Three physico-theological discourses ... wherein are largely discussed the production and use of mountains, the original of fountains, of formed stones, and sea-fishes bones and shells found in the earth, the effects of particular floods and inundations of the sea, the eruptions of vulcano's, the nature and causes of earthquakes : with an historical account of those two late remarkable ones in Jamaica and England ... / by John Ray ...

DISCOURSE I.

Of the Primitive CHAOS, and Creation of the WORLD.

• CHAP. I. Testimonies of the Ancient Heathen Writers, Hesiod, Ovid, Aristophanes, Lucan, Euripides, concerning the Chaos, and what they meant by it.
• Chap. II. That the Creation of the World out of a Chaos, is not repugnant to the Holy Scripture, if soberly understood, p, 5, 6, 7, 8.
• Chap. III. Of the separating the Land and Water, and raising up the Mountains, p. 9, &c. By what means the Waters were gathered together into one place, and the dry Land made to appear, p. 10. That sub∣terraneous Fires and Flatus's, might be of power suf∣ficient to produce such an effect, proved from the force and effects of Gunpowder, and the raising up of new Mountains, p. 11, 12, 13. The shaking of the whole known World by an Earthquake, p. 13, 14. That the Mountains, Islands, and whole Continents were probably at first raised up by subterraneous Fires, proved by the Authority of Lydiate and Strabo, p. 15, 16, 17. Of subterraneous Caverns passing under the bottom of the Sea, p. 19, 20, 21, &c. A Discourse concerning the Equality of the Sea and Land, both as to the extent of each, and the height of one, to the depth of the other, taken from

• the Shores, p. 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 33. That the motion of the Water levels the bottom of the Sea, p. 28, 29, 30. A Discourse concerning the Use of the Mountains, 35, 36, 37, &c. The Sum of what hath been said of the Division and Disposition of the Water and Earth, p. 44.
• Chap. IV. Of the Creation of Animals: some Que∣stions concerning them resolved, p. 46. That God Almighty did at first create either the Seeds of all Animate Bodies, and dispersed them all the Earth over: or else the first Sett of Animals themselves in their full state and perfection, giving each Species a power by Generation to propagate their like, p. 46, 47. Whether God at first created a great number of each Species, or only two, a Male and a Female, p. 47, 48. Whether all individual Animals which already have been, and hereafter shall be, were at first actually created by God, or only the first Sett of each Species, the rest proceeding from them by way of Generation, and being a new produced, p. 49, 50, 51, &c. Objections against the first part an∣swered: 1. That it seems impossible, that the Ova∣ries of the first Animals should actually include the innumerable Myriads of those that may proceed from them in so many Generations as have been, and shall be to the end of the World: This shewn not to be so incredible from the multitude of parts, into which Matter may be, and is divided, in many Ex∣periments, p. 51, 52, 53, 54. &c. 2. If all the Members of Animals already formed do pre exist in the Egg, how can the Imagination of the Mother change the shape, and that so notoriously sometimes, as to produce a Calve's-head, or Dog's-face, or the like monstrous Members. Several Answers to thus Objection offered, p. 57, 58, 59▪