WOnderful, many wonderful things are done by the Lord of Heaven and Earth, by rea­son whereof his People may in triumph, [Page 2] and the Wicked in terrour, say, Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongst the gods (or mighty ones) who is like thee, glo­rious in holiness, fearful in praises, work­ing wonders? sometimes in the Heavens over our heads; sometimes on and with­in the Earth under our feet: In both the works of God have been so amazing, that might fill the Inhabitants of Hea­ven above, and of the Earth beneath, with admiration of his Divine Perfecti­ons.

First; God's works have been asto­nishing in the Heavens over our heads, which because they are too high, and above our present Theme and Subject, I shall but briefly mention three of them, and those concerning the Sun, the great inlightener of this Earth whereof we are to speak.

1. The standing still of the Sun. It is the Doctrine of Aquinas, That Motion doth as much belong to the Nature of Heaven, as Immobility and Rest to the Nature of the Earth. The Earth is a setled, fixed Body, and therefore it is [Page 3] an act of mighty power in God to shake it, and to make it move; but the Sun is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber, rejoycing as a strong man to run a race, according to the ordinary Law of Creation and Government in continual motion, and therefore a migh­ty work of God alone to cause its moti­on to cease and stand still. The making of the Sun to stop, which naturally cannot but move, and causing the Earth to shake and move, which naturally cannot but stand still, is an effect of e­qual power. The command of God doth change the Earths station into mo­tion, and the Suns motion into standing still. Josh. 10. 12. Than spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord de­livered up the Amorites before the Chil­dren of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gi­beon, and thou Moon in the valley of A­jelon. Verse 13. And the Sun stood still, and the Moon stayed until the People had avenged themselves upon their Enemies.

So the Sun stood still in the midst of [Page 4] Heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. Verse 14. And there was no day like that, before it or after, that the Lord harkened unto the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel. Where is observable, (1.) That Joshua spake first to the Lord, and then to the Sun; for it was not Joshua's voice, but God's power that put a check to the motion of the Sun. (2.) God hearken­ed to the voice of Joshua, praying that the Sun might stop its motion. (3.) Then the Sun hearkened to the voice of Jo­shua, so that by God's commanding voice, in answer to Joshua's praying voice, the Sun stood still: If all the men on Earth with one concurrent voice, should say to it, Sun stand thou still, it would still go forwards in its motion: so that its cessation from motion de­monstrated the mighty, amazing work of God.

2. The Retrograde motion of the Sun▪ or its going backward, is no less a won­derful work of God in the Heaven than its standing still. The motion of [Page 5] the Sun is naturally progressive, or go­ing forward, and if it should make more haste by many degrees in its diurnal Motion, it must be by power Divine, and not Humane; yet in the apprehen­sion of men, it is a greater thing, that it should go backward, and would cause more their observation of its motion, and admiration of God's power. Isai. 38. 7. This shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this that he hath spoken. Verse 8. Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which is gone down in the Sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward. So the Sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. Hezekiah prayed, God promised gives him a sign for his as­surance of the performance, and the sign (tho' miraculous) was effected, and [...]ne mercy asked, was bestowed: God caused the Sun to go backwards to con­firm the faith of his People in his Pro­mise that his work for their deliverance should go forwards.

[Page 6] 3. That at and from high noon-day till three in the afternoon, the Sun should give no light, but darkness should be at the usual time of its inlightening the Earth, was the hand and power of God. Ordinary Eclipses are not miraculous, yet there was one that was not accord­ing to the course of Nature. When the Lord of Glory, the Sun of Righeousness was crucified, the Sun hid its face, and the Heavens put themselves into mourn­ing at his death. Matth. 27. 45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness o­ver all the Land until the ninth hour. This was an extraordinary and miracu­lous work of God, upon the Reasons usually alleadged. (1.) Because it was the full of the Moon, which caused a great Philosopher to cry out, Either the God of Nature suffers, or the Frame of Nature dissolves. (2.) Because (as some affirm) it was universal, over all the World. Or (3.) according to others, because it was only over the Land of Judea, all other parts of the World ha­ving the benefit, and enjoying the light [Page 7] of the Sun at that time; which some judge to be the more strange: that as when Israel had light in Goshen, the E­gyptians were under the Plague of Darkness; so at the crucifying of Christ, Israel which dwelt in Judea should be under darkness, when the World besides enjoyed light. Thus it is manifest that God doth great things in Heaven above, the Sun moves or standeth still, goes backwards or forwards, shines not, to give light at noon day, and for some hours together unto the Earth at all, or else makes light in one part, when it doth not in another; and all this at the pleasure of the great God. But our present Task is to observe one extraor­dinary work of God, on and in the Earth.

Secondly; There is the amazing, mighty work of God on and within the Earth, which in the Text that suits the occasion, is God's shaking of, and making it to tremble before him, and under men that dwell upon it.

[Page 8] This moving of the Earth is far dif­ferent from that constant motion that some Philosophers ascribe unto it; for amongst the several Systems of the World which Astronomers have invented, three are more famous, one by Ptolomy, the other by Copernicus, and the third by Tycho Brache. Copernicus following the Pythagoreans, asserts the motion of the Earth, and the Sun to be in the Center of the World, without motion; that the Earth hath two motions, one Diurnal, which is performed about its own Axis in the space of 24 hours, and from this motion do arise our days and nights: the other Annual, whereby it is carried about the Sun, from the West towards the East, according to the succession of Signs of the Zodiack. Where then is the miracle▪ of the Sun's standing still in Joshua's days, if it stand still in all Ages? where is the wonder of the Earths moving, if it whirl about every 24 hours with so swift a motion? why cannot all People discern this constant motion of the Earth, that do perceive [Page 9] its shaking for a few minutes, and are so much affrighted at it? Are the Pil­lars of the Earth turned into Wheels? Some have denied all motion, some af­firm too much: but as when all moti­on was denied, a Philosopher to prove it, rose up and walked; so when the constant, daily, and yearly motion of the Earth is asserted, we may know by our Senses that it stands still; but these great men of reason (so they are) will, give you this presently for an Axiome, Sensibus non est fidendum, you must not believe, nor trust your Senses: which yet for the sake of the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, I should not readily receive; but knowing that my Senses cannot err about their proper object, when it is presented at a due distance, through a right disposed, a Papist shall not perswade me that the Bread after Consecration is not Bread, and that the Wine is not Wine, nor a Copernican that the Earth doth naturally move, when in the one, by my Senses I dis­cern [Page 10] it to be Bread and Wine, and not real Flesh and Blood carnally and cor­porally taken, and in the other, that the Earth stands fast and still, so much confidence I will put in my Senses: a drunken man that by excess hath di­sturbed his head, might conceit the Earth turns round, and the room where he is doth move, when the motion and turning is in his Brains, and when he hath slept himself sober will perceive, what he thought before did move, doth then stand still. But it being not pro­per, nor profitable to this Assembly to debate Philosophical Controversies, I shall dismiss them, and retain you with what may be more advantageous for your Souls, in treating of this amazing work of God which you so lately did discern, and then were so much asto­nished at, and affected with, viz. God's shaking of the Earth under your feet, and the Houses over your heads; that you did think the one did reel under you, and the other would fall upon you. Hi­story is full, and your own Experience [Page 11] can give an instance of God's terrible shaking of the Earth. Some you have heard of, and one you have seen and felt. Earthquakes! some you have read, and have been told you, by which Multitudes have been destroyed. Earth­quakes! one you have seen, and yet are preserved. Earthquakes! in some God's wrath hath been poured out, and in some his grace and mercy hath been shewn forth: some ending in destruction, and some in the conversion of sinners. Oh! that this you have seen with your own eyes might have the like issue and effect on you, as that you hear of from this Text had upon the Jaylour, stir you up with fear and trembling, to go to your Ministers, as he did to the Apostles, saying, asking, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? that by the Word of God following this mighty work of God, you may be awakened to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus, you and your House, as the Jaylour did, and all his House.

[Page 12] In the Text you may observe these parts:

1. The motion or shaking of the Earth. That which according to the course of Nature stands still, the extraordinary workings of Providence causeth it to quake. The Earth hath neither life, nor sense, nor motion in it, yet God can make it tremble. As the Sun that moves, stands still at God's command; so the Earth, that stands still, shall move at his voice and pleasure: and yet men that have life, and sense, and reason, disobey God's commands, and will not hearken to his voice, and do not tremble at the thoughts of his Soveraign Power and Infinite Majesty. When sinners upon Earth do not, the Earth under them may quake and tremble: and if while the Earth trembles under them, they then tremble upon it, yet when the Earth stands still again, they run as fast to sin again as they did before: when the Earth ceaseth its trembling, they do not cease their sinful motions. The great Pillar that supports the Earth, whereby it [Page 13] stands so fast, is the power of God, for he hath hanged it upon nothing, Job 26. 7. Yet sinners supported by the Earth, without fear and trembling, do abuse the mercy and the patience of God, tho' if he should remove that support­ing Pillar, the Earth would sink under them: but tho' he keeps it up, yet some­times he makes it shake, There was an Earthquake.

2. The greatness of this motion, or shaking of the Earth: There was a great Earthquake. Its greatness is set forth by the greatness of its Effects and Consequents here named: As,

1. The shaking of the foundations of the Prison. The strongest Prisons, the most impregnable Places, Houses built with brick and stone, being founded on Earth; when the one doth quake, the foundations of the other must needs be shaken: In exceeding strong winds and tempestuous storms, the tops of Houses may shake, and rock to and fro, while the foundations stand firm and are not moved; but when the Earth it self, on [Page 14] which they stand, doth quake, their foun­dations are also shaken, and tho' your Houses then stood, yet they stood trem­bling, foundations, floors and roofs to­gether.

2. The immediate opening of the doors. Prison doors, especially upon a strict charge given to the Jaylour for the secu­ring of his Prisoners, are fast locked, securely barred and chained; but God did cause such an Earthquake, that no Locks could hold them fast, no Bars nor Chains could keep them shut; for at the arising of this Earthquake, imme­diately all the Prison doors were open­ed.

3. The loosing of the Prisoners bands. Paul and Silas were fast bound, shut up in a Prison within the Prison, and their feet made fast in the Stocks, so that they could not stand in the Prison, nor the ground stand still under them, but the Earthquake came, and was their Goal­delivery. These be the great Effects of this great Earthquake.

3. In the words are expressed the suddenness of this Earthquake. An Earth­quake is sometimes quickly caused, and quickly ceased at the pleasure and the will of God. God spake, and the Earth stood fast, Psal. 33 9. God speaks, and he makes it quake and tremble.

Tho' it is one Doctrine chiefly in­tended to suit the occasion, yet I will briefly mention more, which will not be altogether alien from our design.

Doct. I.

God many times works wonders for the deliverance of his suffering Saints in or­der to the propagating of the Gospel. Paul and Silas were imprisoned because they did preach, God by an Earthquake sets open the Prison doors that they may go forth and preach. They by preaching did make the Devil's King­dom shake; they for preaching were fast bound in Prison; the Earth where they did lie so bound, falls a quaking under them, as being weary of the bur­den [Page 16] of imprisoned Preachers; and doth not rest, and could not stand still under them, till they were enlarged and set at liberty.

God can do wonders for the delive­rance of his suffering Servants, of this his Almighty Power is a proof. God can deliver his Sufferers after such a manner, as none other can, their Ene­mies being Eye-witnesses and Confessors of it. Dan. 3. 28. Then Nebuchadnez­zar spake and said, Blessed be the God ofShadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who hath sent his Angel and delivered his Ser­vants that trusted in him, and have changed the King's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve, nor worship any God, except their own God. Verse 29. Therefore I make a de­cree, that every People, Nation and Lan­guage, which speaks any thing amiss a­gainst the God of Shadrach, Meshach andAbednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their Houses shall be made a dunghil, because there is no other God that can deliver af­ter this sort. Darius put the question to [Page 17] Daniel in the Den; Dan. 6. 20. When he came to the Den, he cried with a la­mentable voice unto Daniel, and the King spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, ser­vant of the living God, is thy God whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the Lions? Verse 22. My God hath sent his Angel, and hath shut the Lions mouths, that they have not hurt me. Then follows Darius his Decree, Verse 26. I make a Decree, that in every Dominion of my Kingdom, men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: his reason why; for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his Dominion shall be even to the end.Verse 27. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in Hea­ven and in Earth, who hath deliveredDaniel from the power of the Lions. Be­hold! God can, for he hath wonderful­ly delivered his Servants. Three in a fiery Furnance, that the fire did not con­sume, nor singe them. One, in the Li­ons Den, that they did not devour nor [Page 18] hurt him. Paul and Silas out of Pri­son, that they should be no longer con­fined there. He can make the fire not burn combustible matter. He can with­hold Lions from what they might else have made their prey. And he can cause the foundations of a Prison by an Earthquake to be so shaken, that the doors might open, and his Servants may come forth. He can, he hath, and when he pleaseth, he still will, he hath deli­vered, he doth deliver, and we may trust to him according to the Promises that he hath made, that he will still de­liver us, 2 Cor. 1 10.

