WHen we first enter'd upon this Topic, the demonstration of God's Exi­stence from the Origin and Frame of the World, we offer'd to prove four Proposi­tions.

1. That this present System of Heaven and Earth cannot possibly have subsisted from all Eternity.

2. That Matter consider'd generally, and abstractly from any particular Form and Con­cretion, cannot possibly have been eternal: Or, if Matter could be so; yet Motion can­not have coexisted with it eternally, as an in­herent property and essential attribute of Mat­ter. These two we have already established [Page 4] in the preceding Discourse; we shall now shew in the third place,

3. That, though we should allow the Athe­ists, that Matter and Motion may have been from everlasting; yet if (as they now suppose) there were once no Sun nor Starrs nor Earth nor Planets; but the Particles, that now con­stitute them, were diffused in the mundane Space in manner of a Chaos without any con­cretion and coalition; those dispersed Particles could never of themselves by any kind of Na­tural motion, whether call'd Fortuitous or Me­chanical, have conven'd into this present or any other like Frame of Heaven and Earth.

I. And first as to that ordinary Cant of il­literate and puny Atheists, the fortuitous or ca­sual concourse of Atoms, that compendious and easy Dispatch of the most important and diffi­cult affair, the Formation of a World; (besides that in our next undertaking it will be refuted all along) I shall now briefly dispatch it, from what hath been formerly said concerning the true notions of Fortune and Chance.Serm. V. p. 6, 7. Where­by it is evident, that in the Atheistical Hypo­thesis of the World's production, Fortuitous and Mechanical must be the self-same thing. Because Fortune is no real entity nor physical essence, but a mere relative signification, de­noting [Page 5] only this; That such a thing said to fall out by Fortune, was really effected by material and necessary Causes; but the Per­son, with regard to whom it is called Fortui­tous, was ignorant of those Causes or their tendencies, and did not design nor foresee such an effect. This is the only allowable and genuine notion of the word Fortune. But thus to affirm, that the World was made for­tuitously, is as much as to say, That before the World was made, there was some Intelligent Agent or Spectator; who designing to do something else, or expecting that something else would be done with the Materials of the World, there were some occult and unknown motions and tendencies in Matter, which me­chanically formed the World beside his design or expectation. Now the Atheists, we may presume, will be loth to assert a fortuitous Formation in this proper sense and meaning; whereby they will make Understanding to be older than Heaven and Earth. Or if they should so assert it; yet, unless they will affirm that the Intelligent Agent did dispose and di­rect the inanimate Matter, (which is what we would bring them to) they must still leave their Atoms to their mechanical Affections; not able to make one step toward the pro­duction [Page 6] of a World beyond the necessary Laws of Motion. It is plain then, that Fortune, as to the matter before us, is but a synony­mous word with Nature and Necessity. It remains that we examin the adequate mean­ing of Chance;Serm. V. p. 12, 13. which properly signifies, That all events called Casual, among inanimate Bo­dies, are mechanically and naturally produced according to the determinate figures and tex­tures and motions of those Bodies; with this negation only, That those inanimate Bodies are not conscious of their own operations, nor contrive and cast about how to bring such events to pass. So that thus to say, that the World was made casually by the concourse of Atoms, is no more than to affirm, that the Atoms composed the World mechanically and fatally; only they were not sensible of it, nor studied and consider'd about so noble an undertaking. For if Atoms formed the World according to the essential properties of Bulk, Figure and Motion, they formed it mechanically; and if they formed it mecha­nically without perception and design, they formed it casually. So that this negation of Consciousness being all that the notion of Chance can add to that of Mechanism; We, that do not dispute this matter with the Athe­ists, [Page 7] nor believe that Atoms ever acted by Counsel and Thought, may have leave to consider the several names of Fortune and Chance and Nature and Mechanism, as one and the same Hypothesis. Wherefore once for all to overthrow all possible Explications which Atheists have or may assign for the formation of the World, we will undertake to evince this following Proposition:

II. That the Atoms or Particles which now constitute Heaven and Earth, being once se­parate and diffused in the Mundane Space, like the supposed Chaos, could never without a God by their Mechanical affections have con­vened into this present Frame of Things or any other like it.

Which that we may perform with the greater clearness and conviction; it will be necessary, in a discourse about the Formation of the World, to give you a brief account of some of the most principal and systematical Phaenomena, that occurr in the World now that it is formed.

(1.) The most considerable Phaenomenon belonging to Terrestrial Bodies is the general action of Gravitation, whereby All known Bo­dies in the vicinity of the Earth do tend and press toward its Center; not only such as are [Page 8] sensibly and evidently Heavy, but even those that are comparatively the Lighted, and even in their proper place, and natural Elements, (as they usually speak) as Air gravitates even in Air and Water in Water. This hath been demonstrated and experimentally proved be­yond contradiction, by several ingenious Per­sons of the present Age,Mr. Boyle's Physi­com. Exp. of Air. Hydro­stat. Para­doxes. but by none so per­spicuously and copiously and accurately, as by the Honourable Founder of this Lecture in his incomparable Treatises of the Air and Hydrostaticks.

