SERMON I. Thursday Morning, Nov. 2.

I SHALL make no Reflections on the Occasion of these Words as they lie in the Psalm. I only propose to consider them as they are a mere Allusion to a most awful and astonishing Work of GOD, which we were all the amazed Witnesses of a few Evenings ago. Then the Earth shook and trembled, the Foundations also of the Hills moved and were shaken, because He was Wroth.

NOR shall I make any critical Remark on the Text, unless this one—That in the Parallel Place of 2. Sam XXII. 8. The Foundations of the Hills are called, The Foundations of Heaven. No doubt for the same Reason that the Hills are also called the Pillars of Heaven, when they are said to tremble, in Job XXVI. 11. And this because the Tops of the [Page 2] Mountains seem to touch the Clouds, and the Hea­vens themselves to bear upon them ^(j). In this respect the Foundations of the Hills appear to the Eye, with that Magnificence & Grandeur, as if they were the Pillars & Foundations of Heaven it self.

BUT tho' the words be a mere Allusion; yet there must needs be a Justice & Propriety in it, and they must allude to Realities: And what can they be but these,—

1. THAT when the Earth shakes & trembles, and the Foundations of the Hills move and are shaken, It is the great GOD himself that shakes and sets them a moving.

2. THAT He does this terrible Work because He is Wroth, and thereby expresses his fearful Dis­pleasure.

THESE two things are fairly implied in the Text, as the very Ground & Occasion of this proper Allusion. It is the most High GOD Himself that as the First Cause makes the Earth to tremble: And this He does because He is Angry, and thereby He clearly shows He is so. These are therefore the Ob­servations before us,

Obs. 1. THAT when the Earth shakes and trembles and the Foundations also of the Hills move and are shaken, It is the Great GOD Himself that shakes and sets them a moving.

THE Psalmist here uses a Variety of Phrases ex­pressing nearly the same Idea; to represent the Re­petition and Fearfulness of this Divine Operation, and raise our Minds to the most solemn & sensible Con­ceptions of it. But for the Illustration I shall endea­vour these three things,

1. To give some Description of this dreadful Event of Providence.

2. To consider something of the natural Causes.

[Page 3] AND then,

3. And lastly, LEAD you up to GOD as having the highest and principal Agency in this tre­mendous Action.

I. TO give some Description of this terrible Event of Providence, the shaking and trembling of the Earth.

AN Earthquake may very possibly be UNIVERSAL. There are doubtless Provisions enough in Nature to produce such a one. Every Place on Earth, at ev'ry Season of the Year, and at ev'ry moment of the Day and Night, is doubtless liable to these Concussions. Whole Continents have trembled at once, with their neighbouring Islands, tho' the deep Channels of the Seas lay between them. And as the same Causes may concur & operate in the four Quarters of the Globe at once, they may at the same time effect a universal Convulsion.

SUCH a Shake of the whole Earth there seems to have been both at the Passion and Resurrection of it's mighty Redeemer. Matth. XXVII. 50,—52. Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the Ghost: And behold the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the Top to the Bottom: and the Earth did Quake, and the Rocks rent, &c. The Sun & Heavens had been vail'd with Dark­ness for three Hours before, at his dying Groans ^*: And now the Earth was struck with Trembling at his Expiration. And at his Rising out of the Grave, we read in the following Chapter at the first Verse, And behold there was a great Earthquake.

How fit was it that the whole Earth shou'd tremble; when the Maker, the Upholder, the Lord and the Saviour of it, was struggling in the Pangs of Death, and his Soul & Body were violently rending asunder? And why shou'd not the whole Earth be moved; when He break out of the Bowels of it, in [Page 4] which He had been imprisoned, to rescue it out of the Hands of those infernal Powers that had for so many Ages usurped the Dominion over it.

OF this surprizing Time it was foretold in, Hag. 11. 6, 7. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts, yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land: and I will shake all Nations: ^† And the Desire of all Na­tions shall come, and I will fill this House with Glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. And thus the Apo­stle explains it in Heb. XII. 26.— [...]: tho' doubtless with a further View to a more astonishing Fulfilment at our Blessed SAVIOUR'S Second Appearance.

HOWEVER, The Great and dreadful Day is hasten­ing, when there shall be a universal Convulsion in this lower World. Of this amazing Time we read in Isa. XXIV. 1, &c. Behold the Lord makes the Earth empty, and makes it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the Inhabitants thereof.—Fear, and the Pit, and the Snare, are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the Earth! And it shall come to pass that He who fleeth from the Noise of the Fear shall fall into the Pit: And he that cometh up out of the midst of the Pit shall be taken in the Snare: For the Windows from on High are open, and the Foundations of the Earth do shake: The Earth is utterly broken down, the Earth is clean dissolved, the Earth is moved exceedingly: The Earth shall reel to & fro like a Drunkard, and shall be removed like a Cottage, and the Transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again.

WHOEVER diligently reads this Chapter and at­tentively Compares it with 2 Pet. III. Rev. XX, and other Places of the Holy Prophesies, where the very same things are mentioned, will doubtless clearly see that these Predictions of an Universal Earthquake [Page 5] refer to the End of this present State of the World, when there will also immediately come on a univer­sal Conflagration. First, The Earth will extreamly shake and reel to and fro: and therewith the Build­ings on it must needs make a dreadful crackling Noise and tumble to Ruins. On this account 'tis said, The Inhabitants shall Fly from the Noise of the Fear—i. e. The fearful Noise of their Dwellings rending to pieces: But flying from this, they shall Fall into the Pit—i. e. The gaping Caverns of the Earth open­ing round about them: and those who escape from these shall be taken in the Snare—i. e. Such an in­extricable one as we have described in Psal. XI. 6. Upon the Wicked He shall rain Snares, Fire and Brimstone, and an horrible Tempest: This shall be the Portion of their Cup. The nature of this fright­ful Noise, with the Pit and Snare, is therefore plainly pointed at in the words immediately following, wherein the Two general Causes are thus assigned—For the Windows from on high are opened, ^* and the Foundations of the Earth do shake.

OF the same dreadful Time we also read in Rev. XVI. 15.—c. ^‡ Behold I come as a Thief: Blessed is He that Watcheth—And there were Voices and Thunders & Lightnings, and there was a great Earthquake, such as was not since Men were upon the Earth, so mighty an Earthquake and so great: And the great City was divided into three Parts, and the Cities of the Nations fell: and great Baby­lon came into Remembrance before God, to give unto Her the Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of his Wrath: And ev'ry Island fled away: and the Mountains were not found: and there [...] great Hail out of Heaven, &c.

[Page 6] AT the End of this present State of the World, will be such a universal sudden and destroying Earth­quake. But till that amazing time comes on, our Blessed SAVIOUR tells us; There shall be Famines, Pestilences, Troubles, Great Earthquakes in diverse Places, and fearful Sights and great Signs from Heaven: That these are the Beginning of Sorrows, and the Signs of his Coming, and of the End of the World ^‖.

THEY are these PARTICULAR Earthquakes that we are how considering: of which there have been great Numbers of dreadful Instances in these latter Ages, and in which there has been a very great Va­riety.

THEY sometimes come upon some threatning and foreboding Symptoms: But for the most part at once, without the least Intimation or Suspicion. Sometimes in dreadful Tempests; but oftener in the calmest and serenest Seasons. They are sometimes of a narrower, at others of a larger Compass. Sometimes their Shocks are of a shorter, at others of a longer Duration: Some are of a lesser, others of a greater Violence: Some­times they quickly cease and leave the Earth at Rest; at other times they soon repeat their terrible Efforts, and throw the Earth into new Convulsions.

SOMETIMES they make the Earth to jarr & vi­brate, and sometimes to waver like the Waves of the Sea. In such a manner was the Place shaken where the Apostles were assembled. Acts 4. 31. And thus the Foundations of the Prison where Paul & Silas lay bound, were shaken by the Great & sudden Earthquake, in Acts 16. 26. The Original Words in both those Places signify, to fluctuate like the Waves of the Ocean, or to reel, or rise and lower like the Ships upon them. ^(z)

[Page 7] SOMETIMES they alter the Channels of the Seas themselves, and fill up the most commodious Har­bours. Sometimes they throw down Houses or roll the Mountains upon them, and bury their Inhabi­tants under their Ruins: and thus their Beds are made their Graves, and their Dwellings turned into Tombs to cover them. Sometimes they open the Ground▪ and swallow up whole Streets & Cities into the Depths of the Earth in a moment: The Parents and their Children go down alive & shrieking, with all their Substance into the Pit together: They are covered up for ever: And either the Earth closes over them, or the gushing Floods of Waters in a moment overwhelm & drown them, and leave no sign of the Places where they have lived & sinned together.

