Musitian according to Davids Dedication to many of his Psalms and that he is about to play over some eminent Acts of Providence which he will mannage throughout with most excellent skill upon the Stage of the World even such curious Lessons though consisting of Discords which may prove sad cordoliums to the VVicked yet sweet Cordials to the Godly The second particular in this General Discourse is the Scene whereon the great God shews his marvelous Signs and Wonders and where they have their extraordinary scituation whereof we cannot have a better account from any better Hand than from the sweet singer of Israel Ps 135.6 VVhere after he had declared 1. Gods Goodness v. 3. Then 2. Gods Greatness v. 5. Yea greater than all Gods either Deputed as Magistrates Ps 82.1.6 Or Reputed as Idols Ps 115.4.1 Cor. 8.4 He comes to declare what a most free Agent this good and great God is v. 6. Doing whatever pleaseth him whereby he confuteth three sorts of the Truths Adversaries 1st The Stoicks that bind Gods Almighty Hands under a Fatal necessity as if God could do nothing but as second Causes do move and oblige him 2. The Epicureans who dotingly Dream that God called Actus purissimus is altogether Idle sitting in Heaven at his own ease and altogether unconcerned with the Affairs of this lower World which they say are managed by chance and fortune 3. The Ethnicks who confess God to be concerned in the greatest matters of this lowermost World but not with the least of them saying Non vacat exiguis Rebus Adesse Jovi Jove is not at leisure to be present at small matters David here doth Demonstrate the grossness of all those three mistakes saying God is always at work as John 5.17 and he works freely what he pleaseth Ps 115.3 and under no Constraint or Restraint no second cause can either help him or hinder him even the seeming Impediments he over-ruleth and making them serviceable to his own irresistible Will as Phaorah's Daughter is made to preserve Moses who was to Destroy Pharoah's Kingdom c. And lastly he nameth the three grand Stages or Theaters whereon God worketh what he willeth both his Ordinary and extraordinary works to wit Heaven Earth and Sea the great God is concern'd in all things that come to pass in all these parts of the visible World This leads me from the General to a particular Discourse of those mighty Signs Wonders and Prodigies which the great God hath very lately shewn to the World upon all those three Scenes or Stages And first in the Heavens this Mighty God Jehovah not Jove or Jupiter is declared to be the Maker of all Meteors Jerem. 10.13 Ps 135.7 whether they be Fiery Airy or VVatery and whether they be Ordinary or Extraordinary 1. Ordinary 't is the great God that causeth Vapours to ascend from the ends of the Earth Ps 135.7 And Jerem. 10.13 Those Vapours the Sun Moon and Stars exhaleth out of the Earth and Sea by the Ordinance of the Creator whereon those usual Meteors as Clouds either with Rain or without Thanders and the Rainbow c are made as on their proper matter This may be exemplified in the little World Man in whom Vapours are experienced to Ascend up from below unto the Brain and from thence again do Deseend in a Defluxion of Rheum down upon the Lungs c. Thus it is in the Great World as to the first common Meteor to wit Clouds which are moist Vapours draâ—n up as is aforesaid into the middle Region where being by the coldness thereof condensed and congealed they so continue there until by the warmth of the Sun they come to be dissolved and turn'd into Rain Zanch. de Op r. Dii lib. 3. cap. 6. pag. 381. Hereupon they are called Gods Garden-Pat for watering Plants wherewith he duly watereth the wide Garden of the World Now this though Common is one of Gods mighty Sig s and Wonders that he should bind up such a vast weight of water in his Clouds which are nothing but Vapours knit together and so are Vessels much thinner than the Liquor contained in them 't is a mighty Wonder that the Clouds are not rent under them Job 26.8 And so to cause a Cataclysme or warer Spouts as Marriners call them to drown not only Ships at Sea but also the whole Globe of the Earth This wonderful work of God that such a Massy weight of VVater should be confin'd to a thin Cloud as if a strong man should be conjur'd into a slender Cobweb and there be kept Nolens Voleâ—s If well weighed would be sufficient to convince the greatest Atheist in the VVorld of an Omnipotent Deity no meer man can spread aloft the thinnest Curtain absque fulcris without some solid thing to uphold it Yet the great God spreadeth those thin Curtains the Clouds over the whole Face of the Firmament Job 25.9.36.29 such as have great Floods bound up sometimes in them as in a Garment Prov. â—0 4 Yet have they nothing but the fluid Air to sustain them there be also Clouds without water as well as with which seem to carry the less VVonder in them yet if we Consider that all Clouds are Gods Spunges as Zanchy that Divine Philosopher calleth them which are in time filled with the waters that are above the Firmament and the true reason why some Clouds do Rain upon the Earth and others doe not is because God doth not squeeze all those Spunges with his mighty Hand and thus God saith I will command the Clouds to Rain no Rain upon this or that place Isa 5.7 Those are Clouds without Rain Prov. 25.14 For God presseth them not and those which God squeezeth as man doth a Spunge he doth it not with all his might but gently that they may moderately drop upon the Earth to refresh it but not to Ruine it as was done to the Old VVorld when God opened the Cataracts of Heaven and wrung those Spunges hard upon them the Consideration hereof should bring man to the knowledge of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God Rom. 1.19 Job 38.37 Jer. 5.22 The second common Meteor is Thunder c. This is also Wonderful that Fire and Water should mingle in one Cloud and that Hard Stones according to the vulgar Opinion should come out of the midst of thin Vapours These are Wonders in Nature far beyond Humane Apprehension that one and the same Cloud should one while be an Aery Sea to powr down a whole Tide of VVater and another while even immediately be as some Aery Furnace which scattereth abroad flashes of Fire into all parts of the Earth astonishing the VVorld with the dreadful noise of that Eruption and that God should fetch Fire out of the midst of Water and hard Thunderbolts out of the midst of such a soft Exhalation as a Cloud is Hac sunt sane Tremenda atque admiranda no less to be Dreaded than Admired The third comman Wonder in Nature is
