one of King Davids chief Musitians Psal 77. 16 and 18. The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee and were afraid c. the voice of thy Thunder was in the Heavens thy Lightning lightned the world the earth trembled and shook And that none should doubt that this hapned at the very same time when the children of Israel came out of Egypt Asaph concludeth the aforesaid Psalm with these words in the last verse Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron Moreover when God would in an especial manner appear unto that precious man of God the Prophet Elias upon mount Horeb and there verbally instruct him what he in the Lords behalf should do in several Kingdoms Then there hapned a great Earthquake before but the Lord was not in the Earthquake as we may read in 1 Kin. 19. 11. It is also Recorded by the Prophet Amos that there hapned in Jewry a great Earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel and Amos was called by God two years before the said Earthquake from amongst the Heardsmen of Tekoa to preach and reprove sharply the great and manifold fins which did then abound in all the Countreys thereabouts as we may read in the first chapter of Amos ver 2. c. and in the following Chapters And that this same Earthquake was no small one we may sufficiently understand by that prophetical Doctrine which the Prophet Zachary preached unto his Auditors certain hundreds of years after when he putteth the remnant of the people of Israel that were returned home from their 70 years Babylonish captivity in mind and did then cause them plainly to understand that the said Earthquake was a great terrible and dreadful one for the Prophet writes thus Zac. 14. 5. ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the Earthquake in the days of Uzziah King of Judah As for the new Testament therein do the Holy Evangelists make mention concerning several Earthquakes that hapned in those times The Evangelist St. Matthew in chap. 27. 51. and forward writes that at the time of the death of Jesus Christ the vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves opened So that the Centurion and those that were with him watching Jesus when they saw the Earthquake and those things that were done feared greatly By this Earthquake doubtlesse the Lord for his part did show his fierce wrath against those that had dealt so unmercifully with his only beloved son and on the other side Christ himself did also show his enemies how easily he could have caused the earth in that Earthquake to have opened under them and suffered them altogether like the seditious Korah Dathan and Abiram in former time with all their retinue wives and children to have sunk down alive into Hell Numb 16. But our most Gracious and patient Saviour was not come then to destroy but to redeem and deliver mankind from the wrath and righteous judgements of God Luk 9. 56. And therefore not one Jew of the enemies of Christ perished in this Earthquake but the long suffering of God did hereby yet seek to draw them to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Also at the time of our Lord Jesus Christ his Resurrection there hapned a great Earthquake again concerning which the above named Evangelist St. Matthew writeth thus chap. 28. 2 4. Behold there was a great Earthquake c. and the keepers did shake and became as dead men Concerning this Earthquake Divines aâ—e of several opinions for some think that this Earthquake hapned sub descensu Christi ad inferos when Christ descended into Hell or to the lowermost or innermost parts of the earth as St. Paul writeth Eph 4. 9. And then presently did a mighty great conflict begin between the Prince of darkness the Devil on the one side that would have preserved his Pallace and kept what he had in peace Luk 11. 21. And the Prince of life and Lord of Glory the Lord Jesus Christ on the other side that is called a stronger then he that came upon him to overcome him Luk 11. 22. And by this great and powerful conflict Christ redeemed mankind and took away the power from him that had the power over death that is the Devil and delivered them who through fear of death were all there life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14. 15. wherein the Devil with all the powers of Hell strived mightily to oppose him but Christ gets the victory at last having spoiled the principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it as St. Paul writes Collos 2. 15. and that according to his own prophesie by the Prophet Hosea chap. 13. 