apprehensive of an Eruption of Fire if so it will I fear be more destructive than the Earthquake Hath God been so severe with England with London in the late Earthquake do not your staâ—ding Houses declare he hath not that you are yet alive doth not this manifest that in that Judgment God remembred Mercy I had communicated to me a Letter sent by a Minister in Kent to his Father in London from which I will extract what concerns this late Earthquake that you may see the different Dealings of God with divers People and the Relation of this not like the former You have heard already perhaps of the Earthquakes being in Kent on Thursday last as well as at London and at other places but this may confirm you that it is true that it hath been here as we have been all Eye-witnesses and this particular true Account I can give you It shook Leeds Castle which is but half a mile from me so violently that all in the Castle even the Lady her self went out of it and expected its falling One of my Acquaintance was out in a Field at that time the ground shook so under him that he could not stand and being forced to lie down on the ground was so tossed up and down that he received several bruises It was very much at Maidstone the People generally leaving their Houses fearing they would fall upon their heads and it hath been in most places of the County which puts us all into a great Consternation but it lasted not above a quarter of aâ— hour But here is no downfal of Houses not of one Here is no Persons killed no not one No openings of the Earth no breakings in of Waters turning dry Land into a Sea Do not you see your Mercy in the late Judgment do you say or think God could not do to you as he hath done with others heretofore or to Jamaica of late instead of praising the Name of God do not blaspheme it God's gracious proceedings with England and therein with London should melt our hearts whilst his terrible dreadful Strokes beats others to pieces and finding one instance of an Earthquake in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth so much in gentleness like to this in our days shewing from Age to Age his Mercy to this Land as if loth to dedestroy it if Mercy may melt us mixt with Judgments to awaken us I shall add this before I do conclude in the words and syllables with which I find it published thus On Easter-Wednesday being the sixth of Arpil 1580. somewhat before six of the clock in the Afternoon happened this great Earthquake whereof this Discourse treateth I mean not great in respect of long continuance of time for God be thanked it continued little above a minute of an hour rather shaking God's rod at us then smiting us according to our deserts nor yet in respect of any great hurt done by it within this Realm for altho' it shook all the Houses Castles Churches and Buildings every where as it went and put them in danger of utter ruin yet within this Realm praised be our Saviour Christ Jesus for it it overthrew few or none that I have yet heard of saving certain Stones Chimneys Walls and Pinacles of high Buildings both in this City and divers others places Neither do I hear of any Christian People that received bodily hurt by it saving twâ— Children in London a Boy and a Girl being at Sermon among a great number of People in Christ's Church by Newgate-Market of whom the Boy named Thomas Gray was slain out of hand with the fall of a Stone shaken down from the Roof of the Church and the Girl whose name was Mabel Everite being sore hurt there at the same present by like casualty died within few days after But I term it great in respect of the universalness thereof almost at one instant not only within this Realm but also without where it was much more violent and did far more harm and in respect of the great terrour which it then struck into all mens hearts where it came and yet still striketh into such as duly consider howjustly God may be offended with all Men for sin and especially with this Realm of England which hath most abundantly tasted of God's Mercy and most unthankfully neglected his Goodness which yet still warneth us by this terrible wonder what for more terrible punishments are like to light upon us e're long unless we amend our sinful Conversation betimes This Earthquake made that Impression on the Minds of those that then lived that an Order of Prayer and a godly Admonition concerning it was appointed to be read for the turning of God's Wrath from them threatned by that terrible Earthquake by order given from the Queens Majesty's most honourable Privy Council to be used in all Churches and Housholds throughout the Realm Because this might serve for a Conviction of many prayer less Families amongst us that were so before the late Earthquake and are so still that are more fearless of God's displeasure then those that lived in times of lesser Light I shall insert so much of it as concern'd the Earthquake A Prayer to be used of all Householders with their whole Family every evening before they go to bed that it would please God to turn his Wrath from us threatued in the last terrible Earthquake Set forth by Authority WE most heartily and humbly beseech thy fatherly Goodness to look down from the Throne of the Mercy Seat upon us most miserable and sinful Slaves of Satan which with fearful and trembling hearts do quake and shake at the strange and terrible token of thy Wrath and Indignation