CHAP. I. [...]he Philosophical meaning of these Words [In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth,] and what may be conclu­ded from them.

MOSES in his Philosophical Description of the Creation, lays it down as a granted Principle or a grand Thesis, [...]at the Heavens and the Earth, with [...] their Parts, Furniture and variety [...] Natures contained in them, were [...]eated [ de novo] and that God the [...]pream Being Un-created, and Inde­ [...]endent, Almighty in Power, and In­ [...]nite in Wisdom and all Perfections, [...]as the efficient cause: That the time [Page 2] when the World was Created, was in the beginning of Time; or when Time first began to have a Being; for before the World was Created there was du­ration, or Stabilis Aeternitas [as the Schoolmen express it] but Time being an equal mensuration of Motion, it and Motion began together.

From this grand Thesis we may con­clude, First against Aristotle, who endea­vour'd by many Arguments to prove that the World, as it now stands in Matter and Form, was Eternal; which Hypothesis advanceth the World into an equality with God; makes it its own efficient Cause, Uncreated and Independent.

In the Second place this Mosaick The­sis concludes against Plato and his Fol­lowers; who, tho' he did positively as­sert, that God made the World; yet he did conceive that the Matter on which it did consist was Eternal and Pre-ex­istent: By which Hypothesis he con­cludes God to be an impotent cause, not able to create the World without Matter and Stuff to work upon.

These mistaken Principles in Philoso­sophy were occasion'd from the Ob­servation of the regular course of Na­ture; not considering that there might [Page 3] be other causes which might produce effects in an other way than cou'd ever come within the compass of their nar­row observation; for how Spiritual Causes produce their effects, its impos­sible for us whilst we continu [...] in this dark state of Matter; wherein we have but a very short and narrow prospect to understand.

In the Third place it concludes a­gainst 3 Democritus and his Followers, who did not only conceit that Matter was Eternal and Pre-existent; but that the World had no efficient cause, but what was from Chance, or the casual motion of Matter; which consisting of infinite numbers of Atoms or little Corpuscles of different Figures, Natures and Qua­lities, which rainged about in a vast and infinite space; until at the last by Divisions, Separations and Mixtures occasioned by their contrary and mixt Qualities, and the innate Power of Sympathy and Antipathy, they at last setled into the Form and Figure of this World, which it can no more alter or vary from, than the active Fire be taught to change its Nature, and descend and Gravation to ascend and fly up­ward.

[Page 4]No doubt but this Hypothesis wa [...] grounded upon an experimental Obser­vation of the several Kinds of Matter of different Natures, which being mixt together in a Glass, or any transparent Vessel, will separate and divide them­selves proprio m [...]tu; tho never so jum­bled and mix'd together.

I shall not in this place sh [...]w you the absurdity of this Hypoth [...]sis; but ra­ther chuse in the following Chapters to give some account what Feats, Matter and Motion will produce by vertue of their contrary Qualities, and the pow­er of Sympathy and Antipathy; and how far God Almighty might make u [...]e of th [...]se towards the forming the mater­rial part of this World.

We may hence farther conclude, that 4 although neither the World as it stands, nor the Matter on which it consists did pre-exis [...]; yet it was an immediate con­sequent of Eternity, and the natural product of the Divine Essence, and At­tributes ( viz.) Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, according to that Model and Idea pre-conceiv'd in the Divine Understanding:

For it cannot be imagin'd that th [...] Divine Essence wou'd for some time sit [Page 5] still, and wrap up it's self in sloth and idleness; but did always display its self in a vigorous activity.

Besides the natural tendency of In­finite Power, is Action; of Infinite Wis­dom is Counsel; of Infinite Goodness is Beneficence: We cannot therefore but conclude from these Natural Arguments, that God would from all Eternity fol­low the inclinations of his own Divine Perfections.

From this grand Thesis we may yet 5 futher conclude, that this Universal Fa­brick of the World was not created at one stroke, by an imperious F [...]at; for tho this might have been consistent with Infinite Power; yet it would not have been agreeable with Infinite Wisdom, which consists in Deliberation, Counsel and Contrivance.

Moses therefore tells us that God first created the Heavens, and then the Earth: Like as some mighty Monarch designing to build a spacious and most glorious Palace, first forms the Model of it in his mind; and having prepar'd his Materials, sets on work his Under-agents, who first of all lay the Founda­tions, and compleat his own Royal Apartments, then the Apartments of [Page 6] his chief Ministers of State, after that Chambers for his Domesticks, and last of all Lodgings for his out Servants; and the Work being finish'd, accord­ing to the Model which he gave his Architects to work by, he gives it his Approbation. In like manner, the Great and Almighty Monarch of the Universe may be supposed, first to have laid the Foundations of those Super-Coelestial Regions of unaccessable Light, the Royal Chambers of his own most Glorious Presence; where he sits in great Majesty attended with an innumerable retinue of the most Noble Angels his Courtiers: After these he creates the highest of the Coelestial Spheres, in which he placed Thousands of Royal Mansions, where the Arch-Angels and Brighter Cherubins, the chief Ministers of State in that Coelestial Kingdom keep their residence: And these are the Morning Stars which Iob tells us [by way of Synecdoche] that met together, and the Sons of God that did shout for joy. After these God created the inner or lower Spheres, in which he placed innumerable numbers of bright, lucid and Aetherial Globes; wherein the inferior Angels and Do­mestick [Page 7] Officers do inhabit, and these the Scripture stiles Ministring Spirits.

And these differ in Office, Power and Light, as they are placed in Spheres nearer, or at a distance from the Re­gions of Light: For as one Star differ­eth from another Star in Glory, Light, Purity and Magnitude; So do their Heavenly Inhabitants: And so shall it be in the Resurrection from the Dead; for as Men improve here in Vertue, Goodness and the Divine Life and Light, so shall they be placed nearer, or at a distance from God, the Foun­tain of Life and Light.

After the finishing of these Inner Courts of this Royal Palace, last of all God created this Material Globe or Outer Court; and made it the Center of the Universe: And it's built of the Rubbidge, Dross and Sediment of the whole Creation, and inhabited with the meanest of Creatures, and lowest degree of Life and Perfection, which may most properly be called God's out Servants; over which he has pla­ced Man Deputy Lord Governour.

This Material Globe, tho it appears in its own dimensions to be o [...] great Magnitude to us (who bear not so [Page 8] much proportion to it, as a Mole-hill does to the greatest Mountain) yet being compared to the whole Universe [if the computation of the best Philoso­phers be true] it will scarce bear pro­portion to the Ninety six thousand part of it.

It cannot therefore be imagined that the Wise Creator [who never made a­ny thing in vain, but to the best end [...] and wisest Purposes [...]] should be so fond of a piece of dull stupid Matter, as to create all those innumerable numbers of Bright, Lucid, Aetherial Globe [...] (the least of which exceeding this Mole-hill in Magnitude by several Diameters) for no other end or purpose than di­stinguishing of Days, Months, Seasons and Years; and for casting a dark glimmering light to us poor Mortals.

As God Almighty finished any part of the Creation, he gave it a motion, and this motion it performs naturally and insensibly, without labour or difficulty; as our Blood circulates through our Veins and our Vital Spirits glide in the Nerves through the whole Body.

The Almighty having now finished the Creation which made up but one Royal Palace, containing in it innu­merable [Page 9] Mansions, fit for the Subjects of so great a Monarch to live in: He sits at the Helm of this Floating Uni­verse, and Steers all its motion [...] with a steddy and unerring hand.

And it can be no more labour to God to govern and actuate this World; who as an Universal Soul is diffu [...]'d in it, and is vitally present in every part of it, than for a Man's rational Soul by Will and Cogitation, to move a Finger or a Toe, or any other part of his Bo­dy; tho at the greatest distance from its Seat.

CHAP. II. Of God the Supream and Efficient Cause; and why Moses proves not the being of a God expresly by way of Argument; but implicitly by describing of the several degrees of Perfection, and the Subordina­tion [...] of Life.

WHen Moses writ this excellent System of the Creation, Poli­theism and Idolatry had prevailed over the generality of Mankind, and Abra­ham's Posterity were become Worship­pers of Egyptian Gods, as appears by their making of a Molten Calf at Horeb.

Yet notwithstanding this multitude of Inferior Deities which the World had set up for Divine Worship; the generality of Mankind did universally believe, that there was one Supreme God, who was the efficient Cause and Almighty Creator of this World, con­sisting of the Heavens and the Earth: and that this God was the Father and Governour of all the rest.

[Page 11]The Philosopher might therefore justly conclude it superfluous to prove by strength of Argument a Tenet, or rather an Article of Faith; to which the common Suffrage of Mankind did so universally consent and agree: And if it be suppos'd that Moses writ this System of the Creation, with the rest of his Book, which gives an account of the Patriarchal Genealogies, on purpose for the benefit and instruction of the Israelites; who in all probability could not but be ignorant of the Traditions and Religion of their Ancestors: [the [...]pse dixit] of so great a Philosopher; a Man so eminent for these mighty and unparallel'd Miracles and Wonders, which th' Almighty wrought by his Hand upon Egypt before their eyes; were sufficient to convince them, not only of a bare credibility; but of the Truth and Certainty of this Divine Thesus, that there was a God, and that he created the Heavens and the Earth.

But as God did not limit and con­sine his Favours wholly to Abraham's Posterity; but extends them to the Universal Body of Mankind: So not­withstanding that Moses wri [...] these Books for the instruction of that People [Page 12] in the first place, he undoubtedly de­ [...]gn'd them for the information of o­thers living in a State of Ignorance:

And therefore although he does no [...] expresly by way of Argument prove the Being of a God, and that he wa [...] the Supreme Cause of the World's Cre­ation [ Atheism being not then heard of in the World] yet he does it impli­citly by describing of those several De­grees and Subordinations of Life in the World; and by shewing how eve [...]y inferior Rank of Creatures is subservient to its Superior; and how every inferi­or Species is concatenated and link'd to its Superior by intermediates, all which is so visible and obvious in the Frame of the World, that an easie Phi­losopher without any great difficulty, or hard Study may ascend Gradatim, first from those common Minerals of Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, to the se­veral degrees and kinds of Oars and Metals; from these to the fertile Soil: from it to the several degrees of Life and Perfection in Vegetables, as Grass, Herbs, Plants, Shrubs, Trees, &c. and from these to the Zoophyta or Plant-Animals, which concatenates the high­est degree of Vegetation to the lowest [Page 13] degree of Sensation; from the several degrees of Sensation in Brutal Animals, to Man which is an intermediate Ani­mal, that links and couples Heaven and Eearth together; from Man to t [...]e se­veral degrees of Light, Life and Per­fection in the Angelick Nature; and from the Intellectual Nature, to God the Fountain of Light, Life and Per­fection; who, as an Universal Soul, actuates the whole World, by giving of the several degrees of Life and Perfecti­on to all the Creatures in the Animal World, as they are plac'd in Orbs or Spheres nearer or at a greater distanc [...] from his Divine Essen [...]e.

Thus in God all Creatures Live, Move, and have their Beings, and by these gradations we may either ascend up to Heaven, where God Almighty resides in Infinite Glory and Perfectio [...], or from thence descend to the hidden and dark Regions of Matter.

CHAP. III. Of the Creation of Second Causes, and the manner of their Product­on; and ways of Working.

THE grand reason why Plato and Aristotle, and [...]he rest of the Na­tural Philosophers did assume it as a granted Principle, that Nothing wa [...] made out of Nothing; and that every thing produced, had necessarily some pre-existent Matter out of which it was so formed; was [as I have alrea­dy hinted] because they cou'd not ob­serve in the ordinary course of Nature any thing produced de novo; therefore [...]hey concluded it impossible that any such Production cou'd ever be, or [...]appen in Nature:

But from particular Experiments or Observations to establish a general Con­clusion; especially concerning the impos­sibility of any thing's Existence, is no re­gular and warrantable way of argumen­tation; for there may be Agents of an­other Sort, and Powers which can pro­duce Effects in another way, than cou'd [Page 15] ever come within the compass of our ob­servation; for we see, and cannot but make it an observation, that one sensi­tive Animal by the power of Sensation can do more, and produce greater ef­fects, than all the Vegetables can pro­duce by the power and strength of Ve­getation. And one Man by the Power of his Natural Reason can produce more noble Effects, than all the Brute Animals by the Strength of Sensation; so one An­gel by the Power and Vigour of his Spi­ritual and Intellectual Natures, can pro­duce effects more great and wonderful, than all the Men in the World can by the power of Reason, tho' never so exalted and sublimated; for we read in 2 Kings 19. Chap. and 15. Verse that an An­gel in one night went out and smote in the Camp of th' Assyrians one Hundred and fourscore and five thous [...]nd; but how or by what means this Angelick, power was exercised it is not within the compass of shallow Reason to conceive: Yet we may reasonably conclude from it, that if an Angel, by the Power of his Intellectual Nature, can do more than a [...]l the Men in the World; so God Almighty by his Divine Essence can produce greater and far more won­derful [Page 16] effects than the whole Angelick Nature; even such as is impossible ei­ther for us, or them to understand.

But Moses having, to hi [...] great im­provements in Natural Philosophy, the Advan [...]ages of the Patriarchal Tra­dition [...], and a Divine Revelation; and being best acquainted with God Al­mighty's Power in producing Effects; doth not only positively asser [...], that God was the Maker and Builder o [...] this World; but that he Created i [...] and the Matter on which it doth consist, out o [...] Nothing, and that by uttering of tha [...] Almighty Word [ s [...]at] not audibly, for then there was no sensible Auditor in Being; but mentally, that is, by an Act of Volition; sic volo sic [...]ubeo being o [...]ly a Prerogative of Al­migh [...]y Power.

The Second Causes which this Al­migh [...]y Power Created out of Nothing, and which he made use of as instrumen­tal i [...] all Productions of a mixt Consti­tution, may be considered either as they are Essential or Accidental.

The Essential Causes were Light and Darkness; the External and Accidental Causes were Motion, Time, and Place; without which all Natural Productions are Physically impossible.

[Page 17]God having created these Second Causes by another Imperious VVord, set them on working; and he gave them also a Rule or Model to work by, which is most commonly called the Course of Nature; and when these new Agents had produced any effect, he view'd it, and gave it his Divine ap­probation, in these Words; God saw that it was good (i.e.) that it was a­greeable with that Rule and Model he had given them to work by; which words, tho' they be spoken ad Homi­nem, yet undoubtedly Moses intended by them to instruct and inform Man­kind, that the World was not made by Chance, or the casual Motion of blind Atoms, as some since have Athe­istically asserted; but by Wisdom, Councel and Deliberation.

