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 denounce against vs the wrath of almightie God therewithall admonishing vs to amende our euill life to reforme our wicked conuersation to be renewed 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ¶ What mischiefes and euils Earthquakes threaten and denounce Chap. 7. 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 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 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 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 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 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 Euen that notable warre without controuersie which tooke the name to be called ciuill than the which warre a more dangerous and deadlie was
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 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 not ashamed to professe though seduced by signes of birdes flieng by opinions of the weather-wise 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 others not a fewe men I confesse déepely learned in matters touching the Church and verie well practised 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 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 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 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 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 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 hereafter to happen before the ende come vpon vs considering that I haue omitted none of them in the worke of our 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 ¶ What all and euerie one of vs ought to doe seeing the ende of this worlde approch Chap. 11. 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 the doore we sée that there remaineth nothing else but this if we regard our owne safetie namely 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 Let vs not flatter our selues because we are Christians therefore God will forgeue vs though we doe not repent No no he 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
inuisible incomprehensible only wise God be all laude praise honour power maiestie and dominion world without ende Amen Giue GOD the glorie FINIS 1580. OS HOMINI SVBLIME DEDIT ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the Starre * 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 * The Heathen and Pagan people may teach vs what belongeth to our dutie The Translaters application of this Hethenish denotion for our instruction * The measure of our sinnes runneth ouer and crieth out for vengeance against vs. * Windes the cause of Earth quakes in what sort and manner * The generation of an Earthquake the effectes which it worketh at that instant * The opinion of some concerning the sudden trembling of the earth The Translators admonition vpoÌ„ these coniecturall reasons * The denial of Gods diuinitie insueth the derogitation of the propertie of his workes * The wit of man meere vanitie if it be not tempered with the deaw of Gods spirit * The effectes which haue followed after Earthquakes declared by examples * The Translatours illation vpon the particulars before going * We do after a sort iustifie our selues when we referre the signes of Gods iudgements to sinâ—ster causes * The presumption of man in seking after the secret counsels of God * This reason of contraries is certaine and infallible * For God vseth a mediocritie and proportion in the execution of his iudgements * The ceasing of windes in y â— hollow caues of the ground causeth Earth quakes to cease * The continuance of Earthquakes proued by experience * The Translators collection by the former doctrine * The sudden and short visitation of God sent vppon vs by an Earthquake forewarneth vs of sharper tribulations * By whome is meant all such as lay blockes in the way of the people to stoppe them from coÌ„ming vnto God * By these speeches of comparison the righteousnes and integritie of God in iudging all offenders is declared * Earthquakes some more dangerous dreadfull some lesse perillous and fearfull * Where he was Preacher at that instant before he was called to be Bishop * The Translators comparison inferred vpon the premisses for our priuate admonition * A particular example a general warning to beware * The sound of a watch word or AlaruÌ„ bell to all prophaners of Gods sacred Sabbaoth and specially to players plaiemakers and all such as fauour that damnable facultie * As much is God glorified in the pulling downe of polluted places as in the building vp of holie temples * Something is ment by the happening of Earthquakes though it passe our capacitie to comprise * Earthquakes are denuntiations and threatnings of gods wrath against vs. * Warres fimine and pestilence the effectes of Earthquakes * The Translatours confirmation of the wordes aboue written * Reasons of comparison to proue that Earthquakes are not alwaies to be referred to naturall causes * The creatures of God mourne ouer vs for our sinnes which deserue a heauie day of visitation * Earthquakes reckoned among y e number of signes that shall be seene before the end of the world * Particular examples drawne out of the Canonicall Scripture touching this necessarie doctrine of Earthquakes * Namely the Priestes whose charge it was only to burne incense Ozia taking y e office vppon him * Among all other warnings from God to the Iewes of their destruction Earthquakes was in y e number * Examples of later time setting forth the fearful effects of Earthquakes * This continued course of examples biddeth vs by others harmes to take heed * He posteth ouer many examples vntouched for y â— auoiding of tediousnesse * Little good followeth after Earthquakes as by the euents of them in times past hath bene obserued * All thinges come to passe either at the commandement of God or by his permission and sufferance * The profitable doctrine which we haue to gather by Earthquakes happening in former ages * Signes of the end of this world vttered by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ himselfe * The Translators exhortation touching the contemplation of the particular examples before specified * Repentance the meanes to appease Gods wrath conceiued against vs for our sins * The double profite that shall redound vnto vs by the diligent reading and considering of the premisses * The sundrie and manifold meanes which God from age to age hath vsed to put Englande in mind of her visitation * 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 * The neglect of Gods mercie is the hastening of his iustice * Applie this threatning O England to thy selfe and be ashamed and sorie for thy sinne * The definition or description of an eclipse either in the Sunne or the Moone * The effectes of signes and wonders at y e pleasure and appointment of God * 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 * God vouchethsafe to vse the ministerie and seruice of Nature in sundrie thinges y t come to passe * Some Astronomers faile not in the prognostication or foreteliing of things to come Starres discerne the seasons y e times the daies and the yeares so that vpoÌ„ them dependeth a necessarie doctrine * The Sphere of fire aire haue a contiguitie or neerenesse * Wonders supernaturall are wonders in deede and come not of causes naturall * 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 doctrine touching the time place where wonders worke their effects is doubtfull * More strange signes wonders neuer appeared in any age than now in these our daungerous daies the Lord haue mercie vpon vs. * Many wonders haue happened in the worlde which neuer came to our knowledge * 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 * This worlde compared very fitly vnto a man whereby the state therof is liuely represented * The effectes denounced threatned by strange signes and wonders are the sicknesses y t shall wast and consume y e world * The aire altered semblably affected as the Sunne departeth from or draweth neere to vs. c. * The humors of our bodies abound and are spread through euery part member of our bodies at the beginnings of Monethes * The aire subiect to the influences or operations of y e Sunne Moone and Starres *
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 so did many vse to say of the floud in Noes time of the fire brimstone in Lothes time of the destruction of dust and ashes Doe you not thinke that they themselues if they were able to speake would say thus to vs 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ¶ A contemplation of wonderfull accidents and principally of Earthquaks as well particular as generall which haue happened in the realmes