Secondly 2 Proved by divers Authors this may also be confirmed by the consent of divers Learned and godly Writers So that wee are not singular in this opinion that Thunder will be one solemnity at the day of Judgement Gerhard writing of the day of Judgment Gerhard tells us Then Thunder and Lightning shall amaze men and Angels the Sea and the waves thereof roaring Mendoza saith Mendeza Christ will thunder marvellously that day Gregory saith Gregory The Saints with loud shouts will thunder against the damned This grants that the many millions of Saints shouting will frame a noise more terrible to the wicked then they can imagine It will make their very hearts sink and faile within them Thunder and Lightning saith r Seb Meyer apud Mnrlora in Rev. 16.18 p. 34 p. 1173. Meyer do now terrifie those that confesse not a GOD It makes palenesse and trembling to seize on them Quid igitur facturi sunt omnes impii ubi haec super humanam aestimationem qualia nunquam antea à condito mundo horrenda apparebunt Vbi tota Orbis concutitur machina jam jam una cum impiis collapsura What then shal wicked men do when such horrible Thunders and Lightnings will appear as are beyond humane imagination or any thing hath hapned from the Creation when the whole frame of Nature shall be so shaken and broken therewith that with sinners it shall be demolisht and destroyed Pareus also is full to this Point more then once ſ Pareus in Apoc. 11.19 There shall be Lightniugs Thundrnigs and Voices Now saith he John is in the description of the last judgement and shewes how Lightnings Thundrings Earth-quakes and great Hail-stones will oppresse the wicked Tossanus also writes to the same purpose Tossanus and applieth it to the melting of the Elements and the shaking of the whole earthly Globe at the last day Here Pareus t Pareus in Apoc. 16.18 again There are Lightnings and Thunders in the aire Such as the shaking of the heavenly Powers melting of the Elements and horrible Tempests spoken of by Christ and Peter wherewith the Lord will at last come to judgement The Earthquake will be unsual and supernatural And no wonder for the earth being smitten with Lightning from Heaven shall be shaken and torne into a thousand pieces and by fire utterly consumed Oats on Jude saith thus u Samuel Oats on Jude 6. p. 166. If other Sessions and Assizes be feared by Malefactors what will this be Then Fulminabit Dominus in coelo The Lord will thunder from Heaven and the highest will give his voice And if Thunder or the ratling of a cloud be so terrible what terrour will there be when he shall thunder that sits above the clouds Then w Jerome Terra tremet mare mugit The earth shall quake the sea roar the Aire ring and the world burn If the Angels stand then amazed how agast shall wicked men be whose portion is with the Devil and his Angels And x Oates on Iude 14. p. 315. again Thunder saith Oates doth but demolish Mountains root up Trees but when God shall thunder out his Judgements he will crush and cast down Kings Princes and People that have not made him their Tower Thunder doth but shake the clouds and make them flye up and down as Birds in the Aire but when God shall thunder out his judgements he will shake and astonish the heart and conscience O miserable sinner how wilt thou tremble at that time Another thus speaks y Iohn Trap Com. on Rev. 16.18 p. 561. And there were Voices and Thundrings and Lightnings This is a description of the last Judgement when Heaven and Earth shall conspire together for the punishment of the wicked Another thus z Isaac Ambrose of Doomsday p. 95. What shall we then see but Lightnings Whirl-winds Coruscations blazing Stars flashing Thunders Here a Comet runs round in a circuit there a Crown compasseth that Comet Neare them a fiery Dragon sumes in flames Every where appeares a shooting fire as if all above us were nothing but inflamed aire a Joel 1.10 All the earth shall tremble before the Lord. Another b Hez Holland Expos of Rev. 16.18 p. 124. writes thus These things shew the horrible effects of the last Viol when Christ shall come to take vengeance at the last day Lightnings burning the earth and Thunder from Heaven All the Elements conspiring against the wicked Thus out of the mouths of ten Witnesses you have it confirmed that most dreadful and fatal Thunders will attend the last Judgement Let us now 3 ' Proved by Arguments or Reasons in the third Place see it further establisht by Arguments or Reasons shewing That and Why it will be so which are chiefely these four Reason 1 First because Christs second coming must be far more terrible then the first Christ at his first Appearance was attended by a general Peace in the world and with Carols of Angels He came as c Psalm 71.6 Rain upon the mown grasse silently sweetly into the world Then a babe cryed in the Manger but now Judah's Lion will roar and thunder in the Heavens Then he came riding on an Asses colt but now on the clouds Not attended with 12 poor Apostles but 12 thousand millions of Angels At his first coming he offered grace and mercy but now he will come in flames of Fire to execute Wrath and Vengeance d Aug. de sym bolo lib. 3. Jam locus misericordiae ibi justitiae Then he was judged and condemned of men but now he will judge the world Yet his first being on earth was not without glory interwoven with shame and sufferings Note There came to him Thunder and Voices from Heaven as I have shewn When he spake storms were husht when he called the dead arose when he commanded the Devils were cast out when he died the Sun put on sable weeds when he arose the Earth trembled and when he ascended the Heavens opened But his latter coming shall be far more glorious and terrible St. Austin brings in our Saviour speaking thus at the last day Behold the Carpenters son whom ye have disregarded Christ will then come in all his glory and the glory of his holy Angels Reason 2 Secondly this he will do to perplex and astonish all reprobate men and evil Angels e Mendoza in Reg. Vol. 1. p. 359. Quanto igitur terrore ac tremore improbi formidabunt quando his è Christ Domino Tonitruis ac Fulminibus quatientur saith Mendosa How great will the feare terrour and trembling of wicked men be when they shall be shaken with these Thunders and Lightnings from Jesus Christ If Belshazzar quaked when he saw the hand-writing on the wall how will he tremble and quiver when he shall see Christ in the Clouds Mille fulmina jaculantem hurling a thousand Lightnings and Thunder stones at him What care can
Christ saith the Apostle 'T is Treason to undertake an Embassy without commission I sent them not yet they ran saith the Lord RAN not knowing Why nor Whither like Ahimaaz in Samuel and like him too they can tell no tidings as one very well observes Note For climbing on high with the Ape they do but shew their own deformities Many now alive shall see the blasting of these Men either with Lightning or in their gifts I pray God give them repentance to life that they no longer play the young Vipers in gnawing out the bowels of their mother the Church 2 As Thunder or Lightning or both have appeared for the Church against the enemies of her Truth so also of her Peace You have seene how the Lord hath fought for Israel against f Exod 9.23 38. 1 Sam. 7.10 Psalm 18.13 14. Pharaoh with Thunder Lightning and against the enemies of Samuel and David with the same Artilery Never count your estate low and desperate so long as Heaven hath Hail-shot Lightnings and Thunder-bolts to relieve his people and crush their enemies Comfort 4 4 No storm no Thunder in Heaven but that of Halelujahs Though the glory of Jesus Christ be much brighter then Lightning yet it shall neither terrifie nor scortch us in Heaven Note Who shall endure everlasting burninge saith the Prophet g Isa 33.14 15. Isaiah He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly Saints triumphant shall be able to abide and endure the flame of Gods glory For gold and Jewels such are believers will not suffer by fire Above the Moon there is nothing but serenity peace and tranquility There will be an everlasting calm in Heaven Nothing but rest and joy nothing to molest or affright us On Earth stormes and Tempests Thunder and Lightning Hail and showrs Wars and commotions terrours and troubles The Sea is restlesse and all that sail therein All the creatures on the earth in the Aire and great Deep are in continual agitation in perpetual labour and motion Then looke a little lower not one moment of rest or ease in Hell But oh the blessed Tranquility that is in Heaven What a glorious change will there be When Peter was on the Mount encompassed with glory by and by a cloud overshadowed him But no cloud in Heaven to darken us No cloud in Heaven big with storms and Thunder to break over us and to terrifie and annoy us There will be Summer without Winter Day without night Sun-shine without shade Calm without any interposing storm for all motion ends at the