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water_n	fish_n	great_a	sea_n	3,519	5	6.8793	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52817	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 of 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 / by C. N.	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1681 (1681)	Wing N463; ESTC R32306	68,903	90

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 overfl●●●ng Fountain of Grace and Comfort Were not my Book already swoln too bulky I might insist also upon the pr●●●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

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

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 dra●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 Vole●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. ●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