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fes to hinder it, approach nearer and nearer to the common Center of all their Gravity; and that in a fufficient Number of Years, they will actually meet in the fame common Center, to the utter Destruction of the whole Universe.

(27.) Since Power can be exerted no where but where the Being which exerts that Power is actually prefent; and fince it is certain, as has been fhewn, that this Power is conftantly exerted all over the Universe, 'tis certain that the Author of the Power of Gravity is prefent at all Times in all Places of the Universe alfo.

(28.) Since this Power has been demonstrated to be Immechanical, and beyond the Abilities of all Material Agents; 'tis certain that the Author of this Power is an Immaterial or Spiritual Being, prefent in, and penetrating the whole Universe.

(29.) Since the Sun and Fixed Stars send out perpetually, and with the utmost Velocity, Rays or Corpufcles of Light and Heat from themselves; and fince we fee with our Eyes that there is not any fuch Equality of thofe Stars on every Side, as might induce us to believe there can be an equal Circulation of those Rays from one System to another; and fince we find by Mutations in our Sun, and by the Parallel Mutations in feveral of the Fixed Stars, that thefe very Suns themfelves, the Fountains and grand Supports of the feveral Systems, are equally liable to Decay with the rest of the Univerfe; 'tis hence alfo plain, that all these Suns and Systems are not of Permanent and Eternal Conftitutions; but that, unless a mira

culous

2

See at the
End of my

Mathe-
matical
Philofo-

lous Power interpofes, they muft all, in length of Time, decay and perifh, and be rendred utterly incapable of thofe noble Ufes for which at prefent they are fo wonderfully adapted.

N. B. Although the External Parts of the Heavenly Bodies, with their Nature and Ufes, may be most easily and certainly determin'd from Fact and Obfervation, yet do there not want Arguments whereby we may come at the Internal Parts or Regions of the fame, their Nature and Ufes, at least from very probable Confiderations. Thus we know from Obfervation in Comets, that there are large Central Solids inclofed in their Atmospheres, indiffoluble by the utmost Heat in their greatest Near nefs to the Sun: We alfo know from the like Obfervations, that Comets are about the Bigness of Planets, and that the Atmospheres of Comets do beft answer the Chaotick or Primary State of Planets, of all other Bodies in the Universe. We know farther by Demonftration, that if there be any Central Cavities within fuch Solids, the Effects of the Power of Gravity will be there fo equipois'd on every Side, that there See Math. will appear to be little or nothing of fuch a Power at all: And, laftly, we may know, in fome Measure, by Obfervations and Demonftrations compar'd together, whether there be fuch Cavities in them or not; and in which of the Heavenly Bodies they are the most considerable, as we fhall fee prefently. This general Obfervation thus Premis'd, I come to the Fifth Part of this Treatife, to give my Conjectures as to the feveral Natures and Ufes of all the Parts of this Syftem.

phy.

Philof.

Prop. 44.

PART

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Probable Conj &ures as to the Nature and Ufes of all the Parts of the SYSTEM of the visible World.

(1.)

HE Sun and Fixed Stars are, to be fure, on their external Regions or fuperficial Parts, moft intenfe Fire or Light; and the grand Fountains of that Fire and Light which is in the whole visible Universe, and without which there could be no fuch thing as a Vifible Univerfe, or Useful Syftem at all. So that there can be no doubt of the general Nature and Use of those external Regions. Nor perhaps fhall we be far out of the way, if we fuppofe thofe Parts of the Sun to be more than 10000 Planets or Comets all on Fire.

(2.) The Planets, both Primary and Secondary, appear, as to their vifible external Regions, or fuperficial Parts or Atmospheres, to be like to that Planet we live upon, the Earth; or most convenient and well contrived Habitations for all forts of Sea and Land, visible and grofs

Animals;

Animals; with fuch Plants as are useful for of their Prefervation and Suftenance, during their continuance thereon.

any

(3.) The Air expanded about the feveral Planets, which, as to their Elaftical Parts, are corporeal, but invifible, appear to be the proper Places for the Habitation of not wholly Incorporeal, but Invisible Beings; or of fuch as have Bodies made of too fubtle and aerial a Texture and Constitution to be ordinarily feen by our Eyes, or felt by our Hands. And if it be confidered, that while all the ancient Prophane Traditions, and Historical Accounts, as well as the Sacred Writings, which affure us of the Existence of fuch invfible Beings about our Earth, do at the fame time affure us of their inhabiting in our Air, which is the only apparent Place, according to the best Philofophy, where fuch invifible Beings, not deftitute of all Bodies, can poffibly inhabit; it will justly deSerm.& ferve our Confideration, whether this be not the Eff.p.170, nobleft Design and Ufe of our Air; tho' at the fame time it's lowest Regions be an Atmosphere 8-72. alfo; or be useful in Refpiration, in Refraction, &c. and fo fitted as to elevate and let fall the Vapours belonging to our Earth, for the Support of the Creatures, in groffer Bodies, inhabiting thereon.

See Prop.

after my Boyle's Lectures

P. 287

297. or

--178..

Meteor, P.

(4.) The external Regions of Comets, which by paffing through fuch immenfe Heat when neareft, and fuch prodigious Cold when fartheft off the Sun; and by the confufed and Chaotick State of their Atmofpheres, do evidently appear incapable of affording convenient Habitations for any Beings that have Bodies, or Corporeal Vehicles, whether visible or invifible to us; feem rather

rather fitted to caufe the grand Mutations of New Nature in the Planetary World; by bringing on Theory,p. Deluges in their Defcent, and Conflagrations in 437, 438. and p.440, their Afcent from the Sun; as I have elsewhere. more fully Difcourfed.

(5.) These Comets, with their Atmospheres and Tails, feem alfo fitted, as to their external Regions, to be a very uneafy, hot, and fiery Habitation when near, and a very uneafy, cold, and chill one, when far off the Sun, and this both on their Surfaces, and in their Airs.

(6.) As to the Internal Parts or Regions of the Sun, Planets, and Comets, they seem to be Concave, and to include vaft open Spaces within. This Conjecture which is no way contrary to any other Phænomena of Nature, I ground particularly upon the fmall Inequality there is in Fact between the Polar and Equatoreal Semidiameters of thofe Heavenly Bodies which have diurnal Revolutions about their own Axes, compared with the much greater Inequality there would naturally be between them, if they had not fuch Central Cavities. For Example, If the internal Parts of the Earth were of the fame Density with the External, it is Demonstrated by Sir Ifaac Newton, that the Polar Semi-dia- Princip. meter or Axis would be about 17 Miles fhorter 2d Edit. than the Semi-diameter of the Equator. If the P. 382--Central Parts were much Denser than the rest, (as on all mechanical Accounts they ought certainly to be) these 17 Miles would be mightily increas'd, and probably amount to fome Hundreds. Yet is that Semi-diameter in Fact but about 31 Miles fhorter than the other. Whence it is probable, that the greater Density in the deeper Regions, is compenfated by the leffer

Density,

387.

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