Astro-theology : or a demonstration of the being and attributes of God, from a survey of the heavens

(1721)

William Derham

LO

G E O R G E,

Prince of Wales, Prince Electoral of Brunfwick-Lunenburg, &c.

Duke of Cornwall and Rothfay_y Duke and Marquefs of Cambridge, Earl of Chefler_y Milford Haven, and Car reck, Vifcount North-Allerton, Baron of Tewksbury and Renfrezv, Lord of the Iflands, and Steward of Scotland\ and Knight of the moft Noble Order of the Garter.

at Sir,

OUR Royal High-ncfs having done me fo great an Honour as to take this Book under A 2 your

Gre

Epiftlc Dedicatory.

your Patronage,with great Humility and Thankful-nefs I lay it at your Feet; not doubting but that (whatever my Performance is) the Subject will be acceptable, it being a Vindication of the Exigence and Attributes of that infinite Being, to whom your Royal Higlmefs hath no lefs pioufly than jultly afcribed your great Royal Father’s and your Family s peaceable Accef-iion to the Crown, and Dignity of thefe Realms.

That the Bleffings of the fame moft merciful

Being

Epifth Dedicatory.

Being may be perpetuated to your RoyalHiglmefs and all Tours, is the hearty Prayer of,

Moft Illuftrious SIR,

. Your Royal Highnefss moft humble obedient Servant,

W. Derham.

A 3    TO

T O T H E

READER

Concerning the

Third, and this Fourth Edition.

Otwithflanding that a Book is more complete and valuable by /additions and Amendments, yet 1 think that many and great Additions are an hardfhip and injuftice to the Purcha-fers of a former Edition ,* and therefore have in this, and in the forego-mg Editions, avoided it as much as zvell I could, although fome of my

•    learned

PREFACE.

learned Friends zvould have perfuaded me to it_y and alfo contributed their Obfervations.

But yet from what I have faid in the Preliminary Difc. p. 3. it will\ I doubt not, be expeBed, that I Jhould give fome account of the Obfervations which the long and good Glajfes in my Hands, have afforded me fmce the lafl Edition of this Book.

But I have little to boafl of here, having (beftdes the old former Complaint of the want of a long Pole to manage Mr. Huygens’* Glafi with) many great hindrances in my Obfervations, partly by a very dangerous Fit of Sicknefs, which hung long a-bout me; and partly by my neceffary Affairs calling me to matters of another nature. But fome of the mojl confiderable of my Obfervations were thefe.

1. Viewing Venus with Mr. Huygens’* Glafs divers nights, when near

A 4    her

PREFACE.

her Per'tgee_y and much horned, / thought I faw Anfra&us, or Rough-nefles on the concave part of the en-lightened edge (fuch as we fee in the New Moon) which I have reprefent-ed as nearly as I could in Fig. 12.

2. In my frequent views of Jupiter, I find his Belts to have great variations • that they change their Places • that their Breadths alter _y be* ing fometimes broader, fometimes con-fiderably narrower j that fometimes they are more in number, fometimes fewer • fometimes they are darker and blacker; fometimes thm and only like a Mifl. Towards the Poles of Jupiter are the greatejl Alterations, there bemgfometimesfew, or no Belts toward one or the other Pole • fometimes one quite acrofs the Polar Parts_y another reaching but half or a Part of the Way. And even about the middle, or Equatorial Parts of Jupiter, where there are always Belts

(and

PREFACE.

(and commonly two) yet thefe vary confiderably. Sometimes they are nearer one another, fometimes farther a funder : fometimes they are confiderably broader, especially that near eft the middle $ fometimes as confide r ably narrower: Sometimes they both advance towards one Pole $ and then recede towards the other oppofte Pole. Of many of thefe Appearances I took Draughts, and defigned to have enquired whether they had certain Periods ,* but want of health and lei-fure prevented me.

And not only the Belts, but the Spots alfo of Jupiter vary greatly, / do not mean the Spots occafioned by the Shade of the Satellites, but fuch as are on' the very Disk: which are fometimes of one form, fometimes of another, and oftentimes none to be feen at all, although the fame Face of Jupiter Jhould be towards us.

3. The

PREFACE

3. The lafl thing I /hall mention is the Nebulofe, which are thofe glaring whitifh appearances, feen with our Tele/copes in Andromeda⁵* Girdle, Hercules’* Back, AntinousV Foot, Orion’s Sword, in the Centaur, Sa-gittary,    which appear through

the Telefcope, fomewhat after the manner, as Cor Cancri doth to the naked Eye.

Thefe Nebulofe I have often viewed with Glajfes of very different lengths, particularly that in pcde An-tinoi with Mr. Huygens’*: but I con-fefs that I could never difcern what they are ,* neither indeed could I perceive any great difference in their appearances through a very good Glafs of about 14 foot, and others of 30 and 40 feet_y yea Mr. Huygens’* of 116.

But indeed the grand obflacle to all my Views zvith Mr. Huygens’* Glafs was the Vapours near the Horizon, which not only obfcured the ObjeB\

but

PREFACE.

but caufed fo great a trembling and dancing thereof\ as made it no lefs difficult to he dtfltnclly and accurately viewed, than a thing held m the hand is_y when danced and fhaken backwards and forwards. By this means my Expectations from Mr. Huygens’s Glafs were frequently frujlrated_y excepting in nights that were more than ordinarily ferene and clear, which was commonly in fuch as were the mojl intenfely Fro fly and Cold.

Finding it therefore unlikely that I fhould do much more with Mr. Huygens’* Glafs than 1 had done, I refto-red it to the Royal Society which lent it me, (md to whom Mr. Huygens bequeathed it by his lafl Will) contenting my felf with the Viewsit had given me_y and that I had difcovered it to be an excellent Glafs, which Dr. Hook, and fome others of our bejt Judges took to be good for nothing.

And

PREFACE.

And now having given this account of my Obfervations, and alfo fheived what hinder'd my completing of them (which may excite farther Enquiries, as well as ferve to vindicate my felf) 1 floall recommend thefe things to fuch as have good Glaffes, particularly to the Diligence and Accuracy of my very ingenious Friend, the Reverend Mr. Pound, into whofe hands the Royal Society have put that noble Be-quejl of Mr. Huygens, and who is fo well accommodated for raifing and u-fing that Glafs, as to have feen (among other confiderable things) the five Satellites of Saturn • which I confefs I could never reach, nor above three of them, that I could be fure were Satellites: I fay that I could be fure were fuch, becaufe it is not very eafy to d't-Jlinguifh ivhich are Satellites, and which are fmall Telefcopick Stars, which very frequently fhew themfelves in a Glafs oj fuch goodnefs as that is.

I re-

PREFACE.

1 remember that I once verily thought 1 had found out feven Satellites of Saturn, with this very Glafs of Mr. Huygens, fo regularly were they placed in refpeB of Saturn. But when I

came to examine them the following . ^j

nights, I found that there were really no more than tzvo Satellites, the refl being fmall Fixt Stars. But Mr, Pounds Skill and Exaftnefs in fuch Obfervations, is I know Jo great_y (and 1 may add that of my fagacious friend Dr. Haliey too, who I hear hath feen the fame) that I do not fay this by way of Caution to them, ah though it may ferve as fuch to many others.

And now for a Clofe I fkall take this opportunity of publickly ownings with all honour and thankfulnefs, the generous Offer made me by fome of my friends, eminent in their Stations, as zvell as Skill and Abilities in the Laws_} who would have made me a

Prefent

3

PREFACE.

Prefent of the Mav-pole in the Strand,

(which was to be taken dozvnj or any other Pole I thought convenient for the management of Mr. Huygens’* Glafs. But as my incapacity of accepting the favour of thofe noble Me<-coenates, hath been the occafion of that excellent Glafs being put into better hands₃ fo I affure my felf their expeBations are abundantly anfwer-ed, by the number and goodnefs of the Obfervations, that have been, and will be made thereivith.

THE

THE

CONTENTS

Of the following

Preliminary Difcourfe.

HE Authors Glaffes and Obferva-I tions.    pag. 2.

Of the Ptolemaick Syfleme.    6

Of the Coper'nican Syfleme.    7

By whom cultivated.    9

Why preferred by the Author,    10

Objections againfl it from Scripture. 18 Anfwered.    20

Of the Sun's Recefs    28

Objections from Senfe anfwered.    31

Objections from ‘Philofophy anfwered. 32 Of the New Syfleme.    37

Why mofl favoured by the Atithor. 42 Fixt Stars are Suns.    43

The Author's Opinion about the Whitenefs of the Galaxy.    ibid,

The

3

CONTENTS.

The Author fufpefts there are more New Srars than ever yet have been taken nd-tice of. 44. His Observations of them.    46.

How to be objerved.    ibid.

The 'Planets are Worlds.    47.

Mr. Huygens denies Seas being in the Moon.

. 48.

The Author's 'Proof and Gbfervations of them.    $z.

What Creatures inhabit the Planets. 56,

A ■

Preliminary Difcourfe,

CONCERNING

The Syftemes of the Heavens, the Hahitability of the Planets, and a Plurality of Worlds, nfeftil for the reading of the following Book.

Y Phyfico-Theology having met with fo quick a Sale as to come to a third Im-preffion before the Year was expired, but efpecially the felicitations of many Learned Men, a    both

ii

The Preface.

both known and unknown, have given me great encouragement to fulfil my.promife, in fending abroad this other Part, relating to the Heavens: which fhould fooner have fecn the light, but that I was minded not to interrupt the Reader’s patience with many Notes (which I could not well avoid in my Phyfico-Theology, and which my Rough-Draught of this was burthened with) and therefore I threw the greateft Part of them into the Text: which neceffitated me to tranfcribe the whole. And when my Hand was in, I new-made fome part of it, and added many new Obfervations of my own, which I then had lately made with fome very good long Gla(Tes I had in my hands • one of Campanfs grinding • and others of Evghfh work, which exceeded it • but efpecially one of Mr. Huygens's of above 120 feet, which few for goodncfs do furpafs.

Of

The Author's Obfervations. iii

Of thefe Obfervations the Reader fhould have met with many more (and I believe Tome of my ingenious Friends do expert more) bun that I lie under two inconveniences. One the want of an open free Horizon , my Habitation being., fur-rounded much with Trees. The other, and indeed the chief, the want of a long Pole of 100 or more feet, to raife my long Glafs to fuch an height, as to fee the Heavenly Bodies above the thick Vapours; which much obfeure all Obje&s near the Horizon, efpecially when viewed with fuch long and good GlafTes. But fince that, two very dangerous fits of Sicknefs, and the increafe of my Age, (both which have much impaired my Sight) have rendered me uncapable of fuch Obfervations, efpecially at fuch Seafons of the Night and Weather, as are fitteft For viewing the Heavenly Bodies.

a 2    And

iv The Author's Obfervations.

And therefore if I have not fuffi-ciently anfwered the expectations of fome of my learned and ingenious Friends, I hope they will excufe me, and believe it to be more my Calamity than Fault that 1 have done no more,* efpecially among fuch Planets as have advantageoufly prefent-ed themfelves, as Saturn particularly hath, whofe j or more Satellites it may be expe&ed I have feen • but I could never reach but three of them, and they only when there were but few Vapours. And as for the Spots in Mars and Venus, and their Motion round their own Axes, after I had a good Furniture of excellent Glafifes, I had not any good Views of thofe Planets before my Sicknefs, by reafon of the too great diftance of Mars from the Earth, and the proximity of Venus to the Sun, and the cloudy Weather, and the fmall altitude which Venus had above

The Author's and others Obfervat. v

the Horizon about that time.

But however what is here wanting in my own, is fufficiently made up from the Obfervations of others. Of which the learned World hath good Store, fince the Invention of the Telefcope; which as it hath made ample difcoveries of the Works of God, fo hath laid open a new, and a far more grand and noble fcene of thofe Works than the World before dreamt of, and afforded us a far more Rational Syfteme of the Heavens and the Univerfe, than was before entertained.

And forafmuch as I have frequent occafions in my following Book to fpeak of, and according to this, and fome of the other Syftemes, it is neceflary I fhould, by way of Preface, give fome account of them, to enable fuch Perfons to underftand my Book as are unacquainted witk Agronomical Matters.

a 3    Amonq

vi Of the feveral Syjiemes

Among all the various Syftemes,

I need take notice only of three, the Ptolemaick, the Copernican, and the New Syfleme. Of each of which in their Order.

Of the Ptolemaick Syfleme.

I n the Ptolemaick Syfleme the Earth and Waters are luppofed to be in the Center of the Univerfe j next to which is the Element of Air, and next above that is the Element of Fire next that the Orb of Mercury, then that of Venus, then that of the Sun $ and above the Sun’s Orb, thofe of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn • and above them all, the Firmament or Orb of the Fixt Stars • then the Cryflalline Orbs-, and laftly the Coelum Empyretim, 01* Heaven of Heavens. All thefe maffy Orbs, and vaft Bodies born by them, are, in this Syfteme, (uppofed to move

round

of the Univerfe.    vii

round the terraqueous Globe once in 24 hours: and befides that, in fome other certain periodical, times. For the effecting of which Motions, they were forced to contrive fuch Circles as they called Eccentricks and Epicycles, eroding and interfering with one another ,* which I could not reprefent in fo narrow a compafs as Fig. 1. is, which is a Scheme of this Ptolemaick Syfleme; which is univerfally maintained by .the Peripaletick Philofophers.

Of the Copernican Syfleme.

The next Syfleme is the Pythagorean or Copernican, being invented as fome imagine by Pythagoras himfelf. But Diogenes Laertius (a) expreffly faith, That Pythagoras's opinion was, That the World was

(a) Lib. 8. in Pythagora.

a 4    round\

viii The Copernican Syfteme.

round, containing the Earth in the rn'idft of it. And by Pliny's account (b) of Pythagoras his Diftances, and Orders of the Planets, this feems to have been his opinion. But the fame Laertius (c) affirms Philolaus the Pythagorean ryjv T9jv ximcrQca '/.cad IvJ-

XXO'J, TTfWTO') SITTSTV 01 $E_y "I'/JcTCCJ H'OPCi-

Y&aio'j tycttrk' to have been the fir ft that faid the Earth was moved in a Circle: but fome fay Hicetas the Sy-racufian. So Plutarch in his Life of Numa, fpeaking of Numa'% building The Temple of Vefta, fiich, he built it round, and that a continual lure was kept therein in imitation of the Figure of the Earth, cr rather of the whole World it felf, the middle of which the Pythagoreans (not Pytha-goras) take to be the Seat of Fire.

This Syfteme (whoever was the In venter of it) Copernicus a Canon

(b)    Nat. Hitt. L. z. c. 21, 22.

(c)    Ibid. in Philolao.

of

The Copernician Syfleme. ix

of Tour am reftored about the beginning of the fifteenth Century, and was followed therein by many confider-able men, as Kheticus, Moejlhnus, Kepler _y Roth man, Built aldus _y Lanf-berge, Herigomus_y Schtckard, Gaf-fend'us, Gal'tlao, and others. The laft of which (by the ill will and inftigation of Pope Urban VIII. as ^?tis fuppofed) had the misfortune to fall under the cenfure of, and to have his Copermcan Tenets condemned by, the Inquifition, and was forced to^- abjure them. The particulars of which, if the Reader hath a mind to fee, he may find them in Ricclolis Almagefl (d).

According to this Syfteme, the Sun is fuppofed to be in the Center, and the Heavens and Earth to revolve round about him according to their feveral Periods : firft Mercury in

(d) Lib 9. Se&, 4. Cap. 40.

3 near

x    The Probability of

near 8 8 days,* then Venus in fome-what above 224 days ,• then the Earth with its Satellite the Moon, in 365 ~ days,* then Mars in about 687 days; then Jupiter with his four Moons in about 4333 days _y and laft-ly, Saturn in fomewhat above 10759 days, with his j or more Moons revolving about him. And beyond, or above all thefe, is the Firmament, or the Region of the Fixt Stars, which are all fuppofed to be at equal diftances from their Center the Sun.

This is the Copernican Syfieme, which I have given a Scheme of in Fig. 2. And fo far as this Syfteme relates to the Motion of the Earth, and the Sun refting in the Center, I prefer it to the Ptolemalck Hypo-thefts on thefe Five following accounts.

1. Because it is far more agreeable to Nature, which never goes a

round-

-C---

the Copernican Syfleme. xi

round-about way, but always adts by the moft compendious, eafy and fimple methods. And in the Coper-mean way, that is performed by one, or a few eafy Revolutions, which, in the other way, is made the work of the whole Heavens, and of many ftrange and unnatural Orbs. Thus the Diurnal Motion is accounted for by one Revolution of the Earth, which all the whole Heavens are called in for, in the other way,* So for the Periodical Motions of the Planets, their Stations, Retrogra-dations and Dired: Motions, they are all accounted for by one eafy, fingle Motion round the Sun, for which, in the Ptolemaick way, they are forced to invent divers fbange, unnatural, interfering Eccentrtcks and Epicycles. An Hypothefis fo bungling and monftrous, as gave occsifion to a certain King to fay, If he had been of God's Council when he made

the

xii The Probability of

the Heavens, he could have taught him bow to have mended his Work.

2. As the Copernican is far more eafy and agreeable to Nature than the Ptolemaick Syfteme, fo it is far more complete, and anfwerable to the various Phenomena of the Planets • feveral of which the Ptolemaick Hypothefis either very aukwardly folves, or doth not at all come up to. I might inftance here in divers particulars relating to Venus and Mercury, as why the Earth is never between them and the Sun, which the Ptolemaick Syfteme gives no tolerable account of, and but poor accounts of other of their Phenomena, as alfo of thofe of the Moon and the other Planets. I might {hew alfo how incoherent and improper the Motions affigned to the Heavenly Bodies are in the Ptolemaick way, as that the Moon (hould move round once in a Month, the other

Planets

the Copernican Syfleme. xiii

Planers in fuch and fuch Periods as are affigned to them ,* the Firmament, or Fixt Stars in 25 or 26000 years • the Sphere beyond that in 1700 years; the Tenth Sphere in 3400 years j and the outermoft of all, the Primum Mobile, which moves all the reft in only 24 hours. Which are Motions fo unproportional, and difagreeable, that are fuf-ficient to fubvert the whole Hypo-thefis. But it would be endlefs to enter into a detail of fuch incoherences and improprieties as the Pto-lemaick Syfteme abounds with.

3. The prodigious and inconceivable Rapidity affign’d by the Ptolemaicks to the Heavens, is by the Copernican Scheme taken off, and a far more eafy and tolerable Motion fubftituted in its room. For is it not a far more eafy Motion for the Earth to revolve round its own Axis in 24 hours, than for fo great

a nura-

xiv The Probability of

a number of far more mafTy, and

⁴

far diftant Globes, to revolve round the Earth in the fame fpace of time? If the Maintainers of the Ptolemaick Syfteme do objedt againft the Motion of the Earth, that it would make us dizzy, and fhatter our Globe to pieces, what a precipitant, how terrible a Rapidity muft that of the Heavens be? What a Velocity muft the Sun have to run its courfe, at the diftance of 21 or 22 Semidiameters of the Earth ? What a Velocity muft that of the Fixt Stars, efpecially that of the Primnm Mobile be, at far greater diflances than the Sun is?

4. It is an inconteftible argument of the Sun being the Center of the Planets about him, and not the Earth, that their Motions and Diftances refpeft the Sun, and not the Earth. For with regard to the Sun, the Primary Planets have a very due Motion, in proportion to their feveral .    Diftances*

the Copernican Syfieme. xv

Diftances 5 that is, Their Motions round the Sun, are in fefquiplicate Proportion to their Diftances from him : but this Proportion doth not hold at all with relation to the Earth. But as (for the Secondary Planets, round Saturn, Jupiter and the Earth, it is very certain that they have the fame refpedt to their Primaries, as thefe Primaries have to the Sun; that is, The Squares of their Revolutions are as the Cubes of their Diflan-ces. And as it is very certain and vifible, that the Secondary Planets refpedt their Primaries as their Centers, and move round them, fo it is in fome meafure (one would think) no lefs certain, and beyond doubt, that all the Primary Planets which have the felf-fame refpedt to, and Motion with regard to the Sun, as thofe Secondaries have to rheir Primaries, that thofe Primaries, I fay, do move round him as their Center, ⁶    and

xvi    Objections againfl

and not about the Earth, to whom they have no fuch refpedt.

j. The laft Argument I ihall alledge for my preference of the Coper mean to the Ptolemaick Syfteme is from the great Parity and Congruity obfervable among all the works of the Creation ; which have a mani-fefl: harmony, and great agreement with one another.

Thus in our prefent cafe, it is manifeft to our fight, that every Globe we have any good views of, hath fuch like Motions, as thofe are which we afcribe to the Earth. The Sun indeed being in the Center, is as ^Jtwere fixt there, and hath no Periodical Motion : but yet the other Motion round its own Axis, we can -manifeftly difcern. And as for all the Planets which move round about the Sun, they have, as far as'tis pof-fible for us to fee them, fuch Motions as thofe we afcribe to the Earth;

namely.

Copernicus cwfwered. xvii

namely, a Diurnal Rotation round their own Axes, and a Periodical Revolution round the Sun. And if this be manifeft in the other Planets, what fhould hinder its being fo in our own? Why {hould ours be fingu-lar ? Why not be fuppofed to be moved as well as the reft, when it is very certain that either it hath thofe Motions, or the Heavens have fo; and it is far more natural and eafy for the Earth to perform them, than for the Heavens, as hath been already {hewn.

Thus having {hewn how far more probable the Copermcan Syfteme is than the Ptolemaic, fo far as it relates to the Motions of the Heavens and Earth, and the Sun being in the Center, it remains (before I proceed to the Third and laft Syfteme) that I (hould anfwer fome Objections alledged againft this Syfteme, partly from Scripture, and partly from Philo fop hy and Sight.

b    The

Xviri Obje&ions againft

The Obje&ions from Scripture are fuch as feem to affert the Immobility and Reft of the Earth, and the Motion of the Sun and Heavenly Bodies.

The Texts that are brought to prove the Immobility and Reft of the Earth, are i Cron. 16. 30. The World fhall be ft able, that it be not moved. The fame is faid, Pfal. 93.1. The World alfo is eftablifhed\ that it cannot be moved. And fo the fame again, Pfal. 96. 10. In Pfal. 104. j. G O D is faid to lay the foundations of the Earth, that tt Jhould not be 'moved for ever. And laftly Solomon, Ecclef. 1. 4. alferts that The Earth abideth for ever. Like to which is that of the Pfalmift, Pfal. 119.90. Thou haft eftablifhed the Earth, and it abtdeth. ■ Thefe are the principal Texts which feem to affert the Immobility and Stability of the Earth.

The

Copernicus anfwered. xix

The principal Texts which mention the Motion of the Sun and Heavenly Bodies, are fuch as afcribe Rifing, Setting or (landing ftill to them. Thus Gen. 19. 23. The Sun was rifen upon the Earth, when Lot entered Into Zoar. And Gen. 1 j. 17. When the Sun went down, and it was dark_y a fmoaking Furnace_} 8cc. So Eccl. 1. j. T&d' iSW arifeth, and the Sun goeth down, and hafteth to the place where he arofe. So P/#/. 19. 5, 6. the Sun is faid to come out of his Chamber like a Bridegroom, and to rejoice as a flrong man to run a race. That his going forth is from the end of the Heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, Purfaant to which expreflions of the Sun's moving, it is faid alfo to fland f ill, and to go backwards. Thus JoJlo. 10. 11, 13. Sun, fland thou flill upon Gibeon, and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon. And the Sun flood fltll, and the Moon b 2    flayed.

x;t    Objection aga'wfl

flayed.-So the Sun flood ft ill tn the

midfl of Heaven, and hafled not to go doivn about a whole day. And in

2 Kings 10. 10. and Ifai. 38. 8. the Sun is faid to have returned ten degrees backward in one of the places^ and its Shadow to have done fo in the other.

These are the chief Texts of Scripture, which feem to lie againft the Copern'ican Hypothefis. In an-fwer to which, this may be faid in general to them all,* That fince the defign of the holy Writings is not to inftru£t Men in Philofophical, but Divine Matters, therefore it is not necefiary to reftrain thefenfeof thofe Texts to the flrid: propriety of the Words, but take them to be fpoken according totheappearanceof things and the vulgar notions and opinions which men have of them, not according to their reality, or Philofophical verity. Thus in divers other s    inftances

Copernicus anfwered. xxt

inftances the holy Scriptures /peak,-and thus even Philofophers them-felves fpeak. Yea, the Coper me am themfelves, although they profeffed-ly own, and defend the contrary; yet in vulgar fpeaking in our prelent cafe, fay, The Sun r'ifeth, fet-teth, and moveth, &*c. making that to be the adfc of the Sun in vulgar Difcourfe, which they contend to be in reality performed by the Earth. And if Philofophers, and others fhould not thus exprefs themfelves according to the appearance of things, and mens vulgar apprenenfi-ons of them, it would need a Comment, and they mud: explain them-felves every time they fpeak, in or^ der to their being underftood.

Having given this general An-fwer, I {hall next confider the particular Texts themfelves, and fee whether they neceffarily infer what shey are brought for the Proof of.

b 3    And

xxii ‘ Objections againfl

And in the firft place, as for the Texts brought to prove the Immobility of the Earth, it is manifeft that the Stability of the World, mentioned in the three firft Texts, doth not relate to the Earth’s motion, either Annual or Diurnal, but to the Condition, State and Order of the World inhabiting the Earth, particularly the Peace and Profperity thereof. One of our own lateft, and mod learned Commentators, the late Bifhop Patrick (e) under-ftands the Gofpel ftate to be meant in the firft and third of the Texts. And his Paraphrafe on that in PfaL 93.1. is, He who made the World_y will fupport that excellent order wherein we are fettled; fo that it Jhall not be in the power of man to dijliirb xvhat he hath eUablifhed.

(e) See his Commentary on Chron. and his Pa-raphrafe on Pfalms.

Copernicus anfwered. xxiii

As for what is faid in Pfal. 104.

5. it is manifeft that the Pfalmifl is there celebrating the Works of Creation, and that there was as fair an occafion of fpeaking of the Earth’s Reft, in Relation to its two Motions, as any where. But yet even here alfo the fecurity and permanency of its State is the thing aimed at. The laft moft learned Commentator thus paraphrafes on the place (fj₇ Who hath fettled the mafpy Globe of the Earthy even in the liquid air₇ upon fuch firm foundations ₇ that none of thofe Storms and Tempetfs₇ which beat upon it from without₇ nor any Commotions from within, can ever jlir it out of the place he hath fixed for it.

As for the two remaining places in Ecclef and PfaL 119. it is plain enough that their Defign is to fhew

(f) Bifhop Patrick’s Paraph, on Pfal. 104.5% b 4    the

xxiv Objections againjt

the Vanity and Inftability of the things of this World, that they are all more fleeting and uncertain than other matters, even than the Earth it felf, on which they have their re-fidence. In Ecclef. the wife man (who had undertaken to prove all things here below to be Vanity) begins with the State of Man himfelf, and (hews that to be more fickle and tranfitory than the Earth, on which the various Generations of Men live, and to which their Bodies do all return again. The Generations of men pafs away; but the Earth abideth for ever, in the fame unalterable condition, without fuch going and coming, as that of the Generations of men have.

In Pfal. 119. 90. the Pfaimifi celebrates God's Faithfulnefs to all the various and fiicceeding Generations of the World, which he fhews to be as conftant and unalterable as the

Earth

Copernicus anfwered. xxV

Earth it felf, which GOD hath fo eftablifhed, that it abideth through all the feverai Generations of Men, when they at the fame time are fleeting and changing.

Thus it appears that all thofe feverai Texts which affert thz Stability of the World, or Earth, prove nothing againft the Earth's Motion in a Philofophical fenfe • only ex-prefs fome Moral, Theological Truths.

And fo the fame may be faid of thofe other places of Scripture, which mention the Motion of the Sun and other Heavenly Bodies, that fay they rife, fet, and perform the Motions which the Copermcans afcribe to the Earth. If we fhould take thefe Ex-preflions in a philofophical, ftrid:, literal Senfe, and not as vulgar Ex-preffions, arifing from the appearance of things ,• we fhail find that very odd and unreafonable Conclu-

fions

xxvi Objechons againjl

fions may as well be colle&ed from thofe Scriptures, as the Sun’s Motion : as that the Sun hath animal Life, Motion, and Defire, being faid to ac5t thefe things it felf, to rife, to fet, yea to hafle to the place of his Rifing, or as the Hebrew hath it, to pant after, or eagerly to defire it (g). So in Pfal. 19. the elegant Pfalmifl giving a poetical defcription of this noble and admirable work of GOD, the Sun_y faith, GOD hath, in the Heavens, made a Tabernacle for him • as if the Sun had an Houfe, a Refting Place provided for him $ from which he comes daily forth with beauty and luftre, as re-fplendent as that of a Bridegroom, and with the fame ardency, joy and diligence runs his Courfe, as a Champion doth his Race. And laftly his

(g) rm; Anhelavitj inhiavft, vid. Buxtorf. Lexicon.

Going

Copernicus cinfwered. xxvii

Going forth is faid to be from the end of the Heaven, and his Circuit to reach to the ends thereof • as though the Heavens had two Extremities, or was (as the Ancients fanfied the Earth to be) a long large Plane bounded by the Ocean, under which they imagined the Sun betook him-felf, and was thence faid Tingere fe Oceano, to dip himfelf in the Ocean when he Set.

And as in thefe places of Scripture the Sun is faid to move • fo in the other places he is faid to flandJiill, and to go backward. But we fhall find that very abfurd conclufions would follow the taking thofc Texts in a ftrid literal Senfe. For in Jo-Jhua the Sun is ordered to ft and fill upon Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon. But it would be very abfurd to take this in a literal Senfe, and imagine thofe two greac Luminaries were confined to thofe

two

xxviii Objections againfl

two places, otherwife than in appearance to the vi&orious Ifraelites. And if fo confiderable a part of the tranP a&ion be fpoken according to its appearance, why not the whole? Why might not this Station as well be an arreit of the Earth’s Motion as of that of the Heavens, if the whole Miracle was not (as fome not improbably think) effe&ed by means of fome preternatural Refractions, or extraordinary Meteors,

And fo for the Recefs of the Sun, or its Shadow in Hezekiah's cafe, that which in appearance jfeemed to be the a&ion of the Sun is by divers learned men thought to have been the effed of fuch like extraordinary Refra&ions or Meteors, as I mentioned in the laft cafe: or if it was a real Recefs why not of the Earth, rather than the Sun and whole Heavens ?

Thus

Copernicus anfwered. xxix

Thus having anfwered the particular Texts, it doth not appear that the Scriptures oppofe the Coper-mean Syfteme, but that thofe palfa-ges which feem to do fo, are fpoken more according as things appear than as really they are. For as St. Hierom faith (b), Confuetu dims Script nr arum

efl_It is the cuttom of the Scriptures,

for the Historian fo to relate the opinion men had of many matters, as at that time thofe matters were by all people taken to be. And in another place (i) There are many things in the Holy Scriptures, which are fpoken according to the opinion of the time in which they were done_y and not according to their Reality. And this is no other than what is very reafon-able, and fuitable to the end and de-iign of the Holy Scriptures, which

(b) Hieron. in Matth. c. I 3.

(i) In Jerem. zS.

as

jcxx Objections againft

as I have faid, is rather to inftrudl

men in Divine and Moral DoBrines_y, than P hilofophical Truths. And a-greeabiy hereto St. AuguHine anfwers this very doubt concerning the Morion of the Heavens (ij. Some of the Brethren (faith he) move a Ghieflion, whether the Heavens /land ft ill or are moved, becanfe_y fay they, if they are moved, how is it a Firmament? and if they jiand ft ill, how do the Stars, which are believed to be fixt in them_y revolve from Eajl to Weft, the Northern Stars deferibing lejfer Circles ' near the Pole?—To which, faith he,

I anfiver, That thefe things do greatly require feveral fubtile and laborious Reafons_y to dtfcover truly ivhether the matter be fo, or not fo. For the entering upon_y and difcujfing of zvhich,

I have neither time_y neither is it fit

(i) Auguft. de Genefi ad Litcram. L. a. c>,io.