appearing most evidently to us by thy shaking and moving of the Earth which is thy Footstool whereby if we be not utterly destitute of Grace we be warned that thy coming down amongst us to visit our sins in most terrible manner cannot be far off seeing thou treadest so hard upon this thy Footstool the Earth which we most shamefully have polluted and defiled with our most wicked sinful and rebellious Lives notwithstanding thy continual crying and calling upon us by thy Servants the Prophets and Preachers by whom we have learned to know thy will but have not followed it We have heard much and done little yea nothing at all but like most perverse and unthankful Children have made a mock of thy Word derided thy Ministers and accounted thy Threatnings trifles and thy Warnings of no weight or moment Wherefore we have justly deserved to taste most deeply of the bitter Cup of thy Anger and Vengeance by Wars Famine Pestilence yea and Eternal Death if thou shouldst not temper the rigour of thy Justice with the mildness of thy Mercy Turn this Earthquake O Lord to the benefit of thine Elect as thou didst when thou shooâ—â—edst the Prison loosedst the Locks Fetters and Chains of thy Servants Paul and Sâ—las and broughtest them out of Prison and convertedst their Keeper so
again moving side-long to and fro Zanchy relates that this kind he saw at Ravenna when the Walls of the Chamber in the upper part of the House were moved out of their place and did so lean one way that they seemed as if they would fall but again they returned to their own place Oh this is saith he the great and wonderful Providence of God Seneca's Remark that in the Trembling Earthquake there is not so much danger as in the shaking or moving it upwards and letting it down nor so much danger in this as in the Inclining Earthquake because except the motion be speedily made back again from the side to which it leans to the other the fall and ruine will necessarily follow And these Earthquakes of these different and divers motions must proceed from different and divers causes Quest V. What are the usual Antecedent Signs os an approaching Earthquake given by Natural Philosophers which by Observation and Experience they commend unto us If these signs of Natural Earthquakes be sure and constant let it be considered and let us reflect whether any such were taken notice of by any before the late Earthquake in London and in other places if not either these Philosophers are under a mistake or we must judge that this late shaking of this City was from the more Immediate Hand of God if there were yet the presence and working of second and natural causes ought not to take us off from the minding and observing of the first for as much as all the second are at the Command Ordering and Disposal of the first and are all under the Government of the Providence of God and the Voice and Call of the first and second Causes is that we should Repent and turn from those sins that have provoked him to such sore Displeasure to so great Wrath and Anger as to make the Earth to shake and tremble under us 1. One fore-going sign of an Earthquake they teach is a certain troubling of Waters in the deepest Wells and in Fountains having then a Tincture of a Sulphureous taste and an infected and stinking savour Because from the subterraneous commotions the Waters in the Wells must needs be troubled Therefore it is reported of Pherecides the Philosopher that by Water drawn out of a Well he fore-discerned and foretold the Lacedaemonians the Ruin of the City by an Earthquake 2. When the Sea doth suddenly swell not being caused so to do by Winds and Waves when the Air is still and calm and no blasts of Winds yet on a sudden the Sea swells and the Ships thereon do shake The reason is because then the Earth in the bottom of the Sea is moved 3. When Birds sit trembling on the ground forsaking Trees because they perceive a certain trembling shaking the Trees and the Roots thereof 4. When there are great and terrible sounds in the Earth and roarings and noises in the Caverns of the Earth 5. Dimness of the Sun for some days going before the Earthquake 6. Long and thin strakes of Clouds sometimes sooner in the day but chiefly after the setting of the Sun the Weather in other respects being clear But of all that I have discoursed with about the late Earthquake I have not met with one nor heard of any one that hath that spake any thing of any of these Signs before it happened nor that by recollecting of themselves do say since that they remember any such fore going sign that gave to them the least intimation of it and the general surprize of all by it generally acknowledging that the moment before they had not a thought of such a shaking to be so very near I leave to all to judge and to their own thoughts whether this Earthquake did arise from Causes in Nature or from the Immediate Power and Working of God the Lord of Nature And if we see the Immediate Mighty Finger of God in it to study and pray to know his Mind and Will by it or be moved by the moved Earth to conform move unto his Will revealed in his Word Quest VI. What are the Effects and Consequents of Earthquakes which make them exceeding dreadful where they come Reason may dictate to us what terrible Effects what dismal Work Earthquakes when they have a full Commission from God to execute his Wrath do make Our Ears have heard the