He says, the senate were told, that _lapidibus pluisse_, it had rained stones. And, when they doubted of the fact; and sent to inquire; they were assured that stones had actually fallen; and had fallen just as hail does, which is concreted in a storm.[U]
He mentions also shortly another shower of stones,[V] A. C. 202, and still a third,[W] which must have happened about the year 194 before the Christian æra.
Such are the records of antient history. And in Holy Writ also a remembrance of similar events is preserved.
For when the royal Psalmist says,[X] "_The Lord also thundered out of heaven, and the Highest gave his thunder: hail-stones_, AND COALS OF FIRE,"--the latter expression, in consistency with common sense, and conformably to the right meaning of language, cannot but allude to some _such_ phænomenon as we have been describing. And especially, as in the cautious translation of the seventy, a Greek word is used, which decidedly means _real hard substances made red hot_; and not mere appearances of fire or flame.
Whilst therefore, with the same sacred writer,[Y] we should be led to consider all these powerful operations, as the works of God; _Who casteth forth his ice like morsels_;[Z] and should be led to consider "_fire and hail, snow and vapours, wind and storm as fulfilling his word_;"[AA] we should also be led to perceive, that the objections to Holy Writ, founded on a supposed _impossibility_ of the truth of what is written in the book of _Joshua_,[BB] concerning the stones that fell from heaven, on the army of the Canaanites; are only founded in ignorance, and error.
And much more should we be led to do so; when, to these observations, and testimonies, concerning showers of hot burning stones, is added the consideration; that within the short period of our own lives, incredibly large _real hail-stones_, formed of consolidated ice;--_of ice consolidated in the atmosphere_, have fallen both in France, and in England.
In France, on the 13th of July in the year 1788;--of which it is well known there has been a printed account: and concerning which it is said, and has been confirmed, on good authority, that some of the stones weighed three pounds: whilst others have been said to weigh even five pounds.