Copernicus anfwered. xxxi

it Jhould be done to fuch as we defire to inftruB in the way of Salvation, for the neceffary benefit of the holy Church.

Having thus anfwered the Objections from Scripture, I (hall in the laft place confider thofe brought from Senfe and Philofophy.

The Obje&ion from Senfe is, That we fee the Heavenly Bodies a6lually to move, and therefore ought to believe they do fo. But there is no weight at all in this, be-caufe whether we our felves, or the Objed; moveth, it amounts to the fame. As is manifeft to any one carried in a Boat or Chariot 3 the Pro-greffive motion of which, produceth the appearance of a Regreffive motion in the unmoved Obje&s we look upon j according to Virgih defcrip-tion of fEneas and his company’s leaving their Port.

(k) Pro--

a---

xxxii Objections againji

(k) Provehtmur portu_y terr deque ur-befque recedunt.

i. e. Both Land and Towns receded when we left our Port. As for the reafon hereof, I fhall refer to the Opticians, particularly the famous Kepler, who in his Optices AClronom. hath defignedly handled this Point.

The Obje&ions from Philofophy are too numerous to be diftin&ly anfwered, efpecially fuch as feem very frivolous, particularly thofe grounded on a fuppofition of the Verity of the AriBotelian Philofophy, as the Immutability and Incorruptibility of the Heavens, &c. For anfwers to which I (Tiall refer the Reader to Ga-lilao’s Syftem. Mund. But for fuch Obje&ions as feem to have fome reafon in them, they are chiefly thefe, That if the Earth be moved

(k) ./Eneid. L. 3. f.jz.

from

Copernicus cwfwered’. xxxiii

From W. to E. a Bullet {hot Weft ward would have a farther Range, than one fhot Eaftward $ or if (hot N. or S, it would mifs the mark; or if perpendicularly upright, it would drop to the Weftward of the Gun. That a Weight drop’d from the top of a Tower would not fall down juft at the bottom of the Tower, as we fee it doth. That Birds flying towards the E. would be hindered in theif Flight, but forwarded in flying the contrary way,* with much more to the fame purpofe. But not to enter into a Detail of Anfwers that might be given to the preceding Obje&i-ons from the Laws of Motion, and the Rules of Mechanicks and Ma-thematicks; I fhall only make ufe of the moft ingenious Galileo's plain Experiment, which anfwereth all or moft of the Obje&ions (I), Shut, faith he, your felf up with your friend

(l) Syftcm, Miml. Dial.i.

c    tn

\

xxxiv Objections againfl

in the Great Cabin of a Ship, together with a parcel of Gnats and Flies, and other little winged Creatures. Procure alfo a great tub of IVater, and put Fifhes therein. Hang alfo a Bottle of Water up, to empty it felf drop by drop into another fuch Bottle placed underneath with a narrow neck. Wh'tlft the Ship lies flill_y diligently obferve how thofe little winged Creatures fly with the like fwiftnefs towards every part of the Cabin; how the Fifhes fwim indifferently towards all fides - and how the defending Drops all fall into the Bottle underneath. And if you throw any thing to your Friend, you need ufe no more force one way than another, provided the Diflances be equal. And if you leap, you will reach as far one way as the other. Having obferved thefe particulars whilfl the Ship lies flilly make the Ship to fail with what Velocity you pleafe, and fo long as the

Motion

Copernicus anfwered. xxxv

Motion is uniform, not fluBuatingthis way and that way, you Jhall not perceive there is any alteration in the a-forefaid effeBs $ neither can you from them conclude whether the Ship mo-veth or ftandeth fill. But in leaping you fhall reach as far on the Floor as you did before ; nor by reafon of the Ships motion, Jhall you make a longer Leap twards the Poop than the Prow, notwithflanding that zvhilfl you were up in the air, the Floor under your feet had run the contrary way to your Leap. And if you cafi any thing to your companion, you need ufe no more ftrength to make it reach him, if he fhould be towards the Prow, and you toivards the Poop, than if you flood in a contrary pofition. The Drops fhall all fall into the lower Bottle, and not one towards the Poop, although the Ship fhall have run many feet, zvhilfl the Drop was m the air. The Fijhes in the IVater fhall have

c i

xxxvi ObjeBions againfl

no more trouble in fwimming towards the forepart oj the Tub, than towards the hinder part, but Jhall make to-wards the Bait with equal Swiftnefs, on any fide oj the Tub. And lafily the Gnats and Flies Jhall continue their flight indifferently towards all parts_y and never be driven together towards the fide of the Cabin next the Prow, as if wearied with following the fwift motion of the Ship. And if by burn-ing a few gt ams of Incenfe_y you make a little Smoak, you Jhall perceive it to afcend on high, and hang like a Cloud, moving indifferently this way and that, without any inclination to one fide more than another. The caufe of which correfpondence of the EffeBs, is, that the Ship's motion is common to all things contained in it, and to the Air alfo: I mean zvhen thofe things are fhut up in the Cabbin: but when they are above Deck in the open Air, and not obliged to follow

•    the

Copernicus anfwered. xxxvii

the Ship's courfe, differences more or lefs may arife among the forenamed EffeBs.

' Thus GahUo by this one Ob-fervation hath anfwered the moftcon-fiderable Obje&ions deduced from Philofophy againft the Motion of the Earth. And thus much (hall fuffice for the Explication and Proof of the Copernican Syfteme; efpecially that part of it relating to the Solar Sy-jleme. Which things I have more largely than ordinary infifted on, for the fatisfa&ion of many that I am fenfible doubt of them, and particularly fome of my Friends (and thofe not unlearned too) who may be apt to read my following Book with prejudice wherefoever 1 favour the Copernican Notions.

Of the New Syfteme.

And now I pafs from the Second Syfteme to the Third, which is cal

xxxviii Of the New Syfleme.

led the New Syfleme, and by fome the True Syfleme ,* which extends the Univerie to a far more immenfe compafs, than any of the other Sy-ftemes do,even to an indefinite Space,* and replenifhes it with a far more grand Retinue than ever was before afcribed unto it.

This New Syfleme is the fame with the Copernican_y as to the Sy-fteme of the Sun and its Planets ,* as may be feen by the Scheme of it in Fig. 3. But then, whereas the Coper-mean Hypothefis fuppofeth the Firmament of the Fixt Stars to be the Bounds of the Univerfe, and to be placed at equal Diftance from its Center the Sun -_y the New Syfleme fuppofeth there are many other Syftemes of Sims and Planets, befides that in which we have our refidencc: namely, that every Fixt Star is a Sun, and encompaffed with a Syfleme of Planets, both Primary and Secondary, as well as ours.    Thes£

Of the New Syfleme. xxxix

These feverai Syftemes of the Fixt Stars, as they are at a great and fufficient Diftance from the Sun and us^ fo they are imagined to be at as due and regular Diltances from one anqther. By which means it is, that thofe multitudes of Fixt Stars appear to us of different Magnitudes, the neareft to us large • thofe farther and farther, lefs and lefs.

Of thofe Syftemes of the Fixt Stars I have given a rude reprefenta-tion hi Fig. 3. together with that of the Sun • which may ferve to give an unfkilful Reader fome conception of the ftate of the Univerfe ; although there be but little likenefs in it, for want of room to lay out all the feverai Syftemes in due proportion • which is neceffary to a true reprefentation of the matter.

I n this 3d Fig. the Fixt Stars with their Syftemes (reprefented by little Circles, about thofe Stars, which c 4    Circles

rA Of the New Syjleme.

Circles fignify the Orbits of their re-fpe&ive Planets) are placed without the limits of the Solar Syfteme, and the Solar Syfteme is fet in the Center of the Univerfe, and figured as a more grand and magnificent part thereof. And fo it may be looked upon by us, by reafon of its proximity and relation to us. But whether it be really fo, whether it be in the Center of the Univerfe, and whether among all the noble Train of Fixt Stars, there be no Syfteme exceeding ours in its magnificent Retinue of- Planets, both Primary and Secondary, and other admirable Contrivances, is a difficulty, as out of the reach of our Glaffes, fp confequent-ly above our ability to fathom, although not at all improbable. But be the various Syftemes of the Univerfe as they will as to their Dignity, it is (ufficient that in all probability there are many of them, even as

many

Of the Neiv Syfteme. xli

many as there are Fixe Stars, which are without number.

This Syfteme of the Umverfe, as it is phyfically demonftrable, fo is what, for the moft part, I have followed in the enfuing Book, but not fo rigoroufly and obftinately, as utterly to exclude or oppugn any other Syfteme,- becaufe as the Works of GOD are trply great, and fuffi-ciently manifeft their excellence and magnificence in any Syfteme,- fo I was willing to ftiew the fame in fuch Syftemes as I had occafion to (peak of them in $ becaufe I would not offend, and confequently not bar the force of my arguments upon fuch Readers, as might happen to be wedded to the Ariftotehan Principles, or prejudiced to the Ptolemaick, or any other Syfteme: Not that I had my felf any doubts about this New Syfteme, but think it to be far the moft

xlii The Probabitity of

rational and probable of any, for thefe reafons.

1.    Because it is far the moft magnificent of any; and worthy of an infinite CREATOR: whofe Power and Wifdom as they are without bounds and meafure, fo may in all probability exert themfelves in the Creation-of many Syftemes, as well as one. And as Myriads of Syftemes are more for the Glory of GOD, and more demonftrate his Attributes than one • fo it is no lefs probable than poffible, there may be many befides this which we have the Privilege of living in. But it is very highly probable the matter is fo, by reafon,

2.    W e fee it is really fo, as far as it is poffible it can be difcerned by us, at fuch immenfe Diftances as thofe Syftemes of the Fixt Stars are from us. Our GlafTes are indeed too

weak

the New Syfleme. xliii

weak fo to reach thofe Syftemes, as to give us any aflurance of our feeing the Planets themfelves, that en-compafs any of the Fixt Stars. We cannot fay we fee them actually moving round their refpe&ive Suns or Stars. But this we can difcern, viz. That the Fixt Stars have the Nature of Suns, as I have made probable in Book. 2. Chap. 2. As alfo that there are fome things very like unto Planets, which fometimes appear and difappear in the regions of the Fixt Stars ,• as I have fhewn in my difcourfe of New Stars, Book 2. Chap. 3.

But befides what I have faid there, I have this farther to add from fome late obfervations I have made fince my writing that part of my Book; and that is, That the Galaxy being well known to be the fertile place of New Stars, the region in which they commonly appear, I am much inclined to be of opinion, that the White-

nefs

xliv The Author's Obfervations

nefs there, is not caufed by the bare Light of the great number of Fixe Stars in that place, as hath commonly been thought, but partly by their Light, and partly (if not chiefly) by the Reflexions of their Planets ; which flop and refled;, intermix and blend the Light of their refpe&ive Stars or Suns, and fo caule that Whitenefs the Galaxy prefents us with j which hath rather the colour of the refle&ed Light of oul* Moon than the Primary Light of our Sun.

And that there are Planets enough for this purpofe, I fufpeft be-caufe I have fome reafons to imagine that there are many more New Stars in the Milky way (all which I take to be a kind of Planetary Globes) than have ever yet been taken notice of, and that many of thofe prodigious numbers of Telefcopial Stars vihble there, are of the numbers of New Stars or Planets_} and not of

Fixt

of the Galaxy.    xlv

Fixt Stars only. This Sufpicion I have for fome time had, but efptci-ally lately from my Views of the New Star that now begins to difap-pear in the Swan’s Neck. Which gave me occafion to infped fome other parts of that Conftellation, moft parts of which are well replenished with a numerous train of fmall Stars. Amongft which, fometimes methoughts more have prefented themfelves through one and the fame Glafs, and fometimes 1 have mift fome 1 thought I before faw : and fometimes alfo methoughts I have feen them nearer to, and fometimes farther off thofe Stars that did con-ftantly prefent themfelves. But as thefe things are to my felf novel, and what 1 confefs I have rather Suspicions of than Certainty, 1 fhall refer them to the future Obfervations of my felf, and others, for their Confirmation 5 efpecially becaufe thofe

Appro-

xlvi The Author's Obfervations

Approximations and Recefles of fome of the little Stars I fpake of fuit not with the Obfervations of fome very eminent Aftronomers.

These Obfervations as they will open to us a new, and admirable Scene of the Heavens (if it be as I imagine) fo I earneftly recommended the Enquiry into it to fuch as delight in thofe matters. For the doing of which, I conceive it may be fufficient, and the eafieft courfe to make the Obfervations in fome one part of the Milky-way, as in fome part of the Swan for inftance,- and I would advife that an Area of the Heavens may be taken in, continuing as much or a little more than fal-leth within the compafs of the Tele-fcope you make ufe of: Which was the way I pra&ifed, and that part of the Heavens, in which I obferved. All the Stars that fall within this Area, an exa<5t Map muft be taken of,

which

of the Galaxy.    xlvii

which will fliew when any Variations happen. And for taking in the larger Area of the Heavens, a Glafs of 6 or 8 Feet is fufficient, and rather better for the purpofe than longer Glaffes, which take in lefs, and are more troublefome in ufing.

H av i n g thus reprefented the State of the Univerfe according to the New Syfteme of it, the ufual Que-ftion is, what is the ufe of fo many Planets as we fee about the Sun, and fo many as are imagined to be about the Fixt Stars? To which theanfwer is, That they are Worlds, or places of Habitation, which is concluded from their being habitable, and well provided for Habitation. This is pretty manifeft in our Solar Planets, from their being opake Bodies as our Earth is, confifting in all probability of Land and Waters, Hills and Valleys, havingAtmofpheres about them, Moons miniftring unto them, and

being

o

xiviii That there are Seas

being enlightned, warmed and influenced by the -Sun $ whofe yearly Vilits they receive, for Seafons; and frequent Returns or Revolutions, for Days and Nights. All which particulars are fully treated of in the following Book, and need not therefore to be anticipated here. Only there is one thing, which for want of fuf-ficient Obfervations, I could not fo fully (peak of as I would ,* and that is concerning the Seas in the Moon, in Book j. Ch. 4. Note a. whofe very exiftence Mr. Huygens (m) denies, faying, Marium veto fimilitudrnem tlhc nullam reperto, See. i. e. In the Moon I find no hkenefs of Seas, although Kepler and moft others are of a different' opinion. For thofe vaft plane regions, which are much darker than the Mountainous parts, and are commonly taken for Seas, and bear

(m) Cofmotheros, p. 114.

the

m the Moon.    xlix

the names of Oceans; m thofe very places viewed with a long Telefcope₃ I find little round Cavities with jha-dows falling within them • which can■» not agree with the Surface of the Sea: as alfo thofe very large Fields when carejully viewed, do not prefent us with a Superficies altogether equal. Wherefore thefe cannot be Seas, but are fuch places as confifl of a lefs bright matter than that which is in the more hilly parts_y but in which alfo there are fome places brighter than others. Thus the moft ingenious Mr. Huygens, who then proceeds to fhew that there are neither Rivers, Clouds, Air, or Vapours.

But that there are Seas or great Colledtions of Waters, and confe-quently Rivers, Clouds, Air and Vapours in the Moon, I (hall make out from Tome of my own Views and Obfervations • many of which were made with Mr. Huygens's own long

d    Glafs

1    That there are

Glafs before mentioned: through which, and all other long Glaffes, inftead of imagining the Lunar Spots to be unlike Seas, I have always thought them to look more like Seas, than through fhort Glafles.

It is true indeed that in thofe Spots we take to be the Seas, there are fuch Cavities as Mr. Huygens fpeaks of, 01* rather Mountains with (haded Cavities in them, as alfo fome parts lefs dark than others. Thus in the Southerly Parts of the Lunar Euxine and Mediterranean, in the Sinus Sir boms, the AEgyptian, and divers other Seas, there are feveral fuch Parts that appear more luminous than others, fome having the appearance of Rocks and Iflands, fome of large Shallows, particularly towards the Shores, and efpecially in the Seas bordering on the Continents, fuch as the great Southern Continent of the Lunar JEgypt and-

Pa la ft tne.

Seas in the Moon.

li

PaUJiine. But this is no conclu-five argument of thofe parts not being Seas,* becaufe they may be Seas having many Iflands and Shallows in them. But then in other Parts, and even in fome Parts of thefe laft named* the Spots appear darker* and with but few of thofe Eminences or Iflands, thofe brighter or (hallo# Parts. Thus the Northerly Euxine and Mediterranean, the Palus M<eo~ tis_y and many other of thofe Lunat Seas 5 few of thofe Parts that have the afpe<5t of Iflands or Shallows ate to be difcerned in them, only one here, and another there, at confider-able diftances from one another*

And in this very manner I dodbc not our terraqueous Globe would appear, if viewed at the Moon, or ai fome miles aloft. We {hould there perceive oitr deep Oceans would be of a darker colour, like the darker Spots of the Moon: and the fingle

d x    Hies

lii That there are Seas

Iflcs of St. Helena and Aifcenfion, and the more numerous ones of Laclro-nes, Canaries, Azores, 8cc. to have the fame appearance that the few fcatter’d Iflands have in the deeper Lunar Seas: and our Shallow Seas with their numerous Rocks and I-flands difperfed about them, efpeci-ally towards the Continents, would look as thofe in the Moon do.

That a Reader unacquainted with the Geography of the Moon, may apprehend what I have faid here and elfewhere, concerning the Parts and Appearances of the Moon, I have reprefented them in Fig. 10. and n. In Fig. 10. the Face of the Full Moon is reprefented, its bright and dark Parts with mod of the Names given them by Hevelius, whofe Lunar Geography is juftly the moft followed. In Fig. ii. I have reprcfent-ed the appearance of the Moon’s Edge on this laft Nov. 4. 1714. foon

in the Moon.

liii

after the Quadrature, for the explication of what is faid concerning the Evennefs of the Surface of the Lunar Spots in B. j. Ch. 4. No tea. It may be there obferved that the Surfaces of all the Seas appear ftrait and level, only the top of here and there a Rock or Illand prefents it felf at a fmall diftance. Thus the Surface of the Hyperborean Sea between a and b appears even and level, although through a Telefcope that Sea looks but like a great Lake or Marfh. So do the Parts of the Mediterranean about d. from h to /, except when they are interrupted by Rocks or Land, as they are at h, gb, and c. At the laft of which places, begins a ridge of Hills encompaffing the Northern Part of the Mediterranean, which makes a pretty fliew in the Telefcope.

And now confidering how ac-eomplifhed the Moon, and all the o-'    d 3    ther

liv A Plurality of Worlds.

ther Planets are for Habitation, how folemn an Apparatus is in them for this fervice: and confidering alfo that thefe Accoutrements relate to their refpe&ive Planets only, and in all probability are of little or no ufe to our Earth; with great reafon therefore the Maintainers of the new Syfteme conclude thofe Planets, yea all the Planets of the Sun and of the Fixt Stars alfo, to be habitable Iftorlds 5 Places, as accommodated for Habitation, fo flocked with proper Inhabitants.

But now the next Queftion commonly put is, What Creatures are they inhabited with? But this is a difficulty not to be refolved without a Revelation, or far better Inftru-ments than the World hath hitherto been acquainted with. But if the Reader fhould have a mind to amufe himfelf with probable Gueffes about the Furniture of the Planets of our

Solar

A Plurality of Worlds. lv

Solar Syfteme, what Countries ^?tis probable are there, what Vegetables are produced, what Minerals and Metals are afforded, what Animals live there, what Parts, Faculties and Endowments they have, with much more to the fame purpofe • he may find a pleafant entertainment enough in the great Mr. Chrifiian Huygens's Cofmotheoros and fome other Authors that have written on the Subject. To which I (hall refer him, rather than give either him or my felf any farther trouble about thefe matters, which are merely conjectural.

Thus having, for the fake of the unfkilful Reader, given an account of the three Syfiemes principally concerned in the following Book, and having alfo, for the fake of the Doubting Reader, infifted more largely than ordinary upon the two laft of thofe Syftemes, little remaineth for the putting an end to this long Pre-. d 4    face,

Ivi

The Conclufion.

face, but to make my Excufe (if it needs any) for afligning the Diameters and Diftances of the Heavenly Bodies in Hnglifh Miles, rather than other larger Meafures, which would perhaps have come nearer the truth. But this was alfo for the fake of fuch as are not very converfant in Aftronomical Matters and Dimen-fions: who can better underftand you, when you fay, It is fo many Miles, than fo many Degrees, Minutes, or Seconds, or Semidiameters of the Earth, or the other Planets.

And now for a Conclufion, I fhall only intreat all my Readers to join with me in their earned Prayers, that as this Work is defigned for the good of Mankind, particularly for the Conviction of Infidels and Irreligious, for the Promotion of the Fear and Honour of GOD, and the cultivating of true Religion, fo it may have its defired Effect.

W. Derham.

THE

CONTENTS

Of the following Books.

^ I ' H E Intro daft ion.    pag. i.

1 The Opinion of all Nations about a 'Deity.    2, &c.

The ^cDiviJion of the Work.    6.

Book I. The Magnitude of the Univerfe.

Chap. I. The ancient and modern reckonings.    7. Chap. II. The Magnitude of the heavenly Bodies. 9 Of the Earth. 10. Of the other ^ePlanets. n. Chap. III. The Immenfity of the Heavens.

Their extent according to Ptolemy. ib.

According

CONTENTS.

According to the Moderns.    16, 21.

Diflances and Sizes of the Fixt Stars. zi_f Chap. IV. Trattical Reflexions.    25*.

SenecaV.    26, dec.

Book II. Number of the Heavenly Bodies.

Chap. I. The Numbers of th e Heavenly Bodies in general.    30.

Of the Milky-way.    $z.

Chap. II. The Fixt Stars are Suns, &c.

33.

What their Ufes.    35.

Sun a Fixt Star.    37.

Chap. III. Of New Stars.    41.

Reafons why Catalogues were made of the Fixt Stars.    41.

In what Tarts they appear,    44.

What they are.    45%

The Author's Opinion.    46.

Book III. The due Situation of the Heavenly Bodies.

Chap. I. The due as well as great T)iflance of them.    51.

Chap. II. None of the Globes interfere. 5*3.

Nor

CONTENTS.

Nor their Influences.

Chap. III. Nice ‘Proportion of the Diftan-ces of the Heavenly Bodies.    57.

Not obfervable among the Fixt Stars, ib. Of the Solar Syjieme.    59.

Cicero’j Reflexion.    62.

Book IV. The Motions of the Heavens. 64. Chap. I. This is a Demonftration of God.

ibid.

Ladhntius’j¹ Reflexion.    65".

» A fir ft Mover.    66.

Motion of the Fixt Stars.    69.

New Stars.    70.

Chap. II. Regularity of the Motions of every Globe.    72,. Their ‘Directions and ‘Planes not c a Rial.

ibid.

Tully's Argument.    74.

Chap. in. The ‘Diurnal Motions. 76. In what Globes vifible.    77.

Solar Spots.    ibid.

}upiter\r Spots.    8i.

Thofe of Mars, &c.    83.

Barth revolve s., not the Heavens. 8f. Great ufe thereof    8d.

Chap. IV. Periods of the Primary Planets.    89.

Prop or-

CONTENTS.

'Proportion thereof to their ^cDiflances. 91. Motion in different 'Paths.    yz,

Caufes of Winter and Summer.    93.

Sun's ^Diameter.    95'.

Chap. V. Periods of the Secondary Planets.    97. Ufe of their Latitudes. 98. Mr. Molineux\r Reflexion. ior. Chap. VI. Conftancy and Regularity of the Celeftial Motions. 103. Pofidonius’j Sphere. 104. Tully⁹s Argument. 107.

Book V. Of the Figure of the Heavenly Bodies.    hi.

Chap. I. Con foil ancy of all the Heavenly Bodies in a Spherical Figure. ibid. Of the Stars, &c.    112.

Of the Earth.    114.

Chap. II. The Hills and Vallies in the Earth and Moon.    115*.

Hills in the Earth.    117.

Lunar Mountains.    120.

How to meafiire them. '    ibid.

None on the Moon's Limb.    nr.

Chap. III. Uniformity of the Globes argue them the IVork of God, not Chance. 12,4. Caufes of their Figures enquired into. 1 z6.

Chap.

CONTENTS

Chap. IV. Tarts of the Globes are well dtjpofed.    I'lj

In the Moon.    118.

Jupiter’j Belts.    130.

Mars and Venus\r Thafes.    13Z.

Tarts of the Earth well laid.    133.

IVaters fo alfo.    134.

Chap. V. Spherical Figure an Argument of God's Work.    137.

As being mojl convenient for the Land and Waters.    138.

For the other Tlanets.    139.

Book VI. Of Attra&ion or Gravity.

Chap. I. Its ufefulnefs in preferving the Figure of all the Globes.    141.

Chap. II. The Guard Gravity againjl the whirling round of the Globes.    147.

Of our own.    148.

Of the Sun.    149.

Of Jupiter.    150.

Chap. III. Gravity retains the Tlanets in their Orbits.    15-3.

The Nature and Troperties of Gravity.

. ■    ¹*4-

Caufe of Gravity not ajfigned.    156.

The adjnjimetit of Velocity and Gravity.

^I5'9*

The

CONTENTS.

The Motion and Orbs of the Comets. 15;6.

Book VII. Of Light and Hear* 166. Chap. I. The Light and Heat of the Sun

Chap. II. The due Tofition and T>ifiance of the Sun and its Planets.    171.

Sun the Fountain of Light and Heat. ibid.

Creator^ care manifeft in the pofition of the Earth.    173

The Benefits thereof. 17$.

The Pofit ion and ^<Diflance of the' other ‘Planets.    177-

Chap. III. Of the necejfity of Lights and of the Atmofphere.    179.

T7 the Earth.    ibid.

Of Twilight.    182.

Chap. IV. Of the Moon, and the Returns one Planet makes another.    183.

The Tides.    184.

Eclipfes.    186.

Lunar Latitude.    188.

The Earth a Moon to the Moon.    189.

All the Heavenly Bodies ufefnl to One another.    19²'*

The ufe thereof.

161.

and Fixt Stars.

The degree of the Sun's heat. Of Burning Glajfes.

ibid.

168.

169.

Chap.

CONTENTS

Chap. V. Of the Jecondary Tlanets in general.    193. TV hat Tlanets they accompany. 194. Their great ufe in Jupiter and Saturn. 195*,

196.

Chap. VI. Of Jupiter*j Moons, Days and Seafons.    197.

Its diftance from the Sun.    ibid.

!'Provifions for it by frequent Rotations.

198.

By the number of his Moons.    ibid.

Things obfervable in thofe Moons. 199. Chap. VII. Of SaturnV Moons, &c. 202,. Saturn\r diftance.    ibid.

Number of his Moons.    203.

Things obfervable in them.    2,04.

SaturnV Ring.    205*.

Its various appearances.    208.

Saturn’j* ^<Dittrnal motion.    211.

Chap. VIII. The Conclufion in behalf of the Creator and Contriver of all. 213, &c*

S A A A ifj A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A i

Book Vlir. Practical Inferences from the foregoing Survey.    218

Chap. I. God’s Exijtence collefled from the Heavens by the Heathens.    219.

Ariftotle\r Inference.    220.

\r.    22 z

The

4

CONTENTS.

The Content of Mankind. Sencca’j Opinion.

224.

ibid.

Chap. II. God's ‘Perfections demonfrated by his Works.    227.

Chap. Ill God's Relation to us, and our ‘Duty refulting thence.    230.

The inferences of Heathens.    231.

Chap. IV. La&antius\r Argument againft the divinity of the Heathen Gods. 235.

Some of the Heavenly Bodies, on the contrary are taken to be Hell.    2,36.

Chap. V. That we mnjt not overvalue the World.    238.

The dignity of the Tlanets.    239.

Chap. VI. That we jhould afpire after the

PlinyV "Defiant, Seneca’j.

240.

²4^r-

Heavenly State.

M3*

A

SURVEY

O F T H E

HEAVENS.

The Introduction.

H E Pfalmijl faith, (a) The Heavens declare the Glory of GOD; and the Firmament Jheweth, publickly declareth, tel-leth forth, or preacheth his Handy Work, as the Hebrew Word fignifies

(a) Pfal. ip. i, 2, 3.

B    (a): that

2 The Heavens declare

(d): that Day unto Day uttereth Speech, and Night unto Nighty [hew-eth, or tells forth, Knowledge. Which Language of the Heavens is fo plain, and their Chara&ers fo legible, that all, even the moll barbarous Nations, that have no Skill either in Languages or Letters are able to underftand and read what they proclaim. There is no Speech nor Language where their Vnee is not heard: their Line is gone out through all the Earlh_y and their Words to the End of the World.

T hat this Obfervation of the Pfalmifl is agreeable to Experience, is manifeft from the Dedu&ions which all Nations have made from God’s Works, particularly from thofe of the Heaven's ; namely, that there

(a) “DD fignificat aliquid verbis ejferre, corarn mtntiare_} annunciare, Conrad. Kircher, Concord. Col. 226. Vol. 2. It is derived from -dd Cvram, Ante.

tt

that there is a God.

is a GOD ,• and that fuch as have pretended to Atheifm, and have deduced God's Works from Chance* ©V. are fingular and monftrous in their Opinions. Thus faith JEUan (a) There never was any Barbarian that contemned the Deity, nor called in queflion whether there be any Gods or no? or zvhether they take care of human Affais ? No Man , neither Indian, nor Celt, nor ^Egyptian ever entertained any fuch Thought as Eu-merus the MefTenian, or Dionyfius the Phrygian, or Hippo, or Diagoras_> or Socias or Epicurus. So one of Platos Arguments for the Proof of a God, is (bj The unanimous Confent of ally both Greeks and Barbarians, who confefs there are Gods. And Plu~ tarch (c) agreeable to what our Pfal-mijl affirms, tells us whence they

(a)    De var. Hift L. 2. cap. 31.

(b)    De Legibns L. 10.

(c)    De PJadt. Philof. L. 1. c. 6.

B 2    col-

collected this Knowledge of a Deity. Men, faith he, began to acknowledge a God, when they faw the Stars maintain fo great a Harmony, and the Days and Nights through all the Year, both in Summer and Winter to obferve their fated Rifwgs and Settings. And to pafs over a great deal of this kind, that I could cite from divers Heathen Authors, What, faith the Stoick in Tully, (a) can be fo plain and clear, as when we behold the Heavens, and view the heavenly Bodies, that we (hould conclude there is fome Deity of a mofl excellent Mind, by which thefe things are governed!-A Prefent and Almighty

God\ Which he that doubts of, I do not underftand, faith he, why he fhould not as well doubt whether there be a Sun or no that fhines. And then

(a) Qjtid mint poteft effe tam apertum, tamque perfpicuum, cum Ctelum fufpeximus, &c. De Nat. Deor. L.2. c.2.

he

all Nations.

5

he goes on to prove that this can be no idle Fancy depending on the Caprice of Man, but a well grounded, fubftantial Opinion, bearing the Teft of Ages, and confirmed by the Length of Time. For, faith he₃ Time wears out the Figments of Opinions, hut confirms the Judgments of Nature -_y or fuch Notions as are grounded upon the true Judgment and Nature of Things. For which reafon, faith he, both among our felves, and in other Nations, the Veneration of the Gods, and the Sacred-nefs of Religion augment and improve every Day more and more.

Thus the Heavens declare the Glory of God, even to the Heathen World, fo manifeftly are they the Handy-Work of God.- And that they are his Work, will appear by taking a View of thefe feven Particulars.

