The Wonderful Workmanship of the World, Discourse · Chapter 31
The. xxxi. Chapter. The cheif end of the creation of the world, is, the glory, and knowledge of God the creatour.
S.
HEthertoo you hauehave declared the efficient, materiall, and formall cauſe of the world, it remaineth alſo that you ſay ſumwhat of the fourth, whiche is the finall cauſe: concernyng whiche I demaunde this queſtion of you, what is the finall cauſe of the creation of the worlde, as the ſcripture noteth?
M.
You did well to adde that clauſe, as the Scripture noteth. For there is none among the Philoſophers, except onelyonly Plato and Trimegiſtus, that, although they wounder at the worlde, doeth declare notwithſtanding for what cauſe it was made, and what is the ende of the creating, or now ſubſiſting thereof. No not Ariſtotle himſelf, although hee wroate about 30. ſundry bookes more or leſſe, concerning the nature of thinges, which bookes are extant at this day, and toſſed in all mens handes.
S.
Tell mee therefore, what is the ende of the creating, and conſeruyng of the world?
M.
To ſpeake breifly, eeuen the euerlaſting and immortall GOD himſef, for the acknowledging and ſetting foorth of whoſe glorie it was created.
S.
How prooue you that?
M.
Not onelyonly for that Father Ireneus writeth ſo, in his 2, booke, and 64. chap. but bicauſe the ſpirite of God teacheth vsus ſo. For firſte, the holy Scripture ſheweth plainlye, that all thinges were made for the glorie of the true GOD, who is reuealed vntoo vsus in his woord: Prouerbes, the 16. chapter, and 16. verſe: and alſo S. Paule ſayeth in the 1. chapter to the Romanes, the 20. verſe, that the knowledge of GOD is learned out of theſe created and viſible thinges. For this world is a familiare, cōmon to all landes, people, & nations, a free and moſt beautifull looking glaſſe, wherin the power, wiſedome and goodnes of God is layed foorth before vsus to bee ſeen, beeholden and acknowledged, as it is abundantly declared in the 29. Pſalme, the 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. verſes: whereunto you may adde that whiche is written in the booke of wiſdome the 13. chapter, the 1. and 5, verſes. Hereof cummeth that ſaying of Iob, in the 36. chapter, and 29. verſe: Remember that thou doe magnifie hys woorke (hee meaneth Gods) whiche all men doe beehold and ſee, and man looketh vponupon a farre of. And therefore Iſay in the 44. chapter, and 23. verſe, not onelyonly inuiteth men, but all other creatures alſo to ſing prayſe vntounto God. The like is alſo doone in the 147. Pſalme.
S.
But ſeeing that the glory of God, is the ſetting foorth of his vertues and excellencie, what vertues, or exceading greatnes doth there appeare in the looking glaſſe of this world, wherein are ſeen ſuch and ſo many confuſions of all thinges?
M.
There are obiect vntounto our eies ſo infinite and innumerable vertues, moreouer ſo noble and incomprehenſible excellencie and maieſtie, that the eternall deitie of the almightie God, doth truely and manifeſtly ſhewfoorth it ſelfe in the beeholding and ſurueiyng of this world, as S. Paule ſayeth. But that I may not runne through all, and that this diſputation may at length drawe to an end, wee will reuoke and contract the ende of this worlde into the klowledge of three ſpeciall vertues in God.
S.
Whiche bee they?
M.
Power, wiſedome, goodnes.
S.
Alleage vntounto mee ſome example of theſe thinges.
M.
Firſt, the power of God appeareth wounderful great in creating this worlde, yea, plainely infinite, and far ſurmounting al capacitie and vnderſtāding of mans witte. In that God hath made all theſe things of nothing, ſo many in number, ſo big in Mo…e, and ſo wide in place. Which beeing all ſeuerally beholden and conſidered, doe argue great power and force in the maker: but beeing generally looked vponupon, do declare that his power is incomprehenſible and infinite. Thys power of God in creating the world, is propoſed vntounto vsus to bee acknowledged and thought vponupon, namely in the 19. Pſalme, and alſo in the 145. And as for other places of the Scriptures and Prophetes, what ſhall I neede to goe about to recite them in this place?
S.
GiueGive mee an example of Gods wiſedome, in the creating and contemplation of the woorkmanſhip of this world.
M.
