Wilkins, John - A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

Wilkins, John, A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

Table of contents

[Item 1.]

[2.] Ex Libris James S. Dearden Rampside

[3.] A DISCOVERY OF A New , OR,

[4.] In Two Parts.

[5.] The Fifth Edition Corrected and Amended. LONDON,

[6.] The Epiſtle to the READER.

[7.] The Propoſitions that are proved in this Diſcourſe. PROPOSITION I.

[8.] PROP. II.

[9.] PROP. III.

[10.] PROP. IV.

[11.] PROP. V.

[12.] PROP. VI.

[13.] PROP. VII.

[14.] PROP. VIII.

[15.] PROP. IX.

[16.] PROP. X.

[17.] PROP. XI.

[18.] PROP. XII.

[19.] PROP. XIII.

[20.] PROP. XIV.

[21.] The Firſt Book. That the MOON May be a WORLD. The Firſt Propoſition, by way of Preface.

[22.] Sed vanus ſtolidis hæc omnia finxerit Error.

[23.] Solis lunæq; labores.

[24.] Cum fruſtra reſonant æra auxiliaria Lunæ.

[25.] Una laboranti poterit ſuccerrere Lunæ.

[26.] Gantus & è cælo poſſunt deducere Lunam.

[27.] Cantus & ſi curru lunam deducere tentant, Et facerent, ſi non æra repulſa ſonant.

[28.] PROP. II. That a Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any Principle of Reaſon or Faith.

[29.] Æſtuas infelix auguſto limite mundi.

[30.] PROP. III. That the Heavens do not conſiſt of any ſuch pure Matter, which can priviledge them from the like Change and Corruption, as theſe Inferiour, Bodies are liable unto.

25676That the Earth may be a Planet. but declinare, or vacillare, to decline or ſlip
aſide from its natural courſe. Thus it is
uſed by David, Pſal. 17. 5. where he prays,
Hold up my goings in thy Paths, ןטמגלב
that my Foot-ſteps ſlide not. He does
not mean that his feet ſhould not move. So
Pſal. 121. 3. He will not ſuffer thy foot to be
moved. Thus likewiſe, Pſal. 16. 8. Becauſe
the Lord is at my right band, I ſhall not be
moved: which laſt place is tranſlated in the
New Teſtament, by the Greek word {οα-
11Act.2.25. λευω, which ſignifies fluctuare, or vacillare,
to be ſhaken by ſuch an uncertain motion,
as the Waves of the Sea. Now, as David's
feet may have their uſual motion, and yet
in this ſenſe be ſaid not to move, that is,
not to decline or ſlip aſide : ſo neither can
the ſame phraſe, applied to the Earth, prove
it to be immovable.

Nor do I ſee any reaſon, why that of
Didacus Aſtunica, may not be truly aſſir-
22Comment.
an Job. med, That we may prove the natural
motion of the Earth, from that place in
Job 6. 9. Qui commovet terram è loco ſuo,
as well as its reſt and immobility from
theſe.

From all which, it is very evident, that
each of theſe expreſſions, concerning the
founding or eſtabliſbing both of Heaven or
Earth, were not intended to ſhew the un-
movableneſs of either, but rather, to ma-
niſeſt the Power and Wiſdom of Provi-
dence, who had ſo ſetled theſe parts of

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