Seismos megas. Or Heaven & earth shaken. A treatise shewing how kings, princes, and their governments are turned and changed by Jesus Christ as [brace] King of Kings, and King of Saints. / By John Davis, M.A. sometime lecturer at Christ Church in London, and now pastour of a congregation in Dover.

CHAP. I. The Introduction, shewing the occasion and scope of the insuing Treatise. (Book 1)

THe works of the Lord are great (sayeth the Psalmist) sought * 1.1out of all them that have pleasure therein. When God is wor∣king we must eye him; and when his works be great, we must be searching them out; and not soon weary, but taking pleasure both in the works and search. Gods works to us of this Nation, have been honourable and glorious (as it is verse 3.) and his righteousnesse enduring * 1.2for ever. No marvel then, if they be ta∣king, with the minde and hearts of his people, who entertaine them with the highest esteeme and most joyful admira∣tion: verse 4. He hath made his wonder∣ful * 1.3workes to be remembred; the Lord is gra∣cious

* 1.4 and full of compassion: I appeale unto your consciences that read, whether the grace and full compassion of God, have not made his works wonderful among us; Now God will not have his works writ∣ten in the sand; he makes his works won∣derful, and his wonderful works to be remembred, and surely his people cannot forget them; they are ingraven on their hearts, and they cannot but remember * 1.5them▪ v. ••. He giveth meat to them that fear him; He is ever mindful of his Covenant. Consider v. 5. the malice and rage of ad∣versaries; and we cannot but reckon it among the wonderful works of God, that his people have a bit of bread, that they have meat for their mouths, and drink to quench their thirst; but when its added, He is ever mindful of his Cove∣nant: His Covenant, and his mindful∣nesse of his Covenant; and so giving them meat, renders this common path of pro∣vidence, this so giving them meat, to be truly wonderful. v. 6. He hath shewed his * 1.6people the power of his works. How! few are there that take notice of the works of God; and fewer that take notice of God in his works: But this is the favour that he shewes his people, not onely his works, but the power of them: their Verity, and Judgement, Truth, Ʋprightnesse and Sted∣fastnesse, * 1.7as it is v. 7, 8.

Vision is the glory and light of life; he

lives most like a man, not that eates and drinks most, sleeps and sports most, but he that with the acting eye of Reason, sees most of things, and their difference: He lives most like a Christian, that by * 1.8faith se••th him that is invisible, makes a reall presence of things absent, and an evi∣dence and tr••e enjoyment of things hoped for: our present and after-happinesse is in vision, by faith here, really and truly; but more hereafter, when we shall see him * 1.9face to face, and know as we are known, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Daniel and John, the greatly beloved Prophet and Disciple, were both much honoured with Visions and Reve∣lations: our Saviour commends Abra∣ham for that he saw his day and rejoyced, Joh. 8. 56. Those who are Abrahams seed, cannot but eye Christ and rejoyce in the dawning of his day: if God have * 1.10an hand to work, surely we must have an eye to see, an heart to believe, and a tongue to praise him. God doth not work little things for his people; it stands not with his love, and their condition; and when he doth great things, we must meet him and them with great observa∣tion. I have heard an Ambassador re∣siding here, should write home that he lived in a Land of wonders; well note∣ing how great turns passed on us, and how little blood was shed about them; then if strangers see so much, we should

see more. Doubtlesse God hath revived his works of old; made his arme bare, com∣manding and creating deliverances for us. How often hath he brought us to the gates of death? and then said return, re∣turn, ye children of men. How many, and mighty, malicious and prosperous, have our enemies been? and yet how destroy∣ed? How little and low, how despised and nothing, have your Councils, Ar∣mies, Allyes, your all been? and yet God hath remembred us in our low estate. He hath not been weary of doing us good, although we have soon been weary of * 1.11serving him. There is a voyce in the r••d (saith the Prophet) and surely mercies, deliverances and salvations, have their voyce also; and the greater any danger or deliverance is, the louder is the voyce. Oh! that we could heare so as to love and learn righteousnesse: Oh! that we were wise to read Gods works out of his word, his providences in his prophesies, Dan. 12. 10. The wise shall understand: Thus to un∣derstand him, will be our wisdome. When the Devil tempted our Saviour, it was by shewing him the World and the glory * 1.12of it; But behold here a better vision; the glory of the world, and worldly King∣domes, and the fall of them; Mountains tumbling down, and Vallyes filled up; high things brought low, and low things exalted. How! many and mighty, pre∣cious

and seasonable, have been the re∣turns of fervent, righteous, faithful prayers? * 1.13They were made in former Ages, but are answered Now: our fore-fathers had the honour to sow, and we the blessing to reape the fruits of their prayers: Oh! the riches of the grace of God, that high∣tens our mercies by steeping them in blood: Our Adoption, Reconciliation, Redemption, Remission of sin and salva∣tion is by the precious blood of Jesus: the glorious truths of the everlasting Gospel come to us dyed in his blood, who was the great Martyr, and in the blood of ma∣ny * 1.14his servants and Martyrs: Rev. 6. 9. Our present Liberty, Peace, and Enjoy∣ments, did they not cost the dearest blood of many valiant Worthies?

Oh! let not, let not the blood of Christ, his Martyrs and Souldiers condemn us; Let it not be said, God stretched forth his hand to a foolish and gainsaying people; that the Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse * 1.15his Masters crib: and that we know not, care not, consider not, when God works such glorious things. When David had the water of the Well of Bethlehem brought * 1.16to him, he poured it out before the Lord, be∣cause it was the blood of these men: Oh! that now your hearts might rebound these mercies to Heaven, whence they came, in humble thankfulnesse, and watchful obedience; seeing they are the

blood of your brethren. When the time of performing great promises and prophe∣sies * 1.17drew nigh, God raiseth up Daniel's spirit to search: Oh! that we might be praying and searching, praying and rea∣ding, praying and inquiring, and not giving over, till we come to some under∣standing of these blessed mysteries. Now to help you in this search, to informe your understanding, to be instrumental to draw forth and establish your faith about the great works of this latter Age, is the scope of this insuing Treatise. The Lord in much mercy blesse you and it together, that those good ends may be obtained.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 111. 2.
• * 1.2

  v. 3.
• * 1.3

  v. 4.
• * 1.4

  The occa∣sion.
• * 1.5

  v. 5.
• * 1.6

  v. 6.
• * 1.7

  v. 7. & 8.
• * 1.8

  Heb. 11. 1.
• * 1.9

  Heb. 11. 27
• * 1.10

  The scope.
• * 1.11

  Mic. 6. 9.
• * 1.12

  Mat. 4. 8.
• * 1.13

  Jam. 5. 16.
• * 1.14

  Rev. 3. 14.
• * 1.15

  Isa. 1. 3.
• * 1.16

  2 Sam. 23. 15, 16.
• * 1.17

  Dan. 9. 2.