have seen that there is no Reason to complain of Inequality in the Six Days Works But he mistook the System of the World which Moses describes and thence was his Error I wish it was not wilful and presumptuous for from several bold Strokes in this Ingenious Man's Writings one would be apt to think he enclined to Alphonsus's Humour who declared that if he had been at the Creation of the World he could have taught God to have formed the System of it better But I will retain a more charitable Opinion concerning this Author And I expect that he shoud shew his Charity as I have mine in not censuring this my free Descant upon what he hath publish'd to the World for I have as great a Regard as any Man to True and Sober Philosophy and I own the Great Worth and Excellency of it but I must needs protest that I abhor the Practice of those who exclude the Sacred Writings whilest they adhere to their own Hypothesis who set up such Philosophical Principles and Conclusions as directly oppose and contradict the Revealed Truths of the Bible And this is the Case now before us or else I should not have troubled the Reader with any Reflections on what this Learned Author hath written Let us have as much 〈◊〉 Philosophy as he pleases but none that subverts our Old Religion To proceed on the fifth Day the Inhabitants of the Seas and of the Lower Heaven were form'd For though the chearing and warming Light before it was embodied and gather'd together into certain Receptacles was instrumental by the Divine Power to produce Vegetables yet it was not vigorous enough to beget the Animal Life But now this Noble and Cherishing Virtue being mightily increas'd by immense Accessions of Light and Heat made to it and being more advantagiously placed and fix'd we find the Effect of it in the Production of Fish and Feather'd Animals Now a Living or Sensitive Soul is first made ver 21. On the sixth and last Day the Earth brought forth all kinds of Beasts and Cattle i. e. all Tâ—rrestrial Animals as on the foregoing Day all Animals belonging to the Sea and Rivers and to the Air were created And lastly Mun the Top and Glory of the Creatures the most Elaborate Piece of the whole Creation was framed out of the Dust and in respect of his Diviner Part especially made according to the Image of God himself He is too Great and Noble a Being to be spoken of by the by and therefore I shall not discourse of him here Only I will observe the Unreasonableness of the Archaeologist who positively avers that this last Day 's Performance was not proportionable to the rest and thence condemns the Mosaick History of the Creation But this Disproportion is either in respect of more or of less done on this Day than on the others If he complains that more was done he shews himself inconâ—iderate for hereby it appears that he takes no notice of the Creation's rising higher and higher towards the latter end besides that he confines the Creator himself But if he complains as I suppose he doth that less was done he shews what low and unworthy Thoughts he hath of Man as if Mud Water Earth Clouds Seas Plants Fish and Fowl the Productions of the former Days were much better than Him whom God purposely reserv'd to be the Complement and Perfection of all Him to whom every Creature pays a Tribute Him for whose Use and Benefit the whole World was made These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Primitive Works of God and the Several Days in which they were made For we are not to imagine as some do that this Division of the Creation into so many Parts is only set down for Order sake but that really all was done at once and in a Moment for then the Reason given in the Fourth Commandment of sanctifying the Sabbath Day viz. because in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested on the seventh Day is to no purpose yea it is absolute Nonsense Therefore we must necessarily own the Gradual Progress of the Creation And let us not only do so but observe the Wisdom and Providence of the Infinite Architect in the Order and Method which he used He in creating began with the lowest and meanest Rank of Beings and so ascended to higher and nobler Simple Elements as Earth Water Fire or Light Air were produced before the more mixt and concrete Bodies Yea these Elements were placed according to the Order and Degree of Gravity first the Earth subsiding in the lowest Place of all for the Great and Renowned Tycho disdains not this Hypothesis then the Waters or Abyss placed immediately about the Earth next the Air or Expansion whose Position was above the Waters lastly the Fire call'd Light which comprehends all the Ethereal and Heavenly Bodies which are surmounted above all the rest As for the Planets which are so many Earths i. e. if by Earth we mean an opake Body they are to be accounted for at another time and in another Place where it will be most proper to speak of them It is also observable that things that were Inanimate were first brought into Existence and afterwards such as had a