But supposing the earthquake which made such havock at _Lisbon_, should never travel so far as _London_, is there nothing else which can reach us? What think you of a comet? Are we absolutely out of the reach of this? You cannot say we are; seeing these move in all directions, and through every region of the universe. And would the approach of one of these amazing spheres, be of no importance to us? Especially in its return from the sun? When that immense body is (according to Sir _Isaac Newton_’s calculation) heated two thousand times hotter than a red-hot cannon ball. The late ingenious and accurate Dr. _Halley_ (never yet suspected of enthusiasm) fixes the return of the great comet in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight: and he observes that the last time it revolved, it moved in the very same line which the earth describes in her annual course round the sun: but the earth was on the other side of her orbit. Whereas in this revolution it will move not only in the same line, but in the same part of that line wherein the earth moves. And “who can tell (says that great man) what the consequences of such a contact may be?”
“Who can tell?” Any man of common understanding, who knows the very first elements of astronomy. The immediate consequence of such a body of solid fire touching the earth must necessarily be, that it will set the earth on fire, and burn it to a coal, if it do not likewise strike it out of its course; in which case (so far as we can judge) it must drop down directly into the sun.
But what if this vast body is already on its way? If it is nearer than we are aware of? What if these unusual, unprecedented motions of the waters, be one effect of its near approach? We cannot be certain, that it will be visible to the inhabitants of our globe, till it has imbibed the solar fire. But possibly we may see it sooner than we desire. We may see it, not as _Milton_ speaks,
From its horrid hair Shake pestilence and war:
But ushering in far other calamities than these, and of more extensive influence. Probably it will be seen first, drawing nearer and nearer, till it appears as another moon in magnitude, though not in colour, being of a deep firey red: then scorching and burning up all the produce of the earth, drying away all clouds, and so cutting off the hope or possibility of any rain or dew; drying up every fountain, stream and river, causing all faces to gather blackness, and all men’s hearts to fail. Then executing its grand commission on the globe itself, and causing the stars to fall from heaven.¹ O who may abide when this ♦is done? Who will then be able to stand?
¹ What security is there against all this, upon the _Infidel_ hypothesis? But upon the _Christian_, there is abundant security: for the scripture prophecies are not yet fulfilled.
♦ “it” replaced with “is”
Quum mare, quum tellus, ♦excelsaque regia cœli Ardeat, & mundi moles operosa laboret?
♦ “operosa” replaced with “excelsaque” per Errata
What shall we do? Do now, that none of these things may come upon us unawares? We are wisely and diligently providing for our defence against one enemy: with such a watchful wisdom and active diligence, as is a comfort to every honest _Englishman_. But why should we not shew the same wisdom and diligence in providing against all our enemies? And if our own wisdom and strength be sufficient to defend us, let us not seek any further. Let us without delay recruit our forces and guard our coasts against the famine and murrain and pestilence; and still more carefully against immoderate rains and winds, and lightnings and earthquakes and comets: that we may no longer be under any painful apprehensions of any present or future danger, but may smile
“Secure amidst the jar of elements, The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds!”
But if our own wisdom and strength be not sufficient to defend us, let us not be ashamed to seek farther help. Let us even dare to own, we believe there is a God: nay, and not a lazy, indolent, epicurean deity, who sits at ease upon the circle of the heavens, and neither knows nor cares what is done below: but one who as he created heaven and earth, and all the armies of them, as he sustains them all by the word of his power, so cannot neglect the work of his own hands. With pleasure we own there is such a God, whose eye pervades the whole sphere of created beings, who knoweth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names: a God whose wisdom is as the great abyss, deep and wide as eternity:
“Who high in power, in the beginning said, Let sea, and air, and earth, and heaven be made, And it was so. And when he shall ordain In other sort, hath but to speak again, And they shall be no more.”