confider their Sins in another Light, as committed with greater Knowledge, and by them that have been more highly favoured, and as attended too often with a facrilegious Abuse of our moft tremendous Mysteries, we cannot but apprehend an Aggravation in them, which is exceedingly provoking in the Sight of the Almighty, whofe Judgment ufually begins at his own Houfe, 1 Pet. iv. 17. and the Execution of his Juftice at his own San&tuary, Ezek. ix. 6.

4. But as we are convinced on the one Hand, that our Sins cry aloud for Juftice; and that it is purely owing to the incomprehenfible Patience and Forbearance of our good God, that we have not long fince been utterly deftroyed; as innumerable Cities have been, that in all Appearance were not half fo guilty; fo, on the other Hand, we cannot but look upon ourselves, as highly indebted to his infinite Goodness, that inftead of commanding us to be fwallowed up on a fudden, under all our Guilt, he has fent us thefe late Shocks as merciful Warnings to withdraw us from our Sins, by the Apprehenfion of his impending Judgments, and fo bring us, like the Ninevites, to a ferious Converfion, and Change of Life.

5. We are then threatened indeed, as Nineveh was; but, through the Mercy of God, may escape as Nineveh did; if, like Nineveh, we take Warning from thefe Indications of the divine Wrath, and turn in like Manner from our evil Ways. It is what the Church of God invites all her Children to do at this penitential Time: To turn to the Lord with

their whole Heart, with fafting, weeping, and mourning, Joel ii. 12. To seek the Lord whilft he may be found, to call upon him whilft he is near, Ifai. lv. 6. To forfake their evil Ways, and to do Penance for their Sins, left otherwise they be fuddenly overtaken by Death, and seek Time for Penance, and not be able to find it. Our present Dangers ought now at least to awaken us to give Ear to thefe preffing Calls of our common Mother.

6. The first Thing then we are to do in Confequence of thefe Warnings of Heaven, is to turn to God with our whole Heart, by a ferious, speedy, and effectual Repentance. This God calls for; this the Church of God calls for; without this (as fhe perpetually inculcates, and every Child amongst us knows) no Abfolution given by Man can be to any other Effect, but to add the Guilt of Sacrilege to the reft of our Sins.

7. We think it our Duty then, at this Time, as Ambaffadors for Christ, to addrefs ourselves to all you whom God has committed to our Charge, earnestly to beseech you to be reconciled to God once for all; to turn from all your evil Ways; to come now to the Feet of Christ, and there bewail and confefs your Sins, and there lay them down for ever; to join in a Body, to offer a holy Violence to Heaven, by Fafting, Alms, and Prayers; to lay afide the Pomp and Pride of your Ornaments, to retrench your worldly fenfual Pleasures, and put on both the Habit and Spirit of true Penitents; left, if you neglect thefe Calls and Warnings of Heaven, you be quickly overtaken in your Sins. Remember

Remember there is but a Hair's Breadth at any Time betwixt the Sinner and Hell; and that nothing fooner draws down Judgments, than the Abufe of Mercy, and the Contempt of the Threatnings of Heaven.

8. In the mean time, in order to avert the Wrath of God, and draw down his Mercy, we ordain that all Priefts, in the holy Sacrifice of the Altar (except upon Feafts of the first Class) after the Collect, or Collects of the Day, add the Collect against Earthquakes, and continue fo to do till the End of May next; and that in the publick Chapels after Vefpers, and Complin on Sundays 1 and Holidays, and after the Complin or Benediction on the Week-days, a Miferere Pfalm be fung for the fame Intention, with the Verficles and Responses used in the several Vespers of Lent, and the four firft Prayers of the Litany. And we earneftly recommend to all the Faithful, to be diligent in affifting at thefe Devotions; and in their own Family Prayers, to add daily the fame penitential Pfalm, in order to implore the divine Mercy.

Ex

Ex Miffali Romano.

Tempore terræ motûs.

ORATIO.

Omnipotens fempiterne Deus, qui refpicis terram,

& facis eam tremere: parce metuentibus, propitiare fupplicibus: ut cujus iram terræ fundamenta concutientem expavimus, clementiam contritiones ejus fanantem jugiter fentiamus. Per Dominum noftrum, &c.

DE

SECRET A.

EUS, qui fundâfti terram fuper ftabilitatem fuam, fufcipe oblationes & preces populi tui, & trementis terræ periculis penitus amotis, divinæ tuæ iracundiæ terrores, in humanæ falutis remedia converte: ut qui de terrâ funt, & in terram revertentur, gaudeant fe fieri fanctâ converfatione coeleftes. Per Dominum noftrum, &c.

POST-COMMUNI O.

TUE

UERE nos, Domine, quæfumus, tua fancta fumentes ; & terram, quam vidimus noftris iniquitatibus trementem, fuperno munere firma, ut mortalium corda cognofcant, & te indignante talia flagella prodire, & te miferante ceffare. Per Dominum noftrum, &c.

The

The fame in English.

I. COLLECT.

Almighty and everlasting God, who lookest upon the Earth, and makest it tremble; spare them that fear thee, fhew Mercy to them that cry to thee; that we who have apprehended thy Wrath, fhaking the Foundations of the Earth, may experience thy Clemency in healing all its Breaches. Through our Lord Jefus Chrift thy Son, &c.

SECRET A.

God, who haft founded the Earth upon its own Bafis, receive the Oblations and Prayers of thy People; remove entirely from us Dangers of Earthquakes, and turn the Terrors of thy Wrath into Medicines for our Salvation: That we, who are of the Earth, and must return again to the Earth, may have the Happiness to become heavenly by a Saint-like Converfation. Through our Lord Jesus Chrift.

PRO

POST-COMMUNION.

Rotect us, O Lord, we beseech thee, who partake of thy Holy Sacraments; and by thy heavenly Hand fix the Earth, which we have seen trembling for our Sins; that the Hearts of Mortals may be fenfible that fuch Scourges as these proceed from thy Anger, and ceafe by thy Mercy. Through our Lord, &c.

Extra&t