Practical Reflections on the Late Earthquakes, Title page – Table of contents
PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS On the Late Earthquakes IN Jamaica, England, Sicily, Malta, &c. Anno 1692.
With a Particular, Hiſtorical Account of thoſe, and divers other EARTHQUAKES.
By JOHN SHOWER.
London, Printed for John Salusbury at the Riſing Sun in Cornhill, and Abraham Chandler at the Chirurgion's Arms in Alderſgate-ſtreet. MDCXCIII.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THE late Earthquakes abroad in America, and Sicily, with that we had here last September, made ſo much Diſcourſe amongst all ſorts of People, that I endeavoured the ſerious Improvement of 'em, in a Sermon on that Occaſion; which at the Deſire of many, is now enlarged, with many Hiſtorical Paſſages of other Earthquakes, and moral Reflections relating to our own Countrey.
As to the Authors I have cited, I have conſulted the Originals as to the most of 'em; and am well ſatisfied of the Truth of thoſe few Others, which I had not the Leiſure, or Opportunity to look into. In ſome Chronological Differences between Hiſtorians, I have mentioned that Year, which I thought the moſt Probable: but if the Matter of Fact be truly related, though I ſhould miſtake the Year, the Reader is not much concerned. Philoſophically to diſcuſs the Nature of Earthquakes, many Others (whom I need not name) have attempted: Such a Narration concerning the late Extraordinary one in Sicily, I am inform'd we may expect ſhortly from the Learned Malpighius.
We cannot wonder if the Concernedneſs of the Heathen World, upon any ſuch violent Motions of the Earth, did degenerate into Superſtition. Owning a Multiplicity of Gods, they knew not to which of 'em to aſcribe ſuch Events; and therefore we read of the Ancient Romans, that upon thoſe Occaſions, they never addreſs'd their Prayers and Vows to any one particular Deity, as in other Caſes they were wont to do, leſt (ſaith *Quoniam & quâ vi, & per quem Deorum, Dearumve Terra tremuit, incertum eſſet. Aul. Gell. Noct. Art. l. 2. c. 28.Varro) they ſhould miſtake; becauſe they knew not by whoſe Influence the Earth was ſhaken. To that Modeſty or Ignorance of the Romans, we may oppoſe the Vanity of the Greeks; who boaſted they could foretel Earthquakes, as is pretended to have been done by †Diog. Laert. in Vit. Pherec. See more Inſtances: La Mothe le Vayer, Lett. LXXV. des Trembl. de Terre.Pherecydes, the Maſter of Pythagoras. But when Earthquakes happened, they were all wont to quit their ‖Anno 3861. Crebris Terrae motibus undique nunciatis, tam multae ſunt indictae Feriae Romae, ad placandos Coeleſtes, ut nec Senatus haberi, nec adminiſtrari Reſpublica poſſet, Conſulibus Sacrificando, Expiando que occupatis. Lefcoloper in Ciceron. p. 229. Imperante Gordiano tertio, fuit Terrae motus eouſque gravis, ut Civitates etiam Terrae hiatu cum Populis deperitent: ob quae Sacrificia per totam Urbem totum que orbem Terrarum ingentia celebrata ſunt. Hiſtor. Auguſt. Scriptores. Jul. Capitol. Gordianus tertius, Tom. 2. 8o.Civil and Common Affairs, and betake themſelves to their Devotions, and by Prayers, and Sacrifices, endeavour to appeaſe the Anger of the Gods.
Concerning the late Earthquakes in Sicily, it hath been obſerv'd, that *Preſent State of Europe, March 1693. p. 86.Meſſina received leſs Damage than ſome other Cities. The People in that Country being very ſuperſtitious, the Monks made advantage of their Simplicity, and ſpread abroad a Report at the time of the Earthquake, that the B. Virgin had revealed to a young Girl of nine Years old, (her particular Favourite) that by means of her Interceſſion, ſhe had obtain'd, that the City of Meſſina, which is under her Protection, ſhould not be ſwallowed up: This for a little while ſomewhat reviv'd their Spirits. But the Interceſſion of S. Agatha could not procure the ſame Favour for the City of Catanea, whereof ſhe is Patroneſs. For when the Earthquake began, the People flew to the Cathedral, where one of the Canons carried about the Relicks of the Saint: But neither the Relicks, nor the Prayers of the Saint, could ſtop the Thunderbolt which fell upon that City; but it was overturn'd as in a Moment, and not one Houſe left ſtanding. And beſides wounded and maimed that were digg'd out of the Ruines, eighteen Thouſand are ſuppoſed to have periſhed there. The Kingdom of Naples hath had a Share in that Earthquake, as well as the Iſland of Malta.
