1ſelf; by Nicetas the Philoſopher, upon the teſtimony of Scicero,
and by many others. And this opinion hath, finally, been am
plified, and with many Obſervations and Demonſtrations con
firmed by Nicholaus Copernicus. And Seneca, a moſt eminent
Philoſopher, in his Book De Cometis, advertizeth us that we
ought, with great diligence, ſeek for an aſſured knowledge,
whether it be Heaven, or the Earth, in which the Diurnal Con
verſion reſides.
and by many others. And this opinion hath, finally, been am
plified, and with many Obſervations and Demonſtrations con
firmed by Nicholaus Copernicus. And Seneca, a moſt eminent
Philoſopher, in his Book De Cometis, advertizeth us that we
ought, with great diligence, ſeek for an aſſured knowledge,
whether it be Heaven, or the Earth, in which the Diurnal Con
verſion reſides.
Epiſt. 7. ad Mar
cellinum.
cellinum.
Eccleſiaſt. cap. 3.
And for this cauſe, it would probably be prudent and proſi
table counſel, if beſides the Articles which concern our Salvati
on, and the eſtabliſhment of our Faith (againſt the ſtability of
which there is no fear that any valid and ſolid Doctrine can e
ver riſe up) men would not aggregate and heap up more, with
out neceſſity: And if it be ſo, it would certainly be a prepoſte
rous thing to introduce ſuch Articles at the requeſt of perſons
who, beſides that we know not that they ſpeak by inſpiration
of Divine Grace, we plainly ſee that there might be wiſhed in
them the underſtanding which would be neceſſary firſt to enable
them to comprehend, and then to diſcuſs the Demonſtrations
wherewith the ſubtiler Sciences proceed in confirming ſuch like
Concluſions. Nay, more I ſhould ſay, (were it lawful to ſpeak
my judgment freely on this Argument) that it would haply
more ſuit with the Decorum and Majeſty of thoſe Sacred Vo
lumes, if care were taken that every ſhallow and vulgar Writer
might not authorize his Books (which are not ſeldome grounded
upon fooliſh fancies) by inſerting into them Places of Holy Scri
pture, interpreted, or rather diſtorted to Senſes as remote from
the right meaning of the ſaid Scripture, as they are neer to deri
riſion, who not without oſtentation flouriſh out their Writings
therewith. Examples of ſuch like abuſes there might many be
produced, but for this time I will confine my ſelf to two, not
much beſides theſe matters of Aſtronomy: One of which, is that
of thoſe Pamphlets which were publiſhed againſt the Medicean
Planets, of which I had the fortune to make the diſcovery; a
gainſt the exiſtence of which there were brought many places of
Sacred Sctipture: Now, that all the World ſeeth them to be
Planets, I would gladly hear with what new interpretations
thoſe very Antagoniſts do expound the Scripture, and excuſe their
own ſimplicity. The other example is of him who but very
lately hath Printed againſt Aſtronomers and Philoſophers, that
the Moon doth not receive its light from the Sun, but is of its own
nature reſplendent: which imagination he in the cloſe confirm
eth, or, to ſay better, perſwadeth himſelf that he confirmeth by
ſundry Texts of Scripture, which he thinks cannot be reconciled
unleſſe his opinion ſhould be true and neceſſary. Nevertheleſſe,
table counſel, if beſides the Articles which concern our Salvati
on, and the eſtabliſhment of our Faith (againſt the ſtability of
which there is no fear that any valid and ſolid Doctrine can e
ver riſe up) men would not aggregate and heap up more, with
out neceſſity: And if it be ſo, it would certainly be a prepoſte
rous thing to introduce ſuch Articles at the requeſt of perſons
who, beſides that we know not that they ſpeak by inſpiration
of Divine Grace, we plainly ſee that there might be wiſhed in
them the underſtanding which would be neceſſary firſt to enable
them to comprehend, and then to diſcuſs the Demonſtrations
wherewith the ſubtiler Sciences proceed in confirming ſuch like
Concluſions. Nay, more I ſhould ſay, (were it lawful to ſpeak
my judgment freely on this Argument) that it would haply
more ſuit with the Decorum and Majeſty of thoſe Sacred Vo
lumes, if care were taken that every ſhallow and vulgar Writer
might not authorize his Books (which are not ſeldome grounded
upon fooliſh fancies) by inſerting into them Places of Holy Scri
pture, interpreted, or rather diſtorted to Senſes as remote from
the right meaning of the ſaid Scripture, as they are neer to deri
riſion, who not without oſtentation flouriſh out their Writings
therewith. Examples of ſuch like abuſes there might many be
produced, but for this time I will confine my ſelf to two, not
much beſides theſe matters of Aſtronomy: One of which, is that
of thoſe Pamphlets which were publiſhed againſt the Medicean
Planets, of which I had the fortune to make the diſcovery; a
gainſt the exiſtence of which there were brought many places of
Sacred Sctipture: Now, that all the World ſeeth them to be
Planets, I would gladly hear with what new interpretations
thoſe very Antagoniſts do expound the Scripture, and excuſe their
own ſimplicity. The other example is of him who but very
lately hath Printed againſt Aſtronomers and Philoſophers, that
the Moon doth not receive its light from the Sun, but is of its own
nature reſplendent: which imagination he in the cloſe confirm
eth, or, to ſay better, perſwadeth himſelf that he confirmeth by
ſundry Texts of Scripture, which he thinks cannot be reconciled
unleſſe his opinion ſhould be true and neceſſary. Nevertheleſſe,