1leave Senſe and Demonſtrative Reaſons, for ſome place of Scri
pture which ſometimes under the apparent words may contain
a different ſenſe. Now I hope to ſhew with how much
greater Piety and Religious Zeal I proceed, than they do, in that
I propoſe not, that the Book of Copernicus is not to be condemn
ed, but that it is not to be condemned, as they would have it;
without underſtanding it, hearing it, or ſo much as ſeeing it;
and eſpecially he being an Author that never treateth of matters
of Religion or Faith; nor by Reaſons any way depending on the
Authority of Sacred Scripoures whereupon he may have erroni
ouſly interpreted them; but alwaies inſiſts upon Natural Conclu
ſions belonging to the Celeſtial Motions, handled with Aſtrono
mical and Geometrical Demonſtrations. Not that he had not a
reſpect to the places of the Sacred Leaves, but becauſe he knew
very well that his ſaid Doctrine being demonſtrated, it could
not contradict the Scriptures, rightly, and according to their true
meaning underſtood. And therefore in the end of his Epiſtle
Dedicatory, ſpeaking to The Pope, he ſaith thus: (b) If there
ſhould chance to be any Matæologiſts, who though ignorant in all
the Mathematicks, yet pretending a skill in thoſe Learnings,
ſhould dare, upon the authority of ſome place of Scripture wreſted
to their purpoſe, to condemn and cenſure this my Hypotheſis, I
value them not, but ſhall ſlight their inconſiderate Judgement. For
it is not unknown, that Lactantius (otherwiſe a Famous Author,
though mean Mathematician) writeth very childiſhly touching the
Form of the Earth, when he ſcoffs at thoſe who affirm the Earth to
be in Form of a Globe. So that it ought not to ſeem ſtrange to the
Ingenious, if any ſuch ſhould likewiſe now deride us. The Ma
thematicks are written for Mathematitians, to whom (if I deceive
not my ſelf) theſe Labours of mine ſhall ſeem to add ſomething,
as alſo to the Common-weale of the Church, whoſe Government is
now in the hands of Your Holineſs.
pture which ſometimes under the apparent words may contain
a different ſenſe. Now I hope to ſhew with how much
greater Piety and Religious Zeal I proceed, than they do, in that
I propoſe not, that the Book of Copernicus is not to be condemn
ed, but that it is not to be condemned, as they would have it;
without underſtanding it, hearing it, or ſo much as ſeeing it;
and eſpecially he being an Author that never treateth of matters
of Religion or Faith; nor by Reaſons any way depending on the
Authority of Sacred Scripoures whereupon he may have erroni
ouſly interpreted them; but alwaies inſiſts upon Natural Conclu
ſions belonging to the Celeſtial Motions, handled with Aſtrono
mical and Geometrical Demonſtrations. Not that he had not a
reſpect to the places of the Sacred Leaves, but becauſe he knew
very well that his ſaid Doctrine being demonſtrated, it could
not contradict the Scriptures, rightly, and according to their true
meaning underſtood. And therefore in the end of his Epiſtle
Dedicatory, ſpeaking to The Pope, he ſaith thus: (b) If there
ſhould chance to be any Matæologiſts, who though ignorant in all
the Mathematicks, yet pretending a skill in thoſe Learnings,
ſhould dare, upon the authority of ſome place of Scripture wreſted
to their purpoſe, to condemn and cenſure this my Hypotheſis, I
value them not, but ſhall ſlight their inconſiderate Judgement. For
it is not unknown, that Lactantius (otherwiſe a Famous Author,
though mean Mathematician) writeth very childiſhly touching the
Form of the Earth, when he ſcoffs at thoſe who affirm the Earth to
be in Form of a Globe. So that it ought not to ſeem ſtrange to the
Ingenious, if any ſuch ſhould likewiſe now deride us. The Ma
thematicks are written for Mathematitians, to whom (if I deceive
not my ſelf) theſe Labours of mine ſhall ſeem to add ſomething,
as alſo to the Common-weale of the Church, whoſe Government is
now in the hands of Your Holineſs.