(2.) Now this is the constant Property of Gravitation; That the weight of all Bodies a­round the Earth is ever proportional to the Quantity of their Matter: As for instance, a Pound weight (examin'd Hydrostatically) of all kinds of Bodies, though of the most dif­ferent forms and textures, doth always con­tain an equal quantity of solid Mass or cor­poreal Substance. This is the ancient Doctrine of the Epicurean Physiology,Lucret. lib. 1. then and since very probably indeed, but yet precariously as­serted: But it is lately demonstrated and put beyond controversy by that very excellent and divine Theorist Mr. Isaac Newton, Newton Philos. Natur. Princ. Math. lib. 3. prop. 6. to whose most admirable sagacity and industry we shall frequently be obliged in this and the follow­ing Discourse.

[Page 9]I will not entertain this Auditory with an account of the Demonstration; but referring the Curious to the Book it self for full satisfacti­on, I shall now proceed and build upon it as a Truth solidly established, That all Bodies weigh according to their Matter; provided only that the compared Bodies be at equal distances from the Center toward which they weigh. Because the further they are removed from the Center, the lighter they are: decreasing gradually and uniformly in weight, in a duplicate proportion to the Increase of the Distance.

(3.) Now since Gravity is found proportio­nal to the Quantity of Matter, there is a ma­nifest Necessity of admitting a Vacuum, ano­ther principal Doctrine of the Atomical Philo­sophy. Because if there were every-where an absolute plenitude and density without any empty pores and interstices between the Parti­cles of Bodies, then all Bodies of equal dimen­sions would contain an equal Quantity of Mat­ter; and consequently, as we have shewed be­fore, would be equally ponderous: so that Gold, Copper, Stone, Wood, &c. would have all the same specifick weight; which Experi­ence assures us they have not: neither would any of them descend in the Air, as we all see they do; because, if all Space was Full, even the Air would be as dense and specifically as [Page 10] heavy as they. If it be said, that, though the difference of specifick Gravity may proceed from variety of Texture, the lighter Bodies being of a more loose and porous compositi­on, and the heavier more dense and compact; yet an aethereal subtile Matter, which is in a perpetual motion, may penetrate and pervade the minutest and inmost Cavities of the closest Bodies, and adapting it self to the figure of e­very Pore, may adequately fill them; and so prevent all Vacuity, without increasing the weight: To this we answer; That that subtile Matter it self must be of the same Substance and Nature with all other Matter, and there­fore It also must weigh proportionally to its Bulk; and as much of it as at any time is com­prehended within the Pores of a particular Bo­dy must gravitate jointly with that Body: so that if the Presence of this aethereal Matter made an absolute Fullness, all Bodies of equal dimensions would be equally heavy: which being refuted by experience, it necessarily fol­lows, that there is a Vacuity; and that (not­withstanding some little objections full of ca­vil and sophistry) mere and simple Extension or Space hath a quite different nature and no­tion from real Body and impenetrable Sub­stance.

[Page 11](4.) This therefore being established; in the next place it's of great consequence to our pre­sent enquiry, if we can make a computation, How great is the whole Summ of the Void spa­ces in our system, and what proportion it bears to the corporeal substance.Mr. Boyle of Air and Porosity of Bodies. By many and ac­curate Trials it manifestly appears, that Refined Gold, the most ponderous of known Bodies, (though even that must be allowed to be po­rous too, being dissoluble in Mercury and Aqua Regis and other Chymical Liquors; and being naturally a thing impossible, that the Figures and Sizes of its constituent Particles should be so justly adapted, as to touch one another in every Point,) I say, Gold is in specifick weight to common Water as 19 to 1; and Water to common Air as 850 to 1: so that Gold is to Air as 16150 to 1. Whence it clearly appears, seeing Matter and Gravity are always commen­surate, that (though we should allow the tex­ture of Gold to be intirely close without any vacuity) the ordinary Air in which we live and respire is of so thin a composition, that 16149 parts of its dimensions are mere emptiness and Nothing; and the remaining One only mate­rial and real substance. But if Gold it self be admitted, as it must be, for a porous Concrete, the proportion of Void to Body in the texture of common Air will be so much the greater. [Page 12] And thus it is in the lowest and densest region of the Air near the surface of the Earth, where the whole Mass of Air is in a state of violent compression, the inferior being press'd and constipated by the weight of all the incum­bent.Mr. Boyle ibid. But, since the Air is now certainly known to consist of elastick or springy Particles, that have a continual tendency and endeavour to expand and display themselves; and the di­mensions, to which they expand themselves, to be reciprocally as the Compression; it follows, that the higher you ascend in it, where it is less and less compress'd by the superior Air, the more and more it is rarefied. So that at the hight of a few miles from the surface of the Earth, it is computed to have some million parts of empty space in its texture for one of solid Matter. And at the hight of one Terre­strial Semid.Newton Philos. Nat. Prin­cipia. Math. p. 503. (not above 4000 miles) the Aether is of that wonderfull tenuity, that by an ex­act calculation, if a small Sphere of common Air of one Inch Diameter (already 16149 parts Nothing) should be further expanded to the thinness of that Aether, it would more than take up the Vast Orb of Saturn, which is many million million times bigger than the whole Globe of the Earth. And yet the higher you ascend above that region, the Rarefaction still gradually increases without stop or limit: so [Page 13] that, in a word, the whole Concave of the Fir­mament, except the Sun and Planets and their Atmospheres, may be consider'd as a mere Void. Let us allow then, that all the Matter of the System of our Sun may be 50000 times as much as the whole Mass of the Earth; and we appeal to Astronomy, if we are not liberal enough and even prodigal in this concession. And let us suppose further, that the whole Globe of the Earth is intirely solid and compact with­out any void interstices; notwithstanding what hath been shewed before, as to the texture of Gold it self. Now though we have made such ample allowances; we shall find, notwithstand­ing, that the void Space of our System is im­mensly bigger than all its corporeal Mass. For, to proceed upon our supposition, that all the Matter within the Firmament is 50000 times bigger than the solid Globe of the Earth; if we assume the Diameter of the Orbis Magnus (wherein the Earth moves about the Sun) to be only 7000 times as big as the Diameter of the Earth (though the latest and most accurate Observations make it thrice 7000) and the Diameter of the Firmament to be only 100000 times as long as the Diameter of the Orbis Mag­nus (though it cannot possibly be less than that, but may be vastly and unspeakably bigger) we must pronounce, after such large concessions [Page 14] on that side and such great abatements on ours, That the Summ of Empty Spaces within the Concave of the Firmament is 6860 million million million times bigger than All the Mat­ter contain'd in it.

