Chap. XIX. A N T I E N T METAPHYSICS. 2 



55 



In this manaer is motion produced and continued here on Ci.rth — 

 In the fame manner, according to the antlent phi-lolophy, ib motion 

 carried on in the celeftial regions, with this difference, that the ceief- 

 tial bodies have all of them, as far as they are within the reach of our 

 obfervation, a conftant regular motion, of a circular kind, either roimd 

 a center, or upon their own axis, or both ; whereas no body hers oa 

 earth has any conftant motion of that kind. 



According to this philofophy, tlierefore, the fyfiem of the unlvcrfe 

 is uniform and the fame, with refpedt to this great agent in nature, 

 motion^ which is produced and carried on by viind here on earth, a- 

 bove, below, and round about us. "I he Newtonians, on the other 

 hand, are reduced to the necefTity of making a diftlndion betwixt the 

 movements here below the moon, at leafi: fo far as regards animal and 

 vegetable bodies, and thofe In the celePial regions. 1 he former they 

 mull admit to be carried on by the continual operation of mind adting 

 upon body, either immediately or mediately, by the ir.tervention of 

 other bodies. As to the celeftial bodies, they mamtain, that the pla- 

 nets, both primary and lecondary, gravitate towards their refpettive 

 centres, in the fame manner that bodies here below gravitate tvvards 

 the centre of the earth. By this motion, if there were no othci, all 

 the celeftial bodies of our fyilern woulci run together into one mais ; 

 but the Almighty, flty they, has given another motion, viz. an impulfc m 

 a ftralght line, by which, and the power ot gravitation combined the 

 planet is moved round the center of its mutiun in an ehiptic curve, 

 fo that it is fometimes nearer its centre, fometimes at a gi eater di- 

 ftance from it, and varies its movement accordingly, fometinies a.o- 

 vi.ig quicker, and lonietimes moving flower. In this manixer, they 

 fay, the planets have continued to move tliele fix thoufand years, like 

 a piece of clock-w(Tk, wivhout any intcrpofition of mind, and by 

 mere mechanihn, aijd may continue to be i^o moved to all eternity, if 

 the Almighty Power do not iaterpoie in an extraordinary and 



miiaeuluus 



