and so dyed Five men were slain there fell some Hailstones that were fifteen inches about After this came Quartan Agues of which many died In the fifth year of i Idem page 286. Queen Eliz. Anno Dom 1563. July 8. there happened a great tempest of Lightning and Thunder which slew a woman and three children neer Charing crosse in London Also in Essex a man was torn in pieces his Barn was born down and Hay burnt Within few moneths there was an Earth-quake In the yeare k Idem p. 288. 1565. July 16. about nine at night began a tempest of Thunder and Lightning with showers of Hail which held on till three of the clock the next morning so terrible that at Chelsford in Essex 500 Acres of Corn were destroyed the Glasse-windows on the East side of the Towne and on the West and South-sides of the Church were beaten down with all the tyles off their houses beside divers Barns Chimneys and the Battlements of the Church which were overthrown Much harm also was done at Dover and other places A violent storm of Wind hapned the 24th of December following Anno Domini l Iem page 318. 1575. July 30. in the Afternoon arose a great tempest of Lightning and Thunder which slew Men and Beasts in divers places also at that time fell Hailstones seven inches about In the yeare m Idem p. 324. 1577. August 4. between nine and ten in the forenoon while the Minister was reading the second Lesson in the Church of Bliborough in Suffolke a strange and fearfull tempest of Thunder and Lightning strook through the wall of the Church into the ground almost a yard deep drave down all the people on that side cleft the door went to the Steeple rent the Timber brake the Chaines and fled towards Bongey sixe miles off The people were found groveling on the ground halfe an hour after whereof a man and boy lay dead the rest were scorched At Bongey there was the like for it wrung in sunder the Wyres wheels of the Clock slew two men which sate in the Belfrey and scorched another who hardly escaped with his life In the year n Idem p. 332. 1580. April 6. was a generall Earth-quake in England and on June 13. about 6 in the morning at Shipwash in Northumberland there hapned a storm of Lightning and Thunder After which on a sudden there fell stones of divers shapes On the 8 of October following there was a blazing Star Anno Dom. 1598. o Idem p. 413. Septemb. the first in the Afternoon it lightned and thundred at London two great cracks as it had been the shooting of great Ordnance Some men were smitten by it at the Tower of London and one man slain in Southwark over against the Tower p Idem p. 433. In the yeare of our Lord 1601. June the last there fell great Thunder and Lightning with Hailstones in many places nine inches compasse which at Sandwich in Kent lay a foot deep on the ground Well may we say with holy David Lord how terrible art thou in thy works All the earth shall worship thee Who would not feare thee O thou King of Saints Note Thus you have seene some-what of the Name Nature and effects of Thunder Yet take heed of ascribing too much unto it the Americans at this day worship and adore the Thunder Let it rather draw up our hearts to worship the Thunderer that the feare of God may continually possesseour hearts Enquiry 3 Thirdly we come next to enquire if any other then God be the Author or Instrument of Thunder I Answer 1 God is the efficient Cause Author and Orderer of Thunder and Lightning These expressions are usual in the Scripture The q Exod. 9.23 LORD sent Thunder and Haile r 2 Sam. 2â— 14 The LORD thundred from heaven The Å¿ 1 Sam. 7.10 LORD thundred with a great thunder And such like places there be many which declare GOD to be the Thunderer Thunder is nine or ten times in Scripture called the t Psal 29.3 4 7 8 9. Psalm 77.18 Psalm 104.7 Iob 37.4 5. VOICE of God and no lesse then seven times in one Psalm is Thunder stiled his VOICE The voice of the Lord is upon the waters the God of glory thundreth The voice of the Lord is powerfull the voice of the Lord is full of majestie The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars shaketh the wildernesse The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of Fire c. So David goeth on to magnifie this VOICE of GOD. Thunder then is Gods voice or speech Imago animi sermo est Thunder Gods Voice saith Seneca speech is the lively Image and Representation of the Minde Loquere ut te videam saith the Proverb speak that I may see and know you This excellent Faculty the Lord hath communicated to rationall creatures And divers u Of the nature causes of speech see Casaubon of Enthusiasm cap. 4. mysteries are wrapped up in this great Mercy called by the w Psal 57.8 Psalmist the GLORY of Mankinde and therefore he bids it awake unto the praises of God that bestowed it Euripides calls the Tongue the messenger of Reason The Voice is the Minds Ambassadour the Soules interpreter the Thoughts Image and the Hearts Scribe Note Trhee Sciences are employed about our speech Grammar relates to the congruity Rhetorick to the Elegancy and Logick to the Verity or Probability of speech Without speech our Life would be a burden to us Any imperfection in speech is no small impediment to our Affairs Let us blesse God for any perfection therein Moses though so dear to the Lord had it not I read that Demosthenes having a great impediment in his speech attained a most handsome form of speaking by putting small stones into his mouth And Jerome living at Bethlem to learn Hebrew was fain to have his teeth filed ere he could pronounce it as he should Now concerning the Voice of God That we return to our Theame Let us see how many wayes God may be said to speak to us because Thunder is called his voice I Answer 1 Immediately by himselfe So no doubt the x Gen. 3.9 10. Voice which Adam heard in the Garden was the Voice of God himself and not the voice of an Angell as Gregory would have it And I heard thy voice in the Garden So it is said that God answered Moses by a y Exod. 19.19 Voice and that z Deut. 4.12 The people heard the voice of his words Thus a also God the Father spake articulately unto Christ b John 12.28 2 Pet. 1.17 I have glorified my Name and will glorifie it again 2 God speaks to us by his SON who by his incomparable Sermons spake as never man spake In these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his Son c Heb. 1.2 His sheep heard his voice 3 God speaks to us by his spirit who said
Vox Caeli OR Philosophical Historicall and Theological Observations OF THUNDER With a more General view of Gods wonderful Works First grounded on Job 26.14 but now enlarged into this Treatise By Robert Dingley M. A. once Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in OXFORD now Minister of Gods Word at Brixton in the Isle of WIGHT and County of SOVTHAMPTON Psal 29.4 The voice of the LORD is powerfull the voice of the LORD is full of Majesty Job 37.5 GOD thundreth marvellously with his Voice Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend Propterea Tonitrua Propterea Fulminum Terrores Ne Bonitas DEI contemnatur Basil in Proaem ad Regulas fusius disputatas LONDON Printed by M S. for Henry Cripps and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley 1658. TO My Honoured Friend Major Samuel Bull Justice of Peace and Captaine of Cowes Castle in the Isle of WIGHT SIR MEn of your profession have beene Lovers of Learning Rudis miles ad Bellum concurrit qui causam Beili ignorat Tacitus And Great Souldiers have beene good Scholers Moses the Leader of Israel was skill'd in all the Learning of the Aegyptians a Aristot Rhet. lib. 5. Alexander was so bookish that he sent for the Works of Philistus into Greece being gone so far in Asia that Books were wanting Also it is said of him that Homer was still under his Pillow when he slept Julius Caesar a great Conqueror and as great a Scholer witnesse his Commentaries I need not tell you that in our Nation b Waterhouse Apol. for learning 127 128. Edward the 3d. Henry the Eighth Sir Philip Sidney Sir Walter Raleigh and Harding the Historian besides many others were excellent both for Learning and Valour and could equally handle both the Sword Pen. Nihil firmius faelicius laudabilius que Republica in qua abundant milites eruditi saith c Vegetius de Re nal lib. 1. Vegetius All which I mention to provoke our Military Worthies to the Love of the Muses And thanks be to GOD Religion and Learning do grow every Day more and more in request Plato said There was as much difference between a Learned and Ignorant Man as between the * Non intellects nulla est curetio morb Physitian and his Patient Aristotle thought as between the Living and the Dead Rome saw her best dayes under her most Learned Kings such as Numa Augustus Titus Antoninus Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem sui Quintil Constantine and others Yet Learning hath had her Enemies in all Ages this not excepted Licinus gave this Motto Pestes Reipublicae Literae Learning is the bane of a Common-wealth But Sir I know you wish well to our Universities the Fountains of Learning Your Activity and zeal for God and the Truth are so remarkable your Love to the faithfull Ministers of Christ so cordial and the particular Favours you have conferred on me so Numerous that not to Love and Honor you for the first would be Impiety and for the latter * The Spiders Motto Nemini Debea is also the ungrateful mans song Ingratitude You have been the Instrument of conveying the Gospel to a d West Cowes in this Isle Town that never before enjoyed it consisting of about a thousand soules and have helpt to build them a e Luke 7.5 Synagogue Nay the beams of your Goodnesse Justice and Vigilancy doe stretch themselves into all places of the Isle And O that wee had many * Rari quippo boni Numero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum Portae Juvenal 13. Satyr more such as your selfe to countenance Religion and good Men in this place I wish that all our Gentry were such as you are Then would our f At Newport Lecture and conference be more frequented Vice and Heresie be more curbed and the hands of good Pastors and People more strengthened in the work way of the Lord And then should our Isle be more happy then any of those call'd the g Turk Hist Fortunate Isles or then Cyprus that is called the Blessed Isle for her great variety and abundance of all things So commending you and all fearing the Lord to the Blessing Guidance and Protection of the Almighty I shall ever approve my self Sir Yours in the things of Christ Robert Dingley From Brixton in the Isle of Wight 1658. To the Reader Christian Reader WHosoever dis-believeth not the Creed of Nature that God is cannot doubt that God was was a glorious volumn of all Psal 90.2 and more then all imaginable perfections before there was any thing else The first Edition of himselfe was in his Worke of Creation Man was not only himself a great part of the work but withall the Reader to whom it was directed Being by the Authors goodnesse designed the person for whose use 't was published How much of God he came to the acquaintance of by this Book and how perfectly he was able to read it before he sinned I may not take upon me to determine How little generally wee have profited by it since is of no very difficult demonstration That some learned Christians have been able to squeeze the greatest mysteries of our Religion out of the writings of some Heathens who are presumed to have no book but that of the creature to finde them in shall passe for me as an Argument of their industry But what shall we say to a great many more pretending to altogether as familiar an intimacy with the workes of Nature as those could doe This learned throng have studied you know this great subject to so little purpose that they have amongst them found out some almost as many Gods as there be Creatures and others knew not how to see any one at all And such amongst them as have taken upon them to instruct the rest of the world in the nature of the Gods had not eyes open enough to see the destruction of their subject in the plurality of it nor that the making of many was the marring of all And what notions the present Inhabitants of the remoter parts of the world have of God who have no meanes to discover him by but this you have an account so full of sadnesse that I know Reader your love to man-kinde will not suffer you to receive it without pity Is then the Transcript which God hath given us of himselfe in the worke of his Hands blotted No Acts 4.12 Acts 14.17 Rom. 1.20 but our understanding is Those that have no other means to know God by have meanes enough not enough so that they may be saved but enough so that they are without excuse And setting aside the helps God hath graciously afforded us in a second and third Edition of himselfe by the words of his mouth and the Son of his Love so shallow is our acquaintance with the Character this great Volumne is written in that the chifest Secretaries of Nature doe not seem to have
of the Author or the awe and terrour it doth or should beget in the Auditors When the Lord Thundreth in the Heavens Psal 18.3 29.3 Job 37.4 5. 't is the HIGHEST that gives his voice The God of GLORY Thundreth He thundreth with the voice of his EXCELLENCY God Thundreth MARVELLOVSLY with his voice The clouds poured out water the Skies sent out a sound thine arrowes also went abroad the voice of thy Thunder was in the heavens the Lightnings lightned the world What then The earth trembled and shook Psal 77.17 18. Virgil. lib. 1. Georg. Ipse pater media nimborum in nocte corusca Fulmina molitur dextra Quo maxima motu Terra trêmit fugere ferae mortalia corda Per gentes humilis stravit pavor Many dreadfull effects of Thunder you are remembred of in this Treatise If it fill our hearts with high holy reverential thoughts of the Thunderer that you constantly feare before him it is one I am sure that the Almighty Author doth designe and the very best that the work can produce Bede gives us the Relation of a holy man who never heard a great gust of winde but he would presently call upon God for mercy beseech him to be gracious to the sons of men If the winde increased he would lay all other businesse aside and attend alone to that one of Prayer If Thunder and Lightning followed he would then make hast to the Church and spend his time in Religious exercises till the storm was over And being asked by his friends why he did so His answer was have you not read Psal 18.13 14. The Lord thundred in the Heavens and the Highest gave his voice He sent out his Arrows scattered them Lightnings and discomfited them And it is recorded of Aquinas that when it Thundered he was wont to fall down and with much devotion to pray Lord help and succour thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Job Iob 38. 39. cap. 40. ver 4. Cap. 41. 42. vers 6. if we be not mistaken in those definitions which we have received of that vertue had not many equals for Magnanimity and Fortitude and yet after an account of the greatnesse of God discovered in his mighty works how full is his heart of awfulnesse and feare And his friend Elihu being to mention the excellent marvellous roaring voice of Thunder they are his owne expressions knows not how to do it without a preface cloathed in feare and reverence At this also my heart trembleth and is moved out of his place Job 37.1 c. Neither should it be any abatement of our respects to the great God that Thunder is known to have its naturall causes For those causes are knoâ—n to have their cause too and are but the effects of an higher Nature hath nothing to boast of but what God endoweth her with who acteth without it beside it above it Contracteth or enlargeth it even as he pleaseth And when he doth not either of these yet doth he not leave any thing at any time meerly to the hand of its Causes but hath himselfe an Agency in the Production of it and that an immediate one Immediatione virtutis suppositi say some At least virtutis is confessed by all Nature hath nothing that she hath not received neither is she Independent in any one in the smallest operation For that would argue an Independency of power and that of being which none can challenge but God alone Do not say Then every thing that comes to passe in the world and even the daily imployments of Nature must call out our hearts to I know not how many duties For can you tell why they should not Is there any possibility of supererogation Can you love fear praise admire adore our God too much But yet Reader the greatest manifestation of the power majesty of God should work most Thunder is one of these and a voice of the Almighty loud enough to awaken our hearts to all these sorts of acknowledgments The reverend Author hath made it his present businesse in the ensuing Treatise to perswade our attention to it The discourse is pious and hath cost him some pains Your Prayers are desired that it may be useful and afford the people of God much profit which I am the more perswaded to hope of it when I finde it to be though in more words not a jot more then that pathetical exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.28 29. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire Which will abundantly praeponderate the prejudice it might otherwise receive from its Conduct into the world by the unable hand of so obscure and inconsiderable a Person as Reader Your servant in the work of the Gospel of Christ Jesus Edw Buckler THE CONTENTS TWo Observations raised from Job 26.14 Obser 1 That the highest operations most excelent works of GOD cannot be reached by Mans understanding The Reasons 7. Reason 1 Mans darknesse and sloath since the Fall Ubi of the grosse errors of Philosophers Of our want of Reading Travelling Meditation Of the Brevity of Life Reason 2 The variety of Species and Individuals Reason 3 The infinite wisdome of God which is stamped upon all his works Ubi of imperfect false Descriptions of Gods works Of some Rarities in Nature for which no reason can be given Reason 4 Gods Power and Wisdome is displayed in GREAT and SMALL creatures Ubi of the Whale Elephant and Precious Stones Reason 5 Men are admired who have any thing well IMITATED Gods Works Reason 6 A Mass and multitude of wonders do attend the visible Heavens Reason 7 PROVIDENCE is very mysterious and is a kinde of continuall Creation The Inferences follow which are four Inference 1 See their presumptuous folly and madnesse who pretend to know GOD and all his works Inference 2 See the necessity of Vniversities Learning Ubi of unwearied diligence in study Philosophy a faire Hand-maid to Theology Inference 3 Read what you can of GOD in the Volumn of Creation and Providence Inference 4 Comfort for Saints In heaven we shall know more of GOD and his works Heaven the rarest of Gods Works It hath been long preparing for us Obser 2 The terrible Meteor of THVNDER is a most lively manifestation of the LORDS greatnesse and power The trumpet of his glorious Majestie and matchlesse Perfections Four enquiries in the opening of this Truth Enquiry 1 How this expression in holy Job may be taken and understood Answ 3 wayes Enquiry 2 What Thunder is Ubi of it's Name Nature Effects Also of the Thunder-bolt Tempests Lightnings Earth quakes Haile great and fearefull Of violent Thunders and Lightnings mentioned in our Chronicles with dreadful effects Enquiry 3 If any other then GOD be the Author Instruments of these things Answ 1. GOD the efficient cause of Thunder which is his
