A modell of divinitie, catechistically composed. Wherein is delivered the matter and method of religion, according to the creed, ten Commandements, Lords Prayer, and the Sacraments. By Iohn Yates, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and minister of Gods word in St Andrewes in Norvvich.

CHAPTER XIIII. Of the Elementaries.

Question.

VVE haue heard of the elements, what are the elementa∣ries?

Answere.

Whereby God made them of these foure elements, by a mixture. Gen. 1.11. Let the earth bring forth, &c. This was impossi∣ble without heat and moysture, therefore other elements were in the composition, as may appeare by the resolution of plants, out of which water and spirit is to be distilled, &c. The mystery of this mixture may thus bee conceiued. First, water being of a running nature, is stayed by earths drinesse. Secondly, earth being dry in the highest degree would destroy waters moysture, being not answerable to his quality in the same degree, therefore ayre comes in and takes part with water, to moderate his excessiue drinesse. Thirdly, the coldnesse of water and earth together would easily extinguish the heat of the ayre, except fire, the greatest champion should step in and helpe the ayre against them both. And those all foure being closed together, fight it out, vntill the quarrell be taken vp by euery one yeelding a little to another, and remitting their forces, vntill they all meete louingly together in the same elementary compo∣sition, which is as a compound of them all. But you will say, this is rather Generation then Creation, and therefore a foule confusion to bring it amongst divine precepts. I answere; The action of euery creature is but an imitable genesis, or correspondent work-manship to Gods: and therefore in euery thing, the first course is extraordinary, God shewing the creature his way of imitation. Therefore all the elementaries were made of God, though hee gaue commandement to the elements to bring them forth.

Q. How devide you these clementaries?

A. They are either animate, or inanimate, things with life, or without life: God shewing himselfe by his worke, to be both life and being. Now because God proceeds to perfection, let vs first see the more imperfect elementa∣ries.

Q. What are the inanimate elementaries?

A. Whereby they were made out of the elements without parts, that is, a body and a soule. I confesse, some dispute is about Mineralls, which containe in them excellent spi∣rits, and are found very vivificall in cordialls: but yet this is no proper life, neither will it follow, that they haue a vegetatiue life, because they seeme to grow; for, that is onely by addition of matter, and not a liuely extension of the same matter by a springing life, increasing to his full perfection, &c.

Q. How are they devided?

A. They are either Meteors, or Mineralls: for so it comes to passe, that these things which haue onely a body and no soule, are either of elements well ioyned together, or else of such as hang very loosely together, and are ca∣sily shaken asunder: these things are passed over in silence by Moses, and might well be left out of this Art, saue one∣ly that God doth wonderfully set forth his glory, even by the weakest workes, and those that are worst tyed toge∣ther in their composition. We will therefore stay a little in the handling of them; for their knowledge shall be both pleasant and profitable.

Q. What are the Meteors?

A. All luch things as are mixed of the foure elements imper∣fectly. Gen. 1.6. Of this kinde are the waters aboue. Gen. 2.5. & the raine that descends from them. Psal. 148. Clouds, fire, haile, snow, winde, and vapours are called vpon to prayse the Lord, because he created them. What marvells doe we meete withall in this head of creatures? the clouds, the bottles of raine, vessels as thin as the liquor which is contained in them: there they hang and moue, though

weightie with their burden. These the Lord maketh one while as some ayery Seas to hold water: another while as some ayery Furnaces, whence he scattereth his sudden fires vnto all the parts of the earth, astonishing the world with the fearefull noyies of the thunders eruption: out of the midst of the waters aboue he fetcheth fire, and hard stones. Another while hee makes the clouds as steele-glasses, wherein the Sunne lookes and shewes his face in the va∣rietie of colours which he hath not; there are the streames of light, blazing and falling Starres, fires darted vp and downe in many formes, hollow openings, and (as it were) gulfes in the skie; bright circles about the Moone, and o∣ther Planets, Snowes, Haile, &c. Here might I discourse of a world of wonders, to the astonishment of the rea∣ders: but I must remember my Art, which is to speake of Creation, and not the generation of things; for as the one belongs to Divinitie, so the other to naturall Phylosophy. And I take it that Meteors were rather generated of the foure elements, then created: though in all wee are to ad∣mire Gods hand, though we cannot search out his action. But if God lend life, as I desire first to acquaint men more fully with the knowledge of Iehovah-Elohim; so after with their workes. And Creation, according to Moses de∣scription, will yeeld the exactest and divinest Phyloso∣phie.

