CHAP. I.

WE may truly say, that Preoccupation is an horrid Monster, which makes [Page 2] a strange havock in the spirits of Men, hinders the progress of Sciences, and causes Men to droop in a constant igno­rance; for they who by it are once prepossessed, can judge of nothing by them­selves, censure the best opi­nions that are, assert those of their Masters, whether good or bad; and having conceived a distaste of what­soever checks what is contra­ry to their belief, though grosse and ignorant, bring forth nothing but contempts and blames against those who endeavour to open their eyes, and root them out of the darknesse of their igno­rance, to draw them to the enjoyment of the true light [Page 3] and knowledg of things.

The which is more parti­cularly practised now in this Age wherein we live, where­in Men live but by imitation, wherein learned Men are despised, wherein they who have some particular and rare notions upon subject matters of great moment and concernment to mens know­ledge, are esteemed extrava­gant and ridiculous, wherein no new proposition can be admitted.

But alas, what may I hope, seeing this evill is like a gan­grene, and hath taken so deep root, that it hath robb'd men of their senses and feeling, who by it are infected, Con­sidering, that those who are [Page 4] most possess'd with it, do not think so themselves to be; What then may I expect, who am going to propose some Novelties, not of things that are in the Earth, but even in the Heavens; and not onely in the Heavens, but also in the bodies of the Stars.

As soon as the Title of this Discourse shall appear to the eyes of Men, they will con­demn me before they hear me; neither will they so much as read my Reasons, and will rather live in igno­rance, then change their opi­nion; and be as beasts in the World, than know the secrets thereof.

Most men think it a shame to confesse, that they are ig­norant [Page 5] of some thing, and that they are in the wrong; for on the contrary, it's the way to find out the truth, considering, that new reasons are alwayes sought for what we esteem our selves ignorant of.

Mens ignorance is so great, that the holy Scriptures have declared Mens knowledg to be nothing else but vanity; and if we do not flatter our selves, we shall find, that we know nothing but is or may be controverted. Divinity it self is not exempted from it; and as for the other Sciences and Arts, those great & many Volumes that we have of them, sufficiently testifie the same. And this hath moved [Page 6] the Pyrrhonians and Scepticks, to doubt and question all things, and hath brought forth severall Books of the vanity of Sciences, the Astro­logy, the Medicine, the Juris­prudence, and the naturall Physick are daily moved and shaken, and see their foun­dations totter; Ramus did overthrow Aristotle's Philo­sophy; Copernicus, Ptolomey's Astrologie; Paracelsus, Ga­len's Physick; So that every one hath followers and disci­ples, and all appearing plau­sible. We have much ado whom to believe, and there­by are constrained to con­fesse, that what we know, is much lesse then what we know not.

[Page 7]I greatly esteem Michael Mountanus's Judgment, who is the honour of our Age upon this point; for it is conso­nant to reason, and my opi­nion hereupon is for the most part agreeing with his; and especially with that is the subject matter of this Trea­tise: Amongst a thousand rare thoughts that he hath upon it, he alledges a most exqui­site similitude, by which he compares learned persons to the ears of corn, which be­ing well fill'd, do bow down their heads; for after they have learned all Sciences, and have consumed themselves in them, they are constrain­ed to confesse, that they know nothing by the acknow­ledgment [Page 8] of that great Phi­losopher, in these words; Hoc unum scio, quòd nihil scio, I know this one thing, that I know nothing.

If then we be ignorant of all things, may we not yield, that we can be ignorant of heavenly things especially, and that they are praise­worthy, who have endea­voured to raise their contem­plations and meditations up into Heaven; and having, as it were, loosened their Souls from their bodies, have made it to wander and run through the Vaults and concavities of Heaven, there to observe those things which were above our reach? Our under­standing being heavenly, and our [Page 9] Soul full of knowledg & per­fection, is not ignorant of these things; but the lump & cor­pulency of the body, which is its prison, hinders it freely to perform its functions; it would willingly rise up, and at every moment lenche it self up towards the place of its original; but the weight of its body keeps it low and under, and the mixture of the Elements wherewith the body is composed, makes its agility dull and heavy.

If, before the Invention of Artillery, of Printing, of Pro­spect-glasses, and of infinite number of other Inventions, that in these times are practi­sed, their effects had been told to us, we had never be­lieved [Page 10] them; for if it had been asserted, That with the powder, without stirring, we might kill beasts distant from us; and not onely the beasts on the earth, but also the fowls and birds flying high through the ayr, throw down walls of Cities, and batter and thunder down the strongest places; and that in a moment those instruments should execute our will: That by printing, and the letters, we might communicate our thoughts to another, and write in a short time a num­ber infinite of books, and even write a thousand times faster then we speak, transmit and leave to our posterity our exquisite conceptions, and [Page 11] get an immortal name; And that by the prospective glas­ses, we might approach to objects far distant, strengthen our sight, and make us di­stinctly to see things sar re­mote; If these things (I say) had been proposed to us in a time, wherein farther speech and enquire had ne­ver more been made of it, who had believed them? but rather who had not laughed at them, and derided the first motioner of them? and yet experience daily sheweth the effects of these Inventions to be true.

So the former Ages did condemne as hereticks, those who believed the▪ Anti­podes; and this belief was a [Page 12] long time held for a false and ridiculous opinion; Chri­stophorus Columbus was reject­ed of divers Kings, when he proposed to them the disco­very of the West-Indies; and yet his propositions have been found very true, and have im­mortalised their Author.

So likewise do I hope, that time will bring forth the truth of this my opinion, which I do not produce to the light, without many strong Reasons, and the au­thority of the most learned men, the holy Scripture it self is not repugnant and con­tradictory to it, but rather leans much towards my opi­nion: And as touching those Philosophers, who grant it [Page 13] not, some deny not, but that this may be; others dare not contradict it; and others have so ridiculous reasons, that I cannot imagine weaker can be found; and consider­ing all they, no more then I, have ascended into Heaven, and therefore who ever hath the best Reasons, ought to be believed; which being doubtlesse on my side, my opinion ought not at all to be esteemed ridiculous.

Democritus, King of the Ab­deritanes, constantly smiled, because the World could not apprehend the multipli­city of Worlds; I, like him, have also sufficient occasion to smile, and laugh at those, who are ignorant of the plu­rality [Page 14] of the Worlds, and even to compare them to bruit beasts, which eat the fruits of the Earth, without considering whence they come to them: for Man is lodged in this World, to contemplate in it the won­ders that God exposes to the sight of his eyes, and to which end he hath given him a face looking upward, for to look up to Heaven; but he will not make use of his gifts, nor enquire after the place of their habitation.

Why open ye not your eyes, O ye learned and wise Men? and why awake ye not out of your slumber, and deep sleep? Awake up the eyes of your Understanding [Page 15] and Reason towards the Hea­vens, contemplating the wonderfull things thereof; despise the earthly things; and as true Philosophers, consider the rest of Men in a dunghill, having their thoughts low, and Earthly Souls, which not being able to stretch themselves beyond the limit of their weak acti­vity, dare even accuse those who by noble projects desire to lend them their hands, for to draw them out of their ig­norance.

Having then so many, and so good Reasons and autho­rity on my behalf, I shall not longer fear those, who scarce can find any for the confir­mation of their opinion, or [Page 16] what they have is so weak, that the building, that the edifice is upon, tottereth and leans on every side; there­fore will I not fear those backbiting tongues which envy anothers good repute and fame, which I already foresee in great number opened against me; but I shall justly say, that they accuse God and Nature of weaknesse and insufficiency, and their own proper reason of incapacity; Can it be pos­sible, that so many rare and great persons, who in former Ages did believe it, and whose memory is by us ho­noured and reverenced, had erroneous opinions? and that so many pertinent reasons [Page 17] should have no solid ground? Could it be possible, that you would not willingly hearken to those who desire to free you from your mistakes? nor suffer your eyes to be un­folded, when they be fold­ed with the vail of Preoccu­pation? No, I hope, that some of the most reasonable at least will be found, who will adhere to me, and take my part against the assaults of the ignorants, who endea­vour to discredit me, think­ing to obtain great glory, for the endeavouring the over­throw of so great a project; for that is their ordinary scope;

But I shall smile at them in my heart, and applaud my self, if none can be found to second me, hoping that the Ages to come will pro­duce [Page 19] men more reasonable; and who, better esteeming my conceptions, will accuse this present Age of great in­gratitude.

Chap. II.

PRoclus, Cardanus, Telessius, and others have obser­ved, That most of the Comets are formed not onely out of the Region of the Meteors, but even far above the Moon; and Tycho Brabe, that great Astrologian, who by his ex­quisite [Page 20] and rare Observations, hath gotten an everlasting name, discoursing of it, hath asserted, That all the Comets are formed above the Moon, even according to Kepler, as high as the Sun. Now it's Impossible for the vapours to pierce and penetrate into the fiery Re­gion, there to be changed in­to Comets even far above it, considering, that according to all the Philosophers Judg­ment, the fiery Region is un­der the concavity of the Moon, and so these Comets are formed out of the exhala­tions of other Lands which are the Starres; it's so clear and perspicuous, that I can­not believe that any Man is so void of Reason as to deny [Page 21] it. If it be objected, That it cannot positively and cer­tainly be known, that the Comets are above the region of the Moon; I shall send them to the School of Astro­logie, which teaches by true Rules and Demonstrations, the way to measure all the bodies, and their far distan­ces from the earth; the which Galileus, a Person of great fame and renown in this our Age, hath confirmed by such like Observations.

Chap. III.

THE same Astrologers have observed, That some Comets have so vaste and great bodies, that it's impossible to believe, that the exhalations of this Earth could furnish them sufficient­ly with matter; but I shall dare to go beyond, and shall say, That though all the Earth should be dissolved in­to vapours and exhalations, yet it could not form so great [Page 23] Comets, and of such long continuancy, as those which sometimes have been seen, although it should all be burned; insomuch, that it's needful to say, That the other Stars, whose body is so great in comparison of this our little Globe, did furnish it with matter.

Chap. IV.

ALL Philosophers and Astrologers are agreed, That the Earth and Moon [Page 24] have this commune between them, that they both are thick, grosse, dark, and solid bodies, able to receive and refresh the light of the Sun; this being granted, What is easier than to conclude, That the Earth reverberating the beams of the Sun, would ap­pear lightsome to them who should be raised high to­wards Heaven? that it would seem so little and small by its far distance from us, that it would be almost like the Moon, both in light and bignesse; and that it would even have its spots, because of the waters which bury and smother the Sun beams; and do not reverberate them. We might discover in it by [Page 25] prospective glasses some of the chiefest Mountains, whereby we might soon be perswaded to believe, that those Seas and Mountains are inhabited and filled with li­ving Creatures.