at once confessing it to be very defective Behold these are part of his wayes how little a portion is heard of him But the Thunder of his Power who can understand Observe two things from the Text 1 In generall The Lords highest operations and most excellent Works cannot be reached by Mans understanding 2 In speciall The terrible Meteor of Thunder is a loud Manifestation of the Lords Greatnesse and power And the Trumpet of his glorious Excellency Majesty and Perfection Obser 1 First The highest Operations and most Excellent Works of our God cannot be reached or grasped by mans understanding As the ebbing flowing saltnesse and roaring of the Sea How Gold Silver Brasse are produced in the Earth The causes of Sympathy and Antipathy The nature of Angels and Soules What he hath wrought in the Earth in the Seas What under the Heavens what in the Heavens and what above them What he did before the World was created and what he will doe after its dissolution I grant that men have attained to much knowledge of Gods visible works 'T is said of King a 1 Reg. 4.33 Solomon the wisest of men Christ excepted that he knew all Plants from the Cedar to the Hysop growing on the wall And of b Acts 7.22 Moses that he was learned in all the wisdome of the Aegyptians Of Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego c Dan. 1.17 that the Lord gave them knowledg with all learning and wisdom Job also had great knowledge of Gods works and so had David and Paul Pliny is called by Erasmus Thesaurus imo mundus rerum cognitu dignissimarū A store-house Nay a world of Things most worthy to be known Austin saith concerning Jerome Quae Hieronimus nescivit nullus hominum unquam scivit No man ever knew that thing of which Jerom was ignorant Aristotle is stiled by one Vltimus conatus Naturae The very Master-piece of Nature for knowledg and understanding in all things Yet notwithstanding that the highest Works of God cannot be grasped by mans understanding will evidently appeare by these seven Mediums As Medium 1 First Mans darknesse and sloth since the Fall joyned with the brevity of his Life will demonstrate this Truth Darke we are since the cloud of sin overshadowed our minde our brightest Notions are stained our light ecclipsed our Intellectuals darkned I say all this since the unhappy Fall of Man For who questions but Adam in his state of Perfection had vast knowledge of the Creatures They were all brought to him d Gen 2.19 20. to see what he would call them So he gave names to all the Creatures and whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the standing name thereof This plainly shews us Adams great knowledg and wisdom in Naturall things For names were given at the first according to the severall Natures and Properties of the creatures Plato in Cratillo shews us that the Man who would give the right Name to a thing must first know the Nature of it very well And so questionlesse Adam did when he gave a Name to every creature But this knowledge of Gods works was much stained and darkned by the Fall and Apostacy of Man As we now see but the Back-parts of God Christ thorow e Cant. 2.9 the Lattesse only so saith Job we see but part of his wayes As well may an Hive of Bees fathom the Actions of Princes as we the Works of Creation and Providence Saint Paul saith f 1 Cor. 13.9 10. We know but in part g Austine Maxima pars eorum quae scimus est minima eorum quae ignoramus All that we know is little if compared with that which we know not He that hath read and considered the story of h Plato de Re-publ l. 7. Plato's Cave will not wonder that ignorant folk nurst up in darknesse should please themselves with poor shallow conceipts as having never heard or seen better He will also collect how absurd their former conceptions will appeare to them when afterwards they shall have imbib'd a little knowledge i Camerarius his Historical meditat l. 3. c. 3. By nature we are chained up in a Cave of Darknesse taking meere shadows to be things substantiall and substances to be shadows Imperita Rusticitas credit se omnia scire Ignorant confidence hath the wings of an Eagle the eyes of an Owle One that hath little knowledge may be admired by the Ignorant Inter saecos luscus regnare potest A purblinde man is King among the blinde From the Darknesse and Pride of men came those many odd opinions concerning the works of God For Critias the Philosopher held the soule to be Blood Porphiry did attribute Reason to bruit creatures k Sir Walt Ral. Hist of the world l. 2. cap. 13. and Melampus Language Nay Empedocles held that not onely Beasts but Plants had Intellectum The Stoicks on the other side would not grant Vitam stirpibus that Plants have life Olympiodorus Platonicus held the l Nieremberg Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 3 P. 18. Elements were animated and distinguished by Sexes m Idem li. 2. c. 11. Seneca will needs have it that Comets are ingendred not in the Aire but above the Moon Those two great Lights Austin and Lactantius denied there were Antipodes which Hackwell may have leave to wonder at Many School-boys now being able to resute that Errour Aristotle Natures Secretary held the world to be Eeternall that there are but 8 Spheares and that the n Aristot Meteor l. 2 c 11. Torrid and Frigid Zones are inhabitable which experience contradicts The Basilidians held there were as many Heavens as days in the year The o Nierem Hist Nat l. 2. c. 8. Chaldeans believe that strong lusty men help move the Heavenly Orbs. p Sir Walt. Ral. Hist of the world l. 1. Chap. 3. Eusebius misled by Josephus supposed that before the Floud Angels taken with the beauty of women begat those Gyants Philip Melancthon saith the Sun is nearer the Eearth almost by ten thousand Germane miles then it was in Ptolomies dayes yet this Melancthon a very learned man Copernicus held that the Earth moves and the Heavens stand still Which strange opinion so contradictory not onely to Reason but q Psal 104.5 19.5 Josh 10.13 Ergo fol movet Scripture hath found too many favourers in our Schools of Learning To all which let me add a witty conceipt in Ludovicus Vives upon Austin He tells of a Barbarous Nation that condemned executed and ript up an Asse to recover the Moon out of his belly which they supposed he had swallowed because they saw him drink at the water where the Moon appeared by reflexion And immediately thereupon shee being muffled up with Clouds they missed her Thus you have abundant proof of that darknesse which hath been on the Intellectuals of Man since the Fall in relation to Gods wonderfull Works And as our Eyes are dim and cannot
see much so our sloth is great and our inadvertency and heedlesnesse inexcusable in that we seldome look into the volumn of Creation or at best but with carelesse and transient eyes Few there be that will give themselves or bend all the Faculties of their soules to study and consider God in his Workes The r Pierij Hieroglyph lib. 24. cap. 22. Sybaritae would not suffer a Cock to crow in their City nor any Smith to work till Noon lest their sleep should be disturbed How many live without the sweat of their Brow in labour or of the Brain in study and meditation The Cat would faine have water but is loth to wet her foot Idlenesse is a Step-mother to the Muses The Cyclopes thought mans happinesse did consist in Nihil agendo in doing nothing But no excellent thing can be the child of Sloth Who can expect if a multitude of leaden letters be cast off the hand to finde amongst them an exact poem God s Exod. 13.13 ordained the neck of the consecrated Asse should be broken in stead of sacrificing him peradventure because that Creature hath ever been the Heroglyphick of sloth and lazinesse Here may justly deserve blame the want of Reading Travelling and Meditation 1 The want of reading and studying such Authors as write of the Works of God Vita hominis sine literis mors est The unlearned is a dying life The Scholer like a Bee gathers honey from every flower knowledg from every Book he touches Yet Lewis the 11. King of France charged his Son to learn no more Latine but this Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere He that cannot dissemble and flatter said he knows not how to live When the People t Aelian of Mytilene became masters of the Sea they inflicted this punishment on those that were revolted from them that they should not teach their children to read He that is minded to apply himself to Reading saith Seneca may have private conference with Zeno Pythagoras Aristotle Theophrastus and other Authors of good Arts and he shall ever finde them at liesure to commune with him The want of reading and learned education makes people as a barren soile unmanured unplanted No marvail such are grosly ignorant of Gods works 2 Next The want of Travelling in such as have Time and Meanes for it Alexander speaking of his Travels would often say that he had discovered more with his eye then other Kings had comprehended in their thoughts Men do but guesse at the works of God abroad that go meerly by the relations of others One journey to the Alpes will shew thee more then many Histories do record Let Claudian mention it as a point of happinesse for ones Birth Life and Burial to be all in a Parish But how great advantages have those that Travell into divers Nations How many Rarities of Nature do they see What strange creatures which be not in our Countrey what craggy Rocks Mountains aspiring towards the Sky magnificent Buildings goodly Vine-yards choice and delicate Fruits of the Earth which our cold Climate affords not Divers Antiquities and Monuments of great note Rare men the Courts of Princes the customes of Nations c. Such as go voyages by Sea