the Earth being by this furious fhock blown abroad into the Air. Another prefage is the calmnefs and coldnefs of the Air, by reafon. the Exhalation that should be abroad is within the Earth. Another is faid to be, a long thin ftrake of Could feen when the Sky is clear after Sun fet, which, they fay, is caufed by the Vapour or Exhalation which is the matter of Clouds, being gone into the Earth. Others affirm that it is the Exhalation which iffueth from fome narrow paffage out of which the reft of the Wind cannot come, and therefore foon after by a fudden Eruption makes a broader way to deliver it felf out of Prifon. Likewife the Sun appeareth dim certain days before,. because the Winds that fhould purge and diffipatethe grofs Air, which caufed this dimnefs, is inclofed within the Bowels of the Earth. Alfo the Birds perceiving a certain trembling and fhaking at the Roots of the Trees, forfake them, and fit trembling on the ground. Laftly, there are heard before, at, and after an Earthquake great noifes and founds under the Earth, with terrible groanings and thunderings; Yea fometimes when no Earthquake follows, the Wind without any other: effect finding a way to vent itfelf; Some of these are the general prognofticks and forewarnings, of a dreadful Earthquake to follow.

VII. And certainly no other Calamity produces greater terror and aftonishment

in Mankind than this. For to have the Earth rock under one with that fingular kind of motion which no human art nor force can imitate, muft needs be extream furprizing; For though death may be familiar to fome men in any other form, yet it appears very horrible to be buried alive, and to fink on a fudden into an unknown Grave they know not whether, perhaps they may fall into fome dark I ake of Water, or it may be drenched in a River of fire, or be dashed on a Rock; for who can tell the difpofitions of the Caverns below, or what fort of the Apartments there are under the Surface of the Earth? We walk on the Battlements of a marvellous ftructure, a Globe full of Tremendous fecrets.

VIII. But though we have given fome account of the Natural Caufes of Earthquakes, yet it is very apparent that many have been fupernatural, and caufed by the immediate hand of God, of which we find feveral inftances in holy Scripture, that we might dread and tremble before the Almighty, who needs neither Vapours nor Exhalations to Execute his Vengeance upon incorrigible Offenders.

IX. The firft of this kind that we read of was at the Promulgation of the Law at Mount Sinai, Exodus 19, 20. "And the Lord faid unto Mofes, go unto the People and Sanctify them to day and to morrow, and be ready against the third day,

•for

for then the Lord will come down in the 'fight of all the People upon Mount Sinai, and thou fhalt fet bounds to the People round about, faying, Take heed to yourfelves that ye go not up into the Mount, or touch the border of it,whofoever toucheth the Mount fhall furely be put to death: There fhall not an hand touch it, but he fhall furely be Stoned or Shot through, whether it be Man or Beaft, it fhall not live, when the Trumpet foundeth long they fhall come up to the Mount. And it came to pafs on the third day in the Morning that there were Thunders and Lightenings and a thick Cloud upon the Mount, and the Voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud, fo that all the People in the Camp trembled. And Mount Sinai 'was altogether on a Smoak, because the "Lord defcended upon it in Fire, and the 'fmoak thereof afcended as the fmoak of a Furnace, and the whole Mount quaked greatly. And all the People faw the Thundring, and the Lightnings, and the 'noife of the Trumpet, and the Mountain fmoaking, and when the People faw it they removed afar off. And they said unto Mofes fpeak thou with us and we will 'hear, but let not God fpeak with us left 'we die. And Mofes faid unto the People, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your

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Faces

!

"Faces that you Sin not. This happened in the year from the Creation of the World,

2513,

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X. Another terrible Earthquake we find recorded Numbers 16. Now Korah, Dathan and Abiram, with certain of the Chil'dren of Ifrael, two hundred and fifty Princes of the Affembly, famous in the Congregation, Men of Renown, rofe up, and gathered themfelves together against MoJes and against Aaron, and faid unto them, "Ye take too much upon you feeing all the Congregation is Holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them, wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the Congregation of the Lord. And when Mofes heard it, he fell upon his Face. And he fpake unto Korah and unto all his Company, faying, Even to Morrow the Lord will fhew you who are his, and who is holy, and will caufe him to come near to him, even him whom he hath chofen will he caufe to come near to him. This do; Take ye Cenfers, Korah and all his Company, And put Fire therein, and put Incenfe in them before the Lord to Morrow! and it fhall be that the Man whom the 'Lord doth chufe, he fhall be holy, Ye ⚫ take too much upon you, ye Sons of Levi; feemeth it a finall thing unto you that the "God of Ifrael hath separated you from the Congregation of Ifrael; to bring you near

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unto

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unto himself, to do the fervice of the Tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the Congregation to Minifter unto them? And he hath brought thee near unto him, ' and all thy Brethren the Sons of Levi with thee and feek ye the Priesthood alfo 7 For which Caufe both thou and thy Company are gathered together against the Lord and what is Aaron that ye murmer against him? And Mofes fent to call Dathan and Abiram the Sons of Eliab : ' which faid, we will not come up. Is it a fmall thing that thou haft brought us up out of a land that flourisheth with Milk and Honey to Kill us in the Wildernefs, except thou make thy felf altogether a • Prince over us? Moreover thou haft not brought us into a Land that floweth with Milk and Honey, or given us Inheritance. of Fields and Vineyards; wilt thou put out the Eyes of thefe Men? we will not come up. And Mofes was very wrath and faid unto the Lord, Refpect not thou their offering: I have not taken one Ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. And Mofes faid unto Korah, Be thou, • and all thy Company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron to Morrow. And take every Man his Cenfer, and put • Incense in them, and bring ye before the • Lord every Man his Cenfer, two hundred and fifty Cenfers; thou alfo, and Aaron each of you his Cenfer; and put Fire in

them