SOMETIMES with the opening Earth there issues out a fiery stream of Brimstone, that runs with an amazing Swiftness, devours every thing before it, and that none can escape. And sometimes they blow forth mineral and malignant Steams that destroy the People round about with raging Pestilence. Thus it was with Corah and his guilty Company. Numb. XVI. 31—35. ^* The Ground clave asunder that was under them, and the Earth opened her mouth & swallow'd them up, & their Houses, and all the Men that apper­tained to Korah, & all their Goods: They & all that appertained to them, went down alive into the Pit, and the Earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the Congregation. And all Israel that were round about them [...] at the Cry of them: for they said, Least the Earth swallow us up also: And there came out a Fire from the Lord, and consumed Two Hundred and Fifty more that were chief in the Wickedness. And with this dreadful Eruption there immediately follow'd a Plague, that quickly destroy'd hear Fifteen Thousand People.

[Page 8] AND now, surely I need not describe the Surprize, the Anguish and Horror that seizes and distresses our Minds, when we are feeling our Houses rocking over our Heads and straining every Joint, and the Founda­tions of the Earth a moving under our Feet. When the Centurion and they that were with him saw the Earthquake at the Crucifixion of CHRIST, They Feared greatly ^†. And of the Terror of such an aw­ful Event we read, 1 Sam. XIV. 15. And there was Trembling in the Host, in the Field, and among all the People: The Garrison and the Spoilers they also trembled, and the Earth Quaked: So it was a very great Trembling; or a Trembling of GOD, as it is in the Hebrew.

WE have oftentimes heard of such things at a Dis­tance; and it's likely with a [...]lighty Resentment, as remote or foreign Events that did not much concern or threaten us. But now we have known by Experi­ence, something of the Dreadfulness of them.

WHILE our Curtains like those of the Land of Midian were trembling ^‡—Fear came upon us and Trembling also, which made the multitudes of our Bones to shake. Our Hearts were sore pained within us, and the Terrors of Death were fallen upon us. Fearfulness and Trembling seized us, and Horrour overwhelmed and cover'd us: And we were ready to fly as they fled from the Earthquake in the Days of Uzziah: ^‖ Or to wish—O that we had Wings like a Dove, that we might fly away and be safe from Destruction! Did we not see every one with their Hands on their Loyns, as a Woman in Travel, and all Faces turn'd into Paleness? Alas! for THAT NIGHT! it was Great, so that none was like it! It was even the Time of Jacob's Trouble: Tho' we are saved out of it. Even when we remember, we are still afraid, and Trembling takes hold on our Flesh.

[Page 9] AND thus much of the general Appearance, Ef­fects and Attendants of this awful Event.

WE go on to consider,

II. SOMETHING of the Natural, Instrumental or Secondary Causes of it.

AND here I shall be as brief as possible, least I keep you too long from the view of the First and Principal Cause in these great Affairs: who for ever has all created Things in his Hands, and always Acts on them in the wisest manner to fulfil his Designs. Nor shou'd I treat of these natural Causes, were we not to consider them as the very Works or Operations of GOD, and the Means he uses to accomplish his Pleasure. With a reverend Mind, and not a mere na­tural but divine Philosophy, let us search a little into them, and see—How the mighty GOD invisibly works by sensible Causes, and even by those that are extreamly little and weak, produces the greatest and most terrible Effects in the World.

AND here, I shall intirely omit the many fine but uncertain Hypotheses of the Projecting Philosophers both ancient ^(s) and modern; such as of a central Concave of Fire, a vast internal Abyss of Waters, &c. I shall only take notice of those Natural Causes, whose Operations are known to us all, and conceived with Ease when applied to these Matters.

AND I must in the first place observe, That in the very Constitution and Frame of this Earth, GOD has created and form'd it in such a particular manner as to prepare and dispose it for such [...] Convul­sions.

HE has not only made it of a very [...] Contex­ture, thro' which the Air and Water and other subtil Materials can easily penetrate: But He has also formed it with a vast and inconceivable number of Caverns or hollow Places within: ^(v) and in every Part He has either primarily lodged, or by the constant Circulation [Page 10] of Air and Water conveyed, great multitudes of Sul­phurious, nitrous, fiery and mineral Particles; such as those in the Clouds, which are the natural Causes of Thunder and Lightning.

Now when these are put into Motion and strike against one another; we know with what amazing Violence they fly off from each other, as we see in our Aurum Fulminans and common Gun-Powder. So prodigious is their Expansion, that it is computed a Collection of them set on Fire, will in a moment spread so wide, as to possess above a Million Times the space they did before, while they lay in the Form of a compacted Body. They will first make their way into the easiest Passages; and if they have not a speedy Vent, agreable to their expansive and united Power, they will tare and rend away all before them.

AND thus these diminutive Causes meeting and acting in a suitable Quantity, whether in the Air or Water of the hollow Vaults and empty Spaces below; they fly off from each other with the greatest Vio­lence. They firstly issue or push every Vapour before them into the neighbouring Caverns: But still wanting Room, and especially if the Per­spirations or Pores of the Earth are stopt either by Frost or Rains, whereby they cannot get thro' soon enough; they heave and raise the Earth, till they force their way into the Air above.

NOR is [...] Tenth Part of our imminent Dan­ger. [...] terrible Atmosphere over us, which few are [...] is found to press with the weight of above [...] Thousand Pounds ^* on every square Foot of the Surface of the Earth. And when by the violent Explosions made from beneath, the Vapours within are on a sudden discharg'd and leave a Vacuity; then this astonishing weight, besides that of the Earth, immediately bares away every thing before it into the [Page 11] Spaces below, and sinks whole Cities & Mountains at once. Yea, tho' there shou'd be an Eruprion thro' an easier Passage in any Part of the Land or Water about us, a great many Miles off; Yet Here, a whole Town being over such an emptied Cavern, it may sink in a moment: and even this without perceiving so much of the Shake of the Earth, as the Places nearer and round the Eruption.

THUS has the most High GOD, in the very Com­position and Frame of this Earth, and by the Course and Laws whereby He governs all Nature, made sufficient Provision for such dire Convulsions. Thus He has placed us over great and hideous Vaults, large enough to receive the most spacious Cities, and ready to open when He sees it time to bury us in them: And there He lays his terrible Mines, to spring them at his sovereign Pleasure. And by such little weak Things, He causes great and marvellous Alterations in this lower World, and executes his most righteous Judgments.

I wou'd therefore now proceed in the

III. and last place, TO lead you up to GOD, as having the highest & principal Agency in this stu­pendeous Work.

How exceeding apt are we to terminate our views and rest in second Causes; and look on them as cer­tain fatal Things that move and act of themselves, and without Design or Reason. But this our Prospect is exceeding narrow, shallow, short & partial: And our Conceptions rising from it, are not only utterly wrong and contrary to the Truth of things, but are also opposite to the Being of Providence and the Nature of the Divine Perfections.

FOR this is to suppose, That when GOD had for­med material Substances, He only made some general Impressions on them for general Ends, and then left them to Act according to those Impressions, without continuing his active or directive Influence on them: [Page 12] which is to make these material things now indepen­dent on Him in all their continued Actings, and is utterly inconsistent with his continual Providence. Or if He continues his Influence for those general Ends, that yet the most Wise GOD neither had nor has any particular View to all the Effects they were to pro­duce in the World: which is intirely repugnant to his perfect Wisdom.

FROM the Operations of these natural Agents, we must therefore raise our Minds to their most wise Cre­ator. We must look on them as his Workmanship, and upon Him as making and moving them in per­fect Wisdom, and as having in View every Effect they were to produce when first He formed them and set them a moving. His all-wise and all-seeing Prospect must have taken and adjusted every Cause & Effect in the most beautiful Place in the Scheam of his Provi­dence. Having therefore most wisely laid the univer­sal Train in his Mind; He creates a vast Variety of Things as means in which He pleases to Work, in the fittest Times & Places to fulfill his Designs. And ha­ving made his Instruments, He continually takes an effectual Care to impower and guide them to attain his Ends.

BUT however it is as to created spiritual and intel­lectual Agents; we know that merely material Sub­stances can only move in the Circuits of Nature as they are moved by Him. We see they always and every where move and act in a most curious and regu­lar manner with respect to each other, as if they per­fectly knew each other's particular Circumstances, and were the most intelligent Agents. But they are uncapable of knowing the wonderful Laws by which they are Governed. They are therefore constantly Guided by the Wisdom and Power of Him that made them: He must continually hold them in his immediate Hands, and both impower and direct them in all their Actions. And what we call the Laws of Nature, are only the usual Methods in which He is pleased to Work in the World; and from which He sees not cause to depart, but in some extraordinary [Page 13] Cases where his usual manner of working cannot reach his Designs.

