high Mountains and many Leagues distant from the Sea too there have been Beds of real Shells I might have added Sharks-teeth or Glossepetrae as both Goropius Becanus and Georgius Agricola testifie if not in Beds yet plentifully disperst in the Earth There are several Medical Histories extant as Dr. Tancred Robinson informs me of perfect Shells found in Animal Bodies in whose Glands they were originally formed which is a considerable Objection not easily to be removed SECT 2. The Second possible Cause of the Worlds Destruction in a Natural Way the Extinction of the Sun 2. The possibility of the Suns extinction Of which Accident I shall give an Account in Dr. More 's words in the last Chapter of his Treatise of the Immortality of the Soul This saith he though it may seem a Panick fear at first sight yet if the matter be throughly examined there will appear no contemptible Reasons that may induce men to suspect that it may at last fall out there having been at certain times such near offers in Nature towards this sad Accident already Pliny speaks of it as a thing not unfrequent that there should be Prodigiosi longiores Solis defectus qualis occiso Dictatore Caesare Antoniano bello totius anni pallore continuo Hist Nat. lib. 2. cap. 30. The like happened in Justinian's time as Cedrenus writes when for a whole year together the the Sun was of a very dim and duskish Hue as if he had been in a perpetual Eclipse And in the time of Irene the Empress it was so dark for seventeen days together that the Ships lost their way in the Sea and were ready to run one against another as Theophanes reports But the late accurate Discovery of the Spots of the Sun by Scheiner and the appearing and disappearing of Fixt Stars and Comets and the excursions of these last do argue it more than possible that after some vast Periods of Time the Sun may be so inextricably inveloped by the macule that he may quite lose his light and then you may easily guess what would become of the Inhabitants of the Earth For without his vivifick heat neither could the Earth put forth any Vegetables for their sustenance neither if it could would they be able to bear the extremity of the Cold which must needs be more rigorous and that perpetually than it is now under the Poles in Winter time But this Accident though it would indeed extinguish all life yet being quite contrary to a Dissolution by Fire of which the Apostle speaks I shall pass it over without further consideration and proceed to a Third SECT 3. The Third possible Cause of the Worlds Destruction The Eruption of the Central Fire 3. The Possibility of the Eruption of the Central Fire if any such there be inclosed in the Earth It is the Hypothesis of Monsieur des Cartes that the Earth was originally a Star or great Globe of Fire like the Sun or one of the fixt Stars situate in the Center of a Vortex continually whirling round with it That by degrees it was covered over or incrustated with maculae arising on its Surface like the scumm on a boiling Pot which still increasing and growing thicker and thicker the Star losing its light and activity and consequently the motion of the Celestial Vortex about it growing more weak languid and unable to resist the vigorous incroachments of the neighbouring Vortex of the Sun it was at last drawn in and wholly absorpt by it and forced to comply with its motion and make one in the Quire of the Suns Satellites This whole Hypothesis I do utterly disallow and reject Neither did the Author himself if we may believe him think it true that the Earth was thus generated For he saith Quinimo ad res natural es meliùs explicandas earum causas altiùs hic repetam quà m ipsas unquam extitisse existimem Non enim dubium est quin mundus ab initio fuerit creatus cuâ— omni sua perfectione ità ut in eo Sol Terra Luna Stellae extiterint ...... Hoc fides Christiana nos docet hócque etiam ratio naturalis planè persuadet Attendendâ— enim ad immensam Dei potentiam non possâ—mus existimare illum unquam quidquam fecisse quod non omnibus suis numeris fuerit absolutum That is Moreover for the better explicating of Natural Things I shall bring them from higher or more remote Causes than I think they ever had For there is no doubt but the World was originally created in its full perfection so that in it were conteined both Sun and Moon and Earth and Stars c. For this the Christian Faith teacheth us and this also Natural Reason doth plainly persuade for attending to the immense power of God we cannot think that he ever made any thing that was not complete in all points But tho he did not believe that the Earth was generated or formed according to his Hypothesis yet surely he was of opinion that it is at present such a Body as he represented it after its perfect Formation viz. with a Fire in the middle and so many several Crusts or Coats inclosing it else would he have given us a mere Figment or Romance instead of a Body of Philosophy But tho I do reject the Hypothesis yet the being of a Central Fire in the Earth is not so far as I understand any way repugnant to Reason or Scripture For first of all the Scripture represents Hell as a Lake of Fire Mark 9.43 44 c. Revel 20.10 14 15. and likewise as a low place beneath the Earth So Psalm 86.13 and Deut. 32.22 it is called the nethermost hell Prov. 15.24 The way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath 2. Many of the Ancients understand that Article of the Creed He descended into Hell of our Saviours Descent into that local Hell beneath the Earth where he triumphed over the Devil and all the Powers of Darkness And particularly Irenaeus interprets that Saying of our Saviour that the son of man should be three days in the heart of the earth of his being three days in the middle of the Earth which could not be meant saith he of the Sepulchre because that was hewen out of a Rock in its Superficies 3. It is a received Opinion among the Divines of the Church of Rome that Hell is about the Center of the Earth insomuch as some of them have been solicitous to demonstrate that there is room enough to receive all the Damned by giving us the Dimensions thereof Neither is it repugnant to the History â— the Creation in Genesis For tho indeed Moses doth mention only Water and Earth aâ— the component parts of this Body yet doth he not assert that the Earth is a simple uniform homogeneous Body as neither do we when we say upon the face of the earth or the like For the Earth we see is a Mass made up
