Houses as God did could they so securely have preserved them from falling and you from hurt as God did Was the shaking of your Houses so much and the preserving of them so shaken so great a mercy in it self and yet so little in your eyes and last no longer with a due impression in your memories 8. While you look upon this Earthquake to be so small a thing can you look upon your preservation to be so great a mercy as indeed it is whilst you lessen the work of God the more you lessen the mercy of God did God shake you and your Houses and not overturn you and them and was not this great mercy Oh! take heed you do not diminish this work of God's power in your own apprehensions and consequently your danger then and God's mercy now in your safety Lord Let London so tremble at thy Judgment with which thou hast so lately visited it and account it great that their Repentance Reformation may be great And tho' it suddenly came and quickly ceased and did no hurt let not London account that work a small work but thy mercy great mercy vouchsafed in so great a Judgment least in thy wrath yet greater thou cause the foundations of it to shake and tremble more and do that execution that should make all confess and say that deny this that suddenly there was a great Earthquake Doct. IV. Tho' some Earthquakes have their natural causes yet some do arise from the immediate hand and power of God without such causes Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Prison they prayed and sang Praises in testimony that God heard their Prayers he immediately causeth this Earthquake under the Prison Judicious Expositors assert this Earthquake to be miraculous In treating on this I shall take this course I. Distinguish between Earthquakes figurative and metaphorical and such as are proper and real because both are spoken of in Scripture this will be requisite to remove the ambiguity of the word that one might not be taken for the other II. Distinguish real Earthquakes into natural and supernatural In respect of the Earth it self whose nature is to rest and stand still such shakings and motions may be termed contra-natural but in respect of the second Causes in Nature which sometimes produce such tremblings and quakings in the Earth are called natural in contradistinction from those which are caused by God's immediate hand without such causes and are therefore supernatural III. I shall give a short account what natural Philosophers assert to be the Causes of such Earthquakes IV. Point at the several sorts or kinds of such Earthquakes and give the names which Philosophers and Divines from them do call them by V. Enumerate several antecedent Signs of Natural Earthquakes as by observation Men have taken notice of to go before such ensuing Earthquakes and so leave it to others to judge what to think of this late Earthquake in London in other parts of England and in forreign parts beyond the Sea and all at the same time whether they will call it a Natural or Supernatural Earthquake VI. Set down some Effects and Consequents of Earthquakes whether produced by such Natural Causes or by the Immediate Hand and Power of God VII Lay down some Conclusions by way of futher Explication of this mighty work of the great God in causing the Earth thus to shake or shew its Adjuncts VIII Shew what use we should make of such tremendous works of God whereby many might have been buried under ground when this amazing work of God is already by many buried in Oblivion and by few improved according to the greatness of the danger Men were in or the greatness of the mercy in escaping that danger Quest I. What are metaphorical Earthquakes Earthquakes and movings of the Earth are often taken metaphorically for great Commotions alterations made in States Kingdoms and Church and for sore and heavy Punishments inflicted by God upon wicked and disobedient People Isaiah 29. 6. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with Thunder and with Earthquake and with great Noise with Storm and Tempest and the Flame of devouring Fire A figurative description of God's Anger against Jerusalem as much as to say Heaven and Earth shall concur to their ruine yet some Expositors say this Earthquake may be understood according to the letter Isaiah 24. 18. The foundations of the earth do shake Verse 19. The earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly Verse 20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it and it shall fall and not rise again By the Earth here so often mentioned understand the Inhabitants of the Earth and properly those Countreys wherein the Jews and their Consederates lived in those times by the shaking moving removing breaking down and dissolving the Earth understand the Punishments that should befal that People from an angry and provoked God So another expounds it he doth not mean the natural Earth on which Men tread but the People that tread upon the Earth or that Commonwealth wherein People are united and governed these shall be shaken broken down and reel to and fro and be removed like a Cottage as if he had said You thought your State and Kingdom was setled like a strong Castle but I will take it down as a Man takes down a little Cottage the strongest Kingdoms and Bulwarks of the Earth are but as thatcht Cottages when God takes them in hand Rev. 11. 19. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament and there were Lightnings and Voices and Thundrings and an Earthquake and great Hail Some say by the opening of the Temple in Heaven is most conveniently understood the glorification of the Church it self in Heaven and by the Ark of his Covenant the glorious beholding of Christ our Mediator in it whereof the Ark was a Type and by Thundrings Lightnings and Earthquake the tokens of his wrath against Unbelievers Some say the Vision of the opened Temple in Heaven signifieth the freedom given to the Gospel against Persecutors and Corrupters and the pure preaching and profession of it and God's owning his Covenant and Church by his eminent blessing and the Lightnings and Earthquake signifie the great Manifestation of Christ's Power for his Church in the commotions and changes in the World and his judgments on their Enemies Rev. 16. 18. And there were voices and thundrings and lightnings and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth so mighty an earthquake and so great Some understand this litterally and that it is past others that it is yet to come before Antichrist's fall and say others before the Day of Judgment some say hereby were represented the great Commotions which went to those great changes and subversion of the
the top to the bottom and the Earth did quake and the Rocks rent and the Graves were opened and many Bodies of the Saints which slept arose and appeared unto many Matth. 27. 45 51 52 53. Writers do affirm that by this Earthquake not only Golgotha but the whole City and the Regions near were terribly shaken and some that in Bithynia and in Thracia certain Towns were overthrown but how far this Earthquake was extended is uncertain 7. Amongst these also must be ranked the Earthquake at the Resurrection of Christ Matth. 28. 2. And behold there was a great Earthquake 8. Of the same Nature was that when the Apostles were praying the place where they were was shaken God giving them by this Miracle a Testimony that their prayers were heard Acts 4. 31. And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together The Greek word properly signifies to be moved up and down like the Waves of the Sea and is the same with that in the present Text where it is said by the Earthquake the foundations of the Prison were shaken which also I reckon to be of the number of those that are caused miraculously and immediately by God without those Causes that others are produced by What may be inferred and learn'd from this 1. May we not learn the certain Existence of the Deity Doth it not follow there is and must be a God if we may argue from an Effect to a Cause when there is an Effect that cannot be ascribed to any Creature must there not be a Being that is and is no Creature when things are done that are not done by finite power must there not be an infinite power by which they are done when there is no medium betwixt that which is finite and that which is infinite when any thing is effected of which no natural Cause can be named must there not be a supernatural Aaron at God's command stretched out his hand with his Rod and smote the Dust of the Earth and it became Lice in Man and in Beast all the Dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt and when the Magicians did so with their Inchantments to bring forth Lice and could not did not these Magicians themselves say unto Pharaoh This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 17 18 19. When there have been such shakings of the Earth that no Man can say and prove what he saith that they were done by second Causes may not should not every Man say in these was the finger of God If you cannot gather there is a God by what he doth by Creatures cannot you conclude there is a God when things are done and not by Creatures 2. May we not learn that this God never wants means to effect whatsoever he pleaseth What he doth not do by second Causes he can do without them Jonathan when one of these Earthquakes happened said It is all one with God to save by few or by many 1. Sam. 14. 6. So it is all one with God to save by few or none and to do what he will with means or without them When he doth not shake the Earth by Causes got into its Bowels he can and hath shaken it without And indeed if he brought it out of nothing without any instrumental Cause for in Creation there can be none why may he not when it is created shake it till it tremble without any instrumental Cause cannot he that doth the greater do the less 3. Hath God made the Earth to tremble without any Natural Causes have not ungodly Men cause to tremble even then when there is no visible sign no reason from any Natural Causes to fear punishment and ruine Is not their own sin as meritorious of God's Wrath and sore Displeasure with the thoughts of God's infinite hatred of it and his Almighty Power to punish it a sufficient reason why they should fear and quake and tremble what tho' they live in such places and parts of the World that are not so subject to Earthquakes as some other places are Will they say First We live upon that part of the Earth that is only stony