Q. What is the perfect mixture?

A. Whereby the bodies of things are more closely vnited, and produced according to the predominant element, not hanging by violence out of their proper elements, but duely placed of God in their proper places, whereby the first matter is filled and ador∣ned. God himselfe supplying that voyd and vnformed masse, with foure formes, and infinite varieties of creatures out of their composition and mixture. They which lie the lowest, and doe adorne the bowels of the earth, wee call Mineralls; and they are either Metalls, or Stones, the one hath water predominant in it, the other earth; and they are both precious, and base, purer, or impurer. And it is to

be wondered at, that man treading vpon these Mineralls, should not learne to contemne them. They lie furthest from heaven, and the best of them are in India, furthest from the Church. It is (as we haue said) that which Mi∣dianitish Camels carry, that Indian slaues get, that servile Apprentises worke, that greedy Iewes swallow, world∣lings admire, and Ruffians spend: and yet we cannot e∣steem of it as the meanest of Gods creatures, far inferior to a spire of grasse. Adam had them in the first Paradise. Gen. 2.11.12. In the second we shall not need them. Iob 28.1.2.3.5.6. &c. There may you see how God hath placed them, and how we come by them. And so subiect to sinne, as God made a law to haue them purified, before he would haue them vsed. Num. 31.22.23. &c. Hence it is abomi∣nable of these things to make Idoll gods. Ezek. 16.17. Ioel. 3.5.

Q. What are the elementaries with life?

A. Whereby they were created of a body and soule; for life is nothing but the act of the soule vpon the body: and the soule, saue onely the reasonable, is compounded of the foure elements, and is nothing but the Spirits of them, or that which is most formall and actiue in them. Hence fire and ayre are most predominant in these spirits; for, as by extraction we haue the spirits of things taken from the masse and body, by resolution of the composition: so, in the composition, those spirits were as the soule of that liu∣ing thing. Wine is pressed from the grape, which is the fruit of a vegetable plant: and because it carries away with it the more formall elements, and leaues the grosser and more materiall behind, wee say it is generous and full of Spirits: yea, and out of this againe by Art are taken the Spirits of wine, which are very liuely, and of a quickning nature. In all plants, Ayre is most formall; and therefore the vegetatiue life consists most in moysture, and the spirit of it: but in the Sensatiue and Motiue life, fire, and the spirit thereof is most predominant. These Spirits which are the soules of Plants, and Beasts, are but the band, or

tye of the reasonable soule and body: hence death in man is nothing but the extinguishing, or consuming of these Spirits: for as this claspe vnlooseth, or knot vntieth: so body and soule separate asunder. Agues they consume and backe these Spirits within our bodies, and so consequent∣ly kill vs: colds and watery distempers doe not so much wast as weary and tyre them, and at last extinguish them as a brand in a puddle of water. Gen. 1.20.21.24.28. &c. we read of life; and Gen. 7.22. wee heare how God extin∣guished the same againe.

Q. What are the kinds?

A. Either such as liue a single life, or a compound life. Some creatures haue their Spirits, or Soules from some one ele∣ment formally, others from more. As for example, all Plants liue most by the Spirit and moysture of the ayre: Starres of the fire, men and beasts by both. They grow by the one, haue sense and motion by the other.

Q. What is this single life?

A. Whereby he made some creatures to line by the formall and act it••e Spirits of some one element.

Q. What are their kinds?

A. Plants and lights, the one with a growing and sprin∣ging life, the other with a stirring, or mouing life. Gen. 1.11. with 14. The first being more imperfect (as ayre is lesse formall then fire) is first handled.

Q. What is the Creation of the Plants?

A. Whereby the earth brought them forth with aspringing life onely. Gen. 1.11.12.13. They were compounded of the foure elements, but the earth doth predominate, or beare rule in the body; as ayre doth in the Soule: and euery thing is placed in that element which beares greatest sway in the body, or materiall substance of it.

