WHat contrarietie of opinions sprang a­mong the old Philoso­phers touching earth­quakes, there néedeth no discourse to testifie: séeing that one only place of the By suppres­sing the Poets name, it ap­peareth y ^t hee ouershot him­selfe through vncertaintie: But I thinke hee meaneth Palingenius, in whose works I haue read y ^e like words in effect. Poet, where­in he reckoneth vp in a rowe certein particulars of Philosophie, as it were in a table, doeth not altogether passe ouer the question of Earth­quakes in silence, saieng:

This said the Poet both learned­ly and skilfully, as all things else which he wrote. Among the pro­found Clarks of old there was great disagréement about the reason of Earthquakes. And as for the com­mon sort of men, it passed their capa­citie and knowledge to reach to the cause of such a secret: nay shall I tell you, naturall Philosophie setteth downe no sure ground or determi­nate sentence in this doubtfull mat­ter.

Herevpon (as Aulus Gellius affir­meth) the ancient The Heathen and Pagan people may teach vs what belongeth to our dutie. Romans, a people meruelous precise and circumspect in all their affaires of life, and speci­ally in cases of religion, as also in de­uoute seruice and sacrifice to their Gods: so soone as they either percei­ued by féeling, or vnderstood by folks [Page] talking, that an Earthquake chan­ced: they commanded by proclama­tion, that the people should solemne­ly kéepe holiday, and betake them­selues to the Temple.

Now, because they worshipped many Gods, and therefore ignorant vnto what one God aboue the rest to dedicate their seruice, they proui­ded that by not naming any one cer­teine God, all their Gods should be honored: least by choosing one speci­ally to celebrate, & so taking one for another, the people should be delu­ded, and the God that wrought the wonder not a whit exalted. Which ceremonie, Marcus Varro saith was obserued by the decrée of the high Priests: because it is doubtfull & vn­certaine, which of the Gods or God­desses, by the vertue of their power made the earth to tremble.

By this custome of old Romanes, The Transla­ters applica­tion of this Hethenish de­notion, for our instruction. a people in their kind religious, we are taught what to goe about in such casualties. For though they, through the multitude of their imagined [Page] Gods, knew not vnto which of them chiefly to offer the frutes of their de­uotion: and yet fearing that some of­fence by them committed was the cause of so sudden an Earthquake: they discharged their duties (as they thought in conscience) that by sée­king to please all the Gods general­ly, no one God should rest vnappea­sed seuerally.

Then to applie this to our selues, that their superstition might teach vs true deuotion, considering that we liue not in Heathenisme, as did they, requisite it is, that as we are the shéepe of one shepherd, & the peo­ple of one God, so in all troubles, be they neuer so terrible, though earth­quakes, though famines, though bat­tels, though plagues, &c. to haue re­course vnto him, as to the God from whome they come, being tokens of his further iudgement vpon vs in these later daies, wherein The measure of our sinnes runneth ouer, and crieth out for vengeance against vs. sinne is growen to a full measure, and crieth out for ven­geance.

ALthough this be the opi­nion of the Babylonians (as Plinie writeth) that Earthquakes, gapings of the ground, and all other fearefull tempestes issue and come from the force and influence of Starres: yet I am of beléef, that sometime the earth is shaken and made to tremble, by reason of water included and kept within it: which water being moued, the earth also is made to mooue by the moouing thereof, as we may sée in tubbes of water, or other vessels. Herevpon Neptune had his name, to be called Terriquasso, and Tellu­rimotor, Earth shaker: as some haue held opinion.

I thinke in like manner, that the earth is made to quake by the vio­lence of Windes the cause of Earth quakes, in what sort and manner. winds shut vp & kept close in the hollowe places of the same, which windes by their stirring, doe stirre the earth, & so make an Earth­quake. [Page] Unto which opinion Plinie long ago gaue assent, supposing that nothing more than the windes, nay the winds alone to be cause of earth­quakes: and that the earth is neuer wont to quake, but when the sea is so calme, and the aire so still, that ne­ther ships can saile, nor birdes flie: all the winds being gotten into cer­teine veines, holes, and caues of the earth, and there mooue by there se­crete rusling.

Now, these The genera­tion of an Earthquake, & the effectes which it wor­keth at that instant. winds thus shut vp, séeking a vent here & there to breake out, and trieng by all meanes they can make to haue passage, that brea­king out of prison (as it were) they might be set at libertie, and blowe at large, whiles this is intended, the earth trembleth, rocketh, & réeleth as though it wold fall, stones cracke in sunder, towres bend forward, castles sinke, houses totter to the ground, &c. An example hereof we haue of our owne wind and breath stopping or staieng in our breast, and not hauing recourse in and out by interchaunge [Page] of turnes, we perceiue & féele therby, that our very soule, or life being as­salted, the limmes and members of our bodies are taken with a trem­bling, there is stirred vp within vs a kinde of strife or wrestling, & all the outwarde partes of our bodie, tho­rough feare fall a quiuering: till this winde or breath hauing gathered force sufficient, find a way to auoid, and the pipes wherein it was kept burst open, it issue out with a vehe­ment and great noise.

Herevpon say some, that The opinion of some con­cerning the sudden trem­bling of the earth. trem­bling in the earth, is nothing else but that which thunder is in a cloude: and the gaping of the ground none other thing, than when as lightning bursteth forth with violence, the aire which is in the cloude resisting, and trieng maisteries to get out and be at libertie.

Notwithstanding these reasons The Transla­tors admoni­tion vpō these coniecturall reasons. carrie with them a countenance & shew of credite, and therefore may the lesse be gainsaid: yet least by sée­king to become too wise in the secret [Page] workes of God, and referring that to the course of naturall causes, which come to passe by the proui­dence of his iudgement, we fall into securitie, from securitie into incre­dulitie, from incredulitie into athe­isme, from atheisme into open blas­phemie: my counsell and aduise is, that our eares tickle not to heare e­uery vaine Philosophers fansie des­canting vpon matters of great im­portance, and therby pull from God the cause of his iustly conceiued in­dignation against the wickednes of the world, and made apparant be­fore hand by signes and wonders, lest any liuing soule should find fault with his too seuere procéeding in iudgement.

The nexte way to bréede in the mindes of men The denial of Gods diuini­tie insueth the derogitation of the pro­pertie of his workes. a deniall of Gods deitie, is to derogate and take from him the propertie of his workes: to tie that to naturall reason, which de­pendeth vpon his heauenlie wise­dome: to ascribe that to Philosophie, which is the worke of his diuinitie: [Page] into which follies whiles the Gen­tiles fell, they were néere to falshood, but farre from trueth: apt to erre, but rude to goe right: at peace with the diuell, but at defiance with God: neighbours to hell, but straungers from heauen.

This I speake not to controll the fauourers of Philosophie, or to dis­credite the professours of so sacred a science: but that I woulde haue the The wit of man meere vanitie, if it be not tempered with the deaw of Gods spirit. wit of man estéemed as it is, as light as smoke, if it be not tem­pered with the deawe of Gods spi­rite: that Artes and sciences haue their groundes and principles, in some pointes vndoubted, in some vncertaine, and in some fallible: Diuinitie onlie deceiueth not, which teacheth the true God, and that he by his power shaketh the foundati­ons of the earth: and yet all this while, I affoord euerie profession, with their professors, that re­uerence which belongeth vnto them by dutie.

HOwe vnhappie and vn­luckie earthquakes are, what hurt they haue done diuerse wayes in diuerse places, there is great store of exam­ples, no lesse horrible to heare, than terrible to tell. Old writers record, that with an The effectes which haue followed after Earthquakes, declared by examples. Earthquake the whole citie of Lacedaemonia was so shaken, that it fell and soonke. That with an Earthquake, the greatest part of the huge and mightie mountaine Tai­getus, was riuen and rent away, in forme and fashion like a shippe, and that with the fall of the same was caused a gréeuous slaughter. That with an Earthquake twelue cities of Asia, within the dominion of Tibe­rius Caesar were laide flat vpon the ground in one night. That with an Earthquake, in the reigne of Lotha­rius the sonne of Ludouicus the first, all Italie was sore shaken, and di­uerse [Page] cities and mountaines in di­uerse places ouerthrowne: in the yeare after Christs birth 1344. That with an Earthquake, in the reigne of Frederike the seconde of that name, the hilles Salnij were so shaken, that to the number of two thousande persons perished: in the yeare of our Lord 1214. That with an Earth­quake, in the reigne of Frederike the third of that name, manie cities and townes in the kingdome of Naples were ouerturned, and with the falles of houses and other buildings of tim­ber and stone, to the number of thir­tie thousand persons lamentably kil­led: the fairest and most gorgeous places and palaces rent and torne in sunder. The memorable Earth­quakes that haue chaunced in our age, and in the daies of our forefa­thers, Maximilian being Emperour, in what great daunger of ruine all Italie in a maner was like to fall, I passe them ouer vntouched.

There The Trans­latours illa­tion vpon the particulars before going. is no euill, that is to say, no punishment for sinne, but it is [Page] sent from him that abhorreth wic­kednesse, and cannot at any hand a­way with iniquitie. As for the mis­chéefes which fell vpon the places a­boue mentioned, by Earthquakes or otherwise, we ought so to impute vn­to naturall causes, that we denie not Gods iustice and righteousnesse, in recompensing offenders according to their merits. The plagues which fell vpon Hierusalem, Iuda, Babylon, Samaria, Aegypt, Tyre, Sidon, and other populous cities & regions, af­ter the Prophets sharpe denuntiati­ons and terrible threatnings, were they by fire, famine, sword, or other­wise, may warne vs, that Whatsoe­uer calamitie falleth vpon any na­tion, it is sent from God as a punish­ment for sinne.

And surely, of this opinion am I, that none stand more in the defence of their We do after a sort iustifie our selues, when we re­ferre the sig­nes of Gods iudgements to sin [...]ster causes. owne righteousnesse, than such as séeming too wise in the con­templation of mysteries, referre to the coniunction & opposition of such and such starres, to windes, to va­pours, [Page] to exhalations, and to I can not tell what, any kinde of casualtie though neuer so wonderfull, forget­ting in the meane time themselues to be offenders, and so consequently derogating from God the glorie pro­per to his eternitie, preach vnto the worlde their owne iustification.

If any thing chaunce contrarie to common course & order, The pre­sumption of man in seking after the secret counsels of God. vp starts one or other wisard, and he by his knowledge will be busie to bolt out the mysterie which God hath reser­ued to his owne secrete counsell. This commeth to passe (sayth one) of such and such a cause: the reason thereof notwithstanding vnknowne to them: and yet because their blind coniectures haue in them some pro­babilities, the ruder sort of people are readie to giue credit: & thus be­twéene both, the forewarnings of Gods heauie iudgement are neglec­ted, his fatherly chastisements con­temned, induration of heart ingen­dered, obstinacie in sinne procured, a desperate securitie fostered, and the [Page] gulfe of voluntarie destruction o­pened.

If This reason of contraries is certaine and infallible. the remembrance of Gods correction be a meanes to kéepe vs vnder obedience, then the forgetful­nesse of such fauourable dealing is the next way to wilfull stubbernesse: & if obedience be the sacrifice which he inioyneth vs to offer in his tem­ple, what shall we thinke of our con­tumacie and rebellion, our loosenesse of life, our daily violating of his law? Doe not these, being monstruous, make vs horrible in Gods sight?

It is a great argument that the For God v­seth a medio­critie and pro­portion in the execution of his iudge­ments. sinnes of the people are heinous, when the plages which God sendeth are gréeuous: that their offences are fowle and filthie, when the tokens of his wrath are straunge and extraor­dinarie. And therefore to conclude this illation, let vs bow our bodies and soules vnder the scepter of Gods grace, least that neglecting the accep­table time of loue, the day of wrath approch, & he come with the iron rod of his power & beat vs all to powder.

SUch places as lie néere the Sea are moste of all shaken with Earth­quakes: and as for hillie countries, they are not altogether voide of this trembling: for in Au­tumne and in the Springtime they are most commonly subiect to these casualties. Herevpon some coniec­ture, that nether France nor Aegypt are troubled with this tempest, be­cause Summer will not suffer it in the one, nor Winter in the other.

We haue also learned by obserua­tion, that Earthquakes chance ofte­ner by night than by day: and that they The ceasing of windes in y ^• hollow caues of the ground causeth Earth quakes to cease. cease so soone as the winde, which was the cause of their gene­ration, is let loose and set at libertie, the time of their continuance to haue béene fourtie daies, before they stai­ed: and yet there haue béene Earth­quakes [Page] that haue lasted the space of one whole yeare or two, sauing that now and then they haue ceased for certeine howres and daies.