I. T HE

6 Dwifion of the Work.

I.    The Magnitude of the Heavens.

II.    The great Number of the Heavenly Bodies.

III.    Their Distances.

IV.    Their Motions.

V.    Their Figures.

VI.    Their Gravity.

VII.    Their Light and Heat, and the admirable Provifions made for thofe Benefits,

BOOK

BOOK I.

-?♦ *-}:<-?*> *<• t* 3-*.* v.

O F T H E

magnitude

O F T H E

UNIVERSE,

AND THE

Bodies therein contained.

Chap. I.

The Ancient and Modern Reckonings compared.

EFORE the Invention of the Telefcope, the Univerfe was chouoht

O '

to be confin'd within far more narrow Bounds than it is fince found to be_? the fix,:

B 4    Stars

8    The ancient and Book I.

Stars being imagined to be all placed in the Starry Heavens (which they called the Firmament) at equal Di-ftances from the Earth (the Center) like fo many golden Nails driven in the Top of fome arched Roof, or other circular Concave, encompaf-ling our Eye. Thefe, although far more narrow Bounds, and a more fcanty Reckoning than itfhould be, vet was fufficient to ftiew who was j „ „

the Maker of fuch a ftupendous Arch, and fo noble a Train as is contained therein.

But according to the modern Reckoning (which is far the moft rational, and grounded upon better Phenomena) we {hall find this Branch of the Creation far more magnificent, and worthy of its infinite CREATOR than thofe former Computations made it.

And how grand and magnificent a Strufture the Heavens are, will appear

Chap. i. Modern Reckonings. 9

pear by a diftincSt‘ Confideration of the Magnitude of the Heavenly Bodies themfelves ; and of the Space in which they are.

Chap. II.

The Magnitude of the

heavenly Bodies.

ALthough we are not able to give a certain Determination of the Magnitude of- the Heavenly Bodies, by reafon of their vaft Diftances, yet enough we know, and are fure of concerning their immenfe Magnitudes, to convince any one that they are the Works of GOD. But to come to particulars.

The Meafure by which we ufual-ly gage and compare the Heavenly Bodies, is our Terraqueous Globe-of whofe Dimenfions and Bulk we

can

3

The Magnitude Book I.

can make a pretty good Eftimate, having tolerably good and accurate Qbfervations leading us thereto : the Particulars of which I have had Occasion elfewhere to fpecify (a).

By thefe Obfervations it appears that the Diameter of this our Globe is above 79 Hundred Miles; that ponfeqtjently its Surface is a good deal above 199 Millions of Miles, and its folid Content or Bulk near 2<5y Thoufand Millions of Miles. If

(a) Phyfico-Theol. B. 2. Ch. 2. In which Place I have made ufe of Mr. Pickart’s Meafure of the Earth. Bat notwithftanding the Difference be but fmall, viz,, a little above 3 2 Miles in the whole Diameter of our Globe, yet I fhall make ufe here of our Mr. Norwood’s and Monf. Caffints Meafures, becaufe they agree to almoft a Nicety, and Mr. Caffnii’s were made (by the French King’s Command) at greater Diftan-ces, with the greateft Accuracy. And according to thefe Meafures, the Diameter of the Earth is 7967/7 Englifli Miles, its Surr face 199444201 Miles, and its folid Content 264856000000 Miles,

there-

phap. i. of the Earth.    n

therefore we fhould go no farther from Home than our own Globe, a Mafs we here have worthy of an Infinite Creator, a Work proclaiming that great Being that made it.

But as vaft a Body as this feems to be, it is much lefs than many, yea mod of the Heavenly Bodies that are vifible to us, except two or three of the Planets, which feem to be lefs than our Globe, namely Mars, whofe Diameter is reckoned to be but 4875" Englifh Miles, and the Moon_y whofe Diameter is but 2175 Miles; and Mercury, whofe Diameter is 1748 Miles (a); but yet thefe are vaft and amazing Bodies too. But for the reft; there is good Reafon to imagine their Bulk exceeds that of our Terraqueous Globe. Thus the two fuperiour

Planets

(a) The Number of Miles which I have here, and all along affigned to the Diameters of the feveral Planets are the mean Numbers

*’• ¹ ~ 1. -c t- - ■ - • between

11    The Magnitude Book I.

Planets by far exceed us -_y Saturn being computed at 93451 Miles in Diameter, and confequently at 427318300000000 Miles in its Bulk,* and Jupiter at 120653 Miles in Diameter, and 920011 200000000 Miles in Bulk. But yet as amazing Mafles as thefe all are, yet they are all

between Mr. FlamfleecTs in Mr. iVhiflotfs Aftro-nomhql LeElures, and Mr. Huy gen's in his Syfl. Saturn, and Cofmotheor. which (as Mr. Whijion firft fuggefted to me) feem to be neareft the Truth. For whereas the Rays of Light when intercepted by the Edge of a Knife or other Body, are (as Sir Ifaac Newton obferves in his Princip. L. i. Prop. 96.) fomewhat bent, as if attracted from a ftrait Line by that Body; and whereas Mr. Flamflee&’s Meafures were taken with a Micrometer that pinches or clafps the oppofite Edges of a Planet which would incur-vate the Rays one Way; and Mr.Huygen’s were taken with the Interposition of a thin tapering Plate covering the Planet as far as the extremity of its Face, which would caufe an Incurvation of the Rays the contrary way; therefore Mr. Flamfteed’s Meafures are as much too little, as Mr. Huygens are too large, and confequently the Mean between them probably neareft the Truth.

far

Chap. i. of the other Planets. 13

far out done by that ftupendous Globe of Fire, the Sun; which as it is the Fountain of Light and Heat to all the Planets about it,affording them by his benign Rays, and kindly Influence, the great Pleafures and Comforts of Life; fo doth it as far furpafs them in its Bulk; its apparent Diameter being computed at 822148 Englifh Miles, and its folid Content at 2510971000000000000 Miles, fuppofing the Face we fee of the Sun to be its true and real Globe.

Thus ftupendous are the Magnitudes of the Globes of this our Solar Syfleme. But thefe are not all, nor perhaps the moft confiderable Bodies of the Univerfe. For the fixt Stars, although in Appearance but fo many golden or flaming Spots, yet are with great probability, fuppofed to be fo many Suns, furrounded with their refpe<5tive Syftemes of Planets, as our Sun is j and imagined to be no

14 The Magnitude> &c. BookL

lefs in Magnitude, if not greater^ (fome of them at leaft) than our Sun is, but only diminifhed in Appearance by their prodigious Distances from Us.

If now we refled upon the prodigious Maffes of thofe many Heavenly Bodies that prefent themfelves to our View, and many more I {hall fliew are unfeen 5 what a furprizing Scene do the Heavens affords us of the great CREATOR’S Power! A Train of fuch immenfe Bodies, that what lefs than an Almighty Hand could firftfind matter fufficient for^and then compofe, fuch Magnificent Works! But yet what is the Magnitude of all thefe Bodies to that immenfe Space in which they are ? Which is the next thing to be confidered.

Chap.

Chap. 3; The Immenfity, See. ij

Chap. Ill-,

Of the Immensity of the

Heavens.

T T is neceflary that I fhould give a diftind confederation to the immenfe Space pofleft by the Heavenly Bodies, becaufe it was once imagined to be limited by the narrower Bounds of the Ptolemaic Sy-fteme, by that which they called the ⁹AnXavYjg, the Starry Concameration, or Firmamment of the fixt Stars, as I have before intimated $ but now with far greater Probability, and Rea-fon, it is extended to an indefinitely larger Space, a Space fufficient, without all doubt, to contain all the noble Variety of Syftemes therein; not only our own of the Sun, but all thofe others I mentioned of the fixe

Stars

I <5 The Immenfity of Book I.

Stars alfo. But for the better proof, and more eafy Apprehenfion of the Magnitude of this vaft expanded Space, let it be confidered. _r i. That fome, if not every one, of thofe vaft Globes of the Univerfe hath a Motion. This is, in fome, manifeft to our Sight; and may eafi-ly be concluded of all, from the conftant Similitude and Confent that the Works of Nature have with one another. But in what manner thefe Motions are performed, whether by the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies round the Earth, or by the Earth round its own Axis, or any other way, it matters not much now to enquire.

2. It is manifeft that the Earth is fet at fuch a due Diftance from the Heavenly Bodies, and the Heavenly Bodies at fuch a due Diftance from one another, as not to interfere, clafli with, or diforder one another.

Nay

Chap. 3. the Heavens.    17

Nay fo great is their Diftance, fo convenient their Situation, that they do not fo much as eclipfe one another, except fuch Planets as are called Secondary.

3. It is farther manifefi alfo* That thofe vail Bodies are fo far off, as to appear extreamly fmall to our Eye, coniidering their prodigious Magnitudes.

Now for the effe&ing of this, or any of the other Matters, it is necef-fary that there be a fufficient Space. And that there is fuch, and what that Space is, we may make a Judgment of, by confidering Particulars, according to the be ft Obfervations we have of thefe things.

And to begin neareft Home,- the neareft of the Heavenly Bodies to us* is the Moon ,* whofe Orb is the leaft of any of the Celeftial Globes, but yet fhe takes up a Space of near 480

C    thoufand

Size of the Book I

thoufand Englifh Miles in Breadth (a) to perform her monthly Revolution in. And as for the Earth, if with the Moderns wefuppofeit, together with its Satellite the Moon, to revolve round the Sun ,• or (which amounts to the fame thing) if the Sun revolves round the Earth, this Mag-ruis Orlns_y as it is ufually called, is a Space of above 540 Millions of Miles Circumference (i), or 172

Millions

(a)    The Moon’s mean Dijlance from the Earth according to Sir Ifaac Newtons Princip. p. 430. is 60 ~ Semidiameters of the Earth, according to which the Diameter of the Moon’s Orbit is 47P9°5 Englifh Miles.

(b)    Concerning the Diftance between the Sun and the Earth, there is a great Difagreement between the former and latter Aftronomers, occa-fion’d by the Difagreement between their Obfer-vations of the Sun's Horizontal Parallax (which is equal to the Earth’s Semidiamiter viewed at the Sun) Tycho making it 3 minutes, Kepler but one, Buliialdm 2 minutes, 2 1 feconds, and Ric-ciuli but 28 feconds. Confequently the Diftau-ces arifing from hcnce are lefs than thofe of the

latter

Chap. 3. Moon's and Earth's 0; b. ip

Millions of Miles Breadth. And if to that we add the Increment caufed by the Sweep of the Moon, or the

latter Aftronomers. The very ingenious and accurate Monf.^ La Hire in his 'Tabid. Aftron. thinks the Sun’s Horizontal Parallax to be not above 6 feconds, and his Diftance therefore to be 34377 Semidiameters of the Earth, or 136952807 Englifh Miles. But although his O'ofervations were made fince, yet I fhall make ufe of Monf. Caffi-ms Number, being deduc’d from very ingenious and accurate Obfervations of the Parallax of Mars, and agreeing nearly with the Determination of two great Men, Mr. Fla7nfteed and Mr. Huygens, and I may add Dr. Hailey too, who make it about 10 or 12000 Diameters of the Earth. That great Aftronomer (Monf. Caffini I mean) afligns a Number between them, in his Les Ele-mens de L’Aflron. §. 37. That the Sun’s Parallax being fuppofed to be 9 4 Seconds, gives the Diflarice of the Sun from the Earth 21600 Sernidiameters of the Earth: which are equal to 86051398 Englifh Miles. And imagining the Magnus Orbis to be a Circle (as it is indeed an Ellipfis not much differing from a Circle) the double of that Number is the length of its Diameter, •viz.. 172 .102795 Englifh Miles.

Thefe Numbers are different from thofe I have afligned in my Phyjico-Thecl. B. I. ch.4. Note 5, from a Miftake at that time.

Excur-

20 Size of the Orbs of Book I.

Excurfion of her Orb beyond the Magnus Orbis, we {hall have a Space yet broader by near 280 Thoufand Mil cs. But as vaft a Space as this feems to be, yet it is not fuch as to caufe either the Earth 01* Moon to clafh with any of the other Celeftial Globes, as I have faid -_y nay fo far from that, that not fo much as their Shade approaches any of them. In which cafe, what ample Orbs muft the three Superior Planets have ? what a Space is necelfary for them and their more numerous Moons to perform their much larger Courfes in ? And accordingly, fuch Spaces they and the reft of the Planets are all found to have: Saturn an Orb of 164151638(5 Englifh Miles Diameter- Jupiter an Orb of 895134000 Miles; Mars of 262282910 Miles 5 Venus of 124487114 Miles i and Mercury an Orb of 66621000 En-

s    gliiib

Chap. 3. the Supenotir Planets. 2 1

lifh Miles (a): all of them Spaces fo accurately laid out, and Diftan-ces fo duly proportioned to their Revolutions about the Sun, that abundantly manifeft infinite Wifdom to have been concerned in their Appointment, as 1 intend to {hew in proper Place.

But now after this Account of this fo prodigious a Space as that of our Solar Syfiem is, what is it to the nearly infinite Rxpanfiim occupied by the reft of the Heavenly Bodies! Of which we may have a faint Adumbration by confidering the Diftances which, with the greateft Probability of Obfervation and Reafon, are

affigned t₀ the Fixt Stars. In order

o

(a) Thefe Numbers are deduced from the Di-ftance between the Sun and Earth afligned in the preceding Note, and Sir Ifaac Neivton’s Diftances of the Planets from the Sun computed from their Periods in his Principia L. 3. Phanom.4. and are, as I humbly conceive, much more accurate than other Calculations that I have met with.

to

Difiances of Book I.

to the making an Eflimate of which Matter, let it be fuppofed (which is ufually allowed) that the fixt Stars are fo many Suns 5 that they are of the fame, or nearly the fame Magnitude as our Sun is 5 and that the Difference of their Magnitudes arifeth from the Difference of their Diftances. If fo, then it will follow, That the fixt Stars are each of them as much farther from us than the Sun, as their apparent Diameters are lefs than that of the Sun (a). And forafmuch as few of them appear otherwife than as Points even through our beft: Tele-fcopes, therefore how prodigioufly farther 'mull: they needs be from us than the Sun is, to caufe their Appearance to be fo very much lefs than the Sun ? For an Exaniple, let us cake one of the fixt Stars fuppofed

(a) Compare the fagacious Dr. David Gregory*s Demonftration of this in his A fir on L. 3. Prop. $6, 60, and 61, '

Chap. 3. the fixt Stars.

² 3

to be nearefl: to us, as being the brighteft and largeft, namely Syrh/s. Now this, by accurate Obfervations (a) hath been found to be in Appearance 27664 times lefs than the Sun ; and confequently, by the foregoing Rule, it is fo many times farther off than the Sun is, which will amount to above 1 Millions of Millions of £//-glifh Miles. And if fo, what an im-menfurable Space is the Firmament? wherein a great Number of Stars le£ fer and lefler, and confequently (according to the foregoing Suppohrion) farther and farther off, are leen with our naked Eye, and many more aif-covered with our Glaffes, and ftill many more and more with better Glaffes (b)₎ and in all probability

many

(a)    See Mr. Huygens in Cofmotheor. p. 137.

(b)    In viewing the Planets with my longer Glalfes (efpecially the Planets of a w eaker Light) it often falls out that divers of the fixt Stars, and fome of them very fmall, prefent themfelves

C 4    at

²4

Di/lances_y See. Book I.

many others that efcape the Reach of our utmoft Art to defcry: which may confequently be as far diftant from thofe we fee, as thofe are from us.

at the fame time within the Glafs, notwith-ftanding its Area is not fufficient to contain both Jupiter and his moft diftant Satellites. By which means it is fometimes difficult to diftin-guifh between thofe Fix’d Stars and the Satellites of the Planets. Thus I have fometimes been ready to fanfy that I faw one or more Satellites near Mars, until by future Obfervations

I perceived they were only fome of the Telef-copick fix’d Stars lying in the Way of Mars. So about Saturn, I have often difcerned the Likentfs of many Satellites, but I am not fure I ever faw above three. From whence it is mani-feft, that in all Parts of the Heavens there are many Stars which prefent themfelves to our Eye through our long GlafTes, that are otherwife invi** fible to us.

Cm a p.

Chap. 4. Applications.    25

C5Q03&2    CSQC2Q03C0 {3Gj&3C3@ m

Chap. IV.

Practical Deductions from, and Reflexions upon the Magnitudes/ the Heavens.

HAVING fet forth the prodigious Magnitude of the Heavenly Space, and of the Bodies therein contained, before we proceed farther, let us paufe a little, to confi-der what Influence thefe Things ought to have upon us.

And in fhort who can behold the Regions above, and confiderthe Things therein contained, and at the fame time not own them to declare the Glory of God? Who can view that immenfurable Firmament in which thofe Bodies are, and not acknowledge

26 Seneca's Reflexions. Book I.

ledge his Handy-Work? We admire, as juftly we may, the vaft Bulk of this our own Globe: but when we confider how much it is furpaffed by inoft of the Heavenly Bodies, what a Point it degenerates into, and how very little more even it, and what we call its Great Orb together alfo, are, when feen from the Heavens, this gives us a juft and noble Idea of the Infinite Creator’s Works, fuch as is worthy of God, and fuch as may make us flight, not overvalue this little Heap on which we dwell, and caufeourThoughts and Defires to foar among the Heavenly Glories. But for an Application of thefe Confide-rations, let us hear Seneca's Reflexions upon the Matter (aj_y who on this Account recommends Virtue, not purely becanfe it is a noble thing in :ts own Nature, and a great BleJJing

(a) Nat. Qua?ft. L. i. Prafat.

•    to

Chap. 4. Seneca’s Reflexions. 27

to be free from Evil, but alfo becaufe it enlargeth the Mind', and prepares it for the Knowledge of Heavenly things, and makes it fit to ajfociate with God (a).—Then, faith he, the Mind hath the confummate and full good of our human State, when having conquered all Evil, it foars aloft, and wandering among the Stars above, it is able to deride the Jlately StruBures of the Wealthy, and all

their Riches.-Neither, faith he,

can it contemn the Porches and Roofs fhining with Ivory, the clip’d Groves, and the pie afant Streams conveyed to their Honfes, until it hath wandered throughout the World, and from a-beve looking down upon this little Globe, covered in a great me a fur e by the Sea, and, where not■ fo, flovenly, and either burnt up in one part, or frozen in the other, it then faith to it felf,

(a) Qjd in cpnfortium DE J veniat.

Is

28 Seneca’* Reflexions. Book I.

Is this that little Point that is divided among fo many Nations by Fire and Sword? Oh how ridiculous are the Bounds of Mortals, when this River divides this Nation, that Mountain boundeth another, and that Defart another? For as for this World, faith he, It is a Point in which ye fail, m which ye war, in which ye difpofe of Kingdoms. But above, are vajl Spaces, into the Poffefjion whereof the Mind is admitted, on Condition it hath brought but little of the Body along with it, that it hath cleanfed itfelffrom every filthy thing, and being difengaged from the World hath made itfelf illufirious, by being expeditious and light, and content with little things. When fuch a Mind.\ faith he, hath touched thofe Celejlial Regions, it is then nounfhed and grozvs; and as if delivered from its Bonds, it returns to its original State. And this Argument it hath of its Divinity,

that

Chap. 4. Seneca’s Reflexions. 29

that it delights in divine Matters, and is converfant with them, not as things flrange, to /Vs own. There it fecurely beholds the rifing and fet-Stars, different Courfes, &c. this curious SpeBator difcuffes every thing, fearches out every thing. And indeed what Jhould it do but pry into thofe Matters, j&* knows they belong to him/elf? Then he contemns the narrow Bounds of his

Habitation in this World.-

dtf /#/? he learns what he hath long enquired after: there he begins to know God (a).

(a) Illic incipt DEUM nop.

book

BOOK II.

THE

Great NUMBER

O F T H E

Heavenly Bodies.

Chap. I.

A General View of the NUMBERS of the Heavenly Bodies.

AVING in the preceding Book given a De-monftration of God from the Magnitude of the Heavenly Bodies, I fhall do the fame

in

Chap. I. The great Number, <kc. 31

in this from their Number ,- a Number fo great, that we cannot view and confider them without Aftonifh-ment. Were there no more of them than the Sun, and the Planets (both Primary and Secondary) fuppofed to move about him, there would be a Number fufficient to manifeft an Almighty and Wife CREATOR. But when we view the Heavens, and fee our felves furrounded with fo prodigious a Number of illuftrious Bodies,

* of various Magnitudes • when we go to other Parts of this our Globe, from the Northern, fuppofe to the Southern Pole, and there difcover a great Multitude of other Stars that were never feen in our Hemifphere: when we perceive the Heavens thick befet with them in every Place* and when (as I already hinted) we view the Heavens with our Glaffes, and difcover many more than our naked Eye could reach ; and when we again

view

32 The great Number of Book IL

view them with better and better In-ftruments, and ftill difcover more and more of thofe Starry Globes , when particularly we furvey what they call the Milky-Way, and fee the prodigious Number, 1 may al-moft fay Clufters of Stars, that fill that Region of the Heavens,and caufe that remarkable whitenefs there: I fay, when we fee fuch prodigious Numbers of thofe Heavenly Bodies, which no Art of Man can number; and when we farther confider, that in all probability we do not fee the half, nay perchance not the thoufandth Part of what the Heavens do contain j as we cannot but be ftruck with Amazement at fuch a multitude of GOD’s glorious Works, fo we cannot but own the great CREATOR in them; and we are worfe than Men, if we do not give him his due Praifes,

Chap,

C h ap. 2. The Fixt Stars Suns. 3 3

Chap. II.

That the Fixt Stars are Suns encompaffed with Sy-ftemes of Planets.

ALTHOUGH the Number of the Erratick and Fixt Heavenly Bodies we fee are fufficient to fet forth the Exiftence and Praifes of their great CREATOR, yet there is one thing more that I cannot eafi* ly pafs over (though it hath only high Probabilities for it) becaufe it gives us a far more noble and agreeable Idea of the Creation, than the World was ever, that we know of* acquainted with before; and that is* That the belt and mod learned modern Aftronomers do generally fup-pofe the great multitude of Fixt Stars we fee, or -imagine to be in the Uni-

D    verfe,

34    The Fixt Stars BookII.

verfe, to be fo many Suns_y and each of them encompaffed with a Syfleme of Planets like our Sun.

And that the Fixt Stars are Suns, or of much the fame Nature as our Sun, there is great reafon to conclude,

1.    Because they are Bodies no lefs immenfe (as I have faid) than the Sun, but only diminifhed in appearance, by their prodigious diflan-ees from us.    ,

2.    Because they fhine by their own native Light, not by any borrowed from the Sun. For fo great are their diflances from the Sun, and from us alfo, that it is not poffible their Light fhould be received from the Sun, and reflected to us, as that of the Moon and other Planets is. And withal, fo brifk and vivid is their Light, and fo very fmall their apparent Diameters, when diverted of their glaring Rays, and made to

Chap. 2. fo many Planets.

have their true appearance through our Telefcopes, that no queftion is to be made, but that they fhine by their own innate Light, as our Sun doth.

And if the Fixt Stars are fo many Suns, certainly they minifter to fome grand Ufes in the Univerfe, far above what hath ufiially been attributed unto them. \And what more probable Ufes, than to perform the Office of fo many Suns ? that is, to enlighten and warm as many Syftemes of Planets • after the manner as our Sun doth the Erraticks encompafling it. And that this is the Ufe and Office of the Fixt Stars is probable,

i. Because this is a far more probable and fuitable ufe for fo many Suns, fo many glorious Bodies, than to fay they were made only to enlighten and influence our leffer, and I may fay inferior, Globe j which another Moon or two, or one or D 2    two

36    Planets about Book II.

two of thofe very Suns lit nearer to us, would have better done, than all the whole train of Heavenly Bodies now doth. But inftead of this, many of them, nay perhaps the greateft number of them are at fuch immenfe diftances (as fhall be fhewn under the next Head) that they are out of the reach of our naked eye. In which cafe, what ufe is it likely fuch great numbers of fuch immenfe, unfeen, far diftant Bodies can be to our World, when there are fo many already of divers Magnitudes of thofe that fall under View, that (befides other much greater Ufes they may ferve unto in the Univerfe) do mini-fter to our help and comfort here tipon Earth₃ in (applying the Abfence of the Sun and Moon by Night?

2. From the Parity, and con-ftant Uniformity obfervable in all God’s Works, we have great Rea-fon to concltide that every Fixt Star

hath

Chap. 2. the Fixt Stars.    37

hath a Syfteme of Planets, as well as the Sun. For it is certain that the Sun is a Fixt Star to the Fixt Stars, as they are to the Sun. And in this cafe, if (as the juftly renowned Mr. Chriftian (a) Huygens argues) we Jhould imagine ourfelves to be placed fome where in the Heavenly Regions, as far from the Sun as from the Fixt Stars, we fhould then perceive no difference between the one or the other. For it would be very unlikely that we fhould fee any of the Solar Planets_y either by reafon of the diminifhing of their Light, or becaufe their Orbs would fink into the fame lucid Point with that of the Sun. Being then fo placed, we fhould imagine all thefe Stars [both Sun and Fixt Stars] to be much of the fame Nature and Kind; and from a view of any one of them nearer to us than the reft, we fhould

(a) CofmQtheoros, /.133.

D 5    make

38 Modern Syfleme of Book II.

make our judgment of them all. And now being., faith he, by the favour of God, admitted fo near one of them, namely the Sun, as to fee fix le(fer Globes revolving round about him, and other Secondary ones revolving round fome of them: why ought we not to have the fame judgment of the refl of thofe Suns, as of this, and think it altogether probable that this is not the only Star of all the number that is en~ compaffed with fuch a train, or in any refpeB excels the refl ? Neither al-fo that this Star alone revolves round its own Axis, but rather that all the refl have fomewhat of the fame kind alfo. And fo that learned Pevfon goes on in the further purfuit of his ingenious Argument.

3. Besides thofe ftrong probabilities, we have this farther to recommend thofe imaginations to us, that this account of the Univerfe is far more magnificent, worthy of, and

becoming

Chap. 2. the Univerfe be ft.

becoming the infinite CREATOR, than any other of the narrower Schemes. For here we have the Works of the Creation, not confined to the more fcanty limits of the Orb* or Arch of the Fixt Stars, or even the larger Space of the Primum Mobile, which the ancients fanfied were the utmoft Bounds of the Univerfe, but they are extended to a far larger, as well as more probable, even an inde?* finite, Space • as was fet forth in the firft Book. Alfo in this Profpedt of the Creation, as the Earth is difcard-ed from being the Center of the U-niverfe, fo neither do we make the Ufes and Offices of all the glorious Bodies of the Univerfe to center therein; nay in Man alone, according to the old vulgar Opinion, that all things were made for Man (b). But in this our Scheme we have a far more ex-

(If) See PbyficQ-l’heol. p. 2. c.6. N. 3.

D 4 tenfive^

40 Modern Syfteme be ft. Book II.

tenfive, grand, and noble View of God’s Works; a far greater number of them, not thofe alone that former ages faw, but multitudes of o^ thers that the Telefcope hath dif-covered fince ; and all thefe far more orderly placed throughout the Hea^ vens, and at more due and agreeable diftances, and made to ferve to much more noble and proper ends; for here we have not one Syfteme of Sun and Planets alone, and one only habitable Globe, but myriads of Sy-ftemes, and more of habitable Worlds (cj_y and fome even in our own Solar Syfteme, as well as thofe of the Fixt Stars. And confequent-ly if .in the Sun and its Planets, al-tho’ viewed only here upon the Earth at a great Diftance, we find enough to entertain our Eye, to cap^ tivate our Underftanding, to excite

(*) See the Preface, p. 50;

our

Chap. 3. Of New Stars.

4*

our Admiration and Praifes of the infinite CREATOR and Contriver of them ; what an Augmentation of thefe Glories (hall we find in great multitudes of them! in all thofe Syftemes of the Fixt Stars throughout the Univerfe, that I have fpoken of, and (hall have oc-cafion to mention again in the next Chapter!

Chap. III. Of New Stars.

BESIDES the Planets of our Solar Syfteme, and the wonderful number of Fixt Stars, there are fome others, which are called New Stars, which fometimes appear and difap-pear in divers Parts of the Heavens, and will deferve a place here..

Somr

4i    Of New Stars. Book II.

Some of thefe New Stars have been taken notice of as early as Hipparchus's, time, whofeeing fuch a New-Star, and doubting whether it often happened, and whether the Stars we take to be Fixt vjere fo or no $ he therefore (as (dJ Plmy tells usj fet upon numbering the Stars for pojie-rity ; a difficult Task, he faith, even for a God: and by proper Inflru-ments he marfJoalled them m fuch order, that their Places and Magnitudes might be known: by which means it might be eafily found, not only whether they decayed and perifhed, or were again renewed \ but alfo whether any of them changed their places_y or had any Motion_} as alfo whether they increafed or decreafed. Thus Pliny,

Since which time many other fuch New Stars have been taken No-

(d) Plin.Nat. Hift.L.2. c.25.

tice

k'^v t

Chap, 3. Of New Stars.    43

tice of by others. To pafs by the New Stars in Hadrian's Valentim-an’s, Honorius^zw^Otto's times, I i rial I name only fuch as have been more lately taken notice of by men of good Judgment in thefe matters- fuch were thofe New Stars obferv’d by Tycho Brahe_} David Fabric ins, J an fori _y Bayer _y Kepler, Marius, Byrgins_y Holwarda₃ Heve!ms, Montanan, BuU lialdus_y CaJJint, our Mr. Flamjleed, and fome others (e) ; to which may be addded a New Star that appears at this very time I am writing, in the Neck of the Swan • the fame in all probability that hath been feen

(e) For a Catalogue of thefe and other New Stars, the Conftellations in which they appeared, and other Matters relating to them, I ftiall refer to Riccioh’s Almageft. Lib. 8. §.2. cap. r. Eevelii Prodrom. in his Defcription of the Comet in 1665. p.433. the Appendix to Mercator's Aftton. and Mr. Lowthorp’s Abridg. Vol. 1. p. 247.

before

3

44

Of New Stars. Book II,

before by Mr.Kirch, ffj in 1687, and 1688, and perhaps by Bftyer long before, as alio Hevehus and others.

Of thefe New Stars, there is rea-foij to imagine there may be many, by reafon they are not confined to any one part of the Heavens, but appear and difappear in divers Conftel-lations, and divers parts of thofe Conftellations, as in Cajfiopeia, the Swan, the Great Bear, Andromeda_y Eridanus_y the Whale, the Ship _y and divers other parts of the Heavens.

(f) In the MifceUanea Berolincnfta, p. 210, Mr. Kirch faith, he, for fome time, fought this Star in vain, but at laft on Auguft i6Sj. he found it with the help of an 8 Foos Tube, but very fmall, and that it grew bigger and bigger, fo as on OEloben3. to be feen with the naked Eye, until having arrived to its greatefl Magnitude, it again became lefs and lefs, and at laft invifible even in a Telefcope. By frequent Ob-fervations he difcovered its Motion to be very re= gwlar, and its Period to be 404 4 days.

What

Chap. 3. Of New Stars.

What thefe New Stars are, is hard to determine. Meteors they cannot be, becaufe they are of a long continuance, and much too far off, for Bodies that emit fo little light as Meteors do, to be feen by us. And as for other Opinions about them, they are too many, and too frivolous (fome of them) to be named (g), except one or two of the mod probable. Among which, one is of fome that think they may be fuch Stars as have one fide darker than the other, as one of Saturn's Satellites is fuppofed to have, and fo appear only when the bright fide is turned towards us, and difappear as the darker takes place. Some think they may be Fixt Stars that expire in Light and Vapours (h)

(g)    If the Reader hath a mind to fee a variety of thefe Opinions, he may find them largely enough handled in Riccioli’s Almagefl. ubi fuprcl

^c'^l7- .    . .