Q. How were they created?

A. According to their kinds, yeelding seed; both the lesser and greater: the lesser, as grasse, herbes flowers, & shrubbes: the greater, fruitfull trees, and the rest without fruit. All which the earth brought forth by the commandement of

God; and as it is the mother and breeder of them: so is it the Nurse and foster-mother of them ever after. Gen. 1.14. The act of the soule in plants, is vegitation: and they haue as it were, a mouth to draw nourishment, and prepare it for the stomacke, and a kind of liuer and heart for concoc∣tion. Now this facultie to nourish, hath foure compani∣ons to waite on it. First, Attraction, the Spirits drawing a portion to euery part. Secondly, Retention, whereby the part keepes and holds what it hath gotten. Thirdly, Con∣coction, to digest and convert what it hath gotten into it selfe. Fourthly, Expulsion, whereby it reiecteth and elec∣teth whatsoeuer is superfluous. Now the seed is an excre∣ment of the last concoction, and therefore is from the as∣simulation of the nourishment, which makes it like euery part. Hence from simular parts, it begets simular parts; and out of so little a part being full of Spirits, are begotten all other creatures. In seed and food consists all vegitable life, and a hurt in either is dangerous, and often deadly. From nutrition proceed augmentation and generation; the one for extension of the same thing, the other, for pre∣servation of it in others. Extention is by heat, hence fe∣males are lesse then males, because their heat is lesse, though often they haue more moysture. Generation, is by seed, which receiues from plants, and all other things, the soule and substance of euery part. Hence is it able to giue the kind that yeelds it. And therefore the Lord sayes euery Plant yeelding seed after his kind. Gen. 1.12. Teaching vs thereby, that the seed vertually, and potentially, answeres the creature in euery part and member of it?

Q. When were these made?

A. The same day wherein the waters and earth were created. Gen. 1.13. And so by succession of an evening and mor∣ning, was there a third day, or 24. houres. In creation of the elements, God began in the top of the matter: but in the elementaries he began in the bottome, first creating the Mineralls, and then the Plants. For God is a God of order and so passeth on in his worke from imperfection to per∣fection,

I meane, where there is a succession of parts, o∣therwise God begins with the best first. For the Lord did not in the vniverse, as men doe in building, rake first in the earth to lay the foundation, and adde the roofe last: but he first laid on the roofe, and last of all came to the foundation. First heaven, then fire, next ayre, and last of all water and earth. Yet being the God of Art, followed an exact methode in all; for being come to the earth, hee first makes things spring, then moue, after spring moue and walke by sense. Lastly, as an Epitome of all the rest he comes to man, which growes, moues, walkes, and a∣boue all the rest, liues by reason.

Q. What is the Creation of the lights?

A. Whereby he made them in the element of fire, with a mo∣tiue life to runne round, carrying the same side still forward, that they may bring light vpon the earth, and separate betweene day and night, and be for fignes and seasons, dayes and yeeres. Gen. 1.14.15. Iob 38.31.32.33. Psal. 8.2.4. Psal. 19.2.3.4.5.6.7. and 136.7.8.9. Ier. 31.35. Amos. 5.8. &c. False and fabulous Phylosophie makes this doctrine a wonder, and they that bring Moses to Aristotle, laugh at this lesson. Starres to liue is against reason, for they are not nourished, neither doe they increase or generate, &c. I may reply a∣gaine vpon Divines from Moses, by a probable argument they were created after liuing things, therefore they haue life, &c. Aristotles obiection is easily answered. Life con∣sisting in the moysture of ayre is to be nourished; not in the spirit of fire. Animall spirits if they were not generated of the vitall, and daily restored by them, they might liue by their fiery nature, as well as starres. Let this then be gran∣ted, that all elementarie soules, are either the formall spi∣rits of the ayre, or fire: and then starres hauing the one and not the other, may liue without nourishment. The in∣fluences of the Starres are as vitall as the animall spirits in man, and both comfort and beget life, &c. Againe, their motion shewes they liue, for nothing is moued from place to place without it. If God and Moses may be heard, Phy∣losophers

