I am inclined to believe that the intention of the Sacred
Scriptures is to give to mankind the information necessary for
their salvation.
But I do not hold it necessary to believe that the same God who has
endowed us with senses, with speech, with intellect, intended that
we should neglect the use of these, and seek by other means for
knowledge which these are sufficient to procure for us; especially
in a science like astronomy, of which so little notice is taken by
the Scriptures that none of the planets, except the sun and moon
and once or twice only Venus, by the name of Lucifer, are so much
as named at all.
This therefore being granted, methinks that in the discussion of
natural problems we ought not to begin at the authority of texts of
Scriptures but at sensible experiments and necessary
demonstrations.
--_Galileo_