(c) Si fort aſſeerunt
Matæologi, qui
cum omnium Ma
thematicum igna
ri ſint, tamen de tis
judicium aſſu
munt, propter ali
quem locum Scri
ptur æ, malè ad ſu
um propoſitum, de
tortum, auſi fue
rint hoc meum in
ſtitutum reprehen
dere ac inſectari,
illos nihil moror,
adeò ut etiam illo
rum judicium, tan
guam temera ium
contemnam. Non
enim obſcurum eſt,
Lact antium, cele
lebrem alioqui
Scriptorem, ſed
Mathematicum
parvum, admodum
pueriliter de forma
Terræ loqui, cùm
deridet eos, qui
Terram, Globi for
mam habere prodi
derunt. Itaque non
debet mirum vide
ri ſtudioſis, ſi qui
tales, nos ettam ri
debunt. Mathema
ta Mathematicis
ſcribuntur; quibus
& hi noſtri labo
res, (ſi me non fal
lit opinio) vide
buntur etiam Rei
publicæ Eccleſia
ſticæ conducere a
liquid, cujus Prin
cipatum Tua San
ctitas nunc teness.
Matæologi, qui
cum omnium Ma
thematicum igna
ri ſint, tamen de tis
judicium aſſu
munt, propter ali
quem locum Scri
ptur æ, malè ad ſu
um propoſitum, de
tortum, auſi fue
rint hoc meum in
ſtitutum reprehen
dere ac inſectari,
illos nihil moror,
adeò ut etiam illo
rum judicium, tan
guam temera ium
contemnam. Non
enim obſcurum eſt,
Lact antium, cele
lebrem alioqui
Scriptorem, ſed
Mathematicum
parvum, admodum
pueriliter de forma
Terræ loqui, cùm
deridet eos, qui
Terram, Globi for
mam habere prodi
derunt. Itaque non
debet mirum vide
ri ſtudioſis, ſi qui
tales, nos ettam ri
debunt. Mathema
ta Mathematicis
ſcribuntur; quibus
& hi noſtri labo
res, (ſi me non fal
lit opinio) vide
buntur etiam Rei
publicæ Eccleſia
ſticæ conducere a
liquid, cujus Prin
cipatum Tua San
ctitas nunc teness.
And of this kinde do theſe appear to be who indeavour to
perſwade that Copernicus may be condemned before his Book is
read; and to make the World believe that it is not onely lawfull
but commendable ſo to do, produce certain Authorities of the
Scripture, of Divines, and of Councils; which as they are by me
had in reverence, and held of Supream Authority, inſomuch that
I ſhould eſteem it high temerity for any one to contradict them
whilſt they are uſed according to the In ſtitutes of Holy Church,
ſo I believe that it is no errour to ſpeak, ſo long as one hath rea
ſon to ſuſpect that a perſon hath a deſire, for ſome concern of
his own, to produce and alledge them, to purpoſes different from
thoſe that are in the moſt Sacred intention of The Holy Church.
Therefore I not onely proteſt (and my ſincerity ſhall manifeſt it
perſwade that Copernicus may be condemned before his Book is
read; and to make the World believe that it is not onely lawfull
but commendable ſo to do, produce certain Authorities of the
Scripture, of Divines, and of Councils; which as they are by me
had in reverence, and held of Supream Authority, inſomuch that
I ſhould eſteem it high temerity for any one to contradict them
whilſt they are uſed according to the In ſtitutes of Holy Church,
ſo I believe that it is no errour to ſpeak, ſo long as one hath rea
ſon to ſuſpect that a perſon hath a deſire, for ſome concern of
his own, to produce and alledge them, to purpoſes different from
thoſe that are in the moſt Sacred intention of The Holy Church.
Therefore I not onely proteſt (and my ſincerity ſhall manifeſt it
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