N00508:43
Earthquakes explained and practically improved
Earthquakes explained and practically improved: occasioned by the late earthquake on Sept. 8. 1692. in London, many other parts in England, and beyond sea. / By Thomas Doolittle, M.A. The author also of the treatise on the Lords-Supper. ; Jamaica's miseries show London's mercies. Both compared.Earthquakes explained and practically improved: occasioned by the late earthquake on Sept. 8. 1692. in London, many other parts in England, and beyond sea. / By Thomas Doolittle, M.A. The author also of the treatise on the Lords-Supper. ; Jamaica's miseries shew London's mercies. Both compared.
printed by Benjamin Harris & are to be sold, 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
When men thought of no such thing, not the Student in his Study, nor the Trader in his Shop, nor the Workman at his Work, nor the Drunkard at his Cups, when none of these had any apprehension of it. Suddenly, The Student thought his Desk, on which he was writing, to be removing from him, and when he drew it towards him, it went back again, several times: the Trader suddenly seeth a motion in his Wares, and the Workman the moving of his Tools without hands, and the Drunkard thought indeed the Earth did stagger more than he: many suddenly felt their Chairs to move under them, and could not presently discern the reason, but thought some living Creature had been under their Seats, and did disturb them. Suddenly, many, most that I have spoken with, discerned a dizziness in their Heads, and in the ⟨p. 12⟩instant thought the motion was there, not imagining any thing of the shaking of the Earth: Suddenly they feared the falling of their Houses; but at first particular persons thought there was some defect and fault in their own particular dwellings, till they did perceive the motion was general, and heard others say of their Houses as they found in their own: and all this was suddenly done. In a minute, in a moment God can cause an unexpected Earthquake. Men must have time to do the smallest, but God needs none to do the greatest work.
Doct. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come, and quickly go, and nothing is destroyed thereby, yet it is and might be truly called a great Earthquake. It is expressly said in this Text this Earthquake suddenly came, we do not read it lasted long nor that the Prison-house, or Persons in it, were destroyed or hurt thereby, yet we read it was a great Earthquake. When many Houses are swallowed up, and many Men, Women and Children (as this present year in Jamaica) are destroyed, and go down alive into the Bowels of the Earth by opening of its mouth to eat them up as one morsel, then men will call it a great Earthquake.
Doct. III. Tho' an Earthquake suddenly come, and quickly go, and nothing is destroyed thereby, yet it is and might be truly called a great Earthquake. It is expresly said in this Text this Earthquake suddenly came, we do not read it lasted long nor that the Prison-house, or Persons in it, were destroyed or hurt thereby, yet we read it was a great Earthquake. When many Houses are swallowed up, and many Men, Women and Chidren (as this present year in Jamaica) are destroyed, and go down alive into the Bowels of the Earth by opening of its mouth to eat them up as one morsel, then men will call it a great Earthquake.