The SIGNS of the TIMES OR VVonderful Signs OF Wonderful times BEING A Faithful Collection and Impartial Relation of several SIGNS and WONDERS call'd properly PRODIGIES together with some Philosophical and Theological Descants upon them which have been seen in the HEAVENS on the EARTH and on the WATERS as they have been Testifyed by very Credible Hands All which have hapned within the compass of this last Year 1680. Which may well be called another Annus Mirabilis or Wonderful Year wherein the Lord hath given us loud Warnings to Repent of our Sins and Return to him that he may have Mercy upon us Woe to thm that Regard not the Work of the Lord neither Consider the Operation of his Hands Isa 5.11.12 13. By C. N. LONDON Printed for the Author And Published by Langley Gurtiss on Ludgate-Hill 1681. The Comet and the Dart The Armies in the Air The Three Suns seen The greathailstones Hatfield maid Ghost The Earthquake The 3 dead Tower-lyons the River dryd the whale The fight of Ships TO The Worshipful Francis Warner Esq AMongst all my small Acquaintance I have not had the Happiness to know personally any person of Quality though undoubtedly some such there be out of my reach so much conversant and so exquisitely vers'd in prophetick Mysteries like your self and considering That Prodigies which this portable pocket-book treateth upon are a kind of mute yet speaking Prophecies I made bold to Dedicate it quale quale est to your Worship being experimentally Assured That you are a lover of Learning and a candid Patron to all Abstruse Essays well knowing that in magnis voluisse sat est Difficilium facilis est venia Sir your Candour I presume will incline you to pardon me in the whole in as much as I have been constrained throughout this whole Work to tread all in untrodden paths finding none walking in the same way and Method before me You will find the Labour such as it is the more elaborate in finding out Sacred which are least obvious to Exceptions as well as Civil Parallels to present Prodigies and in making such I hope Innocent Descants upon them as the Matter doth require Sir I look upon you as one above many for Discoursing about the Signs of the times both the Signs of Divine Anger and of Divine Favour Signum Signatum sunt correlata Every Sign must have the thing signified no Sign is so dumb but it speaks something which only the wise do understand Hos 14.9 'T was Daniel only and not the South-sayers That could Read the Handwriting upon the Wall and give a Right Interpretation of it Dan. 5.8 11.12 15 16. Such as seek to Sorcerers deserve no better than a Disappointment the lowest fruit of their sublime Folly None of those Wizards of the world though they might have Deep Reaches in Humane Affaires could give the Sense of that Divine Oracle that work was reserved for a better man than they Stultorum plena sunt omnia Store of such Fools no better than Dust heaps are found in every Corner who either know not the mind of God in mystical matters or Stumble at it There be too many Atheists who do extenuate and undervalue all Prodigies Heathenishly ascribing them to Dame Nature only whereby they do dangerously Darken the Power and Providence of the Almighty God but there are not many wise wise-hearted and wise unto Salvation They are few that Understand the Signs of the Times 'T is Objected Prodigies are common Things therefore cannot be special Presages of future Events or of the End approaching I Ans 1 'T is very observable that the Palmoni Hamadabbat or Prince of Preachers preached upon Prodigies those signs and wonders which did presage the Destruction of Jerusalem and of his last Comming occasioned by his Disciples asking When shall these things be and What sign will there be when these things shall come to pass Luke 21.7 Mat. 24.3 Mar. 13 4. c. No sooner had Christ prepared them with due Cautions concerning themselves but he declared what was satisfactory to their curious question 2. The very first Text that Christs Apostles preach'd upon after Christ was gone from them and the Spirit come upon them was concerning Prodigies which the Prophet Jâ—el foretold God would shew in the world ch 2. ver 30 c and the Apostle Peter handled that Text so powerfully as to prevail with 3000 Converts at one Sermon Acts 2â— 17.19.41 Shewing how New Testament times do unvail and Accomplish the vailâ—d Prophecies of the Old 3 'T is the concurrent Opinion of our best Protestant Authors that there be some Special Signs of the Times call'd Sacramentis Mâ—raculis cognata near a Kin to Sacraments and Miracles which are more than Natural even of a Divine Ordination declaring how the Great God stands affected towards poor man in respect of his Favour or Anger See Polani Syntagmaâ—â— 6. ca. 48 59 many Classick Authentick Divines 4 'T is likewise as concurâ—â—â—â— a Sentiment of Goâ—d Hist riâ—â—â— both Ancient and Modern that Prodigies do mostly Portend the Futurition of some extraordinary Events as Herodotus c. and Lucan l. â— telleth how the sad calamities of Rome were presaged by many strange Prodigies in Heaven Earth and Sea singing or saying Thus Superique Minaces Prodigiis terras impleÌ„runt Aethera pontum Igneta obscurae vidèrunt Sydera Noctes Ardentémque polum flammis coelóque Volantes Obliquas per Inane Faces c. All which do signify that the whole Fabrick of the Universe had put upon it by the Angry God a most frightful Face and Aspect and Heaven Earth and Sea did conspire together to chastize the Pride and Luxury of Rome at that Time and Claudian saith That after Caesars Victory over Pompey not only the Heavens drop'd blood but also pits and pools flowed with blood as a praesage of Caesars Stabbing cum multis aliis c. 5. Pliny l. 2. c. 58. saith The Heathens were startled at the Prodigys of his time in so much that they had their solemn Sacrifices for Diverting the Evils portended by them And will not those Dictates of the dim light of Dame Nature in these blind Heathens rise up in Judgment against our Atheists who scoff at all those wonderful signs so terrifying in themselves and so testifying God's wrath for Man's sin Alas they had not God's Heifer to plow withall which we have yet could they Unriddle those Mysteries call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's prodigious preachments better than many of us their very natural Religion was a dark Imitation of the true Divine Devotion though the Devil God's Ape did impose upon them therein much Superstition If against this it be alledged what is said Jer. 10.2 3. Learn not the way of the Heathen and be not Dismayed at the Signs of Heaven as they are for their Customs are vain I Answer 1. God Cautions his people there going Captives into Chaldea then that they learn
