Concerning Comets, Title page 3
THE VOICE OF GOD IN SIGNAL PROVIDENCES Ought to be hearkned unto.
EXOD. 4. 8.
And it shal come to pass, that if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the Voice of the first Sign, then they will believe the Voice of the Latter Sign.
IN the preceding Chapter, we have an Account of Moses his being sent to the children of Israel, in order to their Deliverance out of Egypt: As also of his sense of the Difficulty of that Undertaking; Whence he did entreat the Lord, that some other Person might rather be imployed therein. A man may possibly be called of God unto special Service amongst his People, and yet find a present averseness and unwillingness in his own spirit, thereunto. Moses was at first very unwilling to ingage in that difficult work, which the Lord put him upon; and therefore he made diverse Objections, which, untill God himself answered them, he could not be perswaded to comply therewith. His first Objection was from the consideration of his own personal Unfitness for such a Service. That Excuse is obviated and removed in the former Chapter. Moses his second Objection was, that the children of Israel would not believe that God had sent him to them upon such an Errand. In the first Verse of this Chapter. They will not believe me, nor hearken to my Voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. The Lord was graciously pleased to condescend to answer this Objection also; and that in a miraculous way. And therein we have 1. The Miracles that were done. Whilest Moses was yet in the Desert, vvhere God appeared to him, there vvere two Miracles vvrought before his Eyes, to confirm & encourage him in his Calling. At this Time Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his Father in Law: And as Shepherds vvere vvont to carry a Rod or Pastoral Staff in their hands, vvhereby they did direct and govern their Sheep (in allusion unto vvhichwhich Custome, David in one of the Psalms, having said, The Lord is my Shepherd, adds, Let his Rod and his Staff comfort me) thus Moses had his Shepherd's Rod in his hand, vvhichwhich at the Word of the Lord, hee cast on the ground; and it became a Serpent: and vvhen the Lord said unto him, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail, he did so and it became a Rod again. V. 2, 3, 4▪ In those Miracles, vvhichwhich the Scripture speaks of, there vvas many times an Analogy to be observed, between the Miracle, and the thing adumbrated thereby. And so there vvas in this Miracle. If we look upon the past, present, and future state of the children of Israel, it vvas not unfitly represented by this Sign. For the children of Israel bLyranus in locum. Quamvis pleri{que} Hebraeorum, Serpentem, de Pharaone & Aegyptijs' interpretantur.in the dayes of Joseph, vvere like unto a Rod, in respect of Liberty and Power: But after his Death, they vvere cast to the ground, and became as vile and odious as Serpents, to the Aegyptians. Thus the Rod vvas turned into a Serpent. Moreover, the children of Israel, vvere by the hand of Moses brought out of a vile and abject Condition, into a state of Liberty and Power. Thus vvas the Serpent turned into a Rod again. And this vvas the first Sign. The Second vvas that of Moses's Hand becoming leprous; and all on a sudden restored again. Verse. 6, 7. This vvas every vvay miraculous. For the Disease of the Leprosy is not cured so suddenly, vvithout a Miracle. Thus Moses, c vvho like a leprous person, vvas c Rivet in locum. a long time excluded from the Society of the Lord's People, being banished into a Wilderness, continued like a man half dead and buried in a desert Land, all on a sudden is revived and turned into another man, being sent an Ambassador from the God of Heaven unto his People in Egypt. 2. Wee have here expressed, that which vvas the proper Design and Intendment of these Miracles; viz. that so the People, in whose sight they should afterwards be done, might be induced to believe the Word of God spoken by Moses. V. 5. For which cause there must be one strange Sign after another. The Verse before us to consider of, speaks of two: and the next Verse mentions a third. And although the Lord does hear express himself conditionally, saying [If] they will not hearken to the voice of the first Sign, then they will believe the voice of the latter Sign, &c. The meaning is not, as though the Omniscient God did not know whether one Sign would not effect that which was the proper end thereof, or no: But the Lord is pleased to speak after the manner of Men; who if one Attempt fail, they'l try another, and then another, and a third after that, untill at last they have what they ayme at. So (saith God to Moses) I'le give thee power to work Miracle upon Miracle, untill at last the end of all be accomplished. The words imply, that it was a Duty to hearken to God's Voice in One Sign, much more in diverse. And that the children of Israel should hear the Lord's Voice therein; and that the Egyptians not hearkening thereunto, would be left the more inexcusable.
