V.,-3J» 
 
 
 *>v^-/J- 
 
'^'ZJS^^ 
 
 S5^-^/^A 
 
 '1^3^ 
 
 
 LIBK^RY 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 
 Theological 
 
 Semi nar 
 
 y, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 
 Crise. ' — -^.^ 
 
 Division. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Section 
 
 
 Boo/,, 
 
 . N«. 
 
 .-..-...,;','. 
 
 y=r 
 
 u 
 
 3 
 
 W. 
 
^(^u^^yr^t^y mj'ij/^^^^^ 
 
 

 
JSTRO-THEOLOGK 
 
 ^^''^ Or a Demokstration of the „.^ 
 
 Being and Attribu 
 
 (hj^/jf 
 
 TES 
 
 O F 
 
 GOD, 
 
 F R O M A 
 
 SURVEY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HEAVENS. 
 
 Illustrated with Copper Plates. 
 
 By W. D E R H A M, Canon of Windfor^ Re<5lor 
 of Upminfler^ in EJfex^ and F. R. S. 
 
 The Fourth Edition much corroded. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed by W. and J. Innys, Printers to the Royal-Sc- 
 cietv, at the Prince s Arms at the Weft £i)d of SUPtmls, 
 MDCCXXI. 
 
To His Royal Highness 
 
 G E O R G E, 
 
 Prince of Wales, Prince 
 Electoral of Brunfwick- 
 Lunenhirg, &c. 
 
 Duke oi Cornwall 2in A Rothfay^ Duke 
 and Marquefs of Cambridge y Earl 
 of Chefler^ Mdford Haven ^ and 
 Carreck, Vifcount North- Allert on ^ 
 Baron o( Tezvksbury and RenfrezVy 
 Lord of the Iflands, and Steward 
 of Scotland, and Knight of the 
 mod Noble Order of the Garter. 
 
 EAT Sir, 
 
 OUR Royal HigK 
 nefs having done me 
 fo great an Honour 
 as to take this Book under 
 A 2 your 
 
Epiftlc Dedicatory. 
 
 your Patronage,with great 
 Humility and Thankful- 
 nefs I lay it at your Feet; 
 not doubting but that 
 ( whatever my Perform- 
 ance is) the Subjed: will 
 be acceptable, it being a 
 Vindication of the Ex- 
 tjlence and Attrihitcs of 
 that infinite Being, to 
 whom your RoyalHighiiefs 
 hath no lefs pioufly than 
 jullly aicribed your great 
 Royal Father's and your 
 Frtmilfs peaceable Accef- 
 iion to the Crown, and 
 Dignity of thefe Realms, 
 
 That the Blcffings of 
 the fame moft merciful 
 
 Being 
 
Epiftle Dedicatory. 
 
 Being may be perpetua^ 
 ted to your Royal Highnefs 
 and all Tours, is the hear- 
 ty Prayer of, 
 
 Moftllluftrious SIR, 
 Your Royal Ht^nefss 
 mod humble obedient 
 Servant, 
 
 W. Derham. 
 
 A 3 TO 
 
T O T H E 
 
 READER 
 
 Concerning the 
 
 Third, and this Fourth Edition. 
 
 I Otwithflandtng that a Book 
 is more complete and va- 
 luable hy /Additions and 
 Amendments^ yet I think 
 that many and great Additions are an 
 hardjhip and mjuflice to the Pur cha- 
 fers of a former Edition • and there- 
 fore have in thts^ and in the for ego- 
 tng Editions^ avoided it as much 
 as well I coiddy although fome of my 
 
 learned 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 learned Friends zvould have perfuaded 
 me to ity and alfo contributed their 
 Obfervations. 
 
 But fyet from what I have faid in 
 the Preliminary Difc. p. 3. it will^ I 
 doubt not^ he expeBed^ that I Jhould 
 give fome account of the Obfervations 
 which the long and good Qlaffes in my 
 Handsy have afforded me Jince the 
 lafl Edition of this Book. 
 
 But I have little to boafi of here^ 
 having (befides the old former Com" 
 plaint of the want of a long Pole to 
 manage Mr. Huygens'^ Glafs with) 
 many great hindrances in my Obfer- 
 vations, partly by a very dangerous 
 Fit of Sicknefsy which hung long a- 
 hout me 'y and partly by my neceffary 
 Affairs callmg me to matters of ano^ 
 ther nature. But fome of the mojl 
 confiderable of my Obfervations were 
 thefe. 
 
 I. Viewing Venus with Mr. Huy- 
 gens'5 Glafs divers nights^ when near 
 
 A 4 her 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 her Perigee ^ and much horned , I 
 thought I J aw Anfradus, or Rough- 
 nefles on the concave part of the en-^ 
 lightened edge (fnch as we fee in the 
 New Moon) which 1 have reprefent- 
 ed as nearly as I could in Fig. 12. 
 
 2. In n^y frequent views of Jupi- 
 ter, / find his Belts to have great 
 variations • that they change their 
 Places ; that their Breadths alter ^ he^ 
 ing fometimes broader^ fometimes con- 
 fiderabl'^ narrower ^ that fometimes 
 they are more in number ^ fometimes 
 fewer ,• fometimes they are darker 
 and blacker j fometimes thin and only 
 like a Mifl, Towards the Poles of 
 Jupiter are the greatefi Alterations^ 
 there being fometimes few ^ or no Belts 
 toward one or the other Pole ; fome- 
 times one quite acrofs the Polar Parts^ 
 another reaching but half or a Part 
 of the Way. And even about the 
 middle^ or Equatorial Parts of Ju- 
 piter, where there are always Belts 
 
 (and 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 (a?id commonly tivo) yet thefe vary 
 <: on fide r ably. Sometimes they are 
 nearer one another^ fomettmes far^ 
 ther aftmder : fomettmes they are 
 con ftder ably broader^ efpe dally that 
 nearefl the middle j fomettmes as con- 
 ftder ably narrower: Sometimes they 
 both advance towards one Pole ^ and 
 then recede towards the other oppofite 
 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, hut the 
 Spots alfo of Jupiter vary greatly^ I 
 do not mean the Spots occafioned by 
 the Shade of the Satellites, but fuch 
 as are on the very Disk: which are 
 fomettmes of one form^ fomettmes of 
 another , and oftentimes none to be 
 feen at all^ although the fame Face 
 of Jupiter Jhotdd he towards us. 
 
 3. The 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 3 . The lafl thing I /ball mention 
 is the Nebulofe, which are thofe gla- 
 ring whttiflo appearances^ feen with 
 our Tekfcopes in Andromeda'^ Girdle, 
 Herculcs'5 Back, AntinousV Foot, 
 Orion's Sword, in the Centaur, Sa- 
 gittary, ^c, which appear through 
 the Tele/cope^ fomewhat after the 
 manner^ as Cor Cancri doth to the 
 naked E'ye, 
 
 Thefe Nebulofe / have often view- 
 ed with Glaffes of very different 
 lengths y particularly that in pcde An- 
 tinoi with Mr. Huygens'j; but I con^ 
 fefs that I coidd never dtfcern what 
 they are ^ neither indeed could I per- 
 ceive any great difference m their ap- 
 pearances through a very good Glafs 
 of about 1 4 foot^ and others of 7^0 and 
 ^ofeet^ yea Mr. Huygens'5 of 116. 
 
 But indeed the grand obflacle to all 
 my I'' lews ivith Mr. Huygens'5 Glafs 
 was the lapours near the Horizon^ 
 which not only ohfcured the ObjeB^ 
 
 hut 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 hut caufed fo great a trembling and 
 dancing thereof^ as made it no lefs 
 difficult to he diflinclly and accurately 
 viewed^ than a thing held in the hand 
 isy when danced and Jhaken hack- 
 wards and forwards. By this means 
 my ExpeBations from Mr. Huygens'^ 
 Glafs were frequently frustrated ^ ex- 
 cepting in nights that were more than 
 ordinarily ferene and clear y which 
 was commonly in fuch as were the 
 mojl intenfely Frofly and Cold, 
 
 Finding it therefore unlikely that I 
 Jhould do much more with Mr, Huy- 
 gens'5 Glafs than I had done, 1 refto- 
 red it to the Royal Society which lent 
 it me^ (and to whom Mr, Huygens be- 
 queathed it by his lafi Will) content- 
 ing my f elf with the View sit had given 
 mey and that I had difc over edit to be 
 an excellent Glafs ^ which Dr. Hook, 
 and fome others of our beji fudges took 
 to be good for nothing. 
 
 And 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 And now having given this account 
 of my Ohfervations^ and alfo Jhewed 
 what hinder' d my completing of them 
 (which may excite farther Enquiries y 
 as well as ferve to vindicate my felf) 
 I floall recommend thefe things to fuch 
 as have good Glaffes^ particularly to 
 the Diligence and Accuracy of my ve- 
 ry ingenious Friend ^ the Reverend 
 Mr, Pound, into whofe hands the 
 Royal Society have put that noble Be- 
 quejl of Mr. Huygens, and zvho is fo 
 well accommodated for raifing and u- 
 fing that Glafsy as to have feen (among 
 other confiderable things) the five Sa- 
 tellites of Saturn ; which I confefs I 
 could never reach ^ nor above three of 
 themy that I could be fure were Satel- 
 lites: I fay that I could be fure were 
 fuchy hecaufe it is not very eafy to di- 
 flinguifh 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. 
 
 / remember that I once verdy thought 
 I had found out [even Satellites ofSs.- 
 turn, wuh this very G/a/s of Mr. Huy- 
 gens, fo regularly were they placed 
 in refpe5l of Saturn. But z^hen I 
 came to examine thetn the follownifr 
 ?jtghts^ I found that there were real- 
 ly no more than tzvo Satellites, the 
 re/i being fmall Fixt Stars. But 
 Mr. Pound'5 Skill and Exa&nefs in 
 fuch Ohfervations., is I know Jo great ^ 
 (and I may add that of my fagacious 
 friend Dr. Halley too^ who I hear 
 hath feen the fame) that I do not fay 
 this by way of Caution to them^ aU 
 though it may ferve as fuch to many 
 others. 
 
 And now for a Clofe I fhall take 
 this opportunity of pubhckly owning^ 
 with all honour and thankfulnefs^ the 
 generous Offer made me by feme of my 
 Friendsy eminent m their Stations^ as 
 zvell as Skill and Abilities in the 
 Laws^ who would have made me a 
 
 Prefent 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Prefent of the May-pole in the Strand, 
 (which was to he taken doivn) or any 
 other Pole I thought convenient for 
 the management of Mr. Huygens'5 
 Glafs, But as my incapacity of ac- 
 cepting the favour of thofe noble Me-- 
 coenates, hath been the occafion of 
 that excellent Glafs being put into bet^ 
 ter hands^ fo I ajfure my felf their 
 expectations are abundantly anfwer^ 
 ed^ by the number and goodnefs of the 
 Ohfervations ^ that have been ^ and 
 will be made thereivith. 
 
 THE 
 
BWMWSWS^BW^M 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Of the following 
 
 Preliminary Difcourfe. 
 
 ^j ^ HE Authors Glajfes and Obferva- 
 
 \ tions. 
 Of the Ptolemaick Syjieme. 
 Of the Copernican Syjieme. 
 By whom cultivated. 
 Why preferred by the Author^ 
 Objeiiions againjt it from Scripture. 
 Anfwered. 
 Of the Sun's Recefs 
 Objediions from Senfe anfwered. 
 Objections from ^hilofophy anfwered. 
 Of the New Syjieme. 
 Why mofi favoured by the Author. 
 Fixt Stars are Suns. 
 
 The Author's Opinion about the Whitenefs 
 of the Galaxy. ibid. 
 
 pag.x. 
 6, 
 
 7. 
 
 9- 
 
 lo. 
 
 i8. 
 
 20. 
 28. 
 
 32-. 
 
 37. 
 41. 
 
 43- 
 
 The 
 3 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Author fujpe6fs there are more New 
 Stars than ever yet have been taken nd- 
 tice of. 44. 
 
 Hn Obfervat'ions of them. 46. 
 
 How to be objerved. ibid. 
 
 The Planets are JVorlds. 47. 
 
 Mr, Huygens denies Seas being in the Moon. 
 
 ,48. 
 
 The Author s Troof and Obfervations of 
 them. ^z. 
 
 What Creatures inhabit the Tlanets. 56, 
 
 A Pre- 
 
Preliminary Difcoiirfe, 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 The Sy ft ernes of the Heavens, 
 theHahitahility of the Pla- 
 nets, and a Phtrality of 
 Worlds^ itfefidfor the read- 
 ing of the following Book, 
 
 Y Phyfi co-Theology having 
 
 mec with fo quick a Sale 
 
 as to come to a third Im- 
 
 preffion before the Year 
 
 was expired, but efpecially the foH- 
 
 citations of many Learned Men, 
 
 a both 
 
ii The Preface, 
 
 both known and unknown, have 
 given cne great encouragement to 
 fulfil my promife, in fending abroad 
 this other Part, relating to the Hea- 
 vens: which fhould fooner have fcen 
 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 there- 
 fore 1 threw thegreatcll Part of them 
 into the Text: which neceflitated 
 me to tranfcribe the whole. And 
 when my Hand was in, I new-made 
 fome part of it, and added many 
 new Obfcrvations of my ovv'n, which 
 I then had lately made with fome ve- 
 ry good long Glaffes I had in my 
 hands ^ one of Campam's gxinimg-^ 
 and others of Enghfh work, which 
 exceeded it ; but efpecially one of 
 Mr. Hiiygens's of above 120 ic^t^ 
 which few for goodnefs do furpafs. 
 
 Of 
 
The Author's Obfervattons, iii 
 
 Of thefe Obfervations the Rea- 
 der fliould have met with many 
 more (and I believe Tome of my in- 
 genious Friends do expc6l more) but 
 that I lie under two inconveniences. 
 One the want of an open free Ho- 
 rizon , my Habitation being fur- 
 rounded much with Trees. The o- 
 ther, and indeed the chief, the 
 want of a long Pole of loo or more 
 feet, to raife my long Glafs to fucli 
 an height, as to fee the Heavenly Bo- 
 dies above the thick Vapours j which 
 much obfcure all Objeds near the 
 Horizon, efpecially when viewed with 
 fuch Ion? and good Glaffes. Buc 
 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 Wea- 
 ther, as are fittcil for viewing the 
 Heavenly Bodies, 
 
 a 2 And 
 
iv The Author's Ohfervations. 
 
 And therefore if I have not fuffi- 
 clently anfwered the expedations of 
 fome of my learned and ingenious 
 Friends, I hope they will excufe me, 
 and believe it to be more my Cala- 
 mity than Fault that I have done no 
 more; cfpecially among fuch Pla- 
 nets as have advantageoufly prefent- 
 ed themfelves, as SaUirn particular- 
 ly hath, whofe 5 or more Satellites 
 it may be expected 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 Vevius^ and 
 their Motion round their own Axes, 
 after 1 had a good Furniture of ex- 
 cellent GlafTcs, I had not any good 
 Views of thofe Planets before my 
 Sicknefs, by reafon of the too great 
 diftance oi Mars from the Earth, and 
 the proximity of yenns to the Sun, 
 and the cloudy Weather, and the 
 fmall altitude which Fen^ts had above 
 
 the 
 
The Author's and others Obfervat. v 
 
 the Horizon about that time. 
 
 But however what is here want- 
 ing 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 i 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 Hea- 
 vens and the Univerfe, than was be- 
 fore entertained. 
 
 And forafmuch as I have fre- 
 quent occafions in my following 
 Book to fpeak of, and according to 
 this, and fome of the other Syftemes, 
 it is neceffary I fliould, by way of 
 Preface, give fbme account of them, 
 to enable fuch Perfons to underftand 
 my Book as are unacquainted witk 
 Aftronomical Matters. 
 
 a 3 Amonq 
 
vi Of the fever al Syfl ernes 
 
 Among all the various SyftemeSj 
 I need take notice only of three, the 
 Ptolemqtck^ the Coperntcan^ and the 
 New S'yfleme, Of each of which in 
 their Order. 
 
 Of the Ptolemaic k Syfteme, 
 
 In the Ptolema'tck Syfleme the 
 Earth and Waters are fuppofed to be 
 in the Center of the Univerfe 5 next 
 to which is the Element oi Air, and 
 next above that is the Element of 
 Fire j next that the Orb of Mercu- 
 ry^ 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 Gyjialline Oris ^ and laftly 
 the Coelum Empyreum, or Heaven of 
 Heavens. All thefe maffy Orbs, 
 and vaft Bodies born by them, are, 
 in this Syfteme^ fuppofed to move 
 
 round 
 
of the Univerfe, \\{ 
 
 round the terraqueous Globe once 
 in 24 hours: and befides that_, in 
 fbme other certain periodical, times. 
 For the effecting of which Motions, 
 they were forced to contrive fuch 
 Circles as they called Eccentrkks 
 and Epicycles, eroding and interfe- 
 ring with one another ,• which I 
 could not reprefent in fo narrow a 
 compafs as Fig. i. is, which is a 
 Scheme of this Ptolemakk Syjieme ; 
 which is univerfally maintained by 
 the Penpatetkk Philofophers. 
 
 Of the Copernican Syfieme, 
 
 The next Syfleme is the Pytha- 
 gorean or Copernican^ being invent- 
 ed as fome imagine by Pythagoras 
 himfclf. But Diogenes Laert'ms (a) 
 expreflly faith, That Pythagoras's 
 opinion was, That the World was 
 
 (a) Lib. 8. in Pythagora. 
 
 a 4 roundj 
 
viii The Copernican Syfteme. 
 
 round , contaimrig the Earth tn the 
 midjl of It. And by P/my's account 
 (h) of Pythagoras his Diftances, and 
 Orders of the Planets, this fcems to 
 have been his opinion. But the 
 Time Laertms (c) affirms Ph'ilolam the 
 Pythagorean ryju Yyjv yj^/Blc^ai zarcl K'J- 
 KAOv^ TT^uTov BLTreTv 01 Sly 'I'/Jtccv ^'j^a~ 
 yjciov (paab' to have been the firjl 
 that Jciid the Earth vjas moved m a 
 Circle: but jo me fay Hicctas the Sy- 
 racufian. So Plutarch in his l^ife of 
 Nunia^ fpcaking of Numa'^ building 
 The Temple of Veil: a, fiich, he bu'tlt 
 it rounds and that a continual hire 
 was kept therein in imitation of the 
 figure of the Earthy or rather of the 
 ivhole World it felf ^ the middle of 
 which the Pythagoreans (not Pytha- 
 nor as) take to be the Seat of Fire. 
 
 This Syfl:eme (whoever was the 
 Invcnter of it) Copernicus a Canon 
 
 (b) Nat. Hrft. L. i. c. 21,21. 
 
 (c) Ibid, in Philolao. 
 
 of 
 
The Copcrnician Syfleme. ix 
 
 oiTouratn rcftorcd about the begin- 
 ning of the fifteenth Century, and was 
 followed therein by many confider- 
 able men, as Khetkus^ Moefilmus^ 
 Kepler y Rot h man ^ BulUaldus^ Lanf- 
 berge^ HertgomuSy Schickard ^ Gaf- 
 fenduSy Galileo, and others. The 
 lafl: 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 Coperntcan Tenets condemn- 
 ed by, the Inquifition, and was for- 
 ced to abjure them. The particu- 
 lars of which, if the Reader hath a 
 mind to fee, he may find them in 
 Rtcciolis Aim age fi (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 <?. Sed. 4. Cap. 40. 
 
 3 near 
 
The Probabiltty of 
 
 near 88 daysj then I^enus in fome- 
 what above 224 days ,• then the 
 Earth with its Satellite the Moon^ in 
 365 ^;. days j then Mars in about 687 
 days j then Jupiter with his four 
 Moons in about 4333 days j and lall:- 
 ly, Saturn in fomewhat above 10759 
 days, with his j or more Moons re- 
 volving about him. And beyond, 
 or above all thefe, is the Firmament^ 
 or the Region of the Ftxt StarSy 
 which are all fuppofed to be at e- 
 cjual diftanccs from their Center the 
 Sun. 
 
 This is the Coper mean Syjleme^ 
 which I have given a Scheme of in 
 Ftg, 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 Ptole match Hypo- 
 thefts on thefe Five following ac- 
 counts. 
 
 I. Because \i is far more agreea- 
 ble to Nature, which never goes a 
 
 round- 
 
the Copernican Syfieme, xi 
 
 round-about way, but always ads 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 ma- 
 ny Ihange and unnatural Orbs. Thus 
 the Diurnal Motion is accounted for 
 by one Revolution of the Earth, 
 which all the whole Heavens are cal- 
 led 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 Ptolematck way, they 
 are forced to invent divers llrange, 
 unnatural, interfering Eccenirtcks and 
 Epic'jcks, An Hypothefis fo bung- 
 ling and monftrous, as gave occ^fion 
 to a certain King to fay, //' he had 
 been of God's Cotmc'tl when he tnade 
 
 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 
 cafy and agreeable to Nature than 
 the Ptolemaick Syfteme, fo it is far 
 more complete, and anfwerable to 
 the various Pharnomena of the Pla- 
 nets j fevcral of which the Ptolemaick 
 Hypothcfis either very aukwardly 
 folves, or doth not at all come up 
 to. I might inftance here in divers 
 particulars relating to Venm and 
 Mercury^ as why the Earth is never 
 between them and the Sun, which 
 the Ptolemaick Syfteme gives no to- 
 lerable account of, and but poor 
 accounts of other of their Phieno- 
 mena, as alfo of thofe of the Moon 
 and the other Planets. I might (hew 
 alfb how incoherent and improper 
 the Motions affigned to the Hea- 
 venly Bodies are ia the Ptolemaick 
 way, as that the Moon fliould 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 Firma- 
 ment, or Fixt Stars in ij or 26000 
 years j the Sphere beyond that in 
 1700 years i 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 fb unproportio- 
 nal, and difagreeable, that are (iaf- 
 ficient to fubvert the whole Hypo- 
 thefis. But it would be endlefs to 
 enter into a detail of fuch incohe- 
 rences and improprieties as the Pto^ 
 lema'ick Syfteme abounds with. 
 
 3. The prodigious and incon- 
 ceivable Rapidity aflign'd by the 
 Ptolemaic ks to the Heavens, is by 
 the Coper mean 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 num- 
 
xiv The Probability of 
 
 a number of far more maffv, and 
 far diftanc Globes, to revolve round 
 the Earth in the fame fpace of time ? 
 If the Maintainers of the Ptolemaick 
 Syfteme do objed againfl: the Moti- 
 on of the Earth, that it would make 
 us dizzy, and fhatter our Globe to 
 pieces, what a precipitant, how ter- 
 rible 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 ii Semidiameters 
 of the Earth ? What a Velocity muft 
 that of the Fixt Stars, efpecially 
 that of the Pr'tmnm Mobile be, at far 
 greater diftances than the Sun is? 
 
 4. It is an inconteflible argument 
 of the Sun being the Center of the 
 Planets about him, and not the Earth, 
 that their Motions and Diftances 
 refped the Sun, and not the Earth. 
 For with regard to the Sun, the Pri- 
 mary Planets have a very due Mo- 
 tion, in proportion to their fevcral 
 
 Diftances 5 
 
the Copernican Syfleme, xv 
 
 Diftances • that is, Their Motions 
 round the Sun, are in fefquipHcare 
 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 Sauirn^ Jupiter and xki^Rarth^ 
 it is very certain that they have the 
 fame refped to their Primaries, as 
 thefe Primaries have to the Sun ; 
 that is, The Squares cf their Revolu" 
 t'lons are as the Cubes of their Diftan- 
 ces. And as it is very certain and 
 vifiblc, that the Secondary Planets 
 rcfpe6t their Primaries as their Cen- 
 ters, and move round them, fo ic 
 is in fome meafure (one would think) 
 no lefs certain, and beyond doubt, 
 that all the Primary Planets which 
 have the fclf-fame refpe6t to, and 
 Motion with regard to the Sun, as 
 thofe Secondaries have to their Pri- 
 maries, that thofe Primaries, I fay, 
 do move round him as their Center, 
 ^ and 
 
xvi Oh]eBiom againjl 
 
 and not about the Earth, to whom 
 they have no fuch refpedt. 
 
 J. The laft Argument I lliall al- 
 ledge for my preference of the Co- 
 permcan to the Ptolematck Sjfteme is 
 from the great Parity and Congruity 
 obfervable among all the works of 
 the Creation ; which have a mani- 
 feft 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 (uch like Motions, as thofe are 
 which we afcribe to the Earth. The 
 Sun indeed being in the Center, is 
 as 'twere fixt there, and hath no Pe- 
 riodical 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 Sunj they have, as far as 'tis pof- 
 fible for us to fee them, fuch Moti- 
 ons as thofe we afcribe to the Earth ; 
 
 namely, 
 
Copernicus mifwered. 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 fliould hinder its being fo in 
 our own? Why fliould ours be lingu- 
 lar ? Why not be fuppofed to be mo- 
 ved as well as the reft, when it is very 
 certain that cither it hath thofe Moti- 
 ons, or the Heavens have fo ; and it is 
 far more natural and eafy for the Earth 
 to perform them, than for the Hea- 
 vens, as hath been already fliewn. 
 
 Thus having (hewn how far 
 more probable the Copermcan Sy- 
 fteme is than the Ptolemaic^ fo far 
 as it relates to the Motions of the 
 Heavens and Earth, and the Sun be- 
 ing in the Center, it remains (be- 
 fore I proceed to the Third and laft 
 Syfteme) that I (hould anfwer fome 
 Objections alledged again ft this Sy- 
 fteme, partly from Scripture^ and 
 partly from Phikfophy and Sight, 
 
 b The 
 
Xviri OhjeB'tons agatnfl 
 
 The Objedions fxom Scripture 
 are fuch ns fecm to affert the Immo- 
 bility and Reft of the Earth, and the 
 Motion of the Sun and Heavenly 
 Bodies. 
 
 The Texts that are brought to 
 prove the ImmobiHty and Reft of the 
 Earth, are i Cron, i6. 30. The 
 JVorld Jhall he flahle^ that it he not 
 moved. The fame is faid, Pjal. 93.1. 
 The World alfo is ejiablifhed, that it 
 cannot he moved. And fo the fame 
 again, Pfal. ^6. 10. In PfaL 104. j. 
 G O D is faid to lay the foundatiom 
 cf the Earthy that it fhould not he 
 molded for ever. And laftly Solomon^ 
 Ecclef. I. 4. alTerts that The Earth 
 ahideth for ever. Like to which is 
 that of the Pfalmift^ Pfal. 119.90. 
 Thou hafl efiablijhed the Earthy and 
 it ahtdeth. Thefe are the principal 
 Texts which feem to aflert the Im- 
 mobility and Stability of the Earth. 
 
 The 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xix 
 
 The principal Texts which men- 
 tion the Motion of the Sun and Hea- 
 venly Bodies, are fuch as afcribe 
 Rifing, Setting or {landing ftill to 
 them. Thus Gen. 19. 23. The Sim 
 was rtfen upon the Earthy when Lot 
 entered into Zoar. And Gen, 15. 17. 
 When the Sun went down, and it 
 IV as darky afmoaktng Furnace^ Sec. So 
 Eccl. I. y. The Sun arifeth^ and the 
 Sun goeth down, and hajleth to the 
 place where he arofe. So PfaL 19. 
 5, 6, the Sun is faid to come out of 
 his Chamber hke a Bndegroom^ and 
 to rejoice as a ftrong man to run a 
 race. That hts gomg^ forth is from 
 the end of the Heaven^ and his circuit 
 unto the ends of it. Purfuant to which 
 exprertions of the Sun^s moving, it is 
 faid alfo to fl and ftill, and 10 go hack- 
 wards. Thus Joflo. 10. I 2j 13. Smty 
 ft and thou fiill upon Gibeon , and 
 thou Moon in the Falley of Ajalon. 
 And the Sun flood fttll, and the Moon 
 b z flayed. 
 
XX Objecimi again fi 
 
 jla'yed. So the Sun flood ji ill in the 
 
 miclll of Heaven^ and hafled not to go 
 dozvn about a whole day. And in 
 2 Kings lo. lo. and Ifai. 38. 8. the 
 Sun is faid to have returned ten de- 
 grees backward in one of the places, 
 and its Shadoiv to have done fo in 
 the other. 
 
 Thkse are the chief Texts of 
 Scripture^ which feem to He againft 
 the Coperntcan Hypothefis. In an- 
 fwer to which, this may be faid in 
 general to them all ,• That fince the 
 dcfign of the holy Writings is not to 
 inftrud: Men in Philofophical, but 
 Divine Matters, therefore it is not 
 neceflary to rcftrain thefenfeof thofe 
 Texts to the ftrid: propriety of the 
 Words, but take them to be fpoken 
 according to the appearance of things 
 and the vulgar notions and opinions 
 which men have of them, not ac- 
 cording to their reality, or Philofo- 
 phical verity. Thus in divers other 
 8 inftances 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxi 
 
 inftances i\\^ holy Scriptures /peak,- 
 and thus even Philofophers them- 
 felves fpeak. Yea, the Copernicam 
 themfelves, although they profefied- 
 ly own, and defend the contrary; 
 yet in vulgar fpeaking in our pre- 
 sent cafe, fay, The Sun nfeth^ ftt- 
 teth^ and moveih^ &V. making that 
 to be the a6t of the Sun in vulgar 
 Difcourfe, which they contend to be 
 in reality performed by the Earth. 
 And if Philofophers, and others 
 fliould not thus exprels themfelves 
 according to the appearance of 
 things, and mens vulgar apprehend- 
 ons of them, it would need a Com^ 
 ment, and they muft explain them- 
 felves every time they fpeak, in or^ 
 der to their being underftood. 
 
 Having given this general An- 
 fwer, I fliall next confider the par- 
 ticular Texts themfelves, and fee 
 whether they neceffarily infer what 
 they are brought for the Proof of. 
 
 b 3 Anp 
 
xxii Objecltons agatnjt 
 
 And in the firft place, as for the 
 Texts brought to prove the Immo- 
 biUty of the Earth, it is manifeft 
 that the Stah'tltt^ of the IVorldy men- 
 tioned in the three firft Texts, doth 
 not relate to the Earth's motion, ei- 
 ther Annual or Diurnal, but to the 
 Condition, State and Order of the 
 World inhabiting the Earth, parti- 
 cularly the Peace and Profperity 
 thereof One of our own lateft, 
 and moft learned Commentators, 
 the late Bifliop Patrick (e) under- 
 ftands the Gofpel ftate to be meant 
 in the firft and third of the Texts. 
 And his Paraph rafe on that in PfaL 
 93. I. is. He who made the Worlds 
 will ftipport that excellent order 
 wherein we are fettled-^ fo that itjloall 
 not he in the power of man to dtjlurb 
 tvhat he hath eHabliJhed, 
 
 (e) See his Commentary on Chron, and his Pa^ 
 ra^hr^fe on Pfalms. 
 
 As 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxiii 
 
 As for what is faid in PfaL 104. 
 J. it is nianifcfl: that the Pfalmtfl is 
 there celebrating the Works of Cre- 
 ation, and that there was as fair an 
 occafion of fpeaking of the Earth's 
 Reft, in Relation to its two Mo- 
 tions, as any where. But yet even 
 here alfo the fecurity and permanen- 
 cy of its State is the thing aimed 'xt. 
 The laft moft learned Commentator 
 thus paraphrafes on the place ( f)^ 
 Who hath fettled the majfy Globe of 
 the Rarthy even tn the liquid ah\ 
 upon fuch firm foundations , that 
 none of thofe Storms and TempeHs^ 
 which beat upon it from without^ nor 
 any Commotions from within^ can ever 
 flir it out of the place he hath fixed 
 for it. 
 
 As for the two remaining places 
 in Ecclef. and PfaL up. it is plain 
 enough that their Defign is to lliew 
 
 (f) Biihop Patrick's Paraph, on PfaL 104. f. 
 
 b 4 the 
 
xxiv Ob]ecitom agatnjt 
 
 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 Ecdef, the wife man 
 (who had undertaken to prove all 
 things here below to be Vanity) be- 
 gins with the State of Man himfclf, 
 and fliews 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 re- 
 turn again. The Generations of men 
 o 
 
 pafs away j hut the Earth ah'tdeth for 
 ever^ in the fame unalterable con- 
 dition, without fuch going and co- 
 ming, as that of the Generations of 
 men have. 
 
 In PfaL 119. 90. the Pfalm'tji 
 celebrates God's Faithfulnefs to all the 
 various and fiicceeding Generations 
 of the World, which he iliews to be 
 as conftant and unalterable as the 
 
 Earth 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxtr 
 
 Earth it fcif, which GOD hath fo 
 cftabliflied, that it abideth through 
 all the feveral Generations of Men, 
 when they at the fame time are fleet- 
 ing and changing. 
 
 Thus it appears that all thofe 
 feveral Texts which affert x\i^Stah'z- 
 liiy of the World^ or Earth , prove 
 nothing againlt the Earth's Motion 
 in a Philofophical fenfe j only ex- 
 prefs fome Moral, Theological 
 Truths. 
 
 And fo the farhe may be faid of 
 thofe other places of Scripture, which 
 mention the Motion of the Sun and 
 other Heavenly Bodies, that fay they 
 rife, ^ct^ and perform the Motions 
 which the Copermcans afcribe to the 
 Earth. If we fliould take thefe Ex- 
 preffions in a philofophical, ftrid:, 
 literal Senfe, and not as vulgar Ex- 
 preffions, arifing from the appear- 
 ance of things j we fhall find that 
 very odd and unreafonable Conclu- 
 
 fions 
 
xxvi Ohjeciions agamjl 
 
 fions may as well be colleded from 
 thofe Scriptures, as the Sun's Mo- 
 tion : as that the Sun hath animal 
 Life, Motion, and Defire, being faid 
 to ad: 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 P/aL 19. the elcc^ant 
 Pfalmtfl giving a poetical defcription 
 of this noble and admirable work of 
 GOD, i\\tSun, faith, GOD hath, 
 in the Heavens, made a Tabernacle 
 for him • as if the Sun had an 
 Houfe, a Refting Place provided for 
 him J 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 Cham- 
 pion doth his Race. And laftly his 
 
 (g) Qisjur Anhelavit> inhiavir, vid. Buxtorf. 
 Lexicon. 
 
