SAGR. I verily believed otherwiſe, and conceited that
plicius diſſembled this expoſition of the Text, that he might not
charge his Maſter and Conſectators, with a notion more abſurd
than the former. And what a folly it is to ſay the Cœleſtial
part is unalterable, becauſe no ſtars do generate or corrupt
in? What then? hath any ſeen a Terreſtrial Globe corrupt, and
another regenerate in its place? And yet is it not on all hands
granted by Philoſophers, that there are very few ſtars in Heaven
leſs than the Earth, but very many that are much bigger? So
that for a ſtar in Heaven to corrupt, would be no leſs than if the
whole Terreſtrial Globe ſhould be deſtroy'd. Therefore, if for
the true proof of generation and corruption in the Univerſe, it be
neceſſary that ſo vaſt bodies as a ſtar, muſt corrupt and
rate, you may ſatisfie your ſelf and ceaſe your opinion; for I
aſſure you, that you ſhall never ſee the Terreſtrial Globe or any
other integral body of the World, to corrupt or decay ſo, that
having been beheld by us for ſo many years paſt, they ſhould ſo
diſſolve, as not to leave any footſteps of them.
plicius diſſembled this expoſition of the Text, that he might not
charge his Maſter and Conſectators, with a notion more abſurd
than the former. And what a folly it is to ſay the Cœleſtial
part is unalterable, becauſe no ſtars do generate or corrupt
in? What then? hath any ſeen a Terreſtrial Globe corrupt, and
another regenerate in its place? And yet is it not on all hands
granted by Philoſophers, that there are very few ſtars in Heaven
leſs than the Earth, but very many that are much bigger? So
that for a ſtar in Heaven to corrupt, would be no leſs than if the
whole Terreſtrial Globe ſhould be deſtroy'd. Therefore, if for
the true proof of generation and corruption in the Univerſe, it be
neceſſary that ſo vaſt bodies as a ſtar, muſt corrupt and
rate, you may ſatisfie your ſelf and ceaſe your opinion; for I
aſſure you, that you ſhall never ſee the Terreſtrial Globe or any
other integral body of the World, to corrupt or decay ſo, that
having been beheld by us for ſo many years paſt, they ſhould ſo
diſſolve, as not to leave any footſteps of them.
SALV. But to give Simplicius yet fuller ſatisfaction, and to
reclaim him, if poſſible, from his error; I affirm, that we have in
our age new accidents and obſervations, and ſuch, that I queſtion
not in the leaſt, but if Ariſtotle were now alive, they would make
him change his opinion; which may be eaſily collected from the
very manner of his diſcourſing: For when he writeth that he
ſteemeth the Heavens inalterable, &c. becauſe no new thing was
ſeen to be begot therein, or any old to be diſſolved, he ſeems
plicitely to hint unto us, that when he ſhould ſee any ſuch
dent, he would hold the contrary; and confront, as indeed it is
meet, ſenſible experiments to natural reaſon: for had he not
made any reckoning of the ſenſes, he would not then from the
not ſeeing of any ſenſible mutation, have argued immutability.
reclaim him, if poſſible, from his error; I affirm, that we have in
our age new accidents and obſervations, and ſuch, that I queſtion
not in the leaſt, but if Ariſtotle were now alive, they would make
him change his opinion; which may be eaſily collected from the
very manner of his diſcourſing: For when he writeth that he
ſteemeth the Heavens inalterable, &c. becauſe no new thing was
ſeen to be begot therein, or any old to be diſſolved, he ſeems
plicitely to hint unto us, that when he ſhould ſee any ſuch
dent, he would hold the contrary; and confront, as indeed it is
meet, ſenſible experiments to natural reaſon: for had he not
made any reckoning of the ſenſes, he would not then from the
not ſeeing of any ſenſible mutation, have argued immutability.
SIMPL. Ariſtotle deduceth his principal Argument à priori,
ſhewing the neceſſity of the inalterability of Heaven by natural,
manifeſt and clear principles; and then ſtabliſheth the ſame à
ſteriori, by ſenſe, and the traditions of the antients.
ſhewing the neceſſity of the inalterability of Heaven by natural,
manifeſt and clear principles; and then ſtabliſheth the ſame à
ſteriori, by ſenſe, and the traditions of the antients.
SALV. This you ſpeak of is the Method he hath obſerved in
delivering his Doctrine, but I do not bethink it yet to be that
wherewith he invented it; for I do believe for certain, that he
firſt procured by help of the ſenſes, ſuch experiments and
vations as he could, to aſſure him as much as it was poſſible, of the
concluſion, and that he afterwards ſought out the means how to
demonſtrate it: For this, the uſual courſe in demonſtrative
ces, and the reaſon thereof is, becauſe when the concluſion is
true, by help of reſolutive Method, one may hit upon ſome
poſition before demonſtrated, or come to ſome principle known
delivering his Doctrine, but I do not bethink it yet to be that
wherewith he invented it; for I do believe for certain, that he
firſt procured by help of the ſenſes, ſuch experiments and
vations as he could, to aſſure him as much as it was poſſible, of the
concluſion, and that he afterwards ſought out the means how to
demonſtrate it: For this, the uſual courſe in demonſtrative
ces, and the reaſon thereof is, becauſe when the concluſion is
true, by help of reſolutive Method, one may hit upon ſome
poſition before demonſtrated, or come to ſome principle known