AND in a particular manner—To what else can we in Reason assign that wonderful Force & Action of those peculiar Substances that are the Causes of Earthquakes in their violent flying off from each other, but to the immediate Influence and Action of GOD? Those merely material, exceeding small, senseless and lifeless Atoms, that lie intirely dead & motionless, are no sooner disingag'd from each other; but such an amazing Force is in a moment inspir'd into them from some other Agent, as to set the largest Coun­tries of the Earth a Trembling with all their Moun­tains and Cities upon them, and to heave them up and rend them to Pieces.

IF you were to see Two mountainous Rocks to lie perfectly still while they touched each other; but being by some Means removed to a small and par­ticular Distance, then of themselves to fly off from each other with the greatest Violence—wou'd you not ascribe it readily to some mighty and invisible A­gent that with such a wonderful Force shou'd beat them away? Why, The smallest Atoms of Matters are of themselves as Dead and unable to fly off from each other as the greatest Rocks in the World.

AND what mighty and invisible Agent shou'd this be but GOD? These diminutive Substances are ever dispersed all over the Earth, the Air and Seas▪ They rise with the finest Vapour into the cloudy Regi­ons: They distill in every Shower: They peirce into ev'ry Vacancy of the Earth below: They mingle with every Substance: And when their collected Parts are dis-join'd and remov'd to such particular Distances, they are always in a mo­ment mov'd with the same astonishing Force and Vi­olence, tho' they were absolutely still before. That mighty and invisible Cause which moves them is every where always Present, attending these numberless and most minute materials, and moving them all in the most regular and intelligent manner. He moves them [Page 14] only at such a determinate Distance, with such a uni­form measure of Force and Activity, and to such a De­gree of Expansion; and then having performed his Work, and gained his End, He drives them no further.

AND who can this all-present, all-wise, all-pow­erful and all-vigilant Being be, but the most Glorious GOD? It is HE that holds all Nature in his sove­reign Hands, and continually rules it in perfect Wis­dom. It is He that Acts on these things He has made for such wonderful Ends, and that guides and imploys them as Means to produce such dreadful Con­cussions as Earthquakes in this World below.

So Job that Divine Philospher, discovers & owns of the Invisible GOD, in Job IX. 4, &c. He is wise in Heart & mighty in Strength—which removeth the Mountains, and they know not: which over­turneth them in his Anger: which shaketh the Earth out of her Place, and the Pillars thereof tremble.

So King David in Psal. LX. 2. 3. Thou hast made the Earth to tremble, Thou hast broken it: Heal the Breaches thereof, for it shaketh: Thou hast shewed thy People hard things, Thou hast made them to drink the Wine of Astonishment. And agreable to this are those lofty Expressions in Psal. CIV. 32. He looketh on the Earth, and it trembleth: He toucheth the Hills and they smoke.

AND thus we see the Great GOD has the chiefest Agency in these wonderous Works. Let us apply ourselves now to IMPROVE this Doctrine.

AND here,

1. IN these affrightful Shakings of the Earth we see the dreadful Majesty of the Glorious GOD.

WHAT more awful or lively Instance can there be of this, than to see the Earth & Mountains trembling at his Presence? Thus the ancient SINAI did; of which it is said, That Because the Lord descended [Page 15] on it, the whole Mountain quaked greatly. ^* And when He went out of Seir, when He marched out of the Field of Edom; The Earth trembled from before the God of Israel, ^† The Earth shook at the Presence of GOD; even Sinai it self moved at the Presence of the God of ISRAEL. ^‡

WITH GOD IS most terrible Majesty: And when He has a mind to show it, He can easily and in a moment do it in such an astonishing manner as to affright the hardiest Creature. He can put all Nature, even the Great & inanimate Parts of the World into such a Commotion, as to make us see in a most sensible manner, the terrifying Actings of his Powerful Pre­sence, and excite the highest and most awful Reverence of Him. He can make the heavy & dull Earth to tremble; as if it felt the Force of those awakened Passions that shou'd rise in our Minds at the Appear­ance of GOD, and as if it were mov'd with the Fear of it's present Destruction. The Everlasting Mountains are scattered, and the perpetual Hills bow down before Him. ^‖

2. WHO will not then fear & tremble before this Great & dreadful Being?

HE that can shake the Earth out of Her Place in a moment without any Instruments; for He needs them not, nor is confined to them. Or if He sees cause to use them, He has always a sufficiency of them at Hand to imploy as He pleases. He can improve the minutest of Atoms to shatter the Earth▪ And when He is exerting his Power upon them in the invisible Caverns below; who can tell how far He may do it in a greater measure, to the speedy & utter Destruc­tion of those that neither fear or regard Him? He that exerts such a Degree of Power as He does in and by them, may as easily put forth a Million times Greater, and in a moment blow up the Earth, with all things on it, and disperse it into a Vapour.

[Page 16] HEAR now this O foolish People and without Understanding! which have Eyes and see not; which have Ears & hear not! Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my Presence? ^* It is the utmost Degree of Stupidity, to be fearless of Him; and a most provoking Offence to his infinite Majesty. Such fool-hardy Sinners He therefore ad­monishes in those awful Terms. ^† Now, Consider this Ye that forget God! least I tare you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.

LET us then have a Care of Returning to our former Security: And let us bare in our Minds a lively Sense of our continual Danger. Let our Flesh still tremble for Fear of GOD; and let us be ever afraid of His Judgments. Let us stand in the greatest aw of this most Glorious Being, and not Sin against Him. He is always Present, and the same Holy, Mighty and Terrible, as He appears to be in the most hideous Earthquake.

LIKE the astonished Saul, while he trembled and fell down to the Earth; Let us now earnestly cry—Lord what wilst Thou have me to Do? ^‡ Or as the awakened Jailour, at the great & sudden Earth­quake wherein the Foundations of his Prison at Phi­lippi were shaken; came in Trembling and fell down before the Apostles and cried—Sirs, What must I do to be saved? ^‖ In the affecting Remembrance of this awful Providence and in the lively view of our continual Danger; Let us constantly adore and men­tion the dreadful Name of GOD with Reverence: and as the Apostle exhorted those Philippians, Work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling. ^* When Ephraim spake trembling, He exalted Himself in Israel; But when He offended in Baal, He Died. ^†

3. HEREIN we also clearly see the utter Uncertainty & Insufficiency of every thing on the Earth.

[Page 17] WE see how they all continually stand on dange­rous and uncertain Ground. Their very Foundations may fail in a moment. In an Hour we think not of, they may sink down with us, who have placed all our Affection and Dependance on them; Go down together into the Gulphs below, and be buried up together, till the Heavens be no more.

AND alas! How empty and vain did they look in That Night; while we were shivering with them over the Pit, and in equal Hazard of being crushed to pieces? cou'd they yield us then any Support or So­lace? Did they then appear to be Precious? Or cou'd we find any Comfort in our having Pursued them with so much Eagerness, and valued them more than the Favour of GOD and an Interest in Him.

Alas! WE then clearly saw the Vanity of these Earthly Things; We saw thro' their deceitful Appear­ance; and then we also understood our Delusions. O! That now having gained such a Sight and Des­covery, we might never lose it again; nor so highly value, nor so earnestly seek, nor so securely rely on these doubtful things, that may so suddenly fail us, and leave nothing to comfort us in the last Extremity.

4. HERE likewise we see the great Folly and Misery of those that live unprepared for such a fear­ful Hour.

WE have in some measure seen with Astonishment how unexpectedly such a moment may come: and we know not how soon we may be surprized with another, and ten times more terrible. Even while we are securely Sleeping, as many were then, we may be rouzed up in an Instant to see all things dissolving about us, or feel our selves descending into the Depths Be­low. But O the Dismay and Confusion that will then seize the Soul unprepared for such a dismal Scene.

THEN the most High, whom you have continu­ally slighted, will take his turn to despise and neg­lect [Page 18] you. Because He had called, and you had refu­fused; He had stretched out his hand, and you re­garded him not, but set at nought all his Counsel and wou'd none of his Reproof: He will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear comes; when your Fear comes as Desolation, and your De­struction comes as a Whirlwind; when Distress and Anguish comes on you. Then shall you call on him, but He will not answer: you shall seek him earnest­ly, but you shall not find him. ^‡

AND O vile and guilty Earth! The Time is approaching, when the glorious GOD shall appear to search out and disclose thy Wickedness, and to shake it out of Thee in the Day of his Anger. Tremble Thou Earth at the Presence of GOD! For ‘a Fire shall go before him, and shall burn up his Enemies round about: His Lightenings shall enlighten the World: And the Earth shall see and tremble: The Hills shall melt like wax at his Presence, at the Presence of the LORD of the whole Earth: The Heavens shall declare his Righ­teousness, and all the People shall see his Glory.’ ^* In vain then shall the Wicked ‘go into the Clefts of the Rocks, and into the Tops of the Ragged Rocks, for Fear of the LORD, and for the Glory of his Majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the Earth.’ ^† But ‘Zion shall hear and be Glad, and the Daughters of Judah Rejoice, be­cause of his Judgments.’ ^‖

5. and Lastly, HOW exceeding safe and happy are they who have the mighty GOD for their Friend and Redeemer?