Now from hence we are enabled to form a right conception and imagination of the sup­posed Chaos; and then we may proceed to determin the controversy with more certainty and satisfaction; whether a World like the Present could possibly without a Divine Influ­ence be formed in it or no?

(1.) And first, because every Fixt Star is sup­posed by Astronomers to be of the same Na­ture with our Sun; and each may very possi­bly have Planets about them, though by rea­son of their vast distance they be invisible to Us: we will assume this reasonable supposition, That the same proportion of Void Space to Matter, which is found in our Sun's Region within the Sphere of the Fixt Starrs, may com­petently well hold in the whole Mundane Space. I am aware, that in this computation we must not assign the whole Capacity of that Sphere for the Region of our Sun; but allow half of its Diameter for the Radii of the several Regi­ons of the next Fixt Starrs. So that diminish­ing our former number, as this last considera­tion requires; we may safely affirm from cer­tain [Page 15] and demonstrated Principles, That the empty Space of our Solar Region (compre­hending half of the Diameter of the Firma­ment) is 8575 hundred thousand million mil­lion times more ample than all the corporeal substance in it. And we may fairly suppose, that the same proportion may hold through the whole Extent of the Universe.

(2.) And secondly as to the state or condition of Matter before the World was a-making, which is compendiously exprest by the word Chaos; they must suppose, that either All the Matter of our System was evenly or well-nigh evenly diffused through the Region of the Sun, this would represent a particular Chaos: or All Matter universally so spread through the whole Mundane Space; which would truly exhibit a General Chaos; no part of the Uni­verse being rarer or denser than another. Which is agreeable to the ancient Description of it, That *Diod. Sicul. lib. 1. [...]. Apoll. Rho­dius lib. 1. [...]. the Hea­vens and Earth had [...], one form, one texture and constitution: which could not be, unless all the Mundane Matter were uniformly and evenly diffused. 'Tis indifferent to our Dispute, whether they suppose it to have continued a long time or very little in the state of Diffusion. For if [Page 16] there was but one single Moment in all past Eternity, when Matter was so diffused: we shall plainly and fully prove, that it could ne­ver have convened afterwards into the present Frame and Order of Things.

(3.) It is evident from what we have newly proved, that in the Supposition of such a Chaos or such an even diffusion either of the whole Mundane Matter or that of our System (for it matters not which they assume) every sin­gle Particle would have a Sphere of Void Space around it 8575 hundred thousand million mil­lion times bigger than the dimensions of that Particle. Nay further, though the proportion already appear so immense; yet every single Particle would really be surrounded with a Void sphere Eight times as capacious as that newly mention'd; its Diameter being com­pounded of the Diameter of the Proper sphere, and the Semi-diameters of the contiguous Spheres of the neighbouring Particles. From whence it appears, that every Particle (supposing them globular or not very oblong) would be above Nine Million times their own length from any other Particle. And moreover in the whole Surface of this Void sphere there can only Twelve Particles be evenly placed (as the Hypothesis requires) that is, at equal Distances from the Central one and each other. So that [Page 17] if the Matter of our System or of the Universe was equally dispersed, like the supposed Chaos; the result and issue would be, not only that every Atom would be many Million times its own length distant from any other: but if a­ny One should be moved Mechanically (with­out direction or attraction) to the limit of that distance; 'tis above a hundred million milli­ons Odds to an unit, that it would not strike upon any other Atom, but glide through an empty interval without any contact.

