THE voice OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE OR, A most strange and wonderful Relation of God's great Power, Providence, and Mercy, in sending very strange sounds, fires, and a Fiery Ball into the Church of Anthony in Cornwall near Plymouth, on Whitsunday last, 1640. To the scorching and astonishing of 14. several persons who were smitten. And likewise to the great terror of all the other people then present, being about 200. persons.  
The truth whereof will be maintained by the oaths of the same persons; having been examined by Richard Carew of Anthony, Esquire; and Arthur Bache, Vicar of Anthony.  
Imprinted at London by T. pain for Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold at the sign of the Marigold in Pauls-Church-yard. 1640.   

THE voice OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE.  
GOD in all ages hath given Testimonies of his power, and particularly of that power which is able in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that do not know and obey him, even the power which the Excellent Singer of Israel thus expresseth, 
Psal. 29.  The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of Majesty, The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.  
But here have we notice, not only of his power but his goodness; so as we may say with the Prophet, The Lord is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; 
Nahum 1.  yet withal, the Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, his way is in the whirl wind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. For here we see God in the storm, threatening judgement, yet showing mercy; yea, Mercy triumphing over judgement: And indeed his judgement leads to Mercy by leading to Repentance; For whiles it calls to Repentance, it forewarns to fly the wrath to come: Whereas without Repentance, this will be but a pattern and forerunner of eternal fire. But if like wise children burnt with this temporal fire, sinners by penitence escape the everlasting burnings of eternal fire; then may they sing Mercy and judgement, even judgement turned into Mercy: And then may they break out into thanksgivings, for the judgement which hath brought them by Repentance to Mercy, and did now terrify them, but not destroy them; and did terrify them now, that it might not hereafter eternally destroy them.  
On Whitsunday last a fair morning began, but by the desert of sin, turned into black darkness, and was shadowed about 8. or 9 of the clock with a cloud, and this cloud was followed with some (not extraordinary) darkness, claps of Thunder, and flashes of Lightning; but afterwards when Divine Prayers and Sermon were ended, and Administration of the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was near accomplished, there came a very vehement fire, far more bright than Lightning; and this fire was suddenly attended with a terrible and unspeakable sound, to the great amazement and astonishment of the people then present in the Church. The terror of this strange fire and fearful sound, drew from some pitiful cries, caused in others a dead silence, their senses being stupefied and overcome by that which they saw, heard, and felt.  
More particularly, while the holy Communion was administering, and when as many as came to a first and second Table had received, and those that came to a third had received the bread, Light came in at the chancel window, and was seen in the chancel by divers persons, in the form of a fiery Ball, the bigness of a bowl, and did strike divers persons which were kneeling and expecting the Cup.  
Divers hurts by divers persons were then received, of which myself was one, who thought I had the hair of mine head burnt off, and the outside of my left leg scalded, and could not in mind be otherwise persuaded, until I was informed the contrary of the one, and mine own eyes saw the contrary of the other. In which give me leave to express unto the Reader (and that with hearty thanks to my mighty Preserver) my great deliverance, and that only by God's good providence toward me; I received the blow at my very turning towards the Communion Table, to take the Cup to administer the Wine, and I was no sooner removed from the place, but instantly a Ball of Fire came into the same place where I stood before, as is testified by divers persons then present.  