(h)    This is what Sir If lac Nezvton furmifes in his Princij). £.5. Prop.^i,

and

46    Of New Stars. Book 1L

and are again rekindled, and recruited by the Accefs of Comets. Others take them to be Comets themfelves. But if I may be admitted to fpeak what was formerly my own opinion, I rather took them to be Errciticks of fome kind or other $ and that for thefe Reafons:

1.    From fome of them, as I thought, feeming to change their Places, and appearing fometimes farther off, and fometimes nearer unto other Stars: as I have faid in the Preface, p. 45.

2.    From that Increafe and De-creafe of their Light and Magnitudes which is conftantly obferved in them; they being at firft obfcure, and hardly difcernible, but by degrees growing brighter and brighter, till fome of them equal the light of Venus and others the light of the Fixt Stars, of the Firft, Second, and Third Magnitudes: and then again as gradually

grofy

Chap. 3. Of New Stars.    47

grow lefs and lefs till they utterly difappear.

3. From their Periodical motion and return after a certain time. This indeed hath not been fo carefully and judicioufly taken notice of as it deferves, or fo as to bring their Periods under certain determinations; but yet in fome of Hevelius's and Cafjini*s observations, it hath been difcovered that fome of the fame Stars have returned, as particularly that in the IVhale's Neck, and that which now appears in the Swan’s Neck₃ which as I juft before (pag. 44.) faid, hath a Period of 404days, according to Mr. Kirch's obfervations.

These were my reafons for fuf-pe£ting thofe New Stars to be Err a-ticks, rather than Fixt Stars either recruited,or having dark and light fides.

But the grand Difficulty is, what kind of Erraticks they are, whether Wandering Sms_y ox Planets (like ours)

of

₄8

Of New Stars. Book II.

of other Syfteme^? That they fhould bt Wandering Suns_y isfomewhat odd to afTert: and of what ufe they fhould be, is hard to imagine, fince there is nothing of this kind in the Uni-verfe, that we know of, that may aflift pur imagination.

And as to the latter opinion, I confcfs I have been much enclined to fu(pe£t that they might be Planets revolving round fuch Suns, as caft a much fiercer and more vigorous Light than our Sun doth; and that thefe their Planets might be more denfe than ours, and have Surfaces more ftrongly reflecting light, and perhaps be much larger too. But notwithftanding that Planetary Reflected Light may be fent to very great diftanccs by thefe means, yet without extravagant Suppofitions of this nature, it may be doubted whether it would reach us, fo far off as the Fixt Stars are. And befides this,

another

Chap. 3. Of New Stars.

another doubt is, That altho⁵ there are divers Stars near thofe New Stars, of greater Magnitudes than any of thofe New Stars are, which I ever yet have had the fortune to fee; yet I can fcarce think them big enough, to conclude them to be the Suns about which thofe New Stars (if Planets) move. And therefore being uncertain what to determine in fo intricate a matter, I (hall leave it to future better Obferv^tions (which the late long dark Weather hath hindered me in the profecution of) which I hope may afford us fo good light* as may lead us into a much greater knowledge of thofe rare Ph.Tno-tnena.

But whatever thofe New Stars are, they are a farther Demonftra-tion of GOD’s Power and Glory: and that there are many more of the grand Works of the Creation than \vhat our Eyes behold at all, or that

E    we

Of New Stars. Book II

we have only now and then a glimpfe of. But if they are Planets of other Syftemes, fome of thofe Erraticks revolving round fome of the Fixt Stars, then do they lay open a ftill more glorious Scene of GOD’s Works, and give us fuch a reprefentation of the ftate of the Univerfe, that the World never dreamt of before, and that even Angels themfelves may be amazed at the fight of.

BOOK

BOOK III.

«^wfe«*»5e.''iuci.ot?,«yiyfj.utjlouIow<uwioyIoolf5«SiO^I?suiOuiuwot.?Io

THE DUE

SITUATION

O F T H E

Heavenly Bodies-

CS0&2 CSOT3C50 OS3tSe3{9SXS5G5 8G?S©SSGXS@ OT33&3

Chap. I.

Of the due as well as great DISTANCE of the Heavenly Bodies.

H A V E before takeri notice of the immenfe Diftance of the Heavenly Bodies, that it is fuch as makes thofe vaft Bodies the Fixt Stars (no lefs in all pro-

E 2 bability,

5 i The due Diflance of, See. Book III.

bability, as I faid, than the Sun it fdf) to degenerate into fo many Points, yea to efcape our eye; nay more than this, that it caufeth even our own Great Orb which our Earth defcribes about the Sun, to fink into almoft a Point, or at leaft a Circle of but a few Seconds Diameter. I lliall therefore fay no more on that matter. But that which I fhall fpeak of in this Book, is the due proportion of the Diftances of the Heavenly Bodies, that they are not fee at random, like a Work of Chance, but placed regularly, and in due order, according to the bed methods of Proportion and Contrivance. Which will be manifeft from the following Chapters, which will fliew that the Diftance is fuch, that none of the Globes interfere with one another: but inftead of that, are in due and the moft nice, commodious Proportion.

Chap,

Chap. I, Globes interfere not.

Chap. II.

That none of the GLOBES of the Univerfe Interfere.

HAD the Univerfe been the Work of Chance, or any thing but of a wife Architect, there would have been a great many blunders and inconveniencies in the Situation of foch a prodigious number of immenfeGlobes, astheUniverfedoth contain. Some would have been too near, fome too far off, fome would have met with, knock’d and ftop’d one the other, and fome would have fo interfer’d as to have incommoded the other, fome way or other. But inftead of this, every Globe throughout the whole Creation is, £s far as it is poffible for us to obferve,

E 3    fee

54

None of the Book III

fet at fuch a due Diftance, as not only to avoid all violent Concourfes, but alfo fo as not to eclipfe or fhade one the other, wherever it may be prejudicial, or indeed not ufeful and convenient, or fo as to hinder one anothers kindly Influences, or to prejudice one another by noxious ones. This is very manifeft in our own Sy-fteme of the Sun j and becaufe we fee it not otherwife, we may conclude it to be fo in all ,• unlefs we lhould make fome exception for what is faf-pe£ted (and indeed only fufpe&ed) of Comets, which in their approaches towards the Earth, are imagined to caufe Difeafes, Famines, and other fuch like Judgments of God. But this is only Surmife, and what befals the world at other times, without the vifible approach of any Comet. But however, fuppofing that as Comets move in Orbs very different from thofe of the other Heavenly Bodies,

fo

Chap. 2. Globes interfere.    yy

fo their Effe&s and Influences may be as different; yet this may be, and no doubt is (becaufe it may be proved) with the concurrence, and by the appointment of the Divine Providence ,* who, as Governonr of the World, might make fuch noxious Globes to execute his Juftice, by affrighting and chaftifing finful Men, at their approaches to the Earth ,• and not only lo, but (as fome have imagined) to be the place of their Habitation and Torment after death. But fuppofing it to be fo, yet herein is a kind Providence manifested, That their Returns to the Earth are but feldom (a)_y and their Stays fhort, and

that

(a) There having of late been great Expectations among fome, of a Comet appearing this year 1718, it may gratify their curiofity to take notice, in this place, of the three Comets, whofe Periods we imagine, are difcovered, by the great Sagacity and Application of our modern Aftro-nomers. The Revolution of the Firfl of the Three, is fuppofed to be performed in 75 years;

D 4    and

j 6 None of the Globes, See. Book III.

that they take up many years in paf-fing the reft of their Orbs.

And now whether we confider the due Situation of the greateft part of the Heavenly Bodies, whereby neither they, nor their influences do interfere- or the more unufual Pofi-tion and Motion of Comets, ftill it appears that a wife and careful Architect was the Contriver and Orde-rer of it all: efpecially if we join what follows in the next Chapter.

and to have been the fame Coimt that appeared jn the year 1682. The Second is fuppofed to be the Comet that was feen in the year 1661, and to revolve round in 129 years. And the Third is imagined to be that Com?t which appeared in 1680 and 1681, whofe Period is 575 years. And according to Mr. Whiftons Determinations, the Firft of thefe three Comets will again appear if* the year 1758, the Second in 1789, and the ‘third and laft no: till about the year 2255.

C 1} A p.

Chap. 3. The Due Diflcince, &c. 57

Chap. III.

Of the nice Proportions of the Diftances of the Heavenly Bodies.

AS it is one great demonftration of the ingenuity and fkill of an Architect to give due Proportions to his Work; fo we find this to be abundantly manifeft in all the Bodies of the Univerfe that fall under our cognizance: among which we may difcern a curious Order, and that due and nice Proportions are ftriCtly obferved in their Situation.

H o w the Fixt Stars are fituated in refped to one another, is impofli-ble for us to determine at fuch prodigious Diftances as they are from but they look to us, who can

have

j8 Due Dijiance of Book III.

have no regular profped of their Portions, as if placed without any Order : like as we (hould judge of an Army of orderly, well difciplined Soldiers, at a diftance, which would appear to us in a confufed manner, until we came near and had a regular profped of them, which we fhould then find to ftand well in rank and file. So doubtlefs, if we could have an advantagious profped of the Fixt Stars, we ftiould find them very commodioufly, and well fet in the Firmament in regard of one another. And this we have great rea-fon to conclude from the Rules of Parity, from that conftant Harmony, and Similitude obfervable among all the works of the Creation, which fall under our cognizance: particularly this is evident in this Region of the Univerfe, to which we belong, and which we have a better Profped of, and can furvey with our Inftru-

ments,

Chap. 3. the Heavenly Bodies. 59

ments, I mean the Syfteme of the Sun. In this we find every Body placed in good order, and at due di-ftance, according even to the niceft Rules of Proportion.

For the evid:ion of this matter, let us (according to the moft received and rational Hvpothefis) fuppofe the Sun placed in the Center, to influence all his Planets with Light and Heat. Then follow the feveral Planets, furrounding him, not one here, and another there, at all adventures, in a rude manner, like a Work ot Chance, but at due Diftances from the Sun ,* at proper Diftances from one another, and in fuch well ad-jufted proportion of their Velocities and Gravities, as makes the Squares of their Revolutions in proportion to the Cubes of their Diftances. And this is what is difcernible in the whole Solar Syfteme, not only in the Primary Planets that revolve round

6o Due Proportion of Book III,

the Sun, but in the Secondary Pla^* nets alfo, that revolve round them. Thus it manifeftly is in the Five Moons that accompany Saturn, and the Four accompanying Jupiter. And a moft fagacious Contrivance this is, manifefting the Prefence, and ConduCt of the CREATOR, in thus chufing this Proportion I fpake of, rather than any other. For ihould the power of Gravity (for inftance) have been fo conftituted, as to de-creafe in the Proportion of the Cubes (inftead of the Squares) of the Distances reciprocally ,• although it might be poflible to adjuft a Velocity, and I may add, a Direction too, fo as to make Bodies defcribe perfeCt Circles, yet the leaft Excels or Defed: of Velocity, or the leaft Obliquity of the Direction, would make them defcribe Spiral Curves, either afcending in injinitum_y or elfe defcending to the Center. And fup-

pofing

Chap. 3. the Solar Syfleme. 61

pofing the Orbs (in which thofe Bodies move, and which are fuppofed, as I faid, to be made in proportion of the Cubes) to be perfectly Circular, the leaft adventitious Force, even but of an Atom, abating or in-creafing the Velocity, or changing the Direction, would bring on the a-forefaid Inconveniences. And if the great CREATOR and Contriver of the Univerfe hath thus wifely modelled, and cautioufly methodized this part, this Syfteme of it where we live, and behold the thing, no great doubt can be made but that he hath done the fame in the other Syftemes thereof alfo • that every Syfteme is fet at a due Diftance from one the other, and every Body in each Syfteme at its due Diftance alfo from their Sun, or Fixt Star.

And now who can refled: upon thefe things, and not perceive and admire the Hand that að in them,

the

61 Cicero’5 Conclufion. Book III.

Contrivance and Power of an infinite Workman! For where we have fuch manifeft ftrokes of wife order, counfel, and management, of the obfervance of Mathematical Proportions, can we conclude there was any thing lefs than Reafon, Judgment, and Mathematical Skill in the cafe? or that this could be effc&ed by any other Power, but that of an Intelligent Being, who had Wifdom and Power fufficient for fuch a Work: according to the reafoning of the Stoick in Cicero, who pleads thus (a): If thou Jhouldft fee a large and fair Houfe, thou couldft not be brought to imagine that Houfe was built by the Mice and JVdefies, although thou Jhouldft not fee the Mafter thereof: fo (faith hej wouldft thou not think thy felf very plainly to play the fool_y if thou Jhouldft imagine fo orderly a

(a) Cic. de Nat. Deor. L. 2. q.6.

frame

Chap. 3. Cicero’i Conclufion. 6 3

frame of the World, fo great a variety and beauty of Heavenly things, fo prodigious a quantity and magnitude of Sea and Land to be thy Houfe, thy Workman/hip, and not that of the immortal Gods! And fo when we fee fuch good order, fuch due proportions in this Region of the Univerfe, and have good reafon to conclude the fame may be throughout the whole, can we, without great violence to Reafon, imagine this to be any other than the Work of GOD i

BOOK

BOOK IV.

O F T H E

MOTIONS

O F T H E

H E AV E N S.

Chap. I.

That the bare Motion of the Heavens and Earth are d Demonftration of God.

N treating concerning the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies, ic Will be necef-fary to take in that of the Earth too, it being not eafy to

fpeak

Chap. i. Motion of the Heavens. 65

fpeak of one without the other. And here there are two things that are manifeft Demonftrations of the prefence and management of GOD, namely , that fuch Bodies {hould move at all, and that their Motion is fo regular.

1. That all thofe vaft Globes of the Univerfe (hould have a Motion, mult of neceffity be from fome Being that had Power enough to put them in motion. For as LaBantms well argues, (a) There is indeed a power in the Stars, (and the like may be faid of the reft of the Globes) of performing their Motions, but that is the Power of God, who made and governs all things, not of the Stars them-felves that are moved. For it is im-poffible for fuch lifelefs, dull, unwieldy Bodies to move themfelves, bnt what Motion they have, they

(a) La&ant. Divin. Inftit. L,%. c.5.

F    mud

66 Motion of the Heavens _y Book IV.

muft receive from fomething elfe able to move them.

Now this fome will fay may be effe&ed by the Vortices furrounding the Sun, the Earth, or other Primary Mover (b) $ or from a Ve&orial Power, or Emanations of the Sun, (c) or other the like Primary Movers carrying about and pufhing on fuch Bodies as move about’em. But allowing that it is pofTible it might be fo, yet ftill we muft recur to fome Firfi Mover, fome Primary Agent_i who was able to fet that principal Mover into Motion : and then the cafe amounts to much the fame, and the Argument hath the fame force, whether we attribute the Motion of one, or all the feveral Globes to the Power of GOD. For in our Solar Syfteme, for inftance, if it

(b)    This was Cane's Notion, and of others long before hirn.

(c)    This was Kepler's Scheme.

fhould

Chap. i. a Proof of a God\

ihould be thought that the Six Primary Planets revblving round the Sun, received their motion from his Revolution round his own Axis * yec let us think (as Plato argues) (d) how it is poffible for fo prodigious a Mafs to be carried round for fo long a time> by any natural caufe ? For which re a-fon (faith he) / affert God to be the Caufe, and that it is impoffible ii fhouldb'e other wife. Thus Plato: whofe Argument is undoubtedly good^ lince, as Ariflotle argues (e)_y Every thing that is moved_y mufl of neceffity_t be moved by fome other things and that thing mufl be moved by fome-thing that is moved either by another± or not by another thing. If it be moved by that which is moved by another,_t we mufl of neceffity (faith he) come to fome Prime Mover_f that is not moved by another. For It is im~

(d)    Plato in Epinom.

(e)    Ariftot, Phytic, L. 3, C.j.

F x    poffihfe

68 Motion ofthe Heavens, Book IV.

poffible that what moveth_y and is moved by another _y fhallproceed in infinitum.

And now therefore, if in our Solar Syfteme, we (hould imagine the Moon to be wheeled about our Earth, by the Motion and Ve&orial Power of the Earth ,• and the Moons about Saturn and Jupiter by the Motion and Ve&orial Power of thofe Planets 5 and all the Primary Planets to be turned round about the Sun by the Power of the Sun, yet at laft we muft find out a Mover of the Sun it felf, and thofe other Primaries: a Caufe of fufficient Power to wheel about thofe prodigious MaiTes, of fuch vaft Bulks, as have before been affigned to them, and which, be-fides their own Weight, are, according to the former Hypothefes, clogged and encumbered with the Vis Inertia of all thofe Planets whether Primary or Secondary, or both,

⁸    which

■Chap. i. a Proof of a God. 69

which they drive round. And if this was the cafe, what Power can be found fufficient for this Work, but that of the fame infinite Hand that at firft gave them Being!

And fo for all the reft of the Moving Bodies of the Univerfe, fuch as Comets,.the New Stars before fpo-ken of (fj_y and the flow Motion of the Firmament, or Fixt Stars in 25920 (g) Years. This latter 1 fhall fay no more of, becaufe it may non arife from any motion of the Firmament it felf, but from fome other caufe (h), But for Comets what

Power

(f)    Book II. ch. 3.

(g)    Ptolemy made this Motion to be one degree in ico years. But others fince make it to be more. Mr. Street, in his Caroline Tables, makes it x gr. 20': Hevelius 1 gr. 24. 46". 50"': but Mr. Fla?nfteed agrees Riccioli’s numbers to .come neareft the truth, viz.. 1 gr, 23'. 20". in 100 years, or 50" in a year. According to which rate the Motion (called the Platonick year) is accomplifhed in 25920 years.

(h)    Sir Jfaac Newton demonftrates how this

F 3    may

7, o Motion of the Heavens, Book IV.

Power but that of the Almighty could give them fuch prodigious Projections, as their Trajectories or Orbs are found to have? Orbs that run into fuch amazingly long Ellipfes as ap₇ proach to Parabola's^ that ^?tis wonderful how their ProjeCtive Force fhpuld carry them to fuch immenfe Pittances, and their Gravity at the lame time bring them back and in-cpmparably retain them in their Orbs.

And fo for the New Stars, which I have faid are fo many Signals of Planetary Syftemes difperfed here and there all over the Univerfe, they are all of them fo many manifestations and demonftrations of an infinite Being that hath imparted motion unto, them; and they are a fign alfo that

$rcay arife from the Spheroidal Figure of the ]£arth. P rind p. L. 3. Prop. 21. & L. 1. Prop. 66. Corol. 20. See the matter alfo more eafily demotv* ilrated in Dr. Gregory's AJlyon. L. 1. Prop. 64.

there

Chap. i. a Proof of a God. 71

there are other Globes befides the Sun and its Planets, which are moving Bodies, even that all the Globes in the Univerfe are fuch, and consequently fo many Proofs of* an Almighty firfi Mover.

Thus the bare Motions of the Earth, and of the Heavens are fo many Arguments of a Divine Power therein concerned. But we fhali moreover find an infinitely Wife, as well as Almighty Power herein tranfa&ing, by what follows in the next Chapter.

CDhap.

72 The Motions oj the Book IV-

Chap. II. The great Regularity of the Motions of every Globe.

AVING in the preceding Chapter fhewn that the giving Motion to fuch immenfe, lifelefs Globes, is the work of God, we fhall find much greater demonftra-tion thereof, if we cohfider that thofe Motions are not at random, in inconvenient Lines and Orbs, but fuch, as fhew wife Defign and Coun-fel. I fhall here fpecifie but two Examples, becaufe I fhall have oc-cafion to fay more of this matter hereafter. One is, That all the ‘ Planets fhould (when their Motions were impreft upon them) have their piredtions or Tendencies given, not

Chap. 2. Heavens regular. 73

in Lines tending from the Center to the Circumference, or very Obliquely, but Perpendicular to the Radi}. The other is, That the Motions and Orbits of the Planets fliould not interfere with one another, but tend one and the fame way, from Weft to Eaft, and lie in Planes but little inclined to one another, or when inclined, that it fhould be very beneficially fo, as I fhall hereafter fhew. Thefe and many other In-ftances, and in a word, that every Planet fhcfuld have as many, and various Motions, and thofe as regular, and well contrived and ordered, as the World and its Inhabitants have occafion for, what could all this be but the Work-of a wife and kind, as well as omnipotent CREATOR, and ORDERER o( the World’s Affairs ? A Work which is as plain a Signal of GOD, as that of a Clock, pi other Machine is of Man. Thus

Tully’s

Motions of the Book IV.

Tully’s Stoick (a) argues our prefent cafe from the Shepherd at ABium, when from the top of an Hill, he happened firft to fee a Ship failing in the Sea, he was for a while in great amazement, and furprize, to fee fuch a moving inanimate Body, and could not Imagine of what a Nature it was poffible it fhould be₎ until he perceived, by fome tokens, that it was made and managed by Man. So, faith he, the Philofophers ought to have done, if haply they had any doubts at the firft viezv of the IVorld: afterivards when they fhould behold its determined and equal Motions, and (ill things managed by eflablifhed orders, and with immutable conftancy $ they ought then to under/land that yhere is not only fome Inhabtter in this heavenly, this divine Houfe, but alfo fome Ruler and Moderator, and in a

(a) Di; Nat. Deor. L.2. c.35.

wanner

Chap. 2. Heavens regular, 75

manner, Architect of fo great a lVork_y fo noble a Performance. This Conclufion is fo natural, fo cogent, that any thing but itupid prejudiced Blockheads (as thofe Philofophers were) would have naturally and eafily made it. But, now, faith the Stoick (b)_y they feem to me not fo much as to have any fufpicion of the wonderful-nefs of the things of the Heavens or the Earth. And great reafon the Stoick had for his furmife. For fb manifeft a Demonstration of a Deity, are the Motions of the Heavens and Earth, that if Men do not fee them, ^vit is a fign of great Stupidity ,* and if they will not fee, and be convinced by them, it is as plain a fign of their Prejudice and Perverfenefs, as will farther appear by confidering whas an incomparable provifion is made for the World’s good, by the parti-

(b). Ibid. c.3f.

culaf,

4

7 6 The Diurnal Motion Book IV.

cular Motions which are given to the Earth and Heavens, namely the Diurnal and Periodical Motions.

oaaacsa csGisQaacsa saataacsa ess&a zq Chap. III.

Of the Diurnal Motion of all the feveral Globes.

AS to the Diurnal Motion, there is great probability that our Earth, and all the Heavenly Bodies have a Rotation round their feveral Axes; not all performed indeed in the fame fpace, or length of time, but fome in longer, fome in (hotter, times- each time making what we call a Day in thofe feveral Globes, equivalent, although not equal, to the circumvolution of our Earth in 24 hours.

This diurnal Rotation is vifible in

many

Chap. 3. of the Sun.

77

many of the Heavenly Globes, and highly probable in our own. In the Sun it is very manifeft from the equable Motion of its Spots, which fome-times appear in its Dilk, and have been obferved formerly by Galilteo(ci)_y Schemer (b), Tar cle (c)_y Malapsrttus₃

(a)    Galilms tells in the third Dialogue of his Syftem. Mund. that he was the firft that difco-vered Spots on the Sun, in the year 1610, which he fhewed the next year to divers great perfons in Rome. That Schemer fent him two Letters by Velferus under the feigned name of Apelles, to defire his opinion of them, that he concluded them to be alterable, contrary to the received Opinion then, of the Heavens inalterability, that they were contiguous to the Sun, and that their path over the Sun, fometimes in a Curve, fome-times a ftrait line, argued the annual Motion of the Earth about the Sun, and not of the Sun about the Earth; with more to the fame purpofe, which may be feen in the fagacious Author in his iirft and third Dialogues.

(b)    Vid. Schemers Rofa Ur/ina.

(c)    Vid. Tarde’s AJlra Borbonia, who took ’em to be fmall Stars inrerpofing themfelves between the Sun and us. Of the fame opinion alfo was Malapertiusj who gave them the name of Sydera. Auflriaca»

Hevelms

Diurnal Motion Book IV.

Hevelms (d) and our Countryman I'Ax.Gafcoigne and Mr.Crabtrie (e) \ and fince them by Mr. Boyle, Dr. Hook, Dr. Hailey, Mr.Flamfleed and others in England, and by Meflieurs CaJJim, Picart, and others abroad (f); and of late by my felf and others too. Thefe Spots have manifeftly a Motion, and the fame Motion too, as that of a Globe moving round

(d)    See Hevelius*s opinion of thein at large id liis Selenography, ch. 5. and in the Appendix.

(e)    In their Letters (now in my hands) there is an ingenious Controverfy between thofe two great Men, Mr. Gafcoigne> the Inventor of the Micrometer, and Mr. Crabtrie, concerning the Solar Spots that appeared about the year 1640. which Mr. Gafcoigne imagined to be great numbers of fmall Planets revolving round the Sun, at a fmall diftance from him. Mr. Crabtrie’s anfwer and opinion may be feen in his Letter which is publifhed with my own obfervations about the Solar Spots from 1703 to 1711 in the Pbilof; Tranf. N°. 330.

(f)    The Obfervations of thofe great Men (which are difperfed about in Ph. Tranf.) may be feen at one view in Mx.Lowtborp's Abridgment, Vol. 1. p. 274-    -

upon

Chap. 3. of the Sun.    79

upon its Poles: for we may perceive them to be perpetually (hifting their places from theEaftern to the Weft-ern Limb of the Sun; and in thus doing, their daily Stages and Motion exactly correfpond to the Motion of a Globe 5 that is, thofe Stages are fhorter, and the Motion of the Spots feemingly flower towards the Sun’s Limb, but near the Center of the Difk, larger and fwifter $ and all in exaCt proportion to a double Line of Sines, or a Line of Sines on each Semidiameter of the Dilk.

And farther yet, thefe Solar Spots, as they manifeftly demon-ftrate the Sun to be a moving Globe, turning round once in fomewhat above 2 j days, fo they manifeft themfelves to be fomething adhering unto, 01* nigh the Sun’s globous body^ by means of the different appearance they have in the different parts and px)(itions of the Sun 3 as in the mid

8o Diurnal Motion Book IV.

die of the Difk, if they are round, towards the Limb they become more and more oval or long, juft as fuch a like Spot on a common Globe would appear when it is turned fo as to be viewed by us fideways or going out of fight.

And laftly, another thing ob-fervable in and from thefe Spots is, that they defcribe various Paths or Lines over the Sun, fometimes ftrait, fometimes curved towards one Pole of the Sun, fometimes towards the other, exa&ly correfponding to the different Pofitions of the Earth in re-(pe<5t of the Sun, throughout all parts of the year.

Thus in that vaft Mafs, the Sun, we have manifeftly fuch a diurnal Motion as I fpake of, or Circumvolution round its Axis; a Motion conftant and regular, and doubtlefs of as great ufe to fome office or other, . in fome part or other of the Univerfe,

as

Chap. 3. of the Planets.    81

as the Motions of the Earth, are to the Inhabitants thereof: and a Motion therefore this is, demonflrating the concurrence of the Almighty.

Neither is it the Sun alone that: undergoes a diurnal rotation > but: mod, if not all the Erraticks about: him. Saturn indeed is at fo great a diftance from us, that we have not been able to perceive whether or no he hath fuch a rotation ,* but as the other Planets have it, and there is full as much occafion for it in Saturn as in them, fo there is no great doubc to be made, but that he hath fuch a like Diurnal Motion, accommodated as well to his ftate, as it is in the Earth and the reft of the Planets.

So Jupiter is difcovered to have manifeftly a Motion round upon its Axis from Eaft to Weft, in thelpace of 9 h. 56% as Monf. Cajfim (g) by

(g) See his Obfervations in the Memoirs de Ma~ -them. gr de Pbyjiqae for Jan. 1692,

G    many

82 Diurnal Motion Book IV.

many repeated Obfervations in the year 1665, and other following years, firft found, from the Spots obfervable on it; of which there are two kinds, which I my feif have often feen as well as others before me, a fhort account of which (although it be a Digreflion) may not be unacceptable to many Readers. One kind of thofe Jovial Spots, is only the Shadow caft upon the Planet by the Satellites intercepting the Light of the Sun, when they are interpofed between the Sun and Jupiter: the o~ ther are fuch as are really in the body of that Planet, after the manner of thofe we fee in the Moon, but not permanent as they are. And by the motion of thefe latter Spots it is manifeft, not only that Jupiter revolves round in the time mentioned, but that it is a moving Globe alfo, by reafon (as was faid of the Sun) thofe Spots move (wifcer, and in larger

Chap. 3. of the Planets.    83

ger Stages towards the middle, than towards the Limb of Jupiter's Difk> Alfo fuch Spots as are round, aboue the middle, appear long or oval towards the Limb, or edge of the Difk j as was before obferved of the Sun’s Spots.

A s to Mars and Venus, they are both difcovered to have Spots, of Parts lighter and darker, as well as Jupiter, and to have a motion alfo as he hath. Of thofe Spots in Mars> Dr. Hook had divers views in the year 1 <5<5j, which he hath given us Figures of (h): and from thence concluded that Planet had a Motion, although he could not determine in what time it was performed* But M. Huygens exprefly faith (i) it is performed in the fpace of 24 h. 40'. But for the motion of Venus> Monf. Cajfini could perceive the

(h)    See Philof. Tranf. N°. n, 14.

(i)    Cofmotheor. p. 24.

G %

84 Diurnal Motion Book IV

Spots to change their place, and that the Planet had a Motion, although he could not make out what it was (k).

Thus are the Primary Planets difcovered to have a Diurnal Rotation, or fomewhat very like it at lead, all except Saturn, as I faid, and Mercury, and our own Globe. And as to thefe we have very little, or no reafon to imagine but that they move as well as the reft ■ only we cannot perceive it in Mercury, by reafon of its proximity to the Sun, and that its Elongations are never fo great, nor fo long, as to enable us to have any good and Sufficient Views of him with our Telefcopes.

And as for our own Globe, it is very vifible that cither that moves round in 24 hours, or that the Sun

(k) Mr.Ca[[mis Obfervations difperfed in the Phil. Tranf. may be feen at one view in Mr.Loxu-tborfs Abridg. Vol. 1. p. 383, & 425.

and

Chap. 3. of the Planets.

and all the Heavens move round it in the fame time. And which of thefe two is the mod agreeable to the ufual courfe and methods of Nature, which performs all its works in the moft compendious, facile way, let every one judge. And is it not far the moll compendious, ready, and eafy way that the Terraqueous Globe fhould wheel about in 24 hours, than that fo many vaft Bodies of the Heavens fhould be turned about it in that time? Is it not as poffible, yea as probable, that our leffer Globe fhould be fo turned about, as thofe more maffy Globes of the Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter are about their Axes ? But I (hall not enter into a detail of the Arguments for the Earth’s Motion, and the Objections made againft it, becaufe I have done it in the Preliminary Difcourfe.

Thus having taken a profpeCt .of the Diurnal Motions of the great G 3    Globes

8 6 Convenience of the Book IV*

Globes of theUniverfe, that fall beft under the cognizance of our Inftru-ments, and found that many, and probably all of them have a Rotation round in a determinate time; if to this we add the Convenience and prodigious Ufe of this Motion to the feveral refpeClive Globes, we fhall find that an infinitely Wife and Rind, as well as Omnipotent Being was the Orderer thereof. For were thofe Globes always to ftand ftill, e-? Specially the Erraticks, that owe their Light and Heat to the Sun, in this cafe, one half of them would be da-zelled and parched with everlafting Day, whilft the other would be involved in everlafting Night and Dark-nefs. And what the confequences would be, we may beft judge from what would befall our own Globe, without the kindly Alternations of Day and Night: and that is, that it, at leaft a great part of it, would

fcarce

Chap. 3. Diurnal Motion. 87,

fcarce be habitable, it would neither agree to the ftate of Man, or any other Animals j nor to that of Vegetables, or indeed any other Creature. For one half of the Globe would be burning up, at leaft too much drying, and exhaufted with the Beams of the Sun, whilft the other would be immerged in, and deadened with too long Night. And in fuch a cafe, how could the great Works of Nature, fo ferviceable to the World, be performed? How, for inftance could the Vapours be raifed to fupply the Earth with cooling Clouds and fertile Showers ? How, coqld the Winds be excited to fan the Atmofphere with their pleafant and healthful Gales ? How could the Tides be produced, which by their conftant agitations keep the Waters fweet and clean, and prevent their povfoning the World?

