The ruin of RomeThe ruine of Rome

Now, although the Stories do report, that in those days, which was above 300. years after Christ, there were many great and fearful Earthquakes in divers nations and cities of the world: yet it is apparent, that the Earth-quake here spoken of, cannot be taken literally, nor any of the rest here mentioned. For there was never any time, neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle, that ever the Sun was as black as sack-cloth of hair; or the Moon turned into blood; or the Stars fell from heaven; or the Heavens rolled together like a scroll; or that Mountains and Islands were moved out of their places. Therefore of necessity all this must be understood metaphorically; that is, that God did in so strange and fearful a manner manifest ⟨p. 74⟩his wrath from heaven by tumults, commotions, seditions, & alterations of kingdoms, as if these things of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, had been visibly represented to the eye. An earth-quake in this book, and other books also of the scriptures, doth by a borrowed speech signify commotions of commonwealth, troubles, tumults, uproars, and great alterations of states & kingdoms. The darkening of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, & rolling together of the Heavens, do by a metaphor in the scriptures, signify the fearful wrath and angry face of God; which they being not able to endure, are said here to blush at, to cover themselves, to hide themselves, to be ashamed of themselves, to remove out of their places, no more to do their offices, &c. For as birds do hide themselves, and thrust their heads into bushes when the Eagle cometh abroad: And as all the beasts of the forrest do tremble and couch in their dens when the Lyon roareth: And as that subject doth hide himself, and dare not show his head, with whom the King is displeased: So here it is said, that the whole earth doth tremble, and all the celestial creatures are amazed and confounded with beholding the angry face of God against the world, in so much that they do as it were, draw a canopy over them, hide themselves under a cloud, and surcease to do their offices.

Now, although the Stories do report, that in those dayes, which was aboue 300. yeares after Christ, there were many great and fearefull Earthquakes in diuers nations and cities of the world: yet it is apparant, that the Earth-quake here spoken of, cannot bee taken literally, nor any of the rest here mentioned. For there was neuer any time, neither is it mentioned in any Chronicle, that euer the Sunne was as blacke as sacke-cloth of haire; or the Moone turned into bloud; or the Starres fell from heauen; or the Heauens rolled together like a scrole; or that Mountaines and Ilandes were mooued out of their places. Therefore of necessitie all this must bee vnderstood metaphorically; that is, that God did in so straunge and fearefull a manner manifest