Vapours or from the earth either which hath a fat or oiley moisture and then are called fumes or sharp tart moisture and volatile Salts and these they call Spirits And then saith That from these Vapours fat or oily Fumes and Spirits which being shut up in the deep and large Caverns of the Earth in great abundance and by some cause or other once or oftner kindled in one or more places ariseth an Earthquake once or often at several times which according to the variety of its cause maketh the Earth to tremble or to open whereby sometimes whole Cities and Countreys are either overturned or swallowed up Rohault in the third part of his Physicks gives this account If an hollow Place or Vault under ground should be filled with Exhalation very gross not much unlike to that which ariseth from a Candle newly put out and at once take fire by the spreading and dilating of it self it would raise and lift up the Earth above it much like to Gunpowder put into digged places that lifts up the Earth above it but afterwards when the Exhalation is scattered that which was lifted up by reason of its own weight must necessarily fall down and hence are these tremblings of the Earth yea it might so happen that many shakings may follow one foregoing if there be more hollow places that are near each other or any manner of way are so joyned as to make the one partake of what the other hath and the Exhalations filling them may successively take fire Yea there may be an hollow place under ground so large and the fall of the Region above it being like an Arch or a Vault so great that it might cleave asunder in the midst and gape whereby the adjacent parts are depressed and made much lower than they were before whence it appears how whole Cities by one only Earthquake might be swallowed up Aristole Lib. 2. Meteor proves that Exhalations are the cause of the Earthquake 1. From a similitude taken from Mens Bodies in which there are sometimes such Convulsions Shakings and Tremblings that many Men can scarce hold such a one the cause whereof are Spirits hot and dry In like manner when the vast Body of the Earth is moved it is to be referred to Exhalations which are hot and dry 2. Before an Earthquake there is something discerned as an ascending Fume resembling a long Line which Fume is the thinner Exhalation which begins to get forth but the rest of the Exhalations by reason of their greater density and straightness of the Passages are restrained within the bowels of the Earth from whence an Earthquake doth arise 3. He saith in his time there were some Earthquakes in Pontus before which the Earth did swell and at last did burst or was broke asunder which was a certain sign of Exhalations shut up and seeking their way out Derodon judgeth it more probable that Earthquakes do arise from a sudden inflammation of sulphureous Brimstone-like and bituminous something like Pitch or fat Slime Vapours which are kindled in the Caverns and hollow Places under ground not much distant from the Surface of the Earth which according as the Caverns are and as the matter of the Flame is more or less do variously operate for the most part they effect nothing if the Earth be more loose and hath breathing holes a◠which they may get out sometimes they move it more gently and make it tremble if the bulk above it be greater that this subterraneous Flame can assay attempt and do no more against it sometimes they shake and overturn by reason of their greatness and resistance of the parts of the Earth Zanchy although he embraceth Aristotle's Opinion yet saith it cannot be denied but that many Earthquakes have been caused by Fire shut up in the Caverns of the Earth seeking a passage out and he instanceth there was in the Mountain Vesuvius and another Mountain from which in his time fire brake out before which many days there were great and many fore-going Earthquakes He denyeth not but that also they may arise from Air shut up in the Earth seeking a passage out but cannot find it II. The Natural Efficient cause is the vehement striving of such Vapours in the Caverns of the Earth that they may get forth whereby they are carried upwards and downwards one while this way another that Besides what is said before an Earthquake is commonly thus described An Earthquake is a Meteor arising from abundant Exhalations shut up in the bowels of the Earth which while they seek a passage out that they may ascend but cannot find it cause the Earth to shake Quest IV. What are the several sorts or kinds of Earthquakes There is difference amongst Philosophers in this point some making two sorts or kinds of Earthquakes as Possidonius and Aristotle some three as Seneca and Zanchy Some seven which last they thus distinguish and nominate 1. An Earthquake of one sort is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an Inclining Earthquake when the Earth is caused to incline one way like a Ship upon the Sea or a Boat on the River when laden more on one side than the other leans that way only where the greater weight and burden is laid In this kind of Earthquake a Room seems to be lifted up on one side and sink down or depressed on the other 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Earthquake lifting the Earth upright and by and by letting