Sir Isaac Newton, our most esteemed scientist, wrote his 'General Scholium' as an appendix to his ground-breaking Mathematica Principia [1713].
It is little known fact that the deeply religious Sir Isaac's writings and discourses upon the Bible are of far greater extent than all of his numerous insights and publications into mathematics, light, gravity, optics and other sciences put together. Mainly written in Latin his esoteric works are numbered in the millions of words.
In his General Scholium he makes his position clear regarding God. He explains that, given the chaotic nature and disorder of the Universe, for the six primary planets to have established themselves all in the same plane, each operating with respect to the others, "could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being."
He takes care to elucidate his insight into the workings of this, "Lord God Pantokrator or Universal Ruler" explaining that this supreme, all-knowing being had decided to place the planets at such vast distances from each other that they would maintain their orbits irrespective of each other. That the force of gravity, that he had so clearly defined, would not act upon these heavenly bodies and hurl them headlong into collision courses.
In his General Scholium the brilliant mathematician and scientist states that it is the hand of a supra-intelligent being that has placed the planets contiguous to each other. He finishes the Scholium with reference to a third influence, not gravity, not God, that he refers to as "a certain most subtle spirit" To what did he refer? Clearly it was not the aforementioned two forces, he delineates them in the Scholium prior to referring to the subtle spirit. So what is it?
Many have posited that he was referring to electricity, however his final words appear to rule out electricity per se, "...this electric and elastic spirit operates." He is referring to another entity altogether. It is too simplistic to say that he is speaking of 'electricity'.
The subtle spirit, "pervades and lies hid in all gross bodies." It is responsible for the "force and action" by means of which, "the particles of bodies mutually attract one another at near distances..." the subtle spirit is not limited however to 'near distances' as his very next sentence explains, "...electric bodies operate to greater distances." Perhaps the science of the seventeenth century simply lacked
"Mutually attract" conjures up the image of magnetism. It is not a word that Newton uses in his General Scholium. In his paper, "MAGNETISM IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY" J.J.Ricker III states, "Newton’s
almost complete silence on the topics of electricity and magnetism has been thoroughly
researched, analyzed, and discussed by historians."
The pendulum swings back to
...notes
http://www.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/view/texts/normalized/THEM00135
Untitled Treatise on Revelation
If then the Prophesies which concerned the Apostolique age were given for the conversion of the men of that age to the truth & for the establishment of their faith, & if it was their duty to search diligently into those Prophesies: why should we not think that the Prophesies which concern the latter times into which we <3r> are fallen were in like manner intended for our use that in the midst of Apostacies we might be able to discern the truth & be established in the faith thereof, & consequently that it is also our duty to search with all diligence into these Prophesies. And If God was so angry with the Iews for not searching more diligently into the Prophesies which he had given them to know Christ by: why should we think he will excuse us for not searching into the Prophesies which he hath given us to know Antichrist by? For certainly it must be as dangerous & as easy an error for Christians to adhere to Antichrist as it was for the Iews to reject Christ. And therefore it is as much our duty to indeavour to be able to know him that we may avoyd him, as it was theirs to know Christ that they might follow him.
Thou seest therefore that this is no idle speculation, no matters of indifferency but a duty of the greatest moment. Wherefore it concerns thee to look about thee narrowly least thou shouldest in so degenerate an age be dangerously seduced & not know it. Antichrist was to seduce the whole Christian world and therefore he may easily seduce thee if thou beest not well prepared to discern him. But if he should not be yet come into the world yet amidst so many religions of which there can be but one true & perhaps none of those that thou art acquainted with it is great odds but thou mayst be deceived & therefore it concerns thee to be very circumspect.
Psalm 22 :
18They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
Quantum Mechanics