may well wonder at and more observable than either the most are aware of or affected with 'T is manifest That Jehovah is the true and only Thaumaturgus the great and ordinary Wonder-worker To omit the Wonders of the Creation for which see Psalm 136 4 5 6 7. and my little Book aforesaid upon Meditation pag. 125. to 145. and give but a Specimen or small Scantling of them 1. 'T is a Wonder to be wondred at How the Bones grow in her that is with Child Eccles 11.5 Solomon himself who was Natures Secretary wonders at this and so did David before him Psalm 139.14 2. The double Motion of the Lungs call'd Systole and Diastole and of the Pulse in mans Body is a Wonder which that Famous Physician Galen tho an Heathen was so amazed with that he would needs offer Sacrifices to that God whom he knew not who yet as he supposed must be the Original of that Wonder 3. The Strength of the Nether Chap is a Wonder whereof no man could ever give a Sufficient Natural Reason Nor 4. of the Heat in the Stomach for Digestion of all Meats in Succum Sanguinem into juice and Blood in a little time Nor. 5. Of the various Colours in the Rain-bow Nor 6. of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea Nor 7. of the Magnetick Virtues of the Loadstone to let pass many others that are Wonders all though ordinary No nor 8. of this common case that Chaff should be so cold as to keep Snow hid within it from melting and yet so warm as to hasten the Ripning of Apples which are coverd with it Gods wonders are without Number But 2. Instances more The 9th wonder is God's turning water into Wine as his Daily Work 'T is true this is called The Beginning of Christs Miracles Joh. 2.11 and 't was a mighty Miracle yea better than that of Moses for the Giver of the Law turn'd Water into Blood but the Giver of the Gospel turn'd Water into Wine the former could not be drank without danger of dying the latter was delightful to Drink and Heart-Reviving yet this VVonder of turning water into VVine is a daily work with God as Augustin excellently observeth Inasmuch as the Rain water which falls upon the Root of the Vine and nourisheth the Tree Doth in time turn into the Grape The Juice Blood or VVine is originally VVater In the 10th and last place Augustin excellently also maketh Gods multiplying a grain of Corn sown in the Earth to 30 60 or 100 Corns a more miraculous wonder than Christs multiplying the few Loves to feed 5000 persons his words are mirabilior est Grani in Terra multiplicatio quam illa quinque panum Tract 24. in Joh. 6.9 10 11. yet was that miracle of the 5 loaves exceeding marvelous Inasmuch as the Loaves by a strange kind of Arithmetick were Multiplied by Division as they were distributed among the Multitude and an Addition to them was made by Substraction As each person had his piece subtracted from the Loaves yet were they augmented thereby Notwithstanding all this That Reverend Father prefers the common Experience of every Husband-man the multiplying of one grain as a greater wonder Thus something may be known of God in the whole Creation Rom. 1.19 and much more in Divine Providence God never leaves himself without Witness Acts 14.17 yet leaves he all men without excuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any Apology Rom. 1.20 for though natural light is not available to bring faln Man into the Favour of God yet it is sufficient to convince him of Moral wickedness both against God and Man oh then what pity it is that Christ should still say Ye will not believe except ye see Signs and Wonders whereas men live in the very midst of many such like Signs and wonders as are the aforesaid c. yet they come not up to so much as amounts to an Old Testament Faith of Believing in GOD though a New Testament Faith is requisite also as Christ saith Ye believe in God believe also in Me John 14.1 but are Intoxicated with Atheism and live according to their Lusts as if they were all become David's Fools which say in their Heart There is no God though they Daily see God sufficiently sealing up his General Goodness to Man in doing him Good pro victu amictu bestowing upon him Daily Bread and Daily Cloathing 2. Besides those Ordinary God hath also his Extraordinary Wonders The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very great and Wonderful Works of GOD Act. 2.11 for though the Great GOD doth limit Nature to her Common Products yet will he never limit himself but Will Do whatever pleaseth him Psal 115.3 without either the Help or the Hindrance of any Whether it be Miracles or Marvels or Ordinanary Occurrences As to the first of those I have spoke so largely already and shall only add that there were never any Miracles for Weight Measure and Number for God is said to do all things pondere mensura Numero equal to those in the time of the Gospel none of those either before or under the Law can be parralel'd with those under the Gospel upon all those three accounts they are not like them for weight measure and number It may easily be Demonstrated how far Law-Miracles come short of Gospel Miracles in all these respects To Instance only in that one asorenamed Moses indeed turned Water into Blood but the Messiah turned Water into Wine and how much the latter exceeds and excels the former is obvious to every ordinary understanding inasmuch as the former was made pestiferous the latter salutiferous Drink therefore the captious and carnal Jews were exceedingly irrational in rejecting those Miracles the Messiah wrought amongst them and requesting some such as Moses had wrought for their Forefathers as giving them Manna from Heaven c. Seeing those of the Messiah did far surmount those of Moses both in quality and quantity and in ponderesity Inasmuch as that Manna Moses gave their Forefathers melted putrified bred Worms and perished in the using but the Messiah gave himself the true Bread from Heaven to feed them up to Everlasting Life his own Flesh for them to eat and his own Blood for them to Drink a Meat and Drink that must last without putrifying so long as the World doth last Manna was but the Type which is always the lesser Christ is the Antitype which is always the greater and better If our Saviour say of himself that he is greater than Solomon Matth. 12.42 We may likewise say of him he is greater and better than Manna Moreover that which more aggravated the Jews Contempt of Christs person and his Miracles is that their knowledge of Moses's Miracles they had upon Credit only they received it by Tradition from their Forefathers But as to the Miracles of our Blessed Messiah they received them not by Hear-say but were personal Eye-witnesses of them therefore doth the Apostle Peter make his
