upon the Earth in this fluid Condition, immediately upon the Comet's leaving this Quantity of its Atmosphere to drown the Earth, it enters upon the fame Laws peculiar to this habitable Globe, and by the Laws of Gravitation and Attraction, thofe Parts that had the Effence of Solidity in them affume their proper Offices, and in a Hurry begin to take their Places according to their specifick Gravities; and the Fluid growing thick in the Hurry, many of the weightier Particles are ftopp'd and catch'd in their Defcent; and accordingly we find Metals and Minerals as if run down the Pores of the Earth in their Fluidity, and catch'd as they became Solids at uncertain Depths by other earthy Particles lighter than themselves, tho' their Endeavour was to take their Places therein according to their respective Weights; as in a Mire, the Subftance whereof is lighter than Stone, yet a Stone let fall into it will not reach the Bottom; for the Fluidity thereof being thicken'd will not fo eafily admit of weightier Particles than itself to take their Places therein according to their specifick Gravities, notwithstanding their Endeavour fo to do. That there would be a vaft Quantity of folid Particles, when they affum'd their proper Effences, far exceeding those that remain'd fluid, is not difficult to imagine, (tho' all fluid, having no Distinction, before) when we confider that the new Sur

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face

face of the Earth, acquir'd at the Deluge, was never yet obferv'd to be penetrated thro' by the Searchers into its Bowels; and, for ought we know,' may very nearly equal, in its Thickness, the Depth of the Waters at the Deluge, above the common Surface: For that we have a new Crust acquir'd by the Deluge, appears from Trees, Fishes Bones, and the like, found at uncertain Depths in divers Places of this and other Nations, which in the Hurry of the fettling of these Commotions were fome born down below their natural Gravity, and others catch'd higher amongst Particles lighter than themfelves; and those Particles which had only the true Effence of Water, make now their Defcent into the loweft Parts of the Globe, and form a mighty Ocean mighty Ocean; whereas before there was only a gathering together of the Waters into vaft Lakes or Seas, but yet in fuch a manner as the whole Earth might have been travel'd over upon dry Land. Thus you fee that as Mr. Whifton's Hypothefis brought Waters enough to drown the Earth, fo by this they might be fufficiently removed *.

But

* Thus the Fluids that drown'd the Earth being in a chaotical Condition, and the true Effence of Solidity being by far the greatest Part thereof, and differently fcatter'd upon the Surface of the Globe, much greater Quantities of folid Particles might remain in one Place than another; upon the fettling of which it might cause a different Situation of Hills and Mountains after the Flood to what there had been before, and leave Plains

But then the Earth wants new Furniture of Herbs, Plants, Fruit-Trees, and the like, and

Plains and Vallies where there happen'd the fewest of Solids, and the most of that Fluid which only in itself had the true Effence of Water; which however left a fufficient Quantity of Solids to continue the Earth above the common Orbicularity of the Ocean, when it had made its Defcent thereto, which before for fome time might remain difperfed over the highest Mountains by the wonderful Attraction of the Comet, in the way and manner of the Tides occafion'd by the Attraction of the Moon, and would require a proportionate Time to fettle in, according to the Largeness of the Comet's Body and its near Approach to the Earth, which must be in as much Difproportion as may very well account for the Uncommonnefs of this Hypothefis.

And as to the Hills and Mountains being occafion'd to take different Situations to thofe before the Flood, it may appear no Paradox, if we confider how this chaotical Subftance that drown'd the Earth is differently difperfed upon the Surface of it, fo as to afford it different Minerals in different Countries diftant from one another, and to be difpofed of according to the Wisdom of God, in their Directions to place themselves after the Laws aforefaid; which fhew, that the Fluid and Solids that made that entire Fluid to drown the Earth, had not in their chaotical State an equal Diftribution of Parts common to its real Contents, but they were difperfed in this chaotical Condition in fo confused a manner, that Hills and Mountains, Metals and Minerals might disperse themselves in different Situations, as we find they have; which must plainly fhew, that as chaotical a Substance drown'd the Earth, as that was from which at firft it was form'd. So then from this Hypothefis, in the Earth's firft Formation Hills and Mountains might receive their Original in and from the Causes here propos'd, without being fixed upon fuch a Fluid as Mr. Whiston imagin'd them to have had their Original from. D 2

and yet we read of no new Creation; whence is it fupplied? My Answer is, That it seems highly probable that the Seeds of Herbs, Fruits of Trees, with the feveral Kinds of Grain, and the like, would be scatter'd and difpers'd upon the Waters; upon the settling of which fufficient Quantities would remain upon the Surface of the dry Land, and produce their Species.

And now the new Surface of the Earth being fresh, fat, and fertile, it must produce Fruits almoft equal to thofe of the Antediluvian World, and by Virtue whereof the Lives of the firft Patriarchs, fucceeding the Deluge, were almost equivalent to thofe of the old World; but the Commotions and fulphureous Effluvia's which were occafion'd by the Deluge, by Degrees gather Strength, and form themselves into deftructive Particles, caufing Tempefts, Hurricanes, Thunder and Lightning, and the like, hitherto unknown, which by Degrees difperfe themfelves thro' the Atmosphere of the Air, which hereby becomes more and more noxious and unwholfome to breathe in, and works Decays of the Earth's Fertility; and accordingly fhortens the Lives of their future Progeny, by fuch Degrees, and in fuch a Manner, as God judged neceffary; even as the new World became in a Condition to be re-peopled, without a Continuation of the former Longævity.

Thus

Thus I have given an Account of the Deluge, and obferv'd God's Defign in shortning Man's Days upon Earth, viz. to wean his Affections from it. Those therefore who will still fet their Affections on the World, do thwart God's Defign, and hazard the Lofs of their Souls, for vain, fhort, and unfatisfactory Enjoyments: But because the Minds of fome Men are induc'd' by temporal Motives, and the Promises of prefent worldly Bleffings, more than the Views of future Rewards; therefore, in Condefcenfion to human Infirmities, God Almighty was pleased to make large Offers of temporal Bleffings to his People the Jews; fo that to their Obedience all temporal Bleffings were promifed, as Punishments were alfo threatned to their Difobedience. But tho' this Covenant did more peculiarly relate to the Jewish Nation, yet many private Perfons have, and to this Day do perfuade themselves, that their temporal Felicities diftinguifh them as the Favourites of Heaven, and are Tokens of God's fpecial Regard and particular Favour to them more than others who want them, and hence are fo lifted up as even to defpife thofe in low and mean Circumftances, as if they were caft off and rejected by their Maker: But Prosperity is not always a certain Mark of God's Favour, fome now enjoying it, who, their Practice confider'd, do not deferve it; whilft others fuffer Adverfity,