[ 66 9 ] 
that Hatnfie ad- Heath, and Finchley -Common, and 
Kennmgt on Common, may have been affe&cd with 
it ; yet it is notorious, that London was the Centre j 
the Place to which the Finger of God was pointed. 
XXXIV. 
Some Confederations on the Caufees of Earth- 
quakes. By the Rev . Stephen Hales, 
D. D. and R R. S. 
Rtad April 5- \ S the late Earthquakes in London , 
I/5 ° i. jL anc * borne other Parts of England, 
have roufed the Attention of Mankind, to conlider 
the Caufes of them, both in a religious and natural 
View : And as in a religious View they have been 
conlidered by theBifhop of London , in his excellent 
Letter to the Clergy and People of London , which 
has been received with general Approbation : So I 
(hall here give a fhort Account of what feems to 
me to be a probable natural Caufe of them. 
But I muff firft obviate an Obje&ion of fome ferious 
well-meaning People, who are apt to be offended 
at any Attempts to give a natural Account of Earth- 
quakes 5 which, but rarely happening in thefe more 
northern Parts, are apt to be looked upon as the more 
miraculous. But it ought to be conftdered, that the 
ordinary Courfe of Nature is as much carried on by 
the Divine Agency, as the extraordinary and mira- 
culous Events. God fometimes changes the Order 
of Nature, with Delign to chaftife Man for his Dis- 
obedience 