Solemn Appeal to their own Knowledge and Consciences Act. 2.22 So that he leaves them no liberty of doubting for CHRIST was by so many manifest Demonstrations Approved of GOD to be his grand Embassad or to the World and should therefore be also approved of men especially of those men who could say Hisce oculis ejus miracula Vidimus we have seen with our very Eyes the wonderful Works which he wrought and which never any Man before him did Work John 9.32 No not Moses whom they called their Master so that even the very Strangers in Jerusalem did know that Christ was mighty in Word and Deed as well as Moses Act. 7.22 both before God and before all the People in whose very presence Christ wrought his Miracles Luke 24.18.19 for he did nothing in a corner as Act. 26.26 but before multitudes of Spectators and Eye-witnesses thereof As to the third to wit Ordinary Occurrences which cometh to pass commonly and usually by the power of Nature and often by the dexterity of Art is not my designed Subject in this short Discourse though there be whole bundles of Wonders even in the common course of Natural if not Artificial productions as I have Instanced in ten particulars aforementioned which at this time may be sufficient As to the second to wit Marvels which are certain middle things betwixt Miracles and Ord inary Occurrences those are the principal matter intended to be Discussed in this little Treatise which though it be little in its Bulk yet Treateth upon the great things of GOD. 'T is a Theological Maxim that an increated liberty is an Attribute of the Divine Essence and this being Infinite as well as Increated cannot be limitted by any of its objects but Acts freely and out of his meer good pleasure and not out of any necessity of Nature Ps 115.3 Dan. 4.25 Jer. 27.5 and 18.4 c. Hereupon the Great God being a Free Agent may sometimes step out of his common Road and ordinary course of Providence and so work beyond the reach of Nature and above the skill of Art to the producing of not only Miracles as above but also Marvels or Wonders Thus God is Described to be one that doth great things and unsearchable yea marvelous things without number Job 5.9 Thus Eliphaz here spake the Truth concerning the wonderful Wisdom and Almighty Power of God and Job himself doth readily set his Seal to that great Truth Job 9.10 He is a God Glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises and doing Wonders Exod. 15.11 'T is a most stately Description of God crying who is like thee and David cryes also Who is a God like our great God a God that doth Wonders Ps 77.13.14 Sua mirabilia sunt omnimodo memorabilia He maketh his marvelous Works all worthy to be remembred Ps 111 4 In Sacred Scripture we find Miracles and Marvels or VVonders are promiscuously taken for each other yet are they not convertible Terms All Miracles are indeed Marvels but vice versa on the other hand all Marvels are not Miracles there is this difference Ex parte Rei betwixt them Miracles do exceed the power of Created Agents but Marvels do not so yet are they extraordinary Productions of Divine Providence over-ruling Natural Agents God is said to work three ways 1st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Nature 2ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides Nature 3ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above Nature but never as some say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 directly against Nature The ordinary products of Providence are according to Nature Extraordinary Miracles are above Nature and extraordinary Marvels are only beside Nature but should the Great God put forth his power against Nature Nature would be destroyed and the Destruction of Nature would be the Destruction of the World for it is as a round chain consisting of many links all linked one to another and if one of those links be loosed the whole chain falls in pieces and becomes useless As to those Marvels or Wonders which are beside Nature the present Subject of my Discourse A right understanding may be had hereof in this manner we must suppose the God of Nature is above Nature so can over-rule it at his pleasure No Natural Agents can possibly Act without the leave of Supernatural Providence The Fire cannot burn as in the Case of the Bush Exod. 3.2 and of the three Nobles of Babylon Dan. 3.28 nor can the water drown as in the Case of the red-Red-Sea and of Jordan without as Philosophy phraseth it a Divine concurse God is the primus motor and his Providence is the primum mobile of all Created things and have their Dependency upon their Creator both as to being and as to motion and as to all-things Act 17.25.28 and no created being can make any motion more than the lesser Wheels can move in a Clock or Watch without the Impulsion of the greater Wheels thereof yet still we must know when this Great Creator worketh any Marvels yea or Miracles he still holdeth Nature as a Pen or Pencil in his Hand and draws his own Models or Platforms either Ordinary or Extraordinary according to his own pleasure yea 't is all one with GOD whether he act with it or without it by a power that is Almighty All sufficient of it self and infinitely Superior to it for he is under no obliging necessity of being confined to use Nature as his Pen or Pencil Though this general Discourse hath beyond my expectation swoln much upon my Hand yet have I all along judged it necessary to say all that I have said for a fuller Explication of my present Subject which ought to be distinctly discoursed before any Application can be made thereof therefore to avoid any farther prolixity I shall for brevity sake confine my self to three Heads 1st The Sorts 2ly The Scenes 3ly The Significations of those marvelous Signs and wonders c. 1. Of the Sorts or Kinds of them 1. Philosophy telleth us of three sorts of Signs 1st Such as are memorative called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which recalleth something that is past to present remembrance as the Rain-Bow is a standing Sign and Monument of the past Flood and as that stately and lofty Pillar lately Erected nigh London-Bridge is a Monument so called of the late dreadful burning of London 2ly Such Signs as are Demonstrative called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which do shew something that is present as Smoak doth Demonstrate some Fire to be present and the Bush that Wine is then and there to be sold and such like as are Ordinary and so those Signs Extraordinary which accompanied the primitive Believers Mark 16.17.20 did all signify Gods presence co-working with them working wonderful Works both in Preachers and Hearers c. 3ly Such Signs as are Predictive call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which presageth or foresheweth something that is Future and will come to pass as redness of the Sky at the Evening betokens a fair day approaching
