Christian
Readers
,
GODS
visible
Iudgements
,
and
terrible
remonstrances
(
which
every
morning
are
brought
to
light
)
comming
unto
our
knowledge
,
should
bee
our
observation
and
admonition
,
that
thereby
the
inhabitants
of
the
earth
may
learne
Righteousnesse
,
to
heare
and
feare
and
to
Vel
paenitendum
,
vel
pereundum
,
Except
wee
repent
,
wee
shall
likewise
perish
.
Certaine
it
is
that
wee
doe
in
vaine
expect
immunity
from
GODS
Iudgements
by
sleighting
,
or
contemning
them
,
or
increasing
in
our
sinnings
against
him
.
If
Pharoah
by
the
terrour
of
thundring
and
lightning
was
so
affrighted
that
hee
saith
to
Moses
,
Intreat
the
Lord
(
for
it
is
enough
)
that
there
bee
no
more
mighty
thundrings
and
Haile
.
And
if
Caligula
,
out
of
the
feare
of
thunder
,
would
runne
under
his
bed
to
hide
himselfe
:
How
much
more
should
we
Christians
learne
to
feare
and
tremble
before
the
most
mighty
GOD
,
whose
voice
only
can
shake
the
mountaines
and
rend
the
rocks
,
and
divide
the
flames
of
Hee
doth
whatsoever
hee
pleaseth
in
Heaven
and
Earth
,
Hee
causeth
the
vapours
to
ascend
from
the
ends
of
the
earth
,
and
maketh
lightnings
for
the
raine
,
and
bringeth
the
winde
out
of
the
treasures
of
the
earth
,
so
unsearchable
is
his
Wisedome
,
and
his
waies
past
finding
out
.
I
say
,
this
should
awe
and
humble
our
hearts
before
the
LORD
,
rising
up
unto
more
perfection
in
godlinesse
,
doing
unto
our
GOD
,
more
and
better
service
then
ever
hitherto
wee
have
done
,
reverencing
and
sanctifying
his
dreadfull
Name
in
our
hearts
:
especially
when
his
Iudgements
breake
in
upon
men
,
even
in
his
owne
house
,
mingling
their
bloud
with
their
sacrifices
,
and
that
in
a
most
terrible
manner
smiting
,
and
wounding
,
and
killing
,
as
in
this
ensuing
Relation
may
appeare
:
which
for
the
suddennesse
and
strangenesse
,
and
in
a
manner
miraculous
,
considering
the
circumstances
thereof
,
I
beleeve
few
Ages
can
paralell
,
or
produce
the
like
.
The
Lord
teach
thee
to
profit
thereby
,
that
it
may
bee
as
a
Sermon
preached
to
thee
from
Heaven
by
the
Lord
himselfe
.
VPon
Sunday
the
21.
of
October
last
,
In
the
Parish
Church
of
Withycombe
in
the
Dartmoores
in
Devonshire
,
there
fell
in
time
of
Divine
Service
a
strange
darkenesse
,
increasing
more
and
more
,
so
that
the
people
there
assembled
could
not
see
to
reade
in
any
booke
,
and
suddenly
in
a
fearefull
and
lamentable
manner
,
a
mighty
thundering
was
heard
,
the
ratling
whereof
did
answer
much
like
unto
the
sound
and
report
of
many
great
Cannons
,
and
terrible
strange
lightening
therewith
,
greatly
amazing
those
that
heard
and
saw
it
,
the
darkenesse
increasing
yet
more
,
till
they
could
not
(
in
the
interim
)
see
one
another
;
the
extraordinarie
lightening
came
into
the
Church
so
flaming
,
that
the
whole
Church
was
presently
filled
with
fire
and
smoke
,
the
smell
whereof
was
very
loathsome
,
much
like
unto
the
sent
of
brimstone
,
some
said
they
saw
at
first
a
great
fiery
ball
come
in
at
the
window
and
passe
thorough
the
Church
,
which
so
affrighted
the
whole
Congregation
that
the
most
part
of
them
fell
downe
into
their
seates
,
and
some
upon
their
knees
,
some
on
their
faces
,
and
some
one
upon
another
,
with
a
great
cry
of
burning
and
scalding
,
they
all
giving
up
themselves
for
dead
,
supposing
the
last
Iudgement
day
was
come
,
and
that
they
had
beene
in
the
very
flames
of
Hell
.
The
Minister
of
the
Parish
,
Master
George
Lyde
,
being
in
the
Pulpit
or
seate
where
prayers
are
read
,
however
hee
might
bee
much
astonished
hereat
,
yet
through
GODS
mercy
had
no
other
harme
at
all
in
his
body
,
but
to
his
much
griefe
and
amazement
heard
,
and
afterward
beheld
the
lamentable
accidents
;
and
although
himselfe
was
not
touched
,
yet
the
lightening
seized
upon
his
poore
Wife
,
fired
her
ruffe
and
linnen
next
to
her
body
,
and
her
cloathes
;
to
the
burning
of
many
parts
of
her
body
in
a
very
pitifull
manner
.