And if we turn what we have said of the Earth, to the Moon, shall we not say the same of it? Wherein we dis­cover those spots, that by Galileus's prospective-glasses helps us so naisty to distin­guish, that we see in it, as in a Table and Mapp, some Seas, some straights, some Lakes, some Rivers, and some Islands, some Rocks and Mountains, that are percei­ved to swell out, especially at the new Moon.

And if it be true of the Moon, can it not be true also of the other Stars? but their far distance stealing from our eyes their spots, we must judge of it by the Moon, which though lesser, is nea­rer to us, and appears greater to our eyes; and that we may not think, that the same things that are seen in the Moon, cannot appear in the other Stars, the Telescope sheweth us a Mountain in Mars, some spots in other Stars, and that Venus increa­seth and diminisheth even as the Moon.

Chap. V.

THe foregoing Chapter declaring to us, how the Earth would appear light­some to us, if we were once high raised up from it, be­cause it reflects the beams of the Sun, which according to the divers places by it in­lightned, would cause it to increase and decrease; con­sidering also, that Mountains seen from far are bright and shining; and that, as Mil­chius [Page 28] saith, the fields adjacent to mount Hesperides, shine at night as the Stars; and see­ing also that the Earth is moveable, as hereafter we shall prove it, that it is situa­ted in the Ayr, and weighed and counterpois'd in its pro­per weight, and that the Ayr is the Heavens, as the Holy Scriptures do sufficiently prove it, when at every mo­ment they confound the Ayr with the Heavens, Shall we not then say, That the Earth is a Star situated in Heaven, as well as the other Starres? That this at the first sight will amuse the Readers, but they shall be pleased to yield, That the yolk of an egg is in its shell, neither can they [Page 29] deny, that the Earth is in Heaven, which wraps and compasses it on every side as an egg-shell; and that the infinite spaces of the Aires, which are the Heavens, do not contain divers bodies far distant one from the other, and so consequently the earth seeming from on high little and lightsome, may be a Star inhabited.

But if the Earth be a Star inhabited, the others may be Earths inhabited, being they, as well as the Earth, seem and appear to be great and lightsome bodies to those who are far remote from them.

And that no Man may ob­ject, that the Heaven is a [Page 30] place coloured, solid and separated from their aire, I beseech him to consider, that things far remote from us, appear as the Skie, even the Mountains and Seas seen from far, seem blewish; so that this skie-colour'd Hea­ven that we see, is not a solid and reall thing, but the limit of our sight in a certain place of the infinite spaces of the Aire, which are the com­mon place, wherein are lod­ged an infinite number of great globes of divers na­tures, or inhabited by seve­ral living creatures, which the Sun being in the middle, equally inlightens; as a great Torch set in the midst of a Chamber, shines in every [Page 31] corner of it, with the bright­nesse of its light.

Chap. VI.

THose who imagine, that the infinite number of the heavenly bodies are crea­ted for the globe of the earth, and for the advantage of its Inhabitants, are much mista­ken: for natural reason doth sufficiently disswade us to believe, that the greater things serve the lesser; and that those that are the no­blest, serve the vilest, and [Page 32] that are of lesse consequence and moment; Is it not very like, that every Globe makes a World, or a particular Earth? and that this great number is suspended in the Air, whereof the vast space conjoyns them all as so many dependances from the ever­lasting and divine Empire: the greatnesse and bignesse of the whole World is compo­sed of divers creatures, which though far remote and dif­fering one from the other, as well by their nature, as by their place, do notwithstand­ing so well agree in a mutual love, that they compose and make up a perfect harmony in the World, where the Heaven or the Air is their [Page 33] common space, and the Sea, whereof the Earths or Stars are the Islands, which doth so joyn and separate them, and therefore is this Ayr pu­rest, near the perfectest bo­dies; neverthelesse, this spi­ritual body of the Air equal­ly receives the influences and operations of every Globe, and communicates with great speed to every one those of all the others.

Chap. VII.

PYthagoras did often call the Earth a Moon; and, all well considered, What hinders, that the Earth be not as well reckoned in the number of the Stars, as the Moon, seeing that (as we have said) the body of both of them is of a thick, dark, and heavy matter, that both do borrow their light from the Sun, that they are both solid, and reverberate the beams of this light of the [Page 35] World, that both produce vertues and spirits of them­selves, and that both are heng'd and suspended each in its aire or heaven, and up­on its center: and having all these things common toge­ther, may not the Moon, and so consequently the other Stars, infinitely bigger then it self, have Inhabitants? And indeed this exceeds all belief, that so great bodies as the Stars, which many times over exceed the Earth in bignesse, should be so idle and barren, that no creature should dwell in them, and that their motions, labours, and actions, should onely redound to the advantage of this Terrestriall Globe [Page 36] alone, which is the least and meanest of all.

Chap. VIII.

God (with respect be it spoken) finding himself weary of solitarinesse, did in a manner go out of himself, by the Creation, and poured himself, as if it were wholly, into Creatures, and comman­ded them to multiply; and is it not also more meet and convenient to his goodnesse and Divine glory, to have made one whole world alone, [Page 37] as an Empire adorned with varieties of worlds, as with Provinces and Cities; and that these divers worlds be the habitations of so many Citizens and numberlesse Inhabitants of divers kinds, and that all these things be created for the praise and everlasting glory of their Maker, and that the Sun be in the midst of them, to in­lighten them all equally.

Chap. IX.

THis Doctrine of many Worlds or Globes in­habited, is not repug­nant to the holy Scriptures, which do onely discover to us the Creation of that which we inhabit; of which they even speak what they men­tion, in a discourse more my­stical then clear; onely brief­ly mentioning the other crea­tures of the world, for to yield greater occasion of ad­miration, [Page 39] then of knowledg to mens weak spirits, of old fallen from the knowledg of Sciences; this obscurity of the truth, and these darknesses of Mens understanding have been part of the pains and miseries that Adams sin drew upon us, by reason whereof Man was excluded from the delights of Paradise, from the satisfaction that is in the knowledg of Sciences, from the true knowledg of the na­ture of heavenly things, that he who had raised himself up to the wicked desire and ap­petite of forbidden things, might justly be deprived of the knowledg that had been granted him.

Chap. X.

THeophrastes writes, That Plato in his old age re­pented, to have placed the Earth in the Center of the World; and St. Chrysostome saith, That the seat and sci­tuation of the earth is not known: and after him Ni­colas Copernicus, that great Astrologer, who after long study in Astrology, hath [Page 41] thereof known the falshood, did so well confirm this opi­nion, and unto this day hath rendred it approved by the best and rarest spirits of these Ages, that I doubt not, but that the Reason I thence in­tend to draw, will be suffi­cient and pertinent enough: he hath grounded his opinion upon admirable demonstra­tions which have overthrown the ancient Astrology; yet without overturning the Science; but he did onely find the truth, and the same pre­dictions, aspects, and other needful things with his new Maximes, which have esta­blished this Science: with much more perspicuity and certainty, he settles the Sun [Page 42] in the Center of the World, where it is immoveable as a great Torch in the middle of the world, as a great King upon his Throne, whence he rules all the heavenly Globes, which are nothing but Earths, like unto that we inhabit; and round the earth he causes the Moon to move alone; and round about the Sun, Venus and Mercury; then Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, and the other Spheres wrap all that in; and so the Earth is found to be distant from the Center of the World, and in the third Heaven; so that being distant from the Cen­ter, it may easily be said, That the other Globes of equall, or even, of more [Page 43] vaste extension, that are in equal distance from the cen­ter of the World, which is the Sun; may be Globes in­habited with Creatures, whose true descriptions we know not: the Figure of this may be seen in Campanella, Gassendi, and other Au­thors.

Chap. XI.

THe same Copernicus, who after Philolaus, Crotonia­tus, E [...]phantes, Ponticus, Hera­clides, Nicetas, Syracusius, De­mocritus, Timeus, Aristarchus, [Page 44] and Seleucus, hath confirmed and renewed the opinion concerning the motion of the Earth: and the immobility of the Sun, gives us by this motion yet one means to prove our opinion; for if the Earth be moved in the Aire, and doth its course as the Stars far distant from the Center of the World, what hinders, that it be not put in the number of the Stars? and contrariwise, that the Stars which have such a motion, be not earths; and if they be Lands, to what purpose, if they be not inhabited; and that we may say nothing without proof, the next fol­lowing Chapter shall prove the motion of the Earth.

Chap. XII.

WEe have here above promised to prove, that the Earth moves, because we have hence drawn an argument to con­firm our Opinion; though most men of understanding now adayes believe this mo­tion of the Earth as better clearing the course of the Stars, the order of the Hea­vens, and the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, yet I shall speak something of it.

The Heavens and the Stars [Page 46] had cheaten three thousand years, all the World did so believe it; untill that Clean­thes the Samian, or, as Theo­phrastes saith, Nicetas of Syra­cuse, was resolved, that the Earth moved upon its prop. And in our Age, Copernicus hath so well grounded this doctrine, that he makes use of it for a rule to the conse­quences of Astrologie, and freeth our spirit from those impossibilities, that the Astro­logians of old would make us believe; for, according to their judgment, the first mo­bile should run in one minute 706640 miles and a half, and that one and the same body had contrary motions; Is it not more probable, that [Page 47] the Earth turns round in 24. hours from the West to the East, as in former Ages, Timeus Locrenfis, Philolaus, Aristar­chus, Franciscus Marius, and others, did believe it?

Keplerus, Longomonus, Ori­ganus, Campanella, and others of our Age have acknowled­ged this truth; Galileus also seems to be of the same opi­nion, when he saith, That if the Earth did not move and turn, the Sea could not have its flux and reflux.

We are as those who are in floating Islands, or in a Ship, who think that they move not, but that, on the contrary, Sea-banks seem to flye from them; for we can­not perceive the motion of [Page 48] the Earth, as well because of its bignesse, as because that we are not loosed from it.

But if in opposition to this, be alledged those Texts of the Word of God, which say, that the Sun is moveable, and the Earth fixt; may it not suffice to answer, That God speaks according to mens be­lief, as he hath done upon a thousand of other subject matters; as when he calls the Moon the great light, though an infinite number of others are greater. As for the Argument that is alledg­ed from a stone cast down from high far from us, if the Earth turn; I answer, That the Ayr roles and turns with the Earth, and that a pon­derous [Page 49] body falls down in so short a time, that the Earth cannot by its motion in 24. houres be alienated from it.