and hard and not soft and tender and therefore no fear the Earth should quake and tremble under us Secondly Will they say we dwell upon that part of the Earth that hath not those Caverns in which those Vapours that cause Earthquakes are generated therefore we are in no danger In the Body of Man winds and vapours are sooner and more stirred in the bowels and hollow parts thereof than in the hands and bones and more close and solid Members In subterraneous Caverns rather then in close and rocky places is the matter of an Earthquake but such is not that part of the World where we inhabit Thirdly Will they say we live in Inland Towns and not near the Sea which are most obnoxious to such Earthquakes because such places are more easily filled with Vapours therefore we need not fear Fourthly Will they say Let them live in fear of Earthquakes where the Earth they live upon is both soft and full of Caverns and near the Sea as most liable thereunto Let them quake when the Earth doth not because it is so subject in such places to such trembling fits but our Habitation is on hard and rocky solid places without such Concavities and in the midst of the Land remote from Sea and therefore secure enough Did you speak true before you were aware when you said you were secure Yes and let me add your heart seems to be more stony and rocky and hard than the place you boast you live upon as if God's Arm were so short he could not reach you as if your Mountain stood so strong it could not be moved nor shaken Do not you know have you not heard that God hath shaken the Earth by his own immediate hand without those Natural Causes and Rocks and Mountains too Fear to sin cease to provoke the Eyes of his Glory for he can reach you with his own hand and shake your strongest Tower by his own might without other Causes Quest III. What are the Natural Causes material and efficient of an Earthquake and how may it be described I. Concerning the Material Cause there are divers Opinions amongst Philosophers Seneca in his sixth Book of Natural Questions reckons up many Some say the Cause is from Water some from Fire some from the Earth it self and some from Spirits not Immaterial some in more of these and some in all of them Some of these Seneca doth confute and establisheth his own Opinion concerning Spirits That you may not mistake the word Spirit in this place which is taken otherwise than in Divinity as the Souls of Men and Angels are called Spirits let those that are not acquainted with the Philosophical Physical acceptation of it take this Explication of it according to Regius Exhalations or risings up are either from water and then they are called
serve for a Glass to see our sins and what Judgments we may fear if they be continued in which are sins that bring Kingdoms and Cities to ruin Verse 8. For Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory O that Magistrates Nehemiah like would not any longer suffer the Sabbath to be openly profaned or things exposed to Sale in Londons late trembling Streets or Parts adjacent nor in the Land Where is Nehemiah's Courage Neh. 13. 15. In those days saw I in Judah some treading Wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wine Grapes Figs and now in our Street-trade Apples Pears Plumbs c. on the Sabbath-day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold Victuals Verse 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and profane the Sabbath day Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this City yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath Verse 21. Then I testified against them and said unto them if ye do so again I will lay hands on you From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath day O that after such shakings of the City such things might be done no more on the Sabbath day O that no more Oaths on other days might be heard in our Streets and no more reelings by Drunkenness there least the Earth reel under us again O that there might be praying to and praising of God in all Houses that did shake and yet do stand That all Men of all Ranks Callings Qualities Rich and Poor Magistrates and Subjects Ministers and People Parents and Children Masters and Servants might search their hearts and ways see what is amiss and mend it what is good and continue and grow therein that God may be no more provoked dishonoured incensed against us but glorified pleased feared by us that his Anger might be turned away from us that instead of Judgments and Wrath his Blessings and Mercies might be poured upon us Amen THE CONTENTS 1. The Preface containing 1 The Suns miraculous 1. Standing still 2. Going back 3. Eclipse p. 2. to 8. 2 The Earths motion by Earthquakes The Copernican's Opinion of the constant motion of the Earth p. 8. The Testimony of our Senses of its natural resting p. 9 10. 2. The Parts of the Text. 1 The Earthquake p. 12. 2 The greatness of it 13. By 1. Shaking the Foundations of the Prison ibid. By 2. Immediate opening of the Doors 14. By 3. Loosing the Prisoners Bonds ibid. 3 The Suddenness of it 15. 3. Doctrines I. God many times works wonders for the deliverance of his suffering Saints in order to the propagating of the Gospel 15 16 17 II. God needs not length of time to do the most great and wonderful works The suddenness of the late Earthquake 18 19 20. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come and quickly go nothing is destroyed thereby yet it is and may be truly called a Great Earthquake 8 Questions to such as thought the late Earthquake small 20 to 25 IV Tho' some Earthquakes have their natural Causes yet some do arise from the immediate hand and power of God 25. The Method 26 27 28. Earthquakes are either 1. Metaphorical 28. to 32. 2. Literal and Real These are 1 Supernatural 9 Instances An account of that miraculous Earthquake in the days of Uzziah and for what sin 32. to 47. Three Inferences 47. to 52. 2 Natural Their 1 Causes Material Efficient 52. to 58. 2 Description 3 Seven sorts By others reduced to three 58. to 61. 4 Six antecedent Signs 62 63. 5 Effects 1 Great Consternations Several Reasons os it in Earthquakes 64 to 79. 2 Precipitant flight 79 80. 3 Openings of the Earth ibid. 4 Subversion of houses c. 81 82 83 5 The change of the Channel of the Sea ibid. 6 Overthrow and removing of Mountains 84. 7 Infectious Diseases 84 85. 6 Adjuncts In 8 Conclusions 86. to 93 7 Inferences 12. for improving this great work of God 93. to 119. Gods sparing Mercy to London c in the late Earthquake set forth 1. By 18 Instances of dreadful devastations made by Earthquakes in several places in former Ages p. 119. to 123. 2. By the lamentable Ruins in Jamaica the Effects of the late Earthquake there described by Letters from thence 123. to 129 A Letter from a Minister in Kent giving some account of the late Earthquake there 129 130. An Earthquake in England An. 1580. much like to this so lately here 131 132 133 The Religious Zeal of Queen Elizabeth moved by that Earthquake to publish an Order commanding all Housholdders throughout the Realm to call together all in their respective Families and to pray with them every Evening before they went to bed 133. to 137. Three Years very remarkable for God's dealings with London in our days 1665. for the Plague 1666. for the Fire and 1692. for the Earthquake 138. to the end Earthquakes EXPLAINED AND IMPROVED ACTS XVI 26. And suddenly there was a great Earthquake so that the Foundations of the Prison were shaken and immediately all the Doors were opened and every ones Bonds were loosed WOnderful many wonderful things are done by the Lord of Heaven and Earth by reason whereof his People may in triumph and the Wicked in terrour say Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the gods or mighty ones who is like thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises working wonders sometimes in the Heavens over our heads sometimes on and within the Earth under our feet In both the works of God have been so amazing that might fill the Inhabitants of Heaven above and of the Earth beneath with admiration of his Divine Perfections First God's works have been astonishing in the Heavens over our heads which because they are too high and above our present Theme and Subject I shall but briefly mention three of them and those concerning the Sun the great inlightener of this Earth whereof we are to speak 1. The standing still of the Sun It is the Doctrine of Aquinas That Motion doth as much belong to the Nature of Heaven as Immobility and Rest to the Nature of the Earth The Earth is a setled fixed Body and therefore it is an act of mighty power in God to shake it and to make it move but the Sun is as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber rejoycing as a strong man to run a race according to the ordinary Law of Creation and Government in continual motion and therefore a mighty work of God alone to cause its motion to cease and stand still The making of the Sun to stop which naturally cannot but move and causing the Earth to shake and move which naturally cannot but stand still is an effect of equal power The
fro the Earth where no Buildings were was greatly moved such a thick dust was raised and so great a darkness upon all that that they could not see one another nor speak nor hear one the other and by reason of the violence of the Wind and greatness of the dust could scarcely breathe Trees pluckt up by the roots were cast down upon the ground many very many were covered with the overthrow of Houses and Walls many falling upon one another died if any hurt by wood or stone went away thus with their torn and wounded Bodies they were more miserable than the rest forasmuch as they could not live long nor yet quickly die of multitudes of Men scarce any escaped without some hurt One might be seen to flee with his Shoulder broke another with his Arms lost many laid dead with their Heads separated from their Bodies some with their bruised Breasts vomited Blood Still the Earth continued to shake both by Night and Day in this great Calamity they could find no remedy nor way of escape those that were hurt with the fall of Houses died in many places and tho' by the benefit of Vaults and roofed Places some were preserved yet the Earthquake continuing they perished by hunger and famine before any succour could be brought to them When the Earthquake ceased some went upon the Ruins where they heard a Womans voice and the crying of an Infant the