338158That the Earth may be a Planet.
Atlas and Hercules.
Thus Cajetan concludes
from that place in Pſalm 136. 5. where ’tis
ſaid, God by wiſdom made the Heavens: Or,
according to the Vulgar, Qui fecit Cælos in-
tellectu, That the Heavens are moved by an
intelligent Soul.
from that place in Pſalm 136. 5. where ’tis
ſaid, God by wiſdom made the Heavens: Or,
according to the Vulgar, Qui fecit Cælos in-
tellectu, That the Heavens are moved by an
intelligent Soul.
If we conſider the Original of this Opi-
nion, we ſhall find it to proceed from that
miſtake of Ariſtotle, who thought the Hea-
vens to be Eternal; and therefore to re-
quire ſuch a moving cauſe, as being of
an immaterial Subſtance, might be ex-
empted from all that wearineſs and in-
conſtancy, vvhich other things are liable
unto.
nion, we ſhall find it to proceed from that
miſtake of Ariſtotle, who thought the Hea-
vens to be Eternal; and therefore to re-
quire ſuch a moving cauſe, as being of
an immaterial Subſtance, might be ex-
empted from all that wearineſs and in-
conſtancy, vvhich other things are liable
unto.
But now this ground of his is evidently
ſalſe, ſince ’tis certain, That the Heavens
had a beginning, and ſhall have an end. How-
ever, the imploying of Angels in theſe Mo-
tions of the World, is both ſuperfluous and
very improbable.
ſalſe, ſince ’tis certain, That the Heavens
had a beginning, and ſhall have an end. How-
ever, the imploying of Angels in theſe Mo-
tions of the World, is both ſuperfluous and
very improbable.
1.
Becauſe a natural Power, intrinſical
to thoſe Bodies, will ſerve the turn as well.
And as for other Operations, which are to
be conſtant and regular, Nature does com-
monly make uſe of ſome inward princi-
ple.
to thoſe Bodies, will ſerve the turn as well.
And as for other Operations, which are to
be conſtant and regular, Nature does com-
monly make uſe of ſome inward princi-
ple.
2.
The Intelligences being immaterial, can-
not immediatly vvork upon a Body. Nor
does any one tell us vvhat Inſtruments they
ſhould make uſe of in this buſineſs. They
have not any hands to take hold of the Hea-
vens, or turn them about. And that Opi-
nion of Aquinas, Durand, Soncinas,
not immediatly vvork upon a Body. Nor
does any one tell us vvhat Inſtruments they
ſhould make uſe of in this buſineſs. They
have not any hands to take hold of the Hea-
vens, or turn them about. And that Opi-
nion of Aquinas, Durand, Soncinas,