222 fte'eldtio*ofthe Apocalypfe. CAP. 6. thinefe, and lookruefully therefore, if the barren clod do fcarce bring forth hungryand palegrate, ifthe /miledo beat andWeaken theVine, i f theWhirle-wind doth overthrowandbreake downe Olive - trees, if fort droHTht flop up thejprings, &c. Out of which it is cleare how trou- blefóme andhard the ffateof thofe times was, as touching provifion forcorne and viftuals. And howfoever thisunfeafonableneffe of the weather had not been, there was calamity enough out of the continu. all wars, to confumeall their abundance, when as it muff needs be that the fields fhouldbe forfaken, plowing negleCfed, cattell notloo- ked to,thecorne that wasin the granaries burnt up,and all things that were for the maintaining of life deftroyed. Whereupon the Sword bath Famine joyned to it for an infeparable companion. The third weapon of Deathwas the Peftilence, thenwhichI doe not eafily bekeve that any man can fay there was ever anymore (harpeand grievous, whether for length of time wherein it endured, orfor multitudeofthofe that perifhcd by it. Itarofe firft under Gal- lus and Volufzan, and beginning from e../Ethiopia, it fpread it !elk al- molt throughthe whole Eaft and Weft, it made many Cities to be quite empty of citizens,and lafted for whole fifteen years together,as onaras in Galloreporteth, and Dionyf. Alex. inan Epift.to the Bra- thren doth defcribethe horrible rageof it t and exceeding rufully td_ gether with it, he doth alío make mention of the former calamities, thus giving a notable teftimony of the fill filling of this Prophecy in thofe times. After thkperfecueion which a little before he 1pake of there enfued (faithhe) both War andfamine, which together iiith the Heathens wefuf fred,We onlypatiently enduringfischthings Wherewith they oppref fedus, and yet together with them being partakers of thofc things ,which they both brought upon them/bves,andfufirred, and again we reioycing in the peaceof Chrift which hegave to us only. But when bothWe andthey hadfora very jhort time fame breathing, this Pe/ti- tence invaded the eeorld Which Was to them a matter more terrible then any other terror, andmore lament able,then any other calamity,(and ene oftheir ownHiftory _writersfaid)fuch,as it aloneexceeded theex- peFtationof all men,but unto w it Was not of this nature,but an ewer- cite and triall,not infer.tour to any other,for it did nottwitPelf backe evenfrom us, but yet itfcoured themfarmore terribly.. Thefe things 3aith he in Eufeb.Hift.l.7. a2. Cyprian took the argument ofhis Book touching the mortality from this heavy, andextraordinary plague. As for theWild Beans, ifthey beproperly taken, I remembernot that I have read any notable damage brought by them at this time, al- thoug>,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=