And this establish'd Course of Na­ture, or these Laws and Rules which the Divine Wisdom gave to the Second Causes to work by, he never interrupts or varies from; but upon great and extraordinary occasions, when he is pleas'd to give some Demonstrations, of his Almighty Power and Universal Providence by which he governs the World at his Will and Pleasure; then [Page 18] he can either divert the Natural Cau­ses from their usual course, or by them produce Supernatural Effects; as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by extraordinary Thunder and Lightning▪ the Destruction of all living Creatures upon the face of the Earth by an Uni­versal Deluge; or he can stop them in their Natural Course, as when he caus'd the Sea to divide and stand still, and the Sun to move backwards.

CHAP. IV. Of Light and Darkness, the common Principles of mix'd Bodies, what they were in Mass; and how thei [...] division made the first production.

ALL the Natural Philosophers want­ing the assistance of a Divine Re­velation, did agree in this; that there cou'd be no Production of a mixt Con­stitution, without a Sympathetical Uni­on of an active and passive Principle; but what these Principles of Activity and Passivity were, they could not easily de­termine.

[Page 19]These our great Philosopher ex­presseth by the Names of Light and Darkness; which when they came im­mediately out of Gods hand, were bound up and hamper'd in one confus'd Mass; which might fitly be compar'd to a dark and palpable Mist, like the Aegyptian Darkness which was to be felt, in which vast Fog or Mist were bound [...]p, and smother'd those bright, lucid and active Particles of pure and Vola­tile Aether, as we see Light inclos'd within the walls of a dark Lan [...]horn; or the active Particles of Fire when smother'd in Ashes, or imprison'd with­in the dark body of Matter.

Thus Darkness was upon the face of this thick Mist or Fog of Matter, until God by another Almighty Fiat created Motion; which being infus'd into the stagnating Mist of Matter, the whole Mass of it was put into a fer­mentation and motion; and whilst the contrary Q [...]alities were acting their Antipathies one upon another, these nimble and active Particles of lu­cid Aether [being the most Volatile] broke through this dark Mass of Mat­ter, and uniting themselves, caus'd a bright shining Light, which Moses calls [Page 20] Day: and this division of Light from Darkness, occasion'd by the putting of the whole Mass of Matter into a Fer­mentation and Motion, made the first Production.

CHAP. V. Of Light, the formal Cause of all mixt Productions, what it was whilst in Mass.

BY Light is to be understood that vast Aetherial flame, which whilst [...]t was in Mass diffus'd its bright shining Rays, not only through the Material Regions, but the Planetary and Coe­lestial Spheres: This Aetherial flame was the Anima Mundi, the Vehicle of Life, wherein was contain'd the Semi­nal and Specifick Forms of all subluna­ry Creatures, [Man o [...]ly [...]xcepted] and then da [...]c'd about the Passive Matter, like A [...]oms in the Morning Sun Beams; until its Prolifick Slime, by vertue of its Plastick Power was modifi'd and pr [...]par'd for receiving of Life.

[Page 21]And this seems to be the sense and Philosophical meaning of Moses in the Second Chapter of Genesis, Verse the Fifth; God made every Plant of the Field before it was in the Earth, and every Herb of the Field before it grew; meaning only their Seminal and Specifick Forms which were contain'd in a Vehicle of Light, before they were united to their Material Vehi­cles.

Thus Light according to the Mo­saick Principles of Natural Philoso­phy, became the Formal Cause or the Male Parent of all mixt Producti­ons.

CHAP. VI. Of Darkness, the material cause of all mixt Productions; what it was in Mass, how it was reduc'd in­to Form: Of the Power of Matter and Motion: Of Sympathy and Antiphathy.

BY Darkness, the other Principle, or Material cause of generation, is not meant a bare p [...]ivation of Light; but that vast Mist, or Dark Fog of Matter consisting of infinite Num­bers of Particles or little Corpuscles of different Figures, and contrary Quali­ties, which by reason of a Principle of motion infus'd into it, run a Reel in a dark confusion until these contrary Q [...]alities of Heat and Cold, Siccity and Humidity, Gravitation and Levity, falling out among 'em selves begun to act their Antipa [...]hies upon one another; which causing them to separate and di­vide, those of the same kindred and affini [...]y, by the Power of a S [...]cret and Innate Sympathy drew together and united.

[Page 23]And first of all, these Particle [...] of Matter, which were of a hot and vola­tile Nature, being most active and vi­gorous, plac'd themselves in the Centre or Middle, as we observe 'em always to do in S [...]acks of Hay, Corn or other composi [...]ions of mixt Matters, wherein there is a strife or contest between those contrary Qualities of Heat and Cold, Siccity and Humidity.

And these hot and siery Pa [...]ticles having by their natural tendency ta­ken possession of the Centre, began im­mediately to [...]ct their Antipathy upon those Particles of Matter that were of a cold and waterish substance; forcing them to fly to the Circumfe [...]nce, and to range about in thick Fogs and wa­terish Mists; filling up not only that vast Expansion between the superficies of the Ea [...]th and the Moons Vortex; but all [...]he Planetary Spheres.

During which contest between Heat and Cold, Fi [...]e and Water, the inter­mediate Matter of a mixt Nature, nei­ther [...]imply hot nor cold; but partici­pa [...]ing of both Natures ( viz.) such as were of an Unctious, Pinguid, Bitumi­nous and Terrene Quality, se [...]led them­selves in a midle Sphere.

[Page 24]And every Class of Matter of the same Kind and Species, the better to secure it [...]elf from intermixing with the Matter of a different Nature, did in­close it self with great Dykes or Par­titions, consisting of Excrementitious, confu [...]'d and undigested Matter; and the natural Position of these being Rake-wise from the surface towards the Centre, they most properly may be esteem'd the greater joynts of the Earth.

And as these divide the several Kinds of Matter, so they preserve the several Feeders and Mineral Waters from inter­mixing, as will be more largely shewn; when we shall have occasion to Dis­course of Dykes, Rakes, Veins, Strings, Riders, &c.

The confus'd M [...]ss of mixt Matter being thus red [...]c'd to several Classes and a regular [...]orm; every Class lead­ing to some proper Mine or Mineral, which is the siner and better digested part of that Class; as Coal, Rudle, Iron and the several Kinds of Ore; and these all lay in lax and [...]luid Strat [...] or Beds, like the loose Leaves in an un­pres [...]'d Volume or Book, or like the weak joynts in a newly conceiv'd [Page 25] Embrio, enclos'd in a Bag of Water in the Womb of its pregnant Mo­ther.

CHAP. VII. Of the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the Waters, what is Pholosophically meant by it: Of the first division of the Waters, and the clearing of the sublunary Firmament.

THE whole Mass of Terren [...] Matter being thus far reduc'd into Form and Order; [not according to the Laws of Gravity, the heaviest subsiding first in order and falling low­est, as Dr. Woodward conceives, which mistake in Observation will be made apparent in its proper place] [but by motion of consent, suitability of Na­tures, and an agreeable juxta-position of Parts.]

The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters, which Words, if we con­sider [Page 26] 'em under a philoso [...]ical Notion, may be understood o [...] the Aetherial Flame, which moving upon those wa­terish Fogs and Mists, rarifi'd the more subtile and t [...]nuious Parts or Fumes of it into a brisk gale of cold condensing Wind; which did not only clear up the Sublunary Firmament by dividing of those Fogs into Sublunary and Su­perlunary Waters; but by condensing the Sublunary Fogs and Mists into a vast body of Water, it cover'd and surrounded the whole body of Terrene Matter; and as the Waters sank down towards the Centre, they press'd toge­ther the several Strata or Layers of Stones, Mines, Minerals and other Subterrene Earths, as we press together the leaves of a large Volume; and in our sinking and digging into the Body of the Earth, we find them lying upon Fla [...]s with a Dibb and Rise, the Rise towards the tops of Mountains, and the Dibb towards the main Ocean; as the Waters left them and forc'd them up, when they drew down into their proper Channel.

The whole Mass of Terrene Matter being thus Compact and Cemented to­gether by the pressures of the circum­ambient [Page 27] ambient Waters, as we press Brick and Tyle in their several Moulds; the Cen­tral [...]ire did by its heat bake and con­solidate those Stones, Metals, Mines and Minerals that were of a fiery na­ture, as well as those of an unctuous and pinguid quality, into their several de­grees of Consolidation and Induration; whilst the Anteperistical Cold, together with those petrifying juices of Salt and Nitre which then did abound in all the lax and undigested Strata, did petrify those Strata of a Terrene Nature into their several degr [...]es of Induration and Lapidifaction.

By these Natural Gradations the Earth became fixt upon its Center, and [...]he Waters a fluid body moving and cir­culating about it; and they both made one Terraqueous Globe of a Spherical and Mathematical Rotundity; all the Lines from the Superficies to the Centre being of an equal length.

Thus the space between the surface of the Waters and the Moon's Vortex was clear'd of all those Fogs and Mists which ranged about in it: And being fill'd with their Air, Moses calls it the Firmament of Heaven, which made the second Production ( viz.) of [Page 28] space, wherein the Under-agents or se­cond Causes had room to work, and produce effects of a higher and more noble Nature and Quality.

CHAP. VIII. The division of the lower Waters in­to Subterranean, Superterranean, and Nubiferous; and by what Gradations the dry Land appeared.

THO' this great Embrio was rea­dy for birth and to breath in fresh Air; yet it could not be deliver'd from this great Bag of Water, where­in it was enclos'd, by any innate Power it had in it self, without a Supernatural assistance: The Almighty was pleas'd therefore to play the Midwife, and to deliver it by breaking of this great body of Water; and by dividing of the sweet from those of a Saline and Brak­ish Nature.

For as soon as the intermediate Mat­ter which made the Shell of the Earth, was redn [...]'d into Form and Order; and [Page 29] the several Strata or Layers of Stones, Metals, Minerals, and Subterrene Earths with their cross-cutting and dividing Dykes, Rakes, Ryders, Veins and Strings or Side-branches had receiv'd from the heat of the Central fire and the petre­fying Juices of Salt and Nitre, their se­veral degrees of Incrustation, Indurati­on and Lapidifaction; the thirsty Mat­ter gradually suckt in the thin sweet Water, until all its Veins, Dykes, Cavi­ties and Pores were fill'd and saturated with it.

The Salt Water being the Sedement of the whole Mass, and likewise being too thick to penetrate and pass through the stra [...]t Pores and Strainers of the so­lid and condensed Matter, did gradu­ally draw down to its Channel: And all the Veins and Pores of the Earth be­ing now Saturated with sweet Water; the Subterranean Lympheducts, or un­derground Water-works began first to bubble up and play from the tops of the highest Mountains; from whence th [...] Rivers took their first rise, and began to form their courses to the Sea; and by their rapidity and weight continu­ally pressing in upon her from all sides, swell'd her up into a Gibbosity, and [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 30] for [...]'d her into a constant flux and re­flux, which reciprocation of Motion causing in her a boyling Fermentation, the sweet Water does disentangle it self from the Salt; and being lighter, riseth up in Fumes and Vapours, which fly abroad until they be condens'd into Clouds, which falling down in showers of sweet Water upon the Earth become [...] the Succus Nutritivus of the fleshy pa [...]t of it; giving not only a vital nourish­ment to the several Kinds of Animals living on the outer Coat or Skin of it; but repairing the Subterranean Waters by preserving them from wasting.

The Waters being now divided in­to Superterranean, Subterranean and Nubiferous, the dry Land appear'd, and was gradually prepar'd for being an habitable World.

CHAP. IX. Of the Primeval or Antidiluvian Figure of the Earth.

DR. Burnet, Dr. [...]ur­net [...] incon­sistences. in his Theory of the Earth, conceits and endeavours to perswade the World, that the Pri­meval Earth was Spherically or Mathe­matically round, without Seas, Moun­tains or any inequalities upon its Sur­face.

Which Hypothesis (or rather ingeni­ous Conceit) seems in the first place to be inconsistent with the Original State of this Materi [...]l Globe; which being design'd for a plac [...] of Habition for several Kinds of Animals of [...] mixt and compounded Constitution, whose vi­tal [...]lame is nourish'd and maintain'd by a continual respiration of a soft and vaporous Air; which must not only be frequently fann'd with the brisk gales and blasts of a cleansing Wind, but al­so moistned and sweetned with showers frequently falling through it: All which have their Original cause from the constant flux and reflux of the Sea, The Cause of this Globes At­mosphere. [Page 32] and those inequalities upon the surface of the Earth: Without which there would neither have been an Atmo­sphere, Wind, Rain, or Air; but the Superficies of the Earth would have been [by the Sun's Beams continu­ally beating upon it] Baked and In­crusted into the hardness of Brick and Tyle.

This Hypothesis seems also inconsistent with the different Natures of those Ani­mals with which the Almighty Creator has been pleas'd to stock it; some of which being only produc'd in a Warm and Fertile Soil, others only in a Cold and Sterile: So some Animals delight only to breath a warm and soft Air, others a more bleak and piercing: Thus Strawberries and Gilliflowers will not thrive upon the tops of cold and barren Mountains; nor Mountain Vegetables in the most fertile Soil, or best prepar'd warm Beds. This will be made more clear and evident when we shall give account of the natural uses of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, and those ine­qualities and irregularities of the Earth's Surface.

Once more to suppose the Earth to have been of an even and Spherical Su­persicies [Page 33] seems inconsistent with the dif­ferent Kinds and Natures of that Mat­ter of which it consists; some of which being hard, others soft, some fix'd o­thers [...]luid, it cann't be imagin'd that all this variety of Matter would settle in a Figure Spherically and Mathemati­cally round.

From these Arguments we may with­out being guilty of any great presump­tion, conclude against Dr. Burnet's Hy­pothesis, that as the Antediluvian Earth consisted of the same Matter with this present Earth, and produc'd the same Species of Animals, of the same natures and qualities, it was of the same Figure that now we find it in, a Terraqueous Globe of a Physical Rotundity, with Seas, Mountains, &c.

And th [...]t these irregularities and Inequalities of this Terrestrial Globe did not Date their Original from that Disruption which was occasion'd by the Deluge as Dr. Woodward positive­ly asserts, Dr. Wood­ard's con­tradiction of himself. Part 2d page 80. is evi­d [...]nt from part 6. Page 246. where he undertakes to prove that the Face of the Earth before the Deluge was not smooth, even and uniform; but unequal, and distinguish'd with Moun­tains, [Page 34] Valleys; as also with Seas, Lakes and Rivers.