Center There is no Earthquake in Heaven Heb. 12.28 opened That is a City that hath Foundations 'T is a kingdome that cannot be shaken Consider that place with the coherence Heb. 12.28 Just before he spake of Gods shaking the earth with his voice For at the delivery of the Law there was dreadful thunder by whose cracks the Mount quaked and trembled And yet once more the Lord will shake by most violent Thunders Not onely the Earth but the Heavens Not only Men but Angels who shall quake and stand amazed at the dreadfull appearance of Christ in judgment This will be such a shaking of Heaven and Earth as will loosen and dissolve the whole Frame so that the things shaken viz. Earth Heaven shall be removed and abolished But Heaven which is above all visible heavens the seat of blessed Souls is saith the Author a kingdome that cannot be shaken That is to say by Thunder or any thing else Then h Iob 37.2 Caution for Saints Elihu shall say no more Heark it Thundreth There shall be no more sorrow nor crying no paine nor feare all former things being passed away Our Thunder is no more heard by glorified Saints then their Halelujahs are by us And now having spread before Saints these Consolations Let me adjoyne thereto a necessary caution which concerns all Believers but especially those of the weaker Sex The Caution is this Not to be scared Caution for Saints affrighted or transpored in the time of Thunder and Lightning storms and Tempests by Land or Sea as to speak or act things unbeseeming their most holy profession And that there may be no mistake i Weems portraicture of Gods image in man p. 218 volumn 4. Divines tell us of six sorts of Feare 1. Naturall whereby every creature shuns its destruction 2. Humane which ariseth from a too vehement desire of this life with the continuance and comforts thereof Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life 3. Mundane when a man feares the losse of Transitories more then the losse of Gods favour Many that thought well of Christ did not confesse him for fear of the Pharisees Excommunication Note 4. There is a Servile fear whereby men long to avoid the punishment of sin yet k Isay 35.4 Luke 12.32 still entertain a love and liking to sin Some call it Esau's feare Others the Adulterous feare because the Adulteress is afraid of her husband lest he should surprize and punish her She feareth the l Qui recte timet Deum nihil timer praeter eum Origen in Levit. 16. Law and shame more then her husbands displeasure 5. Initiall Fear is when we are deterred from sin partly out of feare to displease and grieve the Lord and partly because of the consequence and wofull wages of sinne 6. There is a Filiall feare in Saints m Mat. 10.28 Acts 10.2 Heb. 11.26 Mal. 1.6 Luke 2.25 as a good Wife fears her Husband lest he should be grieved and a loving Child feares the frown of his Father more then the Rod. Now observe it well Note 1 Some sorts of Feare are From and With the spirit of Grace as Initial and Filial fear 2 Some Fear is From but not With the Spirit as Servile fear 3 Again some feare is With the Spirit but not From him As Natural and Humane fear 4 Lastly some Fear is neither From nor With the Spirit and such is Mundane Base Feare If then your fear of Thunder be only naturall it is neither good nor evill If it proceed from a n Res est imperiosa Timer Martial lib. 2. Epist 59. passionate and inordinate desire of life we must strive against it and begin to suspect things are not with us as they should be If you fear Thunder more then the Thunderer and his displeasure Then it is sinfull If you fear when it Thundreth least God should then smite you in and for your sin This is a slavish Fear and wicked men have it Note But if you fear Thunder and Lightning only as signes of Gods Power and Majesty desirous to honour worship him and hoping you shall not grieve or displease so good and gracious a Father though ten thousand worlds were folded up in a Temptation THIS certainly is a Filial Holy and Blessed Fear You then that have a share in Christ give not way to a servile and slavish
Jupiter but the great and eternall God Therefore although we may conjecture at the naturall causes of Thunder yet 't is safest to ascribe Thunder unto God as the prime Agent and Cause Efficient 2 Though God be the chief Author and Orderer of Thunder There may notwithstanding be other Instrumentall causes thereof all commissionated bounded and limited by the Lord. 1 Good Angels have some Influence on Thunder It is certain e Lawrence of Angels p. 34. saith one they can do any thing which Nature can doe They can move the Heavens They can move all corporall things almost in an instant They can stir Tempests move Waters and Windes They slew the powerful Army of Senacherib They brought Peter and the Apostles out of prison Blesse the Lord all yee f Psal 10.10 Angels which are mighty in strength which do his will They could make a g a Reg. 7.6 sound of many horses to be heard by the King of Assyria to his great amazement And by the same delegated power they can raise storms and tempests and make Thunder-claps in the aire You read in the Epistle to the h Heb. 2.2 Hebrews of the word spoken by Angels i Simler One thus expounds it That the Thunder and Lightning and sound of the Trumpet were caused by the Ministry of good Angels when the Law was given Concerning the great power of Elect Angels I have k In the Deputation of Angels p. 91 92. treated else-where If the l 1 Thes 4.16 voice of an Arch-angel will be so loud and terrible as to awaken all that are in their Graves Then much more have Angels power to move Thunder which is a whisper to that Have the Angels power to raise an Earthquake which the m Mat. 28.2 Gospel affirms then what should hinder but they have power if commissionated by the Lord to shake all the clouds break them asunder and so raise Thunder and Lightnings Nay 2 The fallen Angels if permitted can do it Satan we know hath a Principality in the n Ephes 2 2. Aire the place where these Meteors are ingendred o Mr. Medes Diatribae p. 99. ad 107. Learned Mede thinks it probable that all the Devils have their seat and Mansion there and not in Hell till the day of Judgement Nay p Hieronimus in Eph. 6. Jerome saith it is the Opinion of all the Learned that the Devils have their Mansion and Residence in the space between Heaven and Earth If so then their habitation and abode is in the place where Thunders and Lightnings are hatched and where Thunder-bolts are coyned As also where those Bullets the Haile-stones are moulded Devils have power to shake the Aire and raise mighty gusts of Winde by Land or Sea else the windes could not so commonly be sold by the Laplanders to the Merchants that desire them for Navigation Note Satan could not be Prince of the Aire unlesse he had some power and train in that Element above the other 3 Elements besides q Mr Jenkins on Jude 9. Vol. 2. p. 61. One saith he is hurtfull to men by Tempests Winds and Fires r Zan hius in Ephes 2. Tom. 6. p. 51 Zanchy observes the Devils hover in the aire Inde nos observare tentare invadere animalia homines excitare tempestates Multaque denique mala hominibus dare To watch tempt invade us and other creatures and send many evils on mankinde Neither is the word silent in this particular He Å¿ Psalm 78.48 49. gave up their cattel also to the haile their flocks to hot Thunder-bolts he cast upon them the fiercenesse of his anger wrath indignation and trouble by sending evill Angels among them These evill Angels were instrumentall causes of Blood Locusts Hail Frost Frogs croaking on earth and Thunder ratling in the aire t Iob 1.11.16 18 19. So when Satans Commission against Job was once signed he soon brought a Whirl-winde upon his Children and Fire in all likelihood u Fulgur Maximum Iun. flashes of Lightning on his Cattel and People to their ruine and destruction A Writer on that w Mr. Caryl on Iob Vol. 1. p. 162.176 place tels us Satan the Prince of the Air can do mighty things command much in that Magazine of Heaven where that dreadfull Artillery those fiery Meteors Thunder and Lightning are lodged and stored up Satan let loose by God can do wonders in the Aire Hee can raise storms He can discharge the great Ordnance of Heaven Thunder and Lightning And by his Art he can make them more terrible and dreadfull then they are by Nature He can so inrage them that no man is able to withstand their violence All this they do x Apoc. 7.1 ad 3. not by any absolute power of their own but meerly as Tyrants By the Lords commission saith Bullinger And ut y Zanchius Tom. 2. p. 51. Divinorum judiciorum executores saith Zanchy Barely as the Executioners of Divine Judgements Enquiry 4 Fourthly We proceed to enquire in what Cases especially and on what occasions the Lord Hath manifested or Will discover his own power and glory by Thunder in an extraordinary and supernatural manner I answer chiefly 1 At the Castigation of his and the Churches