Miseries of multitudes of Persons the overthrow and ruine of Towns and Cities and Countries But those that have seen them would speak of them more sensibly and set them forth more fully It might make our flesh to tremble to hear of the woful devastations that the trembling shaking and opening of the Earth hath caused in many Ages in many places but such as did see and feel and suffer by them have contended with the Earth whether it or they should tremble most Oh the Cries and Shriekings Oh the doleful Lamentations Oh what bitter Complaints have been poured out and wishes in vain have have been uttered in the time and places of devouring and desolating Earthquakes When we shall hear some of these effects tho' not written of according to the fulness of the Terror wherewith they are done let us sympathize with the poor miserable People yet left in Jamaica and pray that their Judgment might not come over to London nor Travel further to other places First Earthquakes cause great Consternation in the minds of Men and filâ— their hearts with fear When God makes the Earth to shake under them he makes their hearts to tremble within them When the Earth shakes and moves they cannot stand upon it without sear One Earthquake causeth many thousand Heart-quakes Did not many thousand People in London in its late Earthquake tho' through God's great Mercy so short feel great tremblings within themselves when they felt the Earth to shake under them and saw their Houses move this way and that way over them and could not teâ— whether they would stand or fall nay when so many thought and said them Houses would not stand but fall Were you not then under great Consternation when you thought those Houses yoâ— had slept in you must not only sâ— quickly dye in but be buried in them too That the Houses you had builâ— or rented to shelter you from Storms and Tempests should bring that Destruction upon you which many Storms and Tempests had not done Have not you of late years heard terrible and roaring Thunderings God thundering with a Voice which none can imitate Have you not seen great Flashings of Fire and Lightnings which made the Night like Day that you said you could see to take up a small thing from off the ground and were not you then glad you had an House over your head But when this late Earthquake was were not you afraid because you had an House over your head when you thought it would fall upon your head and whole body And when this Earthquake was did you not make as much hast to get
out burning streams of fire which tumbled into the Adriatick Sea and cast out an huge deal of Ashes The like happened the year following in the month of February with so great hurt and loss to the circumjacent places as well in Houses Men Women Children and Cattle that it cannot be exprest All these and there are many more are dreadful instances of God's great powerful wrath by Earthquakes against the sins of Men. But do not Men still continue in their disobedience and provoking sins and doth not God continue to manifest his hatred and detestation of them For all this is his Anger turned away is not his Hand stretched out stiil have not we heard of the sad destruction of Jamaica by a most terrible Earthquake there this year Should not we sympathize with them and by God's dealing with them tremble at the remembrance of our own sins the procuring cause of all Calamities especially since God so lately hath shaken this City tho' it stands It s no argument the greatest sufferers are the greatest sinners Luk 13. 1. There were some present at that season that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices Vers 2. And Jesus answering said unto them suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered these things How doth Christ answer his own Question Vers 3. I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Vers 4. Or those eighteen on whom the Tower of Siloam fell and slew them think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem Vers 5. I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish It is confest by some that write from Jamaica that they were a very wicked People great Swearers Drunkards Unclean c. and are there not many such in England yea in and about London Is it not known is it not seen can it be denied and are there not such Circumstances that may make the very same sins to be more heinous and aggravated here beyond what they be tho exceeding great in Jamaica O that God would set home those words of the Saiour of Souls upon the Hearts and Conâ—ciences of such provoking sinners amongst us Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Sin is the same and God's â—wath is the same and his power is the same to punish one People as well as another tho' he is pleased to make a difâ—erence punishing sometimes some when â—t the same time he doth not others yet this ought not to make us the more â—ecure nor to set our hearts in us to do evil because Sentence is not speedily exâ—cuted but that sin may be hated God â—eared we reformed and be more thankful to God for his sparing Mercy to London and other places in England in the late Earthquake having a borrowed Extract of a Letter from Jamaica sent by an Eye-witness to his Friend in England for the honour of God who is known by the Judgments which he executeth and warning to Men being told I may I will annex it in the very words Port-Royal in Jamaica June 20. 