the city of the sun-第12章

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They　resemble　nature　and　they　surpass　Art。

　　　They　divide　the　seasons　according　to　the　revolution　of　the
sun；　and　not　of　the　stars；　and　they　observe　yearly　by　how　much
time　the　one　precedes　the　other。　　They　hold　that　the　sun　ap…
proaches　nearer　and　nearer；　and　therefore　by　ever…lessening　cir…
cles　reaches　the　tropics　and　the　equator　every　year　a　little
sooner。　　They　measure　months　by　the　course　of　the　moon；
years　by　that　of　the　sun。　　They　praise　Ptolemy；　admire　Coper…
nicus；　but　place　Aristarchus　and　Philolaus　before　him。　　They
take　great　pains　in　endeavoring　to　understand　the　construction
of　the　world；　and　whether　or　not　it　will　perish；　and　at　what　time。
They　believe　that　the　true　oracle　of　Jesus　Christ　is　by　the　signs
in　the　sun；　in　the　moon；　and　in　the　stars；　which　signs　do　not　thus
appear　to　many　of　us　foolish　ones。　　Therefore　they　wait　for
the　renewing　of　the　age；　and　perchance　for　its　end。

　　　They　say　that　it　is　very　doubtful　whether　the　world　was　made
from　nothing；　or　from　the　ruins　of　other　worlds；　or　from　chaos；
but　they　certainly　think　that　it　was　made；　and　did　not　exist
from　eternity。　　Therefore　they　disbelieve　in　Aristotle；　whom
they　consider　a　logican　and　not　a　philosopher。　　From　analo…
gies；　they　can　draw　many　arguments　against　the　eternity　of　the
world。　　The　sun　and　the　stars　they；　so　to　speak；　regard　as　the
living　representatives　and　signs　of　God；　as　the　temples　and　holy
living　altars；　and　they　honor　but　do　not　worship　them。　　Be…
yond　all　other　things　they　venerate　the　sun；　but　they　consider
no　created　thing　worthy　the　adoration　of　worship。　　This　they
give　to　God　alone；　and　thus　they　serve　Him；　that　they　may　not
come　into　the　power　of　a　tyrant　and　fall　into　misery　by　undergo…
ing　punishment　by　creatures　of　revenge。　　They　contemplate　and
know　God　under　the　image　of　the　Sun；　and　they　call　it　the　sign
of　God；　His　face　and　living　image；　by　means　of　which　light；
heat；　life；　and　the　making　of　all　things　good　and　bad　proceed。
Therefore　they　have　built　an　altar　like　to　the　sun　in　shape；　and
the　priests　praise　God　in　the　sun　and　in　the　stars；　as　it　were　His
altars；　and　in　the　heavens；　His　temple　as　it　were；　and　they　pray
to　good　angels；　who　are；　so　to　speak；　the　intercessors　living　in
the　stars；　their　strong　abodes。　　For　God　long　since　set　signs　of
their　beauty　in　heaven；　and　of　His　glory　in　the　sun。　　They　say
there　is　but　one　heaven；　and　that　the　planets　move　and　rise　of
themselves　when　they　approach　the　sun　or　are　in　conjunction
with　it。

　　　They　assert　two　principles　of　the　physics　of　things　below；
namely；　that　the　sun　is　the　father；　and　the　earth　the　mother；
the　air　is　an　impure　part　of　the　heavens；　all　fire　is　derived　from
the　sun。　　The　sea　is　the　sweat　of　earth；　or　the　fluid　of　earth
combusted；　and　fused　within　its　bowels；　but　is　the　bond　of
union　between　air　and　earth；　as　the　blood　is　of　the　spirit　and
flesh　of　animals。　　The　world　is　a　great　animal；　and　we　live
within　it　as　worms　live　within　us。　　Therefore　we　do　not　belong
to　the　system　of　stars；　sun；　and　earth；　but　to　God　only；　for　in
respect　to　them　which　seek　only　to　amplify　themselves；　we　are
born　and　live　by　chance；　but　in　respect　to　God；　whose　instru…
ments　we　are；　we　are　formed　by　prescience　and　design；　and　for
a　high　end。　　Therefore　we　are　bound　to　no　father　but　God；　and
receive　all　things　from　Him。　　They　hold　as　beyond　question　the
immortality　of　souls；　and　that　these　associate　with　good　angels
after　death；　or　with　bad　angels；　according　as　they　have　likened
themselves　in　this　life　to　either。　　For　all　things　seek　their　like。
They　differ　little　from　us　as　to　places　of　reward　and　punish…
ment。　　They　are　in　doubt　whether　there　are　other　worlds　be…
yond　ours；　and　account　it　madness　to　say　there　is　nothing。
Nonentity　is　incompatible　with　the　infinite　entity　of　God。　　They
lay　down　two　principles　of　metaphysics；　entity　which　is　the
highest　God；　and　nothingness　which　is　the　defect　of　entity。
Evil　and　sin　come　of　the　propensity　to　nothingness；　the　sin
having　its　cause　not　efficient；　but　in　deficiency。　　Deficiency　is；
they　say；　of　power；　wisdom；　or　will。　　Sin　they　place　in　the　last
of　these　three；　because　he　who　knows　and　has　the　power　to　do
good　is　bound　also　to　have　the　will；　for　will　arises　out　of　them。
They　worship　God　in　trinity；　saying　God　is　the　Supreme
Power；　whence　proceeds　the　highest　Wisdom；　which　is　the　same
with　God；　and　from　these　comes　Love；　which　is　both　power
and　wisdom；　but　they　do　not　distinguish　persons　by　name；　as
in　our　Christian　law；　which　has　not　been　revealed　to　them。
This　religion；　when　its　abuses　have　been　removed；　will　be　the
future　mistress　of　the　world；　as　great　theologians　teach　and
hope。　　Therefore　Spain　found　the　New　World　（though　its
first　discoverer；　Columbus；　greatest　of　heroes；　was　a　Genoese）；
that　all　nations　should　be　gathered　under　one　law。　　We　know
not　what　we　do；　but　God　knows；　whose　instruments　we　are。
They　sought　new　regions　for　lust　of　gold　and　riches；　but　God
works　to　a　higher　end。　　The　sun　strives　to　burn　up　the　earth；
not　to　produce　plants　and　men；　but　God　guides　the　battle　to
great　issues。　　His　the　praise；　to　Him　the　glory！


G。M。　　Oh；　if　you　knew　what　our　astrologers　say　of　the　com…
ing　age；　and　of　our　age；　that　has　in　it　more　history　within　100
years　than　all　the　world　had　in　4；000　years　before！　of　the　won…
derful　inventions　of　printing　and　guns；　and　the　use　of　the　mag…
net；　and　how　it　all　comes　of　Mercury；　Mars；　the　Moon；　and　the
Scorpion！


Capt。　　Ah；　well！　　God　gives　all　in　His　good　time。　　They
astrologize　too　much。



＇1＇　A　pace　was　1…9/25　yard；　1；000　paces　making　a　mile







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