Practical Reflections on the Late Earthquakes, Chapter 7
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 Eathquakes in Europe.
WE ought to conſider the Extraordinary Warnings that we have had, by the late Earthquake in Jamaica, June the 7th, 1692. and here at home, September the 8th, and what we have lately heard concerning Sicily. This is the more to be attended to, becauſe the Moſt are ready to aſcribe all to Natural Cauſes. There is an Atheiſtical, and Profane Spirit viſible amongſt us, to diſregard any thing of the Hand of God in theſe Matters; as if he did not direct ſuch a Judgment, to one Place rather than Another, and determine, and over-rule the Time, and Seaſon, and Degree of it.
Conſider, what was done in Jamaica, had a ſpecial Reference to this Nation; the Intereſt, and the Inhabitants of that Place, being purely Engliſh, and ſo a Part of our Nation, though at a diſtance: which calls upon us the more to lay it to Heart. Neither is it to be deſpiſed, that they in Jamaica had a Forewarning by a Trembling of the Earth, a little before that Deſolation overtook them; and ſoon after that, we had the Warning of the Earthquake here: it followed ſo cloſe upon the Tidings of that in Jamaica, as to be very proper to awaken us to a deeper Senſe of it, and to make the Warning the more Remarkable. So that God may ſay of us, as he did to Moſes, If they will not hearken to the Voice of the firſt Sign, they may yet hearken to the Voice of the ſecond: and the diſmal Account ſince that, of the Earthquake in Sicily, makes a Third; if that of Malta may not be reckon'd a Fourth.
We do not read of any Inſtance of Earthquakes before in that Iſland of Jamaica, ſince it was under the Engliſh Power, nor before while under the Spaniard: But we have had ſeveral Inſtances of Earthquakes amongſt Ʋs formerly in England, and theſe Parts of Europe, tho more ſeldom than in the Eaſt; therefore it is not unreaſonable for us to Expect, and Fear the like.
'Tis true, thoſe Countries which are very hot, or very cold, are leaſt ſubject to Earthquakes; and therefore it hath been matter of Wonder in Egypt, or in *Herodot. 1.4.Scythia, to have the Earth tremble. Great Britain and Ireland are reckoned among thoſe Parts of Europe leaſt liable to violent Earthquakes; and yet our Hiſtorians mention ſeveral, as,
Anno Dom. 1081. April 6. in the time of †Matthew Paris. Speed's Chron. p. 446.King William the Firſt, (or the Conqueror) was an Earthquake here with a great Noiſe, in the 15th Year of his Reign; and followed within a few Years with many Calamities.
In Henry the Firſt's Time, *Baker's Chron. p. 43.the Earth moved with ſo great a Violence, that many Buildings were ſhaken down; and Malmesbury ſaith, that the Houſe wherein he ſate, was lifted up with a double Remove, and at the third time ſettled again in the proper Place. And in divers Places it gave forth a hideous Noiſe, and caſt forth Flames at certain Rifts many days together, which neither by Water, nor by other Means, could be ſuppreſs'd. In Lombardy the ſame Year, was an Earthquake that continued for 40 days, and remov'd a Town from the Place where it ſtood, a great way off.
An. 1133. Matthew Paris mentions a great Darkneſs in England, and an Earthquake at the ſame time.
An. 1165. He mentions another Earthquake, in the 11th Year of Henry the Second, January the 26th, in Ely, Norfolk, and Suffolk; which threw down many Perſons, who were ſtanding or walking; and made the Clocks to ſtrike, and Bells to ring in the Steeples. And in the 24th Year of his Reign, in the Territory of Derlington, in the Biſhoprick of *Baker's Chron. p. 58.Durham, the Earth lifted up her ſelf in manner of an high Tower, and ſo remained unmoveable from Morning till Evening, and then fell with ſo horrible a Noiſe, as frighted the Inhabitants thereabouts; and the Earth ſwallowing it up, made there a deep Pit, which is ſeen at this day: The Pits in that Place are commonly called Hellkettles.
An. 1180. A great Earthquake threw down many Buildings, amongſt which the Cathedral Church of Lincoln was rent in pieces, April 25th.