must needs see u Psal 107.24 many wonders of God in the Deep He hath lived saith one but in a large chest that hath seen but one Land Italy Feltham Resolves Cap. 10. France and Spain are the Court of the World Germany Denmark and China are as the Citie of the World The rest are most of them Country and Barbarisme It were an excellent thing in a State to have a select number of judicious Persons Note thus employed into several parts of the world and be bound once in seven years to give the Nation some account of their Travels in writing for the benefit of such as stay at home and that Pensions might be allotted for that end This would be a better employment for the youth of our Nobility and Gentry then to rust at home Bowl Dice and Drink away their golden Time Again our ignorance of God and his Volumn of Creation may be charged on the want of Meditation in all men We see divers of Gods works in the poorest Village but we doe not weigh and ponder them in the Ballance of Meditation Christ therefore x Mat. 6.26.26 calls upon us to Behold the Fowls of the aire and to consider the Lillies of the field Wee see these things but doe not bend and buckle our minde to the Object that we consider the workmanship of God in them The generality of men y Job 37.14 Isa 5.12 regard not the works of the Lord neither consider the operations of his hands They heare it Thunder but it strikes no awe upon their hearts because they never consider it is the voice of God They heare the whistling of the Winde the ratling of the Hail Behold the Snow that feather'd raine come down reap benefit by the former and latter rain but they never consider of these works and wonders of God When do they with Isaak walk into the Fields for meditation or with Daniel by the River side or with Peter on the house top to survey admire God and his works The love of contemplation made z Hieron Epist 4. ad Rusticum Jerome say that Solitude was a Paradise a Cogitare est vivere M. T. Cicero Acad. Quaest l. 1. Cicero that to think was to live Basil wept when he handled a Rose to consider the prickles thereof were the fruit of mans Fall The same did Persius when he saw a Toad to think of his owne ingratitude in that God had made him a Man and not a filthy Toad When Estius heard the little Birds sing O the Musick said he that is in Heaven So when David not onely saw but well considered the Sun Moon and Stars he cryed out Lord what is man that thou art mindefull of him q. d. That thou settest up such huge burning Tapors for him that doth so little work for thee Surely the want of considering the choice and admirable things which God hath made is one main reason of our knowing them so little and our being affected with them no more To all which considerations let me add the brevity of our Life Ars longa vita brevis It requires much time observation and experience to know the works of God and our life is fraile and short as a Span as a Vapour as a Bubble And many times saith Seneca b Seneca Epist 23. we begin not to live till our life is ending Sicknesse also and old Age steal upon us Then we grow oblivious unteachable overcast with clouds full of pain and infirmities Now our Life is very short 1 If compared with other creatures Some say of the Eagle Nec annis debilitatur nec morbis obnoxia est Pliny saith It is neither Age nor Sicknesse killeth the Eagle but the
Closet By this all men are given distinct faces voices and gestures to prevent confusion and that one Relation may perfecty know another By this the wise little Ant nibbles each end of her corne that it may not grow in the Earth The c Nieremb Hist Nat. lib. cap. 11. Cassian Birds are never seen of the Inhabitants but when they need them to eate up their Locusts And the young d Psal 104.24 Ravens are fed when the old ones forsake them By this all States and Kingdoms rise to their vertical points and then decline By this the whole Creation in generall and the Church in speciall is wisely and excellently governed If saith e Rutherford one a creature yea the most excellent of created Angess should sit at the helm of this great World to rule and govern all things 48 hours the Sun would not rise in due time the walls and covering of this great building would fall the Globe of the World would reele too and d Psal 104.24 fro and stagger like a drunken man All would ravell into meet confusion But now who is able throughly to discerne and understand this government of the world by Christ and Angels Many things do seemingly come by chance As the cure of an Ulcer on the Lungs an enemies sword Opening a wound in that place by which the corruption did evacuate to the saving of life 'T was not by chance the Ram ready for sacrifice was intangled in the briars f Gen. 22.8 3â— For there was a Deus providebit Nor was it by g Exod 2.5 chance that King Pharaoh's Daughter found Moses in the Flags She went out to wash h Jun. Tremel Alio quidem consilio sed Deo impulsore ut expositum infantulum reciperet But Gods designe was that she should take up the little Infant When we cannot understand we must learn to admire the wise providence of God and say How ever it be yet God is just Nihil inter Deum hominemque distaret si constlia dispositiones illius Majestatis Aeternae cogitatio assequeretur humana saith i Lactantius in praefat Lactantius There would saith he be no distance between God and man if our Reason and Musing could fathom all his Counsels and Works Thus you see our first Observation illustrated and confirmed that the Lords highest and most excellent works cannot be reached by mans understanstanding For these are part of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him The Inferences follow Inference 1 First See the pride folly presumption and madnesse of such as affirm the contrary Alphonsus thought himself able not onely to know but to correct the Heavenly Orbs. When Eunomius boasted that he knew God his Divinity and Works k Basil Epist 1.68 quae est ad Eunomium Basil to tame the Heretick propounded 21 Queries concerning the little Ant As whether it hath Bones Liver Kidney Heart c. O Lord our governour how super-excellent is thy glory above the Heavens if thy name be thus excellent in one of thy meanest creatures Austin saith l Nieremb Nat. Hist l. 4. cap. 33. p. 69. The Manichees use to aske what need there was that God should make such a multitude of Creatures some no way necessary for Man and others exceeding hurtful unto him But they did not consider Omnia pulchra esse conditori artifici suo qui omnibus utitur ad Gubernationem Vniversitatis That all things are beautiful in the eye of our Creator who also useth them all for the good of the Universe Note If an ignorant person judge many Tooles in the Artificers shop to be needlesse or dangerous yet the skilfull Artist hath a designed and appointed use for them all at one time or other No Tool is superfluous m Gen 1.10 12 18 21 25 31. God pronounced concerning ALL the works of his hands that they were exceeding good Do not pick quarrels with such works of God as you doe not understand For Nature and the God of Nature do nothing in vain Multo facilius inveniet Syderum conditorem humilis pietas quam syderum ordinem superba curiositas saith the most learned n Augustin de Eclyps solâ—s Serm. Father A proud curiosity cannot so easily finde out the order and motion of the Starres and heavenly Orbs as an humble Piety their Wise Creator Inference 2 Secondly see the necessity of Universities and Learning in that with the best helps men doe but stammer when they talke of Gods wonderfull works Zeno thanked God for that shipwrack which drove him to the study of Philosophy and Crates cast his goods into the Sea that he might the more quietly attend it Much Time and Industry are required for any competent knowledge of Gods works Demosthenes travelled in Learning and good Studies 107 years Plato 80. and Socrates 98. Philosophia est rerum humanarum Divinarum scientia non ab hominibus inventa sed splendidissimum Dei Immortalis Donum Philosophy is the knowledge of Divine and Humane things not invented by men but imparted from God Diligence in the study of sacred Scriptures and Naturall Philosophy may bring us to know much of God in his works Peter Ramus from his Youth to his dying day never used by his good will any other Bedding then of straw blaming himselfe if the Artizans were at work before he was at his book Julius Caesar having spent the whole day in the Field about his Military concernments divided the night also after this manner One part for his sleep a second for the CommoÌ„wealth and a third for his Studies It is said of Demosthenes that he spent more Oyle then Wine because he studied so hard not onely by Sun but Lamp-light The study of Philosophy is very usefull for our better understanding many parts of holy Writ which treat of Gods works Julian the better to destroy o Sozomen 1.5 cap. 17. Christianity pulled downe all Schools and Nurseries of good Learning Nam propriis pennis configimur said he They wound and overcome us with our own weapons As the same earth is sweet in the Grape and bitter in the Wormwood and the same odour a refreshment to the Dove and poyson to the Scarabaeus So Philosophy and other humane Learning being qualified with Humility Piety and Charity may be very usefull to edifie the Church which through pride and contempt may also be employed to harmful purposes Inference 3 Thirdly Read what you can of God in the Volumn of Creation and Providence p See Divine Opticks p. 74. ad 79. For though you cannot not comprehend all his works yet so much of God is legible by all men in his creatures as will serve to silence and confound the reprobate Indian who hath not the Gospel 'T is a certain Truth that the Light of Nature without the light of Scripture shall suffice to leave men without excuse For The invisible things of God saith the