14. where he in time of old speaketh thus O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Now at such a mighty contest hapning in hell or the innermost parts of the earth could not the earth contein it self but was forced thereby to shake tremble and quake so that the Evangelist might well say Lo there was a great Earthquake Concerning this Luther writes thus Annotante D. Johanne Gerhardo Homil. Sacr. parte 2. super Feria pasch 1 Concione 3. in hoc terrae motu Christus ad inferos descendit Satanam ligavit captivam duxit captivitatem infernum destruxit claves abstulit morti praedam eripuit c. That is in this Earthquake Christ descended into Hell bound Satan took captivity captive spoyled hell and carried away the keys and took away the prey of death from him Other Divines especially those that are preachers are of this opinion that this Earthquake hapned at the time of Christs Resurrection which was upon Easter-day in the morning thereby shewing that as the earth at the time of Christs death did quake and tremble in compassion of the bitter pain and innocent death of its Lord and Creator so by a particular great Earthquake she did now rejoyce again at his Resurrection and did leap and dance for joy of the victory and conquest obtained by Jesus Christ and as it were with both hands to speak after the fashion of men delivered her Lord and Creator from her which now she had inclosed in her to the third day Each of these Divines opinions do I allow to be worthy and Godly forasmuch as neither of them do in the least oppose the Holy Scriptures But besides this the Evangelist St. Luke Recordeth that when Peter had preached that excellent Sermon in Jerusalem in the great festival of Whitsontide concerning the death of Christ on the one side and his glorious and victorious Resurrection from the dead on the other and then by the same Sermon converted about 5000 men to the faith and confession of Christ Act. 4. 4. After the same Sermon with the unanimous and earnest prayers supplications and
thanksgiving of the faithful were ended it is mentioned in the 31 verse of the afore named Chapter that the place was shaken wherein they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word with boldness And again when Paul and Silas were cast into prison in Philippi the chief City of that part of Macedonia Act. 16. 12. and they then in the prison prayed and sang praises to God there was suddenly a great Earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors were opened and every ones bands were loosned ibid. ver 26. so that the Keeper and all his house were thereby converted to the faith of Christ and were baptized ver 33. c. I will not now speak concerning what the Evangelist St. John Records in his Book of the Revelations chap. 6. 12. 8. 5. 11. 13 19. and 16. 18. Because generally Divines and the faithful Teachers of the Christian Church do expound those things Allegorically and do understand thereby the great and terrible persecutions and efusion of blood which the Church of Christ hath partly suffered now lyeth under hereafter shall suffer by means of divers Heretiques false Teachers and Tyrants which will assist them towards the end of the world from whom the Lord in mercy preserve these Countreys and Kingdoms for Jesus Christ his sake But that most serious prophesie which Jesus Christ the foundation and mouth of Truth as a true Prophet did prophesie and leave unto his Church concerning such Earthquakes as should really happen before his last Glorious appearance ought by no means to be here forgotten or omitted And Christ himselfe hath prophesied concerning Earthquakes toward the end of the world after this manner Mat. 24. 7. and there shall be famines and pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places And Mar 13. 8. there shall be Earthquakes in divers places famines and troubles Also Luk 21. 11. And great Earthquakes shall be in divers places and famizes and pestilences and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from Heaven From whence it may be concluded that when God Almighty now in these last times of the world doth permit such great and spacious Earthquakes so many miles in length to happen men ought not lightly and carelesly to slight them and think no more of them but to regard and receive them as signifying partly some certain new and unusual accident impending or approaching And partly as the infallible prodomos or forerunners of the last day yea and the creatures earnest expectation that waiteth for the glorious manifestation of the sons of God Forasmuch as the creature is made subject to vanity against its will And the creature groaneth and travaileth in pain together with our selves to be delivered from the bondage of corruption as Paul teacheth Rom 8. 19 20 c. Now therefore mark attentively and consider well with thy selfe O thou intelligent Reader that if the sencelesse and dead creatures such as Earth Rocks Seas Islands and the like that have neither mouth nor tongue brain nor heart can so quake and tremble yea as it were bewaile and condole themselves when their Lord and Creator is angry or intendeth to visit Countreys and Kingdoms with any uncouth or strange thing how much more ought the hearts of men whilst they live and in time too to be amazed and to tremble and quake for fear of the wrath of God and his impendent judgements And if so be they will not do it now in the time of Grace then may we justly cry out and complain upon them with that Holy and reverend Father of the Church Saint Ambrose O hominum pectora Saxis duriora Oh thou heart of man that art harder and more insensible than the Rocks and Stones for they can quake but the heart of man not yea then we may well complain with the Prophet Jeremy chap. