Foscarini, Paolo Antonio, An epistle to fantoni, 1661

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              in all humane Sciences; but making no account of theſe things
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              he profeſſeth that it was his deſire to teach them no more but the
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              way to Heaven. </s>
              <s>Hence is that which God ſpeaketh to us by
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              Iſaiah,
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              (i) Ego Dominus Deus, docens te utilia
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              [
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              I am the Lord
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              thy God which teacheth thee profitable things:
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              ] Where the
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              Gloſ­
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              ſary
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              addeth,
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              non ſubtilia
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              [not ſubtilties.] For God neither taught
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              us, Whether the
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              Materia Prima
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              of Heaven, and the Elements
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              be the ſame; nor Whether
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              Cominual
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              be compoſed of Indiviſi­
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              bles, or whether it be diviſible
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              in infinitum
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              ; nor, whether the
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              Elements are formally
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              mixt
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              ; nor how many the Cœleſtial
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              Spheres, and their Orbs are; Whether there be Epicycles or
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              Eccentricks; nor the Vertues of Plants and Stones; nor the Na­
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              ture of Animals; nor the Motion and Influence of the Planets;
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              nor the Order of the Univerſe; nor the Wonders of Minerals,
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              and univerſal Nature: but only [
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              utilia:
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              ] things profitable, to
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              wit, his Holy Law ordained to the end, that we being put into
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              poſſeſſion of Bleſſedneſs, might at length be made capable of all
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              perfect knowledge, and the viſion of the whole Order and ad­
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              mirable Harmony, as alſo the Sympathy and Antipathy of the
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              Univerſe and its parts,
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              in his Word,
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              wherein all thoſe
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              things ſhall moſt clearly and diſtinctly, then, appear to us, which
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              mean while, in this life, he hath remitted (as far as its ability
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              reacheth) to humane ſearch and enquiry: But it was not his
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              purpoſe to determine any thing, directly or indirectly, touching
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              the truth of them. </s>
              <s>Becauſe as the knowledge thereof would lit­
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              tle or nothing profit Us, but might in ſome caſes prove prejudi­
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              cial; ſo the ignorance thereof can doubtleſs be no detriment,
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              but may in ſome caſes be very beneficial to us. </s>
              <s>And therefore
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              by his moſt admirable Wiſdome it comes to paſs, that though all
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              things in this World are dubious, uncertain, wavering, and per­
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              plexed; yet his Holy Faith alone is moſt certain; and although
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              the opinions about Philoſophical and Doctrinal points be divers,
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              there is in the Church but one Truth of Faith and Salvation.
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              </s>
              <s>Which Faith, as neceſsary to Salvation, is ſo ordered by Divine
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              Providence, that it might not only be indubitable, but alſo un­
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              ſhaken, ſure, immutable, and manifeſt to all men: the infallible
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              Rule of which he hath appointed the Holy Church, that is waſh­
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              ed with his precious Blood, and governed by his Holy Spirit, to
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              whom belongs our Sanctification, as being his work. </s>
              <s>This there­
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              fore is the Reaſon why God would have Speculative Queſtions,
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              which nothing conduce to our Salvation and Edification, and why
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              the Holy Ghoſt hath very often condeſcended to Vulgar Opini­
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              ons and Capacities, and hath diſcovered nothing that is ſingular
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              or hidden to us, beſides thoſe things that pertain to Salvation.
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              </s>
              <s>So that conſequently it is clear by what hath been ſaid, how and </s>
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