the abyss, as if it had iffued out of the womb*. When deep called unto deep by the noise of their cataracts. That is, the abyss of north and fouth; which by their rushing forth from their prifons, must have been tumultuous and loud to a great degree. This account explains thofe paffages in the Pfalms abovementioned; in which it is said, that the earth is ftretched out above the waters; and that it is founded upon the feas, and prepared upon the floods: For hence we fee that the earth actually hath no other foundation than water; both the poles, that is, both ends of its axis, refting abfolutely upon water; as doth indeed the whole bulk of the earth, in a great measure, upon those immenfe oceans, which gird it, as with a feddling-band, and encompass it on every fide. As this is wonderful in itself, so is this description .admirably adapted to it: And at the fame time, it confirms this account of the difpofition of the land and *Job xxxviii. 8, 10. with chald. paraph. in loc. † Pf. xlii. 7. according to LXX. which fo translates, water. . water. It likewife in effect agrees with the words of another inspired writer: He Stretcheth out the north, the northern regi ons, over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing*: Or, as the Chaldee paraphraft renders, upon the waters, nothing fuftaining it +. The waters indeed are as nothing for a fupport of themfelves: For by whom are they fupported, but by him, who sustaineth all things by the word of his power? The learned reader knows, that the notion here advanced concerning an alteration in the position of the earth is neither fingular, nor new. Dr. Burnett collected many authorities from the Greek philofophers in fupport of this opinion. Diogenes, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, Leucippus, Democritus, and Plato, appear to have efpoused it. Their teftimonies are preferved by Diogenes Laertius, and Plutarch; which latter hath * Job xxvi. 7. Qui extendit aquilonem fuper ni hilum; fublevat terram fuper aquas, nullo eam fuftinente. Paraph, Chald. one one whole chapter, in his work, De placit. phil. cap. iii. the title of which is, Περι εγκλίσεως γης*. This notion, moft probably, was traditionary, having defcended, among many other traditions and doctrines, from Noah and his family; and preferved by the eaftern fages; from whom the Greeks drew all their knowledge: And the confused manner in which these philofophers express themselves; and their poor attempts to account for this change, favour more of the obfcurity of tradition, than of the accuracy of aftronomical fcience, or obfervation ; which indeed in thofe ages had not arrived. at any great degree of proficiency. * There are fome of the paffages : ΔιοΓενης και Αναξαιορας μελα το συζηναι, τον κόσμον, και τα ζωα εκ της γης εξαγαίειν, εκκλίθηναι πως τον κοσμον εκ τε αυτέματα εις το μεσημβρινον αυτ8 μέρος. Εμπεδοκλής - εγκλίθηκαι τας αρκίες, και τα μὲν βάσ ρεια ὑψωθῆναι, τα δε νομια ταπεινωθηναι, καθ ̓ ὁ και τον ὅλον κόσμον. Λεύκιππος παρεκπεσειν την γην εις τα μεσημβρινα μέρη. Dr. Dr. Burnett and Mr. Whifton after him, both espoused this notion of the poles of the earth having been originally erect, and perpendicular to the plane of the equator; But they differ in the time, when they fuppose their préfent inclination was given them; according as it fuited their different hypotheses. Dr. Burnett supposes this happened at the deluge: But Mr. Whifton will have it to have been at the fall. I agree with Dr. Burnett; for the reafon above affigned, from its inftrumentality for drowning the world. That there is fome foundation in nature for a prefumptive argument in favour of this hypothefis, that the pofition of the earth was once fuch as is here contended for, may be inferred from the observations of aftronomers, concerning the obliquity of the ecliptic, that it hath not been always the fame; but that there is a variation in it, in fuch a manner, that it hath been continually diminishing; and that at the rate of forty-feven feconds, which is near half a minute, in a hundred years : So that, according according to this account, the ecliptic, in procefs of time, will coincide with the equator; as, according to this fuppofition, it did before. This appearance feems to indicate, that the prefent position of the earth is not natural to it, nor original-that there is a renitence in nature against it; and an endeavour to recover its original state, in this refpect; as poffibly it may do in every other. It may be alledged, that the fhock of fuch a great inclination, as is fupposed to have been at this time given to the earth, must have been fatal to the ark; which otherwise would be under difficulties enough to weather the commotions of the deluge. But we fhall find, upon confideration, that the ark would be but little, if at all, affected by this motion of the earth; which must have been 'given it, when the ark was yet upon dry land; and previously to the flood, which was in confequence of the motion. For whether the impreffion was |