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

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

Table of handwritten notes

5543That the Moon may be a World. other a Groſs, Dark Body, which cannot
Shine at all. ’Tis requiſite therefore that in
the next place I clear this doubt, and ſhew that
the Moon hath no more Iight of her own than
our Earth.

That the Moon hath not any Light of her own.

TWas the fancy of ſome of the Jews, and
more eſpecially of Rabbi Simeon, that the
Moon was nothing elſe but a Contracted Sun,
11Toſtatus in
I Gen.
Hyeron. de
Sancta fide.
Hebrœo-
maſt.12.c.4. and that both thoſe Planets at their firſt Cre-
ation, were equal both in Light and quantity.
For, becauſe God did then call them both
great Lights, therefore they inferred that
they muſt be both equal in bigneſs. But a while
after (as the Tradition goes) the Ambitious
Moon put up Her Complaint to God againſt
the Sun, ſhewing that it was not fit there ſhould
be two ſuch great Lights in the Heavens; a
Monarchy would beſt become the place of Or-
der and Harmony. Upon this, God Comman-
ded Her to contract her ſelf into a Narrower
compaſs; but ſhe being much diſcontented
hereat, replies, What! becauſe I have ſpoken
that which is Reaſon and Equity, muſt I there-
fore be diminiſhed; This Sentence could not
chuſe but much trouble Her; and for this Rea-
ſon was ſhe in great diſtreſs and grief for a long
ſpace, but that her Sorrow might be ſome
way pacified, God bid her be of good Cheer,
becauſe her Priviledges and Charter ſhould
be greater than the Suns; he ſhoulld appear in
the Day time only, ſhe both in the Day

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