CHAP. III.
All Evasions answered; That there was no new
Creation of waters at the Deluge: And that it
was not particular or National, but extended
throughout the whole Earth. A prelude and preparation to the true Account and Explication of it:
The method of the first Book.
THough in the preceding Chapter we may seem
to have given a fair trial to the common opinion concerning the state of the Deluge, and might
now proceed to sentence of condemnation; yet having heard of another plea, which some have us'd in
its behalf, and another way found out by recourse
to the Supream Power, to supply all defects, and to
make the whole matter intelligible, we will proceed
no further till that be consider'd; being very willing
to examine whatsoever may be offer'd in that or any
other way for resolving that great difficulty which
we have propos'd, concerning the quantity of water
requisite for such a Deluge. And to this they say in
short, that God Almighty created waters on purpose to make the Deluge, and then annihilated
them again when the Deluge was to cease; And
this is in a few words the whole account of it. This
is to cut the Knot when we cannot loose it; they
show us the naked arm of Omnipotency; such arguments as these come like lightning, one doth not
know what Armour to put on against them, for they
pierce the more, the more they are resisted: We will
not therefore oppose any thing to them that is hard
and stubborn, but by a soft answer deaden their force
by degrees.
And I desire to mind those persons in the first place
of what S. Austin hath said upon a like occasion,
