Aaron saying separate your selves from among this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment And they fell upon their faces and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh shall one Man sin and wilt thou be wrath with all the Congregation And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto all the Congregation saying Get you up from about the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram and the Elders of Israel followed him And the spake unto all the Congregation saying Depart I pray you from the Tents of these Wicked Men and touch nothing of theirs least you be consumed in all their Sins So they gat them up from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram on every side and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the Door of their Tents and their Wives and their Sons and their little Children And Moses said Hereby shall ye know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works for I have not done them of my own mind If these men dye the common Death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord make a new thing and the Earth open her Mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them and they go down quick into the Pit then ye shall understand that these Men have provoked the Lord. And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground clave asunder that was under them And the Earth opened her Mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the Men that appertained unto Kerah and all their Goods They and all that appertained to them went down alive into the Pit and the Earth closed upon them and they perished from among the Congregation And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the Earth swallow us up also And there came out a Fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered Incense Josephus in his History of the Antiquities of the Jews gives the following account of this dreadful Judgment That Moses making a large Prayer intermixt with Tears while he was speaking the Earth instantly trembled and shaking began to move like a Billow of the Sea raised by the violence of Wind at which all the People were sorely amazed after which an horrible and shattering Noise was made about their Tents and instantly the Earth opened and swallowed up both them and all that belonged to them insomuch that nothing which was theirs remained to be seen And the Earth in a moment closing again the vast gaping immediately was shut so that there was not the least appearance of what had happened Thus perished they all leaving behind them an example of Gods Power and Judgment and this accident was the more miserable in that there were none even of their Kinsfolks and Allies that had compassion of them so that the whole People forgetting what was passed allowed Gods Justice with joyful Acclamations esteeming them unworthy to be bewailed but to accounted as the Plague and Perverters of the People After this saith he there suddenly appeared so bright a Fire that the like was never kindled by the hand of man nor ever broke forth from the Bowels of burning Mountains nor could proceed from any natural cause but such as seemed to be kindled from Heaven exceeding light and flaming by the fury and violence of which those two hundred and fifty together with Korah were so consumed that there scarce appeared any relicks of their Carcases Only Aaron remained untouched to the end that it might appear this Fire came from Heaven This was in the year of the World 2515. XI A third tremendous Earthquake caused by the immediate Power of God without any apparent or natural Cause and whereby the Israelites gain'd a great Victory over the Philistines is in 1 Samuel 14. And it came to pass on a Day that Jonathan the Son of Saul said unto the Young Man that bare his Armour come and let us go over to the Philistines Garrison that is on the other side but he told not his Father And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines there was a sharp Rock on the one side and a sharp Rock on the other side And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his Armour come and let us go over unto the Garrison of these uncircumcised it may be that the Lord will work for us for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few And his Armour-bearer said unto him Do all that is in thine Heart turn thee behold I am with thee according to thy Heart Then said Jonathan behold we will pass over unto these Men and we will discover our selves unto them if they say unto us Tarry until we come to you then we will stand still in our place and will not go up unto them But if they say thus Come up unto us then we will go up for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand and this shall be a sign unto us And both of them discovered themselves to the Garrison of the Philistines and the Philistines said Behold the Hebrews come forth out of their holes where they had hid themselves And the men of the Garrison answered Jonathan and his Armour bearer and said Come up to us and we will shew you a thing And Jonathan said unto his Armour bearer Come up after me for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel And Jonathan climbed up on his Hands and upon his Feet