THEY that have received HIS SON, forsaken their Sins, and obeyed his Gospel. Their Offences against Him are Pardoned: He is become their constant Friend: He has engaged to be so by an everlasting [Page 19] Covenant, that shall never be broken. In his Al­mighty Hands and under his Eye, they are always secure: And they need ‘not Fear, tho' the Earth be removed, and tho' the Mountains be carried in­to the midst of the Sea, tho' the Waters thereof roar and be troubled, tho' the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof: The LORD of Hosts is with them, The GOD of Jacob will be their Strength and Refuge, and a present Help in their Trouble, Psal. XLVII. 1,—7.’

SUCH as these, our Blessed SAVIOUR rather ex­horts to rejoice, even in the midst of those Tumults and Confusions of Nature that shall usher Him into these visible Heavens. Luk. XXI. 25—28. And there shall be Signs in the Sun and in the Moon, and in the Stars; and upon the Earth Distress of Nations, with Perplexity, The Sea and the Waves roaring; Mens Hearts failing them for Fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth: For the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken: And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with Power and great Glory. And when these things begin to come to pass; THEN LOOK UP AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; For your Redemption draws near.

I shall CONCLUDE with those Words which are spoken of that Great and terrible Day, in Joel III. 14,—16. Multitudes, Multitudes in the Valley of De­cision! For the Day of the LORD is near, in the Valley of Decision: The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened, and the Stars shall withdraw their shining: The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his Voice from Jerusalem: And the Heavens and the Earth shall shake: BUT THE LORD WILL BE THE HOPE OF HIS PEOPLE, AND THE STRENGTH OF THE CHILDREN OF Israel.

SERMON, II. Thursday Afternoon, Nov 9.

HAVING spoke to these Words on a late solemn Occasion; But not having Time to treat of many important Heads they suggest, nor to make such an Improvement as so awful a Subject requires; I shall now proceed to the further Con­sideration of them.

AND surely such an extraordinary Providence as has been the Occasion of such Meditations, will justify our persisting in them, and our further In­deavours to preserve and improve those hopeful Con­victions it seems to have produced among us. Nor can such a Discourse be in any measure unsuitable to the present Solemnity; when it becomes us to Sing both of Judgment and Mercy, to rejoice with Trembling, and this Day is a witness of our Great Deliverance. What is there that has a stronger Ten­dency to excite our Gratitude to Him that has given it, than a lively Reflection on the eminent Danger we have but just escaped, and by whose Great Mer­cy at that Conjuncture it is, That we are now tasting the sweetness of every Comfort?

LET us therefore still look back both with an affectionate Awe & Thankfulness on that dismal Night; when The Earth shook & trembled, the Foundations of the Hills mov'd and were shaken, [Page 21] Because He was Wroth: And yet in the midst of his Wrath He remembred and made known his Mer­cy; He spar'd and sav'd us, that we and our Families might come to this joyful Time and Unite in his Praises.

BUT you may remember our

2. OBS. was, THAT the Great GOD does this terrible Work, Because He is Wroth, and thereby He expresses his fearful Displeasure.

AND for the Illustration of it, I shall endeavour these two Things—.

1. To show that GOD does this terrible Work, Because He is Wroth, and thereby He expresses his fearful Displeasure.

2. CONSIDER the Motives of this Divine Displea­sure and these dreadful Expressions and Disco­veries of it.

I. TO show that the Great GOD does this terrible Work, Because He is Wroth, and thereby He expresses his fearful Displeasure.

UNDER the former Head we have very clearly discovered, it is the Great GOD Himself that Acts tho' in the way of natural Causes, in this asto­nishing Work: And when we feel the Earth to trem­ble, we must needs conceive it is the mighty Power of GOD that so terribly shakes and sets it a moving. In this respect He Acts as a Physical Cause: But we are now to consider Him as a Moral or Political Agent in this tremendous Action: As one that has to do with Rational & Sensible Creatures, who are capable Subjects of Suffering in these Affairs, and who are under his wise and righteous Government.

HE is a Being of perfect Intelligence, Wisdom and Justice; and therefore He must needs have a wise and righteous Reason and Motive for all his Actions; and to be sure for acting in such a terrible manner.

[Page 22] AND no doubt, One great End and Motive must be the same with others of his wondrous Works; viz. To show his glorious Power, Being & Presence, and to excite the Sons of Men to admire & honour Him. For these great Operations of Providence having a just and natural Tendency to produce such proper Con­ceptions & Excitements in us; they must needs be some of His Ends & Motives in them.

AND for the same Reason, as they have such a Tendency, to raise in our Minds the awful Conceptions of his Justice, Holiness and Divine Dis­pleasure, and to excite our Fears of his righteous and destroying Judgments; these must be also some of his Motives in these dreadful Works.

GOD is in Himself invisible: But as He clearly re­veals his Being & Nature, so also his Mind and Di­vine Dispositions by what He does in the World. In his Works of this lower Creation He abundantly shows both his Kindness and Anger to his Intelligent Crea­tures. All the Good things in it must flow from his Kindness, and are the Evidence of it: And all the Evils must proceed from his Anger, and sufficiently testify it to the Sons of Men. And in the Works of Providence—Preservations, Supplies & Prosperities must be the genuine Fruits & Signs of his great Be­nignity: And Destructions, Calamities and affright­ful Dangers must needs be the moral Effects & Dis­coveries of his righteous and holy Displeasure.

IT is indeed very difficult for us to conceive aright of Wrath or Anger in GOD: Because in our Concep­tions thereof we are apt to mingle those painful Sen­timents we feel in our selves in our angry Passions. But these can never arise in the Mind of that Glorious BEING to interrupt his Blessedness. His Wrath is only a just Resentment of his Creatures Contempt, Opposi­tion and Enmity to Him, with a just Inclination to Honour Himself in inflicting a righteous Punishment. And when Anger, Wrath and Fury are ascribed to [Page 23] GOD—they only express so many various Degrees of Offence in the Creatures, with his answerable Re­sentments, and Inclinations to punish them in a sui­table manner.

BY terrible Works the Righteous GOD then ef­fectually shows his just Displeasure. And this not only by inflicting real Calamities, but also by giving the usual & frightful Signs or Appearances of their coming upon us. For by his Works He may threaten as well as his Word: And those Works of his which bring us into the greatest Dangers, are the most awful Threatnings. And in Proportion to the Greatness of the Evils either inflicted or threatned must his Dis­pleasure appear: tho' there may be a far higher Re­sentment remaining still in his Mind, in Proportion to his Creatures provoking Offences, which He has not discovered.

BUT of all Temporal Judgments, what is more terrible than a sudden and destroying EARTHQUAKE? Famines, Plagues, and Wars are wasting and dreadful Calamities. But these destroy in a gradual manner, and give the Inhabitants time to escape or prepare to meet them. But an Earthquake comes on a sudden, and frequently does it's destructive Work in a moment, and there is no resisting or flying away.

AND now—who can think any other, than as this Great and Almighty BEING is then shaking the Earth, and making the Foundations of it to tremble; so He acts and appears in such a fearful manner, Because He is Wroth? If this be not a certain Effect and Appear­ance of his Divine Displeasure; then the most Righ­teous GOD may terrify and threaten his Creatures in the severest Degree with the Prospect of immediate Ruin, and yet not be offended. And if such ruinous Judgments as they frequently prove, are not the Ex­pressions and Effects of his Wrath; then He may destroy the whole Earth, as well as a single Town, in a moment, in the most tremendous manner, without being Angry: And the Holy Angels who look on and behold the astonishing Work, will have no Reason to Glorify Him for his Righteous Judgments.

[Page 24] AND in such a dismal Hour, while the Earth is Quivering under us—Does not every one rightly conceive, they feel the Glorious GOD then shaking it with his amazing Power? Does not every Mind look up and clearly see Him offended in an high Degree, and apprehend Him ready to express his Wrath in their immediate and utter Destruction? Does not every Conscience then justly reflect on it's undeniable Guilt in the Eyes of that Glorious GOD, whereby they have highly provok'd Him thus to threaten and in a moment destroy them? Does not every Soul then confess and bewail it's Offences as the provoking Cause, and earnestly Cry for the present Removal of his insupportable Frowns and for the contrary and im­mediate Appearance of his infinite Mercy?

ARE not these the common and just Apprehensi­ons of the Children of Men both religious & impious, in the Times of this tremendous Providence?