CHAP. X. Of the constituent parts of the Earth: And first of the Volatile part of it, or the Central Fire; its natural Uses.

THE Constituent parts of this Ter­raqueous Globe are reducible to three different Classes of Matter, ( viz.) Volatile, Fix'd and Fluid; and these bear equal proportion one to an­other, and in the Structure of the Earth do occupy the same proportion of place.

The Volatile Matter, consisting of sublimated Sulphur, Nitre and Bitu­men keeps possession of the Central part; and as all Matter of the same kind and affinity, which having an appetite to Union, naturally affects a round and globular Figure, so the Central Fire may be suppos'd to be of the same Form.

[Page 35]That Figure wherein the Excentral Fire appears, is only accidental, occa­sion'd by the compressures of the cir­cumambient Air.

That vast subterranean Vault where­in this volatile Globe of Central Fire is contain'd [which the Miners call th [...] Belly of the Earth] may be suppos'd to be either of a round or circular; or of an aequilateral, multangular Figure; occasion'd by the solid Strata of Stones spreading and vaulting themselves a­bout it.

The natural Uses of this Central Fire seem to be Analogous to that vital Flame which is seated in the He [...]rt or Center of all Animals; [...]. Vse. for as that by its Vital heat [...]nlivens the whole Body; so this Central [...]ire by that Vital warmth it disseminates through the whole mass of Matter, enlivens it▪ and gives as well to the several Strata of Stones, Metals, Minerals and other subterranean Earths, their degrees of Consolidation; as to the several kinds of Ores, their different degrees of Pu­rity and Perfection.

As the Vital Flame does not only cause the Ebullition and Pulsisick Facul­ty in the Exterior pa [...]ts of the Body; 2. Vse. but [Page 36] also the Circulation of the whole Mass of Blood through all the greater and lesser Veins of it; so the Central Fire is as well the cause of the Ebullition of Springs, Thermae and Mineral Feeders which break out upon the tops of Mountains and the exterior parts of the Earth; as of the constant Circula­tion of the whole Mass of Subterranean Water through those Dykes, Rakes and Fissures, which from the Mountains do divide and spread themselves through the whole Body of the Earth, and are the greater and lesser Veins of it.

3. Vse.Again, as the Vital Flame gives the tincture and colour to the Blood, Flesh and all the Heterogeneous parts of the Body; so the Central Fire, by the diffe­rent degrees of concoction and boyling up of Matter, gave to the several kinds of it their different Tinctures and Co­lours; this might be illustrated by se­veral Analogous Experiments and Ob­servations, as in the boiling of Quinc [...]s and other Fruits; so likewise in B [...]king of Bread▪ &c.

4. Vse.The Central Fire, by running a perpetual Round within the Boun­daries of its own Infernal Vault, car­ries the Shell of the Earth about with [Page 37] it, and is the cause of its Diurnal Mo­tion.

Lastly, It is the Earth's Aequilibrium that keeps it fix'd upon its Center. 5. Vse.

CHAP. XI. Of the fixt part of the Earth: And first of the Inequalities of its Sur­face; their Natural Causes and Uses.

THE fixt part of this Terraqueous Globe which we call the Earth, may be describ'd either as to its Exte­rior parts, or Interior consistences of it.

The Exterior parts consist of Moun­tains, Heaths, Dales, Plains, Valleys, with the Channel of the Sea.

The Interior consistences of it are the Strata or Beds of Stones, Metals, Mines, Minerals and Subterranean Earths, all lying upon Flats with a Dibb and Rise.

Or they are Dikes, Rakes, Riders, Veins and Strings either cross-cutting [Page 38] and dividing the several kinds of Stones, Metals, Mines, Minerals, &c. of a different kind; or cross-cutting and dividing those of the same Species▪ as all Metallick Rakes, &c.

CHAP. XII. Of Mountains, their Original Cause, Consistences and Natural Uses; being the first Dry Land that ap­pear'd.

THE Mountains are the Ebulliti­on o [...] Matter, The Cause of Moun­tain [...]. occasion'd by the Central Fire when it was in its [...]ull Strength and Vigour.

[Page 42] 1. Vse. Their Con­sistences.They consist of such Strata of Stones, Metals, Raggs, Chivers, Cills, &c. as are of a Hot quality; and these are like so many Hot-beds wherein the several kinds of Ore receiv'd their Con­ceptions, as well as their different de­grees of Concoction and Perfection; as hereafter will be more fully shewn.

2. Vse. Their Na­tural Uses.The Mountains consisting of such Matter as is of a Hot quality, and be­ing bound with strong Cills, which ha­ving a quicker Rise than those upon the Plains, do lift up their Heads above the rest of the Earth; and became not only the great Pillars and Supporters of the whole Fabrick; but the first Sea­Banks that broke the Circulation of the Waters, and were the first dry Land that appear'd.

3. Vse.The Tops of the Mountains reaching a [...] high as the cold Regions of the Air; and having but the advantage of a single R [...]flection of the Sun's Globuli, have always a Cold and Condensing Air upon them, and striking a Level with the Gibbosity of the Sea, do by the Sympathy between Cold and Cold at­tr [...]ct the Vapours to them, which either fall down in Showers of Rain, being Condens'd by the rising of the Ground [Page 43] Cold; or are rarifi'd into Wind by the falling of the Sphere of Rarefacti­on, which term will be hereafter ex­plain'd when we describe the Nature of Winds.

All the greatest Dikes and Divis [...]ons of the Earth [as I have already ob­serv'd] do contract themselves and meet in the Mountains, 4. Vse. as the Veins do in the Necks of Animals; and these being the greater Veins of the Earth, by dividing into lesser Veins and Branches, maintain and preserve a constan [...] Communication or Circulation of Wa­ter through the whole Body.

And this is the only Reason why the Heads of all the greatest Rivers in the World have their Rise from the Tops or Sides of the highest Mountains; which by following of the Windings and Turnings of these greater Dikes or Veins, and by receiving into them the lesser Dike-Feeders, are increas'd from small Rivulets into large and Navigable Rivers, which at the last empty them­selves into the Main Ocean.

The Declivity of the Mountains gives Rapidity of Motion to the Rivers, 5. Vse. which does not only preserve their Sweetness for the benefit of Men and Beasts; but [Page 44] also by pressing upon the Sea from all sides, swells her up into a Gibbosity, and is the only cause of her Flux and Reflux, which the following Chapters will give account of.

6. Vse.As the Declivity of the Mountains gives Rapidity of Motion to the Rivers; so it gives Motion to the Winds and Air: For as the Condensation of Va­pours causeth an Inundation in the Wa­ters; so the Rarefaction of the Va­pours and Exhalations causeth an Inun­dation and Overflowing in the Air: And those Lateral blasts of Wind that come so strong upon us, are only Waves of the Air; and the roaring Noise we oftentimes hear upon the Mountains, is only the breaking forth of the Winds upon the still Body of the Air, and there putting of it into a rapid Motion, which is increas'd by the Descent of the Mountains; for Air and Water are the same in Specie, differing only in degrees of Thinness and Fludity,

7. Vse.As the Mountains are the great Pil­lars and Supporters of the Earth, their Foundations all meeting in the Center, and Forming that Vast Subterranean Vault, which keeps the Central Fire from breaking forth; so they are the great­est [Page 45] Ornament of its Superficies; giving not only a most pleasant Prospect over the Plains and Valleys, but terminating the Visive Faculty with a grateful vari­ety of Objects.

The Mountains have their Natural Position either in Ridges or Clusters; The positi­on of Mountains. those we see in Clusters intermixt with great Dales, Gills and Valleys, were [at the first settling of Matter] all of an even Superficies; but their Joynts and divisions consisting of Raff, Ragg, Chiver and such confus'd Matter, with­out strong Cills or Strata of Stones to bind them together, were by great Storms and Tempests of Rain, &c. but especially by Noah's Flood, broken and driven down into the Valleys; and from thence into the next adjacent Sea.

And this is the Reason why some Mountains have a Perpendicular Rise, The Cause of Gills, Dales and Vallie [...]. why their Ribs and Sides lye Naked and Frightful, threatning to fall upon us; and these great Dikes and Joynts are either fill'd with Ponds of Water, which afford great plenty of Fish; or they are become pleasant Valleys Gills and Dales; having a F [...]uitful Soil and the warmest Sun, by reason [Page 46] of its Beams being Reflected from all sides of the Mountains.

CHAP. XIII. Of Mountain Heaths, &c.

THE Mountain Heaths lye upon the Skirts of Mountains towards the Sea, their Consistences and several Strata are rather of a Pinguid, Bitumi­ous and Nitrous, than of a Hot and Sulphureous Quality; and they general­ly lead to Mines of Coals, The Ingre­d [...]ents of Coal. which are the Pneumatick parts of such Strata of Stones and Metals as are their upperCo­vers; the principal and more Pneuma­tical Ingredients whereof are Bitumen, Sulphur and Nitre; Bitumen gives the Flame▪ Nitre blows it up, and Sulphur gives the Heat.

Th [...]ir cros [...]-cutting and dividing Dike [...] consist of tough Clay and a mix­ture of confus'd Matters▪ Lesser Mountains. These Mount­ain Heaths were the second dry Land that appear'd; for as the Sea did gra­dually draw down into its Channel; its unruly Waves drove up these lesser [Page 47] Hills we see upon the Skirts of the Mountains, and forc'd their Strata of Stones, Metals, The Cause of the Cha­nel of the Sea. &c. to have a Rise towards them, thereby making a Chan­nel so Spacious as might contain so Vast a Body of Water, and keep its Proud Waves within their proper Limits.

Their Stones, Metals, &c. had their degrees of Incrustation and Lapidi­faction from the Central Fire.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Plains and Valley, &c.

THE last dry Land that appear'd, was the Plains and Valleys, which by the Depression of their Strata sank down into the Channel of the Sea; the Consistences of these are ra­ther of a Terrene and Nitrous, than [...] Pinguid Quality.

They afford us the best Free-stone as White, Grey, Red and Yellow▪ these Tinctures and Colours they re­ceiv'd from those different degrees of Concoction they had from the Cen­tral Fire; and the degrees of Lapidi­faction [Page 48] and Induration they receiv'd from the Anteperistical Cold, and Pe­trefying Juices: Their Strata have an easie Dibb towards the Sea, sometimes not a Yard at fifty; for as the Waters divided, their Strength abated, and the Flat Strata laid more level.

CHAP. XV. Of the Channel of the Sea, &c.

AS the Valleys sink down gradual­ly into the Channel of the Sea; so the Channel is only a spacious Valley as far depress'd before the Surface of the Earth, as the Mountains and moun­tainous Heaths are advanc'd above it.

Its Consistences are of a Terrene, Nitrous, Mercurial and Saline Quality, which is the reason the Sea-sand will by a violent Heat run into a Glassy Sub­stance. And why the most precious Pearls are found in that part.

CHAP. XVI. Of the fluid Part of this Terraque­ous Globe; and First of the Sea, &c.

THE Sea is that Vast Body of Salt Wa [...]er contain'd in its proper Channel: The Na­ture and Quality o [...] the Sea. Its the Sediment of the whole Mass of Water, and therefore is Thick­er and Heavier than either the Subter­ranean or Aerial Waters; which is the reason why it can neither penetrate the straight Pores of Solid Matter, and so intermix with its sweet Feeders; nor be elevated in Vapours by the Sun's In [...]lu­ence and fall down in Brackish Showers, [...] which would be destructive as well of Plants and Herbs as Men and Beasts.

The Seas are in a continual Flux and Reflux: The cause of which is the Rapidity and Weight of the Rivers con­tinually pressing in upon it from all sides; and the Sea-waters being not only Thicker, [...] but of a different Na­ture from the Thin and Sweet River-water, and having a Natural Appetite to Union, will not easily suffer the [Page 50] Rivers to Incorporate with them, The Cause of the Seas Gibbosity. which is the true reason why the Rivers swells her up on both sides of the Shoar, unt [...]l the weight of the Salt-water over-balancing the weight of the Sweet-waters causeth the Sea to break in the middle, and by the greater weight and strength of her Wa [...]es forceth the Invaders to retreat and [...]all back until the Salt-water has lost its weight and Strength; The Cause of the Flux. and this is the cause of its Flux.

The Salt-water having thus lost i [...]s weight and strength, the Rivers re­double their Force, and by the Rapi­dity of their Motion and weight of their Waves forceth the Salt-waters to a gradual and orderly Retreat▪ and to swell up into such a height of Gibbosity that its weight again over-balanceth the weight and strength of the Rivers; The Cause of its Re­flux. and this is the cause of its Reflux.

Thus the Flux and Reflux of the Sea is occasion'd by the continual strife be­tween the Fresh-water and the Salt▪ and the Spring-Tides and Dead-Tides are oc­casion'd by the gradual Increase and Decrease of the Reciprocation of their Motion; The Cause of Spring-tides and Dead-tides. as we observ'd in the Spring or Balance of a Clock in giving her back Stroaks at every Tenth.

[Page 51]This continual Strife between the Fresh-water and the Salt causeth a con­constant Heat and Fermentation in the Sea; The Cause of the Seas Fermen­ [...]ation. The effect [...] and Uses of the Seas Fermenta­tion. and this Boiling Fermentation causeth the Sweet River-water to fly up in Mists and Vapours, which causeth an Atmosphere to be round the whole Terraqueous Globe; and when these Mists and Vapours are condensed into Clouds they fall down in Showers of sweet Rain upon the Surface of the Earth.

Thus tho' the Sea affords no Sweet-water, yet it is the only Medium which preserves and maintains a constant com­munication and circulation between the Subterranean and Aerial Waters.

The Saline Quality of the Sea is oc­casion'd by her being boiled up into a Sediment by the Central Fire; The Cause of the Salt­ness of the Sea. as well as those Rocks of Mineral Salt that a­bound in her Channel.

This Saltish Quality of the Sea does not only preserve that vast Body of Wa­ter from Corrupting; It [...] Uses. but by causing her Water to be thicker and heavier than those in the Fresh Rivers, it makes them more able to bear Burthens of much greater weight, and fitter to maintain a Correspondence and Com­munication [Page 52] of Trade between Land and Land, tho' at the greatest distance.

