SEQUEL TO COPERNICUS. 423 



indisputable scientific truth, the See of Rome was 

 guilty of an unwise and unfortunate stretch of eccle- 

 siastical authority. But though we do not hesitate 

 to pronounce such a judgment on this case, we 

 may add that there is a question of no small real 

 difficulty, which the progress of science often brings 

 into notice, as it did then. The Revelation on 

 which our religion is founded, seems to declare, 

 or to take for granted, opinions on points on 

 which Science also gives her decision; and we then 

 come to this dilemma, that doctrines, established 

 by a scientific use of reason, may seem to con- 

 tradict the declarations of revelation, according to 

 our view of its meaning; and yet, that we can- 

 not, in consistency with our religious views, make 

 reason a judge of the truth of revealed doctrines. 

 In the case of Astronomy, on which Galileo was 

 called in question, the general sense of cultivated 

 and sober-minded men has long ago drawn that 

 distinction between religious and physical tenets, 

 which is necessary to resolve this dilemma. On 

 this point, it is reasonably held, that the phrases 

 which are employed in Scripture respecting astro- 

 nomical facts, are not to be made use of to guide 

 our scientific opinions; they may be supposed to 

 answer their end if they fall in with common no- 

 tions, and are thus effectually subservient to the 

 moral and religious import of revelation. But the 

 establishment of this distinction was not accom- 

 plished without long and distressing controversies. 