Enemies in Battell or otherwise 2 At the Delivery of the Morall Law on Mount Sinai 3 At the Promulgation of the Gospell 4 At the grand Assizes and dissolution of all things First 1 At the castigation of the Churches enemies at the Castigation of Gods and the Churches Enemies the bloody Persecutors of the Saints God hath had divers wayes of destroying his Enemies besides potent numerous valiant and well disciplin'd Armies As by Gideous 300 men The sound of Rams horns before Jericho Moses Rod Shamgers Goad Sampsons Jaw-bone and little Davids Sling He can destroy whole hosts of enemies by a z Isa 41.16 Whirlwind nay a a 2 Reg. 19.7 Blast He smiteth the b Psalm 46.9 horse and rider with madnesse breaks the Bow cutteth the speare in sunder and burneth their Charets in the fire saith the Psalmist The e Judg. 5.20 Stars in their course fight against Sisera by their d Annotations in locum Influences raising up storms and Tempests against him and his Host say Commentators The e Iosh 10.11 Lord discomfited the Enemies of Joshuah by Hail-stones from Heaven The like he hath done by THUNDER and LIGHTNING See Exod. 9. The Lord fought against Pharaoh by f Exod 9.23 28. Thunder and Haile the fire ran along upon the ground so there were mighty thundrings and fire mingled with haile very grievous which smote all that was in the field man beast herb and trees Whereupon g Origen in loc Hom. 4. Origen writes thus Vide temperamentum Divinae correptionis Non cum silentio verberat sed dat voces Doctrinam caelitus mittit perquam possit culpam suam mundus agnoscere He did not
the Messiah so long expected or to hear his comfortable voice Answ 3 Next our Saviour knew the obstinacy of the Jewes that except they saw signes and wonders they would not believe in him Answer 4 Lastly This was done that there might he some harmony between the Law and Gospel Mr. Calvin writing of the terrible Promulgatiō of the Law saith thus Hic timor Evangelio quoque fuit communis This fear was also common with the Law to the Gospel Applying moreover that of the Apostle thereunto Heb. 12.26 Whose voice then shook the earth and now hath declared saying Yet once more will I shake not the Earth onely but Heaven The very day q Bishop Halls Contemplations lib. 5. of the Law p. 825. saith Doctor Hall wherin God came down in Fire and Thunder to deliver the Law even the same day came also the Holy Ghost downe upon the Disciples in fiery Tongues for the propagation of the Gospel No man receives the Holy Ghost but he that hath felt the terrours of Sinai Venerable r Bede Hom. vigil Pentecost Bede also shewes the harmony between the Law and Gospel in this respect There was Thunder Here the noise of a ſ Acts 2.2 mighty Winde There fiery flashes Here fiery cloven Tongues There the Mountain trembled and here the place where they assembled was moved There the sound of a Trumpet here they spake with divers Tongues Another thus describes it t Marlorat in Acts 2.2 p. 48. Sicuti lex Mosis est data in monte Sinai u Exod. 19.16 cum tempestate caeca nubibus caliginosis fumo ignifero vapore denso Tonitru diro Fulgore clangore divinae tubae terribili ita quoque datus est spiritus sanctus Jerosolimis insolito ingenti strepitu impetu venti quo Deus amborum Legis simul Evangelii virtutem expressit As the Law was given with a dark Cloud Thunder Lightning and shrill Trumpet So the Gospel saith he was confirmed by that violent rushing wind Acts 2. If those then that slighted Moses his Law were punished with death what shall become of them that dis-believe and disobey the Gospel of Jesus Christ For Fourthly and lastly 4 At the day of judgment There will be supernatural miraculous and most violent astonishing and prodigious Thunder and Lightnings at the day of Judgement That this is very probable will appeare 1 By divers Scriptures looking that way 1 Proved by divers Scriptures if not speaking fully to the point 2 By the consent of many learned Authors 3 By divers Arguments and Reasons shewing That and Why it will be so First see it proved by divers Scriptures looking that way For the time of Judgement will be w Zeph. 1.15 A day of trouble and distresse a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thicke darknesse Then x 2 Pet. 3.12 The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved y Isa 34.4 And rolled together in a scroll There shall be z Luke 21.25 Signs in the Sun Moon viz. Stupendious Ecclipses flaming Comets Earth quakes and divers Apparitions The Earth shall have the Palsie and the Heavens Convulsion fits a 2 Thes 1.8 Christ shall come in flaming fire to be revenged on sinners Then saith Peter b 2 Pet. 3.12 The elements shall melt with fervent heat q. d. Like scalding lead upon the wicked Christ saith c Mat. 24.29 The powers of heaven shall be shaken Which I suppose will be by Thunder and supernatural storms The Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light So men shall stumble at noon day as if it were midnight You know it grows very dark before a storm The Stars shall be shaken and misplaced Those goodly Lamps of Heaven shall tremble CHRIST will loosen with one shake of his Arme all the Stars of Heaven A fearfull confusion wil then appear All the Elements shall be d Isaac Ambrose of Doomsday p. 94. disordered Fire shall fall from heaven whereas naturally it ascends the Aire shall be full of tempests thundrings the waves of the Sea swelling roaring foaming and mounting above the Clouds the Earth full of yawning clifts and violent tremblings Sea monsters will appeare on the Land and all Dumb creatures run about enraged so that none can tame them e Luke 21.26 Mens hearts failing them for feare f Revel 6.16 The great ones that were not good shall call to the rocks and mountains to cover them and yield some shelter from this terrible storm g Mat. 24.31 Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet shall gather the Elect from the 4 Winds h Mark 13.8 There shall be fearfull Earth-quakes which wil astonish the world i Mat. 24.27 As the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth to the West so shall the coming of the son of man be In a word k 2 Pet. 3.7 10. The world and all in it shall be burnt with fire Which fire in all likelihood l Pareus in Rev. 16.18 saith Pareus will be kindled and cherished by Lightning from Heaven Aquinas hath many subtle discourses about that fire yet he still maintains that it will be m Aquin. sum in suppl 3. Part. Quaest 74. Artic. 9 p. 130. Ex concursu mundanorum ignium from a meeting together of all mundane Fires Therefore Lightning will be amongst them Yet all these may be thought generall Scriptures There are four places of holy Writ which speak more particularly to the point in hand viz. that most terrible Thunder shall precede Christs Appearance 1 Sam. 2.10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them The Lord shall judge the ends of the Earth The best n Annotations super 1 Sam. 2.10 Commentators understand this place of the day of Judgement On that day the hearts of Gods enemies shall be frighted with loud Thunder-claps and their bones broken with hot THUNDER-bolts What enemy of Jesus Christ can then lift up his head Next consult we Psal 50.3.4 Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him it shall be very tempestuous round about him He shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that he may judge his people Saint Peter saith The heavens shall passe away with a great noise A fearfull noise indeed As a Whirl-wind or tempestuous roaring o Jun. Tremel and our Annotations on 2 Pet. 3.10 say Expositors To these let me add that place in Rev. 16.18 And there were voices thunders and lightnings there was a great Earth-quake such as was not since men were upon earth This is St. Johns prophetical description of the Day of Judgement as appears by the p Revel 16.15 16 18 20. compared together context and so q Pareus Seb Meyer Hez Holland on Rev. 16. Pareus and others understand it