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a Rock they have refused to return And also with the Prophet Zachary in chap. 7. 12. Yea they have made their hearts as and Adamant stone therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts O man man consider now well with thy selfe in time that if thou canst not now be moved to tremble and quake for that God that can so move the earth and cause her to tremble and quake then thou maist justly fear that when the Lord Almighty will so move the earth that the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. that it will be then too late for thee to tremble and quake And if any now may be moved to great fear and amazement by these small Earthquakes which do no very great harm what kind of anguish and terrour thinkest thou will at that time fall upon all ungodly and incorrigible men that here would never fear such a God Truly then the Kings of the earth and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free-man shall hide themselves in the Denns and in the Rocks of the mountains and say 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 Oh Jesus Christ thou Rock of Salvation and precious corner-stone of Zion do thou mollifie our hard and stony hearts and according to thy promise give us hearts of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. That we may now in the time of Grace be amazed and tremble at our bloudy sins and their well deserved and impendent punishment that so the punishment may be either graciously mittigated or wholly diverted according to thy Divine will for thy great mercies sake Amen Now he that can give any better or more perfect instruction or information concerning Earthquakes and yet will not do it committeth a great sin inasmuch as he concealeth such wonderful works of the Lord. FINIS Errata In the 3 page of the Preface line 19. for 40. read 160. page 18. line ult for cannot read caâ— Meaning here Norway Note that this must doubtlesse be by an Earthquake Suspirium
each in his Celestial station about the space of a whole Day and a Night Josh 10. 13. Also before the Moabites were subdued by the Kings of Judah and Israel the Moabites Water was turned into bloud 2 Kin. 3. 22. I will not now speak of the many Signs and Tokens that preceded the Desolation and Destruction of the hardned Egyptians and Jerusalem because it would be too tedious to recite here But I do averre that when such unusual signs and tokens do happen especially when such a Mountanous and Rocky Land even from its Foundation upwards with its Seas Streams and Rivers shall for the space of so many Miles together tremble and quake we ought not in any case to slight or think lightly of it Wherefore without any longer Delay I will now enter upon my proposed Discourse CHAP. I. Concerning the Qualities and Properties of the Earth its wonderfull yet natural operations within it self WHen we seriously weigh and consider the inward and outward nature and properties of the earth which God Almighty hath given unto it for the benefit of Mankind not only that we should have our being and habitation upon it but also receive our natural lives support and maintenance from it Then we may very well say with great Joy and Admiration as the Kingly Prophet David did in Psalm 8. O Lord our Lord how wonderful and glorious is thy name in all the earth For we do in truth experimentally find That the earth is in every kind like unto a loving and serviceable Mother or Nurse unto us and therefore is justly termed by that great Teacher of the Oeconomicks namely Sirach The Mother of us all Chap. 40. v. 1. For when we are born into the world the Earth entertaines us and as long as we live in the world by her plenty and liberality she nourishes and sustaines us and finally when we shall at last depart from hence again she like a tender Mother receives us as it were into her Bosom or Lap and preserves us from all that evil whereof this world is full and lets us rest within her self in peace until the last day when she shall make such perfect restitution of us again that she shall not suffer the least Joynt or Member of us to be lost or perish no not a hair or one drop of Bloud wherewith Job comforteth himself in his great misery in the 19th Chap. of the Book of his Patience V. 27. And besides this we can never sufficiently conceive and apprehend what rich Treasure and precious Jewels the Earth retaineth within it self partly hidden and partly discoverable some whereof she yearly distributeth to her Inhabitants None of the