282102That the Eartb may be a Planet.
cellent Body, and the Centre is the beſt
place; therefore ’tis likely the Sun is in the
Centre. In the Frame of Nature (which
is ſuppoſed to be of an orbicular Form) there
are but two places of any eminency, the
Circumference and the Centre. The Cir-
cumference being of ſo wide a capacity, can-
not ſo fitly be the peculiar Seat of a Body,
that is ſo little in reſpect of it: And beſides,
that which is the moſt excellent part of the
World, ſhould be equally preſerved in it
ſelf, and ſhared in its Vertues by all the
other parts, which can only be done, by its
being placed in the midſt of them. This is
intimated unto us, in that frequent Speech
of Plato, that the Soul of the World does
reſide in the innermoſt place of it: And
that in Macrobius, who often compares 11Satur-
nal. lib. I.
c.17, &c. Sun in the World, to the Heart in a living
Creature.
place; therefore ’tis likely the Sun is in the
Centre. In the Frame of Nature (which
is ſuppoſed to be of an orbicular Form) there
are but two places of any eminency, the
Circumference and the Centre. The Cir-
cumference being of ſo wide a capacity, can-
not ſo fitly be the peculiar Seat of a Body,
that is ſo little in reſpect of it: And beſides,
that which is the moſt excellent part of the
World, ſhould be equally preſerved in it
ſelf, and ſhared in its Vertues by all the
other parts, which can only be done, by its
being placed in the midſt of them. This is
intimated unto us, in that frequent Speech
of Plato, that the Soul of the World does
reſide in the innermoſt place of it: And
that in Macrobius, who often compares 11Satur-
nal. lib. I.
c.17, &c. Sun in the World, to the Heart in a living
Creature.
Unto this Ariſtotle anſwers by a diſtincti-
on: There is medium magnitudinis, ſo the
Centre is in the middle of the Sphere: And
there is medium naturæ, or informationis, which
is not always the ſame with the other; for
in this ſenſe the Heart is in the middle of a
Man; becauſe from thence (ſaith he) as
from the Centre, the vital Spirits are con-
veyed to all the Members: and yet we
know that it is not the Centre of Magni-
tude, or at an equal diſtance from all the
other parts.
on: There is medium magnitudinis, ſo the
Centre is in the middle of the Sphere: And
there is medium naturæ, or informationis, which
is not always the ſame with the other; for
in this ſenſe the Heart is in the middle of a
Man; becauſe from thence (ſaith he) as
from the Centre, the vital Spirits are con-
veyed to all the Members: and yet we
know that it is not the Centre of Magni-
tude, or at an equal diſtance from all the
other parts.
And beſides, the middle is the worſt place,
becauſe moſt circumſcribed, ſince that
becauſe moſt circumſcribed, ſince that