Mat. xiii. and in the Prefence of the Lamb when the

49, 50.

Holy Angels fhall have Separated the Wicked from among the Fuft, and have caft them into a Furnace of Fire. Now this Defcription does in every Circumftance, fo exactly agree with the Nature of a Comet, afcending from the Hot Regions near the Sun, and going into the Cold Regions beyond Saturn, with its long fmoaking Tail arifing up from it, through its feveral Ages or Periods of revolving, and this in the Sight of all the Inhabitants of our Air,and of the reft of the System; that I cannot but think the Surface or Atmosphere of fuch a Comet to be that Place of Torment fo terribly described in Scripture, into which the Devil and his Angels, with wicked Men their Companions, 2 Pet. ii. when delivered out of their Prifon in the Heart Jud. v. 6. of the Earth, fhall be caft for their utter PerdiApoc. xx. tion or fecond Death; which will be indeed a

14.

terrible but a most useful Spectacle to the reft

of God's rational Creatures; and will admonish them above all Things to preserve their Mat. x.28. Innocence and Obedience; and to fear him Luc. xii. 5. who is thus able to deftroy both Soul and Body in Hell.

PART

PART VIII.

Such Inferences fhewn to be the common Voice of Nature and Reason, from the Teftimonies of the most confiderable Perfons in all Ages.

N.B.

HE Teftimonies under this Head will be of themselves fo plain, that I fhall need to make no Comment nor Reflections upon them; but then they will be withal fo numerous, that I must beg the fober Reader's Patience and Attention in the diftinct Perufal and Confideration of them : Which certainly are but a due Debt to the Importance of the Subject, and to the Character of the Witneffes. I begin with the Book of Job; which I efteem the Ancientest Record now extant in the World.

Fob God is wife in Heart, and mighty in ix. 4- 10. ftrength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath profpered? Which removeth the Mountains,and they know not: which overturneth them in his Anger. Which fhaketh the Earth.

out

x. 8--12.

xii. 7--10.

xxii. 12.

xxvi. 7-

14.

out of her Place, and the Pillars thereof tremble. Which commandeth the Sun, and it rifeth not and fealeth up the Stars. Which alone fpreadeth out the Heavens, and treadeth upon the Waves of the Sea. Which maketh Arturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the Chambers of the South. Which doeth great Things paft finding out, yea, and Wonders without Number.

Thine Hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou doft destroy me. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou haft made me as the Clay, and wilt thou bring me into Duft again? Haft Thou not poured me out as Milk, and cruddled me like Cheese? Thou haft clothed me with Skin and Flesh, and haft fenced me with Bones and Sinews. Thou haft granted me Life and Favour, and thy Vifitation hath preserved my Spirit.

But ask now the Beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the Earth, and it fhall teach thee; and the Fifhes of the Sea fhall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these, that the Hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whofe Hand is the Soul of every living Thing, and the Breath of all Mankind.

Is not God in the Heighth of Heaven? And behold the Heighth of the Stars how high they

He stretcheth out the North over the empty Place, and hangeth the Earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the Waters in his thick Clouds, and the Cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the Face of his Throne, and spreadeth his Cloud upon it. He hath compaffed the Waters with Bounds, until the Day and Night come to

an end. The Pillars of Heaven tremble, and are aftonished at his Reproof. He divideth the Sea with his Power, and by his Understanding he finiteth through the Proud. By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens; his Hand hath formed the crooked Serpent. Lo, these are Parts of his Ways: but how little a Portion is heard of him? but the Thunder of his Power who can understand?

God understandeth the Way of Wisdom, and xxviii. he knoweth the Place thereof. For he looketh to 23--28. the Ends of the Earth, and feeth under the whole Heaven. To make the Weight for the Winds, and he weigheth the Waters by measure. When he made a Decree for the Rain, and a Way for the Lightning of the Thunder: Then did he fee it, and declare it, he prepared it, yea and fearched it out. And unto Man he said, behold, the Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom, and to depart from Evil is Understanding.

Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the Number of his Years be fearched out. For he maketh fmall the Drops of Water: They pour down Rain according to the Vapour thereof: Which the Clouds do drop, and diftill upon Man abundantly. Alfo can any underftand the Spreadings of the Clouds, or the Noife of his Tabernacle? Behold, he spreadeth his Light upon it, and covereth the Bottom of the Sea. For by them judgeth he the People, he giveth Meat in Abundance. With Clouds he covereth the Light; and commandeth it not to fhine, by the Cloud that cometh betwixt. The Noife thereof fheweth concerning it, the Cattel alfo concerning the Vapour.

At

xxxvi.26

33.

xxxvii.

1--34.

At this alfo my Heart trembleth, and is moved out of his Place. Hear attentively the Noife of his Voice, and the Sound that goeth out of his Mouth. He directeth it under the whole Heaven, and his Lightning unto the Ends of the Earth. After it a Voice roareth: He thundreth with the Voice of his Excellency, and he will not stay them when his Voice is heard. God thundreth marvellously with his Voice great Things doth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he faith to the Snow, Be thou on the Earth; likewise to the small Rain, and to the great Rain of his Strength. He fealeth up the Hand of every Man, that all Men may know his Work. Then the Beafts go into Dens, and remain in their Places. Out of the South cometh the Whirlwind and Cold out of the North. By the Breath of God, Froft is given: and the Breadth of the Waters is ftraitned. Alfo by watering he wearieth the thick Cloud : He scattereth his bright Cloud. And it is turned round about by his Counfels: That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the Face of the World in the Earth. He causeth it to come, whether for Correction, or for his Land, or for Mercy. Hearken unto this, O Job Stand ftill and confider the wondrous Works of God. Doft thou know when God difpofed them, and caufed the Light of his Cloud to fhine? Doft thou know the Balancings of the Clouds, the wondrous Works of him which is perfect in Knowledge? How thy Garments are warm, when he quieteth the Earth by the South-wind? Haft thou with him spread out the Sky, which is ftrong, and as a Molten Looking Glafs? Teach us what we shall fay

unto