The pro­portion which the Subterra­nean Wa­ter bears to the Sea.Tho' the Sea and Main Ocean seems to contain a vast quantity of Water; yet it being compar'd to the Subterra­nean Waters which circulate through the Veins of that great Body, and are contain'd in the Strata and Pores of dens'd Matter; it will scarce bear the same proportion to them that One does to Seventy-two; for if the Computation of those Learned Men be true who give Account that the Sea and Main Ocean cover but one half of the Globe, and that the Channel of the Sea is but one German Mile Deep [the Shallows being compar'd to the Deeps] then it would necessarily follow that if the Earth were Mathematically Round, it would cover the whole Globe only half a German Mile, which bears but Proportion to the Circumference of the Earth, as Half a Mile does to Twenty one thousand six hundred Miles. Again, the Diameter of Twenty-one thousand six hundred Miles being Seven thousand two hun­dred, of which if we allow a Semidia­meter to the Center or Belly of the Earth there will remain Three thou­sand six hundred Miles for the Shell or [Page 53] Body of it, to which Three thousand six hundred the Fluid part or Superter­ranean Water can bear no less Propor­tion than One to an Hundred; which Computations being granted (and in­deed they cannot [...]easonably be de­ny'd) in the whole Body of the Earth, there will be found Thirty-six German Miles of Fluid Matter, which bears proportion to the Seventy-two Super­terranean Seas or Oceans.

To strengthen this Hypothesis we may further add that in sinking of Pits, the deeper we sink, we raise the more Water; and that Stone or Mine of Coal which at Three Fathom Deep runs six Tubs of Water in one Hour, containing Thirty Gallons a-piece, at Six Fathom it will double the Number; and so on till the Water be Invincible; as in Hogsheads full of Water the high­est Tap runs slowly, because there is little weight of Water upon it; but the middle or lowest Tap will run double and treble the Quantity in the same time, there being double and treble the weight of Water upon it.

Again, If we do further add that be­sides the Water that circulates in the Veins of the Earth, there is so much [Page 54] of Water Intermix'd and Incorporated with the Fixt and Solid Matter, that if Stone, Metal, or Coal [when its Digg'd out of its Living Strata or Beds] be immediately expos'd to the Sun or Fire, it will in a short time want of Weight above an Hundredth part, the Fluid part being Exhal'd.

Of the greater Veins of the Earth, &c.The greater Dikes or Veins in the Earth, are Principally Four: The First divides and changes the Mountain-Strata from the Mountain-Heaths: The Second divides those several Strata of Stone, &c. of which the Mountain-Heaths Consist, from those of the Plains and Valleys: The Third divides those Beds and Layers of Matter on which the Plains and Valleys consist, from the Channel of the Sea: The Fourth Runs under the Channel of the Sea, whose Side-Branches causeth all those Submarine Quick-Sands which are the warm Beds wherein the Sea-fish scatter their Eggs for the Propagation of their several Kinds: As this, so all the rest of the greater Dikes and Veins have their Side-Branches filling all the Strata of Stones, Metals, Minerals and Sub­terranean Earths with Water; so that where-ever we sink into the Body of [Page 55] the Earth, as soon as we prick [with our Digging Instruments those Kells of Clay &c. which divide the several Strata] we presently raise their Feed­ers.

And if any [who being prompt'd either to gratifie his Natural Curiosity, or gain some considerable Advantage to himself] would raise a new River up­on dry Ground, To raise new River [...] upon dry Ground. let him go to the Foot of some Hill or Rising Ground and be­gin a Level-Drift, which by cross-cut­ting of the several Strata of that Rising Earth, he will Tap and fet at Liberty all the Feeders; and if he drive on till he shall cross-cut with the Drift one Branch of those greater Dikes, he will Raise a considerable River, which may turn to his great Advantage.

CHAP. XVII. Of those Preternatural. Accidents that Disturb and Interrupt the Course of Nature in this Material World &c.

HAving in the former Chapters given an Account of the Origi­nals, Causes, Consistences and Natural Uses of the several Parts of this Natural Globe, as well Fix'd as Fluid: It will not be improper to subjoin an Account of such Preternatural Accidents as some­times have disturb'd, and may for the future interrupt the regular Course of Nature; and at the last so far destroy the Frame and Fabrick of this Material Part of it, as to render it uncapable of being an Habitable World.

And these are Earthquakes, Hurri­canes, Volcano's, violent Eruptions of the Subterranean Waters, as at Noah's Flood; Stagnations of the Sub­terranean Air, causing the Springs and Mineral Feeders to sink down into the Interior [...]arts of the Earth; Interrup­tion [Page 57] of the Circulation of Vapours, and Rains upon the Earth (as in the days of Elisha the Prophet); violent and Preternatural Thunders, such as destroy'd Sodom and Gomorrah. These and the like, are the Accidental Di­stempers that have happen'd in the Bo­dy of the Earth, and they seem Ana­lagous to those Fevers, Agues, Con­vulsions, &c. which interrupt the Healthful Constitutions of our own Bo­dies, and are sometimes destructive of 'em: And as all the Diseases and Di­stempers our Bodies are subject to, have their Original from Accidental Heats or Colds, which either Sublimates and Exalts our Animal Spirits into a Fe­verish degree of Volatility; or by Cold and Aguish Damps depresseth them into a degree of Stagnation.

So all those Accidental and Preter­natural Disturbances that happen in the Course of Nature, have their ori­ginal Cause, from the several Kinds and Natures of Damps, which are, Either Central, Subterrene, or Aerial; [Page 58]And are of Quality Either Hot, Cold, Sweet, or Foul.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Central Damps: Their Cau­ses, Natures, and Dreadful Ef­fects upon this Globe.

THE Subterranean Vault being filled with a confus'd Mass of undigested Matter, Consisting of Sub­limat'd Sulphur, Bitumen and Nitre, whenever it happens that there ariseth a War between these angry Volatiles, and their Fluid Neighbours ( viz.) the Subterranean Water and Air, A Subter­ranean contest be­tween Fire and Water. which Circulates through those greater Veins that environ this large Vault; and do not only Feed and Nourish that Infer­nal Smother, but keep and confine it within its own Boundaries, that it [Page 59] break not forth in violent Eruptions upon the fixt Body of the Earth,

As soon as this Intestine War com­menceth, these Active Volatiles of Sub­limated Sulphur, Bitumen and Nitre, collect and aggregate into great Bo­dies.

And when these discharge in the 1 Central part of the Vault, the Nitre which is the principal Cause of the grand Effort or Flatus, A Concus­sion of the whole Globe. dilates and ex­pands its self on all sides, upwards and downwards Indifferently: And this violent Effort or Flatus causeth an uni­versal Concussion of the whole Globe.

When the Damp gathers towards the 2 Circumference of the Vault, and there dischargeth it self, the grand Flatus hath its Tendency upwards▪ A Concus­sion of half the Globe. and some­times causeth a Concussion of one half of the Globe, without any Eruption of Fire.

When the Damp Fires upon some 3 Class of the Superincumbent Strata, it either splits them, making Cracks and Chasms in the Exterior parts of the Earth for some Miles in length, A Local Earth­quake. which at the instant of the Shock openeth, and in the Interval between the Shocks closeth again: [Of this Kind was that [Page 60] [...]rack or Chasm which open'd and [...]allow'd up the Tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and no doubt, but the Shock struck a Terror into the whole Camp]

Or if the grand Flatus be very Strong and Vehement, it either ele­vates the whole Class above the Super­ficies of the Earth, New Mountains and Pond [...]. forming a new Mountain; or else it sinks down into the Vault, and the vacant place is im­mediately fill'd with Water [not from Dr. Woodward's Abyss] but from the Veins of the Earth which break into it.

4 When the Damp fires near or upon some of the great Joints or Clifts of the Earth, the Flatus pursues all the Wind­ings and Turnings of these Joints and Clifts until it break forth in Dreadful Hurricanes; either under the Sea, oc­casioning most Horrible Disorders and Perturbations, Of Hurri­cains and their Ef­fects. raising its Surface into Prodigious Waves, Tossing and Rowl­ing them about in most strange Whirl­pools, Overturning and Swallowing up Ships in an instant: And upon the dry Land Overturning Cities, Towns, Blowing up Mountains, &c.

[Page 61]Tho' these Effects of the Subterra­nean Nitre when Rarified and Dilated by the Central Flame be very Dread­ful; yet if these Fissures and Spiracles through which they get a Vent and break out upon the Earth had been Perpendicular [as Dr. Woodward Con­ceits] they wou'd have Destroy'd the whole Surface of it.

For then every one of these lesser 1 Damps or Squibs which daily take Fire in the Subterranean Vault, wou'd have broken out upon us.

And the greater Damps being Fired 2 wou'd have Blown up not only the In­habitants of the Earth; but their Hou­ses with its Superficies into the Air; for the deeper the Fissure or Spiracle is, if it be Perpendicular in a streight Line, the more Strength and Impetuosity it gives to the Flatus, as we observe in Guns and Fuzees.

Again, The very Sulphurous Exha­lations which wou'd have ascended through these Perpendicular Fissures without interruption, wou'd [with their Noisome Smell] have Suf [...]ocated and Stifled those Animals that Live by Respiration, and wou'd have afforded Matter for continual Thunder in the Air.

[Page 62]It was then most agreeable with the State of this Habitable Globe that these Fissures or Joints of the Earth shou'd have their Position from the Surface to the C [...]nter in crooked Lines with va­rious windings and turnings, Dr. Wood­wards no­tion of per­pendicular Fissures is a mistake in observa­tion. openings and closings; not only for securing us from those dangerous Effects of the Central and Terrene Damps; but also for the better and more commodious Communication of the Subterranean Waters through the Flat Strata of Matter.

And Lastly, That the Subterranean Waters by following of the windings and [...]urnings of these greater Fissures might have a longer Journey to the Sea, and thereby supply the Inhabitants of the Earth with sweet Waters at a more Commodious and Convenient Di­stance.

These Phenomena of Central Damps, and that they are the only cause of all those Universal Earth-quakes that have happen'd in this Natural World, being wholly new, and the World not yet accquainted with them, may at first sight seem only the Products of Fancy, or meer Conjecture; yet if Seriously and Impartially enquir'd into, will be [Page 63] fou [...]d Grounded upon such Reason, as cannot without a prejudic'd Opinion be easily deny'd.

For it cannot be imagin'd by any who have made it their business to un­derstand the Structure of the Earth▪ those [...]everal Classes of Solid and Dense Matter on which it consists, the wind­ings and turnings of those Dikes and Partitions which divide them and are the Subterranean Water Courses, that there shou'd be Magazines of Subter­ranean Gunpowder lodg'd in Infer­nal Cavities round the whole Globe, and that there shou'd be Trains laid from one Collection to another, and that all these Trains shou'd take Fire through all the Subterranean Rivers in one instant of Time. Neither can it rea­sonably be suppos'd that there shou'd be a Concussion of the whole or half, or any considerable part of the Globe, by one Subterranean Flatus; but what is from the Central Vault.

Again, The Consistences of the greatest part of the Earth being rather of a Gold, Terrene and Mercurial, than of a Bituminous Nitrous and Sulphure­ous Quality, it cannot be suppos'd that those parts of the Earth which afford [Page 64] no quantities of this Natural Gunpow­der shou'd suffer a Concussion or Earth­quake, but from these Central Damps.

Besides those Miners who have sunk deepest into these Occult Regions, do from their own Experience assure us, that there are no Grotto's or Cavities above an Hundred Fathoms deep, un­less in those Mountainous Countries where the Consistences are of a Sul­phurous and Nitrous Quality, afford­ing plenty of Natural Gun-powder, which being Fir'd cause all those Vul­cano's we Read of in History.

CHAP. XIX. Of Terrene Damps, and their Dread­ful Effects upon this Globe &c.

TErrene Damps have their Original either from Heat or Cold, and are either Fiery or Waterish: Those which have their Original from Fire, are of the same Nature with those Cen­tral Damps we have given Account of.

As all Local Earth-quakes do more frequently happen in the Mountainous Countries, than in the Plains and Val­leys; because all the greater Dikes, Joints and Veins of the Earth contract and meet there: And the Flatus which is the occasion of the Shock makes its way by what passage soever it can get Vent.

But these Mountainous Cou [...]tries especially, which yield great store of Sulphur, Bitumen, and chiefly Nitre [these Minerals affording the greatest plenty of Natural Gun-powder] are most injur'd by those dreadful Shocks, because those Mountains whose Natu­ral [Page 66] Consistences are of so Hot and Fie­ry a Quality are commonly very Ca­vernous; and their greater Joints and Fissures, Of Burn­ing Moun­tains. as well as strong Strata having by frequent Concussions and Earth­quakes lost their Natural Feeders, are become the most proper Receptacles for those Fiery Stores to be lodg'd in until either the Central Fire, or their own Natural Heat being contracted into a Point, Discharge first the lowest Damp, and the rest by Trains like so many Subalterns discharge in Course, and sometimes for several Months together, till the Subterranean Gun-powder be all spent.

And these Burning Mountains such as Aetna, Vesuvius, Hecla, and others, are only so many Spiracles or Vulcano's serving for the discharge of these Sub­terranean Damps, Vulcano's. which disgorgeth Flames of Fire, and Stones of great Weight and Substance, Showers of Sand and Rivers of melted Minerals; and yet these Mountains by those Vul­cano's lose nothing of their Height or Mag [...]itude, all these Eruptions being Recruited out of the great Magazine of Natural Gun-powder contain'd in the Infernal Vault.

[Page 67]Besides these Damps of a Fiery Na­tore contain'd in the Interior parts of the Earth, there are others which some­times happens in the Exterior parts of it; such as those Fiery Damps in Col­leries are only the Perspirations of Sul­phur and Nitre out of the Cole, Her damps in Colle­ries. Wall or Mine, Collected into a Body; and these either take Fire at a Candle, or like so many dry Exhalations receiv'd into the Body of a Cloud, Their Ef­fects. and dis­charge like Thunder shakes the Earth about the Collery, kills the Miners, and have other Dreadful [...]ffects.

To these we may add those Preter-natural Ebullitions and Eruptions of Subterranean Waters, which Moses calls the Breaking up of the Fountains of the great Deep: Violent Eruptions of Water. And these whenever they happen upon the Earth [as at No­ah's Flood] are occasion'd by an Uni­versal Fermentation and Dilation of the Central Fire, which gaining ground upon their Fluid Neighbours, force them into a most Rapid Motion through all the Subterranean Veins, and consequently causeth those v [...]olent Eruptions of Water in all the Springs, Rivers, Joints and Fissures of the Earth.

[Page 68]Sometimes the Circulation of the Subterranean Waters stagnates and sinks down into the Interior parts of the Earth; Of water Damps. the Springs and Rivers dry up, as in the days of Elisha: and this is occasion'd by the stifling and damp­ing of the Central Heat, the Circum­ambient Waters prevailing upon it.

