times. Much of the philosophy of modern times, however, is philosophy "falsely so called." He who made the physical world, made also the moral and both are inseparable parts of one great system. Every physical event has its moral bearings; and if this be true, it is a clear dictate of reason, that such moral bearings were intended by the Creator; and that the cause was set in operation with a view to the foreseen result. Who does not know that man's physical organization has much to do with his moral character? and that the latter has no less to do with his physical condition? Here, then, is an obvious connection, between the physical and the moral world, in respect to the individual; and surely a no less real connection exists between the race, and the universe, outside and around us. It is not sound philosophy to separate what God has so obviously joined together. I apprehend that could we understand the counsels of the Most High, we should plainly discover, that most of what is done in the outward world, is induced by moral considerations. The sun shines, and the rain falls, not wholly to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, but, through these benefactions, to lead intelligent minds up, through nature to nature's God, and thus to elevate them in the scale of moral and spiritual excellence. And if the outward blessings of life, have an ulterior moral purpose, it is quite as reasonable to conclude, that outward afflictions are employed for the punishment of sin, to correct our faults and improve our virtues.

SECTION II. - THE PHYSICAL CAUSE OF THE DELUGE.

320. This is expressed by the sacred writer thus, "All the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." vii. 11. The way in which the deluge is regarded by most people, is, that it was occasioned by a long continued outpouring from the skies. In their estimation it was the rain that caused the flood. Hence, when the opposers of the Bible have shown, that all the rain in the clouds could not have produced such a result, the honest, but uninformed believer has no sufficient reply to make. Fortunate indeed it is for

such an one, if he comes to the conclusion that there may be some things, connected with this subject, that he does not fully understand, though he may not tell precisely what they are. In this case he will merely hold on to his faith, and wait for more light; or rather not wait, but go in pursuit of it.

321. "All the fountains of the great deep were broken up." The true interpretation of this language, we conceive to be, that there was such a breaking up of the earth's crust, as to allow the waters of the ocean, or "great deep," to overflow the land. There was an upheaval of the bed of the ocean, and a depression, or subsidence, of the dry land; and thus the whole surface was covered with water- not perhaps at the same moment, but within the time during which the flood was continued. The effect was increased, to some extent, by the rain from heaven.

322. Now we take upon ourself to say, that there is nothing unreasonable in the idea that such an event, as here described, did really occur, aside from the positive testimony in favor of its truth. We know, indeed, that sundry objections have been brought against a universal deluge; and sundry expedients have been resorted to, to meet these objections. By some the language of the writer has been regarded as highly figurative; and we are told that we must understand it with reasonable and judicious limitations; and some analogous expressions, evidently employed in a limited sense, are referred to, for confirmation of this view. But we propose to show, that there is nothing unreasonable in a deluge, with the most extended construction that can be put upon the phraseology by which it is described.

SECTION III.—OF THE POSSIBILITY OF a Deluge.

323. In the first place, we know abstractly, that all things are possible with God; but we do not rely on this abstract truth. We prefer to note particular facts that are fitted to make out our case. One of these facts is, that there was water enough in the clouds, and on the earth, to have produced a universal deluge. Some

have thought otherwise, and have sought for various methods to account for the fact, on other grounds. One theory supposes a condensation of the atmosphere, which, we know, extends far above the earth, and may or may not be sufficient to produce the result. One eminent philosopher thinks that the tail of a comet, passing near the earth, at that time, became condensed, and occasioned the deluge, though I am not informed how the water was disposed of afterwards.

324. Leaving these theories, we will offer well attested facts in their place. We have before shown that Geologists give their testimony in favor of the Bible, in respect to another point, by saying that there was a time, when the whole surface of our globe was covered with water. The facts of Geology cannot be accounted for on any other supposition. It is plain, then, that the same water that covered the earth once, would be sufficient to cover it again. The same Power from which issued the mandate," Let the waters be gathered together into one place," could reverse this order- could depress the dry land, upheave the bed of the ocean, and overspread the whole earth with a flood.

