Having thus confider'd what might be faid in behalf of this Opinion against the former,it now remains to be enquir'd how far, according to this Hypothefis, the Deluge might extend. But fince we do not know what Countries were then inhabited, What Man dares prefume to define the Bounds of the Flood? Perhaps that Tract of Ground which lies between the four Seas, the Perfian, the Cafpian, the Euxine, and the Syrian ; in which compass we find the Tigris, the Euphra tes, and several other vaft Rivers, were by the Eruption of all Waters, and by the Clouds, gathered from all parts of the World by the Divine Power, and there condens'd into Moisture, buried and overflow'd. 'Tis true, this could not be effected without a Miracle; but then there is no way to folve the Difficulties of fo great a Cataclysm without a Miracle. However the less and fewer of this Kind we fuppofe, provided the reft may be conveniently explain'd, that Exposition uses to be accounted the most agreeable to Truth by all Interpreters, because God is never fo prodigal of Miracles, as to have recourse to them where Natural Caufes are fufficient; much lefs does he violate and overturn all the eftablifh'd Laws of Nature without good reafon. In this very Hiftory we find, that God was pleased to give Noah notice when it was time for him to go into the Ark, because he could fcarce know it of himself, but he does not tell him the time when he was to go out of it, but left the Matter wholly to his own Discretion,

because

because he might very well know it without the Divine Affistance. He might, if it had so pleased him, have preferved all the Animals in the Ark alive without any Aliment, which had made the Ark confiderably lighter, and had saved Noah a great deal of trouble; and yet we fee he did not do it, because these Creatures might be fupplied with Food by Humane Diligence. Where the Industry of 'Man ceases, there the Divine Help begins; and Vice versa.

Thus the Favourers of a Particular Deluge fupport their Opinion, but it has been objected against them, That if this Suppofition were true, the Superficies of the Water could not have been perfectly Spherical, and confequently that the Ark in this great Declivity, must neceffarily incline to the lower places. But as Voffius has very well anfwered, that which happens in leffer Inundations, the fame might fall out in this great, and more than Natural Deluge. For the fame Power which drove the Seas and Clouds to that Tract of Earth which was to be deftroy'd, did likewife fuftain the Ark, and the Declivity of the Water, as long as there was occafion for it.

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Differtation VI.

Concerning the Confufion of Languages.

I. What is meant by The whole Earth was of one Lip. II. And Let us make our felves a Name. III. Who are denoted by the Children of Men. IV. This paffage, Let us go down, examined. V. The different Opinions how the Confufion was effected. VI. That the Defign of Babel might be Foolish, but was not Impious: Some Conjectures why God thought fit to blast it.

EFORE this wonderful Confufion hap pened at Babel, the Sacred Historian exprefly tells us, Gen. II. 1. That the whole Earth was of one Lip, and of the fame words; or as we have tranflated it, of one Language, and of one Speech; because 'tis evident that the word Lip, both here and in several other places, fignifies Speech; and the reafon of it is, Because the Lips are no less ferviceable to us in speaking,than the Tongue it self, fee Ifaiah 19.18. No one doubts, but that one Univerfal Language was spoken by all Mankind at this time; but whether Mofes has here a regard to that Ooparía, is not fo plain. Perhaps these words may fignifie, that Men lived

in a State of Peace and Concord, because 'tis equally neceffary towards the Building of any City, that Men should agree in their Sentiments and Inclinations, as well as in their Language : Nor does the Idiom of the Hebrew Language reject this Interpretation. Thus for inftance to denote the unanimous Agreement of the Ca naanites to beat back the Ifraelites by main force, They gathered themselves together (lays the Sacred History Joshua 9.2.) to fight with Joshua,and with Ifrael with one mouth. Thus likewife the Falfe Prophets agreeing together in their Predictions, declared good unto the King with one mouth, i Kings 22.13. Hence it is, that to Speak with the Lip of another, is the fame thing as to agree, as appears by the above-cited place of Ifaiah,. In that day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt Speak the lip of Canaan, and Swear to the Lord of Hofts; that is to fay, They fhall be of the fame Opinion with the Hebrews that inhabit the Land of Canaan. And indeed the words Unum Labium, & una Verba, feem rather to fignifie Agreement of Mind than of Language, although 'tis certain there was but one Language then in the World. For by eadem or una verba we are not here to understand the fame Sounds, and the fame Syllables, but voces confentientes Unity of Mind. Solomon Farchi expounds it the fame defign.

II. Learned Men have rightly enough obferved, that in Scripture to make ones felf a Name, is all one as to get ones felf a Fame or Reputa

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tion, in which fence this Expreffion is to be found, 2 Sam.8.13. Isaiah 63.12. Jer. 32.20. & Dan. 9. 15, and fo this Tower might be faid to be built in nomen, i. e. to spread the Fame of the Builders all over the World,which Phrafe is to be met with 1 Chron. 22.5. where mention is made of the Building of the Temple of Jerufalem. But this cannot possibly be the meaning of this place, for what an odd fort of a Conclufion would this be, Let us acquire our felves a Reputation, left we be difperfed all over the Earth? Befides with whom would all Mankind which was concerned in the Building of this City, have gotten Glory and Fame? With their Pofterity, as fome will be apt to fay, but then what fine Sence would this make, Let us make our felves Famous with Posterity,left we be scattered into several Countries? If we carefully examine these words, and revolve the whole History in our Mind, we shall find the meaning of the place to be to this or the like purpose. Let us build us a City that may be the Metropolis of all the World, in which let there be one Government, the Seat of which Empire fhall be perpetually in that City, left. Mankind be fcattered all over the World, according to the Fancy of every rambling Family. If this Interpretation be ad mitted, it will follow, that to make us a Name, at least in this place, fignifies in a manner the fame as to leave our name fomewhere, i. e. to make a place Famous with our Habitation, so that it derives its name from the Inhabitant, fee I Kings