IN the dangerous dayes, and sorrowfull season of Repentance, when people ought rather to fal to praier then disputations, and the manifest workes of the almightie commands the consci­ences of men to leaue of friuolous ar­guments and not to meddle too much with the height or deepe misteries that passeth common capacitie, and the reach of weake iudgements, It is most necessarie towardes the honouring of God, and edifying of good men, that preachers should pronounce meekenesse and mercy, and writers should perswade probable mat­ter, that may drawe busie witts from curious questions, and quiet the wauering mindes of those that are carryed away with euerie light wind and wordes full of vanitie: And though I seeme but slen­derly learned (hauing a good deuotion to doe well) bestowe some small talent to Gods great glory, I trust those labours shall purchase as good acceptation, as the large volumes that are stuffed with darke sentences, and pollished with racked reasons, but woe is mee that am destitute of knowledge, voyde of cunning, and vtter­ly vnfurnished of eloquence, that nowe haue thrust my selfe into alaborinth, and heere am taking in hand to run a further course then my wonted custome heretofore hath familiarly bin acquainted with­all, notwithstanding the best is to be hoped (if I happe to stumble) that the path is plaine I walke in, and I presume not to goe farre in mine [Page] owne opinion, but will be ledde by the grauest authours of truth, and most venerable diuines and Philosophers, whose words and learning I will alleadge, and with whom the Readers must striue and wrastle if they meane to struggle with any peece of the auncient Fathers re­ports and philosophie. And for that in many an infinite number of causes (both depending on natures reason, and earthly operations) Wonders are to be talked off, and Earthquakes to be seene, I will expresse as well as I may, diuers thinges as they were done many hundred yeares agoe, and so set foorth such wonderfull matters that happened in those dayes, that the people at this present shall make a maruell off, and yet therein behold no other thing, but the mightie worke of the Lord, and maiestie of our maker that is séene shining in his workemanship, and gloryed in his creatures.

First and formost is meant by this discourse to begin at the Won­ders of the ayre, and alterations of the heauens (which waxeth old as a garment) and so to come downe orderly to the Trembling of the earth and shaking of the world, declared onely in this little treatise to make the ignorant beleeue and acknowledge, that there is no other worker of wonders neither heere nor aboue (though many thinges are talked off) but the power of God and blessed hand of the Lord: who was ne­uer idle, but from the beginning of the world hath alwayes bin occu­pyed, either in one place or another, by a wonderfull maner both in the heauens and earth, to call his children to repentance and to shew himselfe a mercifull Father, but there are some stubborne boyes (and I feare too great a number) of the kind and complexion of king Pha­raoh, whose heart was indurate, and who forgat correction as soone as the rod was taken from his shoulders and plagues from his peo­ple, now if such complexions and corrupt natures (for want of good looking too) haue or would infect the sound body and soule of those that are easily tempted, and drawne to beléeue little that is true, and trust much that is false and full of fayre semblances: To these and to none other (for the preseruation of their good beliefe and purging of per­uerse incredulitie) these present paynes are presented partly, to shew in what partes these manifold wonders did fall, and plainely to ex­plaine what followed immediatly after, among those nations where such wonders happened.

It is found in the Annales that in the yeare when Marcus Acilius and Caius Porcius were Consuls of Rome, there was openly to bee seene that from the inferiour region of the ayre did fall in manner of [Page] rayne both bloud and milke, which as some affirme (albeit it was a strange thing to behold) befell many times before some great alte­ration of the people and republicke, likewise in the yeere when Lu­cius Volumnius and Seruius Sulpicius were Consuls of the same city, it did rayne perfit flesh, the most part whereof was consumed and eaten by the birdes of the ayre, and yet the rest that did fall and re­mayne on the earth did not corrupt of a long season: The very yéere before that Marcus Crassus, or Rasilicata with his whole armie, which were Italian souldiers, of the countrey Lucania, was ouerthrowne by the Parthes a strong nation that the Romans made warre vpon: It rayned iron in the maner of a spunge in the selfe same land where the Souldiers were leuied, whereupon their wise men and greate clarkes, by their Deuinations declared that the wounds and sores of the heauens were to be feared, and that some sort of people were in danger to receiue great hurt from the skies and angry Planets. In the yéere that Lucius Paulus and Marcellus were Consuls, it did raine wol like spunges about the towne of Carissan (or Carino) and the next yéere following Titus Annius Milo a great personage was slaine in battell néere the aforesayd towne of Carissan, you shall finde in the re­gister of Senats that the same yéere that Milo was slayne in, it ray­ned bricke stones, as Milo was pleading a matter in the senate house, all which wonders spoken off wayed together, perswades no little argument of the warnings and myraculous maner of the elements, that foresheweth great matters to come, and presageth many things worthy memorie.

