1our Age, Copernicus doth demonſtrate the courſes of the Pla
nets to be according to this Opinion. Nor is it to be doubted
but that the Planets Places may be more exactly and certainly
aſſigned by his Doctrine, than by Ptolomies Great Almogeſt of
Syſteme, or the Opinions of any others. For its manifeſt, that
Ptolomy could never deſcribe either the Motion of the Equi
noxes, or aſſign the certain and poſitive beginning of the Year:
the which he ingeniouſly confeſſeth in Lih. 3. De Almageſt. Mag
num. Ch. 2. and which he leaveth to be diſcovered in after times
by thoſe Aſtronomers, who coming into the World much later
than he, might be able to invent ſome way to make more accurate
obſervations. And although the ^{*} Alphonſines & Thebith Ben Core
have attempted to explain them; yet it appeareth that they have
done as much as nothing. For the Poſitions of the Alphonſines
diſagree amongſt themſelves, as Ricius proveth. And although
the Reaſon of Thebith be more acute, and that thereby he de
termined the certain beginning of the year, (being that which
Ptolomy ſought for) yet it is now clear, that the Progreſſions of
the Equinoxes are much longer than he conceived they could be.
Moreover, the Sun is found to be much nearer to us than it was
held to be in times paſt, by above fourty thouſand ^{*} Stadia, or
furlongs. The Cauſe and Reaſon of whoſe Motion, neither
Ptolomy nor any other Aſtrologers could ever comprehend: And
yet the Reaſons of theſe things are moſt plainly explained and
demonſtrated by Copernicus from the Motion of the Earth, with
which he ſheweth that all the other Phœnomena of the Univerſe
do more aptly accord. Which opinion of his is not in the leaſt
contradicted by what Solomon ſaith in ^{*} Eccleſiaſtes: But the
Earth abideth for ever. For that Text ſignifieth no more but
this, That although the ſucceſſion of Ages, and generations of
Men on Earth, be various; yet the Earth it ſelf is ſtill one and
the ſame, and continueth without any ſenſible alteration; For
the words run thus: One Generation paſſeth away, and another
Generation cometh; but the Earth abideth for ever. So that it
hath no coherence with its Context, (as Philoſophers ſhew) if it
be expounded to ſpeak of the Earths immobility. And al
though in this Chapter Eccleſiaſtes, and in many others, Holy
Writ aſcribes Motion to the Sun, which Copernicus will have to
ſtand fixed in the Centre of the Univerſe; yet it makes nothing
againſt his Poſition. For the Motion that belongs to the Earth,
is by way of ſpeech aſſigned to the Sun, even by Copernicus him
ſelf, and thoſe who are his followers, ſo that the Revolution of
the Earth is often by them phraſed, The Revolution of the Sun.
To conclude, No place can be produced out of Holy Scripture,
which ſo clearly ſpeaks the Earths Immobility, as this doth its
nets to be according to this Opinion. Nor is it to be doubted
but that the Planets Places may be more exactly and certainly
aſſigned by his Doctrine, than by Ptolomies Great Almogeſt of
Syſteme, or the Opinions of any others. For its manifeſt, that
Ptolomy could never deſcribe either the Motion of the Equi
noxes, or aſſign the certain and poſitive beginning of the Year:
the which he ingeniouſly confeſſeth in Lih. 3. De Almageſt. Mag
num. Ch. 2. and which he leaveth to be diſcovered in after times
by thoſe Aſtronomers, who coming into the World much later
than he, might be able to invent ſome way to make more accurate
obſervations. And although the ^{*} Alphonſines & Thebith Ben Core
have attempted to explain them; yet it appeareth that they have
done as much as nothing. For the Poſitions of the Alphonſines
diſagree amongſt themſelves, as Ricius proveth. And although
the Reaſon of Thebith be more acute, and that thereby he de
termined the certain beginning of the year, (being that which
Ptolomy ſought for) yet it is now clear, that the Progreſſions of
the Equinoxes are much longer than he conceived they could be.
Moreover, the Sun is found to be much nearer to us than it was
held to be in times paſt, by above fourty thouſand ^{*} Stadia, or
furlongs. The Cauſe and Reaſon of whoſe Motion, neither
Ptolomy nor any other Aſtrologers could ever comprehend: And
yet the Reaſons of theſe things are moſt plainly explained and
demonſtrated by Copernicus from the Motion of the Earth, with
which he ſheweth that all the other Phœnomena of the Univerſe
do more aptly accord. Which opinion of his is not in the leaſt
contradicted by what Solomon ſaith in ^{*} Eccleſiaſtes: But the
Earth abideth for ever. For that Text ſignifieth no more but
this, That although the ſucceſſion of Ages, and generations of
Men on Earth, be various; yet the Earth it ſelf is ſtill one and
the ſame, and continueth without any ſenſible alteration; For
the words run thus: One Generation paſſeth away, and another
Generation cometh; but the Earth abideth for ever. So that it
hath no coherence with its Context, (as Philoſophers ſhew) if it
be expounded to ſpeak of the Earths immobility. And al
though in this Chapter Eccleſiaſtes, and in many others, Holy
Writ aſcribes Motion to the Sun, which Copernicus will have to
ſtand fixed in the Centre of the Univerſe; yet it makes nothing
againſt his Poſition. For the Motion that belongs to the Earth,
is by way of ſpeech aſſigned to the Sun, even by Copernicus him
ſelf, and thoſe who are his followers, ſo that the Revolution of
the Earth is often by them phraſed, The Revolution of the Sun.
To conclude, No place can be produced out of Holy Scripture,
which ſo clearly ſpeaks the Earths Immobility, as this doth its