An. 1247. There was an †Matthew Paris.Earthquake in April at London, eſpecially felt on the Banks of the River Thames; which ſhook, and threw down many Buildings; and was the more terrible, becauſe theſe Weſtern Parts are leſs accuſtom'd to Earthquakes. And the ſame Year there was little Ebbing or Flowing of the Sea obſervable as at other times, for about three Months.
An. 1248. The ſame Hiſtorian mentions another Earthquake, which did a great deal of Miſchief, eſpecially in the Dioceſs of Bath; the Biſhop whereof gave him an Account of it. And this was the third which had happen'd within three Years, on this ſide the Alpes; one in ſome Parts of Savoy, and two in England; which was the more Terrible, becauſe the like not known before in theſe Parts. He takes notice of another Earthquake in England afterward, in the Year 1250.
In the thirteenth Year of Queen Elizabeth, a prodigious *Cambden's Eliz. p. 158, 159. Baker's Chron. p. 399.Earthquake happened in the Eaſt Parts of Herefordſhire, near a little Town called Kinaſton. On the 17th of February, at ſix a clock in the Evening, the Earth began to open, and an Hill with a Rock under it (making at firſt a great bellowing Noiſe, which was heard a great way off) lifted it ſelf up a great Height, and began to travel; bearing along with it the Trees that grew upon it, the Sheepfolds, and Flocks of Sheep abiding there at the ſame time: In the Place, from whence it was firſt moved, it left a gaping Diſtance forty Foot broad, and fourſcore Ells long; the whole Field was about twenty Acres. Paſſing along, it overthrew a Chappel ſtanding in the way, removed an Yew Tree planted in a Church-yard, from the Weſt unto the Eaſt: with the like Force it thruſt before it High-ways, Sheepfolds, Hedges, and Trees; made tilled Ground Paſture, and again turned Paſture into Tillage. Having walk'd in this ſort from Saturday in the Evening till Monday Noon, it then ſtood ſtill.
An. 1588. The like Prodigy hapned in *Cambden's Eliz. p. 244. Baker's Chron. p. 400.Dorſetſhire, as in the Year 1571, in Herefordſhire. A Field of three Acres, with the Trees and Fences, in Blackmore, moved from its Place, and paſſed over another Field, travelling in the High-way that goeth to Herne, and there ſtayed.
In the 23d of Q. Elizabeth, An. 1580. in the beginning of April, about ſix in the Afternoon, happened an †Cambden Ibid. p. 286.Earthquake not far from York, which in ſome places ſtruck the very Stones out of the Buildings, and made the Bells in Churches to jingle. The Night following the Earth trembled once or twice in Kent, and again the firſt of May. This Earthquake was felt at London, ſo as to give Occaſion to an Order of Prayer; and a Godly Admonition concerning it, appointed ‖Recited by Mr. D. Earthquakes Explain'd, and Improv'd, 8o. p. 134.to be read for the turning of God's Wrath from the Nation, threatned by the Earthquake, by Order of the Queen and her Privy-Council, to be uſed in all Churches, and Houſholds throughout the Realm.
An. 1657. On the 8th day of July there was an *Heath's Chronicle, p. 395.Earthquake at Bickley in Cheſhire.
Germany, and France, and the Netherlands, have alſo felt Earthquakes. In April 1640, all the Low Countries, and a great part of Germany, were ſhaken by a ſudden Earthquake. Which ſort of Prodigy was very unuſual, ſaith †Cluverius, p. 743.Cluverius, in thoſe Parts.
An. 1117. In the 17th Year of the Emperor ‖Cluver. ad An. 1117. p. 434.Henry the 5th, the World was ſhook by terrible Earthquakes; Cities, Caſtles, Villages, and a multitude of People were ſwallowed up in the Caverns of the Earth. Many at Liege, or Luyk, were deſtroyed by Thunder, while they were paying their Veneration to the Saints for Safety: Mountains were cleft, Rivers dried up, &c.
