Tudor Books, A Discourse on the Earthquake by Golding

Many and woon­derfull wayes (good Christian Reader) hathe God in all a­ges most mer­cifullye called all men to the knowledge of themselues, and to the amendemente of their Religion and conversation, before he have layd his heavy hande in wrath­full dyspleasure upon them. And this or­der of dealing he observeth, not onely to­wardes his owne deare children, but al­so even towardes the wieked and casta­wayes: to the intente, that the one sorte tourning from their former sinnes, and becomming the warer al their life after, shold glorifie him the more for his good­nesse in not suffring them to continue in their sinnes vnreformed, to their destru­ction: and that the other sorte shoulde be made vtterly vnexcusable for their wyl­ful persisting in the stubbornesse of the [...] harde and frowarde heartes, against all his friendlie and fatherlie admonitions.

He called Cayne to repentance, before he punished him for shedding his bro­thers bloud, and gave him a long time to have bethought himselfe in.

He warned the olde Worlde a hun­dred yeare and more, before he brought the floud upon the Earth.

He chastized the Children of Israel di­vers wayes, ere he destroied them in the wildernesse.

He sent Hornets and wilde Beastes, as foregoers of his hoste, into the lande of Canaan, before he rooted oute the in­habiters therof.

He punished not David for his mur­der and aduoutrie, untill he had first ad­monished him by his Prophet.

He removed not the Israelits into cap­tivitie, until al the warnings of his Pro­phets, and all the former corrections which he had used in vayne to reforme them, did shew them to be utterly paste hope of amendment.

Before the last destruction of Jerusa­lem, there wente innumerable signes, tokens, and wonders.

Finally, God never powred out his grievous displeasure and wrath uppon any Nation, Realme, Citie, Kingdome, State, or Countrey, but he gaue some notable forewarning thereof by some dreadfull wonder.

To let passe the examples of forreine Nations, which are many and terrible: what plagues, pestilences, famines, dis­eases, tempests, ouerflowing of waters both salte and freshe, and a number of o­ther most prodigeous tokens happened successiuely long time together, before the displacing of the Britons by the hands of our auncetors, for their negle­cting of Gods word preached and plan­ted many hundred yeres among them? Likewise, what gret warnings did God giue to our forefathers, in diuers Prin­ces reignes, before the alteration of the State, both by the Danes, and also by William the Conqueror? Againe, euen in these our dayes, how manifestly hath God threatned, and still doth threaten our contempt of his holy Religion, and our securitie and sound sléeping in sinne, shewing us euident tokens of his iust displeasure néere at hande, both abroade and at home.

I will not speake of the great ciuill Warres, nor of the horrible and vnna­turall massacres of good men, betrayde vnder the holyest pretences, which have bin of late yeares in the Countreys bor­dering upon us: bycause such dealings being pleasant to suche as séeke bloud, are taken for no wonders. Neyther will I stande uppon the rehearsall of the strange things that befell in the Realme of Naples in the yeare 1566. nor of the Earthquake, whereby a greate part of the Citie Ferrara in Italy was destroyed in the yeare 1570. or of the miraculous sights that were séene in France about Mountpellier, the yeare 1573. or of the like terrible sight that appeared little more than a yeare ago at Prage the chiefe Ci­tie of Boemia: nor of diuers other things whiche have hapned in forraine Coun­treys within the compasse of these fewe yeares: bycause it will perchance bée thought, that those tokens concerne the Countreys where they befell, & not us.

Well, I will not say, That whatso­uer things have bin written aforetimes, were written for our learning, that wee might learne to beware by other mens harmes.

We have signes and tokens ynow at home, if we can use them to our bene­fite.

What shall we say to the sore Fa­mine whiche hapned in the time of oure late soueraigne Lady Queene Mary, whiche was so greate, that men were faine to make bread of Acornes, and foode of Ferne rootes? or to the perticular Earthquake, in the time of oure most gratious soueraigne Lady that now is, which transposed the boundes of mens groundes, and turned a Churche to the cleane contrarie situation? or to the monstrous birthes both of Children and Cattell? or to the vnseasonablenesse of the seasons of some yeares, altering (af­ter a sort) Sommer into Winter, and Winter into Sommer? or to the won­derfull new Starre so long time fixed in the heauen? or to the strange appéerings of Comets, the often Eclipses of Sunne and Moone, the great and strange fashio­ned lights séene in the firmament in the night times, the suddaine falling, and vnwonted abiding of vnmeasurable a­bundance of Snow, the excessiue and vn­timely raynes and ouerflowing of wa­ters, the greatnesse and sharpe continu­ance of sore frostes, and many other such wonderfull things, one following in a­nothers necke? Shall we say that none of these also do concerne us? or rather more truly, that bycause they be gone and past (O ouer-great securitie and blindnesse of heart) we have cleane for­gotten them, or at leastwise make no great accompt of them, according to our common prouerb, that a wonder lasteth with us but nine dayes.

