinſtinguiſhed from other thinges of diuerſe kindes, and alſo made more beautifull in themſelues.
S.
What? doe you allowe and renue the opinion of Anaxagoras, who thincketh, that in the beeginninge all things were mingled togither, and that eueryevery thing was made one of an other, and termeth the firſte beginninge of all thinges, but a diſtinction and ſeparation out of a certain confuſed heape, wherin they were beefore?
M.
No not ſo: for I doe not ſaye, that within the ſame, mole of earth, whereof I doe now diſpute, there were hidden and buried trees alreadye framed, men fourmed, or cattell and beaſtes ſhapen, and that they were couered and infoulded within certeine plightes and fouldes, and ſo were extant, as Anaxagoras thought: but Moſes confuteth this, who ſheweth, yt thoſe things which were brought forth the daies following, were made, and not onelyonly ſeuered, neither taken and ſeparated, as it were, out of a certeine heape, and ſtoarehouſe of all thinges. Howebeeit, I maye truely ſaye with Sainct Auguſtine, that the ſeedes of all thinges were at the firſt, yea, and that throughly infuſed into that firſt matter: which ſeedes were not diuerſe from the ſubſtance of the earth, and yet laye hidden within the bowels thereof: but the earth beeing made apt by the woorde and woorking of the Spirite, did afterwarde bringe foorth thoſe thinges, which it pleaſed God ſhoulde bee in the worlde. To conclude, howe ſhoulde wee bringe in this Anaxagoras confuſion, ſince wee reade ſo playnely in the holy Scripture, that the matter of heauenly thinges is diuerſe and ſeparated, from the matter of earthly thinges? And, as I ſuppoſe, that heauen which as it is written, God made the fyrſt daye when he made the earth, was the matter of all heauenly thinges.
The xxvi. Chapter. Of the matter of heauenly thinges that are viſible.
S.
BUT what ſhall wee thynke of that fyrſt Heauen, whiche was the matter of heauenly thinges?
M.
That it was not this place, whiche is called the aire, or this open ſpreadyng abroade, whiche was created the ſeconde daie, Geneſis the 1. chapter, and 8. verſe: but rather that the matter of heauenly thynges was by God prepared, whiche by a generall name is called heauen.
S.
What maner of thyng was that heauen, whiche you call the matter of heauenly thynges?
M.
Uerely, firſte it was obſcure and darcke, although it were made of a moſte ſubtile and fine ſubſtaunce, but vnſhapen and diſorder, not trimme to ſight, nor ſeparated by ſpace or diſtaunce of place, from the mole of earth and water: as it appeareth in the 1. Chapter of Geneſis, and 6. verſe, but was as yet neere vntounto it, and touched it.
S.
What, was it needfull alſo, that the heauenly matter ſhould bee ſtieped in the water, as the earthly was, to the ende that the heauēly bodies ſhould afterward bee made thereof?
M.
Fie for ſhame. Wee read not that thoſe heauenly bodies, to wit, the Sunne, the Moone, the ſtarres, and all that whiche is called the region of heauen, whiche God hath placed aboue the elementes, were ſo made out of heauen, as the earthly were made out of the earth. For like as it is ſaid in the 1. chap. and 11. verſe of Geneſis, Let the earth bring foorth eueryevery 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 onelyonly 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 vsus 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 onelyonly, 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 onelyonly, and that ſubſtantiall, thereof aſſigned. For as I hauehave ſhewed beefore, it is not poſſible that there ſhould bee one onelyonly, 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 eueryevery Spirite, and ſtretcheth beeyonde the endes of the whole worlde. But God hath giuen vntounto eueryevery kinde, his proper nature and forme▪ whiche are diſputed of in ſpeciall treatiſes, which are written of eueryevery 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 onelyonly the outward and accidentall.
S.
But, dooeth not the Scripture attribute vntounto 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 eueryevery 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, eueryevery kinde of bodie is not gouerned by one ſoule onelyonly, or one Spirite, or one fourme: but that onelyonly whiche wee termed beefore, ſimple and continuall, as eueryevery one of vsus, for example.