Wesley Corpus

What, then, could be the cause? What indeed, but God, who arose “to shake terribly the earth;” who purposely chose such a place, where there is so great a concourse of nobility and gentry every year; and wrought in such a manner, that many might see it and fear,-that all who travel one of the most frequented roads in England might see it, almost whether they would or no, for many miles together? It must like wise for many years, maugre all the art of man, be a visible monument of His power; all that ground being now so incumbered with rocks and stones, that it cannot be either ploughed or grazed. Nor can it well serve any use, but to tell all that see it, Who can stand before this great God? Who can account for the late motion in the waters; not Aonly that of the sea, and rivers communicating therewith, but even that in canals, fishponds, cisterns, and all either largc or small bodies of water? It was particularly observed, that while thc watcr itself was so violently agitated, neither did the G SERIOUS ThouGHTS ON earth shake at all, nor any of the vessels which contained that water. Was such a thing ever known or heard of before? I know not, but it was spoken of once, near eighteen hundred years ago, in those remarkable words, “There shall be assauoi" (not only “earthquakes,” but various “concussions” or “shakings”) “in divers places.” And so there have been in Spain, in Portugal, in Italy, in Holland, in England, in Ireland; and not improbably in many other places too, which we are not yet informed of. Yet it does not seem that a concussion of this kind has ever been known before, since either the same or some other comet revolved so near the earth. For wc know of no other natural causc in the universe which is adequate to such an effect. And that this is the real cause, we may very possibly be convinced in a short time. but alas! why should we not be convinced sooner, while that conviction may avail, that it is not chance which governs the world? Why should we not now, before London is as Lisbon, Lima, or Catanea, acknowlcdge the hand of the Almighty, arising to maintain his own cause?