Doct. II. God needs not length of time to do the most great and wonderful works. Suddenly there was an Earthquake. God can make it move in an instant. When its said God in six days made this World, it's not to be understood that he did need so many days to make it in. It was his pleasure to take that time to finish, beautifie and compleat it. When God did create the Earth, and brought it out of nothing, it was suddenly done [Page 19] He did but speak, Let it be, and it sud­denly started out of Nothing into Being. Creation is an instantaneous action: he that did so suddenly and so easily make it, can as suddenly and as easily make it quake and tremble. How suddenly did God make the Earth to quake where London stood, and after his shaking of it, through his great mercy yet doth stand!

When men thought of no such thing, not the Student in his Study, nor the Trader in his Shop, nor the Workman at his Work, nor the Drunkard at his Cups, when none of these had any ap­prehension of it. Suddenly, The Stu­dent thought his Desk, on which he was writing, to be removing from him, and when he drew it towards him, it went back again, several times: the Trader suddenly seeth a motion in his Wares, and the Workman the moving of his Tools without hands, and the Drunkard thought indeed the Earth did stagger more than he: many suddenly felt their Chairs to move under them, and could [Page 18] [...] [Page 19] [...] [Page 20] not presently discern the reason, but thought some living Creature had been under their Seats, and did disturb them. Suddenly, many, most that I have spo­ken with, discerned a dizziness in their Heads, and in the instant thought▪ the motion was there, not imagining any thing of the shaking of the Earth: Sud­denly they feared the falling of their Houses; but at first, particular persons thought there was some defect and fault in their own particular dwellings, till they did perceive the motion was ge­neral, and heard other say of their Hou­ses as they found in their own: and all this was suddenly done. In a minute, in a moment. God can cause an unexpect­ected Earthquake. Men must have time to do the smallest, but God needs none to do the greatest work.

Doct. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come, and quickly go, and nothing is destroy­ed thereby, yet it is and might be truly called a great Earthquake. It is expresly said in the Text this Earthquake suddenly came, we do not read it lasted long, nor [Page 21] that the Prison-house, or Persons in it, were destroyed or hurt thereby, yet we read it was a great Earthquake. When many Houses are swallowed up, and many Men, Women and Children (as this present year in Jamaica) are de­stroyed, and go down alive into the Bowels of the Earth by opening of its mouth to eat them up as one morsel, then Men will call it a great Earthquake.

But such a one as was so lately in London, &c. when not one House was destroyed, nor one Person consumed, seems to be so small (especially now it is over and all safe) as is not worth their observation, for People now are as little concerned already, as if it had not been, or they had quite forgotten that it was. But let such slighters of this la [...]e work of God, and regardless of this Judgment, and calling of it a little thing, tell me▪

1. Was not this a great Earthquake that made so many Houses as be in such a great City as this to move, and shake, and tremble, tho' they stood? Is it not a great thing to make one of London [Page 22] streets, and the Houses therein so to quake? much more two or ten, much more all and every one?

2. Was it not a great Earthquake that did reach so far, and extended it self so many miles at the same instant of the same day to so many places in England, as we have heard?

3. Yet more, was it not a great Earthquake when it did enlarge it self, and reached at the same time to so many Cities and Towns beyond the Sea? Did God stretch out his Arm so far, and do you look upon it as a little thing, not worthy your observation, remembring, or spiritual improvement of it?

4. If it were so small in your eyes. what made so many to be in so great a consternation? why did so many run out of their Houses, and such as were sitting at their Tables hasten from their Din­ners with their Napkins in their hands, to get into the Streets? why did so ma­ny run from their Shops? what was the reason of the sudden, common cry, by so many, one by one, My House is [Page 23] falling, and my House is falling, and my Children above will be distroyed, and yet I dare not go up to fetch them down.

5. How little do you know, if this late Earthquake had been a little more, and had lasted a little longer, a few mi­nutes more, how near you and your Hou­ses would have been to a subversion and total overthrow? or how near the trem­bling Earth might have been to open­ing, and swallowed up both you and your Habitations? For all that you know by this Earthquake you were up­on the brink of ruine, a little more might have brought you down; and yet will you slight this work of God, as if it were a small, a very little thing?

6. As small a thing as you look up­on it to be, could any man, or men, could all the mighty men upon the Earth have caused such a shaking and trembling of the Earth, and all upon it. Could all the mighty Captains, Lord Generals, Kings and Emperours, with all their Ar­mies, have had such an Influence upon the Earth? if they can batter down [Page 24] strong Walls, and Cities, and Castles with their Instruments of War, yet can any of them, or all of them, cause such a shaking of the Earth as that so lately was? do you ascribe great things to Men, and call them so, that are far in­feriour to this, and yet let this pass by with so little observation, as if it were a work so small?

7. If men could shake the Earth and your Houses as God did, could they so securely have preserved them from fal­ling, and you from hurt, as God did? Was the shaking of your Houses, so much, and the preserving of them so shaken, so great a mercy, in it self, and yet so little in your eyes? and last no longer with a due impression in your memo­ries?

8. While you look upon this Earth­quake to be so small a thing, can you look upon your preservation to be so great a mercy as indeed it is? whilst you les­sen the work of God, the more you les­sen the mercy of God? did God shake you and your Houses, and not overturn [Page 25] you and them, and was not this great mercy? Oh! take heed you do not di­minish this work of God's power in your own apprehensions, and consequently your danger then, and God's mercy now in your safety. Lord! Let London so tremble at thy Judgment with which thou hast so lately visited it, and ac­count it great, that their Repentance, Reformation may be great. And tho' it suddenly came, and quickly ceased, and did no hurt, let not London account that work a small work, but thy mercy great mercy, vouchsafed in so great a Judgment, least in thy wrath yet great­er, thou cause the foundations of it to shake and tremble more, and do that execution that should make all confess and say (that deny this) that suddenly there was a great Earthquake.

Doct. IV. Tho' some Earthquakes have their natural causes, yet some do arise from the immediate hand and power of God without such causes. Paul and Silas were imprisoned; in Prison they pray­ed, and sang Praises, in testimony that [Page 26] God heard their Prayers, he immediate­ly causeth this Earthquake under the Prison. Judicious Expositors assert this Earthquake to be miraculous.

In treating on this I shall take this course:

I. Distinguish between Earthquakes figurative and metaphorical, and such as are proper and real: because both are spoken of in Scripture, this will be re­quisite to remove the ambiguity of the word, that one might not be taken for the other.

II. Distinguish real Earthquakes into natural and supernatural. In respect of the Earth it self, whose nature is to rest and stand still, such shakings and moti­ons may be termed contra-natural, but in respect of the second Causes in Na­ture, which sometimes produce such tremblings and quakings in the Earth are called natural, in contradistinction from those which are caused by God's imme­diate hand, without such causes, and are therefore supernatural.

[Page 27] III. I shall give a short account what natural Philosophers assert to be the Causes of such Earthquakes.

IV. Point at the several sorts or kinds of such Earthquakes, and give the names which Philosophers, and Divines from them, do call them by.

V. Enumerate several antecedent Signs of Natural Earthquakes, as by observation Men have taken notice of to go before such ensuing Earthquakes, and so leave it to others to judge what to think of this late Earthquake in Lon­don, in other parts of England, and in forreign parts beyond the Sea, and all at the same time, whether they will call it a Natural, or Supernatural Earth­quake.

VI. Set down some Effects and Con­sequents of Earthquakes, whether pro­duced by such Natural Causes, or by the Immediate Hand and Power of God.

VII. Lay down some Conclusions by way of futher Explication of this migh­ty work of the great God, in causing the Earth thus to shake; or shew its Ad­juncts.

[Page 28] VIII. Shew what use we should make of such tremendous works of God▪ whereby many might have been buried under ground; when this amazing work of God is already by many buried in Oblivion, and by few improved accord­ing to the greatness of the danger Men were in, or the greatness of the mercy in escaping that danger.

Quest. I. What are metaphorical Earthquakes?

Earthquakes and movings of the Earth, are often taken metaphorically for great Commotions, alterations made in States, Kingdoms and Church, and for sore and heavy Punishments inflicted by God upon wicked and disobedient People. Isaiah 29. 6. Thou shalt be visi­ted of the Lord of Hosts with Thunder, and with Earthquake, and with great Noise, with Storm and Tempest, and the Flame of devouring Fire. A figurative description of God's Anger against Je­rusalem; as much as to say, Heaven and Earth shall concur to their ruine; yet some Expositors say, this Earthquake [Page 29] may be understood according to the let­ter. Isaiah 24. 18. The foundations of the earth do shake. Verse 19. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceeding­ly. Verse 20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be re­moved like a cottage, and the transgressi­on thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again. By the Earth here so often mentioned, under­stand the Inhabitants of the Earth, and properly those Countreys wherein the Jews and their Consederates lived in those times: by the shaking, moving, re­moving, breaking down, and dissolving the Earth, understand the Punishments that should befal that People from an an­gry and provoked God. So another expounds it, he doth not mean the na­tural Earth, on which Men tread, but the People that tread upon the Earth; or that Commonwealth wherein People are united and governed; these shall be shaken, broken down, and reel to and fro, and be removed like a Cottage; as [Page 30] if he had said, You thought your State and Kingdom was setled like a strong Castle, but I will take it down, as a Man takes down a little Cottage: the strong­est Kingdoms and Bulwarks of the Earth are but as thatcht Cottages, when God takes them in hand. Rev. 11. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Hea­ven, and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament, and there were Lightnings, and Voices, and Thundrings, and an Earthquake, and great Hail Some say, by the opening of the Temple in Hea­ven, is most conveniently understood the glorification of the Church it self in Heaven, and by the Ark of his Cove­nant, the glorious beholding of Christ our Mediator in it, whereof the Ark was a Type; and by Thundrings, Light­nings, and Earthquake, the tokens of his wrath against Unbelievers. Some say, the Vision of the opened Temple in Hea­ven, signifieth the freedom given to the Gospel against Persecutors and Corrup­ters, and the pure preaching and profes­sion of it, and God's owning his Cove­nant [Page 31] and Church by his eminent bles­sing, and the Lightnings and Earthquake signifie the great Manifestation of Christ's Power for his Church, in the commotions and changes in the World, and his judgments on their Enemies. Rev. 16. 18. And there were voices, and thundrings, and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. Some under­stand this litterally, and that it is past, others that it is yet to come before An­tichrist's fall, and say others, before the Day of Judgment; some say, hereby were represented the great Commotions which went to those great changes and subversion of the Heathen Powers. By these and such like Texts of Scripture it appears there are metaphorical Earth­quakes to be distinguished from litte­ral.

Quest. II. Which are Earthquakes su­pernatural?

Real and proper Earthquakes are ei­ther such as are caused by God's immediate [Page 32] Hand and Power, or such as have their Causes in Nature; tho' these also are ap­pointed, and ordered and ruled by the powerful Providence of God, and do not come (as some call it) by chance. Tho' the finger of God be in those Natural Causes, yet such as have been without them must be wholly and only from God. And I shall gather these out of the Scripture, that we might learn to fear and tremble before this great God that needs no winds and va­pours, nor any kind of Creature to make the Earth to shake and trem­ble. And they are these:

1. The shaking of the earth at God's giving of the Law to Moses, and the Children of Israel. Exod. 19. 18. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole Mount quaked greatly. That this quaking of the Mount was litteral and not figura­tive, Rivet argues, because it is joyned with the smoke, and Thunders and [Page 33] Lightnings properly to be understood, and saith, That the causes of the mo­ving of the Earth, and of the Moun­tain as it were leaping at the presence of God, are not to be searched for in Nature, nor should we dispute concern­ing Physical Reasons of this Commoti­on, for when all things done here are miraculous, the glory of God is obscu­red, if where he acts immediately and in an extraordinary manner, and that altogether Divine, we enquire after se­cond Causes, which in such events are none. Psal. 68. 7. O God! when thou wentest forth before thy people; when thou didst march through the wilderness Selah. Verse 8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

2. Such a Supernatural Commotion of the Earth is also recorded Psal. 114. per tot. When Israel went out of Egypt, &c. The Sea saw it and fled; Jordan was driven back. The Mountains skip­ped like Rams, and the little Hills like [Page 34] Lambs. The Sea was divided. Jordan driven back, the Mountains and Hills moved. All litterally understood. This asserted. Then the Question is pro­pounded, What ailed thee, O thou Sea, that thou fleddest; what ailed thee, O Jordan, that thou wast driven back? What ailed them? did not God by his mighty power, without natural causes that could not have such influx upon the Sea and Jordan to divide them, pro­duce those Miracles in the Sea and Jor­dan? When again it is asked, what ail­ed ye, ye Mountains that ye skipped like Rams, and what ailed ye, ye little hills, that ye skipped like Lambs; must not the same answer be returned, as to the former. The same immediate power of God that caused the division of the Waters, caused also the motion of the Hills and Mountains.