 Going 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxvii 
 
 Going forth is faid to be from the end 
 of the Heaven^ avid hts Circuit to 
 reach to the ends thereof: as thoupli 
 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 Ttngere fc 
 Oceano^ to dip himfelf in the Ocean 
 when he Set. 
 
 And as in thefe places of Scri- 
 pture the Sun is faid to move ,♦ {o in 
 the other places he is faid toflandfiill^ 
 and to go backward. But we dial I 
 find that very abfurd conciufions 
 would follow the taking thofc Texts 
 in a ftrid: literal Scnfe. For in Jo- 
 Jhtia the Sun is ordered to fland fiill 
 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 tliofe two greac 
 Luminaries were confined to thofc 
 
 mo 
 
xxviii Ohje^itons againfl 
 
 two places, otherwife than in appear- 
 ance to the vidoiious Ifraelites. And 
 if fo confiderable a part of the tranP 
 adion be fpoken according to its 
 appearance, why not the whole? 
 Why might not this Station as well 
 be an arreil of the Earth's Motion 
 as of that of the Heavens, if the 
 whole Miracle was not (as fome not 
 improbably think) effeded by means 
 of fome preternatural Refractions, 
 or extraordinary Meteors, fefc. 
 
 An D fo for the Recefs of the Sun, 
 or its Shadow in Hezekiah's cafe, that 
 which in appearance feemed to be 
 the adion of the Sun is by divers 
 learned men thought to have been 
 the effed of fuch like extraordinary 
 Refradions or Meteors, as I mention- 
 ed in the laft cafe : or if it was a 
 real Recefs ; why not of the Earth, 
 rather than the Sun and whole Hea- 
 vens ? 
 
 Thus 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxix 
 
 Thus having anfwered the par- 
 ticular Texts, it doth not appear 
 that the Scriptures oppofe the Coper- 
 nkan S'y^eme, but that thofe palTa- 
 ges which feem to do fo, are fpoken 
 more according as things appear than 
 as really they are. For as St. H'terom 
 faith (h)j Confmtudtms Scripturarum 
 
 efl It IS the cuHom of the Scriptures, 
 
 for the HiHortan fo to relate the opi- 
 nion men had of man^ 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 ac- 
 cording to the opinion of the time in 
 which they were done^ and not ac- 
 cording to their Reality, And this 
 is no other than what is very reafon- 
 able, and fuitable to the end and de- 
 fign of the Holy Scriptures, which 
 
 (h) Hieron. in Matth. c. 13. 
 (t) In ^srem, i8. 
 
 as 
 
jcxx Ohj eel ions againji 
 
 as 1 have faid, is rather to inftrud 
 
 men in Divine and Moral DoclrineSy 
 than Pbilofophical Truths, And a- 
 grceably hereto St. AugiiHme anfwers 
 this very doubt concerning the Mo- 
 rion of the Heavens (t). Some of the 
 Brethren (faith he) move a ^eftton^ 
 zvhether the Heavens jland jitllor are 
 moved ^ hecaufe^ fay thejy if they are 
 moved ^ how is tt a Firmament? and 
 if they jiand fiill^ how do the Stars y 
 which are believed to be fixt in them y 
 revolve from Eafl to PVejl^ the Nor-- 
 them Stars defcrihmg leffer Circles ' 
 near the Pole? — To which y faith he, 
 / anfiver^ That thefe things do great- 
 ly require fever al fubtile and lahori- 
 CHS Reafons^ to difcover truly ivhether 
 the matter be fo, or not fo. For the 
 entering upon^ and dif cuffing of which ^ 
 I have neither timey neither is it fit 
 
 (!) Augiift. dc Genefi ad Literam. L. a. cio. 
 
 « it 
 
Copernicus anfwered. xxxi 
 
 It Jhould he done to fuch as we defire 
 to tnUruB in the way of Salvation^ 
 for the necejfary benefit of the holy 
 Church, 
 
 Having thus an(wered the Ob- 
 jedions from Scripture, I fliall in the 
 laft place confider thofe brought from 
 Senfe and Philofophy. 
 
 The Objcdion from Senfe is. 
 That we fee the Heavenly Bodies 
 adually to move, and therefore 
 ought to beheve 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 manifcft to any one car- 
 ried in a Boat or Chariot ^ the Pro- 
 greflive motion of v/hich, produceth 
 the appearance of a Regreflive mo- 
 tion in the unmoved Objeds we look 
 upon ,• according to VirgiH dcfcrip- 
 tion of JEneas and his company's 
 leaving their Port. 
 
 (k) Pro- 
 
XXX ii ObjeBiom aga'mjl 
 
 (k) Proveh'tmur portu^ temeqiie nr- 
 hefque recedtint, 
 
 i. e. Both Land and Towns receded 
 when we left our Port, As for the 
 reafon hereof, I fliall refer to the Op- 
 ticians, particularly the famous Kep- 
 ler^ who in his Optices AUronom. hath 
 defignedly handled this Point. 
 
 The Objedions from Philofophy 
 are too numerous to be diftindly an- 
 fwered, efpecially (uch as feem very 
 frivolous, particularly thofe ground- 
 ed on a fuppofition of the Verity 
 of the Art^otelian Philofophy, as the 
 Immutability and Incorruptibility of 
 the Heavens, 6fr. For anfwers to 
 which I rtiall refer the Reader to G^- 
 ///^o's Syftem. Mund. But for fuch 
 Objedions as feem to have fome 
 reafon in them, they are chiefly 
 thefe, That if the Earth be moved 
 
 (k) i^neid. L. 5. i^./z. 
 
 from 
 
Copernicus aufwered, xxxiii 
 
 from W. to E. a Bullet (hotWeftward 
 would have a farther Range, than 
 one fliot Eaftward j or if (hoc N. or S, 
 it would mifs the mark ; or if perpen- 
 dicularly upright, it would drop td 
 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 their 
 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 Objedi- 
 ons from the Laws of Motion, and 
 the Rules of Mechanicks and Ma- 
 thematicksj I fliall only make ufe 
 of the mod: ingenious Gal'il(eo'% plain 
 Experiment, which anfwereth all or 
 moft of the Objcdions (I), Shut ^ 
 faith he, your felj up with ^^Qur friend 
 
 (0 Syflem.. Mimd. Dialz. 
 
xxxiv Objechons cigatnfl 
 
 in the Great Cahm of a Ship^ toge- 
 ther with a parcel of Gnats and Hies^ 
 and other little winged Creatures, 
 Procure alfo a great tub of Water ^ 
 and put Fifhes therein. Hang alfo a 
 Bottle of IVater upy to empty it felf 
 drop by drop into another fuch Bottle 
 placed underneath with a narrow 
 neck. IFhiljl the Ship lies fill, dili- 
 gently ohferve how thofe little winged 
 Creatures fly with the like fviftnefs 
 towards every part of the Cabin \ how 
 the Fifhes fwim indifferently towards 
 all fides • and how the defending 
 Drops all fall into the Bottle under- 
 neath. And if you throiV any thing 
 to your Friend, you need ufe no more 
 force one way than another, provided 
 the Dijlances be equal. And if you 
 leap^ you will reach as far one way 
 as the other. Having ohferve d thefe 
 particulars whiljl the Ship lies jiill^ 
 make the Ship to fail with what Ve^ 
 locity you pleafe, and fo long as the 
 
 Motion 
 
Copernicus anfwered, xxxv 
 
 Motion is uniform^ not fluBuattng this 
 way and that way^ you jh all not per- 
 cetve there is any alteration in the a- 
 forefaid effeBs j neither can you from 
 them conclude whether the Ship mo^ 
 veth or flandeth fiilL But in leaping 
 you /ball reach as far on the Floor as 
 you did before , nor by reafon of the 
 Ships motion^ fhall you make a long- 
 er Leap twards the Poop than the 
 Prow J notwithfianding that ivhilfl you 
 were up m the airy the Floor under 
 your feet had run the contrary way to 
 your Leap, And if you cafi any 
 thing to your comp anion ^ you needufe 
 no more Jlrength to make it reach him^ 
 if he fhould be towards the ProWy 
 and you tozvards the Poopy than if 
 you food m a contrary pofition. The 
 Drops fhall all fall into the lower Bot- 
 tle y and not one towards the Poopy al- 
 though the Ship fhall have run many 
 feety zvhilfl the Drop was m the air. 
 The Fijhes in the IVater fhall have 
 
 c 2 no 
 
xxxvi OhjeBtom agawjl 
 
 no more trouble tn fwtmmwg towards 
 the forepart oj the Tub^ than towards 
 the hinder part^ but fhall make to- 
 wards the Bait with equal Swtftnefs^ 
 on any fide oj the 7itb» And lajily 
 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 ij wearied with following the fwift 
 motion of the Ship. And if by burn" 
 ing a few gt ams of Incenfe^ you make 
 a little Smoak^ you fhall perceive it 
 to afcend on high^ and hang like a 
 Cloudy moving indifferently this way 
 and thaty without any inclination to 
 one fide more than another. The 
 caufe of which correfpondence oj the 
 Effeclsy isy that the Ship's motion is 
 common to all thtngs contained tn tt^ 
 and to the Air alfo : I mean when 
 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 cotirfe, differences more or 
 lefs may ar'tfe among the forenamed 
 EffeSs. 
 
 Thus GaliUo by this one Ob- 
 fervation hath anfwered the moftcon- 
 fiderable Objedions deduced from 
 Philofophy againft the Motion of the 
 Earth. And thus much (hall fuffice 
 for the Explication and Proof of the 
 Copernkan Syfieme -^ efpecially that 
 part of it relating to the Solar Sy- 
 fteme. Which things I have more 
 largely than ordinary infifted on, 
 for the fatisfadion of many that I 
 am fenfible doubt of them, and par- 
 ticularly fome of my Friends (and 
 thofe not unlearned too) who may 
 be apt to read my following Book 
 with prejudice wherefoever 1 favour 
 the Coper mean Notions. 
 
 Of the New Sy fteme, 
 
 A N D now I pafs from the Second 
 Syfteme to the Third, which is cal- 
 
 c 3 led 
 
xxxviii Of the New Syfleme, 
 
 led the New Syfteme^ and by fome the 
 True Syfteme 5 which extends the 
 Univerfe to a far more immenfe 
 compafs, than any of the other Sy- 
 ftemes do^even to an indefinite Space ; 
 and repleniflies it with a far more 
 grand Retinue than ever was before 
 afcribed unto it. 
 
 This New Syfteme is the fame 
 with the Copermcan^ 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- 
 tncan Hypothefis fuppofeth the Fir- 
 mament of the Fixt Stars to be the 
 Bounds of the Univerfe, and to be 
 placed at equal Diftance from its Cen- 
 ter the Sun ^ the New Syfieme fuppo- 
 feth there are many other Syftemes 
 of Suns and Planets, befides that in 
 which we have our rcfidencc : name- 
 ly, that every Fixt Star is a Sun, and 
 encompaffcd with a Syfteme of Pla- 
 nets, both Primary and Secondary, as 
 well as ours. ^ These 
 
Of the New Syfleme. xxxix 
 
 These feveral Syftcmcs of the 
 Fixt Stars, as they are at a great and 
 fufHeient Diftance from the Sun and 
 uSj^ fo they are imagined to be at as 
 due and regular Diltances from one 
 another. 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 '':i Fig. 3. together with that of 
 the Sun j which may ferve to give an 
 unfkiiful 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 feve- 
 ral Syftemes in due proportion j which 
 is necelTary 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 
 
xi Of the New Syfieme. 
 
 Circles fignify the Orbits of their re- 
 fpedive Planets) are placed without 
 the limits of the Solar Syftemej and 
 the Solar Syfteme is kt in the Cen- 
 ter 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 proxi- 
 mity and relation to us. But whe- 
 ther it be really fo, whether it be in 
 the Center of the Univerfe, and whe- 
 ther among all the noble Train of 
 Fixt Stars, there be no Syfteme ex- 
 ceeding ours in its magnificent Re- 
 tinue of Planets, both Primary and 
 Secondary, and other admirable Con- 
 trivances, is a difficulty, as out of the 
 reach of our GlaiTes, fo confequent- 
 ly above our ability to fathom, al- 
 though not at all improbable. But 
 be the various Syftemes of the Uni- 
 verfe as they will as to their Dignity, 
 it is fufficient that in all probability 
 there are many of them, even as 
 
 many 
 
Of the Neiv Syjieme. xli 
 
 many as there are Fixt Stars, which 
 are without number. 
 
 This Syfteme of the Umverfe^ as 
 it is phyfically demonftrable, fo is 
 what, for the mod part, I have fol- 
 lowed in the enfuing Book, but not 
 fo rigoroufly and obftinately, as ut- 
 terly to exclude or oppugn any o- 
 ther Syileme,- becaufe as the fVorh 
 of G D are truly great, and fuffi- 
 ciently manifcft their excellence and 
 magnificence in any Syfteme,- fo I 
 was wilHnCT to fhew the fame in fuch 
 Syftemes as I had occafion to (peak 
 of them in ^ becaufe I would not of- 
 fend, and confequently not bar the 
 force of my arguments upon fuch 
 Readers, as might happen to be wed- 
 ded to the Arijhtehan PnnctpleSy or 
 prejudiced to the Ptolematck^ or any 
 other Sjfieme : Not that I had my 
 felf any doubts about this New Sy- 
 fieme^ but think it to be far the moft 
 
 rati- 
 
xlii The Probahitity 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 with- 
 out 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 Glovy 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 Pri- 
 vilege of living in. But it is very 
 highly probable the matter is fo, by 
 reafon, 
 
 2. We fee it is really (b, as far 
 as it is poffible it can be difcerned by 
 us, at luch immenfe Diftances as 
 thofe Syftemes of the Fixt Stars are 
 from us. Our GlafTes are indeed too 
 
 weak 
 
the New Syfieme. xliii 
 
 weak fo to reach thofe Syftemes, as 
 to give us any aflurance of our fee- 
 ing the Planets themfelves, that en- 
 compafs any of the Fixt Stars. We 
 cannot fay we fee them adually mo- 
 ving round their refpedive Suns or 
 Stars. But this we can difcern, vtz. 
 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 Pla- 
 nets, which fometimes appear and 
 difappcar in the regions of the Fixt 
 Stars ,• as I have {hewn in my difcourfe 
 oi 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 incli- 
 ned to be of opinion, that the Wh'tte^ 
 
 nefs 
 
xliv The Author'' s Obfervatmis 
 
 nefs there, is not caufed by the bare 
 Light of the great number of Fixt 
 Stars in that place, as hath common- 
 ly been thought, but partly by their 
 Light, and partly (if not chiefly) by 
 the Reflexions of their Planets ; 
 which ftop and reflc6t:, intermix and 
 blend the Light of their refpedive 
 Stars or Suns, and fo caufe that 
 Whicenefs the Galaxy prefents us 
 with j which hath rather the colour 
 of the reflcded Light of our Moon 
 than the Primary Light of our Sun. 
 
 And that there are Planets e- 
 nough for this purpofe, I fufpedt 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 no- 
 tice of, and that many of thofe pro- 
 digious numbers of Tclefcopial Scars 
 vifible there, are of the numbers of 
 Neiv Stars or Planets^ and not of 
 
of the Galaxy, xlv 
 
 Ftxt 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 difnp- 
 pear in the Swan's IS'eck. Which 
 gave me occafion to infped: fome 
 other parts of that Conftellation, 
 mod parts of which are well reple- 
 niftied with a numerous train of fmall 
 Stars. Amongft which, fometimes 
 methoughts more have prefcnted 
 themfelves through one and the fame 
 Glafs, and fometimes 1 have mift 
 fome I thought I before faw : and 
 fometimes alfo methoughts 1 have 
 feen them nearer to, and fometimes 
 farther off thofe Stars that did con- 
 ftantly prefent themfelves. But as 
 thefe things are to my fclf novel, 
 and what 1 confefs I have rather Sus- 
 picions of than Certainty, 1 (liall re- 
 fer them to the future Obfervations 
 of my felf, and others, for their Con- 
 firmation j efpecially becaufe thofe 
 
 Appro- 
 
xlvi The Author's Ohfervattom 
 
 Approximations and RecefTes of fome 
 of the little Stars I fpake of fuit not 
 with the Obfervations of fonne 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 recommend- 
 ed the Enquiry into it to fuch as de- 
 light in thofe matters. For the do- 
 ing of which, I conceive it may be 
 fufficient, and the eaficft 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, continu- 
 ing as much or a little more than fal- 
 leth within the compafs of the Tele- 
 fcope you make u(e of; Which was 
 the way I pradifed, and that part of 
 the Heavens, in which I obferved. 
 All the Stars that fall within this A- 
 rea, an exad 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 Glafles, 
 which take in lefs, and are more 
 troublefome in ufing. 
 
 H Av I N G thus reprefented the 
 State of the Umverfe according to the 
 New Syjleme 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 the anfwer 
 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 Val- 
 leys,having Atmofpheres about them. 
 Moons miniftring unto them, and 
 
 being 
 
xlviii That there are Seas 
 
 being enlightned, warmed and in- 
 fluenced by the Sun ^ whofe yearly 
 Vifits they receive, for Seafons; and 
 frequent Returns or Revolutions, for 
 Days and Nights. All which parti- 
 culars are fully treated of in the fol- 
 lowing Book, and need not therefore 
 to be anticipated here. Only there 
 is one thing, which for want of Ef- 
 ficient Obfervations, I could not lb 
 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, Marinm veto fimilttudmem 
 dlk nullam reperio^ 8cc. i. e. In the 
 Moon / yzW r/o likeiiefs of Seas^ al- 
 though Kepler and mojl others are of 
 a different opinion. For thofe vafi 
 plane regions^ which are much darker 
 than the Mountainous parts ^ and are 
 commonly taken for Seas ^ and bear 
 
 (m) Cofmotheros, p. 114. 
 
 the 
 
in the Moon, xlix 
 
 the names of Oceans ,• in thofe very 
 places viewed with a long Telefcope^ 
 I find httle round Cavities with Jha- 
 dows falling withm them^ which can^ 
 not agree with the Surface of the Sea : 
 as alfo thofe very large Fields when 
 carejiilly viewed^ do not prefent us 
 with a Superficies altogether equaL 
 Wherefore thefe cannot be Seas^ hut 
 are fuch places as confifi of a lefs 
 bright matter than that which is in 
 the more hilly parts^ but in which aU 
 fo there are fome places brighter than 
 others. Thus the mofl; ingenious 
 Mr. Huygens^ who then proceeds io 
 fliew that there are neither Rivers, 
 Clouds, Air, or Vapours. 
 
 But that there are Seas or great 
 Collcdions of Waters, and confe- 
 quently Rivers, Clouds, Air and Va- 
 pours in the Moon, I fhall make out 
 from fome 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 fliort Glafles. 
 
 It is true indeed that in thofe 
 Spots we take to be the Seas, there 
 are fuch Cavities as Mr. Huygem 
 fpeaks of, or rather Mountains with 
 ftiaded Cavities in them, as alfo fome 
 parts lefs dark than others. Thus 
 in the Southerly Parts of the Lunar 
 Euxme and Mediterranean^ in the 
 Stntis Strboms^ the Egyptian ^ and di- 
 vers other Seas, there are feveral 
 fuch Parts that appear more lumi- 
 nous than others, fome having the 
 appearance of Rocks and Iflands, 
 fome of large Shallows, particularly 
 towards the Shores, and efpccially in 
 the Seas bordering on the Conti- 
 nentvS, fuch as the great Southern 
 Continent of the Lunar ^gjp^ and- 
 
 Paldefi'ine, 
 
Seas m the Moon, li 
 
 PaUJitne, But this is no conclu- 
 five argument of thofe parts not be- 
 ing Seas 5 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 na- 
 medj the Spots appear darker^ and 
 with buc few of thofe Eminences or 
 Iflands J thofe brighter or (hallo^ 
 Parts. Thus the Northerly Eux'tne 
 and Mediterranean^ the Palus Mdeo^ 
 tisy and many other of thofe Lunat 
 Seas 'y few of thofe Parts that have 
 the afpe6t of Iflands or Shallows aire 
 to be difcerned in them, only one 
 here, and another there, at confider- 
 able dift:ances from one another. 
 
 And in this very manner I doiibc 
 not our terraqueous Globe would ap- 
 pear, if viewed at the Moon, or at 
 fome miles aloft. We {hould there 
 perceive our deep Oceans would be 
 of a darker colour, like the darker 
 Spots of the Moon ; and the fingle 
 
 d % Ifles 
 
In That there are Seas 
 
 Iflcs of St. Helena and /Ifcerifion^ and 
 the more numerous ones of Ladro^ 
 neSy Canaries^ ^zoreSy 3cc. 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. lo. and ii. 
 In Fig. 10. the Face of the Full 
 Moon is reprefented, its bright and 
 dark Parts with mod of the Names 
 given them by Heve/ius, whofe Lu- 
 nar Geography is juftly the moft fol- 
 lowed. In Fig. II. I have reprefent- 
 ed the appearance of the Moon's 
 Edge on this laft Nov, 4. 17 14. foon 
 
 after 
 
m the Moon, liii 
 
 after the Quadrature, for the expli- 
 cation of what is faid concerning 
 the Evennefs of the Surface of the 
 Lunar Spots in B. 5. Ch. 4. Note^. 
 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 Ifland prefents it 
 felf at a fmall diftance. Thus the 
 Surface of the Hyperborean Sea be- 
 tween 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 Medt- 
 terraneayi 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 Mediterrane- 
 an^ which makes a pretty fliew in 
 the Telefcope. 
 
 And now confidering how ac- 
 complifticd 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 confidcring alfb 
 that the(e Accoutrements relate to 
 their refpedtive 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 
 ail the Planets of the Sun and of the 
 Fixt Stars alfo , to be habitable 
 Worlds y Places, as accommodated 
 for Habitation, fo ftocked with pro- 
 per Inhabitants. 
 
 But now the next Queftion com- 
 monly put is, V/hat 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 hither- 
 to been acquainted with. But if the 
 Reader fluould have a mind to amufe 
 himfelf with probable GuefTes about 
 the Furniture of the Planets of our 
 
 Solar 
 
^i 
 
/y . yi7 ^/.^.f-v ^4 
 
 75^^ Mi., afy ^^t> 
 
A Plurality of Worlds, Iv 
 
 Solar Syftcme, 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. Chr'tflian Huy gens' s 
 Cofinotheoros and fome other Authors 
 that have written on the Subjed:. 
 To which I fhall refer him, rather 
 than give either him or my felf any 
 farther trouble about thefe matters, 
 which are merely conje^iural. 
 
 Thus having, for the fake of the 
 unfkilful Reader, given an account 
 of the three Syjiemes principally con- 
 cerned in the following Book, and 
 having alfo, for the fake of the Doubt- 
 ing 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 CoHclufion, 
 
 face, but to make my Excufe (if it 
 needs any ) for affigning the Dia- 
 meters and Diftances of the Heaven- 
 ly Bodies in EngUfh Miles, rather 
 than other larger Meafures, which 
 would perhaps have come nearer the • 
 truth. But this was alfo for the fake 
 of fach 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, Mi- 
 nutes, or Seconds, or Semidiameters 
 of the Earth, or the other Planets. 
 
 And now for a Conclufion, I fliall 
 only intreat all my Readers to join 
 with me in their earnefl: Prayers, that 
 as this Work is defigned for the good 
 of Mankind, particularly for the 
 Convidion of Infidels and Irreligious, 
 for the Promotion of the Fear and 
 Honour of GOD, and the cultiva- 
 ting of true Religion, fo it may have 
 its defired Effed:. 
 
 W. Derham. 
 
J ffvtj 5^^ J»^^ "^^^ ?"^) Q?^ 5*^5^ 'n?^ ^^"^P ^^^ ^^"^P^ ^ i''^' f *5r^ 
 
 ^m'£ifi^W^M\i^'Mf^^yt^^KMM>'At:^^ 
 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTE NTS 
 
 Of the following Books. 
 
 THE Introdtt5fion. pag. i. 
 
 The Opinion of all Nations about a 
 'Deity. 2, &c. 
 
 The T>iviJion of the IVork. 6. 
 
 5/-^ ?/.•? 5m-s j>.^ >iA 5>,^ h.^ 'y,A v,A IjA j>.^ jv.^ ]^;A ^;a */:A 5>«<j %i ^;J. l;Jt. l;AVA viA 
 
 Book I. The Magnitude of the Univerfe. 
 
 Chap. I. The ancient and modern reckon- 
 ings. 7, 
 
 Chap. II. The Magnitude of the heavenly 
 Bodies. p. 
 
 Of the Earth. 10. 
 
 Of the other 'Planets. 12. 
 
 Chap. III. The Immenfity of the Heavens. 
 
 15' 
 
 Their extent according to Ptolemy. ib. 
 
 According 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 According to the Moderns. i6, ii. 
 
 ^ijiances and Sizes of the Fixt Stars, ii. 
 Chap. IV. Tragical Reflexions. 25-. 
 
 Seneca'j-. 26, &c. 
 
 Book II. Number of the Heavenly Bodies. 
 
 Chap. I. The Numbers of th e Heavenly 
 
 Bodies in general. 30. 
 
 Of the Mi Iky -way. 32. 
 
 Chap. II. The Fixt Stars are Sunsy 8cc. 
 
 33. 
 What their IJfes. 35-. 
 
 Sun a Fixt Star. 37. 
 
 Chap. III. Of New Stars. 41. 
 
 Reafons why Catalogues were made of the 
 Fixt Stars. 42. 
 
 In what Tarts they appear. 44. 
 
 fVhat they are. 45". 
 
 The Author's Opinion. ^6. 
 
 mmmmwMmmmm^mmmmmmmmm 
 
 Book III. The due Situation of the Hea- 
 venly Bodies. 
 
 Chap. I. The due as well as great ^iftance 
 
 of them. 51. 
 
 Chap. II. None of the Globes interfere. 5*3. 
 
 Nov 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Nor their Influences. ^^, 
 
 Chap. III. Nice Troportion of the "Diflan- 
 ces of the Heavenly Bodies. 5-7. 
 
 Not obfervable among the Fixt Stars, ib. 
 Of the Solar Syjieme. 59. 
 
 CiceroV Reflexion. 6z, 
 
 Book IV. The Motions of the Heavens. 64. 
 
 Chap. I. This is a T)emonflration of God. 
 
 ibid. 
 LadiantiusV Reflexion. 65-. 
 
 A fir ft Mover. 66. 
 
 Motion of the Fixt Stars. 69. 
 
 New Stars. 70. 
 
 Chap. II. Regularity of the Motions of eve- 
 ry Globe. yi. 
 Their T)ire[iions and Tlanes not cafual. 
 
 ibid. 
 Tully V Argument. 74. 
 
 Chap. in. The Tiiurnal Motions. j6. 
 
 In what Globes vifible. 77. 
 
 Solar Spots. ibid. 
 
 Jupirer'j- Spots. 8r. 
 
 Thofe of Mars, &c. Zi^, 
 
 Earth revolves^ not the Heavens. 85-. 
 Great ufe thereof 8d. 
 
 Chap. IV. Teriods of the Trimary T la- 
 nets. 89. 
 
 Tropor^ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Proportion thereof to their TDiftances. 91. 
 
 Motion in differ e?it 'Paths. 91. 
 
 Caufes of Winter and Summer. 93. 
 
 Sun's diameter. 95. 
 
 Chap. V. Teriods of the Secondary T la- 
 nets. 97. 
 
 ^fe of their Latitudes. 98. 
 
 Afr. Molineux'j Reflexion. lor. 
 
 Chap. VI. Conjiancy and Regularity of the 
 Celeftial Motions. 103 . 
 
 PofidoniusV Sphere. 104. 
 
 TullyV Argument. 107. 
 
 Book V. Of the Figure of the Heavenly 
 Bodies. III. 
 
 Chap. I. Confonancy of all the Heavenly 
 Bodies in a Spherical Figure. ibid. 
 
 Of the Stars, dec. iix. 
 
 Of the Earth. 114. 
 
 Chap. II. The Hills and ValUes in the 
 Earth and Moon. 115'. 
 
 Hills in tht^ Earth. 117. 
 
 LiUnar Mountains. 120. 
 
 Ho'-jD to meafure them. ibid. 
 
 None on the Moons Limb. iir. 
 
 Chap. in. ^.liformity of the Globes argue 
 them the JVork of God., not Chance. 12,4. 
 
 Caufes of their Figures enauired into. 1 1 6. 
 
 Chap. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. IV. Tarts of the Globes are well 
 d't/pofed. 11 J 
 
 In the Moon. ii8. 
 
 Jupicer'j Belts. 130. 
 
 Mars and Venus'j Chafes. 132. 
 
 Tarts of the Earth well laid. 133. 
 
 IVaters fo alfo. 134. 
 
 Chap. V. Spherical Figure an Argument 
 of God's Work. 137. 
 
 As being moft convenient for the Land and 
 Waters. 138. 
 
 For the other Tlanets. 139. 
 
 Book VI. Of Atrradlion or Gravity. 
 
 Chap. I. Its ttfefulnefs in preferving the 
 Figure of all the Globes. 141, 
 
 Chap. II. The Guard Gravity againji the 
 whirli?tg round of the Globes. 147. 
 
 Of our own. 148. 
 
 Of the Sun. 149. 
 
 Of Jupiter. 1 50. 
 
 Chap. III. Gravity retains the Tlanets in 
 their Orbits. 15-3. 
 
 The Nature and ^Properties of Gravity. 
 
 Caufe of Gravity not affigned. 1^6. 
 
 The adjujiment of Velocity and Gravity. 
 
 The 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Motion and Orbs of the Comets. i0. 
 The ufe thereof. i6i. 
 
 Book VII. Of Light and Hear, i66. 
 
 Chap. I. The Light and Heat of the Smi 
 and Fixt Stars, ibid. 
 
 The degree of the Sun's heat. i68. 
 
 Of Bu r n ing Glajfes . 169. 
 
 Chap. II. The due Tofition andT>ifiance of 
 the Sun and itsTlanets. 171. 
 
 Sun the Fountain of Light and Heat. ibid. 
 
 Creator* J" care manifeft in the ^ofition of the 
 Earth. 173 
 
 The Benefits thereof 175-. 
 
 The Tofition and "Diftance of the other 
 Tlanets. 177- 
 
 Chap. III. OftheneceJfityofLighty and of 
 the Atmoffhere. 179. 
 
 To the Earth. ibid. 
 
 Of Twilight. 182. 
 
 Chap. IV. Of the Moon, and the Returns 
 one Tlanet makes another. 183. 
 
 The Tides. 184. 
 
 Eclipfes. 186. 
 
 Lunar Latitude. 188. 
 
 The Eart b a Moon to the Moon. 1 89. 
 
 All the Heavenly Bodies nfeful to One ano- 
 ther. 1 92'* 
 
 Chap. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. V. Of the Jecondary TUnets in ge- 
 neral. 193. 
 
 IVhai Tlanets they accompany. 194. 
 
 Their great ufe in Jupiter and Saturn. 195", 
 
 196. 
 
 Chap. VI. Of Jupiter'j Moons, Days and 
 Seafons. 197. 
 
 Its dtftance from the Sun. ibid, 
 
 ^Frovijions for it by frequent Rotations. 
 
 198. 
 
 By the number of his Moons. ibid. 
 
 Things obfervable in thofe Moons, 199. 
 
 Chap. VII. Of Saturn'j Moons, &c. 201. 
 
 Saturn'j" diUance. ibid. 
 
 Number of his Moons. 203. 
 
 Things obfervable in them. 204. 
 
 SaturnV Ring. 205'. 
 
 Its various appearances. 208. 
 
 ^2Xmv\s l^iurnal motion. 211. 
 
 Chap. VIII. The Conclufwn in behalf of the 
 Creator <3!«^ Contriver of all. 213, dec* 
 
 Book VIII. Pradical Inferences from the 
 foregoing Survey. 218 
 
 Chap. I. God*s Exifteuce colle^led from the 
 
 Heavens by the Heathens. 219. 
 
 Ariftotle'j" Inference. 220. 
 
 TuIIyV. 222. 
 
 The 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Co ff font of Mankind. 114. 
 
 Sencca'j Opinion. ibid. 
 
 Chap II. God's 'FerfeSfions demonjirated 
 by his Works. 227. 
 
 Chap. Ill God's Relation to us, and our 
 'T)uty refiilting thence. 230. 
 
 The inferences of Heathens. 231. 
 
 Chap. IV. Ladiantius'j- Argument againji 
 the divinity of the Heathen Gods. 235'. 
 
 Some of the Heavenly Bodies., on the con- 
 trary are taken to be Hell. 236. 
 
 Chap. V. That we mttji not overvalue the 
 World. 238. 
 
 The 'Dignity of the Tlanets. 239. 
 
 Pliny'j T>efcanty 240. 
 
 Seneca'j. 241. 
 
 Chap. VI. That vue fhould afpire after the 
 Heavenly State. 243. 
 
SURV E Y 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 H E AVE NS. 
 
 The Intro diiElion. 
 
 H E Pfalmijl faith, (a) 
 The Heavens declare the 
 Glory of G D '^ and 
 the Firmament fhewethy 
 publickly declareth, tel- 
 leth forth, or preacheth his Handy 
 Worky as the Hebrew Word fignifies 
 
 (a) Pfal. ip. 1,2,3. 
 
 B (a): that 
 
The Heavens declare 
 
 (a) : that Day unto Day utter eth 
 Speech y and Night unto Ntght^ (hew- 
 ethy or tells forth, Knowledge, Which 
 Language of the Heavens is fo plain, 
 and their Characters fo legible, that 
 all, even the moft barbarous Nati- 
 ons, that have no Skill either in 
 Languages or Letters are able to 
 underfland and read what they pro- 
 claim. There is no Speech nor Lan- 
 guage where then Voice is not heard: 
 their Line is gone out through all the 
 Earth, and their Words to the End 
 of the World, 
 
 That this Obfervation of the 
 Pfahmfi is agreeable to Experience, 
 is manifeft from the Dedudions 
 which all Nations have made from 
 God's WorkS;, particularly from thofe 
 of the Heaven's ; namely, that there 
 
 (n) -\yi fignificat aliquid verbis efferre , coram 
 mintiare, minunciarej Conrad. Kircher, Concord. 
 Col. 22CJ. Vol.2. It is derived from n.'^a Cvramj 
 Ante. 
 
 h 
 
that there is a God, 
 
 is a GOD; and that fuch as have 
 pretended to Atheifm, and have de- 
 duced God's Works from Chance, 
 &'c. are Angular and monftrous ia 
 their Opinions. Thus faiih JEl'tan 
 (a) There never was any Barbarian 
 that contemned the Deity ^ nor called 
 tn quefiion whether there he any Gods 
 or no? or whether they take care of 
 human Affaisl No Many neither 
 Indian, nor Celt, nor ^Egyptian ever 
 entertained any fuch Thought as Hu- 
 merus the Meffenian, or Dionyfius 
 the Phrygian, or Hippo, or Diagoras^ 
 or Socias or Epicurus. So one of 
 Plato's Arguments for the Proof of 
 a God, is (bj The unanimous Confent 
 of ally both Greeks and Barbarians, 
 who confefs there are Gods, And P/^- 
 tarch (c) agreeable to what our PfaU 
 mift affirms, tells us whence they 
 
 (a) De var. Hift L. 2. cap. 31. 
 
 (b) De Legibns L. 10. 
 
 (c) DePlacit. Philof L. i. c.^. 
 
 B 2 col- 
 
The Conchifion of 
 
 coUeded this Knowledge of a Deity. 
 Men^ faith he, began to acknowledge 
 a God ^ when they faw the Stars 
 maintain fo great a Harmon'yy and 
 the Da'ys and Nights through all the 
 Year, both in Summer and Winter 
 to obferve their flated Rifmgs and 
 Settings, And to pafs over a great 
 deal of this kind, that I could cite 
 from divers Heathen Authors, Whaty 
 faith the Stoick in Tully, (a) can be 
 fo plain and clear ^ as when we be- 
 hold the Heavens^ and view the hea- 
 venly BodieSy that we (hould conclude 
 there is fome Deity of a mofi excellent 
 Mindy by which thefe things are go- 
 verned/ A Prefent and Almighty 
 
 God, Which he that doubts of^ I do 
 not under jlandy faith he, why he 
 Jhould not as well doubt whether there 
 he a Sun or no that fhines. And then 
 
 (a) Quid enim poteft effe tarn apertum, tamqtie 
 perfpicuum^ cum Caelum fujpeximus, &c. De Nat. 
 Deor. L. 2. c.z. 
 
 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 ground- 
 ed, fubftantial Opinion, bearing the 
 Teft of Ages, and confirmed by the 
 Length of Time. For, faith he. 
 Time wears out the Figments of Opi- 
 nions, but confirms the Judgments of 
 Nature , 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 Ve- 
 neration 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 Parti- 
 culars. 
 
 B 3 I. The 
 
6 Dtvtfton of the Work. 
 
 I. The Magnitude of the Hea-- 
 vens. 
 
 II. The great Number of the 
 Heavenly Bodies. 
 
 III. Their Diftances. 
 
 IV. Their Motions. 
 
 V. Their Figures. 
 
 VI. Their Gravity. 
 
 VII. Their Light and Heat, 
 and the admirable Provifions made 
 for thofe Benefits. 
 
 BOOK 
 
Z^J-J^^ Sir.r-oi^ ^t>«^?^ ^f>«*3- ^> J^ ^><J0^ 
 
 BOOK L 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 MAGNITUDE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 UNIVERSE, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 Bodies therein contained. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Chap. L 
 
 The Ancient and Modem 
 Rechonings compared. 
 
 EFORE the Invention 
 of the Telefcope, the 
 UniveiTe was thouoht 
 to be confin'd vvirhiii 
 far more narrow Bounds 
 than it is iince found to be, the fixj: 
 
 B 4 Srars 
 
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 {o many golden Nails driven in 
 
 the Top of fome arched Roof, or 
 
 other circular Concave, encompal- 
 
 ling our Eye. Thefe, although far 
 
 more narrow Bounds, and a more 
 
 fcanty Reckoning than it iliould be, 
 
 yet was fufficient to lliew who was 
 
 the Maker of fuch a ilupendous 
 
 Arch, and fo noble a Train as is 
 
 contained therein. 
 
 But according to the modern 
 Reckoning (which is far the moil: 
 rational, and grounded upon better 
 Phxnomena) we iliall find this 
 Branch of the Creation far more 
 magnificent, and worthy of its infi- 
 nite CREATOR than thofe for- 
 mer Computations made it. 
 
 And how grand and magnificent 
 a Structure the Heavens are, will ap- 
 pear 
 
Chap. I. Modern Reckonings. 9 
 
 pear by a diftindt Confideracion of 
 the Magnitude of the Heavenly Bo- 
 dies themfelves ^ and of the Space in 
 which they are. 
 
 Chap. II. 
 The Magnitude of tide 
 
 heavenly Bodies» 
 
 ALthough we are not able to give 
 a certain Determination of the 
 Magnitude of the Heavenly Bodies, 
 by reafon of their vart: Diftances, yet 
 enough we know, and are fure of 
 concerning their immenfe Magni- 
 tudes, to convince any one that they 
 are the Works of G O D. But to 
 come to particulars. 
 
 The Meafure by which we ufiial- 
 ly gage and compare the Heavenly 
 Bodies, is our Terraqueous Globe ,- 
 of whofe Dimenfions and Bulk we 
 
 can 
 3 
 
lo The Magmtude Book I. 
 
 can make a pretty good Eftimate, 
 having tolerably good and accurate 
 Obfervations leading us thereto : the 
 Particulars of which I have had Oc- 
 cafion elfewhere to fpecify (a). 
 
 By thefe Obfervations it appears 
 that the Diameter of this our Globe 
 is above 79 Hundred Miles j that 
 ^pnfeqqently its Surface is a good deal 
 above 199 Millions of Miles, and its 
 folid Content or Bulk near 265- 
 Thoufand Millions of Miles. If 
 
 (a) Phyf.co-Theol B. 2. Ch. 2. In which 
 Place I have made ufe of Mr. Pickart's Meafure 
 of the Earth. But notwithftanding the Diffe- 
 rence be but fmall, viz,, a little above 32 Miles 
 in the whole Diameter of our Globe, yet I Ihali 
 make ufe here of our Mr. NoriuoocCs and Monf. 
 Caffini's Meafures, becaufe they agree to almoft 
 a Nicety, and Mr. Caffims were made (by the 
 French King's Command) at greater Diftan- 
 ces, with the greateft Accuracy. And ac- 
 cording to thefe Meafures, the Diameter of 
 the Earth is 79^7,7 Englifli Miles, its Sur- 
 face 1^9444201 Miles, and its folid Content 
 2^485^000000 MileJ, 
 
 there- 
 
chap. 1. of the Earth. ii 
 
 therefore we fhould go no farther 
 from Home than our own Globe, a 
 Mafs we here have worthy of an In- 
 finite Creator, a Work proclaiming 
 that great Being that made it. 
 
 But as vaft a Body as this feems 
 to be, it is much Icfs than many, yea 
 moft of the Heavenly Bodies that are 
 vifible to us, except two or three of 
 the Planets, which fcem to be lefs 
 than our Globe, namely Mars^ whofe 
 Diameter is reckoned to be but 487 y 
 Englifli Miles, and the Moon^ whofe 
 Diameter is but 2175 Miles,- and 
 Mercury^ whofe Diameter is 2748 
 Miles (aj-^ 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 Terraque- 
 ous 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 
 
 ■ ^ '' ' ^ ' ' ' ' - ■ - between 
 
1 2 The Magmtude Book I. 
 
 Planets by far exceed usj Saturn\it- 
 ing computed at 934 ji Miles in 
 Diameter, and confequently at 
 427318300000000 Miles in its 
 Bulk • and Jupiter at 120653 Miles 
 in Diameter, and 9100 1 1 200000000 
 Miles in Bulk. But yet as amazing 
 MaiTes as thefe all are, yet they are all 
 
 between Mr. Flamfteed's in Mr. Whiflorts Aflro- 
 nomkql LeEiures, and Mr. Huygen's in his Syfl. 
 Saturn, and Cofmotheor. which (as Mr. Whifton 
 firft fuggefted to me) feem to be nearell; 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 
 attradted from a ftrait Line by that Body; and 
 whereas Mr. F/am/leed'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 Interpofition 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. 
 Flamjleed'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. 2. of the other Planets. 1 3 
 
 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 In- 
 fluence, the great Pleafures and 
 Comforts of Life; fo doth it as far 
 furpafs them in its Bulk ; its apparent 
 Diameter being computed at 8 1 2 1 48 
 Englifh Miles, and its folid Content 
 at 200971000000000000 Miles, 
 fuppofing the Face we fee of the Sun 
 to be its true and real Globe. 
 
 Thus ftupendous are the Mag- 
 nitudes of the Globes of this our ^V 
 lar S^fleme. 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 refpedive Syftemes of Planets, 
 as our Sun is ; and imagined to be no 
 
 lefs 
 
14 The Magnitude y &c. BookL 
 
 le(s in Magnitude, if not greater^ 
 (fome of them at lead) than our Sun 
 is, but only diminifhed in Appear- 
 ance by their prodigious Diftances 
 from Us. 
 
 If now we refled upon the pro- 
 digious Maffes of thofe many Hea- 
 venly Bodies that prefent themfelves 
 to our View, and many more I fliall 
 fhew are unfeen ,♦ 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 
 firft find 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 Immenfit'^^ &c. ij 
 
 Chap. IIK 
 Of the Immensity of tldC 
 
 Heavens. 
 
 IT is neceflary that I fhould give 
 a diftind confideration to the 
 immenfe Space pofleft by the Hea- 
 venly Bodies, becaufe it was once 
 imagined to be limited by the nar- 
 rower Bounds of the Ptolemaic Sy-* 
 Jlemey by that which they called the 
 'AirXcivYjgy the Starry Concamerat'ton^ 
 or Firmamment of the fixt Stars, as 
 I have before intimated 5 but now 
 with far greater Probability, and Rea- 
 fon, it is extended to an indefinitely 
 larger Space, a Space fufficient, with- 
 out all doubt, to contain all the no- 
 ble Variety of Syftemes therein ,♦ not 
 only our own of the Sun, but all 
 thofe others I mentioned of the fixe 
 
 Stars 
 
i6 Tbe Imme^/iiy of Book L 
 
 Stars alfo. But for the better proof, 
 and more eafy Apprehenfion of the 
 Magnitude of this vaft expanded 
 Space, let it be confidered. 
 
 1. 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 the{e 
 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, 
 cla(h with, or diforder one another. 
 
 Nay 
 
chap. 3. the Heavens, \f 
 
 Nay fo great is their Diftancc, fo 
 convenient their Situation, that they 
 do not fo much as echpfe one ano- 
 ther, except fuch Planets as are cal- 
 led Secondary. 
 
 3. It is farther matiifefl: alfoj 
 That thofe vail Bodies are fo far off, 
 as to appear extreamly fmall to our 
 Eye, conlidering their prodigious 
 Magnitudes. 
 
 Now for the effeding of this, ot 
 any of the other Matters, it is necef- 
 fary that there be a fufBcient Space. 
 And that there is fuch, and what 
 that Space is, we may make a Judg- 
 ment of, by confidering Particulars, 
 according to the bed Obfervations 
 we have of thefe things. 
 
 And to begin neareft Home,- the 
 iieareft of the Heavenly Bodies to us^ 
 is the Moon-^ whofe Orb is the K aft 
 of any of the Celeftial Globes, but 
 yet flie takes up a Space of near 480 
 
 G thoufand 
 
1 8 Size of the Book I. 
 
 thoufand EnglilL Miles in Breadth (a) 
 to perform her monthly Revolution 
 in. And as for the Earth, if with 
 the Moderns we fuppofe it, together 
 with its Satellite the Moon, to re- 
 volve round the Sun ; or (which a- 
 mounts to the fame thing) if the Sun 
 revolves round the Earth, this Mag- 
 mis Orlns^ as it is ufually called, is a 
 Space of above 540 Millions of 
 Miles Circumference (bj^ or 171 
 
 Millions 
 
 (a) The Moon's mean Diflance from the Earth 
 according to Sir Ifaac Newton s Princip. p, 430. 
 is 60 ■{' Semidiameters of the Earth, according 
 to which the Diameter of the Moon's Orbit is 
 479905 Enghfli Miles, 
 
 (b) Concerning the Diftance between the Sun 
 and the Earth, there is a great Difagreement be- 
 tween the former and latter Aftronomers, occa- 
 fion'd by the Difagreement between their Obfer- 
 vations of the Sun's Horiz^ontal Parallax (which 
 is equal to the Earth's Semidiamitcr viewed at 
 the Sun) Tj'cho making it 3 minutes, Kepler but 
 one, Bulualdm 2 minutes, 2 i icconds, and Ric- 
 cioli but 28 fcconds. Confequently the Diftan- 
 ces arifing from hence arc lefs than thofe of the 
 
 latter 
 
chap. 3 . Moon's and Earth's Orb. i p 
 
 Millions of Miles Breadth. And if 
 to that we add the Increment caufed 
 by the Sweep of ths Moon, or the 
 
 latter Aftronomers. The very ingenious and ac- 
 curate y\.Q\-\{.de La Hire in his T'akil. Ajiron. thinks 
 the Sun's Horizontal Parallax to be not above 6 
 feconds, and his Diflance therefore to be 34377 
 SernJdiameters of the Earth, or 136^52807 Eng- 
 lifh Miles. But although his Obfervations were 
 made fince, yet I fhall make ufe of Monf.CaJp' 
 ni's Number, bein^ deducM from very ingeni- 
 ous and accurate Obfervations of the Parallax of 
 Marf, and agreeing nearly v^ith the Determina- 
 tion of two great Men, Mr. Fla??ijleed and Mr. 
 Huygens, and I may add Dr. Halley too, who 
 make it about 10 or 1 2000 Diameters of the Earth. 
 That great Ailronomer (Monf Caljini I mean) 
 afligns a Number between them, in his Les Ele- 
 mens de VAjlron. §. 37. "That th Suns Parallax 
 being fjippofed to be ^-^ Seconds^ gives the Dijian'ce 
 of the Sun from the Earth 21600 Se7nidia?neters of 
 the Earth: which are cquaUo 86051398 Englifii 
 Miles. And imagining the Magnus Orbjs to be 
 a Circle (as it is indeed an Ellipfis not much dif- 
 fering from a Circle) the double of that Number 
 is the length of its Diameter, viz.. i~jiioi'j'^<^ 
 Englifh Miles. 
 
 Thcfe Numbers are different from thofe I have 
 afligned in my Phyjico-Thecl. B.I. ch.4. Note 5. 
 from, a Miftake at that time. 
 
 C 2 Excur- 
 
20 Size of the Orbs of Book I. 
 
 Excurfion of her Orb beyond the 
 Magnus Orb'ts^ we Ihali have a Space 
 yet broader by near 280 Thoufand 
 Miles. But as vaft a Space as this 
 feems to be, yet it is not fuch as to 
 cade either the Earth or Moon to 
 claih with any of the other Celeftial 
 Globes, as I have faid ; 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 neceffary 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 
 1(54151(538(5 Englifh Miles Diame- 
 ter ^ Jupiter an Orb of 895134000 
 Milcs^ Mars o( 262282910 Miles ; 
 P^emts of 124487114 Miles J and 
 Mercury an Orb of 66621000 En- 
 
 8 gliH^ 
 
chap. 3. the Super'iour Planets, 2 i 
 
 lirti Miles (a): all of them Spaces 
 fo accurately laid out, and Diftan- 
 ces fb duly proportioned to their 
 Revolutions about the Sun, that a- 
 bundantly manifeft infinite Wifdom 
 to have been concerned in their Ap- 
 pointment, as 1 intend to fhew in 
 proper Place. 
 
 But now after this Account of 
 this fo prodigious a Space as that of 
 our Solar Syjlem is, what is it to the 
 nearly infinite Rxpanfiim occupied by 
 the reft of the Heavenly Bodies! Ot 
 which we may have a faint Adum- 
 bration by confidering the Diftances 
 which, with the greatcft Probability 
 of Obfervation and Reafon , are 
 affi^ned to the Fixt Stars, In order 
 
 (a) Thefe Numbers are deduced from the Di- 
 fiance between the Sun and Earth affigned in the 
 preceding Note, and Sir Ifaac Nevoton's Diftan- 
 ces of the Planets from the Sun computed from 
 their Periods in his Principia L. 3. Phamm.^^. and 
 are, as I humbly conceive, much more accurate 
 than other Calculations that I have met with. 
 
 c 3 
 
 to 
 
1 2 Dtflances of Book I. 
 
 to the making an Eftimate of which 
 Matter, let it be fuppofcd (which is 
 ufiially allowed) that the fixt Stars 
 are fo many Suns,- that they are of 
 the fame, or nearly the fame Magni- 
 tude as our Sun is ^ and that the DifTe- 
 rence of their Magnitudes arifcth from 
 the Difference of their Diltances. If 
 fo, then it will follow. That the fixt 
 Stars are each of them as much far- 
 ther from us than the Sun, as their 
 apparent Diameters are lefs than that 
 of the San (a). And forafmach as few 
 of them appear otherwife than as 
 Points even throuf^h our befl: Tele- 
 fcopes, therefore how prodigioufly 
 farther muft they needs be from us 
 than the Sun is, to caufe their Ap- 
 pearance to be fo very much lefs than 
 the Sun ? For an Example, let us 
 take one of the fixt Stars fuppofed 
 
 (a) Compare the fagacious Dr. Da^u'id Gregory^s 
 Demonftration of this in his JJiron L. 3. Prop. 
 ^6, 60j and 6i> ^ ■ ' 
 
Chap. 3. the fixt Stars, 23 
 
 to be ncareft to us, as being the 
 brighteft and largcft, namely Syr'n/s, 
 Now this, by accurate Obfervations 
 (a) hath been found to be in Appea- 
 rance 1766^ 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 Milhons of MiUions of £//- 
 gUflo Miles. And if {o^ what an im- 
 menfurable Space is the Firmament? 
 wherein a great Number of Stars lef- 
 fer and lefler, and confequently (ac- 
 cording to the foregoing Suppohtion) 
 farther and farther off, are Icen with 
 our naked Eye, and many more dif- 
 covered with our Glaffes, and ftill 
 many more and more with better 
 GlalTes (bj^ and in all probabih'ty 
 
 many 
 
 (a) See ^r.Huygens in Co fmotheor. p. 137. 
 
 (l^) In viewing the Planets with my longer 
 Glades (efpccially the Planets of a weaker Light) 
 it often falls out that divers of the fixt Stars, 
 and fome of them very fmall, prefenc themfelves 
 
 C 4 a: 
 
24 Dijlances^ &c. BookL 
 
 many others that cfcape 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 Jupiier and his moft diftanc Satellites. By 
 which means it is fometimes difficult to diftin- 
 guifh between thofe FixM Scars and the Sa- 
 tellites of the Planets. Thus I have fometimes 
 been ready to fan fy that I faw one or more Sa- 
 tellites 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 wher.ce it is mani- 
 feft, that in all Parts of the Heavens there are 
 many Stars which prcfent themfelves to our Eye 
 through our long GlafTes, that are otherwife invi- 
 lible to us. 
 
 Cha P, 
 
chap. 4- Appltcattons. 25 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 PraBical DedtiBions from, 
 and Reflexions tipon the 
 Magisiitupe of the Hea- 
 vens. 
 
 H 
 
 AVING fet forth the prodi- 
 gious Magnitude of the Hea- 
 vt-niy Space, and of the Bodies there- 
 in contained, before we proceed far- 
 ther, let us paufe a Httle, to confi- 
 der what Influence thefe Things 
 ought to have upon us. 
 
 And in {hort who can behold 
 the Regions above, and confiderthe 
 Things therein contained, and at the 
 fame time not own them to declare 
 the Glor'y of God? Who can view that 
 immenfiirable Firmament in which 
 thofe Bodies are, and not acknow- 
 ledge 
 
i6 ^tntc2iS 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 furpafTed by 
 mod 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 ju(l 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 Dcfires to foar 
 among the Heavenly Glories. But 
 for an Application of thefe Confide- 
 rations, let us hear Seneca's Reflexi- 
 ons upon the Matter (aj^ who on this 
 Account recommends Virtue , not 
 purely hecaufe tt is a noble ihtng in 
 its own Nature^ and a great BleJJing 
 
 (a) Nat. Qiisfl. L. I. Pracfar. 
 
 to 
 
chap. 4. Seneca's Reflexions. 17 
 
 to he free from Evilj but alfo hecaufe 
 it enlargeth the Mmd^ and prepares 
 it for the Knowledge of Heavenly 
 things y and makes it fit to ajfociate 
 with God (a). — Then^ faith he, the 
 Mmd hath the confummate and full 
 good of our human State ^ when ha-- 
 ving conquered all Evily it foars a-- 
 loft^ and wandering among the Stars 
 above, it is able to deride the flately 
 StruBures of the Wealthy , and all 
 
 their Riches. Neither, faith he, 
 
 can it contemn the Porches and Roofs 
 floining with Ivory, the clip' d Groves ^ 
 and the pie af ant Streams conveyed to 
 their Houfes, untd it hath wandered 
 throtighout the World, and from a^ 
 hsve looking down upon this little Globe y 
 covered in a great meafure by the Sea^ 
 and, where not- fo, fiovenlj, and ei- 
 ther burnt up in one part, or frozen 
 tn the other, it then faith to it felf. 
 
 (a) Qtn in cmfortium DE I "veniat* 
 
 Is 
 
2 8 Szti^cdiS Reflexions, Book I. 
 
 Is this that little Point that is divided 
 among fo many Nations hy Ftre 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 m which ye 
 faily m which ye war^ m which ye 
 difpofe of Kingdoms. But above ^ are 
 vajl Spaces^ into the PoffeJJion where- 
 of the Mind is admitted^ on Condition 
 ft hath brought but little of the Body 
 along with tt^ that it hath cleanfed 
 it f elf from every filthy things and be- 
 ing difengaged from the World hath 
 made itfelf illujirious^ by being expe- 
 ditious and light y and content ivith lit- 
 tle things. JVhen fuch a Mmd^ faith 
 he, hath touched thofe Celejiial Regi- 
 ons, It is then nouri/hed and groivs ^ 
 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'5 Reflexions, 29 
 
 that it delights in divine Matters^ 
 and is converfant with them^ not as 
 things flrange^ hut its own. There 
 it fecurely beholds the rifing and fet- 
 ting Stars^ their different Courfes, Sec. 
 There this curious SpeBator difcujfes 
 every things and fe arches out every 
 thing. And indeed what Jhould it 
 do but pry into thofe Matters^ fince 
 he knows they belong to himfelfl Then 
 he contemns the narrow Bounds of his 
 
 Habitation in this World.- And 
 
 here at laft he learns what he hath 
 long enquired after : there he begins 
 to know God (a). 
 
 (a) Jlltc incipt DEUM nojfe. 
 
 BOOK 
 

 BOOK IL 
 
 THE 
 
 Great NUMBER 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Heavenly Bodies. 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 A General View of the 
 NUMBERS of the Uea^ 
 venly Bodies, 
 
 AVING in the prece- 
 ding Book given a De- 
 monftration of God from 
 A)5?» the Maiiyni7ule of the 
 Heavenly Bodies, 1 Ihall do the fame 
 
 in 
 
 i^/T^-: 
 
chap. I. The great Number y ^z. 31 
 
 in this from their Number 5 a Num- 
 ber 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 Al- 
 mighty and Wife CREATOR. But 
 when we view the Heavens, and fee 
 our felves furrounded with fo prodi- 
 gious 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 11. 
 
 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 tht Mdky-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 Num- 
 bers 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 con- 
 tain j as we cannot but be ftruck with 
 Amazement at fuch a multitude of 
 GOD'S glorious Works, fo we can- 
 not but own the great CR EA TOR 
 in them j and we are worfe than 
 Men, if we do not give him his due 
 Praifes, 
 
 Chap, 
 
C h ap. 2 » The Ftxt Stars Suns, 3 3 
 
 Chap. IL 
 
 That the Fixt Stars are 
 Suns encompajfed with Sy* 
 ftemes of Planets. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the Number 
 of the Erratick and Fixt Hea- 
 venly 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 agree- 
 able 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 mo- 
 dern Aftronomers do generally fup- 
 pofe the great multitude of Fixt Stars 
 we fee^ or imagine to be in the Uni- 
 
 D verfe. 
 
34 "^^^ Fixt Stars Book If. 
 
 verfe, to be fo many Suns^ and each 
 of them encompafTed with a Syfteme 
 oi Planets Uke our Sun. 
 
 And that the Fixt Stars are Sum^ 
 or of much the fame Nature as ot?r 
 Sun, there is great rcafon to con- 
 clude, 
 
 1. Because they are Bodies no 
 left immenfe (as I have faid) than 
 the Sun, but only diminiflied in ap- 
 pearance, by their prodigious diftan- 
 ees from us. 
 
 2. Because they (hine by their 
 own native Light, not by any bor- 
 rowed from the Sun. For fo great 
 are their diftances 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 briik and vivid is 
 their Light, and fo very fmall their 
 apparent Diameters, when diverted 
 of their glaring Rays, and made to 
 
 have 
 
Chap. 2. fo mayiy Planets, 3^ 
 
 have their true appearance through 
 our Telefcopes, that no queftion is 
 to be made, but that they ihine by 
 their own innate Light, as our Sua 
 doth. 
 
 And if the Fixt Stars are fo many 
 Suns, certainly they minifter to fome 
 grand Ufes in the Univerfe, far a- 
 bove what hath ufiially been attri- 
 buted unto them. And what more 
 probable Ufes, than to perform the 
 Office of {o many Suns ? that is, to 
 enlighten and warm as many Syftemes 
 of Planets j 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 ma- 
 ny Suns, fo many glorious Bodies, 
 than to fay they were made only to 
 enlighten and influence our leffer, 
 and I may fay inferior. Globe ^ which 
 another Moon or two, or one or 
 D 2 t'^'o 
 
36 Planets about Book 11. 
 
 two of thofe very Suns it:t nearer to 
 us, would have better done, than 
 all the whole train of Heavenly Bo- 
 dies now doth. But inftead of this, 
 many of them, nay perhaps the 
 greateft number of them are at fuch 
 immenfe diftances (as fhall be fliewn 
 under the next Head) that they are 
 out of the reach of our naked eye. 
 In which cafe, what ufe is it likely 
 luch 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 
 {erve unto in the Univcrfej do mini- 
 fler to our help and comfort here 
 upon Earth, in fiipplying 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 conclude that every Fixt Star 
 
 hath 
 
Chap. 2. the Ftxt 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. Chrijitan (a) Hwygem argues) we 
 Jhould imagwe our/elves to be placed 
 fomewhere in the Heavenly Regions^ 
 as far from the Sun as from the Ftxt 
 Stars y we fhould then perceive no dif- 
 ference between the one or the other* 
 For it would be very unlikely that ive 
 fhould fee any of the Solar Planets^ 
 either by reafon of the diminiPotng of 
 their Lights 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 re/ly we Jhould 
 
 (a) CofinQtheoros, /. 135. 
 
 D J make 
 
38 Modern S'^jieme of Book II. 
 
 make our judgment of them all. And 
 now hemg^ faith he, hy the favour of 
 God, admitted fo near one of them^ 
 namely the Sun^ as to fee fix leffer 
 Globes revolving round about him^ and 
 other Secondary ones revolving round 
 feme of them : why ought we not to 
 have the fame judgment of the refi of 
 thofe Suns, as of this, and think it al- 
 together probable that this is not the 
 only Star of all the number that is en- 
 compaffed with fuch a train ^ or in a- 
 ny refpecl excels the refi ? Neither al^ 
 fo that this Star alone revolves round 
 its own Axis, but rather that all the 
 refi have fomewhat of the fame kind 
 alfo. And fo that learned Peifon 
 goes on in the further purfuit of his 
 ingenious Argument. 
 
 3. Besides thofe ftrong probabi- 
 lities, we have this farther to recom- 
 mend thofe imaginations to us, that 
 this account of the Univerfe is far 
 more magnificent, worthy of, and 
 
 becoming 
 
Chap. 2. the Umverfe beji, 3c) 
 
 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 Umits of the Orb^ 
 or Arch of the Fixt Stars, or even the 
 larger Space of the Primum Mohihy 
 which the ancients fanfied were the 
 utmoil: 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 Profped: of 
 the Creation, as the Earth is difcard- 
 ed from being the Center of the U- 
 rsiverfe, fo neither do we make the 
 Ufes and Offices of all the glorious 
 Bodies of the Univerfe to center there- 
 in; nay in Man alone, according to 
 the old vulgar Opinion, that allthmgs 
 were made for Man (h). But in this 
 our Scheme we have a far more ex- 
 
 (h) See PbyficQ-theol. p. 3. C.d. N. Jo 
 
 D 4 tenfive^ 
 
40 Modern S'^fieme hefi. Book 11. 
 
 tenfive, grand, and noble View of 
 God's Works : a far greater number 
 of them j not thofe alone that for- 
 mer 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 habi- 
 table Globe, but myriads of Sy- 
 ftemes , and more of habitable 
 Worlds (cj^ 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 e- 
 nough to entertain our Eye, to cap^ 
 tivate our Underftanding, to excite 
 
 (t) See tjie Preface, p. p, 
 
 our 
 
chap. 3. Of New Stars, 41 
 
 our Admiration and Praifes of 
 the infinite CREATOR and Con- 
 triver of them J what an Augmenta- 
 tion of thefe Glories fhall we find in 
 great multitudes of them ! in all 
 thofe Syftemes of the Fixt Stars 
 throughout the Univerfe, that I 
 have fpoken of, and fhall 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 feme 
 others, which are called New Stars^ 
 which fometimes appear and difap- 
 pear in divers Parts of the Heavens, 
 and will defetve a place here.. 
 
 SOMR 
 
4i Of New Stars. Book II. 
 
 Some of thefe New Stars have 
 been taken notice of as early as Hip- 
 parchus's tirDCj^ho/eemg/uch a New- 
 Star^ and doubting whether it often 
 happened^ and whether the Stars we 
 take to he Fixt vjere fo or no ^ he 
 therefore (as (d) Pl'my tells usj fet 
 upon numbering the Stars for pofie- 
 rity ^ a difficult Task^ he faith, even 
 for a God: and hy proper Inflru- 
 ments he marfloalled them in fuch or- 
 der^ that their Places and Magni- 
 tudes might be known : by which means 
 it might be eafily found, not only whe- 
 ther they decayed and perijhedy or 
 were again renewed] but alfo whe- 
 ther any of them changed their places y 
 or had any Motion, as alfo whether 
 they increafed or de ere a fed. Thus 
 Pliny, 
 
 Since which time many other 
 fuch New Stars have been taken No- 
 
 (d) Plin.Nat. Hift.L.2. C.25. 
 
 tice 
 
 
chap. 3. Of New Stars, 43 
 
 tice of by others. To pais by the 
 New Stars in Hadrian's VakyjUni' 
 an's^ Ho'^orius's. ^ndOtto's times, I fiiall 
 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 Ty- 
 cbo B) ahCy David Fabrtcius^ 'Ja/ifony 
 Bayer , Kepler , Marnis , Byrgiiis^ 
 Holivarda^ Hevefms^ Moyitariart^ Bui- 
 Itakhis^ CaJJirij^ our Mr. hiamjieed^ 
 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 Sivan • the fame in 
 all probability that hath been feen 
 
 (b) For a Catalogue of thefe and other New- 
 Stars, the Conlkllations in which they appear- 
 ed, and other Matters relating to them, I fhall 
 refer to Rkcioli's Almageft. Lib. 8. §.2. cap. i. 
 Bevelii Prodrom. in his Defcription of the Co- 
 met in 166^. p. 433. the Appendix to Mercator's 
 Aft, on. and Mr. Lowthorp's Abridg. Vol. i. p. 247. 
 
 before 
 3 
 
44 Of New Stars. Book II, 
 
 before by Mr. Kinh^ ffj in 1687, 
 and 1688, and perhaps by Bttyer 
 long before, as alio Hevehus and o- 
 thers. 
 
 O F 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 ap- 
 pear and difappear in divers Conftel- 
 lations, and divers parts of thofe 
 Conftellations, as in CaJ/iopeia^ the 
 Swan^ the Great Bear, Andromeday 
 Eridanus, the Whale , the Ship, and 
 divers other parts of the Heavens. 
 
 (f) In the Mifcellanea Berolincnjta , p. 210, 
 Mr. Kirch faith, he, for fome time, fought this 
 Star in vain, but at laft on -^%r Auguft 1687. he 
 found it with the help of an 8 Foo: Tube, but 
 very fmall, and that it grew bigger and bigger, 
 fo as on OEiober 1^. to be feen with the naked 
 Eye, until having arrived to its greatefl Magni- 
 tude, it again became lefs and lefs, and at lail 
 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. 4^ 
 
 What thefe New Stars are, is 
 hard to determine. Meteors they can- 
 not be, becaufe they are of a long con- 
 tinuance, and much too far off, for 
 Bodies that emir fo little light as Me- 
 teors 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)^ ex- 
 cept one or two of the moft 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 va- 
 riety of thefe Opinions, he may find them large- 
 ly enough handled in Riccioli's Ahnagefl.ubiftipvct 
 C.17. 
 
 (h) This is what Sir Ifiac Ne-joton furmifes in 
 his Princif. £.5. Prop. ^2, 
 
 and 
 
4(5 Of New Stars, Book IL 
 
 and arc again rekipdlcd, and recruit- 
 ed by the Accefs of Comets. Others 
 take them to be Comets themfelves. 
 But if I may be admitted tofpeak what 
 was formerly my own opinion, I ra- 
 ther took them to be Errattcks of 
 fome kind or other 5 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 un- 
 to other Stars: as 1 have faid in the 
 Preface, /?. 45. 
 
