The wonderfull vvoorkmanship of the world wherin is conteined an excellent discourse of Christian naturall philosophie, concernyng the fourme, knowledge, and vse of all thinges created: specially gathered out of the fountaines of holy Scripture, by Lambertus Danæus: and now Englished, by T.T.

¶ The. xxxix. Chapter. Of the tyme wherein the worlde was made.

S.

YOU haue spoken of the place, speake now also of the tyme, wherein this worlde was made.

M.

That this worlde beegan sometyme to existe, and is not eternall, neither of like antiquitie with GOD, not onely the Maiestie of Gods holie woorde doeth testifie, but also the opinions of the moste auncient Philosophers doe declare. Whoe, as thei were nerer too the beegin∣nyng of the worlde, so did thei learne the truthe more better of the Fathers, and reteined the same more freshly in memorie. For y^t Plato in Timeo was of that o∣pinion, and all the Stoikes also, their owne writynges do beare witnesse, yea, moreouer, this hath bin agreed vpon, by a generall consent of the moste auncient wri∣ters, that the worlde had a beginnyng, whereof Linus the eldest Poete of all, who liued before Orpheus, wri∣tyng of the creation of the worlde, beeginneth thus: A tyme there was when all thynges framed were togither once, as Diogenes Laertius reporteth.

S.

There bee twoo speciall poinctes repugnant to your opinion, whereof the one is alledged by the Aristoteli∣ans, and the other by the Epicurians.

M.

What bee thei?

S.

The first is this. Seeyng the worlde is rounde, and of a Sphericall fourme, there can neither beginnyng, nor endyng bee noted therein: whereby it commeth to passe, that when it mooueth it mooueth circularly or

rounde, whiche motion also hath neither beeginnyng nor endyng, but is a continuall and perpetuall motiō: and is therefore eternall. Now, if the worldes motiō bee eternall the worlde also must needes bee eternall. Thus the Peripatetikes by the figure and motion of the world, doe conclude y^• the world it self is also eternall.

M.

Truely this is a verie slender argumente. For firste, who will graunt vnto them, that all the partes of the world doe mooue, by that circulare and sphericall mo∣tion? seeyng that, as thei them selues doe write, nei∣ther, the fire, neither the aier, neither the water, neither the earth dooe mooue by this motion, but by a right line and a pendent: to wit, the fire and aire vpwarde: the water and earth dounewarde. Moreouer, if wee deale thus liberally with them, to graunte, that the worlde is of a sphericall fourme and figure, who is a∣ble to prooue notwithstandyng, that there can bee no beeginning of motion assigned, and obscrued therein? Seeyng it is not mooued of it self, but by an other, too wit the greate God, or, as thei terme it, by a certeine firste intelligence, or Angell. And whereas it is saied of a wheele, of a sphere, or of a circle, that the begin∣nyng of the motion there of cannot bee assigned in this poincte of the circumference more than in another, it is true onely in respecte of the thing & the figure, and not if you respect the hande that turneth it, or the for∣cyng of the cause that mooueth it, in respect whereof, the poinct is called the beeginnyng of moouyng in the sphere or circle, where hee beginneth to mooue it first, that turneth the circle, sphere, or wheele about. Wher¦fore, although the worlde can haue no beginnyng of moouyng, neither of it self, neither of it owne figure:

notwithstandyng it hath of God who once beegan it, and turned it from a certeine poincte of the circumfe∣rence, and a certeine place, to wit, from the East, con∣tinually to mooue into the Weste, whether it turneth now daiely, beeyng by hym mooued, and not of it self. And although it bee vnknowne to vs nowe, whiche parte of the circumference of heauen God first moued (for you see how many, and diuerse thynges men dooe affirme, concernyng the greate yeere of the worlde, whiche is that state of the worlde, wherein Heauen and all thinges returne to their place, where thei wer first created) yet it is certein, that heauen began some∣tyme to mooue, from some one prefixed poincte and part of the circumference.

S.

The other repugnancie is this. Thei saie it is to ab∣surde, to saie that God did not create this world from eternitie, and tyme euerlastyng. For after so many in∣finite spaces of yeres paste, what should moue hym at length, that hee would Create the worlde? Thei de∣maunde therefore, why GOD remained so long slug∣gishe and idle, why hee slept so long, what he did then, why hee ceased from dooyng somethyng so long, why hee made not this noble and goodlie woorke sooner? These and suche like floutes, thei cast foorthe against the maiestie of God.

M.