And

8 8 Convenience of the Book IV.

And as the Courfe and Functions of Nature, would be thus afFeCted, fo would the State of the Creatures be no lefs. For how could thofe of the Vegetable Kingdom be animated and excited by the kindly Heat of the Day, and then again tempered and invigorated by the no lefs kindly Dews, and Influences of the Night? How could Men and all other Animals difpatch theirBufinefs, gather their Food, and perform all the various labours and offices of the Day, and then recruit and repofe themfelves with reft, fleep, and due Perforation, and whatever elfe may be owing to the falutiferous Influences of the Night, and abfence of the Sun ?

These and ten thoufand as great Inconvcniencies as thefe, would be the certain Events of the want of this Diurnal Motion of our Globe. And as the reft of the Globes have’ their ■    Shares

Chap. 4. Diurnal Motion.

Shares in the like Motion, To we may very reafonably imagine that it is no le/s ufeful and beneficial to them than it is to us, and that the Inconveniences of the want of it would be as great.

Chap. IV.

Of the Annual or Periodical Motion of the Primary

Planets.

BESIDES the Motion treated of in the preceding Chapter, there is another, which is as clear a Manifeftation of the great CREATOR as that, namely the Periodical or Annual, which is vifible in fome of the great Globes, and probable in many others. Among the Fixt Stars it is highly probable fome-

thina

o

9o Periodick Motions Book IV,

-    ...=r-r-T    --—--

thing of this Nature is: as appears from thofe New Stars which I have before taken notice of, which, a$ I have faid, fometimes become vifi-ble to us, in one Part of their Orbits, and again difappear in other Parts of them. But thefe Syftemes being out of the Reach of our beft Glaffes, I ("hall pafs them by, efpe-daily becaufe in our own Solar Syfteme we have abundantly enough to entertain qs in this Demonftration of GOD.

For it is very vifible, without the help of the Telefcope, that every Planet of the Solar Syfteme hath this Periodick Motion I am fpeaking of. For it is manifeft that either the Sun, and the Planets move about the Earth, the one in the fpace of a year, and the reft in other times; or that the Earth and the other Planets move about the Sun in fuch times. But let us (as 1 have all along done) fuppofe

Chap. 4. among the Fixt Stars. 91

the latter, that the Sun is fixt in the Center, without any other but its Diurnal Rotation in 2j 7 days: in this cafe we fhall have the feveral Primary Planets revolving round the Sun in an excellent and due order, by the exadteft Rules of fuch a noble Structure, fuch an admirable Oeco-nomy, and that is in Tunes (as I faid) in fquare proportion to the Cubes of their Diftances. So that we fee Mercury to perform its Period in near 88 Days: Venus (the next in order to the Sun) its Period in fome-what above 224 Days : then the Earth with its Companion the Moon in 365 ^ Days : then Mars in about 687 Days: next him Jupiter in about 4333 Days: and laftly Saturn in fomewhat above 10759 Days.

To this fo ftri£t an order of the Periods of thofe Planets, we may add the confideration of the different Paths of their Periodical and Diurnal

91 Benefit of the two Motions BookI V

nal Motion: that they lie not in a very different Plane, as quite acrofs, or the like; nor exactly in the fame Plane, but a little croffing one another ; the Diurnal Courfe lying in, or parallel to the Equator; but the other in the broad path of the Zo~ diack at an inclination of 23 ^Degrees.

A n d a glorious Contrivance this is for the Good of our Globe, and doubtlefs no lefs for all the reft that fympathize in the like Motion. For was the Earth’s Periodick Motion to be always in the fame Plane with that of the Diurnal, we might indeed be fometimes nearer to, and fometimes farther from the Sun; but at the fame time mifs of thofe kindly increafes of Day and Night, together with fuch ufeful dire&ions of the Sun-beams, which the advances of the Earth to one or other of the

Poles

Chap. 4* in different Planes. 93

Poles caufe (a): which two things are the real Caufes of our Seafons of Summer

(a) There are two Caufes of the great difference between the Winter and Summer, Heac and Cold. One is the fhorter or longer continuance of the Sun above the Horizon: in Summer Jong, which increafeth the Heat, as much as it lengthens the Day: in Winter fhort, which di-minifhes the Heat, as it fhortens the Day; and augments the Cold, as it lengthens the Night. The other Caufe is the Oblique or Perpendicular Dire&ion of the Sun's Rays, the Oblique being weaker than the Perpendicular; as is evident from Gahlao’s Experiment, in his Syfiema Mundi Dial. 1. by holding a Paper turned up at right Angles, or a Book half open; over againft an illuminated white Wall; where it may be obferved that the Side oppofite to the Wall, which the Rays ftrike perpendicularly, is far more light and white than the other Side, on which the Rays fall obliquely. The fame it is in the Incidence of the Sun's Rays on any Plane, namely the Rays are fo much ftronger, and the Plane the more warmed and enlightened, as the Rays are more or lefs Perpendicular; and that on two Accounts. 1. Becaufe the Perpendicular Rays ftrike with greater force than the Oblique. As in Fig. 4. the Rays R R ftrike the Plane AP more forcibly than the Plane 0 B. The Aftion or Force of which Percuffion is (like that of all other Impulfes) as the Sine of the Angle of Incidence.

94 benefit ofthetzvo Motions Book IV•

Summer and Winter, Spring and Autumn, and not our being nearer unto,

dence. So the Force of the Rays RR upon the Oblique Plane OB, is as the Sine only of ROB, whereas their Force upon A P is as the whole Sine of 90 Degrees, or Angle ROP. 2. Another Reafon is, That a greater Number, or Quantity of Rays, fall within the Compafs or Area of any Plane, in a Perpendicular, than Oblique Dire&ion. This will be manifeft from the bare Infpedion of Fig. 4. Where it may be ob-ferved that all the Rays between R R and 0 p fall on the Plane AP; but only about one half of them would fall upon an Oblique Plane of the fame length, if it was Ob: or (which is the fame thing) near as many Rays would fall off Ob, turned up to Ob, as fall upon it. Alfo it may be obferved farther, that as the Line OB is longer than 0 p fo are the Spaces between the Rays larger in 0 B than 0 p; and confequently fewer Rays fall on 0 B for its length, than oil Op for its length, or the Rays are dcnfer, or more compact in Op than 0 B. And when they are fo, they are fo much the ftronger, as is evident from the colleding and condenfing the Sun's Rays by a Btirning-glafs.

What the particular Power of the Sun’s Rays is in all Dire&ions, Quantities, and Impuifes, fails under Mathematical Calculation,* but I need not trouble the Reader with it, but fliall refer to the ingenious Dr. M'vlfus (Mathematical fro-    fdfor

Chap. 4. in different Planes.

to, or farther from the Sun. For thofe Benefits (we an lead that inhabit towards the Northern Pole) have at the contrary Seafon, when we have moft need of them, viz. the Sun’s Proximity, in Winter; its greater diftance from us in Summer; as is manifeft from the Increment of its apparent Diameter in Winter to 3 i^f. 47", and the Decrement thereof in Summer to 3 1'. 40". (b.)

And

feffor of Hall) his Element a Aerometria. And as for the proportional Degree of the Sun*s Heat in all Latitudes, and its Altitudes, our moft acute Savilian Profeflor, Dr. Hailey, hath given us a neat and clear method for computing it in Philof. TranfaEl. N°. 203.

(b) Monfieur de la Hire in his Tabu}. Aflron. makes the Sun’s Semidiameters to be Dec. 30. i6 22 and rfun. 30. 1 j⁷ 49. But ISAx.Flamfteed in his Lunar Tabks added to Mr. Horrox’s Poft-humous Works makes the greateft to be i<5' 23', the leaft 15. 50”. and the French Academijls 16. 23" and 15⁷. 50". V. Recueil d’Obferv. Les Ele-mens d³ A/iron. p. 22.

„ Befides the Alteration of the Sun’s apparent Diameter, its fwifcer Motion in Winter about

the

p6 Benefit of the, &c« Book IV

And now for a Conclufion of this Chapter concerning the Perio-dick Motions of the Primary Planets* we may take up the Argument of Hugo de S. Vittore (cj, Who command-eth the Sun to defend through the Winter Signs ? And who again caufeth him to afcend through the Summer Signs ? I'Fho leads him from Eafi to Weft ? And who again brings him back from the' IV*ft- to Eafi ? All thefe things are very wonderful, but to God alone poffible.

the Solftice by about a 15 th part, is an Argument of its being then nearer the Earth. From whence it comes to pafs that from the Vernal to the Autumnal ^Equinox, there are about 8 Days more, than from the Autumnal to the Vernal.

( c ) Qtiis folem per hjbema defcendere figna pra~ cipit ? Qtiis rurfum per aftiva figna afcendere flicit ? Qtiis earn ab 0,ienie in Occidentem ducitl Qtiis iterum ab Occidente in Orientem revehit ? Hac cunBa. funt mirabilia, fed foli Deo poffbilia. Didaf-cal. L.7. c.8.

Chap.

Chap. y. Periods of the Secondaries. 97

Chap. V.

Of the Periodical Motion of the Secondary Planets.

AVING confidered the Periods of the Primary Planets, let us next caft our Eye upon thofe of their Secondaries. And among thefe we (hall find the fame compleat order and harmony as a-niong the laft. Thus Saturn's five Moons, and Jupiter's four, and our own about the Earth, have each of them their determinate times, fome longer, fome fhorter intervals of time, in the fame due Proportion, as I fpake of among the Primaries.

Besides which, there is another thing very confiderable in this Periodical Motion of thofe Secondary

H    Planets^

Periods ofthe Secondaries. BookI\ .

Planets, and that is, that it is mixt with a kind of cochleous Direction towards one or other Pole of the Primary Planet; by which means every Satellite, by gentle Degrees, makes its vifits towards each Pole of its Primary. This is well known among the Circumjovials for inftance, that they all have a flow and gradual progrefs, firft towards one, then back again towards the other Pole of Jupiter: and that each Satellite hath its Declination greater and greater, accorcjing as it is farther or farther from Jupiter's Body. Accordingly the Declination of each Circumjovial, affigned by the diligent and fagacious CaJJini (d)_y after twelve years obfervations, are thefe, The greateft Declination of

(d) Les Hypoth. & les 'Tables des Satel. de Jupiter, §. 4. in the French Academift’s large Col^ le<5tion.

the

.Latitude of]x\ip\tex:'sMoons.yy

the Fir ft, or Nearefl_y exceeds not a third part of Jupiter’s Semidiameter % that of the Second, furpaffeth but a little of a, quarter of its Diameter : that of the Third a little exceeds three quarters of the Diameter: and that of the Fourth, or Outermoft goes beyond Jupiter’s Poles by & third part of the Semidiameter. All which mutations, he faith, are per« formed in the fpace of iz years* Thus the famous CaJJini. But I have my felf obferved a greater vagatiori in the Third Satellite $ that it advanced near to, if not even with the very Limb or Pole of Jupiter, and that its Stay in Jupiter’s Shadow* or the Duration of its Eclipfe at that time, was lefs than is commonly a£ figned unto it, as it is reafonable to imagine it fhould be, becaufe the Satellite had only the outfide of the Cone of Jupiter’s Shadow, and H t    confe-

ioo The Satellite Latitudes. Book IV-

confequently a lelTer pare thereof to pafs thorough at that time.

As to the end and ufe of this fo obfervable a tendency in the Secondaries towards each Pole of their Primaries, we may guefs at it front what hath been faid of the like tendency of the Primaries towards the Sun, on which our Seafons do depend: So thofe Secondaries moving in like

o

manner to each Pole, effedt fome of the grand Works of the divine Providence from Pole to Pole, illuminate all parts of their refpedtive Globes, contract the length of their Nights (as (hall be fhewn in proper place,) move their Waters, and excite their Tides, and perform other fuch great Works of Nature, as with good rea-fon, we attribute to the influx of our Moon here in our own Globe.

And can fuch well contrived, fuch ufeful Motions, that the World could not fubfift without, that Nature

Chap. 5. The Conclufion in_y &c. ioi

ture could not do its grand Works without, can thefe be other, than the Fiat of an infinitely indulgent _y as well as wife C R E AT O R! Could this confonancy be fo univerfal, among all the Globes that fall within our View? Could their Periods, and Di-ftances, be in the fame due proportion all the Univerfe over, their Motions all fo alike, had they not had the fame Contriver and Maker I But I fhall clofe this Argument with the Reflexion of the moft ingenious Mr. Molyneux (bj_y who (peaking of the fefquiplicate proportion of ' both the Primary and Secondary Planets, thus concludes. And from hence may we jitfily fall into the deep-efl admiration, that one and the fame Law of Motion fhonld be obferved in Bodies fo vaflly dijlant from each o~ ther_y and which feem to have no deli) Dioptr. Nov. Par. 2. c. 6. §. 12.

H 3 pendence

ioi The Conclufion in, See. BookIV.

pendence or correfpondence with each other. This doth mojt evidently de-mot)fir ate that they were all at firfi put into Motion by one and the fame unerring Hand, even the infinite Power and Wifdom of God, who hath fixed this Order among them all, and hath efiablifhed a Law which they cannot tranfgrefs. Chance or dull Matter could never produce fuch an Harmonious Regularity in the Motion of Bodies Jo daftly difiant: this plainly fhews a Defign and Intention in the firfi Mover. And with fub-miffion to the Reverend and Learned Divines, I am apt to think that one Argument drawn from the Order, Beauty and Defign of things, is more forcible a gam ft Atheifm, than multitudes of Notional Proofs, &c. Thus Mr. Molyneux. But we {hall find farther Evidences of this Supreme, Management in thefe matters from what follows in the next Chapter.

C H A P.

Chap. 6. The Conftancy and, &c. 103

C2QiSQ00    CSQCSQSOtS®    ©G5'^Q 5S3

Chap. VI.

The Conflancy and Regularity of all the Motions of the Earth and Heavens.

THAT the Earth and Heavens move at all, but efpecially that they have fuch particular and beneficial Motions, appears, from the preceding Chapters to be the Work of God. And the Concurrence of the fame infinite Hand is as manifeft in the Perpetuity, Con-ftancy, and Regularity of thofe Motions. For without this Almighty Guide and Manager, how is it pof-fible that all thofe vaft and unwieldy Maffes fhould continue their beneficial Motions throughout all Ages ? lhould perform their ufeful Sta-

H 4    g^es

104 The Conflancy and Book IV.

ges without any the leaft intermif* fion, interruption or diforder that we know of? What Motion, what Contrivance, what piece of Clockwork was there ever under the whole Heavens, that ever came up to fuch a perfection, and that had not fome Stops or fome Deviations, and many Imperfections ? But yet none was ever fo ftupid as to conclude fuch a Machine (though never fo imperfeCt) was made by any other than fome Rational Being, fome Artift that had Skill enough for fuch a Work. As he in Cicero (a) argues from his Friend Pofidonim’s piece of Watch-work, that fhewed the Motions of the Sun, Moon and five Erraticks $ that if it had been carried among the Scythians or Britain s_} Ghn s in ilia barb arte dubitet, quin

(a) Dc Nat. Deor. L.2. c.34.

ea

Chap. 6. Regularity ofthe Motions. 10 y

ea Sphdera fitperfeBa Rationed with more to the fame purpofe: no man even in that State of Barbarity would make any doubt, whether it was the workmanfhip of Reafon or no (b).

* And is there lefs Reafon to imagine thofe Motions I have been treating of to be other than the work of God, which are infinitely more conftant and regular than thofe of Man! Or to ufe the laft mentioned Stoick’s Argument, can it be thought that Archimedes was able to do more in imitating the Motions of the Heavens (in his Sphere) than Nature in effeB-rng them ?

And now to refled: upon the whole, and fo conclude what hath been faid concerning: thefe feveral Motions: We may all along perceive in them fuch manifeft fignals

(£) See the place citcd at large in my Phyfico-\Theology, p. 2.

io6 The Conclufion* Book IV.

of a divine hand, that they all feem, as ’twere, to confpire in the demon-ftration of their infinite CREATOR and ORDERER. For befides what in all probability is in other parts of the Univerfe, we have a whole Syfteme of our own, manifeft-ly proclaiming the Workmanfhip of its Maker. For we have not thofe vaft and unwieldy Mafifes of the Sun, and its Planets, dropt here and there at random, and moving about the great Expanfum, in uncertain Paths, and at fortuitous Rates and Meafures, but in the compleat-cft manner, and according to the ftridteft Rules of Order and Harmony • fo as to anfvver the great Ends of their Creation, and the divine Providence * to difpatch the noble Offices of the feveral Globes,-to perform the great Works of'Nature in them ; to comfort and che-rifh every thing refiding on them,

Chap. 6. Tully\s Proof of a God. 107

by thofe ufeful changes of Day and Night, and the feveral Seafons of the Year.

These things are fo evident to the Reafon of all men, that Ttdly might well make his Stoick to alledge this as one of his principal arguments for the proof of a Deity (c) • The fourth caufe, faith he, and that even the chief is the Equality of the Motion, and the Revolution of the Heavens • the Diftinflion, Utility, Beauty and Order of the Sun, Moon, and all the Stars: the bare view alone of zvhich things is fufficient to demon-flrate them to be no works of Chance. As ij any one fhould come into anhoufe, the Gymnafium, or Forum, when he fhould fee the Order, Manner and Management of every things he could never judge thefe things to be done with-

(c) DeNat. Deor. L.2. c.5.

out

io8 Tullfs Proof Book IV,

out an Efficient, but mufl imagine there was fome Being prefiding over them, and whofe Orders they obeyed. So much more tn fo great Motions, fuch ViciJJitudes, and the Orders of fo many and great things •—a Man cannot but conclude, that fuch great ABs of Nature are governed by fome Mind_y fome Intelligent Being,

And fo again afterwards (Chap. 21.) when, among other things, he had been fpeaking of the Motions of the Planets, he thus argues, I cannot poffibly under jiand, faith he, how all this Conflancy can be among the Stars; this fo great Agreement of times through all Eternity, among fuch various Courfes (how this can be) without fome Mind_y Reafon and CounfeL And a little after this, fpeaking of the Fixt Stars, he faith, But the perennial, and perpetual Courfes of thofe Stars, together with their admirable and incredible Con-

fancy

Chap. 6. of a God.

fancy declare a Divine Pozver and Mind to be in them. And this he takes to be fo plain a cafe, that he that could not difcern it, he thinks could difcern nothing. And then he thus concludes, In the Heavens then, there is neither any Chance, nor any Temerity, nor Error, or Vanity: but on the contrary, there is all Or-der_y Truth or ExaBnefs, Reafon and Confiancy.    fuch things as are

void of thefe are counterfeit, falfe_y

and full of Error.-He therefore

that thinks the admirable coeleftial Order , and incredible Conjiancy, on which the Confervation and Good of all things depends, to be void of a Mindy he himfelf deferves to be accounted devoid of a Mind. Thus, with great Force and Reafon, Tullfs Stoick rightly infers the Prefence and Concurrence of a Divine Being, and Power, from the Motions of the Heavens : only not being aware who

no Tully’j Proof of aGod. BooklV.

that Being was, he erroneoufly imagines the Heavenly Bodies themfelves to have Divinity, and puts them therefore into the number of the Gods; which Errour is excellently refuted by LaBantins in his Inflit. Di-vin. L. 2. c. j, &c.

BOOK;

BOOK V.

O F T H E

FIG U R E

Of the feverai

GLOBES of the Univerfe.

Chap. I.

The -Confonancy of all the Globes in their Spherical Figure.

AYING in the preceding Book manifefted the Motions of the Earth and Heavens to be the Contrivance and Work of GOD_; I Shall enquire

in

4

iiz Figure of the Globes. Book V.

in this, whether their Figure be of the fame kind, wifely fuited to the Motions, and in a word to the whole State and Convenience of the feveral Globes, fo as to manifeft it felf to be the Work of GOD?

Now as to the Figure ,• it is ob-fervable in the firft place, that there is a great Confent therein, among all the Globes that fall under our view, and that is that they are all Spherical, or nearly fo, namely Spheroidal (a). Thus all the Fixt Stars, fo far as we are able to behold them, either with our naked eye, or our Glaffes. Thus the Sun, and thus all its Planets, and thus the Secondaries, or Moons accompanying Saturn, Jupiter, and our Earth. And although Venus, Mercury, and our Moon have Phafes, and appear fometimes Falcated, fometimes Gib-

(a) See Phyfxo-Thsol. B. 2. ch. i. Note a.

bous

Chap. ii Figure of the Globes. 113

bous, and fometimes more or left round, and even Mars too, in its Quadratures, becomes Gibbofe,* yec at fuch times as thefe Planets (hew their full Phafes, they are found to be fpherical, and only lofe this Figure by virtue of their pofition to the Sun, to whom they owe their Light. And this Sphericity, or Rotundity is manifeft in our Moon, yea and in Venus (b) too 3 in whofe greateft Fal-cations the dark part of their Globes may be perceived, exhibiting them-

(b) What I have here affirmed of the Secondary Light of Vsnmy I have been called to an account for, by an ingenious Aftronomer of my Acquaintance. But I particularly remember, that as I was viewing Venus fome Years ago, with a good 34 foot Glafs, when (he was in her Perigee, and much horned, that I could fee the darkened part of her Globe, as we do that of the Moon foon after her Change. And imagining that in the laft total Eclipfe of the Sun, the fame might be difcerned, I defired a very curious Ob-ferver that was with me, and look’d through an excellent Glafs, to take notice of it, who affirmed that he faw it very plainly.

I    felves

ii4 Figure of the Globes. Book V•

felves under the appearance of a dull, and rufty colour.

And as this Spherical Figure holds in every of the Globes at a di-ftance from us, fo we may reafona-bly imagine our own Globe to be confonant to the reft. But indeed we have great reafon to conclude it to be fo from the Curvity of its Shadow in its Eclipfes of the Moon ; from the difcovery of new Conftel-lations in the Heavens, as we change our Hemifphere, and make approaches towards either Pole; from the Surface of the Sea, which appears to be of this Figure, by cur gradually difcerning far diftant Objects, Mountains, Towers, Sails of Ships, the parts of which are more and more feen, as we approach nearer and nearer to them : with other arguments to the fame purpofe, which I need not enumerate in a cafe now generally owned to be true.

Chap.

Ch. 2. Of the Hills and Vales, See. 115

Chap. IL Of the Inequalities, or Hills and Vales obfervablein the Earth and Moon.

HAVING in the preceding Chapter demonftrated the feveral Globes of the Univerfe to be Spherical, it is not to be underflood that thefe Globes are ftri&ly fo, but an allowance is perhaps to be made for the difference between their AL-quatorial and Polar Diameters, before fpoken of: but efpecially for thofe little and inconfiderable Ex-crefcences of the Hills, very mani-feftly difcernable in the Moon (c), as

well

(c) Every one that hath viewed the Moon with but an ordinary Glafs, efpecially, when fhe is not round, may eafily perceive confiderable UnI 2    evennefles;

116 The Hills and Valleys Book V.

well ns in our own Globe,* which I call little and inconfiderable, cfpe-

cially

evenneiles; that fome parts are manifeftly higher and others lower. About the Quarters, divers bright golden Spots may be feen in the fhaded part, at fome diftance from the enlighten’d part; and thefe may be perceived to grow larger and brighter, as the fhady part turns more and more towards the Sun; till at laft you may fee all the intermediate Vallies between thofe Spots, and the other enlighten’d Parts. Alfo in divers parts of the Moon, efpecially fuch as border on the fhaded part, there may be obferved to be certain Holes or Pits, black, dark, or fhady, when the parts encompaffing them are illuftrious and bright; And this darknefs, as if under fome Mountain, lies always on the fide next the Sun, and gradually goes off, as the Hole, Pit or Valley turns more and more towards the Sun, till at laft the whole Valley is enlighten'd, and looks like a deprefled ground in the Body of the Moon. All which th ngs are manifeft Signals that .the Moon’s Surface is not even and fmooth, but like that of the Earth, full of Hills and Valleys.

Which opinion, although now well grounded on ocular dimonftration, was as old or older than Plutarch’s days, who in his Book de Facie in orbe Lunx, at the beginning, cites it as Clear-

chtis’s opinion FiV.gvcc? fy/Mg e-.voti (£ el'JwAci 'f

y.zyxXrg (-)<*? r.osrc--i. e. 7hat ivhat is called the

Face oj the Moon, are the Images and Appearances

Chap. 2. of the Earth and Moon. 117

daily thofe in the Earth, becaufe they are fo in proportion to the Earth’s Diameter • as will appear by coming to particulars. The Diameter of the Terraqueous Globe I have fhewn in myPhyjko-Theology (b) to be about 7955 Englifh Miles: but that of the Hills is no more than a few Miles. Snowdon in Caernarvon-Jhire (the higheft Mountain in all our IHandj is but 1247 yards (c) • the

Alps

of a great Sea in the Moon. And about the middle of that Trad To 'j (pcavoufyjov tut) stjoVw-

ttcv-i. e. As to that Face 'which appears in the

Moon : as our Earth hath certain large Bays; fo ive conceive the Moon is over-fpread with large hollows and ruptures, containing Heater, or a thick dark Air, into which the Sun-beams are not able to enter j and fo no Reflexion is made by them.

As to other matters in which the Earth and Moon feem to agree, as in Seas, and great collections of Waters, an Atmofphere, &c. 1 (hall pafs them by here, as improper for this place.

(b)    Book 2. Ch. 2. Note.

(c)    In the Journal of the late ingenious Richard Toxunley, Efq; of Toiunley in Lancajfjire, I find this Note upon Sept. 6. 1682. This day Mr. Adams

I 3    called

11 8 The Hills and Valleys Book V.

Alps themfelves but about two Eng* lift Miles (d): nay the very Pike of Tenanffe_y one of the higheft Ridges throughout the Globe (unlefs we except the high Mountains of Pent called by Jof Acofla (e) Penacaca -_y

called here -who is taking a Survey, See. He told us that ivith repeated trials he had found Snowdon-hill 13 20 yards higher than the Highwater-mark, and that the Quickfilver flood at the bottom at 29 Inches; atthetcp of 2 5’96: Sothat 1320gave I’oq. Then follows this Note, viz,. Mr. Adams coming fince tells me, that the Height of Snowdon luas but 1247 yards, which gave 3*04.

The reafon of this difference of 73 yards, in the heighth of Snoiudcn, I take to be, that the firft meafure was made by Mr. Adams himfelf) the latter by Mr. Cafwell with Mr. Adams’s Inftru-ments: and probably the former is the Height above the Sea, the latter only above fome Plane.

(d)    Mr. Nic.Fatio told me that he had ineafu-red the Height of the Montague Maudit i, which is one of the higheft Ridges of the Alps, and that he found it to be 2000 French Toifes above the Lake of Geneva, which is equal to 12816 Englifh Feet, or 2*42 Miles.

(e)    Acojla faith the Alps feemed to thefe Mountains he travelled over, but as ordinary Houfes to lofty Towers. See my Phyfico-Theol. B. 1. ch. i. Note b.

or

Chap. 2. of the Earth and Moon. 119

or that near St. Martha ffj • or thofe called the Andes (g); this Ridge (I fay) is computed to be but betweeen 3 and 4 Miles perpendicularly above the Sea (h). All which Eminences, compared with the Diameter, or Semidiameter of the Earth, is no more than as a particle of Dull is to a large Globe on which it refteth.

And fo likewife for the Mountains vifible in the Moon_y although fome of them are of that height (t)_y as to

re fled:

(f)    Capt. Dampier faith that he is of opinion that the Hill near St. Martha is higher than the Pike of Tenariffe. Voyage round the World, p. 24.

(g)    Of the Andes of Chili and Peru_y Capt. Dampier faith, Thefe are the higheft Mountains I ever ftvj, far fupa(fing the Pike of Tenariffe, or Santa Martha, and I believe any Mountains in the World. Ibid. p. 95.

(h)    See Dr .Hooke’s account of the Pike of the Tenariffe from his Friend Mr. G.7. who went to the top of it 5 at the end of his LeBures c.n-certvng Springs, P42.

(/) By A icciolfs Meafurcsdie H.ight of what he calls Mount Sinai, or St. Katherine* s HiH, is $ Bowman Miles, and that of Xaverim 12, but

I 4    according

no The Hdls and Valleys BookV.

rcfled: the Light of the Sun from their lofty Tops fome Days before ever

according to his corrections, the former is but 8 44 Miles, the latter n 4. Which at the rate of 6020 Englijh Feet in a Bononian Mile, is ar bout 13 and 9 Englijh Miles; an height fo great, confidering how much the Moon is lefs than the Earth, that I cannot but think that diligent per-fon was miftaken in his meafures, and that the computations of Hevelim are much the beft: who as he was as able as any man, and made more accurate and diligent Obfervations of the Moon s Face, than moft men ever did; fo he was more likely to come neareft the truth. And by his reckoning, the highefl Hills in the Moon are but about three quarters of a German Mile; and fome of them but feven fixteenths ; and fome not above an Italian Mile. And confidering the Bulk of the Mocn to that of the Earth, thefe are great Eminences for the Moon.

And as the Lunar Mountains are of fo prodigious Heights, fo many of them are of great Extent. Hevelim reckons the Lunar Taurm to reach to 170 German Miles; Mount Sepher 150; and die Lunar Apennine above 100 German Miles.

The Way how to meafure the Height of the Mountains of the Moon, is not difficult, nor uncertain; which is, by obkrving the diftance between the diftant golden Spots, at their firfl appearance (which are the tops of Hills) and the enlightened part of the Moon. Which Diftance

Chap. 2. of the Earth and Moon, nt

ever it reacheth the Vallies beneath them, yet on the Moon's Limb we can difcern nothing of them : but fo far from that, that, on the contrary, the Edge through our beft

may be computed by Miles, or any other equal parts, into which we can imagine the Moons Diameter divided. Thus in Fig. 5. ARB is a part of the Moon's Circumference, one part of which AR is enlightened, the other part RB is in darknefs. H i is a Mountain, whofe top His touched by the Sun-beams, fhining from S the Sun to R_y and reaching to H. Now fuppofing the Semidiameter of the Moon RC, to be 274 German Miles, according to Hevelim, the length of the Side RH (or Diftance between the Top of the Hill, and the Edge of the enlighten’d part) will be found alfo to be a io^lh, 20^th, or other part of that Semidiameter or Diameter ; or fome certain number of Miles. And then we have the two Sides RC, 274 Miles, and RH₃ and the right Angle included between them; by which, both the other Angles, and the Side C H, may be fonnd by a common Cafe of Right-angled Triangles. Out of which Side CH, deducing the Moon^ys Semidiametcr 274, there remaineth the Height of the Mountain Hi. Confult here Hevel. Selenogr. ch. 8. GaliUm Nunc. Sider. p. 14. Ridioli Ahnagefl. L.4. c.8. Schol.

Glaffes

in The Hills and Valleys Book V.

GlafTes looks like an even, fmooth, and uninterrupted Circle (k).

(k) the Edge of the Moon, which I here mean, is that next the Sun; on which I could never perceive with my beft Glaffes any the leaftSign of a Mountain, but all to be exadly level and fmooth. Only indeed there are fome certain tranfient roughnefl'es and unevennelfes on the Limb caufed by Vapours, efpecially when the Moon is near the Horizon, and in windy, and fome other Weather. At which times, the Motion of the Air and Vapours, makes a pretty Crif-pation, and Rouling, like Waves on the Moon’s Limb, which have the appearance of moving Mountains and Valleys. But on the oppofice Side, if the lead portion of the darken’d part of the Moon, extends beyond the enlightened part, Mountains may very manifeftly be difcerned, exactly refembling ours on the Earth. A few hours before and after the Full, I have with pleafure feen the appearance of confiderable Mountains and Bays. One of which Views, I have given in Fig. 6. which is the Mootfs appearance, foon after the Full, on Sept. 12. 1714.

