day of Judgement We come now to see how all this Discourse of Thunder may be rendred more Practical and so more Profitable to us by such Inferences as will naturally flow from this Theam Inference 1 First This subject is brim full of terrour for the enemies of God such as have open or secret enmity to him his Son his Spirit his Truth his Ordinances or his People O let such reflect upon their dangerous estate with serious and retired Musings Every t Non aliter de Tonitru loquuntur Scripturae quam de Dei voce mognifica atque terribili plenâque minarum time you heare it Thunder the Lord threatneth Ruine and Destruction to you Let the secure Atheist consider that if we had no other Argument to prove a God this would be sufficient Imagine that u The PersiaÌ„s worshipped the Sun The Aegyptians an Ox The Grecians Feavors Some also in Cyprian Crocadiles and Snakes The Romans hellish Furies I never read of any but Diagoras and Diodorus that denyed a God Vide Cyprian cont Demetrian Tract 1. all Nations did not confes a God that we could not read a God in the volumnes of Creation Scripture and Conscience Yet one clap of Thunder is enough to convince us of a Deity make us lye groveling in the Dust before him How dare you sin against this holy God that cannot eudure sin and this all-powerful God that is able to punish it He can easily discharge the great Guns of Heaven and cut you off in your sins ONE flash of Lightning is sufficient to send you into the lake of Fire One Thunder bolt is enough to tear and dispatch you into a sad Eternity What will ye do when God is angry His wrath and revenging Justice are described by the roaring of Lions by Thunder Earth-quakes Tempests and devouring Fire But w Psalm 90.1 who knows or can expresse the power of his anger When he is wroth the Angels seeke to hide themselves The Heavens melt away like waxe Jordan is driven back The Mountains smoak The Devils tremble and the pillars of the Earth are shaken Is the Grashopper able to fight with a Lion Can stubble resist a Fire or chaffe a Whirl-winde Then may you oppose God and prosper O consider this yee that forget God lest he teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Kisse the Son lest his anger kindle and his jealousie smoake against you and there be no remedy Inference 2 Secondly in particular it speaks reproof to those that gaze purposely on the Lightning and out-brave the Thunder saying they feare it not Accusing such as are more serious of ignorance childishnesse and effeminate weaknesse Mr. Perkins writes of one who blasphemously scoffed at this work of God and the Author in x Trâ—p on Job 39. p. 244. words which I am fearful to repat and thereupon a Thunder-bolt slew him Some bold impious and impudent wretches slight and laugh at these great and wonderful works of Almighty God But 't is dangerous playing with Edge-tools or jesting with things of serious importance Some feare trivial matters who yet regard not Thunder as your Divedappers saith one duck not at this rattle in the Air which they doe on very small occasions So some are not moved by Thunder who would cry out if a Sword were drawn or Pistoll shot off The old Italians were wont to drown Thunder by ringing their greatest Bells a bold madnesse It is recorded of Clearchus that ex liberis unum Tonitrum appellavit He presumed to call one of his Children by the name of Thunder saith y Pierius Hierogl 〈◊〉 43. cap. 27. p. 552. Pierius z Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 35. cap. 10. Apelles was so conceited of his skill that he attempted to picture Thunder and Lightning which was at once impious and impossible For the Poets when they would expresse the celerity of any thing a Pier. Hierogl lib. 43. cap. 27. say Fulminis ocyor alis swifter then Lightning It cannot be therfore painted much lesse Thunder We read also of great Men that have presumed by artificiall founds to imitate Thunder Note Caligula attempted by certain Engines of Art to counterfeit Thunder and Lightning that the People might fear and worship him for a God But on a time when there hapned greater claps of reall Thunder then ordinary he ran under his bed to hide himselfe and at last came to a miserable end dying of thirty wounds in his secret Gallery going to bathe himself So Alladius who reigned before Romulus was a notable contemner of God and his works for he astonisht his People with Aartificiall Thunder and Lightning but at length was destroyed in his house set on fire by True Lightning from Heaven So b Diod. lib. 4. also the K. of Elide plaid the same pranks and was destroyed by a Thunder-bolt for his pains Heare what the Lord spake to Job c Job 4.9 Hast thou an arm like God or canst thou thunder like him 'T is a bold madnesse to goe about to imitate God in his unimitable works The counterfeiting of Thunder was common in our Play-houses which for that and many other causes were deservedly suppressed by Authority I have given you divers instances of contempt cast upon this voice of God To prevent and endure which reflect upon