I Come now to the Third Particular proposed, that is, To Enquire concerning the Consequents of the Deluge, What considerable Effects it had upon the Earth and and its Inhabitants.
It had doubtless very great, in changing the Superficies of the dry Land: In some places adding to the Sea; in some taking from it; making Islands of Peninsulae, and joining others to the Continent; altering the Beds of Rivers, throwing up lesser Hills, and washing away others, &c. The most remarkable Effects it’s likely were in the skirts of the Continents; because the Motion of the Water was there most violent. Athanasius Kircher1 gives us a Map and Description of the World after the Flood, shewing what Changes were made therein by it, or upon occasion of it afterward, as he fansies or conjectures. But because I do not love to trouble the Reader with uncertain Conjectures, I shall content my self to have said in general, that it may rationally be supposed, there were then great Mutations and Alterations made in the superficial part of the Earth: but what they were, though we may guess, yet can we have no certain knowledge of: and for Particulars, refer the Curious to him.
One malignant effect it had upon Mankind, and probably upon other Animals too, in shortning their Age, or the duration of their lives; which I have touched before, and shewn, that this diminution of Age, is to be attributed either to the change of the Temperature of the Air, as to Salubrity, or Equality, (sudden and frequent changes of Weather having a very bad influence upon the Age of Man in abbreviating of it, as I could easily prove) or else to the deteriority of the Diet; or to both these Causes. But how the Flood should induce or occasion such a change in the Air and productions of the Earth, I do not comprehend.
← Discourse 2, Chapter 2. Of the Causes of the Deluge · Contents · Discourse 2, Chapter 4. Of formed Stones, Sea-shells, and other Marine-like →
Footnotes
-
De Arch Noae. p. 192 ↩