 2. From that Increafe and De- 
 creafe of their Light and Magnitudes 
 which is conftantly obferved in them ; 
 they being at firfi: obfcure, and hard- 
 ly difcernible, but by degrees grow- 
 ing 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 Mag- 
 nitudes: and then again as gradually 
 
 groV 
 
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 Pe- 
 riods under certain determinations; 
 but yet in fome of Hevehus's and 
 CaJJini's obfervations, it hath been 
 difcovered that fome of the fame 
 Stars have returned, as particularly 
 that in the Whale's Neck^ and that 
 which now appears in the Swan's 
 Neck, which as 1 juft before (pag, 44.^ 
 faid, hath a Period of 404^ days, ac- 
 cording to Mr. Kirch's obfervations. 
 
 These were my reafons for fuf- 
 pedting thofe New Stars to be Erra^ 
 ticks, rather than Fixt Stars either re- 
 cruitedjOr having dark and light fides. 
 
 But the grand Difficulty is, what 
 kind of Erraticks they are, whether 
 Wandering Sunsy or Planets (like ours) 
 
 of 
 
48 Of New Stars. Book II. 
 
 of other Syfteme^^? That they fhould 
 be Wandering Sum^ w fomewhat odd 
 to aflert ; 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(5t that they might be Planets 
 revolving round fiich Suns, as caft 
 a much fiercer and more vigorous 
 Light than our Sun doth ; and that 
 ihefe 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 Refle^ 
 &ed Light may be fent to very great 
 diftanccs by thcfe means, yet with- 
 out extravagant Suppofitions of this 
 nature, it liiay be doubted whether 
 it would reach us, fo far off as the 
 Fixt Stars are. And befides this, 
 
 another 
 
chap. 3. Of Neiv Stars. ^9 
 
 another doubt is, That altho' 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 fecj yet 
 I can fcarce think them big enough, 
 to conclude them to be the Suns a- 
 bout which thofe New Stars (if Pla- 
 nets) move. And therefore beinpr 
 Imcertain what to determine in (o in- 
 tricate a matter, I fiiall leave it to 
 future better Obferv^tions (whicia the 
 late long dark Weather hath hinder- 
 ed me in the profecution of) which 
 1 hope may afford us fo good iighr^ 
 as may lead us into a much greater 
 knowledge of thofe rare Phxno- 
 inena. 
 
 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 V/orks of the Creation than 
 what our Eyes behold at all^ or that 
 
 E we 
 
JO 
 
 Of New Stan, Book II. 
 
 we have only now and then a glimpfe 
 of. But if they are Planets of other 
 Syftemes, fome of thofe Erraticks re- 
 volving 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 
 
,rTrjc.xcs) 
 
 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 THE DUE 
 
 SITUATION 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Heavenly Bodies. 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 O/^ f Z?^ due as well as great 
 DISTANCE of the Hea^ 
 venly Bodies. 
 
 H A V E before takeri 
 notice of the immenfe 
 Diftance of the Heaven- 
 ly Bodies, that it is (uch 
 as makes thofe vaft Bo- 
 dies the Fixt Stars (no lefs in all pro- 
 
 E % bability, 
 
^iThe due Dtfiance of, 8cc. Book III. 
 
 bability, as I faid, than the Sun it 
 fclf) to degenerate into fo many 
 Points, yea to efcape our eyej nay 
 more than this, that it caufeth even 
 our own Great Orb which our Earth 
 defcribes about the Sun^ to fink in- 
 to almofl a Point, or at lead a Cir- 
 cle of but a few Seconds Diame- 
 ter. I lliall therefore fay no more 
 on that matter. But that which I 
 fhall Tpeak of in this Book, is the 
 due proportion of the Diftances of 
 the Heavenly Bodies, that they are 
 not fee at random, like a W^ork of 
 Chance, but placed regularly, and in 
 due order, according to the bcft me- 
 thods of Proportion and Contrivance. 
 Which will be manifeft from the fol- 
 lowing Chapters, which will fliew 
 that tlie Diftance is fuch, that none 
 of the Globes interfere with one ano- 
 ther: but inftead of that, are indue 
 and the mofl: nice^ commodious Pro- 
 portion. 
 
 C H A ?♦ 
 
Chap. 2, Globes interfere not. j^ 
 
 C H A P. IL 
 
 That none of the GLOBES 
 of the Univerfe interfere. 
 
 HA D the Univerfe been the 
 Work of Chance, or any 
 thing but of a wife Archited, there 
 would have been a great many blun- 
 ders and inconveniencies in the Situa- 
 tion of fuch a prodigious number of 
 immenfe Globes, as the Univerfe doth 
 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 incommo- 
 ded 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 
 
j4 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 {hade 
 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 pre- 
 judice one another by noxious ones. 
 This is very manifeft in our own Sy- 
 fteme of the Sun ^ and becaufe we fee 
 it not otherwife, we may conclude it 
 to be fo in all ,- unlefs we ihould 
 make fome exception for what is fuf- 
 pe6ted (and indeed only fufpeded) 
 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, yj 
 
 fo their Effects and Inflaences may 
 be as different j yet this may be, and 
 no doubt is (becaufe it may be pro- 
 ved) with the concurrence, and by 
 the appointment of the Divine Pro- 
 vidence ,♦ who, as Governour of the 
 World, might make fuch noxious 
 Globes to execute his Juftice, by af- 
 frighting and chaftifing finful Men, 
 at their approaches to the Earth ,• and 
 not only fo, but (as fome have ima- 
 gined) to be the place of their Habi- 
 tation and Torment after death. But 
 fuppofing it to be fo, yet herein is a 
 kind Providence manifefted. That 
 their Returns to the Earth are but 
 feldom (a)^ and their Stays fhort, and 
 
 that 
 
 (a) There having of late been great Expefta- 
 tions among fome, of a Comet appearing this 
 year 171 8, 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 Aflro- 
 nomers. The Revolution of the Firfi of the 
 Three, is fuppofed to be performed in 75 years; 
 
 P ^ and 
 
^6 No^woftheG/ohs, Sec, Book 111, 
 
 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 unufiial Pofi- 
 tion and Motion of Comets, ftill it 
 appears that a wife and careful Ar- 
 chited was the Contriver and Orde- 
 rer of it all : efpecially if we joia 
 what follows in the next Chapter. 
 
 and to have been the fame Co?H^t that appeared 
 in the year 16S2. The Second is fuppofed to be 
 the Comet that was feen in the year i(55i, and to 
 revolve round in izp years. And the 'Third is 
 imagined to be that Com?t which appeared in 
 1680 and 168 1, whofe Period is 575 years. And 
 according to Mr. Whijlons Determinations, the 
 Firfl of thefe three Comets will again appear if^ 
 the year 1758, the^'^row^in 1789, and the T^nrd 
 and laft not till about the year 3255. 
 
 C H A ^, 
 
chap. J. The Due D'tfiance^dcc. 57 
 
 Chap. IIL 
 
 Of the nice Proportions of 
 the Diftances of the Hea- 
 venly Bodies. 
 
 As it is one great demon ftration 
 of the ingenuity and Ikill of 
 an Archited to give due Proportions 
 to his Work j 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 ftridly 
 obferved in their Situation. 
 
 How the Fixt Stars are fituated 
 in refped: to one another, is impofli- 
 ble for us to determine at fuch pro- 
 digious Diftances as they are from 
 psj but they look to us, who can 
 
 have 
 
58 Due Diflance of Book III. 
 
 have no regular profped of their Po- 
 fitions, as if placed without any Or- 
 der : 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 regu- 
 lar profped: of them, which we 
 {hould then find to itand well in rank 
 and file. So doubdefs, if we could 
 have an advantagious profpe6t of the 
 Fixt Stars, we fliould find them very 
 commodioufly, and well fet in the 
 Firmament in regard of one ano- 
 ther. 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 : particu- 
 larly 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 evidion of this matter, 
 let us (according to the mod received 
 and rational Hypothefis) fuppofe the 
 Sun placed in the Center, to influ- 
 ence all his Planets with Light and 
 Heat. Then follow the feveral Pla- 
 nets, furrounding him, not one here, 
 and another there, at all adventures, 
 in a rude manner, like a Work of 
 Chance^ but at due Diftances from 
 the Sun ^ at proper Diflances from 
 one another j 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 
 
 the 
 
6o Due Proportion of Book III, 
 
 the Sun, but in the Secondary Pla^ 
 nets alfo, that revolve round them. 
 Thus it manifeftly is in tlie Five 
 Moons that accompany Saturn^ and 
 the Four accompanying Jupiter. 
 And a moft fagacious Contrivance 
 this is, manifefting the Prefence, and 
 Condudt of the CREATOR, in 
 thus chufing this Proportion I fpake 
 of, rather than any other. For fliould 
 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 Di- 
 ftances reciprocally ,♦ although it 
 might be poflible to adjuft a Velo- 
 city, and 1 may add, a Diredion 
 too, fo as to make Bodies defcribe 
 perfed Circles, yet the leaft Excefs 
 or Defed of Velocity, or the leaft 
 Obliquity of the Diredion, would 
 make them defcribe Spiral Curves, 
 either afcending in infimtum, or elfe 
 defcending to the Center. And fup- 
 
 pofing 
 
chap. 3. the Solar Syfieme, 61 
 
 pofing the Orbs (in which thofe Bo- 
 dies move, and which are fuppofed, 
 as I faid, to be made in proportion 
 of the Cubes) to be perfedly Circu- 
 lar, the leaft adventitious Force, e- 
 ven but of an Atom, abating or in- 
 creafing the Velocity, or changing 
 the Diredion, would bring on the a- 
 forefaid Inconveniences. And if the 
 great CREATOR and Contriver of 
 the Univerfe hath thus wifely mo- 
 delled , and cautioufly methodized 
 this part, this Syfl:eme 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 adteth in them, 
 
 ' the 
 
6 1 CAczi^d'sConclufion, Book III. 
 
 Contrivance and Power of an infi- 
 nite Workman! For where we have 
 fuch manifefl: ftrokes of wife order, 
 counfel, and management, o[ the 
 obfervance of Mathematical Propor- 
 tions, can we conclude there was a- 
 ny thing lefs than Reafon, judg- 
 ment, and Mathematical Skill in the 
 cafe? or that this could be efFcd: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 floouldfi fee a large and fair 
 Houfe^ thou cotdldft not he brought to 
 imagine that Houfe was built by the 
 Mice and Weejles , although thou 
 Jhouldfl not fee the Mafier thereof : 
 fo (faith hej woiddfi thou not think 
 thy felf very plainly to play the fool^ 
 if thoti Jhouldft imagine fo orderly a 
 
 {a) Cic. de Nat. Deor. L. z.c.6. 
 
 frame 
 
chap. 3 • CxcQtd'sConclufton. 63 
 
 frame of the World, fo great a vari- 
 ety and beauty of Heavenly th'mg%^ fo 
 prodigious a quantity and magnitude 
 of Sea and Land to be thy Houfe^ thy 
 Workmanfhip, and not that of the im- 
 mortal Gods ! And fo when we fee 
 fuch good order, fuch due propor- 
 tions in this Region of the Univerfe, 
 and have good reafon to conclude 
 the fame may be throughout the 
 whole, can we, without great vio- 
 lence to Reafon, imagine this to be 
 any other than the Work of GOD I 
 
 BOOK 
 
BOOK IV. 
 
 mmmmmm<^ 
 
 immmmmy 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 MOTIONS 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 H E AVE NS. 
 
 Chap. L 
 
 Th/it the hare Motion ofthd 
 Heavens and Earth are d 
 Demonftratton of God. 
 
 N trcatino: coficernin? the 
 Motion of the Heavenly 
 Bodies, it will be necef- 
 fary to take in that of 
 the Earth too, it being not eafy to 
 
 fpeak 
 
Chap. I. Motion of the Heavens, 6f 
 
 fpeak of one without the other. And 
 here there are two things that are 
 manifeft Demonftrations of the pre- 
 fence and management of GOD, 
 namely, that fuch Bodies fhould 
 move at all, and that their Motion 
 is fo regular. 
 
 I. That all thofe vaft Globes 
 of the Univerfe (hould have a Moti- 
 on, muft of neccffity be from fome 
 Being that had Power enough to put 
 them in motion. For as LaBant'ms 
 well argues, (aj There is indeed a pow^ 
 er in the Stars^ (and the like may 
 be faid of the reft of the Globes) of 
 performing their Motions^ hut that is 
 the Power of God^ who made and go* 
 verm all things ^ not of the Stars them-* 
 felves that are moved. For it is im- 
 poflible for fuch lifelefs, dull, un- 
 wieldy Bodies to move themfelves, 
 bnt what Motion they have, they 
 
 (a) La(3:ant, Divin. Inftit. L.a. c.5. 
 
 F muft 
 
66 Motionof the Heavens^ Book IV. 
 
 muft receive from fomechincr elfe a- 
 ble to move them. 
 
 Now this fome will fay may be 
 efFcdcd by the Vorttces furrounding 
 the Sun, the Earth, or other Prima- 
 ry Mover (b) • or from a Vcd:orial 
 Power, or Emanations of the Sun, 
 (c) or other the like Primary Mo- 
 vers carrying about and pui1~iing on 
 luch Bodies as move about 'em. But 
 allowing that it is poffible it might 
 be fo, yet ftill we muft recur to fome 
 Ftrfl Mover ^ fome Primary Agent^ 
 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 
 
 (h) This was Canes ^ Notion, and of others 
 long before hirn. 
 (c) This was Ke^Ws Scheme. 
 
 fbould 
 
chap. I. a Proof of a God, 6f 
 
 fliould be thought that the Six Pri^ 
 mary Planets revolving round the 
 Sun, received their motion from his 
 Revolution round his own Axis * yee 
 
 let 7is think (as Plato argues) (d) how 
 
 it is pojjible for fo prodigious a Mafi 
 
 to be carried round for fo long a timey 
 
 by any natural caufe 7 For which rea- 
 
 fon (faith he) / affert God to be the 
 
 Caufe ^ and that it is impofjible ii 
 
 Jhouldb'e otherwife. Thus Plato: vvhofe 
 
 Argument is undoubtedly good^ 
 
 lince, as Arifiotle argues (e)^ Every 
 
 thing that is moved ^ muji of necejjity^ 
 
 be moved by fome other thing ,• and 
 
 that thing muJi be moved by fome-* 
 
 thing that is moved either by another^ 
 
 or not by another thing. If it be mo-* 
 
 ved by that which is moved by ano^ 
 
 ther^ we muji of necejfity (faith he) 
 
 come to fome Prime Mover y that i$ 
 
 not moved by another. For it is ir^- 
 
 (d) Plato in Epinom. 
 
 (e) Arijiot, Phfic. L.S. C j, 
 
 F 2 poffihk 
 
68' Motion of the Heavens^ Book IV. 
 
 poffihle that what moveth^ and is mo- 
 ved by another y /ball proceed in infi- 
 nitum. 
 
 And now therefore, if in our So- 
 lar Syfteme, we fhould imagine the 
 Moon to be wheeled about our 
 Earth, by the Motion and Vedorial 
 Power of the Earth j and the Moons 
 about Saturn and Jupiter by the Mo- 
 tion and Vectorial Power of thofe 
 Planets • 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 fufRcient Power to wheel 
 about thofe prodigious Maffes, of 
 fuch vaft Bulks, as have before been 
 affigned to them, and which, be- 
 fides their own Weight, are, accor- 
 ding to the former Hypothefes, clog- 
 ged and encumbered with the Vis 
 Inertia of all thofe Planets whether 
 Primary or Secondary , or both , 
 
 ^ 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^ and the flow Motion of 
 the Firmament, or Fixt Stars in 
 15910 (g) Years. This latter 1 fliall 
 fay no more of, becaufe it may not 
 arife from any motion of the Firma- 
 ment it felf, but from fome other 
 
 , caufe (hj. But for Comets what 
 
 Power 
 
 (f) Book II. ch. 3. 
 
 (g) Ptolemy made this Motion to be otie de- 
 gree in ICO years. But others fince make it to 
 be more. Mr. Street^ in his Caroline Taluks, 
 makes it 1 gr. 20': Hevelius i gr. 24. 45". 50": 
 but Mr. Flamfleed agrees Rkcloli's numbers to 
 .come neareft the truth, viz.. i gr. 23'. 20", in 
 100 years, or 50" in a year. According to 
 which rate the Motion (called the Platonick 
 year) is accompliflied in 25920 years, 
 
 (h) Sir Jfaac Newton demoaftrates how this 
 F 3 may 
 
I'D Mot mi of the Heavens^ Book IV. 
 
 Power but that of the Almighty could 
 give them fuch prodigious Projed;i- 
 pns, as their Trajed:ories or Orbs are 
 found to have? Orbs that run into 
 fuch amazingly long Ellipfes as ap- 
 proach to Parabola's^ that 'tis won- 
 derful how their Projedive Force 
 fhpuld carry them to fuch immenfe 
 Diftances, and their Gravity at the 
 fame time bring them back and in- 
 cpmparably retain them in their 
 Orbs. 
 
 And fo for the New Stars, which 
 I have faid arc fo many Signals of 
 Planetary Syftemes difpcrfed here and 
 there all over the Univerfe, they are 
 all of them h many manifeftations 
 and demonftrations of an infinite Be- 
 ing that hath imparted motion unto 
 thciii : and they are a fign alfo that 
 
 :?nay arife from the Spheroidal Figure of the 
 jfarth, Printip. L. 3. Prop. 21. & L. i. Prop. d5. 
 Corol. 20. See the matter alfo more eafiiy demon- 
 llrated in Dr. Gregorfs Ajlron. L. 1. ?io^.6^. 
 
 there 
 
Chap. I. a Proof of a God, 71 
 
 there are other Globes befides the 
 Sun and its Planets, which are mo- 
 ving Bodies, even that all the Globes 
 in the Univerfe are fuch, and con- 
 fequcntly fo many Proofs of an Al- 
 mighty firji Mover, 
 
 Thus the bare Motions of the 
 Earth, and of the Heavens are fb 
 many Arguments of a Divine Power 
 therein concerned. But we fhall 
 moreover find an infinitely Wife, 
 as well as Almighty Power herein 
 tranfading, by what follov/s m the 
 oezt Chapter. 
 
 p 4 Chap« 
 
72 The Motions oj the Book IV. 
 Chap. IL 
 
 The great Regularity of the 
 Motions of every Glole. 
 
 HAVING in the preceding 
 Chapter (hewn that the gi- 
 ving Motion to fuch immenfe, Hfe- 
 lefs Globes, is the work of God, we 
 fliall find much greater demonftra- 
 tion thereof, if we cohfidcr that 
 thofe Motions are not at random, 
 in inconvenient Lines and Orbs, but 
 fuch, as lliew wife Defign and Coun- 
 fel. I fhall liere fpecifie but two 
 Examples, becaufe I {hall 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 
 Pireftions or Tendencies given, not 
 
Chap. 2. Heavens regular, 73 
 
 in Lines tending from the Center to 
 the Circumference, or very Oblique- 
 ly, but Perpendicular to the Radii, 
 The other is, That the Motions 
 and Orbits of the Planets fhould not 
 interfere with one another, but tend 
 one and the fame way, from Weft 
 to Eafl, and lie in Planes but little 
 inclined to one another, or when 
 inclined, that it fliould be very be- 
 neficially fo, as I fliall hereafter 
 fliew. Thefe and many other In- 
 ftances, and in a word, that every 
 Planet fhduld have as many, and va- 
 rious 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 ORDER ER of the World's Af- 
 fairs ? A Work which is as plain a 
 Signal of GOD, as that of a Clock, 
 01 other Machine is of Man. Thus 
 
 Tully's 
 
^4 Motions of the Book IV. 
 
 Tully's Sto'tck (a) argues our prefent 
 cafe from the Shepherd at Aciiuniy 
 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 fmagine 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 Ph'dofophers ought 
 to have done^ if haply they had any 
 doubts at the firfl view of the World: 
 afterivards when they fhould behold 
 its determined and equal Motions^ and 
 (ill things managed by eflablifhed or- 
 ders, and with immutable conftancy ^ 
 they ought then to underfland that 
 •^here is not only fome Inhabtter in this 
 heavenly, this divine Houfe, but alfo 
 fome Ruler and Moderator, and in a 
 
 (a) De Nat. Deor. L.2. c.35. 
 
 inanne-i-" 
 
chap. 2, Heavem regular, 75: 
 
 manner^ Archtteci of fo great a Work^ 
 fo noble a Performance, This Con- 
 clufion is fo natural, fo cogent, that 
 any thing but ilupid prejudiced Block- 
 heads (as thofe Philofophers were) 
 would have naturally and eafily made 
 it. Buty noWy faith the Stoick (bj^ 
 they feem to me not fo much as to 
 have any fufpicton of the wonder jnl- 
 nefs of the things of the Heavens or 
 the Earth, And great reafon the 
 Stoick had for his furmife. For fo 
 manifeft a Demonftration of a Deity, 
 are the Motions of the Heavens and 
 Earth, that if Men rlo not fee them, 
 ^it 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 what 
 an incomparable provifion is made 
 for the World's good, by the parti- 
 
 (y Ibid. Q.i€; 
 
7 6 The Diurnal Motion Book IV. 
 
 cular Motions which are given to 
 the Earth and Heavens, namely the 
 Diurnal and Periodical Motions. 
 
 Chap. IIL 
 
 Of the Diur7ial Motion of 
 all the fever al Glol^es. 
 
 As to the Diurnal Motion^ there 
 is great probabiUty 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 (horter, 
 times j 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. 
 Thjs 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 equa- 
 ble Motion of its Spots, which fome- 
 times appear in its Difk, and have 
 been obferved formerly by GaltUofaJ^ 
 Schemer (h)y Tarcle (c)^ Mahperttus^ 
 
 (a) Galilaus tells in the third Dialogue of his 
 Syftem. Mund. that he was the firft that difco 
 vered Spots on the Sun, in the year i<5io, which 
 he (hewed the next year to divers great perfons 
 in Rome. That Schemer fent him two Letters by 
 Velfems under the feigned name of JpeVes, to 
 defire his opinion of them, that he concluded 
 them to be alterable, contrary to the received 
 Opinion then, of the Heavens inalterahilityj 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 a- 
 bout the Earth; with more to thefame purpofe, 
 which may be feen in the fagacious Author in his 
 firft and third Dialogues. 
 
 (l^) Vid. Schemer's Rofa Urfina. 
 
 (c) Vid. I'ardc^s Aflra Borbonia, who took 'em 
 to be fmall Stars inrerpofing themfelves between 
 the Sun and us. Of the fame opinion alfo was 
 Malapertius, who gave them the name of Sydera 
 Aujlriaca> 
 
 Hevelnts 
 
^8 Dluryiai Motion BooklV, 
 
 Heveltus (d) and our Countryman 
 Mr. Gafco'igne and Mr. Crahtrte (e) \ 
 and fince them by Mr. Boyle, Dr. 
 Hooky Dr. Halky, Mx.Flamft'ced and 
 others in England^ and by Meflieurs 
 CaJJini, Pkart^ and others abroad (fj ; 
 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 them at large hi 
 his 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. Gafcoigney the Inventor of the 
 Micrometer, and Mr. Cral/trie, concerning the 
 Solar Spots that appeared about the year 1540. 
 which Mr. Gafcoigne imagined to be great num- 
 bers 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 
 publiftied with my own obfervations about the 
 Solar Spots from 1703 to 171 1 in the Philof. 
 Tranf. N°. 330. 
 
 (f) The Obfervations of thofe great Men 
 (which are difperfcd about in l^b. 'Tranf.) may be 
 (ctn at one view in Mr. Lowtljorp's Abridgments 
 
 1. 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 the Eaftern to the Weft- 
 ern Limb of the Sun 5 and in thus 
 doing, their daily Stages and Mo- 
 tion exa(5tly correfpond to the Mo- 
 tion of a Globe ^ that is, thofe Sta- 
 ges are fhorter, and the Motion of 
 the Spots feemingly flower towards 
 the Sun's Limb, but near the Cen- 
 ter of the Dilk, larger and fwifter ,• 
 and all in exadt proportion to a dou- 
 ble Line of Sines, or a Line of Sines 
 on each Semidiameter of the Difk. 
 
 And farther yet, thefe Solar 
 Spots, as they manifeftly demon- 
 ftratc the Sun to be a moving Globe, 
 turning round once in fomewhat a- 
 bove 2 J days, fo they manifeft them- 
 felves to be fomething adhering un- 
 to, or nigh the Sun's globous body, 
 by means of the different appearance 
 they have in the different parts and 
 pt)fitions of the Sun i as in the mid- 
 dle 
 
8o Dturnal 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, exadly correfponding to the 
 different Pofitions of the Earth in re- 
 ipe<St of the Sun, throughout all parts 
 of the year. 
 
 Thus in that vafl Mafs, the Sun, 
 we have manifeflly fuch a diurnal 
 Motion as I fpake of, or Circumvo- 
 lution round its Axis; a Motion 
 conftant and regular, and doubtlefs 
 of as great ufe to fome office or other, 
 infome pare or other of theUniverfe, 
 
 as 
 
Chap. 3. of the Planets, 8t 
 
 as the Motions of the Earth, are to 
 the Inhabitants thereof; and a Moti- 
 on therefore this is, demonftrating 
 the concurrence of the Almighty. 
 
 Neither is it the Sun alone that 
 undergoes a d'mrnal rotation ^ but 
 moft, if not all the Erraticks about 
 him. Saturn indeed is at fo great a 
 diftance from us, that wc 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 doubt 
 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 thefpace 
 of 9 h. 56'i as Monf CaJJim (g) by 
 
 (g) See his ObfervationS in the Mcrmin de Ma-^ 
 them. ^ de Pb)j7qu€ for Jan. 16^2. 
 
 G many 
 
8 2 Diurnal Motion Book IV. 
 
 many repeated Obfervations in the 
 year i<56j, and other following 
 years, firft found, from the Spots ob- 
 fervable on itj of which there are 
 two kinds, which I my feif have of- 
 ten feen as well as others before me, 
 a fhort account of which (although 
 it be a Digreffion) may not be unac- 
 ceptable 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 be- 
 tween the Sun and Jupiter: the o- 
 ther are fuch as are really in the bo- 
 dy 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 
 manifcft, not only that Jupiter re- 
 volves round in the time mentioned, 
 but that it is a moving Globe alfo, 
 by rcafon (as was faid of the Sun) 
 thofe Spots move Iwifcer, and in lar- 
 ger 
 
Chap. 3. of the Planets, 83 
 
 gcr Stages towards the middle, thaa 
 towards the Limb of Jupiter's Diik* 
 ' Alfo fuch Spots as are round, aboug 
 the middle, appear long or oval to-* 
 Wards the Limb, or edge of the Difk| 
 as was before obferved of the Sun's 
 Spots. 
 
 A s to Mars and Venus j 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 i66j, which he hath given us 
 Figures of (hj: and from thenc6 
 concluded that Planet had a Mo- 
 tion, although he could not deter- 
 mine in what time it was performed. 
 But M. Huygem cxprelly faith (ij it 
 is performed in the fpace of 24 h« 
 40'. But for the motion of Venus^ 
 Monf. CaJJim could perceive the 
 
 {h) See Philof. Tranf. N'^.ii, 14. 
 {i) Cofmotheor. p- 24. 
 
 G % Spots 
 
8 4 Diurnal Motion Book IV. 
 
 Spots to change their place , and 
 that the Planet had a Motion, al- 
 though he could not make out what 
 it was (kj. 
 
 Thus are the Primary Planets 
 difcovered to have a Dmrrial Rota- 
 i'ton, or fomewhat very like it at lead, 
 all except Saturn^ as 1 faid, and Mer- 
 cur^^ 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 Mercur^^ 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 fufficient Views 
 of him with our Telefcopes. 
 
 And as for our own Globe, it is 
 very vifible that cither that moves 
 round in 14 hours, or that the Sun 
 
 (k) Mv.Cafffm's Obfervations difperfed in the 
 Phil. Trranf. may be feen at one view m Mr-Ioxy- 
 tborfs Abridg. Vol. i. p. 383, & 425. 
 
 and 
 
Chap. 3. of the Planets. 85- 
 
 and all the Heavens move round it 
 in the fame time. And which of 
 thefe two is the moft agreeable to the 
 ufual courfe and methods of Nature, 
 which performs all its works in the 
 moft compendious, facile way, let e- 
 very one judge. And is it not far 
 the moft compendious, ready, and 
 eafy way that the Terraqueous 
 Globe ftiould wheel about in 24 hours, 
 than that fo many vaft Bodies of the 
 Heavens ftiould be turned about ic 
 in that time ? Is it not as poflible, 
 yea as probable, that our lefter Globe 
 lliould be fo turned about, as thole 
 more mafly' Globes of the Sun^ Sa^ 
 tiirn^ and Jupiter are about their Ax- 
 es ? But 1 ftiall not enter into a de- 
 tail 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 profped: 
 
 .of the Dturnal Motions of the great 
 
 G 3 Globes 
 
8 6 Convenience of the Book IV* 
 
 Globes of the Univerfe, that fall beft 
 under the cognizance of our Inftru- 
 ments, and found that many, and 
 probably all of them have a Rota- 
 tion round in a determinate time j if 
 to this we add the Convenience and 
 prodigious Vfe of this Motion to the 
 feveral refpeftive Globes, we {hall 
 find that an infinitely Wife and 
 Kind, as well as Omnipotent Being 
 was the Orderer thereof. For were 
 thofe Globes always to (land ftill, e- 
 fpecially the Erraticks, that owe their 
 Light and Heat to the Sun, in this 
 cafe, one half of them would be da- 
 belled and parched with everlafting 
 Day, whilft the other would be in- 
 volved in everlafting Night and Dark- 
 nefs. And what the confcquences 
 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 (late of Man, or any 
 other Animals ^ nor to that of Ve- 
 getables, or indeed any other Crea- 
 ture. For one half of the Globe 
 would be burning up, at leafl: too 
 much drying, and exhaufted with 
 the Beams of the Sun, whilft the o- 
 ther 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 cool- 
 ing Clouds and fertile Showers ? How, 
 could 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 
 poyfoning the World? 
 
 G 4 And 
 
8 8 Convenience of the Book IV. 
 
 And as the Courfe and Fundi- 
 ons of Nature, would be thus afFed:- 
 ed, fo would the State of the Crea- 
 tures 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 
 Perfpiration, and whatever elfe may 
 be owing to the falutiferous Influen- 
 ces of the Night, and abfence of the 
 Sun? 
 
 T H E s E and ten thoufand as great 
 IncoQvenicncies 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 
 
 Sharc!^ 
 
chap. 4* Diurnal Motion. 89 
 
 Shares in the like Motion, fo we 
 may very reafonably imagine that it 
 is no lefs ufeful and beneficial to them 
 than it is to us, and that the Incon- 
 veniences of the want of it would be 
 as great. 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 Of the Annual or Verio died 
 Motion of the Trimary 
 Planets. 
 
 BESIDES the Motion treated 
 of in the preceding Chapter, 
 there is another, which is as clear 
 a Manifeftation of the great CREA- 
 TOR as that, namely the Periodi- 
 cal or Ammal^ which is vifible in 
 fome of the great Globes, and pro- 
 bable in many others. Among the 
 Fixt Stars it is hiehlv probable fome- 
 
 thina 
 
 o 
 4 
 
^o Pertodtck Motions Book IV, 
 
 ■ - - ■ ~ ^^^-^ — "" — ^ — — 
 
 thing of this Nature is; as appears 
 from thofe New Stars which I have 
 before taken notice of, which, as 
 I have faid, fometimes become vifi- 
 ble to us, in one Part of their Or- 
 bits , and again difappear in other 
 Parts of them. But thefe Syftemes 
 being out of the Reach of our beft 
 Glaftes, I (liall pafs them by, efpe- 
 cially becaufe in our own Solar Sy- 
 rteme we have abundantly enough to 
 entertain us in this Demonftration of 
 GOD. 
 
 For it is very vifible, without 
 the help of the Telefcope, that eve- 
 ry Planet of the Solar Syjleme hath 
 this Periodick Motion I am fpeaking of. 
 For it is raanifeft 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 
 
 the 
 
 4 
 
chap. 4. among the Fixt Stars, 9 1 
 
 the latter, that the Sun is fixt in the 
 Center, without any other but its 
 Diurnal Rotation in ij 7 days : in 
 this cafe we fliall have the feveral 
 Primary Planets revolving round the 
 Sun in an excellent and due order, 
 by the exadeft Rules of fuch a noble 
 Structure, fuch an admirable Oeco- 
 nomy, and that is in Times (as I faid} 
 in fquare proportion to the Cubes of 
 their Diftances, So that we fee Mer- 
 cury to perform its Period in near 
 88 Days: Fentis (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 a- 
 bout 4333 Days : and laftly Saturn 
 in fomewhat above 10759 Days. 
 
 To this fo ikxidt an order of the 
 Periods of thofe Planets, we may add 
 the confideration of the different 
 Paths of their Periodical and Diur- 
 nal 
 
9 1 Benefit of the two Motions Bookl 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 ano- 
 ther ^ 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 i De- 
 grees. 
 
 A N D a glorious Contrivance this 
 is for the Good of our Globe, and 
 doubtlefs no lefs for all the reil 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 fomctiraes nearer to, and fome- 
 times farther from the Sun j but 
 at the fame time mifs of thofe kind- 
 ly increafcs of Day and Night, to- 
 gether with fuch ufcful dire(^tions 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 diffe- 
 rence between the Winter and Summer, Heat 
 and Cold. One is the fliorter or longer continu- 
 ance of the Sun above the Horizon: in Summer 
 long, which increafeth the Heat, as much as ic 
 lengthens the Day : in Winter fliort, which di- 
 minifhes the Heat, as it fliortens the Day; and 
 augments the Cold, as it lengthens the Night. 
 The other Caufe is the Oblique or Perpendicular 
 Diredion of the Sun's Rays, the Oblique being 
 weaker than the Perpendicular; as is evident from 
 Galilao's Experiment, in his Syjiema Mundi Di- 
 al. I. by holding a Paper turned up at right Aii- 
 gleSj or a Book half open ; over againfl an illu- 
 minated 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 Ac- 
 counts. I. 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 B. The Aftion or 
 Force of which Perciiflic-ii is (like that of all o- 
 ther Impulfes) as the Sine of the Angle of Inci- 
 dence. 
 