And
one
Mistresse
Ditford
sitting
in
the
pew
with
the
Ministers
wife
,
was
also
much
scalded
,
but
the
maid
and
childe
sitting
at
the
pew
dore
had
no
harme
.
Beside
,
another
woman
adventuring
to
run
out
of
the
Church
,
had
her
cloathes
set
on
fire
,
and
was
not
only
strangely
burnt
and
scorched
,
but
had
her
flesh
torne
about
her
back
almost
to
the
very
bones
.
Another
woeman
had
her
flesh
so
torne
and
her
body
so
grievously
burnt
,
that
she
died
the
same
night
.
Also
one
Master
Hill
a
Gentleman
of
good
account
in
the
Parish
,
sitting
in
his
seate
by
the
Chancell
,
had
his
head
suddenly
smitten
against
the
wall
,
through
the
violence
whereof
he
died
that
night
,
no
other
hurt
being
found
about
his
body
;
but
his
sonne
sitting
in
the
same
seate
had
no
harme
.
There
was
also
one
man
more
,
at
the
same
instant
,
of
whom
it
is
particularly
related
,
who
was
Warriner
unto
Sir
Richard
Reynolds
,
his
head
was
cloven
,
his
skull
rent
into
three
peeces
,
and
his
braines
throwne
upon
the
ground
whole
,
and
the
haire
of
his
head
,
through
the
violence
of
the
blow
at
first
given
him
,
did
sticke
fast
unto
the
pillar
or
wall
of
the
Church
,
and
in
the
place
a
deepe
bruise
into
the
wall
as
if
it
were
shot
against
with
a
Cannon
bullet
.
Some
other
persons
were
then
blasted
and
burnt
,
and
so
grievously
scalded
and
wounded
,
that
since
that
time
they
have
died
therof
;
and
many
other
not
like
to
recover
,
notwithstanding
all
the
meanes
that
can
bee
procured
to
helpe
them
.
Some
had
their
cloaths
burnt
and
their
bodies
had
no
hurt
,
and
some
on
the
contrary
,
had
their
bodies
burnt
,
and
their
cloathes
not
touched
,
and
some
their
stockings
and
leggs
burnt
and
scalded
,
and
their
outward
buskings
not
one
thred
singed
.
But
it
pleased
GOD
yet
in
the
midst
of
judgement
to
remember
mercy
,
sparing
some
and
not
destroying
all
,
yet
very
many
were
sorely
scalded
in
divers
parts
of
their
bodies
,
and
as
all
this
hurt
was
done
upon
the
bodies
of
men
and
women
,
so
the
hurt
also
that
was
then
done
unto
the
Church
was
remarkable
.
There
were
some
Seates
in
the
Body
of
the
Church
turned
upside
downe
,
and
yet
they
which
sate
in
them
had
little
or
no
hurt
;
also
a
Boy
sitting
on
a
seate
had
his
hat
on
,
and
neare
the
one
halfe
thereof
was
cut
off
,
and
he
had
no
hurt
,
And
one
man
going
out
at
the
Chancell
doore
,
his
Dogg
running
out
before
him
,
was
whirled
about
towards
the
doore
and
fell
downe
starke
dead
:
at
the
sight
whereof
his
Master
stepped
backe
within
the
doore
,
and
GOD
preserved
him
alive
.
Also
the
Church
it selfe
was
much
torne
and
defaced
by
the
thunder
and
lightning
;
and
thereby
also
a
beame
was
burst
in
the
midst
,
and
fell
downe
betweene
the
Minister
and
Clarke
and
hurt
neither
;
and
a
weighty
great
stone
,
neare
the
Foundation
of
the
Church
is
torne
out
and
remooved
,
and
the
steeple
it selfe
is
much
rent
,
and
there
where
the
Church
was
most
rent
,
there
was
least
hurt
done
to
the
people
,
and
not
any
one
was
hurt
either
with
the
wood
or
stone
,
but
a
maid
of
Manaton
,
which
came
thither
that
afternoone
to
see
some
friends
,
whom
Master
Frynd
the
Coroner
by
circumstances
,
supposed
she
was
kild
with
a
stone
,
considering
of
her
mortall
wound
,
and
a
great
stone
lying
by
her
.
There
were
also
stones
throwne
from
the
Tower
and
carried
about
a
great
distance
from
the
Church
,
as
thick
as
if
a
hundred
men
had
beene
there
throwing
,
and
a
number
of
them
of
such
weight
and
bignesse
,
that
a
very
strong
man
could
hardly
lift
them
.
Also
one
Pinacle
of
the
Tower
was
torne
downe
and
broke
through
into
the
Church
.
Moreover
the
Pillar
against
which
the
Pulpit
standeth
,
being
but
newly
whited
,
is
now
by
this
meanes
turned
black
and
sulphry
.