3. A most tremendous miraculous mo­ving of the Earth, caused by the Lord himself, is largely described, Numb. 16. 23. to 35. Verse 30. If the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth [Page 35] and swallow them up, with all that ap­pertain to them, and they go down quick into the pit, then shall ye understand that these men have provoked the Lord. Verse 31. And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them. Verse 32. And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that ap­pertained unto Korah, and all their goods. Verse 33. They, and all that appertain­ed to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the Congregation. Iosephus relating Moses his prayer at large, records, that whilst he spake those words, and intermixed them with tears, the Earth instantly trembled, and sha­king began to move (after such a man­ner, as when by the violence of the wind a great billow of the Sea floateth and waltereth) hereat were all the Peo­ple amazed: but after that, a horrible and shattering noise was made about their Tents, the Earth opened, and swal­lowed [Page 36] up both them, and all that which they esteemed dear, which was after a manner so exterminate, as nothing re­mained of theirs to be beheld: where­upon in a moment the Earth closed a­gain, and the vast gaping was fast shut, so as there appeared not any sign of that which had happened. Thus perished they all, leaving behind them an exam­ple of Gods Power and Judgments And this Accident was the more mise­rable, in that there were none, no not of their Kinsfolks or Allies, that had compassion of them; so that all the People whatsoever, forgetting those things that were past, did allow God's Justice with joyful Acclamations, e­steeming them unworthy to be bemoan­ed, but to be held as the Plague and the Perverters of the People.—After this he relates how Two hundred and fifty were consumed by fire, when suddenly so great a fire shone, as neither the like was kindled by man's hand, nor usually breaketh from the bowels of the burning Earth, neither was ever quickne [...] [Page 37] in the Woods, split and born down in the Summer time by a Southern brize, but such a one as seemed to be kindled in Heaven, most brightsome and flame­ing, by the force and power whereof those Two hundred and fifty (toge­ther with Core) were so consumed, that there scarce appeared any relicks of their Carkasses. Only Aaron remained untouched, to the end it might appear that this fire came from Heaven. Sure­ly this might serve for strong convicti­on, that as God sent down fire by his own immediate power, that was not of any Creatures kindling, to the consume­ing of one Company; so he did as im­mediately shake and open the Earth without second Physical Causes for the swallowing up of the other. Let A­theists either contradict this History and Matter of Fact, or believe the ex­istence of a Deity. And all Men fear and tremble to provoke such a just and ter­rible God.

4. That there are Earthquakes some­times caused by the immediate hand of [Page 38] God, without those Natural Causes as­serted by Philosophers, will be clearly evidenced by the miraculous Victory o­ver the Host of the Philistines obtained by two Men, Jonathan and his Armour Bearer, related 1 Sam. 14. where to de­monstrate the immediate workings of God might be considered,

1. The great number of the Host of the Philistines.

2. The situation of their Camp or Garrison. Josephus describing it, saith, That the Philistines had pitched their Tents on an high pointed Rock, which extended it self in length with three Angles, and was each way begirt with a Bank, as it were a Wall, and Fortifi­cation against the Incursion of their E­nemies. The place was fortified by Nature, so that no Man might ascend or assail them, but with disadvantage. And Sacred Scripture records that Jo­nathan climbed up upon his hands and his feet, and his Armour Bearer after him.

[Page 39] 3. That there were but these two Men that invaded their Camp, who at first slew about Twenty of them with­in (as it were) about half an Acre of Land, which filled their whole Army with terrour and amazedness, who (as Josephus writes) casting away their Weapons, fled amain: some other being ignorant, which were either their Friends or Foes, invaded one another as Enemies: for imagining with themselves that on­ly two Hebrews durst never ascend and enter their Camp, they addressed them­selves to their mutual Murder and Slaughter; so that some of them were slain, others fled to escape the Sword, and fell head-long down the Rocks.

4. In this exploit of Jonathan, God did miraculously work, in causing the tremblings that fell out that day, ex­pressed 1 Sam. 14. 15. And there was trembling in the Host, in the Field, and among all the People: the Garrison and the Spoilers they also trembled, and the Earth quaked, so it was a very great trembling. Who made all the Phili­stines [Page 40] Host to tremble, the Garrison and the Spoilers to tremble, only Jonathan and his Armour Bearer? was it not God? and was it not the same power of God, that then made the Earth to quake, that made the other tremble? To put all out of doubt, the last words declare the true cause of all; [...] and it was a trembling of God. The reason why the Translators rendred it a very great trembling, is, because the word [God] is added oftentimes to set forth the greatness of things; as great Mountains, great Ceders, great Fire, in Hebrew are said to be Mountains of God, Cedars of God, a Fire of God. But this is but the secundary and consequent signification of it; the Name of God added to any thing primarily and pro­perly denotes that God is the efficient Cause of that to which it is added. It was a trembling of God, that is a trem­bling sent and caused by God; the trem­bling of the Philistines, and the trem­bling of the Earth, was from God: So the Heathens were wont to attribute [Page 41] that fear and trembling, of which no Cause did appear, nor could be alledg­ed, to some of their Gods, as to Pan, whence came the expression of a Panick fear. This trembling then of the Phi­listines, and this trembling and quaking of the Earth, was from the immediate hand and mighty power of God.

5. From the immediate hand of God was that terrible Earthquake that was in the days of Vzziah: Amos 1. 1. The words of Amoz— which he saw concern­ing Israel, in the days of Uzziah King of Judah— two years before the Earth­quake: This is mentioned Zach. 14— The Earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Judah. Concerning this ama­zing Providence, I will take in these Par­ticulars.

1. That Uzziah greatly provoked God by going into the Temple to burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense.

2. Azariah the Priest, and Fourscore Priests of the Lord (valiant men) went in after him, and withstood him, say­ing, It appertains not unto thee, Uzziah, [Page 42] to burn Incense to the Lord, but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron, that are con­secrated to burn Incense.

3. Uzziah's wrath against the Priests was greatly incensed.

4. While he shewed his anger against the Priests, the Lord by his own imme­diate hand smote him with a Leprosie, which appeared in his Forehead.

5. Upon this all the Priests thrust him out from thence; yea, he himself hasted also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him, 2 Chron. 26. 16. to 22.

6. At the same time, and for the same sin was this Earthquake in the days of Uzziah. And why may not the Earth­quakebe attributed to the immediate hand of God, as well as his being smit­ten with Leprosie. That this was at the same time, and for the same sin, and so from the same hand of God, Iosephus in his History doth make plain: who wri­teth thus; Uzziah upon a certain solemn Feast-day, wherein all the People were assembled together, he attired himself in [Page 43] the High Priests Vestments, and entred into the Temple to offer Sacrifice unto God upon the golden Altar, which not­withstanding the High Priest Azariah (accompanied with fourscore Priests) in­hibited him the same, telling him that it was not lawful for him to Sacrifice, in that it was only allowed in those that were of the Posterity of the High PriestAaron. Whilst after this manner Aza­riah expostulated with him, commanding him to go out of the Temple, and not to contradict the Ordinances of God; the King waxed wroth, and threatned to take his Life from him, except he kept himself quiet. Whereupon there fell a great trembling and Earthquake, and the Tem­ple cleft in twain, and a great Light of the Sun entred thereunto, and reflected on the King's face in such manner, that all his Body was instantly covered with a Leprosie, and before the City (in a place called Eroge ) the half of a Moun­tain (that stood to the Eastward) brake and fell, and rowled and removed for the space of four Stadia (or Furlongs) [Page 44] towards the Oriental Mountain, where it rested: so that the publick ways were shut up, and choked, and the King's Gar­dens of Pleasure were wholly ruinated and disfigured. When the Priests beheld the King's face covered with a Leprosie, they told him what inconvenience had hap­pened to him, and enjoyned him to de­part out of the Town, according to the custom of Men that were polluted. Where­upon, he (wholly confused at so grievous an accident, and having no more audaci­ty to speak) obeyed the Commandment that was given him, enduring a pitiful and lamentable punishment, for being e­late and proud, more than became huma­nity; and for that he committed such im­piety against God. Finally, he died through grief and discontent—and was only buried in his Garden. This Earth­quake came, and this Leprosie was in­flicted on him for that sin; the Lepro­sie is expresly said in Scripture to be from the Lord; why not also then the Earthquake?

[Page 45] By the way, let this be observed by many, that in our days, without the way appointed by God in his Word, in the pride of their hearts and self-con­ceit, thrust themselves into Sacred Fun­ctions, which is not lawful but for those that are competently qualified and duly called thereunto, lest for such doings by so many, God make the Earth to quake under us, as he did for one Uz­ziah's intrusion in former time.

6. Amongst the many Miracles at the Death of Christ, an Earthquake must be acknowledged to be one: all of which were Testimonies, not only of his Inno­cency, but also Demonstrations of his Deity. The whole Creation groaned and travailed in pain, when the God of Nature, (he that was God as well as Man) tho' not as God, died a shame­ful, cursed, and painful Death; Mira­cles wrought in Heaven above, in Earth beneath; all Creatures sympathizing with a suffering Christ, except Man, for whom alone he suffered. The Sun was darkened, the Vail of the Temple [Page 46] was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom, and the Earth did quake, and the Rocks rent, and the Graves were opened, and many Bodies of the Saints which slept, arose, and appeared unto many, Matth. 27. 45, 51, 52, 53. Wri­ters do affirm, that by this Earthquake not only Golgotha, but the whole City, and the Regions near were terribly sha­ken; and some, that in Bithynia, and in Thracia, certain Towns were over­thrown; but how far this Earthquake was extended is uncertain.

7. Amongst these also must be rank­ed the Earthquake at the Resurrection of Christ; Matth. 28. 2. And behold there was a great Earthquake.

8. Of the same Nature was that, when the Apostles were praying, the place where they were, was shaken, God giving them, by this Miracle a Testi­mony that their prayers were heard: Acts 4. 31. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were as­sembled together. The Greek word properly signifies to be moved up and [Page 47] down, like the Waves of the Sea, and is the same with that in the present Text, where it is said, by the Earthquake the foundations of the Prison were shaken, which also I reckon to be of the num­ber of those that are caused miraculous­ly and immediately by God, without those Causes that others are produced by.

What may be inferred and learn'd from this?

1. May we not learn the certain Ex­istence of the Deity? Doth it not follow there is, and must be a God? if we may argue from an Effect to a Cause, when there is an Effect that cannot be ascri­bed to any Creature, must there not be a Being that is, and is no Creature? when things are done, that are not done by finite power, must there not be an infinite power by which they are done, when there is no medium betwixt that which is finite and that which is infi­nite? when any thing is effected, of which no natural Cause can be named, must there not be a supernatural? Aa­ron [Page 48] at God's command stretched out his hand with his Rod, and smote the Dust of the Earth, and it became Lice in Man and in Beast; all the Dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt; and when the Magici­ans did so with their Inchantments to bring forth Lice, and could not, did not these Magicians themselves say unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God? Exod. 8. 17, 18, 19. When there have been such shakings of the Earth that no Man can say, and prove what he saith, that they were done by second Causes, may not, should not every Man say, in these was the finger of God? If you cannot gather there is a God by what he doth by Creatures, cannot you conclude there is a God, when things are done, and not by Creatures?

2. May we not learn that this God never wants means to effect whatsoever he pleaseth? What he doth not do by second Causes, he can do without them. Jonathan (when one of these Earth­quakes happened) said, It is all one with [Page 49] God to save by few or by many, 1. Sam. 14. 6. So it is all one with God to save by few or none; and to do what he will with means, or without them. When he doth not shake the Earth by Causes got into its Bowels, he can and hath shaken it without. And indeed, if he brought it out of nothing without a­ny instrumental Cause (for in Creation there can be none) why may he not, when it is created, shake it till it trem­ble without any instrumental Cause? cannot he that doth the greater, do the less?

3. Hath God made the Earth to tremble without any Natural Causes, have not ungodly Men cause to tremble even then, when there is no visible sign, no reason from any Natural Causes to fear punishment and ruine? Is not their own sin as meritorious of God's Wrath and sore Displeasure, with the thoughts of God's infinite hatred of it, and his Al­mighty Power to punish it, a sufficient reason why they should fear, and quake and tremble? what tho' they live in [Page 50] such places and parts of the World that are not so subject to Earthquakes as some other places are? Will they say

First, We live upon that part of the Earth that is only stony and hard, and not soft and tender, and therefore no fear the Earth should quake and trem­ble under us?

Secondly, Will they say we dwell upon that part of the Earth that hath not those Caverns, in which those Va­pours that cause Earthquakes are gene­rated, therefore we are in no danger? In the Body of Man winds and vapours are sooner and more stirred in the bow­els and hollow parts thereof, than in the hands, and bones, and more close and solid Members: In subterraneous Ca­verns, rather then in close and rocky places, is the matter of an Earthquake; but such is not that part of the World where we inhabit.

Thirdly, Will they say we live in In­land Towns, and not near the Sea, which are most obnoxious to such Earthquakes, [Page 51] because such places are more easily filled with Vapours, therefore we need not fear?

Fourthly, Will they say, Let them live in fear of Earthquakes where the Earth they live upon is both soft and full of Caverns, and near the Sea, as most liable thereunto. Let them quake, when the Earth doth not, because it is so sub­ject in such places to such trembling fits; but our Habitation is on hard and rocky solid places, without such Con­cavities, and in the midst of the Land remote from Sea, and therefore secure enough. Did you speak true before you were aware, when you said, you were secure? Yes; and let me add, your heart seems to be more stony, and rocky, and hard than the place you boast you live upon; as if God's Arm were so short, he could not reach you; as if your Mountain stood so strong, it could not be moved nor shaken. Do not you know, have you not heard, that God hath shaken the Earth by his own im­mediate hand, without those Natural [Page 52] Causes, and Rocks and Mountains too. Fear to sin, cease to provoke the Eyes of his Glory, for he can reach you with his own hand, and shake your strongest Tower by his own might, without other Causes.