94 Benefit of the tzvo Motions Book IV. 
 
 Summer and Winter, Spring and Au- 
 tumn, and not our being nearer un- 
 to. 
 
 dence. So the Force of the Rays RR upon the 
 Oblique Plane 5, is as the Sine only o( ROBy 
 whereas their Force upon -4 P is as the whole 
 Sine of 90 Degrees, or Angle ROP. 2. Ano- 
 ther Reafon is. That a greater Number, or 
 Quantity of Rays, fall within the Compafs or 
 Area of any Plane, in a Perpendicular, than Ob- 
 lique Direftion. This will be manifeft from the 
 bare Infpedion of Fig. 4. Where it may be ob- 
 served that all the Rays between RR and Op 
 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 01;: or (which is the 
 fame thing) near as many Rays would fall oft* 
 Ohy turned up to 01?, as fall upon it. Alfo it 
 may be obferved farther, that as the Line 05 is 
 longer than Op (o are tlie Spaces between the 
 Rays larger in OB than Op; and confequently 
 fewer Rays fall on O B for its length, than oil 
 Op for its length, or the Rays are denfer, or 
 more compa6t in Op than B. And when they 
 are fo, they are fo much the Wronger, as is evi- 
 dent from the colleding and condcniing the Sun*s 
 Rays by a Bnrning-glafs. 
 
 What the particular Power of the Sun*s Rays 
 is in all Directions, Quantities, and Impulfes, 
 falls under Mathematical Calculation; but I need 
 not trouble the Reader with it, but fliall refer to 
 the ingenious Dr. IVulfins f Mathematical Tro- 
 
 fdibr 
 
chap. 4. in different Planes, 9 j 
 
 to, or farther from the Sun. For 
 thofe Benefits (we at lead that inha- 
 bit towards the Northern Polej have 
 at the contrary Seafon, when we have 
 mod need of them, viz. the Sun's 
 Proximity, in Winter j its greater 
 diflance from us in Summer j as is 
 manifeft from the Increment of its 
 apparent Diameter in Winter to 3 1'. 
 47", and the Decrement thereof in 
 Summer to 31'. 40". (b.) 
 
 And 
 
 fcflor 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 Savilinn Profeflbr, Dr. Halley, hath given 
 us a neat and clear method for computing it in 
 Philof. T'ranfaB. N^.aoj. 
 
 (b) Monfieur de la Hire in his I'abul Aflron. 
 makes the Sun's Semidiameters to be Dec. 30. 
 i 6' 22" and .Jun. 30.15' 49'. But Mr. Flamfleed 
 in his Lttnar Talks added to Mr. Horrox's Pofi- 
 humous Works makes the greateft to be i5' 23', 
 the leaft 15'. 50". and the Fremh Acadc-7n:Jh \6 . 
 2f. and 15'. 50". V. Recueil d' Obferv. Les Ele- 
 mens d^ Aflron. p. 22. 
 
 Befides the Alteration of the Sun's apparent 
 Diameter, its fwifter Motion in Winter about 
 
 the 
 
^6 Benefit of the, Sec. 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 Z//^- 
 go de S. VtBoYe (cj, Who command- 
 eth the Sun to defiend through the 
 Winter Signs ? And who again caufeth 
 him to afcend through the Summer 
 Signs? Who leads him from Eajl to 
 Weft 7 And who again brings him 
 hack from the Wefito Eafl? All the fe 
 things are very wonderful, but to God 
 alone pofiible. 
 
 the Solftice by about a 15 th part, is an Argu- 
 ment 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 ) Qiiis folem per h^berna defcendere figna pra • 
 cipit ? Quis rurfum per ajiiva fgna afcendere fci- 
 cit f Qtiis eum ab Oiiente in Occidentem duett ? 
 Quis iterum ab Occidente in Orientem rerebit ? Hac 
 cunBa funt mirabilia, Jed foil Deo poffibilia. Didaf- 
 cal. L.7. C.8. 
 
 Chap. 
 
chap. J. Periods of the Secondaries, ^y 
 Chap. V- 
 
 Of the Periodical Motion of 
 the Secondary Planets. 
 
 HAVING confidered the Pe- 
 riods of the Primary Pla^ 
 nets^ let us next caft our Eye upon 
 thofe of their Secondaries, And a- 
 mong thefe we (hall find the fame 
 compkat order and harmony as a- 
 niong the laft. Thus Saiurn^^ five 
 Moons, and Jupiter^s four, and our 
 own about the Earthy 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 Perio- 
 dical Motion of thofe Secondary 
 
 H Planets^ 
 
9 8 Periods of the Secondaries. Book 1 V. 
 
 Planets, and that is, that it is mixt 
 with a kind of cochleous Direction to- 
 wards one or other Pole of the Pri- 
 mary Planet- by which means every 
 Satellite^ by gentle Degrees, makes 
 its vifits towards each Pole of its 
 Primary, This is well known a- 
 mong the Circumjoviah for inftance, 
 that they all have a flow and gra- 
 dual progrefs , firft: towards one, 
 then back again towards the other 
 Pole of Jjiptter : and that each ^^- 
 telltte hath its Declination greater 
 and greater, according as it is far- 
 ther or farther from Jupiter's Bo- 
 dy. Accordingly the Declination 
 of each Ctrcumjovial ^ afligned by 
 the diligent and fagacious Cajfini (d)y 
 after twelve years obfervations, are 
 thefe. The greateft Declination of 
 
 (d) Les tlypoth. & les 'Tables des Satel. de Ju- 
 piter, §. 4. in the French Academift's large Col- 
 kdion. 
 
 the 
 
the f}rji, or Nearefl^ exceeds not a 
 third part of Jupiter's Semidiameter t 
 that of the Second^ furpafleth but a 
 little of a quarter pf 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 a 
 third part of the Semidiameter. All 
 which mutations, he faith, are per« 
 formed in the (pace of 12 years* 
 Thus the famous CaJJini, But I have 
 my felf obferved a greater vagatiori 
 in the Third Satellite'^ that it ad- 
 vanced near to, if not even with the 
 very Limb or Pole of Jupiter ^ and 
 that its Stay in Jupiter's ShadoWj or 
 the Duration of its Eclipfe at that 
 time, was lefs than is commonly aP« 
 figned unto it, as it is reafonable 
 to imagine it fhould be, becaufe 
 jche Satellite had only the outfide of 
 the Cone of Jupiter's Shadow, and 
 H t confe- 
 
loo The Satellite Latitudes. Book 1 V* 
 
 confequently a leffer pare thereof to 
 pais thorough at that time. 
 
 As to the end and ufe of this fb 
 obfervable a tendency in the Secon- 
 daries tov/ards each Pole of their 
 Primaries, we may gucfs at it from 
 what hath been faid of the like ten- 
 dency of the Primaries towards the 
 Sun, on which our Seafons do depend : 
 So thofe Secondaries moving in like 
 manner to each Pole, effect fome of 
 the grand Works of the divine Provi- 
 dence from Pole t© Pole, illuminate 
 all parts of their refpcd:ive Globes, 
 contract the len^rth of their Niohts 
 (as fhall be iliewn 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 ovjr 
 Moon here in our own Globe. 
 
 And can fuch well contrived, 
 fuch ufeful Motions, that the World 
 could not fubfift without, that Na- 
 ture 
 
Chap. 5. The Condufion m^ Sec, 
 
 101 
 
 ture could not do its grand Works 
 without, can thefe be other, than the 
 Ftat of an infinitely indulgent ^ as well 
 as xvtfe CREATOR! Could this 
 confonancy be fo univerfal, among 
 all the Globes that fall within our 
 View? Could their Periods, and Di- 
 flances, be in the fame due propor- 
 tion all the Univerfe over, their 
 Motions all fo alike, had they not 
 had the fime Contriver and Maker / 
 But I fhall clofe this Argument with 
 the Reflexion of the mod in^eni- 
 ous Mr. Moly/ieux (b)^ who fpeaking 
 of the fefquiplicate proportion of 
 both the Primary and Secondary 
 Planets, thus concludes. And from 
 hence may we jiffily fall into the deep- 
 eft admiration^ that one and the fame 
 Law of Motion Jhould be obferved in 
 Bodies fo vajlly dijl ant from each 0^ 
 ther^ and which feem to have no de- 
 
 (i) Dioptr. Nov. Par. 2. c. 6. §. 12. 
 
 II 3 pendence 
 
loi The Coriclufion m, dec. Book IV. 
 
 pendence or correfpondence with each 
 other. This doth moji evidently de- 
 monjlrate that they were all at fir ft 
 put into Motion hy one and the fame 
 unerring Hand , even the infinite 
 Power and Wifdom of God, who 
 hath fixed this Order among them ally 
 and hath eflahlifhed a Law which 
 they cannot tranfgrefs. Chance or 
 dull Matter could never produce fuch 
 an Harmonious Regularity in the Mo- 
 tion of Bodies Jo t'aftly diftant : this 
 plainly ^fhews a Defign and Intention 
 ■in the firfi Mover, And with fuh- 
 mifiion to the Reverend and Learn- 
 ed DivineSy I am apt to think that 
 one Argument drawn from the Order ^ 
 Beauty and Defign of things, is more 
 forcible againji Atheifm, than multi- 
 tudes of Notional Proofs, Sec, Thus 
 Mr. Molyneux, But we fliall find 
 farther Evidences of this Supreme 
 O/hnagement in thefe matters from 
 what follows in the next Chapter. 
 
 C H A Po 
 
chap. 6. The Conjiayicy and^ &c. 103 
 
 ■^ 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 The Conflancy and Regula- 
 rity of all the Motions of 
 the Earth and Heavens. 
 
 THAT the Earth and Heavens 
 move at all, but cfpecially 
 that they have fuch particular and 
 beneficial Motions, appears, from 
 the preceding Chapters to be the 
 Work of God. And the Concur- 
 rence of the fame infinite Hand is 
 as manifefl in the Perpetuity, Con- 
 flancy, and Regularity of thofe Mo- 
 tions. For wichouc this Almighty 
 Guide and Manager^ how is it pof- 
 fible that all thofe vafl; and unwiel- 
 dy Maffes fliould continue their be- 
 neficial Motions throughout all A- 
 ges ? ihould perform their ufcful Sca- 
 H 4 ges 
 
104 The Confianc^ and Book IV. 
 
 ges without any the leaft intermif- 
 fion, interruption or diforder that 
 we know of? What Motion, what 
 Contrivance, what piece of Clock- 
 work was there ever under the whole 
 Heavens, that ever came up to fuch 
 a perfedion, and that had not fome 
 Stops or fome Deviations, and ma- 
 ny Imperfedions ? But yet none 
 was ever fo ftupid as to conclude 
 fuch a Machine (though never fo 
 impcrfcd) was made by any other 
 than fome Rational Being, fome 
 Artift that had Skill enough for 
 fuch a Work. As he in Qcero (a) 
 argues from his Friend Pofidomus'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 Bri^ 
 tarns ^ ^ts in dla barbarie dubitet, quin 
 
 (a) De Nat. Deor. L.2. c.34. 
 
 ea 
 
chap. 6. Regularity of the Motions, i o y 
 
 ea Sph^era fit perfeBa Ratwne ? with 
 more to the fame purpofe: no man 
 even in that State of Barbarity would 
 make any doubt, whether it was the 
 workmanfliip of Reafbn or no (bj. 
 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 Ar- 
 gument, can it be thought that A/-" 
 chimedes was able to do more in imi- 
 tatmg the Motions of the Heavens 
 (in his Sphere) than Nature tn effeS- 
 tng them? 
 
 And now to refled: upon the 
 whole, and fo conclude what hath 
 been faid concernincj thefe feveral 
 Motions : We may all along per- 
 ceive in them fuch manifeft fignals 
 
 (b) See the place cited at large in my Phyfico- 
 "Theology, p. 2. 
 
 of 
 
10(5 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 MalTes of 
 the Sun, and its Planets, dropt here 
 and there at random, and moving 
 about the great Expanfum^ in uncer- 
 tain Paths, and at fortuitous Rates 
 and Mcafures, but in the compleat- 
 cfl manner, and according to the 
 llridell Rules of Order and Har- 
 mony • {o as to anfwer the great 
 Ends of their Creation, and the di- 
 vine Providence ^ to difpatch the 
 poble Offices of the feveral Globes,- 
 to perform the great Works of Na- 
 ture in them i to comfort and che- 
 n(h every thing rcfiding on them, 
 
 by 
 
Chap. 6. Tully'5 Proof of a God, loy 
 
 by thofe ufeful changes of Day and 
 Night, and the feveral Seafons of 
 the Yean 
 
 These things are fo evident to 
 the Reafon of all men, that Ti///y 
 might well make his Suki to allcdge 
 this as one of his principal arguments 
 for the proof of a Deity fcj ^ The 
 fourth caufe, faith he, and that even 
 the chiefs h the Equalky of the Mo- 
 tion^ and the Revolution of the Hea- 
 vens ; the DifiwBton, Utility^ Beau- 
 ty and Order of the Sun, Moon, and 
 all the Stars : the bare view alone of 
 whtch things is fufficient to demon- 
 ftratethem to he no works of Chance. 
 As if any one Jhotdd come into an houfe, 
 the Gymnafium, or Forum ,- when he 
 Jhould fee the Order, Manner and 
 Managem.ent of every thing, he could 
 -never judge thefe things to he done with- 
 
 (cj DeNar.Deor.L.2.c.5. 
 
 out 
 
io8 TnWfs Proof Book IV. 
 
 out an Rfficient^ hut mujl imagine 
 there was fome Being prefidtng over 
 themy and ivhofe Orders they obeyed. 
 So ?nuch more in fo great Motions^ 
 fiich VtciJfitudeSy and the Orders of 
 fo many and great things -^ — a Man 
 cannot hut conclude ^ that fuch great 
 ABs of Nature are governed hy fome 
 Mmd, 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 can- 
 not poffibly tinder f and ^ faith he, how 
 all this Conflancy can he among the 
 Stars; this fo great Agreement of 
 times through all Eternity , among 
 fuch various Courfes (how this can 
 be) without fome Mind^ Reafon and 
 Counfel, And a little after this, 
 fpeaking of the Fist Stars, he faith. 
 But the perennial y and perpetual 
 Courfes of thofe Stars^ together with 
 their admirable and incredible Con- 
 
 fancy 
 
chap. (5. of a God. 109 
 
 ftancy declare a Divme Pozver and 
 Mind to he tn 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 Err or ^ or Vanity: 
 but on the contrary^ there is all Or- 
 der^ Truth or RxaBnefs^ Reafon and 
 Con ftancy. And fuch things as are 
 void of thefe are counterfeit ^ falfe^ 
 
 and full of Error, — He therefore 
 
 that thinks the admirable coelefilal Or^ 
 der , and incredible Conflancy , on 
 ivhich the Confervatton and Good of 
 all things depends^ to he void of a 
 Mind^ he himfelf deferves to be ac- 
 counted devoid of a Mind, Thus, 
 with great Force and Reafon, Tully's 
 Stoick rightly infers the Prefence and 
 Concurrence of a Divine Beine, and 
 Power, from the Motions of the Hea- 
 vens : only not being aware who 
 
 that 
 
no TuWy'sProofofaGod. Book IV. 
 
 that Being was, he erroneoufly ima- 
 gines the Heavenly Bodies themfelves 
 to have Divinity, and puts them 
 therefore into the number of the 
 Godsj which Errour is excellently re- 
 futed by La&antim in his Inft'it. Di- 
 vin. L. 2. c. J, &c. 
 
 BOOR 
 
BOOK V. 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 FIG U R E 
 
 Of the feveral 
 
 GLOBES of theUniverfe. 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 The ^Confonancy of all the 
 Globes in their Spherical 
 Figure, 
 
 AVING in the preceding 
 Book m an i felted the Mo- 
 tions of the Earth and Hea- 
 vens 1:0 be the Contrivance 
 and Work of GOD, I (liall enquire 
 
 in 
 
Ill 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 G O D ? 
 
 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 
 Sphserical, or nearly fo, namely 
 Spha:roidal (a). Thus all the Fixt 
 Stars, fo far as we are able to behold 
 them, either with our naked eye, or 
 our GlalTes. Thus the Sun, and 
 thus all its Planets, and thus the Se- 
 condaries, 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 PhyfKO-T'heol. B. 2. ch. i. Note/i. 
 
 bouj 
 
Chap. li figure of the Globes. 113 
 
 bous, and fometiaies more or Icfi; 
 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 iofe 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 Moony yea and in 
 Venus (h) too j in whofe greateft Fal- 
 cations the dark part of their Globes 
 may be perceived, exhibiting them- 
 
 (h) What I have here affirmed of the Seconda- 
 ry Light of Venusy I have been called to an ac- 
 count 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 flie 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 looked through an 
 excellent Glafs, to take notice of it, who affirm- 
 ed that he fiiw it very plainly. 
 
 I felves 
 
114 Figure of the Globes, Book V. 
 
 felves under the appearance of a 
 dull, and rufty colour. 
 
 And as tliis 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 Sha- 
 dow in its Eclipfes of the Moon , 
 from the difcovery of new Conftel- 
 lations in the Heavens, as we change 
 our Hemifphere, and make approach- 
 es towards either Pole; from the 
 Surface of the Sea, which appears to 
 be of this Figure, by our gradually 
 difcerning far diftant Objeds, Moun- 
 tains, Towers, Sails of Ships, ^c, 
 the parts of which are more and more 
 feen , as we approach nearer and 
 nearer to them : with other argu- 
 ments 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 J'^aks^^ScQ. iij 
 
 ^^:«&f^'^x-^^^ ¥<mjmm 'm&:^^ 
 
 Chap. IL 
 
 Of the Inequalities, or Hills 
 and Vales olfervaMein the 
 Earth and Moon. 
 
 HAVING in the preceding 
 Chapter demonftrated the (c- 
 veral Globes of the Univerfe to be 
 Spherical, it is not to be underdood 
 that thefe Globes are ftrictly fo, but 
 an allowance is perhaps to be made 
 for the difference between their y£- 
 quatorial and Polar Diameters, be- 
 fore fpoken of: but efpecially for 
 thofe little and inconfiderable Ex- 
 crefcences of the Hills, very mani- 
 feflly difcernable in the Moon (c), as 
 
 well 
 
 (c) Every one that hath viewed the Moon \v\x.\\ 
 
 but an ordinary Glafs, efpecially, wlien fhe is 
 
 not round, may eafiiy perceive coniiderable XJa- 
 
 I 2 evennefles; 
 
1 1 6 The Htlh and yalleji Book V. 
 
 well as in our own Globe,- which I 
 call little and inconfiderable, efpe- 
 
 cially 
 
 evennelVts ; that fome parts are manifeftly higher 
 and othtrs lower. About the Quarters, divers 
 bright golden Spots may be feen in the (haded 
 part, at Tome diltance From the enlightened 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 
 fliaded part, there may be obferved to be certain 
 Holes or Pits, black, dark, or fhady, when the 
 paits cncompairmg them are illuftrious and bright; 
 And this darknefs, as if under fome Mountain, 
 lies always on the fide next the Sun, and gradu- 
 ally 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 de- 
 prelTed gio.nd in the Body of the Mocn. AH 
 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 dcmonftration, was as old or older 
 than Pliiiarclfs days, who in his Book de F.uie 
 in irbe LiinXy at the beginning, cites it as Clear- 
 
 chUi's opinion EiV.ovcc? es-CTr f,<x.aV eivott <c ti^ooKa i^ 
 
 fj-i-yxKr? Go!?- ■■.as-y.c i.e. i/mt 'what is called the 
 
 Face of the iMooUj are the Images and Appearances 
 
 »/ 
 
chap. 2. of the Earth and Moon. 117 
 
 cially thofe in the Earth , bccaufc 
 they are fo in proportion to the 
 Earth's Diameter • as will appear by 
 coming to particulars. The Dia- 
 meter of the Terraqueous Globe I 
 have fliewn in m^'PhyJi co-Theology (b) 
 to be about 7^^") Englilli Miles: but 
 that of the Hills is no more than a 
 few Miles. Snow don in Caernarvon' 
 JJme (the higheft Mountain in all our 
 Idand} is but 1247 yards (c) -^ the 
 
 Alps 
 
 of a great Sea in the Moon. And about the 
 middle of that Trad tJ 3 (pouv^u^ov Tmr] zsroUco- 
 
 TTov 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 ivith large 
 hollvjos and ruptures^ containing Water ^ or a thick 
 dark AiYy into which the Sun- beams are not able to 
 enter y andfo no Reflexion is made by them. 
 
 As to other matters in which the Earth and 
 Moon feem to agree, as in Seas, and great colle- 
 (Tcions oF Waters, an Atmofphere, 6'f. 1 fl^all 
 pafs them by here, as improper for this place. 
 
 (b) Book 2. Ch. 2. Note. 
 
 (c) In the Journal of the late ingenious Richard 
 ihwnley, Efq; ol: Toxvnley in Lancajhire, I find this 
 Note upon Sept. 6. 1682. This day il/r. Adams 
 
 I 3 called 
 
ii8 The Hills and J/alleys BookV. 
 
 /lips themfclves but about two Eng- 
 liih Miles (dj : nay the very Ptke of 
 Tenaytffe^ one of the higheft Ridges 
 throughout the Globe (unlefs we ex- 
 cept the high Mountains of Peru 
 called by J of. Acufia (e) Periacaca ^ 
 
 called here ivho is taking a Survey^ &c. He told 
 us that with repeated trials he had found Snowdon- 
 hill 1320 yards higher than the Highwater-tnark, and 
 that the Quickfther flood at the Ipottom at 2^ Inches ; 
 at the tcp f/ 25*5)6: So that 1^20 gave ^*o/[. Then 
 follows this Note, viz,. Mr. Adams coming (ince 
 tells me., that the Height of Snowdon ivoi hut 
 1247 yards, which gave 3*04. 
 
 I'he reafon of this difference of 73 yards, m 
 the heighth of Snowdon, I take to be, that the 
 firft meafiire was made by Mr. Adams himfelf, 
 the latter by Mr. Cafwell with Mr. Adams's Inflru- 
 ments : and probably the former is the Height a- 
 bove the Sea, the latter only above fome Plane. 
 
 (d) Mr. Nic.Fatio told me that he had meafii- 
 red the Height of the Montagne Maiiditi, which [^ 
 one of the higheft Ridges of the Alps, and that 
 he found it to be 2000 French Toifes above the 
 Lake oi Geneva, which is equal to 128 16 Englifh 
 Feet, or 2*42 Miles. 
 
 (e) Acofta faith the Alps fecmed to thefe Moun- 
 tains he travelled over, but as ordinary Houfes 
 to lofty Towers. See my Phyfico-T'heol. B. i. ch. i. 
 Note i\ 
 
 or 
 
•Chap. 2 . oj the Earth and Moon . 119 
 
 ^or that near St. Martha (f) ,• or 
 thofc called the Andes (g) ^ this 
 Ridge (I fay) is computed to be but 
 betweeen 3 and 4 Miles perpendicu- 
 larly above the Sea (h). All which 
 Eminences, compared with the Dia- 
 meter, or Semidiaraeter 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^ although fome 
 of them are of that height f/J, as to 
 
 reflea 
 
 (f) Capt. Dampier faith that he is of opinion 
 that the Hill near St.Manka is higher tlian the 
 Pike of Tenariffe. Voyage round the World, p. 24. 
 
 (g) Of the Andes of Chili and Peru^ Capt. 
 Dampier faith, T'hefe are the higheji Mountains I 
 ever faw^ far fupa(jing the Pike oF Tenaritfe, or 
 Santa Martha, and / believe any Mountains in the 
 M'^orld. Ibid. p. p^. 
 
 (h) See Dr. Hooke's account of the Pike of the 
 "Tenariffe from his Friend Mr. G. T. who went 
 to the top of icj at the end of his Leciures c.n- 
 cernng Springs, p-42. 
 
 (i) By Aiceioli's Mcafiiresthe H.ightof what 
 
 he calls Mount Sinai, or St. Katherine's Hill, is 
 
 ^ BoMonian Miles, and that oi Xaverim 12, but 
 
 I 4 according 
 
I 20 
 
 The Hills andFalleys Book V. 
 
 refled; the Light of the Sun from 
 their lofty Tops fome Days before 
 
 ever 
 
 according to his corredions, the former is but 
 8 4v Miles, the latter ii 4. Which at the rate 
 of 6020 Euglijh Feet in a Bononian Mile, is a- 
 bout ig 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 miflaken 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 ac- 
 curate and diligent Obfervations of the Moons 
 Face, than moft men ever did ; fo he was more 
 likely to come neareft the truth. And by his 
 reckoning, the higheft Hills in the Moon are but 
 about three quarters of a German Mile; and fome 
 of them but feven iixteenths ; and fome not above 
 an Italian Mile. And confidering the Bulk of the 
 Moon to that of the Earth, thefe are great Emi- 
 nences for the Moon. 
 
 And as the Lunar Mountains are of fo prodigi- 
 ous Heights, fo many of them are of great Ex- 
 tent. Hevel'iPti reckons the Lunar Taurus to reach 
 to 1 JO German Miles; Mount Sepber 150; and 
 the Lunar Apennine above 100 Gerynan Miles. 
 
 The Way how to meafure the Height of the 
 Mountains of the A'loon, is not difficult, nor un- 
 certain; which is, by obftrving the diftance be- 
 tween the diilant golden Spots, at their firft ap- 
 pearance (which are the tops of Hills) and the 
 enlightened part of the Moon. Which Diflance 
 
chap. 2. of the Earth and Moon, 
 
 I It 
 
 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 con- 
 trary, 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 isa. Mountain, whofe top His 
 touched by the Sun-beams, fhining from S the 
 Sun to R, and reaching to H. Now fuppofing 
 the Semidiaraeter of the Moon RCy to be 274 
 Gei-man Miles, according to Hevelim^ the length 
 of the Side R H (or Diftance between the Top 
 of the Hill, and the Edge of the enlightened part) 
 will be found alfo to be a 10^^, la^^y 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 RH, and the 
 right Angle included between them ; by which, 
 both the other Angles, and the Side C H, may 
 be found by a common Cafe of Right-angled 
 Triangles. Out of which Side C H, deducting 
 the Moon's Semidiameter 274, there remaineth 
 the Height of the Mountain Hi. Confult here 
 Hevel. Selenogy. ch. 8. Galilam Nunc, Sider, p. 14. 
 ^iidoU Ahnagefi» L.4. C.8. Schol. 
 
 Glaffi 
 
 es 
 
12 2 The Hills and ^alleys Book V. 
 
 GlafiTes looks like an even, fmooth, 
 and uninterrupted Circle (kj, 
 
 (k) the Edge of the Moon, which I here mean, 
 is that next the Sun; on which I could never 
 perceive with my beft Glafl'es any the leafl Sign 
 of a Mountain, but all to be exa^ly level and 
 fmooth. Only indeed there are fome certain 
 tranfient roughnefles and unevennelVes on the 
 Limb caufed by Vapours, efpecially when the 
 Moon is near the Horizon, and in v/indy, and 
 fome other Weather. At which times, the Mo- 
 tion 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 oppofite 
 Side, if the lead portion of the darken'd part of 
 the Moon, extends beyond the enlightened part. 
 Mountains may very manifeftly be difcerned, ex- 
 adly refembling ours on the Earth. A few hours 
 before and after the Full, I have with pleafure 
 feen the appearance of considerable Mountains 
 and Bays. One of which Views, I have given 
 in Fig. 6. which is the Moon's 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 Penpateticks, in Ch. 6. 
 p. 143. who denied that Mountains could be in 
 the Moon, as well as many other things difcovered 
 now by the Telefcopc. 
 
 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 
 perfed: Spheres, or at leaft Sphe- 
 roids. 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 CRE- 
 ATOR'S mrL 
 
 Chap. 
 
124 htgnre of the Globes BookV. 
 
 Chap. III. 
 
 The Univerfality and Uni- 
 formity of the Figure of 
 the fever al Glohs of the 
 Univerfe is a Sign of their 
 heing the Work of GOD, 
 not of Chance or Necef 
 Jity. 
 
 WHEN we fee divers Pieces 
 of curious Device and Work- 
 manfhip to bear the fame marks of 
 Art, Co have the fame mafterly 
 ftrokes of Painting, Clock-work, 
 Architedure, &'c\ we conclude with 
 great reafon fuch Pieces were made 
 by the fame {kilful Hand. So when 
 we fee the fame commodious Sphe- 
 rical Figure to be imparted to the 
 
 Earthj 
 
chap. 3 . wifely ordered, 1 2 j 
 
 Earth and all the Heavenly 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 Uni- 
 verfe 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, a- 
 nother long, and another of another 
 fliape. 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-attradincr 
 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 dill we may demand, how 
 came Matter by this fo commodious 
 a Power? What made it affect fo 
 
 proper 
 
ii6 Figure of the Globes Book V . 
 
 proper a Form but the infinite CRE- 
 ATOR'S Ftat? 
 
 But not to conteft that Point, 
 but granting Gravity to be conge- 
 nial and coeval with Matter^ with- 
 out enquiring how it came by that 
 Power, and allowing that every 
 Globe of the Univerfe had its Form 
 from the fclf- attracting Power of its 
 Matter, yet ftill we have undeniable 
 marks oi 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-attra6tion, 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 with- 
 out any order, without that conve- 
 nient lodgment of its parts, as the 
 
 necef- 
 
chap. 3- wifely ordered, 127 
 
 ncceflities of an habitable World re- 
 quire. But inftead of any fuch figns 
 of diforder, or of Nature's ading 
 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. 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 The Terraqueous and other 
 Glohs appear to he the 
 Work of GOD from the 
 wife Difpo/ition 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 
 <J Nece/- 
 
II 
 
 8 The Mooyi and Jupiter BookV. 
 
 Neceffity y according to the laft 
 Chapter: fo in this I (hall ihew them 
 to be the Work of a wife and a kind 
 Agent^ from the commodious ftru- 
 6ture and difpofition of their parts, 
 fo far as we have any knowledge of 
 them. Thus the Moony hath great 
 appearances of being no iefs com- 
 modioufly, than the Earth, divided 
 into Hills and Valleys (as 1 have fet 
 forth in the id Chapter j) into Dry- 
 lands, and great Colledions of Wa- 
 ters (a) and to be encompafTed with 
 
 an 
 
 (a) That there are Seas, or great Colleftions 
 of Waters in the Moouy is highly probable from 
 the Moon's Spots, which plainly feem to be Wa- 
 ter on thefe two accounts, i. Becaufe thofc 
 Spots appear to be in ftrait and level long Planes, 
 when viewed about the Moon's Qiiarters, or at 
 fuch times as one half of them are enlightened, 
 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, i/iz,. a 
 large level Plane: only we may now and then 
 difcern a bright fliining part Handing a little out 
 6 of 
 
Chap. 4- have different Parts, 129 
 an Atmofphere as we are (bj. So 
 
 of the large Levels, which are, no doubt, cer- 
 tain Rocks or Iflands in the mid ft of thofe Seast 
 2. The Darknefs of thofe Spots, more than other 
 parts of the Moon, is an argument they are Wa- 
 ter, 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 1 faid, have the Appea- 
 rance of long Planes^ we may obfcrve their edge 
 to be a kind of hazy Border, which grows dark- 
 er 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 Icfs 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 ap- 
 pear of a dark, blackilh hue. Which by the 
 bye, is the reafon why Jewellers grind their Di- 
 amonds with many fides and angles, that their 
 Luftre may appear many ways. So Silver (as 
 GaliUo obferyes, Dial, i.) when boiled only in 
 Argol and Salt appears as white as Snow; but 
 wherever it is burnifhed, it becomes obfcure. And 
 fo he tells us, rightly enough, the Moon would 
 become invisible to us, if its furface was not 
 rough, but fleck and fmooth. See alfo Heuelii 
 Selemgr. ch.6. p. 151, 
 
 (b) That there is an Atmofphere about the 
 Moon J fee Book 7. ch.3. Note i. 
 
130 0/ Jupiter's B^*// J BookV- 
 
 'Jfipitey al though at fo great a Di- 
 Itancc from us, hath rnanifeftly, we 
 ice, his hghter and darker parts; 
 his Belts and Spots darker than the 
 reft of his Dilk. Thefe Mr. Cafmi 
 (who longer viewed this Planet than 
 any Body elfe) takes to be Canals 
 containing lomc fluid matter, or 
 Water, that more weakly refleds the 
 Sun's Kays, than the other Parts of 
 the Planet do, and that they have 
 fome refemblance with what hap- 
 pens here upon Earth, (c) For //, faith 
 he, oyie from on highy in the Heavens^ 
 fbotdd fee the Earth in fome partku- 
 lar fituattonsy the Sea^ zvhich encom- 
 paffeth the Earthy would appear very 
 like the great fouthern Belt that en- 
 compaffeth the zvhole Globe oj Jupi- 
 ter : the Mediterranean Sea would 
 
 (c) Nouvelh's DecoHvertes de Jupiter; par M. 
 Caffini in the Mcmviiei de Mathem. C7 de Fhyfiqtie 
 for Jahiuaryj 16*^2, 
 
 male 
 
Chap. 4. and Spots, 131 
 
 wake an appearance^ not imltke thofe 
 Bells ivhtch are interrupted or broken^ 
 zvhtch we fee in this Planet : the 0- 
 ther Seas would make thofe great black 
 Spots^ which never alter at all: the 
 Continents and Iflcs zvculd feem like 
 thofe bright Spots that are alfo per^ 
 manent: the Snovjs would make thofe 
 glntering Sparkles [Brilliants] that 
 from time to time dij appear : the Flux 
 and Reflux of the Ocean^ and thofe 
 great Inundations that happen fome^ 
 times here^ zvould occafion other Spots 
 to appear and difappear: the Moon 
 would referable one ^/jupiter'5 Satel- 
 lites: in fine^ the Clouds of our At- 
 mofphere zvotdd refernhle thofe broken 
 interrupted Belts ^ and thofe tra-nfitory 
 Spots^ which often change their Size 
 and Figure^ and have Motions of dif- 
 ferent velocities. 
 
 Thus that ingenious and curious 
 
 Obferver. According to whofe, not 
 
 improbable opinion, this Planet Ju- 
 
 K z piter 
 
1 3 i Spots in Mars <^W Venus. Book V. 
 
 piter hath all its parts orderly placed, 
 as is here upon Earth. 
 