at which time a white glittering Bullet appeared which seemed to yeild some drops of water being attended with two great flashes of Lightning The Bullet was seen by many spectators to fall down but none of them could tell where it fell only in this all do unanimously agree that the said Bullet in its saling gave a greater light into their Houses than the greatest lights they burned for three or four Miles round the place I know not how to Exemplify this Apparition with a more suitable Paralel out of Scripture Record than with Zachary's Flying Roll Chap. 5.1.2 c. This Roll is called a Volumn or a Scroll of Paper or Parchment rolled up as the Heavens seemed to be in this Prodigy yet Flying and flecting swiftly all a long as a Bird of Prey in a ready posture to seize on his Prey Volans Velocissimum ultionis incursum denotat This very posture of Flying doth demonstrate some sudden Incursion of Divine Vengeance saith Chrysostome but God only knows where it will fall Nemo scelus gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemesin in Tergo No man can carry any divellish wickedness in his Breast but the same man must bear Nemesin so was the Goddess of Revenge called or Divine Vengeance upon his Back This the blind Heathens could say by the light of Nature into whose Hearts the Remarks how the Holy God Revengeth himself upon wicked men cast a greater light than could this Flying Bullet into the Houses of those Villages which were enlightned with it Hereupon they called Vengeance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies unavoidable because no Offender can either Avert or Avoid the Revenging hand of God there is no escaping its coming nor abiding it when it cometh This Flying Roll is described by the Prophet to be ten yards long and five broad This Remarkable Measure of the Flying Roll is 1st Commensurate to the Porch of the Temple which is exactly described to be of the same Breadth and Length 1. Kin 6.3 And as it bore a proportion in measure to the Porch so it may be supposed to come out from thence as a Voice from the Temple Isa 66.6 And unfolding as it came thence it appeared in the Air in a Flying posture hastning and hovering over the Heads of wicked Persons 2ly It bears likewise a proportion to the Land of the Jews which Geographers Describe to be twice as long as it was broad and now it being covered all over with the Guilt and Filth of Mens Sins it was ready to be covered all over with the sence and smart of Gods Judgments 3ly 'T is commensurate also to the whole World of Gentles the length whereof take it from East to West much exceeded the breadth of it from North to South as Geography observeth and thus it signified that as all the Habitable Lands had filled themselves with all kind of Sins so God would now fill them with all kind of punishments 'T was every way large enough to plague all sorts of Sins and to punish all sorts of Sinners whether in every corner of Judea or in the utmost parts of the Habitable World Thus the Flying Roll is said to go forth yea Fly more swiftly than the Eagle the Arrow or a Flash of Lightning over the Face of the whole Earth v. 2.3 And the Curse of God contained in the Roll within and without is as the Fiery Bullet that burns on all sides being like Ezekicls Book filled with such contents as Lamentation and Mourning and Woe Ezek. 2.9.10 This Curse of God when it falleth upon the People of Gods Curse Isa 34.5 hath a more mighty and mortal fall than the bulkiest Bullet in the World far beyond the Burthen of that mountanious Bullet which History telleth us was shot out of that monstrous murdering-piece called Grand Diabolo or the great Divel Inasmuch as the mighty Hands of the Almighty and All-Creating God in Heaven can give a greater and more fatal Blow than can the created Hands of the greatest Divel in Hell This is the Fiery Bullet that Droppeth the bitter Water which causeth the Curse Num. 5.18 and which will make the Thigh to Rot and the Belly to Swell v. 21.23 Neither let any man say that the Curses written in Gods Book are but Bug-bears and that words are but wind as they said Jer. 5.13 for the words written in that Book or Hebrew Scroll should cause the waters thus to work which in themselves had neither any discerning Virtue nor any destroying Vigour yet the Divine Institution made the same potion either Poyson or Medicine according to the cleaness or uncleaness of the party Thus also Gods Word which Scoffers call but Wind yet may have Dreadful Effects for even Wind when gotten into the Bowels of the Earth may cause an Earth-quake so this Word of the Curse when gotten into the Bowels of a mans mind may make an Heart-quake Besides that very Word which those Mockers made light off as Wind should become Fire and themselves Fuel to feed it Jer. 5.13.14 And as Fire slyeth upon Fuel that is fully dryed and consumeth it in an instant Nah. 1.10 So Gods Flying-Roll will lick up wicked Livers as that Fire from Heaven did the Sacrifice the Wood the Stones and the Dust with all the Water in the Trench 1. Kin. 18.38 Divine Threatnings in Gods Flying-Roll are as Erasmus saith of Ezek. 3.18 Fulmina potiùs quà m Verba Hot Thunderbolts rather than such Words as be but Wind The same God that hath denounced it will certainly do it he will see his own Law Executed Zach. 5.4 and will himself Execute the Judgment written in this Roll Ps 149.9 Yea and more than is written Deut. 28.61 Upon the Head of the Thief great as well as small as the Pyrate told Alexander under which is comprised all other Sinners against the second Table and upon the Head of the Swearer comprehending all against the first God hath Sworn that Swearers shall not enter into his Rest We live in the Dreggs the last and worst of Times wherein Blasphemous Oaths are belched out of Black Hellish Mouths both ordinary and openly yea some Oaths are become Rhetorical Inrerjections of Speech to the Vulgar sort and other some meer Phrases of Gallantry to the Damme-Gallants but mark the end The direful Curse comes flying with a Divine Commission breaks into the Houses of those Thieves and Swearers which they call their Castles wherein they think themselves out of the reach of Gods Rod there it remains as a troublesome Inmate in despight of them they cannot rid or remove this cursing Roll untill it hath not only sauced their Meat and spiced their Drink with the Wrath of God as Job 20.23 but until also the Fire thereof hath kindled the Brimstone that lay scattered upon their Habitations Job 18.14.15 This puts their All into a light Flame consuming both Timber and Stones their persons and their Estates which they have raked together by Rapine
