would seriously assert these _Super-celestial_ Waters, or, at least, make use of them so extravagantly, as to bring them down hither for Causes of the Deluge. WE have now employ’d our last and utmost Endeavours to find out Waters for the vulgar Deluge, or for the Deluge as commonly understood; and you see with how little Success; we have left no Corner unsought, where there was any Appearance or Report of Water to be found, and yet we have not been able to collect the eighth part of what was necessary upon a moderate Account. May we not then with Assurance conclude, that the World hath taken wrong Measures hitherto, in their Notion and Explication of the general Deluge? They make it impossible and unintelligible upon a double Account, both in requiring more Water than can be found, and more than can be dispos’d of if it was found; or could any way be withdrawn from the Earth when the Deluge should cease. For if the Earth was encompass’d with eight Oceans of Water heapt one upon another, how these should retire into any Channels, or be drain’d off, or the Earth any way disengag’d from them, is not intelligible; and that in so short a time as some Months: For the Violence of the Deluge lasted but four or five Months, and in as many Months after the Earth was dry and habitable. So as upon the whole Enquiry, we can neither find Source nor Issue, Beginning nor Ending, for such an excessive Mass of Waters as the vulgar Deluge required; neither where to have them, nor if we had them, how to get quit of them. And I think Men cannot do a greater Injury or Injustice to Sacred History, than to give such Representations of things recorded there, as make them unintelligible and incredible; and on the other Hand, we cannot deserve better of Religion and Providence, than by giving such fair Accounts of all things proposed by them, or belonging to them, as may silence the Cavils of Atheists, satisfy the Inquisitive, and recommend them to the Belief and Acceptance of all reasonable Persons. CHAP. III. _All Evasions answered; That there was no new Creation of Waters at the Deluge: And that it was not Particular or National, but extended throughout the whole Earth. A Prelude and Preparation to the true Account and Explication of it: The Method of the first Book._