The Doctrine which the words afford unto us, is,
That men ought to Hear the Voice of God in Signal Providences, especially when repeated and Iterated.
There are three things which may be enquired into, for the clearing of this Doctrine. 1. What signal Providences are they the Voice whereof ought to be hearkned unto? 2. When men may be said to Hear the Lord's Voice therein? 3. The Reasons why they should do thus.
Q. 1. What Signal Providences are they, the Voice whereof should be Hearkned unto? What Works of God are we to look upon as Signal? Ans. In general, dRes Insolitae, aut inter alias, quacunque ratione, Eminentes, dicuntur Signa; aut quia praesens quid signant, & tanquam erecta sunt Vexilla Potentiae; Sapientiae, & Bonitatis Divinae: aut etjam quia futura Dei Opera, & rerum Eventus praesignant. Voetius in Disp. select. Vol 2. Ʋbi de Signis. P. 909.the more Eminent Works of God are called Signs in the Scripture. Such Providences as doe Signare, h. e. declare & signify something extraordinary, either as Present, or Future. Such Divine Works, as are in a special manner Ensigns of the Power, Wisdom, Justice, Goodness, Glory of the Creator. Or that do signify the Accomplishment of some eminent Work of God to be near at hand.
More particularly.
1. There are Miraculous Signs. The words before us have special reference unto such Signs. A Miracle is an Extraordinary Providence. eAmes. Theol. L. 1. Cap. 9. Thes. 11, 12.It is a Work of God above the constituted Order of Nature. And therefore the Great God, and He onelyonly, is the Author of a true Miracle. He alone doth Wonders. Psal. 136. 4. Such Works of God are called Signs in the Scripture. Thus some fSic Vatablns, Aynsworth, & alij.judicious Expositors interpret those Words, Psal. 74. 9. We see not our Signs, as notifying the Extraordinary, as well as the Ordinary stated Signs of God's Presence. As if the Lord's People should there speak after the same manner as Gideon once did (Judg. 6. 13.) Where are all the Miracles, which our Fathers told us of? We see not our Signs, we see not those Miracles, which in the dayes of our Fathers were seen. The Lord doth not appear in that miraculous way for our Deliverance, as He did for them. However, it is certain, that in many other Scriptures Miracles are called Signs. Mar. 16. 17. Act. 4. 30. For they are certain Signs of God's powerful presence with them, by whose hands they are wrought, & that therefore they are sent of God. The Miracles done by Moses, were Signs that God sent him, and was with him. When John Baptist sent his Disciples (not that he doubted thereof, onelyonly that their Faith might be confirmed) to Christ, to enquire whether he was indeed the true Messiah, or no; the Lord Christ to convince them of it, told them what Miracles were wrought by Him. Those Miracles were Signs, Arguments, Demonstrations from Heaven, that Christ was as He professed himself to be, the Son of God, and Saviour of the World. And the Miracles which the Lord wrought by the Apostles, were Signs of the powerful Presence of God with them, and that the Doctrine which they taught, was from Heaven.
