The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
There are beside these Authors and such as have positively promoted
errors, divers other which are in some way accessory; whose verities
although they do not directly assert, yet do they obliquely concur unto
their beliefs. In which account are many holy Writers, Preachers,
Moralists, Rhetoricians, Orators and Poets; for they depending upon
Invention, deduce their mediums from all things whatsoever; and playing
much upon the simile, or illustrative argumentation: to induce their
Enthymemes unto the people, they took up popular conceits, and from
traditions unjustifiable or really false, illustrate matters of
undeniable truth. Wherein although their intention be sincere, and that
course not much condemnable; yet doth it notoriously strengthen common
Errors, and authorise Opinions injurious unto truth.
[Sidenote: _Expressions of holy Scripture fitted many times rather to
popular and common apprehension, then to the exact Nature of things._]
Thus have some Divines drawn into argument the Fable of the _Phœnix_,
made use of that of the _Salamander_, _Pelican_, _Basilisk_, and divers
relations of _Plinie_; deducing from thence most worthy morals, and even
upon our Saviour. Now although this be not prejudicial unto wiser
Judgments, who are but weakly moved with such arguments, yet it is oft
times occasion of Error unto vulgar heads, who expect in the Fable as
equal a truth as in the Moral, and conceive that infallible Philosophy,
which is in any sense delivered by Divinity. But wiser discerners do
well understand, that every Art hath its own circle; that the effects
of things are best examined, by sciences wherein are delivered their
causes; that strict and definitive expressions, are alway required in
Philosophy, but a loose and popular delivery will serve oftentimes in
Divinity. As may be observed even in holy Scripture, which often
omitteth the exact account of things; describing them rather to our
apprehensions, then leaving doubts in vulgar minds, upon their unknown
and Philosophical descriptions. Thus it termeth the Sun and the Moon the
two great lights of Heaven. Now if any shall from hence conclude, the
Moon is second in magnitude unto the Sun, he must excuse my belief; and
it cannot be strange, if herein I rather adhere unto the demonstration
of _Ptolomy_, then the popular description of _Moses_. Thus is it said,
_Chron._ 2. 4. That _Solomon_ made a molten Sea of ten Cubits from brim
to brim round in compass, and five Cubits the height thereof, and a line
of thirty Cubits did compass it round about. Now in this description,
the circumference is made just treble unto the Diameter: that is, as 10.
to 30. or 7. to 21. But _Archimedes_ [SN: _In his Cyclometria._]
demonstrates, that the proportion of the Diameter unto the
circumference, is as 7. unto almost 22. which will occasion a sensible
difference, that is almost a Cubit. Now if herein I adhere unto
_Archimedes_ who speaketh exactly, rather then the sacred Text which
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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