The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. V.

Of the World.

OF this matter was made the World. The World hath seve∣rall appellations, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the World, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the ••ll; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Whole.a 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, World, is taken three waies: First, for God him∣selfe, who is properly qualified with all Essence, incorruptible, and ingenerate, who framed the Universe after a certain period of time, who resolved all nature into himselfe, and again gene∣rated it out of himselfe. Secondly for the starry Ornament: and thirdly that which consists of both.

b 1.2 The All, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is one way taken, as Apollodorus saith, for the World, and another way for the System of the World, and the vacuity beyond it. The World is finito, the v••••uity infinite.

c 1.3 Thus likewise they distinguish betwixt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, includeth also an infinite vacuity, in which the world is: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifies the world without that vacuity, which neither is increased nor diminished; but its parts are sometimes ex∣tended, sometimes contracted. It began from the earth as its center, for the center is the beginning of a Circle.

d 1.4 The world is that which is properly qualited with the es∣sence of all things; or, ase 1.5 Chrysippus andf 1.6 `Possidonius define it, a System of Heaven and Earth, and of the natures therein con∣tained; or a System of God and Men, and of all things that were made for them.

g 1.7 The world was made by God, for if (saith Chrysippus) there

be any thing which produceth such things, as Man, though in∣dued with reason, cannot produce, that (doubtlesse) is greater and stronger, and wiser then man. But a Man cannot make the Celestiall things, therefore that which made them, transcendeth man, in Art, Counsell, Prudence, and Power, and what can that be but God?

h 1.8 The World was made for those animate ••ssences which have the use of Reason, these are the Gods and men, then whom no∣thing is better.i 1.9 All things of which it consisteth, and which it produceth within it selfe, are accommodated to the use of Man.

The World was made in this manner;k 1.10 God in the beginning being alone by himself, converted all substance (which according to Zeno was fire) first into air, then into Water. And as in the Plant the seed is contained; so God, who is the prolisick reason of the World, left such a ••eed in the humidity, as might afford easie and apt matter for the generation of those things that were to be produced.

l 1.11 Zeno addeth, that one part tending downward, was con∣densed into Earth, another part remained partly water, and partly, being exhal'd, air, of a particle of which air flashed out fire.

m 1.12 Cleanthes describeth it in this manner. The Univ••rse being set on fire, the midle part thereof first setled downwards, then the next parts by little and little were quenched. Thus the Universe being wet, the extream fire, (the midle part opposing it) sprang upward, and began the costitution of the World, and the revo∣lution of this constitution shall never end. For as the parts of eve∣ry thing are at certain times produced of Seed; so the parts of the Universe (amongst which are living Creatures and Plants) are produced in their seasons; and as some reasons of the parts are mixed together in the seed, which being composed, are again dissolved, so of one are all things made; and again▪ of one is all compounded by an equall and perp••tuall revolution.

n 1.13 The World is One, of the same corporeall substance, and of a Sphaericall figure, for this is of all figures most apt for moti∣on. Thus Zeno, Chrysippus, P••ssidonius, and others.

o 1.14 The World is feared in an infinite incorporeall vacuity, which is beyond it, circumfused about it,p 1.15 into which the world shall be dissolved by conflagration. The World is finite, the va∣cuity infinite, yetq 1.16 P••ssidonius saith, it is no more then will suffice for the resolution of the World, when it shall p••rish.r 1.17 By this argument they consute the motion of Atomes downward; intro∣duced by Epicure, for in that which is infinite, there are no locall differences of high or low.

The world is not heavy, because the whole fabrick thereof consisteth of heavy and light Elements, and, being placed in the midst, whither such bodies tend, it keepeth its place.

s 1.18 In the World there is no vacuity, but it is compleatly one, for that necessitates a conspiration and harmony, betwixt Ce∣lestialls and Terrestrialls.

The World only ist 1.19 self-sufficient, because it alone hath all in it self, whereof it standeth in no need. Of it self it is nourish∣ed and augmented, whereas the parts are transmuted and con∣verted into one another.

