The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. VI.

Of Heaven.

HAving treated of the principles, causes, and affections of ••aturall bodies in generall, he proceeds next to particulars.

a 1.1 The World is perfect, because it consists of bodies which are perfect, and comprehendeth all perfection, it selfe not being comprehended by any other.

b 1.2 Of Bodies, some are simple, others compounded of the simple. All naturall bodies are movable locally per••se. There is a two∣fold locall motion, simple, which is competible to simple bodies; and mixt, which to the mixt. Hence it followeth, that there are so many kinds of simple bodies, as variations of simple motion; for of one simple body, there is one proper motion. Simple locall motion is two-fold: circular, about the center, and right: the right is either upwards from the center, or downwards to the center, and both these either simply, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This foure-fold variation of right motion, evinceth that there are foure simple bodies called Elements; circular motion must be proper to some other fift essence, different from the constitutions of the other foure simple bodies, more divine and precedent to all the rest: This is Heaven.

c 1.3 Heaven hath neither gravity nor levity; this is manifest from its motion which is circular, not from the center which is pro∣per to light things, nor to the center, as is proper to heavy, but about the center.

Heaven is void of generation and corruption, and consequently of accretion, diminution, and alteration, for it hath no contrary; it is therefore the first body, not to be consumed by time and age.

d 1.4 No body can be infinite, therefore the world it selfe is not infinite; neither is there any body beyond it infinite, not intelli∣gible or mathematicall.

e 1.5 There is but one world, for if there were more, the Earth of one would move to the Earth of the other (as being of one kind) and ascend out of its proper place.

f 1.6 The world is eternall; whatsoever is eternall is ingenerate and incorruptible. Plato therefore erred, in affirming the world to be generated, but incorruptible. If he meant that as it was ge∣nerated, it is by nature corruptible, yet, shall never be actually

dissolved, because of the eternall cause of its conservation, God, he erreth also, for then there would be somthing that should be alwaies, and yet could not be alwaies.

g 1.7 Heaven is void of labour (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) for it hath no contrary to retard its motion.

h 1.8 Heaven hath the threefold difference of position, upwards and downwards, backwards, right and left; for these are proper to all animate things which have the principle of motion within themselves. The right side of Heaven is the East, for from thence begins its motion; the left side the West; and consequently the Ar∣tick pole is lowermost, the Antartick uppermost; forwards our Hemisphear, backwards the other.

i 1.9 Heaven naturally moveth circularly, but this circular motion is not uniform throughout all Heaven, for there are other Orbs which move contrary to the primum mobile; that there may be a vicissitude in sublunary things, and generation and corrup∣tion.

k 1.10 Heaven is Sphaericall, for to the first body the first figure is most proper. If it were quadrangular, triangular, or the like; the angles would somtimes leave a space without a body, and occu∣pate another space without a body. The motion of Heaven is cir∣cular, as being the measure of all others, therefore most compen∣dious and swiftest.

l 1.11 The motion of the primum mobile is aequable and uniform, for it hath neither beginning, middle nor end; the primum mobile and first mover being eternall both, and subject to no va∣riation.

m 1.12 Starres are of the same body with that wherein they are car∣ried, but more thick and compact; they produce warmth and light in inferiour things through frication of the Air by their motion, for swift motion fires wood, and melts lead; yet the spheares themselves are not heated, but the Air only, and that chiefly by the sphear of the Sun, which by his accession towards us increaseth the heat, his beams falling more directly, and with double force upon us.

n 1.13 The Starres being infixed in the Heavens are moved not by themselves with a proper motion, as fishes in the water, and Birds in the Air, but according to the motion of their Orbes. O∣therwise those in the eight Sphear would not be alwaies aequi∣distant from one another; neither would the stars have alwaies the same side turned towards us, as we see the Moon hath.

o 1.14 The primum mobile is carried about with the swiftest motion; the seven Orbes of Planets under it, as they are nearer to it, are carried so much the more swiftly about by the motion thereof; and as they are further distant, more slowly. Whence by how much the nigher they are to the primum mobile, so much the slow∣er is their proper motion, because it is contrary to that of the pri∣mum mobile, as being from East to West.

p 1.15 The Starres are round, for that figure is most unapt for self∣motion: wee see the Moon is round by her orbicular sections; therefore the other Starres are so likewise, for the reason is the same in all.

q 1.16 The Centre of Heaven is the Earth, round, seated immove∣able in the midst; which together with the Sea makes up one Globe.

Notes

• a 1.1

  De Coelo lib. 1. cap. 1.
• b 1.2

  Cap. 2.
• c 1.3

  Cap. 3.
• d 1.4

  Cap. 5, 7.
• e 1.5

  Cap. ••.
• f 1.6

  Cap. 12.
• g 1.7

  Lib. 2. cap. 1.
• h 1.8

  Cap. 2.
• i 1.9

  Cap. 3.
• k 1.10

  Cap. 4.
• l 1.11

  Cap. 6.
• m 1.12

  Cap. 7.
• n 1.13

  Cap. 8.
• o 1.14

  Cap. 10.
• p 1.15

  Cap. 11.
• q 1.16

  Cap. 13. 14.