1are obſcure and hard to be underſtood by the meer help of
ratiocination; where treating (as we) of a certain natural conclu
ſion concerning Celeſtial Bodies, he thus writes: (a) But now
having evermore a reſpect to the moderation of pious Gravity,
we ought to believe nothing unadviſedly in a doubtful point; leſt
we conceive a prejudice againſt that, in favour to our Errour,
which Truth hereafter may diſcover to be no wiſe contrary to the
Sacred Books either of the Old, or New Teſtament.
ratiocination; where treating (as we) of a certain natural conclu
ſion concerning Celeſtial Bodies, he thus writes: (a) But now
having evermore a reſpect to the moderation of pious Gravity,
we ought to believe nothing unadviſedly in a doubtful point; leſt
we conceive a prejudice againſt that, in favour to our Errour,
which Truth hereafter may diſcover to be no wiſe contrary to the
Sacred Books either of the Old, or New Teſtament.
(a) Nunc au
tem, ſervatâ ſem
per moderatione piæ
gravitatis, nihil
credere de re ob
ſcurâ temerè de
bemus, ne fortè,
quod poſtea veritas
patefecerit, quam
vis Libris Sanct is,
ſive Teſtamenti
Veteris, ſive No
vi, nisllo modo eſſe
poſſit adverſum,
tamen propter a
morem noſtri erro
ris, oderimus.
tem, ſervatâ ſem
per moderatione piæ
gravitatis, nihil
credere de re ob
ſcurâ temerè de
bemus, ne fortè,
quod poſtea veritas
patefecerit, quam
vis Libris Sanct is,
ſive Teſtamenti
Veteris, ſive No
vi, nisllo modo eſſe
poſſit adverſum,
tamen propter a
morem noſtri erro
ris, oderimus.
It hath ſince come to paſs, that Time hath by degrees diſco
vered to every one the truths before by me indicated: and to
gether with the truth of the fact, a diſcovery hath been made of
the difference of humours between thoſe who ſimply and with
out paſſion did refuſe to admit ſuch like Phænomena for true, and
thoſe who to their incredulity had added ſome diſcompoſed af
fection: For as thoſe who were better grounded in the Science of
Aſtronomy, and Natural Philoſophy, became ſatisfied upon my
firſt ntimation of the news; ſo all thoſe who ſtood not in the
Negative, or in doubt for any other reaſon, but becauſe it was
an unlookt-for-Novelty, and becauſe they had not an occaſion of
ſeeing a ſensible experiment thereof, did by degrees come to ſa
risfie themſelves: But thoſe, who beſides the love they bore to
their firſt Errour, have I know not what imaginary intereſs to
render them diſaffected; not ſo much towards the things, as to
wards the Author of them, not being able any longer to deny
them, conceal themſelves under an obſtinate ſilence; and being
exaſperated more than ever by that whereby thoſe others were
ſatisfied and convinced, they divert their thoughts to other pro
jects, and ſeek to prejudice me ſome other wayes: of whom I
proreſs that I would make no more account than I have done of
thoſe who heretofore have contradicted me (at whom I alwaies
laugh, as being aſſured of the iſſue that the buſineſs is to have)
but that I ſee that thoſe new Calumnies and Perſecutions do not
determine in our greater or leſier Learning (in which I will ſcarce
pretend to any thing) but extend ſo far as to attempt to aſperſe
me with Crimes which ought to be, and are more abhorred by me
than Death it ſelf: Nor ought I to content my ſelf that they
are known to be unjuſt by thoſe onely who know me and them,
but by all men whatſoever. They perſiſting therefore in their
firſt Reſolution, Of ruining me and whatſoever is mine, by all
imaginable waies; and knowing how that I in my Studies of
Aſtronomy and Philoſophy hold, as to the Worlds Syſteme,
That the Sun, without changing place, is ſituate in the Centre
of the Converſion of the Celeſtial Orbes; and that the Earth,
convertible about its own Axis, moveth it ſelf about the Sun:
And moreover underſtanding, that I proceed to maintain this Po
vered to every one the truths before by me indicated: and to
gether with the truth of the fact, a diſcovery hath been made of
the difference of humours between thoſe who ſimply and with
out paſſion did refuſe to admit ſuch like Phænomena for true, and
thoſe who to their incredulity had added ſome diſcompoſed af
fection: For as thoſe who were better grounded in the Science of
Aſtronomy, and Natural Philoſophy, became ſatisfied upon my
firſt ntimation of the news; ſo all thoſe who ſtood not in the
Negative, or in doubt for any other reaſon, but becauſe it was
an unlookt-for-Novelty, and becauſe they had not an occaſion of
ſeeing a ſensible experiment thereof, did by degrees come to ſa
risfie themſelves: But thoſe, who beſides the love they bore to
their firſt Errour, have I know not what imaginary intereſs to
render them diſaffected; not ſo much towards the things, as to
wards the Author of them, not being able any longer to deny
them, conceal themſelves under an obſtinate ſilence; and being
exaſperated more than ever by that whereby thoſe others were
ſatisfied and convinced, they divert their thoughts to other pro
jects, and ſeek to prejudice me ſome other wayes: of whom I
proreſs that I would make no more account than I have done of
thoſe who heretofore have contradicted me (at whom I alwaies
laugh, as being aſſured of the iſſue that the buſineſs is to have)
but that I ſee that thoſe new Calumnies and Perſecutions do not
determine in our greater or leſier Learning (in which I will ſcarce
pretend to any thing) but extend ſo far as to attempt to aſperſe
me with Crimes which ought to be, and are more abhorred by me
than Death it ſelf: Nor ought I to content my ſelf that they
are known to be unjuſt by thoſe onely who know me and them,
but by all men whatſoever. They perſiſting therefore in their
firſt Reſolution, Of ruining me and whatſoever is mine, by all
imaginable waies; and knowing how that I in my Studies of
Aſtronomy and Philoſophy hold, as to the Worlds Syſteme,
That the Sun, without changing place, is ſituate in the Centre
of the Converſion of the Celeſtial Orbes; and that the Earth,
convertible about its own Axis, moveth it ſelf about the Sun:
And moreover underſtanding, that I proceed to maintain this Po