So lately as the Year 1660, France had experience of *Letters writ by a Spy at Paris, Vol. 6. p. 58, 67.an Earthquake, which the Turkiſh Spy mentions, who was then at Paris. We have felt the Menaces, ſaith he, of a terrible Earthquake this Evening. When I liv'd in Aſia, an Earthquake was almoſt as common as the yearly Revolution of Summer and Winter: and we took as little notice of it, as we did of Lightning, Hail, or Rain. But now I have been ſo long diſus'd to theſe Convulſions of the Globe—that I am become like the reſt of the World, timorous, and aſtoniſhed,—my Mind at firſt ſtagger'd as much as my Body. When I was walking croſs my Chamber, and felt the Floor rock under me, with that ſingular kind of Motion, which no humane Art or Force can imitate, I ſoon concluded 'twas an Earthquake, but knew not how to bear that Thought with Indifference. Death is familiar to me in any other Figure, but that of being ſo ſurprizingly buried alive; it appeared to me very horrible to ſink on a ſudden into an unknown Grave, I knew not whither. Perhaps I might fall into ſome dark Lake of Water; or it may be, I might be drench'd in a River of Fire, or be daſh'd on a Rock: for who can tell the Diſpoſition of the Caverns below, or what ſort of Apartments he ſhall find under the Surface of the Earth? We walk on the Battlements of a Marvellous Structure, a Globe full of Tremendous Secrets.—We had News here of an Earthquake, which had overthrown part of the Pyrenean Mountains, ſome days before this happened at Paris; but few regarded it. Calamities at a Diſtance frighten. No Body: Yet thoſe which we feel, put us all in Fears.— In another Letter he ſaith, The Earthquake lately in theſe Parts, hath put all France into a great Conſternation, aſtoniſhed every Body, and encreaſed the Thoughtfulneſs of the Wiſe. The firſt Effects of it were felt by the Inhabitants of the Pyrenees, which are certain Mountains dividing France and Spain. There it did great Miſchief, overwhelming ſ…me Medicinal Baths, many Houſes, and deſtroying Hundreds of People. Only one Moſque or Church, which ſunk into the Caverns below, was thrown up again, and ſtands very firm, but in another Place. This is look'd upon as a great Miracle, eſpecially by the French, who have diſputed with the Spaniard for this Church, as ſtanding on the Frontier Line; but now is remov'd near half a League within the acknowledg'd Limits of France. The Matter of Fact is all I urge this Teſtimony for; his Remarks here (and in many other places) not being ſuch, as a Serious Chriſtian will approve.
If France, and Britain, and Germany, have had few Earthquakes, in compariſon of other Places of the Eaſt, yet Italy hath often ſmarted under ſuch Calamities. Among many Inſtances, I'le recite ſome, beſides thoſe already mentioned.
An. Dom. 801. While Charles the Great was in Italy, there was an Earthquake *Le Sieur Hiſt. del. Egliſe, &c. Vol. 7. p. 2, 3. 4o.with great Noiſes, on the laſt of April, which ſhook all France, and Germany, but eſpecially Italy; it overthrew ſeveral Towers, and even Mountains; and the Church of St. Paul at Rome was deſtroyed by it. Whereupon Pope Leo the Third appointed three Days before the Aſcenſion, ſolemn Faſts, and Proceſſions. Theſe Prodigies were followed with furious Tempeſts, and contagious Diſeaſes, which affected the Cattel throughout Italy, ſo that the moſt of their Beaſts died.
An. 1180. An Earthquake ruined a great part of the City of Naples.
An. 1222. There were ſuch ‖Cent. Magdeburg. Vol. 3. Cent. 13. cap. 13.Earthquakes in Italy and Lombardy, that the Cities and Towns were forſaken, and the People kept abroad in the Fields in Tents; many Houſes and Churches were thrown down, and many were thereby cruſh'd to Death. The Earth trembled twice a day in Lombardy, for fourteen days together. Beſides two Cities in Cyprus deſtroyed by Earthquakes this Year. The City of *B. Corio Hiſt. Milaneſe, p. 164.Breſcia was then almoſt ruin'd.
An. 1276. In July, the ſame Month when Adrian the 4th was made Pope, and within a few days after, was †Corio Ib. p. 268. Il che ſi preſe per indicio de' grandiſſimi fatti.a dreadful Earthquake at Milan, and all the Country round about. Which Pope died the next Auguſt, and in September Another ſucceeded by the Name of John the 21ſt.
An. 1348. This Year was ſo famous for forty eight Earthquakes, and for Contagious Diſeaſes in Italy, and other parts of Europe, that *Cluver. ad An. 1348. p. 516.Albertus Argentinenſis ſaith, from the time of the Flood, was not ſuch a Seaſon of Mortality, (Haud inde a Diluvio regnaſſe tantam vim morborum & mortium putet.)