Therfore, least we should want eyther proofe of the certaintie of Gods irreuoca­ble iudgements, or argument of his con­tinuall mercifull dealing towards us, or matter wherewith to conuicte us of our excessiue unthankefulnesse: beholde, he sendeth us now lastly this Earthquake ye befel ye sixt day of this month, not so hurt­ful in present operation, as terrible in signification of things to come. For the tryed experience of all ages teacheth us, and the wrytings of the wise and lerned (specially of holie Scripture) do assured­ly witnes unto us, that such tokens are infallible fore warnings of Gods sore displesure for sinne, & of his iust plagues for the same, where amendement of lyfe ensueth not.

And although there bée peraduenture some, which (to kéepe them selues and o­thers from the due looking back into the time earst mysspent, and to foade them still in the vanities of this worlde, least they should sée their own wretchednesse, and séeke to shunne Gods vengeance at hande) wil not sticke to deface the appa­rant working of God, by ascribing this miracle to some ordinarie causes in na­ture: Yet notwithstanding to the godlie and wel-disposed which look aduisedly in­to the matter, pondering the manner of this Earthquake throughly, and consi­dering the manner of our dealings from the late restitution of the Gospell unto this day, and conferring the same wyth the manner of Gods fauorable dealing wyth us, and with his ordinary dealing in cases where his truthe hath bin plan­ted & groweth to bée contemned: it must néedes appeare to bée the very finger of God, and as a messenger of the miseries due to such deserts.

For, firste of all, whereas naturally Earthquakes are sayde to be engendred by winde gotten into the bowels of the earth, or by vapors bredde and enclosed within the hollowe caues of the earth, where, by their stryuing and struggling of themselues to get oute, or being haled outwarde by the heate and operation of the Sun, they shake the earth for want of sufficient vent to issue out at: If this Earthquake had rysen of such causes, it coulde not have bin so vniuersall, bicause there are many places in this Realme, which by reason of their substancial soūd­nesse and massie firmnesse, are not to bée pierced by any windes fron wythout, nor have any hollowenesse wherein to con­ceiue and bréede any such aboundance of vapors, specially in places farre distant from the Sea, or from Riuers, moores, marishes, fennes, or light & open soyles.

Neyther coulde it have bene in so ma­ny places vniuersally at one instant both by sea and lande. For the stryuing ther­of within the grounde, taking his begin­ning at some certaine place, and procée­ding forwarde to get a vent, would have required some space of time to have at­tained to so many places so farre off, or else have broken out with great furie in some place that had bin weakest.

Againe, wheras in Earthquakes that procéede of naturall causes, certaine sig­nes and tokens are reported to go before them, as, a tempestuous working and raging of the sea, the wether being fair, temperate, and vnwindie, calmenesse of the aire matched with great colde: dim­nesse of the Sunne for certaine dayes [...] ­fore: long and thinne strakes of cloudes appearing after the setting of the Sun, the weather being otherwise cleere: the troublednesse of water euen in the déepest welles, yéelding moreouer an infected and stinking sauour: and lastly, greate and terrible sounds in the earth, like the noise of gronings or thunderings, as wel afore as after the quaking: We finde not that any such foretoken happened a­gainst the conming of this Earthquake. And▪ therefore we may well conclude (though there were none other reason to moue us) that this miracle procéeded not of the course of any naturall causes, but of Gods only determinate purpose, who maketh euen the verye foundations and pillers of the earthe to shake, the moun­taines to melte lyke war, and the seas to dry vp and to becom as a drie field, when he listeth to shewe the greatenesse of his glorious power, in vttering his heauie displeasure against sinne.

But putte the case that some naturall causes or secrete influences had their or­dinarie operations in this Earthquake, whereof notwithstanding there is not a­ny sufficient likelyhode: shall we so gaze upon the meane causes, that we shal for­get or let slip the chiefe & principall cau­ses? Knowe we not (after so long hea­ring and professing of the Gospel) that a sparrow lighteth not on the ground with out Gods prouidence? That the negle­cting of his louing kindenesse, and the continuing in sin without amendement, prouoke his vengeance? And yet that he of his owne fatherlie frée goodnesse, doth euer giue warning before he stryketh? Surely we can not but know it, yea and sée it too, vnlesse the God of this worlde have so blynded our eyes, that we will not sée it. For it is daylie and almoste hourely tolde us by the Ministers of his word, and the Byble lyes alwayes open for us to reade it our selues, that as the onely originall cause and welspring of al plagues and punishmentes is sin: to the plagues and punishmentes themselues, and the orderlie disposing, directing, and guiding of all causes to their due endes & effectes, is the onely worke of God, who to make all offendors vnexcusable (as I sayde before) doth often cause euen the very Elements and senselesse creatures, to fore shew in most terrible maner euen by their naturall operations, the appro­ching of his iust vengeance. And truly, as it is sayde in the Psalme, their spea­king and talking unto us, is not so softly and whysperingly, as that the voyces of them can not be hearde: but contrary­wise, they be so loud in our eares, so ma­nifest to our eyes, and so sensible to oure féeling: that (vnlesse we bée stonie and steelie hearted, or giuen [...]uer to a leude minde,) they can not but hée gréeuous to our heartes, and terrible to oure consci­ences.