It is sayd, and truely to be prooued, that before and after the wars that the Zelanders had, with the Danes of Denmarke, There was to be hard in the ayre oftentimes a certaine sound and clickening of har­nesse, and the sounde of many trumpets at that present instant was hard in the skyes: In the yéere of the third Consulship of Marius, the people of Ameria (or Amelia) and Todi (or Tuderdani) in the townes of the Dutchie of Spoleto, did behold two great armies of men in the skies, the one power comming from the leuant, and the other from the occident, and those that came from the occidentall were put to flight, and chased by the other partie, after both the armies had a long while béene in combate: and there fell out great thinges in the necke of this wonder, yea, the selfe sam like matter happened in the ayre at Ramberg the yeere 1534. and at Wisenburg the yeere of our Lord 1530. On which strange veiw fell out bloudy wars in Iermanie and [Page] other partes, both fearefull in proofe and pittifull to beholde. The Greeke authors as Plinie sayeth doe affirme that the second yeere of the 78. Olympiade, Anaxagoras Calzomenien, presaged by his great knowledge, and told the proper day and houre when a mightie and monstrous great stone should fall from the heauens, which came to passe in the open and playne day, in the countrey of Thrace, which is along the floud Aegos, and in the time of this stone (as bigge as a tum­brell) fell from the skyes, a great commett was seene in the cloudes, and this commett endured blazing a long season, as did of late a bla­zing starre when the Queenes Maiestie lay at Windsore, not long before the king of Portugall and all his armie (a sorrowfull tayle to tel) was ouerthrowne in Barbarie by the hard aduenture of fortune, and force of the king of Fesse. Then was another little stone that Ana­goras spoke off long before, it fell from the heauens (that nowe re­maines in the village of Abydo) which superstitious people holde in great reuerence, and another at Cassandri a towne of Macedone (or Thrace) this stone for feare of the wrath of God (that in his anger might punish and sodainly stricke) was solemlie carryed abroad and shewed to the people to daunt their pride, and bridle their follies: The raynbow which as many affirm is neuer seene by night, but al­wayes appeareth in cleere day, manifestly declareth that mightily Gods maiestie worketh, and his mercifull dealings are to be maruei­lously noted: For neuer as is to be read (by good authors) was séene more then two raynebowes at one time together in the skies, who shewes that a firme and constant course and signe ef Gods mercyes, with no alteration is planted perdurable where his people may be­hold it, sometimes is to be seene (as Plinie maketh mention of) a scar­let colour, and a red sanguine in the skyes, and sundry other times is perceiued likewise that the skie seemes to open, and fire falleth downe from the same, (a thing prodigious and fearefull) which consumeth all thinges that it toucheth or encounters, as it came to passe saieth Plinie the third yéere of the 107. Olympiade, at which season King Philip of Macedonie obtayned by victorie the most parte of all Gréece, And truely saith Plinie I thinke that nature (which he calleth God) produceth those thinges at certayne times determined by Gods ap­poyntment, as he worketh his other operations, and further sayeth Plinie all the subtill imaginations of man, nor the inuentions of all humane spirits and iudgements, can render no good reason for the same, for there opinions thereof serueth for nothing, Plinie 27. For [Page] these accidence celestiall haue alwayes signified some great calamitie to come, not that I thinke (sayth he) that those euils and calamities that happen are the cause of the blazing starres or commetts, but I holde opinion sayth he, that the same commetts are procreated and sent for speciall markes and signes, to know thereby what calamitie is likely to happen, und because those signes are marueilous rare and strange, the reason of their nature is in a maner incomprehensible, so that truely men may not speake on them as they do on the order of the Planets, or on their ecclipse, or on many other thinges re­marquable in the elements, looke good Reader how excellently that eathnicke Plinie hath spoken of the diuine maiestie and doings of God (which he calleth nature) and note how he hath so cunningly handled the argument, that no one point or other may be reasoned against, for this in it selfe confuteth all thinges to the contrarie, and explaneth such secrets, that euery other naturall reason is by this put to silence, I haue seene (saieth Plinie) often in the night (an corps degard that made the sentinell in the campe) néere the trenches, certayne lights of the maner of a starre, which were as it were a slame tyed to the end of a souldiers picke, and on the Sea sundry Marriners as they haue sayled, haue seene the like lights hanging on the mast, which lightes are a very euill signe to the Saylers, if they be but one of them séene at one time, for that presageth shipwracke, or manifesteth great mis­chiefe, for sometimes if the flame fall downe wardes, it burneth the vessell, if two lights be seene, they bring goodnesse and hope of happy fortune, and