(4.) 'Tis true, that while I calculate these Measures, I suppose all the Particles of Matter to be at absolute rest among themselves, and situated in an exact and mathematical even­ness; neither of which is likely to be allowed by our Adversaries, who not admitting the former, but asserting the eternity of Motion, will consequently deny the latter also: because in the very moment that Motion is admitted in the Chaos, such an exact evenness cannot possibly be preserved. But this I do, not to draw any argument against them from the Universal Rest or accurately equal diffusion of Matter; but only that I may better demon­strate the great Rarity and Tenuity of their imaginary Chaos, and reduce it to computa­tion. Which computation will hold with ex­actness enough, though we allow the Parti­cles [Page 18] of the Chaos to be variously moved, and to differ something in size and figure and situ­ation. For if some Particles should approach nearer each other than in the former Propor­tion; with respect to some other Particles they would be as much remoter. So that notwith­standing a small diversity of their Positions and Distances, the whole Aggregate of Matter, as long as it retain'd the name and nature of Chaos, would retain well-nigh an uniform te­nuity of Texture, and may be consider'd as an homogeneous Fluid. As several Portions of the same sort of Water are reckon'd to be of the same specifick gravity; though it be naturally impossible that every Particle and Pore of it, consider'd Geometrically, should have equal sizes and dimensions.

We have now represented the true scheme and condition of the Chaos; how all the Par­ticles would be disunited; and what vast inter­vals of empty Space would lye between each. To form a System therefore, 'tis necessary that these squander'd Atoms should convene and unite into great and compact Masses, like the Bodies of the Earth and Planets. Without such a coalition the diffused Chaos must have con­tinued and reign'd to all eternity. But how could Particles so widely dispersed combine into that closeness of Texture? Our Adversa­ries [Page 19] can have only these two ways of account­ing for it. Either by the Common Motion of Matter, proceeding from external Impulse and Conflict (without attraction) by which every Body moves uniformly in a direct line accord­ing to the determination of the impelling force. For, they may say, the Atoms of the Chaos be­ing variously moved according to this catho­lic Law, must needs knock and interfere; by which means some that have convenient fi­gures for mutual coherence might chance to stick together, and others might join to those, and so by degrees such huge Masses might be formed, as afterwards became Suns and Pla­nets: or there might arise some vertiginous Motions or Whirlpools in the Matter of the Chaos; whereby the Atoms might be thrust and crowded to the middle of those Whirl­pools, and there constipate one another into great solid Globes, such as now appear in the World. Or secondly by mutual Gravitation or Attraction. For they may assert, that Mat­ter hath inherently and essentially such an in­trinseck energy, whereby it incessantly tends to unite it self to all other Matter: so that se­veral Particles placed in a Void space at any di­stance whatsoever would without any external impulse spontaneously convene and unite to­gether. And thus the Atoms of the Chaos, [Page 20] though never so widely diffused, might by this innate property of Attraction soon assemble themselves into great sphaerical Masses, and constitute Systems like the present Heaven and Earth. This is all that can be proposed by Atheists, as an efficient cause of a World. For as to the Epicurean Theory, of Atoms descend­ing down an infinite space by an inherent prin­ciple of Gravitation, which tends not toward other Matter, but toward a Vacuum or Nothing; and verging from the Perpendicular Lucret. Nec regi­one loci certa, nec tempore certo. no body knows why nor when nor where; 'tis such misera­ble absurd stuff, so repugnant to it self, and so contrary to the known Phaenomena of Nature (yet it contented supine unthinking Atheists for a thousand years together) that we will not now honour it with a special refutation. But what it hath common with the other Explica­tions, we will fully confute together with Them in these three Propositions.

(1.) That by Common Motion (without attraction) the dissever'd Particles of the Chaos could never make the World; could never convene into such great compact Masses, as the Planets now are; nor either acquire or conti­nue such Motions, as the Planets now have.

(2.) That such a mutual Gravitation or spon­taneous Attraction can neither be inherent and essential to Matter; nor ever supervene to it, [Page 21] unless impress'd and infused into it by a Di­vine Power.

(3.) That though we should allow such At­traction to be natural and essential to all Mat­ter; yet the Atoms of a Chaos could never so convene by it, as to form the present System: or if they could form it, it could neither ac­quire such Motions, nor continue permanent in this state, without the Power and Provi­dence of a Divine Being.

I. And first, that by Common Motion the Matter of Chaos could never convene into such Masses, as the Planets now are. Any man, that considers the spacious void Intervals of the Chaos, how immense they are in propor­tion to the bulk of the Atoms, will hardly in­duce himself to believe, that Particles so wide­ly disseminated could ever throng and crowd one another into a close and compact texture. He will rather conclude, that those few that should happen to clash, might rebound after the collision; or if they cohered, yet by the next conflict with other Atoms might be se­parated again, and so on in an eternal vicissi­tude of Fast and Loose, without ever conso­ciating into the huge condense Bodies of Pla­nets; some of whose Particles upon this sup­position must have travell'd many millions of Leagues through the gloomy regions of Cha­os, [Page 22] to place themselves where they now are. But then how rarely would there be any clash­ing at all? how very rarely in comparison to the number of Atoms? The whole multitude of them, generally speaking, might freely move and rove for ever with very little occurring or interfering. Let us conceive two of the nearest Particles according to our former Calculation; or rather let us try the same proportions in a­nother Example, that will come easier to the Imagination. Let us suppose two Ships, fit­ted with durable Timber and Rigging, but without Pilot or Mariners, to be placed in the vast Atlantick or the Pacifique Ocean, as far a­sunder as may be. How many thousand years might expire, before those solitary Vessels should happen to strike one against the other? But let us imagin the Space yet more ample, even the whole face of the Earth to be covered with Sea, and the two Ships to be placed in the op­posite Poles: might not they now move long enough without any danger of clashing? And yet I find, that the two nearest Atoms in our evenly diffused Chaos have ten thousand times less proportion to the two Void circular Planes around them, than our two Ships would have to the whole Surface of the Deluge. Let us assume then another Deluge ten thousand times larger than Noah's. Is it not now utterly in­credible, [Page 23] that our two Vessels, placed there An­tipodes to each other, should ever happen to concur? And yet let me add, that the Ships would move in one and the same Surface; and consequently must needs encounter, when they either advance towards one another in direct lines, or meet in the intersection of cross ones; but the Atoms may not only fly side-ways, but over likewise and under each other: which makes it many million times more improbable, that they should interfere than the Ships, even in the last and unlikeliest instance. But they may say, Though the Odds indeed be unspeakable that the Atoms do not convene in any set num­ber of Trials, yet in an infinite Succession of them may not such a Combination possibly happen? But let them consider, that the im­probability of Casual Hits is never diminished by repetition of Trials; they are as unlikely to fall out at the Thousandth as at the First. So that in a matter of mere Chance,Serm. V. p. 32. when there is so many Millions odds against any assign­able Experiment; 'tis in vain to expect it should ever succeed, even in endless Duration.