and his Armour bearer after him and they fell before Jonathan and his Armour bearer slew after him And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his Armour bearer made was about twenty men within as it were an half Acre of Land which a yoak of Oxen might Plow And there was trembling in the Host in the Field and among all the People the Garrison and the Spoilers they also trembled and the Earth quaked so that it was a very great trembling a trembling of God And the Watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked and behold the multitude melted away and they went on beating down one another Then said Saul unto the People that were with him Number now and see who is gone from us And when they had numbred behold Jonathan and his Armour-bearer were not there And Saul said unto Ahiah Bring hither the Ark of God for the Ark of God was at that time with the Children of Israel And it came to pass that while Saul talked unto the Priest that the noise that was in the Host of the Philistines went on and increased and Saul said unto the Priest withdraw thine hand And Saul and all the People that were with him assembled themselves and they came to the Battel
these prodigious effects that were produced upon our Saviour's Crucifixion were acknowledged and attested as well by Heathens as Christians At the time of his Death a very great darkness happened in the Day time which continued from six a Clock till nine and yet there was no Ecclipse of the Sun for it was at a Full Mood so that it was Miraculous and contrary to the Order of Nature and only by the immediate Power of God who deprived the Sun of its Light for that space of time And therefore Dyonisius the Arcopagite being that Day in Athens and seeing the Sun so darkned and also knowing as a Man learned in the course of the Heavens that such an Ecclipse must needs be contrary to the Rule of Nature spake with a loud voice saying Either the World is at an end or the God of Nature Suffers We like wise read of another Supernatural Earthquake at the Resurrection of Christ St. Matthew 28. In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the Week came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre And behold there was a great Earthquake for the Angel of the Descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the Stone from the Door and sate upon it His countenance was like Lightning and his Raiment white as Snow And for fear of him the Keepers did shake and became as dead men This was in the year of the World 4036. XIV Lastly We read of two Earthquakes in the Acts of the Apostles which can be attributed to no other cause but that of the Power of God for the confirmation of the Gospel and the Resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The first is in Acts 4.31 And when they had prayed the Earth was shaken where the Apostles were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldness The second is in Acts 17. And at Midnight Paul and Silas Prayed and Sang Praises to God and the Prisoners heard them 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 Bands were losed And the Keeper of the Prison awaking out of his sleep and seeing the Prison Doors open he drew out his Sword and would have Killed himself supposing that the Prisoners had been fled But Paul cried with a loud voice saying Do thy self no harm for we are all here Then he called for a Light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas And brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saved and they said believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy House And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his House And he took them the same hour in the Night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway And when he had brought them into his House he set meat before them and rejoiced believing in God with all his House This was in the 55 year after our Saviours Incarnation XV. These are all the Earthquakes that we find mentioned in Holy Scripture to have actually happened but there are others spoken of which may be termed Metaphorical Earthquakes and may signify great Alterations and Commotions in the several States and Kingdoms of the World wherein by the shaking moving removing breaking down and dissolving the Earth we may understand the Inhabitants of the Earth and the punishments that God would inflict upon them for their repeated Sins and Provocations such as these we find Isaiah threatning the Narion of the Jews withal in the 29th Chapter of that Prophecy Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with Thunder and with Earthquakes and great noise with Storm and Tempest and the flame of devouring Fire And in Chapter 24. And it shall come to pass that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the Pit and he that cometh out of the midst of the Pit shall be taken in the snare for the Windows from on high are open and the Foundations of the Earth do shake The Earth is is utterly broken down the Earth is clean dissolved the Earth is moved exceedingly The Earth shall real too and fro like a Drunkard and shall be removed like a Cottage and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it and shall fall and not rise again XVI And