For about the yeare after the birth of Christ 471. in the reigne of the Emperour Anastasius, wée reade of an Earthquake that lasted in Con­stantinople The conti­nuance of Earthquakes proued by ex­perience. full foure monethes without ceasing: and staied at the length, when the voice of a litle in­fant was heard, saieng: Holie, holie, holie, ô mightie and immortall God haue mercie vpon vs. Againe, in the yeare after the birth of Christ 1094. in the reigne of Henrie the fifte of that name, there hapned an Earth­quake in Italie, which continued in sundrie places the space of fourtie daies, as our elders haue truely re­ported.

As (thankes be to almightie God) The Transla­tors collecti­on by the for­mer doctrine. we haue not béene greatly terrifi­ed with Earthquakes: so haue we no cause to complaine of their conti­nuance. Other countries haue felt the calamities of them, we behold it, [Page] and are not a whit amased. In that we are taught by example of foraine people, what ouerthrowes haue insu­ed Earthquaks, how long they haue lasted, fourtie daies, two moneths, a twelue moneth, two whole yéeres, &c. to the astonnishment of that age which saw and felt them: I gather, that the mercie of God was more mightie than his iustice, his loue a­boue his wrath, his patience sur­passing his vengeance.

For The sudden and short visi­tation of God sent vppon vs by an Earth­quake, fore­warneth vs of sharper tribu­lations. that litle quiuering of the earth, that small rocking of our hou­ses, which lasted not either for a yeare, or a moneth, or a wéeke, or a day, or an houre: yea, but a moment, may put vs in mind that God hath an eie vpon our trade of life, he loo­keth downe from heauen and seeth our conuersation, and passing by with a gentle forewarning, calleth vpon vs, that by repentance and a­mendment of life we might flie the terror of his iudgment.

A Father hauing an vntoward child, first by counsell & then by cor­rection [Page] seketh his reformation: when neither of these serue, he casteth him out of his fauour, and withdrawing all naturall affection doth quite giue him ouer: so is it like to fare with vs, vnles we purge out of our hearts the old leauen of corruption, and be­come newe dowe of regeneration: vnles we retire home to the shéepe­fold of our God, from whome wée haue gone astray: vnles we leaue plaieng the vnthriftes, and looke in our reckoning booke how goe our ac­counts: vnles we heare the holsome counsell of the Prophets, and stoppe our eares at the persuasions of the men of By whome is meant all such as lay blockes in the way of the people, to stoppe them from cōming vnto God. Anathoth: vnles we take in our handes the glasse of the Gos­pell, and labour by lamentation and contrition to scowre away the ble­mishes of our soules.

Let it be enough for vs to haue felt the mother of vs all tremble, and though it had continued but the twinkling of an eie, as it lasted but a moment: yet if we haue vn­derstanding hartes, let vs relent, & [Page] euery one of vs turning ouer a new leafe forget our old lesson. For if we shall passe so great a wonder as this lightly ouer, making a small matter therof, and estéeming Gods threate­ning as a toy: shall we not heape vp­on our heades the firie coles of his consuming furie: shall we not turne his patience into vengeance, euen in bitternes to plague vs, that we shall haue no shifte to escape his heauie hand?

Are we in Gods fight like By these speeches of comparison, the righteous­nes and inte­gritie of God in iudging all offenders is declared. Gile­ad, are we like the head of Lebanon, are we the signet of his right hand? The people whom he so accounted he spared not in his iustice, but fedde them with wormewood, and gaue them water of gall to drinke. And shall we presume vpon his long suf­ferance, tempting him by our conti­nuance in sinne to hasten his furie, vtterly to consume and lay vs waste like fire in a forest? I conclude here, with a Prouerbiall watchworde, Hereafter commes not yet, Forbea­rance is no quittance.

IT is not vnknowne to the learned, that in the kind of moouing and sha­king there is great diffe­rence: for the earth may quake ma­ny waies. Now it is Earthquakes some more dangerous & dreadfull, some lesse perillous and fearfull. a dangerous and fearefull Earthquake, when as the earth is rowled to and fro like a waue of the Sea: or when it beareth it self wholy to one side as it shaketh. Contrariwise it is not so perillous, when with quaking, the frames of houses and buildings cracke with shrinking: and when the earth swel­leth at a sudden, and anon falleth a­gaine: as also, when houses méeting together, ratle & knocke one against another, by reason of interchange­able moouing, the one resisting and withstanding the other. Such an Earthquake, and yet not lightly to be thought vpon, happened of late in this famous Where he was Preacher at that in­stant, before he was called to be Bishop. citie of Mentz, in the [Page] yeare of our Lorde 1528. the 17. of Februarie, about two of the clocke after midnight, & we all, euen broad waking, felt it, with no small amase­ment of minde.

This The Transla­tors compari­son inferred vpon the pre­misses, for our priuate admo­nition. may serue vs for a looking glasse, wherein to sée a representati­on and likenes of our late Earth­quake, chancing vpon the 6. of April about 6. of the clocke at night 1580. For as the reuerend Father saith of such Earthquakes as he hath last na­med, that some are more dangerous, some lesse perillous: setting downe the manner of both: so say I in like case: for there was no such violent moouing, no such terrible shaking, no such ruinous renting, either of houses or Churches, no such ouer­throwing of Mountaines, &c. that a­ny generall calamitie (God be than­ked) did insue.

Neuertheles séeing that it pleased the Lord, in one, to shewe what he was able to doe in all: it is wisedome so to thinke of Earthquakes (not­withstanding the former reasons) [Page] that the death of A particular example, a ge­neral warning to beware. one put vs in minde of a generall daunger. This iudgement God shewed vpon a lad, that we of riper yeares should feare his omnipotencie, & confesse that the very same might haue happened vn­to vs. This iudgement God shewed in a Church, where the congregation was assembled in the honor of his name, to teach vs what his out­stretched arme can doe in prophane places, among an vncircumcised multitude. This iudgement God shewed on the wéeke daie, that wée might sée his long suffering, in spa­ring vs on the Sabbaoth, when he mighte as well haue smitten: but that mercie vpholdeth his throne.

Tremble The sound of a watch word, or Alarū bell, to all propha­ners of Gods sacred Sabba­oth, and speci­ally to play­ers, plaiema­kers, and all such as fauour that damna­ble facultie. and quake therefore O yée shameles breakers of Gods Sabbaoth, which display your ban­ners of vanitie, selling wind for mo­nie, infecting the tender mindes of youth with the poison of your pro­phanations, & kindling in them the fire of inordinate lust, to the woun­ding both of bodie and soule. Doth [Page] not God sée your filthines, or thinke you that your trade of life depending wholy vpon those your Heathenish exercises, are not offensiue to his Maiestie? Will he winke at such wickednes, & kéepe silence at such fil­thines as is continually concluded vpon and committed in your Thea­tre, Curtaine, and accursed courtes of spectacles?

O how glorious a worke shoulde that be! how happie a day! how bles­sed an howre! wherein the people of God might sée As much is God glorified in the pulling downe of pol­luted places, as in the buil­ding vp of ho­lie temples. all such abhomina­ble places dedicated to Gentilisme, or rather Atheisme, (for who can di­rectly say, that either God or the di­uell, heauen or hell, is once thought vpon in the prosequuting of such shamefull shewes?) vtterly torne vp from the foundations, rent in péeces the timber from the stone, wasted with fire, laid euen with the ground, and no appearaunce thereof remai­ning. And thus much touching Co­moedies and Comoedians, by way of digression, an enormitie often cried [Page] out against of Gods ministers, and in a Christian Commonwealth al­together vnsufferable.

IT remaineth that wée consider, what good or ill is foreshewed to insue or followe after Earth­quakes: a thing which all in a ma­ner haue desired to know and vnder­stand, but none haue certainly no­ted: many demanded the question, but few geuen the onset to make an­swere. As for me, I cannot but bée persuaded, that Earthquakes, how soeuer nature put to her hande as a ioynt worker in their generation, are not to be thought trifles, or to come to passe of Something is ment by the happening of Earthquakes, though it passe our ca­pacitie to comprise. nothing: but hauing in them an hidden meaning and secret reason, foreshewe somewhat to fol­lowe either good or bad: a huge mul­titude of examples left in writing to verifie this matter.

[Page]And principally, to begin with the chéefest, that euerlasting trueth of al­mightie God, our Sauiour Jesus Christ, the maker and Lord of eue­rie creature, yea of nature it selfe, he (I say in whome all treasures of wisedome and knowledge are repo­sed) affirmeth, that There shall bee Earthquakes, and all these thinges (saith he) are the beginnings of sor­rowes, &c. Giuing vs to note by an vndoubted coniecture, that before the last day of this worlde, there shall be Earthquakes, which are foretokens of vniuersall woes to come vpon all the worlde, and specially vpon the wicked, whose torments shall be ex­céeding sharpe and gréeuous.

And thus we are taught euen out of Gods worde, that Earthquakes happening vnto vs, not simplie of custome, but of purpose, do signifie somewhat to insue, Earthquakes are denuntia­tions and threatnings of gods wrath against vs. & denounce a­gainst vs the wrath of almightie God, therewithall admonishing vs to amende our euill life, to reforme our wicked conuersation, to be re­newed [Page] in the spirite of the inwarde man, and to be heauenly minded: otherwise such sorrowes are like to light vpon vs, as shall turne to our most miserable ouerthrowe and la­mentable destruction: and here vpon it came to passe, that when our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, the earth quaked and trembled.

But of what sorrowes to come are Earthquakes foretokens? First, to beginne, of Warres▪ fi­mine, and pestilence the effectes of Earthquakes. warres, whereby it is most certaine pestilence and fa­mine are ingendered: pestilence by the aire poisoned with the stinch of dead carcasses lieng vnburied: fa­mine by reason of husbandrie, when plough landes lie vnmanured: be­sides other calamities full of feare, horror, and desolation.

Uerie The Transla­tours confir­mation of the wordes aboue written. religiously haue the Saints of God alwaies thought of Earth­quakes, albert the wisedome of this worlde, which is foolishnesse before God, dreame of naturall causes. And surely, such as are well affected, and haue in them any féeling or taste of [Page] Gods gratious spirit, after the hap­pening of an Earthquake, will say with the Prophet Dauid, Come and behold the workes of the Lord, ac­knowledging in heart, that the bles­sings of God follow the righteous, as peace and plentie, tranquillitie of minde, with other his good graces: contrariwise, his curses pursue and chase the wicked, as warre and scar­sitie, horrour of conscience, and in­finite tribulations.

We Reasons of comparison, to proue that Earthquakes are not al­waies to be referred to naturall causes. sée that the rainebow appea­reth in the cloudes euery yeare at di­uerse times: touching the generati­on whereof reasons (I grant) may be giuen: but we knowe that the raine­bowe being appointed by the ordi­nance of God, hath continued euer since it was first made, as a witnesse to the world that God will neuer de­stroy it againe with water, for the trueth of which worde and promise, he hath left vs the rainebowe.

Of Eclipses we know, there may be naturall causes alledged: but let vs remember that he, which in their [Page] creation made them glorious, in to­ken of his mercie: by their defection and losse of light what else doeth he thunder against vs, but his iustice and vengeance? For the good works of GOD are made as it were to The crea­tures of God mourne ouer vs for our sinnes which deserue a hea­uie day of vi­sitation. mourne for our sakes, who being wilfully blinde, cannot sée how néere the day of our visitation approcheth. Againe, the woordes of our Sauiour are true, The Sunne shall be darke­ned, and the Moone shall not giue her light: and the starres shall fall from heauen, and the powers of hea­uen shall bee shaken. With which wordes of our Sauiour Christ the saiengs of the Prophets accord, The starres of Heauen and the Planets thereof shall not giue their light: the Sunne shall be darkened in his going forth, and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine. Another Prophet saith in the person of God, I will co­uer the Sunne with a cloude: And a third Prophet saith, The Sunne & Moone shal be darkned, & the starres shall withdrawe their light.

[Page]Of Earthquakes also and other visions of fire, there may naturall reasons be brought: but as the con­trouersie can be decided by no wiser moderator than Christ our Saui­our, and the Prophetes his forerun­ners: so is it our partes to take their authoritie for truth, and not to hunt after the vaine speculations of Phi­losophie. Before the end of the world come (saith Christ) iniquitie shall a­bound, there shalbe rumors of wars, there shalbe Earthquakes reckoned a­mong y ^e num­ber of signes that shall be seene before the end of the world. Earthquakes, there shalbe famine & troubles: all which if they be but the beginnings of sor­rowes, alas what calamities will fol­lowe?

The Prophet saith that Before the great and terrible daie of the Lord come, wonders shalbe seene in the heauens and in the earth, bloud and fire, pillers of smoke, the Sunne dar­kened, and the Moone turned into bloud, &c. So that béelike Nature hath litle to doe in such secrete ma­ters: and as for the counsels of God, men ought rather to wonder at [Page] them, than presumptuously to scan vppon causes supernaturall: with whose foolishnes I end this confir­mation, aduising them to take héede how they meddle in Gods high my­steries, least they be destroied by the power of his Maiestie.