You doe alleage the argument of Velleius the Epicure: vnto whiche I will answere that which, as S. Au∣gustine writeth, was spoken by a certein mery old man, a Christian. Who, beeyng likewise demaunded by suche kinde of men, what God did beefore hee created the worlde: answered: He made Hell, wherein hee might tor∣mente perpetually suche curious fellowes, as doe demaunde suche

questions. For what wickednesse is this, to go about to enter into suche secretes: what impudencie to creepe so farre? what blasphemie, to looke that God should rendre an accoumpt to vs of his doinges, and forepas∣sed life, who must bee our iudge? what needed hee too haue created these thinges sooner, whiche hee neither hath neede of too his existence, neither thereby to liue in greater felicitie? For God hath in himself, and that from all eternitie, a most perfect, most happie, and most full state of nature, whiche is vnto himselfe sufficient for all thinges, and he hath neede of none other thing, neither of Angell, nor man: Psalme 16. and 2. ver. Nei∣ther was GOD then idle, that the Epicures maye not mock, neither did hee sleepe in slouthfulnes beefore he made this world. But euen then, as also now, he was inwardly occupied in his woorkes, that is to say, hee was wonderfully delighted in the contemplation of hymself, hee enioyed then himself, and his perfect and vnspeakeable glorie: hee was busied in the most large and incomprehensible light of his substance and es∣sence, as may easily bee vnderstoode out of the Prouer∣bes, the 8. chapter, and 30. verse: and Iohn, the 17. chapt. and 4. verse: and likewise out of Irenaeus, the 4. booke, and 28. chapter.

S.

This I vnderstande: declare nowe what time thys worlde was created?

M.

Doe you demaund this, either of the day, or of y^• Mo∣neth, or of the Yeere?

S.

Mary, of euery one of them seuerally.

M.

Concerning the day, mee thinkes this much may bee sayd, that the beginning and first daye of y^e creation of the worlde, was that day which wee Christians doe

nowe call Sundaye, and which the Jewes called the first daye of the Sabbathes, and not that which wee commonly call Munday.

S.

Howe so?

M.

Bicause it is euidente, that the Lorde wrought sixe whole dayes togither, before the Sabbath & seuenth daye. And amonge the Hebrues, in olde time, that was the Sabbath and seuenth daye which wee nowe call Satterdaye, whiche is the next daye, beefore Sun∣daye, and next after Fridaye. For Christians, to the entente that they woulde not retaine the auncient ce∣remoneis of the Jewes, but deuoutly to honour the resurrection of our Lorde Jesus Christ, wherby ther began a new state of the Church, in stead of the Sab∣bath, they chose the next daye following to rest on, as it appeareth in the 20. Chapter of the Actes: the 1. to the Corinthians, the 16. chapter: and the first Chapter of the Reuclation: and also it is extant in the Ecclesiasticall historie: which day they called the Lords day, or Sun∣daye. But, if you woulde number sixe dayes beefore the Sabbath daye, you muste begin vpon Sundaye, not vpon Mundaye: and so shall you haue sixe daies, after which followeth the Sabbath, which is the sea∣uenth: Thus: First Sunday, then Munday. Tues∣daye, Wedensday, Thurseday, Fryday, after which followeth the Seauenth, whiche are the Sabbath dayes. So that the Lorde began his woorke of cre∣ating the worlde, vpon Sunday: which is confirmed to bee true, by a counsell holdē in Iudaea, as Eus••bius wri∣teth in the 5. booke of his historie, and the 23. and 25. Chapters,

S.

But in what Moneth seemeth it vnto you, that the

worlde was made.

M.

I will vtter, in this poinct that whiche seemeth vnto mee most likely, and I craue pardon herein, that no man thinke mee to bee curious: notwithstanding I muste needes vtter my minde, for that this question is demaunded by many. Uerily, it semeth vnto mee, that the worlde was created in that moneth which is called by the Hebrues Tisri, and is answereable partly vnto our moneth of August, and partly to Septem∣ber: for doubtles it began after the Autumnal or Har∣uast equinoctium. So that I doe nothinge agree vnto those, that write & suppose that the world was made in the Moneth of March, and in the Springe.

S.

Can you confirme your opinion by any reason?

M.

Yea, and that by diuerse. And not onely this, that in the time of Autumne or Haruast, the earth is most apt to receiue the seedes of good fruites, as of Wheat, and Barly, and such like. For at that time, it seemeth most meete and fit to conceiue, as in the Springe to bring∣foorth fruite: and in Summer to yelde them vp: and as for winter, then the earth digesteth and concocteth the seedes that are cōmitted vnto hir, and embracing them in y^e middes of hir bosome, frameth & nourisheth them, as a mother doeth hir young, whiche, notwith∣standing, shee bringeth foorth in the spring tune, when they bee sumwhat growne: and in Summer is quite del••uered of them, as beeinge then ripe and perfecte. Wherefore, the springe and Summer, doe seeme ra∣ther to bee as it were midwiues to the earth, than to minister vnto it any force, or vertue to bringe foorth: whiche vertue notwithstandinge Autumne yeeldeth vnto the earth, as beeing yet mindefull of the first cre∣ation