Apostle are clearly seene from the creation ef the world being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and God-head so that they are unexcusable who neglect God in his creatures For the works of God q Calvin in Rom. 1.20 Artificem suum perspicue declarant saith Calvin Thay plainly in large golden Letters declare their wise and all-powerful Creator An Apelles need not put his Name to his Pictures Every judicious eye may read the Author in the worke Protogines well knew Apelles had been at his house when he found a certain line drawn on his Table which he knew no other hand could perform Every spire of Grasse stands up to proclaim a Deity r Dubartas The World 's a Book in Folio Printed all With Gods great works in Letters Capitall Inference 4 Fourthly Let this revive and comfort the Saints that in Heaven they shall attain to more knowledg of God and his works You that know something of God here it is nothing to that which you shall know in Heaven rightly s John 17.3 To know God is eternall life Here Providence may write in very strange and uncouth Characters Though now t Watson in Christian Charter p. 150. our Candle be in a dark Lanthorn and the Saints know not what GOD is a doing yet in Heaven wee shall see the reason of all Transactions and perceive their tendency to fulfill the Promise that u Rom. 8.28 All things shall worke together for good to the Church and people of God In Heaven we shall see divine Promises and Providences kissing each other We Pilgrims see little in this valley of Tears but our Prospect wil be glorious on the mountain of Spices Then you shall see the chiefe of Gods works the most glorious person CHRIST JESUS whom yet your Eyes cannot reach and whom having not seene you love To whose beauty the SUN is but a Globe of darknesse or spot of dirt And in comparison of him all the glory of Men and Angels is but obscurity The name of CHRIST is used by S. Paul five hundred times and no wonder for there be in it a thousand treasures saith Chrysostome Note As many pieces of silver are contained in one piece of gold so all those petty excellencies dispersed among the creatures are more eminently united in CHRIST Yea all the whole volumn of Perfections which is spread through Heaven and Earth is epitomized in CHRIST There also shall you see that goodly City which with reverence spoken God hath been * Mat. 25.34 John 14.2 1 Cor. 2.9 adorning and preparing for his chosen from the foundation of the world Now suppose there were a certain City or Palace on earth as all the men of the world famous for Art had beene rearing from the Creation to this day Note having all the Marble Chrystal Agat Pearl Rubies Diamonds and Emralds in the world to make adorn it with all the Silver and Gold which the creation affords to build it with and all the united strength and wisdome of Men and Angels to erect and furnish it Yet no Believer dare question but this Palace would be a Shepheards Cottage it compared with the New Jerusalem It would be in truth a meere Dungeon to Heaven Nineveh saith Diodorus Siculus had ten thousand Work-men at a time about it yet was 8 yeares in building Pliny saith that three hundred thousand Workmen were employed allong time about the building of Babylon And that the Aegyptian Pyramides had three hundred and sixty thousand men about the raising of them yet could not be finished in 20 yeares The Temple was a goodly structure and said the Jewes was x Iohn 2.20 46 yeares in building In a word The famous Temple of Diana was two hundred twenty years about Now if the World which GOD made in six dayes be so beautifull how glorious then is that y Revel 21. Mat. 25.34 Iohn 14.2 New Jerusalem which God hath been preparing from the foundation of the world And I goe said Christ to prepare a place for you If then you consider this worke of God you may well say with Job concerning ALL his works below here on Earth These are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him Ad to this we shall not only see but enjoy Christ and these glorious things in Heaven Note For enjoying God you possesse all In him is all thine eye ever saw thine heart ever desired thy tongue ever asked thy minde ever conceived that was good Here is all Light in this Sun all Water in this Fountain Thou shalt drink down the refined sweetness of all creatures in Heaven Christ will keep for us the best Wine till last There you shall see and enjoy that New Heaven and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse So glorious and transcendently beautifull even to astonishment is that work of God that saith the a Isa 65.17 Prophet in comparison thereof the former work of God on earth shall not be remembred nor come into minde Europe is the Garden of the world Italy of Europe and Naples of Italy You may over-praise that or Rome or the Isles where there be two Summers yearely But you cannot over-praise over-thinke or in your ranging thoughts reach Heaven Yet you can fancy Cities made of Gold Rocks of Pearl Mountaines of Diamond and Rivers of Christal Note but all this cometh short of Heaven Assuredly no such trash is found there onely the Lord seeth we are taken with these toyes and he would draw our Mind and Faces thitherward This is certain the visible Heavens are but the ragged Suburbs of that City And all these created things though beautifull and goodly in themselves shall make one Bon-fire when the day of our Coronation comes And so much of the first Point that the Lords highest and most excellent Works cannot be reached by mans understanding Obser 2 The second and main thing intended in the Text and Treatise now comes to be handled which is this that The terrible Meteor of THUNDER accompanied with Lightning is a manifestation of the LORDS Greatnesse and Power the loud Trumpet of his glorious Excellency Majesty and matchlesse perfection In the opening and unfolding of which Truth our Method shall be this viz. To make diligent Enquiry 1 How this Expression of holy Job's may be taken and understood The Thunder of his Power who can understand 2 What THUNDER is What its Name Nature and effects are still keeping this of Job in our eye that no man can fully understand much lesse expresse what it is 3. Whether the Author be any other then God 4 In what cases especially GOD hath manifested or will discover to the Sons of men his Power and Glory by supernatural THUNDER Enquiry 1 First Let us enquire how this Expression of Jobs may be rendred and expounded The thunder of his power who can understand To which I answer from the best b Mr. Caryl
on Iob 26.14 volumn 7. p. 823. Expositor of this Book 1 Literally and strictly for the Meteor of Thunder which is indeed a thing Naturall but wherein the glory of God much appears his glory shines in the Lightning The God of glory thundreth Psal 29.3 Thunder is one of the most wonderfull and astonishing works of God Though many Philosophers write something of it yet no Mortall fully understands it 2 It may be taken of any extraordinary terrible work of Providence So those places may import c Psal 68.33 God doth send out his voice yea and that a mighty voice Again d Isa 30.30 The Lord shall cause his mighty voics to be heard with the indignation of his anger and with the flame of a devouring fire with scattering and tempests and hailstones So again e Rev. 10.4 Seale up the things which the seven thunders uttered and write them not So Job expressing the f Iob 39.19 25. fury of the horse in Battel who pawes destruction in the valley he saith God hath cloathed the necke of that creature with thunder q. d. God hath made him strong couragious and terrible The horse is fearlesse and furious in Battel He rejoyceth saith Job at the sound of the Trumpets he smelleth the Battel afar off the thunder of the Captains and the shouting of the people 3 It may also be taken for the highest and clearest publication of Gods power As if holy Job should say I have whispered a few things to you of the power of God but if God should thunder out himselfe or if his workes were spoken out as they deserve in Thundercracks Mortals would stand amazed their soules would be inveloped with horror And for this reason as you shall see two of Christs Disciples were called the sons of Thunder That is They set out God and Jesus Christ to the people They delivered Messages from Heaven with a bold heart and a powerful utterance They set out God in his power as if it thundred from Heaven when they preached g Quintil. l. 2. cap. 16. Quintilian requires in a good Orator Vt fulgurare tonare videatur that his eyes seem to lighten and his tongue to thunder before the Hearers Enquiry 2 Secondly Enquire we what Thunder is and how we may conceive of that wonderfull work of God Still remembring this of humble Job that wee cannot fully know or understand it 1 Look upon the Name 1 The name which may help to know the thing Isidore derives Tonitru a Terrendo Thunder from Terrour Because all creatures almost are so terrified and amazed with it Others derive Tonitru from its Tone it being the voice of God At the voyce of thy thunder they are afraid Psal 104. 