move both upon its own Poles, and in the Ecliptick, is now the received Opinion of the most learned and fkilful Mathematicians. To prove the diurnal Motion of it upon its Poles, I need produce no other Argument than, First, The vaft difproportion in refpect of Magnitude that is between the Earth and the Heavens, and the great unlikelihood, that fuch an infinite number of vaft Bodies fhould move about fo inconfiderable a fpot as the Earth, which in comparison with them by the concurrent Suffrages of Mathematicians of both perswasions, is a mere point, that is, next to nothing. Secondly, The immenfe and incredible Celerity of the Motion of the Heavenly Bodies in the Ancient Hypothefis. Thirdly, Of its Annual Motion in the Ecliptick, the Stations and Retrogradations of the fuperiour Planets are a convincing Argument, there being a clear and facile Account thereof to be given from the mere Motion of the Earth in the Ecliptick, whereas in the Old Hypothefis no account cam be given, but by the unreasonable Fiction of Epicycles and contrary Motions; add hereto the great unlikelihood of fuch an enormous Epicycle as Venus muft defcribe about the Sun, not under the Sun, as the old Aftronomers fanfied. About the Sun, I fay, as appears by its being hid or eclipfed by it, and by its feveral Phafes, like the Moon. So that whofoever doth clearly underftand both Hypothefis, cannot, I perfwade my felf, adhere to the Old and reject

the

the New, without doing fome violence to his Faculties.

Againft this Opinion lie two Objections, Firft, That it is contrary to Senfe, and the common Opinion and Belief of Mankind. Secondly, that it feemeth contrary to fome Expreffions in Scripture. To the firft I answer, that our Senfes are fometimes mistaken, and what appears to them is not always in reality fo as it appears. For Example: The Sun or Moon appear no bigger at moft, than a Cart-wheel, and of a flat figure. The Earth feems to be plain the Heavens to cover it like a Canopy, and to be contiguous to it round about: A Fire-brand nimbly moved round, appears like a Circle of Fire; and to give a parallel Inftance, a Boat lying still at Anchor in a River, to him that Sails and Rows by it, feems to move apace: and when the Clouds pafs nimbly under the Moon, the Moon it felf feems to move the contrary way. And there have been whole Books written in Confutation of vulgar Errors. Secondly, As to the Scripture, when fpeaking of these things, it accommodates it felf to the common and received Opinions, and employs the ufual Phrases and Forms of Speech (as all Wife Men alfo do, though in ftrictness, they be of a different or contrary Opinion) without intention of delivering any thing Doctrinally concerning thefe Points, or confuting the contrary: And yet by thofe that maintain the Opinion of the Earth's motion, there might a convenient Interpretation be gi0 2

ven

ven of fuch places as feem to contradict it. Howbeit, becaufe fome pious Perfons may be offended at fuch an Opinion, as favouring of Novelty, thinking it inconfiftent with Divine Revelation, I fhall not positively affert it, only propofe it as an Hypothefis not altogether improbable. Suppofing then, that the Earth doth. move, both upon its own Poles, and in the Ecliptick about the Sun, I fhall fhew how admirably its Situation and Motion are contrived for the conveniency of Man and other Animals: which I cannot do more fully and clearly than Dr. More hath already done in his Antidote against Atheism, whofe Words therefore I fhall borrow.

Firft, Speaking of the Paralleleifm of the Axis of the Earth, he faith, I demand whether it be better to have the Axis of the Earth fteady and perpetually parallel to it felf, or to have it carelefly tumble this way and that way as it happens, or at leaft very variously and intricately And you cannot but anfwer me, it is better to have it fteady and parallel. For in this lies the neceffary Foundation of the Art of Navigation and Dialling. For that steady Stream of Particles, which is fuppofed to keep the Axis of the Earth parallel to it felf, affords the Mariner both his Cynofura, and his Compafs. The Load-flone and the Load-flar depend both upon this. The Load-ftone, as I could demonftrate, were it not too great a digreffion; and the Load-ftar, because that which keeps the Axis parallel to it felf, makes each of the Poles

con

conftantly refpect fuch a Point in the Heavens; as for Example, the North-Pole to point almoft directly to that which we call the Pole-ftar. And befides, Dialling could not be at all without this fteadiness of the Axis. But both these Arts are pleasant, and one efpecially of mighty Importance to Mankind. For thus there is an orderly measuring of our time for Affairs at home, and an opportunity of Traffick abroad with the most remote Nations of the World, and fo there is a mutual Supply of the feveral Commodities of all Countries, befides the enlarging our Understandings by fo ample Experience we get both of Men and Things. Wherefore if we were rationally to confult, whether the Axis of the Earth were better be held 'fteady, and parallel to it felf, or left at random, we would conclude it ought to be steady, and fo we find it de Fato, though the Earth move floating in the liquid Heavens. So that appealing to our own Faculties we are to affirm, That the conftant Direction of the Axis of the Earth was Established by a Principle of Wisdom and Counsel.

Again, there being feveral Poftures of this fteady Direction of the Axis of the Earth, viz. Either perpendicular to a Plain, going through the Center of the Sun, or co-incident, or inclining, I demand which of all thefe Reafon and Knowledge would make choice of. Not of a perpendicular Pofture. For fo both the pleasant Variety, and great Convenience of 0 3

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Summer and Winter, Spring and Autumn would be loft, and for want of Acceffion of the Sun, thefe parts of the Earth, which now bring forth Fruits, and are Habitable, would be in an incapacity of ever bringing forth any; fith then, the heat could never be greater than now it is at our 10th of March, or the 11th of September, and therefore not fufficient to bring their Fruits and Grain to Maturity, and confequently could entertain no Inhabitants, and thofe Parts that the full heat of the Sun could reach, he plying them always alike without any annual Receflion or Intermiffion, would at laft grow tired or exhausted, or be wholly dried up, and want moisture, the Sun diffipating and cafting off the Clouds Northwards and Southwards. Befides we obferve that an orderly Viciffitude of Things, doth much more gratifie the Contemplative Property in Man.

And now in the fecond place neither would Reafon make choice of a co-incident Pofition. For if the Axis thus lay in a Plain that goeth through the Center of the Sun, the Ecliptick would like a Colure, or one of the Meridians, pafs through the Poles of the Earth, which would put the Inhabitants of the World into a pitiful condition. For they that escape best in the Temperate Zone, would be accloyed with long Nights very tedious, no lefs than Forty days, and thofe that now never have their Night above twenty-four Hours, as Friefland,

Island,