AND how agreable to them are the plain Expressi­ons of DIVINE REVELATION?

So Job discerns and declares of GOD in that fore­mention'd Ch. IX. v. 4, 5. He is wise in Heart & mighty in Strength: who has hardened Himself against Him and prospered? which removeth the Mountains, and they know not▪ which overturneth them in his Anger, &c. And in Chap. XXVI. v. 11. The Pillars of Heaven tremble, and are astonished at his Re­proof.

AND how agreable to this is that sublime Repre­sentation of GOD in the Beginning and Progress of these and such like Divine Operations, Hab. III. 10,—12. The Mountains saw Thee, and they Trem­bled—Thou didst march thro' the Land in Indig­nation.

THUS we read a most terrifying Threatning of this particular Judgment, as a declared Expression of the Anger of GOD, Ezek. XXXVIII. 19, 20. For in my Jealousy, and in the Fire of my Wrath have I spoken: Surely in that Day shall be a Great shaking in the Land of Israel: So that the Fishes of the Sea, and the [Page 25] Fowls of the Heaven, and the Beasts of the Field, and all creeping Things that creep on the Earth, and all the Men that are on the Face of the Earth; shall shake at my Presence: And the Mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep Places shall fall; and every Wall shall fall to the Ground, &c.

AND thus the amazed Prophet gives us a most lively Description of the like terrible Judgment, as if He had seen it in the full Execution; and then ascribes it to the Divine Displeasure, Jer. XXIV. 24—26. I be­held the Mountains, and lo they trembled, and all the Hills moved lightly: I beheld, and lo there was no Man, and all the Birds of the Heaven were fled: I beheld, and lo the fruitful Place was a Wilderness, and all the Cities thereof were broken down, at the Presence of the LORD, and at his Fierce Anger.

AND thus have we briefly shown, That the Great GOD does this terrible Work, Because He is Wroth, and thereby He expresses his fearful Displeasure.

WE now go on—

II. TO Consider the Motives of this Divine Dis­pleasure, and of these dreadful Expressions & Disco­veries of it.

WHAT shou'd be the meaning of this Heat of his Anger? Wherefore shou'd He be so highly Offended? And what does He intimate by these awful Expressions of his holy Displeasure?

AND here we must needs be sensible that our hei­nous and multiplied Sins are the unhappy Kindlers of his terrible Wrath. For every Sin is directly contrary to his Nature, Design and Will, as they appear in his Works, as well as his Word. It has a natural Ten­dency to deface the Beauty of his excellent Works, to pervert their Uses, to disturb their Order & Harmony; and so to prevent his Designs, to cloud the appearance of his Perfections in them, and Eclipse his Glory. It is a provoking Contempt & Opposition of his Law and Authority, an high Indignity offered to his glorious [Page 26] Sovereignty: And how exceeding Offensive must it be therefore to Him? especially when continued and persisted in by the contemptuous Creature.

OUR Iniquities then, are the things that have so highly provoked Him to threaten us with such a speedy and ruinous Judgment. These dreadful Convulsions are his loud and angry Declarations against them. They are his awakening Warnings: And O how awfully have they been repeated among us? And surely their Design must be either first to Reform us; or if we wont be Reformed, then to ripen us for utter De­struction. And as they have justly mov'd Him to threaten; so then—to perform his Threatnings, and punish us in the most terrible manner.

AND thus we find that Disobedience to GOD, and Contempt of his Will in the General, is by the Prophet assign'd as the moral Cause of his Anger and of this fearful Calamity. Jer. v. 24, 25. Because they have cast away the Law of the LORD of Hosts, and despi­sed the Word of the Holy One of Israel; therefore is the Anger of the LORD kindled against this People, and He hath stretched forth his hand against them: And the Hills did tremble, and their Carcasses were torn in the midst of the Streets.

AND as for Particular Sins which are exceeding Offensive to the Glorious GOD—I might easily men­tion a great Variety—such as the Love of the Earth and the Things of it above Him—the Imposition of Humane Inventions in his sacred Worship—the Pro­faning of his holy Name & Sabbaths—Disobedience to Parents and those in Authority—malicious Car­riages towards our Neighbours—Drunkenness, Whor­dom, Oppression, Cheating, Lying, Coveting, Pride, &c. And especially when these are attended with Apo­stacy, Hypocrisy, and perverse Continuance in them. When these grow rampant among any People, especi­ally those who profess themselves to be His; they do greatly dishonour his Name, excite his Anger, and move Him sooner or latter to show it in some terrible Judgment or other. And He may choose the Kinds and Times He sees most fit for his Glorious Purposes.

[Page 27] BUT I shall here only mention those Particular Sins that seem to be threatned with this particular Punishment. Now these are

1. THE provoking Sins of Oppression, Desire of the World above GOD himself, Uneasiness with his holy Sabbaths, and Cheating & Extortion on others.

COVETOUSNESS is the Root of these violent and mischievous Evils: And I rank them thus together, Because they are all thus numbered as the provoking Causes of this tremendous Judgment, Amos VIII. 4—8. Hear this O ye that swallow the Needy, even to make the Poor of the Land to fail—There's un­merciful Oppression—Saying, When will the New Moon be gone, that we may sell Corn; and the Sab­bath, that we may set forth Wheat? There's Desire of the World above GOD Himself, and Uneasiness with his Holy Sabbaths, as they usually go together. Making the Ephah small and the Shekel great, and falsifying the Ballances by Deceit. There's abomi­nable Cheating in Commerce.—That we may buy the Poor for Silver, and the Needy for a Pair of Shoes; yea and sell the Refuse of the Wheat—There's vile Extortion on the Necessitous—These are the provoking Sins, and now comes on the dire­ful Threatning—The LORD hath sworn by the Excellency of Jacob; surely I will never forget any of their Works: Shall not the Land Tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwells therein? And it shall rise up wholly as a Floud; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the Floud of AEgypt.

THAT the Trembling of the Land, and it's Rising up like a Floud, or as the Dutch Translation renders it—Being driven to & fro like the Waves of the Sea.—That this intends a dreadful Shake of the Earth; seems very likely, not only from the extream agreement of the Phrases to such a sort of Calamity; But also from the accurate Remark of the precise Time of the Delivery of this particular Threatning. For in Chap. [...]. V. 1. We read, It was in the Days of Uzziah [Page 28] King of Judah, and two Years before the Earthquake. Agreable to which we have also a Prediction of their hasty Flight from some terrible but nameless Calamity, in the latter End of the IId Chapter: And this we find exactly fulfilled, in Zech. XIV. 5. As ye fled from before the Earthquake in the Days of UZZIAH King of Judah.

BUT then,

2. ANOTHER provoking Sin to GOD is PRIDE; for which He also threatens this distin­guishing Punishment.

Now this Vice consists in an high Conceit of our selves, in undervaluing & contemning our Neighbours, in Envying their Honours, and exalting our selves against the Glorious GOD. And it expresses it self in in Boasting of and Praising our Persons or Actions; In extravagant Apparel, Building, Furniture, expen­sive and pompous ways of Living: In haughty Car­riage towards others, Reviling and Defaming them; In scorning to submit to the Yoke of Religion, and rising up in Anger against the Corrections of GOD.

THERE is therefore hardly any Sin described in Scripture as more offensive to Him, or threatned with severer Calamities. I shall only mention this particu­lar Judgment, as 'tis represented in the most awful manner, in Isa. II, &c. For the Day of the LORD of Hosts shall be upon every one that is Proud & Lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low—and upon all the high Mountains, and upon all the Hills that are lifted up, and upon every high Tower, and upon every fenced Wall, and upon all the Ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant Pictures: And the Loftiness of Man shall be bowed down, and the Haughtiness of Men shall be made low: And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that Day, when He arises to shake terribly the Earth.

THIS particular Threatning being likewise uttered in the Days of UZZIAH King of Judah; it seems plainly to foretell, and in part to be fulfilled in the dreadful [Page 29] Earthquake which fell out in the same King's Reign, as we observed before: Tho' doubtless with a view to those that were to follow in every Age; and at length that most finishing one which is to destroy the whole Earth.

AND agreable to this is also that in Isa. XIII. 9. &c. Behold the Day of the LORD cometh, Cruel, both with Wrath & fierce Anger, to lay the Land desolate, and He shall destroy the Sinners threof out of it—And I will punish the World for their Evil, and the Wicked for their Iniquity; And I will cause the Arrogancy of the Proud to cease, and I will lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible:—Therefore I will shake the Heaven, and the Earth shall remove out of her Place, in the Wrath of the LORD of Hosts, and in the Day of his fierce Anger: And it shall be as the chaced Roe, and as a Sheep that no Man taketh up.