2. There are Portentous Signs. Such as we call Prodigies, which are Intimations and Signs either of the Mercy, or of the Wrath of Heaven toward the children of Men. The Plagues of Egypt were of a prodigious nature. When Water was turned into Blood, it was a prodigious Sign that the Egyptians, for their bloody Cruelty in murdering the Male Israelitish Infants, should themselves dye and perish in the Waters. There were prodigious Thunders, and storms of Fire and Haile, and prodigious Darkness throughout the Land; and a sudden prodigious multiplication of noxious Creatures, destroying the Fruits of the Earth: All which strange Providences were Signs portending the destruction of Egypt, and the salvation of Israel. There are indeed some prodigious Signs, which are also Miracles; many of those in Egypt, were so. There are other portentous Signs, which are not Miracles properly; but strange Workes of Providence. Such as Blazingstars, and strange Apparitions on the Earth, or in the heavens. There were Fearful Sights and great Signs from heaven, portending the Destruction of Jerusalem, and Ruine to the Jewish Nation, as I have formerly had occasion to shew from Luk. 21. 11. Signs of this nature, are sometimes called Tokens in the Scripture, because they use to betoken some eminent Work of God, and gr…at Changes as near at hand. Psal. 135. 9. Sometimes they are called Wonders, for that they use to cause great VVonderment and Admiration to be amongst Mortals on the Earth, &c. Act. 2. 19, 20. I will shew Wonders in heaven above, and Signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapour of smoak. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. Prodigies gLegantur Peucerus de Divinatione, & Lycosthenes de Prodigijs.are oftentimes Signs portending some great and notable Day of the Lord to be at hand.
3. There are signal Mercyes of God. Eminent Mercyes and Deliverances are signal Providences. Providences that are by way of eminency called marveilous loving kindness. Psal. 17. 7. Sometimes God is extraordinarily gracious to the children of men; and He is then said to do great things for them. He bestoweth such Mercyes on them, as that themselves who are the subjects thereof, cannot but vvonder at. He maketh them to marvel at his Goodness. Zech. 8. 6. If it be marveilous in your eyes. Yea, and others that see or hear thereof, to vvonder also. When the great ones of the Earth beheld vvhat God had done for his Servants of old, they saw it and marvelled. Psal. 48. 5. Such Mercyes are signal. For they argue the great and admirable Goodness of God; and are sometimes Signs of Divine Favour towards them that are the subjects of them, Hence David speaks as Psal. 86. 17. Shew me a Token (or a Sign: the Hebrew word there is the same with that in my Text) hRavanelli Biblioth▪ sacr. in verbo Signum.for good, that they that hate me may see. He prayeth that the Lord would save him out of his Afflictions in such an eminent vvay, as that his Enemyes might by such a bright Sign of God's Favour to David, be convinced thereof, and be ashamed of their Enmity against him, whom the God of Heaven did manifest peculiar Love unto. The Lord's own People are many times the subjects of signal Mercyes and Salvations. When they are brought into such straits and Difficulties, as that they cannot help themselves, and there is none else to deliver them, now God steps in, and by his Wonder-working Providence saveth them. When the children of Israel were made Slaves in the Land of Egypt, there was little hope that they should ever be delivered: but God by vvonderfull Providences brought it to pass. And their deliverance out of Babylon, was a greater Work than that. Jer. 16. 14, 15. For the Emperour of Babylon was a more potent Oppressor than Pharaoh. The Overthrow of the Babylonian Empire was more unlikely than the ruine of the Kingdom of Egypt; yet God by signal Providences brought it about, in Mercy to his People. Such Providences are Signs of God's special Care of his Church in the World.
4. There are signal Judgements: Wonderfull Plagues, as the Scripture expression is. Deut. 28. 58. Such Judgements as one may plainly see the Finger of God in them. The great Persecutors and Oppressors of his People, are oftentimes smitten in such a way, as that it is manifest that God hath done it. They are so high, as that men cannot come at them, but therefore the Lord removeth them by invisible strokes of his Hand, or of some Angel, whom He sends from Heaven for that purpose; as it was with Herod, and with Senacherib's Host. Sometimes men are visited with rare and Unusual Judgements. There are Prodigies of Judgement falling down from Heaven upon the sinfull children of men. These are expressed in the Scripture, by that of an Overflowing Scourge. Isai. 28. 18. A Judgement that doth not keep within ordinary Banks and bounds, is an Overflowing Scourge. As when sudden destruction cometh and that upon many at once. When Pharaoh and his Host, were all drowned in the Red Sea, it was a signal Judgement. The Lord shewed the Greatness of his Excellency, in overthrowing them that rose up against Him. It was such a Judgment as did astonish the World. The Dukes of Edom were amazed at it, Trembling took hold on the mighty Men of Moab, and all the Inhabitants of Canaan did e'en melt away at the Report of what was done. When the Flood came upon the Old VVorld, and thousands of Millions of sinful Creatures perished together, it vvas a signal Judgement. And when Fire (which useth to fly upward) contrary to its nature, fell down in streams and showers upon the Sodomites, to punish them for their Unnatural Abominations, when (as one of the Ancients speaks) Hell was rained down out of Heaven upon those worse than hellish Sinners, it vvas a signal Judgement. And indeed, all publick and general Calamities, may be called signal; because they are Signs of the mighty Power, and of the great Wrath of the Holy God.