our blessed Saviour foretelling the destruction of the Temple and what great Earthquakes shall be before it and of the Signs of his coming to Judgment St. Mat. 24. he says And ye shall hear of Wars and Rumours of Wars For Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there shall be Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places and the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her Light and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the Powers of the Heavens shall be shaken And then shall appear the Sign of the Son of Man and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four Winds from one end of Heaven to the other XVII Such Metaphorical Earthquakes are those thought to be which are Prophesied of in several places of the Revelations as Chapter 6. And I beheld when the Lamb had opened the sixth Seal and lo there was a great Earthquake and the Sun became black as Sack-cloth of Hair and the Moon became as Blood And the Stars of Heaven fell unto the Earth even as the Fig-tree casteth her untimely Figs when she is shaken of a mighty Wind. And the Heaven departed as a Scrowl when it is rolled together and every Mountain and Island were moved out of their places And the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bondman and every Freeman hid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains And said to the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand So in Chapter 8. And the Angel took the Censer and filled it with Fire of the Altar and cast it into the Earth and there were Voices and Thundrings and Lightnings and an Earthquake And again in Chapter 11. And they heard a great Voice from Heaven saying unto the Witnesses Come up hither and they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud and their Enemies beheld them And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great Voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign forever and ever And the four and twenty Elders which sate before
The Dreadful Earthquake in Jamaica Iune 7. 1692 The General HISTORY OF Earthquakes BEING An Account of the most Remarkable and Tremendous Earthquakes that have happened in divers parts of the World from the Creation to this time As they are recorded by Sacred and Common Authors And perticularly those lately in Naples Smyrna Jamaica and Sicily With a description of the famous burning Mount Aetna in that Island And a Relation of the several dreadful Conflagrations and Fiery Irruptions thereof for many Ages Likewise the Natural and Material Causes of Earthquakes with the usual Signs and Prognosticks of their approach And the Consequents and Effects that have followed several of them By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1694. TO THE READER THE several dreadful Earthquakes that have happened in divers parts of the World within a few years past and among others that in the Island of Jamaica and another in England wherein the People of this Nation is particularly concerned seem to call aloud for Repentance and Reformation of the horrid Enormities that are boldly committed amongst us for the Almighty executes his Judgments upon Mankind that the People of the Earth might learn Righteousness Therefore the collecting and publishing the terrible Relations of Earthquakes needs no Apology and may I hope be influential upon the minds of men who appear affected with the dismal accounts that have been lately given of these terrible Visitations of God I have been the more incouraged to proceed in Printing these small Manuals by the acceptance that others of this nature have already met with which I find has occasioned many especially young people to lay aside those vain and idle Songs and Romances wherewith they were formerly Conversant and to divert their vacant hours with reading the real Transactions Revolutions and Accidents that are recorded by Authors of the greatest Veracity to have happened in divers Ages and Countreys And this being of that kind I have no cause to doubt but it may meet with as civil Treatment as as those that have already been made publick by R. B. The General HISTORY OF Earthquakes I. AMong the several Plagues and Judgments wherewith the Almighty visiteth and punisheth the Enormities and Sins of Mankind that of Earthquakes may be accounted the most Dreadful and Tremendous which in an instant swalloweth up thousands of people of all Qualities and Ages together with the most superb and stately Edifices that Pride and Ambition can raise in a moment even in the twinkling of an Eye to convince men of the Greatness and Power of the Supream Creator and how vain it is to value themselves upon any mundane enjoyments Of which we have lately had very astonishing Instances in several parts of the World II. But before I proceed to give a Relation of them it may be necessary to discover the Natural Causes of this dreadful Concussion of the Earth which the God of Heaven makes use of to signifie his Displeasure for the provoking Crimes of Nation and People Of which a Learned Divine gives the following account III. An Earthquake is a shaking of the Earth occasioned by Wind and Exhalations inclosed within the Caves and Bowels of the Earth which can find no passage or at least none long enough to discharge themselves and therefore breaking forth with great force and violence it sometimes shaketh the Earth another while rendeth and openeth the same sometimes casting up Earth a great height into the Air otherwhile causing the ground to sink down a great depth swallowing Cities Towns Palaces Castles yea prodigious high Mountains leaving in the place nothing but deep holes or long and unfathomable Lakes of Water IV. Authors Write differently of the several kinds of Earthquakes but they usually comprehend them under four The first kind is when the Earth is shaken laterally or to one side the whole force of the inclosed Wind and Vapours driving to one place and there is no contrary motion to hinder it This Wind if it be not great causeth the Earth to tremble like a man in an Ague Fit and doth no more harm but if it be strong and violent it looseth the Foundations of all Buildings though never so firm overthrows whole Cities and sometimes throws down great Hills so that they overwhelm all the Valleys under them The second kind is when the Earth is lifted up with great violence so that the Buildings are like to fall and instantly sink down again and this is caused by the force of the Winds which strive to get upward like Gunpowder and finding some deliverance from confinement the Earth falls down to its former place The third sort is the opening rending or gaping of the Earth which sinking down swallows up Cities Towns yea Rocks Rivers and Flouds and so that they never appear again Nay the Sea in some places hath been drunk up so that People have gone over on foot till the returning Tyde hath covered the place with Water again The last kind is when great Mountains arise out of the Earth or else when some part of the Land sinketh down and instead thereof arise Rivers Lakes or Fires breaking out with Smoak and Ashes Sometimes the bottom of the Sea is lifted up whereby many Islands are made that were never seen before Of which History gives large accounts V. If it be asked how such mighty Winds come to be under the Earth the Philosophers answer that the great Caves and Dens of the Earth being always full of Air when the heat of the Sun resolves the moisture of the Earth many Exhalations are generated both within and without the same and the places being full before can receive no more unless some part be let our so that in those Countries where the Earth hath but few Pores or where they are stopt with moisture it must necessarily happen that these Exhalations striving to get out must needs rend the Earth or lift it up either to get free passage or to make room enough to abide within VI. It has been observed That there are usually several Signs and Presages of this terrible Calamity As first the raging of the Sea when there are no Tempestuous Winds to move it yea in the greatest Calm which is occasioned by the Winds labouring to get passage that way but being repelled soon after shakes the Earth Again the Water in the bottom of deep Wells is troubled and infected with a Sulphurous smell from the pestilent Exhalations long inclosed within the Earth which now begin to spread abroad And hereupon in divers places an Earthquake has caused abundance of Smoak Flame and Ashes to issue forth by reason that the vast quantity of Brimstone under ground is by the violent motion set on Fire and bursteth out so that it is a wonder if after an Earthquake some grievous Pestilence does not follow the whole Mass of the Poysonous Minerals within the Bowels of the Earth being by this furious shock blown
acceptable It is notorious to all Christendom that the French King after a multitude of Infractions of his most solemn Edicts Oaths and Protestations for securing to the Protestants of his Kingdom the free exercise of their Religion began about the year 1684. openly and without the least provocation to use all manner of Cruelties toward them to oblige them if possible to renounce their Faith and Profession declaring That he would no longer suffer any Protestants in his Kingdom but that they must resolve either to change their Religion or else to suffer the utmost Torments that could be inflicted upon them In prosecution of this inhumane resolution Dragoons were imploy'd first to seize the Goods of those that continued constant in their Religion after which they proceeded to further cruelties hanging some Men and Women up by the Hair of the Head or the Feet within their own Chimneys smoaking them with Wisps of Wet Straw Others they threw into the Fire and pluckt them thence half roasted They tied them on the Rack and poured Wine down their Throats till the same had deprived them of their reason and then made them say They would be Catholicks They stript them stark naked and Larded them all over with Pins from Head to Foot They kept them from sleeping seven or eight days and nights together They tied Parents to Bed-posts and ravished their Daughters before their Eyes They pluckt off the Nails from the Hands and Toes of others with most intolerable pains and after these and a thousand other indignities if they still refused to abjure the Truth they threw them into close dark and stinking Dungeons exercising upon them all manner of Barbarities Their