AND thus we see what Particular Sins are so pro­voking to GOD, as to move Him to threaten us with this Particular Judgment; and if they are not forsa­ken, to bring it in his Times on the Earth.

WE must now proceed to some further IMPROVEMENT.

AND,

1. IN these dreadful Works of GOD, Let us see the extream Evil & Danger of sinning against Him.

OUR Sins of every Kind are full of Contrariety and Dishonour to this most Glorious BEING. And as they are justly most offensive to HIM, they are also most dangerous & destructive to Us. They are so many Instances of our slighting his supream Autho­rity, of abusing his infinite Goodness, and of rising in Opposition against Him. It is by this alone we raise his Anger; and by our Continuance in them, move Him to express it, both in Threatning and Bringing on us his destroying Judgments. And O! who can stand before Him when once He appears to be Angry? For [Page 30] The LORD is the true GOD, He is the living GOD, and an everlasting King: At his Wrath the Earth shall TREMBLE, and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation, Jer. X. 10.

IT is this offensive and mischievous Thing that has moved Him to testify his Displeasure in this lower World, and in every Age: To destroy not only par­ticular Persons, Families & smaller Villages; but even whole Cities, Countries, Kingdoms, with their vile Inhabitants, and in various manners. Famines, Fires, Wars, Tempests, Plagues and EARTHQUAKES are so many bitter Fruits and Tokens of his high Re­sentments of the Sins of Men. There is no Calamity, tho' ever so great, extensive, grievous, sudden; but what our Sins, especially when persisted in, expose us to, and provoke the righteous GOD to execute on us.

NOR will our sacred Covenant Relation to Him, our high Profession, or our formal religious Services, in the least avail to secure us from them. No! Alas! They rather aggravate our Guilt, inflame his Wrath, and put Him on to mark us out with more signal Miseries; as He declared to his ancient People, about Two Years before the Earthquake. Amos III. 1, 2. Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O Children of ISRAEL, against the whole Fa­mily which I brought up from the Land of AEGYPT, saying; YOU only have I known of all the Families of the Earth: Therefore I will Punish YOU for all your Iniquities.

AND for Particular Places that have been most eminent for Religious Services—See how severely He threatned JERUSALEM of old, under the Term of ARIEL; i. e. The Lion of GOD. When she grew rampant like that Creature in her violent and sinful Courses; He wou'd no more spare but treat Her with the utmost Rigour. He wou'd bring every Kind of Distress upon Her: and among the rest this dismal one. Isa. XXIX. 1, [...], 6. Wo to ARIEL, to ARIEL, the City where DAVID dwelt: Add ye Year to Year, [Page 31] let them Kill Sacrifices: Yet will I distress ARIEL, and there shall be heaviness & sorrow, and it shall be come as ARIEL: Yea it shall be at an instant suddenly, Thou shalt be visited of the LORD with Thunder, and with EARTHQUAKE, & with GREAT NOISE, with Storm and Tempest, and the Flame of devouring Fire.

THIS terrible Threatning is doubtless put on Re­cord for our Admonition upon whom the Ends of the World are come: and the Righteous GOD may exe­cute it when He pleases on the like provoking Towns and Cities. O! That we might continually Remem­ber it! and fear; least as it has begun to be acoom­plish'd on us, it shou'd go on to be fulfilled in it's extream Severity.

2. WHAT abundant Reason have we to adore the Patience & Mercy of GOD, and be exceeding Thank­ful, that We, our Families & Towns are not swal­lowed up in this calamitous Dispensation.

WHAT Loads of Guilt & Wrath are lying on us: and how have they been growing every Year? How long have we been going on in our provoking Sins, against Light and Grace, Threatnings, Invitations, Mercies, Judgments, and every Means that GOD has used for our Reformation? And O! How heavy did we feel our Guilt, and what awful apprehensions had we of the glorious Holiness, Omniscience, Power and Justice of an angry GOD in that dismal Night of our Distress and Danger? Then we see no other Refuge but that mighty BEING, whom we had been constantly Offending: and yet to Him alone must we look for Safety.

AND while we felt Him shaking us over the dreadful Gulf, it may be of Fire and Brimstone, and our Houses over us also ready to give way every moment and crush us to pieces—O! How earnest were our anxious Souls for speedy Mercy & Delive­rance? ‘O LORD have Mercy on me, make hast to help me! Preserve the House from Breaking, and [Page 32] let me not sink into the Depths of the Earth! O GOD, in the multitude of thy Mercy hear me! Let not the water floud over-flow, nor the Deep swallow me up, nor let the Pit shut her mouth upon me! O LORD, Hear me, for thy Loving-Kindness is Good! Turn to me according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies, and hide not thy Face from me: For I am in Trouble: Hear me speedily: Draw nigh to my Soul and redeem it, &c’

AND how wonderfully Gracious & Kind was GOD in our Time of Trouble. If He had put forth his Power in an higher measure, or had not stay'd his Hand as He did, but shaken us a few Minutes longer; our Dwellings cou'd not have born the Shock, but must have fallen to pieces on us, destroy'd the Lives of Multitudes at once, and most miserably crushed and broken others. What a doleful howling from mortal Wounds & Death had come out of our fallen Houses? and what an astonishing Desolation had we been this Day?

BUT his Divine Compassions wrought toward us, as they wonderfully did to EPHRAIM & ISRAEL of old—How shall I give Thee up? How shall I deliver Thee? How shall I make Thee as ADMAH? How shall I set Thee as ZEBOIM? Mine heart is turned within me: my Repentings are kindled to­gether: I will not execute the Fierceness of mine An­ger: I will not return to destroy Thee: For I am GOD and not Man, the holy One in the midst of Thee!

AND that we may see some thing more of the Great­ness of our Deliverance; I shall here briefly mention these Two Things,

1. GOD'S amazing Execution of this sort of Judg­ments in other Places.

AND,

2. His repeated Threatnings of them in these Parts of the World.

1. GOD's amazing Execution of this sort of Judg­ments in other Places.

[Page 33] AND here I must invite you, in the Words of the Psalmist—Come, Behold the Works of the LORD, what Desolations he has made in the Earth!—I will speak of the glorious Honour of thy Majesty and of thy won­derous Works: And Men shall speak of the might of thy terrible Acts, and I will declare thy Greatness.

NOR need I here search the Records of former Ages: But only confine my self to the most awful Instancss within this last Threescore Years. And as I enumerate the Circumstances, I desire you to consider, that they might have been the same with us, & wou'd have been, were it not for the wonderful Forbearance and Mercy of GOD.

IN a Province of PERSIA, which lies in the same Latitude with ours ^* in 1667, there was an extra­ordinary Earthquake which lasted Three Months, and not only overturned Houses, Towers, Churches, &c. But swallowed up in one Moment Eighty Thou­sand Men, besides Women & Children. Multitudes of Villages and Towns, thro' out the Province were destroyed the same Day: Several Mountains sunk into a Level, and the great Roads were broken up & be­come unpassable. And about Four Years after, there was another Earthquake in the same Province, on New Years Day, which swallowed up abundance of People and Houses. ^(a)

IN the famous City of SMYRNA, which stands on a most convenient Harbour in one of the finest Bays of the World, is one of the principal Seats of Trade in the Turkish Empire, consisted of about 90,000 People, and is not far ^‡ from our Latitude neither—On June 30 1688, at Noon Day, there was a terrible Earthquake, which in one Minute threw down most of the Buildings and shattered the rest. Immense Wealth was swallowed up: The Castle sunk into a Chasm that opened under it: and Five Thousand People perished. And to add to the misery, a few Hours after, a Fire broke out of [Page 34] the Ruins, which consumed the Rest of the City but a few scattering Houses ^(a)

IN the Kingdom of SICILY, near the same Lati­tude ^‖ in the Night after March 8. 1669, came on a dreadful Earthquake: which shook all the Buildings of One of their Towns to the Ground, and almost ruined Two more. ^(w)

BUT this was nothing to that most amazing one which befel that Kingdom on Jan. 19 & 21. 1693, 4.

THE Night after Friday Jan. 19. in a serene, warm and pleasant Time, the Shakes began with a Quivering motion, and were so violent as to throw down a great many Buildings and fright the People into the Churches and Fields for Refuge. But on the Lord's Day following they came on like a swist Rolling Billow, and with such a vehement Impulse, as in Four Minutes to throw above Fifty Towns and Cities, with their magnificent Streets, Churches, Colleges, Castles, Towers and Pallaces, into utter Desolations. Great Churches fell down at once, while the frighted People were at their Devotions and crushed them to Death by Thousands.

