Observations upon the Prophecies of Holy Writ

The introduction of the pure and lofty doctrines of the Principia was perseveringly resisted.*

Superphysics Note

This is because Newton’s system is matter-ialistic

Descartes, with his system of vortices, had sown plausibly to the imagination. Error had struck down deeply and shot up luxuriantly both in the popular and the scientific mind.

Newton’s idea is so simple and so grand – the planets were suspended in empty space and retained in their orbits by an invisible influence in the sun.

This was:

• inconceivable to the ignorant.
• a revival of the occult qualities of the ancient physics to the learned

This remark applies particularly to the continent.

• Leibnitz misapprehended it
• Huygens partly rejected it
• John Bernouilli opposed it
• Fontenelle never received the doctrines of the Principia.

Voltaire says that Newton lived 40 years after his work was published. Yet, at the time of his death, he had not more than 20 followers outside of England.

But in England, the reception of our author’s philosophy was rapid and triumphant.

The following sought the truths of the Principia:

• Lucasian Professor
• his successors in that Chair—Whiston and Saunderson
• Dr. Samuel Clarke, Dr. Laughton, Roger Cotes, and Dr. Bentley
• Dr. Keill and Desaguliers
• David Gregory at Edinburgh, and of his brother James Gregory at St. Andrew’s

Its mathematical doctrines constituted, from the first, a regular part of academical instruction.

Its physical truths were:

• given to the public in popular lectures
• illustrated by experiments

It was adopted by the general within 20 years after becoming familiar with it.

Pemberton’s popular “View of Sir Isaac Newton’s Philosophy” was published in 1728.

In 1729, Andrew Motte translated the Principia and System of the World into English.

Since then, the most hidden treasures of the Principia were displayed by the labours of:

• Le Seur
• Jacquier
• Thorpe
• Jebb
• Wright and others

Around the time of the Principia’s publication, James 2nd was bent on re-establishing the Romish Faith.

He ordered, by mandamus, many illegal acts.

One of which was for the University of Cambridge to confer the degree of Master of Arts to an ignorant monk.

• This mandate was resolutely refused.

Newton was one of the 9 delegates chosen to defend the University’s independence.

The king abandoned his plan.

The University proposed that he should be one of its parliamentary representative.

Newton was elected, in 1688, and sat in the Convention Parliament till its dissolution.

After the first year, however, he gave no attention to his parliamentary duties, being seldom absent from the University till his appointment in the Mint, in 1695.

Newton began his theological researches before 1691 in the prime of his years.

The Bible was to him of inestimable worth.

Gratefully he owned the same Author in the Book of Nature and the Book of Revelation.

His work “Observations upon the Prophecies of Holy Writ, particularly the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John” was first published in London in 1733.

It had 2 parts:

1. One devoted to the Prophecies of Daniel

This is about:

• the compilers of the books of the Old Testament
• the prophetic language
• the vision of the 4 beasts
• the kingdoms represented by the feet of the image composed of iron and clay
• the 10 kingdoms represented by the 10 horns of the beast
• the 11th horn of Daniel’s 4th beast
• the power which should change times and laws
• the kingdoms represented in Daniel by the ram and he-goat
• the prophecy of the 70 weeks
• the times of the birth and passion of Christ
• the prophecy of the Scripture of Truth
• the king who does according to his will
• the Mahuzzim, honoured by the king who doeth according to his will.

2. One devoted to the Apocalypse of St. John

This is about:

• the time when the Apocalypse was written
• the scene of the vision
• the relation which the Apocalypse has to the book of the law of Moses, and to the worship of God in the temple
• the relation which the Apocalypse has to the prophecies of Daniel, and of the subject of the prophecy itself.

Newton regards the prophecies as proof that the world is governed by Providence, by witnessing their fulfilment.

He thinks that enough prophecy has already been fulfilled to afford the diligent seeker abundant evidence of God’s providence.

The whole work is marked by profound erudition, sagacity and argument.