The World is au 1.20 perfect body, the parts of the World are not perfect; because they are respective to the whole, and not of themselves. The Universe is by Nature apt to move it self in all parts, to contain, preserve, and not break, dissolve and burn it self, the Universe sending and moving the same point, and the parts thereof having the same motion from the Nature of the body. Like it is that this first motion is naturally proper to all Bodies, namely, to encline towards the midst of the World, considering the World moveth so in regard of it self; and the parts likewise, in that they are parts of the whole.

x 1.21 The World is a living Creature, rationall, animate and in∣tellectuall (so Chrysippus, Apollodorus and P••ssidonius) and hath an animate sensible essence. For a living Creature is more excellent then that which is not a living Creature; but nothing is more ex∣cellent then the World, therefore the World is a living Crea∣ture. That it is animate is manifest from our Soul, which is a piece therof taken out of it. (but Boethius denies that the world is a living Creature)y 1.22 The mind, or Providence passeth through eve∣ry part thereof, as the Soul doth in us, but in, some parts more, in others lesse; through some permeating, as a habit, as in the bones and Nerves, through some as a mind, as through the prin∣cipall (Hegemonick) part. In like manner the whole World is an animate rationall Creature, the Hegemonicall part thereof is the Aether, as Antipater the Tyrian in his eighth Book of the World. But Chrysippus in his first of Providence, and P••ssidonius, of the Gods, affirm, that Heaven is the Hegemonick of the World; Cleanthes, the Sunne. But Chrysippus in the same Book (differing from what he said before) affirmeth it to be the purest part of the Aether, which they call the first God, sensibly, because it passeth through all in the air, and through all living Creatures and Plants, but through the Earth as a habit.

z 1.23 The World, according to the greater part of St••i••ks, is cor∣rup••ible, for it is generated in the same manner as things compre∣hensible by sense. Again, if the parts thereof be corruptible, the whole is also corruptible; but the parts of the World are cor∣ruptible, for they are dayly changed into one another, therefore the whole it selfe is corruptible. And again, if any thing admit any change into the worse, it is corrup∣tible; but the World doth, for it admitteth ex••iccation, and inun∣dation; therefore, &c.

a 1.24 The World shall perish by fire, caused by the power of fire which is in all things, which, after a long time, consuming all the moisture, shall resolve all things into it self. The Moon, Stars, and Sun,b 1.25 saith Cleanthes, shall perish, but God shall assimilate all things to himself, and resolve all into himself.c 1.26 This opinion of the generall conflagration of the World, was held by the first and most antient of this Sect, Zeno, Cleanthes and Chrysippus.

d 1.27 This fire is the Seed of the World; after the conflagration it diffuseth it self even into the Vacuity that was beyond the World. Afterwards, by order of the same reason which made the World, it shall withdraw and contract itself towards the generation of a new World, yet not be quite extinguished, but so as that some portion thereof remain, for as much as it is the cause of motion.

Bute 1.28 Boethius, P••ssidonius, andf 1.29 Panaetius deny this conflagrati∣on, of the World, conceiving rather that the VVorld is eternall, to whom likewise Diogenes the Babylonian assents.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Laert.
• b 1.2

  Laert.
• c 1.3

  Stob. Ph••s. cap. 24.
• d 1.4

  Laert.
• e 1.5

  Stob. c. 24.
• f 1.6

  Laert.
• g 1.7

  〈…〉〈…〉 dei. cap. 10.
• h 1.8

  Cic. de nat. 2.
• i 1.9

  Lactant de ira dei cap. 13.
• k 1.10

  Laert.
• l 1.11

  Laert. Stob. Phys. cap. 20.
• m 1.12

  Stob. Phys. cap. 20.
• n 1.13

  Laert.
• o 1.14

  Laert.
• p 1.15

  Plu Pl. •• hil. 2. 9.
• q 1.16

  ••••ut. Pl. ••h ••. 2. 9.
• r 1.17

  ••lut. contra. Stoic.
• s 1.18

  Laert.
• t 1.19

  P••ut. contr••. Stoic.
• u 1.20

  Plut. cont. Stoic.
• x 1.21

  Laert.
• y 1.22

  Laert.
• z 1.23

  Laert.
• a 1.24

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 lud. de immortal. mun∣di.
• b 1.25

  Plut. com▪ not.
• c 1.26

  Numen. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Eujeb.
• d 1.27

  Plut. com. not.
• e 1.28

  Phi. Iud.
• f 1.29

  Cic. Stob.