Chap. V. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 99 



CHAP. V, 



^i Proof of the S^em of the Univerfe from the Phaenomena of the 

 Heavens, — The Luminaries in the Firrtiament as ufeful as they are 

 Beautiful and Magnificent: — They fet bounds to duration; and give 

 us the fucceffion of Day and Night, of Seafons and Tears, and the ge- 

 neration of Plants and Animals. — Reafon why all this magnificence^ 

 order, and variety, which excites the admiration of the Philofopher^ 

 does not even roufe the attention of the Vulgar Man, — Of the Solar 

 Syficm, and the agreement of the motions of the Bodies compoftng it. 

 — Reafons for fuppofing the fixed Stars centres of other Syflems ; 

 and that all are parts of the great Syflem of the Univerfe, 



IN the preceding Chapter I have given a proof of a fyftem In 

 the univerfe, taken from the whole of things exifting In it ; 

 which, I think, is more convincing than what is taken from parti- 

 cular phaenomena. There is, however, one phaenomenon, which 

 deferves particular attention, as it is a moft wonderful phaeno- 

 menon. The phaenomenon I mean, is the Heavens above us, or 

 the Firmament, as it is commonly called, which, as our Scripture 

 tells us, declares the glory of the Lord. And it is certainly the moft 

 vifible fign of that glory, and fuch as muft appear to the philofo- 

 pher the greateft of all wonders : And it would appear fo even to a 

 vulgar man, who, we may fuppofe, had been born blind, but got his 

 fight when he became a man and had acquired the ufe of reafon, 

 having cultivated his mind by arts and fciences to a certain degree, 

 fo far as to know what is uncommon and extraordinary in any of 



N 2 them, 



