Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	council_n	faith_n	trent_n	4,913	5	10.4664	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61244	Mathematical collections and translations ... by Thomas Salusbury, Esq.	Salusbury, Thomas.	1661 (1661)	Wing S517; ESTC R19153	646,791	680

doth not oblige us to receive those Precepts which they have not so much as in their intentions enjoyned But if they did reflect and consider thereon they would long since have condemned it if they had judged it erroneous which we do not find that they have done Nay after that some Divines have began to consider it we find that they have not deem'd it erroneous as we read in the Commentaries of Didacus a Stunica upon Job in Cap. 9 v. 6. on the words Qui commovet Terram de loco suo c. Where he at large discourseth upon the Copernican Hypothesis and concludeth That the Mobility of the Earth is not contrary to Scripture Withal I may justly question the truth of that determination namely That the Church enjoyneth us to hold such like Natural Conclusions as matters of Faith onely because they bear the stamp of an unanimous Interpretation of all the Fathers And I do suppose that it may possibly be that those who hold in this manner might possibly have gone about in favour of their own Opinion to have amplified the Decretal of the Councils which I cannot finde in this case to prohibit any other save onely Perverting to Senses contrary to that of Holy Church or of the concurrent consent of Fathers those places and those onely that do pertain either to Faith or Manners or concern our edification in the Doctrine of Christianity And thus speaks the Council of Trent Sess. 4. But the Mobility or Stability of the Earth or of the Sun are not matters of Faith nor contrary to Manners nor is there any one that for the stablishing of this Opinion will pervert places of Scripture in opposition to the Holy Church or to the Fathers Nay Those who have writ of this Doctrine did never make use of Texts of Scripture that they might leave it still in the breasts of Grave and Prudent Divines to interpret the said Places according to their true meaning And how far the Decrees of Councills do comply with the Holy Fathers in these particulars may be sufficiently manifest in that they are so far from enjoyning to receive such like Natural Conclusions for matters of Faith or from censuring the contrary Opinions as erronious that rather respecting the Primitive and primary intention of the Holy Church they do adjudge it unprofitable to be busied in examining the truth thereof Let your Highness be pleased to hear once again what S. Augustine answers to to those Brethren who put the Question Whether it be true that Heaven moveth or standeth still To these I answer That Points of this nature require a curious and profound examination that it may truly appear whether they be true or false a work inconsistent with my leasure to undertake or go thorow with nor is it any way necessary for those whom we desire to inform of things that more nearly concern their own salvation and The Churches Benefit But yet although in Natural Propositions we were to take the resolution of condemning or admitting them from Texts of Scripture unanimously expounded in the same Sense by all the Fathers yet do I not see how this Rule can hold in our Case for that upon the same Places we read several Expositions in the Fathers Dionysius Areopagita saying That the Primum Mobile and not the Sun stand still Saint Augustine is of the same Opinion All the Celestial Bodies were immoveable And with them concurreth Abulensis But which is more amongst the Jewish Authors whom Josephus applauds some have held That The Sun did not really stand still but seemed so to do during the short time in which Israel gave the overthrow to their Enemies So for the Miracle in the time of Hezekiah Paulus Burgensis is of opinion that it was not wrought on the Sun but on the Diall But that in short it is necessary to Glosse and Interpret the words of the Text in Joshua when ever the Worlds Systeme is in dispute I shall shew anon Now finally granting to these Gentlemen more than they demand to wit That we are wholly to acquiesce in the judgment of Judicious Divines and that in regard that such a particular Disquisition is not found to have been made by the Ancient Fathers it may be undertaken by the Sages of our Age who having first heard the Experiments Observations Reasons and Demonstrations of Philosophers and Astronomers on the one side and on the other seeing that the Controversie is about Natural Problems and Necessary Dilemma's and which cannot possibly be otherwise than in one of the two manners in controversie they may with competent certainty determine what Divine Inspirations shall dictate to them But that without minutely examining and discussing all the Reasons on both sides and without ever comming to any certainty of the truth of the Case such a Resolution should be taken Is not to be hoped from those who do not stick to hazzard the Majesty and Dignity of the Sacred Scripture in defending the reputation of their vain Fancies Nor to be feared from those who make it their whole businesse to examine with all intensness what the Grounds of this Doctrine are and that only in an Holy Zeal for Truth the Sacred Scriptures and for the Majesty Dignity and Authority in which every Christian should indeavour to have them maintained Which Dignity who seeth not that it is with greater Zeal desired and procured by those who absolutely submitting themselves to the Holy Church desire not that this or that opinion may be prohibited but onely that such things may be proposed to consideration as may the more ascertain her in the safest choice than by those who being blinded by their particular Interest or stimulated by malitious suggestions preach that she should without more ado thunder out Curses for that she had power so to do Not considering that all that may be done is not alwayes convenient to be done The Holy Fathers of old were not of this opinion but rather knowing of how great prejudice and how much against the primary intent of the Catholick Church it would be to go about from Texts of Scripture to decide Natural Conclusions touching which either Experiments or necessary Demonstrations might in time to come evince the contrary of that which the naked sense of the Words soundeth they have not only proceeded with great circumspection but have left the following Precepts for the instruction of others In points obscure and remote from our Sight if we come to read any thing out of Sacred Writ that with a Salvo to the Faith that we have imbued may correspond with several constructions let us not so farre throw our selves upon any of them with a precipitous obstinacy as that if perhaps the Truth being more diligently search't into it should justly fall to the ground we might fall together with it and so shew that we contend not for the sense of Divine Scriptures but our own in that we