An. 1397. On St. Stephen's Day all Lombardy †B. Corio Hiſt. Milaneſe, p. 542.was ſhaken by an unuſual Earthquake, which deſtroyed very many Buildings, &c.
An. 1456. There aroſe upon the Sea of Ancona, together with a thick gloomy Cloud that extended above two Miles, a Tempeſt of Wind, Water, Fire, Lightning, and Thunder; which piercing to the moſt deep Abyſſes of the Sea, forc'd up the Waves with a moſt dreadful Fury, and carried all before it upon the Land: which cauſed ſo dreadful an Earthquake ſome time after, that the Kingdom of Naples was ruined, and all ‖Monthly Mercury, March 1693. p. 90.Italy carried the diſmal Marks of it. A Million of Houſes and Caſtles were buried in their own Ruine, above thirty thouſand People were cruſh'd to pieces, and a huge Mountain overturn'd into the Lake de la Garde.
An. 1473. There was ſuch an Earthquake at *Corio Hiſt. Milaneſe, p. 820.Milan, and the Country round about, as the like was not known in the Memory of any then Living there.
An. 1590. The Election of Pope Ʋrban the Seventh (who in 10 Months made room for Gregory the 14th) was ſignalized by an †Cluverius ad An. 1590. p. 625.Earthquake, by which Auſtria, Moravia, and Bohemia trembled; accompanied with a prodigious Drought that Summer. Upon which enſued a Famine, and Peſtilence, with ſuch Havock in Italy, that in one Year there died at Rome, ſixty thouſand Perſons.
An. 1629. The Divine Anger broke out upon Italy by ſuch horrible *Cluverius, p. 680.Earthquakes, that in Apulia ſeventeen thouſand Perſons were deſtroyed.
An. 1638. Athanaſius Kircher the Jeſuit, in his Preface to his Mundus Subterrancus, gives a ſad Narrative of a diſmal †Cited by Mr. Bay, p. 185.Earthquake in Calabria, wherein himſelf was, and out of which he hardly eſcap'd with his Life: Nothing to be ſeen in the whole Country he paſſed by, for two hundred Miles in length, but the Carcaſſes of Cities, and the horrible Ruines of Villages; the Inhabitants wandring about in the open Fields, being half dead with Fear, and Expectation of what might follow. But moſt remarkable was the Subverſion of the noted Town of St. Eufemia, which was quite loſt out of their ſight, and abſorp'd; and inſtead thereof nothing left but a ſtinking Lake, &c.
Italy and Sicily abound with ſubterraneous Fires, eſpecially in the Southern Parts; which have broke out ſo often, as to be called by the Ancient Inhabitants, The Burnt Countrey. In ſome Places are ſeen perpetual Burnings, as in Aetna, and Veſuvius; in others, Conflagrations by times: All Campania carries Footſteps of ſuch Conflagrations. Mount Aetna hath often rag'd mightily, and hath been wont to do ſo *Kircher's Mundus Subterraneus.almoſt as many Years before Chriſt as ſince. An. 1669. it broke out with Violence, and overthrew all the adjacent Places with very great Deſolation, ſorely threatning Catanea it ſelf, which is ſince wholly deſtroyed by the late Earthquake. Theſe Irruptions of Mount Aetna, and Veſuvius, are always accompanied with Earthquakes, more or leſs; which ſometimes do incredible Miſchief in thoſe Parts. For Inſtance, An. 1688. we have an Account from †London Gazette, 1688. No 2358.Naples, June the 8th, of an Earthquake there, which was accompanied with the Rage, and Roarings of Mount Veſuvius. On Saturday laſt, the 5th inſtant, about the 22d Hour, happened here a dreadful Earthquake, (though it laſted not long) which frightning the Inhabitants out of their Houſes with the Terrors of an inevitable Deſtruction, they betook themſelves to the Piazza's, and the open publick Places of the City. The old College of the Jeſuits was ruined by it, alſo the great Chappel of their new College, together with three other Chappels adjoining; three of the Fathers were killed there, beſides many others whoſe Numbers are not yet known. The Front of another great Church of the Jeſuits opened in many Cracks, and the great Tower or Steeple ſeemed ready to fall. In the Theatins Convent of the Holy Apoſtles, a whole Dormitory fell down, beſides other conſiderable Damage they received: And the magnificent Arch erected before the Church of St. Paul, belonging to the ſaid Fathers, fell together with thoſe great and ancient Columns, that formerly made part of the Temple of Caſtor and Pollux, there remaining