shall easily haue their mouthes stopped. Scrip∣ture euery where testifieth of the motion of the Starres. Which must either be by counsell, or nature, or violence, or fortune. Not by counsell, for their motion is regular, and alwayes the same, and this were sufficient to proue the cause next vnder God to be naturall. But the opinion is, they are moued by the externall force of Angels, as a wheele by a dog, or a Crane by walking men. I reade in∣deed, that the Angels are ministring spirits for the good of the elect; but no where in Gods booke, that they turne the wheeles of heaven. And againe, the light being com∣mon to good and bad, the good Angels should minister daily, as well for reprobates as Gods elect. But to still all cackling in this cause, let the Text cleare it selfe. Gen. 1.14.15.16.17.18. That which God saw to be good, answers Gods intention in his motion to his end. Therefore the Starres had so much by their creation, that they were able to devide, giue light, rule dayes and nights, the which they were vnable to doe without motion; God therefore gaue them a power to moue, that they might obtaine these ends; which if they should assume from any other then God, would argue the imperfection of his owne worke. It may well be thought they receiue this life in their cen∣ters, as other things doe in the circumference. For being round, heat and spirit will most vnite themselues within, as in a silver spoone, turne the hollow side to the fire, and it will be very hot. But in plaine bodies heat is receiued in a cleane contrary fashion, as in Andyrons, where they be round, are very cold, but where they be plaine, they be ve∣ry hot, and will burne soone. Starres therefore are round like globes, that heat may the better center in them, and make them the more actiue and liuely in their motion. Why they should neither ascend, nor descend, is their e∣quall temper with the place where they stay, Why they moue round, is the actiue spirit and soule that will not suf∣fer them to rest. It is said of the Sunne. Psal. 19.4.5.6. that God hath set him a tabernacle, or proper place, out of

which he cannot goe, and yet he comes out of the cham∣bers thereof, and in the strength of his motiue spirit, re∣ioyceth to runne his race; not tumble it as some dreame: for running a brest in the fire, hee pusheth and shoueth it from him, that nothing can be hid from his heat & light. His circuit is from one end of heaven to another, and by his quicke dispatch, euery day either drawes a little nearer, or goes a little farther off: not that at any time he comes nearer the earth: but by fleeting a little his chambers, he comes sometime in the yeere to dwell more directly over our heads then other. He devids night and day euery 24. houres with vs, and by running from one point to another the whole yeere. And it is as naturall to the Sunne to runne a circuit euery day, as another in a whole yeere: not that he is pulled contrary wayes by two diverse orbes: but that which he doth euery day in part, that hee doth wholly and completely in a yeare. Now the part and the whole may agree in the same motion; and euery dayes race is but a part of the whole yeeres course, which the Sunne may as truely keepe in the whole, as in the parts, and that without all contrary motions. But seeing euery man will fancie his owne fiction, I leaue this without all further pro∣secution.

Q. How many sort of Starres haue we?

A. Two; The greater and the lesser: not for quantitie of bodie, but qualitie of light: for the originall word Meoroth, is Makers of light, Luminaries, shiners. And so the Sunne and Moone are greatest, as giuing to the earth the greatest quantitie of light. How great the Starres are is a coniecture and guesse at the iust proportion of any one: yet they are very bigge, and it is evident that the Sunne is bigger then the earth, by the Eclipses, and because it en∣lightneth more then halfe the earth at once. Gen. 1.16.

Q. What are the greater?

A. The Sunne and the Moone. These two cast downe the greatest light vpon the face of the earth. Genesis 1.16. Psal. 104.19.

Q. What is the Creation of the Sunne?

A. Whereby he made it to rule the day, &c. And it is called the greater light, because it darkens all Starres by his shi∣ning: yea, and casts light in the face of them all: hence the Moone which hath such a changeable light, receiues her splendor from the Sunne, according to that face which is opposite to the body of the Sunne, for the one halfe of it is ever illuminated and illustrated by the same, and in re∣ceiuing and casting downe that light seemes to haue spots in her face. Gen. 1.16. Psal. 19.5.6.

Q What is the creation of the Moone?

A. Whereby it was made to rule the night. Gen. 1.16. Yet shee hath the assistence of the Starres; for her selfe is often absent in the night.

Q. What are the lesser lights?

A. The Starres. Gen. 1.16. These carry downe a lesser quantitie of light: yet if it were not for them, our nights would be palpable darkenesse, which is the greatest enemy to the eye; for, it is a comfortable thing to see the light. Eccl. 11.7.

