of the vapours, caufed by the heat of the Sun within the Abyfs, yet I fhew'd, that granting the Suns heat had reach't the Abyls, even then an Univerfal Deluge could not follow from thence; because I demonftrated by a Calculation, that if the Suns heat drew (vapours from the Abyss fufficient to furnish the Rivers on the Earth, it must have exhaufted this great treasure long before the time of the Deluge. This manner of Examining the Defender calls contention, and going from one extream to another tho' for my part, I think there cannot be fairer dealing, than first to prove that his Principles and Hypothefes are falfe and difagreeable to Nature; and then (fuppofing them true) to fhew, that his reafonings upon 'em are falfe and inconclufive, and the caufes he affigns are no ways proportionable to the effects he would account for.

However, our Author affures us, that there are a great many uncertainties in the computation. He knows I did not pretend to give an exact eftimation of the Water that the Rivers fent into the Sea. I can fuppofe that I have not come within the truth by one, two, or three Cubical Miles of Water, (which is as much as I need to allow) nay, I will grant him, that I have erred a twentieth part, or even one half if he pleases, and yet the argument will be ftrong enough. For according to the computation, the Abyss ought

to

to have been exhaufted in the space of 460 Years; now from the Creation to the time of the Deluge, there were 1600 Years. By which it is evident, that which ever of thefe Hypothefes he takes, the Abyss must have been empty long before the time of the Deluge.

But he thinks I go in this Calculation on principles that are not allow'd by the Theorift, because I fuppofe the Waters of the present Sea equal to the Waters of the great Abyss; whereas (fays he) there was near twice as much Water in the great deep, as is now in the Ocean, feeing the Abyfs was extended under the whole Earth, and the Sea reaches but to the half of it. I always prefum'd that it was the Theorift's Hypothefis, that the Cruft fell down upon the Abyfs and drove the Waters from their place, fo that the greatest part of the Waters in the Abyfs (after they had overflowed the Earth) came and fettled at laft in the Sea. There might indeed have been fome Water left in the Hollows and Cavities of the Earth, but 'twould be inconfiderable in refpect of the whole; and the Theorist himself afferts, that if the Earth fhould difgorge all the Waters in its bowels, it would not amount to above half an Ocean; and in the Latin Edition he thinks, that it is altogether incredible, that the Water within the Earth fhould be as great as what is in the Sea and Rivers. So that this Gentleman,

who

who afferts that there was almost twice as much Water in the Abyss as there is now in the Ocean, feems never to have read the Theory, or to have understood the Theorift's Hypothefis which he endeavours to defend.

But what if there were twice as much Water in the Abyss as there is now in the Ocean; yet even in that cafe the whole must have been exhaufted long before the Deluge, fince one Ocean could have been drawn up in the fpace of 460 Years: Nay, if we fuppofe that there were but just fo many Rivers in the Primitive Earth as there are now in ours; (whereas in proportion to the dry Land there ought to have been twice as many) yet in the fpace of 1600 Years, there is time enough to have the whole Abyss exhaufted, as is evident by the Calculation.

The Defender alledges, that the Rivers were not fupply'd by the vapours, only from the Abyss, but alfo from the Earth and Waters upon it. This evafion was foreseen, and obviated by me in the 130th Page of the Examination; where I prov'd that there muft be at least the fame quantity of vapour exhal'd from the Abyfs as was before, because the fame caufe ftill continuing to act, would ftill produce the fame effect, and the Abyfs having at first furnished the Rivers with a fufficient quantity of Water, would ftill continue to furnish 'em in the fame quantity, nay rather in a much greater; fince (according to

the

the Theory) the heat of the Sun was ftronger and stronger every day upon the Abyss, and the vapours exhal'd were fo many at last, that not being all of them able to crowd thro' the Pores, they broke the thick Cruft of the Earth with their violent effect to expand themselves and fly upwards. Thus we fee all the fhifts and evafions which this Author makes, are not of the least weight against my computation.

But fuppofing that all the Water in the prefent Ocean was then in the Abyfs, yet I prov'd, that from the fall of the Cruft, there could arife no Univerfal Deluge, because the Theorist himself prov'd, that there must be at leaft eight Oceans of Water requir'd to cover the Earth. The Defender confeffes, that the Water in the Abyss was not fufficient to make a Deluge in the nature of a standing Pool, over-topping and standing calm over the heads of the highest Mountains; (as it is ufually conceiv'd) but the Deluge that rofe from the fall of the Cruft was rather like a rufhing Sea, overflowing and fweeping them with its Raging Waves and Impetuous Flu&tuations. I beg the Theorift's pardon for mistaking him: I thought that he defign'd to explain Noah's Deluge, and not one of his own imagination. Now I can easily prove, that fuch a Deluge as this Gentleman conceives, is no ways like that which happen'd in the days of Noah. For tho' the Theorist computed

computed but eight Oceans of Water that were fufficient to cover the whole Earth above the tops of the highest Mountains, yet I determined the quantity more nicely in my Remarks on Mr. Whifton's Theory, where I prov'd, that there must be at least three and twenty Oceans of Water that were neceffary for fuch an effect. From which it is evident, that the Water in the Abyss could but cover one part of twenty three at a time, and the other twenty two parts must remain dry; and that after the Water had overflowed this part, it must have proceeded to the next, and fo fucceffively, till at last it had overflow'd the whole Earth. This is the way that our Author must conceive the Deluge.

Let us fee now what account the Scriptures give us of Noah's Deluge. Genef. Chap. 7. v. 2. it is faid, That the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the Earth forty days and forty nights. And again, verf. 17. And the flood was forty days upon the Earth, aud the waters encreafed and bare up the Ark, and it was lift up above the Earth. verf. 18. And the waters prevailed, and were encreafed greatly upon the Earth, and the Ark went upon the face of the waters. verf. 19. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the Earth, and all the high hills that were under the whole heavens were covered. verf. 20. Fifteen cubits upwards did the waters prevail, and the mountains were

covered.