Meditations 91 to 121
Meditation XCI.
ON A GREAT STORM OF THUNDER, LIGHTNING, AND RAIN.
Lying off France, June 9, 1758.
Dark is the night—but dismal the flash that scatters the darkness. At times the whole heavens seem in a blaze, while electric streams of fire twinkle in our astonished eye, and dart across the skies. Then tremendous thunder roars, and whole clouds descend in heavy rain, while the noisy wind blows with impetuous force. Now, dare the atheist yet deny a God?
Would not his conscience answer to the flames of fire, his troubled thoughts agree to the language of the thunder, that there is a Power above, who rules events below? When the night is so dark, the lightning so dreadful, the thunders so loud, and the rain so incessant—can any ascribe all to blind chance? No! the atheist himself must confess and tremble!
But, O sad effects of sin! what fills the pious soul with reverence, and a secret sense of the power and greatness of God, drives the wicked into sin. They fear—but they swear; they are troubled—but they transgress. How terrible, then, will that day be, when the Judge shall come in flaming fire, to take vengeance on his foes!
When flames shall blaze all through the skies—and cities, kingdoms and continents, be cast into the burning embrace—when thunders bursting from every cloud admit of no interval—but with one continued roar terrify all the nations, until silenced and lost in the sound of the last trumpet—which the dead, hitherto undisturbed, shall hear!
When fire and water in contention—the elements at war are so terrible, how much more dreadful must the God of nature be, when, arrayed in solemn majesty, he comes to take vengeance on his enemies? Lest we forget his greatness, nature preaches to us, raging tempests and rending winds turn our remembrancers, flames of fire unfold our lesson before our eyes, and roaring thunders awaken our meditations. As in his temple everyone talks of his glory, so in his tent (for which he has stretched out the heavens) everything shows forth his power.
Fire, rain, vapor, stormy wind, lightning, hail, snow, and thunder—all praise him. Then, since in all things, I may see God, may my soul ever go out after him, and above all things see him in the face of Jesus—as reconciled, and speaking peace to me!
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