N02463:13
The terror of the Lord. Some account of the earthquake that shook New-England, in…
The terror of the Lord. Some account of the earthquake that shook New-England, in the night, between the 29 and the 30 of October. 1727. : With a speech, made unto the inhabitants of Boston, who assembled the next morning, for the proper exercises of religion, on so uncommon, and so tremendous an occasion. : [One line from Corinthians]
Boston: printed by T. Fleet for S. Kneeland, 1727
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
In the Year 1580. England felt an Earthquake, which tho' no considerable Damage was done by it, awakened the Government of the Nation, to call upon all the Subjects throughout the Kingdom, to be fervent and instant in Prayer, that the Wrath of GOD whereof the Earthquake was a Token, might be averted from the Land. Such a Disposition possesses our Commander in Chief, and his People most readily come into it.
One of the MINISTERS, who did their part, in the Great Assembly of the Morning judged it Expedient, yea, Necessary, that PRAYER ⟨p. 4⟩should have the WORD accompanying of it. He thought, that if ever he did preach the Word IN SEASON, he should now do so, by taking the Present SEASON to render the Voice of the Glorious GOD, in the EARTHQUAKE, while it was yet scarce over, Articulate and Intelligible unto the Hearers: 'Twould be Emphatically, A WORD IN SEASON. And he hoped, that Hearts made soft by the ALMIGHTY Troubling of them with the Occurrences of the Night before, would be more likely than ever, to receive Good Impressions, and be moulded into durable Resolutions of Godliness; Yea, that as the primitive Outpouring of the Holy SPIRIT, was attended with an Earthquake, so the EARTHQUAKE would now be attended with such on Out-pouring of the Holy SPIRIT as would make an Holy, and so an Happy People. Accordingly, with the Divine Assistance, he made a SPEECH, [or, if you please, A SERMON,] which was no sooner offered in the Assembly of Zion there convened. but it was desired, that it might be further offered in the way of the Press, for the Service of PIETY, not only here, but in other parts of the Land, which GOD makes to Tremble. He durst not reject the Desire. Tis true, There can be expected none but a mean Preparation, from a few Minutes of a Morning filled with Disturbances; which may be an Apology for the Deficiencies which a curious Reader may soon discover in it. ⟨p. 5⟩But our Gracious GOD is pleased sometimes to make use of such, to do Good in the World; that so, Man may be Nothing, and HE may be All in All. Tis not possible for him to give Word for Word, a Discourse which he could have no Time to Write, before it was delivered. But it is here without many material Additions, & perhaps, with some Forgetful Substractions, Exhibited as very near as can well be asked for, to what was delivered.