It's also objected, That the Towers would fall, and that the Clouds and Rivers would all follow the course of the Earth. But I answer, That the Clowds are agitated by the winds, and therefore can­not follow the course of the earth; and as for the Tow­ers, they cannot fall, consi­dering that the Earth's mo­tion is not violent, and that the Towers, by reason of their ponderosity, bend still towards the Center of the earth, and are not removed from their situation; And as [Page 50] touching the Rivers, the earth being as a gall-nut, a River may run towards the East, by the bending of its Seats to­wards the center of the earth, although the Earth tends to­wards the West; which may easily be apprehended, if we conceive, that a man walking in a Ship, directs his steps towards the East, whilest that the Ship sayles to the West.

Many severall other Rea­sons are objected, which are but weak; but because there are divers Discourses touch­ing the Earth's motion, which resolve them, and reconcile the places of the holy Scrip­ture upon this subject mat­ter, amongst whom are Fos­carinus, [Page 51] and Barantzanus; I shall desire the curious Rea­ders to read them, and shall content my self with what I have said.

Chap. XIII.

NAture is various in all its operations▪ and God hath put such variety in all his Works, that we can find nothing uniform in this world; all things in it are various and different: and this great diversity causes us [Page 52] the more to admire the Crea­tor of this whole Fabrick. If it be so concerning the earth, which is near-upon the smal­lest of all the Globes, what will it not be of the heaven­ly, which are incomparably greater? For this cause did Campanella say, That though God and Nature do nothing in vain, yet such a great num­ber of Stars, greater then the earth, would be in vain, if there was not in them divers demonstrations of the Idea's of God; It's then conso­nant to reason, that not only the four Elements be in every one of the Starres, but also that Men, Bsasts and Plants, and all whatsoever is seen amongst us, be in them. [Page 53] And thus did this famous Person of our time speak.

Chap. XIV.

BUt because we have of­ten mentioned the big­nesse of the Stars, and how they exceed the Earth in ex­tension, and also spoken of their infinite distances; It will not be out of purpose, and beyond our present Dis­course, [Page 54] to insert them in this Chapter. These distances are somewhat variously given by divers Authors; but the dif­ference being but small, is not of great concernment to us: Charles Rapineus gives these distances in his book, called Nucleus Philosophiae.

The Moon is lesser then the Earth 39 times; and ac­cording to Cardan, thirty nine times and a half.

• Mercury is lesser then the Earth by 1100 times.
• Venus by 37 times.
• The Sun is greater then the Earth, by 166 times.
• Mars by 1 time.
• Jupiter by 95 times.
• Saturn by 91 times.

[Page 55]The fixt Stars are innume­rable, but those that are ob­served by the Astrologians, are 1022, and are of propor­tions of bignesse:

Those of the first magni­tude, are 15 in number, and are bigger then the Earth by 117 times.

Those of the second mag­nitude are 45, and are bigger then the Earth by 90 times.

Those of the third, are 208, and are bigger then the earth by 70 times.

Those of the fourth, are 472, and are bigger then the Earth, by 54 times.

Those of the fifth, are 17, and are bigger then the Earth, by 37 times.

[Page 56]Those of the sixth, are 49, and 5 dark, and 9 bright ones, and are all bigger then the Earth by 18 times.

The concavity of the Moon is distant from the Center of the Earth 14291 leagues, which are 28541 miles.

From the Center of the Earth to Venus, there is 542749 miles.

• To the Sun, 3640000 miles.
• To Mars, 3965000 miles.
• To Jupiter, 28845000 miles.
• To Saturn, 46816250 miles.
• To the Concavity of the Fir­mament, 65357500 miles.
• The thicknesse of the Moons round, is of 99504 miles.
• Mercury's round is of 334208 miles.
• [Page 57]That of Venus, of 3097251 miles.
• That of the Sun, 32500 miles.
• That of Mars, 248820000 miles.
• That of Jupiter, 17969250 miles.
• That of Saturn, 18541250 miles.
• That of the Firmament, 55357500 miles.
• The diameter of the Earth is of ten thousand and eight hundred miles; But Car­danus saith, of 10000 miles.
• Its circumference is of 32400 miles; and according to Cardanus, of 31000 miles and a half.
• Its semidiameter, or half diameter, is of 5000 miles.

[Page 58]These things being thus, is it not very like, that so huge and vaste bodies, so distant one from the other, should hide and contain in them­selves something, as well as the Earth? at least those that move, and are Planets, as It is; and that turn round the bright body of the Sun, which communicates his light to them all?

Chap. XV.

IF we see, and punctually discern, not onely with Ja­cob's [Page 59] staffe, but also with our own sight, without the help of any instrument, a great diversity in the Stars in their bignesse, colour, light, and other circumstances; Shall we not say, That those va­rious colours do testifie their various nature, and their bo­dily mixtures; and that they may consequently be bodies, as well as the Earth?

Chap. XVI.

WE cannot remark any thing empty in the [Page 60] whole Nature; this passes for a sure Maxim: therefore did Hermes in his Asclepe say, That all the parts of the World are very full, the whole World is full of Globes or Stars; these Stars, and especially the Earth which we inhabit, is filled with Seas, Rivers, four-foot­ed Beasts, Men, Birds, Mine­rals; the waters are filled with Fishes; these things have yet in themselves, and unto their very Center, so great a variety, that their anatomy drawes us to admi­ration: In a word, we may lose our selves in the subdi­viding of them; And why may not the Stars be so too, seeing that, as it hath already [Page 61] been proved in the fore­going Chapter, we may see and observe in them some certain variety? especially in the Moon, where Moun­tains and Waters evidently appear, and may very well be discerned with a good Prospective glasse, with which Instrument is a no­table Mountain discerned in Mars.

Chap. XVII.

GReat Mercurius Trisme­gistus, who for his exi­mious Learning, hath ob­tained the name of Thrice most Great, hath left us this notable Aphorism, That things below, are as things above; and, vice versa, those above, as them below; the meaning is, That this World is an example to us, without any need to go out of it, for to know those things [Page 63] that role over our head; and God hath even bestowed up­on us sufficient capacity to draw reason from every thing; If we consider our own selves, we shall see by a generall approbation, that Man is a little World; so that Men being infinite in number, who are Micro­cosms; likewise ought the Macrocosms or great Worlds, to be many, after whose Idea's and images he is built; as may appear by the confor­mity of one with the other: But here might we speak of this conformity, had it not been fully described by ma­ny Philosophers of note; therefore omitting it, we shall proceed.

Chap. XVIII.

I Shall not fear to say, That those who deny this ex­quisite Opinion, seem to be offended against themselves, to accuse God of impotency, and their own Reason of falshood: and that I may bring them to passe sentence of condemnation by another mouth then mine, I would [Page 65] have them to hearken to great Michael Montanus, who is esteemed one of the wisest, and reasonablest Men of his Age; he hath these words in his Apologie for Raymond of Sebone;

Thy Reason hath in nothing else more likely truth and foundation, then in that, wherein it perswades thee of the plurality of Worlds.

That is to say, The Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, are not one alone, but many in number.

[Page 66]The ratest spirits of former Ages did believe, yea, even some of our Age, constrained to it by humane reason, be­cause that in this building and fabrick that we see, there is nothing alone and one.

That is to say,

Being there is nothing that is onely one in this World, that is engendred alone, nor in the Sea, nor in the Earth.

And every species is mul­tiplyed in some reasonable number; whence it appears, that it's not likely that God [Page 67] hath formed this work alone, without some more, and that all the matter of this form was spent in this Individual alone.

Wherefore it must be con­fessed, that some where else there are heaps of matter, as that which is wrapt up in this our Aire.

Especially, if it be a living creature, as by its motions we may be perswaded it is, as Plato asserts it; and many [Page 68] of the Learned of our time either do confirm it, or dare not deny it.

Now if there be many Worlds, as Democritus, and almost all the Philosophers did judge, what do we know, whether the principles and rules of this do concern par­ticularly the others? perhaps they may have another face and policy; but being all things are divers in this, yea in a small distance, we may believe, that the other worlds ought to be divers and va­rious; For why should God, who is Almighty, have limi­ted and restrained his power and virtue?

Chap. XIX.

VVHereas Montanus hath here above spoken of the Soul of the World, It will be meet for our present subject, to demon­strate those Arguments by which this Opinion may be proved, that he may not be judged to have incongruously spoken of it, it being also advantageous for our Dis­course.

If the World is a reason­able Creature, as divers Learned Persons have pro­ved, It may not be strange and ridiculous to believe. [Page 70] That the Earth hath a moti­on, nor consequently that it is a moving Star or Planet in­habited, and that so likewise all the others may be in­habited: Now if the Earth turns and moves; is it not also needfull to grant, that that whereby it is moved, is as it were, its soul moving it, as our soul moves our bo­dy? Some have thought, that God is the soul of the World, and that he is in the World, as the soul in man's body; that is to say, all in all, and all in each part; and that therefore the World might have a soul, and be called a living creature, great and round, and as Montanus saith, Is it not more likely, [Page 71] that this great body by us called the World, is a thing quite contrary then we esteem? The Pythagorians, Xenophon, Plato, and all his Schollers, have taught and believed this opinion; and since them Marsilius Ficinus, and Hierome Fracaster, most renowned Doctors of Phy­sick; and in our Age Campa­nella, who alledges Seneca, Origenes, Eusebius, and Gre­gorius Nazianzenus, as wit­nesses of it.

But if any one should say, That the World cannot be a living creature, seeing it hath nor feet, nor eyes, nor hands, nor any such member as li­ving creatures have; I be­seech him to consider, that [Page 72] its not requisite it should have some feets, being it treads not upon the other li­ving creatures; nor eyes, nor ears, because it can neither see nor hear any thing out of it self; but the hands of this living Creature, as those that in it are contained, and we have, are its beams and virtues; its eyes, the Stars; its bloud, the Waters; and so hath other things besides, consonant and correspondent to our members, without having need of the same as we have; Are there not strange and monstrous beasts in re­spect of us, and yet live well, and are perfect in their kind, doing well enough without such members as we have, [Page 73] though they have not the same situation with us. How many Fishes is there, that have their mouth in the bel­ly, the eyes and other mem­bers in extravagant places? Some Creatures have the gall in their head, and some in their tail; yea, there are some Men, whose head is in their bosome; some likewise may be formed, so as we cannot comprehend nor know how. Its motion sets forth its life; and the flux and reflux of the waters its breath and respi­ration. There are divers such Reasons to prove the same: but I shall desire the curious Reader to peruse Plato, Sextus, Empiricus, Ficus, Macrobius, [Page 74] Campanella, and others, to avoid tediousnesse.

Chap. XX.

THe spots in the Moon, touching which Plutarch hath made a whole Dis­course, whereof we might here alledge divers Observa­tions; are to us a sufficient testimony, that the Moon is as the Earth, filled with Ri­vers and Seas, Mountains, [Page 75] Valleys, Plains, and other such things; for its Spots are not the shadow of the Earth, as some have thought; con­sidering, that they never change their shape, as they would do, according unto the divers parts of the Earth, to whom the Moon by its motion would answer, and having no conformity at all with the Earth, nor with the Sea; and lastly, because that our sight holpen by the Pro­spective-glasses, observes in it some Seas, and the tops of divers Mountains, and such like remarkable things, whereof the Maps and figures may be seen in Hevelius, Ar­golius, and several others, and in our Book de Telescopio.