Nowe then, shall we thinke this rare and vnaccustomed miracle, suche as no man lyuing, nor none of our forefathers hath euer séene or hearde of, to be a thing of no importance, as hapning by chance, or grounded upon some naturall causes: and not rather as a messenger and sum­moner of us to the dreadful Iudgement­seate of the almightie & euerliuing God?

Let us enter into our selues, and exa­mine our time paste. Since the sharpe tryall which GOD made of us in the raigne of Quéene Marie, (at which time we vowed all obedience to GOD, if he woulde voutchsafe to deliuer us againe from the bondage of the Romishe Anti­chryst, into the libertie of the Gospell of his sonne Iesus Chryste) he hearkening effectually to our requestes, hath gyuen us a long resting and refreshing-time, blessed with innumerable benefites both of body and soule: For peace, health, and plentie of al things necessarie for the life of man, we have had a golden worlde a­boue all the residue of oure neyghbours rounde aboute us.

The worde of truth hath bin preached unto us earely and late without lette or disturbance. And bicause our prosperitie hath made us to play the wanton children against God, he hath chastized us in the meane season with many fatherlie corre­ctions.

Wée have bin taught, instructed, ex­horted, encouraged, allured, entreated, reprooued, rebuked, vpbrayded, warned, threatned, nurtured, and chastized. To be shorte, there is not that meane wher­by we might be woon to the obeying and louing of oure God, whether it were by fauourable mildnesse or moderate rigor, but he hath ministred the same most mer­cifully and seasonably unto us. And what are we the better for all this?

Haue we so profited in this schole, that of Couetous we bée become Liberall? of Proude and Enuious, méek and Lowly? of Leacherous, Chaste? of Gluttons, Measurable féeders? of Drunkards, So­ber? of Wrathfull and testie, Milde and patient? of Cruel and hard hearted, Pi­tifull and gentle? of Oppressors, Relie­uers? and of Irreligious, Seruisable to GOD?

Haue we so put off the olde man, & so clothed ourselues with the new, in liuing sincerely according to ye doctrine we pro­fesse, that neyther the enimies of Chry­stes Church, nor our owne consciences can reproue us? Then néed we not to be of any signes from the Heauen aboue, nor of any tokens fron the earth beneath: for wée have builded our houses wysely upon the rocke, which neither wind, wa­ter, nor Earthquake, no nor Sathan him self with al his Féends can shake downe or empaire.

But alas, it is farre otherwise with us: we have growen in godlinesse as the Moone doth in light when she is past the full. For who sées not the emulation that remaynes stil among us for excesse of apparell, fare, and building? Who perceyueth not the dysdaine of superiors to their inferiors, the grudge and heart­burning of inferiors towardes their su­periors, and the want of loue in al states one towardes another?

Who complayneth not of corruption in Officers, yea euen in Officers of Iu­stice and ministers of the Lawe? Is it not a common byworde (but I hope not true though conmon) that as a man is fren­ded, so the lawe is ended?

In Youth there was never lyke looce­nesse and vntimelie libertie, nor in Age lyke vnstayednesse & want of dyscretion, nor the lyke carelesnesse of duety in ey­ther towardes other.

The Boye mateth the Man of aged grauity, and is conmended for that which he deserueth to be beaten for.

Seruants are become maysterlike, & fellowes with Maysters: and Maysters vnable to maister their owne asfections, are become seruants to other folkes ser­uantes, yea and to their owne seruantes too.

Men have taken vp the garish attire & nyce behauior of Women: and Women transformed from their own kinde, have gotten vp the apparell and [...]omackes of men: & as for honest and modest shame­fastnesse the preferrer of all Uertues, it is so highly mislyked, that it is thoughte of some folkes scarce tollerable in chil­dren.

Hatred, malice, dysdaine, and desire of reuenge for the weighte of a feather, are the vertues of our yong Gentlemen in commendation of their manhoode and valiantnesse.

Déepe Dissimulation and Flatterie are counted Courtlie behauior: Mighte ouer commeth right: and Truthe is tro­den vnder foote.