said the Waters prevailed so long upon the Earth that is as I understand it increased I now grant that it lasted but forty natural days because those words of God to Noah predicting the Continuance of the Rain Gen. 7.4 For yet seven days and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights c. seem to limit it to that term So that we must seek some other reason for the prevailing of the Water for one hundred and fifty days which probably might be the Continuance of the Emotion of the Center of the Earth for so long time THE CONTENTS THE Introduction concerning Prophecy Chap. 1. The Division of the Words 2 Peter 3.11 and Doctrine contained in them viz. I. Testimonies concerning the future Dissolution of the World 1. Of the Holy Scriptures 2. Of ancient Christian Writers 3. Of Heathen Philosophers and Sages II. Seven Quotations concerning the Dissolution proposed pag. 1.2 3 Chap. 2. The Testimonies of Scripture concerning the Dissolution Dr. Hammond's Expositions referring the most of them to the Destruction of the City and Temple of Jerusalem and the Period of the Jewish State and Polity considered and pleaded for p. 5 6 c. to 22 Chap. 3. Some Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church concerning the Dissolution of the World p. 22 23 c. to 28. Chap. 4. The Testimonies of some Heathen Philosophers and other Writers concerning the Dissolution the Epicureans p. 28. The Stoicks who held certain Periods of Deluges and Conflagrations p. 29 to 34. That this Opinion of a future Conflagration was of far greater Antiquity than that Sect proved p. 34 35.36 The Antiquity and Vniversality of it argue it to have been derived from Noah and his Sons p. 37 38 Chap. 5. The first Question concerning the World's Dissolution Whether there be any thing in nature that may probably cause or argue a future Dissolution Three possible means propounded and discussed p. 39 Sect. 1. The first is the possibility of the Waters again naturally overflowing and covering the Earth p. 39.44 45 c. to 51 The old Argument for the World's Dissolution viz. it s daily Consenescency and Decay rejected p. 40 41 From the continual straitening of the Sea and lowring the Mountains and high Grounds by Floods washing away and carrying down Earth and from the Seas encroaching upon the Shores such an Overflowing shewn to be possible p. 44 45 c. to p. 50. An Objection against the Diminution and Depression of the Land answered p. 51 52 c. A Digression concerning the general Deluge in the Days of Noah p. 56 57 c. Testimonies of Heathen Writers and ancient Coins verifying the Scripture-History of the Deluge p. 56 57 c. to 63. That the Ancient Poets and Mythologists by Deucalion understood Noah and by Deucalion's Flood the general Deluge p. 60 61. That there have been other particular Deluges p. 63 The Opinion of those who held that the Deluge was caused by a miraculous Transmutation of the Element of Air into Water p. 64 65. That the Means assigned by the Scripture viz. A continual Rain of forty natural Days and the emptying the Subterraneous Abyss may suffice so that we need not have recourse to such an assistance p. 66. That all the Vapours suspended in the Air might contribute much towards the Flood proved p 67 68. Concerning the raising up the Waters out of the great Deep p. 69 70. An Occasional Discourse concerning the Original of Fountains p. 70 71 c. The Subterraneous Circulation and perpetual motion of the Water to the Author improbable p. 71. That the Preponderancy of the Earth and the Water lying upon an heap in the opposite Hemisphere cannot be the Cause of the Waters Ascent in Springs proved p 72 73. That Rains may suffice to feed the Springs and do feed the ordinary ones proved p. 74 75. That the Rain-Water sinks down and makes its way into the Earth more than ten or twenty or forty or an hundred foot proved by many Arguments and Experiments p. 76 77 c. to p. 82. Mr. Halley's Opinion that Springs and Rivers owe their Original to Vapours condensed on the sides of the Mountains propounded and approved as to hot and fervid Regions but disallowed as to the more temperate and cold ones yet the Vapours there not wholly excluded p. 82 83 c. to 91. Observations communicated by Dr. Robinson concerning the Original of Fountains dropping Trees c. p. 92 93. The Question further discussed and proved that Vapours are a partial Cause of Springs even in temperate and cold Regions Addit 251 252 Inferences upon the Supposition of the Rivers pouring into the Sea half an Ocean of Waters daily p. 95 96. The most probable Causes of the Deluge viz. The Emotion of the Center of the Earth or an extraordinary Depression of the Superficies of the Sea p. 99 100. The Effects of the Deluge 1. As. to the Superficial Parts of the Earth p. 102 103. 