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https://studentshare.org/history/1688308-isaac-newton-on-essence-of-god.
History Isaac Newton is known for inventing the law of gravity which by far is applied in almost every day activities. By universal law, Newton meant the dependence in attraction between earth and all other objects whether on earth or in air. This universal law states that the gravitational attraction between the earth and other objects is inversely proportional to the distance that separates the earth’s centre from that object’s centre. This law was derived through four rules. First was the admission that there are no causes of natural things that are true or sufficient in explaining their appearance (Newton, 54).
The second rule is that due to lack of truth and sufficiency in the explanation of appearance of things, same natural effects must be assigned to the same cause. Here, he gave the example of how man and beast respire as well the difference of light from culinary fire and that from the sun. Third example was that of qualities belonging to bodies that humans can have access to during experiments and therefore such qualities can be esteemed as the universal qualities for all bodies. From this rule he deduced that all bodies are impermeable and are movable, endowed with some powers that help them in resisting motion (Newton, 54).
In addition, all bodies gravitate towards the earth with a proportion of their quantity of matter. Examples of such are the way the sea gravitate towards the moon or the motion of planets towards each other. According to Newton, God is the overall creator of the universe. He states that “this most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” This shows that Newton acknowledges that the universe and all that is in was created not by human being but one Super Being, God.
He continues to explain that the Creator of the universe is one intelligent Being and has dominion over the entire universe (Newton, 55). To show the wise counsel of the one who made the universe be, he states that despite the fixed stars being placed at the centre of the systems and them producing same light as the sun, they do not fall on each other like they should. This is because the creator has placed these systems at colossal distances from each other (Newton, 55). Notably, Newton recognizes that the creator of the universe governs it not as the “soul of world” but as the “Lord overall”.
Also, Newton states that “it is the dominion of a spiritual being which constitutes a God and from His true dominion it follows that the true God is a living, intelligent and powerful being.” These are the attribute that he gives to God as the ruler of the universe. He writes all things are contained and moved by God and that nothing affects the other (Newton, 55). The bodies in universe do not face any resistance from God’s omnipresent nature. Therefore, Newton acknowledges that all things in universe are created and sustained by God.
The connection that exists between the document and the present is that despite the generation difference, God still is and will always be the creator and container of the universe. Despite all the scientific discoveries, Newton still remains the one single person who opened the path for others to know about the universe and the forces that contain it but he still acknowledged that there is that one Being who controls it. In conclusion, despite science taking over in most of our daily activities, we should revere the one who created the universe like Isaac Newton did.
Works Cited Newton, Isaac. The principia: mathematical principles of natural philosophy. California: University of California Press, 1999.
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