serve for a Glass to see our sins and what Judgments we may fear if they be continued in which are sins that bring Kingdoms and Cities to ruin Verse 8. For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory O that Magistrates Nehemiah like would not any longer suffer the Sabbath to be openly profaned or things exposed to Sale in Londons late trembling Streets or Parts adjacent nor in the Land Where is Nehemiah's Courage Neh. 13. 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading Wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wine Grapes Figs and now in our Street-trade Apples Pears Plumbs c. on the Sabbath-day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold Victuals Verse 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and profane the Sabbath day Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath Verse 21. Then I testified against them and said unto them if ye do so again I will lay hands on you From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath day O that after such shakings of the City such things might be done no more on the Sabbath day O that no more Oaths on other days might be heard in our Streets and no more reelings by Drunkenness there least the Earth reel under us again O that there might be praying to and praising of God in all Houses that did shake and yet do stand That all Men of all Ranks Callings Qualities Rich and Poor Magistrates and Subjects Ministers and People Parents and Children Masters and Servants might search their hearts and ways see what is amiss and mend it what is good and continue and grow therein that God may be no more provoked dishonoured incensed against us but glorified pleased feared by us that his Anger might be turned away from us that instead of Judgments and Wrath his Blessings and Mercies might be poured upon us Amen THE CONTENTS 1. The Preface containing 1 The Suns miraculous 1. Standing still 2. Going back 3. Eclipse p. 2. to 8. 2 The Earths motion by Earthquakes The Copernican's Opinion of the constant motion of the Earth p. 8. The Testimony of our Senses of its natural resting p. 9 10. 2. The Parts of the Text. 1 The Earthquake p. 12. 2 The greatness of it 13. By 1. Shaking the Foundations of the Prison ibid. By 2. Immediate opening of the Doors 14. By 3. Loosing the Prisoners Bonds ibid. 3 The Suddenness of it 15. 3. Doctrines I. God many times works wonders for the deliverance of his suffering Saints in order to the propagating of the Gospel 15 16 17 II. God needs not length of time to do the most great and wonderful works The suddenness of the late Earthquake 18 19 20. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come and quickly go nothing is destroyed thereby yet it is and may be truly called a Great Earthquake 8 Questions to such as thought the late Earthquake small 20 to 25 IV Tho' some Earthquakes have their natural Causes yet some do arise from the immediate hand and power of God 25. The Method 26 27 28. Earthquakes are either 1. Metaphorical 28. to 32. 2. Literal and Real These are 1 Supernatural 9 Instances An account of that miraculous Earthquake in the days of Uzziah and for what sin 32. to 47. Three Inferences 47. to 52. 2 Natural Their 1 Causes Material Efficient 52. to 58. 2 Description 3 Seven sorts By others reduced to three 58. to 61. 4 Six antecedent Signs 62 63. 5 Effects 1 Great Consternations Several Reasons os it in Earthquakes 64 to 79. 2 Precipitant flight 79 80. 3 Openings of the Earth ibid. 4 Subversion of houses c. 81 82 83 5 The change of the Channel of the Sea ibid. 6 Overthrow and removing of Mountains 84. 7 Infectious Diseases 84 85. 6 Adjuncts In 8 Conclusions 86. to 93 7 Inferences 12. for improving this great work of God 93. to 119. Gods sparing Mercy to London c in the late Earthquake set forth 1. By 18 Instances of dreadful devastations made by Earthquakes in several places in former Ages p. 119. to 123. 2. By the lamentable Ruins in Jamaica the Effects of the late Earthquake there described by Letters from thence 123. to 129 A Letter from a Minister in Kent giving some account of the late Earthquake there 129 130. An Earthquake in England An. 1580. much like to this so lately here 131 132 133 The Religious Zeal of Queen Elizabeth moved by that Earthquake to publish an Order commanding all Housholdders throughout the Realm to call together all in their respective Families and to pray with them every Evening before they went to bed 133. to 137. Three Years very remarkable for God's dealings with London in our days 1665. for the Plague 1666. for the Fire and 1692. for the Earthquake 138. to the end Earthquakes EXPLAINED AND IMPROVED ACTS XVI 26. And suddenly there was a great Earthquake so that the Foundations of the Prison were shaken and immediately all the Doors were opened and every ones Bonds were loosed WOnderful many wonderful things are done by the Lord of Heaven and Earth by reason whereof his People may in triumph 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 â—â—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 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 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 quickneâ—â— 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 laâ—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 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 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 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
recorded of one that was Anno 160â— 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 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 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 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 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 the Earth to tremble when and where he pleaseth Quest VIII What Inferences may be drawn from this Doctrine and what Vse should we make of it and of this great Work of God which we have lately seen and felt in shaking London c. Vse 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 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 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
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 thoâ— done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground Verse 11. And now art thou cursed from the Eartâ— which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood at thine hand Vers 12. When thou tillest the ground it shall noâ— 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 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 recorâ— 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 Unbelieâ— 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 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 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 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 Vse 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 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 you were before What! after
may be some Security to a City against one Judgment might not be any defence against another When 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. Vse 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 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 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 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 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 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