That the heavens doe not consist of any such pure matter which can priviledge them from the like change and corruption, as these inferiour bodies are liable unto.
It hath beene often questioned amongst the ancient Fathers and Philosophers, what kind of matter that should be, of which the heavens are framed, whether or no of any fifth substance distinct from the foure elements, as Aristotle De Cœlo., l. 1. cap. 2. holds, and with him some of the late Schoolemen, whose subtill braines could not be content to attribute to those vast glorious bodies, but common materialls, and therefore they themselves had rather take paines to preferre them to some extraordinary nature, whereas notwithstanding, all the arguments they could invent, were not able to convince a necessity of any such matter, as is confest by their owne* * Colleg. Cannimb. De Cœlo. l. 1. c. 2. q. 6. art. 3. side. It were much to be desired, thst these men had not in other cases, as well as this, multiplied things without necessity, and as if there had not beene enough to be knowne in the secrets of nature, have spun out new subjects from their owne braines to finde more worke for future ages, I shall not mention their arguments, since ’tis already confest, that they are none of them of any necessary consequence, and besides, you may see them set downe in any of the bookes de Cœlo.
But is it the generall consent of the Fathers, and the opinion of Lombard, that the heavens consist of the same matter with these sublunary bodies. St. Ambrose is confident of it, that hee esteemes the contrary a heresie. In Hexam. lib. 4. True indeed, they differ much among themselves, some thinking them to be made of fire, others of water, but herein they generally agree, that they are all framed of some element or other. For a better confirmation of this, you may see Ludovicus Molina, Euseb. Nirembergius, with divers others. In opere 6. dierum. disput. 5. The venerable Bede thought the Planets to consist of all the foure elements, and ’tis likely that the other parts are of an aereous substance, In lib. de Mundi constit. as will be shewed afterward; however, I cannot now stand to recite the arguments for either, I have onely urged these Authorities to countervaile Aristotle, and the Schoolemen, and the better to make way for a proof of their corruptibility.
The next thing then to be enquired after, is, whether they be of a corruptible nature, 2 Pet. 3. 12. not whether they can be destroyed by God, for this Scripture puts out of doubt.
Nor whether or no in a long time they would weare away and grow worse, for from any such feare they have beene lately priviledged. By Doctor Hackwell
Apol. But whether they are capable of such changes and vicissitudes, as this inferiour world is liable unto.
The two chiefe opinions concerning this, have both erred in some extremity, the one side going so farre from the other, that they have both gone beyond the right, whilest Aristotle hath opposed the truth, as well as the Stoicks.
Some of the Ancients have thought, that the heavenly bodies have stood in need of nourishment from the elements, by which they were continually fed, and so had divers alterations by reason of their food, this is fathered on Heraclitus, Plutarch. de plac. philos. l. 2. c. 17.
Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 9. followed by that great Naturalist Pliny, and in generall attributed to all the Stoicks. You may see Seneca expressely to this purpose in these words, Ex illa alimenta omnibus animalibus, omnibus satis, omnibus stellis dividuntur, hinc profertur quo sustineantur tot Sydera tam exercitata, tam avida, per diem, noctemque, ut in opere, ita in pastu. Nat. Quæst. lib. 2. cap. 5. Speaking of the earth, he saies, from thence it is, that nourishment is divided to all the living creatures, the Plants and the Starres, hence were sustained so many constellations, so laborious, so greedy both day and night, as well in their feeding as working. Thus also Lucan sings,
Necnon Oceano pasci Phœbumque polumque credimus.
Unto these Ptolome Io Apost.[2] also that learned Egyptian seemed to agree, when he affirmes that the body of the Moone is moister, and cooler than any of the other Planets, by reason of the earthly vapours that are exhaled unto it. You see these ancients thought the Heavens to be so farre from this imagined incorruptibility, that rather like the weakest bodies they stood in need of some continuall nourishment without which they could not subsist.
But Aristotle and his followers were so farre from this, De cœlo. l. 1. cap. 3. that they thought those glorious bodies could not containe within them any such principles, as might make them lyable to the least change or corruption, and their chiefe reason was, because we could not in so long a space discerne any alteration amongst them; but unto this I answer.