endure those Ratlings What eye can beare those Flashes Yet who can flye from the one or the other The Areopagita of Athens heard all their causes in the night But Christ will heare his in such a light as will astonish and confound the wicked Lactantius saith the day of Judgement shall be at Midnight not confidering when it is mid night with some it is broad day with others in the world If it finde us in the natural midnight of darknesse or f Mat. 25.6 Morall of security The light of that day will be so much the more terrible If Jerom said Quoties diem illum considero toto corpore contremisco Semper videtur illa Tuba terribilis sonare in Auribus meis c. When ever I consider that day my whole body trembleth And me-thinks the sound of the last Trump is ever in my eares c. Then what will all prophane men think of that day when it comes like a Whirl-winde upon them Then the wicked shall crawl out of their graves like filthy Toads against this terrible storme Then Jezabel shall ring her painted hands Then the oppressor shall wish himselfe in the room of the man he hath injured And the simple may have more boldnesse then the learned In illa Dic ultiouis g Hugo de S. Vict. nihil habebit quod respoudere possit homo peccator Vbi coelum Terra Sol Luna totus mundus stabunt adversus nos in Testimonium peccatorum nostrorum saith Hugo What shall a poor sinner answer at that day when all the Creatures shall be up in Armes when the Heaven the Earth the Sun and Moon and whole creation shall come to give Testimony against our sins Thirdly Reason 3 Christ will come in Thunder and flames of Fire to advance the glory and super-excellent Majesty of our great Judge It is for the honour of Christ Personal and Mystical of Christ and his Members that it should be so carried to the great satisfaction and ineffable Triumph of holy Men and Angels Nam Judex in tribunali terrore horrore pleno sedit h Chrysostom in Gen. Hom. 17. saith Chrysostome The Judge sits in a Throne full of Terrour and horrour One observes that in stead of Lamps and Candles there shall be continuall Lightnings And that in the Generall Assizes cracks of Thunder will supply the room of the Trumpets Note All this will terrifie the bad but revive the good Zion loves that quarter of the Skie which being rent and cloven with Thunder shall yield unto her Husband When he shall put through his glorious Head crowned with Stars riding on the Rainbow to receive and embrace her and so carry her to his Fathers house The Trumpet is very terrible in Battel Note But a consort of Trumpets is pleasing at Nuptiall Solemnities So Thunder though terrible to Saints now shall be pleasing and welcome to us then the time of our Espousals and Coronation being come Blessed be our Lord who hath armed and provided us to approach the horrible terrour of that day with unutterable triumph and comfort as being fully assured it shall do us no harm Not a Thunder-bolt shall touch us and in all that Fire and Lightning not a haire of our head shall be singed All Saints i Luks 21.28 will lift up their heads as knowing their Redemption draws nigh Reason 4 Lastly Christ will come thus gloriously in Thunder Lightning Tempest and Earth-quakes for the full vindication of his Law so solemnly given as you have seen already God delivered the Law in Thunder and Lightning k Ferus in Exod. saith Ferus Vt ostenderet se vindicem Legis To shew himselfe a Judge and Revenger of the Law and in what an hideous and astonishing manner he will come in judgement to make the world accountable for the breaches of that Law Si Promulgatio tantum pavorem hominibus incussit quid putamus futurū esse in postremâ mundi die l Vict. Strigel Com. in Exo. 19. Fol. 80. saith Strigelius If the Promulgation of the Law was terrible then what may sinners look for on the last day For a Law without execution may fitly be compared to a Bell having no clapper or a glittering Sword having no edge In the Promulgation a Flame was onely on Mount Sinai All the world shall become a Bonfire at the Execution In the one there was Fire Smoak Thunder and Earth quake In the other The Heavens shall be dissolved and the Elements melt The Fire wherein the Law was delivered did but terrifie at most The Fire wherein it shall be required is consuming O God! how abundantly able art thou to inflict vengeance upon sinners who didst thus in Flames forbid sin What will become of the breakers of so fiery a Law and the m 2 Thes 1.8 Despisers of so glorious a Gospel n Bishop Hals Contempl lib. 5. p. 827. Happy are those that are from under the terrours of that Law which was given in Fire and in Fire shall be required saith Doctor Hall in his Contemplations O Let us ever prepare and expect and wait for this great day That this dreadful Thunder do not finde and strike us in our sins Who would willingly be found at his cups or his cards with his Dalilah or telling his mony got by extortion The Day is therefore unknown to us that we might ever be preparing for it Note Great hath been their presumption who have set the time of Christs thundering appearance As Joachimus Abbas the Year 1258. Arnoldus 1345. Stiphelius 1533. on St. Lukes day Regiomontanus 1588. Thermopedius 1599. Aprill 3. o Alsted Chr. Others the last yeare 1657. for that the Deluge fell out in the same yeare of the Worlds Creation And for the time yet to come p Trap on Mat. 24. Cusanus sets the year 1700. Cordanus 1800. And Picus Mirandula 1905. So great hath been the folly and sin of many Learned men Though Christ hath told us no man knows the q Mat. 24.36 time of his second coming r Mr. W. S. One of late also presumed to set the Time about the yeare 1646. with the particular day of the year and when his set time was come it Thundred and Lightned very much in the Afternoon which helpt to affright divers ignorant people who stood gazing upward to see when Christ would appear I end with that of Jerom Mieron in Mat. 23. Sic quotidie vivamus quasi Die illâ judicandi simus Let us live every day as if it were to be the last day of the world that when our Lord comes he may find us in a wel-doing posture And thus much of the four times wherein the Lord hath manifested his glory or will do it by supernatural miraculous Thunder viz. At the subversion of his potent enemies when his People are in streights At the delivery of the Law at the Promulgation of the Gospel and at the
VOICE A Digression of speech and how many wayes GOD is said to speak to us How the voyce of Man hath been loud terrible and perswading Stopping our eares in time of Thunder proved to be a SIN Answ 2. There be other Instrumentall causes of Thunder Good and Evill Angels chiefly Enquiry 4 In what cases especially or occasions God hath manifested or will discover his power and glory by supernaturall and most terrible Thunder Answer 1 At the castigation or overthrow of his and the Churches enemies in battell or otherwise Divers of Gods enemies have been routed and destroyed by Thunder and Lightnings Answer 2 When the moral Law was delivered on Mount-Sinai Of which 8 reasons are given Answer 3 At the Promulgation of the Gospel A Digression of Miracles under the Gospel and why none wrought 800 yeares before Christ That the Gospel was confirmed by Thunder is proved by divers Scriptures and some other Authors also by testimonies from the Gospels Enemies Four Reasons why the Gospel was confirmed thus Answer 4 There will be dreadful Thunder and Lightnings at the day of judgement Proved 1 By divers Scriptures 4 full places for for it 2 By foure Arguments or Reasons why it will be so A Digression of the unknown Time The Inferences follow which are four Infer 1 This Doctrine of Thunder is in travaile with terrour to all the enemies of God and his people Thunder proves a Deity Infer 2 Reproof to such as out-brave Thunder Ubi of such as have presumed either to slight or imitate this worke of God That Sodome was burnt with sulphurious Lightning proved out of Tertullian Next Infer 3 matter of admonition to six duties viz. First when you heare it Thunder feare before the great Jehovah 'T is a marvail how sinners dare go to sleep when it thundreth Secondly Follow right meanes to provide for your safety by getting into the arms of Christ For 1 Some repair to the strongest places and buildings for shelter The vanity of this shield 2 Others will ascribe rare Qualities to the Eagle Seal-skin Fig-tree Bay-tree and ringing consecrated and baptized Bells The folly and superstition thereof 3 Some few in the time of much Thunder apply themselves to Prayer holy conference Ubi of laying aside our Recreations when it thundreth Thirdly when the Thunder is over be not afterwards secure but cherish a filiall awe of God upon your hearts that the graces of his Spirit may like Swans eggs be hatched with Thunder Fourthly Be not unsensible of the last Winters praeternaturall Thunder Ubi How it fools the Astrologers presuming to foretell Thunder in their Almanacks and that such should not be tolerated in a Christian State Fifthly Learn to trust in the great and all-powerful God who is able to defend and deliver you Sixthly Let Gods spirituall and mysticall Thunder by his Word and Boanerges at length awaken us Where it is shewed 1 That Ministers should thunder in their Doctrine by earnest sound and powerfull preaching Caution Place not good preaching in loud speaking 2 That the people should labour to profit by powerfull Sermons as so many Alarms from Heaven A Digression of profiting by the Word though the Minister be not so holy as we could wish him Infer 4 Lastly This Doctrine of Thunder comes yet with an Olive-branch of Peace and Consolation to the Saints from divers Scriptures intimating that God is carefull of his people in time of Thunder and Tempests Comfort fetched in 1 From Naturall considerations As That Thunder is from Natural causes and oft produceth good effects in the Aire and Earth 2 From spirituall Meditations chiefly four