Geologia, or, A discourse concerning the earth before the deluge wherein the form and properties ascribed to it, in a book intitlued The theory of the earth, are excepted against ... / by Erasmus Warren ...

CHAP. VI.

1. Another Exception against the Hypothesis; it would have drowned the world, though Man had not sinned: 2 Or though Mankind had been never so pe∣nitent. 3. Which would have reflected upon Provi∣dence: and imboldened the Atheist.

1. WE are taught from above, That GOD brought in the Flood upon the World of the VNGODLY. That is, it was a Judicial act of His, and a just revenge which he took upon the impi∣ous. They had grievously offended and provoked His MAJESTY, by very great and epidemical Sins. For as we read in the Sixth of Genesis, the wickedness of Man was great, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually; and all flesh had corrupted his way before him. Whereupon the HOLY GHOST speaking of God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, after the manner of Men; declares that he was grieved at the heart to see this. And such was the grief he conceived, that He repented He made Man. And so vehemently did He repent of making him, that He resolved to destroy him again. And not only him, but most of his fellow creatures with him, made in good measure for his use and benefit. And not only them but the Earth it self in some sense, which had been the scene of his vanity and unrighteousness. And at length He decrees and proclaims aloud, that the Instrument of this fearful general destruction, should be a Deluge of water, Gen. 6. 17. So that nothing can be more clear, than that the Flood was a punishment of Man's sins, and was design'd and sent

on purpose to be so. The Consequence from which is, that if Man had not transgressed; the Earth had never been so lamentably drowned.

But here then the truth of the Hypothesis we are upon will come into Question: in that it would have let in the Flood upon the World, though it had not been ungodly; though Men had been never so inno∣cent or upright. For if the Earth had been formed, as is above supposed; it must have been of the same structure that is there phansied. It must have held the same situation to the Sun, and the same motio•• about it. And the Sun must have had the same power over the Earth, and the same effects upon it. It must have pierced it as deep, and parched it as much, and ripened it as fast for disruption as ever. The time of which being once come, down it must have plunged into the Abyss below; and all living up∣on it, must have sunk and drowned together with it self. No Natural Causes could have had the least re∣gard to moral integrity: but on they would have driven in their appointed Courses, till they had come to the Tragical event we speak of. So that had all the Sons and Daughters of Men, been as pure and bright, as they could possibly have dropt out of the Mint of Creation; they must still have perisht without pity or remedy.

And so what would have become of the first Co∣venant with Adam, in case he had stood? For by such a Fatality as this in Nature (not unlike to ab∣solute Decree in Divinity) his Posterity must have died, though he had not sinned, nor they neither. Which would have been a strange and unparallel'd severity, and such as did never issue form GOD. Tophet indeed is prepared of old; and there are end∣less and intolerable torments beyond this life. But none need suffer them unless they please. For still

we must be authors of our own misery if any be••ides us. And if our happiness chance to be blown up at last, the Train that does it, must be laid and fired by our selves. But by this Hypothesis, the Race of Mankind must have been wofully undone, though they never deserv'd it. For the primitive Earth had that in it, which we have; Frailty in its very Na∣ture or Constitution: And in the ordinary setled Course of things, must necessarily have been dissolv'd and delug'd.

2. And if purest Innocence must have fared thus ill; Repentance for certain should have sped no bet∣ter. That I add for this reason. Noah, we know, was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Preacher of righteousness. And that not only in a vocal way; but by his religious and exem∣plary life. Yea, more than so, his building the Ark was a Mechanical Sermon to the World; and per∣haps of an hundred and twenty years long. For in the same Chapter where GOD denounc'd the Sen∣tence of Inundation, and commanded Noah to pre∣pare the Ark; He dete••min••d and declar'd, that the days of Man (that is, before the Flood was to come) shall be an hundred and twenty years. And such a way of Preaching, and of such a continuance; in reason should have wrought with that stubborn Age, beyond the most elaborate and pathetic Discourses. And GOD seems to have expected no less. For be∣cause it did not, His Holy SPIRIT has clapt a black Brand upon them, and markt them out for incor∣rigible and ungracious Wretches. Who were diso∣bedient in the Days of Noah, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, while the Ark was a preparing. Disobedience in that juncture, under such a warning against it, and motive to the contrary: was such a disobedience,

as for circumstances of aggravation could hardly be parallell'd in that World. It deserv'd to be recorded as a standing testimony against them that were guilty of it, and as an eternal monument of their base un∣worthiness. For it was no other than the fruit of contumacious refractoriness, and bespeaks them ar∣rived at the height of obstinacy, and a most con∣summate vi••iousness.

