tuation of it out of scripture; some holding it to be in another world without this, because our Saviour calls it σκοτος εξώτερον *, outward darkness. But the most will have it placed towards the center of our earth, because it is said, Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth; and some of these are so confident that this is its situation, that they can describe you its bigness also, and of what capacity it is. Francis Ribera in his comment on the Revelations, speaking of those words, where it is said, that the blood went out of the wine-press, even unto the horses bridles, by the space of one thousand and six hundred furlongs †, interprets them to be meant of hell, and that that number expresses the diameter of its concavity, which is 200 Italian miles. But Lessius thinks that this opinion gives them too much room in hell, and therefore he guesses that it is not so wide; for, saith he, the diameter of one league being cubically multiplied, will make a sphere capable of 800000 millions of damned bodies, allowing to each six foot in the square; whereas, says he, it is certain, that there shall not be one hundred thousand millions in all that shall be damned. You see the bold Jesuit was careful that every one should have but room enough in hell; and by the strangeness of the conjecture, you may guess that he had rather be absurd, than seem either uncharitable or ignorant. I remember there is, a relation in Pliny, how that Dionysiodorus a mathematician, being dead, did send a letter from this place to some of his friends upon earth, to certify them what distance there was betwixt the center and superficies: he might have done well to have prevented this controversy, and informed them the utmost capacity of that place. However, certain it is, that that number cannot be known; and probable it is, that the place is not yet determined, but that hell is there where there is any tormented soul, which may be in the regions of the air, as well as in the center; and * Mat. xxv. 30. Eph. iv. 9. + Rev. xiv. 20. therefore perhaps it is, that the devil is stiled the prince of the air. But of this only occasionally, and by reason of Plutarch's opinion concerning those that are round about the moon. As for the moon itself, he esteems it to be a lower kind of heaven; and therefore in another place he calls it a terrestrial star, and an olympian or cælestial earth; answerable, as I conceive, to the paradise of the schoolmen*. And that paradise was either in, or near the moon, is the opinion of some late writers, who derived it (in all likelihood) from the assertion of Plato, and perhaps, this of Plutarch. Tostatus lays this opinion upon Isiodor. Hispalensis, and the venerable Bede, and Perius, father it upon Strabus and Rabanus his master. Some would have it to be situated in such a place as could not be discovered; which caused the penman of Esdras to make it a harder matter to know the out-goings of paradise, than to weigh the weight of the fire, or measure the blasts of wind, or call again a day that is past. But notwithstanding this, there be some others, who think that it is on the top of some high mountain under the line; and these interpreted the torrid zone to be the flaming sword whereby paradise was guarded. It is the consent of divers others, that paradise is situated in some high and eminent place. So Tostatus: Est etiam paradisus situ altissima, supra omnem terræ altitudinem §. Paradise is situated in some "high place above the earth." And therefore in his comment upon the 49th of Genesis, he understands the blessing of Jacob concerning the everlasting hills, to be meant of paradise, and the blessing itself to be nothing else but a promise of Christ's coming, by whose passion the gates of paradise should be opened. Unto him assented. Rupertus, Scotus, and most of the other schoolmen, as I find them cited by Pererius, and out of him in Sir Walter Rawleigh¶. Their reason was this: because in probabi Cur silent oracula. 2 Esdr. iv. 7. Sir W. Raw. 1. 1. c. 3. sect. 7. In Genes. § In Genes. Comment. in 2 Gen. v. 8. 1. 