A Model of Divinity, Title page – Dedication 1
A MODELL OF DIVINITIE, CATECHISTICALLY COMPOSED. WHEREIN IS DELIVERED THE MATTER AND Methode 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.
PSAL. 40.10.
I hauehave not concealed thy louing kindneſſe, and truth from the great Congregation.
Gregory in Ezek. Hom. 3.
Let the Preacher like beaten burning iron, not onelyonly heat his next neighbours, but caſt ſparkes a farre off to others.
LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawſon for Fulke Clifton, and are to be ſold on New-fiſh ſtreete hill, vnderunder St Margrets Church. 1622.
TO OVR DEARE MOTHER THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND.
THy Children [deare Mother] are growne more nice then wiſe, and fallen into thoſe humours that are fitter for controlement then obſeruation. I deſire to be no challenger of my Brethren; yet is it my dutie to be a louer, yea, and (as I am able) a Champion of thy truth. I am deceiued, if this be not one of the maine grounds of that vniuerſall decay of knowledge, wherewith our people are commonly checked, to wit, that they are not either catechized at all, or elſe in as many formes as they hauehave change of teachers: one teacher (as it were) making worke for another, and ſo pleaſing the fantaſie of their Schollers, that like ſome woman with childe, that longs for that peece which ſhe ſees vponupon anothers trencher, and ſwounes if ſhe miſſe it, or ſome daintie Dames, that doat vponupon eueryevery beautie, they are eueryevery day louelove-ſicke a new,2 Tim. 3.6.7. and like S. Paules ſillie women, are euer learning, and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth. My care ſhall be to bring them home againe to their Mothers dyet, and let them ſee both the meate and milke ſhe hath plentifully prouided for them But before I enter vponupon her ſtore, I muſt acquaint them that all their travell abroad to fill their braines with new learning, hath but bin to goe Northward for heat, and in vaine to ſeeke that candle which they did carry in their owne hands. What plentie of water can there be, where the lead of the ciſterne is put all into the Pipes? We hauehave made ſo many conveyances of the Art of Religion into the braines and breſts of our hearers, that if a man would yeeld to runne after his eye or appetite, he ſhall neuer know where to reſt, and after many idle excurſions, ſhall lie downe weary, but vnſatisfied. Art like Sampſons haire is faire and ſtrong. Art quaſi Arx, quia ſ… ma & pulchra.Strong in precepts, beautifull in methode. And if both theſe be to be found in any Catechiſme, ours ſhall carry away the honour of it. Others that ſwarue from ours, are but like a continuall pumping, without mending the leake. Where confuſion for want of methode, runneth in faſter, then precepts like nailes can faſten themſelues. Some teach the Commandements before the Creed, as if they would teach a man to goe before he liue; others cut the Seales in the midſt of the writing, as if that which ſeales all ſhould not hang at the bottome of the bill, bond, or bargaine, &c. But our rule of Religion is to begin with faith, by which we liue, then to come to the law of life by which we walke: after all this to lead vsus to Prayer, leaſt we ſhould faint in faith, or waxe weary of workes, and laſtly, finding faith but weake, obedience imperfect, and prayers not as they ſhould be, brings vsus to Gods ſeales as the ſafetie and ſecuritie of all our eſtate;Eph. 1.13.14. for being ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, after our faith in God, wee hauehave the earneſt of our inheritance, vntill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſsion. But I deſire not to be like a tedious Muſician, euer tuning, neuer playing; I come therefore firſt to let you ſee the milke of our Catechiſme, in a briefe and ſhort view of it, and then hauing brought you from the ſpoone to the knife, to let you behold your more ſolide meate out of it. You ſhall find it ſufficient both for babes in Chriſt, and growne men And if you be expert in the firſt, then may you remoue a forme higher; for I would not hauehave a Chriſtian like a dying man, or one ſicke of a Palſey, that hauing his ſenſes, memory, and ſpeech, ſhould want facultie loco-motiue, or power to ſtirre his hands, or his feete: that being neither deafe nor dumbe to heare or anſwere, ſhould yet hauehave withered hands, or lame legges to liue as a Chriſtian. All that I wiſh is that we firſt labour for the happineſſe of knowledge, and then ioyne with it the happineſſe of practiſe. Some Artiſans might liue as well as landed men by their earnings, if they had not a worſe boone with ſo excellent a facultie, of idleneſſe, and ill husbandry. It ſhould bee a ſhame for vsus to hauehave the Philoſophers ſtone of the trueſt riches, and yet to liue like beggars. Behold (O Chriſtian) the tranſcendent obiects of thy aſpiring thoughts, and euer keepe thy ſoule vponupon the wing in meditations of the kingdome of heauen, and the righteouſneſſe thereof: loathing thoſe muck-wormes of the world, which like the Gentles breed of putrifaction, or Beetles feeding in the dung, can reliſh nothing but earthly things, or thinke of no other godlineſſe but gaine.2 Tim. 2.7. Conſider (I pray thee) what is ſaid, and the Lord giuegive thee vnderſtanding in all things.