four Elements is more constantly near us or a more faithful and continual Assistant unto us then the Earth For the Elements of Water and Ayr do often much damnifie and endanger us the Element Fire is too high for us or else might do us good by its warmth and operation yet sometimes by Thunder and Lightning doth sufficiently affright and hurt us But the element of Earth only as a faithful Nursing Mother never forsakes us so long as the world endures but without cessation doth constantly assist us in Life and Death in Prosperity and Adversity so that we are never forsaken of her in this World no not after Death And who can sufficiently conceive or express the wonderful Operations and Labours which the Earth yearly undergoes and performes night and day for our sakes She hath never any rest neither outwardly nor inwardly Outwardly she produces and provides grass and Hay for those Creatures which are appointed by God to cloath and feed us and also several fruitful Trees each according to his kind in great numbers Likewise divers sorts of Herbs as well for our delight as Food Physick and preservation of our healths Besides great variety of Corn as wheat Rie Barley Pease Oates and divers other sorts of Grain which afford us necessary Maintenance and Subsistence Inwardly she workes and produces for us many kinds of Minerals Metals and precious Stones which those that labour in the Mines know well how such her Treasure to search for find and get out of the depth of her Bowels and bring them to light and use So that we may sufficiently see and observe that God Almighty hath his especial Laboratorium or Work-house even in the deepest and most bottomless places not only to cause wholsom waters warm Baths Springs and Rivers to arise but also to make and produce Gold Silver Copper Tin Iron Lead Brass c. And Multitudes of precious Stones But now when this Laboratorium or Work-house of the Lord with all its Treasure and Glory shall quake tremble and shake contrary to its Creators solid fixation Psal 89. 11. 2 Pet. Ch. 3. v. 5. Then certainly there must be something out of order somewhere that doth signifie some especial and unusual thing Moreover touching such things as Nature doth so work and produce in the innermost parts and bowels of the Earth they do partly shew themselves openly above the earth and do often break out both to the greatest admiration and terrour of men Such are Meteors that is Fogs Mists bright burning Damps like a flame that flies about which the Vulgar in Denmarke call the Lanthorn-man and also Rings about the Sun and Moon and a certain moveable Light in the Heavens which often shewes like Souldiers fighting Ships sayling two or three Sunnes together and the like All which is caused partly by only earthish and partly by earthish and waterish Mixtures and Damps together proceeding from the wonderful workings of Nature within the earth And this we may be assured of that there happens no such admirable and powerful effects of Nature above the Earth but that there is far greater and more wonderful operations below and within the earth by the various workings and Concoctions of Nature partly by subterraneous water and partly by subterraneous fire Concerning the subterraneous waters you shall have better Information in the Second and Fourth Chapters how they may be the Cause of Great Earthquakes but we must speak somthing here concerning the subterraneous Fire which doth also cause great motion and powerful stirrings in the Earth and doth often help to the production of Earthquakes and shall be handled in the Following Chapter CHAP. II. Concerning Fire which is found to be below in the Earth its wonderful Nature and powerful Effects THe Learned and wise Searchers and Inspectors into Nature deny not but that such substances as the waters in the innermost parts of the Earth have their course through and do cover steep and soak do give the same waters several and distinct vertues smels qualities tasts and colours As for example The water that runs through steeps soakes or covers Brimstony or Victrillish earth hath a far different nature vertue tast and colour from that which runs through Salt-Peterish Allomish or Limish earth but they will by no meanes grant
