have been then given it, on this very account. The word, in the original, by which the divine Spirit's, moving the waters is expreffed, is capable of being understood of this kind of motion, as well as of any other: And there is a Syriac word, derived from it, that doth fignify fuch a particular motion *

Nor is this the only intimation that we have in Scripture of this motion. It is elfewhere faid, that God fet a compass, Marg. a circle on the face of the depth: Which he may be understood to have done, not only by giving it a circular form, it having been without any form before; but in order to that, by giving it a circular motion like

* The Hebrew word is on, which I take to be a word of general acceptation, as fignifying any kind of motion: And to convince us how applicable this word is to the kind of motion here specified; the Syriac marachophi, derived from it, fignifies the circular motions made in water, by the cafting in of a

stone. Circuli in aquâ per jactum lapidis. Caftelli Lexicon

+ Proverbs, viii. 27.

I

in verb. .

wife.

wife, which was productive of this form. And where we read, He hath compassed the waters with bounds; the literal tranflation of the words is, He impressed a circle, or circular motion, on the face of the waters.

Now when this rotary motion was impreffed upon the earth, the folid particles, being fpecifically heavier than the fluid ones, having fubfided, or funk down towards the centre of gravity, by virtue of what is called the centripetal force; the earth's rotation on its axis produced another force, called the centrifugal; by the action of which, in oppofition to the former, the terrene particles were diflodged from about the centre, and moved upwards towards the furface of the globe. The force with which the feveral particles would recede from the centre, would be in proportion to their weight, and the velocity of their motion; and the direction of the whole would

Job, xlvi. 10. The original word for circle in both places is 1. And the primary fignification of the verb is, circulum fecit, gyravit. Schindl.

be

be in ftrait lines, and at right angles with the earth's axis. As the greatest distance from the axis is in the middle of the globe, or under the equator; where the largest circle would be formed by the centrifugal force, and where it would be greatest; the heaviest bodies would fly thither, and in proportion to their weight and folidity, would there remain; being arrested and counter-balanced by the centripetal force; whereby the lighter, and more fluid parts, would be forced to give way, and recede from the equator; to that degree, that if the earth could be fuppofed, upon this circular motion being given it, to fall immediately into the form of a perfect fpheroid; I apprehend the cafe would be, that all the folid parts would fo croud about the equator, and to as great a distance from it as their bulk would require fpace to occupy, that there would be no room left in thofe parts for any of the lighter fluid particles: For the terrene particles would maintain their ground, not only by their weight and folidity; but there is another principle,

which

which would operate to the fame end: For as all matter gravitates towards all matter; fo all homogeneous parts of matter gravitate ftill more powerfully towards each other, whereby they are more closely united, and compacted together, according to their specific textures. Each therefore: would affort themselves, and affemble with their kinds refpectively. The terrene particles therefore, fuppofing the earth to have affumed the form of a perfect fpheroid, would unite into one compact body, and would not admit of any mixture of water with it; which being of a loofer texture, would be quite detached from it into fome other region.

But I own it doth not feem probable, that the original shapeless mass of the earth fhould, all at once, or in a few revolutions on its axis, be brought into such exactness of form. It would perhaps require many years, if not ages, for that purpose. It is not an exact fpheroid now, for which indeed other reasons may be affigned. There were therefore in the primitive earth probably

many

many inequalities of furface-many emi nencies and hollows; though perhaps not nearly fo great as there are at prefent. The compages of the folid parts had not then grown fo hard and concreted, as from length of time and other causes, rocks and minerals, and other terrene fubitances, are fince become. They were originally of a fofter mold; of a loofer, and more yielding confiftence; and therefore probably would not bear to be thrown up into fuch rugged and enormous heaps, as we fee lie upon the earth at prefent: But they rose and fell into more eafy and gradual heights and declivities. The greater cavities and hollows the waters would first fill up; and the overplus, which would probably be the much more considerable part, would fall off to occupy the remaining fpaces, on each fide, between the folid parts, and the poles.

But if it should be thought that the rotation of the earth, would not of itself be productive of this effect; or even admitting that it would have no efficacy for this

purpose: