1of the Errours of Sight: And ſo he will not onely extoll the
Bounty of God in the preſervation of Living Creatures of all
kindes, and eſtabliſhment of the Earth; but even in its Motion
alſo, which is ſo ſtrange, ſo admirable, he will acknowledge the
Wiſdome of the Creator. But he who is ſo ſtupid as not to
comprehend the Science of Aſtronomy, or ſo weak and ſcrupu
lous as to think it an offence of Piety to adhere to Copernicus,
him I adviſe, that leaving the Study of Aſtronomy, and cenſuring
the opinions of Philoſophers at pleaſure, he betake himſelf to
his own concerns, and that deſiſting from further purſuit of theſe
intricate Studies, he keep at home and manure his own Ground;
and with thoſe Eyes wherewith alone he ſeeth, being eleva
ted towards this to be admired Heaven, let him pour forth his
whole heart in thanks and praiſes to God the Creator; and aſ
ſure himſelf that he ſhall therein perform as much Worſhip to
God, as the Aſtronomer, on whom God hath beſtowed this Gift,
that though he ſeeth more clearly with the Eye of his Under
ſtanding; yet whatever he hath attained to, he is both able and
willing to extoll his God above it.
Bounty of God in the preſervation of Living Creatures of all
kindes, and eſtabliſhment of the Earth; but even in its Motion
alſo, which is ſo ſtrange, ſo admirable, he will acknowledge the
Wiſdome of the Creator. But he who is ſo ſtupid as not to
comprehend the Science of Aſtronomy, or ſo weak and ſcrupu
lous as to think it an offence of Piety to adhere to Copernicus,
him I adviſe, that leaving the Study of Aſtronomy, and cenſuring
the opinions of Philoſophers at pleaſure, he betake himſelf to
his own concerns, and that deſiſting from further purſuit of theſe
intricate Studies, he keep at home and manure his own Ground;
and with thoſe Eyes wherewith alone he ſeeth, being eleva
ted towards this to be admired Heaven, let him pour forth his
whole heart in thanks and praiſes to God the Creator; and aſ
ſure himſelf that he ſhall therein perform as much Worſhip to
God, as the Aſtronomer, on whom God hath beſtowed this Gift,
that though he ſeeth more clearly with the Eye of his Under
ſtanding; yet whatever he hath attained to, he is both able and
willing to extoll his God above it.
And thus much concerning the Authority of Sacred Scripture.
Now as touching the opinions of the Saints about theſe Natural
Points. I anſwer in one word, That in Theology the weight of
Authority, but in Philoſophy the weight of Reaſon is to be con
ſidered. Therefore Sacred was Lactantius, who denyed the
Earths rotundity; Sacred was Auguſtine, who granted the Earth
to be round, but denyed the Antipodes; Sacred is the ^{*}Liturgy of
our Moderns, who admit the ſmallneſſe of the Earth, but deny
its Motion: But to me more ſacred than all theſe is Truth, who
with reſpect to the Doctors of the Church, do demonſtrate
from Philoſophy that the Earth is both round, circumhabited by
Antipodes, of a moſt contemptible ſmalneſſe, and in a word,
that it is ranked amongſt the Planets.
Now as touching the opinions of the Saints about theſe Natural
Points. I anſwer in one word, That in Theology the weight of
Authority, but in Philoſophy the weight of Reaſon is to be con
ſidered. Therefore Sacred was Lactantius, who denyed the
Earths rotundity; Sacred was Auguſtine, who granted the Earth
to be round, but denyed the Antipodes; Sacred is the ^{*}Liturgy of
our Moderns, who admit the ſmallneſſe of the Earth, but deny
its Motion: But to me more ſacred than all theſe is Truth, who
with reſpect to the Doctors of the Church, do demonſtrate
from Philoſophy that the Earth is both round, circumhabited by
Antipodes, of a moſt contemptible ſmalneſſe, and in a word,
that it is ranked amongſt the Planets.