THat the case standeth as we haue alreadie saide, yée shall vnderstand by a fewe circumstances, which wée haue found and proued, partly by vse and experience, partly by studie & reading. Did not (I pray you) after Particular examples drawne out of the Canoni­call Scripture touching this necessarie doctrine of Earthquakes. Earthquakes and tem­pests, which Mardochaeus the sonne of Iaer saw in a dreame, all nations rise in an vprore to make warre a­mong themselues: and did there not followe a day of darknes & dan­ger, of tribulation and anguish, of sorrow and heauines, besides an ex­céeding [Page] great feare ouer the earth?

Did not likewise the earth trem­ble and shake out of measure, when Ozia the king of Iuda, in the pride of his mind, had taken vpon him the of­fice & charge of Namely the Priestes, whose charge it was only to burne incense, Ozia taking y ^e office vppon him. another, wherwith it became him not to meddle: and then insued the iust vengeance of God against him, wherof there was a foretoken geuen by the said Earth quake, when he was smitten with a leprosie, & growing ouglie & loath­some was compelled to resigne vp his royaltie, and in the end miserably dieng he was buried but in a home­lie place, euen in the field, apart by himselfe from the sepulchres of his predecessors the kings of Iuda: and this was his rewarde for dealing so vnreuerently in Gods seruice and Temple.

The accurssed Iewes in like man­ner, euen to their great smart haue fealt, what meaning there should be in Earthquakes: yea, they haue tri­ed by their owne miserie most wor­thie of memorie, what calamities [Page] are like to follow after earthquakes: the subuersion of the renowmed ci­tie Hierusalem herein giuing proofe, the destruction whereof was so la­mentable, that no penne can expresse it, nor tongue declare it to the pur­pose. Of which their ouerthrow they were oftentimes warned, as with many strange sights and wonders, so among the rest with Among all o­ther warnings from God to the Iewes, of their destruc­tion, Earth­quakes was in y ^e number. Earth­quakes, that they might be sorie for their sinnes, & by repentance escape the rod: which because they neglec­ted to do, neither beléeuing that the plagues woulde come vpon them whereof those wonders were foreto­kens: nor redressing themselues in that wherin they were awrie, but re­turning to the filthines of their vo­mit, and of wilfull blindnes and ob­stinancie setting Gods threatenings from Heauen at naught: therefore were they ouertaken with the bitter day of their sharpe visitation.

What (I pray you) was foretold to Lucius Martius, and Sextus Iulius Consuls of Rome, by an Earth­quake? [Page] Euen that notable warre (without controuersie) which tooke the name to be called ciuill, than the which warre a more dangerous and deadlie was neuer heard of in the land of Italie. The wars of the Car­thaginians, were they not foreshew­ed by Earthquakes, many daies ere they came to passe?

Furthermore Examples of later time, set­ting forth the fearful effects of Earth­quakes. what great mis­chéefe & misfortune an Earthquake happening in the time of the Empe­rour Lotharius did signifie, the French men & Italians to their great paine and perill haue learned. Then were kindled betwéene the Empe­rour Lotharius and his brethren sore dissentions and disagréements, and not long after meruellous greate warres insued therevpon: the Nor­mans ouerrunning and laieng wast all Aquitania, spoiling Abbies with fire and sword, and making hauocke of certein townes in France by mur­ther without mercie.

In the time of the Emperour Fre­derike, the second of that time, what [Page] casualties Earthquakes foreshewed to come to passe, as it is terrible to tell, so is it horrible to heare. Not long after, as recordes do testifie, the This conti­nued course of examples, biddeth vs by others harmes to take heed. whole countrie of Frisland was al­most drowned with waters, which issued out of certeine riuers & maine streames néere vnto the sea. The Tartars inuaded Scithia, Georgiana, & Armenia the greater, laieng them in manner euen with the grounde. Poland & Hungarie also felt the force of their fiercenesse to their no small hurt and detriment. Herevnto I may adde the vtter ouerthrow of Ie­rusalem by the power of Cardirius the sonne of the great Saladinus, the fift time attempted and atchieued: the temple of the Lord, and his Se­pulchre onely and alone left vnspoi­led, at the praiers and supplications of the Christians.

An Earthquake also happening in the time of the Emperour Frederike the third of that name, was a foreto­ken of that lamentable slaughter & most worthie of memorie, which [Page] chanced at Constantinople: and of the conflict or battell betwéene the Christians and the Turkes at the towne Taurinus: a hole and a horri­ble battell. I say nothing all this while what He posteth ouer many examples vn­touched for y ^• auoiding of tediousnesse. mischéefes & miseries happened in the time of the Empe­rour Maximilian, euen within the compasse of our memorie: huge heaps of misfortunes were séene and fealt in those daies: and after that not long, the Churche abounding with all kind of abuse and enormitie day by day diminished, &c.

I am the more tedious and fuller of wordes in this case, without re­buke, that wée might fall a recko­ning, what this last Earthquake in our quarters should signifie: & there is none but may easily ghesse, euen by the obseruation of that litle which we haue written, and by the like e­state and condition of this our age and time, that Little good followeth af­ter Earth­quakes, as by the euents of them in times past hath bene obserued. little good is to be looked for. The signification thereof I leaue to euery ones particular iudgement, knowing that Christian [Page] godlines and perfect religion hath vtterly cast away that vaine and su­perstitious obseruation of the anci­ent Romanes, and other Heathen na­tions, touching signes and wonders: and referreth all things both wisely and godly to the prouidence of the Almightie.

To the which prouidence submit­ting my selfe, I suppose euery Chri­stian reader sufficiently resolued & staid in mind, if with me they ascribe that to Gods prouidence, which the vaine idle dotage of our Elders su­perstitiously obserued otherwise: & auouch with liuely voice, that there is nothing done either in Heauen a­boue, or in the earth beneath, but ei­ther All thinges come to passe either at the commande­ment of God, or by his per­mission and sufferance. at the commaundement of God, or by his sufferance: and that almightie God, according to his vn­speakeable wisedome, wherby he or­dereth all things aright, yea euen in such wonders as we sée come to passe by the course of Nature, as al­so aboue the course of Nature, and a­gainst it in like manner: that God I [Page] say, euery way hath a secrete coun­sell, and doth nothing, either by com­mandement or sufferance, but to some end: setting before our eies, by sundrie spectacles, more than one or two, his patience & long sufferance, his anger and vengeance: calling and bidding vs, whome he hath crea­ted to life and saluation, not to death and damnation, vnto the banket of repentance.

This God therefore which fore­told vs of Earthquakes hereafter to come in diuerse quarters, as signes and tokens of his wrath against vs, and according to his foreknowledge sendeth them at times appointed, vseth this kinde of visitation to this ende, The profita­ble doctrine which we haue to ga­ther by Earthquakes hap­pening in for­mer ages. namely to teach vs, that he will not destroy all mankind at once, but that he will iudge them by parts and portions, nowe some and then some, still leauing place to repen­tance, and time to conuert & amend. Now, if neither by earthquakes, nor other plagues, which are the begin­nings of sorrowes, we will be re­dressed, [Page] no doubt it shall go woorse with vs in the ende. For, if we con­tinue in the custome of sinne, which we are growne into by the trade of our life, we shall be sure that such vengeance is like to light vpon vs, as is due and answerable to such a wic­ked woont.

And this is it which the Lord him selfe spake of, fortelling what things should chaunce before the comming of Doomes day, saying, Signes of the end of this world vttered by the mouth of our Saui­our Christ himselfe. Yee shall heare of warres, & rumors of warres, be ye not troubled: for such things must needes be, but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdome against king­dome, and there shall be earthquakes in diuerse quarters, and there shall be pestilence and famine. These are the beginnings of sorrowes. Which one onely warning teacheth vs, what the Earthquake which we lately had, forsheweth herafter to come to passe among vs, if we manifestly séeing & féeling the wrath of God kindled a­gainst vs, neglect to be penitent and [Page] sorie for our sinnes.

Séeing The Transla­tors exhorta­tion touching the contem­plation of the particular ex­amples before specified. that the Author of this treatise, of méere loue (as it séemeth) hath vttered his minde, still beating vpon this aboue the rest, euen sinne, sinne, as the crieng cause of all cala­mities which happen vnto man: and for that more cannot be said in that matter, than he hath alreadie men­tioned, vnlesse by annexing later ex­amples, which haue chaunced since the time of his death: I account them gratious, that by others harmes can learne to take heede.

And if sinne be the cause, as it is in déede, (so doeth the holie Ghost re­port in the sacred Scripture, alwaies after the denouncing of any plague adding the prouoking cause) if sinne I say be the cause of so many mise­ries, méete and conuenient I iudge it be, that we Repentance the meanes to appease Gods wrath concei­ued against vs for our sins. come home againe with the lost childe, and crie mercie for our time mispent, Father I haue sinned against heauen and against the, &c. That we séeke after our sal­uation in whome it is to be founde, [Page] namely Christ Jesus, not in the mor­ning onely, that is to say, not in our flourishing yeares: nor yet in the euening alone, that is to say, in our decrepite and stooping age: but eue­rie houre and moment, both at mid­night, at the cockcrowing, and at the dawning of the day, that hauing oile in our lampes, we may be readie to enter with the bridegroome as bid­den ghestes to his heauenly banquet.

To rehearse the examples, which are alreadie touched, and more pa­thetically or effectually handled, than I can by skill comprise: it were su­perfluous. A good thing cannot be too much perused, and though all swéete things, be they neuer so toothsome, by their often vse are made loathsome: yet the reading of this with deli­beration, and the marking thereof with due aduisement, shall increase The double profite that shall redound vnto vs by the diligent rea­ding and con­sidering of the premisses. desire to beginne againe when it is once passed ouer: and a comfort to sée the iudgement of God poured out vpon a fewe, that many might a­mende: two speciall meanes to cut [Page] off the verie conceit of satietie and loathing.

The late casualties that haue béene séene and felt, both in this citie, and in sundrie places in this land, villa­ges and townes, both East, West, North, and South, yea beyonde the Seas, doe threaten vnto vs some heauie iudgement of God, and tell vs, that Our sinnes are written with the point of a Diamond, and with a penne of iron. It is no time now to go a gadding to the weather wise: the season serueth not, the reason suffereth not.

For nowe we ought all of vs to looke about, séeing that The sundrie and manifold meanes which God from age to age hath vsed to put Englande in mind of her visitation. God hath spoken vnto vs these many yeares so many wayes, by the troubles of his Church, by the slaughter of his Saints, beginning correction at his owne house, by monstruous birthes, by strange shapes, by inundations of waters, by contagions of the aire, by fire in the Element, by forreigne warres abroad, by tumults at home, and now of late by an Earthquake, [Page] at one instant shaking the whole Realme, as may be coniectured by the report of trauellers to and from sundrie coastes of this land.

And not onely on this side, but By which reason it is probable, that this last earth­quake in our time 1580 was generall tho­roughout all this land, and like inough vniuersal ouer the whole worlde. beyond the Seas, as I haue heard reported, this Earthquake hath hap­pened, with the very quiuering ther­of doing much harme, and farre greater than any that hath chanced among vs. Séeing then this Earth­quake so vniuersall ( for I beleeue the Lord did shake the foundations of the whole earth, & it was his mercie in that we were not all vtterly vn­done) I may conclude that it was su­pernaturall, & being supernaturall the more wonderfull. For neither wind nor water could haue the force, with a generall moouing of the whole land, to terrifie the peoples hearts.

Let vs be resolued, that there re­maineth nothing now, but the day of our visitation. The Lord will come in his wrath, to iudge and punish vs, The neglect of Gods mer­cie, is the ha­stening of his iustice. whom in mercie he spared, and yet we the worsse. For what should we [Page] looke for now, but a terrible reuen­ger? We haue had the Prophets of God, we haue had his lawe, we haue had his Sonne, his Apostles, his Euangelists, and Disciples, we haue had his Preachers, we haue had the Elements, we haue had euen dombe creatures preaching vnto vs repen­tance: strange sicknesses, sudden deaths, and I cannot tell what chan­ces, wherevnto this changeable e­state of ours is subiect, haue forewar­ned vs to amend: we neuerthelesse, forsaking the waters of the well of life, are contented to wallowe in the puddles of our owne pollusion and filthinesse: and being lepers, re­gard not to be clensed.

What remaineth in this case, but that the Lord performe that in his se­uere iudgement, which he hath spo­ken in his wrath against Ierusalem, saieng: Who Applie this threatning (O England) to thy selfe, and be ashamed and sorie for thy sinne. shall haue pitie vpon thee ô Ierusalem? or who shall be sorie for thee? or who shall goe to pray for thy peace? Thou hast for­saken me and gone backwards, ther­fore [Page] will I stretch out mine hande a­gainst thee, and destroy thee. For I am wearie with repenting. The proofe wherof God graunt we auoid. The effect of all is this, that others destruction be our instruction.