1692. ON the 7th day at Noon was a most terrible Earthquake It came from the North attacked the Town on the Harbour-side 〈◊〉 which side was a Wharf the whole length of the place where stood the King's House a Bastion of 207 Guns Carlile Battery of 119 Guns and the Houses of the greatest Merchants Al those sunk down in a moment of 3 to 5 Fathoâ— Water In the Street next to the Wharf the Earth opened being wide and deep and instantly issued out an Inundation of Water so that several People were swallowed up alive in the ground and were spewed up again some weâ—â— funk in their Houses some were buried undeâ— the Rubbish some were drowned some who 〈◊〉 got into clear Water and could swim weâ—â— carried away with drifts of Timber and toâ— of Houses driven by a steering carrere 〈◊〉 there perished Nothing else was seen but the dead and dying nothing heard but shrieks 〈◊〉 cries I my self escaped to a Miracle and wâ— an Eye-witness to the Destruction of the Towâ— and the Distress of the miserable People It â— impossible for Tongue to speak or Pen to wriâ—â— the sorrows and terrors of that day The living were covered with Wounds Bruises and Blood Some fled to part of the Town yet standing bâ— the Houses shattered some got on pieces of Timber and others in Canooes and Boats to savâ— their Lives The Shipping rode safe at Anchor just by and saw this sad Tragedy the Boats came out but slow to our assistance the Seamen being more diligent to take up drift-goods than People by which baseness many were lost which could have been saved In the Afternoon many Seamen English and Spaniards contented themselves with what was floating on the Waters tho' some instantly entred and rifled standing Houses But the following night and day those Villains were more savage and cruel than many Indians and Negroes robbed all Houses broke in pieces all Scrutores Boxes Trunks and Chests of Drawers Cabinets and made spoil of all that was of value in the Town threatning to kill several of the Inhabitants if any durst be so bold to say this House was mine Our Enemies could not have treated us worse than the Seamen The remainder of us now in the Town building little holes to shelter our selves from the Weather for all the Buildings are thrown down in this Island with the Sugar and Indico Works God in Wrath hath Mercy in sending us very seasonable Weather which we have not had these three Years The Earthquakes several times a day tho' not so terrible as in the first day for then the Thunders roared over our heads and the Earth trembled under our feet and the Rocks and Mountains fell and Fire-balls fell by day and night from Heaven which my Eyes saw so that the most hardened Atheist might have considered that there was a God who governed the World A Letter Dated Port-Royal June 28. 1692. saith We have an Account from several parts of these Islands of the Mischief done by the Earthquake From St. Anns we hear of above a thousand Acres of Wood-Land changed into the Sea and carried with it whole Plantations but no place suffered like Port-Royal where whole Streets were swallowed up by the opening Earth and the Houses and Inhabitants went down together some of them were driven up again by the Sea which arose in those Breaches and wonderfully escaped Some were swallowed up to the Neck and then the Earth shut upon them and squeezed them to death and in that manner several are left buried with their Heads above ground only some Heads the Dogs have eaten others are covered with Dust and Earth by the People which yet remain in the place to avoid the stench The People tell me that they hear great bellowings and noises in the Mountains which makes some very
gracious Lord strike the hearts of Tyrants with the terrour of this thy Work that they may know that they are but Men and that thoâ— art that Sampson that for their mocking and spighting of thee and thy Word canst shake the Pillars of their Palaces and throw them upon the furious Philistines heads Turn thy Wrath O Lord froâ— thy Children that call upon thy Name to the Conversion or Confusion of thine Enemies that defie and abâ—or thy Name and deface thy Glory Thou hast knocked long at their Doors but they will not open to let thee in burst open therefore the brazen Gates of their stony hearts thou that art able of stones to raise up Children to Abraham and finally sâ— touch our hearts with the finger of thy Grace that we may deeply muse upon our sinful Lives to amend theâ— and call for thy Mercy to forgive and pardon them through Christ our Lord who liveth with thee and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one Eternal God to whom be all Dominion and Glory with Praise and Thanksgiving for ever and ever Amen Do not you see old Mercies to England in time of Judgment by that Earthâ—uake then as fresh Mercy in the like Judgment mixt in this so lately nay this more mild then that when by that two were killed and not one by this that yet I hear of And should not the terrour of the Lord awaken us as you see it did others in the like case heretofore Should not every House that hath been shaken be fill'd with Crys Calls and fervent Prayers unto God to turn away his Wrath from us that else after this Earthquake might come upon us Might not we â—ear as they then did and pray every night before we go to Bed as they were appointed and commanded by Authority to do should not the Judgment and the Mercy in it kindly work upon us or shall we be more secure because God in Judgment is so merciful Shall we despise the Riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth us to repentance or shall we after our hardness and impenitent hearts treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God will not he render to every man according to his deeds read and answer Rom. 2. 