1againſt the Truth, not the ſenſe of the Scripture (which is be
yond his comprehenſion) but rather his own; not what is in it, but
what, finding it in himſelf, he fancyed to be in it.
yond his comprehenſion) but rather his own; not what is in it, but
what, finding it in himſelf, he fancyed to be in it.
This granted, and it being true, (as hath been ſaid) that two
Truths cannot be contrary to each other, it is the office of a
Judicious Expoſitor to ſtudy to finde the true Senſes of Sacred
Texts, which undoubtedly ſhall accord with thoſe Natural Con
cluſions, of which manifeſt Senſe and Neceſſary Demonſtrations
Truths cannot be contrary to each other, it is the office of a
Judicious Expoſitor to ſtudy to finde the true Senſes of Sacred
Texts, which undoubtedly ſhall accord with thoſe Natural Con
cluſions, of which manifeſt Senſe and Neceſſary Demonſtrations
had before made us ſure and certain. Yea, in regard that the
Scriptures (as hath been ſaid) for the Reaſons alledged, admit in
many places Expoſitions far from the Senſe of the words; and
moreover, we not being able to affirm, that all Interpreters
ſpeak by Divine Inſpiration; For (if it were ſo) then there
would be no difference between them about the Senſes of the
ſame places; I ſhould think that it would be an act of great pru
dence to make it unlawful for any one to uſurp Texts of Scri
pture, and as it were to force them to maintain this or that Natu
rall Concluſion for truth, of which Sence, & Demonſtrative, and
neceſſary Reaſons may one time or other aſſure us the contrary.
For who will preſcribe bounds to the Wits of men? Who will
aſſert that all that is ſenſible and knowable in the World is al
ready diſcovered and known? Will not they that in other points
diſagree with us, confeſs this (and it is a great truth) that Ea
quæ ſcimus, ſint minima pars eorum quæ ignoramus? That thoſe
Truths which we know, are very few, in compariſon of thoſe
which we know not? Nay more, if we have it from the Mouth
of the Holy Ghoſt, that Deus tradidit Mundum diſputationi
eorum, ut non inveniat homo opus, quod operatus eſt Deus ab
initio ad finem: One ought not, as I conceive, to ſtop the way
to free Philoſophating, touching the things of the World, and of
Nature, as if that they were already certainly found, and all ma
nifeſt: nor ought it to be counted raſhneſs, if one do not fit
down ſatisfied with the opinions now become as it were com
mune; nor ought any perſons to be diſpleaſed, if others do not
hold, in natural Diſputes to that opinion which beſt pleaſeth
them; and eſpecially touching Problems that have, for thouſands
of years, been controverted amongſt the greateſt Philoſophers, as is
the Stability of the Sun, and Mobility of the Earth, an opinion
held by Pythagoras, and by his whole Sect; by Heraclides Pon
ticus, who was of the ſame opininion; by Phylolaus, the Maſter
of Plato; and by Plato himſelf, as Ariſtotle relateth, and of
which Plutarch writeth in the life of Numa, that the ſaid Plato,
when he was grown old, ſaid, It is a moſt abſurd thing to think
otherwiſe: The ſame was believed by Ariſtarchus Samius, as
we have it in Archimedes; and probably by Archimedes him