only four of them ſtanding, and thoſe in a tottering Condition. Out of thoſe Ruines there have been already dug 19 Perſons that were dead; and there was reaſon to fear that the Miſchief might have been much greater, it being ſo near to a publick Market, where there were great Throngs of People. The Walls of the great Church of St. Dominick opened in many places, and great part of the Refectory fell down, as alſo a part of the adjoining Palace, where many were killed. Several other Churches of the Auguſtins, &c. were ruined: and in ſhort, there is ſcarce a Palace or Houſe that has not received ſome conſiderable Damage. This occaſioned very devout Proceſſions of Perſons of all Ranks. The next day was another great Shock, which threw down many of the Houſes that were before the moſt weakned: And yeſterday there was another perceived, but without much Damage; but this day we have felt nothing of it. However, the Proceſſions continue in great numbers, and the Perſons of Quality are all retired from hence. In the Neighbourhood of Ʋdico, a City at ſixteen Miles diſtance from hence, a Mountain opened; and a Courier from Benevento, a City belonging to the Pope, brings an account, that it was all ruined, and that of 6000 Inhabitants there were but few left alive. The Archbiſhop's Palace there was thrown down; and the Archbiſhop himſelf drawn out of the Ruines, being hurt in his Head and Arm: and there are Accounts of the like Damages in ſeveral other Places.
Which was confirm'd from Rome, June 12. 1688. We have had nothing conſiderable to entertain us here this Week, but the ſad Relations of the Terrible Earthquakes at Naples, and ſeveral Places about it. It hapned at Naples on Saturday laſt about twenty one Hours and a half, (which at the ſame inſtant was perceiv'd even by a great many here:) On Sunday too it returned. Several Churches, Palaces, and Houſes are ruined; among the reſt, the famous Church of the Jeſuits, reckon'd the fineſt in Italy, is all tumbled down, except the Walls and the High Altar. The particular Number of thoſe killed and buried in the Ruines, cannot yet be known. The laſt Letters ſay, many of the Inhabitants lie abroad under Tents, in Coaches, &c. and continual Prayers, Proceſſions, publick Penances, &c. are performed; and every one runs about, crying, Miſericordia. Three Ships were ſunk in the Harbour, and the Water in the Wells roſe many Handſuls. Benevento is almoſt totally ruined; and of 10000 Inhabitants they ſay there remain ſcarce 600 alive. Cardinal Ʋrſini, their Archbiſhop, was taken out of the Ruines alive, but hurt. Several other Places and Seats are quite ruined, and moſt of the Inhabitants ſwallowed up. This City, and the Country hereabout, juſt felt the Shock, but received no Harm.
And in a following Account a Month after, it is ſaid, the Damage done amounts to above fifty Millions.
Now ſince by theſe, and other Examples (in the next Chapter) we find Europe hath been viſited by ſuch Calamities formerly: If the like moral Cauſes be found among us, the Divine Juſtice can puniſh us by the like kind of Severity: and we ought to apprehend, and conſider it.
The Wickedneſs and Impiety of the Inhabitants of Jamaica, we are told by Eye-witneſſes, was grown to a very great Height, before this Judgment: And they muſt be great Strangers to England, and London, who will not own the ſame of us, both as to Principles, and Practice. Few will deny it, as to the latter: And as to the former, it is dreadful to think how Atheiſm, and Infidelity prevails, and barefac'd Deiſm, with the Rejection of Chriſtianity, and all Revealed Religion: how it has obtained, and ſpread in this Nation. As if we were weary of the Chriſtian Profeſſion, and would ſet up for Paganiſm, to the Subverſion of the whole Frame of the Goſpel of Chriſt; pulling the Crown from off his Head, and plucking him from his Throne. Or at beſt, amongſt a numerous growing Party of Others, who own themſelves Chriſtians, the Divinity of our Lord is diſown'd, and they allow him to be but a meer Man, not the Eternal Son of God. When ſuch Provocations abound amongſt us, it ſhould affect us with Horrour, eſpecially when they prevail againſt the higheſt Means, and Mercies, and ſpread as a Gangrene over the whole Kingdom.