BEcause we are taught by many proofes and trials, that The defini­tion or de­scription of an eclipse, either in the Sunne or the Moone. Eclipses, (for so they call the diminishing of light in the Sunne and the Moone, happening at set times, seasons, and places appointed by nature, when the Sunne by the interposition of the Moone, and the Moone by the in­terposition of the Sunne, are so co­uered and hidden, that they are sud­denly darkened) prolong their effects and operations, sometimes more, sometimes lesse space: herevpon ri­seth a question, how long wonders [Page] are said and thought to deferre their effects and workings?

Unto which demand this answer may be made: namely, that it is The effectes of signes and wonders at y ^e pleasure and appointment of God. at the will & appointment of almightie GOD, without whose commande­ment and sufferance, those things come not to passe, be they either by nature, contrarie to nature, or aboue nature. For God, by the same power wherewith he created all things, by the selfe same power he gouerneth all things, seing he is the author and maker of al things, & able by his om­nipotencie, either to hasten or delay all things according to the pleasure of his will. For (saith the Prophet) he hath made all things, whatsoeuer he would, in Heauen, and in Earth, and in all deepes.

But now, that same pleasure of Gods will touching the effects of wonders, and their appearances, are so hidden and vnknowne to vs, that this is all we can doe, & nothing he houeth vs so well, euen deuoutly to crie out with S. Paule, We are taught, hauing S. Paule for a paterne, to stand rather amased at the wonders that God wor­keth, than cu­riously to search out the reson of their being. ô the [Page] depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vn­searchable are his iudgements? and his waies past finding out? For who hath knowne the mind of the Lord? or who hath beene of his counsell? or who hath giuen ought to him first, and it shall be giuen and paide him backe againe? Because of him, and through him, by him, & in him is all in all, &c.

Nowe, because it is manifest, that many wonders haue their cause and originall euen of nature, in such sort & manner, that the very course of nature, doeth throughly teach, as well the set seasons, as also the ap­pointed places of such wonders: (For it hath pleased GOD to leaue vnto this course of nature, God vouch­ethsafe to vse the ministerie and seruice of Nature, in sun­drie thinges y ^t come to passe. whose ministerie and seruice he voucheth­safe to vse oftentimes in naturall things, her conditions & qualities, her operations and workings: and hée suffereth nature to beare rule ouer naturall things, and naturall thinges to incline and yéelde vnto [Page] nature, himselfe winking thereat, and looking vpon as it were through a lattesse:) Herevpon it is possible, that a man may by certeine coniec­tures and ghesses gather, or by cer­teine causes and reasons attaine vn­to the knowledge both of the times and places when and where the ef­fects of such and such things, séeme they neuer so strange and wonder­full, shall come to passe.

To confirme this, I bring for ex­ample Some Astro­nomers faile not in the prognostica­tion or fore­teliing of things to come. Astronomers skilfull and cunning in their profession, who ma­ny times know before hand, and for­shewe likewise the seasons & effects of Eclipses, neuer failing in their prognostications: and yet there are some that holde opinion, that an E­clipse is a meruellous matter, and such a thing in déede as is monstru­ous, strange, and contrarie to the common course of nature. Howbeit, there is no cause why wée should wonder thereat more than néedes, as though it were a rare thing and not to be beléeued: seing it is a plaine [Page] case, that the very naturall eiesight of man doth behold and comprehend as well the causes as the signes ap­pearing aboue him, as hée doth the firmament of the Heauen, and the Spheres of fire and aire.

The Scripture in déede affirmeth, that * The stars of heauen were ap­pointed Starres dis­cerne the sea­sons, y ^e times, the daies, and the yeares, so that vpō them dependeth a necessarie do­ctrine. to be signes for the diffe­rence & discerning of seasons, times, daies, and yeares. Which to be true and credible, we finde by vse and cu­stome. For we sée, that by them the husbandman doth giue a ghesse what shall follow: and by the set seasons of the yeare vnderstandeth what hée should do by day, and what by night, learning in like manner at what time it is best plowing, sowing, and reaping, which benefit he hath chéef­ly by being cunning in the change­able and wandering course & com­passe of the Sunne and Moone.

By The Sphere of fire & aire haue a conti­guitie or neerenesse. the Sphere of fire also, & of the aire, by reason of the néerenesse each to other, it is giuen vnto them of the countrie to coniecture this and [Page] that: whiles (as we know) flames of fire in the aire, lightnings and thun­ders, windes and raine, haile and o­ther tempestes haue their issue from thence: the foreknowledge of which things is greatly in vse among hus­bandmen, shepherds, and mariners. These signes and appearances as they are naturall, and their causes naturall, so their effects being natu­rall may be forknowne of certentie. For the knowledge of the one is the knowledge of the other.

But to come to Wonders su­pernaturall are wonders in deede, and come not of causes natu­rall. wonders super­naturall, of which kinde are all such wonders as are to be counted very wonders in déede, the matter perad­uenture goeth farre otherwise: be­cause that as the causes of such won­ders are aboue our reach, euen so the effects and operations much more. Againe, all wonders, though super­naturall, are not like, but diuerse: this also ouerthroweth the know­ledge of man. For the more diffe­rence, the more doubtfulnes. If this be so, who will not confesse, that the [Page] effects and operations of such won­ders are vncerteine, both at what time, and in what place they shall come to passe? Concerning which matter, because some effects happen sooner, and some later, no certeintie able to be knowne, there can be no infallible and perfect rule giuen.

But to touch some signes & won­ders appearing in the Heauens, this is a flat truth, that such were séene the very same yeare that Ierusalem was destroied, Sometimes the effectes of wonders doe followe after, & sometimes they happen at the instant: so y ^t their e­uent is doubt­full & vncer­teine: this is proued by examples. the effects whereof were prolonged a yeares space. So in Genua, at what time a spring there very straungly bubbled bloud, the citie it selfe was assaulted of the Sarracens, taken, and wonderfully afflicted. In Lucania, what time it rained iron, the very next yeare fol­lowing the Souldiers of that coun­trie were all slaine, with their Cap­taine Crassus, in Parthia, and not one mothers sonne left aliue. So, a litle before the time that C. Caesar was murthered, it was founde true by proofe, that his horses would eate no [Page] prouender, but pining themselues, there fell teares from their eies so plentifully, that it was wonderfull to behold. So, after the sightes and visions which Daniel saw in the hea­uen, and told the meaning of them, there followed an ouerthrowe of the Persian Empire, and the famous vic­torie of Alexander.

By all which examples, as also by certeine wonders appearing at Vi­enna in Austria, not many yeares past, we are taught, that there can no vndoubted The doctrine touching the time & place, where won­ders worke their effects, is doubtfull. doctrine be set downe touching the time when, & the place where, the effectes of such wonders should come to passe: although the busie heads of the Heathen, no lesse vainely than superstitiously, haue dealt in that matter. Which fashion of theirs we vtterly forsaking, refer all things (as wée haue often­times said) vnto the proui­dence of almigh­tie God.

ALthough the wonders which haue béene séene in former times, are many, as Chronicles and faith­full recordes verifie: yet notwith­standing (as most men hold opinion) More strange signes & won­ders neuer ap­peared in any age, than now in these our daungerous daies: the Lord haue mercie vpon vs. there neuer chanced more nor ofte­ner than in these our latter daies, as we may manifestly perceiue, by ex­amples alreadie rehearsed. Howbe­it, we haue gathered but a fewe out of many, and neither the commonest but the chiefe & principall. In which collection, we haue not béene so pre­cise & superstitious, as to be affraid to make mention of any, but onely such as had in them an euident appe­rance and shew of strange wonders: nor againe so rashe & vnaduised, that what sightes so euer happened, and had any likenes of a wonder, by and by to catch it by the end, & put it in­to [Page] our reckoning: for then we might be cast in the téeth, and not vndeser­uedly, that whatsoeuer we coulde hit vpon, had it neuer so litle strange­nesse, we tooke it for a wonder: as Midas thought euery thing that hée touched to be streight wayes turned into golde.

And hereof it is, that we are cer­teinly assured, many wonders here­tofore to haue happened, wherof Many won­ders haue happened in the worlde which neuer came to our knowledge. we are ignorant: and better knowne vnto others than vnto vs: which al­though wée had béene able, vppon knowledge to report, yet for tedious­nesse sake it were néedelesse to re­peate them in this place. For they may be so many peraduenture, that it would prooue an easier péece of worke to finde where to begin, than where to make an end: & we haue had more regard in the rehersall of exam­ples, to kéepe a measure, than to séeke after plentie and store in this behalfe.

Now there be some, that hearing me speake as I doe, put out this que­stion, A question why more signes are she­wed vnto vs in these later times, both from heauen & vpon earth, than haue bene seene in the daies of our forefa­thers. why in these our dayes, ra­ther [Page] than in former times, more wonders haue béene séene in euery place of the world? Is not this thing of it self a wonder? I make answer, that it is wonderfull inough, and not without some monstrous meaning. For so many and so great wonders happening in these our dayes, do cer­teinly foretell, that the ende of this world is at hand, and that this age wherein we liue weareth away, and séeth as an eye witnesse, by the won­ders and signes which continually appeare, that Death draweth nighe, yea standeth watching at the entrie doore.

For séeing that This worlde compared ve­ry fitly vnto a man, whereby the state ther­of is liuely re­presented. this world, in all respectes, is compared vnto a man: and man also him selfe contrariwise likened vnto the worlde, he béeing called and named Microcosmus, A little world: reason concludeth, that as it fareth with man, so it fareth with the worlde. Now man, being a little world, is subiect to decay, dis­eases may attach him, misfortunes may fall vpon him, one infirmitie or [Page] other hanging vpon him, may con­sume him, though not his whole bo­die at once, yet the partes thereof, though not suddenly and at an in­stant, yet by degrées of times: wher­by in the ende, the disease waxing stronger, and he weaker, that fearcer and he fainter, he may fall sick euery where, and at the last giue vp the ghost.

Now there are diseases incident to the worlde, as we thinke: and what are they, but The effectes denounced & threatned by strange signes and wonders, are the sick­nesses y ^t shall wast and con­sume y ^e world. such effects as are de­nounced by signes and wonders to happen vnto the worlde? namely, Earthquakes, ouerflowings of wa­ters, fieres in the element, famines, pestilences, and any other of this sort: which are none otherwise fore­shewed, either presently to happen, or hereafter to come to passe, than the sicknesses wherevnto men are subiect, and foretold them by certeine signes and tokens: as namely by their water, and other excrements.

For Physicians (as we our selues haue also prooued) by obseruation of [Page] Starres and Planets, can attaine vnto the foreknowledge of diseases in the bodies of men, be they either present, or be they to come, and that without superstition: they can also prognosticate and foretell by the in­clination of complexions, and dispo­sitions of bodies, by the set seasons, and foure quarters of the yeare, they can (I say) foretell of health and sick­nesse. For séeing the The aire al­tered & sem­blably affec­ted as the Sunne depar­teth from or draweth neere to vs. &c. condition and qualitie of the aire, which compasseth our bodies rounde about, is verie much altered and changed, by the Sunne drawing néere or going farre from vs, by the increasing and dimi­nishing of light in the Moone: it com­meth to passe, that hauing rule ouer our bodies, there may be coniectures made of many thinges, which shall happen vnto vs, and which they, by their influences, together with the aire, may worke in these our bodies.

Herevpon they giue counsell to open the veines, and let bloud, when the Moone increaseth, at which times our naturall abilities are more [Page] strong and liuelie, and the state of our bodies replenished with more good moisture and iuice: they forbid boxing, least because it violently draweth and sucketh, the The humors of our bodies abound and are spread through euery part & mem­ber of our bodies at the beginnings of Monethes. humors of the bodie abounding and spreading throughout all partes at the begin­nings of Monethes, more matter may be voided, than behooueth, &c. And thus (I say) may Physicians foretell something to come, not to any maner of person, but to such as haue not their perfect health, but are euill affected, and apt to fall into one or other strange infirmitie and sicke­nesse.

Euen so, by Ephemerides or cal­culations manie things are foretold concerning the qualities of seasons, & touching the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone: howbeit none otherwise than when such causes woorke their force in the The aire sub­iect to the in­fluences or o­perations of y ^e Sunne Moone and Starres. aire wherewith we are incompassed, and according to the inclination whereof, be it good, be it bad, be it wholesome, be it noysome, will we nill we, we are ruled and [Page] ordered. Many prognostications of Physicians both of Arabia, and Graecia, may be reduced and brought for the proofe of these causes: and not a fewe notes out of Aristotles Pro­blemes.

By the state, conditions or quali­ties of mens bodies also may to­kens of life and death bée gathe­red: all which, or the greater part of them, agrée in this point, that Signes in the sicke, wherby to know, whe­ther he shall liue or die. looke what they sée in the sicke li­eng in his bed, that maketh a deade corps hideous & ghastly, it is a signe of death drawing on. Contrariwise, if they perceiue in the diseased such séemelinesses as set foorth the state of a sounde man, they are coniectures of recouerie and health. The like we may read in the particular progno­stications of Hippocrates, and in the seconde booke of Cornelius Celsus, in­treating of Physicke.