Ruins had covered both the Mother and the Child it was wonderful how the Mother should have Milk to nourish her Child but Mother and Child were taken safe out But whilst the dead Bodies and fall'n Houses were more diligently searched another Infant was found sucking the Breast of its dead Mother But Life was a grief to all that had escaped Death when they beheld the lamentable fall of the City and so many People destroyed Fifthly The change of the Channel of the Sea In the time of Valens the Emperour there hapned another terrible Earthquake whereby an hundred Cities were destroyed in Crete then also the Sea leaving its place so overflowed certain grounds which before were plowed became navigable and in other places where Men failed the Sailers in their Navigation were found upon dry Land where before they Sea was Sixthly Another Effect of Earthquakes hath been the Convulsion of Mountains their sinking down their clashing and transportation or removal to a great distance from the places where before the stood Instances of these History do afford many but I will only mention one because more remarkable how God doth miraculously sometimes preserve praying People and may moâ—e Persons whose Houses after shaking by an Earthquake stand to pray therein In the Year 1584. one Mountain by aâ— Earthquake violently removed destroyed a Town consisting of ninety Families and threw down all excepting haâ— of one House where the Master of thâ— Family with his Wife and Children kneeling upon their Knees were prayinâ— and calling upon God Seventhly Infectious Diseases Plage and Pestilence are sometimes the Effectâ— of Earthquakes For the matter 〈◊〉 Earthquakes is pestilential because subterraneous or under ground wanting wind and motion to purifie it this therefore when it doth exhale and breath out or break forth doth infect the Air and Men by taking in that infected Air are insected by it Seneca shewing the Pestilence to be an Effect and Consequent of an Earthquake mentions how that after an Earthquake in Campania six hundred Sheep died of an Infectious Disease Wonder not at this saith he for after great Earthquakes the Pestilence doth use to follow the Air being corrupt thereby and Sheep holding down their heads so continually so near the ground and taking in the poisonous Air that is so near the Earth are infected with it This also would have been hurtful unto Men if a greater quantity of it had come up out of the Earth but the largeness of a more free and purer Air purgeth that before it rise so high as to be drawn in by Men. In Scripture Earthquakes and Pestilence are set down together as sore and heavy Judgments God grant that London England and all places that have been shaken by this late Earthquake might so fear and tremble before this Great Almighty God as to Repent and turn from sin to God at this his Call so lately powerfully and mercifully given that after the Earthquake the Plague and Pestilence might not follow Quest VII What are the Adjuncts of Earthquakes which may further inform us concerning this Mighty Work of God What I shall add concerning this may be laid down in these following Conclusions First Conclus An Earthquake is not Vniversal not of the whole Earth aâ— once but in part This is the Doctrinâ— of Learned Men both Philosophers adâ— Divines asserting in Universal Earthâ— quake yet never hath been but fall out in divers places but not in all universally at the same time Mat. 24. 7. Theâ— shall be Earthquakes in divers plâ—â—es The Scripture so speaketh of the stability of the Earth as that by Naturaâ— Causes there cannot be an Universaâ— shaking of it 1 Chron. 16. 30. Fear before him all the earth the world also shall be stable that it be not moved Isa 45. 18. Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens God himself that formed the earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vain he formed it to be inhabited Psal 93. 1. The world is established that it cannot be moved Psal 96. 10. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved Psal 104. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever Psal 119. 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it shall stand 2. Conclus Yet such is the greatness of the Power of God that if he pleased he could remove the whole Earth out of its place He that made it all could make it all to tremble and quake yea he that by his Word brought it into Being can by his Power shake it into nothing What cannot be done by Natural Causes might be done by Supernatural Power This is the meaning of Job's saying Job 9. 6. Who shaketh the earth out of its place and the Pillars thereof tremble An Earthquake is the shaking of the Earth in its place and causeth it to tremble upon the Pillars thereof We have no instance that God ever yet removed the whole Earth out of its place but it is a Supposition if the Lord will he is able to do it 3. Concl. How far an Earthquake may extend it self cannot be determined Men if they can give an account of the extent of Earthquaks past yet cannot limit the space of such as yet may be Tho' Senecasaith an Earthquake never reached above two hundred Miles yet others give instances of such as have far exceeded besides several others it is