The theory of the earth : containing an account of the original of the earth, and of all the general changes which it hath already undergone, or is to undergo till the consummation of all things. The two last books, concerning the burning of the world, and concerning the new heavens and new earth.

  • Burnet, Thomas, 1635?-1715. Telluris theoria sacra
Date:
1697
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The theory of the earth : containing an account of the original of the earth, and of all the general changes which it hath already undergone, or is to undergo till the consummation of all things. The two last books, concerning the burning of the world, and concerning the new heavens and new earth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I — - 1 --■־'· . ■ ,— .. — ' ' ־' ־ ' *־*־■ in- it ״ force of the words, fo as not to acknowledge that they import a real diveriity betwixt the two Worlds fpoken of *, yet having no Principles to guide or fupport them in following that Trad:, they are forc’d to hop or diver! another way. ’Tis like entering into the mouth of a Cave, we are not willing to venture further than the light goes. Nor arc they much to blame for this; the fault is only in thofe Perfons that continue wilfully in their darknefs, and when they cannot otherwife reiift the light, fhut their eyes againft it, or turn their head another way.--but I am afraid I have ftaid too long upon this argument: not for my own fake, but to fatisiie o- thers. You may pleafe to remember that all that I have, faid hitherto,be- longs only to the firft Head : To prove a Diverfity in general betwixt the Ante-diluvian Heavens and Earth, and the prefent : not expref- ling what their particular form was* And this general diveriity may be argued alfo by obfervations taken from Mofes his Hiftory of the World, before and alter the Flood. From the Longevity of the An- tediluvians; The Ra n-bow appearing after the Deluge!: and the breaking open an Abyfs capable to overflow the Earth;! The Heavens that had no Rain bow, and under wliofe benign and fteddy influ- f ence, Men liv’d feven, eight, nine hundred years and upwards, mu ft have been of a different afpeft and conftitution from the pre- fent Heavens. And that Earth that had fucli an Abyfs, that the dif- ruption of it made an univerfal Deluge, muft have been of another form than the prefent Earth. And thofe that will not admit a diver- lity in the two worlds, are bound to give us an intelligible account of thefe Phenomena : How they could polfibly be in Heavens and Earth, like the prefent. Or if they were there once> why they do not continue fo ftill, if Nature be the Tame. We need fay no more, as to the Ame-diluviatT Heavens; but as to the Earth, we muft now, according to the fecond Part of the firft Head·, enquire, If that Farticular Form, which we have aifign’d it before the Flood, be agreeable to Scripture. You know how we have deferib’d the Form and fituation of that Earth: namely, that it was built over the Abyfs, as a regular Orb, covering and incom- paifing the waters round about: and founded,as it were, upon them; There are many paifages of Scripture that favour this defeription: Some more exprefly, others upon a due explication. To this purpofe there are two exprefs Texts in the Pfaims: as Ffal.2^.1,2. The Earth is the Lords, and the fulnefs thereof: The habitable World, and they that dwell therein. FOR he has founded it upon * the Seay and eflabliflod it * I know foitie upon the Floods. An Earth founded upon the Seas, and eftabliih’d up- ^°״pla™kof on the Waters, is not this the Earth we have deferib’d ? the firft no effe<2 by rendering the fkbrevo particle עי juxta, by or near to; fo they would read it thus. He hath founded the Earth by the Sea-fide, and eftabliih’d it by the Floods. What is there wonderful in this,that the ihores ihould lie by the Sea-flde j Where could they iie e]fe? What reafon or argument is this, why the Earth fhould be the Lord’s? The Earth is the Lord’s, for he hath founded it near the Seas, Where is the conlequence of this ? But if he founded it upon the Seas.which could not be done by any other hand but his, it ihows both the Workman and the Mailer. And accordingly in that other place, Pfal. x 3 5. 6. it you render it, he Jlretched out the Earth near the Waters How is that one of God’s great wonders ? as it is there reprefented to be. Becaufe in fome tew places this particle is render’d otherwife, where the fenfe will bear it, muft we therefore render it fo when we pleafe, and where the fence will not bear it? This being the moft ufual fignification of it, and there being no other word that fignifies above more frequently or deter- minately than this does, Why muft it lignifie otherwife in this place ? Men will wriggle any way to get from un- dex the force of a Text, that does not fuit to their own Notions. Earth