below. We have hence three spherical layers of different matter; the ponderous central mass; the middle watery sphere; and the sphærical crust surmounting the whole, of which the exterior surface is supposed to have formed the primæval habitable world; and which was smooth, regular, and uniform, without mountains and without a sea." From this particular structure of the earth our author explains its subsequent dissolution by water, and its present appearance.

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We cannot believe (says he) but that the heat of the sun, within the space of some hundreds of years, would have reduced this earth to a considerable degree of dryness in certain parts; and also have much rarefied and exhaled the waters beneath it: and considering the structure of that globe, the exterior crust, and the waters lying round under it, both exposed to the sun, we may fitly compare it to an æolipile, or an hollow sphere with water in it, which the heat of the fire rarefies and turns into vapours and wind. The sun here is as the fire, and the exterior earth is as the shell of the æolipile, and the abyss as the water within it; now when the heat of the sun had pierced through the shell and reached the waters, it began to rarefy them, and raise them into vapours ; which rarefaction made them require more space and

room than they needed before, while they lay close and quiet. And finding themselves penned in by the exterior earth, they pressed with violence against that arch, to make it yield and give way to their dilatation and eruption. So we see all vapours and exhalations enclosed within the earth, and agitated there, strive to break out, and often shake the ground with their attempts to get loose. And in the comparison we used of an æolipile, if the mouth of it be stopt that gives the vent, the water rarefied will burst the vessel with its force. And the resemblance of the earth to an egg, which we used before, holds also in this respect; for when it heats before the fire, the moisture and air within being rarefied, makes it often burst the shell. And I do the more willingly men tion this last comparison, because I observe that some of the ancients, when they speak of the doctrine of the Mundane Egg, say that after a certain period of time it was broken.

But there is yet another thing to be considered in this case; for as the heat of the sun gave force to these vapours more and more, and made them more strong and violent; so, on the other hand, it also weakened more and more the arch of the earth that was to resist them, sucking out the moisture that was the cement of its parts, drying it immoderately, and chapping it in sundry places. And there being no winter then to close up and unite its parts, and re

store the earth to its former strength and compact ness, it grew more and more disposed to a dissolution, And at length, these preparations in nature being made on either side, the force of the vapours increased, and the walls weakened, which should have kept them in. When the appointed time was come, that Allwise Providence had designed for the punishment of a sinful world, the whole fabric brake, and the frame of the earth was torn in pieces, as by an earthquake; and those great portions or fragments, into which it was divided, fell down into the abyss, some in one posture, and some in another.

When the exterior earth was broke and fell into the abyss, a good part of it was covered with water by the mere depth of the abyss it fell into; and those parts of it that were higher than the abyss was deep, and consequently would stand above it in a calm water, were notwithstanding reached and overtopped by the waves, during the agitation and violent commotion of the abyss. For it is not imaginable what the commotion of the abyss would be upon this dissolution of the earth, nor to what height its waves would be thrown, when those prodigious fragments were tumbled down into it. Suppose a stone of ten thousand weight taken up into the air a mile or two, and then let fall into the middle of the ocean, I do not believe but that the dashing of the water upon that im pression, would rise as high as a mountain. But

suppose a mighty rock or heap of rocks to fall from that height, or a great island, or a continent; these would expel the waters out of their places, with such a forcé and violence, as to fling them among the highest clouds.

"Tis incredible to what height sometimes great stones and cinders will be thrown, at the eruptions of fiery mountains; and the pressure of a great mass of earth falling into the abyss, though it be a force of another kind, could not but impel the water with so much strength as would carry it up to a great height in the air, and to the top of any thing that lay in its way, any eminency, high fragment, or new mountain; and then rolling back again, it would sweep down with it whatsoever it rushed upon, woods, buildings, living creatures, and carry them all headlong into the great gulph. Sometimes a mass of water would be quite struck off and separate from the rest, and tost through the air like a flying river; but the common motion of the waves was to climb up the hills, or inclined fragments; and then return into the valleys and deeps again, with a perpetual fluctuation, going and coming, ascending and descending, till the violence of them being spent by degrees, they settled at last in the places allotted for them; where "bounds are set that they cannot pass over, that they return not again to cover the earth."-Psal. civ. 6, 7, 8, 9.

Neither is it to be wondered, that the great tumult

of the waters, and the extremity of the deluge, lasted for some months; for besides that the first shock and commotion of the abyss was extremely violent, from the general fall of the earth, there were ever and anon some secondary ruins; or some parts of the great ruin, that were not well settled, broke again and made new commotions; and 'twas a considerable time before the great fragments that fell, and their lesser dependencies, could be so adjusted and fitted, as to rest in a firm and immoveable posture: for the props and stays whereby they leaned one upon another, or upon the bottom of the abyss, often failed, either by the incumbent weight, or the violent im pulses of the water against them; and so renewed or continued the disorder and confusion of the abyss. Besides, we are to observe, that these great fragments. falling hollow, they inclosed and bore down with them under their concave surface a great deal of air; and while the water compassed these fragments and overflowed them, the air could not readily get out of those prisons but by degrees, as the earth and water above would give way; so as this would also hinder the settlement of the abyss, and the retiring of the water into those subterraneous channels, for some time. But at length, when this air had found a vent, and left its place to the water and the ruins, both pri mary and secondary were settled and fixed; then the waters of the abyss began to settle too, and the dry