For Hippocrates, to make the Phy­sician cunning in foreknowing and also foretelling of such issues in the sicke, counselleth them to marke di­ligently [Page] the face and countenance. For Vndoubted tokens either of death, or of extreme sick­nes, or of life and recouerie in the diseased according to the rules of Hippocrates. if their eyes bée hollow, their eares colde and shroonke together, their foreheade drie and withered, their colour gréene, leaden, or blacke, their courage calme and consumed, their spittle abounding, heir knées and limmes fainte and féeble, their heate more feruent & ve­hement than was woont to bée, their sléepes heauie, their dreames trou­blesome and vnquiet, they shall bée signes, that the patient will either be extreme sicke, and so escape verie narrowly, or else that there is no way with him but one, euen death.

To applie this to our purpose, when wée sée such wonders in the worlde, as are strange and fearefull, when we sée them often in such ma­ner as hath not béene in former times, it is an vndoubted token that the worlde is not well, but infected with certein sore sicknesses, and like shortly to die, or else to fall into great daunger: so much the rather, because signes and wonders, monstrous ap­pearances, [Page] and strange sightes, haue their generation herehence, From whence strange sights & monstrous shapes, &c. haue their ge­neration and being. either because particular nature faileth, or through the default of the matter it selfe which resisteth, or else by reason of the weaknesse of the agent or wor­ker. Which is thought to be a token that the worlde is sicke after the ma­ner of a man, who is therefore called a little worlde.

Herevnto may be also added, that woonders of this sort, specially such as appeare frō heauen, or (to speake plainer) that are meteors and im­pressions, doe happen, when nature is somewhat disordered, as when the generation of cattell, the fructifieng of trées, the coniunctions and moo­uings of starres come to passe, but not altogether at their due and ordi­narie times: neither doe these im­pressions kéepe alwaies one and the selfe same place, nor yet holde one proportion still in respect of the pati­ent (as I may say) the matter wher­of they are made happening to and fro.

[Page]By that therefore which we haue already declared it is doubtlesse, that such signes and wonders as we haue last named, doe prooue vnto vs, that The more strange sights and appearan­ces, the more strange signi­fications and meanings. straunger and rarer sightes appea­ring haue their significations: name­ly the sicknes of this world, and the néerenesse thereof to death: and to be tokens so much the rather of these things, by how much more often they happen. As truly we sée in these times of oures, which in the Scrip­tures are therefore called The last daies, wherin shall be the end of this worlde, foretold by signes and won­ders to be at hand, by the deadly di­seases which they denounce to the worlde, as meanes to bring vpon it the last consummation & finall end.

For it cannot be denied, that Wonders haue beene seene, euen since the very beginning of the world, in a manner. such signes haue béen séene euer since the creation of the world almost, in sun­drie countries & nations, of diuerse people, either to the destruction of some, or to the ouerthrowe of all, e­uen as many as viewed them with their eies. In time, the whole world, [Page] by reason of the partes thereof cra­sie and ill at ease, began day by day to be sicker and sicker, because of the miserable maladies and pittifull issues which followed after the sight of such straunge wonders: so that by litle and litle it is like to faile & to decay, and the whole bodie thereof in short space to perish, séeing that there are but a fewe members or partes thereof, beside the heart, but haue both felt and séene the calami­ties and ruines which haue come to passe, after the appearing of certeine straunge signes and wonders in all places, not onely in our forefathers daies, but also within the compasse of our memorie.

The case standing thus, we must néedes graunt this, when all the members of the bodie are smitten with sicknes, that For the heart cannot safely consist with­out the mini­sterie and due seruice of the inferiour mē bers, though it selfe be the principall. the heart being the principall parte, is like to be in daunger, which when it once faileth, the whole bodie sinketh downe, and consequently the vniuersall worlde: the destruction whereof to be nie, [Page] these so many and horrible wonders chancing in our age, doe certeinly foreshew. For, the truth it selfe, by a foreknowledge of things to come, speaketh of these and the like signes, prophesieng of the end of this world, and saieng, There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone, &c.

For, séeing that this worlde may well be compared vnto The stare of y ^• worlde com­parable to the state of Ae­gypt, for what reasons and considerati­ons. Aegypt, in sundrie considerations, and mani­folde cases, it commeth to passe, that as in old time there were sights and wonders séene, whereby the ouer­throwe of Aegypt was threatened should come: so in this last end of the world signes & tokens are strangely séene in the foure elementes, which giue vnderstanding to all the inhabi­tants of the earth, that the end is at hand. Now, for that we sée in these our daies, such signes and tokens multiplied, how can we doubt that the end of the world is nie? Special­ly, because we sée things that haue increased, diminish: and things that flourished, vanish: and at length die [Page] and come to an ende.

Which The chaunge of this worlde set downe by contemplati­on of other countries. alteration of the world, and the diminishing thereof we shall perceiue to be come, if we thinke vp­on the daies of old, and consider with our selues, how many countries, na­tions, and Islands, in so few yeares haue perished and come to naught: & how all the elements are growne out of course, quite contrarie to their first nature, and being meruelously chaunged in themselues, kéepe not their accustomed condition and qua­litie in due time and season, as at the first: & that the earth hath lost much of her wonted fruitfulnes, how pain­fully so euer it be plowed, as wée haue plentifully declared in our A worke so intituled and named, and of this Authors owne writing. Catholikes dedicated to the right re­nowmed Charles the fift, and Ferdi­nand: which to repeate againe in this place, were labour superfluous.

It must therfore be confessed, that these so sundrie & straunge wonders happening in our daies, foretell vs, that the end of the world approcheth, and prophesieth against it some la­mentable [Page] destruction: as certeine tokens appearing in the bodie of man, foreshew the daunger either of sickenes or death.

THat the end of this world is at hand, there is none that can iustly denie, be­cause that, beside the rea­sons specified in the last Chapter, we sée nothing, but it foretelleth vs that the same is like very shortly to be. For we may behold, according to the prophesies of Christ our Sauiour, The alterati­on & change of this world declared vnto vs by particu­lar circum­stances. that there is an alteration and chaunge of the state of all things in a manner, that the worlde waxeth worsse and worsse, and that with the preuailing of wickednesse: it is like to be ouerturned: that in these daies of ours, iniquitie & sinne is growen to the highest degrée, that equitie is rare, vngodlinesse, couetousnes, con­cupiscence [Page] and lust common, the good a praie & spoile to the wicked, & eue­ry where molested & troubled, that euill men are rich and wealthie, ver­tuous men in pouertie & contempt, all iudgement confounded, lawes o­uerthrowne, and Men must hold fast now a daies, many times more than their owne, such is the iniquitie of these times that which a man hath, be it litle, or be it much, it must be gotten and also kepte by maine strength, that boldnesse and violence haue possession of all thinges, that there is no faith, no trueth, no con­science, no honestie among men, no peace, no méekenesse, no shame, no rule in themselues nor rest from mischéefe: that the whole earth is in an vprore and tumult, that warres doe rage in all places, that all nati­ons are in armour, and assault each other, and that Cities nie adioining are at strife betwéene themselues. If this be so, that these (as the Lord himselfe beareth witnesse) are forewar­nings that the worlde is at an end, what remaineth but that we beléeue and looke when it shalbe?

Now, because I thinke there is [Page] not a man so shamelesse, that will gainesay this, it néedeth not that I vse many words in this matter, con­sidering that we haue discoursed at large hereof, in our Workes of his own com­piling and so named, as is declared be­fore. Centuries and Catholikes. It resteth therefore that we make answere in this place, to the obiection of some, which demand the question, not so necessarily as cu­riously: At what day and houre the end of this world shalbe, whereof the scriptures of God haue so profound­ly spoken? Although I make an­swere, that it is not vnknowne to me, that some there are which haue taken in hande to tell by account of yeares, when the end of this world shalbe: of which sort some haue said, that foure hundred yeares, some that fiue hundred yéeres, some that a thou­sand yeares should passe and runne out, betwéene the ascension of the Lord, and his last comming to iudg­ment, before the world should be at an end: yet notwithstanding, I They are cō ­futed and put to silence, which by cō ­putation of yeares gather the certeine end of the world. de­nie that there is any man able to know, or to shewe, either the houre, [Page] or the day of the end of this world: as also I hold opinion, and certainly be­léeue, that there is not a man liuing, that knoweth the ende of his owne life, as the scripture testifieth, vnles he be instructed and taught from a­boue by some singular reuelation.

And therefore, vpon this certeine beléefe I boldly affirme, that the end of this worlde hath alwaies béene, & euer shalbe, altogether vncerteine: and that it is not for mortall men (as the Lord saith) to knowe the times and the seasons, which the Lord hath put in his owne will & power: yea, that man cannot comprehende the same by any naturall knowledge, as the trueth it selfe prooueth, saieng: All y ^e know­ledge of y ^e end of this world quite cut off in man, by the testimonie of Scripture. Of that daie or houre no man knoweth, no not the Angels of hea­uen, nor the Sonne, but the Father: because the day of the Lorde (as the Apostle saith) shall come like a theefe in the night. For when they shall say peace and quietnes, then shall sud­den destruction come vpon them, as the sorrowe of a woman in trauell, [Page] and they shall not escape.

By which words we are warned, that the last ruine and ende of this worlde shall come so suddenly vpon men, that when the state of thinges séemeth to be amended, and growne from worsse to better, famine turned into plentie, warre into peace, pesti­lence into securitie: then, euen then, in the twinkling of an eie, it shall be consumed with fire. Beholde a spec­tacle in Sodom. And this is the rea­son, as I take it, why the Lord doth exhort vs euerie where to watch, be­cause that as An argument or reason drawne from the lesser to the greater. no man is certeine of the ende of his owne life, so much more ignorant and doubtfull of the ende of the whole worlde. Take heed (saith our Sauiour) watch and pray, because ye know not when the time shall be. For you knowe not when the Lord will come, in the euening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrow­ing, or in the morning, least when he commeth suddenly, he finde you sleeping.

It is Gods will, that as well the [Page] ende of our owne life, as also the end of the world, should be hidden from vs, that we might euermore be care­full thereof, and setting our mindes vpon it, be readie at his comming. For An allusion made to the example which Christ himselfe vseth in the Gospell. the suspicion which the Good­man of the house hath of the com­ming of the théefe, is very profitable, though it kéepe him waking, when peraduenture otherwise he woulde fall asléepe. And surely, if it were good for vs to knowe this secret, woulde the Lord haue made such a short an­swere to his Disciples, when they put out the question to him their Ma­ster? For they helde not their peace in the presence of him, but put foorth their demande, saieng: Lorde, wilt thou at this time restore the king­dome of Israel? But he spake to them againe, and said, It belongeth not vnto you to know the times, which the Father hath put in his owne power. This answere had they, not asking the question of the houre, or of the day, or of the yeare, but generally of the time.

[Page]Uaine therfore are such, séeme they neuer so wise and learned in the eies of the world, which make their vaunt that they know the end of their owne life, & are The shame­lesnes of some which vpō no sure ground will warrant y ^e certeintie of things most vncerteine. not ashamed to professe, though seduced by signes of birdes flieng, by opinions of the weather­wise, by the doctrines of Magicians, and such like sinister meanes, that they can tell when the world shall be at an ende. But is not these mens laboure lost, whiles they goe about to reckon and cast account, how ma­ny yeares are to come, before the worlde shall ende? Séeing we haue heard, euen from the mouth of truth it selfe, that it is not in vs, nor for vs to knowe it, and that it passeth our abilitie, whatsoeuer wée are, to at­teine to the certeintie of a secrete, which God the father hath reserued vnto himselfe alone.

And here I can not sufficiently muse at * C. Lactantius, and diuerse Lactantius and others of his opinion re­proued, for their precise computations. others not a fewe, men I confesse déepely learned in matters touching the Church, and verie well practised [Page] in those pointes, that some of them notwithstanding affirme, that foure hundred yeares, some that fiue hun­dred yeares, and some that a thou­sand yeares should be accomplished and fulfilled, from the ascension of our Lorde, vntill his last comming at doomes day. Wherein they are found false, and out of the way, as verie children can tell. And therefore I thinke it not worth paines taking, to declare in this behalfe, vpon what reasons & proofes each of them build their opinions, both because I haue confuted them alreadie in place con­uenient, and also for that they leane wholy to coniectures of mans wit, not bringing in any thing that is vp­holden by authoritie of Canonicall scripture.