[Page 76]These Spots shew, that the Moon is partaker of the Ele­mentary and Terrestriall na­ture, and consequently of the rest of the Elements. This did move Plato to say, That the Stars are composed of fire and earth, by reason of their splendour, and of their great and lumpish body.

This plurality of Worlds may again be proved by the variety of the causes that compose it, and by the di­vers combinations that may thence be made; which is the argument used by Moro­dorus in Plutarch, in his book of the Philosophers opinion, wherein it's said, That where the causes are, there the ef­fects ought to be also; and [Page 77] the causes of the World being a great many, so also ought the Worlds to be many; the causes of the world are the four Elements, and others that may yet be unknown to us, or the infinite number of Democritus Atomes; unlesse we had rather say, That its God, who being infinite, so likewise hath created an in­finite not onely of Worlds, but of all things: And in­deed, as the same Philosopher saith, it would be a sad spe­ctacle, if there were but an ear of corn in a great field; the same would it be of Hea­ven, if it were true, that there is no more Earth but one.

Chap. XXI.

THat great Galileus, who seemed onely to be in the World for to resolve the doubts in Astrologie, hath discovered with his admira­ble invention of Prospective­glasses, which immortalize his name, by the discovery of what is contained in the Stars; he is the first who hath directed his Telescopes or [Page 79] Prospective-glasses towards Heaven, and by help of them, that the milky line were small Stars, which by reason of their proximity and great number, do confound their light: he also hath discovered the Moons superficies, not smooth, but rugged, and full of risings of Hills, and hol­lownesse of Valleys.

He also hath observed, that the Star Venus doth imi­tate the course of the Moon, being now full, then half, then in the first quarter as a sithe; and hath observed the perspicuons change of big­nesse in Venus and Mars's dia­meters; things of great con­cernment and note, for the [Page 80] theories of Copernicus and Ty­cho Brahe.

He hath ashamed the Sun, discovering in him those Spots, which for so many Ages he had buried and hid in his bright obscurity, and hath discerned, that those Spots were not fixed, and al­wayes lasting, as those in the Moon, but that they disap­pear & appear again, turning round the Sun: he hath also discovered four new Planets, that had not yet bin observed by some of the ancient Astro­logers, which he hath called the Planets of Medicis, in fa­vour of his Prince; these Planets move onely round about Jupiter, which hath [Page 81] induced some to believe, that Jupiter was another world, or another Sun, round about which other Planets do run, as round about that which in lightens us.

He hath farther observed, that the Planet Saturn hath three bodies, having two more at his sides; and that the Planet Jupiter is be spot­ted with girdles or Zones that do girth it; the which may plainly and perspicu­ously be seen by those Tele­scopes or Prospectives, admi­rably well made by Torricelli the Florentine. These are those rare Observations of that illustrious Person, who though but little in bo­dy, yet so great in ingenuity, [Page 82] and acuity of spirit, that all the World hath suffered by the losse of him; He became blind, by reason of his too great propensity and labour in these Observations; and he who had in these things given light to all this world, could not enjoy the light, nor his Invention.

Foscarius adds to all these Observations, that Venus hath been seen with three bodies, as well as Saturn, and that Jupiter hath 4. bodies; But Gassendus Fontana, Neapolitan, hath now the excellentest Telescope in the world, with which he hath seen the four Planets which are adjacent to Jupiter as four Moons; two about Saturn, which make a [Page 83] figure of a pot handle at each side of it. In the midst of Mars, a little Globe, at his brimmes a darkish circle, and about Venus two Moons or Stars.

Chap. XXII.

WIth the Prospective­glasse we may see some Clouds flying round about the Sun, which can arise but from the Moon, from other Stars, or from the Sun it self, because they be beyond the Region of the Me­teors: [Page 84] Now if the Stars in­gender clouds, they have wa­ter within themselves; but if the Element of water is in them, the Element of earth and the rest have as great pri­viledge to be in them, as it. Now that there is water in them, the first Chapter of Genesis proves it clearly, when he saith, Then God said, Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters; And God made the Firmament, and divided the waters which were under the Fir­mament, from the waters which were above the Firmament; & he called the Firmament, Heaven, and the waters under the Firma­ment, Seas. Esdras in Chap. 6. [Page 85] of his second Book, saith the same, in these terms, Thou madest the spirit of the Firma­ment, and commandedst it to part asunder, and to make a division betwixt the waters, that the one part might go up, and the other remain beneath. Where are these waters above, I beseech you, if they are not in the Stars? For it's a very weak Reason to say, That they are in the Clouds; because that, besides that they could not contain the Seas, Its said in the second Chapter of Genesis, that God had not caused it to rain upon the Earth, but there went up a mist from the Earth, and watered the whole face of the Earth; and so consequently there was no vapour raised [Page 86] up to form them: and what should have raised them, see­ing there was yet no Sun created to light the World?

Let us then lift up our eyes to Heaven, and, as the new Gymnosophists, who daily con­templated the Sun, let us ob­serve in them those new Worlds, wherewith it is wonderfully enriched, which are divers and various in big­nesse, light, and other quali­ties; let us not be as poor simple Countrey fellowes, who having seen no farther then the corner of their own chimney, cannot apprehend, that there can be any Town or City bigger then their Vil­lage; but let us raise our spirits to the contemplation [Page 87] of the remotest and highest things that are; thereby en­nobling our selves, though it be a very high attempt. O how happy is that man, who when he pleaseth, can spiri­tually loosen his Soul, and by his exquisite Meditations rise up to the meditation and contemplation of these Worlds! When once we are well acquainted with it, and freed from all Preoccu­pation, nothing can be found sweeter, pleasanter, and more consonant to truth.

What Patents and parti­cular priviledges have they, who believe the contrary, that we should adhere to them; and our belief should be ruled by them, as if it were [Page 88] under their commands? Men feign and forge to us five Zones in Heaven, and seen other things, that are nothing but dreams and foolish fan­cies, as if they had been there above to see it. We may say the same to them, as Dio­genes said to such other crea­tures, How long is it since thou camest from Heaven? It's then as lawful for us to establish new Maxims, as for them; and to believe in the strength of our reason, what we here have attempted, and what others say with reason, or appearance of truth. O that Nature would once open us her bosome, and plainly shew us the direction and Government of its motion, [Page 89] with what is contained in those great and vaste bodies, which sparkle and glister in Heaven; What abuses and grosse mistakes should we find in all Sciences?

Chap. XXIII.

WE have here above spoken of the Clouds, and thence have drawn an Argument to assert this our opinion; we may yet draw this from them, viz. that the Clouds and vapours being [Page 90] light should ascend without limitation, untill that they were lost from our sight, if there were not some other terrestrial Globes in Heaven, nor any other attraction then that of the Center of the Earth; but we may observe even in the hottest of Sum­mer, that the Clouds do not ascend above 3. miles, and the strongest vapours that are, not above 30 miles; whence we must infer, that they ascend unto the limit of the activity and attraction of the center of the Earth, not be­ing able to go beyond, be­cause it would be to bend downward, viz. towards the Center of some other terre­striall Globe. But, that I [Page 91] may better be understood, it's to be observed, that as the Loadstone hath a certain in­ward virtue to draw iron, or to move the Needle of the Sea-compasse unto such a di­stance, and no farther; so likewise the Earth, which by the opinion of some, is a great Loadstone, whose circumfe­rence and activity is extend­ed towards the Moon, unto such a certain heighth; and the other Stars also have such like circumference, wherunto their virtue & attraction may reach; Insomuch, that the Clouds having attained unto that distance which makes a middle between us and the Moon, there they are stayed, not being suffered to go be­yond [Page 92] it, because then they would descend towards the Moon, or some other Stars, which would be contrary to their nature, which is to rise upward still; so that if a ponderous body as a stone being cast up, could go be­yond the Earth's attractive point, it would not fall back upon the Earth, but upon that Star, whose attractive Center should reach unto that place whither the stone was cast; therefore hath Ba­con said in his Book de pro­gressu Scientiarum, that Gil­bert did not doubt incongru­ously, That the bodies of weight and ponderosity, be­ing at a far distance from the Earth, would by little and [Page 93] little forsake their motion towards things below.

Chap. XXIV.

THe new World disco­vered by our Fathers amongst those infinite riches and rare things it communi­cates to us, makes us parta­kers of a Bird, called by the Indians, Manucodiata, that is to say, the Bird of God, or of Paradise; This Bird is so beautiful, that no one in the Earth is to be compared to it; its figure is of so rare a form, and so extraordinary, [Page 94] that never the like hath been found; for it hath neither feet nor wings, but is clothed with a skin of feathers, made otherwise then that of other birds; it's not found but dead either upon the Earth, or in the Sea, no body ever saw its eggs, nor its nest; and it's as­serted, that it lives by the Air; this Bird never being found upon Earth, is it not confonant to Reason, that it may come from some other Starre, where it lives and breeds, and that having flown higher, and beyond the at­tractive Center of that earth or Star where he lived; he dyeth by changing his Ayr, unto that which is not pro­per and natural, and dying, [Page 95] falls upon this Earth. Now if birds be found in the Stars, there also may other living Creatures be, having all the same right of habitation. And grant, that what some object, be true, that it hath feet, but that they are very short, or that its feet are cut, that it may appear the rarer, yet it hinders not the consequence drawn from it; provided, that the other circumstances of its nature be true; for if it hath feet, it must be under­stood of some of its species onely; for Aldrovandus men­tions five or six sorts of them, whereof some have feet, and some none.

Chap. XXV.

BEfore the Creation of this whole Fabrick, God did inlighten himself, and contemplate himself, he was a sealed Book, which at length is opened, and hath set forth to the view, that which remained in Himself; wherefore the whole World is nothing else, then an evi­dent image, an Idea of his hidden God-head, he is through it all, as our soul is throughout all our body, and [Page 97] by his will, encompasses all the motions of the spheres, having spread through them all the Aires, as a scrowl; which folding it self away at the last day, shall be reduced to its former Silence, or ra­ther to Nothing.

This wonderful order, thus by him established, may be seen in the constant and un­changeable course of the Pla­nets, upon which the Astro­logians make some cer­tain Almanacks for many years together, and foretell the eclipses of Ages to come, without missing a moment of time.

These Stars being all of one and the same nature, do eclipse one another; the [Page 98] Earth eclipses the Moon, the Moon the Sun, and so all the rest, if their small body is not overcome by the bignesse of those they intend to darken, as its testified by Averroe's Ob­servation, who hath seen Mercury in the center of the Sun, which seemed to grow in it; its light, if it hath any, being covered and put out.