First God of old was wont to reveal himselfe by Thunder Now in a soft and still voice Secondly Thunder and Lightnings are disposed and ordered by the Lord. Object Then surely none of Gods children receive any prejudice by it Sol. 1. We may not vote all such as suffer by Lightnings and Thunder-bolts to be Gods enemies 2 The good being in bad places or employments may suffer with the bad 3 It may be the wise God fore-seeth greater evills and tryals would befall them if they should escape 4 Hereby he doth warn the wicked what to expect 5 God usually doth preserve his People in such perills 6 If they perish by them they are hastned into Heaven though in a fiery Charet with Elijah Thirdly Thunder Lightning have been serviceable to the Saints 1. By kindling the wood for sacrifice 2. By oppossng the Churches enemies viz. 1. Such as are enemies to her Truth Hereticks and other Novelists have been destroyed by Lightning and Thunder An Item for Lay-Preachers 2. Such as are Enemies to the Churches Peace have also been subdued by Thunder 4 There is yet another Consolation for the Saints No Thunder nor Lightning in Heaven They can no more heare our Thunder then we their Hallelujahs All closed with a Cautionary Advice to the Saints Not to feare Thunder with a low and slavish Feare Indices Finis THE AUTHORS which are quoted in this TREATISE ABbot Abulensis Aelian Ainsworth Albertus Clem Alexandrinus Alsted Ambrose Isaac Ambrose Andrews Annotations Tho Aquinas Aristotle Augustine Avicenna Babington Bacon Du Bartas Baronius Basil Baxter Beda Bellarmine Bellonius Bernard Borrhaeus Dr. Brown Bullinger Anthony Burges Calvin Cambden Camerarius Joseph Caryl Casaubon Caussin Chrysostome M. T. Cicero Cyprian Day Despagne Empedocles Erasmus Evagrius Eusebius Dr. Featly Feltam Ferus Gallen Dr. Gouge Gribaldus Hugh Grotius Bishop Hall Dr. Hammond Heidfeldius Dr. Heyling Hildersham Hez Holland Hug de S. Vict. Huart Jenkins Jerome Josephus Isidore Junius Juvenal Lactantius Cornelius a Lapide Lanquet Lawrence Leigh Lightfoot Lyranus Magirus Marlorat Martial Mead. Melancthon Mendoza Seb Meyer Henry Moor Mornaeus Musculus Gregory Nazianz. Nicephorus Nierembergius Samuel Oates Origen Osiander Ovid Pareus Perkins Pierius Pignetus Philippus Plato Pliny Plutarch Polanus Quintilian Sir W. Raleigh Ramus Dr. Reynolds Rivius Rupertus Rutherford Rueus Salvian Sands Scaliger Shepheard Diodorus Siculus Simler Solinus Sozomen Strabo Strigelius Stow Tacitus Tertullian Tostatus Tremelius John Trap Vegetius Lud Vives Vossius Waterhouse Watson Weems Dr. Willet Ystella Zanchius cum aliis FINIS Job 26.14 But the Thunder of his power or his powerful Thunder who can understand IN this Chapter holy Job gives in his Answer to a third Disputation of his second friend Bildad which Response of Job hath two hinges to move on 1 An utter dislike of Bildads dealing with him as if what was urged by his Friend were not onely short but wide of the Mark And this he doth in the four first Verses of the Chapter 2 A Declaration of the Majesty Power and matchless Excellencies of Jehovah in himself and his wonderful works which Bildad only glanced at And this he performs in the remaining part of the Chapter In this 14 verse holy Job concludes his Meditations and after he had given an Enumeration or Induction of divers particulars he presents unto his friend the whole Fabrick
at once confessing it to be very defective Behold these are part of his wayes how little a portion is heard of him But the Thunder of his Power who can understand Observe two things from the Text 1 In generall The Lords highest operations and most excellent Works cannot be reached by Mans understanding 2 In speciall The terrible Meteor of Thunder is a loud Manifestation of the Lords Greatnesse and power And the Trumpet of his glorious Excellency Majesty and Perfection Obser 1 First The highest Operations and most Excellent Works of our God cannot be reached or grasped by mans understanding As the ebbing flowing saltnesse and roaring of the Sea How Gold Silver Brasse are produced in the Earth The causes of Sympathy and Antipathy The nature of Angels and Soules What he hath wrought in the Earth in the Seas What under the Heavens what in the Heavens and what above them What he did before the World was created and what he will doe after its dissolution I grant that men have attained to much knowledge of Gods visible works 'T is said of King a 1 Reg. 4.33 Solomon the wisest of men Christ excepted that he knew all Plants from the Cedar to the Hysop growing on the wall And of b Acts 7.22 Moses that he was learned in all the wisdome of the Aegyptians Of Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego c Dan. 1.17 that the Lord gave them knowledg with all learning and wisdom Job also had great knowledge of Gods works and so had David and Paul Pliny is called by Erasmus Thesaurus imo mundus rerum cognitu dignissimarū A store-house Nay a world of Things most worthy to be known Austin saith concerning Jerome Quae Hieronimus nescivit nullus hominum unquam scivit No man ever knew that thing of which Jerom was ignorant Aristotle is stiled by one Vltimus conatus Naturae The very Master-piece of Nature for knowledg and understanding in all things Yet notwithstanding that the highest Works of God cannot be grasped by mans understanding will evidently appeare by these seven Mediums As Medium 1 First Mans darknesse and sloth since the Fall joyned with the brevity of his Life will demonstrate this Truth Darke we are since the cloud of sin overshadowed our minde our brightest Notions are stained our light ecclipsed our Intellectuals darkned I say all this since the unhappy Fall of Man For who questions but Adam in his state of Perfection had vast knowledge of the Creatures They were all brought to him d Gen 2.19 20. to see what he would call them So he gave names to all the Creatures and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the standing name thereof This plainly shews us Adams great knowledg and wisdom in Naturall things For names were given at the first according to the severall Natures and Properties of the creatures Plato in Cratillo shews us that the Man who would give the right Name to a thing must first know the Nature of it very well And so questionlesse Adam did when he gave a Name to every creature But this knowledge of Gods works was much stained and darkned by the Fall and Apostacy of Man As we now see but the Back-parts of God Christ thorow e Cant. 2.9 the Lattesse only so saith Job we see but part of his wayes As well may an Hive of Bees fathom the Actions of Princes as we the Works of Creation and Providence Saint Paul saith f 1 Cor. 13.9 10. We know but in part g Austine Maxima pars eorum quae scimus est minima eorum quae ignoramus All that we know is little if compared with that which we know not He that hath read and considered the story of h Plato de Re-publ l. 7. Plato's Cave will not wonder that ignorant folk nurst up in darknesse should please themselves with poor shallow conceipts as having never heard or seen better He will also collect how absurd their former conceptions will appeare to them when afterwards they shall have imbib'd a little knowledge i Camerarius his Historical meditat l. 3. c. 3. By nature we are chained up in a Cave of Darknesse taking meere shadows to be things substantiall and substances to be shadows Imperita Rusticitas credit se omnia scire Ignorant confidence hath the wings of an Eagle the eyes of an Owle One that hath little knowledge may be admired by the Ignorant Inter saecos luscus regnare potest A purblinde man is King among the blinde From the Darknesse and Pride of men came those many odd opinions concerning the works of God For Critias the Philosopher held the soule to be Blood Porphiry did attribute Reason to bruit creatures k Sir Walt Ral. Hist of the world l. 2. cap. 13. and Melampus Language Nay Empedocles held that not onely Beasts but Plants had Intellectum The Stoicks on the other side would not grant Vitam stirpibus that Plants have life Olympiodorus Platonicus held the l Nieremberg Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 3 P. 18. Elements were animated and distinguished by Sexes m Idem li. 2. c. 11. Seneca will needs have it that Comets are ingendred not in the Aire but above the Moon Those two great Lights Austin and Lactantius denied there were Antipodes which Hackwell may have leave to wonder at Many School-boys now being able to resute that Errour Aristotle Natures Secretary held the world to be Eeternall that there are but 8 Spheares and that the n Aristot Meteor l. 2 c 11. Torrid and Frigid Zones are inhabitable which experience contradicts The Basilidians held there were as many Heavens as days in the year The o Nierem Hist Nat l. 2. c. 8. Chaldeans believe that strong lusty men help move the Heavenly Orbs. p Sir Walt. Ral. Hist of the world l. 1. Chap. 3. Eusebius misled by Josephus supposed that before the Floud Angels taken with the beauty of women begat those Gyants Philip Melancthon saith the Sun is nearer the Eearth almost by ten thousand Germane miles then it was in Ptolomies dayes yet this Melancthon a very learned man Copernicus held that the Earth moves and the Heavens stand still Which strange opinion so contradictory not onely to Reason but q Psal 104.5 19.5 Josh 10.13 Ergo fol movet Scripture hath found too many favourers in our Schools of Learning To all which let me add a witty conceipt in Ludovicus Vives upon Austin He tells of a Barbarous Nation that condemned executed and ript up an Asse to recover the Moon out of his belly which they supposed he had swallowed because they saw him drink at the water where the Moon appeared by reflexion And immediately thereupon shee being muffled up with Clouds they missed her Thus you have abundant proof of that darknesse which hath been on the Intellectuals of Man since the Fall in relation to Gods wonderfull Works And as our Eyes are dim and cannot
