VartllL of the Eartk ip^ ^ 



Interpofition of a moft wife and intelli- 

 gent Architeft throughout all this ftu- 

 pendous Fabrick ? But I muft referve 

 this for the larger Work, and content 

 my felf for the prelent with only gi- ; 

 ving fome brief Hints of it in the fol- 

 lowing Propofitions. Namely, 



That 'twas ablblutely neceffary for 

 the well being both of the Earth it felf, 

 and of all terreftrial Bodies, that fome 

 of the Strata fliould confolidate, as thc% 

 did, immediately after the Subfidence 

 of their Matter at the Deluge : that 

 thefe fhould afterwards be broken in ^ 

 certain places : and laftly, that they 

 fliould be diflocated, Ibme of them 

 elevated, and others depreffed. 



That had not the Strata of Stone and 

 Marble become fblid % but the Sandj^'Asp^rfa. 

 or other Matter whereof they confift, 

 continued lax and incoherent, and they 

 confequently been as pervious as thofe 

 of Marie, Gravel, and the like, the Wa- 

 ter which rifes out of the Abyfs, fot 

 the Supply of Springs and Rivers, 

 would not have ftop'd at the Surface of 

 the Earth, but march'd direftly, and 

 without impediment, up into the At- 

 mofphere, in all parts of the Globe 

 wherever there was Heat enough m 



L 4 the 



