1theſe points require many ſubtil and profound Reaſons, for the
making out whether they be really ſo, or no; the undertakeing and
diſeuſſing of which is neither conſiſtent with my leaſure, nor their
duty, vvhom I deſire to inſtruct in the neceſſary matters more di
rectly conducing to their ſalvation, and to the benefit of The Holy
Church.
making out whether they be really ſo, or no; the undertakeing and
diſeuſſing of which is neither conſiſtent with my leaſure, nor their
duty, vvhom I deſire to inſtruct in the neceſſary matters more di
rectly conducing to their ſalvation, and to the benefit of The Holy
Church.
(d) De Motu
etiam Cæli, non
nulli fratres quæ
ſtionem movent, u
trum ſtet, an mo
veatur; quia ſi mo
vetur, inquiunt,
quomodo Firma
mentum eſt? Si
autem ſtat, quomo
do Sydera quæ in
ipſo fixa credun
tur, ab Oriente in
Occidentem circum
eunt, Septentrio
nalibus breviores
gyros juxta cardi
nem perag entibus;
ut Cælum, ſi est a
lius nobis occultus
cardo, ex alio ver
tice, ſicut Sphæra;
ſi autem nullus a
lius cardo eſt, vel
uti diſcus rotari
videatur? Quibus
reſpondeo, Multum
ſubtilibus & labo
rioſis rationibus
iſta perquiri, ut ve
re percipiatur, u
trum ita, an non
ita ſit, quibus ine
undis atque tra
ctandis, nec mihi
jam tempus eſt, nec
illis eſſe debet, quos
ad ſalutem ſuam,
è Sanctæ Eccleſiæ
neceſſaria utilitate
cupimus informa
ri:
etiam Cæli, non
nulli fratres quæ
ſtionem movent, u
trum ſtet, an mo
veatur; quia ſi mo
vetur, inquiunt,
quomodo Firma
mentum eſt? Si
autem ſtat, quomo
do Sydera quæ in
ipſo fixa credun
tur, ab Oriente in
Occidentem circum
eunt, Septentrio
nalibus breviores
gyros juxta cardi
nem perag entibus;
ut Cælum, ſi est a
lius nobis occultus
cardo, ex alio ver
tice, ſicut Sphæra;
ſi autem nullus a
lius cardo eſt, vel
uti diſcus rotari
videatur? Quibus
reſpondeo, Multum
ſubtilibus & labo
rioſis rationibus
iſta perquiri, ut ve
re percipiatur, u
trum ita, an non
ita ſit, quibus ine
undis atque tra
ctandis, nec mihi
jam tempus eſt, nec
illis eſſe debet, quos
ad ſalutem ſuam,
è Sanctæ Eccleſiæ
neceſſaria utilitate
cupimus informa
ri:
From which (that we may come nearer to our particular caſe)
it neceſſarily followeth, that the Holy Ghoſt not having intend
ed to teach us, whether Heaven moveth or ſtandeth ſtill; nor
whether its Figure be in Form of a Sphere, or of a Diſcus, or di
ſtended in Planum: Nor whether the Earth be contained in the
Centre of it, or on one ſide; he hath much leſs had an intention
to aſſure us of other Concluſions of the ſame kinde, and in ſuch
a manner, connected to theſe already named, that without the
dedermination of them, one can neither affirm one or the other
part; which are, The determining of the Motion and Reſt of the
ſaid Earth, and of the Sun. And if the ſame Holy Spirit hath
purpoſely pretermitted to teach us thoſe Propoſitions, as nothing
concerning his intention, that is, our ſalvation; how can it be af
firmed, that the holding of one part rather than the other, ſhould
be ſo neceſſary, as that it is de Fide, and the other erronious?
Can an Opinion be Heretical, and yet nothing concerning the
ſalvation of ſouls? Or can it be ſaid that the Holy Ghoſt purpo
ſed not to teach us a thing that concerned our ſalvation? I might
here inſert the Opinion of an Eccleſiaſtical ^{*} Perſon, raiſed to the
degree of Eminentiſſimo, to wit, That the intention of the Holy
Ghoſt, is to teach us how we ſhall go to Heaven, and not how Hea
ven goeth.
it neceſſarily followeth, that the Holy Ghoſt not having intend
ed to teach us, whether Heaven moveth or ſtandeth ſtill; nor
whether its Figure be in Form of a Sphere, or of a Diſcus, or di
ſtended in Planum: Nor whether the Earth be contained in the
Centre of it, or on one ſide; he hath much leſs had an intention
to aſſure us of other Concluſions of the ſame kinde, and in ſuch
a manner, connected to theſe already named, that without the
dedermination of them, one can neither affirm one or the other
part; which are, The determining of the Motion and Reſt of the
ſaid Earth, and of the Sun. And if the ſame Holy Spirit hath
purpoſely pretermitted to teach us thoſe Propoſitions, as nothing
concerning his intention, that is, our ſalvation; how can it be af
firmed, that the holding of one part rather than the other, ſhould
be ſo neceſſary, as that it is de Fide, and the other erronious?
