Where Mention Is Also Made of the Goodwill of God to Usward, and of Predestination. The Fourth Sermon
DearLY beloved, it remaineth now for me in this day’s sermon, for a conclusion to that which I have hitherto spoken concerning God, briefly to add somewhat of that creation or work of God, whereby he, being the maker of all things, hath to mankind’s commodity wholesomely created all things, beth visible and invisible, and doth now as always most
[3 See Vol. 1. p. 34.] [4 he himself, ed. 1577.] [> mea infantia, Lat. ]]
wisely govern and order the same. For by so doing we shall obtain no small knowledge of God; and many things shall be more openly laid forth unto us, which we in our last treatise did but touch and away!. In the searching out, considering, and setting forth of the creation of the whole and the parts thereof, all the diligence of all wise men? hath been set on work, doth labour, and shall be troubled so long as this world endureth. For what is he, though he were the wisest, the cunningest, and diligentest writer of the natural history, that leaveth not many things untouched for the posterity to labour in, and beat their brains about? Or what is he at this day, which, although he use the aid and industry of most learned writers, is not compelled to wonder at more and greater things than either they ever did, or he ever shall, attain unto you?? The most wise Lord wili always have witty men, that are enriched with heavenly gifts, to be always occupied and evermore exercised in the searching out and setting forth the secrets of nature and of the creation. But we do simply by faith conceive, that the worlds were made of nothing, and of no heap of matter, of God through the Word of God; and that it doth consist by the power of the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God. For so did king David, and Paul the teacher of the Gentiles, both believe and teach. Dut although the order of the whole, and the manner of the creation, cannot be knit up or declared in few words, yet will I do my endeavour to utter somewhat, by which the sum of things may partly appear to the diligent considerer.
And here I choose rather to use another man’s words than mine own; especially because I suppose this matter cannot be more lively expressed than Tertullian, in his book De T’rinitate, setteth it forth as followeth: “God hath hung up heaven in 8, lofty height; he hath made the earth massive with a low and pressed down weight; he hath poured out the seas with a loose and thin liquor; and hath planted all these, being decked and full with their proper and fit instruments. For in the firmament of heaven he hath stirred up the dawning risings
[1 parcius delibavimus, Lat.] - [2 externorum domesticorumque sapientum, Lat.; of wise men]
[both without and within the church. ] [3 So in all the editions; assequatur, Lat.] [ przjacente materia, Lat. ]]
of the sun; he hath filled the circle of the glittering moon for the comfort of the night with monthly increasings of the world; and he lighteneth the beams of the stars with sundry gleams of the twinkling light” (the night, he meaneth); “and he would that all these should by appointed courses go about the compass of the world, to make to mankind days, months, years, signs, times, and commodities. In the earth also he hath lift up high hills aloft, depressed down the valleys below, laid the fields out evenly, and profitably ordained flocks of beasts for sundry services and uses of men. He hath made the massive oaks of the woods for the behoof of man; he hath brought forth fruits to feed them? withal; he hath unlocked the mouths of springs, and poured them into running rivers. After all which necessary commodities, because he would also procure somewhat for the delight of the eyes, he clad them all with sundry colours of goodly flowers, to the pleasure and delight of those that beheld himf In the sea also, although for the greatness and profit thereof it were very wonderful, he framed many sorts of living creatures; some of a mean, and some of a monstrous bigness; which do by the variety of the workmanship give special notes of the workman’s wit. And yet not being therewithal content, lest peradventure the rage and course of the waters should with the damage of the earth’s inhabitants break out and occupy another element, he closed up the water’s limits within the shores; that thereby, when the raging waves and foaming water did rise up from the depth and channel, it might turn into itself again, and not pass beyond the bounds appointed, keeping still the prescribed course; to the end also that man might be so much the more ready to keep God’s laws, when he perceived that even the very elements did observe and keep them. Last of “all he setteth man to be lord over the world; whom he made to the likeness and image of God: to whom he gave reason, wit, and wisdom, that he might imitate God; whose body, although it were made of earth, was yet notwithstanding inspired with the substance of the heavenly breath and Spirit of God: to whom when he had put all things in subjection, he would have him alone to be free without subjection. And lest that liberty, being let loose at random, might come into
[5 So ed. 1584 also: but ed. 1577 has, fruit to feed him.] [6 them, ed. 1577.]]
peril again, he gave a commandment; by the means of which commandment it could not be said that evil was out of hand 5 or by and by present in the fruit, but should then be in it, when once he perceived in the will of man the contempt of that commandment, For both he ought to be free, lest the image of God should seem to be bound undecently; and also a law was to be given, lest at any time the unbridled liberty should break out to the contempt of him that gave the liberty: that he might consequently receive either due rewards of obedience, or merits of punishment for disobedience, having that given him to whether part he was willing by the motion of the mind for to incline; whereby the envy of mortality doth return to him who, when by obedience he might have escaped it, did yet run headlong into it, while he made too much haste to become a God,” &e. The same addeth: “In the parts above the firmament which are not now to be beheld of our mortal eyes, that first there were ordained angels; then there were ordained spiritual virtues; then there were placed thrones and powers, and many other unmeasurable spaces of the heavens; and that many works of holy things were there created!,” &c. Thus far Tertullian.
[1 Regula exigit veritatis, ut primo omnium credamus in Deum]
[Patrem et Dominum omnipotentem, id est, rerum omnium per- by]
[fectissimum conditorem, qui ccelum alta sublimitate suspenderit,]
[terram dejecta mole solidaverit, maria soluto liquore diffuderit, et]
[hzec omnia propriis et condignis instrumentis ct ornata et plena diges-]
[serit. Nam et in solidamento (firmamento) cceli luciferos solis ortus]
[excitavit, lunze candentem globum ad solatium noectis mensuris {(Bul-]
[linger read, menstruis) incrementis orbis implevit, astrorum etiam]
[radios variis fulgoribus micantis lucis (noctem) accendit: et hee]
[omnia legitimis meatibus circumire totum mundi ambitum voluit,]
[humano generi dies, menses, annos, signa, tempora, utilitatesque fac-]
[tura. In terris quoque altissimos montes in verticem sustulit, valles]
[in ima dejecit, campos sequaliter stravit, animalium greges ad varias]
[hominum servitutes utiliter instituit. Sylvarum quoque robora humanis]
[usibus profutura solidavit, fruges in cibum elicuit, fontium ora resera-]
[vit et lapsuris fluminibus infudit. Post que ne non etiam ipsis quoque]
[deliciis procurasset oculorum, variis florum coloribus ad voluptatem]
[spectantium cuncta vestivit. In ipso quoque mari, quamvis esset et]
[τς magnitudine et utilitate mirabile, multimoda animalia, nune mediocris]
[nunc vasti corporis, finxit, ingenium artificis de institutionis varietate]
[testantia. Quibus non contentus, ne forte fremitus et cursus aquarum]
[cum dispendio possessoris humani alienum occuparet elementum, fines]
Now the sum of all this is: God did by his power create of nothing heaven, earth, and the sea; which he did immediately adorn and enrich with all kinds of good things. And into this world, which taketh the name of furniture that 15. in it, as in a most sumptuous palace well furnished with all sort of excellent necessaries, it pleased him to bring man, to whom he did put all things in subjection: as David doth with