Such huge Hail-stones and hot Thunderbolts falleth upon the Enemy doth that Heathen Historian say as if he had been an Ecclesiastick Writer and Fire and Water did fall down from Heaven the Christians and their Party drank of the water and were Refreshed but the Quades their Enemies were Burnt by the Fire and Perished while it fell not at all upon the other or if it did it was presently quenched Neither did the Waters Relieve the Quades but Inflame them as if it had been Oyl so that they called for Water to cool them when the water fell upon them yea and wounded their own Bodies to quench their burnings with their own Blood many more such strange Stories have we in the Magdeburg Centurists and in Ostanders Epitome too long to Relate I add only that out of Pererius the Jesuite who tells us of a most grievous Hail shower in France in the Reign of Lewis Son to Charles the Great which was so prodigious in the weight and bulk of the Stones that it slew both Man and Beast and at that time a peice of Ice of 12 foot long fell with the Hail out of the Air c. If there be such Wonders in a Hail-shower 't is the less Wonder that God proposeth this great Wonder to Job asking him Hast thou seen the Treasures of the Hail which I have Reserved against the time of Trouble as the Day of Battel and War Job 38.22.23 Shewing that the Inspection and Administration of all these marvelous Meteors do only belong to the Great God he hath vast Treasures of them many Arrows laid up in his Quiver which can never be emptied as the Poet saith of Joves against the appointed time for Punishing his Adversaries then he brings forth his upper and lower Troops as the Rabbins Phraise it ready prest for his Service and this he will do against Babylon against which God hath a most Dreadful Shower of Hail-stones Revel 16.17.18.21 where the seventh Plague upon Aegypt is compared to the seventh Plague upon Babylon yet this latter far worse as more weighty than the former every Hail-stone weighed a Talent far bigger than those that Brain'd the Cananitish Kings Josh 10. See my Church-History pag. 507. When our Joshua or blessed Jesus shall come forth Conquering and to Conquer the World as that Typical Joshua did Canaan he hath a worse Shower of Hail-stones wherewith to knock down not only all the Romish Rooks that would Rook us of our Reformed Religion but also to Brain all the Grandees of the Earth that lend their Power to uphold the tottering Whore of Babylon those prodigious Hail-stones shall drop down out of Heaven and descend upon the Earth Revel 20.9 as if both conspired to destroy Christs Enemies as they had done Davids before Ps 18.13.14.15 and the Churches Isa 30.30.31 Such as never were seen upon Earth Revel 16.18 The second Wonderful Sign upon Earth is that strange Apparition to the Maid at Hatfield Elizabeth Freemans Relation taken before Sir Joseph Jordan Kt. and Richard Lee D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty and Rector of Hatfield on Jan. 31.80 I. SHE saith That Jan. 24. Sitting by the Fire side about 5 in the Evening which was its constant time of appearing she heard a voice behind her mildly saying Sweet-heart She turning back saw the appearance of a Woman as she thought all in white with a white Vail so that she saw no Face but a very white Hand was laid on the back of her Chair which said to Her The 15th of May is appointed for the Royal Blood to be Poysoned and further said be not afraid for I am sent to tell thee II. That on Jan. 25. coming home it appeared in White and Vail'd as before saying Do you remember what I said she Answered yes She farther said In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost what art thou It immediately appeared in a very glorious shape with a very Beautiful Face and with a Crown on its Head and harshly said Tell K. Charles from me not to remove his Parliament and stand to his Council and charging her to obey its Command to which she answered yes c. III. On Jan. 26. It came again she being at home and her Mother perceiving her troubled said Daughter seest thou any thing she not being able to speak nodded her Head and waving her Hand the Mother said shall I go out she being enabled to speak and the Apparition nodding to her she said yes The Mother going out the Apparition bid her do her Message she answered I will so soon as God shall enable me it said be not afraid and so Vanished IV. It appeared Jan. 27. at a Neighbours House but spake not V. It appeared again at home as formerly Jan. 28. her Mother and two Neighbours being present seeing her begin to be troubled they all kneeled down to Prayer it commanded her to do her Message saying the Lord will go with you but the persons by did neither hear nor see it VI. Jan. 29. It appeared as she was praying but said nothing VII Again the 30th it appeared but said nothing VIII Jan. 31. It appeared to her again at her Brother-in-Law's House being in a very glorious shape as on the Tuesday before and said God hath sent me to bid you do as he hath commanded you c. IX It appeared on Feb. 1. again in white but said nothing X. Feb. 2. The day she came to London it appeared again and commanded her to bid K. Charles keep to his Nobles and them he takes to be his Enemies and keep the Parliament in the City XI Feb. 3. She being at Whitehal could not be admitted to speak to the King as she was coming back faw the Apparition in white but it said nothing XII On the same day it appeared again and said You have done your endeavour to the utmost that God hath commanded you you shall be troubled no more Feb. 9th This Maid accompanied with Sir Joseph Jordan Dr. Lee Mr. Wilkinson her Mother and others attended the King and Council where his Majesty asked her many Questions and heard her Relation patiently after which bidding her Go home and serve God and she should see no more such Visions or to that effect and so she was dismissed Yet about the middle of April 81. She Relates that the Vision hath appeared again to her and hath commanded her once more to present her self to his Majesty The first grand Enquiry is whether this Apparition were a good or an Evil Angel Answer 1. In general A Visible Apparition of Invisible Spirits is preternatural and therefore a Prodigy whether the Spirit that appears be good or bad 2ly Learned men give this Character of Distinction betwixt the Apparition of a good and of an evil Angel That the good always appear in the shape of Beautiful Persons or Clean Creatures as of a Lamb to Clement of an Hart to Eustace and of a Dove to Gummarus c.
