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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[51.] PROP. IV.
[52.] PROP. V.
[53.] PROP. VI.
[54.] PROP. VII. PROP. VIII. PROP. IX. PROP. X.
[55.] That the EARTH May be a PLANET. PROP. I.
[56.] PROP. II.
[57.] PROP. III.
[58.] PROP. IV.
[59.] PROP. V. That the Scripture, in its proper conſtru-ction, does not any where affirm the Immobility of the Earth.
[60.] PROP. VI. That there is not any Argument from the Words of Scripture, Principles of Na-ture, or Obſervations in Aſtronomy, which can ſuſſiciently evidence the Earth to be in the Gentre of the Uni-verſe.
[61.] PROP. VII. Tis probable that the Sun is in the Gentre of the World.
[62.] PROP. VIII. That there is not any ſufficient reaſon to prove the Earth incapable of thoſe mo-tions which Copernicus aſcribes un-to it.
[63.] Provebimur portu, terræque, verbeſq; recedunt.
[64.] PROP. IX. That it is more probable the Earth does move, than the Sun or Heavens.
[65.] PROP. X. That this Hypotheſis is exactly agreeable to common appearances.
[66.] Quicunq; ſolam mente præcipiti petit
[67.] Brevem replere non valentis ambitum, # Pudebit aucti nominis.
[68.] FINIS.
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22040That the Earth may be a Planet. miſtake, 'tis likely did ariſe that groundleſs
obſervation of the ancient Jews;
who would
not admit any to read the beginning of Ge-
neſis, till he was arrived to thirty Years of
Age.
The true reaſen of which, wa this;
not becanſe that Book was harder than any
other;
but becauſe Moſes conforming his
expreſlion to vulgar Conceits, and they exa-
mining of them by more exact rules of Phi-
loſophy, were fain to force upon them ma-
ny ſtrange Allegories, and unnatural Myſte-
ries.
Thus alſo, becauſe for the moſt part we
conceive the Stars to be innumerable, there-
fore doth the Holy Ghoſt often ſpeak of
them in reſerence to this opinion.
So Jere-
my:
As the Hoſt of Heaven cannot be num-
11Jer. 35. 22 bred, neither the Sand of the Sea meaſured ſo
will I multiply the Seed of David.
So likewiſe
when God would comfort Abraham with the
promiſe of a numberleſs Poſterity, he bids
him look up to Heayen, and tells him, that
his Seed ſhould be like thoſe Stars for num-
22Gen. 15 5. ber:
Which, ſaith Clavius, 33In 1. cup.
Sphæræ.
eſt ſecundum communem ſententiam vulgi, ex-
iſtimantis infinitam eſſe multitudinem ſtellarum,
dum eas nocte ſerena confusè intuetur;
is to be
underſtood according to the common opi-
nion of the Vulgar, who think the Stars to
be of an inſinite multitude, whilſt they be-
hold them all (as they ſeem confuſed) in
a clear Night.
And though many of our
Divines do commonly interpret this Speech
to be an Hyperbole;
yet being well

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