Vegetative Life then things that had Sense and Spontaneous Motion and lastly Reasonable Creatures Man was the concluding Work of the Creation and his Soul was the last of all to let us know that this sort of Beings is much more valuable than Bodies to assure us from the Method of God's creating that Minds or Spirits surpass Maâ—ter Finally when I say that the Creation ceased in Man as in the most Perfect Work of the Divine Artificer as in the End to which all the rest were designed I do not exclude Angels who are a Perfecter Classis of Creatures and are not united to Bodies as the Souls of Men are and for that very Reason are not taken notice of by Moses in this Account of the Visible Creation I am enclin'd to believe that these Glorious Spirits were made presently after Man they being an Order of Creatures superiour to him The Order of the Creation so far as we certainly know any thing of it invites me to embrace this Perswasion for according to this those Excellent Beings should have the last Place According to the Steps and Degrees of the Creation I say it was thus Exodus is the next Book which relates the Tyranny of Pharaoh the Bondage of the Israâ—lites under him in Egypt and their Wonderful Deliverance from it More particularly here are recorded the Prodigious Increase and multiplying of these oppressed Hebrews which were the Posterity of Iacob the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptian King and his People because he refused to dismiss them their Departure thence without his leave though not without the Peoples their Miraculous Passing through the Red Sea or Arabian Gulf the Overthrow of Pharaoh and
foretold concerning Xerxes that by his Strength through his Riches he should stir up all against the Realm of Greece ver 2. which we read was punctually fulfilled for he entred Greece with an Army that consisted of a Million of Men. And what is said concerning Alexander the Great viz. that his Kingdom should be broken and divided towards the four Winds of Heaven and not to his Posterity c. ver 4. we know was really accomplish'd The rest of the Chapter is a Prophetical History of the Exploits of those several lesser Kings among whom the Grecian Monarchy after Alexander's Death was divided especially of Antiochus the Great and of Antiochus Epiphanes Here as in the former Chapters you may see many things foretold a long time before they were fulfill'd which is a certain and undeniable Argument of the Prophetick Spirit in the Scriptures We might proceed to the Predictions and Prophecies of the New Testament which we see also are performed in great measure Here was foretold the wonderful Propagation of the Gospel the Rejection of it by the Jews the Receiving of it by the Gentiles the Destruction of Ierusalem and all the Calamities of that Nation These Predictions we know are accomplished Besides in the Writings of the New Testament we read that Christ foretold many things concerning himself and his Followers as the Scandal which his Disciples especially Peter would give Mat. 26. 31. Peter's triple Denial of him Luke 22. 31. and yet at the same time he foretold that it should not be accompanied with a final falling away ver 32. He foretold that he should be betrayed and that he should be mock'd and scourg'd and at last crucisied and that the third Day he should rise again Mat. 20. 17 18 19. And as he predicted his own Death the Place Time and Kind of it with the time of his Resurrection and I might have added also of his Ascension and of his sending the Holy Ghost so he did the same as to the manner of Peter's Death and he foretold Iohn the Evangelist's long Life He told his Disciples what should befal them after his Departure what Calamities and Sufferings they should meet with for their professing the Gospel and owning his Cause He acquainted them that the Gospel should be preach'd throughout the whole World that Scandals and Heresies should come into the Church that many should apostatize from the Faith and desert Christianity Mat. 24. And the Evangelists and Apostles as well as our Saviour from that Spirit of Prophecy which was in them foretold sundry things which we see since are fulfilled In their Writings are Predictions concerning the Calling of the Gentiles the Conversion of the Jews the State of the Christian Church the Rise of Antichrist his Character his Progress and his dreadful Downfal a great part of which is already fulfill'd Much of the Fate of the World which they foretold God hath brought to pass which gives us assurance that the rest will be accomplish'd in due time Yea there are at this day Prophecies fulfill'd every hour as that of the Blessed Virgin in her Magnificat From henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Luke 1. 48. The Memory of this holy Woman is daily celebrated in the Christian Church and her Name is blessed throughout all the Assemblies of the Saints They with one accord rejoice that of her was born the Holy JESUS who is Blessed for evermore And so likewise what Simeon and Anna foretold of Christ are every day accomplished some part of their Prophecies is at this very instant made good That is another Prophecy which is now fulfilling 2 Tim. 3. 