the dreadful Operations of Thunder and Lightning which are recorded for our admonition Thunder hath been often accompanied with fearfull Judgements as destructive Hail burning flashes sweeping Rains and terrible Earth quakes In the d Stows Chr. p. 102. third year of Edward the first 1275. on Nicholas day there were great Earth-quakes Thunders and Lightnings with an huge Dragon and blazing Star which made many men sore afraid Observe that some Lightnings do fill the Aire with impure and hurtful smels Fulmina Fulgura sulphuris Odorem habent e Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 35. e. 15. saith Pliny Thunder and Lightning do oft leave a sulphurious Brimstony Unsavoury smell behind them So when you read that Sodome was destroyed with fire and brimstone it may be spoken of brimstony Lightnig from Heaven For Sodome was destroyed f Dr. Willet on Gen. 19. p. 184. very suddenly g Tertullian Opera p. 556. in Sodomam Tertullian seemes to be of this minde Fumantes coÌ„eunt nubes Novus irruit imber Sulphura cum flammis flagrantibus aestuat aether Exustus crepitat liquidis Ardoribus Aether How many have been blasted with Lightning How many have suffered in their bodies in their houses in their friends in their Cattel and substance by Thunder and Lightning All which considered we have little reason to out-brave Thunder or jest with Lightning Inference 3 Thirdly take hence matter of Admonition to six several Duties As Duty 1 First when you see it Lighten or heare it Thunder fear before the great and mighty Jehovah 1 Let great ones thinke of it and know there is one greater then
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
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
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
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
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
be broken or slighted y Osiander For Tales terrores in conscientiâ peccatoris lex Dei operatur The Law can terrifie and thunder-strike the hearts of offenders z Strigelius in Exodum Fol. 80. Eadem efficit Lex in singulorum animis quae in promulgatione terribili effecit saith Strigelius very well The Law works the same things in the conscience which it did in Mount Sinai at the terrible Promulgation The words of the Law are written in Exodus but the Copie or Counterpain is in every mans heart The Law is there also written a Rom. 2.15 saith St. Paul Bishop Andrews shews how people had this written in their Conscience before the Law was given or received on the Mount Giving us a b Gen. 35.2 31.34 25.3 Exod. 16 23. Gen. 27.41 49. 38.24 44.7 38.20 12.17 particular Scripture for each Commandement to which the Reader is referred in the Margent Also we can easily produce the ten Commandements out of Pagan Writers Look then with how much terrour the Law was delivered on Sinai and in the like manner doth the Lord set it home upon the consciences of sinners rebelling against this Law in their hearts There be flashes of divine conviction Thunder-claps of terrour in the soul when once sin is set home upon it This drove Cain Saul Achitophel and Judas on desperate Resolutions 'T was this made all the delights and privacy of Campania unable to quiet Tiberias after Bloodshed and Sodomy Spira was so afflicted c Gribald Epist p. 34 c. that he wished himselfe in the room of Cain or Judas to be rid of those Terrours and Thunder claps in his soul for breaking this Law An ill conscience while quiet is like a sleeping Lion when it wakes it roars God thundreth in the Conscience Note certain flashes of Hell-fire do astonish it Sin in the conscience is like winde crept into the caverns of the Earth it roves it swells it struggles and shakes the whole Masse and Bulk till it have vent through a broken heart by repentant groans mournful sighes and humble confessions Sinne in the conscience is like exhalations shut together in a Cloud it brings thundring terrours to the bad and a shower of penitent Tears to the good Note This hath made so many gloomy dayes and dark sorrowfull nights even for the People of God after breaking any branch of this Law Davids bones were broken by such Thunder-bolts as these of which I now speak This made Heman Job Jonah and Peter the Rocke so exceedingly to shake and feare and be so disconsolate This made d Psal 77.3 Asaph say When he remembred God he was troubled Mistris Honywood of Kent said she was as sure to be damn'd as that the Venice-glasse would break which shee then cast to the ground but the glasse rebounded without harm so the Lord by Miracle cured her afflicted affrighted spirit Tertullian may well stile the conscience Praejudicium judicii A fore-tast of the day of Judgment And Austin say Sentio quem non intelligo I know not whether Conscience be an Habite or Act or both in the understanding or will peradventure it is in both but I feel thee said he though I do not understand thee Answer 4 4 The Law was ushered in with Thunder and Lightnings that the people might know it was of God and so receive it with