1855That the Earth may be a Planet.
Or, how might any thing confirmed be,
For publick uſe, by its Antiquity?
For publick uſe, by its Antiquity?
But for more full ſatisfaction of all thoſe
ſcruples that may ariſe from the ſeeming
Novelty or Singularity of this Opinion, I
ſhall propoſe theſe following conſiderations.
ſcruples that may ariſe from the ſeeming
Novelty or Singularity of this Opinion, I
ſhall propoſe theſe following conſiderations.
Suppoſe it were a Novelty:
Yet ’tis in
11Conſid. 1. Philoſophy, and that is made up of nothing
elſe; but receives addition from every days
experiment. True indeed, for Divinity we
have an infallible rule that do’s plainly in-
form us of all neceſſary Truths; and there-
fore the Primitive Times are of greater Au-
thority, becauſe they were nearer to thoſe
holy Men who were the Pen-Men of Scrip-
ture. But now for Philoſophy, there is no
ſuch reaſon: Whatever the School-Men
may talk; yet Ariſtotle’s works are not
neceſſarily true, and he himſelf hath by ſuf-
ficient Arguments proved himſelf to be lia-
ble unto errour. Now in this caſe, if we
ſhould ſpeak properly, Antiquity does con-
ſiſt in the old age of the World, not in the
youth of it. In ſuch Learning as may be in-
creaſed by freſh experiments and new diſ-
co eries: ’Tis we are the Fathers, and of
more Authority than former Ages; becauſe
we have the advantage of more time than
they had, and Truth (we ſay) is the Daugh-
ter of Time. However, there is nothing
in this Opinion ſo Magiſterially propoſed,
but the Reader may uſe his own liberty;
and if all the reaſons conſidered
11Conſid. 1. Philoſophy, and that is made up of nothing
elſe; but receives addition from every days
experiment. True indeed, for Divinity we
have an infallible rule that do’s plainly in-
form us of all neceſſary Truths; and there-
fore the Primitive Times are of greater Au-
thority, becauſe they were nearer to thoſe
holy Men who were the Pen-Men of Scrip-
ture. But now for Philoſophy, there is no
ſuch reaſon: Whatever the School-Men
may talk; yet Ariſtotle’s works are not
neceſſarily true, and he himſelf hath by ſuf-
ficient Arguments proved himſelf to be lia-
ble unto errour. Now in this caſe, if we
ſhould ſpeak properly, Antiquity does con-
ſiſt in the old age of the World, not in the
youth of it. In ſuch Learning as may be in-
creaſed by freſh experiments and new diſ-
co eries: ’Tis we are the Fathers, and of
more Authority than former Ages; becauſe
we have the advantage of more time than
they had, and Truth (we ſay) is the Daugh-
ter of Time. However, there is nothing
in this Opinion ſo Magiſterially propoſed,
but the Reader may uſe his own liberty;
and if all the reaſons conſidered