presageth that the ship shall haue a good voyage, like­wise when these two happie lights ariueth, (the vnfortunate flame that commeth alwayes alone) that the Marriners calleth helene, vanisheth out of veiw, yea sometimes this light lighteth full vpon many mens heads about the euening, all which thinges saith Plinie neuer happen without great matter to follow them, the misteries and knowledge thereof is reserued onely to the maiestie of God, (whom he nameth nature) who will hyde and locke vp the reasons of those causes in the cabine or sacred chamber of his priuie secrets: Heere Plinie plainely expoundeth (though he were a Pagan) many secrete matters much to the purpose of mens good opinions, and greatly to the glory of God, and to proue that strange lightes haue and are to be séene, I being in Garnsey (hauing charge vnder Syr Thomas Leighton) was searching of the watch in a place called castle Cornet, and there full on the toppe of a crosse, I espyed this flaming [Page] fire, before the face and veiw of diuers Souldiers, after the which sight fell a very great tempest, and such a kinde of a storme, as the small fishes in the Seas could not abide, for they were driuen to the shore so fast, that little children and yong maydes wading but a foote deepe in the water, tooke millions of the fishes, and brought them to the land, some in their kirchers and aprons, and other some in their capps hatts, and such thinges as they had for the cause. Thus farre haue you heard some piece of the matter, touching the ayre and secrets from thence sent to the world, (as God by his goodnesse plea­seth to deale) And nowe shall yee haue rehearsed somewhat of the Earthquakes, and other worldly Wonders that many times haue happened, and hath bredde great harmes and no little wonder.

Now first and formost to some wonders of the world, in Titus Li­uius you shall read, that before great warres burst out, betweene the Romans and Macedonians, in many places and regions were some strange thinges most fearefull and lamentable to behold: For in the countrey of Lucanie the heauens seemed as they had béene all on a flaming fire, and in another countrey farre from that, at high noone the Sun became all ouer redde as scarlet, and at midnight in the Temple of Iuno was heard a great alarum, and horrible cry, in diuers maners and fearefull sortes, yea and in many places sundrie beastes of diuers shapes very monstrous were brought into the world, and at Salonne a child was borne that the people knewe not whether it were a man or a woman, and likewise in Sauoye a pigge was farryed that had the head of a man, and againe in Lucanie was a horse seene that had fiue féete, and as Cauies was a man that had his eares standing in the middle of his browes, whereon was com­maunded (when the bookes of Sibell had beene seene) that chast wo­men should in murning sort sing a certayne heauie song, thrée times in a weeke through the citie of Rome, all which ceremonies the con­sull Aurellius did curiously accomplish, King Philip of Macedone anon after these strange sights, did beseige the great citie of Abydoo, in which citie the maiestrates and people, because they would not hap­pen in Philips hand and be made slaues, they all issued out and fought many times desperatly, and in the ende burnt all their treasure, set a fire of the Towne, slue all their wiues and children, and after all these horrible actes, one of them killed another: heere is to be noted (with the rest of miseries that fell out) that many euils falls imme­diatly in those partes where those strange and prodigious sights and [Page] signes are to be seene. The Romans after this discomfited the Gauls in which battell was slayne fiue thousand knights, called noble soul­diers, and Amylkar the Duke of Penoyes and with him three noble Emperors of the Gaulles were put to the sword, with a thirtie and fiue thousand poore Souldiers: Ye shall reade in the 4. chapter of the second decaed, that as Titus Quincius was going to leauie an ar­mie of noble Souldiers (that had beene in Spaine and Affricke) one brought him newes that by a thunder or miraculous working of the elements, the high way where he should goe, was broken and torne in peices and both the temple of Ioue and Hercules were set on fire, and at Aretto the ground for the length of a great distance, was ope­ned and therein was made a deepe caue to the wonder of a great number of people, And at Assnesse there was a calfe séene with two heades, and a pigge with foure tayles, after which sights prayer and supplications was made to their gods a whole day long without cea­sing, and yet great warres and troubels began to be set abroch, in many kingdoms, these wonders going before al these hurly burlies, the fourth decaed the 12. chapter in the Consull of Domycius time, there was an Oxe that spake and sayd in latine (Roma caue tibi) af­ter which wordes pronounced the Oxe was diligently kept, and so the riuer of Tyber arose and did passe the bound so sarre, that it ouer­threwe many houses and edifyses, and did very great harme diuers wayes, and through the aboundance of rayne that fell (or other cau­ses that pleased God) a great rocke fell and ouerwhelmed a number of poore people, and the flouds were so high (by the meane of an