There were ſome Circumſtances of the Earthquake amongſt us, Sept. 8th, that have been obſerved to be very peculiar. I do not reckon this for one, that at the ſame Hour the Earth trembled here at London, and at many diſtant Places, both in this Kingdom, and in the Low Countries, and the adjacent Parts of Germany, and France, notwithſtanding the Sea between us and them: for Earthquakes have reach'd farther. Not to mention that Earthquake at the Death of our Bleſſed Saviour Christ, which ſhook not only one part of the Earth, as in other Caſes, but the whole of it trembled, if *Leſcoloper in Cicero de Nat. Deorum, p. 229. Quo motu, non pars aliqua Terrae, ut ſemper aliàs, ſed tota Terra conquaſſata eſt, & centro convulſa, ut nulla Tellus, ne noſtra quidem Gallia, (quam Plinius a Terrae motu immunem fecit) primo ipſo Motore e vivis amoto, cum ſuis omnibus Incolis, immotiſque adeo Judeae rupibus, in tam inſolenti Commutatione, non moveretur: Et vero cum Dominus dedit vocem ſuam, mota eſt Terra; ut canit divinus Vates, quantò putamus ampliùs commotam eſſe, cum Dominus dedit Animam ſuam.Dydimus may be credited. Or the Extent of that, whereby †Cluverius (mibi) p. 214.twelve Cities of Aſia fell at once. Gaſſendus in the Life of Peireskius, reports, that at the Mountain Semo in Aethiopia, there happened a burning at the ſame time with that of Veſuvius in Campania, An. 1633. So that not only Veſuvius communicates with Aetna by ſubterraneous Vaults, but alſo Aetna with the Mountains of Syria, the Tunnels running under the Depths of the Mediterranean Sea; and thoſe with the Arabian; and laſtly the Arabian with Mount Semo in Aethiopia. And we read of other Inſtances, particularly by the Earthquake in France and Switzerland, May 12. 1682. which reach'd as far as Collen in Germany, and was perceiv'd in Lionnois, Dauphiny, and Beaujolois, at Mets in Lorrain, in Provence, &c. That the Cities of Orleans, Troyes, Sens, Chalons, Joinville, Reims, Soiſſons, Laon, Moſcon, Dole, Strasburgh, &c. felt it, eſpecially Remiremont on the Moſelle. The whole World almoſt trembled at once by the Earthquake, An. 1116. And by the Earthquake, An. 1601. Aſia, Hungary, Italy, Germany, and France, are ſaid to have trembled at one time; that Earthquake extending from Aſia to that Sea that waſhes the French Shores, the whole Length of Europe, in a quarter of an Hour; beſides ſome Aſiatick Regions, it ſhook Hungary, Germany, Italy, and France: This is affirmed by good Writers, ſaith Mr. *Of the Effects of Languid Motion, p. 49, 50.Boyle, and Mr. †Phyſico-Theological Diſcourſes, p. 215. Fromond. Meteor. l. 4. cap. ult. Art. 4. Dr. Tho. Burnet's Theory of the Earth, p. 119, 120.Ray; relating from Joſephus Acoſta, an Earthquake in Peru, that reach'd for 160 Leagues. And Fournier gives an Account of one in Peru, that reach'd 300 Leagues along the Sea-ſhore, and 70 Leagues Inland, and levell'd the Mountains all along as it went, threw down Cities, turn'd the Rivers out of their Channels, and made an univerſal Havock and Confuſion. All this, he ſaith, was done within the ſpace of ſeven or eight Minutes.
Some have obſerv'd, that moſt People had their Heads affected with an unuſual Giddineſs, before they apprehended, or underſtood any thing of the Earthquake. The Time of it alſo may be obſerved by you of this City, viz. the ſecond Week in September, to Remember you of a former Judgment by Fire, in the first Week of that Month.
Now think a little, what would have become of us, if it had laſted but a few Minutes more? How near were we to Ruine? How ſoon can God do the like again, if his Calls to Repentance be not obeyed? And how impoſſible is it for all the Great Men of the World, as to cauſe ſuch a thing, ſo to hinder or prevent it, or to preſerve themſelves or us, if God ſhould thus viſit us in his Anger another time?