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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4129That the Moon may be a World. you may ſee ſundry Diſcourſes more at large
11In opere 6.
dierum.
diſput. 5.
In lib. de
Mundi
conſtit.
in Ludovicus Molina, Euſebius Nirembergius,
with divers others.
The Venerable Bede
thought the Planets to conſiſt of all the four
Elements;
and ’tis likely that the other parts
are of an Aerous Subſtance, as will be ſhewed
after wards;
however, I cannot now ſtand to re-
cite the Arguments for either;
I have only
urged theſe Authorities to countervail Ariſtotle,
and the School-Men, and the better to make
way for a proof of their Corruptibility.
The next thing then to be enquir'd after, is,
222 Pet. 3. 12 whether they be of a corruptible Nature, not
whether they can be deſtroyed of God;
for
this, Scripture puts out of doubt.
Nor whether or no in a long time they
would wear away and grow worſe;
for from
33By Doctor
Hakewell.
Ap. l. lib. 2.
any ſuch Fear they have been lately priviledg-
ed.
But whether they are capable of ſuch
changes and viciſſitudes, as this inferiour
World is lyable unto?
The two chief Opinions concerning this,
have both erred in ſome extremity, the one
ſide going ſo far from the other, that they
have both gone beyond the Right, whilſt
Ariſtotle hath oppos'd the Truth, as well as the
Stoicks.
Some of the Ancients have thought, that
the Heavenly Bodies have ſtood in need of
44Plutarch
de plac.
philoſ. l. 2.
c. 17.
Nat. Hiſt.
l. 2. c. 9.
Nat. quæſt.
lib. 2. c. 5.
Nouriſhment from the Elements, by which
they were continually Fed, and ſo had divers
Alterations by reaſon of their Food?
Fathered on Heraclitus, followed by that great
Naturaliſt Pliny, and in general attributed to all the Stoicks.
You may ſee Seneca

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