An Account of the Systeme of the World
described in M
r Newton's Mathematicall
Principles of Philosophy.
I
Scripture abused to prove the immoveableness of the
earth globe of
yethe Eart Earth.
In determining the true systeme of the world the main
Question is whether the earth do rest or be moved. For
deciding this some bring texts of scripture, but in my
opinion misinterpreted, the Scriptures speaking not in the
language of Astronomers (as they think) but in that of yethe
common people to whom they were written. So where tis
said that aa Psal 93.2 & 96.10. God hath made yethe round world so fast that it cannot be moved, the Prophet intended not to teach Ma
thematicians the spherical figure of the wholeb Psal. 98.8 & immove
ableness of the whole earth & sea in the heavens but
to tell the vulgar in their own dialect that God had
made the great continent of Asia Europe & Africa so
fast upon its foundations in the great Ocean that it
cannot be moved therein after the manner of a floating
Island. For this Continent was the whole habitable
world anciently known & by yethe ancient eastern nations was
accounted bb Strabo Geog. 1. 1. p. 2, 4. round or circular as was also the cc Prov. 8.27. Iob. 9.8. sea en
compassing it. & this earth & sea they accounted flat as if yethe sun moon & stars ascended out of yethe
ocean at their rising & went down into it again at their setting. This Continent is the world or earth usually
mentioned in scripture & there described to be dIob. 38.18. Psal. 50.1. broad & to
have ee Iob. 28.24 & 37.3. Psal. 46.9. & 72.8. end or ff Psal 74.17 borders, & that is gg Prov. 8.27 circular ones whose center some placed in
Egypt others at Delphos, others at Ierusalem. And this
world the Prophets consider as established in the Ocean upon
sure & immoveable foundations at yethe first creation. The
heavens were of old & the earth standing out of yethe water
& in the water [that is in the midst of the Ocean like an
Island] by the word of God.. 2 Pet. 3.5. Thou Lord in the
beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth & the
heavens are the work of thine hands Psal 102.25. Prov.
8.29. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations
of the earth. Declare if thou hast understanding who hath laid the measures thereof or who hath stretched theline over it. or Whereupon are the foundations thereof fix'd or who hath laid
the corner stone thereof, when the starrs of the morning praised me together, &c. Iob 38.4. When he set a circle upon the face of the deep [that is formed it circular about the earth] – when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
then was I by him. Prov. 8.27, 29.The earth is the Lord's & all that therein is the compas of the world & they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon
the seas & established it upon the floods Psal 24.1, 2 &
136.6. Thou hast laid the foundation of the round world Psal. 89.12.
✝✝ When he set a circle upon the face of the deep [that is, formed it
circular about the earth] – when he gave to the sea his decree
that yethe waters should not pass his commandmtcommandment, when he appointed
the foundations of the earth, then was I by him. Prov. 8.27, 29. He laid the foundations of the earth that it
never should move at any time: Thou encompassedst it
wthwith the deep like as with a garment Psal. 104.5. So then
the round world spoken of in scriptures is such a world as hath
foundations & is founded in the waters & by consequence 'tis not the whole globe of the
Earth & Sea but only the habitable dry land. For the
whole Globe hath no foundations, but this habitable world is founded
in the seas. And since this world by reason of the firmness
of its foundations is said in scripture to be immoveable
this immoveableness cannot be of yethe whole globe together, but
only of its parts one amongst another & signifies nothing
more then that those parts are firmly compacted together
so that the dry land or Continent of Europe Asia & Africk
cannot be moved upon the main body of yethe globe on wchwhich
tis founded. For this immoveableness of yethe earth is opposite
to that it's motion spoken of in Iob. He removeth the
mountains & they feel not when he overthroweth
them in his wrath: He removeth the earth out of her
place that the pillars thereof do shake Iob. 9.6
II
Mathematicks
abused to prove
the Globe
of the Earth
immoveable
There is another sort of arguments against the
motion of yethe whole earth taken from orour senses, as
if the earth could not be moved wthoutwithout orour being
many ways sensible of its motion. But this way of
arguing proceeds from want of skill & judgment in
Mathematical things, & therefore is insisted upon only
by the common people & such practical mathematicians
as understand not so much as the principles of Mechanicks.
who have skill enough only to write Collections. Were the earth moved uneavenly by joggs such motion
would be easily perceived, but an eaven motion such as the
earth's is supposed, ought to be imperceptible. For
any systeme of bodies the motions of yethe bodies one amongst another are the same whether the systeme rest or be moved on uniformly, as is mathematically demonstrable So the motions of all things in a ship are found the
same whether the ship rest or be under sail. In both
cases things fall perpendicularly down by the mast
& projectiles fly alike towards all quarters. Nor can
a blinded Marriner tell whether the ship move
fast or slow or not at all. And there is the same
reason of the System of the earth sea & air with
the things therein. We cannot tell by orour senses
whether they all rest or move on eavenly to
gether.
III
Accurate skill
in geometry &
Mechanicks
requisite to
decide the
Question.
Such arguments as these being insufficient to
determin the Question, 'tis fit we should lay aside
these & the like vulgar prejudices & have recourse
to some strickt & proper way of reasoning. Now
the Question being about motion is a mathematical
one & therefore requires skill in Mathematicks to
decide it. And seeing it is difficulter to argue demon
stratively about magnitude & motion together then
about magnitude alone, there is greater skill
required here then in pure Geometry so that none
but able Mathematicians may pretend to be competent
judges of this matter. The great difficulty of
this part of Mathematicks seems to be the reason
that yethe Ancients made but little progress in it.
In this last age since the revival & advancement
of these studies, some able Mathematicians as Gali
leo & Hugenius have carried it on further then yethe
Ancients did. MrMister Newton to advance it furfar
enough for his purpose has spent the two first of
his three books in demonstrating new Propositions
about force & motion before he begins to con
sider the systeme of the world. Then in his third
Book he teaches that systeme from the Propositions
demonstrated in the two first. The designe of this paper is to give you an account
of this Systeme & refer you to the Demonstrations thereof to the Book itself or to the judgement of such Mathematicians as have perused it