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in the magnitude of a revolving mass would have upon the time of its rotation, is easily seen. It is well known that expansion of a revolving body, provided the relative arrangement of its particles were not altered, would retard its angular motion; and contraction accelerate it. Suppose, for instance, the matter which composes the earth to be expanded, by a mutual repulsion of its particles, into a sphere, the diameter of which was equal to that of the moon's orbit. If the relative density of the different parts of the mass were not altered, its diurnal revolution would then be performed in little less than ten years. f The velocity, therefore, of the equator would be nearly a hundred and thirty times less that that of the Consequently the moon could never have acquired its present motion by having once formed a portion of such a mass.

moon.

Considerations of the same nature will lead to a conclusion still more obvious in the case

In any revolving system, affected only by the mutual action of its particles, the product of each particle multiplied into the area described round the center of gravity by its radius vector projected upon any plane, and therefore upon a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation passing through the center of gravity, is constant. If therefore, from any cause, the distance of particles from that center be increased, the areas described by each, and consequently the angular velocity of the system, is diminished; and vice versa.

f See note (A) in the Appendix.

of the planet Saturn. That planet revolves about its own axis nearly in the same time in which the ring performs a revolution." Now, if the matter of the planet had ever been in such a state of expansion, that its surface at the equator coincided with the ring, and the whole mass revolved then with the angular velocity which the ring has, the subsequent condensation must have increased its angular velocity, and therefore caused the planet to revolve about its axis in a much less time than the ring itself.

Again, the whole theory must fail, if it does not solve all the phenomena. And the motions of the satellites of the planet Herschel, being in planes nearly perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic, are not in the direction which such a cause could have produced.

There is also one fact too obvious to be overlooked. If the planets have all been formed of luminous matter, how is it that they are all opake? If they have become dark, how is it that the central body only retains the power of emitting light and heat? Such an arrangement is quite inexplicable,

Méc. Celeste, Part I. Liv.jm. §. 45. Exposit. du Systeme du Monde, Liv. IV. ch. viii. Brinkley's Astron. i. 152. Woodhouse's Astron. Vol. I. ch. xxix. Herschel, Phil. Trans. 1790. Art. xxiii.

even upon the supposition of their common origin, except by the express appointment of a designing Creator.

The celebrity of the proposer of this theory gives it an importance, which it otherwise would not possess. But even supposing it were possible to prove that all the phenomena of the solar system and of the other heavenly bodies flowed from one general principle, that "attraction alone is sufficient to explain all the motions of the universe," and that "the stability of the system is also a consequence of the laws of motion," it by no means follows that the material heavens are not the work of an intelligent Agent. *

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The very diffusion of matter endued with innate gravity, which this hypothesis supposes, itself implies the action of a Divine Power. '

"Ainsi l'attraction seule suffit pour expliquer tous les mouvemens de cet univers." La Place, Exposition du Systéme du Monde, Liv. V. ch. vi. p. 433.

"Si les conjectures que je viens de proposer sur l'origine du système planétaire sont fondeés, la stabilité de ce système est encore une suite des lois du mouvement." Id. p. 442.

"It is a perversion of language to assign any law, as the efficient, operative cause of any thing. A law presupposes an agent for it is only the mode, according to which an agent proceeds: it implies a power: for it is the order according to which than never after without this agent, without this power, which are both distinct from itself, the law does nothing, is nothing." Paley, Natural Theology, ch. 1. §. vii. 1 See Bentley's 7th Boyle's Lecture.

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By the supposition, there must have been a time when these particles were first endued with gravitation, or when they were restrained from obeying its impulse. Now, whenever that change took place, whenever they either began to gravitate, or were abandoned to their mutual gravitation, there must have been the agency, mediate or immediate, of some supreme Cause. "If there be innate gravity, it is impossible now for the matter of the earth, and all the planets and stars, to fly up from them, and become evenly spread throughout all the heavens, without a supernatural power. And certainly that which can never be hereafter without a supernatural power could never be heretofore without the same power."

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An hypothesis like that which we have been considering might supply the instruments by which it may have pleased the Almighty to execute his will; but can never account for the wisdom which is apparent. All the marks of design in the adaptation of wise means to beneficial purposes remain the same, whether the supposition be well founded or not. The questions will still remain Unanswered, Why is matter endued with gravitation?

m La Place speaks of "un système de molécules primitivement en repos, et abandonnées à leur attraction mutuelle." Exposition du Système du Monde, p. 433. 4th edit.

n Newton's third Letter to Bentley.

Why does the force of gravitation vary precisely in the law which alone ensures the stability of the system? How is it that so many complicated and separate adjustments all conspire to produce one plan of inconceivable grandeur, able to sustain itself unchanged from age to age?

All these are inexplicable until "we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."o

II. But besides those who have endeavoured remove from their consideration the interference of a supreme Intelligence, as manifested in the wise fabric of the universe, there are others who have attempted to draw from astronomical principles an argument against the probability of a Divine revelation. To a well ordered mind, the contemplation of the wonders, which the heavens display, is calculated to suggest the most sublime notions of their great Creator, to inspire feelings of the deepest humility and thankfulness. When we compare man and his works with the glories of the heavens, when we regard him as the heir of immortality, made capable of intellectual improvement, subject to a dispensation of mercy,

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