2 Moreover, as God is to be felt sensible in every mans conscience, so is he to be seen visibly (if I may so speak) in the creation of the world, and of all things therein contained: for that this world had a beginning as all the excellent Philosophers that ever were have agreed, except Aristotle for a time, who held a fancy,1 that this world had no beginning, but was from all eternity: but at last in his old age, he confessed and held, the contrary in his book de mundo, which he wrote to King Alexander, (which book Justin Martyr esteemed greatly, and called it the Epitome of all Aristotle's true Philosophy.) This then being so, that the world had a beginning, it must needs follow, that it had an efficient cause or maker thereof. I demand then who it was that made it? If you say it made it self, it is absurd, for how could it make it self before it self was, ⟨image 6⟩and when it had no being at all? If you say that something within the world made the world, that is, tha• some one part of the world made the whole, that is more absurd: for it is as much as if a man should say, that the finger (and this before it was a finger or part of the body) did make the whole body. Wherefore it may be confessed by force of this argument (which is plainly demonstrative) that a greater and more excellent thing than is the whole world put together, yea, that some thing which was before heaven and earth were made, was and must needs be the maker thereof and framer of this world, and this can be nothing else but God the Creator of all things, who was before all his Creatures, and is termed in the sacred writings Alpha and Omega the first and the last: For that he only was without beginning himself, and shall be and remain without ending. For he is eternal being the Primus Motor, and the only Almighty Creator of all things: So true is it which Paul the Apostle doth testify,2 when he saith, that the invisible things of God (that is his eternal power and divine Essence) are perfectly seen in the creation of the world, being perceived by his works which he hath made.
2 Moreouer, as God is to bee felt sensible in euerie mans conscience, so is he to be séene visibly (if I may so speake) in the creation of the world, and of all thinges therein contained: for that this world had a beginning as all the excellent Philosophers that euer were haue agréeed, except Aristotle for a time, who helde a fancie,1 that this world had no beginning, but was from all eternity: but at last in his old age, he confessed and held, the contrary in his booke de mundo, which hee wrote to King Alexander, (which booke Iustin Martyr estéemed greatly, and called it the Epitome of all Aristotles true Philosophy.) This then being so, that the worlde had a beginning, it must néeds follow, that it had an efficient cause or maker thereof. I demaund then who it was that made it? If you say it made it selfe, it is absurd, for how could it make it selfe before it selfe was, ⟨image 6⟩and when it had no being at all? If you say that something within the worlde made the world, that is, tha• some one part of the worlde made the whole, that is more absurd: for it is as much as if a man should say, that the finger (and this before it was a finger or part of the bodie) did make the whole bodie. Wherefore it may bee confessed by force of this argument (which is plainely demonstratiue) that a greater and more excellent thing than is the whole world put togeather, yea, that some thing which was before heauen and earth were made, was and must needes be the maker thereof and framer of this worlde, and this can be nothing else but God the Creator of all things, who was before all his Creatures, and is termed in the sacred writings Alpha and Omega the first and the last: For that hee onely was without beginning himselfe, and shall be and remaine without ending. For he is eternall being the Primus Motor, and the onely Almightie Creator of all thinges: So true is it which Paul the Apostle doth testifie,2 when he saith, that the inuisible things of God (that is his eternall power and diuine Essence) are perfectly seene in the creation of the world, being perceiued by his workes which he hath made.
- 1Vide Plutarch de placit philos. Aristotle. Lib. 8. Aristotle. lib de mū do & vide Plotin. lib. de mundo, Justine in Apolog.Vide Plutarch de placit philos. Aristotle. Lib. 8. Aristotle. lib de mū do & vide Plotin. lib. de mundo, Iustine in Apolog.
- 2Rom 1.20.