out­ragious tempest) that they drowned many viilages about Rome, vp­on the which strang sight (or in a small space after) thrée of the grea­test Emperors of the world dyed most vnhappily, and as some au­thors makes mention those Princes tooke their leaue all in one yéer, Philopomenes, Scypion, and Hanniball was these thrée great perso­nages: Now to write what warres, troubels, seditions, and other calamities hapned in many kingdomes (after these terrible tokens and prodigious signes) it would weary you with the reading there­of, and make you but maruell at the mightie workes of God, which assuredly comes to passe in euery place by his appointment (to shew his power) and happens not by the course of the heauens, causes of the earth, or naturall operations, as many of Aristotels disciples affirme and wilfull schoolemen by reasons would prooue, for as God is without beginning, so his power is without ending, and his di­uine [Page] workes and iudgements are as matters that wee should not breake our witts about, and are so farre beyond our reach, that we rather stand amazed at veiwe of them, then any way satisfyed in the searching or ceasoning of the cause of their beginnings, and though at the first God gaue the Elements a nature, past all the compasse of mans base knowledge, we neither must trust Aristotle, nor leane too much to our weakenes and imaginations, for the beginning of his Deitie is as easily knowne, as the nature of strange visions and signes in the ayre, that onely are directed by his omnipotent power.

Now come we to Earthquakes.

In the yéere of the Consulship of Lucius Marcius and Sextus Iuli­us there befell a case so strange at Modenna, that the like yet was neuer heard off, as Plinie reports he hath found written in the bookes of Hertusques, A maruell that moun­tains meet. and among the Toscane Philosophers: Then happe­ned so terrible an earthquake that two mountaines met together, and shooke so vehemently the one the other, (separating themselues as a combate were fought) and méeting with such furie and noyse, that all the countrey adioyning stoode astonied at the matter, and when these two mountaines had done their shaking, and at the in­stant of their first remooue there arose such a fume of flaming fire from the earth, that it reached to the heauens, the which monstrous battayle of mountaynes and wonderfull earthquake in those parts, was séene of many Romaine Knights and Souldiers, and an infi­nite number of trauellers of the world (than being in the way called Emylius, or via emilia, who considering that pittifull tragidie of time and other matters that fell out, marueiled much and were sore a­frayd, for indéede all the granges, tenements, farmes, and houses that were one any of these mountaynes, fell in small pieces, and lit­tle morsels, so that both beastes in the fielde, and people in their dwellings, were all vtterly destroyed and cleane ouerthrowne, this marueilous chance fell a yéere before the warres of Sociale, that was made against the Marses, the which warres brought not much lesse domage to Italie (than the warres ciuell, by which dissen­tion millions of men were slaine or put to shame and miserie, and in the chronicle of Neroes rayne is to be found a very prodigious thing, for the last yéere of Neroes ra [...]ing, a great ground of Alyue pertay­ning to Vertius Marcellus (procuror generall to the Emperor Nero) was transported from his owne proper place with all his trees, and set in the common way betwéene the soyle it stoode on, and another [Page] mans heritage, after which matter the tyrant Nero dyed and a great alteration fell in the Empyre, by the trembling of the earth as Ho­mer affirmeth waters did flowe where firme land remayned, and the Seas did retyre from their wonted course in another place, by which meanes a great countrey was discouered before ouer flowed with water, as men might sée towardes the mount Siscelo, in the fields and néere the hauen of Larta, or Ambracia, a plot of ground ten long myles from the borders of the Sea, that in times past stood drow­ned and vndiscouered, and at Athens likewise the sea is retyred from the hauen (that they call Piree) about fiue myles of length, and at E­pheson the Sea did anciently beate against the temple of Diana, but now the Sea is a great way reculed from that temple, and if the hi­storie of Herodote be true, aunciently the waues of the Sea went o­uer the citie of Memphys in Egypt, running to the mountaynes of Ethiopie, and the plaines of Arabie, in like sorte the Sea did beate a­gainst Illion called Troy, and couered all the whole countrey of Ten­tertanie, and all the other fields wher passeth the riuer Meander, these proofes and passages sufficiently sheweth, that the tremblings of the earth are as much and more to be feared then the cracking of a rotten house, or the fall of a mightie castell that stands on féeble proppes, and totters at euery blast of winde: Further it is sayde, in the Isles of Pithecuses by the vehemencie of an earthquake, a great towne did sincke, and by another earthquake againe, a great lake was made in the same Ilands, as yet remayning a wonder to the world, read the foure and ninth of Plinie, and ye shall sée a number of other mat­ters, as myraculous as any yet rehearsed.

