The passage as to lubrication of the heavenly axis is as follows: "Deinde cum ispi dicant volvi orbem coeli stellis ardentibus refulgentem, nonne divina providentia necessario prospexit, ut intra orbem coeli, et supra orbem redundaret aqua, quae illa ferventis axis incendia temperaret ?" For Jerome, see his Epistola, lxix, cap.

6 (Migne, Patr.Lat., vol.xxii, p.659).
The germinal principle in accordance with which all these theories were evolved was most clearly proclaimed to the world by St.Augustine in his famous utterance: "Nothing is to be accepted save on the authority of Scripture, since greater is that authority than all the powers of the human mind."(202) No treatise was safe thereafter which did not breathe the spirit and conform to the letter of this maxim.

Unfortunately, what was generally understood by the "authority of Scripture" was the tyranny of sacred books imperfectly transcribed, viewed through distorting superstitions, and frequently interpreted by party spirit.
(202) "Major est quippe Scripturae hujas auctoritas, quam omnis humani ingenii capacitas."-- Augustine, De Genesi ad Lit., lib.

ii, cap.

5 (Migne, Patr.Lat., vol.xxxiv, pp.