1866That the Earth may be a Planet.
do not ſeem convincing unto him he may
freely reject it.
freely reject it.
In thoſe natural points which carry with
them any doubt or obſcurity, it is the ſafeſt
way to ſuſpend our aſſents: And though we
may diſpute pro or con; yet not to ſettle our
Opinion on either ſide.
them any doubt or obſcurity, it is the ſafeſt
way to ſuſpend our aſſents: And though we
may diſpute pro or con; yet not to ſettle our
Opinion on either ſide.
In weighing the Authority of others, ’tis
11Conſid. 2. not their multitude that ſhould prevail, or
their skill in ſome things that ſhould make
them of credit in every thing, but we ſhould
examine what particular inſight and experi-
ence they had in thoſe times for which they
are cited. Now ’tis plain, that Common
People judge by their ſenſes; and therefore
their voices are altogether unfit to decide
any Philoſophical doubt, which cannot well
be examined or explained without Diſcourſc
and Reaſon. And as for the ancient Fathers,
though they wereMen very eminent for their
holy lives and extraordinary skill in Divini-
ty; yet they were moſt of them very Igno-
rant in that part of Learning which con-
cerns this Opinion, as appears by many of
their groſs miſtakes in this kind, as that con-
cerning the Antipodes, & c. and therefore it
is not their Opinion neither, in this buſineſs,
that to an indifferent ſeeker of Truth will be
of any ſtrong Authority.
11Conſid. 2. not their multitude that ſhould prevail, or
their skill in ſome things that ſhould make
them of credit in every thing, but we ſhould
examine what particular inſight and experi-
ence they had in thoſe times for which they
are cited. Now ’tis plain, that Common
People judge by their ſenſes; and therefore
their voices are altogether unfit to decide
any Philoſophical doubt, which cannot well
be examined or explained without Diſcourſc
and Reaſon. And as for the ancient Fathers,
though they wereMen very eminent for their
holy lives and extraordinary skill in Divini-
ty; yet they were moſt of them very Igno-
rant in that part of Learning which con-
cerns this Opinion, as appears by many of
their groſs miſtakes in this kind, as that con-
cerning the Antipodes, & c. and therefore it
is not their Opinion neither, in this buſineſs,
that to an indifferent ſeeker of Truth will be
of any ſtrong Authority.
But againſt this it is objected, that 22 Alex.
Roſſ. l. 1.
ſect. c. 8. inſtance of the Antipodes does not argue any
ſpecial Ignorance in theſe Learned Men: Or,
that they had leſs skill in ſuch human
Roſſ. l. 1.
ſect. c. 8. inſtance of the Antipodes does not argue any
ſpecial Ignorance in theſe Learned Men: Or,
that they had leſs skill in ſuch human