For my own part I call to mind that I saw a great flaming fire about my body, and heard a terrible sound in mine ears; and the blow which came with it (according to our sense) if it had lighted on my person, must needs have proved mortal. And my wife Elizabeth Bache, sitting in her seat after the receiving of that holy Sacrament, being astonished, partly with the greatness of the sound, partly with the terror of the fire, and partly with the cry of the people, supposing some one had been struck dead, asked of some of her neighbours by her, whether that were her husband which was killed? Reply was made her; not, thanks be to God, for he is comforting John Hodge, one of the distressed, and astonished persons. Master Antony Furlong the younger, was stricken in the soles of his feet, and likewise in the legs as it had been with Gunpower, and so he saw the fire vanish away in the manner of sparkles. John brusy likewise saw at the same time, as it were a Ball of fire descending from above; which when it came to the ground, dispersed abroad with a deadly Sound; and he felt his legs and toes extraordinary hot therewith; but when he returned home, and looked upon them, they were only very red, but he had no other harm. William Sergeant, a Master's mate of a ship, kneeling under the chancel window, was stricken on the chin, as seemed to him with a bullet: The blow was so grievous, as that he thought his body had been cut in two pieces; yea such was the violence of the blow, that it caused his water forthwith to issue from his body; and for a time lost his sight and senses, but soon recovered them again; which sergeant for two or three years before feeling oft-times a great pain in his chin, was hereby so cured, as that he felt no pain there since. John Gendle a servant unto Richard Carew Esq. was smitten against the fore part of the right shoulder, where he kneeled upon his knees, with a great violence, that (hearing as it were the hissing of a great shot) he thought he had been stricken therewith, and his shoulder had been carried clean away: he was turned almost round about where he kneeled, and exceedingly astonished with the blow. Anthony Peeke was fearfully smitten, in all the lower part of his body, as if it had been made dead; and felt the water in his bladder, as it were boiling hot; he supposed he had been shot thorough; he was set up upon the form, by which he was kneeling, himself not knowing how. Dorothy tub who was then kneeling to receive the Communion, was so smitten with this Lightning, that it seemed to her that her legs and knees were stricken off from her body, wherewith she was astonished for a while, but afterwards recovering her senses, felt extraordinary pain, and heat therein, which by little and little went so away, as it left only a little numbness in them, during the most part of that day; but in the end she was (by the blessing of God) perfectly freed thereof. Ferdinando Reepe of the church-town, was stricken in the sole of his left foot, with such violence, as he thought it had been split in pieces; and with the same blow was for the time deprived of his senses. John Hodge was smitten in his knees, and thighs; and so as if every joint of the lower part of his body had been unjointed; he feared greatly he should never have been able to stand again; it forced from him, a bitter and most pitiful cry; he likewise saw the ball of fire. Susanna Collings also received a grievous blow, as if she had been struck with fire, and the under part of her body seemed, as if it had been severed from the upper; it scalded the wrist of her right arm, as broad as a piece of three pence, which was not whole in a fortnight after; though she nor any of the rest felt any of the greater hurts, after the same day; she was so astonished with the blow, as that she fell sideways therewith, as she kneeled by the form: who being seen so fall'n, there came one John Burt of our parish, who being weak in respect of age, and so not able to lift her up; forthwith came likewise one Master Oliver Deeble, to assist him with his hands, as he did myself, and the rest with his Christian comfortable words. As likewise Mistress Grace Carew, the wife of the foresaid Master Richard Carew did (her husband being then absent, by reason of his grievous sickness;) persuading them to continue in, and not to go out of the Church: which counsel was so harkened unto and embraced, as that none departed from the Temple.  
There came in at the North window (being a little behind the aforesaid Master Carewes' seat) a great fire much redder than ordinary Lightning; which was seen by Mistress Pearse widow, daughter unto the said Master Carew; and by Degory Moyse the elder his Tenant; and strake Nicholas Skelton, one of his house, with such violence, as if he had been stricken with two flat stones, or two trenchers, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side of his head, and withal shook his body, as if it should have been shaken in pieces, whereby for a time he lost his sight and his senses. This fire then passed down by Master Carewes' seat into the path before it, and so went on unto the end thereof upon the ground, and passed up by the forepart of his seat in the chancel, and there instantly killed a dog, which Mistress Pearse's Daughter heard only once to screech.  
This Lightning or fearful fire (Term it as you please) entered likewise in the same time at a window in the West end of the Church, where it broke off pieces of the hard Moor stone, and rent one of the Arches of the window three foot long; and likewise broke some of the glass, and left the lead of the same pressed inwards, and made an hole in the stones and the lime of the side wall adjoining thereunto as big as a scaffold hole, and then struck one Roger Nile on the pinbone of his right side, and on the ankle on the inside of his left leg, as if the blow had been given by a bowl; so as for a while he was not able to stand. John Cowle also (commonly called Cowling) sitting in the South I'll of our Church, as high up as the lower end of the chancel, was so stricken with Lightning in the face, that he thought all the hair thereon had been burnt; yet by the mercy of God, though he were feared, had no hurt. Nicholas Wilcock, a servant unto the foresaid Master Carew likewise saith, that he saw fire come down from aloft, and a small piece of Lime therewith being thrown down, strake him on the cheek, which made his cheek continue in a burning heat all that day. In this Agony one cried as the child to his Father, Mine head, mine head, 2 Reg. 4.19. Another, My belly, My belly, Jer. 4.19. A third, like a lame Mephibosheth, My leg, My leg, 2 Sam. 4.4. All, like the Prince in Daniel, chap. 5.6. (troubled, yea trembled) whose face was changed at such a dismal sight.  