it down again after the manner of boyling Water or waxing hot 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthquakes causing Chasmes Chinks Openings of the Earth making Breaches in it and tearing one part from another 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthquakes which by force break their way and the Vapours and Winds do get out of the bowels of the Earth which sometimes take with them Rocks or Mud or open a flowing Fountain where there was none before 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthquakes which by one motion inforcing or thrusting overthrow overturn whatsoever they come upon or rush against 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthquakes which make the Earth and things upon it to incline sometimes one way and then another back again without falling any way like the rocking of a Cradle by reciprocal motion or turning 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earthquakes that come with a great noise roaring and bellowing much like to the lowing of Kine and sometimes like the vehement and fierce crying of Women Others reduce these to three 1. There is a trembling Earthquake when the Earth quivers like a man in a fit of an Ague This kind of Earthquake is when the Vapour in the Earth is not much 2. There is an Earthquake which moves the Earth upwards and then again downwards This by Aristotle's followers is called Pulsus like the beating of a man's Pulse 3. There is an Inclining Earthquake when the Earth is so shaken that the Houses may be discerned sometime to lean one way and then to return back
may be some Security to a City against one Judgment might not be any defence against another When London had its old Houses built with Timber consumed by Fire to prevent such another desolation by devouring Flames Men have built with Brick and Stone that are not such combustible matter But as you have built with other Materials than before so God hath other ways to deal with you besides consuming Fire God hath shewn you he can make your strongest Buildings of firmest stone even your Royal Exchange to shake and tremble and Persons leave their Shops and hasten down and run crying home through fears that it would fall Let us never by such wilful great and hainous sins provoke God because we cannot by any means strengthen our selves against him For he that can shake Rocks and Mountains and throw them down can shake and cast down your strongest Buildings Psal 68. 8. The earth shook the heavens also dropped at the presence of God even Sinai it self moved at the presence of God the God of Jacob. Psal 114. 7. Tremble thou earth and ye sinners at the presence of the Lord. Vse XII Admire the sparing Mercy of God to London more than to many Places and Cities in the World Indeed by this late Earthquake many Towns and Cities besides London have been shaken and are spared which doth not make Londons deliverance to be less for God in sparing others might have brought London down But compare your Mercies for there are many in its preservation with the Desolations brought upon many Cities in former Ages and upon Port-Royal in Jamaica by Earthquakes and acknowledge God's mercy and his power in his late visitation of it his power in shaking it his mercy in preserving of it Consider this Providence seriously suffer it not to pass without due observation and think whether you may put a greater accent upon his Power or his Mercy in this Dispensation upon his Power in making it to tremble or on his Mercy that he did not make it sink or tumble down Did God by an Earthquake shake London and yet doth London stand God did shake it behold his Power It doth stand behold his Mercy Nay do not you see his powerful Mercy and his merciful Power his powerful Mercy in shaking it as a warning to you and his merciful Power in keeping it from falling when it was so shaken O write upon your Walls however engraven it on your hearts and memories My House was shaken with a◠Earthquake and yet it stands London sorely threatned and yet is spared It is by the distinguishing Providence of God that you have been visited in the same way as others have and yet are not overthrown nor swallowed up in the same manner as others are That you may be the more sensible of and so more thankful for God's great Mercy in sparing you in the day of his Power I will subjoin out of many some few Examples o◠God's sore displeasure and his severe punishing of others by Earthquakes collected out of History whereby your Mercy might be magnified in your eyes Josephus records That about 29 years before the Birth of Christ there hapned such an Earthquake in the Country of Judea that never the like was seen in any other place so that divers Beasts were slain thereby and many Men were overwhelmed in the ruins of their own Houses and perish'd to the number of ten others write thirty thousand In the fifth year of the Emperour Tiberius there fell out so dreadful an Earthquake that thirteen Cities in Asia were destroyed and overthrown thereby In the sixty sixth year after Christ there hapned such another Earthquake as destroyed three other Cities of Asia viz. Laodicea Hierapolis and Colossus Anno Christo 79. three Cities in Cyprus were overthrown by an Earthquake Anno Christi 114. the