2 Nature 2 Let us consider its Nature h Aristot Meteor l. 2. cap. 2 9. exam van Doct. Gent. l. 1. cap. 12. Conimb de Meteor Trac 22. Zanchius Tom. 3. lib. 3. De meteor cap. 4. Thes 5. Thunder is a fiery Meteor in the uppermost Region of the aire begotten of such hot and dry exhalations as the SUN hath drawn up from the Earth the which being gathered and shut up in the bowels of a thick cloud consisting of cold and moist vapours doe at length rent and break with huge violence the said cloud enclosing them which occasions that loud and fearfull crack Then the Exhalations being come to maturity and perfection and yet further incensed in the strife become all on a flame while they croud and struggle to get through the rent of the cloud and this makes the flash of Lightning Tonitru in Nubibus est sonitus propter illud quod extinguitur in ipsis Aristotle saith that Thunder is a noise in the clouds by reason of that which is i Aristot in Post li. 2 cap 2. extinguished in the same So red hot iron thrust into water will make a very great noise The crashing and roaring noise of Thunder to what shall I compare it 'T is like the noise of Chesnuts flying out of the fire like many Charets and Coaches rumbling and jumping in paved Cities like many hunger-bitten Lions roaring for their prey like many roaring Canons discharged one after another or a mighty stone tumbling downe a Rock into the Sea Yet I confesse all these are low similitudes to describe the Thunder cracks by It makes our Glasse-windows nay our houses and hearts to shake Though the Lightning is first seene yet all agree it is not before the Thunder but Fire k Aristot Meteor li. 2. c. 9. moving more swiftly then Aire and the eye of man being so much quicker then the eare it therefore comes to passe that the flash of Lightning is seen first and some time afterwards we heare the Thunder So the Axe of him that cleaveth wood at some distance from us is lifted up for a second blow ere we hear the first And the powder is first seen to flame at the touch-hole of a Gun but the Report is heard a pretty while after from the Castle something distant from us When the sound of the Cannon discharged reacheth our care we conclude the danger of the Bullet is past l Job 37.3 4 5. He sends out his lightning to the end of the earth and after it a voyce roareth saith Elibu Great things doth he which we cannot comprehend The thunder of his power who can fully understand Therefore 3 Let us consider the effects 3 The effects The first and most immediate effect of Thunder and Lightning is Brontia or the Thunder bolt hurled to the Earth which m Plinius in Nat. Hist lib. 37. cap 10. Pliny saith is like the head of a Tortois n Magirus p. 265. Others say it is in shape like unto a Pyramide 'T is generally held that it never goes but five foot into the earth That there are Thunder-stones you read in the Book of Psalms He gave up their cattel to the Haile and their flocks to kot o Psal 78.48 Thunder-bolts Your Margent reads it or great Hail-stones But the word p Ainsworth in Locum p. 120. signifies fiery coals or hot Thunder-stones But Hail-stones are Ice or water that is bound up with extreamity of cold So that marginal Note is such as may be spared Certain steep Hills in the borders of Epirus are called Ceraunia because oft smitten with Thunder-bolts As we read of Ombria or Pluvialis lapis a stone so called which falls down in showers of Rain so also it is generally held that besides these there are Thunder-stones cast down in the time of violent Thunder breaking and battering all that oppose them This q Zanch. Tom. 3. lib. 3 cap. 3. p. 357. Avicenna proveth at large and imputeth the wonderfull noise or ratling in Thunder to these stones often times saith he after Thunder such stones have beene found with whose violent blow some tree or house hath been rent or battered and it is often
d Acts 8.29 to Philip Goe neare and joyne thy selfe to this Charet So still by his Spirit he speakes unto our hearts 4 By his elect Angels So an Angel spake to Cornelius saying e Acts 10.4 Thy Prayers and Almes are come up for a memoriall before God 5 By his Ministers and Prophets f Luke 1.70 He spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began g Luke 10.16 He that heareth them heareth Christ I have sent my servants the h Ier. 7.26 27 Prophets but they hearkned not to me saith the Lord. We should receive their doctrine i 1 Thes 2.13 Not as the word of men but as it in truth the word of God saith St. Paul 6 God speaks to us by his Works We are bid To hear the Rod and him that hath appointed it k Mieâ— 6.9 The Lords voice cryeth to the City thereby All the creatures of God are as so many Organ pipes to convey his voice minde to us He speaks to us by all operations but especially by Thunder That is more immediately and eminently his VOICE Efficacior lingua quam litera saith Bernard The voice saith Austin hath an occult and hidden influence on the Hearers If l Sir Walter Raleigh Hist of the world l. 2. cap. 13. Melampus m Nieremb Hist fl 3. c. 12. and Thales are said to understand the voices of Birds and Beasts which the Hebrew Doctors thought Solomon could do Then much more may we in Thunder Gods voice hear him chiding threatning all obstinate sinners and proclaiming his owne Greatnesse Majesty and Power How should this Voice of God warn and alarm us out of our sins Loud Terrible and Perswading hath beene the voice of men Loud so was the voice of Stentor the Grecian concerning whom it it reported that with his voice onely he could make as great a noise as 50 men Terrible Solomon saith n Prov. 16.14 19.12 The wrath of a King is as Messengers of Death and as the roaring of a Lion Cornelius Gallus was threatned to Death by Augustus and the * Cambden Eliz. 406. Lord Chancellour Hatton by Queen Elizabeth The Frown or Voice of a great Man is terrible His eyes seem to cast out live sparkles of Fire and his voyce to thunder The voice of man hath been very o Dr. Reynolds of Passions c. 39. p. 5â—7 Charming and Perswading Caesar with one word quiets the commotion of an Army Menenius Agrippa with one Apologue the sedition of a people Flavianus with one Oration the fury of an Emperour And Abigail with one Supplication the revenge of David It is reported of Cynias that he overcame more by his Tongue then Pyrrhus by the Sword And of Damonides that through Rhetorick he perswaded any one to what he would Now remember that in Job p Job 40.9 Canst thou thunder with a voice like God Hath the voice of filly man a contemptible worm a humming flye beene so loud terrible and charming as you have heard how then should THUNDER the VOICE of God work upon us How should it scare us from the love of sin and draw us to love feare and obey the great GOD All creatures Man excepted obey Gods VOICE The Sun is stopped in his course The hunger-bitten Lions touch not Daniel And if CHRIST stand up and utter his voice the rough winds and foaming waves are charmed into a calm Note Nay Thunder saith one which seems to be all Voice is all Eare when God speaks So then when it Thunders conceive the great Jehovah is now speaking to thee and addresse thy selfe to all diligent attention when it Lightneth imagine his flaming Eyes doe now sparkle and flash indignation against sin and sinners So terrible is the Voice of God that it doth not only shake the Earth but the q Heb. 12 26. Heaven By the way If THUNDER be Gods voice bold and sawcy is their practice that stop their eares when it thunders For if a King speak to one and he turn away his face or stop his eares it is held a point not onely of neglect but scorn and disdain How darest thou slight and neglect God when his Voice is sounded and hee speaks to thee by Thunder Is not this to be r Psal 58.4 like a Deafe Adder that stoppeth her eares If it be a sin to stop our eares at the cry of the Å¿ Prov. 21.13 poore or t Acts 7.57 voice of Steven Much more is it Rebellion to stop our eares at this voice of God Is it not in the words of Zechary to u Zach. 7.11 12. refuse to hearken to pull away the shoulder stop our eares that we should not heare his voice and make our hearts like an adamant stone What a childish weaknesse is this to think the not hearing of Thunder can shield you from it Nay what a sin is this to stop your ears when God hath commanded w Iob 37.2 3 4 5. you to heare it Job 37.2 Heare attentively the noise of his voice and the sound that goeth out of his mouth Mark 1 You must heare it when it Thunders 2 Not onely so but hearken and listen attentively thereunto x Trap in Locum p. 320. Mercer doth thus paraphrase it out of Kimchi Hear ye hear ye hear ye again and again and then ye also will tremble 3 He doth not onely require us to heare Gods voice in generall for so we might thinke hee meant the voice of his Word or Spirit but the Noise of his Voice and the Sound of his mouth when God thundreth from Heaven As you may see in the following verses How can these things be done if you stop your eares when it thundreth as though you would be too hard for God How oft are we bid y Deut. 26.17 28.1 2 15 45. 30.10 Hearken to the voice of God If Thunder then be his Voice you must hearken to that and other Voices of God Never feare it will make you deafe as the fall of Nile doth the Catadupe z Bernard Aura prima mortis janua Prima aperiatur saluti The eare was the first doore of sin now let it be opened for thy spiritual good Thus you have seene God is the Thunderer because Thunder is stiled his VOICE so often in the Bible The ancient Romans would say Heark God thundreth The meer heathens still ascribed Thunder to God They stiled Jove Altitonantem thundring from on High The Romans had a multitude of gods yet the power of sending Thunder they restrained to a L. Vives in Aug. de civ Dei lib 4. cap. 23. Jupiter and Pluto Day-thunder to the former and Night-thunder to the latter Fulmen supremi Jovis Gestamen est saith b Pierii Hierogl Pierius But d Tertull. Advers Gent. p. 33. Tertullian shews the Pagans that Thunder was before Jupiter and so he concludes it is not from