Sometimes the Circumbient Air which Circulates in the Exterior parts of the Earth, especially the Caverns, Joints and Concavities of Rocky Stones and other Metals [and is the only cause of the Eruption and Motion of Springs, Rivers, &c.] Damps and Stagnates, which forceth the Springs and Eruptions of Waters to stand back, and fill those Caverns and Joints, from whence they flow until the weight of the Waters break the Damp, or ra­ther Damm of Stagnated Air; and then follows Eruptions and Overflow­ings of Springs, Rivers, &c.

This kind of Damps I have met with sometimes in Colleries, An Air Damp. where the Wa­ter made way for it self in such Joints and open Closers, as it met with in the under Cills; especially Lime-stone, which is of all Stone the most Jointy and Open.

[Page 69]And when the Air in these open Joints and Cavities was dampt, the Waters stood back in the Working, and forc'd the Mines out of the Pit, until the weight broke the Damp, and then the Waters Drain'd

This Damp most frequently happens in the Summer Months, A sweet Da [...]. when the Ambi­ent Air is Thick with Hot and Piery Ex­halations, and the Effluvia of sweet Blos­soms, especially of Peas and Beans. And this the Miners call the sweet Damp.

This Stagnation and Damping of the Subterranean Air is [in all probability] the cause of the Annual Over-flowing of the River Nilus, the Horary Over­flowing of the Spring at Gigleswick in York-shire, the Drumming in the Well at Bautry, &c.

And these being by Men of Learn­ing reckon'd among the Magnalia Na­turae , we shall enquire more particular­ly into the Causes of them: And first of the Over-flowing of Nilus.

Nilus is one of the Noblest Rivers in the World, The over-flowing of Nilus. and is famous not only for the long Course it takes through Ethiopia and Egypt, which is suppos'd to be Three thousand Miles before it empty's it self into the Miditerranean [Page 70] Sea; but also for its Over [...]lowing and Fertilizing that Low and Level Coun­try, supplying in it the want of Rain.

'Tis believ'd by Men of great Learn­ing that this Yearly Over-flowing of that Country is oc [...]s [...]on'd by the great quantities of Snow dissolv'd upon the Mountains, from whence it takes its Rise; and these [as Geographers give Account] are that vast Ridge of Mountains, which for their Height bear the Name of Montes Lunae, as i [...] their lofty Tops wash'd their Head [...] in the Moon's Waterish Vortex.

Others are of Opinion that the Year­ly Over-flowing of that River is caus'd by those great Rains which fall every Spring in the higher Ethiopia: But if either the Dissolution of Snow, or In­undations caus'd by the falling of those Spring-Rains, were the true Rea­son, &c. they wou'd also cause the o­the [...] Rivers in those Countries to Over­flow their Banks at the same time; which is so far from being Observable, that when Nilus Over-flows, the othe [...] Rivers are at a very low Ebb.

The Cause then of this Yearly Over­flowing of Nilus, which begins about the 17th of Iune and continues until [Page 71] the 6th of October, seems to be a Sub­terranean Damp, which Yearly Stag­nates the Circulation of Air in these vast Rocks and open Strata, from whence those Rapid Springs and Feed­ers slow, which are the Heads of that Famous River.

The Subterranean Air being Dampt, the Springs and Mineral Fe [...]ders are forc'd to stand back and fill all those vast Concavities and Hollows for seve­ral Miles upon [...]he Side-rise, and some Miles upon the Top-rise of those Rocks and Metals; until the weight of so vast a quantity of Water [which may be compar'd to a l [...]sser Sea] breaks the Damp or Damm of Stagnated Air, and then the River begins to Over-flow, an [...] continues until the Waters be spent, and the Damp gathers again.

Its observ'd that when the River Ni­lus begins to Over-Flow its Banks, that great Plagues break out in Cairo, which seems to be occasion'd by those gross Vapours and Mineral Exhalati­ons that arise from so vast a quantity of Stagnated Water, which [whilst by its Motion, its Purging of it self and reco­vering of its Sweetness] fly about, cor­rupt the Air, and cause Infections.

[Page 72] The over-flowing of the Gigles­wick Spring.This Subterranean Damp is likewise the cause of the Horary Over- [...]lowing of the Spring at Gigleswick in Yorkshire; for this Spring b [...]ing the feeder of a Lime­stone Rock near Thirty Yards Perpen­dicular in Height, which breaks out at the Foot of it; so oft [...]n as the Circula­tion of the Air in the Rock is dampt, the Spring runs very slowly, and when the weight of the Water has broken the Damp, it Over-flows, and this Flux and Reflux is once in every Hour.

I observ'd my self, that before the Waters began to Flow there was a knocking in the Rock, and this was caused by the pressing of the Water upon the Damp before it broke.

The same is the cause of that Drum­ming in the Well at Bautry, The drum­ming W [...]ll a [...] Baut [...]y which the Inhabitants of the Town told me ne­ver happ [...]n'd but against the change of Government: This Well is observ'd to be [...]or the most part Dry, which is oc­casion'd by the feeders standing back; the drumming noise is occasion'd by the Waters pressing upon the Damp, and the Hollows of the Well; for as soon as the Damp is broken, the Well fills wi [...]h Water and the Drumming is over.

[Page 73]This occasions the Report of Under­ground Spirits, which Miners call Mine­ral Spirits; and they observe that these Spirits give notice by Knocking or Groaning before the Mineral Vein be discover'd: Mineral Spirits. I have observ'd my self that in a new Collerie, when the Work­men were near the Coal (and only the Kell which kept the feeder of it unbro­k [...]n] there wou'd have been a sort of Knocking, Sighing or Groaning, heard in the Vein, which was only occasion'd by the weight of the Water lying in the Coal, and pressing forward for more room and liberty; for as soon as the Coal was prick'd, the Water rose in the Pit, the Knocking was over and the Mineral Spirit Conjur'd.

Of this kind also is that Damp which the Miners sometimes meet with in their sinking of deep Pits and new Works; Foul. Air. where a Cloud of Breath or Sweat per­spiring from the Bodies of the Work­men, will sti [...]le the Circulation of the Air, and not suffer the Candles to Burn. This Damp will steal [...] Breath insensibly from the Workm [...] and sti [...]le 'em.

There is yet another kind of Damp the Miners complain of, which they call the [Page 74] foul or stinking Damp; and this is cau­sed by the breaking out of corrupted Air from old crusted Works. This, if not prevented, will Kill and Stifle the Workmen.

The Aerial Damps will be treated upon in Meteorologie.

Having given an Account of the Causes, Natures and Effects of Damps, and such Preter-natural Accidents as have and may disturb and interrupt the regular Course of Nature; we cannot but make an Enquiry into the Causes of Noah's Flood, the Season of the Year when it happen'd, and the Alterations and Devastations it made upon the Earth,

CHAP. XX. Of Noah's Flood, its Causes, the Season of the Year when it hap­pen'd, the Effects and Alterations it made upon the Earth.

If these two Learn'd Men ( viz. Dr. Burnet and Dr. Woodward had understood better the Structure of the Terraqueous Globe, the Natural Con­sistences of it, the Causes, Natures and Effects of Damps, and that those Sub­terranean Waters which Circulate through the Veins of the Earth bears proportion to Seventy two Oceans, they wo [...]'d have discover'd such a quan­tity of Water as wou'd have caus'd an Universal Deluge without the Conceit of a Central or Subterranean Abyss.

Which Hypothesis [tho' manag'd with the greatest Artisice of Invention and Oratory] when seriously enquir'd into, will be found to have very little of Truth in the bottom of it; for it seems not only inconsistent with the Original Settlement of Matter, as we [Page 76] have observ'd already; but also with Dr. Woodward's Hypothesis concerning the re-settling of the fluid Matter dis­solv'd by the Deluge which he positive­ly asserts to have been according to the Rules of Specifick Gravity; the heavi­est subsiding the lowest.

1 This Hypothesis if taken for granted, we must necess [...]rily conclude from it, that all those kinds of ponderous Ore, and heaviest Rocks of Iron, Stone, Marble, &c. would have sunk down into the Central Vault and fill'd it up.

2 That the rest of the Fix'd Matter be­ing by some degree lighter would have spread their Solid Strata uppermost: 3 And that the Fluid Waters being by several degrees lighter than the Fix'd Matter, would have cover'd the whole Terre [...]e Globe, and consequently wou'd have caus'd an Universal and perpetual Deluge upon the Earth.

But suppose it possible to improve the strength of Imagination to such a height, as to fancy that there was O­riginally, and is still, a vast Abyss of Hot Water contain'd in the Center of the Earth; it cannot be so easily ap­prehended by what Power or Means this vast substance of Water shou'd be [Page 77] put into so high a degree of Fert [...]entati­on and Commotion, as to cause an Universal Disruption and Dissolution of the Earth, as Dr. Woodward conceits; for although that Fire placed under a Pot sill'd with Water, will by emitting of its fiery Globuli, and mingling them with the Water, cause so violent an Ebullition and Commotion in it, as to raise the Cover and overturn it; yet it cannot be suppos'd that either that uni­form and constant Fire or Heat, disse­minated through the Body of the Earth; or the external Heat of the Sun's warm Influence can produce any such Effects; because Fire and Nitre do Naturally exert their power upwards and side­way, but never downward, but when it is so pent up that it can get no other Vent: And when even Gun-powder is forc'd to make its Effort upon the Waters, the strength of its Flatus does little Execution, being presently sti [...]l'd. We shall therefore suspend further En­quiry about this matter, until Dr. Wood­ward's larger Volume be made pub­lick, and endeavour to find out some other Causes by which that Universal Deluge which happen'd in Noah's time might be effected in an other way, and [Page 78] grounded upon fair probabilities of Reason and Certainty.

1 First then, no doubt but God Almigh­ty was the Principal Cause, the Sins of Mankind the provoking Cause, and the Subterranean Superterranean and Nu­biferous Waters were the immediate Instruments of it.

But how all these divided Waters shou'd be re-united and gather'd into such a Body as was sufficient to cover all the Tops of the Mountains Fifteen Cubits high, as Moses gives Account, is the only matter of difficulty to be [...]ncounter'd.

In Order to which, I shall not Enter­tain you with a long Story of the Opi­nions of Learn'd Men about it, not undertake to shew you upon what im­probable Grounds and inconsistences the Theorist and Dr. Woodward have establish'd their Hypothesis of it; but having discover'd a Vast and Por [...]en­tous Body of Water Circulating in the Veins of the Earth, bearing Proporti­on [as I have observ'd] to Seventy-two Oceans, and several Oceans of Water more floating in the Clouds and rarisied into thin Air [tha [...] it might be a sit Me­dium for Respiration, &c.] my Adven­ture, [Page 79] shall be [...]irst to shew how, and 1 by what Cause, the Subterranean VVa­ter was rais'd above Ground, and the thin Air was condens'd into VVater; how both join'd with the Sea, and caus'd the Deluge.

And then Secondly, I shall give Ac­count how the Waters again divided; how all things return'd to their Na­tural Course; and by what Gradati­ons the dry Land appear'd: And more than this is not necessary to make and establish a clear Hypothesis of the Uni­versal Deluge.

First then, we may conclude, from 1 Arguments of the greatest probability imaginable, that the collection and re­uniting of such a quantity of Water as was sufficient to Drown the World, was caus'd by an Universal Damp that happen'd at that time in the whole Course of Nature.

For, First, all the Central Fire by a Preternatural Fermentation and Dilati­on of those angry Volatiles on which it consists, gain'd ground upon its Fluid Neighbours, those Subterranean Waters which circulate in the Body of the Earth, and forcing them into a most rapid Ebullition and Commotion, caus'd most [Page 80] violent Eruptions in all the Veins, Joints, Fissures and Hyatus's as well under the Channel of the Sea, as in all the parts of the Earth's Surface.

The mean­ing of these words, the Fountains of the great Deep were bro­ken up.These violent Eruptions of the Sub­marine and Subterranean Waters, which Moses calls the breaking up of the Fountains of the great Deep, swell'd up the Sea into such a height of Gibbosity that it forc'd the Rivers to stand back, and rise as high as their Fountain Heads, which covering all the dry Land, ex­cepting the Tops of the highest Moun­tains; the Aerial Damp caus'd by the Moon's waterish Vertex pressing down the Vortex or Atmosphere of this Ter­raqueous Globe, The Cause of the Ae­rial Damp and its Ef­fects. did not only inter­rupt the Communication of the Subter­ranean and Aerial Waters, by causing the raising and circulation of Vapours to cease; but also by condensing the moist Air into waterish Clouds, which falling down in continual Spouts for Forty Days and Nights together [the Air being without Motion, What is meant by the open­ing of the Windows of Heaven. consequent­ly neither able to break nor support them] the Tops of the highest Moun­tains were cover'd Fifteen Cubits, as Moses gives Account, Gen. 7.15. and these portentous Rains which fell in [Page 81] Spouts, Moses expresseth by the opening of the Windows of Heaven, Gen. 7.11.

Thus the divided Waters being re­uni [...]d as they were in the Creation, and the circulation of Vapours broken by the stagnation and damping of the Aerial Regions, the whole Surface of the Earth was cover'd, until God caus'd a Wind to pass over the Earth, The mean­ing of the Wind which God caused to pass over the Earth, and its ef­fects. which breaking the Aerial Damp, the Rain ceased▪ the Subterranean Waters sunk down into their Veins▪ recover'd the Ground which the Central Fire had gain'd from them: The Rivers forc'd the Sea to retreat back to her own Channel, and returning to her regular Flux and Reflux, the Vapours arose and repair'd the Air again wi [...]h Clouds and Moisture, and all things return'd to their Natural Course. I [...] cannot be imagin'd how the Heart of Noah and his Family was reviv'd when the Sun began to shew its Face again, and the Rain-Bow appear'd in a broken Cloud.

For Noah being undoubtedly as well a Natural Philosopher as a Priest in his Family, What the Rain-bows appearing in the Clouds did signifie. the appearance of a Rain-Bow [which after a long Storm is an infalli­ble sign of Fair-weather] cou'd not [Page 82] but encourage him with hopes that the Damp was broken and the Storm o­ver.

God therefore made a Covenant with Noah and his Posterity that there shou'd never be an Universal Deluge upon the Earth, Gen. 9.23. and to establish this Covenant with [...]him, he made the Rain-Bow [being a Waterish Meteor, and after a Storm a sign of Fair-weather] a most proper and significant Sign and Seal of that Cove­nant [ viz.] a Sign commemorative of the past Deluge, and a Seal confirma­tive that there shou'd never be any more Flood to destroy the Earth. And no more than this seems to be meant by the appearance of the Rain-Bow in the Cloud▪

CHAP. XXI. Of the Season of the Year when the Deluge happen'd.

