CHAP. IV.
That the Earth and Mankind had an Original,
and were not from Eternity: Prov'd against
Aristotle. The first proposition of our Theory
laid down, viz. That the Antediluvian Earth
was of a different form and construction from the
present. This is prov'd by Divine Authority, and
from the nature and form of the Chaos, out of
which the Earth was made.
WE are now to enquire into the Original of the
Earth, and in what form it was built at first,
that we may lay our foundation for the following
Theory deep and sure. It hath been the general opinion and consent of the Learned of all Nations, that
the Earth arose from a Chaos. This is attested by
History, both Sacred and Profane; only Aristotle,
whom so great a part of the Christian world have
made their Oracle or Idol, hath maintain'd the
Eternity of the Earth, and the Eternity of mankind;
that the Earth and the World were from Everlasting,
and in that very form they are in now, with Men
and Women and all living Creatures, Trees and
Fruit, Metals and Minerals, and whatsoever is of
Natural production. We say all these things arose
and had their first existence or production not six
thousand years ago; He saith, they have subsisted
thus for ever, through an infinite Series of past Generations, and shall continue as long, without first or
last: And if so, there was neither Chaos, nor any
other beginning to the Earth. This takes away the
subject of our discourse, and therefore we must first
remove this stone out of the way, and prove that the
Earth had an Original, and that from a Chaos, before
we show how it arose from a Chaos, and what was
the first habitable form that it setled into.