2. Particularly as to the bringing in of formed Stones or the Shells and Bones of some Sea-fishes dispersed all over the face of the Earth p. 104 c. A Discourse concerning the Nature and Original of those Bodies whether they were originally the real Shells and Bones of Fishes or Stones cast in such Molds or whether they be primitive Productions of Nature in imitation only of such Shells and Bones not owing their Figure to them The Arguments on both sides proposed and weighed p. 106 107 c. to 132 Sect. 2. The second possible Cause of the World's Destruction in a natural way the Extinction of the Sun p 133 Sect. 3. The third possible Cause of the World's Destruction the Eruption of the Central Fire p. 135. That the being of such a Fire is no way oppugnant either to Scripture or Reason p. 137 138 c. Sect. 4. The fourth possible Cause of the World's Destruction the Earths Dryness and Inflammability in the Torrid Zone and the Eruption of the Vulcano's p. 141. That the Inclination of the Ecliptick to the Equator doth not diminish p. 142. That tho there were such a drying and parching of the Earth in the Torrid Zone it would not probably infer a Conflagration p. 142 143 144. That there hath not yet been nor in the ordinary Course of Nature can be any such drying or parching of the Earth under the Torrid Zone p. 44 45 46. The possibility of the Desiccation of the Sea by natural Means denied p. 146 147. The Fixedness and Intransmutability of Principles secures the Vniverse from Dissolution Destruction of any present Species and Production of any new p. 148 149 A Second Digression concerning the Primitive Chaos and Creation of the World p. 150 What the Ancients understood by it ibid. 151. That probably God did at first create a certain number of Principles or simple Bodies naturally intransmutable and mingle them variously in the Earth and
humore omni consumpto totus mundus ignesceret This Dissolution of the World they held should be by Water and by Fire alternately at certain periods but especially by Fire which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Stoicks say that the cause of the destruction of the World is the irresistible force of Fire that is in things which in lonâ— periods of time consumes and dissolves alâ— things into itself Euseb Praep. lib. 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The moâ—â— ancient of that Sect held That at certain vâ—â— Periods of time all things were rarified intâ— Air being resolved into an Ethereal Fire This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Stoicks we find mentioned by many both Christian and Heâ—then Writers as besides the fore-quoted Mâ—nutius Felix Justine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus in 5 Strom. Plutarch Seneca anâ— others The time of this Conflagration Seneca determins not but saith only it shalâ— be when God pleases 3 Quaest nat capâ— 20.8 Cùm Deo visum vetera finire ordiâ—meliora When it shall seem good to God 〈◊〉 put an end to old things and to begin better Some there be who tell us of the Annus Platonicus or magnus by which they understand such a period of time as in which all the heavenly Bodies shall be restored to the same Site and distance they were once in in respect of one another As supposing that all the Seven Planets were at the moment of Creation in the first degree of Aries till they come all to be in the same degree again all that space of time is called the Great Year Annus magnus In this Year they tell us that the height of Summer is the Conflagration and the depth of Winter the Inundation and some Astrologers have been so vain as to assign the time both of the Inundation and Conflagration Seneca 3. Quaest Nat. cap. 20. Berosus qui Belum interpretatus est dicit cursu ista syderum fieri adeò quidem affirmat ut conflagrationi atque diluvio tempus assignat Arsura enim terrena contendit quando omnia sydera in Cancro convenerint inundationem futuram quando eadem syderum turba in Capricorno convenerit Berosus who interpreted Belus saith that those things come to pass according to the course of the Stars and he so confidently affirms it that he assigns the time both for the Conflagration and Inundation For that all Earthly Bodies will be burnt up when all the Stars shall meet in Cancer and the Inundation will fall out when the same shall be in conjunction in Capricorn Concerning the manner of this Conflagration they held it should be sudden Senec. Natura subitò ad ruinam toto impetu ruit licet ad originem parcè utatur viribus dispensétque se incrementis fallacibus Momento fit cinis diu sylva c. Nature doth suddenly and with all its force rush on to Ruin though to the rise and formation of things it useth its strength sparingly dispensing its influence and causing them to grow by insensible degrees a Wood is long in growing up but reduced to ashes almost in a moment And some of them were so absurd as to think that the Stars should justle and be dashed one against another Senec. lib. de consolatione ad Marciam Cùm tempus advenerit quo se mundus revocaturus extinguat viribus ista se suis caedent sydera syderibus incurrent omni flagrante materia uno igne quicquid nunc ex disposito lucet ardebit Here by the way we may with Doctor More Souls Immortality lib. 3. cap. 18. take notice how Coursly not to say Ridiculously the Stoicks Philosophize when they are turned out of their Road-way of Moral Sentences and pretend to give an account of the Nature of Things For what Errours can be more gross than they entertain of God of the Soul and oâ— the Stars they making the two former Corporeal Substances and feeding the latter with the vapours of the Earth affirming that the Sun sups up the Water of the great