Our great Difficulty in reflecting on ſuch Providences, will be to avoid the two Extreams, of Atheiſm on the one hand, and Superſtition on the other; not to make too little, or too much of ſuch Events; not to overlook the Divine Agency, and Warning thereby, as if they had no meaning; nor on the other hand, to be bold, and poſitive, and particular in determining what they ſignify, and what we may expect to follow. I have given divers Inſtances of other publick Calamities which have been preceded by Earthquakes. If National Repentance, and Reformation do not prevent it, we have reaſon to expect ſuch, from moral Prognoſtications, had we no ſuch Call, as by the late Earthquakes, to conſider our Ways.
Few, we may fear, do practically Acknowledg God's Government, and own his Agency in theſe things. The moſt are Confident, and Careleſs, as if they carried nothing in them either of Preſage, or Admonition; or at leaſt nothing but good News. VVe have been told in *Philoſophical Diſcourſe of Earthquakes, by C. H. 4o.Print, That if any thing can be collected from the late Earthquake here, September the 8th, it is this, That as we had a long and calm Serenity of Weather after it, ſo a laſting Peace and Tranquillity will be ſettled in the World by the Conduct and Victorious Arms of King VVILLIAM, whom God long preſerve. How little Ground we have to expect this without Reformation, I leave to the Conſideration of all who ſeriouſly believe God's Government of the VVorld, and know what he hath done to other Nations, and People.
I may promiſe my ſelf the Concurrence of all Good Men in our Improvement of the late Earthquakes, which I endeavour to perſwade to, viz. Thankfully to own our publick National Mercies, while other Countries are made Deſolate. That Trembling of the Earth in England, 'tis true, was not a Prodigy in one ſenſe, becauſe we were not deſtroyed by it: But then it had not been a Warning, but an Execution, as to Ʋs; not the Signal, but the Judgment. Ʋpon the Account of a Deliverance from a threatning Earthquake, Anno Chriſti 365. we find the City of *Sozomen, l. 6. c. 2. Amm. Marcell. Le Sieur.Alexandria obſerved an Annual Feaſt, in Commemoration of it.
VVhen ſome are made Examples, and Signs to us, God expects we ſhould own his Goodneſs that we are ſpared; and take heed that we provoke not his Anger, by the like and further Tranſgreſſions. VVhen our Saviour exhorts us to remember Lot's Wife, we may ſuppoſe it was not the Miracle, ſo much as the Moral he intended. God's Judgments on Jeruſalem, he ſaid, ſhall be †Ezek. 5.15.an Inſtruction, and an Aſtoniſhment unto the Nations round about. So was Pharaoh warned by what had been done to the Proud Aſſyrian; *Ezek. 31.3.Speak unto Pharaoh, and to his Multitude, Who art thou like in thy Greatneſs? Behold the Aſſyrian was a Cedar in Lebanon with fair Branches, &c. In like manner he argues with Ninive, from his Severity on No, or Alexandria; †Nahum. 3.5, 8.Behold I am againſt thee; Art thou better than populous No, that was ſituate among the Rivers? The Puniſhment of One People, or Perſon, ſhould be a VVarning unto All. The Greek ‖foreign, Matth. 1.19.word for Puniſhment, doth ſignify Example. VVith what Terror doth God threaten not to ſpare Iſrael, becauſe they continued in their Security and Rebellion, (*)Amos 2.6, 9. See Jerem. 44.2, 7, 9. Ezek. 23.5,—31.though he had deſtroyed the Amorite before them? May we not fear, lest he ſay of us, as Jer. 49.12, 13. For thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, they whoſe Judgment was not to drink of the Cup, have aſſuredly drunken, and art thou he that ſhalt altogether go unpuniſhed? Thou ſhalt not go unpuniſhed, but thou ſhalt ſurely drink of it. For I have ſworn by my ſelf, ſaith the Lord, that Bozrah ſhall become a Deſolation, a Reproach, a Waſte, and a Curſe, and all the Cities thereof ſhall be perpetual Waſtes? God hath favoured us hitherto, and we conſider it not; he hath loved Us, and hated Others, as he loved Jacob, and hated Eſau; and yet we are ready to ſay, Wherein hath he loved us *Malachi 1.2, 3.? Behold, ſaith the Lord, was not Eſau Jacob's Brother? Yet I loved Jacob, and hated Eſau; I laid his Mountains, and his Heritage waſte, &c.
