HISDEFINITEFOREKNOWLEDGE 213in several hundred years, have been able to com-
pute approximately the perturbations of the planet-
aryworlds,andtopredictroughlythereturnofhalf
a scoreofcomets;butGodhascomputedthemutual
perturbations of millions of suns, and planets, and
comets,andworldswithoutnumber,notaloneforthe
timesgone by, butthroughoutall the agesthat are
yettocome. Hehasdonethisnotapproximatelyor
roughly,butwithperfect andabsolute precision.
The whole universeis filledwith restless motion,
systemaftersystem,clusterbeyond cluster,starsand
nebulae, worlds and comets, all sweeping in mighty
paths, some in reverse order to others, themotions
most complicated, the velocities most startling, of
wheelwithina wheel; andonlyGodknowsboththe
endandthepurposeof itall, even fromthebegin-
ning. Allhave been perfectlyadjusted to time and
place, to balancing perfectly forever the great ma-
terial universe. Everyglobe hasbeen weighed and
poised in space, every orbit hasbeen measured and
givenitsbeautifulcurve. Godhaspermitted a cer-
tain elasticity of relative position, a sort of rocking
backandforthofthesystem;yetitneverintroduces
disorder,and itnever leadstodestruction. Butthis
flexibility of position makes the paths just so much
themorecomplicated, justsomuch harderforusto
determine, thoughthey tax neither Hiswisdom nor
Hispowerthetiniestwhit.
However,letusnotweaveintothisconceptionany
idea of individual fate. While the heavenly bodies
obey His will, acting as a fine piece of machinery,