lesse hescitancy and doubting but the more awfulnesse and obedience I say without Jealousie or Mistrust that the Revelation might prove a Delusion For the Law was not privately delivered in some obscure corner of the world or to some ONE man or in the Night-time or by a private Whisper But it was given openly on a Mount in the Morning before e Exod. 20.18 ALL the People in Thunder and Lightnings Now as all this should banish our Doubts concerning the Divinity and Morality of this Law so also lead us to receive it as a Rule of life with the more awfulnesse and submission Though Seneca do not approve that any Law should have a Prologue Yet God infinitely wiser had two Prologues to his Law The one of Miracles the other of Arguments I am the Lord which brought you out of the house of bondage c. Such Prologues are no diminution or weakning to a Law but add more Vigour Authority and goodnesse to it Timere leges maxima securitas But this Thunder made all the people to feare before the Lord Let him not speake in Thunder lest we dye f Leigh's Tr. o◠Divin lib 3 cap. 4. Thunder-claps then were saith one the Lords Harbingers to tell of his coming to prepare the hearts of the people with exceeding great awfulness and compliance to receive Directions from God Note The World was at THAT time very remisse and over-grown with security and prophanesse it was meet therefore saith Chrysostome the People should be rouzed up by this means and brought to attention Here observe The Law was not given until the world had stood 2513 yeares g Sir Walter Raleigh Hist lib. 2. cap. 4. say some 2454 yeares h Languet Chron. fol. 34. say others Now because the Law of Nature did not strike at every sin so in particular nor sufficiently terrifie the consciences of offenders nor so expound Divine worship as for those after Ages was required who gave every day lesse authority then other to the Naturall Law Therefore it was but needfull the LAW should be revived explained at large and delivered with Thunder-claps to rouze and awaken those sottish and drouzy Times And that the Law should be written and exposed to the eyes of all men which before they might but would not read in their own consciences Answer 5 5 This way of delivering the Law by Thunder Lightning Tempest and Earth-quake was needfull in regard of the common People The ruder sort esteeming of persons and things according to their outward shew pomp splendor and magnificence and therefore did the Lord appear in this glorious manner before the People Why doth our Law provide that Judges Riding in their Circuit shall have Trumpets sounded before them when they enter Towns or Cities Why are their Persons adorned with Scarlet and encompassed with glittering arms All this to strike an awe into the minds of common People The vulgar sort are by i Waterhouse Apology for Learning p. 242. one compared to Rivers which sinke all that is sollid and beare up that which is light But these solemnities were not onely gawdy and glorious to sense but they were great and miraculous in themselves so did not onely affect the Rabble but the k Exo. 20.18 Heb. 12.21 most sollid knowing and judicious All the people observed and were afraid Moses not excepted Answer 6 6 The Lord shewed himselfe in Thunder Lightning and smoak quia talis apparitio in Nube igne non habet Figuram say Lyranus and l Tostatus Qu. 11. Tostatus such
2 Testimonies from learned Authors there be some Testimonies from Learned Writers that the Gospell was sealed and confirmed by Thunder Pignetus c Pignetus in Apoc. writing of that Thunder mentioned Rev. 8.5 saith thus Habet quiddam simile exordium Evangelicae praedicationis cum initio Promulgationis legis Exod. 19. The beginning of the Gospell is something like to that of the Law in the 19th of Exodus Rupertus saith God did proclaim the fulnesse of Christ and excellency of the Gospell with claps of Thunder Cornelius a Lapide saith that voice of Christ was voted Thunder by the People John 12. Quia vox haec maxima Crassisima Resonantissima erat instar tonitrui because it was a great and roaring voice like unto Thunder But if so loud as to be like it then surely it was all one as to the Peoples satisfaction as if it had been Thunder indeed Our d Annotatiōs on John 12.29 Annotations say it was no obscure whisper but loud as Thunder My reverend Unkle the Learned Dr. Hammond is very particular on this occasion He e Dr Hammond of the Reasonablenesse of Christian Religion Sect. 7. ad 11. p. 14. ad 22. affirmes this testimony of Thunder was three times given to the Gospel 1 At the Baptisme of Christ when the Heavens were opened or miraculously parted by Thunder the Dove descended and the voice followed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare ye him 2 In the presence of three sober Men Peter James and John Behold there came a lightsome cloud to overshadow them and a voice out of the cloud followed 3 Not long before his death when he was praying to his Father a Voice came to him and the People said it thundred Thirdly to this add 3 