only smite but instruct them by Thunder his Voice from Heaven and also by Moses his Admonitions In this Judgement the four Elements did meet and conspire to vex Pharaoh who had vexed Israel Aire in the Thunder Water in the Haile Fire in the Lightning and Earth in the Thunder-bolt if any there was Thus also the Lord destroyed the h 1 Sam. 7.10 Enemies of Samuel by Thunder The story saith that Samuel cryed unto the Lord and the Lord heard him and thundred with a great thunder that day upon the Philistims and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel In the same manner did the Lord of Hosts treat the enemies of i 2 Sam. 22.14 15. Psal 18.13 14. David For he thundred from Heaven and the most High uttered his voyce he sent out Arrows and scattered them Lightning and discomfited them c. Here are three clear examples of the Lords chastising and fighting against his Enemies with Lightnings as shining Launces glittering Swords and Spears And with Thunder-claps as so many roaring and murdering Canon We need not therefore stay here to enquire whether that Fire that came down k Gen. 19. on Sodome or that on Nadab and Abihu or that on the l Numb 16.35 250 that offered incense were any other then violent Lightning from Heaven I will onely adde two famous instances recorded in Ecclesiasticall story We read of Anastatius the Emperour a bitter enemy and persecutor of the Church that God destroyed him by a Thunder-bolt from Heaven Also m Mornaus de Verit. Relig. Christ ca. 32 p. 350. under Marcus Aurelius there was a gallant Regiment wholly formed of Christians who when they were exceedingly straightned by their Enemies in Germany obtained by their fervent unanimous prayers hot Thunder-stones from Heaven to rout their Enemies accompanied with blessed showers to refresh themselves then ready to perish with extream heat and thirst whereupon they were ever after called the THUNDRING LEGION Secondly 2 At the delivery of the Law we read of extraordinary and supernatural Thunder when the Morall Law was delivered on Mount-Sinai n Exod. 19.16 18. Exod. 19. And it came to passe on the third day in the morning that there were Thunders and Lightnings and a thick Cloud upon the Mount and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled After this God spake and delivered his Will in the ten Precepts which also he wrote with his own finger on o Exod. 32.15 Tables of Stone which were all made of Saphir say the Rabbins In p 1 Reg. 19.17 18. such a terrible way did the Lord appeare to Elias For there came a strong winde which rent the Mountaines and Rocks after this an Earth-quake then a Fire most likely a flash of Lightning after all this a still small voice was heard Quest Let us modestly enquire why the Lord being now about to reveale his Will to his People made divers Thunders to found as Trumpets before he gave his Decrees Of this eight Reasons may be given As Answer 1 First hereby was declared the Power Greatnesss and Majesty of the Law-giver Vt disceret populus eum magni aestimare that the people might learn to esteem him God did this q Dr. Willet on Exod. 19. Tanquam Imperatore praesente As if a great Emperour were coming before whom they use to blow Trumpets saith Chrysostom Commovit omnia Elementa saith another He shook all the four Elements that they might know he had power over all things Aire in the Thunder and Trumpet Water in the thicke and dark r Congruit Nubes in functionem legalem quae tenebrarum est non Lucis Cloud Fire in the Lightning and the Earth in the shaking and smoaking of the Mountains It is thus elegantly set forth by a Å¿ Bishop Halls Contemplations lib. 5. of the Law p. 827. Learned Writer of our Church in these words God was ever wonderfull in his Works and fearful in his judgments But he was never so terrible in the execution of his Will as now in the Promulgation of it Here was nothing but a Majesticall terrour in the Eyes in the Eares of the Israelites As if God meant to shew them by this how fearfull he could be Here was the Lightning darted in their eyes the Thunders roaring in their eares the Trumpet of God drowning the Thunder-claps the Voice of God out-speaking the Trumpet of the Angell The cloud enwrapping the smoake ascending the Fire flaming the Mount trembling Moses climbing and quaking Paleness and Death in the face of Israel uproar in the Elements and all the glory of Heaven turned into terrour In the destruction of the first World there were clouds without fire in the destruction of Sodome there was fire raining without clouds But here was fire smoak clouds thunder Earthquakes and whatsoever might work more astonishment then ever was in any vengeance inflicted But alasse the foolish Gods of the Heathens Aegyptians could do none of these things Answer 2 2 This was done to declare the imbecility infirmity and weaknesse of the Law-receivers and so beat down the Peacock Plumes that no flesh might glory in his presence Even t Exod. 26.19 Heb. 12.21 Moses quaked and trembled with the rest of the people As the eye of an Owle saith Lyranus twinkles at the Sun-light so the minde and understanding of man is stunn'd and dazled in Divine things Before the people thought they were holy but now they saw all their cleansing and holinesse was nothing worth For they were not able to abide in Gods presence nor hear his voice The Light on Mount-Sinai did help to see themselves miserable The Law would humble and fit us for mercy Let us see our selves lost creatures that the Law may be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Such a Schoolmaster as that u Lightfoots Miscelanys cap. 60. Livy speaks of in Italy who brought forth his children intrusted with him to Hannibal so that if Hannibal had not been more merciful then ordinary they had all perished The Law doth not bring us to Christ to shew how well we can say our Lesson but to lay us prostrate at his foot for our neglect and inability We cannot keep the commands either w Anthony Burges Refin collectively ALL without failing in some or distributively there being not ONE command that any meere Man at any time can keep exactly The best may attain to do it x Austine Sine crimine non sine vitio without enormities perhaps but not without failings Answer 3 3 The Law was given with Thunder Lightning Trumpet and Earthquake to shew the Laws terrour to an awakened conscience allowing it selfe in sin 'T is said the Lawes of Drace the Athenian Legislator were writ in blood The Law of God was not so Yet accompanied with great solemnities and matter of astonishment to shew hee will not endure it shall