1. In the last Days perillous Times shall come for c. with several others that might be named the Accomplishment of which no unprejudiced Man and of common Ingenuity will refuse to acknowledg Now this wonderful Prophetick Spirit in Scripture is a strong Argument that these Writings were inspired by God and that the Matter of them is Divine For the foreknowing or foretelling of things to come is one Character of the True God as you read in Isa. 41. 22 23. From thence it is evident that none can predict them unless he be immediately enlightned and taugh◠of God The certain and infallible Knowledg of future Contingences which depend on free Causes is from Him alone Wherefore when we see as in our present Case that things were expresly foretold several hundreds of Years before they came to pass and when we see that the Events exactly answer'd to the Predictions we cannot but acknowledg that these Predictions were from God and could not be from any else If it be objected That other Writings beside◠the Bible have Predictions in them and that Men of Skill and Sagacity do sometimes foretel Futurities yea that those who have the least Converse with God those who deal with Evil Spirits have predicted things to come and therefore this Argument is of no force I answer first It is true that Natural Skill especially improved by Art by Reason and Philosophy and the knowledg of the Laws of Nature will give Men Insight into some Futurities For God hath impress'd a particular Quality on Natural Bodies and they keep a constant Course He hath fixed a way for his Creatures to act in and they never go out of it of themselves The Operations and Effects of Fire and Water of Gravity and Levity in Bodies the Motion of the Sun and Moon and the Eclipses of either and the several Aspects of the Heavens may certainly be foretold for they continually and unerringly keep their Progress unless God pleaseth sometimes to cross their usual Course as when the Waters of the Red-Sea stood up on a heap whilst the Israelites passed over The Fire in Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace was restrain'd from doing any harm to those that were cast into it the Sun stood still in Ioshua's time and was retrograde in King 〈◊〉 And so there are monstrous and mishapen Creatures born into the World which deviate from the common Procedure of Nature But supposing that God suffers his Creatures to act according to the Laws of Nature it is easy to make a Judgment of them and to foretel what shall happen But the things we are speaking of and which are foretold in the Holy Writings are of another kind they are not fixed and determined by Nature and therefore 't is not in Man's power to predict their Events Again Physicians have their Prognosticks whereby they foretel what will become of the Patient whether the Disease will be hardly cured or easily or not at all But because these Prognosticks are founded on a great many Symptoms and these are uncertain and dubious it follows that those are so likewise though 't is certain an experienc'd Artist will see very far here Then as to future Occurrences in Bodies Politick a wise Man may by careful Observation and Remarks on the Affairs of the World gain some Insight into these by being long
â—oth these for the latter is probable from this that Eruptions both of Fire and of Water generally attend great Earthquakes and we know that the Lake Asphalties was produced at thâ—â— time which shews that the Earth opened her self whence gushed out an Inundation of Water thâ—â— is here stagnated and become a â—ilthy Lake And we are sure they were destroyed by the former because the Sacred Writ whence those Authoâ— took their Story testifies as much for I conceâ—â— that is denoted by the raining of Fire and Brimstâ—â— from the Lord out of Heaven Gen. 19. 24. Shoâ—ers of Liquid Sulphur which by the by I guess came to have its Name at first among the Greeks from this so noted Accident Sulphur was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—òd à Deo sit because it was from the Lord out of Heaven continued Showers I say of this sulphureous Matter accompanied the terrible Lightnings and Thunder-claps and by this means Lot's Wise beoame a Pillar of Salt ver 26. i. e. being thus struck with Thunder and Lightning her Body presently became Hard as a Statue This sometimes is the Product of those dreadful Meteors Thunder say both Seneca and Cardan makes the Bodies of those who are struck with it Stiff and Immoveable This was the surprizing Effect upon this poor Woman She turn'd her Head towards the smoking City to see that strange Spectacle and behold she became a more wonderful Sight her self Stetit ipsa Sepulchrum Ipsâ—que Imago sibi She became her own Monumâ—nt and Statue she stands a Pillar of Salt of lasting and durable Remembrance not only in the Sense that we read of a Covenant of Salt Numb 18. 