Ocean to quench his Thirst but that the Moon drinks off the lesser Rivers and Brooks which is as true as that the Asse drank up the Moon Such Conceits are more fit for Anacreon in a drunken Fit to stumble upon who to invite his Companions to Tiple composed that Catch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then to be either found out or owned by a serious Philosopher And yet Seneca mightily triumphs in this Notion of foddering the Stars with the thick Fogs of the Earth and declares his Opinion with no mean Strains of Eloquence c. As for the extent of this Conflagration they Held that not only the Heavens should be burnt but that the Gods themselves should not escape Scot-free So Seneca Resoluto mundo Diis in unum consusis And again Atque omnes pariter Deos Perdet nox aliqua Chaos Is not this wise Philosophy If their Morality were no better than their Physicks their Wise man they boast of might be so denominated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they of Gotham But let us look a little further and we shall find that the Stoicks were not the first Authors of this Opinion of the Conflagration but that it was of far greater Antiquity than that Sect. Others of the more ancient Philosophers having entertained it viz. Empedocles as Clemens Alexandrinus testifies in his 5 Strom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Heraclitus as the same Clemens shews at large out of him in the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amp c. And Laertius in the Life of Heraclitus He taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there is but one World and that it was generated out of Fire and again burnt up or turned into Fire at certain periods alternately throughout all Ages I might add to these the Ancient Greek Poets Sophocles and Diphilus as we find them quoted by Justine Martyr and Clemens Alexandrinus Neither yet were these the first Inventers and Broachers of this Opinion but they recieved it by Tradition from their Forefathers and look'd upon it as an Oracle and Decree of Fate Ovid speaks of it as such in the first of his Metamorphosis Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur affore tempus Quo mare quo tellus correptáque regia coeli Ardeat mundi moles operosa laboret Besides by Doom Of certain Fate he knew the time should come When Sea Earth ravisht Heaven the curious Frame Of this Worlds Mass should shrink in purging Flame And Lucan Hos Caesar populos si nunc non usserit ignis Vret cum terris uret cum gurgite ponti Communis mundo superest rogus ossibus Astra Misturus If now these Bodies want their Fire and Urn At last with the whole Globe they 'll surely burn The World expects one general Fire and Thou Must go where these poor Souls are wandring now Now through some are of an Opinion that by Fata here are
to be understood the Sibylline Oracles and to that purpose do alledge some Verses out of those extant under that Title as Lactantius in his Book De ira Dei cap. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in another place there is mention made of a River of Fire that shall descend from Heaven and burn up both Earth and Sea Tunc ardens fluvius caelo manabit ab alto Igneus atque locos consumet funditus omnes Terrámque Oceanúmque ingentem caerulâ— ponti Stagnáque tum fluvios fontes Ditémque severum Coelestémque polum coeli quoque lumina iâ— unum Fluxa ruent formâ deletâ prorsus eorum Astra cadent etenim de caelo cuncta revulsâ— From Heaven then shall flaming River flow And quite disorder all things here below The Whole shall melt into one single Mass All forms destroy'd into old Chaos pass Yet because the Verses now extant under the Name of Sibylline Oracles are all suspected to be false and pseudepigrapha and many of them may be demonstrated to be of no greater Antiquity than the Emperor Antoninus Pius his Reign and because it cannot be proved that there was any such thing in the Ancient genuine Sibylline Oracles I rather think as I said before that it was a Doctrine of Ancient Tradition handed down from the first Fathers and Patriarchs of the World Josephus in his Antiquities runs it up as high as Adam from whom Seth his Son received it his Father saith he fore telling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there should be a Destruction of the Universe once by the violence of Fire and again by the force and abundance of Water in consequence whereof he erected two Pillars one of Brick which might endure the Fire and another of Stone which would resist the Water and upon them engraved his Astronomical Observations that so they might remain to Posterity And one of these Pillars he saith continued in Syria until his days Whether this Relation be true or not it may thence be collected that this was an Universal Opinion received by Tradition both among Jews and Gentiles That the World should one day be consumed by Fire It may be proved by good Authority that the Ancient Gaules Chaldaeans and Indians had this Tradition among them which they could not receive from the Greek Philosophers or Poets with whom they had no entercourse but it must in alâ— probability be derived down to both from the same Fountain and Original that is from the first Restorers of Mankind Noaâ— and his Sons I now proceed to the Third Particular proposed in the beginning that is to give answer to the several Questions concerning the Dissolution of the World CHAP. V. â—he first Question concerning the World's Dissolution Whether there be any thing in Nature that may probably cause or argue a future Dissolution Three probable Means propounded and discussed SECT I. â—he Waters again naturally overflowing and