We come now to the second Enquiry, viz. When men may be said to Hear the Voice of God in signal Providences? Answ. 1. VVhen they are thereby brought to believe his VVord. The Lord's usual method is, first to speak to men by his Word, and if that taketh place, well and good: but if his Word be not regarded, then He speaks by signal Providences, one after another. The special Design of such solemn works of God, is to confirm his Word. When the Lord wrought such Signs in the Land of Egypt, it was (as hath been intimated) that People, both Israelites and Egyptians, might be induced to believe the word: which Moses spake in the Name of the Lord. The Scripture speaketh of the Sign of the prophet Jonah, because iRavanellus ubi snpra.Jonah's miraculous Deliverance out of the Whale's belly, was to be a Sign to the Ninevites, that God had sent him. As in the Antitype, when Christ was raised out of the Grave, that was a Sign that He was no Impostor, as the wicked Jews blasphemously called Him; but the true Messiah sent of God. The Gift of working Miracles in the Primitive Times, was that so men might believe the Gospel. Signal Mercyes are bestowed upon men, that so they might believe the Truth of his Promises; and signal Judgements, that so they might believe his Threatenings. Yea, and when there is a portentous Sign appearing in the heavens, it is; that so men might believe the Word of God. Therefore when they do thus, they may be said to Hear the Voice of God in such signal Providences.
2. When men are by such signal Providences awakened to Fear that God, who speaketh to them therein, and thereby, they may be said to hear his Voice therein. Signal Mercyes call upon men to fear the Lord & his Goodness: Signal Judgemens call upon them to fear the Lord and his Greatness. Yea, supposing those Judgements to be upon others onelyonly, not for the present amongst our selves, we should be awakened greatly, to fear that God, whose Name is dreadful in all the Earth. When the Lord cut off the Nations round about, and made their Towers desolate, He said of Jerusalem, Surely they will Fear me. Zeph. 3. 7. They that pour out the Vials full of Plagues upon the Antichristian world, say, Great and marveilous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty, Who would not Fear thee? &c. Rev. 15. 3, 4. God brings marveilous Judgements on his Enemyes; and bestows marveilous Salvations on his People; all that hear thereof, should learn to Fear Him. And the like is to be affirmed with respect to portentous Signs in the Heaven. For such a Sign doth, as tis said in the Revelation concerning the Angel which flew through the midst of heaven, Ch. 14. V. 7. He said with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of his Judgement is come. So doth such a Sign in heaven (especially if it be not a first; but a Latter Sign) cry with a loud voice, that all the World may hear, Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of his Judgement is near at hand. And therefore they that are thereby awakened to fear Him, may truly be said to Hear his Voice in such signal Dispensations of his Providence towards men here below. As that great Emperour kLudovicus I. Caroli Magni filius.who when there was a Blazingstar appearing, and some told him he should not be afraid, because the Scripture saith, Be not dismayed at the Signs of Heaven; replyed, but It becomes us to fear that God, who hath made this Sign in the heavens, and to admire his Goodness, in that he giveth us warning before He smiteth us.
