us fuppofe any one of thofe Maffes to be the Prefent Earth. Now the annual Revolution of the Earth must proceed (in this Hypothefis) either from the Summ and Refult of the feveral motions of all the Particles that formed the Earth, or from a new Impulfe from fome external Matter, after it was formed. The former is apparently abfurd, because the Particles that form'd the round Earth muft 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 inconfiderable; too feeble and languid to propell fo vaft and ponderous a Body with that prodigious velocity. And fecondly, 'tis impoffible, that any external Matter should impell that compound Mafs, after it was formed. 'Tis manifeft, that nothing else could impell it, unless the Ethereal Matter be fuppofed to be carried about the Sun like a Vortex or Whirlpool, as a Vehicle to convey It and the reft of the Planets. But this is refuted from what we have fhewn above, that thofe Spaces of the Æther may be reckon'd a mere Void, the whole Quantity of their Matter fcarce amounting to the weight of a Grain. Tis refuted also from ibidem from Matter of Fact in the Motion of Comets; which, as often as they are visible to Us, are in Newton the Region of our Planets; and there are ob- p. 480. ferved to move, fome in quite contrary courfes to Theirs, and fome 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 Æther are empty and free, and neither refift nor affift the Revolutions of Planets. But moreover there could not poffibly 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 freight Line, nor ever reflects in an Angle, nor bends in a Circle (which is a continual reflexion) unlefs either by fome external Impulse, that may divert it from the direct motion, or by an intrinfec Principle of Gravity or Attraction, that may make it defcribe 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 fo great a Laxity and Thinnefs. For 'tis matter of certain experience and univerfally 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 D not the not violently restrain'd and kept in by contiguous Matter. But there is no fuch restraint in a Chaos, no want of empty room there; no poffibility of effecting one fingle Revolution in way of a Vortex, which neceffarily requires either an abfolute Fulnefs of Matter, or a pretty close Constipation and mutual Contact of its Particles. And for the fame reafon 'tis evident, that the Planets could not continue their Revolutions about the Sun; though they could potfibly acquire them. For to drive and carry the Planets in fuch Orbs as they now defcribe, that Æthereal Matter must be compact and denfe, as denfe as the very Planets themselves: otherwife 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 Æther may be reputed as a mere extended Void. So that there is nothing (in this Hypothefis) that can retain and bind the Planets in their Orbs for one fingle moment; but they would immediately defert them and the neighbourhood of the Sun, and vanish away in Tangents to their feveral Circles into the Abyss of Mundane Space. II. Secondly we affirm, that mutual Gravitation or spontaneous Attraction cannot poffibly be innate and effential to Matter. By At traction traction we do not here understand what is improperly, though vulgarly, called fo, in the operations of drawing,fucking,pumping,c.which is really Pulfion and Trufion; and belongs to that Common Motion, which we have already fhewn to be infufficient for the formation of a World. But we now mean (as we have explaind it before fuch a power and quality, whereby all parcels of Matter would mutually attract or mutually tend and prefs to all others; fo that (for inftance) two diftant Atoms in vacuo would fpontaneously convene together without the impulfe of external Bodies. Now we say, if our Atheists suppose this power to be inherent and effential to Matter; they overthrow their own Hypothefis: there could ne yer be a Chaos at all upon these terms, but the prefent form of our Syftem must have continued from all Eternity; against their own Suppofition, and what we have proved in our Laft. Vide Serm. For if they affirm, that there might be a Chaos notwithstanding innate Gravity; then let them affign any Period though never fo remote, when the diffufed Matter might convene. They must confefs, that before that affigned Period Matter had exifted eternally, inf-parably endued with this principle of Attraction; and yet had never attracted nor convened before, during that infinite duration: which is D 2 fo VI. & Serm.VIII fo monftrous an abfurdity, as even They will blush to be charged with. But fome perhaps may imagin, that a former Syftem might be diffolved and reduced to a Chaos, from which the prefent System might have its Original, as that Former had from another, and fo on new Systems having grown out of old ones in infinite Viciffitudes from all past eternity. But we fay, that in the Suppofition of innate Gravity no System at all could be diffolved. For how is it poffible, that the Matter of folid Maffes like Earth and Planets and Starrs fhould fly up from their Centers against its inherent principle of mutual Attraction, and diffufe it felf in a Chaos? This is abfurder than the other: That only fuppofed 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 effential power of Gravitation or Attraction is irreconcilable with the Atheist's own Doctrine of a Chaos. And fecondly 'tis repugnant to Common Sense and Reafon. 'Tis utterly unconceivable, that inanimate brute Matter (without the mediation of fome Immaterial Being) should operate upon and affect other Matter without mutual Contact; that diftant Bodies should act upon each other through a Vacuum without the intervention of fomething elfe by and through which the |