Quest. III. What are the Natural Causes, material and efficient, of an Earth­quake and how may it be descri­bed?

I. Concerning the Material Cause there are divers Opinions amongst Phi­losophers. Seneca in his sixth Book of Natural Questions reckons up many: Some say the Cause is from Water, some from Fire, some from the Earth it self, and some from Spirits [not Immaterial] some, in more of these, and some in all of them. Some of these Seneca doth confute, and establisheth: his own Opinion concerning Spirits. That you may not mistake the word [Spirit] in this place, which is taken otherwise than in Divinity, as the Souls of Men and Angels are called Spirits; let those that are not acquainted with the Philo­sophical [Page 53] Physical acceptation of it; take this Explication of it, according to Re­gius. Exhalations [or risings up] are either from water, and then they are called Vapours; or from the earth, ei­ther which hath a fat or oiley moisture, and then are called fumes, or sharp, tart, moisture and volatile Salts, and these they call Spirits. And then saith, That from these Vapours, fat or oily Fumes, and Spirits, which being shut up in the deep and large Caverns of the Earth, in great abundance, and by some cause or other, once, or oftner kindled, in one or more places, ariseth an Earthquake, once, or often at several times, which according to the variety of its cause, maketh the Earth to tremble, or to o­pen, whereby sometimes whole Cities and Countreys are either overturned or swallowed up.

Rohault in the third part of his Phy­sicks, gives this account: If an hollow Place or Vault under ground should be filled with Exhalation very gross, not much unlike to that which ariseth from a [Page 54] Candle newly put out, and at once take fire, by the spreading and dila­ting of it self, it would raise and lift up the Earth above it, much like to Gun­powder put into digged places, that lifts up the Earth above it, but afterwards, when the Exhalation is scattered, that which was lifted up, by reason of its own weight, must necessarily fall down: and hence are these tremblings of the Earth: yea, it might so happen, that many shakings may follow one forego­ing, if there be more hollow places that are near each other, or any man­ner of way are so joyned as to make the one partake of what the other hath, and the Exhalations filling them, may successively take fire. Yea, there may be an hollow place under ground so large, and the fall of the Region above it (being like an Arch or a Vault) so great, that it might cleave asunder in the midst, and gape, whereby the ad­jacent parts are depressed, and made much lower than they were before, whence it appears how whole Cities [Page 55] by one only Earthquake might be swal­lowed up.

Aristole Lib. 2. Meteor. proves that Exhalations are the cause of the Earth­quake.

1. From a similitude taken from Mens Bodies, in which there are sometimes such Convulsions, Shakings and Trem­blings, that many Men can scarce hold such a one, the cause whereof are Spi­rits hot and dry. In like manner, when the vast Body of the Earth is moved, it is to be referred to Exhalations, which are hot and dry.

2. Before an Earthquake there is something discerned, as an ascending Fume, resembling a long Line, which Fume is the thinner Exhalation, which begins to get forth: but the rest of the Exhalations, by reason of their greater density and straightness of the Passages, are restrained within the bowels of the Earth, from whence an Earthquake doth arise.

3. He saith in his time there were some Earthquakes in Pontus, before [Page 56] which the Earth did swell, and at last did burst, or was broke asunder; which was a certain sign of Exhalations shut up and seeking their way out.

Derodon judgeth it more probable that Earthquakes do arise from a sud­den inflammation of sulphureous [Brim­stone-like] and bituminous [something like Pitch, or fat Slime] Vapours which are kindled in the Caverns and hollow Places under ground, not much distant from the Surface of the Earth, which according as the Caverns are, and as the matter of the Flame is more or less, do variously operate; for the most part they effect nothing, if the Earth be more loose, and hath breathing holes a [...] which they may get out: sometimes they move it more gently, and make it tremble, if the bulk above it be greater, that this subterraneous Flame can assay, attempt and do no more against it sometimes they shake and overturn, by reason of their greatness, and resistance of the parts of the Earth.

[Page 57] Zanchy, although he embraceth A­ristotle's Opinion, yet saith it cannot be denied, but that many Earthquakes have been caused by Fire shut up in the Ca­verns of the Earth, seeking a passage out, and he instanceth, there was in the Moun­tain Vesuvius; and another Mountain, from which in his time fire brake out, be­fore which, many days there were great and many fore-going Earthquakes. He denyeth not, but that also they may arise from Air shut up in the Earth, seeking a passage out, but cannot find it.

II. The Natural Efficient cause is the vehement striving of such Vapours in the Caverns of the Earth, that they may get forth, whereby they are car­ried upwards and downwards, one while this way, another, that.

Besides, what is said before, an Earth­quake is commonly thus described: An Earthquake is a Meteor arising from a­bundant Exhalations shut up in the bowels of the Earth, which while they seek a passage out that they may ascend, [Page 58] but cannot find it, cause the Earth to shake.

Quest. IV. What are the several sorts or kinds of Earthquakes?

There is difference amongst Philo­sophers in this point, some making two sorts or kinds of Earthquakes, as Pos­sidonius and Aristotle; some three, as Seneca and Zanchy. Some seven, which last they thus distinguish and nomi­nate.

1. An Earthquake of one sort is [...], or an Inclining Earthquake, when the Earth is caused to incline one way, like a Ship upon the Sea, or a Boat on the River, when laden more on one side than the other, leans that way only, where the greater weight and burden is laid. In this kind of Earth­quake a Room seems to be lifted up on one side, and sink down or depressed on the other.

2. [...], An Earthquake lifting the Earth upright, and by and by letting it down again, after the manner of boyling Water, or waxing hot.

[Page 59] 3. [...], Earthquakes causing Chasmes, Chinks, Openings of the Earth, making Breaches in it, and tearing one part from another.

4. [...], Earthquakes, which by force break their way, and the Vapours and Winds do get out of the bowels of the Earth, which sometimes take with them Rocks, or Mud, or open a flow­ing Fountain, where there was none before.

5. [...], Earthquakes, which by one motion, inforcing, or thrusting, over­throw, overturn whatsoever they come upon, or rush against.

6. [...], Earthquakes which make the Earth, and things upon it to incline sometimes one way, and then another back again, without falling any way, like the rocking of a Cradle, by reciprocal motion or turning.

7. [...], Earthquakes that come with a great noise, roaring, and bellow­ing, much like to the lowing of Kine, and sometimes like the vehement and fierce crying of Women.

[Page 60] Others reduce these to three.

1. There is a trembling Earthquake, when the Earth quivers like a man in a fit of an Ague. This kind of Earth­quake is when the Vapour in the Earth is not much.

2. There is an Earthquake which moves the Earth upwards, and then a­gain downwards. This by Aristotle's followers is called Pulsus, like the beat­ing of a man's Pulse.

3. There is an Inclining Earthquake, when the Earth is so shaken, that the Houses may be discerned sometime to lean one way, and then to return back again, moving side-long to and fro. Zanchy relates, that this kind he saw at Ravenna; when the Walls of the Cham­ber in the upper part of the House were moved out of their place, and did so lean one way, that they seemed as if they would fall, but again they returned to their own place. Oh this is (saith he) the great and wonderful Providence of God. Seneca's Remark, that in the Trembling Earthquake there is not so [Page 61] much danger, as in the shaking or mo­ving it upwards and letting it down, nor so much danger in this as in the In­clining Earthquake, because except the motion be speedily made back again from the side to which it leans to the other, the fall and ruine will necessarily follow. And these Earthquakes of these different and divers motions, must pro­ceed from different and divers causes.

Quest. V. What are the usual Ante­cedent Signs os an approaching Earth­quake given by Natural Philosophers, which by Observation and Experience they commend unto us?

If these signs of Natural Earthquakes be sure and constant, let it be consi­dered, and let us reflect whether any such were taken notice of by any, be­fore the late Earthquake in London, and in other places; if not, either these Philosophers are under a mistake, or we must judge, that this late shaking of this City was from the more Imme­diate Hand of God; if there were, yet the presence and working of second and [Page 62] natural causes, ought not to take us off from the minding and observing of the first, for as much as all the second are at the Command, Ordering, and Dis­posal of the first, and are all under the Government of the Providence of God, and the Voice and Call of the first and second Causes is, that we should Repent and turn from those sins that have pro­voked him to such sore Displeasure, to so great Wrath and Anger, as to make the Earth to shake and tremble under us.

1. One fore-going sign of an Earth­quake, they teach, is, a certain troubling of Waters in the deepest Wells, and in Fountains, having then a Tincture of a Sulphureous taste, and an infected and stinking savour: Because from the sub­terraneous commotions the Waters in the Wells must needs be troubled. Therefore it is reported of Pherecides the Philosopher, that by Water drawn out of a Well, he fore-discerned and foretold the Lacedaemonians the Ruin of the City by an Earthquake.

[Page 63] 2. When the Sea doth suddenly swell, not being caused so to do by Winds and Waves, when the Air is still and calm, and no blasts of Winds, yet on a sud­den the Sea swells, and the Ships there­on do shake: The reason is, because then the Earth in the bottom of the Sea is moved.

3. When Birds sit trembling on the ground, forsaking Trees, because they perceive a certain trembling, shaking the Trees and the Roots thereof.

4. When there are great and terrible sounds in the Earth, and roarings and noises in the Caverns of the Earth.

5. Dimness of the Sun for some days going before the Earthquake.

6. Long and thin strakes of Clouds, sometimes sooner in the day, but chiefly after the setting of the Sun, the Wea­ther in other respects being clear.

But of all that I have discoursed with, about the late Earthquake, I have not met with one, nor heard of any one that hath, that spake any thing of any of these Signs, before it happened, nor [Page 64] that by recollecting of themselves, do say since that they remember any such fore going sign, that gave to them the least intimation of it; and the general surprize of all by it, generally acknow­ledging that the moment before they had not a thought of such a shaking to be so very near. I leave to all to judge, and to their own thoughts, whether this Earthquake did arise from Causes in Nature, or from the Immediate Power and Working of God, the Lord of Na­ture. And if we see the Immediate Mighty Finger of God in it, to study and pray to know his Mind and Will by it, or be moved by the moved Earth to conform move unto his Will revealed in his Word.

Quest. VI. What are the Effects and Consequents of Earthquakes, which make them exceeding dreadful where they come?

Reason may dictate to us what ter­rible Effects, what dismal Work Earth­quakes, when they have a full Commis­sion from God to execute his Wrath, [Page 65] do make. Our Ears have heard the Miseries of multitudes of Persons, the overthrow and ruine of Towns, and Ci­ties, and Countries: But those that have seen them would speak of them more sensibly, and set them forth more fully. It might make our flesh to trem­ble to hear of the woful devastations that the trembling, shaking, and open­ing of the Earth hath caused in many Ages, in many places; but such as did see, and feel, and suffer by them, have contended with the Earth, whether it or they should tremble most. Oh, the Cries and Shriekings! Oh, the doleful Lamentations! Oh, what bitter Com­plaints have been poured out, and wishes in vain have have been uttered in the time and places of devouring and deso­lating Earthquakes! When we shall hear some of these effects (tho' not written of according to the fulness of the Ter­ror wherewith they are done) let us sympathize with the poor miserable People (yet left) in Jamaica, and pray that their Judgment might not come [Page 66] over to London, nor Travel further to other places.

First, Earthquakes cause great Con­sternation in the minds of Men, and fil [...] their hearts with fear. When God makes the Earth to shake under them, he makes their hearts to tremble with­in them. When the Earth shakes and moves they cannot stand upon it with­out sear. One Earthquake causeth ma­ny thousand Heart-quakes. Did not many thousand People in London in its late Earthquake (tho' through God's great Mercy so short) feel great trem­blings within themselves when they felt the Earth to shake under them, and saw their Houses move this way and that way over them, and could not te [...] whether they would stand or fall; nay when so many thought and said, them Houses would not stand but fall? Were you not then under great Consternation when you thought those Houses yo [...] had slept in, you must not only s [...] quickly dye in, but be buried in them too: That the Houses you had buil [...] [Page 67] or rented to shelter you from Storms and Tempests, should bring that De­struction upon you, which many Storms and Tempests had not done? Have not you of late years heard terrible and roaring Thunderings, God thundering with a Voice which none can imitate? Have you not seen great Flashings of Fire and Lightnings, which made the Night like Day, that you said you could see to take up a small thing from off the ground, and were not you then glad you had an House over your head? But when this late Earthquake was, were not you afraid because you had an House over your head, when you thought it would fall upon your head and whole body? And when this Earth­quake was, did you not make as much hast to get out of it, as in Storms and Tempests you ever did to get into it? Is this already forgotten? What! so soon! It is hard to express the fears that many then were filled with, and it is sad to see how little God is feared since by many that then did fear so [Page 68] much. Besides your own late Experi­ence, Sacred Scripture, as well as Hi­storical Writers, do Record the fears of Men in times of Earthquakes. 1 Sam. 14. 15. There was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. Behold! a quaking Earth, and therefore a trem­bling People. Behold! Valiant Men of War, that are not afraid of Swords and Bullets, but with undaunted Courage assault their Enemies, and when many lie dead on both sides, fight on with boldness, that fear not so much the shaking of Spears and Pikes, as the shaking of the Earth; the Host tremb­led, the Garison trembled, and the Spoilers themselves did also tremble. Spoilers tremble! What! those that had spoiled so many upon the Earth, they tremble lest they should be spoiled by the quaking Earth. The Host, the People, the Garison, the Spoilers, and Earth did tremble, surely it was a very [Page 69] great trembling. Mat. 27. 54. When the Centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the Earthquake, they feared greatly. Captains, Men of great Spirits, at the quaking of the Earth are filled with great fear. Mat. 28. 2. Behold, there was a great Earthquake. 4. For fear of him (the Angel, whose Ministry God used to cause that Earth­quake) the Keepers did shake, and be­came as dead men: An Earthquake is so terrible, causing such frights and fears, that makes Men (as the saying is) look like Death. Acts 16. 26. And sud­denly there was a great Earthquake. 29. He (the Jaylor) called for a light, and sprung in, and came trembling. The Gaol trembled, and the Jaylour trem­bled. When the Keeper saw he could not keep the Prison-doors shut, but when he had shut, and lockt, and made them fast, the quaking of the Earth did open, he could not keep himself from trembling. An Earthquake will make even a Jaylour to tremble.