3. When men practise according to what the Lord calls for, they may be said to Hear his Voice, in his Signal and Solemn Dispensations. To Hear, in Scripture-language, is to Obey. Isa. 55. 3. Hear (i. e. obey) and your Souls shall live. And when God doth so often promise Mercy unto those that hearken to his Commandments; such as yield Obedience thereunto, are intended. The children of Israel did hear the voice of those Signs the Text speaks of, when they obeyed the Lord's Call, in departing out of Egypt, as Hee commanded them. God requires men to forsake the ways of Sin; and to walk in contrary ways of Holiness, and new Obedience before Him. Now if they shall by any signal Providences be prevailed upon so to do, then do they hear the Lord's voice therein.
Qu. 3 But why should men thus Hear the Voice of Signal Providences? Ans. I shall mention only one Reason, and that shall be from the Consideration of the Authority and Greatness of Him that speaketh in, and by such Providences. It is the LORD, the MIGHTY GOD, that is then calling upon the Spectators, or Subjects of such Works of his. As for his Power of Might, it is Infinite. He is able as easily to destroy men, as to speak to them. He that by a word's speaking, made the World, is able by the breath of his Mouth to annihilate any Creature. Therefore they are highly concerned to Hear when and what He speaketh to them. And as for his Power of Authority, it is Universal, and Absolute. Divine Testimony ought to be received on that sole account of the Authority of the Speaker. Hence often in the Scripture, it is said, Hear the Word of the LORD, and Thus saith the LORD: intimating, that because of the Authority of the Speaker, men have infinite Reason to Hear and Fear, and to Believe and Obey.
Use. 1. By w…y of Instruction. 1. Hence great is their Sin, who despise, or disregard the Signal Workes of God. When the Lord speaketh to men by signal Eminent Mercyes, but they will not hearken to his Voice therein, their Evil is great. When they are not thereby led unto Repentance, and to love and serve the God of their Mercyes, and Deliverances▪ Such have no reason to expect other, but that God will change the tenor of his Dispensations towards them; yea, that He will do them hurt, after he hath done them good. Josh. 24. 20. and that they shall become as eminent Examples for Judgement, as ever they were for Mercy. You onelyonly have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Amos, 3. 2. Or when God speaks to a People by signal Judgements, one after another: by strange Punishments; by Unusual Rebukes of his Providence: For them not to hear, nor regard the Voice of the Lord therein, is great Iniquity. It argueth desperate hardness of heart. Were not mens hearts exceeding hard; should God but speak to them by his Word, they would immediately fall down before it, as tender-hearted Josiah did: But then, if he speaks by signal and dismal Afflictions, and that in an iterated way, a First, and a Latter Sign of his Displeasure; in case men will not now hear and obey, their hearts are like Leviathan's, as hard as a stone, and firmer than a piece of the nether millstone, Nay, it is many times a black Sign of that Hardness of heart, which is a fearful Consequent of eternal Reprobation. For was it not thus with the Reprobate heart of Pharaoh? One awful Sign of God's Displeasure came upon him, and he regarded it not; and then another, neither did he set his heart unto this also.
And when God speaketh to men by portentous Signs in the heaven; by a first and a Latter Sign, then for them to disregard it, or to make light of it, is a great Sin. Mind, I pray you, what the Scripture saith, Job. 36. 24, 25. Remember that thou magnifie his Work, which men behold. Every man may see it, men may behold it afar off. So it is when there is a Sign blazing amongst the Stars of heaven, every man seeth it, they behold it afar off; now they ought not to despise; but to magnifie such Works of God. And as for those that do profanely contemn such signal Works of the most High, there is an awful Scripture, the Consideration whereof may strike Cold to their hearts; I mean that in the 28th Psalm, the 5th V. where it is said; Because they regard not the Workes of the Lord, nor the Operation of his hands, He shall destroy them, and not build them up.