 A N D fo for the reft of the Pla- 
 nets, whofe Faces exhibit different 
 appearances, of brighter and darker 
 parts, as Mars and J/^enus particularly 
 do (djy 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 par- 
 ticularly of our own Globe, of which 
 we have a nearer View, and can plain- 
 ly fee the footfteps of Divine Provi- 
 dence, in the wife and orderly Difpo- 
 fition of all its parts ,• which are fo 
 diftributed, fo placed, as may beft 
 miniller to the feveral ufes and con- 
 veniences of an habitable World. 
 Thus for inftance, the two grand 
 
 (d) See Book 4. chap. 3. 
 
 partSj 
 
All parts of the World well placed. 133 
 
 parts, the Solids, and the Fluids of 
 the Terraqueous Globe, inftead of 
 being jumbled into one Mafi, 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 nourilli- 
 ment of Minerals and Metals ; fome 
 for that of Stones and FofTils,- and 
 fome for the fweetening and con- 
 veyance 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 Sur- 
 face • that for Vegetables, the up- 
 permoft, for every Man to culti- 
 vate ; and this divided into various 
 Soils, and Moulds, for all the vari- 
 eties of Trees and Plants ,• thofe 
 Strata that contain the Minerals, 
 Metals, and Foffils, at fuch depths, 
 
 K ^ as 
 
134 "^^^^ Waters ive II placed. Book V. 
 
 as to be out of the way, when they 
 may encutiibcr, or hurt us j but may 
 be come at by us, when we have 
 occaiion 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 
 fucli proper previous matter ,• that 
 they remain fo diftindl from, and 
 unmixed with the oihxn Strata -, and 
 that they lie at fuch due depths, as 
 either to break out into Fountains, or 
 to be dug into, for Wells. But I 
 fhall not enlarge on thefe matters, 
 having fpoken of them elfewhere. 
 
 And as this fo commodious a 
 diftribution of the Earth, fo that of 
 the Waters, is a manifeft demonftra- 
 tion of the concern of a wife Agent ^ 
 although we fiiould afcribe all that is 
 poflible to the neceflities of Nature 
 
 {q) S?e Pljyftco-T'heol. Book 3. ch.c. 
 
Chap. 4. The Waters weUplac'd. 135 
 
 in the formation of the World. For 
 the Waters, if we obferve them well, 
 are accurately difperfcd, and lodged 
 about the world, for the proper offices 
 thereof, in Seas, in Lnkes, in Ri- 
 vers, in Fountains^ to fatisfie the 
 Third of Animals, to afford them 
 forae part of their Food, and to mi- 
 nifter abundant fupplies of Vapours 
 for the Clouds, the Rains, and 
 Winds: which Supplies muft either 
 have failed, or been too abundant, 
 or have been attended witli fome or 
 other great inconvenience, without 
 iuch a commodious intermixture of 
 the Land and Waters. 
 
 This Si^y^^^wy)?, as the LXX 
 tranilate it, this orderly gatherhigto- 
 gether of the W"aters, is implied in 
 Mofes's relation of this branch of 
 the Creation, Gen, i. 9. /hid God 
 fatdy Let the Waters under the hea^ 
 ven be gathered together unto one place. 
 Wher-i the Hebrew word Ikkavu ^ 
 K 4 denotes 
 
136 The Waters well plac'd. BookV. 
 
 denotes a regular and orderly gathe-^ 
 ring of the Waters^ as if their Al- 
 lotment had been made, their Re- 
 ceptacles had been marked out by a 
 Rfiley or a Plumb- Uney by the CRE- 
 ATOR'S Ftat. 
 
 Thus it is demonftratively plain, 
 that the Earth and Waters were laid 
 by a wife Hand ,• and therefore what- 
 ever concern Nature might have in 
 giving a Sphisrical Figure to our 
 Globe, yet was the CREATOR the 
 principal Agent^ the grand Mana- 
 ger of the matter. 
 
 Chap. 
 
Chap. J.' 137 
 
 Chap. V. 
 
 The Convenience and Necef- 
 fitj of a Spharical Figure 
 to the Good of the Glohs, 
 is an argument they were 
 the Work of GOD. 
 
 BESIDES the orderly and com- 
 modious placing the Parts of 
 the feveral Globes, fpoken of in the 
 laft Chapter, there are ftill other 
 reafons to afcribe the Sph^ericity 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 Gra- 
 vity ^ fo without this Figure there 
 
 could 
 
1 3 8 A Spherical the Book V. 
 
 could have been no fucli comfortable, 
 and agreeable alternations of Day 
 and Night, of Heat and Cold, as 
 now there are, but fome parts muft 
 have been, for too long a time, ll<reen» 
 ed from the kindly approaches of 
 the Sun and Moon, and confequent- 
 ly have lain under too long and un- 
 comfortable a Darknefs, and been 
 chilled with miferabie Cold. And 
 as to cur own Globe, the Winds 
 could not have given thofe kindly, 
 and falutiferous agitations to the air, 
 as they do, but they muft have been 
 too much retarded, if not wholly 
 ftopp'd by the exorbitant angles, and 
 jettings out of other Figures. And 
 laftly, the Waters, which I fliewed 
 to be well intermixed with Dry- 
 Land, would have had intolerable 
 Confluences ; one part too much, 
 another none at all ,• no Vapours, 
 no Fountains, no Rivers : (o that 
 inftead of an habitable, well ftocked 
 
 world, 
 
chap. J. moftcommodiotis Figure. 139 
 
 world, far the greateft part would 
 have been cither a Deiart, ox an un- 
 neceflary Confluence of Water. 
 
 Thus having made it evident, 
 that particularly our own Globe re- 
 ceived its Figure by the direction of 
 the infinitely wife Arch'ttecl of all 
 things : we have renfon, had we none 
 befides, to conclude the fame of all 
 the red of the Globes of the Uni- 
 verfe, inafrnuch as they agree with 
 ours in other things as v/cU as in 
 their Figure, fo far as we have any 
 knowledge of them, and their State. 
 Thus the Planets of the Solar Sy- 
 fieme, 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 w^Cj 
 they have their Hills and Vallies, as 
 I faid, their Land and Waters, by 
 all the Signs that may be, as well as 
 
 we: 
 
140 ASph^encaltheyScc, BookV. 
 
 we • and therefore agreeing with our 
 Globe in fo many of thofe very 
 things, wherein their Figure is con- 
 cerned, had we none of thofe Rea- 
 fons I have already mentioned, there 
 would however be great reafon topre- 
 fume 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 
 
 Attradion or Gravity 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Terraqueous, and the other Globes. 
 Chap. I. 
 
 The Ufefulnefs ^/Attradion 
 in the ProduSiion and Pre- 
 fervatton of the Figure of 
 the Earth, andtheDefcent 
 of Heavy Bodies. 
 
 AVING in the two laft 
 Books treated of the Mo- 
 tions and Figure of the 
 Globes, I fiiall in this con- 
 fidcr their Gravity or AttraBton^ 
 
 which 
 
14^ /Igency oj AttratTion, Book VI. 
 
 which according to the modern Phi- 
 iofophy (which hath great rcafoii 
 and probabiHty on its fide) hath a 
 great agency in both thefe matters, 
 both in efFedting and preferving the 
 Figure of the Globes, and govern- 
 
 ing their Motion. 
 
 As to the agency of the natural 
 Attradion of matter, in the produ6li- 
 on and prefervation of a fpharrical Fi- 
 gure, as that of the feveral Globes is, 
 befides what hath been before fuppo- 
 fed,it may be colle6ted from the fpha:- 
 rical Figure which moft Fluids take, 
 when there is no obftacle to hinder 
 their doing fo. Thus I have faid ^/kli- 
 ftlver manifeftly doth, efpeciaily in 
 fmall drops or quantities,- in which 
 cafe their own fclf-attrading power, 
 is equal to, or exceeds that of the 
 Earth : fo doth Lead^ and other Me- 
 tals, when in fluxion (a)-^ io doth Wa- 
 ter, 
 
 (a) This is very roanifeft from the mak'ng of 
 
chap. I. It is natural to Matter, 143 
 
 ter, Oyl, and in fliort all Liquids^ 
 which run nearly into a fphi^rical 
 form, when hung on a fmali iur- 
 face I as at the Point of a Pin 5 or 
 into an hemifpha:rical Figure, on a 
 broader (mface,- their Self-Attradi- 
 on caufing the former, as that of 
 the Earth and the lurface on which 
 they lye doth the latter. Thefe 
 Ph^enomena have indeed been af- 
 fcribed to divers Caufes, raoft of 
 them probable enough, except the 
 PrefTure of the incumbent Air : but 
 this is manifcftly not the true Caufe^ 
 by reafon the cafe is the very fame 
 in the Air-Pump (when the Preffjre 
 is taken off) as in the free Air ,- and 
 
 Sht. The way of doing which, is by running 
 the melted Lead through a Ladle full of holes 
 into cold water. In doing v/hicli ihey take care, 
 their Lead be not too hot, becaufe the globules 
 would then fly to pieces , nor too cold, becaulc 
 it would then be long and have tails; but in a 
 due temper it turns round. They put Orpimem 
 into their Lead, when they melt and prepare iz 
 for Shor. 
 
 ^ therefore 
 
144 Gravity prefirves BookVL 
 
 therefore fome other Caufe is to be 
 found : and what more probablej or 
 fo probable, as this of Gravity or j^t- 
 traclion, which manifeftly exerts it- 
 felf in forae, and is highly probable 
 in all material things ? (hj In the 
 Earth it felf there is manifeftly fuch 
 a thing as Gravity, which might as 
 well be the natural Caufe of theSpha^- 
 ricity of our Globe, as it is in that of 
 lefler MafTes, but then as I demon- 
 ftrated in the laft Book, it is alfo e- 
 vident, that an over-ruling Power, 
 and a wife Providence, not only gave 
 Matter this Gravitating Power, but 
 guided and managed it in the forma- 
 tion of the World. 
 
 And now upon Suppofitlon that 
 Gravity had any thing to do in the 
 
 (b) For the Proof of this I fliall refer to Sir 
 Ifaac Newton's Optuks, Qiisft. 3 i . of the fecond 
 Edition, and in his Pnncipia in many places, 
 particularly L. 3. Prop.5,<5,7. 
 
 produ- 
 
chap. I. the Globes entire. t^'^ 
 
 produdlion of this Sph^erical Figure 
 I am fpcaking of- the fame it muft 
 have alfo in the confervation of that 
 Figure. For the fame Power it ex^ 
 erted at firft, 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 Globes ^ fuch 
 as Earthquakes are, and other fuch 
 like furious Concuflions and Emo- 
 tions that fometimes befall our owrj 
 Globe. 
 
 But leaving thefe conjediiral 
 rnatters, let us come to a more e- 
 vident Benefit of Gravity, and thae 
 is the natural Tendency of all Bo- 
 dies to the Center of the Globe: 
 This is very manifeft in our own 
 Globe. For whatfoever the De- 
 cays are among earthly things , 
 howfoever their Forms are changed^ 
 
 L yet 
 
146 Gravrtypreferves^'^c. BdokVL 
 
 yet their Matter vemaincth entire, 
 and returneth again to its grand Pa-^ 
 rent the Earth ; or to pi?t it in ift?- 
 lomon's Words, Eccl.1,2^. One ge-^ 
 nerdtion pajfeth azvay^ and another 
 generation cometh : hut the earth a^ 
 btdeth for ever, 
 
 •Akd an admirable provilron this 
 IS for the perpetuity of the Globe, 
 and to continue the State and Habi- 
 tability thereof throughout all ages, 
 which would otherwife wa'fte and 'de- 
 cay, or run into the m oft irreparable 
 and pernicious diforders. 
 
 Chap. 
 
Chap. 2. 147 
 
 5 •J 
 
 Chap. IL 
 
 7^^ Guard which Gravity 
 affords again ft the Gentri- 
 fugal Force of the j ever al 
 Glohes. 
 
 UPON a fuppofition that c- 
 very of the Globes revolves 
 round its own Axis (which I have 
 fufficiently proved in the Fourth 
 Book) we (liall find, bcfides the Be- 
 nefits already fpecificd, another very 
 great ufe of Gravity to the Good, 
 yea the very Exiftence of our owa 
 and the other Globes, and that is 
 the prefervation of their Integrity 
 ^gainft the Centn fugal Force of this 
 their Revolution, or Diurnal Mo- 
 tion. For without fuch a Band, as 
 Gravity, to keep their parts together, 
 
 L 1 the 
 
1 4^ The Gravity and^ &c. Book VI. 
 
 the whirling about of thofe Globes 
 would fhattcr them into pieces, and 
 diflipate them abroad into the circum- 
 ambient fpace. Thus mufl: it needs 
 befall our own Globe, which whirls 
 about at the rate of above looo Miles 
 an hour ( a)^ and is compofed of 
 Earth and Water, materials of much 
 too loofe a texture, to prevent the 
 diilipation, which the Centrifugal 
 Force of fuch a Rotation mull: nccef- 
 farily occafiotl, about the ^Equatorial 
 parts,- a Rotation that would as ca- 
 fily throw off the parts of the Earth, 
 efpccially the Waters, as the whirl- 
 ing round of a Wheel or a Globe, 
 would the loofe Duft and Water 
 lodged thereon. But by reafon the 
 Gravitating Power exceeds the Ce'd- 
 
 (a) The Diameter of the Earth being 79^7,7 
 Miles, according to B. i. Ch. 2. Note i. the 
 Ambit thereof is 25051^4 Miles, which being 
 divided into 24 hours makes the Revolution to 
 be at the race of 1043 Miles an hour. 
 
 trip /gal 
 
Chap. 2. Force oj the Earth. 149 
 
 trtfugaH's 2 174 exceeds 7^^406^^. (b) 
 that is above 288 times, therefore 
 all parts lye quiet and fecure in their 
 refpedive places, and enjoy all the ^ 
 benefits, which 1 iliewed do accona- 
 pany this Motion, without any diftur- 
 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 a- 
 bout 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 
 Granjitating to thq Centrifugal Force oF the Earth 
 under the Equator, as may be computed froni 
 Sir Ifaac Newton's Prmcip. L. 3. Prop. 19. 
 
 (c) The Sun's Diameter being 822148 miles, 
 the Numbers here affigned will naturally fol- 
 low. 
 
 As to the Sun^s Gravity or AttraBive Power 
 L 3 '^\ 
 
1 JO 'The Centrifugal Force Book VI. 
 
 four times as faft as the Earth ,• this 
 in a little time would endanger its 
 diffipation without fuch a provifiofi 
 as Gravity is. 
 
 BtJT what is this to the Centri- 
 fugal Force of JupUer? 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 fliall 
 better eftimate the matter. The 
 Diameter of Jupher being 120653 
 miles, its Circumference is 379045 
 rniles : which revolving round in 
 lefs than ten hours, is at the rate of 
 381 59 (d) miles an hour at its yE- 
 quator. And if the Denfity of eve- 
 
 it is ("by the calculation of my Friend the acute 
 knd learned Dr. HaUey) to the Sun's Centrifagat 
 Force, as 47000 to i : The method for finding 
 which, fee in Note e. 
 
 (d) Jupitns Ambit being 379045 miles, and 
 his Revolution ^ h, 56' or ^p^ miputes ; the 
 
C\\z^, 1, of the Sujfi and Jupiter, i<y% 
 
 fv Planet be proportional to its Di- 
 ftance from the Sun, as is now with 
 great reafop ini^gined, that is, if 
 chofe Planets neareft the Sun, as 
 Mercury and Venus are proportion 
 nably denfer than thofe more re- 
 mote, as Jupiter and Saturn y then 
 is the Globe of Jupiter of a laser 
 texture than ours is, and in fb much 
 the greater danger therefore of be- 
 ing whirl'd to pieces by (o rapid a 
 Motign, as that Planet manifcftly 
 hath, were not its parts kept dole 
 together, and fedate, by fuch a Band 
 as Gravity (e) is. 
 
 Revolution in an hour is by the Logarithms 
 thus. 
 
 59,<5 minut^ 2. 775 2465 
 
 57P045m;ies' 5.578691^ 
 
 ::6omin«fes i778[5ij 
 
 7.3568425 
 
 38159 miles 4.J815962 
 
 {e) The Proportion of Ju^ite,-^^, or any other 
 Phii^tSy or the Suns Gravity^ to their Centrifugal 
 
 L 4 t-^orce 
 
iji The Centr'tjugal Force ^ &c. B.Vl. 
 
 JFoYce may be computed from the mofl: fagacious 
 Sir J^aac Newton s Priiicip. L. 3. Prop. 8. & ip. 
 But the before commended Savilian Profeffor, 
 fuggefted to me this eafier, and quicker Rule, 
 ibr fuch Planets as have Satellitesy viz,. The Pro- 
 portion of the Centrifugal to the Centripetal Force^ 
 or Gravity of any Planet at its Surface^ is compound- 
 ed of the Ratio i^hich the Cubi of the Seynidiametev 
 of the Planet hath to the Cube of the Dijlance of 
 any of its Satellites fran the Center of that Planet i 
 and the Ratio xvhich the Square of the Satellites Pe- 
 riodick time hath to the Square of the Periodick ti?ne 
 nf the Planets Revolution. Thus for inftance, the 
 diftance of Jupite/s outermoft SateHite being 
 255 Semidiameters of Jupiter y and its Period 
 16 days, 1(5 hours, 32 munites, or 24032 mi- 
 nutes, and Jupiter's Revolution 526 minutes; 
 we ihall find the Gravity in Jupite.'s Surface to 
 be to his Centrifugal Force in his Ec^uator, as \ 
 to g^<^6 
 
 >^^ 
 
 
 rf-# %jyTV 
 
 w r-i A t>'4 
 
Chap. 3- 153 
 
 Chap. III. 
 
 Of the Power and Ufefulnefs 
 of Gravity to retain the 
 Planets in their OrVits. 
 
 OR a Conclufion of this fixth 
 Book, 1 fhall take notice of 
 one more remarkable benefit oi Gra^ 
 vity^ which is grounded upon the 
 fuppoficion of the truth of the New- 
 tonian P hdofophy -^ which hath fogood 
 Grounds, and great Reafon, I might 
 fay Demonftrations on its fide, par- 
 ticularly in this matter, that admit- 
 ting of it here, we fliall difcover a- 
 nother admirable Work of the Crea- 
 tion, and that is, the preventing 
 the Evagation of the Planets, and 
 the accurate retaining them within 
 the due Bounds of their Orbits. That 
 
 this 
 4 
 
I J4 ne Ufifulnefs Book VI. 
 
 this is done by Gravity^ and that 
 Gravity and Motion folve in the 
 mod complete manner, all the Phse- 
 nomcna of the Planetary Motions 
 both Primary and Secondary, is a- 
 bundantly made out by the wonder- 
 ful Sagacity of the great Sir Ifaac 
 Newton I as may be feen in his PriH- 
 cipia. 
 
 But before I come to the par- 
 ticular agency of Gravity^ it will be 
 necefTary to premife foraething con- 
 cerning its Nature, and fome of its 
 Properties, viz. That Gravity is not 
 terminated at the Surface, but reaches 
 to the very Center, and is extend- 
 ed to immenfe diftances all round 
 the Centers of all the Globes : By 
 which means, the cceleftial Bodies 
 are enabled to have Syftems of lef- 
 fer Globes revolving about them. 
 For had the Force of Gravity de-r 
 termined at, or near the Surface (as 
 it might have done, if intended 
 
 only 
 
Chap. 3. of Gravity. ijj 
 
 cnfy 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 all- 
 wife CREATOR, harh, in his firft 
 Production of Matter, beftowed up- 
 on it fuch a Property, as that every 
 Particle thereof hath a Tendency 
 towards every other Partick. From 
 whence it comes to pafs that every 
 Body hath a Gravttaung Power ac- 
 cording to the folid Content, or 
 real Quantity of its Matter, and not 
 according to its Superficies, or Ex- 
 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 
 one fourth of what it was atafingle 
 
 diftance • 
 
ijd The Properties Book VI, 
 
 diftance j and but a ninth, at thrice 
 the diftance, &"€. 
 
 That this is fo, is abundantly 
 proved by the lad commended Au- 
 thor,- who by eftablifliing 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 Ifaac Newton doth not pretend 
 to aiTign, his Defign being not to en- 
 gage himfclf in framing Hypothefes^ 
 but to explain the Pht^nomena by 
 Experiments only, and to raife his 
 noble Supcrftrudure upon them. 
 And therefore, although the mat- 
 ters of Fa6t, and the Final Caufes 
 are evident, 1 will not venture to 
 fay how it comes to pafs, that Bo- 
 dies adl at fuch immenfc Diftances 
 upon ane another j but chufc rather 
 ^ to 
 
chap. 3 . of Gravity. lyt^ 
 
 to acquiefce in adoring the Wifdom 
 and Power of the GREAT AU- 
 THOR of all things, who hath in- 
 fpirited the Materials of which the 
 World confifts, with fuch an adive 
 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 neceflary for the underftanding 
 the Nature and Properties of Gra- 
 vity, I fliall proceed to confider its 
 agency in the Planetary Motions. 
 And here we have divers things j 
 which plainly demonftrate thefe Mo- 
 tions to be no matters of Chance^ 
 but the Works of an infinitely Kindy 
 as well as Omn'tpotsnt and Allvuife 
 Agent. 
 
 I HAVJg 
 
I 5 8 The Planets are retamedm B. VI. 
 
 I HAV£ already in Book 4. Ch. 2^ 
 taken notice, of the Motion of the 
 Planets, being made, not in Lines 
 tending from the Center to the Cir- 
 cumference, or very oWiquely there- 
 to, but acTofs, or nearly perpendi- 
 cular 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 1 fhall fpeak of here^ 
 concerning the Planetary Motions 
 being the Work of God, will be on^- 
 ]y fo far as Gravity is therein con- 
 cerned. And 
 
 I. It Wiis a very notable provifion 
 to prevent the Evagation of the Pla- 
 nets, and to keep them within their 
 due and proper Bounds, to bridle 
 and detain them with Gravity, as 
 with (o many Reins and Bridles. 
 For as the natural tendency of all 
 imprell: Motion is in ftrait Lines, fo 
 when Motion was given to the Pla- 
 nets, 
 
dh.3-. t^heir own Or hs by Gravity , IJ9' 
 
 nets, this Motion (alcho' as I faid it 
 was artificially made, perpendicu- 
 larly to the Radn^ yet) would car- 
 ry them quite away in their Tan- 
 gents, fo that they would never re- 
 turn again. But being thus detain'd 
 by Gravity, another admirable pro- 
 vifion is that, 2. They are moved 
 in Orbs : Which Orbs are formed 
 of a Motion compounded of this 
 Redilinear Impulfe, impreft upon 
 th€ PUners, and the tendency of 
 their Gravity to their Centers. In 
 which Motion a third thing very re- 
 markable is, That the Impulfe or 
 Velocity which is imparted by the 
 F'trji Mover to every Planet, and the 
 Gravity of each Planet, are fo near- 
 ly equal to what is required to make 
 a Body defcribe a Circle, that the 
 Orbits of the Planets are not very 
 Eccentrical, but nearly Ciroilar. As 
 is pfrrticularly remarkable in Ve- 
 vasy and the E^etrth j and more e- 
 
 fpecially 
 
i6o Of the Orbits Book VL 
 
 fpecially in the whole Syfteme oiju- 
 piter's Satellites. And an admirable 
 Work this is. For ftiould the Velo- 
 city of any Planet be double to what 
 would make it move in a Circle^ 
 the Planet would go away m infi- 
 mtiim^ without ever returning again 
 in any Orb whatfoever. Or fliould 
 one half of the Velocity be taken 
 away, the Planet would defcend ob- 
 liquely towards the Sun, until it be- 
 came four times nearer the Sun than 
 before 5 and then afcend again to its 
 former place, defcribing a very ec- 
 centrical 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 
 RadiiiSy drawn from the Planet to the 
 
 SuUo 
 
Chap. 3 . of the Planets, i ^ k 
 
 Sun. But thefe things being accu- 
 rately adjufted, and contempered3 
 make the whole Syfteme to be a 
 work of incomparable Convenience 
 and Beauty ; a Work the beft con- 
 trived for the Benefit of the World's 
 Inhabitants, and to fet forth the 
 Curiofity and Skill of the infinite 
 Workman. 
 
 It h manifeft therefore that the 
 Syfteme of the Planets is not to be 
 reckoned a matter of Chance y or a 
 thing owing to a NeceJJity of Nature^ 
 but the Work of a kind and wife A- 
 gent. 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 Syfterne to have been 
 modelled by Counfel^ and not by a 
 Necefjity of Nature, or left to Chance, 
 For as for the Motion of Comets^ it 
 is fo far from being always the fame 
 
 M way;. 
 
6i Of Comets. Book VI. 
 
 way, that they move fometimes con- 
 trary to one another. And as for 
 their Planes and Diredions, they He 
 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 Co- 
 mets from difturbing either the Pla- 
 nets, or one another, by their mu- 
 tual Attractions. For by this means, 
 they have a large and fufficient room 
 to revolve in ; 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 vaft Diftanccs 
 both from the Planets, and from 
 one another, they do not incom- 
 mode either the Planets, or them- 
 felves; as otherwife they would have 
 done, fliould they have moved in 
 the fame Plane with the Planets, 
 For had they done fo, they would 
 
 have 
 
chap. 3. Of Comets. 163 
 
 have been apt fomctimes to have 
 come too near the Planets, and 
 have difturb'd their Motions, and 
 perhaps have daflied upon them al- 
 fo. But all thcTe Circumftances are 
 fo well adjufted, and fo wifely re- 
 gulated by the Divine Providence, 
 that the Syfteme could not have been 
 better contrived, either for Conve- 
 nience or Beauty. 
 
 And now upon this highly pro- 
 bable, I may fay phyfically certain. 
 Theory, of Gravity ading in the 
 Motion of the Globes, we have a- 
 nother exquifite Nicety in the works 
 of the Creation, that juftly deferves 
 the greateft admiration and praife. 
 That among fo many immenfe, 
 moving Mafles, they fhould 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 2 which 
 
1^4 '^^^ Conclufion. Book VI. 
 
 which they minifter in the Crea- 
 tion. Particularly that the Habha- 
 hie Globes fhould always remain at 
 fuch due Diftances, and move in 
 fuch proper Orbits, as are befl: 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 u(e to fome 
 or other parts of the World ^ whe- 
 ther 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 a- 
 ny of his Planets, as Sir I/aac New- 
 ton conjedlurerh in his Pnncip. L. 30 
 Prop. 41 6f 42. 
 
 And now from the confideration 
 of what I have fhewn in this fixth 
 Book, to be either highly probable, 
 or very certain, concerning Gravttjy 
 we have another m.anifcit demon- 
 
 ftration 
 
chap. 3. The Conclufion. 16 j 
 
 ftration of the infinite CREATOR'S 
 Wifdom and Care, and another co- 
 gent argument to excite the higheft 
 Veneration and Praife in his Crea* 
 tures. 
 
 M 
 
 BOOK 
 
BOOK VII. 
 
 Of the Provision made for 
 
 LIGHT afid HEAT 
 
 Throughout the Universe. 
 
 .\» OVCJ »X^ w 
 
 Chap. I. 
 
 Of the Light and Heat of the 
 Fixt Stars and Sum 
 
 S Light and Heat are two 
 of the moft ufeful things 
 in the Univerfe, fo the 
 infinitely wife and kind 
 CREATOR hath made an excellent 
 Provifion for thefe things^, in all pro- 
 bability, 
 
Chap. 1. Ltghtof the Ftxt 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 (liine with 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 proba- 
 bly 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 conjedural matters, and 
 fliall come nearer home, into our owtx 
 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 
 M 4 Ligf^? 
 
i68 7he Light and Heat BookViL 
 
 Light and Hear, the Sun ^ its due 
 Pofition, and its wonderful ufe to 
 its Planets j 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 felfj what Power is there that 
 the mod extravagant Fancy can 
 imagine to it fclf, that could ever 
 be able to make fo prodigious a Mafs 
 of Fire as the Sun is, but only the 
 Power of Cod's Almighty Hand ! A 
 Body of io immenfe a Bulk, as 1 have 
 fhcwn it is, and of fuch an cxceflive 
 iieat, that no greater a number of 
 its Rays, than what fall within the 
 compafs of a two, or three inch. 
 Burning-Grafs, (hall adlually burn ,• 
 and what fall within the compafs of 
 not many ker, fball far exceed the 
 ilrongeft culinary Fire in the Earth 5 
 as is manifeft from its almofl: inftan- 
 taneous burning, and vitrifying t^e 
 
 mod 
 
Chap. I. of the Sun, 169 
 
 mod: 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 (aj. 
 
 Thus 
 
 (a) The famous Burning-Concave at Lyom, of 
 30 Inches Diameter, and others in France and 
 Germany, of greater breadths, have been celebra- 
 ted for their Feats in burning, calcining and vi- 
 trifying, both metallick and other Bodies. But 
 I queftion whether any of them have come up 
 to the Burning Inftrument contrived by, and 
 rpade fqr Sir Jfaac Neivton, and by him preient- 
 ed to the Royal-Society. It confiUs of 7 Con- 
 cave foiled Glafles, each of them 12 Inches Di- 
 ameter, 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 Btirning-CQucavei^ it 
 may be of ufe for the cheap trying of Experi- 
 ments, to take notice of what was related to me 
 by a Perfon of very high Qtiality : who doing 
 me the honour to talk with me about fuch Con- 
 liavesj told me, that in Gei??}any one Mr. Cz.hern- 
 
 haufeu^ 
 
lyoThe Light and Heat ^dic.l^ookWl, 
 
 Thus the tnfimte Power andWtf- 
 dom of GOD ^ appear in the appoint- 
 ment, and make of that immenfe 
 Body of Fire, the Sun^ a Mafs won- 
 derful, and worthy of its Maker, 
 whether we confider its immenfity, 
 its excefiive Heat, or its abfolute ne- 
 cellity, and great ufe to us, and to 
 all the reft of its Syfteme. But we 
 fliali find yet farther Evidences of 
 the great CREATOR'S work in the 
 following Chapter. 
 
 haufeuy a Silejian Gentleman, made divers very 
 large Concaves with Pajie-board; which were co- 
 vered over with a kind of Pafte or Foil, that 
 ftrongly refleded the Suns Rays. But what their 
 Power was, he did not fee. 
 
 Chap. 
 
Chap. 2. The due Po fit ion ^^c, 171 
 
 Chap. II. 
 
 Of the due Vofition and Di- 
 flance of the Sun and its 
 Planets. 
 
 As the infinite Power and Wis- 
 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 ei- 
 ther about the Sun, or the Earth. 
 But whether the Sun be placed in the 
 
 Center 
 
17 '^ Earth and Sun at Book VII. 
 
 Center of its Syfteme, or the Earth 
 be (oy is of no great confequence 
 here to enquire. But I have all a- 
 long fuppofed the former to be the 
 mod: 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 fmce it is manifefl:, 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 how- 
 ever very certain, that all the Pla- 
 nets are placed at fuch a due, and pro- 
 per Diftance, from the Sun, that they 
 receive the beneficial Rays thereof, 
 in a due manner and proportion. 
 There is no great reafon to double 
 
 of 
 
chap. 2. a due dtflance> 173 
 
 of this, among the Planets that are 
 at greater or leffer Diftances from 
 the Sun than we, becaufe we find {^o 
 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 ter- 
 raqueous Globe, we have fufBcienc 
 fignals of the great care and counfel, 
 that have been ufed in the due Pofi- 
 tion, and Diftance thereof from the 
 Sun. For as to its Pofition to the 
 Sun, I have heretofore fhewn, thac 
 by the Inclination of its Axis, and 
 its Diurnal and Periodical Revolu- 
 tions, all parts have a due iliare of 
 Light and Heat. And as for its 
 Diftance, it is fuch, as not only pre- 
 vents the Danger of its interfering 
 with the other Globes, as I have 
 formerly obferved, but alfo it is du- 
 ly adjufted to the Denfity of the 
 Earth and Waters, and to the Make 
 and Temper of our Bodies, and of 
 
 al! 
 
174 Benefits of the BookVlI. 
 
 all other things here below. Had 
 we been much nearer the San, our 
 World would have been burnt up, and 
 wafted ,• the Waters, in the firft place, 
 would have all been turned into va- 
 pours, 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 (a) diftance- 
 and confequently too great, if not 
 for the Polar, yet for the Equato- 
 rial 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 propor- 
 tion to the fquare of that diftance. 
 And in this cafe, if the diftance 
 
 (a) Newton. Princi^. p. j^66, 
 
 had 
 
chap. 2. Surfs due dtjlance, 17 j 
 
 had been very great, we and all 
 things mud have been perpetually 
 frozen up; or if it had been not fo 
 great, the world would have fuffer- 
 ed by cold, the Polar at leaft, if 
 the ^Equatorial parts lliould efcape. 
 
 And in this cafe, when our Globe 
 fhould thus be parched up with ever- 
 lafting Heat, or be everlaftingly 
 frozen with exceflive cold; inftead 
 of an habitable, pleafant, and com- 
 fortable 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 
 
 of 
 
176 Benefits of the Book VIL 
 
 of its Inhabitants. By thofe indul- 
 gent Rays, all things are enHghten- 
 ed, 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 cherifliing 
 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 fleepj and even Vegetables too 
 fliut up their Flowers then (b)^ 
 
 (b) See my VhfKo-'Tlml. B- 10. N. 14. 
 
 and 
 
Chap. 2. Light. 177 
 
 and in a manner betake themfclvcs 
 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 fhelter and fafeguard, and give 
 an afped of melancholy and hor- 
 rour to all things! 
 
 Thus it is manifeft how wifely 
 and indulgently the great CREA- 
 TOR hath provided for the good of 
 our Planet, by fo critically adjufting 
 its Pofuion to, and its Diftance from 
 the Sun, to the ftate and temper of 
 it, and all things thereon. And al- 
 though 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 Sun, 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<5t^ 
 from that grand and folemn appara- 
 tus I fpeak of, of Secondary Pla- 
 nets. Which leads me to confider 
 the Provifions made for the Supply 
 of the Sun's abfence, and its greater 
 diftance. 
 
