1of Nature ought to be perpetual) may be ſaid to be immutable
and immoveable, and the Heavens themſelves to be immovea
bly moved, and Terrene things to be immutably changed, be
cauſe thoſe never ceaſe moving, nor theſe changing. By this Prin
ciple or Maxime all difficulties belonging to the firſt Claſſis are
cleared, by which the Earth is ſaid to be ſtable and immoveable,
that is, by underſtanding this one thing, That the Earth, as to its
own Nature, though it include in it ſelf a local Motion, and that
threefold, according to the opinion of Copernicus (ſcilicet Diur
nal, with which it revolveth about its own Centre; Annual,
by which it moveth through the twelve Signes of the Zodiack,
and the motion of Inclination, by which its Axis is alwayes op
poſed to the ſame part of the World) as alſo other Species of
Mutation, ſuch as Generation and Corruption, Accretion and
Diminution, and Alteration of divers kinds; yet in all theſe ſhe
is ſtable & conſtant, never deviating from that Order which God
hath appointed her, but moveth continually, conſtantly and im
mutably, according to the ſix before named Species of Motion.
and immoveable, and the Heavens themſelves to be immovea
bly moved, and Terrene things to be immutably changed, be
cauſe thoſe never ceaſe moving, nor theſe changing. By this Prin
ciple or Maxime all difficulties belonging to the firſt Claſſis are
cleared, by which the Earth is ſaid to be ſtable and immoveable,
that is, by underſtanding this one thing, That the Earth, as to its
own Nature, though it include in it ſelf a local Motion, and that
threefold, according to the opinion of Copernicus (ſcilicet Diur
nal, with which it revolveth about its own Centre; Annual,
by which it moveth through the twelve Signes of the Zodiack,
and the motion of Inclination, by which its Axis is alwayes op
poſed to the ſame part of the World) as alſo other Species of
Mutation, ſuch as Generation and Corruption, Accretion and
Diminution, and Alteration of divers kinds; yet in all theſe ſhe
is ſtable & conſtant, never deviating from that Order which God
hath appointed her, but moveth continually, conſtantly and im
mutably, according to the ſix before named Species of Motion.
My third Maxime ſhall be this; When a thing is moved ac
cording to ſome part of it, and not according to its whole, it
cannot be ſaid to be ſimply & abſolutely moved, but only per acci
dens, for that ſtability taken ſimply & abſolutly do rather accord
with the ſame. As for example, if a Barrel or other meaſure of
Water be taken out of the Sea, and transferred to another place,
the Sea may not therefore abſolutely & ſimply be ſaid to be remo
ved from place to place; but only per accidens, and ſecundum
quid, that is, according to a part of it, but rather (to ſpeak ſim
ply) we ſhould ſay that the Sea cannot be carried or moved out of
its proper place,, though as to its parts it be moved, and transfer
red to & again. This Maxime is manifeſt of it ſelf, and by it may
the Authorities be explained which ſeem to make for the immo
bility of the Earth in this manner; namely, The Earth per ſe &
abſolutè conſidered as to its Whole, is not mutable, ſeeing it is
neither generated nor corrupted neither increaſed nor diminiſhed;
neither is it altered ſecundum totum, but only ſecundum partes.
Now it plainly appears, that this is the genuine and true Senſe of
what is aſcribed to it out of Eccleſiaſtes, cap. 1. v. 4. One Generation
paſſeth away, and another Generation cometh, but the Earth abideth
for ever: as if he ſhould ſay; although the Earth, according to its
parts, doth generate and corrupt, and is liable to the viciſſitudes of
Generation and corruption, yet in reference to its Whole it never
generateth nor Corrupteth, but abideth immutable for ever:
Like as a Ship, which though it be mended one while in the Sail
yard, another while in the Stern, and afterwards in other parts
it yet remains the ſame Ship as it was at firſt. But tis to be
cording to ſome part of it, and not according to its whole, it
cannot be ſaid to be ſimply & abſolutely moved, but only per acci
dens, for that ſtability taken ſimply & abſolutly do rather accord
with the ſame. As for example, if a Barrel or other meaſure of
Water be taken out of the Sea, and transferred to another place,
the Sea may not therefore abſolutely & ſimply be ſaid to be remo
ved from place to place; but only per accidens, and ſecundum
quid, that is, according to a part of it, but rather (to ſpeak ſim
ply) we ſhould ſay that the Sea cannot be carried or moved out of
its proper place,, though as to its parts it be moved, and transfer
red to & again. This Maxime is manifeſt of it ſelf, and by it may
the Authorities be explained which ſeem to make for the immo
bility of the Earth in this manner; namely, The Earth per ſe &
abſolutè conſidered as to its Whole, is not mutable, ſeeing it is
neither generated nor corrupted neither increaſed nor diminiſhed;
neither is it altered ſecundum totum, but only ſecundum partes.
Now it plainly appears, that this is the genuine and true Senſe of
what is aſcribed to it out of Eccleſiaſtes, cap. 1. v. 4. One Generation
paſſeth away, and another Generation cometh, but the Earth abideth
for ever: as if he ſhould ſay; although the Earth, according to its
parts, doth generate and corrupt, and is liable to the viciſſitudes of
Generation and corruption, yet in reference to its Whole it never
generateth nor Corrupteth, but abideth immutable for ever:
Like as a Ship, which though it be mended one while in the Sail
yard, another while in the Stern, and afterwards in other parts
it yet remains the ſame Ship as it was at firſt. But tis to be