But though we should concede it to be sim­ply possible, that the Matter of Chaos might convene into great Masses, like Planets: yet it's absolutely impossible, that those Masses should acquire such revolutions about the Sun. Let [Page 24] us suppose any one of those Masses to be the Present Earth. Now the annual Revolution of the Earth must proceed (in this Hypothesis) ei­ther from the Summ and Result of the several motions of all the Particles that formed the Earth, or from a new Impulse from some ex­ternal Matter, after it was formed. The former is apparently absurd, because the Particles that form'd the round Earth must needs convene from all points and quarters toward the mid­dle, and would generally tend toward its Cen­ter; which would make the whole Compound to rest in a Poise: or at least that overplus of Motion, which the Particles of one Hemisphere could have above the other, would be very small and inconsiderable; too feeble and lan­guid to propell so vast and ponderous a Body with that prodigious velocity. And secondly, 'tis impossible, that any external Matter should impell that compound Mass, after it was form­ed. 'Tis manifest, that nothing else could im­pell it, unless the Aethereal Matter be supposed to be carried about the Sun like a Vortex or Whirlpool, as a Vehicle to convey It and the rest of the Planets. But this is refuted from what we have shewn above, that those Spaces of the Aether may be reckon'd a mere Void, the whole Quantity of their Matter scarce amount­ing to the weight of a Grain. 'Tis refuted also [Page 25] from Matter of Fact in the Motion of Comets; which, as often as they are visible to Us,Newton ibidem p. 480. are in the Region of our Planets; and there are ob­served to move, some in quite contrary cour­ses to Theirs, and some in cross and oblique ones, in Planes inclined to the Plane of the Eclip­tick in all kinds of Angles: which firmly evin­ces, that the Regions of the Aether are empty and free, and neither resist nor assist the Revo­lutions of Planets. But moreover there could not possibly arise in the Chaos any Vortices or Whirlpools at all; either to form the Globes of the Planets, or to revolve them when form­ed. 'Tis acknowledged by all, that inanimate unactive Matter moves always in a streight Line, nor ever reflects in an Angle, nor bends in a Circle (which is a continual reflexion) un­less either by some external Impulse, that may divert it from the direct motion, or by an in­trinsec Principle of Gravity or Attraction, that may make it describe a curve line about the attracting Body. But this latter Cause is not now supposed: and the former could never beget Whirlpools in a Chaos of so great a Laxi­ty and Thinness. For 'tis matter of certain ex­perience and universally allowed, that all Bo­dies moved circularly have a perpetual endea­vour to recede from the Center, and every mo­ment would fly out in right Lines, if they were [Page 26] not violently restrain'd and kept in by contigu­ous Matter. But there is no such restraint in a Chaos, no want of empty room there; no pos­sibility of effecting one single Revolution in way of a Vortex, which necessarily requires ei­ther an absolute Fulness of Matter, or a pretty close Constipation and mutual Contact of its Particles.

And for the same reason 'tis evident, that the Planets could not continue their Revolutions a­bout the Sun; though they could possibly ac­quire them. For to drive and carry the Planets in such Orbs as they now describe, that Aethe­real Matter must be compact and dense, as dense as the very Planets themselves: other­wise they would certainly fly out in Spiral Lines to the very circumference of the Vortex. But we have often inculcated, that the wide Tracts of the Aether may be reputed as a mere extended Void. So that there is nothing (in this Hypothesis) that can retain and bind the Pla­nets in their Orbs for one single moment; but they would immediately desert them and the neighbourhood of the Sun, and vanish away in Tangents to their several Circles into the Abyss of Mundane Space.

