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

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That 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
Comment.
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 rationemDe 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 its

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