Idlenesse & Pride bring dayly infinite numbers to that point, that they had ra­ther rob and be shamefully hanged, than labour and liue with honesty.

Usurie, the consumer of priuate states, and the confounder of Common weales, is become a common (and in some mens opinions conmendable) trade to liue by.

Faithfulnesse is fleede into exile, and falshode vaunteth himself in his place, til he have gotten great summes of money into his hande, that hée maye playe the Banker oute, to the vndoing of such as trust him.

The Saboth dayes and holy dayes or­dayned for the hearing of Gods word to the reformation of our lyues, for the ad­ministration & receyuing of the Sacra­mentes to our comfort, for the séeking of all things behouefull for bodye or soule at Gods hande by Prayer, for the myn­ding of his benefites, and to yéelde praise and thankes unto him for the same, and finally, for the speciall occupying of our selues in all spiritual exercizes: is spent full heathenishly, in tauerning, tipling, gaming, playing, & beholding of B [...]are­baytings and Stageplayes, to the vtter dyshonor of GOD, impeachment of all godlynesse, and vnnecessarie consuming of mennes substances which ought to be better employed.

The wante of orderly Discipline and Catechizing, hath eyther sent great nū ­bers both olde and yong backe again in­to Papistrie, or let them runne loose into godlesse Atheisme.

And wolde God that we which call o­thers to obedience, shewing them the way, and rebuking their vices: mighte not be iustly charged to bée as trumpets, which with their sound encourage other men to the battell, but fight not themsel­ues. Nay would God that in al degrées, some suche as oughte to be Lanternes of light and Ringleaders to Uertue, were not infecters of others by their euill ex­ample.

I feare me that if the Prophete Esay were héere alyue, he would tell us as hée sometime tolde the Iewes, that from the croune of our head to the sole of our foot, there is no whole or sounde parte in oure bodie, but that al is ful of sores, blaines, and botches. Thinke we then that such doing shal scape vnpunished, or such buil­dings stande vnshaken? Well may we deceyue our selues in so hoping: but God deceyueth not, neyther is deceyued.

It is wrytten, that euery plant which our heauenlie Father hath not planted, shal be plucked vp by the rootes, and that euery trée which beareth not good fruite, shall be cut downe and cast into the fire.

The Axe is layde to the roote of the trée: and the longer that Gods venge­ance is in comming the, sorer it smyteth when it is come. Terrible and moste true is this saying of his by the mouth of Salomon: For as much as I have cal­led, and you have refuzed: and I have stretched oute my handes, and you have not regarded it: but have despized al my counsel, and set my correction at nought: therefore wil I also laugh at your destru­ction, and mock yee when the thing that yee feare commeth upon you: euen when the thing that yee be afrayde of breaketh in upon you like a storme, and your mi­serie like a tempest. When trouble and heauynesse come upon you on all sides: then shall ye call upon me, but I wil not answere you, yee shal seeke me early, but yee shall not finde me: euen bicause yee hated knowledge, and didde not chooze the feare of the Lorde. Ye would none of my counsell, but hated my correction: and therfore shal ye eat the fruit of your owne ways, and be filled with your own inuentions. Soothly it is a dreadful thing to fall into the handes of the Lorde. For as he is merciful▪ so is he also iust, and in all his determinations he is vtterly vn­changeable. And (as the Prophet Jere­mie sayeth) When sentence is once gone forth of his presence, it shal not retourne without performance.

Wherfore let us not be as horsses and Mules whiche have no vnderstanding: neyther let us tarrie till Iudgement be sent forth unto victorie. But let us consi­der the time of our visitation, and whyle we have time, let us use it to our benefit.

So long as God calleth unto us, so long as he entreteth us, so long as he techeth, allureth, exhorteth or warneth us, yea so long as he doeth as yet but threaten us: so long the gate is stil open for us, so as he will heare us if we call, and be founde of us if we séeke him. But if he once hold his peace, and begin too smite, then it is too late too call backe his hande, our cry­ing wil not boote us.

Therefore while we have respite, and while it is called to daie, let us not harden our hartes as in the prouocation, and as in the day of Temptation in the wilder­nesse, but let us hearken to his voyce, & forsaking the lustes and the wicked ima­ginations and deuices of our own h [...]rts, let us turne to the Lorde our God wyth harty repentaunce and vnfeyned amend­ment of life, least (besides other meaner plagues both of bodye and minde) our Candlesticke be remoued, our light quen ­ched, Christs Gospel taken from us, and we for our vnthankefulnesse be caste out with our children into vtter darkenesse: and in y• terrible day of Iudgement heare this dreadfull sentence of the iust Iudge pronoūced against us: Depart from me yée workers of wickednesse, which har­dened your harts against me and made your faces as hard as brasse, at such time as my long sufferaunce wayted for you, prouoking you by milde­nesse and patience to amendement.