This Chapter is to prove that the _Sea was open_ before the Deluge. ’Tis
something barren of philosophical Arguments, but we will begin with such
as it has, which are taken from this Topick, _That the Fishes could not
live in our Abyss_: _p._ 224. and that for three Reasons. First, because
it was too dark. Secondly, too close; and thirdly, too cold. As for
Coldness, methinks he might have left that out, unless he suppose that
there are no Fish in the frozen Seas, towards the North and South; which
is against all Sense and Experience: For cold Countries abound most in
Fish. And according to Reason, there would be more Danger of too much
Warmth, in those subterraneous Waters, than of too much Cold, in respect
of the Fishes.
Then as to Darkness and Closeness, this minds me of the Saying of
_Maimonides_: _That no Man_ ever would believe, that a Child could live
so many Months, shut up in its Mother’s Belly, if he had never seen the
Experience of it. There’s Closeness and Darkness, in the Highest Degree.
And in Animals, that, as soon as born, cannot live without Respiration.
Whereas Fishes, of all Creatures, have the least need of Respiration, if
they have any. And as for _Darkness_, how many subterraneous Lakes have
we still, wherein Fishes live? And we can scarce suppose the main and
fathomless Ocean to have Light to the Bottom; at least when it is
troubled or tempestuous. How the Eyes of Fish are, or might be, form’d
or conform’d, we cannot tell, but we see they feed and prey on the Night
Time, and take Baits as greedily as on the Day. But it is likely they
were less active and agile in that Abyss, than they are now; their Life
was more sluggish then, and their Motions more slow, _Job_ xxxviii. 8.
as being still in that _Womb_ of Nature that was broke up at the Deluge.
And as to Air, they would have enough for their imperfect way of
breathing in that State. But if they have a more perfect now, which is
still a Question, they might have some Passages in their Body open’d,
(at the Disruption of the Abyss) when they were born into the Light and
free Air, which were not open’d before. As we see in Infants, upon their
Birth, a new Passage is made into their Lungs, and a new Circulation of
the Blood, which before took another Course.
So much for pretended Reasons and Philosophy. The rest of this long
Chapter is spent either in Consequences made from Scripture, or in a
prolix Discourse about Rain. As to Scripture, _p._ 219, 220. he makes
this the first Objection, that, whereas _Adam_ had a Dominion given him
over the Fish of the Sea, it could have no Effect, if they were inclosed
in the Abyss. _Adam_ had no more Dominion given him over the Fish of the
Sea, than over the Fowls of the Air; which he could not come at, or
seize at his Pleasure, unless he could fly into the Air after them.
_Adam_ was made Lord of all Animals upon this Earth, and had a Right to
use them for his Conveniency, when they came into his Power: But I do
not believe that _Adam_ was made stronger than a Lyon, nor could master
the Leviathan, or command him to the Shore. He had a Right, however, and
his Posterity, to dispose of all Creatures for their Use and Service,
whensoever, upon Occasion offered, they fell into their Power.
Next he says, _p._ 225, 226. The Waters were gather’d into one Place,
and a Firmament was made to divide the Waters from the Waters. Well,
allow this, tell us then what was that Firmament? For it is said there,
_Gen._ i. 17. that God set the Sun, Moon, and Stars, in the Firmament.
Therefore you can argue nothing from this, unless you suppose
supercelestial Waters: Which, when you have prov’d, we will give you an
Account of the subcelestial, and of the subterraneous. And here the
Exceptor cites some Things from the Theory, that are not in the second
Edition, and therefore the Theorist is not concern’d to answer them.
Lastly, The Exceptor comes to his long Harangue in Commendation of the
_Clouds_ and of _Rain_: Which takes up a great Part of this Chapter. In
his _Exordium_ he makes this Compliment to the Clouds, p. 234.
_Sometimes they mount up and fly aloft, as if they forgat, or disdain’d
the Meanness of their Origin. Sometimes again they sink and stoop so
low, as if they repented of their former proud Aspirings, and did
remorseful humble Penance for their high Presumption. And though I may
not say they weep to expiate their Arrogance, or kiss the Earth with
bedewed Cheeks, in Token of their Penitence, yet they often prostrate in
the Dust, and sweep the lowest Grounds of all, with their misty foggy
Trains. One while they_, &c. This Harangue about the Clouds and Rain, is
pursued for fourteen or fifteen Pages, and, with Submission to better
Judgments, I take it to be a Country Sermon, about the _Usefulness of
Rain_: And, I believe, whosoever reads it, will, both from its Matter
and Form, be of the same Opinion. I do not speak this in Derogation to
his Sermon, but he would have done better, methinks, to have printed it
in a Pamphlet by it self; there being no Occasion for it in this Theory.
Towards the Conclusion of the Chapter, _p._ 246. he answers an Objection
made by the Theorist against the supposed Islands and Continents in the
first Earth. Namely, _That it would render the Propagation of Mankind
difficult, into those broken Parts of the World_. And the many imperfect
shifting Answers which the Exceptor gives, or conjectures without
Authority, do but confirm the Objection of the Theorist, or make his
Words true, _quod Res esset difficilis explicatu_. Which is all that the
Theorist said upon that Subject.