DR. Woodward declares his Opinion, A Refuta­tion of Dr. Woodward's Hypothe­sis, &c. that the Deluge com [...]enc'd in the Spring Season in the Month we call May; but upon what Reason he grounds this Conceit I cannot easily appre­hend.

For the Fruits of the Earth being then but Growing; and the former Au­tu [...]n Seeds being destroy'd by the by past Winter, Nature wou'd have been forc'd to a Spontaneous Production of the several kinds of Vegetables as had lost their Seeds. And whe [...] the seve­ral Species of Animals which were pre­serv'd from the Flood, had liberty to go abroad and seek Food, they wou'd not easily have found it in November and December, which Months accord­ing to his Hypothesis were the Season when the Waters ab [...]ted, and the Beasts orde [...]'d to leave the Ark, and seek their own Food where [...]hey cou'd find it.

[Page 84] The time when the Deluge commen­ced.It seems then most probable that the Universal Deluge commenc'd in that Month we call August, when the Seeds of all Vegetables were full Ripe, and ready to Sow themselves in the Fertile Soil, that when the Deluge was over, and the dry Land had for some time appear'd, and had receiv'd Heat and In­crustation from the warm Influence of an approaching Sun: These Seeds be­ing mingl'd with a warm and waterish Soil, might be ready to Spring up and supply the Animals with pleasant Food.

We likewise observe that when the Dove was sent forth out of the Ark the Second time, she brought with her a Leaf pluck'd from an Olive-Tree: When she was sent forth a Third time, she return'd no more, having found Food upon the Earth, which cou'd be no other than Corn floating upon the Surface of the waterish Earth.

Again, Moses gives us an Account that in the First Month, which proba­bly answers our Ianuary, the Waters were dry'd up from the Face of the Earth; and upon the 27th Day of the Second Month, which seems to be our February or March, God order'd all [Page 85] the Beasts in the Ark, to be tur [...]'d out to Grass, and shift for themselves.

Again, we find daily not only great Trees of several Kinds [as Oak, Birch, &c.] rooted up by the Roots, and lying upon Heaps Bury'd and En­tomb'd in great Mosses wher [...] they ne­ver had grown; but had been brought thi [...]her by that general D [...]vastation made by the Deluge: But Hazel-Nuts▪ whose Kernels are as fresh [...]s if they had now been growing upon the Trees. These Nuts having been scatter'd there by the Deluge, and having layn there bury'd and [...]mbalm'd in those Bitu­minous Mosses to this Day; and in all probability might have been continu'd as long as the Earth. From these Ob­servations, we may reasonably infer, that the Flood commenc'd when the Seeds of all Vegetables were Ripe for the propagation of their Kinds.

We may yet farther add, that all Damps as well Subterranean as Aerial▪ most frequently happen in the Autumn Season.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Alterations which Noah's Flood made in, and upon the Earth.

I cannot agree with Dr. Woodward's Hypothesis, wherein he asserts that during the time of the Deluge, whilst the Water was out upon, and cover'd the Terrestrial Globe, all the Stone and Marble with the Metals and Mi­neral Concretions, &c. of the Antedi­luvian Earth, were totally Dissolv'd; and their constituent Corpuscles all disjoin'd, their cohaesion perfectly ceasing, &c.

Dr. Wood­wa [...]d' [...] Hy­pothesi [...] concern­ing the ef­fects of the D [...]l [...]ge Refuted. This Hypothesis seem inconsistent with Sense and Experience, as well as Na [...]ural Reason and Scripture [especi­ally the Mosaick Account of the De­luge.] For First,

1 Experience tells us, that there is no such Dissolving power or quality ei­ [...]her in the Subterranean or Aerial Waters as to effect such a Dissolution as he describes, and these were the [Page 87] immediate Instruments of the De­luge.

It cannot reasonably be suppos'd 2 [without a Miracle] that all the Solid consistences of the Earth shou'd be dis­solv'd into a Fluid substance; and a­gain resettle and receive their seve­ral degrees of consolida [...]ion in so short a time as the Flood continued upon the Earth.

If the Earth suffer'd by the Deluge 3 a Total and Universal Dissolution, then all those form'd Stones and Shells which the Dr. conceives to be Marine Bodies born forth of the Sea, by the Universal Deluge, and left behind at Land when the Waters return'd, wou'd have lost their Forms and Shapes, these being not only found upon the Surface of the Earth; but in the Interior parts of it, incorporated with several solid Strata of Stone, as well upon the Mountains as Plains.

If not only the solid Fossils; but 4 also Sand, Earth, Animate Bodies, parts of Animals, Bones and Teeth, Shells, Vegetables and parts of Vegetables, [Page 88] made one common and confus'd Mass, dissolv'd into a Fluid substance: Then the whole Species of Vegetables, Root and Branch, Stock and Seed, wou'd have been lost, and Nature forc'd to a S [...]ontaneous Production, as at the Creation.

5 The Re-settling of the confus'd fluid Ma [...]s ac [...]ording to the R [...]l [...]s of Spe [...]i­fick Gravity, the [...]e [...]viest subsiding lowest, is a grand mistake in Observati­on▪ and by the same Rule, the Earth wou'd have been cov [...]r'd with a Per­pe [...]ual as well as Universal Deluge, as w [...] have already obs [...]rv'd.

6 As this Hypothesis is inconsistent with Sense, Reason and Experience, so is it with the Account Moses gives of the Universal Deluge; for he tells us that there were Mountains during the prevalency of the Waters, and that the Flood cover'd the Tops of them Fifteen Cubi [...]s. He tells us likewise, that the first dry Land that appear'd, was the Tops of the Mountains, and that the Ark rested upon the Moun­tains of Ararat. If this Account be t [...]ue, as undoubtedly it is, the alterati­ons [Page 89] which the Deluge made were only in the Surface and Exterior parts of the Ear [...]h: And those places of Scripture which speak of destroying the Earth, are to be understood, only the out­ward Coat or Superficies, and no [...] the Mineral part of it. And neither was the Surface of the Earth altogethe [...] destroy'd, as appears by the Dove's b [...]inging of an Olive Leaf in her Mouth pluck'd off; and by all Living Crea­tures in the Ark, being turn'd to Grass and to shi [...]t for themselves in the Se­venth Month after the Deluge com­menc'd, which might be in the begin­ni [...] of our March.

The Alterations, which the Deluge made upon the Earth, being only in the Exterior part of it, I shall take no­tice of such as are most Remarkable and Obvious. As First,

The uppermost Strata upon the Tops 1 of Mountains▪ were broken up and tumbl'd down to the Skirts of them, and these we [...]ind lying upon their In­land sides in great confusion, The Al­terations which th [...] Deluge made upon the Ea [...]h. with false and counter Dibs and Rises, like those Flags and Boards of Ice, thrown out of the Water upon the breach of a Storm.

[Page 90] 2 The Joints of the Mountains consi­sting of Rag Raff and Chiver, and not being bound together with strong Cills of Stone, were broken, as we have observ'd already.

3 The Courses and Channels of Rivers were enlarg'd, which caus'd all these pleasant Gills and Dales with their Ra­pid River running through the midst of them.

4 The whirling about of the Water, caus'd all those Hills or lesser Moun­tains, whose consistences are only Sand, Gravel, or broken Strata of Stone &c.

5 The Deluge rooted up all the greater Trees, some of which we find bury'd and emb [...]lm'd in great Mosses, as well upon the Mountains as in the Valleys.

6 The Surface of the Plains and Val­leys was fertiliz'd by the Deluge, by it [...] leaving a prolifick Slime and faeculent Mud upon it.

7 These Alterations were not caus'd by the rising, but the decreasing Wa­ters; [Page 91] for whilst the Waters were a­rising, The time when these alterations were made. the Aerial as well as the Subter­ranean Damp continu'd, and the Sub­luniary Course of Nature was Stagna­ted; but as soon as God caus'd a Wind to pass over the Earth, the Damp broke, and the Waters were put into a Most violent Perturbation and Com­motion; which was the only cause of all those Alterations and Devastati­ons.

CHAP. I. Of the Plastick Spirit in Matter, and its natural Products.

THE Plastick and Vivifick. Powers being the first Prin­ciples of Life in this Natural World, which forms the first Lines, and kindles the first Sparks of the vital Flame:

It will be necessary in order to our present Design, [which is to give a short Account of the Originals, De­grees and Propagations of Life in this Natural World] to describe the Natu­ral Operations and Products of these two first Principles, and to shew how they act Severally, as well as in Con­sort.

[Page 96]The Plastick Spirit in this World of Matter, is a Subtle Saline Volatile, which [whilst Matter was in a Fluid Substance] diffus'd it self through all the Lax Strata and consistences of it.

And [...]s that Acid a [...] S [...]line Humour in the Stomachs of Animals, together with the Vital Flame, by several de­grees of Concoction and Depuration, separates the more Pure and Spirituous parts of the Nourishment from the Cras­ [...]er and more Excrementitious parts of it, or as that Acid and Saline Rennet separates and coagulates the more Pure, Spirituous and Oyly parts of the Milk from the Waterish and more Terre [...]e; so this subtle and Acid Volatile, together with that Subterranean Flame [which desseminates its warm and enlive [...]ing Influence, not only through all the great­er Veins Branches and Ramifactions of the Earth, but also pervades the smallest Pores of the Densest Matter] did sepa­ra [...]e, collect and coagulate the more Simple, Pure and Homogeneous parts of Ma [...]er, from the Crasser parts of it.

And as the Mass of Fluid and water­ish Matter, receiv'd its degrees of Con­solidation, these purer and Pneumati­cal Coagulations were concreted in [Page 97] those Solid as well as Laxer Strata where­in we find them,

And the Magnitude and Figure of these concreted Coagulations, corr [...] ­sponds with those Moulds of Crasser Matter from whence they were Extra­cted, and wherein they are enclos'd and compress'd. These we find lodg'd either in the Exterior or Interior Parts of the Earth,

Those concreted Coagulations which we meet with in the Outer Coat, or grand Cover of the Earth, are of an irregular Figure; and they are lodg'd in that part in disorder and confusi­on.

And these are either the common Pe­bles, which are of a Terrene Saline or Pinguid Quality:

Or,

They are common Flints, Pyritae and [Page 98] Marchasites of a Pneumatical and Fie­ry Quality:

Or,

They are Agates, Onyxes, Jaspers, Cornelians, &c. Of a Mercurial and Waterish Quality, which are more or less Transparent.

This outer Coat or Surface of the Earth consisting of Sand, Gravel, Clay, Bituminous Peat-Earth, and other kinds of Matter of an Heterogeneous Nature, affords the greatest variety of these Homogeneous Concretions.

And these are all of the same Na­ture and Quality with that Courser and Crasser Matter from which they were Extracted and Coagulated.

Those more Simple and Homogene­ous Concretions which we meet with lodged in the Interior Strata of Solid Matter, which are of an Irregular Fi­gure, are Either of a Liquifiable or Calcinable Quality.

Those that are not of a Liquifiable Nature, are those which the Miners call the Kernels of Stones.

[Page 99]For as the Spirit of Nature [at the first setling of Matter] reduc'd all the Constituent parts of the Earth to seve­ral Classes; and every Class of Matter leading to some Mine or Mineral; so every Bed or Layer of Stone or Metal has its proper Kernels, by which the Ingenious Miner may be directed what Mine or Mineral [...]ey lead to; whether to Coal, Rudle, Iron. Stone, Lead or other Metallick Ores; and these coagulated Concretions, are commonly lodg'd in the midle of such solid Strata

Those Homogeneous and more Pneu­matical Concretions of an irregular Figure, which are of a Liquifiable Qua­lity, are the several Kinds of Metallick Ores, and these are lodg'd in those Rakes, Veins, Riders, and Strings which cross-cut and divide those Solid Strata of a Hot Quality, and the highest de­gree of Concoction.

The Male Parent of all these is Sul­phur, which being either White or Yellow gives the Tincture or Colour, to all Metals.

The Female Parent is Quick-silver, which is the cause of their Liquifaction, Flexibility, and Ductility.

[Page 100]All Solid Bodies consist of two several Natures, Tangible and Pneumati­cal; the Pneumatical Substance, is the Native Spirit of the Body, which di­stinguisheth the several Kinds of them: I define therefore all Metallick Ores to be the more Simple Homogeneous Cor­puscles of such Stones and Cills as are of a Hot Quality, and the highest degree of Concoction, coagulated and concreted in those Rakes, Veins, &c. which cross­cut and divide those Cills.

The more Homogeneous that Me­tals are, the less of Dross they have in them: The more of this Native Spirit they have in the Tangible parts, they are the more Liquifiable, Flexible and Ductile; for the cause of Liquifaction is the Detention of the Spirits which play within the Body and open it; so that the greater plenty of Spirits any Tangible Matter has in it, it's the more Flexible, and therefore when the Tan­gible parts are Jejune of Spirits, or easily Emit them, they are Fragile, and will not easily Liqui [...]ie.

When the Tangible parts of Matter are Ductile or Tensile, it's occasion'd by the Appetite which the Native Spi­rits have to Union, and Aversness to Discontinue.

[Page 101] Secondly, That the Metallick Ores are the Homogeneous and Pneumatical Corpuscles of Stones and Cills of a Hot Q [...]ality, and the like, coagulated and concreted by the Plastick Spirit of M [...]tter, is evident from the Experience of Mineralists, who find the greatest plenty of Ore, in the Veins of such Cills as are of the highest degree of In­duration and Concoction; for where the Cills are weak and soft, and have not receiv'd a right degree of Heat and Temper, their Veins are only fill'd with Sparr, Soyl, Clay or Vein-stone, like unripe Nuts whos [...] soft and weak Shells are only fill'd with a Milky Pa­bulum, having little of Kernel in them.

Again, in the Third place, that Ores are the Pneumatical Corpuscles of Sul­phur and Quick [...] silver coagulated and concreted into Clods and Nodes, and lodg'd in the Veins, will be apparent to those who will take the pains to ob­serve, th [...]t the more Rich any V [...]in is of Ore, the less Spangled with Sulphur, and Quick-silver are those Cills and M [...] ­tals they cross-cut and divide; and so on the contrary, the more spangl'd the Stones are, the less Ore in the Vein.

