First, For the Celestial or Heavenly Bodies, the Equability and Constancy of their Motions, the certainty of their Periods and Revolutions, the conveniency of their Order and Situations argue them to be ordained and governed by Wisdom and Understanding; yea so much Wisdom as Man cannot easily fathom or comprehend. For we see by how much the Hypotheses of Astronomers are more simple and conformable to Reason, by so much do they give a better account of the Heavenly Motions. It is reported of Alphonsus King of Aragon, I know not whether truly, that when he saw and considered the many Eccentricks, Epicycles, Epicycles upon Epicycles, Librations, and contrariety of Motions, which were requisite in the old Hypothesis to give an account of the Celestial Phaenomena, he should presume blasphemously to say, that the Universe was a bungling Piece; and that if he had been of God’s Counsel, he could have directed him to have made it better. A Speech as rash and ignorant, as daring and prophane.
For it was nothing but Ignorance of the true process of Nature that induced the Contrivers of that Hypothesis to invent such absurd Suppositions, and him to accept them for true, and attribute them to the great Author of the Heavenly Motions. For in the New Hypothesis of the modern Astronomers, we see most of those Absurdities and Irregularities rectified and removed, and I doubt not but they would all vanish, could we certainly discover the true Method and Process of Nature in those Revolutions. For seeing in those Works of Nature which we converse with, we constantly find those Axioms true, Natura non facit circuitus, Nature doth not fetch a Compass when it may proceed in a streight Line; and Natura nec abundat in superfluis, nec deficit in necessariis, Nature abounds not in what is superfluous, neither is deficient in what is necessary: We may also rationally conclude concerning the Heavenly Bodies, seeing there is so much Exactness observed in the time of their Motions, that they punctually come about in the same Periods to the hundredth part of a Minute, as may beyond Exception be demonstrated by comparing their Revolutions, surely there is also used the most simple, facile, and convenient way for the performance of them. Among these Heavenly Bodies;
First, The Sun, a vast Globe of Fire, esteemed by the ancienter and most modest Computation above 160 times bigger than the Earth, the very life of this inferiour World, without whose salutary and vivifick Beams all Motion both Animal, Vital and Natural would speedily cease, and nothing be left here below but Darkness and Death: All Plants and Animals must needs in a very short time be not only mortified, but together with the surface of Land and Water frozen as hard as Flint or Adamant: So that of all the Creatures of the World the ancient Heathen had most reason to worship him as a God, though no true reason; because he was but a Creature, and not God: And we Christians to think that the Service of the Animals that live upon the Earth, and principally Man, was one end of his Creation; seeing without him there could no such things have been. This Sun, I say, according to the old Hypothesis whirled round about the Earth daily with incredible celerity, making Night and Day by his rising and setting; Winter and Summer by his access to the several Tropicks, creating such a grateful variety of Seasons, enlightening all parts of the Earth by his Beams, and cherishing them by his Heat, situate and moved so in respect of this sublunary World, (and it’s likely also in respect of all the Planets about him) that Art and Counsel could not have designed either to have placed him better, or moved him more conveniently for the service thereof; as I could easily make appear by the Inconveniences that would follow upon the Supposition of any other situation and motion, shews forth the great Wisdom of him who so disposed and moved him.
Secondly, The Moon, a Body in all probability somewhat like the Earth we live upon, by its constant and regular Motion helps us to divide our time, reflects the Sun beams to us, and so by illuminating the Air, takes away in some measure the disconsolate darkness of our Winter Nights, procures or at least regulates the Fluxes and Refluxes of the Sea, whereby the Water is kept in constant Motion, and preserved from Putrefaction, and so rendred more salutary for the maintenance of its Breed, and useful and serviceable for Man’s conveniencies of Fishing and Navigation; not to mention the great Influence it is supposed to have upon all moist Bodies, and the growth and increase of Vegetables and Animals: Men generally observing the Age of the Moon in the planting of all kind of Trees, sowing of Grain, grafting and inoculating, and pruning of Fruit-Trees, gathering of Fruit, cutting of Corn or Grass; and thence also making Prognosticks of Weather, because such Observations seem to me uncertain. Did this Luminary serve to no other ends and uses, as I am perswaded it doth many, especially, to maintain the Creatures which in all likelihood breed and inhabit there, yet these were enough to evince it to be the Effect and Product of Divine Wisdom and Power.
Thirdly, As for the rest of the Planets; besides their particular Uses, which are to us unknown, or merely conjectural, their Courses and Revolutions, their Stations and Retrogradations, observed constantly so many Ages together in most certain and determinate Periods of time, do sufficiently demonstrate that their Motions are instituted and governed by Counsel, Wisdom and Understanding.
Fourthly, The like may be said of the fixt Stars whose Motions are regular, equal and constant. So that we see nothing in the Heavens which argues Chance, Vanity, or Error; but on the contrary, Rule, Order and Constancy; the Effects and Arguments of Wisdom: Wherefore as Cicero excellently concludes, Coelestem ergo admirabilem ordinem, incredibilemque constantiam, ex qua conservatio & salus omnium omnis oritur, qui vacare mente putat, noe ipse mentis expers habendus est.: Wherefore whosoever thinketh that the admirable Order and incredible Constancy of the Heavenly Bodies and their Motions, whereupon the Preservation and Welfare of all things doth depend, is not governed by Mind and Understanding, he himself is to be accounted void thereof. And again, Shall we (saith he) when we see an artificial Engine, as a Sphere, or Dial, or the like, at first sight acknowledg, that it is a work of Reason and Art: Cùm autem impetum coeli, admirabili cum celeritate moveri vertique videamus, constantissimè conficientem vicissitudines anniversarias, cum summâ Salute & Conservatione rerum omnium, dubitare quin ea non solùm ratione fiant, sed excellenti quâdam Divinâque ratione: And can we when we see the force of the Heavens moved and whirled about with admirable Celerity, most constantly finishing its anniversary Vicissitudes, to the eminent Welfare and Preservation of all things, doubt at all that these things are performed not only by Reason, but by a certain excellent and Divine Reason.
To these things I shall add an Observation, which I must confess my self to have borrowed of the honourable Person more than once mentioned already, that even the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, though they be frightful things to the superstitious Vulgar, and of ill influence on Mankind, if we may believe the no less superstitious Astrologers, yet to knowing men, that can skilfully apply them, they are of great Use, and such as common Heads could never have imagined: Since not only they may on divers Occasions help to settle Chronology, and rectifie the Mistakes of Historians that writ many Ages ago; but which is, though a less Wonder, yet of greater Utility, they are (as things yet stand) necessary to define with competent Certainty, the Longitude of places or points on the Terraqueous Globe, which is a thing of very great moment not only to Geography, but to the most useful and important Art of Navigation. To which may be added, which I shall hereafter mention, that they serve to demonstrate the spherical roundness of the Earth. So that I may well conclude with the Psalmist, Psalm 19. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handy Work.
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