Now from these Eclipses, or want of light in the Stars, we may draw this strong Rea­son for the assertion of our Position, for it sheweth and verifieth, that they are of an earthly nature, and that their light is borrowed; the Moon appears black, when the Earth hinders it to receive [Page 99] light from the Sun: and di­vers Philosophers have be­lieved, that all the Stars do borrow their light of the Sun; they are then obscure, and thick of their own na­ture, and consequently earthy, and may have such variety and diversity as the Earth, viz. Men, Beasts, Plants, and whatsoever is seen here amongst us, and the Pytha­gorians did believe, and to which Copernicus agreeth.

Chap. XXVI.

IF there were not many Worlds in this whole Fa­brick, God could not act so powerfully and freely, but that by some certain necessity and constraint; which would be a great impiety and blas­phemy even to imagine it: for God could assuredly, not onely have made other Worlds, but also much more perfect then this; for his power is neither shortened, nor exhausted, neither the [Page 101] matter, which he could create of nothing, as well as that of this our Earth; therefore as he hath created this World, could he not also have crea­ted others?

Chap. XXVII.

SOme may ask, If the Pla­nets are so many Earths, and the Earth a Planet, how could we see the Earth, if we were far remote from it? Clavius in his Commentary upon Sacroboscus, hath endea­voured some suppositions [Page 102] upon this question, and hath found, that if any one were in the Globe of the Moon, and should look towards the Earth, it would appear to him three times bigger then the Moon appears to us, and somewhat more; and if a man were in the Globe of the Sun, it would appear to him twice bigger then Venus seems to us; and in the Globe of Mars, thence it would ap­pear lightsome, and would seem to be of the bignesse of one of the Stars of the sixth proportion; and if he were in the highest heavens, he could not see it at all; And this is (saith he) the Astro­logers common opinion.

Chap. XXVIII.

IT may also be asked, What number of Worlds there is? but though it is a thing not certainly known, consi­dering the infinite number of Stars to us perspicuous, be­sides those that we cannot see by reason of our eyes weak­nesse.

Yet I shall here alledge the Judgment of some Au­thors upon this question; Baruck the Philosopher, and Clemens a disciple of the Apostles, as Origen saith, do mention seven; perhaps mean­ing [Page 104] the seven Planets. An ancient Author, according to Plutarch in his book, touching the ceasing of miracles, did believe, that there were an hundred and eighty nine Worlds disposed in a tri­angle, every side containing sixty three. Petro of Sicily thought the same thing touching the plurality of Worlds. But the Thalmu­dists going beyond, say, that there are nineteen thousand; and Democritus did believe, that they were infinite, and innumerable.

Chap. XXIX.

Pythagoras, who first call­ed this Fabrick, Worlds, is also one of the chiefest, who believed the plurality of them, and hath had many disciples and Citators, who have continued to establish and maintain this assertion; for Socrates hath publickly asserted the Worlds to be in­finite; so did also his disciple Archelaus, who perswaded it also to Xenophanes the Colo­phian, who also did assert, [Page 106] That there are many Moons and Suns in the world.

This same Axiome was believed by Melisseus of Sa­mia, Parmenides's disciple; as also by his School-fellow Zeno of Elis, and his disciple Lucippus of Elis also. Item, by Democritus of Miletum, Py­thagoras's hearer, who saith, That in these Worlds the Stars are more beautifull and bright, which I think may be according to their proxi­mity. By reason of which opinion, that King of the Abderitanes was esteemed by his ignorant people, to be out of his wits, and thereupon they sent for Hippocrates to cure him of his disease; but Hippocrates found him very [Page 107] well in his mind, and said nothing against his opinion; which moved Democritus per­petually to laugh at them who were ignorant of the same. Joubertus, who hath composed a book concerning laughter, in it hath set down Hippocrates's letter up­on this subject.

Diogenes of Apollonia, A­naximenes's disciple, together with Seleucus, hath also pro­nounced their assertion touch­ing the plurality of the worlds.

Orpheus, Origines, and Ba­ruck the Philosopher, Anaxa­goras, and many Stoicks more, do a vouch the same; Plinius also seems to have been of this opinion; but [Page 108] Anaximander, Anaximenes, Epicureus, and others, follow­ing Francis I. Picus Miran­dulanus, have fully asserted it.

Mahomet, who though an Infidel, wanted not wit and knowledg to establish his be­lief, did believe the same thing, and in his Alcoran mentions several Earths and Seas to be in Heaven and the four Elements; and all that is amongst us to be in every one of the Stars.

Epicureus did say, That these Worlds were some of them without Sun or Moon, and some had greater then those that lighten us; and that others had divers Suns, and that some of them were [Page 109] without living creatures in them, without Plants, and without all moisture, and that at the same that things are thus in our worlds as we see them, so also are they in divers other worlds; but had he seen how the Indians and we agree in severall things, he would questionlesse have believed it more constant­ly.

Icetes the Pythagorian, to­gether with Philolaus, did be­lieve there were two Earths opposite one to the other; and Picus Mirandula was forced to say, That he thought that the Moon was an Earth like unto ours; herein conform­ing himself to those Pythago­rians, who sometimes did call [Page 110] our Earth, Moon; and the Moon, Earth. Francastor, Physitian at Zerona (follow­ing Eudoxus and Calispus's Judgment) together with di­vers others, whom for brevi­ty sake I shall omit, did also believe the same.

But whereas so many Phi­losophers have asserted the Position of this opinion; it will be answered, That I am not the first author of [...] ▪ To this I answer, That it's suffi­cient for me to renew it, and plainly professe it, the which hitherto was not yet pub­lickly practised.

Chap. XXX.

THough the Ancients had not the help of Prospe­ctive-glasses, as we have, wherewith we see as new Linxes, the Seas, the Moun­tains, and other things which are in the Moon; yet they did inquire and speak of things more particular that are in the Stars; as the Py­thagorians and Orpheus, who did believe that the Moon was not onely of the colour of the Earth, but that it con­tained Men, Beasts, and [Page 112] Trees, 15 times bigger then we, or 50 times bigger, as Herodotus, who also asserts, that in it are Towns and Ci­ties. Xenophanes did also think, that there are men within the body of the Moon; Anaxagoras and Democritus have also said, That in it are contained Mountains, Val­leys, and Fields.

Lucianus in his book of true history, & Aristoteles, have both mentioned some parti­cularities of what is in the Moon; but we shall not take notice what the first saith, because he relates it as a fa­ble; though for the compo­sing of his work, he hath made use of a great deal of those ancient Philosophers opini­ons.

[Page 113] Plutarch in his discourse of the Moon, reasons pro and con, whether the Moon is in­habited? and whether it is an Earth as ours, and inclines sometimes to one, sometimes to the other; but at length it seems that he did believe it, because he answers to divers objections that might be al­ledged against this opini­on.

Bacon desires us seriously to cast our eyes upon the opi­nions of Pythagoras, Philolaus, Xenophanes, Anaxagoras, Par­menides, Lucippus, and of other ancient Philosophers, indi­cating to us the truth thereof, and wishes, that some body would compose a book of their opinions; this present [Page 114] discourse is part of it; and therefore do we in some mea­sure satisfie the desire of so rare a Person.

Lucretius, whom we have here above quoted, did con­fidently believe the same, and hath testified it in divers places of his works, and espe­cially in these Verses, besides those already alledged in the 18. Chapter.

[Page 115]That is to say,

There are other new Worlds, wherein is variety of Men and Beasts, and of all other living creatures, be­cause that there is nothing groweth single and alone in this World, nor in the earth, nor in the Sea. And in ano­ther place,

Whereas there is store of matter, and that the causes [Page 116] and the places do suffice, this therefore ought to be decla­red, and men must needs grant it so to be.

Paracelsus hath said, That there are in Heaven some certain men called Tortelii and Penates, for whom Christ did not die, of whom some are without Soul, and some not composed of the four Ele­ments; he yet names others, never mentioned but by him.

Some of the Stoicks were of opinion, not onely that there are people in the Moon, but also in the body of the Sun; And Campanella saith, That those lively and bright habitations may have Inha­bitants, perhaps more wise [Page 117] and learned then we, and better informed in those things that to us are incom­prehensible.

But Galileus, who in our Age hath perspicuously seen into the Moon, hath obser­ved, That it may be inhabi­ted, seeing that there are Mountains in it, &c. for those parts in it that are the Plains and Valleys are obscure and dark, and the Mountains are bright and clear. For this cause have some said, That the Stars do not shine, but by reason of their irregularity, asserting, That we could not see them, if they had not Mountains for to reflect and reverberate the light of the Sun.

Chap. XXXI.

BUt some may say, There cannot be such Men as we, in the Starres; for they could not live there, because men are divers, even after the diversity of Countreys; and those who ascend that high Mount Piracaca in the Indies, dye there by reason of the too subtile ayr of the place. To which I answer, That those men must needs be dif­ferent from us, or indued [Page 119] with more robust and strong bodies then we; or so well proportioned in the mixture of the Elements, that that Ayr cannot be obnoxious and hurtful to them; but that God hath so formed them, that they may well live where he hath placed them, but no where else.

And if we had never seen or heard of the Sea, we could not be perswaded, that Fishes could live in salt-water, and that therein they could breed and grow for our food; nor that those Countreys of the burning and frozen Zones, could be inhabited: So must we believe, that God hath by prevention of inconvenience, [Page 120] ordered all things for the best.

Here also might be object­ed, the Incommodities and incongruences that might befall the Inhabitants of the Moon, viz. the Meteors as the Clouds, and other which would offend them, and would hinder Plants to grow therein.

We answer to this, That those Meteors are far enough from it, and that rather they are lesse molested by them then we; for Galileus did see with the telescope, that it doth not rain upon the Earth of the Moon.

But it may be replyed, How then do the plants grow?

[Page 121]To which I answer, That they may grow in it, not only by reason of the Moon's na­tural humidity and moisture, but also by the inundations of its Rivers; as in Egypt, where likewise no rain is seen; I say farther, That those Inha­bitants of the Moon have no more ground to alledge these Objections, being that when they look upon the Earth, through the mists and clouds that incompass it, they might doubt whether any crea­tures could be contained in it.

But hitherto we have an­swered none but weake ob­jections. Now come we to that with which our Oppo­nents do arm themselves [Page 122] chiefly, which is that of the Prince of the Aristotelists, who as the Otthomans aymed to slay all his brothers, that he might reign more secure­ly, viz. to beat down and suppresse all opinions con­trary to his; now this is his argument;

If there were many worlds, the earth of those worlds would move towards our Earth; or ours towards that of the other Worlds; and so the other Elements of the other worlds would reach ours, and so there would be nothing but a great tumult and Chaos.