He (saith S. Augustine) who spake these wordes, A notable speach, wher­by all Calcu­lators & Rec­koners of yeares, therby to come to y ^e knowledge of the worldes end, are con­trolled. It is not for you to knowe the times, which [...] Father hath put in his owne [...] all Calculators and [...] to holde their [...] meddle no further in this [...] A [Page] number of triflers therefore, verie rashe and presumptuous busie bo­dies, are to be laughed at, or rather to be contemned, a sort of foolish He­retikes & Scismatikes (I meane) in this our age, which seducing the sim­ple people, dare openly affirme, and teach, both at what time, & in what moment, the end and consummation of this worlde shall be: notwithstan­ding the voice of the Gospell, which these men haue alwayes in their mouthes, doth prooue the flat contra­rie, saieng, Of that day, or of that houre no man can tell, neither the Angels in heauen, nor the Sonne, but the Father, &c.

It shall suffice vs therefore to knowe this, that there is nothing more certeine, than as time passeth away, so this world shall perish: and that For the Lord as the Scrip­ture testifi­eth, hath re­serued this to his own coun­sell and secret knowledge. nothing is more vncerteine than the time wherein it shall decay. Which ende of the worlde to be at hande, and euen at the doores, not onely by the holy Scriptures is ma­nifest, (for as well the preachings of [Page] the Prophets, as the sermons of our sauiour Christ haue said, that it shall be shortly,) but also by the signes and wonders which haue gone before it, and appeared to all the world in eue­rie place, as most assured warnings of the last day, and proclamations (as it were) from God vnto vs, as wée haue alreadie declared by many ex­amples, is most cléere and euident.

Now, after what maner this con­summation or end of the world shall be, and what shall become thereof, whereto the glorie and pompe of the same shall growe, who so is disposed to Search the Scriptures, and be an­swered. search the Scriptures shall easi­ly finde. But there are Preachers in the worlde, whose voices agréeing with the cries of the Prophets, tell vs plainly that the ende and ruine of althings will come to passe, and that after a while, painting before our eies the last age of the worlde, as it were wearie and readie to fall. I thinke it not necessarie also, particu­larly to repeate those things which haue béene foretolde by the Prophets [Page] hereafter to happen, before the ende come vpon vs, considering that I haue omitted none of them in the worke of our Workes and treatises of his owne penning and intituled by the name of Centuries. Centuries, whither I referre the Reader for the fuller de­claration hereof, intending, God be­ing my guide, with a fewe woordes more, to make an end of this matter.

FOrsomuch as it is cer­teine, after the rehearsall of so manie testimonies worthie of credite, and warranted by the things themselues which are nowe done in the worlde with such confusion and disorder: be­side that, very manifest, euen by the signes and wonders which haue ap­peared both in heauen and in earth, that The most terrible and fearefull day of the Lord is at hande, and the end of this world verie nie, euen at [Page] the doore: we sée that there remai­neth nothing else but this, if we re­gard our owne safetie: namely, The mutuall seruice & du­ties required of vs, and thought most conuenient for vs to pro­secute in these latter daies of the worlde. to exhort one another by all meanes that we may, not to abuse the good grace of almightie God, not wilful­ly to winke, when we sée such great store of light, but to haue our eies o­pen, and to behold the strange sights and wonders, which we haue séene euen within the compasse of our me­morie: knowing for a certeintie, that these and such like are as it were pro­clamations made vnto vs from al­mightie God, whereby he calleth vs to repentance, and therefore not to be contemned, as nothing pertinent or belonging vnto vs.

For it is as true as the Gospell, that God is long suffering, excéeding patient, and full of forbearance, doing what he can by these signes and won­ders to soften the hardnesse of our heart: and he had rather shew vs the terrors of his iudgements, and the threatnings of his right hand, than laie the same vpon vs in his venge­ance. [Page] Let vs not flatter our selues, because we are Christians, therefore God will forgeue vs though we doe not repent. No no: he Herein appe­reth how iust and vnparciall a iudge God is, in the exe­cution of his punishments. spared not the Angels, but when they had trans­gressed, he thrust them downe into hell; and therefore doubtles he will not spare or forbeare vs in our sins. Againe, let vs not deceiue our selues, supposing peraduenture that such sorrowes as are to come, are not so horrible, as we haue set them out in this behalfe. For God himselfe hath foretold and said it should be so, who neither doeth lie, nor can lie, swea­ring with an othe, that it should so come to passe: Verily verily I say vn­to you, heauen and earth shall passe, but my wordes shall not passe.

Neither let vs, to be bréefe, cocker our selues too much, & become care­les, because the woes wherof we are forwarned will not come yet, it will be long first ere they take effect. For Examples of Gods iudge­mēts powred vpō vnrepen. so did many vse to say of the floud in Noes time, of the fire & brimstone in Lothes time, of the destruction of [...] [Page] dust and ashes? Doe you not thinke that they themselues, if they were a­ble to speake, would say thus to vs? A supposed or imagined speach. Alas wretches, what meane you to runne vp and downe from place to place after the vanities of this worlde? Alas why doe you ouer­whelme your selues in the seas of sin and wickednes? Looke vppon our bones, and let your owne greedines greeue you, your owne miserie make you affraid. We were once as you be now: and as we are, so shall you be.

And therefore, to returne thither from whence I haue straied, let vs wey with carefull consideration, and in weieng, let vs tremble at the fear­full end of this world, and hauing the day of our owne death continually before our eies, let vs hasten, as much as we may, to amend our life missed. Let vs not neglect the time, because our good God forbeareth vs vile offenders, and his anger com­meth forth but slowly to take venge­ance: for this slownesse shalbe re­compensed with gréeuousnes of pu­nishment, [Page] and his lame legge (if I may so speake) shall neuer leaue, till it haue ouertaken the swift running sinner. This is doubtles, that how much the longer God looketh for a­mendement at our handes, and we regard it not, so much the more grée­uous shall his iudgement be against vs: which to be so, the Scripture by many examples hath not slenderly proued.

Now, if we thinke (which thought be farre from vs) that The danger of this cogi­tation is set forth in a pa­rable of the Gospell, by our Sauiour himselfe, to shew what a shrewd sinne securitie is. it will be long ere the end of this world come, and therevpon euery one of vs set at naught the consideration of our own falles, who are more miserable? Are we not (I beséech you) suddenly smit­ten with death, and our soules taken out of our bodies, we looking for no­thing lesse, whiles we very willing­ly and in the pleasure of our mindes, are well content to tarrie in this for­saken worlde, and determine with our selues of matters of long conti­nuance? But who are happie? Euen they that alwaies haue before their [Page] eies, either their owne death, or the ende of this worlde, and that make hast to be found in a readines when that houre commeth.

Let vs therefore be mindfull one with another, that we walke in the middes of the snares of the Diuell, and in consideration thereof let vs alwaies The furniture which S. Paul setteth downe by parcels in the 6. chapter to y ^e Ephesians, is necessarie for euerie Christian in this case. be prouided, that whenso­euer the Lord laieth his commande­ment vpon vs, being set frée from all blottes and blemishes of sinne, wée may enter into his rest. Let vs not persuade our selues, that the time is long which we haue to weare out in this world. For it may be, that God will call vs vpon such a sudden, that we shall not haue an houres respite giuen vs to repent. Alas, let vs re­member the words of our Sauiour, saieng, Verily verily I say vnto you, the houre is come, when all that are in their graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God, and they which haue done well, shall come forth in­to the resurrection of life: but they which haue done ill, into the resur­rection [Page] of iudgement.

Nowe therefore let vs take our choice, & determine with our selues what to doe in this life, that accor­ding to our desertes, we may either reioice with the godly, or be tormen­ted with the wicked worldes with­out end. Whole some admonitions, if we haue the grace to fol­lowe them: which y ^• Lord God grant vn­to vs. If rewardes will not win vs to béecome better, let punish­ments make vs affraide to waxe worsse: and if it be not in our power to despise this present world, and to ceasse from the custome of sinning: yet let vs at the least doe what we can to redresse our selues by righ­teousnes. If we haue wandered like wantons in our youth, let vs nowe repent and be reformed in our age: and the euill déedes which wée haue done in sinning, let vs renownce and forsake by amending. For beholde how the world, not by litle and litle, but (as I said) altogether beginneth to come to ruine and decay: yea, it hath failed already many waies, and at this present it draweth néerer and néerer to his last destruction: as wée [Page] haue béen taught by many tokens, al which with one consent agrée vppon that matter: & euery thing that wée sée vanisheth like a clowde, & passeth away like the euening shadow.

Behold the euents of things which were foretold vs long ago by the ve­ry trueth it selfe, are nowe in these daies of oures more than apparant­ly perceiued. Manifest proofes of y ^e latter day to be at hand, & neerer than we think. The Lorde God a­mend vs, that we be not o­uerwhelmed in our wic­kednesse and sinne vppon the sudden. All goodnesse (as wée plainely sée) is taken away and ba­nished, all mischéefe and euill, day by day, doth more and more abound, in such sort & manner, that there is not a man able to open his mouth, and so bold as once to gainesay, that the last times are come vpon vs, consi­dering that the workes & fruites of these dangerous daies are so rise a­mong vs, & in cōtinuall vse & practise. For in the latter daies (saith the A­postle) shall be perillous seasons, and men shall loue themselues, they shall be couetous, high minded, proude, blasphemers, stubburne against their parents, vnthankfull, mischeeuous, void of loue, without peace, faultfin­ders, [Page] accusers, dishonest, vnkinde, cru­ell, traitors, froward, ambitious, lo­uers of pleasures more than of God, hauing a shewe in deed of godlines, but yet vtterly denieng the force and power thereof in their life.

Is Very chil­dren in com­parison can say no lesse, the iniquitie of these our dayes are so spred through out all places. not euerie place of the earth (I pray you) full of such men? Doe not all corners of the worlde swarme with them, in such maner, that the wordes of the Lorde are more veri­fied in vs of this latter age, than of a­nie people of olde: saieng, All haue gone backe and started aside, all are become vnprofitable, there is not one that doth good, no not one? For now doubtlesse is that houre come, according to the testimonie of eter­nall trueth, wherein Iniquitie doeth abounde, and the charitie of a great manie is waxed colde. For which cause, the Lord threateneth against vs his kindled wrath and indigna­tion, and foretelleth vs by horrible signes, strange wonders, maruel­lous visions, monstrous shapes, and such like fearefull appearances, as it [Page] were by proclamations made from heauen, that he is comming to iudge­ment, and admonisheth vs earnestly to repent and amend, still shaking his right hand of reuengement ouer vs, but sparing to smite: telling vs neuerthelesse, that except we repent, we shall all perish.

And God graunt The Authors conclusion of this necessarie treatise, writ­ten for the be­nefite of vs in this age: God giue vs grace well to vse it. that hauing so many warnings, both in heauen and in earth, by the voices and outcries of such strange wonders, we woulde at length shake off slouth, and awake: not setting at naught the soundes of these trumpets, these true proclama­tions from heauen, & heauie threat­nings of God, whereby we are cal­led & compelled to repent. God grant we may so do, to whom be all laude, praise, dominion, power and maiestie now and euermore.

Amen.

HAuing waded thus farre in the due description of Earthquakes, their gene­ration, their instant and consequent operations, and yet not sufficiently persuaded, that this my present and vnpolished treatise will answere the expectation of the Rea­der, if I leaue it lame and halting vpon one legge: The deter­mination and purpose of the Translator, in this 12. Chap­ter, being the conclusion. I haue determined in this twelfe Chapter, which shalbe the conclusion, to leaue forein coun­tries and their wonders: and com­ming néerer home, to offer vnto the view of the inhabitants of this land, the horrible Earthquakes that haue [Page] happened as well in particular pla­ces of this Realme, as generallie through the whale region: that wée may sée how the Lorde, from age to age, hath giuen testimonies to the world of his omnipotencie.

And because admonitions, which consist but in wordes, vttered either by voice, or expressed by penne, pre­uaile not so much (as were to be wi­shed) in this wicked worlde, as doe Examples re­present vnto vs the good or bad estate of our forefa­thers. examples, which are liuely repre­sentations of the heauie chaunces, whereunto our predecessours haue béene subiect: neither yet the threat­nings of God in his wrath, by the mouthes of his Prophets, terrifie the hearts of euill liuers, as do the dread­full signes and wonders which hée vouchethsafe to giue, as tokens of his hot indignation: herevpon (as sorie that we which haue so long liued vn­der grace, should become gracelesse, and vtterly voide of that spirit which shoulde conduct euerie Christian) I haue vndertaken to recapitulate or rehearse vnto you, according to my [Page] promise & purpose, the times when, and the places where Earthquakes haue happened, as I find them truly recorded in Chronicles, which I haue searched diligently: to report iustly to the people of this land, that This is not the first time that God hath spoken vnto vs by Earth­quakes. God hath spoken vnto vs manie yeares past, euen by such meanes as of late he vsed, wherein his long suf­ferance appeareth, vpon the which I counsell no man ouer boldly to pre­sume, by securitie in sinning, least iudgement and confusion fall vpon him suddenly. And first we will be­ginne at London the Metropolis of this land, & by degrées of yeares pro­céede to declare what Earthquakes haue chaunced in other cities and shires of this our natiue countrie.

