2614That the Moon may be a World.
PROP. II.
That a Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any
Principle of Reaſon or Faith.
Principle of Reaſon or Faith.
TIS reported of Ariſtotle, that when he
ſaw the Books of Moſes, he commended
for ſuch a Majeſtick Style, as might become
a God, but withal, he cenſur'd that manner
of Writing to be very unfit for a Philoſopher:
becauſe there was nothing prov'd in them,
but matters were deliver'd, as if they would
rather command, than perſwade Belief. And
? tis obſervd that he ſets down nothing himſelf,
but he confirms it by the ſtrongeſt Reaſon that
may be found, there being ſcarce an Argu-
ment of force for any Subject in Philoſophy,
which may not be picked out of his Writings;
and therefore ’tis likely, if there were in Rea-
ſon a neceſſity of one only World, that he
would have found out ſome ſuch neceſſary
proof as might confirm it: Eſpecially ſince he
Labours for it ſo much in two whole Chap-
ters. But now all the Arguments which he
himſelf urges in this Subject, are very weak,
and far enough from having in them any con-
vincing Power. Therefore ’tis likely that a
Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any
Principle of Reaſon. However, I will ſet
down the two chief of his Arguments from his
own Works, and from them you may gueſs
the force of the other.
ſaw the Books of Moſes, he commended
for ſuch a Majeſtick Style, as might become
a God, but withal, he cenſur'd that manner
of Writing to be very unfit for a Philoſopher:
becauſe there was nothing prov'd in them,
but matters were deliver'd, as if they would
rather command, than perſwade Belief. And
? tis obſervd that he ſets down nothing himſelf,
but he confirms it by the ſtrongeſt Reaſon that
may be found, there being ſcarce an Argu-
ment of force for any Subject in Philoſophy,
which may not be picked out of his Writings;
and therefore ’tis likely, if there were in Rea-
ſon a neceſſity of one only World, that he
would have found out ſome ſuch neceſſary
proof as might confirm it: Eſpecially ſince he
Labours for it ſo much in two whole Chap-
ters. But now all the Arguments which he
himſelf urges in this Subject, are very weak,
and far enough from having in them any con-
vincing Power. Therefore ’tis likely that a
Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any
Principle of Reaſon. However, I will ſet
down the two chief of his Arguments from his
own Works, and from them you may gueſs
the force of the other.
The firſt is this, ſince every heavy Body
11Ibid. doth naturally tend downwards, and
11Ibid. doth naturally tend downwards, and