18 Of the Dissolution

the Christian Faith teacheth us, and this alsoNatural Reason doth plainly persuade; sot at'tending to the immense Power of God y u>e ca*'not think that he ever made any thing that

was not complete in all points . But tilOdid not believe that the Earth was genera’

he

ted,

or formed according to his Hypotbefis,iurely he was of Opinion, that it is at pt e 'lent such a Body as he represented it after i £perfect Formation, viz. with a fire in thmiddle, and so many several Crusts or Coa tSinclosing it: else would he have givenmere Figment or Romance instead of a Bodyof Philosophy.

But tho’ I do reject the Hypothefis ; y etthe being of a Central Fire in the Earth is not,so far as I understand, any way repugn^to Reason or Scripture. For first of ail, th eScripture represents HeJl as a Lake of Fist'Murky. 43, 4,3,&V. Revel, zo. ro, 14,and likewise as a low place beneath the Earth'So Psalm 8 6. 13. and Deut. 31. zz. it is ca*'led die nethermost hell. Prov. 15. Z4. The toa)of life is above to the wife , that he may departfrom hell beneath, z. Many of the Ancientunderstand that Article of the Creed; He « e ‘fended into Hell , of our Saviour's Defectinto that local Hell beneath the Earth, whci' che triumphed over the Devil, and all th cPowers of Darkness. And particularly I st '

t!0 S