This Argument is so weak, that Magirus is constrained to speak in these terms when [Page 123] he alledges it, not being him­self able to find others, be­cause he maintains not the truth; All these Reasons, (saith he) and such like Phi­losophick Arguments, cannot perspicuously demonstrate, that there is but one World; and Charles Rapineus speaks thus, That it can but weakly be so perswaded.

Aristoteles could not com­prehend what we have above said, viz. That each world hath its center, where­unto tend those heavy bodies that are in its sphere; But he arguments upon a false foun­dation, making the Earth to be the Center of all the worlds, and allotting but one center for all; his Argument [Page 124] would be good, if his ground were good: for what he saith was true, it would be re­quisite that all heavy and ponderous things should tend towards our Center; but there being many, they also go into divers Centers; for each Star hath its center that upholds it, and though it be of a ponderous nature, yet is it light, in itself. Ha­ving thus answered, and so plainly and fully resolved the Objection of Aristoteles, the grand Prince of Philoso­phers, what may they expect who have not such pregnant Objections as his.

Chap. XXXII.

THese following Argu­ments are yet objected; First, That whereas there is but one principle and first Mover, or but one God and first cause, and that the world ought to answer in likenesse to its Architype, there also ought to be but one World. But we have here above shewed the contrary, because that God is infinite, so also [Page 126] ought the Worlds to be in­finite.

For a second Argument, it's objected, That if there were more then one World, the Divine Scriptures would have communicated it to us; but speaking but of one one­ly, it's not likely there should be any more.

To this I answer, That the holy Scripture speaks clearly of none but of ours; though yet in severall places it agreeth in the plurality of Worlds, as we shall hereaf­ter demonstrate; and that it speaks after the manner of men, of all heavenly things, condescending to our weak­nesse, and to the common opinion; as when it saith, [Page 127] That the Sun and Moon are the great Lights, and yet the Moon is one of the smallest Stars; and there are some others that are as bigg as the Sun, as Canopus Starre, and others, and an infinite num­ber bigger then the Moon: Likewise the Scripture saith, That God is angry, and doth repent, though he is immu­table and unchangeable; and therefore might the Scripture do the like concerning the motion of the Earth, and the plurality of Worlds.

For a third Argument, Plato speaks thus; The mat­ter requisite for the composi­tion of the world is but one, and heaped up together into one lump or body alone, and [Page 128] the Heaven contains within it self all the simple bodies, so that no part of the matter can remain, for therewith to compose and frame other Worlds.

To this I answer, That it's not necessary that all the matter be exhausted and spent in the Creation of this our Earth alone, yea rather in the Creation of the whole Fabrick; but and if it had been all spent at the creation alone of this our Earth, God could yet create some new: And last of all, concedo totum, I grant the whole Argument, it proving nothing against my assertion; for I compre­hend all the Worlds or Earths to be in Heaven.

[Page 129] Plato saith farther against this opinion, That the World would be imperfect, if it should not contain all; and secondly, would not be like its pattern, if it were not sin­gle and onely one, and that it would not be incorrupti­ble, if there was any thing out of it.

But we have already an­swered the Objection touch­ing Unity; where we have discovered, That God being infinite, there must also be in­finite Worlds: for as Sextus Empiricus saith, There is no­thing one alone of all what­soever is numbred in the World. And as for the last, Plutarch answers it, saying thus, That it hinders not the [Page 130] World's perfection, that there are other Worlds be­sides; for man is perfect, and yet contains not every thing. And to this answer I adde, That by this word World, Plato did understand the whole Fabrick of all these Earths or Worlds which make up but one whole world; his Arguments cannot at all overthrow my Posi­tion.

Timplerus forms yet this Argument, If there were di­vers Worlds, they would have been made in vain, and to no purpose, because no use of them can be shewed. This his Reason is so weak, that it will suffice to say, for to confute it, That though we [Page 131] may not know for what use they are made, yet they are not made for nothing; for by this same reason, the In­dies, from whence we re­ceive great advantage and profit, and the Northern Countreys that yet are un­known to us, would also have been created in vain.

Again, there are some who object, That if the Stars were inhabited, they would have need of the influence of other Stars and Heavens, usque ad infinitum, without num­ber.

To this I answer, That I am not much perswaded, that the Starres are advanta­geous to us, the Sun and Moon excepted; it's not pos­sible, [Page 132] that the Stars commu­nicate and serve one another mutually, and therefore there is no need of an infinite num­ber of Heavens.

Last of all, Zabarella ar­guments thus, If there were other Worlds, what in them should be contained, would be either like to what is in this our World, or differing from it; if it were like it, in vain would individuals be multiplyed; if differing, it could not be found out how it's disposed.

To this Objection I an­swer, That men and other things in the Indies, would also have been created in vain, if his Reason was va­lid; and that though we [Page 133] knew not what was in those new Lands and Countreys, yet it was in them notwith­standing; so likewise though we be ignorant of what is in the other Worlds, yet this our ignorance excludes not their being.

Chap. XXXIII.

IN this whole Fabrick▪ con­sidered at large, may be observed divers Worlds contained within it; as the individuals under the species; but Pacius labours to oppose this Position thus; That the [Page 134] World, such as it is, com­prehends all, and that all the matter was spent in the com­position of it, and that there­fore there can be no other bo­dies out of it; for if there were any, they would be ei­ther simple, or composed; if simple, it would be the Hea­ven or the Elements: But they cannot be the Heaven, considering it changes not fully its place, but turns round upon it self: Nor like­wise can it be an Element, because it would be beyond nature; nor also a mixt bo­dy, because that if there be not some simple bodies, there can be no mixt ones.

To which I answer, That, as I have already said, by [Page 135] Worlds, is to be understood Earths onely; and by the ge­neral word of World, or whole Fabrick, are by me under­stood, All the things of the whole Fabrick, in the frame and composition of which, I yield, that all the matter was spent and employed, and that out of them there is no other Universe or generall World.

Chap. XXXIV.

BUt there may yet some stand up, and say with Melancthon, That God cea­sed from creating, and rested himself; but Moses in the second of Genesis speaks, and meaneth onely the Creation of this our World: and tru­ly it's more consonant, that some end, and others be crea­ted of new; as Empedocles did believe it, together with [Page 137] Democritus; God hath limited his power, and he is still the same for to create again, as he was afore: and as it's said in the Book of Wisdome, ch. 11. v. 18. he wanteth not means to create of new unknown wild beasts: Therefore both this and the other Arguments alledged by Melancthon, are weak against this our Posi­tion, which he himself being forced to confesse, he saith in his natural Physicks, that though his arguments do not fully conclude, yet they must be considered and weighed, lest that if we believe that there are other worlds, we also should believe other Re­ligions, and other natures of Men. [Page 138] For my part, I see no necessity, that because there are more Worlds, there must also be more Religions; the increase of this World, through the discovery of the Indies, hath not caused any new Religion; and it's very unlike from be­ing capable of introducing Heresie and Atheism; I con­fidently believe, that this ad­mirable order of the World, which disperses the confusi­sions and chaos, which by reason of mens ignorance do yet reign, will even make the greatest Atheists of this world to confesse, That they cannot have their originall but from God alone, who is the Soveraign Creator of all things.

[Page 139] Melancthon saith farther, That if there were divers Worlds, it would be requi­site, that Jesus Christ should suffer death several times for to save them all: but what do we know, whether those Men in the Stars are better then those that are in this world, whereof Satan is called the Prince, and where he abides; for which cause St. John saith in Chap. 12. & v. 12. of the Revelations, Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them; wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth, and of the Sea, for the Devil is come down unto you.

And though we should cer­tainly know, that those men in the Starres have need [Page 140] of salvation, God hath so many means and wayes, to us unknown, for to save them, and to satisfie his Justice, that we need not inform our selves about these things, but believe them in faith, capti­vating our understandings; as an ancient Father of the Church hath well spoken.

But some may object, Who is he that will believe it?

To whom I shall reply with Plato, No wicked man shall ever know it; but he onely who shall be found worthy of it. Let then those who are unworthy of so high and sublime knowledge, withdraw hence, their gross spirit cannot apprehend the [Page 141] subtilty of it; and as Spiders do turn the best food into ve­nome and poyson, they call that which is the true way to the knowledge of God, the high-way to Atheism.

Chap. XXXV.

SOme scrupulous persons might say, That the Rea­son of this Chapter seems in something to contradict the doctrine of the Church: But I shall answer him, That [Page 142] if any one should endeavour to prove, that there is no Hell, his Opinion should certainly be esteemed erro­neous and pernicious; but to do nothing but to establish and confirm it, as I do in this Chapter, and to remark the place where it is, being that the Divines cannot certainly point out the place, I find nothing in it repugnant to Christianity.

Now whereas our bodies are to rise from the dead, for to be rewarded according to their deserts good or evill, and that the damned are in greater number then the sa­ved, the place of Hell must needs be very spatious and great to contain them all, [Page 143] and solid and firm to uphold them; but it cannot be any where but in one of the Stars, and so consequently the Stars may have Inhabitants in them; for it's said, That the Center of the Earth, because it is the center of the World, and the farthest place from Heaven; but that I cannot find it needful to place it in the Center of the World, considering that God is equal­ly every where, and that men cannot alienate them­selves from him; and also because it's very easie to prove the contrary, not only in that it could not be suffi­cient to contain in it self all the damned that have been since the Creation, and shall [Page 144] be unto the end, nor can be penetrated through by their lumpish bodies; and also be­cause the Earth it self at the day of Judgment must be consumed and done away, as Esdras saith in 4th Chapter, and 42 verse of his second book; but also in this, that not the earth, but the Sun is the Center of the worlds; the Sun then by reason of its far distance from the highest Heavens, saith Foscarinus, is the true place of Hell, even as its siery nature required; for the internall habitations seems to perswade it: but I cannot admit this opinion, though that I hold, that Hell must be in one of the Stars; but to seat it in so beautiful a [Page 145] Star as the Sun is, I cannot consent to it; seeing that the damned Souls cannot merit so good and advantagious an habitation.

But on the contrary, It may seem more plausible and consonant to truth, to seat the Paradise of God in the Sun, according to that Text in the Psalms, In S [...]le posuit taber­naculum suum, God hath pla­ced his Tabernacle in the Sun.

But to prove more certain­ly, that Hell is not within the Earth, let us but observe, that it was created before the Earth, seeing that the wicked Angels were banish­ed into it before the Creation of the Earth; to which agrees [Page 146] the first Chapter, and 14 verse of the Wisdome of Solomon, say­ing, The Kingdom of death is not upon the Earth.

Chap. XXXVI.

IT may likewise be proved, That Paradise is no where else but in the Stars: Now it's most clear and certain, that it's not this Earth, but a new Earth, wherein is the heavenly Jerusalem, which must needs be a solid place, as well as our Earth, that it [Page 147] may hold us up, wherein all joy and happinesse shall be; and out of which shall all miseries and torments be ba­nished; this place is prepa­red of old for men, and what do we know but that we shall be dispersed into severall Stars; doth not our Lord Christ Jesus assure us, That in his Fathers house are many Mansions: and Esdras, in the 4. chap. & 7. ver. of his se­cond Book, tels us, How many Springs are above the Firma­ment, and which are the out-go­ings of Paradise. It may be that after we have inhabited this Earth of misery and sor­row, wherein death and in­firmity are the wages of our sins, we shall be introduced [Page 148] into those high Globes wherein we shall live for e­ver, in fulnesse of happinesse and joy. Is it not said in Rev. 2. ver. 28. To him that overcomes, will I give the mor­ning Star? And Job, in the 38. and 7. v. doth see through Faith, the Morning Stars sing­ing together, and all the Sons of Men shouting for joy. This his Vision shall be accom­plished, when we shall tram­ple upon these moving won­ders, and if by reason of those glorious objects we may remember the things of this Earth, we shall from those vast habitations of glo­ry, look with great contempt and disdain upon this lump of Earth, so highly esteemed [Page 149] of men, and by them divi­ded into so many Regions, and Countreys; and upon that drop of water, by them divided into so many Seas.

May it not also be that the Earthly Paradise, or Garden of Eden, out of which A­dam was driven, was the same place whereunto we shall return; he was driven out of it for his sins, without which he had not tasted death. And now that Jesus Christ by his satisfaction to the Father's Justice, hath blotted them out, we shall be therein introduced. Mun­ster faith, that many ancient Philosophers did imagine it scituated in a high place, en­compassed with fire, adjoyn­ing [Page 150] the Circle of the Moon, and that there are Elias and Enoch, those Antients were not far from my opinion, see­ing the inconveniencies that would follow, if we did seat it in this our World: for if to believe that this Paradise was upon this Earth, it's a very hard thing; for it's of no moment to rely upon the names of the Rivers, and Countreys, that are named in the translation of the Holy Scripture, considering that the Hebrew names in it are not conforme; and that the Translators do yeild, that they have Interpreted them but by conjecture, and as nigh as they could guesse.

[Page 151]Again, this Paradise can no more be found on the Earth; nor those Rivers, that are said to be those whom Moses, doth mention, do not issue from one and the same Spring, as it's recorded of those of Paradise. And last­ly, it would be a ridiculous thing, to believe that God hath driven his people from that place, which he suffers the Turks, and other Infidels to enjoy, it being that whole Country, apprehended to have been this Earthly Para­dise of delight. Before I con­clude this Chapter, I will here alledge two notable things.

The first is, that as there is no Book, though never so [Page 152] bad, but there is also some good in it: Neither is there any Religion but hath some good Maxims. The Chi­neans, and the Turks, being perswaded by appearances do not at all doubt but that after death, they go to in­habit the World of the Moon.

The second is, that there are already divers bodies in Hell, and also in Paradise. In Hell are those who have yeilded up their bodies to the unclean spirits, and Dae­mons; but in Paradise are Elias and Enoch, which both places to hold up those bo­dies, must needs be solid, which solidity cannot be but in some Stars, or Star, [Page 153] where God doth manifest himself more clearly and visibly, and where are those Rocks of eternity, whereof it's spoken by Moses, where­unto we must desire to go, and there to dwell, exchan­ging this Valley of misery to the great advantage and comfort of our glorious bo­dies.

Chap. XXXVII.

IF any Creature can know the pure and naked truth of things, and that may de­cide [Page 154] and resolve this question to the full, certainly the evil spirits may; but how may we enquire of them about it?

Thus it may be done; for it's very certain, that Pans, Sylvaines, and other gods, who in former Ages did ap­pear to men, were wicked spirits and Daemons, who re­quired worship from men; but a certain Silenus, who was one of that nature, suffering Marsias to take possession of him, told him, That there were other Worlds, where men lived as old again as we, and were of higher and greater shape and stature.

And in the History of Fau­stus the Magician, it's said, [Page 155] that his spirits did walk him amongst the Starres, for the space of eight dayes, and that he was carried 80000 miles high far from us; and that ascending up very high, he did perceive from far off this Earth, the Cities and other things in it contained; but this his relation is but in brief.

Chap. XXXVIII.

IF there were no Globes in­habited above the Sun, for what use would that light be which the Sun casts above him? It would be al­together unprofitable and uselesse, if it was lost in the Air; It is then cast upon those bodies that have need of it, which cannot be any thing else but the Starres, [Page 157] which of their nature are dark and obscure, and earth­ly, as the earth that we in­habit; for otherwise they would have no need of the Sun's light.

Shall not so many Reasons suffice for to overcome that obstinacy and Preoccupation? Great Alexander may break the Ice, and shew us the way, who having heard Anaxarch the Philosopher, discoursing upon this subject matter, did believe him, and fell a weep­ing, because that there being other Worlds, he had yet conquered but one.

Chap. XXXIX.

WE may say, That the time spoken by Se­neca in his Medea, is come now.

Wherein we may learn things unheard, viz. the dis­covery of new Worlds.

We may say it with better ground then he, seeing he onely spoke of the Indies, and we speak of Worlds distinct and separated, and prove it by so many Arguments, as if we could not come to an end of them; for it may yet be proved, in that the Earth and the Moon deprive each other mutually of the Sun; which deed doth testifie their con­formity, and that both may suffer Eclipses; also by their mutual communications, cold qualities, solidity and rough­nesse, that help us to see it; [Page 160] for many think, that we should scarcc see it, were it not for its irregularities, which cause its light better to reverberate the beames of the Sun.

I shall add to this, That if God, who could make many Worlds, had not made them, his power might be said, in some respects, to have been idle, unprofitable, and limi­ted; for though it ayms not so much to the works, as to the end of them, yet it being for his greater glory, though he doth not whatsoever he can, we cannot assert, That he was not willing to make many Worlds; as we cannot [Page 161] deny, but he had the power to make them.

Thirdly, the common and general opinion grants, the four Elements to be in Hea­ven; for it believed, that there is the Empyred Heaven, that is the Heaven of fire, the crystal Heaven, that is of a waterish nature; the Hea­ven of the Stars, which is solid, and by consequence of an earthly nature▪ and the Air is apprehended to be amongst those Stars: the four Elements then are in Hea­ven, and why may not there be also mixt and composed bodies? and why not the ef­fects as well as the causes, [Page 162] which compose them, are in it? and why could they not act as well within them­selves, as in things far re­mote?

Fourthly, the Creation of the world, or of many worlds, is a thing that wholly de­pends from the free Will of God, neither can it be deny­ed by any natural reason; for God acts not outwardly by necessity, as to limit him­self onely to this our World; but on the contrary, God wil­leth whatsoever implyeth not contradiction: But ma­ny worlds do not imply con­tradiction, neither from God, nor from the thing created; [Page 163] and it seems requisite, that the object be the measure of the power; but this World not being infinite as God is, there must needs be an in­finity of them.

Chap. XL.

HAving above mention­ed the Spots of the Sun, and some new Starres, and thence having drawn some Arguments, it may not be out of our purpose to speak of them now. As concern­ing the new Stars, Galileus relates, that in the yeares 1572, and 1604, were seen some new Stars, that were [Page 165] higher then any one of the Planets; whereof the first was in Cassiopeia, as Tycho Brahe, and Campanella de­clare; so likewise did Hip­parchus observe a new Starre 100 years before Christ's Birth.

And as touching the Spots of the Sun, I shall content my self to say, hat Galileus as­serts, That these Spots are bigger then all Asia and Africk; some there are, who believe them to be onely va­pours, and some impressions of the Ayr, because that their figures are irregular, and that they are seen in great number disappearing, and [Page 166] again appearing; but they onely hide themselves in the Sun; or to say more congru­ously, they onely disappear by reason of their too nigh approach to the light of the Sun; and besides, they have a regulated course, accord­ing to which they fail not to return at a certain time; and therefore they are some Stars, touching which I send the Reader to Tardus's book, who calls them the Stars of Bour­bon, after the name of the King of France, under whose reign these new Stars were first discovered.

Chap. XLI.

AS it is said in divers pla­ces of the holy Scrip­ture, That the Earth is full of corruption; or that it sings out the miracles of God by a figure of Rhetorick, that puts the continent for the thing contained; several Texts of the Scripture do also say, as in Job 25. v. 5, 6. that the Stars are not clean before God, that [Page 168] they sing his praises, and are his Armies. These are things that very hardly enter into the heart of Men, and very likely part of them that Paul saw in his extasie; but being he saith, that it never entred into the heart of man, he might mean, unto his time no body had believed it, or at least hath not had the full and par­ticular knowledg of them: wherefore Job saith, chap. 38. v. 37, 38. Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of Heaven. And Solomon in the book of Wis­dome, ch. 9. v. 16. And hardly do we guesse aright at things that are upon Earth, and with labour do we find the things that [Page 169] are before us; but the things that are in Heaven, who hath search­ed out? And Esdras in his se­cond book, chap. 4. v. 21. They that dwell upon the Earth, may understand nothing but that which is upon the Earth; and he that dwells above the Heavens, may onely understand the things that are above the heighth of the Heavens.

It may be replyed, That these Texts are to be under­stood of the Angels; But the Texts alledged in the fol­lowing Chapter will make it clear, that it's to be under­stood of Men onely; for Campanella hath even obser­ved, that Paul to the Colos­sians, [Page 168] [...] [Page 169] [...] [Page 170] Chap. 1. verse 20. saith, That by Jesus Christ's blood all things are reconciled to God, whether they be things in Earth, or things in Heaven; and consequently it will fol­low, that there are men in Heaven, who have need of Redemption as well as we.

Chap. XLII.

IF then there be divers Worlds, and that the Stars be inhabited, those worlds may have been created some before the others, and so shall end at divers times; and perhaps some are ended already, and some are crea­ted of new: the believers of those former Worlds seem to speak in Psal. 90. ver. 1, 2. saying, Lord, thou hast been [Page 170] [...] [Page 171] [...] [Page 172] our dwelling place in all gene­rations, before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World.