325. Again; it is well known that most of the earth's surface is now, and always has been, nearly overspread with water. The proportion of dry land to water, is less than one to two. A slight depression of the dry land, therefore, if such a thing be admitted as possible, would now occasion a universal deluge.

The common opinion seems to be, that the depth of the ocean corresponds with the height of the land that the lowest depths and the highest mountains, are nearly equal in extent. But recent experiments have shown that the depth of the ocean far exceeds this estimate. A French author (Guizot, "Earth and Man") says on this subject; "The interior of the basins of the oceans, is unequal, generally deeper than toward the borders. The greatest observed depths are found in the middle region of the Atlantic. They equal, or surpass by several thousand feet, the elevation of the highest mountains of the globe. The mean depth of the basin of the oceans, seems to be much more considerable than the mean elevation of the

continents above their surface." p. 91. This author gives the different soundings of experimenters as follows; 7,200 feet, 6,000, 7,800, 13,000, 19,800, 27,000, 16,000, 34,200. This last number exceeds the highest mountain on the globe, by nearly 10,000 feet. La Place thinks that the greatest depth of the ocean, is about 11 miles. In view of these facts, it is not only obvious that there is water enough on the globe, to produce a universal deluge; but a moderate elevation of the bed of the ocean, with a slight depression of the land, would produce this result.

SECTION IV. THE PROBABILITY OF A DELUGE.

326. A deluge is not only possible; but, in view of the statements of Geologists, it is an event that may be regarded as exceedingly probable. These men tell us that the depression of the dry land, and the upheaval of the bed of the ocean, has occurred many times, in the past history of our globe. The evidence of this is as conclusive and satisfactory as any facts of science. The rocky strata that compose the highest mountains, were formed under water. That they have been lifted up, and then depressed; and that this has occurred many times, is proved by fossil remains found in them, which are sometimes those of the water and sometimes those of the land, and which exist at all heights, from the lowest transition strata, to the upper or diluvial formations. This up and down movement of the earth's surface is one of the processes that attended the early expansion of our globe. It was one of these, the last important one, that produced the flood of Noah, though the same thing has been done, on a small scale, within the period of authentic profane history. A few quotations, some of which have been used in another place, will show what Geologists have said on this subjeet.

327. Buckland; "The debris of the first dry land, being drifted into the sea, and there spread out into extensive beds of mud, sand and gravel, would forever have remained beneath the surface of the water, had not other forces been subsequently employed to raise them into dry land. These forces seem to have been the same

expansive powers of heat and vapor, which, having caused the elevation of the first raised portions of the fundamental crystaline rocks, continued their energies through all succeeding Geological epochs, and still exert them in producing active volcanoes." This author adds: "All observers admit that the strata were formed beneath the water."

Higgins: - "The stratified rocks must originally have been horizontal, or nearly so; and many of them were formed in the same manner, as the deposits which are always found in the beds of rivers and the basins of the oceans; but they were afterwards acted upon by mighty disturbing forces that elevated and disrupted them.

These effects have been both local and general, at one time, affecting a district not more than a few miles in extent, at others, elevating entire continents and immense mountain chains." Buckland, vol. I. p. 42. Higgins, p. 226.

328. No one can help seeing that the elevation of an entire continent would cause the water to flow over continents that had before been dry land; and the elevation of the latter, would, in their turn, throw the water back upon the other. What is this but a deluge, or rather a succession of deluges? And as all parts of the earth show marks of these changes, there must have been more or less of these inundations all over the surface of our globe.

329. Again:-The relative position and superficial extent of land and water, have been constantly changing, not slowly and imperceptibly as at present, but by the activity of causes, the effects of which, have been almost instantaneous, upheaving the bed of the oceans, and deluging the dry lands." Higgins, 274.

330. These quotations from men of eminence in the scientific world, will show that a flood, such as is described in Genesis, was a very probable event. From what the

earth had undergone, it was not unreasonable that a similar event should occur in the days of Noah. The probability is increased, by what has often occurred since. Extensive surfaces have arisen up from beneath the water, and other surfaces have sunk and disappeared. The Island of