Ministers were banished their Churches demolished their Houses pluckt down their Wives and Children seized and put into Monasteries and several suffered most cruel Deaths Among the banished Ministers was the famous Monsieur Jurieu who retiring into Holland writ several Pastoral Letters to the Poor Persecuted Protestants in France for the strengthening and confirming them in the True Faith of Christ and for reducing those who through fear of trouble and danger had seemingly reconciled themselves to the Romish Church and were afterward termed New Converts In one of these Letters Monsieur Jurieu gives a very surprizing Relation of Songs and Voices which were heard in the Air the year 1685. of which I shall give an account in his own words The Historians of all Ages have been of opinion that the great Revolutions which have happened in the Societies of men have been preceded by the extraordinary Events such as Earthquakes Signs in Heaven and Prodigies on Earth of which I could give an infinite number of matters of Fact very well attested which have been Presages of Events little less considerable than those at present in the World and though it seems to me that Earthquakes have their Natural Causes and so have Famines Pestilences and Wars nevertheless Jesus Christ puts these among those things which are to presage his coming Not that I believe all Ecclipses and all Earthqukes are Presages but there are such circumstances of time and place and concomitant signs in some that no man I think without rashness can deny but the providence of God doth dispense them to strike the minds of Men with astonishment and make them attentive to his Judgments and among other times this year 1685 has been as abundant in Prodigies as any for a long while wherein we have heard of nothing but extraordinary Storms Fires falling from Heaven others coming out of the Earth of Signs in the Air and Insects of unknown shaps which have been believed to have fallen from Heaven And particularly the Singing of Psalms and Voices in the Air. It is near a year since we first heard any Speech concerning it and they told us that these Singings had been heard in Bearns the first Province whether the Dragoons were sent Behold our Witnesses every one will judge of what worth they are Monsieure Magendy Pastor of the Church of Orthez having been questioned concerning this Affair has interrogated divers Persons according as it appears by his Cirtificate I do declare that Mosieure Bazin a younger Brother and an Inhabitant of Orthez in Bearne hath told me that walking with some of his Friends after mid-day near the City of Orthez he heard voices which Sung Psalms and as he imagined that it might be some Women that washt Linnen he ran to demand of them whither it was they that Sung they told him no and that they themselves had for a long time heard the same Singing of Psalms This happened some Months before the Interdiction of our Church The said Monsieur Bazin is a very honest man very judicious and of integrity I add that Mademoisselle de Casenaue of Orthez said to Persons worthy of credit That being not able to believe that which was said concerning this Singing of Psalms a Woman sayd to her That if She had the curiosity to hear them Sing She would call on her at her own House at a time convenient which she did for this Woman being at a eleven at night in the uttermost part of the City with multitudes of other Persons to hear these voices which Sung in the Air the Praises of God having heard this singing of Psalms She ran to Mademoiselle Casenaue who immediately gets out of her Bed causes one of her Neighbours to rise and they ran to that quarter of the City which was far removed from her House where they found multitudes of Persons who were ravished with that pleasant melody which they heard in the Air they themselves return'd to their Houses with this great consolation to have heard those Psalms Sung in the Air which they could no more Sing in their Church which had been interdicted for some months past They added That they seemed to hear them Sing after the same manner which they used to Sing in their Church and after the Singing ceased there was a Voice which spake but after a manner inarticulate and confused so that they could not distinguish what was said This Gentlewoman is very well worthy of credit Moreover I attest that an infinite number of Persons of Orthez do say that they heard the Singing of Psalms which they call the Singing of Angels and that they exhorted each other in the day to be present in the night in certain places of the City to satisfie this Holy Curiosity which was the reason that the Magistrates of Orthez published an Ordinance whereby they forbad all Persons from going out of their Houses or assembling themselves by night to hear these Voices which filled this poor afflicted People with joy and extraordinary consolation This is that which has heen told me concerning this Singing of Psalms to which I find no difficulty to give a full consent because the Persons that have reported it are of great sincerity Given at Amsterdam November 23. 1686. Signed Magendie heretofore Minister of Orthez in Bearne
