up, &c. v. 12. And plainer yet, v. 19 and 20. O Lord, to thee will I cry, for the Fire bat destroyed the Pastures of the Wilderness, and to Flame bath burnt all the Trees of the Field: The Beasts of the Field cry also unto thee, for the Rivers of Water are dried up, and the Fire hate devoured the Pastures of the Wilderness. All which Expressions seem plainly to show, that this heavy Judgment shall be effeded particularly by exceffive and præternatural Heats, occafioned either by a more fre quent appearance and defcent of Meteon, or from a more vigorous and intense Fer mentation, in those Bodies which are the ordinary Instruments of Light and Heat to us; or elfe from fome Disorders in the Body of the Earth, occafioned by Eruptions of its Central Fire; or at least by fome nearer approaches of it to its Superficies, which about this time may be expected, as we observed before; or elfe perhaps from the concurrence of both these Causes together.

Blights II. THE Second Reason is, That all the and Mil- other usual Causes of Famines are reducidews, &c. ble to the afore-mentioned. These are imputed to Blights, Mildews, and devouring Infects,

viz. The Palmer-Worm, Grashopper, Caterpiller, &c. mentioned in the afore-quoted Place of Foel; all which are certainly occafioned and produced by Heat. As for Blights, &c. not to mention the Names used to express them by both Greeks and Latins (fuch are Uredo, Καυθμός, &c.) Every Season furnishes us with sensible Demonstrations of their hot and burning Qualities; fuch as may be discerned by the Look, Touch, and Smell of Fruits, Leaves, or Herbs that have been touched by them: What may be the primary and Original Cause of thefe Meteors (for so I am forced to call them, not knowing to what Class of Nature to reduce them) or wherein those burning Qualities do consist, is hard to say; but it is very probable, that they are nothing else but condensed Vapours, deeply impregnated with hot and dry Effluviums, proceeding from some of the Heavenly Bodies. Which may probably be further illustrated (not to say confirmed) by confidering the Seasons in which they happen, and which of the Heavenly Bodies are prædominant in that Seafon. Now there were fome critical Seasons observed by the Ancients, in which Blights, &c. were more common and ordinary: Such were particularly the Calends of May, on the VIIth of which, i. e. April the 25th New Stile, the Romans observed a Festival, called Robigalia, instituted to implore the Bleffing of their God Robigus (whom they supposed to preside over the Fruits of the Earth) that their Corn might be preferv'd from Blights. See Plin. 18. 29. From whence, in aftertimes, the Christians took an Occafion of inftituting Solemn Fafts and Proceffions, called to this Day Rogation-Week; by the Old Britains, Gang-Week; in Latin, Ambarvalia; because then the Bishop or Presbyter, with the People, did use to walk too and fro in the Fields, with the Hoft or confecrated Elements, and beg a Blessing upon

:

upon the Fruits of the Earth. At that time, according to the Computation then in use, the Sun was between 10 and 14 Degrees of Taurus 8. And the true Cause of keeping that Festival upon that particular time, Rosinus (Lib. 4. Cap. 7.) fays was this: That 19 Degrees after the Vernal Equinox, for four Days together, according to the Observation of divers Nations, a hot, dry, and angry Constellation, called Canis Major, or the Great Dog, was used to fet (Achronically I suppose he means, as it appears by rectifying the Globe to the Latitude of Rome.) But Goad, in his Astrometeorol. Sana, p. 92. says, It was not only upon that Account, but because about that time there did Arife and Set with the Sun an illustrious Company of Stars; meaning the Hyades and Pleiades, upon the Neck and Head of Taurus : Which Stars, as indeed the whole Asterism of Taurus, he fays (upon Ptolomy's Authority) have both Qualities, hot and cold, in them. And though they (especially the former) have been diftinguished by their watry Qualities, from whence they have their Denomination, Σπό το δειν, yet he says, pag. 90. That those Parts of Taurus about the Pleiades, occafion Earthquakes, Clouds and Wind; those about the Hyades are of a fiery Nature, and produce Thunder and Lightning, for which he alledges many Reasons; (fee the place.) Now every one knows, that those Meteors are produced by great Quantities of Nitrofulphurious Particles, which must be ei

ther exhaled from the Body of the Earth, by by the excessive Heat of these Bodies; or emitted immediately from these Bodies themselves; which may not improbably descend in a watry Vehicle. Be it which way it will, it seems to amount to some Proof, that the grand instrumental Cause of these Appearances is exceffive Heat: And how much more do we think those Effects should be produced; if, besides these common and ordinary Causes, there should be at the fame time a concurrence of fome accidental Disorders in those Bodies, which should render their natural Qualities more intense and piercing. I would not here be supposed to think, that Blights, Mildews, &c. are so appropriated

to

this Season, which I have been speaking of, as not to fall alfo at other times: But this Season is particularly remarkable, because of the Condition of the Corn and other Fruits; as being, if not in Blossom, yet of so tender a consistency, as to be affected by any the least touch of malign Influences. But to return, this same thing seems to be hinted by the Apochryphal Author of the 2d Book of Efdras, Chap. 15. where speaking, v. 5. of the last fore Plagues, the Sword, Famine, Death and Destruction (or Pestilence) which God would bring upon the World; when (v. 6.) Wickedness shall have exceedingly polluted the whole Earth, and the Measure of their Iniqui.. ties shall be filled up. He says (v. 12.) Ægypt (i.e. Mystical Egypt, or the whole Earth, this World in which God's Children are kept in Bondage or Slavery, Compare v. 6,7,8,9,10

That de

11, 12, 13, 14.) shall mourn, and the Foundation of it shall be smitten with the Plague and Punishment that God shall bring upon it. V. 13. They that till the Ground shall mourn, for their Seeds shall fail, through the Blasting and Hail, and with a fearful Constellation.

III. As for the Second fort of Causes, vouring devouring Insects, that they are produced Infects are by Heat, we have a strong Presumption produced from an Obfervation common amongit us, by Heat. that they abound most in hot and dry Sea

fons; besides what Bochartus has observed, Zwograph. Sancta, Lib. 4. Cap. 6. and Cap. 4. in both which Places he exprefly afferts, That Drougth is the Cause of Locusts and other devouring Insects. But as to the precife manner of their Production, whether it be æquivocal, i. e, by some latent Seeds in the Superficies of the Earth, which are impregnated by the Sun, or other aftral Influences; or univocally, by the common concurrence of Male and Female, is hard to determine. However, the former Opinion seems more probable, because it is difficult to conceive how the Heat can be any way instrumental in the latter way; much less how it can be faid to be a Caufe, as Bochart and others have afferted upon the Authority of the Ancients:)

A Recapi- § 6. WITH this three-fold Evil, viz. tulation of Sword, Pestilence, and Famine, will God these three chaftife the Apoftate Antichriftian World

Evils.

in the latter Days, 2 Esdras 15. 14. Wo to the World and them that dwell therein, a Fire is kindled and shall not be put out, till it consume the Foundations of the Earth. Behold Famine,

and