[Page 102]And the Reason why those Metallick Spangles are collected, coagulated and concreted in those Rakes and Veins, is because they lay most open and ready to receive them; and this is the reason too, why we meet with float Ore ly­ing in flat Beds in those upper Cills which lye open:

These being Ebullitions or Overflow­ings of Vein Ore.

As that Hypothesis of the Theorist wherein he conceits▪ that there was no Metallick Ores or Minerals in the Antediluian Earth, contradicts the Ac­count which Moses gives of Tubal-Cain, who was, Gen. 4. Verse 22. as he tells us, an Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron: This Tubal-Cain living before the De­luge. So Dr. Woodward's Hypothesis, that the Metallick and Mineral Matter, Part the 4th. Page 188. which is now found in the Perpendicu­lar Intervals of the Strata, was all of it Originally, and at the time of the De­luge lodg'd in the Bodies of the Strata, being interspers'd or scatter'd in single Corpuscles in the Sand or other Matter, whereof the Strata mainly consisted; seems inconsistent with Reason and his own Notions of Specifick Gravity. For,

[Page 103]First, It cannot be easily imagin'd by what Art or Chymistry the Metal­lick or Mineral Matter, which inter­spers'd and scatter'd in single Corpuscles in the Strata of Solid Stone, [especially the Corpuscles being smaller than those of the smallest Sand] cou'd be separa­ted and made fit for use.

Again, if the Mass of Fluid Matter, 2 after the Deluge was over, did resettle according to the Rules of Specifick Gravity, the heaviest subsiding the lowest [as the Dr. asserts] why did not these small Grains of ponderous Ore subside the lowest, being heavi­er than the Corpuscles of those Strata wherein they were lodg'd?

And to assert that they were born 3 up by the Waters of the Abyss rising up towards the Surface [as the Dr. sup­poseth] is as inconsistent with Gravita­tion and Levity, as for Feathers t [...] sink and Lead to swim.

These Hypotheses being inconsistent both with Scripture and Reason; we shall take it for granted, that all these coagulated Concretions of Metallick Ores, were by the Plastick Spirit in Matter lodg'd in the Veins of the seve­ral Strata, lying most open, and being [Page 104] most ready to receive them: And that the State of the Antediluvian Earth did not differ as to its Constituent parts from this Postdiluvian Earth.

Having given an Account of the O­riginals, Natures, and Causes of such concreted Coagulations, as are of an Irregular Figure; I proceed to Describe the Natures and Causes of those of a more Regular Form.

And these are the Kernels or Cat­heads which we meet with in Coal Metals or Stone Metals, which being either of a Saline or Pinguid Quality, and consisting of the smallest Grit, gave way to the Plastick Spirit to Form them into more Regular Shapes and Fi­gures; and these are either Globular, Oval, Triangular, Quadrangular, &c. as the Matter coagulated had a Natural Tendency to such a Form or Figure; and they lie in these Beds of Metals, either in Layers, or in disorder and con­fusion

Besides these Irregular and Regular Concretions; there are others of a more Uniform Shape and Figure; and these may most properly bear the name of Form'd Ston [...]s.

[Page 105]They are found lodg'd either in Beds of Pinguid and Luxuriant Soil, or in such B [...]ds of Stone, Chalk, Sand, Gravel and E [...]rths as are of a S [...]line Quali­ty.

Those we meet with lodg'd in Beds of Pinguid and Luxuriant Soil, have the forms and shapes of Worms, Serpents, Snails and other T [...]rrene Ins [...]cts, which perhaps cou'd never come within the compass of our Observation.

Those we meet with in the Solid Strata of Stones, Chalk, Sand, Gravel and Earth of a Saline Quality, have the Forms of Cockels, Muss [...]ls, Oyst [...]rs, and other Marine Insects, which pro­bably Mankind h [...]s never yet been ac­quainted with; and not withs [...]anding that these Shells have the Fo [...]ms of those Marine Insects they repres [...]nt, yet th [...]y never were the spoil [...] of Marine B [...]dies; But form'd in those Stones and E [...]rths, Fabius Co­lumna, Dr. Hook, Ste­no, Scylla, Bocc [...]e, Ra [...], and many o­thers. where we find them lodg'd: And it seems most probable that they receiv'd these Forms and Shapes at the Creati­on of this Material Globe, wh [...]n M [...]t­ter was in a Fluid and Wate [...]ish Mass; and wh [...]n there was a commixture of Light and Darkness, of the Plastick and Vivisick Powers; for then the Vivi­fick [Page 106] Spirit of Nature disseminated the Specifick Forms of those Animals of the lowest degree of Life in those waterish Funds and Promptuaries of Matter in which they were Form'd, and increas'd into that Shape and Figure we now find them in.

And if God Almighty had not [by dividing the Light from Darkness, the Vivisick from the Plastick Power, and by Consolidating the Exterior Strata of Matter] Cursed the Earth, these Ter­rene and Marine Insects which we find petrefi'd and entomb'd in Marble, Limestone and Chalk, or bury'd in Beds of Sand, Gravel or Earth, might have increas'd to higher degres of Perfecti­on, as well as those Subterranean Toads, Frogs, Asks and Clocks, which we meet with in the Cavities and joints of such Stones as have lost their Natu­ral Feeders.

But of these the following Chapters will give a more full Account.

CHAP. II. Of the Grand Cover of the Earth; the Sympathetical Union of the Plastick and Vivifick Spirit; and the Production of Vegetables, the first and lowest Degree of Life.

THE Outer Cover of the more So­lid parts of the Earth, which we call the Surface and Fertile Soil, being [as we have observ'd] the Universal Fund or Promptuary, or the Common Matrix, wherein was desseminated the Specifick Forms of the lowest Degree of Life and Vegetation, whilst others of a higher Degree Danc'd about it, like Atoms in a Morning Sun's Beam.

It will be necessary in the first place to give a fuller Description of the Na­tures and Qualities of it, and to shew by what Degrees of Heat and Vital Incubations it was Modified and pre­par'd to answer that Imperious Word▪ Let the Earth bring forth.

When the Waters were divided and 1 the Sea drawn down to its proper [Page 108] Channel, they left behind them a Fe­culent Mud and Sedement, which be­ing like to a universal Q [...]ag, of a Lax and Waterish Substance, consisting of the several Kinds of Matter of an He­terogeneous Nature, and saturated with great plenty of Mineral Spirits of all Qualities:

These Mineral Spirits, by a Natural Motion and Tendency rising up to the Surface, as we observe Cream riseth up to the top of Milk, or as Oyl sloat­eth above Water; the warm Influ­ence of the Aetherial Flame moving up­on it, Thickn [...]d these Mineral Spirits into a Liquid Gelly, or a Pinguid and Unctious Slime.

And this we call the naked Skin of the Earth or Fertile Soil.

This Skin or Fertile Soil, before it got any Coat or Cover upon it, was not only Tinctur'd and Colour'd with all those wate [...]ish Colours of Green, Red, Yellow, &c. but also was spot­ted and speckl'd with great variety of other Colours, occasion'd by a com­mixture of these Mineral Spirits.

And these gave not only the Tin­ctures and Colours to the common and waterish Herbs, as Grass, Plants and [Page 109] Flowers, but gave also the different Complexions to Birds, Beasts and Men.

And as the several Colours and Com­plexions were occasion'd by the mix­ture and temperament of the Mineral Spirits, so were their different Natures and qualities; for a cunning Chymist will Extract out of Herbs and Plants the several Kinds of Mineral Spirits, as well as out of the Mineral it self.

The Virgin Matter being thus Mo­difi'd and prepar'd by the warm In­fluence and Enlivening Vegetations of the Aetherial Flame, and its na­ked Skin Adorn'd and Beautifi'd with her great variety of Natural Paints: Those Seminal Forms or Plastick▪ Souls which were disseminated in her warm and moist Womb, and Sympa­thetically united to their belov'd Mat­ter, began to exert their Plastick Pow­ers, and put forth spungy Strings and Roots; not only to fasten them to the Earth, but to suck in such Juices as were most proper for their Food and Nou­rishment, which by their Seminal Ver­tues being digested into the Substance of a Plant, Herb or Tree, of such an Order, Figure and Temperament, it be­came [Page 110] an Individual of that numerous Species of Vegetables; which began first to peep out of the Earth, as Corn out of the Furrows; and afterwards gradually increas'd to the highest De­gree of Perfection and Maturity its Na­ture was capable of.

Thus the naked Skin of the Earth was cover'd with a Coat or Green Li­very, Beautifi'd and Adorn'd with Flowers of several kinds of Colours; and as the Passive Matter increas'd in De­grees of Heat and Modification, it pro­duc'd Vegetables of higher Degrees of Life and Perfection, as all kinds of Trees, from the lowest Shrub to the tallest Cedar or most robust Oak.

That these Productions were not brought forth all at once; but gradu­ally as the Passive Matter receiv'd high­er Degrees of Heat and Modification, is apparent from our observing of those Annual Productions which every Season bringeth forth.

For there are some Vegetables of a Cold and Waterish Quality, whose Na­tural Spirits are more Fine, Light and Active, which require only a smaller Degree of Heat to raise them, and these are the Productions of those Early [Page 111] Months, Ianuary, February and March: And these come to their Perfection and Maturity before April and May, which present us with an other Crop and order of Vegetables: and for this same reason, Iune, Iuly and August go further, and presents us still with different shows of Plants, Herbs and Flowers: And thus as the Sun increaseth in Heat, and the pas­sive Matter in degrees of Modification, we are presented with higher and more noble Productions.

The Seminal Forms of Vegetables, being now united to their material Ve­hicles, and being grown up to their several Degrees of Perfection and Ma­turity, they retain'd Seed in them­selves, and did Propagate their seve­ral Kinds by scattering of their ripe Seed upon the Fertile Soil, which like the warm and moist Womb of a fruit­ful Mother, dissolves them first into a Liquid Jelly, and then divides their parts into their several uses.

That the Seminal Forms of Vegeta­bles were Originally disseminated in the Earth as in an Universal Fund or Promptuary, will be yet further evident by those Ocular Observations which [Page 112] has been frequently made of Producti­ons without Seed; for take some quan­tity of Earth digg'd several Fathoms under Ground, and expose it to the Sun and Rain, and it will Spontane­ously without any Seed bring forth common Grass and several Herbs and Plants

Again, we observe that particular Soils will produce, without Propaga­tion by Seed, Herbs and Plants pecu­liar to that kind of Soil and Earth, as Pavements do Naturally produce Knot-Grass, &c.

If it be object'd, that the smaller Seeds are disseminated over all by the Winds, and the greater Seeds scatter'd by Birds that feed upon them.

I answer that its commonly observ'd, when Earth is brought out of the In­dies or other Remote Countries for Ballast to Ships, and cast forth upon some Ground in Italy or other Coun­tries at a great distance, it will put forth Foreign Herbs to us unknown: And it cannot be imagin'd that the Winds shou'd blow the Seeds of these Plants from the Indies, or that the Birds shou'd cross the Seas and scatter them at so great a distance.

[Page 113]To these I might farther add those try'd Experiments of Transmutation▪ Transmigration, and Degeneration of Herbs and Plants.

Having describ'd the Original of Vegetables the first and lowest Degree of Life, and shewn that tho' the man­ne [...] of their Propagation be now by Seed; yet when Seed is wanting, the Fertile Soil will bring forth common Grass and other Plants in the Natural way by a Spontaneou [...] Generation: Thus the Evening and the Morning, or the Sympathetical union of the A­ctive Form and Passive Matter pro­duc'd the first and lowest Degree of Life, which made the Third Pro­duction.

CHAP. III. Of reducing the Confus'd Mass or Light of the Aetherial Flame into a Body, which made the Sun; of reducing those higher Fogs and wa­terish Mists into a Body, which made the Moon; how by clearing of the Superlunary Firmament or the Planetary Spheres, the Stars appear'd: And what the Sun, Moon and Stars contribute towards the Production of Sensitive or Lo­comotive Animals, and why the Creation of these Second Causes made the Fourth Production.

Tho' the Earth was now Gay and Trim with a new Green Live­ry of Grass, Adorn'd with Painted Flowers, and pleasant Copices or Thickets of Young Trees; the Pas­sive Matter was yet too Cold and Wa­terish to draw down out of the Se­cond Degree of Life any of the Sensi­tive [Page 115] Forms to Actuate and Inform it. The Almighty Power did there­fore contract this dilated Aetherial Flame of Light into a Body, which Moses calls the Sun, that those Enliven­ing Heats and Vital Incubations which flow from it, might be more Strong and Vigorous, and Penetrate deeper into the Cold Matter.

And God plac'd this Coelestial Fire at such a convenient distance from the Earth, that it might neither be too much scorch'd by being too near it; nor frozen, by being at too great a di­stance from it; but that it might re­ceive such a temperate Heat from it, as to excite its Seminal Vertues, and draw up its Juices into them, and thereby Ripen its Natural Fruits.

God gave to the Earth also a Diur­nal Motion, that by a just and regular turning about upon its own Cen [...]re, it might have the benefit of Day and Night every Four and twenty Hours, so that no part of the Earth might be too much heated by theSun's presence upon it, or too long benighted by his absence from it; because as one side is Warm'd and Cherish'd by its Rays, it withdraws and turns to it its other side; and so [Page 116] by this just and regular turning about of the Earth, and an equal distribution of Day and Night, the active Animals get leave to rest, the over-heated Air to cool, and the gasping Earth to re­cover its fainting Vertues, which a continu'd Day wou'd soon Exhaust and Extinguish.

God gave also the Sun an Annual Motion, and has directed it into such a commodious Course, that it sheds forth its Enlivening Light, Heat and Influence over all the parts of the Earth, and by turns, gives all Coun­tries their Yearly Seasons.

And this gradual Increase and De­crease of Heat, answers all the Ends of Nature, both in the Vegetive and Ani­mal World much better than the con­stant Temperature and Equality of Heat, which the Theorist supposeth to have been in the An [...]ediluvian Earth.

After the Creation of the Sun, God reduc'd all those vast Fogs and water­ish Mists that rang'd about in the Pla­netary Spheres into a Body, which Moses calls the Moon, and he design'd it [as a Reverend and Learn'd Divine of our own has observ'd] to be for a Vicarious Light to the Sun, to supply [Page 117] his absence, and perform his Office in the lower World.

He plac'd the Moon in the lowest of the Coelestial Spheres, at such a conv [...]ni­ent distance from the Earth, that the warm Influence of the Sun being re­flected from it, might carry down with it some of its Coelestial Moisture. He gave also to the Moon so commodious a Motion, which it performs in every 28 or 29 Days, that when the Sun is Southward it moves Northward, and when the Sun moves Northward it's Motion is Southward, by which Motion the Cold and Darkness of the long Winter Nights are moderated, and these remote Regions under the Poles comforted with the Sun's Influence at Second-hand, when they want it at the First.