covering the Earth THE First Question is Whether there be any thing in Nature which may â—ove and demonstrate or probably argue â—nd infer a future Dissolution To which I â—swer That I think there is nothing in â—ature which doth necessarily demonstrate future Dissolution but that Position of the â—eripatetick Schools may for ought I know â—e true Philosophy Posito ordinario Dei conâ—rsu mundus posset durare in aeternum Supâ—sing the ordinary concourse of God with â—econd Causes the World might endure for â—ver But though a future Dissolution by Natural Causes be not demonstrable yâ— some possible if not probable Accidents theâ— are which if they should happen might iâ—fer such a Dissolution Those are Four Tâ— Possibility of 1. The Waters again overflowing and â—vering the Earth 2. The Extinction of the Sun 3. The Eruption of the Central Fire â— closed in the Earth 4. The Dryness and Inflammability of tâ— Earth under the Torrid Zone and the Erâ—tion of all the Vulcano's at once But before I treat of these it will not amiss a little to consider the old Argumâ— for the Worlds Dissolution and that is daily Consenescence and Decay which if can be proved will in process of time â—cessarily infer a Dissolution For as the â—postle saith in another case That which â—cayeth and waxeth old is ready to vaâ— away Heb. 8.13 That which continuaâ— wastes will at last be quite consumeâ— that which daily grows weaker and weakâ— will in time lose all its force So the Aâ— and Stature and Strength of Man and â— other Animals every Generation decreasiâ— they will in the end come to nothing Aâ— that all these and all other things do sâ—cessively diminish and decay in all Nature Perfections and Qualities as well as Moral â—th been the received Opinion not only of â—e Vulgar but even of Philosophers â—emselves from Antiquity down to our â—es Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. c. 16. In pleâ—m autem cuncto mortalium generi minorem â—dies mensuram staturae propemodum observaâ—r rarosque patribus proceriores consumente â—ertatem seminum exustione in cujus vices â—nc vergat aevum Terra malos homines nunc educat atque pu sillos Juvenal Sat. â—nd Gellius Noct. Att. lib. 3. c. 10. Et â—nc quasi jam mundo senescente rerum atque â—ominum decrementa sunt I might accumuâ—te places out of the Ancients and Moderns â— this purpose but that hath been already â—one by others But this Opinion how general soever it â—as formerly was inconsiderately and withâ—ut sufficient ground taken up at first and â—fterwards without due examination embraâ—ed and followed as appears by Dr. Hakeâ—il's Apology wherein it is so fundamenâ—ally confuted that it hath since been reâ—ected by all considerate Persons For that Author hath at large demonstrated that neiâ—her the pretended decay of the Heavenly Bodies in regard of Motion Light Heat â— Influence or of any of the Elements nâ—ther the pretended decay of Animals aâ— particularly and especially of Mankind iâ— regard of Age and Duration of Strengâ— and Stature of Arts and Wits of Manneâ— and Conversation do necessarily infer aâ— decay in the World or any tendency to Dissolution The only Objection agaiâ— this Opinion is the Longaevity of the Anâ—diluvian Patriarchs and of some also I meâ— the first of the Postdiluvian For immedâ—ately after the Flood the Age of Man dâ— gradually decrease every Generation in greâ— proportions so that had it continued so to â— at that rate the Life of Man had soon caâ— to nothing Why it should at last settle â— Threescore and Ten Years as a mean Terâ— and there continue so many Ages withoâ—â— any further Change and Diminution is confess a Mystery too hard for me to reveaâ— However there must be a great and extrâ—ordinary Change at the time of the Flooâ— either in the Temperature of the Air â— Quality of the Food or in the Temper anâ— Constitution of the Body of Man which iâ—duced this decrement of Age. That thâ— Temper and
Writer hath probably inferred that all the Rivers in the World together do daily discharge half an Ocean of Waters into the Sea I must confess my self to be unsatisfied therewith I will not question their Calculations but I suspect they are out in their Hypotheses The Opinion of Mr. Edmund Halley that Springs and Rivers owe their Original to Vapours condensed on the sides of Mountains rather than unto Rains I acknowledge to be very ingenious grounded upon good Observations and worthy of its Author and I will not deny it to be in part true in those hot Countreys in the Torrid Zone and near it where by reason of the great heats the Vapours are more copiously exhaled out of the Earth and its likely carryed up high in the form of Vapours The inferiour Air at least is so charged with them and by that means so very moist that in some places their Knives rust even in their Pockets and in the Night so very fresh and cold partly also by reason of the length of the Nights that exposing the Body to it causes Colds and Catarrhs and is very dangerous Whence also their Dews are so great as in good measure to recompence the want of Rain and serve for the nourishment of Plants as they do even in Spain it self I shall first of all propose this Opinion in the Words of the Author and then discourse a little upon it After he had enumerated many of the high Ridges and Tracts of Mountains in the four Quarters of the World he thus proceeds Each of which far surpass the usual height to which the Aqueous Vapours of themselves ascend and on the tops of which the Air is so cold and rarified as to retain but a small part of those Vapours that shall be brought thither by the Winds Those Vapours therefore that are raised