9. i. e. firm and perpetual but in the most literal Sense a Pillar of Real Salt into which her Body was turn'd by virtue of the Sulphureous Vapours and Steams which dissolves not but is so hard that it may serve even for Building of which Pliny speaks Therefore Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian and the two antient Christian Poets Prudentius and Sedulius deliver it as their Opinion that this Unhappy Woman was converted into a Mass or Solid Body of Hardned Salt such as the Mineral one is This being so remarkable a thing it could not but be snatch'd up by the Inquisitive Poets among the Greeks and accordingly they tell us of Niobe's being turn'd into a Stone for her refractory Contempt of some Goddess's Commands This Fable as may be conjectured was taken from Lot's Wife turn'd into a hard and as 't were stony Pillar for her disbelieving the Threatnings of God to the Sodomites and for despising the express Command of Angels who bid her not look hehind her ver 17. And now we are upon conjecturing what think you of the Fable of Orpheus's Wife his dear Euridice To fetch her back again to Life he went to Hell here he perswaded Pluto to give him her again but upon this condition that he should not look back to her all the while she was coming But it seems the kind Man turned to look on his Wife as she was following him whereupon she was remanded back to Hell Here seems to be an Allusion to Lot's Wife and to her looking back and to the sad Effect of it Orpheus is Lot Euridice is his Wife Sodom is Hell and the Fire and Brimstone there are a sufficient reason of that Appellation But there is a changing of the 〈◊〉 in the Man's looking back instead of the Woâ—â—â—â— and in adding a great deal of other Poetick Sâ—â—â— besides which is either to fill up the Fable or â— disguise the True Story which is common amâ—â— the Pagans as hath been observed before 〈◊〉 Wife turn'd into a Saline Pillar was remaining â— Iosephus's time if he may be credited and â— do not know any reason to the contrary Tâ—â— we are certain of upon the Faith even of Profâ— History that the Sulphureous Lake of Aspâ—altites â—â—â—mained in Strabo's and afterwards in Pliny and 〈◊〉 citus's time a Monument of the Divine Vengeaâ—â—â— upon the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah God turâ—â—ing those fruitful and pleasant Places into a stiâ—â—â—ing and almost poisonous Lake which is partiâ—â—â—larly taken notice of by those and other Historians who mention how bad the Fruits are thâ— grow about that Lake and therein verify what â— referr'd to in Deut. 32. 32. Their Vine is of the Vâ— of Sodom and of the Field of Gomorrah Whiâ—â— is a further Proof to us of the Truth of the Holy Scripture concerning the burning of Sodom and the neighbouring Cities I proceed It is not unlikely that the Vailing of the Bride in use among the Pagans was takâ—â— from the antient Usage of the Patriarchs for we read in Gen. 24. 65. that Rebekah was brought to Isaac covered with a Vail Whence among the â—ews Marriage had the Name of Chupphah from Chiâ—phah to cover And hence this modest Practice pass'd into other Countries and we are told by credible Authors that among the Greeks and Romans the Wife was brought to the Husband Vailed Some think that the Custom mentioned among â— Heathens of erecting Stones and Pillars came â— from Iacob's taking a Stone and setting it up â— Pillar Gen. 28. 18. and 35. 14. Yea the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapides Boetulici in use aâ—â—â—g them had their Name from Bethel the place where Iacob erected the Stone Ioseph Scaâ—â— that incomparable Critick shews how they â—â—â—â—mbled one another these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being Conâ—â— Stones erected by the Pagans for some Hoâ—â— Purpose and Religious Remembrances They â—â—ed to anoint these Stones wherefore such a one 〈◊〉 is called by Arnobius lubricatus Lapis exâ—â—â— unguine irrigatus and by Clemens Alexanâ—â—â—â—us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which confirms the former Noâ—â—on that these were borrowed from that at Beâ—â— for it is expresly said that Iacob poured Oil upon the Top of it Gen. 28. 18. Let it be queried whether the Gentile Custom of anointing Stones used for Landmarks of which Herodotus and others speak was not grounded on the same Practice of the Patriarchs Some have thought the Sacred History's relating that Iacob's Sons came out of his Thigh for so it is according to the Hebrew in Gen. 46. 26. gave occasion to the Fable that Bacchus was born of Iove's Thigh for though according to the Idiom of the Eastern Speech that Phrase to come out of his Thigh signifies no more than to be born of him or to be his Son yet the Greeks not understanding the Oriental manner of speaking mistook the Place and made a Fable out of it There are two very Learned Men who approve of this and therefore I thought good to mention it but I â— confess I look upon it only as an ingenious Faâ—â—â— and therefore I am not ready to press this eqâ—â— with some of the other Particulars I have offâ—â— before It will not seem improbable I suppose that â— Practice