 C^ AP, 
 
Chap. 3. 179 
 
 Chap. III. 
 
 The NeceJJity of Light, and 
 the Provijion for it ly 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 al- 
 fo, probably, how it is fupplied in her 
 concomitant the Moon. 
 
 And firft as to the Earth, Of (ucb 
 abfolute neceflity is Light (not to 
 mention Heat) that our World could 
 not well be in the lead utterly with- 
 out it, becaufe during utter, abfolute 
 Darknefs (befides the great inconve- 
 niences it might bring to Vegetables^ 
 Minerals, and every other fuch like 
 part of the Creation, befides this I 
 N 2 fay) 
 
i8o The Necejfity of Light, BookVlI. 
 
 fay) it would certainly put Animals 
 under an abfoluce incapacity of per- 
 forming their moft neceflary Bufi- 
 cefs, and adling in that office which 
 the divine Providence hath appoint- 
 ed them, although of greateft ufe to 
 themfelves, or the reft of the World. 
 Men, for inftance, whoic 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 Pla- 
 ces of Retirement, and Reft by Day, 
 and are therefore in courfe compel- 
 led to feek their food, and wander 
 about on their moft neceflary 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 adling that part they bear in 
 the Creation, during fuch time as 
 they (houldbepucinto abfoluteDark- 
 
 nels. 
 
chap. 3 . Prov'tfionfor Light, &c. 1 8 1 
 
 nefs. But to prevent this, the in- 
 finitely wife Contriver of the World 
 hath made divers admirable Provifi- 
 ons, both in our own, and the o- 
 ther Planets too. One provifioa 
 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, a- 
 mong other grand ufes, minifters 
 very much to the propagation of 
 
 iW - . - .-.. ■ ■ ■! I » ■ I ■■ — ■' ■■■■ - ■■ ■ ' .■■ ■■ ^^ — — 1^ 
 
 (a) M.r.Huygem in his Cofmotheor. p. 115. con« 
 eludes the Moon to have no Air or Atmofphere 
 becaufe we fee its Limb fo clearly and accurate- 
 ly 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 
 Premilfes. For in the Solar Eclipfe May i. 170^, 
 which in Switz.erland was Total, they could ma- 
 nifeftly perceive 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 21. 1715. the A^ootfi At" 
 mofphere was very difcernible, appearing in the 
 Form of a curious Ring of Vapours encompaf- 
 fing the Aloon all the time of Total Darknefs. 
 Of which fee the Accounts, in the Philof. Tranf, 
 and ykWhiftoris. 
 
 N 3 Light, 
 
1 8 1 Provifton for Light ^ &c. BookVII. 
 
 Light, partly by refleding the Rays 
 of Light to our Eye, and part- 
 ly refrading them, fo as to make 
 them vifible and ufeful to us, when 
 otherwife they would not appear. 
 Hence that whitenefs and Bright- 
 nefi (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 js ob- 
 fervable in the Moon alfo, in that 
 fecondary, rufty Light which is feeq 
 in her Eclipfes, and before arid after 
 her Quarters. 
 
 (h) See Phyfico'theol B. |. Ch. i. Note iz. 
 
 Chap,^ 
 
Chap . 4. ill 
 
 ^ Chap. IV. 
 
 The great ufefulnefs of the 
 Moon, and the fuutual 
 leneficial Returns which 
 the Glohs make to one a- 
 nother. 
 
 HAVING ftewn the abfolute 
 neccffity 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 Sfars, which as 
 Mofes faith fa) rule the Night, as 
 the greater Lights the Sun, doth 
 rule the Day, What influences thefe 
 
 (^) Gen. 1.16, 
 
 N 4 co^le- 
 
184 The Influences^ 8cc. Book VII. 
 
 c:oeleftial Bodies may have here be- 
 low, 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, al- 
 though vainly pretended unto by 
 the judicial Aftrologers : but yee 
 fome things there are, whofe Peri- 
 ods and Crifes fo ftridly 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 Ticles par- 
 ticularly have all along fo conftant- 
 !y obferved the Courfes of the Moon^ 
 that in all ages they have been fuf- 
 pccled to be caufed and governed 
 by that Planet; and if the (tories of 
 Pliny (b)^ Arjfiotky and others of 
 the Ancients be true, it is by her in- 
 fluence, that the Bodies of Oyfters 
 and other Shell-fiili are increafed 
 
 {b) Plin. Nat. Hifl. 1,2: C 41,^8,51^, 10 1. 
 
 and 
 
chap. 4. The Influences^ 8cc, 1 8 j 
 
 and diminiflied ,• 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 MeJ/ina and Mdaz- 
 zo; and divers other fuch like con- 
 ceits, 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, EclipfeSj Alonthly Revolutions, 
 and Latitude^ or Vagations towards 
 pur Poles^ are of great ufe to us. 
 
 By 
 
8^ UfefulnefsofEclipfes. BookVil. 
 
 B Y her Light, to which I may add 
 that of the Stars, we and the reft of 
 the Creatures are able to protra(5l 
 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, accord- 
 ing to Pliny (c), the Moon doth 
 naturally incline us. 
 
 As to the Eclipfes, whether of 
 Sun or Moon, they have their excel- 
 lent ufes too. The Aftronomer ap- 
 plies 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 fxm'meum ac moUe Sidusy at que 
 nofiurnumf folvere huntorenty ^ trahere, non ai^ 
 
 ferre. Id manifefium ejfe quod Somno fopitis tor' 
 
 forem contra^um *« caput revocet. Plin. J-.?, cap. 
 
 down 
 
chap. 4. Ufefulnefs of Ecltpfes. 187 
 
 down through all ages 5 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 feme fuch Re- 
 volutions 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 that 
 appointment of the Creator, Gtvk. 
 I. 14, And God faidy Let there be 
 Lights in the Ftrmament of the Hea^ 
 veny to divide the Day from the 
 ^ight ,• and let them be for Signsy 
 
 an(i 
 
J 88 Lunar Latitude ufe Jul. BookVII. 
 
 and for SeafonSy and for Days, and 
 l^ears. 
 
 And laftly as to the Lunar La- 
 titude y or ProgreiTes towards our 
 Poles, befides the ufe hereof to the 
 preventing the two frequent EcHpfes 
 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 won- 
 derful fervice to the Inhabitants of 
 thole forlorn parts, in their long and 
 tedious Nights, of fome Days, yea 
 feme Months length : to men, to 
 enable them to difpatch fuch of their 
 Affairs at are of perpetual and con- 
 ftant neceffity ; and to other Ani- 
 mals of the Air, Land, or Waters, 
 to enable them with greater ea(e, and 
 pleafure, to get their Food, and pais 
 where their plealure leads them. 
 
 Thus 
 
chap. 4- Earth and Moon ^ dec, 189 
 
 Thus the great CREATOR 
 hath made the Moon to be of ad- 
 mirable u(e to our Earth. And (b 
 wifciy 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 Pla- 
 net moving periodically about her, 
 but fuch a Planet, as reflects the 
 Light of the Sun to her, and per- 
 haps makes fuch like returns of In- 
 flux, as I faid the Earth receives from 
 her. For it is not to be doubted, 
 if the Earth refleds light, and gra- 
 vitates 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 Influ- 
 ences, and good Oiffices. And this 
 
 is 
 
ipo Earth and Moon ^ dec. Book VII. 
 
 is ftill more probable from the like- 
 nefs difcernible between the Earth 
 and the Moon^ which is a ftrong 
 prefumption that the Moon may 
 have the fame occafions for the 
 Earth, as the Earth for her. For 
 that {he is an opake body, and that 
 her (iirface is covered in fome mea- 
 lure with Hills and Valleys, is ma- 
 nifeft beyond all doubt to our Eye (d) 
 as I before faid : and that (he hath 
 an Atmofphere is what hath been 
 not long fince (e) difcovered : and 
 that there are large Oceans and 
 Collediions 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^. 
 
 (e) See before Chap. 3. Note a. 
 
 (f) Book y Ch. 4. Nocc/7, as alfo the Preface, 
 
 And 
 
Chap. 4- /ill the Globes^ Sec, 191 
 
 And after this manner, the in- 
 finitely wife Contriver of the Uni- 
 verfe feems to have tranfad:ed 
 throughout that immenfe (pace, by 
 making all the feveral Globes ufe- 
 ful to one another. Thus all the 
 Planets of our Solar Syfteme are of 
 confiderable ufe to us, all of them 
 refled: Light unto us, and fbme of 
 them a Light fo bright and ftrong, 
 as particularly l^enus and Jupiter^ 
 that they are a good fupply of the 
 Moon's abfence in the night, as well 
 as the Sun's. Nay the very Secon^ 
 daries (which I fliall (hew 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 al- 
 fo in miniftering to the difcovery of 
 the Longitude of the moft diftant 
 Places upon the Earth, So for the 
 Fixt Stars y which I have before fhewn 
 to be (probably) fo many Suns, mini- 
 
 fteriniT 
 
ipz All the Glohesy 8cc, Book Vlt 
 
 ftering to as many Syftemes of Pla- 
 nets ^ 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 one 
 Globe affords the other, even at the 
 greateft Diftance, 
 
 Chap. 
 
Chap. J. 193 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 Of the Moons, or Secondary 
 Planets in general, which 
 are olferved aloutfonte of 
 the Primary Planets. 
 
 HAVING 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 Syflemey and 
 examine whether any thing of the 
 like kind is to be found there. And 
 here we (liall find a no lefs admira- 
 ble Scene of the great CPvEATOR's 
 Care and Wifdom, than we difco- 
 vered in the Earth and Moon. la 
 Mars indeed, we can difcern a great 
 fimilitude with the Earth, in its Opa- 
 city and Spots^ but we have not yet 
 
 O beea 
 
194 Provifion for Light BookVIf. 
 
 been able to perceive any attendance 
 of Moons, as in the other fuperiour 
 Planets j not fo much probably be- 
 caufe there are none, but becaufe 
 they are fmall, or they reflect a 
 weak light, and are at a great di- 
 ftance from us. And as for P'^enm 
 and Mercury there may be no oc- 
 cafion for any Attendants, by rea- 
 fon of their proximity to the Sun, 
 But in the two highefr, or more di- 
 flant Planets, Jupiter and Saturn^ 
 we have a very noble, and entertain- 
 ing 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 Foun- 
 tain of Light and Hent, the Sun ; 
 and as confequently their Heat and 
 Light are abated in proportion to 
 the fquare of their Diftances ; fo to 
 make them amends, they are fur- 
 rounded with a more grand Pvctinue 
 of Secondary Planets ^ or Moons j 
 
 Jupiter 
 
Chap. J . in the inferior Planets. 1 9 j 
 
 Jupiter with four, Saturn with five^ 
 as 'tis imagined ^ and probably 
 more (a). 
 
 And an admirable remedy this 
 is, not only for the great distance 
 of thefe two Planets from the Sun^ 
 but alfo for the tardity of their pe- 
 riodick motion in their refpe^tive 
 Orbits. For whereas Saturn revolves 
 round the Sun but once in near thir- 
 
 (a) Mr. Huygem m his Cofmotheor. p. g^l 
 gives this account of the difcovery of the Satel- 
 lites of Jupiter and Saturn, That it is well knovon 
 the difiOvery of the Circumjovials is owing to Ga=» 
 lilsEO ; that, the briglnefl. and outermofl Circumfa- 
 iurntal he happened to fee zuith an foot Clafs in 
 the year i<555 j that the refl are owiiig to Caffini, 
 •who firft faw them with a Glafs of Campani*^ 
 grinding of 7,6 feet y and afterwards with one of as 
 many feet above an hundred. That the T'hird and 
 Fifth Caffini jhewed him in i6jz, and afterwards 
 oftner. That Caffini acquainted him by Letter af- 
 terwards vjith Lis difcovery of the Firfl and ^econd 
 in 1684. That the two lajl are not eafily difcern-' 
 ed , and he cannot fay he ever fdw them. That 
 befides thefe Five, he fuffeEls there ?nay be One or 
 more lye concealed. Ox which fse Chap. 7, fol'' 
 lowing, 
 
 O t tf 
 
j^6 The Moons about J d)CC,^ookW\, 
 
 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 incli- 
 ned to the Planes of their Orbits, 
 as it is in our own Globe. But fup- 
 pofing (as it is imagined) that their 
 Axes are not fo much inclined, and 
 that their Days and Nights, their 
 Winters and Summers are nearly e- 
 qual J 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 Pla- 
 nets 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 CREA- 
 TOR'S Works appears therein, as 
 will be manifcft by confidering par- 
 ticulars 
 
chap. <^. TheSeafons'mJtipiter, 197 
 
 ticulars in each of thofe two Supe- 
 riour Planets. 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 0/ Jupiter J' Moons, Days, 
 and Seafons. 
 
 IN fpeaking concerning the Supe- 
 rior 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 17 times lels there 
 than with us, and its apparent Dia- 
 meter, five times lefs (bj. And con- 
 
 — ■■* - - I, -1 _ _ 
 
 (b) Gregorii Aflron. L.6. Prop. 5^. Mr. Huygens 
 makes the Light and Heat but 25 times lefs, and 
 the apparent Diameter j times. Co/moth. p. 103. 
 
 O 3 fidering 
 
1 (? 8 The Seafons m 'Jupiter, B. VIL 
 
 fidering how vaft a Globe Jupiter is, 
 having its fuperficies loo times, yea 
 (according to Mr. Huygens's compu- 
 tations) 400 times bigger than that 
 of the Earth ,• in this Cafe, what 
 vaf!: trads of that Globe muft needs 
 lie in profound darknefs, and defola- 
 tion, had no remedy been provided! 
 But there are divers provided. One 
 is by the frequent Rotations of Ju- 
 piter round his own Axis j which be^ 
 ing performed in lefs than 10 hours, 
 it comes to pafs, that what is want- 
 ing in the flrength, 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^ 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- 
 able, 
 
 I. TMf-IF> 
 
Chap. (5. Juptter"^ Moom, 199 
 
 1. Their Bulk, which in all pro- 
 bability, is not in any of them iefs 
 than our Earth, as the mod inge- 
 nious Mr. Huygens concludes f^^^from 
 their (hade upon Jupiter's difk. By 
 which partly it is that, 
 
 2. They refled fo ftrong, brijfk, 
 and vivid a Light, as appears very 
 iiluftrious, 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 Iefs beneficial and friend- 
 ly Influences conveyed therewith at 
 the fame time. 
 
 3. Their due Diftances from Ju- 
 piter^ and from one another^ and 
 their agreeable periodick Revoluti- 
 ons, which I have formerly obfer- 
 ved (d) to be in the moll: exadt ma- 
 thematical proportions. By the firft 
 
 (h) Cofmotheor. p. loi. 
 (d) Book 4. Chap. 4. 
 
 O 4 of 
 
200 "Jupttefs Moons, BookVII. 
 
 of thefe, thofe Satellites efcape all 
 difagreeable Concourfes, and violent 
 Oppofitions, and, in the moft kind- 
 ly 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 thclnnermoft, round once 
 in lefs than two days,- of the next 
 ixi about 3 4 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 atten- 
 dance of one or more of thofe Sa- 
 tellites j but one is vifiting one parr, 
 whilfl: another is attending another, 
 and another another part, and Ju- 
 piter himfeif making fpeedy Returns 
 and Revolutions all the while. 
 
 4. The laft thing remarkable is 
 tiae Latitudes of Jup'tter'% Moons, or 
 
 their 
 
chap. 6. Jup'tter's Moons, 201 
 
 their progreffes towards his Poles, 
 which are in a due proportion to 
 their Diftances and Periods : as 1 have 
 before (hewn, Book^, Ch, 5. 
 
 And as the Latitudes of thefe Sa- 
 telHtes differ, according to their Di- 
 ftances and Periods j fo another re- 
 markable thing therein, is, that they 
 fhifc their Latitudes, in longer or 
 lliorter times, according as their La- 
 titudes, or Vagations towards the 
 Polar Parts oi Jupiter^ are greater or 
 leffer. By which means, fome are 
 making their progreffes towards Ju- 
 pher's Poles one way, whilft fome 
 are wandering the other way, and 
 fome are flaying there a longer time, 
 and fome a lelfer and leffer time. 
 By which quadruple Variety of La- 
 titudes, and perpetual changes of it, 
 it comes to pafs, that thofe large 
 trads cowards the Polar Parts of that 
 vaft Planet, have their due fliare in 
 jhe light, and kindly fervices, of its 
 
 four 
 
201 Saturn's Satellites, Book VII. 
 
 four Moons, and are fddom or ne- 
 ver deprived of them. 
 
 Chap. VIL 
 
 Of Saturn s Moons, Ring, 
 Day, and Seafons. 
 
 H 
 
 AVING ktn the admirable 
 provifion made for the x^- 
 xncdyingjup/ter's great diftance from 
 the Sun y let us, in the laft place take 
 a view of Saturn; which is above 
 200 millions of Erigli/h 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 
 mufl: needs ftrike every one that views 
 it with v/ondcr and amazement. 
 
 For, 
 
C h ap . 7 . Saturn's Satellites, 203 
 
 For, in the firft place, inftead of 
 four Satellites or Moons, as Jupiter 
 hath, Saturn hath five, and pro- 
 bably more. Three of thefe I my 
 felf have feen with Mr. Huygens's 
 1 2(5 foot Glafs; but for want of a 
 Pole of fufficient height to mount 
 the Glafs high enough, I am not 
 fiire I have feen any more. And 
 befides thofe Five, which others 
 have feen, there is great reafon to 
 conclude there is a Sixth lying be- 
 tween the two Outermoft, there be- 
 ing 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 o- 
 thers alfo lying beyond the Fifth, or 
 Outermoft, but become invifible at 
 fo great a diftance from us, by means 
 of fome obfcurity, fuch as is obferva- 
 ble in the Outermoft it felf, which 
 is never to be feen by us, but in the 
 
 weftern 
 
204 7he Bulk of Book VII. 
 
 weftern part of its Orbit, as Mr. Hu'^' 
 gem well obferves (a). 
 
 These Satellites we may reafo- 
 nably conclude to be of a prodigious 
 bulk, for the rcfleding of Light, 
 and for their other miniftrations to 
 Saturn^ becaufe otherwife they could 
 not be feen at fo great a diftance as 
 the Earth ; and particularly one of 
 them (h) is of that magnitude, and 
 
 (.i) The reafon why Saturn^ s fifth Satellite ap- 
 pears not on the Eaftern, but Weftern part of 
 its Orbit, Mr, Hiiygens very fagacioufly (like 
 himfclf) conjedures to be, becaufe this Satellite^ 
 as the Moon doth to the Earth, always turns one 
 and the fame Side to Saturn, and becaufe this Sa- 
 tellite hath, he imagines, only one part of its fur- 
 face clear, and the greateft part obfcure, and 
 not able to reflid fiifficient Light to us, there- 
 fore all the time that obfcure part is turned to- 
 wards us (which is whilft the Satellite is m the 
 Eaftern parts of it's Orbit) it difappears: but in 
 the Weftern part it appears, becaufe the bright 
 Side lies towards us. Cofmotheor. p. ii8. 
 
 (h) It is the fourth Satellite^ or Outermoft 
 but one (called from its firft Difcoverer, the Hw 
 genian Satellite) that is fo viable, 
 
 its 
 
chap. 7- Saturn's Satellites 20 j 
 
 its Light fo brifk and vivid, that it 
 appears very illuftrious through our 
 longer Glalles, and may be difcerned 
 with our fhorter. 
 
 A s to the D'ifiances^ the Periods ^ 
 and Latitudes of thofe SateUites, 
 they being confentaneous to what I 
 have already taken notice of in Ju- 
 pitevy I {hall not infift upon them, 
 but pafs to another provifion made 
 for the great diftance of that Planet j 
 which is a thing fo fingular to Sa- 
 turn^ fo unufual in all the reft of the 
 Creation, and fo amazing, that \t 
 is an evident and noble demonftra- 
 tion of the great CREATOR'S Art 
 and Care -y and that is Saturn's Ring. 
 Concerning which thefe things are 
 obfervable. 
 
 I, The prodigious y/sd* 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- 
 "^ turn 
 
io6 Dtmenfiom of BookVlI. 
 
 turn to be as is before determined, 
 93451 EnglKh miles, the Diameter 
 of his Ring will be 210265 fuch 
 miles,and its breadth about if)ioo(c)^ 
 an amazing Arch to an Eye placed 
 in that Planet. 
 
 2. The due and convenient Di- 
 ftance of ir from Saturn it fclf j not 
 clofely adhering to ir, becaufe that 
 would annoy a large portion of ,^^- 
 turn'% Globe, by depriving it of the 
 Sun's Rays, but environing it about 
 the diftance of its breadth y by which 
 means the Sun's Light and Heat are 
 permitted to enter between the Pla- 
 net and its Ring, whilft other Rays 
 are at the fame time reflected upon 
 the Planet by the Ring. 
 
 (c) Mr. Hiiygens in his Syfleina Saturn, p. 47. 
 and Cofmotbeor. p. lop. determ!ns.sthe lamcter 
 of Saturn's Ring to the Diameter oi Satmny to 
 be as p to 4; and the Breadth oF the R eg, and 
 Diftance ot tne Ring from Saturn s body, to be 
 nearly equal, and accordingly thele numbers are 
 defined htre. 
 
 3. The 
 
Chap. 7. Saturn's Ring. io7 
 
 3. The thicknefs of the King, 
 which is hardly, if at all perceivable 
 by us j which is as great a benefit, as 
 its edgling fliade would be an annoy- 
 ance, was the Ring thick. 
 
 4. Its fmoothnefs and aptitude to 
 refled Light and Heat (dj is a won- 
 derful 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 difliance as we are; but 
 perceiving its Light to be fo lively 
 and Itrong, as to render both it ftlf, 
 and Saturn very illuftrious, it is a de- 
 monilration of the aptitude of its 
 ftrudture, and fmoothnefs for the 
 reflexion of Light and Heat to the 
 Planet it ferves. 
 
 See Hugen. Syft. Saturn, p. 70, 
 
 As 
 
 4 
 
2o8 Various /Jfpecls, Book VII. 
 
 y. As the Periodical Revolutions 
 of the Earth, are an excellent and pro- 
 vidential contrivance, for thofe ufe- 
 ful and necefTary 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 King receives a variety 
 of Afpeds (e) not only with refpedt 
 to us, but to the Sun. Thus in one 
 part of the Orbit it appears with a 
 (f) larger 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 gen- 
 tle progrefles from the one to the other Face, 
 As, if the Anfx are at the largeft, they gradual- 
 ly (iiminifh, until no An/a or Apertures are to be 
 feen in the Ring, and at lall no Ring at all alfo. 
 See Fig. 8. 
 
 (f) Tiiis Mr. Hiiygens fhews is when Saturn is 
 10 -^degrees in Gemini and Sagittary, This was 
 
 a large 
 
Chap. 7. of Satftrn'sRwg. 209 
 
 a large fpace between ic and Saturn: 
 in another Part, with a lefTer, and 
 fb with a lefTer Ellipiis, and fbme- 
 times as only a (lender (Irait line, and 
 fometimes it is not vifible at all (g) : 
 al(b fometimes one fide of the Rina is 
 
 the Appearance ic 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 Satur-as 
 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 Ihews that for about fix 
 months before and after Saturn's being in 20 4- 
 degrees of Virgo and Pifces., the Ring is not vi- 
 fible, but Saturn appears round. Syjl. Saturn. 
 p. 59, 74, ii^j'c. And accordingly at this very time 
 there is no appearance of the Ring, only a 
 fmall narrow Lift or Belt croifeth the middle of 
 Saturn's Disk, of a colour fomewliat different 
 from the reft of Saturn's Face, and in the place 
 where the Ring fliould be. This appearance of 
 Saturn is reprefented in Fig. 8. which is the ap- 
 pearance he had through a very good 34 foot 
 Glafs, at the latter end oF OEiob. and beginning 
 of Nov. this prefent year 17 14. But a little be- 
 fore this, viz,, on Sept i6. \ could through an 
 126 Glafs difcern the narrow Ends of the Ring 
 on each dd^ Saturn. A Reprefentation of which 
 I have given in Fig.^. 
 
 P enlightned 
 
2IO Inclmatton of Book VII. 
 
 enlightened, and reflects light to- 
 wards one Part oi Saturn , fometimes 
 the other enlightens another Partj 
 and there is no doubt_, but that as 
 our Earth has its Seafons, according 
 to its pofition to the Sun, in its peri- 
 odical motion in its Orbit ^ fo Sci- 
 turn throughout his Period, hath 
 his Seafons, according unto his po- 
 fition to the Sun, and the various 
 Reflexions of the Ring upon the fe- 
 veral parts of his Globe (h). 
 
 These five things obfervabie in 
 Sattirn^s Rtng^ we have pretty good 
 alTurance of, from our Views through 
 good GlafTes. But there is a 
 
 {h) There is very great reafon to imagine this 
 tloth certainly happen in Saturn, becaufe as 
 Mr. Huygens obferves, Saturn appears fometimes 
 more fplendid than at other times. Ita femper 
 (faith he) quo prcpihs verfus Canai ^ Capricorni 
 figna aaejjerhy e ?najorem^ aut certc fpendidiorent, 
 etiam ahfque Telefcopio apparitiirum, quippe Annuli 
 Ellipfi jemper fe latius pandente. Hiiygen. Syfl. 
 Saturn, p. 56. 
 
 6. Thing 
 
chap. 7. Saturn\ Axis. i\\ 
 
 6. Thing I fliall add as only 
 conjedural, and that is, A fuppofi- 
 tion that the Axis oi Saturn f/^isin- 
 cHncd (and that pretty much alfo) 
 to the Plane of its Ring, or the Plane 
 of its Orbit at lead ^ and that he 
 hath a Diurnal Rotation in fome 
 certain lliort fpace of time. For 
 without thefe two conveniences, very 
 large trads oi Saturn would fuffer ex- 
 tremely for want of the Sun. For 
 ii Saturn hath no other motion, buC 
 that round the Sun in its Orb, one 
 part muft be excluded from the Sun's 
 Vifits for I J years, whilft the other 
 partakes all the while of them,- and 
 one Hemifphere will enjoy the bene- 
 fit of the Ring, whilft the other is 
 eclipfed by it : and in this cafe the 
 
 (i) Mr. Huygem determines the Inclination of 
 Saturn's Axis to tiie Plane of his Orbit to be 
 ^igr. as that of the Earth is 23 degrees. Cofmo- 
 theor. p. 108. 
 
 P 2 Ring 
 
212 Saturn's Axis inclined. Book VII. 
 
 Ring would be nearly as prejudicial 
 to the eclipfed part, as it is ufeful to 
 the enlightened. But fuppofing Sa- 
 turn to move round in the fame^ or 
 a fliorter time than Jupiter^ and in 
 a Path pretty much inclined to the 
 Ring, all Parts then of that vaft Pla- 
 net will have their frequent returns 
 of Day and Night, of Heat and 
 Cold. And fince this is what is dif- 
 cernible in the other Planets, and is 
 no Icfs neceffary for the benefit and 
 comfort of this, we may reafonably 
 conclude the thing to be probable, 
 although not difcernible at Saturn's 
 great diftancc from us. 
 
 Chap, 
 
chap. 8. The Conclufton, 213 
 
 Chap. VIIL 
 
 The Conchfion. 
 
 THUS I have taken a View 
 of the provifion made for 
 thofe two grand, and univerfal Ne- 
 ccffaries, Light and Heat^ things, in 
 all probability, no Icfs neceflary for 
 the other Globes, than for our own,- 
 and things which not only Animals 
 cannot fubfift without, but what all 
 things here below, (land in need of^ 
 as well as they. When therefore 
 we adually fee, and feel thofe in- 
 dulgent provifions, thofe amazing 
 ads of the great CREATOR ; when 
 we have views of their extent into 
 Myriads of other the moft diftant 
 Globes 3 when (to go no farther we) 
 fee in our own Syfteme of the Sun, 
 
 p J fucb 
 
2 14 The Coyichtfion. Book V IK 
 
 fuch a prodigious Mafs of Fire as the 
 Sun is, placed in the Center, tofcatter 
 away the Darknefs, and to warm and 
 cherifh us by Day, and fuch a noble 
 Retinue of Moons and Stars attending 
 and aflilting us by Nighty when we 
 fee this indulgence^ this care of the 
 CREATOR,extcnded to all the other 
 Planets, and that, according to their 
 feveral diftances, they have a pro- 
 portionate provifion of the greater 
 number of Moons, and Saturn a 
 ftupendious Ring befides, to fupply 
 the decreafe of Light and Heat j who 
 can beotherwifethan amazed at fuch 
 Providential, fuch Ufeful, fuch well 
 Contrived, fuch ftately Works of 
 GOD! Who can view their Glories, 
 and partake of their beneficial Influ- 
 ences, and at the fame time not a- 
 dore the Wtfdom^ and praife the 
 /iT/W^/^y^ of their CONTRIVER and 
 MAKER! But above all, fliould there 
 be any found,among Rational Beings, 
 
 fo 
 
chap. 8. The Condufion. 2 1 j 
 
 fo ftupid, fo vile, fo infatuated with 
 their Vices, as to deny thefe Works 
 to GOD, and afcribe them to a Ne-- 
 ceffity of Nature^ or indeed a mere 
 Nothings namely Chance / But fuch 
 there are to be met with among our 
 felves, and fome fuch the Prophet 
 tells us of, Ifai. j. 11, 12. Men that 
 had fo debauched themfelves with 
 drink, and enervated their minds by 
 pleafures, that they regarded not the 
 work of the Lord^ neither conftdered 
 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 demonftrations of the 
 infinite Power and Wtfdom 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 
 
2 i6 The Conchifion, Book VII. 
 
 nary Fire, a flaming Beacon , or 
 Light-houfe, to be the work of 
 Chance^ and not of Mayi^ as thofe 
 Glories of the Heavens not to be the 
 Works of GOD ? For it is very cer- 
 tain that as much Wifdom , Art, 
 and Power, worthy of God, is ihewn 
 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 1 fay, 
 the Works ot fome Being as much 
 fuperior to Man ? According to the 
 Argument of Chr^fippm which lliall 
 conclude this Book. If there he a- 
 ny Being that can effeB thofe things^ 
 which Many although endowed with 
 Reafony is not able to effeB ^ that Be- 
 ing 
 
chap 8. The Conclujlon, 
 
 i\7 
 
 ing is certainly gi eattr^ and jU'or,ger^ 
 and w'lfer than Man. But Man h 
 not able to make the Heavens ^ there- 
 fore the Being that did make them^ 
 excels Man in Art^ Counjel^ Prudence y 
 and Power, 
 
 BOOK. 
 
BOOK VIII. 
 
 Pracfical Inferences 
 
 From the foregoing 
 
 SURVEY. 
 
 N the foregoing feven 
 Books having taken a 
 View of what prefents it 
 
 felf to us in the Heavens^ 
 
 and feen a Scene of the crreateft 
 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. Pyaciical Inferences. 219 
 
 thefe Views and Confiderations ufe- 
 ful to our fclves. Which I fliall do 
 in the following Chapters. 
 
 Chap. L 
 
 The Extftence of GOD col- 
 leBed ly the Heathens 
 from the Works of the 
 Heavens. 
 
 THE firft and moft ready and 
 natural Deduction we cao 
 make, from fuch a glorious Scene of 
 Workmanihip, as is before reprefent- 
 ed, is to confider. Who the Great 
 Workman was! 
 
 That the Author of all this glo- 
 rious Scene of things was GOD, is 
 fiich a Conclufion, that even the moft 
 ignorant, and barbarous part of man- 
 kind have been able to make from 
 
 the 
 3 
 
2IO Axi^otXt' s Inference, BookVlII. 
 
 the manifeft fignals vifible therein; 
 Signals fo plain and conclufive, that 
 Tnlly's Sto'ick (a) cites it as Ariflotle'% 
 opinion, That if there were fuch a 
 fort of people^ that had always lived 
 under the Earthy in good and fplendid 
 Habitations^ adorned with Imagery 
 and PiBures^ and fur ni [bed with all 
 things that thofe accounted happy a- 
 hound ivith : and fuppofing that thefe 
 People had never at any time gone 
 out upon the earthy hut only hy 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 fbould open^ and this Peo- 
 ple get out of their hidden manfions 
 into the places we inhabit: when on 
 the fudden they fhould fee the Earthy 
 the Seas J and the Heavens j perceive 
 the magnitude of the Clouds^ and the 
 force of the Winds ,• behold the Sun^ 
 
 {a) De Nat. Deor. L. 2. c.37. 
 
 and 
 
Chap. I. Aridoth' s Inference, 
 
 111 
 
 and its Grandeur and Beauty -^ and 
 know Its power m making the Day^ 
 by dtffufing hts Light throughout the 
 whole Heavens ^ and when the Night 
 had overfpread the earth with dark- 
 nefsy they fhould difcern the whole 
 Heavens befpread and adorned with 
 Stars y and fee the variety of the 
 Moon's Phafes in her Increafe^ and 
 Decreafe^ together with the Rifings 
 and Settings, and the jiated and im- 
 mutable Courfes of all thefe through- 
 out all eternity ; this People ^ -when 
 they fhould fee all thefe things y would 
 infallibly imagine that there are Gods^ 
 and that thofe grand fVorks were the 
 Works of the Gods, Thus have we 
 the opinion and conclufion of two 
 eminent Heathens together, Arijiotle 
 and Tully's Stoic L 
 
 A N D if the Heavens fo plain- 
 ly declare the Glory of God ^ and 
 the Firmament Jheweth his handy 
 
 work 
 
2 2 2 Tully'^ Inference, Book VIII. 
 
 work (h) '^ if thofe Charaders, thofe 
 ImprefTcs of the Divine Hand, are io 
 legible, that their line is gone out 
 through all the earth ,• and their 
 words to the end of the World ^ fo that 
 there is no Lanmajie ^ Tonzue ^ or 
 Speech where their voice is not heard ^ 
 nay if thefe things are fuch, that even 
 a fubterraneous People would, at firll: 
 fight, conclude them to be GOD's 
 Work 5 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 Nothings as Chance is, rather 
 than GOD? Tr/Z/y's Stoick laft men- 
 tioned denieth 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 he fo certain^ and the 
 Orders of the Stars fo efiahlijhed^ and 
 
 (b) Pful. 19.1,0'c. 
 
