Speculum mundi· Or A glasse representing the face of the world shewing both that it did begin, and must also end: the manner how, and time when, being largely examined. Whereunto is joyned an hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature; occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.

2. Object. Or secondly, perhaps some may think that the hills and mountains were not before the Floud, but made by the violence of the waters; and that Moses, when he would describe how high the waters were, doth but shew us that they were higher by fifteen cubits then the highest mountain that was then in his time: which he might well say, and make such a comparison, although there were no hills before the floud.

Answ. That which hath been said in the former an∣swer

concerning the cause of the middle Region, doth suf∣ficiently stop this last objection, unlesse it be granted, that there were no clouds untill the Floud had made the hills: And indeed if any such thing be granted, then all is granted, and the controversie quite ended concerning these waters above the Heavens.

But besides that answer, I hope to make it appeare* 1.1 that mountains, valleys, and plains were created in the beginning, and were before the Floud in the dayes of Noah.

For first, if hills were caused by the Floud, then it must be that the waters suffered an extream violent motion: but the waters being over the whole face of the earth had nothing to hinder them from their own free motion, nor any thing to compell them to a violent motion; such I mean as should make them work such wonders as are supposed. Had they been overtopped by any thing, then indeed running from one place to another there might have been a repercussion, and by such contention more strange accidents then were, might have been produced, as the making of hills, and the like.

Or secondly, if there were such a violent motion, (as questionles the waters moved untill all places were filled alike, with no small violence) yet the violence was not so great as to be the parent of the hills and mountains; for then without doubt it would have been so forcible also as to have turned rivers and changed them from one place to another, cast down all manner of buildings and structures, rooted up all trees and the like, so that after the Floud nothing should have had the same name, bounds, and description which before it had, neither would the memories of the former ages have been but buried from all succeeding time; which we know is otherwise: for if it were not, it is likely that Moses, speaking of the site of Paradise, and setting down all the

rivers of it exactly, would have specified it in his historie, that thereby after-ages looking for those places might not mistake or suspect the truth of his relation. Neither have we just cause to think that all buildings and ancient monuments of the Fathers before the floud were extin∣guished in the floud: For it is reported by l 1.2 Pomponius Mela, and Plinie, concerning the citie Ioppa, that it was built before the floud, and that Cepha or Cepheus reigned there; which is witnessed by certain ancient altars, bear∣ing titles of him and his brother Phineus, together with a memoriall of the grounds and principles of their religi∣on. And of the citie Henoch there is a much like relation. But what need I mention more, seeing m 1.3 Iosephus, a wri∣ter of good credit, affirmeth that he himself saw one of those pillars which was set up by Seth the sonne of Adam? and this for the truth of it was never questioned, but warranted by all antiquitie.

Moreover, seeing the dove was twice sent out of the ark, and returned with an olive branch at her last return, and not at her first, it is not without reason that we think the trees were not torn up by their roots, but remain∣ed still fixed in the ground even as they had done before; for, if the trees had been swimming or floating upon the waters (as some may think) then the poore dove might have found one branch or other as well at the first as second time. Besides, when she did bring any thing, Noah took it not as a token what havock the floud had made, but as a signe that the waters were decreased: she therefore plucked it off from some tree growing on the earth, and not floating on the waters.

And last of all (although I say nothing of the delecta∣tion and profit of the mountains, which do thereby even amplifie the goodnesse of God in his works, creating and not occasioning them) I shall need to point you no fur∣ther then to the plain text it self, which doth most plain∣ly

tell us, not that the waters were as high as the highest mountains which are now, or were then when Moses wrote his historie, but that even from the beginning there were hills and mountains whose loftie tops in the universall floud were covered with waters: for thus stand the words, * 1.4 And the waters▪ prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills which were under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. Whereupon, as I remember, n 1.5 one writeth thus, saying that this judge∣ment was admirable, seeing there are mountains, as At∣las, Olympus, Caucasus, Athos, and other such, that are so high, as their tops are above the clouds and windes (as Historiographers do report it) and yet see, all these are covered: and these being covered, the middle Region must needs be drowned; and that being drowned, how could the clouds be those windows of heaven which poured down rain for fourtie dayes? And those not being the windows of heaven, it cannot but be that the waters above the heavens are in a more remote and higher place, even above the concave of the out-spread Firma∣ment.

Notes

• * 1.1

  That hills and mountains were not caused by the Floud.
• l 1.2

  Pom. Mela, lib. 1. cap. 11. & Plin. lib. 5. cap. 13.
• m 1.3

  Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 3.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 7. 19, 10.
• n 1.5

  Ains. on Gen.