although unjustly be oppressed than those from whence he may receive just incouragement it was no hard matter to find those Complices who for such that is for Damnable and Heretical did from their Pulpits with unwonted confidence preach it with but an unmerciful and less considerate injury not only to this Doctrine and to its followers but to all Mathematicks and Mathematicians together Hereupon assuming greater confidence and vainly hoping that that Seed which first took root in their unsound mindes might spread its branches and ascend towards Heaven they went scattering rumours up and down among the People That it would ere long be condemned by Supreme Authority and knowing that such a Censure would supplant not onely these two Conclusions of the VVorlds Systeme but would make all other Astronomical and Physical Observations that have correspondence and necessary connection therewith to become damnable to facilitate the business they seek all they can to make this opinion at least among the vulgar to seem new and peculiar to my self not owning to know that Nicholas Copernicus was its Authour or rather Restorer and Confirmer a person who was not only a Catholick but a Priest Canonick and so esteemed that there being a Dispute in the Lateran Council under Leo X. touching the correction of the Ecclesiastick Calender he was sent for to Rome from the remotest parts of Germany for to assist in this Reformation which for that time was left imperfect onely because as then the true measure of the Year and Lunar Moneth was not exactly known whereupon it was given him in charge by the Bishop of Sempronia at that time Super-intendent in that Affair to search with reiterated studies and pains for greater light and certainty touching those Coelestial Motions Upon which with a labour truly Atlantick and with his admirable Wit setting himself again to that Study he made such a progress in these Sciences and reduced the knowledge of the Coelestial Motions to such exactnesse that he gained the title of an Excellent Astronomer And according unto his Doctrine not only the Calendar hath been since regulated but the Tables of all the Motions of the Planets have also been calculated and having reduced the said Doctrine into six Books he published them to the World at the instance of the Cardinal of Capua and of the Bishop of Culma And in regard that he had re-assumed this so laborious an enterprize by the order of The Pope he dedicated his Book De Revolutionibus Coelestibus to His Successour namely Paul III. which being then also Printed hath been received by The Holy Church and read and studied by all the World without any the least umbrage of scruple that hath ever been conceived at his Doctrine The which whilst it is now proved by manifest Experiments and necessary Demonstrations to have been well grounded there want not persons that though they never saw that same Book intercept the reward of those many Labours to its Authour by causing him to be censured and pronounced an Heretick and this only to satisfie a particular displeasure conceived without any cause against another man that hath no other interest in Copernicus but only as he is an approver of his Doctrine Now in regard of these false aspersions which they so unjustly seek to throw upon me I have thought it necessary for my justification before the World of whose judgment in matters of Religion and Reputation I ought to make great esteem to discourse concerning those Particulars which these men produce to scandalize and subvert this Opinion and in a word to condemn it not only as false but also as Heretical continually making an Hipocritical Zeal for Religion their shield going about moreover to interest the Sacred Scriptures in the Dispute and to make them in a certain sense Ministers of their deceiptful purposes and farthermore desiring if I mistake not contrary to the intention of them and of the Holy Fathers to extend that I may not say abuse their Authority so as that even in Conclusions meerly Natural and not de Fide they would have us altogether leave Sense and Demonstrative Reasons for some place of Scripture which sometimes under the apparent words may contain a different sense Now I hope to shew with how much greater Piety and Religious Zeal I proceed than they do in that I propose not that the Book of Copernicus is not to be condemned but that it is not to be condemned as they would have it without understanding it hearing it or so much as seeing it and especially he being an Author that never treateth of matters of Religion or Faith nor by Reasons any way depending on the Authority of Sacred Scriptures whereupon he may have erroniously interpreted them but alwaies insists upon Natural Conclusions belonging to the Celestial Motions handled with Astronomical and Geometrical Demonstrations Not that he had not a respect to the places of the Sacred Leaves but because he knew very well that his said Doctrine being demonstrated it could not contradict the Scriptures rightly and according to their true meaning understood And therefore in the end of his Epistle Dedicatory speaking to The Pope he saith thus If there should chance to be any Mataeologists who though ignorant in all the Mathematicks yet pretending a skill in those Learnings should dare upon the authority of some place of Scripture wrested to their purpose to condemn and censure this my Hypothesis I value them not but shall slight their inconsiderate Judgement For it is not unknown that Lactantius otherwise a Famous Author though mean Mathematician writeth very childishly touching the Form of the Earth when he scoffs at those who affirm the Earth to be in Form of a Globe So that it ought not to seem strange to the Ingenious if any such should likewise now deride us The Mathematicks are written for Mathematitians to whom if I deceive not my self these Labours of mine shall seem to add something as also to the Common-weale of the Church whose Government is now in the hands of Your Holiness And of this kinde do these appear to be who indeavour to perswade that Copernicus may be condemned before his Book is read and to make the World believe that it is not onely lawfull but commendable so to do produce certain Authorities of the Scripture of Divines and of Councils which as they are by me had in reverence and held of Supream Authority insomuch that I should esteem it high temerity for any one to contradict them whilst they are used according to the In stitutes of Holy Church so I believe that it is no errour to speak so long as one hath reason to suspect that a person hath a desire for some concern of his own to produce and alledge them to purposes different from those that are in the most Sacred intention of The Holy Church Therefore I not onely protest and my sincerity shall manifest it self that I intend to submit my self freely to renounce