with the best things they could carry away deserted the Town and the Morning after the whole Town was overturned in a momens and of 4000. People not above 800. were killed by reason of their happy removal Ragusa a renowned City for Scituation Buildings and all other Humane Delights had a great share in this common Calamity On Jan. 8. it had several shakes with a terrible storm of Thunder and Lightning but on the 11th the Town House a stately Building with two Churches and divers Houses were destroyed One of the best Streets in the Town inhabited by Rich Merchants and Tradesmen sunk into the Earth in a moment leaving a mighty Chasma or Gaping in the place One of the Churches sunk also but the other fell down the modestest Calculations reckon eight thousand People slain most of them of principal Quality Within this Gap the tops of some Houses are visible from whence proceeds a Noxious Sulphury smell In Scodia only the Bishops Palace newly built was overturned and 24. Persons were buried in the Rubbish the Bishop himself being absent the rest of the Town escaping Specasurno another considerable Town was shaken the 9th whereby the Convent of the Capuchint was destroyed All the next day so horrible a storm of Thunder and Lightning happened as is not to be exprest or imagined whereby the Town-House a very fine structure and some other Buildings were ruined which frighted a few of the Inhabitants into the Flields but the next morning in one Minute the whole Town was laid in vast heaps of Rubbish and the Fresh-water Lake a Mile off was made almost dry Land the remaining Water being Black and Brackish the Fish wherewith it abounded lying all dead on the Shoar The Inhabitants that perisht were accounted at least 3500. and about 300 saved themselves by going away the day before The Town of Scichilo suffered 20. shakes successively on the 8th each greater than the other and on the 11th in less than two Minutes was wholly brought to desolation and vanisht out of sight a stinking Pool of Water succeeding wherein the Cathedral of St. Stephen and part of St. Salvator Steeple appears above Water It was judged to contain about six or seven Thousand People of which it is thought not one made their escape An old strong Castle at the East-side of the Town likewise fell and thirty People perisht therein At Cafamero a Village of 200. Houses the People were so affrighted at the shake three days before successively that on the 11th most of them fled to the Church to beg the asistance of St. Katherine of Sienna in a Chappel held venerable among them but there they met with death altogether the Roof of Lead falling and crushing 200 of them in the Church and about 20. more were killed in the Village In Cafamero only the Timber Houses suffered and about an hundred Inhabitants were destroyed the rest flying into the Fields In the little Town of Giamontano about 400. Persons perished in that Quarter of the Town next the River the other part escaped In the Tower of Livodia all the Timber Houses and three hundred of the Inhabitants were destroyed the Cathedral was burnt down by Lightning and likewise the famous Pine-Trees on an Hill near ajoyning The large Town of Jaâ—â— was so shaken that by the fall of Houses and two Churches in the time of Mass above 2000. People perished The Village of La Motta famous for the Summer Houses of the Citizens of Palermo was wholly overthrown a pond of water now filling up the the place and about 200 People were thought to be lost Lastly Mâ—ssina a great and famous City for Buildings Trade and Riches was so sensibly shaken on the 9th that above half the Inhabitants abandoned it and retired into the Fields The rest imployed themselves in Prayers and Vows and the Churches were filled with multitudes of all Ages Fourty Eight hours Prayers were Ordered and many Relicks were carried in Procession through the Streets On the 11th Twenty Six Palaces and many Timber Houses were overturned and the whole City so fearfully shaken that every one expected present Death and the Archbishop and the other Priests having given the People Absolution they all endeavoured to avoid the present peril by flying into the Fields where yet they suffered much by the horrible Thunder Lightning and Rain which continued three days together so that they were obliged to set up Tents for security So that few were killed but most of the Churches much damaged Neither was there security from this terrible Visitation of God even upon the VVater several small Ships and vessels being cast away all along the Coast by the fury of the VVaves the Tydes being three foot higher in most parts than was ever known before The damage and loss in this terrible sudden and surprizing Desolation in Money Goods Houses and Lands is unaccountable The least that has been computed amounts to the value of six Millions of Ducates and an 100 years will scarce repair the damage But the greatest loss was of People of whom there perisht by this dreadful Judgment at least an Hundred and Twenty Thousand Souls besides a multitude maimed and wounded by the fall of buildings which died afterward and may be reckoned Twenty Thousand more In short amore Astonishing a more Universal and more Swift Destruction was never known And Sicily that was one of the most Beautiful Rich and Fruitful