21838That the Earth may be a Planet.
therefore uſes a popular phraſe:
ſo as ordi-
nary People, without the help of Arts and
Learning, might eaſily underſtand him.
And in another place, Non fuit Spiritus
Sancti concilium Aſtrologiam docere : 'It was
11Comment.
in P1. 136. ‘ not the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt to teach
‘ us Aſtronomy : but being to propound a
‘ Doctrine, that concerns the moſt rude and
‘ ſimple People, he does (both by Moſes
‘ and the Prophets) conform himſelf unto
‘ their phraſes and conceits : leſt any ſhould
‘ think to excuſe his own ignorance with the
‘ pretence of difficulty; as Men commonly
‘ do in thoſe things which are delivered af-
‘ ter a learned and ſublime manner. Thus
Zanchy likewiſe, Moſes majorem 22De ope-
ribus Dei,
par. 2. li.6.
cap. 1. habuit noſtri humanique judicii, & c. 'When
‘ Moſes calls the Moon a Great Light; he
‘ had a more eſpecial reference to Mens Opi-
‘ nions of it, than to the truth of the thing
‘ it ſelf, becauſe he was to deal with ſuch,
‘ who do judg uſually, rather by their Senſe,
‘ than by their Reaſon. Nor will that di-
ſtinction of Fromondus, and others, avoid
this interpretation, when he tells us of Mag-
nus Materialis; which refers to the bulk and
quantity of the Body: and Magnum Formale,
which imports the greatneſs of its Light.
For we grant, that it is really unto us a
greater Light than any of the Stars, or than
all of them together; yet there is not any
one of them, but is in it ſelf a bigger Light
than this: And therefore, when we ſay this
ſpeech is to be underſtood according to
nary People, without the help of Arts and
Learning, might eaſily underſtand him.
And in another place, Non fuit Spiritus
Sancti concilium Aſtrologiam docere : 'It was
11Comment.
in P1. 136. ‘ not the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt to teach
‘ us Aſtronomy : but being to propound a
‘ Doctrine, that concerns the moſt rude and
‘ ſimple People, he does (both by Moſes
‘ and the Prophets) conform himſelf unto
‘ their phraſes and conceits : leſt any ſhould
‘ think to excuſe his own ignorance with the
‘ pretence of difficulty; as Men commonly
‘ do in thoſe things which are delivered af-
‘ ter a learned and ſublime manner. Thus
Zanchy likewiſe, Moſes majorem 22De ope-
ribus Dei,
par. 2. li.6.
cap. 1. habuit noſtri humanique judicii, & c. 'When
‘ Moſes calls the Moon a Great Light; he
‘ had a more eſpecial reference to Mens Opi-
‘ nions of it, than to the truth of the thing
‘ it ſelf, becauſe he was to deal with ſuch,
‘ who do judg uſually, rather by their Senſe,
‘ than by their Reaſon. Nor will that di-
ſtinction of Fromondus, and others, avoid
this interpretation, when he tells us of Mag-
nus Materialis; which refers to the bulk and
quantity of the Body: and Magnum Formale,
which imports the greatneſs of its Light.
For we grant, that it is really unto us a
greater Light than any of the Stars, or than
all of them together; yet there is not any
one of them, but is in it ſelf a bigger Light
than this: And therefore, when we ſay this
ſpeech is to be underſtood according to
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