of all thinges, and of hir owne bringinge foorth of all manner commodities, reteininge vnto this pre∣sent the force, effect, and power of the auncient com∣maundement, which the Lorde enioyned at that time. So y^• the Hebrues will haue it, that this moneth Tisri, shall not be so called of must or newe wine, but of iuce, wherof y^e earth is full at that season. And these bee the two reasons of mine opinion. The fyrst, for that as the scripture teacheth in the 28. chapter, and 9. verse: and so folowinge of Leuiticus, this moneth hath beene alwayes, since the firste age of man, as farre as euer there can bee had any remembrance, the beeginninge of the yeare and first moneth. And therefore, in con∣tractes and bargaines, in cōmon and priuate affaires, and to bee briefe, in supputation of the yeares and age of the worlde, which was done by the yeares of Iubilee, the yeare euer beegan in this moneth among the aun∣tient Fathers in old time, and among the Jewes: and ended also in the same. So that y^e yeares & age of A∣dam, and the residue of the Fathers whiche liued both beefore the floude and since, are to bee reckened from this moneth. The seconde reason is this: For that the feast of Trumpettes which God commaunded to bee kept vpon the first daye of this moneth, seemeth to haue beene specially instituted by God, to the intente, that the remembraunce of the first originall and crea∣tion of the worlde, whiche was doone vppon that day might bee holily preserued & continued in the Church. Truely, it was not in vaine, that y^e Lord would haue that day kept holy, & so great honour & reuerēce attri∣buted vnto these trumpettes & Instruments whiche wee reade, at that time, were so tossed & blowne. But

by that great and pleasant sownd, hee ment to admo∣nish and put in remēbraunce, men, & the whole world also, of their first natiuitie, which as by the special pro∣uision of God, it fell vpon the firste daye of this mo∣neth, so was it godlily and reuerently renued and re∣membred in the Church, that the world might not bee ignorant of it owne byrth daye. Whereby also it came to passe, that God cōmaunded many feastes and holi∣daies to bee kept in y^e seauenth moneth, which moneth was called also Aetanim, that is to saye, the Moneth of strength or strong thinges. 1. Kinges, the 8. chap. and 2. verse. Yea, some saye also, that our Sauiour Christ was borne the same moneth, and not without some reason.

S.

But it is saide in the 12. Chapter, and 1. verse of Ex∣odus, that Nisan was the first moneth of the yeare, an∣swering vnto our monethes of March and April, and falling in the Uernall or Springe equinoctium

M.

You say well. But therevnto I answere two waies: First, that Nisan or March was not alwayes the bee∣ginning of the yeere, but at length after that the chil∣dren of Israell returned out of Egyt, in the remēbrance of so great a benefite, that is to say, for the conseruati∣on of the memorie of the newe founding & restoaringe of that people. Moreouer, Nisan was not the beegin∣ning of the yeere, for all things that were done among the people of God, but onely in respect of their holie & festiuall daies, and of the tabernacle. For the taberna∣cle, as it had it owne peculiare reuolution, and diffe∣ringe from the common: so had it also a proper begin∣ninge of the yeere, not agreeing with the order of the Politike yeere: to the intent that men mighte knowe

that there was a difference too bee put beetweene the Politike and Ecclesiastical gouernment, and that the reason of them both is diuerse, and their nature sepa∣rate and distinct.

S.

How many yeeres doe you now accoumpt, since the world was first made?

M.

As some doe suppose, since the tyme that the worlde was made, vnto this present yeere 1578. wherin this booke was written, are about 5298. yeeres.

S.

Howe doe you beegin this number, or by what mea∣nes doe you gather it?

M.

Euen by this short reckninge. Frō the creation of the world vnto the generall diluge, whiche happened in the daies of Noe, are numbred in the Historie of the ho∣ly Scriptures 1656. yeeres. And from the diluge, vn∣to the promise whiche God made firste vnto Abraham, and his departing vpon commaundment out of Vr, a Citie of the Chaldees, and Charris a citie of Mesopotamia, are 427. yeeres. And from that promise, vnto the de∣parture of the children of Israell out of the land of Egypt, which was vnder Moses, are 430. yeeres, as it is writ∣ten in the 12. chapter, and 40. verse of Exodus. And from the departure out of the land of Egypt, vnto the begin∣ning of the building of Salomons temple, which was be∣gun the fourth yeere of Salomons reigne, are 480. yeeres, as it appeareth the 1. Kinges, and 6. chap. And from that tyme, vnto the leading away of the Jewes into the captiuitie of Babylon, I meane that whiche beegan vnder King Ioachim, are about 167. yeres, or sumwhat¦lesse. In this captiuitie the people aboade the space of 70. yeeres, according as Ieremy the Prophet foretold them in the 25. chapter. And from the departure of the

Jewes out of the captiuitic of Babylon, and from the day of the publication of Cyrus edict concerning the de∣liueryng and sendyng home of the Jewes into their owne coūtrey, vnto the passion of Christ, are 70. weekes of yeeres, that is to saye, 490. yeeres, as the Prophet Daniell writeth: Daniell the 9. chapter. And from the passion of Christ vnto this our present tyme, are 1578. yeeres. So that if all these numbers be gathered too∣gether into one summe, they make 5298. whiche is the distance of yeeres since the creation of the worlde: although the Rabbines of the Jewes do dissent from this summe of yeres. Howbeit, we follow the Scrip∣tures herein, and also the best learned auctours that haue written most truely in this beehalf.