Thefe alone I conceive are the Mountains which the excellent Hevelim fpeaks of in feveral places of his Selenography, particularly ih his an-iwer to Bettinm, and other Peripateticks, in Ch. 6. p. 143. who denied that Mountains could be in the Moon, as well as many other things difcovered now by the Telefcope.

Although

Chap.2. of the Earth and Moon. 123

Although then vaft Mountains, when feen near at hand, feem to be very confiderable excrefcences of our Globe, yet fince they are little, when compared to the Globe it felf, we may look upon our own, and all the reft of the Globes as if they were perfect Spheres, or at leaft Spheroids. And finding them to be fuch, let us next enquire what rea-fon there is to imagine this their Form to have been the great CREATOR’S Work.

Chap.

124 Figure of the Globes BookV

Chap. III.

The Univerfality ancl Uniformity of the Figure of the feverai Globes of the Unrcerfe is a Sign of their being the Work of GOD, not of Chance or Necef-

HEN we fee divers Pieces

manfhip co bear the fame marks of Art, ro have the fame mafterly firokes of Painting, Clock-work, Architecture, &c. we conclude with great reafon fuch Pieces were made by the fame Ikilful Hand. So when we fee the fame commodious Spherical Figure to be imparted to the

fity.

of curious Device and W ork~

Earth

Chap. 3. wifely ordered.

Earth and all the Heavealy Bodies, we have as good reafon to conclude them to be Pieces of the fame Hand, Contrivances and Works of the fame Ikilful Architect. For if the Univerfe had been a Work of Chance, all the feveral Globes would have been of feveral Forms, one of this, another of a quite different Figure: one fquare, another multangular, another long, and another of another fhape. Or if all the feveral Globes had been a work of Necejfity, and their Figure had been owing to the natural Tendency, or Gravity of Matter, viz. that the felf-attrading

^J    O

Power of Matter did make all the Solids and Fluids of all the feveral Globes, as naturally run into a glo-bofe form, as a drop of Quickfilver doth : yet ftill we may demand, how came Matter by this fo commodious a Power? What made it affed fo

proper

12 6 Figure of the Globes Book V.

proper a Form but the infinite CREATOR’S Fiat?

But not to conteft that Point, but granting Gravity to be congenial and coeval with Matter, without enquiring how it came by that Power, and allowing that every Globe of the Univerfe had its Form from the felf-attracting Power of its Matter, yet ftill we have undeniable marks of Final Caufes, of wife Order, and an over-ruling Power in the cafe. For let us imagine our Terraqueous Globe in its Chaotick ftate,- all its Matter, every particle of it divided, and floating about, and ready, by its felf-attradlion, to run together into its natural form, that of a Globe: In this hurly burly, this jumble of unguided Nature, made by Attraction only, a confufed globofe Mafs can be fuppofed to be formed,- but without any order, without that convenient lodgment of its parts, as the

neceP

Chap. 3. wifely ordered,    127

ncceflities of an habitable World require. But inftead of any fuch figns of diforder, or of Nature’s a&ing with an unguided Power, we have the clean contrary; all the Signals of a wife Contrivance, and excellent Art; as will appear in the following Chapter.

S9G)3G5    (9GJ?SGK9GJt9G5 tSQCSGESSSa {9S1CSSH5S3

Chap. IV.

7he Terraqueous and other Globes appear to be the Work of GOD from the wife Difpofition of their

Parts.

AS the Earth, and all the other Globes would have been of various Forms, if they had been made by Chance, or would have been confufed Mafles, if made by ⁶    Necef-

12 8 The Moon and Jupiter Book V.

Neceffity, according to the laft Chapter: fo in this I fhall fhew them to be the Work of a wife and a kind Agent_y from the commodious ftru-<5ture and difpofition of their parts, fo far as we have any knowledge of them. Thus the Moon_y hath great appearances of being no left com-modioufly, than the Earth, divided into Hills and Valleys (as I have fee forth in the 2d Chapter ;) into Drylands, and great Colle&ions of Waters (a) and to be encompalfed with

an

(a) That there are Seas, or great Colle&ions of Waters in the Moon, is highly probable from the Moon's Spots, which plainly feem to be Water on thefe two accounts, 1. Becaufe thofe Spots appear to be in ftr'ait and level long Planes, when viewed about the Moon's Quarters, or at fuch times as one half of them are enlighten’d, the other half in darknefs. In this cafe, when we do not look diredly upon the Planes, or fee them wholly enlighten’d, but view them in a manner fideways, their Surfaces look as the Sea doth, when we view it from the Shore, viz,, a large level Plane: only we may now and then difcern a bright fliining part ftanding a little out

6    of ’ *

Chap. 4. have different Parts. 129

an Atmofphere as we are (b). So

of the large Levels, which are, no doubt, certain Rocks or Iflands in the mid ft of thofe Seas: 2. The Darknefs of thofe Spots, more than other parts of the Moon,, is an argument they are Water, or fome fuch like Fluid, which imbibes the Sun's Rays more than harder Bodies, and doth not therefore fo vigoroufly refled them as they do. Accordingly about the Moon’s Quarters, when thofe Spots, as I faid, have the Appearance of long Planes,, we may obferve their edge to be a kind of hazy Border, which grows darker and darker, as the Rays are more and more abforbed.

But indeed hard Bodies, if they have fmooth iiirfaces, although they refled ftrongly to one place, yet in other places they are lefs vifible. Thus a Looking-glafs, a Diamond, &c. reflect vigoroufly the Sun’s rays towards one part, fo as to dazle the eyes; but in other parts they appear of a dark, blackifh hue. Which by the bye, is the reafon why Jewellers grind their Diamonds with many fides and angles, that their Luftre may appear many ways. So Silver (as GahUo obferves, Dial. 1.) when boiled only in Argol and Salt appears as white as Snow; but wherever it is burnifhed, it becomes obfcufe. And fo he tells 11s, rightly enough, the Moon would become invifible to us, if its furface was not rough, but fleek and fmooth. See alfo Hevelii Selenogr. ch. 6. p. 151.

(b) That there is an Atmofphere about the Moon, fee Book 7. ch. 3. Note 1.

K    Jupiter

¹3°    }^upi^tei’⁵⁵ Belts BookV*

'Jupiter although at To great a Di-itancc from us, hath manifeftly, we ice, his lighter and darker parts; his Belts and Spots darker than the reft: of his DHL Thefe Mr. Caffwi (who longer viewed this Planet than any Body elfe) takes to be Canals containing fome fluid matter, or Water, that more weakly refle&s the Sun's Kays, than the other Parts of the Planet do, and that they have fome refemblance with what happens here upon Earth. (:) For if’ faith he, one from on high, in the Heavens, fhould fee the Earth in fome particular fit nations _y the Sea, which encom-paffeth the Earth, would appear very like the great fouthern Belt that en-compaffeth the whole Globe of Jupiter : the Mediterranean Sea would

(c) Nouvelles Decouvertes de Jupiter • par M. Cafjini in the M-.woirei de Mat tom. & de Pbyfique for January, i6yz.

make

Chap. 4. and Spots.    131

make an appearance, ^ unlike thofe Bells ivhich are interrupted or broken, which we fee in this Planet: the 0-ther Seas would make thofe great black Spots, which never alter at all: the Continents and Ifles would feem like thofe bright Spots that are alfo permanent: the Snozvs would make thofe glittering Sparkles [Brilliants] that from time to time dijappear: the Flux and Reflux of the Ocean, and thofe great Inundations that happen fometimes here, ivould occafion other Spots to appear and difappear: the Moon would referable one of Jupiter⁵* Satellites: in fine, the Clouds of our At-mofphere ivould refemble thofe broken' interrupted Belts, and thofe tranftory Spots, which often change their Size and Figure, and have Motions of different velocities.

Thus that ingenious and curious Obferver. According to whole, not improbable opinion, this Planet Ju-K 2    piter

i j i Spots in Mars and\enus. Book V.

piter hath all its parts orderly placed, as is here upon Earth.

And fo for the reft of the Planets, whofe Faces exhibit different appearances, of brighter and darker parts, as Mars and Venus particularly do (d), it is highly probable that thefe may be fuch a diftribution, fuch an allotment of Parts, as thofe in Jupiter, and which are more plainly vifible in our own Globe.

Which brings me to fpeak particularly of our own Globe, of which we have a nearer View, and can plainly fee the footfteps of Divine Providence, in the wife and orderly Difpo-fition of all its parts ,• which are fo diftributed, fo placed, as may beft minifter to the feveral ufes and conveniences of an habitable World. Thus for inftance, the two grand

(d) See Book 4. chap. 3.

parts,

All parts ofthe Wor Id well placed, 133

parts, the Solids, and the Fluids of the Terraqueous Globe, inftead of being jumbled into one Mafs, are admirably parted, and as nicely laid in proper places. The Earth depo-fited in ufeful Strata; fome for the fervice of the Vegetable Kingdom, fome for the generation and nourifli-ment of Minerals and Metals_} fome for that of Stones and FofTils,- and fome for the fweetening and conveyance of the Waters. And here it is remarkable, and an argument of a wife defign and appointment, That all thofe feveral Strata, or Beds, are lodged at proper and convenient Depths, and Diftances from the Surface • that for Vegetables, the up-permoft, for every Man to cultivate ,* and this divided into various Soils, and Moulds, for all the varieties of Trees and Plants,- thofe Strata that contain the Minerals, Metals, and Foffils, at fuch depchs,

K 3    as

134 TheWatersivellplaced. BookV.

as to be out of the way, when they may encumber, or hurt us; but may be comc at by us, when we have occafion for them. And as for thofe Strata that convey the fweet waters (e) it is very remarkable, that they are fo univerfal, in all, or mod parts of the World,- that they confift of fuch proper previous matter • that they remain fo diftindt from, and unmixed with the other Strata _y and that they lie at fuch due depths, as either to break out into Fountains, or to be dug into, for Wells. But I (hall not enlarge on thefe matters, having fpoken of them elfewhere.

And as this fo commodious a diflribution of the Earth, fo that of the Waters, is a manifeft demonftra-tion of the concern of a wife Agent, although we fnould afcribe all that is poflible to the neceffities of Nature ** .

(e) Spe PfjyJtfo-T/jeol. Book 3. ch.c.

Chap. 4. The 14⁷aters well plac'd. 13 j

in the formation of the World. For the Waters, if we obferve them well, are accurately difperfed, and lodged about the world, for the proper offices thereof, in Seas, in Lakes, in Rivers, in Fountains, to fitisfie the Thirfl of Animals, to afford them fome part of their Food, and to mi-nifter abundant fupplies of Vapours for the Clouds, the Rains, and Winds: which Supplies mud: either have failed, or been too abundant, 01* have been attended with fome or other great inconvenience, without fuch a commodious intermixture of the Land and Waters.

This Siwayuyij, as the LXX tranilate it, this orderly gather ingtor gether of the Waters, is implied in Mofes’s relation of this branch of die Creation, Gen. 1. 9. /hid God faid_y Let the IVaters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place. Where the Hebrew word Ikkavu, K 4    denotes

136 The Waters well plac'd. Book V.

denotes a regular and orderly gather ring of the Waters, as if their Allotment had been made, their Receptacles had been marked out by a Rule_y or a Plumb-Une_y by the CREATOR’S Fiat.

Thus it is demonftratively plain, that the Earth and Waters were laid by a wife Hand • and therefore whatever concern Nature might have in giving a Spherical Figure to our Globe, yet was the CREATOR the principal Agent, the grand Manager of the matter.

Chap.

Chap. j.

*37

Chap. V.

The Convenience and Necef-fity of a Spharical Figure to the Good of the Globes, is an argument they were the Work of GOD.

BESIDES the orderly and commodious placing the Parts of the feveral Globes, fpoken of in the laft Chapter, there are ftill other reafons to afcribe the Sphericity of our own and the other Globes to a wife Agent. For befides that this Figure is the moft agreeable to a World, as being the moft capacious; and the moft agreeable to a Mafs in Motion, as being at a due diftance from the center of Motion and Gravity* fo vyithout this Figure there

could

x3 8 A Spharical the Book V.

could have been no fuch comfortable, and agreeable alternations of Day and Night, of Heat and Cold, as now there are, but fome parts mud have been, for too long a time, fkreen-ed from the kindly approaches of the Sun and Moon, and confequently have lain under too long and uncomfortable a Darknefs, and been chilled with miferabie Cold. And as to cur own Globe, the Winds could not have given thofe kindly, and filutiferous agitations to the air, as they do, but they mud have been too much retarded, if not wholly flopp’d by the exorbitant angles, and jettings out of other Figures. And ladly, the Waters, which I fhewed to be well intermixed with DryLand, would have had intolerable Confluences • one part too much, another none at all ,* no Vapours, no Fountains, no Rivers: fo that indead of an habitable, well docked

world,

Chap. y. mofi commodious Figure. 139

world, far the greateft part would have been either a Defart, or an unnecessary Confluence of Water.

Thus having made it evident, that particularly our own Globe received its Figure by the direction of the infinitely wife ArchiteB of all things: we have reafon, had we none befides, to conclude the fame of all the reft of the Globes of the Uni-verfe, inafrnuch as they agree with ours in other things as well as in their Figure, fo far as we have any knowledge of them, and their State. Thus the Planets of the Solar Sy-fterae, have their Light from the Sun as well as we • they turn round on their own Axes, and revolve round the Sun, and confequently have their Days and Nights, their Summers and Winters, as well as we; they have their Hills and Valiies, as I faid, their Land and Waters, by sli the Signs that may be, as well as

340 ASpharical the, 8cc. BookV.

we ,• and therefore agreeing with our Globe in fo many of thofe very things, wherein their Figure is concerned, had we none of thofe Rea-fons I have already mentioned, there would however be great reafon to prefume the fame thing of them, as of our Earth, viz. that they received their Figure from the fame wife CREATOR, and that (were we near enough to behold them) they have as manifeft Signals of it as we.

BOOK

BOOK VI.

O F T H E

Attraction or Gravity

OF THE

Terraqueous, and the other Globes.

Chap. I.

The Ufefulnefs ^/Attraction. in the Production and Pre-fervation of the Figure of the Earth, and the Defcent of Heavy Bodies.

AVING in the two Iaft Books treated of the Motions and Figure of the Globes, I (hall in this con-fider their Gravity or AttraBion,

which

14 z /Igency of /htratTion. Book V I.

which according to the modern Phi-lofophy (which hath great reafoa and probability on its fide) hath a great agency in both thefe matters, both in effe&ing and preferving the Figure of the Globes, and governing their Motion.

As to the agency of the natural Attra&ion of matter, in the production and prefervation of a fpharrical Figure, as that of the feveral Globes is, befides what hath been before fuppo-fed,it may becolledted from thefphx-rical Figure which mod Fluids take, when there is no obftacle to hinder their doing fo. Thus I have faid filver manifeftly doth, efpecially in fmall drops or quantities,* in which cafe their own felf-attra&ing power, is equal to, or exceeds that of the Earth: fo doth Lead., and other Metals, when in fluxion (&)$ to doth Wa-

(a) This is very manifeft from the making of

9i.

Ghap. i. It is natural to Matter. 143

ter, Oyl, and in fhort all Liquids,, which run nearly into a fpherical form, when hung on a fmall lur-face * as at the Point of a Pin 5 or into an hemifpharrical Figure, on a broader furface; their Self-Attraction caufing the former, as that of the Earth and the furface on which they lye doth the latter. Thefe Phenomena have indeed been af-fcribed to divers Caufes., moft of them probable enough, except the Preffure of the incumbent Air : but this is manifeftly not the true Caufe₃ by reafon the cafe is the very fame in the Air-Pump (when the Preflure is taken off) as in the free Air • and

S/m. The way of doing which, is by running the melted Lead through a Ladle full of holes into cold water. In doing whicli they take care, their Lead be not too hot, becaufe the globules would then fly to picces , nor too cold, becaufe it would then be long and have tails; but in a due temper it turns round. They put Orpiment into their Lead, when they melt and prepare k for Shor.

144 Gravity preferves Book VI.

therefore fome other Caufe is to be found : and what more probable, or fo probable, as this of Gravity or At-traBion, which manifeftly exerts itfelf in forhe, and is highly probable in all material things? (b) In the Earth it felf there is manifeftly fuch a thing as Gravity, which might as well be the natural Caufe of the Sphae-ricity of our Globe, as it is in that of lefler MafTcs, but then as I demon-ftrated in the laft Book, it is alfo evident, that an over-ruling Power, and a wife Providence, not only gave Matter this Gravitating Power, but guided and managed it in the formation of the World.

And now upon Suppofition that Gravity had any thing to do in the

(b) For the Proof of this I fliall refer to Sir Ifnac Newtons Optkks, Quieft. 31. of the fecond Edition, and in his Principia in many places, particularly L.3. Prop. 5,6,7.

Chap. i. the Globes entire.

production of this Spherical Figure I am fpeaking of; the fame it mufl: have alfo in the confervation of thac Figure. For the fame Power it exerted at firfl:, it retains ftill,* which is as neceffary ftill to the preventing and obviating all extravagant Excur^ fions, and Deviations from that Fi^ gure, which may happen through extraordinary Commotions and Con-vulfions in any of the Globes5 fuch as Earthquakes are, and other fuch like furious Concuffions and Emotions that fometimes befall our own Globe.

But leaving thefe conje&iiral matters, let us come to a more evident Benefit of Gravity, and that is the natural Tendency of all Bodies to the Center of the Globe: This is very manifeft in our own Globe. For whatfoever the Decays are among earthly things, howfoever their Forms are changed,

.    h    y Qt

146 Gravity preferves,$cc. BookVL

yet their Matter remaineth entire, and returneth again to its grand Parent the Earth : or to pot it in Solomon's Words, Eccl. 1.4. One generation pajfeth azvay, and another generation cometh: but the earth a-bideth for 'ever.

•And an admirable provifton this is for the perpetuity of the Globe, and to continue the State and Habitability thereof throughout all ages, which wOulS otherwife wa'fte and‘de-c^Jay., or run into the moft irreparable arid pernicious diforders.

Chap.

Chap. 2.

?."< m y.'i w ?;< fy< ?."< fi ^ ^ ^ ?:$ ^ ^ ^ ^ \% ?y< ?."<

'/»$ ?*$. /ws ?*.* 5v\ ?/A /~s />*’ Jvs /^s //*s ^ /,«* ^ JyS /v-s y,J:

Chap. H.

The Guard winch Gravity affords again ftthe Centrifugal Force of the feveral Globes.

UPON a fuppofitipn that every of the Globes revolves round its own Axis (which I have fufficiently proved in the Fourth Book) we (hall find, be.fides the Benefits already fpecified, another very great ufe of Gravity to the Good, yea the very Exiftence of our own and the other Globes, and that is the prefervation of their Integrity -again ft the Centrifugal Force of this their ‘Revolution, or Diurnal Motion. For without fuch a Band, as Gravity, to keep their parts together,

L 2    the

148 The Gravity andBook VI.

the whirling about of thofe Globes would fhatter them into pieces, and diffipate them abroad into the circum-' ambient fpace. Thus mud it needs f befall our own Globe, which whirls about at the rate of above 1000 Miles an hour (a), and is compofed of Earth and Water, materials of much too loofe a texture, to prevent the diffipation, which the Centrifugal Force of fuch a Rotation muft necef-farily occafiod, about the ^Equatorial parts; a Rotation that would as ea-fily throw off the parts of the Earth, efpccially the Waters, as the whirling round of a Wheel or a Globe, would the loofe Duft and Water lodged thereon. But, by reafon the Gravitating Power exceeds the Cen-

(a) The Diameter of the Earth being 7967/7 Miles, according to B. i. Ch. 2. Note 1. the Ambit thereof is 25031,4 Miles, which being divided into 24 hours makes the Revolution to be at the rate of 1043 Miles an hour.

trip1 gal

Chap. 2. Force of the Earth. 149

trifugal as 2 174 exceeds 7^4064 (b) that is above 288 times, therefore all parts lye quiet and fecure in their refpe&ive places, and enjoy all the benefits, which 1 (hewed do accompany this Motion, without any difU)i> bance from it.

Thus is our own Globe guarded by its Gravity againft the Centrifugal Force of its Rotation. But this is far more remarkable in fome of the other Globes. Thus particularly in the Sun, whofe Ambit is, 2)82873 miles, and whirls round once in about 25 7 days, and confequently doth revolve at the rate of 4161 miles an hour (cj> which is above

four

(b)    This is the proportion or nearly fo, of the Gravitating to the Centrifugal Force of: the Earth under the Equator, as may be computed from' Sir Ifaac Newton’s Princip. L. 3. Prop. 19.

(c)    The Sun’s Diameter being 822148 miles, the Numbers here affigned will naturally follow.

As to the Slinks Gravity or Attratlive Power

t 3

i 50 The Centrifugal Force Book VI.

four times as faft as the Earth,- this' in a little time would endanger its diflrpation without fuch a provifioti as Gravity is.

But what is this to the Centrifugal Force of Jupiter ? whofe Bulk far exceeds our terraqueous Ball, and whofe Rotation is performed in lefs than half the time. But from a computation of particulars we fhall better eftimate the matter. The Diameter of Jupiter being 120653 miles, its Circumference is 379045 miles: which revolving round in lefs than ten hours, is at the rate of 38159 (d) miles an hour at its AL-quatdr. And if the Denfity of every

It is (by the calculation of* my Friend the acut6 and learned t)r. Hailey) to the Sun’s Centrifugal Force, as 4700& to 1: The method for finding which, fee in Note <?. ’

(d) Jupiters Ambit being 379045 miles, and his Revolution 9 h, 5O' or 596 minutes; the ^Tr'[ ■ ‘ - ^ ~^T ’ Reyo-

Chap. 2. of the Su$ and Jupiter. 15 i

i-y Planet he proportional to its Dir ftance from the Sun, as is now with great reafon imagined, that is, if thofe Planets neareft the Sun, as Mercury and Venus, are prqportio-nably denfer than thofe more remote, as Jupiter and Saturn \ then is the Globe of Jupiter of a laser texture than oprs is, ^nd in fo much the greyer danger therefore of being whirl’d to pieces by fo rapid a MotiQP, as that Planet manifeftly hath, were not its parts kept clofe together, and fedate, by fuch a Band as Gravity (e) is.

Revolution in an hour is by the Logarithms thus.    •

596 minuted    , • 2.7752465

379045 mjes*    , 5.5786912

: : 60 minutes    17781515

7.55(58425

38159 miles    4.^815962

(e) The Proportion of Jupiter's, or any other Planets, or the Sim's Gravity, to their Centrifugal

L 4    Force

15i The Centrifugal Force_y See. B.VI

Force may be computed from the moft fagacious S*ir Jfaac Newtons Princip. L. 3. Prop. 8. & ip. But the before commended Savtlian Profeffor, iiiggefted to me this eafier, and quicker Rule, for fuch Planets as have Satellites, viz. 7"he Proportion of the Centrifugal to the Centripetal Force_y or Gravity of any Planet at its Surface, is compound-ed of the, Ratio which the Cubi of the Semidiameter ■of the Planet hath to the Cube of the Difiance of any of its Satellites frcm the Center of that Planet; and the Ratio which the Square of the Satellites Pern dick time hath to the Squarq of the Periodick time if the Planets Revolution. Thus for indance, the diftance of Jupiter’s outermoft Satellite being *253 Semidiameters of Jupiter, and its Period 16 daySj 16 hours, 32 minutes, or 24032 minutes, and Jupiters Revolution 526 minutes; we fhall find the Gravity in JupiteSs Surface to be to his Centrifugal Force in his Equator, as j{ io 936

Chap. 3.

¹5 3

Of the Power and Ufefulnefs of Gravity to retain the Planets in their Orbits.

OR a Conclufion of this fixth

Book, I {hall take notice of

one more remarkable benefit of Gra~ vity_y which is grounded upon the fuppofition of the truth of the Newtonian Philofophy j which hath fo good Grounds, and great Reafon, I might fay Demonftrations on its fide, particularly in this matter, that admitting of it here, we fhall difcover another admirable Work of the Creation, and that is, the preventing the Evagation of the Planets, and the accurate retaining them within the due Bounds of their Orbits. That

Chap. III.

this

ij4 The Ufeftdnefs Book VI

this is done by Gravity, and that Gravity and Motion folve in the mod complete manner, all the Phenomena of the Planetary Motions both Primary and Secondary, is abundantly made out by the wonderful Sagacity of the great Sir Ifaac Newton > as may be feen in his Prin-cipia.

But before I come to the particular agency of Gravity, it will be neceffary to premife fornething concerning its Nature, and fome of its Properties, viz. That Gravity is not terminated at the Surface, but reaches to the very Center, and is extended to immenfe diftances all round the Centers of all the Globes: By which means, the codeftial Bodies are enabled to have Syftems of lef* fer Globes revolving about them. For had the Force of Gravity de^ termined at, or near the Surface (as it might have done, if intended

only

Chap. 3. of Gravity.    15 j

only for the Confervation of the Globes) in this cafe, all the Bodies that were put in Motion, and that were to pafs at fome diftance from them, would move on in a ftrait, not curved line, and be loft in the great Abyfs of Space. But the allwife CREATOR, hath, in his firft Production of Matter, beftowed upon it fuch a Property, as that every Particle thereof hath a Tendency towards every other Particle. From whence it comes to pafs that every Body hath a Gravitating Power according to the folid Content, or real Quantity of its Matter, and not according to its Superficies, or £x-tenfion.

And this Gravity of all Bodies is obferved, manifeftly to decreafe in proportion of the fquare of their Diftances reciprocally ,* that is, at twice their diftance the Force is but pne fourth of what it was atafingle

diftance *

15 6 The Properties Book VI.

diftance,* and but a ninth, at thrice the diftance, &c.

That this is fo, is abundantly proved by the laft commended Author • who by eftabliftiing this one Principle in Philofophy, hath fully explain’d the Syfteme of the World, fo far as relates to us, and to all the reft of the Planets, that regard the Sun as a Center, both Primary and Secondary.

What the Caufe of Gravity is, Sir Ifciac Newton doth not pretend to alfign, his Defign being not to engage himfelf in framing Hypothefes, but to explain the Phenomena by Experiments only, and tq raife his noble Superftru&ure upon them. And therefore, although the matters of Fa£t, and the Final Caufes are evident, I will not venture to fay how it comes to pafs, that Bo? dies adt at fuch immenfe Diftances upon ane another • but chufe rather

Chap. 3. of Gravity._i y?

to acquiefce in adoring the Wifdom and Power of the GREAT AUTHOR of all things, who hath in-fpirited the Materials of which the World confifts, with fuch an a&ive quality, as ferves not only to pre-ferve the Globes themfelves entire, but to enable them to revolve about their luminous Center (from whence they have their Light and Heat) in Orbs that are the molt commodious, and alfo fixt and permanent.

Having thus premifed what Was neceffary for the underftanding the Nature and Properties of Gra-vity_y I fhall proceed to confider its agency in the Planetary Motions. And here we have divers things;-which plainly demonftrate thefe Mo* tions to be no matters of Chance, but the Works of an infinitely Kind, as well as Omnipotent and Allwife Agent.

J HAVE

i j 8 The Planets are retained in B. V I.

I have already in Book4. Ch. 2. taken notice, of the Motion of the Planets, being made, not in Lines tending from the Center to the Circumference, or very obliquely thereto, but acrofs, or nearly perpendicular to fhe Radii.. Alfo that the Motions, and Orbits of the Planets, do not tend contrary ways, or much interfere with one another. That therefore which I ihall fpeak of here, concerning the Planetary Motions being the Work of God, will be on^ ly fo far as Gravity is .therein concerned. And

1. It was a very .notable iprovifion to prevent the Evagation of the Planets, and to ikeep.them within their due and proper Bounds, to bridle and detain them with Gravity, as " with fo .manv Roins and Bridles.

I    ^

For as the natural tendency of all impreft Motion is in ftrait Lines, fo when Motion was given to the Planets,

dh.3‘. their own Orbs by Gravity. ij(?

nets, this Motion (altho⁵ as I faid it was artificially made, perpendicularly to the Radii, yet) would carry them quite away in their Tangents, fo that they would never return again. But being thus detain’d by Gravity, another admirable pro-vifion is tha^ 2. They are moved in Orbs: Which Orbs are formed of a Motion compounded of this Rectilinear Impulfe, impreft upon the Planets, and the tendency of their Gravity to their Centers. In which Motion third thing very remarkable is, That the Impulfe or Velocity which is imparted by the FirfiMover to every Planet, and the Gravity of each Planet, are:fo nearly'equal to what is required to make a Body defcribe a Circle, that the Orbits of the ‘Planets are not very Eccentrical, but nearly Circular. As is particularly .remarkable in Ve-ms₇ and the Earthy :and )more e-

160    Of the Orbits Book VI

fpecially in the whole Syfteme of Jupiter* s Satellites. And an admirable Work this is. For fliould the Velocity of any Planet be double to what would make it move in a Circle^ the Planet would go away in infinitum, without ever returning again in any Orb whatfoever. Or fliould one half of the Velocity be taken away, the Planet would defcend obliquely towards the Sun, until it became four times nearer the Sun than before 5 and then afcend again to its former place, defcribing a very eccentrical Orb. And by afcending and defcending alternately, it would be heated fixteen times more at one time than another. Which uneven Heat would make the Planet unfit for Habitation. And the fame thing would happen, if the determination of its Motion fliould be altered, fo as to become very oblique to the Radius^ drawn from the Planet to the

Sun*

Chap. 3. of the Planets.

Sun. But thefe things being accurately adjufted, and. contempered3 make the whole Syfteme to be i work, of incomparable Convenience and Beauty; a Work the beft contrived for the Benefit of the World’s Inhabitants, and to fet forth the Curiofity and Skill of the infinite Workman.    , .

I t is manifeft therefore that the Syfteme of the Planets is not to be reckon’d a matter of .Chanceor a thing owing to a Nec'ejfity of Nature_y but the Work of a kind and wife Agent. And that this is fo, will be farther manifeft from the cafe of Comets, whofe Motions, Directions and Orbs being utterly different from thofe of the Planets, demonftrate the Planetary Syfteme to have been modelled by Counfel, and not by a Neceffity of Nature, or left to Chance. For as for the Motion of Comets, it is fo far from being always the fame

M    %yay_r

i6z    Of Comets. Book VI.

way, that they move fometimes contrary to one another. And as for their Planes and Dire&ions, they lie every way. And as for their Orbs, they are exceedingly eccentrical. And by the bye, this Eccentricity is an admirable Contrivance of the CREATOR, to prevent the Comets from diflurbing either the Planets, or one another, by their mutual Attractions. For by this means, they have a large and fufficient room to revolve in j and by afcending to very great heights, above the Syfteme of the Planets, and fpending almoft all their time in the remote regions of the Univerfe, at vafl: Diftanccs both from the Planets, and from one another, they do not incommode either the Planets, or them-felves,* as othervvife they would have done, fhould they have moved in the fame Plane with the Planets, For had they done fo₃ they would

have

Chap. 3. Of Comets.    163

have been apt fometimes to have come too near the Planets, and have difturb’d their Motions, arid perhaps have dafhed upon them al-fo. But all thefe Circumftances are fo well adjufted, and fo wifely regulated by the Divine Providence; that the Syfteme could not have been better contrived, cither for Convenience or Beauty.

