s t IodationoftheApecaIypf 'e. C A f. í. The Event here decyphered is not fo plainly recorded, by the Hi- floryWriters as were tobe wifhed, feeing that they do cull out the more excellent matter, as for thofe that be common and vulgar,they paffe by them eafly, for the molt part, feeing this famine doth chief- ly confrft in the fcarcity ofcorne onely, not in the dearth ofall vií4a- als. And yet God would have force footfl:eps of it tobe extant, as much as fhonld bee enough to fave the credit of this Trophecie. Unto Antoniiu Ferus,Commodus his,fon fiuceededrduring the time of wholeEmpire theworld had fomebreathing front outward calami- ties through Godsmercy,and that for this caufe, as I fuppofe,becaufe it had plague, and mifchief enough onely by having fo wicked an emperour. Pertinax and Iulianus fucceeded him,both of them ha- ving a fhort raigne, and for that caufe being the lefle mifchievous. At lengthSeverus comethto the Empire, whowas a cruel! Author of a moft grievousbutchery of C'hriflians, whether it were of his own accord, or by the inftigation of others. At that time the third Beafi criedout mainly, adnaonifhing the faithful!, that God would be revenged ofthe,wicked,loathing of. Spirituali food, with fending a great penury of food for this prefent life. For Tertullian whom by right you níay call a man, as being one that excelled in wit, acutenefie, and learning, who hachas many arguments almoff as words in his writings, who through anger fell untoMontanifine, and fo by this infirmitybf his, did likewifè fliew, that nothing incident to the nature of man was dìfagreeable unto him. This Tertuflian (I fay) wrotea mofllearnedApaloóie agáinff theGentiles,and fent.it to the chief Goverflows ofRme; out ofwhich as Francis Zephirus writeth, they might at teafl privily and covertly tak t knoWledge ofthe common caufe ofthe Chriflians, feeing itWæs not laWfall todo it openly, And he did not thitske it fit to fpeak unto the Princes onely ofthe RomanoEmpire in general!, but alfoby name call upon Scapula the Deputy ofCarthage, if fo be that he might per- haps rnollifie his favage mande. He laboured to teach him what was the truecaufe ofthe publike calamities,towit,that the wicked world by perfecutingof the Truthdid pull upon it felfe thole nhfruitfullfea- fons, and grounds : fo thatafter thefeed times the harvefg times *ere lofl,and inundations by fhoWers,and horrible tempefls didfpoil all things; forfo hefaith;yet mull We needs be grieved , that thereis no city that j7all carry aìvay fcotfree the fbedding ofour blood, even as alfo it befell under Hilarian the Governour, *hen as touching the corne floores, of our , they had cryed, let there be no corne floores, they Were
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