copiously in the Sea and by the Winds are carried over the Low Lands to those Ridges of Mountains are there compelled by the Stream of the Air to mount up with it to the tops of the Mountains where the Water presently precipitates gleeting down by the Crannies of the Stone and part of the Vapour entring into the Cavities of the Hills the Water thereof gathers as in an Alembick into the Basons of Stone it finds â— which being once filled all the overplus oâ— Water that comes thither runs over by the lowest place and breaking out by the sideâ— of the Hills forms single Springs Many oâ— these running down by the Valleys or Guts between the Ridges of the Hills and coming to unite form little Rivulets or Brooks Many of these again meeting in one commoâ— Valley and gaining the plain ground being grown less rapid become a River and many of these being united in one common Channel make such Streams as the Rhâ—e the Rhosne and the Danube which latter onâ— would hardly think the Collection of Wateâ— condensed out of Vapour unless we consideâ— how vast a Tract of ground that River drains and that it is the summ of all those Springs which break out on the South side of the Carpathian Mountains and on the North-side of the immense Ridge of the Alps which is one continued Chain of Mountains from Switzerland to the Black Sea And it may almost pass for a Rule that the magnitude oâ— a River or the quantity of Water it evacuates is proportionable to the length and height of the Ridges from whence its Fountains arise Now this Theory of Springs iâ— not a bare Hypothesis but founded on Experience which it was my luck to gain in my abode at St. Helena where in the night time on the tops of the Hills about Eight Hundred Yards above the Sea there was so strange a condensation or rather precipitation of the Vapours that it was a great impediment to my Celestial Observations for in the clear Sky the Dew would fall so fast as to cover each half quarter of an hour my Glasses with little drops so that I was necessitated to wipe them off of so often and my Paper on which I wrote my Observations would immediately be so wet with the Dew that it would not bear Ink by which it may be supposed how fast the Water gathers in those mighty high Ridges I but now named At last he concludes And I doubt not but this Hypothesis is more reasonable than that of those who derive all Springs from the Rain-waters which yet are perpetual and without diminution even when no Rain falls for a long space of time This may for ought I as yet see or know be a good account of the Original of Springs in those fervid Regions though even there I doubt but partial but in Europe and the more temperate Countries I believe the Vapours in this manner condensed have but little interest in the production of them though I will not wholly exclude them For First The Tops of the Alps above the Fountains of four of the greatest Rivers iâ— Europe the Rhine the Rhosne the Danoâ— and the Po are for about Six Months in the Year constantly covered with Snow to a great thickness so that there are no Vapours all that while that can touch thoâ—e Mountains and be by them condensed into Water there falls nothing there but Snow and that continuing all that while on the ground without Dissolution hinders all access of Vapours to the Earth if any rose oâ— were by Winds carried so high in that form as I am confident there are not And yet for all that do not those Springs fail but continue to run all Winter and it is likely too without diminution which is a longer time than Droughts usually last especially if we consider that this want of supply is constant and annual whereas Droughts are but rare and accidental So that we need not wonder any more that Springs should continue to run and without diminution too in times of Drought True it is that those Rivers run low all Winter so far as the Snow extends and to a good distance from their Heads but that is for want of their accidental Supplies from Showers Nay I believe that even in Summer the Vapours are but rarely raised so high in a liquid form in the free Air remote from the Mountains but â—e frozen into Snow before they arrive at â—at height For the Middle Region of the â—ir where the Walk of the Clouds is at â—ast the superior part of it is so cold as to â—eez the Vapours that ascend so high â—ven in Summer time For we see that in â—e height and heat of Summer in great â—hunder-Storms for the most part it hails â—ay in such Tempests I have seen mighty â—howers of great Hail-stones fall some as â—g as Nutmegs or Pigeons Egs and in some â—laces such heaps of them as would load Dung Carts and have not been dissolved in day or two At the same seasons I have â—bserved in some Showers Hail-stones fall â—f irregular Figures and throughout pelluâ—id like great pieces of