And now upon this highly probable, I may fay phyfically certain, Theory, of Gravity a&ing in the Motion of the Globes, we have another excjuifite Nicety in the works of the Creation, that juftly deferves the greateft admiration and praife. That among fo many immenfe, moving Maffes, they fliould all ob-ferve their due Bounds, keep the moft proper Paths appointed for their convenience and good, and at all times anfwer the great Ends to M z    which

164 The Conclufion. Book VI.

which they minifter in the Creation. Particularly that the Habitable Globes fhould always remain at fuch due Diftances, and move in fuch proper Orbits, as are beft for them. And that the Comets too, fhould at the fame time pafs in Paths utterly different, but yet fuch in all probability, as may render them alfo of very great ufe to fome or other parts of the World • whether we look upon them as places of Torment (as hath been faid) or Bodies appointed for the Refrefh-ment and Recruit of the Sun, or any of his Planets, as Sir Ifaac Newton conjedlureth in his Princip. L. 3, Prop. 41 fe⁹ 42.

And now from the confideration of what I have fnewn in this fixth Book, to be either highly probable, or very certain, concerning Gravity, we have another manifdt demon-

ftration

Chap. 3. The Conclujion. 16j

ftration of the infinite CREATOR’S Wifdom and Care₃ and another cogent argument to excite the higheft Veneration and Praife in his Creatures.

M 3 BOOK

BOOK VII.

tsnsasa £00030^ afflCSQiSCJOG) ea<£Q'£Q CSGHSO Of the Provision made for

LIGHT and HEAT

Throughout the Universe.

Chap. I.

Of the Light and Heat of the Fixt Stars and Sun.

S Light and Heat are two of the moft ufeful things in the Univerfe, fo the i|j infinitely wife and kind CREATOR hath made an excellent Provifion for thefe things, in all probability,

Chap. i. Light of the Fixt Stars. 167

bability, for every Globe throughout the Univerfe, but particularly for thofe of our own Syfteme. For it is very manifeft, that every Globe we fee, doth (hinewith its own native, or with borrowed Light. Even all thofe immenfe Bodies at the greateft diftance from us, the Fixt Stars, which I have before faid, are probably fo many Suns, it is Light they manifeftly dart as far as to our fo diftant Globe, as well as what they emit for the enlightening, warming, and cherifhing their own refpedive Planets.

But I (hall forbear to launch out into thofe conje&ural matters, and fhall come nearer home, into our own Syfteme, where we have enough to entertain our Eye, to captivate our Thoughts, and to excite our high-eft admiration of thefe magnificent works of God; whether we furvey the great Fountain it felf of our

168 The Light and Heat Book VII.

Light and Heat, the Sun; its due Pofition, and its wonderful ufe to its Planets; and the incomparable Provifions that are made to fupply its abfence and greater diftances from them.

And in the firft place, as to the Sun it felf; what Power is there that the moft extravagant Fancy can imagine to it felf, that could ever be able to make fo prodigious a Mafs of Fire as the Sun is, but only the Power of God’s Almighty Hand! A Body of fo immenfe a Bulk, as 1 have fhewn it is, and of fuch an excefTive Heat, that no greater a number of its Rays, than what fall within the coppafs of a two, or three inch Burning-Grafs, {hall actually burn ; and what fall within the compafs of not many feet, fhalt far exceed the ftrongeft culinary Fire in the Earth ; as is manifeft from its almoft inftan-taneous burning, and vitrifying the

Chap. i. of the Sun.    16p

moft obdurate, incombuftible Bodies, fuch as' not only green Wood, and white Bodies, but alfo Stones, Bricks, Metals, yea Gold it felf (the hard-eft of all Metals to be wrought upon by Fire) which yet is melted down in a few minutes (a).

Thus

(a) The famous Burning-Concave at Lyons, of 30 Inches Diameter, and others in France and Germany, of greater breadths, have been celebrated for their Feats in burning, calcining and vitrifying, both metallick and other Bodies. But I queftion whether any of them have come up to the Burning Inftrument contrived by, and made fqr Sir Ifaac Newton, and by him prefent-ed to the Royal-Society. It con fids of 7 Concave foiled Glafles, each of them 12 Inches Diameter, which are all fo placed, as to have their Foci concur in one point. By which means the Heat is fo increafed, as in a furprizing Manner to perform the Feats here mentioned, and many others furpafling them.

■' Having mentioned thefe Burning-Concave s, it may be of ufe for the cheap trying of Experiments, to take notice of what was related to me by a Perfon of very high Quality: who doing me the honour to talk with me about fuch Con-ww, told me, that in Germany one Mr. OzJiem-

4

170 The Light andHeat_y8cc.BookVII.

Thus the infinite Power andWif-dom of GOD, appear in the appointment, and make of that immenfe Body of Fire, the Sun j a Mafs wonderful, and worthy of its Maker, whether we confider its immenfity, its exceflive Heat, or its abfolute ne-ceffity, and great ufe to us, and to all the reft of its Syfteme. But we fhall find yet farther Evidences of the great CREATOR’S work in the following Chapter.

baufen, a Silejian Gentleman, made divers very large Concaves with Pafle-board; which were covered over with a kind of Pafte or Foil, that ftrongly refle&ed the Suns Rays. But what their Power was, he did not fee.

Chap.

Chap. i. TheduePofition, Sec. 171

Chap. II.

Of the due Pofition and Difiance of the Sun and its

Planets.

S the infinite Power and Wif-

dom of God appears in the appointment and make of the Sun, according to the preceding Chapter-fo in this I (hall demonftrate the fame, from the due Pofition of the Sun among his Planets, and his due Diftance from each of them.

Now here we may take it for granted, that the Sun is the Fountain of the Light and Heat of all the Planets, not only of the Earth, but of the other Planets, that move either about the Sun, or the Earth. But whether the Sun be placed in the

Center

xy i Earth and Sun at Book VII.

Center of its Syfteme, or the Earth be fo, is of no great confequence here to enquire. But I have all along fuppofed the former to be the moft probable Hypothefis, and it feems to be ftill more fo, from the confideration we are now upon, concerning the community of its Light and Heat to all the Planets. For fince it is manifeft, that what Light and Heat the Planets have, they receive from the Sun, it is far more likely that this their Fountain of Light, and Heat, is placed in the common Center of them, and that they move round about it, rather than it about them,

But be it fo, or not fo, it is however very certain, that all the Planets are placed at fuch a due, and proper Diftance, from the Sun, that they receive the beneficial Rays thereof, in a due manner and proportion. There is no great reafon to doubfc

of

Chap. 2. a due diftance. 173

of this, among the Planets that are at greater or leffer Diftances from the Sun than we, becaufe we find fo noble and folemn an Apparatus, an-fwerable to their Diftances from the Sun, which I intend to fpeak of hereafter. But as for our own terraqueous Globe, we have fufficienc fignals of the great care and counfel, that have been ufed in the due Pofition, and Diftance thereof from the Sun. For as to its Pofition to the Sun, I have heretofore fhewn, that by the Inclination of its Axis, and its Diurnal and Periodical Revolutions, all parts have a due fhare of Light and Heat. And as for its Diftance, it is fuch, as not only prevents the Danger of its interfering with the other Globes, as I have formerly obferved, but alfo it is duly adjufted to the Denfity of the Earth and Waters, and to the Make and Temper of our Bodies, and of ‘    all

174 Benefits of the Book VII.

all other things here below. Had we been much nearer the Sun, our World would have been burnt up, and wafted,* the Waters, in the firft place, would have all been turned into vapours, and dried up,* Vegetation have foon ceafed, and all things would have foon been wafted, if not burnt and confumed. Or had we been not at fo very great a diftance, but only a little nearer the Sun, than now we are, as fuppofe a few thou-fands of Miles, ftill the Heat would be as the fquare of the fa) diftance • and confequently too great, if not for the Polar, yet for the Equatorial parts. And on the contrary, had we been fet at a greater diftance from the Sun, fo would the Sun's Heat have been abated, in proportion to the fquare of that diftance. And in this cafe, if the diftance

(a) Newton. Princip. p. 466.

had

Chap. 2. Sun's due difiance. 175

had been very great, we and all things muft have been perpetually frozen up • or if it had been not fo great, the world would have Suffered by cold, the Polar at leaft, if the ^Equatorial parts ihould efcape.

And in this cafe, when our Globe fhould thus be parched up with everlafting Heat, or be everlaftingly frozen with exceflive cold; inftead of an habitable, pleafant, and comfortable world, it muft become a Defart, a place of irkfomnefs, mi-fery, and everlafting punifhment. But the great CREATOR having fo wifely, and indulgently, ordered the diftance between the Earth and Sun, the Sun’s Light and Heat are incomparably accommodated to the ftate and temper of all things here below, and our World is well fitted for Habitation, well provided with every thing that may minifter to the fupport, the comfort, and pleafure

176 Benefits of the Book V1L

of its Inhabitants. By thofe indulgent Rays, all thitigs are enlightened, and we, and all the reft of the Animal Kingdom, are enabled to difpatch our Bufinefs* to feek and provide our Food, and to pafs from place to place, as our occafions or pleafure lead us. By its cherifhing Beams all things are warmed and comforted, Vapours, in fome mea-fure, made to rife for the forming of Clouds and Rain ; Trees and Plants are enabled thereby to put on their verdure and gaiety, and to yield us the benefit and pleafure of their Grain and Fruit. By the prefence of this great Fountain of Light and Heat, we and even Nature too, is awake and excited ,• and by its ab-fence, grows torpid and dull: its ab-fence by Night, difpofes us to reft and fleep; and even Vegetables too fliut up their Flowers then (b)_%

(b) See my Phyfco-Theol. B-10. N. 14.

and

Chap. 2. Light.    i77

and in a manner betake themfelves to reft: and its abfence in Winter, how doth it change the whole face of Nature, diveft Vegetables of their gay attire, force Animals to places of {helter and fafeguard, and give an afped of melancholy and hor~ rour to all things!

Thus it is manifeft how wifely and indulgently the great CREATOR hath provided for the good of our Planet, by fo critically adjufting its Pofition to, and its Diftance from the Sun, to the ftate and temper of it, and all things thereon. And although the reft of the Planets, en-compaffing the Sun, are fome of them nearer to, fome of them farther from it, yet there is no great que-ftion to be made, but the fame wife Contriver hath made as good a pro-vifion for them as for us, either by* contempering their Denfity to their Diftance from the Sim, or by fome

N    other

178 Benefits of the Light. BookVlL

other the wifeft and beft courfe* as we have very juft reafon to fufpe&_? from that grand and folemn apparatus I Ipeak of, of Secondary Planets. Which leads me to confider the Provifions made for the Supply of the Sun’s abfence, and its greater diftance.

Chap. 3.

179

Chap. III.

The Neceffity of Light, and the Provijion for it by the Atmofphere.

BEFORE I come to the other Planets, it will be convenient to confider how the Sun’s abfence is fupplied here upon the Earth, as alfo, probably, how it is fupplied in her concomitant the Moon.

And firft as to the Earth. Of fiich abfolute neceflity is Light (not to mention Heat) that our World could not well be in the lead utterly without it, becaufe during utter, abfolute Darknefs (befides the great inconveniences it might bring to Vegetables* Minerals, and every other fuch like part of the Creation, befides this I N %    fay)

180 TheNeceJJityof Light. BookVII.

fay) it would certainly put Animals under an abfolute incapacity of performing their mod neceffary Bufi-cefs, and a&ing in that office which the divine Providence hath appointed them, although of greateft ufe to themfelves, or the reft of the World, Men, for inftance, whofe Bufinefs and Occafions oftentimes neceffitate them to borrow a part of the Night • all other Animals, whofe Safety or Temper, or Conftitution of Parts (as of their Eye, or fome other Parts) confine them to their Dens, and Places of Retirement, and Reft by Day, and are therefore in courfe compelled to feek their food, and wander about on their moft neceffary occa^ fions of life by Night, all thefe, I fay, would at once be cut off from one of the grand benefits of life, from acting that part they bear in the Creation, during fuch time as th ey (hould be put into abfolute Dark-

nefs.

Chap. 3. Provifion for Light, &c. 181

nefs. But to prevent this, the infinitely wife Contriver of the World hath made divers admirable Provifi-ons, both in our own, and the other Planets too. One provifion which he hath made in our own Globe, and I may add that of the Moon alfo, is by encompafling both with an Atmofphere (a)> which, among other grand ufes, minifters very much to the propagation of

(a) Mr .Huygens in his Cofmotheor. p. 115. con« eludes the Moon to have no Air or Atmofphere becaufe we fee its Limb fo clearly and accurately defined, and becaufe he thought there- are. no Seas or Rivers in the Moon. But he was miftaken both in his Conclufion and part of his Premises. For in the Solar Eclipfe May 1. 1706, which in Switzerland was Total, they could ma-nifeftly perccive the Moon’s Atmofphere, as may be feen in the Accounts given in Philof. Tranf. N°3o6. And fince that, in the laft Total E-clipfe of the Sun, April 22. 1715. the Afoon’s At-mofphere was very difcernible, appearing in the Form of a curious Ring of Vapours encompassing the Moon all the time of Total Darknefs. Of which fee the Accounts, in the Philof. Tranf. and MrWkifton’s.

N 3 Light,

182 Provifionfor Light, See. BookVIL

Light, partly by reflecting the Rays of Light to our Eye, and partly refracting them, fo as to make them vifible and ufeful to us, when otherwife they would not appear. Hence that whitenefs and Bright-nefs (b) obfervable in the air by day j and hence the Twy-light, when the Sun is hidden under the Horizon. The like to which is obfervable in the Moon alfo, in that fecondary, rufty Light which is feen in her Eclipfes, and before £nd after her Quarters.

(b) See Pbyjtco-Theol. B. 1. Ch. 1. Note j 2.

CUAI?;

Chap. 4.

183

'    Chap. IV.

The great ufefulncfs of the Moon, and the mutual 'beneficial Returns which the Globes make to one another.

HAVIN G fhewn the abfolute neceflity of Light, and the fupply thereof by the Atmofpheres; let us next fpeak. of the principal provifion made for that, and for fupplying the Sun’s abfence, and that is by the Moon and Stars, which as Mofes faith (a) rule the Night, as the greater Light, the Sun, doth rule the Day. What influences thefe

(if) Gen. 1.16.

N 4    cede-

§4 The Influences, See. Book VII.

coeleftial Bodies may have here below, in the Bodies of Men, and other Animals, or among Vegetables, Fof-fils, or in any of the grand works of Nature, is hard to determine, although vainly pretended unto by the judicial Aftrologers ; but yet fome things there are, whofe Periods and Crifes fo ftri&ly obferve the Courfes of the Sun, efpecially of the Moon, that, on the other hand, it is hard to deny the influences of thefe Bodies here below. The Tides particularly have all along fo conftant-]y obferved the Courfes of the Moon, that in all ages they have been fuf-pe&ed to be caufed and governed by that Planet: and if the (lories of Pliny (b)_y Ariflotle> and others of the Ancients be true, it is by her influence, that the Bodies of Oyfters and other Shell-fifh are increafed

(b) Win. Nat. Hiji. 1,2: C.41,98,99,201.

and

Chap. 4. The Influences, 8cc. 18 j

and diminifhed ,* that the Mafs of Man’s Blood is fo alfo; that the Humours are refolved and attracted, that the dead Bodies of Beafts are corrupted, that all Animals expire at the time of Ebb; particularly man; that the Sea purgeth it felf of filth every Full-moon, which gave occa-fion to the Fable of the Sun’s having his Stable about MeJJina and Milaz-zo; and divers other fuch like conceits, which thofe Authors name, too many, and too improbable, to deferve to be reckon’d up in this place.

But whatever influences the Moon may have upon things here below, whatever her Concern may be in any tranfadtion of Nature, or any other office of the Creation, it is however very certain that her Light, Eclipfes_y Monthly Revolutions, and Latitude, or Vagations towards pur Poles₅ are of great ufe to us.

By

18 6 Ufefulnefs of Ecltpfes. Book VII.

B y her Light, to which I may add that of the Stars, we and the reft of the Creatures are able to protra<5t our day at pleafure, to go hither and thither, as our occafions call, and to difpatch many of our affairs by Night, or to betake our felves to Repofe and Reft, to which, according to Pliny (c), the Moon doth naturally incline us.

As to the Ecltpfes, whether of Sun or Moon, they have their excellent ufes too. The Aftronomer applies them to confiderable fervices in his way ; and the Geographer makes them no lefs ufeful in his; the Chronologer is enabled by them to amend his accounts of time, even of the moft ancient days, and fo

(c) Ferunt Luna fxmineum ac molle Sidus, atque noUurnum, folvere humorem_y & trahere, non au-

ferre. Id manifeftum ejfe quod-Somno fopitis tor-

forem contraftum in cajput revacet. Plin. ?• cap,

IQl.

down

Chap. 4. Ufefulnefs of Echpfes. 187

down through all ages $ and the Mariner too can make them fervice-able to his purpofe, to difcover his Longitude, to corred his Account at Sea, and thereby make himfelf more fecure and fafe in the uttrod-den Paths of the Deep.

So for the Monthly Revolutions of the Moon, befides the ufes they have in the daily Variations of the Tides, and perhaps caufing fome fuch Revolutions too in the Humours and Bodies of Animals, and in the works of Nature,* befides this, I fay, they are manifeftly of excellent ufe in the Divifions of Time, in meafuring out our Months, as the Sun doth our Days and Years, according to tha£ appointment of the Creator, Gen.

1. 14. And God [aid, Let there be Lights in the Firmament of the Heaven, to divide the Day from the Night; and let them be Jor Signs,

i 88 Lunar Latitude ufeful. Bo ok VII.

and for Seafons_y and for Days_y and Tears.

And laftly as to the Lunar Latitude _y or Progrefles towards our Poles, befides the ufe hereof to the preventing the two frequent Eclipfes of the Sun and Moon, thofe Vaga-tions are of great ufe to the Polar parts of the World, in affording them a longer, as alfo a ftronger and better light, than if the Rays fell more oblique: which muft needs be a very great comfort, and of wonderful fervice to the Inhabitants of thofe forlorn parts, in their long and tedious Nights, of fome Days, yea fome Months length : to men, to enable them to difpatch fuch of their Affairs at are of perpetual and con-ftant neceffity - and to other Animals of the Air, Land, or Waters, to enable them with greater eafe, and pleafure, to get their Food, and pafs where their pleafure leads them.

Thus

Chap. 4. Earth and Moon, <kc. 189

Thus the great CREATOR hath made the Moon to be of admirable u(e to our Earth. And fb wifely hath he contrived his Works, that they are mutually ferviceable to one another, fo that what good fer-vices one doth, the other as readily returneth again. Thus as the Moon is a Moon to us, fo the Earth is, with great reafon concluded by the Philofophers, to be a Moon to the Moon ,• not indeed a Secondary Planet moving periodically about her, but fuch a Planet, as refle&s the Light of the Sun to her, and perhaps makes fuch like returns of Influx, as I faid the Earth receives from her. For it is not to be doubted, if the Earth refle&s light, and gravitates to the Moon, as well as the Moon to the Earth (which is highly probable) but that there is a mutual intercourfe, and return of their Influences, and good Offices. And this -    is

190 Earth and Moon, &c. BookVII.

is ftill more probable from the like-nefs difcernible between the Earth and the Moon* which is a ftrong prefiimption that the Moon may have the fame occafions for the Earth, as the Earth for her. For that flie is an opake body, and that her furface is covered in fome mea-fure with Hills and Valleys, is ma-nifeft beyond all doubt to our Eye (d) as I before faid: and that flie hath an Atmofphere is what hath been not long fince (e) difcovered: and that there are large Oceans and Collections of Water is what I have before made probable (f). And therefore agreeing thus in Conftitu-tion and Make, their Occafions for, and Influences upon each other are in all probability mutual, and much the fame.

(d)    See Book 5. Chap.2. Note a.

(e)    See before Chap. 3. Note a.

it) Book 5. Ch. 4. Note*, as alfo the Prefocc.

And

Chap. 4. All the Globes, 8cc. 191

And afcer this manner, the infinitely wife Contriver of the Uni-verfe feems to have tranfaCted throughout that immenfe (pace, by making all the feverai Globes ufe-ful to one another. Thus all the Planets of our Solar Syfteme are of confiderable ufe to us, all of them reflect Light unto us, and fome of them a Light fo bright and ftrong, as particularly Venus and Jupiter_y that they are a good fupply of the Moon’s abfence in the night, as well as the Sun’s. Nay the very Secondaries (which I fhall fhew are of greateft ufe to their Primary Planets) have their ufes too amongft us; not only as being evident demonftrations of the great Works of God, but alfo in miniftering to the difcovery of the Longitude of the moft diftant Places upon the Earth. So for the Fixt Stars, which I have before (hewn so be (probably) fo many Suns, mini.    ftering

ip 2 All the Globes, &c. Book VIL

ftering to as many Syftemes of Planets 5 it is certain they are of great ufe to us in fupplying the abfence of the Sun and Moon by Night. And there is no great doubt to be made, but that the like Returns are made to them, and their Syftemes by our Sun. So that here we have an admirable Oeconomy obfervable throughout all the vifible Regions of the Univerfe, in the mutual Af-fiftances, and Returns, which ond Globe affords the other, even at the greateft Diftance.

Chap. j.

*93

««&|W    <^y

Chap. V.

0/ /7;<? Moons, or Secondary Planets in general, which are obferved about fome of the Primary Planets.

HAVIN G taken a view of the methods which are ufed for the accommodating the Earth with Light and Heat, let us caft our Eye to the reft of our Solar Syfleme_y and examine whether any thing of the like kind is to be found there. And here we (hall find a no lefs admirable Scene of the great CPvEATOR/s Care and Wifdom, than we difco-vered in the Earth and Moon. In Mars indeed, v/e can difcern a great fimilitude with the Earth, in its Opacity and Spots, but we have not yet

O    been

194 Provtfton for Light BookVIL

been able to perceive any attendance of Moons, as in the other fuperiour Planets,- not fo much probably be-caufe there are none, but becaufe they are fmall, or they refledt a weak light, and are at a great di-ftance from us. And as for Venus and Mercury there may be no oc-cafion for any Attendants, by reafon of their proximity to the Sun. But in the two higheft, or more di-ftant Planets, Jupiter and Saturn_y we have a very noble, and entertaining Scene of the CREATOR'S Glory. For whereas thofe two Planets are at a much greater diftance than any of the other Planets, from their Fountain of Light and Heat, the Sun ,* and as confecpently their Heat and Light are abated in proportion to the fquare of their Diftances -_y fo to make them amends, they are fur-rounded with a more grand Pvetinue of Secondary Planets_y or Moons $

Jupiter

Chap. j. m the inferior Planets. 19 j

Jupiter with four, Saturn with five^ as ’tis imagined ₅ and probably more (a).

And an admirable remedy this is, not only for the great diftance of thefe two Planets from the Sun₅ but alfo for the tardity of their periodick motion in their refpeCtive Orbits. For whereas Saturn revolves round the Sun but once in near thir-

(a) Mr. Huygens in his Cofmotheor. p. 99,' gives this account of the difcovery of the Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, That it is well known the difcovery of the Cinumjovials is owing to Ga~ lilseo ; that. the bvighteft, and outermojl Circumfa-hirmal be happened to fee with a 12 foot Glafs in the year 1655 ; that the reft are owing to Caflinf_a who firft faw them with a Glafs of Campanil grinding of 36 feet, and afterwards with one of as many feet above an hundred. That the Third and Fifth Caflini Jhewed him in 1672, and afterwards oftner. That Caflini acquainted him by Letter afterwards vnth his difcovery of the Firft and Second in 1684. That the two laft are not eafily difcern= ed, and he cannot fay he ever fdw them. That befides thefe Five, he fufpeSis there may be One or more lye concealed. Ox which fse Chap. 7, fob tewing,

O t    tj

<5

196 The Moons about, &c. BookVlI.

ty years, and Jupiter but once in near twelve, it comes to pafs that the places near the two Poles of thofe Planets, have a Night of near fifteen years in Saturn, and fix in Jupiter, fuppofing their Axes inclined to the Planes of their Orbits, as it is in our own Globe. But fuppofing (as it is imagined) that their Axes are not fo much inclined, and that their Days and Nights, their Winters and Summers are nearly equal; in this refpedt the Cafe would be worfe than in the long Nights in the other Cafe: but in both Cafes, the Polar Parts of both thofe Planets would be difmal regions of dark-nefs, when fo long detained from the kindly vifits of the Sun. But an admirable remedy is found, and a glorious Scene of the great CREATOR’S Works appears therein, as will be manifeft by considering particulars

Chap. 6. The Seafom in Jupiter, 197

ticulars in each of thofe two Supe-riour Planets.

Chap. VI.

Of Jupitei\r Moons, Days, and Seafons.

IN fpeaking concerning the Superior Planets in particular, I fhall begin with Jupiter. The Diftance of this Planet from the Sun, is reckoned to be 343 millions of miles farther from the Sun than we are,* and by that mean’s the Sun's Light and Heat are 27 times lefs there than with us, and its apparent Diameter, five times lefs (b). And con-

(h) Gregorii Aftron. L.6. Prop. 5. Mr. Huygens makes the Light and Heat but 25 times lefs, and the apparent Diameter $ times. Cofmoth. p. 103.

O 3    fidering

19 8 The Seafons in Jupiter. B. VII.

fidering how vaft a Globe Jupiter is, having its fuperficies 100 times, yea (according to Mr. Huygens’s computations) 400 times bigger than that of the Earth; in this Cafe, what vaft traCts of that Globe muft needs lie in profound darknefs, and deflation, had no remedy been provided! But there are divers provided. One is by the frequent Rotations of Jupiter round his own Axis, which being performed in lefs than 10 hours, it comes to pafs, that what is wanting in the Strength, and degree of Light and Heat, is compenfated by the frequent Returns thereof.

The other Remedy is by the In-creafe of the number of Moons, about Jupiter_y who is attended (as I faid) with four, as we who are nearer the Sun, are with one. Concerning which thefe four things are remark*? gble,

1. Their

Chap. 6. Jupiter's Moons. 199

1.    Their Bulk, which in all probability, is not in any of them lefs than our Earth, as the moft ingenious Mr. Huygens concludes^ from their (hade upon Jupiter's difk. By which partly it is that,

2.    They reflect fo ftrong, brifk, and vivid a Light, as appears very illuftrious, and entertaining, even to us at fo great a diftance from it: which cannot but be very pleafing and comfortable to that Planet: be-fides the no lefs beneficial and friendly Influences conveyed therewith at the fame time.

3.    Their due Diftances from Jupiter, and from one another,- and their agreeable periodick Revolutions, which I have formerly obfer-ved (d) to be in the moft exadt mathematical proportions. By the firft

(b) Cofmotheor. p. iox.

(d) Book 4. Chap. 4.

O 4    of

200 Jupiter's Moons. Book VII.

of thefe, thofe Satellites efcape all difagreeable Concourfes, and violent Oppofitions, and, in the moft kindly manner, fend their Influx to the Planet they wait upon: and by the latter, they are perpetually carrying about their Light, and other benefits* from place to place. For by the motion of the Innermoft, round once in left than two daysj of the next in about 3 t days,* of the Third in fomewhat above a week ; and of the Outermoft in near 17 days: by thefe means, I fay, it happens very feldom that any part of Jupiter is at any time without the prefence and attendance of one or more of thofe Satellites j but one is vifiting one parr, whilft another is attending another, and another another part, and Jupiter himfelf making fpeedy Returns and Revolutions all the while.

4. The laft thing remarkable is the Latitudes of Jupiter's Moons, or

their

Chap. 6. Jupttefs Moons, 201

their progreffes towards his Poles, which are in a due proportion to their Diftances and Periods: as I have before (hewn, Book 4. Ch. 5.

And as the Latitudes of thefe Satellites differ, according to their Diftances and Periods • fo another remarkable thing therein, is, that they fhifc their Latitudes, in longer or fhorter times, according as their Latitudes, or Vagations towards the Polar Parts of Jupiter, are greater or leffer. By which means, fome are making their progreffes towards Jupiter's Poles one way, whilft fome are wandering the other way, and fome are flaying there a longer time, and fome a leffer and leffer time. By which quadruple Variety of Latitudes, and perpetual changes of it, it comes to pafs, that thofe large tracts towards the Polar Parts of that vaft Planet, have their due fliare in die light, and kindly fervices, of its

201 Saturn's Satellites. Book VII.

four Moons, and are fcldom or never deprived of them.

Chap. VII.

Of Saturn's Moons, Ring, Day, and Seafons.

AVING feen the admirable provifion made for the remedying Jupiter's great diftance from the Sun ; let us, in the laft place take a view of Saturn - which is above 200 millions of Enghfh miles farther from the Sun than Jupiter, and near 700 millions of miles farther than is our Earth. And here our Glaffes, as imperfect as they are, have difcover-ed fo furprizing an Apparatus, that muft needs ftrike every one that views it with wonder and amazement.

Chap. 7. Saturn's Satellites. 203

For, in the firft place, inftead of four Satellites or Moons, as Jupiter hath, Saturn hath five, and probably more. Three of thefe I my felf have feen with Mr. Huygens's 116 foot Glafs; but for want of a Pole of fufficient height to mount the Glafs high enough, I am not fure I have feen any more. And befides thofe Five, which others have feen, there is great reafon to conclude there is a Sixth lying between the two Outermoft, there being a larger fpace between them than is in proportion to what is found amongft the reft. And it is not improbable but that there are others alfo lying beyond the Fifth, 01* Outermoft, but become invifible at fo great a diftance from us, by means of fome obfeurity, fuch as is obfervable in the Outermoft it felf, which is never to be feen by us, but in the

weftern

204 The Bulk of Book VII.

weftern part of its Orbit, as Mr. Huygens well obferves (a).

These Satellites we may reafo-nably conclude to be of a prodigious bulk, for the reflecting of Light, and for their other miniftrations to Saturn _y becaufe otherwife they could not be feen at fo great a diftance as the Earth 5 and particularly one of them (b) is of that magnitude, and

(a)    The reafon why Saturn's fifth Satellite appears not on the Eaftern, but Weftern part of its Orbit, Mr. Huygens very fagacioufly (like him felf) conje&ures to be, becaufe this Satellite, as the Moon doth to the Earth, always turns one and the fame Side to Saturn, and becaufe this Satellite hath, he imagines, only one part of itsfur-face clear, and the greateft part obfeure, and not able to refled: fufficient Light to us, therefore all the time that obfeure part is turned towards us (which is whilft the Satellite is in the Eaftern parts of it’s Orbit) it difappears: but in the Weftern part it appears, becaufe the bright Side lies towards us. Cofmotbeor. p. 118.

(b)    It is the fourth Satellite, or Outermofl but one (called from its firft Difcoverer, the Hn-geuian Satellite) that is fo vifiblc.

its

Chap. 7. Saturn's Satellites 20 j

its Light fo brilk and vivid, that it appears very illuftrious through our longer Glaffes, and may be difcerned with our fhorter.

A s to the Difiances, the Periods, and Latitudes of thofe Satellites, they being confentaneous to what I have already taken notice of in Jupiter, I (hall not infift upon them, but pafs to another provifion made for the great diftance of that Planet; which is a thing fo fingular to Saturn, fo unufual in all the reft of the Creation, and fo amazing, that it is an evident and noble demonftra-tion of the great CREATOR'S Art and Care; and that is Saturn's Ring. Concerning which thefe things are obfervable.

1. The prodigious fize of it, its great breadth and vaft compafs. This we may make a judgment of, by comparing it with Saturn himfelf. And fuppofing the Diameter of Sa

io6 D'tmenfiom of Book VII

turn to be as is before determined, 93451 Englifti miles, the Diameter of his Ring will be 210265 fuch miles,and its breadth about 29 2oof an amazing Arch to an Eye placed in that Planet.

