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
page |< < (37) of 370 > >|
21737That the Earth may be a Planet. form them, as well as others, 'tis requiſite
that
it ſhould uſe the moſt plain and eaſy
expreſſions
.
To this purpoſe likewiſe is that
of
Merſennus, Mille ſunt Scripturæ loca, &
c. 11In Gen.
c
. 1. v. 10.
art
. 6.
V
. Hiero.
in
Fer. 28.
Aquinas

in
Job 25.
7
There are very many places of Scripture,
which are not to be interpreted according
to the Letter;
and that for this reaſon,
becauſe God would apply himſelf unto our
capacity and ſenſe:
Preſertim in iis, quæ
ad
res naturales, oculiſque ſubjectas pertinent;
more eſpecially in thoſe things which con-
cern
Nature, and are ſubject to our Eyes.

And
therefore in the very ſame place, tho
he
be eager enough againſt Copernicus, yet
he
concludes that Opinion not to be an He-
reſy
;
becauſe (ſaith he) thoſe Scriptures
which
ſeem to oppoſeit, are not ſo evident,
but
that they may be capable of another In-
terpretation
:
Intimating, that it was not
unlikely
they ſhould be underſtood in refe-
rence
to outward appearance, and common
opinion
.
And that this manner of ſpeech is
frequently
uſed in many other places of
Scripture
, may be eaſily manifeſt from theſe
following
Examples.
Thus tho the Moon
may
be proved, by infallible obſervation, to
be
leſs than any of the viſible Stars;
yet
becauſe
of its appearance, and vulgar opi-
nion
, therefore doth the Scripture, in Com-
22Gen.1. 16.
Pſ
. 136. 7.
pariſon to them, call it one of the Great
Lights
.
Of which place, ſaith Calvin, Mo-
ſes
populariter ſcripſit, nos potius reſpexit quam
ſydera
.
Moſes did not ſo much regard the
Nature
of the thing, as our Capacity;

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