to the Authority of the Sacred Writings yet none of them give us a plain and particular Account of this Beginning and Original of the Mundane Fabrick Yea the very Philosophick Men among the Gentiles in a most wild and rambling manner talk of the Rise of all things and at the same time baâ—â—le themselves Thus the Epicureans tell us a sensless Story of the Eternal frisking of Atoms which yet if they were Eternal had no Beginning or Riâ—e at all Pythagoras and his Disciples and Plato and some of the Peripateticks held that Men were always and that there was an Eternal Succession of them and consequently no Original of them Others who believ'd they had a Beginning had strange and monstrous Fancies concerning it as that Men were form'd out of Fishes which was Anaximander's Conceit Others imagin'd they shooted out of Trees some out of Eggs others out of Wombs affix'd to the Earth as Epicurus and Lucretius Others as the fabulous Poets conceited they were produced out of Stones and Cicero relates concerning some of the Philosophers that they thought the Original of Mankind was from Seed falling from the Stars and impregnating the Earth This stumbling at the Threshold these extravagant and groundless Notions conceâ—ning the very first Original of things were too ominous a Presage that these Philosophers would grosly mistake about other Matters and give us but a sorry Account of the other Works of Nature But Moses confutes all these fond Surmises about the Nativity of the World and of Mankind he quashes all those wild Conjectures by assuring us that Man had his Origine from the Earth by God's peculiar framing him out of it and that the World it self had its Being by Creation i. e. by being made out of Nothing by the Infinite Power and Wisdom of God Wherefore it was rightly said by an Understanding Person I am perswaded saith he that in the first Chapter of Genesis Moses taught more than all the pagan philosophers and Interpreters of Nature And that this first Chapter of the Bible is an Historical or Physical Account of the Creation of the World and is no Allegory is not to be question'd by any Man of a sober Mind and consistent Reasoning For thus I argue It is highly fitting that the Doctrine of the â—irst Rise of the Universe the Production of all things should not be leâ—t doubtful but be convey'd unto us in such a way as may best preserve the Memory of so weighty and considerable a Matter For this is of such Concern that our Belief of Providence and the true Nature of God is comprised in it Now a Thing of this Quality ought not to be so deliver'd that it may be liable to Imposture or suspected of Falshood or Uncertainty As for private and personal Revelations which some may here suppose these can only satisfy the individual Persons to whom they are communicated and as for Oral Tradition it is not so certain but that it may leave some Scruples in Mens Minds Hence it is reasonable that the History of the World should be digested into such Records which may assure us of what is to be believed and therefore it is sit that they should be Plain and Simple and properly to be taken and understood so that they may be reckon'd as an Indubitable Account of the World's Production therefore such is this Relation which Moses hath lest us which is a Perfect Diary of thâ—â— First Work of the Almighty But I will attempt yet further to prove that thiâ— History deserves that Name i. e. that it relates what was really done If this be acknowledged by some Sacred and Inspired Author I conceive that will be a fair Conviction to those who believe that Author to be inspired and to deliver things that are really true That St. Peter then in the third Chapter of his second Epistle where he briefly describes the Make and Frame of this World as it was formed at the first Creation refers to this Mosaick History and also fully confirms it will appear in the Perusal of that his Description where you will find those very Terms which Moses in the first of Genesis makes use of This they are willingly ignorant of saith the Apostle that the Heavens were of old i. e. from the Beginning which in the Verse before is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beginning of the Creation which agrees exactly with the first Words of Genesis And these Heavens were by the Word of God which is a reference to God said which Moses expresly mentions chap. 1. 6 14. Next to the Heavens he makes mention of the Earth as Moses doth telling us that it Stood or consisted out of the Water and in the Water which is the same Account of it which we have in Genesis viz. that it was partly above Water and partly under i. e. it was above the Seas Fountains Rivers c. but under the wâ—tyr Mass of Clouds So that any Man of unprejudiced Thoughts cannot but see that those Words the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water plainly relate to the Mosaical History where we are told that the Globe of Earth included in it a heap of Waters call'd the Deep or the Abysâ— which was afterwards gathered into one Receptacle or Channel This is call'd the Water undâ—r the Firmament i. e. under the Expansion of the Air as the Water above the Earth viz. the Clouds are call'd the Water above the Expansion Gen. 1. 