Can an Opinion be Heretical, and yet nothing concerning the
ſalvation of ſouls? Or can it be ſaid that the Holy Ghoſt purpo
ſed not to teach us a thing that concerned our ſalvation? I might
here inſert the Opinion of an Eccleſiaſtical ^{*} Perſon, raiſed to the
degree of Eminentiſſimo, to wit, That the intention of the Holy
Ghoſt, is to teach us how we ſhall go to Heaven, and not how Hea
ven goeth.
* Card. Baronius.
Spiritu ſancti
mentem fuiſſe, nos
docere, quomodo ad
Cælum eatur: non
autem, quomodo
Cælum gradiatur.
Cardinal. Bar.
mentem fuiſſe, nos
docere, quomodo ad
Cælum eatur: non
autem, quomodo
Cælum gradiatur.
Cardinal. Bar.
But let us return to conſider how much neceſſary Demonſtra
tions, and ſenſible Experiments ought to be eſteemed in Natural
Concluſions; and of what Authority Holy and Learned Divines
have accounted them, from whom amongſt an hundred other atte
ſtations, we have theſe that follow: (e) We must alſo carefully
heed and altogether avoid in handling the Doctrine of Moſes, to
avouch or ſpeak any thing affirmatively and confidently which
contradicteth the manifeſt Experiments and Reaſons of Philoſo
phy, or other Sciences. For ſince all Truth is agreeable to Truth,
the Truth of Holy Writ cannot be contrary to the ſolid Reaſons
and Experiments of Humane Learning.
tions, and ſenſible Experiments ought to be eſteemed in Natural
Concluſions; and of what Authority Holy and Learned Divines
have accounted them, from whom amongſt an hundred other atte
ſtations, we have theſe that follow: (e) We must alſo carefully
heed and altogether avoid in handling the Doctrine of Moſes, to
avouch or ſpeak any thing affirmatively and confidently which
contradicteth the manifeſt Experiments and Reaſons of Philoſo
phy, or other Sciences. For ſince all Truth is agreeable to Truth,
the Truth of Holy Writ cannot be contrary to the ſolid Reaſons
and Experiments of Humane Learning.
(e) Illud etiam
diligenter caven
dum, & emnino
fugiendum eſt, ne
in tractanda Mo
ſis Dectrina, quic
quam affirmate &
aſſeveranter ſen
tiamus & dica
mus, quod repug
net manifeſtis ex
perimentis & rationibus Philoſophiæ, vel aliarum Diſciplinarum. Namque cum Verum omne ſemper cum Vero
congruat, non poteſt Verit as Sacrarum Litterarum, Veris Rationibus & Experimentis Humanarum Doctrina
rum eſſe contraria. Perk. in Gen. circa Principium.
diligenter caven
dum, & emnino
fugiendum eſt, ne
in tractanda Mo
ſis Dectrina, quic
quam affirmate &
aſſeveranter ſen
tiamus & dica
mus, quod repug
net manifeſtis ex
perimentis & rationibus Philoſophiæ, vel aliarum Diſciplinarum. Namque cum Verum omne ſemper cum Vero
congruat, non poteſt Verit as Sacrarum Litterarum, Veris Rationibus & Experimentis Humanarum Doctrina
rum eſſe contraria. Perk. in Gen. circa Principium.
(f) Si manife
ſtæ certæque Rati
oni, velut ſancta
rum Litterarum
objicitur autori
ritas, non intelli
git, qui hoc facit;
& non Scripturæ
ſenſum (ad quem
penetrare non po
tuit) ſed ſuum po
tius objicit verita
ti: nec id quod in
sa, ſed quod in ſe
ipſo velue pro ea
invenit, opponit.
ſtæ certæque Rati
oni, velut ſancta
rum Litterarum
objicitur autori
ritas, non intelli
git, qui hoc facit;
& non Scripturæ
ſenſum (ad quem
penetrare non po
tuit) ſed ſuum po
tius objicit verita
ti: nec id quod in
sa, ſed quod in ſe
ipſo velue pro ea
invenit, opponit.
And in St. Auguſtine we read: (f) If any one ſhall object
the Authority of Sacred Writ, againſt clear and manifeſt Reaſon,
he that doth ſo, knows not what he undertakes: For he objects
the Authority of Sacred Writ, againſt clear and manifeſt Reaſon,
he that doth ſo, knows not what he undertakes: For he objects