of the Bounds or Limits of fomething? The Reafons produced by true Mathematicians, to fhew that a Point is without Parts and Magnitude, may be found by thofe that are unexperienced in thefe Studies, (and who are therefore fhock'd at this fiertion,) elfewhere, this not being the proper place for it, it being fufficient for our purpose to have prov'd the Truth of Fcb's Words, and fo far to have confider'd the Nature of Gravity, as to fhew, that it is impoffible for any one to afcribe it to Chance or to Ignorant Laws of Nature; becaufe if any Man can imagine that a Body being fucceffively put into numberlefs places all round the Earth, can always move itself by numberless different ways to its only Centre by meer Chance, or without the direction of a wife Being, he must be deplorably blind. It ought therefore to be imputed to the Will and Power of GOD only, efpecially, fince no Man hitherto has been able to affign any other fatisfactory Caufe: infomuch, that after all the Difputes and Cavilling about it, the greatest Modern Mathematicians and Enquirers into Nature have been forced to come to this Conclufion, that Gravity is a general Law, and as old as the World itfelf; and that God was pleafed to ftamp it upon Matter in the Beginning; and, that therefore we ought no more to ask how it comes to pafs, that all Bodies gravitate, that how it happens, how they are moved. It is well known, that this is the Language of fome of the greatest Mathematicians of this Age.

SECT.

SECT. XXVII. The Globe of the Earth keeps the fame Obliquity of its Axis.

HAVING made fome mention of the Gravity, I cannot forbear obferving with great Reverence, that furprifing Wonder which all Natural Philofophers (whatever fome of 'em may pretend to conjecture) have acknowledged to be one of the Secrets of the Great Creator; and even to this Day are forced to confider it as fuch. Now, whether we fuppofe that the Globe of the Earth, pe m f. (Tab. XV. Fig. 4.) ftands ftill, and that the Starry Firmament PEMF, together with the Sun O, and the reft of the Conftellations, daily move about it; Or whether, with others, we fuppofe, for greater Conveniency in fome Occafions, that in Tab. XV. Fig. 5. the faid Globe of the Earth is carried round the Sun O, thro A, B, C, D, and is daily moved about its own Axis pm; this is certain, that the faid Axis pm, does always refpect the fame Place P and M of the Heavens, in the fourth Figure, or remains always parallel to itfelf in the fifth Figure;' and that fo the Earth, without any fupport, does thereby always preferve its own Parallelifm and Obliquity of the Axis, at least fo much, that the Aftronomers have never been able to obferve it otherwife; and fuch as have imagined that they have found it otherwife, have never been able to prove fuch a Difcovery. And, which is ftill more wonderful, notwithstanding the Globular Figure of the faid Earth, and notwithstanding the Opinion that many have entertained, that the Earth's remaining in its prefent State and Obliquity, is owing to the Equilibrium of its Parts, the fame has fo frequently undergone fuch great Revolutions, that it fhould feem almoft impoffible to those that judge

judge rightly of things, that it has not thereby been confounded and diffolved, or at leaft put into different Motions.

SEC T. XXVIII. Without the Obliquity of the Axis of the Earth, there would be reason to apprehend a General Deftruction.

FOR a Proof hereof, let any one confider those dreadful Burning Mountains, which are found in fo many Parts of the World, and at fuch Distances from each other; by which the Earth has been destroyed in fo many Places: Efpecially if those Fire-pits (as one may perhaps conclude from the Relations of them given us by Mr. Baglivi, p. 510, &c.) according to the Sentiments of many of the Learned, do entertain a Communication with each other, by great Rivers of Fire extending themselves from one Part of the Earth to the other, and even under the Bottom of the Sea too: For which reafon the Earth feems neceffarily to become lighter in those Parts where fo much of it has been burnt, and vomited out in Smoak and Ashes.

Add to this those terrible Inundations, among which, according to all Traditions, the whole Zuider-Sea is one, and the violent Streams of fuch great Parts of the Ocean, which by Winds, by Ebbings, and Flowings, and other Caufes, do remove fuch an unconceivable Weight of Water from one Part of the Globe to another; by all which the Gravity thereof must needs be changed into feveral Places. Not to mention thofe Earthquakes that are felt over all the World, by which this Globe being moved, may make us all juftly apprehend a Change in the State and Condition thereof.

Now in cafe that by all these Caufes acting with fuch terrible Force, it fhould once happen,

that

that the Earth fhould totter, and depart from its Place in any manner, what could there elfe be ex-: pected but general Ruin and Deftruction, where every thing changed its Air and Climate. For let it be fuppofed, that thofe who in Tab. XV. Fig. 4, 5. dwelt under the Line ef, or in the Torrid Żone, near to it, fhould be carried by fuch a Shock of the Earth to fome of the Countries under the Poles porm, or one of the Frigid Zones; by which means thofe Nations which now dwell under either of the Poles, would be carried into the ftifling Air under or near the Equinox. Can it then be doubted, that all Creatures that were accustomed to the violent Heat of the one, even Men, Beafts and Plants, would for the most part perifh and be deftroyed, by being tranfplanted to the exceffive cold Regions, and fo on the contrary. Now all these Evils, which would certainly follow, are hereby obviated; and altho' the Globe of the Earth might undergo fo many Revolutions in its Parts, tho' it fhould become heavier in one place and lighter in another, whereby the Balance of its Stru&ture might be alter'd, yet it would however ftedfastly and immoveably preserve the fame Obliquity of its Axis.

SECT. XXIX. Convictions from thence.

Now that among fo many Caufes, which feem adapted to produce a contrary Effect, the Globe has unchangeably kept this its State and Condition, can refult from nothing else than the miraculous Operation of a mighty Providence. For if any one should ascribe it to a Law of Nature, to its own Gravity, or, as fome think, to a magnetical Virtue, let him tell us how it comes to pafs, that fuch a Law of Nature is always unvariable in its Effects, when at the fame time the Earth upon

upon which these Laws operate, changes its Compofition, with refpect to Levity and Gravity, to Cavity and Solidity.

SECT. XXX. The Earth remains above the Water, notwithstanding its greater Gravity.

Now in order to lay before an Atheist fomething that he shall not be able to fathom or conceive ; Let me ask him the reason why, fince Earth is heavier than Water, the Waters do not stand above the Earth, furrounding the fame in the like manner as the Air, fince it seems to be past doubt, that one fhould follow, as well as t'other, from the Laws of Gravity?

'Tis in vain for any one to alledge, especially fuch a one who will not acknowledge herein a Wonder-working GoD, that the Sea and Waters being fhut up in the Cavities of the Earth, it would be impoffible that fuch a thing could happen. For fuppofing (as the Experience of Inland Waters, for Inftance, thofe of the Harlemer Meer, or Lake of Harlem, has taught many People to their Damage) that the continual Beating of the Waves would in time wear away every thing; it feems to be a neceffary Confequence, that the Banks and Shores being thereby washed away, this Matter would first mingle itself with the Water, and afterwards fink to the Bottom by its greater Weight, and fo render the Seas, and other Waters, more and more fballow; by which means the dry Land continually decreafing, the whole Earth would at laft be encompafs'd and cover'd with Water, tho' not fo deep as the prefent Cavities of the Sea. Yet we fee the contrary happen, and the dry Land remaining inhabitable, notwithstanding the Rage of Seas and Rivers.

SECT.