Instr. 2. Hence then, the Works of God have a Voice in them, as well as his Word. Austin calls the Sacraments, Verba visibilia: Even so the Works of God are (as we may so speak) a visible Word. The Works of Creation have a Voice in them. The heavens declare the glory of God, day unto day uttereth speech, there is no language where their Voice is not heard. Psal. 19. 1, 2, 3. Stars, and Trees, and every Creature in the higher and in the lower world, preach and proclaim that there is a God, and that He is an infinitely glorious Being. And the Works of Providence have a Voice in them: Yea, common Providences have so; much more, special and signal Dispensations of Providence. Mercyes have a Voice in them; and therefore are said to be Witnesses. God hath not left himself without Witness, inasmuch as He giveth Rain from heaven and fruitfull Seasons. Judgements have a Voice in them. Mic. 6. 9. Hear ye the Rod. Brutish men may feel the Rod; but wise men hear the Rod, and understand the Lord's meaning therein. Yea, Judgements from heaven, have a loud, thundring, roaring Voice. The Lord shall roar out of Sion, and utter his Voice from Jerusalem. The terrible Judgements, which He doth execute upon the World, are the Lord's Roarings out of Sion. There was the Voice of Speech; yea, the Voice of the Almighty, in those ludgements, vvhichwhich came upon Jerusalem. Ezek. 1. 24. Portentous Signs in heaven have a speaking Voice in them. Sometimes they speak the Mercy of heaven, and good will towards the children of men. As that extraordinary Light which shined about the Shepherds at the Birth of Christ, was a Token of Divine Favour. A very judicious and learned lConstat certe, & Lumen iliud, & hanc Stellam eodem tempore & eodem fine apparuisse: Quid ni unum idem que Lume… esset? Lightfoot.Interpreter, thinks that the Star which appeared to the Wise men, was the same with that miraculous Light that shone about the Shepherds. It was no ordinary Star, nor yet mCometam proprie non fuisse patet, 1. Ex differentia Situs: quia haec stalla inferior fuit. 2. Motus. 3. Appartionis. 4. Durationis. Spanhemius: sic & Hospinian de Origine Fest. Christian. P. 28.a Comet properly: for it guided to a particular Town & House; and was therefore such another miraculous work of God, as the Pillar of Fire, which directed the children of Israel in their way towards Canaan, being a Sign of the gracious Presence, and Favour of God. But most commonly, portentous Signs in heaven are Significations of Divine Displeasure. The Lord sends them as Heraulds to proclaim Wrath and Wo to a sinful and unbelieving World. They are like the firing a Beacon upon an high hill, which giveth notice far and near, that Troubles are at hand, and that now men are concerned to prepare themselves for the Battel.
Use. 2. of Exhortation to Hearken to the Voice of God in all his Solemn and Signal Dispensations.
The Lord hath of late Time, been speaking by very Signal Providences, in other parts of the World, which we that are afar off, should learn Instruction by. We hear the ratling of the flames of Persecution afar off, whereby the Houses of God in other parts of the World, are burning and consuming. There's a Voice in those flames speaking to us. Have nSee the Relation of the present state of the Churches in Hungaria, lately printed.we not heard how it hath been with the poor Protestants in Hungaria, of later years? Five and twenty hundred Churches there reduced to a small number. And in the Kingdom of France, what bloody Cruelties are exercised towards the Protestants there. Forty of late starved to death in one Prison, besides many other Miseryes, doleful to relate. And what a fearful Inundation was that which hapned in the Netherlands, no longer since than this last Winter, when thousands lost their Lives; and the Lord knoweth how many scores of thousands had all their Estates taken from them in one fatal night. Surely the floods of great waters have come nigh unto them. And something of that nature, we hear hath since that, hapned in the Land of our Fathers Sepulchres. God hath been opening the windows from on high there, and hath poured down a Flood of Calamity upon the Land. Historians report, that there was a prodigious Rain, and sudden Flood caused thereby in the Land of Egypt, a little before the Persians swallowed them up. An Overflowing of the River Tygris did forethreaten the desolation of Nineveh; which may probably be hinted at in that Scripture. Nah 1. 8. It may be what we now hear of, is a Sign, that God will ere long pour down the Cataracts of his Wrath upon a sinful Nation, which hath of late been found guilty before the Lord, of Signal Apostasy, Debauchery, and (above all) of nefandous Contempt of the Pure and Powerful Dispensation of the Gospel, witness the black day pV. Mr. Baxter's Church History. p. 21.when above two thousand Ministers of God were Silenced at once, as to their publick Testimony. Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this, saith the Lord. And hath not the Lord been speaking by very signal Providences, wherein we our selves have been, and are peculiarly concerned? Hath not the Sword been raging in the midst of thee, O New-England? Hath not the Lord been marching through the Land in Indignation? Hath not a mortal Contagion been amongst us, and swept away five or six hundred before it, in this one Town? Hath not God rendred his Rebukes in flames of Fire upon thee Boston; and that not only by a first, but a Second Sign of his Holy and Righteous Displeasure? And have we not bin visited by the Lord of Hosts, with Signal and prodigious Tempests? Was it not so two years ago, in a Place qViz. in Cambridge. July, 8. 1680.not far off, when one that stood in the way of that Whirlewind of the Lord, was dashed to death in a moment? Had the strength and fury of that Gust fallen upon such a Town as this, where there are a multitude of Houses, many Lives had perished. And I am informed, that there was this Summer, in a neighbour Colony rIn New-Haven Colony, near Stratford. A more full account of these things, the Reader may expect in the Collection of remarkable Providences, intended to be published.a Tempest no less prodigious; vvhichwhich in the Woods, for eight miles together, carried all clear before it. Certainly, these are Signal, and speaking Providences.
