CHAP. III.
Why God doth suffer straunge noyses, or extraordinarie
rumblings to bee heard before some notable alterations
or otherwise.
N that there happeneth certaine straunge things before the death of men, and also before notable alterations, and destructions of countries, as maruellous crackes, and terrible roaring, surely it turneth to good vnto the iust, and to further damnation to the wicked. For by these means God sheweth that nothing commeth to passe by chance, or by aduenture, but that the life and death, the prosperous or vnfortunate estate of al men, is in the power and hand of God. It is nothing so as the Epicures affirme, that God hath no regard whether any man liue, or be borne, or do well or euill, or otherwise, or whether commō wealths do florish, or be made waste. Christ himself teacheth vs, that not so much as a sparrow falleth vnto the grounde without the will of God. Salomon and Daniel say, that the hearts of kings are in Gods hands, and that he appointeth or deposeth kings at his pleasure. Wherfore if we happily do heare any noises or such like, they ought rather to put vs in good comfort, thā to make vs afraide. And againe, God hereby admonisheth vs, that we be not idle and secure, for he hath in all ages stirred vp his seruants, not only with word, but also with rare and straunge apparitions. The very Gentiles accounted these miraculous things, as the admonitions and warnings of their gods, and it may be séen euery where, in their histories. And albeit it be very likely, that most of these things happen by the diuels procurement, yet neuerthelesse, we herein perceiue Almightie God his fatherly care, loue, and preseruatiō of vs against yͤ deuises of the diuel. For albeit the diuel take no rest, but is alwayes in readinesse to destroy vs, yet can he not hurt vs, so long as God kéepeth watche and defendeth vs. The wicked who despise the preaching of Gods word, are sore terrified with these things, in so much that they not knowing whither to turne themselues, are constrained to confesse, that God doth gouerne all mens actions, and that there are good and euil spirits. Otherwise they coulde in no case be repressed, but that they would doo greater mischiefe vnto the faithfull, except God by these meanes did cast feare vppon them, and as it were with a snaffle or bridle, did hale and drawe them backe.
CHAP. IIII.
After what sort they should behaue themselues, whiche
see good or euil spirits, or meete with other straunge
aduentures: and first how Iewes and Gentiles behaued
themselues in the like cases.
THat we may rightly vnderstand how we ought to behaue What the Gētiles did when they sawe spirits. Suetonius. our selues, if any thing either good or euill, appeare vnto vs, we wil first declare how the Gentiles and Iewes vsed themselues in like cases. Amongst the Gentiles, not only those wandring spirits beare men in hand that they were mens soules, but also shewed what were good and expedient for them to doo for their sake, to wit, that they should do sacrifices for their soules, obserue their obsequies, burie their bodies, erect Temples, make holy dayes, and such like stuffe. Suetonius writeth, that the Emperor Caligule his bodie was priuily conueyed into the gardeins called Lamiam, and there with a hastie fire being but halfe consumed, was cast into a pit, and couered with a litle earth. But afterwards, whē his sisters returned from exile, it was taken vp, and thorowly burnt, and afterward solemnly buried. But before they had so done, the gardē kéepers were very much troubled with appearing of spirites. And moreouer, no man could passe any night in the same house where he was slaine, without some great feare, vntil such time as the house was vtterly destroyed with fire.