1Cœleſtial bodies, namely, the Sun, Moon, and the other Stars,
which are ordained for no other uſe but to ſerve the Earth, need
no other qualities for attaining of that end, ſave onely thoſe of
light and motion.
which are ordained for no other uſe but to ſerve the Earth, need
no other qualities for attaining of that end, ſave onely thoſe of
light and motion.
SAGR. How? Will you affirm that nature hath produced and
deſigned ſo many vaſt perfect and noble Cœleſtial bodies,
ſible, immortal, and divine, to no other uſe but to ſerve the
ſible, frail, and mortal Earth? to ſerve that which you call the
droſſe of the World, and ſink of all uncleanneſſe? To what
purpoſe were the Cœleſtial bodies made immortal, &c. to ſerve a
frail, &c. Take away this ſubſerviency to the Earth, and the
numerable multitude of Cœleſtial bodies become wholly
ful, and ſuperfluous, ſince they neither have nor can have any
mutual operation betwixt themſelves; becauſe they are all
terable, immutable, impaſſible: For if, for Example, the Moon
be impaſſible, what influence can the Sun or any other Star have
upon her? it would doubtleſſe have far leſſe effect upon her, than
that of one who would with his looks or imagination, lignifie a
piece of Gold. Moreover, it ſeemeth to me, that whilſt the
leſtial bodies concurre to the generation and alteration of the
Earth, they themſelves are alſo of neceſſity alterable; for
wiſe I cannot underſtand how the application of the Sun or Moon
to the Earth, to effect production, ſhould be any other than to lay
a marble Statue by a Womans ſide, and from that conjunction to
expect
deſigned ſo many vaſt perfect and noble Cœleſtial bodies,
ſible, immortal, and divine, to no other uſe but to ſerve the
ſible, frail, and mortal Earth? to ſerve that which you call the
droſſe of the World, and ſink of all uncleanneſſe? To what
purpoſe were the Cœleſtial bodies made immortal, &c. to ſerve a
frail, &c. Take away this ſubſerviency to the Earth, and the
numerable multitude of Cœleſtial bodies become wholly
ful, and ſuperfluous, ſince they neither have nor can have any
mutual operation betwixt themſelves; becauſe they are all
terable, immutable, impaſſible: For if, for Example, the Moon
be impaſſible, what influence can the Sun or any other Star have
upon her? it would doubtleſſe have far leſſe effect upon her, than
that of one who would with his looks or imagination, lignifie a
piece of Gold. Moreover, it ſeemeth to me, that whilſt the
leſtial bodies concurre to the generation and alteration of the
Earth, they themſelves are alſo of neceſſity alterable; for
wiſe I cannot underſtand how the application of the Sun or Moon
to the Earth, to effect production, ſhould be any other than to lay
a marble Statue by a Womans ſide, and from that conjunction to
expect
SIMPL. Corruptibility, alteration, mutation, &c. are not in
the whole Terreſtrial Globe, which as to its whole, is no leſſe
nal than the Sun or Moon, but it is generable and corruptible as to
its external parts; but yet it is alſo true that likewiſe in them
neration and corruption are perpetual, and as ſuch require the
heavenly eternal operations; and therefore it is neceſſary that
the Cœleſtial bodies be eternal.
the whole Terreſtrial Globe, which as to its whole, is no leſſe
nal than the Sun or Moon, but it is generable and corruptible as to
its external parts; but yet it is alſo true that likewiſe in them
neration and corruption are perpetual, and as ſuch require the
heavenly eternal operations; and therefore it is neceſſary that
the Cœleſtial bodies be eternal.
SAGR. All this is right; but if the corruptibility of the
ficial parts of the Earth be nowiſe prejudicial to the eternity of
its whole Globe, yea, if their being generable, corruptible,
able, &c. gain them great ornament and perfection; why can
ficial parts of the Earth be nowiſe prejudicial to the eternity of
its whole Globe, yea, if their being generable, corruptible,
able, &c. gain them great ornament and perfection; why can
not, and ought not you to admit alteration, generation, &c.
wiſe in the external parts of the Cœleſtial Globes, adding to
them ornament, without taking from them perfection, or
ving them of action; yea rather encreaſing their effects, by
ing not onely that they all operate on the Earth, but that they
tually operate upon each other, and the Earth alſo upon them
all?