And God seems to be an­gry against the men of those worlds, in 2. of Esdras, c. 9. v. 18, 19. because those who were before, were better in these terms. And now when I prepared the World which was not yet made, even for them to dwell in that now live, no man spake against me, for then every one obeyed, but now the manners of them which are created in this World; that is made, are cor­rupted by a perpetuall seed, but there is yet one Text more pregnant for to prove that [Page 173] there were other Worlds be­fore this, that are ended, and have been judged as we shall be one day, he speaks in these terms in the 2. Book of Esdras, c. 7. v. 34. And the World shall be turned into the old silence 7. dayes, like as in the former Judgments, so that no man shall remain: And if it be thus, might we not say that those great Co­mets that remain so long a­bove the Region of the me­teor, are the burnings and consummations of some Stars that are ending, and which we had not perceived by rea­son of their far distance: For as in former ages, new ones have often been seen, yea, e­ven [Page 174] in this our own; so like­wise may some others end: and to all this, we may adde that of the Revelations, viz. that the Stars shall fall, that is to say, shall end. Many ancient Authours were of this Judgment, believing not on­ly that there are divers Worlds at one and the same time, but that there had al­ready been some before. Ori­genes was of this belief, and that ours shall last seaven thousand years, and that ma­ny of the others shall last for­ty nine thousand years. Cam­panella differs not much from this judgment, the Wise­dome of God speaking in the Proverbs, saith, ch. 8. v. 23. [Page 175] 31. Before the Earth was, I was with God, rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth, and my delights were with the Sons of Men. And in the 26. v. While as yet he had not made the Earth, nor the Fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the World.

Chap. XLIII.

THough we have divided these places of Scripture into two chapters for to con­firm this opinion; yet I will not omit some few others, which may in some respects sit this same subject.

Paul to the Ephesians, c. 1. v. 10. speaking of Christ Jesus, saith, That in the dis­pensation of the fullnesse of times, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which [Page 177] are on Earth, even in him. And to the Colos. 1. v. 20. God ha­ving made peace through the bloud of Christs Crosse, reconci­led all things to himself, whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven.

How may these two Texts be expounded if we do not understand them of these men who are in the Heavens or Stars, whom God hath ga­thered to himself, and redee­med? For if it be said that they are those that died be­fore Christ; It cannot stand with reason, because their Souls were already in Para­dise, or in Hell: but where the Soul is, thither also shall the body go after the Resurrecti­on.

[Page 178] David speaks thus in the Psal. 112. v. 6. God humbles himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth, for he dwells on high; This Text indicates that God is beyond the Heavens, and that in the Heavens whereunto he humbles himself, there are Inhabitants as well as in the Earth.

And in the Ps. 148. he bids the Angels, Stars, and Earth, &c. to praise him: That is to say, he spoke thus to the In­habitants thereof by a figure; which takes the continent for the thing conteined.

Ecclesiasticus, saith in his 16. chap. and 18, 19, 20, 21. verses, Behold the Heaven, [Page 179] and the Heaven of Heavens, the deep, and the Earth, and all that therein is shall be mo­ved, and the Foundations of the Earth shall be shaken with trembling, when he shall visit them, and who can conceive his wayes, for the most part of his works are hid. And in the chap. 43. ver. 32. saith, that There are yet hid greater things then these be, for we have seen but a few of his works. By these two places it plainly appears that those things which we have not seen, and are greater then any that we know, are some­where else then in this Earth, viz. in the Hea­vens, and that consequent­ly [Page 180] there is more then one World.

I might yet alledge divers other Scriptures, as that of the 2. chap. to the Phillip. verse 10. and Psalm 89. verse 7. But that I may not be too tedious, I shall not make farther mention of o­thers.

Chap. XLIV.

BUt being we have nei­ther the wings of birds, nor the eyes of Eagles or Lynxes, nor can heap up Mountains one upon ano­ther as Gyants, how can we see perspicuously the things that are in the Moon, and in the other etherial bodies?

[Page 182]To this I answer, That those ancient Ages have shewed us the way, by the Tower of Babel, by Pyra­mides and Phares, from the top of which, scarce could men be discovered and per­ceived; and from those tops were discovered Countreys of far distance, immortali­zing the memory of their Authors. It would be re­quisite, that a King or great Prince, desirous by emula­tion to immortalize his name, would set poor priso­ners, with other Workmen, to the Work, that from it (being high elevated up into the Ayr) we might more di­stinctly behold by the help [Page 183] of the Prospective-glasses, what is within the Stars, and chiefly in the Moon; no doubt such a Tower would serve much, being built up­on a very high Hill.

But if it be objected, That there are very high Moun­tains, from which neverthe­lesse no new thing can be seen.

I answer, That besides that, no body went to try it with a Prospect-glasse, those Moun­tains, though high, by reason of their crookednesse, are not very high, if we consider them perpendicularly; and yet it hath been observed, that from the highest Hill of Mount Py­reneus, [Page 184] the Sun appears more majesticall then ordinarily, which cannot proceed but from the heighth of that Mountain. And though no­thing could be discovered from such a Tower, which I cannot believe, yet it would be a work of immortal name to that Prince who would do it.

And that it may be out of doubt, that from a high Mountain, or some such place high elevated, some­thing may be seen and ob­served in the Stars, Bethancour in his Travels asserts, That from the top of Tenerisa, a very high Mountain in the Canaries, the Sun may be seen [Page 185] to turn round upon himself, without the help of any Pro­spective-glasses.

Secondly, it's most cer­tain, That if the Prospective­glasses can be brought to a full perfection, that many things will be discovered new in the Stars, and at the first time that they were in­vented, divers things have already been discovered; for Galileus and Descartes de­clare, that there may be made Prospective-glasses, that shall multiply the ob­ject a thousand times in his bignesse: If it be so, what is there in the Firmament that may not perspicuously be seen?

[Page 186]Lastly, some have imagi­ned, that as Man hath imi­tated the Fishes in swim­ming, that he may also find out the Art of flying, and that by such an artifice, he may without any other help see the truth of this question; the Histories relate to us some Examples of men that have flown. Many Philoso­phers think it feasable, and amongst others Roger Bacon; I might here relate all those Examples, and divers Rea­sons for it; yea, some instru­ments and engines for that effect: but I shall shew these things in my Book of Na­turall Magick; and in my [Page 187] discourse, de arte volandi; be­cause though one could at­tain the Art of flying, yet it would avail him but little for this purpose, because that besides, by reason of his weight he could not rise very high, he could not re­main fixt to behold Heaven, or to make use of Prospe­ctive-glasses, but would wholly bend his mind to the guiding of his En­gine.

Chap. XLV.

VVE read in seve­ral Authors, that Scipio dreamed a very notable dream, wherein he thought that he was car­ried up high, and that he saw other Worlds in the Stars, whence he perceived the Roman Empire; and seeing it from very far, found, that it took so little room in [Page 189] this our Terrestrial Globe, that upon that he conceived an exceeding great con­tempt of those, who despi­sing their life, did venture it, for to get a famous name (though but vain) in that little corner of the Earth. Both Cicero and Macrobius have composed Books con­cerning this Dream, and have doubted under what sort of dreams this was to be entred. For my part, I think that it must be called a Vi­sion, being he saw things that are reall, viz. the airy Lands, and the Stary and Planeticall people. Or it may be, that having such a belief, he was desirous to [Page 190] propose it, as many others in such like case have done, thereby to see how it would be received: And truly, if this was his scope, he hath had no bad successe; for it hath been embraced by ma­ny illustrious Persons, who have found it consonant to Reason.

Besides all this, Is it not beyond all reason and ap­pearance, that so many huge and vaste bodies as the Stars are, should remain barren and fruitlesse. I think, that if I should discourse orderly, and gradually with the most opinionative man that is, that I should obtain of him, [Page 191] that those bodies, whereof some are three hundred times bigger then the Earth, do at least bear some plants; and if this were granted, how could these plants be there, if they were not for the use of some living Creatures: and if it could be granted, that there be some creatures, may it not also be granted, that there are Men for to make use of them, being they are made for them? And lastly, is it not lawfull and equall, that there be men whither soever their domi­nion reaches; but Man rules the Stars, as well as the Earth and Sea, the whole World is made for him; and con­sequently [Page 192] there must needs be some Inhabitants in the Stars.

Chap. XLVI.

BEfore I conclude this Discourse, I think it yet convenient to answer them, who think that they have hit right on the head of the nayl, when they say, that the Spots in the Moon are no­thing else but the figure of the Earth's shadow, which communicate themselves in [Page 194] the Moon, as in a Looking­glasse; but they do not con­sider, that there is no ana­logy nor resemblance be­tween those Spots, and those of our general Mapp; nor that in dark nights this figure can be communicated to the Moon; or could it be said, That those Mountains in the Moon, are nothing but some flat and low obscurities; But I answer, That the sha­dow of those Mountains ap­pears and turns as the Nee­dle of a Sea-Compasse, pro­portionably as the Sun in­lightens them diversly, which could not be, were they not bodies high elevated; for they would be without sha­dow, [Page 195] and Monsieur Gassan­dus did sometimes say, That he had mathematically mea­sured the heighth of some Mountains and valleys in the Moon by means of their sha­dows; and that he had found the heighth of the Mountains in the Moon to be much more remark­able, then of those of the Earth.

Chap. XLVII.

WE must observe that the Moon being half full, more or lesse out of it are seen many little spots, as drops of Water, or Orient Pearls very bright. Now they are the tops of the Mountains, that are lighted by the splendour of the Sun, because they ascend as high as that part of the Moon [Page 197] which is inlightned; but be­cause the Mountains are broad at the foot, and are dark at the bottome, those drops appear to be somewhat scattered one from the other, and so seem loosed from the Moon, though they be not. So likewise if one should con­template from above the Mount Pireneus, or the Alps, he would only see their top in the form of so many Pearls, because the top of them would reverberate the splen­dour of the Sun, and their Snows would encrease the light of it.

Observe also that Paul in his 1. to the Cor. c. 15. v. 40. [Page 198] asserts that the Glory of the ce­lestial bodies, is divers from that of the terrestrial, and that there is one glory of the Sun, and ano­ther glory of the Moon, and an­other glory of the Stars. But if they differ in glory, they do so by reason of the variety of creatures that are in them; in the 47. verse, the Apostle seems to indicate that there are heavenly men, and also earthly men.

The Courteous Reader is intreated to consider that this is onely a fragment of the Volume intended by the Au­thour, for to set forth the life and Philosophy of Democritus, who asserted this opinion: So [Page 199] that I say onely what he him­self would have said to con­firm his position. But if it seems in any particulars to oppose and contradict the Principles of Religion, and that my Arguments do not give full satisfaction, I shall freely retract and uncloath my self of this opinion, if it be any wayes noxious to Religi­on: if it be recited and bla­med by ignorant persons, who are not able, nor sit to answer to the Objections, and cannot or will not weigh them by reason, I have what I expect. But if learned and wise persons can shew me the contrary with sound proofs, and strong reasons, they shall [Page 200] find me ready to yield up this my opinion to their censures. Though above fifty Authors of this same opinion, going before me, have not yet been contradicted. I hope that I give no more occasion of di­staste then they.