But put case the Sermons of this mighty Preacher, had wrought so kindly and effectually, as to have turned Mens disobedience into true repentance: would this have altered the State of Nature, or put a stop to its fatal tendencies? Not in the least measure. Still the World would have stood in its Original frame; and a change in the minds and manners of people, would have made none in the Physical Course of things. So that unless God had interpos'd and by His immediate hand, given a timely check to Na∣tures Wheels; they would have run directly into this watry ruine, and what should have kept the sincerest penitents out of it? For to suppose that GOD in∣gaged so far, as to support the Earth by strength of miracle, to secure it from the Flood; would be as great a flaw in the Philosophy of this new Hypo∣thesis; as it is thought to be in the Divinity of the Old one, to hold the Deluge was caused by Creation of Waters, and then dried up by annihilation of the same.

3. And yet if Omnipotence had not miraculously upheld the Earth,) supposing its Inhabitants righteous or penitent) it would have fallen heavy upon GOD Himself. So heavy, as to have crusht the Reputa∣tion of his Providence extremely. For it would have recoiled so rudely and violently upon its Goodness;

and so shamefully Eclipsed and blasted its Justice: as to have brought its very Being into question. And we may certainly conclude, that an Hypothesis of this Nature, which would weigh out the Portion of Men, with so inequal a Ballance, as to make ruine the lot of a righteous or repenting World; instead of gagging or silencing the pragmatical Atheist, by a more clever Explication of the Deluge: would open his Mouth wider, and but oil his virulent and sawcy tongue, to run more glibly and rantingly on, in his tremendous way of extravagance. For what can m••re encourage so wicked a person, than to dis∣parage and lessen GOD's Goodness and Equity? And how can those At••ributes be more disgraced and diminished (in the Judgment of an Atheist) than by supposing that in the Works of His Providence (through the whole Series of which he could look with a clear and easy prospect; and so nothing of oversight could mingle with them) He laid a cruel Train of inavoidable Death, for Millions of his Innocent or Penitent Creatures.

How little this would have comported with those His illustrious and Cardinal Properties, and how much it would have blemisht and dishonored them; we may guess from hence: in that when he was minded to overthrow Sodom, and in his Holy Agents was come down from Heaven on purpose to do it; He would have spar'd it for the sake of Ten righteous Persons. And truly if He had destroyed the righteous with the wicked; He must have done a thing (in the sense of A••raham) not at all agreeable, to the Integrity of the Judge of all the Earth. (Especially in those Ages, when Spiritual Encouragements to GOD's Service, and recompences of it, being not so frequently dispensed; and the Eternal ones not

so fully revealed: the Divine favour was more com∣monly measured and expressed to Men, by tempo∣ral and outward Blessings and deliverances.) And therefore that He abhorred such inequitable Dealings, he was pleased to evidence by the contrary Procedure. For when He consumed that accursed Town, he saved just Lot by the Ministery of Angels. Nor could He endure that N••ah should perish, being righteous; but took particular care for his wonder∣full preservation, when the whole World, besides Him, and his Family, was drowned.

But then so much less reason there is, to admit this Hypothesis; for that it makes the Earth (at first) of such a Form; and puts Nature into such a Frame; as would have involv'd Mankind in most horrid Destruction. And not only so, but moreover makes Providence accessary to their Perdition; yea, the principal and sole Contriver of it, by making the place of their Habitation, a perfect Trap to vast multitudes of them: whereby (without a Miracle) they must certainly have been taken and quite undone, had they been never so pure, or never so penitent.

Should it be suggested, that GOD foresaw the impiety and incorrigibleness of Men; and so in way of just judgment, ordered Nature, and timed the Earth's Dissolution accordingly: this would give little satisfaction to the Atheist (the silencing of whose Cavils the Theory seems to aim at.) For he would take it at best, but for a smooth Evasion, or a slim Subterfuge; or for a sorry kind of Fetch to help the Hypothesis at a dead lift. Nor need we doubt but a Lucian or an Hobbs, would raise as considerable Objections against this New way of explaining the Flood, as against the Old one. And would insist as tena∣ciously upon that Particular now mentioned, and

cavil as much, and as justly at it; as at the difficulty or unsolvableness of any single Phaenomenon, in the way of its usual Explication.

Notes

• 2 Pet. 2. 5.
• Gen. 6.
• Read 18th, 19th, and 20th, pages of the Theory.