Revolution upon (or at) their other Extreme, and there is nothing bid from the Heat thereof. Here the Sides of the Matter of the Heavens, next the Sides of the Orb of the Sun, are put in Oppofition, and so that Matter made a Sphere; and as this reaches all the Universe, we are fure the fixed Stars are not Suns; and though the Matter of the Heavens be mixed between the Atoms of all other things, yet they are said properly to have Extremities from the Sides of the Orb of the Sun in the Center, or from the Sides of this Globe of the Earth. As we are placed between the Heavens and the Earth, in the Heavens tho' upon the Earth, this Face of the Heavens is called an Extremity or Side, and that Part at the end of each Hemisphere or Horizon, or that Part on the oppofite Side of this Globe, is called the other Side or Extremity of the Heavens; as it is faid of the Extremies or Ends of the Earth; which has made People imagine the Prophets had defcribed the Earth as a Flat. Ifa. xiii. 5. From the Extremity of the Heaven, or Air. Neh. i. 9. Caft out to the Extremity of Heaven. Deut. iv. 32. From one Extremity of the Heaven, to the other Extremity of Heaven. Jer. xlix. 36.The four Extremities of Heaven. The Situation of the Heavens being in this

Figure,

Figure, this Orb included in them, and fo they next above us; and though finite, fo extenfive, that we cannot fee through them, nor have any Idea of what is be yond them, are for that Reason, and no other, according to the modern way of reafoning, infinite. Indeed the antient Heathens meant nothing else by infinite but a Circle, or the circular Motion of the Matter of the Heavens, which they represented by a Serpent turning its Tail into its Mouth: The later Heathens had other Pretences, because they faw them poffeffed of Powers next to infinite, and knew not when, nor how they came by them. I fay, though we are in one Extremity of them, or in one Face of them, as Face fignifies the fore Part of any Thing, and moft properly fo of a Fluid; yet we are forced to fpeak as if we were out of them; for when we fay to, or towards, or into the Heavens, we only mean further up or into it, as Exod. ix. 8. Sprinkle it towards the Heaven; or when we fay out of it, Exod. xvi. 4. Bread from Heaven. Jof. x. 11. Great Stones from Heaven. 2 Kings i. 10. Let Fire come down from Heaven. Ifa. lv. 10. Rain and Snow from Heaven; only mean to this Extremity or Face, or to the Face of

the

the Earth; and because of the uncertainty of the Distance fuch things are faid to come, it raises fuch an Idea as M. gives of the Adverb pw a remote Place far off or at a long Distance. Thus the Prophets and we fpeak of Matter but when the Prophets fpoke of Angels, Beings of another Nature, or of God, they can fay nothing that we can comprehend of that, but that he is the most High, his Dwelling is above the Heavens, or in a Heaven with fome Characteristick, which distinguishes it from thofe created. And I must for the prefent hint, that tho' neither Antients, nor Moderns were able to make any tolerable Computations of Distances of Bodies in them; yet, though those Distances be immeafurable, we may make Estimates vaftly beyond their Extents, even as well as we may of that of the Earth, or any of the other Orbs; and 1 may fome time be able to fhew, that the Moderns have fwell'd the Dimensions vaftly beyond those of the Antients, without any further Light, but only to make their Notions of Attraction or Gravity less inconfiftent, made the Distance to the Orbs of the Stars vaftly longer, and fo the Circle, in which thofe Orbs are, vaftly greater, for fear they, the Orbs of the Stars, fhould attract or gravitate to each other,&c. VOL. II. H

but

but they never tell you their Motives, but yet tell you truly, that they cannot underftand why the material Heavens should be fo high, either as they have made them, or as the Antients made them for the Ser vice of this Orb, or laftly of Man; because they have no Notion of the Mechanism of them, nor what Distance from the Center to the Circumference is neceffary for changing the Condition alternately, and thereby producing the Circulation of that which circulates all other Things; nor of what Use the Orbs of the Stars, either visible or invifible, may be in that, befides others. And for want of this Knowledge, or because they are ignorant of any Service they can be in this Syftem, as they had contrived it, they will make new Species of Creatures, new Suns, new Spaces, and new Worlds for them; and they have the Front to tell you, this is for the Glory of God; 'tis true if they mean their own God; nay they will fay any Thing at prefent, of the true God, if you will but allow the Scripture either imperfect by being unintelligible, or by being too fhort, or to be falfe in faying Things were made at the Time when, or for the Ufes which they were not made, or in any other Point; and that for the future you are to be go

verned by them. And many who might know, and pretend to believe the Scriptures, which are fufficient for Philofophy as well as for Salvation, are caught in this Snare. While they dream'd of Waters above the Heavens, they made D pound Word of there, and

a comWaters.

This Mistake is fet right, and 'tis fhew'd that thofe Waters were only above the Airs in the Abyss, when the Shell of the Earth was in forming, and D'

Abr. Ezra fays, "is a Dual of D, i.e. two Places; whereby the Heavens are taken for the two Poles." This is also explain'd in my first Part. It was at firft in two Places within the Sphere of the Earth, and without; or, perhaps after the Air in the Abyfs was brought up, it may be plural from the two oppofite Conditions, one Part ftill afcending, and one defcending; one acceding, and one receding, exclufive of the third Part in the Condition and Action of Fire; (of which hereafter) and D to speak generally, are the Atoms of every Thing in this material Syftem, except Atoms of the Earth, Water, Vegetables, and imbodied Animals, and thofe Vapours Parts of them, which swim in the Heavens, and make Part of the Atmosphere of the Earth. To speak particularly, that dry Fluid which

H 2

extends