could neither wave nor swell nor flow but became as a firm Wall frozen into hard Ice on both sides of Israel Ps 78.13 Thus the fluid Waters were fixed and became as Stone Walls on each hand of them while they passed through with ease and safety This the Psalmist Wonders at and asks the Waters What ailed thee O thou Sea c. Ps 114.5 and thence he passeth to Jordan more Paralel to our Case asking what was the matter with you both that the one Fled and the other was Driven back can there be any natural Reason given or was 't the powerful presence of God that affrighted you into this Retrograde Run or Motion v. 7. This Instance sheweth we may many times ask Questions and yet neither doubt of the matter nor be ignorant of the Cause This more Paralel Case of the drying up Jordan Josh 3.13 The Waters of that River were cut off that is the Waters that came from above were cut off so as to stand still as on a Heap and the waters that were below according to their ordinary course ran away into the Dead Sea so the Channel was left Dry having no waters coming down from above to feed and fill it This was a wonderful Work of God and much admired by the Psalmist in his Ps 114. Now this Jordan was a compound of two Rivers Jor and Dan as our Welsh River was yet the Course of both the streams were stop't for some Hours so the Channel was dry though 't is true the Camp of Israel was not there with the Ark to pass over into Canaan The Chaldee Paraphrase Addeth the drying up of Arnon and Jabbok whereof see Num. 21.14 and Deut. 2.37 as Revel 16.12 mentions the drying up of Euphrates for the Kings of the East to pass over c. but leaving Sacred come we to Civil Story Our Famous Cambden Reports of another River in Merionith shire in Wales the River Dee that runneth through Pimble-Meer or Lake it mingles not her Streams with the Waters of the Lake though this be a great Marvel and hath also a good Moral to wit that we should not mingle the streams of our Affections with the puddle Water of Corrupt Company when carried headlong at unawares among them yet it is far short of our present Prodigy and the same Cambden relates how the River Ouse near Bedford in the last year of King Richard the II. stood still and ceased his Course so as the Channel remained dry for the space of three miles together Cambden Brit. pag. 399. which was then adjudged to signify the Revoltings of the Subjects from their Prince Bakers Chron. pag. 154.167 He being mislead by his Favorite Michael de-la-pool and other Sycophants did incurr the hatred of his People Prideaux Introduction pag. 324. In his time was the marvelous Parliament and that which wrought Wonders See Baker of his Reign Also in the Reign of Henry the VI. The same River Ouse on New-Years Day suddenly stood still and divided it self which as was conceived did portend the prodigious Broyls between the Houses of York and Lancaster see Bakers Chron. among the Casualties as he calls them of his Reign The like hapned in the year 1660. to the River Derwent near Darby which was dryed up upon Nov. the 29. for many miles and some hours so that the Mills stood the Boats were on ground the Fishes taken up upon the Sand by Children and men walked over dry shod This was the greater Prodigy not only because 't is a broad River and runs with a fierce and full Stream as Cambden Britt pag. 554. relateth but also because the Waters of the Sanctuary were dryed up soon after by the Silenting of some thousands of Orthodox Ministers As those Rivers returned all of them to their course again so the good Lord know us in our Wilderness and 〈◊〉 the Land of great Drought Hos 13.5 and make us again as a watered Garden whose Waters fail not Isa 58.11 That our Fleece as Giacons may not still be Dry. Judg. 6.39 but the Lord be as springs of Water to us 〈◊〉 all our fresh springs are in him Ps 87.7 an everflowing and overflâ—â—â—ng Fountain of Grace and Comfort Were not my Book already swoln too bulky I might insist also upon the prâ—â—â—gious Whale which was found lately in the River Wevner within 6 miles of Chichester 50 foot in length and 28 in thickness who broke off his own Tail with strugling and turn'd the River into Blood with his Blood an undoubted Prodigy for the Whale never breaks forth out of her beloved Ocean which is her peculiar Dominion into narrow Rivers but it presages Storms where such a thing hapneth Assuredly Jonah's was the greatest of Prodigies who ship'd him to the shore and in the mean time afforded him an Oratory a place to 〈◊〉 in Four Prodigious Wonders were concurring therein saith Mercer est That the Heat of the Whales Stomach did not Consume Jonah as it did other 〈◊〉 2ly That in so close a Prison he could both breath and live without the common use of Air and light 3ly That be was not choaked with the Stench of so fifthy a Jakes as the Whales Belly 4ly That he had his Senses as well as Life there to pour out such an excelient Prayer and Praise to God Jonah was the true Arion the Poets mention out of whose History Christ gathers the Mystery of his own Death Burial and Resurrection Jon. 〈◊〉 and 2.10 with Matt. 12.40 This great Sea-Monster that never useth to come near the Shore but Sports himself in the deep Waters Ps 104.26 yet when the Great God the chief Centurion commands him thither he must go and Vomit up Jonah upon dry Land He breaks the Head as well as Tail of this Monstrous Leviathan and gives him to be Meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness Ps 74.14 Though no Mortal man can Ring him like an Hog or Rule him like a Bear Job 41.2 c. yet the Immortal God can and did so to Senacherib that crooked Leviathan Isa 27.1 37 29. and doth so both to the Great Turk who would Devour Europe and to the Great Pope who would destroy the Reformed Countrys Procopius tells of a great Whale in his Time that much Infested the Coasts of Constantinople and did much Mischief for fifty years together but at last was taken and tamed by slaughter though 30 Cubits long and ten bread Thus Jehovah will Take and Tame both Behemoth the Turk who Eats up men like Grass upon the Mountains Job 40.15 c. and Leviathan the Pope who Sports himself in his See to devour Protestants God will pull those 2 Kings of the Children of Pride out of their Seats though they have Infested the Church many fifty years and both Saddle and Bridle them Job 41.13.34 In due Time God will make this latter Leviathan to break his own Tail and let out his own Blood as that Colchester Whale did and God will break