 (c) Cicero ibid. cap. 38. 
 
 all 
 
chap. I. TnWfs Inference, 215 
 
 things jo well connected and adapted 
 together^ and deny that Reafon was 
 here^ and fay thefe things were made 
 hy Chance^ which are managed with 
 Juch profound counfel^ that with all 
 our wit we are not able to fathom 
 them 7 What / faith he, when we 
 fee a thing moved by fome certain 
 device^ as a Sphere^ the HonrSy and 
 many things hefides j we make no 
 doubt hut that thefe are the works of 
 Reafon, And fo when we fee the 
 noble tram of the Heavens^ moved ^ 
 and wheeled about y with an admirable 
 pace^ and in the mofi conjiant man* 
 ner, making thofe anniverfary changes y 
 fo neceffary to the good and pre ferva^ 
 tion of all things ,• do zve doubt whe^ 
 ther thefe things are done by Reafon^ 
 yeay by fome more excellent and di- 
 vine Reafon 7 For^ faith he, fetting 
 afide the fuhtilties of Difputation^ we 
 may aclually behold with our eyes in 
 fome me a fur e y the beauty of thofe 
 
 things 
 
2 24 Confiyn of Mankind, Book VIII. 
 
 things which we affert are ordered by 
 the Divine Providence, And then 
 he enters into a long detail of Par- 
 ticulars of this kind, too many to be 
 named here. 
 
 Thus Cicero^ throughout whofc 
 Works fo many paffages of this na- 
 ture occur, that it would be endlels 
 to cite them : and therefore one ob- 
 fervation that fliews what his opini- 
 on was of the Senfe of Mankind in 
 the matter, iliall clofc what he fiith, 
 and that is in his Book de Legihm (d)y 
 where he faith, Among all the tribes 
 of Animals^ none but Man hath any 
 fenfe of a God; and among mankind 
 there is no Nation Jo favage and bar- 
 barous ^ which although ignorant of 
 what God It ought to have^ yet well 
 knows It ought to have one. 
 
 And after the fame manner Se- 
 neca (ej, who inftanceth in two things 
 
 (J) L. I. c. 8. " 
 
 (^) Epift. 117. 
 
 to 
 
Chap. I. ScnQc^i's Opimon, 22 y 
 
 to (hew the deference we are apt to 
 give to the general prefiimption and 
 confent of mankind. One is in the 
 Immortality of the Soul: the other is 
 in the Ext fie nee of a Deity -^ which ^ 
 faith he, among other Arguments we 
 collect from the mnate opinion which 
 all men have of the Gods : for there 
 is no Nation in the World fo void of 
 haw and Morality^ as not to believe 
 hut there are fome Gods, Nay fo po- 
 fitive he is in this matter, that in a- 
 nother place he exprefHy 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 confciotis of the con^ 
 trary. Much more could I cite out 
 of this famous Heathen, but one paf- 
 fage relating to the Heavens (hall fuf- 
 fice,* and that is in his Difcourfe 
 {hewing Why Evils befal good Men^ 
 feeing there is a Divine Providence (e). 
 
 (e) Quare bonis viris^&c. c. i, 
 
 a He 
 
226 ScnQC2is Opi^iorL BookVlH- 
 
 He takes it for granted in this Dif- 
 courfe, that there is fuch a thing as 
 a DIVINE POWER and PROVI- 
 DENCE governing the World i, and 
 he faith, tt was nee die fs for him tojhexv 
 that fo great a IVork [as the World] 
 could not fiand without fome Ruler ; 
 that fo regular Motions of the Stars 
 could not be the effe&s of a fortuitous 
 Force y and that the impulfes of Chance 
 mufi be oftentimes diflurbed and juftle : 
 that this undifturbed Velocity which 
 bears the weight of fo many things in 
 the Earth and Seas^ fo great a num* 
 her of heavenly Lights^ both very tl- 
 luflnouSy and alfo fhining by a ma-^ 
 ntfefl dtfpofal^ muf needs proceed by 
 the direHion of fome eternal Law : 
 that this can never he the order of 
 fir ageing Matter ^ neither is itpojfible 
 for things fortuitoufly and rajhly com-- 
 hmed^ to depend upon^ and manifefi 
 fo much Art, Divers of which mat- 
 ters he proceeds to inftance in. 
 
 Thus 
 
Ch. 2 . God's Perfection inferred. 2 1;? 
 
 Thus Ctcero and Seneca: to whofe 
 evidences I might have added many- 
 others, particularly a great deal out 
 of Plato (the divine Plato^ the Ho- 
 mer of Pbtlofophers^ 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. IL 
 
 GODs PerfeSiions demon- 
 ftrated l?y his Works. 
 
 As G O D's Works have been 
 {hewn to be manifeft Demon- 
 ftrations of his Exifience ; fo they 
 are no lefs of his PerfeBions^ parti- 
 cularly of his infinite PoweVy Wif^ 
 dom and Goodnefs ^ inafmuch as eve- 
 
21 8 God's Per feBton BookVIII. 
 
 ry Workman is known by his Work. 
 A Palace that fliould have nothing 
 defcdive in Situation , Beauty, or 
 Convenience would argue the Archi- 
 tect to have been a Man of Sagacity, 
 and ikihul in Geometry, Arithme- 
 tick, Opticks, and all other Mathe- 
 matical Sciences, ferving to make a 
 Man a complete Architedj yea to 
 have fome Judgment in Phyfick, 
 and Natural Philofophy too. And 
 fo this glorious Scene of GOD's 
 Works, the Heavens^ plainly demon- 
 ftrate the Workman's infinite Wtf- 
 dom to contrive, his Omnipotence to 
 make, and his infinite Goodnefs^ in 
 being fo indulgent to all the Crea- 
 tures, as to contrive and order all 
 his Works for their good. For 
 what lefs than Infinite^ could effed 
 all thofe grand things, which I have 
 in this Difcourfe ftiewn to be mani- 
 feft in the Heavens ? What Archite6t 
 could build fuch vaft MafTes, and 
 
 fuch 
 
Chap. 2. inferred, 229 
 
 fuch an innumerable company of 
 them too, as I have fliewn the Hea- 
 vens do contain ? What Mathemau- 
 aan could fo exactly adjufl their 
 Diftanccs? What Mechamck fo nice- 
 ly adapt their Motions, fo well con- 
 trive their Figures, as in the very 
 bed manner may ferve to their own 
 confervation and benefit ^ and the 
 convenience of the other Globes al- 
 fo? What Namralifl, What Phtlo- 
 fopber could impregnate every Globe, 
 with a thing of that abfolute ne- 
 ceflicv to its confervation, as that of 
 Gravity is? What Opucian^ what 
 Chymtjl could ever have hit upon 
 fuch a noble Apparatus for Light 
 and Heat, as the Sun, the Moon, 
 and the Stars are? could am afs to- 
 gether 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. 
 
 d. 3 Chap. 
 
Xjo Duties toGod Book VIIL 
 
 Chap. IIL 
 
 Of GOUs Relation to t/s, 
 and the Duties rejulting 
 from thence. 
 
 IT appearing from the laft Chap- 
 ter how great a Being the CRE- 
 A rOR is, it is time to confider 
 what Relarion he ftands in to us, and 
 what is due from us to him. His 
 Relation to us is that of CREATOR,- 
 and as fuch, of Covijervator^ Sove- 
 reign L OR D and Ruler, one that 
 hath an abfolute power over us, and 
 all thmgs belonging to us, that caa 
 fubjed us to what Laws he feeb fit^ 
 and that can reward or punifli us as 
 we dcfcrve. And in this cafe, the 
 lead we can do, is to revere and 
 fear him at all tiraes^ to wprfhip an4 
 
 ferv^ 
 
CUhap. 3- inferred by Heathens. 251 
 
 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 CRE- 
 ATOR hath fhewed in his Works 
 throughout the Univerfe, it natu- 
 rally 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 meafiire made them. 
 Thus Cicero's Stoick before cited, (a) 
 ^ud verol hormnum Ratio non^ 8c c, 
 IVhat ? doth not Man's Reafon pene- 
 trate as far as even the very Hea^ 
 vensl For we alone of all Animals 
 have known the Rtfings^ Settings and 
 Courfes of the Stars : by mankind tt is 
 
 {a) De Nat. Deor. L.2. c.5i. 
 
 Q^ 4 thai 
 
231 Duties, to God Bock y III. 
 
 that the Day^ the Month, and Year, 
 is determined ', that the Eclipfes of 
 the Sun, and Moon are known, and 
 foretold to all futurify, oj zvhich Ltd- 
 rnmary they are, how great they will 
 be, and when they are to happen. 
 Which thing the mind contemplating, 
 it receives from hence (b) the know- 
 ledge of the Gods: from whence ari- 
 fes Piety • to which is joined Jujlice^ 
 and the other Virtues , from which 
 fprings that bleffed Life which is equal 
 unto, and like that oj the Gods them- 
 felves, and tn no refpeB yielding to 
 thofe coelejlials, except m immortality, 
 which is not neceffary to happy living, 
 Andin his Book de Legtbus (c) Cice- 
 ro brings in his Collocutor faying, 
 Sit igitur hoc a prmcipto perfua- 
 fum, &c. i. e. Let this be what every 
 
 (h) Seme read it inftead of Accipit ad Cogni- 
 tionem Duonim ; Aceipt ab his Cognitionem Deo- 
 
 7U7n. 
 
 (c) Lib. 3. C.7. 
 
 ^ member 
 
chap. 3 . inferred by Heathens, 233 
 
 member of the Commonwealth is fid-' 
 ly convinced of from the beginning , 
 That the Gods are Lords and Gover- 
 nours of all t hinges -^ that zvhatfoever 
 things are done, they are managed by 
 their influence y rule and dwintty ^ that 
 they merit a great deal of mankind -^ 
 and obferve what every one is, what 
 he dothy ivhat he admits into his mindy 
 with what mind, what Piety he cuU 
 tivates Religion ; and that they take 
 an account both of the Righteous and 
 Wicked, For, faith he, Mmds that 
 are indued with thefe Principles^ will 
 fcarce ever depart from that opinion 
 that is ufeful and true. And a h'tcle 
 after (d) one of the Laws arifing 
 from hence he faith is, Let Men ap- 
 proach 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, 
 
 necejf- 
 
2 34 Duties to God Book VIII. 
 
 neceflary a concomitant of Religion, 
 and divine Worfliip, according to G- 
 cerOy that he makes it, in another 
 place to be that which diftinguifhes 
 Religion from Superftition (e) Cultus 
 autem Deorum efl opttmus^ &c. But 
 that religion^ that worjhip of the Gods 
 is the befl, the purejiy the holiejl^ and 
 fullefl of Piety^ that we alvjays re- 
 vere and worJhip them with a pure^ 
 upright y and undefiled mind and 
 votce, For^ faith he, not only the 
 Philofophers, hut our Forefathers have 
 dijttnguijhed Superflition from Reli- 
 gion 5 which he afligns the difference 
 of, and then tells us. That the one 
 hath the name of a Vtce^ 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 b'y Heathens, ijj 
 
 the Heavens,- fo have they, at the 
 fame time, colkded what the princi- 
 pal Duties are which Men owe to 
 God ; fo reafonable, (o natural, fo 
 manifeft they are to all Mankind. 
 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 Ladiantius his Argtinmit a- 
 gatnft the Heathen Gods. 
 
 THE next Inference fhall be 
 one made by the eloquent 
 
 Laclantms (aj^ Argumentum tllud quo 
 colligunt nmverfa Coeleftia Deos ef- 
 fe, &c. i. e. That Argument zvhere- 
 by they conclude the Heavenly bodies 
 to be Godsy proveth the contrary : For 
 if therefore they think them to be Gods^ 
 hecaiife they have fuch certain and 
 
 (a) Inllitut. L. 2. c.5. 
 
 well 
 
2 ^6 L^dianum's hfere^ce. BookVllL 
 
 well contrived rational Courfes^ they 
 err. For from hence it appears that 
 they are not Gods^ hecatife they are 
 not able to wander out of thofe Paths 
 that are prefer ibed them : whereas if 
 they were Gods, they would go here, 
 and there, and every where without 
 any compulfion, like as Animals up- 
 on the Earth do, whofe wills being 
 free, they wander hither and thither 
 as they lift, and go wbitherfoever their 
 minds carry them. 
 
 Thus LaBantius with great rea- 
 fon refutes the Divinity of the Hea- 
 venly Bodies-, which on the contra- 
 ry are fo far from being Gods, and 
 Objeds of divine honour and wor- 
 lliip, that fome of them have been 
 taken to be places of Torment. Thus 
 Comets particularly, which muft needs 
 have a very unequal and uncomfor- 
 table temper of Heat and Cold, by 
 reafon of their prodigioufly near 
 Approaches to the Sun, and as great 
 
 Recefles 
 
chap. 4- Lzdiantms's Liferef^ce, 1^7 
 
 Reccfles from it. Thus according 
 to the before commended Sir Ifaac 
 Newton's (h) computation, the Co- 
 met in 1680, in its Perihelion, was 
 above \66 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 Earthj> 
 heated by it, would hardly become 
 cool in 50000 years. Such a place 
 therefore, if defigned for Habitation, 
 may be imagined to be deftined ra- 
 ther for a place of Torment, than 
 any other fort of living. 
 
 But above all, the Sun it felf, 
 the great Obje<5t of Heathen Wor- 
 fhip, is by fome of our own learned 
 Countrymen fuppofed to be proba- 
 bly the place of HelL Of which 
 Mr. Siv'mden hath written a Treatife 
 called, An Enquiry into the Nature 
 and Place of HelL 
 
 (b) Pdncipia, p. ^66. 
 
 Chap. 
 
238 Contempt of BookVIli. 
 
 Chap. V. 
 
 This Survey of the Heavens 
 teaches us not to overva- 
 lue the World, with Re- 
 flexions of the Heathen 
 Writers thereupon. 
 
 FROM the confideration of the 
 prodigious Magnitude and Mul- 
 titude 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- 
 fiires. 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 World. 239 
 
 namely the Fixt Stars. AndifMag^ 
 nicude, or Retinue may dignify a Pla- 
 net, 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 Venm can claim 
 that dignity. If therefore our World 
 be one of the inferiour parts of our' 
 Syfteme, why fliould we inordinate- 
 ly feek and defire it? But above all, 
 why fliould we unjuftly grafp at it, 
 and be guilty of Theft or Rapine, 
 Lying or Cheating, or any Injuftice, 
 or Sm for it ? why fliould we facri- 
 fice our Innocence for it, or part e- 
 ven only with a Good Name for it, 
 which Solomon faith (a) is rather to 
 be chofen than great Riches 7 Why 
 fliould we do this, if we were fure of 
 
 (a) Prov* 22. I. 
 
 - g^l^l^g 
 
240 VlmfsDefcam, Book VIII. 
 
 gaining the whole terraqueous Globe, 
 much left do it for a fmall pittance 
 of it, as the bed Empire in the 
 world is ? For as our bleiTed Saviour 
 argues, Matt, \6.i6. What h a man 
 profited^ if he Jhould gain the whole 
 U^orldy and lofe his own Sotdl or 
 what Jh all a man give in exchange 
 for his Soul? 
 
 But paffing over the arguments 
 which Chriftianity fuggefts, let us 
 fee how fome of the Heathen Wri- 
 ters defcant upon this Subjed. Pli- 
 rjy (b) is very pathetical in his Re- 
 flexions, when he had fhewn what 
 little portions of the earth were left 
 for us, and what large trads were 
 rendered (as he thought) ufelefs, the 
 frigid Zones being frozen up with 
 exccflfive Cold, the torrid Zone be- 
 ing burnt up (as the opinion then 
 was) with as exceffive Heat, and o- 
 
 (b) Nat.Hift. L.2. c.(58. ^^ 
 
 ther 
 
chap. J. Pliny'f Defcant. 241 
 
 ther parts drowned by the Sea, Lakes 
 and Rivers, and others covered wich 
 large Woods, Defarts , or barren 
 Mountains : he then exclaims thus^ 
 Ha tot porttones terr£ ^ Sec. i. e. T/oefe 
 little parcels of Land^ which are left 
 for our Habitation, 'yea^ as many have 
 taught^ this Vo'tnt of the World (for 
 no other is the Earth m refpecl of the 
 Un'tverfe) this is the Matter, this the 
 Seat of our Glory : here it is ive hear 
 our Honours • here we exercife our 
 Authority • here we covet Riches ^ here 
 Mankind makes a Buftle ,• here we he" 
 gm our civil fVars, and f often the Earth 
 with mutual Slaughters, And then 
 having {hewn how by Fraud and Vio- 
 lence 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, even 
 to the meafure of his Avarice, what 
 a poor pittance is it that his dead body 
 at laflpoffejjeth? Thus Pliny. And 
 
 R after 
 
242' Stncc^^ s Reflexion. BookVIlI. 
 
 after the fame manner Seneca rtfleds 
 upon the matter (cj^ when he fliews 
 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. Nee enim 
 potejly faith he, ante contemnere por- 
 ticttSy Sec. i. e. A Man can never be 
 able to Jltght the fiately Piazzas, the 
 noble Roofs fhimng with Ivory , the 
 airwufly clipped Woods^ and the plea- 
 fant Rtvukts conveyed to the Houfes^ 
 until he hath furveyed the whole IVorld^ 
 and fpytng from above our little Globe 
 of Earthy covered tn a great me a fur e 
 by the Sea, and where it is not, is far 
 and near fqualidy and either parch- 
 ed ivith Heat or frozen with Cold, he 
 
 (c) Nat. ^uefi. L. i. Pn^f. 
 
 faith 
 
Chap. J. S^n^Qd.'s Reflexion. 243 
 
 faith to htmfelf ^ Is this that Point 
 which by Fire and Sivord is divided a* 
 mongfo many Nations? how ridicpi- 
 lous are the Bounds of Mortals! The 
 Ifter hounds the Dacians, the Strymon 
 the Thracians, Euphrates if^d* Parthi- 
 ans, the Danube parteth the Sarrna-* 
 tians and Romans, the ^\\\nt give^ 
 bounds to Germany, the Pyrenees to 
 France and Spain, and between N.- 
 gypt ^;7J^£thiopia lie the vafl uncul- 
 tivated fandy De farts. If any cotdd 
 give human Under jlandmg to Ants^ 
 would not they too divide their Mole^ 
 hill mto divers Provinces ? And ivhen 
 thou lifteft up thy fclf in thy truly 
 great Province^ andjhaltfee the arm- 
 ed hofls pafling here, and lying therc^ 
 as if fome great matter was to be 
 a6led, eonfider that this is no more 
 than the running ofAnts in aMolehill, 
 For what difference between them and 
 uSy but only the meafuve of a little Body'^ 
 That IS but a Pornt in ivhich thoufail^ 
 
 tl z eJT^ 
 
244 ScneCii's Reflexion. BookVIIf. 
 
 ^ - ■ ------ II J .1 I ^' 
 
 ejt^ in which thou wagejl War^ m which 
 thou difpofefl of Kingdoms, But a- 
 bove there are vafl fpaces^ to whofe 
 poffejjion the Mind is admitted^ pro- 
 vided it brings but little of the Body a^ 
 long with tt^ that it is purged of every 
 vtle thingy and that it is nimble and 
 freey 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 j 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 Jour- 
 ney, from the utmoft Limits of Spain 
 
 to 
 
Chnp. (5. Stntci!s Reflexion, 245- 
 
 to the very Indies-^ whereas the ce« 
 leftial Regions afford a path for the 
 wandering of the fwifteft Star for 30 
 years, without any refiftance j 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 fliall 
 fuffice for this third Inference. 
 
 Chap. VI. 
 
 That we jlootdd afpire after 
 the Heavenly State. 
 
 I shall deduce only one thing more 
 from my preceding View of 
 the Heavens, and that is to afpire af- 
 ter the Heavenly State, to feek the 
 things that are above. We are na- 
 turally pleafed with new things, we 
 take gre^t Pain^, undergo dangerous 
 R 3 Voyages, 
 
246 IVeJhouldafp'ire^ &c. Book VII I. 
 
 Voyages, to view other Countries : 
 with great DeHght we hear of new 
 Diicovcries in the Heavens, and view 
 tliofe glorious Bodies with great Plea- 
 lure through our Glafles. With u'hat 
 Pleafure then fliall departed happy 
 Souls furvey the moft diftant Regions 
 of the Univerfe, and view all thofe 
 oiorious Globes thereof, and their 
 noble Appendages with a nearer 
 View ? Only let us take efpccial care 
 to fit our offtBtons o?i things above ^ 
 to b^fpiritually^ not carnal^ mwded ; 
 nnd (b to run the Race which Cbrtji 
 bath fet before us^ that we may ar- 
 rive to that Place which he hath pre- 
 pared for his fiiithful Servants, that 
 he may receive us unto himjelj\ that 
 'IV here he /.r, we may be alfo ; tn whofe 
 pre fence is ftdnefsofjoy^ andativhofh 
 right hand are pleafures for ever-: 
 wore. 
 
 FINIS. 
 

1 
 
 ■^; 
 

 •^^^'- /...>..Z^ 
 
An Alphabetical 
 
 INDEX 
 
 To the preceding Book. 
 
 jr^LlAN's Opinion of the Exiftence of a 
 
 Alps, their Height ii^ 
 
 Andes • ^^^ 
 Ariftotk's Arguments for God <^7, 220 
 
 Atheifts held monfti-ous by the Heathens 5 
 
 Atheifm unreafonable 2,15 
 Atmofphere's great Ufe 
 Atcradion, its great Ufe 
 
 B. 
 
 180 
 141 
 
 Blood influenced by the Moon 185 
 
 BLu-ning-GlalTes ^^9 
 
 C. 
 
 Centrifugal and Centripetal Force i47>. ^ 3 1 
 
 Qicsio, vid. Tulij. ^ , / 
 
 ' R 4 Cold . 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Cold and Heat, the Caufe of its difference in 
 
 Winter and Summer 93 
 
 Comets, Places of Punifliment 55, 236 
 
 — their Influences 5 4 
 
 Expectations of one 55 
 
 -r the Time when the next will appear 56 
 
 their Orbs 70,235 
 
 the Adjuftraent of their Motion 162 
 
 ' that in 1680, 237 
 
 Computations of the Magnitude of the Univerfe 
 
 both Ancient and Modern 8 
 
 Copernican Syfteme, Prelim. Difc. p. vii. 
 
 irs Reafonablenefs, ibid.x. 
 
 • ObjeAions from Scripture anfwered ibid . 
 
 xxi 
 
 > Objeftions from Senfe anfwered ibid. 
 
 xxxi 
 
 * Objedions from Philofophy anfwered ib. 
 
 Cyitkrre^s (Mr.) Difpute with yix.GnJcoigne 78 
 
 I). 
 
 Day, its Benefit 88 
 
 Death depending on the Moon 18 j 
 
 Diamonds why made angular 129 
 
 Divifion of the Work 6 
 
 E. 
 
 Earth's Magnitude and Meafures 10 
 
 not the Center of the Univerfe 39 
 
 ■ its Diurnal Motion 85,148 
 
 • its Annual Motion 90 
 
 ■ the Benefit of thefc two Motions lying in 
 
 different Paths 91 
 
 its 
 
INDEX. 
 
 its Sphericity 1 14 
 
 the Convenience of that Figure 138 
 
 its Hills and Valleys 117 
 
 its Parts are well laid 135 
 
 its Diameter 148 
 
 its Centrifugal Force and Gravity 14^ 
 
 its due Diftance from and Pofition to the 
 
 Sun iy2 
 
 • it is a Moon to the Moon i8p 
 
 Earthquakes 14^ 
 
 Eclipfes i$S 
 
 F. 
 
 Figure of the Heavenly Bodies 1 1 r 
 
 the Caufe thereof 126, 142 
 
 • it is wifely ordered '126, 128, 137 
 
 Firmament 15,21 
 
 Fixt Stars are Suns 22* 34, i^7 
 
 ' their Magnitude 14 
 
 their Diflance 21,52 
 
 ■ are innumerable 23, 30 
 
 • ^the Author's Obfervation of them 24 
 
 • they have Planets, 3 5 and Prelim. Dife. 
 
 xliii 
 the Author's Obfervations of thofe Pla- 
 nets ibid, xliii 
 are duly and orderly placed 57 
 
 Force Centrifugal and Centripetal 147, 151 
 
 the nice adjuftment of thefe among the 
 
 Planets 15P 
 
 G. 
 
 Galaxy, vid. Milky Way. 
 Galilao^s Experiment which anfwers the Objefti- 
 pns againft Copernicus Prelim. Difc. xxxiii. 
 
 Gajcoigne's 
 3 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Gafcoignes (Mr.) Controverfy with Mr. Crabtrie 
 
 78 
 Glaffes, which are made ufe of by the Author 
 
 Prelim. Difc. [{. 
 
 God's Exiftence collected from the Heavens by 
 
 the Heathens 21^ 
 
 m his Perfeftion and Attributes 227 
 
 his Relation to us, and our Duty 230 
 
 Gravity, its great Ufe 141,155 
 
 • — how to find its Proportion to the Centri- 
 fugal Force 152 
 
 H. 
 
 Heat and Cold in Summer and Winter whence 
 
 Heavens ate Dempnftrations of God to all Na- 
 tions 2 
 
 . their Immenfity 15 
 
 Heavenly Bodies are not Gods 235 
 
 their Number 30 
 
 — their Situation 5 1 
 
 they do not interfere 53 
 
 their Proportionate Diftances 57 
 
 their Motion 63 
 
 their Figure 1 1 1 
 
 Heavenly State 245 
 
 Jeweller's artifice 129 
 
 Jupiter iiMzgrnivd^ 12,198 
 
 ' his Orbit 20 
 
 ^ — his Motion round his Axis 78, ip8 
 
 his Spots 82,130 
 
 his Period 91, 195:, and Prelim. Difc x 
 
 <« what his Belts arc 3 ^ 
 
 . his 
 
INDEX. 
 
 his Ambit, Centrifugal Force and Gra- 
 
 his Lignt ipi 
 
 his Satellites, Days and Seafons ipj 
 
 by whom and when difcovered ipj 
 
 their Magnitudes, Diftance from Jupi- 
 
 ter. Periods and Latitudes py^ 200 
 the Author's Obfervation of the Third 
 
 their Ufes ioq 
 
 his Diflance from the Sun jpj 
 
 L. 
 
 LaEiamius's Argument againfl the Divinity of the 
 
 Heathen Gods 22? 
 
 Light, its Neceflity i^^ 
 
 Magnitude of the Earth 10 
 
 of the other Planets ri 
 
 — • an Error in computing it i a 
 
 — of the Univerfs ^ 
 
 Magnus Or bis a Point ^^ 
 
 its Magnitude jg 
 
 Mars his Magnitude 
 
 ■ -his Orbit 
 
 '. Period 
 
 II 
 14 
 
 91 
 
 his Diurnal Motion 8? 
 
 — his Spots 83,132 
 
 ' ■ his Phafes 1 1, 
 
 whether he hath Satellites 194 
 
 St. Marthas Mountains i ip 
 
 Mercury hath no Satelhtes ip 
 
 ' his 
 
INDEX. 
 
 — his Phafes j 1 3 
 
 — his Magnitude 11 
 
 — his Orbit 20 
 his Period pi, and Prelim. Difc.ix 
 
 Micrometer was invented by Mr. Gafcoigne 78 
 Milky Way 3Z 
 
 ' One caiife of its Whitenefs according t& 
 
 the Author Prelim. Difc. xliv 
 
 Mo lineux (Mr.) Kt^Qxion iqi 
 
 Moon's Magnitude 11 
 
 •'^ the Magnitude of her Orb 17 
 
 '- her Diftance 18 
 
 herUfe 185 
 
 her Influence 184 
 
 her Light, Echpfes, Revolution and La- 
 
 titude 185 
 
 her Phafes 112 
 
 her Mountains and Vallies 115,128, ipo 
 
 how to m^afure them 1 20 
 
 — —hath Seas 128, 1 8p, and Prelim. Difc, 
 
 xlviii 
 
 ' her Appearance foon after the Full, ibid. 
 
 Hi 
 her Atmofphere 129, 180, 189, and 
 
 Prelim. Difc. xlviis 
 
 is habitable PreUm. Difc. liii 
 
 Moons about the Planets 97 
 
 Motions of the Heavenly Bodies 64 
 
 Caufes thereof 66 
 
 •^ accommodated to every Globe 7a 
 
 ' Diurnal 'j6 
 
 of the Sun round his Axis 77 
 
 -o^ Jupiter Si 
 
 *^— Ufes of the Diurnal Motioo S6^ 
 
 — Peri-^ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Periodical of the Primary Planers 8^ 
 the Proportion thereof to their Diftances 
 
 9t 
 — conftant and regular loi 
 
 Mountains very high 117 
 
 N. 
 
 Night, its Benefit 88 
 
 Number of Heavenly Bodies 30 
 
 O. 
 
 Orbs of the Planets 20 
 
 Oyfters fuppofed to be influenced by the Moon 
 
 184 
 P, 
 
 Periacaca Mountains ii2 
 
 Phafes in the Planets 112 
 
 Philolam I % 
 
 Planets inhabited by what Creatures Prelim. Difi. 
 
 liv 
 
 *— their due Diftances, 51, iy6 
 
 •- the Proportion thereof 57>9T^ 
 
 " their Periodick Motion 8^ 
 
 how retained in their Orbs 155 
 
 • ■ they primarily refped the Sun only Pre- 
 
 Urn. Difc. xiv. 
 — - — - they all move round their Axes ib. xvi 
 
 they are Worlds ibid, xlvii. 
 
 Planets Secondary py, ipj 
 
 • their Latitudes 98 
 
 — — • their Ufes 191 
 
 their Order and Periods Prelim* Difc. ix 
 
 Platoi's Proof of God 3, 6j 
 
 Plutarch*s Proof 5 
 
 Poji- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Po/idonmi's Sphtvc •> 104 
 
 Primary Mover 66 
 
 Ptolemakk Syftenie Prelim. Difc. vi 
 
 . it reaches not all the Phsenomena ib. xii 
 
 the Inconveniences of it ib. xiii 
 
 Pythagoraan Syileme ib. vii 
 the Reafonablenefs of it ib. xii 
 
 Q: 
 
 Qnickfilver, why it runs into Globules 142 
 
 R. 
 
 Rapidity of the Heavens Prelim. Difc. xiv 
 
 Reckonings Ancient and Modern concerning the 
 
 Extent of the Univerfe 81 
 
 S. 
 
 i'^mr/i's Magnitude 12,205 
 
 Magnitudeof his Orb 20 
 
 — his Period 91, 194, 20S, and Prelim. Difc. 
 
 X 
 
 • his Satellites 195, 20 j 
 
 • their Size, Diftances, Periods and Lati- 
 tudes 205 
 
 ■ why the fifth Satellite not feen always 
 
 204 
 ' his Diftance from the Sun 202 
 
 his Ring 205 
 
 the Magnitude of the Ring, Diftance, 
 
 Thicknefs, Smoothnefs and Afptits 206, &c. 
 
 the preftnt Appearance of it 209 
 
 is brighter fometiraes than others 210 
 
 the 
 
INDEX. 
 
 • the Inclination of his Axis 211 
 
 his Diurnal Rotation 21a 
 
 Sea purged by the Moon 185 
 
 Senecds pious Reflexions and Arguments againft 
 
 Atheifm 26,224,227 
 
 Shell-fifli fuppofed to be influenced by the Moon 
 
 184 
 Shot how made 142 
 
 Sno-vodon Hill 117 
 
 Stars, vid. Fixt. 
 Stars, New, 44,70,90 
 
 • by whom obferved 42 
 
 ■ the places where they are feen 44 
 
 one now appears 4? 
 
 — what they are 45 
 
 the Author's Obfervations and Opinion 
 
 45, and Prelim. Difc xliii 
 
 - how to be obferved ib. xlvi 
 
 Summer and Winter why differ 93 
 
 Sun's Magnitude 15 
 
 ~ Diftance from the Earth 18 
 
 Horizontal Parallax ibid- 
 
 is a Fixt Star 3 7 
 
 ■ its Spots and Rotation 11 » 9^ 
 
 thought to be Hell 237 
 
 • his Heat P3, 168 
 
 his Diftance in Summer and Winter 9 5 
 
 his Diameter ib. 
 
 Motions in Winter fwifter ib. 
 
 his Ambit, Centrifugal Force and Gra- 
 
 vity 150 
 
 — ■ — he h tlie Center of his Syfteme 171 
 
 his 6\.\t Diftance from, and Pofition to 
 
 rhe Planets 171 
 
 -Station 
 
I iSI D E X. 
 
 ii Station Prelim. Difc. xix, xxViii 
 
 Syfteme of the Heavens ib. vi, xii, \xx\'ii 
 
 ' Sr. Auguflines opinion of them i b. xxi 
 
 new why favoured by the Author ib. xli. 
 
 X 
 
 Tenariffe Pike ll8 
 
 Tides 184 
 
 Tul/y's Argments for God 4, 62 1 74, 104, 107, 
 
 220, 222, 224, 23 1 
 
 Twilight i8i 
 
 V. 
 
 Venus, her Orbit 20 
 
 • her Spots and Rotation 83, 132 
 
 • her Period pi, and Prelim. Difc. x 
 
 her Phafes 112 
 
 her Light ipr 
 
 her Secondary Light jij 
 
 — why fhe hath no Satellites ip^ 
 
 Univerfe, its Extent 3P 
 
 W. 
 
 Waters are well difpofed 134 
 
 Winter Cold from whence 93 
 
 World not to be overvalued 372 
 
 -^ Pliny's Reflexions thereon 240 
 
 ■ Seneca's Reflexions on the fame 242 
 
 a Plurality, of Worlds 40, and Prelim. 
 
 Difc, xlvii 
 
 THE E NT). 
 
DATE DUE 
 
 ' ^ 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 
 -^^0^ 
 
 
 
 
 .\^SI^\ 
 
 ^im- 
 
 
 
 
 ,^:-, 
 
 
 
 IM^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 
 
 
 
 PRINTED IN US A. 
 
iV-L 
 
 
 :J..&