And if any one would underſtand theſe Days of ſacred Scri
pture, not only ſecundum nos, but alſo ſecundum naturam, as
circulations of Cœleſtial Light returning to the ſelf ſame point
from whence it did at firſt proceed; ſo as that there needs no
reſpect to be had to Night or to ^{*} Darkneſſe, for which ſole rea
ſon we are fain to imbrace the Interpretation of ſacred Scripture
ſecundum nos; In oppoſition to this we may thus argue: If the
ſacred Scripture be underſtood to ſpeak abſolutely, of iterated
and ſucceſſive circulations of light, and not reſpectu noſtri, as if
theſe words Evening and Morning had never been inſerted, which
in their natural acceptation denote the Suns habitude to us and to
the Earth: For that the Morning is that time when the Sun be
gins to wax light, and to riſe above the Horizon in the Eaſt,
and become viſible in our Hemiſphœre, and Evening is the time
in which the Sun declines in the Weſt, and approacheth with its
light neerer to the other oppoſite Horizon and Hemiſphœre,
which is contiguous to this of ours. But the word Day is a Co
relative to the word Night. From hence therefore it evidently
appeareth, that theſe three words Evening, Morning, and Day,
cannot be underſtood of a Circulation of Light ſecundum ſe,
and abſolutè, but only ſecundum nos, and reſpectu noſtri; and in
that ſenſe indeed the Morning and Evening do make the Night
and Day,
pture, not only ſecundum nos, but alſo ſecundum naturam, as
circulations of Cœleſtial Light returning to the ſelf ſame point
from whence it did at firſt proceed; ſo as that there needs no
reſpect to be had to Night or to ^{*} Darkneſſe, for which ſole rea
ſon we are fain to imbrace the Interpretation of ſacred Scripture
ſecundum nos; In oppoſition to this we may thus argue: If the
ſacred Scripture be underſtood to ſpeak abſolutely, of iterated
and ſucceſſive circulations of light, and not reſpectu noſtri, as if
theſe words Evening and Morning had never been inſerted, which
in their natural acceptation denote the Suns habitude to us and to
the Earth: For that the Morning is that time when the Sun be
gins to wax light, and to riſe above the Horizon in the Eaſt,
and become viſible in our Hemiſphœre, and Evening is the time
in which the Sun declines in the Weſt, and approacheth with its
light neerer to the other oppoſite Horizon and Hemiſphœre,
which is contiguous to this of ours. But the word Day is a Co
relative to the word Night. From hence therefore it evidently
appeareth, that theſe three words Evening, Morning, and Day,
cannot be underſtood of a Circulation of Light ſecundum ſe,
and abſolutè, but only ſecundum nos, and reſpectu noſtri; and in
that ſenſe indeed the Morning and Evening do make the Night
and Day,
* Aut ad Umbram
In like manner, Gen. 1. 16. it is ſaid, God made two great Lights;
the greater Light to rule the Day, and the leſſer Light to rule the
Night, and the Stars. Where both in the Propoſition and in the
ſpecification of it, things are ſpoken which are very diſagreeing
with Cœleſtial Bodies. Therefore thoſe words are in that place
to be interpreted according to the foreſaid Rules; namely, ac
cording to the third and fourth; ſo that they may be ſaid to be
underſtood according to the ſenſe of the vulgar, and the common
way of ſpeaking, which is all one, as if we ſhould ſay, ſecundum
apparentiam, and ſecundum nos, vel reſpectu noſtri. For firſt, it
is ſaid in the Propoſition, And God made two great Lights;
meaning by them the Sun and Moon, whereas according to the
truth of the matter theſe are not the Greater Lights; For al
though the Sun may be reckoned amongſt the Greater, the Moon
may not be ſo, unleſs in reſpect of us. Becauſe amongſt
thoſe that are abſolutely the Greater, and a little leſſer than the
Sun (nay in a manner equal to it) and far bigger than the Moon,
we may with great reaſon enumerate Saturn, or ſome of the
Fixed Stars of the firſt Magnitude, ſuch as Canopus, (otherwiſe
called Arcanar) in the end of a River; or the Little Dog in
the mouth of the Great Dog; or the Foot of Orion, called Ri
gel; or his Right ſhoulder, or any other of that Magnitude.
the greater Light to rule the Day, and the leſſer Light to rule the
Night, and the Stars. Where both in the Propoſition and in the
ſpecification of it, things are ſpoken which are very diſagreeing
with Cœleſtial Bodies. Therefore thoſe words are in that place
to be interpreted according to the foreſaid Rules; namely, ac
cording to the third and fourth; ſo that they may be ſaid to be
underſtood according to the ſenſe of the vulgar, and the common
way of ſpeaking, which is all one, as if we ſhould ſay, ſecundum
apparentiam, and ſecundum nos, vel reſpectu noſtri. For firſt, it
is ſaid in the Propoſition, And God made two great Lights;
meaning by them the Sun and Moon, whereas according to the
truth of the matter theſe are not the Greater Lights; For al
though the Sun may be reckoned amongſt the Greater, the Moon
may not be ſo, unleſs in reſpect of us. Becauſe amongſt
thoſe that are abſolutely the Greater, and a little leſſer than the
Sun (nay in a manner equal to it) and far bigger than the Moon,
we may with great reaſon enumerate Saturn, or ſome of the
Fixed Stars of the firſt Magnitude, ſuch as Canopus, (otherwiſe
called Arcanar) in the end of a River; or the Little Dog in
the mouth of the Great Dog; or the Foot of Orion, called Ri
gel; or his Right ſhoulder, or any other of that Magnitude.