[Page 70] But why such fear and trembling in Men, when such-shaking and trem­bling in the Earth?

1. In some, it may arise from appre­hensions of the terrible Wrath of an angry God. There have been some Earthquakes that were Tokens of God's Grace and Favour; as the Earthquake shaking the Foundations of the Prison, in favour to Paul and Silas, testifying that God had heard their Prayers made in Prison, and that by it he would de­liver them, as he did. And that in Acts 4. 31. the Apostles prayed, and at their Prayers the place was shaken; the sha­king of the place made them stand the faster in their Faith in God, and trust­ing to him. But usually Earthquakes are indications of God's Wrath and sore Displeasure. When Men run on in sin against God, to shew his Indignation against it and them, he sometimes will not suffer the Earth to stand still and quiet under them. Psal. 18. 7. The Earth shook and trembled; the founda­tions also of the Hills moved and were [Page 71] shaken, because he was wroth. When Men apprehend that God is provoked, and they may apprehend it, when God in such a terrible manner doth shew it, knowing they are no more a Match for God, than a Worm is to an Angel, or a Child to a Giant; it may put them into such amazing Frights and Fears, saying, God is angry, what shall we do? The Omnipresent God is an­gry, whither shall we go? The Just and Holy God is angry, with what can we appease him? He doth shew his Anger, and we do see it, and how shall we escape? God is wroth, and the Earth trembles before him: God is wroth, and is come down in sore dis­pleasure, and the Earth quaketh at his Presence; our Heads are giddy, but not with Wine; we reel, but not with strong Drink. O stay your selves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry, they are drunken, but not with wine, they stag­ger, but not with strong drink, Isa. 29. 9.

[Page 72] 2. Consciousness of their own guilt: When the Earth did quake, it did not only wake the Jaylour out of his natu­ral sleep, but also out of his spiritual slumber; Conscience was alarm'd, as he was affrighted; his Eyes were opened to see a terrible God above him, Con­science was awakened to see his sins within him, and that had been commit­ted by him, an angry God above, an accusing Conscience within, and the quaking Earth under him, filled him with fear and trembling. When Men do prosper upon Earth, they can swill, and swear, and sin in all their ways, and Conscience holds its peace, is quiet and still, doth not reprove, accuse, judge or condemn them; but when Judgments come, an hardened Pharaoh will cry out, I have sinned; a wicked Saul will confess and say, I have sinned: and when an Earthquake comes, is not he an hardened, seared Wretch, whose Con­science (though bad yet) is quiet with­in him, when the Earth is not quiet un­der him? and whose Conscience is not [Page 73] moved and troubled for his sin, when the Earth is moved, as being restless under the burden of such sinners? but if Conscience then doth stir, when the Earth doth tremble, the sinner trembles (for the time) considering God's anger, remembring his sin, that did provoke him to it.

3. If neither apprehensions of God's wrath against them, nor sense of sin committed against him, doth fill them with fears at the quaking of the Earth, yet apprehensions of death at that time might make them tremble. Death is the King of Terrors, Job. 18. 14. Shall not that which is ( [...]) the most terrible, when it is approaching in so terrible a manner, make the stoutest heart to quake? If they have no thoughts of Hell and Damnation, yet Death by the trembling of the Earth presents it self unto their thoughts: and though they would not think of it, yet they must; though they would di­vert their minds from it, yet they can­not; they cannot send these thoughts [Page 74] away till another season: tho' many go to Hell without fear of Hell, and seldom think of it till they feel it, yet when Death seems to be coming to them by an Earthquake, it almost kills them with the terrour of it, being ready to die with fear of such a death.

There are these Circumstances in this Case that fill men with these ama­zing fears upon the account of Death.

1. The sudden surprizal. An Earth­quake comes suddenly in a minute; many times without notice and warn­ing, as this in London lately did; and it seems to bring Death with it, and often doth; now an Evil that suddenly comes, doth the more amaze, when in a minutes time, there is not space for Men to re­collect their thoughts, and fortifie them­selves with actings of Reason, or Grace (which alas! are not so ready) against advancing Death. In sickness Men have time to prepare and make ready for it, and to allay the fears thereof; but in a moment to be in danger of Death, the [Page 75] fears are more raging and predominant, and less help against them. Fear with­out a remedy must be great fear.

2. The suddenness of Death, and the apprehended nearness of it. The dan­ger did not only seize them on a sudden, but threatens to remove them sudden­ly. What! die so soon! what, within a minute or two? will Death stay no longer? can it not a minute more be delayed? what! so soon step into Eter­nity? so suddenly, must I hasten into a­nother everlasting World? I never did so suddenly remove from one House to another, and must I now so suddenly remove from one World into another? from a temporal into an eternal World? and yet not ready to leave this, nor to go into that? It is hard to imagine the power and strength of fear that must invade and fill them in such distress.

3. The unavoidableness of Death ap­prehended in an overthrowing Earth­quake augments their fears, or torments them with despair of Life. If a Man be sick, the means he useth keeps up [Page 76] his hope of Life, and the more he hopes he shall live, the less are his fears of Death. But in a desolating Earthquake, what hopes can Men have? whither can they in a minute go to escape the ruine? what present Friend can help them, when they and their Friends are in the same equal danger? when one must not die without the other? If they stay within doors they apprehend they may be killed with the fall of their Houses: if they run out, they know not but they may be destroyed with the downfal of their Neighbours. Will they hasten into the open Fields? what! in a minute? alas! they have not time allowed for such an escape, or if they had, there the Earth in an Earthquake might swallow them up. No where safe, every where in great fear.

4 Apprehensions of sudden, unavoi­dable Death, and this when they are in health and strong aggravates their case, and augments their fears. What! am I well, and yet must die? strong, in health, and yet now must die? hath Death for­got [Page 77] its old way of sending Harbingers before it, before it came it self? did it use to send its Serjeants to arrest, before it cast Men into the Prison of the Grave, and must I be haled away without Sum­mons? Some have been weaned from the love of Life, and made weary of it by long and languishing Sickness, by wracking and tormenting Pains, and must I in my Youth, or in middle Age, under no pain, with my strength firm, yield to Death? All this doth fill with greater fear.

5. This unusual way of dying makes it the more terrible. Others, in other cases, first die and then are buried, first expire and then are carried to their Graves; but in an Earthquake must I be buried alive? first buried and then die? others are carried from their house, when dead, unto the grave, and must mine own house be my grave, and that while I do live? Behold! the Earth quakes under me, my House trembles over me. Oh! what if my trembling House should fall, and I in it? what if [Page 78] the Earth should sink under me? what if this quaking Earth should open its mouth, and eat me up alive? what if it should cleave asunder (as in its shaking it hath sometimes done) and swallow me up as it hath done thousands of o­thers? when others die another way, doth this loving Mother lay their dead Bodies in her bosom, must I die this way, and go down alive into her bowels? did I live in my Mothers womb before I was born, and must I live (awhile) in this common Mothers bowels, after I am therein buried? This being not the com­mon death of all Men, makes it more terrible to those that apprehend in an Earthquake they must not die as others do. All laid together, shews that Earth­quakes cause great consternation of mind, perplexing▪ fretting fears, which is the first Effect thereof.

Secondly; Another Effect of Earth­quakes is speedy and precipitant flying, if possibly Men might hasten from the danger thereof. Tho' they leave their Gods behind them in their Houses, they [Page 79] will attempt to fly to save themselves. Numb. 16. 32. The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained to Korah, and all their goods. Verse 34. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, lest the Earth swallow us up also. Zach. 14▪ [...]5. And ye shall flee to the valley of the Mountains—yea, ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the Earth­quake in the days of Uzziah King of Ju­dah. These were particular Earth­quakes, and some by flight escaped from them; but when it shall be more general, or fall out in the place where you dwell, and some miles about you, when it comes in a minute, whither will you flee? or to what place will you ha­sten, or in so little time how will you get thither? however, Men shall endeavour to flie, tho' it should be in vain; when the Earth so moves, they cannot, they will not stand still to be devoured and swallawed up, if by flight they might e­scape, which they will try, tho' they be [Page 80] overtaken with it. Overtaken! alas! in such a Judgment, you may sooner run into it, than run from it; you may think to leave the danger behind you, and still it is before you; you running away from it, may run to meet it. But the Danger is so dreadful, the Death so formidable, the Misery so great by Earthquakes, that Men will flee from them if they can, that they might not perish in them. But better repent, re­form, and turn from sin to God to pre­vent them, than to continue in the sins that do procure them; for when they come, you will find it hard to flee from them.

Thirdly; Another Effect is the cleaving asunder of the Earth, and de­vouring and swallowing up many Persons in a short time. In other Judgments People die one after another, in this by multitudes. When Death by sickness puts a period to Life, each one hath his own Grave; in this opening the Earth by Earthquakes, one great Grave is made for many, Numb. 16. 31, 32, 33.

[Page 81] Fourthly; Another Effect is the sub­version of Houses, Towns, and Cities, with the destruction of their Inhabitants together. History abounds with many sad and grievous Examples hereof. When Trajan was at Antioch, there hapned a most terrible Earthquake that destroy­ed many Cities and People, which ex­tended it self very far. Great and ter­rible Lightnings were before it, then great and unusual storms of Winds, then arising a great and sudden Noise, the Sea wrought, the Waves swelled, the Earth was shaken, Buildings trembled, some did burst asunder, and others first lifted up, fell down. A great and hor­rible Noise was heard, Walls by con­trary motions driven sometimes this way, sometimes that were broken and fell, the Sea with boisterous storms did mount and toss to and fro; the Earth, where no Buildings were, was greatly moved: such a thick dust was raised, and so great a darkness upon all, that that they could not see one another, nor speak, nor hear one the other, and by [Page 82] reason of the violence of the Wind, and greatness of the dust, could scarcely breathe. Trees pluckt up by the roots were cast down upon the ground, ma­ny, very many were covered with the overthrow of Houses and Walls, many falling upon one another died, if any hurt by wood or stone, went away thus with their torn and wounded Bodies, they were more miserable than the rest, forasmuch as they could not live long, nor yet quickly die: of multitudes of Men scarce any escaped without some hurt. One might be seen to flee with his Shoulder broke, another with his Arms lost; many laid dead with their Heads separated from their Bodies; some with their bruised Breasts vomited Blood. Still the Earth continued to shake both by Night and Day: in this great Calamity they could find no remedy, nor way of escape: those that were hurt with the fall of Houses died in many places, and tho' by the benefit of Vaults and roofed Places some were preserved, yet, the Earthquake continuing, they perished [Page 83] by hunger and famine, before any suc­cour could be brought to them. When the Earthquake ceased, some went upon the Ruins, where they heard a Womans voice, and the crying of an Infant; the Ruins had covered both the Mother and the Child; it was wonderful how the Mother should have Milk to nourish her Child; but Mother and Child were ta­ken safe out. But whilst the dead Bo­dies and fall'n Houses were more dili­gently searched, another Infant was found sucking the Breast of its dead Mother: But Life was a grief to all that had escaped Death, when they be­held the lamentable fall of the City, and so many People destroyed.

Fifthly; The change of the Channel of the Sea. In the time of Valens the Em­perour there hapned another terrible Earthquake, whereby an hundred Cities were destroyed in Crete: then also the Sea leaving its place, so overflowed cer­tain grounds, which before were plow­ed, became navigable; and in other places where Men failed, the Sailers in [Page 84] their Navigation were found upon dry Land where before they Sea was.

