ufe or end, as it hath ever finee. For it was ordained, as the fcripture tells us, to be a figu, or witnefs, of God's covenant with the new world, a meffenger to fecure mankind from deftruction by deluges. Now, if it had appeared before, the fight of it after the flood would have been but a poor comfort to Noah and his timorous pofterity; whofe fear, left the like inundation fhould happen again, was greater than could be taken away by a common or ufual fign.' Common philofophy teaches us, that the rain-bow is a natural fign, which thews there will not be much rain after it appears, as the clouds then begin to difperfe. For it is never made in a thick cloud, but in a thin: So that if it appear after showers, which come from thick clouds, it is a token that now they grow thin. But the God of nature chofe this to be a fign, that he would never let them thicken again to fuch a degree as to bring a deluge upon the earth. And he vouchfafes T fafes it not always, but at certain times often enough to put men in mind of this promife, and to ftir up their belief of it." The reflection of the fun from a watery cloud, is alfo a certain fign, that though it rains in one part of the heavens, fome other part is clear and unclouded: And thofe rains which exhibit the rain-bow, are gentle, refreshing showers, plainly intended as bleffings to the earth; and portending no harm to it, as the heathens fuperftitiously imagined *. Its propriety and fignificancy is fo much the greater, and more univerfal, as it is in the heavens in fo confpicuous á fet up Кроме Hom. Iliad. a. ver, 28. Εν νεφεί σηριξε, τερας μερόπων ανθρωπων. Ηὔτε πορφυρέην Ιριν θνητοισι τανύσση Ζευς ἐξ ουρανόθεν, τέρας εμμεναι η πολέμοιο, Ib. p. ver. 547. Η και χειμωνος δυσθαλπεις -Et quoniam indicium eft permutationis auræ-ideo apud poetas legimus fæpe irim de cælo mitti, cum præfentium rerum fit ftatûs mutatio. Amm. Marcell. lib. xx. in fine. manner, manner, as to be vifible in all parts of the world, and a faithful witness in heaven; as it hath proved to be, by continuing to exhibit its teftimony at proper intervals, from time to time, even to this day. From these reasons in nature, continues Dr. Jackson, or from the tenour of God's covenant, communicated to the antient heathens by tradition, Iris is made to be the meffenger of the gods, fent down. from heaven to fignify a change in the present state of things. It is likewife called, the wonderful, and the daughter of wonder, rather of the wonderful. And, indeed, the admirable form of this glorious circle, as the fon of Sirach calls it, bent by the hands of the moft High, doth naturally excite us to look beyond * Παυρα δε θαύμαλος υδατης πόδας ωκεα Ιρις Αγγελίης πολείται επ' ευρέα νώτα θαλασσης. Irim de cælo mifit Saturnia Juno Ad quem fic rofeo Thaumantias ore locuta eft. Virg. Æneid. ix. init. the the material and efficient cause of it, unto the final: And now that we have Mofes's commentary upon it, we may fee in the mixed colours of the rain-bow these two things: The deftruction of the old world by water; and the future consumption of the prefent world by fire; the flaming brightness of which is predominant in the watery humour *." This is what learned men have obferved concerning the rain-bow. I will venture to go a step farther, which yet I will not prefume to do, but by way of query. As this phenomenon was appointed for a memorial of the deluge, and as a pledge of fecurity from any future one; fo, whether it might not have a yet farther and more fignificant intent, of being an intimation and fign of the manner how, and means by which, the old world was overflowed. As the earth had its inclination given it for this purpose, and was made to move Dr. Jackson's Works, vol. i. p. 62. See likewife Bp. Patrick on Genefis ix. 13, 14. ever fince in the ecliptic; this event, and this difpofition of it, could not be recorded and defcribed in a more emphatical manner, than by this noble are, drawn by the finger of God in the heavens. For we really find, that the beft method which aftronomers and geographers have been able to invent, to delineate the line of the true ecliptic on their globes and maps, is by an artificial circle, which fo much resembles that of the rain-bow, as if the first hint of it had been taken from it. Be that as it may; if this conjecture be allowed to carry any probability, it will confirm what hath been advanced, concerning an alteration made in the position of the earth at the flood; and will raife our admiration ftill the more, in contemplating the use and design of this bright meteor; which, by ftriking our fenfes in the vivid manner which it doth, not only reminds us of the deluge, and cause of it; but likewife furnishes a remarkable inftance |