1cludeth all Corporeal Creatures, and in compariſon of Jupiter,
Mars, and Saturn together with the Moon, and much more in
compariſon of other Bodies, (if any ſuch there be) above the
Eighth Sphere and eſpecially the Empyrial Heaven, may be truly
ſaid to be in the loweſt place of the World, and almoſt in the
Centre of it; nor can it he ſaid to be above any of them, except
the Sun, Mercury and Venus: So that one may apply unto it the
name of an Infime and Low, but not a Supreme or Middle Body.
And ſo to come down from Heaven, eſpecially the Empyrian, to it
(as it is accepted in the Deſcent of Chriſt from Heaven to his Holy
Incarnation) and from it to go up to Heaven (as in Chriſts return
to Heaven in his Glorious Aſcention) is truly and properly to
Deſcend from the Circumference to the Centre, and to aſcend
from the parts which are neareſt to the Centre of the World
to its utmoſt Circumference. This Maxim therefore may eaſily
and according to truth explain Theologicall Propoſitions: and
this is ſo much the more confirmed, in that (as I have obſerved)
almoſt all Texts of Sacred Scripture which oppoſe the Earth to
Heaven, are moſt conveniently and aptly underſtood of the Em
pyrial Heaven (being the Higheſt of all the Heavens, and Spiritual
in reſpect of its end) but not of the inferiour or intermediate Hea
vens, which are a Corporeal, and were framed for the benefit of
Corporeal Creatures: and thus when in the Plural Number
Heavens are mentioned, then all the Heavens promiſcuouſly and
without diſtinction are to be underſtood, as well the Empyrian
it ſelf as the Inferiour Heavens. And this Expoſition indeed any
man (that doth but take notice of it) may find to be moſt true.
And ſo for this Reaſon the Third Heaveu into which St. Paul
was wrapt up, by this Maxim may be taken for the Empyrean:
if for the the Firſt Heaven we underſtand that immenſe Space of
Erratick and Moveable Bodies illuminated by the Sun, in which
are comprehended the Planets, as alſo the Earth moveable, and
the Sun immoveable, Who like a King upon his Auguſt Tribu
nal, ſits with venerable Majeſty immoveable and conſtant in
Centre of all the Sphæres, and, with his Divine Beames, doth
bountifully exhilerate all Cœleſtial Bodies that ſtand in need of
his vital Light, for which they cravingly wander about him; and
doth liberally and on every ſide comfort and illuſtrate the Thea
tre of the whole World, and all its parts, even the very leaſt, like
an immortal and perpetual Lamp of high and unſpeakable va
lue. The Second Heaven ſhall be the Starry Heaven, common
ly called the Eighth Sphære, or the Firmament, wherein are all
the Fixed Starrs, which according to this Opinion of Pythagoras,
is (like as the Sun and Centre) void of all Motion, the Centre
and utmoſt Circumference mutually agreeing with each other in
Mars, and Saturn together with the Moon, and much more in
compariſon of other Bodies, (if any ſuch there be) above the
Eighth Sphere and eſpecially the Empyrial Heaven, may be truly
ſaid to be in the loweſt place of the World, and almoſt in the
Centre of it; nor can it he ſaid to be above any of them, except
the Sun, Mercury and Venus: So that one may apply unto it the
name of an Infime and Low, but not a Supreme or Middle Body.
And ſo to come down from Heaven, eſpecially the Empyrian, to it
(as it is accepted in the Deſcent of Chriſt from Heaven to his Holy
Incarnation) and from it to go up to Heaven (as in Chriſts return
to Heaven in his Glorious Aſcention) is truly and properly to
Deſcend from the Circumference to the Centre, and to aſcend
from the parts which are neareſt to the Centre of the World
to its utmoſt Circumference. This Maxim therefore may eaſily
and according to truth explain Theologicall Propoſitions: and
this is ſo much the more confirmed, in that (as I have obſerved)
almoſt all Texts of Sacred Scripture which oppoſe the Earth to
Heaven, are moſt conveniently and aptly underſtood of the Em
pyrial Heaven (being the Higheſt of all the Heavens, and Spiritual
in reſpect of its end) but not of the inferiour or intermediate Hea
vens, which are a Corporeal, and were framed for the benefit of
Corporeal Creatures: and thus when in the Plural Number
Heavens are mentioned, then all the Heavens promiſcuouſly and
without diſtinction are to be underſtood, as well the Empyrian
it ſelf as the Inferiour Heavens. And this Expoſition indeed any
man (that doth but take notice of it) may find to be moſt true.
And ſo for this Reaſon the Third Heaveu into which St. Paul
was wrapt up, by this Maxim may be taken for the Empyrean:
if for the the Firſt Heaven we underſtand that immenſe Space of
Erratick and Moveable Bodies illuminated by the Sun, in which
are comprehended the Planets, as alſo the Earth moveable, and
the Sun immoveable, Who like a King upon his Auguſt Tribu
nal, ſits with venerable Majeſty immoveable and conſtant in
Centre of all the Sphæres, and, with his Divine Beames, doth
bountifully exhilerate all Cœleſtial Bodies that ſtand in need of
his vital Light, for which they cravingly wander about him; and
doth liberally and on every ſide comfort and illuſtrate the Thea
tre of the whole World, and all its parts, even the very leaſt, like
an immortal and perpetual Lamp of high and unſpeakable va
lue. The Second Heaven ſhall be the Starry Heaven, common
ly called the Eighth Sphære, or the Firmament, wherein are all
the Fixed Starrs, which according to this Opinion of Pythagoras,
is (like as the Sun and Centre) void of all Motion, the Centre
and utmoſt Circumference mutually agreeing with each other in