That may eaſely bee ſeene. Firſt, in that hee hath placed ſo many ſundrie and diuerſe partes, and ſo many ſeuerall kindes of thinges in one whole bodie: next, that hee hath giuen a peculiare and proper force and nature vntounto eueryevery kinde: Moreouer, that hee hath alotted to eueryevery nature his owne proper place and metion: and to bee ſhort, that hee aſſigneth not onelyonly vntounto eueryevery kind, but alſo vntounto eueryevery parte of euerie particulare thing, it owne proper vſe, ende, profit, and effect. So that, that great wiſedome of God hath not made, no not the leaſt thing in vaine, whiche is truely the manifold wiſedome, as S. Paule termeth it to the Epheſians the 3. chapter, and 10. verſe. And therefore it is ſaid in the 136. Pſalme: and 5. verſe, that hee made the heauens with vnſearchable vnderſtanding and wiſdome. And when as the Prophet Dauid conſidered in his minde deepely the framing of this world, hee cried out, and ſayd: Thy knowledge is to woonderfull and excellēt for mee, I can not attaine vntounto it: Pſalme 139. and 6. verſe: wherevnto alſo that may bee added which is writen in the 39. chapter, and 26. verſe of Eccleſiaſticus. This our opinion alſo is confirmed in the 8. chapt. and 27. and 28. verſes, and the reſidue following: and alſo the 21. cha. and 30. verſe: and by this one thing moreouer, that whereas there bee certein thinges, yea, and men alſo, that are of diuerſe and fundrie qualities and condicions, and of natures quite contrarie: they were to good purpoſe by the ſame wiſedom of God, created in ſuche maner. For the Lord hath wiſely, made a difference and diſtinction beetweene the ritchman and the poore: Prouerbes, the 22. chapter, and 2. verſe. To bee ſhort, thoſe thinges whiche wee make none accoumpt of, and are indeede but ſmall, as a Guat, a Woorme, and a Butterflie, in theſe notwithſtanding appeareth the wonderfull wiſedome of God, inſomuche as wee muſt needes acknowledge that to bee true which was ſpoken by Plinie an Heathen writer: Nature is neuer more whole in any thing then in the leaſt.
S.
What ſay you of the goodnes of God, doeth that appeere notably in the woorkemanſhip, and creatures of this world?
M.
Yea, very mutch. And although the …ame bee moſteuident in y• redemption of mankinde, whiche was accompliſhed by the death and paſſion of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: notwithſtandyng it appeareth alſo vntoo vsus to bee very excellent and incomprehenſible, in the creation, conſtitution, and cōſeruation of this world.
S.
Declare howe?
M.
Firſt, this is a great goodneſſe of God, that he would hauehave thinges to exiſt and bee, which were not beefore. Moreouer, in that hee gaue them lyfe and nature, to the intent they ſhoulde exiſt, whiche could not bee had from any other than him. Who onelyonly is the fountayn of lyfe and afterward hath aſſigned vntounto eueryevery kinde of thing it owne proper & moſt conuenient foode, and and not aſſigned it once, but alſo prepareth, diſtributeth, and yeldeth it eueryevery day. Finally, in that he dayly preſerueth and defendeth all thinges that are: and beynge a good and mercifull father, of his owne greate bowntie hath not onelyonly giuen them partes & members, wherby they may cōmodiouſly liue, but endewed them alſo with motion and ſenſe. Whereby they may paſſe their life pleaſantly, and willingly enioye it with a ſweete delight. All which it were infinite to recken. And therefore it is well and truely ſayd in the 33. Pſal. and 5. verſe, that the whole earth is full of his goodneſſe. And againe, in the 145. Pſal. and 7. verſe, it is ſayde, that the multitude of the goodneſſe of God, ſpringeth foorth from his workes: For hee openeth his hande, and ſatiſfied eueryevery liuing thing vntounto fullneſſe and pleaſure. Whervnto that ſeemeth to appertayne which is written in the 147. and 148. Pſal. and that may well bee concluded, which all the auncient & godly Fathers hauehave iudged & ſpecially Tertullian hath oftētimes written, to wit, That God by the creatinge of thys world, is cognized, and by the preaching of his woord is recognized.
S.
But there appeare manye confuſions in this worlde, which doe obſcure the light of this goodnes, wiſedom and power of God.
M.
Indeede they darken them ſomewhat, and ſum while that they cannot plainely be ſeene of many: Howbeit they do not altogither obſcure, or wholy take awaie y• appearing of thoſe the vertues of God, which he hath imprinted in his woorkes. And moreouer, foraſmuch as theſe confuſions, as you terme them, are the effectes of his iuſt iudgement, if wee ſo conſider of them as wee ought, ſurely they ſhall the more ſet foorth the power, and wiſedome of God, and not obſcure it.