After this fire (which it should seem came from divers places; as appears by the blows of several persons, received in several places, and all at one instant) there was heard in the Church, as it were the hissing of a great shot; and withal such a noise, as rather resembled divers Canons shot off at an instant to make one single terrible report, then usual long rattling thunder: Which fearful sound was not heard till the Ball of Fire was seen to break in pieces; neither did the noise descend from above, but was heard, and seemed to begin in Church first: And as I for mine own part do verily think, close at the North side of the Communion Table, and as near as might be, to mine own person; with which terrible noise the Church seemed to shake, and the lime fell on the persons of two, who sat in one Pew, so as their Hats and clothes were white therewith, as if they had been whited with meal; so as many feared the falling of the roof, as it did at Withicombe, where one was killed with the same, and divers others hurt, and the Church so ruined, as they were forced to have a contribution for the reparation thereof. After this fire and sound, there followed a loathsome smell of Gunpowder and Brimstone, but the savour of the Gunpowder by the judgement of all, was stronger than that of the Brimstone. There was a great smoke in divers places of the Church, which many saw and many saw not.  
The fearful hearing of this noise, and seeing of this fire, astonished and even mortified most of those who were smitten therewith, and greatly terrified the whole Congregation (which were about two hundred souls) as appeared in their faces; yet notwithstanding the storm (praised be the Name of God) we all went safely home, as the seamen did to land, Acts 27.44. Wherein it pleased God to show us his poor Christian servants such favour, as though it wrought for a whilè on them who were most fearfully smitten, losing their speech, and being deprived of their senses, so as they resembled dead, or dying men, more than the living; yet God so limited the force and burning of the Lightning, that it hurt neither their clothes nor persons; much like unto that mighty work of God in Daniel upon the three children, 
Dan. 3.27:  the woman's small scald only excepted; (which also expressed how it wanted not power in its own natural strength to have done mischief.) But than first in a confused manner, between crying and speaking, their senses and speeches began to revive; and within a little space they so recovered themselves, as that none departed out of his place, till (after the taking of the bread when they were smitten) they had every one of them their senses so well restored unto them, that they likewise received the Cup at the same Table; and all returned at the afternoon (as there was great cause) to give thanks unto Almighty God for so great deliverance. Which appeared plainly to be far the greater, in that the same Thunder and Lightning instantly killed a dog, at the feet of those who were kneeling in the chancel to receive the Sacrament, and likewise another without the Church at the belfry door.  
Master Anthony Furlong the elder had a Mare killed in the field, and another horse fearfully stricken the same time with his head on one side, and so continues; and the ground of the same Field, for the space of three or four foot, turned as with a Plough: And likewise made seven or eight holes and rents in the walls of our Tower; some on the inside, some on the outside; and made impressions on the stones thereof in divers places, as if it had been done by the force of shot discharged out of great Ordnance; so as in divers places, the light might be seen through the walls.  
Thus have been represented to you terrible sounds; even sounds, containing many Thunders at once; a Fiery Ball flying from Heaven to Earth; Fire walking upon the Earth; Brimstone kindled with fire, thick darkness, storm and tempest; The blows and scourges of an hand from on high; Astonishment, hurrying and tumbling of Bodies, shaking and distracting of senses, spirits, and hearts of men. You have seen part of the Plague of Egypt, where fire mingled with hail, as here with most unusual and overflowing rain, ran upon the ground. You have seen a resemblance of Mount Sinai, 
Exod. 19.16.  where were thunderings and Lightnings, and a thick cloud, and an exceeding loud voice, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Behold then in these things the terror of the Lord; And what use shall we make of this terror? 
Exod. 20.20.  Let Moses tell us, God is come to prove you, that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. Let the Psalmist tell you, Stand in awe, and sin not. 
Psal. 4.4.  Let Samuel tell you as he told the Israelites after a wonderful Thunder and rain, 
1 Sam. 12.24, 25.  fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart; but if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed.  
