The sacred theory of the Earth, Volume 1 (of 2) — A Closer Reading

The Earth as a Ruined World

Burnet repeatedly describes the Earth as bearing 'marks of fractions, ruins, and dissolutions.' He contrasts the 'regular and simple' first order of things with the 'deformity and incommodiousness' of the present globe. This is not merely poetic; it is a central argument. For Burnet, the physical evidence of broken mountains and deep seas proves that the Earth was once smooth and perfect. He cites St. Peter's distinction between the antediluvian and present heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:5-6) to support his claim that the world has undergone a fundamental change. The reader should note how Burnet weaves biblical authority with natural observation, treating both as complementary witnesses to a lost paradise.

The Deluge as a Geological Event

Burnet's theory hinges on the Deluge as a real, physical catastrophe that transformed the Earth's surface. He argues that if mountains had existed from the beginning, the Flood would be inexplicable—there would be no mechanism to cover them. Instead, he posits that the original Earth was a smooth shell over an abyss of water; when the shell cracked, the waters burst forth, creating the present irregular landscape. In the excerpts, he challenges his opponents to explain how mountains could have formed naturally, insisting that only a supernatural intervention can account for the 'channel of the sea' and other cavities. This section of the text is dense with mechanical reasoning, as Burnet attempts to make the biblical account physically plausible.

Engaging with Critics: Warren and Keill

The excerpts include a vigorous rebuttal to those who deny any change in the Earth's form. Burnet names Erasmus Warren and John Keill as opponents, accusing them of reviving the ancient error that 'the heavens and the earth were the same now that they had been from the beginning.' He compares them to Didymus of Alexandria, who rejected St. Peter's epistle because it contradicted his own views. Burnet's tone is combative; he lists four unanswerable objections to his critics' position, including the impossibility of explaining Paradise and the Deluge under their system. Readers should watch how Burnet uses both scriptural authority and logical argument to corner his adversaries, often appealing to the reader's judgment to decide between the two theories.

The Role of Ancient Philosophy and Scripture

Burnet draws heavily on ancient philosophy, particularly the idea of a primordial chaos and a subsequent ordering of the world. He references 'the Ancients' and their descriptions of Paradise, arguing that these traditions align with his theory of a smooth, paradisiacal Earth. At the same time, he insists that his system is grounded in Scripture, especially the prophetic books that speak of a future conflagration and a new heavens and earth. The excerpts show him moving between natural and theological arguments, treating both as parts of a single coherent system. For the first-time reader, it is helpful to see Burnet not as a scientist in the modern sense, but as a theologian-naturalist who believed that the book of nature and the book of scripture must agree, and that his theory was the key to that harmony.

Burnet's Sacred Theory rewards readers who approach it as a work of imaginative synthesis rather than a dry treatise. Pay attention to the diagrams referenced in the text (such as 'Fig. 2, p. 77'), which illustrate his conception of the Earth's original form. The Latin ode by Addison, though not essential, offers a contemporary literary response to Burnet's vision. As you read, note how Burnet balances reverence for scripture with a willingness to reinterpret it in light of natural evidence—a tension that makes this work a landmark in the history of both science and religion.

Reading Burnet’s account of a once-smooth Earth, now broken into hills and valleys, left me with a quiet ache for that lost order. It reminded me, oddly, of the gentle uncertainty in Chance, Love, and Logic: Philosophical Essays — Themes and Context—how Peirce’s fallibilism also softens the world, letting ragged edges remain part of the story, rather than a mistake to be repaired.