Islands in the World is now an heap of Rubbish and a continued Desolation LXVII I have before menrioned some of the Natural Causes of Earthquakes and the Philosophers of Italy are apt to assign the Causes of this astonishing Calamity to proceed from the unseasonable Summer preceeding and that the many great Rains and Heats which often succeeded each other in Sicily the last year might occasion great store of vapours to enter into the Bowels of the Earth which afterward dilating themselves for want of room forced their way into the Air with the destruction of all that opposed them But these are only the guesses of short-sighted Men for the hand of Heaven seemed visible in this terrible Devastation And as I have before related some of the Presages that usually preceed such sweeping Judgments so the Prognosticks which ushered in this horrible desolation and of which there were a Multitude of Witnesses may be judged intimations and Effects of the Divine Vengeance these following being very remarkable That in June the Summer before Mount Aetna's Roarings and Noise was extraordinary dreadful which is always reckened the forerunner of some Irruption either of the Mount it self or some part thereabout And May 15. preceeeding two hours before Sunset the Sky being Clear the Heavens suddenly appeared all in Flames without either Lightning or Thunder which continued about a quarter of an hour And at the same time two Rainbows were seen in the Air directly above the City pointing as usually toward the Earth and a third with the points upward toward
Youth in a serious and compassionate Address to all young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their Youth Together with Remarks upon the Lives of several excellent young Persons of both Sexes as well Ancient as Modern who have been famous for Virtue and Piety in their Generations With twelve curious Pictures Illustrating the several histories Price 1 s. 6 d. 31. THE Vanity of the Life of Man represented in the Seven several Stages thereof With Pictures and Poems exposing the Follies of every Age. Price Eight pence 32. MOunt Sion or a draught of that Church that shall stand for ever Together with a view of that World which shall be broken in pieces and consumed By William Dyer Author of Christs Famous Titles and a Believers Golden Chain Price One Shilling 33. DIstressed Sion Relieved or the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness A Poem Wherein are discovered the grand Causes of the Churches trouble and misery under the late dismal Dispensation With a compleat History of and Lamentation for those Renowned Worthies that fell in England by Popish rage and cruelty from the Year 1680. Humbly Dedicated to Their Present Majesties By Benjamin Keach Author of a Book called Sion in Distress or the Groans of the true Protestant Church Price one shilling 34. ANtichrist Stormed or the Church of Rome proved to be Mystery Babylon the Great Whore Rev. 17. by many and undeniable Arguments Answering all the Objections of the Papists and all others Together with the Judgment of many Antient and Modern Divines and most Eminent Writers concerning the rise and final ruin of the Beast and Babylon proving it will be in this present Age. With an Account of many strange Predictions relating to these present Times By Benjamin Keach Price One Shilling 35. THE Devout Souls Daily Exercise in Prayers Contemplations and Praises containing Devotions for Morning Noon and Night for every day in the week with Prayers before and after the Holy Communion And likewise for Persons of all conditions and upon all occasions With Graces and Thanksgivings before and after Meat By R. P. D. D. Price bound Six Pence 36. SAcramental Meditations upon divers select places of Scripture wherein Believers are assisted in preparing their hearts and exciting their affections and graces when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn Ordinance of the Lords Supper By Jo. Flavel Minister of Christ in Devon Price one Shilling 37. JACOB Wrestling with GOD and prevailing Or a Treatise concerning the Necessity and Efficacy of Faith in Prayer Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about praying in Faith are stated and resolved For the comforting and satisfying of weak and scrupulous Consciencâ—â— The Conviction of formal Hypocrites awakening of all Saints both weak and strong great and small to this great Duty of Prayer Pr. 1 s. 38. THE True Light Shining in Darkness in the matter of Justification in III. parts Shewing 1. That by the deeds of the Law no Flesh can be Justified in the Sight of God 2. That the Righteousness of God is the only Matter of our Justification 3. The time and Season wherein God doth Justifie his Elect. Price one Shilling Two Pence Both by Tho. Taylor formerly at Edmunds Bury now Pastor to a Congregation in Cambridge 39. SEveral Sermons or Declarations of Mr. Stephen Crisp late of Colchester in Essex exactly taken in Characters or Short-hand as they were delivered by him at the Publick Meeting houses of the People called Quakers in Grace-Church-street in Devonshire House London And now faithfully Transcribed and Published Together with his Prayer at the end of every Sermon Price bound one Shilling FINIS