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The sacred 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 ... / [Thomas Burnet].

  • Burnet, Thomas, Sir, 1632?-1715?
Date:
1719
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The sacred 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 ... / [Thomas Burnet]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    507/584 (page 77)
    Who {hall afcend into the holes of the Rocks ? And when Jacob fpeaks of the bleffings of the Abyfs, or of the Deep, he calls them the bleflings of the Deep that iyeth under : Gen. 49. 2J. In like manner, M.oj'es himlelf calls it the Deep that coucheth beneath : Deut. 33. 13. And I know no reafon why we fhould not underftand the fame Deep there, that he mentioned' before in the Hiftory of the Deluge. Which there¬ fore was fubterraneous, as this is. Then as for the o- ther ufe of the Word, namely, for the Sea, or any part of the Sea, (whofe bottom is always lower than the level of the Earth) that is the moft common ufe of it in Scripture. And I need not give you Inftances, which are every where obvious. One muft needs think itftrange therefore, that any Man of judgment fhould break thorough, both the common ufe of a Word, and fo many plain Texts of Scripture that (hew the fignification of it, for the fake of one Text 3 which, at moft, is but dubious. And then lay fuch ftreis upon that new fignification, as to found a new doflrine upon it. And a doftrine that is neither fupported by reafon, nor agrees with the Hi- ftory of the Deluge. For, as we noted before, at the decreafe of the Deluge, the Waters are faid to re¬ turn from off the Earth: Gen. 8. 3. Did they not re¬ turn to the Places from whence they came ? but if thofe Places were the Caverns in the Rocks, whole Mouths lay higher than the Surface of the Deluge, as he fays they did : p. 303, 305. I lee no poflibility of the Waters returning into them. But the Excepter hath found out a marvellous invention to invade this argument. He will have the returning of the Waters, to be underftood of their returning into their Principles, (that is, into Vapours) not to their Places. In good time “ So the Dove’s returning, was her returning into her Principles: that is, into an Egg, not into the Ark* Subtleties ill-founded, argue two things, wit and want of Judgment. Mofes fpeaks as plainly of the local return of the Waters, in going and returning 3 as of the local going and returning of the Raven and Dove. See Gen. 8. 3, & 5. compar’d with Verfe jth) & gth, hi.'h ; Daftly*