an apparition in a Cloud Lightning having no Representation That by this meanes the People might have no occasion to commit Idolatry As God himselfe saith Deut. 4.15 Take heed to your selves for yee saw no Image in the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb. For which Reason m Deut. 24.6 also the Lord did not let them know where Moses was buried lest the superstitious people should have worshipped his Dust and gone in tedious pilgrimages to his Grave Answ 7 7ly Gods delivering the Law with Thunder foreshewed the severity of the last day when all must be accountable how that Royall Law hath beene kept or wilfully broken For if the Law was so terrible when it was given then it n Bishop Babington on Exod 19. p. 278. shews there will be a blacke and tempestuous day when all the breaches of that Law shall be judged But of this we shall say more hereafter Answ 8 Lastly It might have this mysticall signification or application Thunder might set forth God the Father the Cloud God the Son who by assuming our humane nature shadowed the glory of the Deity drawing as it were a cloud or curtain before it The Lightning might set forth the Holy Ghost mighty in his operation shooting his Influences into the soule And the Trumpet might fignifie Angels that publish and make known his Will and delight to celebrate his Praise Thus you see why the Law was ushered in with Thunder Lightnings the sound of a Trumpet with the shaking and smoaking of the Mount in a supernaturall and miraculous way Thirdly 3 At the promulgation of the Gospel We read of extraordinary Thunder at the Promulgation and for the confirmation of the Gospel a circumstance it may be not commonly known nor considered Here I will shew the Reader in generall that the Gospel was ratified and confirmed by divers Miracles and then in particular by supernatural Thunder and voices from Heaven 1 The Gospel was confirmed by great and wonderfull o Hugh Grotius de verit Relig Chr. miracles In its infancy it was crowned and supported by divers p Hildersham on John p. 332. 396. Baxters Rest part 2. p. 223. Miracles as giving Food to the hungry health to the sick and sight to one that was borne blinde Marvellous was his conception in the wombe of a Virgin The miraculous Star appearing at his Birth was observed by the Chaldean Astronomers who came and offered rich Presents to Christ Now the wonderfull Miracles wrought by Christ Proved the Gospel to be of God As his turning water into Wine His dispossessing of Devils his raising q Acts 17.31 Rom. 1.4 others that were dead and himselfe the Third day according to the Scriptures Note Moreover the Sun was ecclipsed at his Passion in the 14 day of the Moon when she was fully opposed to the Sun so by Nature it was impossible To which we may add his Ascention and the ceasing of the Oracles All these gave in irrefragable Testimonies to the Gospel Divers of which Miracles as done by Christ the Hebrew Talmud doth grant r Iosephus Antiq. Iud. lib. 18. cap. 4. Josephus confesseth them Å¿ Huart his Trial of Wits cap. 14. p. 258. Publius Lentulus wrote of them from Jerusalem to the Roman Senate Nay Colsus and Julian deny them not If it should be here objected that many Prophets wrought Miracles before Christ How then did Miracles proclaim Christ to be the Saviour The judicious t Despagnes new observations on the Creed p. 79. ad 87. Despagnes hath very well untied this Knot 1 Before Christ Miracles were rare Few Men had power to work them and no ONE person did worke many 2 No Miracle was wrought for well neare 800 yeares before Christ So no Person working any Miracles came any thing near the time in which the Messiah was expected Note Therefore John the Baptist so noted a Prophet had yet no power of working Miracles Note 3 None of those of whom Christ is Descended according to the flesh had ability to work Miracles And none of the Tribe of Judah had ever that power or priviledge till our Saviours appearance because he was to come of that Tribe 2 And more particularly the Gospel was confirmed with a Voice from Heaven and supernaturall Thunder to usher it in This I shall prove or at least render probable by three sorts of Testimonies and then proceed to the Reasons why it was so The 3 Testimonies are these and a Triple cord is not easily broken The first and best from Gods word 1 Testimonies from the word Iohn 12.28 29. Father glorifie thy Name Then came there a voice from heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again The people therefore that stood by and heard it said that it Thundered Now that really it did Thunder seems very probable because of the number nearnesse and confidence of them that heard and attested it 1 Their number Not one man but the People 2 Their nearnesse Not the People who stood afar off and heard a confused noise but the People that stood close by knew it to be Thunder 3 Their confidence They said it thundred without a peradventure or we suppose it Thunders Obser Some tell us others were not of their minde for it followeth in the same u Jobn 12.29 place Some said an Angell spake to him Solution Yet this might not be opposed to the former assertion of the People that said It thundred but rather be directed to that Voice which immediately followed the Thunder-clap saying I have glorifled it and will glorifie it againe Some of the People conceived these words were uttered to Christ by an Angell when indeed they were spoken by the Father of Christ to whom our Saviour had spoken just before When God revealed the things of Christs Kingdom to St. John Thunder was oftentimes the Prologue to make room for their better reception and that all others and not John onely might give the more heed to those a Rev. 4.1 5. Rev. 6.1 Revel 8.5 Revelations Rev. 4. The first voice which I heard was as it were a Trumpet talking to me which said come up hither and I will shew thee things which shall be hereafter And out of the Throne proceeded Thundrings Lightnings and Voyces So again Rev. 6. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the Seales and I heard as it were the noise of Thunder one of the four Beasts saying come and see So again Rev. 8. And there were Voices Thunarings and Lightnings and an Earth-quake and the 7 Angels which had the seven Trumpets prepared themselves to sound The like Thundrings St. John heard at other times of his b Revel 14.2 Revel 19.6 Prophesie Mat. 17.5 You read there was a voice spake unto Christ in the Syriack it is Filia vocis The Daughter of a voice By which the Hebrews mean a Voice or Discourse following some Thunder-clap Secondly
day of Judgement We come now to see how all this Discourse of Thunder may be rendred more Practical and so more Profitable to us by such Inferences as will naturally flow from this Theam Inference 1 First This subject is brim full of terrour for the enemies of God such as have open or secret enmity to him his Son his Spirit his Truth his Ordinances or his People O let such reflect upon their dangerous estate with serious and retired Musings Every t Non aliter de Tonitru loquuntur Scripturae quam de Dei voce mognifica atque terribili plenâque minarum time you heare it Thunder the Lord threatneth Ruine and Destruction to you Let the secure Atheist consider that if we had no other Argument to prove a God this would be sufficient Imagine that u The PersiaÌ„s worshipped the Sun The Aegyptians an Ox The Grecians Feavors Some also in Cyprian Crocadiles and Snakes The Romans hellish Furies I never read of any but Diagoras and Diodorus that denyed a God Vide Cyprian cont Demetrian Tract 1. all Nations did not confes a God that we could not read a God in the volumnes of Creation Scripture and Conscience Yet one clap of Thunder is enough to convince us of a Deity make us lye groveling in the Dust before him How dare you sin against this holy God that cannot eudure sin and this all-powerful God that is able to punish it He can easily discharge the great Guns of Heaven and cut you off in your sins ONE flash of Lightning is sufficient to send you into the lake of Fire One Thunder bolt is enough to tear and dispatch you into a sad Eternity What will ye do when God is angry His wrath and revenging Justice are described by the roaring of Lions by Thunder Earth-quakes Tempests and devouring Fire But w Psalm 90.1 who knows or can expresse the power of his anger When he is wroth the Angels seeke to hide themselves The Heavens melt away like waxe Jordan is driven back The Mountains smoak The Devils tremble and the pillars of the Earth are shaken Is the Grashopper able to fight with a Lion Can stubble resist a Fire or chaffe a Whirl-winde Then may you oppose God and prosper O consider this yee that forget God lest he teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Kisse the Son lest his anger kindle and his jealousie smoake against you and there be no remedy Inference 2 Secondly in particular it speaks reproof to those that gaze purposely on the Lightning and out-brave the Thunder saying they feare it not Accusing such as are more serious of ignorance childishnesse and effeminate weaknesse Mr. Perkins writes of one who blasphemously scoffed at this work of God and the Author in x Trâ—p on Job 39. p. 244. words which I am fearful to repat and thereupon a Thunder-bolt slew him Some bold impious and impudent wretches slight and laugh at these great and wonderful works of Almighty God But 't is dangerous playing with Edge-tools or jesting with things of serious importance Some feare trivial matters who yet regard not Thunder as your Divedappers saith one duck not at this rattle in the Air which they doe on very small occasions So some are not moved by Thunder who would cry out if a Sword were drawn or Pistoll shot off The old Italians were wont to drown Thunder by ringing their greatest Bells a bold madnesse It is recorded of Clearchus