20525That the Earth may be a Planet.
ſhould hate that, out of love to the Error
that we have before entertained. A little
reading may inform us how theſe Texts have
been abuſed to ſtrange and unmeant Alle-
gories, which have mentioned any natural
Truth in ſuch a manner as was not agree-
able to Mens Conceits. And beſides, if the
Holy Ghoſt had propounded unto us any
Secrets in Philoſophy, we ſhould have been
apt to be ſo buſied about them, as to neg-
lect other Matters of greater importance.
And therefore Saint Auſtin propoſing the
11Ibid. cap. 9 Queſtion, What ſhould be the reaſon why
the Scripture does not clearly ſet down any
thing concerning the Nature, Figure, Mag-
nitude, and Motion of the Heavenly Orbs?
he anſwers it thus: The Holy Ghoſt being
to deliver more neceſſary Truths, would
not inſert theſe, leſt Men, according to the
pravity of their Diſpoſitions, ſhould neglect
the more weighty Matters, and beſtow their
thoughts about the ſpeculative natural
Points, which were leſs needful. So that it
might ſeem more convenient, that the Scrip-
ture ſhould not meddle with the revealing
of theſe unlikely Secrets, eſpecially when
it is to deliver unto us many other Myſte-
ries of greater neceſſity, which ſeem to be
directly oppoſite to our ſenſe and reaſon.
And therefore, I ſay, the Holy Ghoſt might
purpoſely omit the treating of theſe Philo-
ſophical Secrets, till time and future diſco-
very, might with leiſure ſettle them in the
opinion of others: As he is pleaſed, in
that we have before entertained. A little
reading may inform us how theſe Texts have
been abuſed to ſtrange and unmeant Alle-
gories, which have mentioned any natural
Truth in ſuch a manner as was not agree-
able to Mens Conceits. And beſides, if the
Holy Ghoſt had propounded unto us any
Secrets in Philoſophy, we ſhould have been
apt to be ſo buſied about them, as to neg-
lect other Matters of greater importance.
And therefore Saint Auſtin propoſing the
11Ibid. cap. 9 Queſtion, What ſhould be the reaſon why
the Scripture does not clearly ſet down any
thing concerning the Nature, Figure, Mag-
nitude, and Motion of the Heavenly Orbs?
he anſwers it thus: The Holy Ghoſt being
to deliver more neceſſary Truths, would
not inſert theſe, leſt Men, according to the
pravity of their Diſpoſitions, ſhould neglect
the more weighty Matters, and beſtow their
thoughts about the ſpeculative natural
Points, which were leſs needful. So that it
might ſeem more convenient, that the Scrip-
ture ſhould not meddle with the revealing
of theſe unlikely Secrets, eſpecially when
it is to deliver unto us many other Myſte-
ries of greater neceſſity, which ſeem to be
directly oppoſite to our ſenſe and reaſon.
And therefore, I ſay, the Holy Ghoſt might
purpoſely omit the treating of theſe Philo-
ſophical Secrets, till time and future diſco-
very, might with leiſure ſettle them in the
opinion of others: As he is pleaſed, in