And now behold! the Lord is speaking to us, and to all the World, by a Blazing Sign, which His own Hand hath hung up in the Heavens. It is not for nothing, that there is this Latter Sign appearing so soon (within less than two Years) after a former. Divines lay it down as a Principle of Truth sQuicquid in Coelo, Terra, & in Mari fit non solito, neque usitato more, Divinitus pro Signo ponitur certorum Eventuum. Non igitur contemnamus hos Dei Praenuncios. Alsted. Theol. Natural. part. 2. p. 346., That Things, which proceed from Natural causes, if Unusual, are Signal. So may it be affirmed as to the Sign now hanging over our heads▪ Oh! let us consider the Lord's Voice therein. But, What doth the Lord speak unto us by this Latter Sign in Heaven?
Ans. 1. Surely the Lord saith by it, The World is full of Unbelief. When the Jews continued in their Unbelief, notwithstanding John Baptist's powerful Ministry, it was said, Except you see Signs and Wonders, you will not believe. Joh. 4. 48. Truly, except men see Signs and Wonders in heaven, they will not believe. Nay, except they behold a latter as well as a former Sign, they will not believe. How justly may the Lord from Heaven upbraid the World for their Unbelief.
2. God seems to intimate that there are great Changes hastning upon the World. When God creates a New thing in the Heavens, 'tis a Sign He hath some Strange work to do in the Earth. What those Changes are, Time will discover. OnelyOnly (as I have elsewhere noted) the constant Experience of former Ages declares that such Signs tCometas nova Imperia portendere, apud omnes fere gentes receptum est. Vulcanius auruspex, teste Servio, ad Eclog. 9. dicebat, Cometa significari Exitum veteris, & Ingressum novi Seculi. Grotius in Matth. 2. 2.have bin portentous of great Mutations in the World. And the Scripture foretelling the great Changes, and dreadful Revolutions of Providence, which shall come to pass in the last Ages of the World, saith, that as Forerunners and Intimations thereof, there shall be Signs in (or amongst) the Stars. God will raise an horrible Tempest amongst the Nations, which will make the waves thereof to roar. Portentous and Fearful Sights, are a Sign that the days are at hand, wherein there shall be Distress of Nations, mens hearts failing them for Fear, and for looking after those Things which are coming on the Earth. Yea, and that the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken. Luk. 21. 25, 26.
3. The Voice of the Lord cryeth to us, saying, Be you prepared for whatever Changes may come. Labour to be such as that nothing shall be able to do you any hurt. Be moved with Fear, and get into the Ark. Make sure of an Interest in Christ; and then no waters can drown you. If Troubles come; let them find you in Christ; and let them find us serving God, and glorifying Him in the several places He hath set us in. Yea, let them find us watching, and praying that we may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
TIBI DOMINE.
End of the text · Increase Mather, Concerning Comets (1683)