Q. When were all these made?

A. In the fourth day, euening and morning succeeding as be∣fore in the compasse of 24. houres. Gen. 1.19.

Q. What is the creation of things with a compound life?

A. Whereby they were made not onely with a growing and mouing life; but also with sense, externall and internall, the one serving as glasse windowes for the other. The first sense which is most necessary, is our feeling, and is dispersed through the whole body, excepting the bones and sinewes. Bones are the sustentacles of our bodies, and therefore would be painfull to vs, if they were tender of feeling. The sinewes they are the organs and instruments, and carry in them the sensitiue spirits; and man is most ticklish where his skin is thinnest. With the tips of the fingers, Physitians feele their patients, as being most sensible of the pulses mo∣tion. The tangible obiects are heat, cold, drought and moysture principally: secondarily, the qualities that hence

arise. Tast is next, which is a kind of feeling, for both must haue their obiects present. Now it is made by the passing down of the sensitiue spirit from the brain to the tongue, &c. Sight is made by conveiance of sensitiue spirits to the eyes, where they are met with the light without that first comes to the watery humor, which is as lead to a loo∣king glasse, that stayes the light, then it comes to the glas∣sie humor, and there is gathered together, then it comes to the crystaline, or clearest humor, and is carried vp vnto the braine, by the sensitiue spirit that meetes it. Hence Hippocrates saies, that these sensitiue Spirits are a drie brightnesse, and that is, because fire is here predominant, as wee may see by a blow vpon the eye, the Spirits redou∣bled, are made visible as fire. Those that haue the brigh∣test eyes, as Catts, &c. see better in darkenesse then other creatures, and worse in the light; because the greater light darkens the lesser. Hearing is a fourth sense, and meets with the noyse in the eares, there it centers: for noyse is made by a circle in the ayre, not much vnlike vnto that which wee see in the water when wee cast a stone into it. Hence it comes to passe as many as stand within the circle or circumference of the sound made in the ayre, heare it; and the reason is, because any point or center within the circle of the sound, is potentially in euery part of it, & one point is enough to bring it to our eares: yet we cannot see so; for, when we but looke at a thing that is round, wee cannot see it all at once. But I must not play the Phyloso∣pher too much; it is my desire, that God for his workes may haue the due glory. Smelling is the last sense, and serues wonderfully to refresh the braine. The inward sen∣ses that looke through these outward, are fancie, cogitati∣on, and memory: and they are a little resemblance of rea∣son, which comes in the last place. For fancie hath in it a kind of invention, cogitation of iudgement, and memory of methode. And this is the sensatiue life, wherein God shewes his owne act more eminently.

Q. How many sorts of creatures liue by sense?

A. Two; either such as liue by it onely, or haue beside all these a reasonable life. This onely passeth Elements both formall and materiall, yet the finest Spirits serue to knit it with the rest, and so wee handle that life amongst Elementaries, o∣therwise it is angelicall, and purely of nothing by the pow∣er of the Creator.

Q. How many kinds haue we of the first life?

A. Either fishes and foules, or beasts. All which were made according to their kinds, and were mightily to increase, through Gods blessing, and to fill their places with daily of-spring.

Q. What is the creation of the fishes?

A. Whereby the Lord caused the waters to bring them forth in abundance, wherein also they increase and multiplie, and re∣plenish the waters. Gen. 1.20.21.22. Iob 40.20. & 41.1.

Q. What is the creation of the fowles?

A. Whereby he made them to flie in the ayre, and to multi∣plie vpon the earth. Gen. 1.20.

Q. When were the fish and fowle made?

A. In the sift day, or 24. houres. Gen, 1.23. These were more imperfect then the beasts of the field, and therefore conclude a dayes worke by themselues, God willing vs to take notice, how exact he was in ascending vp to mans perfection.

Q. What is the creation of the beasts?

A. Whereby he caused the earth to bring them forth after their kinds; and they are either walkers, or creepers: walkers, cattell and beasts, that is, wild and tame creatures. Gen. 1.24.25. Thus God formed and filled that first matter, and prepa∣red it as an habitation for man: who though hee came na∣ked out of the wombe of the earth, was even then so rich, that all things were his, heaven was his roofe, earth his floare, the Sea his pond, the Sunne & Moone his torches, all creatures his vassalls. They that looke into some great Pond, may see the bankes full, though they see not the se∣verall

springs whence the water riseth: so wee may eye the world, but can never come to see the excellencie of it, much more of the maker himselfe. Kings erect not cotta∣ges, but set forth their magnificence in sumptuous buil∣dings: so God hath made a world, to shew his admirable glory. And if the lowest pauement of that third heaven be so glorious, what shall wee finde within? Who would thinke, that all these should be made for one, and that one, well-neere the least of all? Sure I am, the last: with him therefore, let vs conclude this worke of Creation.