It is recorded in the Scottish Chronicles, that in the reigne of king Eugenius, it rained bloud at Yorke, that in sundrie places trées were blasted, and thereby withered and died: but (O wonder!) that the mar­ket place, or rather Many houses swallowed vp and sunke in Cheapside by a gaping of the earth. Cheapeside in London did open and gape, so that a [Page] great hole appearing in the earth, manie houses were swallowed vp and sunke: neither is it to be thought that no harme, in such an excéeding daunger, happened to the inhabi­tants. Thinke we, the same God, who wrought that wonderful worke in this Citie, was not able with the late Earthquake to haue done the like here in London? Yes, yes, his almightinesse is perpetuall, his will remaineth vnchangeable, & his arme is not shortened.

Againe, in the time of king Wil­liam the Conqueror, in the yeare af­ter the birth of Christ 1077. there hapned in March a A generall Earthquake ouer y ^e whole realme of England. generall Earth­quake throughout all England: and in April next & immediately follow­ing, a terrible blasing starre appea­red to the horror of the beholders. Although this Earthquake now na­med, shooke the foundations of all this land: yet, in so much as there is no mention made that it chaunced in other countries, therby we may ga­ther, that being inferiour vnto this [Page] our late Earthquake in vniuersali­tie, (for so farre as I can vnderstand, both by trauellers beyond the Seas, and by strangers borne, it is suppo­sed that it was generall, and that the whole frame of the worlde trembled therewithall, farre greater harmes happening there, than here, the Lord be thanked) it could not import or foreshew such a plague as this threat­neth against vs, nor include in it so secret a meaning. The Lord in mer­cie deale with his people, for in iudgement none shalbe able to abide his presence.

Againe, in the time of the said king William the Conqueror, in the veare after the birth of Christ 1084. there chanced an Earthquake, which al­though it was but A particular Earthquake and yet super­naturall: the reason may be read in the rehearsall of the historie. particular, yet may it séeme to bée supernaturall. For, at such time as king William, among all other cruelties executed vpon English men, pulled downe whole townes, villages, churches, and other buildings, thirtie miles compasse, to make thereof a forrest, [Page] which at this day is called by the name of New forrest, it pleased God, beside the lamentable outcries of af­flicted people ringing about the Ty­rants eares, to giue a token by the earth, which at that instant shooke and rored, of his indignation against that vnnaturall destroier for his ac­cursed dealing.

As for him, who by his power might presume somewhat further than a priuate man, I thinke he was not so mercilesse a spoiler, but that in this our age there may be founde, millians I feare (I would to God I did lie) which excell him by many de­grées. For the worlde is growne vnto this abhomination, in these dayes, that The craftiest man accoun­ted the wisest, as the worlde goeth nowe a daies. the craftiest man is counted the wisest, and he that hath most circumuentions in him to ouer­shoote his brother, is had in estima­tion. As for simplicitie and plaine dealing, it is so little thought vpon, as if it had neuer béene in the world. No maruell then, though God by vniuersall signes sent throughout all [Page] corners of the earth, foreshewe the sharpnes of his sworde, wherewith he meaneth to come girded, & wound vs in his wrath, our iniquities are so outragious, so manifold, and dete­stable.

Againe, in the reigne of King Hen­rie the first of that name, in Ianuarie, in the yeare of our Lord 1165. there hapned a meruellous Earthquake, in the Isle of Elie, in Northfolke, in Suffolke, and other places, the vehe­mencie whereof was such, that with the trembling of the same, men had not the power to stand vppon their féete: buildings also were sore sha­ken, and stéeples so rocked, that the belles knolled therewithall.

And in the reigne of King Henrie the second of that name, at Oxen­hale within the Lordship of Derling­ton, in the yeare of our Lord 1179. the These exam­ples may be loking glasses for vs, if we had any grace. earth did lift vp it selfe on high like a mightie towre, and continuing so from nine of the clocke in the mor­ning till the euening, it fell downe at length, with a horrible noise: & swal­lowed [Page] vp with the sudden and vio­lent sinking of the same, left a déepe pit in place thereof, as a witnesse to the posteritie of that strange won­der. These documentes or lessons as they are not vsuall, so ought they not negligently to be thought vpon: and therfore, woe to the wicked, that are growne so senseles and voide of fée­ling, that no iudgement of God can soften their stonie hartes.

To procéede in our examples, for we meane to tell you of later Earth quakes, some in the daies of our grandfathers, our fathers, and our owne. On Monday the wéeke before Easter 1185. in the reigne of the said King Henrie the second, there happe­ned The second general Earth quake that I reade to haue happened in England. a generall Earthquake tho­roughout all England, yea such a one, as the like had not beene heard of in this realme, since the beginning of the world. This Earthquake was so violent, that stones which were couched fast in the earth, and driuen in with rammars, were remooued out of their places, buildings of lime [Page] and stone ouerturned, houses of tim­ber shaken in shiuers: and among the rest, the great Church of Lin­colne was rent from the toppe to the bottome. After this Earthquake there followed a vniuersall Eclipse of the Sunne, and such terrible thun­der, lightening and tempestes, that both men and beasts were destroied, houses burned vp, and much harme done very lamentable to report.

Our A breefe note giuen of our Earth­quake, 1580. by way of di­gression. Earthquake chanced on Wednesday in Easter wéeke, about the same time of the yeare, whereby though the like dangers fortuned not as by the other: yet being more ge­nerall, (for the frame of the whole earth, as it is thought, trembled therewith) I may not so boldly as truly affirme, that the like was ne­uer heard of since the creation. The euents of which Earthquake wée leaue to the secrete counsell of God, to bring to passe by his prouidence, beséeching him to powre into our hearts, the spirit of true repentance, that by conuerting & turning from [Page] our wicked waies, wée may escape the plagues which otherwise we are like to féele.

Moreouer, in Scotland, at what time king William surnamed Lion, ware the crowne, from the Twelf­tide till Februarie, in the yeare of our Lord 1199. there chanced continu­all and terrible Earthquakes inces­santly day by day: & not onely there, but elsewhere, to the great ruine of many buildings, besides diuerse other inconueniences, which may be presupposed to followe such trem­blings. But to come néerer home, in the reigne of King Henrie the third, in the yeare of our Lord 1222. there was A viewe of wonders in Warwikshire & elsewhere. an Earthquake in Warwick­shire, a generall thunder throughout the whole realme, a blasing starre, and great dearth of corne, all which plagues concurring and running to­gether, into what perplexities the minds of people were driuen, I leaue to the contemplation of the well ad­uised reader. Againe, in the reigne of the saide King Henrie the third, [Page] there happened in diuerse places of England, and namely about Lon­don, in the yeare of our Lord 1247. a terrible Earthquake, wherewith (as in such chaunces is commonly séene) houses went to wracke, &c. A litle before this Earthquake, the sea, by the space of thrée moneths toge­ther, ceassed from ebbing & flowing: and shortly after this Earthquake in like manner, such vnseasonable wea­ther insued, that the quarters of the yeare did varie from their naturall & ordinarie course, the Springtime vnpleasant & changed into Winter.

Furthermore, to knit one to an­other, and so to make an end of these tragicall reports, in the West coun­trie, about An Earth­quake at Bath and Welles in the West countrie. Bath and Welles, there was such an Earthquake, that some buildings were turned topsie tur­uie, and some sore shaken, the tops specially & vpper partes of stéeples, turrets, chimnies, &c. came tottering downe: this Earthquake was in the reigne of the said King Henrie the third, in the yeare of our Lord 1248. [Page] Againe, in the reigne of the self same King Henrie the third, in the yeare of our Lord 1250. there happened An Earth­quake at S. Albons, & the quarters there aboutes: also, terrible thun­der & lighte­nings vpon Christmas day, &c. an Earthquake at S. Albons, & the quarters there abouts, with a great noise & rumbling vnder the ground as though it had thundered. In which very yeare (a note worthie the mar­king) euen vpon Christmas day, it thundered and lightened out of mea­sure in Northfolke and Suffolke.

Here you sée, in the reigne of one King foure Earthquaks, particular & generall, wherevnto if I should ad the innumerable wonders that ap­peared otherwise, the miseries that followed after, and the outragious troubles which were in his daies, I should meddle with a long & a wea­risome labour, and lament to behold the calamities which haue fallen vp­on this land. Moreouer, I find that in Ireland, in the yeare of our Lord 1266. there chanced an Earthquake which did not a litle hurt to that countrie: & more harme in processe of time did insue therevpon, than [Page] was done at the instant. For, besides the present perils, within a while af­ter, the very effects of Earthquakes, and the plagues whereof they are foretokens, fell vppon the people, namely, dearth and mortalitie.

To come a steppe or two forward, in the reigne of King Edward the first of that name, in the yeare of our Lord 1274. An Earth­quake with other strange and fearefull sightes, to the astonishment of people: * al­so, a third ge­nerall Earth­quake ouer all England. there chanced such an Earthquake in diuers places of En­gland, such terrible lightening and thunder, the vision of a burning Drake, and a blasing Starre, that the people being at their wittes end, thought Doomes day to haue béene come vpon them: and the yeare next and immediatly insuing, being 1275. there happened * a generall Earth­quake throughout all this realme, wherewith, among other hurts that were done, the Church of S. Michael on the hill without Glastenburie was throwne downe to the ground: not long after which chance, it rained bloud in the countrie of Wales, a bloudie token of bloudie battels, [Page] which shortly after followed.

Againe, in the reigne of King Ri­chard the second, in the yeare of our Lord 1382. it is recorded, that in one wéeke two Earthquakes happe­ned in sundrie places of this realme, and namely in Kent: the first being so vehement, that it ouerthrewe Churches & other buildings of tim­ber and stone: the second so violent both An Earth­quake & Wa­terquake, both at one instant. vpon land and water, that e­uen shippes in hauens by knocking one against another, were so brui­sed, that the repairing of them cost much monie. Thus farre wée haue runne through the reignes of the Kings of this land, and we sée still by contemplation, that God hath neuer withheld his hande from working wonders in the worlde. Now let vs marke what Earthquakes haue ben heard, felt and séene of late memo­rie, euen since the fortunate aduance­ment of our most gratious soue­reigne Ladie ELIZABETH, by the grace and prouidence of almigh­tie God, of England, France and [Page] Ireland Quéene, &c. Gathering by them such necessarie doctrines, as may redound to the benefit of vs all.

In the The great plague wher­with this citie of London was lamenta­bly visited. time therfore of the great plague, when God with the broome of his iustice swept manie a house in this citie cleane, not leauing so much as an innocent childe aliue, such was his wrath against vs for sinne, when the pestilence was so common and contagious, that in one yeares space there died twentie thousande, thrée hundred, thrée score and twelue per­sons, euen then, beside other crosses, which it pleased God to lay vpon vs, as dearth of victuals, and pouertie, then I say, A particular Erthquake in the reigne of our gratious Queene Eliza­beth. an Earthquake happe­ned in diuerse places of this realme, specially in the shires of Lincolne, and Northampton, where (as in such chances we sée come to passe) much harme could not choose but be done. Shortly after, in comparison, from the first of December, till the twelfth of the same moneth, it thundered and lightned continually: but on the last day at night so terribly, as no man li­uing [Page] yet no place can comprehend it: that our posteritie, if it please God to pro­long their pilgrimage in this life, may tell their ofspring what woon­ders GOD hath wrought in these times, and that he is able, when it is his blessed will, to do greater things among the people and nations of the earth, I will register this wonder.

To A leape from London to o­ther places of this realme, where y ^e Earthquake was forceable. leaue London therefore as néedelesse to be named, the falling of chimnies, the cracking of houses, the shaking of windowes, the trembling of tables, the quiuering of chanels, the maruelling of men, the wonde­ring of women, the astonishment of both, the talking of Gods iudge­ments, the fearing of his vengeance, the suspecting of great daunger, the prophesieng of Doomes day, the con­fessing of sinne, the blaming of all estates, the complaining against pride, the exclaming against enuie, the crieng out against the abuse of the Sabbaoth day, the finding fault with a thousand enormities, (for the peoples mouthes were full of com­mon [Page] places at that instant, but alas that sudden zeale being vehement, could not be permanent, deuotion died when daunger ceased, and We wonder no longer at Gods worke [...] than whiles we see them present. all was counted but a nine daies won­der) the inueieng against diuerse disorders in these daies, the wishing of all well, some saieng Lorde haue mercie vpon vs, some Jesus saue vs, some praieng in the Church, some plaieng in the fieldes, some merrie at home, some sporting abrode, some bu­sie about their affaires, some looking ouer their accountes, some leaping, some dansing, some tumbling, some vawting, some piping, some singing, some bowling, some dicing, some car­ding, some shooting, some wooing, some surfetting, some sléeping, some eating, some drinking, some ieasting, some gibing, some scoffing, some taunting, some bralling, some figh­ting, &c. that I Our vnrea­dinesse if God had come to iudgement, at that instant, when he fraid vs with an Earthquake. thinke if the generall day of iudgement had come vpon vs, as this was but a forewarning of it, we had all béene founde no lesse vn­prouided, than were they in Noes [Page] floud, we had all stoode in the state of condemnation: and therefore exalt and magnifie Gods mercie, which is aboue all his workes, and endureth from generation to generation.