of a multitude of different Species of Bodies Mettals Minerals Stones and other Fossils Sand Clay Marle Chalk c. which do all agree in that they are consistent and solid more or less and are in that respect contradistinguished to Water and together compound one Mass which we call Earth Whether the interior parts of the Earth be made up of so great a variety of differenâ— Bodies is to us altogether unknown For tho it be observed by Colliers that the Beds of Coals lie one way and do always dip towards the East let them go never so deep so that would it quit cost and were it noâ— for the Water they say they might pursue the Bed of Coals to the very Center of the Earth the Coals never failing or coming to an end that way yet that is but a rash and ungrounded Conjecture For what is the depth of the profoundest Mines were they a Mile deep to the Semidiameter of the Earth not as one to four thousand Comparing this Observation of Dipping with my Notes about other Mines I find that the Veins or Beds of all generally run East and West and dip towards the East Of which what Account or Reason can we give but the motion of the Earth from West to East I know some say that the Veins for Example of Tin and Silver dip to the North tho they confess they run East and West which is I confess a thing I cannot understand the Veins of those Metals being narrow things Sr Tho. Willoughby in his forementioned Letter writes thus I have talked with some of my Colliers about the lying of the Coal and find that generally the Basset end as they call it lyes West and runs deeper toward the East allowing about twenty yards in length to gain one in depth but sometimes they decline a little from this Posture for mine lie almost South-West and North-East They always sink to the East more or less There may therefore for for ought we know be Fire about the Center of the Earth as well as any other Body if it can find a Pabulum or Fewel there to maintain it And why may it not since the Fires in those subterraneous Caverns of Aetna Vesuvius Stromboli Hecla and other burning Mountains or Vulcano's have found wherewith to feed them for thousands of years And as there are at some tho uncertain periods of time violent Eruptions of Fire from the Craters of those Mountains and mighty Streams of melted Materials poured forth from thence so why may not this Central Fire in the Earth if any such there be receiving accidentally extraordinary Supplies of convenient Fewel either from some inflammable Matter within or from without rend the thick exterior Cortex which imprisons it or finding some Vents and Issues break forth and overflow the whole Superficies of the Earth and burn up all things This is not impossible and we have seen some Phaenomena in nature which bid fair towards a Probability of it For what should be the reason of new Stars appearing and disappearing again as that noted one in Cassiopeia which at first shone with as great a lustre as Venus and then by degrees diminishing after some two years vanish'd quite away but that by great Supplies of combustible matter the internal Fire suddenly increasing in quantity and force either found or made its way through the Cracks or Vents of the maculae which inclosed it and in an instant as it were overflowed the whole Surface of the Star whence proceeded that illustrious Light which afterwards again gradually decayed its Supply failing Whereas other newly appearing Stars which either have a constant Supply of Matter or where the Fire hath quite dissolved the Maculae and made them comply with its motion have endured for a long time as that which now shines in the Neck of Cygnus which appears and disappears at certain Intervals But because it is not demonstrable that there is any such Central Fire in the Earth I propose the eruption thereof rather as a possible than probable means of a Conflagration and proceed to the last means whereby it may naturally be effected and that is SECT 4. The Fourth Natural Cause of the World's Dissolution the Earth's Dryness and Inflammability 4. The Dryness and Inflammability of the Earth under the Torrid Zone with the Eruption of the Vulcano's to set it on fire Those that hold the Inclination of the Equator to the Ecliptick daily to diminish so that after the Revolutions of some Ages they will â—ump and consent tell us that the Sun-beams lying perpendicularly and constantly on the parts under the Equator the Ground thereabout must needs be extremely parch'd and rendred apt for Inflammation But for my part I own no such Decrement of Inclination And the best Mathematicians of our Age deny that there hath been any since the eldest Observations that are come down to us For tho indeed Ptolomy and Hipparchus do make it more than we find it by above twenty minutes yet that Difference is not so considerable but that it may well be imputed to the Difference of Instruments or Observations in point of Exactness So that not having decreased for eighteen hundred years past there is not the least ground for Conjecture that it will alter in eighteen hundred years to come should the World last so long And yet if there were such a Diminution it would not conduce much so far as I can see to the bringing on of a Conflagration For tho the Earth would be extremely dried and perchance thereby rendred more inflammable yet the Air being by the same Heat as much rarified would contain but few nitrous Particles and so be inept to maintain the Fire which we see cannot live without them It being much deaded by the Sun shining upon it and burning very remisly in Summer time and hot Weather For thiâ—â—eason in Southern Countries in extraordinary hot Seasons the Air scarce sufficeth for Respiration To the clearing up of this let us a little consider what Fire is It seems to consist of three different sorts of parts 1. An extremely thin and subtil Body whose Particles are in a very vehement and rapid motion 2. A supposed nitrous Pabulum or Fewel which it receives from the Air. 3. A Sulphureous or unctuous Pabulum which it acts and preys upon passing generally by the Name of Fewel This forementioned subtil Body agitating the supposed nitrous Particles it receives from the Air doth by their help as by Wedges to use that rude similitude penetrate the unctuous Bodies upon which it acts and divide them into â—heir immediate component Particles and at length perchance into their first Principles which Operation is called the Chymical Anatomy of mix'd Bodies So we see Wood for Example divided by Fire into Spirit Oil Water Salt and Earth That Fire cannot live without those Particles it receives from the Air is manifest in that if you preclude the Access of all Air it is extinguished immediately