AMONG the rest, CATANIA, a famous, ancient splendid City, full of Wealth and Learning, was entirely demolished, and such a great Destruction of the People, that of Eighteen Thousand Nine Hundred of it's Inhabitants, Eighteen Thousand perished: And thro'out the Island about Sixty Thousand. ^(l)

PALERMO the chief City at the other End of the Kingdom received some Damage in most of it's Buildings, but the People then were spared. But doubtless, we well remember the awakening Accounts not long since Published here of the late dreadful Earthquake which befell that City in the Night between the 1. and 2. of September last was Twelve Month. It began between 10 and 11, and in a calm and serene Sky like ours; tho' at first the Shocks were not so violent and did no hurt: But soon [Page 35] increasing they continued with great Fury for above Twenty Minutes: whereby about a Quarter Part of that large City was intirely overturned, and reduced to a Heap of Rubbish. In one of it's Wards, an whole Street gaped at once with a dreadful Noise: from whence there broke out Flames mixt with calcin'd Stones and a Torrent of burning Brimstone, which consum'd the whole Ward in less than half an Hour▪ In Five Days after there were Three Thousand drawn out Dead from the Ruins, and many dismally mash'd to pieces: and 'twas computed that about Fifteen Thousand People perished in that amazing Convulsion.

AT BATAVIA in the East Indies, between the 4th and 5th of Jan. 1699. there was an Earthquake, where­by Sixteen Hills sunk down in the adjacent Coun­try. ^(l)

AND at the City of LIMA, on the Continent of SOUTH AMERICA, on Monday Octob. 10. 1687. at Four in the Morning came a terrible Earthquake with an horrible Noise: when some Houses fell and some Persons perished under their Ruins. At 5, another shake with the same Noise. And at 6, when they tho't they were all in Safety, came on a Third with a rush­ing Noise and great Fury. The Sea roaring arose be­yond it's Bounds: The Bells rung of themselves: The Destruction was so great that no Building stood: Several Places round about were ruined: Above Five Thousand Dead Bodies were found, and they found more Daily when the Accounts came away: so that they knew not their Number. ^(l)

BUT to come a little nearer Home.

THERE are many in this Assembly that well re­member the fearful Tydings of that Earthquake in JAMAICA, on June 7th 1692. It came on between 11 & 12 at Noon, in a clear, calm & Sun-shine Day. It began with a small Trembling, so as to make some think of an Earthquake: which tho't was confirm'd [Page 36] by a second Shake something stronger, accompany'd with a hollow rumbling Noise almost like Thunder, which made them begin to run out of their Houses. But alas! This was but short warning for them to provide for their Safety: For at the Heels of the second came the Third & most violent Shake, which threw down and drowned 9 Tenths of PORT-ROYAL their Capital Town in two Minutes, and all the Houses by the Wharf in less than One. ^(l)

THE Streets rose like the Waves of the Sea; lifting up all that were in them, and immediately dropping down into Pits. The Shake was so fierce, that it threw the People on their Knees & Faces, as they run in the Streets to seek for safer Ground. In several Places the Ground wou'd Crack and open and shut quick & fast in a wonderful manner. Some have seen Two or Three Hundred of these Openings at one time. In some of which many of the People were swallowed up: Some the Earth caught by the middle & squeez'd to Death: The Heads, Arms or Legs of others only appear'd above Ground. At the same Time a Flood of Water boyled out & rolled over others: Some caught hold of Beams & Rasters: Others were afterwards found Dead and almost covered with Sand. Some who were swallowed quite down, rose again in other Streets, being cast up with great Quantities of Water, and some into the midst of the Harbour: and yet some of these thro' the wonderful Goodness of GOD were saved; while others that went down quick, were never seen more.

THESE were the smaller Openings. The larger swallowed Great Houses: and out of some there issued whole Rivers spouting to a vast Hight in the Air with ill Stenches that were very offensive. All the Wharves and some of the Houses sunk at once: And the most so soon, that the People had no time to get out; those who were in the upper Chambers meeting the Water at the Garret Stairs as they were running down for Safety. Some of the Houses were quite swal­lowed [Page 37] up in the Earth: others thrown on Heaps: And even the best Streets in the Town full of stately Buildings sunk so deep as to be near thirty Foot under Water.

SEVERAL Sloops and Ships where overset & lost in the Harbour. The Sea suddenly rising and swelling with a strange Emotion, came rolling with such a Force as to drive the Ships from their Anchors, break­ing their Cables in an Instant, and dashing them against the Tops of the sunken Houses.

WHILE the Earth was labouring in these Convul­sions, the People run up and down, pale and trem­bling with Horror, like so many Ghosts; as if the Dissolution of the whole Frame of the World were at hand.

AND yet the Shake was stronger in the Country than in the Town, where it left more Houses stand­ing than in all the rest of the Island; tho' it be One Hundred & Fifty Miles in Length, and more than Sixty Broad. They were almost all either thrown down or swallowed up. And my Author says, It is not to be doubted, if there had been Five Thousand Towns in Jamaica, but every one of them had been ruined.

THE Waters of Wells above 30 Foot deep flew out at the Top. In several Places the Earth gaped prodigiously with great spoutings of Water. The Sky which before was clear and blew, become in a minute, dull and redish, like a red hot Oven. Amazing Noises were made by the Fall of the Mountains and the Rumblings that were heard under Ground.

IN the Mountains were the most violent shakings. Some falling down, stopt up the Roads and Rivers, and others were thrown in Heaps on one another. A great Mountain split, and tumbling, drove all the Trees before it, and overwhelm'd several Settlements with their Inhabitants, a Mile off. Another large high Mountain sunk and was quite devoured: And in the Place thereof arose a Lake 12 or 15 Miles over.

IN the Northern End of the Island, the Planters Houses, with the greatest Part of their Plantations, [Page 38] were swallowed up, Houses, People, Trees and all in one great Opening; in the room of which arose at first a Lake of a thousand Acres extent: But after­wards it dryed away, and left not the least appearance of House, Tree, or any thing else that was there before.

IN fine, The Earth continued shaking for Two Months after: And all the while, the Mountains tot­tering, and bellowing most loud and hideous Noises. About two Thousand People perished in Town, a Thousand more in the other Parts of the Island; and 'tis tho't, if the shakes had fell out in the Night, but but very few had been left alive. Great Numbers of Dead Bodies were floating from one side of the Har­bour to the other; sometimes one or two Hundred in an Heap, as the Winds and Seas drove them. And such a general Sickness presently follow'd which few escaped, and was very fatal. Half the People saved from the Earthquake at Port-Royal, are said to have Died of the Sickness at Kingston: where Five Hun­dred Graves were dug in one Months time, Two or Three buried in one Grave. About two Thousand swept away; and in the Rest of the Island a Thou­sand more.

ON Feb. 19. 1687, 8, at 8 in the Morning, there had been a smaller Earthquake, which was generally felt thro' the Island at the same Time or near it, and was much like ours. It came by Three several Shocks, with a little Pause between; was accompanied with a small Noise, and lasted about a Minute. The Ground rose like the Sea in a Wave, as the Earthquake pass'd along to the Norward. Some Houses were crack'd and almost ruined. The upper Floors especially, reel'd, as if the Foundations of the Houses were raised: In the upper Chambers it had more visible Effects than below; the Things being mostly thrown off the Shelves: And the People were generally in a great Consternation. But the astonishing Earthquake, which fell out about Four Years and three quarters after, makes this to be the less remarkable.

[Page 39] AND thus I have mentioned something of GOD'S amazing Execution of this sort of Judgments in other Places.

WE may now briefly,

2. CONSIDER his repeated Threatnings of the same in THESE PARTS of the World.

THIS is no less than the Eighth or Ninth Earth­quake which has been perceived in this Country since our Fathers Arrival hither, and even within this Ninety Years. Four or Five of the Shocks were in­deed much smaller and less extensive. But this is the Fourth that has been very General and very Awakening.

THE First of them all was on June 2. 1638. Mr. MORTON says, It was a Great & terrible Earth­quake. It was heard before it came with a rumbling Noise like remote Thunder. It came from the Nor­ward and passed Southward. As the Noise came nearer, the Earth began to shake: And it quickly rose to that Violence as to make the moveables to clatter and fall. Those who were in their Houses were afraid of their falling: And others abroad were not able to stand, but were forced to catch hold of Fences to preserve themselves. About half an Hour after, came another Noise & Shaking, tho' not so loud or strong as the former. It was far in the Land as the Indians observ'd: and not only ashoar, but also at Sea, some Ships on the Coasts being shaken thereby.

THE same Author tells us, That in 1638 there was ANOTHER Great Earthquake in New-England.

AND on Jan. 26. 1662, 3, at the shutting in of the Evening, there was a very Great Earthquake; and the same Night Another; tho' somewhat less than the former. And on the 28th of the same Month Another about 9 in the Morning.

AND after several smaller ones in the Interval since, THIS LAST seems to be the most dreadful of all.