II. Secondly we affirm, that mutual Gravi­tation or spontaneous Attraction cannot possi­bly be innate and essential to Matter. By At­traction [Page 27] we do not here understand what is im­properly, though vulgarly, called so, in the ope­rations of drawing, sucking, pumping, &c. which is really Pulsion and Trusion; and belongs to that Common Motion, which we have already shewn to be insufficient for the formation of a World. But we now mean (as we have ex­plain'd it before) such a power and quality, whereby all parcels of Matter would mutually attract or mutually tend and press to all others; so that (for instance) two distant Atoms in va­cuo would spontaneously convene together without the impulse of external Bodies. Now we say, if our Atheists suppose this power to be inherent and essential to Matter; they over­throw their own Hypothesis: there could ne­ver be a Chaos at all upon these terms, but the present form of our System must have continu­ed from all Eternity; against their own Sup­position, and what we have proved in our Last.Vide Serm. VI. & Serm. VIII. For if they affirm, that there might be a Chaos notwithstanding innate Gravity; then let them assign any Period though never so remote, when the diffused Matter might convene. They must confess, that before that assigned Period Matter had existed eternally, insepara­bly endued with this principle of Attraction; and yet had never attracted nor convened be­fore, during that infinite duration: which is [Page 28] so monstrous an absurdity, as even They will blush to be charged with. But some perhaps may imagin, that a former System might be dissolved and reduced to a Chaos, from which the present System might have its Origi­nal, as that Former had from another, and so on: new Systems having grown out of old ones in infinite Vicissitudes from all past eterni­ty. But we say, that in the Supposition of in­nate Gravity no System at all could be dissol­ved. For how is it possible, that the Matter of solid Masses like Earth and Planets and Starrs should fly up from their Centers against its in­herent principle of mutual Attraction, and dif­fuse it self in a Chaos? This is absurder than the other: That only supposed innate Gravity not to be exerted; This makes it to be defeated, and to act contrary to its own Nature. So that upon all accounts this essential power of Gra­vitation or Attraction is irreconcilable with the Atheist's own Doctrine of a Chaos. And se­condly 'tis repugnant to Common Sense and Reason. 'Tis utterly unconceivable, that inani­mate brute Matter (without the mediation of some Immaterial Being) should operate upon and affect other Matter without mutual Con­tact; that distant Bodies should act upon each other through a Vacuum without the interven­tion of something else by and through which [Page 29] the action may be conveyed from one to the other. We will not obscure and perplex with multitude of words, what is so clear and evi­dent by its own light, and must needs be allow­ed by all, that have any competent use of Think­ing, and are initiated into, I do not say the My­steries, but the plainest Principles of Philosophy. Now mutual Gravitation or Attraction (in our present acception of the Words) is the same thing with This; 'tis an operation or vertue or influence of distant Bodies upon each other through an empty Interval, without any Efflu­via or Exhalations or other corporeal Medium to convey and transmit it. This Power there­fore cannot be innate and essential to Matter. And if it be not essential; it is consequently most manifest (seeing it doth not depend upon Motion or Rest or Figure or Position of Parts, which are all the ways that Matter can diver­sify it self) that it could never supervene to it, unless impress'd and infused into it by an im­material and divine Power.

We have proved, that a Power of mutual Gravitation, without contact or impulse, can in no-wise be attributed to mere Matter: or if it could; we shall presently shew, that it would be wholly unable to form the World out of Chaos. But by the way; what if it be made appear, that there is really such a Power of [Page 30] Gravity perpetually acting in the constitution of the present System? This would be a new and invincible Argument for the Being of God: being a direct and positive proof, that an im­material living Mind doth inform and actuate the dead Matter, and support the Frame of the World. I will lay before you some certain Phaenomena of Nature; and leave it to your consideration from what Principle they can proceed. 'Tis demonstrated, That the Sun, Moon and all the Planets do reciprocally gra­vitate one toward another: that the Gravita­ting power of each of These is exactly propor­tional to their Matter, and arises from the seve­ral Gravitations or Attractions of every indi­vidual Particle that compose the whole Mass: that all Matter near the Surface of the Earth, for example, doth not only gravitate down­wards, but upwards also and side-ways and to­ward all imaginable Points; though the Ten­dency downwards be praedominant and alone discernible, because of the Greatness and Near­ness of the attracting Body, the Earth: that e­very Particle of the whole System doth attract and is attracted by all the rest, All operating upon All: that this Ʋniversal Attraction or Gra­vitation is an incessant, regular and uniform Action by certain and established Laws accord­ing to Quantity of Matter and Longitude of [Page 31] Distance: that it cannot be destroyed nor im­pair'd nor augmented by any thing, neither by Motion nor Rest, nor Situation nor Posture, nor alteration of Form, nor diversity of Me­dium: that it is not a Magnetical Power, nor the effect of a Vortical Motion; those com­mon attempts toward the Explication of Gra­vity: These things, I say,Newton Philoso­phiae Na­turalis Princ. Math. lib. III. are fully demonstra­ted, as matters of Fact, by that very ingenious Author, whom we cited before. Now how is it possible that these things should be effected by any Material and Mechanical Agent? We have evinced, that mere Matter cannot operate upon Matter without mutual Contact. It re­mains then, that these Phaenomena are produced either by the intervention of Air or Aether or o­ther such medium, that communicates the Im­pulse from one Body to another; or by Efflu­via and Spirits that are emitted from the one, and pervene to the other. We can conceive no other way of performing them Mechani­cally. But what impulse or agitation can be propagated through the Aether from one Parti­cle entombed and wedged in the very Cen­ter of the Earth to another in the Center of Sa­turn? Yet even those two Particles do recipro­cally affect each other with the same force and vigour, as they would do at the same distance in any other Situation imaginable. And because [Page 32] the Impulse from this Particle is not directed to That only; but to all the rest in the Uni­verse, to all quatters and regions, at once in­variably and incessantly: to do this mechani­cally; the same physical Point of Matter must move all manner of ways equally and constant­ly in the same instant and moment; which is flatly impossible. But if this Particle cannot pro­pagate Motion; much less can it send out Efflu­via to all points without intermission or varia­tion; such multitudes of Effluvia as to lay hold on every Atom in the Universe without missing of one. Nay every single Particle of the very Effluvia (seeing they also attract and gravitate) must in this Supposition emit other secondary Effluvia all the World over; and those others still emit more, and so in infinitum. Now if these things be repugnant to human reason; we have great reason to affirm, That Univer­sal Gravitation, a thing certainly existent in Na­ture, is above all Mechanism and material Cau­ses, and proceeds from a higher principle, a Divine energy and impression.