them they perishing from amidst the Congregation Concerning which we may read in the 19 Chapter of Numbers ver 2 31 32 33. 5. Some Earthquakes make the earth to sink lower down then it was before and it never riseth up again but remains always such a low and sunken Land 6. In some places especially by the Sea and sides of great Rivers and Streams the earth carries away Houses Trees Pastures and Meddows into the Sea and Rivers and such particular Earthquakes do often happen here in Norway chiefly in the South parts thereof 7. In some places the Earthquake carries a great rumbling sound and noise along with it like unto the noise of Thunder and so did this that was now amongst us for at first we knew not otherwise but it was Thunder before we saw the houses and moveables apparently to totter and shake 1. Now where such Earthquakes as these do happen there commonly follows storms and tempestuous winds with an unusual smell which ariseth with the Earthquake out of the earth And such an ensuing storm we had here in and about Christiana upon the second Whitsun-holyday which was the 24th day after the Earthquake was past when we poor sinners especially in Ackers Church were fain to get out in all hast fearing least the Church should have fallen down upon us the violence of which storm or whirlwind continued about a quarter of an hour 2. And Earthquakes do use to cause drought and burning heat in the air which we also were aware of certain days and weeks time to the no small dammage of the fruits of the earth 3. The Pestilence also and other poysonous diseases do commonly follow after great Earthquakes according as the Air and Damps which in such Earthquakes break out of the hollow places of the Earth was poysoned under it and afterwards poysons the Air above the Earth and doth naturally produce pernicious and poysonous diseases But God by his mighty power can graciously divert all these things what otherwise usually ensues after Earthquakes is shown in the following Chapter CHAP. VI. Historical Relations what by experience hath commonly been observed to follow after such great and remarkable Earthquakes THat which is Recorded concerning Comets viz. That they are never seen in the Air or Heavens without signifying some great and remarkable judgements and alterations ensuing we may well and truly both say and write concerning such remarkable and great Earthquakes that they do signifie extraordinary great mutations for Histories do show cleerly even from the beginning of the world that when any such great and remarkable Earthquake hath hapned in Nature there hath followed great and notable accidents and changes upon the earth in several Countreys and Kingdoms Concerning those Earthquakes which are Recorded to have hapned before the birth of Christ I will not speak at this time but only commemorate certain of the most notable that have hapned since and what ensued afterwards in divers places In the year of Christ 62. There was a terrible Earthquake in Rome and the year following that cruel Tyrant Emperour Nero caused the City of Rome to be set on fire of purpose to have burnt it quite down thereby to delight himselfe with seeing after what manner the lamentable destruction of the ancient and famous Citie of Troy was And when the fire of the City burnt with greatest violence he went up to the highest Tower or Terret of his Pallace and caused the destruction of Troy to be plaid upon several Musical instruments and sung before him that fire continued six days and seven nights In the year of Christ 80. there was a great Earthquake in Cypris upon which followed a great Plague which also reacht to Rome and there increased mightily Thereupon ensued a great and destructive warr against the Romans for Diurepaneus the King of the Goths advanced with the power of Gothland over the River Danubius and held a bloody battle with Opius Sabinus General of the Romans giving him and his Army a total defeat and killing all so that there scarcely escaped a man that could carry the Romans any certain intelligence concerning it In the year of Christ 104. there hapned a terrible Earthquake in Syria for certain days together whereby many stately buildings were demolished and many people were kill'd and destroy'd and it followed thereupon that the Emperour Trajanus fell into Armenia with a great power and vanquish'd it marched afterwards into Arbella and subdued the Parthians and advanced forward in such a manner as if he had purposed to have conquer'd the whole World having great fortune and success at the first but afterwards the Jews rebelled against the Romish power and would by no means be any longer subject to them wherefore under the conduct of Artemone their Leader killed and destroyed in Cyprus 240000 men and slew all the Romans that they could find or surprize every where And after this the Emperour Trajanus raised a great and puissant Army under the command of Marcus Turbonus and Lucius Quietus and sent them into Jewry and the Countreys thereabouts which took and destroy'd all that came before them and did conquer and subdue Hiberos Sarmatia Agarenos Arabia Bosphorum Colchos and also Saleuciam Ctesiphont and Babylon Dion Ammianus lib. 14. And after the aforesaid Earthquake the third general persecution began against the Christians under the Emperour Trajanus some writers do relate that it was as impossible to number the sand in the Sea as to compute the number of those that were most miserably Butcher'd and Martyr'd in this persecution for the confession of the faith of Christ In the year 111. when that wicked Emperour lay in his Winter quarters at Antioch