2. The due and convenient Diftance of it from Saturn it felf $ not clofely adhering to it, becaufe that would annoy a large portion of Saturn’s Globe, by depriving it of the Sun’s Rays, but environing it about the diftance of its breadth 5 by which means the Sun’s Light and Heat are permitted to enter between the Planet and its Ring, whilft other Rays are at the fame time reflected upon the Planet by the Ring. ■

(c) Mr. Huygens in his Syflema Saturn, p. 47. and Cofmotheor. p. 109. determines the Diameter of Saturn³s Ring to the Diameter of Satin n, to be as 9 to 4; and the Breadth of the R g, and Diftance of tne Ring from Saturn s body, to be nearly equal, and accordingly thele numbers are defined here.

3. The

Chap. 7. Saturn's Ring. 207

3.    The thicknefs of the Ring, which is hardly, if at all perceivable by us; which is as great a benefit, as its edgling {hade would be an annoyance, was the Ring thick.

4.    Its fmoothnefs and aptitude to refled Light and Heat (d) is a wonderful convenience in it. Was it full of Mountains and Valleys, and I may add Waters too, as in our earth, and probably the Moon likewife^ the Reflexions would be too weak to render the Ring vifible unto us, at fo great a diftance as we are; but perceiving its Light to be fo lively and Itrong, as to render both it felf₃ and Saturn very illuftrious, it is a de-monftration of the aptitude of its ftru&ure, and fmoothnefs for the reflexion of Light and Heat to the Planet it ferves.

(d) See Hugm. Syji. Saturn, p. 70,

As

4

208 Various /Ifpecls. Book VII

5. As the Periodical Revolutions of the Earth, are an excellent and providential contrivance, for thofe ufe-ful and neceffary mutations we have of the Seafons of the year, fo no doubt but the fame benefits accrue to thofe Revolutions, which Saturn hath about the Sun. It is vifible, that as Saturn changes its place in its Orbit, fo its Ring receives a variety of Afpedts (ej not only with refpedt to us, but to the Sun. Thus in one part of the Orbit it appears with a (fj l^arg^er Ellipfis, fo as to exhibit

(e)    Every 14 or 15 years Saturn's Ring hath the fame Face; appearing at one time with large open Anfa, at another time with no Ring at all. Which Appearances itobtaineth by gentle progrefles from the one to the other Face. As, if the Anfx are at the largeft, they gradually diminifh, until no Anfa or Apertures are to be feen in the Ring, and at laft no Ring at all alfo. See Fig. S.

(f)    This Mr. Huygens (hews is when Saturn is 104- degrees in Gemini and Sagittary. This was

a large

Chap. 7. of Saturn’sRwg, 209

a large fpace between it and Saturn: in another Part, with a leffer, and fo with a IcfTer Ellipfis, and fometimes as only a (lender ftrait line, and fometimes it is not vifible at all (g): alfo fometimes one fide of the Ring is

the Appearance in had in April 1708, and which it will again receive at the end of 1722,- only with this difference, that whereas the Ring tra-verfed the Upper or Northerly part of Saturn's Disk in 1708, it doth now, and will for fome years to come traverfe the Lower, or Southerly Part thereof,* as is reprefented in Fig.j.

(g) Mr. Huygens fhews that for about fix months before and after Saturrts being in 20 ~ degrees of Virgo and Pifces, the Ring is not vifible, but Saturn appears round. Syfl. Saturn. p. 59, 74, &c. And accordingly at this very time there is no appearance of the Ring, only a fmall narrow Lift or Bek croffeth the middle of Saturn*s Disk, of a colour fomewhat different from the reft of Saturn s Face, and in the place where the Ring fhould be. This appearance of Saturn is reprefented in Fig. 8. which is the appearance he had through a very good 34 foot Glafs, at the latter end of OElob. and beginning of Nov. this prefent year 1714. But a little before this, viz,, on Sept. 26. I could through ail 126 Glafs difcern the narrow Ends of the Ring on each fide Saturn. A Reprefentation of which I have given in Fig. 9.

P enlightned

2io    Inclination of Book VII

enlightened, and refle&s light towards one Part of Saturn, fometimes the other enlightens another Part; and there is no doubt, but that as our Earth has its Seafons, according to its pofition to the Sun, in its periodical motion in its Orbit; fo Saturn throughout his Period, hath his Seafons, according unto his pofition to the Sun, and the. various Reflexions of the Ring upon the feveral parts of his Globe (h).

These five things obfervable in Saturn's Ring, we have pretty good afTurance of, from our Views through good Glaffes. But there is a

(h) There is very great reafon to imagine this doth certainly happen in Saturn, becaufe as Mr. Huygens obferves, Saturn appears fometimes more fplendid than at other times. It a feinper (faith he) quo pro pi hi ver jus Cancri & Capricorni figna accejferit, e^;> majorem, nut certe fpendidiorem, etiam abfque Telefcopio appariturum, quippe Annuli Ellipfi femper fe latiiis pandente. Huygen. Syfh Saturn, p. 56.

<5. Thing

Chap. 7. Saturn's Axis.    211

6. Thing I {hall add as only conjectural, and that is, A fuppoft-tion that the Axis of Saturn (disinclined (and that pretty much alfo) to the Plane of its Ring, 01* the Plane of its Orbit at lead,- and that he hath a Diurnal Rotation in fome certain lhort fpace of time. For without thefe two conveniences, very large traCts of Saturn would fuffer extremely for want of the Sun. For if Saturn hath no other motion) bu£ that round the Sun in its Orb, one part muft be excluded from the Sun’s Vifits for 1 j years, whilft the other partakes all the while of them; and one Hemifphere will enjoy the benefit of the Ring, whilft the other is eclipfed by it: and in this cafe the

(i) Mr .Huygens determines the Inclination of Saturn’s Axis to the Plane of his Orbit to be 31 gr. as that of the Earth is 23 degrees. Co/mo-theor. p. 108.

P 2    Ring

2n Saturn's Axis inclined. BookVII.

Ring would be nearly as prejudicial to the eclipfed part, as it is ufeful to the enlightened. But fuppofing Saturn to move round in the fame, or a fhorter time than Jupiter, and in a Path pretty much inclined to the Ring, all Parts then of that vafl: Planet will have their frequent returns of Day and Night, of Heat and Cold. And fince this is what is discernible in the other Planets, and is no lefs necefTary for the benefit and comfort of this, we may reafonably conclude the thing to be probable, although not difcernible at Saturn's great diftance from us.

Chap,

Chap. 8. The Conclufion. 213

Chap. VIII.

The Conclufion.

" ‘ have taken a View

thofe two grand, and univerfal Ne-ceffaries, Light and Heat; things, in all probability, no lefs neceffary for the other Globes, than for our own; and things which not only Animals cannot fubfift without, but what all things here below, ftand in need of^ as well as they. When therefore we adtually fee, and feel thofe indulgent provifions, thofe amazing ads of the great CREATOR; when we have views of their extent into Myriads of other the moft diftant Globes; when (to go no farther we) fee in our own Syfteme of the Sun_?

provifion made for

fuch

2i4 The Conclnfion. BookVII.

fuch a prodigious Mafs of Fire as the Sun is, placed in the Center, to fcatter away the Darknefs, and to warm and cherifh us by Day, and (uch a noble Retinue of Moons and Stars attending and affixing us by Night; when we fee this indulgence, this care of the CREATOR,extended to all the other Planets, and that, according to their feveral diftances, they have a proportionate provifion of the greater number of Moons, and Saturn a ftupendious Ring befides, to fupply the decreafe of Light and Heat,- who can be otherwifethan amazed at fuch Providential, fuch Ufeful, fuch well Contrived, fuch (lately Works of GOD! Who can view their Glories, and partake of their beneficial Influences, and at the fame time not adore the PVifdom, and praife the Kindnefs of their CONTRIVER and MAKER! But above all, (hould there be any found,among Rational Beings,

fo

Chap. 8. The Conclufion. 2ij

fo ftupid, fo vile, fo infatuated with their Vices, as to deny thefe Works to GOD, and afcribe them to a Ne-cejfity of Nature, or indeed a mere Nothing, namely Chance / But fuch there are to be met with among our felves, and fome fuch the Prophet tells us of, Ifai. y. n, 11. Men that had fo debauched themfelves with drink, and enervated their minds by pleafures, that they regarded not the work of the Lord, neither confidered the operation of his hands. Such per-fons having led their lives in fuch a manner, as to wifli there was no GOD, to call them to account, would then perfuade themfelves there is none,* and therefore ftupidly afcribe thofe manifeft demonffcrations of the infinite Power and fflifdom of GOD, to a mere Nothing, rather than to their great Author. But may we not with as good reafon, imagine a lighted Candle, a well made Culi-

P 4    nary

2i 6 The Conclnfion. Book VII.

I -- i    '    ' '    *

nary Fire, a flaming Beacon, or Light-houfe, to be the work of Chance, and not of Man, as thofe Glories of the Heavens not to be the Works of GOD? For it is very certain that as much Wifdom , Art, and Power, worthy of God, is fhewn in the Lights of the Heavens,- as there is in thofe upon Earth, worthy of Man, which none can doubt were contrived and made by Man. And if from thefe mean Contrivances and Works of Man, we conclude them to be the Works of Man,* why not the grand, the amazing Works of the Heavens, furpaffing all the Wit and Power of Man, why not thefe I fay, the Works of fome Being as much fuperior to Man ? According to the Argument of Chryfipptis which fhali conclude this Book. If there be a-ny Being that can effeff thofe things, which Man_y although endowed with Reafon_y is not able to effeB ₅ that Be-

ing

Chap 8. The Conclujion.    i17

ing is certainly gieater, and fir anger _y and wifer than Man. But Man is not able to make the Heavens - therefore the Being that did make them, excels Man in Art₇ Connjel\ Prudence_y and Power.

BOOK.

BOOK VIII.

Practical Inferences

From the foregoing

SURVEY.

N the foregoing feven Books having taken a View of what prefents it felf to us in the Heavens, a Scene of the greateft grandeur, a Work well contrived, admirably adapted, and every way full of Magnificence- all that now remains is, to endeavour to make

thefe

Chap. i. PraBtcal Inferences. 219

thefe Views and Confiderations ufe-ful to our felves. Which I fhall do

The Exiftence of GOD coiled: ed by the Heathens from the Works of the Heavens.

HE firft and moft ready and

natural Deduction we can

ed, is to confider, Who the Great Workman was?

That the Author of all this glorious Scene of things was GOD, is fuch a Conclufion, that even the moft ignorant, and barbarous part of mankind have been able to make from

in the following Chapters.

Chap. I.

make, from fuch a glorious Scene of Workmanfhip, as is before reprefent-

the

210 Ariftotle’s Inference. BookVIII.

the manifeft fignals vifible therein; Signals fo plain and conclufive, that

Tally' s Stoick (a) cites it as Arijlotle's opinion, That if there were fuch a jh t of people, that had always lived under the Earth, in good and fplendid Habitations, adorned with Imagery and PiBures, and furnifhed with all things that thofe accounted happy a-botind ivith : and fuppofing that thefe People had never at any time gone out upon the earth, but only by report had heard there was fuch a thing as a Deity, and a Power of the Gods ; and that at a certain time afterwards, the Earth fhould open, and this People get out of their hidden manfions into the places we inhabit: when on the fudden they fhould fee the Earth, the Seas_} and the Heavens; perceive the magnitude of the Clouds, and the force of the Winds; behold the Sun,

(a) De Nat. Deor. L. z. c.37.

and

Chap. i. Ariftotle’s Inference. 221

and its Grandeur and Beauty_y and know its power in making the Day, by diffufing his Light throughout the whole Heavens_y and when the Night had overfpread the earth with dark-nefs_y they fhould difcern the whole Heavens befpread and adorned with Stars_y and fee the variety of the Moon's Phafes in her Increafe_y and * Decreafe_y together with the Rifings and Settings_y and the flated and immutable Courfes of all thefe throughout all eternity; this People_y 'when they fhould fee all thefe things, would infallibly imagine that there are Gods, and that thofe grand Works were the Works of the Gods. Thus have we the opinion and conclufion of two eminent Heathens together, Ariflotle and Tully's Stoick.

And if the Heavens fo plainly declare the Glory of God_y and the Firmament fheweth his handy

zvork

211 Tully's Inference. BookVIlL

work (b) if thofe Chara&ers, thofe Impreffes of the Divine Hand, are fo legible, that their line is gone out through all the earth ; ancl their words to the end of the Wor Id, fo that there is no Language, Tongue, or Speech where their voice is not heardj nay if thefe things are fuch, that even a fubterraneous People would, at fir ft fight, conclude them to be GOD³s Work i how daring and impudent, how unworthy of a rational Being is it, to deny thefe Works to- GOD, and afcribe them to any thing, yea a mere Nothing, as Chance is, rather than GOD? Tally's Stoick laft mentioned deniedi him to be a Man who fhould do this. His words (c) are, Who would fay he is a man, who when he fhould behold the Motions of • the Heavens to be fo certain, and the Orders of the Stars fo eflablijhed, and

(b)    Pfal. I p. I, &c.

(c)    Cicero ibid. cap. 38.

all

Chap. i. Tully’s Inference. 11$

things fo well conneBed and adapted together, and deny that Reafon was here, and fay thefe things were made by Chance, which are managed with fuch profound counfel, that with all our wit we are not able to fathom them ? fVhat! faith he, when we fee a thing moved by fome certain device, as a Sphere, the Hours, and many things befides ,* we make no doubt but that thefe are the works of Reafon. And fo when we fee the noble train of the Heavens, moved\ and wheeled about, ivitb an admirable pace_y and in the mofl conjlant manner , making thofe anmverfary changes, fo neceffary to the good and preferva-tion of all things ,• do zve doubt whether thefe things are done by Reafon_y yea, by fome more excellent and divine Reafon ? For, faith he, fetting afide the fubtilties of Difputation, we may aBually behold zvith our eyes in fome meafure, the beauty of thofe

things

224 Confant ofMankind. Book VIII.

things which we affert are ordered by the Divine Providence. And then he enters into a long detail of Particulars of this kind, too many to be named here.

Thus Cicero_y throughout whofe Works fo many paffages of this nature occur, that it would be endlefs to cite them : and therefore one ob-fervation that (hews what his opinion was of the Senfe of Mankind in the matter, fhall clofe what he faith, and that is in his Book de Legibus (d)_y where he faith, Among all the tribes of Animals, none but Man hath any fenfe cf a God• and among mankind there is no Nation fo favage and barbarous , which although ignorant of what God it ought to have, yet well knows it ought to have one.

And after the fame manner Seneca 'ej_y whoinftanceth in two things

(d) L.i. c.8. (f) Epift. 117.

to

Chap. i. Seneca’* Opinion. 22 f

to (hew the deference we are apt to give to the general prefumption and confent of mankind. One is in the Immortality of the Soul: the other is in the Exiftence of a Deity 5 which, faith he, among other Arguments we colleB from the innate opinion which all men have of the Gods: for there is no Nation in the World fo void of Law and Morality, as not to believe but there are fome Gods. Nay fo po-(itive he is in this matter, that in another place he expreflly faith, They lye that fay, they believe there is no God. For although by Day they may affirm fo to thee, yet by Night they are to themfelves confcious of the contrary. Much more could I cite out of this famous Heathen, but one paf-fage relating to the Heavens fhall fuf-fice,' and that is in his Difcourfe (hewing ffihy Evils befal good Men, feeing there is a Divine Providence (e).

(e) Qiiare bonis viris, &c. c. 1.

' a    He

226 Seneca's Opinion. BookVllI.

He takes it for granted in thrs Dif-courfe, that there is fuch a thing as a DIVINE POWER and PROVIDENCE governing the Worlds and he faith, it was nee diefs for him to fhezv that fo great a fVork [as the World] could not fiand without fome Ruler ; that fo regular Motions of the Stars could not be the effeBs of a fortuitous Force> and that the impulfes of Chance mufi be oftentimes diflurbed and juftle: that this undifiurbed Velocity which bears the weight of fo many things in the Earth and Seas, fo great a number of heavenly Lights, both very il-luflnouSy and alfo [Joining by a ma-nifefl d'tfpofal, mufi needs proceed by the dir eB ion of fome eternal Law: that this can never be the order of ftraggling Matter • neither is it pofjible for things fortuitoufly and rafhly combined, to depend upon, and manifefl fo much Art. Divers of which matters he proceeds to inftance in.

Thus

Ch. 2. God's PerfeBion inferred. 22?

Thus Cicero and Seneca: to whole evidences I might have added many others, particularly a great deal out of Plato (the divine Plato_y the Homer of Philofophers> as he is called by the Ancients :) But it would be needlefs as well as tedious, fince thefe two former have given us the fenfe of Mankind, as well as their own opinion in the matter.

Chap. II.

GOD's Perfections demon-flrated hy his Works.

AS G O D’s Works have been fliewn to be manifeft Demon-ftrations of his Exiflence; fo they are no lefs of his PerfeBions, particularly of his infinite Power, Wif-dom and Goodnefs; inafmuch as eve

218 God’s Perfection Book VII!.

ry Workman is known by his Work. A Palace that fhould have nothing defective in Situation _s Beauty, or Convenience would argue the Architect to have been a Man of Sagacity, and (kiliul in Geometry, Arithmetic^ Opticks, and all other Mathematical Sciences, ferving to make a Man a complete Architect; yea to have fome Judgment in Phyfick^ and Natural Phiiofophy too. And fo this glorious Scene of G O D’s Works, the Heavens* plainly demon-jflrate the Workman’s infinite Wtf-dom to contrive, his Omnipotency to make, and his infinite Goodnefs_y in being fo indulgent to all the Creatures, as to contrive and order all his Works for their good. For what lefs than Infinite, could effeCt all thofe grand things, which I have in this Difcourfe fhewn to be mani-fefl: in the Heavens ? What Architect could build fuch vaft Maffes^ and

fuch

Chap. 2. inferred.

229

fuch an innumerable company of them too, as I have fliewn the Heavens do contain ? What Mathematician could fo exadtly adjuft their Diftances? What Mechanick fo nicely adapt their Motions, fo well contrive their Figures, as in the very bed manner may ferve to their own confervation and benefit, and the convenience of the other Globes alfo? What Natnralifly What Philo-fopher could impregnate every Globe, with a thing of that abfolute ne-ceffity to its confervation, as that of Gravity is? What Optician, what Chymijl could ever have hit up6n fuch a noble Apparatus for Light and Heat, as the Sun, the Moon_? and the Stars are? could amafs together fuch a Pile of Fire as the Sun is? could appoint fuch Lights as the Moon and other Secondaries are ? None certainly could do thefe things but GOD.

3    Chap*

230 Duties to God Book VIII*

Chap. III.

Of GOD"s Relation to us, and the Duties refulting from thence.

IT appearing from the laft Chapter how great a Being the CREATOR is, it is time to confider what Relation he ftands in to us, and what is due from us to him. His Relation ro us is that of CREATOR j and as fuch, of Conjervator, Sovereign L OR D and Ruler, one thae hath an abfolute power over us, and all things belonging to us, thac can fubjeft us to what Laws he fees fit, and that can reward or punifh us as we dcferve. And in this cafe, the jeafl: we can do, is to revere and fear him at all times., to worjhifi anc}

* ' ferve

. 1 v

Chap. 3. infer red by Heathens. 231

ferve him with all our power, to comply with his holy Will fincerely and heartily, and to obey him in all things he hath either forbidden, or enjoined. And confidering alfo how great Indulgence and Love the CREATOR hath {hewed in his Works throughout the Univerfe, it naturally follows that we ought to be truly Thankful to him for his Mercy and Kindnefs, and to love him for his Love and Goodnefs.

These kind of Conclufions are fo natural, that the very Heathens have in fome meafure made them. Thus Cicero's Stoick before cited, (a) Quid verb ? homtnum Ratio non, &c. What ? doth not Man's Reafon penetrate as far as even the very Hea~ vens ? For we alone of all Animals have known the Rifings, Settings and Courfes of the Stars: by mankind it is

m ■■ ■    —... ........ ... —p ■ 1 1    ■-■-■■1...i. _m —. —■ .■ ■ 1 ■■—y

(a) De Nat. Deor. L.2.C.61.

\ . - . - *

Q_ 4    that

2$z Duties to God Book VIII.

that the Day, the Month, and Tear, is determined • //W Eclipfes of the Sun, and Moon are known, and foretold to all futurity, oj zvhich Luminary they are, how great they will be, and when they are to happen. Which thing the mind contemplating, it receives from hence (b) the knowledge of the Gods: from whence an-fes Piety • to which is joined Juflice, and the other Vⁱrtues, from which fprings that blejfed Life which is equal unto, and like that of the Gods them-felves, and in no refpeB yielding to thofe coeleflials, except in immortality, which is not neceffary to happy living. And in his Book de Legibus (c) Cicero brings in his Collocutor faying, Sit igitur hoc a principio perfua-fum, &c. i. e. Let this be what every

(b)    Seme read it inftead of Accipit ad Cogni* tionem Dtontm; Accipit ab his Cognitionem Deovum.

(c)    Lib. 2. c.7.

member

Chap. 3. inferred by Heathens. 233

member of the Commonwealth is fuU ly convinced of from the beginning, That the Gods are Lords and Governors s of all things • that zvhatfoever things are done_y they are managed by their influence_y rule and divinity _y that they merit a great deal of mankind_y and obferve what every one is_y what he doth_y zvhat he admits into his mind_y with what mind_y what Piety he cultivates Religion; and that they take an account both of the Righteous and Wicked. For_y faith he, Minds that are indued with thefe Pnnciples_y will fcarce ever depart from that opinion that is ufefid and true. And a little after (d) one of the Laws arifing from hence he faith is, Let Men approach the Gods with purity _y let them praBife Piety: for he that doth other-wife_y God himfelf will be the avenger of. This purity and fincerity is fo

(d) Cap. 2.

necef-

234 Duties to God Book VIII

neceffary a concomitant of Religion, and divine Worfhip, according to Ci-cero_y that he makes it, in another place to be that which diftinguifhes Religion from Superftition (e) Cidtus autem Deorum eft optimus, &c. But that religion, that worfhip of the Gods is the beft_y the purefl, the holieft, and fulleft of Piety, that we always revere and worjhip them with a pure_y upright , and undefiled mind and voice. For_y faith he, not only the PhilofopherSy but our Forefathers have diftinguifhed Superftition from Religion ,• which he affigns the difference of, and then tells us, That the one hath the name of a Vice, the other of Praife.

Thus as the Heathens, have by the Light of Nature, deduced the Exiftence and Attributes of God from his Works, and particularly thofe of

(e) DeNat. Deor. L. s. c.28.

the

Chap. 4. inferred by Heathens. 235

the Heavens,* fo have they, at the fame time, collected what the principal Duties are^which Men owe to God; fo reafonable, fo natural, fo manifeft they are to all Mankind.

EEcsacsG Esxsaeo&a cssks&sgs

Chap. IV. jLactantius his Argument a-gainft the Heathen Gods.

THE next Inference fhall be one made by the eloquent

Laclantms (a)> Argumentum illud quo colligunt umverfa Coeleftia Deos ef fe, 8cc. i. e. That Argument whereby they conclude the Heavenly bodies to be Gods_y proveth the contrary: For if therefore they think them to be Gods, becaufe they have fuch certain and

(a) Inftitut. L. 2, c.j»

i ^: ' - ’ -

well

23 6 Ladtantius’5Inference. BookVIII.

well contrived rational Courfes_y they err. For from hence it appears that they are not Gods, becaufe they are not able to wander out of thofe Paths that are prefcribed them: whereas if they were Gods_y they would go here> and there, and every where without any compulfion, like as Animals upon the Earth do, whofe wills being free, they wander hither and thither as they lift, and go whitherfoever their minds carry them.

Thus LaBantius with great rea-fon refutes the Divinity of the Heavenly Bodies j which on the contrary are fo far from being Gods, and Objedts of divine honour and wor-fhip, that fome of them have been taken to be places of Torment. Thus Comets particularly, which mud: needs have a very unequal and uncomfortable temper of Heat and Cold, by reafon of their prodigioufly near Approaches to the Sun, and as great

Receffes

Chap. 4. La&antius’s Inference. 237

Receffes from it. Thus according to the before commended Sir Ifaac Newton’s (b) computation, the Comet in 1680, in its Perihelion, was above 166 times nearer the Sun than the Earth is; and confequently its Heat was then 28000 times greater than that of Summer: So that a Ball of Iron as big as the Earth* heated by it, would hardly become cool in 50000 years. Such a place therefore, if defigned for Habitation* may be imagined to be deftined rather for a place of Torment, than any other fort of living.

But above all, the Sun it felf, the great Object of Heathen Wor-fhip, is by fome of our own learned Countrymen fuppofed to be probably the place of Hell. Of which Mr. Sivinden hath written a Treatife called, An Enquiry into the Nature and Place of Hell.

(b) Principia, />. 466.

Chap,

238 Contempt of Book VIII,;

Chap. V.

This Survey of the Heavens

teaches us not to overvalue the World, with Reflexions of the Heathen Writers thereupon.

ROM the confideration of the

prodigious Magnitude and Multitude of the Heavenly Bodies, and the far more noble Furniture and Retinue which fome of them have more than we, we may learn not to overvalue this World, nor to fet our Hearts too much upon it, or upon any of its Riches, Honours, or Plea-fures. For what is all our Globe but a Point, a Trifle to the Univerfe! a Ball not fo much as vifible among the greateft part of the Heavens,

namely

Chap. 5. the IVorld.    239

namely the Fixt Stars. And if Magnitude, or Retinue may dignify a Planet, Saturn and Jupiter may claim the preference: or if Proximity to the moft magnificent Globe of all the Syfteme, to the Fountain of Light and Heat, to the Center, can honour and aggrandize a Planet, then Mercury and Venus can claim that dignity. If therefore our World be one of the inferiour parts of our* Syfteme, why fhould we inordinately feek and defire it? But above all, why fhould we unjuftly grafp at it, and be guilty of Theft or Rapine, Lying or Cheating, or any Injuftice, or Sin for it ? why fhould we facri-fice our Innocence for it, or part even only with a Good Name for it, which Solomon faith (a) is rather to be chofen than great Riches ? Why fhould we do this, if we were fure of

(a) Prov. 22. 1.

-    gaining

240 Pliny's Defiant. BookVlIL

gaining the whole terraqueous Globe, much lefs do it for a fmall pittance of it, as the bell: Empire in the world is ? For as our blefled Saviour argues, Matt. 16. 26. What is a man profited, if be fhould gain the whole World, and lofie lots own Soul? or what fhall a man give in exchange for his Soul?

But paffing over the arguments which Chriftianity fuggefts, let us fee how fome of the Heathen Writers defcant upon this Subjed:. Pliny (b) is very pathetical in his Reflexions, when he had fhewn what little portions of the earth were left for us, and what large traCts were render’d (as he thought) ufelefs, the frigid Zones being frozen up with exceflfive Cold, the torrid Zone being burnt up (as the opinion then was) with as exceffive Heat, and o-

(b) Nat. Hift. L. 2, c.68.

- -

ther

Chap. y. Pliny's Defiant. 241

ther parts drowned by the Sea, Lakes and Rivers, and others covered with large Woods, Defarts, or barren Mountains : he then exclaims thus, Ha tot portiones terra, See. i. e. Thefe little parcels of Land, which are lefc for our Habitation, yea, as many have taught, this Point of the World (for no other is the Earth in refpeB of the Univerfe) this is the Matter, this the Seat of our Glory: here it is we hear our Honours ,* here we exercife our Authority; here we covet Riches; here Mankind makes a Bu/ile ,* here we begin our civil Wvrs_y andf often the Earth with mutual Slaughters. And then having fhewn how by Fraud and Violence Men ftrive to enlarge their E-ftates, faith he, What a little part of thofe Lands doth he enjoy ? and when he hath augmented them_y even to the meafure of his Avarice, what a poor pittance is it that his dead body at laft poffejfeth? Thus Pliny. And

R    after

Seneca’*Reflexion. BookVllI-

after the fame manner Seneca refle&s upon the matter (cj, when he fhews how Virtue tends to make a man completely happy • among other things, by preparing him for the Society of God, by enabling the Mind to foar above the things here below, and to make him laugh at the coftly Pavements of the Rich, yea the whole Earth with all its Wealth. Nec enim potejly faith he, ante contemnereportions _y &c. i. e. A Man can never he able to flight the flately Piazzas, the noble Roofs Jhining with Ivory_y the airtoufly clipped IVoods, and the plea-fant Rivulets conveyed to the Houfes, until he hathfurveyed the whole IVorld_y and fpying from above our little Globe of Earth, covered in a great me a fur e by the Sea, and where it is not, is far and near fqualidy and either parched ivith Heat or frozen with Cold\ he

(c) Nat.    L. i. Prxf.

faith

Chap. j. Seneca^ Reflexion. 243

faith to himfelf, Is this that Point which by Fire ancl Sword is divided a-mong fo many Nations ? 0 how ridiculous are the Bounds of Mortals / The Ifter bounds the Dacians, the Strymon the Thracians, Euphrates Parthi-ans, the Danube parteth the Sarrna-tians and Romans, the Rhine gives bounds to Germany, the Pyrenees to France and Spain, and between AL-gypt and ./Ethiopia lie the vafl uncultivated fandy Defarts. Jf any could give human Underflanding to Ants_y would not they too divide their Mole-hdl into divers Provinces ? And when thou hftejl up thy felf in thy truly great Province, andfhalt fee the armed hods pafling here, and lying there^ as if fome great matter was to be a&ed, confider that this is no more than the running ofAnts in aMolehill, For what difference between the?n and us, but only the meafure of a little Body? That is but a Point in which thou fail-

R z    eft.

244 Seneca⁵* Reflexion. BookVIIf.

eft\ in which thou wage ft War_y m which thou difpofeft of Kingdoms. But a-hove there are vaft fpaces_y to whofe poffeffion the Mind is admitted, provided it brings but little of the Body along with it_y that it is purged of every vile thing_y and that tt is nimble and free_y and content with fmall matters. And fo he goes on to ihew that when the Mind is once arrived to thofe ce-leftial Regions, how it is come to its proper Habitation ; is delivered from its Bonds; hath this argument of its Divinity, that divine things delight and pleafe it, and is converfant with them as its own; that it can fecurely behold the Rifings and Settings and various courfes of the Stars; that it curioufly pries into all thofe matters, as nearly appertaining to it felf: that then it contemns the narrow bounds of its former Habitation, it being but a trifling Space, of a few days Journey, from the utmoft Limits of Spain

Chap. 6. Seneca^ Reflexion.

to the very Indies 5 whereas the ce-leftial Regions afford a path for the wandering of the fwifteft Star for 30 years,without any refiftance; in which Regions he tells us the Mind arrives to the knowledge of thofe things at laft, which it had before long enqui-'red after, and there begins to know GOD. Thus Seneca; which fhall fuffice for this third Inference.

Chap. VI.

That we Jhould afpire after the Heavenly State.

I Shall deduce only one thing more from my preceding View of the Heavens, and that is to afpire after the Heavenly State, to feek the things that are above. We are naturally pleafed with new things, we take gre^t Pain$, undergo dangerous ^R 3 Voyag^

246 IFeJhouldafpire, &c. BookVIII.

Voyages, to view other Countries: with great Delight we hear of new Difcoveries in the Heavens, and view thofe glorious Bodies with great Plea-fure through our Glaffes. With what Plcafure then fhall departed happy Souls furvey the moft diftant Regions of the Univerfe, and view all thofe glorious Globes thereof, and their noble Appendages with a nearer View? Only let us take efpecial care to fetour ajfeffions on things above; to be fpintually, not carnally minded; and fo to run the Race which Chrijl hath fet before us, that we may arrive to that Place which he hath pi e-pared for his faithful Servants, that he may receive us unto himfelf\ that where he is, we may be alfo • tn whofe prefence is julnefs of joy, and at whofe right hand ai e pie aftires for ever-wore.

F I N 1 S.

-P/aee tA/J /.• K-U cut- .• tAc-Ea.³ sS'tL: yt.-vA .

1 /;./,«

An Alphabetical

40, and    Prelim.

THE E ND