Hittorieofthefndies. lib. 7. 



that this might partly ferve as an advertifemcn t to men, 

 and to be the beginning of the paine and chaftifemen t, 

 by the fcare and amazement they bring . It is written 

 in the fecond booke QiMaubeeSy that before that great 

 change and perfection of the people vdfrael : which 

 was caufed by the tyranny vtAntiochu* furnamed E- 

 pipbanes, whome the holy Scriptures call the roote of 

 finne, there were feene for forty dayes together tho- 

 rowou t tillcrufakm , great fquadrons of horfcmen in 

 the ayre, who with their armour guilt,their lances and 

 targets, and vppon furious horfes , with their fwordes l 

 drawnedidftrike, skirmifliandincounteroneagainft 

 the other : and they fay that the Inhabitants of lerufa- 

 lew feeing this, they prayed to our Lord to appeafe his 

 wrath, and that thefe prodegics might turne to good. 

 It is likewife written in the booke of Wifidimt , That 5 t 

 when God would drawe his people out oEgypt, and 

 punifh the Egyptians, forne terrible & fearefull vifions 

 appeared vnto them , as fires feene out of time in-hor 

 rible formes. lofepb in his booke of the le wifli warres, 

 (heweth many and great wonders going before the de- 

 ftrudion oflcrttfilcm, and the laft captivitie of his wic 

 ked people, Whome God iuftly abhorrediand EufekitK 

 ofCe/arta, with others, alleadge the fame texts, autho 

 rizing prognoftications . The Hiftories are full of like 

 obfervations in great changes of ftates and common* 

 weales, as Pattltu Orofius witnefleth of many : and with 

 out doubt this obfervation is not vaine nor vnpr^fi ta 

 ble- for although it be vanitie,yea fuperftition, defen 

 ded by the lawe of our God , lightly to beleevc thefe 

 fignes and tokens : yet in matters of great moment, as 

 in the changes of nations, kingdoms, and notable laws. 

 It is no vaine thing, but rather certaine and allured, to 



O o 2 beleeve. 