The diuine Plato reports, that aunciently there was a mightie and a great countrey, where now is the Sea Atlantique, and in the Sea Mediterranie a marueilous deale of land is sunke and couered with water, yea to the very gulfe of Ambracia, which is in Acarna­nie which commeth out of Corinth, the same hauing one member or legge vpon Gréece, and how many countries in Europe Azia and o­ther partes, are destroyed by the Sea and originall cause of earth­quakes, I hope now néedeth not to make particular report off, albeit some notorious thinges may be (by the sufferance of learned men that readeth) touched and somewhat treated off, vnder fauour as farre as serueth to my purpose. There was an earthquake in the Emperour Tiberius time, so wonderfull that it ouerthrewe twelue townes in Asia all in one night, and during the warres of Carthage it [Page] was reported to the Senate of Rome, that within one yéere was seauen and thirtie earthquakes, but now behold what followed the very selfe same season, Hanniball discomfited the Romans néere the lake of Perouse, and yet neither of both the armies (which was a most maruell) hard nor felt no péece of the earthquakes, albeit the earth trembled so often, as it was to bee supposed that the whole world would haue sodainly béene ouerwhelmed: Thus you see the earth which is the mother of mankind (though she séemes sencelesse) is mooued by the almightie to tremble and shake, when man is to­ward destruction, and commonly no bloudy battayls haue happe­ned but an earthquake or commet went before, the one to make man looke vpward to the heauens, where he desires to dwell, and the o­ther to warne him and plainely shew him, he must fall to the earth and ashes, from whence all flesh did rise and tooke his originall, and surely it is a manifest signe of Gods fauour when that both heauen and earth (and all other thinges wee can beholde) are occupyed and working away by some misterie to call vs to repentance, and make the pilgrime prepare himselfe to be gon from the vaile of miserie, and miserable dungeon of disquietnes, but now I pray you regard what Plinie sayeth (he being but an infidell in respect of a Christian) nowe truely sayth he The trembling of the earth neuer is the cause of one euil alone, nor all the danger is not onely in the trembling: for it alwayes presageth some mishappe and Des aster to come, and likewise saith he there was neuer séene earthquake in the citie of Rome, but some great mischance fell out suddenly after, if an infidell beleeued so and hath set downe his opinion in print, for an infallible rule and ground to builde vpon, me thinke Christians should confesse without any difficultie, that the naturall cause of earthquakes is a supernaturall matter, which neither agitations nor exalations can command by their force, to mooue so great a masse of earth as an earthquake shaketh, though Aristotle and sundry others makes a great argument on the like pur­pose.

