Part L of the Earth. 



Land have been more fixM and per- 

 manent : and in fhort, that the terra- 

 queous Globe is to this day nearly in 

 the fame condition that the Univerfal 

 Deluge left it : being alfb like to con- 

 tinue fb till the time of its final ruin 

 and diflolution, prefer ved to the fame 

 end for which 'twas firft formed, and 

 by the fame Power which hath fecured 

 it hitherto. But, with refped to my 

 prefent Defign, I more particularly 

 make out, 



That although Rain-water be in- 

 deed ( as thefe Writers fuppole ) ve- 

 ry plentifully faturated with terreftrial 

 Matter, and (as I fhall make appear) 

 that peculiar Matter out of which the 

 Bodies of Vegetables, and conlequent- 

 ly of Animals, are formed, nouriilied, 

 and augmented, Water being the com- 

 mon Vehicle and Diftributer of it to 

 the Parts of thofe Bodies, and all Wa- 

 ter (efpecially that of Rain) being, 

 more or left, ftored with this, it being 

 light in comparifon of the common 

 Mineral earthy Matter, and therefore 

 eafily aiTumed into Water, and moved 

 along with it; yet that this Matter 

 being all originally derived from the 

 fiirface of the Earth, either by the Va- 

 pour 