1. c. 3. sect. 6, 7, lity, this place was not overflowed by the flood, since there were no sinners there, which might draw that curse upon it. Nay, Tostatus thinks that the body of Enoch was kept there; and some of the fathers, as Tertullian and Austin have affirmed, that the blessed souls were reserved in that place till the day of judgment; and therefore it is likely that it was not overflowed by the flood. It were easy to produce the unanimous consent of the fathers, to prove that paradise is yet really existent. Any diligent peruser of them, may easily observe how they do generally interpret the paradise whereto St. Paul was wrapt, and that wherein our Saviour promised the thief should be with him, to be locally the same from whence our first parents were banished. Now there cannot be any place on earth designed where this should be; and therefore it is not altogether improbable that it was in this other world. And besides, since all men should have went naked if Adam had not fell, it is requisite therefore that it should be situated in some such place where it might be privileged from the extremities of heat and cold. But now this could not be (they thought) so conveniently in any lower, as it might in some higher air. For these and such like considerations, have so many affirmed that paradise was in a high elevated place: which some have conceived could be no where but in the moon: for it could not be in the top of any mountain; nor can we think of any other body separated from this earth, which can be a more convenient place for habitation than this planet; therefore they concluded that it was there. It could not be on the top of any mountain: 1. Because we have express scripture, that the highest of them was overflowed t. 2. Because it must be of a greater extension, and not some small patch of ground, since it is likely all men should have lived there, if Adam had not fell. But for a satisfaction of the arguments, together with a farther dis * 2 Cor. xii. 4. Luke xxiii. 43. + Gen. vii. 19. course of paradise, I shall refer you to those who have written purposely upon this subject. Being content for my own part to have spoken so much of it, as may conduce to shew the opinion of others concerning the inhabitants of the moon; I dare not myself affirm any thing of these Selenites, because I know not any ground whereon to build any probable opinion. But I think that future ages will discover more; and our posterity, perhaps, may invent some means for our better acquaintance with these inhabitants. PROP. XIV. That it is possible for some of our posterity to find out a conveyance to this other world; and if there be inhabitants there, to have commerce with them. A LL that hath been said concerning the people of the new world, is but conjectural, and full of uncertainties; nor can we ever look for any evident or more probable discoveries in this kind, unless there be some hopes of inventing means for our conveyance thither. The possibility of which shall be the subject of our enquiry in this last proposition. And, if we do but consider by what steps and leisure, all arts do usually rise to their growth, we shall have no cause to doubt why this also may not hereafter be found out amongst other secrets. It hath constantly yet been the method of providence, not presently to shew us all, but to lead us on by degrees, from the knowledge of one thing to another. It was a great while ere the planets were distinguished from the fixed stars; and some time after that, ere the morning and evening star were found to be the same; and in greater space (I doubt not) but this also, and other as excellent mysteries will be discovered. Time, who hath always been the father of new truths, and hath revealed unto us many things which our ancestors were ignorant of, will also manifest to our posterity that which we now desire, but cannot know. Veniet tempus (saith Scneca *) quo ista quæ nunc latent, in lucem dies extrahet, & longioris avi diligentia. Time will come, when the endeavours of after-ages shall bring such things to light, as now lie hid in obscurity. Arts are not yet come to their solstice; but the industry of future times, assisted with the labours of their forefathers, may reach that height which we could not attain to. Veniet tempus quo posteri nostri nos tum aperta nescisse mirentur. As we now wonder at the blindness of our ancestors, who were not able to discern such things as seem plain and obvious unto us; ŝo will our posterity admire our ignorance in as perspicuous matters. In the first ages of the world, the inlanders thought themselves either to be the only dwellers upon earth, or else there were any other, they could not possibly conceive how they might have any commerce with them, being severed by the deep and broad sea. But after-times found out the invention of ships; in which notwithstanding, none but some bold daring men durst venture, ac cording to that of the tragedian: Audax nimium qui freta primus Too bold was he, who in a ship so frail, First ventured on the treacherous waves to sail. And yet now, how easy a thing is this even to a timorous and cowardly nature? And questionless, the invention of some other means for our conveyance to the moon, cannot seem more incredible to us, than this did at first *Nat. Qu. 1. 7. c. 25. + Sen. Med. act. 1. Vide Hor. Od. Ş.. Juvenal. sat. 12. Claud. præf. ad. I lib. de rap. Proser. |