City of Antioch was much defaced by an Earthquake in which time the Emperour Trajan being there escaped the danger with much difficulty and Eusebius mentioneth another in the seventh year of Trajan which destroyed nine several Cities in Asia Greece and Calabria About the year 182. the City of Smyrna came to ruin by an Earthquake for the re-edifying whereof the Emperour remitted ten years tribute Anno Christi 1456. there perished about Puel and Naples in an Earthquake forty thousand People Anno Christi 1531. in the City of Lisbon about one thousand and four hundred Houses were overthrown by an Earthquake and about six hundred more were so sorely shaken that they were ready to fall and many of the Churches were cast to the ground Anno Christi 1400. there was such a terrible Earthquake at Lurr in Persia as overthrew five hundred Houses and 〈◊〉 Christ 1593. there fell out such another as overthrew three thousand Houses quashing to death three thousand Men in their ruins yea the Castle tho' built upon the top of a solid Rock groaned in the like affrighted downfal Before the Peloponesian or Civil Wars amongst the Grecians one of their Islands called Delphos famous for the Temple of Apollo therein was wholly ruined by an Earthquake which foreshewed those wonderful alterations which presently after befel Greece Anno Christi 1618. Pleurs a Town in Rhetia was in an Earthquake overwhelmed with an Hill which with a most swift motion oppressed one thousand five hundred men In the year 1509. there was a great and terrible Earthquake in Constantinople and the Countries thereabouts by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that City with many stately Buildings both publick and private were quite overthrown and thirteen thousand people overwhelmed slain therewith the terrour whereof was so great that Bajazet himself the great Turk and the People generally forsook their Houses and lay abroad in the Fields It endured for a month together with very little intermission after which ensued a great Plague whereby the City was for the most part unpeopled A little before the Wars between the Lacedaemonians and the Ilotae who were their Slaves and Bondmen in the Country of Laconia there hapned in the City of Lacedemon the most wonderful and fearful Earthquake that ever was heard of for the Earth in many places of the Country opened and fell in as into a bottomless pit the Mountain Taygetum shook so terribly that parts of Rocks fell down from it and all the City of Lacedemon with the violence of it was thrown down to the ground five hundred Houses only excepted An. Christ 1169. Febr. 4. there was such a vehement Earthquake all over the Island of Sicily that it was perceived in Calabria and the wealthy and stately City of Catana was so utterly destroyed by it that there was not one House left standing and above fifteen thousand Men Women and Children perished in the ruins thereof In the year of Christ 1631. not long before the troubles of Naples there fell out a terrible Earthquake in and about the City and the Mountain of Soma after many terrible bellowings vomited
delivereth and rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in Earth who hath deliveredDaniel from the power of the Lions Behold God can for he hath wonderfully delivered his Servants Three in a fiery Furnance that the fire did not consume nor singe them One in the Lions Den that they did not devour nor hurt him Paul and Silas out of Prison that they should be no longer confined there He can make the fire not burn combustible matter He can withhold Lions from what they might else have made their prey And he can cause the foundations of a Prison by an Earthquake to be so shaken that the doors might open and his Servants may come forth He can he hath and when he pleaseth he still will he hath delivered he doth deliver and we may trust to him according to the Promises that he hath made that he will still deliver us 2 Cor. 1 10. Doct. II. God needs not length of time to do the most great and wonderful works Suddenly there was an Earthquake God can make it move in an instant When its said God in six days made this World it 's not to be understood that he did need so many days to make it in It was his pleasure to take that time to finish beautifie and compleat it When God did create the Earth and brought it out of nothing it was suddenly done He did but speak Let it be and it suddenly started out of Nothing into Being Creation is an instantaneous action he that did so suddenly and so easily make it can as suddenly and as easily make it quake and tremble How suddenly did God make the Earth to quake where London stood and after his shaking of it through his great mercy yet doth stand When men thought of no such thing not the Student in his Study nor the Trader in his Shop nor the Workman at his Work nor the Drunkard at his Cups when none of these had any apprehension of it Suddenly The Student thought his Desk on which he was writing to be removing from him and when he drew it towards him it went back again several times the Trader suddenly seeth a motion in his Wares and the Workman the moving of his Tools without hands and the Drunkard thought indeed the Earth did stagger more than he many suddenly felt their Chairs to move under them and could not presently discern the reason but thought some living Creature had been under their Seats and did disturb them Suddenly many most that I have spoken with discerned a dizziness in their Heads and in the instant thought the motion was there not imagining any thing of the shaking of the Earth Suddenly they feared the falling of their Houses but at first particular persons thought there was some defect and fault in their own particular dwellings till they did perceive the motion was general and heard other say of their Houses as they found in their own and all this was suddenly done In a minute in a moment God can cause an unexpectected Earthquake Men must have time to do the smallest but God needs none to do the greatest work Doct. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come and quickly go and nothing is destroyed thereby yet it is and might be truly called a great Earthquake It is expresly said in the Text this Earthquake suddenly came we do not read it lasted long nor that the Prison-house or Persons in it were destroyed or hurt thereby yet we read it was a great Earthquake When many Houses are swallowed up and many Men Women and Children as this present year in Jamaica are destroyed and go down alive into the Bowels of the Earth by opening of its mouth to eat them up as one morsel then Men will call it a great Earthquake But such a one as was so lately in London c. when not one House was destroyed nor one Person consumed seems to be so small especially now it is over and all safe as is not worth their observation for People now are as little concerned already as if it had not been or they had quite forgotten that it was But let such slighters of this laâ—e work of God and regardless of this Judgment and calling of it a little thing tell me 1. Was not this a great Earthquake that made so many Houses as be in such a great City as this to move and shake and tremble tho' they stood Is it not a great thing to make one of London streets and the Houses therein so to quake much more two or ten much more all and every one 2. Was it not a great Earthquake that did reach so far and extended it self so many miles at the same instant of the same day to so many places in England as we have heard 3. Yet more was it not a great Earthquake when it did enlarge it self and reached at the same time to so many Cities and Towns beyond the Sea Did God stretch out his Arm so far and do you look upon it as a little thing not worthy your observation remembring or spiritual improvement of it 4. If it were so small in your eyes what made so many to be in so great a consternation why did so many run out of their Houses and such as were sitting at their Tables hasten from their Dinners with their Napkins in their hands to get into the Streets why did so many run from their Shops what was the reason of the sudden common cry by so many one by one My House is falling and my House is falling and my Children above will be distroyed and yet I dare not go up to fetch them down 5. How little do you know if this late Earthquake had been a little more and had lasted a little longer a few minutes more how near you and your Houses would have been to a subversion and total overthrow or how near the trembling Earth might have been to opening and swallowed up both you and your Habitations For all that you know by this Earthquake you were upon the brink of ruine a little more might have brought you down and yet will you slight this work of God as if it were a small a very little thing 6. As small a thing as you look upon it to be could any man or men could all the mighty men upon the Earth have caused such a shaking and trembling of the Earth and all upon it Could all the mighty Captains Lord Generals Kings and Emperours with all their Armies have had such an Influence upon the Earth if they can batter down strong Walls and Cities and Castles with their Instruments of War yet can any of them or all of them cause such a shaking of the Earth as that so lately was do you ascribe great things to Men and call them so that are far inferiour to this and yet let this pass by with so little observation as if it were a work so small 7. If men could shake the Earth and your
the Earth in its trembling might have opened its mouth and swallowed you up alive into its bowels and from thence have gone to Eternal Torments From Pit to Pit From a deep Pit made by the Earthquake in the lower parts thereof into a bottomless-Pit prepared by a just and angry God to take Vengeance on Impenitent and Unconverted sinners to all Eternity Turn sinner turn or this God that can and hath by Earthquakes overturned Towns Cities Mountains will turn thee into Hell and now if thou wilt not fear to continue in a state of sin there thou shalt feel his Wrath and Vengeance for thy sin Vse VI. Evermore live in the fear of God and walk with Circumspection Care and Conscience in all the parts and passages of your Life Why so Because one way or other God may Suddenly call you out of one World into another out of Time into Eternity Death many ways might suddenly surprize you Have not you seen how suddenly an Earthquake may be How many alas how many at that time did the trembling Earth bear and weary of bearing