Furthermore
,
one
man
that
stood
in
the
Chancell
,
with
his
face
toward
the
Bellfrey
,
observed
as
it
were
the
rising
of
dust
or
lime
,
in
the
lower
end
of
the
Church
,
which
suddenly
(
as
with
a
puffe
of
winde
)
was
whirled
up
and
cast
into
his
eyes
,
so
that
hee
could
not
see
in
twelve
houres
after
;
but
now
his
sight
is
restored
,
and
hee
hath
no
other
hurt
.
The
terrible
lightening
being
past
,
all
the
people
being
in
a
wonderfull
maze
,
so
that
they
spake
not
one
word
,
by
and
by
one
Master
Raph
Rouse
,
Vintener
in
the
Towne
,
stood
up
,
saying
these
words
,
Neighbours
,
in
the
name
of
God
shall
we
venture
out
of
the
Church
,
to
which
M.
Lyde
answering
,
said
,
it
is
best
to
make
an
end
of
prayers
,
for
it
were
better
to
die
here
then
in
another
place
,
but
they
looking
about
them
,
and
seeing
the
Church
so
terribly
rent
and
torne
over
their
heads
,
durst
not
proceed
in
their
publike
devotions
,
but
went
forth
of
the
Church
.
And
as
all
this
was
done
within
the
Church
,
and
unto
the
Church
;
so
there
were
other
accidents
without
the
Church
;
of
which
I
will
give
you
a
touch
.
There
was
a
Bowling-alley
neare
unto
the
Church-yard
,
which
was
turned
up
into
pits
and
heapes
,
in
manner
almost
as
if
it
had
beene
plowed
.
At
the
same
time
also
at
Brixston
neare
Plymmouth
,
there
fell
such
store
of
Haile
,
and
such
Haile-stones
,
that
for
quantity
they
were
judged
to
be
as
big
as
ordinary
Turkies
eggs
;
some
of
them
were
of
five
,
some
of
six
,
and
others
of
seven
ounces
weight
.
We
are
also
certainely
informed
that
at
the
same
time
,
as
neare
as
it
can
bee
guessed
,
there
fell
out
the
like
accident
unto
the
Church
at
Norton
in
Somersetshire
,
but
as
yet
wee
heare
of
no
persons
hurt
therein
:
Also
it
is
related
by
a
Gentleman
who
travelled
in
those
parts
at
that
time
,
hee
being
since
come
to
London
,
that
where
he
was
the
lightening
was
so
terrible
,
fiery
and
flaming
,
that
they
thought
their
houses
at
every
flash
were
set
on
fire
,
in
somuch
that
their
horses
in
the
stable
were
so
affrighted
that
they
could
not
rule
them
.
All
which
most
sad
and
lamentable
Spectacles
were
done
(
as
it
were
)
in
a
moment
of
time
.
This
is
the
Summe
of
those
dismall
●ccidents
and
terrible
examples
happen●●g
in
the
place
aforesaid
,
as
it
hath
been
carefully
extracted
out
of
the
letters
of
Ministers
and
other
men
of
quality
and
good
account
and
credit
living
not
onely
in
the
Parish
of
Withicombe
,
but
in
the
adjoyning
Parishes
and
places
,
and
by
those
that
had
the
full
relation
from
Master
Lyde
his
own
mouth
.
And
the
maine
drift
in
the
publication
of
this
great
ludgement
,
is
for
thy
humiliation
and
edification
,
not
onely
to
acquaint
thee
with
the
great
and
mighty
works
of
Gods
Power
and
lustice
,
who
in
a
moment
can
do
mighty
things
to
us
,
&
arme
the
creatures
against
us
at
his
owne
pleasure
,
but
also
to
moove
pitty
and
compassion
in
us
towards
our
Brethren
who
were
patients
therein
.
Which
relation
you
can
difficultly
reade
without
sighs
,
nor
understand
without
teares
.
I
know
it
is
the
fashion
of
too
too
many
to
question
and
talke
,
and
make
things
of
this
nature
,
but
a
nine
dayes
wonder
:
But
let
us
not
deceive
our selves
any
longer
,
but
consider
,
wee
have
beene
lookers
on
a
great
while
,
and
others
have
beene
made
our
examples
,
and
felt
the
smart
at
home
and
abroad
,
whilst
wee
have
gone
free
;
but
wee
know
not
how
soone
our
turnes
and
changes
may
come
;
these
accidents
might
as
well
have
happened
to
us
as
them
;
the
LORD
therfore
in
much
mercy
fit
us
both
for
the
worst
of
times
and
the
best
of
Ends.
I
end
all
with
that
prayer
in
our
Letany
,
commending
thee
and
this
to
the
blessing
of
the
Almighty
.
From
lightening
and
tempest
,
from
Plague
,
Pestilence
and
Famine
,
from
Battell
and
murder
,
and
from
suddaine
death
.
Good
LORD
deliver
us
.