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.

3321That the Moon may be a World.

But you'l reply, though it do not neceſſa-
rily conclude, yet ’tis probable, if there had
been another World, we ſhould have had ſome
notice of it in Scripture.

I anſwer, ’tis as probable that the Scripture
ſhould have informed us of the Planets, they
being very remarkable parts of the Creation;
and yet neither Moſes, nor Job, nor the Pſalms,
(the places moſt frequent in Aſtronomical Ob-
ſervations) nor any other Scripture mention
any of them, but the Sun and Moon. Be-
cauſe the difference betwixt them and the
other Stars, was known only to thoſe who
were Learned Men, and had skill in Aſtrono-
my. As for that expreſſion in Job רקב וביןי
11Job. 38. 7. the Stars of the Morning, it is in the plural
Number, and therefore cannot properly be
applyed to Venus. And for that in Iſaiab ליגת
22Iſa. 14. 12. ’tis confeſſed to be a word of obſcure Interpre-
tation, and therefore is but by gueſs Tranſla-
ted in that Senſe. It being a true and com-
mon Rule, that Hebræi rei ſideralis minime
33From@nd.
Veſta. t. 3.
cap. 2.
So 2 Reg.
23. 5.
מולות
Which is
interpre-
ted both
for the
Plannets
and for the
12 Signs. curioſi cœleſtium nominum penuriâ laborant. The
Fews being but little skilled in Aſtronomy,
their Language does want proper Expreſſions
for the Heavenly Bodies, and therefore they
are fane ſometimes to attribute the ſame name
unto divers Conſtellations.

Now if the Holy Ghoſt had intended to re-
veal unto us any Natural Secrets, certainly
he would never have omitted the mention of
the Planets, Zuorum motu nibil eſt quod de
Conditoris ſapientiâ teſtatur Evidentius apud eos
44Keplar. in-
troduct. in
Mart. qui capiunt. Which do ſo evidently ſet forth
the Wiſdom of the Creator. And

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