III. Thirdly we affirm; That, though we should allow, that reciprocal Attraction is essen­tial to Matter; yet the Atoms of a Chaos could never so convene by it, as to form the present System; or if they could form it, yet it could neither acquire these Revolutions, nor subsist [Page 33] in the present condition, without the Conser­vation and Providence of a Divine Being.

(1.) For first, if the Matter of the Universe, and consequently the Space through which it's diffu­sed, be supposed to be Finite (and I think it might be demonstrated to be so; but that we have al­ready exceeded the just measures of a Sermon) then, since every single Particle hath an innate Gravitation toward all others, proportionated by Matter and Distance: it evidently appears, that the outward Atoms of the Chaos would necessa­rily tend inwards and descend from all quarters toward the Middle of the whole Space (for in re­spect to every Atom there would lie through the Middle the greatest quantity of Matter and the most vigorous Attraction) and would there form and constitute one huge sphaerical Mass; which would be the only Body in the Universe. It is plain therefore, that upon this Supposition the Matter of the Chaos could never compose such divided and different Masses, as the Starrs and Planets of the present World.

But allowing our Adversaries, that The Pla­nets might be composed: yet however they could not possibly acquire such Revolutions in Circu­lar Orbs, or (which is all one to our present pur­pose) in Ellipses very little Eccentric. For let them assign any place where the Planets were formed. Was it nearer to the Sun, than the present distan­ces are? But that is notoriously absurd: for then [Page 34] they must have ascended from the place of their Formation, against the essential property of mu­tual Attraction. Or were each formed in the same Orbs, in which they now move? But then they must have moved from the Point of Rest, in an horizontal Line without any inclination or de­scent. Now there is no natural Cause, neither Innate Gravity nor Impulse of external Matter, that could beget such a Motion. For Gravity a­lone must have carried them downwards to the Vicinity of the Sun. And that the ambient Aether is too liquid and empty, to impell them horizon­tally with that prodigious celerity, we have suffi­ciently proved before. Or were they made in some higher regions of the Heavens; and from thence descended by their essential Gravity, till they all arrived at their respective Orbs; each with its pre­sent degree of Velocity, acquired by the fall? But then why did they not continue their descent, till they were contiguous to the Sun; whither both Mutual Attraction and Impetus carried them? What natural Agent could turn them aside, could impell them so strongly with a transverse Side-blow against that tremendous Weight and Ra­pidity, when whole Worlds are a falling? But though we should suppose, that by some cross attraction or other they might acquire an obli­quity of descent, so as to miss the body of the Sun, and to fall on one side of it: then indeed the force of their Fall would carry them quite [Page 35] beyond it; and so they might fetch a com­pass about it, and then return and ascend by the same steps and degrees of Motion and Ve­locity, with which they descended before. Such an eccentric Motion as this, much after the manner that Comets revolve about the Sun, they might possibly acquire by their innate principle of Gravity: but circular Revolutions in concen­tric Orbs about the Sun or other central Body could in no-wise be attain'd without the power of the Divine Arm. For the Case of the Plane­tary Motions is this. Let us conceive all the Pla­nets to be formed or constituted with their Cen­ters in their several Orbs; and at once to be im­press'd on them this Gravitating Energy toward all other Matter, and a transverse Impulse of a just quantity in each, projecting them directly in Tangents to those Orbs. The Compound Motion, which arises from this Gravitation and Projection together, describes the present Revo­lutions of the Primary Planets about the Sun, and of the Secondary about Those: the Gravity pro­hibiting, that they cannot recede from the Cen­ters of their Motions; and the transverse Impulse with-holding, that they cannot approach to them. Now although Gravity could be innate (which we have proved that it cannot be) yet certainly this projected, this transverse and violent Motion can only be ascribed to the Right hand of the most high God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

