THE THEORY OF THE EARTH. BOOK I

    mighty made to Job;

Job 38. 4, 5, 6, 7, &c.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth? declare if thou hast understanding; Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest; or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastned, or who laid the corner-stone thereof? When the morning Stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Moses also when he had describ'd the Chaos, saith, The spirit of God mov'd upon, or sat brooding upon, the face of the waters; without all doubt to produce some effects there. And S. Peter, when he speaks of the form of the Ante-diluvian Earth, how it stood in reference to the Waters,

τω [γαπ ιν τεχτ] ͅ λόγῳ [γαπ ιν τεχτ] θε [γαπ ιν τεχτ] .

adds, By the Word of God, or by the Wisdom of God it was made so. And this same Wisdom of God, in the Proverbs, as we observed before, takes notice of this very piece of work in the formation of the Earth. When be set an Orb over the face of the Deep I was there. And lastly, the Ancient Philosophers, or at least the best of them, to give them their due, always brought in Mens or Amor, as a Supernatural principle, to unite and consociate the parts of the Chaos; which was first done in the composition of this wonderful Arch of the Earth. Wherefore to the great Architect, who made the boundless Universe out of nothing, and form'd the Earth out of a Chaos, let the praise of the whole Work, and particularly of this Master-piece, for ever with all honour be given.

CHAP. VI.

The dissolution of the First Earth: The Deluge ensuing thereupon And the form of the present Earth rising from the Ruines of the First.

WE have now brought to light the Ante-diluvian Earth out of the dark mass of the Chaos;

Vid. Fig. 5, & 6. pag. 58, & 64.

and not only described the surface of it, but laid open the inward parts, to shew in what order its Re