themselves Psal 29. Give h Psal 29.1 3 5. unto the Lord O ye mighty glory and strength The God of glory thundreth His voice breaketh the Cedars He would have the great and mighty Potentates on Earth give glory to the Highest when he thundreth And lest they should be puffed up with their owne borrowed and momentary greatnesse which is nothing to his the Kingly Prophet doubleth his charge Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give unto the Lord glory and strength Yet he is not contented with this but reinforceth his charge in the second verse Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Hereby he would give us to understand that Kings Magistrates and great men called by what title soever should reflect upon themselves when it Thundreth and know there is one in Heaven to whom they must give account who is infinitely greater then themselves Therefore as it is their Priviledge to Rule under him so it will be their wisdome and Honour to Rule for him Else God is able to crush and break the Cedars yea the Cedars of Lebanon None are so great but he is able by Thunder or otherwayes to humble them if they clash against the interest of Christ Zanchy i Zanchius Tom. 3. lib. 3. cap. 3. p. 360. writing of the Thunderbolt saith Quae Regum potentia apponi posset What power of Kings or strength of Palaces though built of Marble is able to resist it Claudius thought himselfe a God till the loud Thunder affrighted him then he hid himselfe and cried Claudius non est Deus Claudius is not a God Methinks I heare God speaking to every great Potentate as once to Job k Iob 40.6 9 10. when the Lord answered him out of a Whirl-wind Canst thou thunder with a voice like him Decke thy selfe now with Majesty and excellency and array thy selfe with glory and beauty cast abroad the rage of thy wrath and abase the proud q. d. Do all these things if thou canst which are done by the Lord and no creature can tread in his steps There is none like unto thee O Lord Thou art great and thy Name is great in might O who would not feare thee O King of Nations l Ier. 10.6 7. saith the Prophet Jeremy 2 Let all persons feare before the Lord and humble themselves in the time of Thunder Job 37. At this also my heart trembleth and is moved out of his place Heare attentively the noise of his voice m Iob 37.1 2. the sound that goeth out of his mouth He speaks this of Thunder The Lord saith n Zanch. Tom. 3. lib. 3 cap. 3. p. 360. Zanchy is able to send as many Thunderbolts as you have seen Hailstones in a storm if he pleaseth Then Quo se miseri mortales verterent Which way would poor Mortals turn themselves Feare therefore and tremble when you muse of the unlimited power and Majesty of God o Petron. Primus in Orbe Deos fecit timor The feare that is in men did first bringthem to acknowledg a Deity Propterea tonitrua propterea fulminum terrores ne bonitas Dei contemnatur saith p Basil Proaen ad Reg. fusius disputatas Basil very well For this very end saith he are Thunders and the terrours of Lightning lest the patience and goodnesse of GOD should be despised by us Let us feare before the greatnesse of God whose voice it is q Iob 37.1 2d 6. Elihu reasoned for God by the consideration of his power in this wonderfull work as you may see in Job 37. God thundreth marvellously with his voice Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend David hath penn'd a Psalm * Psal 29.9 purposely to adore God in this Meteor and hopes that in his Temple every man doth speak of his glory q. d. Whosoever observes God in Thunder and Lightning will adore his terrible Out-goings and magnifie him in the Temple and say Glory be to God on high When it thundreth sit downe and reason thus with thy selfe What if God should now strike me in my sin Could I welcome that Angell that should swear Thy hourglasse is run Time shall be no more Can I clearely evidence my interest in Christ Am I now busied in the Work of God Do I now employ my selfe in that which is lawfull will my rest be safe and may I safely and comfortably sleep till this THUNDER is over The night being come appointed for rest and sleep Note 'T is to me a marvell how an unpardoned sinner dare goe to sleep when it thundreth who for ought he knows may feel the hand of God and awake in Hell-fire A Thunder-bolt having parted his soule and body 'T is better with Evagrius to lye secure on a bed of Straw then have r Sin will Turpare Turbare It brings a staine sting a foul and turbulent conscience on a bed of Down having Curtains emboss'd with Gold and Pearl We eate drink and sleep saith ſ Hugo de Animâ lib. 3. Hugo as if the day of Judgement were past over Well might Augustus send to buy that Bed on which a man indebted could sleep Till God hath crossed our Debt book in Heaven I cannot believe any sleep to be sound or safe So then at all Times by Day and Night when you hear a confused noise of Thunder afar off begin to call in thy stragling thoughts to God But especially in its nearest approaches let thy heart be smitten with an awe of God and thinke with thy selfe Note One clap was so near that sure it was directed to the house where thou livest to the heart which thou lodgest Duty 2 Secondly Get into the cleft of the Rock and under the wing of Christ by Faith and Supplications and then thou art safe in the time of Thunder and Lightning t Jer. 26.20 Enter into thy chamber and shut the doore hide thy selfe as it were for a little while untill the Lords indignation be over-past Fly to GOD in JESUS CHRIST alone for protection that you may receive no injury by Thunder and Lightning Think not that any thing else will secure you besides this For 1 Some repair unto the strongest places for defence and shelter either in their owne houses or some where else changing their seats and shifting from place to place for their preservation So Augustus when it thundred fled under strong Arches and hollow dark Vaults for his protection But Dura resistunt Porosa autem fulmini transitum praebent Strong places doe chiefly feele the power and fury of a Thunder-bolt when it may be weake porous and yielding things give way and escape unhumbled Your white and cleare Lightning is said to have wonderfull Operations As to u Aristot Meteor lib. 3. cap. 1. melt the Blade spare the scabbard Dry up the Wine leave the Pipe entire Kill the Embrio not hurting the Mother So I w Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 2. cap. 51. read
hearth Unsanctified Ministers may possibly convert and comfort sinners Admit the Minister be sinfull shall the People despise his Doctrine Our Saviour t Mat. 23.3 forbids it Was the glory of the Arke any thing diminished when it came from the Philistins Scripture is Scripture though uttered by Satan Non ergo merita personarum sed officia sacerdotum considerentur saith u Ambrose cap. 5. De iis qui mysteriis initiantur Ambrose Look not so much on the worthinesse of their persons as the weight of their office and employment I have stayed here the longer because some Expositors do understand this of Job to be meant rather of moral then natural Thunder viz. The highest Publications of Gods power and greatnesse Inference 4 Fourthly and lastly This discourse of Thunder brings an Olive-branch of Peace and Comfort for the Saints There is no Point so terrible but it brings sweetnesse to Gods people as the Lion did Honicombs to Sampson Tully saith of Syracuse in Sicily that no one day passeth in which the Sun shineth not clear upon them Note This I dare affirme there is not any day so black stormy and tempestuous so full of pain sorrow or distraction but a childe of God hath some invisible cordiall to stay and suport him some divine Ray of consolation darted on his soule to prevent despair That Thunder hath in its mouth an Olive-branch of Peace for the interessed in Christ you may gather from the 29 Psalm w Psalm 29.9 11. The voice of the Lord makes the hindes to calve and in his Temple doth every man speake of his glory Or as it is in your Margent In his Temple every whit of it uttereth his glory q. d. A Saint may take occasion from Thunder to magnifie and praise God for his power in the Thunder-claps and for his goodnesse in their preservation who attend his Temple A Believer can with the Psalmist x Psalm 148.4 alarm the heavenly Meteors to glorifie God Praise him Fire and Haile snow and vapours stormy windes fulfilling his will The Lord saith David will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace This use he makes of the Doctrine of Thunder as the Reader will finde it Psalm 29.11 The Lord will give strength unto his people and blesse them in tempore tonitru saith Aben Ezra this he will do in the time of Thunder So in the 18 Psalm y Psal 18.6 16. In my distresse I cryed to my God he heard my voice he sent from above he took he drew me out of many waters Now look just before and you will finde in nine or ten Verses a lively and terrible description of Thunder and Lightning So again by the Prophet Nahum z Nahum 1.6 7. Who can stand before his indignation who can abide the fiercenesse of his anger His fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble he knoweth them that trust in him Thus you see it proved by Scripture that in Thunder and tempests in all dangers the a Prov. 18.10 Name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it and are safe b Psal 91.11 He will give his holy Angels charge over them to keep them in all their wayes Now let us see from what coast the People of God shall fetch comfort in the time of Thunder and Tempest I answer From naturall and spirituall confiderations 1 Naturall such as these 1 THUNDER is from naturall causes so is not alwayes an Argument of Gods displeasure no more then Haile Snow Raine or any other Meteor Though Thunder ever proclaims the power of God yet it doth not always trumpet forth his Anger 2 Oftentimes it hath good effects on the Aire and Earth c Sen. lib. 2. Nat. q cap. 31. Seneca the Philosopher saith that some Thunders destroy the poyson that is in Serpents Ipsir serpentibus illaesis And divers tell us of Thunders that help to purge and purifie the Aire Leigh's Treatise of Divinity li. 3. c. 4. doing much good in times of sicknesse and infection Derat aerem consumptis venenosis halitibus 2 But the Saints may chiefly