20323That the Earth may be a Planet.
ſelf unto the conceit of the Vulgar, and the
uſual Opinion: whereas, if in the more
proper phraſe it had been ſaid, That the
Earth did riſe and ſet;
unacquainted with that ſecret in Philoſophy,
would not have underſtood the meaning of
it, and therefore it was convenient, that they
ſhould be ſpoken unto in their own Lan-
guage.
uſual Opinion: whereas, if in the more
proper phraſe it had been ſaid, That the
Earth did riſe and ſet;
or, that the Earth
ſtood ſtill, &
c.
the People who had been ſtood ſtill, &
unacquainted with that ſecret in Philoſophy,
would not have underſtood the meaning of
it, and therefore it was convenient, that they
ſhould be ſpoken unto in their own Lan-
guage.
Ay, but you will reply, It ſhould ſeem more
likely, if there had been any ſuch thing,
that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould uſe the trueſt
expreſſions: for then he would at the ſame
time have informed them of the thing, and
reformed them in an error: ſince his Autho-
rity alone had been ſufficient to have recti-
fied the Miſtake.
likely, if there had been any ſuch thing,
that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould uſe the trueſt
expreſſions: for then he would at the ſame
time have informed them of the thing, and
reformed them in an error: ſince his Autho-
rity alone had been ſufficient to have recti-
fied the Miſtake.
I anſwer:
1.
Though it were, yet ’tis be-
ſide the chief ſcope of thoſe place, to inſtruct
us in any Philoſophical Points, as hath
been proved in the former Book ; eſpecially
when theſe things are neither neceſſary in
themſelves, nor do neceſſarily induce to a
more full underſtanding of that which is the
main buſineſs of thoſe Scriptures. But now
the People might better conceive the mean-
ing of the Holy Ghoſt, when he does con-
form himſelf unto their Capacities and Opi-
nions, than when he talks exactly of things
in ſuch a proper phraſe, as is beyond their
reach: And therefore ’tis ſaid in Iſaiah, I
am the Lord, which teacheth thee utilia, profi-
table things: where the gloſs has it, non
ſide the chief ſcope of thoſe place, to inſtruct
us in any Philoſophical Points, as hath
been proved in the former Book ; eſpecially
when theſe things are neither neceſſary in
themſelves, nor do neceſſarily induce to a
more full underſtanding of that which is the
main buſineſs of thoſe Scriptures. But now
the People might better conceive the mean-
ing of the Holy Ghoſt, when he does con-
form himſelf unto their Capacities and Opi-
nions, than when he talks exactly of things
in ſuch a proper phraſe, as is beyond their
reach: And therefore ’tis ſaid in Iſaiah, I
am the Lord, which teacheth thee utilia, profi-
table things: where the gloſs has it, non