AND now, When we hear what Desolations have been made by this terrible Judgment in other Part [Page 40] of the Earth, and how often we have been threatned Here with the same; How greatly do these things inhance our Deliverance? How glorious shou'd the Mercy and Patience of GOD appear this Day in our Eyes? How high shou'd it raise our Thankfulness to Him? How affectionately shou'd we rejoice in the LORD our Deliverer? And how loudly shou'd we declare his Greatness and Sing forth his Praises.

AND as for the other Occasions of this Solemnity; this great Deliverance comprehends them all: Inas­much as without it, we had never arrived to this chearful Day, nor had now the Season to take any Delight in our other numerous Temporal Blessings.

HOWEVER, to see the astonishing Goodness of GOD in the midst of the Signs of his Anger, Let us a little consider and compare them together.

A most Gracious Protestant KING removed by Death. ^* And yet ANOTHER with his most excel­lent PRINCESS advanc'd to the Throne in the most peaceable manner, with the General Joy of their Sub­jects, and the Preservation of the numerous BRANCHES of their most hopeful Family. A surprizing Change in the supreme Head of Government—And yet the undisturbed Continuance of the GREAT FRIENDS of the Nation in their Places of Power; with the En­joyment of our invaluable LIBERTIES both civil and sacred, and the joyful Prospect of the Continuance of them. A Universal Disturbance among the Powers of EUROPE—and yet the appearance of a GENERAL PEACE, under his Majesty's wise Administration and extensive Influence.

A very strange and general Sickness, with several awful sudden Deaths in the Spring of the Year—And yet in the most of our Towns a small Mortality. The threatning Sword of War drawn by some distant and separate Indians—and yet the continu­ance of Peace in our Borders; with the Preservation of our Fishery, Trade and Sea-faring People from the Hands of rapacious and inhumane Pirates. A very [Page 41] great Drought in the Summer—and yet seasonable Rains with the unexpected Springing of the Grass in Autumn, and a plentiful Harvest. SUCH extream long Heat ^† as has never been known among us, and therewith a raging Sickness in some of our Towns—and yet a merciful Abatement of it, and a general Health in others. Extraordinary terrifying Thunder and Lightning, ^‡ with their dreadful Strokes on the Earth in diverse Places, Houses struck and Cattle killed—and yet not a Soul destroyed. A most violent Tempest ^‖ as has been remembered among us, which has broke many Buildings—and yet on shoar, but one Life lost; and our Shipping as far as we learn preserved at Sea. How many times have our Houses began to Flame—and yet not one consumed. And finally, As the most remarkable of all these Dispensations of Heaven, a great and universal Shake of the Earth; which has overturned Walls, remo­ved Rocks and rack'd our Dwellings—and yet not one single House thrown down, nor one Person wounded. ^*

ON the Account of such a great Variety of extraor­dinary Frowns and Smiles, of threatning Judgments and of sparing Mercies; This seems to be one of the most Remarkable Years that have rolled over us: wherein we have had the most surprizing Discoveries of the merciful Forbearance of GOD, in the midst of our growing Offences and in the fearful Tokens of his just Displeasure.

3. and lastly, FROM hence we learn the various Duties both of the present Time and of our future Lives.

[Page 42] To GOD most high shou'd we ascribe our continual Preservations. To Him should we yield the Glory. His great Goodness should continually lead us to sincere Repentance and Reformation.

HAS He spar'd our LIVES from eminent Death; we shou'd now present both our Souls and Bodies as living and constant Offerings, Holy and acceptable to Him which is our most reasonable Service. Has He preserv'd our FAMILIES; we shou'd do our utmost that GOD may be feared, honoured and served in them. Has He preserv'd our HOUSES; all Iniquity shou'd be purged from them, and they shou'd be the Dwelling Places of Righteousness and Holiness. Has He preserv'd our SUBSTANCE; This shou'd be de­voted to Him; and more than ever employed in Cha­ritable and pious Uses. And has He shewn us how uncertain all our EARTHLY RICHES are, and that for ought we know they may quickly sink & perish with us; O! How shou'd we take off our Affections from them, carefully Improve them while we have them, and be more concern'd to make sure of Hea­venly?

ARE our PLACES of Public Worship still continued; O! how ready shou'd we be to come and pay our Vows therein to our Great Preserver? Are his pre­cious ORDINANCES yet dispensed, and have we now a Season of waiting on them; O! How highly shou'd we prize them, how carefully attend them, and how speedy to observe them all without Exception; least we never have an Opportunity more. How shou'd multitudes now press into the CHURCH of CHRIST which is yet opened to them; and to his HOLY TABLE, which still is spread, and they are most earnestly Invited, yea Commanded to without Delay.

O Delaying Sinners! Did you not seem to re­pent of these Neglects and of every other Sin, and earnestly Desire the Opportunity you now enjoy, when the Angry GOD was shaking you over the dreadful Pit? And if this does not awaken you; what can you imagine will? And if now you wont perform [Page 43] your Vows, improve your present Time, and return to GOD thro' CHRIST; what can you expect but that this most awful Threatning shou'd only serve to ripen you for the most sudden and exemplary Ven­geance and Destruction?

BUT alas! The most frightful Appearances will signify nothing to Change us, unless the SPIRIT of GOD shall attend & speak in a sensible manner. Thus we read, 1 Kings XIX. 11,—13. And behold the LORD passed by, and a great & strong WIND rent the Mountains, and break in pieces the Rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the Wind: And after the Wind an EARTHQUAKE; but the LORD was not in the Earthquake: And after the Earth­quake a FIRE; but the LORD was not in the Fire: And after the Fire a STILL SMALL VOICE: And it was so: when ELIJAH heard that, then he wrapt his Face in his Mantle, &c. With these terrible Works, Let us earnestly look and pray for the HOLY SPIRIT to follow and speak in an effectual manner: That He may be Poured out as He was when the Place was shaken where the Primitive Christians as­sembled, Acts IV. 31.

AND let us now have a care of thinking that the Bit­terness of Death or our Danger is past, when the Shakes of the Earth seem to be over. Let us beware of return­ing to our former dangerous and vain Security. While we remain disobedient to the Glorious GOD; we are even continually in as great an Hazard as we were in the moment of the most threatning Convulsion. And to make us sensible of this, He is yet continuing to shake the Earth in some Parts of the Land: And how soon, how suddenly, and where He will give the dreadful Blow to those that won't regard or be warned by Him—He only knows. But utter Con­fusion may come in a moment on us, as it hath on others, either while we are Sleeping; or if we are Awake, when He will no more hear our deceitful [Page 44] Cries & Promises, no longer bare with such abusive Sinners, nor let us escape, nor have one Minutes time to Repent, Believe in CHRIST, or prepare for the Judgment.

LET us therefore always bare in our Minds the Scriptural Threatnings of this fearful Calamity, with the surprizing Instances of their sudden Execution on others. And let us remember the GREAT and TERRIBLE DAY of GOD is approaching and how near we know not—when the LORD of GLORY shall come down to shake the Heavens and the Earth to pieces; to set this lower World on Fire, to refine it, and to consume the Sinners out of it; that it may be a Place of Righteousness and fit for his Dwelling. Then, tho' the Jews may have the destinguish­ing Grace to mourn with Repentance, when they see Him they have pierced, yet the rest of the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn with utter Dispair. And then so insufferable will his Brightness soon appear; that tho' at first they might fly from the tottering Rocks and Mountains, they will quickly turn to fly under them and wish them to fall & cover them from the Face of Him that sits on the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb, Rev. VI. 12,—c.

TO Conclude, LET us therefore now, this mo­ment look to this only SAVIOUR, Receive Him in all his Offices, Give up our selves wholly to Him for ever: And then live in the Exercise of every watchful Grace & Duty; with our Lips and Lives continually Praise Him; and abound in the delightful Contemplations of Him, till we come to long for that Glorious Appearance. And then We shall lift up our Faces with an holy Joy and Confidence; our tempo­ral Dangers will end in Eternal Safety; our tremb­ling Dwellings be changed for an unmoveable King­dom; and our anxious Fears will vanish in perfect Quietness and Assurance for ever.

[Page 45] FOR of that Great Day we have the lively De­scription in Nahum I. 2,—8. GOD is jealous and the LORD revengeth, the LORD revengeth and is furious, the LORD will take vengeance on his Ad­versaries; and be reserveth wrath for his Enemies. The LORD is slow to Anger, & great in Power, & will not at all acquit the Wicked: the LORD hath his way in the Whirlwind, and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the Sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the Rivers: [...] languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Le­banon languisheth. The Mountains Quake at Him, and the Hills melt, and the Earth is burnt at his Presence, yea, the World, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his Indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness 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, and he knoweth them that Trust in Him. But with an over-running Flood He will make an utter End of the Place thereof, and Darkness shall pursue His Enemies.