But however God may in Soveraignty deal with us, as to publick Deliverance, and Preſervation, and a Good and Speedy Iſſue of the preſent VVar, (whereas we hear of Another Earthquake in Sicily, the last Month;) yet I have ſhewn in the laſt Chapter, that no particular Perſon, without Repentance, ſhall long eſcape his Juſtice. 1 Kings 10.17. They that eſcape the Sword of Hazael, ſhall Jehu ſlay; and they that eſcape the Sword of Jehu, ſhall Eliſha ſlay: That is, they ſhall periſh in another World; for the Prophet Eliſha denounc'd Eternal Judgments on thoſe who eſcap…d a Temporal Ruine, if they continued in their Sins.
London, May 26. 1693. J. S.
THE CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION. AN Hiſtorical, particular Account of the late Earthquakes, which gave Occaſion to this Diſcourſe. The Deſign thereof propoſed from that Paſſage of the Pſalmist, My Fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments. pag. 1.
CHAP. I. The Method of the following Diſcourſe. Inſtances of Divine Severity on Others are not to be overlook'd; whether in former Times, or of later Date; on Strangers, Neighbours, Friends or Enemies. They are proper to affect us with an awful Fear of God: Earthquakes eſpecially of all other Judgments. The Terror of ſuch a Judgment in part deſcribed: that it is the Effect of Sin. p. 35.
CHAP. II. Such Inſtances of Divine Severity ſhould teach us to reverence and adore the Divine Power, and Providence; ſhould awaken us to Repentance, excite most earnest Prayer, occaſion Thankfulneſs for our Preſervation hitherto, and call upon us to trust in God as our only Refuge, and to ſecure his Favour. p. 62.
CHAP. III. We ought not to cenſure Others, becauſe of ſuch Calamities, as greater Sinners than thoſe who eſcape: much leſs ſhould we paſs a Judgment on their Eternal State, becauſe they are cut off ſuddenly by a temporal Judgment. p. 84.
CHAP. IV. What Fear of Evils to come is lawful, how far a Duty, and when ſinful. Of the Penal Fear of future Calamity: Inſtances of it as a Divine Puniſhment. What little Ground we have to expect a much longer Reprieve; we have none for Security, and Confidence. The Doubtfulneſs of our Caſe ſhould awaken our utmost Concern, and Care to prevent Deſtruction p. 92.
CHAP. V. Of God's Unwillingneſs to deſtroy a People. Hoſea 11.8, 9. explained, paraphraſed, and applied to our Nation and City: How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? &c. Abraham's pleading with God for Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen. 18. Moral Cauſes why we may expect, and fear National and Publick Calamities. p. 103.
CHAP. VI. Earthquakes uſually reckoned the Forerunners of other Calamities. We have had many Signs and Warnings; and a long Seaſon of Divine Forbearance; tho we are guilty of the like Sins, as have brought deſtructive Judgments on other People. The Land full of Sin. Publick Societies only puniſh'd in this World. p. 117.
CHAP. VII. Moſt ſlight ſuch Warnings. What was done in Jamaica, had ſpecial Relation to us in this Iſland. We in England have had divers Earthquakes formerly. Their Wickedneſs was great, ſo is ours. Several Earthquakes have extended as far as ours, Sept. 8th, tho felt beyond the Seas near the ſame Time. Other Inſtances of Earthquakes in Europe. p. 128.
CHAP. VIII. Many Examples of Terrible Earthquakes in other Parts of the World, formerly, and of late. p. 156.
CHAP. IX. God will yet preſerve his Church, and enlarge the Kingdom of Christ; tho Particular Churches and Countries may be deſtroyed. The Accompliſhment of Scripture-Prophecies and Promiſes, uſher'd in by great Commotions, and by Earthquakes. Some Inſtances thereof. p. 166.
CHAP. X. Concerning the Fear of Divine Judgments, and the Regulation of it. What Fear of Evil God hath promiſed, and we may expect to be delivered from, and what not. Counſels proper to obtain an Interest in thoſe Promiſes, and to experience the fulfilling of them. p. 188.
CHAP. XI. Security a Preſage of Temporal and Eternal Ruine, to particular Perſons, whatever God may do as to the Nation in general. p. 199.