there hapned a terrible Earthquake again so that the Emperour Trajanus caused himselfe to be carried out at a window and remained under the open Heavens till the Earthquake was past not daring to trust himselfe in any house or under any roof for a long time after and thereafter followed such a lamentable drought exceeding hot Air mis-growth of the Fruits of the earth Famine and poysonous Pestilence and a loathsom Stink from the earth as if all the Elements had conspired and plotted together to revenge the blood of those multitudes of innocent Christians so lamentably butcher'd and destroy'd by that in humane Emperour In the year 151. there was much harm done in many places of Italy by Earthquakes and thereupon ensued a fearful Plague which encreased so mightily there that it left many Towns wholly desolate and terrible inundations of Water did also spoyle many fair Cities and a multitude of Grashoppers devoured all the fruits of the earth almost all over Italy In the year 240. there hapned another terrible Earthquake in Italy whereby many Cities and much people did perish by the opening of the earth whereupon there was appointed ex libris Sybillinis that general burnt offerings should be made to the Gods not only in Rome but all over the Romish Empire And
City broke down the Walls Fortresses and places of strength plundered and destroyed all that came before him sparing none and set the City on fire so that for the space of forty days no body could be there for fire and smoak Thus was Rome utterly destroyed by the Goths according to the prediction of Scipio of Carthage who had prophesied it with tears 700 years before when the Romans burnt and destroyed Carthage Two years after the same King Totillas besieged the City of Placentia so long and hard that the Inhabitants were fain to eat one another and at last were forc't to surrender up the City to him In the year 591. there was such a dreadful Earthquake in Antioch that more then 60000 persons perished thereby and thereupon followed an extraordinary hot and dry Summer after which ensued a most fearful famine and a plague and the Lombards with much blood-shed did reform the old Lombards gross Barbarism to the Christian faith In the year 832. there was a terrible Earthquake in Italy whereby certain Citys and Hills were quite swallowed up Thereupon arose a destructive warr between the Emperour Lodovicus Pius and his three Sonns who sought by open warr raised against their Father to deprive him of his Government these three sonns made a League with Gregory the 4th Pope of Rome who threatned to depose the Emperour Lodowick But the German Bishops stuck close to the Emperour and said that if the Pope came thither to excommunicate he should depart thence excommunicated The year following namely 834. The Emperour Lodowick advanced with a great Army into Alsatz to reduce his seditious and rebellious sonns to obedience and submission but was surprized in the battle of Lugenfield by Basell and Lotharins whom Lodowick fully impowred to mannage the Government together with himselfe carried his Father prisoner a long time about with him as a spectacle of wonder At this the Princes of Germany were highly displeased and desired his Sons Lodowick and Pipin that they either by good means or by force would procure their Lord and Father's enlargement if they expected to find any faithful friendship from the High Dutch whereupon the Emperour was set at liberty again In the year 868. there was a great Comet seen in the Air after which followed many Earthquakes and after that a great plague and there did arise a terrible warr between the three Brothers the sons of the Emperour Lodowick which of them should get and enjoy the Empire alone The Danes sail'd over and invaded Scotland and there with sword fire and plundering put all things into confusion went afterwards into England and took Edmund the King of England prisoner in a Church drag'd him out and hang'd him up on a tree and shot his body full of Arrows the 20th day of November in the year 870. as Matthew Westmonster writes And King Harrald Haarfager waged a furious warr in Norway for the space of ten years subdued and expelled all the petty Kings and turned the Government into a Monarchy in the year 878. In the year 882. the 29th of December there hapned a fearful Earthquake in Germany whereby many fair houses and buildings in Worms were destroyed Thereupon it followed that the Normen and Danes under the conduct of Godfrid their King marched to the River Rhine rob'd and plunder'd all wheresoever they came demolisht and destroyed to the very ground Camerich Tornai Arras Tarren and Gent burnt up Lowen Utrecht Lurich Neus Coln Achen and Gulich Whereupon the Emperour Carolus Crassus was sent for cut of Italy by the French and German Princes to defend his own Countrey against the tyranny of the Normen but he could not prevail by force of Arms and therefore concluded a peace