1wards in coming to engage, preſently betake themſelves to a Wea
pon inevitable & dreadful to terrifie their Opponent with the ſole
beholding of it? But if I may ſpeak the truth, I believe that they are
the firſt that are affrighted, and that perceiving themſelves unable
to bear up againſt the aſſaults of their Adverſary, go about to find
out ways how to keep them far enough off, forbidding unto them
the uſe of the Reaſon which the Divine Bounty had vouchſafed
them, & abuſing the moſt equitable Authority of ſacred Scripture,
which rightly underſtood and applyed, can never, according to
the common Maxime of Divines, oppoſe the Manifeſt Experi
ments, or Neceſſary Demonſtrations. But theſe mens running
to the Scriptures for a Cloak to their inability to comprehend,
not to ſay reſolve the Reaſons alledged againſt them, ought (if I
be not miſtaken) to ſtand them in no ſtead: the Opinion which
they oppoſe having never as yet been condemned by Holy
Church. So that if they would proceed with Candor, they
ſhould either by ſilence confeſs themſelves unable to handle ſuch
like points, or firſt conſider that it is not in the power of them or
others, but onely in that of the Pope, and of Sacred Councils to
cenſure a Poſition to be Erroneous: But that it is left to their
freedome to diſpute concerning its falſity. And thereupon,
knowing that it is impoſſible that a Propoſition ſhould at the
ſame time be True and Heretical; they ought, I ſay, to imploy
themſelves in that work which is moſt poper to them, namely,
in demonſtrating the falſity thereof: whereby they may ſee
how needleſſe the prohibiting of it is, its falſhood being once
diſcovered, for that none would follow it: or the Prohibition
would be ſafe, and without all danger of Scandal. Therefore
firſt let theſe men apply themſelves to examine the Arguments
of Copernicus and others; and leave the condemning of them
for Erroneous and Heretical to whom it belongeth: But yet let
them not hope ever to finde ſuch raſh and precipitous Determina
tions in the Wary and Holy Fathers, or in the abſolute Wiſ
dome of him that cannot erre, as thoſe into which they ſuffer
themſelves to be hurried by ſome particular Affection or Inte
reſt of their own. In theſe and ſuch other Poſitions, which are
not directly de Fide, certainly no man doubts but His Holineſs
hath alwayes an abſolute power of Admitting or Condemn
ing them, but it is not in the power of any Creature to make
them to be true or falſe, otherwiſe than of their own nature,
and de facto they are.
pon inevitable & dreadful to terrifie their Opponent with the ſole
beholding of it? But if I may ſpeak the truth, I believe that they are
the firſt that are affrighted, and that perceiving themſelves unable
to bear up againſt the aſſaults of their Adverſary, go about to find
out ways how to keep them far enough off, forbidding unto them
the uſe of the Reaſon which the Divine Bounty had vouchſafed
them, & abuſing the moſt equitable Authority of ſacred Scripture,
which rightly underſtood and applyed, can never, according to
the common Maxime of Divines, oppoſe the Manifeſt Experi
ments, or Neceſſary Demonſtrations. But theſe mens running
to the Scriptures for a Cloak to their inability to comprehend,
not to ſay reſolve the Reaſons alledged againſt them, ought (if I
be not miſtaken) to ſtand them in no ſtead: the Opinion which
they oppoſe having never as yet been condemned by Holy
Church. So that if they would proceed with Candor, they
ſhould either by ſilence confeſs themſelves unable to handle ſuch
like points, or firſt conſider that it is not in the power of them or
others, but onely in that of the Pope, and of Sacred Councils to
cenſure a Poſition to be Erroneous: But that it is left to their
freedome to diſpute concerning its falſity. And thereupon,
knowing that it is impoſſible that a Propoſition ſhould at the
ſame time be True and Heretical; they ought, I ſay, to imploy
themſelves in that work which is moſt poper to them, namely,
in demonſtrating the falſity thereof: whereby they may ſee
how needleſſe the prohibiting of it is, its falſhood being once
diſcovered, for that none would follow it: or the Prohibition
would be ſafe, and without all danger of Scandal. Therefore
firſt let theſe men apply themſelves to examine the Arguments
of Copernicus and others; and leave the condemning of them
for Erroneous and Heretical to whom it belongeth: But yet let
them not hope ever to finde ſuch raſh and precipitous Determina
tions in the Wary and Holy Fathers, or in the abſolute Wiſ
dome of him that cannot erre, as thoſe into which they ſuffer
themſelves to be hurried by ſome particular Affection or Inte
reſt of their own. In theſe and ſuch other Poſitions, which are
not directly de Fide, certainly no man doubts but His Holineſs
hath alwayes an abſolute power of Admitting or Condemn
ing them, but it is not in the power of any Creature to make
them to be true or falſe, otherwiſe than of their own nature,
and de facto they are.
If this paſſage
ſeem harſh, the
Reader muſt re
member that I do
but Tranſlate.
ſeem harſh, the
Reader muſt re
member that I do
but Tranſlate.
Therefore it is in my judgment more diſcretion to aſſure us
firſt of the neceſſary and immutable Truth of the Fact, (over
which none hath power) than without that certainty by condem
ning one part to deprive ones ſelf of that authority of freedome
firſt of the neceſſary and immutable Truth of the Fact, (over
which none hath power) than without that certainty by condem
ning one part to deprive ones ſelf of that authority of freedome
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