Works of God were persected or finished in six days it is necesary or necessarily follows that the World shall continue in this State six Ages that is six thousand years For the great Day of God is terminated in a Circle of six thousand years as the Prophet intimates who saith A thousand years in thy sight O Lord are but as one day Pag. 26. lin 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He acutely calls the Death of the Elements their change into better Pag. 32. Lin. 18. Cùm tempus advenerit c. When the time shall come that the World again to be restored or to recover it self shall perish these things shall beat or mall themselves by their own strength the Stars shall run or fall foul upon one another and all the matter flaming whatever now shines according to its settled Order or Disposition shall then burn Pag. 33. lin 25. Resoluto mundo Diis in unum confusis When the World shall be dissolved and the Gods confounded into one Atque omnes pariter Deos perdet Nox aliqua Chaos And in like manner a certain Night and Chaos shall destroy all the Gods Pag. 34. lin 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That there shall sometime be a change of the World into the Nature or Substance of Fire Pag. 36. lin 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then God not mitigating his anger but aggravating it shall destroy by fire the whole Race of Mankind Pag. 5. lin 45. In plenum c. In summ it is observed that the measure of all Mankind becomes daily less and that there are few taller than their Parents the burning heat consuming the Luxury of the Seeds Ibid. Terra malos c. The Earth breeds now Men bad and small Pag. 107. lin 20. Non procul c. Not far from the Mountain called Paterno where the Bononian Stone is gotten about an Italian Mile distant the name of the place is slipt out of my memory is a huge hanging Mountain broken by the violence of the Torrents caused by the confluence of Waters descending from the Neighbouring Mountains after frequent Showers throwing down great heaps of Earth from it In the upper part of this broken Mountain are seen many Beds or Floors of all kind of Sea-shells much Sand interposing between Bed and Bed after the manner of stratum super stratum or Layer upon Layer as the Chymists phrase it The Beds of Sand interceding between these Rows of Shells were a yard thick or more These Shells were all distinct or separate one from another and not stuck in any stone or cemented together so that they might be singly and separately viewed and handled with ones Hands The Cause whereof was their being lodged in a pure Sand not intermixt with any Mud or Clay which kept the Shells entire for many Ages Yet were all these Shells by reason of the length of time they had lain there easily resoluble into a purely white Calx or Ash Pag. 133. lin 17. Prodigiosi c. Prodigious and lasting Defects of the Sun such as happened when Caesar the Dictator was slain and in the War with Anthony when it was continually pale and gloomy for a whole year Pag. 185. lin 5. Ego non audeo tempora dinumerare c. I dare not calculate times neither do I think that concerning this matter any Prophet hath predicted and defined the Number of Years What therefore the Lord would not have us to know let us willingly be ignorant of FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed and Sold by Samuel Smith at the Prince's Arms in S. Paul 's Church-Yard THE Honourable Robert Boyl's New Experiments Phisico-Mathematical touching the Spring and Weight of the Air and its Effects Quarto Considerations touching the Usefulness of Experimental Natural Philosophy c. Quarto An Experimental History of Cold. Quarto An Essay about the Origine and Virtues of Gems Oct. Experiments relating to Flame and Air and about Explisions Octavo Essays of the strange subtilty and nature of Essâ—uviums Octavo Observations about the Saltness of the Sea with a Dialogue about the positive and privative nature of COld Oct. Suspicions about the hidden Qualities of the Air c. against Hobbs Octavo Experiments c. about the Mechanical Origine or Production of divers particular Qualities Octavo The Sceptical Chymist or Chymico-Physical Paradoxes and Experiments about the producâ—bleness of Chymical Principles Octavo The Natural History of human Blood and the Spirit of that Liquor Octavo Experiments about the parosity of Bodies in two Essays Octavo The natural Experimental History of Mineral Waters Octavo Of Speciâ—ick Medicines and the Advantages of the Use of Simple Medicines Octavo Great Effects of languid and unheeded motion with the Causes of the Salubrity and Insalubrity of the Air and its Effects Octavo Medicina Hydrostatica or Hydrostaticks applyed to the Materia Medica shewing how divers Bodies used in Physick may be discovered whether Genuine or Adulterate Octavo 1690. * 2 Pet. 3. * Minut. Felix * Lib. 7. * L. 2. c. 6. * L. 2 c. 6. * Arcae Noael l. 2. c. 4. * Hist Nat. Stafford p. 79. * Swoln Throats †De Subtilit Exerc 60. Sect. 2. * De Arca Noae p. 192 * Dissert De Glossopetra * Hist nat Oxf. p. 117. Ovid. Metamorph lib. 15. * De fide Orthod l. 2. c. 10. Observat Physical c. Du Moulin ‖ Apud Lactant. l. 7. c. 23. * Lib. 5. †Praep. Evang. l. 15. Hom. II. Hakewil's Apol. l. 4. c. 13. sect 5. * Bishop Wilkin'sVnivers Charact. De Sacrif l. 1. c. 1. I. * Doctor Witchcot II. * Daniel 12.2 * Philosophic Transact Numb 89. * Meteor lib. 5. c. 7. Artic. 3. Philos Trans num 192.