[Page 36]But finally, though we grant, that these Circu­lar Revolutions could be naturally attained; or, if they will, that this very individual World in its present posture and motion was actually form­ed out of Chaos by Mechanical Causes: yet it requires a Divine Power and Providence to have conserved it so long in the present state and con­dition. We have shewed, that there is a Trans­verse Impulse impress'd upon the Planets, which retains them in their several Orbs, that they be not drawn down by their gravitating Powers to­ward the Sun or other central Bodies. Gravity we understand to be a constant Energy or Facul­ty (which God hath infused into Matter) perpe­tually acting by certain Measures and (naturally) inviolable Laws; I say, a Faculty and Power: for we cannot conceive that the Act of Gravitation of this present Moment can propagate it self or produce that of the next. But 'tis otherwise as to the Transverse Motion; which (by reason of the Inactivity of Matter and its inability to change its present State either of Moving or Resting) would from one single Impulse continue for ever equal and uniform, unless changed by the resi­stence of occurring Bodies or by a Gravitating Power; so that the Planets, since they move Ho­rizontally (whereby Gravity doth not affect their swiftness) and through the liquid and unresisting Spaces of the Heavens (where either no Bo­dies at all or inconsiderable ones do occur) may [Page 37] preserve the same Velocity which the first Impulse imprest upon them, not only for five or six thou­sand years, but many Millions of Millions. It appears then, that if there was but One Vast Sun in the Universe, and all the rest were Planets, re­volving around him in Concentric Orbs, at con­venient Distances: such a System as that would very long endure; could it but naturally have a Principle of Mutual Attraction, and be once actu­ally put into Circular Motions. But the Frame of the present World hath a quite different struc­ture: here's an innumerable multitude of Fixt Starrs or Suns; all of which are demonstrated (and supposed also by our Adversaries) to have Mutual Attraction: or if they have not; even Not to have it is an equal Proof of a Divine Be­ing, that hath so arbitrarily indued Matter with a Power of Gravity not essential to it, and hath confined its action to the Matter of its own So­lar System: I say, all the Fixt Starrs have a prin­ciple of mutual Gravitation; and yet they are neither revolved about a common Center, nor have any Transverse Impulse nor any thing else to restrain them from approaching toward each other, as their Gravitating Powers incite them. Now what Natural Cause can overcome Nature it self? What is it that holds and keeps them in fixed Stations and Intervals against an incessant and inherent Tendency to desert them? Nothing could hinder, but that the Outward Starrs with [Page 38] their Systems of Planets must necessarily have descended toward the middlemost System of the Universe, whither all would be the most strongly attracted from all parts of a Finite Space. It is evident therefore that the present Frame of Sun and Fixt Starrs could not possibly subsist without the Providence of that almighty Deity, who spake the word and they were made, Psal. 148. who commanded and they were created; who hath made them Fast for ever and ever, and hath given them a Law, which shall not be broken.

(2.) And secondly in the Supposition of an in­finite Chaos, 'tis hard indeed to determin, what would follow in this imaginary Case from an in­nate Principle of Gravity. But to hasten to a conclusion, we will grant for the present, that the diffused Matter might convene into an infinite Number of great Masses at great distances from one another, like the Starrs and Planets of this visible part of the World. But then it is impossi­ble, that the Planets should naturally attain these circular Revolutions, either by intrinsec Gravita­tion or the impulse of ambient Bodies. It is plain, here is no difference as to this; whether the World be Infinite or Finite: so that the same Ar­guments that we have used before, may be equal­ly urged in this Supposition. And though we should concede, that these Revolutions might be acquired, and that all were settled and constitu­ted in the present State and Posture of Things; [Page 39] yet, we say, the continuance of this Frame and Or­der for so long a duration as the known ages of the World must necessarily infer the Existence of God. For though the Universe was Infinite, the Fixt Starrs could not be fixed, but would natural­ly convene together, and confound System with System: for, all mutually attracting, every one would move whither it was most powerfully drawn. This, they may say, is indubitable in the case of a Finite World, where some Systems must needs be Outmost, and therefore be drawn to­ward the Middle: but when Infinite Systems suc­ceed one another through an Infinite Space, and none is either inward or outward; may not all the Systems be situated in an accurate Poise; and, because equally attracted on all sides, remain fix­ed and unmoved? But to this we reply; That un­less the very mathematical Center of Gravity of every System be placed and fixed in the very ma­thematical Center of the Attractive Power of all the rest; they cannot be evenly attracted on all sides, but must preponderate some way or other. Now he that considers, what a mathematical Cen­ter is, and that Quantity is infinitly divisible; will never be persuaded, that such an Universal Equi­librium arising from the coincidence of Infinite Centers can naturally be acquired or maintain'd. If they say; that upon the Supposition of Infinite Matter, every System would be infinitly, and therefore equally attracted on all sides; and con­sequently [Page 40] would rest in an exact Equilibrium, be the Center of its Gravity in what Position soever: This will overthrow their very Hypothesis; at this rate in an infinite Chaos nothing at all could be formed; no Particles could convene by mu­tual Attraction; for every one there must have Infinite Matter around it, and therefore must rest for ever being evenly balanced between Infinite Attractions. Even the Planets upon this principle must gravitate no more toward the Sun, than a­ny other way: so that they would not revolve in curve Lines, but fly away in direct Tangents, till they struck against other Planets or Starrs in some remote regions of the Infinite Space. An e­qual Attraction on all sides of all Matter is just equal to no Attraction at all: and by this means all the Motion in the Universe must proceed from external Impulse alone; which we have proved before to be an incompetent Cause for the Formation of a World.

And now, O thou almighty and eternal Crea­tor, having consider'd the Heavens the work of thy fingers, Psal. 8. the Moon and the Starrs which thou hast or­dained, with all the company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee and saying; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most High.