7. Thus you see all this is alledged and acknowledged by St. Peter as True History and accordingly is made use of by him Wherefore we are ascertain'd from his infallible Pen that the Mosaick Account of the Creation is no Fiction no strain of Poetick Fancy but is perfectly Historical and to be taken in a real proper and literal Sense which was the thing to be clear'd Wherefore Origen and the rest of the Allegorists who despise the Letter of this Chapter and rely chiefly on some Mystick and Symbolical Meanings are confuted And so likewise are they that adhere to the foolish Dreams of Philosophers concerning the Eternity of the World or its being made by Chance or the Existence of More Worlds All these are inconsistent with Moses's Account of the Creation besides that they affront other Principles establish'd by the Holy Scriptures and bid desiance to Reason and the greatest Evidence of things So that it is to be wondred that any Person who pretends to own the Divine Authority of the Bible should publickly disown Moses's Relation of the First Original of the World and look upon this first Chapter of Genesis as well as he doth on the third as not True i. e. not giving an Account of Matter of Fact But there was a kind of Necessity upon him to form such Thoughts as these concerning this Entrance of Moses's Book because he had in his Theory of the Earth run counter to that Relation of it which Moses gives This is the
bold Man that asseâ—ts the Primitive Earth to have been without Sea and without Mountains and the Airy Expansion to be without Clouds which are a plain contradicting of Moses who saith the Waters were gather'd together and were called Seas ver 10. and informs us that there were other Waters above the Firmament or Air ver 7. and in another Place lets us know that all the high Hills and Mountains were cover'd by the Waters of the Deluge Gen. 7. 19 20. Thus it must needs be ill philosophizing in defiance of Moses the first of the Philosophick Order This is Confutation enough of his Hypothesis and herein I am satisfied that the Excepter against his Book is in the right Now to support his own Opinion and to run down Moses he tells us that instead of a History we are here presented with a Parable with an Ethical Discourse in an obscure way This Philosophick Romancer turns the Holy Scriptures into Aesop's Fables and seems with his Friend Spinosa to hint that the Writings of the Prophets are only high Flights of Imagination God forbid that I should fasten any such thing upon him or any the like Imputation on any other Man of Learning or so much as suspect it unless there were some ground for it I appeal therefore to all persons of correct Thoughts whether his asserting that Moses the Prime and Leading Prophet is so fanciful that he presents us with mere Allegories and Parables even when he seems to speak of the Creation of the World and the Fall of our First Parents whether I say this doth not argue that the rest of the Prophetick Writers who could not do amiss in imitating so Great a Guide are led wholly by Imagination and dictate not things as they really are but as they fancied them to be Nay he not only overthrows the Truth and Reality of Moses's Writings but he blasts the Integrity of the Penman himself telling us that he was a Crafty Politician and Dissembler one that did all to comply with the People one that cheated the ignorant Jews with a thing like an History merely to please them whâ—lst in the mean time it is nothing but a piece of Morality in an Allegorized way and is to be understood so by us Certainly Moses needed not to have been Inspired by the Holy Ghost as I suppose most grant him to be to have merited this Character But I have animadverted on him with some Freedom in a former Discourse and therrfore I will not say any more here Nor should I have said any thing then or now if I had not been verily perswaded that the Credit of Moses and of the Scriptures themselves and consequently of our whole Religion lay at stake for if this 1st Chapter of Genesis together with the rest which follow which have all the Marks of History upon them be not Literal and Historical we know not what Judgment to make of any other Places of Scripture which recite Matter of Fact we can't tell whether any Text bears a Literal Sense or no and so we throw up the whole Bible into the Hands of Scepticks and Atheists After all that I have said under this Head I would not be thought to mean any such thing as this that the Scripture was designed for Philosophy No there are Nobler things that it aims at Yet this is most certain that here is the Best