If all earthquakes, commetts in the ayre, signes and wonders in the skyes, and many other notorious maruells, rise on a naturall cause, it may be asked who sent the starre to be séene at Christs birth, and who caused the whole world to shake at his death, if nature by the course of her operation, worketh such wonders, then belike that fearefull earthquake had happened though Christ had not dyed, and at the same houre and instant though Christ had not suffered for man, [Page] the earthquake would not haue fayled the ordinarie season and wor­king, that springs on exalations, agitations, and such like matter, Aristotle for all his superexcellent learning, knew no more then per­tayned to the iudgement of a man, and though all the déepe wise men of the world (and the world it selfe) were possest with his bookes and arguments, it passeth all reason to beleeue that the earth can shake, and the whole world trembling without his will and pleasure that made the day and night, and knoweth all thinges before they come to passe, and is both the mouer and maker of heauen and earth: And surely I beléeue that neither all the Diuels in hell, nor all the Angels in heauen, nor all the coniurers and sorcerers in the world, haue no power (of themselues) to turne vp side downe a little moun­taine, much lesse haue they power to turne mightie kingdomes into the Seas, and make the maine Sea dry land, no doubt but the winds, waters, ayre, fire, and earth (working together) haue an excellent force and nature to woorke their effects, and bring to passe thinges both marueilous and past mans cunning to compasse, but to shewe armies and battayls in the skies, commetts in the cloudes, force the heauens to rayne bloud, compell the heauie molde to remooue, and shake the vniuersall world is a diuiner matter to speake off, and de­serueth in a most high manner to bee handled, and more reuerenced regarded and feared when it happeneth: For such strange sights are the very messengers that the great iudge sendeth before his com­ming, and the only warnings the world (in the latter dayes) shall haue before this olde earth shall be consumed, and new Ierusalem shall be made, nature can not of her selfe make sweete apels sowre, sowre apels sweete, change and exchange the naturall kind of trées or other fruite, as in Lyche was seene a towne of Surrie, at the ariuing of king Xerxes in those partes, read Aristander and the commentaries of Cai­us Epidius, and they will shew you thinges to be wondred at of trées (if it be true that they affirme) they say trees did speake, which na­ture denies and reason can not conceiue, but trées stones and all other sencelesse thinges, God may make speake, aswell as he made Balams Asse reprooue his owne maister, and the Oxe in Rame cry Roma ca­ue tibi. Plinie in his naturals sayth, that it was reported of the Ro­mains, that in the territorie of Cuma a cittie of Ionie, a great and a high tree did sincke so lowe into the earth, that nothing but a fewe small sprayes on the very toppe thereof was to be seene, but what thinke you followed after, marry many mischiefes, terrible bloud­shedde, [Page] wicked conspiracies, and open dissentions, for the ciuill war betweene Pompeie and Iulius Caesar began at that present, and ended not God knowes a long while after, the Romaines to knowe what the sincking of that tree did signifie, did looke in their bookes of deuina­tions, and their they found that this wonder presaged a matter of greate consequence, threatned the slaughter of multitudes of men: What néedes nowe to search or rehearse prophane histories, for the weight and worthinesse of a true argument, touching earth­quakes, wonders in the ayre, and warnings of the world, that ma­nifestly setteth foorth the myraculous doings and maiestie of the al­mighty, for you néede not to goe any further for a ready resolution of these poyntes, but to the holy scripture, which plainely declares that in the latter dayes you should see signes in the ayre, wonders in the world, the starres fall from heauen, the Sunne and Moone loose their light, and to be short and vse the pearcing and weighty words of the Gospell, we are told of warres, earthquakes, desolation, faintnes of faith, and warned if God did not shorten those dayes for the chosens sake, the very elect might be dissaued and but a fewe should be saued, so many opinions and errours would arise (and iniquitie would be so great) that it would striue for the victorie, and faith would waxe so cold, that God and all goodnes should in a maner be forgotten, where­fore the maker of heauen and earth reuiues our dead memories with earthquakes and wonders (not engendered and produced by naturall causes) because that omnipotent Lord doth what he listeth, both in the elements and earth, compelling them to worke his will as their courses be set by the infallible order and ordinance of his maiestie, that doth with his owne workmanship what séemeth best in his sight, Now I pray you vnder patience and fauour demaunded, shall the lit­tle starre (lately séene in Iuly last) be forgotten, as vnfitte to be rec­koned or noted (for the smalenesse of it) among the wonders of the ayre, indeede the incredulitie of the world and hardnes of stonie hear­ted men, beléeues as little as they may, eyther of the forewarnings of God or diuine preachings of good men, who daily in swéetest ma­ner openeth the scriptures vnto vs, and shewes familiar examples out of the old Testament and the new, that might mooue millions to repentance, and frame a fraternall conuersion among the people, but thousandes growe so stubborne and stifnecked that they neither will stoupe to consider what is spoken, nor bend their mindes to the amendment of life, but runs all on head (without looking backe) into [Page] errours and vaine imaginations, thinking that wonder or that wor­thy matter will blowe ouer, and stands in feare of nothing, no scarce of a terrible blast of thunder, that often teares men beastes and trées in pieces, and striketh down flat to the ground high towres and state­ly buildings: All these strange accidents rehearsed, and ten thousand times as many more fearefull matters, if they might be set downe (as a spectacle to our sight) can neuer change nor alter the common course of our dissolute maners, and incredulous mindes.