with them and delivered into their possession the Province of Newstria in France to be their own free inheritance which is called by them now at this day Normandia or Normandy In the year 983. there was a most terrible Earthquake in Italy whereby Beneventura and Capua were destroyed Thereupon followed an extraordinary drie Summer and burning drought which occasioned a great scarcity and a fearful plague In the year 990. there hapned terrible Earthquakes in many places and thereupon ensued fearful and incredible inundations of water all over Europe upon which followed an extraordinary hot and dry Summer that burnt up the fruits of the earth which occasioned a great scarcity and famine every where In Saxony there rained Fâ—sh out of the Air and in Albania there rained Corn from Heaven but unfit for the use of man The Sunn was wholly Eclipsed and a great piece of fire fell down out of the Air and burnt upon the earth after which followed a most terrible plague so that the living which bare the dead to their graves fell down dead themselves and were buried together and there came much fire from the River of Rhine also by which many of the adjacent Towns and Villages were wholly burnt up In the year 1085. there hapned a fearful Earthquake in England whereby many houses were overthrown and much harm done and it followed thereupon that King William of England caused all his Subjects annual Profits Estates and Incomes of every kind both of Corn-land Medows Woods Pastures Cattle and Sheep and every thing they had to live upon to be Registred and accordingly required great contribution of the Countrey which caused danger ous civil tumults uproars and discontents in the Land and there followed also a very unfruitfull year In the year 1085. there hapned a terrible Earthquake in Lorain whereupon there followed a fierce plague and suddain death of people And the same year there was unspeakable harm done in the Netherlands by great and unusual inundations of water both to people and Cattle In the year 1126. there was another terrible Earthquake in Italy which lasted 40 days Thereupon followed a lamentable mis-growth of the fruits of the earth and a most miserable famine as also a destructive and bloody warr between the Emperour Lotharius and the German Princes and between the Bohemians and Conrad Duke of Frankenland In the year 1135. there were several terrible Earthquakes heard of both in England and in Germany whereby many houses were thrown down the fire also burnt fearfully out of the earth for certain days together and could not be quenched by water nor by any other kind of thing And besides that there was very great mischief done in many places of Germany by other fire Mentz and its Cathedral was burnt in the Cities of Spire and Strasborg many Churches and Cloysters were laid in Ashes Ausburg was almost quite burnt up and a third part of Goslar Hall in Saxony flew up into the air in a smoak and the next year following there was such an extream hot and dry Summer that the waters in great Rivers Channels and streams contrary to Nature did so diminish that men might have gone dry-shod over where great Ships used to sail the Wells and Springs also
became dried up in many places that many men fainted and dyed of thirst as well as Cattle yea many Buildings and countrey Villages were set on fire by the heat of the Sun and it caused a terrible famine in Europe In the year 1155. there fell many houses down in Burgundy and thereafter followed a great dissention between the Emperour Frederick Babarosa and the Pope of Rome which continued many years with much efusion of blood until the Emperour was openly excommunicated out of the Romish Church and suffer'd himselfe to be publikely absolved in St. Marks Church in Venice where Pope Alexander was not therewith contented that the Emperour went bare-leg'd to the Church and there kneeled on his bare knees with Prayer and Fasting for his offence committed against him but the Pope also shamelesly trode upon his neck with his feet In the year 1194. there was a great Earthquake in Denmark and it followed thereupon that the Vandals fell from the Danish Crown forsook their Christian faith and returned to the former idolatrous worship again whereupon King Knute of Denmark raised all the power of his Countrey caused the Schleswickers to prepare 130 Ships the Reepers 120 the Wendsussellers 50 the Fyeners 100 the Sealanders 120 the men of Skone 150 in all 670 ships and therewith fell upon Knute King of the Vandals who destroyed and kill'd all that came before them and carried away much plunder of Goods and Cattle out of the Countrey In the year 1300. there hapned a fearful Earthquake almost all over Europe thereupon followed an unusual dry Summer with extraordinary heat so that in Denmark and the small Islands men scarcely knew where to find any fresh water in any place And in Italy there arose such a fearful civil warr and