Z OF THE FORM OF THE EARTH. 



LIB. i. ypon the Epistle to the Hebrewes, he doth laugh at those 

 which hold the heavens to be round. And it seemes, the 

 holy Scripture doth inferre as much, terming the Heavens a 

 Tabernacle or Frame built by the hand of God. And hee 

 passeth farther vpon this point, saying, that which mooves 

 and goes is not the Heaven, but the Sunne, Moone, and 

 Starres, which moove in the heaven, even as Sparrowes and 



liom.vi, xni, 



andhom t ner birds moove in the ayre ; contrary to that, which the 

 Antioc P h P Philosophers hold, that they turne with the Heaven it selfe, 

 Theodoret. as the armes of a wheele doe with the wheele. Theodoret, 

 a very grave Authour, followes Chrysostome in this opinion, 

 Theophii. an( J Theophilus likewise, as hee is accustomed almost in all 



m capital. * 



s.adHebre. ^hinges. But Lactantius Firmian, above all the rest, 



Lact.,lib.iii, 



inst &quot; homing the- same opinion, doth mocke the Peripatetickes and 

 Academickes, which give the heaven a round forme, placing 

 the earth in the middest thereof; for that it seemeth ridi 

 culous vnto him, that the earth should hang in the ayre, as 

 is before sayde. By which his opinion he is conformable 

 vnto Epicurus, who holdeth, that on the other part of the 

 earth there is nothing but a Chaos and infinite gulph. And 

 ^ seeme th that S. lerome draweth neere to this opinion, 

 , c. 4. wr iting vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians in these wordes : 

 &quot; The natural! Philosopher by his contemplation pierceth to 

 the height of heaven, and on the other part he findeth a 

 great vast in the depth and bowels of the earth. &quot; Some 

 likewise say that Procopius affirmes (the which I have not 

 seene) vpon the booke of Genesis, that the opinion of Aris- 



iib. v, bib- totle, touching the forme and circular motion of the Heaven 



lip. anriotat. . . 



&quot;* is contrarie and repugnant to the holy Scriptures. But 



whatsoever the Ancients say or holde touching this point, 

 it must not trouble vs, for that it is wel knowne and verified 

 that they have not beene so studious in the knowledge and 

 demonstrations of Philosophie, being busied in other studies 

 of farre greater importance. But that which is more to be 

 admired is, that S. Augustine himselfe, so well seene in all 



