11. UPON this head I think it not improper to mention a reflection made by our excellent author upon these small inequalities in the planets motions; which contains under it a very strong philosophical argument against the eternity of the world. It is this, that these inequalities must continually increase by slow degrees, till they render at length the present frame of nature unfit for the purposes, it now serves[171]. And a more convincing proof cannot be desired against the present constitution’s having existed from eternity than this, that a certain period of years will bring it to an end. I am aware this thought of our author has been represented even as impious, and as no less than casting a reflection upon the wisdom of the author of nature, for framing a perishable work. But I think so bold an assertion ought to have been made with singular caution. For if this remark upon the increasing irregularities of the heavenly motions be true in fact, as it really is, the imputation must return upon the asserter, that this does detract from the divine wisdom. Certainly we cannot pretend to know all the omniscient Creator’s purposes in making this world, and therefore cannot undertake to determine how long he designed it should last. And it is sufficient, if it endure the time intended by the author. The body of every animal shews the unlimited wisdom of its author no less, nay in many respects more, than the larger frame of nature; and yet we see, they are all designed to last but a small space of time. 12. THERE need nothing more be said of the primary planets; the motions of the secondary shall be next considered. CHAP. III. Of the motion of the MOON and the other SECONDARY PLANETS. THE excellency of this philosophy sufficiently appears from its extending in the manner, which has been related, to the minutest circumstances of the primary planets motions; which nevertheless bears no proportion to the vast success of it in the motions of the secondary; for it not only accounts for all the irregularities, by which their motions were known to be disturbed, but has discovered others so complicated, that astronomers were never able to distinguish them, and reduce them under proper heads; but these were only to be found out from their causes, which this philosophy has brought to light, and has shewn the dependence of these inequalities upon such causes in so perfect a manner, that we not only learn from thence in general, what those inequalities are, but are able to compute the degree of them. Of this Sir ~IS. NEWTON~ has given several specimens, and has moreover found means to reduce the moon’s motion so completely to rule, that he has framed a theory, from which the place of that planet may at all times be computed, very nearly or altogether as exactly, as the places of the primary planets themselves, which is much beyond what the greatest astronomers could ever effect.