Salusbury, Thomas, Mathematical collections and translations (Tome I), 1667

Page concordance

< >
Scan Original
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
< >
page |< < of 701 > >|
    <archimedes>
      <text>
        <body>
          <chap>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <pb xlink:href="040/01/457.jpg" pagenum="433"/>
              ſtinguiſhed from the Vulgar, it is neceſſary that grave and skilful
                <lb/>
              Expoſitors produce the true ſenſes of them, and ſhew the parti­
                <lb/>
              cular Reaſons why they are dictated under ſuch and ſuch words.
                <lb/>
              </s>
              <s>And this is a Doctrine ſo true and common amongſt Divines,
                <lb/>
              that it would be ſuperfluous to produce any atteſtation
                <lb/>
              thereof.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Hence methinks I may with much more reaſon conclude, that
                <lb/>
              the ſame holy Writ, when ever it hath had occaſion to pronounce
                <lb/>
              any natural Concluſion, and eſpecially, any of thoſe which are
                <lb/>
              more abſtruce, and difficult to be underſtood, hath not failed to
                <lb/>
              obſerve this Rule, that ſo it might not cauſe confuſion in the
                <lb/>
              mindes of thoſe very people, and render them the more contu­
                <lb/>
              macious againſt the Doctrines that were more ſublimely myſteri­
                <lb/>
              ous: For (like as we have ſaid, and as it plainly appeareth) out
                <lb/>
              of the ſole reſpect of condeſcending to Popular Capacity, the
                <lb/>
              Scripture hath not ſcrupled to ſhadow over moſt principal and
                <lb/>
              fundamental Truths, attributing, even to God himſelf, qualities
                <lb/>
              extreamly remote from, and contrary unto his Eſſence. </s>
              <s>Who
                <lb/>
              would poſitively affirm that the Scripture, laying aſide that re­
                <lb/>
              ſpect, in ſpeaking but occaſionally of the Earth, of the Water, of
                <lb/>
              the Sun, or of any other Creature, hath choſen to confine it
                <lb/>
              ſelf, with all rigour, within the bare and narrow literal ſenſe of
                <lb/>
              the words? </s>
              <s>And eſpecially, in mentioning of thoſe Crea­
                <lb/>
              tures, things not at all concerning the primary Inſtitution of
                <lb/>
              the ſame Sacred Volume, to wit, the Service of God, and the
                <lb/>
              ſalvation of Souls, and in things infinitely beyond the appre­
                <lb/>
              henſion of the Vulgar?</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>This therefore being granted, methinks that in the Diſcuſſion
                <lb/>
              of Natural Problemes, we ought not to begin at the authority
                <lb/>
              of places of Scripture; but at Senſible Experiments and Ne­
                <lb/>
              ceſſary Demonſtrations: For, from the Divine Word, the
                <lb/>
              Sacred Scripture and Nature did both alike proceed; the firſt,
                <lb/>
              as the Holy Ghoſts Inſpiration; the ſecond, as the moſt obſer­
                <lb/>
              vant Executrix of Gods Commands: And moreover it being
                <lb/>
              convenient in the Scriptures (by way of condeſcenſion to the
                <lb/>
              underſtanding of all men) to ſpeak many things different, in
                <lb/>
              appearance; and ſo far as concernes the naked ſigniſication of
                <lb/>
              the words, from abſolute truth: But on the contrary, Nature
                <lb/>
              being inexorable and immutable, and never paſſing the bounds
                <lb/>
              of the Laws aſſigned her, as one that nothing careth whether
                <lb/>
              her abſtruſe reaſons and methods of operating be, or be not ex­
                <lb/>
              poſed to the Capacity of Men; I conceive that that, concer­
                <lb/>
              ning Natural Effects, which either Senſible Experience ſets be­
                <lb/>
              fore our eyes, or Neceſſary Demonſtrations do prove unto us,
                <lb/>
              ought not, upon any account, to be called into queſtion, much </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
Impressum