Philosophy both Moral and Natural It is the latter I am now speaking of viz. the Knowledg of the Works of Nature God's creating of the World which is the fâ—rst â—tep to all Natural Philosophy This is to be learnt in the Beginning of this Holy Book whose Excellency and Perfection I am treating of Here the Birth and Original of all things are distinctly set down which is a Subject that all the Philosophers are defective in I grant whaâ— Cyril speaking of Moses saith that he design'd not to play the Philosopher in a subtile and curious manner and to be accurate in his Discourse of the First Principles of things but notwithstanding this it is an undeniable Truth that no Book in the World teacheth us the True Origine and Age of the World the Epoche of the Universe the Particular Order and Method of the Creation and more especially the manner of the Production of Mankind but This. By this alone we are fixed and determined in these Points and we have no longer any Reason to doubt and waver We may plainly discern from these Sacred Writings the Invalidity of those Notions which some Philosophick Heads have entertain'd viz. the Eternity of the World the Production of it by Chance or the Mechanical Rise of it by virtue of mere Matter and Motion All these fond Conceits are silenced by this Sacred Author an Happiness which we could not have had if this most Antient and Authentick Book were not extant Thirdly We have no Account of the first Rise of Nations and People in the World but â—rom the Mosaick History Here and only here we have an Exact Narrative of the dividing of the Earth among the Sons of Noah and their Posterity It is in the Tenth Chapter of Genesis that we have the History of the First Plantations A Choice Monument of Antiquity and to be priz'd by all Lovers of Antient Learning those that delight to enquire into the First Originals of things Here we are inform'd that Iapheth the eldest Son of Noah and his seven Sons were the first that peopled that part of the World which is call'd Europe with a part of Asia the Less His Sons are reckon'd up in this manner 1. Gomer whose Progeny seated themselves in the North-East part of that Leâ—â—er Asia which contains Phrygia Pontus Bithynia and a great part of Galatia These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iosephus call'd by the Latins Galatae among whom is the City Comara according to Pliny and Mela speaks of the Comari The People that dwelt in this Tract were as Herodotus and other Antient Historians testify callâ—d Cimmerii and had their Name from Gomer if we may give Credit to some of the Learnedest Criticks such who are not wont to rest in fanciful Derivations They tell us that Gomeri Comeri Cumeri Cimbri Cimmerii are the same The Old Germans are thought by them to have been a Colony of these Cimmerians or Gomerians for German is but a Corruption of Gomerman The Old Galls were another Colony of the Gomerians who by the Grecians were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and contractedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Celtae for it appears that the Cimbri or Cimmerii were the antient Inhabitants of Old Gallia And our Ancestors the Britains were of the same stock for that they descended from the Galls or Celtae who were the Gomeri or Cimbri of old our own Learned Antiquary Mr. Cambden attempts to prove from their Religion Manners Language c. The Inhabitants of Cumberland as he thinks retain the Name still
Faint Radiancy in comparison of what was afterwards on the fourth Day when we are told in what certain Subjects the Light resided and was as it were fix'd But now it was feeble and vagrant and was the first Result of some â—iry and luminous Matter which the Divine Spirit by his powerful Moving and Incubation had engender'd This Bright and Glorious Matter was the Second General Source of all Beings that is out of it were made the pure Aether the Sun and Stars and whatever belongs to the superiour Part of the World but these appertain to the fourth Day 's Work Now we are only to take notice of this Light as it is here the Catholick Term for the First Rudiment of the whole Celestial Creation as Earth was the word to express the First Matter of the Inferiour Part of the World And what is this Light but Fire or Flame that subtile Matter which heats and enlightens the World For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both lux and ignis as also the Greek Word imports So Heat is put for Light Psat. 19. 6. And I could observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used not only in Isa. 18. 