The Voice of the Glorious God in the Thunder, Title page – Publishers note
Brontologia Sacra:
THE VOICE OF THE Glorious GOD IN THE THUNDER: Explained and Applyed In a Sermon uttered by a Minister of the Gospel in a Lecture unto an Assembly of Christians abroad, at the very same time when the Thunder was by the Permission and Providence of God falling upon his own House at home.
Whereto are added Some Reflections formed on the Lords-Day following by the Voices of Thunders, upon the great things which the great God is now a doing in the World.
A Discourse useful for all Men at all times, but especially intended for an Entertainment in the Hours of Thunder.
LONDON, Printed by John Astwood, 1695.
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THe Author of the Ensuing Meditations, is willing to have nothing further known, either of him, or of them, save this, That being at Prayer before a Sermon, in a little Assembly of Christians, the sudden rise of a Thunder-storm, was the Occasion of his feeling a strange and a strong Impression upon his mind, unto this purpose; Lay aside what you had prepared for this Auditory, speak to them on the Voice of the Glorious God in the Thunder, you shall not want Assistances. He could not withstand this Impressioon, but ventured upon an extemporaneous Contemplation of the Thunder. Now, the thing which made this Digression remarkable, was, that at the very same Instant when he was thus driven to this Theme, the Thunder was directed by the God of Heaven to fall with very tearing, tho' no killing Effects, upon his own House. The Hearers, I suppose, found a sensible Edge given to these Meditations, by the wondrous Timing of them; and altho' no doubt the Author would have digested them with more exactness, had they not been altogethar like the Accidents that produced them, sudden, yet these Notes taken of them are perhaps not so utterly undigested, as to be wholly useless unto a welldisposed Reader. Ʋnto these, the Reader will find added, the Notes of a Sermon preached by the same Author unto a very great Congregation on the Lords-Day following; and inasmuch as I could never learn that he had written his own Sermon, we must be content with such more broken passages as were taken from his mouth in the time of their Delivery.
The Thunder being a thing that often entertains us, it was thought that it would be no Disservice unto the Church of God, if a few such Reflections were offered unto the publick for the entertainment of the serious. When,
Ipse Pater media Nimborum in nocte Corusca, Fulmina molitur dextrâ quo maxima motu Terra tremit, fugere ferae, & mortalia Corda per gentes humilis stravit pavor.