A wonder lastes but nine dayes, a signe in the ayre is but won­dred at, an earthquake is called but a common custome of many cau­ses, a blazing starre makes people but babble a while, a mounster in beast or man brings no great maruels, a sommer winter like is but wayed as wicked world pleaseth, an vnnaturall wett out of season is named but a foule weather: a tempest or blustring stormes is quick­ly quieted with a calme: a dearth of graine and all sustentation of man, tries but our patience: and seldome brings repentance, and the plague of the sworde warre and pestilence is sodainly forgotten: so carelesse is our life, and so full of incredulitie are our hartes, where­fore neither excellent men in a pulpit, true writers of good bookes, setting out of auncient histories, nor shewing of fearefull examples, séemes to doe no good, neither to the benifite of the body nor blessed­nesse of the soule: Than of necessitie all must be committed to Gods grace and goodnesse, whose mercies must vphold vs, or else the wonders of the ayre, the trembling of the earth, and the incredulitie of the world will increase the wrath of the almightie, and bring a badde world to confusion.

IN the forenoone doctor Rogers being in a matter to the rebuke of some disorders, hee sawe sodainly fall a great darkenesse ouer all the Church, (a cracke of thunder fol­lowing the darkenes) whereby all the people were not onely amazed, but likewise stricken downe in a great terrour and trembling, and at their fall were marked vnder their clothes with bloudy signes and shewes of Gods wrath, most wonderfull to be­hold, because their garments were kept whole and sound, at which season and feare some seemed dead, and fell so sicke on the sodaine, that long after they recouered not, yet the preacher not a whit stric­ken nor none of his folkes hurt, notwithstanding (as doctor Rogers told me) many of the people at that instant present were stricken downe, but howsoeuer thinges fell out by Gods visitation and suffe­rance, the mightie maiestie of the Lord was myraculously séene and vnderstoode in this fearefull action: The bishop yet most stoutely preached in the after noone, when no such wonders were to be noted at that instant, but incredulous people cares for no wonders, for the like of this was at Bongie a parish church in Northfolke, I saw it my selfe and beheld the clocke house, belfrie, and walls torne in pieces, euen as a mans hand had bin thrust through a great péece of warme waxe, and another church neighbour to this at the very same season was visited with some signe of Gods displeasure, for in some one of them or both, were sundry people slaine, other churches since that time, as Norwich of late, and Born in Huntington shire, haue wit­nessed to the world that Gods anger on churches, hath often beene marueilously séen, which may make many men wonder at the strang­nesse thereof, namely for that in churches and places of prayer, God [Page] permits and openly suffers his people to perish, and chiefely when they are at seruice, where men ought rather to be mindfull of their offences, and frailtie of life, then beare in breast any motion that may purchase Gods displeasure: But some doe iudg (and that a great number) the vilest sorte that honours no vertue, makes or would make the house of prayer, a denne of théeues, and so foorth as Christ himselfe found fault withall, Solomon and no other was ordayned to build the Temple of the Lord, and when it was finished, Sollo­mons owne wordes and prayer in that Temple, is a most diuine note and wonder to looke vpon, honour and admyre, wel well I dare say no more, but God is marueilous angrie at some matters, or men pertayning to the Church, when in that holy house he sendeth such myracles, and sendeth such warnings: I referre the iudgement thereof to graue Fathers and Diuine preachers: So bringing to an ende the small matter of this booke, that hath treated of Won­ders and signes in the ayre, Trembling and shaking of the earth, and warnings from God sent before the iudgement day: which mightie matters because they passe my reach to iudge off, and the common skill of men to discusse and deside, I leaue vnto the almightie that daily workes wonders, sendes warnings, shewes myracles, and neuer rests from making men knowe his dutie, towardes the admi­ring of him and his workes, which the more men write off, thinke on, or dispute in, the more farther they run headlong to heapes of errours follies and vnpardonable offences, where­fore auoyding ouer much boldnes and presumpti­on of entering too farre in these causes, I conclude and commit all to his mercies.