dissention between two Princely Families called the Guelphs and Gibilines that it had neer ruin'd whole Italy It will be needless to write any thing more out of History concerning Earthquakes and what remarkable things have always ensued for from those many that are Recorded it may sufficiently be seen that Earthquakes signify no great good to Countreys and Kingdoms but God by his Almighty power can divert much evil A Theological conclusion with some instructions out of the Holy and infallible word of God what Earthquakes do signifie and teach unto us NOw when we enter into the Sanctuary of God that is into his Holy and infallible Word and there seek and enquire diligently for right instructions concerning Earthquakes then we shall receive this information viz. That God did create the world at first that it should be and remain fixt and unmoveable concerning which the Scripture giveth this testimony 1 Chron. 16. 30. Fear ye the Lord all the earth the world also shall be stable that it be not moved And also Psalm 89. 12. and 102. 25. In fundasti terram Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and all that is in it Also Psalm 104. 5. Who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever Also Prov 3. 19. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth And Isai 48. 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundations of the earth From whence and other the like Oracles of the wholly Scripture we may cleerly discern and understand that God did not create the earth so loose and unfixed in the beginning that it should shake tremble and quake but always to remain steady and unmoveable 2 Pet. 3. 5. But when the Earth contrary to the fixed nature of its Creation shall tremble quake and shake then there must certainly be some extraordinary and important causes of it whereof the Holy Scriptures more especially intimateth two which moveth God to permit and produce such great and terrible Earthquakes namely First When the wickednesse of men is great upon the earth and the earth is corrupt and filled with violence Gen. 6. 5 11 13. Then is the Righteous and just wrath of God provoked to move the earth himselfe and cause her to tremble thereby to destroy men yea even the earth it self also Gen. 6. 13. By removing the Mountains and they know not which he overturneth in his anger when he causeth the earth to be shaken out of its place that the pillars thereof do tremble as Job speaketh chap. 9. 5 6. Concerning which the Holy scriptures do give this further testimony Exod. 15. 12. when thou strechedst out thy right hand the earth swallowed them Psal 18. 7. The earth shook and trembled the foundations also of the Hills moved and were shaken because he was wroth And Psal 104. 32. He beholdeth the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the Mountains and they smoak And concerning such Earthquakes the Prophet Isaiah teacheth thus Chap. 13. 13. The earth shall be removed out of her place by the fury of the Lord of Hosts in the day of his fierce anger And chap. 24. 18 19 20. The foundations of the earth do shake the earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man And Isai 29. 6. Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of Hosts with Thunder and with Earthquakes and with great noise with storms and tempests and with the flame of a devouring fire Also Nahum 1. 5 6. The mountains quake at him the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence c. Now where God in his wrath hath thus shaken the earth there her inhabitants might very well sigh deeply and pray with David in Psal 60. 2. O God thou hast made the earth to tremble thou hast broken it heal the breaches thereof for it shaketh Secondly when God hath been about to do some extraordinary thing upon the earth or make any remarkable alteration in Countreys and Kingdoms the Holy Scriptures do testifie that it is made known by preceding Earthquakes as by so many prodomos or Harbingers As for example when God himselfe descended down after an especial manner upon mount Sinai and there gave his wholly Law to the Isralites for the direction of themselves and of the whole world Then did the whole Mount greatly quake Exod. 19. 18. And when God brought his people out of Egypt though Moses hath not recorded that any Earthquake hapned then yet the Holy Scriptures do show that it was not done without a notable Earthquake by which the red Sea was divided in that place that the children of Israel went through and was so dry for the space of about sixty miles as the Tables of Cosmography do shew that the Israelites could go thorow dry-shod Exod. 14. 21 22. As Deborah the Prophetesse and Judge and Barack the son of Abinoam the Captain do testifie concerning this in their song of praise Judg. 5. 4 5. when the Lord went out of Seir and marched out of the fields of Edom the earth trembled and the mountains melted from before the Lord. And with this agreeth that of Asaph