The Terror of the Lord

p. 1REMARKS UPON THE Earthquake.

THE Night that followed the Twenty ninth of October [1727.] was a Night whereto NEW-ENGLAND had never in the Memory of Man, seen the like before. The Air never more Calm, the Sky never more Fair; every thing in all imaginable Tranquillity: But about a quarter of an Hour before Eleven, there was heard in BOSTON, passing from one end of the Town to the other, an horrid rumbling like the Noise of many Coaches together, driving on the paved Stones with the utmost Rapidity. But it was attended with a most awful Trembling of the Earth, which did heave and shake so as to Rocque the Houses, and cause here and there the falling of some smaller Things, both within Doors and without. It cannot be imagined, but that it gave an uncommon Concern unto all the Inhabitants, and even a degree of Consternation, unto very many p. 2of them. This first Shock, which was the most Violent, was followed with several others, and some Repetition of the Noise, at sundry times, pretty distant from one another. The Number of them is not entirely agreed; but at least Four or Five are allow'd for; The last of which was between Five and Six of the Clock in the Morning.

How far this Earthquake extended thro' the Countrey, we are not yet informed; but that it extended Scores of Miles, we have already a certain Information. And what added unto the Terrors of it, were the terrible Flames and Lights, in the Atmosphere, which accompanied it. The Vessels on the Coast, were also made sensible of it, by a shivering that siezed on them.

When the greatly affected People, had a little Opportunity to look about them in the Morning, the Pastors of the Old North Church, directed the Bells to be rung, that such of the People as could and would, might assemble immediately unto some seasonable Exercises of Religion. The Pastors of the New joined with them in sending up unto Heaven, the Supplications which the solemn Occasion called for. And the Pastors in the other part of the Town, made a speedy and hearty Appearance, and most affectionately united in a Concurrence with them. The Assembly that came together, did more than croud and fill the most capacious of our Meetinghouses; And as there was a multitude of serious Christians, who are acquainted with p. 3Real and Vital PIETY, so the whole Auditory expressed a Devotion which was truly Extraordinary.

p. 3When these Exercises were finished about Two in the Afternoon, after some short Interraission of an Hour or Two, several Churches in the other part of the Town, followed the Exemple, and with vast Congregations, continued the proper Exercises of Religion, until about Eight a Clock in the Evening. For the Animation thereof, there was not only the joint Inclination of the Pastors and the People, but likewise a Recommendation from His Honour the L. GOVERNOUR; Whose Piety, ever discovered on every other, as well as this, Occasion, disposed him, to Direct also the keeping of the Thursday following (which is the Day of the usual weekly Lecture,) as a Day of SUPPLICATIONS in all the Churches of the City.

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 judg'd it Expedient, yea, Necessary, that PRAYER p. 4should 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 hop'd, 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. 5But 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.

p. 5O! May the Holy SPIRIT of our GOD, make it come with Efficacy!

We find, the Hill on the North side whereof Joshua was buried, had [Josh. XXIV. 30.] the Name of, Har-Gayash; which Name signifies, The Mountain of Trembling. The Jews have a Tradition, That at the Time of his Burial, the Mountain Trembled with an Earthquake, to testify the Displeasure of GOD against the People. My Friends, We approach as to an Har-Gayash, in what is now to be set before us.