Wilkins, John, A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

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3119That the Moon may be a World. quoted) think, That Ariſtotle was the Viol
of Gods Wrath, which was poured out upon
the Waters of Wiſdom, by the Third Angel;
But for my part, I think the World is much
11Rev. 16. 4. beholden to him for all its Sciences.
But yet
’twere a ſhame for theſe later Ages to reſt our
Selves meerly upon the Labours of our Fore-
Fathers, as if they had informed us of all things
to be known;
and when we are ſet upon their
Shoulders, not to ſee further than they them-
ſelves did.
’Twere a Superſtitious, a lazy
Opinion, to think Ariſtotle's Works the Bounds
and Limits of all humane Invention, beyond
which there could be no poſſibility of reaching.
Certainly there are yet many things left to diſ-
covery, and it cannot be any inconvenience
for us, to maintain a new Truth, or rectifie
an ancient Errour.
But the poſition (ſay ſome) is directly againſt
Scripture, for
1. M@ſes tells us but of one World, and his
Hiſtory of the Creation had been very imper-
fect, if God had made another.
2. Saint John ſpeaking of Gods Works, ſays,
he made the World in the ſingular Number,
and therefore there is but one:
’tis the Argu-
22Part. 1. Q.
47. Art. 3.
ment of Aquinas, and he thinks that none
will oppoſe it, but ſuch who with Democritus,
eſteem ſome blind Chance, and not any wiſe
Providence to be the Framet of all things.
3. The Opinion of more Worlds has in
Ancient times been accounted a Hereſie, and
33Annal.
Eccl. A. D.
748.
Baronius affirms, that for this very reaſon Vir-
gilius was caſt out of his Biſhoprick, and Ex-
communicated from the Church.

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