Sixthly; Another Effect of Earth­quakes hath been the Convulsion of Moun­tains, their sinking down, their clashing and transportation or removal to a great distance from the places where before the stood. Instances of these History do afford many, but I will only menti­on one, because more remarkable, how God doth miraculously sometimes pre­serve praying People, and may mo [...]e Persons, whose Houses after shaking by an Earthquake stand, to pray therein. In the Year 1584. one Mountain by a [...] Earthquake violently removed, destroy­ed a Town consisting of ninety Fami­lies, and threw down all, excepting ha [...] of one House, where the Master of th [...] Family, with his Wife and Children▪ kneeling upon their Knees, were prayin [...] and calling upon God.

Seventhly; Infectious Diseases, Plage and Pestilence are sometimes the Effect [...] of Earthquakes: For the matter [...] Earthquakes is pestilential, because subterraneous, [Page 85] or under ground, wanting wind and motion to purifie it; this there­fore when it doth exhale and breath out, or break forth, doth infect the Air, and Men by taking in that infected Air, are insected by it. Seneca shewing the Pe­stilence to be an Effect and Consequent of an Earthquake, mentions how that after an Earthquake in Campania, six hundred Sheep died of an Infectious Disease. Wonder not at this, saith he, for after great Earthquakes the Pesti­lence doth use to follow, the Air being corrupt thereby, and Sheep holding down their heads so continually so near the ground, and taking in the poisonous Air that is so near the Earth, are infe­cted with it. This also would have been hurtful unto Men, if a greater quantity of it had come up out of the Earth, but the largeness of a more free and purer Air purgeth that before it rise so high as to be drawn in by Men. In Scripture Earthquakes and Pestilence are set down together, as sore and heavy Judgments; God grant that London, England, and all [Page 86] places that have been shaken by this late Earthquake, might so fear and tremble before this Great, Almighty God, as to Repent and turn from sin to God, at this his Call so lately, power­fully, and mercifully given, that after the Earthquake the Plague and Pesti­lence might not follow.

Quest. VII. What are the Adjuncts of Earthquakes, which may further inform us concerning this Mighty Work of God:

What I shall add concerning this, may be laid down in these following Con­clusions.

First Conclus. An Earthquake is not Ʋniversal; not of the whole Earth a [...] once, but in part This is the Doctrin [...] of Learned Men, both Philosophers ad [...] Divines, asserting in Universal Earth [...] quake yet never hath been; but fall out in divers places, but not in all univer­sally at the same time Mat. 24. 7. The [...] shall be Earthquakes in divers pl [...]es▪The Scripture so speaketh of the sta­bility of the Earth, as that by Natura [...] Causes there cannot be an Universa [...] [Page 87] shaking of it. 1 Chron. 16. 30. Fear be­fore him all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Isa. 45. 18. Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited. Psal. 93. 1. The world is established, that it cannot be moved. Psal 96. 10. Say among the hea­then, that the Lord reigneth; the world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved. Psal. 104. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Psal. 119. 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations, thou hast established the earth, and it abideth, [...] and it shall stand.

2. Conclus. Yet such is the greatness of the Power of God, that if he pleased he could remove the whole Earth out of its place. He that made it all, could make it all to tremble and quake; yea, he that by his Word brought it into Be­ing, can by his Power shake it into no­thing. What cannot be done by Na­tural [Page 88] Causes, might be done by Super­natural Power. This is the meaning of Job's saying, Job 9. 6. Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the Pil­lars thereof tremble. An Earthquake is the shaking of the Earth in its place, and causeth it to tremble upon the Pil­lars thereof. We have no instance that God ever yet removed the whole Earth out of its place; but it is a Supposition, if the Lord will, he is able to do it.

3. Concl. How far an Earthquake may extend it self, cannot be determined. Men, if they can give an account of the extent of Earthquaks past, yet cannot limit the space of such as yet may be Tho' Senecasaith, an Earthquake never reached above two hundred Miles, yet others give instances of such as have far exceeded; besides several others, it is recorded of one that was Anno 160 [...] wherein Asia, Hungary Germany, France, and Italy trembled almost in the same moment.

4. Concl. Sometimes there may be an Earthquake in some particular place, and [Page 89] not in others near unto it. The Earth­quake, which shaked the Foundations of the Prison where Paul and Silas lay, did not extend it self to other places. God that can cause the Rain to fall up­on one City, and not upon another, can make one City shake when he doth not another.

5. Concl. The duration and continuance also of an Earthquake is uncertain. Some­times it may last but a Minute or two, more or less; sometimes it may con­tinue Weeks, Months, Years, as some Writers do affirm. So some tremblings of the Earth continued after the great damage by the Earthquake in Jamaica in June last past. If the Vapours shut up in the Earth, be more gross, they do more slowly evaporate or get out, and more difficultly find their passage. If they be more cold, they are also more slow. If they be in greater quantity, the Earthquake may be of a longer con­tinuance, for much is not so soon eva­porated, as a little. The Nature of the place also wherein an Earthquake is, may [Page 90] cause the longer or shorter duration of it; for if the surface of the Earth, in whose Caverns the matter of the Earth­quake is contained and shut up, be more solid, close and lesser holes, chinks, and pores be in it, the Earthquake lasts the longer, by reason of the more slow and difficult evaporation of the matter that causeth it.

6. Concl. An Earthquake may in a few Minutes destroy and overturn multitudes of Houses, and sweep away thousands of People. Thus the Intelligence from Jamaica runs: On the 7th. of June, 1692. about 12 at Noon happened here [Port-Royal ] a most terrible Earthquake: It was most violent on the Harbour-side, where the Houses all sunk down in a Mi­nutes time, from the depth of three to five Fathom Water; in the Streets next the Wharf, the Earth opened it self wide and deep, and instantly gushed out an In­undation of Water, so that many of the Inhabitants were drowned.

Some People being ignorant of the Nature of an Earthquake, and what [Page 91] Destruction it may make in a few Mi­nutes, set little by the Mercy of being preserved at such a time▪ and soon wear off the sense both of the Judgment and the Mercy, because it lasted so short a space. But tho' London was some days in being consumed by Fire, when many Houses were preserved, yet by an Earth­quake in a few Minutes it might have been all destroyed: The preventing whereof was the wonderful Mercy and Providence of God, never to be for­gotten.

7. Concl. Sometimes an Earthquake may be once in some parts of the Earth, and not return again, sometimes it may repeat its course, and often put the same places into many trembling fits. When the shaking is over once, the bitterness of God's Wrath, and our Ruine might not be past; if the shaking of London should be reiterated, the latter might be more grievous than the former. All these second Causes are ordered and over-ruled by the Providence of God: All the Natural Causes of Earthquakes [Page 92] are subject to God's Power, and are at his beck, command, and call; therefore tho' London be safe after its late shaking, yet let it not be secure, for the same Hand and Power of God that did shake it once, can again, and throw it down.

8. Concl. As all Places are liable to be shaken by the Mighty Power of God, immediately, or by Natural Causes at his Command, so all, or any Seasons of the Year might subserve his Providence, and be the Season of an Earthquake's coming, whether Spring or Autumn, Winter or Summer, Night or Day, or hour of the Night or Day. Tho' Natu­ralists, that do eye the second Causes, say, they more usually happen in the Spring and Autumn, but especially in the Autumn; and in the Night, and at Noon-day oftner than at other times. But let the Inhabitants of this Earth fear and tremble before the great God of Heaven and Earth, and not dare by their hainous and provoking sins to stir up his wrathful Indignation against them, who can by Earthquakes make [Page 93] the Earth to tremble, when and where he pleaseth.

Quest. VIII. What Inferences may be drawn from this Doctrine, and what Ʋse should we make of it, and of this great Work of God, which we have lately seen and felt in shaking London? &c.

Ʋse. I. Earthquakes, when armed with the Wrath of God, and come with his Commission to destroy, are one of the sorest Judgments whereby he executeth his great Vengeance, and manifesteth his hot Indignation against sin and sin­ners upon Earth. Our Lord Jesus ranks these with the most dreadful and ter­rible Judgments and Punishments that befall the World. Luke 21. 10. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise a­gainst Nation, and Kingdom against King­dom. II. And great Earthquakes shall be in divers places, and Famines, and Pestilences, and fearful Sights, and great Signs shall there be from Heaven. Is War dreadful? Ask those People whose Coun­try is made the Seat of War. Is Famine a sore and heavy Evil? What think you, [Page 94] when at such times, Mothers have boiled their own Children, and eat them. 2 Kings 6. 26. As the King of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my Lord, O King▪ 28. And the King said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This wo­man said unto me, Give thy Son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my Son to morrow. 29. So we boiled my Son, and did eat him. Is the Plague a wrath­ful Visitation of God? Those that are yet alive, that were in London in 1665. may remember the Terror of it. Is an Earthquake behind these for dread and horror? Or doth it not in some respects go beyond them? In War, strong Ca­stles, Fortified places, and firm Walls may keep out a Besieging Enemy, which they cannot batter and overthrow in many Months, and these overturned by an Earthquake in a few Minutes. Doth the Sea rage, and is tempestuous? Mariners have their Ships, and Men on Land have their Banks and Ports to se­cure them: but an Earthquake tears up [Page 95] their Ports, breaks down their Banks, and makes way for an overwhelming Inun­dation, and drowneth many. Doth a consuming Fire burn and turn many Houses into ashes, yet the Inhabitants by flight might save themselves. But in an Earthquake, whither will you run to escape the danger? the fire on your House will not follow you into the street or fields, but there the Earthquake might meet you. Doth the Plague go through a City? doth it go from House to House, doth it climb up in the Windows? yet you have your Antidotes against it, and some escape, being not infected, and some infected, do recover: when it is most severe upon the People, it leaveth their dwellings behind them: when they fall into their Graves, their Houses stand up­on their old foundation. But an Earth­quake devours Houses and Inhabitants too: doth not take them by tens, or hun­dreds in a week, as doth the Plague, but sweeps all clean away in a few moments. Doth War make great Devastations, burn Towns and Cities, throw down [Page 94] [...] [Page 95] [...] [Page 96] Castles? yet it leaveth Ruins, as Monu­ments, that such Towns, Cities, Castles once were there But Earthquakes some­times swallow up all, and hide them in the bowels of the Earth, and leaves no tokens whereby it may be known, that such places that now are not, once were▪ Doth War destroy great numbers in the field? yet some escape, and none are bu­ried till they are Killed: But in Earth­quakes, they do not first die, and then are buried, but first are buried, and then they die. In Famine do People pine and languish? This is most severe amongst the Poor, whose little Money, when things are excessive dear, will not last to supply their want of Bread, while the Richer sort, as long as any thing is to be had for Money, may get so much as to preserve Life, tho' not to satisfie them to the full: In Famine, if they die, they have longer time to think of Death, and to prepare for Eternity: But Earth­quakes make no difference betwixt the Rich and the Poor, but swallows up all, and their Money too, and this in a few [Page 97] Minutes, and is not so long in destroying [...]s the Famine is, nor gives that time for preparation for another World, but in a moment many go down into one com­mon Grave.

Ʋse II. Wo then to wicked Men, when God comes and shakes his Rod over [...]hem, whereby he makes the Earth to shake under them, how sorrowful is your case? how dreadful is your condition? what comfort have you to support you in such terrour? what refuge have you to flie unto, when God shall enter into such a Judgment with you, and contend with you by shaking the Earth under you, if he proceed thereby to make the Houses fall upon you, or the Earth to open under you? which way will you look for help, or hope, or comfort? a­bove you? behold! there is an angry God, a provoked Lord, a righteous [...]udge. Round about? behold! your tot­ [...]ering Houses, your moving Walls, threatning your Death by their fall. Will you look downwards? behold! the Earth trembles, its Pillars shake, as being [Page 98] weary any longer to bear the burden of ungodly Men that walk upon it; and you fearing when it will cleave asunder and swallow you up. At such a time, had you an interest in God as your recon­ciled Father, in Christ as your Lord and Saviour, in the holy Spirit as your Re­generator and Sanctifier, what sedatenes [...] of Mind, what composure of Spirit, wha [...] stable hopes might you have of Heaven, when the Earth cannot stand still for trembling? what comfort against your fears, what joy against your sorrows, what remedy against your misery (a­gainst which their seems to be no re­medy) might you have from your spe­cial relation to God as reconciled to you, when he so terribly shews his anger un­to others? they are poor grounds o [...] consolation against the danger, fears and terrours because of an Earthquake, which Seneca prescribes, in comparison of those that the Scripture to holy Men doth give. Psal. 46. 1. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. What then? Verse 2. Therefore will not [Page 99] we fear, tho' the Earth be removed, and tho' the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea. Verse 3. Tho' the wa­ [...]ers thereof roar, and be troubled, tho' the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Verse 7. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Verse 8. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the Earth. Verse 11. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our re [...]uge. Selah.

But alas! this comfort in God's sha­king of the Earth is none of yours, be­cause God is none of yours; your sha­king Houses are yours, but what com­fort have you in your Houses when you see them shaking? Comfort! they are then a terrour to you. Why? because the Lord of Hosts is against you, the God of Jacob is not your Refuge (in an Earthquake) Selah.

