and in other Places. And that there is frequently no Verb, fo no Tense; and confidering the Conditions and Situations each of the things were in at the time each of them fpoke of, and that no Tenfe could afcertain the time, without mentioning the Day, and the Situation of other things and those ancient Fathers, who preferved and conveyed the lively Oracles of God downward for us, and who, perhaps, had feen other Writings not now extant, have not been fo ignorant and forgetful in this Matter, as fome pretend. But to return to Mofes.

GEN. vi. 13.

I will deftroy them with the Earth.

"The Earth] Arius Montanus [but the Perf. hath it, I will deftroy them the Earth] the Earth was damaged by the Sea-Lira, the Hebrews fay that three Spans [Palmi] of the Earth were torn off the Surface of the Earth and turned into Water (z)." What they mean by three, I cannot tell; but they have fuch another Expreffion about the Firmament. "And the Lord made the

(x) Synopfis Crit. Tom. 1. p. 82. Gen. vi. 13.

Firmament

Firmament fupporting it with three Fingers between the Extremities of the Heavens and the Waters of the Sea (a)." The first Part is a Repetition of the feventh Verse, a pofitive Declaration of a thing lately determined; and the fecond Part feems to refer to an old one, viz. Gen. iv. 17. Curfed is the Ground for thy Sake; a thing long ago determined, and the Determination here is, that he will deftroy the Creatures with the Earth. But as the Tranflators put from in the Margin instead of with, we muft not depend upon a Prepofition, but fee what was threatned by the Execution; for tho' none, that I remember, have fo much as hinted, that Mofes mentions the Execution upon the Earth; I dare fay, Mofes would not make fuch a Slip: Fle would exprefs every thing that was neceffa ry, and leave nothing fhort, but what might, by being feen, give Confirmations of his Defcription. Destroying might, in relation to Animals, imply taking away their Lives; and with relation to the Earth, making it unfit for Use, or unfit to answer its Ends: and this might have been done to the Creatures, without deftroying the Earth; or the Earth might have been made useless,

(a) Polyglot. Tom. 4, Targ,

in degree, or wholly, without deftroying the Creatures, 'till they had been reduced ⚫ to short Allowance; or 'till they had died of Famine. And the Word, which they render deftroy, cannot be applied particularly* to Diffolution, because the Cruft might have been broke and funk, and fo effectually destroy'd; but more certainly, because all Land-Animals, which were included in this Deftruction, were not diffolved to Atoms, as the Earth was. And if the Word had certainly fignified to diffolve, the Creatures were diffolved, by feparating the Fluids from the Solids: And if the Parts or Fragments of Stone, which were only contiguous to, and independent of one another, had been feparated, the Earth had been diffolved, without diffolving it to Atoms.

Ver. 17. And behold I, even I, do bring a Flood of Waters upon the Earth, to destroy all Flesh, wherein is the Breath of Life, from under Heaven and èver thing that is in the Earth fhall die.

* As Dr. Woodward applies it, in his Nat. Hiftory p. 88. London 1726.

VOL. I.

F

What

Whatever the Derivation or Meaning of the Word for Flood might be, with relation to the Earth, if it means only what is clear, that the Flood was brought, or was to be the Means, to deftroy all Flefh, it will ftand thus, (This is not, let there be, or, let the Agents which I have established, or let ns bring; but) I, even I, in direct Oppofition to all the Orders which I had cftablished in Matter, I will fuperfede Nature fo, as to make the lightest Matter defcend, and heavier afcend, to punish and destroy this wicked Generation, in the moft terrible Manner. "The Hebrews call the Deluge, the Etymology of which Word, according to R. S. is from

to confound; for all things here below were brought into confufion by it. But Kimchi deduces it from the Root ) which fignifies to Decay and Rot (a). If it means what they say with relation to both the Creatures and the Earth, it will ftand thus; to diffolve the very Earth, which fupported them in their Luxury, and reform the Earth in fuch a manner as to abate the Means of their Luxury; put the new Race under the Neceffity of hard Labour, &c. and fo execute the Curfe pronounced fome

(a) Crit. Sacri. Tom. 1 p. 1'36. Gen. vi. 17. Munfterus.

time ago; and lodge even in its most solid Parts the Remains of thofe Creatures and Vegetables I fhall deftroy; that there may be lafting Evidence of this Destruction, and of the Manner of it, to all fucceeding Generations. Whatever appears to have been done, was done by him; though the Actions were contrary to Rules, nothing was done by Chance; and whatever was done, the Words exprefs, or imply. But the Certainty of this Action is not left to the Implication of a Word, in a Threat, or Decree.

GEN. vii. 4.

For yet feven Days, and I will cause it to rain upon the Earth forty Days, and forty Nights: and every living Substance that I have made, will I deftroy from off the Face of the Earth.

σε

"I will deftroy all Subftance which I have made".] He calls the living Creature, Subftance; for inanimate things, fuch as the Earth, and Trees were not deftroyed or razed, but damaged; altho' the Flood