To be certein of this Earthquake, how farre it was effectuall, to what Countries it stretched, what peo­ple it amazed, I haue had confe­rence with diuerse, some saieng that it was generall, some that it was ex­traordinarie, some that it was in Cales, Antwerpe, and Brabant, some that it was in sundrie places of Flan­ders, some that it was in Northfolke, and Suffolke, some that it was at the The Isle of Elie shaken, notwithstanding y ^c rounde compasse of waters about it. Isle of Elie, a soile as it were cut off from all the Countrie, by reason of waters lieng round about it, and yet comming thither it shooke all the townes, and made a stone or two of great bignesse, to fall from the Minster: some that it was general, some that it was supernatural, some that the like was neuer séene, (and I am of that opinion) some saieng this, and some that, according as they [Page] were mooued vpō the sudden chance. Among a number that haue com­plained what hurts their houses haue susteined, some that XX. poundes, XXX. poundes, nay an C. poundes will not repaire the ruines of the same, I cannot heare of one that la­menting the decay of conscience, e­quitie, righteousnesse, honestie, chari­tablenesse, &c. doeth one good déed to­warde their restitution. A strange o­uersight, or rather a senselesse securi­tie among men.

Here I coulde largely discourse vpon the particular enormities of this our wicked age, as Some crieng sinnes of Eng­land named, by them to iudge the ab­homination of the residue. pride, am­bition, couetousnesse, extortion, vsu­rie, dissention, oppression, iniurie, blasphemie, slander, fornication, bri­berie, subtiltie, euill talking, and worse walking of all degrées in their calling: but because this point is al­readie touched in place conuenient, and diuerse diuersly haue discoursed vpon this our late & sudden Earth­quake, whose names are rehearsed in the beginning of this booke, one a­mong [Page] all sufficient to report the truth of so terrible a trembling, but all iointly, though many, yet too too few, by penne and inke to set out so maruellous a matter to the worlde, that the hearing of Gods wonderfull workes might bréede a feare of his heauie iudgements, I conclude with this praier following.

O This praier is necessarie for euerie priuate houshol­de [...], [...]o vse with his fa­milie. Almightie God, thou iust iudge and seuere pu­nisher of sinne, which hast not spared thine owne people, being the lot of thine inheritance, but hast for their trans­gressions executed thy sharpe and bitter iudgements vpon them, som­times by sworde, sometimes by sa­mine, somtimes by pestilence, some­times [Page] by captiuitie, according as it pleased thée, vnder whose rod of cor­rection they often lay groning, we the sinfull people of this realme of England, perceiuing by most appa­rant tokens, that thou art highly dis­pleased with vs, and by the remem­brance of thy manifold visitations in times past called to an acknowledg­ment and confession of our sinnes, our vile sinnes, our abhominable sinnes, our damnable sinnes, beséech thée with all submission to haue mer­cie vpon vs, and not to procéede in iudgement against vs: for alas we are then vtterly vndone.

We are not able to answere in our owne behalfe We cannot excuse the least sinne y ^r we haue com­mitted. for the least offence which wée haue committed, there is no pleading before thy Maiestie for our excuse, thou wilt admit no shift, thou wilt allowe no proofe, whereby to maintaine our owne cause: for thou art righteous in thy iudge­ments, vncorrupt in thy procéedings and vnuariable in pronouncing sen­tence. Lo (most mercifull Father) [Page] wée wretches For the re­ward of sinne, as S. Paule saith, is death, and except that Gods mercie set in foote, eternall damnation. subiect vnto death & damnation through sinne, fall pro­strate before thy face, and being pe­nitent and heauie for our misdéedes, most humbly beséech thée to be fauou­rable vnto vs, and vpon triall of our amendement by the assistance of thy spirit, to withdraw the whippe of thy wrath, wherewith thou forewarnest vs we are like to be scourged. Wée haue kicked vp the héele against thée, like vnbroken Coltes, the Oxe hath knowne his maisters stall, and the Asse his owners cribbe, we haue not regarded thy waie, but farre inferi­our vnto them in due performance of seruice, haue neglected all care of obedience to thy Maiestie.

Our Here would be reckoned vp all such sinnes, as our owne consci­ences cast be­fore vs. with a set purpose to amend. vnthankfulnesse (O Lord we confesse) is wonderfull, our con­tempt vnmeasurable, and our secu­ritie monstruous: neuerthelesse, thou that hast power to renew our secret cogitations and thoughts, to make that streight which is crooked, the hard soft, the rough smooth, the sowre swéete, the sicke sound, the dead a­liue, [Page] vouchsafe to turne this ingrati­tude, and vnthankfulnes of ours, in­to the contrarie vertue: our con­tempt into obedience, our securitie into carefulnes, that séeing the signs of thy wrath and indignation kind­led to consume vs, we may be sorie for our sinnes and be saued.

It is not The names of the idolatrous Gods, whome the superstiti­ous Gentiles worshipped. Adrammelech nor A­nammelech, whome we haue offen­ded: it is not Ashima nor Ashtaroth, whome we haue dishonored: it is not Baalim nor Chemosh, whome wée haue prouoked: it is not Dagon nor Milcom, whome we haue despised: it is not Molech nor Nergal, whome we haue forsaken: it is not Niohaz nor Nisroch, whom we haue contem­ned: it is not Succot-benoth nor Tar­tak, whome we haue renounced: fi­nally, it is not any abhomination of the idolatrous Gentiles, whom wée haue displeased: we abhorre and vt­terly detest all such fornication and vncleannesse of the Heathen. But it is thou (O almightie GOD, whose seate is the Heauen, and whose foote­stoole [Page] the earth) against whome wée haue transgressed: thy lawes wée haue violated, and not liued within the compasse of thy cōmandements.

Our This confes­sion must be made with a zeale and fer­nencie of spi­rit. bodies wée haue defiled with the filthines of concupiscence, & euery member and part of it hath béene accessarie to the committing of many an outragious sinne: our very souls also (O Lord) we confesse, are defaced, and haue lost their glorie through the staines of our infinite transgressions: so that both within and without we are polluted, poiso­ned, and like to perishe, except the Mithridatum of thy mercy, which is a present & souereigne salue against all sores, preserue vs from this peril.

Thou (O most mercifull Father) as tendering the estate of vs thy chil­dren, hast vouchedsafe by sundrie signes and wonders, as foretokens of thy plagues prepared for our pu­nishment, to call vs to repentance. Our The mercie of God hath shewed it self by sundrie signes to all ages. forefathers haue not wan­ted these warnings, and we are not without them, so meruellous is thy [Page] mercie. From Heauen thou vouch­safedst to visit vs, and hast com­manded the earth to call vpon vs: vi­sions of fire haue declared thy iudge­ments, blasing Starres thine indig­nation, mortall plagues thy venge­ance. Our progenitors haue lien gro­ning vnder the yearks of thy sharpe rod, that we their posteritie, by their chastisement might be drawne to a­mendement.

O the vnmeasurable mercie of thée our almightie God! O thy long sufferance! O thy fatherly kindnes! O thy vnspeakable pitie & patience! Thou It is the mer­cie of God & his long suffe­rance, that we haue not been destroied in our sinnes. hast forborne vs euen in our wilfull offences, and hast spared vs when we deserued iustly to be smit­ten. Thou hast powred plentie vpon vs, and prolonged our peace, and yet (vngratious children) we will not obey thy voice. O Lord, beare with our imbecillitie (we beséech thée,) for thou knowest we are but dust and ashes, fraile and féeble, vnconstant and variable, corrupt and mortall. It is not in vs to direct our owne [Page] waies, but the working of thy spirit in vs: and therfore we acknowledge our owne vilenesse, and falling flat before the throne of thy presence sub­mit our selues, both bodies & soules, to thy good pleasure and will.

O Lorde looke vpon our humili­tie, behold our submission, regard our heauines, despise not our con­trition, hearken to our praiers, and ponder our supplications, which we powre foorth before the throne of thine incomprehensible Maiestie. And though Our offences and misdeedes are more than the haires of our heades. wée haue béene start­backes, though we haue béene stub­berne, though we haue béene rebel­lious, though we haue béene merci­les, though we haue béene couetous, though we haue béene murtherers, though we haue béene deceiuers, though we haue béene hypocrites, though we haue béene contemners, though we haue béene liers, though we haue béene blasphemers, though we haue béene riotters, though we haue bene wantons, though we haue béene dronkards, though we haue [Page] béene irreligious: finally, though we haue béene neuer so bad (as we can­not bragge of one sparkle of good in this lumpe of fraile flesh) yet we be­séech thée to cast an eie vpon our ac­curssed case, and vouchsafe to raise in vs the vertue of repentance, of true and vnfeigned repentance, of sincere and hartie repentance, of Christian and perfect repentance: that we may sobbe & sigh at the sight of our sins, which are so many & so gréeuous, that the remembrance of them stri­keth vs downe into desperation, vn­lesse thy mercie shine from Heauen vpon vs sinners sore distressed, and minister due consolation.

O Lorde God must be heartily prai­ed vnto, for in him it resteth onely to reforme all dis­orders in vs: who of our selues are a­ble to do no­thing that is good. God most mightie, most gratious, most bountifull, most righteous, the giuer of all good gifts, the welspring of all felicitie, the trea­sure of euerlasting blessednes, create in vs a new heart, and plant in vs a right spirit, reforme that which is amisse in vs, and make vs that are carnall spirituall: lighten our minds with the lampe of thy grace, that we [Page] may through repentance, which we most humbly beséech thée to establish in our harts, for sake our former con­uersation, and beginne to lead a new life, both we & our families, wiues, children, and seruants, endeuouring by the good gouernement of thy spi­rit, to bridle the wildnesse of our wandering desires, that they ex­céede not the limites of thy lawe: to amend our manners, to put off our olde disguised garment of vn­cleannesse, and to cloth our selues with a suite of new raiment, name­ly, of regeneration: whereby The meanes and waies to be reconciled vnto God, out of whose fa­uour and loue we are fallen. being renewed, we may honour thée our Lord GOD almightie, Christ thy Sonne equall with thée in deitie, and the holie Ghost the thirde person in Trinitie: obey our gouernours, re­uerence thy preachers, loue our neighbours, succour the comfortles, helpe the widowes, maintaine the orphanes, offer no wrong, but deale iustly in all our affaires: that by our conuersation thus reformed, we may be reconciled vnto thée (O our good [Page] God) againe, and escape the plagues which thou hast denounced against vs, by strange signes and wonders.

We are fraile, fleshly, corrupt, sin­full, and without the assistance of thy spirit vnable to bring forth the fruits of the Gospell. In consideration whereof, we exaue at thy handes (O heauenly father) the gift of thy grace, which may sanctifie our soules, and purifie our bodies, that both our soules and bodies may be made ac­ceptable and swéete smelling sacri­sices, to offer vnto thy diuine Maie­stie. Put away from vs, by the For the word of God, beside temporall blessinges whith it brin­geth to them that follow it in life & con­uersation, is the sauour of life vnto life, &c. fruit­full preaching of thy worde, all kind of enormities vnséemely for our vo­cation: and (as nothing is vnpossible vnto thée) vouchsafe that this our age vpon whome the endes of the worlde are warranted by vndoubted fore­warnings to be come, may sée those happie daies, which haue béene pro­phesied by the mouths of thy messen­gers: that the Woolfe should dwell with the Lambe, and the Leoparde lie with the Kid: the Lion and the [Page] Calfe kéepe together, the Cow and the Beare be at agréement: the suc­king Infant play vpon the hole of the Aspe, and the wained Childe put his hande into the Cockatrice nest: that thy spirit reforming vs, and knitting our hearts with the knot of mutual charitie, we may liue in loue without dissembling, & fauour ech o­ther without grudging, casting off all cruell affections, which transforme men into monsters, in whome thou (O God) hast vouchsafed to expresse the image of thy Maiestie.

The end of all is this, which we beséech thée (O mercifull father) to establish in vs: namely, For in these two pointes consisteth the summe of the lawe, and so by sequele the fruition and enioieng of euerlasting life. the fearing of thy name, and the kéeping of thy commandements: for herevpon de­pendeth the whole dutie of man: knowing that thou (O Lorde) wilt bring euery worke vnto iudgement, and euerie secrete thing, euen our verie thought, whether it be good or euill, to account.

These blessings we beséech thée (O gratious God) grant vs, with the in­crease [Page] of thy loue and fauour, for his sake in whom thou art well pleased, Jesus Christ the iust, to whome with thée (O Father) and the holie Ghost, thrée persons, and one immortall, in­uisible, incomprehensible, & only wise God, be all laude, praise, honour, power, maiestie, and dominion, world without ende. Amen.

Giue GOD the glorie.