draw comfort from spirituall considerations such as these Comfort 1 1 Of old God was wont to reveale himselfe by Thunder but now see his goodnesse he speaks to you in a soft and still voice Of old it was e Psalm 18.8 I heard thee in the secret of the Thunder But in these last dayes he hath spoken to us by his Son and Ambassadors sent by him Comfort 2 2 Thunder is ordered by the Almighty Though Angels may be Instruments though the Earth Air and Stars may contribute help in a naturall way of production Yet God is the efficient and principal Agent Thunder is still f Exod. 9.23 2 Sam. 22.14 1 Sam. 7.10 ascribed to God As the voice of a Man is governed and ordered by him that speaks so is Thunder by the Lord it being his Voice g Psalm 29.1 ad 9. as you have heard Though Thunder be a terrible weapon yet remember 't is in the hand of your gracious Father Note How carefull is the loving Father about Pistols ready charged if his little children be near them This affection of Parents to Children is ruggednesse and cruelty if compared with the mercies and compassions of our God The very Rebukes of God are all dipped in mercy h Jer. 31.20 Since I spake against Ephraim I do earnestly remember him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. Are not Bullets from the roaring Cannon in time of Battell ordered by the Lord which is clear in holy i Jer. 39.17 18. Iob 5.20 Psalm 140.7 Eccles 9.11 Psalm 91.7 writ And do Thunder-bolts from Gods owne Fort-Royal come by chance do his swift Lightnings flye without commission When David had set forth this worke of God he adds The Lord sitteth King for ever Psalm 29.10 God is King over Angels over men over all Meteors and creatures He commands rules and orders them for time place person Iob 37.4 opened and manner of operation See Job 37 4. He thundreth with the voice of his excellency he will not stay them when his voice is heard Not stay THEM that is New flashes of Lightning or showrs of Hail or Rain which usually break out either when it thundreth or by and by after in a violent and impetuous manner Marke He will not STAY them Note Intimating he can when he seeth good Thunder-bolts and angry Hail-stones must have leave and commission from God or they cannot stir Object If it be so then may some object surely none of Gods children shall receive any prejudice by these things To which I answer Solution 1 If any should suffer by Thunder and Lightnings you may not for that conclude them enemies of God No man knowing Divine
k Eccles 9.1 Love or Hatred by any outward Dispensations Thinke not l Luke 13.4 saith Christ that those 18 men on whom the Tower in Siloe fell and slew them were sinners above all that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell you nay If we should judge thus We might condemn the generation of Gods children who have suffered as much if not m Lam. 4 6. Dan. 9.12 more then any others in the world one way or other 2 sometimes they are in bad places or employments with the wicked and then no marvell if the good be swept away with the bad Thus the Carkases of Moses and Aaron fell in the Wildernesse they proving incredulous with the rest of the people 3 It may be the Lord foreseeth greater evills and tryals would befall them in case they escaped Thus Josiah was slain in Battel yet because he lived not to see the miseries of succeeding times n Dr. Gouge his 3 Arrows p. 18. he is said to Goe unto the grave in peace 4 Hereby the Lord doth allarm and warn all wicked men and Hereticks what to o 1 Pet. 4.17 expect at his hands seeing he deales thus ruggedly and severely with his own children many times 5 Though some of Gods children should suffer by the Pestilence Thunder or War yet usually he doth preserve his People in such perillous times So Lot p 2 Pet. 2.9 Ezek. 9.4 6. Rev. 18.4 was pulled out of Sodome that he might not be destroyed with Lightnings and Fire from Heaven The three Children escaped the Fire and Noah the Deluge the Lord often marking out his People that Temporal calamities do not lay hands upon them 6 If Saints perish by Thunder-bolts or any other untimely sudden fearfull death they yet receive no injury in these Dispensations Note For hereby they are but hastned into Heaven though with Eliah in a fiery or bloody charet The Lord doth them no wrong to hurry them out of sin temptation misery and mortality into an estate of glory and blisse eternall so turning them over from Faith to Vision from Expectation to Fruition Mala quae sancti patiuntur ad Deum ire compellūt saith Gregory All fearfull Disasters which rob the SAINTS of Life do but serve as a rough winde to blow them suddenly into their desired Haven I mean Heaven Quid interest utrum Febris an ferrum de corpore solverit Non quâ occasione sed quales ad se exeant Dominus attendit in servis suis saith q Aug Epist 122. ad vict Austin very well It matters not say I whether a burning Feaver or flash of Lightning whether a stone in thy Bladder or Thunderstone in thy Head send thee out of this miserable world God minds not saith Austin the immediate occasion of thy coming to him but the condition and posture thy soul is in when it cometh The thing which God looks at is whether thou art growing on the Crab-stock of the First Adam or art ingrafted into Jesus Christ Sancti qui mala temporalia patiuntur habent suas consolationes spem futuri seculi saith the r Aug. Ibid. same Father In all their sufferings they have this Cordial the hope of a blessed Eternity with God Thus you see what to think of good men dying by Lightning Tempests and Thunder-bolts Comfort 3 3 Thunder and Lightning have bin serviceable to the Saints and may be again Note Lightning came from heaven to kindle their Sacrifice and manifest that God was with them So probably for Abel as Jerome and others think for the Lord by some outward and visible ſ Gen. 4.4 Testimony did approve of the Sacrifice of Abel not of Cain And most likely by sending a Fire from Heaven to kindle the wood for Sacrifice But 't is certain he dealt thus with the t 1 Reg. 18.38 Levit. 9.24 2 Par. 7.1 Sacrifices of Elijah and of Moses and Aaron and King Solomon When the People saw it they marvelled and cried out The Lord he is God So it may be a flash of Lightning rendred that Charet fiery that had u 2 Reg. 2.11 Elijah to Heaven in the Whirl-wind through the help of flaming Seraphims and blessed Angels that encompassed and drew the Charet to Heaven Again Thunder and Lightning have appeared in behalfe of the Church against such as were enemies to her truth or peace 1 To her Truth So Fire w Levit. 10.2 came and destroyed Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire before the Lord to shew us Humana non ad miscenda divinis saith Procopius that humane fancies must not intermingle with divine things We must take heed saith Calvin that we do not alay his worship with mans inventions Note Now that the fire by which Nadab and Abihu were slaine was no other then Lightning is to me very probable in that neither their Bodies nor Garments were touched or burned by the flame as you may gather from the x Levit. 10.4 5. following discourse for they were carried forth in their Coates to be buried Lightning is of a subtle nature and might pierce their inward parts not hurting the outward Some Lightnings kill Penetrando non comburendo This Fire being coelestiall rather then purely Elementary consumes not the things which have pores and passages but rather where it finds resistance as it melts the silver not hurting the purse So their Flesh and Garments being full of pores might give way to the flash and y Annotat. in Locum Tostatus yet it might suffocate the spirits and by drinking up the radicall moisture cause Death Olympus the Arrian Heritick bathing himself uttered words against the blessed Trinity z Theatre of Gods judgements lib. 1. cap. 9. p. 64. but a three-fold Thunder-bolt strook him dead in the same place The complices of Corah Datha◠and Abiram a Numb 16.35 who usurped the Priests Office were destroyed with Fire from the Lord. A warning-piece for such as now usurp the Ministerial Function uncur'd uncal'd un-ordained Let them take heed lest Thunder and Lightning be their ruine when they presume to vent their illiterate crude incoherent and blasphemous stuffe These are not Pastors but Impostors St. Paul saith How shall they preach except they be sent What have they to do with his honour unlesse b Heb. 5.4 Called of God as was Aaron Let the Reader consult that notable place Zech. 13. from the third verse to the fifth And oh that such men would make the like acknowledgment in these dayes and humbly acquiesce in their former course and c ◠Cor. 7.24 1 Thes 4.11 Trade of life Let Magistrates take heed of d 1 Reg. 12.31 Jeroboams sin who suffered the lowest of the people to invade the Priest-hood Nay e 1 Reg. 13.33 any that had an itch towards it This became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth We are Ambassadors for