Sacriledg Perjury and other wicked ways Such Balls of Fire Resembling this Flying Roll c. have been seen faling out of Heaven Gods Temple upon Woods Ground yea Houses here in England The bigness of which Fire Balls have seemed to Spectators as large as the greatest Chaldrons these must be predictive Signs to us as Jeremys Boyling-Pot was to the Jews Jer. 1.13 and as Ezekiels was Ezek. 24.3.4.13 Representing Jerusalem which then had a mighty Scum in her but the Fire of Gods Wrath set the Pot on boyling by the Chaldeans until it had boyled out all the Bones and the Flesh the Stoutest and Richest at which they had Scoffed Ezek. 11.3.7 But when they go to the Poâ— and boyl lustily there their Scoffs are forced back down their own Throats and their Hearts might then bespeak them as the Heart of the Tyrant Apollodorus who dreamed he was taken and flead by the Scythians and boyled in a great Chaldron did cry out of the Kettle or Chaldron to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is I that am the Cause of all this thy Misery No less a Sign was Ezekiels Iron Pan to the Hard-Hearted Jews Ezek. 4.3 both which Hieroglyphicks and Emblems did not only signify their City should be hardly Besieged but also that God would so seeth them in a Pot and so fry them in a Pan as that they should pine away in their Iniquitys Levit. 26.39 The good Lord Divert this sore Judgment from London and Direct it to Rome or mystical Babylon for she is worthy Revel 16 6. The fifth wonderful Signs in the Heavens is the Several Suns that have been seen in the Firmament at some due distance one from another as hath been Testifyed to me but I shall not Insist upon this as I have upon the former not only because my Book begins to swell beyond my Expectation but also because I have resolved to enlarge upon nothing no nor insert here any thing upon slender Evidence without evident and sufficient Testimony It shall therefore suffice to say but little to this save only that such an Apparition need the less to be doubted of seeing natural Phylosophy mentioneth it as one of Natures Products though not ordinarily calling them parelia or Mock-Suns yet that Divine Philosopher Zanchy doth not only in concurrence with Heathen Philosopers suppose such Apparitions to prognosticate abundance of wet weather but also as he saith further various Judgments as Famine Sword c. Zanch. de Oper. Dei Pag. 348. Yea our own English Chronicles tell us that such an Apparition was seen in the Heavens in the beginning of Queen Maries Reign as there had been the like before to presage the Death of that insolently proud Prelate Thomas Becket Arch-Bishop of Canterbury In a word both time and room and it may be Credit too would fail me should I insert the other Apparitions in the Air we hear off if not see as the Dreadful Thunders and Lightnings the Impetuous Wind and Whirlwinds and many strange Meteors which I designedly omit until I get better prooff which I truly desire from all good Hands well knowing my Brethren that went before me in this Work 20 years ago some do blame for credulity Alterius perditto mea fit cautio The Censure passed upon my Predecessors in the like work for being over Credulous hath been cogent to make me a little the more Cautelous Therefore I pass on to the second Scene or Theatre whereon God shews his Wonderful Signs or Prodigies to wit on the Earth as well as the first in the Heavens or Air And first of the Prodigious Hail-stones which God cast out of the Air down to the Earth which cannot be called Apparitions in the Air and so belong to the first Scene seeing their prodigious bulkiness could not be distinctly discerned until they appeared faln taken up and measured upon Earth This same Prodigy or Wonderful Sign happened upon the 18th of May 1680. which became so mischievous to all the Sky-Llights all over London c. and knockt down many Rooks by their vast weight and bigness some of them being measured were found seven Inches about c. This Sign also may be exemplified both out of Sacred and Civil History 1st Sacred and 1st The Plague of Hail slones upon Aegypt Exod. 9.18 to 27. Such as that Land never saw or felt before for this seventh Plague was 1st More General than any being over the whole Land at once 2ly None ever was so Temper'd with Fire which ran along the Groun v. 23. Though Fire and Hail be of two contrary Tempers yet in this they made a Peace betwixt themselves that they might obey the Will of their Creatour This was a strange mixture and a Miracle within a Miracle saith Rab. Solomon such Hail-stones and Coals of Fire mingled together are mentioned Ps 18.13.14.15 and Isa 30.30.31 as here and Ps 78.47.48 and Ps 105.32.33 3ly None ever so punctually Predictied and as punctually Performed according to the Prediction v. 18.23.24.25 4ly None ever so Destructive to Man Beast and Trees v. 25. Ps 66.46.47.48 and 105.33 5ly None ever so Distinguishing though it was over all the Land of Aegypt yet the Land of Goshen a part of it was exempted v. 26. Such an Exemption was that Torrent of Fire which ran down from Mount Aetna vouchsafed to those Religious Children which ventured to Rescue their Aged Parents from those fearful Flames made Aristotle say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It extorted from him an acknowledgement of Gods good Providence for the Godly here on Earth when he saw the Flames of Fire dividing themselves and making a Lane for those Godly Rescuers of their Helpless Parents The second sacred Instance of Prodigious Hail-Stones Josh 10.11 Observed the like exemption or distinction as that in Exod. 9.26 't is said the Lord cast down great Stones from Heaven explained there beebeni Habarod Hagedeloth such huge Hail-stones as brained the Canaanites but hurt not the Israelites that were not only at their Heels but also mingled amonst them as they flew them in their Flight and dreadful Thunder and Lightning came along with those Hail-stones also as not only Josephus saith but Habaccuck likewise Habbac 3.11 Where God shot off his shining Arrows and darted from him his Glittering Spears yea he level'd them whether Huge Hail stones or Hot Thunderbolts with so even an Hand to their several marks that he hit the one and missed the other even when they were intermingled together this was Digitus Dei 2ly Civil History mentions strange Hail-stones both Ethnicks as Livy Decad 1. Lib. 1. and Decad. 3. Lib. 10. Claudian c. And Ecclesiastick as Eusebius Lib. 5. Tertullian Cap. 5. Apolog. And Dio in the Life of Marcus Antonius the Philosopher so called who fought against the Quades and by the prayers of the Thundring Lâ—â—â—on as in Aurelius the Emperors time they were called of Christians Ingens Gr ando complur aque fulmina in Hostes Ceciderunt c.