Thus by reducing of those waterish Fogs into the Body of the Moon, the upper Firmament or the Planetary Spheres were clear'd, and the Plan [...]ts, with the rest of the Stars Created in the Morning of the World, began to ap­pear; and to send down their Aetheri­al and Invisible Influences upon this Globe, which were obstructed and in­terrupted by the Interposition of these waterish Mists.

[Page 118]And the Creation of the Sun and Moon and the Clearing of the Plane­t [...]ry Spheres God made use of as [...], or necessary Second Causes tow [...]rd [...]he Production of the Second D [...]ree of Life, and therefore these made the Fourth Production.

CHAP. IV. Of the Production of the Second De­gree of Life, and first of Ovipar­ous Animals, as Fish and wa­terish Insects.

HAving already observ'd, that whilst the Earth was a Fluid and Waterish Mass, and there was a com­mix [...]ure of Light and Darkness, the Plastick and Vivifick Spirits; the Specifick Forms of Vegetation, and the lowest Forms of Animals were dis­seminate [...] in the Exterior Strata of this waterish Mass; and if God had not Curs'd the Earth, by dividing Light from Darkness, the Material and For­mal Principles of Life, the Luxuriant [Page 119] Matter wou'd have teem'd fo [...]th such numbers of Animal Productions, that the Surface of the Earth and Waters wou'd not have maintain'd them.

This Hypothesis is grounded not on­ly upon the form'd Stones we meet with lodg'd in the Interior Strata of the Earth [which having the shapes and representations of Terrene and Marine Insects] cou'd proceed from no other Original than a Plastick Spirit; but al­so upon those Subterranean Animals, as Toads, Frogs, Asks and Clocks, which we sometimes meet with inclos'd in the Cavities and Hollows of Stone, as well as in their dry Joints. I have found a large Toad six Yards under Ground, in­clos'd in the very middle of a hard Stone, where the Joint that led to it was so straight, that it wou'd not receive the thinnest Knife; so likewise great num­bers of Asks, Clocks and Beetles in the dry Joints of Stones, which cou'd have no other generation, but what was from a Plastick Spirit modifying a Subterra­nean Vapour collected into that Cavity or dry Joint, the Vivifick Flame kin­dl'd a Spark of Life in them, which [by sucking in such Subterranean Vapours, as abounded in the Joints of these dry [Page 120] Stones, which had lost their Natural Feeders] were increa [...]'d to that bulk we found them in; no doubt but the Stamina Vitae of these Subterrene Ani­mals are preserv'd by continual Sleep­ing, and the Air they breath is purely Subterranean, like Embrios in the Womb, which live by the Respiration of their Mothers: And it may seem very probable that these under-ground Ani­mals have liv'd in these Joints and Ca­vities ever since the Deluge, and per­haps long before; for as nothing pre­serves the Vital Flame more than Sleep; so nothing wastes and spends it more than Action.

To these I might add the Production of Eels, Worms, Marine and Waterish Insects, as the Vrtica Marina, &c. which being Zoophyta or Plant Ani­mals, and not Locomotive, cou'd have no other Production, than what was meerly Aequivocal or Spontaneous, and from Matter modifi'd and prepar'd for rec [...]iving of the Vital Spark.

Besides these Invisible Productions, I shall add one more, visible and ap­parent.

Take a strong Horse-hair, and put it into the Water warm'd by the Influence [Page 121] of the Sun [especially in May o [...] Iune] and within some few Hours it will take Life, move at both Ends, and in a short time, its probable that it might be­come one of those several kinds of Eels we meet with in the Waters.

Notwithstanding that all these Pro­ductions had their first Original from such Matter as was most proper and capable to be modisied by the Plastick Spirit of Nature; yet being produc'd, they sometimes propagate their several Kinds by univocal Generation, these Marine Insects which are not Locomo­tive, being only excepted.

From these Praeliminary Instances, and a great many more Ocular Obser­vations which might easily be produc'd, I conclude, that as the several Forms of Vegetables, were disseminated in the upper Covers of the Earth; so were the Specifick Forms of several kinds of Fish [as well those which the Natu [...]alists call Pelagiae, as those they call L [...]turales] desseminated in the Wa [...]r [...], or Subma­rine and fresh-water Quicksands; and as the Water receiv'd higher D [...]grees of Modific [...]tion, they produc'd Fish of a higher Degree of Life, in obedience to that Command laid upon them, Let the Waters bring forth abundantly.

[Page 122]The Second Causes which concurr'd in the Production of these Waterish Animals, were,

• First, the Coelestial Influences.
• Secondly, The Water which being Modified by the Plastick Spirit and the Coelestial Influences, became waterish Vehicles, or Bodies for their Specifick Forms to act in.
• Thirdly, The Submarine and Wa­terish Quick-sands in which their Eggs were Generated.
• Fourthly, The Subterranean Heat, which abounding most in these Subma­rine Quick-sands or waterish Nests, did Hatch these Eggs into Life.
• Fifthly, An Innate Power in the Pla­stick Form, which discriminated their Kinds.

The Original Production of all kinds of Fish, being from their Invisibe and Vital Forms disseminated in Waterish Quick-sands, as soon as they came to Perfection and Maturity, they retain'd Seed in themselves, by which they Pro­pagated their own Kinds. The time of their Propagation is with us about September; for then being grown strong and lusty with their Summers Feeding, and the Influence of the Moon and the [Page 123] rest of the Aetherial Bodies, being then more strong and powerful upon the Waters. Again, about that time the Subterranean Heat rises towards the Surface of the Earth, and breaks out in Springs and Quick sands, which is the reason, why about that time the Fresh­water Fish draw up to the Spring-heads, and the Sea Fish to the Submarine Q [...]ick-sands, wherein they scatter their Eggs.

The manner how they Propagate, is, first by Digging up the Sand where they intend to make their Nests, and then [not by Copulation or Penetrati­on of parts, but playing Cheek for Chole, and by Sympathetical Touches] the Fe­male whones her Eggs, and the Male his Spawn, which mixing together falls down into these prepar'd Nests which they cover up with Sand, thereby se­curing it from the Winter Floods.

After this they return to their Win­ter Holds, leaving their Eggs to be Hatch'd by the Subterranean Heat, which continues in the Springs and Quick-sands until the April following; and then the Young Frie, being Hatch'd creep out of their warm Nests and Swim down the Waters in numerous Swarms or Shoals.

[Page 124]After the Production of all the Sub­ordinate Kinds of Fish, God last of all Created great Whales, by which words Moses intimates to us, that all the rest of the waterish Animals were produc'd by the ordinary Concurrence of Second Causes; but God to shew his Great Power in the Deep Waters as well as upon the Dry Land, did seem to give a Preter-natural Assistance to the Production of an Animal of so great a Body; which in the Atlantick Ocean, when they ap­pear to Mariners upon the Waters, ap­pear like little Islands or Mountains; and these are the Leviathans that God made to take their Pastime in the Deep: He made them Lords also over all the Fish, which He gave to them for Meat.

For as every Superior Rank or Spe­cies of Terrene Animals Feed upon their Inferior, and Man upon all; so every Superior Species of Fish live up­on their Inferior, and so the Whale, being Lord over all the rest, lives up­on its Underlings.

CHAP. V. Of the Second Genus of Oviparous Animals, (viz) the Aerial: And First, of Fly Insects, Secondly, of Serpents, Thirdly, of Birds, and why Moses makes the Water­ish and Aerial Animals Conge­nial.

AS it seems preposterous to Create any Species of Animals, before Meat suitable to their Natures to Live upon was provided for them; so it seems most probable and agreeable with the Ends of Nature, that Grass, Plants, Herbs, and the whole Set of Vegeta­bles shou'd be the first Spring and Sum­mers Product. That the Replenishing of the Waters with all Kinds of Fish, the Production of the following Win­ter; and that the next Spring shou'd begin with the Production of Aerial Animals; these [...]iving and Feeding upon the first Products of the Earth and Waters.

[Page 126]Again, since the several Degrees of Modification of Matter, and the Ani­mal Life increaseth, as the Enlivening Influence of the Sun grows Hotter and more Powerful; it necessarily follows, that the several Kinds of Flying Insects, [being the lowest Degree of Life under this Genus] shou'd be the first Product; for as soon as the Fertile Soil had re­ceiv'd a degree of Heat from the ap­proaching Sun, the Earth began to re­vive, the Young Plants began to peep out of their Winter Beds, and the ten­der Leaves of Trees began to break their Autumn Buds.

The East Wind blowing then Dry, by it's soft and easie Blasts did Con­dense the Morning and Evening Dews into viscous and clammy Strings, which like Cobwebs hang upon every Thorn and spread themselves upon the Young Grass, till the Sun advancing towards the Meridian, sent down a warm Re­flection upon the Earth, and caus'd all these fine and tender Threads to draw together, and fashion themselves into little Nests, in which by a higher De­gree of Heat were form'd little Eggs; which by another Degree of Heat took Life, and did Fly about in the open [Page 127] Air, some Feeding upon Dews, others upon Leaves; others upon Corrupti­on in the Air; others were Blood-suck­ers.

Besides these Generated of Dews, there are Infinite numbers of other Kinds of Insects which are Generated of Slime and Corruption; and these are either Daily or Weekly Productions, some of which Transmute from one Species to another, as those Insects which we call Caterpillars the first Summer, the next Summer will become Butterflies: So Cod-bates in April and Iune will Transmute into those kind of Flies we call Clegs, which are Blood-suckers.

To shew particularly the Kinds, Na­tures and Numbers of all these Trans­mutable Insects, wou'd be a Task In­vincible. Thus were the several Kinds of Flying Insects produc'd, having their Colours, Natures and Qualities from Flowers, Plants, Herbs, Trees, or corrupted Water and Slime, and their Shapes and Figures from their Plastick Forms, these being the low­est Degree of Life, a small Degree of Heat produc'd 'em.

CHAP. VI. Of the Terrene, or Viviparous Animals.

AFter the Production of these Ani­mals of a lower Degree of Life, and Perfection, and the Sun was ad­vanc'd higher in his Annual Motion, which Darting down his warm Beams upon the Earth in a more direct Line, they did penetrate deeper into the Cold Matter; and by drawing forth its Fer­tile Spirits towards the Skin or Surface [Page 132] of it, they set the Plastick power on working, and modifying the Passive Matter into more noble Forms; which by their Sympathetical Charms drew down the Specifick Forms of the most perfect Animals within the Second Sphere of Life.

For in every little Pit or Hollow of the Earth, which being fill'd with Luxuriant and Prolifick Slime was kindl'd by the Vivifick Vertue of the Seminal Form, a little bubble of Life, which the Plastick power began to shape into the Form or Figure of an Animal.

And thus was the numerous Brood of Quadrupedes, [being Animals of the most perfect Kind] first Conceiv'd in the warm and moist womb of Modi­fied Matter, nourish'd by sucking in the Luxuriant and Prolifick Slime; which by their Vital Heat they digested and distributed into the several Parts and Members of their Bodies increasing of them by an equal assimulation of Parts; and as soon as these young Em­brio's had got strength, they Crawl'd out of their warm Nests of Matter, and began to suck in those Honey Dews, and lick up that sweet Manna which [Page 133] laid upon the Grass and Herbs, and this supply'd to them the want of Ma­ternal Milk and Nourishment.

For during the time of these Produ­ctions, God neither suffer'd it to Rain upon the Earth, nor the Winds to blow, lest this Infant Brood of Young Animals shou'd have been destroy'd, before the Birds got Wing, or [...]he Beasts Foot and strength to defend themselves against a Storm; but there went up only a Mist from the Earth, which wa­ter'd the whole Face of the Ground. Gen. 2.6 And this Mist was only a warm and moist Smother, which arose from the Earth, as we observe it to rise from the Furrows in the Spring, Months occa­sion'd by the Morning Sun-Beams, and these Clouds which did Swim in the Air, only serv'd for Umbrello's and Pa­rasoli to screen those Infant Animals from being scorch'd by the Heat of the Sun, and from drying up their Food and Nourishment.

The Earth being now Stock'd with the several Kinds of Animals, contain'd under the Sensitive Genus, they did Propagate their Kinds by Univocal Generation. For which end Nature and Providence hath form'd several [Page 134] Vessels of Slime-Pits in every Female, for preserving something Analogous to that Original Slime, which was then the Passive Principle of Generation, and likewise in every Male such Vessels as are most fit and commodious for pre­serving a Beam or Spark of the Aethe­rial Flame [which being the material Vehicle, wherein the Specifick Form is preserv'd] kindles the first buble of Life in the Passive Matter.

And we observe that as soon as Age and Maturity hath fill'd these Seminal Vessels with this Prolifick Slime, and digest'd it into a right Degree of Heat and Temperature, the Females of eve­ry Kind or Species of Animals, begin to Prune, Dress and Trim themselves, by which modest way of Courtship, the Male is drawn and Charm'd to within their Sympathetical Spheres: Thus the Evening and the Morning, or the Sym­pathetical Union of the Active Form and Passive Matter, made the Fifth Production.

CHAP. VII. Of the Creation of Man, the Sixth Production.

THE Earth being now cover'd with the great variety of Spe­cies, contain'd under the Genus of Ve­getation, the Waters replenish'd with all Kinds of Fish, the Mountains, Plains and Valleys Stock'd with Herds and Flocks of all Kinds of Cattle: God did once more Modifie the Passive Matter into a more noble and excellent Form, not only capacitated to receiv [...] the lower Degrees of the Animal Life: but also fitted with Organs to entertain an Intellectual Soul, which Moses [...]ells us God Breath'd into it: It being impossi­ble for Matter, tho' never so curiously Modifi'd by the Plastick Spirit of Na­ture and the joint Concurrence of the Coelestial Influences to draw down by the power of any Material Sympathy a Soul out of the Immaterial and Intelle­ctual Spheres of Life to Animate and Enform it.

[Page 136]And this Noble Creature God call'd Man, being made not only after his own Image, Spiritual and Immortal; but also after his Similitude ( viz) En­dow'd with all the Affections and Com­municable Attributes of the Divine Nature, by which he became capable not only of disclosing the Secret Myste­ries of Nature, and of diving into its Deep Philosophy; but also of Know­ing and Adoring his Creator; by which Perogatives of his Birth, and Noble Ex­traction, he became Qualifi'd for be­ing his Creator's Vicegerent upon Earth.