4 5 6. That I may conclude I shall recommend to the Citizens of London a serious consideration of three years amongst others exceeding remarkable always to be remembred and improved by all that have seen them all and by those that have been born since the first and second of them but have been told by others of God's dealing with this City then 1. Forget not the Dying year in this City in 1665. when God did visit it with the Plague Have you forgot have you not heard how Death raged then how it rode triumphant like a mighty Conquerour that so many durst not meet it in the Streets as were sufficient to keep the Grass from growing in Cheapside did it not slay heaps upon heaps that the living were put to day-labour to bury their dead so many thousand in a week cut off cut down and changed time for eternity ready or unready must away Death was then in such haste in so short time to slay so many that if it did find unprepared persons it did not it could not be prevailed with by sighs and sobs by tears and groans to stay till some made themselves ready for another world You that lived Then and Now have cause to remember Gods Judgment to others especially if unconverted that died and his Mercy to you that live now 2. Forget not that dreadful burning year 1666. when the tops of London's highest Houses were brought down to fill their Cellars when the devouring Flames marched without controul from Street to Street drinking up the Water cast upon them and scorning all oppositions that could for some days be made against them till God that set bounds to the proud Waves of the Sea set limits to the insulting Flames saying Hitherto shall ye go and no further Let the sight of your new Buildings put you in mind your old were burnt 3. The trembling year 1692. when your Houses by an Earthquake trembled as if they would fall and you in them then trembled for fear they should fall I have heard there were tremblings of the Earth in Jamaica some years more then once before the great sit of Convulsion came by which it was destroyed Let us take warning by one In the year 65 God by one Judgment swept away the Inhabitants and left their Houses in 66 he destroyed your Houses and preserved your Persons in 92 by an Earthquake he threatned both your Dwellings and your Persons but in mercy he spared both Oh give praise unto the Lord that he spared you and your Houses in this Earthquake and pray that he would shake them so no more FINIS Books printed for John Salusbury in Cornhill THE certainty of The Worlds of Spirits fully evinced by unquestionable Histories of Apparitions and Witchcrafts Operations Voices c. Proving the Immortality of Souls the Malice and Miseries of the Devils and the Damned and the Blessedness of the Justified The End of Doctrinal Controversies which have lately troubled the Churches by reconciling Explication without much Disputing Both by Mr. Richard Baxter The Protestant Religion truly stated and justified by the late Reverend Divine Mr. Richard Baxter Whereunto is added by way of an Epistle some Account of the Learned Author never before published By Mr. Matth. Sylvester and Mr. Daniel Williams The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of Man's Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ By William Bates D. D. The Changeabless of this World with respect to Nations Families and particular Persons with a practical Application thereof to the various conditions of this Mortal Life By Timothy Rogers M. A. The Christian Lover or a Discourse opening the Nature of Participation with and Demonstrating the Necessity of Purification by Christ By T. Cruse The Duty and Blessing of a Tender Conscience plainly stated and earnestly recommended to all that regard acceptance with God and the Prosperity of their Souls By the same Author Five Sermons on various Occasions By the same Author The Mirrour of Divine Love unvail'd in a Paraphrase on the High and Mysterious Song of Solomon By Robert Plemming V. D. M. The Mourners Memorial in two Sermons on the Death of the truly 〈◊〉 Mrs. Susannah Some With some 〈◊〉 count of her Life and Death By 〈◊〉 Wright and Robert Fleming V. D. M. A new Examination of the Accidenâ— and Grammar in English and Latin wherein all the Rules of Properiquae â—â—â—ribus Quae Genus As in presenti Siâ—t 〈◊〉 and Praesodia are made plain and 〈◊〉 that the meanest Capacity may speed 〈◊〉 learn the Latin Tongue The Christian's Converse with God 〈◊〉 the Insufficiency and Uncertainty Human Friendship and the Improvemeâ—â— of Solitude in Converse with God witâ— some of the Author's Breathings aâ—â— him By Richard Baxter Recommendâ—â— to the Readers serious Thoughts whâ— at the House of Mourning and Retiâ—â— ment By Mr. Matth Sylvester A Rational Defence of Nonconformâ—â—ty wherein the practice of Nonconfoâ—mists in vindicated from the Charge Dr. Stilling fleet Bpâ—of Worcester Also 〈◊〉 Case of the present Separation truly uâ—ted and the way to Union amongst Prâ—â—testants pointed at by Gilbert Rule D. D.