Ʋse III. Admire and thankfully ac­knowledge the goodness, greatness and power of God in the constant standing of the Earth (except in Earthquakes) [Page 100] that it remains stable and (otherwise) unmovable. If an Earthquake be so ter­rible, is not the usual steadfastness of the Earth the more comfortable? if it did for the most part shake and tremble, and sometimes only stand firm and fixt, its standing still would be more observed, and God more praised upon that ac­count, than now he is, when for the most part it stands unmoved, and but some­times is shaken. How seldom hath this one (tho' it be a great) thing been in our Minds, and mentioned in our prai­ses amongst the mercies God vouchsa­fed to the Inhabitants of the Earth? when were our admiring thoughts im­ployed about this subject? and yet if you saw a Ball stand in the Air not supported by, nor hung upon any thing▪ would not you stand and gaze and wonder at it? how much more when this huge and vast Body of the Earth, so weighty and ponderous in it self, and bearing such heavy burdens that are upon it, as vast quantities of Lead, Brass, Iron, Stones, &c. hangs upon nothing, Job 26. 7. And the [Page 101] Pillars of the Earth, spoken of in Scrip­ture, are not to be understood of proper material Pillars (for what should such Pillars stand upon) but metaphorical; whereas the true real Pillar of the Earth is the power of God. Psal. 65. 6. Which by his strength setteth fast the Mountains, being girded with power. So great a thing is done by his mighty commanding word. Psal. 33. 9. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast. If a Feather (light to a Proverb) be held up and let loose in the Air, it sinks, and resteth not without it fall upon some­thing to support it; and yet this massie Body of the Earth, without any other support, than the power of God, is born up, stands fast, and fixt, and firm, and bears us, our dwellings, without those fears that in an Earthquake do surprize and fill us. Let this be thought on more, and the power of God admired in it.

Ʋse IV. Such special and peculiar Earthquakes which God hath caused for special and peculiar ends, improve to the obtaining of those ends. All the Earth­quakes [Page 102] in general do manifest the Glory of the power of God, and God in them doth speak to Men on Earth. They have a voice, and we should have an hearing ear; let's not be deaf to the Instructions that God is giving of us; nor dull to take out the Lessons he is teaching us. Par­ticularly some more observable upon more remarkable occasions, such as these.

1. The Earthquake there was at the Death of Christ. The Jews hearts were stony and hard, and did not fear no [...] tremble to shed the innocent and most precious Blood of the Son of God, but when it fell upon the ground, the Earth did shake and tremble to receive it. A­bel's blood did cry to Heaven from the ground, and Cain was cursed, and the Earth was cursed to him for that bloody fact. Gen. 410. And he said what hast tho [...] done? the voice of thy brothers blood cri­eth unto me from the ground. Verse 11. And now art thou cursed from the Eart [...] which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood at thine hand. Vers. 12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall no [...] [Page 103] henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth. Was not the Blood of Christ of greater worth and value then Abel's, or of all Men, being the Blood of him that was God as well as Man, pure and spotless; was not therefore the shed­ding of it by Men, a more heinous sin and barbarous fact; and yet the shedders of it stupid, and not afraid to take away his life? what doth the Earth under their feet, but shake and tremble at what they did not? and what improvement did some then present make thereof? and what conclusions did they draw from it? Mat. 27. 51. Behold, the vail of the Temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom, and the Earth did quake, and the Rocks rent. Verse 54. And when the Cen­turion, and they that were with him, watch­ing Jesus, saw the Earthquake and those things that were done, they feared great­ly. And what did they say? what did they gather and infer from thence? what Conclusion laid they down as sure and certain? they said, Truly this was the Son [Page 104] of God. Though you did not see it, as they did, yet you read it recorded by them that did see it, and do not you be­lieve this matter of fact, and the recor [...] of it to be true? and will not you say▪ Surely that Christ, at whose Death the very Earth did quake, and other great Miracles done, was the Son of God, and love him, desire him, trust him, receive him, and consent to have him for your Lord and Saviour accordingly? was the shaking of the Earth, and the rending or the Rocks, a testimony against the Im­penitent, Unbelieving, and Rocky-heart­ed Jews, that neither before, for all the Miracles done by him in his Life, nor after they saw what was done at his Death, did own him for the Son of God▪ nor receive him for their Saviour and Lord, but did still reject him, and do you hear of the same things that they saw, and yet be guilty of the same Unbelie [...], Impenitency, and Rejecting of Christ as they were? shall it not have the same effect upon you, as it had upon the Cen­turion, and those that were with him▪ [Page 105] The Earth at his Death did quake; do you fear and tremble, lest you be found a Rejecter of him.

2. The Earthquake at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, ought to be improved by us to establish us in the Articles of our Faith of Christ's Resurrection, and our own, and to rejoice at the thoughts of both. And the more the Earth did trem­ble, the more stedfast let our Faith be. Matth. 28. 2. And behold there was a great Earthquake. Verse 5.— Ye seek Jesus. Verse 6. He is not here, for he is risen. Verse 8. They departed quickly, with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his Disciples word. The Earth did quake, and they did believe; the Earth did quake, and they did joy that Christ was risen. As the Earth did quake to drink up his Blood, so it did quake to detain his Body beyond the appointed time, and by its motion did congratulate the vi­ctory Christ had obtained over Death in its own Dominions. Improve this also to believe the power of Christ to raise our Bodies also, for if he give the [Page 106] word, if he utter his voice, Come forth ye dead, Awake, Arise, he will make the Earth to quake and tremble, to deliver up its dead. Rev. 20. 11. And I saw a great white Throne, and him that sate upon it, from whose Presence the Earth and Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. Verse 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened, and ano­ther Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their Works. The Earth did quake when Christ did die, and when he arose; and so it shall when he shall come to raise the dead, and judge the World.

3. The Earthquake at the Prayers of the Apostles (when the Gospel was op­posed, and the Preachers of it persecu­cured) that God would grant unto his Servants that with all boldness they may speak his Word, and for confirmation of their Faith, and satisfaction that their Prayers were heard, his Church and [Page 107] Kingdom should be propagated and pre­served, the place was shaken where they were, Acts 4. 24. 31. He that can shake the Earth, can establish his Church; he that can make Mountains quake, can and hath built his Church upon such a Rock, that no Power shall prevail a­gainst it.

Ʋse V. Improve this mighty terrible Work of God in causing this late Earth­quake, by making more hast to turn from sin to God by a speedy and sincere Conver­sion. Were you not afraid of Death, when your Houses did shake, and you feared, would fall upon you? Were you prepared to die? Were you fitted for Judgment and Eternity? What if you had been destroyed then, where had your Souls been now? Have any of you been more serious and earnest in enqui­ring after the way of Salvation? Have you so much as with a concerned mind asked any Minister, what you must do that you may be saved? How! have you not? What, will you be more stupid than the Earth under your feet? Did it trem­ble, [Page 108] and not you? Or did you then, and are become secure again? Will you be more careless and hardened than the Jaylor? He! did not he, being moved by the motion of the quaking ground, make hast, and run to the Apostles, and on his knees begged, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? If you know, tell me. I see the greatness and the power of your God, if he will have mercy on sin­ners, tell me, and what I must do, that he might have mercy on me, and save me, tell me; if his Wrath be so great, how may I escape it? I do not yet know, fain I would, but I do not; O Sirs, tell me what must I do to be saved? Hath this that you have felt and seen put you on to any greater diligence for your Souls Salvation, than you had before▪ Careless before, and so still? Impenitent before, and so still? No minding of Con­version before, and none yet? Indeed▪ Shall this amazing Providence of God, whereby you were in so much danger of Death and Hell, pass away, and leave you as carnal, careless, and negligent as [Page 109] you were before? What! after the Earth in its trembling might have opened its mouth and swallowed you up alive into its bowels, and from thence have gone to Eternal Torments? From Pit to Pit? From a deep Pit made by the Earth­quake in the lower parts thereof, in­to a bottomless-Pit, prepared by a just and angry God to take Vengeance on Impenitent and Unconverted sinners to all Eternity? Turn, sinner, turn, or this God that can and hath by Earthquakes overturned Towns, Cities, Mountains, will turn thee into Hell; and now if thou wilt not fear to continue in a state of sin, there thou shalt feel his Wrath and Vengeance for thy sin.

Ʋse VI. Evermore live in the fear of God, and walk with Circumspection, Care, and Conscience in all the parts and passages of your Life. Why so? Because one way or other God may Suddenly call you out of one World in­to another, out of Time into Eternity. Death many ways might suddenly sur­prize you. Have not you seen how sud­denly [Page 110] an Earthquake may be? How many, alas! how many at that time did the trembling Earth bear, and weary of bearing them, trembled under them, as a Porter under a Load too heavy for him? How many did it find in a way of sin, Drinking to Excess, Swearing without shame or fear, and spending their precious time in Sports, and Plays, and Vanity? What if God had com­manded those Winds, or Fires, or Spirits, and Vapours (if it were from such Na­tural Causes) that made the Earth to quake, and your Houses tremble, to open the Earth and break out, where you at that time were sinning against him, and swallowed you up? Seriously think, in what a woful case and practice it found you, and be more wary for time to come. You little thought of such a Work of God, till it suddenly came: Therefore where ever you are be care­ful to walk so holily, and circumspectly, as becomes those that know now how suddenly Danger, Death and Damnation too, else might come upon you.

[Page 111] Ʋse VII. Let all and every one of us get and evidence our Title to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. You see there is no place in this World that is so sta­ble, but it may be shaken, even those Houses that you do not call moveable Goods, how moveable God can make them. When you build on Earth, you mind that your Foundation be good and firm, and not sandy, or unsound; and if you built your House upon an earthly Rock, tho' when the Wind blows, and Rain descends and beat against it, yet it stands; but if an Earthquake come, with a Commission from God to overturn, or sink it, your best Foundation cannot se­cure it. But there is a City above that hath [unshaken] Foundations, whose Maker and Builder is God: Secure an House there, not made with hands, for that will be eternal. There are Man­sions above, which are perpetual: There are no Storms nor Tempests; there are no terrible Thunderings and Lightnings, there are no Rendings nor Shakings; all sedate and calm, all at quiet and rest, all [Page 112] secure and safe. No death, or darkness, no fears or tremblings, no threatning or amazing motions tending to interrupt the Joys and holy Pleasures, the Tri­umphant Songs of the Citizens of that City, of the glorious Subjects of that abiding Kingdom. Your House on Earth might be destroyed by War, by Fire, by an Earthquake; but there are Man­sions above not subject to be destroyed or spoiled by these or any other way: Set less by these on Earth, that have, and may be shaken, and more by that Kingdom, that never hath, nor shall, nor can be shaken. Heb. 12. 27. This word, once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken, may remain. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom, which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Ʋse VIII. Celebrate the Power of God and his infinite Greatness, manifested in this his Work in shaking of the Earth. [Page 113] Can Man do it? Can Kings and Nobles do it? With their mighty Armies can they do that, which God by Winds and Vapours can at his pleasure do? Job al­ledgeth this as an evident demonstra­tion of his Power. Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength. 5. Which removeth mountains, and they know it not, which overturneth them in his anger. 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. And yet these Earthquakes that are so great, the great God doth them with a abundance of ease. Psal. 104. 32. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; be toucheth the hills, and they smoke. O tremble before this God, who if he casts but an angry look upon the Earth, [...]t falls a trembling, if he touch the Mountains, they smoke; an angry look with his Eye, a displeasing touch with his Finger causeth the one to tremble, and the other to smoke. What shall sinners then do, when he shall lay upon them [...]he heavy strokes of his Wrath and Ven­geance to all Eternity? Doth the Earth [Page 112] [...] [Page 115] [...] [Page 114] quake before him, and the very Devils tremble at his angry Presence, and shal [...] Mortal sinful Men be fearless of him▪ The day will come, and it is hastning when fear, and terror, and trembling shall seize upon them, and they not be able to shake it off.

Ʋse IX. God never wanteth ways and means to punish the Disobedience and Rebellion of sinners against him. He ca [...] make the Heavens above to punish the [...] by with-holding Rain from them, o [...] by pouring out immoderate Shower▪ upon them: He can punish them by the Earth beneath. And if there be nothing visible to plague and destroy them, yet he hath his Armies and his [...]ghty Host under Ground, and in the bowels of the Earth, which he can Ma­ster at his word of Command, all stand ready to fight against them, which ca [...] slay them heaps upon heaps, and bury them first, and after kill them.

Ʋse X. Make your Peace with God that shews his Anger by these Earthquakes When he takes such a Rod into h [...] [Page 115] hand, you might see displeasure in his face. Let this late Work of God in shaking London, and so many places in England, and parts beyond the Sea, be a warning to them all; and oh that all would take this fair warning! It is his Mercy that he doth warn before he strikes, that with his Rod he doth cor­rect, before with his Ax he hews us down. Do you think this came by chance, and that by chance it did no more harm? Did not God that gave Commission to it, to shake London, put into its Commission, make it shake, but not to fall? And if God did send it, is it not a discovery of his Anger? Read again Psal. 18. 7. Then the earth shook and trembled, the foundation of the hills moved and were shaken. Why? Because he was wroth. O labour by Repentance, and Faith in Christ to turn away his Wrath, lest he overthrow you in his Anger.