Testimonies from the Gospels enemies that there have been Testimonies from the Gospels enemies Pulchrum est Testimonium quo nostra probantur ab hostibus saith Aristotle Ad probandam veritatem nihil efficatius testimonio adversariorū saith Gregory Nothing confirms our Opinion like the testimony of an Enemy So the f Acts 23.9 Scribes bitter foes to the Gospel said to the Sadduces concerning Paul earnestly preaching Christ that they found not any evill in him But if an Angell hath spoken to him let us not fight against God So Gamaliel a g Acts 5.39 Pharisee and grave Doctor of the Law advised the People Not to persecute the followers of Christ lest they be found to fight against God q. d. who hath confirmed Christianity by so many Miracles and Voices from Heaven When Christ was at Jerusalem in the midst of his bitter enemies assembled at the Feast of the Passeover and crowding after him out of novelty to see his Miracles Yet h Iohn 12 12 29 37 38. when God spake to Christ from Heaven this People confessed there was THUNDER joyned with the Voice John 12. But mark what followeth Though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not in him that the words of Esaias might be fulfilled who hath believed our report Now observe it well these incredulous stiff-necked Jewes though their eyes were blinded their hearts hardned that they would not receive CHRIST in the Gospel yet they confessed that a Voice bare witnesse to him from Heaven accompanied by Thunder and that themselves heard both the one and the other Next i Acts 22.1 ad 12. that of Saul is considerable Acts 22. He was an eminent Jew by Sect a Pharisee and through zeale a persecutor of the Gospel and its professors He k Acts 7.58 9.1 received the Garments of those that stoned Steven got Commissions also from the High Priests to persecute the Christians that were in Damascus Now heare his confession and relation of that which hapned to him by the way When I was come nigh to Damascus about noon suddenly there shone from Heaven a great light round about me and I fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying unto me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me c. These things were not done privately but were known to the Sanhedrin and there was company with him on the way There is a seeming difference in the Relations but the present reconciling thereof will strengthen our present observation l Acts 9.7 22.9 reconciled One place saith they stood speechlesse heard a voice but saw no man Another place saith They saw indeed the light and were afraid but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me Now m Dr Hamm. Reas Christian Religion p. 21. observe the same word in the Hebrew which signifieth a Voice signifieth Thunder also So where it is said They heard the voice the sense is this They heard the THUNDER attending the Flash of Lightning which encompassed St. Paul And when it is said They heard not the Voice It is explained in the words following They heard not the Voice of him that spake to him It should seeme St. Paul onely heard that But by St. Pauls answers and the consequent change of his principles and life the rest also came to know it very well The truth of this story St. Paul did boldly avow before the Jewes and Romans that questioned him about his change He became out of hand a Preacher an Apostle of the Gospel and at length sealed it with his Blood For he was beheaded saith n Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 8. cap. 18. Eusebius under Dioclesian praying for the Jewes and Gentiles For the Multitude assembled For the Judge also and Executioner that his Death might not one day be laid unto their charge Thus you see the confirmation of the Gospel by Thunder and Voices from Heaven attested by the Word of God judgement of Learned Men and confession of the Gospels Adversaries Quest But why was it thus Answer I answer for such Reasons as these 1 This was the highest Testimony that could well be given For it is not easily imaginable that there should be any greater assurance of the Gospels verity then that which may be reaped out of Gods speaking to us from Heaven in its behalf The violent cleaving or opening the Heavens and from thence the holy Spirit descending in a visible shape and lighting on Christ And out of the clouds a voice delivered to mortal men with Thunder Lightning Surely if this will not convince and satisfie us nothing will Answer 2 Again this was ordinary among the Jewes and under the second Temple the onely way of Gods revealing himselfe to the people Quod solum firme Oraculi genus temporibus Templi secundi restabat saith Learned o Hugh Grorius in Ioan. 12. p. 965. Grotius writing of the Voice from Heaven Note Moreover it is a thing expected of the Jewes that when the Messiah comes he shall be ushered with Thunder Therefore when it thundreth the Jewes light up Candles p Weems Vol. 2. lib. 1. cap. 2. p. 12. saith Weems hoping to see
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
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