There hath been also showed you, the levelling and shooting of the Arrows of the Almighty, at this place, at this time, and among the people; you have seen the fire, as it were, led by his hand, not only where it did, on whom it did, but like a living creature turning about as in a walk: And so according to the Vision of Ezekiel, 
Ezek. 1.14.  The living creatures ran and returned, as the appearance of a flash of Lightning. Behold then here the Dominion, High and Supreme power of the Almighty: He doth what he will in the Army of Heaven, 
Dan. 4.35.  and among the Inhabitants of the Earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, 
Job 37.2, 3.  What dost thou? He directeth the sound that goeth out of his Mouth, and his Lightning unto the ends of the Earth His clouds are turned about by his counsels, 
11, 12.  that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them, upon the face of the World in the Earth: And what use shall we make of the Knowledge of this High Dominion and Rule of the Most High? Let Nabuchadnezzar humbled by this Dominion teach you: 
Dan. 4.34.  I blessed (said he) the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever and ever, whose Dominion is an everlasting Dominion, and his kingdom is from Generation to Generation: Yea, let the great King of the World teach us himself: 
Esa. 46.  look unto me, and be saved all the ends of the Earth, for I am God and there is none else: But for those that turn their hearts from obeying this King; and will break his bands, and cast away his cords; Let them know, That he will break them with a Rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel; Yea, 
Psal. 2.  let the greatest son of this greatest King tell them; Those mine enemies, which would not have me to reign over them, bring them forth and cut them in pieces.  
Lastly, you have seen flames scorching, but not consuming: A Ball of Fire shot, and striking, but not killing; yea killing of Beasts, and unreasonable creatures, but sparing the reasonable; casting down, but not destroying; Men astonished and driven out of their senses, yet soon restored; A Communion divided and cut in pieces, but healed again and perfected: Those that in the House of God received the sentence of death, in the forenoon, returning to the same House in the afternoon, 
2 Cor. 1.9, 1●.  to give thanks for a kind of resurrection from death unto life. Behold here the great, free, and unspeakable goodness and Mercy of God: And what use shall we make of this goodness, and Mercy? Let the Spirit of God in the Psalmist tell you; and not tongue only the burden and often returning sentence of his Songs: O praise the Lord for he is good, 
Psal. 136.  for his mercy endureth for ever And again, 
Psal. 107.  O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And again, I will extol thee my God, 
Psal. 145.  O King, and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee, and I will bless thy Name for ever, and ever. Men shall speak of thy terrible Acts, and I will declare thy greatness; They shall abundantly utter the Memory of thy great goodness: And yet again, we have thought of thy goodness, 
Psal. 48.  O God, in the midst of the Temple; According to thy Name O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the Earth: Neither let us only praise him in thoughts and words, 
Psal. 100.2.  but in works also; Serve the Lord with gladness, as well as come before his presence with singing. Being delivered, Let us serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days: 
Luk. 1.74, 75.  Say as the children of Israel, but do also what they said, and did not; Who is there of all flesh, 
Deut. 5.26, 27.  that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire; as we have heard, and lived? Therefore all that the Lord shall speak unto us, we will hear, and do it: But for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, 
Psal. 125, 5.  the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity; Therefore let us sin no more, lest worse things come unto us.  

Fire and Brimstone over Constantinople, Tract. De Excidio urbis, inter Augustini opera. Tom. 9  
Nun ante paucos annos, Archadio Imperatore Connstantinopoli (quod dico audierunt nonnulli, & forsitan noverunt, & sunt in hoc populo, qui & illic praesentes fuerunt) volens Deus terrere Civitatem▪ & terrendo emendare, terrendo convertere, terrendo mundare, terrendo mutare; servo cuidam suo fideli (viro ut dicitur militari) venit in revelatione, & dixit ei, Civitatem venturo de coelo igne perituram; Eumque admonuit ut Episcopo diceret. Dictum est; non contempsit Episcopus, & allocutus est populum, conversa est Civitas in luctum poenitentium, quemadmodum quondam illa antiqua Ninive. Tum ne putarent homines illum qui dixerat vel falsitate deceptum, vel fallaciter decepisse, venit dies quem Deus fuerat comminatus. Intentis omnibus, & exitum cum timore magno expectantibus, noctis initio tenebrante jam mundo, visa est ignea nubes ab oriente▪ primo parva, deinde paulatim, ut accedebat super Civitatem, ita crescebat, donec toti urbi ingens terribiliter immmineret. Videbatur horrenda flamma pendere; nec odor sulphuris deerat: Omnes ad Ecclesiam confugiebant, non capiebat multitudinem locus; Baptismum extorquebat quisque à quo poterat. Non solum in Ecclesia, sed etiam per domos, per vicos, & plateas salus Sacramenti exigebatur, ut fugeretur ira, non praesens utique sed futura. Attamen post magnam illam tribulationem, ubi exhibuit Deus fidem verbis suis, & revelationi servi sui; caepit ut creverat minui nubes, paulatimque consumpta est. Populus securus paululum factus, iterum audivit omnino esse migrandum, quia Civitas esset proximo Sabbato peritura; migravit cum imperatore tota Civitas. Nemo in domo remansit, nemo domum clausit, longè recedens à moenibus, & dulcia tecta respiciens, relictis charissimis sedibus, miserabili voce valefecit. Et aliquot millibus tanta multitudo progressa, uno tamen loco, fundendis ad Deum orationibus congregata, magnum fumum subito vidit, & vocem magnam emisit ad Deum; tandemque tranquillitate conspecta, missis qui renunciarent, sollicita quae praedicta fuerat hora transacta, & renunciantibus, quod salva universa moenia, & tecta consisterent, omnes cum ingenti gratulatione redierunt. Nemo de domo sua quicquam perdidit patente, omnis homo sicut dimisit invenit. Quid dicemus? utrum ista ira Dei, an potius misericordia fuit? Quis dubitet misericordissimum patrem corrigere voluisse terrendo, non perdendo punire, quando nihil hominum, nihil domorum, nihil moenium, tanta impendens praesentia calamitatis laesit?   