Ʋse XI. What may be some Security to a City against one Judgment, might not be any defence against another. When [Page 116] London had its old Houses built with Timber, consumed by Fire, to prevent such another desolation by devouring Flames, Men have built with Brick and Stone, that are not such combustible matter. But as you have built with o­ther Materials than before, so God hath other ways to deal with you besides con­suming Fire. God hath shewn you, he can make your strongest Buildings of firmest stone, even your Royal Exchange to shake and tremble, and Persons leave their Shops, and hasten down, and run crying home, through fears that it would fall. Let us never by such wilful, great, and hainous sins provoke God, because we cannot by any means strengthen our selves against him. For he that can shake Rocks and Mountains, and throw them down, can shake and cast down your strongest Buildings. Psal. 68. 8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, even Sinai it self moved at the presence of God, the God of Jacob. Psal. 114. 7. Tremble thou earth (and ye sinners) at the presence of the Lord.

[Page 117] Ʋse XII. Admire the sparing Mercy of God to London, more than to many Places and Cities in the World. Indeed, by this late Earthquake many Towns and Cities besides London have been shaken, and are spared; which doth not make Londons deliverance to be less: for God in sparing others, might have brought London down. But compare your Mer­cies (for there are many in its preser­vation) with the Desolations brought upon many Cities in former Ages, and upon Port-Royal in Jamaica, by Earth­quakes, and acknowledge God's mercy and his power in his late visitation of it, his power in shaking it, his mercy in preserving of it. Consider this Providence seriously, suffer it not to pass without due observation, and think whether you may put a greater accent upon his Pow­er or his Mercy in this Dispensation; upon his Power in making it to tremble, or on his Mercy, that he did not make it sink or tumble down. Did God by an Earthquake shake London, and yet doth London stand? God did shake it, behold [Page 118] his Power. It doth stand, behold his Mercy. Nay, do not you see his power­ful Mercy, and his merciful Power? his powerful Mercy in shaking it, as a warn­ing to you, and his merciful Power in keeping it from falling when it was so shaken. O write upon your Walls, how­ever engraven it on your hearts and memories, My House was shaken with a [...] Earthquake, and yet it stands. London sorely threatned, and yet is spared. It is by the distinguishing Providence of God, that you have been visited in the same way as others have, and yet are not o­verthrown, nor swallowed up in the same manner as others are. That you may be the more sensible of, and so more thank­ful for God's great Mercy in sparing you in the day of his Power, I will subjoin (out of many) some few Examples o [...] God's sore displeasure, and his severe pu­nishing of others by Earthquakes, (col­lected out of History) whereby your Mercy might be magnified in your eyes.

Josephus records, That about 29 years before the Birth of Christ there hapned [Page 119] such an Earthquake in the Country of Judea, that never the like was seen in a­ny other place, so that divers Beasts were slain thereby, and many Men were over­whelmed in the ruins of their own Hou­ses, and perish'd to the number of ten, (others write thirty) thousand.

In the fifth year of the Emperour Ti­berius, there fell out so dreadful an Earth­quake, that thirteen Cities in Asia were destroyed and overthrown thereby.

In the sixty sixth year after Christ there hapned such another Earthquake, as destroyed three other Cities of Asia, viz. Laodicea, Hierapolis and Colossus.

Anno Christo 79. three Cities in Cyprus were overthrown by an Earthquake.

Anno Christi 114. the City of Antioch was much defaced by an Earthquake, in which time the Emperour Trajan being there, escaped the danger with much difficulty: and Eusebius mentioneth ano­ther in the seventh year of Trajan, which destroyed nine several Cities in Asia, Greece and Calabria.

About the year 182. the City of Smyr­na [Page 120] came to ruin by an Earthquake, for the re-edifying whereof the Emperour remitted ten years tribute.

Anno Christi 1456. there perished a­bout Puel and Naples in an Earthquake forty thousand People.

Anno Christi 1531. in the City of Lisbon about one thousand and four hun­dred Houses were overthrown by an Earthquake, and about six hundred more were so sorely shaken that they were ready to fall, and many of the Churches were cast to the ground.

Anno Christi 1400. there was such a terrible Earthquake at Lurr in Persia as overthrew five hundred Houses: and [...] Christ. 1593. there fell out such another as overthrew three thousand Houses▪ quashing to death three thousand Men in their ruins; yea, the Castle, tho' built upon the top of a solid Rock, groaned in the like affrighted downfal.

Before the Peloponesian, or Civil Wars amongst the Grecians, one of their Islands called Delphos (famous for the Temple of Apollo therein) was wholly [Page 121] ruined by an Earthquake, which fore­shewed those wonderful alterations which presently after befel Greece.

Anno Christi 1618. Pleurs a Town in Rhetia, was in an Earthquake overwhelm­ed with an Hill, which with a most swift motion oppressed one thousand five hundred men.

In the year 1509. there was a great and terrible Earthquake in Constantino­ple, and the Countries thereabouts, by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that City, with many stately Buildings, both publick and private, were quite overthrown, and thirteen thousand people overwhelmed & slain therewith, the terrour whereof was so great, that Bajazet himself, the great Turk, and the People generally forsook their Houses, and lay abroad in the Fields. It endured for a month together with very little intermission; after which ensued a great Plague, whereby the City was for the most part unpeopled.

A little before the Wars between the Lacedaemonians and the Ilotae, who were [Page 122] their Slaves and Bondmen in the Coun­try of Laconia, there hapned in the Ci­ty of Lacedemon the most wonderful and fearful Earthquake that ever was heard of: for the Earth in many places of the Country opened and fell in as into a bottomless pit: the Mountain Taygetum shook so terribly, that parts of Rocks fell down from it: and all the City of Lace­demon, with the violence of it, was thrown down to the ground, five hundred Hou­ses only excepted.

An. Christ. 1169. Febr. 4. there was such a vehement Earthquake all over the Island of Sicily, that it was perceived in Calabria, and the wealthy and stately City of Catana was so utterly destroyed by it, that there was not one House left standing; and above fifteen thousand Men, Women and Children perished in the ruins thereof.

In the year of Christ 1631. not long before the troubles of Naples, there fell out a terrible Earthquake in and about the City, and the Mountain of Soma, af­ter many terrible bellowings, vomited [Page 123] out burning streams of fire, which tum­bled into the Adriatick Sea, and cast out an huge deal of Ashes. The like hap­pened the year following in the month of February, with so great hurt and loss to the circumjacent places, as well in Houses, Men, Women, Children, and Cattle, that it cannot be exprest.

All these (and there are many more) are dreadful instances of God's great powerful wrath by Earthquakes against the sins of Men. But do not Men still continue in their disobedience and pro­voking sins, and doth not God continue to manifest his hatred and detestation of them? For all this is his Anger turned away? is not his Hand stretched out stiil? have not we heard of the sad destruction of Jamaica by a most terrible Earth­quake there this year? Should not we sympathize with them, and by God's dealing with them tremble at the re­membrance of our own sins, the procu­ring cause of all Calamities, especially since God so lately hath shaken this Ci­ty, tho' it stands? Its no argument the [Page 124] greatest sufferers are the greatest sinners. Luk 13. 1. There were some present at that season that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacri­fices. Vers. 2. And Jesus answering, said un­to them, suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans. be­cause they suffered these things? How doth Christ answer his own Question▪ Vers. 3. I tell you, nay: but except ye re­pent, ye shall all likewise perish. Vers. 4. Or those eighteen on whom the Tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem. Vers. 5. I tell you, nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise pe­rish. It is confest by some that write from Jamaica, that they were a very wicked People; great Swearers, Drunkards, Un­clean, &c. and are there not many such in England, yea, in and about London? Is it not known? is it not seen? can it be denied? and are there not such Cir­cumstances that may make the very same sins to be more heinous and aggra­vated here, beyond what they be (tho [Page 125] exceeding great) in Jamaica O that God would set home those words of the Sa­iour of Souls, upon the Hearts and Con­ [...]ciences of such provoking sinners a­mongst us, Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Sin is the same, and God's [...]wath is the same, and his power is the same, to punish one People, as well as a­nother, tho' he is pleased to make a dif­ [...]erence, punishing sometimes some, when [...]t the same time he doth not others; yet this ought not to make us the more [...]ecure, nor to set our hearts in us to do evil, because Sentence is not speedily ex­ [...]cuted; but that sin may be hated, God [...]eared, we reformed, and be more thank­ful to God for his sparing Mercy to London, and other places in England in the late Earthquake, having a borrow­ed Extract of a Letter from Jamaica, sent by an Eye-witness to his Friend in England, for the honour of God, who is known by the Judgments which he ex­ecuteth, and warning to Men (being told I may) I will annex it in the very words.

[Page 129] Hath God been so severe with Eng­land, with London in the late Earth­quake? do not your sta [...]ding Houses declare he hath not? that you are yet alive, doth not this manifest that in that Judgment God remembred Mercy? I had communicated to me a Letter sent by a Minister in Kent to his Father in London, from which I will extract what concerns this late Earthquake, that you may see the different Dealings of God with divers People, and the Relation of this not like the former.

But here is no downfal of Houses, not of one. Here is no Persons killed, no, not one. No openings of the Earth, no breakings in of Waters, turning dry Land into a Sea. Do not you see your Mercy in the late Judgment? do you say or think, God could not do to you as he hath done with others heretofore, or to Jamaica of late? instead of prai­sing the Name of God, do not blaspheme it.

[Page 131] God's gracious proceedings with Eng­land, and therein with London, should melt our hearts, whilst his terrible dreadful Strokes beats others to pieces; and finding one instance of an Earth­quake in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth so much in gentleness like to this in our days, shewing from Age to Age his Mercy to this Land, as if loth to de­destroy it, if Mercy may melt us, mixt with Judgments to awaken us, I shall add this before I do conclude, in the words and syllables with which I find it published, thus:

This Earthquake made that Impres­sion on the Minds of those that then lived, that an Order of Prayer, and a godly Admonition concerning it, was appointed to be read for the turning of God's Wrath from them, threatned by that terrible Earthquake, by order gi­ven from the Queens Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, to be used in all Churches and Housholds through­out the Realm.

Because this might serve for a Con­viction of many prayer less Families a­mongst us, that were so before the late Earthquake, and are so still; that are [Page 134] more fearless of God's displeasure, then those that lived in times of lesser Light, I shall insert so much of it as concern'd the Earthquake.

Do not you see old Mercies to Eng­land in time of Judgment by that Earth­ [...]uake then, as fresh Mercy in the like Judgment mixt in this so lately? nay, this more mild then that; when by that two were killed, and not one by this (that yet I hear of.) And should not the terrour of the Lord awaken us, as you see it did others in the like case heretofore? Should not every House that hath been shaken be fill'd with Crys, Calls, and fervent Prayers unto God to turn away his Wrath from us, that else after this Earthquake might come upon us? Might not we [...]ear, as they then did, and pray every night before we go to Bed, as they were appointed and commanded by Authority to do? should not the Judgment, and the Mercy in it, kindly work upon us? or shall we be more [Page 138] secure, because God (in Judgment) is so merciful? Shall we despise the Riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth us to repen­tance? or shall we, after our hardness and impenitent hearts, treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judg­ment of God? will not he render to e­very man according to his deeds? read and answer; Rom. 2. 4, 5, 6.

That I may conclude, I shall recom­mend to the Citizens of London a serious consideration of three years (amongst others) exceeding remarkable, always to be remembred and improved by all that have seen them all, and by those that have been born since the first and second of them, but have been told by others of God's dealing with this City then

1. Forget not the Dying year in this City in 1665. when God did visit it with the Plague: Have you forgot, [Page 139] have you not heard how Death raged then? how it rode triumphant like a mighty Conquerour, that so many durst not meet it in the Streets as were suffici­ent to keep the Grass from growing in Cheapside? did it not slay heaps upon heaps, that the living were put to day-labour to bury their dead? so many thou­sand in a week cut off, cut down, and changed time for eternity: ready or un­ready, must away. Death was then in such haste, in so short time to slay so many, that if it did find unprepared per­sons, it did not, it could not be prevail­ed with by sighs and sobs, by tears and groans, to stay till some made themselves ready for another world. You that lived Then and Now, have cause to remember Gods Judgment to others (especially if unconverted) that died, and his Mercy to you that live now.

2. Forget not that dreadful burning year 1666. when the tops of London's highest Houses were brought down to fill their Cellars: when the devouring [Page 140] Flames marched without controul from Street to Street, drinking up the Water cast upon them, and scorning all oppo­sitions that could for some days be made against them, till God that set bounds to the proud Waves of the Sea, set limits to the insulting Flames, saying, Hitherto shall ye go, and no further. Let the sight of your new Buildings put you in mind your old were burnt.

3. The trembling year 1692. when your Houses by an Earthquake trembled as if they would fall; and you in them then trembled for fear they should fall. I have heard there were tremblings of the Earth in Jamaica some years more then once, before the great sit of Con­vulsion came by which it was destroyed. Let us take warning by one. In the year 65, God by one Judgment swept away the Inhabitants, and left their Hou­ses: in 66 he destroyed your Houses, and preserved your Persons: in 92 by an Earthquake he threatned both your Dwellings and your Persons, but (in [Page 141] mercy) he spared both. Oh give praise unto the Lord that he spared you and your Houses in this Earthquake, and pray that he would shake them so no more.