Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 11:06:12 GMT
CHAP. LI.
Of the Plurality of the World, and of its Continuance.
IN their Disputations concerning the World, they are very various. Thales was of Opinion, There was but one World, and that it was the Structure of God himself. Empedocles was of the same Opinion as to one World; but said withal, that this was a small Particle only of the Universe. But Democritus and Epicurus were of Opinion, That there were In∣numerable worlds▪ whom Metrodorus their Disciple fol∣lows, saying, That there are Innumerable Worlds, be∣ing that the Causes of them are Innumerable: neither was it less absurd to think, that there should be one World in the Universe, than to imagine one Ear of Corn in a whole Field. But as to the Continuance of the World, Aristotle, Averroes, Cicero, Xenophon, make it Aeternal, and void of all Corruption. For when that they could not understand, whether the Egg or the Bird were first Generated, since no Bird could be without the Egg; Hence they imagin'd, that this
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World, and the Beginning of every begotten thing, together with the End thereof, was by perpetual Re∣volution sempiternal. Pythagoras and the Stoicks said, That the World was of God; yet as far as its Divine Nature could permit, should be corrupted in time: with whom Anaxagoras, Thales, Herocles, Avi∣cen, Algasel, Alcmeus, and Philo the Jew, concur in Opinion. But Plato affirming that it was Created by God, after his own likeness, denies that it shall ever be destroy'd. Democritus saith, That the World was once Created, shall once be Destroyed, and never more be renewed. Empedocles and Heraclitus the Ephe∣sian were of Opinion, That the World doth every day renew, and every day perish or decay. Let us discourse of any thing which they say proceeds from a Natural Cause; as for Example, let it be an Earthquake, yet are they at no certainty therein, but wander in Ex∣travagancies; while Anaxagoras makes the Cause there∣of to be the Air; Empedocles, Fire; Thales Milesius, Water; Aristotle, Theophrastus, and Albertus, Subterra∣neal Wind or Vapour; Asclepiades, great Mischan∣ces, or Devastations, Possidonius, Calisthenes, and Me∣trodorus, the Destinies. Seneca and others variously dis∣senting, seem to have labour'd in vain in the search thereof. And therefore the Ancient Romans, when they either felt, or heard of shaking or trembling of the Earth, commanded Holy-days; but never did En∣act to which of the Gods they should be Dedicated, because it was uncertain what force, or which of the Gods was the Cause thereof.
Of the Plurality of the World, and of its Continuance.
IN their Disputations concerning the World, they are very various. Thales was of Opinion, There was but one World, and that it was the Structure of God himself. Empedocles was of the same Opinion as to one World; but said withal, that this was a small Particle only of the Universe. But Democritus and Epicurus were of Opinion, That there were In∣numerable worlds▪ whom Metrodorus their Disciple fol∣lows, saying, That there are Innumerable Worlds, be∣ing that the Causes of them are Innumerable: neither was it less absurd to think, that there should be one World in the Universe, than to imagine one Ear of Corn in a whole Field. But as to the Continuance of the World, Aristotle, Averroes, Cicero, Xenophon, make it Aeternal, and void of all Corruption. For when that they could not understand, whether the Egg or the Bird were first Generated, since no Bird could be without the Egg; Hence they imagin'd, that this
Page 132
World, and the Beginning of every begotten thing, together with the End thereof, was by perpetual Re∣volution sempiternal. Pythagoras and the Stoicks said, That the World was of God; yet as far as its Divine Nature could permit, should be corrupted in time: with whom Anaxagoras, Thales, Herocles, Avi∣cen, Algasel, Alcmeus, and Philo the Jew, concur in Opinion. But Plato affirming that it was Created by God, after his own likeness, denies that it shall ever be destroy'd. Democritus saith, That the World was once Created, shall once be Destroyed, and never more be renewed. Empedocles and Heraclitus the Ephe∣sian were of Opinion, That the World doth every day renew, and every day perish or decay. Let us discourse of any thing which they say proceeds from a Natural Cause; as for Example, let it be an Earthquake, yet are they at no certainty therein, but wander in Ex∣travagancies; while Anaxagoras makes the Cause there∣of to be the Air; Empedocles, Fire; Thales Milesius, Water; Aristotle, Theophrastus, and Albertus, Subterra∣neal Wind or Vapour; Asclepiades, great Mischan∣ces, or Devastations, Possidonius, Calisthenes, and Me∣trodorus, the Destinies. Seneca and others variously dis∣senting, seem to have labour'd in vain in the search thereof. And therefore the Ancient Romans, when they either felt, or heard of shaking or trembling of the Earth, commanded Holy-days; but never did En∣act to which of the Gods they should be Dedicated, because it was uncertain what force, or which of the Gods was the Cause thereof.