that ex liberis unum Tonitrum appellavit He presumed to call one of his Children by the name of Thunder saith y Pierius Hierogl 〈◊〉 43. cap. 27. p. 552. Pierius z Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 35. cap. 10. Apelles was so conceited of his skill that he attempted to picture Thunder and Lightning which was at once impious and impossible For the Poets when they would expresse the celerity of any thing a Pier. Hierogl lib. 43. cap. 27. say Fulminis ocyor alis swifter then Lightning It cannot be therfore painted much lesse Thunder We read also of great Men that have presumed by artificiall founds to imitate Thunder Note Caligula attempted by certain Engines of Art to counterfeit Thunder and Lightning that the People might fear and worship him for a God But on a time when there hapned greater claps of reall Thunder then ordinary he ran under his bed to hide himselfe and at last came to a miserable end dying of thirty wounds in his secret Gallery going to bathe himself So Alladius who reigned before Romulus was a notable contemner of God and his works for he astonisht his People with Aartificiall Thunder and Lightning but at length was destroyed in his house set on fire by True Lightning from Heaven So b Diod. lib. 4. also the K. of Elide plaid the same pranks and was destroyed by a Thunder-bolt for his pains Heare what the Lord spake to Job c Job 4.9 Hast thou an arm like God or canst thou thunder like him 'T is a bold madnesse to goe about to imitate God in his unimitable works The counterfeiting of Thunder was common in our Play-houses which for that and many other causes were deservedly suppressed by Authority I have given you divers instances of contempt cast upon this voice of God To prevent and endure which reflect upon the dreadful Operations of Thunder and Lightning which are recorded for our admonition Thunder hath been often accompanied with fearfull Judgements as destructive Hail burning flashes sweeping Rains and terrible Earth quakes In the d Stows Chr. p. 102. third year of Edward the first 1275. on Nicholas day there were great Earth-quakes Thunders and Lightnings with an huge Dragon and blazing Star which made many men sore afraid Observe that some Lightnings do fill the Aire with impure and hurtful smels Fulmina Fulgura sulphuris Odorem habent e Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 35. e. 15. saith Pliny Thunder and Lightning do oft leave a sulphurious Brimstony Unsavoury smell behind them So when you read that Sodome was destroyed with fire and brimstone it may be spoken of brimstony Lightnig from Heaven For Sodome was destroyed f Dr. Willet on Gen. 19. p. 184. very suddenly g Tertullian Opera p. 556. in Sodomam Tertullian seemes to be of this minde Fumantes coÌ„eunt nubes Novus irruit imber Sulphura cum flammis flagrantibus aestuat aether Exustus crepitat liquidis Ardoribus Aether How many have been blasted with Lightning How many have suffered in their bodies in their houses in their friends in their Cattel and substance by Thunder and Lightning All which considered we have little reason to out-brave Thunder or jest with Lightning Inference 3 Thirdly take hence matter of Admonition to six several Duties As Duty 1 First when you see it Lighten or heare it Thunder fear before the great and mighty Jehovah 1 Let great ones thinke of it and know there is one greater then
hearth Unsanctified Ministers may possibly convert and comfort sinners Admit the Minister be sinfull shall the People despise his Doctrine Our Saviour t Mat. 23.3 forbids it Was the glory of the Arke any thing diminished when it came from the Philistins Scripture is Scripture though uttered by Satan Non ergo merita personarum sed officia sacerdotum considerentur saith u Ambrose cap. 5. De iis qui mysteriis initiantur Ambrose Look not so much on the worthinesse of their persons as the weight of their office and employment I have stayed here the longer because some Expositors do understand this of Job to be meant rather of moral then natural Thunder viz. The highest Publications of Gods power and greatnesse Inference 4 Fourthly and lastly This discourse of Thunder brings an Olive-branch of Peace and Comfort for the Saints There is no Point so terrible but it brings sweetnesse to Gods people as the Lion did Honicombs to Sampson Tully saith of Syracuse in Sicily that no one day passeth in which the Sun shineth not clear upon them Note This I dare affirme there is not any day so black stormy and tempestuous so full of pain sorrow or distraction but a childe of God hath some invisible cordiall to stay and suport him some divine Ray of consolation darted on his soule to prevent despair That Thunder hath in its mouth an Olive-branch of Peace for the interessed in Christ you may gather from the 29 Psalm w Psalm 29.9 11. The voice of the Lord makes the hindes to calve and in his Temple doth every man speake of his glory Or as it is in your Margent In his Temple every whit of it uttereth his glory q. d. A Saint may take occasion from Thunder to magnifie and praise God for his power in the Thunder-claps and for his goodnesse in their preservation who attend his Temple A Believer can with the Psalmist x Psalm 148.4 alarm the heavenly Meteors to glorifie God Praise him Fire and Haile snow and vapours stormy windes fulfilling his will The Lord saith David will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace This use he makes of the Doctrine of Thunder as the Reader will finde it Psalm 29.11 The Lord will give strength unto his people and blesse them in tempore tonitru saith Aben Ezra this he will do in the time of Thunder So in the 18 Psalm y Psal 18.6 16. In my distresse I cryed to my God he heard my voice he sent from above he took he drew me out of many waters Now look just before and you will finde in nine or ten Verses a lively and terrible description of Thunder and Lightning So again by the Prophet Nahum z Nahum 1.6 7. Who can stand before his indignation who can abide the fiercenesse of his anger His fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble he knoweth them that trust in him Thus you see it proved by Scripture that in Thunder and tempests in all dangers the a Prov. 18.10 Name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it and are safe b Psal 91.11 He will give his holy Angels charge over them to keep them in all their wayes Now let us see from what coast the People of God shall fetch comfort in the time of Thunder and Tempest I answer From naturall and spirituall confiderations 1 Naturall such as these 1 THUNDER is from naturall causes so is not alwayes an Argument of Gods displeasure no more then Haile Snow Raine or any other Meteor Though Thunder ever proclaims the power of God yet it doth not always trumpet forth his Anger 2 Oftentimes it hath good effects on the Aire and Earth c Sen. lib. 2. Nat. q cap. 31. Seneca the Philosopher saith that some Thunders destroy the poyson that is in Serpents Ipsir serpentibus illaesis And divers tell us of Thunders that help to purge and purifie the Aire Leigh's Treatise of Divinity li. 3. c. 4. doing much good in times of sicknesse and infection Derat aerem consumptis venenosis halitibus 2 But the Saints may chiefly draw comfort from spirituall considerations such as these Comfort 1 1 Of old God was wont to reveale himselfe by Thunder but now see his goodnesse he speaks to you in a soft and still voice Of old it was e Psalm 18.8 I heard thee in the secret of the Thunder But in these last dayes he hath spoken to us by his Son and Ambassadors sent by him Comfort 2 2 Thunder is ordered by the Almighty Though Angels may be Instruments though the Earth Air and Stars may contribute help in a naturall way of production Yet God is the efficient and principal Agent Thunder is still f Exod. 9.23 2 Sam. 22.14 1 Sam. 7.10 ascribed to God As the voice of a Man is governed and ordered by him that speaks so is Thunder by the Lord it being his Voice g Psalm 29.1 ad 9. as you have heard Though Thunder be a terrible weapon yet remember 't is in the hand of your gracious Father Note How carefull is the loving Father about Pistols ready charged if his little children be near them This affection of Parents to Children is ruggednesse and cruelty if compared with the mercies and compassions of our God The very Rebukes of God are all dipped in mercy h Jer. 31.20 Since I spake against Ephraim I do earnestly remember him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. Are not Bullets from the roaring Cannon in time of Battell ordered by the Lord which is clear in holy i Jer. 39.17 18. Iob 5.20 Psalm 140.7 Eccles 9.11 Psalm 91.7 writ And do Thunder-bolts from Gods owne Fort-Royal come by chance do his swift Lightnings flye without commission When David had set forth this worke of God he adds The Lord sitteth King for ever Psalm 29.10 God is King over Angels over men over all Meteors and creatures He commands rules and orders them for time place person Iob 37.4 opened and manner of operation See Job 37 4. He thundreth with the voice of his excellency he will not stay them when his voice is heard Not stay THEM that is New flashes of Lightning or showrs of Hail or Rain which usually break out either when it thundreth or by and by after in a violent and impetuous manner Marke He will not STAY them Note Intimating he can when he seeth good Thunder-bolts and angry Hail-stones must have leave and commission from God or they cannot stir Object If it be so then may some object surely none of Gods children shall receive any prejudice by these things To which I answer Solution 1 If any should suffer by Thunder and Lightnings you may not for that conclude them enemies of God No man knowing Divine