4. but in other Places to express the Hebrew Word for Heat Which shews the Affinity if not the Identity of these two This Original Light then which was the Second Principle in the Creation is no other than those fine and brisk Particles of Matter whose Nature is to be in a Continual Agitation and which by their restless Motion and Pressure communicate Warmth and Light Vigour and Lustre where-ever there is need of them in the Universe Some refer the Creation of Angels to this first Day 's Work by reducing them to the word Heaven in the first Verse but I have suggested already that that Verse is a General Account of the Whole Creation and not of any Particular Day 's Production or else by Heaven and Earth there is meant the First Matter or Rude Draught of both therefore no such thing can be inferr'd thence Nor are we to think that the Angelick Order is comprehended under Light as I find some imagine because they read of an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. for it is Material Light only that is the Product of the first Day 's Work I rather think that Moses designed not to include Angels in any Part of that Account which he gives of the Creation for he makes it his Business to speak of those Works of God which were visible and sensible and therefore 't is no wonder that the Angelick Spirits are not mention'd for they come not within the Compass of his Undertaking Hitherto we have had a View of the Two Primitive Materials of all visible Beings in the World viz. 1. The Formless Mass or Chaos whence 't is likely Aristotlâ— derived his First Matter which is according to him neither this nor that but mere passive Potentiality yet susceptive of any Form 2. The Active Light which was made to envigorate the dull and inert Matter of the Chaos and afterwards to be the Original of the Vast Luminaries of the Celestial Part of the World These are the General Elements of the Mundane System one gross and unactive the other subtile and penetrating the one the Matter of this inferiour Part of the Universe the other of those more spacious and extended Orbs above This I take to be the true Account of the Origine of the World though I have but few if any that concur with me in laying it down thus for the Chaos is generally made the Universal Source of the World But to me it seems to be but One Part of it and that of this Lower Division only which is very small in respect of the other I have only this to add here that it is this First Day 's Work alone that in the most proper and strict Sense ought to be call'd the Creation because now was made the First and Universal Substance out of which the Works of the other Days were produced though it is true in a latitude of speaking the Formation of the distinct Species of Beings was a Creation also And of these I proceed now to speak according to the Mosaick Method the same with that of the Creator On the second Day was the Lower Heaven or Firmament made call'd by this Divine Philosopher Rakiang i. e. the Expansion or according to the Seventy Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Vulgar Latin follows and renders it Firmamentum This was produced in the midst of the Waters and the Design of it was to divide the Waters from the Waters v. 6. i. e. as it follows the Waters under this Firmament from the Waters above it The Meaning of which is after all the wild Comments on these Words that whereas the Waters at first were heap'd together very high above the Earth in some Places the All-wise Disposer began this Day to make a Separation of them and to frame an Expansion for that is the simple and downright Import of the Hebrew Word between the lower and the higher Parts of the Waters so that now there was a Distance between them which was caused by the Interposition of Air between these lower and higher Parts of the Waters The Almighty Creator by attenuating and rarifying these transmuted them into an Aerial Body which shall always continue so i. e. shall remain really distinct from the crasser Subsistence of Water Therefore in plain Terms this Expansum is the Whole Region of Air and we cannot imagine any other Expansum or Out-spread Firmament which divides the superiour from the inferiour Waters i. e. the Clouds from that vast Body and Mass of Waters which at first cover'd the Earth and soon after as you shall hear were disposed of into particular Receptacles and were denominated the Seas But yet in a large way of speaking this Firmament here spoken of is all that Extended Space for that I say is the proper Denotation of the Word which reacheth from the Earth to the Place of the Stars which was made afterwards If it be asked why this Second Day 's Work hath not the same Approbation that the rest have I answer the Reason is not because it was not good but because it was but an Essay or Specimen of the two next Days Works for the Waters were but now begun to be separated which afterwards we find finish'd on the third Day and this Firmament was but a Beginning or Preparative to the Production of a higher and nobler Expansum on the fourth Day This we may conceive to be the Reason why the Epiphonema which is added to every Day 's Work God saw that it was good is not adjoined here On the third Day there was this fourfold Work 1. A Compleat Separating or dividing of the Waters 2. A Gathering of them into one Place which was then and is since call'd the Sea And it is most reasonable to believe that on the same Day that