Burnet, Thomas; The Theory of the Earth: Containing an Account of the Original of the Earth, and of all the General Changes which it hath already undergone, or is to undergo, till the Consummation of all Things. The Last Two Books Concerning the Burning of the World, and Concerning the New Heaven and New Earth. & A Review of the Theory of the Earth, and its Proofs: Especially in Reference to Scripture. London, R. Norton, 1690. Small folio, pp. frontispiece half title, title page, 12, 122, second title page, 6, 129-224, third title page, 52, 1 page of ads.

The last two parts with the Review. The work is complete. Bound in contemporary paneled calf. Binding is tight, boards are scuffed, spine titles perished, lacks front end sheet, light toning to margins of first pages, remainder of text is very clean. In very good condition.
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An English theologian (1635-1715); Burnet's "Theory of the Earth" proposed a catastrophic theory for the origin of the earth but did not deviate from Biblical teachings. It is the most influential and noted of the early speculations of earth's history. Burnet sought to reconcile mechanical theories (i.e. Descartes) with the Biblical account of genesis. He did this by stating that the account of Moses was accurate but God effected them by natural causes. So he proposes that God created the earth very slowly resulting in a perfectly smooth earth on which man lived. As the crust dried, it cracked and eventually split open, releasing the waters of the Biblical Deluge at the time needed to punish mankind. The result was our earth with oceans and mountains. His work is divided into several parts or books. The first two concern the deluge and paradise. The next two concern the burning of the world and the new heavens and new earth. Lastly he is concerned with the consummation of all things. Burnet's treatise was originally published in Latin in two books in 1681. The English edition was embellished with the beautiful engraved title page shown here which depicts the stages in the formation of the earth and its final demise by burning. Offered here is the last two books with the review of the work.