The same in English.  
Was it not some few years past, Archadius being Emperor at Constantinople (what I speak some have heard, and perchance known, for there are among this people, those that were present there) that God intending to terrify the city, & by terrifing to amend it, by terrifing to convert it, by terrifing to cleanse it, by terrifing to change it, came to a certain faithful servant of his (a military man, as is reported) in a Revelation, and told him; That the city should perish by fire coming from Heaven, and willed him to tell it to the Bishop. It was told, and the Bishop despised it not, but spoke to the people; The city was turned into the wailing of penitents, like the ancient Ninive. But then lest men should think, that he who reported it, was deceived himself with a falsehood, or had deceived others, the day came which God threatened. All being intent, and expecting the issue with great fear, at the beginning of the night, the world now growing dark, a fiery cloud was seen from the East; first small, but by little, as it drew near over the city, it did so increase, that being very great, it did lie fearfully over the whole city. A horrible flame seemed to hang there, neither was there wanting the savour of Brimstone: All fled to the Church, the place could not contain the multitude: Every one unbaptised extorted baptism from such as they might; not only in the Church, but in houses and streets, the safety accompanying the Sacrament was required, that the wrath, not so much present as to come, might be avoided. But after that great tribulation, when God had given trust to his words, and the Revelation of his servant, the cloud began to diminish, even as first it increased. The people now secure, yet heard again, that they must by all means depart, because the city was to perish the next saturday; then departed (together with the Emperor) the whole City: No man stayed in his house, no man did shut his house, but going far from the walls, and looking back to their sweet dwellings, and leaving their beloved Mansions, with a pitiful voice they bid them farewell. This great multitude going some miles forth, yet gathering together in one place to pour out prayers unto God, suddenly saw a great smoke, and sent up a great cry unto God. At length tranquillity being seen, and some sent to bring back notice (the sad hour which was foretold being past) they bringing back word that all the walls and houses were safe, every one returned with great rejoicing. No man lost any thing out of his house, though left open; every man found it as he left it. What shall we say? was this a wrath, or rather a Mercy of God? Who can doubt but that a most merciful Father, would amend by terrifying, not punish by destroying, when the presence of the calamity hanging over, no man, no houses, no walls were hurt.   

The Reason of the Publication.  
THe publication of those great calamities, which befell our Neighbours at Withicombe, made many of us that had knowledge thereof, at the instant while this great fear was on us, to cry more earnestly, God be merciful unto us miserable sinners, Luk. 18.13. And to pray more devoutly, The Lord bless us and keep us, The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us, Numb. 6.24, 25. Now another Visitation falling on us, our desire is, that ours may be published as theirs was, for the benefit of God's Church and Children. And withal more particularly, that it may be an everlasting memorial of God's goodness to the people of the place and Parish where it happened; because therein God did so mingle terror with Mercy, as that we must ever acknowledge ourselves infinitely bound to our most gracious God, because he was pleased like a most loving Father, to awaken us from our dangerous sleeping in sin, by striking us with the flat, and not with the edge of his wounding, killing, and flaming Sword.  
Who so is wise will consider these things, and he shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord,  Psal. 107. 
FINIS.