them trembled under them as a Porter under a Load too heavy for him How many did it find in a way of sin Drinking to Excess Swearing without shame or fear and spending their precious time in Sports and Plays and Vanity What if God had commanded those Winds or Fires or Spirits and Vapours if it were from such Natural Causes that made the Earth to quake and your Houses tremble to open the Earth and break out where you at that time were sinning against him and swallowed you up Seriously think in what a woful case and practice it found you and be more wary for time to come You little thought of such a Work of God till it suddenly came Therefore where ever you are be careful to walk so holily and circumspectly as becomes those that know now how suddenly Danger Death and Damnation too else might come upon you Vse VII Let all and every one of us get and evidence our Title to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken You see there is no place in this World that is so stable but it may be shaken even those Houses that you do not call moveable Goods how moveable God can make them When you build on Earth you mind that your Foundation be good and firm and not sandy or unsound and if you built your House upon an earthly Rock tho' when the Wind blows and Rain descends and beat against it yet it stands but if an Earthquake come with a Commission from God to overturn or sink it your best Foundation cannot secure it But there is a City above that hath unshaken Foundations whose Maker and Builder is God Secure an House there not made with hands for that will be eternal There are Mansions above which are perpetual There are no Storms nor Tempests there are no terrible Thunderings and Lightnings there are no Rendings nor Shakings all sedate and calm all at quiet and rest all secure and safe No death or darkness no fears or tremblings no threatning or amazing motions tending to interrupt the Joys and holy Pleasures the Triumphant Songs of the Citizens of that City of the glorious Subjects of that abiding Kingdom Your House on Earth might be destroyed by War by Fire by an Earthquake but there are Mansions above not subject to be destroyed or spoiled by these or any other way Set less by these on Earth that have and may be shaken and more by that Kingdom that never hath nor shall nor can be shaken Heb. 12. 27. This word once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Vse VIII Celebrate the Power of God and his infinite Greatness manifested in this his Work in shaking of the Earth Can Man do it Can Kings and Nobles do it With their mighty Armies can they do that which God by Winds and Vapours can at his pleasure do Job alledgeth this as an evident demonstration of his Power Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength 5. Which removeth mountains and they know it not which overturneth them in his anger 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place and the pillars thereof tremble And yet these Earthquakes that are so great the great God doth them with a abundance of ease Psal 104. 32. He looketh on the earth and it trembleth be toucheth the hills and they smoke O tremble before this God who if he casts but an angry look upon the Earth â—t falls a trembling if he touch the Mountains they smoke an angry look with his Eye a displeasing touch with his Finger causeth the one to tremble and the other to smoke What shall sinners then do when he shall lay upon them â—he heavy strokes of his Wrath and Vengeance to all Eternity Doth the Earth quake before him and the very Devils tremble at his angry Presence and shalâ— Mortal sinful Men be fearless of him The day will come and it is hastning when fear and terror and trembling shall seize upon them and they not be able to shake it off Vse IX God never wanteth ways and means to punish the Disobedience and Rebellion of sinners against him He caâ— make the Heavens above to punish theâ— by with-holding Rain from them oâ— by pouring out immoderate Shower upon them He can punish them by the Earth beneath And if there be nothing visible to plague and destroy them yet he hath his Armies and his â—â—ghty Host under Ground and in the bowels of the Earth which he can Master at his word of Command all stand ready to fight against them which caâ— slay them heaps upon heaps and bury them first and after kill them Vse X. Make your Peace with God that shews his Anger by these Earthquakes When he takes such a Rod into hâ— hand you might see displeasure in his face Let this late Work of God in shaking London and so many places in England and parts beyond the Sea be a warning to them all and oh that all would take this fair warning It is his Mercy that he doth warn before he strikes that with his Rod he doth correct before with his Ax he hews us down Do you think this came by chance and that by chance it did no more harm Did not God that gave Commission to it to shake London put into its Commission make it shake but not to fall And if God did send it is it not a discovery of his Anger Read again Psal 18. 7. Then the earth shook and trembled the foundation of the hills moved and were shaken Why Because he was wroth O labour by Repentance and Faith in Christ to turn away his Wrath lest he overthrow you in his Anger Vse XI What